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Kia Rio Hybrid introduced at Geneva 2007

March 7, 2007 at 6:24 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Kia, Koreans, Technology

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Proton is not the only one with a sedan modified to go the hybrid way – the Koreans have their Kia Rio Hybrid for display at he 77th Salon de lAutomobiles in Geneva as well. This Kia Rio Sedan has it’s 1.4 litre CVVT petrol engine mated to a 12 kilowatt, 95Nm electric motor, and like the GEN2 EVE, uses a CVT gearbox, a first in any Kia car.

The CVVT engine makes about 90 horsepower and 120Nm of torque, and is hooked up to the electric motor which is placed between the flywheel and the gearbox. This electric motor ‘assists the petrol engine during starting, accelerating and hill-climbing. The electric motor switches off at cruising speeds, and also has ‘regenerative braking to store energy and re-charge its Ni-MH 144 volt power pack. There’s also a start-stop system for shutting off the petrol engine when not needed and restarting it automatically.

Zero to 100 km/h takes 12.2 seconds, top speed is 180km/h, and compared to a standard Kia Rio, air pollutants are reduced by 37% (down to 126g/km) and fuel efficiency is improved by 44% (now rated at 4.4 litres per 100km). To help with the fuel consumption, the body of this Kia Rio Sedan has also been changed slightly, saving about 220kg of weight through the use of an aluminium bonnet, boot lid and front seat frames, plus lightweight road wheels, low-friction tyres and an electric power steering.

Three more photos after the jump.
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Proton and Lotus Engineering develop Proton GEN2 EVE Hybrid Concept

March 7, 2007 at 3:28 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel, International News, Local News, Lotus, Malaysian Makes, Proton

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Lotus Engineering will have this on display at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, a Proton GEN2 equipped with Lotus Engineering’s EVE Hybrid technology. EVE, which stands for Efficient, Viable, Environmental, basically pairs Proton’s 1.6 litre Campro engine with a 30 kilowatt (40 horsepower) electric motor. The hybrid petrol-electric drivetrain drives the front wheels using a continuously variable transmission (CVT) gearbox.

The hybrid system also has a start-stop system for the gasoline engine to be shut off when unneeded. The engine restarts automatically when the brake pedal is released. The electric motor is positioned between the engine and the gearbox, and supports regenerative braking to recharge its 144V battery located in the GEN2′s boot.

The Proton GEN2 EVE Hybrid Concept has significantly lower emissions than it’s pure petrol sibling, with CO2 output only 134g/km from 172g/km. Average fuel economy rose from 6 litres per 100km to 4.6 litres per 100km. The combined output of the electric motor and the Campro 1.6 litre engine is 141hp, equivalent to a 1.8 to 2.0 litre engine in modern times, giving it a 0-100km/h time of 9 seconds and a top speed of 190km/h. Torque rises from the stock 148Nm at 4,000rpm to 233Nm at 1,500rpm.

Perhaps we can see this Lotus EVE Hybrid technology being implemented in our local Proton cars soon, or perhaps we will be able to use that CVT transmission to replace the current 4-speed auto of which ratio’s do not match the Campro’s torque curve at all. A CVT would be wonderful for keeping the Campro’s revs within it’s powerband, allowing for a more comfortable and stressless drive.

More photos after the jump, as well as Lotus Engineering’s full description of the Proton GEN2 EVE Hybrid car.

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Lotus EVE Hybrid at the Proton Technology Week
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Toyota Corolla Super 2000 Rally Car

March 6, 2007 at 4:03 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Toyota

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This is Toyota’s latest entry into the Super 2000 Rally, based on the new Toyota Auris, also known as the Corolla hatchbacks in other markets like Australia. The 1,133kg front wheel drive vehicle is powered by a 2.0 litre normally aspirated engine that revs up to 8,500rpm and makes 255 horsepower, which is really a pretty impressive horsepower to displacement ratio.

The new Toyota Corolla Super 2000 Rally Car will make it’s racing debut at the Rally of Canberra in June 2007, driven by Neal Bates and 2006 Australian Rally Champion Simon Evans. Two more photos after the jump.
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Porsche Cayenne Hybrid to make debut in 2009

March 6, 2007 at 5:32 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Porsche

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While it’s sibling the Volkswagen Touareg is proud to have an diesel option, and goes around shouting about it with plane-towing publicity stunts, the Porsche Cayenne is not going to have a diesel engine. Porsche says it will not go the diesel way with any of it’s vehicles, however to keep up with increasingly tough emmission standards it will turn to hybrid technology instead.

A hybrid version of the Porsche Cayenne will make it’s debut in 2009, and this hybrid drivetrain will eventually make it’s way to the Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo as well.

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Honda to make new Honda CRX

March 6, 2007 at 4:52 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Honda, International News

Honda CRX REMIX

Ah, the Honda CRX, possibly the most fan favourite of all Honda cars, even beating the Civic Type R in terms of fun versus cost ratio. Believe it or not, American Honda Motor had wanted to push the Honda Insight hybrid as spiritual successor to the CRX. Yes, the shape is about the same, but despite what John Travolta has to say, the Insight is not even close to matching the CRX, only bettering it in perhaps the area of fuel consumption. Apparently after observing European automakers rush to join the race in building small and fun compact cars, Honda intends to revive the CRX as a competitor. The target of everyone seems to be BMW’s successful MINI Cooper, with both Volkswagen (new RR subcompact) and Fiat (New Fiat 500) building MINI-killers.

The new Honda CRX, which would succeed the 92 CRX Del Sol (which wasn’t as big of a success as it’s predecessor btw), will be based on the Honda Fit platform. The Fit platform can definitely be made into a fast car, just look at the Mugen Fit Dynamite or the Mugen Fit Spec D. But many hearing this news have already begun to lament on the choice of the Fit platform, as apparently the rear suspension design does not have what it takes to live up to what’s expected of a CRX’s handling.

To predict what the new Honda CRX would most probably look like, we can refer to the Honda REMIX Concept which was shown to the public late last year. It looks like a CRX and also has the design concept of a CRX – a small car that gives you a jet fighter-like cabin experience powered by a high revving engine with a manual transmission.

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DaimlerChrysler and BMW in joint hybrid drive module development

March 5, 2007 at 3:56 am By Paul Tan Filed Under BMW, Cars, International News, Mercedes Benz, Technology

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Hybrid 7-series within the next 3 years?

DaimlerChrysler and BMW will be extending their hybrid drive system collaboration, developing a unique hybrid drive module for rear wheel drive cars, with commercialization of the module expected within the next three years. This joint venture is in the interest of saving costs in R&D as well as manufacturing.

Lexus has gone the mild hybrid way for quite some time now, with offerings like the Lexus RX450h luxury SUV, Lexus GS450h mid-sized luxury saloon and the flagship Lexus LS600h. Now when I say mild hybrid, that refers to hybrid powertrains that focus more on helping acceleration, and save a bit of fuel especially in stop and go traffic. Large displacement engines usually prove to be guzzlers in stop and go situations. It is not meant to focus on massive fuel savings like the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight.

Now most of you who have been observing hybrid/electric car specs should have noticed most of them have crazy acceleration times thanks to the electric motor’s perpetually maxed out torque at all RPMs. Imagine a BMW 3-series coupled with a hybrid drivetrain system accelerating out of a corner, now that has got me licking my lips, though this technology will most likely first be used on both Mercedes Benz and BMW’s larger vehicles like the 7-Series (shown above) and S-class, as well as SUVs, as the relatively larger displacement engines in these two classes of vehicles would benefit the most from the fuel savings of an electric motor in stop and go traffic.

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Toyota Aurion TRD – Australian Spec

March 3, 2007 at 5:55 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Toyota

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Australia is the land of kitted up mid-sized sedans. Toyota’s Aurion is basically our local Toyota Camry, and they have a TRD kit for it now. Someone enterprising should get some PU bodykits modelled after this look real soon, then we can see some really nicely done up Toyota Camrys on our local roads soon. However, they would most likely be all show and no go, unlike this Australian market Toyota Aurion TRD which features a 320hp supercharged 3.5 litre V6 under it’s hood.

Somehow the colour scheme that Toyota Australia’s TRD division chose reminds me alot of the usual Ralliart colour scheme, and Mitsubishi’s latest Lancer also carries a similiar colour scheme, so this ends up looking not very Toyota at all to me.

More photos after the jump.
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US Bill 1640 to ban spinner wheels

February 27, 2007 at 11:22 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News

spinner_150_150.jpgThe city of New York has introduced a bill (S.B. 1640) to ban spinner hubcaps in the city. The S.B. 1640 bill calls for a fine of US$750 for the third violation onwards – two warnings will be given. The bill is currently being considered for inclusion in the state legislature.

I’m not sure why the ban though, unless some statesman thinks they’re too distracting to drivers or something. Or perhaps it’s too confusing, as the wheels look like they are spinning even though the car is stopped, so people might be unsure whether a car is moving or not… hmm? Or perhaps kids would get their fingers chopped off if they accidentally stick their finger into the spinners out of curiosity. Spinners are allowed under US Federal Law, so it’s kinda weird for one state to ban them.

The most awesome spinners I’ve seen? Dub Pimp Star Wheels.

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Hyundai i30 photos leaked ahead of Geneva

February 26, 2007 at 11:50 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Hyundai, International News, Koreans

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While Kia’s new cee’d series looks absolutely gorgeous, by Korean standards of course, and truly shows their advancement in the automtive industry… the same can’t be said of it’s group sibling Hyundai. The Hyundai i30 is based off the previously showcased Arnejs concept, and it has ended up looking like a mere rebadged version of the Kia cee’d with elements of Mazda 3 side profile, BMW 1-Series plus Mitsubishi Colt rear and a Honda Accord front grille thrown in to differentiate it from the original. It’s not that it looks bad, it actually looks nice, but that Accord grille rip-off is just too blatant.

Engines will include 3 petrol powered engines – a 1.4 109Hp, a 1.6 122Hp and a 2.0 143Hp, as well as 3 diesels for those who love mega torque oil burners – 1.6CRDi 90hp, 1.6CRDi 115Hp and 2.0 CRDi 140Hp. This is the same as the Kia cee’d range.

Two more photos after the jump.
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Suzuki SX4 photos unveiled ahead of Geneva

February 26, 2007 at 11:50 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Suzuki

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While spyshots of this car have already been available for quite some time, here are official images of the Suzuki SX4 Sedan, to be unveiled at the 2007 Geneva International Motor Show early March. Other than the sedan, Suzuki also has a SX4 Sport Concept, though it is not really clear whether the sport concept version will be based on the sedan, hatch, or the crossroader body – but it will most likely be the sedan version. Suzuki plans to enter a SX4-based car into the 2008 World Rally Championship (WRC).

One more photo after the jump.

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Suzuki SX4 Sedan Spotted!
Suzuki SX4-based sedan to be unveiled at Geneva
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