PG Elektrus is a $312k Pure Electric Lotus Elise with a Carbon-Fiber Body

Production of the Tesla Roadster may have ended but the pure-electric roadster model from Silicon Valley showed the way to other companies – and we mean that in the literal sense, as the PG Elektrus is an all too similar proposal. Created by German manufacturer PG and Düsseldorf-based automobile designer Michael Fröhlich, the roadster model is once again based on the Lotus Elise and features an electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery.
However, the Germans went one-step further and dressed the body in a carbon fiber suite to reduce the car's weight. Another highlight is the solar panel mounted behind the driver that collects the sun's energy and converts it into electricity to power up the batteries – or so the company claims.
The roadster model's electric motor produces the equivalent of 272-horsepower and 350Nm (258.2 lb-ft) of constant torque, which is said to be enough to propel the PG Elektrus to 100km/h (62mph) in less than three seconds and on to a top speed of up to 300km/h (186mph) – which if true, would probably drain out the batteries and significantly reduce the car's autonomy.
A special audio-based system allows the drive to select from a range of sounds that emulate real engines including a full-bodied V8 and a Formula-One racecar.
PG says that the Elektrus has a driving range of up to 350 kilometers or about 217 miles under normal conditions.
The German company has plans to produce a total of 667 examples of the Elektrus, each with a starting price of €240,000 (US$312,400).

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Jeep Debuts Stealthy Grand Cherokee Special at Houston Auto Show, Asks Consumers to Name it

All automakers have dedicated divisions that come up with names for their vehicles as well as the individual trim levels, but the Chrysler Group is taking a different course with its new production-intent Jeep Grand Cherokee Concept that was revealed today at the 2012 Houston Auto Show. The Detroit firm is asking consumers to find a name for the new edition of the Grand Cherokee and participate in an online contest at Jeep.com/namemyride. The company will narrow down the selection to three choices and allow the public to vote online for the winning name that will be announced in May.
Jeep said that the person who chooses the winning name will have an opportunity to win a new 2012 Grand Cherokee.
“We plan to garner feedback from consumers at the Houston Auto Show, and via our online Jeep ‘Name My Ride’ contest,” said Jeep CEO, Mike Manley. “If the level of excitement is what we anticipate, this new Grand Cherokee will be in Jeep showrooms this spring.”
The stealthy looking Grand Cherokee model gets a blacked out look that includes the vehicle’s grille, lower fascia applique, headlamp bezels, liftgate light-bar and even the 20-inch alloy wheels.
It is based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo X package, with standard features including leather-trimmed seats, steering wheel and shifter, heated front seats, a 9-speaker 506 watt amp sound system with subwoofer, iPod/MP3 connectivity, Parkview rear back-up camera, ParkSense rear-park assist system, Keyless Enter-N-Go, and Chrysler Group’s Uconnect hands-free communications system.
So, if you have any ideas about the name, head over to the comments section and share your thoughts.

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Kia Introduces New Three-Door Kia Rio in Britain, Priced from £9,995

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Following on from its world premiere at last September's Frankfurt Motor Show, Kia has now launched the three-door version of the new Rio supermini in the UK. This is the first time that the model is available in a three-door guise with Kia expecting it to account for around 20 to 25 percent of the car's total sales.
The three-door model gets the same engine range and trim line-up as the five door model that went on sale last year but offers £600 saving compared to the equivalent Rio 5d with prices starting from £9,995 OTR.
British buyers can choose from four engines including two petrol and two diesel units. cars forum
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The petrol range comprises of a 1.25-liter Kappa engine with 83bhp and 121Nm (89 lb-ft) of torque that returns a combined fuel economy of 56.5mpg UK (47mpg US), and the 1.4-liter Gamma developing 107bhp and 137Nm (101 lb-ft) with an average fuel efficiency of 51.4mpg UK (42.8mpg US).
On the diesel side, there's the 1.1-liter CRDi with 74bhp and 170Nm (125 lb-ft) that returns an impressive 78.5mpg UK (65.4mpg US) with CO2 emissions of 98 g/km, and the 1.4-liter CRDi that develops 89bhp and 220Nm (162 lb-ft) of torque, while averaging 70.6mpg UK (58.8mpg US) in mixed driving with 105 g/km of CO2.
All Rio 3d models come equipped with daytime running lights, MP3-compatible RDS radio and CD player with USB and AUX port, electronic stability control (ESC), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), emergency brake assist (EBA) and Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) as standard.
The ‘1 Air’ grade adds air conditioning, while the ‘2’ is distinguished by 16-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, a chrome grille, black cloth upholstery, cooling glovebox, electrically adjustable heated and folding door mirrors with side indicators, leather trim on the steering wheel and gearshift and a centre console armrest.
The top-end '3' trim adds 17-inch rims with lower profile tires, LED daytime running and rear lights, automatic air conditioning with auto de-fog, rain sensing wipers, cruise control, heated front seats and six speakers instead of four.
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Report: McLaren Finishing Work on Spyder Version of the MP4-12C

We've known for a while that the MP4-12C was just the warning shot at McLaren’s declaration of war against established supercar manufacturers. In fact, we have already detailed its plans for a new range of supercars based on the carbonfiber chassis of the MP4-12C. The open-top version of the McLaren MP4-12C will be the first one to hit the market and battle it out with the new Ferrari 458 Spider .
British motoring magazine Car reports that McLaren has already manufactured a prototype of the MP4-12C Spyder with the production version scheduled to be revealed before the end of this year. It is based on the coupe and will be powered by the same 600HP, 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8.
Unlike its nemesis from Maranello, though, chopping off the roof doesn’t come at the expense of replacing the glass engine cover with a non-transparent hood since McLaren’s engineers have lowered the plenum by 8 mm, thus keeping the powertrain visible.
Car says that according to sources close to the project, the MP4-12C Spyder will feature a three-piece roof made of aluminum and plastic and, like the 458, its design will be more like a targa than a full convertible due to the buttresses behind the seats that also act as rollover hoops.
The same sources claim that roof operation takes around 17 seconds, 3 more than the Ferrari, and can be lowered or raised at speeds up to 5 mph (8 km/h).

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