2013 Mazda MX-5 Facelift on sale next week

The mildly revised 2013 Mazda MX-5 – with a new nose and some minor tweaks – goes on sale in the UK on 1st December. Perhaps the only really noticeable bit of the ‘upgrade’ for the MX-5 is a tweaked nose with a slightly bolder front bumper, but there are other changes too. The seven model MX-5 lineup for 2013 sees the arrival of the 2.0-litre MX-5 Sport Tech Nav models – yes, you guessed it, they get SatNav – and the bonnet gets an active bonnet system to pop up if you happen to scoop up a passing pedestrian, mitigating injuries.

Latest news on 1000mph Bloodhound record bid

Work is well underway on Britain’s latest land speed record attempt – the new Bloodhound SuperSonic Car (SSC) which aims to reach 1000mph plus. CAR reported on the preparation of the project in October 2008; one year later a mock-up is ready and the car is due to be built in Bristol’s docklands. The Bloodhound SSC houses one EJ200 Raf Euofighter Typhoon engine sitting above a hybrid rocket.

General Motors to keep green car technology in house

For the first time in its 100-year history, General Motors plans to design, develop and manufacture electric motors for its growing array of gasoline-electric hybrids and electric vehicles. The electric motors used in GM's current lineup of hybrids are made to GM specifications by outside vendors. GM wants to bring the design and manufacturing in-house to save money and to apply its own technology to boost performance, lower weight and reduce power consumption, said Larry Nitz, GM's chief hybrid powertrain engineer.