Tesla twins get triple triumph in 4th Monte Carlo Alternative Energy Vehicle Rally
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Tesla Motors, Europe/EU, Alfa Romeo, Racing
Tesal Roadsters participate in the 4th Monte Carlo Alternative Energy Rally – Click above for high-res gallery
Coinciding with the 2010 Salon EVER, the first event on this year’s FIA Alternative Energy Cup calender has wrapped up. The Fourth Monte Carlo Alternative Energy Rally attracted well over 100 different vehicles of various sorts (but no hydrogen-powered ones) competing in three legs of a “regularity” race that saw them cover 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) over three days culminating in Monaco. The idea was to complete the courses as close to a predetermined time and as efficiently as possible. In the end, the Alfa Roméo Mito 170 driven by Aurélien Meuterlos topped the timing results with a perfect score of zero, having accumulated no penalties and finishing within one minute of the prescribed time. The twin Tesla entries may have finished a little further down the page, but they were tops in other categories and one of them bested last year’s performance.
In all, the California company walked away with the overall FIA Cup, the Efficiency Cup and the Electric Vehicles Cup (class IIIA). The two-seater driven by Tesla Australia’s general manager, Rudi Tuisk, drove the 390-kilometer (242 mile) off-the-range segment, from Annecy, France to Monaco with 66 km (41 miles) worth of energy left in the pack. While other EVs, including the Venturi Volage and Mitsubishi i MiEV were present for final leg in Monaco, it seems only the Tesla had the range capability necessary to compete in the full rally. Hit the jump for video featuring some more spirited driving on the final day of the event.
Volvo Deal Transforms Both Ford, Geely
Ford Motor Company has sold Volvo to China’s Geely for $1.8 billion, some $4.6-billion less than it paid back in the Jacques Nasser era. Ford will complete the deal and hand over keys to the Swedish automaker and its Swedish and Belgian factories by the third quarter of this year. Meanwhile, Geely plans to make Volvo a Sino-Swedish company, while keeping those European plants open. The deal transforms Ford as much as it transforms Geely.
It transforms Ford back to the kind of company its namesake envisioned. It’s one in which the Ford brand, like Ferdinand Piech’s Volkswagen (the nine other, mostly high-priced niche brands notwithstanding), can badge a range of cars and trucks from entry level to premium. If not for the Leland Brothers’ struggle with their nascent Lincoln brand, sold to Ford in 1922, Ford could be a single-brand automaker, again. Unlike Piech and VW, Ford sees no need to manage multiple brands, especially in Europe.
In the ’90s, it was believed the world’s automakers needed to combine, or at least, work together to build and market certain high-volume models to survive. In the past two years, we’ve learned that the global market could no longer support so much production capacity and so many brands. We’ve lost, at least, most of the old British Leyland/BMW’s “English Patient,” plus Pontiac, Saturn, Hummer, Isuzu (save for medium- and heavy-duty trucks). And companies like Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Peugeot and Citroen are struggling to be more than small, regional automakers.
Answering the Age-Old Question: Who’s the safe driver, man or woman?
Filed under: Safety
Nice work, guys. When we’re behind the wheel, we’re apparently a danger to human life. The New York Times reports that a recent study by the Social Issues Research Centre (SIRC) says that men are 50 percent to 100 percent more likely to be behind the wheel in a fatal accident than are our female counterparts. The SIRC theorizes that the reason for the discrepancy is that men just don’t like rules.
Not just any rules, mind you. We’re talking driving rules. The NYT cites several studies that show men are more likely to drink and drive, run a red light, race other drivers and tailgate. Further, one study showed that men were up to four times more likely to drink and drive as women. We’re more aggressive, we’re three times more likely to honk the horn, and we’re statistically proven to be more likely to take risks.
The authors of all these studies feel that the reason for our aggression and risk-taking has something to do with our DNA. Apparently, the hunter within each of us compels us to value speed, strength and a solid quarter mile run. But men aren’t always the worst drivers. One study cited by the Times reportedly showed that women were more likely to get into accidents on a per-mile basis. We’d take a moment to celebrate our lone victory, but with the overwhelming evidence pointing out that we’re more dangerous drivers than women, our hypocrisy only travels so far.
[Source: The New York Times | Image: xJasonRogersx CC 2.0]
Answering the Age-Old Question: Who’s the safe driver, man or woman? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Donald Frey, designer of the original Ford Mustang, dead at age 86
Filed under: Etc., Ford
On the day we’ve reviewed two descendants of his original creation, we find out that the man who designed the Mustang, Donald Frey, passed away at 86. As with the car’s decades of success, the inspiration for it was unlikely: the Chevrolet Corvair.
Frey, who was assistant general manager and and chief engineer of a Ford Motor Company still suffering dry heaves over the Edsel, said he watched GM put bucket seats in the Corvair and rename it Monza, and it began to pick up with customers. There was also the dinner table motivation of his kids telling him his cars stunk.
Frey’s first take on the Mustang was a mid-engined convertible in 1962 which, while working with Ford General Manager Lee Iacocca, he would develop into the car introduced to the World’s Fair in 1964. When the coupe predicted to sell 80,000 units a year actually sold a million-plus units in its first two years – and then sold and sold and sold – Frey became an American legend. The rest is not just history, it’s the present and the future, with the Mustang certain to be a staple in the Ford portfolio for years to come.
From Autoblog and Mustang fans around the world, our condolences and best wishes go to the Frey family.
GM recalls 5,000 vans with serious fire risk, tells owners to park outside, away from everything
Filed under: Minivan/Van, Recalls, Safety, Chevrolet, GM, GMC
General Motors issued a recall and stop sale on heavy-duty vans including the 2010 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana due to a problem with the alternator that could potentially lead to a fire. GM advises owners to stop driving the vehicles immediately. adding that vehicles should be parked away from buildings and vehicles, and owners should promptly disconnect both battery cables. Vehicles should not be used until GM has come up with a fix for the problem.
Many of the recalled vans are owned by company fleets. The recall includes all 2500, 3500, and 4500 models built in February and March of this year. Light duty vans are excluded from the recall because they utilize a different alternator. Some of the affected vehicles are utilized for retail operations and as rentals. With the stop sale order, the vans cannot be sold to customers and can not be rented from car rental agencies. Full details in the press release after the jump.
Continue reading GM recalls 5,000 vans with serious fire risk, tells owners to park outside, away from everything
GM recalls 5,000 vans with serious fire risk, tells owners to park outside, away from everything originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Report: Carbon Motors still awaiting Fed loan approval, hoping to have first patrols on streets in 2013
Filed under: Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, Earnings/Financials, Police/Emergency, Specialty
Carbon Motors E7 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Carbon Motors Corp. plans to deliver its first police car in 2013 – assuming the company’s request for a $310 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy is approved. As we mentioned nearly three years ago, Carbon is diving into the rarefied purpose-built vehicle segment with the goal of delivering thousands of its “E7″ police cars to municipalities across the country, powered by a BMW twin-turbo inline-six diesel engine.
Unlike the police cars typically put out by the Detroit 3, built on a modified civilian platform and returned to civilian duty at the end of its life cycle, the E7 will use an aluminum space frame covered in composite panels. Patrol-related hardware and flashing lights are already integrated, and since the body panels will be paint-free, graphics will be applied with vinyl decals. Sold directly to law enforcement agencies (not through a dealer network), the vehicles would be returned back to Carbon Motors at the end of their service life for reconditioning or dismantled for parts.
The automaker reportedly has the buyers lined up. “We have over 13,000 reservations from 350-plus law enforcement agencies in 48 states,” says CEO William Santana Li. While the company is funded by private investors, it needs the Obama administration’s loan approval to get rolling. The decision is expected over the summer. With the money in hand, Carbon Motors has scheduled deliveries to follow 36 months later.
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Mercedes Benz A Class coming to India
German luxury car maker Mercedes Benz is planning to launch its small hatchback A Class in India in near future. Mercedes Benz has been closely following the Indian market for quiet a long time and since the demand for expensive small hatch in India is remote, A Class could not find its place here earlier. But things has been changing over years in India and Mercedes does think so.
Rivals, Audi and BMW are also thinking of launching their super mini cars A1 and Mini respectively. Now with the luxury segment getting hot, Mercedes surely want to dominate among its competitors.
The A Class is expected to be priced between Rs 16 to 20 lakh in India.
