Yamaha Banshee 350 Raptor 660 Warrior Powdercoated Red Front Brake Calipers on 2040-parts.com

CAR tech: how much F1 is in the McLaren P1?

We're forever told racing tech makes for better road cars, but is that true, even in the case of the £866,000 McLaren P1? CAR tech looks at the similarities between Jenson Button's weekend racer and McLaren's hybrid supercar: Gives you wings A Formula One car wins or loses by its aero package – and the P1’s a true aero car with a mighty set-up. It has the highest amount of downforce of any road car on sale – so you couldn’t get closer to F1 with number plates if you tried.

Audi R8 e-tron: Killed off before it launches?

It’s being reported that the electric Audi R8 e-tron is close to being killed off before production starts, as Audi question its viability. But it now looks like Audi has finally woken up and seen the light and they have put the R8 e-tron plans on hold indefinitely as they realise there is just no market for an electric car, never mind an electric supercar. Car and Driver are reporting that Audi’s new head of R&D - Wolfgang Dürheime – has halted all work on the R8 e-tron and it seems highly likely the project will be scrapped altogether.

What's New - June 2005

Mercedes-Benz Bionic concept The Bionic showcases the potential of bionics for automobile development, and is inspired by the boxfish(!) In DaimlerChrysler's words: "Despite its boxy, cube-shaped body, this tropical fish is in fact outstandingly streamlined and therefore represents an aerodynamic ideal". This 4240mm long car that seats four has a Cd value of just 0.19 which, in combination with light-weight construction and an advanced diesel powertrain, gives 20% lower fuel consumption and up to 80% lower nitrogen oxide emissions. This reduction in NO2 is achieved by spraying 'AdBlue', an aqueous urea solution, into the exhaust system in precisely metered quantities to convert the nitrogen oxides into harmless nitrogen and water, so even if it looks like it should, it shouldn't smell fishy...