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The BMW M135i is the first BMW M Performance Automobile with a petrol engine. Watch the clip and see the 3-door and the 5-door version in action.
Cinematic film Desert Nemesis follows Nissan’s inaugural GT Academy winner, Lucas Ordonez, as he takes the innovative Juke-R to Dubai’s International Marine Club to face some of the world’s most famous supercars in a thrilling street race.
Beijing Traffic Jam via Shutterstock
Traffic congestion doesn’t just raise your blood pressure; it’s a drag on the economy and it causes a lot of unnecessary pollution. A recent study showed that congestion wasted 1.9 billion gallons of fuel in 2010, and when it all adds up, drivers waste roughly $100 billion it lost time and fuel because of traffic jams. The best way to ease congestion is to drive less, bike and walk more, and to use public transportation when it’s available. But beyond that, it makes sense to look at how our current driving behavior contributes to congestion. That’s the problem that Honda has been tackling, and now the Japanese automaker says it has developed technology that can help prevent traffic jams.
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Post tags: Adaptive Cruise Control System, cars, congestion, fuel economy, fuel efficiency, green transportation, highways, Honda, navigation systems, traffic, traffic jams
Although nothing comes out the tailpipe, electric vehicles do produce carbon emissions and other pollutants; the amount of emissions all depends on the power source from which they are charged. A new study from the Union of Concerned Scientists looks at how good or bad EVs in different parts of the US perform in terms of carbon emissions based in differences in how electricity is generated. The report found that location matters a great deal; in some parts of the country where electricity is generated mostly from coal, EVs performed no better than gasoline-powered hybrids.
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Post tags: cars, chevy volt, CO2 emissions, electric car, electric vehicles, ev, fossil fuels, fuel economy, fuel efficiency, global warming, green cars, green transportation, hybrids
Purism is an uncompromising pursuit of a clear line: the road ahead. Purism is also the approach we took when building the new Cayenne GTS. A car that is true to its roots: the tarmac.
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Post tags: airplane, aviation, Carl Dietrich, cars, flying car, green transportation, new york auto show, street legal airplane, Terrafugia Inc, Terrafugia Transition, transition
The Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 features a 3.8 V6 twin-turbo engine that is based on a standard road car unit, developing 530ps at 6400 rpm. Power is delivered via six-speed transaxle that drives the rear wheels, activated by a semi-automatic paddle-shift system.
Lexus’s big debut ride at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show was the smoking hot LF-LC hybrid sports coupe concept, which was meant to show off the future design direction of the Lexus brand. The hybrid coupe concept not only gave us a glimpse at future Lexus models, but it also displayed the automaker’s vision of what a premium sport coupe would look like through their eyes. The feedback from the concept has been overwhelmingly positive and now there is a chance that Lexus could actually put the coupe into production.
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Post tags: 2012 Detroit Auto Show, 2012 Geneva Motor Show, automobiles, cars, detroit auto show, eco auto, eco automobiles, eco cars, eco lexus, electric automobiles, electric cars, electric powertrain, green auto, Green Automobiles, green cars, green lexus, green transportation, hybrid cars, hybrid coupe, hybrid sports car, hybrid vehicles, international auto show, lexus, Lexus concept car, lexus hybrid, lexus lf-lc, Lexus LF-LC hybrid concept, NAIAS, Toyota
When auto makers submit their cars to crash tests, the sensors that are used to collect data about the crash process are often destroyed by the impact of the crash. To solve that problem, German car maker Volkswagen is turning to “space foil” – a special type of super-thin and highly accurate sensor that was originally developed to measure the pressure on a spacecraft’s wings as it reenters Earth’s atmosphere. VW has already used the special foil in crash tests, and it expects the results to help improve overall car safety.
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Post tags: car safety, cars, crash test, engineering, german engineering, germany, green cars, outer space, Paul Mirow, piezoelectric foil, piezoelectric sensor, space foil, Technology, volkswagen, vw
The big vehicle news of the day is that car industry heavyweights Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, and Subaru have joined the Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) in an effort to reduce their environmental impact while increasing value of the automobile supply chain. Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, their suppliers, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are also members of SP – a groundbreaking partnership that fosters business-centered approaches to environmental protection.
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Post tags: automobile, cars, epa, green cars, green growth, Honda, HYUNDAI, NISSAN, SP, Subaru, Suppliers Partnership, sustainable business practices, US EPA
5 years, 6 models, 1 milestone in the history of design and sportscar evolution: the legendary Audi R8 celebrates its fifth birthday.
Ultra-powerful, ultrafast and conspicuously inconspicuous: the BRABUS BULLIT Coupe 800, which celebrates its world debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, is built in small-series production based on the two-door Mercedes C 63 AMG model. In place of the 6.3-liter fast-revving V8 that powers the production car, a twelve-cylinder engine in BRABUS 800 V12 Biturbo specification lurks beneath the matte-black exterior. 800 hp (788 bhp) / 588 kW and a peak torque of 1,420 Nm (1,047 lb-ft) propel the BULLIT Coupe 800 to superlative performance: 3.7 seconds to 100 km/h (62 mph), 23.8 seconds from 0 – 300 km/h (186 mph) and a top speed in excess of 370 km/h (230 mph) document the unique know-how of the engineers from BRABUS (Brabus-Allee, D-46240 Bottrop, phone + 49 / (0) 2041 / 777-0, fax + 49 / (0) 2041 / 777 111, Internet www.brabus.com). BRABUS went into the wind tunnel to engineer the aerodynamic-enhancement components that are part of the equipment of this supercar, as are new 20-inch BRABUS Monoblock R wheels, a sport suspension with customer-selectable ride height and damper rates, a high-performance brake system and exclusive cockpit design. The supercar will sell for an MSRP starting at EUR 378,000. It goes without saying that this car can also be built based on the Black Series C 63 AMG Coupe.
(via Brabus)
6post has just posted pics and details of the 2013 BMW M6 coupe. The new M features a 4.4 -litre V8 Twin Turbo engine that produces 560hp at 6k-7k rpm. This beauty hits 0-62mph in just 4.2 seconds.
Upscale design lines, advanced technology and unmatched fuel economy in an all new sedan
You can't help but notice the 2013 Ford Fusion, a midsize category-busting car hell-bent on improving suburban driveways around the world. The new Fusion is the first car that very clearly articulates the ONE Ford mantra (cars designed for a global market) and the company's Kinetic design language (which debuted on the Evos concept car launched in Fall 2011 in Frankfurt).
Ford sold Aston Martin (in 2007) and Jaguar (in 2008) along with the other brands in their Premier Automotive Group. Perhaps the best thing the come out of that experience was the importance of design and how it can elevate a very expensive hand made car as well as a car you'll find all over your neighborhood and in every parking lot at every mall. There was no shortage of comments at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit yesterday that the new Fusion looked "Aston-like" or "Jaguar-like," things you don't usually hear about the most crowded and pedestrian segment of the automobile market. Part of this may be attributed to the raised hexagonal grill, narrow lights and rear license plate surround, which Mays says "create a terrific stance." Sexing up the midsize market is good for Ford, and good for all customers who seek to be inspired by design regardless of price point.
The Fusion brings a new level of features to an inexpensive, accessible car—or, as Ford's VP of Global Design and Chief Creative Officer J Mays puts it, "a car you are proud to drive." Standard features include Ford's Sync voice-activated control system and a lane drifting warning system. Options include blind-spot warning and automated parallel parking systems—things you're more likely to see on high end luxury cars.
Ford offers the extremely fuel efficient Fusion in five different four cylinder engines—an existing gasoline engine, two new EcoBoost turbo engines, a hybrid and plug-in hybrid. Mays elaborates, ""the mpg on this car is truly spectacular—26 mpg on the standard model, 47 mpg on the EcoBoost Hybrid, and 100 mpge on the Energi model. It's just game changing."
From what we've seen so far, Ford has come together to achieve something their competitors have failed to do—create an economy car that is desirable, practical, and affordable. I'm looking forward to road testing it.
The 2013 Ford Fusion will be available in the U.S. mid-2012 (with all models available by Fall 2012), and will be available in Asia and Europe as the Mondeo in 2013.
From night vision to hyper-efficient acceleration, Audi reinvents their midsize sedan
Exhilaration, satisfaction, safety, a sense of control—these are the expected feelings associated with driving a luxury automobile. But being surprised by a car is rare. It's more rare still when you're somewhat familiar with the maker, like we were when we had the chance to test out Audi's 2012 A6 recently.
This newest version of their midsize sedan features all of the brand's latest innovations in design and technology (i.e. updated versions of everything that made us fans of their cars in the first place), in addition to some appealing new options that take the driving experience to the next level. Of course, it's hard to say which manufacturer in this category is winning the race to achieve the kind of contended sigh for which they all seem to be going, but there's perhaps no brand who's embraced it more, continuing to position themselves as the new luxury vehicle.
From the weight of the chassis to integrated technology (an increasingly definitive point when it comes to cars), Audi has rethought the A6 from top to bottom. Quattro devotees will notice off the bat that this car has the expected excellent handling that makes for a super fun drive—hitting off-ramps at 90 miles per hour, zipping around NYC traffic—but refinements build on this foundation, improving both efficiency and comfort.
The most immediately noticeable difference is the vehicle's larger dimensions. A longer wheelbase makes for a roomy interior, presenting a more accessible but comparably luxurious alternative to the A7. Ample space makes for a more pleasant ride for rear passengers (along with other details including independent climate controls) and the generous trunk even accommodated a bulky planter bought on an antiques run.
To haul whatever you might put in it, the A6 boasts some pretty powerful guts. We took the 3.0-liter version of the V6 engine for a spin (it's available as a 2.0 as well), quickly becoming fans of the low revolutions per minute at which it operates. Cruising at 65 M.P.H., the tachometer still registers under 200,000 R.P.M., leaving plenty of room for accelerating quickly even at high speeds and embodying an efficient engine.
This revelation comes only second to our first "wow" moment in the car when driving through the midnight rain in rural Pennsylvania using the night vision assistant. The feature proved amazing for seeing the dark road better, making the drive safer while allowing a speed demon to have some fun.
Part of a package of safety features, overall the user experience of Audi's driver assist maintains a balance between enjoying the car and limiting potential hazards. Small details like a volume control on the passenger side show just how well-considered the setup is.
Adaptive cruise control is another telling example of how intuitive Audi has made the user interface, and a feature that has repeatedly impressed us. Smooth thanks to the adjustable distance range as well as front and rear sensors, the assist is a boon to modern drivers who face stop-and-go traffic and the increasing reality of a car that drives itself.
More proof of the automaker's forward-thinking approach is in the connectivity package that turns the car into a wireless hotspot using T-mobile's 3G service. Passengers can connect personal devices (we spent a lot of time skyping with friends abroad) and the car's navigation system can tap into Google search results. While no nav is perfect, Audi's innovative touchpad interface, allowing you to write out info with a finger, is one of the easiest to use out there. The Google Earth integration is fairly beautiful too, coordinating nicely with the woodgrain inlay.
In all, the only weak spot in the car was using the iPhone integration to make calls; the system for finding phone numbers in address books and the like was nearly impossible to use. But who needs to talk when you have banging Bang & Olufson sound, complete with tweeters that emerge from the dash when you start the car?
For a top-down experience of modern luxury, buoyed by innovations in technology, design and engineering, the 2012 A6 makes quite a case for itself.
Contributions by Ami Kealoha and Tim Yu
Mercedes introduces the new 2012 SLK55 AMG powered by a 5.5-liter V8 engine that generates up to 415 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque. The SLK55 AMG accelerates to 60mph in 4.6 seconds and weighs just over 3500 pounds. The car will make it’s official debut at next month’s Frankfurt show, but won’t go on sale in the U.S. until early 2012.
Pics of Porsche’s next generation 911 have been leaked on the net. The 2012 Porsche 911 will feature a slightly elongated profile, the result of a 2.2-inch increase in overall length. Full details on engine specs and such will be available next month when the car makes it debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Some photos of Mercedes Benz’s C63 AMG Black Series have leaked onto a French auto blog. The blog says the C63 AMG Black Series employs a modified version of the 6.2-liter V-8 engine good for 517 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque. No word from MB on an official release date yet.
A behind the scenes video with Range Rover learning about the bridge between design and manufacturing
When Range Rover asked me to be a City Shaper and help tell the world about their all-new Evoque one of my first requests was to meet the car's designers and visit the factory where they're being built.
Exploring the role of design at Range Rover we visited their creative team in Gaydon, England to learn about how the LRX concept vehicle was translated to the all-new Evoque. From there we traveled north to the factory in Halewood to see how the cars are manufactured and what it means to bring a design to life.
Under the bonnet of the new BMW M5 lies a newly developed, high-revving V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo (consisting of Twin Scroll Twin Turbo technology, a cross-bank exhaust manifold, High Precision Injection petrol direct injection and VALVETRONIC fully variable valve control), maximum output of 412 kW/560 hp at 6,000 – 7,000 rpm and peak torque of 680 Newton metres (502 lb-ft) between 1,500 and 5,750 rpm.
The instantaneous power delivery and sustained thrust familiar from M cars are the key to acceleration of 0 – 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.4 seconds (0 – 200 km/h/124 mph: 13.0 seconds). Average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle stands at 9.9 litres per 100 kilometres / 28.5 mpg imp (CO2 emissions: 232 g/km). While output has increased by around 10 per cent and maximum torque is up by more than 30 per cent, the new BMW M5 burns over 30 per cent less fuel than its predecessor.
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