Stonehenge replica built using 18 scrap cars
An artist has created a replica of Stonehenge in London using 18 scrap cars to mark the summer solstice. Tommy Gun spent three months creating the "car-henge" sculpture in the shadow of London Bridge and he built the 36-tonne structure to be able to withstand force 12 hurricanes. Skoda commissioned the replica to promote its new compact Citigo car. The summer solstice is the day of the year when the northern hemisphere receives the most daylight. Stonehenge is a gathering spot during the solstice for Druids, a pagan religious order that believes the monument was a spiritual centre more than 2,000 years ago. Car-henge is now touring the UK and is at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend.
Prince of Monaco cars auctioned on the cheap
Prince Albert II of Monaco is auctioning off a selection of his vast car collection at bargain prices next month. A total of 38 of a collection assembled over 30 years by the late Rainer III will be auctioned by his son with no reserve price in the principality on July 26. The cars include a 1976 Volkswagen Beetle, a 1971 Fiat 500 and a 1964 Dodge Dart. The well-maintained Beetle is expected to sell for as little as Dh18,330, while the 500 is set to fetch around Dh27,500, according to auctioneers Artcurial Motorcars. The prince is "reorganising" the collection by selling some off to raise money for new cars.
ALMS goes green with natural gas racing cars
The American Le Mans Series is doing its bit for the environment by developing prototype challenge cars that use natural gas instead of normal race fuel. Patrick Racing is working on a gas-powered 430hp Chevrolet LS3 V8 engine already, according to The Washington Post. ALMS is aiming to become one of the world's most efficient motorsport series by following the US Environmental Protection Agency's Green Racing protocols. Although no official announcement has been made, it's been reported that natural-gas racing should be ready for the 2013 season.
BMW crushes rivals in multi-storey melee
Parking in multi-storey car parks is generally seen as being a safer alternative to street parking, but not in Chicago, it seems. A BMW driver defied the whole idea of safe off-street parking when he mistakenly hit his accelerator, went through a third-floor fence and landed on top of a Jaguar and Mercedes parked on the second floor of the staggered parking facility last week. No one was injured as the cars were empty when the 74-year-old driver of the rented BMW X5 landed on them in downtown Chicago. The garage charges $13 (Dh48) an hour for "guaranteed unobstructed parking" but it was unable to live up to its promise on this occasion.
Caterham chief leaves by 'mutual consent'
After a successful seven years in charge of Caterham, during which time the company has gone from Lotus kit-car firm to Formula One competitors, Ansar Ali is leaving by "mutual consent". The chief exec is standing down to be replaced by Caterham's former chief financial officer Graham Macdonald. During Ali's reign, the marque developed a LMP-style track car and has a road car on the way. It was taken over by entrepreneur Tony Fernandes last year, who paired Caterham with his Lotus F1 team.