Avengers movie car previews new supercar. It’ll get new V6 engine with twin electric motors

By Peter Lyon

The legendary Honda NSX supercar is back. These spy shots, taken on the set of the new Avengers movie, show a new Acura-badged Audi R8-sized supercar that previews a successor to the NSX.
Acura is Honda’s US-only luxury brand and the sports car was spotted in Central Park, New York, with actor Robert Downey Jr at the wheel. Its appearance is hugely significant for fans keen to see Honda return to the supercar arena.
Honda CEO Takanobu Ito recently hinted at the NSX’s revival, when he revealed: “We’re making progress with plans for an exotic sports car.” And six months ago, Ito said Honda was keen to relaunch a high-performance sports car like the NSX.
A Honda source told us that the Dual Note 4WD hybrid concept from the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show was our first glimpse at the technology that will underpin the NSX. It used a 3.5-litre V6 to drive the rear wheels and in-wheel electric motors to turn the fronts, generating over 400bhp.
Ten years later, Honda is still perfecting the technology. A source said: “Honda wants to build a supercar that breaks the mould while creating a new technological package.”
Honda is working on a VTEC V6 engine of between 3.5 to 3.7 litres, while the twin electric motor set-up will be powered by lithium-ion batteries and employ a plug-in recharge system for a small electric-only range. The result will be huge amounts of torque, but also the high-revving character Hondas are famous for.
The car will also have a weight-saving aluminium body, and is set to go sale by 2014, priced at a Nissan GT-R-rivalling £65,000.
Source;

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/273565/honda_nsx_returns.html#ixzz1a0bFcanO

Well Honda Canada has dropped two things;
A) No more Honda Accord Crosstour, now just Honda Crosstour.
B) No more 2WD model, only 4WD models available.

Models;
2012 Honda Crosstour EX-L 4WD Automatic
2012 Honda Crosstour EX-L 4WD Navi Automatic

Colours;
Silver exterior with Black interior
Black exterior with Black interior
Black exterior with Ivory interior
Red exterior with Black interior
Grey exterior with Black interior
White exterior with Black interior
White exterior with Ivory interior

ETA;
November 2011

Pricing;
TBD (No major changes expected)

Feature Changes;
Increased Fuel Economy

Source;
Honda Canada

sport cars
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Hot hatch Honda legend is set to return – and the new Civic Type R will have a turbo engine
The next Honda Civic Type R will not only be the fastest version yet – it’s tipped to be Honda’s first-ever turbo road car. And our sources in Japan say tuning expert Mugen is already well underway with development.

The Type R has already achieved cult status in the UK – Europe’s biggest hot hatch market – thanks to its combination of a high-revving naturally aspirated engine and aggressive styling. But in order to meet emissions regulations, this latest model will tweak the formula slightly.

Instead of the previous 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine, it will use a 2.0-litre turbo designed to comply with Euro V emissions regulations. A similar engine will feature in Honda’s 2012 British Touring Car Championship challenger.

Adding a turbo will give more torque lower in the rev range, so a higher gear can be used more often to boost efficiency. Stop-start is also likely to be fitted.

Just as VW hiked power with its latest Golf GTI, so Honda will increase the Type R’s output – but not by much. A figure of 210bhp would allow a 0-62mph time of less than 6.5 seconds and a top speed approaching 150mph.

Based on the new Civic seen at last month’s Frankfurt Motor Show, the Type R gets the standard car’s front grille, slim headlights and LED daytime running lights, although most of the bodywork will be uprated.

A front end with large mesh air intakes, a lower chin spoiler and chunky side skirts will boost the visual impact, while a rear diffuser and extended spoiler aim to increase stability at high speeds. Also helping the car’s balance in corners is the standard Civic’s longer, wider chassis; this should also improve ride comfort and grip.

Don’t expect refinement to match a Mercedes S-Class, however. The Type R has always been an extreme proposition and that’s the way it will stay.

The steering is set to be pin sharp, while the six-speed manual box will use a stubby gearlever for snappy changes. Plus, the suspension will be firm, to cope with track work as well as blasting down B-roads.

In a break from tradition that matches the turbocharged Ford Focus ST – a key competitor for the Type R – Honda will offer the car as a five-door only. Prices are expected to start from around £23,000 when it arrives in 2013.

Source;
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/273562/honda_civic_type_r_is_back.html#ixzz1a0cqzBM9

The all-electric MINI E will be powered by a 150 kW (204 hp) electric motor powered by a high-performance rechargeable lithium-ion, transferring its power to the front wheels via a helical gearbox nearly without a stage a sound and entirely free of emissions. Specially designed for automotive use, the battery technology will have a range of over 240 km, 150 miles. The MINI E will initially be available to select customers, individuals and companies as part of a pilot project in the states of California, USA, New York and New Jersey. The possibility of offering the MINI E in Europe and is being reviewed. The MINI E will give its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show on 19 and 20 November 2008. The BMW Group will be the first manufacturer in the premium automotive world to deploy a fleet of 500 electric vehicles for private use in daily traffic.
Train the MINI E is the electric motor produces maximum torque of 220 Nm, giving a smooth acceleration to 100 km / h (62 mph) in 8.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 152 km / h (95 mph). With a suspension system tuned to match its weight distribution, the MINI E sports the agility and maneuverability of the hallmark.

By introducing the MINI E underlines BMW Group is the determination with which he is working to reduce energy consumption and emissions in road traffic. BMW Group is drawing on its unique technological expertise in the field of drive systems to develop a vehicle concept enabling zero emissions without renouncing the joy of driving. Putting some 500 cars on the road under real daily traffic, it will be possible to gain widely applicable experience. The evaluation of these findings will generate valuable know-how, which will be a factor in the design of mass-produced vehicles.

25 mpg Pilot 2WD achieves top highway EPA rating for an eight-passenger SUV

We've already brought pictures of prototypes, the concept version and more importantly, the official design patents of the upcoming 2012 Honda CR-V, but our persistent spy photographers just caught up with another test model of the compact SUV in Europe.

While it's only a matter of weeks before we see the final production model in North America as it is due to be revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show before hitting showroom floors by the end of the year, European consumers will have to wait another year for the new CR-V to arrive in dealerships.

The European-flavored 2012 CR-V will feature the same styling as the North American version but will be offered with a larger variety of four-cylinder engines including an all-important turbo diesel.

Source;
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2011/09/spied-honda-continues-testing-european.html

The minds at Raging Artists are typically tasked with producing unique marketing spots for a variety of companies. The crew recently applied their creative minds to the world of minivans, and designed a spot they feel helps put the people mover in a light that appeals to the fathers of the world.

A dad is given orders to take the kids to school, and the family's Honda Odyssey to the car wash. Honda didn't commission the piece, but the Odyssey is clearly the star of this show. It's used to shuttle the father through a variety of tasks, only two of which were actually part of his original wife-mandated marching orders.

Click past the jump to watch the spot. Once you do, sound off in the comments and tell us if you think this is what minivan commercials are missing, or if something more along the lines of Toyota's Swagger Wagon spots are more appropriate.

Source;
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/20/raging-artists-create-a-manly-minivan-commercial/#continued

Australia high performance car manufacturer Holden Special Vehicles will launch a more powerful engine, new HSV Grange WM3 new style with a series of new technologies as part of its series of improvements MY11 model.




The HSV Grange was first included in HSV-line in 1997, and was presented with the company for luxury, performance level of luxury cars in Australia.

HSV Grange WM3 has received a ton of upgrades and improvements, including more power, a package of new and more dynamic, and an impressive number of new technologies.



HSV Managing Director Phil Harding believes updates to the new Grange suits the character of the vehicle.

"The buyer wants the car Grange traditional performance the most luxurious and technologically advanced Australian made there," said Mr. Harding.

"The Grange is always equipped with the description of the property, but the new style, more power and more technology, the WM3 convincing proposal is a luxury car buyer who is passionate about driving."



The HSV Grange WM3 goes on sale in late September 2010, becoming the second HSV model (after GTS) to be supplied by the company's 325kW 6.2-liter LS3 V8 engine.

Therefore, the HSV Grange is now the only company "Hi-flow" exhaust rear silencer through bi-modal. Maximum torque is 550 Nm at 4600rpm.

General Motors is working on its next-generation EN-V (Electric Networked-Vehicle) concept – a two seat, electric vehicle – which the company says represents its “vision to meet the growing demand for safe, connected, zero-emissions personal transportation.” The automaker also announced that it (and future EN-V concepts) will be part of the Chevrolet brand.

“For 100 years, the Chevrolet brand has been focused on making advanced technology that improves customers’ lives accessible and affordable, and the Chevrolet EN-V will continue that tradition,” said Chris Perry, vice president, global Chevrolet marketing and strategy, in a press release.

“By 2030, more than 60 percent of the world’s 8 billion people will live in urban areas,” Perry continued. “The Chevrolet EN-V represents a possible solution for global customers living in markets where alternative transportation solutions are needed.”

According to GM the EN-V, which reminds us of a two passenger, enclosed Segway, is designed “to address environmental issues and help alleviate traffic congestion, parking, safety concerns and energy consumption.” The automaker says its next EN-V concept will address customer wants, such as climate control, interior storage, and inclement weather capabilities.

“The Chevrolet EN-V has the potential to reinvent transportation in key markets by creating a new vehicle DNA through the convergence of electrification and connectivity,” said Chris Borroni-Bird, GM’s director of Advanced Technology Vehicle Concepts, in a press release. “It provides an ideal solution for petroleum- and emission-free urban transportation that is free from congestion and crashes, and more fun and fashionable than ever before,”

GM isn’t wasting any time to get its vision of the future started. Earlier this year the automaker signed a memorandum of understanding with the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co. Ltd. (SSTEC), to integrate the next EN-V into the Tianjin Eco-City’s power, communications, and physical infrastructures. The automaker will explore locations around the globe for other pilot programs as well as the United States, according to Borroni-Bird.

The EN-V would be a true urban commuter with 24 mile range per charge from its lithium-ion battery. It will be rechargeable from a conventional wall outlet. It will also use GPS and vehicle-to-vehicle communications and distance sensors to avoid collisions and offer autonomous driving capabilities, allowing passengers to conduct business or socialize while the EN-V does all the driving. It will also retain manual driving capabilities.

Thanks to: Motor Trend

BMW’s sixth-generation 3-series, code-named F30, has been unveiled. The new 3 sedan is bigger, a little lighter, will have a hybrid variant, and can park itself. How things change.

Compared to the E90 3er, the 2012 3-series sedan is about 3.7 inches longer, rides on a 2.0-inch-longer wheelbase, and has wider tracks front (1.5 inches) and rear (1.9). The growth pays dividends to back-seat passengers; legroom increases by 0.7 inch, there’s 0.6-inch more knee room, and a smidge more headroom. Despite the newfound bigness, BMW claims that the sedans will weigh 88 pounds less than similarly equipped last-gen cars. Imagine what they could have done if it stayed the same overall size.

The larger car still looks svelte, however, and wears an evolved version of current 5-series styling. Its face is pulled tighter than before, with the headlights stretching to meet the trademark kidney grilles. The single lower intake has been split into two. Cars with the optional xenon headlights are equipped with LED eyebrows. BMW describes the overall profile as wedge-shaped, which, okay, it might be, but it’s no Lamborghini Gallardo.

And in case you were wondering about the optimal angle of a driver-focused interior, it’s seven degrees. (It must be optimal, or BMW wouldn’t have mentioned it.)

Naturally, we’re most interested in the mechanical changes. Two turbocharged engines will be offered, a new turbo four in the 328i and BMW’s familiar single-turbo six in the 335i. The N20 2.0-liter four-cylinder was first seen in the Z4 sDrive28i (it also powers the 2012 528i), and makes 240 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque as it does in the roadster. The 328i is claimed to hit 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, 0.2 quicker than we recorded with a manual-equipped E90 sedan with the outgoing naturally aspirated 3.0-liter six. BMW’s N55 turbocharged six-cylinder carries over, and it produces familiar output figures of 300 hp and 300 lb-ft it. The company says it will post a 5.4-second 0-to-60-mph time, which is more than half a second slower than a manual-equipped 335i we tested last year. Chances are the estimates for both cars are conservative.

A six-speed manual once again will be standard with either engine, and an eight-speed automatic replaces the previous six-speed unit. The first run of 2012 sedans will all be rear-wheel drive, and will include an electronically actuated limited-slip differential (activated by turning stability control off); xDrive all-wheel drive will be made available beginning, oddly, in summer of 2012.

Thanks to: Car and Driver