Filed under: Motorsport “My Chevrolet Cruze is wicked today!” Reigning champion Jason Plato left Brands Hatch a happy man after winning two of the three British Touring Car Championship races on Sunday to leave the championship wide open with just one meeting remaining. Having arrived at the Kent circuit 24 points behind joint leaders Gordon Shedden and arch-rival Matt Neal , the Silverline Chevrolet driver quickly made his intentions clear when he took pole position in the heat of Saturday, something he knew was necessary if he was to stand a chance of winning ahead of his turbo-charged rivals. “Hopefully it will be as hot again tomorrow which could sap the turbo cars like the Hondas of a bit of power,” he said. “Catching them is a big ask but this is the best way to go about it.” Brands has been good to Plato in the past 12 months. It was here he clinched his second title on the final weekend last year with two race wins and where he started the 2011 campaign with another two victories. If he is to rack up successive BTCC titles, strong results – essentially race wins – were required. True to his word, Plato took a lights-to-flag victory in the opening race as the Hondas of Neal and Shedden were left trailing in his wake after both suffered punctures. In one fell swoop, Plato had cut the championship deficit to the joint leaders to just six points. Neal and Shedden finished well out of the points in 18th and 19th after starting from third and eighth respectively, Shedden having lost several places after earlier sliding off the track at Graham Hill Bend. More significantly, it meant they started race two well down the order and facing a tough battle to climb into the top 10 and the points. Plato again started in pole for race two, although this time he was carrying success ballast and faced with a tougher task of claiming a second win. Alongside him was Mat Jackson in the Airwaves Racing Ford Focus and that was how it stayed throughout the race as the leader kept the chasing pack at bay. Jackson looked to be closing on Plato in the early parts of the 15-lap race but then the Chevrolet eased ahead and was more than two seconds to the good after nine laps around the same time that Chevrolet team-mate Alex...

Although most modern junkyards automotive recycling centers are full of fairly boring and generic cars, when they are located in another country like this facility in Russia the cars are a lot less commonplace and a lot more interesting—at least to us. More » Original post:  Scenes from a Russian junkyard [Junkyards] View original post here:  Scenes from a Russian junkyard [Junkyards]

With a starting price of $26,155, the new 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas will go on sale at qualified Honda dealerships starting Oct, 18. Formally known as the Civic GX , the latest-generation sedan that operates on compressed natural gas has a much more literal name: Civic Natural Gas. Honda has also expanded sales through 200 dealers in 38 states, up from just four states previously. The Civic Natural Gas can also be equipped with the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System, featuring a helpful database of publically accessible Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refueling stations across the United States. The Civic Natural Gas uses a modified version of the 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine found in the Civic sedan and coupe. A five-speed automatic transmission is standard. The 3600-psi fuel tank is located between the rear wheels. The fuel tank can contain the equivalent of 7.8 gallons of gasoline. (See our Honda Civic road test .) For more on natural-gas alternatives see The pros & cons of buying a CNG-powered Honda Civic Honda Announces Pricing Information for 2012 Civic Natural Gas [Honda] View original post here:  New 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas to sell for $26,155

Filed under: Formula One Mercedes GP on Friday confirmed reports ousted Ferrari technical boss Aldo Costa is reuniting with his former colleague Ross Brawn. And the Brackley based squad also announced that HRT’s recently-departed Geoff Willis, who was with the German team in its Honda days until 2006, is joining up as technology director next month. Italian Costa, who worked under now Mercedes team boss Brawn at Ferrari some years ago, will start his new job as engineering director in December. Both Costa and Willis will report to technical director Bob Bell, the former Renault chief, Mercedes GP added. “Aldo will be responsible for design and development, and Geoffrey will head the aerodynamics, vehicle dynamics, control systems and simulation functions,” the team said in a media statement. Said Brawn: “Building a winning team is an exciting challenge for us all as we work towards the competitiveness and standards that we aspire to as the Mercedes-Benz works team.”   View post: Mercedes signs Costa and Willis See more here: Mercedes signs Costa and Willis

It may not take better batteries to make the next generation of hybrids much more efficient—software may be the answer. Fuel consumption in hybrids is affected by terrain and leveling off the battery’s state of charge, and smart programming can make the most of the existing systems. The next breakthrough for hybrids, discussed by GM and other hybrid makers, may be to integrate GPS data from built-in navigation systems into the hybrid drivetrain electronics to significantly improve fuel economy. One key to this improvement would require having topographical data from the navigation maps. As I drove the new Honda Civic Hybrid last week, this point couldn’t have been clearer to me: I happen to live at the top of a hill. A big hill. As I drove home, I watched my gas mileage plummet on the trip computer as I ascended the hill—every day. This is, of course, true in every car. But what has me scratching my head is that every time I arrive in my driveway with a hybrid, the battery meter reads full, or almost full. In the Civic hybrid, even if it started with a half full battery at the bottom (which seems to happen more or less randomly), it would put an extra load on the engine, burning extra gas, all the way up the hill to charge the battery so it was full at the top. In other words, I’m burning more gas than required to just climb the hill. This is particularly frustrating since I know, and the car should be able to figure out, that the next time I leave my house, I have no place to go but down. As I nose down the hill, braking lightly, I can initially feel the electric regenerative brakes kick in, mildly slowing the car. But by the time I get to the first curve, even though the hill has flattened out I have to brake harder and can feel the friction brakes at the wheels kick in. The regenerative brakes don’t work because the battery is already full, and there’s no place to store any of the energy the generator creates in braking. Meanwhile, I’ve still got 80 percent of the hill to descend. This is consistent behavior in the Civic Hybrid. In other hybrids I can sometimes get to the top with only a moderately full battery by flooring the accelerator on the way up to drain the battery, but clearly that doesn’t save...

It may not take better batteries to make the next generation of hybrids much more efficient—software may be the answer. Fuel consumption in hybrids is affected by terrain and leveling off the battery’s state of charge, and smart programming can make the most of the existing systems. The next breakthrough for hybrids, discussed by GM and other hybrid makers, may be to integrate GPS data from built-in navigation systems into the hybrid drivetrain electronics to significantly improve fuel economy. One key to this improvement would require having topographical data from the navigation maps. As I drove the new Honda Civic Hybrid last week, this point couldn’t have been clearer to me: I happen to live at the top of a hill. A big hill. As I drove home, I watched my gas mileage plummet on the trip computer as I ascended the hill—every day. This is, of course, true in every car. But what has me scratching my head is that every time I arrive in my driveway with a hybrid, the battery meter reads full, or almost full. In the Civic hybrid, even if it started with a half full battery at the bottom (which seems to happen more or less randomly), it would put an extra load on the engine, burning extra gas, all the way up the hill to charge the battery so it was full at the top. In other words, I’m burning more gas than required to just climb the hill. This is particularly frustrating since I know, and the car should be able to figure out, that the next time I leave my house, I have no place to go but down. As I nose down the hill, braking lightly, I can initially feel the electric regenerative brakes kick in, mildly slowing the car. But by the time I get to the first curve, even though the hill has flattened out I have to brake harder and can feel the friction brakes at the wheels kick in. The regenerative brakes don’t work because the battery is already full, and there’s no place to store any of the energy the generator creates in braking. Meanwhile, I’ve still got 80 percent of the hill to descend. This is consistent behavior in the Civic Hybrid. In other hybrids I can sometimes get to the top with only a moderately full battery by flooring the accelerator on the way up to drain the battery, but clearly that doesn’t save...

It’s no secret that Consumer Reports wasn’t too impressed with the redesigned-for-2011 Jetta and the redesigned-for-2012 Civic. The Jetta SE and Civic LX both failed to score high enough to meet our threshold for recommendation. But what happens when you buy the top-level sports version of each? To find out, we bought a Jetta GLI and a Civic Si. The GLI brings quite a few enhancements over the cooking-grade Jetta SE, including an independent rear suspension, rear disc brakes, bigger wheels and tires, and an improved interior. The GLI has VW’s entertaining and ever-tractable 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, mated in our car to a six-speed manual transmission. Most GLIs, including our test car, have the Autobahn options package; it adds a moonroof, heated seats, automatic climate control, and 18-inch alloy wheels. Thus equipped, ours stickered at $26,835. Just like the GLI, the Civic Si brings performance upgrades over the Civic LX and EX, including a retuned suspension and 17-inch wheels and tires. But the highlight of the car is its drivetrain. The Si now shares its 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with the Acura TSX. While this engine doesn’t quite rev to the nosebleed-level limits of previous Civic Si’s, it is very eager, willing, and smooth. Honda also sets a benchmark for manual shifters, and the six-speed here is no exception. Our four-door Si with all-season performance tires cost us $23,175. It’s no surprise that, so far, both cars are proving far more entertaining to drive than their mainstream counterparts. First impressions are that the GLI is considerably more refined than the Si. Even though these are top-level versions of each car, there are surprising omissions and cost-cutting. The Civic doesn’t have satellite radio; you only get that with the optional navigation system. You might expect a nearly-$27,000 car to have power seats, but the Jetta doesn’t even offer them. Both cars have nicer interiors than their lower-trim versions, but some cheapness remains, like the lack of a fully-lined trunk lid in both cars. We’ll see how these sporty sedans balance fun and livability as we fully test them here at our track. Originally posted here:  Just In: 2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI and 2012 Honda...

If you want to upgrade your car into a supercar, then adding nitrous oxide seems to be the way to go. But rather than going by hearsay, you should probably get familiar with what the hell it is, how it can benefit your motor and, most of all, is it what you need? What? Well it’s a gas, or a chemical or something. Do you really care what it actually is? Either way, here’s the facts. Your engine, just like your body, needs oxygen to work. The more oxygen it gets, the more efficiently it burns fuel. Nitrous releases oxygen as it burns, so as long as there’s more fuel there, there’s more power. Plus the nitrous also cools as it works, creating even more oxygen. Almost too much oxygen. The nitrous comes in small compressed bottles stored in the car and sent to your engine via lines that you control from the seat of your Honda Civic or similar. Fascinating fact: the drag racing term ‘funny cars’ comes from the fact that this is the same nitrous oxide used in the dentist’s office, known as ‘laughing gas’. Though the vehicular nitrous has some weird stuff added to it and so shouldn’t be huffed. Not that you would ever do anything like that. Which? In the old days, only ‘dry’ nitrous kits were available, which just squirted nitrous into your system using the fuel that was already available in the car. Then the scientists took over. Or possibly maverick mechanics working in petrol stations under the cover of darkness. They came up with the more advanced ‘wet’ kits which added nitrous and fuel together, thus producing a crazy drag racing with a male model in downtown Tokyo sort of situation. This magical alchemy of fuel and Nos either happens in or around the intake manifold or else id applied straight into the cylinders, depending on the injection system you use. Why? Hey, can you think of a better way to give your beautiful car a quick, happy burst of power? Nitrous Oxide is fairly cheap, in the old cash versus horsepower equation we all love. The kits are pretty easy to install and you can easily switch the whole thing off if you don’t fancy it. How? I’m so happy you asked! You’ll send away for your Nos kit which should include your compressed bottle of nitrous, the lines...

As the Facebook fiends among you are already aware, we recently announced a partnership with the game Car Town . Our first in a series of monthly contests has now concluded, and here are the results! September’s challenge was to wrap a Honda Accord in a “Back to School” design. Last week, our editors chose their virtual 10Best wraps , awarding each of the designers a special in-game Scion xB. The top entries were then posted to the Car and Driver Facebook page for our fans to vote on. After a week at the polls, the fans overwhelmingly “Liked” the chalkboard-look wrap by nazerr, who wins a Mazda Furai concept wearing C/D livery. Congratulations! The next contest begins on October 11 and the theme will be Halloween. Be sure to enter and then check our Facebook page a week later to “Like” your favorites. Read the rest here: Presenting the First Car and Driver/Car Town Design Contest Winner Read more from the original source:  Presenting the First Car and Driver/Car Town Design Contest Winner

Filed under: Road Tests Nissan took a decisive leap into the future this year, making electric motoring a reality with the new Leaf. Nissan describes the £25,990 Leaf as the first, affordable, purpose-built, zero-emissions car from a major manufacturer. I spent almost a week with this charged Nissan to see what the Leaf’s like to live with on a daily basis. Tuesday The Leaf arrived whilst I was out at a launch, but the all-electric car proves to be a draw for friends and I end up taking a mate for a late night spin in the charged Nissan. I’ve not driven this car since the UK launch , but the giant-killing acceleration and massive 280Nm of torque still impresses, despite the negative effect hard acceleration has on the Leaf’s range. The Leaf is wonderfully relaxing to drive too; at first I missed the engine note, but then marvelled at what a refined drive the current Car of The Year is. It handles well too. Wednesday I attend another car launch today in Marlow, Bucks which is a 120 mile round trip from my home. Normally, I’d have taken the Leaf, but because of its 100 mile range and lack of nearby public charging points, the electric Nissan spends most of the day on my drive. I end up borrowing my wife’s Volkswagen Golf and it makes me think that the Leaf is probably best suited to urban environments, so you’d need another car for long journeys. This is where the Chevrolet Volt and Vauxhall Ampera score over the Nissan, with their range-extending 1.4-litre petrol hybrid generator power. Wednesday evening means the usual Collins’ weekly pilgrimage to the supermarket. Over 80 miles of battery power is still left in the Leaf and with just a 30 mile round trip, it’s the electric Nissan that we’re going to take shopping. My son’s baby seat easily fits in the back of the spacious interior, as there’s plenty of head, leg and shoulder room and we’re off. As we sit in rush hour traffic, I look around to see if the Leaf is getting any interest from other motorists. It’s not, which is a shame considering how ground-breaking this car is. Maybe Nissan has played it too safe with the exterior styling? There are some neat features of the design including the huge, blobby headlights at the front...

[Source: BMW Motorrad] In an exclusive interview, BMW Motorrad’s Motorsport Director Bernhard Gobmeier reveals why racing is vital to the continued development of the S 1000 RR and how proud he is of the whole team behind the ‘RR’ project… What have been the major learning points for you in your debut year as Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport? We are all learning together. We have two very individual riders who demand different things in order to get the best performance on track, so we work very hard to give them the tools they need to do the job. We are also constantly striving to become more competitive, but the problem is that everybody is attempting to do the same thing, so it’s a real race in terms of development and a matter of who can develop the fastest and move to the front. How proud is everyone at BMW of the success of the RR in the marketplace? Everyone at BMW is very proud in what we have created. The RR was a step into a very unknown area for us – sports bikes – where the likes of Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Ducati have dominated for the last 20 years. We wanted to build a bike that you could instantly ride – regardless of your ability – and feel comfortable in doing so. This motorcycle incorporates all the technological ingredients like traction control and ABS to make you feel at ease with the machine, despite the engine power, while still appealing to advanced riders because of its outright performance. In my opinion BMW created a very special motorcycle. What has been your measure of just how good the series production RR actually is? We assess the success of the RR though both sales figures and track performance. In its first year on sale the RR won 14 national championships, which is a truly amazing feat. We also entered the WSBK championship as it is the ultimate test for any production motorcycle and it is important that RR customers see their bike being tested and developed on track. As regards sales figures, we knew we were stepping into a new segment and one which has been decreasing in size over recent years, but we still managed to become market leader in most countries around the world. Is there a more competitive racing series on the planet than WSBK? This series is undoubtedly tough; we stepped in three years ago with...

The Prius now sounds like a spaceship, and Honda continues to preview the upcoming 2012 CR-V. Dads would rather drive a crossover than a minivan–yes, we know, shock–and Volvo is downsizing. All this and more in today’s car news, right here on TheCarConnection. Honda showed off the 2012 CR-V Concept in Anaheim, and the lightly changed real… See the rest here:  2012 Honda CR-V, OnStar, 2012 Toyota Prius: Today’s Car News

The beginning of the modern 'halo effect' Or was it the Toyota supply shortage? Something else? Don’t laugh. Just because GM, for instance, has only sold a few thousand Chevy Volts after almost a year on the market doesn’t mean anything. Sometimes perception is more important than reality. The Volt, in many respects, is about direction, not sales. At least for now. More important, however, it seems clear that the Chevy Volt has helped drive Chevy Cruze sales. If GM can build the Volt, obviously GM can build a quality compact, right? And they can. The Cruze proves it, but the PR from the Volt sure didn’t hurt. Besides, the Toyota Prius had a similar halo effect. Instead of buying a Prius, for more than a decade, many potential Prius buyers instead bought a Camry, Corrola or some other Toyota vehicle. So why can’t the Volt or the Nissan Leaf have the same sort of effect? OK. Hybrid, EV? Whatever. It’s all the same. Expensive hippie cars, right? I mean, with the launch of the Volt and the Leaf many mainstream consumers are only just realizing that you didn’t actually have to always plug in the Prius. “I never knew there was a difference. ” You can say, wow!!!!….seriously???……, but even in the last few weeks I’ve had such a conversation. Years ago such lack of knowledge surprised me. Not today. Nevertheless, for many the Volt and Leaf are simply the new Prius. And that’s all that matters. Most aren’t going to buy. They’re interested, or at least intrigued. But, just as they didn’t buy a Prius, they’re not going to buy a Leaf or a Volt. A Cruze or an Altima? Maybe. Years before the Chevy Volt was even a concept, Bob Lutz  — THE Volt figure in my opinion — seemed literally obsessed with the halo effect of the Prius, and I know it helped drive the development of both the Volt and the Cruze. And, it was a trend that most in the auto industry knew could resonate. But, does the halo effect explain the resurgence of GM and Nissan? Read the original post:  Are GM and Nissans’ resurgences attributable to their plug-ins?

World debuts for new concept and production models typically happen at premier auto shows, like the North American International Auto Show, the Tokyo Motor Show or even the IAA (more commonly known as the Frankfurt Auto Show). The Orange County International Auto Show, held annually in Anaheim, California, isn’t where most automakers would… Here is the original post:  2012 Honda CR-V Concept Debuts In Anaheim

Honda showcased their upcoming EV concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show and provided a few more details on the upcoming electric vehicle . Based on the Honda Fit, this new EV will be powered by a lithium-ion battery and coaxial electric motor derived from the FCX Clarity fuel-cell vehicle . Honda claims the Fit EV will be able to have a 100-mile driving range and reach a top speed of 90 mph. Efficiency is aided by a user-controlled, three-mode system like that used in the Honda CR-Z hybrid. Drivers can select Economy, Normal, or Sport to assist in fuel economy or bolster performance. Honda says the differences are an increase of 17 percent in driving range with the Economy mode over the Normal mode and 25 percent better than Sport mode. In Sport mode, the performance is adjusted to improved acceleration. To help further conserve energy, a dashboard display can help the driver determine when to shut off accessories such as the air conditioning or radio to save electricity. Drivers will also be able to connect via a smart phone or computer to manage the vehicle’s energy use, though hopefully not when behind the wheel. A pocket remote also allows connectivity to the vehicle. With these tools, drivers will be able to check charge, start a charge, or activate air conditioning, as well as provide charging alerts to help with utility rates, a 24-hour roadside assistance, and a charging station locator. The battery can be charged in 12 hours when using 120-volt outlet and around six hours with a 240-volt outlet. The Honda EV is set to hit the market in 2012. Visit our guide to fuel economy . Originally posted here:  Preview: 2013 Honda Fit EV charges ahead