Saab calls off deal with Chinese automaker

Saab parent Spyker Cars NV said Thursday that a strategic partnership deal with China's Hawtai Motor Group that would provide cash to help Saab turn around its business has been terminated. As a result, Saab may enter into a new strategic partnership with Hawtai or another Chinese party on manufacturing, technology and distribution in China, Spyker said in a release. "Since it became clear that Hawtai was not able to obtain all the necessary consents, the parties were forced to terminate the agreement with Saab Automobile and Spyker with immediate effect.

July 9: Keeping it topped off

As expected, when I walked back to my parking space at VSP parking across the street from Burbank Airport the i-MiEV was fully charged. No problem. It had more than 24 hours to get charged and it can't take more than 16 hours to do it, if you figure one hour per kWh at 120 volts.

Subaru BRZ STI teased

Subaru are teasing the BRZ STI (pictured) The Subaru BRZ – the Subaru take on the Toyota GT86 – has the potential to be a lot more hardcore than its current setup allows. That has led to much speculation that Subaru will bolt a turbo on to the BRZ’s Boxer engine to produce a BRZ with something closer to the 300bhp we originally expected. In fact, at the end of 2011, Subaru in the US confirmed there would be a turbo version of the engine in the BRZ, although they fell short of actually confirming the BRZ itself would get it as an option, but at the end of 2012 we had a report that the BRZ will get the turbo engine and that it will deliver 280bhp.