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

London F1 Grand Prix plans completely serious, says Ecclestone

F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says the recent publicity stunt by Santander for a London F1 Grand Prix are in fact a serious proposal. We recently saw plans for an F1 Grand Prix in London surface as something of a publicity stunt for Santander, with an impressive video (below) featuring McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Jenson button. The start of the London F1 Grand Prix is envisaged at Buckingham Palace and takes in the Mall, The Embankment, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus and a host of London’s iconic landmarks in a Grand Prix at night expected to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors.

New techniques cut cost of carbon fiber

Carbon fiber, once so costly that it was the preferred material only for fighter planes and supercars, is catching the attention of weight-conscious automakers. Carbon fiber's cost is falling dramatically, thanks to production advances that let suppliers speed the material's finicky, and costly, curing process. One technological breakthrough that makes carbon-fiber auto parts more affordable may come from a process used to make carbon-fiber golf clubs.

Concept Car of the Week: Renault Vel Satis (1998)

The approach to the design of top end models varies greatly depending on the manufacturer's heritage and the cultural differences of each country. It might be a conventional combination of wood and leather for some, power and technology for others, but it is generally packaged into a three-box four-door sedan or two-door fastback. Renault on the other hand had a much more cutting edge vision of what a luxury automobile could be.