Video: Porsche highlights Intelligent Performance of 918 Spyder, 911 GT3 R Hybrid
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Porsche, Green Daily, Racing
Porsche 918 Spyder at the track – Click above to watch the video after the break
No doubt about it, the Porsche 918 Sypder was both one of the biggest surprises of the Geneva Motor Show and one of its most memorable vehicles. No surprise, then, that the German automaker has signaled its desire to put the hybrid sportscar into production. Porsche is once again hinting at its production goals for the 918 Spyder with its latest advertising campaign, calling the sportscar “The future of motorsport and series production.” Doesn’t get much more straightforward than that, eh? To go along with the new round of marketing, Porsche has released a new video that offers a bit more information about its showstopper, which you can find after the break.
In addition, there’s a second video highlighting Porsche’s new 911 GT3 R Hybrid, which managed an impressive sixth-place finish in its racing debut last weekend. Wanna see for yourself? Click past the break to watch both videos from Porsche.
March Sales: Toyota Takes Another Step Toward Becoming GM?
The New York International Auto Show, whose press days often coincide with Passover and always precede the Easter weekend, meant yr. hmbl. srvt. was busy running around Javits Center as the March sales numbers were released. I do know this much, from a brief interview on Fox Business: Toyota (including Scion and Lexus) Motor Sales U.S.A.’s Jim Lentz told the network on March 31 that his company would be No. 1 in sales in March. On April 1, Toyota claimed it was No. 1 — if you left out fleet sales.
Yeah, well, I told Fox Business, I’ve heard all sorts of spin and excuses regarding fleet sales. To be fair, I always hear it from General Motors, Ford Motor Company and Chrysler, not Toyota. The way it’s going, Toyota might want to brush up on its fleet sales spin.
As you know, Toyota has been putting shiploads of cash on the hoods and in the trunks of its cars and trucks to revive sales after a horrendous February. Early that month, Toyota suspended sales of some models on dealers’ lots as it fixed sticky throttle pedals. While data indicate Toyota spends much less on incentives compared with the Detroit Three, the company has announced it has extended special deals. It is a slippery slope, and Toyota has made it clear how important it is to the company to be No. 1.
It’s also clear the U.S. market is becoming very much like the Western European market, where the top-three automakers each account for about 18-percent market share. This month, GM, Toyota and Ford all are bunched up, very close together.
With that, here’s a very quick look at March 2010′s numbers:
GM: 188,546 up 20.6 percent.
*Chevrolet Camaro, at 8,904, beats Ford Mustang (5,828, up a healthy 57.1 percent), and Dodge Challenger (3,211, up 36 percent).
*Chevy Equinox was up 193.6 percent, to 12,805. GM will increase production capacity to meet demand.
*Malibu sold 17,750, up 20.2 percent but below the Hyundai Sonata. Impala was up 23.3 percent, to 15,594.
*Chevy Silverado was up 27.1 percent, to 29,866. Combined sales with the GMC Sierra was 39,801.
*Buick had a good month, with LaCrosse up 236.3 percent, to 6,054, Enclave was up 41.5 percent to 4,519, and even Lucerne was up, 0.4 percent, to 2,381.
*SRX was Cadillac’s bestseller, at 4,090, up 550.2 percent. CTS was down 26.4 percent, to 2,870 thanks in part to scarce lease deals.
*Hummer sold 294 units, off 64.6 percent, Pontiac sold 109, off 99.4 percent, and Saturn sold 2,737 units, off 62.7 percent.
*Saab sold no cars or trucks. It sold 1,265 in March ’09.
*Forget the fleet factor; remove those dead brands, and GM would have fallen to second place.
BMW making HD Radio standard across the range in 2010
Filed under: Technology, BMW, Luxury
2011 BMW 335is – Click above for a high-res image gallery
If you’ve got your heart set on picking up a 2011 BMW of any flavor, we’ve got good news for you. The company has announced that it’s making HD Radio standard on all of its products, from the lowly 128i to the big 760Li. BMW says that production of HD Radio-equipped models began this month, and that they’ll start showing up on dealer lots by June.
Aside from better sound quality, vehicles equipped with HD Radio can also access a number of additional sub channels on each band. HD2 and HD3 stations offer alternate programming, and are otherwise unavailable on standard FM-equipped vehicles. According to BMW, there are around 2,000 stations across the United States broadcasting digitally.
Gallery: First Drive: 2011 BMW 335is
Report: Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan to launch next year?
Filed under: Sedan, Wagon, Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Giulietta – Click above to jump to the online configurator
With the new Giulietta now out in the open, Alfa Romeo’s attention is turning to its big brother. Set to replace the 159 sometime next year, the highly-anticipated nuova Giulia promises to improve on the outgoing sedan’s lackluster driving dynamics.
Based on Alfa’s variable C/D platform, the Giulia is tipped to get a McPherson front suspension with a twin-link rear setup. As with the Alfa 159, the Giulia is expected to be front-drive, with the trick Q4 all-wheel-drive system available as an option, hooked up to a variety of turbodiesel and MultiAir gasoline engines.
Unlike the MiTo and Giulietta, both of which are hatchback-only, the Giulia promises both four-door sedan and five-door wagons as part of the mix. The tantalizing end of the range, however, is tipped to include an in-house GTA model – with at least 300 horsepower, all-wheel drive and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission – and a lightweight, front-drive version with 350 horsepower to be co-developed with famed Alfa tuner Autodelta.
We’ll have to wait to see if the speculation proves accurate – and, for that matter, if the car will take its design cues from the 8C Competizione, the Bertone Pandion or the Pininfarina 2uettottanta. But in the meantime, you’re invited to tinker around with the online configurator that Alfa just launched for the Giulietta hatchback, where you’ll find you can order it in any color you want, as long as it’s a shade of gray.
Optima: Cheapest hybrid sedan yet?
Kia’s killer hybrids?
If all goes as expected, the Hyundai Sonata hybrid should be the most cost-effective hybrid sedan available when it goes on sale later this year, but that reign probably won’t last long.
Next year, Hyundai will also roll out the Kia Optima hybrid, which we assume will use the same hybrid drive as the Sonata hybrid. However, based on current Optima and Sonata pricing, that should make the Otpima hybrid even cheaper and more cost-effective than the Sonata hybrid.
Up next for Hyundai, a cheaper, more cost-effective Toyota Prius competitor?
New York 2010: All-New Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Gets Unique Look and Achieves 37/39 MPG
The 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is the Korean company’s first shot at the hybrid segment and it’s not messing around. The Sonata Hybrid boasts the highest combined horsepower output of any hybrid sedan in its class and an expected best-in-class EPA highway rating of 39 mpg, not to mention the first use of lithium-polymer batteries in the automotive industry. That’s pretty strong out of the gate.
Here are the basics: The Sonata Hybrid combines Hyundai’s 169-horsepower, 2.4-liter Theta II inline-4 with a 30-kilowatt electric motor. This particular Theta engine runs on the Atkinson cycle and uses continuously variable valve timing along with several friction-reducing technologies to boost efficiency by 10 percent compared to the standard Theta power plant. This hybrid powertrain’s combined output of 209 hp tops all sedans in the class, while the Sonata Hybrid also happens to be one of the lightest midsize hybrid sedans at 3,457 pounds.
Like the Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion hybrids, the Sonata Hybrid can run on electric power alone, but Hyundai also claims its car can achieve 100 km/h (62 mph) in the electric mode. This is one of the reasons why the Sonata delivers such an impressive highway mileage number. The six-speed automatic transmission comes from Hyundai, but this application puts an electric motor in place of the torque converter, creating a hybrid powertrain that is more efficient and less costly than the CVTs used by its competitors, Hyundai says. More conventional elements of the Sonata Hybrid include a regenerative brake system, start/stop technology and an electric air-conditioning compressor.
Continue reading for the full article and more hi-res images.
You might not recognize the phrase “lithium polymer” in reference to the Sonata’s batteries, as this is the first automotive application of the technology. Hyundai says the batteries are smaller, lighter and more durable than both nickel-metal hydride and lithium-ion batteries. For instance, the Sonata’s battery pack weighs 28 pounds less than the one used in the Toyota Camry. It’s also easier to package, which results in less intrusion into the trunk area.
In order to visually differentiate the Sonata Hybrid from the conventional Sonata, Hyundai has added a unique front fascia with a hexagonal grille, revised rocker panels, unique wheel designs and, of course, plenty of hybrid badging. Inside the cabin, the Sonata Hybrid also includes a technology display that gives drivers information on the available charge, power flow through the drive system and overall efficiency. It uses pretty colors to display it all, too.
