Tesla system will swap a Model S battery in 90 seconds

"This is the title fight," said Elon Musk, in typical brashness. "This is battery-powered versus gasoline." The Tesla CEO preached this to a crowd of Tesla owners and supporters while formally confirming the company's worst-kept secret: the fact that the Model S sedan's batteries were designed from the beginning to be swapped out. The system Tesla envisioned has plenty of ambitious, techno-wizardry automation, with a focus on as much convenience as possible: The Model S will drive over a pit containing machinery which automatically changes the battery from underneath in approximately 90 seconds -- and the driver doesn't even have to get out of the car.

Design Contest: Stile Italiano Giovani 2004

One of the sad things about being editor of a motoring magazine is turning down all the enthusiastic young job applicants who know exactly how to test Ferraris against Lamborghinis, using Porsches as benchmarks...exactly the kind of people I don't need. I imagine it might be the same with judging a design competition. There will be masses of young people who love drawing cars submitting their sketches - and there it all ends.

Heuliez concept collection up for auction

A collection of coachbuilt specials and concept cars by French company Heuliez is to be sold at auction. The selection of 56 cars spans a huge spectrum from a Fiat 500 up to Le Mans racers but what really caught our eye were the oddball one-off conversions. Highlights include the Citroën BX Break De Chasse ‘Dyana', a three-door shooting break version of Gandini's classic, the 1972 Peugeot 204 Taxi H4 and the targa-roofed Citroën SM Espace.