BMW officially declared war today on the Lexus LS hybrid, with its own hybrid version of the 7 Series. A hybrid 7 of any sort would be a serious competitor to the LSh, but the ActiveHybrid 7 is a true BMW, offering not only a dynamic drive (relatively speaking), but a big increase in performance...
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Volkswagen’s big news at the LA Auto Show was the world premiere of the Up! Lite Concept, a hybrid diesel based on the company’s upcoming small-car architecture – meaning it could very well see production. As a natural progression of the two-seater L1 concept that debuted at the Frankfurt Auto Show, this four-seater offers practicality...
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Undoubtedly the focal point of BMW’s display at the LA Auto Show, the Vision EfficientDynamics Concept embodies the German automaker’s high efficiency philosophy and is being shown in LA for the first time since its word debut in Frankfurt. The Vision ED Concept is also a true BMW, offering impressive fuel economy while not sacrificing...
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Along with BMW’s futuristic Vision EfficientDynamics Concept, the German automaker will also showcase hybrid versions of the 7 Series and X6, both if which are slated to go on sale in the near future. The ActiveHybrid 7 uses the same twin-turbocharged V8 as found in the 750i, but pairs it with an electric motor and...
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When BMW first introduced its X6 model, one of the many questions surrounding it was, “who wants a vehicle like this?” Apparently the answer is BMW engineers. The X6 platform seems to be a favorite for the German automaker’s latest and greatest technology. After introducing two standard gasoline versions of the CUV, it was then...
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As amazing as the 71-mpg Polo BlueMotion model is that Volkswagen plans to show at the LA Auto Show next week, the German automaker will also show another fuel-efficient vehicle that gets more than double that car’s mpg rating. Called the L1 Concept, this tiny two seater uses just 1.38 liters of diesel per 100...
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After first debuting in Frankfurt and then traveling to Tokyo, the Prius Plug-In Hybrid Concept is set debut on U.S. soil for the first time at the LA Auto Show next week. Using Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive and lithium-ion batteries, Toyota says the Prius PHV will be able to reach highway speeds on pure electric...
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Remember back when Honda announced pricing for its Insight hybrid would start at under $20,000 and Toyota, in a bid to compete, said it would offer the Prius for just $21,000? Several months later, and the launch of the Prius II, III, IV and V and Toyota is now saying the Prius I isn’t likely...
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In a weeks time at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Subaru will display its Hybrid Tourer Concept which will be the focal point of an announcement that the Japanese automaker will introduce a hybrid engine in 2012. The new gas/electric hybrid engine will be a first for Subaru and will be based on one of...
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Rumors that a Lexus might bring a premium hatchback model to North America have been swirling since the automaker first introduced us to the LF-Ch concept at the Frankfurt Auto Show a few months back. Toyota’s luxury arm then stoked those flames by announcing that the premium hybrid hatchback concept would be shown at the...
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Along with a hybrid 7 Series and a hybrid X6, BMW will use the LA Auto Show as the venue to introduce North America to its Vision EfficientDynamics Concept. Built as a show-piece to display BMW’s fuel-efficiency expertise, the Vision ED Concept is also a true BMW, offering impressive fuel economy while not sacrificing performance....
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The Prius could surpass the Camry as Toyota’s best selling model in the U.S. in the next ten years says the head of Toyota’s sales department. Toyota Motor Sales boss Jim Lentz made the comments, stating that he sees the Prius gaining ground, rather than the Camry (the top selling passenger car in the U.S....
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After initially announcing that the production version of the LF-Ch hybrid hatchback concept would be offered exclusively in Europe, Lexus has hinted that it may bring the model to other markets including North America. After creating a feedback page for the car on its website, Lexus has now made the biggest move towards an acknowledgment...
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Mercedes has just announced announced the ML450 Hybrid 4MATIC model is ready for purchase… sort of. The first complete product to use the two-mode hybrid system built by the joint General Motors, Daimler, BMW and Chrysler hybrid technology group will only be offered as a lease. The ML450 Hybrid will be made available for either...
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Despite continued rumors to the contrary, the next iteration of the Chevrolet Impala will not be rear-wheel drive. In an interview with InsideLine, GM’s product boss Bob Lutz, definitively stated that the car will put power to the front wheels. Lutz would only give vague details about the car, which is probably all he has,...
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After 13,000 entries, Chevy has narrowed it down to three finalists in its Volt Color Contest. Among them are Devin McQuarrie of San Jose, CA, with the name EV-ergreen; Dave Thomas of Sanford, FL, with the name Viridian Joule; and Matthew Valbuena of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, with environMINT. Chevy is now asking the public...
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Toyota is preparing to launch a variant of the Prius and while the new hybrid would be a larger model, the exact type of vehicle is not known. According to a report in Japan’s Yomiuri newspaper, the new Prius variant would either be a crossover or a wagon. Back in 2007, Toyota did display a...
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With a facelift back in 2008, the all-new “third-generation” Volkswagen Touareg is set to debut at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The new SUV is expected to go on sale mid way through 2010, with a variety of powerplants being offered – including a hybrid. This will be the first gas-electric...
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When it launches, the Chevrolet Volt is poised to become the next Toyota Prius, the poster boy for environmentally responsible motoring. And while it might be what mother earth and the Obama Administration want, you can be sure it’s not what the 77-year-old Camaro-loving head of GM’s marketing department wants. No, Bob Lutz wants high...
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First unveiled at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the seemingly futuristic Cadillac Converj is now well on its way to production. According to a report in The Detroit News, the Volt-like plug-in hybrid, has been given the green light, but won’t be offered for several more years. Similar in both look...
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Situated right across the isle from Honda’s official SEMA Show booth we found a modified Honda Insight at the ENEOS Oil booth. Owned by Insightcentral.net member Xtremeview, the car features a custom aero kit and a lowered suspension. Other modifications include a set of Rays wheels with Yokohama Parada tires, a Tanabe exhaust and some...
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Thanks to tuner Five Axis, the Toyota Prius has never looked this cool. Now in its third generation, the 2010 Prius has gotten considerably better looking over the years, but the two modified versions on display this week at the 2009 SEMA Show take green motoring to a stylish new level. Five Axis has built...
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For the SEMA Show, Toyota often calls on the Five Axis tuner shop to create wild and wacky Scions or Lexuses, but for the first time the custom fabricators have been called upon to modify a Prius. Actually, Five Axis has built two versions of the 2010 Prius, the first called the Prius Aerius (Latin...
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Slowly, Honda appears to be learning how the hybrid marketplace works. In a recent interview Honda CEO Takanobu Ito said that the company is working on more powerful two-mode hybrid systems (like the one used by Toyota) that will allow for the car to operate using either gas, electricity or a combination of both. Currently,...
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