I've focused this week's blogs on the newest hybrid vehicles on the market for the 2010 automotive year, and today is no exception. Today's Web clip features the 2010 Mercedes-Benz ML 450 Hybrid; but fear not, as there are no boring narrators or bad techno music on this video to pull attention away from the car. In fact, the only sounds you'll hear are those of the vehicle against the wind.
The M-class rocks a 3.5-liter V-6 engine that produces 335 horsepower and starts about $55,000. The 450 ML gets about 22.5 miles per gallon between city driving and highway miles.
This week, we've been taking a look at some of 2010's biggest gas-guzzlers. Not surprisingly, this list has been chock full of utility vehicles, and today's blog chalks up yet another entry for Land Rover. Yesterday, we got a look-see at the 2010 LR4, and our newest inductee into the Low Mileage Hall of Fame is the Land Rover Range Rover Sport (which also wins another award for the most redundant vehicle name ever). The LRRRS boasts average gas mileage of 12 mpg in the city and 17 mpg on the highway--not god awful, but certainly nothing to cheer about.
I was unable to find much compelling Web video to watch on the 2010 model; however, I did stumble onto this little video of a Land Rover being taken off-road and onto a dusty, rocky plain. Apparently, this video is more or less a commercial for Off Roving and Rover Specialties who specialize in making and installing "rock sliders" for protecting the underbody of SUVs. It appears to be doing a good job, as the rocks and terrain in this video look fairly treacherous to a vehicle's underside--I know I'd be worried without 'em. Anyway, this video also provides a semitutorial on the sliders and their attributes along the way. Heaven forbid you learn something while watching inconsequential Web video, right?
The Toyota 4Runner Trail is aimed at drivers with off-road ambitions, while the Limited increases its on-road capabilities.
(Credit: Toyota)When we last discussed Toyota's 2010 4Runner, I was nitpicking a very silly gimmick called "Party Mode." Since then, the new model has been released and is available.
Starting with the basic SR5 model, the 4Runner's upper trim levels (Limited and Trail) head in two very different directions with two very different sets of suspension technologies.
The Limited features X-REAS, a sort of pneumatic sway bar system that links the dampers of each front wheel with the rear wheel on the opposite side of the vehicle. When the left side of the vehicle is compressed during, for example, a hard right turn, the X-REAS system exerts a downward force on the right wheels, keeping them in contact with the pavement and increasing overall traction. Because this is a cross-vehicle system, X-REAS also works to counteract lift and dive weight transfer during hard acceleration and braking.
Instead of the on-road only X-REAS technology, the off-road capable Trail-trim level gets a very different suspension tech cocktail. In addition to a lever-actuated 4x4 system, front and rear skid plates, and a rocker panel deletion that increases center ground clearance, the 4Runner Trail is the only trim level that features the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS). Essentially, KDSS replaces the vehicle's standard sway bars with beefier units that are pneumatically linked on one end.
During regular on-road driving, the KDSS works like a regular sway bar, linking the left and right suspension components and increasing traction. However, when driving off-road, the pneumatic link of the KDSS loosens up, allowing the wheels to move more independently. This increased wheel articulation allows the wheels to maintain better contact with uneven surfaces encountered during, for example, rock crawling, where a vehicle with a fixed sway bar would lose contact with the ground.
Other new features that cross trim levels include available third-row seating, DVD-based navigation with XM satellite radio and traffic, and available iPod and Bluetooth connectivity. Check out our gallery for more photos and details.
So here we go with another Web video clip of a Class A gas guzzler for the year 2010, the Land Rover LR4, which by all accounts is supposed to take the place of the LR3. This 2010 SUV with a 5-liter V8 engine averages 14 mpg between city and highway driving and sells for nearly 50 grand.
This video is a little different than what I've been presenting here lately; it demonstrates how the surround-vision (my own terminology, thank you very much) cameras in the LR4 can aid the driver of this big ol' SUV. It shows all the different views you can get with the LR4 camera system, and how the cameras can help one navigate off-road terrain such as a backwoods bridge...because we all know how common this problem is for everyday drivers.
Still it's an interesting look at how car makers are willing to put out as many bells and whistles in a car as possible to try and get you to be impressed enough to buy a brand-new vehicle in an ongoing era of economic uncertainty.
A couple of weeks ago, Lexus made headlines with the unveiling of its first official "supercar" at the 2009 SEMA show in Las Vegas. The Lexus LFA that debuted at SEMA is a performance vehicle that the automaker thinks will set the standard for sports and performance cars that have a high luxury quotient. Lexus has also updated its LX 570 utility vehicle for the 2010 market, and it has bells and whistles galore. It's a good thing you get so many extras with this LX, because you definitely won't get what you bargain for in gas mileage. That's why the Lexus LX 570 makes the cut for this week's video blog look at the Gas Guzzlers of 2010.
This Web clip focuses on the positives of the 2010 Lexus LX 570, making it sound like the SUV of the century. Cosmetically speaking, it is basically the definition of a luxury utility vehicle and carries that air of class that most Lexus vehicles reek of. It has all sorts of neat features like electrically folding back seats, side and back camera monitors, and parking assist in case you aren't aware how close you are to hitting that other car. Hell, it even has a feature referred to as "crawl control," just in case some ritzy white collar couple decides they want to push their nearly $80K SUV up a mountain. I'm sure that occasion comes up all the time.
While the makers of this video clip mention the 5.7L V-8 engine that can kick major horsepower ass, they conveniently neglect that the 2010 Lexus LX 570 has a gas mileage average of roughly 15 mpg between highway and city driving. The fact that the LX 570 weighs nearly 3 tons doesn't help it either. On the other hand, if your wallet's that tight that you're worried about your gas mileage, chances are you're probably not getting in line for this fancy but pricey luxury SUV.
Not too long ago I delivered a few blog posts featuring some big-ol' gas guzzling SUVs like the Hummer and the Dartz Kombat. Well, I was sitting here stumped on what to write a blog about and I thought to myself that I hadn't done a full-fledged theme week with this video blog in a while, and from there I brainstormed what to do: this week's video blog posts are going to take a look at some of the worst new and ongoing offenders in gas mileage. And I figured since I was giving Hummer some air time recently, it's a sure bet to start this week with one of the biggest modern automotive offenders, the Hummer H3.
A recent article from msn.com suggested that the 2010 Hummer H3 Alpha was one of the 10 biggest gas guzzlers of the current/upcoming (depending how you look at it) year, and it's hard to argue. Averaging out at about 14 mpg between city and highway miles, it's hardly economical in this day and age.
Unfortunately, I had some trouble finding quality video featuring the Hummer H3, but I did stumble upon this clip featuring a recent H3 getting its drift on in the snow at the 2008 Arctic Challenge. Yeah, it's not the exact same vehicle I'm picking on for this post, but so what? It's fun, and it serves as a cold reminder that Old Man Winter is lurking just around the corner.
Earlier this week, I posted a video featuring an SUV, the T-98 Kombat, as made by Russian manufacturer Dartz (whose $1.5M Dartz Prombron Monaco Red Diamond Edition extravagantly decked out in whale penis leather--how high-brow is that--even got lip service recently on "The Colbert Report"). Anyhoo, this particular blog (located here for your convenience) garnered the snide comment of "It looks like a Hummer...big deal." Well, funny that you should say that, sir, as today's video features the Dartz Kombat one-on-one against the Hummer H1. Let's get ready to rumble!
The Dartz T-98 has been noted as one of the fastest multiterrain armored vehicles in the world, boasting an 8.1-liter engine and made with parts courtesy of General Motors. The Hummer H1 is often considered to be the most desirable of the Humvee makes, being the first of the now famous line introduced by AM General and also valued for its (relatively) efficient gas mileage. Coincidentally, the Hummer brand is also associated with GM, which had to part with the line as part of its bankruptcy settlement. So how much do they have in common versus how much they don't have in common? Well, I'll let you be the judge, as this video puts both vehicle types to the test in various environments including highways, sand dunes, forests, and snow. Enjoy. Or not. It's no big deal, right?
A Humvee made by American General.
(Credit: AM General)Lithium-ion battery manufacturer EnerDel has signed an 18-month, $1.29 million contract with the U.S. Army to design and test hybrid battery options for the Humvee.
Trying to power the iconic fuel-guzzling High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV aka Humvee) with a battery, may seem like trying to put out a fire with a garden hose. But a lithium-ion battery system can deliver a lot of power from a battery quickly, giving a truck like the Humvee the thrust it requires.
EnerDel, a subsidiary of Ener1, will collaborate with the U.S. Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC) on four possible power systems that could be implemented in the XM1124 version of the Humvee.
The company, which specializes in battery cell chemistry as well as the electronics and battery system designs, said it already has two viable options. EnerDel has developed a lithium-tatinate system in conjunction with Argonne National Laboratory that could accommodate the acceleration and hard braking required for such a powerful vehicle like the Humvee. It also has a lithium-manganese system that would give a vehicle extra-long range and allow electronics to be run off the battery for extended periods of time before needing to be recharged.
As part of the 18-month contract, EnerDel will also be involved in testing the systems under "extreme performance simulations." In addition to putting the test vehicles through the usual Humvee paces of wading through water and mountain climbing, there will also be an endurance test.
That will include seeing how a hybrid Humvee fares as a power plant for a field hospital or temporary military post. The requirement makes perfect sense given the ease with which a Humvee can be transported to hard-to-reach areas. One of its key features has always been that it could be dropped in to virtually any terrain by parachute.
A Humvee being parachuted out of a plane.
(Credit: AM General)The hybrid Humvee will also be more stealthy. Anyone who's had a close call with a Prius knows how dangerously silent hybrids can be in total battery mode. The hybrid version of the Humvee will have a powered-down "silent watch" mode that will allow it to run with its diesel generator off, reducing not only its noise, but also its thermal signature to avoid detection.
As always with major military project announcements, the company involved was quick to point out the down-the-road commercial application of its technology.
"In keeping with a long tradition, we also expect that innovations perfected here will have important benefits for the commercial markets," EnerDel President Rick Stanley said in a a statement.
There has already been interest in Raser Technologies' H3E, a plug-in hybrid version of a Hummer-branded SUV called the H3. While not truly a Hummer (the civilian version of the Humvee), the "Hummer-light" descendant has garnered the interest of even the most discerning Hummer enthusiasts.
So if EnerDel's batteries might be good enough to power a Hummvee, why haven't commercial automakers been knocking? They have actually. The company has signed research partnerships of varying commitment levels with Think Global, Fisker Automotive, Volvo, and Nissan. Its parent company, Ener1, is also working with U.S. utilities to develop smart grid storage units.
About a week ago I was watching "The Colbert Report" on Comedy Central, and all of a sudden Stephen Colbert starts talking about an extravagant SUV made by the Russian-based Dartz brand that costs roughly 1.5 million dollars and is so luxurious that its upholstery is made of genuine whale penis leather (no, I'm not making this up). I had to look this up, and while I have yet to locate video of the exact model vehicle that Stephen was talking about, I did find a clip of a similar model SUV made by Dartz in action, and since it's kinda timely, I thought I'd throw it up for your viewing pleasure.
What we got here is the Dartz Kombat T-98 armored VIP on display both on the interior and the exterior. It's a similar vehicle to the one Stephen Colbert was talking about on his show. While I can't visually discern if this particular Dartz has the oh-so-special whale penis leather, sometimes this sort of detail is best left to the professionals. Anyway, this is a fun little video of an SUV that many of us will never even get to see first-hand, let alone drive. Dig it.
(Credit:
Corinne Schulze/CNET)
The Nissan Rogue may go down in history as one of the most inaccurately named cars of all time. It's not mysterious. It's not particularly quick. It is relatively quiet, but you won't be catching anyone off guard in this tubby little CUV. Instead of delivering a vehicle that breaks from convention and actually "goes rogue," Nissan has given us a decidedly average, small, crossover SUV. No surprises here.
Almost everything about the Rogue can be described as good but not great, whether it's power and handling or styling and cabin tech. In fact, the only aspect of the Rogue that is mildly surprising is Nissan's decision slap a Garmin on the dash instead of using its OEM package for navigation duties.
