Sbc Built 358 Race Engine on 2040-parts.com

New Mercedes B-Class Electric Drive goes in to production

The first Mercedes B-Class ED (pictured) rolls off the production line in Rastatt With the BMW i3 grabbing headlines – and flying out of showrooms – as BMW’s first electric car, Mercedes need to play catch-up with a convincing EV of their own, and that’s the new B-Class Electric Drive – an EV version of the regular B-Class – which has now gone in to production in Germany. Built alongside regular ICE versions of the B-Class at Mercedes’ Rastatt Plant, the B-Class ED (Electric Drive) looks practically the same as its more conventionally powered siblings – although the front bumper does look a bit different – and has an electric motor good for 177 bhp and 250 lb/ft of torque, can manage a scoot to 62 mph in 7.9 seconds and has a range of up to 124 miles. The range – at least the quoted range – is a chunk better than the BMW i3′s and on a par with the latest Nissan LEAF, thanks to EV technology provided by Tesla, and the wrapping of an EV drivetrain in a conventional series production car could appeal to more buyers than the ‘statement’ design of the BMW i3.

JAC J3 Cross

JAC has unveiled its J3 Cross B-segment corssover, designed at the Chinese company's design center in Turin. The J3 Cross is aimed younger Chinese drivers that crave an SUV, hence the a split black grille, tough-looking bumpers that features an integrated chrome trim, while lower body cladding is incorporated to give some protection on rough roads. The raised ride height and integrated roof bars add to the J3 Cross' softroad image.

2010 Nissan Altima gets light updates

The lightly updated 2010 Nissan Altima will start at $20,620 when it goes on sale on Monday. The biggest changes are visible at first glance, as the Altima is fitted with a restyled grille, hood, bumper and wheel designs. The base sedan with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and CVT transmission is the entry-level car.