Ford Explorer 99-01 Fog Lamp Lh, Assembly, Without Limited Model 749 on 2040-parts.com

Cadillac may get future rear-drive hybrids

General Motors' two mode hybrid powertrain, used only in trucks, will migrate to rear-drive cars in the next generation, said Tom Stephens, GM's vice chairman of global product operations. Two likely candidates: Cadillacs, says consultant Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics in suburban Detroit. Last month, GM said it is developing an electric motor that is 25 percent smaller and 20 percent more powerful than the motor used in today's two mode hybrid full-sized trucks.

Better Place EV Battery Swap business goes bust

It seemed like a good idea: take the cost of batteries out of the cost of buying an electric car and instead charge EV owners to use ‘Battery Swap’ stations where depleted batteries could be swapped for fully charged ones in the time it takes to fill an ICE car with petrol. But it’s all gone a bit Pete Tong. Better Place – which partnered with Renault in 2009 to make the battery swap technology viable – has failed to find anyone to add to the $750 million already involved in the project and has filed for bankruptcy.

Jaguar F-Type sold out until end of 2013

If you want a new Jaguar F-Type, you won’t get one until the end of 2013 The new Jaguar F-Type may not be a volume car for Jaguar – it’s place in jaguar’s lineup is to cast a rosy, sporty glow on the whole Jaguar range – but the numbers sold already seem to indicate the F-Type will end up selling even more than the 75,000 a year Jaguar hoped – assuming they can up production. Adrian Hallmark, Jaguar’s Global Brand Director, has confirmed to Automotive News that the new F-Type is already selling strongly, despite only going on sale a month ago, and the F-Type is sold out for at least the next six months. “Customers who order the car now will be lucky to get one by the end of this year”, he said.