Porsche 918 Spyder

Porsche will unveil at the Geneva Motor Show the Porsche 918 Spyder concept car, a mid-engined two-seater that combines the performance of a super-sports car with the CO2 emissions of a small compact.

The 918 Spyder is powered by a V8 power unit delivering more than 500 hp and three electric motors with overall output of 160 kW. The engine emits just 70 grams CO2 per kilometer and has a fuel consumption of just 3.0 liters/100 kilometers (94 mpg imp).

The Porsche 918 Spyder combines classic elements with appropriate solutions for the future.

Lexus LF-A spotted in Monaco

Monaco’s no stranger to supercars, which is we’re not really surprised to see Ferraris or Lamborghinis frolicking around the ultra expensive sovereign city-state in South Western Europe. It’s precisely why Monaco has rightfully earned the nickname as "a billionaire’s playground".

Then again, we’re bound to make certain exceptions and this is one of those times, especially since the car that was photographed by Flickr member Kyter MC just happens to be the recently-released Lexus LF-A. It just goes to show that despite the sheer volume of supercars riding around in Monaco, people will still stop and take a good look at the LF-A.

CDC International offering 'Reventon' body kit for Lamborghini Gallardo

For most of us who don’t own a Lamborghini Gallardo, this bit of news is pretty irrelevant to us. But if you’re one of the lucky – and rich – few that does have a Gallardo, the German tuning house CDC-International has a package that can turn your Gallardo into a Lamborghini Reventon, or close to it, at least.

To be fair, CDC-International’s body kit doesn’t exactly hit every nook and cranny of the Reventon to a tee. But it comes pretty close. For starters, the protruding front bumper is a staple of the Reventon, as are those aggressive side skirts.

In addition to those Reventon styling cues, CDC International’s custom body kit for the Gallardo also comes with a rear spoiler, red mirror covers, a modified front apron, bonnet, and rear grill.

GM Lends New Models to Factory Workers, Has Them Do the Marketing

Hoping that hands-on experience and knowledgeable employees will help sell vehicles, GM has announced the Vehicle Plant Tour, which puts new GM products in the hands of assembly-line workers.

Through December, the company will ship four sets of six new vehicles to 40 GM assembly plants throughout North America. The vehicles involved are the Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, and Malibu; Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon; Buick LaCrosse; and GMC Terrain. Each set of vehicles will stay at a given plant for a month.

The idea is to allow the employees who build cars to get a better chance to experience them, as well as spread the word about GM products. Employees will be encouraged to take overnight test drives and conduct ride-and-drive programs for their local community. Employees are even encouraged to let non-employees test-drive the vehicles.

The official word is that “personal, word-of-mouth testimonials are the best way to persuade consumers to try and buy new products.” We think this real-people marketing strategy can’t hurt, since the products are all pretty good. And GM’s employees should make good salespeople since they’re the ones who most want to see the company succeed.

Orders for Lexus LFA Outstrip Planned Production Volume

As is the case with many limited-edition or exotic cars, customers who want a Lexus LFA must register with Lexus and then wait to see if they actually get a car. Lexus planned to build just 500 copies of the LFA, but the company now says that more than 500 people have already “registered their interest” in buying one.

Don’t dismay; you have until the end of the Geneva auto show (mid-March) to tell Lexus you’d like to buy an LFA. Lexus won’t decide exactly which buyers get to have one until April, with individual orders to be finalized by the end of May. It’s not clear how many potential buyers will actually get left in the non-LFA-owning cold.

2011 Lamborghini Gallardo 570-4 Superleggera set for Geneva debut

Lamborghini Gallardo L 570-4 Superleggera - Click above for high-res image gallery

In case you hadn't noticed, the 2010 Geneva Motor Show is about to start and one of the big debuts on day one will be this, the 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera. It's the first successor to the original Gallardo Superleggera ("superlight" in Italian) that debuted in 2007 and will sit atop the Gallardo range as the little Lambo to beat.
Just like the first car, the new 570-4 Superleggera is 70 kilograms, or 154 lbs, lighter than the Gallardo below it, in this case the LP 560-4. Its dry weight is just 2,954 lbs, which itself is far below the last superlight Gallardo at 3,153 lbs. Whereas that car was powered by 5.0 liters of V10 fury producing 530 horsepower, the new 570-4 model is propelled by a direct-injected 5.2-liter V10 of the same origin making its namesake 570 hp. Add the lighter weight to the increased power and you get a 0-62 mile per hour time of 3.4 seconds and top speed of 202 mph.
Lots of carbon fiber help make the light weight possible, while 19-inch forged aluminum wheels wearing Pirelli P Zero Corsa rubber, optional carbon ceramic disc brakes, permanent all-wheel drive (hence the "-4" in its name) and a six-speed e-gear transmission round out the supporting cast of performance hardware.
Follow the jump for Lamborghini's complete (and extremely exhaustive) press release and stay tuned tomorrow for our first live pics of the Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera from the show floor.

Porsche 918 Spyder revealed!

Porsche will unveil at the Geneva Motor Show the Porsche 918 Spyder concept car, a mid-engined two-seater that combines the performance of a super-sports car with the CO2 emissions of a small compact.

The 918 Spyder is powered by a V8 power unit delivering more than 500 hp and three electric motors with overall output of 160 kW. The engine emits just 70 grams CO2 per kilometer and has a fuel consumption of just 3.0 liters/100 kilometers (94 mpg imp).

The Porsche 918 Spyder combines classic elements with appropriate solutions for the future.

Stay tuned for more details!

Porsche Drops some "E" in Geneva: The 918 Spyder Concept

Porsche just released a new, mid-engined conceptual bomb on the EPA via Geneva. The 918 Spyder, a plug-in concept with claimed emissions of 70g CO2/km, is said to provide the Marty McFly's kids with a fuel economy of 78 mpg US (3L / 100 km) while lapping the 'Ring in 7:30, hitting 100km/h in 3.2 seconds, and peaking at 320 km/h (198 mph). That's...

Lamborghini's New Gallardo LP570-4 Supperleggera

Set to debut in Geneva (really really soon) is the Lamborghini Murcielago SV's little brother. Called the Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera, it's set to carry some of its older sibling's feature characteristics (loud colors, swoopy graphics, big wing, and that black lower-body trim) while developing 570 horsepower. Unofficial numbers are claiming a...

Ford Confirms High-Performance RS/ST Version of New Focus for Global Markets

During a pre-show event in Geneva, Ford confirmed the development of a high-performance version of the new Focus that will be powered by a version of its 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine family that features both turbocharging and direct-injection and will be offered in all markets. "We want to reassure enthusiasts of Focus performance models that we...

Ferrari 599 Hybrid Concept: First Photos Leak on the Web

We've been hearing a lot about Ferrari's Geneva-bound 599 Hybrid concept model for quite some time now, but the Italian supercar maker apparently can't keep it under wraps anymore as the first photos of the prototype model made it onto the web today. Photos aside, we asked around and our sources gave us some inside information on the hybrid...

2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera – Official Photos and Info

Superleggera round two begins the same way the first one did.

Lamborghini’s chief rival, Ferrari, might be charting new waters by unveiling a hybrid at the Geneva auto show, but the bucking-bull brand is sticking to tried and true formulas with its news. The Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera follows exactly the recipe laid out by its predecessor: less weight, more power. But now that the basic Gallardo LP560-4 puts out 552 horses, the total for the Superleggera sneaks up to 562, courtesy of a more liberal engine-management programming. The power peak still occurs at a siren-song 8000 rpm, and torque remains 398 lb-ft at 6500 rpm.

Lambo says 0 to 60 mph will take only 3.4 seconds, with 124 (200 km/h) passing in just 10.2. Terminal velocity is 202 mph. However, a regular-strength Gallardo we tested recently needed only 3.2 seconds to hit the 60-mph mark. That car also took a mere 11.2 seconds to trip the quarter-mile timing lights at a speed of 130 mph, which suggests that the new Superleggera will land safely among the quickest production cars we’ve ever tested. Lamborghini’s e-gear automated manual transmission will be standard, although we expect that, like the previous car, the Superleggera will offer the gated six-speed manual as a no-cost option. With e-gear, fuel economy is said to be 14 mpg in the city, 20 on the highway. Good luck finding the restraint to achieve those figures.

Keep Reading: 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera – Official Photos and Info

Porsche Unveils 918 Spyder Plug-In Hybrid Concept

Walter Röhrl waves from the passenger seat as the 918 Spyder concept rolls down the runway of VW’s dedicated show pavilion here in downtown Geneva. In the driver’s seat, Porsche chairman Michael Macht detaches the steering wheel before hopping out.

Low, wide, shod with 935-style dinner-plate wheels, and with two giant exhaust tips exiting just past each door, the 918 Spyder looks like the demon spawn of a Carrera GT and the RS Spyder racer. But what the hell is this thing?

It’s Porsche’s take on the plug-in hybrid. Röhrl claims that the 918 Spyder goes around the ‘Ring in under 7:30, and Macht says it consumes less than 3 l/100 km (about 78 mpg). It can go more than 15 miles on just electric power. The engine is a mid-mounted V-8 and puts out more than 500 hp. Three electric motors add a combined 218 hp.

When? The company hasn’t made a decision yet. But keep in mind that Porsche has never shown a concept that hasn’t been built.

2011 Jaguar XJ – First Drive Review

Alloy-ed and alluring, the new XJ transports Jaguar to an altogether different place.

Above all things, Jaguar desires to be different. That’s why the new 2011 XJ flagship has the flamboyant lines of an Italian torpedo, the driving manners of a German autobahn cruiser, and is tuned for Buckingham Palace fleet duty. Cultures collide in spectacular ways in this luxury limo.

Keep Reading: 2011 Jaguar XJ – First Drive Review

2010 Alfa Romeo Giulietta – Official Photos and Info

Even with a base motor, this Alfa still qualifies as a hot hatch.

Alfa Romeo will be introducing the most important model in its history at the Geneva auto show . Alfa has been in a tailspin for the last decade or so, and Fiat—and Chrysler—head honcho Sergio Marchionne has made it clear that the brand, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, won’t live to see many more birthdays unless it can prove itself worth sustained support.

The most important Alfa ever is not the next iteration of the 8C supercar, nor is it a ground-breaking new microcar. No, the car upon which the future of the brand hinges is the pedestrian 2010 Giulietta. About the size of the Volkswagen Golf, the Giulietta is the first vehicle to be based on Fiat’s new C-evo platform, an architecture that will underpin a number of Fiat and Chrysler models.

Keep Reading: 2010 Alfa Romeo Giulietta – Official Photos and Info

Porsche 918 Spyder Plug-In Hybrid Concept

Stuttgart debuts a do-all, mean, green machine.

With four other debuts planned for this year’s Geneva auto show, Porsche saved one surprise for just before the show opened. Behold the 918 Spyder concept, a radical Carrera GT–like supercar that employs Porsche’s latest take on enviro-firendly performance technology.

The Supercar of Tomorrow

Moving in the same direction as Ferrari with its 599 Hybrid concept, Porsche is laying its cards on the table with this dual-purpose supercar plug-in hybrid. Said to “combine high-tech racing features with electric mobility to offer a fascinating range of qualities,” the 918 Spyder concept borrows the mid-mounted 3.4-liter V-8 engine from the RS Spyder race car, singing a symphony of 500 hp up to a 9200-rpm redline. That covers the race portion of the equation, while electric motors found at both the front and rear axles that combine for an output of 218 hp handle the electric mobility. These motors, able to move the car on electric power alone, make the 918 a full hybrid, which Porsche claims has a range of 16 miles using the liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery found behind the passenger compartment. Porsche claims the concept is capable of hitting 62 mph in under 3.2 seconds, topping out at 198 mph, lapping the Nürburgring in 7 minutes and 30 seconds (faster than a Carrera GT), and achieving fuel economy of up to 78 mpg, but certainly not while laying down those figures.

Keep Reading: Porsche 918 Spyder Plug-In Hybrid Concept – Auto Shows

Porsche 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid concept gets 78 mpg, hits 62 mph in 3.2 seconds

Porsche 918 Spyder concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Here you go, have your cake and eat it too. Porsche is looking to prove that the best of both worlds don't have to be mutually exclusive with the 918 Spyder concept scheduled to debut tomorrow at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. Looking a bit like a Carrera GT evolved, the 918 Spyder is powered by both a 500-horsepower V8 and a pair of electric motors (one for each axle) producing an additional 218 hp or 160kW. At full gallop, the concept can theoretically reach 62 mph in 3.2 seconds and nip 198 mph on the high end. On the flip side, Porsche says it can also achieve 78 miles per gallon and emit just 70 grams of CO2 per kilometer.
How does a supercar have such range? Well, the 918 Spyder concept is a parallel hybrid just like your mom's Prius (well not just like). That means the two powertrains, gas and electric, can operate together or separately to motivate the wheels into motion. There are no less than four modes that configure the powertrains for anything from maximum efficiency to maximum performance and everything in between. The E-Drive mode means pure electric power, and the car can reportedly last up to 16 miles on electrons alone. Next up is Hybrid mode, which is just what it sounds like and would probably be the mode for everyday around town driving. The Sport Hybrid mode again uses both powertrains, but tips the needle a bit more towards performance with most power reaching the rear wheels. Finally, the Race Hybrid mode means all systems are go for the lowest lap times possible (Porsche says it can do the Nordschleife in less than 7:30 minutes). There's an even a push-to-pass button (if only it were that easy) that adds a bit of E-boost on the straights and, of course, regenerative braking is present and accounted for.
Lastly, take a good look at the interior because Porsche says it offers a glimpse at future interiors from the automaker. Sounds good enough to buy so far, right? Too bad, because it's just a concept. We'll bring you live shots of the 918 Spyder concept tomorrow after it debuts in Geneva, so sit tight.