Porsche unveiled a new plug-in hybrid concept called 918 Spyder last week in the Geneva Auto Show. When we hear of plug-in hybrid what comes to our mind is Toyota Prius or Honda Insight but this is something of a different kind.

Porsche’s 918 Spyder of a bombshell takes eco to a new level by mingling a sizzling performance with insanely good fuel economy and emissions characteristics. The 918 Spyder has emissions of just 70 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer and gets approximately 78 mpg.

It’s so swift that it may perhaps record a lap around the world famous Nurburgring in less than 7 minutes and 30 seconds–faster than a Porsche Carrera GT.

Porsche has not said anything about its production, but don’t bet against it. Porsche is renowned for taking their concepts into reality!

A new car certainly smells great! But have you ever thought as a consumer like what is responsible for such enchanting perfume in new cars? It’s the materials which it uses like-plastics, leathers, fabrics — that release their molecules into the cabin environment.

Nowhere on a car (in its user’s manual or online) do carmakers list the substances circulating inside the cabin. There are also few government standards controlling their airborne concentrations, even though a number have been linked to health risks ranging from allergies to cancer.

Our car manufacturers use thousand of substances to make out a perfect car, where bromines and antimony are used as flame retardants, chlorine and lead are used to make PVC plastic; and phthalates are used to soften it.

Bromines are a cause of fear which are found in everyday products. The results of which include permanent learning and memory impairment, behavioral changes and cancer. You can find an increasing amount of bromine in children’s car seats and toys which is a matter of concern.

Play it safe:

One obvious thing that goes hand in hand is avoid heat and ultraviolet light from entering your car(as though you can at least minimize the amount), as both can cause materials to break down into molecules that may even catalyze creating new compounds. You can always take care when parking your cars, park them in share, roll down windows and if possible use reflective sun shades.

Keep your car neat and free from dust, which is the source of chemical interaction, thus keeping the surface of objects that attracts dust much and the surroundings can be a good idea.

Its the responsibility of car makers to make cars with products that do no react so harmfully that it may be a threat to the owner of the car in future.

Related entry: Cars with cool interior and solar reflective glazing

How would it be if the future of Formula One be a Batmobile-like creation? Wouldn’t that be something amazing? Yes, the forthcoming of Formula One might be a Batmobile-like creation called Delta Wing. It is being seriously considered as the model for a new Indycar formula starting in 2012.

Delta Wing is being supported by most Indycar teams, including the Chip Ganassi Racing squad of Britain’s reigning champion Dario Franchitti.

Speculation is widespread that if the car turns out to be a hit, it could be copied by Formula One.The super-modernized car, which has enclosed wheels and no aerodynamic adjuncts, will be capable of attaining 235mph at the Indianapolis 500.

It’s abridged drag and light weight means it will only require a small four-cylinder 300 horsepower engine to boost it to such speeds, making it leaner and greener than the existing conventional Indycars.

Yet, safety will be improved as the risk of cars getting in the air through interlocking wheels will be reduced.Overtaking should be easier as racers will not be ensnared by confusion caused by the wings of the car in front.

Early next decade, BMW of North America has planned to sell an electric “megacity car” as a subbrand of BMW, which is similar to the brand’s M high-performance cars.

BMW already is preparing for that launch. Its yearlong trial with the Mini E electric car has opened the auto marketer’s eyes to the maze of regulations facing plug-in electric cars.

“We are learning a heck of a lot just about the sheer infrastructure,” says Jim O’Donnell, CEO of BMW of North America. “When we bring out another electric car, we will be in a great position because we know all the wrinkles.”

“If you are in a house with a normal supply and you want to bring a 240-volt [charger], you have to have an agreement from the power utility,” O’Donnell says. “New Jersey is the most difficult because there are so many local authorities.”

Toro Rosso exposed on Monday the new e user STR5 that will address the 2010 Formula 1 season. Toro Rosso was required by regulation to build one new single user, after the last few years was based on framework supplied by big sister Red Bull Racing. And here are those

Studies show that when someone is texting while they are driving it triples the chances of them being involved in an auto accident. Driving and texting has become a big menace, especially among teen drivers who may not be aware of the dangers of texting while driving. There are few ways you can stop your teen from texting when driving. This article would guide you to follow certain steps to stop your teen texting.

texting-becomes-menace-when-done-while-driving

The first step to stopping your teen from driving and texting is to put monitoring software on their cell phone. This software will let you see all information regarding calls and text messages sent and received on your teen’s cell phone, and what time text messages were sent and received. When you know what time your teen is driving to school every morning you can check to see if they are texting while they are driving. From there you can take your teen’s cell phone if they don’t stop texting while driving. You can find cell phone monitoring software by performing an internet search for “cell phone spy”.

The second step is to avoid your teen to opt the unlimited text message plan for their phone. If they are not ready to listen to you, then you remove such plans or else warn them that they would loose their cell phones. Most of the teens opt for unlimited plans for messaging so that they can text as much as they want to. Removing this feature you’re your teen’s phone will severely restrict the number of free text messages they can send and receive. Tell your teen that they will have to pay for any text message overages on their cell phone. This will limit the amount of text message they can send, so they will have to use their text messages very sparingly…which will help reduce the chances of them texting while driving.

The third step to stopping your teen from driving and texting is to inform all your adult friends and family members to observe your teen driving and texting when they see them around town. Tell your teen that you have told your friends and family to do this, and that if one of them sees your teen driving and texting you are going to take their cell phone for a month. Many teens see their cell phone as something they couldn’t live without, and this type of punishment will be a big restriction from driving and texting.

Article that you may also like : How to drive dangerously

The Detroit Auto Show 2010 was a big hit with about 700 models of vehicles on display. Auto producers like GM, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Mercedes and others have unveiled new 2010 models at the North American International Auto Show 2010.

Here are some of the hottest cars from auto giants which have grabbed huge attention.

Audi E Tron

Audi E Tron

The Audi E Tron Concept made its first appearance at the Detroit Auto Show.Audi has proclaimed that the e-tron will soon be recognized as Quattro in a few years. The showcased is a 2nd e-tron model in the form of a TT-sized 2 seater with lithium ion batteries. It is capable of reaching up to 100 km/h in just under 6 seconds.

BMW Active E

BMW ActiveE

The BMW ActiveE is an elegant 1-Series coupe with 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. It attains 60km/h in 4.5 seconds and reaches 100 in less than 9 seconds. The Lithium-ion battery gets fully charged within 3 hours and can be driven till 160 km.

Cadillac XTS

Cadillac XTS

The new plug-in hybrid concept uses a 3.6 litre, direct injected V6 with a great design. It is a slayer for DTS and STS sedan and has managed to draw huge attention at the Auto Show.

Ford Focus 2012

Ford Focus 2012

The ford Focus has been designed and engineered in Germany. It has a 2 litre, 4 cylinder Eco boost engine with superior direct injection with turbo charging. It also has 6 speed twin clutch power shift transmission. The car will be seen on the roads in early 2011.

Honda CR-Z

Honda CR-Z

Honda CR-Z is a spacious hybrid 2 seater. It has a 6 speed manual transmission and a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). Its fuel economy is a bit low but has a 1.5 litre engine with IMA technology.

Volkswagen NCC

Volkswagen NCC

Volkswagen was unveiled with the New Compact Coupe (NCC). It has 177 horsepower and is capable of reaching 100km/h in just 8 seconds. It relies on a hybrid power train with a minute 4 cylinder with a battery fed electric motor.

Ford was caught with its engineering pants down when the base Chevrolet Camaro got GM’s high-feature V-6 (we told you so) and not the 3.5-liter pushrod. While the Camaro SS, with its small-block V-8 is selling well in its first year, typical of high-profile new models, the RS and base V-6 strike at the core of Mustang’s volume sales. And so for 2011, Ford’s 4.0-liter V-6, originally built in Cologne, Germany, eons ago, is finally out.

The new Mustang V-6 is Ford’s first rear-drive application of its familiar 3.7-liter with twin-independent variable cam timing. The Mustang 3.7 includes aggressive deceleration shutoff, piston-cooling jets, polished valvetrain tappets and electric power steering and transmits its power through six speeds, automatic or manual.

And the numbers are impressive: Ford claims 305 horsepower at 6500 rpm, 280 pound-feet at 4250 rpm and 30 mpg with the automatic, on the highway. “We are the only ones who can provide 30 mpg and 305 horsepower,” says Barb Samardzich, Ford’s global powertrain vice president. What’s more, redline is now a Honda-like 7000 rpm

Read more at 2011 Ford Mustang V-6

Ford has planned to tag iTunes support to some for the car that are to be produced this year. In automobiles outfitted with HD Radio receivers, people will be able to push “Tag” buttons on their displays, automatically saving the track data from on-air music. Once an iPod is docked with a car via Ford Sync, up to 100 tags will be transferable for future display in iTunes.

Tagged songs are usually intended to be bought through the iTunes Store. HD Radio remains a relatively niche technology, but is now said to be a choice for just under 2,000 radio stations in the US. Ford has not exposed which car lines will be bearing the tagging technology.

Also view our other posts related to Ford Cars

All new cars and other trucks are built to congregate a comprehensive set of federal safety regulations. They are built keeping in mind the precautions and the safety measures. But that doesn’t mean that all vehicles are equally safe all the time.

You might wonder when you come to know that the vehicle that you are buying or which you are driving may put you at a greater risk of dying in an accident, according to a study published by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, a nonprofit supported by the insurance industry.

People choose small vehicles because they are generally more environmentally friendly, a great value, they provide for greater driving and parking options in congested urban areas, and many consumers tell us they are simply more fun to drive

Why small cars won’t keep you safe?
While our environment is pushing us to make and sell smaller, lighter cars that meet the high fuel economy standards, safety advocates worry that meeting those requirements would result in cars that are less safe in a crash.
The laws of Physics
Size is important because mass, coupled with acceleration, determines the force of a crash. Injuries depend on the forces that act on the occupants in the car, not on how much external damage the car sustains. The force of a crash turns on two key attributes: the weight of the crashing vehicle, which determines how much speed must be absorbed during the impact, and the size of the vehicle, which often determines how close the front of the vehicle is to the driver–an essential indicator of the extent of injuries to the legs and torso.