Styling innovations like this glass roof available for Ford Motor's 2009 V-6 and GT Mustang may not be the focus in coming years as automakers look to provide energy efficiency not looks, according to one survey.
(Credit: Ford)Biodiesel technology is low on the list of priorities for auto industry research, according to a global survey of 200 senior auto executives conducted by KPMG that was released Thursday.
When asked to rate which were the most important alternative fuel technologies to the auto industry over the next five years, hybrid systems were ranked first followed by battery electric power, fuel cell electric power, and biodiesel, respectively.
Fuel efficiency was ranked as the feature auto executives believed makes the biggest impact on customers' purchasing decisions, while "environmental friendliness" was second followed by safety innovation in third.
A car's style and looks came in last on the list of factors auto executives thought customers looked at these days when deciding which car to buy. They're likely right. The information follows news that Ford Motor announced in December it saw record sales for its hybrid cars in 2009 compared to hybrid car sales in other years.
"Automotive manufacturers are in the challenging position of being asked to compete on both technology and cost. With global consumers still feeling the pinch of the recession, those OEMs who can deliver on this equation will be in the driver's seat," Gary Silberg, national automotive industry leader for KPMG, said in a statement.
The survey was conducted September through November 2009.
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
(Credit: CNET)Ford Motor's hybrid sales are up 67 percent this year, despite an overall industry slump of 11 percent, the company reported.
The carmaker sold 31,000 hybrid cars through November this year--which was higher than its previous sales record set in 2007. The company said Wednesday that it pinned part of the increase on the release of the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid. Both vehicles get 41 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, Ford said. The Fusion Hybrid, which was released in March, represents 45 percent of all Ford hybrid sales for 2009.
Ford's goal is to make 10 percent to 25 percent of its fleet "electrified" by 2020. That's the equivalent of 800,000 to 2 million cars. "Electrified" covers hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and battery-electric vehicles.
2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)
We know that we should be concerned with the CR-Z's performance, but the possibility of a new Honda nav system has us excited.
(Credit: Temple of VTEC)Scans of the brochure for the Honda CR-Z have been making the rounds on the Net, giving us a peak at what you get when you apply the terms performance, compact, and hybrid to a production car.
However, upon taking a look at the interior photos, we were hit with what looks like even more good news: the navigation system's new button layout seems to suggest that the CR-Z may be getting a new system. Which is great, considering Honda's current goes-in-everything navigation system is over half a decade old. Does this mean no more DVD-based navigation? Are we finally going to get traffic data? Is this the end of the funky PC-card slots behind the motorized touch screen? Hopefully, yes.
It also looks like the digital instrument cluster is sporting some heavy LCD usage, which also gets us all hot and bothered...um, sorry.
If the CR-Z can match the expectations of a generation of rabid CRX lovers and deliver zippy performance, a tossable chassis, and decent fuel economy, an upgraded cabin tech package could be the feather in its cap. But we won't know for sure until we get some time behind the wheel after the CR-Z is unveiled at the 2010 Detroit auto show.
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.
In case you haven't been following along with the blog this week, I've been devoting this week to covering some of the recent hybrid vehicles that have been unleashed for the 2010 automotive year. Today we're turning our attention to the Porsche Cayenne hybrid model and it sure looks and run like a Porsche should.
The 2010 Porsche Cayenne hybrid version is the result of their collaboration with Volkswagen to create a "green" version of this popular SUV. Its main selling points seem to be the fact that the Cayenne hybrid emits roughly 20% less CO2 gas than its comparable competitors while maintaining the sporty traits associated with the Porsche brand. This video clip shows the Cayenne hybrid in action along the road, as well as showing sketch models of how the car operates and how it is put together in the factory. This is an intriguing hybrid vehicle that will be interesting to watch as it continues to develop.
LOS ANGELES--Honda plans a new marketing approach for its Insight hybrid after the Toyota Prius-fighter's disappointing debut.
An ad campaign starting early next year will focus more on the car's features and benefits, said John Mendel, American Honda Motor Co. executive vice president. One spot likely will detail the Insight's capability to "train" a driver to drive more efficiently.
Honda to create ads about the car instead of the buyer.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)The ad will feature the Insight's fuel economy readout, which uses a scrolling video-game format on the instrument panel. Mendel said that ought to make the Insight appeal to buyers under 35 years old--the target market.
Since the Insight's debut, ads have been lifestyle-oriented, for example showing the hybrid transporting young people to the beach. The ads also have been highly stylized, relying on quick-cutting and inventive camera work.
"Are we happy with how sales are going? No, we're not happy," Mendel said in an interview. "We are going to continue to market the car. But to call it a relaunch makes it sound like we did something wrong."
Mendel described current market conditions as unfavorable for hybrids, what with fuel prices much lower than in the summer of 2008. Still, the Prius is outselling the Insight 6-to-1.
Honda's initial 90,000-unit sales goal was revised to 60,000 because of the economy, but sales since its March launch total just 18,933 units through November
(Source: Automotive News)
In the minds of many American car buyers, domestic manufacturers cannot compete with many of their foreign counterparts when it comes to being environmentally-friendly and fuel efficient. But--surprise--the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid has easily eclipsed nearly all its hybrid competitors by reaching more than 40 miles per gallon both on the highway and in city driving. That's just one of many positive attributes to the 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid sedan, and in this video, we get a closer look at this American hybrid vehicle.
This Web clip gives us a good look at the 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid in action, and gives us the technical specs that should consider when buying any car, and not just a hybrid. This new edition of the Fusion hybrid has finally eclipsed the Toyota Camry hybrid in terms of fuel economy, and its cutting edge LCD panel can help the driver in maximizing their gas mileage in real time. In short, Ford has offered up a legitimate alternative to so-called highbrow hybrid vehicles that can convincingly run with (and possibly beat) its overseas competitors.
Plugging in your electric vehicle, or extended-range hybrid, may soon be a thing of the past. Evatran is developing a "hands-free" proximity charging system with the engineering team from Colorado company Syncroness.
The idea is to pull up to the Plugless Power system and get your car recharged. Evatran has a short animation depicting the process. The company will not have a product available until fall 2010, according to a press release.
Well, we know three things: it's a Toyota; it's a hybrid; and it's green.
(Credit: Toyota)The 2010 car show season is set to kick off in January at the 2010 North American International Auto Show, affectionately and more commonly known as the Detroit auto show. Toyota is going to be there and, being Toyota, you can bet its booth will be stuffed to the gill with hybrids. We've just received a pair of teaser images for an unnamed Toyota hybrid concept.
The ultra-swept headlamps and rounded nose point toward a concept that's like no current Toyota offering.
(Credit: Toyota)The concept should be a new model and not simply a hybrid version of a currently selling vehicle. There's not much that we can tell from the pictures beside that it's a green Toyota hybrid. I'm guessing based on the steep angle of the A-pillar that this is going to be a tiny car. Perhaps a new subcompact hybrid that slots in below the Prius.
We'll keep our eyes peeled for more information as it comes available. In the meantime, give us your best guess as to what Toyota's got up its sleeve in the comments.
According to SEMA News, the 2010 Camaro is one of the most customizable vehicles on the road.
(Credit: CNET)Well, the 2010 SEMA Show is long over, but the members of the Specialty Equipment Market Association are still at work doing whatever else they do when they're not putting together banging car shows.
The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro leads the charge as the most accessory-friendly car, earning its position with its reasonable sticker price, which should leave plenty of cash in your pocket for the many styling accessories for the retro futuristic body and performance accessories for its mod-friendly LS-series V-8 engine.
The Toyota 4Runner Trail has a host of aftermarket off-roading parts available.
(Credit: Toyota)Representing for the trucks category is the Ford F-Series Super Duty, which isn't surprising considering the broad range of available power trains and an almost endless stream of accessories for both work and play. In the SUV category, the Toyota 4Runner racks up a win, partially because it is one of the last mass-produced true off-roaders available today, and there's a pretty big market for accessories that let you play in the dirt.
Finally, SEMA chose the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid for the hybrid category--because, let's face it, folks just aren't modding Priuses in a major way. Plus, the Silverado Hybrid has access to most of the styling and performance accessories of the conventional Silverado.
So, what do you think? Are these the most accessory-friendly vehicles on the market today, or has a better candidate been overlooked? Sound off in the comments with your thoughts.
(Source: SEMA News)
