National 320691 Seal, Crankshaft-engine Crankshaft Seal on 2040-parts.com

Hyundai to launch N high-performance brand in partnership with WRC team

Microsoft Hyundai today announced it will launch a new high-performance N brand to rival go-faster versions from German manufacturers. Future Hyundai N models will be low-volume sporting derivatives, inspired by the new i20 WRC rally car which will launch at the Monte Carlo race in January 2014. The N badge is designed to cement the link with Hyundai's Namyang R&D centre in Korea, which helped develop the i20 WRC in record time - the team was only founded 12 months ago.

Google Car (self) drives into the future [w/video]

After years of speculation, Google finally announced its Google Car autonomous vehicle at the Recode Code Conference in Palos Verdes, CA yesterday. Google CEO Sergey Brin unveiled the company's new two-seat, driverless vehicle at the software conference, underlining the company's aim of drastically reducing road deaths and injuries caused by human error, particularly by distracted drivers. "We're now exploring what fully self-driving vehicles would look like by building some prototypes; they'll be designed to operate safely and autonomously without requiring human intervention," said Brin.

BMW 1-series M Coupe (2011) teaser video

BMW is continuing to build up the hype ahead of the launch of its next M car – this is a teaser video giving us our first glimpse of the undisguised BMW 1-series M Coupe What’s new is our first look at this hot 1-series’ butch bodykit, complete with an engorged front bumper and triple air intakes. There are CSL-alike 19-inch wheels too, and sitting between the cross-drilled front discs is a twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight-six, producing 335bhp and 369lb ft. Drive, thankfully, goes to just the rear wheels, and they’ll be a choice of either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. There’ll be an M diff too, but we hear it might be on the options list as BMW’s money men fight to keep the list price under £40k.