01-03 Pontiac Grand Prix Audio Stereo Am Fm Cassette Tape Player Unit 09393362 on 2040-parts.com

Electric Ford Focus starts European production

The Electric Ford Focus (pictured) is now being built in Europe The electric Ford Focus is already in production, and on sale, in the USA, and now it’s gone in to production in Germany ahead of arriving with owners in July. So far, the Focus EV hasn’t been an overwhelming success in the US, with just over 700 sold in the first five months of 2013 but, even though Ford see the EV as a niche product, they’re still hoping to make a dent in sales of the Nissan LEAF in Europe. The Focus EV comes with an electric motor producing 143bhp and powered by a bank of lithium-ion batteries.

Mazda design chief Ikuo Maeda brings new meaning to zoom-zoom

Ikuo Maeda, the new design chief at Mazda Motor Corp., earned the nickname "Speedy" for his lead-footed driving on the race course and off. He may be the only standing auto executive to have had his license revoked--twice. It's only natural then that Maeda, who took the design reins last April, views himself as the rightful guardian of Mazda's zoom-zoom brand heritage.

Hyundai ix35 Hydrogen FCEV for £300 a month and free fuel – but only in the U.S.

Hyundai Tucson Hydrogen FCEV (pictured) for £300 a month and free fuel – but only in the U.S. It’s very early days for cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells, not least because there’s very little in the way of a refuelling infrastructure in place. But car makers are starting to push FCEVs in a bigger way as production costs fall and performance increases, and Hyundai are at the forefront of this move with the hydrogen-powered ix35 and its US equivalent the Hyundai Tucson.