New Lotus Elite revealed

Lotus Elite Concept Paris We knew Lotus were intending repositioning themselves as an East Anglian Aston Martin. Thanks to a clumsy PR stunt by Lotus we were pretty sure we’d see the direction at the Paris Motor Show. Tick all the boxes.

Big Willie Robinson: 1942-2012

Big Willie Robinson was as much legend and myth as flesh and bone, and at six feet, six inches and weighing 300 pounds, with 21-inch biceps and a 58-inch chest, there was a lot of flesh and bone. Robinson was more than a drag racer, promoter and sanctioning-body president. He was the man who used the power of horsepower to unite people of all colors and creeds under the banner of drag racing, once saying at a race, “Ain't no colors here, it's all just engines.” As the founder and president of the National and International Brotherhood of Street Racers, he used racing to bring the races together.

West Hollywood hires a robo-valet

West Hollywood, Calif.--where the valet guy can be just as much of a power broker as some big-shot producer--is going high-tech with its new parking garage. The Southern California city has enlisted Israeli company Unitronics to build a 200-car garage on Santa Monica Boulevard that will automatically park and retrieve cars. Think RoboValet.