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

Design Contest: LA Design Challenge 2008

The entrants for the fifth annual Design Challenge, part of the Design Los Angeles automobile designers' conference, have now been announced. Nine Southern California automotive design studios - including Audi, BMW, GM, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Volkswagen - have been pitted against one another and asked to develop a concept which best answers a brief entitled 'Motorsports in 2025'. "Automotive designers have always been fascinated with motorsports and this year's Design Challenge has provided them with the opportunity to use their creative talent to look at these cars with new eyes, using innovative technologies and approaches," said Chuck Pelly, director of Design Los Angeles and partner in The Design Academy, Inc.

Having a baby in our Jaguar S-type

Those of us that are fathers or expectant fathers, and also like driving must have occasionally daydreamed about what would happen if their wife suddenly went into labour at home and things progress rather more quickly than the oh-so-reassuring leaflets the NHS give out. Resulting in a truly heroic drive to the hospital, arriving, against all odds, just before the baby is born – to the admiration of all concerned. Including Plod, who naturally failed to keep up with you as you went through traffic lights, right angle bends and narrow country lanes at the speed of light….

Amazing barn-find auction totals £1m

THE LARGEST collection of ‘barn find’ cars ever assembled in one auction has raised more than £1 million. The auction, which included amazing and rare lots including Aston Martins and Jaguars, was the first of its kind and took place at Silverstone Auctions’ Practical Classics Restoration Show. More than 85% of the cars put up for sale have found new owners.