Banks Power 24052 Quick-turbo Assembly 94-02 Ram 2500 Pickup Ram 3500 Pickup on 2040-parts.com

2013 Nissan LEAF updated

Nissan has updated the LEAF EV in Japan for 2013 with better range, less weight and a new LEAF S entry-level model. Revealed in Japan – but likely to come to the UK from 2013 when the LEAF starts rolling out of Nissan’s Sunderland factory – there are significant upgrades to the powertrain which result in both less weight and better range. Nissan has had a play with the electric powertrain and made it both smaller and lighter with a new motor that uses 40 per cent less dysprosium (a rare earth metal) than before, and comes in 30 per cent smaller and 10 per cent lighter, and a new streamline battery case and a few other tweaks drops the LEAF’s weight by 80kg.

Drivers unmoved by electric cars

SUPPORT for electric cars appears to be failing to spark off real interest from drivers, according to a survey of more than 3,000 motorists. Only 1% of UK drivers own an alternative fuel vehicle (AFV), while CO2 emissions are at the bottom of the checklist when Britons are shopping for a new car, the poll by Auto Trader found. Since January 2011, motorists have been eligible for up to £5,000 upfront cost relief on the purchase of a new electric vehicle but the survey showed that 35% of drivers were unaware of this grant.

New De Tomaso Pantera at Frankfurt

What is thought to be the new Pantera leaving the De Tomaso facility So far all we’ve officially had from the new De Tomaso, now run by ex Fiat man Gian Mario Rossignolo, is the not particularly well-received De Tomaso Deauville at Geneva in the Spring. It seemed an odd route for the revived De Tomaso to go, and an odd choice of name. The Deauville seems to be halfway between the (poor-selling) BMW 5-Series GT and a Porsche Cayenne.