Oxygen Sensor Center Acdelco Gm Original Equipment 213-4551 on 2040-parts.com

Mazda MX-5 Superlight leaks

Official pictures of the MX-5 Superlight Concept have leaked out ahead of Frankfurt We don’t think Mazda are intending building the MX-5 Superlight, it’s more a way of showcasing what can be achieved by radical weight saving. But don’t quote us on that. If Mazda gets big positive feedback they’ll probably turn it in to a production model despite their assertions it’s just a concept.

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’.

Volkswagen Routan (2008): first official pictures

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 07 February 2008 14:38 Volkswagen’s Routan minivan is here, with European-inspired style for the US masses. Based on a Chrysler Grand Voyager the Routan is over five metres long and will use the American car’s engines. In standard form the Routan will be powered by a 3.8-litre 194bhp V6, mated to a six speed automatic ‘box.