Exhaust Spring Dorman 03084 on 2040-parts.com

Old is new again: Will a floor-hinged throttle pedal be in your future?

If you think that every little nut, bolt, switch, gear or widget in your new car wasn't scrutinized by a team of highly educated, overworked car geeks (read: engineers), think again. A couple of recent conversations with automotive engineers confirmed that virtually nothing that goes into a car today is taken for granted. During the recent Pebble Beach weekend, I had the pleasure of spending time with an engineer for Jaguar, and the subject turned to materials used for various switches in the cabin.

Porsche Panamera to get new V6 engine

Porsche will reveal two new 3.6 V6 petrol versions of the Panamera at the Beijing motor show 2010. These are the first official photos of the new models, the Panamera and Panamera 4, which will be offered as cheaper alternatives to the S, 4S and Turbo versions. In the rear-wheel drive entry-level Porsche Panamera, the new 296bhp, 295lb ft V6 powerplant produces 265g/km of CO2 and will manage just 25 miles on a gallon of fuel.

Top Gear: Clarkson, Hammond & May sign for another 3 years

It’s been revealed that Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May have signed up for another 3 years of Top Gear. There may not be a new series of Top Gear on its way until 2013, but we now know that Top Gear as we know it – with Jeremy, Richard and James – is safe for another three years after the trio signed a new deal with the BBC, tying them in to Top Gear until 2016. So, despite the naysayers claiming Top Gear has had its day and will end soon, we can guarantee another three years of the nation’s (and the world’s) favourite car entertainment programme.