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

Nissan GT-R beats its Nurburgring record – more to come today?

The jubilant Nissan GT-R team celebrates their new lap record at the Nurburgring [ad#ad-1] The Nissan GT-R is indeed an impressive car. It offers real supercar performance for what appears to be a relatively modest price. Admittedly it still costs an arm and a leg to service, and with exchange rates as they are at the moment it will become less of a bargain, but it’s certainly chucked a very big spanner in to the works as far as the more established Supercar makers are concerned (Porsche in particular had plenty to say about the last time the GT-R set).

Pace cadets: At AMG academy, students take their finals with their right feet

Mercedes-Benz USA launched the AMG Challenge in 2002, a program touted as "a chance to experience the thrill of driving the newest Mercedes AMGs on some of America's best racetracks." This year, MBUSA abandoned the Challenge in favor of the AMG Driving Academy, a multistage driver-development program pioneered by AMG in Europe. The difference? According to Greg Clark, AMG manager, "the Challenge was more about the cars, while the Academy is more about the driver." Having participated in both the Challenge and now the Academy, we'd say that difference is subtle, at least as it applies to the one-day program.

Blink and you'll miss Ken Block in new Gymkhana video

Explosions, hooks and slides and the destruction of fluorescent light bulbs--all in the name of gaining attention for DC Shoes? Noted rally driver and DC co-founder Ken Block slides his way through Gymkhana Two, a high-performance sequel to his popular Gymkhana Practice video. Block maneuvers a 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, custom-built by Crawford Performance, around the Port of Los Angeles.