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

British driver breaks speed record for steam-powered car

One of the world's oldest speed records has gone up in smoke--or rather, steam. Charles Burnett III drove a steam car to an average speed of 139.843 mph over two runs in California to beat the 103-year-old record of Fred Marriott. Burnett peaked at 136.103 mph on the first run, then he accelerated to 151.085 mph on the second run less than an hour later.

Post-World War II Japanese tin toys on display in New York

During the rebuilding of Japan after World War II, a Japanese toy designer took a discarded tin can and molded it into an intricate model car. Just inches in length, it created a phenomenon in the 1940s and '50s in Japan called “buriki.” Buriki is derived from “blik,” which is Dutch for "tin toy." A collection of 70 tin-toy vehicles manufactured in Japan is currently on display at New York's Japan Society Gallery. The exhibit, called “Buriki: Japanese Tin Toys from the Golden Age of the American Automobile, The Yoku Tanaka Collection,” runs until Aug.

Maserati at the Paris motor show 2008

By Ben Barry Motor Shows 03 October 2008 09:17 Visitors to the Maserati stand at Paris were treated to Modena’s familiar but still nonetheless alluring two-car range with a trio of Quattroportes and a pair of Granturismos, the newest versions being the Granturismo S and the Quattroporte S. The Granturismo S makes this four-seat GT an altogether more hardcore proposition. A 4.7-litre V8 replaces the standard car’s 4.2; the ZF torque converter auto makes way for a six-speed automated manual shared with the Ferrari Scuderia; plus there’s a subtle aero kit, bigger brakes along with interior embellishments.