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

Peel P50 and Trident back in production – the world’s smallest car

Peel P50 and Peel Trident - backed by James Caan The Peel P50 and Trident – the Isle of Man’s contribution to the car world – are now back in production with an electric motor. Top Gear fans will probably remember Jeremy Clarkson taking the Peel P50 – billed as the world’s smallest car ever – for a trolley round London and the BBC (we’ve published the video below to remind you). Now, with the world obsessed with small cars, a bunch of businessmen – backed by former Dragons’ Den Dragon James Caan – are putting the Peel P50 and Trident back in to production.

Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid race car revealed

Porsche will bring its latest hybrid know-how to the racetrack in the form of the new 911 GT3 R Hybrid, revealed here for the first time prior to a planned public premiere at the Geneva auto show in early March. Developed by a team of engineers at Porsche's Weissach R&D center, Porsche plans for the stripped-out race car to act as a rolling laboratory. The German carmaker wants to explore the potential of hybrid drivetrains in a racing environment before an expected announcement that it will return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a factory capacity, perhaps in 2012, with a race car boasting technology based on that used in the 911 GT3 R Hybrid.

EV car maker Aptera shuts down

Automotive startup company Aptera Motors, promoter of the weirdly styled, three-wheeled 2e electric car, shut down on Friday, saying it was out of money. The company said it was unable to raise funds from private investors that would have kept it going until it received a $150 million loan from the Department of Energy's Advance Technology Vehicle Manufacturing program. "This is a difficult time for everyone connected with our company because we have never been closer to realizing our vision," CEO Paul Wilbur said in a statement.