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CAFE, a sea of changes

Reply #15 –
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=124285


2008 Detroit Auto Show: Saturn Flextreme

DETROIT — These days, General Motors' Saturn brand shares nearly everything with the automaker's Opel subsidiary in Germany, including concept vehicles. That's why the Opel Flextreme concept from Frankfurt has made its way across the Atlantic, morphing at the Detroit show into the Saturn Flextreme.

The concept is the latest to showcase GM's evolving plug-in hybrid technology, which the company intends to market under the E-Flex brand. The hybrid system incorporates a 1.3-liter turbodiesel engine and a lithium-ion battery pack that can power the Flextreme's electric motor for up to 34 miles.

Among the features on this compact crossover are sideview cameras, LED headlamps, polycarbonate windows, a panoramic windshield and butterfly-style rear doors.

As on the original Opel concept, the Saturn Flextreme bundles a pair of Segway personal transporters in its cargo bay.

What this means to you: Apparently, what's sauce for the Opel goose is sauce for the Saturn gander. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent



CAFE, a sea of changes

Reply #16 –
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=124278


2008 Detroit Auto Show: Ford Verve

DETROIT — Ford's North American marketing department can thank Martin Smith, executive director of design for Ford of Europe, for creating a breath of fresh air that could help sweep a few cobwebs from the Blue Oval's musty U.S. portfolio. Case in point: the Ford Verve.

The Verve — for all intents and purposes, the next-generation Fiesta that arrives later this year in Europe and China — is the embodiment of an emerging family styling theme that Smith has dubbed "kinetic design." It is far more graceful, elegant and appealing than the blunt, ham-fisted three-bar grilles that Ford has pasted on most of its U.S. products in recent years.

The good news for Americans is that at least one version of the Verve — unfortunately, with that three-bar grille tacked on — will arrive stateside in 2010. That would be the four-door, which was first unveiled several months ago at the Guangzhou auto show. Detroit visitors will also get a look at the shagy Verve three-door that made its maiden voyage in September at the Frankfurt show; Ford hints that it, too, may see duty in the U.S. market.

Apart from the grille, the U.S. edition of the Verve doesn't swerve much from the original. The car still features a panoramic glass roof, pillarless side glass, projector-beam headlamps and LED taillamps. The latest version of the concept rides on 18-inch, 12-spoke alloy wheels.

Ford isn't furnishing a lot of details on the hardware, but the production-bound Verve/Fiesta will offer a selection of four-cylinder gas and diesel engines in Europe, from fuel sippers to tire lighters.

What this means to you: Possibly Ford's shagiest new model in years. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent







CAFE, a sea of changes

Reply #17 –
http://info.detnews.com/redesign/blogs/autoshowblog/index.cfm?blogid=247

Three green vehicles show Chrysler's future designs

Greg Piatt

Instead of horsepower-pumping Hemi engines, Chrysler LLC is going green with the unveiling Monday of three eco-friendly concepts that showcase the automaker's first push into electric drive systems.

The vehicles - a Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep - were developed by ENVI, a team of Chrysler engineers charged with developing alternatives to gasoline-powered engines. ENVI is derived from the word environment.

Chrysler plans to market gasoline-electric hybrid versions of its largest SUVs - the Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen - and is under pressure like other automakers to meet tough new, federal fuel economy standards by 2020.

The electric Dodge sport wagon, a fuel-cell powered Chrysler sedan and a small electric Jeep with a diesel range extender hint at what is in the minds of designers and engineers at the Auburn Hills automaker.

All of the vehicles are powered by batteries and have electric motors. Two of them use a range extender to recharge the batteries.

The fuel cell-equipped Chrysler ecoVoyager, with its rounded shape, boat-shaped tail and doors that open at 90 degrees to the vehicle, seemed to draw most of the oohs and aahs.

The minimal appearance of the ecoVoyager's interior makes the vehicle look more elegant, Chrysler President and Vice Chairman Jim Press said.

The ecoVoyager gives passengers the feeling of riding in a private jet, Chrysler Design Chief Trevor Creed said.

The subcompact, two-seater Jeep with 4x4 capabilities has a diesel engine and electric propulsion system that allows for fuel economy of 110 miles per gallon. The one-piece body is also eco-friendly using material produced from corn, Press said.

The Dodge ZEO is a muscle, plug-in electric vehicle that can go 0-60 miles per hour in less than six seconds. The 2+2 sport wagon with a swooping front end has a range of 250 miles. ZEO stands for zero emissions operation.

CAFE, a sea of changes

Reply #18 –
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/autoshows/detroit/2008/chryslerecovoyagerconcept.html

Chrysler ecoVoyager

What is it?
Chrysler ecoVoyager

What's special about it?
It's no longer possible to describe a concept car with a lithium-ion battery pack and a fuel-cell stack as something radical and futuristic, but the Chrysler ecoVoyager has significance beyond its name-droppable bits of technology. For the first time in years, Chrysler has taken a hard look at vehicle packaging.

Instead of cramming the ecoVoyager with cute minivan features like the Chill Zone, MyGIG and Swivel 'n Go, Chrysler has designed it around your family's typical driving habits. Or, rather, its perception of what your habits might be 10-20 years from now.

A 268-horsepower electric motor drives the ecoVoyager's front wheels, and Chrysler says 60 mph comes up in "less than 9 seconds." Since the company has determined that most people commute less than 40 miles a day, this is exactly the amount of range that the 16-kilowatt-hour battery pack provides on a single charge. Regenerative brakes are capable of recapturing small amounts of energy to prolong battery life.

For the occasional road trip, the ecoVoyager draws upon a small fuel-cell stack to recharge its batteries and extend total range to "greater than 300 miles." Because the fuel cells are meant to be only a secondary power source, they provide just 45 kW of electricity — less than half the juice of the stack in the Honda FCX Clarity. Hydrogen is stored at 10,000 psi in a pair of onboard tanks mounted under the ecoVoyager's cargo bay.

We doubt the "Voyager" in Chrysler ecoVoyager is a chance cameo. Although it only seats four, this one-box concept car with quad captain's chairs and reverse-opening rear doors is undoubtedly a minivan. And by packing the drivetrain bits into the floor, Chrysler has maximized interior volume — something you can never get enough of in a family vehicle.

Given its interior with leather upholstery and cherrywood accents, this particular minivan is aimed at well-to-do families. Curiously, Chrysler envisions these hypothetical buyers as iconoclasts, noting that the ecoVoyager concept has been "developed for customers wanting a travel experience on par with a private jet, but without a lot of fancy gadgetry."

To that end, ergonomic correctness rather than retro styling cues has driven the interior design. Chrysler says the reconfigurable instrumentation and controls are carefully located to reduce head and eye movement. A console running the length of the cabin puts no fewer than six 20-ounce beverages within comfortable reach.

Large skylights ensure everyone in the Chrysler ecoVoyager gets enough Vitamin D, while a "Direct Sound" audio system evidently eliminates the hassle of wireless headphones and bickering siblings alike. According to Chrysler, "the musical entertainment choice of each individual occupant can be directed to him or her without the use of headphones, and without disturbing others in the car."

What's Edmunds' take?
If the basic design of the Chrysler ecoVoyager sounds familiar, that's because Ford did it last year with the Airstream concept. It's a significant step in packaging nevertheless. — Erin Riches, Senior Editor






CAFE, a sea of changes

Reply #19 –
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/autoshows/detroit/2008/dodgezeoconcept.html

Dodge ZEO Concept

What is it?
Dodge ZEO Concept

What's special about it?
We get the feeling that Dodge might be a little uncomfortable about putting an electric motor into one of its concept cars. Instead of reveling in all the technology that went into creating the ZEO (it stands for "Zero Emissions Operation"), the company merely says that the ZEO's 268-horsepower, rear-drive motor will get you to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, "which rivals Chrysler's famed Hemi power plant."

True enough, as this would make the Dodge ZEO quicker than a Dodge Charger R/T, though slower than an SRT8. A 64-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack powers the electric motor, but Dodge doesn't get into trivialities — you know, like how to recharge it. Presumably, you'd plug in the ZEO.

In reality, the ZEO is a design study for a four-place, coupe-type vehicle that Dodge would market to younger buyers. It reminds us a bit of the Scion Fuse concept shown at the 2006 New York Auto Show. It even has scissor doors.

With the exception of its blue-lit crossbar grille, nothing about the Dodge ZEO's appearance indicates that it's gone all-electric and environmentally friendly underneath. For example, it takes the exaggerated wheel arches that are so fashionable right now to a new extreme. In fact, while Dodge's concept is about the same length and width as a Honda Civic coupe, it rides on a 5-inch-wider track — 64 inches in front and nearly 66 in back. Stuffed under these shoulder pads are 23-inch wheels wrapped in 225/40R23 Goodyear rubber up front and 255/40R23s in back.

Inside, the Dodge ZEO looks like most concept cars in that it has dramatically flowing surfaces and controls that are simplified to the point of being complex to use. It's, of course, loaded with all the connectivity options that drivers in their 20s are thought to require.

"The Dodge ZEO concept is an example of designing for people who are used to a dynamic lifestyle and who are surrounded with information and virtual friends at all times," Lou Gasevski, prinl interior designer of the Dodge ZEO concept, notes.

Should those friends manifest in material form, each of the ZEO's orange-belted seats is tailored for comfort. The front seatbacks have LCD monitors, so your passengers can catch up on Dexter during the 5-minute drive to Starbucks.

What's Edmunds' take?
The longer we wait for the Tesla roadster, the less feasible an all-electric performance car seems. At least we know someone will be looking out for Dodge's hyper-masculine image when CAFE standards toughen up. — Erin Riches, Senior Editor







CAFE, a sea of changes

Reply #20 –
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/autoshows/detroit/2008/jeeprenegadeconcept.html

Jeep Renegade

What is it?
Jeep Renegade

What's special about it?
The Renegade name calls to mind a crusty CJ with tacky decals and maybe a Liberty with a gratuitous rack of driving lights. But the Jeep Renegade concept shown here in Detroit has little in common with either of those vehicles.

It has about the same footprint as a standard-wheelbase Jeep Wrangler, and it's a roadster since it doesn't have a convertible top and not even a vinyl-covered hardtop. Whereas the Wrangler is engineered to conquer the natural world, Jeep says the Renegade is designed to be "at one with nature," albeit in a science-nerd kind of way.

Like Land Rover's Land_e concept, the Jeep Renegade is on a quest to harmonize environmentally friendly technology with off-road capability. To that end, it has a pair of electric motors, each good for 268 horsepower. Since one's mounted in front and the other in back, the Renegade is effectively a four-wheel-drive platform. Jeep even claims it has a low-range mode and lockable differentials, but offers no further details on how this is possible.

Since the 16-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack only provides 40 miles of range, the Renegade has a 1.5-liter, three-cylinder diesel engine as an auxiliary power source located under the hood. You wouldn't think an engine this small would provide useful motivation, but Jeep's concept only weighs 3,150 pounds thanks to an aluminum frame and composite body panels. Total cruising range is 400 miles, and the Renegade should hit 60 mph in 8.5 seconds, Jeep says.

Although the cabin is largely a styling exercise, it's clear the designers focused on using recyclable materials to ensure feel-good disposal at the end of the Jeep Renegade's service life. The seats, for instance, incorporate composite frames and soy-based foam provides the cushions. As in the Honda Element, they're waterproof.

In addition, the Renegade represents probably the most extensive use of wireless technology we've seen in a concept vehicle. All the electronics are sealed plug-and-play units. This setup permits you to swap out the audio and navigation head units with ease, and also makes it possible for Jeep to easily reconfigure the interior for left- and right-hand-drive applications. And because there are no wires, the interior can be hosed down as often as necessary, Jeep tells us. There's a drain plug in the floor.

What's Edmunds' take?
Let's see: an aluminum frame, two electric motors and a lithium-ion battery pack. This should add up to a six-figure price tag. Until costs come down a bit, we'll take those waterproof seats in our Wrangler, thank you. — Erin Riches, Senior Editor






 

CAFE, a sea of changes

Reply #21 –
This has relevance, since it's a turbo diesel sports compact.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/autoshows/detroit/2008/mitsubishiconceptra.html

Mitsubishi Concept-RA

What is it?
Mitsubishi Concept-RA

What's special about it?
Although the current Mitsubishi Eclipse is more attractive and entertaining to drive than it has been since the late 1990s, it will never be accepted by hard-core enthusiasts. It's too big and heavy to be a real sport coupe, and a front-wheel-drive layout seals its fate. Mitsubishi knows this, and with the two-seat Concept-RA coupe, the company is taking a first step toward doing something about it.

If you look at the Concept-RA's basic measurements, it doesn't appear to be a terribly lightweight car. Sure, it's 5 inches shorter than a Mitsubishi Lancer, but its track has been pushed out an additional 3 inches, and exaggerated wheel arches house 21-inch wheels wrapped in 285/30R21 rubber. Then you stumble across the description "aluminum space frame," and it's obvious how Mitsubishi achieved a useful weight loss that suits this car's sporting intentions. In addition, the Concept-RA's body panels are made of recyclable plastic resin.

More interesting to old-school Eclipse fans, though, will be the return to turbocharged motivation, even if this coupe is just a concept for now.

This time the turbocharger is bolted onto a 2.2-liter inline-4 with four valves per cylinder. The engine incorporates variable intake valve lift, while the variable-geometry turbo can alter exhaust gas flow to improve boost response. The result is 201 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque — healthy numbers for a diesel of this displacement. Mitsubishi says the engine would meet U.S. emissions standards with the help of a NOx catalyst and a particulate filter.

Since the Concept-RA has more torque than the current Eclipse GT or even an Evolution X, Mitsubishi's six-speed, dual-clutch sequential gearbox drives all four wheels through a next-generation version of the company's all-wheel-drive system.

In addition to the adjustable center differential (ACD) and active yaw control (AYC) rear differential previously seen on the Evo, the Concept-RA's setup adds active steering and suspension control to the mix. We have yet to experience an active steering system we actually like, but given how natural and intuitive the Evo X feels with active yaw control, maybe Mitsubishi can change our minds.

What's Edmunds' take?
We really do hope Mitsubishi can find a less costly way to save weight than an aluminum space frame. That said, the thought of a Mitsu coupe with a turbocharged engine — even a diesel — and all-wheel drive makes us happy. — Erin Riches, Senior Editor