Acura NSX reborn in America as a Hybrid

 Announcing the rebirth of the Honda NSX: one of the most iconic sports cars of the 1990s will return in 2015 as an American-built Acura with all-wheel-drive and an electric-enhanced rear engine. Here's a hybrid to get excited for.

The NSX represented the pinnacle of Honda's sports heyday of the 1980s and '90s. Launched with input from Formula One great Ayrton Senna, the NSX set a brace of technological firsts -- from its aluminum monocoque frame to the variable valve timing that would become a standard on engines worldwide. The NSX wasn't the fastest or most-powerful supercar, but reflected Honda's balance between power, weight and handling -- a sweet spot that few cars have ever achieved.

Honda mulled replacing the NSX for years with a V-10 powered successor, but the company soon embraced smaller engines and a tight focus on fuel efficiency. Somewhere along the way, it also lost a piece of the racing spirit that birthed the NSX, unleashing a string of unsuccessful to ungainly models that offered little over their competitors.

After last year's update of the Honda Civic -- a freshening that did little to improve the car's weakening position against tough competition -- Honda's executives vowed to revive the company's soul. The new NSX, to be sold under the Acura brand, shows they're serious enough to design the most attractive Acura ever.

The concept retains the mid-engine V-6 layout of the original NSX, but adds in a new Honda all-wheel-drive system that relies on electric motors to power the front wheels. As with its predecessor, Honda vows the NSX won't rely on brute force, but combine lightweight materials with high technology for supercar performance and respectable fuel economy.

If there's a disappointment here, it's that Honda has held back several key details about the NSX concept, including the power its engines and electric motors will generate. But the U.S.-based team developing the NSX for production in Ohio has three years to get it right.

Top 10 Cars to Get Maximum Trade-in

 It’s never been a better time to trade in a late-model vehicle on a new one, as dealers are going all out to amass a fresh supply of used cars and replenish what’s become a severely depleted inventory. And they’re offering top dollar for them in trade, with some of the most in-demand models in excellent condition commanding 70 percent or more of their original sticker prices as three-year-old cars.

Keep in mind those numbers are for a vehicle’s trade-in value, which can be around 15-20 percent less than the amount a dealer would ultimately ask for a reconditioned used model.

While this means sky-high prices for those looking to purchase a pre-owned car, it’s a bonanza for owners of late-model cars looking to upgrade their rides. Getting more in trade for your existing car means you’ll have additional cash to use as a down payment on a new model. With interest rates at all-time lows, some owners may actually be able to whittle down their monthly car payments by trading in their existing vehicles for brand-new ones.

What’s more, the sudden run-up in trade-in/used car values could likewise be beneficial for consumers having a car coming off-lease in the coming months. Lessees can typically buy a car at the end of the contract term at a preset residual value. If that amount winds up being lower than the car’s subsequent trade-in value, it would be possible to buy the car and immediately re-sell it – perhaps even back to the original dealer – at a profit. At the least it would mean buying a good-condition used car at a below-market price.

Today’s generous trade-in values can be largely attributed to a shortage of models in the used-car market. While exact figures weren’t available, Alec Gutierrez, manager of vehicle valuation for Kelley Blue Book suggests the nation’s used-car inventory may have contracted by as much as 25 percent since 2009. This is due to depressed new-car sales and a rollback in leasing that followed the economic collapse in late 2008, along with automakers dialing down their sales to rental-car fleets, all of which diminished the number of used models returning to dealers’ lots. In addition, 677,000 used cars – albeit older and less-desirable models – were taken out of the market by the so-called “cash for clunkers” program in 2009.

In strict accordance with the laws of and demand, this has enabled the average value of a one- to three-year-old vehicle to skyrocket from $15,000 in 2008 to more than $23,000 in 2011, according to Kelley Blue Book. That’s an increase of nearly 16 percent per year for what is otherwise a depreciating asset.

Dealers are willing – and eager – to pay whatever it takes to replenish their stock of late-model used cars for the same reason legendary criminal Willie Sutton said he robbed banks: “Because that’s where the money is.” Used cars are historically a more reliable source of profits for most dealers than new models. Dealerships that handle both new and used cars made an average net profit of $252 in 2010, while they actually realized a loss of $180 for each new model sold, according to data compiled by the National Automobile Dealers Association.

It’s certainly worth your time to check the current trade-in value of your car via one of the Internet’s valuation sites, like NADA Guides or Kelley Blue Book and consider whether it’s time to cash in on the equity.

We did just that, beginning with a long list of model-year 2008 cars and trucks that Automotive Lease Guide initially predicted would retain above average residual values after three years of ownership. We then consulted NADA Guides to determine their current estimated resale values for the Chicago area, assuming for the sake of argument, that each model was considered a “clean” trade-in (meaning no mechanical defects, only minor wear and tear and a clear title) with 46,500 miles on the odometer. We went back and checked their original MSRPs (manufacturer’s suggested retail prices) as published in the Consumers Digest 2008 New-Car and Truck Buyers’ Guide to determine the percentages of value each retained. Though trade-in values from other sources and for other locations we otherwise checked varied a bit (and dealers may in practice offer more or less for a given vehicle on a given day), according to NADA Guides all of the models in our top 10 list are estimated to return at least 70 percent of their original sticker prices as of mid-January 2012.

We checked current trade-in values for both base models and higher trim levels in each model line to see which fared better. For the most part, we found that minimally equipped versions tend to retain their value slightly better than fully loaded models, which in large part results from a higher price sensitivity among used-car buyers.

1. Jeep Wrangler

The original SUV traditionally commands among the highest resale values in the industry, particularly in relatively unadorned versions that off-road enthusiasts covet to customize with aftermarket add-ons. A model-year 2008 two-door Wrangler having clocked 46,500 miles in top condition is estimated to return a whopping 90 percent of its original retail price in trade-in value. The four-door Wrangler Unlimited version fares slightly better, holding onto 91 percent of its MSRP according to NADA Guides. By comparison the off-road ready Rubicon versions – which can be too rough for casual owners – retain 77 and 84 percent of their original sticker prices.

2. Mini Cooper


While the diminutive MINI Cooper isn’t for everyone, it’s a blast to drive and is particularly popular among young urban professionals for whom attributes like back seat room and cargo space are secondary considerations. The trade-in value for a base model-year 2008 Cooper in good shape and with 46,500 miles on the odometer is estimated at 77 percent of its original MSRP, says NADA Guides.

3. Toyota Tacoma


The demand for brand-new small pickup trucks may be shrinking, yet the compact Tacoma still commands top dollar as a trade-in. The base four-cylinder standard-cab model from 2008 fares well enough at 72 percent of its original sticker price, but those owning the more practical V-6-powered four-door DoubleCab could be offered as much as 87 percent of its original price in trade on a new model.

4. Mercedes-Benz G-Class


Though we often deride the boxy military-derived uber-luxury G-Class SUV as looking like the postal vehicle for some posh gated community, NADA Guides says it holds onto its trade-in value better than any other Mercedes from model-year 2008 at 78 percent of its original MSRP.

5. Honda CR-V


NADA Guides estimates this amenable compact crossover currently commands a resale value at 77 percent of its original 2008 sticker price. Used versions are likely to be in particular demand as new-model inventories are just catching up from shortages attributed to last spring’stsunami and earthquake in Japan.

6. Toyota 4Runner


Mainstream new-car buyers may have shunned traditional truck-basedSUVs in recent years because of high gas prices, yet there’s still a market among outdoor adventurers for go-anywhere vehicles that can also tow a boat or trailer. A shortage of used models means the model-year 2008 SR5 version of Toyota’s 4Runner can be expected to command as much as 74 percent of its original sticker price as a trade-in, with the top V-8-powered Limited version lagging behind only slightly at 70 percent.

7. Ford Mustang Shelby GT500


Speed never goes out of style, with the pavement-burning top V8-powered model in the venerable Mustang line from 2008 estimated to return 73 percent of its original sticker price in trade-in value. By comparison, the 2008 GT model can be expected to hold 67 percent of its original cost in trade, with the more-passive V-6 base version worth just 67 percent of its sticker price.

8. Chevrolet Silverado 1500/GMC Sierra 1500


General Motors’ offerings lead the pack among full-size trucks with substantial trade-in values from the 2008 model year. In clean condition with 46,500 miles driven, NADA Guides estimates the Silverado and Sierra’s basic regular-cab “Work Truck” versions can command an estimated 72 percent of their original sticker prices in trade.

9. Lexus GX 460


This is essentially Lexus’ upscale version of the Toyota 4Runner, for active families who prefer a posher ride as their daily drive. NADA Guides says current model-year 2008 GX470 owners can be expected to receive as much as 70 percent of what they initially paid for their vehicles in trade-in value.

10. Toyota Tundra


A highly regarded full-size pickup that sells in far less volume than any of the domestic entries, a smaller supply in the used-car market helps the 2008 vintage retain as much as an estimated 70 percent of its original cost in resale value according to NADA Guides.


Source: Autos

Kia's First EV Recharges In 25 Minutes

 KIA HAS unveiled an electric car that combines a range of up to 86 miles per charge with a recharge time of just 25 minutes – but for now it’s just for the Korean government.

2012 Kia Ray EV

 The Ray EV is a cute little five-door supermini, but the 1.0-litre petrol engine in the car already on sale in Korea has been replaced by a 50kw electric motor and a reasonable supply of batteries.

Despite these differences it can share a production line with the other small cars currently being pumped out of Kia’s Korean facilities, making it cheaper to produce than it otherwise might be.

It’s also faster than the petrol model, taking a mere 15.9 seconds to hit 62mph, although such frivolous use of the accelerator pedal will dent the potential range. Recharging times are six hours from a 220v domestic supply, or 25 minutes in fast-charge mode.

2012 Kia Ray EV

  An initial run of 2,500 units will be built for unspecified government departments in the country, with a view to gaining enough feedback to then refine and improve the technology before launching it worldwide.

According to Kia, Japan and the USA are already considering the introduction of a legal requirement for electric vehicles (EVs) to have a virtual engine sound, and Kia has taken steps to commercialise this system.

When driven at speeds below 20 kph (12 mph), VESS (Virtual Engine Sound System) delivers a mixture of recorded gasoline engine noises, which are also emitted whenever the car is backing up.

Customers in Europe can expect to see similar technologies within the next 10 years.

Source: Autos UK

Mercedes F125 concept

 Its name features an italicised exclamation mark. It has gullwing doors. The sat-nav works via a series of "intuitive hand gestures". It is, of course, a concept car. But rumblings around camp Mercedes suggest that there's a tad more to the F125 - built to celebrate the manufacturer's 125th anniversary - than a look-at-me show queen.

It's a hybrid. But instead of the usual petro/electro mix, thrust comes from a high-voltage lightweight lithium-sulphur battery and F-Cell hydrogen-powered motor. And as Mr. James May opined after driving the Honda Clarity, hydrogen is the future. Or at least could be.

It's also one of few luxobarge concepts to align itself with emission-free motoring. And because it's not designed as a fiddly little urban runaround, it has a range of 1000km, seating for four actual humans - though the rear bench looks more like a 31st century chaise longue - and air suspension (the first electric car with air-ride, no less). Which sounds useful.

But will any of this reach production? Possibly. But not for a while. Head of Mercedes-Benz cars, Dr. Dieter Zetsche, explained how hydrogen's a big part of the firm's future, claiming that MB's currently working with legislators to build an infrastructure able to support vehicles of its ilk.

Zetsche says: "Hydrogen contains more energy per weight as any other fuel. The technology's there, but we need the service stations. It's the chicken-egg problem and to support hydrogen there must be a paradigm change... But if we offer these new, alternative technologies, I don't see why hydrogen couldn't be the answer for us."And there is also word that the exterior is not just for show: parts of the design are mooted to turn up in the new 2013 S-class.

Reckon Mercedes will lead the hydro-charge, TopGear.commrades?

Source: Topgear