2010 Yamaha Zuma 125 Rear Grab Bar on 2040-parts.com

Alfa to be honored at Pebble

The 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance will pay tribute to all that is Alfa Romeo, celebrating the 100-year anniversary of the Italian auto manufacturer founded as Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili. The Aug. 15 gathering will make Alfa fans drool, showcasing vehicles ranging from a 1910 A.L.F.A.

Better Place EV Battery Swap business goes bust

It seemed like a good idea: take the cost of batteries out of the cost of buying an electric car and instead charge EV owners to use ‘Battery Swap’ stations where depleted batteries could be swapped for fully charged ones in the time it takes to fill an ICE car with petrol. But it’s all gone a bit Pete Tong. Better Place – which partnered with Renault in 2009 to make the battery swap technology viable – has failed to find anyone to add to the $750 million already involved in the project and has filed for bankruptcy.

Honda CR-V (2012) first official pictures

The new CR-V, which goes on UK sale on October 1 from around £18k, is typically Honda in hiding its extensive overhaul under a similar-looking suit. The CR-V is lighter, stiffer, more spacious yet no bigger, more efficient and with a host of new features which drag it from the gadget dark ages. Loyal customers will be delighted; the casual punter probably won’t even spot it’s a new model.