Escort Passport Max2 on 2040-parts.com

Volvo poised for V8 Supercars entry Down Under in 2014

Volvo has confirmed that it has entered a factory team into the V8 Supercars for 2014. Volvo Polestar Racing will enter one of the world’s biggest touring car categories with a pair of V8-powered S60s, joining Nissan, Mercedes, Holden and Ford (which is rumoured as potentially departing the series). Where will the S60 get its V8?

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’.

Toyota Prius lending its name to future hybrid models

Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. will use the Prius name on more hybrid models in its U.S. lineup, the automakers' top executives told dealers.