Eideard

We heard the rumors in Tokyo, but wouldn’t believe it until we saw it. And here it is. Toyota will be replacing its Axio racer with a Prius for next year’s SuperGT season.

The touring car Prius will reportedly run in the GT300 class against the recently released Subaru BRZ and Honda CR-Z, the latter of which – like the Prius – will use some kind of hybrid drivetrain in the championship. We don’t have any hard details on the powertrain just yet, but expect more to be revealed sometime in January.

Rock on, Prius.

Actually the new Prius Aqua is one of two cars we’re considering as replacement for my wife’s ancient Volvo 245 wagon – which still averages 24mpg btw. The other is the VW Golf diesel.

A heart disease and cancer-fighting ”superbroccoli” developed by British scientists goes on sale in the UK…

The vegetable looks the same as normal broccoli but contains boosted levels of a health-giving nutrient.

Research suggests the plant chemical, glucoraphanin, may protect the body against heart disease and some types of cancer. The new broccoli, called Beneforte, contains two to three times more glucoraphanin than standard broccoli.

It will be sold at Marks & Spencer stores from today and make an appearance on the shelves of other supermarkets next year.

Beneforte was developed by British scientists using conventional breeding techniques rather than genetic engineering…

Even though it took much longer to achieve than the GM product – which couldn’t be told apart – this should satisfy the Luddites who crap their drawers over “machines” being used to produce new veggies.

The nutrient is converted in the gut into the bioactive compound sulphoraphane, which circulates in the bloodstream. Evidence indicates that sulphoraphane has beneficial effects such as reducing chronic inflammation, stopping uncontrolled cell division associated with early-stage cancer, and boosting the body’s antioxidants…

Broccoli is believed to protect against some cancers, especially bowel and prostate. Studies have shown that men with broccoli-rich diets have a reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

Here in the States, our anti-GM fanatics aren’t quite as in control of politicians as in the UK; but, their Luddite trip can be as vociferous. Tie that with an essential credo of the Republican Party being fear and hatred of broccoli – and I think only growers tied into the meandering backroad of food as medicine, organic cures for everything from low SAT scores to profligate sex, will ever have small-scale success.

Toyota…has sold over one million Prius models in the United States since the vehicle first debuted 10 years ago. That number blossoms to two million once global sales are accounted for, and the model’s popularity has helped usher in a bloom of hybrid products from over 16 manufacturers. The technology may not be the perfect solution to our fuel economy concerns, but it has successfully taken off in ways that would have been difficult to imagine when the first gangly Toyota hybrid whirred off the line.

Now Toyota is set to grow its Prius lineup with three new models. In fact, Bob Carter, Toyota division group vice president and general manager, says that the Japanese automaker fully expects the Prius family to become its best-selling product line in the near future – beating out internal combustion titans like the Camry and Corolla in the process. As a result, the company is planning to unleash of a barrage of products that include a model based on the Prius C Concept, a plug-in version of the hybrid and the taller, boxier Prius V. The thought is that a few simple variations on the company’s successful battery-powered recipe will offer buyers solutions that the conventional Prius simply couldn’t match. The only question is whether or not the will respond to what is effectively a few clever re-body jobs. If the Prius V is any indication, the answer is a resounding yes.

Thanks to years of steady sales, legions of faithful buyers and an overwhelming popularity with the celebrity set, the Prius has established itself as an icon of automotive design. Toyota says that the Prius name has the highest brand awareness of any other hybrid on the road right now, and when it came time to design the Prius V, the company’s artists wanted to ensure that the newcomer was instantly recognizable as a member of the Prius dynasty. For aerodynamic reasons, that meant maintaining the wedge-like shape of the lift back, though with a slightly taller roof for greater functionality…

From the side, it’s nearly impossible to escape the wagon-like presence of the Prius V. With its long roof, similarly lengthy rear doors and an extended cargo area, the vehicle ditches the awkward hatchback aesthetics of current generation Prius for a twang of normalcy. We couldn’t help but grow a little fond of the vehicle’s shape after a day behind the wheel. It’s almost as if Toyota has flanked us by using our love for wagons to lure us into the hybrid craze.

Pretty detailed review and road test. Autoblog Green always does a fine job given opportunity and time.

This is not the Prius we would consider for our 2-person hermit commune. But, for someone with children [or strange extended relationships] the critter makes a lot of sense. Especially if you’re bright enough to buy a motor vehicle and keep it longer than the short time span manufacturers love to push us into.

Volkswagen has had two of the most loved models in the history of the automobile, both originally built on the same chassis. It’s not surprising then, that the company keeps reprising them, bringing their relevance into focus.

The latest evolution of the iconic Microbus/Kombi wagon surfaced in Geneva. The new ‘Bulli’ concept offers a flexible layout, seating for six, a 40 kWh lithium-ion battery, an 85 kW electric motor with 260 Nm torque,140 km/h (87 mph) top speed and a range of 300 km (186 miles).

There’s still not enough range just yet for a serious escape vehicle – if there’s no electricity available where you’re going, you’re on a 90 mile leash – but suitable as an urban electric all-purpose vehicle…

The electric Bulli will probably not be the first of this shape available, as VW pointed out that both petrol and diesel direct injection engines can be accommodated by the front-wheel-drive design.

Like many vehicles in Geneva, the tablet or iPad has been used in the center console as a multifunctional touchscreen interface and controller. In the Bulli, it acts as an interface for Internet-based applications, the media and entertainment functionality of the vehicles’ telephone and navigation.

This year’s Geneva Show is turning out to be a real show for lifer car-nuts. There are a few more concepts and – more important – ready for production models I’ll be posting about over the rest of the week.

As the second size extension of the Toyota Prius family tree, the 2012 Prius+ adds a healthy dose of roominess to the well-known fuel-sipping hybrid equation, and it’s making its world debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. There’s seating for seven occupants inside, but the multi-purpose vehicle shares a clear design language with Toyota’s standard-bearing Prius. What’s more, it manages a low 0.29 drag coefficient thanks to its extended roofline and carefully designed front fascia.

Equally as notable is the battery. This is the first lithium-ion battery pack to be incorporated within a non-plug-in Toyota full hybrid. Toyota has found enough room underneath the center console between the driver and the front passenger to fit the battery, which helps maximize interior space for occupants and their cargo.

As you would expect from a Prius, there are three drive modes: A zero-emission EV mode that relies on electric motor power alone, an ECO mode that maximizes efficiency and fuel economy and finally a somewhat ambitiously named POWER mode that is said to boost overall performance.

Toyota is saying that the Prius+ will be on sale in Europe in the first half of 2012, but it’s coming to the U.S. around the same time in the form of the Prius V, which we previously saw at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show.

The 2nd model of an extended platform Prius from Toyota. We’re getting past DINKs who are early adopters. Families – with family activities – are being pressed by knowledge, acceptance and economics to move to intelligent transportation choices.

I hate to sound overly optimistic; but – like personal savings – as often as American gullibility trends economic and political habits back into same-old habits, it appears that a bit more knowledge seems to promote at least a small measure of intelligent self-interest that sticks.

Its previous claim to fame was as the birthplace of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. But now the market town of Grantham in Lincolnshire has produced an even fierier export after a local producer grew the world’s hottest chilli.

Measuring 1.17 million on the Scoville Scale – an official measure of spicy heat – the Infinity chilli is so hot that it carries a health warning.

Grown by Nick Woods, 39, the chilli – which was grown in a greenhouse – made it to the Guinness Book of Records after out-spicing the previous title holder, the Bhut Jolokia, from India…

He explained: “I didn’t set out to grow it, it’s really easy for chillies to crossbreed in a greenhouse, one day I just saw this new chilli plant growing.

“When I tried it tasted nice at first, like an odd fruity taste, the effect is delayed. Then it hit me. All of a sudden I felt it burning in the back of my throat, so hot that I couldn’t speak.

“I began to shake uncontrollably, I had to sit down, I felt physically sick. I really wouldn’t recommend anybody eat it raw like that…”

He said: “We do feel quite honoured to get it because everyone in the world has heard of the Guinness Book of World Records.

“Even if someone else comes along and beats it, they can never take it away from us that we once held the world record.”

This is shattering news to anyone living in New Mexico. We not only are the repository for the collected works of Wilbur Scoville – this is one of the few places on Earth where you can get a college degree in chile peppers.

We grow over 2,000 varieties in New Mexico – and unlike most, we have a state question: – “red or green?”. A tipping point in many choices of where to eat what?

Thanks, honorarynewfie

If you thought airships were old hat, think again. A new breed of hybrid airships are preparing to take off raising hopes that a 21st century fleet can finally succeed the zeppelins of yesteryear.

The difference is radical says Michael Stewart, chief executive of World SkyCat Ltd, a British company which has designed a new air vehicle, the SkyLiner. “The breakthrough is to combine the airplane with the airship, creating a hybrid,” Stewart said. Marrying the lift provided by the (lighter-than-air) helium with the aerodynamic lift of an airplane transforms everything, he says…

“An airship of our kind, carrying let’s say 200 tons or more, with its air-cushioned landing system is able to land without any runways — on tundra and semi-rough ground,” Stewart said…

“Unquestionably, the big market will be in cargo. One is regular freight, where you’re essentially competing with 747s. And there are other markets to exploit where there is no alternative to the hybrid,” he said…

Steve Prince, publisher of Air Cargo World, says these new types of hybrid airship could find a place in the air cargo market in the years to come, but not as a regularly scheduled operation.

“Its future is in charter and ad hoc type of operations for special projects that require the cargo to be delivered to areas that are not easily accessible, if they are accessible at all — areas where airports don’t exist or roadways cannot support the project’s development,” Prince said.

Makes sense to me. Though I don’t need to be reminded of all the profound sociological and philosophical questions I had to examine day-in and day-out through the years I spent in Traffic Management.

Like – “What do you mean it didn’t clear customs, yet?”

At the dawn of the millennium, Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Piëch, who is today Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG, set his sights on creating a practical everyday use production car with a fuel consumption of 1.0 liter per 100 km (235 mpg). In 2002 a prototype VW 1-Litre was unveiled, which was followed in 2009 by the second-generation model, dubbed the L1, which boasted a combined diesel fuel consumption figure of 1.38-liter/100 km (170 mpg). As impressive as that figure is, the company has now managed to squeeze a combined fuel consumption of just 0.9-liter/100 km (261 mpg) with its third-generation VW 1-Litre prototype – the XL1…

With the hybrid system engaged the prototype XL1 accelerates from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 11.9 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 100 mph (160 km/h)…In electric only mode the TDI is decoupled from the drivetrain by disengaging a clutch, and it is shut down. Meanwhile, the clutch on the gearbox side remains closed, so the DSG is fully engaged with the electric motor. Using what is known as “pulse starting”, VW says the restarting of the TDI while driving is very smooth. The electric motor’s rotor is sped up and quickly coupled to the engine clutch, which accelerates the TDI to the required speed and starts it.

Under certain conditions the load shared between the TDI engine and the electric motor can be shifted so that the turbodiesel is operating at its optimum efficiency level. Additionally, the gears of the automatically shifting 7-speed DSG are also always selected with the aim of minimizing energy usage with the engine controller taking into account parameters such as the accelerator pedal position and engine load, as well as the energy supply and mix of kinetic and electrical energy at any given time…

Viewed from above, the car is widest at the front and narrows towards the rear for an improved aerodynamic profile, which VW says resembles the aerodynamic lines of a dolphin. The dolphin-like looks continue to the side profile with the roofline tracing an arc from the A-pillars to the rear.

To prevent air turbulence the rear wheels are fully covered and the air flows have also been optimized by small spoilers in front of and behind the wheels, while the door mirrors have been replaced with digital cameras that send images to two displays inside the vehicle…

When the L1 was unveiled in 2009, Volkswagen indicated it would be entering production in 2013. We’ll be interested to see if this updated model is on track for that date or whether the company hopes to bring the XL1 into production before then.

Latest rumors say late 2012 for consumer purchases. And – yes – it will be expensive. Those goodies in materials and special shapes don’t come cheap. What is significant is there is little that is extraordinarily expensive or off-the-wall engineering. A great deal is off-the-shelf from VW’s production plants. We’re getting to where with proper scale, this can become affordable.

RTFA. Lots of dynamite photos.

The Inhabitat crew hit the Detroit Auto Show and checked out some of the hottest hybrid, fly-wheel and all electric cars. Check out their footage (and yes, that’s Katie Fehrenbacher’s sister).

Porsche has rolled out a race-bred version of the company’s 918 Spyder Concept at this year’s Detroit Auto Show. Packing the same drivetrain as the track-proven 911 GT3 R Hybrid race car, Porsche says that the 918 RSR will bring a whopping 767 combined horsepower to the party when it shows up in the paddock. A total of 563 of those ponies are provided by a 6.2-liter V8 that revs to an atmospheric 10,300 rpm. Porsche has partnered its beastly eight-pot with two electric motors capable of 75 kilowatts of juice positioned at each front wheel.

The 918 RSR stores braking energy in a flywheel accumulator stationed where the passenger seat would traditionally rest, and the tech allows the driver to summon up an extra bump in power for passing or acceleration. The pilot can command the boost in grunt for up to eight seconds.

Like the 918 Concept, the bones of the 918 RSR are built of carbon fiber reinforced plastic, and the body was penned to pay respect the legendary racers like the 917 short-tail.

Phew! I don’t know. Maybe if I was as young as my brain thinks I am. And as wealthy as some Republicans think they are…

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