Blog on 2040Parts

Musk begins delivering on Supercharger network

Tesla has delivered 21 high-speed Supercharger stations in the United States, as it promised this past spring. Actually, the company promised 18. In any case, it was a close call -- Tesla only had nine stations finished last week.

2014 Acura TSX starts at $31,530

The sporty Acura TSX and TSX Sport Wagon return for 2014 with minor changes. The base TSX with a 201-hp I4 comes with a five-speed automatic transmission for $31,530, including destination. That’s a $125 bump from last year.

Bentley uses 3D printing to prototype new designs [w/Video]

3D printing is changing the way the world makes things by helping people of all disciplines to enhance and refine their ideas cheaply, quickly and effectively.  Bentley is the latest carmaker to utilize the technology to fabricate and prototype different parts to see how they'll look and work on the finished design. Using 3D printers, designers can produce parts from the exterior and interior such as the grille, tires, headlamps and door handles as well as combine different types of contrasting materials, ranging from hard plastics to rubbers of different tensile strengths.  The technology allows the user to create a solid 3D object straight from a digital model by printing layers of material on top of each other. This process rapidly decreases the delivery time, as parts can be printed overnight, and allows designers to be more creative in their ideas because of the reduced cost. Bentley isn't the first carmaker to use 3D printing technology. Audi announced last year it was beginning to prototype vehicle parts using 3D printers.

Alfa Romeo 4C on track with Giancarlo Fisichella (video)

Giancalrlo Fisichella takes the Alfa 4C round Balocco (pictured) The Alfa Romeo 4C – Alfa’s baby supercar – is due on sale next month following its UK dynamic debut at Goodwood, so to get a bit of adrenaline flowing in the veins of potential buyers, Fiat grabbed Ferrari test driver Giancarlo Fisichella and stuck him behind the wheel of the 4C to play at the Balocco test track, Fiat’s proving ground. And we have to say, the 4C doesn’t just look good, it sounds great and looks to be as light and nimble as expected. In many ways, the Alfa 4C is an Italian take on the Lotus Elise, but it manages to do it with a huge dose of Alfa flair, both in its design and its execution.

2014 Michelin Challenge Design jury meets to select winners

The 2014 Michelin Challenge Design judging panel has selected the top three entries of its ‘Driven/Undriven' contest after an intense two-day session at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. On the first day, the jurors discussed each individual submission before whittling them down to just 15 finalists. Their work will be presented at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit in January 2014 as part of the Michelin Challenge Design exhibit.

Mercedes GLA Edition 1 announced

The Mercedes GLA Edition 1 (pictured) is a luanch edition for the new GLA SUV The new Mercedes GLA Compact SUV had its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show last week, and is due to go on sale in November. But when it does go on sale, sales will start off with a limited run of GLA Edition 1 cars, just as Mercedes did with the CLA 45 AMG Edition 1, but in the case of the GLA you’ll be able to spec the Edition 1 pack on any GLA model. With a choice of four exterior colours - Cirrus White, Mountain Grey Metallic, Orient Brown Metallic and Designo Magno Mountingrau – the Edition 1 comes with 19″ AMG alloys, bi-xenons, aluminium roof rails, extra chrome, leather flat-bottomed steering wheel, comfort seats and splashes of aluminium trim and stainless steel pedals.

Bentley SUV will create a new niche

The Bentley SUV (EXP 9 F pictured) will create a new market sector. We all saw the Bentley SUV when it arrive two years ago at the Geneva Motor show, and the general consensus was along the lines of ‘What a truck’. But Bentley have taken that reaction on board and are busy redesigning the looks of their SUV (well, the exterior anyway – the interior was lovely) to give it a more appealing look, one probably more biased towards an SUV version of the Continental Series rather than the Mulsanne.

Volkswagen's Golf named as top used car

WHAT CAR? has named the Volkswagen Golf as its Used Car of the Year 2013 and its Used Family Car of the Year in its annual awards. The judges praised the Golf’s impressive cabin quality and refinement, comfort, driveability, running costs and its impressive safety credentials.

Cost of fuel has increased 50% in seven years

THE PRICE of fuel in the UK has increased by over 50% in just over seven years, according to a recent investigation. A study conducted on behalf of Asda Money indicates that the cost of fuel in the UK has risen from around 90p per litre at the start of 2006 to the current average of around £1.38. The Autumn Statement from the Chancellor of the Exchequer cancelled the proposed rise in fuel duty that was due to come into force on the first of January 2013, and which had already been postponed once, but UK motorists are still paying out at the pumps.

Retailers urged to cut fuel prices

FUEL RETAILERS have been urged to "immediately" ease pressure at the pumps by passing on a drop in wholesale prices to motorists. The RAC said a litre of unleaded petrol sold wholesale for 6p less since the end of August, while diesel was down by 2p a litre, giving petrol stations the power to lower prices on the forecourt. The car services company explained lower prices were due to a drop in oil prices since Syria agreed to sign an international treaty banning chemical weapons and the pound reaching a seven-month high against the dollar.

European car sales down 5.2%

EUROPEAN UNION car sales are still sagging despite the return of modest economic growth. For the first eight months of the year, passenger car sales were down 5.2% to 7.84 million compared with the same period last year, the European Auto Manufacturers' Association said - the lowest January-August figure since the group started keeping records in 1990. New car registrations in August fell five per cent from a year ago to 653,872.

Call for stronger penalties for texting drivers

DRIVERS convicted of causing death by dangerous driving should be given stronger and more consistent penalties, according to road safety charity the Institute of Advanced Motorists has said. An IAM analysis of eleven recent prosecutions involving mobile and smartphone use revealed that the average sentence for causing death by dangerous driving is four-and-a-half years in prison and a disqualification from driving for seven years. In all of the cases analysed, the convicted drivers were found to have lost their concentration due to using their mobile phone.

Range Rover Hybrids cross Russia on Silk Trail 2013 expedition

The Range Rover Hybrid (pictured) in Russia on the Silk Trail expedition The new Range Rover Hybrid (and the Range Rover Sport Hybrid) will be arriving in Land Rover Showrooms in the New Year after their debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show last week. Currently, ahead of the final production hybrids being signed-off, Land Rover are, as we’ve already reported, busy driving the Silk Trail to Mumbai to put the Range Rover Hybrids through their paces and iron out any problems that crop up. The first stage of the Silk Trail 2013 trek was mainly across Europe where, although urban landscapes tested the hybrid’s economy and flexibility, there wasn’t too much in the way of challenging terrain to make sure the hybrid Range Rover was up to muster.

New Nissan Note production starts in Sunderland

The New Nissan Note goes in to production The new Nissan Note arrived at the Geneva Motor Show in March, and has turned in to a proper compact hatch – with plenty of kerbside appeal – instead of the rather bland small MPV it used to be. With better looks, some nice styling detail and lots of technology on offer – like Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Departure Warning and Moving Object Detection, the new Note looks set to have much more impact when it arrive’s in Nissan’s showrooms than the old Note ever did. That point of view is given extra credence by the 14,000 orders Nissan has received for the new Note in Europe since it went on sale in July, and now the first Notes are ready to start rolling off the production line at Nissan’s plant in Sunderland.

CAR tech: why Porsche needs hybrids

At the launch of the 997-generation 911 Turbo in 2006, Porsche faced a daunting future. Anti-car chatter from EU legislators proposed banning anything that produced more than 241g/km of CO2 and exceeded 101mph. ‘We’ll have to close if the European Commission decides that every carmaker must reach [these targets],’ a Porsche exec told CAR.

Carlsson's 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-class gets 780 horsepower

If the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG or the S65 AMG are too mild for your tastes, then German tuner Carlsson may have something for you. Ignoring for the moment the question of just how we already have entries from AMG, BRABUS, and Carlsson before deliveries of stock versions have even started in most of the world, Carlsson for the moment holds the top spot as far as claimed power figures are concerned. And those power figures depend on which engine choice you start out with.

One Lap of the Web: Moby Dick, mass transit failures, and the return of the Ford Rotunda

-- The Porsche 935/78 race car, perhaps better known as Moby Dick, looks a bit like a typical 911 that someone heated up until it was pliable and then slowly, carefully stretched until its nose and tail were elongated past the point of absurdity. And then someone else came along and stuck a giant wing on the back. But it is a real car, and Speedhunters has proof in the form of a photo essay.

Alfa Romeo 8C based Disco Volante by Touring makes limited production

The Alfa Romeo Disco Volante (pictured) is going in to limited production The Alfa Romeo 8C is a beautiful – if flawed – supercar from Alfa, made even more individual by by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera with their Alfa Disco Volante Concept in 2012. That Concept – which arrived at the Geneva Motor Show in 2012 – has now been updated for 2013 and is being put in to limited production for those with deep pockets to indulge in an Alfa even more rare than the 8C itself. The Disco Volante pays homage to the 1952 Alfa Romeo Disco Volante – based on the Alfa 1900 – and is built from aluminium and carbon fibre to keep weight in check, although under the skin remains pretty much Alfa 8C.

BaT Euro Alfa Adventure - Part 1 - Intro and The Goodwood Revival

I'm sitting at a Starbucks at the EuroTunnel station at 12:30 a.m. That may not sound particularly glamorous or exciting, but what has brought me here is a 72-hour adrenaline rush that a car fanatic can only get from the prospect of retrieving a far-away car purchase combined with a racing event I've previously only dreamed about. This story started months ago when a buddy in the Netherlands emailed to say that he landed a couple of tickets to the Goodwood Revival.

The best retro fashion at 2013 Goodwood Revival

Visitors to the 2013 Goodwood Revival made the show sparkle with a dazzling array of retro and vintage outfits. The motorsport show celebrates the cars of the post-war era when the Goodwood motor racing circuit was in its heyday - and punters flock to the show in clothes to suit. Please click on the image above to view the rest of the story

Highly exclusive Alfa Romeo Disco Volante revealed

EXCLUSIVE Italian coachbuilder Touring has unveiled its Alfa Romeo Disco Volante, which is a modern interpretation of one of the company’s most famous designs. The new Disco Volante marks the 60th anniversary of the original, but the new car comes with a 4.7-litre V8 engine with 450bhp borrowed from the Alfa Romeo 8C supercar. This means the new Disco Volante can see off 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds and has a top speed of 181mph.

British team aim for electric world record

A BRITISH team headed by Lord Drayson is seeking to set a new World Land Speed Record with its electric racing car. The Drayson B12 electric Le Mans racing car is heading to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA in a bid to raise the current record for electric cars weighing less than 1000kg. Recently, the team set a new British record of 204.185mph with the same car.

15 secrets about the new baby Jaguar saloon

The Jaguar C-X17 dominated the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show and was, for many, the car of the show. Equally headline-grabbing was Jaguar’s confirmation the first car to use the new all-aluminium architecture beneath the C-X17 concept car will not be a crossover SUV, but a new Jaguar rival to the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4. That’s right – at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, it was finally confirmed the new baby Jaguar is coming!

More drivers skipping vital car servicing

NEW RESEARCH has revealed that more than one in three motorists (39%) on our roads are thinking of skipping their next service. This means that for nearly 13 million motorists, the MOT test could be the only time their vehicle undergoes any kind of safety inspection. According to the survey carried out on behalf of KwikFit, one in ten (10%) UK motorists confessed they ‘never’ check their tyres and nearly one in seven (15%) admit they are currently experiencing a problem with their brakes but are not actively looking to repair it.

Sustrans backs City's 20mph plan

THE CHARITY Sustrans, which encourages people to travel by foot, bike or public transport, has welcomed plans to cut speed limits within the City of London to 20mph. The City of London's Court of Common Council approved the plan to reduce the speed limit to 20mph in the City as part of its Road Danger Reduction Plan. It is argued that the plan will reduce casualties by almost 10% while adding only a minute to journey times.

New Hyundai Genesis heading for the UK?

Is the Hyundai HCD-14 Genesis (pictured) heading for the UK as the new Hyundai Genesis? The Hyundai HCD-14 Genesis Concept arrived at the Detroit Auto Show in January and, concept fripperies apart, previewed the next generation of the Hyundai that wants to be a Korean Lexus – the Hyundai Genesis. The Hyundai Genesis has been selling like hot cakes in the Land of the Free for some time, but until now it wasn’t a car Hyundai felt had a place in its UK line-up.

ReLive: Frankfurt motor show 2013

If you missed any of our live coverage of the 2013 IAA Frankfurt motor show, fear not as here is a comprehesive list of the good, the bad, and the ugly (naming no names) from the show: Audi Audi Sport Quattro concept: what is the future of Audi design? Audi turns the world upside-down Photoset: Audi Sport quattro concept BMW What's going on with the i3's IP? Bentley New Bentley stand channels Prada Brabus The 6-wheeled Brabus G-Wagen edition Bugatti Bugatti Veyron 'Pimp My Heritage' edition Citroën Citroën Cactus – The bright future of Interior Design Recline like a goddess Nothing prickly about this Cactus Dacia Honest design bites the dust(er) Infiniti Video: Alfonso Albaisa – The Infiniti Q30 concept Jaguar Jaguar C-X17 concept: Right idea, slightly rushed Photoset: Jaguar C-X17 concept Lexus Lexus LF-NX concept – a blip or jumping the shark?

CAR scoop: BMW and Toyota's joint sports car plot

BMW is buddying up with Toyota on an all-new sports car platform, set to underpin the replacements for the Z4, 6-series and GT86. The unlikely collaboration stems from an alliance that began in 2011, where BMW and Toyota agreed to co-develop next-generation lithium ion batteries, and for Toyota to use BMW’s fourpot diesels in its European cars. An engineering team is beavering away on the project, with the clock ticking: the suits want to outline the car’s specification before the end of 2013. What does BMW get out of the bargain?

The craziest cars from the Frankfurt Motor Show

Frankfurt 2013 offered an automotive smorgasbord of technology, from out-there concepts like Vauxhall’s ‘condor-winged’ Monza to down to Earth next-gen production vehicles like Volkswagen’s e-Up! and e-Golf all-electric hatchback pairing. In the middle stood our next 10 cars.

Jaguar C-X17 crossover revealed at Frankfurt Motor Show 2013 - it's Jag's first 4x4 SUV

Jaguar has revealed the C-X17 SUV concept on the eve of the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. It is the first ever 4x4 SUV from the British premium maker and, it says, has officially been created to showcase the flexibility of its new all-aluminium platform. Unofficially, this is a toe in the water from Jaguar, to test reaction to the idea of its first SUV.