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

CAR interviews Volvo design vice president Peter Horbury (2010)

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 04 February 2010 07:00 CAR recently spent some time one-to-one with Peter Horbury, Volvo's new vice president of design. Horbury, who pioneered Volvo's modern look in his previous stint as design boss from 1991 to 2002 spent five and a half years in charge of Ford's North American design studio. But in May 2009, Volvo CEO Stephen Odell asked Horbury to return to the top job in Gothenburg.

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’.

Skoda Yeti Facelift: Price from £16,600

The Skoda Yeti Facelift costs from £16,600 – where you have the Yeti or Yeti Outdoor But the differences between the two don’t mean a price differential; the Yeti and Yeti Outdoor cost the same on a like for like basis, although the 4×4 versions are only available in the Yeti Outdoor – complete with a new fifth-generation Haldex Clucth 4×4 – for a price premium. The Yeti range starts with the Yeti S 1.2 TSI 105PS at £16,600 and tops out at the Yeti Outdoor L&K 2.0 TDI 140PS 4×4 DSG at £27,050, with three trim levels – S, SE and Elegance – available across both the Yeti and Yeti Outdoor, with the Outdoor also getting a range-topping L&K trim level. Engines on offer include the aforementioned 1.2 TSI and 2.0 CDI with the 1.6 TDI, 1,8 TSI and three versions of the 2.0 TDI – 110PS, 140PS and 170PS – available.