Wheel Center Cap Dorman 909-008 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.

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe in the flesh: Geneva Motor Show

The BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe lands in Geneva The big news from BMW at the Geneva Motor Show has been the arrival of the production version of the new X4, rather overshadowing the European debut of the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. Which is a shame. It’s a shame because the 4 Series Gran Coupe is a very good looking car – as is its big brother, the 6 Series Gran Coupe – even if we struggle to see how BMW are going to manage to differentiate it sufficiently from the new 3 Series saloon.

A classic covey gathers at The Quail for Monterey weekend

For seven years now every August, the fairway in front of the Quail Lodge has been transformed into a racing paddock. Great sports, race and super cars of all eras sprawl out on the grass like a tremendous, wheeled museum of speed. This year, in addition to the usual categories of "pre-war sports and racing," "post-war sports," etc., there were classes for BMW M1s, a celebration of 50 years of racing at Daytona and even a class of eight Devins.