Welcome to Must Read, where we single out the best stories from around the automotive universe and beyond. Today, we have reports from Car Talk, BoldRide and Make.
Austin's Aston Scion – Car Talk
Here's a man who wanted his iQ to be Cygnet up front and Scion in the back. For whatever reason...
Enter, however, Texas lawyer, Robert Kleinman, who recently became the first on his block by arranging to purchase and ship home from England all the parts needed to convert his Scion iQ into an Aston Martin Cygnet clone. For all we know, it may be the only one in the world. At most, it's one of a few. For less than $10,000 (and the price of an iQ) you can do it, too, Kleinman says.
When Manhattan was the Epicenter of Car Culture – BoldRide
A great list of car culture-y places in Manhattan, many of which are long gone.
"Car culture" — especially in the 1950s through the 1970s — is synonymous with Southern California. The southern end of the Golden State's open, inviting highways, scenic vistas, perfect weather and disposable income meant that cars became a part of the landscape unlike anywhere else on earth through the first oil crisis. But surprisingly, it wasn't some suburb that defined car culture on the East Coast. It was New York, and one small area of Manhattan was where it was all happening.
You Wouldn't 3D Print A Car — Until Now – Make
This. This is the future... of RC cars.
OK, so it's not exactly a "car," it's a 3D printed, 70 pound, giant RC vehicle. Although you can't quite yet drive around in it, stay tuned to rockstar 3D printing designer Michael Curry's YouTube feed for updates.
Photo: Aston Martin