New Disc Brake Hardware Kit on 2040-parts.com

BMW & Toyota to collaborate on next-generation lithium-ion battery cells

Toyota & BMW to work together on next-gen lithium-ion batteries BMW and Toyota are to work together to develop next-generation lithium-ion battery technology to try and make battery power more effective. Late last year we learnt that BMW and Toyota are to work more closely to share technology and expertise as the car industry enters a period of consolidation and partnership to try and keep R&D costs under control, and make their products more cost-effective. The result of the BMW Toyota tie-up sees BMW getting access to some of Toyota’s Hybrid nous and Toyota getting access to BMW’s excellent diesel engines.

Mercedes GLA 45 AMG Concept: Los Angeles Auto Show (video)

The Mercedes GLA 45 AMG Concept has been revealed in LA Over the weekend we had a teaser video from AMG for the GLA 45 AMG Concept, although Mercedes didn’t actually name it as such. But a GLA with the same powertrain as the A 45 and CLA 45 AMG is exactly what Mercedes’ AMG concept tease was, and it’s now been revealed in LA ahead of a likely debut in production form in 2014. The GLA 45 AMG Concept gets bold graphics – something buyers would be unlikely to want – and 21″ forged alloys painted matt black with a red rim and red brake callipers to shout its intent.

2014 Subaru XV – less choice, more refinement

The 2014 Subaru XV (pictured) gets a bit of a tweak The Subaru XV arrived in the UK in 2012, and it’s a perfectly able and reasonably-priced compact crossover from Subaru. But within a year of launching the XV Subaru decided to inject a bit more appeal in to the XV with a price cut of £2,300 across the range and now, not more than six months later, they’re fiddling with the XV range again. The 2.0 litre petrol XV gets new valve-train components to cut engine noise and revised suspension, with extra soundproofing improving NVH levels across the range, a revised power steering system for added stability and feel  and thicker and reshaped suspension lower arm and extra reinforcement around the base of the A-Pillar for better crash performance.