Aston Martin Sends Hydrogen-Burning Rapide S to Racing!

Aston Martin and Alset Global, a technology and engineering company founded in 2005, have announced that they will be entering an Aston Martin Rapide S into the Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race, which takes place May 19-20.

The car they will be using is a prototype, and it features a twin-turbo system, in addition to the fact that it can also burn both hydrogen and gasoline (in tandem or separately). The company whose name is "Tesla" spelt backwards says it plans to complete the first ever zero-emissions hydrogen-powered lap of the 'Ring, and "make history."

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AMG Says "Nein" to Diesel, "Ja" to Hybrids, Will Keep Big V12s for Six More Years

Mercedes-Benz, through its AMG division, makes some of the best large-displacement engines in the world, and if you were wondering how long they were going to keep at it, in the face of increasingly-stringent emissions laws, we now have an answer for you directly from the AMG Chairman himself, Ola Källenius.

In a talk with Edmunds, the AMG boss said that we can expect to see the firm's V12 engines in action for "a minimum of five or six year," after which they will be replaced with something considerably greener. This means that if you want an AMG V12, the hourglass has already been turned and the countdown has begun…

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Spied: New BMW i3 Drops More Camo, See it Side to Side With the Concept

The clock is ticking for the presentation of the first production model of BMW's newly formed "i" sub-brand, the i3 supermini that will be followed by the more expensive and upscale i8 sports coupe. Sales of the i3 hatchback are scheduled to start in the first quarter next year with BMW to offer the car with standard plug-in electric or optional range extender-assisted, electric-drive powertrains.

In these fresh spy shots that landed in our email box today, the i3 has shed sections of the swirly disguise from glasshouse and the front and rear aprons. To understand what has changed from the original concept displayed at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, we placed the images of the prototype next to the study.

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Daihatsu Baptizes the Toyota Prius V the New Mebius in Japan

Daihatsu, the Japanese automaker controlled by Toyota, has released a rebadged version of the Prius V (sold as the Prius α in Japan) for the domestic market. Called the Daihatsu Mebius, it is the second Toyota hybrid model rebadged as a Daihatsu, following the Camry hybrid’s transformation into the Daihatsu Altis. Read more »

Spied: BMW X1 Prototype with Electric Motor Trots Out for Testing

When the BMW Group took the decision to electrify and hybridize its automobile lineup a few years back, it wasn't playing around.

Today, the Bavarian carmaker offers two pure electric models (albeit only as a lease in limited numbers as trial cars), the 1-Series-based ActiveE and the MINI E, and several hybrids, such as the ActiveHybrid 3, 5 and 7. Later this year, it will enhance its range with the i3 all-electric hatchback and from 2014, with the i8 hybrid sports car.

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Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and i-MiEV's Li-Ion Battery Fires Linked to Grounded Boeing 787s

Mitsubishi said on Wednesday that a an Outlander plug-in hybrid's batteries melted at a dealership before it was delivered to a customer, while a i-MiEV's batteries caught fire at its Mizushima Plant in Okayama prefecture in Japan during testing. In both cases, the battery pack is made by GS Yuasa Corporation, in Japan.

Now, what makes this story interesting is that, according to reports, GS Yuasa Corp. is the same company that supplies batteries for the latest Boeing 787 Dreamliner, all of which have been grounded since January after battery fires.

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Subaru Unveils XV Crosstrek Hybrid at the New York Auto Show

Having been on the US market for just over a year now, Subaru's XV Crosstrek didn't necessarily need an appeal-boosting new version or improvements at this very moment, but the Japanese automaker has decided that the 2013 NY motor show is the perfect venue to launch a hybrid version of the crossover.

It is actually a very important car, as it is Subaru's first ever hybrid and it has therefore got to prove itself.

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Infiniti Unveils the 2014 QX60 Hybrid at the New York Auto Show

Aside from the Q50 sedan, Infiniti also displayed the 2014 QX60 Hybrid at the New York Auto Show. The luxury crossover uses the same hybrid powertrain as the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid on which it is based and will add to Infiniti’s range of hybrid models that include the Q50 and Q70 Hybrid (currently named M Hybrid). Read more »

New 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid Burns 24 Percent Less Fuel than V6 for $3,000 More

Nissan has unveiled the 2014 Pathfinder Hybrid at the New York Auto Show, powered by a 2.5-liter supercharged four-cylinder gasoline engine and an electric motor paired with a lithium-ion battery.

The hybrid’s 2.5-liter supercharged unit and the 15-kW (20-hp) electric motor together develop 250 horsepower and 243 lb-ft (329 Nm) of torque, nearly matching the 3.5-liter V6’s 260 hp and 240 lb-ft (325 Nm).

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Subaru to Reveal New 2014 XV Crosstrek Hybrid and Mystery Performance Concept in NY [Video]

The first-ever production hybrid model from Subaru, the all-new 2014 XV Crosstrek Hybrid, will be formally introduced in a world premiere at next week's New York International Auto Show (NYIAS), where it will be joined by an unnamed and never-before seen concept car. Read more »

Automakers Tell NHTSA Their EVs Should Emit "Pleasant" Noises

Automakers are concerned about their electric vehicles and hybrids scaring people on the streets with their mandatory artificial noises imposed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). At the same time, car manufacturers don’t want the noises to annoy drivers or passengers. Read more »