Even though it was obvious that the Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid sportscar would be making its way to production, given the positive feedback from both the media and the regular public, Porsche made the thing official today.

The Supervisory Board has given the green light to the development of the 918 Spyder as a hybrid sportscar, which will be made as a limited series.

Michael Macht, President and Chairman of the Board of Management of Porsche AG: “Production of the 918 Spyder in a limited series proves that we are taking the right approach with Porsche Intelligent Performance featuring the combination of supreme performance and efficient drivetrain concepts.”

No other details were given, but it is expected that the production model will keep the same powertrain as the concept. This means that the 500 HP V8 will be combined with two electric motors, capable of 109 HP each. This allows not only high performance, but also all-electric, zero emissions driving, for up to 16 miles. The fuel average was estimated at around 78.4 mpg (3.0 liters/100 km) and emissions were ranked at 70 g/km of CO2.

Pricing has yet to be established, but given the impact the model will have, it will definitely be much more than a Chevrolet Volt, even with a tax credit of $7,500.

Source: Porsche

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Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid sportscar officially heading to production

Barely has the digital ink dried on our own article about the launch of the 2011 Audi A7 Sportback, and the Ingolstadt automaker has already revealed the S Line sports accessories and appearance package for its new five-door limousine.

As you can see above, the S Line kit adds a more aggressive body kit, with a reworked front bumper, improved side skirts and a rear diffuser with chromed tailpipes. Besides that, the exterior is rounded off by a set of 19-inch S Line alloy wheels.

The interior is decked out in Aluminum trim, while a mix of leather and Alcantara decorates the seats and the three-spoke multi-function steering wheel. As par for the course, S Line badges are plentiful, both on the inside and on the outside.

Until the S7 or RS7 performance versions appear, the new Audi A7 Sportback with the S Line appearance package will definitely satisfy those wanting a bit more personality with their five-door ‘coupe’.

Source: Audi

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2011 Audi A7 Sportback gets S Line sports package

Pagani is definitely becoming as popular as the other Italian supercar manufacturers like Ferrari or Lamborghini. As such, the company has been assaulted with orders for specific one-off models, all based on the current Zonda.

The latest one seems to be the Pagani Zonda HH, which is currently being teased on a new website.

According to the guys from the TeamSpeed forums, the model has been ordered by an American customer, and will boast the best of what Pagani can currently offer. It will combine elements from the Zonda F, with high performance components like a carbon-titanium tub, ceramic-coated titanium exhaust and carbon ceramic brakes, taken from the Zonda R.

All these new components are going to make the Zonda HH much lighter, tipping the scales at around 2,670 pounds (1,210 kg). The power will come from the same AMG V12 engine, capable of 680 HP. As opposed to the standard Zonda though, the engine will be mated with a six-speed manual gearbox, operated by a stick shift, according to the mysterious customer.

Not a lot is know as of yet, with just the teaser shots and the TeamSpeed info being available. Expect more details in the following months about this special Pagani Zonda HH one-off.

Source: TeamSpeed via WCF

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Pagani prepping Zonda HH one-off hypercar

Ken Block is by far one of the most renowned rally drivers currently active in the USA, even though his performances aren’t ground breaking. Instead, he relied on the Gymkhana drifting videos to make sure that his name is known across the world.

Want proof? The upcoming Gymkhana Three video is already hyped beyond critical mass, with people eagerly anticipating what Block will do with his tuned Ford Fiesta rally car.

Seeing the amount of publicity that Block makes for the Blue Oval’s compact model, radio station KROQ interviewed the rally driver and asked about the possibility of a Ken Block special edition Fiesta.

Surprisingly, Block admitted that such talks exist, but nothing is concrete at this moment. For the moment though, he will continue to focus on his Rally of America efforts, as well as planning the next Gymkhana and preparing for more races in the World Rally Championship.

What do you think? Would a Ford Fiesta Ken Block edition achieve impressive sales? Share your thoughts below.

Source: KROQ via Autoblog

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Ken Block edition Ford Fiesta might appear in the future

It’s a bit hard to believe, but the Toyota Prius hybrid is turning 10 years old this year.

“Toyota recognized in the 1990s that sustainable transportation would become a huge challenge in the coming decades,” said Jim Lentz, president and COO of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. “Those realizations proved accurate, and if anything, even more profound considering what we know today.”

The Japanese model has been launched in the US market back in summer of 2000 as an awkward four-door sedan (pictured above), with a mildly impressive fuel average.

Still, despite not so positive reviews, in 2004, Toyota hit jackpot with the second generation Prius, and its hatchback body style. The model became a pop icon, with celebrities and eco-minded people buying them as fast as Toyota made them.

Now, in 2010, the third generation Prius has been revealed, boasting an increased power output but still maintaining a reasonable fuel average.

According to Toyota statistics, over 1.8 million Prius hybrids were sold since the car was revealed, with nearly 900,000 purchased in the US alone. Besides the regular hybrid models, new cars packed with lithium-ion batteries and plug-in capabilities are being tested out, and are expected to arrive around 2012. Also, according to a recent report, the next generation Prius might be produced in the USA, but that won’t happen until 2016, at least.

Still, if you’re among the people who love the Prius, raise your glass and celebrate the most popular hybrid on Earth.

Source: Toyota

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Toyota celebrates the Prius’ 10th birthday

It seems that Volvo‘s odyssey will come to a final conclusion next week, as Ford will complete the sale of the Swedish brand to Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely.

According to a report from the Detroit News, the Blue Oval and the Chinese company will sign off the last papers, and Volvo will become the property of Geely, alongside all assets, plants and liquidities.

Geely is expected to pay up to $1.8 billion for the Swedish brand, less than a third of what Ford paid for the company back in 1999.

Expect many leadership changes, as Li Shufu, the founder of Geely, will become chairman of Volvo, while the brand’s CEO, Stephen Odell, will go on to lead Ford of Europe. Hans-Olov Olsson, a former Volvo executive will be kept as vice chairman.

The Ford-Geely-Volvo odyssey has continued for quite some time, ever since the Blue Oval decided to sell off its European brands, in order to focus more on itself. Hopefully Geely will known how to take care of Volvo and continue its growth.

Expect the official news to arrive next week.

Source: Detroit News

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Ford to complete Volvo sale to Geely next week

Toyota had some big plans for its US production, at least a few years ago. At that time, blockbusters like the Prius hybrid were set to be built at its own plant in Mississippi. Sadly, after the economic downturn, GM pulled out of its joint venture at the NUMMI plant, forcing Toyota to move the production of the Corolla in Mississippi.

Hybrid fans shouldn’t worry though, as the company’s executive vice president, Atsushi Niimi, revealed for Reuters that the Prius will be manufactured in the USA.

There’s a pretty big catch though, as the first US-built Toyota Prius will be part of the next generation hybrid. That model is expected to hit somewhere around 2016, so until then, the cars will still be imported from Japan.

So, why the long wait? Well, it’s largely because Toyota isn’t confident that the US market will make a comeback from the economic crisis anytime soon. As such, investments in the land of freedom and apple pie will be kept to a minimum. The recent recall scandal also made the Japanese company appear less than great in the eyes of American consumers.

So, if you want to drive around in a Toyota Prius manufactured in the USA, you’re in for a long wait.

Source: Reuters via Autoblog

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Toyota to manufacture next generation Prius in the USA in 2016

Mustang and Nascar fans have no doubt heard about the legendary Jack Roush. He is not only the boss of the Roush Fenway Racing team, but also the owner of the Roush Performance tuning company.

Sadly, the 68-year old Roush has been involved at the beginning of the week in a plane crash, his second in 8 years. It seems that while attempting to land his company’s private jet on the Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the plane went out of of control and, despite Roush’s last second corrections, nose dived into the tarmac.

Luckily, both Roush and one of his female employees, Brenda K. Strickland, managed to walk away from the crash site. The hospital revealed that his condition was critical, but is now stable. His company revealed that Roush will walk away healthy, but some surgery is needed.

This is Jack Roush’s second airplane crash in 8 years, as he was forced to crash land his World War II fighter in a lake back in 2002.

Hit the jump to see the news story from ESPN and let’s wish mister Roush a healthy recovery.

Source: ESPN via Autoblog

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Video: Nascar and tuning legend Jack Roush injured after plane crash

Even though Swedish automaker Volvo prides itself with making some of the safest and most reliable cars around, this doesn’t mean problems can’t leak through the quality control.

This is seemingly what happened with the 2004-2005 Volvo XC90 SUV, as the NHTSA has started an investigation on 93,487 such vehicles. The cause of the inquiry comes from a potential problem with the lighting system, which can cause the headlamps and/or turn indicators to stop working in certain conditions.

As such, all of the older SUVs will be inspected by the federal body. 21 complaints have been filed up until now, but no incidents were reported. Luckily, if a technical problem is to blame, it will most likely demand for a new control module to be installed.

Stay tuned for the results of the NHTSA investigation, as well as news of a potential recall.

Source: Bloomberg via Autoblog

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Volvo XC90 gets investigated by the NHTSA over faulty lighting system