Hot Girls and Cars Pictures
Jessica Simpson
2009 Acura TL
2009 Acura TL
Cool New Car Models
The 2009 Acura TL is redesigned and slightly enlarged in most key dimensions. This premium midsize sedan is available in base and SH-AWD (for Super Handling All-Wheel Drive) models. The latter replaces the Type-S as the high-performance member of the TL family. Base versions receive a 3.5-liter V6 engine that makes 280 hp while SH-AWDs get a 3.7-liter V6 that, at 305 hp, is the most powerful engine yet offered in an Acura. A 5-speed automatic with "Sequential SportShift" steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters is the sole transmission for both models. The SH-AWD includes larger-diameter front and rear stabilizer bars, plus a standard 18-inch-wheel package in place of the 17-inch ones used on the base car. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, front side airbags, and curtain side airbags. Also standard are leather upholstery with heated front seats, sunroof, wireless cell phone link, and 8-speaker audio. A Technology Package, priced as a separate model, includes 10-speaker audio and a navigation system with real-time traffic and weather alerts. This evaluation is based on preview test drives.Cool New Car Models
Anna Kournikova
Hot Girls and Cars Pictures
Anna Kournikova
Anna Kournikova
Anna Kournikova was born in Moscow , Russia (Soviet Union then) on June 7, 1981. Her father, Sergei Kournikov was 20 at the time. Sergei, a former Greco-Roman wrestling champion, had earned a Ph.D and was a professor at the University of Physical Culture and Sport in Moscow
2009 Acura RDX
2009 Acura RDX
Cool New Car Models
Cool New Car Models
The 2009 Acura RDX is largely unchanged. This premium compact SUV seats five and has all-wheel drive. The sole powertrain teams a 240-hp 2.3-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with a 5-speed automatic transmission. Maximum towing capacity is 1500 lb. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, front side airbags, and curtain side airbags. Standard are dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery with heated front seats, and a 6.5-inch dashboard screen that displays audio and climate information. A Technology Package, priced as a separate model, includes a wireless cell phone link, rearview camera, and navigation system with real-time traffic information.
Jessica Alba
Hot Girls and Cars Pictures
Jessica Alba
Jessica Alba
Jessica Marie Alba (born April 28, 1981) is an American television and film actress.
Sexy Jessica Alba began her television and movie appearances at age 13 in Camp Now Herse and The Secret World of Alex Mack (1994). Hot Jessica Alba rose to prominence with the television series Dark Angel (2000–2002), then expanding her résumé to film, predominantly within the confines of action and comedy. Lingerie Jessica Alba later appeared in various films including Honey (2003),
2009 Acura MDX
2009 Acura MDX
Cool New Car Models
The 2009 Acura MDX is largely unchanged. This premium midsize SUV seats up to seven and has all-wheel drive. The sole powertrain is a 300-hp 3.7-liter V6 engine and 5-speed automatic transmission. Maximum towing capacity is 5000 lb. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, front side airbags, and curtain side airbags that cover all seating rows. Standard features include a sunroof, leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a wireless cell phone link. Options come in three packages, all priced as separate models. The Technology Package has a rearview camera, voice-activated navigation system with real-time traffic information, and power liftgate. A Sport Package includes those features plus driver-adjustable suspension. The Entertainment Package, available only in conjunction with the Technology or Sport packages, contains DVD entertainment and heated 2nd-row seats.Cool New Car Models
Avril Lavigne
Hot Girls and Cars Pictures
Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne
1998 AM General Hummer
1998 AM General Hummer
Cool New Car Models
Hummer started life as a tool of war-- Desert Storm, or as they say in Hollywood, the war Oliver Stone somehow missed.Cool New Car Models
The two heroes of that Persian Gulf War, of course, were Norman Schwarzkopf and the Hummer, though only Schwarzkopf got interviewed by Barbara Walters.
Based on Humvee's renown in serving our troops, AM General decided to build a civilian version in which the camouflage exterior was covered in red or yellow or some other such alluring paint finish. Oh, and add a radio.
Hummer comes as two-door hardtop, four-door hardtop, four-door open top and four-door hardtop wagon. We tested the latter.
The first thing we noticed when the Hummer arrived is that it filled the driveway. The second thing we noticed is that it fills the lane of the highway, too. Hummer is 6 feet wide and 6 feet tall.
One disadvantage of a 6-foot wide vehicle is that you need to equip yourself and your front-seat passenger with cell phones to converse because you can barely see your companion.
Our Hummer came with a 6.5-liter, 195-horsepower, turbo diesel V-8. If this is the powerplant used in the Gulf War, we know why Saddam lost: His troops went deaf from all the commotion from the Hummers. Hard to figh t a war when you must stop and ask, "Say what?"
The extremely noisy diesel is another reason Hummer occupants need cell phones: It's nearly impossible to communicate over the engine's roar.
Though 6 feet wide and 6 feet tall and looking as if the entire U.S. military could fit inside, Hummer offers scant interior room and even less comfort.
Upfront there is a driver's seat on the far left, a passenger's seat on the far right. In back there is a passenger's seat behind the driver and a passenger's seat behind the front passenger. You sit compartmentalized with little room to wander or maneuver. Perhaps it's the military heritage of this machine, but you will be forced to sit "at attention."
Why only room for four? Between the seats there's a huge carpeted platform that hides powertrain essentials underneath.
In back there is a large flat floor bordered by raised ledges. You can lay groceries, golf clubs or a few rocket launchers on the floor and tiny passengers can sit o n the ledges to devour the groceries, step all over your golf clubs and use the rocket launchers to ensure no one, but no one, passes you on the interstate.
With four-wheel-drive, 16-inch ground clearance, 30-inch fording depth and the ability to climb a 31-degree grade or ride sideways along a 22 degree slope, Hummer is a go-anywhere, anytime vehicle.
We didn't find any place to ford 30 inches or climb 22 to 31 degrees in our test drive, so we'll have to take AM General's word on it.
Although it's a go-anywhere machine, there are a few things that reality prevents you from accomplishing in a Hummer. One is parallel parking; another is slipping between those two Yuppiemobiles in front of the bagel store. Of course, when in a 6-foot wide, 6-foot tall, 7,000-pound vehicle that can hold a box of surface-to-air missiles, you pretty well can make your own parking spot.
There are a few other negatives, such as a roof line that allows decent headroom inside, but which sits so low that when idling at the stoplight, you have to lean over and peek up to see when red gives way to green.
But there are some positives, other than having one of the most novel vehicles on this planet and being able to rub biceps with Arnold at the annual Hummer owners' picnic and parts swap.
Though the vehicle weighs 7,000 pounds, it rides and handles rather well and is much easier to pull out to pass or make that left turn than you would suspect from a heavyweight that consumes diesel fuel at the rate of 13 m.p.g. in the city/16 m.p.g. highway and that needs a 25-gallon tank so you can make it between refills.
Another nice touch is the automatic central tire-inflation system. Push a button and you can inflate or deflate any or all of the four run-flat tires, which could come in handy when you need to deflate to get under that fallen tree off-road and inflate again.
The four-door Hummer wagon we tested starts at $72,309. If you want to save a few dollars but still be able to boast that you and Dennis have the same taste in vehicles, if not body piercing, you can pick up a two-door Humvee hardtop for only $56,563 before options.
However, options are rather costly. The turbo diesel ran more than $4,600, the central tire-inflation system another $2,900, the run-flat tires $2,000, the power mirrors $816 (which you're going to need since the passenger-side glass is nowhere near being within arm's reach) and the Monsoon sound system with CD changer $1,670, which is probably justified because you wouldn't want to be stranded in a monsoon without your favorite CDs.
If you're interested-and you can be classified as a Discerner, Conqueror, Realist or Adventurer-- you can find the Humvee at Naperville Hummer, AM General's only Illinois outlet.
AM General doesn't disclose how many Hummers it sells.
>> 1998 Hummer wagon
1998 Chicago Tribune
Wheelbase: 130 inches Length: 184.5 inches Engine: 6.5-liter, 195-h.p. turbo diesel V-8 Transmission: 4-speed automatic Fuel economy: 13 m.p.g. city/17 m.p.g. highway Base price: $72,309 Price as tested: $90,895. Add $4,613 for turbo diesel; $2,936 for central tire-inflation system; $352 for trailer-towing system; $1,300 for driveline protection system; $2,090 for run-flat tires; $816 for power mirrors; $378 for brushguard; $1,685 for power package with cruise control, power mirrors, lighted visor mirrors and deluxe rearview mirror; $1,670 for Monsoon sound system with CD changer; $1,670 for deluxe interior; and $1,076 for aluminum rocker panels. Add $790 for freight. Pluses: You can join the same owner's club as Dennis Rodman, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lorenzo Lamas and Erik Estrada. Can't find a parking place--make one a nywhere you want. Nowhere, repeat, nowhere you can't go. Minuses: Club membership with Lorenzo Lamas and Erik Es trada. How can a vehicle that looks this big have so little room inside? If the roof sat any lower, it would be a floor. The vehicle is so wide you can't see your front seat passenger, and the turbo diesel is SO NOISY YOU CAN'T HEAR THAT PASSENGER.
Emma Watson
Hot Girls and Cars Pictures
Emma Watson
Emma Watson
Emma Watson will star in the animated film The Tale of Despereaux, released in December 2008. Emma Watson will voice the character of Princess Pea in the film, a children's comedy which also stars Matthew Broderick and Tracey Ullman.
In June 2008, Emma Watson signed a contract, reported to be worth £3 million, to advertise with Chanel, a prominent French fashion house. Emma Watson will become the public face of Coco Mademoiselle, one of the label's perfumes, replacing Keira Knightley.
2007 Aston Martin Vantage
2007 Aston Martin Vantage
Cool New Car Models
With a sticker price above $100,000, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage is nevertheless the storied automaker’s smallest and least-expensive vehicle.Cool New Car Models
The V8 Vantage is a stylish low-slung two-seat coupe designed to take on the Porsche 911 and other similar near-exotic sports cars, but with a decidedly upper-crust British accent. It debuted at the 2005 Geneva International Motor Show as an all-new 2006 model.
Recent updates to the Aston Martin V8 Vantage include new front seats with lumbar adjustments and electric seat-back releases. Also incorporated in the seats are side-impact airbags and occupant-sensing technology to determine how fast and with how much force the front airbags will deploy, in case of a collision. Heated cushions and memory settings for the power seat adjustments are optional. A remote trunk release, LED illumination in the door handles and full leather trim are now standard; non-standard leather colors may now be ordered, along with the ability to special-order the upholstery to match any color sample.
2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Slideshow
Items added to the options list also include a garage door opener, auto-dimming rearview mirror, front stone guards, 19-inch anthracite-painted alloy wheels and Pirelli PZero Corsa performance tires.
The V8 Vantage has a long hood and wide front grille. Its sleek bodywork bears more than a passing resemblance to its larger stablemate, the Aston Martin DB9 Coupe. Constructed from a combination of steel, aluminum and composite panels, the V8 Vantage body shell is draped over a lightweight yet structurally rigid bonded aluminum structure that produces exceptional agility and ride comfort. Its rear hatchback design has a fairly generous luggage shelf located behind the seats, which adds an element of cargo-carrying practicality not typically found among small sporty cars.
The V8 Vantage is powered by a hand-assembled, all-aluminum 4.3-liter V8 engine that generates a strong 380 hp. It includes a dry-sump lubrication system that can keep the engine oil fully circulating throughout even the most extreme high-speed cornering maneuvers. Transmission choices are a close-ratio, slick-shifting, six-speed manual transmission or a new automatic with manual-shift capability.
The V8 Vantage has a nearly ideal 49/51 front-to-rear weight distribution, combined with a double-wishbone suspension and 18-inch wheels and tires. This affords superlative handling with an only moderately harsh ride. Four-wheel-disc antilock brakes with brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution, dynamic stability and traction control are all standard and assure secure cornering and stopping abilities no matter what the weather or road conditions.
The car’s handsome-but-snug interior features aluminum-finished gauges and trim work. The car comes well-equipped, but a few items you’d expect on a car that costs six figures are optional, such as cruise control and high-intensity headlamps. And while a navigation system is offered, you won’t find most gadgets like an iPod adapter, adaptive headlamps or laser-guided cruise control on the options list.
Is the Aston Martin V8 Vantange for You?
Buy the V8 Vantage if
You value vehicular beauty and pure driving pleasure; you seek a status-minded alternative to Italian and German exotic coupes.
Keep Looking if
Two seats don’t cut it; fuel economy is a concern; you prefer a convertible, in which case you should consider the soft-top version of the V8 Vantage when it goes on sale; you’re not into conspicuous consumption.
Who Fits?
As with most low-slung sports cars, access can be challenging; once inside, it’s cozy and opulent; a reasonably generous storage area behind the seats and a hatchback at the rear make it more practical as a cargo carrier than most small coupes.
Closest Competitors
BMW M6, Ferrari F430, Jaguar XK8, Maserati GranSport, Porsche 911 Carrera
2009 Audi A6
2009 Audi A6
Cool New Car Models
Audi is working quickly to update its lineup these days, with the 2009 Audi A6 the latest model to get a makeover. While it's not getting the same level of attention as the redesigned 2009 A4, a major engine addition and a number of minor tweaks should help the refreshed A6 maintain lead in global sales over the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, which it holds despite selling just 12,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2007, compared with almost 49,000 for the E-Class and more than 54,000 for the 5 Series.Cool New Car Models
New to the 2009 Audi A6's engine options is a supercharged, 3.0L direct-injection V-6 rated at 300 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque in U.S. spec. Called the 3.0 TSFI V6, the engine has a relatively high 10.5:1 compression ratio, a bore size of 3.33 in. and a stroke of 3.5 in. The supercharger is a Roots-style unit with twin four-vane rotors housed entirely between the cylinder banks. The vanes can spin at up to 23,000 rpm, pushing through 2204.6 lb of air per hour at a maximum boost pressure of 11.6 psi. This design allows the engine to hit its torque peak at just 2500 rpm and sustain that output until 4850 rpm. Peak power comes at slightly below 5000 rpm and revolutions top out at 6500 rpm. The entire package is fairly lightweight, tipping the scales at about 417 lb.
Although straight-line performance and fuel-economy numbers for the U.S.-spec 3.0L TSFI engine aren't yet available, the European version -- rated at 290 hp -- helps the A6 sprint 0-to-62 mph in 5.9 sec with an electronically limited 155 mph, all while getting a combined fuel economy of 24.8 mpg (European cycle).
The 3.0L TSFI will be the lone engine offered in the A6 Avant and it largely replaces the existing 255-hp 3.2L V-6, which will continue to serve duty in the front-drive version of the A6 sedan mated to a continuously variable transmission. All A6s fitted with the new V-6 will come with a new rear-biased 40/60 torque split version of Audi's signature quattro AWD system mated to a six-speed automatic with Tiptronic. The optional 350-hp 4.2L V-8 remains unchanged, as does the 435-hp 5.2L V-10 that powers the S6. The RS6 and its 580-hp twin-turbo 5.0L V-10 is still not expected to make it to North American shores, despite the arrival of a sedan variant.
Audi has also reportedly massaged the A6's suspension in an effort to further improve both comfort and handling, with new, large-diameter shocks up front being the major change, along with improved spring response. We won't get Audi's air suspension for our versions of the A6, however.
In addition to the new engine and underpinning updates, the 2009 A6 also undergoes some minor cosmetic changes and interior upgrades. There are new R8-inspired headlights equipped with LED daytime running lights, a new front fascia featuring different foglamps, and a revised grille. At the rear, Audi is adding two-piece LED taillights with nighttime optics to the sedan, which are similar to that of the current A6 Avant. There are also new wheels, additional interior aluminum trim on the steering wheel and other surfaces, and higher-resolution instrument cluster graphics. The A6's optional side assist blind-spot detection system turns on an alarm light on the side mirror if it detects a vehicle the way. In European spec, the system kicks in at 37.3 mph (60 km/h) and can detect cars as far as 164 ft (50 meters) away. Last, a new third-generation version of Audi's MMI Multi Media System is coming for next fall for the 2010 model.
The 2009 Audi A6 makes its global debut this month at the Moscow auto show and goes on sale in January 2009 in the U.S. Pricing will be announced at a later date, but expect it to remain roughly the same as that of the present car.
2010 Ford Mustang
2010 Ford Mustang
Cool New Car Models
Nothing seems to go right for Ford Motor Company these days. Consider Mustang: Though its 2005 redesign had people lining up to buy, sales tapered off during 2006 and continued sliding in ’07. It’s the same story with most everything Ford sells in North America. That’s why the company has been forced to mortgage itself to the hilt, slash payrolls, and shutter plants--anything to make money again. And though overseas business mostly remains profitable, losses at home have the company burning through cash so fast that even CEO Alan Mulally says Ford is in a “race against the clock.”Cool New Car Models
The Mustang is hugely important to Ford, symbolically as well as financially, so execs are no doubt worried by the imminent resurrection of two good-old-days foes, the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger. They begin arriving nine to 12 months before Mustang’s scheduled 2010-model year makeover, by which time the current design will be a graying five seasons old. A full redesign? Not until 2012 or 2013, sources say. There’s just no money to do it sooner.
But let’s not be too hasty placing bets. The new Camaro and Challenger trade on nostalgia just as much as Mustang, which would only suffer by comparison from being more familiar. And Ford has shown a knack for making old horses look and feel young.
So what can we expect in the 2010 Ford Mustang? It’s said to be getting different sheetmetal ahead of the windshield and possibly out back, plus a husky new 5.7-liter “Boss” V8 might appear. Chassis tweaks and interior upgrades are also due, says the grapevine. But no one can be sure of very much right now, and even these measures could be delayed or scrapped by setbacks in the next 12 to 24 months. That includes problems facing most all automakers, such as a widely forecast worsening of the housing slump.
With that in mind, we can add a bit more to the 2010 Ford Mustang story. First, appearance. Recently spotted near Ford’s Dearborn, Michigan world headquarters was a coupe “test mule” wearing a heavily camouflaged front end. Despite the disguise, some features were visible, notably a bulged “power dome” hood with what appear to be long flanking air scoops near the outboard edges. Also evident were parking lamps moved from the bumper down into a deeper lower fascia, and a somewhat larger wide-mouth Mustang grille without the three chrome bars sprouting on other U.S. Ford-brand vehicles. Again, this may or not be the actual new face of the 2010 Ford Mustang. Even if it is, it might be reserved for a new Shelby model or some other high-power special. Or it could be tied to an engine option.
Which brings us back to the rumored “Boss” engine. A new V8 is a virtual necessity to keep mainstream Mustangs in the same performance corral with their reborn rivals. As Ford doubtless knows, the Camaro launches with a 6.0-liter Corvette V8 making at least 400 horsepower, while the Challenger bows in hot SRT8 trim with around 425 horsepower from a 6.1-liter Hemi V8. Though Ford now offers the most potent production Mustang ever in the new 540-horsepower Shelby GT500KR, that’s a very pricey limited-edition piece, and its basic “mod” V8 has already been moving Mustangs for 11 years. Let’s also not forget the likelihood of much stiffer fuel-economy standards--which could bring the industry’s current “horsepower race” to a screeching halt--and increasing pressure for clean engines to mitigate global warming.
Because the “Boss” is likely slated for various future Fords, not just Mustangs, it should go ahead as long as budgets allow. We don’t know if it’s a brand-new V8 or simply a re-engineered “mod”, but it could boast efficiency boosters like variable valve timing, cylinder deactivation, and direct fuel injection. It should also be an overhead-camshaft design versus the Detroit-traditional overhead-valve V8s in the Camaro and Challenger. Horsepower? It’s likely to be in the competitive region of 400-425. That would leave a big power gap with entry-level V6 models, so the “mod” 4.6 will continue, at least for a time, and be uprated to around 350 horses.
Speaking of V6 Mustangs, which far outsell the more-glamorous V8s, they, too, could conceivably get an engine swap. The obvious candidate is the upcoming 3.7-liter version of Ford’s new all-aluminum 3.5-liter V6. Slated to premiere with the 2009 Lincoln MKS sedan, the 3.7 might be tuned for Mustang to make around 300 horsepower, matching today’s 4.6-liter V8 and far surpassing the ancient 210-horsepower 4.0-liter iron-block V6.
We have no inside information, but there has been internet buzz about the possible reincarnation of the 1984-86 Mustang SVO. Like the original, the new SVO would be powered by a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. There are claims of the EcoBoost four putting out 300 horses and delivering nearly 30 mpg on the highway. We'll see, but if oil prices remain high, this could be more likely than the new "Boss" V8.
Whatever the engine, the 2010 Ford Mustang will likely offer a six-speed automatic transmission to replace today’s five-speed option. We think the rumored chassis changes will be relatively minor, so the old solid rear axle will continue, at least in mainstream models. But that should leave funds for expected interior upgrades, which should mainly involve better-quality materials than the mostly hard plastic surfaces that have been an ongoing complaint since 2005.
And that, folks, is everything we know or suspect about the 2010 Ford Mustang. We wish we had more hard news, but we won’t until there’s a clearer picture of the near-term prospects for Ford Motor Company as a whole. For now, all we can say to Mustang fans is stay tuned--and keep your fingers crossed.
A Notable Feature of the 2010 Ford Mustang
We haven’t heard of any particular innovation for the 2010 Ford Mustang, but any talking-point feature would probably be minor--like the current car’s multi-color gauge lighting--so as to hold down development costs and, presumably, sticker prices. Again, though, we can only wait and see.
Buying Advice for the 2010 Ford Mustang
Mustang loyalists--and you know who you are--will not look twice at the new Camaro or Challenger. Everyone else, though, should compare all three.
2010 Ford Mustang Release Date: As things stand now, according to one of our most well-informed spies, sales will begin early in the first quarter of 2009 after an expected January production start.
2010 Ford Mustang First Test Drive: Barring any delay to the above timing, pre-production models could meet the press in the fall of 2008.
2010 Ford Mustang Prices: We think Ford will launch its updated ponycar without incentives and pray the makeover is enough to kick-start Mustang sales like the 2005 version did. But if it isn’t, Ford will have little choice but to put cash on the restyled hood. At least price increases should be modest--perhaps no more than 10 percent above 2008 levels--in part because there’s less money to recoup with an update versus an all-new design.
2010 Ford Transit Connect
2010 Ford Transit Connect
Cool New Car Models
Ford Motor Company may be floundering in North America, but it’s doing swimmingly most everywhere else. Appealing products are the reason, and CEO Alan Mulally has decided to bring some of those to the U.S. in hopes of jump-starting sales without spending much money—fast running low, thanks to continuing big losses in North America. Among these foreign recruits is a compact front-wheel-drive commercial van built in low-wage Turkey for the European market, the Transit Connect, and its upscale twin, the Tourneo Connect. Ford has announced that the commercial van will be offered in select North American markets during 2009. Ford says Transit Connect is purpose built for small business owners, and it offers a fuel-efficient alternative to full-size commercial vans.Cool New Car Models
The Connect has actually been around since 2002 and has seen no major change since, yet it remains popular as a versatile, thrifty compact hauler in a region where cities are quite crowded and fuel quite expensive. Small utility vans are big business in Europe, favored as light-duty urban delivery vehicles and as errand-runners by plumbers and other trades. Yet families also buy them as roomier, lower-cost alternatives to conventional minivans and station wagons. Manufacturers have lately taken note by adding passenger versions, some of them quite deluxe. Moreover, a certain funky functionalism has made small commercial vehicles a minor fad among trendy European youth, a fact evidently not lost on Mr. Mulally. It’s the very reason the ugly-cute Scion xB made such a big splash in the U.S. Could a 2010 Ford Transit Connect, er, connect in the same way? We think so.
Ford created the Connect to supplement its larger Transit vans and trucks, the European equivalent of U.S. Econolines. Though the company claims Connect is a “dual-purpose” design “built on a unique, dedicated commercial vehicle architecture,” insiders say some of the DNA is shared with the U.S.-market Focus compact car. That’s a good thing, because it means the Connect is sort of “pre-wired” for U.S. safety and emissions regulations. About the only changes that might be needed are a few structural upgrades and provisions for curtain side airbags. Front-drive powertrains from the American Focus should bolt in with little trouble. Even Ford’s signature horizontal-bar grille is in place, part of a 2006-model freshening.
In Europe, the Transit/Tourneo Connect line comprises standard-length models with two or four side doors and stretched high-roof four-doors standing nearly 10 inches taller on a 10-inch longer wheelbase. Based on the examples Ford displayed at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show--and the preliminary specifications the company released--it looks like the North American Transit Connect will be the long-wheelbase version and it may sport a combination of Euro-market Transit and Toureno Connect features.
North American models use minivan-style sliding rear doors on each side. Ford's press materials say that privacy glass will be standard on the sliding doors, but we wouldn't be surprised if windowless doors were also offered. Out back, Transit Connect buyers will find swing-out cargo doors. Final details aren't clear, but Ford says North American versions will have two-row seating for five. The rear bench seat is split 70/30 to allow carrying two passengers together with slim items like a bicycle. Both seat sections tumble and fold to make a flat load deck, or can be removed for max cargo space.
The Connect is no tin box, with base curb weight listed at around 3000 pounds. So far, Ford's says the only available powertrain on our side of the Atlantic will be a gasoline-fired 2.0-liter four cylinder engine mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Remember Transit Connect is front drive, so this combo is likely very similar to the one found in the North American 2008 Ford Focus. Ford estimates fuel economy at 19 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.
Ford Transit Connect
Ford says the 2010 Transit Connect is a fuel-efficient compact van aimed at small businesses.
A Notable Feature of the 2010 Ford Transit Connect
The 2010 Ford Transit Connect will offer cargo volume of about 130 cubic feet behind the front seats. That's about the same cargo room as in Ford's largest SUV, the Expedition EL.
Buying Advice for the 2010 Ford Transit Connect
With its city-friendly size, big-space interior, and likely good fuel economy, the 2010 Ford Transit Connect should appeal to all sorts of commercial buyers. The perky slab-sided styling will certainly be hard to miss, and that, too, is a good thing, as the current Ford lineup is rather low on the attention-getting scale. The utilitarian Transit Connect van could be a surprise hit, if only because there’s nothing else like it on the U.S. market with the arguable exception of the Chevrolet HHR Panel wagon.
2010 Ford Transit Connect Release Date: Exact timing is unclear, but Mr. Mulally probably wants the Connect here as soon as possible, so we’d expect an on-sale date in the first quarter of 2009.
2010 Ford Transit Connect First Test Drive: Assuming the above proves out, media previews for the U.S.-market Connect should be scheduled for late in calendar 2008.
2010 Ford Transit Connect Prices: Setting competitive price points is tough for any automaker in today’s fast-moving global economy, but the 2010 Ford Transit Connect will likely come in at the low end of the compact-car spectrum. That could put cargo models at around $12,000 before options.
2009 Honda Fit
2009 Honda Fit
Cool New Car Models
In recent months, we’ve had the opportunity to test a variety of hydrogen-powered prototypes, such as the Chevrolet Equinox fuel-cell vehicle and BMW’s Hydrogen-7, which goes the internal combustion route. But Honda’s FCX takes the technology to an entirely new level.Cool New Car Models
First seen at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, Honda plans to begin leasing the FCX for $600 a month, and not just to carefully selected corporate fleets, but to everyday consumers. The costly experiment is also a risky one, exposing the Clarity to all the daily challenges faced by your typical motorist, from bad weather to fussy infants.
“The FCX Clarity is a shining symbol of the progress we've made with fuel cell vehicles and of our belief in the promise of this technology,” proclaims American Honda president and CEO Tetsuo Iwamura. “Step by step, with continuous effort, commitment and focus, we are working to overcome obstacles to the mass-market potential of zero-emissions hydrogen fuel-cell automobiles.”
While the first retail customers will still have to wait a few months, we were given the chance to take the FCX for a spin around Los Angeles, starting out in Santa Monica, then heading up the coast to fire-ravaged Malibu . During our time behind the wheel, we had the chance to put the fuel-cell vehicle through a variety of different situations, from city streets to open highways, charging up steep inclines and around twisty canyon roads. And our overall impression? Well, we’ll get to that, in a moment.
A hydrogen-powered jellybean
Honda has actually applied the FCX badge to several vehicles. The outgoing model is a chunky-looking Japanese hatchback. The new edition is decidedly more stylish — and roomy. Honda has learned a valuable lesson from its Japanese rival, Toyota , whose Prius is a distinctive visual standout. You won’t miss the Clarity, either, and during our drive, it seemed like everyone wanted a closer look.
The FCX is a futuristic jellybean, first impressions suggesting a cross between the new Honda Accord and the Prius. Toss in a dash of the Honda CR-Z concept vehicle that debuted in Tokyo, last month — at least the show car’s split rear glass, which folds over into the tailgate. If we had any complaint, surprisingly, it was rear visibility, despite the sedan’s expanse of glass.
Inside, the compact FCX would likely qualify as a full-size four-door; even with the driver’s seat set to handle my 6’2” frame, there was plenty of legroom in the back. The sedan’s instrument panel vaguely resembles that of the new Accord, with its stairstep layout. There’s a huge, high-res LCD for the built-in navigation system, or to display the complex power system at work underneath. The instrument panel centers around a flashing, multi-color cluster that looks a lot like Tokyo at night, and can be nearly as distracting, as you struggle to understand what the various fluorescent readouts signify.
Our test car had a surprising number of little fit-and-finish problems, but we’re willing to give Honda a pass, considering this is a prototype of an extremely low-volume, largely hand-built car. Nonetheless, we’re hoping for typically Honda-level refinement when the first cars actually reach customers.
The FCX is extremely well-equipped, overall, with niceties such as dual-zone digital climate control, adaptive (radar) cruise control, voice-activated navigation, and a sweet AM/FM/CD/XM audio system with a jack for your iPod or MP3 player. Oddly, while the doors and windows are power-operated, the seats are manual. Then again, maybe not, as weight clearly matters when you’re going for maximum mileage.
In terms of safety, the FCX Clarity is equally well-equipped, with six airbags, anti-lock brakes, stability and traction control, active headrests, and a radar-guided collision mitigation system.
Under pressure
Though it’s extremely aerodynamic, the FCX uses a conventional steel body, with a steel chassis and aluminum subframe, rather than the costly, ultralight materials that could have been used. Even so, the numbers are impressive. The FCX delivers an estimated range of 270 miles on a tank full of hydrogen. Since it holds four kilograms of the stuff, that works out to an equated 68 miles per gallon. (The EPA considers a kilogram of hydrogen to equal a gallon of gas.)
A bit of a primer is called for here. A fuel cell “stack” consists of a series of permeable membranes coated with noble metals, including platinum, rhodium and palladium. The hydrogen passes through the membrane, in the process shedding an electron, the basic stuff of the electricity that runs a fuel-cell vehicle’s electric motor. When the hydrogen combines with air, it forms water, which you can spot coming out of the FCX tailpipe as either steam or a spray of liquid.
The latest-generation Honda stack, along with the rest of the fuel-cell system, is about 400 pounds lighter than in the earlier FCX, the stack itself now about a fifth the size of early stacks. The overall drive system, company officials note, is roughly the same size as a comparable gasoline-electric drivetrain. It’s also able to handle the worst heat a driver might experience in Southern California, as well as a low of -30 degrees Celsius (about -22 F).
Honda notably chose to go with a “low-pressure” fuel tank, storing those 4 kg of hydrogen at 350 bar, or 5000 psi. General Motors, with its new Equinox FCV, is opting for higher 700 bar/10,000 psi pressures, but that raises storage costs significantly, requires tremendous energy to compress the gas, and doesn’t quite double the amount of hydrogen you can store in a given space. The industry is likely to keep the storage debate going for a number of years.
Firing up the Clarity is simple: just press the start button. It takes a few seconds for the system to come alive, but once it does, you simply shift into gear, with an IP-mounted contraption that vaguely resembles a BMW 7-Series shifter.
Step on the throttle and you’re likely to be surprised by the Clarity’s aggressive launch. The system produces 100 kilowatts of power, with a modest additional assist from the onboard batteries, which operate much like those in today’s gas-electric hybrids. That works out to a seemingly modest 134 horsepower, but the numbers underrate the actual kick of an electric drive system, where you get maximum torque the moment the motor starts to turn.
From 0 to 30 mph, the FCX delivers some serious acceleration. It slacks off as you approach highway speed, but that doesn’t mean it’s a slouch. We were able to easily merge onto the congested I-10, in Santa Monica , and quickly soared to near 90 mph. Certainly, around town, the FCX Clarity will keep up with traffic.
Canyon agility
Later, as we headed up the busy Pacific Coast Highway toward Malibu , we were impressed with the agility of the sedan, which smoothly zipped from lane-to-lane. As we turned off onto Malibu Canyon Road , the fuel-cell vehicle shot up the steep incline without any hesitation, weaving and bobbing through the fire-ravaged canyon about as nimbly as the new Accord. Credit the Clarity’s double-wishbone suspension – and Honda engineers who were able to package the hefty fuel cell components as low as possible. The stack, for example, is actually mounted below the sedan’s center console.
One of the most striking features of any fuel-cell vehicle is the distinct lack of traditional powertrain noises. Instead, you suddenly discover all sorts of sounds normally muffled beneath, like controls and pumps – especially the compressor driving air into the fuel-cell stack. The somewhat high-pitched noise, along with the sound of the drive’s electric motor, takes some time getting used to, though in the FCX, it’s a significant amount quieter than the screeching of earlier fuel-cell vehicles.
How many customers Honda hopes to attract when it starts leasing the FCX next year, it isn’t saying. The company is “waiting to gauge the market’s reaction,” insists U.S. marketing chief Will Walton. Several factors suggest the initial reaction is likely to be quite positive. GM was besieged by thousands of potential users of the fuel-cell Equinox, which is will loan out for three-month stints starting in early 2008. And the special Honda FCX Web site has crashed several times from all the demand, since the automaker announced the lease program at the L.A. Auto Show last week.
Though final details haven’t been released, the basics are simple: customers will pay $600 a month, over the course of three-year leases, a figure including both maintenance and insurance.
All well and good, but what about the hydrogen? Under pressure from the state, the auto industry has been flooding the California market with hydrogen prototypes, and that’s encouraging the development of a real service-station infrastructure. It also helps that there’s a ready supply of the gas, which is produced for the various refineries that dot the Southern California coast.
Honda officials expect as many as 30 hydrogen pumps to be available next year. The fuel should cost about $5 a kilogram, meanwhile, so on a per-mile basis, the FCX will actually prove more affordable than comparably-sized sedans (except, perhaps, the Prius). Refueling times, of about five minutes are similar to what it takes to fill up an empty gasoline tank.
While the first Clarity sedans will be leased in the L.A. area, Honda officials would like to extend the experiment to other parts of the country. While they declined to discuss firm plans, we would expect to see the lease program expand to Washington, D.C., and even the New York City area, if things go well. That would certainly give a better sense for how the FCX would operate in winter weather.
Would we drive an FCX? Absolutely. In fact, if we can convince Honda to deliver one to Detroit , we hope to offer an even more in-depth review, sometime in the near future. The Clarity may not be the future, but it’s certainly pointing in that direction.
Engine: Fuel cell and 288-volt lithium battery, 134 hp/189 lb-ft
Transmission: Direct-drive electric motor, front-wheel drive
Length x width x height: 190.3 x 72.7 x 57.8 in
Wheelbase: 110.2 in
Curb weight: 3582 lb
Fuel economy (EPA city/hwy): 68 mpg combined EPA cycle (est.)
Major standard features: Power windows/locks/mirrors; AM/FM/CD/XM/MP3 audio system with iPod input and steering wheel-mounted audio controls; dual-zone climate control; remote keyless entry; tilt/telescope steering wheel; alloy wheels; voice-operated navigation; active (radar-guided) cruise control
Safety features: Anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control; dual front, side and curtain airbags; tire pressure monitors
2009 Chevrolet Avalanche
2009 Chevrolet Avalanche
Cool New Car Models
Cool New Car Models
The 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche is offered with a new 6-speed automatic transmission, a heavy-duty trailering package, and a new Luxury package. This reconfigurable pickup truck is essentially a crew-cab version of Chevrolet's Suburban SUV with a folding midgate separating the cab from the cargo bed. Lowering the midgate extends the bed to 8.2 ft from 5.3. Avalanche seats up to six and comes in LS, LT, and LTZ trims. Each is available with rear-wheel drive or full-time 4-wheel drive that can be left engaged on dry pavement and includes a low-range gear for off-roading. Standard on 2WD Avalanches is a 320-hp 5.3-liter V8 engine. 4WD models get a 310-hp version of the same engine. Both are capable of running on E85 ethanol-blended fuel. Optional on LT and LTZ models is a 366-hp 6.0-liter V8. All engines have GM's Active Fuel Management cylinder deactivation, and they team with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Maximum towing capacity is 8100 lb. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, and curtain side airbags. GM's Autoride load-leveling suspension is standard on LTZs, optional on LTs. Options include a navigation system and DVD entertainment. Heated and cooled front seats are standard on LTZ models. Real-time traffic information is now available on models with the navigation system. Also available are a wireless cell phone link and rearview camera. 20-inch chrome-clad wheels are available on LTZ models.
2011 Chevrolet Cruze
2011 Chevrolet Cruze
Cool New Car Models
It's no secret that the U.S. vehicle market is undergoing a swift, seismic shift. With gas possibly heading toward $5 a gallon and gloomy economic conditions that seem set to last a while, consumers are rapidly deserting big pickups and SUVs for thrifty cars and more-economical crossover SUVs, a change in buying patterns that some analysts think will be permanent. It's the biggest market upheaval since the Great Depression.Cool New Car Models
Automakers everywhere are scrambling to keep up, none more than General Motors. With GM suffering steep sales and revenue declines, the planned replacement for Chevrolet's Cobalt compact car could prove critical to the company's bottom line, and even its overall health. Cruze is set to debut this fall at the Paris Motor Show in early October, and should go on sale in Europe by March 2009, likely as a 2010 model.
General Motors has announced that North American production of the Chevy Cruze will begin by April of 2010 at GM's plant in Lordstown, Ohio. This time line means Cruze will debut in the U.S. as a 2011 model. The company says Cobalts will continue to be built at Lordstown for a short time after Cruze production starts, and at least one media report suggests Cobalt production could then shift to Mexico. GM says Cruze will also be built at plants in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe.
The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze employs GM's new front-wheel-drive Global Compact Vehicle Architecture, also known as "Delta 2." That makes it a platform-mate of the next-generation Saturn Astra, expected as an early-2010 model, and the Chevrolet Volt that is expected at the end of 2010. Cobalt and the current Astra use the older "Delta 1" architecture. The next-gen Astra for American consumption may be sourced from GM's Lordstown, Ohio, plant as well. At this point, the Astra's production location and the fate of the Cobalt-based Pontiac G5 are unknown.
Sources expect the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze to maintain the Cobalt's general size, but possibly with an inch or two added to wheelbase and maybe overall width. Engineering should be more weight-conscious in light of tough new U.S. fuel-economy mandates and pending new clean-air regulations in California and elsewhere. Look for greater use of lighter materials despite their higher cost, as weight is the enemy of fuel economy and a car's carbon footprint, not to mention performance. Despite the pound-paring, structural rigidity is likely to improve, which should benefit durability, quietness, and perhaps ride and handling, too.
So far, GM has only confirmed a Cruze sedan, but local media reports covering the Cruze press conference at the Lordstown plant say Ed Peper, GM North America vice president of Chevrolet, described the Cruze sedan as the first of a new family of compact, fuel-efficient Chevrolets. What this means is unknown, but it could point to other vehicles wearing the Cruze badge. Recently the company announced a Chevrolet Orlando concept that is a version of Opel's Zafira. Code named "MPV-7," the small people mover, like the Cruze sedan, is based on the company's "Delta 2" platform and debuts at the Paris show in October 2008. The Cobalt's coupe body style could also be reprised, but with a somewhat edgier, wedgier look than Cobalt.
The one confirmed engine for the American version of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is a new 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. The company predicts 140 horsepower and fuel economy as high as 45 mpg, presumably on the highway. By contrast, the 2009 Cobalt's base 2.2-liter non-turbo four produces 155 horses and is EPA-rated at 25/37 mpg city/highway in new gas-miser XFE trim. In Europe at least, transmissions will comprise a 5-speed manual and an optional 6-speed automatic versus Cobalt's 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic. Gearing will be chosen with an eye to maximizing fuel economy without compromising low-rpm performance. At some point, Chevrolet might add a sporty Cruze akin to the current Cobalt SS, perhaps with the same 260-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder. The decision will hinge on buyer sentiment and how much higher gas prices go in the next couple of years.
Because it will sell for a short time alongside Cobalt, the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is likely to be positioned as a more-upscale small Chevy with nicer appointments, more features, and higher prices. The alternative would be to slide Cobalt down-market by eliminating some now-standard equipment. Either way, the new Cruze will likely mimic Cobalt by including standard features like ABS, antiskid system, traction control, curtain side airbags, and GM OnStar assistance, plus 16-inch tires instead of 15s. Options should also broadly duplicate Cobalt offerings, with 17- and maybe 18-inch tires, various cosmetic add-ons, upgraded audio, power sunroof, and leather upholstery. A navigation system could well join the list.
In all, the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze stands to be better than today's Cobalt in many ways. It should thus be a more appealing bow-tie alternative to hot-selling, import-brand compacts like the Honda Civic--and now even the elderly Ford Focus. That and the early arrival time show just how serious GM has become about the small-car market. Considering the company's worsening financial condition with the steep drop in big-truck sales, the Chevy Cruze won't get here a moment too soon.
A Notable Feature of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
Though the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze should be a mostly conventional front-drive small car, we think it may have one or more features designed to maximize mpg. Aside from its smaller new engine and other weight-reducing measures versus Cobalt, the Cruze could conceivably adopt the new low-power lighting, wipers, and audio system being devised for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid compact sedan. This would help GM defray development costs that much sooner, and would also be in line with the Cruze's likely upscale market positioning versus Cobalt. Understand that we can't guarantee any of this right now--but hey, it could happen.
Buying Advice for the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze enters an already crowded field that's bound to become even more competitive. A fast-growing crop of attractive choices is certainly good news for consumers. The bad news is that certain compacts--the Honda Civic for one--are now in such demand that retailers are again padding prices and forgetting discounts. So, as always, it will pay for you to shop the dealer and the deal, not just the vehicle. But all else being equal, you probably won't go wrong with the Civic. It is, after all, a Consumer Guide Best Buy among compact cars. Then again, so is the Nissan Versa. If neither of those strikes your fancy, consider CG's Recommended compacts, the Hyundai Elantra, Mazda 3, and the winsome but relatively pricey Mini Cooper. The newly redesigned Toyota Corolla is unrated but deserves a look because of who makes it. And don't forget that a redesigned Ford Focus is set to debut in early 2010, though we hear it, too, may be introduced ahead of time. As for the Chevrolet Cruze (and sister Saturn Astra), it could well emerge as a new class star. We'll get back to you on that once we see it a few months from now.
Chevrolet Cruze
The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze will get a new 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine.
2011 Chevrolet Cruze Release Date: Cruze hits the European market in March 2009, and should be on sale in the United States during the summer of 2010.
2011 Chevrolet Cruze First Test Drive: Media drives could take place in Europe soon after the Paris debut, but formal introduction to American reporters will likely happen just before the car goes on sale here.
2011 Chevrolet Cruze Prices: As noted, the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is likely to be priced and equipped above comparable Cobalt models, but it's unclear what the differences will be, given today's fast-changing sales picture and the equally swift rise in steel prices and other commodity costs. Our educated guess is that the Cruze will start near $15,500, perhaps a little less, and top out at around $21,000. As usual with new-model intros, Chevrolet probably won't announce final pricing until just before sales begin.
2011 Chevrolet Volt
2011 Chevrolet Volt
Cool New Car Models
At a recent General Motors media event, GM "product czar" Bob Lutz wanted to be sure there wasn't any confusion. According to Lutz, the 2011 Chevy Volt is not a plug-in hybrid, but rather it is an extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV).Cool New Car Models
General Motors is determined to sell a E-REV before anyone else. That’s why it’s working flat-out to meet a self-imposed November 2010 deadline with the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. Among the most radical of GM’s near-term “green car” promises, the Volt is not just a symbolic “moon shot” for this beleaguered American company. It’s a grudge-match challenge to Toyota, which is poised to end GM’s 75-year reign as the world’s largest automaker, an achievement fueled in part by the Japanese brand’s big lead in hybrid technology and sales. As Larry Burns, GM vice president for research and development, told Car and Driver magazine, “Toyota creamed us on the Prius. It won’t happen again.” Yes, folks, this is personal.
The 2011 Chevrolet Volt will differ markedly from the Prius and other gasoline/electric hybrids. It will also differ in many ways from the racy-looking Volt concept unveiled at the January 2007 Detroit Auto Show. Since that big-buzz reveal, GM has gone out of its way to keep the media fully briefed on the production car’s progress. As a result, we now have a good many specifics about the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, though important questions remain.
For starters, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt will be a compact five-door sedan with front-wheel drive, four-passenger seating, and an external footprint like that of Chevrolet’s conventional Cobalt compact car. It will use GM’s new “Delta 2” global small-car platform, but will have unique styling and GM’s much-touted “E-Flex” powertrain architecture. E-Flex differs from existing hybrid systems that use a battery-powered electric motor as an adjunct to an internal combustion engine. Instead, the gas-fueled engine serves as a electricity generator and battery charger and is not connected to the drive wheels. Technically speaking, the Volt is thus an electric vehicle (EV) as well as a “serial hybrid.” The Toyota Prius and similar vehicles are termed “parallel hybrids.”
The 2011 Chevrolet Volt will be one of the first retail-market vehicles to use state-of-the-art lithium-ion (LI) batteries instead of the older and more common nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) type. LI batteries store more energy in less space, which is why they’re used in cell phones, laptop computers, and other small devices that need ample juice. They’re also faster to recharge. These advantages are naturally attractive for an electric car, but LI batteries have never been used on this scale, and devising suitable cells has been the major challenge in bringing the Volt to market.
GM is currently evaluating batteries from two joint ventures, A123 Systems/Continental AG and Compact Power/LG Chem. Chemistry is the main difference: so-called nanophosphate for the former, magnesium for the latter. Accelerated lab tests are now underway to determine which type better satisfies eight GM criteria, including energy density, extreme-temperature performance, materials, and cost. The choice should be announced by mid to late 2009.
Incidentally, these competing chemistries differ completely from that of the Sony LI batteries that made scare headlines by causing some laptop computers to overheat and even catch fire. The batteries in the 2011 Chevrolet Volt are thus expected to be quite safe, though they, too, must be kept within a specific temperature range. The Volt has a separate liquid-cooling system for that purpose.
The battery pack itself, rated at 16 kilowatts/hour, comprises more than 220 separate cells wired in series. That means the failure of any one cell disables the entire array, though some existing hybrid vehicles also have this flaw. The Volt pack is about six feet long and weighs a hefty 375 pounds. As in GM’s early-1990s EV1 pure-electric vehicle, it mounts in T-formation with the “leg” running beneath the center tunnel and the top situated crosswise under the rear seats. The latter precludes a middle back-seat position, but does allow spreading the outboard seats further apart than usual. For convenience, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt will include an “intelligent” control module that allows plugging in to either 120- or 240-volt household circuits. GM estimates the Volt's battery can be charged in less than three hours via a 240-volt outlet, or in about eight hours with a 120-volt outlet.
As for the battery-charger engine, it’s said to be an existing four-cylinder GM unit of 1.4 liters displacement. Two versions may appear: one running on gasoline and tuned to PZEV (partial-zero emissions vehicle) standards, the other capable of using E85 ethanol and tuned to looser ULEV (ul tra-low-emissions vehicle) levels. A small diesel engine could also be used, and was in the recent Opel Flextreme concept, but GM says it has no immediate plans to offer this.
Various reports indicate that electronic controls in the 2011 Chevrolet Volt will fire up the gas engine once the battery pack runs down to 30-percent power, then keep cycling the engine to maintain power within a specified band. GM estimates the Volt’s total driving range at 640 miles, which is about double that of most conventional hybrids.
GM also claims the 2011 Chevrolet Volt can run solely on electric power for 40 miles with a full battery charge. That’s in line with studies showing that most Americans drive only about 40 miles a day, so in theory at least, a Volt could go for weeks without using a drop of gas or spewing any CO2. But some analysts think the real-world electric range will be closer to 30 miles and probably less, depending on vehicle speed, ambient temperature (which affects battery performance), and whether trips include steep grades. Like conventional hybrids, however, the Volt incorporates a regenerative-braking feature that helps recharge the batteries when coasting or decelerating.
Powertrain aside, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt is fairly ordinary. Indeed, GM is reportedly trying to use as many off-the-shelf components as possible to offset the costly batteries and related systems in an effort to keep delivered price reasonable. That’s why the Volt shares a platform with conventional GM compacts and will likely be built alongside some of them in the company’s Detroit-Hamtramck plant. Cost concerns also explain an orthodox coil-spring suspension with front struts and a simple twist-beam rear axle located by trailing arms. Appropriate for a “volts-wagon,” the steering is electrically operated, albeit designed for minimal power consumption. The brakes are electro-hydraulic, with “by-wire” activation and a normal fluid reservoir for antilock control and antiskid/traction control.
GM unveiled the production Volt during the company's 100th Anniversary celebration in September 2008. Against the low-slung 2007 concept, which insiders nicknamed the “Electric Camaro,” the production model has a longer, smoother nose and greater windshield slant, but is otherwise similar, especially in back. Some observers feel the Volt bears a family resemblance to the midsize 2008 Chevrolet Malibu and it does have a similar “twin-cowl” dashboard. GM says many of the exterior changes were made to reduce air drag and thus maximize driving range. The concept Volt was apparently drawn without much regard to aerodynamics, and proved very disappointing when tested in the GM wind tunnel. Company design chief Ed Wellburn claims the final design reduces the concept’s drag coefficient by 30 percent, and a statement by Bob Lutz implies a value of around 0.25, impressively low for a four-seat sedan.
It’s clear that GM views the 2011 Chevrolet Volt as a potential game-changer for the entire auto industry. After all, the E-Flex architecture is designed so that the gas engine can be replaced by a hydrogen fuel cell, once those are ready. But it’s equally clear that GM is throwing all the money and resources it can at the Volt program just so it can one-up Toyota with an extended-range electric car. Yet the Volt is unlikely to make money right away, and GM could even be forced to subsidize the price to pump-prime the market. Later on, of course, the Volt could pay off big in both prestige and profits, much as the Prius has for Toyota.
In any case, GM knows it will eat a lot of crow if it misses its deadline, which could happen if there’s an unexpected delay with the batteries. But all involved express confidence that the Volt will be on time, if not on budget. As Bob Lutz recently told Wired magazine: “November 2010 is our internal target. We are holding the team’s feet to the fire...[T]here is no doubt you’d like to be able to leapfrog Toyota and come out with a car they aren’t ready to do. There’s nothing magic about the technology. Two or three years after the Volt is introduced, everybody will have something like it. We’d just like to be first for once... If we pull it off successfully, it can really put us back at the top of the heap of automotive technology instead of being called laggards that are being left behind by the Germans and the Japanese... If it doesn’t work, it’s not fatal. But if it does work, it will be sensational...”
Maybe so, Bob. We shall see.
2011 Chevrolet Volt
Against the low-slung 2007 concept, the production model has a longer, smoother nose and greater windshield slant, but is otherwise similar, especially in back.
A Notable Feature of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt
The Volt may have a very different powertrain, but GM wanted to make it drive like any other Chevrolet. For example, although there’s no transmission per se, the Volt will have an ordinary mechanical shift lever on the center console, which GM says was chosen to help conserve power versus an electrically operated selector, as on the Prius. For the same reason, windshield wipers, air conditioning, stereo, and other accessories have been redesigned so they will also drain less juice than those in conventional cars. Though such “redundant systems” add to development costs and thus sticker price, they reflect GM’s desire that consumers see the Volt as no less practical than any other car.
Buying Advice for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt
Despite its alleged game-changing technology, the Volt will face a growing number of “clean-tech” vehicles selling for the same or less money, including not just hybrids but also diesel-engine models. In particular, it will compete with a redesigned version of the Toyota Prius that’s expected in January 2009 as an early 2010 entry. Sources say the third-generation Prius will be somewhat larger yet lighter than today’s version, will offer better performance with higher fuel economy, and will boast a longer electric-only driving range despite retaining NiMH batteries and Toyota’s basic Hybrid Synergy Drive system. Moreover, word is the Prius will switch to LI batteries around 2010, then add plug-in capability as early as 2011. With all this, buyers will want to weigh all the “green car” options with regard to initial cost versus “time to payback” and perhaps net environmental impact. On those counts, one analyst has concluded the Volt would fare much worse than conventional hybrids even in best-case driving scenarios, taking decades instead of several years to recoup its purchase price in fuel costs and reduced emissions. It’s something to think about.
2011 Chevrolet Volt Release Date: As noted, GM insists the Volt will be ready by November 2010, but it’s unclear whether sales will begin then or later. According to two websites (TheGMSource.com and chevyvoltforum.com), the Detroit-Hamtramck plant will close in May 2009 to retool for Volt production, reopening in late September or early October. Those sources also say that first-year assemblies will be capped at around 10,000 units, a fairly slow pace presumably chosen to allow for any needed debugging of the car and/or its production processes. That means only select Chevy dealers will have Volts to sell in the 2011 model year, likely larger stores in major metro markets. After that, however, production reportedly ramps up to around 100,000 a year--or whatever the market will bear.
2011 Chevrolet Volt First Test Drive: GM has treated the media to several Volt technical briefings since the early-2007 concept reveal, and more are likely before announcement day. Assuming no surprise program delays, the first “ride-and-drive” events could be held in summer or early fall of 2010.
2011 Chevrolet Volt Prices: GM first projected the Volt’s base price at around $30,000, but has since upped the estimate to $35,000. And some sources believe the final tab will be more like $40,000, rather steep for a compact Chevrolet. Why so much? Apparently because GM underestimated the cost of the high-tech batteries and other Volt-specific components. The wild card is whether the company might be willing to take a loss by subsidizing the price down to the original $30K target--and if so, for how long.
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