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Race cars are going hybrid these days. Formula One racers store regenerated brake energy. Porsche packs a flywheel into the 911 GT3 R. Just the other day, Toyota unveiled its new TS030 Hybrid endurance prototype. And now even Jim Glickenhaus’ one-off Ferrari-powered, Pininfarina-designed P4/5 Competizione is said to be getting a hybrid powertrain.

Emerging reports from Europe indicate that the GT prototype is preparing to return to the Nürburgring-based VLN series, but this time, it’ll be packing some electric boost. That bit is tipped to come from a system provided by Magneti Marelli that’s similar to the Kinetic Energy Recovery System it developed for Scuderia Ferrari for use in F1. The 4.0-liter V8 will continue providing principal motivation, but the added jolt of power could be just what the team needs to conquer the Green Hell with green(er) propulsion.

Pininfarina P4/5 Competizione going hybrid?

Despite the popular saying, history cannot simply repeated. So, when faced with the possibility of losing the entire classic collection of cars that had made up the official Saab museum in Trollhättan after the officials in charge of the automaker’s bankruptcy proceedings threatened to break it up, a few organizations stepped up to the plate to keep it together.

According to a report from Autocar, the city of Trollhattan, SAAB AB and The Wallenberg Foundation came up with the $4.05 million required to purchase the entire collection outright. A total of 120 cars are included, including the Ur-Saab, which is the first automobile built by the Swedish company.

Trollhättan buys entire classic Saab collection to preserve museum

Among other things, Audi is known for the brash and bold styling elements of its front fascias. From the giant chiseled trapezoid grille to its highly stylized LED headlamps, there’s no mistaking the face of an Audi for anything else on the road.

Audi’s LED lighting will be on full display during the upcoming Super Bowl as the German automaker has purchased a 60-second plot of airtime during the first quarter, marking the fifth year in a row that Audi has advertised during the big game.

If those eyes truly are the windows to the soul, the 420-horsepower 4.0-liter TFSI V8 nestled behind the peepers of the 2013 Audi S7 is one soul we’re eagerly looking forward to seeing stirred during SB XLVI on February 5th. In the meantime, we’ll just have to live with the press release after the break and the image above, which you can enlarge with a click of the mouse.

Continue reading Audi Super Bowl ad will star S7 and LED lighting

Audi Super Bowl ad will star S7 and LED lighting

Bentley has at last debuted its latest beast at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. The Continental GT V8 arrived in the Motor City boasting a new compact 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 under its hood. With 500 horsepower and 481 pound-feet of torque on tap, the ultra-luxury coupe offers buyers heaps of performance in an efficient package. Well, efficient by Bentley standards, anyway. The company says the Continental GT V8 has an effective range of 500 miles, which translates to roughly 21 mpg. That’s not a Prius-besting figure by any stretch, but it’s far from embarrassing given the globe-spinning amount of power on tap.

Much of that efficiency comes from the fact that the 4.0-liter V8 makes use of cylinder deactivation when the driver maintains speed or decelerates. The engine automatically drops to four-cylinder power in those situations, though the remaining cylinders pick up the instant the driver tips into the throttle.

Bentley says the Conti V8 can jump to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds on its way to a top speed of 188 mph thanks in part to its eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive system. The company also says the Continental GT V8 and the Continental GTC V8 will be sold right alongside the standard Continental GT models with their more potent W12 engine. Click past the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Bentley Continental GT V8 brings the motor to Motor City

Bentley Continental GT V8 brings the motor to Motor City

The Koenigsegg Agera is one stupendously quick supercar. It can travel from a dead stop to 186 miles per hour and back down to zero in a scant 21.19 seconds. That’s not even enough time to sit through a car insurance commercial.

The Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 isn’t quite as quick, but it can boast some serious performance chops all its own. The race-ready 911 can hit 62 miles per hour in just 3.6 seconds, and a trip to 120 miles per hour takes only 11.5 seconds.

But while the GT3 RS 4.0 can’t quite keep up with the Agera once the rubber starts rolling, this athletic Porsche can stop a bit more quickly. The GT3 RS 4.0 has reportedly beaten the Agera’s braking record of 186 mph to zero in 6.66 seconds, and we have the video that proves it. Hit the jump to watch the speedometer plunge from 186 mph to zero in only 6.5 seconds.

Continue reading Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 claims new braking record

Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 claims new braking record

Which were the best-performing brands and automakers in 2011? We’ll tell you, and the answers may be surprising. The top two best-performing brands surprised us. Jeep led the pack with a 44.04-percent sales increase for the year, followed by Mitsubishi, whose sales jumped 40.07 percent.

Behind those two are the two brands we knew early on would have great years: Kia and Volkswagen. Kia gained significant ground on fellow South Korean automaker Hyundai last year by posting a larger sales increase for the year, 36.27 percent to 19.97 percent, respectively. Volkswagen, meanwhile, proved everyone wrong who questioned its decision to make the redesigned Jetta more cost competitive with a sales gain of 26.21 percent for the year on the back of that little compact car’s 54.5-percent increase in sales.

The bottom of our table is also not surprisingly occupied almost entirely by Toyota, Honda and their luxury brands, which are joined by Infiniti and Lincoln. One could too easily argue that Toyota’s and Honda’s sales trouble in the U.S. last year had everything to do with natural disasters and their effect on production, but that would be ignoring their aging fleet of products, some not-so-well-received redesigns and how much more fierce their competition has become.

Finally, since we teased you last month with a select group of particular sales races we were interested in, we thought we’d let you know which models won.

• 2011 Best-Selling Minivan: Toyota Sienna (111,429), Dodge Caravan (110,862)
• 2011 Best-Selling Pony Car: Chevrolet Camaro (88,249), Ford Mustang (70,438)
• 2011 Best-Selling Small Car: Toyota Corolla (240,258) vs. Chevy Cruze (231,732)
• 2011 Best-Selling Mid-Size Sedan behind Camry (308,510) and Altima (268,981): Ford Fusion (248,067), Honda Accord (235,625)

*Brands and companies are displayed in descending order according to their percentage change in volume sales. There were 307 selling days in 2011 and 306 selling days in 2010, so the change in monthly sales volume will be different than the change in average daily sales rate (DSR) for each brand/company.

2011: Onward and Upward Edition

The December sales numbers are in, most of them anyway, and what we’re seeing is an end to the year that largely mirrors the months that came before.

Our usual players are at the top of the list in green, including Chrysler, which lead all brands last month with an 82.56-percent increase in monthly sales to end the year. Credit goes to the redesigned 200 sedan, which sold over 760% more units in December than the Sebring did the year before, and the redesigned 300, which itself enjoyed a 242% increase in sales.

Not far behind are other brands that have been performing well all year long, like Kia with a 42.52-percent gain in sales (the Soul eclipsed the 100,000 annual sales mark in December by selling 9,624 units), and Volkswagen with a 36.18-percent jump.

Last month we also witnessed the last few gasps of breath for Saab, which packed it in by selling just 270 units in December. Other brands that have been operating in the red band of our spectrum all year long finished much the same way. Toyota barely eeked out more sales than the year before with a slight 1.9-percent gain, while its luxury division Lexus, as well as Honda and Acura, were all behind their 2010 numbers.

NYR = Not Yet Reported

*Brands and companies are displayed in descending order according to their percentage change in volume sales. There were 27 selling days in December 2011 and 27 selling days in December 2010, so the change in monthly sales volume will be the same as the change in average daily sales rate (DSR) for each brand/company.

December 2011: Same As It Ever Was Edition

Porsche has announced that it will continue development on its innovative 911 GT3 R Hybrid, delivering a new third-generation model in 2012 in an effort “…to gain extra practical experience under racing conditions and make the hybrid drive even more efficient.”

The rolling race laboratory, as the automaker prefers to call it, ran the 2011 season in second-generation trim. That version used a 470 horsepower gasoline-powered 4.0-liter flat-six to drive the rear wheels and 202 horsepower worth of electric motors to drive the front wheels – with electricity generated by a 36,000 rpm flywheel mounted on the passenger side of the cabin. With a curb weight of just 2,866 pounds and total system power of 672 horsepower, the all-wheel-drive Porsche GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 accelerated to 60 mph in about 2.5 seconds.

We drove Porsche’s 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 at the famed Estoril race circuit outside of Lisbon, Portugal, just last month. Despite the second-generation model being the answer to all of our enthusiast prayers, we assume Porsche will reduce the overall weight of the system, increase the duration of the boost and reduce the deafening noise level in the cabin. There’s always room for improvement.

While we don’t expect the 911 GT3 R Hybrid 3.0 to be there, Porsche’s factory-supported teams kick off the 2012 season in 911 GT3 Cup cars at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in late January.

Continue reading Porsche approves development of third-generation 911 GT3 R Hybrid

Porsche approves development of third-generation 911 GT3 R Hybrid

There are plenty of “find my car” apps for both Android and iOS, but all of them require you to launch the app, drop a pin and hope the GPS signal is strong enough to be pinpoint accurate.
But a new project listed on the crowd-funded site Kickstarter aims to change that by using the power of the newest version of Bluetooth.

Find My Car Smart incorporates the new Bluetooth 4.0 standard that’s currently used on the iPhone 4S. Bluetooth 4.0 is the new low-energy, low-latency version of the connectivity standard, which will see widespread adoption in the next year. The possible applications range from proximity sensors to health monitors, or in this case, finding your car at the airport.

By installing a small, USB-powered Bluetooth adapter in your vehicle, all you need to do is walk away, and Find My Car Smart tracks where you left your vehicle in the background.

The app has already been approved by Apple and is available in the App Store, but until FMC reaches its $10,000 funding goal on Kickstarter and the Bluetooth dongle is available, it’s not functional. Learn more at the company’s Kickstarter page.

Find My Car Smart app makes finding your car fast, hassle-free

The Bentley Continental GT and GTC V8 has been unwrapped and it’s a kinder, gentler bulldog that makes do with “just” 500 horsepower and 481 pound-feet from its 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8. That is down 20 horsepower and up just 8 pound-feet from the output of the Audi S8, with which it shares the innovatively-packaged, cylinder-deactivating V8. We’re going to guess that’s to leave unquestionable space between it and the 631-hp Continental GT, and so Bentley could reach its 40 percent improvement goal with respect to emissions and gas mileage.

Specific numbers aren’t divulged just yet, but it will get from standstill to 60 mph in under five seconds and will go more than 500 miles on a tank. Unless the tank size has changed from the 24-gallon receptacle in the big daddy W12, which we doubt, that means the V8 is good for at least 21 miles per gallon.

You’ll be able to tell this one apart by its black grille with chrome accents, red Bentley “B” badge (red badges were traditionally used on sportier Bentleys, so we’re not sure if that’s meant to be a sign of this coupe’s performance vs. the W12) and reworked treatment of the lower grille. The package rides on 20-inch wheels, same size as the flagship GT, but in back you’ll find “figure-eight” tailpipes (which will quickly be swapped for something less obvious) and another red badge.

Both coupe and sedan will introduce themselves to rich buyers and not-so-rich voyeurs at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. You’ll find a press release after the jump with obligatory references to inconceivable colors like Dark Fiddleback Eucalyptus, and a high-res gallery of photos for much more understandable pleasures above.

Continue reading Bentley bringing 500-hp, twin-turbo V8 Continental to Detroit

Bentley bringing 500-hp, twin-turbo V8 Continental to Detroit

U.S. auto sales during the month November were up on the backs of companies like Chrysler, Volkswagen and Kia, all three of which reported major gains for their respective brands. The Chrysler Group in particular posted positive numbers for all four of its brands, including a spectacular 92.23-percent rise in sales for the Chrysler brand itself. Volkswagen and Kia didn’t perform quite as well, but each managed gains of around 40 percent.

This time, Honda stands alone as the only major automaker to post a sales decline in November. The Japanese automaker’s brands (Honda and Acura) together posted a drop of 6.35 percent. Toyota, which had been keeping Honda company they each struggled with restoring production after this year’s series of natural disasters, had a relatively decent November with identical gains of 6.68 percent for both Toyota and Lexus.

Being the second-last month of the year, you may be interested to know how some close model-to-model sales races are shaping up. Here are the year-to-date sales races that will be decided in the last month of sales, as well as always-interesting Camaro versus Mustang numbers.

• Best-Selling Minivan: Toyota Sienna (99,865) vs. Dodge Caravan (98,983)
• Best-Selling Pony Car: Chevrolet Camaro (81,495) vs. Ford Mustang (65,381)
• Best-Selling Small Car: Toyota Corolla (219,250) vs. Chevy Cruze (215,057)
• #3 Best-Selling Mid-Size (behind Camry and Altima): Ford Fusion (226,445) vs. Honda Accord (217,958)

*Brands and companies are displayed in descending order according to their percentage change in volume sales. There were 25 selling days in November 2011 and 24 selling days in November 2010, so the change in monthly sales volume will be different than the change in average daily sales rate (DSR) for each brand/company.

November 2011: Black Friday Edition

We know, we know. We miss Top Gear, too. But it’ll be another month or so before the hit BBC program comes back for another season. Fortunately, that’s what Fifth Gear is for.

The Channel 5 program was launched in 2002 when BBC canceled the original Top Gear. The better-known program came back on later that year, but by then, Channel 5 had already poached a few of Clarkson’s former co-hosts and started its own show.

In the latest segment, former Top Gear host and racing driver Tiff Needell has taken to the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 – the ultimate in-car-nation of the previous Elfen – on a wet track. (It is, after all, in England. And it’s not the summer.) To say he enjoyed the experience would be an understatement, but we’ll let you see that for yourself in the video after the jump.

Continue reading Tiff Needell hoons it up in the Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0

Tiff Needell hoons it up in the Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0

Android owners with a USB-equipped vehicle might not get all the connected benefits of their iPhone-touting friends, but at least they could plug in to access their tunes. Now it seems that Google’s latest flagship won’t even do that.

Speaking with the throngs on Reddit, Android engineer Dan Morrill confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus can’t support USB mass storage. Unlike other Android devices equipped with an SD card, your vehicle’s infotainment system would mount your smartphone and recognize it as a drive. That’s not the case with the Galaxy Nexus due to a new partition setup.

Thankfully, other devices upgraded to Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) won’t be affected by the issue, so Nexus S owners can sleep soundly. Of course, Bluetooth playback will still be supported, so that long drive to Grandma’s house on Turkey Day won’t be a tunes-free affair.

Interestingly, one automaker should be immune from the issue: Ford. The automaker’s SYNC 1.0 and 2.0 infotainment systems supports MTP (Media Transfer Protocol), which the Galaxy Nexus uses to transfer files with Windows machines. And as you’ll recall, Microsoft co-developed SYNC with Ford. However, representatives from Ford haven’t been able to confirm if the new Nexus works with their system, and we’ve yet to receive word from other automakers about the issue.

Want USB control of your in-car music? Don’t buy a Galaxy Nexus

When Porsche launches a new 911, it doesn’t just launch one model, it starts a process that will see literally dozens of variants to follow. Some with turbos, some without. Some with all-wheel drive, some driving just the rear. Coupes, convertibles, targas, lightweight models, and yes, even racing versions.

The 911, after all, is one of the most prolific racing cars on circuits around the world. This example, however, is not based on the new 911. What you see here is still based on the old 997. But it is the pinnacle of Porsche Motorsport’s range of customer racing cars.

The new GT3 RSR is built to race in the ACO’s GTE category, making it instantly eligible for competition in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Le Mans Series, the American Le Mans Series and the new FIA World Endurance Championship, as well as the International GT Open and a variety of other series and events.

Its 4.0-liter boxer six drives 460 horsepower (kept in check by a mandatory air restrictor) to the rear wheels via a six-speed sequential gearbox. Porsche has also fitted larger wheels front and rear, and given it a completely new aero package to keep it glued to the tarmac, slicing through the air and at front of the pack.

The best part is that you can buy one yourself. That is, assuming you’ve got half a million euros (about $675k) to spend on a track toy. Either way, you can check it out in the high-res image gallery and the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Porsche launches updated 911 GT3 RSR

Porsche launches updated 911 GT3 RSR

Way back when we were calling the SLS the SLC, the men and women at AMG in Affalterbach were keeping a secret: there would be an SLC in addition to the SLS. The current car that we have had the opportunity to love in coupe and roadster forms is slated to end production in 2015. What will pick up where it leaves off is the SLC, a so-called “baby SLS” with a 4.0-liter V8 and an eight-speed, dual-clutch transmission.

Car magazine predicts the future coupe will have aluminum-intensive construction and be a better performer than the SLS it replaces. It could also be a median point, itself a 911 rival but perhaps serving as the basis for both an SLK variant and some other carbon fiber supercar beyond the SLS that could challenge a McLaren. After the unloved offspring that was the Mercedes McLaren SLR, we’d be in the front row of any grudge match to see if a hotted-up SLC could settle that sore score.

Mercedes greenlights 911 fighter, reviving SLC name

Used to be if you wanted a proper full-size van, you were looking at something made in Detroit. But just as the Japanese have taken on the full-size pickup market, so are they going after the big van segment. That currently falls to Nissan and its NV range, and the Japanese automaker is showing no signs of relenting.

After preparing the smaller NV for duty as New York City’s future taxi of choice, Nissan has now launched an even bigger version of the van. The NV3500 HD Passenger Van (that’s heavy duty, not high definition) is being built alongside its chassis-mates right here in the United States at Nissan’s Canton, Mississippi, assembly plant, packing all the features and specifications you’d expect from its Big 3 rivals (or, for that matter, from the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter).

That means a flexible twelve-passenger cabin that can, with four rows of seating, be configured in any of 324 arrangements. There are two engine options on offer – a 4.0-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 with 261 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque and a DOHC 32-valve V8 with 317 horsepower and 385 lb-ft of torque – both offering variable valve timing and a 5-speed automatic transmission.

There’s also extensive mobile office capabilities on offer, plus all the electronics you’d expect to find in a smaller passenger vehicle, and class-exclusive side-impact airbags for all four rows of seats. There’s plenty more to digest in the press release after the jump, along with the images in the high-res gallery.

Continue reading Nissan unveils new NV3500 HD passenger van

Nissan unveils new NV3500 HD passenger van

There’s no shortage of automotive publications seeking to crown their own Car of the Year. And of course, each has their own criteria on which to base their decision. But for performance parameters, Evo does a more impressive job than most.

The British car mag does away with the minivans and the crossovers and focuses only on high performance machinery – regardless of price point – so when it comes down to naming the Evo Car of the Year, they have no trouble assembling the best driving machines that have come out in the past twelve months. Naming just one winner, though, is another matter entirely.

This year, the Evo team brought the very best the industry has to offer down to Portugal’s Portimao circuit, and the crop of nominees was something to behold:

• Aston Martin V8 Vantage S
• BMW 1 Series M Coupe
• BMW M5
• Ferrari FF
• Jaguar XKR-S
• Lamborghini Aventador
• Lotus Elise CR
• McLaren MP4-12C
• Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0
• Porsche Cayman R
• Renaultsport Megane 265 Trophy

You’ll have to pick up the latest issue to find out which driving machine won out over such distinguished rivals, but we’ll ask you: Based on what you know about these cars, which do you think should win? Follow the jump to watch the drool-worthy video footage and cast your vote in our poll.

Continue reading EVO shortlists its 2011 Car of the Year [w/poll]

EVO shortlists its 2011 Car of the Year [w/poll]

As a bone-stock machine, the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is an impressive piece of engineering, but that doesn’t mean that the platform can’t be improved upon. The crew from Stewart’s Race Works has turned its fabricating skills toward creating a luxury prerunner version of he go-anywhere pickup, and the result is nothing short of astounding. With a massive 90-inch track width and suitably epic amounts of wheel travel, this Raptor is filled with custom, one-off parts. The front suspension boasts 26-inches of travel while the rear flexes out at around 31 inches thanks in part to billet aluminum A-arms up front and a set of Fox Racing 4.0 external bypass shocks and three-inch coil springs.

A 600-horsepower Patton racing engine resides under the custom hood and is bolted to a built 4L80 automatic transmission. Though two-wheel drive, the truck features a four-link suspension in the rear for the most travel possible.

Inside, the cabin is fitted with GPS, and MP3/iPod capable audio system, six-way power adjustable seats and more electronic goodies. We want one.

Raceworks Ford Raptor Luxury Prerunner

Toyota has given SEMA 2011 visitors a glimpse at a pre-production version of the company’s Tacoma TRD T/X Limited Edition. The newest addition to the Tacoma line is set to begin production in late spring of next year and will offer buyers a 4.0-liter V6 engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic. An electronically controlled locking rear differential provides extra grip over uncertain terrain while active traction control, hill-descent control and hill-start assist control should help make things easier on the driver. The whole thing should breathe a bit easier and sound a bit better thanks to the standard TRD exhaust, too.

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO tires are mounted on bead-lock style wheels, and 60 mm Bilstein race shocks paired with TRD springs up front help give the pickup a little more flex. The Tacoma TRD TX Limited Edition is fitted with 50 mm shocks in the rear with a remote reservoir and the front end rides two inches higher than its stablemates.

Lest we forget, there are also those rather loud bodyside graphics…

Continue reading Toyota Tacoma TRD T/X Baja Series Limited Edition headed for dealers

Toyota Tacoma TRD T/X Baja Series Limited Edition headed for dealers

In spite of believing we have a decent idea about what the fairer sex really wants, we’re frequently faced with correction: “You thought that’s what we wanted, but we actually want this other thing…” It’s happened again courtesy of female staffers at Motor Trend, who’ve laid out six “Cars that catch girls’ eyes.”

The piece is headed by a pic of the Porsche 911 GT3 4.0, but that’s not on the list. The Subaru Outback pictured above, however, is. Yes, it gets weirder from there. And while the list might, like Maroon 5, make you wonder, the comments are not to be missed. Any article that can elicit “gunna run out and git me an accord so i’s can fetch me a lady !!!” deserves a look, no?

The women of Motor Trend tell us which cars catch their eyes