Aston Martin expands personalization scheme

Aston Martin, the UK's ‘coolest brand', is set to increase its offerings of unique products. The British carmaker has announced that the ‘Works Tailored' personalization and customization department is expanding as part of a six-month development plan within the brand. The recently formed ‘Works Tailored' department, which works in close collaboration with engineers and designers, offers owners of Aston Martins of any age the chance to personalize their car to their exacting standards.

MIT researchers rethink electric-car batteries

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology say a new battery design for electric vehicles could be a lightweight and inexpensive alternative. The goal for the team's three-year project, launched in September 2010, is to have a functioning prototype ready to be engineered as a replacement for existing electric-car batteries. At this point in the project, the prototype uses a “semi-solid flow” to separate the two functions of a battery--storing energy and discharging it when needed--into separate physical structures.

New Hyundai i30 Premium launches

Hyundai has launched a new range-topping model for the i30 range – the Hyundai i30 Premium – with most of Hyundai’s extras as standard. The latest Hyundai i30 is a very good car indeed, far removed from the cheap and cheerful i30s that went before, offering good looks, decent ride and handling, a comprehensive 5 year warranty and is bolted together as well as any other car in its sector. It’s also very appealing.