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Toyota’s Headed to Le Mans — With Hybrids

Toyota is returning to Le Mans with a pair of slick hybrids that update the iconic endurance racers it campaigned in the 1990s and prove, once again, that hybrids aren’t always boring. The Japanese automaker plans to enter two TS030 Hybrid racers in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, making it the first manufacturer to enter a hybrid in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Though the team makes its race debut at the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on May 5, Toyota clearly wants a strong showing at Le Mans. "Of course we would love to win Le Mans; that is the dream for all competitors in this race," team president Yoshiaki Kinoshita said in a statement. "But we are realistic and we know we need to develop and to learn in order to compete with some very strong competition. Our target this year is to show the performance level of our car and particularly the THS-R powertrain."

VIN 001 Falcon F7 Shows Up on eBay

That was fast! It was just at the Detroit Auto Show that Falcon Motor Sports was announcing final production details on the new F7, and now they're selling the first one produced on eBay for close to 1M bucks. Yeow! Fortunately, cars 2 through 10 (that's all they'll make for 2012) will be "starting at" only $225,000. Whew, that's reassuring: for a second there I was thinking I wouldn't be able to afford one.

TIKT Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1 Tripple X

TIKT, a German tuning company who specialise in Corvette parts and upgrades, have just released details of their latest project. Oddly, despite being named the Corvette C6 ZR1 Tripple X, the car isn’t based on a Corvette ZR1, it’s actually based on an ex-works Corvette Z06. TIKT’s engineers started by ripping apart the engine and replacing a number of components with even higher-spec alternatives. The 7.0 litre V8 now has modified cylinder heads, new camshafts, strengthened valve springs, modified compressor ratios, a larger throttle valve, a completely new exhaust system and a re-calibrated ECU. In order to make sure the engine doesn’t self destruct under the strain of developing 758 horsepower and 671 lb-ft of torque, TIKT have made significant upgrades to the cooling system, and it now pushes around four times as much coolant through the engine as before.

2012 Dakar Has Toyota Finishing Third

Trophy trucks dominate Baja off-road races, but when it comes to the annual Dakar Rally, they play second fiddle to SUVs and Minis. Yes, Minis finished in first and second place this year. A Toyota Hilux pickup finished third, though. In reality, there is not much difference between a truck and an SUV (apart from the body) in the fastest crop of vehicles. The Mini is based off a BMW 3 Series that has minimal resemblance to a production version. It would even be fair to describe Robby Gordon’s Hummer as a truck, as it is essentially a trophy truck underneath the bright-orange fiber-glass Hummer shell. If Chevrolet were to sponsor him, it would become a Chevy Silverado!

Semi-Autonomous Road Train Trial Is a Success

A semi-autonomous, four-vehicle road train has been successfully demonstrated at Volvo’s test track in Hällered, Sweden, paving the way for on-road trials. Road trains, also known as platoons, feature vehicles that can monitor and mimic the actions of the car or truck immediately ahead. In a road train, cars and trucks with the same destination are grouped together, and control is handed over to a “lead vehicle” that’s under the command of a professional driver. That allows the semi-autonomous vehicles in the train to follow together very closely, reducing congestion and decreasing energy use by up to 20 percent. Indeed, in the trail shown above, cars were a mere 20 feet from each other and travelled at speeds up to 56 mph, all while the folks in the driver’s seats checked out their iPads. While we’ve had similar experiences commuting in Boston, in this case the cars were in control of the situation.

Volvo S60 becomes second car to ace all NHTSA safety tests

The 2012 Volvo S60 isn't likely to be mentioned in the same breath as the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, but these two cars share a unique distinction. No, Volvo has not made a mid-year change to rear-wheel drive and V8 power, but it is joining the Camaro as a crash test ace. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration cranked up its crash-test rigor in 2011, and the Camaro has been the only car to completely ace all of the revised tests' categories. Until now.

A Push-button Starter That Tells If You're Drunk?

The Detroit Free Press is reporting that two companies have joined forces to create a push-to-start button that can automatically sense the driver's blood-alcohol level. Takata, an Auburn Hills-based parts supplier and TruTouch, an Albuquerque-based firm, have received a $2.25 million grant from the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety to help make the creation commercially viable. Currently, the device is about the size of a bread box and uses an infrared sensor to determine the amount of alcohol in a person's system. In addition, the invention currently takes several seconds to function and only works accurately at room temperature.

Pimped Out Product Placement: The Most Ridiculous Donk Cars To Hit The Road

If you live in the Southeastern United States, there's a good chance that you're familiar with the term "Donk" and its relationship to automobiles. If you don't have the benefit of living in the Dirty Dirty, then I'll give you a little background. A donk car - or a Hi-Riser to the formal crowds - is typically a Chevy Impala or Caprice Classic (or any number of classic American muscle cars) that has been raised up on wheels as high as 30-inches. Basically, they're normal cars raised up on big-ass rims and they are painted in ridiculous fashions. They're a part of rap culture, they've spread thoughout the U.S. far and wide, and most of them are hilariously awesome.

Six door Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG Limousine Stretched for Larger Families

Limousines are great. They make a grand statement at weddings and give the impression of one being a gentleman when one is picking up their date for the prom. However, there are some limousines that just take the “stretch” part of their job description a little too literally. Take, for example, this particular Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG Limousine that went a little too far on the stretch with the 6-door treatment. The offbeat creation is the handiwork of a UK-based tuner Vantage field International who thought the otherwise elegant S65 AMG would be the perfect vehicle for a mod that could seat larger families. Stretching their imagination, the brilliant minds at the firm not only added a few more doors on the Merc than it was originally manufactured with, but also threw in a few extra rows of seating.

Hennessey rolls out 800-hp twin-turbo Jeep Grand Cherokee

Eight-hundred horsepower. 0-60 in 3.1 seconds. $235,000. Given those numbers, you'd think we were talking about a supercar, right? Well we are, if by supercar you mean something with otherworldly performance capabilities. But this is no two-seat roadster. This is a Jeep. To be more specific, this is the latest Hennessey HPE800 Twin Turbo, a new rocket sled based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. That model usually packs a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 – which is already big by any measure – but Hennessey's bored it out to a nice round 7.0 liters and bolted a pair of turbochargers to it. Along with the substantial engine mods, the HPE800 also gets an upgraded transmission and torque converted (it is a conventional automatic, after all), plus 20-inch wheels on a lowered suspension with 15.1-inch Brembo brakes, and a reworked fascia with a carbon fiber splitter up front.

Motorbikes Specially Customized for Celebrities

Most celebrities have money, it is no secret. Some have so much money that they don't even know what to do with it. Some waste the surplus cash, but some put it to good use. Celebrities normally prefer to move around in costly, high end wheels as they allow them to show off their star power and their status. As a result, they do not think twice before spending a fortune to buy luxurious Harley Davidson, Ducati, Commando, etc. Some celebrities own especially customized bikes. Some of them are so manly that they have to be mentioned here.

FM Auto Evantra

The production-ready version of a new supercar - the F&M Evantra - is born from the project "Mugello". Following the F&M tradition the name comes from the ancient etruscan language and it represents the concept of an object which is unique and exclusive, in fact, Evantra for the etruscan was the goddess of immortality. F&M Evantra will be produced in a limited series, only 5 examples per year, of which the first has already been commissioned and will be presented in mid 2012. The extreme personalization by its future owner of each car produced will be supervised personally by its creator, Mr. Luca Mazzanti in the new atelier "Mazzanti Automobili" in Pontedera. The lightweight steel chassis, the low center of gravity, the low kerb weight and the performance of the engine - available as naturally aspirated or biturbo - all add up to the spectacular dinamism of the F&M Evantra besides the balance of the car makes it absolutely at home on any racetrack or on a remote mountain road.

Lotus Shakes Down Its Rally-Spec Exige

Lotus delivered an early Christmas present: Photos of the shakedown test of its new FIA rally-spec Exige. The test occurred this morning in Turin, Italy, where the Exige R-GT turned its first lap tracks in full rally trim. The company announced the rally program earlier this year and plans to hit the the asphalt events on the 2012 FIA World Rally Championship calendar. The development of the car started in July, according to Lotus director of motorsport Claudio Berro. He said the testing met his expectations. “The Exige S makes the perfect GT rally car,” Berro said in a statement. “It has an awesome 3.5-liter supercharged engine, and we’ve managed to balance the weight perfectly to meet the minimum weight regulations.”

Pikes Peak Hill Climb Contemplating Expansion to two-day Event

012 will be the first year that the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will be held on an entirely paved road, and while many who have long been involved with the event are bemoaning the loss of the gravel sections, the full tarmac course has peaked interest in the race. In fact, event organizers are considering adding a second race day for 2013. This time last year only 46 racers has expressed interest in participating in the event, but that number is already up to 170 for next year's race. "The interest is astronomical compared to last year," says Tom Osborne, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb board chairman. "We're seeing all kinds of unique new cars." Osborne says that the race will likely have to hold a qualifying for 2012 to limit the number of entries into each class.

315hp Hayabusa Boom Trike rivals Porsche GT3 and Ferrari F430

Boom Trikes is the Europe-wide leading manufacturer of trikes that develops and produces trikes for the global market as well. Founded in 1990 by Wolfgang and Christine Merkle, the English custom-bike makers are back with a new Suzuki Hayabusa Trike that is sure to take any trike-lover’s breath away. Measuring 352cm in length by 176cm in width, the new Hayabusa Trike uses elements from the world’s quickest motorcycle including operating elements and cooling system. The strongest production Trike in recorded history, the Hayabusa Boom Trike also borrows the electrical system, the exhaust system and engine from the Hayabusa it is based upon. The trike offers an incredible power to weight ratio of 2.49 kg per hp which is made even more astonishing by the fact that the bike weighs a mere 500 kg. This means that the 315 hp it generates on the Turbo version essentially puts it in the same league as the Porsche GT3 and the Ferrari F430 when it comes to on-road performance. The suction version of the engine also delivers a massive 197 hp and the trike comes with the circuit, coupling and brake systems on the handlebars as the motorcycle does. This allows the biker to maintain optimum control of the bike even at higher speeds and while executing dexterous maneuvers.

Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow Concept

For the 2011 Los Angeles Design Challenge, which was seeking to find the most spectacular new film car for Hollywood, the designers from the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studios in Sindelfingen (Germany) and Carlsbad (USA), have joined the ranks of the screen-writers. The designers at the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studio in Carlsbad, California have created a Hollywood-style homage for Mercedes-Benz to 125 years of innovation in automotive technology and design. The leading roles are played by two high-tech characters which have been instrumental in reconciling safety and stylish design in automobiles: the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow cult racing car and crash test dummies.

462 mph From Every Angle

We hate to be the ones to tell you this, but there's a scant chance most of us will ever exceed 200 miles per hour here on planet Earth. Sure, you can hop in a commercial jet liner and easily best that figure in the comfort of coach, but its not quite the same as skimming along mere inches from the ground in an hurling ball of aluminum, glass and fury. Maybe that's what makes the Speed Demon's latest run on the salt so impressive. As you may recall, the team behind this particular Streamliner recently pulled off a running mile of 426 mph.

Dodge Viper ACR blasts Nurburging record with 7:12 lap time

Put back the champagne in the freezer, Lexus; you’re just-set record lap time of 7:14 around the Nurburgring has been broken. How’s it feel to hold one of the auto world’s most famous titles for less than a month? You can blame Chrysler’s SRT team for that because the latter went to the ’Ring with only one thing in mind: get under 7:14 in one lap. And just as records are always meant to be broken regardless of how fresh they are, Chrysler’s Dodge Viper ACR blasted around the Nurburgring in a blistering time of 7:12. The exact time has yet to be released - there are tenths of seconds in that equation - but make no mistake, it’s more than a second faster than the 7:14.6 time the Lexus LF-A Nurburgring Package achieved earlier this month.

Audi A5 DTM

On the eve of the 2011 International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt Audi presented the new Audi A5 DTM: After the V8 quattro (1990 to 1992) and the A4 (2004 to 2011) the brand with the four rings has opted to use a two-door coupe in the most popular international touring car series for the first time. The new Audi A5 DTM, which bears the internal project name "R17" at Audi Sport, conforms to the new Technical Regulations that will come into effect in the 2012 season. The project was premised on three key aims: the safety of the vehicles, reduction of the costs by up to 40 percent and a spectacular exterior design. 2011 IAA visitors will have the opportunity to get a first-hand impression of the new car's look at the Audi Hall from September 13th to 25th, 2011. The Audi A5 DTM appears lower and sturdier than its successful predecessor with which Audi has won four of the last seven DTM titles. Underneath the body, which is completely made of carbon, a new type of chassis features a hybrid construction. The combination of a carbon fiber monocoque and steel cage sets new standards in terms of safety for a race touring car. In addition, the chassis is one of more than 50 components which are identical for all DTM vehicles.

Croatian Supercar Is Electric for a Reason

We were impressed when Mate Rimac stuffed a massively powerful electric powertrain in an ‘86 BMW 3-series, giving it 900 horsepower and a 0-60 time of 3.3 seconds. Well, he’s outdone himself this time. Working with a group of 20 engineers outside of Zagreb, Croatia, Rimac put together an all-new, all-electric supercar called the Concept One. With 1,088 horsepower, it can reach 62 mph from standstill in 2.8 seconds and just keeps going up until 190 mph. Range is around 370 miles. The body is made of carbon-fiber, and the interior is designed by a team formerly with Pininfarina. Sure, that’s impressive, but we’re most intrigued by the drivetrain. Like many high-end EVs such as the Jaguar C-X75 concept, each wheel is powered by a separate electric motor, independently controlled by its own inverter and reduction gearbox. Rimac calls it All Wheel Torque Vectoring, and the setup offers unparalleled vehicle dynamics at the limits and while accelerating out of corners.

Techart GTStreet RS is the ultimate Smurf-colored Porsche 911

The 2012 911 wasn't the only Porsche to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show this week. German tuner Techart unveiled its new GTStreet RS based on the 911 GT2 RS. The car features a variety of upgrades, from carbon fiber aerodynamic enhancements to a power upgrade package that boosts the output of the twin-turbo flat-six to 710 horsepower and 664 lb-ft torque. Techart says that the GTSTreet RS can reach 100 km/h (about 62 mph) from a standing start in just 3.3 seconds and is capable of a top speed of 218 mph. Additional upgrades are available as well, including lightweight 20-inch wheels and custom interior appointments.

What Makes Snowmobile Chopper Ideal For A Snowy Terrain

Snowmobile Chopper, as the name suggests is a vehicle that is designed for commuting on snowy paths and terrains. If you have gone to visit some cool countries like Russia or any other place full of ice then you must have seen this snowmobile chopper. Snowmobile chopper is also used for adventure sports at these places. You can enjoy a race with your friends on this chopper. You can easily move on frozen ponds, lakes and as well as deep snow using this snowmobile chopper. These choppers usually run on petrol. These choppers are also being used by hunters for chasing their hunt. The following components of snowmobile chopper helps it to run on snowy paths.

Pontiac El Catalina Safari Is Discovered, Restored and Re-revealed

Our friends at Hemmings Classic Car magazine found a real beauty this time. Appearing on the cover of the October issue sits a Pontiac pickup truck that’s both ahead of its time and a shining example of the glory of the 1960s. Straddling the two worlds of cars and trucks — a la the Ford Ranchero and Chevy El Camino — the Pontiac El Catalina Safari has the DNA of the El Camino and Pontiac Safari station wagon. Author Matt Litwin gives a wonderful history lesson for those less versed in all things "hybrid" as he explains the roots of this modern-day retro concept vehicle. With the help of four separate restorers and three Safari station wagons, this Pontiac prototype finally got restored into the custom one-off you see here. Check out the full story about the restoration and the history of car-based pickups in the late '50s and early '60s at Hemmings’ site. There’s a reason that they don’t make them like this anymore.

Lotus Evora GTE Confirmed for U.S. Sale

It’s billed as the most powerful Lotus ever made. Based on the brand’s Le Mans racing car it’s also the most hard core. And now you’ll be able to buy one, in America! Speaking with Ian Fry, platform manager for the Evora at Lotus Cars Limited at the car’s unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show, he confirmed that the 444-hp street legal race car will be homologated to U.S. standards and could be on sale in as little as six months. Exactly how Lotus plans to do this, is still uncertain says Fry, indicating that it may be offered as a modification kit to the standard Evora in order to get around certain regulations.

Bentley Mulsanne Executive Interior Concept Is How To Roll Like A Real Boss

If you have to to work while being shuttled in the back seat of a car, it's hard to find a more comfortable mobile office than a Bentley Mulsanne. Still, all of that luxury won't aid you in spell-checking TPS reports as you're more likely to be lulled to sleep. Bentley has a new interior concept that will keep you alert, awake, connected and running the show like the boss you truly are. It's called the Mulsanne Executive Interior Concept, and it's way nicer than your office. No, not the office of the person who can afford the car, specifically your office. The British builder of luxuriously exotic automobiles has put together an interior fit for a constantly connected king, which comes complete with a list of items to make sure whatever task at hand is finished before leaving the coddling confines of the Mulsanne

Lotus Reveals 2012 Exige S at 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show

After months of wait, Lotus released new 2012 Exige S at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. This is a next generation car from Lotus with a stylish design and luxurious interiors. You can expect raw performance, unmatched ride, perfect handling, mind-blowing drive experience, and agility from this ultimate, lightweight, high performance sports car. Exige is equipped with a supercharged 24 valve 3.5 litre V6 engine that is tuned to produce a power of 345 HP (350 PS, 257.5 kW, 3456 cc) @7000 rpm and 400 Nm/295 lb-ft of torque at 4500 rpm. The engine utilises Eaton TVS technology to deliver this power. The drive is sent directly to the rear via a six speed manual transmission. With a top speed of 170mph (274 km/h), the Exige does 0-60 (100 km/h) in 3.8 seconds and it can reach the mark of 160mph in 7.8 seconds.

EcoBoost F-150 Wins Vegas to Reno Off-Road Race

Randy Merritt and the team at Mongo Racing won last month's "Vegas to Reno" off-road race in the No. 8181 EcoBoost Ford F-150. Part of the Best in the Desert racing series, the 549-mile long Vegas to Reno run is billed as the longest off-road race in the U.S. The race started in Beatty, Nev., about 120 miles northwest of Las Vegas, and finished in Dayton, Nev., a small town about 30 miles south of Reno. Merritt and his co-pilot, Tracy Rubio, competed in Class 8100 for stock full-size trucks, finishing with a time of 14 hours, 5 minutes. Until last year, BITD racers like Merritt were allowed to compete only with naturally aspirated V-8 gas engines or turbo-diesels under the hoods of their full-size race trucks. But for the 2010-2011 season, BITD changed its rulebook to allow Ford's EcoBoost twin-turbo six-cylinder to compete in stock classes 8000 and 8100.

Ferrari Enzo Crashes into Atlantic Ocean at Targa Newfoundland

Any time a Ferari Enzo rashes it’s big news. It’s even bigger when the car crashes into the Atlantic Ocean during a sanctioned open road race. You can’t buy publicity like this. And you probably couldn’t afford to either, with the car worth well over $1 million. Driven by ZR Auto owner and exotic car enthusiast Zahir Rana, the car is no regular Enzo, but rather a highly modified version by Edo Competition made to look like the ultra-rare FXX and sporting some serious performance modifications. In the past had received a transplant from an FXX model (exactly how Rana managed to get a hold of such an engine is a mystery). More recently it had been converted with a twin-turbo setup, although it’s not known if that was the engine being used during the Targa Newfoundland race.

Aston Martin Unveils DBS Carbon Models

Aston Martin's presence at the Frankfurt Motor Show is rather limited, but one of the models taking center stage is a new addition to the DBS family. It's called the DBS Carbon Edition, and it's a continuation of the Carbon Black that was introduced in 2009. Now, however, you have a few more options with regards to the exterior color of your spy mobile. The Aston Martin DBS was available in all colors... literally all of them, meaning you could only get it in black. This time around your choices have expanded, and Aston Martin is offering the new DBS Carbon Edition in Flame Orange or Ceramic Grey. The original black variety is included as well.

Opel RAK e Concept

Energy costs, efficiency and lightweight design are in the spotlight at the 64th Frankfurt International Motor Show. Opel is staking a strong claim for the center of attention with an all-new battery-powered electric vehicle. The Opel RAK e Concept opens a new chapter in electric mobility and extends Opel's pioneering role in alternative propulsion systems. The radical RAK e is defined by minimal energy costs, 100 kilometers for one euro, one third of the weight of a modern small car, and a maximum speed of 120 km/h.