PAUL

2016 Toyota TS050 Hybrid – World Debut at HTTT – New V6TT, 1000HP eAWD Racecar

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Toyota GAZOO racing just revealed its 2016 competitor for the highest honor in racing: the WEC LeMans series. This TS050 might look familiar but is packing some radical changes throughout.  The most crucial appears to be a swap to direct-injection for an all-new 2.4-liter V6TT providing the main power to the back wheels. The other big change is a move from supercapacitors for the regen braking to a more conventional, and much higher-output, lithium-ion battery pack system.  Toyota calls the new power pack the 8MJ, and notes it required a full redesign of the entire vehicle, including the transaxle transmission …

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Supercars Then and Now – 1980 BMW M1 versus 2008 BMW M1 Hommage

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The great irony about the BMW M1 supercar is that it was a huge failure. A re-purposed version of the same design often trotted out by Giugiaro through the mid-1970s, the original Paul Bracq-penned 1972 BMW Turbo concept was very, very dated by its production intro in 1978. (1972 Turbo on the right) The ultra-wedge aesthetic was popular, of course, but was hard to make workable in a sports car. Visibilty was atrocious, making racing especially challenging. In addition, the wedges of the 1973-forward Lamborghini Countach or Lancia Stratos were hard to top. This M1 seemed like a pretender from …

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Best of Awards: 2014 Nissan Rogue Seats 7, Looks Cool, Gets There First

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The all-new Rogue is a huge hit so far: with seven seats and pricing from about $24,000 — this compact crossover nails a huge swath of buyer priorities. Its new LED lighting up front sets the tone, while the Nissan V-bar grille is just foreshadowing. Enjoy this early reveal of the Nissan Rogue in “Full-Throttle Action.” My favorite part? Seeing our pilot’s high-heel shoe mash the throttle to the floor before she uses an on-ramp to jump onto a train’s roof. All in a day’s work for the on-trend and stylish Rogue. This Nissan commercial seems to channel Sri Lankan …

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