Swimming With 9 Amphibious Vehicles

Credit World War II for making cars that can swim. And though the largest numbers of amphibian passenger cars were made way back in the 1960s, the prospect of a car that can navigate waterways like a boat continues to attract inventors.

Amphicar

Amphicar
Even though less than 5000 German-designed Amphicars were built, you can still see them. Most came to America and many are still in use.

The Amphicar was built for five years starting in 1961; it was a compact convertible with a steel unibody and double seals on the doors. Using a 1.2-liter four-cylinder Triumph engine mounted in the rear, it drove the rear wheels through a Porsche transaxle. A transfer case switched power to two 12-inch propellers when you entered the water. With 11 inches of ground clearance, entering a lake or river was easy, and the Amphicar would cruise at 8 knots. The front wheels served as rudders. Top speed on the highway for the 43-hp car was 70 mph.

To publicize the car, the company once drove it across the English Channel. Legend has it that President Lyndon Johnson liked to terrify joyriding houseguests by pretending that his car's brakes had broken and driving the Amphicar into a lake.

Gibbs Aquada

Gibbs Aquada
Alan Gibbs of New Zealand commissioned British automaker Lotus in 1996 to undertake an engineering viability study for an amphibious car. Neil Jenkins, who helped build the Jaguar XJ220, contributed to the clever frame and body/hull design; he now runs Gibbs Sports Amphibians, which announced this year it is beginning to work on producing the Aquada.

The Gibbs will come with hydraulically retractable wheels on struts. A single 165-hp 2.5-liter Rover four-cylinder engine will power the rear wheels and also a jet pump drive for marine travel. That engine will get the 4000-pound plastic-hull aluminum-framed Aquada to 100 mph on land and 30 mph in the water. A prototype crossed the English Channel in 40 minutes in 2004.

VW Schwimmwagen

VW Schwimmwagen
VW Beetle creator Ferdinand Porsche produced the four-wheel-drive Kübelwagen for the German Army in WWII. He then made an amphibious version of it in 1941, followed by a smaller version of the first amphibious car called the Schwimmwagen. It was powered by a 1.2-liter air-cooled flat four, which also drove a single propeller. The amphibious car used the front wheels as rudders when in the water. On land, the propeller would swing up, disengaging it from the engine. The Schwimmwagen was heavy and slow but had good traction off-road.

U.S. Army DUKW

U.S. Army DUKW
GM built the DUKW, called Duck when it was produced, for the U.S. military in 1942. It was adapted from a troop-carrier truck. The awkward name came from GM's official designations: D meant the 1942 model year, U stood for utility, K was GM's code for front-drive, and W was the code for two rear axles.

The DUKW's capacity was 5000 pounds or 25 soldiers. It'd do 50 mph on land or 5 mpg in the water. George Patton made the vehicle famous by using 1000 DUKWs to land in Sicily in 1943; 2000 participated in the D-Day landing in France in 1944.

In sum, GM built 21,000 Ducks. Today the amphibious cars are mostly seen giving aquatic tours. Milwaukeean Melvin H. Flath bought a surplus DUKW and charged 50 cents for tours in 1946; now tour companies in various cities use a couple hundred of the vehicles.

Terra Wind Motorhome

Terra Wind Motorhome
In September 2004, commercial pilot John Giljam built an amphibious motor home that cost $1.2 million and was 42 feet long. Powered by a rear-mounted 330-hp diesel engine, the all-aluminum bodied home on wheels uses two propellers and two rudders when it's floating. It has two inflatable pontoons on its sides for stability but can travel on water without them. Giljam now builds other amphibious machines through a company called Cool Amphibious Manufacturers International, which also builds DUKW-type vehicles for tour companies.

Dobbertin Surface Orbiter

Dobbertin Surface Orbiter
Using a double-wall stainless-steel milk tank from the back of a truck, Rick Dobbertin from Cazenovia, N.Y., built an amphibious truck that he drove from Florida to South America via the Gulf of Mexico, and back to the U.S. on land in 1995. It took him four and a half years to build the craft, which is 32 feet long, 7.5 feet wide, 10 feet high, and weighs 9 tons fully loaded. Its GM diesel V-8 makes 250 hp and powers all six wheels. The "surface orbiter" has traveled 33,000 miles on land, 3,000 in the sea, and was sold in a 1999 divorce auction for $200,000.

Rinspeed Splash

Rinspeed Splash
Well-known Swiss sportscar tuning firm Rinspeed built an amphibious car in 2003 that can go 120 mph on land and 45 knots on water. Under 30 knots, the Rinspeed can cruise in water like a conventional boat. Above 30 knots, fold-down hydrofoils raise the car's a lightweight carbon composite body shell 12 feet above the water. A single propeller lowers into water with the foils, and the wheels can lift out of the water.

Power comes from a 140-hp two-cylinder 750-cc engine running on natural gas. The vehicle's total weight is just 1800 pounds.

SeaRoader

SeaRoader
Englishman Mike Ryan designed and built his first Land Rover-based SeaRoader amphibian in 30 days back in the 1980s. He's built amphibious motorcycles, a Lamborghini-bodied amphibian, and his shop engineered the three floating cars featured on Top Gear in 2006.

The SeaRoader is Ryan's first production amphibian, made with steel body panels. It sells for $42,000. The on-road propulsion comes from the Land Rover's original 1.7-liter turbodiesel engine. In the water, a separate marine engine and output jet in the back can push the SeaRoader to 6 mph.

U.S. Army LARC

U.S. Army LARC
In 1952, the massive Lighter Amphibious Resupply Cargo amphibious vehicle, capable of carrying a 60-ton tank, made its maiden voyage in Washington state. Gross weight fully loaded: 319,000 pounds. One GMC 265-hp marine diesel engine powered each of the LARC-60's nine-and-a-half foot tall Firestone tires. The same four engines were used to drive two propellers in the rear via a transfer transmission. The 17-foot tall, 63-foot long LARC can travel at 20 mph on land and 7 mph in the water.
Two smaller versions were also produced—one that could carry 5 tons and another that could carry 15 tons.


Source: popularmechanics.com

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Ford Transit to Get EcoBoost V-6 in 2013

Autogearhead: In December, it became official: Ford would replace the E-Series with a version of its new generation global Transit van under Ford's "One Ford" program. Details were scarce at the time, but Ford is finally starting to dish about the new Transit, and just announced that the van will receive Ford's 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 found under the hood of numerous Blue Oval offerings.

The announcement was made at the National Truck Equipment Association Work Truck show in Indianapolis. Ford divulged just one specific detail on the Transit EcoBoost: It will be a rear-drive model. We don't yet know if all-wheel drive will be an option.

We do know that the U.S.-spec Transit is likely to be called the T-Series. It will be built at Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri, with production starting later this year. Though we don't know the transmission options or power specs for the Transit's EcoBoost, it is unlikely to deviate much from the F-150's, which has become a popular option for Ford truck buyers.

In the F-150, the engine is paired to a six-speed automatic good for 365 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. Exterior styling will bear elements of Ford's "kinetic design" language, and shouldn't be wildly different from that of the Ford Tourneo Custom Concept Ford is unveiling at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

Source: automobilemag.com



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Peugeot 208, the most beautiful car of the year 2011

Peugeot 208

AutoGearhead: The Peugeot 208 is in the final round to become the most beautiful car of the year 2011. Discover eight details of the 208 design.

Stylistic regeneration, the 208 gives form to and refines the new aesthetic codes of the Marque. ‘Floating’ grille, light signature, ‘boomerang’ rear lamps - each detail is designed in complete coherence with the balance of the car, structured by a "spine" the impression of which is even visible on the roof. Sculpted, athletic, both pure and sophisticated, its style projects the Marque towards a renewed and attractive modernity, suggesting sensuousness and energy, smoothness and mischief. The two body types have been given entirely different treatments, with the style of the quarter panel of the three-door version recalling one of its illustrious older siblings.

"A small group, very closely knit, we had the same vision of the direction we should take. That is what inspired us, gave us the strength and energy to succeed in realising all our ideas."
Pierre Authier, 208 Style Manager

"The strength of the 208 lies in its style: it is a real ball of energy. It has the potential to please everyone, without being a compromise, like a popular piece of music that touches the human soul regardless of culture."
Gilles Vidal, Peugeot Style Director

Source: mostbeautifulcar.eurosport.com




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Are hybrid cars slower than regular cars?

Do hybrid cars sacrifice speed for better fuel-efficiency?

AutoGearhead: In this article, John Fuller has explaination, are hybrid cars slower than regular cars? Part of America's love affair with cars is the desire for speed. Sure, we're attached to automobiles for several other reasons they get us comfortably from one point to the next, and we're even willing to sit through grueling traffic jams in them just to get to work or to the grocery store. But the rumble of the engine, the whine of the gears shifting upwards and the wind flowing through an open window is a common, iconic image. It's probably no coincidence that lots of American road movies include montages that attempt to convey that sort of feeling.

The rising popularity of hybrid cars within the auto industry, however, is changing that familiar perception. For one, most fuel-efficient vehicles don't necessarily rumble. In fact, most employ a function that allows the gasoline engine to stop running while sitting in traffic, coasting or even when the car is driving at lower speeds. Instead, a hybrid vehicle uses a quieter electric motor to conserve fuel and produce fewer emissions.

But despite being known for having good fuel efficiency and promoting eco-friendly driving, some have criticized hybrid vehicles for a variety of reasons. Some have questioned, for instance, the reliability of hybrid battery packs, claiming that they tend to be faulty and that they're expensive to replace. This is largely untrue, and nearly every car company producing a hybrid vehicle guarantees their battery pack for the life of the car.

Other critics, at least those that have grown accustomed to faster speeds associated with modern gasoline-powered cars, have noted that hybrid cars are typically slower than regular automobiles. The claim is that by focusing on fuel-efficiency and lower emissions, hybrid cars are sacrificing higher speeds and more power, slowing down their performance. Because this doesn't gel with the typical image of the fast American car, some drivers are a little turned off by this.

So, are hybrid cars really slower than regular cars? Why is this? And is that really the point for someone concerned about green driving?

While hybrids can reach relatively high speeds,
it's good acceleration that some models lack.

Hybrid Engine Performance

When most people buy a hybrid car, they usually do so with the understanding that there's going to be some kind of compromise between power and eco-friendly driving. The reason hybrid vehicles have become such a buzz topic and a go-to model for the auto industry recently is because of that compromise. As concerns increase over global warming, caused in part by carbon emissions resulting from vehicle fuel consumption, the power provided by a gasoline engine coupled with the fuel-saving qualities of an electric motor seem like the best possible combination.

But are fuel-efficient vehicles significantly slower than regular cars? To see if hybrid cars crawl on the road rather than zip along, we have to look into hybrid engine performance. Generally speaking, the engine in a hybrid car is almost always smaller than the engine in a comparable non-hybrid car. Smaller engines usually equal less horsepower and less torque. To get good fuel efficiency, hybrids operate from a standing start using only the electric motor, which typically provides much less horsepower and torque than a gasoline-powered engine. These two systems work together, however, to ensure hybrids can save fuel in the city and drive at faster speeds on the highway or even climb steep hills.

In short, hybrid cars won't be maxing out at 45 miles per hour (72 kilometers per hour) on the highway, endangering -- or at the very least, angering other drivers on the road, but they won't go quite as fast as most regular cars, either. While many all-electric vehicles have significantly lower top speeds and some are even a little bit unstable on the highway, hybrid cars get enough power from the gasoline engine to go as fast as 100 miles per hour (161 kilometers per hour). The real matter for hybrids is in acceleration. Since the smaller electric motors that most automakers use don't produce much horsepower, a relatively fast hybrid car can go from zero to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) in about six seconds, while a more typical hybrid car's zero to 60 time hovers around the 10 second mark. For some people, that's a little too slow.

How are the carmakers responding? Well, some are developing faster hybrid cars with larger, V-6 engines and more powerful electric motors. Hybrid technology developer Frazer-Nash Research and Italian design firm Italdesign Giugiaro, for instance, worked together to build the Namir, a concept plug-in hybrid that can go from zero to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in 3.5 seconds and has a top speed of 187 miles per hour (301 kilometers per hour). The Namir's range is also 1,200 miles (1,931 kilometers), so anyone with the need for speed and an itch for green driving should look toward Italy. (John Fuller)

Sources:

• Aziz, Nick. "Frazer-Nash Namir by Giugiaro: World's fastest plug-in hybrid." LeftLaneNews.com. March 3, 2009. (April 27, 2009)
• Siler, Wes. "2010 Mercedes ML450 Hybrid: V8 Power With V6 Fuel Economy." Jalopnik.com. April 8, 2009. (April 27, 2009)
• Wald, Matthew L. "Hybrid Cars Burning Gas in the Drive for Power." The New York Times. July 17, 2005. (April 27, 2009

This video below, will describe about a Blue TEC hybrid features, an additional magneto-electric motor and a 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission specially configured for the hybrid module, the necessary operating and control electronics, the transformer and a high-voltage lithium-ion battery.

During braking the electric motor acts as a generator and is able to recover kinetic energy by a process known as recuperation. During this process the electric motor works together seamlessly with the engine brake of the internal combustion engine and the conventional wheel brakes. The recuperated energy is stored by a compact but efficient lithium-ion battery in the engine compartment and retrieved when required. Major advantages over conventional nickel/metal hydride batteries include a higher energy density and greater electrical efficiency combined with more compact dimensions and a low battery weight. Thanks to space-saving installation in the engine compartment, the trunk capacity and generous interior dimensions remain unchanged. The hybrid module also has a convenient start-stop function.

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From the 1970s to the all new Honda Civic 2012

2012 Honda Civic

AutoGearhead: The Honda Motor Company is no stranger to innovation in its road cars. It was one of founder Soichiro Honda’s core principles and the company’s history books are filled with examples of great technical achievements. With the launch of the all-new Honda civic, we thought we’d take a look back at the contributions that Honda have made to the automotive industry over the years.

Honda has always placed great emphasis on research and development, employing some of the best engineers in the automotive industry, which was evident way back in 1963, when it launched its first road car - the S500. With a high-revving twin-cam engine and chain-drive to the wheels, this was innovative stuff and a warning to other car makers of what was to come.

The 1970s: compound vortex controlled combustion (CVCC)

By the 1970s, America was waking up to the need to drastically improve the exhaust emissions from vehicles, and Honda wowed the car industry with an amazing new design. For the 1972 Civic, Honda stole a march on competitors by announcing their patented ‘CVCC’ combustion chamber - doing away with the need for a catalytic convertor while still passing tough Federal emissions laws.

The 1980s: variable valve time and electronic lift control

With strong roots in motorsport, Honda was never going to forget performance fans and 1988 saw the launch of‘Variable Valve Timing and Electronic Lift Control’ or VTEC as we all know it. A sophisticated system that allowed the engine to shift between two different camshaft profiles for maximum performance and driveability, VTEC introduced drivers to a whole new experience of sonorous, high-revving petrol engines. The technology reached its zenith in the awesome NSX which was just around the corner…

The 1990s: The NSX and EVs

The nineties was the decade that will always be remembered for the launch of the incredible NSX supercar. With a powerful VTEC engine, aluminium suspension and handling tuned by the late, great Ayrton Senna, the NSX redefined the supercar for a whole new generation. But it wasn’t all about performance. With stringent zero-emissions regulations looming in the US, Honda turned its engineering brains to the electric vehicle. Not only did it put an EV into production but it revolutionised battery technology along the way!

2000 and Beyond: designing for the future

Honda continued to bring us exciting concept cars, showcasing everything from advanced power trains and electronics to Space Age materials and construction. And while you can’t buy them, they certainly influence the cars you and I will buy in the future. And speaking of the future, step forward the Honda FCX Clarity, the world’s first commercially available fuel cell vehicle. Powered by hydrogen, the FCX is extremely efficient and its only tailpipe emission is water!

2010 and beyond: the Honda Civic

Continuing the trend for innovation and technology brings us to the new-for-2012 Civic. Petrol engines get the latest i-VTEC system, a redesigned cylinder head, and a host of lighter components while the diesel – a 2.2 litre i-DTEC unit – receives more extensive changes including new materials to make the engine stronger and lighter. A revised oil-flow system and redesigned internal components reduce internal friction, while a further boost to economy comes from a new ‘Idle Stop’ system on manual models. This shuts the engine down when the car is stationary – saving fuel when stuck in traffic – and restarts instantly when you are ready to go.

Aerodynamics too have come in for plenty of attention and the many hours spent in the wind tunnel have certainly paid off. Careful re-shaping of the rear spoiler and lights, and under-body panelling improves the flow of air, particularly at motorway speeds. A new grille shutter system for the diesels uses information such as air temperature, water temperature and speed, to optimise cooling and reduce drag.

ECO assist can improve economy by up to 15%, tells the driver when to change gear and even changes the colour of the speedometer from blue to green when you are being light-footed. Added to this is the ‘ECON’ button in the cabin which changes various settings, including throttle mapping and the air-conditioning system, to further maximise economy.

There is more technology inside with a new colour information screen for the driver. Called i-MID the screen displays a range of information including audio system and climate control settings and the status of the Idle Stop system. And on the safety front, the new ‘Collision Mitigation Braking System’ monitors the distance from the car in front and if a collision is imminent, provides assistance to the brakes and tightens the seatbelts to provide maximum protection for occupants.

The new Honda Civic 2012 is the culmination of over 40 years of automotive innovation from Honda. (adv)

A review of the 2012 Honda Civic from a consumers perspective. LotPro's Editor of Automotive Content, Steve Cypher test drives and reviews the new 2012 Honda Civic.

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Audi Unveiled “A1 SAMURAI BLUE” at The Tokyo Auto Show 2011

 The Audi A1 Samurai Blue

AutoGearhead: Audi has unveiled a unique A1 at the Tokyo Motor Show: Glistening in the colors of the Japanese national soccer team, the Audi A1 SAMURAI BLUE shows Audi’s respect for the Japanese national soccer team. Audi plans to sell the SAMURAI BLUE as a one-off model and donate a part of the profit for a charity.

“Blue Samurai” is the nickname for Japan’s national soccer team. Blue and white are the colors of the soccer jerseys for both men and women. The Japanese men are the reigning Asian champions, while the women have been even more successful in the world soccer arena: this year they won the championship title in the World Soccer Cup held in Germany.

Blue and white are also the colors of the Audi A1 SAMURAI BLUE, accentuated by the red of the Japanese flag. The 18-inch wheels with their exclusive polygonal design are likewise painted red. The interior equipment is black, with contrasting stitching in blue and corresponding colorful accents for the air vent nozzles, inlays, center console and floor mats. With its powerful 1.4 TFSI engine and 90 kW (122 hp), the A1 SAMURAI BLUE has strong acceleration and high speed, while the sports suspension with 225 millimeter wide, 18-inch wheels give the car the agility of a top league soccer star.

An Audi A1 Limited Edition is also planned to sell in 2012, with its design based on the SAMURAI BLUE.

Source: http://www.audi.com/

Audi A1 'Samurai Blue' and A1 Sportback unveiled at 2011 Tokyo Motor Show

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2012 Porsche 911 Video

2012 Porsche 911

AutoGearhead: The all-new 2012 Porsche 911 is ready to make its debut on the world stage. In anticipation, Porsche has produced this teaser video of the latest 911 in action.

2012 Porsche 911 (991) revealed - offcial trailer

Source:

http://www.automobilemag.com

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Images From the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show

AutoGearhead: These photos are taken from Los Angeles Auto Show 2011.

The Dok-ing XD electric car, created by Croatian industrialist Vjekoslav Majetic, on display at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The electric car is only nine feet long feet long, features gull wing doors and seats three passengers, with the driver in the center and two passengers set back on either side. The car show opens to the public on Friday and runs through Nov. 27.

The first production model Mastretta, the MXT, is shown on display at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Mastretta is a Mexican car maker and design studio established by Mexican industrial designer Daniel Mastretta.

A Ford F150 Raptor SVT pickup truck is shown on display at the Los Angeles Auto Show.The show will surpass 50 vehicle debuts with nearly 20 highly-efficient, 40 mpg plus vehicles to be exhibited.

Land Rover DC100 concept cars make their North America debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

An Aston Martin One-77 is shown on display at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The BMW i3 plug-in hybrid makes its North American debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

A car detailer dusts a Rolls-Royce Ghost on display at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Chevrolet Vice President Global Marketing and Strategy Chris Perry speaks as the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Convertible is unveiled at the Los Angeles International Auto Show. The ZL1 accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and can reach a top speed of 184 mph. The convertible will go on sale in the summer of 2012 as a 2013 model.

A model stands beside an Audi R8 GT Spyder on display at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.

The Volvo You concept car with coach doors and suspended seating is displayed at the 2011 LA Auto Show.

Actress Paula Patton is helped out of the BMW i8 concept car that is featured in the upcoming Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol movie by Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO of BMW North America as the car is revealed at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.

The 2012 Honda CR-V makes its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Olivier Francois, CEO of Fiat Brand and Chief Marketing Officer of Chrysler and Fiat, unveils the Fiat 500 Abarth car during the LA Auto Show.

A Ford Focus Electric vehicle on display at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.

A specially painted Kia Optima with US basketball star and Kia spokeman Blake Griffin's name is displayed at the 2011 LA Auto Show in Los Angeles.

Hyundai’s President and CEO John Krafcik, left, and Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun unveil the Hyundai Azera at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Frank Fisher, CEO of Chattanooga Operations, Volkswagen Group of America, top left, holds the 2012 Motor Trend Car of the Year award for the 2012 Volkswagen Passat.

An Audi e-tron Spyder is seen at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Reference: http://www.msnbc.msn.com

Day 2 from the 2011 LA Auto Show with the new Porsche 911, Panamera GTS, Lamborghini with the LP550-2 Spyder, the new Kia GT concept, and an Occupy movement hits the show floor. Hosted by Derek DeAngelis.


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100 Years of Chevrolet and The Best Chevy Ever

1969 Camaro

AutoGearhead: Base on vote at the official Chevy website for the best Chevy ever. Most of voters chose 1969 Camaro as the best Chevy ever.
By 1969 the Camaro was extremely popular. And though this was the final year of the Camaro's original iconic design, it went out with flying colors. The '69 Camaro paced the Indianapolis 500® for the second time.

It was the first and only year the legendary aluminum ZL1 engine was offered, and the Z28® SS/RS performance package qualified the '69 Camaro to compete in the Trans-Am racing series. It's still considered one of the hottest-looking rides of the classic muscle car era. It had a 290-horsepower rating but tested at close to 400.

This four-wheeled icon has graced the silver screen many times. In Almost Famous, a young William Miller watches his sister drive off with her boyfriend in a blue 1969 Camaro coupe. And a slightly earlier version stars as the famous black beauty in Better Off Dead.

Source: http://www.chevrolet.com




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2013 Chevrolet Malibu.

Chevrolet Malibu

Auto Gearhead: Chevrolet has begun setting prices for its redesigned 2013 Chevrolet Malibu lineup, starting with the upper-level Malibu Eco model to be priced from $25,995, including $760 for destination and handling.
The first of Chevrolet’s new family sedans, the Malibu Eco will take over the role that the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid held in the automaker’s lineup until it was dropped from the lineup after the 2010 model year.

 Close in concept, both the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu and its predecessor use a mild hybrid setup that assists the gas engine with the electric motor, instead of either the gas engine or electric motor working independently of one another.
Based around Chevrolet’s 2.4-liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, the combination produces 182 horsepower—the same as the base Malibu’s non-hybrid system. But with the eAssist technology, Chevrolet claims the car will achieve 26 mpg city/38 mpg highway. It will come with a lithium-ion battery pack in addition to automatic engine start-stop, and regenerative braking—all while only adding 130 pounds over the standard Malibu. Chevrolet is quick to point out that it compares well to the full hybrids in its class, but at a lower price.

Between the Ford Fusion Hybrid (40 mpg city/36 mpg highway), Volkswagen Passat TDI (30 mpg city/40 mpg highway with automatic transmission), Toyota Camry (40 mpg city/38 mpg highway), and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid (35 mpg city/40 mpg highway), none achieve below 30 mpg in any standard, leaving the Malibu Eco in a tenuous spot per its press literature. At least it is more affordable than the aforementioned models.

New for the 2013 model year, Chevrolet has included a host of upgrades, including active aerodynamics that close hood vents at highway speeds to cut through the wind better, standard low rolling-resistance 17-inch tires mounted on aluminum wheels, the MyLink infotainment system, satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, OnStar, and eight airbags distributed throughout the interior. Other features are available like a backup camera, remote starter, a nine-speaker Pioneer stereo system, and leather.
The Chevrolet Malibu Eco goes on sale in the first quarter of next year, representing the first time the Malibu will be sold all over the world in Chevrolet’s lineup. It will initially be produced in Chevrolet’s South Korean factory. Following it, the Malibu LS, LT, and LTZ non-hybrid trims will start production in summer 2012 and hit dealer lots shortly thereafter. (Jacob Brown)
Source: Chevrolet





Senior GM designer Bryan Nesbitt explains the aggressive new styling in the all new 2013 Malibu and how the Camaro influenced it for a sportier look. Precise engineering also make it a contender for the most aerodynamic car in its class.

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Review: Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4

Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4

Auto Gearhead: Peugeot Citroen have been showing Hybrid4 concepts for three years now  and finally the wait is over. The new Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 is here  and we've driven it.

UK sales start in November 2011. This is a significant car on numerous counts. It's the first series production diesel-electric hybrid on sale. It's the first time you or I have been able to buy a PSA Hybrid4 vehicle. And, if Paris is to be believed, it may yet revolutionise the way hybrid cars are put together and sold.

Peugeot Hybrid4: a history lesson
A quick recap on the PSA hybrid solution. The French have long championed diesel, and there's been much oh la la and gnashing of teeth to be heard in the corridors of Peugeot Citroen HQ as the world switched on to petrol-electric hybrids, many of them fearsomely expensive, bespoke models with knee-high emissions and sky-high price tags.
PSA, with a lot of help from Bosch, has come up with what it argues is a much simpler system: Hybrid4. It takes an existing combustion-engined model - step forward 3008 - and bolts on a relatively low powered 27kW electrified rear axle. Clever electronics control the interaction between front engine and rear electric motor, with not a single physical link between the axles.

It means that every model in Peugeot Citroen's range can theoretically be hybridised relatively cheaply, at a premium of some £2500-£3500 over a regular cooking petrol or diesel engine. PSA is launching the diesel first (because they're French/because of its inherent 30% mpg benefit), but unleaded hybrids will follow.

Does the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 work well in practice?
First impressions are good. This really is a 'normal' hybrid car. There are no glitzy controls to scare you off, no weird-looking body panels. Your next door neighbours will be hard pushed to tell you're driving a clever-clogs sub-100g/km CO2 car. There's just that niggling doubt over a price tag of £26,995 which seems at odds with the 3008 Hybrid4's populist roots... Cheaper hybrids will follow, engineers assure us.

Step onboard and where you'd normally find the 3008's Grip Control button is a hybrid controller, letting you pick between ZEV for full electric mode (it'll run as a RWD for up to three miles if the battery is full); Auto (where everything is done for you); 4wd (where both axles are powered for better traction in slippery conditions); and Sport (where the automated manual six-speed transmission clings onto gears for longer).
Turn the key to start up and the silence is golden. Progress is smooth, as we pull away in Auto mode. Peugeot has tuned the gearbox to use the electric motor's torque to smoothe off gearchanges and progress is sweeter than in regular 3008's with the jumpy automated manual. Creep forwards and you can indeed drive in EV mode up to around 30mph before the 2.0-litre HDI diesel kicks in. The transitions are smooth and there's no kangarooing to speak of. Don't like the cheap plastic paddles, though, and it's hard to tell which mode you're in as the controller has tiny lights. But initial driving impressions are good.

What about at higher speeds?
The 3008 is no powerhouse; that modest rear electric motor is a fifth the power of a Prius's, remember. But you've got that stonking 2.0-litre HDI engine, which rows the chunky - 1660kg - 3008 Hybrid4 along very nicely. Regular 3008 traits remain: a lofty driving position for good visibility (bar some hefty A-pillars), storage spaces galore for family duties, a plump ride, quite agile steering and a slightly fiddly parking brake. You won't see a % power indicator in a regular or garden Pug, though. It's more Rolls-like.

We tested it in 38deg C heat with the air-con blasting away in mainly urban conditions - average speed 23mph - and gobbled diesel at a rate of 49mpg. We'd say that's quite impressive for a large five-seater that can double up as a van. The 3008's loadbay loses around 15% of its space, but you've still got 420 litres, stretching to 1501 if you drop the rear seats.

Just remember you need to pick the base car with 16in wheels if you want the magical 99g/km CO2 figure. At current tax rates, that'd mean you'd be exempt from annual road tax and London congestion charge for life. But the higher-spec Hybrid4 model we tested had 17s and 104g/km. Every digit counts nowadays.

Verdict
We admire the Hybrid4's plug-n-play nature. That you can apply this tech to any car based on the large or mid-sized PF2 or PF3 platforms in the Peugeot Citroen empire is a neat engineering trick. It's a clever way of hybridising large numbers of cars quickly, and a plug-in version with lithium ion batteries and a fourfold increase in ZEV range is coming in 2014.
While we may struggle to call a £27k hybrid affordable, it's obvious PSA has elected to launch the Hybrid4 at the top of the 3008 range. Once it percolates down to smaller engines, we'd wager it'll make more sense to more buyers. (Tim Pollard-First Drives)

Engine            :     1997cc four-cylinder TD, 163bhp @ 3750rpm, 221lb ft @ 1580rpm
Transmission  :     Six-speed automated manual, four-wheel drive
Performance  :     8.5sec 0-62mph, 74.4mpg, 104g/km
How heavy    :     1660kg/steel
How big (length/width/height in mm) :  4365/2113/1610





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McLaren Swaps Racetrack for Freeway to Chase-Down Ferrari.

Photo:Bloomberg. The McLaren Group's MP4-12C supercar.

Auto Gearhead: London,Bloomberg. McLaren, the U.K. motor-racing team that trails only Ferrari in Formula One victories, is switching its pursuit of the Italian icon from the track to the road. McLaren on November 17 2011 opened a 50 million-pound ($80 million) factory that will allow mass production of a 200-mile-per-hour street-legal model selling for 168,500 pounds ($266,000) as it seeks to translate sporting success into 4,000 car sales a year.

Only a handful of teams in the history of motor sport have managed to leverage triumphs on the track to build a manufacturing business. Ferrari's cross-over success remains unique among competitors in Formula One, the world's richest race-car series with annual revenue of $1.1 billion and a television audience averaging 50 million for each grand prix. McLaren will "find it tough because there are lots of well-established brands already in that sports-car space," said Mark Jenkins, co-author of "Performance at the Limit: Business Lessons from Formula One Motor Racing" and a professor of business strategy at Britain's Cranfield University. "Motor sport technology is very, very high end and to move into road-car production you've got to be far more low-cost."

Tony Jardine, who was a manager at McLaren before Executive Chairman Ron Dennis took over in 1981 and also worked for Lotus and Brabham, reckons the new MP4-12C model, which will sell at 35 dealers worldwide, including nine in the U.S., is a winner. "They've done a massive amount of work to ensure the car is really amazing," he said. "It looks like a fantastic product."

Difficulty of survival
McLaren opted to begin volume production with a program it estimates will cost about $800 million after efforts to harness race-bred technology for other uses had limited success. While the company's electronics are used throughout world motor sport from Formula One to Nascar and IndyCar, the market is worth only about 20 million pounds a year, Dennis, 64, said in an interview at the new factory in Woking, England, pushing it to take a bolder step to safeguard the future.
"When you look down the pit lane, as I've been doing for a great many years, and you see that the only brand consistently there is Ferrari, you realize the fragility and the difficulty of survival," he said. "So that meant diversification."

2,000 sales
Dennis said he's continuing to seek new investment after cutting his stake in McLaren Group, owner of the Formula One team, to 25 percent and spinning off the production-car venture as McLaren Automotive, in which he has an 18 percent stake. Bahraini sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat Holding Co. is the biggest shareholder in both enterprises.
Established by New Zealander Bruce McLaren in 1963, McLaren entered Formula One in 1966 and won its first race in Belgium in 1968. Forays into manufacturing to date have been limited to a venture with one-time investor Mercedes and the F1 supercar, which had a production run of 106 vehicles and was the costliest auto of the 1990s at 540,000 pounds.
With a 240 mph top speed, it was also the fastest until the Bugatti Veyron in 2005. McLaren's new model will arrive in U.S. showrooms by year's end as production accelerates. The company has presold 2,000 cars, with 250 already delivered to European clients from existing facilities at the adjoining McLaren Technology Centre, where its Formula One racers are made.

Ferrari blueprint
"McLaren is following the Ferrari path of building a brand around racing and exporting that into the road-car sector," said Jenkins. "They came at it a different way with the F1, which was a very specialist supercar, not mass market, and really are now trying to more seriously develop their brand in that area."
Ferrari, founded as a race team in 1929, didn't make a road-going auto until 1947, three years before the first Formula One championship. Based in Maranello, northern Italy, it has won 15 driver's championships, three more than McLaren.
Most other specialist race teams have stuck with the track, and those embracing mass production have generally struggled, among them Lotus of Norwich, England, which was rescued first by General Motors Co. and then Malaysia's Proton Holdings Bhd. Ferrari itself was bought by Fiat S.p.A., Italy's biggest manufacturer, in 1969, providing funds to help develop cars such as the Dino, its first high-production model.

Toyota flop
Other carmakers come to Formula One as established global manufacturers looking to bolster the prestige and sporting credentials of their road cars. Ford Motor Co. bought a team from former driver Jackie Stewart in 1999 to promote the Jaguar brand it then owned before selling the team in 2004 to Austrian drinks company Red Bull GmbH, which subsequently won the world title.
Dennis reckons Toyota Motor Corp. spent 3 billion euros ($4 billion) over eight years without winning a single race. Renault SA and Daimler AG's Mercedes unit are among 12 teams competing in this year's world championship.

McLaren's push into manufacturing envisages developing eight models and variants in coming years, it said Thursday. Dennis's goal is to build 4,000 cars a year within five years, equal to almost two-thirds of Ferrari's anticipated 6,500-vehicle output for 2010 and three times deliveries at Volkswagen AG's Lamborghini unit.
Sales of ultra-luxury brands are projected to rise 19 percent to more than 28,000 this year, seven times the 2.7 percent gain in overall deliveries, according to consultant IHS Automotive, with companies insulated from a slowdown by limited production runs that aim to restrict supply and buoy prices.

Early glitches
The first examples of the MP4-12C suffered glitches including malfunctioning satellite-navigation systems and software that drained batteries. Those issues, which McLaren says have been resolved, are not unusual in early-build supercar models, according to Jardine.
"Ron Dennis's attention to detail is legendary and I expect to see that philosophy in the road cars," he said. "If you want a raw gear change and raw noise you'll buy something more basic, but with McLaren you're going to get sophistication."
Williams Grand Prix Engineering Ltd., the third-ranked Formula One team with seven drivers' championships, is sticking with McLaren's old strategy of technology transfer, contributing to the C-X75 electric supercar being developed by the Jaguar Land Rover luxury unit of India's Tata Motors Ltd., which will sell from 700,000 pounds and reach 60 mph in three seconds.

China, India
The success of McLaren's MP4-12C in the showroom may hinge on Formula One's penetration of emerging markets, particularly in the Middle East and Asia, according to Cranfield's Jenkins. The series has added races in China, Singapore and South Korea in recent years and last month staged the inaugural India Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit near New Delhi.
That in turn increases the pressure to win on the track and build a bigger following. With one grand prix left, McLaren's Jenson Button ranks second and Lewis Hamilton fifth in this year's championship, which was already won by Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel with four races remaining.
Dennis says it's McLaren's long-term success that counts.
"The Formula One team is our advertising budget," he said. "Since 1966 we've won one in four of the races we've competed in and had a driver on the podium half the time. That's a very good statistic when you're trying to attract investment, and it supports the concept that we make good sports cars as well.".(Bloomberg)

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Audi A7: 2012 Automobile of the Year.

Audi A7

Auto Gearhead: Sometimes, the Automobile of the Year is a dramatic about-face for its manufacturer. Other times, it is a car that breaks new ground technologically. Some years, it is a spectacular upgrade from its predecessor. This year, it's none of those things.
Automobile Magazine's 2012 Automobile of the Year, the Audi A7, does not represent a dramatic change of pace for its maker. Audi has been building handsome, fast, and rewarding luxury cars for some time now. Anchored by Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive, bristling with of-the-moment technologies, and surrounding its passengers with an artfully crafted interior, the A7 is exactly in keeping with the cars that this brand has been turning out. As editor-in-chief Jean Jennings said, "It's the culmination of everything Audi has promised."

The A7 may not usher in any major new technology, but the list of leading-edge features it does offer is impressive. Inputs to the navigation system can be made by drawing them on a touch pad with your finger (which requires less eyes-away-from-the-road time than more traditional methods), and the navigation also incorporates Google Earth imagery. The car can function as a mobile Wi-Fi hot spot. LED front accent lighting -- which was pioneered by Audi and has since been much copied -- is standard, and full-LED active headlamps are available. Audi's all-wheel-drive system isn't just a bad-weather security blanket; the rear torque bias provides the sportier, more responsive cornering of a rear-wheel-drive car with the ability to put more power to the ground.

The A7 cannot be a dramatic upgrade over its predecessor, because it has no direct predecessor. Slipped into the lineup between the A6 and the A8 sedans, the A7 is something new from Audi. True, as a swoopy, four-door "coupe," the A7 is thematically similar to the Mercedes-Benz CLS. But as a four-door hatchback, the A7 is something else again.

Still, we will admit that the A7 is a car that snuck up on us. It looks good in pictures, but it's much more striking in person. The front visage is both sleek and imposing; in the side view, the car appears elongated, as if tapered by the wind. Move around to the rear, and the A7 is simply captivating. Who ever thought a hatchback could be so sexy? The seduction was underway.

The closer you get to the A7, the better it looks. Slip inside, and it looks better still. The Audi-liscious interior does not disappoint. It's modern and luxurious yet cosseting and comfortable, mile after mile. Granted, things are more snug in the back seats than they are in a traditionally shaped sedan, and the center rear position has been sacrificed. But who wants to sit in the center position of a rear bench anyway? And the dramatic shape has a practical benefit. Under the enormous, power-operated rear liftgate is nearly twenty-five cubic feet of cargo space -- more if you fold the rear seatbacks. That's an almost SUV-like ability to tote luggage, but no SUV looks anything like this.

It's not all about looks with the A7, however. This car moves with grace and ease. There is only one engine, but what an engine it is. A 3.0-liter supercharged V-6, it makes 310 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque, the latter from 2900 rpm. That output is distilled through a superlative and highly efficient eight-speed automatic transmission. A dealer friend of ours tells us that some customers are skeptical of the A7 because it doesn't have a V-8. They shouldn't be. The muscular six makes this sleek Audi as fast as it appears -- we clocked the car's 0-to-60-mph time at 5.0 seconds -- and yet unlike a thirsty V-8, the supercharged six exhibits healthy, modern drinking habits, nursing a gallon of premium over twenty-eight highway miles.

Audi A7

A relaxed, long-legged cruiser, the A7 hoovers up the interstate. It also attacks corners with a verve that the rear-wheel-drive purists on our staff found surprising. At the same time, it proved supple over beat-up pavement despite its high-fashion, twenty-inch wheels and low-profile rubber. It was even surprisingly at home on the racetrack, where all-wheel-drive sedans are usually an uncooperative mess of understeer. As associate editor Eric Tingwall pointed out, "Whether it's commuting, being driven hard, or touring, the A7 can please any driver."

Indeed, its excellence in any one area does not come at the expense of its competence in any other. Speaking of expense, however, we will acknowledge that this is not an inexpensive car, starting at just over $60,000. It is, however, a highly desirable car, a covetable car. And covetable objects rarely come cheap. Mesmerizing to look at and seductive to drive, the Audi A7 is a car to aspire to -- and an entirely worthy Automobile of the Year. (Automobile Magazine)




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