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

Battery breakthrough set to accelerate electric-car development

A team of scientists working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are claiming a significant breakthrough in recharging times for lithium-ion batteries. According to findings published in the scientific journal Nature, MIT researchers Byoungwoo Kang and Gerbrand Ceder have unlocked the potential of lithium-ion batteries by patenting a unique process which is claimed to allow a typical laptop power pack to be fully recharged in less than a minute--an improvement in recharging performance of roughly 90 percent over existing lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries generate electric current via the flow of lithium ions across an electrolyte, from an electrode to a cathode.

Bugatti Atalante sells for £3 Million

Back at the turn of the new year, we brought you news of a Bugatti Type 57S Atalante that had been found in a barn in the North East, after the death of its owner, a Dr Harold Carr. We speculated on its price, for which estimates varied hugely, with some reports suggesting that a price up near £7 million was likely. We plumped for £3,000,000 and, probably more by luck than judgement, we were bang on the nail!

BMW Alpina D3 Bi-Turbo Coupe (2008) : first pictures

By Tom Richards First Official Pictures 06 August 2008 13:07 The BMW 330d Coupe has just been made redundant because Alpina, the Buchloe-based tuner, tweaker and BMW bedfellow, has released the D3 Bi-Turbo Coupe. Alpina engineers have taken BMW’s twin-turbo diesel from the 123d, slotted it into the Three Coupe, then tweaked it to produce 211bhp. The result is an engine that produces more horsepower per litre than any other BMW or Alpina road car, they say.