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Peugeot HR1 concept is latest to use through-the-road hybrid tech

Filed under: Concept Cars, Hybrid, Europe, Paris Motor Show, Crossover, Peugeot

Peugeot HR1 concept

Peugeot HR1 concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Peugeot has found a new home for its HYbrid4 technology that independently powers the front and rear wheels with two types of powertrains. It’s called through-the-road hybrid technology and it makes its latest appearance in the just-unveiled HR1 concept. According to Peugeot, The HR1 is part small city car, part SUV-ish beast and and part coupé – and it’s an aggressive little thing. To match the crowded city where it’s intended to be used, the HR1 uses scissor doors that open vertically – and the it’s is taller than you might expect, with the driver up high in a “dominant driving position.”

All this steroid-like aggression doesn’t extend to the powertrains, though, since the HR1 concept boasts numbers that are quite kind to the environment: 81 miles per gallon (64 mpg U.S.) and CO2 emissions of just 80 grams per kilometer. The frugality comes from a new, three-cylinder 1.2-liter THP 110 gas engine that is used to power the front wheels. In the back, the HYbrid4’s through-the-road hybrid powertrain uses a 37-bhp electric motor.

What is it about auto show halls that brings out this sort of magic? Yes, we know Peugeot is bringing a HYbrid4 3008 to market, but that car “only” gets 61.9 miles per gallon (U.S.) and spews a comparatively monstrous 99 grams of CO2 per kilometer. Full specs and a flowery press release after the jump, and we’ve got lots of high-res pictures in the gallery below.

Gallery: Peugeot HR1 concept

[Source: Peugeot]

Continue reading Peugeot HR1 concept is latest to use through-the-road hybrid tech

Peugeot HR1 concept is latest to use through-the-road hybrid tech originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aston-Martin One-77 world’s most powerful normally-aspirated road car? [w/video]

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Aston Martin, UK, Luxury

Aston Martin One-77

2011 Aston Martin One-77 – Click above to watch video after the jump

Aston Martin continues to march forward with its One-77. The soon-to-be-ultra-rare hypercar is closer than ever to production, and according to the minds behind its creation, when it hits the street, it will boast the world’s most powerful naturally-aspirated production car engine. With 750 horsepower and 750 lb-ft of torque, the 7.3-liter V12 is a marvel of automotive and acoustic engineering.

Despite the company’s plans to produce just 77 examples of its halo model, Aston Martin says that it’s bent on making sure that each and every one of the vehicles can stand up to the same level of abuse as the rest of its production fleet. That means that somewhere out there, a One-77 prototype is being flogged in the world’s most brutal climates.

Aston Martin has released the fourth installment of its video series on the One-77, complete with all of the long, slow-motion shots your little heart could possibly desire and a glorious soundtrack. If you’re lucky enough to have secured a One-77 for yourself, the company says that deliveries should begin during the first half of 2011. Hit the jump to take a look and for a quick read over the press release.

Gallery: Aston Martin One-77 at Galpin Motors

[Source: Aston Martin]

Continue reading Aston-Martin One-77 world’s most powerful normally-aspirated road car? [w/video]

Aston-Martin One-77 world’s most powerful normally-aspirated road car? [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frank Sprongl weighs in on Travis Pastrana’s Mt. Washington Auto Road record

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi, Subaru

Frank Sprongl in his Audi Quattro

Frank Sprongl in his 1983 Audi Quattro

Frank Sprongl would like to chat with Travis Pastrana. You see, we recently reported that Mr. Pastrana established a new record for driving up the Mt. Washington Auto Road. Travis’ time of six minutes and 20.47 seconds in a rally-prepped Subaru WRX STI bested the previous time laid down by Sprongl. In 1998, Frank Sprongl and his 1983 Audi Quattro S2 attacked the Auto Road and set an official record time of six minutes and 41.99 seconds. Technology has advanced quite a bit in the 27 years since Sprongl’s Audi Quattro was new, as well as the 12 years since he set the record.

“It’s unofficial to begin with… it’s basically just a test day and he did it with a co-driver and pace notes,” states Sprongl. He adds, “The course has 76 turns and I ran it with no co-driver or notes, I memorized every turn.” He further notes that the Auto Road had longer gravel sections when he made his official run. It has since received more paving. In Frank Sprongl’s opinion, this run is simply Red Bull and Travis performing a stunt for advertising. He does say that he believes Travis put in an amazing effort and it was certainly an excellent run… but was it official or not?

[Image: Mount Washington Auto Road]

Continue reading Frank Sprongl weighs in on Travis Pastrana’s Mt. Washington Auto Road record

Frank Sprongl weighs in on Travis Pastrana’s Mt. Washington Auto Road record originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Road Race Motorsports creates Platinum Edition Suzuki Kizashi

Filed under: Aftermarket, Sedan, Performance, Suzuki

Road Race Motorsports Platinum Edition Suzuki Kizashi – Click above for high-res image gallery

Road Race Motorsports has given the Suzuki Kizashi not just a boost, but a kick in the pants and elsewhere. Instead of the stock sedan’s 185 horsepower, RRM turbocharged the engine up to 300 hp, adds a sports suspension and sport brakes, along with a choice of bodykits. If 300 ponies is a little more than you’re after, RRM also has a 200-hp package, and the suspension offerings come in Stage 1, 2, and 3.

Our own Jeff Glucker drove it this week and wrote that “the carbon bucket seat was not built for my butt and I was half-assing (literally) in the seat. Thankfully, [the RRm Kizashi] was still easy to drive and predictably more fun than the stock model.” Follow the jump for the press release and check out the high-res images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Road Race Motorsports Platinum Edition Suzuki Kizashi

[Source: Road Race Motorsports]

Continue reading Road Race Motorsports creates Platinum Edition Suzuki Kizashi

Road Race Motorsports creates Platinum Edition Suzuki Kizashi originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2011 Bentley Continental GT out on the road

Filed under: Coupe, Videos, Paris Motor Show, Bentley, Luxury

2011 Bentley Continental GT

2011 Bentley Continental GT – Click above to watch the video after the jump

The all-new 2011 Bentley Continental GT was recently revealed online. Initially we only had pretty pictures to look at, but information comes fast and furious on the world wide web. We have gotten our hands on a video of the luxurious grand tourer doing what it does best.

The video (located just beyond the jump) is a bit low on action but high on design and style. These pictures and videos only serve to whet our appetite for some (heated leather) seat time in the new Continental. The car is set to make its world debut at the Paris Motor Show so be sure to tune in to our coverage of the entire event. We can’t give this Bentley our stamp of approval just yet but details such as the 567 horsepower W12, a top speed of 198 miles per hour, climate-controlled seats and an updated (finally!) touchscreen have us leaning towards “huzzah!”

Click over to the jump to check it out for yourself.

Gallery: 2011 Bentley Continental GT

[Source: Bentley via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: 2011 Bentley Continental GT out on the road

Video: 2011 Bentley Continental GT out on the road originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT: Taming the Mt. Washington Auto Road

Filed under: Sedan, Etc., Subaru, Long-Term Garage

Mt. Washington Auto Road

Taming of the Mt. Washington Auto Road – Click above for high-res image gallery

In our last long term update, I mentioned that my wife and I took the 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT on a two-week road trip up to New England. Our ultimate destination was Bar Harbor, Maine, though a stop in New Hampshire on the way home became our most memorable vacation moment of all time.

After spending Fourth of July at the Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa, we decided to drive up Mount Washington and visit the Mt. Washington Observatory at its summit on our way out of town. I knew little about Mt. Washington, but my wife had visited this tallest peak in New England as a child and claimed she and her family had hiked up to the summit.

The story goes her father had convinced them all to hoof it up to the top rather than hitch a ride on the mountain’s Cog Railway by offering them each the price of the train ticket as bribe money. Sounding like something my father-in-law would do, I trusted my wife’s memory was accurate and imagined a post card-quality bluff, easily scalable by a trio of children and their persuasive father.

This is the story of how wrong I was, and how the 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT fared as our mule on the harrowing eight-mile ascent up the Mt. Washington Auto Road.

Gallery: Taming of the Mt. Washington Auto Road

Mt. Washington 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT on Mt. Washington Road to the Sky safety instructions View from Mt. Washington

Continue reading 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT: Taming the Mt. Washington Auto Road

2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT: Taming the Mt. Washington Auto Road originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BREAKING: At least 8 dead in California 200 off-road race tragedy

Filed under: Motorsports

Crash at California 200 off-road race

Crash at California 200 off-road race – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Associated Press is reporting that eight people are dead after an off-road racing truck hit spectators near the start of the California 200 off-road race Saturday evening. Witnesses say the truck had just completed a jump called “the rockpile” that occurs about two miles from the start of the race when it lost control, struck spectators and came to a rest on its roof. Six people died at the scene, two others after being airlifted to the Loma Linda University Medical Center and 12 others were injured. It reportedly took rescue vehicles and helicopters a half hour to reach scene, during which time spectators tried to help the injured. Witnesses say the driver of the truck, who remains unidentified, had to flee the scene after some spectators became hostile and began to throw rocks at him. [UPDATE: Reports of the driver being pelted with rocks have not been verified, with some witnesses claiming it never happened.]

The California 200 is a 200-mile off-road race that occurs in the Mojave Desert close to the city of Lucerne Valley, just 100 miles away from Los Angeles. As with most off-road races of this type, there are no barriers separating spectators from race vehicles that can rocket by at near triple-digit speeds while facing obstacles like jumps that are designed to get all four wheels off the ground.

While the California Highway Patrol normally does not investigate crashes at organized motorsport events, AP reports that the CHP has taken the lead on this one due to its “scope”. The Federal Bureau of Land Management is also assisting. At this point, it’s not known what caused the driver of the truck to lose control, though we expect that and the driver’s identity to be revealed in due time.

The families of the victims will be in our thoughts as we try to process this tragedy, and we’ll let you know as soon as more information is available.

UPDATE: The non-profit organization FAST-aid is accepting donations to assist families of the victims. 100% of the donations will go to assist the families, which is pretty great.

UPDATE 2: Video news reports added after the jump from local news station, plus a CNN video that shows how close spectators may have been to the track.

Gallery: Crash at California 200 off-road race

Crash at California 200 off-road race

[Source: Associated Press]

Continue reading BREAKING: At least 8 dead in California 200 off-road race tragedy

BREAKING: At least 8 dead in California 200 off-road race tragedy originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reynard Inverter gets road legal in the UK [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, UK, Racing

Reynard Inverter – Click above for high-res image gallery

One of the great things about being a gearhead in the UK is the Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) process. In short,
the IVA (formerly the Single Vehicle Type approval) is a set of rules that allows one-offs and very low volume vehicles to be approved if they meet only the most basic requirements of a road car. If it’s equipped with head- and taillights, turn signals, seat belts and doesn’t spew too much smoke or have any other obvious issues, you can get it registered. Lotus uses IVA to make UK street versions of its 2-Eleven track car and that’s how Reynard Racing Cars will now sell the Inverter – a race car barely adapted for the street – to liven up your daily commute.

Power is currently available from either a 1,000-cc Honda Fireblade or 1,340-cc Suzuki Hayabusa inline-four, but a variant powered by a 2.0-liter Ford Duratec is under development. With the road version weighing a mere 981 pounds, the 180 horsepower Fireblade should provide plenty of performance. The Inverter starts at £35,000 for a turn-key unit (that’s around $56,000 USD including Britain’s Value Added Tax) or you can get a rolling chassis and body starting at £14,900 (in the neighborhood of $24k). Check out video and specs after the jump.

Gallery: Reynard Inverter

[Source: Reynard Racing Cars]

Continue reading Reynard Inverter gets road legal in the UK [w/video]

Reynard Inverter gets road legal in the UK [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog hits the road with Mini Takes The States 2010

Filed under: Convertible, Hatchback, Mini

Mini Takes The States 2010 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Of all the automakers in the United States, perhaps the one with the largest enthusiast following is Mini. Sure, brands like Porsche, BMW and even Subaru have their own clubs and cult followings, but when it comes to eccentricity and personality, no one does it like Mini.

In that spirit, the pint-sized automaker is once again embarking on its Mini Takes The States cross-country road rally, an event that first occurred in 2006 and then again in 2008. This time, Mini is gathering its owners to celebrate the launch of the 2011 Countryman crossover, and we’ve been asked to tag along. We’ll be scoring some seat time in the Countryman as well, so stay tuned for our initial impressions.

Our trip started in New York and will take us to Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Columbus and finally Indianapolis before we hop a plane back home. Many of the other participants will head all the way out to Denver, where they will meet up with other groups doing similar drive routes in different parts of the country. Mini has a full host of festivities planned for the Denver crew, and many other local Mini enthusiast clubs are providing some entertainment along the way.

Mini has provided us with a Cooper S Camden Edition for the trip, which means we’ll experience turbocharged small car thrills along the highways of America. We already spent a considerable amount of time with the Camden-ized Cooper, and we’ve been getting many a thumbs-up from Mini owners out on the road. (We’ve opted to leave the Camden’s Mission Control system in the “off” position.)

Keep your eyes peeled for caravans of Coopers and Clubmans, folks. This not-so-mini road rally is taking America by storm. Want to vicariously join in on the fun? Follow the trip’s progress on Mini’s Facebook page.

Gallery: Mini Takes The States 2010

Autoblog hits the road with Mini Takes The States 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog End-of-Summer Road Trip Gadget Guide

Filed under: Technology

There’s less than one month of summer left and many of you have yet to take a vacation. Might we suggest a road trip? Whether you head out to see Wally World or the world’s biggest ball of twine, many challenges await you along the way. Between lousy truck-stop food, random mattresses left in the road, bickering children and your significant other taking over the climate controls like some sort of tin-pot dictator, there’s plenty of nonsense to deal with. So, we’ve gathered a list of some gadgets that might make your life easier, safer and more entertaining on the road. Follow the jump to check out our official Autoblog End-of-Summer Road Trip Gadget Guide.

Continue reading Autoblog End-of-Summer Road Trip Gadget Guide

Autoblog End-of-Summer Road Trip Gadget Guide originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 Aug 2010 19:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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