Geneva Preview: Pininfarina will bring B0 (B Zero) concept to Geneva
If you couldn’t get enough of the gorgeous B0 (B Zero) electric car concept that the Italian design house of Pininfarina unveiled at the Paris Motor Show early last October than you might construe this as good news, it’s coming to the 2009 Geneva Motor Show as well. Unfortunately, that means they won’t be bringing a working prototype of the concept as had been expected. According to a report by Reuters, the Pininfarina family is selling off a majority stake in the company in an attempt to deal with its debt which, thanks to an 80 percent drop in its stock price over the past year, is many times its market capitalization.The effects of the global economic slowdown on its customers has not helped the situation and so production has been slowed at its three factories in an attempt to reduce costs. Not only are we a little disappointed about this development but we aren’t sure that leaving the prototype at home was the wisest of decisions. Since the B0 is seen as an important part of the company’s future viability and the search for a buyer is about to begin in earnest, wouldn’t it be prudent to trot out a marketable prototype for the world’s automotive press to fawn over? We say, “Swing per la recinzione!” (Swing for the fence!) What say you? Gallery: Pininfarina B0 [Source: Reuters ] Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Geneva Motor Show , Europe/EU Geneva Preview: Pininfarina will bring B0 (B Zero) concept to Geneva originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds .Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green
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Geneva Preview: Pininfarina will bring B0 (B Zero) concept to Geneva
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Leave a commentTazarri Zero gets new website, car configurator
Auto Blog: EV/Plug-in , Lightweight , Europe/EU , UK After being introduced to the public a mere 16 weeks ago, the folks behind the Tazzari Zero are starting to get more serious about their racy two-seater and have given it a proper website . As well as being able to watch a trailer and play with the “car configurator,” you can also find news and Car Blog Greena bit of the history behind the company and car. The configurator’s a little lackluster but gives you a general idea how the Zero might look in a few different colors. The site also has a newsletter sign up for interested dealers. Speaking of dealers, it seems TYC Track has picked up the British Distribution of the Italian eco-sportster. No word on when it will actually be available, but it is supposed to begin production this year in Imola, Italy. Hit the jump for video of the pre-production Zero being driven about. Gallery: Tazarri Zero [Source: Tazzari Group ] Continue reading Tazarri Zero gets new website, car configurator Tazarri Zero gets new website, car configurator originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 28 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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Tazarri Zero gets new website, car configurator
Mercedes-Benz rumored to be working on hybrid sportscar
Auto Blog: Hybrid , Mercedes Benz Mercedes-Benz has quite a history with gull-wing doored sportscars; not as much with hybrids. Regardless, the German automaker appears ready to combine the two in the next version of its SLK range, which is rumored to add the upward-opening doors and regenerative braking technology to its repertoire in 2012. It’s the hybrid drivetrain that may be causing MB to look to its past 300SL’s unique portal configuration since the twin battery packs will be placed in large side sills, a configuration that would preclude the use of normal doors. Mercedes hopes to gain experience with the KERS hybrid system that’s currently making its way into Formula 1 racing, where the German marque has been doing quite well over the last few years. Teamed with a 3.5L V6 engine, preliminary reports suggest that the hybrid SLK could get up to 40 miles per gallon on the European cycle while also being able to accelerate the coupe to 60 miles per hour in under 5 seconds. They could sure use the efficiency boost . [Source: Auto Express ] Mercedes-Benz rumored to be working on hybrid sportscar originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 19:10:00 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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Mercedes-Benz rumored to be working on hybrid sportscar
Got lithium? Lots
Auto Blog: Emerging Technologies , Etc. , EV/Plug-in , Hybrid , Manufacturing/Plants , Mitsubishi , South/Latin America , USA Click on chart for PDF When companies need to know about future market conditions for various commodities, they hire a firm with the expertise to evaluate the situation and report back. For instance, as Mitsubishi was mulling the possible future of electric cars equipped with lithium ion batteries, they hired TRU Group to do an analysis on future battery options. Usually, ordinary folks don’t get to see the results of this kind of work, but in the case here, we can. In a rare move, Mitsubishi has allowed their consultants to release some of the findings about the global markets for lithium through to 2020 and that’s just what they did at the IM Lithium Supply & Markets Conference Santiago 2009. The results are comforting to those worried about a sudden upsurge in the production of electric cars using lithium ion batteries, especially over the next few years. Because of the sudden recession, there is actually an oversupply of the mineral right now and this should continue until about 2013. It doesn’t seem as though there will be a “peak lithium” after that either. Although brine deposits, like those in Bolivia and China, may offer the easiest and cheapest supplies to extract, a moderate price rise would support mining here in America , where we appear to have quite a bit. [Source: TRU Group via Green Car Congress ] Got lithium? Lots originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:22:00 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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Got lithium? Lots
Posted in Auto Green | a-friend-via, china, entry, for-interested, hybrid slk, italian, lithium, lithium-supply, lithiummining, mercedes-benz, pdf, tazzari-group, tru group, trugroup | Leave a commentDodge Hornet may still come from Nissan
Auto Blog: Chrysler , Dodge , Nissan , Fiat Click above for a gallery of the Dodge Hornet concept We’ve nearly given up hope that the world will ever actually see a production vehicle based on the Dodge Hornet concept that was first introduced all the way back in early 2006. First, it was rumored that the Hornet would be produced by Chinese automaker Chery, but we later heard that the test vehicles assembled in China weren’t up to the quality standards necessitated by Chrysler. Next, we surmised that the Hornet may come from Nissan after the Japanese automaker inked a deal with Chrysler to exchange two small cars for one fullsize truck to replace the aging Titan pickup. After Chrysler’s recent tie-up with Fiat , though, many assumed that the Italian automaker would take over any small Chrysler projects; something that still seems likely. Not so fast. Nissan spokesperson Simon Sproule recently said that the Fiat deal does not interfere with its earlier agreement with Chrysler, so it seems that the Hornet concept may still have Japanese roots after all. We’ll believe it when we see it. Gallery: Dodge Hornet [Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd] Dodge Hornet may still come from Nissan originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 08:47:00 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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Dodge Hornet may still come from Nissan
Posted in Auto Green | a-deal-with, chrysler, chrysler-next, dodge hornet, dodge hornet concept, entry, italian | Leave a commentAsk and you shall receive: Fiat 500 to U.S. in 2010?
Auto Blog: Fiat , USA Click above for a high-res gallery of the Fiat 500 Could it be? Is the United States going to get access to the spunky Fiat 500 that we’ve been so anxiously waiting for ? Sounds like a distinct possibility, at least according to Motor Trend , which claims to have it on good authority that the Italian automaker is eying a potential sale date in 2010 for its little city car. Before that can take place, the 500′s cute-as-a-button front end needs a slight redesign in order to meet with the approval of the Feds for safety purposes. Hopefully, the change would be subtle. Unfortunately for Canadians, they’re likely going to miss out due to the cost of modifying the 500 to meet Canadian crash test requirements. The rumor continues that the Fiat 500 would share space in U.S. Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep showrooms, offering an already established distribution chain, which is exactly what the Italian automaker has been missing. Fiat’s 100-horsepower 1.4 16-valve four cylinder powerplant is reportedly the engine that’s being considered for American shores. A turbocharged Abarth couldn’t be too far behind, could it? Gallery: Fiat 500 outdoors [Source: Motor Trend ] Ask and you shall receive: Fiat 500 to U.S. in 2010? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:29:00 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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Ask and you shall receive: Fiat 500 to U.S. in 2010?
Posted in Auto Green | a-friend-via, entry, EV Plug in, fiat, fiat 500, fiat 500 abarth, fiat500unitedstates, fiat500usa, italian, motor-trend, price increases, tesla-model-s, united | Leave a commentFiat Planning 500-based Abarth sports car
Fiat has revived the historic Abarth badge for a sporting version of its 500 and Punto minicars and the Italian automaker says it wants to create an entire unique Abarth brand starting with a sports car. As we’ve previously reported, Fiat has been working on a low-slung sports car, but news comes today that the Abarth coupe will be based on the Fiat 500, itself closely rated to the rather humble Fiat Panda. But don’t let its platform fool you: AutoExpress reports that the Abarth coupe will feature a lightweight aluminum chassis and a 1.4-liter turbo four from the 500 Abarth (good for 135-horsepower). Though it will be front-wheel-drive, the Abarth Coupe will employ Fiat’s Torque Transfer Control, which acts like a limited slip differential up front. Later on, expect a 158-horse high performance variant that should still average 45 mpg on the European combined cycle. AutoExpress speculates that the little Abarth coupe, which will resemble both the Lotus Elise and the ill-fated Smart Roadster, will start at £12,000. Don’t expect North American sales unless Fiat decides to bring the 500 to the United States in Canada. But the Italian automaker recently put the 500 on sale in Mexico – its first North American market – so it’s possible that an Italian invasion could come sooner rather than later.
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Fiat Planning 500-based Abarth sports car
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