One Lap of the Web: preservation-class edition

-- This video about a preserved Volkswagen dealership in Brazil is in Portuguese, and even if you don't know Portuguese, it will still make sense to you if you're a car person. (Or, you can activate the English subtitles on YouTube, as it's an interesting story.) -- What's the best truck for scaling vertical surfaces? That's right, it's the Unimog, and this week there's a 1965 example (that would be the oval-faced version) on the eBays with a rather realistic Buy it Now price.

Crunch watch Dec 09: the auto industry in crisis

Welcome to CAR's news aggregator as we round up the seismic change in the auto industry. Top tip: news summaries are added from the top hour-by-hour Wednesday 30 December 2009• Saab's PR chief told AN that GM is extending the deadline for a sale to 7 January – and the Trollhattan factory will resume limited manufacturing in early January to build the new 9-5 and some 9-3 cabrios (Automotive News, subscription required)• Last night Bloomberg reported a Saab board member claiming that the 31 December deadline for a Saab sale or closure 'is not holy'. If GM receives a bid that is 'sufficiently interesting', it'll extend the deadline, said the Saab suit (Automotive News, subscription required)• GM is offering massive discounts on Pontiac and Saturn cars, as it seeks to get rid of the remaining stock from these terminated brands.

Megane Renaultsport 250 launches

The Megane Renaultsport 250 has been launched at Frankfurt As you’d expect, the RS 250 is a wee bit OTT with LEDs and splitter; bulges and biceps everywhere. When the Renaultsport hits the road next year you’ll be able to choose from two versions – Sport or Cup. Unless you have a spine made of titanium – or you don’t feel a performance Renaultsport deserves its name unless your arse can read the makers name on the cats-eyes as you crash over them – choose the Sport.