Daihatsu Mira Cocoa 2012 Headrest [2777400] on 2040-parts.com

70-year-old Bugatti Type 64 chassis gets a body, the old-fashioned way

In a workshop north of Detroit, craftsmen have been at work for months pounding pieces of aluminum into panels. The panels will eventually cover a Bugatti chassis that has been bodyless for more than seven decades. Three Bugatti Type 64 Coupe chassis were built in 1939 by Jean Bugatti, and two of them got bodies before Bugatti was killed while testing the Le Mans-winning Type 57 C “Tank” in August 1939.

Drayson Racing and RCA launch EV racing car contest

Drayson Racing has launched a contest with the Royal College of Art's Vehicle Design program to design electric racing car concepts for the FIA's new Formula E series, which is set to start in 2014. The RCA's students are asked to present designs that explore new themes within the technical constraints as part of this course's curriculum. The previous Drayson Formula E concept was developed by Sergio Rinland who will be part of a series of workshops and lectures on aerodynamics, engineering packaging, production engineering and materials, giving students the technical knowledge to develop their designs.

BMW ActiveHybrid 7 Series introduced

BMW has released images and detail on the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 Series The 7 Series ActiveHybrid, although built to serve the same purpose, utilises a different methodology to the X6 AvtiveHybrid. It is a ‘Mild’ Hybrid – built in co-operation with Mercedes – that uses a single electric motor (as opposed to the X6′s twin motors) together with the BMW 4.4 litre, twin-turb0 V8, to deliver 455 horses and 516lb/ft of torque. The V8 delivers 440bhp with the electric motor adding an extra 15bhp.The electric motor in the 7 Series ActiveHybrid is sandwiched between the 8-speed ZF ‘box and the engine.