Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

The no-show cars: a reader rant on mad concepts

Instigated by Harley Earl at General Motors in the late 30s with the quaintly named Buick Y-Job, show cars, or concept cars, were presented to an excited public eager for new things. As the world recovered from a depression and then a war, these vehicles pointed to a better future that many people believed in, including the people who produced them. And, although many of the concept cars of the 50s, with their Jetsons plexiglass roofs and notional nuclear powered engines seem ludicrous now, in their time they weren’t that cynical.

BMW M3 GTS – more videos

The new BMW M3 GTS - more video On Wednesday we reported on the reveal of the BMW M3 GTS, a track-focused, stripped-out and lightweight BMW M3. It will deliver at least 450bhp from its 4.4 litre V8, all of which will be driven through the rear wheels by a 7-speed M Dual Clutch Transmission (M-DCT). Apart from the obvious orange paint job, the M3 GTS gets a very seventies looking rear wing bolted to the boot.

Volkswagen Nils concept

Volkswagen will give its newest concept vehicle, named Nils, its public debut at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show. The single-seat electric concept vehicle, which has been designed to be economical and production feasible, features an aluminium space frame, wing doors and free-standing wheels. Though its inspiration may come from Formula 1, the styling has its origins at the Volkswagen Design Centre in Potsdam, Berlin.