The drive train and engine layout significantly influences the handling characteristics of an automobile, and is crucially important in the design of a sports car.

The front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout (FR) is common to sports cars of any era and has survived longer in sports cars than in mainstream automobiles. Examples include the Caterham 7, Mazda MX-5, and the Chevrolet Corvette. More specifically, many such sports cars have a FMR layout, with the centre of mass of the engine between the front axle and the firewall.

In search of improved handling and weight distribution, other layouts are sometimes used. The RMR layout is commonly found only in sports cars—the motor is centre-mounted in the chassis (closer to and behind the driver), and powers only the rear wheels. Some high-performance sports car manufacturers, such as Ferrari and Lamborghini prefer this layout.

Porsche is one of the few remaining manufacturers using the rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout (RR). The motor's distributed weight across the wheels, in a Porsche 911, provides excellent traction, but the significant mass behind the rear wheels makes it more prone to oversteer in some situations. Porsche has continuously refined the design and in recent years added electronic driving aids (i.e. computerised traction-stability control) to counteract these inherent design shortcomings.

Some sport cars have used the front-engine, front-wheel drive layout (FF), e.g. Fiat Barchetta, Saab Sonett and Berkeley cars. This layout is advantageous for small, light, lower power sports cars, as it avoids the extra weight, increased transmission power loss, and packaging problems of a long driveshaft and longitudinal engine of FR vehicles. Yet, its conservative handling effect, particularly understeer, and the fact that many drivers believe rear wheel drive is a more desirable layout for a sports car make this layout atypical to high-performance sports cars. The FF layout, however, is common in sport compacts and hot hatches, and cars in general (excepting sports cars).

Before the 1980s few sports cars used four-wheel drive, which had traditionally added a lot of weight. Although not a sports car, the Audi Quattro proved its worth in rallying. With its improvement in traction, particularly in adverse weather conditions, four-wheel drive is no longer uncommon in high-powered sports cars, e.g. Porsche, Lamborghini, and the Bugatti Veyron.

Sports car

The drive train and engine layout significantly influences the handling characteristics of an automobile, and is crucially important in the design of a sports car.

The front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout (FR) is common to sports cars of any era and has survived longer in sports cars than in mainstream automobiles. Examples include the Caterham 7, Mazda MX-5, and the Chevrolet Corvette. More specifically, many such sports cars have a FMR layout, with the centre of mass of the engine between the front axle and the firewall.

In search of improved handling and weight distribution, other layouts are sometimes used. The RMR layout is commonly found only in sports cars—the motor is centre-mounted in the chassis (closer to and behind the driver), and powers only the rear wheels. Some high-performance sports car manufacturers, such as Ferrari and Lamborghini prefer this layout.

Porsche is one of the few remaining manufacturers using the rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout (RR). The motor's distributed weight across the wheels, in a Porsche 911, provides excellent traction, but the significant mass behind the rear wheels makes it more prone to oversteer in some situations. Porsche has continuously refined the design and in recent years added electronic driving aids (i.e. computerised traction-stability control) to counteract these inherent design shortcomings.

Some sport cars have used the front-engine, front-wheel drive layout (FF), e.g. Fiat Barchetta, Saab Sonett and Berkeley cars. This layout is advantageous for small, light, lower power sports cars, as it avoids the extra weight, increased transmission power loss, and packaging problems of a long driveshaft and longitudinal engine of FR vehicles. Yet, its conservative handling effect, particularly understeer, and the fact that many drivers believe rear wheel drive is a more desirable layout for a sports car make this layout atypical to high-performance sports cars. The FF layout, however, is common in sport compacts and hot hatches, and cars in general (excepting sports cars).

Before the 1980s few sports cars used four-wheel drive, which had traditionally added a lot of weight. Although not a sports car, the Audi Quattro proved its worth in rallying. With its improvement in traction, particularly in adverse weather conditions, four-wheel drive is no longer uncommon in high-powered sports cars, e.g. Porsche, Lamborghini, and the Bugatti Veyron.

Sports car

Hybrid taxi is a taxicab service provided with a hybrid vehicle, most commonly with a hybrid electric car (HEV), which combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. In 2000 North America's first hybrid taxi was put into service in Vancouver, British Columbia, operating a 2001 Toyota Prius which traveled over 332,000 kilometres (206,000 mi) before being retired.

Several major cities in the world are adding hybrid taxis to their taxicab fleets, led by San Francisco where hybrid represent almost 50% of its taxicab fleet by March 2010,[3] and New York City where hybrids taxis represent around 28% of the total fleet by mid 2010. Unlike conventional gasoline cars, hybrids get better fuel economy, do well at slow speeds or idling, and have cleaner emissions.

San Francisco

San Francisco became in 2005 one of the first cities to introduce hybrids for taxi service, with a fleet of 15 Ford Escape Hybrids, and by 2009 the original Escape Hybrids were retired after 300,000 miles (480,000 km) per vehicle.[6] In 2007 the city approved the Clean Air Taxi Grant Program in order to encourage cab companies to purchase alternative fuel vehicles, by providing incentives of USD2,000 per new alternative fuel vehicle on a first-come, first-served basis.[3][7]

Out of a total of 1,378 taxis eligible for the incentive (96 wheelchair accessible taxi-vans are excluded) 788 are alternative fuel vehicles, representing 57% of the San Francisco's taxicab fleet by March 2010. Gasoline-electric hybrids accounted for 657 green taxis and compressed natural gas vehicles for the remaining 131.

Hybrid Taxi

Hybrid taxi is a taxicab service provided with a hybrid vehicle, most commonly with a hybrid electric car (HEV), which combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. In 2000 North America's first hybrid taxi was put into service in Vancouver, British Columbia, operating a 2001 Toyota Prius which traveled over 332,000 kilometres (206,000 mi) before being retired.

Several major cities in the world are adding hybrid taxis to their taxicab fleets, led by San Francisco where hybrid represent almost 50% of its taxicab fleet by March 2010,[3] and New York City where hybrids taxis represent around 28% of the total fleet by mid 2010. Unlike conventional gasoline cars, hybrids get better fuel economy, do well at slow speeds or idling, and have cleaner emissions.

San Francisco

San Francisco became in 2005 one of the first cities to introduce hybrids for taxi service, with a fleet of 15 Ford Escape Hybrids, and by 2009 the original Escape Hybrids were retired after 300,000 miles (480,000 km) per vehicle.[6] In 2007 the city approved the Clean Air Taxi Grant Program in order to encourage cab companies to purchase alternative fuel vehicles, by providing incentives of USD2,000 per new alternative fuel vehicle on a first-come, first-served basis.[3][7]

Out of a total of 1,378 taxis eligible for the incentive (96 wheelchair accessible taxi-vans are excluded) 788 are alternative fuel vehicles, representing 57% of the San Francisco's taxicab fleet by March 2010. Gasoline-electric hybrids accounted for 657 green taxis and compressed natural gas vehicles for the remaining 131.

Hybrid Taxi

With the upcoming official unveiling of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid at the New York Auto Show, the auto company releases a teaser image of the vehicle to further up the hype.

The Sonata was designed at Hyundai’s design studio in Irvine, CA. Although there were reported heated debates over what the styling direction the new Sonata will be taking, it’s good to see it sport a much sleeker, coupe-like roofline.

The hybrid model of the Sonata will use lithium polymer batteries instead of the ubiquitous lithium-ion. The polymer batteries are said to be more durable and cheaper to make. The test group consisted of Hyundai’s well-known hybrid battery specialists who tested the Sonatas alongside a variety of competitive hybrids could attest to that.

Hyundai also can boast experience with the non-traditional polymer batteries as Hyundai already produces polymer-based hybrid vehicles in South Korea.

While the regular Sonata should start production for the U.S. in the summer of 2010, the hybrid model may follow as early as October 2010 as a 2011 model.

Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Previewed

With the upcoming official unveiling of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid at the New York Auto Show, the auto company releases a teaser image of the vehicle to further up the hype.

The Sonata was designed at Hyundai’s design studio in Irvine, CA. Although there were reported heated debates over what the styling direction the new Sonata will be taking, it’s good to see it sport a much sleeker, coupe-like roofline.

The hybrid model of the Sonata will use lithium polymer batteries instead of the ubiquitous lithium-ion. The polymer batteries are said to be more durable and cheaper to make. The test group consisted of Hyundai’s well-known hybrid battery specialists who tested the Sonatas alongside a variety of competitive hybrids could attest to that.

Hyundai also can boast experience with the non-traditional polymer batteries as Hyundai already produces polymer-based hybrid vehicles in South Korea.

While the regular Sonata should start production for the U.S. in the summer of 2010, the hybrid model may follow as early as October 2010 as a 2011 model.

Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Previewed

In a terrifying, post-apocalyptic, doomsday scenario envisioned by the brains at the IBM Institute for Business Value, every new car on the market in 2020 would be some kind of a hybrid. Not only that, but they project cars which communicate, avoiding accidents and taking over certain driving tasks. The findings were published in a paper, ominously titled “Automotive 2020: Clarity Beyond the Chaos,” after the consulting branch of Big Blue interviewed 125 auto execs across the globe.

This dismal future of fuel efficiency and dangerously silent cities can only be battled with vigilance and your buying dollars. Imagine a world where hippies fall into deep depressions after their banner method of communicating moral superiority becomes commonplace; muscle-car fiends sit on the floors of garages everywhere, weeping into their now-pointless toolboxes. Where you don’t drive, your car drives you. The horror… the horror.

Every Car Could Be A Hybrid By 2020

In a terrifying, post-apocalyptic, doomsday scenario envisioned by the brains at the IBM Institute for Business Value, every new car on the market in 2020 would be some kind of a hybrid. Not only that, but they project cars which communicate, avoiding accidents and taking over certain driving tasks. The findings were published in a paper, ominously titled “Automotive 2020: Clarity Beyond the Chaos,” after the consulting branch of Big Blue interviewed 125 auto execs across the globe.

This dismal future of fuel efficiency and dangerously silent cities can only be battled with vigilance and your buying dollars. Imagine a world where hippies fall into deep depressions after their banner method of communicating moral superiority becomes commonplace; muscle-car fiends sit on the floors of garages everywhere, weeping into their now-pointless toolboxes. Where you don’t drive, your car drives you. The horror… the horror.

Every Car Could Be A Hybrid By 2020