The above video is a teaser ad for the Audi Green Police Super Bowl ad, not to be seen on TV until Sunday. Make sure to watch, it’s hilarious!

[Source: YouTube]

Excited by the new BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept car? So are we. But while the rest of us have to wait another couple of weeks to see the future-think show car at the Bavarian automaker’s show stand in Frankfurt, one lucky enthusiast got an early glimpse while visiting the company’s flagship BMW Welt in Munich.

By the looks of it, he got a good view of the car, as Car and Driver’s photo gallery of the car contains pictures from every possible angle. Follow the link to see all pictures.

[Source: Car and Driver]

Is this Bentley's new hybrid engine?

More and more rumours are arising about the next Bentley Continental GT and Arnage featuring a hybrid option.

These amazing spy shots reveal the Crewe firm is testing a Continental prototype with a petrol-electric drivetrain. Look closely at our exclusive pictures, and you’ll see the rear of the car is filled with a new unit featuring battery-powered motors. Also, a retractable spoiler is visible at the top of the bootlid.

The powerplant is a version of the hybrid in the Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne SUVs. That mates a 3.6-litre petrol V6, giving 280bhp and 375Nm, to a 284Nm electric motor. In the Bentley, it would be more powerful – expect the electronics to boost a new V8 or larger unit to around 500bhp. As well as stronger pace, this would give better economy than the Continental’s thirsty W12.

Bentley is likely to install the drivetrain across the range, including in the new Arnage. It will help cut fuel consumption and CO2 output in advance of new EU targets, which seek to force makers to reduce average emissions by 2015.

[Source: AutoExpress]

Volvo XC60 DRIVe

Volvo will introduce four new DRIVe models at the Geneva Motor Show in one week. The company began production of the fuel efficient, low emissions vehicles late last year following a successful introduction at the 2008 Paris Auto Show.

The DRIVe tag will now also be seen on the Volvo V70, S80, XC60, and XC70. It already appears on the C30, S40, and V50 models. The C30 DRIVe even managed to slip into the European Union’s cleanest band of vehicles by producing less than 105g CO2 per km.

Perhaps most impressive is Volvo’s ability to get the XC60 and XC70 crossover SUVs below 160g CO2/km. The DRIVe models use a 2.4-liter turbodiesel engine that produces 175 hp and a spectacular 420Nm of torque. Gear ratios are tuned for fuel economy, but the torque increase helps keep a somewhat sporty feel, according to the company. Combined fuel economy is rated at 6.0 l/100 km for each vehicle, which corresponds to about 39 mpg (US). If that seems a little less impressive, then consider this: the current Volvo XC70 would get 6.2 l/100 (38 mpg US) if you only drove it on the highway.

Expect Volvo to reveal their fuel economy advances at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. All seven vehicles, including the new Volvo V70 DRIVe, S80 DRIVe, XC60 DRIVe, and XC70 DRIVe will be shown off on 3 March 2009.

[Source: Volvo]

Good news for the hybrid fans. Porsche will release the new Porsche Cayenne S hybrid in 2010. Despite being able to go 0-100 km/h in under 7 seconds, the company claims it will have the same fuel economy as a four-cylinder. Porsche says they will use a similar system on the new Porsche Panamera hybrid after the model is officially introduced.

Also good news is that Porsche says the hybrid powertrain barely affects the design of the Cayenne. They installed the system without compromising interior and luggage space.

Unfortunately, Porsche did not reveal the exact efficiency details for their car. However, they anticipate the car will be officially rated at using less than nine litres of fuel per 100 km, or about 26 mpg (US) combined.

The vehicle uses a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 from Audi. The direct injection engine features 333 horsepower and a maximum of 324 ft-lb of torque. Its hybrid partner is a three-phase synchronous electric motor that dishes out 52 hp and 221 ft-lb of torque. The motor doubles as the alternator, and gets its juice from a 38 kW NiMH battery that weighs in at 154 lbs (70 kg).

Porsche claims that the “Cayenne S Hybrid is expected to emit some 20 percent less C02 than comparable combustion engine vehicles with similar power output.” This is due to the three hybrid settings utilized by the car: combustion engine and electric motor together, engine only, and electric motor only. The automatic transmission triggers engine ignition within 300 milliseconds of the driver’s tap on the accelerator. When the engine is running, it sends a recharge to the battery, as do the regenerative brakes when the vehicle is slowed down.

[Source: Porsche]

Bob Carter remarks:

In 1997, Prius went on sale in Japan as the world’s first mass-produced, gas-electric, hybrid vehicle. In 2000, Prius came to America, where it now has the highest owner loyalty in the industry. It’s also the world’s best-selling hybrid with more than one million sold in 44 countries. Prius has proven that hybrid technology is viable, durable, and one of the best ways to preserve our environment and maximize our natural resources. As a result hybrid technology is now a mainstream option being adopted by automakers and people everywhere.

The features and performance of the new midsize Prius that you’ll see in a few moments are superior to anything we have ever built. And along with building a better car, we will make it available in more places. We plan to sell this new Prius in eighty countries worldwide, nearly twice as many as today. Depending on market conditions, our global sales objective will be about 400,000 units per year by 2010. That will put Prius near the top of our best-selling vehicles around the world along with Camry and Corolla. 

[Source: Toyota]

In this four-minute video you’ll see Chrysler’s new electric sports car - the Dodge Circuit EV - from every angle.
If, like us, you were thinking this is a Lotus Europa then you’re right. The Circuit EV is based on this British sports car. In fact, it appears to us more like a Lotus Europa with Dodge grille and badging than any thing else.  

The 200 kW (268 hp) car has power generated by a lithium-ion battery to an electric-drive motor. The car gets to 60mph in under five seconds, and has a top speed of 120 mph. Range of the car is expected to be between 150 and 200 miles (240-322 km). Recharge can take place in any household plug.

[Source: Dodge]

- click picture for the Fisker Karma gallery -

Here are the first photos of the Fisker Karma, a new four-door hybrid sports sedan, which we acquired ahead of the car’s debut on the Detroit Auto Show. Fisker will present the car at the Auto Show at 1:10pm Detroit time.

It is definitely a very beautiful machine. But that’s no surprise, considering the team behind Fisker designed the Aston Martin DB9 and V8 Vantage, as well as the BMW Z8 Roadster.
The sports car can travel up to 50 miles on battery power alone. This electric motor gets the Karma from 0-60mph in under six seconds, and reaches a top speed of 125 mph.

The Karma is planned for a 15,000 production run, with the first 99 being signed and numbered by CEO Henrik Fisker. That first set of cars will also have the same trim and color as the vehicle on display today at the Auto Show.
The new Fisker Karma has a base price of $80,000, and goes on sale today at their stand in Detroit. Delivery will begin at the end of this year.

Gallery: Fisker Karma

[Source: Fisker Automotive]

- Photo: Copyright ©2008 Damon Lavrinc / Weblogs, Inc. -

We have found a nice first drive report of the 2010 Lexus RX on Autoblog. Don’t miss it.

The 2010 Lexus RX brings more of the same, beginning with a reworked exterior that adopts the L-finesse design theme and grows in several dimensions. The rolling jellybean aesthetic of the outgoing model is ditched in favor of sharp creases and broad shoulders that give the RX a more hunkered-down appearance while still remaining innocuous.
The standard RX350 in front-wheel-drive spec packs on almost 500 pounds over its predecessor, while the AWD version deals with an additional 400 pounds of mass. The RX450h doesn’t fair much better, with the FWD version motivating an additional 460 pounds and the AWD model carrying an extra 445 pounds. Despite the added weight, and helped in part by revised drivetrains and a coefficient of drag of 0.33, fuel efficiency is up across the range, with the RX350 returning 18/25 city/highway in FWD trim and 18/24 with AWD, while the RX450h FWD gets 28/27 and the AWD variant achieves 28/26.

The grille, headlamps and tail-lamps are far more dynamic, and tie in nicely to the tweaked C-pillar, swage lines and subtle roof-mounted spoiler that completely conceals the rear window wiper and houses the AM/FM antenna. The RX450h features a smattering of blue tinting on the front and rear emblems, headlights, tail-lights and “hybrid” logos to set it apart from its standard sibling. Base models are fitted with halogen headlamps and 18-inch wheels, while HIDs, 19-inch rolling stock and a “sport” package that features revised dampers, stiffer bushings and a recalibrated electronic power steering rack are optional.

[Read more: Autoblog.com]

Panasonic is announcing their HD-PLC system, first revealed at CES in 2004, will have new features. Next to allowing you to talk to each other over a house’s electrical lines, the PLC system will now be able to communicate with the electric car charging in your garage. This would supposedly have a security function, as Panasonic claims owners can view video from an in-car camera to make sure their EV is charging safe and sound.

The HD-PLC magazine also says that by connecting the in-vehicle camera to the indoor intercom system you could prevent someone from breaking into or vandalizing your car. We have our questions about how that could work, but it will all be shown at the HD-PLC Alliance exhibit booth during the 2009 Consumer Electronic Show (CES). 

In addition, though unofficially, The Earth Times suggests the networking system would allow you to transfer music and other data from your home computer to the in-car system while charging.

[Source: HD-PLC magazine]