Here are some spy shots of the much anticipated BMW i8, the hybrid plug-in sportscar which is scheduled to enter the market in 2014. The pictured mule has been spotted while undergoing some cold weather test in snowy Sweden, and doesn’t seem to show any dramatic change in comparison to the concept version we had seen at the Frankfurt Motor Show back in September.

The mildly disguised bodywork of this mule is still very reminiscent of the lines showcased by the concept, with the most notable differences being the design of both front and tail lights and the slightly different doors. This prototype sports a front end that seems to adopt the new BMW design language that started with the new 3-series, while a set of more conventional rims has replaced the futuristic 5-spoke design we had seen on the concept version. However, by the time 2014 will come, they might decide to change some of these features.

The BMW i8 should come with a 2+2 seat configuration and a plug-in hybrid powertrain with the classic engine mounted in the middle and the electric motor on the front axle. Some performance figures are also circulating: 0-100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration in less than 5 seconds and an average fuel consumption in the 3 l/100 km area.

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These new spy shots provide us with more details about the BMW i3, an electric small city-car which is expected to hit the showrooms in 2013. The model will probably share the same size of the prototype it derives from, while the passenger compartment will be able to host up to five people, driver included, and the trunk will have a capacity of about 200 litres. The large use of carbon fibre and other high-tech materials should keep its weight down to a minimum and making it more functional, as we see expect it to come with closet-like side doors and no B-pillar.

The new BMW i3 is being developed on the equally new DriveLife platform, with an aluminum frame holding both engine and battery pack, and carbon fibre used for most of its bodywork. This solution will allow the car to weigh about 1,270 kg, which is not much at all considering that the i3 will have to carry a quite heavy lithium-ion battery. At this moment it seems quite likely that the new model will end up using the same electric motor equipping the original prototype, credited with an output of 170 hp and 250 Nm of peak torque. The opportunity of having a traditional engine working as electric generator on the model has not been ruled out.

View the full BMW i3: new spy shots photo gallery

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A new photo gallery starring the recent BMW ActiveHybrid 5 has just been released by the German manufacturer. The hybrid version of the 5-Series is pushed by a 306 hp 3.o-litre TwinPower Turbo engine coupled with an electric motor delivering 55 hp and 210 Nm of torque which is integrated in its 8-speed automatic transmission, while the battery package is located underneath the boot. The combined action of these two units provide the car with a total output of 335 hp and 450 Nm of peak torque.

The model can travel up to 4 km on electric power alone, with zero emission and 60 km/h (37 mph) of top speed, but the combined action of its two engines allows it to go from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in just 5.7 seconds. Its Eco-Pro mode allows the model to fully exploit the electric engine while keeping the fuel consumption down to a minimum, and on motorways it can automatically switch off the petrol engine and travel on kinetic energy only with the help of the electric unit.

The BMW ActiveHybrid 5 also uses a special sat-nav that can even calculate the best route to go from point A to point B in terms of fuel consumption only. The average fuel consumption of the model is rated between 6.4 and 7 l/100 km with CO2 emissions between 149 and 163 g/km.

View the full BMW ActiveHybrid 5 photo gallery

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Infiniti describes it as the “fastest accelerating full hybrid” car currently available on the market, and the nice people from the Guinness Book Of Records have now put that down on paper too, so here is a video issued by the Japanese carmaker that celebrates the accomplishment. We are talking about the M35h which, relying on electric power alone, registered a 0-100 mph (161 km/h) sprint time of 11.54 seconds, covering the quarter mile (402 meters) in 13.41 seconds. Apparently, these figures were enough to rank the M35h at the top of the hybrid world, even better than the Porsche Panamera S Hybrid, which is credited with a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 6 seconds flat.

The Infiniti M35h is powered by a 3.5-litre V6 producing 306 hp that, combined with a 68 hp electric motor, provides an output of 364 hp. The Porsche Panamera S Hybrid instead comes with a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 delivering 333 hp that, combined with the electric package, produces a total output of 333 hp.

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Honda announces that its cumulative worldwide hybrid vehicle sales reached the 800,000 mark in December 2011, 12 years after the first generation of Honda Insight went on sale in Japan in November 1999.

Honda is currently selling seven hybrid models in approximately 50 countries around the world, which allowed the Japanese carmaker to score a worldwide hybrid sales for 2011 of about 200,000 units (+30% compared to 2010), while its total hybrid sales in the last three years reached the half-million mark.

Surely these figures are nowhere near Toyota’s results in the hybrid vehicles department - they are credited with over three million of units sold so far - but nonetheless they emphasize the continuous growth of this slice of the market as well as Honda’s commitment to expand its offer of hybrid cars in the forthcoming years.

via | Auto-Media.Info

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Italian renowned designer Pininfarina has released the first two teasers of the Cambiano, a new sportscar which has been described by its maker as a fully environmentally friendly model. The car will be unveiled at the next Geneva Motor Show in March.

Rumor has it that the Cambiano will come with an advanced hybrid powerplant and will make use of plenty of recyclable materials, but these two shots are all we have for now. The model is also meant to be a celebration for two anniversaries: the 30 years of the firm’s styling centre and the 10 years of its engineering centre. We will be waiting for more info on the model.

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Volkswagen is at the 2012 North American International Auto Show of Detroit with a world premiere: the Jetta Hybrid. The new model from the German carmaker is equipped with a 1.4-litre 4-cylider engine delivering 150 hp and 249 Nm (184 lb-ft) of peak torque supported by a 20 kW (27 hp) electric motor whose combined output provides the Jetta Hybrid with a maximum of 170 hp. Considering the 100 kg extra weight that the car has to carry because of the whole electric apparatus, its performance figures are actually quite good: the 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time is less than 9 seconds, with an average fuel consumption of 5.2 l/100km. All that is made possible by its 7-speed DSG dual clutch transmission as well as a CD coefficient that is 10% better than the standard model.

The new Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid features regenerative brakes at all four wheels, start/stop technology that shuts the engine off when the car is stalling (with no effects on heating, air conditioning and audio system) and comes with lightweight 16″ or 17″ alloys specifically developed for this model. Exclusive rims and badging aside, the Jetta Hybrid can be distinguished from the ‘regular’ Jetta sedan by the different design of the front grille with blue-backed VW badge, the different front bumper, the presence of a rear diffuser as well as a trunk-mounted spoiler. In the cabin instead the only significant difference is unique instrument cluster with a special menu that displays energy flow and battery charge state data.

The 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid is expected to go on sale in North America next November and to enter the European markets shortly afterwards. As for yet, no word on pricing.

View the full 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid official photo gallery

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Volvo Car Co. will show up at the imminent North American International Auto Show in Detroit with the innovative XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept, a highly economic SUV that also exploits the power of a petrol engine. The most distinctive feature of the model is perhaps the fact that drivers will be able to decide how to combine the two power sources by the simple touch of a button, a new technology that President and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation, Mr. Stefan Jacoby, describes “as ingenious as it is unique“, adding that “no other manufacturer has succeeded in delivering fuel economy and electrical range on this level in a capable, spacious performance car with 350 horsepower on tap.”

More specifically, drivers will be able to choose the driving mode by three buttons placed on the instrument panel: Pure (electric motor only), Hybrid (the standard setting, with gasoline and electric engines cooperating to provide maximum driving pleasure with minimum environmental impact) and Power (with the two units working together to create maximum possible power). The petrol engine is a turbocharged 2.0-litre 4 cylinder unit delivering 280 hp and 380 Nm of peak torque while the electric motor produces an output of 70 hp with 20o Nm of maximum torque, making up a grand total of 350 hp. Performance figures are not bad at all for an hybrid vehicle: with the ‘Power’ mode on, the carmaker claims a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 5.8 seconds with a top speed of almost 210 km/h (130 mph). With the ‘Hybrid’ mode activated, the performance of the model is not as good but the average fuel consumption goes down to 2.3 l/100km and CO2 emissions would be 53 g/km, with a full autonomy of about 960 km (about 600 miles), whereas the ‘Pure’ mode gives the car 45 km (28 miles) of range. The 12 kWh lithium-ion battery pack installed under the floor of the load compartment can be recharged from a regular power outlet, reaching the full charge from a 220v/12A source in 3.5 hours.

The electric motors provide power to the rear axle while the whereas the petrol unit feeds the front wheels. The latter is coupled to a 8-speed automatic transmission and works together with an Integrated Starter motor and Generator (ISG) connected to the crankshaft, which is located between the engine and the transmission, which delivers an extra 45 hp during acceleration and charges the battery during braking. To find out more about the model, check out the official Press Release issued by Volvo North America after the jump, where you will also see a short video-presentation of the main feature of Volvo XC60’s innovative hybrid powertrain.

View the full Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept photo gallery

Continue reading: Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept: official video, pics and more info available

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Two more official images of the upcoming Lexus LF-LC Concept have been published by Autocar.co.uk. The model will be officially unveiled at the upcoming North American International Auto Show of Detroit this coming January, and is a 2+2 sportscar that will anticipate the new design theme that the Japanese manufacturer will adopt in the future. The LF-LC has been developed on a not-better-specified hybrid platform, and many details of this model remain a mystery. According to the British magazine, this model might anticipate a high class convertible coupe model which would become an ‘informal’ version of the new LS, but there are no confirmation on the matter, as for yet. However, the 2012 NAIAS will open in just a few days, thereby we should get more info about the LF-LC concept pretty soon.

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As predicted, just a few hours after a bunch of full view images leaked on the internet, Toyota has released the first official picture of the LF-LC concept car that will be officially introduced to world at the upcoming North American International Auto Show, taking place in Detroit this coming January.

The new image confirms our first very positive impression of the model, giving us a first glimpse at the open roof design - which might feature some sort of sliding/folding device - and revealing that the car is not going to be a 2-seater, but a 2+2. There is not much left to discover about the design of the car at this point, but the whole mechanical side is still pretty unclear: we just know it will make use of a hybrid powertrain, and that’s about it.

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