Arai Racing Helmet Rx-7 RrⅢ Limited Giacomo Agostini　excellent　! on 2040-parts.com

New Mercedes S-Class Plug-in Hybrid to debut at Frankfurt Motor Show

The new Mercedes S-Class (pictured) will arrive with a plug-in hybrid version in September We’ve known Mercedes were planning a plug-in hybrid version of the new S-Class as far back as 2009, and it now appears it will debut – as a 2014 model – at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show in September. When Mercedes revealed the Vision S500 Plug-in Hybrid Concept at Frankfurt in 2009, they had fitted it with a V6 petrol engine mated to a 44kw motor and a bank of lithium-ion batteries, and promised the hybrid S-Class would do 90mpg, have emissions of under 75g/km and manage 18 miles in EV mode. That means the hybrid S-Class would have performance comparable to the V8 petrol-engined S500 but attract no BIK or VED in the UK.

Toyota sets Nurburgring record... for fuel economy

WHATEVER else you might say about Toyota, it seems the brand has a sense of humour. Driving enthusiasts will hand their (petrol)heads in shame after Toyota completed the 12.9-mile German track at an average of 698mpg. The embarrassingly pedestrian time of 20 minutes and 59 seconds was set by motor journalist and Japanese car expert Joe Clifford, and since Toyota is the first to shame itself with a fuel economy run at the heart of performance car testing, it automatically sets a new efficiency record.

2013 Mercedes SLS Electric Drive: Paris 2012

The electric SLS – the Mercedes SLS Electric Drive – has been shown at Paris 2012 ahead of a 2013 launch. Mercedes are billing the electric SLS as the most powerful production electric car in the world, and with an output of 740 horses from its four electric motors – one at each corner – that’s no surprise. That output – and a torque figure of 738lb/ft – makes the electric SLS a whole heap more powerful than its ICE counterpart and allows it to get to 62mph in 3.9 seconds.