After an arduous day of preparation, Honda engineers have finally hit the race track in their mule for the next NSX. Seeing this prototype in the light of day reveals proportions consistent with Acura’s Advanced Sports Car Concept, which debuted at the ‘07 North American International Auto show.

The S2000-based body panels used on this mule don’t exactly correspond to the show car, but it may tell us of the direction Acura is traveling with the next NSX.

First of all, the stacked exhaust set-up on this mule looks similar to the placement on the concept. The mule’s large central air-intake at the front suggests that the production NSX may veer away from the styling of the concept, which had a smoother nose with air-intakes mounted wide on the front bumper. Given the lukewarm reception given to the most recent NSX concept, the design transition from concept to production was expected to involve marked styling changes.

The expansive hood on this mule definitely looks large enough to handle a V-8 or V-10 engine.

for more details; www.leftlanenews.com

GM’s 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and 2008 GMC Yukon Hybrid are the first vehicles outfitted with an advanced two-mode hybrid powertrain developed through unprecedented cooperation by BMW, DaimlerChrysler and General Motors.

Hybrid variants of the Tahoe and Yukon deliver significantly improved fuel economy over their conventional counterparts — about 25 percent better, GM tells us. At the same time, these full-size SUVs can still haul seven or eight passengers plus cargo, and they can tow up to 6,000 pounds. Yet the only different thing you’ll notice about driving them is the number of fuel stations you can pass by without feeling the need to top off the gas tank.

A Tiny Science Geek Does the Work
Two-mode hybrids aren’t exactly new. GM has had the two-mode hybrid system working in transit buses since 2003. Today, about 700 of those buses are operating in 60 cities in North America and have just been introduced in Europe.

But the Tahoe and Yukon represent the technology’s first application to a personal-size vehicle. It comes from a unique collaboration among BMW, DaimlerChrysler and General Motors, which have established a special center in Troy, Michigan, where some of the brightest minds from these companies have been brought together.

The two-mode hybrid is a complex integration of electric motors, high-performance electronics, wiring, energy management and hybrid-system control units. As a result, GM had a devil of a time trying to help us understand why this two-mode hybrid technology is better than existing hybrids.

So here’s an elementary way to think about it: Imagine there’s a science geek under the hood of the Chevy Tahoe. The geek’s job is to keep the vehicle running at optimum fuel-efficiency. In fact, the geek thinks about this task 100 times every second.

Compared to the geeks that live under the hoods of other hybrids, the GM geek has a much bigger toolbox. And the science lies in manipulating all these tools without becoming hopelessly confused.

Inside the Geek’s Toolbox
The basic building block of the Tahoe Hybrid is a version of GM’s 6.0-liter Vortec V8. Then there’s a 300-volt battery that sits beneath the second-row seats. (Both the second- and third-row seats still fold and tumble like those in the conventional Tahoe.) Like a conventional hybrid, there are two electric motors, but they are very compact and are packaged within the transmission.

In fact, the real science of the two-mode hybrid lies in the transmission. It’s kind of like a continuously variable transmission (CVT), only there are very sophisticated controls to deliver speed while carefully balancing the amount of power that comes from both the gasoline V8 and the electric motors.

This is where the geek comes in. The geek figures out the situation and decides if it wants to use the electric motors or bypass them. GM engineers reckon that during city driving, the electric motors operate about 75 percent of the time, and the transmission bypasses them about 25 percent of the time. During highway driving, these percentages reverse, with the electric motors being engaged only about 25 percent of the time.

Two Modes Are Better Than One
For the Chevy Tahoe, each of its two modes has a specific duty in order to deliver the best fuel economy for the situation. During low-speed, light-duty driving, the system works like a conventional single-mode hybrid, stopping the V8 whenever it can and relying on one or both electric motors.

During highway cruising, the system uses one or both electric motors to provide a power boost when necessary. Meanwhile, the V8 engine incorporates a range of fuel-saving technologies, including variable valve timing and cylinder deactivation.

The magic really lies in the transmission, which shuts off the V8 engine when it can, and then tries to keep the engine running at a constant, fuel-saving rpm the rest of the time. And the transition between the two modes is completely seamless. That science geek under the hood really knows his stuff.

All That Typical Hybrid Stuff
Like other hybrids, the Tahoe and Yukon are equipped with regenerative brakes that capture energy normally wasted during braking and use it to recharge the battery. A new air-conditioning unit requires less power and thus uses less fuel. And Tahoe Hybrid rides on lightweight aluminum wheels with tires that have low rolling resistance.

A hybrid powertrain requires more airflow for cooling, so the front grille and front airdam have been suitably modified. Meanwhile the front fascia, running boards and rear spoiler have been reconfigured for a more slippery aerodynamic profile, while the chassis rake has been altered as well. As a result, the Tahoe Hybrid now has a 0.34 Cd, compared to the conventional version’s 0.39 Cd.

Since the new hybrid powertrain adds about 400 pounds to the Tahoe’s curb weight, there are a number of useful measures to reduce the vehicle’s weight. To begin with, the hood and rear liftgate are now aluminum. The front bucket seats are thinner, though they turn out to be just as comfortable and improve rear-seat legroom by a fraction.

Driving in the Science Mode
Our test-drive of the prototype Tahoe at GM’s proving grounds in Milford, Michigan, proved to be uneventful. And we mean that in a good way. It’s always best if a new technology is transparent and requires no adaptation, because drivers are always reluctant to change their behaviors.

The GM proving ground had been set up with orange cones and stop signs to simulate city stop-and-go traffic. Our Tahoe behaved much as other hybrids do. It predictably ran on electric power as we accelerated and then fell silent when we came to a stop. Occasionally, we edged past 20 mph and the gasoline engine joined in. The transitions between electric and gas power were quiet and smooth, almost imperceptible.

Later we drove the Tahoe Hybrid on the long, high-speed loop across the Milford asphalt, which simulates a two-lane country road with some curves, undulations and rough pavement. Except during acceleration and deceleration, the Tahoe Hybrid ran on the gas engine, mostly with V8 power. Toward the 50-mph mark on steady stretches, cylinder deactivation imperceptibly changed the V8 into a V4.

The Tahoe Hybrid also proved to have exceptional braking performance. The pedal felt firm, and the GM engineers claim the Hybrid comes to a halt in a shorter distance than the conventional Tahoe.

Coming to a Dealer Near You
The 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid goes on sale late this year, and it’ll be joined by a GMC Yukon Hybrid. Both will be available with both two- and four-wheel drive. GM hasn’t announced pricing, but we expect the price difference between a conventional Tahoe and the Tahoe Hybrid to be substantial, more like the price premium you pay for a Lexus RX 400h over its conventional counterpart.

Chrysler is next up for the two-mode hybrid and the Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango should incorporate the technology in early 2008. BMW hasn’t yet made any announcement about its use of the technology. The hybrid is also planned for a future Mercedes-Benz model, and we expect the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickups, plus the Cadillac Escalade to receive the two-mode hybrid technology.

Yet the real significance here is the system itself. The two-mode hybrid promises to deliver worthwhile fuel economy benefits across a wide range of driving situations. Just as important, it seems to be small enough and light enough to be easily packaged into vehicles of different sizes.

Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.

For more details; www.edmunds.com

GM comes out with the new Camaro which has a retro-style, two-door coupe with a big V-8.If that sounds familiar, that’s exactly what Ford did with the Mustang. Hot on the heels of the Pony car’s success, DaimlerChrysler has dusted off the Challenger and Chevy has produced a new Camaro, a nameplate that was more recently interred. The muscular Camaro concept is pure ‘69 updated, with the kind of subtle detailing that makes it look up-to-the-minute. The interior is very glitzy, and pays homage to the original, even down to the GM seat belt insignia and the twin instrument pods.

Chrysler executives have approved production of the new Imperial luxury sedan, according to industry sources cited by the Toronto Star. The official announcement is expected June 11th, according to the newspaper.

The company will invest $700 million for Imperial production at its its Brampton, Ontario plant, which already builds the Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300, and Dodge Magnum.

The news comes not long after Brampton workers rejected a company proposal that asked them to give up $115 per week in exchange for a contract to build the Imperial. The move put plans for production in jeopardy, but about 1,800 workers overturned the decision a few weeks later and accepted changes, according to the Star.

Chrysler announced plans to produce the new Dodge Challenger in early July 2006. Production will begin in early 2008. Chrysler will unveil the production version of the Challenger at the Chicago Auto Show in February 2008.

It’s not known when the company will reveal the production Imperial, or how closely it will match the concept version. Various reports have indicated it will retain its 214-inch length and 123-inch wheelbase.

Another mystery is the Imperial’s price. Chrysler’s Joe Eberhardt previously said he believes the brand enhanced its image enough with the 300 that it can now push further into the premium segment, challenging Cadillac and Lincoln. Eberhardt said Chrysler is not ready for a $50,000 vehicle, suggesting the Imperial will be priced comfortably below that. Analysts have predicted the Imperial will be priced $5,000 to $7,000 above the 300.

After the recent spy photos of the 2008 Honda Accord coupe showed up, it wasn’t too surprising when similar pictures of the 2008 Honda Accord sedan appeared. Like the coupe, the Honda Accord sedan was caught with minimal camouflage so nearly all of its exterior details are easy to make out. The Accord’s conservative styling isn’t much of a shock although we expected a sleeker looking four-door given the relatively attractive styling of the coupe. Expect to see this sedan debut along side the coupe this fall with sales beginning in the U.S. by the end of the year.

After numerous sightings of the 2009 Jaguar XF sedan, they finally have the first spy photos of the upcoming four door’s interior. Caught at a stop sign just outside Jaguar’s technical center, this XF prototype has what looks like a production quality interior.

The navigation screen looks as though it was pulled straight from the current XK coupe while the climate and radio controls have a straightforward looking layout. Also note the start button just under the arm of the driver. You can expect to see the full production version of this S-Type replacement in showrooms next spring.

If you’re in the market for a new pickup truck or sport utility vehicle, you might be better off waiting a month or two before you make a purchase.

After posting some rather dismal sales results for April, analysts expect the big automakers to do something this summer that they’ve been trying to avoid: bring back generous sales incentives to lure on-the-fence shoppers back into their showrooms.

A confluence of macroeconomic forces is driving the move, notes Jesse Toprak, executive director of industry analysis at automotive Web site Edmunds.com. He cited rising gas prices, which some say could hit $4 a gallon this summer, and weakening real estate prices, which have reduced the amount of cash that consumers have on hand for purchases. Both are having at least a psychological impact on would-be car buyers, he said.

“We usually see a rise in incentives from this point on into the summer, and it’s almost guaranteed we’ll see higher levels of incentives this year because of the very low volume of sales we saw in April,” said Toprak, noting that big trucks and SUVs are likely to see the greatest discounts.

“There’s a general uncertainty in the critical markets of California and Florida because of housing values, and in Florida some cities’ housing values are down 10 percent or more compared with last year,” he said. “So if your house’s value has declined over the last year, you probably won’t be in the mood to buy a new car, so the housing market is having a psychological impact on car buyers. And in April we may have seen consumers putting off their purchases and waiting for the next big sales promotion in the summer.”

Toprak expects a tough summer for the big U.S. automakers, which still make a large portion of their money from selling large SUVs and trucks, which tend to be more profitable than basic midsize passenger cars — a market segment that the Big Three have largely ceded to Asian automakers like Honda and Toyota.

“If gas prices continue to stay high, what people will want to buy is not what the Big Three U.S. automakers will want to sell,” Toprak said.

With average gas prices now over $3 per gallon, less-efficient trucks and SUVs are likely to be a tough sell for the Big Three. The market for full-size pickups is off 5 percent over the past four months, compared with the same period in 2006, according to Autodata.

GM fired a salvo last week when it rolled out a new round of sales incentives for its redesigned full-size pickup trucks, saying it needs to keep up with deals being offered by competitors. GM is offering zero-percent financing deals on 36-month loans for certain versions of its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. Similar incentives are expected from Ford and Chrysler unit.

GM CEO Rick Wagoner told CNBC that he’s seeing a replay of last year’s sales pattern — a move away from larger vehicles and toward smaller ones.

“About this time [last year], gas prices began to move up above $3 a gallon, and that has resulted in some sort of shift toward smaller vehicles,” Wagoner said. “We are seeing it shrink the market a little bit. April sales for the industry were not particularly strong, and it’s fair to say that the U.S. market isn’t very robust.”

Rising gas prices and consumers’ unwillingness to buy big trucks has been the norm over the last few years says Toprak, but now GM is offering incentives on its new pickups, and the new Toyota Tundra is seeing incentives very early in its product life cycles he notes — this shows macroeconomic factors are starting to have an impact, and these are factors that GM and Toyota had no control over.

Toprak also notes that the decline in housing has weighed on business purchases, so that contractors buying trucks have reined in their spending. And higher gas prices are keeping recreational truck buyers out of automobile showrooms. But the trend can be offset with generous incentives, he added.