Petty Dodge Challenger headed to 2010...

Motor Authority - blog Category: 2010

  • Driven: 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6

    Driven: 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 November 9th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran's avatar Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, November 9th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 0 Comments

    Driven: 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6

    Unlike the mainstream market where hybrid technology is used to maximize fuel efficiency, luxury automakers have employed hybrid systems as a way to maintain or improve performance while making concessions to efficiency.

    The 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6, which our testers got to drive this past weekend, is a prime example.

    Based on the regular X6 "Sports Activity Coupe," which itself is a car of contradictions, the 2010 ActiveHybrid X6 is the first hybrid from the maker of ultimate driving machines and is due for retail sale next month. Oh, and it costs ninety grand.

    Rated at a combined output of 478 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque, the...

    Unlike the mainstream market where hybrid technology is used to maximize fuel efficiency, luxury automakers have employed hybrid systems as a way to maintain or improve performance while making concessions to efficiency. The 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6, which our testers got to drive this past weekend, is a prime example. Based on the regular X6 "Sports Activity Coupe," which itself is a car of contradictions, the 2010 ActiveHybrid X6 is the first hybrid from the maker of ultimate driving machines and is due for retail sale next month. Oh, and it costs ninety grand. Rated at a combined output of 478 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque, the big SUV uses a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 engine and a nickel-metal hydride hybrid battery pack to claim the title of the world's most powerful gasoline-electric hybrid passenger vehicle. That's no mean feat, with contenders like Mercedes-Benz, Lexus and Cadillac in the space. The two electric synchronous motors contribute 91 horsepower/192 pound-feet and 86 horsepower/206 pound-feet, respectively. This hybrid system is the same Two-Mode Hybrid architecture found in the full-size 2010 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid and GMC Sierra Hybrid pickup trucks, as well as various full-size sport utilities including the luxurious Cadillac Escalade Platinum Hybrid. But BMW has completely rethought the concept of "hybrid," using the software that manages all the electric components to mimic the driving behavior of a seven-speed automatic transmission. Our testers drove the 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 this past weekend at the international press launch, and aside from a few badges and the instrumentation, you'd never know it was a hybrid. One thing that you will definitely notice is the gas mileage: EPA ratings for the 2010 ActiveHybrid X6 are 17 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway, against the standard X6 xDrive 50i that uses the same twin-turbo V8, which delivers only 13 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway. The ActiveHybrid even has a better combined rating than the six-cylinder X6 xDrive 35i. And over a 100-mile-plus test drive, our testers saw average mileage of 20.4 mpg. Not bad for a large all-wheel drive sport utility that weighs almost three tons. Our sister site GreenCarReports.com has full driving impressions of the new 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6, which you can see here. Otherwise, check out our review of the regular 2009 BMW X6 range by clicking here. Read More

  • Autonomous Audi TTS To Tackle Pikes Peak Rally

    Autonomous Audi TTS To Tackle Pikes Peak Rally November 9th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, November 9th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 2 Comments

    Autonomous Audi TTS To Tackle Pikes Peak Rally

    We have a preview of one of the challengers that will tackle the very special Annual Autonomous Robot Race next July, a self-driving Audi TTS Coupe nicknamed Shelley.

    The vehicle gets its name from Michele Mouton, one of the most successful female rally drivers to date who played a significant part in Audi's racing history, and was developed by Audi together with a team from Stanford University.

    The goal in developing Shelley was to build an autonomous vehicle capable of completing the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in a reasonable time using rally driving techniques.

    Audi enlisted researchers from the Volkswagen Electronics Research...

    We have a preview of one of the challengers that will tackle the very special Annual Autonomous Robot Race next July, a self-driving Audi TTS Coupe nicknamed Shelley. The vehicle gets its name from Michele Mouton, one of the most successful female rally drivers to date who played a significant part in Audi's racing history, and was developed by Audi together with a team from Stanford University. The goal in developing Shelley was to build an autonomous vehicle capable of completing the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in a reasonable time using rally driving techniques. Audi enlisted researchers from the Volkswagen Electronics Research Lab to develop a safety architecture to ensure a reliable autonomous drive. The team at Stanford University, meanwhile, developed the control algorithms that enable the vehicle to drive at the limits of handling on a variety of surfaces, and lets it complete the Pikes Peak course. [Audi] Read More

  • Toyota To Put 2010 4Runner Through The Baja 1000 Wringer

    Toyota To Put 2010 4Runner Through The Baja 1000 Wringer November 6th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, November 6th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 2 Comments

    Toyota To Put 2010 4Runner Through The Baja 1000 Wringer

    Toyota's involvement in motorsports has been a hot topic this week with their withdrawal from F1, and today's news is sure to draw some attention as well: the company plans to enter a near-stock 2010 4Runner in the "Stock mini" class of the SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race.

    That's a major statement of Toyota's faith in the fifth-generation version of the 4Runner. With 672 miles of abuse at speeds most people would consider somewhere between suicidal and homicidal over broken terrain, day and night, the Baja 1000 is no amateur's playground.

    Accordingly, one of the drivers of the 2010 4Runner will be Ivan "Ironman" Stewart, 22-time winner of the...

    Toyota's involvement in motorsports has been a hot topic this week with their withdrawal from F1, and today's news is sure to draw some attention as well: the company plans to enter a near-stock 2010 4Runner in the "Stock mini" class of the SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race. That's a major statement of Toyota's faith in the fifth-generation version of the 4Runner. With 672 miles of abuse at speeds most people would consider somewhere between suicidal and homicidal over broken terrain, day and night, the Baja 1000 is no amateur's playground. Accordingly, one of the drivers of the 2010 4Runner will be Ivan "Ironman" Stewart, 22-time winner of the Baja 1000 and off-road legend. He has no doubt the truck is up to the challenge. "I’m sure the Fifth Generation 4Runner will be tough enough to survive even my Iron foot,” says Stewart. Hopefully he won't discover any as-yet unnoticed floor mat design problems mid-race. In 2008, Honda's Ridgeline took the win in the Stock mini class, beating out a Hummer H3 and a Toyota FJ Cruiser. The FJ crashed out of the race just miles short of the finish while fighting for the win. The 2010 Toyota 4Runner features a new V-6 engine rated at 34 more horesepower than the old model's, plus an all-new chassis design that's built for the task of true off-roading. There's no word yet if the Baja 1000 attempt will spawn a factory upgrade package a la Ford's SVT Raptor or FR Raptor XT. For full details on the 2010 4Runner, check out TheCarConnection's preview here. Read More

  • Santa Monica Fisker Dealer Opening A Hit

    Santa Monica Fisker Dealer Opening A Hit November 6th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, November 6th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 3 Comments

    Santa Monica Fisker Dealer Opening A Hit

    Fisker's Karma plug-in hybrid has already won flocks of followers thanks to its stunning looks and powerful stat sheet, so it should be no surprise that the opening of the brand's Santa Monica dealership was met with a full house of guests and fans.

    The car itself has yet to come to production reality, and so far its only real-world test was on the track at Laguna Seca during the Pebble Beach Concours, where no independent journalists were allowed to drive the car. So the car's warm welcome must have been based purely on its potential, rather than its actuality.

    Santa Monica itself may have contributed to the hype, as Automotive News points...

    Fisker's Karma plug-in hybrid has already won flocks of followers thanks to its stunning looks and powerful stat sheet, so it should be no surprise that the opening of the brand's Santa Monica dealership was met with a full house of guests and fans. The car itself has yet to come to production reality, and so far its only real-world test was on the track at Laguna Seca during the Pebble Beach Concours, where no independent journalists were allowed to drive the car. So the car's warm welcome must have been based purely on its potential, rather than its actuality. Santa Monica itself may have contributed to the hype, as Automotive News points out. Long known amongst Californians for its forward-looking--if often oddball--take on life, the city has embraced hybrid and green technology like few others. Many of the 200 or so guests in attendance were among the more than 1,300 people that have place pre-orders for the car effectively sight unseen. The dealership is among the first crop of 32 "Eco-facility" dealers in the U.S., so it's appropriate that it should be located in granola-crunching Santa Monica. The building itself was once a Lexus dealership that has now been retasked to Fisker's uses. Opening the dealership now is mainly a mode of marketing, as no actual sales will be happening for the next several months, though pre-orders will certainly continue to be taken. Fisker's Karma is planned for production by Valmet in Finland to start later this year, followed shortly by retail sales. The company has recently started work on a plant in Delaware as well, to build the brand's next car, which remains unannounced in any detail. The Karma will cost $87,900 when it does hit the street, powered by 408-horsepower and 959 pound-feet of electric-motor torque. [Auto News -- sub. req.] Read More

  • Rolls-Royce Working On Ghost Hybrid

    Rolls-Royce Working On Ghost Hybrid November 6th, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, November 6th, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 0 Comments

    Rolls-Royce Working On Ghost Hybrid

    Old-world charm, resolute styling and blue-blooded buyers may not be the first things one mentally associates with hybrid cars, but Rolls-Royce thinks the combination makes perfect sense.

    Instantaneous torque, quiet operation and excellent fuel-economy all work in favor of a gasoline-electric Rolls, so it comes as little surprise that the automaker is working on a hybrid version of its latest luxury sedan, the 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost.

    The gasoline-electric Ghost will reportedly borrow hybrid technology from BMW’s ActiveHybrid 7. It’s no coincidence that the two models already share much in common, including the same rear-wheel...

    Old-world charm, resolute styling and blue-blooded buyers may not be the first things one mentally associates with hybrid cars, but Rolls-Royce thinks the combination makes perfect sense. Instantaneous torque, quiet operation and excellent fuel-economy all work in favor of a gasoline-electric Rolls, so it comes as little surprise that the automaker is working on a hybrid version of its latest luxury sedan, the 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost. The gasoline-electric Ghost will reportedly borrow hybrid technology from BMW’s ActiveHybrid 7. It’s no coincidence that the two models already share much in common, including the same rear-wheel drive platform. The new hybrid powertrain will combine the Ghost’s 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V-12 engine with an electric motor in a ‘mild’ hybrid configuration. This means that the Ghost hybrid won’t be able to drive on electric propulsion alone. An autonomous engine stop-start system will also feature to help improve fuel economy further. The electric motor, which will be rated at 27 horsepower and 155 pound-feet of torque, will be mated to the Ghost’s 8-speed ZF automatic transmission and run on a small lithium-ion battery pack mounted in the trunk. Brake energy recovery technology will be used to top these up. The end result should be an improvement in fuel economy of about 15% but the biggest benefit will come from the extra torque sourced from the electric motor, especially during off-the-line acceleration. No word on any release date but expect its launch to be several years away at the least. Interestingly, Rolls-Royce CEO Tom Purves has already professed his love of all-electric powertrains, revealing only last month that he would love to see such an option available in a car like the Phantom. [Autocar] Read More

  • Preview: 2010 BMW M3 GTS - Now With High-Res Pics And Video

    Preview: 2010 BMW M3 GTS - Now With High-Res Pics And Video November 5th, 2009 By Nelson Ireson's avatar Nelson Ireson, Author, November 5th, 2009 Nelson Ireson 0 Comments

    Preview: 2010 BMW M3 GTS - Now With High-Res Pics And Video

    We've seen the rumors, speculation and spy shots on BMW's M3 GT4-type car for months now. We were even one of the first sites to confirm the car for production with our interview of M Division head Kay Segler. But today BMW has gone official, unveiling the M3 GTS, as the new car will be called. Unfortunately, it's not currently planned for the North American market. Today, BMW released higher-resolution photos and more detailed info about its new track-special M3.

    The car is a focused, no-compromises M3 in a way that recent M vehicles haven't been. Putting the track first and creature comforts--and possibly even aesthetics--second, the M3...

    We've seen the rumors, speculation and spy shots on BMW's M3 GT4-type car for months now. We were even one of the first sites to confirm the car for production with our interview of M Division head Kay Segler. But today BMW has gone official, unveiling the M3 GTS, as the new car will be called. Unfortunately, it's not currently planned for the North American market. Today, BMW released higher-resolution photos and more detailed info about its new track-special M3. The car is a focused, no-compromises M3 in a way that recent M vehicles haven't been. Putting the track first and creature comforts--and possibly even aesthetics--second, the M3 GTS goes the extra mile for performance. Power is delivered by a special 4.4-liter version of the V-8 that powers the current M3, rated at 450 horsepower in this application. They also add race-derived technology including a crankcase made of a special aluminum-silicon alloy and constructed in bedplate design, individual throttle butterflies, anti-knock sensors with "ion flow technology" and a wet sump oil supply. That power is piped to the rear wheels through a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The transmission was specially engineered to withstand the power output of the beefed-up V-8, and the DKG Drivelogic shift points programmed to precisely extract the maximum from the engine. Extensive use of honeycomb grillework, a prominent adjustable rear wing, adjustable front splitter and reworked front-end aero pieces all reflect the car's speedy genes. Unique black alloy 19-inch wheels wrapped in 225/35 front and 285/30 rear tires ensure track-friendly understeer-bias with a high level of grip. Lightweight carbon fiber is used for the roof to help reduce weight and lower the center of gravity, much like previous M3 CSL versions. The result of the weight savings strategy sees over 400 pounds culled from the standard car's 3,700-pound curb weigh, with the GTS version weighing in at a scant 3,289 pounds. A fully adjustable set of race dampers sits at the corners of the car, allowing owners to tune to the track and conditions with both bump and rebound adjustments. The brakes for the car are also custom-built pieces, with six-piston calipers up front and four-piston units out back. Inside, race seats and five-point harnesses complement abundant matte-black surfaces and Alcantara for a decidedly sporty look. Like the Porsche GT3, the rear seat is sacrificed for a roll cage and a fire bottle, all in the interests of on-track safety. Despite all of this, the M3 GTS is still completely road-legal. So far, there are no plans to bring the car to the U.S., however. This appears to be a track-day special for the European enthusiast. Expect it to cost about €115,000, or around $171,000--roughly three times the price of a "normal" M3. Ouch. [BMW M Division] Read More

More Headlines


  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9