The Motorcycle of the Future Motoczysz-E1pc . It is electric,

This is the MotoCzysz E1PC. It is electric. It is almost certainly the most advanced motorcycle on the planet. And it is the future.We told you moto-genius Michael Czysz  pronounced sizz  was building another contender for the TT Zero electric motorcycle race on the Isle of Man. But we caught up with him early in the build and he wasn’t providing details or pics. Now that the bike’s hit the track, Wes Siler of Hell For Leather has all the details on the MotoCzysz E1PC in a piece posted over at Popular Science.

This bike is bad-ass, no two ways about it. It has a custom-built 12.5-kilowatt-hour lithium polymer battery that can be swapped in seconds. The custom-built, oil-cooled motor generates 100 horsepower (continuous) and 250 pound-feet of torque. It all hangs from a custom frame. Of course, it’s got the usual top-shelf hardware. Ohlins. Brembo. You know the drill.

Czyzs and his crew in Portland, Oregon, were literally buttoning the bike up before the first practice session on the Isle of Man, having just gotten the body panels through customs. No one had tested the bike before, but rider Mark Miller smoked the field during practice, finishing more than three minutes ahead of the competition. The bike hit a top speed of 140 mph and lapped the 37.7-mile course at an average speed of 94.66 mph.

For all the high-tech componentry, the E1PC is designed first and foremost as a motorcycle, so it’s meant to be hammered. Many bikes racing in the TTXGP series suffer ground-clearance issues when leaning into a turn, but the E1PC has no such trouble. Siler says riders accustomed to a conventional sportbike will feel right at home on the E1PC.
Take a close look at the pics. You’re looking at the future of motorcycling.

(wired)

BMW Concept Gran Coupe

BMW has a full lineup of 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7 Series with a Z4 thrown in for good measure. So why would BMW need a four-door coupe? It wouldn’t, but this concept shown at the Beijing auto show is what would face off with Mercedes’ CLS if BMW ever needed to do that. The other task the Gran Coupe accomplishes is showing off a bit of what BMW plans for all of its series 1-7. Check out the pictures below and let us know if you think this is the styling that future BMWs need.

Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon at New York Auto Show

General Motors car czar and current vice chairman, Bob Lutz will receive a brand new Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon as a parting gift when he leaves GM for a second shot at retirement on May 1.

The new model debuted this week at the New York International Auto Show and is definitely not your parents’ wood-paneled family truckster. It adds depth to the V-Series portfolio now consisting of CTS-V Sedan. A coupe variant will round out the trio when it hits dealerships this summer.

“If I had to pick one car to drive for the rest of my life it would be a CTS-V Sport Wagon,” Lutz told Wired.com. “When you look at the styling, there is nothing rational that speaks against having a wagon versus a sedan. It’s got more convenience, better aerodynamics … a lot more room. Personally, I think the design is even more exciting than it is in the sedan. Now coupled with the V-Series power train, why would you pick anything else?”

Just like its V-Series brethren, this Caddy does a little more than zig with magnetic ride control, Brembo brakes and a 556 hp 6.2L supercharged V-8 that drastically out ponies and undercuts the Audi S6, Mercedes E63 AMG, BMW M5 and Jaguar XFR.

The family resemblance is clearest from the front, where the Eaton supercharger makes for a bulge in the hood and the gaping black mesh grille doubles as an intimidator and an XL air vent for better engine cooling. The pre-production model you see here is finished in Midnight Silver, a color GM tells us was first seen on the 2003 Cadillac Sixteen Concept.

“From a performance standpoint, and a dynamic standpoint and also a styling standpoint, the CTS-V Sport Wagon is more than a match for the German vehicles, excellent though they may be,” Lutz said. “When you couple the experience of a V-Series CTS with the convenience of a wagon and the absolute unique design of this wagon, especially with the price difference, I don’t think the Germans can lay a glove on it.”

We know what you’re thinking. Why didn’t Maximum Bob go for the 638-hp Corvette ZR-1? The short answer: He already has one.

Lincoln Mercury dealers Sunday that they will be getting a new small car, an offshoot of the next Ford Focus

Ford executives told Lincoln Mercury dealers Sunday that they will be getting a new small car, an offshoot of the next Ford Focus.
Mark Fields, Ford’s president of the Americas, and other executives met with dealers behind closed doors at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Orlando. At present, the Mercury lineup lacks a compact car. Ford officials say they’ve talked about bringing a small car to the Mercury lineup more than  year ago, but it was new to Drive On.The next Focus, shown above, could be a breakthrough small car for Ford. It’s far more stylish than the current one — and the Mercury version would be even more upscale. Fields told Drive On that he talked to dealers about changes afoot. For instance, when Ford dealers get the new Fiesta subcompact, a car even smaller than Focus, they may have to adjust to new hip, young new customers who might have not have wandered into a Ford showroom before. Just what changes they’ll have to make, he didn’t say.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport for $2.1 million

You want to buy a camera? We can pit it against three others with nearly indistinguishable features, no problem. Blu-ray players? We’ll compile a three-axis matrix that triangulates the perfect combination of image quality, connected functionality and price. But if you’re considering the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport, we can’t do much for you.Comparing it to any other car is pointless, because there is nothing else in its $2.1-million (based on current exchange rates) class. That same cash-filled briefcase could buy seven Ferrari 599s or every single 2009 model Mercedes. You could snap up a top-shelf Maybach and employ a chauffeur until well past the apocalypse. Hell, in this economy, $2.1 million is probably enough to make you a one-man special-interest group with some serious Washington clout.But don’t. Buy a Grand Sport. Even if there were another 253-mph drop-top with more luxury appointments than a Bond villain’s boudoir, you wouldn’t want it. You’d want this exact car, because more than being a blast to drive, it is the greatest gasoline-powered vehicle that has ever been, or will ever be, built. Seriously. Take a moment and consider what Bugatti has done: Because a handful of billionaires demanded that the fastest car in the world be available topless, the Volkswagen-owned ultra-luxury automaker essentially broke the laws of physics. Again.The first Veyron is an engineering marvel. That’s the one with the massively reinforced roof that helped keep the rest of the body from deforming into an amoebic tangle of graphite composite and exotic metal under the joint stresses of lateral acceleration, horsepower and wind. It stands as one of the greatest achievements of the petroleum age. It required the intellectual might of one of the largest and arguably smartest car companies in the world to birth a car that was not only faster than anything on the road, but easy enough to pilot that anyone could drive it. (“It killed my husband” is not the kind of country-club buzz that sells cars.) To make the Grand Sport, Bugatti’s engineers had to do the same thing, only with a giant hole in the middle. It was like designing a picture frame to break rocks.

They had to bolster the floor, doors and B pillars (where the back edges of the windows rest) with acres of carbon fiber. They had to turn the topside air scoops into structural supports for protection during a rollover. Then they had to sacrifice 100 virgins and have the production facility in Molsheim, France, blessed by druids.The result is the most structurally rigid convertible in the world, which, miraculously, weighs no more and goes no slower than the coupe on which it is based. With the transparent roof removed, air resistance limits the Grand Sport to 217 mph, but you’d want that roof on for a top-speed run anyway; the wind could rip your face off at around 245.

By now, the Veyron’s stats are legendary: 1,001 horsepower from a mid-mounted, 8.0-liter, 16-cylinder engine that gets air stuffed down its ravenous gullet by four massive turbochargers. All-wheel drive. A seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission that switches gears faster than a state staffer ducking questions about the Appalachian Trail. Depending on how you define “production car,” it is the fastest in the world. In the quickest Lamborghini ever produced, the Murcielago LP640, you can hit 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. In the Grand Sport it takes a hair under 2.5. How does it feel to command that pace? Godlike.The acceleration is so immediate you can feel your eyeballs deform under the G-forces. It’s a sensation of isolationist joy, an out-of-body awareness that you’re moving faster than the world can react. Bystanders vaguely remember seeing a flash of expensive paint a few seconds after you disappear over the horizon; entire generations of insects die on your prow. Passing other motorists becomes a dangerous entitlement that has you resenting oncoming traffic for hogging your “VIP lane” — especially when you realize that you can outrun not only the 5-0’s cruisers, but their helicopters, too. If they wanna catch you, they’re gonna have to dust off Airwolf and drag Jan Michael Vincent out of rehab.
But this isn’t just some dumb auto-jock that takes off from stoplights in a hail of shredded asphalt, molten Michelins and screaming revs. If anything, the exhaust note is a bit tame, and the power is manageable. Unlike driving, say, a Viper SRT-10, you’re not in constant fear of accidentally going around a turn ass-end first because you blipped the go-pedal a half-inch too deep. Though the Veyron has almost twice as much power as the super-snake, its all-wheel-drive and 14-inch-wide tires grip the ground with the tenacity of a junkie clutching a five-dollar bill.

A lot of factors contribute to this prodigious hunker-down: the aforementioned tires (Michelin developed them specifically to accommodate the Veyron’s top speed) and AWD; the giant mid-mounted engine, placed to provide perfect 45/55 weight distribution; the insanely advanced aerodynamics and suspension, which automatically change the shape and ride-height of the car to provide an extra 800 pounds of downforce when you exceed 137 miles per hour (they’d be illegal in Formula 1 competition, incidentally). And then there’s the sheer mass: Though its power-to-weight ratio bests the Ferrari F430 by almost 50 percent, the Veyron, at 4,400 pounds, is still more than half a ton heavier. And gravity is one tenacious bitch. This car sticks to the ground like 1,000-horsepower gum.

Push the Grand Sport hard, and the rear-biased AWD will start to feel looser, making the car light and nimble through the twisties. But even when attacking some seriously hairy turns from deep in triple digits, the Veyron never gave up its grip. And when we almost blew it on a butt-puckering downhill double-apex, the all-wheel-drive system put power in just the right place to pull the car back in line. All while we sat comfortably in bucket seats that made our couch seem fit only for the waiting room of the DMV.

Bugatti offers seven different seat shapes, to accommodate the seven known varieties of billionaire: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride. Each is based around a carbon-fiber shell and available in whatever animal skin the laws of your kingdom permit. Our test car was fitted with caramel-colored leather. It was nice, but the light hue reflected quite a bit of glare off the steep rake of the windshield. Other luxury touches include a stereo, we’re told. The CD player is custom-designed by Burmeister to operate skip-free at 250 miles per hour. We never turned it on. With the carbon fiber and polycarbonate roof removed, you have the only soundtrack you need: the engine’s growl (could be louder) and the roar of the twin air intakes, which suck air like a two rolls of quarters quart of sterno Las vegas.There’s also a navigation system. It might be the finest example of passive aggression ever assembled; Bugatti’s engineers clearly don’t want you to use it. You can only program the system with a separate, 2005-vintage PDA. If you can stomach the Windows Mobile interface long enough to set your destination, you get to view your route guidance in a tiny screen in the rearview mirror. Theoretically. As long as it’s nighttime. It’s invisible in the daylight, and the Grand Sport is a convertible.But even if its nav system shouted insults at you, it would be hard to complain about this machine. It is not perfect — no car will ever be. But it’s close. And it will likely remain as close as a car with a gasoline-burning engine will ever get. We’re at the end of the petroleum era, the end of a golden age of supercars where speed can be sought regardless of consequence. It’s highly unlikely that a major automaker will ever be able to justify spending the time and money to develop a fossil-fuel-powered car that can top the Veyron’s combination of power, speed, handling, driveability and flat-out luxury. The Grand Sport is the worthy successor to the Ferrari F40, the Lamborghini Diablo, the McLaren F1 and every other Texas tea-drinker that ever owned the title “world’s fastest.” And its high-level swank takes that prize with style points nonpareil.Maybe we’ll idolize maglevs next. Maybe Tesla will have its day on a Trapper Keeper with a juice box that tops 250. But whatever we’re drooling over next year, whatever makes its way onto the dorm-room walls and man-children’s screen-savers, it won’t run on petrol. Unless it’s still a Veyron: the last king of the gas-guzzlers, forever the greatest.

Sport Bike Yamaha FZ6R for $7,090

Ever thought “that guy can’t ride” after some kid on a crotch rocket cuts you off on the freeway? There’s a good chance you’re right. Yamaha says one-third of those who purchase sportbikes are first-time motorcycle buyers. That’s the two-wheeled equivalent of getting a pilot’s license and joining the Blue Angels.Turns out most of those Valentino Rossi wannabes aren’t after triple-digit horsepower or eye-compressing acceleration. They only want the aggressive look of a sport bike, so Yamaha wrapped the entry-level FZ6R in slick bodywork that even guys with gelled hair and tribal tats could love.Don’t let the “entry-level” designation leave you thinking the FZ6R offers the thrills of an Antiques roadshow marathon. Yamaha made the bike gentle enough for n00bs who want to build skills but sporty enough to keep experienced riders grinning. It’s also versatile enough for a weekday commute or some tight cornering on a Sunday afternoon.

The torquey 600-cc, 4-cylinder engine is tuned for mid-range oomph and makes wheelies a snap — if you’re into that sort of thing. It’s got nothing below 5,000 rpm, but raise revs above that and the power builds smoothly and predictably to its peak of 78 horsepower at 10,2000 rpm. The FZ6R isn’t as fast as the R6 or other weapons-grade middleweight sportbikes, but if you’re just starting out, you definitely don’t need that much power.

Entry-level bikes often have suspensions with the sophistication of a screen door, but Yamaha didn’t skimp on the FZ6R. The 41mm non-adjustable fork and pre-load adjustable shock keep the bike more stable than a Navy SEAL sniper when you’re cornering, without sacrificing all-day comfort. But as good as the suspension is, the brakes are even better.

Sport bikes are usually about as comfortable as a prostate exam, but the FZ6R offers a relaxed riding position with good wind protection. Easy adjustments let you lower the seat and move the bars back, while the clutch and brake levers need only a light pull and there is absolutely no vibration from the engine. Add a set of luggage and you could do a road trip on this bike. Try doing that on an R6.Yamaha did a great job with the FZ6R. It’s stylish enough to satisfy boy-racers, quick enough to keep you grinning and a fantastic dance partner in tight curves. It’s more than a sweet beginner bike. It’s a sweet bike.

Cadillac SRX SUV 2010

Cadillac SRX SUV 2010

The CTS sedan has been a great success for Cadillac, garnering much praise from the automotive media. So it’s no wonder that the 2010 Cadillac SRX leans heavily on the same cabin tech and bold design features that made the CTS so popular. In many ways, the new SRX looks like the CTS on stilts.

When this small SUV arrived in our garage, we were pleased to find cabin tech similar to what we liked so much in the CTS. There was the same LCD that partially stows itself in the dash, leaving a strip visible to show audio information. There was the hard drive-based navigation system with traffic. The car even comes with the record button that saves radio broadcasts, essentially it works like TiVo for radio.

However, there were a few new details included, too. Details that we hope find their way into the next CTS update. For example, Cadillac added a round, color information display to the speedometer that shows a variety of information–such as the trip computer, navigation directions, and even the speed limit of the current road. When starting the SRX, an animation of the Cadillac logo rolls into place, adding a little special effects glory for this high-tech cruiser.

Direct injection religion
GM is adhering to its new direct-injection religion with the 2010 SRX, fitting the small SUV with a 3-liter V-6 engine, which should be the perfect size for this vehicle. For most people, its 265 horsepower will be enough to get to work, make grocery runs, and take the occasional weekend trip to grandma’s house. However, power-mad speed demons will be disappointed with the cars meager reaction when they hit the gas pedal. The SRX engine’s 223 pound-feet of torque does not deliver the kind of thrust to put you firmly in your seat.

However, Cadillac hasn’t forgotten driving enthusiasts. The company has an optional turbocharged 2.8-liter V-6 engine for the 2010 SRX. While the turbocharged engine doesn’t have direct injection, its turbo helps it make 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque.

Our review car came with all-wheel-drive and the 3-liter V-6. It also had a six-speed-automatic transmission, the same as the one used in the CTS. We’ve been impressed with this transmission’s sport mode in other reviews. When racing toward a corner and then hitting the brakes, the transmission will aggressively downshift and hold a low gear as you hit the gas on the way out to the next straightaway. The transmission exhibits similar behavior in the SRX, only the 3-liter engine can’t really realize the transmissions potential. It’s like putting an F-22 pilot into a 747 he might have incredible reflexes, but they will be largely wasted.

Putting the transmission into sport mode enables manual shifting, with sequential gear changes. For a torque converter, these shifts are pretty sharp, and it is best when used to drop a few gears to gain passing power or for engine braking down a long grade.

In standard drive mode, the transmission seeks higher, gas saving gears. The SRX gets an EPA-rated fuel economy of 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway, fairly typical numbers for a small SUV. In our driving, we only achieved 19.4 mpg.

the Navigator SUV 2010 Lincoln MKT

2010 lincoln MTK

It might seem strange that Lincoln added a vehicle with three-row seating to its line-up when it already offers the Navigator SUV, but Lincoln is undergoing many changes, revamping its cars and image for the 21st century. Thus, the 2010 Lincoln MKT joins the line-up, and would probably completely replace the Navigator if that older SUV didn’t still have significant sales.As a next generation vehicle for Lincoln, the MKT is a crossover with ample interior space for passengers and cargo. Unlike the Navigator, which has body-on-frame construction, the MKT has a fully independent suspension, giving it a more carlike ride. And though some might mistake it for a minivan, it fights off that classification by using hinged, rather than sliding, side doors, following in the footsteps of the Mercedes-Benz R-class.

Like the Mercedes-Benz, Lincoln aims for luxury with the MKT, fitting the cabin with comfortable and attractive materials while making available a variety of tech features. Rear seat refrigerator? Check. Head rest-mounted rear seat DVD monitors? Check. Panoramic sunroof? Check. Heated and cooled seats? Check.

Striking features
This next generation Lincoln certainly makes its mark in style. The wing-shaped grilles, first seen on the MKS sedan, take on ridiculous proportions on the front of the MKT. These large grills thoroughly ventilate the engine while sucking in sparrows and other small birds. But the rear of the MKT is even more striking, a big slab of back-end cut across by the tail light jewelry, with a minimal rear window evocative of 1940s touring cars. The rear visibility is limited, although a rearview camera prevents it from being unsafe. We just wish the style of the rear went with the rest of the vehicle.

2010 Lincoln MKT

As the newest vehicle in Lincoln’s line-up, the MKT gets Lincoln’s latest engine, the Ecoboost twin turbo direct injected 3.5-liter V-6. We saw this engine in the Ford Taurus SHO and Ford Flex, demonstrating its versatility.

With an output of 355 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, the Ecoboost engine gets the MKT moving remarkably fast, despite the vehicle’s near 5,000 pounds of mass. Stepping on the gas, we reveled in the acceleration. It’s the kind of engine that gives you plenty of confidence to make passing maneuvers on two lane highways, or show off to your friends that this big vehicle is much more than a luxury wagon, especially when the engine is making its sonorous growl above 3,000rpm.

The Ecoboost MKT, the top-of-the-model-line, only comes in all-wheel-drive format. Lesser models are available with Lincoln’s 3.7-liter Duratec V-6 and can be had in front- or all-wheel-drive. Although we had quite a bit of fun with the Ecoboost engine, the MKT’s mileage was a sobering reminder of what happens when you combine big power and mass. The EPA puts the MKT’s fuel economy at 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway. We never saw the trip computer rise above 20 mpg, and turned in a final average of 17.3 mpg. As testament to the Ecoboost engine’s technology, the Duratec front-wheel-drive MKT only gets 1 mpg better, and significantly less power.
Unlike the lesser models, the Ecoboost model also gets an electric power steering unit, helping the fuel economy a bit. And the six-speed automatic transmission doesn’t hurt, either, providing a tall gear to keep the engine rotations low at freeway speeds. Somewhat inappropriate for the big MKT, paddle shifters were mounted to the steering wheel. But then again, those paddles are the only way to select gears when using the transmission’s manual mode.

http://www.youtube.com/v/83-TuTiiI3w&rel=0&fs=1

Jet-powered Ford guns for 300 mph

Joe Wilkins knew there was only one way to give his supercharged, alcohol-injected Hemi-engined hot rod more power: Put a jet engine in the trunk.”It started as a hobby and turned into a monster,” said Joe Wilkins, the motor madman behind what might be the wildest 1939 Ford ever built. He’s an inventor and defense department contractor, and the idea of goosing the Ford’s ability to turn heads and shred tires came when he bought a used gas turbine engine.”I got hooked on the simplicity and power that this thing produced, and I decided one day I want to put it in a car.”

Luckily for us, he did. The Hemi Jet — Wilkins has copyrighted the name — fires up this weekend at the Houston AutoRama, and Wilkins plans to attempt a land speed record in the near future.In the meantime, he’s tooling around Navasota, Texas, in what he says is the ultimate sleeper when the jet engine’s tucked away in the trunk.Most people say “Nice car” and assume he’s got the obligatory small-block Chevrolet engine under the hood. Little do they know.”I can drive it up to the store and get a gallon of milk if I want to,” he told Autopia.The car is an amalgamation of the Big Three, with a Chrysler engine, Chevrolet drivetrain and Ford body. Wilkins says the jet engine was probably used as an APU and weighs 110 pounds.

He claims the car is street legal so long as the jet stays stowed. He fires it up from time to time to show off, and he plans to run it flat-out at the Bonneville Salt Flats.”We want to be the fastest street legal car in the world,” he said.He’s got some intense competition. The Bugatti Veyron tops out at 253 mph and the Shelby Supercars Ultimate Aero TT does 255. And then there’s Red Vector One, that crazy Vauxhall that does zero to 60 in under a second. Record, schmecord — we just want to see the video.”I’m more than certain the car will go over 300,” Wilkins said. “We’ve still got a ways to go [before Bonneville], but not a long way. We’ll have to experiment in some wind tunnels and end up with a spoiler on the back to keep the front end on the ground.”

Sadly, Wilkins won’t be behind the wheel during the car’s test run.”I turned 61 last Sunday. I just don’t think I’m going to be able to handle it [without] the reflexes I had 20 or 30 years ago,” he said. “I know several people who would be more than interested.”So do we, and we even suggested Wilkins give the job to fellow jet-junkie Bob Maddox. After jumping from a plane with a pulse jet strapped to his chest, we suspect Maddox would welcome the opportunity to stay on the ground.

Toyota Will Fix or Replace 4 Million Gas Pedals

DETROIT — Toyota said Wednesday it would have to fix the gas pedals of about four million vehicles, including the Camry, to resolve a widespread problem with unintended acceleration.The announcement was another setback for Toyota, which until last year appeared all but unstoppable. Its disciplined business approach, surging profits and reputation for quality helped it take market share from troubled competitors, and win from General Motors the title of world’s largest automaker.But the global downturn has battered Toyota, along with most car companies. And Toyota, which has issued other recalls in recent years, risks losing its standing in the eyes of many consumers as the benchmark for reliability.Three weeks ago, the company said it would recall only driver-side floor mats, which it said could get stuck on the accelerator and cause an accident.Since then, federal regulators have pressured Toyota to do more to insure the safety of several models, including the Camry, three Lexus sedans and its Prius hybrid.

Safety experts said the huge recall could do more damage to Toyota’s reputation, much as Ford and Firestone suffered from rollover problems earlier this decade with the Ford Explorer.“Clearly Toyota has its back up against the wall like it never has before,” said Sean Kane of Safety Research and Strategies, a consulting firm in Rehoboth, Mass.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started scrutinizing the issue of jammed gas pedals after a high-speed crash in August near San Diego. A Lexus ES350 hit another vehicle at more than 120 miles per hour, killing four people.

Moments before the crash, a passenger called 911 and said the gas pedal was stuck and the driver could not stop.On Nov. 2, Toyota said it would voluntarily recall floor mats that could interfere with the operation of the gas pedals if they became unmoored.

It also said that federal safety administration officials had found no other defect — a statement that the agency quickly noted was “inaccurate and misleading.”Under the new recall, Toyota will shorten gas pedals by three-quarters of an inch, starting in January, and in some cases remove padding from the floor to prevent the pedals from getting stuck on floor mats.The models covered include the 2007-10 Camry sedan and Tundra pickup trucks, 2005-10 Avalon sedan and Tacoma pickup, 2004-9 Prius hybrid, and three models from its Lexus division: the 2007-10 ES350 and 2006-10 IS250 and IS350.

The affected models compose nearly half of all the Toyotas sold in the United States over the last several years.The company also said it would develop replacement pedals that would be available by April, and provide modified floor mats. In addition, Toyota said it would start installing “brake override” systems — which can slow a vehicle down even if its gas pedal is stuck — as standard equipment on many of its new 2010 models.In a statement, the company vowed to continue to investigate the acceleration issues.“The safety of our owners and the public is our utmost concern and Toyota has and will continue to thoroughly investigate and take appropriate measures to address any defect trends that are identified,” the company said.While federal regulators have attributed only a few accidents to unintended acceleration from floor mats, there have been hundreds of reports of incidents linked to problems with Toyota’s gas pedals.Independent vehicle-testing firms have found that acceleration problems can occur in Toyotas even when floor mats were not present.When a car is speeding out of control, some drivers can panic and not know how to react, said Jake Fisher, a senior engineer with Consumer Reports magazine. Part of the problem, he said, is Toyota’s use of a push-button ignition system in many models.“It’s pretty frightening,” said Mr. Fisher. “It’s not easy to control that situation.”A spokesman for Toyota, Irv Miller, said the company had “no indication” that acceleration problems were caused by anything other than floor mats jamming gas pedals.“We are very, very confident that we have addressed this issue,” Mr. Miller told reporters in a conference call on Wednesday. He said the addition of brake override systems would “add that extra level of confidence.”Some consumers question the floor-mat explanation.Sandra Reech, owner of a 2008 Tacoma, said she was driving on an expressway near Pittsburgh in March when her accelerator got stuck.

“I was careening down the highway at well over 100 miles per hour,” she said. “I was standing on the brake and it wouldn’t slow down.”She eventually got the car into neutral and pulled off the road. She then checked the floor mat, and it “wasn’t in the way of the gas pedal,” she said.Mrs. Reech has since removed her floor mats, but still worries. “Every time I get in this vehicle I am afraid of it,” she said.Several lawsuits have been filed against Toyota, including a class-action suit in California. “We feel that Toyota has known about this problem for a long time,” said David Wright, whose firm filed the class-action case on Nov. 5 in Los Angeles.Toyota’s United States sales have dropped 25 percent so far this year, the same as the overall market. But the latest recall could hurt it at a time when it is trying to come back.“Often when people buy a Toyota, they are buying it because it’s trouble- free,” said Mr. Fisher. “If all of a sudden there’s this perception that Toyota isn’t flawless, you may see people think twice.”