Hyundai CEO John Krafcik will keep his company’s focus on being a fuel economy leader, and has ruled out a high-performance sports car, even as he discussed the various ways in which the new CAFE regulations can be gamed to produce low fleet fuel economy ratings. With large vehicles being held to less stringent standards...
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According to Chrysler’s own test results the new V-6/8-speed automatic combo, combined with a 2.56:1 final drive ratio; enables these large sedans to achieve 31 miles per gallon highway fuel economy, versus 27 on the outgoing models.
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Kia Motors is participating in an 8,000 mile trip with the 2011 Optima Hybrid sedan in an effort to break the Guinness World Record for the lowest fuel consumption in a hybrid car. Drivers Wayne Gerdes and Chris Bernius will drive through 48 states in 16 days. Both drivers are experienced fuel economy drivers and the 2011...
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Imagine having a gadget in your car that could tell you how fast to go to avoid stopping at the next light. Well, now you can. A network of dashboard smartphones can monitor traffic lights and congestion helping drivers avoid idling, cutting fuel use by 20 percent. SignalGuru collects and analyzes traffic data from images...
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The technology will be incorporated on Volvo’s Euro market D3 2.0-liter turbo-diesel five-cylinder engine, and teamed with the company’s six-speed automatic is expected to reduce fuel consumption by around 0.4 liters per 100 km (3 mpg US).
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These improvements are said to net significant gains in fuel economy; two-wheel drive V-6 engined examples being rated at 17/23 miles per gallon (city/highway), while 4WD versions are pegged at 16/23.
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Ford recently announced that the four-cylinder Ecoboost powered Edge achieves 21 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway with the Ecoboost option, an improvement over the 3.5-liter V6 which gets 19 mpg city and 27 highway. The turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder produces 240-hp and 270 lb-ft of torque, down 45-hp from the V6 model,...
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The White House announced earlier that it would be lowering its CAFE standard from 56.5 MPG to 54. The proposal, however, won’t be finalized until Friday—and until then, the White House is looking towards automakers to approve the change. Automakers have yet to officially endorse the new limits, but many are expected to favor any CAFE...
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Having launched a spate of new passenger cars recently, including the Cruze and Sonic, GM is now turning its attention to trucks, with new full-size pickups due in 2013 for the ‘14 model year, followed shortly by big SUVs and for GMC, a small crossover, the Granite.
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Japanese mini-car manufacturer Daihatsu is preparing to launch what it says will be the most fuel efficient non-hybrid car in the world. Set to launch in September, the unnamed vehicle makes use of what is being called “e:S Technology,” or Energy Saving Technology. The comprehensive efficiency program is being credited for achieving an almost 40...
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Today, Nissan North America announced U.S pricing for the 2012 Versa Hatchback, a model that is carried over from the previous year, despite the fact that the 2012 sedan is all-new. Continuing on the popular first-generation design, it is available in 1.8 S and 1.8 SL models. The 1.8-liter S hatchback model has been priced...
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The all-new 2012 Nissan Versa will boast a 30-mpg city and 38-mpg highway rating thanks to a new dual-injector system. Rather than switch to direct-injection system like many other automakers, Nissan’s solution to increasing demand for improved fuel economy uses two fuel injectors per cylinder (one for each intake valve on the 1.6-liter 4-cylinder), and...
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The world’s greenest race car has been banned from racing—for being too fast. God forbid. Like the great race cars of history, kneecapped for being too dominant, the Oaktec Honda Insight joins the Porsche 917 and Brabham BT46 as one of the quick yet misunderstood motorsport legends. Developed for Formula 1000 rallying, the hybrid Insight...
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With the rise of turbochargers as a “green” technology, the lifespan of superchargers looked numbers as their popularity decreased, with the belt driven forced induction systems appearing only on high-end V6 and V8 powered sports cars. While superchargers delivery power in a smooth, linear manner, their cost, complexity and noise has relegated them to near...
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However Eaton Corp, one of the largest manufacturers of OE positive displacement superchargers, is hoping to reverse the trend toward turbos, by introducing a new line of superchargers, dubbed the Twin Vortices Series, aimed at small displacement applications (engines as small as 1.2-liters in fact).
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An updated U.S fuel economy label was unveiled today aimed at reducing gasoline consumption and exhaust emissions. These new stickers will be required on all 2013 models, allowing consumers to quickly glance at fuel consumption. The sticker will also display estimates of fuel or electricity required to drive 100 miles as well as time needed...
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With the recent recession and high fuel prices, car buyers are placing a higher priority on fuel efficiency. To save at the pump, buyers are willing to sacrifice purchase, price, amenities and size but not safety, according to the Consumer Reports National Research Center. 1,764 random adult car owners were interviewed between April 28-May 2,...
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A big-name outlet like Edmunds.com may get a lot of sports cars, but it’s not all burnouts and apexes—they have to pay for them as well. So they tallied up the fuel costs among 9 sports cars over one month to see what $4-gallon gas gets you these days if you’re not schlepping about in...
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Improved sales in the first quarter of 2011 in the subcompact and compact segments has accounted for better average fuel economy among light vehicles. The average fuel consumption of light vehicles in the United States is 22.7 mpg, representing a 1.9 percent jump over the average fuel economy of light vehicles in the first quarter...
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The new trucks are said to not only employ new, more efficient six and eight-cylinder engines along with hybrid drivetrains, but are also rumored to boast significant weight savings over their current counterparts.
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The 2012 Honda Civic is a crucial product for Honda. As the competition gets better and better, Honda will have to fight to retain customers in the compact car segment, an area where they were the undisputed champions for decades. But with the new Chevrolet Cruze, Hyundai Elantra and Ford Focus nipping at its heels,...
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Today’s four-cylinder engines are much more refined and powerful, to the point that the old adage ‘there’s no replacement for displacement’ doesn’t really apply any more.
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Ford‘s strategy involving smaller cars priced at a premium will become even more important if gasoline rises beyond $4 gallon, said Ford of the Americans President Mark Fields. “There is a natural kind of water level that if a gallon of gas goes over, that may shift the market mentality,” Fields told Automotive News. “When it...
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The Audi A2 was well ahead of its time when it launched in 1999, and it paid dearly for its advanced nature, with a short lifespan and disappointing sales. But the A2, which was capable of getting 78 mpg in some trim levels, appears set for a renaissance. Times have changed, and the demand for a...
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