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Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla breaks dyno on video, Lexus trademarks 'LS 500h'

A video shows a Tesla Model S P85D breaking a dyno during a test. Starting at a slow roll, the instant torque under full power snapped a belt on the dynamometer. Before it broke, the dyno measured over 700 pound-feet of torque from the all-wheel-drive Tesla. A previous dyno run saw the car reach its 155-mph top speed and a peak 435 horsepower. See the video above, and read more at DragTimes. Lexus has filed a trademark for "LS 500h" in Europe. This calls for some speculation as to what this means for an upcoming model. It could be that Lexus plans to release the LS with a new powertrain, perhaps a 4.0-liter engine with a hybrid system. Maybe it will use the 3.5-liter V-6 with a more powerful hybrid system. The LS 600h could simply be getting a new name. Or, we might not see the LS 500h badge used at all in the near future. Note that Lexus trademarked LC 500 and LC 500h in Canada last year, and we've seen no such cars yet. Read more at Hybrid Cars. Ethanol producers have strong words in response to the American Petroleum Institute's claims for demand for ethanol-free gasoline. The API and National Marine Manufacturers Association have urged the EPA to consider marine and small engine demand for E0 gasoline when setting Renewable Fuel Standard volume requirements. Big Oil is using a "false narrative to discourage the use of a cleaner, less expensive, homegrown renewable fuel," according to Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis. Buis says ethanol doesn't cause problems in marine and small engines, a statement backed by the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute. "What probably does concern boaters is the amount of time they spend dry docked as a result of oil spills, like the one that dumped 21,000 gallons of oil along four miles of coastline in Santa Barbara, California," says Buis. Read more from Ethanol Producer Magazine. Related Gallery 2013 Lexus LS 600h L: Quick Spin View 13 Photos News Source: DragTimes, YouTube: DragTimes, Hybrid Cars, Ethanol Producer Magazine Green Lexus Tesla Alternative Fuels Ethanol Electric Hybrid Videos recharge wrapup

Lexus fans vote Solar Flare for new RC F hue

What's in a name? When it comes to model nameplates, quite a lot, and automakers go to considerable lengths to find just the right one. Same goes for the names of the colors in the catalog (save for maybe the Rape Yellow in the extensive Bugatti palette), but every once in a while, an automaker will open it up for suggestions from the public.
SRT did that when it introduced a new shade of blue for its Viper, as did Chevy for the pale green on the Volt. And last month, Lexus followed a similar path when it asked fans on Facebook to come up with a name for the new shade of orange for the RC F.
Fans suggested names like Tangerine Flame, Outrageous Orange and Fiery Orange, but ultimately the winning submission that Lexus selected was Solar Flare. The name was suggested by five individuals and will now enter the catalog of colors for the new luxury muscle coupe with its 450-horsepower 5.0-liter V8.

Lexus files to copyright LC 500 nameplates [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Reached for comment, Lexus told Autoblog that it "cannot offer comment on the potential naming of a production version of the LF-LC concept" and pointed out that automakers trademark nameplates as a matter of course. Some automakers already slap a production-ready name on their concepts, but not Lexus. The Japanese automaker typically labels its show cars with the letters LF-XX. So when we heard that Toyota had green-lit the LF-LC concept for production, we naturally started wondering what name the production version would carry. But if the latest intel is any indication, we can stop wondering. According to Lexus Enthusiast, the automaker has filed to trademark the names LC 500 and LC 500h in a variety of markets – including the United States, Canada and Australia. The application tells us a number of things: first of all, that the LF-LC will retain that second set of letters along the road to production (like the NX but unlike other recent Lexus concepts). And secondly, it indicates what engines we can expect to find under the hood. The 500 designation would seem to suggest that the base version of Lexus' upcoming halo sports car will pack the 5.0-liter V8 from the RC F. The bigger question mark is over the hybrid version. Current gasoline-electric models in the company's lineup include the RX 450h (based on a 3.5-liter V6) and the LS 600h (with a 5.0-liter V8). For the LC 500h, Lexus could be planning a more potent electric motor to mate to the 3.5L V6, or planning a new powertrain altogether.