1989 Honda Accord Lxi Sedan Right Passenger Side Rear Door on 2040-parts.com

McLaren to debut MP4-12C Can-Am at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance weekend is less than a week away, and debuts continue to roll in. Wednesday's addition comes from McLaren, which will show off a track-focused concept named the 12C Can-Am Edition. The design study is painted in McLaren orange and satin black.

Worth a read: Wired's 'Why Getting It Wrong Is the Future of Design'

Wired has just published a series of short articles entitled 13 Lessons for Design's New Golden Age. While there are some interesting examples cited in the piece, the concluding article, ‘Why Getting It Wrong Is the Future of Design' by the former creative director of Wired magazine, Scott Dadich, feels like it has particular resonance for car design. Dadich's Wrong Theory uses disruptive examples from the world of art, plus his own experience of working at Wired, to explain how design goes through phases: establishing a direction, creating a set of rules that define that direction and finally someone who dares to break from that direction.

Keyless ignition trends toward standardization

A federal plan to require automakers to standardize keyless ignition systems in the wake of Toyota's unintended acceleration problems is likely to mirror industry guidelines issued in January, an automaker group said. Large automakers except Toyota said they already comply with the guidelines crafted by SAE International or plan to do so. These "recommended practices'' seek to counter the variation, driver confusion and safety problems that have ensued since automakers started installing push-button ignition in luxury models.