Performance

ReFuel races spur electric-car innovation (audio slideshow)

Engineers searching for ways to redefine the American car, moving away from gasoline engines and toward cleaner battery-powered electric transportation, had a chance to put their designs to the test this weekend on a big-time track, the MAZDA Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. In the coming years, production standards for battery-management systems and charging systems will emerge, and today, these innovators are experimenting with what works and what doesn't, searching for the best new methods with which to manufacture the next generation of vehicles. The ReFuel Clean Power Motorsports Event, now in its third year, gives electric-car builders … Read more

Toyota reveals mid-engined, AWD hybrid concept at Nurburgring

What's interesting about the release accompanying the announcement of Toyota's latest hybrid concept is that there's absolutely no mention of the terms efficient, mpg, or eco. No, when Toyota talks about the GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept II, it uses words like maneuverability, stability, and enjoyment. Just what's gotten into boring old Toyota these days?

Set to be revealed to the public at this weekend's Nurburgring 24-hour endurance race, in Nurburg, Germany, the Toyota's concept is a sporty convertible that's powered by a gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain. GRMN stands for "Gazoo Racing tuned by … Read more

Netgear N750 wireless router review: 5GHz for the win

The N750 Wireless Dual-Band WNDR4000 is the first true dual-band router from Netgear that offers the new 450Mbps speed on the 5GHz band. This means it competes directly with Cisco's Linksys E4200, which was released a while ago.

Apart from the guest networking feature, which lets you create separate Internet-only wireless networks for guests, the Netgear seems to trail behind the E4200 on almost all other counts. It's in no way a bad router, however.

As a matter of fact, it topped the chart on the 2.4GHz band in our close-range throughput test, registering a sustained real-world … Read more

LaCie CloudBox: Down-to-earth cloud storage, for a price

Online storage, recently and aptly called "cloud storage," is not new. Most, if not all, of the services share the same hurdle: the Internet connection. This means that if you use the computer to upload the backup files, a process that could take days depending on the amount of data to be uploaded, you'd have to let the computer run for a long time, not ideal for those wanting to conserve energy.

For this reason, LaCie, a storage vendor that's known for making stylish devices, introduced today a new cloud-based backup solution called the CloudBox. This is the first hybrid LAN/cloud-based storage service since the company acquired online backup service Wuala more than two years ago.

Essentially, this is a small NAS server that you connect to your existing network. Included software will then automatically back up important files of your choice from your computer to the device. As this is done locally, it takes much less time than when you upload it directly to the Internet. The CloudBox then will upload its content to LaCie's online storage service, by itself. This allows users to operate the computer like normal while still having a online backup solution. … Read more

See the Scion FR-S concept in action...sort of

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of the Scion FR-S concept unveiled at the 2011 New York auto show. Journalistic objectivity aside, that car is hot! When I heard that Five Axis, the team that built the concept for Scion, was entering an FR-S into the 2011 Red Bull Soapbox Race in downtown Los Angeles, I had to check it out.

What came out of the build process was a tube framed, super deformed FR-S micro-car with space for a single driver. Power is provided by two men who push the FR-S; gravity takes over as … Read more

See the supercharged Honda CR-Z Mugen in action

Hey, do you remember that funky orange Honda CR-Z Mugen concept we showed you about a month ago? You know, the one with a supercharger that boosts power to 198 horsepower while keeping the IMA hybrid system intact? No? Well, take a minute and check the specs, then check out the freshly minted video below that showcases what's likely the coolest concept in Honda's current stable.

We could do without the massive wing spoiler, but for a nigh 200-pony sport compact offering Civic Type-R levels of performance, we think we'd be able to deal with it (or … Read more

DeltaWing tackles Le Mans with fuel efficiency

Engines over 5 liters are common at the 24 hours of Le Mans endurance race, so how can a team fielding a car with only 1.6 liters attempt to compete? That answer comes in the form of weight reduction and aerodynamics.

The Project 56 group earned a spot in the 2012 24 hours of Le Mans race for its DeltaWing concept, a car eschewing horsepower in favor of an advanced body structure favoring air flow and light weight. Le Mans officials gave the car the 56th spot in the starting grid, a place that has been reserved for experimental cars to compete in the endurance race using a variety of alternative technologies.

The DeltaWing concept will use a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine making 300 horsepower, approximately half that of the typical Le Mans competitor. The car uses a slim front end with a much narrower track than the rear, making it easier for the engine to push the car forward. … Read more

Impul gives its take on the Nissan Juke

It's been a while since we've showcased a tuner car here on the Car Tech Blog, but after getting an eyeful of Japanese tuner Impul's take on the already love-it-or-leave-it stylings of the 2011 Nissan Juke, we couldn't help but take another look.

The Impul Juke benefits (or suffers) from a new front bumper with a more aggressive lower lip, side skirts, and a rear diffuser, as well as a restyled grill and a huge, aggressive rear wing. There are also larger wheels in a Hyper Black finish, side-window vent visors, and what look like small … Read more

CNET's roundup of top-rated storage devices

From photos and music to home movies and recorded TV shows, it seems you'll never have enough space to store all the digital content you generate daily. You also want to access it fast and share it all easily, too. You want too much, but it's OK.

The good news is the development of storage devices has been rapid, and there are so many types of devices for you to choose from. If you want your laptop (or desktop for that matter) to boot fast and wake up instantly, there are solid state drives, such as the OCZ Vertex 3. … Read more