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Audi was one of the first manufacturers to dive into the hybrid pond, but these days it is much more interested in proselytizing about the benefits of Turbo Direct Injection diesels. Audi says TDI, which its engineers invented, is the cleanest, most efficient diesel in the world, and the company recently put its money where its mouth is by sending 180 members of the media along with a handful of Audi representatives to travel nearly 5,000 miles throughout the U.S. to demonstrate its real-world fuel economy. Of the four models that hit American highways -- A3, A4 sedan, Q5 crossover and the Audi Q7 -- it is the Q7 that will first carry the banner of clean-diesel TDI into Audi's U.S. showrooms. By the time the demonstration ended the Q7 TDI had...
At this year's LA Auto Show, Ford is getting a lot of attention for its redesigned Mustang. Quietly sharing the Mustang's stage, however, are two new hybrids that are ready to take the midsize sedan segment by storm. The 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrids employ Ford's next-generation hybrid system, providing electric driving up to 47 miles per hour - twice the speed of most competitors - with a range of 700 miles on a single tank of gas. To ensure maximum efficiency, Ford has equipped both models with a SmartGauge LCD screen with an EcoGuide that helps driver's track their electric-power usage and adapt their driving for maximum fuel-savings. Ford makes the bold claim that both hybrids will be the most efficient midsize cars in America,...
This auto show season Chrysler will be showing a trio of electrically-driven concept cars developed by ENVI, a division of Chrysler charged with heading up the brand's electric and advanced propulsion projects. The flashiest of the three is no doubt the Dodge EV, a brilliant yellow two-seat sports car based on the Lotus Europa, featuring all-electric propulsion by way of a 268-horsepower electric motor and an advanced Lithium-ion battery pack. The Dodge EV is capable of accelerating to sixty miles per hour in around five seconds while offering greater than a 150-mile range. In a nod to practicality, Chrysler also created electric versions of the Chrysler Town and Country and Jeep Wrangler. Both the Jeep and Chrysler EV concepts feature a battery...
Seeking to raise critical short-term operating cash, General Motors has announced it will sell its 10-percent equity holdings in Suzuki Motor Corporation. The transaction, which includes transferring ownership of its nearly 16.5 million remaining shares of Suzuki common stock back to the Japanese automaker, is expected to add about $225-$230 million to the General's coffers. However, both parties took pains to indicate that the split is, at worst, extremely amicable. Under their new working relationship, the two organizations will continue to cooperate on all existing projects and programs as well as to collaborate on various advanced technologies, including hybrids and fuel cells plus conventional powertrains. GM's decision also will have no impact...
A panel of 65 motoring journalists in Japan has made Toyota's new iQ their overwhelming choice for that country's 2008-2009 Car of the Year. The diminutive but innovative micro city runner received more than twice as many votes as the second place finisher, the Citroen C5 and handily outpointed Nissan's highly-touted GT-R supercoupe, which came third in the competition. While the iQ has just gone on sale in the home market and will hit showrooms in Europe sometime in early 2009, its future in the U.S. has yet to be determined. Also unclear is whether the iQ will be marketed as a Toyota or Scion if -- but more likely when -- it finally does arrive here. As long on innovation as it its short (118 inches) on size, the iQ offers room for four in a...
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