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

Is the McLaren P1 order book about to close?

We’re hearing that McLaren is ready to close the order book for their P1 supercar before the specification – or the car – have been fully revealed. We’ve had the reveal of the P1 Concept – and seen it floating round the world as McLaren drum up potential customers with enormous bottomless pockets – and we’ve even seen the P1 on the move as McLaren shake down the development version of the P1. But so far we haven’t had the full specs of the P1 revealed and, as far as we can tell, McLaren hasn’t even divulged the full details of the P1′s power and performance to potential customers – no matter how wealthy they are.

Storing classic concept cars is a huge hassle

If you see a dazzling concept car at an auto show this year, consider this: Somebody is going to have to find the space to park it and maintain it in a heritage collection, perhaps until the end of time. Preserving this year's hits as the museum pieces of the future is one of the great backroom issues of the auto industry. If you need to see the first wood-paneled Honda Civic Country station wagon from 1980 for some good reason, Honda has one in storage in Japan.

Ford's automotive assembly line celebrates 100th anniversary

A mere century ago, on Oct. 7, 1913, Henry Ford rigged up a rope tow to get Model T chassis across the floor of his Highland Park assembly plant -- essentially winching cars across the factory floor and adding a set schedule of parts at certain intervals. The implementation may have been a bit primitive, but Ford was on the cusp something big: applying the concepts of the moving assembly line to the complicated, costly process of automobile production.