Autoblog’s Most Boring Post, Ever?
By Robert FaragoOctober 5, 2008 -
Be still my beating heart. Autoblog’s Sam Abuelsamid is about to live blog (nearasdammit) Audi’s Mileage Marathon. Yes, he’ll be in one of 23 diesel-powered Audis that will “roll out from Manhattan’s Tavern on the Green on a trans-continental trek to demonstrate diesel efficiency.” While I respect anyone with the patience and anal retentivity needed to hypermile for at least three days– in the same sense that I respect anyone who can conjugate Latin verbs– I predict this won’t go well. And I don’t mean “won’t go well” as in something exciting will happen. More like how can a hypermiler do his or her stuff with 22 other vehicles surrounding them? Not to mention the quandry of achieving high mileage when your 23-strong fleet must accomodate over 200 journalists. And what of Justin’s suspicion that the TDIs don’t really count, as they’re Euro-spec ringers? Anyway, who cares? As we’ve reported here ad infinitum, the diesel engine thing is on the wane in Europe, and hamstrung stateside by fuel prices and an oil burning engine price premium. The most important question here: will Audi be flying Sam and his mpg-seeking cohorts back to the East Coast in coach, business or first? And how much fuel will that burn?
Posted in Diesel | Marketing | Media | News Blog | 15 comments 
VW Unveils “TwinDrive” Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle
By Edward NiedermeyerSeptember 30, 2008 -
Warren Buffet’s recent investment in BYD has conferred a new legitimacy on a dual parallel-serial hybrid drivetrain, which combines features from both systems. And now VW has revealed its own PHEV third way called “TwinDrive.” Ohne transmission, VW’s concept car uses a small electric engine– powered by a 350 lbs. Sanyo lithium-Ion battery pack under the trunk floor– to launch its Golf testbed to 30 mph. (At which point the gasoline engine kicks in.) Electric acceleration helps overcome the limitations of a single high gear; reverse is electric-only. And drivers can engage an EV-only mode. Motor Trend reports that VeeDub’s testing the TwinDrive system with diesel engines, but gas-powered TD’s are destined for production. Production ICE is said to be a 100hp turbocharged 1.05-liter turbocharged triple. A smart navigation-based system will calculate energy use priorities, saving battery capacity if urban driving appears ahead on the planned driving route, thus ensuring battery depletion at the destination and keeping the TwinDrive away from gas pumps unless absolutely necessary). The basic components of plug-in hybrid systems seem to have become fairly standardized. But concepts like the TwinDrive show that there are more development options than simply parallel or serial configurations.
Posted in Diesel | Electric Vehicles | Green | Hybrid | News Blog | 20 comments
Isuzu Says No Thanks To GM Truck Business
By Edward NiedermeyerSeptember 25, 2008 -
There have been rumors floating around that GM approached Isuzu with an offer to sell its mid-sized truck business. Rumors being what they are, multiple sources now say that Isuzu ain’t interested. Japan’s Corporate News reports that Isuzu and Toyota (5.9 percent owners) execs “sounded negative about the possibility the firm may buy General Motors Corp.’s truck operations.” According to that report, the two sides aren’t seeing eye to eye on a price for the operations, proving once and for all what a bitch the used truck market can be. Meanwhile, The Guardian reports that Isuzu President Susumu Hosoi says his firm “will struggle to hit its full-year net profit target and has ruled out buying General Motors’ mid-sized trucks business.” Hosoi-san was unequivocal, saying Isuzu is not even planning on increasing its 40 percent stake in DMAX, a North American diesel engine joint venture with GM. The only place Isuzu is currently planning a new major site? Saudi Arabia, of course. No, seriously…
Posted in Diesel | High Finance | News Blog | 5 comments
Volkswagen’s Diesel Darling
By KatiePuckrikSeptember 10, 2008 -
Despite the gloomy economic outlook in the NA car market, VW is surprisingly chipper. VeeDub’s convinced that the demand for the diesel Jetta may be higher than the forecast. “It certainly met and probably exceeded our expectations,” claims Mark Barnes, CEO of VW NA. August sales of totalled 2,417 units, 11,217 year-to-date. One reason for the cha-ching: the diesel Jetta qualifies for a $1300 federal tax credit. That put its “diesel premium” at just $770 over its gas-powered sib. VW CEO Martin Winterkorn sees the Jetta’s success as the particulate end of a NA wedge. Marty predicts a U.S. “diesel trend” based on the current oil burner’s robust powertrain and high resale values. Mike Omotoso is equally bullish. “We expect the diesel market to grow and actually overtake the hybrid market over the next seven years,” J.D. Power’s “engine analyst” remarked. Never mind the forthcoming release of the Chevrolet plug-in electric - gas hybrid Volt, the Mississippi-built Prius and the increasing popularity of frugal fours. In other words, in your dreams boys.
Posted in Diesel | Europe | News Blog | 40 comments
Business Week Fulfills “Airport Magazine” Promise, Flubs Ford Story
By Justin BerkowitzSeptember 5, 2008 -
Oh my, where to begin. A no doubt well-intentioned David Kiley at Business Week writes in this issue about the new Ford Fiesta in ECOnetic trim. “The 65 mpg Ford the U.S. Can’t Have” is generous enough to accept that the Fiesta ECOnetic would actually get anything close to 65 mpg (we previously questioned the real-world drop for this model from MPG friendly European testing. Our pot shot guess was that it would be more like 44 in real life). Wherever the final number lands, it’s fantastic, though far less impressive for a tiny diesel engined car with low-rolling resistance tires. But attention-grabbing headlines aside, Mr. Kiley goes on to point out that Ford just “can’t afford” to sell this car in the U.S. You see, ” At prevailing exchange rates, the Fiesta ECOnetic would sell for about $25,700 in the U.S.” That’s a rookie error; direct currency conversion should never be used to calculate what one car would cost in another country. If so, a BMW 328i might cost us Yankees $52,000. While the theme is correct: the ECOnetic’s diesel engine, made in the UK, would be too pricey to import, Kiley suggests that Ford just can’t afford the $350 million to build a factory to produce it for North and South America. Perhaps that’s true, though the novelty-sized Capital One card in Mark Fields’ office might contradict it. But more likely, Alan Mullaly isn’t stupid. Americans and even South Americans are not interested in diesel cars. South America pumps millions upon millions of barrels of oil for cheap petrol out of the ground. Brazil runs on ethanol. And the US is the US. Credit where credit’s due. In this case, it’s not Ford’s bank account to blame; it’s their common sense.
Posted in Diesel | News Blog | UK | 21 comments
Japan’s Diesel Phoenix?
By KatiePuckrikSeptember 4, 2008 -
The market for diesel technology just got a little more interesting. Nissan has announced they’ve become the first Japanese car maker to launch a diesel vehicle in Japan for six years. Nissan and Renault co-developed the X-Trail 20GT SUV’s oil-burning engine to create the world’s first Japanese emissions-pleasing “clean” diesel. The only other diesel car that meets the world’s toughest particulate regs: the Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI sedan. The Merc costs 8 million yen ($73,510); the X-Trail 20GT just 3 million yen ($27,710). Other car makers aren’t far behind. Volkswagen, Honda, Mitsubishi and Subaru are all planning to offer diesels in Japan. Meanwhile, Toyota’s pulled all diesels from their Japanese line-up (the last being the Land Cruiser Prado) and continue to push hybrids. With the Japanese government planning on placing consumer incentives on diesels meeting the new standards, and Toyota and Honda’s hybrids set to fall in price, it looks like Japanese enthusiasts will have a genuine diesel vs. hybrid debates. Lucky them.
Posted in Diesel | Japan | News Blog | 5 comments
Mahindra’s US Launch Delayed For More Testing
By Edward NiedermeyerAugust 25, 2008 -
Automotive News (sub) reports that Indian tractor firm Mahindra and Mahindra has delayed the US launch of its Appalachian pickup, built in Chennai, India. M&M's American distributor Global Vehicles was ready to start chasing its goal of 50k annual sales of the diesel four-banger light truck, when its CEO got a call from Mr Anand Mahindra himself. The message was simple: "My family's name is going onto this vehicle, and it's not going to fail." Mahindra is using the delay to log some 3.2m American miles on 25 trucks in hopes of fine-tuning it for the US market, with a particular eye on reliability. 324 dealers across the company have signed up to sell the Appalachian, but most have not yet built stores, so the delay could only help there as well. Oh, and there's one more thing… the diesel hasn't passed the EPA's new 50-state diesel standards. Global Vehicles and M&M swear on a stack of bibles that it will pass with flying colors, but with the price of diesel staying high, efficiency ratings will be crucial to the Appalachian's success. And since they've got the extra time, maybe they'll find some clever way to explain why an Indian truck has been named after a region of America. Maybe.
Posted in Diesel | Future Vehicles | India | News Blog | 32 comments
How to Run an Autocross Using Fuel You Made in Your Apartment for Less Than $100
By Mike SolowiowAugust 24, 2008 -
Wesson veggie oil, lye, high quality methanol, an old margarita mixer, and some patience; thats all you need to create your own batch of pure biodiesel, suitable for use in your average two-year old, raceworthy Jetta TDI. Sure, it looked more like something you would dip your bread in at Olive Garden, but I was not only going to be driving like a hooligan at the local SCCA event, I was saving the planet (I should sell some carbon credits)! Using directions I found on-line, I planned to whip up a five-gallon batch of biodiesel (to see if I could) in the 11th-floor confines of my apartment. Not knowing what to expect, I ended up with a huge mess, a ruined margarita mixer, and about three gallons of biodiesel of dubious quality (it was supposed to be nearly translucent). Turbidity issues aside, I put a single gallon in the tank of my Jetta, along with five gallons of regular diesel, and ran around town. No issues, so the weekend's race was on! The other two gallons were then thrown in, and the race commenced. One hundred bhp aside, the Jetta performed admirably with mild body lean, communicative steering, decent brakes, monster torque, and laughable grip. The oppressive Oklahoma heat erased all perception of driving a commuter sedan; no, I was piloting the Audi R10 TDI down the Mulsanne straight in the Le Mans! But unlike Audi, I couldn't claim victory, as I was the only one in my racing class. But my adventure in going green shall not end there. Stay tuned as I attempt to make ethanol for my Porsche!
Posted in Alternative Energy | Bio-fuels | Diesel | Fuel Economy | Green | News Blog | 7 comments
Is Polo the New Golf?
By Martin SchwoererAugust 5, 2008 -
When we reviewed the VW Polo, we noted that it's a good and useful car let down by staid styling and a high price. VW is addressing… the former. According to Autobild [print version of July 31], the 2009 VW Polo will finally ditch the slab sides and become more stylish. Since the Polo already has similar interior space as the MK3 Golf, this means the Polo might well become a lot more important for VW– to the detriment of the Golf, which suffers from what you could call generational bloat. For the Polo, VW plans to offer double-clutch automatic transmissions and a wide arrange of engines. Popular Mechanics reports that VW will also create a hovercraft hybrid version– just kidding. The mag reports (prays?) that VW may bring a clean-diesel, 70mpg Polo stateside. We say currency exchange rates mean VW can't make a dime on that deal unless they build the new Polo in Mexico, which they won't do because of the aforementioned cannibalism.
Posted in Diesel | Europe | New Cars | News Blog | 13 comments
Bosch Boss Says Diesel is Here to Stay
By Martin SchwoererAugust 4, 2008 -
Car makers like to take the credit, but auto suppliers have invented much of contemporary car technology. So when the boss of Germany's Bosch (the world's biggest auto supplier) talks about the future of automotive technology, people listen. Here's what Bernd Bohr had to say to Auto, Motor und Sport . "For the year 2015, we expect a total world market of 80 million new cars, of which only about 2.5 to 3 million will be hybrids and 800,000 will be purely electric. So gasoline and diesel engines will continue to predominate. Actually, we calculate that the world market share of diesel cars will rise by another 5 percent, to reach 28 percent." How come? "Despite disproportionate price increases for diesel fuel, in places such as France the share of diesels has increased from 70 to 80 percent, because of a new CO2 tax. Diesels are 30 percent more efficient, too. There is a political dimension: the EU's ambitious plans to reduce CO2 emissions are only reachable if Europe stays at least 50 percent diesel." But the U.S. has shown that diesel is a no go, no? "This is mainly because of high prices for low-sulfur diesel fuel which is caused by low refinery capacities. This bottleneck should be gone around 2010. We expect a diesel market share for the U.S. of 15 percent by 2015". Are you betting the company on these predictions? "We plan to reduce our dependence on auto technology from currently 61 percent to 50 percent."
Posted in Diesel | Europe | Fuel Economy | Green | Industry | News Blog | 35 comments
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