Nissan boosts electric charging network

NISSAN is accelerating plans for a European-wide Quick Charge (QC) network for electric vehicles by giving away 400 new quick charging stations free of charge. These new points will boost existing networks and give EV customers greater freedom and flexibility by effectively extending the range of their car. Countries across Europe have been asked to pitch for a charging network and the best ‘bids’ will win an allocation of chargers.

Hyundai plans bigger V8 for Genesis, Equus

When the Hyundai Equus luxury sedan goes on sale this fall, it will be powered by the 4.6-liter Tau V8 from the Genesis sedan. But at an unspecified later date, both the Equus and Genesis sedans will get a new 5.0-liter version of the Tau engine making 429 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque. Hyundai also is working on all-wheel drive for its rear-wheel-drive cars, which is to say the Genesis and Equus, which ride on different versions of the same platform.

Concept Car of the Week: Italdesign Machimoto (1986)

The Machimoto might look and sound like a Japanese concept, but it was developed in Europe in the Turin-based Italdesign studio, and was based on a Volkswagen Golf GTI platform. The name actually derives from MACHIna (car in Italian) and MOTOciclo (motorcycle) as the perfect hybrid between the worlds of two- and four-wheelers. Unveiled on its home turf at the Turin motor show in 1986, it landed like a UFO, shocking both the public and the press.