Airhead Sup Stabilizers, Set on 2040-parts.com

Driven: Chevrolet Volt

Meeting the Chevrolet Volt could easily have been an anti-climax. This is a design that ‘feels' nearly four years old — the concept first seen in Detroit in 2007. Together with the online hype surrounding it, and the part it plays in GM's renaissance, the weight of expectation is alarmingly high.

It's (almost) alive: General Motors and NASA develop a humanlike robot for the International Space Station

General Motors and NASA have teamed up to develop Robonaut 2, which will be the first humanlike robot to take up permanent residence on the International Space Station. Known as R2, the 300-pound robot will use its “hands” and “arms” to utilize the tools of the station. It will assist astronauts, which GM says has parallels with helping its workers in factories.

Nissan Almera

The new Nissan Almera was launched yesterday at the 2012 Moscow auto show, designed specifically for the Russian market. The design team sought to combine contemporary Nissan design cues with more classic features on this 4,656mm-long five-seat sedan. The Almera has a long wheelbase of 2,700mm while the luggage area is said to be disguised by the sweep of the roofline and rear window that flows into the trunk lid.