Bob Lutz retires (again), calls Chevy Volt his “proudest achievement”
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chevrolet, GM
When Bob “crock of s*!t” Lutz first announced his retirement from General Motors a little over a year ago, he said he would not be around to see development of the Chevrolet Volt. Of course, he returned to the company (becoming vice chairman last December) before he ever really left and kept on strongly promoting the plug-in hybrid. Sometimes, of course, he continued his habit of saying things that attract a lot of attention, like that hybrids won’t ever be that great for GM.
Well, today Maximum Bob said he will retire for real May 1 and that, with decades in the auto industry under his belt, called the Volt his “proudest achievement,” according to the AP. Lutz said that GM is in good shape now, which means he can retire in peace. We expect he’ll have a thing or two to say about the Volt before the car bows in November, but for now we’ll take him at his word that he’s really quitting.
[Source: AP]
Bob Lutz retires (again), calls Chevy Volt his “proudest achievement” originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Geneva 2010 Tech Highlights
It seems as though every auto show for the past six or eight years has attempted to out-green the last one, but the 80th annual Geneva show featured more electric, hybrid, and fuel cell cars than I can ever remember seeing on one show floor. Not counting the boutique company stands, it was a struggle to find anybody in Geneva that wasn’t touting some manner of electric drive. The good news for us enthusiasts is that this technology is now being used for evil as well as good–if you consider using that electrification to boost performance as the evil side of green. Below are highlights of these and a few other technologies I encountered on the show floor.
Daihatsu showrooms running out of stock (UK)
Daihatsu customers are finding it ever more difficult to find a car of their choice because dealers are running out of stock. IM Group, the company that imports Daihatsu’s, hasn’t brought in any new cars since last Summer because of the poor exchange rate between the Pound and the Yen. An IM spokesman admitted that numbers of new Daihatsu’s in the UK ‘are limited’. However, a Daihatsu dealer told a mystery shopper: ‘We are out of new Daihatsu’s, as are most dealers in the UK. The manufacturer hasn’t exported any new cars to the UK for a while and will not be doing so for the foreseeable future.’
According to the latest figures from the SMMT, Daihatsu sold 22 cars in January, compared with 97 in same period 12 months earlier. Daihatsu has around 100 dealers in the UK and currently sells the Materia, Sirion, Copen convertible and Terios 4×4.
Incoming search terms:
- WWW•stockuk•net
Geneva 2010: Nissan Micra is easy being green
Filed under: Budget, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Nissan
2010 Nissan Micra – Click above for high-res image gallery
The more charming – if that’s even possible – Nissan Micra has been tweaked to bring smiles to consumers in 160 countries where it will go on sale. To keep them smiling once things get under way, a brand new 1.2-liter, supercharged three-cylinder gas engine gets down with 80 horsepower and 144 pound-feet.
Believe it or not but the bounty doesn’t stop there, with a suspension combining “agility, refinement and poise” also included as standard equipment. We’ll let you decide for yourself, unless you’re in the U.S. since we probably won’t get it. For you, there’s a press release after the jump and a gallery of high-res photos below.
Gallery: Geneva 2010: Nissan Micra
Incoming search terms:
- nissan micra easy
Geneva 2010: Tata debuts Nano EV concept
Filed under: Budget, Geneva Motor Show, Etc., Hatchback, Tata, Electric
2011 Tata Nano EV – Click above for high-res image gallery
Tata Motors just debuted an electrified version of its Nano today at the Geneva Motor Show, promising no compromises in the way it drives compared to the regular 600cc Nano. The Tata Nano Electric Vehicle (EV) will be built on the existing Nano platform and still seats four adults, but adds “super polymer lithium ion batteries” to the mix. No word on power, but Tata does promise a range of 160 kilometers (99 miles) and acceleration of 0-60 kilometers per hour in under 10 seconds. Notice that’s 60 km/h, which equates to 37 miles per hour, so the Nano EV isn’t going to be one of those instant torque EV drag racers like the Tesla Roadster.
Tata plans to put the Nano EV into production and sell it alongside the company’s already launched Indica Vista EV, which goes on sale in Europe later this year. Development has also already begun on the Nano Europa, set to go on sale in Europe in a couple of years, so perhaps the Nano EV could join it in showrooms at launch. No word on pricing yet either, although we’re guessing it will be somewhere between the bargain basement price of the regular Nano in India and the DC Designs Nano we showed you a little while ago.
There is a press release after the jump with even more details about the EV as well as Tata’s other vehicles on display in Geneva, and also a live gallery from the show floor below.
Incoming search terms:
- Tata debuts Nano EV concept
Geneva 2010: Mazda MX-5 20th Anniversary Edition blows out its candles in Europe
Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Mazda
Mazda MX-5 20th Anniversary Edition – Click above for high-res gallery
It’s hard to imagine that the MX-5 (Miata) has been around for 20 years, but time flies when you’re carving up canyon roads in a nimble two-door sports car. Mazda has made quite a hoopla about the car’s 20th anniversary, bringing out some of the best concept and specialty versions at the Chicago Auto Show, throwing a huge party for owners in Japan, and creating an anniversary edition for both the Japanese and the Brits. Here at the Geneva Motor Show, Mazda announced yet another 20th anniversary edition MX-5, this time available for all of Europe.
The European MX-5 20th Anniversary Edition can be picked out by its chrome trim, silver-look fog lamps, unique 17-inch wheels and 20th anniversary logos. The only performance upgrade is a strut tower brace in the engine bay, and customers can choose from True Red, Crystal White Pearl or Aurora Blue. Follow the jump for the brief press release from Mazda or browse through our live photos in the gallery below.
Gallery: Geneva 2010: Mazda MX-5 20th Anniversary
Incoming search terms:
- folding bikes for mazda mx5
- geneva car show Mazda 2011
- mazda miata mx5 2010 as a Commuter car
- Mazda MX-5 20th Anniversary 2010
Rs 2.5 lakh car from Nissan for India and China markets
Nissan is seriously considering a feasibility study on a Rs 2.5 lakh car for India and China Markets. Speaking on the occasion of the launch of Nissan Micra at the Geneva Motor Show, Executive Vice-President, Nissan Motor Company, Mr Colin Dodge said
“We believe there is huge potential for a car in the gap between the ultra-low cost car that Bajaj is developing and the Nissan Micra” said Colin DodgNissan has revealed that it is seriously studying the feasibility of a US$ 5000 car (approximately Rs. 2.5 lakh) for markets like China and India. “We believe there is huge potential for a car in the gap between the ultra-low cost car that Bajaj is developing and the Nissan Micra”
Mr Dodge also said that Nissan will develop Rs 2.5 lakh car in association with its India Partner Ashok Leyland. He believes that engineers in Europe and Japan has lost the ability to design products the meets the low end of the market where as engineers in India look and design everything in cost point of view.
With Suzuki and Hyundai along with Ford making India as a small car manufacturing hub, Nissan too do not want to fall back. Well suddenly the Nano has pulled the Automobile Giants into India, Thanks for the Tata small baby.
Incoming search terms:
- 2 5 lack car in india
- 2 5 lakh car in india
- 2 5 lakhs car in india
- nissan 2 5 lakh car in india
- upcoming cars2 5 laks to 5 laks in india 2011
