The Morgan EV3

Small British automaker raised a few eyebrows when it recently announced that it was making electric cars.

They have released a teaser video of the three wheel EV3 which looks as eccentric as their other models.

WTF???

These are pictures of a Japanese version of the all new 2016 Toyota Prius.
So I am not sure if this particular color is available in the US or not.

Still... Just look at this mess.

I have to say, I am not anti Prius. At all. I actually liked the design of the previous version.
(And I like colors. It's actually sad to see our streets filled with grey/black/white cars.)
I also have many friends who drive them, and, good for them, are very happy.
( I must say that all these people have one thing in common: they all hate driving)

The problem is how ugly the new one is. And it always surprises me when I see new pix.
Above all, that horrible color does nothing to help. It's almost a joke at this point.
A really bad joke from hell.

As I mentioned before, I actually sat in it. And it is even worse in person. Since the plastics are all pretty hard and cheap.
(For a car that isn't that cheap)

There are no excuses, in 2016, for a main stream car design to look like this.

2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid price

The all new Malibu hybrid will start at $28 645.
Not that cheap. But it is not available as a base model.
Only as a well equipped LT model. Which then makes it "only" about $2700 more than the
regular non-hybrid Malibu LT.

It does get amazing mileage for a mid size car. (It is now larger than ever)
It is rated at 48 MPG city and 45 HWY

So let's compare it to the competition:

-Camry hybrid.   $27 000. 43City/39HWY
-Accord Hybrid  $29 300. 50city/45HWY
-Fusion Hybrid    $26 000. 47city/41HWY
-Jetta Hybrid       $31 100. 45city/45HWY
-Sonata Hybrid   $26 000. 40city/44 HWY

A few notes about these:
- The Fusion is cheaper. But that is for a very basic model. So it comes up to about the same as the Malibu with a few options to match.
-The idiots at VW have no clue what to do with the Jetta Hybrid.
I test drove it a while ago, and thought it was a great car. It used to be around $26 000. The next year they bumped it up to over $28 000.
Now its only available as a SEL Premium loaded model for over $31 000.
Amazing how these people are unable to market a good car in the largest market in the world for hybrids...
-Once again, the Sonata (Even though it is brand new), is far behind in the hybrid game...

So the new Malibu seems really well priced. And, a plus for me, it does offer that cool double sunroof option. It also looks really good in person, inside and out.

Peugeot Fractal concept

Peugeot has unveiled the new Fractal concept ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show. This is an electric urban coupé which explores the sense of hearing in addition to sight and touch. According to Peugeot, it makes driving "even more instinctive, creating an unparalleled on-board experience".

It was designed by StelLab, a PSA Peugeot Citroën research unit. The Fractal concept was developed in partnership with sound designer Amon Tobin. It features a high-definition holographic head-up display screen. A 45-degree polycarbonate strip delivers additional information and creates an impression of depth. This allows the driver to customise the way information is shown.

The concept also explores new design and manufacturing processes. 3D-printed parts represent more than 80% of the interior trim surface. The anechoic materials were made through generative design - a process used to achieve the perfect component.

A 30 kW/h lithium-ion battery powers two electric motors, each delivering 75kW/102hp, fitted to the front and rear axles to provide a total output of 125 kW/170hp and combined-cycle autonomy of up to 450km. Variable ground clearance allows the vehicle to adapt to different types of terrain. The 7cm clearance for motorway driving improves aerodynamics to range and boost battery life. This can be increased to 11cm in urban environments, allowing the car to take speed humps and car park entrances in its stride.

As for it's dimension, the car is extremely compact, at 3.81m long and 1.77m wide, allowing it to weave through heavy traffic. The 19‑inch Tall&Narrow wheels are positioned at either end of the car, with an overhang of just 0.52m front and back to improve manoeuvrability.

The car styling features dynamic lines that flow along the length of the smooth body. The Coupe Franche, a straight line dual paint finish, further enhances the sense of vitality with a sharp shift from intense pearly white to matt black at the door hinges. The upper body features a removable roof to turn the coupé into a cabriolet. An LED strip above the vent at the rear shows the battery charge status via an equalizer-type display. These LEDs also act as rear lights when PEUGEOT FRACTAL is moving. The light signature in the front starts below the grille and flows over the headlamps. It also includes scrolling indicators.

Opel Diplomat A V8 Coupe by Opel CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann

V8 / 5.354 cc / 230 PS / 315 ft/lb (427 Nm) @ 3.100 / 0 - 62 mph (100 km/h): 10,8 s / 0 - 100 mph (160 km/h): 26,6 s / Vmax: 126 mph (202 km/h)

(click images for a larger view)

Ford Pick-up Street Rod Custom

No technical specification available

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Bentley Continental GT Speed (2015)

W12 / 5.998 cc / 635 PS / 605 ft/lb (820 Nm) @ 1.700 / twin turbo / AWD / 0 - 62 mph (100 km/h): 4,2 s / Vmax: 206 mph (332 km/h)

(click images for a larger view)

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Premiere Edition Convertible

V8 / 6.162 cc / 456 PS / 450 ft/lb (610 Nm)

(click images for a larger view)

BMW Hybrid cars: Top performance, stylish and economical

High performance and economical is not something you hear together when you are talking about cars. Well, BMW offers three varieties of hybrid cars offering the same exciting top performance and quality which we associate with the BMW brand, along with reduction in fuel consumption and reduced emissions.

When the first hybrid cars came out, I guess the design and styling was not what the car manufacturers had in mind – they simply looked horrendous. Thankfully that’s changing now as we can see from the range of sexy designs being launched annually. The BMW ActiveHybrid models across their popular 3 Series, 5 Series and 7 Series range are among the best looking hybrids available in the market now.

3 Series ActiveHybrid Sedan

The BMW ActiveHybrid 3 is the World’s first BMW full hybrid compact executive saloon and available as a Sport, Luxury or M Sport model. Prices for the BMW ActiveHybrid 3 in the UK starts from £42,145.

As for the technical specs, the ActiveHybrid 3 is powered by a Turbo six cylinder 3 litre (2979cc) VALVETRONIC with Double-VANOS direct injection, in-line petrol engine with a max output of 306hp (let me catch my breath). The engine is mated with BMW's eight-speed automatic transmission. The car stores and draws power when required from a lithium-ion high-performance battery. The electric engine comes on for silent urban driving for approx 1-2 miles with a maximum speed of 37mph. It also automatically recognises when the car is going up a gradient and the boost functions comes on automatically to support the combustion engine. The car also charges by itself when it is going downhill.

5 Series ActiveHybrid

The BMW ActiveHybrid 5 powertrain is very similar to that of the BMW ActiveHybrid 3. I have always had a soft spot for the 5 Series models - neither too small nor too large. Just the right size. The ActiveHybrid 5 is significantly more economical and with reduced CO2 emissions. Prices in the UK start from £47,790.

7 Series ActiveHybrid

The BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is squarely aimed at those with a taste for luxury but also want to do their bit for the environment. The car is powered by a 3 litre TwinPower Turbo V8 engine. The car features a 0.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. You have the choice of several options to personalise your BMW ActiveHybrid 7 including a choice of paint finishes and extensive range of alloy wheels.

M Sport package

Pictured is the optional 20" M light-alloy wheels in double-spoke design for the M Sport model. Prices for the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 start from £66,200.

There are actually several hybrid cars offered by other manufacturers available in the market and many of them cheaper than the BMW models. However, they simply cannot match the performance of the BMW ActiveHybrid models. And when it comes to design and styling, the BMW cars are heads above the competition.

Caterham AeroSeven

S4 / 1.999 cc / 240 PS / 152 ft/lb (206 Nm) @ 6.300 / 0 - 62 mph (100 km/h): 3,9 s

(click images for a larger view)

Hudson Hornet

R6 / 5.047 cc / 170 PS / 278 lb/ft (377 Nm) @ 2.600 / 0 - 62 mph (100 km/h): 12,2 s / Vmax: 106 mph (171 km/h)

(click images for a larger view)

Sponsored video: Toyota Dominoes - spirit of Toyota innovation

"A car company with a positive environmental effect" sounds like an oxymoron. Well Toyota is trying to show that this is not impossible with the launch of Toyota hybrid technology!

Their new Fuel cell vehicle (FCV) shows that cars can be eco-friendly.

In case you are wondering how a Fuel Cell Vehicle works, read on....
IN a FCV, the Fuel Cells generates electricity through the chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to power the motor driving the vehicle. Hydrogen, which replaces conventional fuels (Petrol and Diesel) is an environment friendly energy source that can be produced from various raw materials. However, the most amazing thing in FCVs is that they have zero emissions or in other words, zero CO2 emissions during operation.

The dominoes picking themselves up in this clip captures the essence of the spirit of Toyota innovation.



Explore Toyota's Global website to learn more and watch more videos on their YouTube page.

This post is sponsored by Toyota, but all of the thoughts are our own.