The first Shelby Cobra fetched US$13.75 million (NZ$18.8m) at the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance auction. The car, known as CSX 2000, is the original prototype, built in 1962 when Carroll Shelby shoehorned a 4.3-litre (260 cubic-inch) Ford V8 into the engine bay of a British-made AC Ace. It never left Shelby’s hands – it was his personal Cobra from day one until he … [Read more...] about Shelby’s personal Cobra in original condition …
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Edna, the Vito van with a kick-ass electric motor
Atieva is an automotive start-up, a Silicon Valley company that designs, develops, and builds electric powertrains and is working on an electric vehicle. Some time back its owners/developers set up a drag race between its all-wheel-drive electric van, called Edna, and a Tesla Model S and Ferrari California. Edna blew them away. It is based on a Mercedes-Benz Vito, and its … [Read more...] about Edna, the Vito van with a kick-ass electric motor
Here’s why ‘Graham’ looks like he does …
Australian artist Patricia Piccinin teamed up with trauma surgeon Christian Kenfield and Monash University road safety engineer Dr. David Logan to craft a human body impervious to the forces involved in car accidents. What came out of the collaboration is Graham, bulbous head and all. "The truth is, cars have evolved a lot faster than we have," Dr. Logan told the Australian … [Read more...] about Here’s why ‘Graham’ looks like he does …
The men who stood under an air-borne nuclear explosion
Fifty-nine years ago this week, five US military men stood directly under the detonation point of an atomic bomb test. Code-named ‘John’, the 1.7 kiloton warhead exploded 5000 metres above them in the Nevada desert, bathing them in bright light. The sixth volunteer filmed them. All six developed cancer in their 40s and 50s. Four soon died. The story of the test is from the … [Read more...] about The men who stood under an air-borne nuclear explosion
Working Subaru engine, courtesy of a 3D printer
From America’s Road & Track magazine comes a working 3D-printed replica of Subaru’s flat-four engine, scaled down to 35 per cent. It was put together by a fellow named Eric Harrell, who has shared its files to allow those with a 3D printer to print out their own version. Harrell has also 3D-printed a replica of the entire driveline from a 1980s Toyota truck. Now they are … [Read more...] about Working Subaru engine, courtesy of a 3D printer