AutoWeek office swag: Mazda rotary-engine keychain with realistic motion

When I got the keys to our long-term 2011 Mazda 5 last week, they came with a surprise--this aluminum-and-brass keychain in the shape of a rotary-engine housing, complete with moving rotor. The rotor doesn't just rattle around or spin in a circle. Thanks to a thumbwheel on the back of the housing, coupled with a timing gear and offset crank journal, the thing actually moves in an approximation of epitrochoidal motion just like a real Wankel.

Los Angeles auto show 2009: news, blogs, reviews

The Los Angeles auto show 2009 is underway! CAR's staff writer Ben Pulman and CAR Online reader reporter Car4mh are blogging from the LA Convention Center – and you can follow their live feeds below for all CAR's LA motor show news, analysis, photos and opinion in the CAR live blog. NB Newest updates added at the top, so scroll to the bottom to start on day one; all times below are local LA o'clock (eight hours behind GMT); BP is Ben Pulman, MH is Mark Hamilton 4.00pm: Stopped at the South HallMH Never mind, it's shut.

Kia GT at Frankfurt: It WILL go in to production

Kia GT at Frankfurt - will be going in to production We’ve been hugely impressed with the way Kia – and sister company Hyundai - has transformed in to a serious player in the car market. And now, having matched the Japanese in the mainstream market Kia, in particular, is looking to take things up a rung or three with the Kia GT. We praised the styling of the Kia GT when we saw the first photo, but we believed it was likely just a design exercise; a sort of ‘Look what we could do if there was a market for it’ kind of statement.