Audi Globe Trotters Gear Up For Mileage Marathon, Sweet Lou Dunbar Unavailable For Preseason Commentary

I’m totally for conserving the environment and saving the seals and everything, just so long as I get to ride in his car

On October 6th, Audi will kick off the Mileage Marathon, a cross-country trek spanning from the East to the West coast, aimed at promoting their fuel efficient diesel model lineup. Over 187 drivers will participate [including the auto bloggers at AutoBlogGreen], and rewards will be given daily to the drivers who managed to consume the least amount of fuel. More than just clever way to advertise Audi’s enviro-friendly technology, the Mileage Marathon is rumored to also serve as a preview for Audi’s future North American line-up. Audi’s marathon fleet will be comprised of 23 TDI engine-equipped vehicles, including the Audi Q7, Q5, A4, and A3 models. Of the four TDI’s, only the Q7 and the Q5 have concrete timetables for an American debut. The Q7 is slated for U.S. release in 2009, while both hybrid and diesel versions of the Q5 are scheduled for an appearance in early 2010.

[News & Photo Source: AutoBlogGreen]

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GM’s Diversified Approach To The Future

2010 Volt: Just one piece of GM's future

Whether you are a fan of GM or not, and I certainly have been as critical as anyone, the world’s largest company shows signs of bolstering their committment even further to provide better fuel efficiency in the future.  In each area of vehicle production; gas, diesel and hybrid, GM has important plans in the works.

2010 Chevy Volt: Whether it looks like this or not is another story

To begin with, GM is promising to produce one new hybrid per quarter for the next four years.  In November 2010, GM plans to launch the Chevrolet Volt, which uses a different type of gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain. The electric motor alone drives the wheels and the gasoline engine powers a generator that recharges the lithium ion battery pack. 

The company has just opened an advanced powertrain testing laboratory in suburban Detroit.  The automaker is rolling out engine technologies that maintain performance while lowering emissions and fuel use. GM has been adding gears, (nearly all of GM’s future automatics will be six-speeds), reducing the weight of its powertrains and designing engines capable of being mass produced with high-tech features such as direct fuel injection and turbochargers.

The model for GM’s future plans for lighweight gas engines are already on the road and embodied in cars such as the Pontiac Solstice GXP and it’s cousin the Saturn Sky Red Line. The engine used in those roadsters is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with direct fuel injection and a turbocharger. The 260 Horsepower for these vehicles constitutes the most power per liter of any production engine GM has ever made.

GM's new 4.5 diesel engine

Two new diesel engines are planned, one for trucks and one for cars. About a year from now, GM will launch one of the most important new engines in its 100-year history: A 4.5-liter diesel V-8 that will be offered in light-duty versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups and in SUVs.
The elimination of a heavy cast iron exhaust manifold and a lighter intake manifold cuts 75 pounds of weight that is part of a conventional diesel engine.  These weight savings in should result in a 25 percent fuel economy gain over the standard 5.7-liter gasoline engine and enable the Silverado to get around 26 mpg in city and highway driving.

GM's innovative HCCI engine

Also in 2010, GM hopes to be the first automaker to launch a vehicle with an HCCI engine. Homogeneous charge compression ignition enables a gasoline engine to run like a diesel at idle and at cruising speeds. The result is about a 15 percent fuel economy gain and dramatically lower emissions.

Finally, fuel cells are also in GM’s near future. The company is launching test fleets of Chevrolet Equinox hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles in North America, Japan and Europe.  GM’s latest generation of fuel cell can fit in the space of a four-cylinder engine. The company expects to have fuel cells ready for mass production by 2012.  GM is hoping one or all of these innovations will help resurrect their business.

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Volvo plans to release 'micro-hybrid' in 2011

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Euro, Volvo

Click above for a gallery of the Volvo ReCharge Concept

Volvo's product development unit is still hard at work, even as Ford has slapped a price tag on the brand. In an effort to develop more environmentally-friendly vehicles capable of meeting stringent emissions regulations on the horizon, the Swedish automaker has been working on some new highly-efficient vehicles. In addition to the DRIVe trio of ultra-efficient diesel-powered models, Volvo is working on an all-new micro-hybrid model. Set to join the lineup in 2011, the vehicle will be available with a choice between gasoline or diesel power, and a manual or automatic transmission. Fuel-saving technology will include a start-stop system plus brake-energy regeneration to cut consumption by nearly 5 percent. We'll see a full hybrid (with the ability to run on electric power only) in 2012 with the D5 diesel engine (Volvo's similar battery and flexfuel ReCharge Concept is above). A plug-in electric is also expected to follow down the road.

Gallery: Volvo ReCharge Concept

Gallery: Volvo DRIVe C30, S40, V50

[Source: Channel4]

Volvo plans to release 'micro-hybrid' in 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daryl Hannah offers up her BioDiesel El Camino… just looking to share the love?

On December 20th Daryl Hannah will be offering of up her matte black BioDiesel El Camino so that she can share the love and beauty that has been her daily driver the past number of years. Included in her substantial and sustainable offering comes the 55 gallon drum and pump she uses to refuel her B100 tank. She goes as far as to say that refueling her tank from its home-pump is so easy she can even do it all dressed up. So if that is not endorsement enough for you I don’t know what would be.

Finding an early 80’s El Camino with a diesel engine is no small task. There were not too many of them built. This is not a rebuild or a custom job (other than the matte paint). She is posting it as a Chevy 5.71 GM diesel with an automatic transmission and 139,000 miles on it. Also, by buying Daryl’s El Camino you get the glory (considered by some) of telling your friends that you are driving a piece of Daryl Hannah and it just feels (environmentally) right! (more…)

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Can Hydrogen really be the cure to replace the snake oil salemen in the auto industry

As for and OSU are out breaking speed records in their Hydrogen cell Fusion the bunkers are busy bunking the notion that Hydrogen can truly replace oil as the fuel of tomorrow for the car of tomorrow. We are around a decade away from when the auto industry began rolling out their Hydrogen fuel celled autos at auto shows and exhibits and despite the new lands speed record we still seem decades away from making a feasible Hydrogen powered car.

Those are just some of the points brought up in an article for AutoWeek by Mark Vaughn. Proving that some of the writers who cover this industry are weary of the hyperbole that surrounds Hydrogen and the as yet unfulfilled promise of its future.

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Spy Shots: Jaguar XK diesel under development

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertibles, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Jaguar

The reports are true: a 3.0-liter diesel Jaguar XK is on the way. The new XK, long due for a serious refresh, will show up in 2009 with the minor addition of the JaguarDrive selector a la XF and the major addition of a diesel engine to boost fuel economy and sales, along with two new V8s.

Since Jaguar's 2.7-liter V6, which puts out 204 hp and 320 lb-ft., is only getting bored out to 3.0 liters it probably won't match the numbers put up by BMW's 3.5-liter, at 286 hp and 427 lb-ft. But the larger lump should goose the horsepower number and seriously increase torque (we hope) at least to the level of Audi's 3.0-liter V6 diesel, which turns out 240 hp and 369 lb-ft.

If diesel economy and pump prices still don't register with you, there will still be two gas options to fuel the fires. The 4.2-liter V8 goes away to make room for the new 5.0-liter with 400 hp, and if you want whipped cream and cherries on top, hit Jaguar up for the supercharged XK-R with 500 hp.

[Source: CAR]

Spy Shots: Jaguar XK diesel under development originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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