1956 Mercury Spinner Hubcaps on 2040-parts.com

De Tomaso assets being brokered

The De Tomaso brand and factory are up for grabs It’s true to say that the De Tomaso brand, probably the most significant of the unused Italian Supercar Marques, has been hawked round the world for years. But this document puts up some real detail, and pictures of the sad decline of a once successful (particularly in the U.S.) supercar maker. De Tomaso was, for a time, a great blend of Italian style and American muscle, but it lost its way badly many years ago and, despite a few attempts to resurrect it, De Tomaso has been off the scene for a long time now.

Maserati shows Alfieri concept at the Geneva motor show

It's named the Alfieri concept, which Maserati will be the first to tell you is not the "Guyfieri." Otherwise, it'd come with a golden roof, a Ferrari V8 slathered in beer batter, and a deep-fried interior reeking of Cheetos and desperation. Make that balsamic vinegar, according to Maserati, the dark condiment evidently imbued with "a centenary tradition of craftsmanship and passion." Much like Maserati's celebration of its 100-year history at this Geneva auto show, as represented by the silver ingot shown above. Indeed the Alfieri concept, a gorgeous wide-grilled sports car more in line with the Porsche 911 than its own GranTurismo, is a celebration of Alfieri Maserati, one of the five brothers who founded the eponymous company.

BMW & Toyota to collaborate on next-generation lithium-ion battery cells

Toyota & BMW to work together on next-gen lithium-ion batteries BMW and Toyota are to work together to develop next-generation lithium-ion battery technology to try and make battery power more effective. Late last year we learnt that BMW and Toyota are to work more closely to share technology and expertise as the car industry enters a period of consolidation and partnership to try and keep R&D costs under control, and make their products more cost-effective. The result of the BMW Toyota tie-up sees BMW getting access to some of Toyota’s Hybrid nous and Toyota getting access to BMW’s excellent diesel engines.