Alternative fuels: hedge your bets Interesting to hear Ford of Europe's Lewis Booth on the subject of powertrain trends, in Europe. More efficient gasoline engines will eventually dent diesel share. But diesel still will be significant and hybrids, overall, make little sense in Europe, he says. Bio fuels have a role, but there isn't enough available land to make enough fuel to feed both people and cars. In short, hedge your bets folks - that's what Ford is doing. There isn't going to be a powertrain technology winner that just hoovers up for a while yet, by the sound of things. Rob Golding heard Lewis Booth at an Automotive News Europe event in Amsterdam last week and summarised succintly: FEATURE: Ford brings back the petrol engine FEATURE: Ford remembers Rudolph Diesel and his peanut oil
Mitsubishi to Offer SIRIUS Satellite Radio as Standard Equipment on New Eclipse Spyder and Factory Option on all Models in 2007 Mitsubishi to Offer SIRIUS Satellite Radio as Standard Equipment on New Eclipse Spyder and Factory Option on all Models in 2007
Pedestrian impact rules and design If you are going to get run over by a vehicle, some are kinder to your body than others. In general, SUVs with their tall stance and chunky nature are probably not all that forgiving to flesh and bones that get in the way. But here's something I have just heard that seems a bit naughty, but maybe makes perfect sense to the manufacturer concerned. A supplier source says that the Land Rover Freelander weighs over 2.5 tonnes and was deliberately weighted up to exceed 2.5 tonnes because below that weight vehicles have to comply with tougher pedestrian impact rules. Freelander couldn t meet those, so they made it heavier to avoid having to comply. I'm told the same rules will apply to heavier vehicles next year. Imagine the engineers' discussions: 'Where can we easily build in some extra weight guys?'
The 2007 New York Auto Show Preview The 2007 New York Auto Show Preview
We're sorry I've been told that the just-auto daily newsletters many people are signed up to have been going out a little inconsistently in recent weeks. We're sorry about any disruption to our service experienced. Techie colleagues tell me that a problem has been identified and dealt with. Normal service, they say, has now been resumed.