The revolution is waiting, but is lithium ready? Can lithium push hybrids beyond 3 percent? Lithium, lithium, lithium. Is it all just hype? When Toyota decided not to use lithium in the 3rd gen Hybrid Synergy Drive and the 3rd generation Toyota Prius , it was hard not to be disappointed. It’s obvious that NiMH isn’t the future of the battery vehicle, whether plugged-in or not, but it seems almost equally as obvious that today’s lithium batteries aren’t any more up to the task. Certainly, when it comes to plug-in vehicles, I’m confident that lithium offers more potential than NiMH. But how much more? Enough to top the 3 percent share of hybrid cars ? I don’t think so, and that’s even after the $7500 federal tax credit. I mean, seriously, plug-ins are DOA without massive tax credits. That doesn’t mean plug-in tax credits are a bad thing, but it is what it is. Regardless, according to the forecasts through the next decade plus, if a battery vehicle is going to have a major impact on the automotive landscape, it’s going to be a plug-less hybrid. So, is lithium the key to this minor revolution? I think so. And in the next few years, most conventional, plug-less hybrid cars will use lithium — many before the hybrid king Prius switches to lithium. But can these new lithium hybrids offer any advantages? Hyundai’s lithium hybrids, for instance, don’t seem to make that claim — a claim that corporate Hyundai is well aware of based upon the public statements that Hyundai executives have made at numerous auto shows. But, not every automaker is working on the same kind of lithium technologies as Hyundai. Perhaps another automaker has a better angle on the lithium space? Perhaps. Within the next year, there will be several new lithium-powered hybrid cars. It will be very interesting to see if any of these new hybrids can make a real sale’s push. I hope it happens, but I’m betting that lithium isn’t just yet there. And while many might criticize Toyota and its old technology Prius, the Prius is still going to dominate battery-vehicle sales for many, many years. Unfortunately, in my opinion and based on sales, etc., lithium is still coming up short, whether its hybrid cars,...

A car loan is a fairly straightforward financial transaction; to buy a new car, you agree to pay a lending institution a monthly amount to cover the principal and interest over a set period of time. What isn’t simple is that some cars depreciate faster than others, which potentially changes the value of the asset you’re buying before… Go here to see the original:  New Type Of Car Loan Designed To Give Buyers Peace Of Mind

The BMW 1M Coupe has and is being compared with the original (E30) M3, the car that defined the boy racer! The new 1M Coupe continues this heritage. Just one look tells you this is a very special car. It is a small car with huge wheels and tires to take advantage of the power and handling that is on tap. Its extremities bristle with aerodynamic features which sole purpose is to reduce turbulence and increase downforces creating a driving machine that slips through the air and sticks to the road. This project is limited to a few high-end performance parts – H&R suspension, BBS wheels, Brembo Big Brakes and Continental tires. These brands are a perfect fit for this one of a kind vehicle. The associations of these products are easily recognized as the best of the best. Working with these well-known tuning companies adds to the uniqueness of the BMW 1M Coupe while retaining its true character. H&R Suspension components are known for their quality and performance. This one-of-a-kind performance coupe has no equal and H&R ride development engineers have designed the H&R Sport Springs to give this amazing car the perfect stance and performance handling. The progressive spring rate provides superb ride quality and comfort. H&R maintains its natural connection with this phenomenal car by direct involvement with BMW Motorsport. We know BMWs and our products demonstrate this. H&R Sport Springs for the BMW 1M (e82) lower approximately 1.2 inches front and 0.6 inches rear – eliminating the huge front tire and wheel gap, for a more homogeneous appearance. Lowering your BMW with H&R Sport Springs improves handling and provides that cool H&R stance. In addition to the H&R Sport Spring, H&R Sway Bars have been included front and rear. The new sway bars are 27mm front and 23mm rear. These awesome bars have forged ends and are made from HF wire that is heat treated and shot peened – an industry exclusive. H&R Trak+ Wheel Spacers perfectly space the wheels and tires in fender wells, and allow for wheel clearance of the big Brembo calipers. With the reintroduction of the classic BBS RS wheels, the new BBS Super RS wheels are the only choice for the 1M. BBS has always been synonymous with BMW Motorsports making it a natural...

Coinciding with the first generation Chevrolet Camaro, the SEMA Show was launched in the late 1960s as a modest showcase of the best automotive performance and modification technology. As the SEMA Show has exploded to a multi-day trade exhibition, American performance cars like the Camaro have been given a place to shine in an environment largely shielded from pressing real world transportation scenarios. With the legend of the Camaro returning after an extended hiatus in 2009, a brand new generation of General Motors pony cars brings the best of American motoring with the innovations of the 21st century. Acting like a long-running honeymoon, Chevrolet continues to celebrate the new Camaro two years after its reintroduction with five new SEMA Show concept cars.   Camaro Synergy Series Concept   Taking over the personality of the RS and SS package, the Synergy version of the Chevrolet Camaro combines an ample amount of flash with dash. Presented with a Silver Ice exterior complemented with black accent trim, the Camaro Synergy Series Concept receives outer enhancements care of Chevrolet Accessories with body colour ground effects and 21-inch wheels. Synergy decals are worn on the Chevrolet Camaro sitting closer to the ground thanks to a Pedders lowering suspension. Black leather seating with red secondary colouring, the Camaro Synergy Series Concept’s interior scheme is rich with Chevrolet Accessories charm including specialized floor mats, lighting and pedal kit. Stitched in red thread, the Hurst short-throw shifter is a centerpiece in the Camaro Synergy’s cabin. Chevrolet hints that favourable reception of the Camaro Synergy Series Concept at SEMA could make it onto a production car.   Camaro 1LE Concept   Everybody in the land of Camaro is waiting for the ZL1 with many knowing the 580-horsepower super pony car could be out of reach. Pricing and production is guaranteed to keep many admirers at bay from the upcoming Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. In the Camaro 1LE Concept, Chevrolet has taken steps to create a non-ZL1 using many of the specialized components of the top 2012 production Camaro. A Victory Red vehicle with flat black hood and front fender markings, satin black details highlights the rear spoiler, front splitter and rocker panels. Another...

Every year, come Halloween, there’s talk about zombie outbreaks. And while such an undead invasion has yet to come to fruition in this writer’s lifetime, you just never know when one might take place. This Halloween, OnStar is going to provide Monster Dodger services to all its customers. OnStar says Halloween is a fun holiday and its Monster… Go here to see the original:  OnStar Wants To Be Your Monster Dodger Service This Halloween

The perfect size for American consumers? And a gas tax too! I got a good laugh this morning reading Take Polls With A Grain Of Salt by Jeremy Anwyl CEO of Edmunds.com regarding his recent testimony before Congress on new CAFE requirements. Essentially, Awyl observed that Congress is obsessed by polls, taking them almost as fact, despite the irrefutable evidence demonstrating that many polls, especially when in survey form, are often irrelevant or even counter-productive. Such polling irrelevance, for example, has been documented many times on Hybridcarblog via consumer surveys on hybrid cars purchasing. For many years now, numerous surveys have demonstrated that most Americans — as many as 80 percent or more — are interested in buying a hybrid car as their next vehicle purchase. Yet, year after year, less than 3 percent of consumers actually buy hybrids. Why the gross disconnect between survey data and real world sales? Obviously, there are numerous confounding variables, such as poorly written questions, limited hybrid selection, etc., etc. But, when push comes to shove, the number that seems to matter more than any other to consumers is price tag. Most consumers just don’t want to pay too much extra upfront for better fuel economy — all other things, such as amenities, cargo space, etc., being equal. Ironically, however, I’ve heard numerous times in recent months that consumers, voters, etc. are big fans of new CAFE requirements — requirements that Chyrsler’s CEO Sergio Marchionne recently claimed would require an increase in hybrid technologies. But, if consumers, according to these polls, want more cars like the Toyota Prius , for instance, why have Prius sales appeared to have plateaued? Nevertheless, I’m a semi-fan of new CAFE requirements, although I’m a bigger fan of a well conceived gas tax, for instance. Still, this recent CAFE testimony makes me even less impressed with Congress. In my opinion, survey says Congress is a self-serving bunch that isn’t really interested in the truth, but only in twisting the truth. Today, America is in desperate need of an honest and transparent energy conversation, but it seems more and more obvious that such a conversation will not be driven by Congress. Unfortunately,...

As winter fast approaches, now is the time to inspect your tires and consider if you need new rubber before the snow falls, or perhaps swap out the all-season or summer tires for dedicated snow tires. A Veteran tire expert and Consumer Reports Program Manager, Vehicle and Child Safety, Jennifer Stockburger recently shared her advice during a live Facebook video event filmed at our Yonkers headquarters, and we present her insights in the eight-minute video below. Chief advice: Maintain the proper tire pressure, based on the car manufacturer’s recommendations, which can often be found in the driver’s-side door jamb or in the owner’s manual. Tire pressure impacts tire wear, durability, safety, and fuel economy. She warns that tire pressure monitoring systems in modern cars often don’t come on until the pressure has significantly decreased, possibly up to 25 percent. Best bet is to manually check the pressure at least once a month. As the weather gets chilly, remember that for every 10-degree temperature drop, tire pressure will decrease about 1 psi. Even if the tire is perfect and doesn’t leak, the change of seasons alone may mean you need to adjust air pressure. Stockburger addresses whether you should pay for nitrogen in tires , how to evaluate tread wear, get the best tires for your money , and other key car ownership issues. For more information on tires, see our tire buying advice and ratings . Our exhaustive test program counted over 900 tires this past year, with the results steering you in the right direction. Related: Video: How to get your car ready for winter Guide to safe winter driving Go here to see the original: Video: How to care for your car tires and get them ready for winter

Our friends over at FT86Club got their hands on a Toyota FT-86 / Scion FR-S / Subaru BRZ training sheet and we finally have a look at the specs of the most anticipated sports car in a long time. Just expect some aspects to get lost in translation coming over the Pacific as a Scion FR-S. More » Read the original here: Scion FR-S: All the specs [Toyota FT-86] Continued here:  Scion FR-S: All the specs [Toyota FT-86]

The redesigned, 2012 Honda Civic has gotten a lukewarm, if not outright hostile, reception from critics (ourselves among them). So when our colleagues at Automotive News reported that American Honda Motor’s executive vice president John Mendel suggested that the Civic’s first mid-cycle update could be moved ahead in response to the criticism (from spring 2014 to sometime in 2013), we did some digging to see what  that meant. Honda spokesman Chris Martin confirmed that AN quoted Mendel accurately when he said, “We take feedback seriously, regardless of who it’s from, and we will act accordingly quickly,” but that no one at Honda has given any specific timeline. “When we launch a model, one or two model changes are always planned,” said Martin. “On some models, we can move that forward or move that back. There is the potential with Civic that we would move that forward. It is not unprecedented.” That said, Martin went on to explain that advancing the first mid-cycle update is a way of saying, ”Hey, we hear you. We’re going to do what is appropriate.” Exactly what might this early update involve? Martin declined to say, but we hope it goes beyond changes to the head- and taillamp bezels and involves some big upgrades in interior materials. While the Civic has had a tough time in the hands of critics, Martin stopped short of admitting that the Civic is having problems pleasing customers, adding that, following the natural disasters that struck Japan earlier this year, the Civic has only had full model and feature availability for a couple of weeks. “The big thing is that Civic as it stands hasn’t gotten a chance to get on its feet from an inventory standpoint . . . do we consider Civic to be a problem or a failure? I’d say no, not at this point.” Continued here: Honda Hears 2012 Civic Criticisms; Mulls Fast-Track Refresh View original post here:  Honda Hears 2012 Civic Criticisms; Mulls Fast-Track Refresh

I get a tingle every time I see Steve McQueen’s Highland Green ‘68 Mustang leaping over the hills of San Francisco, and there’s a special place in my heart for the Audi S8 from Ronin , but the Ecto-1 is still my favorite movie car of all time. More » Here is the original: Why the Ghostbusters’ Ecto-1 is my favorite movie car [Video] See the original post here: Why the Ghostbusters’ Ecto-1 is my favorite movie car [Video]

Click to enlarge It’s Monday, and that means it’s time to present this week’s shifter. You’ll have until mid-day Wednesday to identify the make and model of the vehicle from whence this shifter came. The first person to respond correctly in the Backfires section below will win a Save the Manuals button and sticker. Good luck! Read more: Name That Shifter, No. 48 Excerpt from:  Name That Shifter, No. 48

BMW is recalling 32,084 various vehicle makes from model years 2008 through 2011 because the circuit board for the electric auxiliary water pump can overheat, which could cause smoldering of the pump or lead to an engine compartment or vehicle fire. The following vehicles are potentially affected by the recall: 2008-2011 5-Series Gran Turismo 2008-2011 7-Series 2008-2011 X5 SAV 2008-2011 X6 SAV vehicles equipped with 8 or 12 cylinder turbocharged engines. The safety recall is expected to begin in November. BMW will notify owners and dealers will replace the auxiliary water pump for free. Owners can contact BMW customer relations for more information 800-525-7417. Owners can also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236, or visit Safercar.gov . See more here: Recall: 32,000 BMW vehicles—bad water pumps

Sometimes “bad ideas” become vital bits of DNA that form the makeup of a car’s brand. Something that, if it were ever improved on or removed, would ruin what makes the car special? What “bad idea” is essential to a car’s character? More » Read more from the original source: What "bad idea" is essential to a car’s character? [Question Of The Day] More: What "bad idea" is essential to a car’s character? [Question Of The Day]

Today at High Gear Media, the Chinese finally saved Saab while Sebastian Vettel wins the Formula 1 Indian Grand Prix. We drive the 2012 Toyota Camry and spot a Range Rover Plug-In Diesel Hybrid prototype. All this and more in today’s car news, right here on The Car Connection. Saab has been saved (again), but it has a long road ahead of it. We… See the rest here:  Saab Saved, BMW Recall, Range Rover Plug-In Diesel Hybrid: Car News Headlines

Over its nearly 40-year run, the Honda Civic has become synonymous with reliability, affordability, and value. In fact, the Civic is so ubiquitous on American streets that it’s become nearly invisible. Then the 2012 Civic rolled out, and people started to notice — but not in the good way. Today, Honda says it’s working to address the 2012 Civic’s… See the original post: Honda Civic Will Get A Speedy Facelift After Bad Reviews