Yamaha Saltwater Series Ii Prop 15"1/2 X 17 on 2040-parts.com

Better Place Electric Car visitor centre opens

Better Place have opened a visitor centre in Israel to demonstrate their battery swap technology for electric cars Last October we wrote about a start-up company in Israel – Better Place – that had a new way forward for electric cars by taking the purchase of battery packs out of the equation, and was developing a system for ‘Battery Swap’ stations where electric car owners could drive in and swap their battery pack for a fully-charged one in a few minutes. That story first brought to our attention our favourite quote of last year – by Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn – who said “A hybrid is like a mermaid: if you want a fish, you get a woman; if you want a woman, you get a fish.” Which probably explained why Nissan – and its partner Renault – got involved with Better Place. Better Place aims to address the main concerns of electric car drivers by making the battery packs in electric cars ‘swappable’.

McLaren 12C Can-Am at Pebble Beach

A (currently) one-off McLaren MP4-12C – the McLaren 12C Can-Am – is heading for Pebble Beach, previewing a track-day MP4-12C. The McLaren MP4-12C is a one-off track-focused MP4-12C, developed by the same McLaren GT team which developed the MP4-12C GT3 race car, and its heading for Pebble Beach this month to tempt US track-day enthusiasts. Developed without the constraints of a racing series, the 12C Can-Am is based on the GT3 car and adds a new aerodynamic package – which improves downforce by 30 per cent – with a carbon fibre splitter with little winglets atop, a huge rear tray of a spoiler and a carbon fibre diffuser.

Porsche preps a Panamera wagon concept for Paris motor show

Porsche will preview plans for a Panamera-based wagon concept in September at the Paris motor show. It is set to provide telling clues for the direction of a production version that could arrive in several years. This would lend an additional element for increasing Porsche's sales as part of parent company Volkswagen's ambitious growth strategy.