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Word is that Land Rover is considering a brawnier version of the company’s new Evoque. Autocar reports that engineers have already snugged a 300 horsepower version of the Ford Ecoboost 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine into the CUV’s engine bay. David Mitchell, program director for the vehicle, has already driven the high-performance mule and says that the chassis can take the extra power. Still, the project hasn’t been given the green light. According to the UK publication, the biggest hangup is that Land Rover doesn’t really have the marketing structure in place for a performance variation.

Currently, the company’s sportier models are branded with the Supercharged moniker, but that’s something that clearly wouldn’t work on a turbocharged four-cylinder model. Autocar quotes Mitchell as saying that Land Rover would have to look into alternative badging or even a sub-brand for the more athletic Evoque. Currently, the most powerful Evoque available comes with a considerably more modest 237 horsepower.

300-horsepower Range Rover Evoque in the cards?

General Motors has formally established its first-ever car-sharing gig by signing a deal with peer-to-peer specialist RelayRides. GM’s head of business development initiatives, Bob Tiderington, remarked:

We could stand on the sidelines and watch or we could choose to participate and try to make it into a favorable business model, which in this particular case, we have.

General Motors intends to adapt its OnStar tech to facilitate peer-to-peer car sharing through RelayRides. With OnStar in their vehicle, owners wishing to join the RelayRides car-sharing program will no longer have to install a separate device that allows entry and use of the vehicle.

When the peer-to-peer scheme kicks off in early 2012, all General Motors vehicles built after 2010 and equipped with OnStar will be peer-to-peer-ready, says Tiderington. That’s approximately 1.7 million vehicles that could transform into peer-to-peer automobiles overnight, at least in theory.

The breakthrough here is that RelayRides will no longer have to equip participating vehicles with an add-on device that lets a renter access it with a membership card. With OnStar, the service can be turned on with no more than a couple of movements and clicks of a mouse.

Continue reading GM, RelayRides using OnStar to open up peer-to-peer car-sharing

GM, RelayRides using OnStar to open up peer-to-peer car-sharing

Even the plucky Mazda MX-5 isn’t safe from the temptation of a black edition. Mazda has just rolled out a Black Tuned Roadster in Japan, complete with a little more style than your run-of-the-mill convertible. The package is largely aesthetic thanks to the addition of a Brilliant Black retractable hard top roof and door mirrors as well as Gun Metallic 17-inch alloy wheels. Inside, both the seats and the steering wheel are covered in black leather with sand-colored contrasting stitching. Mazda is only offering the Black Tuned Roadster in three colors; Spirited Green Metallic, Velocity Red Mica and Crystal White Pearl Mica. But not… ummm… black.

As befitting a retractable hard top model, the Black Tuned Roadster comes as loaded as they get with standard gear like a Bose sound system and heated front buckets. Mazda isn’t saying how many of the models it plans to build, but we do know that base models come with a six-speed manual transmission while a six-speed automatic is also available. Japanese buyers can expect to shell out ¥2,904,762 for the machine (around $37,896 at current conversion rates). Hit the jump for the press release.

Continue reading Mazda MX-5 Miata gets Black Tuned for Japan

Mazda MX-5 Miata gets Black Tuned for Japan

The 2013 Ford Escape is set to bow at the Los Angeles Auto Show next month, but we don’t have to wait several weeks for engine options. The Ford Story (a Ford-run blog) reports that the next Escape (Ford Vertrek concept from 2011 Detroit Auto Show shown above) will feature three four-cylinder engine options, with two of those four-pots being of the turbocharged kind.

The base engine will be the carryover 2.5-liter four-cylinder model, but the two EcoBoost mills will likely garner the most attention. The turbocharged 1.6-liter model, which is already a big success in Europe, will fill out the middle of the range. With the EcoBoost 1.6 under the hood, the 2013 Escape will best the current Escape Hybrid’s 31 highway miles per gallon, while still producing up to 180 horsepower. That couldn’t come as much of a surprise, since even the larger and more powerful 2.0-liter EcoBoost manages 30 mpg highway under the hood of the much heavier Ford Edge.

Speaking of the 2.0-liter EcoBoost, you can expect this 247-horsepower mill at the top of the 2013 Escape food chain. With all that horsepower and usable (275 pound-feet) torque, we’re guessing Escape buyers won’t miss the 3.0-liter V6 and it’s measly 223 lb-ft one bit. And like we said, if the Edge can manage 30 mpg, we’re guessing that engineers can eek out a bit more efficiency under the hood of the next Escape.

2013 Ford Escape to be four-cylinder only, two EcoBoost options

Using portable emissions equipment, a wide sampling of cars and bikes from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s and with the help of Dr. Kent Johnson of UC Riverside, the Mythbusters team claims they proved motorcycles are dirtier than cars.

Doing so meant gathering data in real-world driving conditions along a 75-percent freeway, 25-percent city driving loop in and on the vehicles from different eras. The results of that test proved one thing that everyone should already know: motorcycles use less fuel than cars.

They also produce less carbon dioxide than cars, which accounts for 90 percent of a vehicle’s emissions. Where cars pull ahead, though, is in the amount of other noxious gases they produce. The Mythbusters found that bikes produce tons more hydrocarbons, which are carcinogenic; nitrogen oxides, which cause acid rain; and carbon monoxide, everyone’s favorite odorless deadly gas. Astoundingly, the ‘busters claim bikes produce up to 8,000 percent more carbon monoxide than cars. Yes, 8,000 percent.

A controlled test on a track using a small displacement, fuel injected modern bike didn’t give two wheelers the help the ‘busters thought it would.To give bikes another chance, Jamie and Adam built an aerodynamic frame to make the modern bike sip even more gently through the wind. The result, predictably, was that the emissions got a little better, but were still worse than the car’s. See the videos for yourself after the break.

Continue reading Mythbusters answers which is greener, cars or motorcycles?

Mythbusters answers which is greener, cars or motorcycles?

A high-performance version of the zero-emissions Tesla Model S sedan will reportedly be available immediately from the vehicle’s launch in 2012, giving Tesla a rival to the ultimate of Ultimate Driving Machines: the BMW M5.

Tesla chief executive officer Elon Musk reportedly confirmed the Model S Sport launch alongside the unveiling of the near-production-ready electric sedan at an exclusive event for Model S reservation holders in Silicon Valley, CA.

According to Green Car Reports, Musk says the $80,000 high-performance version of the Model S will be offered with a battery pack sized at 85-kWh to give the sedan a 300-mile range. The Sport version will come equipped with enhancements that cut its 0 to 60-mph time from 5.5 to somewhere between 4.4 and 4.6 seconds.

Additionally, Musk confirmed the Model S will be offered with optional aerodynamic wheels, boosting range to 320 miles. Tesla’s CEO stated:

People were skeptical about whether we could build an electric car with a 300-mile range. And we’ve gone and made one with a 320-mile range.

Tesla has also promised to equip the Model S with seating for up to seven and by fitting the sedan with a battery pack that can be swapped out by Tesla at suitable sites along major freeways. All to please Wall Street Journal scribe Dan Neil.

In closing, Musk stated:

The goal with the Model S was to build the best car, not just the best electric vehicle. It can seat seven, has got two boots, a really low center of gravity; no-one thought any of this was possible. I’m proud of this car and it’s a revolution that I hope the rest of the industry will follow.

We like it, too. In our humble opinion, the Model S seems set to become the world’s most spectacular zero-emissions vehicle. We’ll know more when the car actually hits the road, but it sure looks good “on paper.”

Tesla Model S Sport to rival BMW M5, 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds

The totally redesigned 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas (formerly known as the Civic GX), America’s only natural gas-burning passenger vehicle, will hit Honda dealerships nationwide on October 18 with a starting MSRP $26,155, (*excluding a $750 destination fee). Add in navigation, and the Civic Natural Gas tops out at $27,655 plus $750 for delivery.

A modified version of the 1.8-liter four-cylinder found in the gas-fueled 2012 Civic Sedan and Coupe powers the Civic Natural Gas; a five-speed automatic transmission is standard. The Civic Natural Gas is EPA-rated at 27 city/38 highway/31 combined miles per gasoline-gallon equivalent. Compared against the 2011 Civic GX, the 2012 Natural Gas delivers a 12.5-percent improvement in city fuel efficiency and a 5.5-percent bump on the highway.

But here’s the crucial question: How does the Civic Natural Gas stack up against its green sibling, the Civic Hybrid? Well, the Civic Hybrid starts at $24,800, so it’s cheaper than the Natural Gas Civic and, at an EPA-estimated 44 mpg in all driving conditions, the gas-electric version is more fuel efficient. But for residents of California, where unlimited access to HOV lanes adds thousands of dollars to a car’s value, the Honda Civic Natural Gas Civic might still be the logical choice. Hit the jump for the official press blast.

Continue reading 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas priced from $26,155*

2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas priced from $26,155*

It’s not often that cars and whiskey cross paths on these pages, but it does happen. One distillery manager began charging his EV off of spent barley. Another blended special bottles for Formula One drivers. Now Porsche Design has teamed with Johnnie Walker for the exclusive scotch packages you see here.

The Johnnie Walker Blue Label Collection by Porsche Design Studio includes three items. The collection starts out with The Chiller, a case made of brushed titanium and blue leather to hold one square bottle of Walker’s finest blend. Its top turns into an ice bucket. next is The Cube, whose top also turns into an ice bucket, but its larger encompasses an individually-numbered bottle of Blue Label, four crystal tumblers, and a set of stainless-steel tongs.

The piece de resistance, however, is the Private Bar: a six-and-a-half-foot-tall tower of titanium, glass and leather. It opens and pivots 180 degrees automatically (via electronic sensors) to reveal three bottles of Blue Label, four illuminated crystal tumblers, chilled water and an ice bucket.

All three items were styled by Porsche Design at its studio in Austria, and they don’t come cheap. The Chiller and The Cube sell for £240 ($375) and £490 ($770) respectively through a selection of high-end retailers in London. The Private Bar is available for about $150,000 by special order. Check them out for yourselves in the attached photo gallery and the pair of press releases after the jump.

Continue reading Porsche Design raises the bar with Johnnie Walker Blue Label Collection

Porsche Design raises the bar with Johnnie Walker Blue Label Collection

After our first drive of the Hyundai Veloster, we described the three-door hatch as an ‘eco-sport’ rather than an ‘all-out performance car’. The 1.6-liter four-pot under the hood produces 138 horsepower and 123 pound-feet torque, which provided ‘adequately entertaining’ acceleration. In other words, we wouldn’t mind one bit if the Veloster got an extra dose of power.

The folks over at ARK Performance were thinking the same thing, and are set to debut a custom Veloster at SEMA in November with an extra dose of oomph under the hood. The additional ponies – 210 in total – comes courtesy of intercooled turbocharger system and a high-flow exhaust system. ARK has also worked over the rest of the Veloster with six-piston front brakes, coilover suspension system, custom Alcantara interior and a widebody kit with green and grey graphics.

You can check out the full list of upgrades after the jump, and be on the lookout for live coverage of the car at the SEMA Show come November.

Continue reading Custom turbocharged Hyundai Veloster to bow at SEMA

Custom turbocharged Hyundai Veloster to bow at SEMA

Your dream of owning a $45,000 Lotus plug-in minicar could become a reality in 2013. If that’s truly your dream, then you’ll be thrilled to know that the extended-range Lotus Ethos will reportedly hit U.S. dealerships in late 2013 as a Model Year 2014 vehicle.

Unveiled at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, Lotus’ minicar concept, now called the Ethos, will enter the production cycle in 2013. That’s official. However, word of the Ethos coming to the U.S. has not been confirmed by the automaker.

In production form, the plug-in Ethos is expected to employ a range-extending 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine. Lotus claims the Ethos will have an electric-only range of 37 miles before that range extender swings into action, adding 270 miles of gas-burnin’ action. Top speed checks in at a reported 76 miles per hour and the 0 to 62-mph dash takes nine ticks of the second hand.

So, it’s time to start gearing up for the possible arrival of a $45,000 plug-in minicar with a Lotus badge. We’d be willing to bet that its steep price tag will be a bit of an issue when it comes to racking up sales here in the States.

Lotus Ethos plug-in minicar headed to U.S. in 2013?

Porsche is apparently still working on a new small sports car designed to give the Lotus Elise something to chew on, at least if the reports coming from CAR Magazine are to be believed. Code-named Project Mimo, the vehicle is slated to be positioned below the Boxster and be built on the bones of the rumored Audi R5 and Volkswagen BlueSport convertibles.

CAR reports that all three machines are currently mired in the engineering feasibility stage of production, which means the whole lot could be binned at any moment. Even so, the Mimo is rumored to come with a 1.9-liter flat-four-cylinder engine under its hood.

The Audi, meanwhile, will likely pack a version of the company’s stout inline five-cylinder, leaving the BlueSport to work with whatever green-tilted powerplant Volkswagen can come up with. The small-displacement flat-four in the Mimo will likely be paired with a turbo for something around 210 horsepower, according to CAR. That sounds fun and all, but we like the notion of a Porsche with a price tag of less than the $48,100 the German automaker asks for the Boxster.

Porsche’s Elise-fighter to get 1.9-liter four?

Fun, Form And Function… In That Order

Human beings can be a fickle bunch, especially Americans. Case in point: The five-door hatchback is unarguably one of the best arrangements for an automobile, providing ample room for adult-size occupants and their random detritus without being so large as to significantly impact fuel efficiency or make it difficult to fit into tight places.

And yet we consistently flock to ever-larger vehicles with the biggest, most powerful engines available. We opt for SUVs and crossovers in lieu of wagons and hatches; we ogle over sloping rear greenhouses, high beltlines and severely raked windshields. In short, our decisions are often dictated more by style and perception than the realities of daily life.

But we’re not here to condemn style-conscious consumers. We’re equally as enamored with the latest fashion-forward trends as the next red-blooded enthusiast. But we still have to wonder how far the ooh-it’s-pretty attention spans of car buyers will go before a lack of usability begins to hinder purchase decisions. To help answer that question, we took to the roads in and around Nashville, Tennessee in the 2012 Mini Cooper Coupe.

Continue reading 2012 Mini Cooper Coupe JCW

2012 Mini Cooper Coupe JCW

The Obama Administration will reportedly delay the release of the U.S.’ most ambitious fuel economy proposal ever.

Word is the Department of Transportation and Environmental Protection Agency won’t be able to string together a Corporate Average Fuel Economy draft for Model Year 2017-25 for public comment by the end of this week, as was initially intended. Instead, sources close to the matter claim the proposal won’t be rolled out until November, or possibly even later. But even with the expected delay, the administration should remain on track to meet its deadline of issuing final guidelines by July of 2012.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and EPA are jointly writing the regulations based on the July agreement, which tentatively calls for automakers to hit a CAFE target of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025.

Sources claim regulators are moving slower than anticipated on details of the official proposal to ensure it covers issues likely to be voiced during the public comment period.

White House delaying release of new fuel economy standards

The U.S. Senate approved a stop-gap funding measure to stave off a looming government shut down on Monday. At the same time, lawmakers have also managed to keep from cutting a special fund designed to help automakers retool their manufacturing centers for more fuel-efficient models. The Detroit News reports that Republicans in the House of Representatives wanted to cut funding from the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program to free up funds to direct toward the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Last week, FEMA announced that the agency only had enough funds to carry its relief efforts through Friday. The new stop-gap measure funds FEMA along with the rest of the federal government through November 18.

Democrats in Congress want to use federal funds to spur job creation, especially in the green sector, while Republicans argue that federal spending is already out of control and damaging the nation’s economy. The two groups have repeatedly locked horns over the national budget in the past few months.

Officially, the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program has saved or created around 40,000 jobs since its creation in 2007. Of the $7.2 billion originally set aside for the fund, around $4 billion remains, according to The Detroit News. The money has been used for projects by both Ford and Nissan.

Senate reaches deal to avert government shutdown, preserves auto funds

The Fast and the Fabulous: Menace on the Mediterranean

We want a Bentley to feel both weighted down with that famous wafting substance and yet always ready to spool up fast and hard like an express train when there’s an opportunity to overtake the poor. One could see that as a dilemma for the automaker, as the world jumps on the “lightweight and green” bandwagon. But this, in reality, is a form of special dispensation we allow both Bentley and Rolls-Royce year after year. If Bentleys started feeling light or harried, we’d be less impressed.

We could see closing the roof of the new Bentley Continental GTC when we might, say, want to explore high-speed runs, but even then it would feel inproper; the GTC looks so damned good and inviting with that big roof down, it’d be a crime to enjoy it otherwise. We’ve recorded the roof action for you on video here, but only because it’s sort of required that we have you bear witness to the triple-layered folding lid. We didn’t close the roof once during our two days testing as the GTC is one of the purest forms of life on the sunny side of the street.

Continue reading 2012 Bentley Continental GTC [w/video]

2012 Bentley Continental GTC [w/video]

We haven’t heard much from Tesla of late, but that may be because the upstart electric car maker is hard at work getting the Model S to market, as promised, before the end of 2012. The Model S itself is the product of a $465 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy, but that’s not the last round of loans Tesla has its sights set on.

SF Gate reports that Tesla has asked the DoE for another loan. Tesla spokeswoman Khobi Brooklyn reportedly confirmed that the loan application was completed, adding that the money would be used “in our continued mission to make more affordable electric vehicles.” Tesla hasn’t yet detailed the amount of money that has been requested, nor has it indicated if specific models would be built with the money.

The confirmation of a DoE loan request comes one week after Tesla defended the DoE’s $25 billion clean energy loan program in the wake of the Solyndra solar panel bankruptcy scandal. Tesla points out that the Tesla loan resulted in 1,000 jobs and another 1,000 expected in the year ahead.

Tesla asks for another loan from the Feds

Glancing down the F1 roster this year has lead to a little confusion for many. That’s because there are two teams that lay claim to the Lotus name, and they’re both powered by Renault. The French automaker and engine supplier is stuck in the middle of the naming-rights tug-of-war, but if you were hoping things might be clarified for next season, don’t hold your breath. Because while the real Lotus continues its partnership with Renault over one team (the one in the black and gold in the middle of the pack), Renault has also renewed its partnership with the other Lotus (the one in the green and yellow near the back of the field).

The agreement between Team Lotus and Renault Sport F1 will see the two collaborating (read: the former buying engines from the latter) for another couple of seasons until the end of 2013, and leaves the door open for further collaboration when the new engine regulations take effect. But the new deal also brings Red Bull into the fold, the championship team providing Team Lotus with the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) for the first time since it began racing a couple of years ago.

The inclusion of Red Bull’s KERS in the engine package not only gives Team Lotus a chance at advancing up the grid from its current backmarker position to challenge the teams that already have it farther upfield. But it also further cements Red Bull’s position as Renault’s premier team in place of the other Lotus team that was once the French company’s factory outfit.

Continue reading Team Lotus renews deal with Renault, gets Red Bull KERS

Team Lotus renews deal with Renault, gets Red Bull KERS

Gordon Murray Designs’ latest creation, the Teewave AR1, not only showcases the firm’s engineering capabilities, but also illustrates the point where integrity, lightweighting and electric drive meet.

On the day Project T.32 (the Teewave AR1’s codename) was primed for its Tokyo debut, the automotive world came to know a firm by the name of Toray Industries – one of the world’s leading manufacturers of carbon fiber. Looking around the AR1 reveals plenty of exposed carbon fiber, a visual link with the vehicle’s carbon fiber monocoque structure.

Everything – most everything, anyway – was done in-house, including crash testing. The AR1 was digitally designed, with no full-sized clays, says Frank Coppuck, the T.32’s engineering director.

A swiped Mitsubishi i-MiEV powertrain sits between the AR1’s rear axle and passenger compartment. And although the AR1 only packs a featherweight 63 horsepower and 133 pound-feet torque, its low 1,852-pound curb weight, track-honed double wishbone suspension, ultra quick steering and powerful brakes means it should be an engaging package.

“We could squeeze a lot more out of the engine,” says Coppuck, but as it is, the T.32 tops out at 100 miles per hour, has a listed range of 100 miles and recharges in around eight hours. We like what we hear, and think that the Teewave AR1 – screwy name aside – is one spectacular electric machine.

Continue reading Gordon Murray releases more details about electric Teewave AR1

Gordon Murray releases more details about electric Teewave AR1

BMW is on a mission (not from God) to create something grander than just an electric vehicle. The German automaker’s stated mission is to reshape history and “redefine the boundaries of the way we live, and the way we move.”

The next step of the mission starts soon, using the all-electric 2012 BMW Active E. But first, BMW is seeking 700 mobility pioneers to lead this “all-electric era,” specialized individuals who the German automaker has dubbed “Electronauts.”

The steps to becoming one of BMW’s pioneering Electronauts are simple. First, you’ll fill out an Active E reservation form. Next, you’ll complete a charging station consultation. Lastly, you’ll sign a closed-end, two-year, $499-a-month lease. Follow the jump to discover, via a 90-second clip, what becoming one of BMW’s history-reshaping Electronauts entails.

Continue reading BMW seeks 700 “Electronauts” for 2012 Active E test fleet

BMW seeks 700 “Electronauts” for 2012 Active E test fleet

Lose Two Cylinders, Gain Two Turbos, Take No Prisoners

The first BMW M5, the humble E28 of 1984, had little idea of the performance bloodline it would sire. Its equally humble sales figures proved it: just 2,241 were built. Previous to the 2004 arrival of the E60 M5, the ‘84 original and the much better-selling E34 that succeeded it in 1988 both carried excellent inline sixes that offered between 256 SAE horsepower in the first-generation’s North American trim and 340 European DIN horses by the end of its run in 1995. Good for their time. The E39 M5, however, was the first model in the franchise that BMW really set loose, running an almost 5.0-liter V8 from 1998 until 2003 that offered up 400 hp in European trim. This generation did very well, finding its way into more than 20,000 driveways.

Beginning in July of 2004, BMW Motorsport went nuts, tying the entire M5 project to its famously costly Formula 1 involvement. Many racing fans would note that BMW’s F1 program was not only costly, it achieved dismal results. At least their misadventure gifted us the E60 and its “holy crap!” all-aluminum 5.0-liter V10 engine. Compared to the three preceding M5s dressed in civilian clothing, the flared Chris Bangle-era M5 and its free-revving 500-horsepower S85 engine was a sequined Miss Universe contestant belting out power ballads. Again, over 20,000 were sold, almost all sedans, and, man, have we ever done a lot of impressively useless burn outs and hammering Launch Control starts ever since. By far, the United States has been the Number One market for E60s, with over 8,000 sold here before the building stopped in March of last year.

Then BMW left the F1 circus, F1 abandoned V10s, and Munich focused hard on a greener Efficient Dynamics gospel. The tear-jerking S85 was retired without fanfare.

['Scuse the long preamble, but with a new M5, it's crucial to remember from whence we've come.]

Continue reading 2012 BMW M5 [w/video]

2012 BMW M5 [w/video]