Suzuki Gsf1200 K8 Bandit Rear Brake Disc Loads Wear Left Genuine Suzuki Ref/21 on 2040-parts.com

German Parts Pillagers Roam the American Southwest, Sending Treasures Home For Future Car Museum

Quite a few older European cars are purchased in rust-free parts of the United States and then shipped back to the home continent, and this process tends to intensify when the Euro gets stronger versus the dollar. While that's going on, crews of European gearheads also roam the wrecking yards of the Southwest, filling shipping containers with parts to ship back home; I know of a trio of Swedes who come to Colorado every year and ship home tons of parts, but they've got nothing on this pair of Germans. These gentlemen fly to the United States four times each year, spending two or three weeks each trip, and send home cars and shipping containers packed with parts, all as part of a scheme to open up a car collection showcasing "cars from the road." They were kind enough to send me a bunch of photos of their most recent trip, so let's see what their enviable lifestyle looks like.

Subaru seeks to dump 'quirky,' broaden appeal

When Subaru arrived in the United States in the 1960s, ads used the unflattering slogan "cheap and ugly." The brand has come a long way. But to critics, the concept of "Subaru styling" is still an oxymoron. Even loyalists describe it as "quirky"; the less charitable choose "bland" and "boxy." Subaru is one of the few brands that have been unscathed, even growing stronger, during the U.S.

Lotus Exige S Roadster Official: Price (£52,800) and Specs

It’s the first properly good news from Lotus for a while, and looks a promising offering at the same price (£52,800) as the tin top Exige S and, remarkably for a convertible, actually weighing less than the hard top – although by only 10kg. The Exige S Roadster gets the same 3.5 litre V6 as the coupe which means 345bhp, 295lb/ft of torque and a 0-60mph of a very respectable 3.8 seconds, but it does lose the coupe’s rear wing and front splitter for better airflow. The folding roof on the Roadster is a manual affair, but Lotus say fresh air motoring is just ‘Two clicks and a roll away’, so the manual roof is probably the best – and lightest – option.