Balkamp Bk 135078 - Pulley - Universal - Ag on 2040-parts.com

Bentley Supersports ‘ISR’ Convertible (2011) at 2011 Geneva motor show

The new Bentley Continental GT is on sale, and it’s a little while yet before we see a new drop-top GTC or Flying Spur limo, so at the VW Group’s 2011 Geneva motor party Bentley revealed a limited-run Supersports Convertible. Just 100 Bentley Supersports ‘Ice Speed Record’ Convertibles will ever be made. There is, but this is the Ice Speed Record Supersports Convertible, built to celebrate Bentley's recent, err, ice speed record; just a few weeks ago, on the frozen Baltic Sea just off the coast of Finland, four-time world rally champ Juha Kankkunen drove a Supersports Convertible to 205mph.

Karmann files for insolvency

Karmann, the century-old German coachbuilder synonymous with cabrios and the famous 1950s Karmann Ghia, has filed for insolvency. The company made the move Wednesday in Germany in response to a dramatic decline in revenue, an inability to pay for its massive layoff plan and the worldwide economic crisis. The North American operations, which make convertible tops for Detroit car companies and Volkswagen, are not affected, a spokesman said.

SAE approves new fast-charging standard for EVs, plug-ins

SAE International said it has approved a new technical standard that will dramatically reduce charging times for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and electric vehicles. The global engineering group said the new charging standard, developed with the cooperation of more than 190 automakers, utilities and equipment builders, will allow charging times to be reduced from as long as eight hours to as short as 20 minutes. Automakers want DC direct charging to take less than 10 minutes, or roughly the time it takes to fill a tank with gasoline.The goal is to accommodate currents as high as 500 volts distributed from public charging stations.