Drawing board
Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo concept: The Paris (France) Motor Show saw the unveiling of this stunning wagon variant of the Porsche Panamera. Some pundits are suggesting the Sport Turismo Concept that was displayed with a hybrid powerplant could eventually replace the hatchback, given the controversy surrounding its hind-quarter design. However it's more likely that the ultra-sleek concept will be built within the next two years to go head-to-head with the Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake.
Auto trivia
? A 1976 Mercedes-Benz 240D that now resides in the company's museum in Stuttgart, Germany, was previously owned by a Greek taxi driver who drove it an astonishing 4.5 million kilometres.
? Long before Volkswagen adopted the name, the Passat company in England built the first-ever flying car in 1910, using wings that could be folded back when traveling on roads.
Who am I?
To guess his secret identity, read the following clues!
1) You might not have heard of him, but you probably know of the talent he nurtured while in Formula One.
2) "Without (him), I would not be where I am today," legendary F1 driver Jackie Stewart once said.
3) At six-foot-five, this Brit was known to many simply as "Uncle Ken."
4) His race cars were all painted blue. One even had six wheels.
5) He died at age 77 in 2001 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Still stumped?
Ken Tyrell began as a race driver, but gave it up to be a team owner who developed other more talented drivers.
What's up, auto doc?
A common question the Auto Doc receives has to do with what the SOHC and DOHC terms mean and their differences. Both refer to the location of an engine's camshafts and whether there's one or two of them.
For a single over-head-cam engine, there's one camshaft located atop each cylinder head that actuates the valves. In a double over-head-camshaft layout, there are two in each head: one to actuate the exhaust valves and the other for the intake valves.
OK, but the real question is, does this actually mean anything to you? In most cases no, but it is generally accepted that DOHC motors are more performance oriented and thereby offer more bragging rights and cachet. But, the Auto Doc generally ignores this as there are a good many high-performance SOHC motors out there, too. Either will usually provide higher revving capabilities, and often higher horsepower levels per engine displacement, than the older cam-in-the-block design that's typical of past domestic V-6 and V-8 designs.
Share your tips with the Auto Doc at www. shiftweekly.com using the contact form. eBay watch 1957 Chevrolet Apache pickup, sold, US$14,000: From 1955 to '59, Chevrolet called its light-duty pickup the Apache. As with its passenger-car counterparts, the "Task Force" series of trucks featured wrap-around windshields and optional 283-cubic-inch V-8 engines. But the most common powertrain was Chevrolet's 235-cubic-inch inline six connected to a column-mounted three-speed manual transmission (automatics in pickups were unheard of).
This particular "Stepside" model - enclosed-fender "Stylesides" weren't introduced until 1958 - has been well restored and worth every penny of its selling price. Visit www.ebaymotors.com.
Top Gear
Whispbar; about $450$550, www.yakima.com/ learn/whispbar: The company states that Whispbar roof racks have been specifically designed by a former Rolls-Royce aircraft engineer to cut down on wind noise, aerodynamic drag and vibration. And that apparently helps fuel efficiency (hey, every little bit helps). There are four different styles of Whispbar.
