1980 Kawasaki Ke 100 Inner Rear Fender on 2040-parts.com

Battery breakthrough set to accelerate electric-car development

A team of scientists working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are claiming a significant breakthrough in recharging times for lithium-ion batteries. According to findings published in the scientific journal Nature, MIT researchers Byoungwoo Kang and Gerbrand Ceder have unlocked the potential of lithium-ion batteries by patenting a unique process which is claimed to allow a typical laptop power pack to be fully recharged in less than a minute--an improvement in recharging performance of roughly 90 percent over existing lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries generate electric current via the flow of lithium ions across an electrolyte, from an electrode to a cathode.

Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series planned?

It looks like Mercedes could be planning a 700bhp Black Series version of the SLS AMG Gullwing Currently, the top of the AMG Black Series tree is the SL65 Black. An awesome machine, but a bit of a lost soul. It loses the one thing that makes the SL special – the trick roof – and replaces it with a wave of power that isn’t actually that easy to put down on the road.

Aston Martin Vanquish Volante public debut at Pebble Beach next month

Aston Martin Vanquish Volante (pictured) will make its public debut at Pebble Beach in August Aston Martin is 100 years old this year so they’re pulling out all the stops for this year’s Pebble Beach, with the first public debut for both the new Vanquish Volante and V12 Vanquish S. The Vanquish Volante was revealed last month as an impressive soft top take on the new Vanquish, with Aston Martin claiming the new Vanquish Volante as the stiffest convertible ever built by Aston and promising the same performance as its tin-top sibling – 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds and 183mph – as well as a distinct like of the shimmy and shake many Aston convertibles exhibit. The month before the reveal of the Vanquish Volante, Aston Martin also revealed the new V12 Vantage S as the quickest production Aston ever, offering 565 willing horses, a new 7-speed Sportshift 3 automated manual ‘box, new sports exhaust and ceramic brakes.