There is a lot to love about the 2014 Audi e-tron Spyder. It’s a compact roadster with a torque-happy, twin-turbo diesel V6 mated to two electric motors capable of more instant twist. When we recently took the e-tron Spyder for a spin, we were limited to just 40 miles per hour, but the Four-Ringed automaker tells us that a trip to 62 takes only 4.4 seconds.

And because this Spyder is a green monster, it can travel up to 30 miles on electric power alone. Using a mixture of the diesel and its lithium ion battery, it will consume on average a scant 2.2 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers.

That sounds like a lot of “too good to be true,” but Audi promises to be the leader in luxury electric cars by 2020, and a production version of this vehicle is expected for 2014. Hit the jump to watch new footage of the e-tron Spyder in motion. It might not be ready to go on sale, but it at least looks mighty fine on the roads of Malibu, California, near where we drove it.

Continue reading Audi e-tron Spyder struts its stuff in Malibu

Audi e-tron Spyder struts its stuff in Malibu originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 19:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pebble Beach enjoyed a visit by a very special member of the Ford stable last week. Lincoln, along with the Edsel and Eleanor Ford house, displayed Edsel Bryant Ford’s freshly-restored 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster at the Monterey Concours d’Elegance.

Inspired by a visit to Europe in 1932 and penned by none other than E.T. Gregorie, Ford chief designer at the time, the Roadster began life as a 1934 Model 40 frame before going under the knife for substantial revisions. Stretched a full inch over factory dimensions and saddled substantially lower to the ground, the vehicle boasts a rear-pitched cockpit, long nose and custom aluminum bodywork. A classic Ford Flathead V8 powers the rear wheels.

After Edsel passed away in 1943, the vehicle made a few scant appearances around the country before vanishing. It surfaced again at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in 1999 and sold to a collector for a heady .76 million. When the collector died, the car was returned to the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House before receiving a full restoration to return it to its former glory. Hit the jump for a video of the car’s unveiling and for the official press release.

Continue reading Edsel Ford’s restored 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster struts its stuff at Pebble Beach [w/video]

Edsel Ford’s restored 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster struts its stuff at Pebble Beach [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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