2009 Volkswagen Tiguan Test Drive: VW’s Small Crossover Entrant Has Turbo Chops, GTI-Like Ride

BOULDER, Colo. — Volkswagen is finally filling the small crossover void in its model lineup with the all-new 2009 Tiguan. This mini ‘ute, hitting dealerships now, is a meld between the Golf and Passat platforms. But think of it more like a beefed-up Golf than a downsized Touareg. While nestled on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains in this outdoorsy town recently, we were curious whether we’d want to sneak in some extra time on-road or off. So we checked the specs before sliding behind the wheel. And with a 20-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four from the GTI, we anticipated the soul of this vehicle would lean toward performance over off-road utility. Turns out, we were right on the money. —Brittany Marquis

The Specs
VW is keeping it simple by only offering the 2.0L turbocharged engine. So regardless of model, you get 200 horses and 207 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,000 rpm. It also means you’ll have one of the most powerful small crossovers on the block. The Tiguan really is small—with an overall length of 174.3 in., it comes in at 4 in. shorter than the Honda CR-V. It’s also the skinniest among its competition. You can order a Tiguan with front-wheel or all-wheel drive, but unique to this class—and true to its European roots—the front-drive model is available with a manual transmission. And for those of us who enjoy the sport of driving, that’s quite good news. The VW all-wheel drive (known as 4Motion) only comes with automatic—boo.

4Motion is a full-time system that distributes power electronically to all four wheels, all the time, at any speed. The Tiguan’s suspension is a mix of McPherson struts with lower wishbones up front and four-link independent steel springs in the rear. In terms of ground clearance, this little one comes up short with only 6.9 in. That only beats out the Golf (a car) by 1.2 in. At the other end of the spectrum, the Subaru Forester has an impressive 8.7 in.. The 12.28-in. front discs and 11.26-in. rears are sized well, as expected for a European rig. And you’ll get standard 215/65 R16 all-season tires on the front-wheel-drive Tigs and the 235/50R18 all-season tires on 4Motion models.

The Drive
With the infamous, ever changing weather of Colorado’s front range, we got a chance to test out the 4Motion system in snow, sleet and rain. The vehicle provided confidence and steady control on the road. And as much as we like real 4X4s, we enjoyed the convenience of never having to shift a lever or push a four-wheel-drive button. Once we got to some dry, open roads we let the Tiguan show off a bit—pushing triple-digit speeds on some stretches. No doubt, there’s a potent motor under that hood. The Tiguan was responsive as we whipped through the curvaceous mountain roads, and we appreciated the sporty suspension. And those deft moves were a bit surprising considering, as the tyke of its class, this vehicle weighs in at 3,433 pounds. On side streets, the suspension muted all the Colorado potholes and uneven pavement patches we could find. And once we hit the highway, the ride stayed smooth.

The fuel economy won’t embarrass a Toyota Prius—or a VW Jetta TDI for that matter. But 18 mpg (city) and 25 mpg (highway) ain’t too shabby. So what about a diesel version? “A TDI version is under investigation,” says VW of America’s Keith Price, “but as of now having a diesel Tiguan in the states is not economically justifiable for Volkswagen.” Price said the stringent U.S. emissions standards make a TDI an unlikely candidate for the Tiguan until at least 2011. So why not just drop in the TDI motor from the aforementioned Jetta? Maybe that’s the 2011 plan.

The interior is simple yet, like quite a few VWs these days, luxurious as well. All four windows have a one-touch express up/down function, and all four roll down completely, too. A valuable option is the touchscreen navigational system. With a 6.5-in. screen, 30GB hard-drive, SD memory card slot, DVD capabilities and rearview camera, this multimedia system is great—for those of us that like to crank indie tunes from our own SD card. We dug the panoramic sunroof, which gives you a massive 13 sq.-ft. hole for upward gazing—although the mesh-like material that covers the sunroof window could use improvement, since it doesn’t really provide any true sun protection and actually made the interior pretty hot. The backseats have reclining and sliding capabilities, but in their most reclined position they felt more like a normal seat. Once you move the seats forward or out of the “reclined” position, an average size passenger’s legs can get a bit squashed. But don’t get us wrong, the seat adjustments are great if cargo—not passenger hauling capacity—is your main goal. When we folded the seats flat, we had 56.1 cu.-ft. at our disposal. And we were able to load all the camping gear we needed for an overnight fly-fishing trip (with room to spare). What’s more, we found nine tie-down hooks that were well placed and very useful for securing all of our equipment. The Tig does offer flexibility, with factory accessories like a roof rack, bike holder and ski/snowboard racks to boot. So there are options to blend passenger comfort and cargo carrying capacity.

The Bottom Line
With Tiguans starting at $23,200 and sprawling all the way into the low $30,000s, VW is covering a wide swath of the crossover price spectrum. In short, like most crossovers this petite ‘ute is a compromise. It’s a spunky ride with some great features, but in order to haul a lot of gear and people, you may have to check a few option boxes.

Citroen's spectacular C-Metisse Concept

Citroen seems to save its best concept cars for its home Paris Show and this year it has unveiled a beauty. The C-Métisse Concept will be seen in the flesh for the first time at the 2006 Paris Motor Show. With its elegant proportions, flamboyant bodywork and spectacular door design, the C-Métisse is an elegant 4-seater 4-door coupe reminiscent of the most prestigious Grand Touring vehicles. The car has a high-performance diesel hybrid drivetrain, excellent aerodynamics and a weight of just 1400 kilograms complete with batteries. C-Métisse is based on the same future-oriented solution as the C4 HDi hybrid demonstration vehicle apart from one key difference: the electric motors are installed in the rear wheels. Looking at C-Métisse is a visual shock in itself. Long (4.74 m), wide (2 m) and low (1.24 m), the car is sculptural and almost intimidating.

With its very long bonnet and virtually inexistent rear overhang, C-Métisse brings to mind the design balance of vehicles seen during the golden age of Grand Touring.

The design lines of C-Métisse also reflect the quest for outstanding aerodynamics, delivering improved fuel economy and lower pollutant emissions while also integrating the latest technological developments.

Positioned either side of the double chevron badge on the radiator grille, the headlamps are equipped with a row of LEDs that light up progressively, depending on the steering-wheel angle and vehicle speed. This feature ensures excellent lighting when driving on winding roads by night.

At the same time, the Michelin tyres with their central wheel nuts contribute to the sporting character of the coupé. More specifically, the development of these tyres was integrated with the vehicle design process, in order to optimise resistance to air and thus contribute to the vehicle's excellent drag coefficient (Cd of 0.30).

Spectacular door design and easy access

C-Métisse implements a number of unique technical solutions, particularly in terms of door design.

The first surprise is the presence of rear doors on a vehicle that is nevertheless the embodiment of a well designed coupé.

The second lies in the ballet that takes place when the doors open, extending an impressive welcome to passengers: the front doors open gull-wing style while the rear doors spin round.

Looking beyond the stunning visual effect, this is actually an efficient solution for easy access. The doors rise up slightly on the roof – a major obstacle when getting into extremely low vehicles – to provide outstanding accessibility. The parallelogram boot opening also contributes to the overall looks of the car.

A driving position adapted to the driver

The driving position takes full advantage of technological progress to integrate functions that allow the driver to concentrate fully on the road, while also maximising driving pleasure.

The following equipment is provided:

- a fixed-centred controls steering wheel that brings the main comfort functions and driving aids (radio, cruise control, on-board computer, lighting, indicators and windscreen wiper) within easy reach. This layout, along with the steering-wheel mounted gear paddles, avoids any unnecessary movements on the part of the driver, who is able to enjoy driving pleasure to the full;

- contact and start-up buttons on the roof console, reinforcing the sensation of being in a fighter jet;

- a driving position corresponding to the optimum position of the driver's eye, with a single height adjustment to match this point; a suspended head restraint anchored to the roof, and two rest electrical functions to adjust the leather steering wheel and aluminium pedal assembly. This innovative layout optimises the driving position while maintaining space for passengers in the back.

This high-tech equipment perfectly matches the design of the driving position whose original central console is divided by five extensions. Positioned between these extensions are the aluminium gear shift lever and other functions including the navigation system controls; seat, steering wheel and pedal assembly adjustment; boot controls, body height adjustment and the sport mode of the suspension system.

The central console extends into the cabin via three illuminated strips featuring a play of light that informs passengers of the current mode of hybrid propulsion (ZEV, recharge, boost, etc.). This play of light is accompanied by sound effects that are perceptible as soon as the doors are opened. These sounds accompany certain driver actions (getting behind the wheel, starting the car, navigation in the on-board computer) and indicate the deployment of the aerodynamic airfoils. With these features, C-Métisse comes alive, clearly designed to transcend the usual coldness of high-tech objects.

A high-spec passenger compartment

Upholstered in white leather, the space reserved for the three passengers features an uncluttered design that creates an atmosphere of total relaxation.

Through their design, the three independent seats suggest comfort and lightness. This impression is reinforced by the airy shapes and hollowed volumes of the cabin, in which the leather trim and aluminium inserts clearly confirm C-Métisse as belonging to the world of exceptional cars.

For truly exceptional passenger comfort, each seat has independent air conditioning controls stamped into the leather door panels, along with individual roof lighting. C-Métisse makes full use of its generous three metre wheel base and the space provided for the rear passengers is exceptional for this type of vehicle. Knee room, in particular, corresponds to limousine standards.

With its leather trim, the luggage compartment is coordinated with the passenger compartment. In addition to the boot, with its parallelogram opening, the passengers of C-Métisse have two other compartments behind the wheels to place the line of Citroën luggage designed exclusively for this concept.

Remarkable Performance Levels

The intelligent design of C-Métisse combines three important factors that all contribute to outstanding performance levels: a powerful diesel hybrid drivetrain, a low drag factor and small frontal area for a limousine, and limited weight. As a result, it is able to combine performance with fuel economy and respect for the environment.

The C-Métisse features a diesel hybrid drivetrain combining a diesel combustion engine and two electric motors in the rear wheels.

The V6 HDi DPFS (particulate filter) diesel engine is mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox developing 150 kW (208 bhp) that drives the front wheels with each rear wheel electric motors developing 400 Nm torque and 15 kW (20 bhp).

In the city, the C-Métisse can operate in ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle) mode – an "extended'", completely silent all-electric mode with a range of around 3 km at 30 kph – as well as on roads demanding successive acceleration and deceleration. In this second case, the hybrid architecture makes it possible to limit consumption by using the two forms of energy together.

On motorways, the V6 HDi diesel combustion engine with a DPFS sets high standards of efficiency, based on its intrinsic qualities.

By controlling fuel consumption and thus pollutant emissions, C- Métisse boasts combined cycle consumption levels of 6.5 l/100 km for CO_ emissions of 174 g/km.

No sacrifices have been made in terms of driving pleasure, which remains a key priority for motorists. If the driver makes prolonged use of the accelerator pedal, the electric boost function kicks in to provide the torque required. This function combines the torque of the combustion engine with that of the electric motors to endow C-Métisse with a level of performance worthy of a high-spec sports vehicle, without pushing up fuel consumption. C-Métisse accelerates from 0 to 100 kph in 6.2 seconds and takes 25.4 seconds to cover 1,000 m from a standing start.

Rather than pursuing the quest for ever higher speeds that are not practicable in normal traffic conditions, the emphasis has been placed on driving pleasure with clean, fast acceleration. For example, C-Métisse accelerates from 80 to 120 kph in 4.2 seconds. The vehicle remains in 4-wheel drive mode while the boost function is active, since the electric motors drive the rear wheels while the combustion engine drives the front wheels. Thus ensuring impeccable traction.

Also, when the ESP sensors report low grip conditions, C-Métisse can activate its electric motors and thus adopt a 4-wheel drive configuration. The electric motors deliver improved traction and ensure full use of the potential of C-Métisse in all conditions and in complete safety.

Alongside the engine and motors, the drivetrain comprises a pack of high-voltage batteries supplying the electric motors. Positioned in the centre of the vehicle, the pack is recharged by the electric motors during deceleration phases, thus converting the vehicle's kinetic energy into electric energy.

The drivetrain and braking control unit automatically manage the transition from 2- to 4-wheel drive, energy recovery and recharging of batteries.

Optimised aerodynamics

Special emphasis was placed on the aerodynamics and flowing design of C-Métisse, these being key Citroën values. The objective was to enhance the vehicle's dynamics, road manners and performance while showing respect for the environment.

Far from being a gratuitous styling exercise, the forms of C-Métisse combine visual appeal with dynamic efficiency. C-Métisse boasts a Cd of 0.30 obtained by its flowing lines, as well as by a series of innovative features such as the enlarged air intakes at the front, the flat underside of the car, the two retractable rear airfoils and the rear fixed-fin spoiler. All these features play an active role in reducing aerodynamic drag and lift, thus pushing the car to the ground and improving roadholding.

Limited weight for performance and fuel economy

Particular efforts were made to reduce vehicle weight in order to achieve both performance and fuel economy.

With its carbon body and carbon trellis supporting the powertrain and front axle, C-Métisse weighs just 1,400 kg, batteries included. A remarkable figure for a vehicle of this size.

The architecture of the diesel hybrid powertrain also contributes to this result. The positioning of the electric motors in the rear wheels and the position of the battery pack in the centre of the vehicle distributes the weight perfectly between front and rear, for improved road behaviour.

A car of astonishing style and equally astonishing performance with its diesel hybrid powerplant, C-Métisse combines the concept of ecology with automotive emotions and sensations. Through its ability to challenge received ideas, it illustrates an objective long pursued by Citroën: to develop vehicles that reflect the spirit of the times, without losing sight of the essential – driving pleasure.

Source: gizmag

Electric Cars Arising; Do We Still Need Fuel-cell Cars?

Sanyo Electric Co Ltd announced that it will supply Li-ion secondary batteries to Volkswagen Group May 28, 2008. Automakers are announcing plans to mount Li-ion secondary batteries on electric-powered vehicles such as hybrids and electric vehicles (EVs) one after another these days.

Among hybrids, Nissan Motor Co Ltd announced that it will procure its Li-ion secondary battery supply from Automotive Energy Supply Corp, its joint venture with NEC Corp and NEC Tokin Corp. And Toyota Motor will get its batteries from Panasonic EV Energy Co Ltd, a joint venture it formed with the Matsushita Electric Industrial Group.

In addition to these companies, Daimler AG disclosed the adoption of the Li-ion secondary batteries manufactured by Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions LLC, a company jointly formed by Saft Groupe SA and Johnson Controls Inc. Also, General Motors Corp announced it would obtain Li-ion secondary batteries manufactured by Hitachi Vehicle Energy Ltd in 2008.

Furthermore, EVs are being highlighted alongside hybrids, as Mitsubishi Motors Corp, Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd (FHI) and Nissan announced their plans to introduce electric vehicles. Mitsubishi plans to market EVs from 2009, while FHI and Nissan will start from 2010.

Amid such circumstances, the presence of fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) has completely weakened. Due to issues concerning their toughness and cost, as well as the manufacturing process and infrastructure required for hydrogen fuel, focus has shifted to electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids from fuel cell vehicles, which "still have a long way to go" before commercialization.

However, it became known in March 2008 that Japan's three major automobile manufacturers, namely Toyota, Nissan and Honda Motor Co Ltd, and energy companies had agreed to build hydrogen filling stations from 2015 ahead of FCV release in Japan, although the news has not drawn much attention.

Behind the agreement lies the fact that the industry is gradually acknowledging it will be still difficult to greatly reduce the amount of CO2 emissions even if gasoline and diesel vehicles are improved and EVs and hybrids, including plug-in hybrids, spread throughout the market.

When it comes to electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, the "EV driving range," the distance that the car can run powered by its batteries, is limited given the current poor performance of secondary batteries. Therefore, even if EVs and plug-in hybrids penetrate the market, it is likely that their effects of cutting the amount of CO2 emissions will be limited.

In fact, even if plug-in hybrids with the EV driving range of 36km (20 miles) replace all cars in the US, "The amount of CO2 emissions will be reduced by no more than about 20%," Toyota said.

The industry must boost the energy density of secondary batteries by three to five times the current level to improve the current situation, but some even say, "That is more difficult than developing a fuel cell."

In conclusion, there will apparently be no development for automobile manufactures without handling FCVs, in addition to hybrids and EVs, in order to maintain automobiles.

Under the current circumstances, where automobiles cannot store a large amount of power, the automobile industry is on the verge of a state, where it can't help using "hydrogen" as a replacement for petroleum fuel.

Source: techon

Tata Motors Announces Raising of Long Term Capital Funds

At the Board Meeting of the Company held today, the Board, inter alia, decided to raise an amount of about Rs.7,200 crores through three simultaneous but unlinked Rights Issues of the following securities:-
1. A Rights Issue of Equity Shares upto Rs.2,200 crores;
2. A Rights Issue of ‘A’ Equity Shares carrying differential voting rights (1 vote for every 10 ‘A’ Equity Shares) upto Rs.2,000 crores;
3. A Rights Issue of 5-year 0.5% Convertible Preference Shares (CCPs) upto Rs.3000 crores, optionally convertible into ‘A’ Equity Shares after 3 years but before 5 years from the date of allotment.
In view of the normal time taken to complete the procedures and documentation involved in making Rights Issues, the precise terms of the above issues (e.g. ratios on which these securities would be offered, the offer price and the conversion price of the CCPs) will be decided when the issues are ready to be made. The issues are subject to such approvals and clearances as may be required and may undergo some changes during this process.
On completion of the above Rights Issues, it is also proposed, as already announced earlier, to raise about $ 500/600 million through an appropriate issue of securities in the foreign markets on terms to be decided at that time.
On the above basis, it is presently estimated that the total equity capital of the company would increase by only about 30% to 35% through these issues during the current financial year. The incremental dividend on this increased capital would represent about 10% of the Company’s net profit for the Financial Year 2007-08. If the CCPs are converted between 2011 and 2013, the equity capital would then increase by only about 12% at that time, depending on the conversion price and if not converted, the CCPs would be redeemed (with the back-ended premium) in 2013.
The above fund raising proposals will be mainly used for financing the Jaguar-Land Rover acquisition (through a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Motors in the U.K.) which is expected to be completed shortly at an acquisition price of US $ 2.3 billion. Though the initial acquisition cost will be financed through bridging loans provided by a syndicate of banks, these loans would be fully repaid through the above mentioned capital raising schemes.
Source: Tata Motors Limited

Leave sunlight in the shade

Regulations for having windows tinted can be daunting, but with the Privacy Shades there are no such worries. The dark fabric fits over the rear windows from the B-pillar backwards, ensuring you stay legal.

The shades are model specific, but the maker claims it covers most new European and Japanese vehicles on sale.

Looking like in-car sun blinds, the rigid frame fits the window outline perfectly. They are secured by clips that slide between the glass and interior trim, and extras are included to give a tighter fit on heavily curved windows. Fitting and removal is simple, and we had them installed on our Kia Pro_cee’d within minutes. The roughest of roads didn’t disturb them and they were rattle-free, too. They can be fitted to lowered windows, although the maker warns against travelling at the limit with them in that state. Up close, the shades look like sun blinds, but from a distance they do a convincing impression of proper tints. Yet as many new cars come with tinted windows already, their appeal will be limited

L200 picks up the pace

Best-selling Japanese pick-up gets power boost, chassis tweaks and a racy makeover


Feast your eyes on the hottest Mitsubishi pick-up ever. This is the L200 Walkinshaw Performance – and as the name suggests, it’s a flat bed which has been tuned by legendary racer and motorsport team boss Tom Walkinshaw.

The 2.5-litre turbodiesel special edition gets a power upgrade from 134bhp to 166bhp, while styling changes include 20-inch alloys, plenty of chrome trim and a host of Walkinshaw stickers.

Inside, there are leather seats, DVD sat-nav, cruise control and an upgraded CD autochanger with Bluetooth compatibility. Prices start at £25,261 for the 2.5 DI-D Double Cab. A Walkinshaw Performance handling kit, featuring revised rear suspension, plus performance bushes and dampers, can be had for £3,049.

Small car and crossover sales up 50% on 2007 levels

Although fuel prices in the U.S. are low by global standards, recent price rises have brought the cost per gallon up by nearly 25%, precipitating strong change in the vehicle preferences of many Americans. In a pattern that intensified sharply in the past two months, buyers have been moving away from SUVs, pick-up trucks and large luxury vehicles and toward smaller, less-expensive - and most importantly, fuel-efficient - vehicles of all types.

Data collected by Edmunds shows that the change toward economical transport had been gradual and consistent until March, when a spike in fuel prices drove a big shift toward more small-car purchases. Crossover SUV sales climbed to 6.3% market share, a nearly 50% rise over 2007 levels. Compact car sales have also risen, up 36% to hold 20% of the market, an increase of nearly 10% over 2007. Large car sales held steady, showing a small rise in market share over 2007.

Compact pick-up trucks, minivans and large SUVs are the big losers, with the compact pick-up segment leading the way with a 37% drop in sales to just 3.1% market share compared to 2003 levels of 4.9%. Minivans fell 25% from 2003 levels to 4.9% market share, down from 5.1% since last year. And large SUV sales fell 20% through the first five months of 2008 to 4.1% market share from the 4.6% share the segment held in 2007.

With fuel prices continuing to rise in many parts of the country, and remaining steady in others, the trend doesn’t show any signs of slowing, either. However, carmakers are fully aware of the trend are preparing for the launch of a new generation of high-quality compact vehicles. Ford has already revealed its new Fiesta range, destined for a U.S. launch in 2010, and GM is still working on its next-generation Opel (Saturn) Astra. Even Chrysler is in the picture with plans to add a rebadged versions of Nissan’s Versa compact to its line-up.

All-new Subaru rally car hatches out

The wraps have finally come off the all-new Subaru Impreza WRC2008. Bosses opted to unveil the car ahead of schedule, and bring its competition debut forward to Greece’s Acro­polis rally at the end of May, in a surprise move to get the team’s disastrous season back on track.

As you can see, the five-door bodyshell of the latest showroom model has been adopted. But the car also benefits from a new colour scheme. While the distinctive metallic blue paintjob remains, it’s now joined by an eye-catching silver and white graphic at the rear.

It’s the technical changes which factory drivers Petter Solberg and Chris Atkinson hope will have the biggest impact, though. Better aero­dynamics and mechanical packaging should make the WRC 2008 more nimble on the stages.

Under the bonnet, the proven turbo boxer engine and symmetrical four-wheel-drive transmission are carried over from the previous generation, and should ensure the car is reliable as well as fast.

Team chief David Richards is pos­itive about the Impreza’s chances. He said: “We are very excited to be able to launch the new car ahead of schedule. And I’m confident we will be competitive in Greece.”

Crash test rap for major makers

Despite good overall results, safety experts say manufacturers need to try harder.

Car manufacturers have been given a rap by Euro NCAP crash testers.

The criticism came after it released its latest round of results for models including the Ford Kuga, new Audi A4 and SEAT Ibiza.

Despite the Kuga earning three stars out of four in the pedestrian protection category – the maximum rating achieved to date by any car evaluated – Euro NCAP argues that the score still isn’t good enough.

Its spokeswoman told us: “Of the seven cars tested, four got the top mark of five stars for adult occupant safety. But it’s disappointing they’re still trailing on pedestrian protection.”

Manufacturers’ scores have so far varied dramatically on this test, which measures the impact of a child or adult hitting a car’s bonnet or bumper. But Euro NCAP says new rules which will be introduced in two years could change that. They would force makers to modify vehicle nose designs to make them more pedestrian friendly.

Despite all the cars in the latest round of tests achieving four stars out of five for child protection, its spokeswoman argued that these results should be better, too.

“Although this is the maximum score that any car in the market is currently getting in this category, it would be good to see a five-star result,” she said. No vehicle in Euro NCAP’s history has ever achieved a top score for child protection, but this is the first time that all the models tested have recorded four.

Ford’s Kuga was joint best of the seven cars rated, with five, four and three stars for adult, child and pedestrian protection respectively. It scored maximum marks in the side and pole impact tests. The Ibiza was rated the same overall, with readings from the dummies revealing that passenger knees and legs were well protected.

Skoda’s new Superb also impressed, with engineers noting that front seat occupants of different sizes would be equally safe, no matter how the front seat was adjusted. On the Audi A4 there was “negligible distortion” of the passenger compartment.

Wood Gas - The Future Biomass-Derived Fuel

Let's assume, that you own a farm. You produce grain and have a lot of straw. You'd like to make your energy on site from the biomass you have available. You might plant your fields with rapeseed or canola and produce biodiesel. But you'd need to get methanol and lye first, since both of them can't be made there! And you can use your biodiesel only in compression ignition (diesel) engines. And what if you have an old genset powered by spark-ignition (gasoline / petrol) engine? I think I might have a solution for you...

You'll make use of a technology that's more than 200 years old. It's greatest development took place during World War II in 1940s in Europe. At that time most of petroleum-derived fuels were used by military and there was no fuel left for civilians. So they made their own fuel, the wood gas from wood or charcoal. In some countries 95% of civilian transport (trucks, buses, even fishermen's boats) were fueled with this gas.

What is this wood gas? From chemical point of view it's a mixture of combustible carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2) and methane (CH4), dilluted with some water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N2). This gas can be easily used for almost every internal combustion engine. Well... except for the most modern ones, they'd require to have their electronics to be modified.

How wood gas is made? When you heat wood it is pyrolysed, i.e. all the tars vaporize. When you add some oxygen, the carbon bound within the wood cells is burnt to carbon dioxide. The vapors burn too. When those burnt gasses pass through a layer of very hot char, they are reduced to carbon monoxide and hydrogen. A small amount of methane is also produced. When the gas is cooled and cleaned of any tars and particles, it can be used in internal combustion engine, boiler or any other device!

What do you need to produce your own wood gas? You'd need a device that's called gasifier. It consists of fuel hopper, gasifying chamber and a set of filters. It's very easy to build, the people during WWII made it out of old water heaters and stuff like that.

Is wood gas safe? Well, if you don't inhale it, you'll be OK. Carbon monoxide is very toxic and poisonous, so caution is required when using wood gas. From the engine point of view, if it's clean, it's safe. The tars might condense inside the engine, for example on valves, which might cause the engine to fail. The particles would probably destroy the contact surfaces on pistons and cylinders. If the gas is too hot the engine will not work (hot gas is diluted and has small energy content per unit volume), but it will not harm it.

Any drawbacks? One that's worth mentioning. Petrol engines will suffer 1/3 power loss -- the wood gas does have small heating value. Diesel engines will not suffer such power loss, since they work on stratified mixtures and because of that you can introduce more wood gas to recover the power loss. You'd need to leave some small amount of diesel to be injected to the cylinders to ignite the wood gas.

Interested? One liter of petrol / gasoline can be replaced with 2.5 - 4 kg (5.5 - 9 lbs) of wood. How cool is that!

What is the wood gas?

Wood gas (holzgas in german) is the product of wood gasification. It consists of combustible gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen, methane and inert gases - nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water vapor. The composition of the wood gas depends on many factors, e.g. temperature inside the gasifier, moisture content of fuel gasified etc.

Gasification of solid fuels was invented over 200 years ago. In the beginning of 19th century town gas (manufactured from coal) was used to fuel kitchen stoves, industry and street lights. In general any combustible gas manufactured by gasification of solid fuel is described as manufactured gas or producer gas.

Gasification is the process in which the solid fuel is being subject to many termochemical reactions, at the end of those reactions you have combustible gas. This process takes place in a device called gasifier or wood gas generator.

Wood gas can be used for fueling internal combustion engines, both with spark ignition (gasoline fueled) and compression ignition (diesel fueled). The latter case needs some extra explanation.

Wood gas was very popular until the industry started using natural gas as energy source. Prior to development of natural gas supply with pipelines almost all fuel gas was manufactured from coal. Producer gas became popular during World War II, when civil customers couldn’t purchase liquid petroleum derived fuels because of the large military demand. At that time the wood gas renaissance took place.

Volumetric composition of wood gas may be as following [1]:

• carbon monoxide CO - 19%
• hydrogen H₂ - 18%
• methane CH₄ - 1,25%
• carbon dioxide CO₂ - 12%
• water vapor H₂O - 2,50%
• nitrogen N₂ - rest.

Price of strikes for GM: $2.8B

Walkouts at Axle, automaker plants also cost U.S. economy $8.2 billion.

Eric Morath / The Detroit News
The American Axle strike and separate walkouts this month at two General Motor Corp. plants will take $2.8 billion off the automaker's bottom line, and cost the U.S. economy $8.2 billion -- shaving nearly a percentage point off the gross domestic product, an economist said Friday.

The 87-day walkout against American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc, which ended Thursday, cost GM 330,000 units of production, including 230,000 units in April and May, the automaker reported in a Security and Exchange Commission filing Friday. United Auto Workers strikes against GM plants near Lansing and Kansas City erased 33,000 production units in the second quarter.

The loss of that factory output and related fallout, represents a 0.9 percent decline in the country's GDP, said Mike Montgomery, an economist with Global Insight Inc.

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GM is American Axle's largest customer. The walkout at five American Axle plants at least partially idled 30 GM factories and numerous supplier facilities due to parts shortages.

"The economic impact was even larger than we predicted because no one thought the strike would drag out as long as it did," Montgomery said. "We will see a bounce back effect, but it will be small compared to the losses associated with the strike."

Roughly half of the $8.2 billion that the economy lost since the American Axle strike began Feb. 26, will be made up in the coming months, Montgomery said. But that recovery is limited because GM said in the filing that it anticipates "only a portion of this lost production will be recovered, due to the current economic environment in the United States and to the market shift away from the types of vehicles that were impacted by the action at American Axle," mainly trucks and SUVs.

The automaker expects to fully replace production at the Lansing Delta Township plant, which makes hot selling crossovers, and the Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kan., which builds the popular Chevrolet Malibu sedan. Those strikes cost GM $200 million.

The American Axle strike cost GM $2.6 billion -- including $1.8 billion this month and last.

In the same filing, the automaker revealed it paid $215 million to help broker a deal to end the Axle strike. Previously, GM had pledged $200 million to help fund buyouts, early retirements and buydowns to facilitate a settlement.

In addition to the payment, GM amended its 1994 purchase agreement with the Detroit-based supplier, to relieve American Axle of an estimated $40 million liability for retiree health care and insurance.

Under the new agreement, American Axle will not pay its portion of retirement health care and life insurance for GM retirees with service credit at the supplier, an American Axle filing said Friday. That cost will be paid by GM.

American Axle will ramp up production next week, with some of the 3,650 striking workers returning to their jobs Tuesday.

Those workers, and others at impacted GM and supplier plants, should help the Michigan and local economies where the plants are, but those same areas will have to adjust to the next generation of autoworkers making far less than current employees, Comerica Bank economist Dana Johnson said.

The typical American Axle worker in Detroit will take a $10 per hour pay cut. In the contract the UAW struck with automakers last fall, new hires will make half the wage of veteran workers.

"The trend will ripple through the overall Michigan economy," Johnson said. "Autoworkers set pay standard, now with the auto sector readjusting, other sectors will adjust too, giving consumers less income to spend."

Accepting the lower wages rates, however, should stabilize the area's manufacturing base, he said.

"As painful as it is, these are necessary adjustments that will create a more competitive auto industry in Michigan," Johnson said.

Oh Gad He Can Fly !

It seems that many people are fantasizing about flying. The guy that tried flying in a balloon was one of them, this winged daredevil is the next one from the series. Yves Rossi shows us all that anything is possible. The flight entusiast tried to fly with one wing, four small jet engines and lots of guts. It seems that nothing is impossible when you put you’re mind to it.

Source: Wacky Archivs

Futuristic Car Solid is a Safety Compact Vehicle

Nowadays the emphasis is being given to private vehicles for maneuvering in and around the city. Also with this increase in vehicles, the parking spaces are getting cramped up by the day. It is but obvious to have an amicable solution for the same. In comes Solid – the vehicle. Designed by Nikita Gutsalenko, currently pursuing fifth year in Product Design and Transport Design at the Ural State Academy of Architecture and Arts, Russia

The Solid vehicle does have the standard protection means, like safety-belts and airbags. It also has two special elements installed in front and in the back of the car. These elements provide additional maneuverability by turning around. They also are very strong in if a crash occurs as they take the damage on itself and thus saving the booth.

The deformation of the Booth is prevented by a frame ring. In the interior, a display is installed thus creating a panoramic view. The Airbags installed in wheel of the car will operate at the side. With an approach sensor it turns on the auto brake system. The car creates the sensation of reliability as its Image is associated with specialized machines, all we can say is welcome to the future.

Designer : Nikita Gutsalenko

Toyota Prius sales top 1 million units worldwide

Toyota has managed to rack up one million sales of its petrol-electric hybrid since the car first went on sale in Japan back in December 1997. At the end of April, Toyota said it had sold 1,028,000 Prius models with 100,000 finding a home in anti-hybrid Europe. Only last year Toyota’s combined hybrid sales (including its Lexus models) reached the million vehicle mark, so it just goes to show how much the Prius dominates the carmaker’s hybrid tally.

Toyota is well poised to take advantage of increasing demand for hybrid models caused by rising world oil prices and the concern for global warming. Honda remains a distant second in the sales race and the Prius is still one of the most recognized hybrid brands in the world.

Last year, Toyota sold about 429,400 hybrids globally, up 37% from 2006, however this accounted for less than 5% of its total vehicle sales, reports Automotive News. The carmaker is dedicated to eventually offering a 100% hybrid line-up, boasting that hybrids will be the standard drivetrain by 2020.

Engineers are now working on the next-generation Prius model due for launch late next year and more advanced plug-in hybrid vehicles for launch at the end of the decade. Toyota is currently embroiled in a race with GM to be the first on the market with a plug-in hybrid and is also working on developing cheaper hybrid systems with the hope to roll it out across more models.

Opel Agila High-Heel Shoes

The Opel Agila high-heel shoes were designed by Luca Stappers, unveiled at the SHOEBALOO shoe shop in Amsterdam, Holland as part of Opel’s promotional campaign for its new Agila minicar. Continue reading for more images.

Update: Spada Codatronca supercar enters production

The Spada Codatronca is the creation of designer Ercole Spada and his son Paolo as well Italian tuning shop UK Garage, and after months of testing the project has now officially entered the production phase. The first model will be the new Codatronca TS (Turismo Sportivo), which features a naturally aspirated V8 engine developing more than 600hp and is capable of reaching a top speed of more than 340km/h.

The car will make its world debut on April 24 at an auto show in Monaco, ahead of a sales launch planned for the middle of the year. Several other models will follow shortly, including a more powerful TSS version (Turismo Super Sportivo) that’s currently under testing.

Key features of the vehicle include an ultra-light structure, efficient aerodynamics and sharp agility. When setting out to design the new Codatronca, Spada’s goal was to create a supercar in the tradition of a true Italian classic. To keep costs low, the Codatronca was designed around the Corvette platform and includes enhanced versions of the powertrain and suspension systems used in the Chevy.

The new supercar will be manufactured in Turin by SpadaVettureSport, a company created and controlled by Spadaconcept in collaboration with a small team of technical, industrial and commercial partners.

Renault scoops highly-coveted 'Environment Award'

Renault is celebrating after scooping the highly-coveted Environment Award in the 2008 Fleet World Honours, thanks to its impressive range of low emission vehicles. Renault’s Trafic van remains the LCV to beat after winning ‘Best Medium Van’ for an outstanding sixth consecutive year.
The prestigious annual awards were presented at a VIP ceremony in London, to manufacturers, service companies and individuals who have achieved the highest possible level of excellence in their sector. The judging panel is made up of leading industry experts including Fleet World’s editorial team, members of the leasing industry, fleet managers and representatives from residual values guides.

Keith Hawes, Director, Fleet & Commercial Vehicle Sales, Renault UK, commented; “The environment is becoming an increasingly important factor for Fleets when selecting vehicles, and Renault has consistently demonstrated its commitment by offering a wide range of low emission models. This includes 37 Renault cars which fall into the 120 g/km CO2 emissions or under category.

“Renault has one of the most economical vehicle ranges on the market today and the launch of our eco² symbol last year demonstrates our commitment to the environment during the whole-life cycle of the vehicle, from design to end-of-life. I am delighted that Renault has been recognised for our extensive environmental credentials and we have won such a highly-coveted award.”

Keith added; “It is also testament to the enduring appeal of the Renault Trafic van that it has won this prestigious award for the sixth year in a row and is clearly still the van of choice for fleets.”

Environment Award – Renault

Renault’s ‘eco² range offers customers a wide range of vehicles at an affordable purchase price – this includes cars which offer fuel consumption levels close to those of a hybrid such as its1.5 dCi engines.

Renault is also about to launch its first-ever E85 vehicle in the UK, with the Mégane. Renault will be the first manufacturer to apply an eco² symbol to a commercial vehicle with the launch of its New Kangoo van and New Kangoo Compact in October 2008. The 1.5 dCi 86 and 68 engine will meet Renault’s eco² criteria.

Commenting on the award, Chairman of Judges George Emmerson said: ‘This was the most hotly contested category in the history of the Fleet World Honours, such is the clamour for organisations’ green credentials to be recognised. There were some very impressive entries, but the panel felt that Renault’s impressive range of low-emission vehicles was the most tangible, and the most quantifiable of them all.’

Fleet World editor Ken Rogers commented: ‘The judges considered Renault’s ECO 2 approach to the environmental challenge as the most rounded of all the volume manufacturers. ECO 2 vehicles must emit less than 140g/km of CO2, operate on E85 ethanol or on B30 biodiesel, be manufactured in a plant that has been certified ISO 14001, is 95% recoverable at the end of its lifecycle - and includes at least 5% recycled plastics.’

Best Medium Van – Renault Trafic

Renault’s Trafic van has been recently revised combining a bold, modern and dynamic design with a high quality interior. The ever-popular Trafic is bold and modern with a dynamic design and high quality interior. It is also flexible enough to suit most fleet requirements and its reliability, durability and competitive pricing ensures it stands out from the crowd. A comprehensive range of engines that are both frugal and powerful also keep Trafic at the top of Fleet Managers’ lists.

Commenting on the award, Van Fleet World editor John Kendall said: “The design may be almost seven years old, but the Renault Trafic still looks fresh and modern.

“All models offer a broad range of body styles, including short and long wheelbase with standard and high roof options. Body volumes span 5.0 to 7.1 cubic metres, while there are combi, chassis-cab and double-cab models. Van payloads of 1,000kg and 1,200kg help to give a wide variety of choice for fleet users.

“Inside, drivers are well catered for. Storage space is plentiful, the driving position is still one of the best and the subtle changes from the 2006 facelift have left the stylish dashboard largely unchanged. It is also a good van to drive with quiet engines and a fine balance of ride and handling either empty, or loaded to full gross weight.

“Under the bonnet, the Euro-IV engine range is sourced from Renault/Nissan with a 2.0-litre common-rail diesel providing a useful power increase over its 1.9-litre predecessor with 90PS and 115PS. The 2.5-litre common-rail diesel produces 150PS, giving effortless performance for maximum payload work. There’s also a 120PS two-litre petrol engine, while both diesels are available with an automated six-speed gearbox to make light of stop/start operations.”

Source: Renault

Bentley partners with Naim for new stereo systems

Forget the German horsepower wars, carmakers are now competing just as fiercely to produce the best audio system for your car. Bentley today announced that it will partner with audio company Naim to produce what it calls “the world’s best in-car sound system.”

Each car will get a massive 1100w amplifier connected with up to 15 speakers to provide a true surround sound experience. Naim spent 18 months doing acoustic research on various Bentley models and tuning their system to match each car perfectly. Resonance levels were measured throughout the cabin and bodywork to allow the engineers to design unique speaker drive units for each car.

Developers claim that development of the speakers and amplifiers was tough because they needed to create a fanless design that would work between temperature ranges of -40 degrees Celsius up to 70 degrees Celsius. In addition, they created a new DSP setting for different speeds of the car. As you accelerate or slow down the system automatically compensates for road noise.

The Continental range will get 15 speakers (14 speakers in the GTC), while the Arnage limousine, Azure convertible and Brooklands coupe get 11 speakers.

Like Bentley, Naim is also based in England. Recently both Jaguar and Aston Martin have announced new audio partnerships with Bowers and Wilkins and Bang & Olufsen, respectively.

Fuel prices too high for some U.S. pumps to register

While the United States has some of the lowest fuel prices in the industrialized world, the rapid advance toward $4 per gallon is outstripping the ability of some older hardware to keep up. As many as 17,000 mechanical dial-based fuel pumps are still in use in America, and none can register a price higher than $3.99 per gallon.

The problem is almost exclusively confined to rural areas where older stations have simply kept using their original equipment. The stations’ small sales volume and low profit margins mean upgrading or replacing the pumps with newer models that can handle the higher prices is nearly impossible. New pumps cost between $10,000 and $15,000 each, while upgrades cost as much as $650 per pump.

A temporary solution, called ‘half pricing’, is legal in some states. The process involves posting the price of half a gallon of fuel, and then doubling the total shown on the pump after fill-up.

Up to 8,500 stations, of the 170,000 in the U.S., could be equipped with the old-fashioned fuel pumps. Besides their per-gallon price limitation, most are also incapable of registering a total sale larger than $99.99 - meaning owners of larger vehicles can’t fill their tanks in one go, reports the AP.

For those stations that can afford the upgrade, the wait may be a long one - the sudden demand for the modern pumps bas placed an unusual load on the manufacturers of the equipment, leading to a backlog of several months.

This isn’t the first time the problem has arisen, however. In 2005, the jump past $3 per gallon led many stations to upgrade or replace their pumps with meters capable of $3.999. Unfortunately, the upgrade was rather short-sighted, and now many of those owners are facing the same situation all over again.

2009 CTS-V Blisters Nurburgring

In testing today at Germany’s Nurburgring, Cadillac’s upcoming new 2009 CTS-V completed a lap of the legendary Nordschleife in 7:59.32. This blistering time appears to be the fastest ever publicly documented for a production sedan.
Cadillac is nearing the completion of testing for the highly anticipated CTS-V, the limited-edition high-performance model based on the award-winning CTS sport sedan. John Heinricy, director of vehicle integration and an acclaimed racing driver, piloted the CTS-V through its sub-8 minute lap. The car itself had no performance modifications outside of those planned for consumer production, which is scheduled to begin this autumn.

Estimated at 550-hp, the CTS-V is at the moment going through the final stages of intensive testing and development. One of the realistic objectives of the Cadillac team is to make the CTS-V the world’s fastest production sedan, as a part of the overall goal to make the V-Series Cadillac’s ultimate expression of performance and technology. More updates will be released in the coming weeks as testing is finalised, including the car’s certified SAE power ratings, acceleration specifications and U.S.-market pricing.

Video documentation of the car’s breakthrough Nordschleife performance will be posted online in the coming days at http://cadillac.gmblogs.com

The eight-minute mark has long been recognised as a major Nurburgring milestone, reserved for race cars and the fastest exotic sports cars. While there’s no single official repository for Nurburgring data from private test sessions, numerous reputable websites and publications report lap times from race teams, automakers and independent sources.

The new 2009 CTS-V includes a suite of advanced performance technologies, including a new version of Cadillac’s acclaimed Magnetic Ride Control suspension and the LSA 6.2-litre Supercharged V8 engine. For the first time, CTS-V will include the choice of 6-speed manual or automatic transmissions, with the new automatic sporting steering wheel-mounted shift buttons.

Source: GM