1958-1962 Corvette Accelerator Gas Pedal Rod on 2040-parts.com

Ford Focus goes SEMA mad

A total of seven Ford Focus at the 2011 SEMA Show There’s nothing American petrolheads (perhaps we should say gearheads) like more than tarting up a car. Which explains why the relatively sensible Ford Focus is being pimped to within an inch of its life for this year’s SEMA show. The SEMA Motor Show is a trade-only gathering – despite which it gets around 50k visitors – which the organisers call the “premier automotive specialty products trade event – in the world.” It attracts trade visitors from across the globe to see parts, tools and components and the ‘SEMA’ special cars brought along by car makers and car modifiers.

Concept Car of the Week: AMC Amitron (1967)

While the American auto industry spent most of the late ‘60s creating huge barges powered by monstrous engines with loud decals on disco paint jobs, AMC believed in the future of compact cars, fuel economy, and go-faster stripes. Designed under Richard Teague's supervision, the quirky Amitron was unveiled in 1967 in a hotel in Detroit. Measuring less than 2,200mm long, it is 350mm shorter than a Smart Fortwo and its wide track gave room for three passengers seating abreast.

BMW ‘i' subbrand aims for 2013 launch

BMW has confirmed that the new subbrand through which it intends to market a range of advanced stand-alone hybrid, range-extended and plug-in electric models will be called BMW “i.” Created to develop, produce and market what BMW's head of marketing, Ian Robertson, describes as “innovative solutions to premium mobility,” the brand will be supported by a company established by BMW called i Ventures, through which the German carmaker plans to grow its range of mobility services. The i3 and the i8 will be the initial models and are planned for introduction in 2013. “These cars have been designed specifically for their respective alternative drive systems,” said Klaus Draeger, head of BMW's R&D operations.