Westin 72-33110 Wade; Sunroof Wind Deflector on 2040-parts.com

Carbon-fiber parts and a software fix help create a lighter, faster Fiat

Chrysler Group's Mopar parts brand and Italian supplier Magneti Marelli have teamed up on a design exercise based on the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth that shaved weight and added horsepower. The vehicle, called the Venom, has a number of carbon fiber components -- hood and side mirrors, for example -- that makes it about 200 pounds lighter than the 2,512-pound Abarth. The Venom uses software updates and additional exhaust components to boost the Abarth's standard 160-hp 1.4-liter turbocharged engine's output by as much as 25 percent.

Electroluminescent Lumilor coating transforms any surface into a lamp

Thanks to advances in LED and lasers, an emphasis on lamp design is a rapidly growing trend. But what if any or all of a car's surfaces, inside or out, could become lamps at the flick of a switch? That question has been partially answered by Darkside Scientific.

Tesla Model S burns in Seattle

A Tesla Model S crashed and burned on Tuesday morning in Seattle. The electric-vehicle manufacturer told Bloomberg that the Model S “collided with a large metallic object in the middle of the road, causing significant damage to the vehicle.” More specifically, the object struck the Tesla's battery. The report worried investors, and Tesla stock fell 6.2 percent on Wednesday.