12 Comments Elio Motors Previews New Ultra-Efficient P4 Model Priced from $6,800

Eco-friendly cars come in many different shapes and sizes nowadays, and the new Elio Motors P4 is at the ultralight, but conventional end of the spectrum, even with the tandem two-seater arrangement. Set for a 2015 launch, the model now has over 8,000 reservations displayed on the manufacturer’s home page.

Its appeal is not solely reliant on its ultra-efficient running base idea, but also its low acquisition price – it will start at $6,800.

Its makers claim it will be able to top 84 mpg US on the highway, which equates to 100.9 mpg UK or 2.8 l/100km; city driving will bring that down to 49 mpg US or 58.9 mpg UK/4.8 l/100 km. The engine that powers it is a straight-three of naught point nine (0.9) liters capacity with 55 hp and the gearbox has five speeds and can either shift itself or with human input.

The problem of safety was a key concern throughout the development process and the Elio is expected to achieve a maximum rating when it goes through testing. If it does go through the whole battery of tests, one imagines it will do really well in the small overlap crash situation, which will just shave off its left tire and completely avoid the fuselage-like body.

As its name suggests, the P4 is the fourth prototype and by far the most modern and best looking to date. It even has something akin to a proper interior, though those early 1990s Honda gauges have really got to go before this hits production and be replaced by liquid crystals or diodes.

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Believe it or Not, This is the 2014 VW Polo Facelift

This spring, VW will launch the facelifted Polo supermini, which gets new technologies and engines, as well as a light makeover inside and out. I know, it’s hard to spot the changes just by looking at the photos, so I’ll give you a hand.

Exterior updates include redesigned bumpers that feature a chrome line separating the fog lights at the front and a wider space for the license plate at the rear. The facelifted VW Polo will also feature optional LED headlights with a distinctive light signature, while the taillights retain their shape but feature a different interior design. Finally, five new alloy wheel designs complete the exterior makeover.

On the inside, the updated Polo features redesigned instruments and a new steering wheel, as well as a refreshed center console with new heating and ventilation controls.

VW says the most important changes are in terms of technology, with the facelifted Polo borrowing some from the VW Golf including the Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, offered as standard. Options include a Driver Alert System and Front Assist with City Emergency Braking and Automatic Cruise Control.

The Polo will be available with a Sport Select suspension that uses electronically controlled dampers to switch between two suspension settings, as well as a new electro-mechanical steering system that promises to improve efficiency and offers more precise control. Another feature sourced from the Golf is the modular infotainment system

There are big changes under the hood as well, with the Polo featuring EU6-compliant engines that are up to 21 percent more economical. VW will introduce two new 3-cylinder 1.4-liter diesel engines with 74hp (75PS) and 89hp (90PS) that will replace the corresponding 1.2-liter and 1.6-liter TDI units from the current model.

Gasoline units include two new 1.0-liter MPI engines with 59hp (60PS) and 74hp (75PS) replacing the current model’s 1.2-liter MPI units. The two 1.2-liter TSI engines with 89hp (90PS) and 104hp (105PS) will be retained, as will the 1.4-liter TSI unit with cylinder deactivations (ACT). The latter will feature a power increase of 10PS to 150PS (148hp). VW says the Polo GTI hot-hatch arriving next year will also feature a power increase.

In addition, in the UK, the diesel-powered Polo BlueMotion is replaced by the new petrol-powered Polo BlueMotion TSI, which returns 68.9 mpg UK on the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 94 g/km. It makes use of a new 89hp (90PS) 1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine.

The facelifted Polo will first launch in Germany this spring, with other European countries to follow.

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Honey, I Shrunk the W Motors Lykan Hypersport – Plus New Video of Real Life Model

Unless you or your parents own a couple of oil wells, this is your only option to buy W Motors' Lykan Hypersport and park it in your house: a 1:18 scale version of the vehicle that its makers fancy calling the world's "first Arabian supercar".

Made by FrontiArt, the scale model is available for pre-order until December 31, 2013, with production quantity to be based on the number of people interested in the car.

In related news, the crew from Crankandpistonrecently had the opportunity to receive an…underground parking taste of the real Lykan Hypersport that sports a 750-horsepower twin-turbocharged flat-six mid-mounted engine for a claimed  0-100km/h (62mph) time of  2.8 seconds and a top speed of 395km/h (245mph).

The full video isn't out yet, but we do get a 40 second-long teaser clip of the car, which you can watch for yourself right after the virtual break.

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HonestJohn Has Plenty of Hat Room in the New Renault Captur

I've expressed my deprecating opinion on front-wheel drive crossovers, seeing them as pointless and mere marketing tricks specifically designed to sell more hatchbacks, but I can’t not like the new Renault Captur, simply because it is handsome to behold – it is one of the prettier rhombus-badged cars of recent years.

Now, being very new, there aren’t that many unofficial videos about it on the web, but the UK testers at HonestJohn were quick to try it out, equipped with the familiar 1.5-liter DCi engine, which is identical to the unit found in the Clio, and makes 89 hp (90 PS). Performance is marginally slower than that of the hatch, and since it is quite a bit higher, the driving dynamics aren’t as sharp.

Overall, the review is positive, and one is left with the impression that the Captur is a bit of agirly vehicle, which should exude strong appeal towards women. It looks like an SUV, and according to this review it drives more like one than you would expect, ensuring a surefooted drive free of fuss (and all-wheel drive).

The Captur will likely sell well, as it gets all of the class requirements right: it’s front-wheel driven, it’s quite green, it’s very spacious, it looks very good (especially finished in blue with white accents like the test car), it drives decently and uses little fuel in doing so. Still, I for one would still not buy one of these with money, but it’s made me less ignorant as to why other people would find it enticing.

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Lexus Shares Video from the 'Chic' Presentation of the New LS, Plus a Clip on the Model's History

Designer Jonathan Adler and Barneys Creative Ambassador Simon Doonan were on hand to reveal the refashioned 2013 Lexus LS during a 'chic' event at the “Lexus Laws of Attraction” exhibit in San Francisco on Monday night.
Instead of calling in the media, Lexus invited more than 500 guests from the San Francisco arts and design community to show the redesigned premium saloon.
If you were wondering what went on during the event, the Japanese automaker has you partially covered with a video and a selection of photos from the unveiling of the 2013 model.
In related news, the company also published a second video with key highlights on the LS' lineage starting from the Toyota group's decision to create the Lexus brand in 1983.

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