555hp BMW X5 M takes on the M3 at Laguna Seca

BMW's X5 became an absolute beast after getting the M treatment and a twin turbo V8, but can it take on the agile M3 in a track setting? Sure it can, with some creative navigation of Laguna Seca's famous corkscrew. Check out these two great cars in action in this new promotional video from BMW.

The New Honda (or Acura) NSX

The original NSX, which began production in 1990, was Honda's budget supercar (marketed under Acura in the United States) that gave Italy's finest pasta rockets a run for their money. At least until 2005, when Honda decided enough was enough and axed the car from their lineup. However, a new report suggests that the Acura convertible seen in the new Avengers movie, and driven by none other than Tony Stark (better known as Iron Man), will be put into production in the next 24 months. Thanks to Jalopnik, we have a good idea of what the new car will be like. Expect a gasoline-hybrid system as well as all wheel drive. We think it'll be similar to BMW's i8 Vision Efficient Dynamics concept car, which is also going into production by 2014. We're hoping Honda does things right and that this car will be a true successor the now legendary NSX.

Source: Jalopnik
Pictured: Acura Sportscar (NSX) from the Avengers movie.

Chrysler SRT trolls the Lexus LF-A and Corvette ZR1 on the Nurburgring

You may have recently heard of something called the Lexus LF-A "Nurburgring Edition" which can get around the famed 'ring in 7 minutes and 14 seconds. While Toyota's engineers bested the Corvette ZR1's time of 7:19.6, the LF-A does cost about 4 times more than the ZR1. It seems Chrysler's SRT team got wind of all this and decided they ought to show Toyota and Chevrolet what a real Nurburgring lap time is. Chrysler is reporting that the Dodge Viper ACR got around in the ring in a blazing fast 7 minutes and 12 seconds, 2 seconds faster than the improved LF-A. But the SRT team wasn't done yet. They also brought along the Viper ACR-X which managed an insane time of 7 minutes and 3 seconds. It seems as if they are taunting the competition to try again.

Source: Jalopnik - Go there to see more pictures!

BMW Unveils i3 and i8 Concept Cars

Today BMW took the wraps off of two concept cars- the BMWi i3 and i8. These are the first two entries in a new BMW sub-brand called BMWi. BMWi will focus on efficient cars powered by fully electric motors, hybrid gasoline-electric systems, or other alternatives to conventional gasoline engines. The i3 is a fully electric city car, with small proportions and lots of interior space to facilitate urban lifestyles. The i3 is powered by a 170hp electric motor and has a range of 93 miles (150km). Its carbon fiber construction gives it a weight of only 1250kg, or about 2750 pounds, slightly less than an E30 3-series. Power goes to the rear wheels in typical BMW fashion, and it gets from 0-62 mph (100kph) in about 8 seconds. The BMW i8, on the other hand, is a full on sportscar with a hybrid drivetrain. Combined, its electric and gasoline motors can propel it to 62mph in under 5 seconds, rivaling cars such as the BMW 335i or M3. The rear wheels are powered by the gasoline engine, while the front gets electric power only. You might recognize the BMW i8- we've seen it before as the BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics concept. However, the i8's drivetrain runs on gasoline-electric hybrid system, where the Vision ED concept was diesel powered and only used the combustion engine as a generator to recharge the battery for its electric motors. Check out the gallery of images below, as well as BMWi's videos on YouTube that highlight the two new cars (link below).

Source: BMWUSANews.com

BMWi on YouTube
BMWi on Twitter

BMW i3:




BMW i8:

Toyota Signs $100 Million Contract With Tesla Motors

Toyota Motor Co and Tesla Motors are teaming up to build an electrically motivated RAV4 SUV. The RAV4 EV will be powered by a Tesla electric powertrain, presumably similar to the powertrain found in the Tesla Roadster and upcoming Model S. According to a press release by Tesla Motors, the first prototype has already been built and they expect to have a fleet of RAV4 EV's ready for testing by the end of the year.

Source: Tesla Motors

Pictured: 2012 Toyota RAV4 V6

2012 Porsche 911 Hot Weather Testing in South Africa

Check out this video from Porsche featuring the new 911 undergoing hot weather testing in South Africa.

Washington to Open EV Charging Stations

The State of Washington has begun a $1 million project to install Electric Vehicle Quick Charging stations along the I-5 highway. The project will be undertaken by AeroVironment EV. The stations are planned to be 30-50 miles apart, and will be able to charge a Nissan Leaf in 30 minutes. The stations will also have slower chargers to top off cars such as the Chevy Volt and Toyota Prius plug-in hybrids. It is also assumed to be compatible with BMW's 1-series ActiveE as well as the Mini E electric car and the Tesla Roadster. This project is part of a larger initiative to build a "West Coast Green Highway" which will serve 1,350 miles of road between Washington, Oregon, and California.

Via The Seattle Times
Photo Credit: The Wall Street Journal