Electric Power Comes To Formula-Type Racing

Published August 31, 2012By Philippe Crowe Electric-powered race cars will be competing in a newly created championship to be known as Formula E. The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has reached an agreement this week to license the commercial rights of the FIA Formula E Championship to a consortium of international investors, Formula E Holdings Ltd (FEH). Formula E is a new FIA championship featuring Formula cars powered exclusively by electric energy. The FIA says it represents a vision for the future of the motor industry over...

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As It Puts Out Fires, Fisker Says it Is Making Progress

Published August 31, 2012By Jeff Cobb In a recent interview, Fisker’s Director, Global Communications Roger Ormisher said the company is doing OK, despite another recall following a second fire, and questions whether the Atlantic will be built in the U.S. But what about the first Texas Karma fire in May? It is still under investigation, appears like it may never be fully solved and the Fort Bend County Fire Marshal’s report is now suppressed by the county attorney general. Not even Fisker can get at it, and media requests have all been denied...

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Lancia Aurelia B56 "Florida" by Pininfarina

No technical specification is available(click images for a larger view) <iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http://onlycarsandcars.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/lancia-aurelia-b56-florida-by.html&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=false&amp;width=100&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light"...

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Toyota announces new four-cylinder Camry SE Sport

Show full PR text TOYOTA ANNOUNCES 2012 CAMRY SE SPORT LIMITED EDITION MODELTORRANCE, Calif., August 30, 2012- Toyota announces that the new 2012 Camry SE Sport Limited Edition four-cylinder model begins, and should arrive at Toyota dealers by Labor Day weekend.This new Camry SE Sport edition combines a desirable equipment package with the proven Camry mid-size, four-cylinder sedan formula at a very accessible Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price of $25,995 (price does not include a Destination Preparation and Handling fee). The Camry SE Sport...

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Infiniti Will Soon Reveal LE Concept To Paris – When WIll Nissan Reveal More Range?

Published August 31, 2012By Jeff Cobb As shown here at Pebble Beach, the Infiniti LE Concept has already been introduced to the U.S. It has the body of an upscale luxury car and still has the heart of a Nissan Leaf. Unless Nissan packs more batteries into the pending Infiniti LE Concept – or more likely reveals a superior chemistry it has waiting in the wings – its first...

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Highly modified Nissan Patrol impounded after 200-mph &quot;Hollywood-style&quot; chase in Dubai

Related Gallery 2010 Nissan Patrol News Source: Gulfnews.comCategory: Aftermarket, SUV, Etc., Nissan, Specialty, Middle EastTags: dubai, middle east, modified nissan patrol, nissan, nissan patrol, pat...

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Chrysler Boss Says CAFE Will Make V8s Practically Extinct

Published August 31, 2012By Jeff Cobb While GM is also touting the Volt, it's also promoting its ZL1 Camaro which promises 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds, 184 mph at a relative bargain price of $54,995. Is this a last hurrah for a dying era or are we living in something better than the good old days? Given just-announced federal fuel economy and emissions mandates, and calls for...

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Tesla Contemplating All-Electric Supercar

Published August 30, 2012By Jeff Cobb Hey wait a minute! Isn't Tesla's evolutionary development supposed to be headed lower in price, higher in volume? Yes, and not to worry, says Elon Musk, but it's leaving options open to surpass its Roadster later this decade too. If Europe's exotic car makers are planning near-million-dollar plug-in hybrids, isn’t a “supercar” something...

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New Chevy Volt Sales Record Expected In August

Published August 30, 2012By Jeff Cobb Yes, that's Volt – a Holden-badged one shuttling through the Australian GM division's headquarters lobby. When the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly line re-starts after Oct. 12, it will be ready for fourth-quarter production of Volts for down under. A couple days ago General Motors said it would idle the Detroit-Hamtramck plant where Volts...

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Volkswagen again named tops in Total Quality survey by Strategic Vision

Show full PR text "Volkswagen Has Best Total Quality, Toyota Fewest Problems,"The 2012 Total Quality AwardsSan Diego - Strategic Vision announces results of its 2012 Total Quality Index™ (TQI) study. With the industry best of only 17% of owners reporting problems, Toyota Motor Sales corporation had the lowest reported problems, resulting in Strategic Vision's lowest "Problem Impact Measure" (PIM) score of 4.29, a Strategic Vision metric that examines the report of the problem, the nature (serious, moderate or minor) of the problem, and the...

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2013 Buick Regal gets sizable price hike thanks to standard eAssist

Related Gallery 2011 Buick Regal CXL: Review Show full PR text DETROIT – The 2013 Buick Regal luxury sport sedan arrives at dealerships this fall with a standard advanced eAssist powertrain and 36 highway mpg. Two powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engines give Regal one of the most technologically advanced engine ranges in the brand's history."With eAssist,...

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Debut Of Luxgen EV In Russia

Published August 30, 2012By Philippe Crowe Those in Russia will have the first chance to see Taiwan’s first automotive brand at the Moscow International Automobile Salon 2012 (MIAS) held between Aug. 31 and Sept. 9. The independent Taiwanese automotive brand, known as Luxgen, will presents what it calls “the intelligent model lineup from Taiwan.” The Luxgen brand was established by the Yulon Group to merge Taiwan’s auto and information technology industries for, as the company states, creating a new generation of forward thinking, environmentally...

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MIT Charged By CarCharging

Published August 30, 2012By Philippe Crowe Car Charging Group, Inc. now provides EV charging services at three locations at University Park at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This is done through the company’s partnership with Forest City Enterprises, Inc. Charging services are now available at parking garages located at 30 Pilgrim Street, 55 Pilgrim Street, and 80 Landsdowne Street on the University Park campus. "We are excited to support Forest City's green initiatives at their properties and provide electric vehicle charging services at MIT,"...

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Lada VAZ 2106 Low Rider

S4 / 1.569 cc / 75 PS / 89 lb/ft (120 Nm) @ 3.000 / 0 - 62 mph (100 km/h): 16,0 s / Vmax: 96 mph (155 km/h)(click images for a larger view) <iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http://onlycarsandcars.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/lada-vaz-2106-low-rider.html&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=false&amp;width=100&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light"...

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eAssist To Boost Buick Regal’s MPG

Published August 30, 2012By Philippe Crowe General Motors has announced the 2013 Buick Regal luxury sport sedan will arrive at dealerships this fall with a standard advanced eAssist powertrain. “With eAssist, Buick is redefining what a ‘conventional powertrain’ means to customers,” said eAssist global Chief Engineer Stephen Poulos. “It changes the fuel economy – but not the experience – for the 97 percent of new car buyers who aren’t buying hybrids.” GM says where a hybrid requires a complex system of large, heavy batteries and electric motors,...

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Fisker Hosts Gathering Of Karma Owners

Published August 29, 2012By Philippe Crowe Fisker Automotive hosted owners of its Karma sedan at the company’s global headquarters in Anaheim, Calif. over the weekend. This was the first time the company held such an event and it was done during an owner appreciation day organized in cooperation with Fisker of Orange County, the company’s highest-volume Fisker retailer. Fisker of Orange County, part of the Shelley Automotive Group in Southern California, has sold almost 100 Karma models since the car went on sale in December 2011. Karma owners...

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Transport Scotland Joins EV Charging Network

Published August 29, 2012By Philippe Crowe Transport Scotland, the country’s transportation agency, has announced that all 500 of its existing free-to-use electric vehicle (EV) charge points are to be added to the Charge Your Car network. In addition, a further 250 charge points will be installed across Scotland and connected to Charge Your Car by March 2013, more than doubling the size of the Charge Your Car network. Transport Scotland purchased the OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol) compliant charge points from manufacturers (in alphabetical...

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235-Mpg 2014 VW XL1 Caught in Spy Photos

Published August 29, 2012By Jeff Cobb Work on precursors to the (sub) 1-liter XL1 dates back to 2002. Volkswagen may have refused to sign just-announced U.S. efficiency mandates in protest to alleged discriminatory practices, but its Euro-market 235 mpg XL1 diesel plug-in hybrid caught road testing is partial proof VW does not intend to be left behind. You may have seen...

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BMW i8 Spyder Concept Coming To LA Auto Show

Published August 29, 2012By Jeff Cobb BMW’s i8 Spyder plug-in hybrid concept is due to make its first U.S. appearance at the LA Auto show this fall. Originally speculation had it that the car would bow at the NY auto show, but in combing the Internet for news, yesterday AutoGuide found a tweet from the LA Auto Show confirming its inaugural appearance late November-early December on the west coast, not east. The outrageous Spyder is a premier example from BMW’s pending line of electrified i cars. It is said to serve up 0-60 mph times of 4.9 seconds...

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California Eliminates 7,112 Nonessential Vehicles

Published August 28, 2012By Philippe Crowe It looks like the state of California took a step to reduce both its emissions and its vehicle expenses. The Department of General Services today announced that Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.’s executive order to eliminate unnecessary state vehicles has led departments to cut 7,112 vehicles from the state fleet. The reduction included 4,204 passenger cars and light duty trucks, which alone is expected to save the state more than $12.6 million annually in fuel, insurance and depreciation costs. “We have...

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E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid Awarded Environmental Certificate

Published August 28, 2012By Philippe Crowe As it celebrates its market launch, the E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID has also obtained its Environmental Certificate in accordance with ISO standard 14062. This award is based on a life cycle assessment, in which the independent inspectors of TÜV Süd subject the vehicle to comprehensive tests covering the entire life cycle. The E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID, is Mercedes-Benz’ first diesel passenger car to feature a hybrid drive. The model is rated in energy efficiency class A+ and has now received the Environmental Certificate...

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BMW 3200 Michelotti Vignale

V8 / 3.168 cc / 150 PS / Vmax: 127 mph (205 km/h) / one-off collector piece(click images for a larger view) <iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http://onlycarsandcars.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/bmw-3200-michelotti-vignale.html&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=false&amp;width=100&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light"...

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Corvette-Quick Electric Skateboard Ready For The Neighborhood?

Published August 28, 2012By Jeff Cobb Gnarboard versus C5 Corvette to 75 feet distance. Zero to 28 mph in 1.9 seconds. Not quite ready to pay for a $32,000-plus EV, but still want to get around on four wheels with all-electric power? This soon-to-be available board is definitely not for everyone – and if you’re an accomplished board rider that would help – but the $2,900-$4,000...

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Auto loan delinquency rates at historic lows

News Source: Los Angeles TimesImage Credit: Kevork Djansezian/GettyCategory: Car Buying, Earnings/FinancialsTags: auto loan, car buying, car loan debt, car loans, delinquency, delinquincy rate, repo ...

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IIHS Is Encouraging Advanced Collision Avoidance Systems

Published August 28, 2012By Jeff Cobb A growing number of new vehicles – be they alternative energy powered or not – are making advanced crash avoidance technologies available and the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) is encouraged by this. In fact, the IIHS is actively encouraging their adaptation through several ongoing efforts, including its new interactive Web page for consumers to browse and see whether the car they might be getting has such features as forward collision avoidance, adaptive headlights, lane departure warning, or...

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Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Review

By Larry E. HallToyota – after years of doggedly stating that the Prius hybrid system was not compatible with a plug-in system, and repeatedly warning that lithium-battery-powered plug-in hybrids were too costly and the technology unproven – began delivering the Prius Plug-in Hybrid in March. Easily the most recognized hybrid on American roads, Toyota’s hybrid followers are cheering the automaker’s decision to finally plug in the Prius.As the hybrid pioneer and leader, it makes sense that Toyota would make the step to the next cost-effective gasoline-electric...

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Coda Sedans Recalled For Faulty Airbag Installation

Published August 27, 2012By Jeff Cobb California start-up Coda Automotive is issuing a recall of 78 of its limited-production electric cars due to improperly installed side curtain airbags. The recall has been filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the main concern is the airbags might not deploy, thus risking safety during an accident. The voluntary recall for its 2012 model year vehicles begins with the VIN of 53G1U4A48CB000026 (number 26) and extends to certain units up to 53G1U4A48CB000260 (number 260). "Certain...

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Puerto Rico Slashes Excise Taxes on Hybrids and EVs

Published August 27, 2012By Jeff Cobb Puerto Rico’s main revenue source is taxation of its people. Excise taxes are presently levied on items including lottery winnings, cigarettes, liquor, hotel rooms, cement, imports and vehicles. That notwithstanding, Puerto Rico wants to cut combustible fuel usage, and to encourage its citizens to do so, has just added to existing excise tax breaks for the purchase of a hybrid or all-electric vehicle. The new law signed by Gov. Luis G. Fortuno grants a rebate on the excise tax that’s a good deal for hybrids,...

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Prius C Eligible for College Graduates Rebate Program

Published August 27, 2012By Philippe Crowe Toyota Financial Services (TFS), in partnership with Toyota Motor Sales, announced last week that the new Prius C is its first hybrid vehicle able to take advantage of the company’s College Grad Rebate Program. In the financial institution’s words, TFS for recent grad hopes to make the transition from college to workforce easier and more affordable by offering a $1,000 rebate to qualified college graduates toward the purchase of any new Scion models and select new Toyota vehicles, including the Camry...

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Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow 2-door Saloon by H. J. Mulliner, Park Ward Ltd

V8 / 6.750 cc / 200 PS / 406 ft/lb (550 Nm) @ 1.750 / 0  - 62 mph (100 km/h): 11,0 s / Vmax: 118 mph (190 km/h) / this car is for sale, the price: CHF 69.000(click images for a larger view) <iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http://onlycarsandcars.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/rolls-royce-silver-shadow-2-door-saloon.html&amp;layout=standard&amp;show_faces=false&amp;width=100&amp;action=like&amp;font=arial&amp;colorscheme=light"...

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