Engine Oil Filter Baldwin B421 on 2040-parts.com

Hiromu Naruse: ‘Godfather’ of the LFA ‘Not Famous Enough’

Hiromu Naruse & Lexus LFA Last year we reported the death of Hiromu Naruse, Toyota’s chief test driver and a man considered to be the ‘Godfather’ of the Japanese performance car, and particularly the Lexus LFA, a car which consumed the last decade of his life and became the final testament to his enormous skill. At 67, Naruse-san was still as involved as ever, and it was whilst driving a Lexus LFA with the Nurburgring Package he met his end on a public road near the Nurburgring. A track, incidentally, he had driven more than any other Japanese driver.

Porsche 918 Spyder crashes in Germany

Porsche is in hot water with German authorities following an accident involving a prototype version of the gasoline-electric hybrid-powered 918 Spyder on a public road last month, according to reports in the German media. The accident, which took place between the towns of Bietigheim-Bissingen and Ludwigsburg (close to Porsche's research-and-development center), saw the 875-hp 918 Spyder spin out of control and collide with a guard rail. Parts of the new $845,000 Porsche flagship are said to have broken loose in the collision before being collected by an oncoming car.

Exclusive: Frank Stephenson to become Design Director at McLaren

Thanks to our contacts in the automotive design community, we've become aware that Frank Stephenson, who until recently was Director of Design at Alfa Romeo, will be taking on a new role as Design Director at McLaren. "McLaren is pleased to confirm that Frank Stephenson will shortly join as Design Director," a company spokesperson told CDN, but would not reveal additional details. Stephenson was not prepared to comment.