Porsche Panamera S Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery
At last year’s Geneva Motor Show, stole the show with the unveiling of the . For 2011, Porsche has taken the wraps off another gas-electric hybrid in Switzerland, but in a decidedly less sexy shape.
The is just the latest alt-powered vehicle from Porsche, joining the and the aforementioned . Power is supplied by VAG’s supercharged 3.0-liter V6 putting out 333 horsepower, with another 47 ponies delivered via an electric motor. Equipped with the eight-speed automatic gearbox, Porsche claims a 0-60 mph run of six seconds flat with a top speed of 168 mph, all while returning an average of around 34 mpg.
The Hybrid will be hitting U.S. shores later this year with a price tag of $95,000, and you get can all the pertinent details in the press blast .
In mid-October, announced that its would be eligible for a $1,300 tax credit. The electrified midsize sedan was scheduled to hit dealerships in late 2010 and the first 60,000 buyers in line to plop down some cash for the Sonata Hybrid would’ve pocketed that credit. However, there was a hitch: the Sonata Hybrid was delayed, .
What caused the delay? Well, according to Hyundai chief executive officer John Krafcik, a last-minute modification to the vehicle’s “virtual engine sound” system, made “amazingly late in the process” was the culprit. The automaker initially developed the Sonata Hybrid with a feature that would allow drivers to disable the vehicle’s pedestrian warning system, but after the requiring hybrids and plug-in vehicles to automatically emit audible sounds at low speeds, Hyundai’s manual disable functionality had to be axed.
According to , that modification required changes to the vehicle’s wiring harnesses, user-interface software and owner’s manual, which caused the lengthy delay. Hyundai delivered the first 2011 Sonata Hybrid in January.
2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery
How do you determine how environmentally friendly an automobile is? Certainly, fuel efficiency will be factored in rather highly, as will all manner of tailpipe emissions. But that’s only part of the story. Consider that there are many ways to power a vehicle; gasoline, diesel, electricity or any combinations thereof. Plus, you have to determine what actually goes into producing the vehicle and getting it into the hands of the consumer.
As you can see, assigning environmental grades to our current crop of cars and trucks is anything but an exact science, and the results will no doubt be swayed by how much emphasis is put on any given factor. And so it comes as no surprise that there are a number of differing opinions concerning the latest green machines to hit the market, and that may apply to the more than any other.
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy publishes a list of green vehicles every year. For the last few, the has parlayed its compressed natural gas running gear into a victory on . We won’t argue with that determination, and we also don’t see any issues with the all-electric earning the silver position… but that’s where things get murkier. The comes in at number three, followed by the , and . The next five slots are filled with compact and subcompact sedans and hatchbacks.
Are you asking yourself where the Volt fits in? So was . Speaking to Forbes, spokesman Rob Peterson had this to say:
Their logic would escape the majority of consumers. If you look at the EPA ratings for the Smart fortwo at 33 city and 41 highway, it’s actually less than the Volt’s after the electric range is exhausted. We’re being penalized against the Smart because our car is a four-seater with a battery pack and therefore weighs more. And we lose against the Leaf because we have a gas engine. But you really have to look at how the car is actually used – their methodology doesn’t add up.
No matter your personal opinion, one thing is for certain: As more and more category-bending vehicles hit the market, this topic isn’t going to be resolved any time soon.
Fiat 500 by Gucci – Click above for high-res image gallery
Chic, stylish and Italian, a car like the is a natural fit for the Gucci set. But in case that wasn’t obvious enough, the two Italian firms have teamed up on a special line. Spearheaded by Lapo Elkann – the rakish playboy brother of Fiat chairman and grandson of his late predecessor Gianni Agnelli – the Fiat 500 by Gucci is a joint effort between Gucci’s creative director Frida Giannini and Fiat’s Centro Stile in this, Italy’s 150th year of ndependence.
The car itself follows in the footsteps of the – not to mention the myriad of similar initiatives involving the and the Mini – and is available in either black or white. Gucci’s signature red and green stripe runs down the flank, with the Double-G logo on the wheel hubs and in the pattern on the leather seats.
Naturally, Gucci has also introduced a range of clothing and accessories to mark the occasion. The car and collection were launched by Milan Fashion Week and will be displayed at a dedicated stand at the Geneva Motor Show next week. Trend-setters needn’t wait to check out the details in the press release and the high-resolution images in the gallery below.
If you’re still trying to work your mind around how the new fits with the company’s ultimate driving machine mantra, Autocar may have the piece of the puzzle that you’re missing. According to reports, the German automaker is currently planning to flesh out the fledgling marque with a host of alternative fuel vehicles.
Not everything under the i banner won’t be sailing on all-electric power all the time. The news came courtesy of marketing head honcho Ian Robertson, though he chose not to delve deeper into what other types of alternative fuel we could see from the green arm of .
Autocar also stole some time with BMW R&D boss Klaus Draeger, who said the upcoming i8 won’t boast the same fuel-savvy diesel engine as the BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics concept. Instead, the production version of the vehicle will carry a small gasoline engine on board to make it more appealing in various markets (including the States, we’d imagine) all over the world.
While there aren’t any specifics on exactly which engine will find its way into the new green supercar, we’d think that the new wouldn’t be a bad guess. Also interesting are reports that BMW may extend its new i sub-brand to its motorcycle division, possibly with a range of hybrid and/or electric two- and three-wheeled scooters, motorcycles and trikes.
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Autoblog Podcast #218 is here, and Chris, Dan, Chris Paukert and Zach return to talk about Chevrolet MyLink, the GMC Granite’s rumored re-greenlighting, the 2012 Honda Civic and BMW’s new “i” sub-brand. Questions and feedback wrap it up, and it’s an hour and thirty-three minutes of fun this week. Thanks for listening, we’ll see you next week!
Autoblog Podcast #218: 2012 Honda Civic, BMW “i”, Chevy MyLink, and GMC Granite
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Planters Nutmobile – Click above for high-res image gallery
Mr. Peanut can’t be relegated to just any automobile. After all, as the face of Nabisco’s Planters division and as one of the most beloved (though just a wee bit creepy, if we’re being honest) mascots in American history, Sir Nut needs a ride suitable of his stature. And, over 12 feet tall and carries a six-foot-long cane, we’re talking some significant stature.
Fittingly then, Planters has seen fit to replace Mr. Peanut’s with a brand-new Nutmobile. And this is no ordinary Nutmobile… if such a thing actually existed. Based on a 2011 Isuzu NPR truck with a diesel engine running a five-percent mixture of biodiesel (oddly not actually nut-based), this latest Nutmobile will be making appearances all around the country to “promote the peanut lifestyle” and draw support for .
According to The New York Times, this latest Nutmobile is quite the green machine. In addition to the biodiesel blend, it features “a wind turbine, solar panels, LED interior lighting, recycled parts and wood floors reclaimed from a 19th century Pennsylvania barn.” Guess it’s not very nutty after all, is it? Top tip, Jeff!
Finding Redemption Through Repetition, Groundhog Day Style
2011 Dodge Durango – Click above for high-res image gallery
Two years ago, on a lark, my girlfriend and I clambered aboard a new Hybrid and motored from Detroit to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to take in the kitschy phenomenon known as Groundhog Day. The idea was to do a combined road trip story and vehicle review, but didn’t even wait for us to return home before it canceled production of the gas-electric SUV. In fact, it wasn’t much more than two months after its initial announcement that .
Blame Chrysler’s then-dire financial condition, but the hybrid Durango barely made a dent on the Pentastar’s production charts, lasting one model year and moving just 224 copies. Hold your belated “Who Killed the Electric SUV?” shrieks, though. Despite a nearly 25-percent increase in claimed fuel efficiency, the Durango Hybrid wasn’t a particularly good vehicle. This wasn’t wasn’t really its fault, of course, as the already aging second-generation Durango upon which it was based wasn’t a terribly refined piece to begin with.
Fast-forward to 2011, and we’ve commandeered an example of Dodge’s all-new third-generation Durango to make our second-ever pilgrimage to see Punxy Phil. More importantly, we’re using the trip as an opportunity to see if Chrysler has finally gotten around to building a better Durango.
GMC Granite concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
Many moons ago, Motor Trend reported that the funky concept from the 2010 had been . Immediately after, however, MT stated that while it strongly believed that the Granite would be produced, the publication had yet to receive an officialgreen light from its sources within . That changes today, apparently.
Motor Trend is reporting yet again that the Granite has been confirmed for production, even going so far to say that the road-going car will keep the rear-hinged suicide door setup of the concept. This new confirmation reportedly comes from a “well-placed source” within the automaker, who also says that the Granite will be built on the same C-segment platform as the , and .
When GM debuted the Granite concept, it used the same 138-horsepower 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-four as the Cruze, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. This powerplant would certainly make sense for the production car, though MT suggests that even the automaker’s 177-horsepower 2.4-liter four from the Verano would be a good fit. Regardless, we’ll wait until GM issues an official statement before we start gearing up for the first drive.
BMW ‘i’ sub-brand – Click above for high-res image gallery
We’ve known for some time that has been hard at work developing a range of high-tech green vehicles, from the oft-mentioned runabout to a production version of its eco supercar. But up until now, we didn’t know how the Bavarians intended to name these very different new models.
We do now. BMW has just announced that its new sub-brand will be called “i.” The i family will house the German automaker’s “sustainable vehicles and mobility solutions” when it arrives in 2013. The first two models will be the as-yet unreleased i3 and i8, otherwise known as the MegaCity and VED production cars (both are teased in the rendering above). While BMW isn’t saying where the i3 will be built, it has confirmed that the smaller-volume i8 supercar will be assembled in Leipzig.
In addition, the automaker has founded BMW i Ventures, a holding company based in New York City with $100 million in backing. The company’s goal is to propogate ‘vehicle-independent services’ – things like smart phone apps. BMW i Ventures has already started staking other businesses, including My City Way, a company whose self-titled app provides details on public transportation, parking and entertainment in more than 40 cities in the U.S.
We can’t help but note that in the accompanying press release (available ), there is almost no discussion of preserving BMW’s reputation of being ‘fun-to-drive’ and a leader in dynamics. (”Sustainable vehicles and mobility solutions” certainly isn’t terminology to set the enthusiast’s heart alight.) That said, if the production i8 can preserve the promise of the Vision EfficientDynamics showcar, driving entertainment will almost certainly be a part of the program for that car, and hopefully the i3 will be a lightweight and nimble little thing when it hits the market.
Audi A3 Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
Audi has released a few sketches of its Geneva-bound concept, and in keeping with previous reports, the automaker is to market.
Audi describes the A3 concept as a “four-seater notchback sedan” and measures in at 174.84-inches long – about six inches longer than the current five-door model. The front fascia is a further evolution of Audi’s more aggressive snout, complete with full LED headlamps and new trapezoidal grille. The greenhouse is suitably squat, with an arching roofline that terminates in a thin, low-slung C-pillar to give it the de riguer “four-door coupe” shape.
More intriguingly, the powertrain is comprised of a turbocharged five-cylinder engine – likely pulled from the TT-RS – outputting 408 horsepower through Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system. We’ll have a full report from the show floor in less than two weeks, but in the meantime, get the full details in the press blast .
Rolls-Royce 102EX Phantom Experimental Electric – Click above for high-res image gallery
Of all the automakers in the industry, doesn’t exactly have the “greenest” image. Its vehicles are heavy and ponderous, equipped with enormous engines and swathed with more dead cows than a beef processing plant. But its parent company has been pushing into the green space with its EfficientDynamics initiative, and it’s looking to bring the Goodwood division along for the electrified ride… one way or another.
Call this another, then: the Rolls-Royce 102EX. It’s an electric version of the Rolls has been testing for the better part of a year, and now it’s set tomake its debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. Few details were confirmed in Rolls’ announcement, but after taking its curtain call in Geneva, the Phantom Experimental Electric will go on a world tour to gauge how the public feels about the possibility of a battery-powered Roller. Follow the jump for the official release and keep an eye on , which is set to launch this week as the program’s online base.
Rolls-Royce 102EX Phantom Experimental Electric – Click above for high-res image gallery
Of all the automakers in the industry, doesn’t exactly have the “greenest” image. Its vehicles are heavy and ponderous, equipped with enormous engines and swathed with more dead cows than a beef processing plant. But its parent company has been pushing into the green space with its EfficientDynamics initiative, and it’s looking to bring the Goodwood division along for the electrified ride… one way or another.
Call this another, then: the Rolls-Royce 102EX. It’s an electric version of the Rolls has been testing for the better part of a year, and now it’s set tomake its debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. Few details were confirmed in Rolls’ announcement, but after taking its curtain call in Geneva, the Phantom Experimental Electric will go on a world tour to gauge how the public feels about the possibility of a battery-powered Roller. Follow the jump for the official release and keep an eye on , which is set to launch this week as the program’s online base.
Smart Forspeed – Click above for high-res image gallery
Not every is in trouble of vanishing – some will never see the light of production. To wit, Daimler’s minicar maker is bringing an all-electric, roofless version of the Smart ForTwo to the , and the Forspeed concept looks surprisingly similar to the the a few weeks ago.
Overall, the Forspeed echos the that was made in limited numbers in the early 2000s. Just to emphasize that the Forspeed is a pure concept, it comes equipped with some , no external door handles and since it’s sans-roof, there’s a toneau cover that can either coat the entire interior or just the passenger side if you get caught in the rain.
The Forspeed’s 41-hp electric motor can yawn the car all the way up to 37 miles per hour in 5.5 seconds and provide a top speed of 75 mph. That’s not excatly “speedy” as the name implys, but the boost button you offers another seven ponies. More important is the ED part of the clumsy “ForspeED” name; it refers to the Electric Drive powertrain that we also find in the . At least the concept hits 37 mph a second sooner than the standard Fortwo ED.
The range for the Forspeed is estimated to be 85 miles, with an 80-percent charge possible in 45 minutes. This is most likley under DC fast charging conditions, but we’re not sure. We’ll make sure to get more info when we’re on the ground in Geneva.
What price a reputation? That’s what will be learning in the months and years ahead as it struggles to recover from the that has enveloped the company since it announced the first recall for unintended acceleration in October 2009.
There wasn’t a single Toyota model that didn’t land on the recall list at least once last year.
Going into the recession, certainly no company seemed better suited to weather the perfect storm than the Japanese giant, which had positioned itself as the leader in quality, reliability and dependability, or QRD in industry speak, as well as the benchmark for green mobility. Having ousted as the global king-of-the-hill, the Asian automaker seemed unstoppable.
Yet nearly seven years ago, I wrote a column suggesting Toyota might become the next GM if it weren’t careful, and even as the company’s sales continued growing, there were subtle signs of trouble in the offing – most notably in its slippage on the quality charts.
But few would have anticipated the sudden acceleration crisis, or the series of additional recalls that followed, month after month. In 2010, there wasn’t a single Toyota model that didn’t land on the recall list at least once – some repeatedly.
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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.
2011Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery
Even though some dealers the above the MSRP, there is a distinct trend around the country where some dealers are trying to make a few extra (thousand) bucks off the popular plug-in vehicle. In fact, found a dealer in Florida that is listing a Volt at $65,590. That’s a wee bit more than the car’s $41,000 suggested retail price.
We heard about the possibility of , but it turns out there’s very little can do in this situation. As GM’s Tony DiSalle told Ward’s Auto, “there isn’t a mechanism to prevent that from happening.” also found Volts around the country priced at $46,923 (MI), $47,700 (CA) and $49,000 (NC). Guess this is why
Our advice would be to keep shopping until you find a dealer willing to honor GM’s specified asking price, even if that means waiting a little bit longer for your future plug-in machine.
isn’t the only one . As evidenced by its production plans for ten testers fitted with three different drivetrain configurations, it could be argued that tuning-haus Ruf Automobile GmbH has a deeper development program than the famous German automaker itself.
We had hoped by this time that the Pfaffenhausen firm would be offering its or to the public, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. What we will have instead is a data logger-equipped pool of eRufs built being built on the 911 platform with help from Siemens and the government.
The three Porsche 997 Carrera-bodied petri dishes include one with a single motor bolted to a single-speed gearbox that sucks juice from a 29 kWh battery. This package is only good for 150 km (93.21 miles) per charge and does the 0 to 60 dance in an almost-respectable seven seconds.
Next is a transversely-mounted twin motor arrangement that uses an automatic two-speed gearbox to get 335 horsepower (250 kW) to the rear wheels. Boasting a 36.6 kWh battery in a climate-controlled enclosure, this little piggy can get a market 200 km (124 miles) away and sprint to 60 mph in a wolf-beating five seconds.
The third layout repeats the previous motor and battery setup. The main difference is in the gearbox, or boxes we should say, as each motor gets its own. This gives it independent rear wheel drive that can take advantage of computer-controlled torque vectoring. Its performance is also equal to the other dual-motor setup, save for a lowered top speed of 180 km/h (112 mph) down from 220 km/h (137 mph). We would hope what it loses in high speed it gains in cornering ability.
Ruf will be bringing at least one of the new eRufs to the upcoming where we hope they’ll allow for some hood-raising fun. for all the released details.
Audi Aluminum A5 Coupe Prototype – Click above for high-res image
has put carbon fiber to good use in concept vehicles like the and , which has a carbon fiber hood and rear deck, and in some parts of the and RS 3. The high-tech (and currently expensive) material could make the jump from fancy accoutrement to integral part of future lightweight production cars thanks to the announcement that Audi and Voith GmbH have formed a development partnership to bring “fiber-reinforced materials” to market by “developing a highly automated process chain for high-volume automotive production.”
Voith has many years of experience with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), a material that will use in the . , too, , and this is one party that can’t have too many guests. Feel free to read the complete press release .
Despite a lack of local political support, Detroit’s citizens are a big step closer to getting a RoboCop statue. According to Autoblog sister site City’s Best, Motown’s RoboCop statue is now fully funded thanks to a massive $25,000 donation from a mom-and-pop organization by the name of Omni Consumer Products. The company sells movie products that are brought off of the silver screen and straight to life, and it borrows its name from the evil corporation in the RoboCop world. How’s that for fitting?
The OCP donation officially put the statue’s fund into the green, which means that work should kick off on the project sometime soon. The despite what seems to be a massive tide of support, the statue isn’t without its detractors, though.
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has made it clear that he’s against the idea of erecting a tribute to the movie icon, and previous efforts to do the same have ultimately petered out. But with someone now ready to foot the bill for the statue, it seems more likely than ever that the post-apocalyptic law enforcement figure will soon be a new city landmark.
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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.
