Tesla: Roadster production will be increased, sales will continue into 2012
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Manufacturing/Plants, Tesla Motors, Legislation and Policy
2010 Tesla Roadster Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery
From the latest Tesla Motors newsletter:
Responding to customer demand, Tesla has negotiated agreements with key suppliers that will increase total Roadster production by 40% and extend sales into 2012. In the coming year, you’ll find Roadsters in more countries as we expand to Australia and Asia. Customers in 23 countries have now taken delivery of their Roadster – last month we delivered the first Roadsters to Spain and Ireland.
Remember, at the end of January, we discovered that Tesla “announced,” through its SEC filing for an IPO, that:
Read more…
Sixty Minutes with GM’s Mark Reuss
General Motors North American President Mark Reuss is making a habit of conducting regular web chats at gmreinvention.com. Having recently returned from a gig running the Australian Holden operations, he’s been quickly moving up the corporate ladder since last summer’s bankruptcy, and has impressed chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre with his hands-on approach to calling disgruntled customers. With Bob Lutz about to retire, Reuss is now GM’s chief car guy.
When one has that much contact with consumers, the automotive press and bloggers, the amount of real news from any given chat makes up a small percentage of time spent online — in this case, 60 minutes. And it’s hard not to blow out of proportion some of Reuss’ comments.
For example, in response to a question about the dead Pontiac division, Reuss seemed to be on the side of Lutz, who wanted to retain it as a tiny “niche” brand based solely on the G8. Reuss said the decision to completely kill off Pontiac came during bankruptcy.
“I would never say we would NEVER talk about Pontiac again (his emphasis). But, we need to pay back U.S. taxpayers too…and go public. And make money. And make Americans proud of who we are again. Any other focus would be wrong.”
I agree, especially with the last part. While I grew up with Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles and Buicks in the ’60s, it’s pretty obvious that the U.S. market has been unable to accommodate so many middle brands with such minor distinctions since the ’80s, at the latest. When Bunkie Knudsen was promoted to Pontiac general manager in the ’50s, he was told to make it relevant, or kill it off. He made it relevant by making it sporty and youthful, while going upmarket with cars like the Bonneville and Catalina Grand Prix, encroaching on Oldsmobile’s territory in an era in which GM had such high market share that its divisions competed with each other instead of Ford, Chrysler and AMC.
Grounds for Celebration: TV scientists convert VW Scirocco to run on coffee
Filed under: Europe, Technology, Volkswagen, UK
This is what we mean when we say that the future of alternative fuels isn’t anywhere close to being decided. A team from the BBC program Bang Goes the Theory has rigged an older Volkswagen Scirocco to run on coffee pellets. It’s a bit complex, with the coffee grounds needing to be heated to 1,292 degrees Fahrenheit, and the resulting concoction cooled, separated and filtered before it’s run to the engine. Because coffee contains carbon, however, it works.
It’s expensive, though. The trial run the Starbucks Scirocco will make from London to Manchester and back will cost more than 25 times what the same trip on gasoline would because the car goes just three miles on a kilo of coffee. The 209-mile trip is also take ten hours, due to the number of stops required to refill the fuel canister and regularly clean out the system.
So, on second thought, this is not what we mean when we talk about the future of alternative fuels. But it is really neat, and it’s for the kids, and those sorts of things count for a lot in our book. Hat tip to Joviocoe!
[Source: The Daily Mail]
Grounds for Celebration: TV scientists convert VW Scirocco to run on coffee originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Chrysler’s upcoming 6.4L V8 only for SRT, not for Ram?
Filed under: Truck, Etc., Technology, Chrysler, Dodge
Back in November, during Chrysler’s seemingly endless business plan presentation, Ram trucks chief Fred Diaz told the captive media audience that the new 6.4-liter Hemi gasoline V8 would likely appear in Ram’s heavy duty trucks. Fast forward to today, however, and it would appear that the big Hemi is now off the table. PickupTrucks.com reports that the 6.4 Hemi will instead be exclusive to Chrysler’s potent SRT vehicles. Chrysler VP of product development, Joe Veltri, says that the 6.4 is designed for performance, not the grunt work truck buyers demand of their vehicles.
PickupTrucks.com notes also that Veltri sees a need for Ram to get gas engine that delivers more power and torque than the currently-available 5.7-liter Hemi, but that the likely course of action will involve building off that engine, rather than looking to adapt the SRT lump for truck duty. Why the drive to add more gas offerings in the diesel-dominated heavy-duty truck category? Emissions regulations, natch. Increasingly strict rules mean that diesels are becoming commensurately more costly to produce and sell, and Chrysler sees the ratio of diesel to gas engines offered becoming much closer in future years than it is today. Head over to PickupTrucks.com for the full skinny.
[Source: PickupTrucks.com]
Chrysler’s upcoming 6.4L V8 only for SRT, not for Ram? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Spy Shots: Chevy Camaro Convertible spotted top-down
Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Performance, Chevrolet, GM
Chevrolet Camaro Convertible – Visit Camaro5.com for additional photos
GM’s obviously thrilled with the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro’s success, as it’s pretty much owned the Ford Mustang on the sales charts to this point. Now, the retooled Mustang hopes to bounce back with new powertrains aimed at erasing any performance advantage the Camaro model has. File that battle under “To Be Continued.” The other thing the Mustang has going for it, however, is that sunseekers can opt for a ragtop variant. As in, today. Chevy fans? Not so much.
The waiting game continues apace, however, as the Camaro Convertible inches closer to showrooms. The latest good news comes from Camaro5.com, where a contributor nabbed the droptop Camaro out testing with its roof down – the first such sighting. We think it’s a looker, just like its fixed-roof sibling, and better still, with the top stowed, all the visibility compromises the coupe has to make in the name of its wicked curb appeal are summarily erased. This is one ride we’re definitely looking forward to. For additional photos, make tracks over to Camaro5.com.
[Source: Camaro5.com]
Spy Shots: Chevy Camaro Convertible spotted top-down originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Fiat Grande Punto: Specifications
Price: Rs 4,29,123/- to Rs 6,44,233/- (ex-showroom Bangalore)
Variants: 1.2 active,1.4 dynamic,1.4 emotion,1.4 emotion pack (P) FIRE / 1.3 active,1.3 dynamic,1.3 emotion,1.3 emotion pack (D) Multijet
Dimensions
Length: 3987 mm
Width: 1685 mm
Height: 1495 mm
Wheelbase: 2510 mm
Ground clearance: 165 mm
Kreb Weight:
Gross Weight:
No. of Doors: 5
Seating Capacity: 5 persons
Fuel Tank Capacity: 45 litres
Engine
Type: Petrol / Diesel
Displacement: 1197cc, 1369cc / 1248 cc
Power: 68.22 ps@6000 rpm,90 ps@6000 rpm/76 @ 4000
Torque: 95.75 NM@4500 pm ,115 NM@4500 pm/197NM @ 1750
Bore x Stroke:
Compression Ratio:
No Of Cylinders: 4
Cylinder Configuration: Inline,Transverse
Valves Per Cylinder: 2/4
Transmission
Type: 5 Speed Manual
Gears: 5 forward, 1 reverse
New York 2010 Preview: All-new 2011 Kia Optima unveiled
Filed under: New York Auto Show, Sedan, Kia
2011 Kia Optima – Click above for high-res image gallery
The next stage of Kia’s transformation from design also-ran to serious contender will kick off at the New York Auto Show in few weeks. After launching the Forte sedan and Koup, the new Sorento and, most recently, the Sportage, Kia’s new design language is being applied to the Optima. The all-new 2011 Kia Optima is longer, wider and lower than the car it replaces although we don’t know by how much. While it’s not as aggressive as the sketches released a few weeks ago, this Optima is certainly a huge step forward.
We don’t have any mechanical details yet, but we’d guess that the Optima shares a lot under the skin with the new Hyundai Sonata. Nor would we be at all surprised to learn that the Optima won’t have a V6 engine option this time around. Instead, it’ll probably use the same direct-injected 2.4-liter inline-four found in the Sonata. The turbocharged and hybrid variants may follow as well.
