Toyota has announced the official EU emissions and economy figures for its new 2012 Prius Plug-in Hybrid. Prepare to be impressed.
The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid is exactly what it sounds like – a version of the Prius that you can plug into the mains to charge the batteries. This gives it a new electric-only range of some 25km, a vast improvement over the 2.5km of the regular version.
As a result, the EU has awarded the car a combined cycle fuel economy rating of 1.8L/100km with just 49g/km CO2 emissions.
Now, you might say so what – Volvo’s shown the same results with the considerably larger V60 Plug-in Hybrid. But the Prius’s batteries are fully charged in just 90 minutes using a regular plug socket, and it’s set to cost significantly less than the Volvo.
To put this into context, a regular, top spec regular Toyota Prius is currently rated at 3.3L/100km with 92g/km CO2 emissions. Even in full hybrid mode the new Prius Plug-in beats this with 3.1L/100km and 85g/km CO2.
The new car is the most efficient Toyota to ever be available on our roads – though in terms of outright petrol-electric efficiency it will face stiff competition from the Holden Volt.
Total range without refuelling in the Prius is around 1,250km.
On top of this, the upgrades come without compromising passenger room or boot space, with the Prius Plug-in offering the exact same 443 litres of luggage capacity as before.
The production version of the new Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid gets its public debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March.
A number of things stand out in the press release we’ve just received about the MTM T 500, but a good place to start would seem to be the point where MTM says this bonkers machine is something “an unsuspecting observer might mistake at first glance for a VW T5.”
That would make it a van, then. Just a shockingly fast one.
As is common with German tuning companies, MTM has changed so much stuff here that it takes over from Volkswagen as the “responsible automobile manufacturer” on the registration papers.
Possibly “responsible” isn’t exactly the right word.
Under the bonnet lies a significantly overhauled version of Audi’s 2.5-litre TFSI turbo petrol engine – the characterful 250kW five-cylinder unit that generally finds its home nestled within the TT RS and the RS3.
Here, though, it’s producing no less than 347kW and 625Nm of torque.
Gladly, there’s also a 4Motion four-wheel drive system, KW Street Comfort coil-over suspension and six-piston front brakes. Though MTM isn’t saying how quickly the T 500 will dispatch 0-100km/h, top speed is reputedly 280km/h. Yow.
Naturally the thing to do when you’ve completed this kind of project is put it on 20-inch alloy wheels, paint it like a giant German flag and roll it out at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.
MTM’s self description in the same press release certainly seems apt: “high-tech for high performance, and the satisfaction of knowing ‘more is more’.”
And we thought this year’s Geneva was looking tame.
MTM has also been working on a 210kW version of the 2.0-litre TFSI Audi Q3. This will crack 0-100km/h in 6.1 seconds – 2 seconds faster than standard – and hit nearly 250km/h.
Audi will be bringing its Quattro AWD technology to Le Mans with its new hybrid LMP1 racer, the R18 e-tron Quattro.
The R18’s turbo diesel powertrain will be supplemented by the four-wheel drive system, as well as a hybrid propulsion system that regenerates energy under braking – similar to the way F1’s KERS system works. The energy captured in the flywheel is sent to the front wheels during acceleration, while the hard work is done by the Audi’s V6 TDI engine that feeds 375kW to the rear wheels.
Two R18’s will make their race debut at the Spa 6-hour race in May before moving on to Le Mans in June.
This means that the race of the hybrids is on between Audi and Toyota, who revealed its TS030 Le Mans hybrid earlier in the year
Obscure Austrian manufacturer Magna Steyr has revealed the MILA Coupic: a bizarre convertible/coupe/ute that it will debut at the Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday.
The luminous concept features an SUV-like body with two doors and a soft-top which can be opened fully for a convertible effect or half at the front to become a sunroof. When combined with the rear seats sliding capabilities, it can also be opened half at the back for ute-like practicality.
The Coupic also features a vibrant two-tone paint job with a fluro green top half, white bottom half and green alloy wheels.
The MILA Coupic is unlikely to ever be put into production, but it will surely be one of the highlights of the Geneva Motor Show on March 6.
Mansory is a German tuner that generally sends shivers down the spine – and not always for the best of reasons. It usually has something spectacular to unveil at the Geneva Motor Show, and for 2012 it’s turned its attention to the McLaren MP4-12C.
Mansory specialises in going massively carbon fibre – replacing existing bodywork with carbon panels instead. In the McLaren’s case it’s replaced the roof, the front and rear aprons, the mirror housings and the wings – which are now 60mm wider as a result.
All that carbon helps reduce the MP4-12C’s 1,300kg weight – though by precisely how much Mansory isn’t yet saying. Even so, it should increase the car’s agility and acceleration while decreasing stopping distances and fuel consumption – all areas in which the McLaren already excels.
Knowing that won’t be enough for its clientele, Mansory has also made some modifications to the MP4-12C’s ‘M383T’ 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8. Changing the exhaust, adding a freer-flowing air intake filter and tweaking the ECU mapping has resulted in 493kW.
That’s a 46kW gain over the standard car’s 447kW, though it now arrives at 7,100rpm instead of 7,000rpm. Don’t worry about that rise too much, though, as Mansory as also upped torque from 600Nm to 675kW – and this is available all the way between 3,000rpm to 6,500rpm.
Volkswagen has teased four new designs of its Up! city car ahead of their debut at the Geneva Motor Show this week. The concepts will be known as the Swiss Up!, Winter Up!, X Up! and Cargo Up!
The Swiss Up! pays tribute the motor show’s host country with its bright red paint job with contrasting white door mirrors, as well as seat backs containing leather bands for storing Swiss army knives.
The arctic white Winter Up! is based on the Cross Up! from the Frankfurt Motor Show and features increased ride height and under body protection to assist in snowy weather. It also comes with a couple of snowboards on the roof as well.
The X Up! is the bright orange one and it features a roof box containing search lights for the late-night driver.
Lastly, the Cargo Up! does away with the regular car’s rear seats to make it a sort of city car delivery van, with 1400 litres of load space and a 426kg payload.
The four concepts will be fully revealed alongside the new five-door Up! when the 2012 Geneva Motor Show opens to the motoring press this Wednesday.
Hyundai has released pictures of the revamped i20 which will be fully revealed at the Geneva Motor Show on Wednesday.
New headlights, grille, bonnet and bumper designs are all styling updates that form part of Hyundai’s new “fluidic sculpture” design language which it is introducing onto its new vehicles.
Engine choices for the new i20 will include the option of a 55kW 1.1 litre, three-cylinder diesel engine that will produce the lowest carbon emissions of any conventional power train (i.e. not hybrid or electric) currently on the market at just 84 g/km of CO2.
“With an enhanced engine line-up that includes the lowest CO2 emissions for a conventional powertrain, and sharper styling influenced by fluidic sculpture, the all-new i20 will appeal to a broader range of buyers, including younger consumers,” said Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Hyundai Motor Europe.
Local deliveries of the new i20 should take place midway through this year.
Lamborghini has made the biggest impact at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show so far after it unveiled the Aventador J: a 515kW lightweight version of the regular Aventador LP700-4.
The Aventador J looks to be going for the track day sport-bike car style, ala the KTM X-Bow, as it does away with comforts like sat nav and climate control to reduce weight – not to mention the roof and windshield which have been replaced by two small wind deflectors. Lamborghini have also made use of a new carbon fibre technology called ‘Carbonskin’ which makes up the cockpit trim and seats.
The Aventador J retains the V12 engine and AWD system from the regular Aventador, allowing it to travel capably at speeds of over 300km/h even without a roof. Helmet and leathers are advisable though.
Only a single Aventador J has been built, and Lamborghini say that one lucky (and cashed up) punter will be driving it home from Geneva.
Bentley is finally joining the likes of BMW, Porsche and Range Rover in trying its hand at making a luxury performance SUV. The EXP 9 F is currently just a concept, but a production run would make it the third model of Bentley’s current line-up alongside the Continental and Mulsanne.
The EXP 9 F is powered by the Continental’s 6.0 litre W12 engine, but Bentley say that a twin-turbocharged V8 and hybrid powertrains are other options they are considering. Expect power figures for the W12 to be anywhere up to 440kW and 800Nm which could result some competitive performance times against the best from BMW and Porsche.
Styling resembles a mesh of traditional Bentley design and modern SUV architecture, with the customary lines and bulges contrasting with the likes of the oversized air intakes at the front which double as daytime running lamps.
Public reaction during the Geneva Motor Show this week should determine whether we see a production version of the EXP 9 F.
Volkswagen has wheeled out an updated version of its Cross Coupe for the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The new model features a hybrid diesel powertrain, allowing it to post a fuel economy figure of 1.8 l/100km.
The Cross Coupe TDI Concept uses VW’s new “modular transverse matrix” platform and combines the 2.0 litre diesel engine with a pair of electric motors driving both the front and rear wheels. The 220kW and 700Nm this produces should be good for a 0-100km/h time of 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 220km/h, all while keeping CO2 emissions to just 46g/km.
The Cross Coupe’s styling is also worth looking at as an indicator of where VW look to be heading with their future designs. From the pictures you can see the thickened C-pillar and the integration of the front headlights and grille. There’s also the fact that VW are calling the Cross a coupe when it has four doors.
Volkswagen do not plan on putting the Cross Coupe into production, but much of its features are sure to pop up on VW’s of the near future.
