We have added a mad science lab.
The lab is a place where you can drop one of you buddies. You then decide for how many levels (road segments) he is experimented upon, the longer you leave him there, the higher are your chances that he'll get nice results.
After this duration you can pick him up and then you have a description of the experiments performed and the results.
So along with the workshop, this is a good way to give you an edge if fortune does not favor you with good weapons, tasks or items.
Those last additions were actually ideas that we had a while back and that we did not think would make it in the game prior to launch due to time. The good news is that they're in now. The bad news is that our list of ideas is complete for now and that nothing else will be added before launch.