The Japanese luxury automaker Lexus is planning on unveiling the 2010 LS600h, in both standard and extended wheelbase version at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The luxury hybrid LS600h features a new four bar grille and restyled front bumper with redesigned air intakes and foglamps. The headlamps have a new running light design and are finished in Lexus hybrid blue, giving the car a distinctive appearance befitting its flagship status.
The Lexus Hybrid Drive system has been revised to meet Euro V exhaust emissions standards, but with no change to the car’s performance: the combination of the 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine and 165kW electric motor produces a maximum 439bhp and 520Nm of torque, giving nought to 62mph acceleration in 6.3 seconds.
In what is being expected as one of the most star-studded Frankfurt Motor Shows in recent years, BMW threw the first salvo by officially unveiling its Vision EfficientDynamics hybrid super car in one of Frankfurt’s first preview events.
Leading the unveiling was BMW chairman and CEO Dr. Robert Reithofer who commented that the new super car boasts of one of the world’s most technically advanced engines and body construction technology.
The car is by all means everything we’ve been talking about for the past couple of months. It’s got the 2+2 seat configuration and is powered by a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbo diesel hybrid making it capable of churning our as much as 356 horsepower. The car clocked impressive times in its’ 0-100 kmh test time, clocking in at just around 4.8 seconds – a jaw dropping number considering the car’ average fuel consumption reads at only 3.76-L/100km.
Although the car seems to be impressive in every aspect, Reithofer did put in a word of caution, saying that the Vision EfficientDynamics is far from a finished product and BMW is still looking at other means by which improve the car’s efficiency down the road.
Jaguar will unveil at the Frankfurt Motor Show the hybrid version of the new XJ luxury sedan. The new XJ Limo-Green hybrid will compete with the hybrid versions of the Mercedes Benz S-Class and BMW 7-Series.
The concept was developed in cooperation to the British government, Lotus and Caparo. It is powered by a 195 hp and 295 lbs-ftof torque electric motor combined to a 1.2-liter gasoline engine developed by Lotus. On a single charge the Limo-Green can travel up to 30 miles.
According to Anthony Harper, head of research at Jaguar Land Rover: "The technology is still in its infancy and there is still a lot of work to do before we can even think of production. The components aren’t at the right cost or quality yet you would expect of a Jaguar product, but the technology is there."
The German automaker Mercedes Benz will unveil the Vision S 500 Plug-in HYBRID at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week. This particular S 500 will be the first three liter car in the full sized premium class. This is because the S 500 Plug-in HYBRID consumes just 3.2 liters of gasoline for every 100 kilometers traveled, that equates to an average of 74 MPG, the same as a Volkswagen Golf Bluemotion. This is possible because the engineers at Mercedes have managed to combine a powerful direct injected V6, a 60 HP electric hybrid module and a next generation lithium ion battery pack with more than 10 kWh of storage capacity which allows the hybrid S Class to run for up to 30 Kilometers as an all electric zero emissions vehicle.
According to Daimler’s Dr. Dieter Zetsche, the S 500 Plug-in HYBRID "is a luxurious and safe S‑Class that offers superior driving performance while at the same time consuming less fuel than current compacts. All of this shows that our top models will also be able to combine automotive fascination with responsibility for the environment." Unlike traditional hybrids that sacrifice performance for efficiency, the Vision S 500 Plug-in HYBRID is able to accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in 5.5 seconds and reach an electronically limited top speed of 155 MPH.
The Japanese luxury automaker Lexus is planning to unveil the all new LF-Ch compact hybrid hatchback at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week, the LF-Ch will compete head to head with other luxury compact models like the BMW 1 Series and the Audi A3. However what sets the Lexus apart from the crowd is that the production version will be offered exclusively as a hybrid.
The Lexus LF-Ch combines stylish design cues with full hybrid technology in a practical 5 door compact package that should perfectly fulfill the needs of even the most demanding premium compact customers. The LF-Ch will feature a bolder Lexus grille that sits atop a deep, bulging front bumper complete with a trio of intakes giving it a perfect balance of both precision and power. The sharply sculpted, aerodynamic front fenders flow into the front bumper to create a wide set of arches and a deep set of brake cooling ducts that give the LF-Ch a powerful and purposeful stance.
The LF-Ch benefits from having an electric vehicle mode, a key aspect of the Lexus hybrid drive train, allowing the luxury hatch to operate as a zero emissions vehicle and allow for a virtually silent urban driving experience.
With a plethora of new cars set to make their debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Lotus is taking a different route by bringing with them their newly-developed engine designed for future hybrid-drive vehicles.
The new engine, which comes in a revolutionary aluminum encasing that integrates the cylinder block, cylinder head, and exhaust manifold into one solid casting, which results in the car being extremely lightweight – weighing no more than 56 kilos – while also improving emissions and engine durability.
Likewise, the engine also comes with a 1.2 Liter, 3 cylinder Range Extender that, as Lotus claims, is the first of its kind built to cater specifically to the hybrid market. The new Lotus engine also features a two-valve port fuel injection system that can release a maximum output of 15kQ from 1,500 RPM to 3,500 RPM.
The new Lotus engine, which was developed as part of a project by the U.K. Technology Strategy Board, is a revolutionary achievement by Lotus in producing hybrid engines that are both highly-efficient and affordable.
The crew from Car and Driver spotted the real live BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept car in front of the BMW Welt Delivery Center in Munich just outside the German based car company’s headquarters a short while ago. Up until now we have only been privy to teasers, renderings and factory stills; but this photo gives the vehicle the sense of being a real car, and that is because it is.
The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics is a 2+2-seater plug-in hybrid model powered by a 1.5 Liter three cylinder turbo diesel engine that produces 163 HP and 214 lb-ft of torque that is combined with two electric motors mated to a DTC gearbox to produce a very efficient sports car. All three power generators work together to deliver a maximum output of 356 HP and a peak 590 lb-ft of torque while fuel consumption is reduced to a very impressive 75.1 MPG. That much economical power allows the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics to sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in just 4.8 seconds and reach top speed of 155 MPH.
The Japanese automaker Toyota is planning on unveiling the Auris HSD Full Hybrid Concept at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, the Auris will introduce the world to the automaker’s latest advancements in their Hybrid Synergy Drive technology that will be applied across the company’s entire model range in the near future.
In a statement made by the CEO and President of Toyota Europe, Tadashi Arashima: "Toyota has taken a significant step forward in ensuring that full hybrids become more accessible to a wider range of customers. Such efforts are crucial if we are to see more low-carbon vehicles on European roads." The new model will be priced much lower than the Prius in an attempt to compete with other models like Honda’s more affordable hybrid the Insight as well as fans of the Auris city car looking to get a few more MPGs.
Aside from the Auris Concept, Toyota will also unveil the new Toyota Land Cruiser, and two customised compact hatchbacks in the form of the iQ for Sports and the iQ Collection.
The Japanese luxury brand, has just released the first teaser image of the upcoming Lexus LF Ch compact hybrid hatchback that will compete head to head with the BMW 1 Series and other high end compacts when it makes an official debut later on this month at the Frankfurt Motor Show along with the Toyota Auris HSD concept. While we welcome the addition of the Lexus hatchback in the States, we remain skeptical as to how the car is going to perform in this part of the world, especially when you consider that hatchback cars aren’t necessarily in demand in the U.S. these days. Nevertheless, Lexus is pushing through with their plans in hopes that their new car can give the Audi A3 a run for its money.
Despite the Japanese automaker’s conviction for rear wheel drive vehicles, it appears that the Lexus LF Ch concept will be offered as a front wheel drive model and will be power by a hybrid system and will be able to run in electric only mode. However there is also talk of a hybrid powered version. It could be that the compact cruiser will be offered exclusively as a green car, powered by a 2.4 Liter four cylinder engine that, with the help of an electric motor, is set to produce a maximum output of 187 HP in the LF Ch concept.
Set to be revealed in two weeks time at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the first details on the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept were revealed during this week-end. BMW described the new concept as a "symbol for future high-performance driving dynamics and driving pleasure all with a pioneering level of efficiency".
The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics is a 2+2-seater plug-in hybrid model powered by a three-cylinder turbodiesel engine combined with two electric motors. All three of them are delivering 356 hp and a peak torque of 590 lb-ft. Fuel consumption is reduced to 75.1 mpg imp, while CO2 emissions is just 99 grams/km. The new hybrid concept can hit a top speed of 155 mph, while the 0 to 60 mph sprint is made in 4,8 seconds.
The concept is all about energy recovery; in order to do that, all the electric power generated while driving is being captured thanks to the new Brake Energy Regeneration technology, without additional fuel consumption. A further option is to connect the lithium-polymer cells to a conventional power socket for a simple and efficient charge process, using a plug-in connector in the front-right wing of the car. In electric mode the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics has an estimated range of approx 31 miles.
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