Thin Blue Line Reserve Decal on 2040-parts.com

One Lap of the Web: Remembering the dearly departed

-- With news that Toyota is leaving the great state of California for the greater (by landmass, anyway; your own opinion may vary) state of Texas, it's worth reminding ourselves that Toyota in America started as one lonely building on 6000 Hollywood Blvd., having taken over a former Rambler dealership. (The site is still a successful Toyota dealership.) That first year of sales in 1958 saw 287 Toyopet Crowns and one Land Cruiser sold -- more as curiosities than as practical transportation, we'd wager. -- At any rate, Toyota's move from California to Texas is moving from "one of the most eco-friendly states in the union," according to Ward's Auto, "to the U.S.’s equivalent of China." -- Ten years ago today, the last Oldsmobile rolled off the line at Lansing Car Assembly.

Dany Bahar’s restored V8 Lotus Esprit for sale

With Dany Bahar now ousted as Lotus boss, his fully restored 2002 V8 Lotus Esprit is up for sale. When Dany Bahar joined Lotus from Ferrari, he brought with him some grandiose plans – and an ability to spend money – that were ultimately his undoing. And it appears Bahar was a bit too grand to run around in any of Lotus’s current models as ambassador for the brand, instead deciding the way to go was a fully restored version of the last Lotus supercar – the Lotus Esprit.

Toyota NS4 Advanced Plug-in Hybrid Concept

The Toyota NS4 Advanced Plug-in Hybrid Concept marks another step in the recent revival of the company's design direction. Its silhouette is almost identical to the FCV-R concept unveiled in Tokyo, with a soft transition through hood, screen and roof, through to the high rear deck. This has become the visual identifier for hybrid cars of late.