Alternative Automotive Awareness

The Result of the Chrylser-Fiat Marriage...

2010-05-06T19:04:00.000-07:00

The Fiat-Chrysler Partnership

Fiat stepped up to help Chrysler in its time of need, and while many macho, super-patriotic Americans scorn the little Italian car company for becoming so heavily involved in Chrysler's affairs, all automotive connoisseurs are overwhelming excited by the potential cars that could result from this partnership.

Fiat has long held a large percentage of the European market, selling small, efficient vehicles. As stated in previous posts, it is cars like this that the American automakers need to start producing if they wish to compete in the current automotive marketplace.

The Fiat 500 (Shown above)

Not long ago, as reported on by Car and Driver and NY Times, Chrysler announced that it would be bringing an electric Fiat 500 to the U.S. by 2012. The Fiat 500 is a great little car, hopefully in the transformation to the make the car electric the engineers won't make it any less electrifying.

Details are still scarce at this time, but expect the electric 500 to accompany a gasoline version of the 500 to our shores. This will hopefully be a step in the right direction for a company that took billions in government bailout money.

Photo courtesy of M. Peinado, through Flickr.

Finally, the Fantastic Ford Fiesta!

2010-04-29T05:59:00.000-07:00

The Ford Fiesta:

(Below is a picture of the Ford Fiesta and an extended write up about it)

There is no better time than the present to be a fan of automobiles. While popular opinion may lead you to believe that cars are no longer as fun, lively, or enjoyable as those of the past (especially due to environmental hindrances) the truth remains that cars of today are packed with new and exciting technology that translates to an inspiring drive and more thrifty consumption.

In many ways the car companies of today are trying to build more economical, efficient cars (with the global recession still playing a large role in their decisions to do so.) Hybrid technology, as well as other alternative fuel sources like hydrogen or solar power have not been as widely implemented yet as they will likely be in the future.

This leaves the market open to compact, small-engine cars… cars with hatchbacks, nifty names, and bright colors. Last week’s post highlighted one such car from Chevrolet called the Cruze. The premise behind such a car is simple, provide the most fundamental aspects consumers need in a car today, price it competitively, and it will likely sell quite well.

In general the Japanese automakers have historically captured this market with entries like the recent Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris dating back to the early Honda CRX hatchbacks. But recently there has been an American automobile that has made quite a splash in this pool of small cars.

The Ford Fiesta has long been a legend of sorts in the European market. But with worldwide sales currently exceeding 12 million in the last 34 years, the car has been wildly successful worldwide. This leads to a very interesting question…. Why is this fantastic car not sold in the United States?

The answer has been simple until now, Ford did not see the costly investment worth while to revise, retool, and modify its factories to accommodate a Fiesta for the North American market. With more stringent safety regulations and consumers demanding a high level of basic features, building a Fiesta for our market would really be like building a brand new car.

Luckily, with an increasing trend towards smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles, Ford has now deemed it all but essential to bring a car like the Fiesta to the United States to combat the numerous Japanese invaders. Road & Track was one of the first to get their hands of a sampling of 2011 Ford Fiesta’s, and they highlighted some key differences between the Fiesta for our market and the “normal Fiesta.”

To start, the car is heavier weighing in now at 2600 lbs. Now this may not sound like a lot but for a car powered by a 120hp, 1.6 liter inline-4 it is a very heavy car. Couple this with the 16 rims wrapped in all season tires, compared to 17’s with summer/performance tires for the European market, and the ride is less sporty for sure. That’s not to say that the Fiesta is drastically worse, in fact Road and Track still preferred the car over the Toyota Yaris, one of its main competitors, but its certainly less sharp and focused then its cousin on the other side of the pond.

The car offers a wide range of available features such as pushbutton start, hands-free communication, a new twin-clutch transmission, and various other interesting features. The Fiesta comes in two forms, a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback both starting at $13,320. Pair these low prices with estimated consumption of 30 MPG city and 40 MPG highway and it seems that the Fiesta will be a worthy competitor to any of the current small cars in the United States.

Photo Courtesy of M. Peinado, through Flickr.

The First Cruise in the Chevrolet Cruze

2010-04-22T18:53:00.000-07:00

Back in 2008, Chevrolet announced its intention to produce a new range of vehicles, based mainly on a mid-sized 4 door sedan. This new vehicle, shown here (and at the left) at its original unveil, will be crucial for Chevrolet, and General Motors as a whole, when it comes to returning the company to its former glory.

Korea Once Again May be an American Issue

Car and Driver was one of the few sources to get a preliminary drive of the Chevrolet Cruze. It is very interesting to note that this car, as brought up in the article linked to above, is actually designed by General Motors Korea Division (think Daewoo) which makes it one of the first good cars to come from this division's design firm.

What Powers the Cruze

On the road, the car is said to feel quite solid and will hopefully be even better when it arrives here next year. For now though, it is only available in Europe with two four cylinder engines to choose from: a 1.6 liter with 111hp and a 1.8 producing 139. There may be a 2.0 liter turbo-diesel engine to follow, but this engine will likely not be for the North American market.

Cars like this: that are built well, provide nice styling, and good fuel efficiency are what General Motors should have been producing for the last ten years... hopefully after going through such a turmoil-filled year and losing their place as the largest automaker in the world to Toyota, General Motors will learn their lesson and further invest and develop cars like this.

Photo courtesy of Chevrolet Cruze, through Flickr.

Toyota's Problem (#413,608,597....)

2010-04-15T18:44:00.000-07:00

Consumer Report Reports:

The largest automobile recall in all of automotive history may soon be getting larger... Consumer Report recently tested the Lexus (Toyota's luxury division) GX460. The results were staggering; under certain controlled conditions, which Consumer report insists could easily be replicated during emergency driving situations, the car was said to power-off oversteer up to 90 degrees.

What does this mean?

Well envision you were a new (now-not-so) proud owner of a 2010 Lexus GX460. You find yourself driving on a road that you do not know that well, in the middle of a dark night. You go to make a turn down a side street in order to turn around, only to find that you have taken the corner to quickly, you release the accelerator in an attempt to slow down... it is preciously at this moment that the back end of your car swings violently around and you lose control of your spiffy new Lexus.

The bottom line is this: for a $50,000+ luxury SUV these test results are abysmal. The most obvious danger, if this were to happen to a driver on the road, would be that the car would most likely roll over especially if it were to clip a curb or something to further upset the weight distribution.

Lexus' Response

Car and Driver does a nice job illustrating the issues surrounding the new Lexus in a recent article. Car and Driver also notes Lexus' response: they have halted all sales of the GX luxury SUV and are investigating the matter very seriously, as they should. It is interesting to note the the Toyota 4Runner, on which this Lexus is ultimately built, does not have this oversteer issue outlined above... so to all you Toyota owners, you may now breath a collective sigh of relief, this time it won't be your car!

Photo courtesy of Jeff Glucker, through Flickr.

The World's Most Popular Hybrid

2010-04-09T04:22:00.000-07:00

The Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius has, in many ways, revolutionized the roadways of the world. It currently holds the title of the most fuel efficient automobile in the United States, according to the EPA.

The original Prius was launched in 1997 and was exclusive to the Japanese market. It was later released to the world, in a slightly updated variant, in 2001. This new, albeit more powerful version, was equipped with a 1.5 liter 4 cylinder engine, an AC electric motor and a 274-volt (Ni-MH) battery. Combined, it made a total of 114hp which was adequate for such a light (sub-2800 lbs.) car.

The New-Improved Planet-Saver

The newest rendition of the Prius was launched in 2009. This revised Prius is powered by a 1.8 liter I4 producing 98 horsepower and an electric motor capable of 80 horsepower. The Prius is know able to achieve an incredible 50MPG. Above is a picture of the 2009 Prius at launch.

Unwavering Japanese Commitment

Interestingly, according to Green Autoblog, recent acceleration issues have not hampered sales of the Prius in Japan at all. The previous waitlist for the car has now arisen again and a 6 month wait would now be common.

Photo Courtesy of Tech Show Network, through Flickr.

Porsche Sweeps the Podium with Three Real Winners

2010-03-05T08:38:00.000-08:00

Porsche's Tenacious Triplets

The most (in)famous sports/race-car company of all time, Porsche, brought an absolutely mind-blowing collection of concept (near-production ready) cars to the Geneva Motor show this past month. These cars are the type of creations you might expect from this notorious motor sports company that has amassed nearly 200 different major automotive victories, and takes great pride in boasting about it in their own history pages. However these cars are also in line with what you might expect from any automotive company attending a motor show in the year 2010.

The Porsche 918 Hybrid(shown below)

A racing inspired, open-top beauty, the 918 Hybrid appears to resemble the legendary Carrera GT, Porsche's most performance-packed road car ever. The car employs a host of interesting technology, including, but not limited to an extremely high-revving V8. This engine is said to be capable of more than 500 horsepower at a staggering 9200 RPM. This highly potent V8 is paired with electric motors and other energy saving innovations to deliver nearly 80 MPG on the highway. This information, provided by Wired, is merely a reiteration of Porsche's claims. (Because this car has not been road tested it is impossible to confirm if these reported stats are accurate.)

The Porsche Cayenne Hybrid (shown below)

While many of the original Porsche enthusiasts were quick to denounce the original Cayenne, the mid-sized performance/luxury SUV has been wildly beneficial to the small German brand; comprising anywhere from 1/3 of the total sales figures to more than 1/2. With the recent increase in gas prices and the new pursuit of greener, more environmentally-friendly automobiles, SUV sales in general have plummeted, unfortunately the Cayenne has not been exempt from this.

In order to address this issue, the engineers in Stuttgart, Germany have unveiled the Cayenne S Hybrid. In addition to massive weight savings: 400 pounds of net savings (including the hundreds of pounds safety equipment and the battery system located at the rear.) The New York Times, reporting from the New York Auto show that just began, has indicated that this hybrid prototype is 40% more effective than its (now obsolete) standard Cayenne S sibling. Stay tuned for further updates on the production possibility of this great new car.

The Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid (shown below)

As shown by Autoweek, this extension of Porsche's incredible racing knowledge may be the perfect track car for the 21st century. The key to the success of this car is its regenerative brake system, which is able to capture energy expelled during braking so that it may be harnessed to be reused for acceleration later. This technology made a brief appearance in Formula 1 racing where it was known as "push-to-pass;" a name affectionately employed in reference to the buttom that is pushed to achieve that quick acceleartion boost.

All Photos courtesy of David Villarreal Fernández. Photo 1 of 918 Concept, Photo 2 of Cayenne Hyrbid and photo 3 of GT3 Hybrid.

2010-03-04T04:49:00.000-08:00

Stylish, High-Quality, Dependable, Forward-Thinking...

Audi, a brand made famous for its stylish, high quality designs, its dependable Quattro (AWD) system, and its forward thinking, has unvelied a brand new line of cars in the last few auto shows worldwide, an example of one such car can be seen here, courtesy of the NY Times. Taking the name "E-Tron," in references to advance electronic drivetrain systems, these cars shed light on the bright, luminous future of the four-ringed brand.

3 E-trons.... and no Regrets

With the recent debut of a third E-Tron concept car at this week's Geneva Auto Show, it seems as though these concept cars are no longer aimed at discovering which mechanical setups work best but more so which setups work best to draw enthusiasm from consumers. The past two E-Tron (an example of which is visible at left) debuts have been sports-car inspired electric cars, often sporting sensous lines and goregous figures. Shown here by Car and Driver, this most recent installment, while offering the efficeincy of the other two, does not quite deliver in the drop-dead looks catagory.

The New Design

The overall design of this new A1 E-Tron points to a more realistic configuration: oozing big-city practicality and small-car dynamics. This seems promising, as consumers are more likely to resond favorably to cars that they might actually be able to use. Hopefully Audi will continue to puruse new elctronic automotibles and will eventually produce one of these fantastic cars.

Photo courtesy of J. Clark, through Flickr.

One Electrifying Electric

2010-02-28T18:45:00.000-08:00

A Common Misconception

The notion has long been held that electric cars cannot be performance vehicles. There have been many small boutique-style automakers that have emerged in recent years offering electric powered sports cars. Names like Tesla Motors comes to mind, but rarely are there classic sports car companies ever mentioned; all of this has changed however with a recent show car from the famous performance car manufacturer Lotus.

Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid Concept

Car and Driver reports that this new car will be powered by three sources: two small electric motors positioned at each rear wheel and a small 1.2 liter three cylinder engine used to recharge the 17 kWh battery pack if/when it runs out of charge. The range on pure electricity is said to be over 30 miles with an extended range of about 300 miles possible with the help of the three cylinder, Lotus designed, engine. (A picture of the non-electric Evora currently being produced can be seen at left.)

Electrifying performance

This new Evora, just as all the performance oriented machines offered by Lotus, is said to be capable of a sub-4 second 0-60 time. If this proves to be true, this would make it not only one of the fastest cars on the road but also one of the fastest electric cars ever made. Hopefully companies will be able to take Lotus concept car as inspiration that performance cars can still be electrifying even if they are electric.

Photo courtesy of Brian Snelson, through Flickr.

Another Green Alternative at Geneva

2010-02-22T06:42:00.001-08:00

While Mercedes has long been a pioneer in the realm of automotive safety and technology, often credited with such innovations as anti-lock brake systems, crumple zones, and even airbags for the United States market, they have yet to offer as many hybrid automobiles as many of their competitors worldwide.

Mercedes Benz F800

This lack of activity in the hybrid market may soon become a thing of the past with the (formal) introduction of the F800 at the Geneva Motor Show in the coming weeks. The official gallery, displayed on Car and Driver, shows this new concept to be an intensely futuristic departure from more traditional Mercedes Benz styling. Please also see the below video.

The Mechanical Side...

The real importance of the F800 is not its (somewhat questionable) styling, but the mechanical masterpiece that resides beneath the skin. Autoweek's recent write-up shows the F800 to be no one-trick pony. The car will likely be offered in two distinct powertrain options: an electric hybrid as well as in a hydrogen powered alternative.

An impressive combination:

The F800 combines blistering performance: a claimed 4.7 second run to 60 miles per hour, with an 18 mile all-electric range. While the pure electric mode may seem like a bit of a shortfall (as 18 miles really is not that far) the combination of performance and electric efficiency are rarely seen in the automotive world.

Photo courtesy of HenryMaxm, through Flickr.

Nissan's Electric Leaf

2010-02-21T13:00:00.000-08:00

The Current Dilemma

One of the key issues surrounding cars that employ new or emerging technology is how to make them available to consumers without incurring too much risk. If cars are sold to the public, under warranty, then the automaker gambles on the whether or not the new technology is truly ready for the public... a gamble which could prove incredibly costly.

The Growing Solution

Automakers, especially ones that produce cars packed with alternative fuel sources, tend to offer their cars only under special short-term lease programs. This is generally a good way to begin offering unique alternative automobiles because it allows manufacturers to rapidly gather consumer feedback on their new cars without risking the financial trouble of warranting potentially-comprised, newer technology.

Nissan's Leafy Green Leaf

As reported on by CNET, Nissan has begun taking orders for its new fully electric Leaf (shown at left). The price of this new Nissan is still unknown, but it appears that these cars will be offered under special lease programs as mentioned above.

This new(ish) Nissan looks to be incredibly promising. As shown in the video below, there are many clever features that should make it a very practical zero-emissions electric car. One such innovation is the ability to run systems such as the air conditioning from a mobile phone, this would enable the driver to make best use of the car's battery power and only use the air conditioning while the car was connected to a power source. Charging the vehicle at this point seems like the only inconvenience, with an 8 hour charge in Europe and a 16 hour charge in nations like Japan and the United States, due to less powerful electrical outlets.

Photo courtesy of Cliff1066, through Flickr.

Ever Expanding Toyota Issues

2010-02-16T13:30:00.000-08:00

Toyota May Face a Federal Fine

Toyota's reaction to safety concerns in past weeks is now being scrutinized by Federal safety regulators. Freep.com that with a maximum monetary fine of 16.4 million dollars, Toyota will certainly do their best to show they responded promptly and effectively to their current recall crisis.

Less Demand = Less Production

As you may recall, Toyota halted all production during the height of their recalls. Since then Toyota has slowly begun to ramp up production again. Of course just as it seemed their production woes were ending, WKBO recently acknowledged a new change in production scheduling. Toyota's kentucky plant will now temporarily cease production and Toyota's Georgetown plant has begun to mix in non-production days to adjust production to current demand.

Photo courtesy of AMTokyo, through Flickr.

Green Car of the Year

2010-02-09T15:35:00.000-08:00

The Benefits of Diesel

As a proud driver of a Volkswagen TDI vehicle its extremely apparent to me that diesel engines, especially those offered by Volkswagen Group, are fantastic alternatives to their gasoline- powered counterparts. In general, diesel engines deliver more torque than gasoline engines, which allows them offer a spirited driving feel. Aside from making more power, diesel engines are also more fuel efficient than gasoline engines.

Green Car of the Year

It is therefore no surprise that Green Car recently voted Audi's TDI A3 as the "Green Car of the Year." (Picture at left shows Audi A3 TDI-- Green Car of the Year)

Diesel: A Viable Alternative

This recent endorsement of clean diesel technology is exactly what consumers need to see/hear to boost their confidence in diesels. Unfortunately, diesels have long held unfavorable opinion due to their reputation as dirty, smelly, and crude. While this may have been the case a few decades ago, recent improvements in diesel technology have made them a viable alternative to gasoline engines.

Photo courtesy of MikeBabcock, through Flickr.

Ferrari's First Hybrid

2010-02-09T14:01:00.000-08:00

Switzerland's Show

The Geneva Motor Show has long been a launching pad for some of Europe's most highly coveted exotic cars. Ferrari has been a frequenter of the Geneva Motor Show, with many recent cars unveiled there.

Recent Ferrari Offerings in Geneva

In 2002, Ferrari gave us the 575 Maranello; in 2005 Ferrari displayed the F430 Spider; in 2006 they unveiled the 599 GTB; and with 2009 came two new variations on the 599: the Handling GT Evoluzione Package and the 599XX.

What to Expect this Year

Despite numerous very important launches at past Geneva Motor Shows, this year will likely bring Ferrari's most important launch yet: a hybrid. Both Autoblog and Car and Driver have indicated that this new hybrid will likely be based upon the 599 GTB (shown at left,) while employing both AWD (all wheel drive) as wells as KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) as seen in Ferrari's Formula 1 race car.

Look for this new exotic hybrid at this year's Geneva Motor show which begins March 4th.

Photo courtesy of http2007, through Flickr.

A Sampling From Bravaria

2010-02-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

BMW's Vision of the Future: the Future Vision

The performance and luxury automaker BMW (Bavarian Motor Works) released a ground breaking new hybrid back at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September. Called the BMW Future Vision, the car is revolutionary in its styling and performance potential, as shown by Road & Track in a recent feature. (Shown at left.)

The Power of the Future

The car is powered by two electric motors, one per axle, and a compact 1.5 liter turbo diesel engine. The combined output of these three sources is 353 horsepower which is enough to rocket this hybrid from 0-60 miles per hour in under five seconds, a truly impressive feat for a car which is estimated to get more then 60 MPG.

BMW Concept ActiveE

More recently, BMW released another vehicle under its "Efficient Dynamics" program. As reported on by the New York Times, the BMW Concept ActiveE, based on a traditional BMW 1 Series (pictured at left,) will likely be available under a test-lease program offered by BMW to further gather consumer feedback and interest. This new plug-in, four-seater all-electric coupe has a range of about 100 miles using its 170 horsepower motor.

What These New Models Mean:

In January, total BMW sales (including Mini Cooper and Rolls-Royce) have risen 17% according to an article posted today by the Wall Street Journal. If BMW is able to translate some of their recent prototypes into production series models, it is likely that they will continue to build on their success with last month's sales increase.

Photo 1 courtesy of Harald Kajut, through Flickr.

Photo 2 courtesy of Peter Stevens, through Flickr.

Toyota's Latest Recall

2010-02-09T08:35:00.000-08:00

The Latest Vehicular Victim

In a news conference held today, Toyota's President, Akio Toyoda, announced the latest Toyota vehicle to be added to the recall list: the Prius.

Worldwide the number of recalled Prius's (and Prius-based Lexus HS250h's, shown at left) amounts to a staggering 437,000. Keep in mind. this number reflects just one year's worth of Prius's. Of the 400,000+ cars Toyota has issued the recall for, almost 150,000 are located in the United States and nearly 225,000 are in Japan, according to the Associated Press.

A Long List of Issues.... and Recalls

At this point Toyota recalls have become common place. After recalls for faulty floor mats and "sticky" accelerator pedals have spanned nearly a dozen model ranges and amount to over 8 million vehicles around the world, this latest recall of only 437,000 seems insignificant.

The Automotive Ripple Effect

However this could not be further from the truth according to an article posted yesterday by the Wall Street Journal. In the article, Honda's Finance Chief, Yoichi Hojo, warns that Toyota's massive recalls could begin to affect the entire automotive industry, as consumers begin to lose faith in new cars' safety and reliability.

Consumers are NOT the Only Ones at Risk...

Business Week has even reported today that between the costs of the recall, lost sales, and pending lawsuits, the cost associated Toyota's recent recall crisis could cost over 2 billion dollars.

Photo courtesy of Tech Show Network, through Flickr.

2010-02-08T06:22:00.000-08:00

**Breaking News**

As recently reported by USA Today, it is believed that Toyota will in fact issue a recall of over 300,000 Prius Hybrids within the upcoming days or week.

Widespread braking and acceleration problems have plagued the Japanese giant in the past many weeks, prompting a series of recalls which now applies to millions of vehicles world wide.

Check back later for more updates.

Photo courtesy of Tech Show Network, through Flickr.

A World of Approaches to a World-Wide Issue

2010-02-08T05:42:00.000-08:00

The Underlying Automotive Problem:

Gas shortages, rapid depletion of coal, and a prolonged inability to affectively cultivate natural energy sources have ushered in a new era of automobiles. The most interesting part about this newly emerged automotive industry is actually its diversity.

Despite the ever expanding automotive industry, there are only three main auto hotspots in the world today: Eastern Asia, namely China and Japan; Europe, specifically Germany; and the United States.

The Various Automotive Solutions:

In Asia, especially Japan, car makers like Toyota and Honda have employed full hybrid electric vehicles for a little over a decade. These cars are wildly popular for their high fuel efficiency (MPG) and there exceptionally clean emissions.

In Europe the trend has been less towards hybrids and one that is more centrally focused upon highly efficient combustion engines. Popular Mechanics illustrates, European automakers like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen (as well as their subsidiaries) have long employed advanced diesel engines in their passenger cars.

In the United States the focus has been a combination of the above two: more efficient engines and some new hybrid technology. The American Automakers, the classic Big Three (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler) have never really embraced diesel technology like the Europeans. As shown by Scientific American, with almost 95% of cars on the road today in the United States using gasoline engines, you cannot blame them.

My Personal Solution:

My personal disclaimer: I drive a Volkswagen TDI Diesel. Occasionally my blog may reflect this, but I will of course speak the truth first and add my own commentary second.