2012 Bmw 5 9266384 Display- on 2040-parts.com

Volkswagen demonstrates self-driving car

Flying cars might still be on the drawing board, but automakers are making progress toward futuristic advances in driving. The latest example from Volkswagen is a car that can essentially drive itself. Volkswagen presented its Temporary Auto Pilot (TAP) system this week at the European Union research project HAVEit (Highly Automated Vehicles for Intelligent Transport).

Toyota Prius plug-in hits UK

The Toyota Prius plug-in arrives in the UK The next step in the Toyota Prius story is the plug-in Prius, which adds some Lithium-Ion batteries to the mix and the ability to plug the Prius in to the mains to get a usable kick-start to your day’s motoring, with an electric only range of up to 12.5 miles – around double the range a regular Prius can manage when fully charged. Toyota announced plans to get 500 Prius Plug-in Hybrids on the roads in 2010 back in September last year to evaluate their real-world performance before the plug-in gets a proper release – probably in 2012. Toyota are leasing 20 of the Prius plug-ins to a handful of public and private businesses in London as part of their plan to develop the Prius plug-in, and reduce the company’s overall CO2 levels – something which is sadly required by legislation.

German tuner Eisenmann repackages Audi R8

German exhaust tuner Eisenmann has developed a package of changes for the Audi R8 sports car, covering the exhaust system as well as several exterior additions made from carbon fiber, to create what it calls the Spark Eight by Eisenmann. Eisenmann says its aero package is more than just pretty looks and claims that it improves the car's driving dynamics and weight distribution. The changes include: -- Front fascia with grille and fins.