Auto & Car Blog

Filed under: Car Buying, Minivans/MPVs, Green, Chrysler, LLC., Dodge

With moms now actually reading EPA fuel economy figures on the window sticker before trying out the dozen cup holders found in most modern minivans, Chrysler went back to the engineering lab and knocked out a few more miles per gallon for its 2009 minivan offerings. Bragging that no other minivan offers better fuel economy than the 2009 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, the automaker is boasting EPA figures of 17 city / 25 highway for the minivans when equipped with the automaker’s 4.0L six-cylinder engine and minivan-first 6-speed automatic. Considering that the original 1984 Chrysler Town and Country achieved 18 city / 21 highway with a 2.6L four-cylinder and three-speed transmission, we’ve clearly come a long way. To squeeze out the extra miles per gallon, Chrysler tweaked the large 4.0L V6 engine and then changed the ratios on the transmission. With a higher ratio first gear, and smaller steps between the new ratios, the minivans are quicker off the line and the engine doesn’t loose as much speed between shifts. The result is a fuel economy improvement of about 8 percent or about 2 mpg. Now, if the engineers could just do something about that minivan stigma…

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Chrysler ekes out additional 2 mpg on 2009 minivans

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Filed under: MPG, Legislation and Policy

• www.drivecongress.com
• www.drivingamericasfuture.com
• www.grabdemocracybythehorns.com (password protected at this time)

What do all of the above internet sites all have in common? They are all designed to encourage consumers to contact Congress. What shall consumers say to Congress? To “Oppose Unrealistic Fuel Economy Increases,” according to one of the sites. The other sites have similar goals, although Chrysler is only targeting their dealerships at this time with their “Grab Democracy by the Horns” site. Drive Congress was created by The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, an organization made up of nine manufacturers, or ten if you count Daimler separate from Chrysler already.

The sites all suggest that there are better ways to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions than focusing on better fuel economy for our automobiles. Will this sentiment be rejected in the face of record high gasoline prices, or will consumers agree that fuel economy and harmful emissions should be kept separate from one another in legislation? Perhaps you should do what they are suggesting and contact Congress. Let them know what you think, one way or the other.

[Source: Detroit News]

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Filed under: MPG, BMW, Chrysler, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, GM, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, Porsche, Toyota, Volkswagen, Legislation and Policy

In an effort to sway consumer’s minds when it comes to the types of vehicles they purchase and the regulations concerning fuel mileage of those vehicles, a consortium of automakers is running radio and print advertising in some states. The group, Auto Alliance, consists of General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., DaimlerChrysler AG, Toyota, BMW, Volkswagen, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Porsche, and is known officially as The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. Their mission: “The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers represents the common interests of its members and provides a forum to enable them to advance public policies that meet consumer and societal needs for clean, safe, efficient, and affordable personal transportation. ”

Although claiming that “we need a balanced approach that avoids harm to Americans dependent on larger cars and light trucks,” according to Gloria Bergquist, the group is not really taking a balanced approach in the states the ads will be heard and shown in. According to this article, “the alliance said it would spend “way north” of $1 million on the ads to be run in Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — all states with high percentages of truck and SUV owners.”

The ads are said to be targeted towards truck owners and mothers who drive larger vehicles and are concerned with safety. The idea is that fuel mileage regulations would make it more difficult for consumers to purchase heavy duty, work capable pickups and for mothers to find safe vehicles.

Click here for ad one (.mp3). Click here for ad two (.mp3).

Grassroots efforts are also said to be in effect to contact retirees from the large automakers with similar information. At this time, automakers are under regulations that were created in 1975 to regulate fuel economy. So, all of you consumers out there, what do you think?

[Source: Detroit News]

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Filed under: Diesel, MPG, SMART, Volkswagen, Legislation and Policy

The Canadian government recently introduced a new incentive program to encourage people to buy more efficient vehicles. Unfortunately recent changes to emissions regulations in Canada mean that like the US there is currently a temporary gap in availability of new diesel powered cars. As a result no diesels turned up on the original eligibility list.

Transport Canada has since clarified the rules and made clear that all new unregistered vehicles that meet the mileage criteria are eligible, meaning that unsold 2006 models that are still sitting on dealer lots qualify. The updated list now includes a pair of diesel powered Smarts and a variety of Volkswagens from the 2006 model year. The full updated list can be found at the Transport Canada ecoAUTO website.

[Source: Transport Canada, thanks to Greg for the tip]

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Filed under: Diesel, MPG, Mercedes Benz

Mercedes-Benz has issued a press release bragging about the fact that thirty-eight percent of their European sales are of cars that get more than 36mpg, and eighteen percent achieve better than 47 mpg. All of the high-mileage models are powered by diesel engines, but unfortunately none of these models are available for purchase in the US market. Several of the models are A and B-Class series which have never been sold here. The others are C an E-Class models with smaller four-cylinder diesel engines that can’t be had here, although we may see some in a few years when the next generation Mercedes four-cylinder diesel is introduced. The Mercedes press release is after the jump.

[Source: DaimlerChrysler]

More than 38 percent of all new Mercedes cars sold in Europe consume fewer than 6.5 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres. And one in five new Mercedes-Benz cars has a fuel consumption of no more than around five litres per 100 kilometres. Mercedes-Benz currently offers a total of eleven passenger-car models whose average consumption is between just 4.9 and 6.5 litres per 100 kilometres.

In 2006, around 34 percent of all Mercedes customers in Germany opted for a new car with a fuel consumption of below 6.5 litres per 100 kilometres. Around 18 percent of German customers chose a model which consumes no more than five litres per 100 kilometres. Mercedes-Benz is the only premium brand to offer such an extensive range of low-consumption models, including compact cars, sports tourers, saloons and coupés.

The A 160 CDI is the most fuel-efficient Mercedes model of all, with a combined fuel consumption of 4.9 to 5.2 litres per 100 kilometres (depending on tyre size). Boasting an output of 60 kW/82 hp, the compact car has a range of up to 1100 kilometres on a single tank of fuel (54 litres). Mercedes-Benz also offers executive models that can achieve a fuel consumption of around 6 litres per 100 kilometres in the shape of the E 200 CDI and the E 220 CDI. The four-cylinder saloons (with an output of 100 kW/136 hp and 125 kW/170 hp respectively) consume a mere 6.3 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres and, on a full tank (65 litres), can cover in excess of 1000 kilometres. If the optional 80-litre fuel tank is ordered, the range of the CDI saloons is extended to over 1250 kilometres, equivalent to driving from Berlin to Florence.

The amount of fuel consumed by the four-cylinder CDI engines in the C-Class is reduced by a further 0.3 litres per 100 kilometres. In the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), the new C 200 CDI and C 220 CDI models post a fuel-consumption figure of just 6.1 litres per 100 kilometres.

Mercedes models with a fuel consumption between 4.9 and 6.5 litres per 100 kilometres

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Filed under: Diesel, Ethanol, EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, MPG

Here are the numbers generated by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute’s Automotive Analysis Division survey of automotive experts:

• Gas prices will average slightly more than $4 a gallon by 2015 and just over $5 a gallon by 2020
• CAFE standards for cars is expected to increase from today’s 27.5 miles per gallon to 33 mpg in 2015 and 38 mpg in 2020 — a 38 percent jump
• CAFE standards for trucks will rise from the current 21.6 mpg to 27 mpg in 2015 and 31 mpg in 2020 — a 44 percent increase
• Alternative-fueled engines will make up 42 percent of vehicle sales by 2015, and 55 percent by 2020
• The majority of alternative-fueled vehicles will be based on advanced diesel and hybrid technologies

According to this site, “More than 100 powertrain experts from across North America responded to UMTRI’s online survey, which sought to examine strategic planning factors, alternative powertrain technologies, company barriers to the introduction of new powertrain technology, sourcing issues, powertrain and drivetrain technologies, and human resource issues through 2020. This continuing study also will examine the opinions and attitudes of powertrain experts in Asia and Europe over the coming months.”

Reactions to this survey by Rick Wagoner and Tim Leuliette, chairman and CEO of Metaldyne, will be posted today as well.

(Edited for name correction)

[Source: Mitech News]

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