Standard Motor Products Cv226 Choke Thermostat (carbureted) on 2040-parts.com

Porsche nearing 900 orders for its 918 Spyder hybrid concept

When Porsche AG showed the 918 Spyder at the Geneva show in March, we said it was a car to “make anyone a believer in hybrid supercar tech.” Well, maybe not anyone, but Porsche now says it has almost 900 potential buyers for the two-seater hybrid prototype as the German automaker gets closer to approving production. Porsche development chief Wolfgang Duerheimer said he is confident the company will soon reach the threshold of 1,000 orders, which is how many the company needs to “make a sound business case.” The 918 has 680 hp and, according to Porsche, will get 78 mpg and run from 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds. Porsche said it wants to double its overall vehicle sales to 150,000 in the next five years or so.

Volvo C30 production ends

The Volvo C30 is now going out of production as Volvo moves to refresh its range. A new small Volvo is planned. Volvo worked hard to get the small C30 in to the hearts and minds of a younger audience with a feature role in the Twilight films, but the C30 was never a stellar seller.

Wireless phone chargers available on the 2013 Dodge Dart

Chrysler said on Monday that it will begin installing wireless phone-charging pads in its cars. The 2013 Dodge Dart will be the first that offers the option, for the price of $200. “At Mopar, we look for every single opportunity to make our customers' lives easier,” said Pietro Gorlier, president and CEO of Mopar.