AUTO NEWS

Nissan-Renault alliance the development of a EV electrics industry

2012-07-29T01:32:00.000-07:00

Nissan’s partner is restating its ambition to be present across the entire electric vehicle value chain, from technical architecture to motors and batteries, with confirmation today that it is supporting the development of a EV electrics industry in France as part of ongoing negotiations with LG Chem.
A final agreement is expected in the second half of 2013.

The negotiations are to create a new phase in the research and development of next-generation electrical batteries as part of a three-way draft agreement involving Renault, CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission) and LG Chem. This agreement targets the development of next-generation batteries for production in early 2017.

Negotiations also touch the LG Chem-led construction of a European battery factory in France. This factory would produce current-generation batteries from the end of 2015 and, from early 2017, the new-generation batteries resulting from the agreement between Renault, CEA and LG Chem.

Renault, LG CHEM and CEA are hoping to sign a three-way agreement in September concerning next-generation battery production.

In 2010, Renault and the CEA initiated a strategic partnership in the areas of clean vehicles and mobility for all. As part of this partnership, they signed several research agreements including a strategic cooperation contract for new battery technologies.

The joint Renault/CEA laboratory “advanced batteries,” set up as part of this agreement, has been tasked with developing new technology for lithium-ion batteries in the medium term. The studies conducted by the laboratory, which has received an annual budget of around €15 million since 2010, have now reached a sufficient stage of maturity to plan life-sized tests with a manufacturer.

Consequently, a three-way agreement between Renault, CEA and LG Chem is currently being finalized and should be signed next September.

This agreement complements the studies currently under way between Renault and the CEA, which have a broader reach, and will concern only the development of next-generation batteries.

These batteries will deliver, according to Renault, higher performance in terms of durability, and fast-charging capacity. LG Chem, which is recognized as a leading global player in electric batteries, will provide its technological expertise in this field, acquired over a period of over 15 years. To date, LG Chem has filed more than 6,000 patents.

The Nissan-Renault alliance wants to see a battery factory in France and is keen to build ties with a blue-chip partner able to invest in a battery factory that would meet the needs of European markets. As part of ongoing negotiations, Renault is supporting the idea of a battery factory located in France and to be managed by LG Chem.

Source:
hybridcars.com

Automakers have signed on to the new fuel economy requirements

2012-07-26T12:23:00.000-07:00

The average fuel efficiency of new cars hit an all-time in the first half of this year, according to new research released this afternoon by a West Bloomfield auto-industry research firm.
The average rate was 23.8 miles per gallon (MPG), up 1.1 MPG over the same period in 2011, said Alan Baum, principal of Baum & Associates.

He attributed the improvement -- along with stronger new car sales for 2012 – to the increasing number of fuel-efficient cars in all segments, consumers’ purchasing fuel-efficient larger vehicles and the fact that the current model year marks the start of the U.S. government’s requiring automakers to increase their label ratings to 27.3 by 2016.

Higher MPG benefits not just consumers who are concerned about the environment or what they spend on gas, but also the auto companies.

“Automakers have signed on to the new fuel economy requirements, not because they’re good guys, but because it’s good for business,” Baum said.

Luke Tonachel, vehicles analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Council, added that the fuel-efficiency standards are “exceeding our expectations. These standards are doing exactly what they should.”

Currently, there are 60 nameplates with high fuel economy in the small and medium cars and crossovers segments, as opposed to 28 in 2009, according to Baum.

Source:
freep.com

The Source East program will do the popularity EV motoring in the UK

2012-07-24T12:40:00.000-07:00

In the United Kingdom, electric vehicle owners in several eastern English counties are being offered home charging units at 75 percent less than the normal rate.
The scheme, being made available through recharging network Source East, uses a British government grant subsidy to offer POD Point communicating home charge locations at £225 ($360), which includes installation costs. Furthermore, EV owners are also given a complimentary year’s membership (normally £10), providing them access to a growing number of public charging stations located throughout eastern England.

Although not currently available directly to consumers in the UK, POD Point units, are designed to provide drivers with straightforward charging information and controls to make the process simple and cost-effective. Additionally, the they are able to schedule vehicle charging overnight to take advantage of cheaper electricity rates during off-peak periods.

The Source East offer will no doubt help foster the popularity of not only the Pod Point charging stations but also EV motoring in the UK, especially considering that normally, one of these units costs around £375 ($600), while installation costs can run as much as £500 $800) on top of that.

The Source East program is currently available to residents of Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. If it proves successful, perhaps there are lessons we can learn from it in developing charging infrastructure on our side of the Atlantic.

Source:
hybridcars.com

Some Cyclists not obeying the rules of the road

2012-07-21T10:25:00.001-07:00

While many would agree getting on two wheels is a great idea to save money and help the planet; however, some cyclists seem to be taking advantage of cars and not obeying the rules of the road just to get ahead.
A recent survey by a leading UK road safety charity has revealed some startling results about the attitude of some cyclists. The online survey had around 1600 two wheeled respondents and of these more than half admitted to jumping a red light at least once and around one in seven do so on a regular basis.

The justification of this law breaking is that cyclists feel they will be safer if they get a little bit in front of the four wheeled traffic; as nearly half cited poor road layout at junctions as a top concern. The cyclists maintained that they would be less likely to jump red lights if advanced stop lines were better enforced, as well as ensuring cycle paths joined up properly at junctions.

This has lead to calls for the Government to introduce new laws allowing cyclists to be fined for flouting the road rules in the same way that drivers of motor vehicles are. Some groups even advocate bringing in some sort of “cycle tax” so that bikes would be registered and owners held accountable for poor behaviour.

Source:
bewiser.co.uk

Emerging Technology Partnerships Lead to the Unification of Automakers

2012-07-14T02:16:00.001-07:00

Encompassing initiatives including a push for sustainability, urbanization and materials revolution are being described as megatrends forcing OEMs to build a web of partnerships to drive innovation – or to risk being left in the dust.

Technologies such as alternative fuels, electric vehicles, and advanced composites are partial responses to these megatrends, according to a new Lux Research report, but understanding their impact on the industry requires looking at all of them in complete automotive ecosystems.

“Innovations driven by megatrends are breaking the traditional automotive ecosystem. OEMs need to evolve their partnership webs to succeed,” said Kevin See, Lux Research Analyst and the lead author of the report titled, “Under the Hood: Mapping Automotive Innovations to Megatrends.” “However, we find different OEMs have dramatically different approaches – their strategies today will change the shape of the auto industry in decades to come.”

Lux Research analysts examined the growing web of cross-cutting industry relationships to separate the leading innovators from the lone wolves. Among their findings:

• General Motors leads the partnership race. GM boasts the highest activity in both materials and sustainability megatrends, while Toyota leads in urbanization. Each resides in an expansive ecosystem, forming a large number of partnerships across diverse technologies.

• Some automakers keep it local, some span the globe. Volkswagen, Toyota and Daimler look outside their continents for 77 percent of their partnerships, but BMW – like GM and Ford – keeps over half of its partnerships within Europe.

• Emerging markets pose challenges. Entrepreneurs from emerging-market countries are challenging established automakers for the mass market. Indian conglomerate Tata bought legendary British brands Range Rover and Jaguar, while Chinese carmaker Geely bought Sweden’s storied Volvo Cars.

To learn more about this subject, readers can register for the complimentary Lux Research webinar, “Technology Grand Prix: Racing towards Automotive’s Future” on July 17 at 11 a.m. EDT.

Source:
hybridcars.com

MoT’s make access to important information about problems cars

2012-07-12T11:57:00.000-07:00

It may not seem surprising that millions of cars fail their annual MoT as there are an estimated 34 million on the roads of Britain today. However, a recent report has shown that some cars are more susceptible than others to problems.
An online research firm has analysed the documentation of more than 24 million MoT records and found some interesting results. One worrying statistic revealed was that over a particular period between 2010 and 2011 one in five cars failed their first MoT. Lighting and signalling problems were among the most common reasons for failure along with tyres and issues with visibility.

The reports also showed that some manufacturers were more likely to fail than others; with European companies being the worst at first time MoT failures. However, if you are looking for a more reliable car then buy Japanese as they came in at the top three places for passing the first MoT.

This report is the first time that any such information about MoT statistics has been allowed to be made public and VOSA tried to stop the report from being published. However, the Government’s OpenData scheme has meant that driver’s have access to important information about vehicle manufacturers.

That said, the vast majority for failures were due to owner error and could easily have been avoided with a small amount of basic car maintenance.

Source:
bewiser.co.uk

Now 2013 Camaro SS Coupe 1LE is ready to make history again!

2012-07-07T02:01:00.000-07:00

Since it roared onto the street in 1967 Camaro has been a force to be reckoned with — the epitome of what a performance car should be.
With the introduction of the Fifth Generation in 2010 Camaro continued the cross breading of jaw-dropping design, raw power and the latest technology. Nothing represented that more than the ZL1 — inspired by the legendary 1969 Camaro with its all-aluminum racing engine, made available to the public for the first time in 2012.

Now Camaro is ready to make history again with the introduction of the ZL1 Convertible. It has all the power, performance and fighter plane sophistication that has wowed enthusiasts — minus the top. Also new in 2013 is the Camaro SS 1LE Performance Package — a heart and mind meld of the SS with unique ZL1 features. There’s also the connectivity and entertainment of Chevrolet MyLink2 — now available on every 2013 Camaro that tears out of the dealership parking lot.

For 46 years Camaro drivers — and those who long to join the club — have pushed us to deliver power, performance and technology. It’s what they’ve come to expect. And it’s exactly what we’re delivering again in 2013.

Camaro ZL1 Convertible
It’s the most technologically advanced Camaro ever. And now you have the option to drop the top in about 18 seconds flat. Introducing the Camaro ZL1 Convertible.

Feel the thrust produced by an all-aluminum 6.2L supercharged engine that packs 580 horsepower and 556 lb.-ft. of torque. Experience the excitement the performance that comes with the third generation of Magnetic Ride Control, world-class braking and four-wheel independent suspension that you can’t get on a Mustang.

Inside you’ll find a cockpit packed with more technology than ever before, including the Heads-Up Display that projects performance data right to the windshield and a 7-inch diagonal radio touch-screen. You’ll also enjoy the latest in connectivity, information and entertainment of Chevrolet MyLink2.

There’s no doubt that getting behind the wheel, dropping the top and hitting the gas is the best way to experience this beast.

The 2013 Camaro Coupe SS 1LE Performance Package
For more than two decades, owners and enthusiasts have coveted the competition-ready third- and fourth-generation Camaro Coupe 1LE Package. Now the 1LE is back —combining white-knuckle performance elements of the ZL1 and SS with a decidedly aggressive attitude of its own.

Here are the cold, hard facts on the all-new road-racing Camaro that’s going to carve up the track and live up to its legendary name.
Performance
FE6 Performance Ride and Handling Suspension
1LE-specific front and rear stabilizer bars
Four-piston Brembo® disc brakes with red calipers
Goodyear® Eagle® F1 Supercar® Gen 2 tires (P285/35ZR20)
Upgraded halfshafts designed to handle the higher grip and handling of the rear tires
Tower-to-tower brace to enhance structural feel
Tremec® 6-speed manual transmission with specific gearing
Electric Power Steering
Available dual-mode exhaust with quad outlets
3.91:1 axle ratio
Exterior
Low-gloss Black hood wrap
20-inch 10-spoke black wheels with low-gloss clearcoat
Available RS Appearance Package
Available sunroof
Interior
Sueded microfiber-wrapped flat-bottom steering wheel, shift knob and boot
Available Boston Acoustics® premium 9-speaker sound system
Available rear vision package

Chevrolet MyLink in Camaro
Advanced technology has always driven Camaro. But that technology isn’t just reserved for what goes under the hood — it’s also in the cockpit.

Starting in 2013 every Camaro LT, SS and ZL1 will come standard with Chevrolet MyLink2 — a 21st century upgrade on how you can enjoy your music and connect with the world outside your vehicle.

MyLink uses your Bluetooth®3-paired smartphone to stream Pandora® and Stitcher SmartRadio™ through the system with Gracenote® , which organizes your music library by populating song information and album art.

The system fully integrates your Bluetooth®-paired smartphone,including contacts for advanced hands-free calling and phone control. And so you can easily enjoy all of these features without interrupting your active lifestyle, the convenient 7-inch diagonal touch-screen allows you to control those apps right through the radio unit or steering wheel-mounted controls.

Even more, you can use advanced voice recognition for true hands-free calling and the entire system — from the apps on your phone to your music-loaded USB drive4. Just say the word.

The system is also available with built-in navigation, to keep you headed in the right direction. The navigation radio includes a 3-month subscription to SiriusXM Nav Traffic5, for real-time updates.

Source:
chevrolet.com

Young Drivers favour of safety cameras on the roads

2012-07-05T11:45:00.000-07:00

Safety cameras are often a sore point for Britain’s drivers as many of us have been caught out and had to pay a fine for a seemingly minor incident. However, it seems there is a growing number of younger drivers that are actually in favour of safety cameras and think that there should be more on the roads.
A poll by a well known motoring organisation has revealed that 17-24 years old are much more positive than drivers over 45 of safety cameras. The reason for this disparity is probably a result of younger drivers being on the road less and doing shorter journeys as well as being used to the sight of cameras on the streets since they were very young. Whereas older drivers tend to take longer journeys and remember when street furniture consisted of street lamps and the occasional sign.

Another fact found was that women were more inclined to be more supportive than men of safety cameras but this is probably because women tend to commit fewer traffic offences. Possibly men see cameras as a menace and that they are out to get them; especially those who drive more than 20,000 miles per year who were the least supportive of safety cameras.

Those who drive long distances are likely to blame cameras for being late or being caught and really they should be looking at unreasonable schedules and being overworked instead.

Source:
bewiser.co.uk

Hybrid option from Toyota Avalon

2012-07-02T11:06:00.001-07:00

For the first time, Toyota Avalon buyers will have a choice of powertrains when the new car goes on sale later this year.

One option will be the familiar 3.5-liter DOHC V6 that sees duty in the current Avalon hooked to a revised six-speed automatic transmission. Toyota claims that this combination will achieve a fuel-mileage rating of 21 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.
The new transmission also comes with the option of steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, although how much use those paddles will get remains to be seen, given the nature of a typical Avalon buyer.

The big news for the 2013 Avalon is the addition of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system. A 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine is connected to two electric motors within the CVT transaxle. One of the two electric motors is used to start the gasoline engine, while the second motor is responsible for propulsion and regenerative braking. The whole setup should be good for a combined output of 200 hp and a claimed fuel-economy rating of 40 mpg.

The hybrid powertrain can operate in EV mode for distances of up to one mile at speeds of less than 25 mph. The battery pack resides in the trunk, and the hybrid system adds about 97 pounds to the curb weight of the V6 car.

Like all Avalons before it, the 2013 model will be built in Georgetown, Ky., alongside the Camry. Toyota wouldn't confirm any details on pricing beyond saying that it likely would be similar to that of the 2012 model.

Source:
autoweek.com

The 2013 Audi A4 Allroad is a more upmarket machine

2012-06-30T23:48:00.000-07:00

It's no secret we love our high-riding SUVs and crossovers in the United States, but cars still outsell utilities by a 2-to-1 margin. For automakers, that's a clue that there is significant sales potential to buyers who pine for an off-road vehicle but secretly desire a sportier, more carlike cruiser for the highway.
For Audi, the answer is the A4 Allroad. Previewed at this year's Detroit auto show, the contemporary-looking wagon has an SUV-like ride height and standard four-wheel drive to give it the ability to head off road, albeit not too far.

Audi has been here before, of course, with the A6 Allroad—a car that was pulled from the U.S. market seven years ago because of its high pricing. With the smaller and less opulent A4 Allroad, the German carmaker is aiming for a more affordable, family-oriented market niche.

If you're thinking Subaru Outback or Volvo XC70, you're not far off. As a whole, though, the Allroad is a more upmarket machine, offering greater levels of comfort and quality, if not performance. The Allroad likely will be more expensive, too.

Based on the A4 Avant, which the All-road will replace in the U.S. market, the new Audi has an added 1.5 inches of ride height for a total of 7.1 inches of ground clearance (just shy of the more rugged Q5), and an overall 2.3-inch taller profile compared with the A4 wagon. Allroad trim includes plastic-cladded wheel arches and unique bumpers to set it apart from its more road-biased siblings.

Inside, the cabin is standard A4: good looking, superbly laid out and generally high in quality. There also are some unique touches, including shiny sill plates, cloth seat upholstery and new dashboard applications that help set it apart.

The U.S. Allroad gets one engine choice, the 2.0-liter, 211-hp, 258-lb-ft direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder. It is fuss-free, with a free-revving nature, eager low-end power, flexible midrange and strong, if not strapping, high-end qualities. It also sounds convincing, with a stern metallic hum that belies its four-cylinder construction. The engine is hooked to an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic sending power to the wheels via quattro all-wheel drive.

You get a commanding view of the road, yet in overall on-road ability, the A4 Allroad is virtually indistinguishable from the lower-set A4 Avant. To offset its higher center of gravity, Audi gave it slightly wider tracks, and firm damping ensures that body roll is well contained.

There is a drawback to the increased ride height, though, and it can be felt at high speeds, where wind buffeting within the wheel arches upsets the A4's straight-line stability. The revelation, however, is the ride. With extra spring travel and a lengthened wheelbase, the A4 Allroad rides much more smoothly than other A4s.

If you spend most of your time on road but seek a car capable of tackling the odd off-road excursion, the Audi A4 Allroad makes great sense. Watch the options list, though, as features that typically come as standard on rivals cost a good deal extra.

Source:
autoweek.com

Bentley EXP 9 F, the Lamborghini Urus and the Maserati Kubang who will win?

2012-06-29T23:14:00.000-07:00

The big luxury utes are coming, and I've been thinking about them quite a bit lately. In particular, I speak of the Bentley EXP 9 F, the Lamborghini Urus and the Maserati Kubang. At first glance they seem illogical; they're all imposing and, each in its own way, over the top. They've often been snickered at by the assembled media types at whichever auto show they happen to be revealed. I say they deserve another look.
Let's start with the Bentley. It caused no small amount of tut tutting when it was unveiled in Geneva a few months ago, mostly because of its daunting, ginormous front end. The concept is powered by a 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12—of course it is; what else would you expect?—from the Bentley parts bin. The cabin is magnificent, all gorgeous wood and leather with stunning instruments. Bentley says it hopes that the EXP 9 F will shoot to the top of the heap in terms of interior ambience, and from what we've seen, it has a shot. Few argue against Bentley needing an SUV—nothing wrong with trying to tramp all over Range Rover. Besides, luxury utes can work: Half of Porsche's sales in 2011 were Cayennes. Half. So, no, it's not the idea of the EXP 9 F, it's Bentley's exterior styling that's raising eyebrows. With a new front clip, the thing could be a hit.

Next up, also from the Volkswagen Group, comes the Lamborghini Urus, a 600-hp monster shown at the Beijing motor show. We've been here before with Lambo—who can forget the outrageous LM002? The Urus' particulars are a carbon-fiber body riding on the same all-wheel-drive chassis that future Audi Q7s, Porsche Cayennes and Volkswagen Touaregs will use, along with, yes, the Bentley EXP 9 F.

The Urus gets more interesting if the rumors we've been hearing are true, that Lamborghini might, in combination with a plug-in electric motor, give the truck a modified version of Audi's new turbocharged 4.0-liter direct-injection V8. If the Urus goes into production, Lambo officials figure that it will cost just more than $200,000, will happen by 2016, and that they can move 3,000. That would instantly double the Italian supercar maker's sales. Maybe it's not such a bad idea.

And finally, the Maserati Kubang. Maserati's SUV will share its underwear with the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Dodge Durango. Maserati will supply gasoline and diesel engines from Italy, and the Kubang will be built by Chrysler in Detroit. No, really.

Maserati CEO Harald Wester has spent much of his time lately trying to convince anyone who will listen that a luxury Maserati SUV is a natural. The company hopes to sell 20,000 to 25,000 Kubangs a year—Maserati sold 2,321 cars here last year.

So maybe Wester doesn't need to convince anyone. Maybe it will turn out that these three behemoths are no-brainers.

Source:
autoweek.com

Systems "driverless cars" should lead to lower car insurance rates!

2012-06-27T11:00:00.002-07:00

The first "driverless cars" now are hitting the highways, aiming to reduce accidents and make traveling safer. Fewer accidents should lead to lower car insurance rates. But who will be "at fault" if an automated car causes a crash?
The insurance industry is only starting to consider these issues. Nevada recently approved the first U.S. license for a driverless car, and a similar process is under way in California. Also known as autonomous vehicles or "robot cars," the prototypes from Google feature self-driving technology that includes radar sensors that detect traffic. The prototypes also are equipped with video cameras, laser range finders and global positioning systems (GPS).

The widespread use of driverless cars is "a long way off," says Russ Rader, spokesperson for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "But there are systems on vehicles right now that are the building blocks for autonomous vehicles."

Let driverless cars take the blameTechnology such as forward collision warning with automatic braking and electronic stability control already are making roads safer, he adds. Within a few years, there will be a semiautonomous vehicle available that can "drive itself in certain situations," such as in stop-and-go commuter traffic.

Rader says most accidents are caused by driver error. With fully autonomous vehicles, "the potential safety benefits are large, but the jury is still out on whether these systems will actually reduce crashes in the real world."

Fewer accidents mean lower premiums

Fewer accidents should mean fewer insurance claims, and thus lower premiums. Donald Light, a senior analyst for the financial services consulting company Celent, expects that improving technology could lead to a significant decrease in car insurance premiums. Light's recent study looked at several trends, including automated traffic law enforcement, collision avoidance, improved data gathering and, eventually, robot cars.

Under his scenario, technology that "radically reduces the frequency and severity of motor vehicle accidents" would mean the "need for automobile insurance is substantially reduced." The study projects total premiums dropping by 9 percent from 2013 to 2017 and by 26 percent from 2018 to 2022 as a result of new technologies.

Whether your car is controlled by a computer or by you, you'll still need liability insurance to protect you in the case of an accident, says Jim Whittle, assistant general counsel and chief claims counsel for the American Insurance Association (AIA).

Some observers have expressed concern that "robot car" technology is rolling ahead faster than state laws can keep up. Whittle says sometimes "the law does evolve to account for new technologies, or the law applies long-established legal concepts to new technologies." Concepts such as product liability and negligence already exist, but to his knowledge they have not yet been applied to cases involving autonomous cars.

Light also says he is not aware of any case law yet concerning driverless cars. "It's still early for insurance companies" to know how they will handle automated vehicles, he says. There are a number of potential liability areas, such as how the hardware and software involved interacts with the car; whether the manufacturer is at fault; the role of other cars or pedestrians; and failure of the owner to perform proper maintenance on the vehicle and its automated systems.
When is a robot at fault?

Would it be more difficult to determine fault in a car accident without a human driver? Whittle, a former defense attorney, notes that each case depends on its own particular set of facts.

"In a situation like that, it is possible the owner could be considered at fault. Perhaps he was allowing the car to drive itself under conditions that the manufacturer would say were not appropriate for self-driving," he says.

Both parties could share responsibility. Or, there could be allegations that the computer malfunctioned or that the software was programmed negligently.

And what if two driverless cars collided? Whittle says it "would be interesting to see how that plays out. How long will it be until someone says, 'It wasn't me; I wasn't driving'?"

Whittle expects that a driver's risk characteristics will continue to be important for insurers in setting rates, even for cars that might normally operate without human intervention. It is likely that, for at least the near-term, these vehicles will offer an option allowing you to take control of the vehicle by overriding the driverless features.

Your marital status, age, driving record and other personal factors still will matter when it comes to setting your premiums. And a person with a bad driving record isn't likely to get a second chance at low premiums just because he or she buys a driverless car.

If driverless cars have an option for manual operation, "the insurer might have to assume that it is being manually operated all the time," Whittle notes. "Otherwise, they may be missing important risk characteristics to be sure they are setting a proper rate for coverage."

Proponents of driverless autos held a meeting June 12-13 in Detroit. The Driverless Car Summit 2012 considered ways to improve existing technology. Not everyone is pushing for the use of driverless cars, however. In California, the nonprofit Consumer Watchdog organization recently urged state lawmakers to bar Google's driverless cars from state highways until there is a ban on collecting movement data on drivers of such vehicles. The group says such information gathering would violate drivers' rights to privacy.

Overall, Whittle says AIA considers autonomous vehicles "a fascinating development" with the potential for improving road safety. However, "it doesn't mean people won't be hurt in an accident. Unless this develops into a perfect state, you still have the potential for being seriously harmed in one of the most dangerous things we do on a regular basis."

Source:
insure.com

Tesla's Model S luxury auto is spectacular.

2012-06-25T11:24:00.001-07:00

The electric wonder's attributes go far beyond its claim to fame as the longest-range production electric car, EPA rated at 265 miles. (Tesla says it will go 300 miles at a continuous 55 miles per hour.) Most electric cars can't do much more than 100 miles a charge, unless they have backup gas engines, like the Chevrolet Volt. Tesla has no backup.
Driving the performance version in the hills around Tesla's headquarters, south of San Francisco, was exhilarating. The car is a flat-out joy to drive. And you'll want to run it flat-out. Like Tesla's previous electric roadster, the Model S invites you to experience a rush of acceleration at every on-ramp or empty stretch of back roads. When you do, you'll get what seems like an effortless push-you-back-in-the-seat thrill that extends through the power range. In the performance version, the Model S rockets from zero to 60 miles per hour in 4.4 seconds (although top speed is 125 mph, relatively modest by luxury-car standards). But what's even more impressive is how it keeps going at a breakneck pace. That's important if you're trucking along at 60 mph and suddenly want to punch it up to 80 mph to pass.

The battery pack is built into the floor, giving the Model S an absurdly low center of gravity. That pays off when it comes to cornering, allowing the Model S to hold the road.

It wasn't just the car's performance that amazed us, although that alone probably would have done the trick. It's the car overall.

The exterior design by former Mazda designer Franz von Holzhausen is simply beautiful, the four-door coupe style now linked to Audi A7 and Jaguar XJ. Inside and out, there are little touches that impress everywhere -- from a big space between the front seats where women can place their purses to outside door handles that are flush to the car until they magically appear when a hand brushes against them. There is no scrimping on materials in the cabin. The dashboard is stitched leather and the door pulls are sculpted aluminum.

It's as if every detail of the car became a matter of weeks-long deliberation. Case in point: Instead of a power port that opens like a gas cap, like on a Chevrolet Volt or Nissan Leaf, the Model hides the port behind the left rear taillight. And when you open it, it's not only circled in LED lights, but you can tell how much the car is charged by how many of them are lit.

This luxury doesn't come cheap. The Tesla Model S starts at $57,400, not counting the federal tax credit, for a base-level version that has about the same range as today's electric cars. By the time you get to the longest-range version with all the extras, the "signature performance" version, you're at $105,400. Initially, Tesla is only making the premium version. The wait to buy a Tesla, if you plunked your $5,000 deposit today, would be for delivery next May.

There are so many things to talk about this car, it's hard to know where to begin. Let's try three:

    Charging. Unlike most electric cars where you have to buy a home charger, and have it installed, the Model S' recharger is built in. That saves a lot of money and hassle, although owners will still want to have their garages' electric systems upgraded to 240 volts. Even with that, the 300-mile version will take up to eight hours to recharge.
    The center console screen. Tesla not only now has the largest monitor screen of any car, but just about every control is now situated on it. The screen is 17 inches from top to bottom, bigger than two iPads. There are only two buttons on the dashboard, compared with 80 or more in some luxury cars. One opens the glove box. The other is for the four-way emergency flashers, required by law. Through the touch-screen, you can perform just about any function. And it shows multiple displays, so it's possible to have navigation on the top, and show audio on the bottom. For now, drivers will get full access to the Internet even while they drive. When Drive On got in the car, the full screen version of USATODAY.com was being displayed. So for now, drivers or their passengers can check for restaurants or anything else while they drive. We're not sure how long this feature will last, though, with federal regulators' crackdown on distracted driving.
    Space. The car's battery pack is stashed under the car, which helps lower the center of gravity and opens up a lot of otherwise wasted space. There is no hump down the middle. There's a trunk in front where the engine would normally be. And there is storage behind the rear seat. As for the large space between the front seats, Tesla says it's creating an opportunity for buyers to customize how to use it themselves. There are two cup holders in front, and Tesla is developing a cup holder insert for the back seat, and there's adequate headroom in the back seat for taller people.

There are a few things we didn't like, but they are minor. The rear window is so sloped that it looks distorted through the rear-view mirror. At first, it was confusing to figure out which is the turn-signal stalk. A quick test drive doesn't answer other questions about the Model S, such as the one that's most important: What is it like to live with a car that needs to be plugged in at home every day, or every other day.

All in all, the Model S makes us think it is the electric car by which others will be measured. The question is whether buyers of luxury cars will seriously consider it before buying a conventional car.

Source:
usatoday.com

2013 Ford Mustang is winner, this is great news!

2012-06-22T12:59:00.001-07:00

The 2013 Ford Mustang configurator is back online with new features. Now, normally, this wouldn't warrant a mention. But the contest in which you could win a new Mustang, Mustang GT, Boss 302 or Shelby got our attention.
After you've designed your dream 'Stang on your computer or on the smartphone app, you can virtually inspect the car with five different views and make it appear as if it's doing a massive burnout.

As a bonus—and this might be our favorite part—you can play the sound of your virtual GT500, Boss 302 and GT Mustangs by clicking a button on the page. Fair warning: It's only fun for a few hours, but by then you probably should get back to work, anyway.

“Fans can save their finished fantasy Mustang to a computer to use as desktop wallpaper or share to their Facebook account and enter into the battle mode,” said Brian McClary, Ford digital marketing manager. “The battle mode pits the designs head-to-head, where more than 5.1 million battle votes have already been cast.”

Ford will select four virtual Mustangs over the rest of the year and build real versions of each, and they will be given to the four winning fans. Go to www.ford.com/cars/mustang/customizer/ for more details and to enter.

Source:
autoweek.com

Style and Design

2012-06-19T12:32:00.002-07:00

Italy's Terra dei Motori, translated as the “land of engines,” is familiar and sacred ground among the automotive literate. Born out of mechanical engineering and craftsmanship, the country's most illustrious supercars are built in the famous enclaves of Maranello, Sant'Agata Bolognese and Castelfranco Emilia. Creations capable of speeds in excess of 205 mph not only require powerful engines and mechanical prowess; they must also embody certain characteristics that improve the function of the form. This is where Flavio Manzoni, Filippo Perini and Horacio Pagani make their marks.
Leading the design teams at Ferrari, Lamborghini and Pagani, respectively, the designers are charged with pushing the style of their brands while adhering to homologation requirements, and each has a unique approach.

“You cannot make any kind of design if you don't include functionality and performance with a shape,” said Manzoni, who has been building up Ferrari's first in-house design studio since joining the firm in 2010.

To that end, Ferrari's team switches between clay and digital to develop the design. “It's a perfect mix between virtual modeling and manual finesse, which is what a Ferrari needs,” Manzoni said.

The first fruit of their labor was the F12 Berlinetta revealed at the Geneva motor show.

“We kept the mid-channel scalloped out, and the air bridge was a really good idea for creating downforce,” Manzoni said. “It created 10 percent more downforce on the front with 3 percent less drag.”

The in-house team also benefitted from collaboration with renowned design house Pininfarina, which has designed nearly 200 Ferraris in its 60-plus-year dalliance.

The process of competition and collaboration is familiar to neighbor and rival supercar maker Lamborghini. The company's Centro Stile—built in 2003 and headed by Perini since 2006—routinely puts the practice into place, calling on its vast Volkswagen studio network to participate in the design of its vehicles.

“The LB834 Aventador interior was mostly done in VW's Potsdam studio,” Perini said.

The company also has a four-person task force in VW-owned Italdesign dedicated to Lamborghini projects.

Lambo's virtual design method—atypical to the conventional sketch-and-clay process—is different from Ferrari's, and the Centro Stile's designers work across all facets, from exterior to interior details.

“I feel that a designer should know how to do the complete job, not just a single area,” Perini said. “I have a designer working on the inner part of the front lamps but also responsible for the exterior.”

While working digitally significantly reduces the time required to develop and approve designs for production, homologation is a still a major constraint.

“Everybody knows the iconic Miura, Diablo, Countach, Murciélago and Aventador,” Perini said. “To do something that is respecting this monster level of image is a challenge. Compared to the '60s, we have more challenges with pedestrian impact.”

On the other side of the scale, Pagani follows a conventional design approach. The Argentinean-born founder and chief designer of Pagani Automobili considers himself a modern Renaissance man and defines the essence of his company's design language as a “mix between art and science.”

Conceived more than seven years ago, the Huayra is built using 4,700 individually designed pieces. To put this in perspective, the development process of the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta took 19 months. While Pagani plans to make 25 copies of the Huayra in 2012, Lamborghini delivered 1,602 and Ferrari sold 7,195.

“We started with a clean sheet of paper,” Pagani said. He later digitized the sketch and had a full-size model built by an external supplier. “When you want to start completely from scratch, it takes a lot of time.”

Pagani, which is testing the Huayra to adhere to NHTSA requirements in preparing imports to the U.S. market, has also had to deal with constraints. The company plans to homologate the car by the end of the year, effectively postponing its arrival on U.S. soil by six months, to late 2013. That is evidence that even Italian dreams must be firmly rooted in reality.

Source:
autoweek.com

New Outlander Hybrid EV it's cool...

2012-06-18T12:08:00.001-07:00

Mitsubishi Motors (MMC) will introduce the all-new Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV At the forthcoming 2012 Paris Motor Show ("Mondial de l’Automobile"), running between September 27 and October 14.
Neither a mere adaptation of an existing Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) – powered vehicle, nor a dedicated Plug-in Hybrid technology showcase, the New Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV (or “PHEV”) will share its architecture with the soon-to-be-introduced New Outlander’s ICE versions.

According to Mitsubishi, “it will be the first mainstream car from a major manufacturer envisaged from the outset with built-in provisions for either ICE or PHEV power trains.”

As Mitsubishi Motors’ first plug-in hybrid car, it will be an EV-based vehicle, supplemented by a gas engine when needed – a solution MMC considers more suited to global markets than diesel.

Making use of Mitsubishi’s 4-Wheel-Drive expertise, it will also be the first permanent 4WD electric car in series production.

The New Outlander PHEV unique drive train combination of front electric motor plus rear electric motor plus front traction/generator gas engine will translate into a choice of three driving modes:

Pure (Twin Motor 4WD EV)

Series (Twin Motor 4WD - EV supported by generator)

Parallel (ICE engine supported by Twin Motor 4WD)

When fitted to the New Outlander, the Mitsubishi Plug-in Hybrid system will allow for a long haul range and very low emissions similar to that of the Concept PX-MiEV II show car, i.e. a driving distance of over 500 miles and a CO2 target below 50 g/km.

Source:
hybridcars.com

Superbus next step is to clean technologies

2012-06-16T05:40:00.001-07:00

Roger Daltrey and Pete Townsend may not have been called prophets, but with the emergence of the Superbus, that could all change.

The Dutch-built six-wheeled lithium-ion-battery-powered vehicle is a “Magic Bus” indeed.
What began in 2004 as just a concept has grown to a full-fledged prototype approved for testing on the roads of the Netherlands this past week, Fox News reports.

At just less than 50 feet long and more than eight feet wide, the bus has aluminum subframes in both front and rear and a variable ride height to clear speed bumps on city streets and to reduce aerodynamic drag when on high-speed runs. The Superbus also has 16 gullwing doors to welcome up to 23 passengers inside.

While the Superbus is still a few years from production, it raises a good question: When was the last time you were excited about riding the bus?

Source:
autoweek.com

Harman will not install Apple's move into autos

2012-06-15T11:24:00.001-07:00

Harman International Industries Inc said it will not be affected by Apple Inc's plans to offer voice activated real-time traffic updates and turn-by-turn navigation in cars.
"A car has a seven-year life cycle while a phone lasts for 14 months or 18 months, so no car would integrate a complete phone-based application," CEO Dinesh Paliwal told Reuters.

He said luxury cars -- a market that Harman mainly caters to -- will always come with embedded infotainment systems, which can then be paired with smartphones.

Harman shares lost 9 percent of their value over the two days since Apple made its announcement on Monday as investors feared that the technology giant's entry would be disruptive to the car electronics and navigation market.

Paliwal said Harman would integrate the new features Apple announced in its systems but would need about a year to have the product tested so that it did not interfere with any car safety or engine related software.

The CEO noted that Harman had been working with Apple for the last two years and was in the process of launching its first factory-installed car infotainment system with BMW AG that integrates Apple's iPhone.

Apple said it is working with several automakers, including Audi, BMW AG, General Motors, Honda Motor Co, Mercedes and Toyota Motor Corp, to introduce its voice navigation system.

Paliwal said Harman's offering for BMW already includes integration of Siri, Apple's popular voice-enabled personal assistant software that is at the heart of the phone maker's new navigation system.

The CEO said he was agnostic to which smartphone platform is used to interface with his infotainment systems as Harman will provide support to Google Inc.'s Android, Nokia, RIM's BlackBerry and Apple.

IHS iSuppli projects the market for auto infotainment technology, which includes everything from navigation and audio systems to screens and chips, to surge to $33.5 billion this year.

Harman, one of the largest car infotainment companies, forecast full-year 2012 sales of $4.2 billion to $4.4 billion.

The company, co-founded by stereo magnate Sidney Harman, competes with Bose, Panasonic Corp., Sony Corp. and Toyota-affiliated Denso Corp.

Shares of the company, which counts Volkswagen AG's Audi and Daimler's Mercedes as customers, closed down 2.2 percent at $35.73 on Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange.

Source:
autonews.com

A new round of development of the Economical Electric Motors

2012-06-14T12:54:00.002-07:00

Next-generation electric motors for low carbon emission vehicles are the target of a new collaborative research program to be led by Cobham Technical Services.

The project, “Rapid Design and Development of a Switched Reluctance Traction Motor,” will also involve partners Jaguar Land-Rover (JLR) and engineering consultancy Ricardo UK, and is co-funded by the Technology Strategy Board.
As part of its work in the project, Cobham will develop multi-physics software and capture the other partners’ methodology in order to design, simulate and analyze the performance of high-efficiency, lightweight electric traction motors that eliminate the use of expensive magnetic materials reliant on rare earth minerals, much of which are controlled by China.

Using these new software tools JLR and Ricardo will design and manufacture a prototype switched reluctance motor that addresses the requirements of luxury hybrid vehicles.

The project is one of 16 collaborative R&D programs to have won funding from the UK government-backed Technology Strategy Board and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). The total value of this particular motor project is £1.5 million ($2.3 million), with half the amount funded by the Technology Strategy Board/BIS, and the rest by the project partners.

According to Tony Harper, Jaguar Land Rover Head of Research, “it is important to understand the capability of switched reluctance motors in the context of the vehicle as a whole so that we can set component targets that will deliver the overall vehicle experience. Jaguar Land Rover will apply its expertise in designing and producing world-class vehicles to this project, with the aim of developing the tools and technology for the next generation of electric motors.”

Dr Andrew Atkins, chief engineer – innovation, at Ricardo UK, said: “The development of technologies enabling the design of electric vehicle motors that avoid the use of expensive and potentially carbon-intensive rare-earth metals, is a major focus for the auto industry. Ricardo is pleased to be involved in this innovative program and we look forward to working with Cobham and Jaguar Land Rover to develop this important new technology. This will further build upon our growth plans for electric drives capability and capacity.”

The project has a three year timetable, at the end of which improved design tools and processes will be in place to support rapid design, helping to accelerate the uptake of this technology into production. Aside from the need to further reduce CO2 emissions from hybrid vehicles by moving to more efficient and lower weight electric motors, there is an urgent requirement to eliminate the use of rare earth elements, which are in increasingly short supply and have risen ten-fold in cost in recent years. Virtually all electric traction motors currently used in such applications employ permanent magnets made from materials such as neodymium-iron-boron and samarium-cobalt. Since switched reluctance motors do not use permanent magnets, they are believed likely to provide the ideal replacement technology.

However, one of the main challenges of the project will be to produce a torque-dense motor that is also quiet enough for use in luxury vehicles.

Source:
hybridcars.com

Insurance auto or 5 good reasons to buy a more expensive policy

2012-06-13T12:40:00.002-07:00

Price isn't everything when it comes to shopping for auto and homeowners insurance. While getting a low monthly premium matters, sometimes it pays to go with the pricier plan. Whether you need additional coverage, want a lower deductible or perceive that one company is better than another, there often are good reasons to pay higher premiums.
"Insurance is really about peace of mind and feeling like you are truly protected," says David Isaac, senior product manager at MetLife Auto & Home. "The company offering the cheapest policy is not always able to provide the coverage the customer needs."

why buy more expensive insuranceHere are five good reasons why you may decide to buy a more expensive policy.
1. Expanded coverage

Your car and your home probably are the most expensive things you've purchased, which is why having the proper insurance coverage matters. There are many low-cost policies available, but paying more for broader coverage often makes sense.

With auto policies you can purchase collision and theft insurance, but you may choose to pay extra for accident forgiveness coverage, which ensures that your premiums don't go up following a collision.

As for homeowners insurance, many policies don't include valuable articles coverage, which provides more coverage for personal belongings than a standard homeowners policy. If you own a lot of expensive items, such as jewelry, specialty silverware, furs or coin and art collections, you may choose to pay more for such protection, says Jim Fiske vice president of marketing at the Chubb Group of Insurance Cos.

2. A lower deductible

Paying a deductible is a fact of life when it comes to insurance, whether its $500, $1,000 or $2,000. The amount you agree to pay before your insurance kicks in helps determines how much your insurance premiums will be.

"If you have a bigger deductible, you are saying you are willing to pick up a bigger piece of the exposure," says James Whittle, the assistant general counsel and chief claims counsel at the American Insurance Association trade group. "If you don't think you have cash on hand, you might want to have a smaller deductible and pay more of a premium over the course of six months."

3. Customer service

If you have to make a claim, you'll want a quick and easy claims process. According to Robin Smith Westcott, Florida's appointed insurance consumer advocate, it's common for people to pay more for insurance policies if the customer service is top notch or offers an extra level of convenience, such as the ability to file a claim or access documents online.

"There are differences between companies and the way they handle claims and their responsiveness," says Westcott. "A lot of times people really like the ability to access or file claims electronically."

Whittle says consumers are willing to pay more for what they view as better customer service, whether it's the insurer coming to you when you file a claim or fuel delivered to your car if you run out of gas.

4. The brand name

For some people, a well-known brand provides peace of mind. There's a segment of consumers who are going to buy from the insurance company they are familiar with, even if it means they pay more. Even so, Westcott says consumers need to cut through marketing spiels to make sure they are getting good products.

According to Bill Wilson, associate vice president for education and research at the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, paying more for a brand-name insurer is OK, if that company has a solid reputation. He notes that consumers don't have to worry about claims going unfulfilled if a lesser-known insurer were to go bankrupt. "Most states have guaranty funds that cover claims, within limits, if an insurer goes belly-up," says Wilson.

5. A good track record

Most insurance companies provide coverage in the event of a natural disaster, be it a hurricane, tornado or wildfire. People may decide to pay more because their insurer has experience dealing with calamities.

According to Westcott, some homeowners are willing to pay extra to tap an insurance company's expertise with disasters, such as how quickly it can get adjusters to the scene.

"In the event of a loss you want [an insurance company] with knowledge and expertise," says Fiske.

The Insurance Information Network of California offers advice on how to make sure your insurance is adequate when disasters strike.

Source:
insure.com

Mini in short film for the Olympic Games in London

2012-06-12T13:15:00.001-07:00

It's a busy time for jolly ol' England as last week it celebrated the Queen's Diamond Jubilee amidst preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

In the continued buildup for the Olympics, Mini, in homage to the original 1969 film The Italian Job,made a London-themed short film called The Britain Job to highlight both the company's partnership with the Team Great Britain and ParalympicsGB.
Fans of the original might recognize some of the familiar spots the new-generation Minis drive through, including the Park Lane basement, the Duke of York Steps off the Mall and a chase through Leadenhall Market.

Thankfully there is no Lamborghini Miura destruction as in the original film. And the contents of the case at the end, unlike Marcellus Wallace's briefcase, are more or less implied to be the gold medals for the Summer Games.

The short film does include appearances by British sports figures Daley Thompson, James Cracknell, Jonathan Edwards and Matthew Pinsent and model Jodie Kidd. Sadly, Michael Caine is not included.

The 2012 summer Olympic Games are July 27 through Aug. 12.

Source:
autoweek.com

Expansion of Audi's - inevitably

2012-06-08T23:53:00.000-07:00

BERLIN (Bloomberg) -- Even as rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW spent more than a decade expanding production overseas, Audi has clung steadfastly to its flagship factories in Germany.
That’s about to change.

The Volkswagen AG unit is planning to add new plants at an unprecedented pace to chase luxury auto leader BMW. Until three years ago Audi produced 75 percent of its vehicles in the German cities of Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm, focusing largely on increasing quality and expanding its model lineup.

By 2017, the share of the German plants is projected to fall to 45 percent as annual production doubles to 1.9 million vehicles, much of it at new plants in China and Mexico and an expanded facility in Hungary.

“We’ve reached the limits of our capacity,” Frank Dreves, Audi’s production chief, said during a four-hour tour of the Ingolstadt factory, where he likes to pop in unannounced to chat with line workers. “We need to expand.”

The plan will test Audi’s ability to integrate new personnel and suppliers while maintaining standards. After largely closing the gap with BMW in terms of quality and reputation, a slipup could endanger its target of boosting sales 54 percent to 2 million vehicles by 2020.

“Audi doesn’t have any more low-hanging fruit,” said Christoph Stuermer, an analyst with IHS Automotive in Frankfurt. “The complexity of the production system is increasing quite a lot. They need to keep that under control. Their growth path is at stake.”

Executive changes

Audi plays a key role in Volkswagen’s goal of overtaking General Motors Co. as the world’s largest automaker because its margins generate cash to fuel investment. The unit accounted for 44 percent of VW’s first-quarter operating profit even though it delivered just 15 percent of the group’s vehicles.

The brand received special attention in a management reorganization unveiled last week. Wolfgang Duerheimer, head of the ultra-luxury Bentley nameplate and a former Porsche engineer, will transfer to Audi to oversee development. Luca de Meo, until now VW’s marketing chief, was appointed to lead sales. IHS’s Stuermer described the two executives as “stars.”

Audi has grown over the past few years by adding new models such as the A1 subcompact, the A7 four-door luxury coupe and the Q5 sport-utility vehicle to compete with BMW and Mercedes. That growth was supported by using spare capacity at a former VW facility in Belgium and a factory owned by Spanish unit SEAT.

Hungary, China

While Audi’s lineup is now competitive with its rivals, BMW and Mercedes long ago added factories in South Africa, the U.S. and China, giving them a far bigger global footprint.

A 900 million-euro expansion of Audi’s plant in Gyor, Hungary, will boost capacity to 125,000 cars from 2013, triple last year’s output. Next year will also mark the start of production of a variant of the A3 compact at a new factory in Foshan, China, part of VW’s joint venture with China FAW Group Corp. The plant, Audi’s second in China, will boost Audi’s annual capacity there by 40 percent to 700,000 vehicles.

Audi’s most ambitious project is an all-new facility in Mexico to produce about 150,000 Q5 SUVs a year. The project, due to start production in 2016, underscores Audi’s bid to catch up in the U.S., where sales are about half the level of BMW and Mercedes.

“The risk potential of a green-field factory is bigger because it’s all in your hands,” said Stefan Bratzel, director of the Center of Automotive Management at the University of Applied Sciences in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany. “Audi’s shifting from the hunter phase and has to consolidate what they have without losing sight of growth.”

Ingolstadt 'cave'

Audi reckons it can handle the task. In a virtual reality “cave” in Ingolstadt, engineers simulate the entire assembly of a new model months before production starts in order to fine tune the process.

For the next-generation A3, which starts deliveries this summer, Audi identified a welding point that could have collided with a bracket used for mounting the front end. The discovery resulted in a redesign before production started, saving costs and improving quality. Such tools will help Audi as it expands, said Dreves.

“The biggest challenge is to handle the growing complexity that our customers demand while increasing volumes and maintaining quality,” said Dreves.

He doesn’t ignore details in his bid to improve Audi’s operations. To reduce time spent cleaning up scuff marks from transport carts, Dreves ordered white wheels. And to avoid smears from fingers and shoes, doors were covered with metal sheets.

“We train our workers to think of every car they assemble as their own,” said Dreves. “There’s nothing more important than quality. Short term success is nice, but I’d rather be part of a long-term success.”
Contact Automotive News

Source:
autonews.com

2013 Mercedes-Benz GL63 AMG packs 550 hp

2012-06-01T02:56:00.000-07:00

Mercedes-Benz is adding a fire-breathing AMG variant of the GL sport-utility vehicle for the first time for 2013.

The people hauler will pack a biturbo 5.5-liter V8 rated at 550 hp and 560 lb-ft of torque. Code-named M157, it's capable of propelling the ute to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds en route to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. The engine works with a seven-speed automatic transmission and permanent 4Matic all-wheel drive.
There is also an eco stop/start function that comes on in the controlled efficiency mode.

The GL63 debuts in the first quarter of 2013, capping the updated GL line that arrives in September. That's comprised of the GL350 Bluetec diesel, the GL450 and the GL550.

By comparison, the AMG model makes 121 hp and 44 lb-ft more than the GL550, which employs a 4.7-liter biturbo V8.

Design cues of GL63 AMG include flared fenders, large air intakes and chrome, accented by LED daytime running lamps. It rolls on 21-inch wheels.

Other standard equipment includes AMG stainless-steel running boards, floor mats and pedals, bixenon headlights and Mercedes' attention-assist system.

Source:
autoweek.com

Akio Toyoda takes 2013 NASCAR Toyota Camry for a drive

2012-05-30T04:02:00.001-07:00

Last week we showed you the 2013 Toyota Camry NASCAR Sprint Cup car, complete with orange and red TRD livery. Sources said that Joe Gibbs Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing and JTG-Daugherty Racing will remain with the Japanese automaker for at least two more years.

Today we have an HD video of Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda hot-footing the car around Daytona Speedway with Kyle Busch in February.

Toyoda is a bit shorter than Busch and looks small in the big V8-powered car. But he is an accomplished racer and seems to have no trouble hustling the car around the 2.5-mile oval.

Toyoda is famous for taking his own creations out on the track. He did the same for the Toyota 86 and owns a matte-black Lexus LFA.

We love when Toyoda does stuff like this; it proves he's an enthusiast.

Source:
autoweek.com

SPLIT OVER PLUG-INS

2012-05-28T02:54:00.001-07:00

White House pushes to get more vehicles on the road while industry shifts to traditional technologies

WASHINGTON -- A disconnect is emerging between the White House and the auto industry over the short-term future of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

President Obama is pushing ahead with his goal of getting 1 million plug-in vehicles on U.S. roads by 2015. He's even redoubling his efforts for federal support.

But automakers, while acknowledging EVs and plug-in hybrids as important to enabling them to meet long-term fuel-economy mandates, are emphasizing more traditional fuel-saving technologies in the short term.

"Everybody rushed toward EV vehicles and hybrid vehicles," said Mark James, director of Lotus Engineering, a consulting company that specializes in advanced vehicle technologies and fuel efficiency.

"Now, they're going back, and saying, 'Actually, we need to look at engines,'" especially ultra-fuel-efficient powerplants that can be built without a steep run-up in the cost to consumers.

The problem is the market for EVs and plug-in hybrids hasn't expanded as swiftly as some had anticipated. Major challenges remain: The vehicles tend to be more expensive than those powered by internal-combustion engines, battery range is limited and charging stations are lacking.

Last year, sales of the plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf EV -- electric-drive cars launched by major automakers in December 2010 -- accounted for only about 0.1 percent of the U.S. light-vehicle market.

Many EVs and plug-in hybrids are poised to go on sale in the next two years, and the segment's sales are expected to grow. In March, the industry sold 4,148 EVs and plug-in hybrids, their best-ever sales month.

But automakers are carefully targeting their new EVs and plug-in hybrids -- and are keeping their sales projections modest.

Ford Motor Co., for instance, is marketing its new Focus Electric mainly to EV enthusiasts. Ford is launching the car this spring in New York, New Jersey and California and plans to sell it nationwide by year end. Ford has not given a sales estimate.

Toyota Motor Corp., which this spring launched the Prius plug-in hybrid, expects to sell only 13,000 to 15,000 of the cars a year. A Toyota RAV4 EV coming out this summer will be sold only in California, with annual sales expected at about 800.

"Toyota is being realistic about it," spokesman John Hanson said. "We're taking a very measured approach and we're going to see what the market wants."

Even so, the Obama administration continues to make its push. In March, the White House unveiled a plan to coax more buyers into alternative-fuel vehicles, including a pitch for more funding for electric-drive and battery technologies, as well as an increase in the federal tax credit for some of the vehicles to $10,000, from $7,500.

The administration also wants to make the tax credit available for a broader range of fuel-saving technologies and applicable at the point of sale, a plan some dealers oppose because they say it would force them to offer the tax credit when they sell qualifying vehicles and wait for reimbursement from the government.

Obama's efforts also have run into resistance in this election year with Congress under pressure to cut federal spending and Republicans taking aim at green-energy funding.

Many auto industry experts are skeptical the administration can hit its 2015 target for EVs and plug-in hybrids.

"It would take a lot of work to achieve that goal," said Kevin Riddell, an auto analyst with research company LMC Automotive. "You're going to need a major breakthrough -- a vehicle that can do more than 100 miles in range."

His company predicts that annual sales of EVs and plug-in hybrids could hit 230,000 to 250,000 by 2015 and that by 2017 the nation should have 1 million of the vehicles on the road.

In the meantime, auto companies and their buyers continue to gravitate to less pricey and more conventional technologies. Manufacturers are trying to eke out better near-term fuel economy from gasoline-powered vehicles, using lighter materials, turbocharged engines and direct injection.

Michael Martin, owner of Dudley Martin Chevrolet in Manassas, Va., knows this all too well.

His store sold 14 Volts last year, but lately with gasoline prices stabilizing and GM's rollout of the Volt nationwide, interest is waning. So far this year, the dealership has sold seven Volts.

The Volt's sticker price is $39,995, including shipping. The $7,500 federal tax credit lowers the price, Martin said, but cost is still a major hurdle for buyers. Most end up leasing the Volt rather than buying it because they believe the price eventually will come down, he said.

Other buyers opt for fuel-efficient cars such as the Chevrolet Cruze or Sonic, which cost far less, Martin said. The Cruze Eco, for instance, starts at $20,120, including shipping, and gets an EPA-estimated 28 mpg city/42 highway with a manual.

"We're still seeing a strong demand for small cars," he said. "They're looking at the Volt, but they're going to a gas-powered vehicle."

Plodding along
While the White House pushes plug-ins, consumers aren't buying in big numbers.
	4 Months 2012	4 Months 2011
BMW ActiveE	879	-
Smart electric drive	2	79
Chevrolet Volt	5,377	1,703
Mitsubishi i	215	-
Nissan Leaf	2,103	1,025
Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid	2,552	-
Total plug-in	11,128	2,807
EV share	0.20%	0.10%
Ind. sales	4,651,956	4,218,042
Source: Automotive News Data Center, companies and HybridCars.com

Source:
autonews.com