Volkswagen has released details of its BlueMotion range of cars, stating that the Bluemotion Golf, Polo and Passat are the most fuel-efficient vehicles in their respective classes. The range will be present at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show this month, and while they show no sparkling new looks, eco-friendly options are important among consumers, particularly with the new Euro 5 norms.

The Polo BlueMotion with its 3.3-litre engine produces just 87 g/km of CO2 emissions, while the Golf with its 3.8-litre produces 99 g/km. The Passat continues the trend with 114 g/km of CO2 emissions for its 4.4-litre engine.

All engine models are the new common rail TDI engines, and will also feature start-stop technology and energy regeneration. The range will have its world premiere at Frankfurt, after which they are ready for purchase from this autumn in Europe.

Continue reading: Volkswagen BlueMotion: Golf, Passat and Polo most fuel-efficient cars

Europe’s stricter Euro 5 emissions standards start today, with a few changes from the previous Euro 4 legislation. The new laws seem to target diesel cars and engines in particular, focussing on significant reductions in nitrogen oxide emissions from 250 mg/km to 180 mg/km. Petrol engines also see a reduction of 25 percent from 80 to 60 mg/km. Euro 4 norms regarding CO2 emissions will remain the same.

Many of Europe’s car manufacturers have already pre-empted the new emission standards legislation, with Mercedes, for example, already offering 13 vehicles in its line-up that comply with the new norms. Volkswagen and Opel have eight vehicles that comply, followed by BMW with seven.

Toyota and Fiat both have five models each that meet Euro 5 norms. Some of the most popular models in Europe that comply with Euro 5 include the Fiat 500, the new Volkswagen Golf, the Audi A4 and the Alfa MiTo.

While vehicles that comply with Euro 4 norms can still circulate freely on days when traffic restrictions might be in place for pollution reduction measures, we can be assured that this trend to cleaner and more efficient cars will only continue.

Source | Autoblog.it

Photo | Flickr

Continue reading: New Euro 5 emission laws start

According to data, fuelling air conditioners in cars every year consumes up to 28 million litres of petrol, equal to about six percent of the total consumption of petrol and diesel. American scientists from NREL (laboratory for renewable energies) have released these figures, and also calculated that coolant leaks cause emissions of 50 million tonnes of CO2 a year.

Experts are working to improve the function of air conditioners, so as improve efficiency by about 33 percent. Some ideas are already being tested, including overhauling air conditioning systems and replacing or changing traditional coolant systems. A special paint for cars that reflects solar rays could also be an option, reducing the need for air conditioning.

This summer, Ford will be the major partner in research projects of this kind, with the Department of Energy in the US dedicating a 4.2 million-dollar donation to the company. The money will go to improving car air conditioning systems and to the development of a thermal-electric system.

Source | Ecoblog

Continue reading: Ford gets money for environmental research on air conditioning systems

Fiat’s environmental qualifications have been confirmed again this year, registering for a second year running the lowest CO2 emissions of the ten automobile brands in Europe. The figures are for 2008 sales at an average of 133.7 g/km (in 2007 figures were 137.3 g/km).

The figures come from JATO, world leader in research and consultancy in the automotive field. Fiat is at the top of the ranking and is followed by Peugeot (138.1 g/km), Citroën (142.4 g/km), Renault (142.7 g/km), Toyota (144.9 g/km), Ford (147.8 g/km), Opel/Vauxhall (151.1 g/km), Volkswagen (158.8 g/km), BMW (160.6 g/km) and Mercedes (185.0 g/km).

Fiat Group also precedes PSA, Renault, Toyota and Hyundai-Kia in the manufacturers group category. New initiatives and projects such as the Multiair, PUR-O2 range and LPG models should only further improve these results in the future.

Continue reading: Fiat: Europe's lowest emission brand

2009 could be the year for fiat Powertrain with features emerging such as the two-cylinder turbo, turbo-charged 1.8L, dry twin-clutch, automatic transmission and last but definitely not least, the Multijet II. Alfredo Altavilla, managing director of Fiat Powertrain, has much to be positive about.

He explains how they have developed an engine such as the SGE that still complies with Euro 5 anf Euro 6 anti-pollution legislation, which will come into effect in 2014. In the aspirated, turbo and natural gas Fiats, all the 900cc engines will have CO2 emissions of less than 100 grams per kilometre.

Multiair technology is the apple of Fiat’s eye, which, with its valve control, takes power to levels comparable to the Multijet. A power range of between 65 and 105 hp will be on offer. 2009 will see the second generation Multijet for Fiat, making this an exiciting year for Fiat’s powerhouse.

Source | Corriere (Thanks to Richard Burns for the tip)

Continue reading: Fiat Powertrain, managing director Altavilla on twin cylinder and Multiair for 2009

Fiat Automobiles has officially confirmed the arrival of the new Grande Punto Natural Power. The new version introduces double petrol-methane fuel and arrives in a moment when alternative fuels are experiencing a huge request.

The strong points of the Grande Punto methane are definitely the automony of 310 km, through two 84 litre gas tanks, CO2 emissions of the 1.4 litre engine are Euro 5 ready at 115 g/km.

The Grande Punto Natural Power is also cost effective, thanks to state incentives for cars that have less than 120 g/km of CO2 emissions. This means the car will cost about 12,300 euros (less 2,800 from the state grants), and although we can’t expect grand performance with its 70hp and 104Nm of torque at 3000 rpm, you can at least drive around knowing you’ve made a relatively environmentally friendly choice. Maximum speed is 156 km/hr and acceleration to 100 km/hr is achieved in 16.9 seconds.

Continue reading: Fiat presents Grande Punto Natural Power: cars with alternative fuels

Renault’s got its new Megane, Peugeot its Rc and so as not to leave the competition with all the glory, Citroen is presenting its Hypnos Hybrid Crossover Concept.

With a name like this, you’d like the concept would be a mess - exaggerated, risky and eventually a has-been. But Citroen has really hit the nail on the head - this is an authentic car with energetic lines which will make the competition take notice.

This excellent concept, offered with a mix of the style of a sports coupé and the practicality of a SUV, is equipped with a double engine of 200hp with fuel efficiency and emissions limited to 4.5 litres per 100 km, and 120 grams of CO2 per km. Unfortunately we can’t add anything else, but we’re really curious to see more at the Paris show.

Via | CarScoop (Thanks to Bugatti&91 for the tip)

Continue reading: Paris 2008: Citroen presents its Hypnos Hybrid Crossover Concept

Like all automobile manufacturers, Porsche will soon have to deal with the new, and more severe, anti-pollution norms. Many solutions have been thrown up for the moment, not all of which are very orthodox, but one of which could be the adoption of the start&stop system on the noble six cylinder 911. This could see CO2 emissions decrese by about 10 g/km.

Apparently the brand’s customers are not all that enthusiastic about taking a drive with a Carrera that turns itself off at every red light. So how do you fix the problem?

By discovering new ways. The 911 is unlikely ever to be the champion of ecology (according to Thomas Wasserback it will be difficult to get it under 200 g/km), but with a series of different solutions the company should be able to shave off a few more grams without touching performance.

Continue reading: Porsche 911: customers say no to start&stop

At the Beijing show Opel has shown as a preview to the Chinese public of the three volume version of the Astra, the brand’s sixth model available in the Chinese range, and the hybrid Flextreme concept.

With the new four door Astra, the German company will be better placed to respond to Chinese market demand, where the three volume sedan has already been chosen by 85% of drivers. The three and five door variations have already experienced notable interest and are the most-sold Opel models in this country, where the Astra, TwinTop, Vectra and Zafira are also available. Thanks to a pearl like the panoramic windshield (which no longer impresses us “spoiled” European drivers), the Astra GTC was recently voted “most fashionable car” by the Chinese Commercial Centre for Import Cars and sina.com, a major web portal.

In China, where 2007 alone nearly 8,500 000 vehicles were sold, Opel with its 3700 cars, represents a tiny niche. But thanks to the new model the company can count on broadening its sales through its greater presence in the market, guaranteed by new dealerships, taking the number to 45.

Continue reading: Beijing 2008: Opel broadens its China presence

We’re curious to know how the news was received around the Ingolstadt traps. Auto, motor und sport has announced today that if the news is true (and it comes from a reputable source) Audi’s rivals will be in a league of their own. And this after Audi has only just revealed the new 6.0 V12 TDI, soon to be under the hood of the SUV Q7.

Audi risks portraying an image inconsistent with the “ecology” with which car companies have become obssessed over recent years. Neither the 4.4 V8 BMW nor the 4.0 V8 Mercedes will have heirs, being considered too big and polluting, according to the German companies. The units will be substituted with new six cylinder concepts, characterised by lower capabilities (around three litres) and drastically reduced consumption and CO2 emissions.

“The 4.4 V8 will be substituted by a straight-six cylinder twin-turbo”, Norbert Reithofer, General Manager BMW has revealed, underlining that they haven’t changed their tune for the current range. A similar discussion regards Mercedes, who in addition to exchanging the V8 will also gradually substitute the 3.0 V6 CDI with a 2.1 four cylinder twin-turbo. This engine is expected to debut next year on the C250 CDI in a version that will have both 204 hp and 480 Nm. Following will be versions taking a step further for higher power.

Continue reading: BMW and Mercedes farewell the super-diesel V8?

Known by know to all long-term Autoblog readers, Chris Harris does a road test of the new Lotus Elise SC, the 220hp supercharged version of the English sportscar which finally adopted the compressed engines from its coupè cousin Exige. On the Elise volumetrics are different, developed exclusively by Lotus and in particular the Exige’s intercooler, which completely closes the driver’s rear vision, is not included.

Positive notes include the performance, combined with reasonable consumption, but of particular attention is the handling, supported by a feather-light weight (although a long way from the Elise S1), and the Yokohama tyres specific to this version.

Chris, in love with the SC, doesn’t take long to praise Lotus’ choice of persuing the aim of lighter and less powerful cars, in such a way as to maintain the sporty characteristics, adapting to the ever more stringent laws on consumption and emission, compared to the German counterparts.

Continue reading: Video: Autocar enthusiastic about the Lotus Elise SC

The name Project i is a bit disturbing although we’re not talking about a bad Hollywood film or a secret spy project. Perhaps not even BMW is clear on what’s behind this code, even if the aim is to produce a product to put to the city test (and pollution). This is a hot topic these days, given we’ve already discussed a possible BMW city car and a utility vehicle for emerging markets.

Norbert Reithofer, general manager, has discussed the desire to develop a highly innovative product, independent of the BMW brand, and ready to debut by the middle of the next decade: it is still undecided however, whether to create a fourth brand just for this model.

Uncertainty also surrounds the engine technology to be employed: the possibility of using an electric engine - Reithofer has concluded - is being assessed, as it would allow for driving pleasure together with low emissions.

Via | Motorauthority.com

Continue reading: Bmw working on Project i: a reality by 2015