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Williams developing hybrid system for next Nissan GT-R?

Back in June, Nissan announced a new partnership with Williams that would see the Formula One team's applied sciences division help develop a new line of Nismo performance models. It's not the only agreement Renault-Nissan has signed with an F1 team: Infiniti is the title sponsor for Red Bull and Renault powers four teams on the grid. It's also just the latest client Williams has signed a deal with to apply the lessons it has gleaned on the F1 circuit to other racing and sportscars. But now we've got some more info on how Williams and Nismo intend to collaborate on the next-generation GT-R.
According to Australia's Carsales, Williams Advanced Engineering is developing the hybrid powertrain that will boost the next iteration of the supercar-slayer known as Godzilla. Which may seem strange considering that the Renault-Nissan Alliance has plenty of experience with electric propulsion on its own, but then Williams has proven itself something of a leader in the field of performance hybrid powertrains: it supplies them to Porsche and Audi for their Le Mans racecars, and to Jaguar for the C-X75 concept.
Whether Williams and Nismo will settle on a flywheel-based energy recovery system or a more conventional battery-powered system remains to be seen, but brakeforce regeneration likely won't be the only element that Williams will develop for the next GT-R. Expect its expertise in aerodynamics and composites to come to bear as well, which can only mean good things for the replacement for a sportscar that's already one of the most capable on the road.

Recharge Wrap-up: Detroit Electric teaser video, Nissan Leaf is Good Housekeeping "Tried and Tested"

Detroit Electric has a new teaser video and has updated its brand in preparation of the introduction of the SP:01. The refreshed logo uses a blue and white color palette, and the company has also given its website a new look. The teaser video, which gives a sneak peek at the exterior of the SP:01, shows the car taking form in the midst of an electrical storm. Watch the video or learn more in the press release below. Abengoa is celebrating the grand opening of a commercial scale cellulosic ethanol plant in Hugoton, KS. When running at full scale, the refinery will produce up to 25 million gallons of ethanol a year. The plant will also generate enough electricity to power itself and put some back into the grid. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz was on hand for the dedication, saying, "Every gallon of cellulosic ethanol produced and used to fuel our vehicles reduces the impact of harmful greenhouse gas emissions by greater than 60 percent as compared to conventional gasoline." Learn more at Energy.gov. Good Housekeeping has named the Nissan Leaf one of its "Tried and Tested" vehicles. The magazine called the Leaf SL its top "Roomy Electric" vehicle in its November issue. The magazine's research institute evaluated the EV based on track and road driving, ergonomics and convenience features. Good Housekeeping made note of the car's "impressive" range, but according to Nissan's Fred Diaz, "the real beauty of the Nissan Leaf is that it's roomy and, best of all, fun to drive." Read more in the press release below. Quasar Energy Group produces compressed natural gas from sewage and garbage. It uses things like grains leftover from brewing Budweiser, food waste from a baseball stadium and sewage sludge to produce the gas through anaerobic digestion. The compressed gas can then be used to power cars like Chevrolet's Bi-fuel Impala, which goes on sale later this year. Chevrolet likens the situation to the Delorean time machine in the Back To The Future movie series, which uses garbage to fuel its fusion generator. Watch the video and read the press release below to learn more. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Nissan gives us the business on the art of clay modeling

The team from The Dashboard recently stopped by the Nissan Technical Center in Japan for a look at what exactly goes into creating a full-scale clay model. While automakers have been using clay bucks for decades, designers and engineers are now combining computer renderings and hand-sculpted clay models to determine how a new vehicle will look in our world. Engineers use specially formulated clay kept warm in an oven to bring the body panels to life. They then coat the clay in a thin plastic film to add body color for the final look.
By the time everything is said and done, workers may have hundreds of hours in the model's creation. So, what happens when the company no longer needs the buck? They get scrapped. Someone comes in and dismantles the whole creation. We presume that action is set to the wailing tears of everyone who had a hand in building the model. Check out the video below for a closer look.