EV distance record beaten... again

...by the same team who beat it last time.

Yep, the Japan EV Club have taken their electric powered Daihatsu Mira van to a massive 623 miles, a full 278 miles further than the last record, a figure they themselves had snatched from two Aussies in a Tesla Roadster.

The significantly more efficiency-honed Mira has benefitted from even lower rolling resistance Toyo tyres, as well as a carbon fibre seat to reduce weight. Average speed throughout the journey was 25mph, so although impressive the record probably isn't representative of real-world conditions. That said, the record is probably more akin to the typical inner-city driving conditions that many EVs will be particularly suited to.

Last time, Tarmac asked you to place your bets on how long it would take for the record to be beaten. We'd be honest and say that nobody expected the same team to beat it, let alone so comprehensively...

Anyway... place your bets, anyone?

Steinmetz Opel Astra 2010

The Steinmetz lowering has been matched to the FlexRide System and the Watt linkage fitted to the rear axle. The Steinmetz lowering by 30 mm has been specially developed for city traffic, but is also ideal for a quick blast around the North Loop of the Nurburgring.

The Steinmetz Opel Astra body kit includes a new front spoiler, a totally black front grille and a roof spoiler. Other exterior styling accents offered by the Steinmetz Opel Astra program include designer strips and stainless steel door handle plates.

Both alloy wheels run on tires size 235/35/R19 without any adaptation to the wheelarches on the Astra J by Steinmetz.. For the interior, finished to a high standard by Opel, Steinmetz has developed a gear display which shows the driver – in his color of choice – the gear currently selected. Foot mats with a stainless steel logo, and sill trims of polished stainless steel, complete the Steinmetz product range for the Astra J.

Steinmetz Opel Insignia Sports Tourer2009

The Steinmetz Opel Insignia Sports Tourer sports package includes a new front grille and spoiler that comply with pedestrian protection regulations, a roof spoiler and new tailpipe trims. The Insignia SportsTourer by Steinmetz sits on 20-inch alloy wheels with 245/35/R20 tires and features a lowering kit that takes the ride height down by 25 mm. The Steinmetz Opel Insignia Sports Tourer also comes with new tail pipes and a two-piece roof spoiler.

Opel Ampera 2010

Opel has announced Ampera as the name of its revolutionary extended-range electric car. The five-door, four-seat Opel Ampera will be revealed at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show (March 5-15).

“With the Ampera, Opel will be the first European automobile manufacturer to provide customers several hundred kilometers of non-stop electric driving,” said Alain Visser, GM Europe Chief Marketing Officer.

GM’s ground-breaking electric propulsion technology, called Voltec, operates differently from other advanced propulsion systems. For short trips up to 60 km, the Ampera will run only on lithium-ion battery power charged via a standard 230v outlet. For longer distances, the car will continue to drive on electricity that is generated by a small internal combustion engine.

The Ampera will be well-suited to the daily driving schedule of most European customers. For example, approximately 80 percent of German drivers travel less than 50 km daily.

Additional information on the Opel Ampera will be released March 3 at the Geneva Motor Show.

Lexus LFA Nurburgring Package 2012

Lexus announced it will offer a limited edition Nürburgring Package to LFA customers. The 4.8L V10 engine for Nurburgring Package equipped LFA’s will produce 562 horsepower, 10 more horsepower than the standard high-performance LFA. The gear-shift time has been reduced by 0.05 seconds to only 0.15 seconds for even faster gear changes.

The LFA Nurburgring Package is limited to only 50 units out of the 500 LFA will have the following features: A sport-tuned suspension, exclusive black mesh-type wheels and dedicated high-grip tires for better handling, and a larger front spoiler and fixed rear wing for improved high speed down force.

This limited edition LFA will be available in four exterior colors – whitest white, orange, black and matte black complemented by a choice of three interior colors – black, red, and violet. All come with a carbon fiber center console and door trim. The Nürburgring Package will carry a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $70,000. Matte black will carry an additional cost of $20,000. The standard LFA carries a MSRP of $375,000.