Exhaust Manifold With Integrated Catalytic Converter Federal (exc.ca) - 06175 on 2040-parts.com

Best of the Best for 2012: Audi A7 and Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

Each year, hundreds of new cars and trucks pass through the Autoweek garage for evaluation by our editors. We bring our enthusiast eye to what we'll admit is a relatively enjoyable task of sorting through all of those test cars, looking for those few stellar models that deserve additional consideration for our top honors. For the second consecutive year, we've applied all of that accumulated knowledge and seat time to pick Autoweek's Best of the Best/Car and Best of the Best/Truck for 2012.

Malaysian Grand Prix Qualifying: Hamilton grabs pole for Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton takes pole in Malaysia in heavy rain Lewis Hamilton has secured his second pole position in two outings for Mercedes at the Malaysian Grand Prix – equaling Jim Clark’s record of 33 poles – as rain turned the Sepang track in to a lake. And with drivers quickly going on to full wets – and cars flying off the track as the rain took control of the qualifying sessions – the playing field was levelled, allowing Red Bull’s reigning World Champion, Sebastian Vettel, to almost pip Hamilton to pole, taking second place just 0.055s behind the Brit. Behind Vettel is the winner of the opening Australian Grand Prix, Nico Rosberg, in the second Mercedes, followed by the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso and the Red Bull of new boy Daniel Ricciardo – who was so impressive in Asutrali two weeks ago – taking fifth spot.

The case of the disappearing Lambos

Now this should have rung an alarm bell or two at the time, but it seems it didn’t. Back in November the world’s largest Lamborghini dealership – Lamborghini Orange County – turned up its toes and closed the doors, apparently a victim of the downturn in car sales. Not the oddest story in these times admittedly, but a bit odd when you consider that Lamborghini OC was reckoned to be responsible for 10% of Lamborghini’s sales worldwide, shifting around 240 cars a year.