Reference Auto

After a runaway success with its i series models - the i10 and i20, especially in India, Hyundai is putting its plans on the fast track to unveil the i40 D-segment model, designed for the European market, at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show to be held in March.

The Korean major is upbeat that the i40 will find many takers in Europe, and the company, it seems, is looking to drive in the car to India during the first half of 2012 in the wake of a growing appetite for mid segment cars.

Hyundai knows that it could cost the company dear if it does a flip-flop on its India plans. An auto expert says that the i40 could be in emerging markets even earlier as Hyundai would not like to miss the growth story prevalent for the last few years.

For now, the i40, codenamed VF while on the development stage, is set to vie with the likes of Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat and the focus will be the European market.

The Korean company will roll out its new Blue Drive eco-program and a powertrain line-up which can provide an unparalleled performance in its class and fuel economy along with very low CO2 emissions.

“We have mega ambitions for Hyundai in Europe, and the new i40 will provide the fillip to achieve our goals in 2011 and beyond. We expect that the quality of the new i40 will continue to attract new customers to the Hyundai brand,” said Allan Rushforth, vice-president of Hyundai Motor Europe, in a press release.

The i40 was designed and developed in Germany and is very similar to the Hyundai Sonata. The i40 will be available in the sedan and wagon body formats, and could arrive in the European market probably within a couple of months after its debut in Geneva.

“The i40 perfectly combines the four elements that have turned into core Hyundai values: practicality, performance, efficiency, and styling. Our designers and engineers have made a car that is in line with European motorists’ expectation of a D-segment vehicle,” Rushforth added.

The engine range is expected to include a 2.0-litre, direct-injection four-cylinder producing 170 horsepower and a 1.7-litre turbodiesel with outputs ranging from 115 hp to 136 hp, with the Blue Drive technologies applied. More details on i40 will roll out just prior to the motor show in Geneva.

The i40 has ‘fluidic sculpture’ design language, with a signature hexagonal grille and flowing lines that combine for a dynamic and cohesive package. The styling of the new wagon is more or less like the IX 20 hatch, which has already rolled out in parts of Europe and also the  IX 35 SUV that is sold in Australia.

The i40 is mainly targeted at the European market, which has a fad for D-segment cars. Although the company has not declared its price, the i40 is likely to come for $20,000-$25,000 in Europe, according to an auto expert. This would be in the same range as the VW Passat and the Ford Mondeo.

So, in Europe’s market, which is not so price sensitive, the i40 is unlikely to score on this count. With VW and Ford making inroads in a big way in the European market, Hyundai will have to do some aggressive hard-selling to see its i40 rub shoulders with its rival models.

Kia’s (South Korean co) Pop Concept’s (above) price has not been unveiled yet. It is based on Kia’s popular Optima model that ranked third in customer satisfaction in the NADA Dealer Attitude Survey this year. The Optima hybrid will be out in the US next year. It can travel up to 100 miles on a single charge and get recharged in six hours.

The Fisker Karma (above), priced around $88,000, is propelled by Quantum Technologies’ Q-Drive technology, which combines innovative petrol engine and electric motor. Q-Drive is a series hybrid system where the engine combines with a generator to provide an electrical connection to the motors and recharge batteries. The electric motors are the only mechanical driving force connected to the wheels. The Karma can go up to 125 mph (201 km/h) and is capable of reaching 60 mph (97 km/h) in 5.8 seconds. Its battery is capable of retaining charge for almost 80 km before the internal-combustion engine kicks in. Running on just battery power, the car can touch a speed of 153 km per hour.

US car maker Li-ion Motors electric supercar Inizio (above) can touch 60 mph in flat 4.5 seconds. Charging time of this car is over eight hours. Performance and handling allows the consumer to travel up to 200 miles (320 km) on a single charge. Its top speed is 170 mph (270 kmph). It is priced at a cool $139,000.

The Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid (above) is a car with a lithium ion battery that has gone on mass production and is also the first Mercedes hybrid. It is priced around $90,000. The S400 is propelled by a hybrid system that is mild along with a 3.5-lt V6 gas engine. The electric-gas combination allows an output of 295 hp.

 

The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid (above) has a 2.4-lt engine with six-speed automatic transmission along with a 30kW electric motor and lightweight lithium polymer batteries that can produce a gasoline-electric hybrid with 37 miles per US gallon (6.4 L/100 km; 44 mpg) in city roads and 39 miles per US gallon (6.0 L/100 km; 47 mpg) on highways. Price has not been given.

Eyeing a big push in the developed markets, the world’s largest carmaker, Toyota, has already been doing some futuristic thinking – of launching a mind blowing 11 hybrid models in a span of two years.

These environment-friendly vehicles will most likely cater to markets such as the US, Europe and even Japan. Clearly, the Japanese car giant is not eyeing emerging markets such as China and India at the moment, as stringent green norms are yet to be put in place in these two countries.

But the duo (India and China) hold enormous potential and cannot be ignored in the long run. Just that green norms will have to come up as per global standards. More importantly, massive awareness campaigns need to be undertaken in these two countries to raise buyers’ knowledge on the benefits of hybrid vehicles and how they can help save fuel.

The vehicles that Toyota is planning are new as well as redesigned ones which will expand the company’s hybrid engines that are propelled by gasoline and electricity.

Toyota is also betting big on its current breed of hybrids. For instance, it is eyeing a yearly sales of over 50,000 units for its Prius-based plug-in hybrid to be launched by early 2012 in Japan, the US and Europe with a price tag of around $36,045.

It is also contemplating rolling out an all-electric vehicle based on its current iQ minicar, which will hit the roads in Japan and Europe in the near future (may be in six months to a year). There could also be a China launch later.

Even Toyota's rivals are gearing up with their own environment-friendly concept vehicles. Nissan will soon have its all-electric Leaf, which does not produce tailpipe emissions. This car could spearhead Nissan’s green vehicle ambitions.

Toyota recently unveiled its RAV4 EV concept vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The all-electric version of Toyota's RAV4 sports utility vehicle was made with the aid of Tesla Motors, the US electric vehicle company in which Toyota has a stake.

Till now, Toyota has only forayed into the electric market, which is still at an uncertain stage, as a proper system of recharge is still to be put in place. This could make buyers wary at least in the near term and sales may fail to pick up.

Toyota plans to introduce a fuel-cell powered sedan-type car around 2015 in the US, Europe and Japan. It is also stepping up efforts to develop next generation batteries that will probably perform better than the current lithium-ion models. The new plans come as the automaker works to revive an image hit by safety recalls in the past year owing to acceleration, engine, steering and brake problems. The recalls affected around 12 million vehicles.

Toyota’s plans of launching hybrid models can be applauded but the auto giant must also ensure that it does not hit speed breakers in the process, like the one it hit with electric cars. If its launch of 11 hybrid models turns out to be successful, Toyota is likely to see a giant leap in its earnings in the global market, which is getting more environment-friendly by the day, even though the recalls had dented the auto major’s image quite a bit.

Audi is surely going to reap benefits from the accolade it won at the Detroit auto show and the 2012 Audi A6 could turn out to be a huge draw globally. After all, it bagged the award for ‘Best Production Vehicle’ at the auto show. An excited Achim Badstuebner, Audi's head of exterior design, said, “it shows strong feedback that we have done our homework.”

Audi has won the award for the last three years. The earlier models that bagged awards were the Audi R8 V10 in 2009 and the Audi A8 sedan in 2010.

This year, the A6 slugged it out with the likes of Bentley Continental GT, BMW 6-Series Convertible and the Hyundai Veloster to win the award. The price of the Audi A6 is expected to be over $50,000.

The aluminum body of the new A6 makes it nearly 70 pounds lighter. The 2012 Audi A6 will have two gas engines, three TDI diesel powertrains and a front-wheel drive-only hybrid model without the Quattro system.

The 3.0-lt TFSI Quattro will be a very powerful gasoline-fed model that can churn out 300 hp and 325 lb-ft torque. It will come with a seven-speed automatic transmission.

The non-Quattro Audi A6 Hybrid will come with a parallel-hybrid system like the Q5 Hybrid Quattro. It is offered with a 211 hp direct-injected and turbocharged 2.0 TFSI four-cylinder engine with a 45 hp electric motor that can produce 155.63 lb-ft torque.

The Honda Civic Si Coupe and Civic Sedan showcased at the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit gives a clear indication that the Japanese carmaker will revamp the Civic.

The concept cars displayed at the auto show in Detroit have the typical short-hood and fastback proportions of the Civic that runs on the roads now.

The new concept wears the look of a typical sports car with its 19-inch wheels along with a trapezoidal center tailpipe and a rear spoiler with dual vents.

Three models of the 2010 Civic could be rolled out – a hybrid version, a natural gas-propelled model and another powered by gas.

Although Honda was tightlipped about its price and specifications – speculation is rife that the new Civic could carry a price tag of about $20,000.

The new Civic may be a tad smaller and lighter than the current set of models and will come with enhanced aerodynamics and better safety during a crash. The hybrid will be upgraded to lithium-ion batteries from NiMH used now.

One of the most pivotal developments at the 2011 North American International Auto Show is Toyota’s move to roll out a new range of cars based on the Prius Concept platform.

Toyota displayed three models at the auto show: a plug-in with 13 miles of all-electric range, a Prius V (V for volume) with 50% more cargo room and the C concept, a sporty type coupe-like Prius.

The Prius V Toyota hybrid comes with an optional retractable panoramic moonroof. Split folding 60/40 rear seats allow configurations for passengers and cargo, while fuel economy is commendable: It gives 42 miles per gallon in city conditions and 38 miles per gallon on highways.

In Prius C, the ‘C’ denotes ‘City’, a clear indication that the car has been ideally made for a city ride. The Toyota Prius brand has clocked sales of 955,000 since it was launched in 2000 in the US. The Prius-type models could come for over $27,000.

The new Hyundai Veloster coupe will most likely hit the roads this summer and be propelled by a 1.6-lt engine GDI Gamma engine developing 138 hp at 6,300 rpm and 123 lb.-ft torque at around 4,850 rpm.

The engine has dual continuously variable valve timing (D-CVVT), roller timing chain, electronic throttle control and anti-friction coatings, which is a unique feature.

The engine comes with a 6-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT). The new dual-clutch gearbox of the Hyundai Veloster is light and has improved fuel economy with an optimal response and shift control.

The Hyundai Veloster could be priced around $18,000 and is different from the usual two-door coupes: There is a third door on the passenger side that provides easy access to the rear seats and this was a unique feature witnessed at the 2011 North American Internattional Auto Show.

A green revolution in car technology has just begun with Nissan Motor rolling out the new, fully electric and zero emission car aptly called the Leaf in the Japanese market where it is likely to hit the roads in another 10 days. The Leaf will be in the US as well as Europe in early 2011 and take another year to reach other markets.

The price of the Nissan Leaf begins from yen 3,764,250 and that includes consumption tax. There are sops that the Japanese government is providing, that is slated to benefit the Leaf’s buyers.

As per rules, buyers are eligible to get a maximum of yen 780,000 through the government’s electric vehicles incentives. If this is accounted for, then the Leaf’s price will begin from yen 2,984,250. The Leaf also qualifies for tax breaks, which will whittle down the car’s tax by 50 per cent.

In the US, the Leaf, which is a four-door hatchback, will carry a base price of $32,780. But customers can get a $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit, paring the price to $25,000.

Nissan Leaf will roll out in Japan during the middle of the month and be the world’s first electric vehicle or EV within the reach of the average customer. The Leaf has spacious interiors and can accommodate five adults easily.

Nissan Leaf comes with a lithium-ion battery along with an electric motor. It has a driving range of 200 km (on JC08 mode) and this should be adequate for one drive. About 200-volt normal charging is provided at Nissan 2,200 dealers nationwide. Normally, the Leaf can travel up to 160 km at a stretch.

About 200 dealers in Japan have quick chargers that can charge the battery up to 80 per cent of its full capacity in just half an hour. The battery provides 24 kWh capacity and maximum power output of more than 90 kWh. The Nissan Leaf comes with a high-response 80kW AC synchronous motor. The car was made through a joint-venture between Nissan Motor and NEC Corporation.

Nissan has fitted the Leaf with its standard cabin tech, that includes navigation and a Bluetooth phone system. This navigation system is a new feature which helps the driver locate charging stations.

But on the flip side, a range of about 100 miles kind of cripples the car’s tasks, and recharging takes hours at a standard AC outlet. If climate control is used, this range comes down substantially. This makes the Nissan Leaf a perfect car for urban and even semi-urban roads, or for short drives. But ideally not for long drives.

There are more electric vehicles in the pipeline with Ford Motor and Chrysler also mulling launches after the Leaf. With emission norms getting stringent by the day, Nissan along with other companies will have to rev up their EV plans, at least in the developed markers such as the US, Japan and countries in Europe, to see their sales ticking.

But in emerging markets such as China and India, these companies can still afford to go slow on EVs as pollution norms are rather slack compared to developed nations. But when stringent norms are in place, there will be a huge market for these electric vehicles.

So, by coming up with the Leaf, the first EV to go on commercial production, Nissan certainly has given itself first-mover advantage.

Ford hadn’t really managed to gain first-mover advantage in electric vehicles or EVs when the car maker recently unveiled the Focus Electric, an electric car that it vows will be fun to drive. Despite not being the first player, can it still charge up the EV market?

After launch of the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt, Ford will have to offer something extra (may be in the form of a technological breakthrough) to see its EV make an impact in the Western markets, which will be the first to witness a slew of EV rollouts, owing to stringent emission laws and a newly-found fad for non-gasoline vehicles.

Focus Electric, which was showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, is “a dynamic driver’s car,” according to the car maker.

Focus Electric, which will go on sale from the end of this year, can go up to a speed of 84 miles per hour.

The car will probably allow a drive of up to 100 miles on a single charge, which is almost similar to the Nissan Leaf.

This recharging at such short distances has become a major bottleneck in EV technology. After all, an EV owner will not want to stop his car to recharge after just 100 miles.

EV buyers would want a technology breakthrough to allow them to go on longer drives. So far as this issue is concerned, the Focus Electric does not offer anything new compared to its rival cars.

But there is one aspect where the Ford Focus Electric scores over the Nissan Leaf - the Ford Focus can recharge fully in nearly three hours from a 240-volt charging station. Well, that’s about twice as fast as the Leaf.

The Focus Electric will have a central navigation display, which will also show how far the car can be driven before a recharge. And there’s something new on offer. The navigation system can also show an “eco-route” during a journey, a route that will maximize efficiency. Ford is yet to announce the price of the Focus Electric which could be in the $20,000-$30,000 range.

The car will comprise mobile apps to let drivers check the battery charge, who will be informed when charging is over.

Besides the Focus Electric, Ford is also contemplating rolling out a plug-in hybrid vehicle that runs on both gasoline and electricity - around 2012. This move to offer a tech mix across different variants could actually help the US carmaker see buyers flock for its new generation vehicles.

Many Ford employees as well as auto experts are of the opinion that EVs will not stay here for a year or two but for almost three to four decades and a car maker offering unique features along with an eclectic mix of technology will rule the market. They feel customers will wait for the technology to evolve.

Ford’s brand visibility is more than Nissan’s (maker of the Leaf) and on par with the Chevrolet (Volt). So, by adding unique features along with a technology mix allowing more choice (say a hybrid vehicle along with a gasoline variant and an EV), Ford could become a formidable player in new generation cars, mainly in EVs with the Focus Electric.

GM is giving the Buick brand a major facelift in its bid to target the youth with the unveiling of the 2012 Verano at the Detroit Auto Show next week. Accordingly, the company will target luxury car buffs scouting for a car smaller than the Regal sedan, which was launched recently.

Moreover, the American market is gradually witnessing a shift towards smaller cars or in other words cars that will be more fuel efficient.

So, this move by Buick to trim its car design could actually see prospective car buyers, especially the younger lot, evince interest in its car. The Verano is slated to hit the US roads in the last quarter of the year. But GM’s Buick division will have to do much more to cater to this new-found fad in the American market, which traditionally preferred bulky cars.

GM will have to roll out a litany of similar models that are compact to see its Buick brand gaining ground. Moreover, there will also have to be a mega marketing push as the market for compact cars is yet to mature in the US.

The Verano is a small car similar to the Chevrolet Cruze, and according to GM, it will have to slug it out with the likes of the Audi A3 and Volvo S40 in the entry-level luxury market.

The Verano will have a 2.4-lt four-cylinder engine with a six-speed automatic transmission. The engine power is about 177 hp and the car can zoom from 0 to 60 mph in just eight seconds.

A turbocharged 2-lt engine will be launched at a later stage and is likely to have 250 hp. The Verano is expected to carry a price tag of around $22,000.

Its soft cabin appears to be splendid and could match that of its rivals. Soft-touch materials are used throughout the cabin, while rich wood and aluminum accents make the center console and door panels.

The Verano, to be manufactured at the Orion plant near Detroit, is the US version of the Buick Excelle, which has found many takers in China.

The slew of features on offer is interesting. The Verano comes with 10 air bags as standard equipment and has a fabulous sound insulation to pave the way for an almost noiseless drive.

There is also a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control mechanism, a Bose audio system, Bluetooth connectivity along with a push-button start.

The car has OnStar’s next-generation technology, which along with a driver’s smartphone can read text messages aloud and there is an interface with apps like Pandora and Stitcher.

Buick has seen sales surge by over 50 per cent, mainly on the back of refurbished models like the LaCrosse and Regal. GM, in the last few years, was rolling out cars with minor cosmetic changes. It, therefore, probably ended the year with a sales rise of only 7 per cent in the US.

Buick had mainly attracted traditional customers (above the age of 60) in the US as it had not come up with compact vehicles and its cars were not feature-rich. But all that will change with the Verano launch and GM hopes that this move to reach out to the youth will give a further fillip to its sales growth.

General Motors (GM) is set to surge ahead in electric vehicle technology when it rolls out the new Chevrolet Volt, that can generate its own electricity, in the US market.

Although electric vehicles have revolutionised car technology, there is one bump that was hindering their progress: the problem of recharge in case long distances needed to be travelled. But with GM leapfrogging with the new technology, things could change. In fact, the ability of the Volt to generate electricity could pave the way for an electric car not needing a recharge at all!

However, it may be hard for the average citizen to flock for the Volt as it could come with a whopping price tag of $41,000.

There is a 1.4L generator that charges the battery while driving and allows a driver to travel over 300 miles at one go. A diesel variant of the Volt is slated for launch in about two years.

For 40 to 80 km, the Volt is fuelled by electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt’s battery is exhausted, a 1.4-litre gas-powered engine/generator propels the Volt till about 500 km on a full tank.

There are a litany of safety features such as airbags and StabiliTrak present in the Chevrolet Volt. Parking is almost effortless with features such as front and rear parking aid with camera. The electric car can reach maximum speed of 100 mph. While speeding, there is no need to worry as the electro-hydraulic brakes allow the driver to take total control of the speed.

Some other features include: touch-sensitive infotainment system, movie player backed up by 60 GB hard disk Bluetooth, humidity sensor, automatic climate control, keyless ignition, high resolution 7” coloured LCD instrument cluster display, navigation radio, DVD and mp3 player, among others.

GM is set to achieve the feat of producing the first electric vehicle that will witness mass production in the US. The Volt can be driven for over 40 miles at a stretch on one charge and its 16 kWh battery is a liquid-cooled one. Since it accepts 120-240 VAC, there is no need to worry about charging as it can be done anywhere.

According to president Chevrolet (Europe), the Volt is all set to make electric driving intuitive and fun. Recently, Chevrolet Volt’s semi-finished models were taken to the Michigan unit’s assembly line, which is a clear signal that the car is all set for commercial launch. The new Volt is likely to be rolled out in the US towards the year end and hit Europe’s roads early next year.

GM is currently making semi-finished electric cars and plans to deliver them in November next year. Chevrolet Volt is an emission-free car that will have to vie with the Nissan Leaf in the US market. Chevrolet may hope that the Volt will see car buffs make a beeline, especially in the wake of stringent pollution norms in the US, and if that happens, GM will have to scale up production in a big way to meet demand.

Though the Chevrolet Volt may take GM miles ahead in technology, the steep price is likely to be the only factor that can come in the way of the Volt and its customer.