Thursday, February 24, 2011

Gas 2.0

Gas 2.0

A New Mini Concept That’s Actually Mini

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 11:29 AM PST

With the recently introduced Countryman SUV and headlines like “The New Mini WRC is a Giant Monster” highlighting the massive growth spurts Mini’s cars have experienced since the brand’s inception, perhaps the time was right for Mini to show something – you know – mini.

Jalopnik recently published photos of Mini’s new “Rocketman” concept car, which is scheduled to debut at next month’s Geneva Motor Show and feature the same kind of 3+1 seating that seemed so innovative in (my new favorite car) Toyota’s Scion iQ when it was introduced to the motoring world nearly 3 years ago.

The Rocketman’s 135″ overall length means it’s not quite as small as the original, but (as Jalopnik’s Matt Hardigree points out) it is nearly a foot shorter than the new Cooper and nearly 20″ shorter than Mini’s Clubman.  The concept is appropriately futuriffic, with carbon fiber this and that trimming weight and helping the car achieve a (claimed) 80 mpg.

We’ll see – but if this is the Mini that will lead the charge against the decades-old trend towards excessive vehicle bloat, you can bet we’ll be thrilled about it.

Source:  Mini, via Jalopnik.

Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid is a Swedish Dream Come True

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 10:46 AM PST

In 2010 Ford finally unloaded the last remnant of its Premier Automotive Group, Volvo, to Chinese-based Geely. Volvo is very much alive though, and forging ahead with plans for a V60 Hybrid that can switch between three driving modes.

The Volvo V60 will be officially unveiled at the Geneva International Auto Show. Volvo is famous for the rugged reliability of its vehicles, and while you may find those old Volvo wagons boxy and boring, they rank amongst my favorite cars. Why? They are durable, sensible, safe transportation…and the engine bay is quite welcoming for a big honkin' American V8, making the Volvo a perfect sleeper.

The Volvo V60 Hybrid wagon is a sleeper of a different sort; it doesn't scream "GREEN!" It looks like any other car on the road. Underneath that sheet metal though is a 2.4 liter five-cylinder turbo diesel engine mounted to a 70-horsepower electric motor powered by a 12 kWh battery pack. The diesel engine has 215 horsepower and 324 ft-lbs of torque, which when combined with the electric motor in "Power Mode" offers up to 472 ft-lbs of torque and a 6.9 second sprint to 60 mph. That's pretty damn good for a diesel wagon.

As the Volvo V60 Hybrid is a plug-in hybrid, it can also run up to 32 miles in EV Mode on electricity alone. In Hybrid Mode,, this wagon boasts a nearly 750 mile range while emitting just 50 grams of CO2-per-kilometer, all while lugging around a big battery, all-wheel drive, and the bevy of safety features Volvo is well know for. The battery can be charged in as little as 3 hours, which for 32 miles of EV driving sounds pretty impressive. This vehicle seems like a natural progression of the Volvo ReCharge Concept unveiled last year.

I'm a fan of this little Volvo, and I do hope the Swedish carmaker puts it into production sooner rather then later. With the way gas prices are going, I’m sure a lot of families could use an efficient grocery getter.

Source: Volvo

Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to HEMI’s. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout.
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