Gates 42057 Water Pump-water Pump (standard) on 2040-parts.com

MIT researchers rethink electric-car batteries

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology say a new battery design for electric vehicles could be a lightweight and inexpensive alternative. The goal for the team's three-year project, launched in September 2010, is to have a functioning prototype ready to be engineered as a replacement for existing electric-car batteries. At this point in the project, the prototype uses a “semi-solid flow” to separate the two functions of a battery--storing energy and discharging it when needed--into separate physical structures.

Mercedes AMG had its best ever year in 2013 – sales up 40 per cent in the UK

Record sales in 2013 for Mercedes AMG AMG is becoming more and more important to Mercedes, not just in numbers sold but in the performance glow AMG versions of Mercedes cars cast across the whole range. And those numbers of AMG Mercedes sold reached new highs in 2013 with AMG reporting sales of 32,200, the biggest ever total from Mercedes performance division. AMG’s three key markets – the UK, US and Germany – all posted record sales, but it was the UK that saw the biggest growth with sales up by 40 per cent (up 20 per cent ion the US and 10 per cent in Germany).

Toyota to show FT86 Convertible at 2013 Geneva show

Toyota is bringing a drop-top GT86 to next month's Geneva motor show. Based on its sublime lightweight GT86 coupe, the FT-86 Open (the show car has ditched the 'GT' name reverted to the 'FT' tag because it's currently only a concept) will be revealed in March 2013. 'FT' stands for 'Future Toyota', and Toyota has already started the media tease by releasing this sketch. Is the Toyota GT86 convertible confirmed for production?