M35x Awd. Premium Pkg. Climate Control Seats, Back Up Camera, Premium Sound,etc on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Recharge Wrap-up: Q50 Hybrid video, Iran's biodiesel weed

A new video from Infiniti showcases the Q50 Hybrid's kinetic energy recovery technology, borrowed from Formula One. The video details what is going on inside both the Q50 Hybrid and the racecar when it gathers energy to store for later use, offering better performance than an internal combustion engine alone. In the Q50 Hybrid, that electric energy helps the car accelerate from 0-60 in 4.9 seconds. The video also serves to highlight the relationship between racing innovation and performance and efficiency improvements in production vehicles. See the video above. The 2015 Toyota Prius C has been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The compact hybrid, updated for the 2015 model year, has been upgraded from a "poor" to "acceptable" rating in the small overlap crash test, placing it on the Top Safety Pick list. Beginning in the 2016 model year, cars will have to score a "good" rating on the test to make the list, which means further improvements will be necessary if Toyota wants the Prius C to maintain its safety status with the IIHS. Read more at Green Car Reports. A couple in Tennessee have been found guilty of scamming the state in a fake biodiesel scheme. John and Lisa Brichetto's Northington Energy LLC received a state loan to produce biodiesel in 2011, but the facility never started production and was later foreclosed upon. In addition to the $142,215 the Brichettos defrauded from Tennessee, the state also invested in utilities and roads, while the US Department of Agriculture also paid for site improvements. Read more from the Times Free Press. Researchers in Iran have developed a way to make biodiesel from a weed. Scientists at the Islamic Azad University have created two liters of biomass for biofuel from flixweed. Flixweed, also called herb-Sophia and tansy mustard, is a non-edible weed that grows in various climates with little to no effort. It was found to contain 22 percent oil and fatty acids, and the biomass contains oxygenated chemical components. "This issue is important because the atomic oxygen in the fuel of a car directly cuts exhaust and the dangerous carbon monoxide and cancerous particles suspended in air," says Mehdi Alami, a chemistry graduate working on the project. Read more at Press TV.

Watch Sebastian Vettel become first driver to lap Sochi GP circuit

In April of last year, Sebastian Vettel and David Coulthard drove the unpaved Sochi Formula One circuit in a pair of Infiniti M sedans, getting both muddy and airborne in the process. Now with tarmac laid down and fences put up, Vettel and Coulthard have gone back to the Black Sea vacation spot for another hot lap, this time in a Q50 Hybrid and without the need for mud flaps.
Sochi has earned the blessing of F1's race director, so now the next test will be the fans. With a healthy amount of wall-and-fencing along the straights, it has shades of Valencia for the viewer. We hope it will be much more exciting than its Spanish counterpart when racing happens on October 12. You'll find more videos below covering Infiniti's visits to the Sochi Autodrom, and a press release on the latest lap.

Infiniti introduces Q70 Premium Select Edition to Monterey crowds

Infiniti has made its presence at the 2015 Monterey Car Week known, introducing a new version of its flagship sedan, the Q70. As far as special editions go, the new Premium Select Edition Q70 is fairly light on upgrades, going for minor aesthetic tweaks rather than rocking the boat too heavily. Unsurprisingly, one of the most obvious changes is down low, where Infiniti's stylists have fitted new 20-inch wheels. The gunmetal hoops are joined by dark chrome trim on the fascia, a new rear bumper, and a decklid spoiler. Buyers have the choice of two interior trims. There's Graphite and Stone, both of which feature semi-aniline leather, a "suede-like" headliner, and aluminum interior trim pieces. Infiniti isn't too picky when it comes to powertrains for the Premium Select Edition, although there are some restrictions. It can be had with both the 3.7-liter V6 and 5.6-liter V8 and in rear- or all-wheel-drive models. Weirdly, though, you can't get the stylish trim on the Q70 Hybrid or on long-wheelbase models. We can't tell you how much it'll cost to add the special-edition trim, because Infiniti did not deign to release pricing info. We can, however, tell you that the Q70 Premium Select Edition will hit dealers this November. Look for more, including live images of the new sedan, as the Monterey Car Week continues. Until then, scroll down for the official press release. Related Video: 2016 Infiniti Q70 Premium Select Edition debuts at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Infiniti today announced that the new 2016 Infiniti Q70 Premium Select Edition will be on display this week in the Infiniti Pavilion at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The specially equipped Q70 premium sedan will be available at Infiniti retailers nationwide beginning in November. "Following the introduction last year of the new Infiniti Q70 long-wheelbase model, we are continuing to expand our flagship Q70 sedan's portfolio of offerings," said Randy Parker, vice president, Infiniti Americas. "The new Premium Select Edition package gives the Q70 an extra touch of premium elegance that is right at home here at Pebble Beach – or in any neighborhood or driveway across the country." The Q70 Premium Select Edition's exterior offers dark chrome trim, a darkened lower rear bumper, a rear decklid spoiler and unique design and color 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with 245/40R20 all-season performance tires.