Auto Car Rewess: June 2010

Chrysler started to build the Dodge Durango Hybrid 2009 in fall 2008, featuring the 340 hp (254 kW) 5.7 L (345 cu in) Hemi engine with MDS as well as the new Two-Mode Hybrid system developed with General Motors and BMW. The manufacturer claimed an almost 25% gain overall fuel fuel economy and an almost 40% gain in the city.

EPA testing on the Hybrid Durango with the Hemi V8 engine indicates fuel mileage to be about 20 miles per US gallon (12 L/100 km; 24 mpg-imp) (city) and 22 miles per US gallon (11 L/100 km; 26 mpg-imp) (highway) for 2009 model.

Dodge Durango Hybrid

Dodge Durango Hybrid

The normal (non-hybrid) Durango with the 5.7 L (345 cu in) Hemi and 4WD gets 13 miles per US gallon (18 L/100 km; 16 mpg-imp) (city) and 19 miles per US gallon (12 L/100 km; 23 mpg-imp) (highway).

The 2009 Dodge Durango Hybrid has a starting MSRP of $45,340.Production of the hybrid models (this included Chrysler Aspen Hybrid as well) began on August 22 2008. Chrysler received approximately 3000 pre-orders from dealers. By early November 2008, 400 of the hybrid S.U.V.’s, including Chrysler Aspen, had already been built.

Dodge Durango Hybrid

Dodge Durango Hybrid

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2010 Dodge Journey Marketing

Dodge Journeys assembled and marketed in Japan are known as Dodge JC.

As part of the vehicle's introductory promotion, Dario Franchitti's No. 40 Dodge Charger carried a "Journey" paint scheme for the 2008 Daytona 500 on February 15, 2008.

2010 Dodge Journey

2010 Dodge Journey

Aston Martin Rapide Information

The Aston Martin Rapide is a four-door, high-performance sport saloon, which British luxury marque Aston Martin introduced in early 2010 to compete with the Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, and Porsche Panamera along with the upcoming Audi A7 and Lamborghini Estoque. It was first presented as a concept car at the North American International Auto Show in 2006. The Rapide name is a reference to the Lagonda Rapide, a saloon car produced by Lagonda, now part of Aston Martin. The car is based on an Aston Martin DB9. The base price for the Aston Martin Rapide is $199,950 (USD)and the first cars were rolled out in May 2010.

The Rapide is built at a dedicated plant at the Magna Steyr facility in Graz, Austria. Production began in 2010 and the factory plans to build 2,000 per year.

The production version features a full-length glass roof and LED light bars on the rear end, two firsts for Aston Martin.

Aston Martin Rapide

Aston Martin Rapide

2010 Lamborghini Supercar Cnossus Concept - Lamborghini Sports Car

This here is the Lamborghini Cnossus. The Lamborghini Cnossus Concept was designed by Russian student Victor Filipchenko with the help of his Portuguese colleague Nelson Simoes as part of their final thesis project at Italy’s Scuola Politecnica di Design.

2010 Lamborghini Supercar Cnossus Concept

Every Lambo needs a bull theme, and this supercar design study for a supercar concept named after the ancient Greek city of Cnossus (Knossus) on the island of Crete. The designers claim to have been inspired by the Lamborghini Countach, though it is evident that the edgy styling of the limited production Reventon special also played a role in the design of the Cnossus Concept.

Presenting a bold vision of what the firm’s future flagship could look like, the concept takes inspiration from Lamborghini models past and present, including the Countach and Reventón.

It boasts many classic cues such as telephone-dial wheels lifted from the Countach, scissor doors and gaping air intakes in front of the rear wheelarch. At the rear, the thin strip of LED lights with inverted arrows at the end is a clear nod towards the Reventón’s jet-fighter theme, while the diffuser looks more like something you’d find on a Le Mans prototype racer than a road car.

Revenge fo the Electric Car: Tesla IPO and the Future

Behind the wheel of a Tesla at the Detroit Auto Show, 2009

Hi folks -- as many of you have heard, the Tesla IPO yesterday proved to be the one bright spot during an otherwise dismal day on Wall Street. A few years ago I was very much in to learning about Tesla, as I hosted at UD Chelsea Sexton, one of the key characters in Chris Paine's documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?" And while I have not driven a Tesla -- I did sit in one at the Detroit Auto Show in 2009 -- I did see one up close at Paine's home back when.

Yes, the Tesla roadster is expensive, and has a limited market, and there are some other drawbacks as well. And to be sure, the next model, a sedan that ill cost some 50k if projections are right, is still in the distnace. But Tesla has engineering technology that no one else owns, and Tesla has all the organizational energy that is lacking in Michigan. Telsa has "Iron Man" Elon Musk at the top of its leadership, and it is doubtful that anyone at the Detroit Three has that kind of panache. Analyst Mary Ann Keller, certainly knowledgable and an industry insider at the very highest level, argues that future of Tesla is perilous, as it must compete in a tough automobile, not technology marketplace. And maybe she is right.

The issue here is really economy of scale. If the battery-powered electric can achieve high volume production, then costs and prices will come down. But can that level be reached? The auto industry has a long history, after reaching maturity, of squashing outside. Just think about Tucker, Crosley, Kaiser-Frazier, and other entrants.

What could change the entire game however is what may happen in the Middle East. One wrong move against Iran -- might bring the whole internal combustion engine/gasoline matrix down on its knees. And Tesla will be there with an alternative technology ready to fill the gap.

Auto Car Rewess

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Honda Zeppelin Car Gallery

Dodge Durango Hybrid Specs

2010 Dodge Journey Marketing

Aston Martin Rapide Information

2010 Lamborghini Supercar Cnossus Concept - Lamborghini Sports Car

Revenge fo the Electric Car: Tesla IPO and the Future

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

2011 Renault Wind Sport coupe-roadster