Automotive

Smartphones have become a large part of many peoples' daily lives, while computer-based in-vehicle infotainment systems are on their way to becoming standard equipment in all new vehicles. While there are some smartphone apps that are able to interact with some in-car systems, for the most part the two have been leading separate existences. The Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), however, wants to change that. The group, which contains high-profile member companies from the automotive and mobile communications industries, has established a new technical standard for two-way communications between in-dash displays and applications running on smartphones. It's named MirrorLink, and the first products utilizing the standard will be unveiled this week at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Read More

Toyota is continuing to make its mark at the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit. Just over a week after its Toyota Motorsport GmbH division claimed the lap record for an electric vehicle at the circuit in the TMG EV PV001, its Lexus luxury vehicle division is claiming the even more illustrious lap record for a production car. The record run came in a Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition driven by Japanese LFA race and test driver Akira Iida, who clocked a time of 7 minutes 14.64 seconds on the 22 km (13.7 mile) circuit to eclipse the previous record time of 7 minutes 18.1 seconds set in a Porsche 911 GT2 RS in April 2010. Read More

There's a torrent of automotive news flowing from this week's Frankfurt Motor Show and next on the rank is the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale - the most extreme V10 yet produced by Volkswagen's Italian supercar subsidiary. Only 150 of the four wheel drive 570 bhp carbon fiber projectiles, no doubt due to the extreme effort required to shave another 70 kilograms off the already anorexic Gallardo LP 560-4. The motor might be the same as a “normal” Gallardo but the aerodynamics and lightweight construction are what make it a genuine racer for the road. Read More

Vauxhall/Opel will reveal an interesting new concept that blends elements of an electric car and a motorbike this week at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The vehicle is still unnamed, but the GM subsidiary describes it as a "production potential" concept that "could revolutionize" urban transport, though just how is left unexplained at the moment. Read More

Quimera will show its long-awaited AEGT (All Electric GT) prototype at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) this week. The AEGT runs three UQM electric motors developing a total 700 bhp and delivering a top speed currently limited to 300 km/h. The AEGT's lightweight carbon fiber monocoque chassis enables a kerb weight of just 1500 kg despite carrying more than 600 kg of lithium-polymer EIG batteries. Read More

German TECHART has been remanufacturing Porsches for a quarter century, priding itself on always producing something special for the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) every second year. This year it has produced the most powerful Porsche ever to leave its Leonberg “manufactory”: the GTStreet RS is based on the Porsche 911 GT2 RS and delivers 530 kW (720 PS) and 900 Nm torque. From a standing start, the GTStreet RS hits 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.3 seconds, 124 mph (200 km/h) in 9.5 seconds and has a maximum speed of 218 mph (352 km/h). Read More

The Frankfurt Motor Show opens this week and a number of new brands will be seen for the first time, including a Croatian company Rimac Automobili, which will show a pure electric sportscar named the Concept One with an aluminum frame, carbon fiber bodywork, and an all-up weight of just 1650 kg. Inside that lightweight construct lurks a massive 92 kWh battery capacity good for a 366 mile range. It's the performance of the car which has the buzz percolating though, as it has a claimed 1088 bhp, prodigious torque of 3800 Nm and an electronically-limited top speed of 305 km/h. Perhaps the most remarkable claim is the acceleration though, which has the 0-100 km/h time pegged at 2.8 seconds, making it one of the fastest accelerating road cars anywhere. Read More

Two years ago, the U.S. Treasury helped to broker an arranged marriage between the Daimler-jilted Chrysler and an unlikely Italian suitor in the form of the Fiat Group of companies. Even before consummation it was clear that we would see all manner of cross-brand rebadging amongst the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Fiat, Abarth, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Ferrari branches of the new extended family, and so it has come to pass. It's been known for some time that Fiat's highly-successful commercial range will be sold in the United States under the Dodge brand and now comes the news that Maserati will announce an SUV at the Frankfurt Motor Show that is based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Read More

The birth of a new British car company named Eterniti Motors has been on the horizon for some time, but it'd be fair to say that the world's motoring press hasn't taken a lot of notice until now - the first images of the new Eterniti Hemera "Super-SUV" prototype have surfaced along with the news that it will produce a remarkable 620 bhp and have a top speed of over 180 mph. When production begins in 2012, Eterniti aims to become a boutique luxury carmaker and the new Hemera has as much emphasis on a "limousine-like" rear cabin, with twin reclining rear seats, iPads and a drinks chiller, as it does on its dynamic 4x4 driving experience. Does it look familiar? Read More