Automotive

Porsche added another hybrid to its range overnight. The new four-seat Panamera S Hybrid shares the power train (3.0-litre supercharged 245 kW V6 plus a 34 kW electric motor) of the Cayenne S Hybrid, offers a best case fuel consumption of 6.8 l/100 km (NEDC), CO2 emissions of 159 g/km and claims the mantle of the most economical Porsche of all time thanks to the aerodynamic advantage it has over the Cayenne. That’s also streets ahead of any other hybrid production vehicle in the luxury car class yet it still delivers Porsche acceleration all the way to its 168 mph top speed. Read More

The Geneva Motor Show constantly tosses up innovative automotive concepts and this year’s event is shaping-up to be no different. One example which we are certainly looking forward to seeing in the flesh is Rinspeed's retro take on the modern EV – the Rinspeed BamBoo. The company has released more pics and details ahead of the debut, so lets take a closer look at what's in store. Read More

WRC is the closest of all world class motorsport competition to the genuine road environment, though conditions vary considerably across the 13 race, five continent series from last weekend’s first round in Sweden where blizzards and -28ºC temperatures necessitated tungsten-tipped studded Michelin tyres, through to the gravel and rocks and 40ºC temperatures the cars will encounter a fortnight from now in Mexico. New “environmentally aware” regulations were introduced this year based around 1600cc turbocharged, 4WD cars, and Ford's all-new Fiesta RS made a dream debut with a 1-2-3 finish. Snow plough duty on day one and a puncture on day two stopped seven-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb from getting near the podium but Loeb’s new Citroen DS3 challenger proved fast and reliable and recorded more fastest stage times than rally winner Hirvonen. Read More

Cars are becoming increasingly complex to produce, with the relatively short intervals between the introductions of new models leaving automakers scrambling to keep up. In an effort to reduce production costs, shorten production times, and quickly introduce new materials and assembly techniques, the European Union launched the Pegasus Project in 2006. The main thrust of the collaborative project has been the creation of the Integrated Design and Engineering Environment (IDEE). It’s a CAD/CAE/CAM software system that lets auto designers draw on an intelligent database, that will figure out the best way for them to implement new designs. Read More

Definitely in the “don’t try this at home” category is Juha Kankkunen’s new 205.48 mph (330.695 km/h) world speed record for driving on ice. Kankkunen drove the world’s fastest soft top, an all-wheel drive, 6-litre, 12-cylinder Continental Supersports convertible running on biofuel to capture the record on the frozen waters of the Baltic Sea, off the coast of Finland. Kankkunen bettered his own 2007 world ice speed record of 199.83 mph (321.6 km/h) set in the Continental GT at the same location. Not surprisingly, the challenges of driving on a 16.5km track of frozen ocean are many - temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees, sudden snow blizzards and potentially dangerous crosswinds not to mention the frailties of the 70cm-thick layer of sea ice. Read More

Toyota will show a fully-electric IQ prototype at the Geneva Motor Show on March 1, offering an extremely compact four-seater with a range of 65 miles. The prototype is based on the current IQ model and features a single electric motor driving the front wheels, powered by a newly developed, flat and compact lithium-ion battery which is located beneath the floor without compromising loadspace or passenger accommodation. The drivetrain adapted from Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive technology. Read More

Pretty much everyone knows that driving too fast wastes fuel and creates excess carbon emissions, as does revving the engine and not bothering with tune-ups. We can try to alter our driving habits accordingly, but how can we know how much to alter them? What speed should we drive at when, and how often should we take our car to the garage? These questions can be instantly and completely answered, right in your car, if you’re using an Eco-Navigator device. Read More

The performance of Gumpert's Apollo places it among the supercar elite, with its recent Nurburgring Nordschleife lap record for road legal cars further emphasizing those credentials. Now the German manufacturer is to add a second model in 2012 which it claims will create a new class of "Fast Tourers" with attributes of superior efficiency, performance, space, comfort and pleasure. Though Ferrari, Bentley, Porsche et al probably consider such a class already exists, it'll be interesting to see what gets unveiled at Geneva in a few weeks from now. The first image of the 700 bhp central-engined V8 Tornante was released today, so it's probably worth summarizing what we know already ... Read More

Like every other object in the world, the car is about to become networked. A glimpse into the automotive benefits of our networked future will be on show at the Geneva Motor Show next month when BMW shows its Vision ConnectedDrive concept car. The concept study, in a two-seat roadster guise, presents the automobile as a fully integrated part of the networked world in both its design and technological innovations. It is with this concept that BMW presents the potential of current and future in-car technology for optimizing comfort, safety and infotainment. Read More