Electra Pal Trolling Boat Motor on 2040-parts.com

Infiniti making noise about its new M35 hybrid

Infiniti has just announced that its new M35h will be the world's first hybrid with a standard audible pedestrian warning system to alert pedestrians when the car is running silently on EV mode. Infiniti calls the system VSP, or 'Approaching vehicle sound for pedestrians'. It uses a range of distinctive sounds to alert pedestrians via a speaker built in to the front bumper.    Instead of reproducing the sound of an internal combustion engine, the Infiniti produces a range of beeps.

BMW tii models are go

By Georg Kacher Motor Industry 02 April 2008 17:06 BMW chief Norbert Reithofer has confirmed to CAR Online that a range of tii performance options will be launched soon on the company's smaller models. He has finally ruled out a rumoured M1 version of the 1-series and said the tii spec would be the most performance-oriented model, claiming the the twin-turbo 135i was quite fast enough (it does 0-62mph in 5.3sec, after all).The tii concept shown at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show points accurately to the approach BMW is developing: performance kits for the 1-series coupe and hatchback, an aero package, carbonfibre details, fatter wheels and tyres, sports seats and instruments. There's even talk of a new M-style steering wheel with integrated LED rev counter.A tii for the massesBMW is the past master at offering huge choice in spec and trim; subtle nuance of alloy wheel size here, and Sport spec there is the stuff of workplace car park folklore.

OnStar tests Facebook updates, text-message reading services

General Motors' OnStar service is launching new features with the latest generation of its technology and is testing applications such as reading text messages and updating social-networking Web sites via voice command. The ninth generation of OnStar's software will let GM car owners use their smartphone to remotely start the engine and lock or unlock their cars. The service is called OnStar MyLink.