Sigma Motorworks, a U.S. development company, has finished building its prototype electric sports car.  This new electric vehicle features many innovative designs, including its electric drive system.  The car uses two motors that connect directly to the front and rear of the car, bypassing a gearbox altogether.  They provide up to 100 horsepower each.

The prototype, which was designed around the cockpit of a Ford Mustang, can seat four people and will have a top speed of around 145 miles per hour.  The lithium-ion batteries are expected to provide about 100 miles with each charge.  Sigma Motorworks hopes to have these cars on the market early next year, when they expect to sell 500 of them.

Looking for the latest F1 news?  Here are a few of this week’s breaking stories.
•    Here’s an interesting news story highlighting some of the major changes the F1 world has gone through lately, including the retirement of superstar Michael Schumacher, the “Spygate” scandal involving the McLaren team stealing information from Ferrari, and more.

•    Torro Rosso driver Sebastien Bourdais may be living his dream of being an F1 racer, but in his dreams, he was probably on top of the podium.  In real life, however, while his story of hard work is interesting, he isn’t doing nearly as well as he (and his team) hoped he would.

•    The New York Times features an interesting debate on the drivers of the F1 world and how they’re expected to do this season.  The panel includes reporter Brad Spurgeon, grandprix.com chief Joe Saward, and Italian F1 commentator Leo Turrini.  It’s an interesting read, especially if you want to get the experts’ opinions on the up and coming season.

•    Finally, something a little different: a fun F1 racing game from Computer Weekly.  This F1 game challenges you to complete a lap as fast as you can.  If you do, you may just win the chance of getting to drive a real F1 car around Silverstone and experience what it’s like to be behind the wheel of one of these powerful racing cars.

Nissan’s Z generation car is based on the 1970s sports car, which was known as one of the most affordable sports cars of the time.  The new model, the 350 Z, is just as sleek and stylish and it features a V-6 engine.  The two-seater also features more readable gauges and rear-wheel drive.

However, the base price tag doesn’t reflect the amazing features—the basic package is only a bit over £23,000, which isn’t bad.  Other features of this cool new car include keyless entry and keyless ignition, high-intensity headlights, automatic A/C and heating, and a steering column that includes some of the car’s gauges, insuring that the wheel never gets in the driver’s way.

The Prius may be the most well-known ecological vehicle out there, but it’s about to get a major boost.  The 2010 Prius will be bigger and better than the current model.  It will also be more powerful and more fuel efficient, something many people love about it. 

According to Toyota, the new Prius will get about 50 mpg in town and about 49 on the open road, up a few mpgs from the current version.  This is better mileage than the Prius’s main competitor, the Honda Insight.  The 2010 Prius also includes a 1.8 litre engine and an all-electric water pump, air conditioner, and power steering—there are no belts anywhere.

As far as looks go, the 2010 Prius is a bit shapelier and more aerodynamic, saving yet a bit more petrol.  It also includes a solar panel on the roof that keeps the car’s internal fan running while you’re out of the car running errands.  This reduces the drain on the air conditioning.  The new Prius will be available at the end of May.

The Tata Nano, called the world’s cheapest car, was released today in New Delhi, India.  The car was created by Ratan Tata, an Indian business owner, who had the idea for the car several years ago.  Tata expects to sell a million cars within two weeks.  The Nano was first displayed in January of 2008, and it originally had a launch date of October 2008.  However, protests and fighting lead Tata to shifting his car plan from Singur to Gujarat.

According to Tata Motors, the Nano will be on display starting the first week of April, and customers will be able to purchase one the second week.

As the world moves closer to the opening of the 2009 F1 season, the news keeps pouring in.  Here are some highlights from this week.

•    Lewis Hamilton’s waxwork at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum was unveiled this week.  That waxwork cost an estimated $230,000 dollars.  Hamilton joins drivers Nigel Mansell, Ayrton Senna, and Michael Schumacher in the wax museum.  According to reports, Hamilton had to send the museum around 230 different measurements for the wax replica!
•    Thinking about visiting Bulgaria?  Well, F1 teams and fans may get the chance if the F1 approves the Bulgarian Motorcycling Federation’s request to host an F1 race.  They have all of the funding they need to build a new track capable of hosting MotoGP motorcycle races by 2011, and if they get approved to host an F1 event, the federation says it will build a second track.  They’ll have their answer from F1 within a couple of weeks.
•    Speaking of new tracks, drivers are getting a chance to try out Abu Dhabi’s new circuit, but they don’t even have to leave their team’s headquarters to do so.  Instead, since testing at the track is banned until the end of December, drivers are turning to virtual racing.  The track simulators are getting more of a workout this year, especially as teams start to realize just how valuable a tool they are.

Following the FIA’s approval for the Brawn GP name earlier this week, the team has been confirmed as an official Formula One racing team.  The team name, originally Honda Racing, was changed to Brawn GP after Ross Brawn purchased it earlier this year.  While they’ve been planning to race in the 2009 F1 series, they had to officially be approved by the F1 governing body.  Now that they have approved the name change, there’s nothing holding Brawn GP back from entering the race.  They are, however, being viewed as a new entry in the F1 world championship although, since the entry fee had already been paid when the team was under the Honda name, that fee is being waved for Brawn.

On Tuesday, the FIA announced that the Formula 1 championship will now go to the driver who wins the most races in the 2009 season.  This change in how the title is awarded has been very controversial, and many F1 teams have opposed it, although F1 supremo Bernie Eccleston remains unrepentant.

The previous points system has been in use for almost 60 years, but now it will only be used to break a tie between two drivers who have won the same number of races.  It will also be used to determine places from second down.  Simply put, whichever driver manages to win the most of the seventeen races set for 2009 will take the title.

Celebrities always seem to attract hot women, and Formula 1 drivers are no different.  Many enjoy relationships with supermodels or pop stars, including current title holder Lewis Hamilton, who is dating Pussycat Dolls member Nicole Scherzinger.  But he’s not the only one to date a celebrity.  Kimi Raikkonen, the 2008 title holder, is married to a beauty queen, specifically a former Miss Scandinavia. 

Even those who don’t win big, such as Jenson Button, can marry a model.  Drivers for the 70s and 80s also enjoyed marital bliss with hot babes.  James Hunt dated model Jame Birbeck and married another model.  Mike Hawthorn was engaged to a Vogue model before his untimely death, and Nino Farina, the first F1 world champion title holder, was married to a fashion designer.

In today’s world of celebrity fascination, these relationships are almost just as interesting as the races themselves and just as often make the headlines.

Happy Friday the 13th!  Fortunately, the F1 world isn’t very superstitious, at least not when it comes to this day.  Here are some of the top news stories from this week that we haven’t had time to spotlight.

•    McLaren, the employer of the current F1 World Champion (Lewis Hamilton) put up some very disappointing numbers at Barcelona.  However, word is the issue with the car has been discovered and will be corrected in time for Australia’s Grand Prix.
•    Following that note, six different teams have decided they’re done with the pre-season testing.  Red Bull, Toyota, BMW, Toro Rosso, Ferrari, and Force India have called it quits, some happier than others with the times they put up.
•    Here’s an interesting video of a couple of guys controlling a remote control F1 car using a BlackBerry!
•    F1 president and CEO Bernie Ecclestone and his wife, Slavica Ecclestone, were granted their divorce on March 11.  The two have two daughters.
•    When Lewis Hamilton received his MBE from Queen Elizabeth earlier this week, his girlfriend, Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger, wasn’t able to attend due to the group’s tour.  Since she couldn’t be there, rumour has it that she sent him a very sexy congratulatory video!