Volkswagen

VW in an effort to promote the tons of eco-friendlier cars launched at IAA in Frankfurt in September has decided to pursue eco-sales with a new eco-friendly racing series. The company is starting a single-make racing series where all of the cars run on bio-produced compressed natural gas. The model used in the series is the new Scirocco and should reduce racetrack CO2 output by 80 per cent over today’s racing fuels. The 2.0-liter 4-cylinder cars will have 220 horsepower on tap. Not bad for an alt fuel car!

Source: http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/10/volkswagen-cng/

On other green fronts, VW Group is working with Stanford University in California in a US$5.75 million project to make VW the largest carmaker with R&D in Silicon Valley. Already the two companies have produced autonomous (read self-driving) versions of the VW Passat and now the Audi TT-S. The Audi TT-S will attempt to drive itself up the 14,110-foot Pike’s Peak next year, according Wired.

Source: http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/10/vw-vail/

Audi’s Johan de Nysschen, critical of the Chevy Volt, took an interview with Time recently to express his views on the state of the luxury auto industry. He stated that Audi’s goal is to be the “top” German luxury manufacturer, but not necessarily in terms of sales. He also reiterated the push for more fuel-efficient vehicles leading to Zero emissions cars in the not so distant future.

Source: http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1933906,00.html

Bugatti

Bugatti has unleashed a new concept car the 4-seat, 4-door (can you believe it???) Galibier 16C. Autocar magazine claims the production will start in 2013 at £900,000. We will believe it when we see it! Interestingly, the car’s engine will be the same as in the Veyron but will only sport 800BHP. Apparently, 200 get lost when adding 2 doors.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle.aspx?AR=244753

Caterham

Rarely does Caterham make the news, except when they unleash new, wildly fun lightweight roadster, but unfortunately, Caterham’s found Graham Nearn died in late October. Nearn has been selling the then-titled Lotus 7 since its introduction in 1959, and then when the car was discontinued in 1973, Nearn bought the rights and has been producing the car ever since and in more exciting, evolving versions. You can even buy a kit and put a Caterham 7 together yourself. If you are not familiar with this brand, you should be!

Top Gear featured it in a segment awhile back:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOxHV6QfJkg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bhnE2rAWuA

Source: http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle.aspx?AR=244398

Ferrari

Beyond the KM has previously marveled at the sales resiliency of the Ferrari nameplate. But even THIS economy has the prancing stallion kow-towing to the bear market of Wall Street.

Its third quarter results for 2009 showed revenues of 396 million euros (£359m) – down from 450m euros (£408m) in the same period last year. It sold 1454 cars, down 4.3 per cent year on year.

However, Ferrari announced that it has grown its market share in every market it monitors, against a drop in supercar sales of around 40 per cent.

Overall revenue for the first nine months of 2009 was 1287m euros (£1166m) – down from 1419m euros (£1285m) in the same period in 2008.

In total, 4680 cars have been delivered this year (down 6.9 per cent year on year), resulting in a trading profit of 176m euros (£159m), down from 243m euros (£220m) last year.

Source: http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle.aspx?AR=244399

F1

In F1 news, Jenson Button and Brawn GP have pulled out the championships, but Brawn GP teammate Rubens Barrichello is off to Williams next year.

Renault may pull out of F1 as Toyota now has. Bridgestone the sole tire supplier is also leaving the sport after the 2010 season citing cost concerns. Renault is on probation next year following a debacle that affected the championship in the 2008 season.

McLaren

Designer of the fabled McLaren F1 supercar, Gordon Murray has designed a rather ugly electric car chassis (seen in the link below). Apparently Murray has gone blind since designing the F1, the fastest production road car until the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 came along.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8344532.stm

McLaren, meanwhile has announced the regional directors as it prepares the launch of its new road-going sports car, the MP4-12C. With North American HQ based in the New York metro area, the newly appointed regional director is former Porsche, Ferrari, and Maserati regional head Anthony Joseph. Expect 15 American dealers with production starting in 2011, but American arrival is still uncertain at the 15 dealers have yet to materialize.

Source: http://www.leftlanenews.com/mclaren-announces-regional-directors-mp4-12c-coming-to-u-s.html

Lamborghini

You have already read about Ferrari’s problems with sales (and F1 racing), so it should be no surprise that Lamborghini stands to drop sales figures during this recession. As a result, the VW Group-owned supercar maker is turning to VW Group’s credit arm, VW Credit to offer 0% financing on the Murcielago LP-640 coupé and roadster models. For those individuals with a credit score of 700 or higher – plus a down payment in the amount of 10 percent of the vehicle’s sticker price – the new program can offer interest rates as low as 5.99 percent for up to 12-years. If your credit tops the 740 mark, u can take home a new Murcielago with 0 percent financing for up to 60-months.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/lamborghini-offering-0-percent-financing-on-murcielago-lp640-models.html

Porsche

Porsche is planning some aggressive new car rollouts in the new few years. According to Auto Car, we can expect the following:

• Panamera V6 and diesel 2010
• New Cayenne – 2010
• Cayenne Hybrid – 2011
• Panamera Hybrid – 2011
• New 911 – 2012
• Rockster/ Small SUV – 2013
• 928 cabrio and coupe – 2013

Source: http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle.aspx?AR=244386

Porsche has also rolled out the Panamera officially in North America, and the NY Times brings us the article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/business/media/15adco.html

Renault

Audi’s Johan de Nysschen is certainly not the only one reaching for the goal of Zero emissions. Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn also has that goal in mind. Ghosn believes that by 2020, 10% of car sales will come from Zero-emissions vehicles. He is committing US$5.9 million to engineer affordable cars that fit the zero-emissions requirement. Ghosn’s affordability claim also relies on government subsidies and drivers exceeding 12,000 KM of driving per year. Renault believe that 80% of journeys in Europe are under 60KM and thus would make a battery-powered car a reality.

Source: Economist http://www.economist.com/businessfinance/displayStory.cfm?story_id=14662050

Green tech

The City of Los Angeles, California has decided to phase out use of old-style high-pressure sodium street lights and bus stop lights. Instead, the city will phase in LEDway streetlights from BetaLED. Driving at night will be made easier as the lights, which operate at a more day-like wavelength, which is easier on the eyes. On top of this, the city will reduce CO2 consumption by 40,000 tons per year.

Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10390656-54.html

http://www.ledwaystreetlights.com/

Government

With the CARS cash-for-clunkers rebate complete for the United States, the government has issued a final economic analysis for the program, available here:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/CEA_Cash_for_Clunkers_Report_FINAL.pdf

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This entry was posted on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at 5:00 pm and is filed under Audi, Bugatti, Caterham, Environment, Ferrari, Formula 1, Fuel, McLaren, Politics, Porsche, Renault, Safety, Technology, VW. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. This post was read by 111 people until now. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.