You may not have recess anymore, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t bring your Hot Wheels with you everywhere you go. The two latest Hot Wheels cars are made from plastic and can fold flat into an iPhone-size carrying case.

The Stealth Rides, as they are called, are Hot Wheels’ newest line of remote controlled cars. What’s great about them is that they stow away in their own remote controllers, so they are easy to bring with you. Available as either a race car or a treaded crawler, (there’s a Batman Tumbler as well), the Stealth Rides will be available in October.

It’s easy to keep track of the remote controllers/carrying cases, as they are outfitted with the same colors and stickers that go with their associated vehicles. As for the cars themselves, the Z9 racer has a red body with an orange stripe, while the Chromium FX treaded vehicle is silver with aqua accents.

When these cars are stowed in their cases, the canopies of the cars stick up out of a slot. These canopies serve as buttons – when you push them down, the wheels or track mechanisms also fold down, so the vehicles can fit in their cases.

The cars have a 15-foot range, and each model is powered by three calculator batteries, while the controller uses two additional batteries. Each car has a run time of about 45 minutes on a set of batteries.

The Stealth Rides racer is available in two colors, as is the tank, and each of the models will sell for $25.

[Source: Cnet]

Daimler Trucks has chosen the IAA  auto show in Hanover, Germany as the venue to introduce its concept of a fully electric commercial vehicle based on a Mitsubishi/Fuso Canter 3s13 medium-duty cabover truck. Confused?

Well Daimler AG owns 85 percent of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation and the Canter has been a global best seller in its segment for years, so the reasons for choosing it to showcase electric drive technology aren’t quite as random as they might seem. Dubbed the E-CELL, the Canter uses an electric motor to drive the rear wheels, with the batteries mounted inside the frame. The result is a zero emission commercial vehicle, one rated at 3.5 ton gross weight.

The E-CELL is considered the next step from the current diesel engined Canter (recognized as one of the most fuel efficient medium-trucks currently available), as is a diesel/electric hybrid version – of which 1000 are currently undergoing trials in various markets around the world including Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland and Japan. The Canter hybrid is said to deliver fuel savings of around 15 percent over it’s conventional diesel counterpart.

However, whether electric power for commercial vehicle applications like the Canter E-CELL can prove a valid proposition remains to be seen, especially since the push for EV passenger cars is likely to further tax an already strained electricity grid in many parts of the world and heavier commercial trucks will likely require greater energy and storage capacity than cars to operate. Still, the E-CELL remains an interesting concept and proves that no matter what sector of the vehicle market, all kinds of different options for saving fuel and reducing emissions are currently on the table.

The most high performance vehicle you can obtain in Gran Turismo 5 isn’t a Ferrari, or an Audi Le Mans prototype race car. In fact, it’s not something that actually exists, nor is it a tied to any manufacturer.

No, it’s the Red Bull X1 Prototype, a virtual race car designed to be as realistic as possible while pushing the threshold of what is possible in a high performance machine.

To create the car, Digital Polyphony approached Adrian Newey from Red Bull Racing and asked him what he would envision as a top-tier racecar that had no technical limitations. The result is the X1 Prototype that we’ll inevitably get to experience when Gran Turismo 5 reaches shelves sometime this century…decade…year, maybe. For now, we’re stuck with a video trailer of what the prototype looks like and how it’ll change how we’ll forever think about the future of race cars. Chances that Red Bull makes this thing a reality? Let’s keep our fingers crossed that they find a partner to do it.

Check out the trailer on the X1 Prototype after the break.

[Source: GT Planet]

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The Audi A1 1.4TFSI has stolen our hearts and left us wanting more, specifically a hotter version under the S1 label. If you’re like us, we have some bittersweet news for you.

Audi has announced that there will be no S1 for the time being, but that the A1 1.4TFSI was going to be the S1 right up until the last second. But Audi had reservations about calling it the S1 when it had no quattro all-wheel-drive system, necessitating the name change.  Regardless of the name, the 1.4L twin-charged engine and 7-speed dual clutch gearbox are enough to make us salivate, and apply for EU citizenship. Look for the A1 1.4 TFSI to debut at this month’s Paris Auto Show.

[Source: Autocar]

Bouyed by strong sales in China, Rolls-Royce is set to expand their Ghost range of small(er) sedans – but the company is tight lipped on just what models will be part of the Ghost range.

With RR making three Ghosts for every Phantom, it would be a safe bet to assume that the Ghost will mirror the Phantom’s lineup, with a coupe and convertible to follow. With much demand coming from China, it’s not unreasonable to expect that market’s taste dictacting the next double-R – no matter what they may be.

[Source: Bloomberg]

Ford‘s Fiesta is a pretty good hot hatch, but it good be better; turbocharging, Recaro bucket seats and a performance tuned chassis would be just the ticket, and such a vehicle has recently been spied  in Europe.

The front mounted intercooler and big mufflers are dead giveaways as to the forced induction, but it’s unlikely that the Focus ST’s big 2.0L Ecoboost will be shoehorned under the hood. Expect a 1.4L or 1.6L Ecoboost instead.

Most enticing are the huge Recaro bucket seats with harness slots, perhaps the biggest clue that this car is capable of serious performance driving.

[Source: Autoblog]

While attending the launch of the 2011 Kia Optima, AutoGuide has just learned that Kia is planning to launch an Optima Hybrid, based on the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The new model will make its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, with sales beginning in early 2011.

Kia Motors America CEO and group president Byung Mo Ahn revealed the existence of the Optima Hybrid at the 2011 Optima’s launch in Southern California. The Hybrid will join the 2.4L and 2.0T four-cylinder engines in the lineup.

The Optima Hybrid should match the Sonata Hybrid’s figures of 37 mpg in the city and 39 mpg highway. Power will likely come from a 2.4L four-cylinder engine making 209 horsepower and 195 ft-lbs of torque, with electric driving speeds of up to 62 mph.

AutoGuide’s LA Auto Show coverage starts November 17th. Until then, check out our LA Auto Show Preview here.

Get more Kia Optima news and info at OptimaForums.com

Aston Martin is claiming that their upcoming One-77 supercar, with a 7.3L V12 putting out 750 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. The closest competitor in the power stakes is the Pagani Zonda Clubsport, which puts out similar torque but only 681 horsepower.

Only 77 examples will be built for an estimated cost of $1.8 million dollars. “The One-77 is approaching a production reality and of course, there is considerable excitement in the project. Now the next steps are all about details and refinement to complete the composition. I know the final car will demonstrate what the Aston Martin team is capable of,” said Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin’s CEO, to Autocar.

[Source: Autocar]

Rust is usually the domain of multi-decade Tauruses and Bonnevilles, but today, we get a bit of schadenfreude as Bentley issued a recall for Bentley Azure, Arnage and Brooklands from the year 2007-2009.

The reason? The retractable “Flying B” hood ornament could rust to the point where it won’t retract. This isn’t a big deal in most cases, but in the event of a pedestrian collision, it could be very painful for the poor commoner who was forced to walk. Only 596 units are affected, and Bentley will fix the problem starting September 27th, free of charge.

[Source: NHTSA]

Cadillac is recalling their 2009 and 2010 CTS and CTS-V models due to a possible leg injury that could be sustained. Dealers will replace the glove compartment piece or even modify the instrument panel structure to make the vehicle compliant.

GM estimated 20,000 cars are affected. The recall is set to begin on or before October 20th.

[Source: NHTSA]

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