The LA Times' Pulitzer Prize-winning auto critic, Dan Neil, had a chance to sample the Audi e-tron while the electric R8 (R8e?) was down in So. Cal. for the LA Auto Show, and he's suitably impressed with the nine-month-old prototype that -- unlike your average concept -- is actually functional.

Not only does it go, stop and turn, the e-tron has a fully functional climate control system, power windows, MMI system and a host of other gadgets on board, making it a rarity in the world of one-off concepts. Granted, it's still just an overly-stylized mule (thankfully, the million-spoke wheels were dispatched in favor of the R8 V10's hoops), but this is less about the driving experience (although Neil raves about the dynamics and power delivery) and more about the world's largest automakers getting into the electric vehicle game.

Neil's primary point is that while Tesla and Fisker are laying the foundation for EV proliferation, automakers like Audi, Ford, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen all have electric whips in the works. Neil contends that the standards set by the major OEMs are what's going to drive EVs into the mainstream and if the e-tron (and the forthcoming electric Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG) are any indication, enthusiasts can have their cake and eat it too. Check out the full write-up and hit the jump for Dan's video review.



[Source: LA Times]

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The Indianapolis 500 is still more than five months away, but General Motors is getting a jump on the 2010 season with the unveiling of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS Pace Car.

Shown today at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the tangerine Camaro is a rolling homage to the original pony pace car that rolled onto the track in 1967, complete with Inferno Orange Metallic paint, White Diamond rally stripes and a color-matched instrument panel. While the auto-box equipped, 400-hp 6.2-liter V8 apparently remains unchanged, the rest of the modifications are primarily cosmetic, including the Indy 500 logos adorning the doors, front fenders and seat headrests, along with an all-new front grille that's slated to be available as a Camaro accessory in the future. The only safety equipment is the strobe light system mounted inside the rear window, negating the need for a traditional roof-top light bar.

The 2010 Indy 500 Camaro will be on display at the Indianapolis Auto Show starting on December 26, but you can get all the details by checking out the gallery below and the press release below the fold.

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It should come as no surprised that Subaru -- a brand that's made its name in the States for offering rugged, all-wheel drive vehicles -- is a little wary about bringing its own version of the RWD Toyobaru to the U.S.

Speaking with Wards Auto, Subaru spokesperson Michael McHale said, "We're an all-wheel drive brand," going on to say that, "If it doesn't affect the core of the brand, maybe we'd bring it in as an interesting option."

Although we've yet to seen the Subaru variant of the Toyota FT-86, the rebodied version is expected to debut sometime in 2010, with both examples going on sale in Japan later next year or in early 2011. Power is supposedly supplied by Subaru-sourced, Toyota-tweaked flat-four, putting out around 200 horsepower in naturally aspirated guise.

For Toyota to make a business case for putting the FT-86 into production, it's been all but assumed that the RWD coupe would go on sale in markets outside of Japan -- specifically in Europe and North America. However, the Subaru version's fate isn't quite as clear. If earlier reports are any indication, offering an AWD coupe could be a possibility given the coupe's underpinnings. But if it's strictly RWD, McHale hopes consumers can, "forgive us a one-off exception."




[Source: Wards Auto]

Ask us to pick our favorite Mercedes-Benz products of all time and towards the top of that list sits this: The 1968-1972 300SEL 6.3. Introduced at the 1968 Geneva Motor Show, the original 6.3 was the product of one rogue Mercedes engineer who took the 109-series Type 300 SEL sedan and shoved the Type 600 limo's 6.3-liter V8 underhood. The heart transplant was good for 250 horsepower, allowed the Teutonic sled to rocket to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds, top out at 136 mph and made it the fastest road-going sedan of the time.

Not only did the 6.3 out accelerate the Porsche 911 S and Jaguar E-Type 4.2, with it's pneumatic suspension, anti-dive control and four-wheel disc brakes, it could dance as well as it could surge. And of course, Jay Leno has a 1969 example parked in his So. Cal. stable.

During a press event earlier this month, Jay and the Mercedes crew held a little soiree at his "shop" and revealed Leno's plans to swap in the 6.2-liter V8 from the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG into his 40-year-old sedan. The union of the 300SL and the 563-hp AMG-fettled mill apparently has Mercedes' blessing, as the automaker's engineerings are helping Jay with the swap. Naturally, we can't wait to see and hear the results, and we'd expect a video of the reborn beast to be up in the coming months.



[Source: USAToday via Save The Enzos]

After providing us an exclusive glimpse inside the Hennessey Performance workshop, the Texas-based tuner has let more details slip on the development of the Venom GT -- a Lotus Elise-based supercar packing Corvette ZR1 firepower.

Before the production version debuts at the Geneva Motor Show this March, Hennessey has released a few renderings, along with more shots from inside the shop and a basic spec sheet, including performance figures and few technical details. The rear-drive, two-seater should tip the scales at 2,395 pounds, with a twin-turbo V8 mounted amidships and dolling out 1,000 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 950 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm. As reported previously, power will be sent through a six-speed manual gearbox with forward progressed scrubbed off by Brembo brakes sized 15 inches in front and 14 inches in the rear. And the performance stats are nothing short of unbelievable. 0-60 mph will be dispatched in 2.2 seconds. 0-100 mph in 4.9 seconds and the 200 mph mark will be had in 14.5 seconds before maxing out at a claimed 262 mph. Judging by the newly released pics, the Venom GT is nearly complete and we expect to see the production version before it's official unveiling in Switzerland.




[Source: Hennessey Performance]

Among the myriad of technological features coming to the 2011 Audi A8, its revised Multi Media Interface system, complete with the new "MMI touch" feature, will also include the first application of Google Earth in a production car.

In addition to the traditional hard-disk navigation system, an optional GPRS/EDGE modem is integrated into the MMI nav-plus system allowing a constant stream of information to be downloaded and accessed from Google. Along with GPS-based searches for local services, users can plan out their trips on Google Maps, Google Earth or through Audi's online portal, and navigation data is analyzed and relayed to all the A8's systems, including the automatic cruise control with "Start & Go" functionality, the adaptive lights and the eight-speed automatic gearbox.

With a SIM card inserted into the A8's MMI setup (or data-enabled phone paired via Bluetooth) Google Earth can provide drivers with a three-dimensional view of their surroundings displayed on the A8's eight-inch LCD display, showing satellite imagery and terrain modeling, along with all the traditional navigation system's functionality both online and off. The integration of Google Earth is set to go live on the A8 sometime in the middle of 2010, soon after Audi's new flagship goes on sale in the spring. Check out all the details in the press release after the jump.

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