When people think about luxury cars and the technology behind them, they often look to the German vehicles as the pinnacle. Mercedes Benz and BMW have separated themselves as the definition of luxury over the decades. Now that Acura, the first Asian luxury brand, hits its 25th anniversary, perhaps it’s time to look at what the Japanese carmaker has to offer. The image below was taken from an infographic made by Pohanka Acura. It highlights many of the advancements that have helped to separate the manufacturer from other luxury brands. Click to enlarge or view the text of each advancement below…

Japan and the US are teaming up with two automotive powerhouses announcing a deal today to develop new hybrid systems and telematics standards. The joint venture will put Ford and Toyota as equal partners to accelerate bringing advanced hybrid systems to market. They will also be working towards next-generation standards, bringing the automotive industry in line with internet and GPS-based technologies. The hybrid systems will be developed specifically for light trucks and SUVs, a market that is currently behind the smaller-vehicle market currently dominated by the Toyota Prius. While…

As the roads fill with the quiet, environmentally-friendly hybrids, most people are now aware of the premise. The electric half of the hybrid starts the vehicle going, then the gas half kicks in once it gets to a certain speed. While the basic concept is easy to understand, there’s a lot more to it than that. This graphic by AutoMD breaks down the ins and outs of hybrids, giving us a glimpse of what really makes the engine go. Gas prices rising makes purchasing a hybrid a potentially valid option. “We thought that the interest in the Prius had hit its peak last year, but it’s gone beyond anything we could…

Porsche has come up with a unique and expensive way to thank its Facebook fans. They took a GT3 R Hybrid and, on it, gave it a kick-ass paint job and inscribed Porsche’s 1,000,000 million Facebook fans in the ultimate showing of appreciation. Not only that, but the German automaker also created a website that lets users see if their name is on the car. It’s a very unique marketing gimmick, but I must say that I think it is really cool. Check out the site to see a few close-up shots, watch a video of it being made, and to see if your name is on the car….