Mercruiser Alpha Gear Set on 2040-parts.com

Better Place EV Battery Swap business goes bust

It seemed like a good idea: take the cost of batteries out of the cost of buying an electric car and instead charge EV owners to use ‘Battery Swap’ stations where depleted batteries could be swapped for fully charged ones in the time it takes to fill an ICE car with petrol. But it’s all gone a bit Pete Tong. Better Place – which partnered with Renault in 2009 to make the battery swap technology viable – has failed to find anyone to add to the $750 million already involved in the project and has filed for bankruptcy.

Renault Clio GT Line costs £17,395

The Renault Clio GT Line (pictured) is a bit of a sheep in Wolf’s clothing There’s one big problem when car makers build hot hatches with go-faster bits bolted on and decent amounts of power and performance, and that’s that the demographic hot hatches appeal to are the ones least likely to be able to afford insurance premiums on a pocket rocket. Which is why we get the Renault Clio GT Line. Looking for all the world like a Clio that could take on the RenaultSport Clio 200, the Clio GT Line in fact has a 1.2 TCe petrol engine lurking under the bonnet, with a more modest 118bhp, 0-62mph of 9.9 seconds, 54.3mpg and emissions of 120g/km.

Travis Pastrana spoofs his DC Shoes boss Ken Block in new video

We love a little friendly interteam rivalry--especially when it involves driver Travis Pastrana and his boss at DC Shoes, Ken Block. Gymkhana ace Block released a video in February featuring his new livery for the DC Shoes WRC Ford Fiesta and his 2011 schedule of events. The hard-rock-and-techno-scored video shows Block in race gear, with his car and a few femme fatales in black vinyl and other DC gear.