The world’s fastest crossover is one step closer to being on our roads.

The Juke-R is a simple combination. Take the 3.8L twin turbo V6 from the GT-R that pumps out 480bhp as well as the drivetrain and the suspension and then put those underneath the body of a weird looking compact crossover. Sounds hilarious doesn’t it?

There is a bit more to it than that obviously. The unique body has bigger circular vents at the front so the twin turbo V6 stays nice and cool as well as flared wheel arches to house the 20″ alloys which are also borrowed from the GT-R. Other outside changes include a sculpted skirting, a dynamic split rear wing and pentagonal shaped exhausts.

The interior gets a few changes as well. The normal Juke can seat five at a squeeze while the Juke-R is only a two seater since there is a race-spec roll cage in the back. The driver and passenger are seated in hardcore bucket seats and strapped into them with a full race harness. Other interior changes include the same steering wheel, pedals and 7″ touch screen display from the GT-R fitted into a modified version of the everyday Juke’s dashboard.

Both Juke-Rs, which are like Steve Austin on wheels, will start testing at the end of this month but, as I mentioned at the beginning, I’m doubting there’s any chance that it will make production, sorry about that crazy car fans.

General Motors has Voltec, Audi has eTron. That is pretty much how things are shaping up. The eTron moniker is set to play an important role in Audi’s electrification program.

It is debuting in a smaller form than ever before with the Audi Urban Concept. If you thought the A1 was a minicar, wait until you see this. Audi has released renderings of the diminutive concept ahead of a launch at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.

The concept is – as its name implies – meant for congested urban environments. Audi is showing that the future can be fun too, with race car-inspired elements. The Urban Concept’s design is radical.

While the front retains some Audi elements, the body is unlike any car on there road. A airplane-like wraparound windscreen works with the sloping roofline to create an in-motion feel. Wheels are oversized (21 inches) and free-standing, pushed out to all corners.

The interior makes its mark with a 1+1 seating configuration with staggered design. The feel is meant to evoke that of a race car. Everything is functional and utilitarian in purpose, and works toward maximum efficiency. Ultra-light materials are used, such as the cockpit being made from carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP).

As mentioned earlier, the Urban Concept is electric powered. There are two e-tron electric motors mated to a lithium ion battery pack. Given the car’s weight level, Audi says the setup allows the concept to “accelerate powerfully.” We don’t doubt that.

At the moment, there isn’t much more information – that’ll have to wait for the car’s debut at Frankfurt. For now, we get to see Audi pushing the boundaries, offering its vision at what the future of urban fun will look like. And yes, it is most definitely a concept – no production preview here.

The thing is, the web is a place filled with people (like us) who will blog about it. I suppose reverse psychology is what the marketing men are reverting to these days. Aside from their “Joy” campaign that is. The wheels of marketing stop for no man.

And speaking about wheels, this 6 series concept car looks like a hybrid car to me. One simple thing that tells me so is that the car has large 20inch or so disc-like alloy rims (which are black like the rest of the car) but with tires that have the cross section of only 195mm with what looks like a 55 series profile. This shows that BMW wants the car to have as little rolling resistance as possible. Even with huge wheels.

Oh yes. We can also tell from the photographs that it has the puniest, tiniest exhaust ever to be seen on a BMW 6 series. This shows that it is fossil fuel powered also. It could be powered by a puny little 1.6liter engine from BMW’s small engine stable. This could clearly mean that the car is a hybrid platform developed by BMW and as stated in the website, it is still in its early stages of development. Another translation – this could be the slowest (pretty obvious if you look at hybrids today and that puny exhaust tailpipe) and worst handling BMW 6 series derivative ever made.

From a short 13 second YouTube video located on the website, titled a-second-glimpse, we can also see that the car travels silently. Confirming that it is running silently, like it has an electric motor. It’s either that or someone is using the Force to push the car quietly along the road.

Another difference that you can see from the standard BMW 6 series is that the nose is lower. The BMW nostrils are set lower and canted to the left and right into more of a V shape. This would make this concept car slightly more aerodynamic than the 6 series on sale at the moment.

What I can now tell you readers out there is do not head over to the website stated above. Do not look at the pictures that are also posted here. Do not bother with what BMW is trying to do. This is just the marketing team trying too hard again. Follow exactly what is stated as there’s nothing to see here people, nothing to see at all.

So move along people, as it’s a just hybrid concept car and nothing more. It is just a car with two engines and supposedly one that could save the whales, the rain forest, the Arctic from thawing out or the ozone layer from depleting. You’d be better off waiting for the launch of their little 1 series M coupe. Really.

The Schaeffler Group is a German bearing supplier, and their new concept based on the Porsche Cayenne, was made to demonstrate the possibilities for CO2 reduction through friction reduction. No, seriously. You don’t think of that as a way to make things greener, but hey, Schaeffler obviously got to where it is by worrying about little things.

Schaeffler worked with Porsche on this modded out Cayenne, officially dubbed the CO2ncept-10% Cayenne (and guys, you got to work on better names, OK? Shoot, hire me, my rates are low). The Schaeffler Group supplied new bearings for the differentials as well as various improved engine components. Just how picky-picky-picky were Schaeffler? Let’s just put it this way, the differentials bearings, which used to be tapered roller bearings, were replaced with angular contact ball bearings. That picky.

The Schaeffler Group Cayenne was shown at the ATZ/MTZ Congress in Esslingen, Germany and featured a whole slew of minute tweaks. For example, the stock from Porsche hydraulic cam-phasing hardware was changed out for a new and more efficient electromechanical system. The Schaeffler Group was able to get further friction reductions by optimizing the tappets an belt and chain drive systems.

Also, the former hydraulic roll stabilizer has been supplanted by an electrical version. So how does this save gas and make things more efficient? Think of it as the same way that changing out a conventional hydraulic power steering system with electrical/electromechanical equivalents can help make things more efficient by reducing drag and parasitic losses.

Source: AutoBlogGreen. Photos from AutoBlogGreen, Michi1308, Ed Callow [ torquespeak ], and We-Present: Travel-UggBoy-The-Photo grapher!

That is a long time between the two vehicles, isn’t it? Vehicle safety has made huge leaps since 1974. Given that previous ESF vehicles have heralded features to come, Mercedes could be trying to signal that this is something they seriously intend to bring to market. I can’t wait to see the technologies introduced on this car implemented in a production vehicle.

There are so many new features on the ESF 2009, and a lot them are unique to Mercedes, focusing on the company’s much-touted PRE SAFE accident avoidance/preparation system. In the ESF 2009, PRE SAFE can actually move passengers towards the center of the vehicle via air chambers in the side seat bolsters.

This is said to reduce acting forces on the torsos of passengers by one third. New airbags also make their debut in the front between the passengers (there is new protections for the rear passengers as well, but not with an airbag) and in the seatbelt which Mercedes has dubbed the “belt bag”.

Perhaps the most innovative of the new technologies is the “Braking Bag”, an additional stopping brake mounted under the front of the vehicle. If the PRE SAFE sensors determine that an accident is unavoidable, the bag will deploy, helping to reduce nose dive as well as increasing friction to stop the vehicle. This will  help to reduce the severity of an impending crash significantly. Of all the ideas, I’d like to see this one implemented the most.

PRE SAFE even carries into the vehicle’s structure, where inflatable metal crash bars reside in a folded state to save space. In the event of a collision, a gas generator builds up pressure to inflate the crash structures within fractions of a second.

Other features include vehicle-to-vehicle communication and a spotlight lighting system. The communication system is something Mercedes and other automakers have been working on for quite some time. The spotlight system adds an LED main beam that, in the manner of a spotlight, can specifically illuminate a hazard in the road ahead like a deer or pedestrian.

Good work Mercedes, it’s always good to see progress being made in the area of safety. With all the technology we have at our disposal, we should use it to help ensure the vehicles of tomorrow are the safest they can be. Interested in seeing these new features in action? Mercedes has made some promotional videos to demonstrate.

First air bags in the North American market? Mercedes in 1988. Anti-lock brakes were first used in Mercedes vehicles in 1978.

That’s just naming a few! Many other recent things like Electronic Stability Control (Called ESP by Mercedes) and Pre-Safe have been invented by the company, making their vehicles some of the safest in the world. Definitely something to consider when buying a new vehicle!

This new S-Class based safety concept is based on the S400 Hybrid and is meant to show off the next-generation of safety technology that Mercedes is currently working on. There is some amazing things being shown off with the ESF!

We’re still waiting for more detailed information from Mercedes, however, there are some definite things we do know about the ESF 2009 Safety Concept. One of those is airbags galore! Airbags in the seat belts, a new interior curtain bag separating the front passengers and even exterior airbags! Mercedes is developing an air bag brake of sorts that is placed under the frontal area of the vehicle.

The bag lifts the vehicle to compensate for dive and also creates friction, increasing the rate of deceleration. What’s more, most of the features on the ESF 2009 are fully functioning!  The car’s official unveiling is next week, where we’ll learn a lot more about the features being shown off. Way to go Mercedes for such an enduring commitment to safety! If ever implemented these features promise to make the S-Class, what is arguably already the world’s safest car, even safer.