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

Volvo develops new energy storage technology

Volvo is looking to make heavy batteries in electric vehicles a thing of the past, unveiling a new technology still under development that could use the body panels of the vehicle to store energy. Everyone knows that right now one of the biggest technological limiting factors of electric vehicles are the batteries. They can be damaged through depletion, they add weight, they use expensive and polluting technologies to manufacture, and they just don't hold as much energy as we'd like.

BMW Vision Gran Turismo

Ok, so it's only a virtual car for the computer game with which it shares its name, but the BMW Vision Gran Turismo is the result of a project undertaken by the BMW design and engineering departments in Munich. Loosely based around the 2 Series, the car is a neat amalgamation of current BMW design themes and the flamboyance of 1970s touring cars. You don't have to look too hard to see the influence of the CSL Batmobile and fire-spitting E21 320i Turbos.

Interior Motives China Conference 2009

As global automakers such as Porsche put the finishing touches to their show cars in the run-up to the Shanghai Motor Show on April 20th, sister publication Interior Motives is doing the same with its exciting line-up of speakers as it prepares to host the second Interior Motives China design conference in the city the following day. Scheduled to take place on 21st and 22nd April (immediately following the first motor show press day) at the InterContinental Shanghai Pudong hotel, this event will see the biggest names in Chinese, Asian and Western car design come together for a two-day program of interactive debate. Entitled 'China: Changing the landscape of car design', this year's conference will focus on the issues and opportunities facing both foreign and domestic carmakers as they search for commercial success in China.