Archive for March 8th, 2010

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Audi

Seeing the Audi A1 and A1 e-tron concept at this year’s Geneva Motor Show provides proof that the quad-ring automaker is putting a much larger focus on its small car offerings. With that in mind, new rumors are cropping up about a possible successor to the A2 – the quirky little hatch that never came to the U.S. and only had minor success in Europe.

“There’s clearly room for another product and another concept between the A3 and A1,” Audi CEO Rupert Stadler told AutoWeek during the Geneva Motor Show. The new A2 would likely be A1-based and use an electric powertrain, possibly sourced from the A1 e-tron concept. European media has reported that the A2 successor is expected to debut by 2014, and no word has been given about a possible U.S.-spec version. However, with Audi keeping the A1 away from American soil, it’s likely that the A2 would be a Europe-only affair, as well.

[Source: AutoWeek]

Report: Audi working on successor to A2 with electric drivetrain? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Via Autoblog Green

CHICAGO – Making a minivan visually exciting is pretty much like making cold fusion. Honda has taken another shot at improving the humble minivan’s image, and it may finally have succeeded. The 2011 Odyssey, previewed in a “concept” that showed no interior and is probably a few millimeters off the production model in each dimension, is as sexy as minivans get.

Honda says the new Odyssey is designed to appeal to what its marketing mavens call “hesitators,” who apparently are people too wishy-washy to decide whether or not their images can withstand driving one. The new minivan has a more rakish windshield, a tapered roofline and what design chief Catalin Matei calls a “lightning bolt” beltline. It’s longer, lower and wider than the old minivan, with more interior space and will come with a V-6 using Honda’s variable cylinder management, standard on all trim levels. It helps boost fuel mileage from the current 17/25 mpg to 19/28.

It looks good for a minivan, though even that statement is relative. After all, it shares floor space with the Accord, Crosstour and Pilot.

No such equivocating on the 2011 Ford Edge that goes on sale this summer. While we can’t confirm its touted dynamic improvements, yet, it’s a serious facelift much like what our 2010 Car of the Year, Ford Fusion, went through last spring.

Most important though, is that the ’11 Edge will introduce Ford buyers to the company’s new 2.0-liter EcoBoost four (in addition to the two V-6 options). It’s a sign of Ford’s confidence in turbocharged, direct-injection engines that would otherwise be considered too small to power something as big and heavy as the Edge. And it’s a competitive shot back at Chevrolet, which has had great success with its 32 mpg-highway front-drive, four-cylinder Equinox. Ford claims the EcoBoost four Edge’s highway fuel mileage will be 30 percent more efficient than the 2007 Edge. Ford isn’t talking horsepower, torque or EPA fuel mileage numbers, yet, though a front-drive EcoBoost Edge should get about 30 mpg highway, up from the ’07 Edge V-6′s 23 mpg.

Toyota’s 2011 Avalon is less inspiring. We used to call the car the world’s best Buick. Now Buick is building one of the world’s best Lexuses. The Avalon’s facelift is subtle in a way befitting this anonymous full-size sedan, with a redesigned front clip, new headlamps and LED taillamps, dual exhausts and an interior upgrade. The rear seats have a power recline feature, making it probably the best place to be in the new Avalon. With Ford’s newfound aggression in updating all its car lines, and GM’s good looking crop of new models, this mild facelift may not be enough for the stolid Toyota.

The ’11 Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty’s facelift is even more subtle. A new lower front fascia here, a new hood with badges touting its redesigned, more powerful 6.6-liter Isuzu-less Duramax diesel and Alison six-speed automatic there.

It’s all new under the sheetmetal, though, with box-frame torsional stiffness more than five times the outgoing model’s. Chevy promises “substantially more” than the current Duramax’s 365 horsepower and 660 pound-feet of torque and an 11-percent fuel efficiency boost. Towing capacity is now 20,000 pounds and payload is 6335 pounds.

This is what heavy duty truck buyers care about most, Chevy says – not new sheetmetal. And while the Silverado 2500/3500 got new sheetmetal for ’07, the chassis goes back to ’01. GM’s recent financial woes, including its bankruptcy, forced GM to restrict the upgrades to under the skin.

So that’s pretty much what the ’10 Chicago Auto Show looks like. It’s fairly quiet, despite the best efforts of the show’s top-notch management. Wedged between Detroit and Geneva, Chicago has been about facelifts and new trim packages for a few years now. As Ford has learned under Alan Mulally, though, this is important stuff, necessary to keep cars and trucks in the spotlight between product cycles. If Ford’s competitors learn what it has learned, the Chicago show can thrive for years to come.

Via MotorTrend Magazine Blogs

Chrysler has announced a raft of new engines for its line-up, which it says will boost the overall fuel-efficiency of its vehicles by 25% between now and 2014.

The engines are taken from Fiat’s range, and include direct injection, turbocharged, and Multiair units, plus dual-clutch transmissions. Chrysler said 80% of its vehicles across all its brands will get the new technology.

Among the line-up is two Multiair 4 cylinder units: a 100bhp 1.4 litre unite with 95lb ft of torque and a turbocharged 1.4 litre unit with 170bhp and 170lb ft of torque. A 190bhp 2.4-liter Multiair unit putting out 175 lb ft of torque will also be available. A 280bhp 3.4 litre V6 Multiair unit with 260 lb ft of torque will also be available and will first be available in the Jeep Grand Cherokee later next year.

Chrysler says that it will start selling vehicles with a new 6 speed Dual Dry Clutch Transmission (DDCT) from later this year, with the next generation Sebring thought most likely to get the unit first. A hybrid Ram 1500 will also go on sale later this year.

One of the conditions attached to Fiat’s shareholding in Chrysler being expanded in future was that the Italian manufacturer must reach emissions targets with the U.S brand.

Via Cars Of The Future® Blog

Filed under: Car Buying, Minivan/Van, Sedan, Toyota, Specialty, Luxury

Toyota has officially announced pricing for the updated 2011 Avalon which made its public debut at this year’s Chicago Auto Show. Additionally, pricing has been released for the Sienna with Auto Access Seat, which is the first factory-installed power access seat available in a minivan.

The Avalon, which goes on sale later this month, starts at $32,245, which is the same starting MSRP as the outgoing 2010 model. Higher-grade Limited models start at $35,485, which represents an increase of $200 over the 2010 model. All Avalons use Toyota’s 3.5-liter V6 with VVT-i dual variable valve timing, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Aside from the slightly revised styling (look very closely), 2011 Avalons feature plusher interior amenities, as well as more up-to-date technological features.

Toyota’s 2011 Sienna is just now starting to hit dealerships, but customers with special passenger needs can now option for the Auto Access Seat model, which incorporates a power second-row captain’s chair making it easier for folks with mobility issues to enter and exit the van. The seat rotates 90 degrees and can be lowered up to 19 inches to make ingress and egress substantially easier for passengers, and the seat’s operation is controlled by either seat-mounted controls or a wireless remote. The Auto Access Seat is available on LE and XLE V6 Siennas for $35,135 and $39,445, respectively. Hit the jump to see a video of the Auto Access Seat in action.

Pricing for both models does not include destination charges – $750 for the Avalon and $800 for the Sienna. Follow the jump to read the full information in Toyota’s press release.

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Toyota prices redesigned Avalon, Sienna minivan w/Auto Access Seat [w/video]

Toyota prices redesigned Avalon, Sienna minivan w/Auto Access Seat [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Safety, Toyota

In a video webcast for the media that concluded a just a few moments ago, Toyota hit back at the “simulated unintended acceleration” demonstration that was shown by ABC News late last month. When we saw the original report, we postulated that the condition Gilbert produced may not be representative of a scenario that can actually happen in the real world, and judging by Toyota’s findings, we were right.

As reported on Friday, Toyota went to an independent testing firm called Exponent to attempt to replicate the results from the Gilbert study. Dr. Shukri J. Souri of Exponent acknowledged that Gilbert did indeed create a scenario that produced what looked like a valid accelerator pedal signal to the electronic engine management system. But before demonstrating how the test was performed, Souri explained how the pedal sensor wiring works and showed how the connector is constructed. As we expected, Gilbert’s testing methods and ABC News’ report are very much in question. Make the jump for our full breakdown.

[Source: Toyota]

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Continue reading Toyota hits back at David Gilbert’s “no fault code” demonstration

Toyota hits back at David Gilbert’s “no fault code” demonstration originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Via Autoblog