2008 Lexus IS F – Long-Term Road Test

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Rough rider: After 13 months with Lexus’s lusty M3 fighter, we have just one suggestion: Fix the ride!

Every so often, our long-term fleet acquires a special kind of car. Not a 10Best winner. Not a comparison-test winner. Rather, a car that changes its segment or signals a radical shift in its maker’s attitude. The IS F does both. It’s a Lexus with true enthusiast credentials. This is roughly equivalent to saying it’s a granny who writes in regularly to Penthouse Forum.

The F stands apart from Lexus’s sporty IS line of cars with its large fender flares, 19-inch BBS wheels with matching summer-only tires, and a hood with a serious power bulge. Beneath that bulge resides an immensely powerful 5.0-liter, direct- and port-injected V-8 that delivers 416 horsepower through a slick eight-speed automatic. This magic setup is accompanied by a thunderous exhaust soundtrack.


Keep Reading: 2008 Lexus IS F – Long-Term Road Test

by K.C. Colwell

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Kia Sorento (2010) Details

Kia Sorento (2010) details and image has been released by Kia. The 2010 Kia Sorento which available with 2WD or 4WD systems will bring new six-speed gearboxes.

Kia Sorento (2010) may develops 165 PS and 244 Nm of torque as it’s powered with a new 2.7-litre V6 engine running on LPG (liquefied petroleum gas).

However, on its home market, the 2010 Kia Sorento has a power output of 175 PS and 225 Nm of torque as it comes with a 2.4-litre Theta II gasoline engine.

While the 2010 Kia Sorento’s diesel range may develops 197 PS and 435 Nm of torque as it’s included with 2.2-litre engine.

Kia Sorento 2010


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Hybrid Cars Provide Green Benefits

Hybrid Cars provide incredible financial and environmental benefits. Here's some information on modern hybrid breakthroughs that provide new technologies for electric cars, and how they work.

As gas prices rise once again, many consumers are looking for alternative solutions, and that's where hybrid cars are growing in higher demand. The cars are fascinating, built by experts and engineers, and they deliver better fuel economy than ever before.

The knowledge on how hybrid cars work is probably like learning a foreign language to many, but they are simpler than many think. These vehicles use a gasoline engine and a battery to store energy. The engine is only used as a generator to recharge the car's battery and will automatically turn off at slower speeds.

The benefits of hybrid cars are endless. There are financial benefits that save consumer's money on gas, maintenance, and repairs. Other benefits include helping the environment since the cars provide lower emissions than conventional vehicles.

Retrieving information on hybrid cars is easy, if you are interested in making this your next vehicle. You can visit a local Ford, Toyota, or Honda dealer and they can help you with several answers to any questions you might have. They also provide literature and documents about the hybrid vehicles they are selling.

A neighbor of mine purchased his hybrid car about five years ago when he had little knowledge of what the actual benefits were. He certainly can fill my ear with information about his vehicle and visits the gas pump once a month. Sometimes when I'm dumping more than $50 in my tank, he will speed by tooting his horn, but it does make me think why I'm spending $200 a month on gas.

The new hybrid vehicles are economical and can achieve up to 55 to 60 mpg. Hybrid SUVs are averaging 30 mpg which are much better than its conventional 15-20 miles per gallon. It is also interesting to note that the gas engine on a hybrid vehicle can recharge batteries to help provide greater fuel efficiency.

Hybrid Cars Provide Lower Maintenance Costs

One of the biggest misconceptions about hybrid cars is battery replacement. Most consumers believe that the battery needs replacing every 2 to 3 years. Most automakers offer a full 8 to 10 year warranty on the battery if it needs replaced or is defective. Moreover, most of the cars made 8 to 10 years ago are still using their original batteries on the road today.

The parts of the hybrid car are light in weight when in comparison to the conventional automobiles. Generally, the battery provides power for the electric motor and is recharged by recapturing energy from the gas engine that would normally be lost when decelerating or coasting. This recapturing of energy is called regenerative braking.

Automakers are counting on new developments on lithium-ion batteries to power electric cars. These batteries can store more than twice the energy than nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries. Next year will be exciting as new auto manufacturers enter the market and sell more hybrid cars.

From newsoxy
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2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid

Three generations go by so fast. The new 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid is the third generation Prius and it is better than ever. The annoying commercials don’t do the car justice – even I want to turn it off.

My opinion is that the 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid is the car of 2010! Toyota has magnificently combined science fiction technology with modern functionality.

2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid

2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid

I know that allot of people are hesitant on getting the first electric car on the market. New technology, something unforeseeable is bound to go wrong.

Well knowing the consumers hesitancy Toyota has developed the Prius Hybrid that uses the electric and gas engines in tandem most of the time. The electric engine is more of an assist to help maximize the efficiency of the engine. The engine can then return the favour by recharging the battery through regenerative braking.

The Prius Hybrid will come with three power options Electric, Eco & Power. In electric mode only the electric motor functions. This mode is only good for 1/2 a mile. Where can you go in just half a mile? Well the mode is more practical for use when in the thick of traffic, waiting for a train to pass, or inching your way through the drive-through (I like the idea of that, no more wasting gas for 10 minutes waiting for a burger). In eco mode the gas pedal is not very responsive. in this way the car avoids quick accelerations and thus reduces fuel. In power mode as you can imagine, the gas pedal is very responsive and will give you all the power available from the 1.8L engine.

The switch between the electric and gas motors are simple. When cruising the gas and electric motors work in tandem. When going uphill the gas engine takes the brunt of the work while the electric motor works alone when going down-hill. In this way the Prius Hybrid gets an impressive 51 mpg on the highway and 48 mpg in the city.

Another cool feature that they have been showcasing is the solar powered fan. The fan is powered independently from a panel integrated into the sun roof. The fan simply circulates the outside air into the cabin to avoid an oven effect inside the car (no matter what it’s still not a great idea to leave your pets in the car). What they don’t tell you in the commercial is that the Prius Hybrid can come with a remote AC activator integrated on the remote car key. The Prius Hybrid also has UV protected windshield and windows to help block out harmful UV rays that would otherwise raise the temperature in the cabin or fade the interior.

The 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid comes available in five different models. The price of the models range from $22,000 to $27,270. Check out the 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid website for more information.

From by Jule Dupuis /everyjoe
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Infiniti Shows Essence of Hybrid Sports Car

To Infiniti and beyond. But, will this slick ride survive the economy?

Concept Hybrid Infiniti Essence Sports CarEarlier this week, at the Geneva International Motor Show, Infiniti unveiled the Essence concept hybrid car. I have to say, it’s incredibly beautifully designed – modern and classic, all at once – with more power than most eco-drivers could ever need (592 horse-power, anyone?). But, lovely exterior and powerful guts aside, will this hybrid car ever make it to the dealerships? It’s dripping with high-end, designer features and was specially crafted with a young, wealthy, sports-minded buyer in mind. With that market segment steadily dwindling, who will buy these designer masterpieces?

Exterior

Cars.com has some great pictures of the Essence’s exterior. It’s fluid and crisp, with few bells and whistles to distract your eye from the body shape. There are no fog lights and no door handles, instead, push-buttons open the driver and passenger doors. The hybrid car also lacks side mirrors and instead uses cameras built into the A pillars, again to create a more seamless look. LED brake lights accent the L-shaped tail lights and stainless steel serves as the finishing touch on the rear of the vehicle. On top, a full-length glass roof ensures that the cabin stays bright and airy as the driver zips around town.

Interior

A unique design inside the Infiniti Essence makes both driver and passenger feel nice and cozy. The driver’s seat and passenger seat are designed to be separate “cocoons” for each person and are separated by a curved console. Even the leather on each seat is customized with stitching to mimic the different ways men and women tie their kimonos. The driver’s cocoon is red, while the passenger’s is black. The Japanese-inspired interior also features wood trim. There is no back seat in this sports coupe, which isn’t different than most sports cars. Instead, the electrical parts of the car, battery and motor sit in its place. One of the most luxurious features is a custom-designed luggage set designed by none-other than Louis Vuitton.

Mechanicals

As stated earlier, the Infiniti Essence will boast a 592 horse power engine, with 434 hp coming from a twin-turbo V6 and the remaining 158 hp coming from the lithium-ion powered electric motor, which rests in the back seat. The car boasts rear-wheel drive and the same hybrid power train used in the Nissan 370Z (a Nissan 3.7V6), just beefed-up a bit for extra power.

Overall, this car would have done well had it been released as a concept a year, or even a few months ago. These days, who knows? Nevertheless, it looks like an amazing drive and offers hybrid-enthusiasts a level of sport and luxury we haven’t seen yet. Source Read more...