1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Gas Cap on 2040-parts.com

GM to double size of battery lab

General Motors says it will spend $8 million to double the size of its Global Battery Systems Lab, which the company claims is the largest and most technologically advanced automotive battery lab in the United States. GM says the expansion will speed up the development of hybrid and electric vehicles, such as the upcoming Chevrolet Volt, by improving on-site testing of battery cells and systems. When finished, the lab will be 30,000 square feet bigger than it is now, for a 63,000-square-foot total.

Hyundai revises fuel-economy numbers downward again

Hyundai revamped its fuel numbers on its Sonata sedan on March 4, and on Monday it issued an apology for misleading buyers. This is the second time in two years the company has needed to make amends for false numbers. Hyundai said the original number on its Sonata was 12.6 km per liter, which translates to 29.6 mpg.

Test your car's audio quality with iTunes playlist

General Motors audio engineer Matt Kirsch, who did the sound work for the Chevrolet Cruze, has developed an iTunes playlist that helps drivers test their cars' audio quality. The “10 Songs for an Audio ‘Test Drive'” playlist includes: “Don't Know Why” by Norah Jones “Diamonds and Rust” by Joan Baez “No One” by Alicia Keys “Hotel California” by the Eagles “Boom Boom Pow” by the Black Eyed Peas “Rock That Body” by the Black Eyed Peas “Hide and Seek” by Imogen Heap “He Mele No Lilo” by Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu (from Lilo & Stitch) “Bird on a Wire” by Johnny Cash “Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box” by Radiohead While “Boom Boom Pow” and “Rock That Body” should have accurate and powerful bass beats, “No One” and “Bird on a Wire” should feature clarity in the vocals. Kirsch's playlist is available for download at http://tiny.cc/c2ach.