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Former Ford exec Theodore shows off lighter chassis at SAE

Automakers are facing tougher government regulations for fuel economy, and one former Ford and Chrysler executive says he has a solution Chris Theodore, best known for his work on the Ford GT and Dodge Viper, has designed a vehicle chassis that he says will provide automakers with weight savings, cut manufacturing costs and make electric vehicles more economically viable. Theodore is showcasing his proof-of-concept Uni-Chassis at the SAE World Congress this week. It uses the powertrain and suspension of the GT, under an agreement with Ford.

Remember this twin-engine, AWD, home-brew Scirocco?

Obviously, the big problem with the VW Scirocco is that its rear wheels aren't driven. Around a decade ago, a guy named Anson decided to solve that problem by shoving a second VW motor in the rear end of his Scirocco. Sure, VW had done it before, but this enterprising do-it-yourselfer spent just $1,800 on the build.

CAR tech: who's to blame for your car's terrible fuel economy?

In early 2013 Audi lost a case brought by the Advertising Standard Agency (ASA) because of ‘misleading’ fuel economy figures used in an advert, after a customer complained they couldn’t get anywhere near the 68mpg quoted. The court case once more exposes the yawning gap between officially sanctioned mpg figures and those experienced by owners. A recent study by the Independent Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) looked at cars sold in the UK and Europe, and discovered the difference between official mpg figures and real-world driving had grown from 8% in 2001 to a barely believable 21% in 2011.