Toyota Raum 1999 Rear Right Combination Lamp [1615500] on 2040-parts.com

New December 2008 issue on sale today

By Tim Pollard 29 October 2008 14:46 The new December 2008 issue of CAR Magazine goes on sale today – read on for a guided tour around the pick of our stories, drives and features. Edited highlights include: • CAR is first to drive new Merc SL65 Black Series• Big tests of new Ford Ka and Vauxhall Insignia • The definitive road test verdict on Ferrari’s California: 3000 words, ten pages• We ask the A-list industry chiefs how they’ll survive the crunch• Colin McRae’s tribute one year after his death• Bond special: CAR drives 007’s DBS on location• PLUS! The worst Bond cars ever• The Swiss graveyard for amazing cars• We gatecrash the new Bugatti Grand Sport launch• Mark Walton revisits the Bugatti Veyron supercar• Adventure 1: to Mongolia by Land Rover• Adventure 2: from Boston to California (the British ones) by Dodge Challenger• First drives of new Megane, Q7 V12, Infinitis, Cayman, Twingo, 500, 7-series, RS6• Life with our Lexus IS-F, Caterham, Kuga, Mini, C-class, Bentley Conti• Ferrari 250 GTO, a celebration.

Toyota tests chips that improve hybrid efficiency by 10 percent

Toyota announced on Tuesday that it has developed a new semiconductor, claiming it can boost fuel efficiency in hybrid cars by an impressive 10 percent. The semiconductors manage the flow of electricity through the power-control unit that connects the battery to an electric or hybrid car's motor and generator. The newly developed semiconductors are said to consume only a tenth of the energy of today's chips, while allowing the power-control unit to be 80 percent smaller.

Ford targets Toyota Prius with C-Max Energi crossover

Ford is going after the Toyota Prius with its new C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid. In its latest release, the Blue Oval called out the best-selling hybrid seven times while announcing the new crossover's fuel, range and pricing. Ford says the C-Max Energi will travel 550 miles on one tank of gas.