Battery Hold Down Clamp / Hook 12298148-1 on 2040-parts.com

Eight hot rods compete for Ridler Award in Detroit

The 59th Annual Autorama has taken over Cobo Center in downtown Detroit with hundreds of hot rods, customs classics cars and motorcycles in what has been billed as America's greatest hot rod show. Judges have selected eight vehicles--dubbed the Great 8--as finalists for the coveted Ridler Award that will be presented Sunday evening at the show's conclusion. The Great 8 are: -- Jim Marciniak from Andover, Minn., with a 1963 Buick.

Top Gear Russia outs the 2014 Mazda3 Saloon – probably not coming to the UK

The 2014 Mazda3 saloon (pictured) has been outed by Top Gear The UK and Europe have eschewed small saloon cars for hatchbacks in recent years. But in other parts of the world its the small saloon that’s big news, so many will be interested in the new Mazda3 saloon, revealed by Top Gear in Russia ahead of an official debut. Looking exactly like the new 2014 Mazda3 hatch revealed last week (there’s a shock), Mazda has managed to make the translation from hatch to saloon seamless, with proper flowing lines and no sense of a ‘notch’ grafted on the back.

2013 BMW M5 facelift & new M6 get Competition Package

The BMW M5 (left) & M6 with new Competition Packacge But the 2013 BMW M5 – and its coupe sister, the BMW M6 – will also be getting a Competition Package option for 2013, which is probably more interesting than the minor tweaks to the 2013 5 Series. The Competition Package adds more power to both the M5 and M6 – a whole 15bhp, taking it up to 567bhp – enough to improve the 0-62mph by 0.2s on both M5 and M6 as well as re-tuned dampers and springs – which lower ride height on the M5, but not the M6 – stiffer anti-roll bars, new M Diff and an improved Dynamic Mode which should allow you to play a bit more. On the cosmetic front, just like the 5 Series facelift, you’ll have to look quite hard to see what the Competition Package adds, but you do get a black finish on the tail pipes and a slightly different set of 20″ alloys.