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Toyota said it would expand a November recall to fix all U.S, Tundra pickups for the 2000 to 2003 model years to address a risk that part of the truck's frame could corrode, causing spare tires or even the gas tank to drop to the road.

U.S. safety regulators and Toyota Motor Corp. dispatched investigators to San Diego today to inspect a Prius that sped out of control on a California freeway. U.S.

Toyota Motor Corp. has asked a Michigan appeals court to intervene to keep its top two U.S. executives from being grilled by lawyers for the family of a woman killed while driving a Camry in 2008. The appeal was filed late Monday after a Flint, Mich.

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Hybrid, Geneva Motor Show, Technology, Videos, Lotus

The manufactured sounds of the Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid - Click above to watch video after the jump

Two years ago, we wrote about Lotus' Safe and Sound hybrid technology which added a V8 soundtrack over the quietude of a hybrid's electric motor. That demonstrator was a Toyota Prius, but at the Geneva Motor Show Lotus had an Evora 414E Hybrid equipped with several versions of aural enjoyment: a V6, a V12 and a non-ICE audio stab at what an electric car could maybe possibly sound like. Think Buck Rogers. Car and Driver magazine's technical editor Michael Austin sat with a Lotus engineer and tried it out. Follow the jump for the first strains of the future.

Gallery: Geneva 2010: Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid

[Source: Car and Driver]

Continue reading Video: C/D takes the Lotus Evora Hybrid for a virtual spin

Video: C/D takes the Lotus Evora Hybrid for a virtual spin originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show

After years of covering the world's auto shows at Autoblog, the Geneva Motor Show never ceases to amaze. It's in Switzerland, so by nature, it's neutral, and since there's no "home team" like in Detroit, Frankfurt or Paris, every automaker comes out to play. And play they did.

While this year's showing wasn't nearly as impressive as the end-of-the-recession shindig we endured in Germany last September, the shear number of reveals boggles the mind and cramps the fingers. But despite six pairs of aching feet, one broken laptop, countless espresso triple-shots and braved our fair share of sharp-elbowed shooters and clueless colleges, we survived (mostly) unscathed and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our time in Switzerland.

After the jump we've assembled our favorite debuts from the show, but rather than creating another "Best and Worse" or "Top Picks" post, we've singled out two vehicles: One that embodies our no-cost, no-holds-barred, fantasy ride and another production-ready example that we could conceivably drive home tomorrow given our meager (or not-so-meager) means. Check out our picks after the break and let us know what your own choices are in 'Comments.'

Continue reading Geneva 2010: Our top Fantasy and Reality vehicles of the show

Geneva 2010: Our top Fantasy and Reality vehicles of the show originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Technology, Hatchback, Kia, Electric

Kia Venga EV concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Apparently, we we missed at least one interesting machine from the recently concluded press days at the Geneva Motor Show. Kia showed off a battery electric version of its new Venga B-segment hatchback. Like the rest of Kia and Hyundai's hybrids and plug-in concepts either in production or recently shown, the Venga EV uses lithium polymer batteries, likely sourced from LG Chem. The battery pack is stored under the floorpan of the electric vehicle (EV).

The Venga EV contains 24 kilowatt-hours of battery capacity. The front wheels are driven by an 80-kilowatt motor packing a stout 206 pound-feet of torque. Kia says that the concept has about 112 miles of driving range and a 50-kW fast charge can provide an 80-percent recharge in as little as 20 minutes, while a full charge at normal power levels takes about eight hours. The rest of the details can be found in the press release after the break.

Gallery: Kia Venga EV