New Porsche 918 RSR

Well Porsche is back in the top class of Prototype racing!

From the sublime to the ridiculous...

From the GM Cadillac Media blog - Cadillac announced today it will return to racing in 2011 with a race-prepared version of its CTS-V Coupe competing in the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge, North America’s top production-based racecar series.

The move returns Cadillac to a series where it competed previously, from 2004 to 2007. Competing in the GT Class with the CTS-V Sport Sedan, Cadillac captured the Manufacturer’s Championship in 2005 and 2007 and the Driver’s Championship in 2005.

Cadillac will field two teams in the upcoming SCCA World Challenge GT Class with a racecar based on the CTS-V Coupe. The CTS-V line, which also includes the CTS-V Sedan and CTS-V Wagon, was recently named to Car and Driver magazine’s 10 Best list for 2011.

“Returning to racing in the SCCA World Challenge is a great way to demonstrate the performance and capability of the CTS-V Coupe,” said Don Butler, vice president for Cadillac marketing. “The racecars in this series are production based, which allows us to validate our performance against the best of our competitors on the track, and not just the showroom.”

Cadillac is working with Pratt & Miller, a New Hudson, Michigan, engineering firm which specializes in motorsports, to develop the CTS-V Coupe racecar. While some of the production CTS-V components will be modified due to the unique demands of racing or to meet the SCCA series’ technical rules, every effort is taken to maintain as much production content as possible.

“The SCCA World Challenge lends itself well to a natural transfer of knowledge,” said Jim Campbell, GM vice president for performance vehicles and motorsports. “The series will become a key test-bed for Cadillac. We anticipate using what we learn on the racetrack to ensure V-Series stays on the cutting-edge of performance.”

The first event in the SCCA World Challenge is set for March 25-27 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Johnny O’Connell (inset photo), a three-time champion of the America Le Mans GT1 series, and Andy Pilgrim, who won the 2005 SCCA World Challenge GT class in a Cadillac, will be behind the wheel of the CTS-V racecars.

Introduced for the 2003 model year, the CTS-V has quickly earned a reputation among luxury sports car buyers. For the 2011 model year, Cadillac added the CTS-V Coupe and the CTS-V Sport Wagon to the CTS-V Sport Sedan, creating an impressive family of performance vehicles. The CTS-Vs feature Brembo brakes, a supercharged 6.2L V8 delivering 556 horsepower and a Magnetic Ride Control suspension system that can read and react to the road 1,000 times a second.

Started in 1944, the SCCA organizes and supports racing at all levels from amateur to professional. The World Challenge series is designed to provide teams, manufacturers and aftermarket suppliers a competitive production-based race series in which to prove their products. The races follow a 50-minute maximum time limit, with the number of laps and total distance determined by track configuration, lap times and race conditions.

And now for something completely different... (boy is this an understatement) I give you the first Nissan "Leaf" owner.

Read more at this link to Speed's report of this rollout event for the Leaf.

2010 Toyota SAI Hybrid Sedan a redesign of the Lexus HS250 hybrid

2010 Toyota SAI Hybrid Sedan

Toyota Motor Corp will be releasing a new petrol electric hybrid in Japan while the Prius will compete with Hyundai Motor Co in Korea. Toyota hopes to sell 36,000 of its new Sai hybrid sedan, Toyota’s goal being one million hybrid cars a year globally after 2010.

The Sai is Toyota’s second hybrid-only car, this car is a redesign of the Lexus HS250 hybrid. The Sai is based on a concept derived from the Japanese word sai-which means "talent" when written as "" and "coloration" when written as ""-as a hybrid-only sedan "combining advanced talent and multi-color sophistication".

The Sai is based on the Lexus HS250h hybrid, a vehicle designed for people who want a more premium hybrid experience than they would get in the Toyota Prius. The Sai would seem to fit somewhere in between. It offers the same powerplant as the HS, but not quite as many luxury features. It's basically an HS with different nose, tail and interior detailing.

2010 Toyota SAI Hybrid Sedan

The Toyota Sai Hybrid features a gasoline-electric hybrid system with a 2.4-liter engine for outstanding fuel efficiency and use of Ecological Plastic for approximately 60% of the interior surface area. The Sai features the Toyota Hybrid System (THS) II combining a 2.4-liter Atkinson cycle combustion engine with an electric motor and a reduction gear. The Toyota Sai Hybrid uses a 2.4-liter petrol engine generating just under 150 horsepower, and up to 187 Nm of torque. It is mated to a strong electric motor, powered by a nickel-metal hydride battery, which produces an additional 140 hp and up to 270 Nm of torque. The Toyota Sai Hybrid powertrain is designed to utilize the two generators efficiently, giving the driver up to 185 hp at any given time.

An exhaust heat recovery system uses exhaust gas to heat the engine, thus shortening engine-warming time and contributing to greatly improved fuel efficiency, especially when outside temperatures are low.

2010 Toyota SAI Hybrid Sedan

LED headlights conserve electric power and consequently reduce power-generation requirements on the engine.

In addition to Standard Driving Mode, which balances fuel efficiency and power, drivers can also select Eco-Drive Mode, which prioritizes fuel efficiency by moderating driving force relative to accelerator operation and putting the air conditioner into a low energy-consumption mode, and Electric Vehicle (EV) Drive Mode, which uses the electric motor only, resulting in extremely quite cruising and zero emissions.

A Hybrid System Indicator that shows real-time driving status and an Eco Driving Indicator that lights up to signify fuel-efficient vehicle operation provide visual support to the driver.

The ESPO1 system, which encourages and rewards environmentally considerate driving, enables drivers to gain extra enjoyment.

G-BOOK mX, TMC's advanced telematics service, assesses environmentally considerate driving and awards points to driver; mastery of eco-driving can be determined according to rate of points gained each month

2010 Toyota SAI Hybrid Sedan

Programs that allow drivers to make donations to charities using points received, that rank fuel efficiency of nationwide Sai ESPO users, and other fun incentives to encourage drivers to drive in environmentally considerate ways, are available

Toyota is also sending its brand to South Korea where the Hyundai Kia partnership dominate. The Prius and Camry hybrids will be first and joining them will be the petrol version of the Camry and the RAV4.

Toyota Executive Vice President Yukitoshi Funo told a news conference, “The introduction of the Toyota brand into South Korea is aimed to meet the diversifying needs of consumers in this growing market,”

“We intend to make every effort to contribute to South Korean society and earn a loyal following.”

December the seventh is the release date for the Toyota Sai retailing at 3.38 million yen ($40,250), the Lexus HS250 is priced at 3.96 million yen ($47,159).

The Sai is expected to have a consumption rate of 4.34 liters per 100 km. At this stage Toyota has no plans to export the Sai, preferring to concentrate on the home market.

Ford Taurus SHO & Fusion Hybrid Named 2010 Urban Autos of the Year

The Ford Taurus SHO America's smartest full-size sedan has been named '2010 Urban Car of the Year' by On Wheels Media and an independent panel of 15 automotive journalists The Ford Fusion Hybrid America's most fuel-efficient mid-size sedan has been named '2010 Urban Green Car of the Year' by On Wheels Media, the fifth award for Fusion in recent months The awards will be presented during the 14th Annual Urban Wheel Awards taking place in Detroit on January 12, 2010

Dearborn, Mich., Dec. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, editors of On Wheels Media announced that the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO has been voted "Urban Car of the Year" and the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid has been named "Urban Green Car of the Year," a category-first for the annual awards show.


"The all-new Ford Taurus not only squashes its competition in road dynamics and style, but it may very well bring formerly passionate customers back to a nameplate that was once all the rage, but in recent years had become the definition of dull." said Kelley Blue Book's Beth Lear VanderYacht, who was also one of the 15 judges.

With its athletic, upscale design, the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO combines class-leading technologies with confident, engaging driving dynamics. It features an impressive set of standard and available technologies that add convenience, connectivity, safety and value for customers, such as Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with Cross Traffic Alert, MyKey(TM) parental programmability, Ford SYNC® and Voice-Activated Navigation with SIRIUS Travel Link(TM).

According to Ford multicultural marketing manager Crystal Worthem, this award is continued evidence of the wide ranging appeal of this all-new vehicle from Ford.


"The Taurus SHO is creating a tremendous amount of buzz within the urban market," she said.

"Since the launch of Taurus in August, we saw it outshine the competition, including the imports and we continue to see evidence of its appeal when it comes to showroom traffic," said Worthem. "Not only have sales for Taurus been strong, up 54 percent in November alone, but 60 percent of Taurus SHO customers are new to the Ford brand creating a huge amount of buzz within the urban market."

Finalists for the 2010 "Urban Car of the Year" included the Buick LaCrosse and Suzuki Kizashi.

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid "Urban Green Car of the Year"


There's also good news for environmentally-conscious automotive consumers. In addition to the award presented to the 2010 Taurus, the panelists have named the Fusion Hybrid as the "Urban Green Car of the Year." 2010 represents the first year that the "Urban Green Car of the Year" award will be presented to a manufacturer. "All three of the nominees are great cars, but while two of them are slightly improved versions of what they've been all along, the Fusion carries the hybrid class forward with new innovations and a significant improvement in efficiency and operation," said freelance reviewer Chris Jackson.

Ford Hybrid Marketing Manager David Finnegan says winning the award demonstrates Ford's versatility as a hybrid manufacturer.

"We are continuing to expand our portfolio to offer consumers a wider range of alternatives," said Finnegan. "Not only do we have the most fuel-efficient SUV on the planet with the Ford Escape Hybrid but we also are committed to being a leader in the car segment. The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid provides 41 mpg in city driving and 36 mpg on the highway, making it North America's most fuel-efficient midsize sedan."


In addition to smart technology, the 2010 Fusion Hybrid offers a variety of advanced safety features. The vehicle received a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and delivers segment-exclusive safety and driver-aid technologies, such as Ford SYNC(TM) with 911 Assist and Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert.

Further enhancing its "green" image, the Fusion Hybrid features sustainable interior materials including seats that are made from eco-friendly fabric and filled with soy-based seat foam.


Randi Payton, president and publisher of On Wheels Media said, "The Urban Automobiles of the Year resonate with the majority of new car buyers who live in urban and suburban areas. The vehicles chosen are cost and fuel-efficient and have performance and safety characteristics relevant to consumers in metropolitan areas.

Awards will be presented at the Urban Wheel Awards event at the Sound Board Theater, located in the Motor City Hotel and Casino in Detroit on Tuesday, January 12, 2010.
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Rumored: 2013 Nissan GT-R hybrid

Earlier reports suggested that Nissan was working on a high-performance SUV using the GT-R drivetrain. This car, which would wear an Infiniti badge in the States, would be Nissan's answer to the Porsche Cayenne (which is Porsche's best-selling model), the BMW X5 and X6. Another rumor hinted at a four-door GT-R-powered sedan badged as an Infiniti that would go head to head against the BMW M5 and Porsche Panamera. As far as we know, both of those projects have been shelved in favor of the GT-R hybrid.


The Essence showcar's hybrid system consisted of the G37's 3.7-liter V6, whose output was raised to 440 horsepower with the help of twin turbochargers. This was combined with a 160-hp electric motor, bringing the grand total to 600 hp. For the GT-R, Nissan would go with the 3.8-liter twin turbocharged V6 (VR38DETT) with the same electric motor used for the Essence. The target output would also be 600 hp (440 hp from the gasoline engine and 160 from the electric motor). That means the hybrid GT-R would boast more than 100 hp more than the current GT-R, while fuel economy would improve to roughly 25-30 mpg. And because it's a GT-R, we're also told that all-wheel drive will still be part of the package.


It's no secret that Nissan targeted the performance of the Porsche 911 Turbo when it developed the GT-R. A quick look at the car's specifications will reveal just how similar the cars are, from their twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engines' output, all-wheel-drive layout and of course, lap times around the Nürburgring. GT-R Chief Vehicle Engineer and Chief Product Specialist Kazutoshi Mizuno even went as far as saying he intends the "GT-R to maintain a life cycle of six to seven years as it evolves gradually during those years, similar to how Porsche cars evolve."


With all that power comes great fiscal responsibility, so what would a GT-R hybrid cost? IL guesses $100,000 could be the price of entry, though Nissan could be looking for a little more coin than that. After all the GT-R Spec-V was rumored to cost quite a bit more and if you add a hybrid powertrain to Spec-V weight loss techniques, we could be looking at one very expensive green machine.


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