Mercury Solenoid. 850189t on 2040-parts.com

Rolls-Royce hits new sales record

ROLLS-ROYCE has strolled luxuriously to a record half-year new car sales total - although actual volumes have not been released yet. Sales worldwide have risen by 33% compared with the January to June 2013 period, with sales in Europe up by more than 60%. There was also strong growth in Asia Pacific (up nearly 40%) and in the Middle East (up by more than 30%).

Range Rover Evoque gets 9-Speed auto ‘box

Land Rover are to fit a new 9-speed automatic gearbox from ZF to the 2014 Range Rover Evoque. Will show at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. There are some of us old enough to remember cars that had three-speed ‘boxes, and it only seems five minutes since five-speed manual ‘boxes became the norm.

The Toyota FT-1 sure does look like the Bertone Mantide

We really liked the Toyota FT-1, which caught us off guard in the best possible way when it emerged at the Detroit auto show. In fact, we liked Toyota's “spiritual pace car” enough to call it the most fun new thing on the floor -- and we're hoping the automaker's execs take notice. Reader Dennis Liu certainly noticed the car, which seemed rather familiar to him: He feels that, coincidentally or not, it looks a lot like the Bertone Mantide.