Arctiva Comp 7 Rr Jacket on 2040-parts.com

Aston Martin in talks with Mercedes for engine supply

It has seemed for some time that Aston Martin’s wish-list for future engines revolved around Mercedes. They currently use a V12 developed from Ford’s Mondeo V6 and a V8 that’s a development of the 4.2 litre that was in Jaguars (and Range Rovers) until a few years ago, but new engines (and new platforms) are vital if Aston are to remain competitive. Before the recent investment in AML by Investindustrial, there were plans for Aston to use both engines and platforms from Mercedes (the Lagonda SUV was built on the underpinnings of the Mercedes GL) and even the possibility that Aston Martin would design and build the next generation Maybach.

Tesla Roadster Sport announced

The Tesla Roadster Sport will be available from the summer, for around €112K, and claims a 0-60 time of 3.7 seconds, a 0.2 improvement on the existing Tesla Roadster. The extra power comes from fiddling with the stator in the motor and an increased winding density for less resistance (I’m sure that must make sense if you understand Electric Motors – I’m still stuck on the internal combustion engine – must keep up!). The Tesla Roadster Sport also gets Yokohama Ultra High Performance tyres and some suspension tweaks.

Ford posts rare increase as industry gains from clunkers

Ford Motor Co. posted its first U.S. sales increase in 19 months in July and most rivals pared their declines as the federal cash-for-clunkers incentive helped lift industry demand to its highest rate this year.