Solstice, Sky: Different But Similar

By Anthony Fontanelle

General Motors Corp.’s distinct brands Pontiac and Saturn will be rolling off different but similar cars. How ironic could they get?

Earlier, the largest American automaker launched the Pontiac Solstice. The stunning roadster was unveiled at the 2004 North American International Auto Show. The automaker began its production in mid-2005 for the 2006 model year in Wilmington, Delaware. The debut served as an antidote to the bland lineup of the GM brand.

Shoppers who wanted the Solstice had to wait months for one to arrive, and they paid as much as $6,000 above the sticker price to be among the first in their neighborhood to have one, reported the New York Times. The waiting lists swelled after the Solstice appeared in an episode of Donald Trump’s reality TV show, “The Apprentice,” and Mr. Trump promised one to that season’s winner.

Solstice owner Hal Waldrop said that he recently saw six of the roadsters lined up at the Pontiac dealership near his home in Frisco, Tex., just north of Dallas. “I had never seen more than two there previously,” he told The Times. The 49-year-old Mr. Waldrop was told he was 45th on the dealer’s waiting list for a Solstice and would have to wait up to a year to receive one when he ordered one in November 2005.

“The car is just a joy,” Mr. Waldrop noted. “When the top’s down and you’re on a twisty road, I can’t imagine anything would be more fun. Even today, I cannot stop at a gas station without someone walking up and telling me how much they like it. Almost everybody guesses it would be a $40,000 car if they don’t know what it is.”

Though the car was such a big hit, it did not bolster much interest in the overall Pontiac brand. As such, even the Solstice itself appears to be hurting its existence. Sales of the Solstice are down 19 percent in 2007 through July. The Detroit-based automaker, which apologized for not building enough Solstices initially, now has about worth of five months’ supply in inventory, double the automaker’s average.

According to Autodata, a company that trails auto statistics, sales of Pontiac-branded cars and trucks are off 17 percent, compared with nine percent for all eight GM brands.

“It was such a radical departure from what people expected out of Pontiac that it created a tremendous buzz when it first hit the market,” said Wes Brown, an auto consultant and a partner in the Los Angeles marketing firm Iceology. “It looks pretty cool, but ultimately it’s not able to overcome some of those barriers people have within their mind with regard to the brand image.”
On the other hand, the demand for the Solstice’s fraternal twin Saturn Sky has shown no signs of declines. The automaker has about one month’s worth of the Sky available, and many shoppers still have to wait several weeks or months for the more expensive and more angular twin to arrive.

“They’re very much fashion statements,” Brown said of cars like the Solstice. “The newest one that arrives is the hottest one, and that bloom can last from 6 to 18 months, depending on what else comes out.”

The Saturn hood and other auto accessories are etching a dependable name in the industry. This is the reason behind the company’s constant growth. “Saturn, although it had been struggling, has nowhere near the type of negative baggage that the Pontiac brand does,” noted Mr. Brown. “That brand is damaged. If you ask the average person, I don’t think they could tell you what the brand’s supposed to be.”

What Do NASCAR Collectibles Mean to You?

By Brian Connors

Many a physical object is purchased not only as an ornament for the home or work area or for a simple article of clothing. There’s a deeper reason beyond mere practicality for many of the various goods that we bring into our surroundings. This is true as well for the NASCAR collectibles that many of us have purchased in the past. How so?

Let me ask you a question. Do you go to a sporting event merely to be a spectator? No, because you go to support a team or individual that you have a level of passion for. This entity being a team or person means something to you and you wish others to recognize that fact. There’s a spirit that is shared between you that you most certainly are proud of. It’s a channel that describes what you are all about to the world around you.

NASCAR collectibles fit into this description. There are certain drivers whose characteristics you wish to emulate and be reminded of. For instance, the cool, calm and collected demeanor of some drivers may be something that you have or wish to have. There could also be a driving fire that you wish to demonstrate that some drivers have shown. Also, the simple NASCAR name itself declares a niche that describes your personality. In essence, NASCAR merchandise mean much more than just “stuff”.

There are many items that declare your loyalty to the world of stock car racing or one of its competitors in particular. There are shirts, jackets, die-cast, car mats, entry rugs, clocks and dozens of other examples to choose from. Each of these products says something about you. They advertise your personal theme to others. You let them know something about you without you saying a word. Is it fierce determination? Is it the trait of being a noble sportsman? Is it being identified with a proven winner?

It’s your call and no one else’s. Let NASCAR collectibles tell the world what is important to you. Let your personal domain or manner of attire send both a reminder to you and a message to others what you are all about!

( Brian is the owner of Stock Car USA Collectibles and wishes to share his thoughts on the meaning of NASCAR merchandise. He invites you to visit his website at http://www.StockCarUSA.com for stock car racing merchandise ideas today. )

Audi Goes Playful With Its 2008 R8 Supercar

By Anthony Fontanelle

Audi AG earlier announced pricing for its R8 supercar. At $139,900, the German automaker expects more aficionados will be attracted to its pricing. Aside from the price, one thing that could pull shoppers closer is the fact that the automaker has entertained playful modifications to closely compete with the Porsche 911.

The R8, unveiled last fall and set to arrive in showrooms next month as a 2008 model, has tickled the excitement of aficionados with nifty new surprises. The supercar is going to be quite something.

No fewer than four Audi employees escorted the 2008 Audi R8 to the Los Angeles Times' garage a few weeks ago, a veritable task force of handlers to introduce me to the company's new six-figure, mid-engine supercar, TransWorldNews reported.

TransWorldNews continued: “Once they arrived, there wasn't much for them to do but stand around and Armor-All their suit lapels. Despite the R8's evident exoticism, the car is low, wide and mirthless, its gimlet eyes fixing you with white-hot LEDs like it was brooding on ways to wreck your marriage, the car required no special instructions. The Cavalli-suited entourage underscores the fact that the R8 - certainly one of the finest mid-engine sports cars ever built - is not about posting quick lap times or eating into the Porsche 911's market share, though it will do both to a bloody fare-thee-well.”

“Truth be told, most surprises about the R8 were blown long ago. Audi revealed the car's specs to coincide with that Paris unveiling. Only the luckier automotive journalists have had a chance to drive the R8, so there's still the mystery of whether it will be a worthy competitor for other low-six-figure luxo sportsters such as the Porsche 911 Turbo and Aston Martin V8 Vantage,” said Chris Chase of CanWest News Service.

Critics say that the R8 is comprehensively engineered, seductively styled, and flawlessly executed. There were no gear-shifting paddles attached to the flat-bottomed steering wheel, no hydraulics to elevate the front end as there are in the Lamborghini Murcielago. Also, there were no wing-setting launch sequence as in the Bugatti Veyron, but the magnet is there. And that pull lingers.

The 2008 Audi R8 is equipped with a 4.2-litre V8 that generates 420bhp, a choice of six-speed manual transmission or a sequential manual Audi calls R-tronic, and fabulous Audi accessories. The German automaker claims 4.6 seconds to reach 100 km/h and a top speed of 301 km/h. In Canada, the supercar will come standard with 19-inch wheels and tires, while 18-inchers will be standard in the United States and overseas markets.

For 2009, a more powerful engine variant that uses a 570-hp 5.2 L V10, an enlarged version of the Lamborghini Gallardo's engine and already featured in the Audi S8, is expected to be incorporated to the R8. But this was not confirmed by the automaker.

Currently, the automaker is in the process of developing a new turbocharged 5.2 L V10 engine for the future Audi RS6. And there is a strong possibility that this powerful engine will make its way into the R8.

Audi Failed To Beat LM P2 Cars

By Anthony Fontanelle

At the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans, Audi once again proved that diesel engines have what it takes to beat gasoline-engined racecars. At the American Le Mans Series, Audi proved that their car’s performance at the prestigious endurance race is not a one-off showing. The team’s LM P1 car is still yet to be beaten in its class but the last six races has seen them being beaten by LM P2 cars. The current aim now for the team is to break the winning streak of LM P2 cars.

Although no additional points are given to an overall winner, Audi is still keen on taking the overall victory in the series’ next event. The reason for this is that the team is looking to pave the way for their diesel initiative in the United States. European automakers are in the forefront in developing a new generation of diesel engines and Audi is one of the apparent leaders in the development of clean diesel engines.

The latest race of the season was held at the “Road America” in Elkhart Lake in Wisconsin. The track is considered as the best suited track for high speed cars. With the Audi R10 designed for high speed racing, the team is confident that they will break the winning streak of LM P2 cars at Road America. The team looked for a good performance from defending champions Dindo Capello and Allan McNish on board their R10 units with racing parts as reliable as Audi A6 parts.
The pair though failed to break the winning streak of LM P2 cars as they finished in the second place overall although they have won the battle in their class. McNish and Capello finished just a couple of seconds behind the overall winner - a Porsche. This is the first time in five years that Audi has not won on this high-speed track.

McNish is apparently disappointed with the result of the event. “It's disappointing to have started from pole-position and ultimately finish second by less than two seconds having led much of the race despite two tire issues when I was leading,” he claims.

“I should be satisfied for winning the LM P1 class for the sixth time this season but as a racing driver, I’m never content to finish a race in second place overall,” he said. “There was a very good possibility of us winning this race but it slipped away from us.”

Meanwhile, Audi’s motorsports chief, Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, is bemoaning the weight difference between LM P2 and LM P1 cars. The LM P2 cars are lighter than LM P1 cars thus the former has a distinct advantage over the latter.

“Once again the Audi R10 TDI was the dominating LM P1 car and remains undefeated in its class,” said Dr. Ullrich. “That we were not able to get the overall victory even on the fastest track of the American Le Mans Series shows once more that the weight difference between the LM P1 and the LM P2 cars is simply too big. On top of that comes the smaller fuel tank we must use compared to our opposition.”

Chevrolet Teams Continue Dominance

By Anthony Fontanelle

The current season of the NASCAR Nextel Cup has been all Chevrolet. Teams using the Impala SS from the General Motors marque have won the majority of races. Midway into the season though, Chevrolet has to fight off a strong resurgence from Ford and Dodge. On one stretch, Ford has won two races and Dodge with one while Chevy only has one. But after that, Chevrolet drivers are back in their dominating form as they have won three out of the last four races.

The latest race was the Centurion Boats at the Glen held at the Watkins Glen International. The race was won by two time NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion Tony Stewart. Stewart has posted the last three victories for Chevrolet. Going into the race though, Juan Pablo Montoya and Jeff Gordon are expected to win since both have shown their capabilities on road courses in the past.

Jeff Gordon was leading towards the end of the race with almost everyone believing that Gordon has the race already won. A mistake though opened a window for Stewart who overtook Gordon and never looked back. Gordon lost control of his car at turn one of the track on the last lap of the race. This enabled Stewart to pass him.

It is interesting to note that Stewart was the one leading the race before Gordon. On lap number 44 of the 90-lap race, Stewart was unable to control the effect of his car’s Chevy brake pads which sent his car spinning.

“Jeff lost it the same way I lost it,” said Stewart after the race. “I had to keep fighting back. I kept the pressure on Jeff hoping he made a mistake and he did. I just had more time to make up for my spin. I was probably the most shocked person to see that happen. He's won here and won 4 championships; it was tricky in turn one.”

Gordon, on the other hand, was furious at his mistake. He currently leads the drivers’ championship standings but he failed to get the ten extra points that would further cement his lead going into the Chase for the Nextel Cup. “Pretty much the same thing that happened to Tony earlier in the race in the braking zone getting into turn one,” said Gordon. “Just stupid. I knew I had to push, Tony was really good. I wanted that win really bad. Points don't mean anything. I pushed and I pushed too far. What happened is the team deserved to win and the driver didn't get it done.”

Meanwhile, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s hope of a championship bid in his final year with his father’s team suffered a setback. His car was running well until his engine failed. His car was then towed into the pits. The engine failure means that the most popular NASCAR today did not earn any points. This dropped him to 14th in the standings. He is now trailing Kurt Busch by 100 points. Only the top twelve will be qualified to participate in the Chase for the Nextel Cup.

What Is The Definition Of a Supercar?

By Ryan Hooper

Have you ever wondered, what makes a car a supercar?

Asking what makes a car super is like asking, what makes a woman beautiful - everyone has its own opinion.

A term supercar was coined to describe extremely expensive, extremely beautiful and extremely fast cars. But the proper use of this term is often subjective and disputed, especially among enthusiasts. There is no clear definition of what characteristics a car must have to be a supercar. What constitutes a supercar is often a matter of opinion. Also, the use of the term is heavily dependent on the era - a car that is considered to be a supercar at one time may lose its superiority in the future.

It is also important to know that the term supercar refers to factory-built, usually unmodified, street-legal cars. Heavily modified and potentially street - illegal vehicles do not fall into the supercar category. Supercars are not muscle cars or tuned up sports cars. And there is no such thing as a cut price supercar.

A supercar is a car that combines speed, handling, unique design and represents the pinnacle of the automaker's art. Supercar is the car equivalent of a supermodel or a race horse. There are, off course, some basic criteria for measuring whether a car should be considered a supercar or not. Things to consider: design, acceleration, top speed, handling, power-to-weight ratio, style, rarity, price - all of these has to be super in a supercar.

Want an example? Here is a prime example of a supercar - The Bugatti Veyron.

The Bugatti Veyron is currently (2007) the most expensive (around $1.5 million) and fastest fully street legal car in the world. The Guinness Book of World Records included Bugatti Veyron under the heading - Fastest Production Car. With 1001 horsepower this supercar champion features all the most recent automotive advancements and is able to achieve a top speed of 253 mph (407km/h). This is faster than any production car ever made, it's actually faster than Formula 1 cars. Supercars are not just fast, they are blazingly fast.

Other supercars include: Koenigsegg CCX, Pagani Zonda, McLaren F1, Saleen S7 Twin Turbo, Enzo Ferrari, Lamborghini Murcielago and so on.

On the fun side, if you ever doubt whether a car is a supercar or not, consider this: A car might be a supercar if - you have a wallpaper or a poster of it, it's worth more than your house, you drool when you see one, it can break the speed limit in 1st gear, you will probably never own one, but if you do, you would never give the keys to the valet.

In conclusion, a supercar is a car that changes your idea of what a car is and what a car can do.
About the author: Ryan Hooper is a car lover and a big admirer of the first true American supercar: Saleen S7 Twin Turbo

Mazda Celebrates 40th Rotary Engine Anniversary

By Anthony Fontanelle

Japanese automaker Mazda is known in the auto industry as the maker of vehicles equipped with rotary engines. The company has started the use of the Wankel engine 40 years ago in the Cosmo Sport, known in Japan as the Mazda Savanna. The company used the engine in 1967 - ten years after Felix Wankel built the first running prototype of the two-stroke engine.

In the past, many automakers have started improving the Wankel engine. The poor fuel economy of the engine and heavy emission are some of the characteristics of the engine in the past and automakers have poured in money and effort in the development of better Wankel engines. Years later, most automakers have dropped the development of the Wankel engine in favor of the four-stroke engines. While automakers like General Motors and Ford has decided to no longer pursue the development of Wankel engines, Mazda continued their improvements on the engine designed by Felix Wankel.

In the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the rotary engine as used by Mazda, the automaker announced that they will be marketing special edition variants of the RX-8. The vehicles though will be sold only in Japan.

According to the automaker, the special edition RX-8 will be available in two variants. The first one is the RX-8 Type S which will be equipped with a six-speed manual transmission. The second variant is the RX-8 Type E, and it will come with a six-speed automatic gearbox.

As a special edition vehicle, the RX-8s will have a 40TH ANNIVERSARY ROTARY ENGINE badge. Other exterior features of the special edition RX-8 are the semi-gloss chrome light bezels. It will also sport 18-inch Dark Silver chrome aluminum ally wheels. For extra safety during night driving, the special edition RX-8 is fitted with front fog lights.

The Wankel engine has some distinct advantages over engines with reciprocating piston. In a Wankel engine, instead of the reciprocating pistons, the power released by the combustion of the fuel is transferred to a rotor. The advantage of using a rotor is that it has a higher power output compared to a similarly sized engine with reciprocating pistons. This means that it can be used on cars designed to have a small engine compartment.

Due to its design, Wankel engines also have fewer moving parts than conventional four-stroke engines. For example, a 1.2-liter Wankel engine in a Mazda has fewer Mazda parts compared to a similarly sized engine. This means that wear and tear on the parts is not a major problem when it comes to replacement. For example, a Wankel engine has no complicated valve trains while conventional four-stroke engines have complex parts for the intake and exhaust valves.

The disadvantage of the Wankel engine is also the result of the absence of the intake valves. Since these engines have no intake valves, automakers have to devise a way to inject the fuel inside the combustion chamber in a very short span of time while the combustion chamber is open. The result is more fuel consumption. But just like diesel engines, Wankel engines are also being improved to have a better fuel economy. In fact, Mazda is reportedly working on the development of a Wankel engine that will run on hydrogen.

The special edition RX-8 will be a rare breed since Mazda is only planning to manufacture 200 units of the vehicle. The RX-8 special edition will have a starting price of $26,500 according to the automaker.

360 Modena

By Jonathan Blocker

Heir Apparent: The Ferrari 360 Modena

At the turn of the century, the quiet little town of Modena was going about its business in the southern Po Valley in Italy. It was like any other town, with busy shops and hard working parents, and the streets were filled with children, who once in a while marveled at the machines that would occasionally rumble by on stiff rubber wheels. Three of those boys would go on to create legendary automotive companies that would bear their names – Maserati, Lamborghini and a young man named Enzo Ferrari. Today Modena is home of factories for automotive legends like Bugatti, De Tomaso, Lamborghini and, of course, Ferrari, thus earning it the reputation as the capital of engines. Now, nearly one hundred years later, the little town has another distinction by virtue of its name – the 360 Modena, one of the first Ferraris For Sale to be made entirely of aluminum. The line of small, two-seat sports cars went into production in 1999, and is modeled after its predecessor, the legendary F355, and serves as a replacement for the classic small-body Testerossa models, long the flagship of the brand. The 360 Modena is longer, taller, and with a wider wheel base than its ancestors, yet is slimmer in width, lending it less radical yet more muscular and aerodynamic lines. Like any new Ferrari based on earlier designs, the Modena 360 is chock full of performance enhancements and technical innovations that result in zero-to-100 miles per hour accelleration in 10.2 seconds, markedly slower than the 6.6 seconds of it’s muscular cousin, the Enzo Ferrari supercar, but still quick enough to snap a neck that isn’t paying attention. The convertible version of the Modena is the 360 Spider, perhaps better known from its frequency in movies, but other than poundage is the exact same car. A stripped-down and performance-juiced version of the Modena exists in the form of the Challenge Stradale, sans leather and ornamentation. As with all Ferraris, the 360 Modena delivers speed, distinctive styling and the prestige of that little yellow emblem, all in a two-seater that proudly promises to propel the Ferrari legacy into the distant future.

Jonathon Blocker is a Ferrari aficionado who is intimate with a variety of Ferraris and has developed an expertise on the collectible Ferrari.

NASCAR's Said Joins Buffum In X Games 13

By Anthony Fontanelle

NASCAR icon Boris Said joins the legendary rally veteran John Buffum to Challenge Sunday’s X Games 13. The drivers received an “at-large” slot for their BFGoodrich Tires-sponsored Subaru Impreza WRX STI and thus will compete beginning this weekend in the action sports competition.

Said, who will come to this Sunday’s Los Angeles event directly from Saturday’s NASCAR BUSCH Series race in Montreal, will drive and Buffum will be his co-driver/coach, reported PR Newswire.

"I've been watching rally my whole life, and I think it's one of the most exciting sports in the world,” noted Said. “I'm really excited to see the track and even more excited to see the 70-foot jump I've been told about. My only regret is that I'll be doing the NASCAR Busch race in Montreal on Saturday and will miss practice, but I guess that’s why rally has the bravest co-drivers. I can't wait to get there and race.”

Said earned his X Games bid via an “at large” invitation due to his numerous racing accomplishments, which include winning the 1997 and 1998 24 Hours of Daytona and the 1991 12 Hours of Sebring, the report continued. During 2002 which was Said’s first full season of competition, he won the SCCA Trans-Am Championship. In 2005, he became the first American to win the esteemed 24 Hours of Nurburgring in Germany. Said also has four American Le Mans Series and a number of SPEED World Challenge wins to his credit.

“Having Boris drive one of our Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally cars in the X Games should attract more overall racing fans to rallying,” said Tim Mahoney, the senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Subaru of America, Inc. “And since ESPN is a NASCAR broadcaster, the network’s interest in highlighting Boris’s participation - and that of Subaru – can only be stronger.” “Boris’s accomplishments in a variety of other forms of racing provides a familiar face to fans outside rallying and can demonstrate to them, as well as the rally faithful, the performance of a rally-spec Subaru Impreza WRX STI,” added James Han, the SOA Motorsports manager, who pointed out that, different from the typical stock cars Said has been driving, the Subaru rally car incorporates symmetrical all-wheel drive and a boxer engine.

Said has etched a good name even beyond international sports car racing. He has performed in several NASCAR disciplines and series including Craftsman Truck, BUSCH and Nextel Cup. In 1998, he won a Truck series at Infineon Sears Point Raceway.

Said will drive a 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI prepared by Vermont SportsCar, which also fields entries for Subaru Rally Team USA drivers Travis Pastrana and Ken Block. Like his NASCAR entry, Said’s rally car will be No. 60.

The Impreza WRX STI is the highest standard-edition trim in the Impreza compact car line. It features Subaru OEM parts mated to performance car accessories.

Rally action at X Games 13 begins with practice on August 2 and 3 and ends with the Super Special final competition on August 5. The final will be broadcast live on ABC.

The X Games features over 150 of the world’s best athletes competing in BMX Freestyle, Skateboard, Moto X, Surfing and Rally Car Racing. L.A.-based venues include STAPLES Center and The Home Depot Center.

As of August 2, X Games 13 rally car racing entry list consist of drivers and co-drivers includes Travis Pastrana/Christian Edstrom, Boris Said/John Buffum, Ken Block/Alex Gelsomino, Colin McRae/Carolyn Bosley, Tanner Foust/Christine Beavis, Andrew Pinker/Robbie Durant, Matt Iorio/Ole Holter, Paul Choiniere/Jeffrey Becker, Ramana Lagemann/Mark Williams, Andrew Comrie-Picard/Marc Goldfarb, Antoine L’Estage/Nathalie Richard, Boris Said/John Buffum, and Pat Moro/Mike Rossey.

Porsche Range of Hybrid Vehicles Soon to be the Fastest in the World

By Evander Klum

News from GoAutonews states that the Panamera which is a four-door Porsche sedan is going to be produced with a range of engines that will include a V10 model and a hybrid version that employs the same drivetrain as the Cayenne hybrid. The Panamera is said to have the potential of becoming the fastest hybrid in the world.

By 2009 it is expected that the V10, V6, and V8 versions of the Panamera are to be released followed by hybrid versions after two years. The hybrid will make use of Cayenne’s 34kW electric motor driving via the standard six-speed Tiptronic transmission. Top speed is obtained through the use of the so-called parallel system of Porsche that involves an electric motor placed in between the petrol engine and the transmission that boost stability and provide the benefits derived from power split systems that are commonly employed by other automakers in transferring a fixed amount of torque by way of the electrical path while limiting the top speed so as to match the capability of the electric motor.

The four-door, four-seat Panamera will roundup Porsche’s planned quartet which will be comprised of the 911, Cayenne, Boxster/Cayman and of course the Panamera. After the launching of the fourth series, Porsche will introduce a sports coupe from the premium class and will be regarded as a genuine Porsche in performance, exclusivity and sporting spirit.

GoAutonews has also predicted that Porsche might reveal the Panamera at the 2008 Paris Motor Show.

More news on Porsche Hybrids… Porsche the producer of Porsche catalytic converter has recently confirmed that its engineers are working to achieve 26 mpg from the full hybrid system that will be installed in the upcoming hybrid version of the Cayenne.

The German sports car maker has already released pictures of the Cayenne Hybrid as its way of arousing interest for the vehicle before its formal launch scheduled at the end of the decade.

The automaker is also targeting an average fuel consumption of around 24 mpg in the US and further stated that "future developments may allow Porsche engineers to push towards an average fuel consumption figure of approximately 26 miles per gallon."

Porsche has also explained that the Cayenne Hybrid will be given a full-hybrid design "where the hybrid module [clutch and electric motor] is positioned between the combustion engine and the transmission rather than having the hybrid drivetrain branching output along various lines and in various directions via a planetary gearset." This particular design is employed since it perfectly suits the current platform of the Cayenne. It also improves acceleration as well as engine flexibility.

The power steering together with other auto components such as vacuum pump for both brakes and air-conditioning are powered by electricity which further lowers down fuel consumption. In addition, the electrohydraulic steering which is fitted in the Cayenne Hybrid is said to be a first of its kind used for vehicles.

Porsche has also announced its plans of creating a similar hybrid technology in a version of its Panamera four-door Gran Turismo probably at the end of the decade.