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Worldwide Toyota Prius sales crack 2-million mark,10-year anniversary celebration planned

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Hatchback, Toyota

2010 Toyota Prius

2010 Toyota Prius – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Toyota Prius, launched in Japan in 1997 and introduced in Europe, North America and other markets in 2000, is without a doubt the best-selling hybrid vehicle ever produced. With a market that spans more than 70 countries and regions, the Toyota Motor Company’s economical hybrid is the most widely distributed gas-electric in this land (and just about every other one, too).

Selling at a rate of about 400,000 annual units worldwide, the Prius sits head-and-shoulders above any of its so-called competitors. All these sales mean you get to reach milestones now and again. Last month, the Prius reached another one, shattering the two-million sales mark worldwide. By the end of September, sales of the Prius stood at 2,012,000 and counting. You can hold back the applause for now, as the Prius’ record-setting run is far from over. Oh, yeah, a congratulatory pat on the back is welcomed as we also celebrate ten years of Prius sales in the U.S. which takes place, appropriately enough, on 10.10.10. Hit the jump for more on the Prius’ sales totals and plans for its ten-year anniversary celebration.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Toyota Prius

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Worldwide Toyota Prius sales crack 2-million mark,10-year anniversary celebration planned

Worldwide Toyota Prius sales crack 2-million mark,10-year anniversary celebration planned originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saab marks 50th anniversary of Erik Carlsson’s first RAC win with special 9-3

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Sedan, Saab, UK

Erik “Mr Saab” Carlsson and the Saab 9-3 Aero Carlsson – Click above for high-res image gallery

Erik Carlsson, also known as Mr. Saab, is a rallying icon directly tied to the Swedish automaker’s lore. 50 years ago, Carlsson won his first British RAC rally title in a three-cylinder, 750 c.c. Saab 96. He went on to win the event two more times – in a row. Carlsson took podium positions for Saab in rallies around the world, and if you look at his racing history, it’s clear that Carlsson knows a thing or two about car control and motorsports. He has always driven Saabs and was even born in Trollhättan, the automaker’s home town. So, what better time to honor him than now with a limited-edition Saab 9-3? The Saab 9-3 Aero Carlsson is being produced by Saab Great Britain and only 96 are going to be made, so U.S. Griffinistas are sadly out of luck.

The racing legend was honored during a luncheon at the RAC Club in London. The special-edition 280-horsepower 9-3 was announced and then displayed alongside a classic 96. A pleased Carlsson noted:

“This is a great occasion for me, it has been wonderful to see so many old friends again, including Stuart [Turner] who did such a fantastic job reading the maps. I wouldn’t have won without his help. I also feel very honored to have a car named after me. Anyone who loves driving and is as passionate about Saab as I am, will be excited about getting behind the wheel.”

Hop the jump for the full press release and check out the high-res images below.

Gallery: Rally Legend Erik “Mr. Saab” Carlsson

Rally Legend Erik

[Source: Saab]

Continue reading Saab marks 50th anniversary of Erik Carlsson’s first RAC win with special 9-3

Saab marks 50th anniversary of Erik Carlsson’s first RAC win with special 9-3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi Quattro concept celebrates 30th anniversary of original

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Paris Motor Show, Audi, Design/Style

Audi Quattro concept

Audi Quattro Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’ve been speculating, applying the magnifying glass to spy shots and just plain wishing that the rumors were true. They are – Audi is set to debut the Quattro concept car at the Paris Motor Show in celebration of its famous all-wheel-drive system’s 30th anniversary. Drawing its inspiration from the original 1980 Audi Ur-Quattro and using some underpinnings from the current RS5, the Quattro concept features a shortened wheelbase, lower roofline and a sub-3,000 pound curb weight.

The original Ur-Quattro weighed in under 3,000 pounds and featured a turbocharged five-cylinder engine paired with a five-speed manual. Keeping in line with that spirit, the Quattro concept ditches the V8 and dual-clutch transmission from the RS5 in favor of a turbocharged inline five-cylinder engine and six-speed manual gearbox. Power output for the Quattro concept is rated at 408 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. All that energy is put to the ground through Audi’s famous quattro torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system, which in this case is setup with a 40:60 rear-biased torque split. The weight savings mixed with the power output create a vehicle with a power-weight ratio on par with that of the Audi R8 5.2 FSI.

Since this IS a modern Audi, it features stylish exterior features and a wonderful cabin space. The seats are leather-lined Sparco units that weight in at just 40 pounds apiece. The Quattro concept also makes use of the Audi MMI infotainment system. In this application, MMI includes a slew of screens useful for rally racing like classically-styled round gauges and a page for pace notes. On the outside, the Quattro concept boasts the signature Audi LED treatment, but this time it’s in the form of headlamps that adjust their direction both vertically and horizontally, as well as being able to open fully or close to a slit.

This is an exciting concept that pays homage to a true motoring classic. If Audi doesn’t find a way to put a version of this into production, we’re sure that four-ring fanboys around the world will storm Ingolstadt.

Gallery: Audi Quattro Concept

Audi Quattro Concept

[Source: Motor Trend]

Audi Quattro concept celebrates 30th anniversary of original originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 16:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Happy 30th anniversary, airbag!

Filed under: Sedan, Safety, Technology, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

Airbag 30th Anniversary

The airbag turns 30 – Click above for high-res image gallery

No, the above headline isn’t a greeting for your spouse on his or her special day – Daimler is celebrating the airbag’s 30th anniversary. Three decades ago, the very first production car with the life-saving safety tech rolled off the line, kicking off an industry-wide push for ever safer vehicles in the process. That car was an S-Class sedan, and Mercedes-Benz says that the company had poured a total of 13 years of research and development into the project before it ever hit the street. Today, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration says that airbags have helped to save around 28,000 lives since the technology was first introduced – and that’s just in the good old U.S. of A.

The government safety authority also says that in a typical accident, a driver wearing his or her seatbelt in a vehicle with an airbag is 61 percent less likely to be injured than those who skip the belt in vehicles with no airbag. There’s no arguing that we’ve come a long way in a relatively short period of time.

These days, you’d be hard pressed to find a vehicle without at least some form of supplemental restraint, and Mercedes-Benz says that all of its products have featured a standard driver airbag since 1992. Hit the jump for the full press blast – but not before checking the high-res gallery below for some retro S-Class fabulousness.

Gallery: 30th Anniversary of the Airbag

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Happy 30th anniversary, airbag!

Happy 30th anniversary, airbag! originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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