Brilliant Automotive News

Something unique from VW

With the fuel prices going up, the search for a cheaper way to power our vehicles is becoming more and more important, today even the red diesel prices are just too high and the regular petrol is unbearably expensive. Hybrids are not just a fashion statement but a necessity, a necessity which will eventually diminish the need to burn hard fuels in order to travel from point A to point B. Unfortunately VW, one of the biggest brands in the business, is still lagging behind companies like Honda and Toyota. It is true that most of their new vehicles offer superb fuel efficiency and low CO2 figures but this is just not enough.

However, during the 2011 Tokyo auto show the Germans revealed something really special. A prototype vehicle that is something of a mixture between cross-over and a four door couple. Cross-couple is 4.34 metres long, 1.86m wide and 2.63m tall. The whole thing weighs around 1.7 tons and has a rather uneven weight distribution – 58/42 with slightly heavier front axle. The 20 inch rims look really cool and the wide 265/45 R20 tyres sure give the vehicle extra stability and traction.

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Toyota’s 2012 Prius Plug-in Hybrid Is Here

In today’s energy conscious world where the move is towards a greener approach to the way we travel, it is always welcome when a new addition to the going green vehicle arsenal. The 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid is that new addition and it was recent introduced at the recently held Green Drive Expo in California, USA. This new Prius family member comes fitted with all the features of that are seen on the standard Prius and more.

The new Plug-in Hybrid has seating for five adults and based on the manufacturers estimates will be able to do a combines driving of 87miles per gallon equivalent (mpge) and when its in the pure hybrid mode 49mpg. At speeds of up to 62mph when in EV mode this new Prius will run for close to 15 miles.

Now this new Hybrid will make it 3 model in the Toyota eco focused range and with the Prius c set to debut in 2012 the range will get even wider.

Now with the Prius Plug-in offering owner quick home charging by way of your regular AC outlet. In fact according to Toyota the Plug-in should take about 3 hours to fully charge using a 120 V outlet and about 1.5 hours if you use a 240V outlet. There is a charging port inlet to be found on the rear fender on the right that will connect the 120v charging cable.

The new Prius has been improved, like a new human resource software, with new features. It has a lithium ion battery pack that was newly developed and it takes the place of the NiMH batteries that were on the previous Prius models.

Toyota has also included their new multimedia system called Entune, charge management apps, and the ability to control the A/C system remotely.

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Toyota Prius +

Who says that hybrid and green automobiles have to be small, impractical and rather useless outside the city? Well, even though nowadays they put a hybrid badge on all kinds of cars, including huge SUVs, so far the industry was lacking a truly green automobile which actually can be used as a family car. Well, until know, fans we give you the Toyota Prius +. Naturally the plus stands for something extra. In this case the biggest difference is the More

2011 Honda Civic Natural Gas Review

It is one of the most popular cars for the past 15 years, the Honda Civic’s value, comfort and efficiency has continued to remain consistent. The new clean-burning natural gas Civic sedan, known as the Civic GX, is no exception.

The GX sports the classic Civic sedan looks with its 16-inch steel rims, and the car also has a keyless entry and cruise control.

The interior is well-appointed with useful features such as a folding rear seatback for increased flexibility, More

Race to the Bottom

I was pleased upon a recent trip to California to find electric hook-ups for electric vehicles at the hotel where I was staying. After years of growing cynicism, I’d begun to wonder if we were ever going to show noticeable signs of automotive progress. Add to that a recent discovery of Chicago’s Center for Neighborhood Technology, which is promoting an electric vehicle infrastructure in Chicago, and I’m even doing some smiling these days.

But the cynic remains, and he says, More

Race to the Bottom

I was pleased upon a recent trip to California to find electric hook-ups for electric vehicles at the hotel where I was staying. After years of growing cynicism, I’d begun to wonder if we were ever going to show noticeable signs of automotive progress. Add to that a recent discovery of Chicago’s Center for Neighborhood Technology, which is promoting an electric vehicle infrastructure in Chicago, and I’m even doing some smiling these days.

But the cynic remains, and he says, More

Lexus LS600h L

Even though this big Lexus limousine is a not exactly what you would normally call an eco-friendly hybrid it is still a hybrid and being one, it deserves our attention. So let’s focus on the powertrain then. This huge limousine is powered by one big petrol V8 engine and two powerful electric motors. The big battery is a must in such configurations. The combined power of all three motors is 438bhp. This allows the relatively heavy car to accelerate from More

Green car Revolution

The green revolution has arrived and it is making an impact. From the all-electric Leaf car, to Ford Motors Ecoboost F150, to the thousands of cars those automobile manufacturers are touting as the solution to our energy crisis.

The public themselves want to get greener cars. Over 60% of those polled say that they support higher emissions and fuel efficiency standards. No longer are people wanting to have a motorcycle delivery to save on fuel costs, they want green cars.

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T.27 Minicar

It seems strange to read about a designer better known for his work in Formula 1 to be designing hybrid cars. However that is exactly what Gordon Murray and his company have been doing for the past seventeen months.

The T.27 minicar is a far cry from the more streamlined and super quick vehicles Murray designed for McLaren and Brabham. It looks like something out of Noddy;s toyland leading many pundits to wonder who would be willing to drive it More

The Electric Cars Market

Recently, one of the largest car expos took place in Sofia, Bulgaria. The event was attended by approximately 100 000 people from around the EU. And no matter how brilliant it was, it left room for some quite serious considerations. The organizers of the event concluded that even though many cars were sold in times of financial difficulties, the least sales were in the sphere of electric cars.

One reason is that the low emission cars are still not quite More