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New Ford Fiesta SportVan on sale in UK; diesel gets 56 mpg

admin — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:35:00 +0000

Click above for a high res gallery of Ford Fiesta SportVan Sleeker and smaller than a Transit Connect but also serving as a fuel-saving delivery vehicle that can carry up to 515 kg (1,135 lbs) worth of stuff, the new Ford Fiesta SportVan is now on sale in the UK. With a diesel powerplant that gives off CO 2 emissions of just 110 g/km, the SportVan will cost you £10,780. The new diesel SportVan also, well, sports 56 mpg (U.S.) on the combined cycle. Opt for the petrol versions and you’ll get 41 mpg (U.S.) and 133 g/kkm of CO 2 , starting at £9,025. What’s different about the SportVan from the standard Fiesta? As you can see in the image above and in the gallery below, the rear side windows are swapped out for solid panels that match the body color. Rear seats are similarly made more functional by removing them, turning the back into a 1,000 cubic liter cargo space with a standard half-height composite bulkhead and DIN-compliant tie-down hooks. More details are available after the jump. An earlier version of the Fiesta SportVan has been a part of the small delivery van market in Europe since 2006 . Gallery: Ford Fiesta SportVan [Source: Ford] Continue reading New Ford Fiesta SportVan on sale in UK; diesel gets 56 mpg Auto Blog: Diesel , Ford , UK New Ford Fiesta SportVan on sale in UK; diesel gets 56 mpg originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green

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New Ford Fiesta SportVan on sale in UK; diesel gets 56 mpg

UK next in line for MINI E testing?

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:48:00 +0000

Click above for a high res gallery of the MINI E It’s no surprise that there is a lot of demand for the all-electric version of the MINI. We heard that London might get some of the limited-supply MINI E’s last fall , but now the Telegraph is saying that a plug-in version of the MINI could be “on sale in Britain” by the end of 2009 (we assume the lease-only model for these cars will continue). If MINI’s test program does move to the UK, it would expand the test areas beyond Germany and the U.S. to the iconic car’s home turf. That’s fitting, no? As for the already-announced test locations, the New York and LA participants should be getting their MINI Es in the next few weeks while Berlin and Munich residents need to wait until later this spring. Gallery: Electric MINI E [Source: Telegraph ] Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , MINI , Green Daily , UK UK next in line for MINI E testing? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 19:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green

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UK next in line for MINI E testing?

Geneva Preview: 37 mpg (U.S.) Lexus RX 450h CUV

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 07:49:00 +0000

Click above for a high res gallery of the RX 450h When we first met the RX 450h hybrid CUV – excuse me, the “car-based luxury utility vehicle,” during the LA Auto Show last November, Lexus wouldn’t say what mileage the vehicle would get. Now that we’re a bit closer to the release date and the CUV’s European debut at the Geneva Motor Show this week, Lexus has announced that the RX 450h gets 44.8 mpg (37 mpg U.S.) on the combined cycle, an improvement of 28 percent. Combine that with CO 2 emissions of 148 grams per km, and Lexus has a numbers to brag about. The RX 450h goes on sale in the UK this summer. We’ll get more details on the European debut from Geneva this coming week. Gallery: Lexus RX 450h [Source: Lexus UK] Auto Blog: Hybrid , Lexus , Geneva Motor Show Geneva Preview: 37 mpg (U.S.) Lexus RX 450h CUV originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 01 Mar 2009 08:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green

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Geneva Preview: 37 mpg (U.S.) Lexus RX 450h CUV

Audi’s new A4 allroad 2.0 TDI rated 36.75 mpg (U.S.), not for sale here

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 10:57:00 +0000

Click the A4 allroad quattro for a high res gallery Audi has just launched a new allroad variant of the A4 Avant wagon in Europe that applies the Subaru Outback approach to the German premium wagon. Like the A6 allroad that was launched some years ago, the A4 adds wheel flares and increased ride height for the psuedo-SUV look and 7.09 inches of ground clearance allowing you leap tall pebbles in a single bound. In spite of that increased frontal area and aerodynamic drag, the A4 still manages to post some pretty impressive mileage when equipped with the 170 hp 2.0L TDI diesel. The four cylinder diesel pushes the A4 allroad to 62 mph in 8.9 seconds and gets combined 36.75 mpg (U.S.) on the Euro combined drive cycle. This engine is a higher output variant of the engine in the VW Jetta TDI. The allroad is also available with a 2.0L TFSI gas four cylinder and the 3.0L TDI diesel V6 which still manages 33.1 mpg (U.S.) and bumps the 0-62 mph time down to 6.4 seconds. As far as we know, Audi has no current plans to offer the A4 allroad quattro here in North America. Gallery: Audi A4 allroad quattro [Source: Audi] Continue reading Audi’s new A4 allroad 2.0 TDI rated 36.75 mpg (U.S.), not for sale here Auto Blog: Diesel , Audi Audi’s new A4 allroad 2.0 TDI rated 36.75 mpg (U.S.), not for sale here originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green

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Audi’s new A4 allroad 2.0 TDI rated 36.75 mpg (U.S.), not for sale here

In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2009 Lexus GS450h

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:12:00 +0000

Auto Blog: Hybrid , Lexus , In The AutoblogGreen Garage Click the Lexus GS450h for a high res gallery Since debuting the Prius just over a decade ago, Toyota has been gradually spreading its hybrid drive technology through its product lineup including the Lexus brand. Later this year, Lexus will be getting its first hybrid-only model in the form of the HS250h but it’s first hybrid sedan was actually the GS450h which went on sale as a 2007 model. As with the LS600h that we tried out a year ago , the GS450h is promoted by Toyota as option that gives performance of a larger engine with the efficiency of a lower displacement. So, unlike the Prius which goes for the big mpg numbers, the Lexus hybrids post more typical results for their segments. As a mid-sized luxury sport sedan, the GS falls into a segment with competitors such as the BMW 5-series, the Mercedes Benz E-Class and the Acura TL . All four of these are very close in overall size, although the Lexus is the only one with a hybrid powertrain option. Based on the nomenclature, Lexus expects the GS450h to have performance similar to the vehicle with a 4.5L V8 with the efficiency of a 3.5L V6. Follow the jump to see if they succeeded. Gallery: AutoblogGreen Garage: 2009 Lexus GS450h Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc. Continue reading In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2009 Lexus GS450h In the AutoblogGreen Garage: 2009 Lexus GS450h originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green

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Valence Technology may build new battery plant

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:13:00 +0000

Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Hybrid , Manufacturing/Plants , Ford , Europe/EU , USA As soon as we heard the announcement about Smith Electric Vehicles US Corp and Ford’s Smith-built Transit Connect coming to America , our minds soon turned to the battery supplier of that company, Valence Technology . The Austin, Texas-based firm keeps a lower profile than some of its competitors like A123 and Enerdel preferring, it seems, to quietly go about the business of being putting its batteries into vehicles as diverse as the Segway and the PV1 truck . Our curiosity was quickly rewarded by an article in the Austin American Statesman that says that Valence is considering building a new battery plant either in America or Europe. It has been making its batteries at two facilities in China but with Tanfield (Smith Electric’s parent company) and other customers asking about a U.S. factory and the possibility of government funding becoming available via the stimulus package, it is considering bringing production closer to home. They are hedging a little, mentioning Europe as a possible location as well, but it does seem they will thoroughly investigate the American option first. It is widely thought that increased domestic production of lithium ion batteries would be strategically prudent and, besides that, we could use the jobs. [Source: Austin American Statesman ] Valence Technology may build new battery plant originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green

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Valence Technology may build new battery plant

Peapod now out on its own. Will it find love?

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 19:04:00 +0000

Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Chrysler , GEM , NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle) , USA Click above for a high res gallery of the Peapod Remember back in September when we told you that Chrysler’s GEM division was going to change up its name (but keep the acronym) and be called GreenEcoMobility as it moved forward with the addition of the Peapod to its lineup. Well, scratch all that. Sometime between now and then there was a script rewrite. The new plan keeps GEM the same and creates a new wholly-owned-by- Chrysler company that will market the Peapod and its upcoming offspring under the name Peapod Mobility. We know they’re serious this time because they sprung for a shiny new website . So now that the smiley-faced neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) is out on its own in the big world, will it find the love it needs to survive or will it shuffle off this mortal coil before having the chance to fulfill its aspirations. It has dreams of proliferating and adding a two seater , called the Twinpod, as well as a mini-pickup and van to the range in a little over a year. One day, it even wants its own “real cars.” To make that happen, it’s going to have to find a place in the heart of those in need of a cute (or evil, depending on your point of view) iPod-centered car that can only travel 30 miles, tops out at 25 mph and costs $12,500. The sales period between the official Earth Day launch and the Labor Day delivery target will be telling. Gallery: GEMs Peapod [Source: ADWEEK ] Peapod now out on its own. Will it find love? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green

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Peapod now out on its own. Will it find love?

"Small equals cheap’ mentality means we won’t get Audi A1 in US

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:07:00 +0000

Auto Blog: MPG , Audi Click the A1 Sportback concept for a high res gallery America may have developed a taste for MINIs over the last several years, but apparently Johan de Nysschen doesn’t think it goes far enough. Audi of America president de Nysschen would like to bring the brand’s new A1 to the U.S. market, but it doesn’t look like Americans are ready yet to pay upwards of $25,000 for a subcompact. MINI dealers might argue with that assessment; especially with John Cooper Works models going out the door at over $30K. Nonetheless, when Audi of America went to its dealers, they were thinking closer to $18,000 as a starting price. de Nysschen believes that Audi needs to establish itself more solidly as a premium brand in the U.S. market before it can dip that low in the market. As a result, we probably won’t get the A1 here until the next-generation model in 5-6 years. The status of an electric car that may be based on the A1 remains unknown for the U.S. at this time. Gallery: Audi A1 Sportback concept [Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd] “Small equals cheap’ mentality means we won’t get Audi A1 in US originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green

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"Small equals cheap’ mentality means we won’t get Audi A1 in US

New BMW diesels feature incorrect fueling protection system

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 19:01:00 +0000

Auto Blog: Diesel , BMW Click the 335d for a high res gallery One of the risks of owning and operating a diesel vehicle is mis-fueling. Just as putting diesel fuel in the tank of a gas-powered vehicle will cause some very expensive damage, so to will gas in a diesel tank. The former is largely prevented by the use of two different sized nozzles. Diesel nozzles on pumps are larger in diameter than gas nozzles so they don’t physically fit. However, it’s not uncommon for drivers to mistakenly insert a smaller gas nozzle into the diesel fill neck on the vehicle. BMW has devised a mechanism that locks the flap in the filler neck to prevent fuel flow if the smaller nozzle is inserted. Only the larger diesel nozzle will unlock the flap allowing fuel to flow. The new system is now standard on all diesel-equipped BMWs, both in Europe and North America, including the new 335d and X5 xDrive35d. Hopefully, BMW will share this technology with other automakers. Gallery: ABG First Drive: 2009 BMW 335d Photos Copyright (C)2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc. Continue reading New BMW diesels feature incorrect fueling protection system New BMW diesels feature incorrect fueling protection system originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 31 Jan 2009 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green

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New BMW diesels feature incorrect fueling protection system

ABG Quick Drive: Ford Focus EV mule [w/VIDEO]

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:05:00 +0000

Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Ford , Detroit Auto Show , First Drive Click the Focus EV “mule” for a high res gallery As Ford was getting ready to make its big announcement this week in Detroit that it would build and sell a battery electric car beginning in 2011 , I got a call asking if I’d like to come down and drive one of the development “mules.” Being loathe to reject such opportunities, we immediately worked on squeezing it into the busy auto show schedule. Right after the Fisker press conference on Monday, I headed over to the Ford booth to get my ride. A “mule” vehicle in automotive engineering parlance, is a non-representative vehicle fitted with a new powertrain or suspension components for testing purposes. In this case, Ford had a pair of current Focus sedans equipped with an electric drive train and lithium ion battery pack that was developed in partnership with Magna International. I spent some time chatting with chief engineer Greg Frenette and Magna rep Dick Devogelaere about the car and what we would see for production in two years time. The production model will be based on Ford’s C-segment platform, meaning it will be Focus-sized. However, Ford has already said it will have several vehicles in the U.S. market off this platform, including an MPV like the European C-Max. Frenette would not say which body style would initially get the electric drive. One item he would confirm was that there would be none of the whole leasing and taking back of the electric cars that other companies are still infamous for. The new EV will be sold outright to retail customers through Ford dealers beginning in 2011. Pricing is still undetermined. Check out the video after the jump and the full drive report on Green Fuels Forecast. Gallery: ABG Quick Drive: Ford Focus EV mule [Source: Green Fuels Forecast ] Photos Copyright (C)2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc. Continue reading ABG Quick Drive: Ford Focus EV mule [w/VIDEO] ABG Quick Drive: Ford Focus EV mule [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green|Car Blog Green

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ABG Quick Drive: Ford Focus EV mule [w/VIDEO]