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Red Bull and Toro Rosso launch 2011 F1 cars trackside at Valencia

Filed under: Motorsports, Racing

2011 Red Bull RB7

2011 Red Bull RB7 – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you had told us 20 years ago that a beverage brand would be dominating Formula One, we’d wonder what negative side effects said energy drink might be having on your grasp of reality. But after title-sponsoring the Sauber team as early as 1995, Red Bull surprised everyone by buying not one, but two F1 teams: Jaguar Racing (née Stewart Grand Prix) and Minardi. But five and six years, respectively, since the Austrian company took over the two struggling teams, Red Bull can now lay claim to both titles in the Formula One World Championship.

The premier Red Bull Racing team will have a real job on its hands to fend off the likes of Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren (to say nothing of the other dozen challengers, including its own B-squad) in defending its titles this season, and this is the car with which they hope to do it.

Designed by Adrian Newey, the RB7 is, as you might have guessed, the seventh Red Bull grand prix car. It carries the same Renault engine as last year (also used by both Lotus teams), with its own proprietary gearbox mated to the KERS regenerative braking system. And of course, as defending champions, the car has the honor of wearing numbers 1 and 2 for returning pilots Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, respectively. Last season, the duo claimed pole 15 out of 19 races and went on to win nine grands prix to take the championship.

Along with it, Red Bull’s sister team Scuderia Toro Rosso also unveiled its new STR6 at Valencia – where Vettel incidentally took the top slot on the time sheets for the first practice session of the season. The second car developed in-house at STR headquarters in Faenza will be driven once again by Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari under Ferrari power, and bears the same high nose design employed by most of the new designs this season. With the new car, Toro Rosso hopes to improve on the 9th place constructors’ finish from last season that placed them just ahead of the newcomers as the worst-performing returning team on the grid. In the process, STR will undoubtedly be aiming to catch up with the sixth place they seized in 2008 after Vettel captured the team’s only victory – and only podium, for that matter.

Scope out the two new taurine-fueled racers in the pair of high-resolution image galleries below and the press releases after the jump, and watch this space for more as rival teams incrementally unveil their new challengers as well.

Gallery: 2011 Red Bull RB7

Gallery: 2011 Scuderia Toro Rosso STR6

[Sources: Red Bull Racing, Scudreria Toro Rosso]

Continue reading Red Bull and Toro Rosso launch 2011 F1 cars trackside at Valencia

Red Bull and Toro Rosso launch 2011 F1 cars trackside at Valencia originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zipcar gets Toyota Prius plug-ins ahead of the car’s official launch

Filed under: Hybrid, Hatchback, Toyota, Electric

Zipcar Toyota Prius PHEV

Want some data sharing with your car sharing? On Thursday, Zipcar added eight Toyota Prius plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) to its car-sharing fleet. The plug-in Priuses, which are not available for purchase until 2012, will be accessible to Zipcar members in Boston, MA, Cambridge, MA, San Francisco, CA, and Portland, OR. Zipcar’s newest additions are part of a broad pilot program aimed at assisting Toyota in obtaining real-world data prior to the plug-ins’ 2012 launch. On the flip side, Zipcar hopes to analyze the use of plug-in hybrids and assess the potential for a broader fleet rollout.

Back in 2009, Zipcar teamed up with the city of San Francisco to test a plug-in Prius. That car, which utilized a plug-in conversion kit provided by A123 Systems, offered up to 40 miles of pure electric range. The battery-only range of Toyota’s plug-in Prius is limited to 13 miles, but Scott Griffith, Zipcar’s chief executive officer, points out that “approximately one-third of our reservations are made for trips equaling less than 13 miles,” which implies that those jaunts could be made in a Prius PHEV without using a drop of gas, as long as there’s enough time to rechage between rentals.

Like all of the other hybrids in Zipcar’s fleet, the plug-in Prius can only be reserved by the hour, with sixty minutes of seat time costing approximately $7.00.

[Source: Zipcar]

Continue reading Zipcar gets Toyota Prius plug-ins ahead of the car’s official launch

Zipcar gets Toyota Prius plug-ins ahead of the car’s official launch originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Autoblog witnesses the 2012 Nissan GT-R’s launch control

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Nissan

2012 Nissan GT-R launch

2012 Nissan GT-R deftly launches – Click above to watch the video after the break

Smoke ’em if you got ’em. Well, only if you’re really just interested in showing off. In reality, if your tires go up in giant plumes of white smoke, you’re going nowhere fast.

It stands to reason, then, that drivers of the 2012 Nissan GT-R, which once again has an official factory launch control mode, won’t be indulging in any tire-smoking shenanigans. Instead, they will be launching themselves and any passengers they may be carrying into ludicrous speed with nary a hint of wheelspin to contend with.

And we finally have first-hand video evidence that proves the point. We witnessed the 2011 GT-R catapult itself into near orbit using launch control with our own eyes and managed to capture the act on video. Click past the break to see for yourself.

Continue reading Video: Autoblog witnesses the 2012 Nissan GT-R’s launch control

Video: Autoblog witnesses the 2012 Nissan GT-R’s launch control originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 18:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexus LFA launch control details revealed

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Lexus

2011 Lexus LFA

2011 Lexus LFA – Click above for high-res image gallery

As any drag racer will tell you, achieving the perfect launch is something of an art form. Or maybe it’s closer to a religion to the people constantly struggling to find exactly the right RPM, clutch technique and number of prayers to the God of the Quarter Mile.

Naturally, having a computer take all the guesswork out of the process (cheating? Not if everyone else is doing it… and they are) makes everything more than a little bit easier. The Lexus LFA is the latest supercar to get the technology here in the States. But how does it work?

Glad you asked. Lexus’ carbon fiber wonder-mobile is finally hitting the streets, and its handy-dandy owner’s manual outlines the launch controll process rather nicely. Nicely, but not exactly easily… as you might expect from a factory-installed technology that is known to be rather stressful on drivetrain components. See what we mean after the break.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Lexus LFA

[Source: Lexus Enthusiast]

Continue reading Lexus LFA launch control details revealed

Lexus LFA launch control details revealed originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aston Martin prices Cygnet, announces two launch colors

Filed under: Europe, Hatchback, Aston Martin, UK, Luxury

Aston Martin Cygnet Launch Editions

Aston Martin Cygnet Launch Editions – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you’ve been wondering exactly how much Aston Martin plans on charging for the pleasure of owning its new ~~Toyota iQ~~ Cygnet, wonder no more. The company has officially released pricing details on its first sub-compact. For the lowly price of just £30,995, you can slide behind the leather-wrapped wheel and avoid the hassle of having to shell out for those pesky congestion charges in downtown London.

Seems perfectly justifiable to us.

Aston Martin is offering two special-edition version of the Cygnet to commemorate the car’s launch. The first, fittingly called the Cygnet Launch Edition White, is slathered in Snow White paint. If this is Aston Martin’s interpretation of the fairest of them all, we’d hate to see the seven dwarves. The exterior also gets plenty of chrome bright work and custom wheels, while the interior gets pearl-white leather and satin chrome accents.

If that’s just not naughty enough for you, Aston Martin is also offering up the Cygnet Launch Edition Black. The evil twin is dipped in Magic Black paint that hides shades of green. Matte-black louvers and chrome accents dominate the rest of the exterior, while the cabin is treated to diamond-pattern black leather. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

Gallery: Aston Martin Cygnet Launch Editions

[Source: Aston Martin]

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Aston Martin prices Cygnet, announces two launch colors originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Launch control is back on 2012 Nissan GT-R

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Nissan

2012 Nissan GT-R

2012 Nissan GT-R – Click above for high-res image gallery

The GT-R obessives at NAGTROC managed to secure a copy of the 2012 Nissan GT-R owner’s manual and discovered that Nissan has reinstated the formerly verboten Launch Control feature for the 2012 model. But this time it’s called something different.

The new name is R Mode Start Function and the screen cap on the right lists off what you need to do to click of 0-60 mph runs in the low three-second range – or even the high twos, according to some preliminary reports.

After several reports of transmissions and half-shafts grenading themselves soon after the GT-R hit U.S. shores, Nissan removed the L.C. feature for the 2011 model year. This revised system seems to do the exact same thing, although the 4,000 rpm rev-limit is significantly higher than the last version and the ECU limits the start function to four consecutive runs before its disabled to protect the GT-R’s twin clutches and the rest of the transmission’s oily bits.

Gallery: 2012 Nissan GT-R

[Sources: NAGTROC (PDF warning) via 2009 GTR]

Launch control is back on 2012 Nissan GT-R originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: 2012 Honda Civic coming in April, all variants to launch in quick succession

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Sedan, Honda

Honda Civic Si coupe concept

Honda Civic Si coupe concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

A Civic for everyone. That was Soichiro Honda’s motto when rolling out the original Civic, and it’s one to which his company intends to stick with the launch of the next-generation model. When the all-new 2012 Civic is launched in April, Honda will roll out a whole variety of body and propulsion configurations within mere weeks of each other, instead of letting months pass between the debut of one model to the next.

Among those variants, we can expect both a sedan and a coupe, with several conventional gasoline engines on offer – including natural gas and hybrid versions – as well as the sporty Civic Si.

The new Civic, previewed recently at the Detroit Auto Show, was slated to debut in 2009. But when the global economy started going south, Honda sent the design back to the drawing board for a nearly complete overhaul before it ever saw the light of day. The result is expected to be much roomier than the current model, though the exterior design hasn’t changed all that much.

Gallery: 2012 Honda Civic Coupe

2012 Honda Civic Coupe

Gallery: 2012 Honda Civic Sedan

2012 Honda Civic Sedan

[Source: AutoWeek]

Report: 2012 Honda Civic coming in April, all variants to launch in quick succession originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Nissan admits Leaf EV launch could have been handled better

2011 Nissan Leaf EV – Click above for high-res image gallery

Right now, saying that the individuals who pre-ordered Nissan Leaf EVs are a little disappointed about the slow rate of deliveries would easily catapult you to the reigning monarch of the nation of understaters. After the Japanese automaker happily snapped up over 20,000 pre-orders for the electric hatch, the company managed to deliver a paltry 19 units in December. No, not 19,000 or 1,900 – nineteen. Not surprisingly, the Internet has erupted into a rousing chorus of conspiracy theories about the holdup, with everything from cars being held at the docks for wiring repairs to Nissan holding vehicles so that the Japanese market can be satiated first. According to Nissan, however, none of that is true.

The hangup boils down to a good old-fashioned corporate slip-up. Instead of parceling out the allotment of Leaf EVs to dealers like manufacturers typically do, Nissan decided to go with a more democratic but experimental online pre-ordering program. As a result, those who were first in line got the first cars. Everyone else has been left out in the cold.

According to PlugInCars.com, Nissan admits that in hindsight, it could have handled the vehicle’s launch better. Moving forward, as production ramps up, the company says that it will likely return to a more traditional dealer model for the Leaf, and that in six months time, few people will remember the delay. Nissan says that while there have been some cancellations as a result of the delays, the company believes that it’s been a relatively small number compared to overall reservations.

Gallery: 2011 Nissan Leaf: First Drive

[Sources: Jalopnik, PlugInCars.com]

Report: Nissan admits Leaf EV launch could have been handled better originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Jan 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Confirmed: Fiat 500 Abarth coming to U.S., all-electric 500 BEV to launch first

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Chrysler, Fiat, Electric

Fiat 500 Abarth

The Fiat 500 Abarth prefers to run on two wheels – Click above to watch video after the jump

The other day we told you to bone up on your Italian because the Fiat 500 configurator came online. Now you should seriously start saving your Lira because the high-performance 500 Abarth model has been confirmed for the U.S. market. No date has been confirmed, but we’ve been told that the launch of all 500 models will be staggered and the Abarth is last in the queue.

Those other variations include the standard 500 that you can start ordering now, the 500C drop-top and a 500 that runs on all-electric battery power. Still, the one we’re breaking out the driving gloves for is the Fiat 500 Abarth… and rumor has it that we might see the tiny terror running Stateside within the next three years because the 500 BEV hits the market in 2012.

Check out the video after the jump to see why i nostri cuori battono così velocemente.

Gallery: Fiat 500 Abarth Opening Edition

Continue reading Confirmed: Fiat 500 Abarth coming to U.S., all-electric 500 BEV to launch first

Confirmed: Fiat 500 Abarth coming to U.S., all-electric 500 BEV to launch first originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA Auto Show preview: Infiniti to launch 2012 M35 hybrid

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Infiniti

2012 Infiniti M35 hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery

Infiniti has officially announced plans to debut its first hybrid sedan at the Los Angeles Auto Show this November. The M35 hybrid first appeared – badged as the Nissan Fuga hybrid – at last fall’s Tokyo Motor Show, propelled by Nissan’s first in-house hybrid system. The M35 is powered by a retuned Atkinson cycle version of the 3.5-liter VQ V6 paired with a 50-kilowatt electric motor and a lithium ion battery pack that uses the same type of cells that power the Nissan Leaf.

The motor is a disc-type unit packed between the engine and the six-speed automatic transmission in a similar fashion to the systems from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Porsche. Infiniti claims the M35 will deliver V8 performance with the fuel consumption of a four cylinder. While the Fuga is set to go on sale in Japan this fall, the M35 hybrid arrives in the U.S. next year as a 2012 model.

Gallery: 2012 Infiniti M35 hybrid

[Source: Nissan]

LA Auto Show preview: Infiniti to launch 2012 M35 hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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