Technology
Lexus Releases Video Teaser Of New Models Including LS Flagship
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The slow unveiling of the all-new Lexus LS luxury sedan has unofficially commenced when the sharp eyes of Lexus Enthusiast discovered a flash of an image of the concept within a Lexus RX crossover promo video featuring chief engineer Takayuki Katsuda. When Katsuda started to elaborate on the new and unique “spindle-grill” corporate face of…
Opel Ampera To Participate In 2012 Rally Monte Carlo
Six Opel Ampera plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, the identical twin to the American Chevrolet Volt, will make an inaugural appearance at this year’s International Rally Monte Carlo. Entering the Monte Carlo Rally for Alternative Energy Vehicles, the six Amperas will race against 150 other green cars in a series of stages starting March 22 from…
Mads Østberg Goes Mad: Sets New World Snow Jump Record
Norwegian WRC racing driver Mads Østberg has enjoyed a bit of success in his World Rally Championship career but as it is with all athletes, practice makes perfect so a little snowy stunt driving is practically training. Record-breaking is just a bonus. Setting a new bar for himself, and the world, Østberg completed a world…
Toyota Struggles To Boost Prius C Capacity as Demand Grows
Introduced for the Japanese market last December, the Toyota Prius C had only hit U.S. showrooms on March 12. In only its first three days in the U.S. market, the Prius C sold 1,201 units, eclipsing the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf’s complete February sales performance of 1,023 and 478 units respectively. However, demand for the…
Scion FR-S is Weighed and Measured by Excited Tuners
North American tuner companies were invited to Toyota Headquarters in Torrance, California to measure the new Scion FR-S and take a closer look at the car to begin the process of drafting future tuning parts. Many tuners were present at the event and the response to Scion’s new sports car has been overwhelmingly positive across the…
Michael Schumacher’s 1992 Benetton-Ford Formula 1 Race Car For Sale
This weekend’s Melbourne GP kicks off the 2012 Formula 1 season. After the third session of qualifying, Michael Schumacher displayed a return to form, qualifying 4th, well ahead of his teammate for Mercedes GP Nico Rosberg. Unfortunately, Schumacher’s Mercedes lost power out of turn 1 of the tenth lap, forcing an early retirement on an…
New V6 Ford Interceptors Offer Huge Fuel Economy Gains
Ford‘s Panther chassis, platform for the iconic P71 Police Interceptor, is anything but a slouch, but after more than 30 years of service both Ford and police recognize the need for a change. Ford started building police variants of the LTD Crown Victoria in 1979, by 1992 the company’s cars evolved from modified civilian sedans…
Subaru EyeSight Safety Technology Announced: 2012 New York Auto Show Preview
Subaru announced its new, low-cost suite of safety systems called “EyeSight” today that the company says will be one of the most affordable instances of this technology on the U.S. market. By using two charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras mounted inside the car on the upper edge of the windshield, the company is able to offer a…
2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Gets New Fuel Efficiency and Safety Upgrades
Mercedes-Benz has announced a number of improvements for its popular Sprinter commercial van. In an effort to improve the Sprinter’s fuel efficiency without compromising its rugged dependability, Mercedes-Benz has introduced an optional seven-speed automatic transmission, capable of delivering “silky smooth gear changes” at temperatures as low as -30ºC or -22ºF. Additional fuel saving updates that help…
Pininfarina Cambiano Concept May Become Reality
Along the same vein as the Fisker Karma, the plug-in hybrid Pininfarina Cambiano concept may receive the “go-ahead” for low-volume production. According to Pininfarina CEO Sergio Angori, “We are evaluating the potential for companies and private buyers interested in a high-performance, low-emission luxury model such as the Cambiano.” The Pininfarina Cambiano concept was first unveiled at…
Jet-Powered Jaguar C-X75 To Be A Track Car
British luxury car brand Jaguar stunned the world with its beautiful C-X75 concept back in 2010. Not only was its sleek design alluring, but also its jet-turbine technology. The concept car used a pair of micro-turbines which would power the electric drive-train. So instead of using a conventional gas engine to power the electric motors,…
Honda Looks To Its Dealers For Expansion Of CNG Station Infrastructure
Honda is currently the only automaker offering CNG vehicles in the United States. Although it is nice to own an exclusive niche in the vast automotive market, it does have its limitations. Compressed natural gas stations are uncommon in North America and Honda hopes to change this by installing pumps at its dealers as it…
Hyundai i-oniq Shows Future In-Car, Engine Tech: 2012 Geneva Motor Show
Hyundai‘s new i-oniq concept was officially unvieled today at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, shedding light on the brand’s future technology inside and out. The i-oniq is best thought of as a canvas for Hyundai to show its future technologies off rather than a car with a chance of ever being built. At just over…
Brabus Ultimate 120 Revealed: 2012 Geneva Motor Show Preview
Earlier today, we reported that Brabus introduced an all new Bullitt C-Class coupe. Packing 800-hp from a heavily retuned V12, the Brabus Bullitt eclipses the output of the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series by nearly 300-hp. Having made its name with “big-power” creations, Brabus is known to go “tiny-tunes” with the Smart Fortwo as well….
Acura NSX Spider Patent Pending Images Leaked
Last year, we shared images of Tony Stark’s Acura NSX convertible on the set of the Avengers. Initially, Acura Spokesman Gary Robinson claimed an open-top NSX is a “one-off fictional car that was created just for the film.” Surprise! According to a Honda and Acura forum, six drawings of an open top NSX were filed…
Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera Disco Volante Concept: Geneva Motor Show Preview
At next week’s 2012 Geneva Motor Show, Alfa Romeo reaches into its racing archives for inspiration. During the 1950’s, Alfa Romeo formed an alliance with Carrozzeria Touring to create a number of innovative concepts used to test technologies that could be adapted for racing. One particular concept was the 1952 Alfa Romeo Disco Volante (C52), then…
New Audi A5 DTM Revealed
Audi reveals the homologated Audi A5 DTM race car today as the automaker from Ingolstadt makes its final racing preparations before the season debut at the Hockenheimring. Details are limited on the new race car as Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz have all been testing in top-secret conditions for the past several weeks. Head of Audi…
Hyundai i-oniq Concept Gets Lambo Doors: 2012 Geneva Auto Show Preview
New photos of the Hyundai i-oniq are giving the world a more in-depth look at the concept and what it offers. From the photos, we can see that the hybrid concept features scissor doors that stand straight up like a cartoon character in a stickup. Funky red seats that look like a mix between something…
Lexus LF-LC Must be Made, Public Says
Caring about concept cars takes a lively sense of wonder and a little bit of short-sighted foolishness, at least in most cases. These sleek, snazzy models appear long enough to tantalize the public and capture imaginations, only to disappear with the show just like a stage performer. What happens, then, when the crowd chants an…
Audi R18 E-tron Quattro Heading to 24 Hours of Le Mans With Diesel Hybrid Power
When Toyota revealed its TS030 LMP hybrid, the Japanese automaker had its targets sighted onto the reigning diesel Audi R18. However, the R18 is proving to be a fast moving target. Earlier this month, Audi announced that it will field two innovative diesel-hybrid LMP1 cars for the first time in its team of four at…
Nissan Leaf Available Nationwide Tomorrow
As of tomorrow, Nissan has announced that the Leaf will be available for order across all U.S. markets as the automaker completes its final launch phase in the remaining states. “More than 22,000 Leafs are on the roads globally, having driven more than 30 million miles. There is no longer any doubt that a 100-percent…
Ford Key Note Speech at Mobile World Congress 2012 a First
Every year in Spain, the biggest members of the telecommunications industry get together to show off the latest in technology. This year, Ford Motor Company executive chairman, Bill Ford spoke about his vision of mobile technology and how it fits in with Ford’s plans. Ford mainly discussed an infrastructure of connected cars to help reduce traffic and…
Backup Camera Rule Delayed, Again
A decision expected today regarding a new rule that may make backup cameras mandatory for all new cars and light trucks sold in the U.S., is delayed until the end of the year — at the earliest. Part of a law signed in 2008 by George W. Bush required the mandate be issued by the end…
VW Polo GT Blue Confirmed for Geneva Auto Show
Could the Volkswagen GTI hot hatch also make for a good cabriolet? The German automaker seems to think so as we learned earlier this month of a production GTI cabriolet to bow at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. In production form, we expect the visual elements to be toned down from the Worthersee concept but…
