mention of “hybrid power” conjured up images of low displacement engines, tiny electric boost motors and lethargic performance. Sure, the vehicles were environmentally-friendly (on a local level, at least) and they spanked their pure-combustion counterparts when it came to fueling stops, but they were also absolutely boring to drive. No, make that numbing.

Of course, there are always a few exceptions to the rule. Vehicles including the Lexus LS 600h L, Lexus GS 450h, BMW ActiveHybrid 750i and BMW ActiveHybrid X6 deliver spirited performance, but only mediocre improvements over their gas-only siblings when it comes to efficiency. And, we don’t need to remind you that these vehicles are always very complex, excessively heavy and hardly inexpensive - there were simply few compelling reasons to put one in the garag

s a unique, though controversial, hybrid vehicle. You see, the CT aspires to offer an engaging driving experience, with the Japanese automaker’s marketing efforts touting it as a sporty, youthful vehicle. And even though the CT 200h’s sporty handling characteristics might seem to encourage pedal-to-the-metal driving, the vehicle’s lack of power reminds drivers that it’s a fuel-sipping hybrid that has no intentions of moving off the line with any degree of authority.

However, diehard Lexus hybrid fans may soon find that another gas-electric, wearing a similar badge, brings some much needed horsepower to the mix. According to The Age, Lexus has registered the CT 300h and CT 400h names, which could mean that the 200h may someday be joined be a pair of Lexus hybrids packing rather sizable engines under their hoods. The news comes via Lexus Australia’s chief exec­u­tive, Tony Cramb, who added that both of the hybrid models would likely be sold in the Australian market, provided that Lexus gives either

When nearly cars line up this weekend at the Nürburgring for the Adenauer ADAC Rudstrecken-Trophy, countless Porsches and BMWs will be among them. And a hybrid. Wait, what?
That’s right. This year Gazoo Racing - the ToMoCo-backed outfit that has campaigned the Lexus LFA at the same track - is fielding a competition-spec Lexus
Well, we shouldn’t call it a CT 200h, since while it’s almost identical to the roadgoing CT hybrid, thenameplate would be a bit of a misnomer. Because while the electric component of the Lexus Hybrid Drive system was kept in place for this racing machine, the 1.8-liter four was replaced by  Perhaps it’s a test platform for the upcoming more powerful

Otherwise, beyond the required safety modifications, it’s pretty much bone stock, right down shutting the engine off at idle and under braking. Follow the jump for the fu

It’s that time of month again. May 2011 sales in the U.S. have been tallied, including, of course, hybrid vehicles. It’s worth pointing out that quake-related shortages continue to impact the supply of most Japanese-built hybrid models.

This time ’round Toyota Prius sales rang in at a paltry 6,924 units, down tremendously from the 14,248 units sold in in May of 2010. The Honda CR-Z edged out the Honda Insight with 1,557 units sold versus 1,435. Meanwhile, Ford says that sales of the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid - a no-cost option over the gas-only front-wheel drive 3.5-liter V6 model - accounted for just 22 percent of total MKZ sales in May. Sales of the Lexus CT 200h slipped from 2,199 units in March down to just 454 in May. The typically slow-selling Lexus HS 250h fared even worse, with sales ringing in at 220 units, an 82.5-percent drop compared to May of 2010 - again, due at least in part to the earthquake in Japan.

Overall, May sales of hybrid vehicles were down 35.8 percent, compared to a year ago. Sales of Toyota and Lexus hybrids dropped by 45.1 percent, compared to the same month in 2010 and Honda saw its gas-electric sales slip by 29 percent

As expected, Buick has announced that its new 2012 LaCrosse with eAssist is priced identically to its more powerful V6-powered sibling. That means that $29,960 (*plus an $860 destination charge) will get the buyer either 25 city and 37 highway miles per gallon (along with about 180 horsepower) or 303 horsepower (along with fuel economy that’s not yet EPA rated but should be close to last year’s 17/27 mpg rating).

For what it’s worth, the new eAssist-equipped LaCrosse is thriftier on the highway than the smaller Lexus HS 250h (35/34) and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid (41/36 mpg) but not nearly as frugal as either of those competitors in the city.

The departing 2011 LaCrosse, you’ll remember, was available with either a 2.4-liter Ecotec rated at 182 horsepower or a 3.6-liter V6 rated at 280 horses. In other words, the standard four-cylinder has been replaced with the mild hybrid powertrain while the optional V6 (available for no extra charge) has received a 23-horsepower bump. Parsimony or performance at your prerogative.

So, buyers will have the option of significantly improved fuel economy or horsepower - two highly desirable traits. Of course, there’s a catch. Last year’s base LaCrosse, which carried with it an MSRP of $26,995, is no longer available. That means the least expensive LaCrosse for 2012 is about $3,000 more than it was in 2011. That said, at least buyers will clearly ge

Staffers here at Autoblog have been fortunate enough to drive cars like the Porsche Panamera and Bentley Continental at our weddings, but it takes a very high-ranking person to get an automaker to build a special vehicle just for the knot-tying ceremonies. His Highness Price Albert II of Monaco is getting married in just over a week, and when he does, Lexus will have this very special LS 600h L Landaulet waiting to handle chauffeur duty.
Yes, it’s being called a Landaulet - you know, like the Maybach - but instead of the rear seat passengers being completely alfresco, there’s a transparent bubble roof, in this case, one without any reinforcements or pillars. Lexus says that the roof was built by one of the world’s leading transparent component-production companies in France. The entire Landaulet conversion was handled by Belgian coachbuilder Carat Duchatelet in close collaboration with Lexus, and it took just over 2,000 hours to complete. Even the Midnight Blue livery paint is a special touch - it was applied manually using several coats of bespoke, water-based paint.

After checking out the high-res gallery below, hit the jump to see four short videos detailing the LS 600h L Landaulet’s production and read over the official press release

At this point in time, not much is known of the totally redesigned 2012 Toyota Yaris except that it will hit U.S. showrooms by the end of the year 2011. That’s the official word from Toyota’s senior vice-president of automotive operations, Don Esmond.

While discussing Toyota’s June 2011 sales during a conference call, Esmond stated:
And, for the first time today, I can confirm there will be a new Yaris in Toyota dealerships by the end of
Additionally, Esmond confirmed that the completely redesigned 2012 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid will hit dealer lots “before the end of the year” and that the oft-delayed Scion iQ will finally “go on sale this fall.” Sounds like an awfully busy schedule of new-model launches… let’s hope they can keep up

The Enclave is one of three crossovers that GM is building off the same so-called Lambda platform–this, the GMC Acadia, and the Saturn Outlook. The Buick is the most interesting of the three, with elegant lines and a gorgeous interior, whereas the Saturn and GMC are a little dull to look at, we’re told. The Enclave even has portholes in the hood, but they look good here, as opposed to the dorky ones on the current Buick sedans.

The Buick is front- or all-wheel-drive, and power comes from a 270-hp 3.6-liter DOHC V-6, although there will be V-8 option. The GM triplets are larger than most crossovers so they can accommodate a real third-row seat.

The Enclave actually looks smaller than it is–at 202.3 inches long, with a 119-inch wheelbase, it is similar in size to the monstrous Mercedes R-class. We suspect that the V-6 will be hard pressed to motivate it in any kind of hurry.

The car shown at the 2006 Detroit show had a typically overdone “concept” interior, with enough TV screens to satisfy the most ADD family. Plus, we reckon the lovely brushed aluminum trim and leather covered dashboard won’t make it into production. But the basic interior layout is the real deal, down to the three rows of captain’s chairs (a seven-passenger model also will be available). The exterior design–including the huge panorama sunroof–is also nearly identical to that of the production car. The show car’s 21-inch wheels look great, although, they might be t,oned down when th,e car goes on sale in late

he Swedish car industry isn’t really Swedish anymore, with major players Saab and Volvo now owned by companies abroad. However, one manufacturer remains a true Swedish brand, with the hardest name to spell, ever. Koenigsegg, the exotic car manufacturer, has been around for over 10 years now, building cars that begin with “CC” and end with a different letter, number or both. For example, there was the CC8, CCX, CCGT, and CCXR. Now, finally, Koenigsegg has given a car a real name, and it’s not even that hard to spell or pronounce. It’s just really fast and costs about $3 million.
Koengisegg Agera

The Agera continues the Koenigsegg tradition of very fast and flashy hyper cars. It looks very similar to the previous Koenigsegg models, but a side-by-side view shows several new and improved details on the Agera. The front is a bit wider and features slightly different headlights. The rear also gets a redesign, with new tail lights. Other than a few other cosmetic tweaks, the overall shape remains pretty much the same.

Koenigsegg develops its own engines, quite uncommon for a boutique supercar maker. The Agera engine makes a very high 940 horsepower and nearly 750 foot-pounds of torque. All-aluminum and displaced at 5.0-liters, the engine also features two turbochargers and dry sump lubrication. Total weight of the engine is only 434 pounds thanks to a carbon fiber intake manifold and the aluminum construction. The car weighs 2932 pounds; the lightweight body and high power result in 0-60 times in less than 3 seconds.
Lightweight Transmission

The traction control system offers five different modes, with only the most skilled drivers venturing into the less restrictive ones. The transmission is a 7-speed dual clutch with paddle shifters. It is the first dual clutch transmission to feature only one input shaft. The second clutch slows down the input shaft during up shifts in order to reduce the time it takes to synchronize the next gear, resulting in faster shift times. Most notably, the transmission weighs only 178 pounds.

Tasked with stopping a car with a 245 mph top speed are the six piston front and four piston rear calipers along with huge carbon ceramic rotors. These bring the car from 62 mph to a full stop in just 100 feet. The chassis is based around a carbon fiber tub, the current standard among super cars. It also features gas-hydraulic shocks in the suspension along with wishbone setup in all four corners.
Top Speed

While the Agera competes with the Bugatti Veyron and Pagani Huayra at the pinnacle of the hyper car market, Koenigsegg recently unveiled an even faster version, simply called the Agera R. The Agera R runs on ethanol and can generate 1,115 horsepower and 885 foot-pounds of torque on E85 or E100 ethanol. It can also run on gasoline as well, however, since ethanol offers a higher octane than gasoline, power on gas is limited to 940 horsepower. The top speed of the Agera R is nearly 260 mph.

The Agera R features a brand new rear suspension design called Triplex. This system connects the right and left rear wheel with, a spring and ,shock absorber, allowing these to ,inflence each other fo, superior handling benefit

arge sedans are produced by each of the major automotive manufacturers, and are typically characterized as seating five passengers and costing in the neighborhood of $30,000. European models and the Chrysler entries are powered by the rear wheels; Asian models and the Chevrolet Impala and Ford Taurus are front-wheel-drive, with all-wheel-drive available on the Taurus and each of the European sedans.

The Nissan Maxima is the largest car produced by this Japanese automaker, a Smyrna, Tenn.-built large sport sedan powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 engine rated at 290 horsepower. Paired with a continuously variable transmission, this car is rated at 261 foot-pounds of torque and gets 19 mpg city, 26Like many of today’s large cars, the Maxima started out as a midsize model and grew into a full size sedan. Certainly, today’s definition of a large car is far different from a generation ago when most vehicles had room for six, offered V-8 power standard and were powered by its rear wheels. Today’s large cars are smaller, but thanks to fuel injection and advanced technologies, offer correspondingly equal or better power.

Now in its seventh generation, the Maxima name has been in use for 30 years, and was previously known as the Datsun 810 before Nissan brand unity became standard around the world. In the Maxima, Nissan has managed to tout its “sport sedan” flair, an engineering and marketing initiative meant to entice people who might desire similar sized European sedan, but were turned off by high prices.

Though powered by its front wheels, the Nissan Maxima has managed to limit torque steer — the sensation you get when you step on the accelerator and the steering wheel pulls to one side. Some critics contend that the problem is still a big issue with the Maxima, while others hardly notice what is basically a minor irritant.
Cabin Amenities

Inside, the Nissan Maxima cabin invites comparison with its upmarket Infiniti cousins, particularly G and M models. Lavishly appointed, this model includes daytime illumination gauges, a multi-functional trip computer, Bluetooth connectivity, 8-way power driver’s seat with lumbar support, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, aluminum trim, mood lighting and more.

Available in two trim levels, base and SV, the top of the line Maxima comes equipped or offers packaged amenities such as hard drive navigation system, iPod storage net, heated and cooled driver’s seat, eucalyptus wood tone trim, Bose stereo system and leather seating.

Safety features abound and include traction control, vehicle dynamic control, brake assist, ABS, electronic brake force, distribution, front seat ,active head restraints, roof mounted si,de curtain airbags a,nd a tire
pressure monitori,ng systemmpg highway

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