Edson Ball Mount on 2040-parts.com

BMW Alpina B7 gets power boost for 2013

The 2013 BMW Alpina B7, the performance version of the German automaker's 7-series sedan, gets an additional 40 hp--and a more costly sticker price--for the new model year. BMW plans to roll out the 2013 model at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in August and begin sales soon thereafter. Under the hood, power from the 4.4-liter V8 has been increased from 500 to 540 hp with the addition of BMW's throttle-less Valvetronic intake system.

AW gets a long-term natural-gas Honda Civic

For all those wanting to save the universe, may we introduce the latest member of the AutoWeek green car fleet--a Honda Civic GX. The GX is a regular Civic in every respect but one--its 1.8-liter four-cylinder internal-combustion engine is powered solely by compressed natural gas. The main benefit of this is that it achieves as close to zero emissions as you can get in a mass-produced passenger car.

New Range Rover gets Bridge of Weir Leather

The new Range Rover (2013) is getting its sumptuous leather interior courtesy of Bridge of Weir Low Carbon Leathers Land Rover’s supplier of choice for the Range Rover’s leather is Bridge of Weir Leather Company, part of the Scottish Leather Group and a privately owned Scottish Company that just happens to be the UK’s only automotive leather manufacturer (although they may need to rephrase that in a couple of years if Alex Salmond gets his way). The big shout is that Bridge of Weir’s leathers are low carbon, but what’s more interesting than the trendy (and, some would say, pointless) shout out is just how efficient Bridge of Weir are. The Bridge of Weir factory has its own Thermal Energy Plant which provides 70 per cent of its needs (and will provide it all by 2015) and all the waste products are recycled instead of being discarded.