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

Shelby American to host Shelby Vegas bash

The 2014 Shelby Vegas Bash is set to begin April 14, leading right into the 50th birthday celebration of the Mustang Club of America. “With the Shelby Vegas Bash leading into the MCA 50th birthday celebration, we're expecting this year to be bigger and better than ever,” said Joe Conway, CEO of Shelby American. “This will be the first opportunity to host Shelby members and enthusiasts at our new world headquarters in the heart of Las Vegas.” The Pacific Coast Team Shelby Region will start the event with a 300-mile drive from Palm Springs, Calif., to the Shelby headquarters, which will have many cars on display, along with live music and a meet and greet.

Is the car industry heading toward the past?

Is the future of cars decidedly old school? An NPR blogger certainly thinks so. NPR Business Desk reporter Sonari Glinton recently likened the 2014 Detroit auto show to an era 40 years ago, reflecting the possibility that the renewed zeitgeist of an entire convention indicates a "retro" kind of thinking.

Toyota to close Australian design studio

Toyota designers at its Technical Center Asia Pacific Australia (TTCAP-AU) are to lose their jobs as part of Toyota's decision to scale back the facility's activities as well as halting all manufacturing within the country by 2017. The TTCAP-AU, which carries out all its Australian design and evaluation operations, employs 150 designers and modelers and it's possible that its activities with the Camry, Camry Hybrid and Aurion models could be scrapped, raising doubts over its future. Around 2,500 employees at Toyota's Altona manufacturing plant are expected to lose their jobs, although the effects are likely to be wider ranging.