Crisis? What crisis? Or at least that seems to be what Volkswagen is not only thinking, but also acting on. Reports are that the German auto giant will have TWENTY new models in show rooms by 2010. That’s next year.

Prof. Dr Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of VW AG, said during a speech at the Volkswagen Group’s Annual Media Conference and Investor Conference on March 12, that the automaker will rollout more than 20 completely new models worldwide by 2010. This is not to say that there will be 20 new VWs out there, but 20 new models across all of VW’s brands, including Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Scania, SEAT, Skoda and VW CV,

CEO Winterkorn said that among the cars that will roll out will be the sixth-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI in 2009 and the New Small Family based on the Up! Concepts, which will debut in early 2010. The New Small Family cars will be available for both urban drivers in the West and for the emerging markets.

He also added that the further optimization of the TDI, TSI and TFSI turbocharged diesel and gasoline engines is on the front burner for VW, as the company believes that combustion engines will remain the dominant technology for the foreseeable future. “We will break new ground and also introduce SUVs and large saloons with modern turbo- and supercharged 4-cylinder engines,” said Winterkorn.

Source: CarScoop

Here’s something that had never occurred to me: There is no airbag for the rear, center seat passenger. Turn out this fact DID occur to the bright sparks at Toyota, and they have decided to address the issue by making the world’s first rear seat center airbag. This is, by and large, a pretty good idea. Sure, very rarely are cars fully stuffed with people and in need of airbags, but sort of like a motorcycle helmet, when you need a rear seat center airbag you’re sure glad it’s there.

Airbags are one of the few, if not the only safety device currently on cars that were not first developed for racing se. This hindrance aside, they have proven in most cases to be a Godsend. Not only have they saved countless lives in frontal impacts, but the advent of side curtain airbags have done wonders in helping people survive side impact crashes. Recently several manufacturers have started including airbags for rear seat passengers mounted into the seatbacks of the front seats. So, the last man left alone, so to speak, was the person in the center rear seat.

Enter Toyota, whose new Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) airbag is fitted in a large, fixed, rear-seat center console in the roof, and will make its debut in an unnamed Toyota model to be launched in Japan later this year. OK then, everyone is now, er soon, covered.

Source: CarScoop

As new hybrids flood the market, Mazda is stepping back and taking a long look at making gas engine vehicles greener and more attractive to the drivers of the world. It’s a trend that many automakers are starting to consider, as experts are starting to question the actual long-term viability of hybrids.

In other words, the Hybrid Honeymoon is over. Once touted as the cars of the future, hybrids are being criticized on many levels, including cost and performance. Toyota is considering lowering prices on their hybrids, and those companies with hybrids coming out soon are starting to sweat bullets.

People initially flocked to hybrids, especially the Toyota Prius, when gas prices spiked. But, now that they’re back within a reasonable range, folks are starting to look at other alternatives. Mazda is on top of this trend, and this announcement is a result of the change in the marketplace.

Mazda sees hybrids as a small niche that will quickly evaporate as carmakers develop new ways to squeeze more mileage out of conventional gas engines. If they’re right, it could mean the end of the hybrid era.

Read the Detroit News article after the jump:

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The momentary dip in gas prices has caused Americans to gravitate away from buying hybrids in droves, at least for now. I predicted that this would happen. We have very short memories in this country, and I figured we’d go back to gas-only vehicles as soon as the gas crunch subsided. But before I started calling American car buyers short sighted and overly gas-dependent, I looked at the reasons for the sluggish hybrid sales.

Nationally, Toyota Prius sales dropped 30.8 percent last month, compared with February 2007. Toyota Camry Hybrid sales were off for the month by 47.4 percent, Honda’s Civic Hybrid sales were off 21.5 percent, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid sales were off 48.6 percent, according to CleanMpg.com, which tracks sales of “green” cars

People are still skeptical about hybrids. They’re worried they won’t hold up or that the battery packs will fail, which basically totals out a hybrid. They can also purchase gas vehicles right now that get mileage comparable to what hybrids get. And overall, hybrids cost more than their non-hybrid counterparts.

Fro example, a hybrid Honda Accord costs about $3,800 more than the comparable non-hybrid version, including purchase, maintenance and insurance costs. Over five years, assuming 15,000 miles of driving per year, you’ll make up that cost in gasoline money if the price of gas goes up immediately to $9.20 a gallon and averages that for the whole period.

Is the hybrid really the answer to our environmental concerns? Are all the green hybrid owners out there going to be green with envy in a couple of years when there are better, more fuel-efficient cars on the market and they can’t sell their used hybrids? Will another type of planet-friendly transportation catch the public’s attention and leave the hybrid behind on the green technology highway?

Stay tuned. There will be a ton of new hybrids on car lots within the next year and we’ll see then just how hybrid-hungry we really are.

Here’s a bit of a surprise, Bentley, long seen as a car of excess has begun to look at things in a little more frugal manner. Coming to market along with the next gen Continental model will be new powertrains and more than just that, weight reduction will also be part of the program.

Franz-Josef Paefgen Bentley CEO mentioned at this years the Geneva Motor Show that an all-new powertrain would appear in Bentleys by 2012. He did not give specifics, but the rumors flew that it would be a diesel, since Bentley is part of the Volkswagen group. A diesel would be an obvious choice with its high torque being a good match for the big British luxury machines. All of the current Continental variants are powered by very impressive twin-turbo W12s with VW DNA.

If Bentley forgoes the diesel route, another option theorized would be a plug-in electric vehicle. Since Bentleys already cost you an arm and a leg, they could more easily absorb the cost of batteries and hybrid hardware. The hybrid system being developed by VW and Porsche, and most probably headed for SUVs, is modular enough that it could be adapted to other vehicles. Adding plug-in capability would be technically easy, and could allow the Continental to operate silently at lower speeds on electricity.

Now about that diet. The new Continental SuperSports that bowed in Geneva actually started as a weight reduction project, and THEN flex-fuel capability was added to the engine. The next gen Continental is expected to drop about 400 lbs through increased aluminum and high strength steel. Good, these cars were pretty hefty to begin with.

Source: AutoBlogGreen

Cool, cool and most definitely cool. This is cool news for car fans that are also environmentally aware. Recently Volkswagen rolled out a new drivetrain, dubbed BlueMotion, which was a leaner & cleaner diesel. Not only was it 50 state legal (we’re looking at you Cali), but they also dropped it into a devastatingly neat mid-engined drop top “show car”, the BlueSport Roadster, that was sort of like a cheap, green version of Porsche’s Boxster. Now comes word that BlueMotion will also find its way into more VW models.

The BlueSport Roadster concept, from the last Detroit Auto Show, featured a 2.0 liter turbocharged diesel engine that got 35/62 mpg in the European Combined Cycle ratings. Now, reports from the U.K.’s Evo magazine are that VW is working on a production version of the BlueSport concept for 2011. Before that model hits the market, the BlueSport name may be applied to a performance-minded diesel version of the European Scirocco and possibly an oil-burning GTI as well.

Yes please! There’s no reason a car can’t be better for the planet AND fun to drive at the same time. As a matter of fact, I’d like to think that doing that is pretty damn imperative. Doing something because “you have to” is never that much fun, now is it? ‘Eat your broccoli, it’s good for you,’ never really would cut it for me when I was a kid, and it doesn’t really make it for other people when they hear, ‘You should drive XXX car, because it’s good for the environment.’ Make a car that’s fun AND good for the environment, and everybody wins.

Source: AutoBlogGreen

By Peter N.

Pros:

• B I G
• Powerful acceleration
• Nice luxury details (dual zone climate, seat & mirror memory, heated seats)
• Great stereo sound

Cons:

• B I G
• Rough ride
• Fit and finish rivals Detroit, not Japan
• Annoying telescoping steering wheel
• Difficult access to third row

Read the rest of this entry »

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We had mentioned before that Fiat would debut a convertible version of its much-loved and too-cute new 500, so to follow up on that, here’s the report on the actual car. Officially, it’s called the 500 C and it pretty much exudes with personality. Although the coupe version was inspired by the original 500 from decades ago, there was no convertible version from back then, so Fiat started with a clean sheet of paper and they ended up with something more Targa-like than a true convertible. This unique top really differentiates the 500 C from its closest competition, the Mini Cooper Convertible, which is a much more traditional convertible design.

The 500 C seats four, although the rear seats are a bit tight, due to stowing the top. Naturally, you also give up some cargo room for the convertible setup but, overall, the convertible version is a lot like the coupe. The 500 C has a Targa-style canvas convertible roof, which means the car’s door pillars and area just above the side glass remains intact. This unique Targa setup is power operated and will be available in black, red and ivory.

Engine choices are either a 70 horsepower 1.2-liter or a 100 horsepower 1.4-liter. A more powerful Abarth edition is on its way and there are no plans to offer the 500 C with a diesel mill. All 500 C engines will come with start-stop technology, which will improve fuel economy by about 8 percent.

For some reason, England will get the 500 C first when it shows up in spring 2009, with European sales starting just in time for summer. U.S. sales remain up in the air, but Fiat’s alliance with Chrysler means the 500 C could turn up over here, and you know people would buy it. C’Mon Fiat, bring it.

Source: LeftLaneNews

Pros

• A brawny V8 provides über amounts of torque
• Traction that’s better than super-glue
• Big brakes take away speed faster than your can Labrador woof down a bowl of mac-cheese
• A lot tougher than it looks
• Porsche Active Suspension Mechanism (PASM) and Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDDC), combined, work harder than James Brown at the Apollo.

Cons

• The Bose audio system is so weak that the engine and exhaust note sounds better when singing at high revs
• Slurps more gas than Ludwig at Octoberfest

Verdict: The Cayenne is no Miles Crane when it comes to power, refinement, and the ability to get dirty with the other off-roaders in the neighborhood.

Read the rest of this entry »

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You know that old Studebaker your Uncle Freddie has in his back yard? The one that makes strange noises and smokes like a paper factory every time he takes it out for a spin? Everyone knows someone who has an old beater like Uncle Freddie’s.

Well, if you can convince old Freddie to give the vehicle to the government and buy a hybrid, for instance, he might just benefit from a stimulus package designed just for people like him who are holding on to old cars that would be better for the environment and everyone in general if they were taken off the road.

If a proposed bill to give consumers turning in old beaters cash vouchers worth as much as $7,500 to buy new, more fuel-friendly cars passes, Uncle Freddie will be in the pink and the Studebaker will be history.

This is the type of forward-thinking innovative legislation we need right now. Getting old fossil fuel-only burning cars off the highway is beneficial for everyone involved. Consumers get a price break on a new car. A fuel-efficient vehicle is added to the American fleet. The dealer selling the car makes a much-needed profit on the vehicle. And the salesman working for the dealer makes a hopefully healthy commission and keeps his tenuous job yet another day. I mean, I’ve heard of a win-win situation, but this is a win-win-win-win situation.

Read more about the Cash for Clunkers stimulus program, as reported by the Detroit News, after the jump:

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Toyota Motor Corporation, the world’s largest automaker, announced plans to continue racing in Formula One and NASCAR series, even as demand for their cars is taking a pit stop worldwide. The carmaker will participate in the two racing series despite being financially restricted by catastrophic business conditions.

According to a Toyota press release, this will be the 8^th straight year that Toyota has participated in Formula One competition. Its TF 109 race car, in line with new F1 regulations, sports a broader front wing and improved performance and reliability, according to Toyota.

In Japan, Toyota will participate using the Lexus brand this year and will aim to recapture the Super GT GT5000 title using the Lexus SC430. They will also continue to supply engines to the Japanese Championship Formula Nippon—the top category of car racing in Japan, aiming for the 4th straight title by a Toyota-powered car.

In the U.S., Toyota will again participate in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series with the Toyota Camry, which totaled 10 wins in ‘08. The carmaker is also aiming to win the Nationwide Series, NASCAR’s second-most popular series, also with the Camry. And Toyota will continue to race the Tundra in the Camping World Truck Series, after capturing both the manufacturer’s and driver’s titles last year.

Toyota is forecasting its first loss in 59 years as the global recession hammers demand for automobiles and the company seeks loans from the Japanese government. But, they also see the value in continuing to market itself in a smart way. Racing is a great way to keep your name out there and Toyota realizes this.

By Gary Chan

Pros:

• Microsoft Sync (for the most part)
• Ride quality
• Quiet cockpit

Cons:

• Torque steer
• Small rear seat
• No auto unlock feature with smart key

Read the rest of this entry »

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This guy, the hot hatch version of the Mazda 3, has been rumored, sliced and diced and nearly served up before it made its debut, that there was so much press flying around its introduction that we had to let the dust settle before mentioning it. So here it is, the 2010 Mazda 3 Sedan and hatchback wagon, and best of all the Mazda3 Mazdaspeed.

Motivated by a 2.3 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the Mazdaspeed variant should be good for around 268hp. Also, the hot version should use the newly developed RevoKnuckle FWD suspension system from corporate partner Ford Focus RS, but sadly an AWD set-up has been ruled out.

The easiest way to tell the Mazdaspeed variety from its lesser brethren will be the HUGE hood scoop for the turbo, along with the oversized air-intakes in the front bumper, a rear diffuser, large-diameter twin-exhaust pipes, and a big-assed rear wing. The Mazda3 Mazdaspeed goes on sale in Europe in the second quarter this year and should reach American shores before 2011. Mazda will also be offering a 3 series variant that will feature i-stop – a fuel-saving engine stop-start feature.

Source: MotorAuthority

This is sad news, at least to enthusiasts with a rally bent and a predilection for French cars, Renault has just announced that is has canceled its plans to revive the Alpine division. This seems to be all part and parcel of the current economic downturn affecting high-performance vehicles harder than more bread and butter lines. As Renault has to focus their attention on more mainstream volume cars, a lot of performance vehicles are being tabled until things mellow out.

The French automaker was planning to produce an all-new Alpine model by 2010, but those plans have officially been canceled in order to stem the red ink. Renault COO Patrick Pelata referred to the cancellation as a direct result of the economic slump, stating the project was a “casualty” of the times.

The now-departed Alpine model would have been a mid-engine two-seater, aimed at cars like Mazda’s MX-5, and therefor, will be pre-missed by gearheads the world over.

Renault’s first version of the Alpine was a rear-engined giant killer of a car. Amazingly small, seemingly knee high when you were standing next to it, it took the rally world by storm, and also made a big impression on the streets of the world when Renault decided to put out a road going version.

Source: LeftLaneNews

Have you ever driven past a car that was shaking so violently from loud music emanating from a pounding bass speaker (the size of a beach ball) that you thought your windows were going to shatter?

Well, now a study has found that certain types of loud music in your car can cause you to speed or drive in an unsafe manner.

My buddy’s 18-year-old son has a stereo system in his car that costs more than the car itself. When he cranks up the volume, people run for the hills.

I’m 50, and when I was his age, we played our Foreigner, Peter Frampton and Black Sabbath 8-track tapes loud, but not the way these kids do today. We didn’t have the technology they have now, for one. These new high-tech systems on the market today “go to 11″ as Nigel Tufnel (played by Christopher Guest) said in the cult film, “This is Spinal Tap”.

But, this study claims that it’s not just the volume of the music, but the beat as well. Particular tunes with a certain tempo can cause drivers to be highly distracted. Rock music and dance music are the real culprits, apparently.

So, the next time your teenage kid gets a ticket or is in a fender bender, ask him/her what he/she were listening to when it happened. Then, after you ground them for a decade, confiscate the offending CD.

Read portions of this article from the Detroit News after the jump:

Never mind cells and the dangers of texting or eating while driving. A team of scientists at a university in Israel found the tempo of your tunes in your vehicle can lead to speeding or other unsafe driving practices. If their research is correct, listening to Tracy Chapman’s ballad “Fast Car” does not promote a lead foot, but the drive classic, “Radar Love,” by Golden Earring, probably makes the miles go by faster.

The study found those revved up on riffs are more likely to disregard red lights and road crossings and to crash.

Technically speaking, it is because loud rock and dance music need more brain processing and thus competes with other functions like concentrating on driving.

For best driving, listen to teen sensation Taylor Swift’s “Love Story,” that is, if you can handle American Idol-style songs.