Could compressed air lead to markedly smaller engines?

Could compressed air lead to markedly smaller engines?

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Tech

A 1.0-liter two-cylinder that performs like a 3.0 liter V6? On what planet? Researchers at Switzerland's ETH Zurich school of engineering are developing pneumatic hybrid engines that use compressed air to deliver big performance and efficiency from a small package. During deceleration, the engine's pistons are used to compress air, which is diverted through a special valve and into a holding tank. Rather than try to propel the vehicle directly with compressed air, like Guy Negre's hybrid system, ETH Zurich's setup uses the compressed air as an instant supercharger to gap where a turbocharger would be spinning up.

The goal is to offer much more efficient engines for less money than electric hybrids. Buyers in China or India can't afford the expensive premium that current hybrids command, so something less expensive has to be found. The compressed air systems would achieve 80% of the benefit while only costing 20% more. Dropping the cylinder count reduces frictional and pumping losses, and technologies like direct fuel injection and HCCI can offer diesel-like efficiency out of a gasoline engine. A small, turbocharged two-cylinder with a compressed air system for oomph when needed could return more than 100MPG in a small, light vehicle. Doesn't sound so crazy now, does it?

[Source: Wards Auto | Photo: Wards]

Could compressed air lead to markedly smaller engines? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: GM asks Saturn dealers to hang on for 60 days

REPORT: GM asks Saturn dealers to hang on for 60 days

Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, GM, Saturn

Thank you for calling the General Motors emergency hotline, please hold while we sort out what the heck to do with you...

Saturn dealers are being asked by GM to hold on and not do anything drastic for 60 days while the automaker figures out its next move. There are several options possible, some more feasible than others. The one that's gotten the most attention recently is spinning off Saturn into an independent business, which has everyone intrigued. GM could even remain a supplier to Saturn if it cuts the right deal, as an independent Saturn would be purchasing products from other sources.

Some dealers think the brand could turn into a sort of automotive Costco, sourcing product from all over the place and putting the house brand on the grille. Perhaps the most likely scenario is GM steering its Saturn unit into bankruptcy, and hurrying the process along before the current product ages out in 2012. It's certainly a thorny little chestnut for GM to crack, and for now, Saturn dealers are being asked to refrain from doing anything like closing, or rolling another brand into their showrooms for at least 60 days.

[Source: Auto News - sub req]

REPORT: GM asks Saturn dealers to hang on for 60 days originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi TT RS official pics, details hit the web

Filed under: Convertibles, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Geneva Motor Show, Euro, Audi

Click above for a gallery of the Audi TT RS

Forget the teasers. Here's the rest of the car. When it premieres in Geneva next month, the Audi TT RS will arrive in both coupe and convertible bodystyles. Both are powered by a 340-horsepower, 331 lb-ft, 2.5-liter turbo five cylinder. The driver rows a six-speed stick, and quattro channels power to all the wheels. 0-62 mph takes under 5 seconds. As the teaser shots hinted, look for more aggressive front and rear fascias, LED driving lamps, and a fixed rear spoiler. As with other RS cars, the brakes and suspension are also beefed up. Inside? Typical good stuff from Audi -- you know the drill. If you missed the engine sound clip yesterday, hit the play button below. You won't be disappointed. Sadly, there are no plans to offer the hottest TT to enthusiasts on this side of the Atlantic. Bummer. We'll drool over the car in person when the festivities get underway in Geneva next month.

Gallery: Audi TT RS

[Source: CarScoop]

Audi TT RS official pics, details hit the web originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari recalls F430 Spider for defective convertible top

Ferrari recalls F430 Spider for defective convertible top

Filed under: Convertibles, Recalls/TSBs, Ferrari

Click above for high-res gallery of the Ferrari F430 Spider

Yesterday Ferrari issued a recall for 1,950 of its 2005-2007 F430 Spiders involving the car's automatic convertible top, according to the NHTSA. The problem arose from the hydraulic hoses that operate the top, which could form hairline cracks due to heat from the engine. As a result, the hoses could leak fluid into the engine bay and possibly create smoke or even start a fire. To remedy the situation, Ferrari dealers will install an insulated heat shield that will protect the hoses from heat in the engine bay. Full details can be found in the NHTSA release after the jump.

Gallery: Ferrari F430 Spider

[Source: InsideLine via FerrariChat.com]

Continue reading Ferrari recalls F430 Spider for defective convertible top

Ferrari recalls F430 Spider for defective convertible top originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Automakers limiting options to reduce costs

Filed under: Car Buying, Trends, Earnings/Financials

With sales at a 26-year low, the Detroit 3 are trying almost anything to reduce costs and make more money from the cars they are selling. One of the biggest changes coming apes what some of the more successful Japanese makers have done all along: offering fewer configurations of their models. If you want leather, you option up for the higher-spec model and get the sunroof, two-zone climate control, larger wheels, and steering-wheel-controlled MP3 stereo system too. Soon, you'll see a similarly simplified menu in domestic showrooms.

According to the Detroit Free Press, offering fewer combinations allows automakers to cut engineering, design and marketing costs, which are frequently larger than even the manufacturing costs for a vehicle. One example is the 2010 Ford Fusion. The 2008 Fusion offered no fewer than 2,600 combinations between the different trim levels, option packages and stand-alone options. That number will be slashed to just 104 for someone shopping the 2010 model. To put that in perspective, someone looking at a 2009 Honda Accord can pick from about 20 versions. It's basically coupe or sedan, automatic or stick, LX or EX trim levels, with the EX available with leather and/or navigation, and either the four-cylinder or the 3.5L V6. That's it. Compared to a typical Chrysler, which might have had as many as 10,000 combinations in the past, the new system will keep things simple in an attempt to streamline the domestics' offerings.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Automakers limiting options to reduce costs originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Red-faced rag top: Volkswagen unveils New Beetle "Blush"

Filed under: Convertibles, Volkswagen

Click above to view high-res gallery of the VW New Beetle Blush

Driving a New Beetle convertible alone is enough to make this 30-something, male blogger blush from embarrassment. Now there's a new, tarted-up version of the neo-Bug called the Blush that sports special colors and trimmings to match the driver's face. The Blush is painted up in a hue called White Gold - a metallic finish that will likely be the pride of the Real Estate Agent's parking lot, especially when paired with the red leather interior. Fold the red top down, cover it with the red boot and hit the road. You'll be spinning the car's uniquely-patterned 17-inch wheels on your way to the next showing. There's the standard kit underhood: a 2.5-liter engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. $27,000 is all that separates you from this hunk of awesomeness. We'd love nothing more than to show you a 50-image gallery of the Blush, but VW has released only two interior shots of the car. Maybe they're embarrassed a bit.

Gallery: Volkswagen New Beetle Blush

[Source: VW]

Continue reading Red-faced rag top: Volkswagen unveils New Beetle "Blush"

Red-faced rag top: Volkswagen unveils New Beetle "Blush" originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chicago 2009: Lexus expands F-sport parts to includes GS, IS convertible and IS AWD

Filed under: Aftermarket, Chicago Auto Show, Tuners, Convertibles, Sedans/Saloons, Lexus

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lexus F-Sport vehicles and accessories

Lexus wasn't doing much in the Windy City this week, so it used the opportunity to release a new line of F-Sport accessories for the GS, IS AWD and upcoming IS C.

Thankfully, Lexus is keeping the majority of its F-Sport items focused on performance, beginning with 18- or 19-inch wheels and six-piston front and four-piston rear brakes, each equipped with stainless steel lines and uprated brake pads. Bilstein shocks, lowering springs, sway bars, a chassis brace, clutch set, short shifter kit, intake and stainless steel exhaust round out the performance options, while a carbon fiber engine cover, shift knob and floor mats appease the dress-up crowd.

When installed by an authorized dealer, the TRD-developed performance parts carry a 12-month warranty on their own or for the balance of the new car warranty. We're looking forward to getting some seat time in a fully-kitted IS 350 equipped with all the F-Sport goodies, so stay tuned for a thorough review. Make the jump for a listing of all the F-Sport parts.

Gallery: Lexus F-Sport Accessories

Continue reading Chicago 2009: Lexus expands F-sport parts to includes GS, IS convertible and IS AWD

Chicago 2009: Lexus expands F-sport parts to includes GS, IS convertible and IS AWD originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Along came a Spyder: Maserati to roll out GranTurismo GTS, convertible

Along came a Spyder: Maserati to roll out GranTurismo GTS, convertible

Filed under: Convertibles, Sports/GTs, Maserati

Click above for a high-resolution gallery of the Maserati GranTurismo

For an automaker with only two model lines, Maserati is certainly keeping busy. One of a handful of luxury carmakers to improve its sales figures in 2008, the Trident marque is undoubtedly looking to build upon its growth with an eye towards setting yet another sales record. Fortunately that push is product-driven, prompting Modena to improve upon its already-mouthwatering offerings and give us something new to drool over, too.

First up is the Quattroporte GTS, the sportiest version yet of Maserati's performance luxury sedan, which debuted at the Detroit show and goes on sale next month. That will reportedly be followed by a similarly-equipped version of its two-door counterpart. Called the GranTurismo GTS, we can't help but wonder if it was named by someone with a stutter... or maybe by former UN sec-gen Boutros Boutros-Ghali. Naming aside, the high-spec GranTurismo is expected to ditch the robotized manual in favor of the performance-tuned automatic coupled to the 433-hp, 4.8-liter V8 from the Quattroporte GTS. Other changes will include a tighter suspension and sporty touches all around.

The bigger news, however, will be the debut of the new Spyder. While a smaller sports car has been speculated, sources expect this Spyder to be GranTurismo-based, retaining its four proper seats under the open sky. The new Maserati Spyder could make its public debut as soon as Frankfurt later this year, so stay tuned.

Gallery: Autoblog Garage: 2008 Maserati GranTurismo

[Source: What Car?]

Along came a Spyder: Maserati to roll out GranTurismo GTS, convertible originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 08 Feb 2009 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AutoblogGreen for 02.06.09

AutoblogGreen for 02.06.09

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green

click to visit AutoblogGreen

Car design has changed just a little bit in the last seven decades, but that doesn't mean that newer is always better. Take the CGE Type TB Cabriolet, a pure electric car from 1941 (above, right). From a design standpoint, would you rather have one of those, the new Saturn Flextreme or the cute/evil looking Peapod?

• Peapod now out on its own. Will it find love?
• Two students create hydrogen fuel cell-powered motorcycle
• Washington 2009: picture fun with the Saturn Flextreme
• U.S. ethanol production down by 21 percent
• Yes, she did it again: Daryl Hannah shows off her new biodiesel El Camino
• 1941 CGE Type TB Cabriolet electric car to be auctioned in Paris
• An all-Tesla racing series? Nothing factory-sanctioned for now
• Biodiesel board announces sustainability principles
• KTM used KERS system on 125 GP bike last year
• Peugeot likely to delay plug-in hybrid program to save money
• New alliance to promote diesel cars in the U.S.
• What's it like to drive the prototype of the world's fastest production motorcycle?
• German auto club gets HydroGen4 from GM for roadside assistance
• Cadillac quietly awards Super Bowl MVP Santanio Holmes an Escalade Hybrid
• Honda starts taking orders for new Insight in Japan
• Axion Power gets $800,000 grant for lead carbon electric vehicle batteries

AutoblogGreen for 02.06.09 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New car customers stuck with old loans when dealers don't pay off the trade-in

Filed under: Car Buying, Carsumer Advocacy

Many consumers who buy a new car still owe money on the car they're trading in. The situation is usually handled by the dealer agreeing to pay off the old loan, the cost of which might be folded into the new car price. No problem a year ago, but it's a bigger issue now. With 5,000 dealers closing their doors last year, some of those old loans aren't getting paid off. Consumers who bought new cars are finding out they're still on the hook for the old car loans, and in some cases, if another consumer has already bought the trade-in from the dealer, the bank will repossess it.

Complaints about such practices are rising, but there isn't much a buyer can do: if the dealer has gone bankrupt, mere scraps are rewarded to most folks in the scrum of creditors. Most states have insurance bonds against these kinds of losses, but they might pay as little as $5,000, which is barely enough to cover one default.

Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia have restitution funds. California -- exceptionally victimized by the practice because of the number of cars sold in the state -- is creating one that will be fed by a $1 fee on every car sold, but it isn't operational yet. In the meantime, used car buyers should ask to see the car's title to ensure it's clear. And for all buyers, in good times and especially in bad, caveat emptor.

[Source: MSNBC]

New car customers stuck with old loans when dealers don't pay off the trade-in originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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