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New techniques cut cost of carbon fiber

Carbon fiber, once so costly that it was the preferred material only for fighter planes and supercars, is catching the attention of weight-conscious automakers. Carbon fiber's cost is falling dramatically, thanks to production advances that let suppliers speed the material's finicky, and costly, curing process. One technological breakthrough that makes carbon-fiber auto parts more affordable may come from a process used to make carbon-fiber golf clubs.

Dany Bahar’s restored V8 Lotus Esprit for sale

With Dany Bahar now ousted as Lotus boss, his fully restored 2002 V8 Lotus Esprit is up for sale. When Dany Bahar joined Lotus from Ferrari, he brought with him some grandiose plans – and an ability to spend money – that were ultimately his undoing. And it appears Bahar was a bit too grand to run around in any of Lotus’s current models as ambassador for the brand, instead deciding the way to go was a fully restored version of the last Lotus supercar – the Lotus Esprit.

One lap of the Web: Ponycar birthdays, forgotten Hungarian racetracks and an Acura NSX

Chevy took some time this week to say happy birthday to its archrival, the Ford Mustang. The bowtie brand said that "healthy competition" between the Camaro and Mustang has been a "driving force for constant improvement." Check it out over at World Car Fans. Petrolicious has a handful of photos from a nearly forgotten track in Budapest, Hungary.