Volvo shows off new FlexiFuel range, including V70 police car

Last year, Volvo introduced a line of vehicles in Europe capable of running on E85 fuel which it refers to as the FlexiFuel range. Already available in the C30, S40, V50 and V70 and S80 models with engines ranging from 1.8 to 2.5 liters, Volvo has seen fit to add a new police-specific V70 to its range of flexible fuel vehicles. Perhaps this addition will allow for more than just 50-100 sales in the U.K. As with the current V70 and S80 FlexiFuel models, the new emergency vehicle will come equipped with the turbocharged 2.5 liter inline five cylinder engine offering 200 horsepower and a very reasonable 300Nm of torque at 1500-4500rpm. This output allows for a top speed of 130mph and a run from 0 to 60mph in 7.6 seconds -- not too shabby at all. Volvo's V70 police car again raises the point that the U.K. police force often chooses very practical vehicles for law enforcement duties. While the estate body style makes perfect sense for police duties, we can't imagine the authorities in the U.S. rolling around with wagons any time soon (except for the Romulus MI police who have the speed traps set up in the vicinity of Detroit Metro Airport with their unmarked Dodge Magnums).

Hyundai launches i800 full-size van in Europe

What, you thought only Ford and GM did the full-size van thing anymore? Say hello to the eight-passenger Hyundai i800, which goes on sale late June in the UK. The i800 sports captain's chairs up front with two three-passenger benches out back. That makes a grand total of eight seat belts thanks to its totally accommodating third-row. Hyundai's big van is powered by a 2.5L four-cylinder CRDi diesel engine, so we expect acceleration is an afterthought in this cavernous cruiser. The i800 does, however, feature a coil-sprung rear suspension for a more minivan-like ride than some of its commercial transport competition. But aside from its features, the i800 is just a good looking van. Its design is more fluid than Chrysler's new boxy minivans and it doesn't look like it belongs in a FedEx fleet (we're looking at you, Ford Econoline). Screw the Entourage, we want this Hyundai hauler in the U.S.

Mazda survey reveals pricing and packages for Mazda6

Mazda recently sent out a survey request to potential customers, the purpose of which was to allow these survey takers to build a 2009 Mazda6 with whatever options, packages and colors they wanted so that the automaker could gauge which will be most popular when the car goes on sale. Unfortunately, Mazda was smart and the survey can only be taken once, but one person recorded all the information he saw and posted it on the Mazda6club.com forum. His notes after the jump give us an idea of what trim levels, options and pricing will be available when the car does go on sale, though none of it is written in stone. It appears that the 2009 Mazda6 will be available in two basic versions: the Mazda6 i that comes with a 170-hp 2.5L four-cylinder with VVT and the more powerful Mazda6 s that's motivated by a 272-hp 3.7L V6. The Mazda6 i will be offered in SV, Sport, Touring and Grand Touring models, while the Mazda6 s will be available as Sport, Touring and Grand Touring. As far as pricing goes, the Mazda6 i SV kicks things off with a base price of $19,850 while the Mazda6 s Grand Touring tops the range with a base price of $29,150. That's quite a large range that should satisfy the wants and needs of most buyers, and features like Xenon headlamps, Bluetooth, a Blind Spot Monitoring system, rain-sensing wipers and wheels up to 18-inches in diameter should position the new Zoom-Zoom sedan well against its mid-size family sedan competition. Check out all the packages, standard features and pricing info after the jump, but remember they may not be the same when the car officially goes on sale. Thanks for the tip, Joel!

Fiat replaces water with special wax

Fiat Spain has decided to make an effort to reduce the amount of water used to wash cars by using a special wax. The wax will be used at dealers and repair shops when cars are cleaned before delivery to customers. What will it do? Fiat expects the wax to reduce water use by up to 145 million liters of water (about 40 million gallons) per year. The wax treatment is part of Fiat's "Ecoproject," which aims to offer customers greener dealers and post-sale services. Other "Ecoproject" measures include discounts for customers with the greatest "ecologic" commitment (whatever that means) and free "green" check-ups.

20,000 people express email interest in buying a Chevy Volt

According to Dr. Lyle Dennis, the founder of the GM-Volt.com fan site, over 20,000 people are on the "Chevy Volt Waiting List." For comparison, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV online petition currently has just 1,350 signatures calling on the Japanese company to sell the electric jellybean here in the U.S. The Volt waiting list, though, isn't a declaration of an intent to buy or a place to put down a deposit. Instead, it's a grassroots way to let GM know that you're interested in buying the Volt when it comes out in late 2010. Still, I don't doubt that many - most, probably - of the people signed up would gladly fork over the money ($40,000? $35,000?) for the car. Wanna add your name to the list? Sign up here. More details after the jump.

More details on the electric Triac emerge + new truck?

Recently we broke a story about a new electric "highway capable" three-wheeled car being prepared for the American market called the Triac. We promised to keep you posted and now that some interesting new details have emerged, behold the posting. Apparently, many of you out there contacted Green Vehicles to seek out more information about the Triac for yourselves. It seems they might have been a little overwhelmed and it took a few days before a response was sent out en masse. The missive contained lots of interesting information which I will now share with you. First of all, there were a couple of items from the video that were corrected. In the clip it states that the top speed of the vehicle is 70 mph. This is wrong. Green Vehicles is claiming that it can actually reach 80 mph. That's a speed that can come in handy when you're passing on the highway. The other metric to undergo revision was the range. This was lowered from 120 to 100 miles with the further explanation that the original figure was achieved at a relatively slow speed and that the new result was returned from a speed of 45 mph. Other Triac facts we learned were about the drivetrain. It will have a 5-speed transmission (we're guessing manual) matched to a 20kW AC motor with "one of the world's most sophisticated battery maintenance systems" to help you get the most out of your lithium ion battery pack. It's onboard charger will allow you to plug it in to either a 120V or 240V outlet. Now, what was that about a truck? Hit the jump for more news.

Tesla's European lessons

As we saw with the Bono pic, Tesla Motors representatives took the Roadster to Europe for a little PR&R recently. Well, as Darryl Siry, Tesla's VP of sales, marketing, and service, writes in a new post about the company trip on the "feel" blog over on the Tesla Motors website, there wasn't as much R as he might have liked. So, for those of use who don't mind that Mr. Siry worked more than played on the old continent, let's see what he has to say (oh, and we thank him for his service, of course). First up, pricing. The 2009 U.S. version of the Roadster will cost $109,000, up from $98,000 for the base 2008 model. A lot of the increase can be attributed to the weakening dollar, Siry writes, because Tesla pays for much of the Roadster in Euros and Pounds. The limited edition 2009 Euro-spec Roadster will cost 99,000 Euros, and is comparable to the fully-loaded 2009 Roadster. For more on the Euro-spec Roadster, look here. Siry also gets into production of the current Roadsters, and says that Job 3 has been delivered (Martin Eberhard is still waiting for some custom paint work to be done on Job 2) and that production will be ramping up this summer and fall. Siry's got more for you here.

Electric vehicle company RTEV focusing on battery-powered ATVs

RTEV, the Ruff & Tuff Electric Vehicle company, is not the first to realize that a battery-powered ATV could be a good seller (we spoke with Electric Vehicle Systems about their ATEV last year). RTEV is now ready to expand into the electric recreational vehicles market with three models - the Cruiser, the 4-wheel drive Hunter, and the Workman - and has high hopes for more EVs down the road. RTEV's three current models are all Low Speed Vehicles, which means they're OK going 25 mph on roads designated with 35 mph speed limits. Ruff & Tuff sold about 1,000 vehicles last year and will introduce electric scooters and bicycles (branded with the Wheego name) later this year. 2009 should see car-shaped Ruff & Tuff NEVs hit the market and the company is talking about "full-size, full-speed electric vehicles" in 2010. Currently, RTEV vehicles use dry cell sealed (AGM) batteries that can move the vehicles about 70 miles between charges. Check out a video of the Hunter electric ATV in action and see more details on the currently-available LSVs after the break.

Since the advent of the hybrid at the turn of this century, an increasingly large group of hardcore fanatics have taken up hypermiling. For the uninitiated, hypermiling is the practice of using modified driving techniques to get the maximum possible fuel efficiency. There are hypermilers who claim to get over 100mpg from their Priuses and Insights. The problem is that techniques like pulse and glide involve significant fluctuations in speed. By accelerating quickly and then coasting for long periods using regenerative braking to recharge the battery as much as possible and then repeating ad nauseum, they minimize the load on the engine. This is fine when a vehicle is driving in little or no traffic. Unfortunately, when there are other cars around, an extreme hypermiler can pose a real impediment. Differences in speed are often a source of accidents and people who aren't driving hybrids won't want to be stuck behind someone coasting along. There is nothing wrong with trying to maximize fuel efficiency and everyone should be trying to drive efficiently. However, even hypermilers need to be cognizant of other drivers around them and avoid being obstructive.

It's happened: Boy hit by hybrid, mom blames quiet running

When an eight-year-old boy on a bicycle gets hit by a car while riding in the middle of the street, the blame often points directly at the youth. However, if the car in question just happens to be a quiet hybrid-electric... there just may be reason to accuse the vehicle. Last weekend, a youthful Owen Erickson was riding his two-wheeler with a friend when he was struck by a Toyota Prius and tossed onto the hood of the popular hybrid. Thankfully, he was unhurt. His mother, however, was quick to place some of the blame on the "totally silent" Prius, claiming her son never heard it coming. As a scapegoat, the hybrid-electric vehicle is taking more than its fair share of heat. Two years ago, we blogged about the silent danger of hybrids. Earlier this year, Maryland launched a study, and passed legislation aimed at vehicle noise levels (more specifically, the "lack of" audible decibels), citing a legitimate concern for the blind. Just last month, a bill was introduced in the House of Representatives to study whether or not a "minimum sound level" needs to be established for these highly-efficient silent runners. We obviously haven't "heard" the end of this hybrid-electric argument as it begins to gain momentum around the country. Whether future Prius models are equipped with blaring sirens or not, we do know that Moms will still need to teach their children to not play in the middle of the street. Thanks for the tip, Tyler!

Hybrids could get a boost in China with tax changes

To date, hybrids haven't been making much headway in the Chinese market. Big price premiums and relatively cheap gas have dampened demand among consumers there. That may soon change as the Chinese government is apparently considering dropping the sales tax on hybrid vehicles to stimulate sales. Given the choking pollution in cities like Beijing and Shanghai, the government needs to do something, especially considering that Chinese consumers seem to be increasingly migrating toward SUVs and other more powerful vehicles. What they really need to do is lift the cap on fuel prices. That would seriously push Chinese drivers to consider cleaner, more efficient vehicles.

Pontiac El Cami-"NO"

It comes as little surprise, but Cars.com has all but confirmed that the "El Camino" moniker has been nixed as a potential name of the new G8 Sport Truck. The site reports from a recent media event that a Pontiac spokesperson said that there was internal strife regarding use of the Chevy-associated nameplate on a Pontiac vehicle. Frankly, we agree with this decision. If GM wanted a legit El Camino, it would have simply handed the Ute to the Chevy division. GM has mismanaged its vehicle naming process enough as is -- one needn't look any further than Pontiac, where it's nuthin' but a "G" thang, baby... unless you're talking Vibe or Solstice. Way to be consistent, guys. Like everyone else, we're curious to learn what the badge applied to the G8 truck's tailgate will read, and it sounds like we should hear something fairly soon. Now, can we have another contest to give the G8 sedan a real name, too? Bonneville sounds nice to us...

Chrysler must be happy to keep holding onto GEM

GEM vehicles certainly aren't flashy. They don't go more than 25 mph, they look kind of goofy, and they're stuffed with old-fashioned lead acid batteries. In fact, GEM vehicles embody the "golf cart aesthetic" more than any other NEVs that regularly make an appearance on our little blog here. Still, there's something worth noting about Global Electric Motorcars: it's the Chrysler brand/subsidiary that has growing sales. Automotive News (subs req'd) has a good story that takes a look at how Chrysler is benefiting due to keeping the GEM subsidiary following the Daimler-Chrysler split last year. GEM has sold 37,000 Neighborhood Electric Vehicles since getting started in 1998 and, while the company doesn't announce sales figures, the company is profitable. With Chrysler trying to gin up sales through gas price gimmicks, it's good to see that these zero-emission niche vehicles are going strong. The potential for Chrysler to move GEM from the NEV category into a company that builds vehicles that are capable of higher speeds exists, particularly through Chrysler's ENVI. A GEM Zeo, anyone?

Wagons Ho! Volvo V70 gets R-Design treatment

Once upon a time, there was a subtle wagon called the V70R who's meek outward appearance belied the snortiest turbo 5-cylinder Volvo has ever put in a production car. All-wheel-drive helped the power get to the ground instead of immolating the front tires, and the R sat atop the V70 trim-level range. Alas, the R is no more. While it was awesome and amusing, it was also outgunned by the competition, even with 300 hard-breathing horsepower. Still, there are those who desire the look and demeanor of the R, while finding no fault with the lesser powertrains that Volvo offers. Those buyers can find what they're looking for with the new V70 R-Design package on the third generation wagon. Since the demise of the R, the V70 has moved up to become the wagon version of the S80, and the R-Line package adds a little visual oomph and chassis verve to the big estate. Ride height has been reduced and thicker swaybars are added, along with higher durometer bushings in the suspension. Like we saw on the C30 R-Design, matte finish metal accents are added to exterior pieces like the mirror housings and grille surround. Sporty-looking exhaust outlets, a rear spoiler and 18-inch wheels round out the exterior changes. The interior gets blue-faced gauges, unique metal trim pieces, and Volvo's already excellent seats get R-Design logos and sportier bolstering. The R-Design package adds £2,000 or so to the price of a UK V70, a decent price for a handling upgrade and a hunkered look. Volvo hasn't decided whether to bring it to the United States yet. If it does come to the North American market, the V70 R-Design will be a 2009 model, and we'll know by early summer if we have to look longingly across the pond for a clean-looking, sporty-driving wagon.

Peterbilt unveils new hydraulic hybrid garbage truck

Stop. Pick-up. Go. Repeat. This is the routine your sanitation and recycling trucks follow as they go about their daily rounds, relieving us of the astonishing amount of junk we all manage to accumulate in a week's time. This eats up fuel in traditionally-powered vehicles. Peterbilt might have a solution on display at the Waste Expo 2008 in Chicago (Waste Expo? Who knew?). The Model 320 HLA is equipped with Eaton's Hydraulic Launch Assist, which captures braking energy and stores it as pressurized hydraulic fluid. That fluid is then used to help propel the truck when the driver gets it back underway. UPS is currently piloting a delivery van equipped with the same technology. Peterbilt has not released any specific numbers, but states that the reductions in emissions and fuel consumption observed during the Model 320's testing are significant, and that as a bonus, the system should help reduce brake-related maintenance costs as well. Because garbage trucks start and stop so frequently, this might be the most natural application of hydraulic launch assist yet. Fuel sure isn't getting any cheaper, so it'll be interesting to see whether the technology catches on in the sanitation biz.

Iranian engineer creates 1hp bio-fuel powered hybrid, the Naturmobil

Over the years we've seen all manner of different hybrid configurations including mild and strong hybrids with parallel and series arrangements. There are hybrids with internal combustion paired with electric drive and hydraulic systems. Now an Iranian engineer based in Dubai has come up with something truly different. Abdolhadi Mirhejazi has built the Naturmobil (previously, the Naturcar). The Naturmobil literally has one horse power, as in, there is one horse powering the vehicle. The Naturmobil is a six wheeled, polycarbonate framed buggy with a top speed of 50mph although typical cruising velocity is closer to 12mph. Inside the cart is a treadmill tied to a gearbox. Powering the treadmill is a horse. Temperature and heart rate sensors attached to the horse allow its condition to be monitored so that it doesn't get overworked. When the horse walks it moves the conveyor belt which through a gearbox drives an electric motor that drives the front wheels. Although the inventor doesn't mention it, there is even the possibility for co-generation if the horse's exhaust is collected and reprocessed or used to collect methane. No word on whether Mirhejazi plans to bring the Naturmobil to next year's Detroit Auto Show to compare it the third gen Prius. Thanks to Tom for the tip!

Pininfarina to unveil its electric car this Autumn

It has been a while but there is finally news of the Pininfarina / Bolloré electric car project. First the good news. According to Channel 4 it will be sold in America as well as Europe and Japan. The bad news? There is no bad news, only more juicy tidbits like; the concept will debut at the Paris Motor Show in October and once we get our heads around that, the production model reveal is scheduled for the Geneva Auto Show in the Spring. Like that? There's more! The supermini with Pininfarina badging (not pictured above) should seat four and cost in the neighborhood of €15,000. That's $23,295.75 in American greenbacks at today's exchange rate. Although it will be powered by the Bolloré battery from France it will be innately Italian with the Pininfarina-designed coachwork sculpting being performed at its San Giorgio factory. That facility is now used to build the Spider and Brera for Alfa Romeo but that production work will be moved to its Bairo facility. There is a promise from Pininfarina that it will get 155 miles to a charge and although it will take five hours to completely fill it up from empty, a five-minute quickie will get you 15 miles down the road. We look forward to hearing more and are dusting off our Italian. Bene.

More creative incentives: Buy a VW Routan and get $1,500 for college

The new Volkswagen Routan minivan hasn't even gone on sale yet and there is already an incentive on its hood. This one, however, is not your typical cash back deal. Instead, Volkswagen is working under the assumption that the people likely to actually purchase a Routan are those with kids to haul. As such, VW of America is teaming up with Upromise to provide buyers with $1,500 towards a higher education savings plan. Upromise is a company that works with retailers to provide cash back bonuses when one of their registered credit card is used for purchases. Those rebates can then be transferred to a 529 education savings plan. To be eligible for the college bonus, you have to pre-order the Chrysler-built Routan by the end of August and take delivery by the end of November.

Rendered Speculation: Is it SHOtime for the next Ford Taurus?

We heard yesterday from a group of Ford Taurus SHO fans who were questioned in a focus group by Ford employees working on the next Taurus program, so we know that the Blue Oval is at least considering a high performance version of the next Taurus. Combine that with a grainy cell phone pic we posted of what could be a design study for the next Taurus and you've got fertile elements for our friends over at BringBacktheSHO.com who specialize in letting their imaginations run wild. Ryan Pasch who runs the website actually attended the focus group in question earlier this week, so these renderings based off of that grainy camera phone pic may be more accurate than we realize. Pasch calls the car in his renders the BringBacktheSHO Concept V2, and judging from the pics in our gallery below, we're as ready for the SHO's triumphant return as he his.

Nissan/Renault considering Nano competitor for India

Countries like China and India are a hotbed for the auto industry, and every major automaker is looking to improve its standing in the emerging markets while they're still on the ground floor. Low-cost micro cars are all the rage in the East, and Nissan/Renault is looking into getting a piece of that action by producing a Nano fighter. Nissan Motor India Director Neeraj Garg told The Times of India that while higher priced sedans and SUVs are also scheduled for India's booming auto market, a low-priced hatch is also on the wishlist if the pricing is right. Company officials say that the low-cost transportation could be among six new products scheduled for India by 2012, and with the country's low-cost labor, Nissan/Renault could also export any vehicles it makes there.

PSA goes further in downsizing engines

We already mentioned PSA's plans to downsize engines in an effort to improve fuel efficiency. The French company will showcase the progress its making during PREDIT (National Program for Terrestrial Transport Innovation), which is taking place this week in Paris. PSA will show a prototype co-developed with Valeo and IFP (the teams behind the low-carbon Smart). The prototype is a Citroën C2 with a two-cylinder engine, 8 valves and a mild-hybrid system with Stop&Start and regenerative braking. This allows the sub-subcompact to use 3.8 l/100 km (62 mpg U. S.) and emit just 90 g/km of CO2. The "regular" C2 featuring a 1.1 liter I4 engine uses 5.8 l/100 km (40.5 mpg U.S.) and produces 138 g/km of CO2. The C2 in the gallery below is the sporty version.

AC Schnitzer does the 1-series cabrio

In typical AC Schnitzer fashion, the German tuner wasted no time getting to work on the new BMW 1-series cabrio. Then again, it didn't take much effort to port over the work AC did for the standard 1-series coupe to its softer, drop-top sibling. The ACS1 Cabrio package includes all the Schitzerfied exterior elements (new front bumper, rear bumper with diffuser and side skirts) and interior bits (silver carbon fiber trim, aluminum pedal and shifter, etc.) you'd expect. More importantly, AC is offering tuning packages for every model in the 1-series lineup, including the 135i, 120d and 123d. The two diesel mills get a bump in power to 200 hp and 240 hp respectively, with the 135i outputting 360 hp through the use of a revised exhaust and some ECU tweaks. Naturally, AC is offering up a plethora of wheel options, sized from 17- to 19-inches.

Last Mitsubishi 380 auctioned for $100,000 in Australia

There's an old saying, you only want what you can't have. It holds particularly true in the context of Australia's Mitsubishi 380. The vehicle's Adelaide manufacturing facility was recently shuttered, partially due to lack of interest in the six-cylinder sedan. However, the vehicle's cancellation announcement ended up increasing demand for the final batch of 380s to roll off the assembly line. For that reason, Mitsubishi decided to auction off the final car to its suddenly sentimental Aussie dealers. The last domestically produced 380 ended up fetching $100,000 Australian dollars ($93,364) after all was said and done, which is more than three times its MSRP. John Hughes Mitsubishi, a Perth, Australia dealership, coughed up the cash for the winning bid. Mitsubishi also gave it the honor of choosing a charity to benefit from the proceeds of the sale. Knowing that the 380 in Australia is basically a Down Under-ified version of the Galant on sale in North America, is there any circumstance under which you could imagine paying that much for a Galant?

Angus MacKenzie loves diesels!

Motor Trend may be one of those stalwart publications that still sends out bound and printed piles of paper every month but they aren't complete luddites. The boss man over there, one Angus MacKenzie just spent a few days back on the continent and took a road trip in a new Audi A4 TDI. Unlike the 3.0L V-6 diesel I drove recently, Angus got the 2.0L four cylinder engine (essentially the same unit coming to the VW Jetta this summer). On a 525-mile jaunt up and down the length Portugal, Angus certainly did not spare the whip with an average speed of 83 mph and he still averaged 34mpg. On a lower speed stretch he got 47mpg. The gist of his story is that diesel power can make for a great all around car with great fuel efficiency that doesn't have to sacrifice driving pleasure. This correlates perfectly with our own recent diesel experiences. Now, if MT would just get out of the tree killing business.

Why hasn't anyone created a 2.0L DI turbo Fiero?

It's hard to believe that it's been two decades since the Pontiac Fiero went away. The Fiero was a project that began with great promise and ultimately dissolved into the pre-Lutz era corporate politics that was General Motors in the late '80s. Early spy photos showed a hot looking little two-seat mid-engine sports car. Rumors early on had it powered by an aluminum block 2.9L turbo V6. Unfortunately, the prospect of a mid-engine Pontiac that would out run a contemporary Corvette did not sit well with the bow-tie boys. The result was the first production iterations of the Fiero being neutered to within an inch of their lives. By the time Pontiac fixed what was wrong with the early models, its reputation was so bad that no one would touch it any more. Over time, surviving Fieros have undergone all manner of visual and mechanical transformations coming out looking like faux Lamborghinis and Ferraris. They have even been stuffed with heavily boosted small block V8s. The one missing project that we haven't seen is probably the one closest to the original vision for the car. Take an original four-cylinder Fiero body. Add the upgraded suspension from the last '88 GTs. Then insert the 2.0L turbo direct-injected engine used in the Solstice GXP and other cars mated to a six speed gearbox. That engine is now available in front-wheel-drive form in the Chevy HHR SS, so it should be doable. A Fiero with 260 hp and 260 lb-ft peaking at 2,000 rpm, what a deal! Any takers?

Phoenix Motorcars to use Electrovaya batteries?

In an interesting twist to the saga that is the development of the Phoenix Motorcars electric SUT & SUV program comes news that they are now partnering with a Canadian battery maker. In a press release from that company, Electrovaya says that they are now negotiating an arrangement with Phoenix and have already begun the work of integrating their proprietary Lithium Ion SuperPolymer® battery along with its intelligent battery management system ("iBMS"). Phoenix Motorcars President and CEO, Daniel J. Elliot is quoted by the release as saying, "We are pleased to have Electrovaya join forces with us, and we are excited to be working with their team and their advanced technologies. Electrovaya's innovative Lithium Ion SuperPolymer® battery technology stands apart from its peers as a platform, chemistry agnostic technology. Electrovaya's systems expertise and design experience provide what we need in terms of battery performance." Hmm. That strikes us as possibly being in conflict with a statement made by the CEO a couple months ago in a different press release which can still be found on the Phoenix Motorcars website. And we quote, "We wholeheartedly support Altairnano's technology and believe they provide the greatest product available on the market today." Altairnano being the company that has been trumpeted as the supplier of their battery of choice for some time now, we wonder if a similar fate has befallen them as has their original motor supplier, UQM. Or perhaps Phoenix plans on utilizing the power packs from both companies. We shall try to get the straight dope and let your enquiring minds know but in the mean time go ahead and read the available details in the press release after the break.

First new VW Jetta TDIs now in transit to U.S. dealers

For everyone who has been waiting anxiously for the new fifty state legal Volkswagen Jetta TDI to arrive at U.S. dealers, it appears things are inching a little closer. A reader the other day spotted a transporter filled with Jettas festooned with TDI signage headed northbound on a North Carolina freeway. Andrew called a local VW dealer who confirmed that these were actually among the first batch of TDIs that will be available for test drives at dealers around North America for the next couple of months before they go on sale later this summer. We first reported on VW's plans back in February at the Chicago Auto Show. From the initial batch of 1,000 cars, each dealer will get one car initially and more will arrive through the course of the summer. Volkswagen expects about half of the 15,000 Sportwagens for 2009 to be TDI powered with about 30-40 percent of the sedans. Keep your eyes open for the new Jetta TDI and if you can snap some photos put them up on Flickr or some other site and send us a link. In the meantime check out the driving impressions of the gas-powered Jetta SportWagen.

Spy Shots: Corvette ZR1 attacking the Nurburgring

Corvette Chief Engineer (and Autoblog commenter) Tadge Juechter said last week that the new ZR1 "will be able to take the production-car track record at any racetrack" and should lap the famed Nurburgring race track in Germany in "seven minutes, twenty-something seconds." Considering Nissan just posted a new official lap time of 7:29 for the GT-R and that the GT-R V-Spec is reportedly clicking off laps in 7:25, them sounds like fightin' words. Well, the ZR1 is officially being flogged around the Ring as we speak, though no one has yet to report a lap time for this gorgeous red prototype that was spotted by KGP photographers. BridgetoGantry.com reports that yesterday there was a helicopter over the track "chasing something that sounded very V8 and awfully supercharged," so perhaps lap times will soon be forthcoming. We imagine the supercharged LS9 V8's 628 horsepower and the ZR1's 205-mph top speed will not disappoint.

Hyundai to get half of MPG improvement from powertrains

Hyundai is already far closer to meeting the new corporate average fuel economy standards than most automakers thanks to their current fleet averages of 32.4mpg for cars and 25.5 for trucks. Under the new footprint-based formula that sets individual standards for manufacturers based on the size of the vehicles they sell, Hyundai will have to reach a higher than average threshold. By 2015, Hyundai's car fleet will have to average 37.5mpg and the trucks will have to hit 31mpg. According to Timothy White, senior manager of the powertrain department at the Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center near Ann Arbor, the company expects to get about half that improvement from improvements in engines and transmissions. The company will be shifting from five to six speed transmissions over the next few years and adding direct fuel injection. Hyundai is also developing alternative powertrains like hybrids and diesel engines for vehicles like the Veracruz and Kia Borrego. The rest of the improvement will come from a variety of other technologies including the obvious ones like improved aerodynamics, lower rolling resistance tires and reductions in vehicle mass. Other improvements will come from reductions in parasitic losses in less obvious areas. Shifting to electric power steering which uses power only when needed instead of driving a hydraulic pump continuously is one area targeted for improvement. Another is using LED lighting to reduce the electrical load on the alternator.

Ford holds Taurus SHO focus group in Chicago... what does it mean???

Being an avid Super High Output fan, any news of a Taurus SHO return gets my imagination going. Should it be FWD, AWD, or RWD? V8-powered or have a twin-turbo V6 underhood? Should it be light and handle well or compensate for its mass with awesome amounts of power? I ask these questions to myself, but last Monday a group of 11 Chicago area SHO fanatics were asked those same questions by members of the Taurus program from Ford. As told by Don Mallinson on V8Sho.com, the story goes that this band of brothers participated in a focus group and had their brains picked for an evening about what makes a SHO a SHO, and if the much missed name were to be resurrected, what should the car be like today? Mallinson is clear that he and the focus group participants did not see a prototype, sketches of a prototype, or anything else that would confirm development is well on its way. The experience was pretty much a one-way street of questions, but these 11 people may have influenced Ford's decision to bring back the SHO and, if so, in what way. Such an awesome responsibility, I probably couldn't handle it.

2008 Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid

Back in mid-2006, GM rolled out its first mainstream production hybrid, the Saturn Vue Green Line, fairly late in its product life cycle. That one featured the first iteration of the mild GM Hybrid system. It was in production for less than a year before the first-gen Vue went away in favor of an all-new global design that was developed in a cooperative arrangement between GM engineers in North America, South Korea and Europe. The same body style is sold in Europe and other parts of the world as the Opel Antara. A second version with different styling and a lower level of content is sold in most of the world as the Chevy Captiva. The second-generation Vue debuted in North America in late spring of 2007 and the new Green Line hybrid model came along about six months later. The old Vue was the last Saturn to follow the original model of a metal structure with plastic body panels. That setup has now been abandoned in favor of a metal body and it pays big dividends in fit and finish but we'll come back to that. The Vue falls into the burgeoning compact crossover class, and is currently one of only two hybrids in the segment (the other is the Ford Escape). Find out how the Vue compares after the jump.

Tender Scarlette gets her sales groove on

There aren't too many 4WD electric jeep look-a-likes on the market and so when we first told you about the Scarlette there were some obvious questions that would eventually need to be addressed. Would they be on the receiving end of a lawsuit from Jeep? Would anyone even buy it? Why would someone call this Jeep-looking thing the Tender Scarlette? Well, so far as we know, the lawyers at Chrysler haven't sunk their fangs into the small French EV-maker yet, though looking at the losses that company is racking up, one might assume they are getting a little peckish. Sales have begun, according to the company's gros fromage (big cheese), Gérard Christaud, the Scarlette is a "go" with 30 vehicles sold and orders on hand for 350 more. Some of these tasty EV morsels have even crossed the Atlantic. There have been some delays, as is common with new ventures though the blame here is being placed gently at the feet of suppliers rather than with their own high-tech assembly plant in the Rhone-Alpes. They had better pick up the pace soon because they have just inked a distribution deal with FESA (an association of automotive professionals) and will have a production goal of 1,000 a month. As to why they call it the "Scarlette," we can only answer, somewhat predictably, that frankly, we don't give a damn.

Dodge Challenger SRT8 sports G-meter, built-in 0-60 timer

We wade through an unhealthy amount of press releases each day, so even when something big hits – like the release of the Challenger SRT8 – we sometimes miss the occasional detail. Such is the case with Dodge's new pony car, which apparently comes equipped with an "SRT-exclusive Reconfigurable Display" (RCD). What does that mean? Well, you can customize the readout at the bottom of the SRT8's 180 mph speedo to display 0-60 acceleration times, 60-0 braking times, 1/4-mile times and g-forces to see if your numbers and Dodge's agree. According to the video after the jump, you can also log your best runs and see how you faired at a later (read: safer) time.

Toyota Camry Hybrid production in Australia now likely

It's looking as if Aussie readers hoping to drive greener might soon be able to do so in a locally-produced machine. The first word of Toyota's desire to build the Camry Hybrid in the land Down Under came in October at the Tokyo Motor Show. Without government handouts assistance, however, it wasn't going to happen. Fast forward to the present: all signs point to a deal getting inked by the end of July, with Australian government reps saying that talks with the automaker are progressing "fruitfully." Once the agreement is formalized, look for the Camry Hybrid to go into production at the Altona plant where the Australian-market Camry and Aurion sedans are currently built.

Time is Money: Mercedes-Benz reveals SL 63 AMG Edition IWC

Autoblog does a lot of posts on car-related timepieces, and that's thanks to Noah who has an affinity for the finer automotive-inspired paraphernalia in life. Unfortunately, he's not here right now, so I get to tell you about this new limited edition Mercedes-Benz SL 63 that's being produced in conjunction with Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen. Only 200 will be made, and each features the first application of a new white paint finish dubbed designo magno Kashmir. Though my desensitized retinas see plain old white where others see shades of Pearl and Egg Shell, there's no denying this brilliant veneer looks like a million bucks on the SL 63 AMG. Contrast that with the matte black finish of other components on the car's exterior, and you've got the world's most expensive Storm Trooper. Tobago Brown nappa leather will cradle your bum in the AMG sport seats while your feet fall on special black floormats that are one of about a dozen interior surfaces emblazoned with the AMG logo. The rest is pretty much standard SL 63 AMG fare, if you can call anything about this 525-hp convertible standard with a straight face. Oh, yeah, the watchmaker tie-in: All 200 owners of the SL 63 AMG Edition IWC will also get a limited edition example of IWC's "Grosser Ingenieur" watch. Nothing can replace my Swatch, but I would definitely take the car.

99 g/km CO2 Fiesta coming "soon" to Europe

Soon after the new Ford Fiesta launches in Eurpe in July, a version "with 99 grams per kilometer CO2 will come very quickly," Ford of Europe Chairman Lewis Booth has told Automotive News Europe. This is the EcoNetic version of the Fiesta, which was announced at the Geneva Motor Show, and would essentially have "conventional technology" underhood, Booth said. By using options like low rolling resistance tires, different gear ratios and aerodynamic tweaks, a sub-100 g/km CO2 version is possible. The Fiesta is Ford's global small car, so the low-emissions option should be welcomed no matter where you live. In the U.S., Ford says the American Fiesta will be well-equipped and profitable right from the get-go. BusinessWeek is reporting today that the Fiesta might also soon makes its way to India.

Strike forces GM to suspend truck and SUV orders

General Motors has informed its dealers that production of some of its 2008 full-size trucks and SUVs has been halted due to the ongoing American Axle strike. The affected vehicles include the GMC Yukon, Denali, Sierra heavy-duty regular and extended cab, its commercial-duty pickup and variants of Chevrolet trucks and Tahoes. According to the General, a basic lack of parts is the reason for the stoppage and dealer orders for the week of May 8th and May 15th have been cancelled. While a lack of production is bad news for any automaker, we can't help but think that it couldn't have come at a better time for the General as SUV and truck sales are down overall.

Audi R8 sold out "for months"

The Audi R8 has supercar looks and red-hot demand, so if you want to own the stunning German two-seater, you'd best get to the back of the line. Buyers of the mid-engine Audi have picked up every model that will be made for months, which tells us what we already knew: the R8 is a legitimate smash hit. Oddly, Audi isn't specifying how many R8s it has sold since the vehicle's introduction, and it's likely the German automaker won't go out of its way to ramp up production and risk ruining the all-wheel-drive supercar's buzz-factor. It's no surprise that the R8 is so successful on the sales floor, but the downside is that the vehicle's sustained popularity is keeping higher performance editions off the market. If a 420-hp 4.2L powerplant can take you to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, just imagine what a 580-hp twin-turbo V10 will do on dry pavement.

EV race day at Tsukuba circuit in Japan

Today is Children's Day in Japan and that means it's also the day of the annual electric vehicle (EV) races at Tsukuba circuit. Sponsered by the Japan EV club with coordination from Daihatsu Motor Co. (maker of really cool little cars we can't buy in America), the event will feature 30-minute endurance races and 20-lap sprint races with EVs of all stripes including slick open-wheeled racers (like the one pictured above from last year's event). The ever popular electric racing kart (ERK) gymkhana will also be featured. The day begins with at 7 AM with a vehicle inspection and will end after the "commendation ceremony" at three in the afternoon and admission is free. Happy Children's Day!

Inside Line pits Challenger against Challenger in Vanishing Point-inspired road trip

Seems like you can't revive a modern day muscle car these days without having a classic movie tie-in. The Ford Mustang has got Steve McQueen's classic Bullitt, and the Dodge Challenger has got Vanishing Point. In fact, we've already seen one Vanishing Point-inspired Challenger meet its maker on Turn 2 at Road America. Inside Line recently had its first turn behind the wheel of a 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 and also decided to pay its respects to Kowalski's opus. They took the brand new Challenger on a little road trip following the fateful path of Kowalski in the movie from Denver, Colorado to San Francisco, California. Just for kicks, they brought along a vintage 1970 Dodge Challenger that's a near perfect copy of the one used in Vanishing Point. The classic iron was, however, packing a slightly modified motor putting out 607 horsepower, but details, details... The article is definitely worth a read if only to vicariously absorb what it feels like to go 170 mph in a new Challenger, and the Inside Line team was also kind enough to supply us with a few of their spare high-res images for an Autoblog exclusive gallery below.

Speed-control radars blown up in France

A new speed control radar has been blown-up in Saint-Gervais in the French department of Val-d'Oise. This is the twelfth such radar that has been destroyed in the past year. Ten out these 12 bombings were claimed by a group named FNAR (Fraccion Nationaliste Armé Révolutionaire), although nobody has claimed this bombing yet. As in Rotterdam and Barcelona, French authorities have installed the radars to reduce car accidents (France has one of Europe's highest accident rates) but also to lower pollution levels by forcing speed reduction. However, voices are being raised against the radars because some claim they are just one more source of income for authorities rather than a security or environmental measure. Still, it is one thing to believe that and quite another to blow up the little boxes.

Artega GT production beginning this summer, convertible version planned

Artega's parent company, Paragon, is getting ready for its assault on the Porsche Cayman this summer, when it finally begins production of the Artega GT. The seductively small coupe will be built in an all-new factory in Westphalian, and Paragon expects two vehicles per day to roll off the assembly line, with a plan that would produce 20 cars per week within two years. The automaker is in the process of setting up a dealer network in the UK, and along with a right-hand-drive model, it intends to offer a convertible version in the future. The Artega GT, originally show in concept form at the Geneva Motor Show in 2007 and followed by the production version earlier this year, is powered by a VW-sourced, 3.6-liter V6, mounted amidships and sending 300 hp to a six-speed, twin-clutch gearbox. Penned by Henrik Fisker, the GT will tip the scales at around 2,400 pounds, thanks to an aluminum spaceframe and carbon fiber body panels. Unfortunately, there's still no word on whether it's coming to the U.S. We wouldn't hold our breath.

Urban cabs, hybrid pedal power rickshaws, arrive in Paris

Can the vehicle above become a new icon of emission-free transportation in the City of Love? Perhaps, as Paris now has a small fleet of hybrid pedal rickshaws, similar to those in Rome and Valencia. The rickshaw service, called Urban-Cab, is defined as an "intermediate non-polluting solution between a bus and a taxi." The rickshaws operate on a route that passes along the Bastille, the Louvre, Place de la Concorde, Saint-Michel and Notre-Dame - basically where tourists want to go. The rickshaws are powered not only by pedal power, but also a battery and an electric motor that assists on steep grades. Urban-Cab claims that these are a completely carbon-free means of transport and they expect to have more than 100 units around Paris by the end of this year.

Two things revealed at this year's New York Auto Show had our salivary glands working overtime. The first was the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, which proved that at least one automaker (and now, two and possibly three) is getting hip to the idea that a rear-wheel-drive, two-door coupe with a turbocharged four-cylinder is needed in the marketplace. The second was over at the Kia booth, where Hyundai's sub-brand revealed its Koup concept, powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline direct-injected (GDI) four-cylinder. According to Kia, this new mill makes 290 hp and 289 lb.-ft. of torque and could power several different models in both automaker's lineups. Fast-forward to yesterday when we received a couple of tips about a green Genesis Coupe shown at the Busan Auto Show in South Korea. The coupe supposedly shared display space with the same THETA turbocharged GDI 2.0-liter on a separate stand, causing some members of GenFans to assume that the 290 ps (285 hp) engine was fitted to the green coupe. However, the "380GT" badge on the back reveals that the coupe is actually powered by the run-of-the-mill 3.8-liter V6. We called up Hyundai to ask about the engine and the Coupe on display. Their response: "We're not commenting on it at this time." While we understand that certain cards have to be kept close to one's chest, it would have been easier just to tell us that the coupe on display and the engine at its booth have nothing in common. Since they're remaining disconcertingly tight-lipped, can we assume that the turbocharged 2.0-liter GDI will find its way into the Genesis Coupe in the future? We hope so. And with Hyundai's recent announcement that direct-injected engines are going to find their way into several of its models, it adds that much more fuel to the fire.

Audi chief: Electric car in 5 - 10 years

We recently told you that Audi has no electric car plans for the immediate future. We were right. Those plans seem to be some years away according to the CEO of Audi, Rupert Stadler. In an interview published yesterday by Welt am Sonntag, Stadler stated that diesel would hold the interest of the market for the next 5-10 years, but in that time electrics would become more generally accepted and Audi would then offer emission-free cars. Reminded that Mercedes and BMW already have high performance lithium ion batteries, the Audi boss was asked if he wasn't worried about lagging behind. Stadler seemed to shrug off the suggestion saying he wasn't concerned because their research capacity was larger than many of his competitors. Earlier in the interview, at the end of a discussion about the merits of diesels versus hybrids, the CEO had this to say about hybrids, "Außerdem sehen wir den Hybrid langfristig lediglich als Durchgangsstation zum vollelektrischen Fahren." Which, according to the Babelfish (slightly cleaned up), translates as "In addition, we see the hybrid on a long-term basis only as stepping stone to all-electric driving." The bottom line here seems to be: more diesels for the immediate future with electric vehicles coming into play a few years down the road, by which time the 2006 R-Zero electric concept design (pictured above) will seem quaint.

Tesla's European lessons

As we saw with the Bono pic, Tesla Motors representatives took the Roadster to Europe for a little PR&R recently. Well, as Darryl Siry, Tesla's VP of sales, marketing, and service, writes in a new post about the company trip on the "feel" blog over on the Tesla Motors website, there wasn't as much R as he might have liked. So, for those of use who don't mind that Mr. Siry worked more than played on the old continent, let's see what he has to say (oh, and we thank him for his service, of course). First up, pricing. The 2009 U.S. version of the Roadster will cost $109,000, up from $98,000 for the base 2008 model. A lot of the increase can be attributed to the weakening dollar, Siry writes, because Tesla pays for much of the Roadster in Euros and Pounds. The limited edition 2009 Euro-spec Roadster will cost 99,000 Euros, and is comparable to the fully-loaded 2009 Roadster. For more on the Euro-spec Roadster, look here. Siry also gets into production of the current Roadsters, and says that Job 3 has been delivered (Martin Eberhard is still waiting for some custom paint work to be done on Job 2) and that production will be ramping up this summer and fall. Siry's got more for you here.

Gas Gimmick from Chrysler

It remains to be seen whether Chrysler LLC's "Let's Refuel America" campaign will create an auto industry sensation like "Employee Prices for Everyone," or "Zero-Percent Financing," but the $2.99 per gallon promotion will certainly burn up the airwaves for a while, in an ad campaign, news reports and word-of-mouth.
Chrysler announced today that starting Wednesday through June 2, customers for most of their biggest-selling vehicles can opt for a credit card that locks in gasoline at $2.99 per gallon for three years. For vehicles with a customer incentive, which is to say pretty much all of them, customers can take the present incentive deal as-is, or accept a reduced incentive, plus the gas card.

More details on the electric Triac emerge + new truck?

Recently we broke a story about a new electric "highway capable" three-wheeled car being prepared for the American market called the Triac. We promised to keep you posted and now that some interesting new details have emerged, behold the posting. Apparently, many of you out there contacted Green Vehicles to seek out more information about the Triac for yourselves. It seems they might have been a little overwhelmed and it took a few days before a response was sent out en masse. The missive contained lots of interesting information which I will now share with you. First of all, there were a couple of items from the video that were corrected. In the clip it states that the top speed of the vehicle is 70 mph. This is wrong. Green Vehicles is claiming that it can actually reach 80 mph. That's a speed that can come in handy when you're passing on the highway. The other metric to undergo revision was the range. This was lowered from 120 to 100 miles with the further explanation that the original figure was achieved at a relatively slow speed and that the new result was returned from a speed of 45 mph. Other Triac facts we learned were about the drivetrain. It will have a 5-speed transmission (we're guessing manual) matched to a 20kW AC motor with "one of the world's most sophisticated battery maintenance systems" to help you get the most out of your lithium ion battery pack. It's onboard charger will allow you to plug it in to either a 120V or 240V outlet. Now, what was that about a truck? Hit the jump for more news.

Audi seriously considering U.S. plant

Volkswagen has already announced its intentions to build a factory in the U.S., narrowing down the possible sites to Alabama, Michigan and Tennessee. Now, in advance of a shareholder meeting in Germany, Audi CEO Rupert Stadler is reportedly saying that Audi is considering a U.S. plant, as well. The move on both automakers' parts is an attempt to capitalize on the weak U.S. dollar, the stronger euro and the fact that material costs are on the rise and a U.S. plant could mitigate some of those expenses. Additionally, both VW and Audi have made it clear that in order to achieve their lofty sales goals – one million units a year by 2018 for V-Dub and Audi's campaign to become the numero uno luxury carmaker – ramping up production capacity in the U.S. where many of those sales will be made is instrumental to their mutual success.