03 Yamaha Yz450f Magneto Flywheel on 2040-parts.com

Italian design house Bertone nearing bankruptcy

The Italian design house Bertone is reportedly nearing bankruptcy again, according to a report from Autocar. The carrozzeria has experienced financial problems in 2008 and 2013, and even though it generated more than €20 million, or approximately $28 million, last year, the company reportedly laid off 160 employees recently. At least 30 workers who have been laid off have taken action against the company, seeking to recover monies owed to them.

Ssangyong e-XIV EV Concept at Paris 2012

Ssangyong are continuing their concept offensive with the e-XIV EV Concept, a range extender compact SUV. Mahindra seem intent on turning Ssangyong from the Lada of Korea in to another South Korean car maker to be taken seriously. We’ve recently seen a big push for the Korando SX, with Ssangyong pitching it hard against the competition as the cheapest way in to a compact SUV, and at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year we had a concept pointing to the next generation compact SUV from Ssangyong with the convertible Ssangyong XIV-2.

New dynamic 3D button touchscreen tech

A pioneering new technology allows touchscreens to ‘grow’ dynamic buttons from flat surfaces. The new technology, developed by US company Tactus Technology, uses minute channels within the screen to siphon liquid into button shaped cavities that then rise when pressed, alleviating some of the muscle-memory and distraction issues often leveled at touchscreens. Craig Ciesla, CEO of Tactus Technology, says that it was his desire to merge the elegance of the iPhone's user interface with the tactility of Blackberry buttons that led to the technology's development.