Engine Expansion Plug (dorman #570-005) on 2040-parts.com

Lotus Elise Club Racer Launched

The Lotus Elise Club Racer Lotus may have plans to be the next Aston Martin, but for now it’s stuck with an Evora that’s not selling as well as it should and an Elise that is basically the same as the car that launched a decade ago. The plan with the Evora – apart from the rather odd move of getting Mansory to tart up an Evora – is to get the Germans in to give the Evora’s interior some class. As for the Lotus Elise, all there really is to do – because it has a hard-core clientele anyway – is to divvy up the odd special.

BMW i3 EV to get BMW motorcycle engine as range extender?

BMW i3 to get motorcycle range-extender engine? The only real way to make an electric car – any electric car – come close to being a viable replacement for an ICE car is to fit it with a small engine to extend its range and charge its batteries when reserves get low. The range extender is the technology the Chevy Volt and Opel Ampera use to make their cars suitable for more than just short urban commuting, and it’s something BMW are planning as an option for the i3.

Chill out: coolest truck ever made of ice

Just as humans find it difficult getting out of bed on a cold morning, cars often don’t like starting when temperatures are below freezing. Not only is there more pressure on car batteries in the winter as we rely on them for heating and lighting, but they also struggle to hold their charge. So, in a bid to prove that their batteries are unbeatable in the cold, a Canadian company has built a pick-up truck out of ice.