BMW takes the top off the i8 hybrid concept

The BMW i8 Concept Spyder is a topless two-seater version of the i8 coupe, and will make its first appearance at the Beijing motor show later this month. Slightly shorter than its 2+2 sibling, the Concept Spyder makes generous use of the carbon fiber reinforced plastic used in the LifeDrive architecture, features windowless doors that swivel up and a transparent tailgate. The interior is decked out in a mixture of plastic, carbon, and leather, and features an 8.8-inch high-definition screen that displays driving information in 3D.
Powered by a combined 354-horsepower eDrive power train (131-horsepower electric motor on the front axle and a 223-horsepower turbocharged three-cylinder engine in the rear), the i8 Concept Spyder achieves a 0-60 mph time of under 5 seconds and tops out at an electronically controlled 155 mph. And yet, the roadster sips fuel to the rate of up to 94 mpg in the European test cycle.
 BMW introduced the i8 and i3 electric and plug-in car concepts last year, and the i8 Concept Spyder will keep the sub-brand in the public eye until the plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles enter production some time in 2013. It's also a way for BMW to show off its lightweight and modular LifeDrive architecture by quickly developing a new model using the same powertrain and materials.

Fisker to debut Atlantic plug-in EV at NYC event tonight

We already know quite a bit about Fisker's follow-up to the Karma electric sports sedan. We know that it's called the Atlantic, that it's smaller than the Karma, and that it should be significantly less expensive--rumors put the MSRP at about $40,000 after a $7,500 federal tax credit. Heck, we even know what it looks like thanks to a batch of leaked photos.
 However, there's a great deal that we don't know. There have been no power, range, or economy ratings leaked to go along with the photos. We don't have dimensions, so we can only guess based on those photos how much smaller a vehicle the Atlantic will be. Most importantly, as CNET's Martin LaMonica points out, we don't know how Fisker can afford to build the thing.

Fisker finds funding, Atlantic EVer will see production

The 2012 New York auto show starts early tonight with the official announcement and unveiling of the Fisker Atlantic. The Atlantic is the second new vehicle to be debuted by the vehicle (or the third if you choose to count the Fisker Surf design concept) and is Fisker Automotive's shot at building an extended-range electric vehicle that people can actually afford.
The Atlantic doesn't divert terribly from the formula set by the Karma. The sedans feature similar mustachioed front ends, the smaller Atlantic largely maintaining a scaled-down version of the Fisker design language with a few tweaks here and there. For example, the Atlantic's headlamps feature a faceted design that, when illuminated by the LED daytime running lights, produce an effect that is described as backlit ice. Like most of the elements of the Fisker school of automotive design, you'll either love it or hate it. Personally, I think it looks rather, ahem, cool.
Things get interesting behind the Atlantic's B-pillar. While the Atlantic hides its second pair of doors even better than the Karma by integrating the door handles into the nook formed by the rear side glass and the C-pillar in a manner that is reminiscent of the Hyundai Veloster. The Atlantic is about a third shorter than its larger sibling, thanks in part to a truncated rear end, putting the sedan in the same size class as the BMW 3 Series or Audi A5. Likewise, Fisker claims its new model will feature more interior space than either of those vehicles. Additionally, the Atlantic's price is estimated to fall near the top end of that class as well, which puts it between $45,000 and $50,000.

2014 Chevrolet Impala gallops into the New York auto show

NEW YORK--The 2014 Impala debuts with a new, muscular design that calls on equal parts Malibu and Camaro to create a look that Chevrolet says "looks much more expensive than it is." Classic Impala design cues, such as the leaping Impala emblem on the C pillar and the raised Impala lettering on a rear chrome bar, blend with the more modern Chevrolet design language to create a large sedan that, while a bit visually busy from certain angles, is athletic and muscular.
Chevrolet's MyLink infotainment system will grace the Impala's dashboard with its large 8-inch color touch screen, keeping the driver and passenger informed and entertained. Skip the MyLink system and you'll still find yourself looking at a smaller 4.2-inch display. And keeping the passengers safe are a selection of new safety features, including full-speed-range adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation braking, forward collision alert, lane-departure warning, side blind-zone alert, and rear cross-traffic alert. There's also an industry first front-center side airbag that, aside from being a mouthful, inflates between the front seats in a side collision to keep the front passengers from re-enacting an episode of the Three Stooges and knocking heads together.

Hyundai debuts the new 2013 Santa Fe...twice

NEW YORK--Today at the 2012 New York auto show, Hyundai debuted not one, but two new versions of the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe for two different kinds of crossover buyers.
The first debut was the Santa Fe Sport, a small crossover that seats five. Under its hood, drivers have a choice between either a 190 horsepower direct-injected 2.4-liter engine that should net an estimated 33 highway mpg or the turbocharged and direct-injected 2.0-liter engine that outputs 264 horsepower at the expense of a pair of highway mpg. If these engines sound familiar, it's because they're the same that you can find powering the Hyundai Sonata. Whether this shared architecture means we'll ever see a Santa Fe Hybrid, remains to be seen.
Like the Sonata, the Santa Fe defaults to a front-wheel-drive configuration with a six-speed automatic transmission. Unlike the sedan, however, Hyundai's new crossover can be optioned with an all-wheel drive system that sends power on demand to the rear axle. Through a combination of true torque vectoring and torque braking, Hyundai claims that the Santa Fe Sport can control traction to each individual wheel without the driver ever knowing the system has intervened.
Hyundai also features an interesting Driver Selectable Steering Modes (DSSM) feature that gives users the choice between three settings for the power-steering system. Comfort decreases steering effort by 10 percent from the baseline normal mode for easy one-handed parking lot cruising. Likewise, the Sport setting increases steering effort by 10 percent, while also increasing steering feel for tackling winding roads.

Acura RLX flagship serves as tech showboat

NEW YORK--Acura's RL has long been a struggling warhorse, unable to keep the company ahead of the technology charge led by other automakers. But its replacement, the RLX, looks to at least put Acura back on the front lines.
 The RLX was shown off as a concept at the New York auto show, but in recent years Acura has tended to follow-through on its concept cars to production. The RLX concept is a meaty sedan with the Acura beak grille, but its proportions remain similar to that of the RL. The size of the RLX could work against its being accepted as a full-size luxury car.
The choice to keep the car of a moderate length could hurt its bid to compete with the Lexus LSes and Mercedes-Benz S-classes of the world. But Acura promises a large, comfortable cabin with many high-tech features. As people get used to luxury in smaller packages, the RLX could be coming at the right time.
 Acura previously let out that this car would be a hybrid, so it was not hard to figure out that it would use a variation on the system powering the new NSX. Under the RLX's hood will be a direct-injection 3.5-liter V-6 complemented by an electric motor to drive the front wheels. A dual electric motor array powers the rear wheels, giving the RLX all-wheel-drive.
 Not only do these power components combine for 370 horsepower, but the hybrid system also gets the RLX an estimated 30 mpg average.
 Acura will also offer a less powerful, and most likely cheaper, front-wheel-drive version, using just the gas engine, with 310 horsepower. To make up for its lack of all-wheel-drive, Acura will include a system that it calls Precision Steering.

Viper comes back, teeth sharpened

NEW YORK--Fans of the old Dodge Viper may be disappointed in its rebirth. While still driven by a ridiculously powerful engine, and maintaining its cabin far to the back of the car, the 2013 SRT Viper comes with unforeseen refinement.
 Instead of strict power to the wheels with no electronic interference, the new Viper comes with traction and stability control. An active suspension system lets the driver choose between street and track modes. Body work around its side pipe should even protect the legs of passengers getting out of the cabin. Although refined, the Viper keeps its essential shape. But it would be foolish to lament the previously unfettered Viper, as technology has proven itself again and again in performance cars. The traction system on the new Viper enables launch control, making it possible to actually use all of the car's massive torque. The suspension system's street mode should also make possible to enjoy a Sunday drive, rather than seeking out a chiropractor the next Monday.
 With the 2013 Viper, it looks like the new SRT group was challenged to build a world-class super car, able to hold its own against the Ferraris and Lamborghinis of the world. And it may have well succeeded.

California's autonomous car bill inches closer to reality

A bill that paves the way for autonomous cars to be driven on state roads cleared its first of many hurdles. California Senate Bill (SB) 1298 passed the Senate Transportation Committee yesterday on an 8 to 0 vote.
 The bill, authored by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima), will set up safety and performance standards for the safe operation of autonomous vehicles on California's public roads. The rules and regulations for robotic cars will be modeled after those already being used in Nevada.
 Autonomous vehicles will be required to meet all applicable safety standards and performance requirements in state and federal law, and the California Highway Patrol will consult with the Department of Motor vehicles to recommend additional requirements. The new legislation will permit the operation of autonomous vehicles on California's public roads by a licensed driver.
 Approval from the Senate Transportation Committee is the first of many steps on the path to the Governor's desk. Next, SB 1298 will move to the Senate Rules Committee for a possible referral to a second policy committee. Arizona, Hawaii, Florida, and Oklahoma are also currently considering autonomous vehicles legislation. Nevada began issuing permits to companies that want to test autonomous vehicles on state roads last month after they've documented 10,000 miles on private tracks or other roads under various conditions.

The hybrid premium: How much more does a hybrid car cost?

Ever since hybrids became popular, with the second generation of the Toyota Prius, the question arose of whether the fuel savings justified a hybrid car's higher price. The extra expense for a hybrid car has been called the hybrid premium.
 The extra cost for a hybrid car comes from the additional equipment in the driveline. Along with the gas engine, hybrid cars have an electric propulsion motor, a high-voltage battery pack, and a power control module, this latter component determining how to feed electric power into the drive system.
 Now, with many automakers offering some type of hybrid car, the competition has opened up. So what is the current status of the hybrid premium? We looked at a selection of 2012 hybrid models, comparing them with their straight gasoline counterparts, if any. In choosing cars for comparison, we stuck to trim levels where navigation was available, to level the playing field. However, even looking at cars at the same trim level, differences such as horsepower and torque assert themselves, so technically we are still talking about an apples to oranges comparison.

New Shelby GT500 boasts most powerful production V-8

As new city cars come out with less than 100 horsepower, you might have thought the horsepower wars were over. But there's still a corner of the great American garage where gearhead engineers build and tune engines to dump massive amounts of power out through driveshafts to wheels.
 The team bearing Ford's blue oval on their coveralls get to wear the garage king crown for their efforts with the new Shelby GT500, which was certified to produce 662 horsepower and 631 pound-feet of torque. That makes the 2013 GT500 more powerful than the Ferrari 458 Italia -- lot more powerful.
The new supercharger in the Shelby GT500 displaces 2.3 liters. How did Ford get that much power under the hood of the Mustang-based Shelby GT500? Displacement and forced induction. The block is a 5.8-liter V-8 with dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder. Ford stuck with port injection for this beast, instead of going with the more efficient direct injection, which could be a lost opportunity or a future improvement.
 On top of this engine is a new supercharger, a 2.3-liter forced induction unit powered by the engine to shovel air through the intakes. Ford says that the engine produces 395 pound-feet of torque at idle, then generates the peak 631 pound-feet from 2,000 to 5,800 rpm. The peak horsepower hits at 6,500 rpm, with redline at 7,000.

Toyota RAV4 EV to make public debut next week

Toyota will officially unveil the RAV4 EV next week, an all-electric SUV that could be an important indicator of electric vehicles sales overall.
 The company earlier this week sent out a notice that it will debut the RAV4 EV on Monday May 7 at the International Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS26) in Los Angeles, an important conference for EVs.
 Toyota has shown off concept RAV4 EVs already, but important details such as price and availability have not yet been disclosed.
 The all-electric SUV is the fruit of a partnership between Toyota and Tesla Motors, which is supplying the electric powertrain for the vehicle. It's expected to have a driving range of about 100 miles.

Nissan to build production Juke-R supercars

Last year a Nissan department based in Europe came up with the strange idea of putting the GT-R's engine in the new Juke small SUV. The car was introduced as a concept, and Nissan probably thought that was the end of the matter. Like most concept cars, the Juke-R would be consigned to a lonely corner of a garage, and eventually disassembled.
 A strong positive reaction from the car-loving public, which must have taken Nissan by surprise, dictated a different fate for the car. After the Juke-R's first public appearance, in Dubai of all places, Nissan capitalized on its popularity by releasing videos of it racing a Ferrari, a Lamborghini, and a GT-R.
 All along, Nissan insisted the oddball Juke-R was nothing more than a concept.