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

Hennessey Venom GT hits 265.7 mph

Making a car go fast isn't rocket science: You add power and subtract weight. So if money were no object, you might take one of the lightest cars you could find and shove in one of the most powerful production engines on the planet. The result might look a lot like the Hennessey Venom GT.

Stig outed as Ben Collins – again

The Stig is Ben Collins It’s a game Top Gear has played since the days of ‘Black Stig’ (Perry McCarthy – F1 almost was) – Who is the Stig? Not only has it provided the Beeb with an endless run of free publicity as everyone and his dog speculates on the Stig’s identity, they’ve even made money on the back of the Stig’s identity with Stig-focused games and goodies from the gloriously tacky range of Top Gear ephemera. And this last week Stiggy has been in the news as he tries to get his memoirs published – Stig: The Autobiography – much to the consternation of the Beeb, who believe his contract gives him no chance of revealing his identity.

'80s dream-car bargains: The AutoWeek list

'84-'89 C4 Corvette High: $44,000 Low: $2,500 Average: $10,018 Our take: Arguably the best buy on this list '85-'89 Volkswagen GTI High: $5,995 Low: $4,100 Average: $4,865 Our take: The iconic pocket rocket '85-'89 Ford Mustang 5.0 High: $48,995 Low: $1,900 Average: $7,924 Our take: Pony car + V8 = tons of fun '87-'89 Pontiac Firebird Formula High: $22,900 Low: $4,000 Average: $10,293 Our take: One day, you might be able to show it at an Orphan Car Show '84-'87 Buick Grand National High: $31,700 Low: $9,000 Average: $17,442 Our take: If you can find a clean one for less than $20,000, buy it '81-'82 DeLorean DMC-12 High: $26,900 Low: $15,998 Average: $22,572 Our take: Only on the market for a couple years; might always be a collectible '81-'89 Lotus Esprit High: $41,998 Low: $16,495 Average: $23,535 Our take: One of the fastest cars in its day '88-'89 BMW M3 High: $65,000 Low: $14,500 Average: $24,417 Our take: A lot of thrills for the money '83-'85 Ferrari 308 GTS High: $44,950 Low: $32,900 Average: $37,878 Our take: A Ferrari for less than 40 grand? Believe it '81-'89 Porsche 911 Turbo High: $78,500 Low: $24,900 Average: $40,669 Our take: Be careful, these monsters are a handful!