Porsche 911 GT3 R hybrid

Porsche to unveil hybrid 911 GT3 racing supercar at the Geneva motor show

Porsche is taking a hybrid version of its 911 supercar to the 2010 Geneva motor show. It’s no ordinary 911, either – it’s the GT3 R racing car, perhaps the last place you’d expect to find a green-pleasing powertrain.

Not that this one’s particularly green, of course. A 473bhp 4-litre flat-six engine powers the rear wheels, while two electric motors (each developing around 80bhp) power the front axle, effectively making this a four-wheel-drive GT3.

Those motors are powered by an electric flywheel generator, which is charged up by regenerative braking each time the driver slows. And rather than cutting in automatically during the drive (or indeed race) cycle, the electric power is made available KERS-style, as the racing driver requires it for a six to eight second boost.

The 911’s hybrid system is also intended to increase fuel efficiency. Ideal, really, as the car’s first big race with be May’s Nurburgring 24-hour race. And for Porsche, it really is about the taking part rather than the winning: racing the hybrid GT3 R will be ‘a ‘racing laboratory’ that will provide invaluable knowledge and insight on the subsequent use of hybrid technology in road-going Porsche sports car’.

A road-going hybrid version of the next 911, then? Certainly sounds like it…

Ferrari to reveal hybrid 599 at Geneva show

Ferrari will introduce hybrid technology and the first model to get it will be the 599, chairman Luca di Montezemolo confirmed at the presentation of the race team's 2010 Formula One car.

No details of the new car were forthcoming, but Montezemolo said the prototype 599 hybrid will be officially unveiled at the Geneva auto show in March.

European patents revealed last year suggest that Ferrari was working on a four-wheel-drive hybrid drivetrain with electric motors powering the front wheels.

The Italian magazine Quattroruote has since reported that the new system will use lithium batteries and an electric motor to cut the fuel requirements of the 599's V12 by 35 percent.

Montezemolo said he was keen for Ferrari to lead F1 in the transfer of race technology to road cars.

Company sources said the Ferrari hybrid system is derived from the KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) used in 2009 F1 racing season.

MR2 set to return as Prius coupé?

Production of MR2 stopped in 2007; new car will be a coupé instead of roadster

The MR2 is making a comeback, Auto Express can reveal. Toyota is developing an exciting performance hybrid which would revive the much loved sports car and rival Honda’s upcoming CR-Z.

It’s set to swap its predecessor’s roadster shape for that of a compact coupé. Under the skin will be a rear-wheel-drive chassis, a paddleshift gearbox and a specially developed version of the Prius’s hybrid powertrain.

The new model will boast an amazing blend of performance, economy and low emissions, all wrapped up in a stunning body. It would be a fitting successor to the MR2, which ceased production in 2007.

Speaking exclusively to Auto Express at the Geneva Motor Show, Toyota executive vice president Masatami Takimoto said: “We are aware of the fondness with which the MR2 is held in the UK and Europe, and are developing a small hybrid sports car.

“We have set a tough price point (expected to be around £20,000), as it will be easier to sell if it is affordable. It has to be fun to drive, too, which means the hybrid set-up must be different to the Prius’s, with greater responsiveness.”

These artist’s impressions give you an idea of how it will look. At the front it mixes cues from Toyota’s FT-HS sports car concept with a deep lower air intake, while the side has a kick up on the door towards the roof. At the rear are lights from the FT-HS and a neat diffuser-style lower bumper.

The key challenge for Toyota will be developing a powertrain that’s sporty to drive. It will have to improve the rate at which the batteries charge and discharge, for razor-sharp responses.

If the company gets it right, the car could do 0-60mph in seven seconds, yet return 60mpg and emit less than 100g/km of CO2. A new MR2 would be a desirable addition to the range, but Toyota is concentrating more on family hybrids at the moment, with 10 being launched over the next 12 months.

Honda S2000

Honda postpones roadster replacement but boosts current car

Not long after ditching its F1 team and canceling the new NSX supercar, Honda has called time on several more of its less mainstream models. A convertible version of the CR-Z hybrid is no more, while Acura badged rivals for the BMW 3, 5 and 7-series could be cancelled too. The biggest loss for us though is the S2000 roadster, which is set to cease production this year with no new model or replacement to step into its shoes.

In the meantime, though, Honda is gracing the Tokyo Auto Salon with a bunch of Sports Modulo concepts. Essentially tweaked and body kitted versions of its existing range (its Japanese Domestic Market ones, at that) it is nonetheless a brighter bit of news from Japan.

The S2000 Sports Modulo (main picture) gets a neat exterior bodykit, some funkier lights (including the obligitory LEDs) and a luxury brown leather and carbon fibre-clad interior. No news on if there's any performance tweaks to the standard car's 237bhp 2-litre yet.

Among the other models gaining Sports Modulo attention are the JDM Civic Type-R (our preferred flavour of hot Honda) which is pictured here in Championship White while the Jazz supermini (the amusingly named Fit in the Far East) has been Tangoed inside and out for the Tokyo show. Again, no word on performance or whether any of the tweaks will filter down to production Hondas, but we'd advise crossing your fingers.

New Ford hybrid sedans post 41 mpg in the city

Ford Motor Co. said today that its Ford Fusion and Mercury Milanhybrid sedans have been certified by the EPA at 41 mpg city/36 highway.

The ratings put the hybrids' fuel economy at the front of the mid-sized pack, Ford said in a statement. Ford engineers spent three years revamping the gasoline-electric powertrain that debuted in the 2004 Escape Hybrid crossover.

The announcement underscores efforts by the Detroit 3 to bring more fuel-efficient vehicles to market.

During recent congressional hearings for federal bailout funds, the Detroit 3 were criticized for their past adherence to larger vehicles with poor fuel economy.

The latest version of Ford's hybrid powertrain again uses a one-speed continuously variable transmission. The size of the gasoline engine has been increased to 2.5 liters from from 2.3. The nickel-metal hydride battery pack is smaller and lighter but puts out 20 percent more power.

The Fusion Hybrid arrives in dealerships next spring with a base price of $27,270, excluding delivery charges that have not been announced. No price has been announced for the Milan Hybrid.

Competition is stiff among fuel-efficient cars.

Volkswagen's compact diesel-powered Jetta sedan delivers 30 mpg city/41 highway, while the Honda Civic Hybrid sedan gets 40 city/45 highway. The Toyota Camry Hybrid, similar in size to the Fusion and Milan, is rated at 33 city/34 highway.

But Ford may have the edge when it comes to driving on pure electric power. The Fusion Hybrid and Milan Hybrid can reach speeds of 47 mph on electricity alone, a higher speed than other hybrids.

"The Fusion Hybrid's ability to run at much higher speed in electric mode allows drivers to maximize fuel efficiently in many driving situations," said Praveen Cherian, Fusion Hybrid program leader. "This would allow drivers to travel around their subdivision and parking areas in all-electric mode."

Bigger, better Jazz calls a great new tune

All-new Honda baby on sale after debut at October’s Paris show.

Strike up the band – the new Jazz is here! Honda claims its next supermini, due on sale in October, is superior to the outgoing model in every area.

And that’s some promise, as the current car has been hugely popular – with two million sold since it was launched in 2001. The Jazz has featured regularly in the top 10 of Auto Express’s Driver Power satisfaction and reliability survey.

Although it’s based on a reworked version of the current chassis, the newcomer offers more passenger and storage space – as it’s longer and has a wider track than at present.

The windscreen has been moved further forward, too, creating the roomiest cabin in class. And the 427-litre boot is 74 litres up on the original’s.

Surprisingly, though, there will be no diesel engine. Honda believes the refinement, fuel economy and performance of its i-vtec petrol units will keep customers happy.

So, power will come from 1.2 and 1.4-litre petrol motors from launch. A hybrid version will follow in 2009, featuring a 1.2-litre petrol engine and an electric motor to power the car silently and without emissions at urban speeds.

As a result, this variant will offer significant tax benefits, as well as fuel bills low enough to satisfy motorists hit hard by the credit crunch.

Two gearbox options will be available: a five-speed manual and Honda’s ‘i-shift’ automated manual, complete with steering wheel-mounted paddles and a full auto mode. A light on the dashboard indicates the most economical time to change ratios using the paddles.

There will be three trims from launch, with the line-up headed by a Sport version which gets a dynamic bodykit and heavily sculpted seats.

The Jazz hits dealers here shortly after being officially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show. Prices will start from £10,000, and rise to around £14,000 for a range-topping 1.4-litre petrol model.

All Mercedes cars to be turbocharged by 2010

Mercedes-Benz will introduce turbocharged engines across its entire lineup in the next 2½ years.

"All our vehicles will have turbocharged engines in series production by the end of 2010 at the latest," Thomas Weber, Daimler board member responsible for research and development, told Automotive News Europe at a press event here.

Forthcoming legislation in Europe and the U.S. is forcing automakers to reduce auto emissions.

Demand for turbochargers is growing because they offer a proven and relatively inexpensive way to reduce fuel consumption. With the addition of a turbocharger, Daimler will be able to install smaller, lighter and more fuel-efficient engines without sacrificing performance.

Under current proposals, the European Commission will ask the German automaker to cut its average fleet emissions from 178 grams per kilometer to 138 g/km by 2012. The Commission will fine automakers that fail to meet the targets.

Improving the efficiency of its existing engines is the first part of Daimler's strategy to reduce CO2 emission levels across its fleet. Weber said the medium-term step would be to introduce more hybrid technology. The S class -- Mercedes' flagship sedan -- will be offered as a full hybrid vehicle starting in 2009.

Weber also said that zero-emission driving is the German automaker's long-term goal. To get there, the automaker plans to use technology such as fuel cells and electric-powered vehicles. A full-electric version of the ForTwo from Mercedes sister brand Smart goes into production in 2010.