One Lap of the Web: Porsche flat-fours, hot rod artists and German car shows

We spend a lot of time on the Internet -- pretty much whenever we're not driving, writing about or working on cars. Since there's more out there than we'd ever be able to cover, here's our daily digest of car stuff on the Web you may not otherwise have heard about.

-- You've heard of watching paint dry, but NHTSA has a new hobby: watching Fords rust. The Detroit Free Press reports the agency is apparently keeping a close eye on 100,000 Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans not involved in an earlier salt-belt state recall to see if they suffer from corrosion that could lead to the third-row seats detaching from the floor.

-- Our friends at Flat Sixes ironically attempt to make a case for a flat-four engine in the Cayman and Boxster. While we agree that a bargain Porsche fighting with the BRZ and FRS would be welcome, we'll also argue that the flat-four's NVH is best suited for lawn tractors and vintage Beetles.

-- Ever heard of the Techno Classica auto show, which takes place each spring in Essen, Germany? Add to your list. The New York Times offers up a sampler of the 2,500 cars on display at the 2013 show, which marked the 25th anniversary of the event. Check out a video here, too.

-- Jalopy Journal posts its five favorite hot rod artists complete with samples of each one's work. Whether you agree, disagree or just don't care about rods at all, it's a gorgeous look at a simpler time.

-- If you can wade through the forest of popups and banner ads, Popular Mechanics has a brief look at one of the earliest automotive infotainment systems, the 1986 Buick Rivera touchscreen. In this age of ubercomplex setups, a monochrome CRT doesn't sound so bad.

By Autoweek Editors