The Model T Ford debuted in 1908, making it exactly one hundred years old. What better way to celebrate and honor this oh-so-important vehicle, than to have a design contest aimed to create the Model T for the next century.
Can it be done? Is it doable to create another vehicle that will have the same profound impact over the next 100 years as did the original Model T for the past century? Wow, talk about a challenge! Full story here.
I’ve always been a sucker for cool off-roaders, and here’s one more that’s gotten my attention. It the Fiat Bugster concept, and it will debut at the Sao Paulo auto show in Brazil which starts October 30.
The Bugster is powered by a zero-emission electric motor, and the outer body is built out of renewable fibers. Pretty cool, if you ask me. Full story here.
Good news for hybrid fans, as Bloomberg News (via Motor Authority) is predicting that the costs of hybrid vehicles will drop a whole bunch over the next decade.
These reduced hybrid costs will come from technological improvements, economies of scale due to rising production numbers and a greater amount of experience with hybrids. At the same time, demand will rise on the back of higher fuel prices and tightening emission standards.
We haven’t even loaded up our 2009 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI and the smack-talk is thick. saint Tate and George Achorn in the number 4 Q7 are already talking a big game. Seems they’re not planning to take even a fuel-miser competition lying down.
We’re committed though. No air conditioning. Windows up. We’ve deflated the Q7’s air suspension to its lowest, most wind-cheating ride height. Driving like there’s an egg on the accelerator pedal. Heck, we’ve even turned off the daytime running lights in order to reduce the parasitic load on the alternator. We have every itention of winning this thing.
Wait, we’re keeping the air off when we’re driving through Death Valley?
In case you haven’t heard, the Audi Mileage Marathon–a coast-to-coast trek crossways the USA in diesel-powered Audis–is underway. The trip is divided in four major legs, the final leg of which Edmunds is currently participating. Leg Four will stretch and divide the distance between Las Vegas and Santa Monica into three days of driving with stopovers in Mammoth Lakes, CA, and Monterey, CA.
They’re pitting automotive journalists in teams of two against apiece other in several of their TDI-powered models including Q7s, Q5s and A4s. Dan Edmunds and I make up the team representing Edmunds and Inside Line. We’re in a 2009 Q7 3.0 TDI bearing the number 3.
Audi says the goal is to demonstrate the efficiency of their TDI turbodiesel engines. We say they’re just staging this competition as an excuse to witness the absurd lengths to which automotive journalists will go in order to acquire an advantage and protect their fragile egos.
Day One of our leg is Vegas to Mammoth Lakes. Stay tuned.
Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor
Mini will offer 500 electric-powered Minis to those folks living in California, New York and New Jersey. The car will be targeted at corporate buyers, as well as private buyers.
The car features a lithium-ion battery pack and a 201-horsepower electric motor driving the front wheels through a single-stage helical gearbox. The motor will produce peak torque of 162 pound-feet and will enable the car to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in less than 8.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 95 mph, and the car can travel up to 150 miles on a single charge. In order to make this conversion, the standard Mini was prefabricated into a two-seater to fit the battery pack, which can be recharged from any standard power outlet. The Mini E will also come with a special “wallbox” charging unit that will enable the batteries to fully charge in 2.5 hours. Here’s Inside Line’s take: 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show: Mini E
It’s commonly assumed by many (and incorrectly so) that for larger vehicles diesels make more sense than hybrids. That’s probably because this site is so focused on cars, rather than big trucks. The fact of the matter is, that hybrid technology is making headway with larger trucks as well. There are number of city buses that are hybrid powered, as well as commercial trucks. It should also be noted that all these large hybrids are diesel-hybrids.
Navistar, maker of International trucks, has been building diesel-hybrids for some time. They have just introduced a new Class 7 (up to 33K GVW) diesel-hybrid tractor in their DuraStar line. The new DuraStar diesel-hybrid can wage a fuel savings of 20-25 percent on standard in-city pickup and delivery applications. In addition the vehicle emits up to 33 percent less hydrocarbon emissions and 35 percent less nitrogen oxide emissions as compared with standard diesel trucks. Full story here.
Are truckmakers having second thoughts about 1/2-ton diesels? We heard recently that Toyota will not introduce their long-anticipated Tundra diesel (No diesel for Tundra? A-BAT hybrid?). Now word is out that Ford is taking a wait-and-see approach as to whether they will introduce an F-150 diesel.
So far there’s been no word here as to whether Dodge will also be putting the brakes on their 1/2-ton Ram diesel. My guess, knowing Dodge, that they will go forward with their plans, but that’s just a gut feeling on my part, with nothing to back it up.
So what’s going on here? Is it that the truck market is so uncertain these days, that offering a diesel in this segment just too risky?
Full story here at PickupTruck.com.
Now that the news feeding frenzy has subsided a bit, AutoObserver has some (some? heck, a whole bunch!) thoughts on the state of the auto industry.
GM-Chrysler: No Move Is Smart Move
Also from AO is an interesting interview with Edmunds.com CEO Jeremy Anwyl, on his take of what’s going on in the auto market, and what the future holds.
AO: How scared are consumers?
JA: Consumers have forsaken hoping for best and are now doing
the opposite - planning for the worst. That’s ominous for car
companies. Anything they offer, no matter how attractive, is a
distraction to consumers because they are worried about an economic
survival. Buying a car is not part of that plan.
Q&A: Edmunds.com CEO Jeremy Anwyl: A New Phase for Consumers
…And here’s one more from AO: It’s on the problem GM is having in unloading Hummer, and why other GM brands are not likely to disappear or to be place up for sale.
Why No More General Motors Brands Are Likely to Follow Hummer
Interesting stuff. Interesting times.
Lots of rumors flying about as to what the replacement for the Honda S2000 might be. One of which is a 3.0 V6-powered sports car. Other rumors include a larger 2.5 4-cylinder engine, a convertible version of the CR-Z sports car, as well as a sports car with styling cues taken from the OSM (pictured).
So, if you were heading Honda’s S-2000 replacement team, what would you near for? What kind of vehicle do you think would be a worthy successor to the S-2000? Full story here.