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Toyota GT86 CS-R3 ready to rally

Toyota is returning to the rally scene with the competition-spec version of the GT86. First announced over a year ago, the GT86 CS-R3 began testing this past summer, and is now just about ready for customer deliveries. Instead of contesting the top tier of the World Rally Championship, the GT86 CS-R3 was designed to compete in the R3 class. It's closely based on the road-going model (better known around these parts as the Scion FR-S), and retains its 2.0-liter boxer four, sending 238 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque through a Drenth six-speed sequential gearbox and limited slip differential to the rear wheels. Available in either tarmac or gravel specification, the GT86 CS-R3 comes complete with "body shell, powertrain and all mechanical components required to build the car." It's set to undergo final FIA certification in July, at which point it'll be ready to deliver to privateer rally teams to field in national and international rallies and in the HJS TMG CS-R3 Trophy that kicks off in Germany on July 4. The package sells for ˆ84,000 ($94k at today's rates) before taxes, but customers who place their orders before April 24 will get a ˆ5k discount. Related Video: 23 Jan 2015 GT86 CS-R3 NEARS COMPETITIVE DEBUT TOYOTA Motorsport GmbH is pleased to confirm the final details of the rear-wheel-drive GT86 CS-R3 rally car, which will make its competitive debut this year. Cologne, Germany - The CS-R3 prototype was launched last August and since then has completed an extensive test programme to optimise design and define the final specification of the kit which will be delivered to private competitors and teams. Detailed development has generated improved performance on both gravel and tarmac, while reliability and durability have been prioritised in order to deliver a car which allows cost-effective competition throughout the season and beyond. The CS-R3 has already proved immensely popular thanks to its rear-wheel drive powertrain, with 1,998cc, 238hp boxer engine and six-speed sequential transmission which combine to produce a spectacular driving experience. The first cars will be delivered to customers in May, later than originally forecast to allow improvements highlighted during testing to be implemented. As a consequence TMG has extended its introductory discount.

The ugly economics of green vehicles

It's fair to say that most consumers would prefer a green vehicle, one that has a lower impact on the environment and goes easy on costly fuel (in all senses of the term). The problem is that most people can't – or won't – pay the price premium or put up with the compromises today's green cars demand. We're not all "cashed-up greenies." In 2013, the average selling price of a new vehicle was $32,086. The truth is that most Americans can't afford a new car, green or not. In 2013, the average selling price of a new vehicle was $32,086. According to a recent Federal Reserve study, the median income for American families was $46,700 in 2013, a five-percent decline from $49,000 in 2010. While $32,000 for a car may not sound like a lot to some, it's about $630 a month financing for 48 months, assuming the buyer can come up with a $6,400 down payment. And that doesn't include gas, insurance, taxes, maintenance and all the rest. It's no wonder that a recent study showed that the average family could afford a new car in only one of 25 major US cities. AutoTrader conducted a recent survey of 1,900 millennials (those born between 1980 and 2000) about their new and used car buying habits. Isabelle Helms, AutoTrader's vice president of research, said millennials are "big on small" vehicles, which tend to be more affordable. Millennials also yearn for alternative-powered vehicles, but "they generally can't afford them." When it comes to the actual behavior of consumers, the operative word is "affordable," not "green." In 2012, US new car sales rose to 14.5 million. But according to Manheim Research, at 40.5 million units, used car sales were almost three times as great. While the days of the smoke-belching beater are mostly gone, it's a safe bet that the used cars are far less green in terms of gas mileage, emissions, new technology, etc., than new ones. Who Pays the Freight? Green cars, particularly alternative-fuel green cars, cost more than their conventional gas-powered siblings. A previous article discussed how escalating costs and limited utility drove me away from leasing a hydrogen fuel cell-powered Hyundai Tucson, which at $50,000, was nearly twice the cost of the equivalent gas-powered version. In Hyundai's defense, it's fair to ask who should pay the costs of developing and implementing new technology vehicles and the infrastructure to support them.

2021 Ford F-150 goes hybrid and we drive the Cadillac CT4-V | Autoblog Podcast #633

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder and Associate Editor Byron Hurd. They start with the big news of the week: Ford unveiling the 2021 F-150, complete with a powerful hybrid powertrain. The guys have been driving some eclectic vehicles, including the Cadillac CT4-V, Toyota Prius AWD-e and a 1967 VW Samba Microbus. To finish things off, Greg springs a few trivia questions on his guests. We'll post those in the comments, and you can see if you'd have gotten those right. Autoblog Podcast #633 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown 2021 Ford F-150 revealed Read more about the heavy-hitting hybrid Cars we're driving: 2020 Cadillac CT4-V 2020 Toyota Prius AWD-e 1967 Volkswagen Samba Trivia Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: