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Bentley may be known for its over-luxurious cars, but the company has confirmed plans that they’ll be producing their first-ever SUV, and will be the fourth model that the car company produces. However, they’re not just stopping there. Bentley wants their new SUV to be the most powerful SUV on the market, so their dropping in a 570 HP engine.

This means that the yet-to-be-named SUV will be more powerful than Mercede‘s AMG SUVs, as well as Porsche‘s Cayenne Turbo S, both of which top out at 550 horsepower. Bentley expects the SUV to go on sale starting on 2016, meaning that the model year of the new vehicle will most likely be a 2017.

We’ve heard of Bentley’s SUV plans in the past, but it was merely just a concept at that point, called the EXP 9 F. We doubt that will be its official name, and the company even said it hasn’t decided on a name yet for the new vehicle.

Bentley says that customer response to an SUV has been high, and they company is going all-in on the new vehicle, creating over 1,000 jobs in the UK, as well as investing over £800 million over the next three years at the company’s Crewe headquarters for future development of new vehicle models.

The engine that Bentley plans to use in their new SUV is the 6.0-liter, twin-turbocharged W-12 engine that’s also equipped in several of the company’s other models. This will produce 567 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. As for price, Bentley didn’t say, but it’ll likely cost a couple hundred thousand dollars.

VIA: NYT

SOURCE: Bentley

Bentley SUV confirmed for 2016 arrival, 570 HP engine in tow is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.

We got up close and personal with BMW’s i3 electric coupe at the LA Auto Show back in November, and now the auto maker has announced the pricing and showroom dates for its svelte offering. For those in the US, the i3 will be priced at $41,350 USD, not taking into consideration any government incentives that could lower that.

The price doesn’t include the destination and handling fee, which will be $925 USD for buyers in the US. As for the car itself, which you can see in our video below, there’s 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque via its hybrid-synchronous electric motor. There’s a 22-kWh lithium ion battery, which allows for between 80 and 100 miles of driving on a charge.

Charging is accomplished either at home or at a Level 2 SAE J1772 charging system. Home charging is done with a charging station that is provided by BMW. The system utilizes an SAE DC Combo-Fast Charger, which will provide a DC fast charging option, reducing the amount of time it takes to get the vehicle charged for a trip. At a fast-charge station, drivers can get to 80-percent in 20 minutes.

Obviously, an all-electric car has the benefit of being environmentally friendly, which is further expanded by the facilities in which the i3 is produced. In both the Moses Lake, Washington and Leipzig, Germany facilities, hydro-electric, solar, and wind are used to produce power at the CFRP production cites.

BMW Sales and Marketing’s Ian Robertson said: “The BMW i3 heralds the dawn of a new era for individual mobility and for the BMW Group. True to a genuine BMW, the BMW i3 has strong emotional appeal, outstanding product substance and a guarantee of sheer driving pleasure. With this leading-edge vehicle and attractive price, we will provide customers with a compelling offer for electromobility.”

The i3 will be shown in London, New York, and Beijing on July 29.

SOURCE: BMW USA

BMW i3 electric car’s pricing revealed for US buyers is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Honda has announced that its 2014 Fit Hybrid has beat out all other hybrid models in Japan with a mileage rating of 36.4 km/L, which works out to about 85MPG in the United States. The small car, among other things, features three driving modes that are automatically engaged depending on the environment in which the car is being driven.

The 2013 Honda Fit Hybrid is the first to utilize a SPORT HYBRID Intelligent Dual Clutch Drive, more easily referred to as an i-DCD. This is a one-motor system that the auto maker says is best suited for small cars, and works with the EV drive by “disengaging the engine and the motor”. It falls within the company’s Earth Dreams Technology category, which aims at achieving high gas mileage.

Inside, there’s an inline 4-cylinder 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle engine, as well as the i-DCD’s 7-speed DCT integrated high-output motor. In addition, there’s also an Intelligent Power Unit (IPU) with a lithium-ion battery built into it. Further expanding on the system to achieve a high gas mileage rating is the braking system.

Braking is done via an electric servo brake system, which is said to increase electrical regenerative efficiency. There’s also an all-electric compressor to lessen the load on the engine. All of this, when combined, results in a system that Honda says results in a fuel economy in excess of 35-percent better than the IMA hybrid system that is currently being used.

As mentioned, there are three driving modes, each of which is triggered automatically, comprised of EV Drive Mode (motor-only), the Hybrid Drive Mode (engine and motor driving), and the Engine Drive Mode (engine-only). Sales, said Honda, will start in Japan in September.

SOURCE: Honda

Images via World Car Fan

2014 Honda Fit Hybrid scores highest MPG among Japanese hybrids is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Technology in the car is becoming more and more ubiquitous, thanks to car makers putting in touchscreen controls, navigation systems, and mobile internet to provide real-time information to drivers. Nissan wants to get in on the fun and has put SiriusXM to the task of implementing a telematics system inside Nissan vehicles, and the company has partnered up with AT&T to make that happen.

AT&T will be there to give the SiriusXM system mobile data for driver information. The always-connected system will be similar to General Motor’s OnStar in the sense that it will provide assistance for emergencies and roadside problems, and can even be used to track a stolen vehicle. Plus, we wouldn’t be surprised if they threw in some more bells and whistles on top of that.

In fact, AT&T mentioned that “additional services” would be coming as well, although both SiriusXM and AT&T are staying pretty mum as far as what Nissan owners can expect. There’s not even an official name for the in-car telematics system yet, but we’re guessing Nissan will put their own little spin for marketing purposes.

The in-car technology will be coming to North America, though, but it’s not yet said when consumers should expect the technology to reach new Nissan cars. As for whether or not the new in-car system technology will boost Nissan sales, that’s pretty likely, as many drivers don’t mind plopping down a few more dollars for an always-connected roadside assistant.

VIA: Engadget

SOURCE: AT&T

AT&T SiriusXM deal puts always-connected telematics in Nissan vehicles is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Nissan has introduced a special edition GT-R in Midnight Opal coloring, with it limiting the production of this particular model to only 100 units across the globe. The car will be a tad more expensive than the GT-R Premium, and is slated to arrive in the United States some time in September. Among other things, the vehicle is hand-painted.

The new paint job is one of the car’s most alluring features, with the Midnight Opal coloring being applied by hand. The color and paint is designed in such a way that its color appears to change based on the lighting conditions around the car, as well as the angle from which the vehicle is being viewed. In addition to shifting between dark purple and blue, it is said to “sparkle” like a gem.

As a first time for a vehicle in the US, the GT-R Special Edition will also feature a hyper-titanium colored coating on its RAYS lightweight wheels, and will in addition offer a dry carbon fiber spoiler around back that is akin to what is found on the GT-R Black and GT-R Track Editions. To mark the vehicle as special, there will also be a serialized, gold-plated plaque within the engine compartment.

Inside, buyers will find a 3.8-liter VR38DETT twin turbo V6 engine with 545 horsepower and 463 lb-ft of torque. The engine is hand-assembled in what Nissan says is a “special clean room.” There’s also a dynamic independent rear transaxle ATTESA E-TS all wheel drive system. The driver will be able to adjust the shock absorbers, transmission, and Vehicle Dynamic Control from within the car to Normal, Special, and R settings.

As far as the interior goes, Nissan says there’s a “cockpit-style” instrument panel, as well as a multi-function display that includes both driving and mechanical info. For those who want to get theirs hands on one of these very limited-edition cars, the price tag sits at $105,590 USD in the US, an increase over the Premium model of $6000.

SOURCE: Nissan 1 and 2

Nissan unveils 2014 GT-R Midnight Opal Special Edition is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.