Geneva 2010: Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid not to be overlooked
Filed under: Hybrid, Porsche, Geneva Motor Show
2010 Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery
During Porsche’s press conference here at the Geneva Motor Show, most of our attention was understandably on the 918 Spyder Concept, but the German automaker had several other significant debuts. One was the 911 GT3 R Hybrid, Porsche’s first racecar to feature electric power sourced from a duo of motors that send power to a generator attached the flywheel. Like many hybrid production cars, the motors are charged whenever the brakes are applied, and the driver can use the extra power for 6-8 seconds for overtaking.
Porsche plans to do extensive testing with the 911 GT3 R Hybrid after jetting from Geneva, including a trial-by-fire at the Nürburgring 24 Hour race from May 15-16. Porsche claims that it has no intention of winning the race, but we can’t imagine that they won’t be at least competitive. You can get more details on the car in the press release after the jump, or browse through the high-res gallery of live shots below.
Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading Geneva 2010: Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid not to be overlooked
Zetsche on the F800, Diesel Hybrids, Renault smarts and Wolfgang Bernhardt
GENEVA – Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche confirmed, kind of, that the F800 Style concept previews a future Mercedes-Benz four-door, but of course refrained from saying just what that is.
“We built a research car which should demonstrate our technological path to the future, and…the somewhat new styling…strategy, direction for the future.”
In other words, we will see plug-in hybrid Mercedes and fuel cell Mercedes in the years to come. It’s the styling that counts now.
PSA & Mini in engine tie-up
BMW and PSA Peugeot-Citroen will carry on together developing 4 cylinder engines for next-generation models.
More than 1.3 million engines developed under the agreement have been used in Mini, Peugeot and Citroen models, and the two firms will now work at developing EU6 engines together.
Norbert Reithofer, BMW chairman, said, “We have always been very successful in our cooperation with our partners, and that is particularly true with regard to PSA. We are delighted to continue our engine cooperation and look into options for further collaboration.”
Components and systems will also be developed between the two firms.
Geneva 2010: Alfa Romeo 2uettottanta concept by Pininfarina
Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo 2uettottanta concept by Pininfarina – Click above for high-res image gallery
It’s all about the anniversaries up here in Geneva. Alfa Romeo is celebrating its centenary, and like the show itself, Pininfarina is marking its 80th this year. And when a design house as venerated as Pininfarina is celebrating, you better believe it’ll be mouthwatering.
The quizzically named 2uettottanta concept is Pininfarina’s vision for how a next-generation Alfa spider should look. And we can’t help but agree. The 2uettottanta represents the culmination of an age-old partnership between the two Italian firms, and pays tribute to the iconic 60s-era Duetto roadster. Power is (theoretically, at least) provided by a modest 1.7-liter turbo four, longitudinally mounted in homage to the 1750 Veloce.
We could go on about the details, but there’s a press release for that. A Pininfarina concept is about design, and you can see it for yourself in the live and stock high-res image galleries below.
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Geneva 2010: Honda 3R-C Concept is one trick trekky trike
Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Etc., Honda, Motorcycle, Electric
Honda 3R-C Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
Ask anyone who’s ever shopped for an ATV, outboard engine, personal robot…heck, even a private jet, and they’ll tell you that cars are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg for Honda. The Japanese industrial giant is one of a handful of automakers that also makes motorcycles (along with the likes of Peugeot, BMW and Suzuki, to name just a few). And here in Geneva, the two core competences have come together in the form of the 3R-C Concept.
Packing two wheels up front and one in the back, the 3R-C is the latest take on the trike formula. The open cabin (which can be closed by the canopy windshield when parked) can accommodate one passenger/driver/rider in enclosed comfort, while the twin front rims keep it stable. It follows in a long line of intriguing R&D products from the technological powerhouse, but don’t expect to see it parked curbside in front of your office/home/biker bar quite so soon.
Ford outsells GM, Toyota in February sales
Filed under: Car Buying, Ford, GM, Toyota, Earnings/Financials
February’s automotive sales numbers are slowly rolling in, and we’re already seeing that Toyota’s recall crisis has severely hurt the company’s overall sales. On the other hand, its loss has proved to be a real gain for other automakers, especially Ford Motor Company, sales of which topped not only Toyota’s in February, but General Motors’ as well.
Both Ford and GM posted healthy increases last month – the Blue Oval folks up by 43 percent and GM up by 12. Toyota, by contrast, was down 9 percent versus February 2009. Keep in mind, not only were new car buyers eager to stay away from Toyota lots, but the automaker was required to stop selling many of its most popular models for a short period of time last month. Camry sales, for example, dropped 20 percent versus last year’s numbers.
Ford may be wearing the crown of America’s best selling automaker for February 2010, but it’s important to note that it only sold 334 more vehicles than GM. We’ll see if Ford can hold on to this trend, especially since new products like the 2011 Fiesta will be hitting showrooms in the not-too-distant future and GM has still yet to permanently shed its four non-core brands.
[Source: The New York Times]
Ford outsells GM, Toyota in February sales originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Nissan Micra: Nissan Global Small Car unveils at Geneva Motor Show
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