Items tagged with Hybrid
The current-generation Ford Focus RS is a car that performance enthusiasts love. This was the car that performance fans missed the most when Ford discontinued all of its passenger cars in the United States other than the Mustang. While Americans may never see it, Focus RS fans in Europe will get a new model to enjoy, and it sounds as if the car will be a beast. The most significant change for the Focus RS is that it is expected to be a 400hp+ hybrid car. Ford is betting big on hybrid vehicles, promising electrified versions of all of its vehicles, with most of them being hybrids. Ford and Lincoln have also positioned their hybrids for performance rather than efficiency. 2019 Ford Focus ST, which...
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Late last month, Lamborghini teased its next-generation hypercar with a single image that prominently displayed the shape of the vehicle's daytime running lights. Today, Lamborghini has officially pulled the wraps off the vehicle -- albeit in crispy renders instead of in the fleshmetal. Witness the Sian, which is the latest in a long line of absolutely bonkers road cards from Lamborghini. Believe it or not, the Sian is actually the first production Lamborghini car to be fitted with a hybrid system to augment the internal combustion engine. Given that this is Lamborghini's newest flagship, it shouldn't come as a surprise that powering the vehicle is the naturally-aspirated 6.5-liter...
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Ford has unveiled the all-new 2020 Escape SUV, and this year the line includes hybrid and plug-in hybrid models. Ford says that every model in the line has a driving range of at least 400 miles per tank of fuel, whether it's powered by a standalone EcoBoost gas engine or one of the new hybrid powertrains. The standard FWD hybrid offering is good for over 550 miles of driving per tank of fuel. Escape buyers can opt for an all-wheel-drive version or front-wheel-drive versions using the same 8-speed automatic transmission. Ford is packing the Titanium version of the Escape with an available new 2.0L EcoBoost that makes 250 horsepower and 275 lb.-ft of torque when using 93 octane fuel. A lower-spec...
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The world is being overrun by crossover utility vehicles (CUVs), and there's not much that we can do about it. Sales of traditional sedans have plummeted as Americans quickly embrace larger, more versatile, and more expensive crossovers. Lincoln is definitely embracing this trend, and has pulled the wraps off the impeccably-detailed 2020 Aviator. The new mid-size Aviator is a dead ringer for the concept that was first revealed at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show in January and has lost absolutely nothing in the transition to production. Up front is a not-so-large version of Lincoln's new grille design along with LED headlights and fog lights. There is tasteful chrome trim around the windows...
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Today is a rather sad day for fans of General Motors. The company announced that it is laying off 15 percent of its workforce in North America, and will close a total of five manufacturing plants on the continent. With regards to its workforce, a total of 14,000 contract and salaried workers will be out of a job in 2019. As for its manufacturing plants, the following will all be closed within the next year: Oshawa Assembly in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly in Detroit Lordstown Assembly in Warren, Ohio Baltimore Operations in White Marsh, Maryland Warren Transmission Operations in Warren, Michigan General Motors says that this represents the latest step in its efforts to "accelerate...
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Looking back at Porsche's storied history, most auto enthusiasts have fond thoughts of the original 356, the 911 and the 959 supercar from the early 80s. However, in recent years, Porsche's sales have been dominated by **gulp** crossovers. The Cayenne and Macan are brisk sellers and cash cows for Porsche, which helps the German company to fund the continued development of vehicles like the 911, Cayman and 918 Spyder. With that in mind, Porsche is on an electrification kick, and the latest fruit to bear is the 2019 Cayenne E-Hybrid. The Cayenne was completely redesigned for the 2018 model year, and the new E-Hybrid inherits all of the refinements of its combustion-engine siblings. This time around,...
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Following Honda's unveiling of a concept version of its third-generation Insight hybrid back in December, the Japanese automaker has pulled the wraps off the production version of the vehicle. As we reported last year, not much has changed in the translation from concept to production model with the only major difference appearing to be the fitting of smaller rolling stock. The new 2019 Insight is heavily based on the current generation Civic as you can tell from the overall body lines, greenhouse, and side mirrors. The primary changes in the design come up front and in the back. Up front, you'll find the latest incarnation of Honda's "Flying Wing" grille design, which features a chrome bar bisecting...
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Ford has just previewed a number of new vehicles that will be joining its family in the coming years. The auto giant announced that 75 percent of its current lineup will be replaced by 2020 and that it will be adding four new trucks and SUVs as well. The most high-profile of these launches will no doubt be the resurrected Bronco (pictured above). The Bronco was announced for production in early 2017 alongside the all-new Ranger. The Ranger has already been revealed in production form and will soon be hitting dealer lots. At the time, it was expected that the Bronco would simply be a rebadged Everest SUV (which Ford sells in other global markets), but the teaser image below clearly shows that...
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Honda has been rather hit of miss in recent years with its dedicated hybrid vehicles. The first-generation Insight was a spunky, CRX-esque two-seat hybrid that was incredibly efficient (up to 70 mpg), but not exactly a practical vehicle. Honda followed up with the second-generation Insight in 2009 (which looked like a warmed-over Prius) and the CR-Z, which was in essence the true successor for the first-generation Insight. Neither was a sales success, and both have since been discontinued. Now, Honda is ready to try again with a new dedicated hybrid vehicle, and it will once again bear the Insight nameplate. Given the body lines, glass, mirrors, and overall stance, there's no question that this...
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Volvo might not be a name that you immediately think of when it comes to the electrification of automobiles (Tesla typically holds that honor), but it is taking steps to ensure that hybrids and fully-electric cars become central to its business. The company announced that starting in 2019, all of its vehicles will feature electric motors that either aid gasoline engines or take care of all propulsion duties. Many luxury automakers offer hybrid versions of their vehicles either to enhance performance or increase fuel economy, but Volvo will be the first to go “all in” on its journey to a time when all vehicles are powered electric motors and batteries instead of internal combustion engines and...
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You better think twice before speeding down the 405. Ford has just unveiled its first “pursuit-rated” hybrid patrol car, and the Los Angeles Police Department may be one of the first agencies to get its hands on the vehicles. Charlie Beck, Los Angeles Police Department Chief remarked, “Our mission to create safe and healthy communities in Los Angeles is achieved through sustainable approaches in community policing, and that includes embracing new technologies. Patrol vehicles are a police officer’s office, and we expect them to not only be economically and environmentally efficient, but also an effective tool for fighting crime in major metropolitan areas.” The Ford Police Responder Hybrid Sedan...
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It looks as though a new competitor is looking to charge into the electrified vehicle market. Whereas Tesla Motors is squarely aimed at the passenger vehicle market with high-priced full EVs like the Model S and Model X, Nikola Motors (clearly a nod to Tesla) has its sights set much higher on the world of long-haul transportation. The headlining vehicle from this new startup is the Nikola One, a semi-truck that combines electric motors with a natural-gas-fed turbine that recharges the vehicle’s 320 kWh battery pack. Total system output is pegged at 2,000hp with 3,700 lb-ft of torque. The company claims that this powertrain combo (which never has to be plugged into a wall) will give the Nikola...
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It looks as though Hyundai and its affiliates are taking direct aim at the Toyota Prius, and with good reason. Despite the fact that gas prices have reached lows in the United States that we haven’t seen in years, the Prius is still the by far the best-selling hybrid vehicle on the market. Many have tried to copy the success of the Prius, but all have come up short. Hyundai is going after the Prius with the similarly-shaped Ioniq, while Kia just today announced the new 2017 Niro, which uses the same platform as the Ioniq, but is wrapped in a crossover-esque body style. Compact crossovers are the hottest-selling vehicle category in the U.S. auto market, so its makes sense that Kia would try to...
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When Microsoft first launched its Surface line of products, it caused quite a stir in the mobile PC market. It may have taken a couple of iterations to get things dialed in to the point they are today, but simply entering the market with its own branded hardware put Microsoft in the position of essentially competing with its partners. Microsoft had a specific vision for the future of Windows-based mobile products, however, and decided to develop hardware that embodied that vision. Now that we’re a few years removed from the introduction of the original Surface and Surface Pro, it’s clear that Microsoft’s vision has merit, and now virtually all of the company’s major OEM partners are producing...
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Many have challenged Toyota’s dominant Prius, but none have come close to approaching its sales success. In fact, Toyota has upped the ante, expanding the family to include the Prius v and Prius c. And to top it off, Toyota just launched the fourth generation Prius, which brings with its unorthodox styling and increased fuel efficiency to fend off fresh competition. But don’t tell the to the folks at Hyundai. The company has probably the best chance yet at battling the Prius with its upcoming Ioniq hybrid hatchback. The South Korean automaker even has all of its bases covered, offering traditional hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric versions of the vehicle. With that being said, spy photographers...
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Toyota turned quite a few heads when it launched the fourth generation Prius in September — and not in a good way. While the Prius could always be described a somewhat quirky, its styling was for the most part inoffensive. However, the company wanted to inject a lot more flare into the new model. "As a concept, we were thinking Lady Gaga,” said Chief Prius Designer Shunsaku Kodama. “We wanted to be more extreme in our design." The folks at Hyundai, however, are having none of that. The company is on the verge of releasing its first dedicated hybrid model, the Ioniq, for the U.S. market, and it wants to make sure that it appeals to as many people as possible. And if the teaser shot of the vehicle...
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If you’re at all a gearhead like most of the HotHardware staff, you’re no doubt familiar with the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. The supercar — then named the Vision SLR — was introduced in concept form at the 1999 Detroit Auto Show. The production model was introduced four years later with a 5.4-liter supercharged V8 engine producing 617hp (although it was unfortunately mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission; the only transmission in Mercedes’ stable that was capable of handling 575 ft-lbs of torque in the 3,800+ pound vehicle). A later variant, the 722 Edition, came with an even more impressive 650hp. Over a decade after the initial release of the SLR McLaren, Mercedes and its AMG skunkworks...
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The Toyota Prius has never been what we’d call a “looker” by any means. The first generation model looked like a budget econobox sedan (it was), while the second generation model introduced the frumpy hatchback form-factor in 2003. The third-generation Prius, which was introduced in 2009 as a 2010 model year vehicle, was a further refinement of the previous model’s design, but still was instantly recognizable as the world’s most popular hybrid-electric vehicle. Perhaps in an effort to grab some more attention in an automotive landscape that is already littered with high efficiency cars, Toyota is going bolder with the fourth generation Prius. Seemingly taking a few styling cues from the limited...
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BMW has been making some headlines in the automotive tech circuit over the past week. Earlier this week, the company revealed its brand new flagship 7-Series sedan which includes all the latest technological doodads as it does battle against Mercedes’ best-selling S-Class. Today, we revealed that BMW has partnered with Chinese internet services giant Baidu to bring a self-driving vehicle to the market by the end of 2015. And now, we’re hearing word that BMW is looking to bring a hotter version of its i8 hybrid sports car for “green” auto enthusiasts. The i8 is already a fascinating vehicle with its futuristic styling, 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine and accompanying electric that makes it both...
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It’s hard to believe that the current generation Nissan GT-R has been available in the U.S. since July 2008. Since its debut, the GT-R has demolished vehicles costing thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars more when it comes to outright performance. This is despite the fact that the GT-R has been criticized for 1) lacking a “soul”, 2) being controlled by “nanny” computers, and 3) weighing in at nearly 3,900 pounds. The GT-R has never been starved for power, but it still will receive a significant power boost in next incarnation according to German auto publication Autobild. The 2016 GT-R produces 545hp from its twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 engine, which sends power to all four wheels...
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Acura has taken so long to bring the NSX to production that I’ve sort of lost interest. That’s not to say that the NSX won’t be an amazing vehicle, but Ford has pretty much stolen the show at this year’s Detroit Auto Show with the all-new GT supercar (Ford didn’t hype the GT prior to its unveil; it just dropped the mic this morning and walked off stage). And we have to also realize that Acura first unveiled the concept for the second generation NSX way back in 2012. Three years a long time, but here were are with the official reveal of the production model. Like the aforementioned GT, the 2016 Acura NSX makes use of a V6 engine that is force-fed via twin turbochargers. But the NSX’s V6 is augmented...
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The Acura NSX first hit U.S. streets in 1990 and soldiered on relatively unchanged until it received a facelift in 2002; worldwide production of the aluminum-based two-seater ceased in 2005. During its 15-year production, the NSX was praised for its performance, handling, and everyday drivability. In the nearly ten years that have passed since the first NSX went out of production, its successor has undergone an extremely long gestation period. Honda went back to the drawing board at least once during the development of the second-generation car, but finally showed the world a near-final version of what the vehicle would look like with a fresh NSX concept vehicle in 2012. Now, Acura is teasing...
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