Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Bentley uses 3D printing to prototype new designs [w/Video]

3D printing is changing the way the world makes things by helping people of all disciplines to enhance and refine their ideas cheaply, quickly and effectively.  Bentley is the latest carmaker to utilize the technology to fabricate and prototype different parts to see how they'll look and work on the finished design. Using 3D printers, designers can produce parts from the exterior and interior such as the grille, tires, headlamps and door handles as well as combine different types of contrasting materials, ranging from hard plastics to rubbers of different tensile strengths.  The technology allows the user to create a solid 3D object straight from a digital model by printing layers of material on top of each other. This process rapidly decreases the delivery time, as parts can be printed overnight, and allows designers to be more creative in their ideas because of the reduced cost. Bentley isn't the first carmaker to use 3D printing technology. Audi announced last year it was beginning to prototype vehicle parts using 3D printers.

Nissan Leaf – first photos of Nissan’s electric car

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 03 August 2009 09:00 Nissan this weekend unveiled the Leaf – its new battery-powered electric car. The Nissan Leaf is pitched as ‘the world’s first affordable, zero-emission car’, a bespoke EV for global sale. The range of the Nissan Leaf is more than 100 miles – enough for 70% of people’s driving requirements, says Nissan, and it can seat five adults.

McLaren P1 production starts in Woking

McLaren P1 production starts in Woking The Geneva Motor Show in March saw the arrival of the first production version of the new McLaren P1 (and its arch-rival, the LaFerrari). But it’s taken until now – seven months later – for McLaren to finish final testing of the P1 before pressing the button on their clinical assembly line to start customer P1s rolling out. In between the reveal at Geneva and production starting, McLaren have been having a bash at the Nurburgring (with mixed results) and doing some final hot weather testing on the P1, but now – apart from a few inevitable tweaks once the P1 gets out in to the real world – the P1 is ready for its customers.