(Obligatory fanboy plug: Long live the E30 M3, long live the Cossie-headed Mercedes, long live the Cosworth Fords, and mad props to Paul "Nockenwelle" Rosche, the coolest engineer this side of a currywurst.)

The XC70 Surf Rescue is one of the hottest to come out of watching the bay since... well... Baywatch.

Volvos race, believe it or not, and whether it's a gravity racer or a V8-powered Volvo they're always quixotic and wonderful.

Volvos make for great hot rods. Don't ask us why, they just do.

Most importantly, Volvos make being safe sexy. Someone, please, send us a mint 144 for Christmas.

You've got the name, the overall rating Euro NCAP crash test rating and, you know, the video, below. Enjoy!

Vehicle:Mazda 3
Rating: ★★★★★

Vehicle: Infiniti FX
Rating: ★★★★★

Vehicle: Citroen DS3
Rating: ★★★★★

Vehicle: Toyota Urban Cruiser
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Vehicle: Mercedes GLK
Rating: ★★★★★

Vehicle: Opel/Vauxhall Astra
Rating: ★★★★★

Vehicle: Peugeot 5008
Rating: ★★★★★

Vehicle: Mercedes E-Class
Rating: ★★★★★

Vehicle: Chevrolet Spark
Rating: ★★★★☆

Vehicle: Volkswagen Scirocco
Rating: ★★★★★

Vehicle: Chevrolet Cruze
Rating: ★★★★★

Vehicle: BMW X1
Rating: ★★★★★

Some days, you just ache for a bit more civilized in your civilization, you know?

Turn: 1, First Half of Big Bend
Description: The entry speed corner comes at the end of the main straight, so you want to maximize what speed you're able to gather (about 110 MPH in the MX-5) by braking as late as possible. Since the entry is very wide and the curve is relatively gentle, that means you're going to be shedding that speed while turning.
Gear: Starting in 5, finishing in 3.
Difficulty: High
Method: Brake gently at the last braking marker and turn in, heading in a straight line towards the apex. Now brake harder, shifting into 4th, then 3rd. Keep the car around the middle of the track as you approach turn 2.

Turn: 2, Second Half of Big Bend
Description: A late apex in a decreasing radius corner that sets you up for a short straight leading into the following corner.
Gear: 3
Difficulty: Medium
Method: turn in late, lift slightly to tighten your line and hold the car against the curb to the point where it ends, then let the car track out to the left. You need to be at wide open throttle to maximize the short straight. If you do it right, you'll bounce off the limiter a few times, but changing up a gear, then down again for the next corner probably won't save any time unless you're very fast.

Turn: 3, The Left Hander
Description: As the name suggests, the only left hander at Lime Rock. Deceptively long, there's a couple of usable lines through it, but either way you need to be able to get all the way to the left of the track on the exit to set you up for the next corner.
Gear: 3
Difficulty: Medium
Method: Enter in the middle of the track, trail braking as you turn slightly. Once you can see the apex, turn in sharply, clip it, but hold the wheel to left as you use the throttle to exit. You need to hit the turn in point for Turn 4 all the way to driver's left.

Turn: 4, Entry On To No Name Straight
Description: A fairly standard right hander that sets you up for the following series of slight bends known as "No Name Straight."
Gear: 4
Difficulty: Low
Method: A basic corner with a textbook approach: just turn in all the way over at driver's left shift into 4th, clip the curbing at the apex and track out. Get the throttle fully open as soon as you're in 4th. Straight line the straight as much as possible, no need to hit curbs or anything.

Turn: 5, The Uphill
Description: A fairly straightforward right hander that's been made complicated by sticking a steep hill in the middle. If you don't have your wheel straight when you crest it, you'll spin and the barriers are very close to the track.
Gear: 4
Difficulty: High
Method: Brake lightly at brake maker 4, then turn in at marker 1. Clip the apex and get on full throttle pointed out towards the curb halfway up the hill on driver's left, then once you hit that hill use the compression to tighten your line the rest of the way. Hands straight as soon as you've done that and hug the edge of the track over the crest and down the short straight. It's easier than it looks.

Turn: 6, West bend
Description: A right hand sweeper that can be taken very fast. The inside curbing is very tall, so get close, but don't clip it. Sets you up for The Downhill, which is super important to lapping quickly, so the exit is all important here.
Gear: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Method: Brake lightly, then turn in for a normal apex, get fully on the throttle early and hold it there as you ride the curbing on the outside.

Turn: 7, The Downhill
Description: If you're going to crash at Lime Rock, it'll be here. A very fast downhill right hander with compression on the entry that aids turn in. Sets you up for the main straight, you'll lose lots of time if you don't get this corner right.
Gear: Start in 4, finish in 5.
Difficulty: High
Method: Very confident drivers only need to lift slightly down the hill in the MX-5, but I still brush the brakes a little for some added confidence. Make sure you're on maintenance throttle at turn in, which is just where the hill flattens out. You need to use the compression this transition creates to maximize front end grip on turn in, so predict where its going to happen and turn in aggressively just as the front suspension compresses. Roll on the throttle as you clip the apex, getting it fully open as soon as possible, then track out fully the left, shifting into 5th when revs dictate. Huge the left side of the track all the way down the straight.

Here I am trying to put what I learned into practice. The cars are Mazda MX-5 Cup racecars. Over the standard vehicle, they add a $5500 Mazda racing package that includes a new intake and exhaust, boosting power from 167 to 200 HP. There's also remote reservoir Eibach dampers, considerably stiffer Eibach springs, solid antiroll bars, racing brake pads and 225/45WR-17 tires. The cars are also stripped of their interiors and soft tops, have a full cage welded in and you sit in racing buckets with five-point harnesses facing a removable wheel. The whole thing weighs just 2,600 Lbs. In short, it's a real race car with much improved throttle response, steering and outright grip. It's an extremely neutral car that'll understeer if you push it too fast into corners and let you tighten your line if you lift the throttle, making it near perfect to learn on.

What we have here just might be the greatest piece of community-service rap ever written. The backup singers alone are worth the price of admission.

Full disclosure: I grew up in Louisville, and I remain fond of both TARC (the Transit Authority of River City, the city's bus system) and the town's quirky, offbeat vibe. If you're ever there, try the breakfast at Lynn's Paradise Cafe. It's like love on a plate.

Click on the images marked with a play button to see the 5-Series in action. [via BMW Blog]

[Autocar]

For the moment we've got these four videos — about 38 minutes or so. If they go down, or if you want to watch the rest — feel free to hit the YouTubes and pop a new video in the comments below. Thus the "Open YouTube Thread" we speak of in the headline above. Enjoy.

According the Connecticut Post, the cruiser in question was traveling at more than 70 mph when it collided with a Mazda at an intersection. Footage of the accident was captured by the dashboard camera of a second cruiser. The video offers no suggestion as to why either car was traveling so quickly. The officer involved in the crash has been charged with two counts of manslaughter by the Connecticut State Police.

This just gives us chills.

[Connecticut Post]

Would you ever have guessed that shooting in-car footage was possible way back in 1935? Yet that is just what you can see in the above video, a summary of the 1935 Pau Grand Prix. At a brisk 84 seconds, it is teeming with excellent visuals, including cars speeding past placid swans on a lake.

The first race at the city circuit of Pau—a town in Southwest France near the border with Spain—was held in 1901 and it was the very first motor race called a grand prix. Over the years, it has been organized in various guises, slipping in rank from pre-war Formula Libre and post-war Formula One races to Formula Two, 3000 and Three, all the way to the WTCC races held since 2007 (on a sad note, after an unbroken run of events since the 1957 Formula One race, the 2010 Pau race has been cancelled).

Courtesy of the great motor racing encyclopedist Leif Snellman, this is how the 1935 race went, held over 80 laps of 1.71 miles each on a sunny February 24:

It had been raining at Pau the night before the race but when the cars lined up the conditions were perfect. The Ferrari Alfa Romeo cars of Nuvolari and Dreyfus were the favourites and they faced Maseratis from Étancelin (in his old 8CM as the 6C-34 was not ready), Falchetto, Soffietti and Brunet. Rüesch had got stuck at the customs and was a non starter. Nuvolari’s new Alfa with reveresed rear suspension proved to be fastest in practice with a time of 1:53

Just as expected the Ferrari cars took control over the race with Nuvolari leading from Dreyfus. The only driver being able to challenge them was Étancelin but he had to retire with a broken oil pump. At half distance Dreyfus led Nuvolari by 2 seconds with Falchetto third, one minute behind. Five laps from the finish Nuvolari passed Dreyfus and the Alfa Romeo drivers then cruised home to give Nuvolari a straight win in his comeback race for Ferrari. Four minutes behind them two Maseratis were fighting for third place and the cars actually collided once they had passed the line.

Just one of many victories over Nuvolari’s remarkable career, with a hat trick of pole, fastest lap and race win.

[Thanks for the tip, Bob!]

It appears to us Boston Dynamics is nearing the robot apocalypse event horizon. Best start getting your preferred apocalypse vehicles and supplies sorted now.

For the moment we've got these four videos — the first 37 minutes or so. If they go down, or if you want to watch the rest — feel free to hit the YouTubes and pop a new video in the comments below. Thus the "Open YouTube Thread" we speak of in the headline above.

Part I of IV

Part II of IV

Part III of IV

Part IV of IV

And unfortunately, that's all we got for now. Have a more complete set of YouTube vids? Drop in the comments below. Until next week...good night!