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

Happy 80th Birthday, Syd Mead!

Take a poll among car designers to name their greatest influence, and one name is sure to appear at the top of the list: Syd Mead. The car designer, illustrator and futurist has inspired generations of the men and women who shape the cars we drive or admire. Syd has created the designs for the movies Blade Runner and Tron, while the illustrations published in his books such as Oblagon and Sentury (sought-after collector items today) depict the vision of a future dominated by superior technology and aesthetics.

Aston Martin One-77 Nurburgring Spy Video

The Aston Martin One-77 gets a run at the Nurburgring - Video below For real car lovers the ‘Eco’ push in recent years has left us a little perplexed. Perplexed and confused as we try to come to terms with the joys of a turbo diesel (and there are joys, much to my surprise) and the loss of big V10 and V12 engines in production cars. Thankfully, there are still enough wealthy people in the world who don’t give a fig about the opinions of the eco-mentalists and who are inclined to buy the best that car makers can produce, regardless of eco-sensibilities. Which is why we can still glory in motoring delights like the Aston Martin One-77 even if its £1.2 million price tags is beyond the reach of most.

Behind The Scenes: Hot Wheels Design Studio [w/Video]

Hot Wheels' vice president of design Felix Holst has spent some time chatting to Cool Hunting about the brand's design philosophy at its Design Studio at Mattel's headquarters in El Segundo, California, in a new video. According to Holst Hot Wheels has evolved from being focused on muscle cars and V8 engines to being all about technology as a reflection of the new generation they're designing for.  He explains the benefits of designing over 240 vehicles a year that aren't limited by rules and regulations, saying in a studio that's driven by pushing the boundaries, it's a question of just how wild they can get.  The video really captures not only the men's passion for their jobs but the fun they have doing it. Small wonder Holst says he'd never go back to car design, and reveals the studio is packed with qualified car designers who chose Hot Wheels over conventional jobs in the industry.  We also hear from Hot Wheels Car Maker's designer Julian Payne, who explains how the new Car Maker – which gives you the chance to mold your own custom Hot Wheels at home – works.