Toyota Yaris is all youthful and fun, but it is never a ride closely associated with high performance and that’s probably because it isn’t, or at least it never is in most parts of the world that gets this cute little hatch from Toyota. However, in Europe, 2017 Toyota Yaris may not as tame as we believe it to be and rightfully, it shouldn’t be tame at all since it already has developed a race homologation Yaris destined for 2017 World Rally Championships. Sitting in between the super hot Toyota’s WRC contender, the 375 horsepower 2017 Yaris WRC and a regular 106 horsepower Yaris, is a high performance derivative that has 207 horses (210 DIN hp) packed under the hood. Continue reading ‘High Performance Derivative’ Of The 2017 Toyota Yaris Looks Kinda Hot!
Tag Archives: Compact Hatch
John Cooper Works Touched 2017 MINI Clubman Gets 231 Horsepower
Big MINI like the Countryman and Clubman are exactly huge, but they are still practical. Practicality may have won’t some while others are less than satisfied with its performance. If that’s what stopping you from appreciating a MINI, or in this case, a Clubman, then perhaps the new MINI John Cooper Works Clubman should entice you with 39 horses more over the MINI Cooper S Clubman. Powered by a 2.0L 4-cylinder petrol unit with TwinPower Turbo Technology and mated to a 6-speed stick shifter (or an option 8-speed Steptronic sports transmission) which puts the 231 horses produced to good use on all four wheels, propelling it from naught to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 6.3 seconds and sending it on its way to a top speed of 238 km/h (148 mph). Continue reading John Cooper Works Touched 2017 MINI Clubman Gets 231 Horsepower
All-New MINI Countryman Unveiled Along With A Plug-in Hybrid Variety
BMW Group has unveiled a spanking new MINI Countryman model which, not surprisingly, got a bump in size – making it the largest MINI yet. Also introduced was an electrified Countryman, a plug-in hybrid model MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4, the marque’s first electric drive since like when? 2010? Whatever is the case, the SE is still officially the British marque’s first plug-in hybrid. Anywho, the plug-in hybrid model is a welcome addition for those who love upsized MINI with a lower carbon footprint. Speaking of upsized, the 2017 MINI Countryman is a good 20 centimeters (7 7/8 inches) longer and 3 centimeters (13/16) wider than the outgoing model. Continue reading All-New MINI Countryman Unveiled Along With A Plug-in Hybrid Variety
Craftsman Built Bamboo Electric Car, Plans To Take It On A 620 Miles Journey
Even an electric car we see today is not 100 percent sustainable. If you truly believe in sustainability, you should be driving an electric made out almost entirely bamboo like what this bamboo craftsman, Yoshi from Susaki, Kochi Prefecture, did. Yoshi is no ordinary craftsman; he is the fourth generation bamboo craftsman to run the Taketora Bamboo in Western Japan. However, he did not enlist his outfit to create this one-of-a-kind bamboo on wheels; instead he looked to crowdfunding to realized his dream. Being a bamboo craftsman, Yoshi has the dream of making a bamboo electric car where he managed to garner support from 115 folks, rolling in $30,000 for the project. Continue reading Craftsman Built Bamboo Electric Car, Plans To Take It On A 620 Miles Journey
In The Next 100 Years, MINI Will Be A Semi-Autonomous Shared Car
You have seen BMW Vision Next 100 and more recently, Rolls-Royce Vision Next 100. Now meet the MINI Vision Next 100 – the last of the three BMW Group’s marque (excluding Motorrad). If you don’t already know, MINI Vision Next 100, like the other two Vision Next 100 Concepts, is a look into what lies ahead for the marque in terms of design and technology. In the case of MINI Vision Next 100, it leans toward car-sharing which the automaker describes as “every MINI is my MINI.” But it won’t be the car-sharing as you have known. MINI users of the future will be able to access and tailor the ride to their own personal likings, wherever and whenever they desire. Continue reading In The Next 100 Years, MINI Will Be A Semi-Autonomous Shared Car
Renault Gave Twingo A Boost With 110 BHP, Aptly Calls It ‘GT’
Some car enthusiasts will tell you that a ‘real’ car is one that’s rear-engined, rear-wheel driven and on stick shift. Now, with such strict prerequisites, you’d be hard pressed to find a ride that fits the bill and yet not break your bank. Well, that’s not entirely true if you are in Europe, where for significantly less dollars, you probably can drive home a rear-wheel drive, manual gearbox rear-engined car with turbocharger to boot – thanks to Renault’s new Twingo GT. The French automaker describes the Twingo GT, an obvious performance variant to the lesser Twingo, as “genre-busting” and there’s no reason why it isn’t – especially when it has 110 bhp and 125.38 lb-ft wrung out of its 898cc Energy TCe turbo engine, a revised manual gearbox and of course, rear-wheel drive. That, my friend, sure sounds like the ultimate recipe for a smoking hot hatch. Continue reading Renault Gave Twingo A Boost With 110 BHP, Aptly Calls It ‘GT’
MINI Seven Special Edition: The Humble Austin Seven Remembered
When it comes to special edition automobile, MINI is second to none and just when you thought the German automaker-owned, British marque has run out of ideas for special edition, it dishes out yet another and this time, it pays tribute the original Austin Seven of 50s and 60s. Aptly dubbed MINI Seven, it is every inch of the MINI you know today and as with the special editions before it, the only special would be cosmetic, which extends from the outside to the cabin. The former includes an unique paint scheme, Lapisluxury Blue, you see here, along with Pepper White, Midnight Black, and not forgetting, British Racing Green as alternatives. Continue reading MINI Seven Special Edition: The Humble Austin Seven Remembered
Shell Unveils Super Energy Efficient Concept Car That Runs On Bespoke Oil
While the world is embracing electric vehicles, the oil industry is surely not thrill about it. The once important fuel of life is facing the threat of being relegated to as a secondary source. The panic alarm must have already sounded in the oil industry, but for oil giant Shell Oil Company, it is not going to let electric vehicles have their way, at least not now. It has collaborated with automotive design firm Gordon Murray Design and engine specialist Geo Technology to develop a city car that is said to “deliver a 34 percent reduction in primary energy use over its entire lifecycle” over a typical city car (and 69 % less than SUV) in the U.K. This “energy reduction” begins with the build, which uses half of the energy used to build a car of a similar size. Continue reading Shell Unveils Super Energy Efficient Concept Car That Runs On Bespoke Oil
Man Turns 1st Generation Smart ForTwo Into A Capable Off-Road Coupe
So you think Smart Fortwo is for wuss? Well, it might be true as it is a city car after all, but when Ukrainian Gerogiy Kosilov sat in one, he thought otherwise. A train of thoughts went through Gerogiy, otherwise known as Mr. George, and the light bulb flicks on. To George that particular ForTwo’s rear mounted turbo diesel motor makes for a good off-road vehicle and so he set out to grab his own first generation Fortwo, grabbed a bunch of parts from Volkswagen, Honda and Mitsubishi to cobbled up this tiny little off-road monster coupe. Continue reading Man Turns 1st Generation Smart ForTwo Into A Capable Off-Road Coupe
Good News! MINI Is Getting Scissor Doors As An Option! Or Is It Really?
Given that this press release was sent out on the March 31, 2016, it is not surprising to know that the MINI scissor doors option is an April Fools’ Day joke. Come on, folks, isn’t it a little too obvious? Scissor doors on a MINI? Really? On the second thought, maybe some may have been duped cos’ the press text was serious, with the German-owned British marque saying things like “making it easier for customers to squeeze their MINI into even the tightest of parking spaces,” and further adding that the doors will only available for MINI 3-door, MINI Paceman and the new MINI Convertible initially and it will come to MINI 5-door, 6-door MINI Clubman and Countryman. Continue reading Good News! MINI Is Getting Scissor Doors As An Option! Or Is It Really?