Based on the company's standard Evora, the new Lotus Evora S ($TBA) ups the ante with a mid-mounted, 345 hp 3.5L Toyota-sourced V6, a zero to 60 time of just 4.8 seconds, a top speed of 172 mph, a sport button that gives the driver more control over the throttle response, a higher rev limiter, modifies the stability control settings, and activates an exhaust bypass valve, 18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels, Eibach springs, Blistein dampers, a forged aluminum double-wishbone suspension, and an Alpine-branded media system with a 7-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, iPod connectivity, and video playback. Notably missing is a price, which is probably somewhere between "a lot" and "more than a lot."

This must be what the devil sounds like...

This is maybe the most awesome page on the intarwebs.

Martin Eberhard, who knows a thing or two about electric vehicles, says we’ll see batteries with 500 miles of range within 10 years.

Whether anyone will need that kind of range is beside the point, because of course most people won’t. But Eberhard’s broader point in his brief interview with Britain’s Autocar is we won’t be worrying about range anxiety much longer.

“At the current rate of progress, I’d say we will have banished the range anxiety problem and will be making EVs with greater than 500 miles of operational range within 10 years,” he says. “At that point, the further development of fast charging infrastructure won’t be so important — because how often do you drive more than 500 miles in a day?”

Read More http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/08/eberhard-500-mile-batteries-2020/#ixzz0y...

Autopia Planes, Trains, Automobiles and the Future of Transportation
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Buckeye Bullet Sets EV Land-Speed Record

* By Keith Barry Email Author
* August 26, 2010 |
* 12:40 pm |
* Categories: Cool Cars, EVs and Hybrids, Performance
*

Topping 307 mph is an amazing feat in any vehicle. It’s even more so when the vehicle in question is a student-built electric vehicle.

The Venturi Buckeye Bullet built by students at Ohio State University achieved an average speed of 307.7 mph during a two-run pass at the Bonneville Salt Flats on Tuesday.

The Bullet, built by student engineers at Ohio State University’s Center for Automotive Research with help from Monaco-based boutique EV manufacturer Venturi, started its run for the record Monday when professional driver Roger Schroer hit a new record of 291 mph. He broke it the following day when he hit an average of 307.7 mph during two back-to-back runs, but the team called off further runs after the Bullet’s clutch went kaput.

The time must be ratified by the rules-makers at the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile. But Dave Petrali, chief steward for U.S. Auto Club and an FIA timer, said there is no doubt the previous record of 245.5 mph, set in 1999 by Pat Rummerfield at the wheel of White Lightning, fell.

The EV is version 2.5 of the original Buckeye Bullet, whose 314.9 mph run in 2004 didn’t meet the FIA specs for a world record run. Version 2 was powered by hydrogen fuel cells and set the land speed record for a fuel cell vehicle at 302.877 in September 2009.

It took eleven months for the team to swap Bullet 2’s Ballard fuel cell for lithium-ion batteries from A123 Systems. The team is mum on details about the battery pack in Venturi Buckeye Bullet V 2.5, but CAR says it’s capable of providing instantaneous power of more than 600 kW. The pack reportedly uses 1,600 cells. Only the power source has been changed — the body, chassis and electric traction system are all the same as the speeding Bullet’s previous incarnation.

While the new record has yet to receive FIA certification, that isn’t stopping us from certifying the Bullet’s awesomeness.

Read More http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/08/buckeye-bullet-land-speed-record/#ixzz0y...

Check the link for high res...

About a year ago, BMW's M Division development chief said a 1-Series M car was off the table, and hopes were consequently deflated. But then, after a spate of spy shots, BMW finally confirmed the car’s existence and released a new teaser video to boot.

Now, the automaker has released a second teaser video for the car, this time revealing a few subtle hints about its final styling and spec. We can see part of the new bumper design for the car, as well as a set of cross-drilled brakes and a quad exhaust tailpipe arrangement. Unfortunately, the teasers don’t really show us anything we haven’t already seen in the months of spy shots we’ve posted on this website, but at least we can rest easy with the knowledge that a new BMW M car is on its way--one that promises to be compact, nimble and light, something we haven’t see from BMW or its M Division in a very long time.

The reasoning behind the decision to introduce an M car below the M3 is that as the rest of BMW's M range goes further upscale, attracting new and younger buyers to the brand means BMW needs a car positioned accordingly. Expect pricing to start out around the $45,000-$50,000 mark in the U.S., about $5,000-$10,000 below a typical M3.

David Beckham's TVR Cerbera is up for sale on eBay, it's an impressive if slightly overrated performer, was probably loaned out quite a bit, looks sexy but costs a fortune to own. Posh picked out the color.

Ferrari's finally decided to issue a recall on the Ferrari 458 Italia after at least four fires in three months, according to a letter allegedly received by an owner. Ferrari's apparently blaming a design flaw instead of their owners. UPDATE

The Italian automaker promised us the Ferrari 458 Italia would be a hot new ride, but the numerous fires made us wonder about how literal the Italians were being.

After weeks of no response to our questions, we were treated to a quiet leak to European buff books earlier this week that Ferrari was investigating the fires. It turns out it may have been a quick investigation.

We've heard from one owner tonight that they received a letter from Ferrari claiming a gas overflow tube and gas vapor system were placed too close to the engine, thus creating the possibility of a fire. The owner was told they can take their vehicle to their dealer to receive a fix. We're currently trying to confirm this report and will update you as soon as we get it.

UPDATE: The reliably in-the-know Ferrari obsessives at Ferrari Chat seem to confirm there's a fix going on