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The 3 Series is perhaps the most important vehicle in BMW’s lineup, and though the automaker has given it a few minor tweaks for the 2011 model year (fascia nip/tuck, new N55 single-turbo mill), an all-new version is in the works for 2012. We’ve seen photos of the next-generation sedan all covered in BMW’s signature swirly paper, but our spies have just caught the wagon Touring version of the new 3er roaming around European streets, as well. Aside from the obvious addition of a more capacious boot, not much should differ between the 3 Series sedan and wagon when it hits showrooms, which figures to feature a range of new engines and a design more akin to that of the F10 5 Series and new Z4.

We’re sure that the new 3 Series Touring will fare well in European markets, but it’s unclear how the wagon will be received here in the States, especially since BMW is rumored to be working on a 3 Series Gran Turismo – similar to the 5 Series GT that launched earlier this year. However, the 5GT’s slow initial sales numbers may cause BMW to rethink its product planning, and the new 3 wagon will be perfectly poised to do battle with the likes of the Audi A4 Avant and Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon, as well as the new TSX Sport Wagon from Acura which will be arriving in early 2011.

No word yet on when we’ll see the production version of the next-generation 3 Series, though we certainly won’t rule out a possible debut at this year’s Paris Motor Show. For now, click through the gallery below to see the 3 Series Touring showing off its new rump.

[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: BMW 3 Series Touring closer to hauling into showrooms

First Drive: 2011 Bentley Mulsanne is modern luxury with a strong sense of history

Balancing tradition with technology is a fine line to walk, but Bentley manages to pull it off with its latest, greatest flagship.

Bimmerfest 2010: The Rose Bowl hosts North America’s largest BMW gathering

For BMW addicts, it’s the World Series, the Stanley Cup and the SuperBowl all rolled into one. So we go for a stroll around the grounds at Bimmerfest to see what the marque’s most ardent fans are up to.

2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT: Simplicity of switchgear a welcome trait

After a week of living with BMWs, our long-term Legacy’s ease-of-use and on-road demeanor continues to win us over.

Also of interest:

• Spy Shots: Ferrari 458 Italia Challenge
• Officially Official: Buick Regal GS is a go!
• Report: Dodge getting new badge to support sporty image
• Ford said to be preparing Explorer-based pursuit-rated SUV for police fleets
• Report: Mercedes-Benz C-Class lineup set to expand in U.S.

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Mercedes-Benz has a pretty ambitious goal to grow its U.S. sales by 30 percent over the next five years, and execs apparently think they will need to expand downmarket to do it. According to Automotive News, Ernst Lieb, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, feels that the bringing in the B-Class hatchback and introducing additional C-Class derivatives will provide the best possibility of attracting more customer since growth opportunities for the E-Class and S-Class are likely limited.

Arch rival BMW already offers coupe, convertible and station wagon variants of the 3 Series in the States, along with the less costly 1 Series range, not to mention its ever-expending array of Mini products. In North America, surging Audi offers its A4 in sedan and wagon formats, along with the closely related A5/S5 Coupe and Cabriolet, and it also offers the less costly A3 hatchback.

For its part, Mercedes currently only offers the C-Class in a four-door sedan bodystyle in the States. A C-Class coupe is reportedly due to arrive here in 2011 with a convertible coming in 2013 off of the revised C-Class that’s due in 2012. And while the C-Class expansion makes sense, critics have feared for years that introducing the B-Class in America could lead to brand dilution (which is part of the reason that parent Daimler’s teetering Smart franchise has remained so distinct).

By comparison, in spite of its relatively slow sales here, the 1 Series arguably makes more sense in the context of the BMW lineup of performance luxury cars. So why isn’t brand dilution an issue for Mercedes overseas? In Europe, where the A and B Class have been available for a decade, Benz has a different, more mainstream image, with a much more comprehensive model range.

Despite a comparative dearth of entry-level products, Mercedes’ sales remain on a pronounced uptick in America, with sales through April increasing by 26 percent to 68,826 units. In 2009, Benz dealers sold through 190,538 units.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Report: Mercedes-Benz C-Class lineup set to expand in U.S.

Yesterday, Toyota and Tesla announced that the two companies would be collaborating on electric vehicle development. Tesla will be taking over the NUMMI factory in Fremont, California, which was recently closed. Now, the United Auto Workers is urging Toyota to hire union workers to operate the plant, giving jobs back to the people who were rendered unemployed after the NUMMI shutdown.

UAW president Ron Gettelfinger has issued the following statement:

“Our union’s hope is that this venture will give first hiring preference to former NUMMI employees who are already trained and highly skilled.”

As you’ll recall, NUMMI was closed at the beginning of April after the Toyota/General Motors joint venture fizzled, a development that left roughly 4,500 union workers unemployed. Thus, it only makes sense that the UAW would be fighting to reinstate these workers’ jobs now that Tesla plans to build its Model S sedan at this facility.

[Source: Reuters Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty]

Reuters: UAW pressuring Tesla/Toyota to hire union workers at former NUMMI plant

A car as powerful as the Bugatti Veyron can do a great many things. Crest the 400 km/h mark. Burn through fuel and rubber faster than a jumbo jet on take-off with the parking brake engaged. But how about stop time? Maybe if you lay down all that twist in the opposite direction off the earth’s rotation. Or bring back a rumor that first reared its head some four years ago.

We’re talking about the long-rumored 1,200-horsepower “super Veyron.” Its arrival has been anticipated for years, and now accounts from Germany are bringing it back to life. According to the reports, Professor Ferdinand Piëch – the former Volkswagen chairman, Porsche heir and father of the Veyron – recently delivered a lecture at the Vienna University of Technology, wherein he briefly alluded to the emergence of the 1,200-hp Veyron, but revealed no further details.

That the quad-turbocharged, sixteen-cylinder Bugatti engine is capable of more than its stated output of 987 horsepower is no secret. And if such a car is in the works, surely Piëch would be among the few in the world who’d know about it, even if he’s not sitting in the big seat these days. With the existing Veyron’s production run winding to a close, if there were ever a time to make it happen, surely that time is approaching at Veyron-esque velocity.

[Source: motorline.cc via Teamspeed.com]

1200hp “Super Veyron” winds the rumor mill again

The EPA has finished calculating the fuel economy of the 2011 Fiesta and as Ford projected, its new baby has hit 40 miles per gallon. The official numbers from the Feds are 29 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway for Fiestas with the new six-speed dual-clutch Powershift gearbox. Those highway numbers top the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit by four and five mpg, respectively.

Fiestas with the base five-speed manual gearbox get a rating of 28 mpg city and 37 mpg highway. All North American Fiestas for now are equipped with a 120 horsepower, 1.6-liter inline four regardless of which gearbox is selected. The first batches of Fiestas should be on their way to dealers in the coming weeks now that production has started.

[Source: Ford]
Photos by Damon Lavrinc / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Officially Official: 2011 Ford Fiesta rated at 40 mpg highway

Officially Official: 2011 Ford Fiesta rated at 40 mpg highway

Chrysler may be working hard to get its new crop of Fiat-infused small car offerings to market, but we must not forget that a great bulk of the automaker’s sales will be made up of crossovers and SUVs, spearheaded by vehicles like the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and the upcoming Dodge Durango replacement (possibly called Magnum) in 2012. We’ve seen spy shots and patent filings of the reworked Dodge crossover, but Cheers and Gears forum member Andrew Currie has spent some time creating renderings of what the all-new CUV could look like. Very believable, if we do say so ourselves.

Details are still slim about the next-generation Durango-Magnum, but one thing’s for sure – it’s going to look a whole lot better than the aging Durango that currently sits on dealer lots. And if Chrysler can make good on its promise to offer better interior refinement, the new CUV should be a worthy competitor for GM’s Lambda quadruplets and the upcoming new Ford Explorer. Still, we’ll have to wait and see what Chrysler has in store, and we won’t be surprised if the production model makes its debut later this year at the Los Angeles Auto Show, or even early next year in Detroit.

[Source: Cheers and Gears]

Rendered Speculation: 2012 Dodge Durango… err, Magnum

Canadian Alisha Koubi leased a 2006 Mazda3, then discovered that a locked driver’s door could be opened by giving it a shoulder check. Reports say that at the same time she was reading about Mazda3s being broken into in a way that left dents above the driver’s door, she was reading Mazda promotional material touting the safety and quality of the company’s products. Her car was never broken into, but she decided to sue Mazda for selling “an unfit product for profit,” and the case has just been granted class-action status in British Columbia.

Because the lawsuit isn’t based on actual loss but the more nebulous idea of a breach of commercial duty, Koubi and her attorney want damages to be assessed based on Mazda’s profits from all the Mazda3s sold and leased from 2004 to 2007. That covers 19,909 cars.

Mazda asserts that the door issue wasn’t a defect. The company didn’t publicize the issue, claiming it was afraid that would increase break-in rates, but it did add a reinforcement plate for any drivers that requested it on those cars and redesigned the lock on the next generation. No word on when it will go to trial, but similar lawsuits have also been launched in Quebec and Ontario. Thanks for the tip, Edwin!

[Source: CBC News]

Mazda Canada shoulder-checked with class-action lawsuit over bum door locks

Review: 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid makes being green easy

2010 Ford Escape Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery The Ford Escape Hybrid was the first mass-produced battery-assisted SUV on the market when it launched in 2004, and from day…

Volkswagen’s autonomous “Junior” reverse power-slides into parking spot

Click above to watch video after the jump Automotive technology is rapidly advancing to the point where we eventually won’t need to actually drive a car ourselves in most real world scenarios. At…

Toyota earns $1.2B in Q1 amidst recall mess

Conventional wisdom might tell you that Toyota should have lost loads of money last quarter in the wake of the company’s largest-ever global recall and safety scandal. Perhaps it shouldn’t…

Also of interest:

• Fast Forward: Panamera already best-selling Porsche in U.S.
• 2015 Audi A4 to shed over 300 pounds
• Volvo’s all-new 2011 S60 priced from $37,700*
• Report: Casey Stoner leaves Ducati for Honda
• Report: Hundreds of complaints about Ford Windstar axles snapping, yet no NHTSA inquiry
• Volkswagen and Porsche may share more technology
• Where’s The Love: Russian Rolls-Royce Centurion abandoned by train tracks?

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Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 5.11.10

The all-new A8 and updated Q7 won’t be the only vehicles in Audi’s line-up to benefit from the automaker’s new eight-speed gearbox. According to dealer order guides released for the 2011 model year, the octo-cog-swapper is set to proliferate throughout the Audi line-up in the next year, with the automaker aiming for around 70% of it U.S. sales volume to come equipped with the new gearbox.

For the 2011 model year, the A4 2.0 TFSI quattro sedan and Avant will come packing the eight-speed tranny, along with the A5 2.0 TFSI quattro coupe and cabriolet (the manual six-speed will only be available on the coupe). In addition, the revised Q7, with its new high- and low-output 3.0-liter supercharged V6s (cribbed from the S4 and A6), will replace the 3.6-liter V6 and 4.2-liter V8 for the 2011 model year. Both engines, along with the new 3.0-liter TDI, will come equipped with the eight-speed auto.

Finally, Audi quietly revealed the 2.0 TFSI inline-four-equipped Q5 at the New York Auto Show, and part of the new package will also include the eight-speed ‘box.

Sales of the eight-speed automatic-equipped models will begin this fall, each delivering improved fuel economy, quicker downshifts and, thanks to its compact packaging, no additional weight gain over the standard six-speed tiptronic.

Eight-speed automatic transmission available on A4, A5 and Q5 this fall

Over the course of the last 20 years, each new Audi model has weighed in around 10 percent more than its predecessor, but that all changed when the all-new Audi A4 (B8) debuted last year. Audi’s mid-size sedan gained less than 100 pounds over the previous model (B7), despite growing in every possible dimension. And when the next A4 arrives in five year’s time, Audi claims it will weigh even less than the current model.

Heinrich Timm, head of Audi’s Lightweight Design Center, told us earlier today that the next generation A4 – likely due out in 2015, judging by Audi’s normal product cycle – will shed some 150 kg (330 pounds) over the B8. The move to drop the A4’s curb weight is part of a larger initiative by Audi to reduce the tonnage of its future vehicles by using more aluminum, innovative structural techniques and composites.

And the benefits of weight reduction aren’t just limited to fuel consumption and emissions. As any gearhead knows, weight affects every aspect of the vehicle’s dynamics – from handling to braking to acceleration. For every 220 pounds lost, a vehicle can accelerate to 60 mph in an extra 20 feet. Lose 440 pounds and that amount nearly doubles.

While other automakers are employing high tensile steel to increase rigidity and reduce weight, it costs nearly three-times more than a normal stamped piece. By limiting the use of tensile steel, the overall cost savings will allow Audi to utilize more exotic materials – carbon fiber in particular – reducing weight and further enhancing the driving experience.

As the father of the spaceframe, Timm knows all too well that weight reduction is the key to the next generation of automobiles. Not only will it decrease fuel consumption, increase safety and pay dividends for the driver, it’s the only way automakers can simultaneously meet new emission standards while delivering the content and driving experience customers expect. Timm says, “we want to bring it to a higher volume” and the next generation A4 is sure to be the first in a long line of lightened Audis.

2015 Audi A4 to shed over 300 pounds

The Volvo S60 has been priced: $37,700 plus $850 in destination charges is all you’ll need. What happens when you put a comparably equipped S60 priced at $41,400 up against the BMW 335i xDrive, Mercedes-Benz C350, Lexus IS350 and Audi A4? The S60 undercut the BMW and Merc, while coming in above the the Lexus and Audi. Of course, none of those other cars include Volvo’s Safe + Secure plan that offers five-year/60,000-mile warranty, maintenance wear-and-tear and roadside assistance coverage, so there’s that.

The Volvo is also the most powerful of the bunch with a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower and 325 foot-pounds of torque, albeit in front-wheel-drive, sport-tuned Dynamic chassis guise, with power getting down through a six-speed Geartronic transmission. But wait, there’s more: The Volvo also has Pedestrian Detection and City Safety systems that the others don’t offer. Follow the jump for a press release with all the details, and see if the Swede has what it takes to get your lux dollars.

[Source: Volvo]

Continue reading Volvo’s all-new 2011 S60 priced from $37,700*

Volvo’s all-new 2011 S60 priced from $37,700*

Some might say it is a matter of family honor, others that he is just a man trying to emerge from the giant shadow of his father. If you were to ask Robbie Knievel why he plans to attempt the great Snake River Canyon jump that almost killed his father, legendary daredevil Evel Knievel, he may say that it is just his way to pay his respects to his late, great poppa. And hey, maybe the hopes of a repeat performance in the generating of millions of dollars in publicity monies has some draw to a 40-something, out-of-the-spotlight stuntman… who are we to say?

Whatever motivation tipped the scales of pursuing the concept to reality, word on the streets is that Knievel Jr is going for the big one! A spokesman for the “kaptain” said that the lesser Knievel will be headed to Idaho for a meeting with the who’s who of Twin Falls, in hopes of garnering official support for the jump. This should be the easy part of the process, as local government and business alike have been looking for ways to translate the Knievel-connection into visitors – and of course the subsequent cha-ching that often comes with them – for years now.

Robbie plans to complete the first successful jump of the Snake River Canyon over the Fourth of July weekend in 2011, 37 short years after the parachute in his father’s Skycycle deployed early, sending him plummeting into the canyon while millions of television viewers looked on. Let’s hope that in this case the apple Skycycle falls far from the old tree. Twin Falls spokeswoman Julie Pence pleaded the fifth when asked about the planned jump, saying, “Officials are waiting to hear Knievel’s proposal before commenting.” Stay tuned for updates as we get them. Hmm… wonder if Robbie will wear the trademark Stars and Stripes onesie?

[Source: Billings Gazette]

Just Like Daddy: Robbie Knievel said to be planning Snake River Canyon jump

If there’s one thing the paparazzi is good for, it’s stalking the likes of Megan Fox. And while we could usually care less about the comings and goings of the Xbox crowd’s favorite young starlet, occasionally she wanders into our neck of the interwebs by getting dangerously close to cars like the new Bumblebee Camaro. Fox is currently shooting the next installment of the explosion-rich Transformers saga, and was spotted parading around what appears to be the next iteration of everyone’s favorite plucky Autobot.

Judging from the photos, the biggest changes to the car include a new stripe design that carries over onto the roof of the car, as well as a not-so-subtle rear wing. The next Bumblebee looks to retain its concept-car sideview mirrors, though a selection of carbon-fiber aero additions join the changes as well. If you look close, you can spot Autobot badges in all the right places, too.

Is this what the next Chevrolet Camaro Bumblebee Edition will look like? Given how closely GM is tied into the franchise, it wouldn’t surprise us.

[Source: Megan-Fox via TFW2005]

New Bumblebee Camaro spotted on set of TF3

The Audi A7 Sportback isn’t even on the market yet and already there’s word afoot of a 580-horsepower RS version.

The four-door coupe/hatchback/thing, previewed in concept form at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, is set to be unveiled in final production guise at the upcoming Paris salon in September. And when it does, reports suggest that it’ll be capped by a top-of-the-line RS7 packing Ingolstadt’s V10 engine, sans turbos, with 580 horses galloping through all four wheels, seven speeds and two clutches. Other engines will include six or eight cylinders, burning either gasoline or diesel.

The A7 is set to debut a new mid-size platform for Audi that’s expected to underpin the next-generation A6 as well, but in a form targeted directly at the likes of the next Mercedes CLS, also tipped to debut in Paris.

[Source: Autocar]

Audi RS7 Sportback reportedly due in Paris with 580-hp V10

We’ve wrapped up our Beijing Motor Show coverage as April closes and May begins, signaling the end of the major international auto show season. We’ll have a spring and summer full of concours, racing, meets, exhibitions and more to keep us busy though until the new car reveals pick up again in October at the Paris Motor Show.

This month racing fans will be busy with Formula 1 action from Spain and the legendary Grand Prix de Monaco. NASCAR stops at Richmond, Darlington and Dover before the two-week extravaganza that leads up to the Coca-Cola 600. IndyCar starts off with the Road Runner 300 from Kansas City, but the month of May means only one thing to open-wheel fans – The Indy 500.

The ALMS guys and gals head to Monterey for their annual crack at the corkscrew of Laguna Seca. WRC fans can see action from New Zealand and Portugal, while Rally America stages the Oregon Trail Rally. The NHRA schedule finds the Southern Nationals in Atlanta and the Summer Nationals in Topeka following the conclusion of the Midwest Nationals that start at the end of April.

Other racing action in May includes the Speedfest at the Classic Motorsports at the Mitty at Road Atlanta, Jefferson 500 at Summit Point, Historic Grand Prix of Monaco, Portland AHRMA Classic, SCCA Pro Racing at NJMP, SVRA Spring Vintage Weekend, 20th Annual Vintage Racing Celebration at NHMSNew Jersey Vintage Grand Prix and Family Festival, and the Olthoff Racing VIR Track Day with the SVT Cobra Mustang Club.

May auctions include two biggies – The RM Auctions Sporting Classics of Monaco and the Mecum Spring Classic.

Concours, meets and shows are beginning to fill out the calendar again as the weather improves and May is the month for the Newport Concours as well as Keels and Wheels, All-AMC Show in Gettysburg, Britfest 2010, Long Island Car Show, Pindar Vineyards – Run Out East, The Petersen Museum Discovery Days: Pop-up Greeting Cards, East Coast Boardwalk National Car Show, The Quail Motorcycle Gathering, MOPARS in May, Meguiar’s Orange County Get-Together, Saratoga Automobile Museum Spring Invitational and Auto Show, Marin Sonoma Concours d’Elegance, and Micro/Mini Car Cruise – Bear Mountain Silver Mine Roundup among many others.

If none of those events appeal to you, check out our Google Calendar after the jump for even more listings, all with detailed info and links. And please don’t forget to use the comments section to add or modify listings.

Continue reading Event Alert: May 2010 Calendar of Automotive Events

Event Alert: May 2010 Calendar of Automotive Events

Midsize sedans don’t have it easy anymore. In addition to packing tons of features (technology, safety, comfort) into a relatively affordable package, these vehicles have to be relatively good to drive, functional and not too bad on the eyes. We’ve seen all sorts of family sedan comparisons, and now Cars.com dishes up its own eight-car test, featuring the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Malibu, Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion, Suzuki Kizashi, Mazda6 and Hyundai Sonata.

The eight sedans were not only tested by members of the Cars.com team, but by an actual family of four in an attempt to see what real-world drivers look for the most in these sedans. The family, comprised Ben and Jill Tiernan of Los Angeles, as well as their two children, an infant and a toddler. The family drove the cars on highways and city roads, and took their time poking and prodding through the cabins of each tester. Ben and Jill’s notes were compiled and included in the end result data, with father Ben liking the Kizashi the best, while wife Jill raised her hand for the Camry.

What’s more, the overall question of fuel economy was put into greater focus. Efficiency is one of the strongest selling points in this segment, and it’s no secret that automakers tout the highway mileage numbers of these cars in an effort to attract buyers. Cars.com went a step above – not only noting the EPA estimated fuel economy, but recording what the cars’ trip computers displayed, as well as calculating the actual at-the-pump fuel economy. The Hyundai Sonata’s 35 mpg might be the highest number on the monroney labels, but in the actual calculations, the Ford Fusion’s 32.1 observed mpg trumps the recorded 27.8 mpg in the Sonata.

What’s most interesting, though, are the end results. We won’t spoil the final findings, but it’s important to note that the Ford Fusion – a car which has garnered a ton of praise (Motor Trend Car of the Year, etc.) – came in dead last amongst the group, with the Chevrolet Malibu not falling very far behind. On top of that, Toyota’s Camry is usually the top pick in these tests (Motor Trend would agree), but it doesn’t take first place honors here. How does the well-received Honda Accord fare in all of this? What about newcomers Sonata and Kizashi? Read the full results for yourself at Cars.com.

[Source: Cars.com]

Cars.com hosts eight-car family sedan shootout with surprising results

If you carry too much speed into the corner in most racing cars, you’re liable to spin out. But then most racing cars have a low center of gravity and a suitably long wheelbase. Suppose, then, that you’re driving something a little stouter, like a race-tuned Fiat 500 in the Trofeo Abarth.

One driver found out the hard way while racing at England’s Oulton Park. More impressive, though, is that he didn’t wipe out, but managed to recover control from one of the closest calls we’ve seen in a long time. Follow the jump to see what we’re rambling about.

[Source: YouTube via DriverSide]

Continue reading Video: Going sideways, on two wheels, Abarth-style

Video: Going sideways, on two wheels, Abarth-style

The Ferrari Enzo street clock is 8.3 feet tall and nearly three feet wide, and it could well be the perfect gift for even the most ardent Ferrari fan. The massive yet tastefully executed advertising time piece was reportedly shipped from Europe to the U.S. sometime after its 2003 creation, and now it’s available on eBay for just about anyone who has a strong love of the Ferrari brand and at least $5,000.

The yellow-faced clock is reportedly in working condition, with hour markers and hands that glow in the dark (at least temporarily) at night. Designers didn’t go easy on the spooked stallions, either, as we count seven instances of the famous horse on the substantial street clock. And although the clock is massive at over eight feet tall, the owner claims to be selling this item because he has found a “much larger” clock to replace it.

We can’t help but think of how cool this clock would look in the Autoblog Garage, but we’re guessing it would look far cooler if it were partitioning a pair of Ferraris we just don’t have right now. Head over to eBay to get a better look at the Enzo clock, and if you’ve got at least $5,000 and an itch for kick ass Ferrari memorabilia, happy bidding! Hat tip to Kevin!

[Source: eBay]

eBay Find of the Day: Ferrari Enzo street clock looking for garage mahal

When General Motors got to work seriously changing the Chevrolet Volt from blocky concept to sleek production model, company engineers discovered that by improving the aerodynamics by 80 counts, the car netted a six mile per gallon improvement in its highway fuel economy rating (note: a “count” is a thousandth of a point of a Cd number, so reducing a Cd of 0.150 by 50 counts would give you a Cd of 0.100). On the flipside, taking out 400 pounds of stuff only improved the car’s highway mpg by one mile a gallon, though that’s largely because of the Newtonian “an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force” hubbub. The lesson for the Volt? Aerodynamics beats weight reduction as a way to increase efficiency.

Not everyone agrees that aerodynamics are key to better cars, however. On the performance side of things, let’s not forget Enzo Ferrari’s famous (and wrong) quote: “Aerodynamics are for people who can’t build engines.” When it comes to building more fuel efficient cars, weight reduction can play a big role. Lotus, in particular, is a big proponent of shaving pounds from its sportscars. The Elise Club Racer, to cite just one example, weighs less than 2,000 pounds.

Today, Lotus Engineering and the International Council on Clean Transportation released a study that found that weight reduction should not be forgotten and is, in fact, a cost-effective way to improve fuel efficiency. Specifically, the engineers calculate that you can have a “vehicle mass improvement” of 38 percent compared to a conventional mainstream vehicle (in this case, a Toyota Venza) and that it can be achieved with “only” a three percent increase in component costs. One important detail: this is “using engineering techniques and technologies viable for mainstream production programmes by 2020.” Even though 2020 is a decade away, it’s interesting to see how much fuel might this save. The DOE estimates that reducing a vehicle’s mass by 33 percent means a 23 percent drop in fuel consumption. Not bad. Find more details after the jump.

[Source: Lotus]

Continue reading Lotus imagines the Toyota Venza, circa 2020 and minus 400 lbs

Lotus imagines the Toyota Venza, circa 2020 and minus 400 lbs