Good oil: Skyline's sprint record

Go-fast Aucklander Reece McGregor has set a world quarter-mile (400m) sprint record for all-wheel-drive cars. McGregor launched his r32 Nissan Skyline off the line at Queensland's Willowbank Raceway and was clocked at 7.57 seconds and 190mph (307km/h). Earlier he had recorded 7.59 seconds over the distance. McGregor's best time in New Zealand is 7.81 seconds and 177mph (287km/h). The 1992 Skyline is powered by a turbocharged 2.6-litre straight-six engine producing around 1400 horsepower (1040kw).

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A school in the US is offering students who regularly attend class the chance to win a used car. Pupils at Oregon's Phoenix High School who show up 95 per cent of the time will go into a draw for two used cars. The catch is they must also achieve a B-grade average.

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James Bond fans have voted the Citroen 2CV as the best car from which the fictional British secret agent emerged shaken but not stirred after an epic car chase. A survey by Britain's Channel 4 TV network showed the 2CV took nearly 24 per cent of the votes for its role in the 1981 film For Your Eyes Only, with Roger Moore at the wheel. In the sequence, 007 abandons his Lotus Esprit for a bright yellow 2CV in order to escape hitman Hector Gonzales and his henchmen. In equal second place with 13 per cent of the votes was Sean Connery's Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger and the Russian T55 tank that featured in Goldeneye, with Pierce Brosnan. Third with 12 per cent was the AMC Hornet in The Man With The Golden Gun.

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Carlos Ghosn, celebrity CEO of both Nissan Motor Co and Renault SA, has been appointed an honorary knight commander of the British Empire - an award given to individuals recognised as making significant and inspiring contributions in any field. "I am deeply honoured by this recognition from the United Kingdom," said Ghosn. The Brazil-born Frenchman of Lebanese descent cannot use the title "Sir" - an honour only subjects of the British Commonwealth enjoy - but can call himself Carlos Ghosn, KBE. Ghosn is known as the automotive industry's turnaround king, having rescued Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy in 1999 and turned it into one of the world's most profitable carmakers. Past recipients of the title in the business world include Microsoft Corp founder Bill Gates and Sony Corp co-founder Akio Morita.

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Authorities in the Netherlands and Germany are backing Dutch transportation planner Hans Monderman's plans for improving the flow of traffic in towns. His proposals, reports German radio Deutsche Welle, include eliminating traffic signs and street markings and building children's playgrounds in median strips. Monderman believes this will force drivers to slow down.