All About Cars

Automakers racing to find affordable ways to make cars environmentally sustainable are zeroing in on polluted, fuel-scarce China to help them take clean car concepts from the laboratory to the market.

Mounting alarm over global warming and soaring crude oil prices was evident among automakers showcasing their latest green technologies at the Challenge Bibendum, held this week in Shanghai’s “Auto City” — an industrial zone to the west of the city.

At the 2004 Shanghai Bibendum, named after the puffy mascot of French tire-making sponsor Michelin, the talk was all of phasing in various technologies over decades.

Today, with crude oil prices encroaching on $100 a barrel, it’s of moving ahead with all technologies as soon as possible, especially in China, where environmental crises and fuel shortages resulting from its embrace of the automobile make it a microcosm of global trends.

“We used to talk about timeframes of short-mid-long-term. Now all of them are in play to figure out what are the different options for the different markets,” said Elizabeth Lowery, vice president for environment, energy and safety policy at General Motors Corp.

With its huge market and high velocity growth, China is “critical” to the effort to reduce dependence on petroleum and carbon dioxide emissions, Lowery said in an interview.

In both oil consumption and vehicle sales, China ranks second globally after the United States and is fast catching up. Vehicle sales jumped 25 percent last year to 7.2 million units, including trucks and buses.

Spurred by the country’s growing dependence on oil imports, the government targeted cleaner cars as a priority in February 2006 as part of a broad range of efforts to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency.

It has promised grants and tax breaks to support industry efforts, and recently issued rigorous standards for makers of alternative fuel vehicles.

The urgent need for progress was evident outside the Bibendum venue, where a gray haze hung over the sleek concept cars whizzing around the parking lot.

Worldwide, automakers are investing billions of dollars to develop more eco-friendly vehicles to meet stricter standards on auto emissions and fuel efficiency, helped by recent advances in battery and fuel cell technology.

Late last month, GM announced plans for a $250 million alternative-fuel research center in Shanghai.

Both Toyota and Honda produce Hybrid vehicles, which are powered by electricity and gasoline, in China and GM has said it plans to start selling a gas-electric hybrid here next year.

The challenge remains making the technologies affordable, and that hinges on boosting production volumes to reduce manufacturing costs per vehicle. Automakers are looking to the double-digit growth in China and other developing markets such as India to help realize those economies of scale.

“What really counts is applying the right technology on volume vehicles,” said John Viera, director of sustainable business strategies at Ford Motor Co.

Herbert Kohler, chief environmental officer and vice president at Germany’s Daimler AG, echoed that sentiment. “The number one issue is commercialization: To get the cost down.”

Viera urged that Beijing promote clean cars, both hybrids and others, with tax breaks and other policy incentives.

“When we have government support, we shall launch these products for Chinese consumers,” he said. “We need governments to be our partners.”

So far, progress toward commercialization has illustrated the lack of a one-size-fits-all solution. For some countries, such as major biofuel producer Brazil, ethanol is a viable option. Others are increasingly relying on Hybrids and other advances in traditional fuels while they experiment with fuel cell technology.

China has sought to curb an expansion in biofuel production to help protect food supplies and control prices. Thus automakers such as Ford, Daimler and Volkswagen AG are focusing on diesel, which can be processed from a variety of resources, including coal and natural gas.

“Our aim is to make diesel as clean as gas engines and gas engines as efficient as diesel,” Kohler said.

Meanwhile, tire makers and chemicals manufacturers are developing new materials to reduce vehicle weight, wind resistance and ground friction — factors that can account for about a third of the carbon emissions that cause global warming.

Even road contractors have a crucial role to play in reducing pollution, recycling materials and using paving that can maximize efficiency, noted Jean Beauverd, chairman of the International Road Federation and president of road building company Colas Switzerland.

“There is a general agreement that business as usual is not an option,” Beauvert said.

Japanese motor colossus Honda has walked back somewhat on its recent announcement that it would sell hydrogen fuel cell cars in America and Japan for just £50,000.

Hydrogen cars for all - in parts of California

The revelations last month caused a stir in the global motor industry, which had not been expecting Honda’s FCX cars to go on ordinary sale for years. Thus far the maker, mirroring normal industry strategy, had preferred to lease small numbers of vehicles to selected customers.

Now it transpires that in fact these combination beta-tests and market-seeding loss leaders are to continue. Rather than selling the latest FCX Clarity for £50k, Honda will lease it from summer ‘08 for $600/month including collision insurance and maintenance.

Only people living in the Torrance, Santa Monica, and Irvine areas of southern California will be eligible initially, as these are the only places that the Clarity can be easily refuelled and serviced.

Honda reckons its new baby will do 270 miles on a fill of hydrogen. The gas is used to generate electricity in a fuel cell stack, and the juice then passes into an ordinary lithium-ion battery pack and electric transmission.

Honda’s proprietary Ultracapacitor technology - though it has been included in previous FCX models - isn’t getting an outing this time, because it took up too much space, apparently. (Whoops.)

Honda has made an effort to ensure the Clarity looks different to other cars, too. The company believes that its previous hybrids - outwardly no different from conventional cars - got whupped by Toyota’s Prius due to that latter’s distinctive styling.

So how many more years until hydrogen cars move beyond beta test in California?

Honda is hoping not too many. The company is working hard on its Home Energy Station tech. The idea here is that FCX owners of the future would have an energy station at home hooked up to their domestic natural-gas and water supplies. This machine would produce hydrogen for the car, and also useful amounts of electricity and heat for the home (it would give off a fair bit of CO₂, but then so does an ordinary gas boiler).

“If you live outside the [FCX lease] area, don’t worry,” says Honda, chirpily.

“We plan to roll out more of these amazing vehicles as more hydrogen refueling options become available. A key component of this effort is the development of Honda’s Home Energy Stations…”

The home hydrogen kit is now on its fouth generation, apparently. But there’s no word on just when all this will be ready to go for real. ®

The number of new cars considered the safest by the insurance industry nearly tripled in the past year, helped by automakers’ push to make certain safety equipment more widely available.

Ford Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. had the most vehicles on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s annual list of the safest cars for the 2008 model year. Thirty-four vehicles received the top safety pick designation for 2008, compared with 13 vehicles from the 2007 model year.

The institute requires new cars and trucks to have electronic stability control, or ESC, to qualify for the award. Many auto companies are putting the anti-rollover technology into their fleets ahead of a government requirement for the systems by the 2012 model year.

“Vehicles should be designed to provide good occupant protection when crashes occur, but now with ESC we have the possibility of preventing many crashes altogether,” said Adrian Lund, the institute’s president.

Lund cited studies that have estimated that as many as 10,000 fatal crashes could be avoided annually if all vehicles had the technology.

Ford was represented on the list by the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable passenger cars with optional ESC, and the Ford Edge, Ford Taurus X and Lincoln MKX midsize sport utility vehicles. The Volvo S80, C70 midsize convertible and XC90 SUV, part of Ford’s Volvo unit, made the list.

Ford has said previously that it will put stability control on its entire lineup by the end of 2009.

Honda and its Acura unit had seven vehicles on the list: the Honda Accord, Odyssey, Pilot, CR-V and Element, and the Acura MDX and RDX SUVs. Honda has had stability control on all SUVs, pickups and minivans since the 2007 model year and the technology is now standard on the Accord.

Electronic stability control senses when a driver may lose control of the vehicle and automatically applies brakes to individual wheels to help keep it stable and avoid a rollover. The technology helps motorists avoid skidding across icy or slick roads or keep control of their car when swerving to avoid an unexpected object in the road.

Subaru and Hyundai Motor Co. both had four vehicles on the list: the Subaru Legacy and Impreza with optional ESC, Subaru Tribeca and Forester with ESC; the Hyundai Entourage, and the Hyundai Santa Fe and Veracruz built after August 2007. Kia, a subsidiary of Hyundai, had the Sedona minivan on the list.

Pickup trucks were eligible to win for the first time this year because the institute conducted side-impact tests on many models. The Toyota Tundra, which has standard stability control and side air bags, was the first pickup truck to receive the IIHS designation.

Toyota Motor Co. also had the Highlander SUV on the list, while Volkswagen AG’s Audi subsidiary was represented by the A3, A4 and A6 passenger cars.

The institute said Toyota could have had 10 more vehicles on the list and Volkswagen could have added four if they had improved seat and head restraint designs, important in protecting against whiplash injuries in rear-end crashes.

Toyota spokesman Bill Kwong said its 2008 vehicles have active headrests, which move closer to the backs of a motorist’s head in rear-end crashes. Kwong said it provides a “great level of safety for the customer in the real world.” A message was left with a Volkswagen spokesman.

Other vehicles to make the list included: Saab 9-3, BMW X3 and X5, Mercedes M Class, and the Saturn Vue built after December 2007.

The institute said the awards help consumers compare vehicles without having to review results from multiple tests.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday took to the stage at the Los Angeles Auto Show to tout his environmentally friendly politics and praise car manufacturers increasingly turning to “green” technology.

“I hadn’t seen that much technology since I did my Terminator movies,” said the affable, former action-film star who has a passion for cars and is often seen behind the wheel of his gas-guzzling Hummer, drawing fire from environmentalists.

Since becoming governor in 2003, however, Schwarzenegger has invested heavily in environmental programs, including ambitious legislation passed last year to slash California’s greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020 — the first US state to do so.

To set an example, Schwarzenegger converted his Hummer to run on hydrogen and his administration on November 8 filed an unprecedented lawsuit against the federal government to force it to approve California’s tough new restrictions on vehicle greenhouse gas emissions.

But this political will belies the reality of a California with 30 million registered vehicles and a poorly developed public transport system that makes car ownership a necessity for too many.

Faced with rising gasoline prices and global warming concerns, car and car parts makers, as well as politicians who fear being branded interventionists, prefer backing new technologies that will let Americans keep their car-centric way of life.

“It is fantastic to see that the world’s automakers are developing the technology to help us meet our goals in California,” said Schwarzenegger before presenting six vehicles posing different environmental solutions.

“These cars come in every size and shape and they prove that we can give consumers the choices they want and still protect the environment,” he said. “This is exactly the kind of innovation we need.”

The cars included an Audi sedan that runs on biofuel, a cheap diesel-powered Volkswagen Jetta, and the electric prototype Chevrolet Volt, which represents a complete about-face for General Motors in seeking non-polluting technologies.

Two hybrids were also highlighted by Schwarzenegger: the 4×4 Dodge Durango for Americans who want an eight-passenger vehicle capable of pulling massive loads and still save gas in the city, and a new, rechargeable Toyota Prius.

The Japanese carmaker recently loaned two rechargeable Prius to California universities to have them assessed in real driving conditions and put its 100 kilometers-per-liter (250 miles per gallon) boast to the test.

Finally, Schwarzenegger brought out Honda’s new “FCX Clarity,” a family car that runs on hydrogen battery power and only emits water vapor that will become available in limited locations in southern California next year.

Schwarzenegger’s press conference was held shortly after the 2007 “Green Car of the Year” award was announced for Durango’s cousin, the Chevrolet Tahoe with its hybrid engine that consumes a modest 100 kilometers per 10 liters (40 miles per gallon).

Toyota introduced an all-new, sixth-generation Camry for 2007, and this model has retained its position of best-selling car in America. Camry is available in four-cylinder and V6 models, and as the Camry Hybrid equipped with Toyota’s industry-leading Hybrid Synergy Drive.

2008 Toyota Camry SE

The Camry stands out in a competitive segment with its distinctive, athletic exterior design. It is built on a 109.3 in. wheelbase to provide outstanding interior room: 101.4 cubic feet of passenger space, including 38.3 inches of rear legroom. Changes for 2008 include new darker wood trim in the XLE grade. Classic Silver Metallic was added to the array of exterior colors, while Titanium Metallic was discontinued.

The Camry puts a sharpened focus on driving dynamics, especially in the sporty SE grade. The standard Camry powertrain is a smooth, 158-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. The 268-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 available for other Camry models provides outstanding performance with admirable fuel efficiency. The Camry Hybrid combines a four-cylinder gasoline engine with an electric drive motor and sets a new standard for the performance/fuel efficiency balance in a mid-size sedan.

Integral to Camry’s value is its fuel efficiency, with EPA-estimated 33 mpg city/34 mpg highway ratings for the Camry Hybrid. Four-cylinder manual and automatic Camry models have city/highway fuel economy ratings of 21/31 mpg, and V6 Camry models have 19/28 mpg EPA estimated ratings.

Comprehensive Safety
The Camry’s body structure is designed to absorb collision-impact forces and help minimize impact deformation to the passenger cabin. High-strength steel is used for B-pillar and rocker panel reinforcements to help manage overall body deformation in the event of a side collision. Inside the cabin, even the seat frames are designed to help absorb side collision loads.

When the original Toyota Highlander launched in 2001 it joined the RAV4 and Lexus RX 300 in ushering in the car-based sport utility vehicle. Highlander gained immediate success, setting the industry standard for car-based SUVs in innovation, comfort and sales. Toyota broke new ground again in the summer of 2005 with the launch of the Highlander Hybrid, the world’s first hybrid gas/electric SUV with available seating for seven.

2008 Toyota Highlander

The all-new 2008 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid raise the bar once again in the mid-size SUV segment with a complete redesign that is improved, refined and expanded in nearly every metric of comparison.

Highlander continues to hold a unique distinction within the Toyota brand and within the automotive industry. It is a vehicle with an extraordinary level of versatility, innovation and technology that enables it to cross demographic boundaries between buyers of SUVs, passenger cars, minivans and environmentally sensitive and fuel-efficient vehicles. Along with the 4Runner and FJ Cruiser, Highlander anchors Toyota’s three-vehicle mid-size SUV lineup. Equally important, along with Prius and Camry Hybrid, it is a key component in the industry’s only three-vehicle hybrid strategy.

The 2008 second-generation Highlander is significantly larger, roomier and more powerful than the vehicle it replaces. Even with an increased curb weight, Highlander’s estimated fuel efficiency improves (when calculated using 2008 EPA method). It is noticeably quieter, smarter and more spacious with versatility and ride comfort. It is among the leaders in providing standard active and passive safety equipment in a segment where safety is at the top of purchase considerations. And, it’s all wrapped in a package designed for buyers who want to stand out and make a statement.

The Toyota FJ Cruiser, which melds the brand’s off-road legacy with distinct heritage design in a modern SUV, gains standard front seat-mounted side airbags and first- and second-row side curtain airbags for 2008. A new, optional Off-Road Package further bolster’s FJ Cruiser’s already impressive capability.

2008 Toyota FJ Cruiser

With styling cues reminiscent of Toyota’s famed FJ40 4×4 utility vehicle, sold in the U.S. from 1960 to 1983, the FJ Cruiser offers a youthful, contemporary spirit and employs the same state-of-the-art, power, comfort, safety, and convenience technology available in all Toyota SUVs. The original FJ40, which during its production life served around the world as the safari and expedition vehicle of choice, is today a sought-after collectable.

The newly optional Off-Road Package prepares the 2008 FJ Cruiser for demanding off-pavement excursions and includes unique 16-inch alloy wheels with 265/75R16 BFG Rugged Trail tires, trail-tuned Bilstein® shock absorbers, a cyclone pre-air cleaner, and a rear differential lock that works in conjunction with the active traction control (A-TRAC) system.

“The FJ Cruiser is one of the most serious off-road capable SUVs available today, yet it delivers all the quality and value expected from any Toyota and is suitably refined for everyday driving,” said Jim Lentz, Toyota Motor Sales executive vice president.

The five-passenger FJ Cruiser was initially designed as a concept vehicle at Toyota’s Calty Design Research in Newport Beach, Calif. Heritage design features include the front grille, which ties its two round, five-inch headlights together in much the same way the FJ40’s headlights and grille were integrated; its hood and fender contours; and a rear-mounted and exposed full-size spare tire with an off-center license-plate-mounting location.

The Toyota Corolla Matrix crossover utility vehicle (CUV) has become a major influence on modern compact car design, blending sporty styling with five-door practicality and high fuel efficiency. The 2008 Matrix has an estimated EPA mileage ratings as high as 26 mpg city and 33 mpg highway in models with the five-speed manual transmission.

2008 Toyota Corolla Matrix XR

Matrix is available in two model grades – Standard, and the XR with enhanced content. The Matrix has been especially successful at reaching younger buyers because it provides such a compelling value in a spirited and uniquely styled package. At the same time, versatility and excellent fuel efficiency have made Matrix popular with buyers of all ages.

Toyota designed the Matrix at Calty Design Research, its design studio in Newport Beach, Calif. “Edge-web” detailing blends sharply creased surfaces with rounded web-like contours to create strong, flowing character lines. The three-window profile gives the driver excellent outward visibility. The sporty, upscale interior is highlighted by an instrument panel featuring Optitron gauges set in cylindrical, chrome-rimmed housings.

“Because it is based on the Corolla platform, Matrix gives the customer the peace of mind of driving one of the world’s most reliable and durable vehicles,” said Jim Lentz, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. executive vice president. “Cutting edge in form and style, Matrix is also aimed at keeping with the Toyota tradition of value and low cost of ownership.”

One Of The World’s Best-Selling Car Models With More Than 30 Million Sold Over Four Decades

The fuel efficient Toyota Corolla enters its 38th year in America as one of the industry’s most trusted cars. The roomy, comfortable 2008 Corolla is rated an EPA estimated 35 miles per gallon in highway driving.

Originally launched in 1966, Corolla first arrived in America in 1968 to instant success. For nearly four decades, Corolla has been synonymous with Toyota quality, style and value, earning a distinction as one of the most trusted cars in America. Over that span over 30 million Corollas have been sold worldwide, making it one of the best-selling cars of all time. The 2008 model continues that tradition, with three model grades offered: the well equipped CE, the sporty S and the top-of-the-line LE.

Corolla has become the world’s favorite compact car by exceeding customers’ expectations for value and quality in its segment. Corolla is also an enjoyable, comfortable car to drive, with low ownership costs thanks to outstanding reliability and fuel efficiency, as well as high resale value. The Corolla name has always been synonymous with fuel efficiency. The 2008 Corolla line offers EPA-estimated fuel mileage ratings of 28 mpg city/37 mpg highway with the standard five-speed manual transmission or 26 mpg city/35 mpg highway with the optional four-speed electronically controlled automatic.

From my brother Alan, currently in his annual European tour, comes this postcard featuring a Mercedes-Benz Type 320 Cabriolet A. The car is in a private museum whose owner passed away in 2002. The gentleman’s collection, says Alan, included 225 cars representing a vast number of makes, some rather obscure, having life spans of only two or three years. All are restored and on display in a modern, well-lit building. Buried away in a small village on a secondary and hard-to-find road deep in the countryside south of Munich, the collection is properly known as the “EFA Museum für Deutsche Automobilgeschichte,” which translates into “a history of the German automotive industry.” According to my brother there are about 20 classic Mercedes cars on display. What I love about our hobby is that in many countries similar collections exist, built by wealthy enthusiasts, and like this one are hidden away in obscure locations that take an effort to find. Someday I will put together a mystical museum tour but in the meantime am grateful to Alan, like me a car enthusiast, for his postcard.