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Cadillac SRX Plug-In Hybrid in the Works; Plus More Voltec Models from Chevy
With General Motors recently announcing plans to increase production of the Volt, it now appears poised to bring that revolutionary technology to even more consumers through varied packages. Recently GM applied for trademarks on the Amp and Strobe – with the Amp rumored to be a production version of the Volt MPV5 concept, itself based…
North American Car And Truck Of The Year Finalsts Announced
Finalists for the North American Car and Truck of the Year have been announced, with Chrysler dominating the truck field, and electric vehicles comprising 2/3rds of the car category. The Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee, both built on the same platform, were nominated in the truck category, as well as the re-designed Ford Explorer….
First Chevrolet Volt Auctioned Off for $225,000
The auction for the first Chevrolet Volt has come to an end, with the winning bidder putting up $225,000 for what might be a very lucrative investment. And while its future value might be unknown, what is certain is that the $225,000 isn’t going to be wasted with the proceeds going to the Detroit Public…
Honda CR-Z Gets A K-Series Engine Swap
Honda loyalists who long for a CR-Z with the hybrid internals removed and a K-Series engine swapped in have finally had their prayers answered by LHT Performance, a performance shop that was also one of the pioneers of the K-Series swap into the first generation Insight, which yielded an ultra light weight VTEC powered aluminum…
Formula 1 Returns To Turbo Four Cylinders In 2013
Formula 1 will revert back to its craziest era in 2013, when it adopts a 1.6L 4-cylinder turbo engine for its series. The last time the turbo 4-banger was offered, it made in excess of 1,300 horsepower, but the new rules will be focused more on efficiency rather than outright power. With a maximum redline…
Volkswagen Jetta TDI Lauded By Consumer Reports, Honda CR-Z Gets Dismal Rating
Consumer Reports released their ranking of fuel efficient cars in their upcoming January issue, and their rankings may come as a shock to conventional wisdom. Scoring highest was the Volkswagen Jetta TDI, a car that previously had a reputation for anything but reliability(although it was less about reliability than overall performance). The Ford Fiesta and…
Honda Odyssey Selling Well, Crosstour, CR-Z, Insight Moving Slowly
It doesn’t take a genius to know that Honda‘s Odyssey is destined to be a brisk seller. As the undisputed king of the minivan segment, the Odyssey is still popular even with an onslaught of new competitors from Chrysler, Dodge, Kia and Toyota. The rest of the lineup isn’t so hot. The Insight is being…
GM to Expand Volt Range to Three Models by 2015
General Motors will look to expand its lineup of extended range electric cars to three models by the time the current Chevrolet Volt’s production cycle has run its course. At least that is GM’s plan for the European market under the Opel/Vauxhall brands where GM has just launched the sister car to the Volt, the…
Mazda May Offer Plug-In Hybrids, Electric Cars
Mazda will look to grow its offering of ‘green’ cars with the announcement that it is considering offering both plug-in hybrid models and electric cars in the future. In an interview with Bloomberg News, Mazda CEO Takashi Yamanouchi said both types of vehicles are currently being studied by the Japanese automaker. It’s not yet clear…
Porsche to Unveil ‘Spectacular’ Model at Detroit Auto Show
For the first time in four years Porsche will exhibit at the Detroit Auto Show, with a debut that is certain to reassert its presence. According to Hans-Gerd Bode, a spokesman for the German sports car maker, the vehicle will be “spectacular,” but, “You’ll have to wait and be surprised” he said. The last time…
Honda CR-Z Turbo Model in the Works
Honda‘s CR-Z Hybrid R SEMA show car may be more than just a wild concept after all. According to a new report, Honda will look to offer a non-hybrid version of the car, that will instead get extra motivation via a turbocharger. The CR-Z Hybrid R concept actually includes both technologies, helping to deliver 200-hp…
Vehicle Break-in Exposes Congress Car-Leasing Racket
It’s clear that others use it as a gravy boat to further their own lifestyles (there is absolutely no need for tax payers to foot the bill for $70,000 luxury cars so elected officials can ride around in pimping style).
Watch the Chevrolet Volt Get Assembled [Video]
Earlier this week General Motors announced the official start of production of its revolutionary Chevrolet Volt. With an official kick-off of at the Hamtramck assembly plant where the car is built, GM has now released a video of the full assembly process to feed your inner car-geek. In case you haven’t been paying attention, the…
2012 Audi A6 Hybrid Gives Luxury Buyers A Green Alternative
Mercedes-Benz has their E-Class diesel. BMW has an “Efficient Dynamics” system on their 5-Series. Now, Audi has countered with the ne plus ultra of green motoring – the luxury hybrid. Their 2012 A6 will get a hybrid variant sure to set fire to the hearts of wealthy/status-conscious green-minded folks everywhere (well, only on the coasts –…
Chevy Volt Online Auction Hits $180,000 in First 24 Hours
With the official production announcement of the Chevy Volt yesterday, came news that GM would auction-off the very first car to roll off the assembly line. Bidding will take place online for the next 13 days at http://volt.charitybuzz.com and in just the first 24 hours the price has skyrocketed to $180,000. All proceeds from the…
Honda Cuts Insight Base Price By $1,600
Honda is cutting the base price of its slow-selling Insight hybrid by $1,600, and offering a base model that retails for $18,950, putting it $4,610 below the cheapest Toyota Prius. Honda achieved the price cut by removing features like Bluetooth connectivity and a GPS navigation system, while using cheaper seat fabric and a two speaker…
Toyota Recalls 650,000 Prius Models to Replace Coolant Pump
Toyota has announced it will recall 650,000 Prius models to replace the water pump. Technically, this is not actually a recall as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) isn’t involved and it is not deemed to be a safety issue. Toyota will, however, contact owners of affected cars (dating from the 2004 to 2007…
Chevy Volt Production Begins Today: Watch it Live [Video]
Almost four years after General Motors showed the first Chevy Volt design concept, the car will head into serial production today. Following a long tradition of Chevy Volt press conferences, GM will hold yet another one today to launch the Volt production at the Hamtramck assembly plant where the cars will be built. GM is…
Survey: Interest in Hybrid and Electric Vehicles Growing, While Actual Sales Decline
A surprising new survey has just revealed that consumer interest in hybrid and electric vehicles is on the rise, despite recent reports that sales of such vehicles has been on a steady decline for the past three years. According to a new Consumer Reports poll, 39 percent of new car buyers are looking at either…
Honda CR-Z Convertible Revealed in Diecast Form
The Honda CR-Z Convertible is real – at least it is as a 1:18 scale diecast model. The folks at the FarmofMinds blog stumbled across some photos of a diecast CR-Z being offered in Japan, well ahead of any comment by Honda about building such a car. It actually looks quite nice and would no…
Lorinser Introduces an Aftermarket Hybrid Setup With the Easybrid Smart Fortwo
Mercedes-tuner Lorinser is hopping onto the “go green” bandwagon with an innovative new product: an aftermarket hybrid drivetrain. This year at the Essen Motorshow, Lorinser has on display its new Easybrid on Smart‘s Fortwo. The electric motor produces around 41-hp and transforms the Fortwo into a hybrid vehicle. Lorinser promises added power and improved fuel…
Obama Administration Buys One Quarter of All Domestic Hybrids
If you’re a skeptic of electric and hybrid vehicles and think the only reason they’re having any success in the market is because of support through government incentives then you’re going to love this. According to a new report by Bloomberg, the Obama Administration is responsible for purchasing almost a quarter of all hybrid vehicles…
Chevy Volt Gets 37/93-MPG Rating, 60-MPG Average
With Nissan’s recent announcement of the Leaf EV’s official EPA fuel economy rating of 99-mpg average, the folks at Chevy were just receiving their EPA data for the Volt. Because of it’s unique drive system, the Volt’s numbers are far more complicated, however, and we’re probably just getting this release by Chevy now because it…
Audi Plug-In Hybrid Due in 2014 as Automaker Sets Target to be Luxury EV Leader
Audi has set a goal to be the electric leader in the premium segment by 2020, with a plan that will include pure battery electric vehicles, hybrids and now plug-in hybrids. At a recent technical seminar Audi’s electric mobility manager Franciscus van Meel commented that Audi expects to bring to market its first EV by…
