(2) Summit Racing G2100 Seat 20" D X 32.25"h X 20" W Black Polyethylene on 2040-parts.com

Tesla asks NHTSA to investigate fires

In response to concerns following a recent accident which appeared to result from road debris damaging the underside of a battery compartment of a Tesla Model S, causing a fire in the engine compartment, the company has announced that it has requested that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conduct a full investigation into the fire incidents. In a blog post, Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote the following about the investigation: "While we think it is highly unlikely, if something is discovered that would result in a material improvement in occupant fire safety, we will immediately apply that change to new cars and offer it as a free retrofit to all existing cars. Given that the incidence of fires in the Model S is far lower than combustion cars and that there have been no resulting injuries, this did not at first seem like a good use of NHTSA's time compared to the hundreds of gasoline fire deaths per year that warrant their attention." Tesla has also released a software update to the cars which will maintain their standard ride height at highway speeds, preventing the air suspension from lowering the car an extra inch at highway speeds for greater aerodynamic efficiency.

The hidden cost of fuel-efficient cars

Yesterday’s drive of the new Fiesta ECOnetic got me thinking. It’s astonishing what car makers can get out of a car these days. The new ECOnetic manages a combined figure of 76mpg.

Mercedes E63 AMG facelift and power boost (2013) full details

Let's ignore the visual changes on the new Mercedes E63 AMG for a moment and get straight to the facts. In top-spec 'S' guise, this four-door saloon will hit 62mph in 3.6 seconds. That's a tenth faster than a Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 supercar, and quicker still than Merc's own SLS AMG.