Mercury Sport Jet 90 Jet Housing Assembly on 2040-parts.com

Saturday night's all right at Barrett-Jackson auction

Auction company Barrett-Jackson has a long-standing tradition of selling cars with no reserve--meaning the car is sold to the highest bidder regardless of price--but a change in that policy saw several million-dollar sales Saturday night at the annual extravaganza in Scottsdale, Ariz. While most of the cars crossing the Barrett-Jackson auction block continue to be sold at no reserve, the auction giant offered up several classics with a reserve and the results were impressive. The top five sellers all eclipsed the magical million-dollar figure with the auction broadcast live on Speed TV.

Show Review: Tokyo Concours D’Elegance

Tokyo has hosted the first of what it hopes will become the Japanese equivalent of America's Pebble Beach and Italy's Villa D'Este. Held at the plush Tokyo Midtown shopping mall/commercial complex, the Tokyo Concours D'Elegance was initiated by enthusiast Paul Goldsmith and coincided with the first public days of the Tokyo Motor Show - though regrettably also with a typhoon, forcing organisers to cover the cars on the lawns, which were ultimately closed due to flooding. Fortunately, the exhibition had been split between in- and outdoors, and while the weather lashed out at those braving the winds, there were still some interesting displays for those wishing to remain dry.

Renault Fluence Z.E.

Honoring its 2009 Frankfurt motor show pledge to offer EV's by 2012, Renault has announced the Fluence Z.E., which will soon be offered alongside its conventionally-powered sibling. In making its transition to EV, the Fluence has undergone several changes; the most obvious being the battery pack which dictated an increase in the car's overall length. The extended rear quarter panels, which equate to the 130mm growth, add a sizeable visual weight to the rear of the car.