Hybrids
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The 2015 BMW i8 is, as yet, an enigma. It promises solid, if not breathtaking performance. It also promises fantastic gas mileage (though we don't know exactly how much yet). While we'll have to wait until we can get our hands on one to render our own opinions, this video from BMW goes into greater detail about how the hybrid and gasoline engine systems work together to provide BMW-worthy performance. Of course, that hybrid system is just one of the many high-tech aspects of the new i8. Combining a 131-horsepower electric motor on the front axle with a turbocharged 231-horsepower...
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Chris Harris Drives The Porsche 918 Spyder: VideoThe Porsche 918 Spyder deserves the credit for forging the hybrid supercar territory trodden by the likes of Ferrari and McLaren, even if the car's venture to market has been a long one. But that lag time between concept and production has allowed Porsche to attain some pretty spectacular...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
New Details On Mitsubishi’s Next EvoA new Mitsubishi Evo is in the works, only it won’t be based on the Lancer platform anymore and its design will be being taken in a new direction. That direction is likely to be an electrified one, with most reports suggesting the next Evo will likely feature a diesel-electric hybrid...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2015 Ferrari California Replacement Spy ShotsWith the current California convertible delivering close to 500 horsepower, able to accelerate to 60 in under 4.0 seconds and capable of reaching speeds of almost 200 mph, the ‘entry-level’ Ferrari is hardly what you’d call lacking in performance. But next to cars like the 458...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Diesel, Hybrid And Even Electric Powertrains Considered For New Mustang: ReportFord may take radical steps to improve the Mustang's fuel economy.
Stephen Edelstein -
2015 Acura NSX To Spawn Convertible Version: ReportHaving appeared briefly as Tony Stark’s ride in the movie The Avengers last year, this Acura NSX Roadster movie prop may end up spawning a production version. Honda confirmed to Autocar that a convertible version of its new NSX was being considered, and if the green light is given the car...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
The wait for a successor to the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X may be a tad longer than originally expected, as Mitsubishi focuses its resources on its strengths such as SUVs and electrified vehicles. That’s the claim of the automaker’s product chief, Ryugo Nakao, who spoke recently with Motoring. Nakao explained that future Mitsubishis, including sports models like the Evo, need to meet tough new fuel economy standards like CAFE. That means that the next Evo would need to adopt an alternative drivetrain, he revealed, but one that is still sporty; something Mitsubishi simply...
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2014 Lexus CT 200h Debuts At 2013 Guangzhou Auto Show: VideoCoinciding with auto shows taking place in Los Angeles and Tokyo this week was yet another event, China’s Guangzhou Auto Show, whose doors opened today. One of the main attractions of the show is an updated version of the Lexus CT 200h, which goes on sale in the coming months as a 2014 model...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Acura RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD Preview And Live Photos: 377 HP With Four-Cylinder EconomyA year ago, when Acura first announced that its RL flagship sedan was to be replaced by a new model called the RLX, the Japanese automaker rolled out a thinly-veiled concept version of the new RLX that was powered by an advanced hybrid system similar to the drivetrain destined for the new NSX...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2016 Acura NSX To Feature Longitudinal, Twin-Turbo V-6Up until now, Acura has said its second-generation NSX sports car will feature a sophisticated through-the-road hybrid all-wheel-drive system consisting of a trio of electric motors and a 3.5-liter V-6 paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. At an event preceding the 2013 Tokyo Motor...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Lightweight Carbon Fiber Honda CR-Z Prototype: DrivenIt looks roughly like a black Honda CR-Z with a mesh grille--at least until you get up close. Then you notice that the doors seem much shallower, and that it has strange little glass panels in the roof. But what you're looking at is no ordinary CR-Z hybrid two-seater. Instead, it's a one-of-a-kind...
John Voelcker -
Porsche 918 Spyder With Weissach Package Does 0-60 MPH In 2.5 SecondsPorsche’s 918 Spyder is already the fastest production car to ever lap the Nürburgring, having managed the feat in an incredible 6:57, and now we have a better understanding as to why such a blistering time is possible for the car. It turns out the 918 Spyder is considerably quicker than...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Toyota is planning to unveil a handful of sporty concept cars at the upcoming 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, most of them based around its Prius C subcompact. We've already seen the Aqua G Sports (Aqua is the name used for the Prius C in Japan) and now we have a first look at two more concepts, the Aqua Air roadster and Aqua Cross crossover. DON'T MISS: Jean-Claude Van Damme In Best Ad Ever For Volvo Trucks Of most interest is the Aqua Air, which is a pint-size convertible equipped with a gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain. Peak output is said to be approximately 100 horsepower, with drive going to...
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2014 Lexus CT 200h Gets The Spindle GrilleCoinciding with auto shows taking place in Los Angeles and Tokyo next week will be yet another event, China’s Guangzhou Auto Show, whose doors open on November 21. One of the main attractions pegged for the show will be an updated version of the Lexus CT 200h, which is expected to hit...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2014 Cadillac ELR Gets Saks Fifth Avenue Special EditionWhile some are wondering what, exactly, the Cadillac ELR's competitive set might be, others are just wondering what colors they can get. For those wishing there were a "white diamond" ELR, you're in luck: Cadillac and Saks Fifth Avenue have teamed to offer a special-edition model in exactly that...
Nelson Ireson -
How The 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid Drives Without A TransmissionThe 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid replaces a conventional transmission with two electric motors and an electronic clutch pack.
Stephen Edelstein -
Volvo Concept Coupe Could See Limited Production: ReportEasily one of the most classically beautiful cars on display at this year's Frankfurt auto show, the Volvo Concept Coupe may see a limited production run, according to a new report. Taking its core cues from the classic, beloved P1800, the Volvo Concept Coupe is also a thoroughly modern bit of...
Nelson Ireson -
Porsche 918 Spyder Capable Of Faster Nürburgring-Nordschleife Lap?With a blistering 6:57 lap of the Nürburgring-Nordschleife already under its belt, Porsche's 918 Spyder may be capable of still faster laps, says the driver who clocked the record-setting run. Porsche factory racing driver Marc Lieb spoke with Australia's Drive recently, saying he thinks the...
Nelson Ireson -
The American Le Mans Series will host the fifth round of the World Endurance Championship at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas this weekend, and among the highlights will be the U.S. debut of the Toyota TS030 Hybrid race car and the official Toyota Racing team. It might seem odd that Toyota's WEC team has never raced on American soil, what with endurance standards like the Petit Le Mans and 12 Hours of Sebring being held here. But Toyota's team is young, having just returned to endurance racing in 2012, and both of those races are off the current WEC schedule. The race at COTA...
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See & Hear The BMW i8 At Full Throttle: VideoThe BMW i8 was finally revealed in full production guise at the 2013 Frankfurt auto show, but so far, video of the hybrid sports car in action has been relatively scarce--especially in terms of real-world encounters. That's been solved by the gang at The Smoking Tire. While filming for an upcoming...
Nelson Ireson -
2014 Porsche Panamera S, 4S, & S E-Hybrid first drive reviewTime travel is, perhaps unexpectedly, enlightening. Reading of the conditions and actors of the past provides only a dusty image, rendered in grayscale; dunking oneself fully in the scene teaches lessons that cannot otherwise be learned. Thus I recount for you my recent sojourn to the early 21st...
Nelson Ireson -
2014 Infiniti Q50 Priced From $37,605Infiniti’s new Q50, the replacement for the G37 and the first of the Japanese automaker’s models to use its new naming strategy, will hit showrooms in July priced from $37,605, including a $905 destination charge. That’s slightly less than what you’d have paid for a 2013...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Porsche 918 Spyder Hasn't Sold Out YetMany of the world's top boutique or extreme supercars are pre-sold for their entire run--sometimes even before they're announced to the public. But unlike the dozens or few hundreds of these cars typically built, Porsche is planning to produce 918 examples of the 918 Spyder. At $845,000, the 918...
Nelson Ireson -
Driving Volvo's KERS Flywheel Hybrid Prototype: What It's LikeSure, hybrids don't have the greatest reputation for driving appeal. But would you feel better about saving gasoline if you knew that the hybrid system in your car used Formula One technology? That's just what Volvo has done in an engineering prototype it's now testing in Sweden, which adds an...
John Voelcker