Auto Clerks

Filed under: AutoblogGreen Exclusive, AFVI Expo

There weren’t a lot of astoundingly cool vehicles to drive at the AFVI Expo Ride and Drive earlier this week. Still, throw a handful of alternative-fueled cars, trucks and CUVs in a Las Vegas parking lot, and I’ll check it out. As you can see in the video I made of the event, Bosch was heavily represented by a half-dozen or so clean diesel models. GEM and Miles EVs were easy to spot, and there was even a hybrid cherry-picker and a propane pickup or two. To kick off the event, Ed Begley, Jr. and Bobby Rahal cut a ribbon (see pictures below) and then took a short loop around the lot. Watch the video after the break, and thanks to Shotgun Musical Laboratories for the sounds.

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: BMW, UK

Click the BMW X5 concept for a high res gallery

To all the Americans griping about $4 a gallon for fuel: imagine how the Brits feel about paying £5 a gallon. £5 is roughly $9.80 today, and you can trust that paying ten bucks per gallon hurts pretty bad. To help (and to generate some friendly press) BMW is offering the BMW EfficientDynamics Open Weekend later this month (May 31 and June 1). The event will turn BMW dealerships in the UK into shops where anyone - whether they drive a BMW or not - can pull in and get schooled on how to drive greener (make a reservation first). Also, dealers will perform free multi-point car checks to point out ways to save fuel and, BMW says, up to £520 a year.

BMW calculates that the 700,000 BMWs with EfficientDynamics technologies (e.g., start/stop, regenerative braking) that will be sold in 2008 will save 33 million gallons of fuel and 373,000 tons of CO₂ when compared to 2006 BMW models without EfficientDynamics technologies. Full details after the jump.

Press Release:

BMW EfficientDynamics to the fore

* BMW EfficientDynamics Open Weekend - save up to £520 a year
* Online vehicle comparator goes live
* BMW at the SMMT Test Day
* BMW announces two further ‘new models’

BMW EfficientDynamics Open Weekend - save up to £520 a year
With fuel prices passing the £5-per-gallon mark for the first time, the BMW UK dealer network is to stage a BMW EfficientDynamics Open Weekend where drivers of all makes and models of car will be able to take advantage of a free multi-point car check to highlight potential cost savings.

By adhering to the driving principles of EfficientDynamics, such as removing unnecessary weight, having tyres correctly inflated and engine lubricants and fluids at the right level, the average driver could save up to £120 per annum*. The fuel-saving benefits of BMW’s EfficientDynamics technologies, fitted as standard to 95 per cent of new BMWs, will also be promoted. These measures, that include innovations such as Start / Stop and Brake Energy Regeneration technology, mean drivers of older models stepping up to a new BMW could save as much as £400 per annum**.

The EfficientDynamics Weekend lets motorists book an efficiency check that will show how they can save money now or test drive a new BMW to experience the substantial saving they could make on running costs with a new BMW. The BMW EfficientDynamics Open Weekend will be held on Saturday, 31 May and Sunday, 1 June. Drivers of any make or model of car wanting to take advantage of this offer can book a car efficiency check by logging on to www.bmw.co.uk and navigating through the EfficientDynamics link. Once registered, convenient time slots can be chosen at one of the 144 dealerships taking part.

* Figure sourced by Energy Savings Trust. ** Figure based on a 12,000 mile per annum driver driving a new 318i Saloon with fuel priced at the current national average of £1.10 per litre compared to a 2007 model year 318i Saloon.

Online vehicle comparator goes live
BMW is pleased to announce the launch of an online tool for new car buyers that lets them use independent data to compare potential new car purchases. The online vehicle comparator allows users to view BMWs against rival products on such points as engine output, performance, fuel consumption, emissions, Vehicle Excise Duty and running costs to get a true picture of ownership.

By accessing this one-stop-shop motorists can get an unbiased third party view of the benefits EfficientDynamics technologies can bring. EMMOX Carcost Ltd provides all the information for the site, which is updated on a monthly basis. The BMW 118d is a good example of how EfficientDynamics technologies can save money. The table below outlines its competitive advantage.

Data supplied by EMMOX Carcost Ltd

Since facets of EfficientDynamics technologies were introduced on the first BMW models in 2006, a staggering amount of financial and environmental savings have already been made. On a Europe-wide basis, more than 700,000 EfficientDynamics-equipped cars are expected to be sold in 2008. To put this into context, those 700,000 cars will save more than 33 million gallons of fuel compared to pre-EfficientDynamics cars sold in 2006. This equates to a reduction in CO2 of 373,000 tonnes in Europe, 54,000 tonnes of which will be saved in the UK alone.

To use the online vehicle comparator general access can be gained by going to www.bmw.co.uk and clicking through the EfficientDynamics link. Alternatively, the following link to www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/efficient_dynamics/bc/carcomparator provides instant access.

BMW at the SMMT Test Day
BMW will showcase its class-leading EfficientDynamics technologies when it appears at the SMMT Test Day at Millbrook, while also heralding the launch of two new BMW models. The 22 May event is a highlight in the motoring calendar and this year’s profile will be boosted with the international media debuts of the BMW 120d Convertible and BMW 320d Convertible.

The 120d Convertible builds on the benchmark attributes of the most compact, open-top, four-seat BMW by offering diesel power for the first time. Meanwhile, the 320d Convertible joins another class-leading range to offer an appealing mix of low running costs, luxurious open-air motoring and benchmark driving dynamics.

Joining these two new additions will be the World Green Car of the Year 2008, the BMW 118d, the sub-225g/km BMW X6 xDrive35d and the BMW 635d Coupé. All five of the cars appearing at the SMMT Test Day feature EfficientDynamics technologies that result in lower emissions and better fuel consumption, while also improving engine output and performance figures.

BMW announces two further ‘new models’
BMW UK is pleased to announce some key changes to the line up of its Corporate Communications department. Gavin Ward, previously Media Relations Executive, has been appointed as BMW Media Relations Manager, while Janis Prescott has been appointed to the role of MINI Media Relations Manager.

Ward has worked in BMW’s corporate communications team for more than four years. He now takes on the role as the main contact for day to day BMW product press queries following Duncan Forrester’s move to become New Media Public Relations Manager.

Prescott replaces Ellysia Graymore who has left the company in order to pursue a new adventure in Italy. She starts work on 1 June and will bring to the role more than 10 years experience working for BMW and MINI brands in various roles.

Chris Willows, BMW Corporate Communications Director, said: “It was very sad to say goodbye to Ellysia as she headed for Turin. However, she has been replaced by Janis who has an extensive knowledge of the business and is well placed to take on MINI media communications. Meanwhile, Gavin should be a familiar face to you all and will, I’m sure, continue to offer the same high levels of service and professionalism you expect from BMW.”

[Source: BMW]

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco

Filed under: Motorsports, Honda, Motorcycles, Celebrities

Seven-time Formula 1 racing champion Michael Schumacher will be racing this weekend on a Honda CBR1000RR at the IDM International German Motorbike Championship. There are rumors that he’ll be racing under a false name, Marcel Niederhausen. Now that the cat is officially out of the bag, so to speak, he may as well skip the alias. Schumacher will race alongside current champion Martin Bauer for Holzhauer Racing.

With this announcement, all of the previous events which Schumacher took part in start to make more sense. Superbike racing is very hotly contested, and the bikes feature nearly two-hundred horsepower in race trim. Therefore, it would have been an exceedingly bad idea to race in this series without a few warm-up runs. According to event organizers, the thirty-seven year old Schumacher has been testing for the last few weeks with members of his new team and “he surprised many experts with fast times.” We can only hope that our “retirements” will be so enjoyable.

[Source: Motorcycle News]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Car Buying, Time Warp, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Pontiac

Click above to view the video after the jump.

If the ad campaign is any indication, those of us born in the late 1970s are the demographic Pontiac’s aiming at with the G8. First, there was the Spy Hunter themed TV spot, and now this one, which pays homage to the seminal car-guy experience of zooming around on a carpet in 1/64 scale. Hey, we’re cool with that. The G8 GT does induce heart palpitations in many of us who still cling to our battle-scarred collection of now-vintage Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars with our initials etched into the underside. Like many of the other tiny cars we racked up miles on, a miniature G8 would have made us wish for either a shrink-ray, or a personal fortune by the time we hit 16 so we could buy a real one. Video embedded after the jump.

[Source: AdGabber]

Continue reading VIDEO: Another Pontiac G8 ad that goes after our childhood

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Original post by Dan Roth

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertibles, Sports/GTs

Click on the image for more shots of the IDEA ERA Concept

The term Barchetta, which literally means ‘little boat’ in Italian, is applied to a small, two-seat open-air sports car called the ERA concept introduced by the Italian styling firm IDEA Institute. Like many past barchettas, the ERA is doorless, meaning drivers and passengers get to do their best Bo Duke impression as they enter the roadster over the doors. What’s especially impressive is that such a cool design was drawn up, rendered and molded into reality in just 30 days. Conceived at a meeting on April 8, the vehicle is meant to commemorate IDEA’s 30th anniversary and the initial design was approved on the same day. Feverishly working around-the-clock, the vehicle’s team pounded out a very nicely designed model, which at this time features no powertrain. With its curvy body and peaked fenders all around, the ERA has a hint of the old Birdcage racer in its profile. Suggested layouts include both a transversely mounted four-banger driving the front wheels or a longitudinal V6 providing the proper rear-wheel-drive layout.

[Source: IDEA Institute via Automotive News - sub. req’d]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Solar, Green Daily

From time to time, an idea pops up which causes you to say, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Often, these concepts seem to make so much sense that they absolutely must be implemented as soon as possible. Andrew Leinonen’s concept for a floating solar-powered power station may just be one such idea. Using a lighter-than-air vessel, like a blimp, which can be maneuvered pretty much over anyplace in the world, power could be granted to disaster areas and other needy places using solar cells embedded all over the blimp which would turn the suns rays into electricity. It’s possible that a vessel such as this could be tethered to the ground using “power boxes” which would be deployed from the airship using long power-carrying cables. The concept features twelve one-hundred-twenty volt outlets along with two two-hundred-forty volt outlets which would be able to offer power where it’s needed most.

[Source: Pull The Sky Down via Engadget]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Car Buying, Hatchbacks, Scion

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Scion xD Release Series 1.0.

Scion seems to release more limited-edition models than we have fingers and toes to count, and it’s continuing that tradition this June with the xD Release Series 1.0.

Scion’s attempt to differentiate the xD RS 1.0 from its staid siblings includes a Hot Lava paint job, a DAMD four-piece body kit and a rear spoiler. The magma-themed exterior works its way inside with color-matching trim and seat inserts, while a RAZO shift knob, TRD lowering springs and model-specific wheel covers (wheel covers, really?) round out the poser package.

Scion is limiting production of the xD RS 1.0 to 2,000 units with an MSRP set at $1,999 over the standard xD’s $14,550 base price (not including the $640 destination charge).

Continue reading Scion xD Limited Edition Release Series 1.0 starting at $16,549

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Original post by Damon Lavrinc

Filed under: Concept Cars, Hatchbacks, Audi

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Audi A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro.

Audi has released the first official images of its newest concept before the wraps are taken off at the Lake Wörther Tour in Austria later this month. Think of the Audi A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro concept as a smaller, racier, more attainable version of the Audi R8 V12 TDI concept shown in Detroit, with power provided by the highest specific output diesel in the world.

Look past the DTM-inspired bodywork and you’ll get an aluminum-enhanced glimpse of the oilburning jewel that lies beneath. The 1,968cc turbodiesel produces 221 hp and 332 lb.-ft. of torque available at an oh-so-low 1,750 rpm. Power is sent through a six-speed manual transmission before it reaches the ground through Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system. Audi claims that the A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro can reach 62 mph in 6.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 149 mph. We believe it.

While the body work might be a bit over the top, the tuned A3 sits 26mm lower than stock and rides on 20-inch wheels that fit cleanly into blistered wheel arches, widening the A3’s track by 33 mm in front and 46 mm in the rear. Stopping power in the front is provided by six piston calipers clamping 356mm carbon ceramic discs, while standard steel brakes are fitted out back. Inside, it’s all business with a bit of show car flare, including a flat-bottom steering wheel, bolstered buckets, aluminum trim, toggle switches and a red starter button to get the party underway. Audi has also fitted the concept with a its Drive Select system, which can change throttle response, exhaust sound, power steering assist, ESP settings and magnetic ride damping on the fly.

Audi isn’t saying that the A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro is destined for production, but it would make an excellent runabout for the times when rolling the R8 V12 TDI to the store would be overkill.

Make the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Audi A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro concept

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Original post by Damon Lavrinc

Filed under: Etc., Green Daily

Click on the image above for more “Chia Cars”

Not long ago, we witnessed some “art cars” which had been covered in either real grass or fake, depending on the sensibilities of the car’s owner. While those vehicles seemed to be somewhat of a statement of their owners green intentions, the lowly Volkswagen Beetle that you see above merely seems to have been left out in the rain a little too long. We’re not sure exactly how the old Beetle ended up covered in grass, but it looks a little too perfect to have been an accident. Seriously, that things look exactly like a life-sized Chia Bug. We doubt that this car is currently being driven, but if it were, we just have to wonder if the sheer amount of carbon-devouring life existing on this vehicle would be enough to offset all of the carbon emissions from the rear-mounted air-cooled boxer engine.

[Source: Car Domain]

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Original post by Jeremy Korzeniewski

Filed under: Etc., Green Daily

Seventeen groups, including the Alliance to Save Energy and the Wal-Mart Foundation, will kick off something called the Drive $marter Challenge on Tuesday. As you might be able to guess from the name, the idea behind this challenge is to get people to learn and then preform smarter (read: more efficient) driving techniques. This national campaign will be based around a website that features the only “calculator showing visitors how much money, gas, and CO2 they can save with their own vehicle by taking specific fuel-efficiency steps.” There will be a press event at the National Press Club on Tuesday to kick off the challenge. The website doesn’t work yet (it gets stuck and just says “loading…”), but if you need even more tips (what, these 104 or these 100 weren’t enough for you?) check back early next week. Press conference line-up after the jump.

Press Release:

Alliance to Save Energy, Wal-Mart Foundation Launch Drive $marter Challenge to Lower Consumers’ Gas Costs by Using Less

May 20, 2008; 10:30 am - 11:30 am
National Press Club, Washington, D.C.

www.drivesmarterchallenge.org

WHAT: The Alliance to Save Energy and 17 diverse nonprofit, government, and for-profit partners will launch the Drive $marter Challenge, a national consumer fuel-efficiency campaign to reduce drivers’ “pain at the pump” as gasoline prices continue to increase. The campaign’s effective driving and vehicle maintenance tips can add up to hundreds of dollars of annual savings.

The unique, interactive campaign website (www.drivesmarterchallenge.org) is the only one with a calculator showing visitors how much money, gas, and CO2 they can save with their own vehicle by taking specific fuel-efficiency steps.

Campaign B-roll is available and can be provided to TV.

WHO:
— Alliance to Save Energy President Kateri Callahan
— Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Senior Vice President of US Government
Relations Ray Bracy
— Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Alliance honorary co-chair
— American Petroleum Institute CEO and President Red Cavaney
— Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN), honorary Alliance vice-chair
— Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers President and CEO Dave McCurdy
— U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office for Transportation and Air
Quality Director Margo Oge

WHERE: Holeman Lounge, National Press Club
14th & F Sts., NW
Washington, D.C.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 20, 2008
10:30 am to 11:30 am

The Alliance to Save Energy is a coalition of prominent business, government, environmental, and consumer leaders who promote the efficient and clean use of energy worldwide to benefit consumers, the environment, economy, and national security.

[Source: Alliance to Save Energy]

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Original post by Sebastian Blanco