Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Renault, Middle East
Bad news for fans of the Better Place plan – maybe. According to a report on an Israeli business website, Renault executives at a conference in Geneva have said that the electric car bound for Israel, to be franchised by Shai Agassi’s Better Place, will be delayed by a year…. »
Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertibles, Sports/GTs, Maserati, Rendered Speculation
Spy shots have been circulating the web of an upcoming hard-top convertible from Maserati. But while the Trident marque is known to be developing a convertible version of the big GranTurismo, reports now suggest that the vehicle spied is actually the smaller Porsche-rivaling sportscar previously rumored and… »
Filed under: Minivans/MPVs, Euro, Paris Motor Show, Citroen
click above for more hi-res shots of Citroën’s new C3 Picasso
It sounds as if Citroën sees it’s new C3 Picasso as a rolling contradiction in terms. According to the automaker, it is compact and spacious and blends strength and comfort; quality and affordability; performance and economy; contemporary and… »
Filed under: Hybrid, UK
British company Ricardo, know for its efforts in cleaning up powertrains, has decided to give a boost to its hybrid developments by hiring a new Group Director. The new appointee is Dr. Roger Thornton, who has more than 25 years of experience in power electronics based systems for transportation applications. Dr. Thorton… »
Filed under: Motorsports, Japan, Subaru
Click for a hi-res gallery of the Subaru Impreza WRC2008
We’re going to play this little game again. Close your eyes and think “rally”. (Not picket lines and protest signs, but tail-sliding, dirt road heroics behind the wheel of turbocharged four-wheel-drive monsters.) Now what company comes to mind? If you’re a sentimentalist… »
Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Tuners, ROUSH
NHRA Stock Car drag racing has generally been reserved for vehicles with factory-spec powertrains, but for the first time the rule book is allowing vehicles with aftermarket parts to compete. Two versions of the ROUSH’s supercharged powertrains — the 430 horsepower V8 from the Stage 3 Mustang and the 510… »
Filed under: Etc., Green Culture, Green Daily, Automotive X-Prize
New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg at the official start of the Auto X Prize.
Sometimes, people on the green fringe are called some not-so-nice names, with “crazy” being one of the more mild. But, if you’re the kind of greenie who revels in the wacky, perhaps you’ve… »
Filed under: Hybrid, Toyota
Click above to enlarge
Toyota’s own Jon F. Thompson, editor of the Open Road blog, has taken the time to explain one of the things that makes the engine of the Toyota Prius different than most other sedans. Sure, it’s powered both by an electric motor and an internal combustion engine, but there… »
An amazing thing, the original Alfa Romeo BAT (not to be confused with the Alfa Romeo Bat 11) has a drag coefficient of 0.19, better than the GM EV1 or Toyota Prius, all made without the help of a computer or the kinds of advanced techniques designers now have at their disposal. By comparison, the… »
According to Jason Forston, Executive VP of marketing and sales at Texas Armoring Corporation, the NFL has contacted his company for the purpose of building armored cars for its players. Following the shooting of Jacksonville Jaguars’ Richard Collier last week, no doubt agent-driven interest in armored cars for NFL players has spiked, with Texas Armoring… »