Archive for the ‘Automobile Manufacturers’ Category

Meet the Lotus Elite

Posted: September 20, 2010 in Audi, Lamborghini, Lotus, Toyota
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It’s Paris Auto Show time and UK dream weaver, Lotus Cars, makes us salivate with its latest creation.

Meet the Lotus Elite. It’s a 2+2 grand touring car with a 5.0 liter 612 hp 531 lb-ft torque that drives the rear wheels (no crappy all wheel drive to ruin the fun).  Lotus says the car will do 0-60 mph in an astonishing 3.5-3.7 seconds.  There was no word on the source of the V8, although Lotus does use modified Toyota engines in its other cars.

The folding hardtop missile measures 181.1 inches long, 74.8 inches wide and 53 inches tall and the car, porky for a Lotus, weighs in at 3,638 pounds.

I expect that the “back seats” are really for infants or a Prada hand bag.

Lotus will offer its first optional hybrid system that uses kinetic-energy-recovery system similar to the setup used in Formula One racing. (Who knew Formula One racers used hybrid electric systems?)

Save your pennies because it ain’t going to be cheap. The Elite will start at £115,000 or around $179,000 at current exchange rates. If you want options or the hybrid drive system, prepare to write a much larger check. It is scheduled to go on sale in 2014.

Hey, I can dream, right?

Lotus Elite Concept - 2010 Paris Auto Show

Lotus Elite Concept Car - 2010 Paris Auto Show

Lotus Elite Concept Car - 2010 Paris Auto Show

Lotus Elite Concept Car - 2010 Paris Auto Show

If you want a new 4-door Super Car, look no further than the upcoming Lamborghini Estoque, due sometime in 2013 according to Volkswagen (Audi is a VW subsidiary and Audi owns Lamborghini).  It will be powered by the V10 from the Gallardo (which is also used in the Audi R8 V10).

2013 Lamborghini Estoque (Europe debut in 2012, US 2013)

Proposed New EPA Stickers for Cars

Posted: September 11, 2010 in Chevrolet, Fisker Automotive, Ford, Fuel Economy, Hybrids, Electrics and other "Green" Technology, Nissan
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed new window stickers for all cars/trucks sold in the United States.  The mandates come from a 2007 law (not implemented by the Bush Administration) that requires labels to put a new vehicle in context with the rest of the herd.  The EPA’s mandate must take into account (1) fuel economy, (2) greenhouse gasses and (3) smog-forming pollutants.  It also must contextualize your average car/truck with a gasoline-fueled internal combustion engine with EVs, hybrids and advanced clean diesels.

One of two new stickers assigns letter grades (remember elementary school?) from A+ to D-.   It’s pretty easy to guess which car gets the highest and lowest grades.  A pure EV (electric vehicle), like the Nissan Leaf, will get an A+ (117  mpg and higher) while my Italian friends, Lamborghini and Ferrari, would get the D-.

Proposed EPA-DOT Window Sticker with Letter Grade

Note that the sticker even has a QR Code™ that can be read by your smartphone to get even more information about the car and the EPA’s ratings.

A plug-in hybrid, rated at the equivalent of 59 – 116 mpg, like the upcoming Chevy Volt (it has an internal combustion engine that runs a generator to juice the batteries to give it an extended range) would get an A.   “Normal” hybrids like the Toyota Prius and the Ford Fusion would earn an A-.  Lesser hybrids, like the Nissan Altima, Ford Escape and Toyota Camry will have to sit in the second row and with a B+. (more…)

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