1983 Yamaha Virago Xv920j Carburetor Long Slide Springs on 2040-parts.com

BMW M6 Competition Package (2008): first pictures

By Ben Whitworth First Official Pictures 11 August 2008 16:30 BMW has given its top-end 6-series performance models a visual and dynamic boost. The top-drawer M6 is now available with a £2180 Competition Package that drops the front and rear suspension by 12mm and 10mm, retunes the DSC Dynamic Stability Control and ABS settings, and throws in a modified Variable M differential. There are also unique alloys shod with Pirelli P Zero Corsa System rubber and a restyled bonnet.

Better Place Electric Car visitor centre opens

Better Place have opened a visitor centre in Israel to demonstrate their battery swap technology for electric cars Last October we wrote about a start-up company in Israel – Better Place – that had a new way forward for electric cars by taking the purchase of battery packs out of the equation, and was developing a system for ‘Battery Swap’ stations where electric car owners could drive in and swap their battery pack for a fully-charged one in a few minutes. That story first brought to our attention our favourite quote of last year – by Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn – who said “A hybrid is like a mermaid: if you want a fish, you get a woman; if you want a woman, you get a fish.” Which probably explained why Nissan – and its partner Renault – got involved with Better Place. Better Place aims to address the main concerns of electric car drivers by making the battery packs in electric cars ‘swappable’.

Production Peugeot RCZ R revealed ahead of Goodwood FoS debut

Production Peugeot RCZ R (pictured) revealed Peugeot promised a more powerful RCZ – the RCZ R – at the Paris Motor Show last year, and subsequently confirmed it would arrive at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Now, with the FoS kicking off today with the Moving Motor Show, Peugeot has revealed photos of the production RCZ R – painted in sporty red – and given us some proper specs. As we already knew, the RCZ R makes use of the PSA/BMW 1.6 litre turbo petrol the regular RCZ already has, but in the R’s case Peugeot has managed to turn the wick up to 11 and delivered 270bhp.