Klein Tools 11045 Wire Stripper/cutter Yellow Small on 2040-parts.com

McLaren MP4-12 650S hits the Web ahead of official Geneva reveal

Images of the new McLaren MP4-12 650S have leaked to the Internet ahead of a planned unveiling for the British supercar at the Geneva Motor Show in early March. Created in response to customer demand for an edgier version of the McLaren MP4-12C offering greater levels of driver engagement, the 650S runs a more heavily tuned version of McLaren's twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 direct-injection engine producing a claimed 25 hp more than the variant used by standard sibling for a total of 641 hp (as its name suggests 650 ps -- metric hp). Further details remain scarce ahead of the MP4-12C 650S's official public unveiling in Switzerland two weeks from now, although information passed on to prospective customers at a private presentation of the new two-seater held last week suggest it is also in line to receive a series of modifications to its seven-speed dual clutch gearbox, suspension, steering, brakes and aerodynamics -- all aimed at providing it with a more aggressive nature and added racetrack ability.

Chicago Auto Show interactive web tour launches

Interactive media company 360° Revo and the Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA) has launched a web-based, interactive tour of the 2012 Chicago Auto Show. Automobile enthusiasts worldwide who could not make it to the show – the press days of which ran from 8-9 February – will be able to tour the exhibitions and even go inside specific vehicles featured at this year's show. This is the first time the CATA, producer of the Chicago Auto Show, and 360° Revo has worked together and with the media company's technology comes the ability for online users to navigate and explore the auto show floor and visit individual exhibits.

Nissan Pivo 2 concept

Nissan has released details of a new Pivo 2, an advanced electric concept car that will debut at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. Building on the popularity of the first Pivo, shown at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, the latest concept will be powered by compact Lithium-ion batteries and features a unique rotating cabin. Where the first Pivo, with its fully rotating cabin design, made reversing obsolete, the Pivo 2 takes that easy mobility concept to a new level.