Nissan unveils the world's fastest electric racer at Le Mans

Nissan's ZEOD RC electric racer will make its racing debut at Le Mans 2014

Le Mans in France, home to one of the world’s most prestigious 24-hour races, was Nissan’s site of choice to unveil its prototype electric speed racer. Touted as the fastest electric race car in the world, the oddly named ZEOD RC is being charged up and made ready to make its racing debut at the infamous track in 2014.

Volvo's autonomous self-parking car

Vehicle sensors and cameras scan for pedestrians and vehicles, then trigger braking and steering adjustments as needed

Volvo Car Group, known for building safe cars, has been busy expanding its autonomous portfolio. Last year Volvo finished its multi-vehicle “Safe Road Train” (SARTRE) program in Europe with reasonable success. Next week Volvo will again bolster its autonomous program with its self-parking concept car.

Radical Pininfarina Sergio concept moving toward production

The world usually sees cars like the Pininfarina Sergio at a few select international auto shows during the debut year. Then the outlandishly-styled cars retire to their designers' headquarters and museums, peeping out every so often for special events and shows. Sometimes they fetch millions at auctions. But the wildly impractical, often beautiful design exercises don't usually enter production. It's looking like the Sergio will be an exception to the rules.

Pininfarina designed the Sergio in honor of the late Sergio Pininfarina, the former head of the Italian design firm who passed away last summer. The luscious two-seat barchetta looked like the epitome of one-off Geneva concept cars, but Pininfarina built the car atop Ferrari 458 Spider mechanicals and said from the start it could easily be developed for exclusive limited run production.

Pininfarina Sergio concept

According to several new media reports, Pininfarina wasn't just toying with rich folks lusting after the Sergio concept. Last week,Car & Driver reported that the Italian design house is listening intently to such folks, and they're hearing an overwhelming message: Build it and we will buy!