Unwilling to recognize when genug is enough, Max Mosley is forging ahead with more lawsuits. After being awarded a £60,000 judgment (plus an additional estimated £1 million in expenses) against News of the World, the tabloid that broke the story of the FIA president's alleged sexual activities, Mosley is now launching a second lawsuit against the publishers. Whereas the previous lawsuit was on the grounds of invasion of privacy, the second action is for libel.

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Well, we have good news and bad news. The bad news is that a Tesla Roadster, number six it seems, has been crashed in San Francisco. The good news is that the machine is likely not totaled and its battery pack is undamaged. So, the owner of the car hopefully won't need to go too long without his black beauty. According to eye-witnesses at the scene, the Roadster went rather unnoticed due to its silent operation, which may (or may not, who knows?) have contributed to the accident.

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It had seemed like the Swiss-born psycho-looking three wheeler from Cree had died in 2003 when the company closed its doors but now comes word that the "SAM" project has been adopted by a Polish company and may be rolling out of factory doors soon. Just like Steve Austin, after the crash and burn, the SAM is coming back stronger, faster, and with a bionic eye lithium-polymer batteries for a longer range.

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Honda promises the all-new Jazz supermini will trump its predecessor in every area when it hits showrooms in October.

And that’s some promise, as the current Jazz has proven consistently popular with owners – almost 161,000 in the UK – since it was launched in 2001, regularly featuring in the Auto Express Driver Power survey top ten.

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Calling all Subaru fans. The Japanese brand unveiled a trio of crowd-pleasing new performance Imprezas at the British Motor Show. And two other Subaru models have made their UK debuts. For those who found the STi was simply not fast enough, there’s the STi 380 concept. Tuning experts at Prodrive have rebuilt the 2.5-litre flat four-cylinder boxer turbo to offer 380bhp, while the running gear has been upgraded to cope with the extra power. Subaru will gauge public reaction to the STi 380 at ExCeL before deciding whether to put it into production.

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Here's a sports car that’s on a real charge! Among the electric models at the British Motor Show, the Lightning GT was the undoubted star. The prototype blends GT looks with electric power, and could be the world’s first zero-emission high-performance vehicle. Built by the Lightning Car Company in Peterborough, Cambs, it uses 30 batteries, generates 36kW and can be charged in only 10 minutes, according to the firm.

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Ford’s latest compact people carrier is shaping up nicely. This is the forthcoming new C-MAX, which debuts a fresh look that mixes styling cues from the S-MAX with the recently launched Kuga SUV. But the best news is that it will have seven seats. The current car has proved extremely popular thanks to its combination of a clever five-seater layout and great dynamics.

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Two of the most important new cars ever are about to ‘bubble’ to the surface – and in a world exclusive head-to-head, Auto Express has brought them together for the first time!

These are the clearest illustrations yet of BMW’s new Isetta and its sister, the Fiat Topolino. They are the result of a new deal between the two firms, which will also be extended to include next-generation versions of the MINI and Alfa Romeo MiTo.

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In March, Aptera announced it had done all the development necessary to head to production, and that all it needed was to move into acquiring the right equipment and workforce to do so. Now the company has revealed that a new infusion of $24 million in cash is moving the process along. If everything goes according to plan, Aptera will begin production of its airplane-like Typ-1 electric vehicle (EV) in December, 2008 with first deliveries to start in early 2009. A Typ-1 plug-in hybrid is expected to follow.

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Industry research and development specialist Ricardo plc has unveiled a research prototype car with a demonstration version of its new electromagnetically-actuated transmission technology. The solution promises to deliver low cost automated manual (AMT) and dual-clutch (DCT) transmissions to the masses.

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The Lotus Elise R from Stark Automotive offers supercar-like performance for sportscar prices. Claimed figures of 0-60mph (0-96km/h) in 3.9 seconds, 0-100mph (0-160km/h) in 9.5 seconds and a top speed of around 160mph (256km/h) put it in the company of track-day specials and cars that cost far more to maintain and store than the Elise does to buy, but Stark adds its performance for relatively little expense.

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Today’s superchargers are high-performance, computer-designed and thermally efficient, but they are still based on the same basic design that’s been on the market for decades. New developments, including variable speed units and superchargers for hybrids promise to offer even more benefits, especially as demand for small, powerful and efficient engines grows in the quest to meet regulatory requirements.

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Tata Motors announced last week, curiously, they would be building an electric car by the end of the fiscal year in Norway. One of the first questions that sprang to mind was answered today by news that the vehicle in question will be based on the "tried and tested" Indica (pictured above) and not the Nano which we suspect will also be eventually electrified.

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Officials are hard at work trying to alleviate the notorious traffic congestion in California. Across the state, drivers sit still in traffic while carpool lanes sit empty, underused by public transit and vehicles carrying multiple passengers. The solution for the Bay Area, as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission sees it, is to allow solo motorists to pay for using the carpool lanes.

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In the late 90s and early 00s, custom motorcycles hit the mainstream. Custom builders like Orange County Choppers and West Coast Choppers were featured on television and became status symbols for a multitude of riders across the globe. Bikes built by these experts cost tens of thousands of dollars and were a rider's pride and joy. Unfortunately, most riders can't afford custom motorcycles built by one of the big names, and, besides, the waiting list is longer than the trip from Sturgis to Little Sturgis. The upside is that many custom motorcycle builders have sprung up from the dry well and can offer you the same quality for much less.Read the rest of this entry »

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