Toyota Prius V MPV

The idea behind the Prius V is pretty simply: It’s the Prius for on-the-go folks who demand more space for stuff, especially offspring, with 50-percent more interior cargo space than the current Prius. But Toyota insisted it wasn’t just a stretched up and out Prius –  “It is a new vehicle designed from the ground up, with a shape that evolved from Prius rather than being an elongated version,” the company said.

image via Toyota

Toyota said the V has “an impressive 38-inch couple distance, providing generous rear legroom,” and noted that the rear hatch opens to reveal 34.3 cubic feet of cargo, “making it the most spacious dedicated hybrid vehicle on the market and better than some compact SUVs.” Reflecting its MPV status, the V has sliding second-row seats.
Toyota said it expects an EPA combined fuel economy of 40 mpg for the V – 38 on the highway and 42 in the city –  “the best fuel economy ratings of any SUV, crossover, or wagon on the market.”

Saab 9-5 Sport Combi Wagon to Debut at Geneva Auto Show

Saab 9-5 Sport Combi Wagon

Lately, wagons have been popping up on the market quicker than cupcake shops, with cars like the Acura TSXCadillac CTS Sport Wagons and being two of the newest examples. Now Saab will be the next automaker to unleash an upscale wagon, with a 9-5 wagon set to debut at the Geneva auto show. “The Swedish brand is showing the reborn 9-5 SportCombi, based on the latest 9-5 sedan, at the Geneva auto show in March,” says Car and Driver. “It goes on sale in the U.S. this fall, likely as a 2012 model.”
The 9-5 SportCombi may be tough competition for crossovers, as reports suggest that the new wagon will offer an impressive amount of utility. “In order to give the 9-5 SportWagon as much versatility as possible, the wagon is equipped with a number of cargo solutions, including an adaptable multi-fold floor, flexible U-rail load space configuration and under-floor stowage with a sealed wet storage compartment,” writes Left Lane News.

2011 Camaro SS Convertible Indy 500 Pace Car

GM unveiled a special-edition Chevrolet Camaro Convertible to be this year’s Indy 500 race pace car. 2011 is the 100th anniversary of Chevrolet and the Indianapolis 500 and for that they’ve came up with a Camaro SS convertible in white with orange stripes and orange leather-trimmed interior evokes classic 1969 Camaro pace car model.

They will also make 50 units of this special car for sale, but the first will be auctioned off at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction on Jan. 22 for charity, with all the proceeds going to David Foster Foundation, a charity devoted to supporting families with children in need of life-saving organ transplants.

As for the car, it gets a Summit White exterior accented with orange stripes and door graphics. The interior is trimmed in orange leather, including front seat headrests embossed with theIndy 500 logo, along with white door panels and instrument panel trim. The instrument panel trim features extensions of the orange exterior stripes. Powered by a 400-horsepower (298 kW) V-8 engine and six-speed automatic transmission, the actual pace car for the race requires no performance modifications to perform its duty in front of the racing field.

But it’s not about the appearance or the power with this particular model, it’s about legacy. This car is a legend and owning it is an honor! All 50 of the Festival Committees cars will be SS convertible models fitted with the 2SS equipment package, offering the following standard features:

Detroit Auto Show 2011 Green Car

With the North American International Auto Show in Detroit winding down into its final days, it seems fitting at this point to take a look back at some of the green car announcements which made this year’s show stand out. What is perhaps most notable about this year’s Detroit Auto Show, however, is what wasn’t debuted there: the Ford Focus Electric, which the American automaker chose to unveil instead at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier in January.
The Ford Focus Electric aside, this year’s Detroit show did not disappoint. Ford had some other new green cars it was showing off, while Toyota unveiled some new Prius designs. Porsche also, among others, had a nice and flashy racing hybrid to showcase to show onlookers as well.
Toyota Prius v

image via Toyota

Toyota unveiled the Prius V, an extension of its popular hybrid, highlighting that it offers 50-percent more cargo space while getting 40 mpg.
Ford C-MAX Energi Hybrid

image via Ford

In Detroit, Ford introduces the C-MAX Energi, a production plug-in hybrid electric that the company says has an extended range of over 500 driving miles.

Rolls Royce Ghost EWB to Debut in 2011

Rolls Royce Ghost EWB

 Rolls Royce expects to roll out its Ghost Extended Wheelbase, or EWB, in the first half of 2011. It is expected to be at least 10 inches longer than the regular Ghost and is to be priced in the range of 200,000 to 300,000 Euros. The Ghost EWB will be powered by a BMW-sourced 6.6 liter V12 engine that can provide 563 hp and a peak torque of 575 lb-ft.
Further, power will be transmitted to the wheels via an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox. The car is also expected to go from 0-60 mph in around five seconds or less as well as clock in a top speed of 155 mph.
Initially heard of at the 2006 Paris motor show, the Ghost marks a new line of cars for Rolls Royce that is anticipated to etch a new luxury niche presently catered to by Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW. The car reveals an altogether different style that mixes modern and traditional looks and has been designed as a smaller, more measured, more realistic car than the Phantom, aiming for a lower price category for Rolls Royce models.

Citroen DS3 Wins 2010 Top Gear ‘Car of the Year’ Awards

Citroen DS3

 Top Gear’s Awards issue hits newsstands today, and Citroen pulled off a winner with its Citroen DS3 winning the Car of the Year and Small Car of the Year awards. “Most cars feel like they’ve been edited down from something else. The DS3 does not. It is, for its completeness and rounded set of abilities, a bloody triumph…”
Other notable winners include the Koenigsegg Agera, the Maserati GranCabrio, the Bentley Continental GT, the Volkswagen Golf R, the BMW 520d Touring, the Peugeot RCZ and the Jaguar XJ. Fiat’s Twin Air managed to grab the award for the Engine of the Year

Lotus City Car Concept Confirmed for Production in 2013

 
Lotus has stated that its City Car Concept has been given the green lights to enter into production and will be launched in 2013. The Lotus City Car concept was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October.
According to Car, Lotus Chief Executive Dany Bahar said, “We are doing this together with Proton and another OEM.”
The company said that it will build three variants namely an Asia model, a Europe model and a sport version.
Nonetheless, Lotus’ Technical Director Wolf Zimmermann affirmed that work on the supermini City Car has yet to commence as they focus their engineering resources on the new sports cars, especially the new 2013 Lotus Esprit.
The Lotus City Car is a hybrid 4-seater with a rear-wheel drive. Coupled to a single-speed transmission, the engine combines a 35 kW electric motor with a range-extending 1.2 litre three-cylinder petrol engine similar to the Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid concept.

Ford to Introduce Start-Stop Technology in Conventional Cars and Crossovers

 

Ford Motors has recently announced that they will add the new fuel-saving technology, the ‘Start-Stop’ technology to its lineup of conventional cars, crossovers and SUV’s in North America. The ‘Start-Stop’ technology automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle comes to a stop, a feature currently found on the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Ford Escape Hybrid.

The American automaker said that its patented new auto ‘Start-Stop’ system for gasoline engines can deliver fuel economy savings of as much as 10%. It will also reduce tailpipe emissions to zero while the vehicle is stationary or waiting at a stop light.
The company has more than 244 patents for its Auto Start-Stop technology. This technology will be showcased on a concept at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in January.
The auto ‘Start-Stop’ technology is the latest example of Ford moving aggressively to bring affordable advanced fuel-saving technologies to all customers. The global rollout of auto Start-Stop is under way in Europe.