Hasta La Gadget!

Right after Intel’s somewhat mundane announcement of the Ultrabook Convertible and Ultrabook Detachable sub-brands at IDF in Beijing, SVP Kirk Skaugen surprised us by whipping out an unnamed laptop coming from Toshiba, so we jumped onto the stage to get a sniff of the only two units at the venue. Judging by the looks of it, we’re confident that this is actually the Portege Z10t that hit the FCC last month — the vents, camera and logo on the back match those in the drawing (embedded after the break) filed in the application.

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets

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Porsche has announced that it is adding a couple new variants to its four-door Panamera sports car range. One of the new models being added to the line is the very first plug-in hybrid to ever be offered from Porsche. Porsche is also adding an extended wheelbase version of the car.

Certainly, the most interesting of the new Panamera models is the Panamera S E-Hybrid. While Porsche has offered a hybrid version of this car in the past, the S E-Hybrid is the first plug-in hybrid Porsche has offered. This version has a more powerful electric motor and a better performing battery supplying more energy that can be recharged from home or public vehicle charging stations. The electric drive system in off the vehicle produces 95 hp, which is more than twice the power produced by the previous hybrid electric motor.

That new electric motor is paired with a 9.4 kWh lithium-ion battery, which is significantly larger than the previous 1.7 kWh battery used in the hybrid Panamera previously. Porsche says that the vehicle can completely recharge its battery in 2.5 hours using a 240V power source. EPA fuel economy estimates for the new plug-hybrid are unavailable at this time and the vehicle will be able to operate on electric power alone.

Porsche estimates that the electric only driving range will be about 20 miles. The other new version of the Panamera is a long wheelbase model called the Executive. The Executive models have two full-sized rear bucket seats and the car will be available in naturally aspirated and Turbo models. Both models have a wheelbase that is extended by 5.9-inches providing more rear seat comfort.

The turbo version uses a 3.0-liter twin Turbo V-6 engine which replaces the previous 4.8-liter V8. However, the new turbo engine produces an additional 20 hp and 15 pound-foot of torque compared to the old V-8. The plug-in hybrid will start at $99,000 with the standard Executive model starting at $125,600 and the executive Turbo starting at $161,100.

[via Porsche]

Porsche outs Panamera plug-in hybrid and extended wheelbase versions is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Nissan has announced plans to roll out a gas-electric hybrid version of its popular Pathfinder SUV this summer, a change that will bring with it a slight increase in both price and gas mileage. Neither a specific release date nor price were given, but word has it the SUV will cost about $3,000 more than the current non-hybrid Pathfinder, which has a starting price of $41,000, and goes up from there to nearly $50k.

The gasoline-electric hybrid Pathfinder will feature both a supercharged 2.5-liter gas engine and an electric motor that, combined, offer 250 horsepower. This will bring about 5 more miles per gallon, bringing the total up to 25MPG in the city and 27MPG on the highway for a combined total of 26MPG.

This is a tad higher than the current 21MPG combined total for the all-wheel drive gasoline model. Of course, an electric hybrid brings with it some extra-battery baggage, which will be found below the third-row bench, taking up that section of space and perhaps proving inconvenient to some owners.

Nissan’s Vice President of Product Planning Pierre Loing said: “The Pathfinder Hybrid is highly affordable because it matches motor and battery size well, while minimizing the number of additional parts or modifications needed to the platform and body. It is designed as a logical bridge between conventional internal combustion engine powertrains and the wider acceptance of hybrid systems by providing enhanced efficiency with no compromises versus the standard vehicle.”

[via Wall Street Journal]

Nissan to launch electric-hybrid Pathfinder SUV this summer is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The Ford Fusion Energi joins the C-MAX Energi and Focus Electric as the company’s third vehicle with a charging connector and access to California’s HOV lanes. While it’s a larger car than the C-MAX Energi, it weighs about the same and features pretty much the same plug-in hybrid powertrain with 195 net horsepower and three EV driving modes. It combines a 2-liter DOHC 16V Duratec (Atkinson cycle) engine and CVT with an AC synchronous motor powered by a 7.6kWh Lithium Ion battery. This pack takes about 2.5 hours to fill up with a 240V charging station and provides a range of 21 miles (100MPGe) at up to 85MPH in all-electric mode. Both autos share the same unfortunate battery protrusion in the trunk area, and while it’s less of an issue in the Fusion sedan than the wagon-like C-MAX, it detracts from the overall package. The Fusion Energi also packs the company’s latest and greatest tech, including MyFord Mobile, SmartGauge with EcoGuide, Eco Cruise and SYNC with MyFord Touch. Sure, that’s pretty exciting, but how does it actually drive? Find out after the break.

Filed under: Transportation

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Everyone knew Ferrari was cooking up its first hybrid, and that it would be very quick when it was pegged as an Enzo successor. Still, we didn’t quite expect the sledgehammer that is the LaFerrari. Never mind the very redundant naming scheme: there’s a 789HP V12 mated with 160HP of electric power, the 949HP combination of which takes the supercar to 62MPH in less than 3 seconds and makes it the overall fastest Ferrari to date. There’s a nod to eco-friendliness with relatively low emissions, but the hybrid component mostly powers a KERS system that fills out the few weak points in the torque band. You won’t have the chance to buy the LaFerrari — all 499 units of the €1 million ($1.3 million) flagship are spoken for — but there’s already talk of future hybrids that will run solely on electric power some or all of the time.

Don’t be too forlorn if you have money to burn on a tech-centric Ferrari, though. The Maranello crew is also showing the very first results of its Apple collaboration through an upgraded FF. The four-seater GT now has Siri voice integration and ships with a pair of iPad minis to keep backseaters entertained when the 652HP V12 somehow isn’t exciting enough. Ferrari hasn’t said how much the upgraded FF costs, although we imagine that the iOS-linked costs are drops in the bucket next to the vehicle itself. Chairman Luca di Montezemolo hints that it’s just the start of the Apple relationship, too, as Ferrari will be “more precise” about the union in the months ahead.

Filed under: Transportation, Apple

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Via: Autoblog, Bloomberg

Source: Ferrari