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Toyota talks powertrain plans

After trailing many of its competitors in the recent engine- and transmission-technology wars, Toyota Motor Corp. will launch a swath of powertrains in the next several years, a top powertrain r&d executive said. Koei Saga, senior managing officer in charge of drivetrain r&d, said that Toyota is investing heavily in turbocharged engines, larger displacement Atkinson cycle engines, continuously variable and fixed-gear automatic transmissions, and new hybrid and fuel cell technologies.

Captain Jack goes rallying with Fifth Gear

John Barrowman - Captain Jack Harkness - tackles the Sweet Lamb Rally Stage with Tiff Needell John Barrowman – a.k.a. Captain Jack Harkness from Doctor Who / Torchwood (a proper petrol-head) – jumped at the chance to take on the rally stage in the Prodrive Impreza N2009 under the tutelage of Fifth Gear’s Tiff Needell. Not surprisingly, it took a bit more effort from Tiff than the Stig needs to put in to get a star round a lap of the TG track, but he managed to show John the basics before John put in a time on the Sweet Lamb stage.

Rolls-Royce teases new car for Geneva

Rolls-Royce is headed to the Geneva motor show with something new. From the teaser photo the company sent, we think that it will probably be the next Ghost sedan. It’s been nearly five years since the last Ghost launched in September of 2009.