Exagon Furtive e-GT – Click above for high-res image gallery
hasn’t often appeared in these pages – the company – and so yesterday’s announcement of the extended-range/all-electric sports car caught us by surprise. We recovered from our shock long enough to check it out in person at the Paris Motor Show today, and the metal does the sleek shape more favors than a camera lens. Still, with a 0-60 time of 3.5 seconds (take that, ) and some range guarantees (!), we’ll take one no matter how it looks.
Specifically, Exagon guarantees that the Furtive-eGT will be able to go – when “calculated according to European standards and energy use cycles” – the following distances before the range extender kicks in:
At a constant speed of 50 km/h : 402 km (31 miles per hour : 250 miles)
At a constant speed of 90 km/h : 288 km (56 mph : 179 miles)
At a constant speed of 110 km/h : 241 km (68 mph : 150 miles)
At a constant speed of 130 km/h : 197 km (81 mph : 122 miles)
Another interesting thing about the Furtive-eGT is that the range extender is an option, which is certainly a welcome change from the one-type-fits-all powertrains we see in the Tesla, and . Check out more views of the Furtive-eGT in the gallery below.
2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible – Click above to see this image in high-res
has announced that the highly anticipated will (finally) make its production-spec debut at this year’s . Both the 3.6-liter V6 (now with 312 horsepower) and 6.2-liter V8 will be available, mated to six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. Aside from the folding soft top, very little has changed in terms of updates for the 2011 .
The Camaro Convertible hits dealerships in February of next year (perfect timing for us in the snow belt), priced from $30,000, which includes the $850 destination charge. That’s nearly $7,000 more than the price of a base Camaro coupe, which leads us to believe that bottom-end trim levels won’t be available on the convertible. And for those of you wondering, the least expensive Mustang V6 Convertible starts over $2,000 less at $27,995.
We’ll have more details closer to the car’s LA show unveiling. GM’s current press release is available .
[Source: General Motors]
Camaro Convertible priced from $30K, will debut in LA
There’s an interesting realization that occurs when you drive an electric car. After all, EVs act just like normal vehicles powered by an internal combustion engine, they’re just a bit quieter and you can’t drive for great distances at a time. But as you travel along in an EV, you pass by gas station after gas station and it finally sets in – your car has rendered the fuel pump obsolete. Gas stations to EV owners are nothing more than places to buy cheap coffee and cigarettes.
As we work to further saturate our automotive landscape with efficient, eco-friendly misers, a few automakers think they’ve found the answer for how to best disguise the EV setup in a car that won’t stick out like a sore thumb. The and take on the shapes of a sedan and a hatchback with very minor touches to let other drivers know that something special lies under the hood. and its forthcoming i-MiEV, however, blows that all out of the water. Driving this car on the road is like parking a on a used car lot – it gets a lot of attention.
The i-MiEV, which is based on the kei car (we still aren’t very fond of the name), has been sold in Japan since mid-2009 and Europe is slated to get the bubbly EV later this year. As for North America, it’s expected that we’ll get the i-MiEV in the Fall of 2011, though it will be slightly updated from the Japanese-spec model you see here. We recently had the opportunity to spend a week with a JDM-spec i-MiEV to see what daily life with the EV is like. Is Mitsubishi’s pint-sized electric car ready for the United States?
Camaro5 is an internet forum that focuses on one specific offering from , namely the fifth-generation . Their hearts (and ours) are a-flutter with images they just got hold of. Sitting under the hood of a not-very-well camouflaged 2012 Camaro Z28 lies the LSA engine in all its supercharged glory. We know it will , now we know which one.
For those not familiar with it, the LSA was originally shoehorned under the hood of the . It’s currently rated at 556 horsepower and 551 pound-feet of torque in that application. We have no clue what it will produce under the hood of the Z28, but it will most certainly be a hearty jump over the 425 hp produced in the .
Head over to the to see more detail and gander at some high-res photos. A twirl o’ the bow-tie to Jason!
2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery
. . . . What do these people have in common, besides being featured at one time or another on ? They are all members of the new Customer Advisory Board that announced today (disclosure: AutoblogGreen columnist is also on the panel).
So, what will the 15 people who make up the board actually do? Basically, they’re getting a Volt before you do and will tell GM what’s working and what isn’t. More specifically, they will be the first people who get to, “experience the Volt every day under real-world conditions during a three-month vehicle and charging evaluation program starting in late October.”
The 15 (see all the names after the jump, and note the number of electric vehicle enthusiasts included) volunteered for the position and Chevy picked people who knew the most about electric vehicles and also happen to live in one of the initial markets where the Volt will be available. Besides getting a three-month test vehicle, board members will get a free 240-volt charging station, “for the duration of the vehicle evaluation program.” Sexton is excited about the group, and said in a statement that:
It’s great to see Chevrolet tap into both experienced and new electric vehicle enthusiasts for real-world feedback. This is a great opportunity to not only provide meaningful input to the Volt team, but also to raise awareness using a real, available electric vehicle instead of a PowerPoint slide.
Ariel Atomtime-lapse build – Click above to watch the video
Are time-lapse build videos the new trend in online automotive clips? It sure seems that way as more and more of them keep squeezing out of the ‘tubes. If you go back to 2008, you can see a .
Last fall, the in under three minutes. Earlier this year we got to see the from production vehicle to World Touring Car Championship contender in under two minutes.
Earlier in the month a and now a new vehicle is ready to show you how its made. Top Gear has footage of an moving quickly from inert to insanely-capable. The actual build took 24 hours but you can see the action unfold in under two minutes.
Make the leap to see the video .
Gallery:
Photos by Jeremy Korzeniewski / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: ]
Expect to hear the words, “range anxiety,” a lot in the months to come, what with the , and an assortment of other battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids ready to hit the market.
The first generation of battery cars, like Leaf, will likely deliver an average of only about 100 miles on a charge – not much more than the range at which the typical motorist starts to look for a gas station in a conventional automobile.
Actually, that figure is only a rough approximation, as I learned recently while getting ready for my first drive of the 2011 Leaf. Under ideal conditions, I was advised, engineers have traveled as many as 140 miles. But on a cold and dreary day, creeping along in traffic with the heater on full, the little battery car might barely clock 70 miles before its batteries are fully discharged. (Similarly, now cautions that Volt will typically get somewhere between 25 and 50 miles, rather than the oft-quoted 40 on battery power.)
Sure, driving conditions and driver habits have always had a big impact on mileage. Slam the throttle at every light and you might get less than half the fuel economy your new will deliver on the highway. But while that may cut into your budget, the only other downside is having to fuel up more often.
Paul A. Eisenstein is Publisher of , and a 30-year veteran of the automotive beat. His editorials bring his unique perspective and deep understanding of the auto world to Autoblog readers on a regular basis.
Sources (i.e., email tips and ) are telling us that Vice Chairman Tom Stephens told attendees at the in Detroit today that a diesel-engined passenger car is coming to the U.S. sometime in the future. Nothing has been officially decided, but Stephens indicated that GM has a portfolio of diesels to draw from, noting that it’s up to the marketing department to define what engine and platform might be used, let alone what brand it would be marketed under. What might we see? Maybe something along the line of a GM ?
GM has been , but oil-burning powertrains haven’t gotten quite the attention that the plug-in Voltec in the forthcoming has (how could it?). Now that the cat is at least poking its head out of the bag, we wonder if the German automakers, who are having , are worried. Unlikely, but at least we could get more options – and would it kill GM to make the new car officially B100-capable from the start?
2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible teaser – Click above for high-res image gallery
The hammer has fallen on the and the Barrett-Jackson crowd broke out their wallets for it. Final price for the drop-top muscle car? $205,000. Being the first person with a new toy costs money and an affluent fan of the bow-tie will be placing one of the earliest examples of the upcoming convertible in their garage.
products ending up taking three of the top five sales spots. A 1981 Corvette coupe sold for $150,000 and a custom 2010 Camaro coupe brought in $350,000. A pair of exotic supercars finished one and two as a 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren convertible cost someone $412,500 and a sold for $770,000. More on that one later…
Is it worth that amount of money to have an early example of a new model like the reborn Camaro convertible? Only time will tell – but we could think of many other ways to spend $205,000, especially in Las Vegas. Regardless, congrats to the new owner, whose family will probably be selling the car at Barrett-Jackson Mars 2060.
A pool of 50 U.S. and Canada-based automotive journalists from various news outlets has cut down the list for the 2011 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards to 14 possible winning vehicles in each category.
Among the manufacturers, , /, , and lead with the most nominations, and the lists run the gamut from the inexpensive (Ford Fiesta, Mazda2), to the sybaritic (Audi A8, Jaguar XJ, Porsche Cayenne), to the groundbreaking (Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf).
Car
Truck
Dodge Durango
Ford Explorer
Jurors will cull each list down further in December, and the finalists will be displayed when the winning car and truck are announced at the Detroit Auto Show in January.
What car and truck do you expect to win? Check out our galleries of the finalists below, then to place your vote for the car and truck you expect to win. If you like, you can also drop your fellow commenter a line as to what vehicle you’d most like to see take home the heavy hardware.
(*Full Disclosure: Author is a member of the NACTOY voting jury)
The ongoing yarn about fielding a brace of rear-wheel drive flagship sedans based on a new generation Premium Zeta platform has hit the big time, with Motor Trend reporting that the platform will underpin a sport sedan for . Last month, the rejigged Zeta was touted as the basis for that would finally, and properly, challenge . MT’s report says there will be two wheelbases for this new Zeta, and that those two variants will do duty under a , a U.S. and potentially a Chinese-market Buick, and several Holden models along with the aforementioned Chevy.
As the basis for premium sedans, could spend the money to make it properly light and strong through the use of high-strength steels. The Chevy sport sedan mentioned would be “a kind of four-door Camaro” – Pontiac G8 GXP redux, anyone? – while the Buick only gets described as “cushier,” and both would go on the shorter wheelbase Zeta.
The most interesting tidbit could be Cadillac’s use of the long-wheelbase platform. MT prices a Cadillac flagship at between $125,000 and $140,000 and says the Zeta-based Cadillac, for the Crest-and-Wreath brand, will sit beneath it. If it all comes to pass, that would give Cadillac a larger , then an , then a properly sporting high-end luxury competitor, then a one-Caddy-to-rule-them-all ne plus ultra model by 2014 or so. Hat tip to Joshua!
2011Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery
When the was , here’s what we wrote based on the information was giving out:
The Volt has a range of about 40 miles on the battery alone… However, when the fuel tank is filled to its capacity of 12 US gallons of gas, the Volt has a range of 640 miles. In addition, the Volt ICE is fully flex fuel capable and can run on any combination of gasoline or ethanol up to E85.
Since then, the , the gas tank and, today, the oft-cited 40-mile range is also in question thanks to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission about GM’s mid-November IPO. GM spokesman Rob Peterson told the that the company’s new official stance is that the Volt will be able to travel anywhere between 25 and 50 miles on battery power before the gas-powered range extender kicks in.
What will affect the range? The usual suspects: how you drive, the temperature (outside and inside the car), hills and “the age of the lithium-ion batteries.” Peterson told the AP that the range estimate changed because GM engineers have now had more time to test the Volt’s powertrain. So, who’s surprised? Thanks to Roy B for the tip!
The new Sierra is the same heavy duty work pickup we’ve come to know, but now with extra levels of refinement.
In 1957, Chevrolet decided to create a race car that would dominate NASCAR and establish Chevrolet as the car to beat in the minds of buyers across the country. Known as the “Black Widow,” the 1957 Chevrolet was one of the most feared race cars of the decade.
Chrysler workers are caught boozing and smoking on breaks, making us nervous about that Grand Cherokee we just tested.
It’s been an increasingly popular practice to auction off a hot new model to some lucky winner before it hits showrooms, and the 2011 convertible doesn’t plan to be left out. is auctioning the first sample of the topless pony car in Las Vegas at the Barrett-Jackson Auction on September 24, with proceeds going to the YMCA of Southern Nevada. There’s a press release after the jump and a few high-res teasers below in case you want to start saving up.
It’s that time of year again. The National Insurance Crime Bureau has just released its from 2009, and once again, the most stolen vehicle in the U.S. continues to be the 1994 . In fact, all but three vehicles retained the same slots on the list as they held last year. Newcomers include the 1994 full-size pickup at number 7, the 2002 at number 9 and the 2009 at number 10. The ‘02 Explorer moved up one notch from last year, and both the 1999 and 1996 Cherokee/Grand Cherokee dropped off of the list all together.
The finding vehicle theft in the United States was at its lowest point in nearly 20 years, though recovery rates were similarly lower than ever, too. NCIB says that may be due to the fact that the majority of vehicles stolen today are immediately cut up for parts instead of being resold as whole vehicles. Like the FBI, NICB recommends owners use common sense by locking their vehicles, installing a warning or immobilization device and considering a tracking mechanism. for the full press release.
1957 ChevroletNASCAR Black Widow tribute – Click above for high-res image gallery
For most all of its 62-year history, NASCAR has been a battleground for U.S. automakers, each of whom sought superiority on the race track as a way to sell more of their cars.
In 1957, decided to create a race car that would dominate NASCAR and establish Chevrolet as the car to beat in the minds of buyers across the country. Known as the “Black Widow,” the 1957 Chevrolet was one of the most feared race cars of the decade.
Live on Thursday at 8:30 PM ET, a professionally restored “Black Widow” tribute car will be auctioned off at the Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas Collector Car Event. Like all cars at Barrett-Jackson, it will be auctioned at no reserve, meaning the highest bid takes it.
The story behind the Black Widow is an interesting insight into how NASCAR and the automobile manufacturers functioned back in the day. Bone up on your history .
2011 GMC Sierra 3500HD SLE – Click above for high-res image gallery
2010 has been a banner year for heavy-duty pickup truck fans, with revamped entries from all three U.S. automakers making their debut this year. Of those, the HD pickups from both and received the most subtle exterior updates, but virtually everything under their skins is new, including a heavily revamped version of the company’s 6.6-liter Duramax diesel V8.
When it comes to full-size pickup trucks, the old Burger King tag-line of “Have It Your Way” still rings true. Regardless of where your brand loyalty lies, these types of trucks are available with either gas or diesel engines; as regular, extended or crew-cab and with regular or long beds. All you have to do is figure out what you need the truck for and then check the appropriate boxes on the dealer’s order sheet. Somewhere in the middle of this cacophony of choice lies the .
Larry Larson and his six-second street-driven Nova – Click above to watch videos after the jump
Technically, there’s nothing wrong with putting your race car on a trailer and towing it to the track. In fact, as anyone who has tried to use a track rat as a daily driver can tell you, a car can be either a racer or a commuter. Rarely can it do both effectively. But there’s a certain subset of drivers out there for whom “trailer queen” is as dirty a phrase as any four-letter word you could think of. Hot Rod Magazine has worked up an event just for these folk. It’s called Drag Week, and the rules are pretty simple. Cars must run five tracks in five states over five days, lowest ET wins and everyone has to drive their bruiser from track to track. No trailers allowed.
This year’s king of the heap is Larry Larson and his 1966 Nova, a racer that is staking its claim for the title of world’s fastest street car. A twin-turbocharged 565 cubic-inch big-block Bowtie V8 supplies the grunt, and though it’s never been on a dyno, estimates put it at more than 2,300 horsepower. As a result, Larson can launch the car down the quarter mile in 6.95 seconds at 209.1 mph, even after driving the car on public roads for five days straight – some of it in pouring rain, no less. to see a few videos of the machine.
2011 Chevrolet Caprice PPV — Click above for high-res image gallery
The police vehicle market is flush with new iron from all quarters, making the results of this year’s Michigan State Police Vehicle Evaluation hotly anticipated. brought its new , had the model, and showed up with the . Preliminary results of the performance and dynamics testing put the Caprice PPV on top of its rivals, says GM, but there’s a catch.
Chevrolet is touting the unofficial test outcome (final results will be released later this year) as proof of the Caprice PPV’s superiority. Being quicker to both 60 and 100 mph and offering shorter stopping distances are performance attributes that officers appreciate, as is a 6.0-liter V8 and a chassis that handled Grattan Raceway with the best average lap time. Thing is, despite the fact that Ford’s forthcoming Taurus-based cruiser was on-hand and competed in the tests, GM only compares its new Caprice to the ancient Crown Vic. The reason? The Blue Oval’s new PI won’t be available for more than a year. According to the blokes at Jalopnik who were on-hand for the shootout, the Caprice was actually bested by the AWD Taurus PI in braking and lap times, but GM has fashioned the ‘not available yet’ loophole to create victory (nevermind that the Caprice isn’t on the streets yet either).
Of course, good performance numbers aren’t all there is to police work, or departments would patrol in Corvettes. Chevrolet says the Caprice PPV leads in interior space and thoughtful touches like seats designed to accommodate officers’ equipment belts. All of this, GM says, adds up to an open-and-shut case for the Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle. You’d expect no less from a press release (), but clearly, the real victory in the race to replace the Crown Victoria has yet to be determined.
Coda Sedan – Click above for high-res image gallery
What plug-in car will cost more than a or a but is virtually unknown to the American public? The Coda EV Sedan, that’s what. has announced that the price for its all-electric vehicle will be $44,900 – or, $37,400 after the feds chip in $7,500 as a tax credit. To compare, the Leaf costs and the Volt can be had for . So, your options will be to either buy a Volt and get an electric vehicle with a range extender or spend $4,000 more to go gas-free and have a longer EV-only range. Or, spend a lot less on the Leaf ($12,120) and go almost as far on battery power. The Leaf is expected to get around 100 miles to the charge, while that its 33.8 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery system with active thermal management will provide “a dependable all-weather range of up to 120 miles and at least 30 percent more usable energy than our leading competitor.” Here’s some of the not-as-good fine print:
After tax savings, net as low as $37,400. MSRP $44,900, with federal tax savings from 0-$7,500. Excludes tax, title and license. Initially available through online reservation process. Deliveries will commence in December 2010. Subject to change. Limited quantities available in California only. Increased availability in Spring 2011 with full market rollout through 2012. Taxpayer must incur federal tax liability to receive full benefits. Consult your tax professional.
Even reserving the car costs more than it does for the Leaf. Coda is asking for a $499 refundable deposit that can be placed . The Coda will be available in California later this year and .
