Autoblog

Buick LaCrosse with eAssist priced from $29,960*

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:28:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Sedan, Buick

2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist - Click above for high-res image gallery

As expected, Buick has announced that its new 2012 LaCrosse with eAssist is priced identically to its more powerful V6-powered sibling. $29,960 (*plus an $860 destination charge) will get the buyer either 25 city and 37 highway miles per gallon (along with about 180 horsepower) or 303 horsepower (along with fuel economy that's not yet EPA rated but should be close to last year's 17/27 mpg rating).

For what it's worth, the new eAssist-equipped LaCrosse is thriftier on the highway than the smaller Lexus HS 250h (35/34) and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid (41/36 mpg) but not nearly as frugal as either of those competitors in the city.

The departing 2011 LaCrosse, you'll remember, was available with either a 2.4-liter Ecotec rated at 182 horsepower or a 3.6-liter V6 rated at 280 horses. In other words, the standard four-cylinder has been replaced with the mild hybrid powertrain while the optional V6 (available for no extra charge) has received a 23-horsepower bump. Parsimony or performance at your prerogative.

So, buyers will have the option of significantly improved fuel economy or horsepower - two highly desirable traits. Of course, there's a catch. Last year's base LaCrosse, which carried with it an MSRP of $26,995, is no longer available. That means the least expensive LaCrosse for 2012 is about $3,000 more than it was in 2011. That said, at least buyers will clearly get more for their money. See the complete press release after the break.

Continue reading Buick LaCrosse with eAssist priced from $29,960*

Buick LaCrosse with eAssist priced from $29,960* originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: General Motors bringing back mild hybrids next year

Zach Bowman — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:32:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, China, Technology, GM

Let's try this again, shall we? General Motors has announced that it will jump back into the mild hybrid game by the third quarter of 2011. Larry Nitz, the company's director of hybrid and electric powertrain engineering, made the announcement at a seminar in Traverse City, Michigan, though he declined to comment on exactly which models would get the fuel-saving tech next year. Nitz did say that at least one American model and one Chinese model would be a mild hybrid by the end of 2011, which leads us to believe that the tech will work its way into the Buick lineup.

GM walked away from mild hybrids after Saturn was sent to the company's scrap heap. At the time, both the Chevrolet Malibu and the Saturn Vue wore the tech, but with the Vue out of the picture, the company couldn't justify the cost of investing in the drivetrains. Unlike a full hybrid, mild-hybrid vehicles can't cruise along on just electric power. Instead, the system allows the gasoline engine to shut off when the vehicle is stopped. The electric motor then starts the engine again when the accelerator pedal is depressed.

If we were guessing, we'd say that GM will debut the rebirth of the tech on the Buick LaCrosse - a model that has enjoyed equal success in China and has the potential to revitalize the brand in the U.S.

[Source: Autoweek]

Report: General Motors bringing back mild hybrids next year originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid, who is it for?

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Mercedes-Benz, New Car Reviews, Luxury

2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery

When pondering the idea of any near-$100,000 hybrid luxury sedan, one has to wonder, "What's the point?" The only hybrids that sell in any significant numbers are the Toyota Prius and Ford Fusion, and for good reason. Both allow drivers - and particularly hyper-milers - to squeeze every last mile out of each gallon of fuel.

Obviously, anyone with the financial wherewithal to purchase a 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid is unlikely to be motivated by the technology's fuel savings. Similarly, if someone wants to make a social statement by driving a "green" vehicle, they will likely want their ride to be instantly recognizable as a hybrid.

So the cost-no-object camp is divided. They can either drop their coin on an all-electric Tesla Roadster or, in spite of their bank balance, go with a lowly Toyota. Which begs the question: Is there something in between? We tested Mercedes' newest hybrid to find out.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid

Continue reading Review: 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid, who is it for?

Review: 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid, who is it for? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Lamborghini's future includes less weight, no forced induction and... no manuals?!

Zach Bowman — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:10:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Lamborghini, Rumormill, Specialty

Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera - Click above for a high-res image gallery

Lamborghini has thrown the motoring world a curve ball with a report that Sant'Agata will be leaving manual transmissions to the dinosaurs, just like Ferrari. According to Car and Driver, the decision was part of the company's commitment to increasing the overall fuel economy of its products - something the Raging Bull really hasn't had to bother with in the past. In addition to scrapping the third pedal, the company says it plans to build ever-lighter exotics, which means you can bet your pants there will be even more carbon fiber in Lambo's future line-up.

Don't expect to see any turbocharged Gallardos in the next few years, though. While automakers around the world may be strapping forced induction to their engines as a way to curb fuel consumption and maintain power, Lamborghini says it has no interest in playing with the extra psi. Instead, look for stop/start tech and cylinder deactivation to crop up over the next decade, as well as a mild-hybrid car and an E85-capable V10. The times? They are most definitely changing.

Gallery: Geneva 2010: Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera

[Source: Car and Driver]

Report: Lamborghini's future includes less weight, no forced induction and... no manuals?! originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick Regal likely to be launch platform for next GM hybrid system

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:59:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Buick

2011 Buick Regal - Click above for high-res image gallery

Last night, General Motors publicly unveiled the 2011 Buick Regal that goes on sale in North America in the first half of next year. The Regal will be Buick's new mid-sized sedan entry and is essentially just a re-grilled version of the Opel Insignia that went on sale in Europe last year. The North American Regal will be built at the Oshawa Ontario assembly plant in Canada beginning in calendar 2011 and will only be offered with a choice of direct-injected four-cylinder engines. However, the Regal is actually slated to go on sale in calendar 2010, and some are suggesting that the sedan will be sourced from Germany for 12 to 15 months.

The base engine will be the 2.4-liter normally aspirated unit that debuted earlier this year in the Chevrolet Equinox, among other models. With a six-speed automatic transmission, the Regal should hit 30+ mpg on the highway. The optional unit will be a 220-hp version of the 2.0-liter turbo, but that powertrain likely won't come on-line right away.

Earlier this year, documents were leaked that listed the Oshawa plant as building a new mid-size hybrid sedan in 2011. It looks like the Regal will be that car with GM's new second generation mild hybrid system that was announced in 2008. The new system uses a more powerful motor/generator and a lithium ion battery. According to Ward's Auto World, the Regal could also get GM's plug-in two mode hybrid system, but that likely won't appear before late 2011 at the earliest.

Gallery: 2011 Buick Regal

[Sources: Ward's Auto World - sub req'd | GM-Volt.com]

Buick Regal likely to be launch platform for next GM hybrid system originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daimler's Car2Go program coming to Austin, Texas this fall

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Budget, Hatchback, Daimler, Smart, Lifestyle

Last October we advised you not to hold your breath for Daimler's Car2Go program to come to America. You can breathe again. If you live in Austin, Texas you'll be able to rent a mild hybrid Smart ForTwo by the minute this fall. Austin was chosen because of its university population and its concern for the environment.

Car2Go makes its fleet available on-demand, with a clear price structure, and you can keep the car as long as you wish. Those in the program access the vehicles by swiping a tag on their driver's licenses over a card reader on the car. As with the pilot program in Ulm, Germany the service will start in Austin with an initial fleet, expected to consist of around 200 Smarts that will be available to city employees first and then expand to public use at the conclusion of a trial period.

Gallery: smart fortwo in Texas and Germany

[Source: Canadian Driver]

Daimler's Car2Go program coming to Austin, Texas this fall originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saturn drops Green Line name from hybrids

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Marketing/Advertising, Saturn

The Saturn Green Line is no longer. In its stead, the planetary brand's hybrid models will simply be known as hybrids. We think this is a good idea considering that the word 'hybrid' is much more readily associated with saving gas than the Green Line moniker. According to Mike Morrissey, a Saturn spokesman, "It was simply a practical matter. As we expand our hybrid lineup, the names were getting a bit long. It's hard to write a short sentence about the Saturn Vue Green Line 2-Mode Hybrid." Amen to that. Though the Green Line name will disappear, the performance version of Saturn's models will retain their Red Line badges.

Saturn's current ~~green~~ line of hybrids includes two models, the Aura and the Vue, both equipped with the so-called "mild hybrid" system that is not capable of moving the vehicle under electric power alone. Next year, a version of the Vue utility vehicle will be offered with a system derived from what is currently available in the Tahoe and Yukon full-sizers known as the 2-Mode. That model will be a full hybrid and should return much better mileage than the current Vue hybrid, which is rated at 25 mpg in the city and 32 on the highway.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Saturn drops Green Line name from hybrids originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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General Motors plans to purchase Cobasys outright

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, GM, Earnings/Financials, Rumormill

Shortly after reports of leaky batteries coming from Cobasys, which greatly slowed the production of GM's mild hybrid vehicles, such as the Saturn Vue and Aura hybrids and Chevy Malibu hybrid, comes a report from Automotive News which suggests that General Motors may just purchase the troubled battery maker outright. That's one way to manage the problem, wouldn't you say? Though GM would own 100-percent of Cobasys, some sort of partnership is said to be in the works, though that other entity remains unknown. Before this announcement, Chevron and Energy Conversion Devices, co-owners of the battery supplier, had been fighting over ownership of the company.

What effect this news may have on GM's future hybrid plans remains unknown. Currently, Cobasys supplies nickel metal hydride batteries to the General. The upcoming Chevy Volt will use the newer lithium ion batteries. Still, General Motors recently showed off a new version of its mild hybrid technology, and therefore may have extended plans for future batteries from Cobasys.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

General Motors plans to purchase Cobasys outright originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doh! Battery leakage hurts GM hybrid production

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Green, Plants/Manufacturing, Recalls, Chevrolet, GM, Saturn

As much as General Motors would like to sell more hybrids, we'd imagine it would be pretty tough to do so without having the batteries on hand. It turns out that since December of last year, GM has had to recall some nine-thousand battery packs produced by its supplier, Cobasys, which were due for installation in mild hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn Vue and Saturn Aura. The culprit was reportedly an internal leak in the pack which caused the entire unit to be inoperable. This setback hurts even more in the face of record gasoline prices and the resultant record sales of hybrid vehicles.

Chevrolet plans to begin production of the 2009 Malibu hybrid on June 23. Cobasys says that it has resolved the leaky battery problem and that current units are shipping without defects. Unfortunately, some damage has already been done, especially for the Saturn brand, as sales of the hybrid version of the Vue have gone down from 2,683 units by this time last year to just 326 units thus far this year to go along with just 69 retail sales of the Aura hybrid.

[Source: Detroit News]

Doh! Battery leakage hurts GM hybrid production originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM planning Astra hybrid

Chris Shunk — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 10:31:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Budget, Sedan, Green, Saturn

GM has a huge hit in the current generation Opel Astra, and the General is well into the development of a replacement for the compact hatch too keep the good times a-rollin. The next-generation Astra will likely be made in multiple locations for markets like the US and it will be one of 13 global products to ride on an updated Delta platform. If the Opel E-Flex concept ever hits production, it may not be alone. A GM engineer told Automobilwoche that the next Opel Astra will also employ hybrid technology, which would give the small car Prius-like mileage. Saab may also be getting a small hybrid from the same platform, with the US market a near definite.

The US is just getting the Saturn version of the Astra this fall, and we in the States will get the newer version of the Opel's little hit, too. The success of the Euro Astra makes its Saturn twin the best small car effort GM has made in years, and North America's largest automaker will likely pull out all the stops to make sure the hatchback hits its target. Since the newest Saturn hasn't even launched yet, it's premature for GM to announce hybrids on the next-generation architecture. We're hoping battery power is part of the general's North American plans, but since the US is much more receptive to hybrids than Europe, the green powerplant makes too much sense not to duplicate here in the States.

[Source: Automotive News (sub. req'd)]

GM planning Astra hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Oct 2007 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buick may get its first hybrid... in China

John Neff — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 12:28:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, China, Green, Buick

click above image to view more pics of the Buick LaCrosse sold in China

By now, many people are of the opinion that the best Buicks in the world are sold in China. The new Zeta-based, rear-wheel drive Park Avenue just introduced for the Chinese market would do wonders for the brand in North America, while the front-wheel drive LaCrosse sold there wears a much classier design than our own. According to the folks at Winding Road, who spent some time with the GM China crew at the Shanghai Auto Show, a hybrid version of the LaCrosse is also on its way to Chinese customers. The hybrid LaCrosse will likely use the Belt-Alternator Starter system used by GM's mild hybrids in the U.S. While not as frugal with the fuel as a full-on hybrid, the BAS system is less complex and less expensive. We don't expect the LaCrosse sold in North America, or any Buick sold in North America for that matter, to feature a hybrid drivetrain anytime soon.

[Source: Winding Road]

Gallery: Buick LaCrosse (China)

Buick may get its first hybrid... in China originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Apr 2007 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DaimlerChrysler and BMW to develop mild hybrid system

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 19:35:00 EST

Filed under: BMW, Daimler

DaimlerChrysler and BMW are already cooperating with General Motors on developing the well-documented two-mode full hybrid system for a variety of vehicles scheduled to go into production starting early 2008. The Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon and Dodge ~~Dakota~~ Durango will be the first recipients. Today the two Germans in the trio announced plans to work together on a mild hybrid system to be used in rear-wheel drive luxury cars from Stuttgart and Munich. The system is expected to go into production in about three years. It sounds like the technology will probably be used as more of a performance enhancer that doesn't degrade efficiency.

The press release can be found after the jump.

[Source: DaimlerChrysler]

Continue reading DaimlerChrysler and BMW to develop mild hybrid system

DaimlerChrysler and BMW to develop mild hybrid system originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Mar 2007 19:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA Auto Show: Aura toeing the Green Line

John Neff — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Sedan, Green, Saturn

UPDATE: Gallery of live shots added after jump

After being on sale for a year, the Saturn Aura is getting its green wings. The Aura Green Line is the first of four hybrids that General Motors will release in 2007, another of which includes the 2008 Saturn Vue Green Line. Like that vehicle, the Aura Green Line features a mild hybrid system that, while not boosting MPGs as high as a Toyota Prius, manages to keep the premium for being green lower than a traditional hybrid. The vehicle's base price, in fact, will begin below $23,000. Saturn designers also chose to keep the Aura Green Line's styling low key, with the only indication you're driving a green machine being the "Hybrid" badge on the back and the assist/charge gauge on the dash.

Follow the jump for more info and pics of the Aura Green Line, as well as GM's full press release.

Continue reading LA Auto Show: Aura toeing the Green Line

LA Auto Show: Aura toeing the Green Line originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Nov 2006 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes S-Class hybrid coming in 2008

John Neff — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 17:57:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Green, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz

DaimlerChrysler is reportedly preparing a hybrid version of its S-Class luxury sedan for sale in 2008. Likely spurred on by Lexus introducing the LS600h L at the 2006 New York auto show, Mercedes plans to offer a slightly different set up than its Japanese competitor. Whereas the LS600h L is a full hybrid pairing a 4.3L V8 with a pair of electric motors (it's named the LS600h L because Lexus claims the engine's power is equivalent to that of a 6.0-liter V12), the Mercedes-Benz S-Class hybrid will likely be a mild hybrid. Both the Direct Hybrid and Bluetec Hybrid concepts shown at the 2005 Frankfurt motor were mild hybrids, meaning the electric motors only assist the engine, though the former paired its electric motor with a 3.5-liter gasoline engine and the latter used the 3.0-liter Bluetec diesel.

Furthermore, Mercedes will introduce the S-Class hybrid in the U.S. and Japan first, mainly because diesels are the powerplant of choice in Europe for those looking for high mileage.

[Source: Autoblog.nl]

Mercedes S-Class hybrid coming in 2008 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Jul 2006 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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