Cessna Piper Beechcraft Mooney Aircraft Shaw Aero 60mm 99321 531-00 Fuel Cap on 2040-parts.com

2013 SRT Viper: Preparations for the new snake begin in the Motor City

If it's possible to have a favorite factory for enthusiasts, the Viper plant in Detroit would definitely rank among the top five. And preparations will soon begin to ready the plant for the relaunch of the SRT Viper in late 2012. That's right: The famous Dodge supercar will officially be badged the SRT Viper, a move that breaks from the car's 22-year heritage.

Tesla system will swap a Model S battery in 90 seconds

"This is the title fight," said Elon Musk, in typical brashness. "This is battery-powered versus gasoline." The Tesla CEO preached this to a crowd of Tesla owners and supporters while formally confirming the company's worst-kept secret: the fact that the Model S sedan's batteries were designed from the beginning to be swapped out. The system Tesla envisioned has plenty of ambitious, techno-wizardry automation, with a focus on as much convenience as possible: The Model S will drive over a pit containing machinery which automatically changes the battery from underneath in approximately 90 seconds -- and the driver doesn't even have to get out of the car.

BASF launches car seat design competition

BASF has launched 'Sit down. Move.', the first global car seat design competition. The contest asks for designers to submit their ideas for a car concept car seat using BASF materials and will be judged by three renowned industrial and automotive designers: Dave Lyon, former-Executive Director of Interior Design America for GM, industrial designer Konstantin Grcic and former Pininfarina designer Ken Okuyama along with BASF representatives.