The Mitsuoka Himiko roadster has received an electric makeover that adds green cred to its retro-style allure. TGMY, the company responsible for the conversion, debuted the car at the 2011 Japan EV show, and the two-seater got at least as much attention for how far it could go – the stated range is 341.8 miles – as it did for its looks.
Typically, the Himiko comes with the running gear found in the Mazda Miata that it’s based on, but instead of a 2.0 liter DOHC gas engine and a 6-speed manual, TGMY’s version features an AC induction motor and controller from Azure Dynamics mated to a 2-speed gearbox from Shigehara Inc. The batteries that give the electric Himiko its industry-leading range are lithium polymer.
Ford’s GT came back to life in the mid 2000s to give the brand a much-needed halo car and to re-kindle the fires of those who watched the GT40 trounce the Ferraris at Le Mans in the late ’60s.
It didn’t live long, but rumors of its re-resurrection are growing stronger. Latest comes courtesy of Auto Express, which indicates this generation GT will weigh right around 3,000lbs — a massive 500 lighter than its predecessor despite this new model supposedly packing a hybrid system.
It’ll offer a supercharged V8 paired with an electric motor driving the front wheels, not unlike the setup in the Porsche 918 RSR and its street-going version, the 918 Spyder.
If these rumors prove true it’ll hit that target thanks to an all-aluminum chassis, composite body panels, and an aggressive diet.
I don’t smoke and I never have. I can’t say as I’ve felt the temptation to ever try that particular vice, especially given the cost these days.
50 years ago my avoiding that lifestyle choice would have put me in the minority, and if I’d dared asked a smoker to step outside or made any implications about what their habit was doing to my lungs… well, that wouldn’t have gone over well.
Today, of course, such questions and expectations are the norm, with legislation forcing smokers into the cold and science showing that what comes out of their mouths isn’t great for passers by. But why am I talking about cigarette smoking on a gadget blog? read more »
Volkswagen of America will run two ads in the Super Bowl XLV February 6, one for the 2012 New Beetle and one for the 2012 Passat, neither one of which is on sale yet.
The first ad, “Black Beetle,” doesn’t show the actual car, but rather shows a black beetle, as in insect, racing its way passed other insects in the forest.
This beetle has a unique shape, apart from the other beetles, and at the end of the ad, gives way to the silhouette of the 2012 New Beetle. The ad is meant to mimic a movie car chase, though I wouldn’t exactly compare it with with Bullitt or The French Connection.
Though the new New Beetle won’t go on sale until this Fall, Volkswagen started hyping its arrival last December when it promised Oprah Winfrey’s studio audience each a free one as part of the show host’s “Favorite Things” string of shows. read more »
The new Ferrari F150 is a single-seat Formula One racecar that will be the object of affection for millions of Tifosi around the globe. One Florida fan of the Italian automaker recently purchased a brand-new 2011 458 Italia. He wasn’t planning on turning his into an F150, but he did turn into an F-150… a Ford F-150.
The accident happened in Brandon, Florida, when the Ferrari driver allegedly decided that the yellow paint on the ground didn’t apply to him (investigation still pending…).
When he went to pass another car, he found a Ford pickup heading straight for his front bumper. The F-150 didn’t stop at the low-lying nose and ended up with its left-front tire on the hood of the 458. Fortunately, it appears that no serious injuries resulted. read more »
If you just can’t wait for SEMA 2011, head to this year’s Chicago Auto Show. Lexus is bringing a little Las Vegas to the Windy City with a version of the company’s CT 200h hybrid hatchback tuned by the go-fast gurus at Five Axis. The car wears a custom widebody kit, unique paint and a lower suspension courtesy of Tein.
Stoptech hardware handles braking duties, and the interior has been saddled with enough tech to put a man on the moon. The Five Axis CT 200h will be joined by the crowd of tuned Lexus vehicles that we saw at SEMA 2010 too, including cars by VIP auto salon and Paul Tolson.
Lexus says the vast majority of the company’s 20,000-square-foot booth will be devoted to the company’s performance aims and that the luscious LFA will make an appearance as well. Something tells us that machine just might overshadow the widebody CT 200h. read more »
Want to make it out like those super cool spies you see in the movies?
The Python amphibious car ought to fit the bill – after all, it not only looks good enough to drive and carry your harem around, whenever you’re stuck at a dead end with a lake in front of you, all you need to do is rev the engine and jump right inside the lake, letting the conversion process ensure you will be able to cruise to the other side of the lake in a jiffy.
It will be powered by a Chevy Corvette V8 engine to make sure there are enough horses underneath the hood when you need them (all 640 of them!) alongside a Dominator Jet for your water-based forays that pumps around 500 hp onto it. read more »
The more things change – or so the saying goes – the more they stay the same. So in a particular bit of history repeating, and as projected in our earlier report, Lamborghini has announced a new Bicolore edition Gallardo.
The two-tone supercar follows the similar path of the Gallardo SE from 2006 with a high-contrast paint scheme: black covering the roof section, pillars, front air intakes and front spoiler, with special titanium-finish multispoke Skorplus alloys.
The rest of the body can be had in yellow, orange, silver, blue or white, while the interior carries the same theme with black leather and contrasting stitching to match the exterior color. read more »
The Royal Enfield camp is abuzz with interesting news. The British Indian motorcycle manufacturer has just whipped the sheets off of two new models that are destined for U.S. shores starting this April.
The Classic Chrome is appropriately draped with enough shiny stuff to signal the space station on a clear day, and while we typically don’t go all gooey-kneed at the sight of copious brightwork, this bike is officially on our do-want list.
The Classic Chrome looks to share more than a few bloodlines with the popular C5, though the eagle-eyed among you will likely note a kick start lever. The U.S. C5 is currently only available with an electric starter, though we’d expect that omission to soon be rectified. read more »
A recent workshop in Los Angeles offers something special for interested children: a class on the mechanics of car theft.
Created by the non-profit organization Machine Project, the workshop is entitled “The Good Kids’ Guide to Being a Bit Bad: Cars edition.” It covers the topics of hot wiring, opening a locked door and getting out of a locked trunk… and we fully support the class.
Getting kids fascinated about “how things work” is a wonderful project, and when it involves cars, well that’s just a bonus. read more »
