Tag Archives: Automotive

Who Says Hybrid Cars Can't Look Mean?

by J. Angelo Racoma
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Who Says Hybrid Cars Can't Look Mean?

Sure, hybrid cars are cool to environmentalists and auto geeks like us. But to the mainstream, hybrid cars are mostly seen as slow people-movers with drab, uninspired designs. Not all hybrid owners are tree-hugging hippies, though. And for this reason, tuning and body kit companies have found a market for dressed-up hybrid and electric cars. Take for example this 2010 Toyota Prius and Honda Insight modified by Japanese tuning company Tommy Kaira. They provide carbon-fiber body kits, suspension upgrades and alloy wheels. Tommy Kaira already offers a new exhaust system with quad tailpipes, and the rest of the upgrades are expected to be available this year. I’m not sure about Read more »

Porsche Panamera Hybrid Variant Confirmed

by J. Angelo Racoma
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Porsche Panamera Hybrid Variant Confirmed

The Porsche Panamera raised some eyebrows when it was launched this year. It’s quite singular really: a Porsche with four doors, and a sedan at that! It does cater to a different niche than your usual, run-of-the-mill Carrera or Boxster. However, it seems having a luxury sports sedan is not enough for this German marque. At the LA Auto Show, Porsche has confirmed that the previously-announced planned hybrid version of the Panamera is in the works. Porsche is likely to use the same technology from the hybrid Cayenne currently being developed. While the turbo version of the current Panamera runs on a 4WD drivetrain, the hybrid might have to drop Read more »

Audi E-Tron: The Electric Car That Looks Just Delicious

by J. Angelo Racoma
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Audi E-Tron: The Electric Car That Looks Just Delicious

Audi does make some decent exotic sports cars. I’m thinking of the R8 here. With green being the buzzword in the automotive industry these days, though, Audi is not behind in the race to come up with an electric vehicle of its own. And by the looks of it, this one is a stunner in the looks department. The upcoming Audi e-Tron, which is actually based on the R8, runs on four motors–two on each axle, thereby making the e-Tron an all-wheel drive electric. The e-Tron’s motors produce 313 horses (not “under the hood,” I may say) and 3,319.03 lb-ft of torque, with a zero to 62 mph acceleration of Read more »

Electric Cars Get Noisier

by J. Angelo Racoma
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Electric Cars Get Noisier

The great thing about electric vehicles or EVs is that they don’t generate as much noise as cars that guzzle petrol or diesel. They run smoothly and quietly without the revs and vrooms often associated with internal combustion engines. The problem? They’re often so silent that people don’t hear them coming. Take for instance the Tesla Roadster. Even the driver doesn’t know whether the engine is running or not, much less estimate how fast he’s going from the usual sounds from the road and engine. This has grown to be a safety issue, particularly to pedestrians, and especially to the visually-impaired. These days, manufacturers are coming out with ways to Read more »