Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Gas 2.0

Gas 2.0

Production Saab 9-4X Biopower Spied Ahead of LA Show

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 03:19 PM PDT

These photos show the final production version of Saab’s long-anticipated 9-4X Biopower concept, which will feature Saab’s new design language and slick new turbo-charged gas and diesel engines which should deliver on the concept’s flex-fuel promises.

Saab first showed its 9-4X Biopower concept more than 2 years ago, to largely positive reviews in the press.  Since the January, 2008 reveal of the 9-4X concept, Saab—and the rest of the automotive world—has changed.  Saab—then a part of GM—almost didn’t make it through that company’s bankruptcy, and was eventually sold to Dutch supercar maker, Spyker.

The 9-4X—along with the ePower wagon set to be shown at this week’s Paris show—has a lot of the brand’s future riding on it, as well as Saab’s desire to be thought of as a green, ecologically-conscious car company.

No word yet on final specs, since the car hasn’t officially been released yet.  Still, Saab has a press conference planned for tomorrow morning, which might yet reveal all.

Stay tuned!

SOURCE:  Saabs United

Prius Minivan Spotted in Testing!

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 01:33 PM PDT

Carscoop just posted what might be the first pictures of Toyota’s upcoming Prius MPV!

According to reports from Carscoop reader Nick K., who took the photos (above and below), the mini-minivan is about the same size as the Mazda 5, and was following one of Lexus’ new CT200h Hybrids.

As you can see from the photos, the vehicle has a Prius-like nose, and generally “Prius-y” proportions, making it a likely candidate to be the first of many “Prius-branded” vehicles from parent company Toyota.

Would you buy a small Prius minivan?

SOURCE:  Carscoop.

ORLY!? Lotus Elite to Use Toyota’s Hybrid Tech

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 12:53 PM PDT

It was only a few short weeks ago that I wrote about—what seemed to be—Toyota playing Goliath to Lotus’ (formidable) David.

Now (well, yesterday) the boys at Autoblog are reporting that the 2014 production version of the Lotus Elite concept (shown, above) might be using Toyota’s hybrid system, and NOT Lotus’ own innovative Omnivore range-extending system from the Evora 414E shown at Geneva earlier this year… an interesting development, to say the least.

What does this mean for my pet theory about Toyota forcing itself on Lotus? I think I’m right, and this move is all about Toyota forcing Lotus (which already relies on Toyota for its ICE engines) to play ball—which, in this case, means Toyota wants Lotus to publicly acknowledge Toyota as the world leader in hybrid technology.

At this point, this is all speculation—but the more I dig the more it seems like there is more to the whole Toyota / Lotus / Tesla saga than meets the eye… especially when considering Lotus’ recent return to Formula 1, hot off the heels of Toyota’s embarrassing failures in F1.

Why is F1 significant to any of this? Remember that Akio Toyoda is an active racing driver, who (it was rumored) pushed the Lexus supercar project along so he could have something to drive. Toyoda had to sit out this year’s 24 hour race due to the PR trouble nightmare surrounding Toyota’s unintended acceleration lawsuits earlier this year, and you can bet that stung—they don’t call it a “need for speed” for nothing.

Could it be that Toyota is positioning itself to return to F1, as an engine supplier to Lotus (the R&D money on an engine AND KERS system has already been spent, after all)? Could Akio Toyoda be lining himself up for a drive in the next Lotus Esprit GT racer? Could Toyota be making a play to take full control of both Tesla AND Lotus, in a bid for their tech to leap so far ahead of every other automaker that they’ll never be able to catch up?

Yes, yes, and very likely… and this is still just the tip, I think, of an iceberg that might yet determine the future of hybrid cars, EVs, and Toyota motorsports.

Stay tuned!

SOURCES:  Autoblog, wild speculation.

Infiniti Crafting its Own “High Performance” Version of the LEAF

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 10:08 AM PDT

Infiniti was introduced to America in 1989 as the luxury arm of Nissan, and since then it has blossomed to be an outright competitor for many European luxury sports brands like BMW and Audi. I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for the Inifiniti G35/37, and it has a very competitive entry price as well. I knew it wouldn’t take long for Infiniti to make plans for its own version of Nissan’s upcoming electric car, the LEAF.

Here it is… the first blurry sketch. What do you think?

I am of the opinion that most electric cars should, for the time being, be aimed at the upscale market due to the inherent costliness of current electric vehicle technology. I’m also hoping automakers will promote the power and speed electric vehicles can achieve, as there is still a general consensus out there that electric vehicles are slow and boring.

Nissan seems to be reading my mind. The Infiniti electric vehicle, which is due out sometime in 2013, will be a “stylish, high performance five-seat luxury vehicle with zero emissions technology.” It will of course be based on the LEAF… though it might ditch the Versa platform for something a little bigger (perhaps the Altima?) Sounds like a car I could see myself in. I just hope they can come up with a better name than this numbers crap Infiniti (and other luxury car makers, quite frankly) seem obsessed with. Infiniti Zero, maybe?

Source: Nissan

GM Will Add Diesels to its Lineup

Posted: 28 Sep 2010 10:05 AM PDT

America doesn’t seem to like diesels. About 2% of the vehicles on the road in America are diesels, and that includes many heavy duty trucks and haulers. Why the hatred? Back in the 1980′s, diesels were loud, unreliable, and smelly, and they never really caught on… But modern diesels a reliable, quiet, don’t smell and get great fuel economy. America was able to migrate from large cars to smaller cars without too much pain, so can the same happen for diesels? GM seems to think so.

General Motors is considering a “wide variety” of diesel vehicles for its future lineup, though nothing is set in stone yet.

Diesels are a sore subject for many of us pining for better fuel economy here in America. While 50% of European vehicle sales come with a diesel engine, options in America are incredibly limited. General Motors has not offered a diesel car since the 1980′s, though they do have a diesel engine option for their trucks. GM’s diesel debacle back in the 1980′s apparently left a very sour taste in executives mouths. For example, the Cadillac Seville diesel was relentlessly unreliable, and Cadillac buyers turned away from the brand in droves.

Yet if GM brings diesels back, it likely won’t be in their luxury brand, at least not at first. GM has a four-cylinder EcoTec diesel engine for sale in Europe, and they are bringing their best-selling Cruze to America soon too. GM and diesels, will this be a story with a happy ending? Or another horror story?

Source: Wards Auto (subscription required)
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