PSA Peugeot Citroën to launch three-cylinder turbo in 2013
Filed under: Manufacturing/Plants, Citroen, Peugeot
PSA Peugeot Citroën has announced that it will spend €175 Million to tool up one of its engine plants to build a new turbocharged inline three-cylinder engine. The Douvrin engine plant will have a capacity of 320,000 units per year starting in early in 2013. The 1.2-liter engines will join a normally aspirated version that debuts one year earlier.
While PSA is one of the world leaders in diesel engine technology, this new engine is a gasoline-fueled unit. The high-volume commitment to a downsized gasoline engine is a sign of the increasing difficulty of meeting both new carbon dioxide emissions standards and nitrogen oxide standards that are part of the Euro VI regulation package.
While PSA has no current plans to sell either Peugeot or Citroën vehicles in the United States, we are likely to see some three-cylinder units coming from other automakers in the next few years including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and possibly Ford with a rumored 1.2-liter Ecoboost.
[Source: PSA Peugeot Citroën]
Continue reading PSA Peugeot Citroën to launch three-cylinder turbo in 2013
Ford Panther Sedans: I’m Going to Miss These Things!
As you know, Ford’s “Panther” platformed cars, the Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Car, are preparing to ride off into the sunset. The Crown Vic — is the last vestige of anything ever called an LTD. The Merc has for decades been the car of choice for retirees. And what is the limo business going to do without the Town Car?
I had a Mercury “Ultimate Edition” Marquis as a rental car a few days ago, and it reminded me of the appeal of these huge body on framers. Room for six, meat-locker sized trunk, loafing V-8 engine, nice ride, old school comfort. And it wasn’t nearly as mushy or sloppy driving as I remember them from a decade ago. It was kinda fun to hustle the big guy around. Dynamically comparable to an S-Class Benz or A8? Not hardly. But still a fine way to take four friends out to dinner in quiet and comfort. If I were driving to Vegas tonight with a car full of pals, this would still be the way to fly. Does the job, park it anywhere.
A few years ago, Ford offered a Crown Vic Sport model with 17-inch rolling stock, a floor shifter, leather bucket seats and extra instrumentation. It was in essence a civilian version of the Police Interceptor, and I dug it. The sticker was $30,000, fully loaded, and represented value at that. The formula was much the same as the Impala SS of the mid 90s
Report: All-new MG roadster in the works with gasoline, diesel and hybrid powertrains
Filed under: Convertible, Hybrid, China, UK, Diesel, MISC
Hot on the heels of a report from one British car mag declaring the new MG6 – the company’s first clean-sheet new product since its acquisition by Chinese automaker Nanjing – possibly the best-handling vehicle in its class come new reports that another all-new product is in the works for the iconic British marque.
According to Auto Express – which has, mind you, been known to jump the gun on the old rumor mill – engineers at MG are working on a new roadster. Unlike the aging Rover Metro-based TF (pictured above) and the plans to update the same, the new MG will go with a front-engine setup with a variety of powertrains on offer. Among them, a GM-sourced turbodiesel, a hybrid system similar to that found on the Honda CR-Z, and a gasoline V6. Sources expect to see the new MG roadster on the road by 2013… in the UK, at least. But if it proves as promising as the aforementioned MG6, we could have another hot Euro roadster to pine for Stateside.
What about the X120 project, supposedly aborted due to lack of funds? That could be back on the table as well, stretching the TF’s mid-engine platform into more versatile dimensions. One roadster at a time, blokes.
[Source: Auto Express]
Report: All-new MG roadster in the works with gasoline, diesel and hybrid powertrains originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Honda unveils EV-neo, promises Japanese sales in 2010
Filed under: Japan, Honda, Motorcycle, Electric
Honda EV-neo electric scooter – Click above for high-res image gallery
Honda has announced plans to introduce its first electric scooter in its home market of Japan before the end of the year. The opening salvo in the round of electrified two wheelers will be a production version of the EV-neo Concept, which was first seen at the Tokyo Motor Show late last year. We wish it were the electric Cub instead, but sadly nobody asked for our opinion.
Honda sees the EV-neo primarily as a means for delivery people to get around busy urban areas, but it will sell the vehicle to anyone for both business and personal use. A lithium ion battery of unknown capacity will be supplied by Toshiba and will reportedly allow the EV-neo a range of up to 30 kilometers (18 miles) on a flat road.
A depleted battery can be fully recharged in about four hours. Performance is said to be roughly equivalent to a 50cc gas-powered scooter, so you can probably expect speeds of well under 30 miles per hour from the machine’s brushless motor. There isn’t much more detail as of yet, but what little there is can be found in the official press release after the break.
More spy pictures of new Maruti Suzuki Wagon R
Three variants: Lx,Lxi and Vxi.
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MINI Electric (E-Race) tested at the Nurburgring
BMW Group for the first time in the world had high-speed electric vehicle testing at this racetrack. As the press service of the Bavarian manufacturer for testing prototype MINI E Race was chosen the legendary Nurburgring circuit, specially prepared sports version of the electric car is running the former DTM driver Thomas Jager broke the 20.8-kilometer loop in 9 minutes and 51 seconds. Its top speed was thus 187 km / h.
These results are difficult to compare with some other, because the earlier electric vehicles in the “Green Hell” is not experienced. However, the results of sports cars are in the range 7:20-7:40, and the world record currently belongs to a little known studio Radical – 6:48.
MINI E Race features the same 204-horsepower electric motor and lithium-ion batteries that future road version of the electric car, but it installed a new gearbox with helical gear teeth, and increased ratios, as well as software changes to the engine control. Increase the speed limit has also helped the aerodynamic body kit and body weight reduction through the use of panels made of carbon fiber.
Video: Hennessey Venom GT blasts through Merry Ol’ England
Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, UK, Specialty
Hennessey Venom GT – Click above to watch video after the jump
By all accounts, the Hennessey Venom GT is an all-new level of bat-guano crazy. When everyone’s favorite Texas tuner announced that it would be creating a hand-crafted, mid-engine terror, we all knew it was going to be special, even if our feeble little minds couldn’t quite comprehend just how incredible the car would be. Now that the covers are off and we know that a 725-horsepower V8 feeds the rear tires a universe of punishment, we can’t help but want a little seat time.
New footage of the $600,000 creation whipping around the streets and bi-ways of England has surfaced. Unlike the track video we caught a glimpse of last time, the new clip dishes up all the audio glory you’d expect from the behemoth. Hit the jump and crank it up.
[Source: YouTube]
Continue reading Video: Hennessey Venom GT blasts through Merry Ol’ England
Video: Hennessey Venom GT blasts through Merry Ol’ England originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
