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

Lotus offers supercharger kits for the Elise and the Exige

Lotus enthusiasts looking to wring a little more power out of their rides now have a potent option: a supercharger kit for the Elise and Exige models. The kits boost power in the naturally aspirated versions from about 189 hp to 218 hp and improve torque from 133 lb-ft to 155 lb-ft. Even better, this added power comes on quicker, with peak torque coming on at 5,000 rpm, rather than 6,800 rpm.

Pebble Beach and Monterey car week 2013 preview: in pictures

Every August, car nuts from around the globe congregate on the Monterey Peninsula, on the west coast of America, to pay homage to the internal combustion engine. A series of events is run, culminating in the most prestigious concours in the world – Pebble Beach. Over the next few days we’ll be bringing you coverage of the key events and some of the smaller ones too, all leading up the grand finale.

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’.