Autoblog

How high-efficiency trims can actually reduce your car's resale value

Michael Harley — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Earnings/Financials

Factory fuel economy packages, the special trims or option groups bundled with efficiency improving items such as low-rolling-resistance tires, aerodynamic tweaks and electric power steering, cost the consumer a few hundred dollars (or more) at the time of purchase but don't seem to add any resale value down the road, says a recent report from Cars.com.

Consumers are lured to the packages by the promise of an extra mile or two per gallon. While that does deliver minor savings on the monthly fuel bill (about five bucks, for the typical 12,000-mile annual driver), it is often nearly a decade before the initial investment pays for itself. Plus, experts say owners shouldn't expect to benefit from any price premium on their eco-equipped models when it comes time to sell.

As it turns out, calculating precise resale values on these special models is complicated. Not only are they low volume, but few are sold as separate trims (exceptions include models such as Honda's Civic HF and the Chevrolet Cruze Eco, pictured above). This means they aren't always differentiated on resale projections. Even when they are, the news isn't always good. In one resale study, the 2010 Kia Forte with the fuel-economy package was listing for $238 less than its standard sibling.

Further reducing the appeal of the high-efficiency trims is advancing technology. In most cases, redesigned vehicles deliver better fuel economy than their predecessors. Experts suggest that consumers consider fuel economy packages like upgraded audio components and navigation systems - expensive in the showroom, but obsolete and of little additional value down the road.

How high-efficiency trims can actually reduce your car's resale value originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Jan 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Buick Encore snags 25 mpg city, 33 mpg highway EPA ratings

George Kennedy — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Crossover, Buick

General Motors has announced that its all-new 2013 Buick Encore subcompact crossover achieves 25 miles per gallon in city driving and 33 mpg on the highway (28 mpg combined) in front-wheel drive spec.

Buick points to the combination of a body architecture that is 60 percent high-strength steel and a 1.4-liter turbocharged four backed by a six-speed automatic as the foundation of a lightweight, fuel-efficient vehicle.

General Motors says that compared to the average new vehicle, an Encore owner will spend an estimated $2,100 less in fuel expenditures over the next five years - an average of $420 per year. The company claims the petite crossover's estimated fuel cost of $1,900 per year is the lowest of any 2013 model year crossover sold in the States.

Fuel economy estimates for the all-wheel drive Encore have not yet been announced and will be revealed at a later date. Check out the press release from Buick below for more information on the Encore and its fuel economy numbers.

Continue reading 2013 Buick Encore snags 25 mpg city, 33 mpg highway EPA ratings

2013 Buick Encore snags 25 mpg city, 33 mpg highway EPA ratings originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexus to get own version of Toyota Prius C?

George Kennedy — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 15:44:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Hatchback, Lexus, Toyota, Rumormill

The CT 200h proved that Lexus could make up for the sins against excitement committed by the company's short-lived HS 250h. Its bold styling and greatly improved handling combined with a fuel-efficient drivetrain suggests a brighter future for the compact luxury hybrid segment.

Word is, though, that Lexus is working on a sub-CT hybrid entrant. According to Malaysian automotive outlet Paultan, the diminutive luxury fuel-sipper will be based on the Toyota Prius C. The website has tentatively dubbed the model AS150, but it is here where we must advise that you take some of the report's details with grains of salt in varying sizes. If history provides us with context, any Lexus hybrid would include an "h" in the name, for example.

More believable, though, is the speculation that the powerplant would be a variation of the 1.5-liter Hybrid Synergy Drive module that powers the Prius C. Another alternative floated by Paultan is that an even smaller 1.2-liter turbocharged unit featuring direct injection could find its way into the subcompact's engine bay.

Lexus to get own version of Toyota Prius C? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EPA reveals top 10 most fuel-efficient cars since 1984, original Honda Insight takes top honors

Autoblog Staff — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Sedan, Hatchback

Top Ten EPA-rated Fuel Sippers (1984 to present) - Click above for image gallery

Fuel efficiency has increased dramatically in the last decade, or at least that's what we've been told. So it might come as a surprise to find out that six of the Top Ten EPA-rated Fuel Sippers from 1984 to present were built prior to 2000. Don't believe it? We didn't either, but this info comes straight from the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) website, the authoritative source on this fuel efficiency stuff.

While some current vehicles, such as the 2010 Toyota Prius, 2010 Honda Insight and the 2006-2010 Honda Civic Hybrid, garnered a spot on the top ten list, it's really older lightweight models like the 1986 Chevy Sprint ER or 1990-1994 Geo Metro XFI that make it obvious efficiency hasn't come as far as we'd like to think.

Overall, Honda holds top honors for automakers with five models present on the list, while Toyota's Prius made its mark twice. All of the vehicles on the list run with either 3- or 4-cylinder engines and five out of the top ten rely on hybrid motivation. The overall winner, the 2000 Honda Insight (pictured above), scores a combined rating of 53 miles per gallon, a number that exceeds even the modern-day Prius by three mpg.

In many cases, we've been mistakenly led to believe that buying a new car equates to increased efficiency, but this list clearly shows that many of the relics from days gone by can easily hold their own with the most efficient vehicles made today. However, finding a running example of some of these old fuel sippers may prove impossible and we'd venture to guess that many of them are far from safe to drive by today's standards. Check out all ten fuel sippers in our gallery below.

Gallery: Top Ten EPA-rated Fuel Sippers (1984 to present)

[Source: Environmental Protection Agency]

EPA reveals top 10 most fuel-efficient cars since 1984, original Honda Insight takes top honors originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: The new direct injected, multi-spark V6 and V8 engines from Mercedes-Benz

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 07 May 2010 17:57:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz 4.7-liter twin-turbo V8 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Mercedes-Benz has officially released all the details on its new family of V6 and V8 engines due to launch this fall in the S-Class sedans and CL coupes. The new power-plants are adopting many of the same technologies increasingly being used by most automakers to reduce fuel consumption while maintaining or even improving output. Both the 3.5-liter V6 and the 4.7-liter V8 now feature direct fuel injection with the same type of piezo-electric injectors used on the latest diesel engines.

The combination allows more precise fuel delivery as well as a charge cooling effect. The cooling effect allows the use of higher compression and boost on the turbo V8 which significantly increases torque output. The V8 is rated at 429 horsepower with 516 pound-feet of torque between 1,800 rpm and 3,500 rpm.

The direct injection also allows the use of a variety of different combustion operating modes since multiple injection pulses per cycle can be executed. A new feature of this engine includes what Mercedes calls "multi-spark ignition" - new ignition coils that recharge much faster and putting out up to four sparks within one millisecond. Doing this can result in more controlled and complete combustion for lower emissions and consumption.

The ignition and injection systems also contribute to the direct-start auto stop-start system. Like Mazda's i-Stop system, the piston that is in the best position can be directly fired to help re-start the engine, while ancillary components, like variable displacement oil pump and multi-phase cooling, help reduce parasitic losses.

The new V6 goes from a 90 degree bank angle to a 60 degree angle which makes the engine naturally balanced. This has allowed Mercedes to eliminate the balance shaft, further cutting internal friction. The new V8 debuts this fall on CL-class in the U.S., however Mercedes-Benz hasn't announced when the V6 will arrive Stateside.

Update: Mercedes USA spokesman Rob Moran has confirmed that both the CL and S-class models in the U.S. will get the new twin turbo V8 in Q4 of this year with other models getting it in 2011. Models currently powered by a V6 engine will get the new V6 beginning in 2011.

Gallery: 2011 New Mercedes-Benz V6 and V8 Engines

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Officially Official: The new direct injected, multi-spark V6 and V8 engines from Mercedes-Benz

Officially Official: The new direct injected, multi-spark V6 and V8 engines from Mercedes-Benz originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 May 2010 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inventor: Side bumpers drastically improve safety

Zach Bowman — Fri, 07 May 2010 16:28:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Technology

Once upon a time, in a history not that far removed from present day, automakers descended into design madness by equipping all of their vehicles with federally-mandated rubber bumpers wide enough for a Boeing to land. It was a dark time that eventually saw the svelte chrome bumpers of old banished for good. Now it looks like one MIT graduate would like to see similar technology come to small cars in the form of side bumpers.

Steve Shoap has patented a system that he believes will allow manufacturers to build lighter, safer small cars in an effort to increase fuel efficiency. His system involves incorporating substantial bumpers into a vehicle's side as well as a new "crumple box" that will help absorb and dissipate the energy from a side-impact collision.

Shoap's only prototype isn't exactly pretty, but he's confident the tech will allow the use of lighter-weight B-pillars and doors. If you're thinking those rods built into the side of the cardboard car above look like they'd up your chance of being impaled four-fold, don't worry, the inventor says that the bumpers would bend up and out of the way in the event of an accident. Color us skeptical.

[Soure: Autopia]

Inventor: Side bumpers drastically improve safety originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 May 2010 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford claims biggest five-year fuel economy improvement among major automakers

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:25:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Ford

Ford 1.6-liter EcoBoost - Click above for high-res image gallery

According to the latest report from the Environmental Protection Agency, Ford has scored the biggest improvement in combined fuel economy of any major carmaker over the last five years. Between 2005 and 2009, Ford improved its fleet average by nearly 20 percent - almost twice as much as any other company. While Ford certainly made a lot of incremental improvements in the efficiency of its vehicles over that period, that wasn't the only factor.

That same time period saw a huge shift in the model mix at Ford. Sales of SUVs like the Explorer and Expedition collapsed as consumers moved to crossovers like the Edge and Flex (oh, and we suppose a car or two). The Explorer has gone from more than 400,000 annual sales earlier this decade to just over 68,000 last year.

Ford has made actual improvements, as well, however, including the introduction of the Escape Hybrid and the roll out of six-speed transmissions. The next five years should see even bigger gains as Ford deploys millions of EcoBoost engines, battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Ford's official press release is after the jump.

Gallery: Ford 1.6-liter EcoBoost

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford claims biggest five-year fuel economy improvement among major automakers

Ford claims biggest five-year fuel economy improvement among major automakers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai tops list as most fuel efficient automaker in the U.S.

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:59:00 EST

Filed under: Hyundai

Quick - name the most fuel efficient automobile brand in America. Did you say Toyota? Honda? Surely, you're not alone, but incorrect all the same. In fact, the answer is none other than Hyundai, which publicly set out to nab the title just one year ago. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Hyundai cars averaged 30.1 miles per gallon for the 2009 model year.

Rounding out the top five are Honda (29.7 mpg), Volkswagen (29.6), Toyota (29.4) and Kia (28.0). Naturally, we can expect all of these figures to continue rising in the coming years as every automaker strives to meet the upcoming 35.5 mpg U.S. standard for the 2016 model year.

Hyundai promises to meet that requirement with such technologies as direct injection, turbocharging, hybrid powertrains and lithium polymer batteries. The Korean automaker's first hybrid vehicle will be the 2011 Sonata sedan, which will hit the market early next year. Click past the break for the press release.

[Source: Hyundai]

Continue reading Hyundai tops list as most fuel efficient automaker in the U.S.

Hyundai tops list as most fuel efficient automaker in the U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Ford Fusion 4-banger scores best-in-class 23/34 mpg!

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 14:04:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Ford

Click above for high-res image gallery of the 2010 Ford Fusion

When we drove the thoroughly refreshed Fusion out in California after the LA Auto Show, it proved to be a thoroughly enjoyable ride. It now turns out that the Fusion is not only fun to drive, but also fuel efficient in forms other than the new Fusion Hybrid. The EPA has just finished crunching the numbers on fuel consumption for the four-cylinder Fusion and Mercury Milan, and the results are good. Very good. The 2.5L four-cylinder with new six-speed automatic is rated at 23 mpg city and 34 mpg on the highway. By comparison, the 2009 2.3L Fusion was rated at just 20/28 mpg.

Those numbers are good enough to beat out every other four-cylinder mid-size sedan sold in the U.S. Compared to offerings from Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Chevrolet and Hyundai, it beats the the Altima's 23 mpg city mileage and the Malibu's 33 mpg highway number.

Related:

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Ford Fusion Sport

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Ford Fusion SEL

Continue reading 2010 Ford Fusion 4-banger scores best-in-class 23/34 mpg!

2010 Ford Fusion 4-banger scores best-in-class 23/34 mpg! originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan ECO Pedal puts pressure on lead foots

Michael Harley — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Green, Nissan

As if "shift lights" weren't annoying enough... Nissan's new "ECO pedal" has been engineered to encourage good fuel economy with a servo-actuated gas pedal that will push back on the driver's lead foot when on-board computers detect wasteful acceleration. According to Nissan, vehicles equipped with the ECO pedal, and real-time fuel consumption gauges in the instrument panel, have returned a 5-10 percent increase in fuel efficiency. The Japanese automaker says it has plans to begin installing the ECO pedal in models next year, although there is no word on what models, or markets, will get the system. We're betting it's an option unlikely to show up on the GT-R anytime in the near future.

[Source: Reuters]

Nissan ECO Pedal puts pressure on lead foots originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota planning second hybrid model, along with rebadged Lexus variant

Michael Harley — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:28:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Green, Toyota

To feed the insatiable demand for fuel-efficient vehicles, and follow the striking success of the Toyota Prius, the Japanese automaker will introduce a second hybrid-only vehicle in 2009. The all-new model will have a 2- to 2.5-liter engine, suggesting it will be larger than their current popular four-door hybrid (the Prius uses a 1.5-liter gasoline powerplant). The new model will be sold side-by-side with the Prius, Camry Hybrid and Highlander Hybrid. Toyota will also sell a rebadged version under the upscale Lexus brand, where it will join the LS Hybrid, GS Hybrid, and RX Hybrid. Toyota's master plan is to sell 1 million hybrid vehicles annually throughout the world, and considering the market, there's little doubt that the automaker can pull it off. Toyota's next hybrid debut is scheduled for Detroit in January, and we'll be there to cover it.

[Source: Daily Times]

Toyota planning second hybrid model, along with rebadged Lexus variant originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How to keep your land barge and still drive green(ish)

Chris Tutor — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:04:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Hybrid, Green, First Drives

These days it seems more common to overhear comments about a particular car's appalling fuel economy than idle chatter about the weather, which makes sense when a gallon of gas costs as much as a cheap umbrella. For instance, just the other day there was some guy going on about how his car was getting 3 mpg less than just a few months ago and had no idea why. That is until it was pointed out to him that his car's adjustable luggage rack was in its full, upright position, giving his car the aerodynamic efficiency of a cinder block.

That's just one of the points Forbes includes on its list of things to do so you can drive green without buying a new car. Improving your gas-guzzling vehicle's sleekness by losing that luggage rack, ditching that inefficient and egregiously ugly three-foot-tall spoiler and quit sticking your hand out the window are all little things that add up to an appreciable difference at the pump.

Most of the advice is common sense we've all heard before, but Sebastian Blanco, editor of AutoblogGreen, offered a novel suggestion for the list. Reduce your car's weight by only filling up half the tank. One gallon of gasoline can weigh as much as 6.5 lbs. On a 2008 Ford Escape, a half a tank of gas weighs 53 pounds.

Like the Forbes article points out, there's only so much you can do to curb a car's drinking habit, especially if you're driving something like an Escalade. But in smaller, lighter cars, even small steps like this can make a big difference in your fuel bill.

[Source: Forbes.com]

How to keep your land barge and still drive green(ish) originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are Audi's plans for world domination too big?

Dan Roth — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 08:03:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Audi

It seems like every carmaker has set themselves the goal of world domination. Toyota's internal master-plan memos leaked out, and then there's BMW nipping right along with lofty goals, too. Here comes Audi, deciding that they'd really like to sell 200,000 vehicles in the US market by 2010. While BMW is the current premium brand champ, Audi thinks it's got the moxie to claim that spot. Audi's perhaps got a case of inflated self-esteem if they think they're going to come out on top, especially considering that competitors are also projecting gains. Taken together, automakers have set out goals for growth that are more ambitious than what the market's likely to do.

Nobody will argue that Audi makes high-performing cars packed with high levels of technology and class-leading appointments. When the conversation takes on a green tinge, however, Ingolstadt seemingly falls short. Audis have been packing on the muscle and the weight, while BMW's been at work discovering ways to decrease carbon emissions and innovate in the name of fuel efficiency. Audi fires back, citing their fleet's CO2 emissions which are lower than Mercedes or BMW, with more tech to come. Tweaked engines, hybrid and alternative-fuel powertrains, and fuel-saving techniques like stop/start and brake regeneration are all coming to the Audi range soon. In the race for the top, someone will inevitably end up on the bottom. Audi just hopes that they can claw up that slope, Quattro-like.

[Source: Auto News - sub req]

Are Audi's plans for world domination too big? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Nov 2007 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Have a nice trip? Man falls 120 feet and lives by landing on Smart car

Chris Shunk — Wed, 23 May 2007 19:04:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Smart

Picture it: one minute you're standing on your 12th story patio enjoying the fresh air, and the next you're falling from said balcony. Your first thought is that you're probably a goner. Then, as the ground approaches, you realize that the car below you may break your fall. Your next (and presumably last) thought would probably go something like "Oh great, it's a Smart C...(splat)."

For Slovenian Darko Mirinovic, the above hypothetical has more truth to it than he'd ever hoped. Young Darko, 25, did fall from a 12 story balcony, but he miraculously survived. The Smart car that rested 120 feet below his window broke his fall, and in return Darko broke a bunch of bones. Not surprisingly, doctors were more than a little shocked that Darko survived the fall, even with news of his make-shift safety net. The owner of the Smart car didn't know whether "to be happy or sad" since his car was destroyed, but Darko lived. We hope he had insurance.

[Source: eGMCarTech]

Have a nice trip? Man falls 120 feet and lives by landing on Smart car originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 May 2007 19:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super-frugal MINI Cooper D and inexpensive MINI One debuting in Geneva

John Neff — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 19:57:00 EST

Filed under: Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Mini

click on image to view 25 pics in our high-resolution gallery

While the new MINI is already bombing around Europe and the U.S. in standard and Cooper S trim, Europeans have had to wait for new versions of their popular MINI One and MINI Cooper D. MINI has announced both models will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, each with their own upgrades. Aside from the new sheetmetal, the MINI One will feature a smaller version of the new MINI motor developed in conjunction with PSA. The 1.4-liter four-cylinder produces 95-hp at 6,000 rpm and 103 ft-lbs. of torque at 4,000 rpm, aided by a version of BMW's variable valve timing technology called VALVETRONIC. The MINI One will return a fairly frugal 49.6 mpg (miles per imperial gallon, mind you) in Britain's combined urban and extra-urban cycles.

The MINI Cooper D, however, is the car for which we here at Autoblog pine. The D, of course, stands for diesel, and the new model will use a 1.6-liter turbodiesel that producs 110 hp at 4,000 rpm and between 177 and 191 ft-lbs. of torque at a low 2,000 rpm. It'll hit 62 mph in under 10 seconds, and reward a light foot with 64.2 mpg (again, imperial gallons) in Britain's cycle. Both cars come standard with six-speed manual transmissions, or one can opt for a six-speed auto with paddle shifters and a sport mode. Starting April, about a month after each car debuts in Geneva, Brits will be able to buy the MINI One beginning at £11,595 ($22,740 USD) and the MINI Cooper D starting at £14,190 ($27,829 USD).

Click here to see our full high-resolution gallery and check out the full press release after the jump.

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading Super-frugal MINI Cooper D and inexpensive MINI One debuting in Geneva

Super-frugal MINI Cooper D and inexpensive MINI One debuting in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Jan 2007 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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