The connection between high-end sports cars and high-end watchmakers has been solidified for decades, and this newest partnership is a clear indication that the union is alive and well into the 21st century. Here in Geneva, Tesla has teamed up with Tag Heuer to create a limited edition run of Roadsters created in conjunction with the automaker's chief designer Franz on Holzhausen and the Swiss time piece purveyors.

Not only does the slate grey Roadster sport custom graphics and contrasting colors (one side has red mirrors, calipers and matching wheel rings, while the other side has the same kit colored green), but the interior houses a one-fifth second Heuer limited edition stopwatch, a Meridiist mobile phone and will come equipped with a concept watch due to be unveiled at the Baselworld expo later this month. If a custom time piece and a custom electric vehicle is your thing, hit the jump for the full details and check out the high-res images below.

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The World Car Fans crew have received what appears to be an official brochure for the Lexus CT 200h ahead of its reveal next week at the Geneva Motor Show, and while the documents are light on details, we've got our first good glimpse of the brand's Euro-bound hybrid hatch.

The styling has been toned down considerably from the LF-Ch concept that debuted in Frankfurt last year, melding a few cues from the IS sedan and a profile remarkably similar to the Toyota Auris. Coming in at 170 inches long, 69.5 inches wide and 56 inches tall, with a 102-inch wheelbase, the CT 200h has a MacPherson suspension in front, a double wishbone arrangement in the rear and 17-inch multi-spoke wheels.

Motivation comes courtesy of a 1.8-liter VVT-i-equipped four-cylinder gasoline engine putting out an unspecified output, with a electronically-controlled continuously variable transmission feeding power to the front wheels. A nickel-metal hydride battery pack is mounted below the cargo hold, and three driving modes are available – Eco, Normal and Sport – along with the ability to drive in full EV mode.

We'll have full details on the Lexus CT 200h next week once the shindig in Switzerland gets underway, but until then, check out the brochure in the gallery below.



[Source: World Car Fans]

After finally getting myself situated in the back of the Boeing, I notice the lady to my left wearing a Tesla fleece. As fate, the alignment of the stars and unbridled dumb luck would have it, I was seated next to Rachel Conrad, Tesla's Senior Manager of Communications... for the next 10 hours.

After exchanging pleasantries, discussing each other's plans for the Frankfurt Motor Show and getting acquainted, the topic of conversation naturally turned to cars, and the Tesla Roadster, in particular.

"It's not just about performance," an overly animated Conrad told me. "What journalists don't understand is how functional it is. Owners forget to clean their windshield because they never have to go to the gas station!"

Okay, sure. But if you're selling a vehicle that starts at $109,000, you're interested in more than avoiding dirty hands at the pump. You want the full sports car monty. Power, poise, engagement, the lot. And a bit of green cred to boot surely doesn't hurt.

So after several hours of discussion, I finally say, "Hand it over to us for a week. We'll give it a proper review on its day-to-day livability. No track tests. No slalom speeds. No smoky burnouts. Just a comprehensive assessment of functionality."

A handful of phone calls and dozens of emails later, I arrive at Tesla's flagship dealership in Menlo Park, CA to pick up a full-kitted 2010 Tesla Roadster Sport. After a tutorial on the charging procedure, the internal computer and signing my life away, I was off. The Roadster was mine for the next five days, so I promptly pulled off into a bus stop, set a destination for the coast, disabled the traction control and laid a set of elevens down the street from the dealership.

Ladies and gentlemen, it pays to fly coach.

Follow the jump to keep reading...



Photos by Brad Wood / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc.

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The rumormongers at AutoExpress are at it again, donning their speculative fedoras and suggesting that a 200-horsepower Honda CR-Z Type-R is on the way. But if you were hoping for a K20 swap to ditch the hybrid setup, you're in for a disappointment.

In stock form, the production CR-Z unveiled in Detroit makes due with a 102 hp 1.5-liter four-cylinder mated to an electric motor good for an additional 20 ponies. If AE is to be believed, Honda and its internal tuning partner, Mugen, plans to up the output of the stock four-pot to approximately 150 hp. Since the CR-Z was designed from the onset to be a hybrid, apparently Honda just can't swap in the 2.0-liter engine from the Euro-Civic and call it a day. Instead, a beefed-up electric motor will be fitted – reportedly good for another 50 hp – and bringing total output up to 200 hp.

Naturally, the transformation won't just be under the hood. A reworked suspension, upgraded brakes and a smattering of body mods will be included in the package, along with an additional driving mode (bringing the total to three), "Sport Plus" which will reportedly modify throttle response, steering, the start-stop system and the electric motor assist.

If the Type-R comes to fruition, expect it to debut at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, with the production version arriving sometime in 2012.



[Source: AutoExpress]

In what's assuredly the shortest press release we've ever received, the I.DE.A. Institute has sent out a teaser of its Geneva Motor Show-bound concept, and if it's anything like last year's ERA design study, we've got plenty to look forward to.

According to the Italian design firm:

"I.DE.A. Institute returns to the Geneva Motor Show with a four-seater sedan powered by a hybrid engine. This latest concept car is Italian to the core: its shape, its look, its elegance and name are instantly recognized as being synonymous with Italian styling and beauty."

That and the image above is all we've got for now, but judging by the sweeping lines and low profile roof, we expect to see something akin to Fisker's Karma sedan. More details to follow when we hit the ground running in Switzerland the week after next.

[Source: I.DE.A. Institute]

If you're one of the 50,000 people that have signed up for updates on the Nissan Leaf EV, you're one step closer to purchase.

Nissan has announced preliminary details on the sale and lease of its all-new electric vehicle, outlining the steps necessary to get your hands on what the automaker is calling "the world's first all-electric, zero-emission car designed for the mass market."

If you haven't done so already, you can register on Nissan's website to ensure you're on the list. After Nissan announces official pricing in April (which, for the record, includes the battery pack), you'll be able to put down a refundable $100 reservation fee, with official ordering beginning in August. Early deliveries are set to take place in select markets in 2010, with the EV coming to "all major markets quickly thereafter."

If you've already signed up, make the jump for the official release with all the details, along with the Leaf's first promotional video.

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Ralph Gilles, Dodge CEO and Chrysler Group design head, has just wrapped up an address to the Chicago Economic Club that was peppered with several choice quotes and quips. You can read the Chrysler's PR-filtered version on its Twitter feed, but here are our favorites:

From the true: "Brands and companies don't die. They are victims of homicide."

To the sublime: "Viper important to image of "my brand" [Dodge]"

To the ridiculous: "The further away you are from Detroit the less you know the facts about the auto industry."

To the more ridiculous: "I liken management to X-Men... all have special abilities."

To the funny/creepy: Ad agency interviewed him before creating Super Bowl spot. "I had to smoke a cigarette," afterwards, he joked.

To the important: "Fiat 500 on sale in U.S. at end of the year"

That last bit coincides with earlier reports that the Fiat 500 could reach the States as early as this year as a 2011 model. Although the 500's importation into the U.S. has been fast-tracked, there's still some question about whether it will meet U.S. crash and safety standards. We expect to have an exact on sale date soon, and Gilles also said that the all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is due to go on sale within the next three months.



[Source: Chrysler via Twitter]

In an interesting about-face, Porsche has revealed the first images and details on its new racer, the 911 GT3 R Hybrid.

Based on the rear-drive 911 GT3 R that's set to take to the track in privateer hands later this year, the GT3 R Hybrid utilizes a rear-mounted, 480-hp 4.0-liter flat-six in conjunction with two electric motors that drive the front wheels. Residing in the space normally reserved for the passenger seat sits a flywheel, which harnesses kinetic energy under braking and can spin upwards of 40,000 rpm. Once enough energy is stored, the system lets loose up to 120 kilowatts – approximately 160 horsepower – to the front wheels in six to eight second bursts that are controlled by a steering wheel-mounted button.

Porsche apparently hasn't released official performance specs, but the GT3 R Hybrid's world debut will take place at the Geneva Motor Show before it hits the track for its motorsports debut at the Nürburgring 24 Hours on May 15. Devised as a rolling "racing laboratory," after the Hybrid takes to the Green Hell this year, Porsche plans to assault the 24 Hours of LeMans in a refined version in 2012, just as the sanctioning body begins to favor hybrids. Now about that "no hybrids" thing...



[Source: InsideLine]

It should come as no surprise that Audi will offer a number of different variants of its new A1 compact hatch. What is surprising (kinda) is that the forthcoming S1 will be the first modern, performance-focused Audi to lack all-wheel drive.

According to Autocar, Audi intends to sell 100,000 A1s annually and to pull off those kind of numbers, it will have to diversify. Included in the plan is a five-door version, similar to the A1 Sportback concept seen in Paris, that's likely to ditch the contrast roof rails in favor of a more traditional top. The wagon will likely hit dealers abroad this time next year (production version in Paris?), with the same combination of four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines as the three-door model.

A convertible version will likely arrive in 2012 with a fabric roof and 2+2 seating, with the S1 variant landing around the same time. When the S-ified A1 hits the market, it's likely to only be available in three-door form, packing a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-pot boosted to around 180 hp and sending power to the front wheels through Audi's seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. If you're disappointed by the lack of Quattro, don't be – the S1 won't make it to the U.S. anyway.



[Source: Autocar]

After two concepts and an insufferable amount of teasing, the 2011 Audi A1 has officially arrived with its sights set squarely on the Mini Cooper.

Inspired by the Metroproject Quattro from 2007, the all-new A1 is a faithful recreation of its conceptual predecessor, complete with a squat stance, short overhangs and four customizable colors for the roof arches. With a profile reminiscent of a stretched and squashed TT, the A1 spans 155.5 inches long, 68.5 inches wide and 56 inches tall, with a 97.2-inch wheelbase. Ten exterior colors are available, along with front and rear LEDs and Xenon headlamps.

Audi's focus on the interior begins and ends with customization, with available LED lighting, black, grey, beige or "wasabi" green contrasting materials, colored air vents and an optional MMI system with a 6.5-inch screen, 10-speaker, 465-watt Bose audio system, 20 gig harddrive and Bluetooth connectivity. Although backseat passengers were apparently an afterthought, the A1 boasts 9.43 cubic feet of storage space in the rear, with 32.49 cubic feet of space available when the rear seats are folded flat.

Motivation will be provided by a choice of either two gasoline or diesel powerplants, with the 1.6-liter TDIs churning out either 90 horsepower and 169 pound feet of torque or 105 ponies and 184 lb-ft of twist. The gasoline mills will be available in either 1.2- or 1.4-liter TFSI variants, with the former putting out 86 hp and 118 lb-ft of torque and the latter delivering 122 hp and 147 lb-ft through either a five- or six-speed manual. An optional seven-speed S tronic (dual clutch) transmission is available, and both gasoline engines deliver an average of 46 mpg. For the time being, the A1 is only available with front-wheel drive.

The 2,303-pound hatch will go on sale in Europe later this year after it's official unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show, with prices starting at around 16,000 euro. Two trims – Attraction or Ambition – are available, with an S Line accessories package and 18-inch wheels coming at launch. All the details can be had in the press release after the jump, but still no word yet on U.S. availability.

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