Diesel Smart to become UK’s cleanest by 2009

By Guy Bird Motor Industry 17 June 2008 10:30 From February 2009 the cleanest conventional-engined car you can buy will be a diesel Smart Fortwo. That’s the date set for the launch of a right-hand drive version of the city car brand’s oil-burning two-seater Fortwo coupe and cabriolet already on sale in Continental Europe. The incredible economy and emissions stats – 85.6mpg and 88g/km of CO2 – are streets ahead of current low emitter champions like the VW Polo 1.4 TDI Bluemotion and Seat Ibiza Ecomotive, both offering 74.3mpg and 99g/km.

Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid race car revealed

Porsche will bring its latest hybrid know-how to the racetrack in the form of the new 911 GT3 R Hybrid, revealed here for the first time prior to a planned public premiere at the Geneva auto show in early March. Developed by a team of engineers at Porsche's Weissach R&D center, Porsche plans for the stripped-out race car to act as a rolling laboratory. The German carmaker wants to explore the potential of hybrid drivetrains in a racing environment before an expected announcement that it will return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a factory capacity, perhaps in 2012, with a race car boasting technology based on that used in the 911 GT3 R Hybrid.

2011 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang gets more power, loses gas-guzzler tax

The 2011 version of the Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang carries a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 that weighs less, delivers more power and uses a unique spray-coating process that eliminates the need for cast-iron liners in the aluminum cylinder block. The 550-hp Shelby GT500 also loses something from the previous model--it's gas-guzzler tax. Ford says the new Shelby GT500 will deliver 23 mpg on the highway and 15 mpg in the city.