Continental O470 Oil Pump Housing, P/n 538755 on 2040-parts.com

McLaren F1 designer signs on with Florida start-up

A small Florida company with hopes of making green performance cars has landed a big name. Rivian Automotive said this week that it has signed on Peter Stevens--the designer of the McLaren F1--as its director of design. It hopes to bring its first car to market in 2013 and launch more in 2014.

Ford Focus ST: Get yer trousers on – you’re nicked!

Ford Focus ST - filming in The Sweeney We had the arrival of the production version of the Ford Focus ST at the Frankfurt show in September, and it is due to arrive in 2012 – as is a film version of the iconic 1970s TV show about the Met’s Flying Squad – The Sweeney. The Sweeney – for those not old enough to remember – was a 1970s police TV drama starring the late John Thaw and Dennis Waterman as Reagan and Carter – real-life Life on Mars cops; hard-drinking, chain smoking and with a complete disregard for the rules. The Sweeney featured Ford cars front and centre, with DI Reagan driven around in a Ford Consul GT and sidekick Carter foisted in to a Cortina when Reagan sent him off on his own.

Porsche Panamera GTS arrives at LA Show

Porsche Panamera GTS Now that we’re a couple of years in from the launch of the Porsche Panamera, Porsche think it’s about time we got to know the hard-edge side of the Panamera, so the LA Auto Show has seen the arrival of the Porsche Panamera GTS. Just like other GTS Porsches – particularly the Cayenne GTS – it’s probably best to think of the GTS as a Turbo without a Turbo and a bit of attitude thrown in to the mix.# Despite its harder-edged stance and sporting pretensions the 2012 Panamera GTS is atill a bit of a lump, coming in at 1920kg thanks, in part, to the standard 4WD setup. But even with the lard and drive to all four wheels, the 425bhp V8 can still pick up its skirts and hustle to 62mph in a very respectable 4.5 secondsa and on to a top speed of 179mph.