Nissan Leaf Oem Charger on 2040-parts.com

How Mercedes sees into the future

Mercedes' crystal ball is named Alexander Mankowsky. At 56, he's dressed for CES in khaki trousers and a leather vest, with thin glasses perched on a round face; his frizzy white hair resembles what Einstein's would if he were caught in a wind tunnel. He might be a long-distant uncle, or he might be Doc Brown, fresh from the DeLorean.

BMW X1 US launch delayed – because the new X3 is so good

BMW X1 - not in the US until late 2012 It would have been inconceivable just a few years ago that there could ever be a market in the US for a car like the BMW X1. But times have changed and even Americans see the benefits of a (much) smaller SUV, so BMW was originally planning on launching the X1 in the US around now. That X1 launch got put back until later in 2011 because the Leipzig plant – which builds the X1 – was running at capacity to meet the demands from Europe.

Faurecia Pin-spiration calls for premium pinboards

Faurecia has launched its ‘Faurecia Pin-spiration' contest, with a brand new 64GB iPad up for grabs. Tier supplier Faurecia is using online sharing community Pinterest to host a new competition to create a pinboard named ‘Faurecia Pin-spiration' – categorized under ‘Cars and Motorcycles' – and filled with things that reflect the meaning of ‘premium’ that could also be used in automotive design. To enter into the contest send an email to FaureciaNA@Faurecia.com with the link to the board along with your name, email address and phone number by 31 July, and Faurecia judges will then choose the winner.