The view from Auburn Hills

For those of us here at LotPro.com, the auto industry has always been a source of unending entertainment and events this week have certainly not proven us wrong.

Supermini goes large

On Wednesday, Fiat announced that the world’s largest Fiat 500 – five times the its normal size – would be coming to London for an event the company calls “The Big Smile.”

Designed to generate an awareness and interest in the new 500C, the 5:1 model has previously appeared at auto shows, although the latest iteration simulates the “open top” 500C, rather than the sedan through the use of a projection of the sky on the inner lining of the car’s roof.

If you happen to be in London between August 28th and September 2nd, it might be fun to check out the “big” Fiat, along with assorted roaming entertainers, stilt walkers and food stalls on Oxford Street.

Buick’s Saturn Vue/Opel Antara clone gets the axe

In a rapid reversal of events, GM Vice Chairman Tom Stephens reported on his “Fast Lane” blog yesterday that the compact Buick CUV that he announced in Traverse City a few weeks ago and that had been described by Stephens, himself, on August 10th as a “beautiful new crossover” that would “debut our new plug-in hybrid technology” and “firmly put Buick, and GM, front and center in the advanced technology game” was history.

According to his blog, the small SUV “received consistent feedback from large parts of all the audiences (at a future product showcase at the company’s Milford Proving Ground) that it didn’t fit the premium characteristics that customers have come to expect from Buick.”

In the blog, he goes on to state that, “We were all struck by the consistency of the criticism of the compact crossover. And what we decided to do in response is a good example of the essence of the new General Motors… acting quickly, and boldly, and listening to feedback from customers, employees, dealers, media and just about anyone else with an opinion.”

Considering the fact that the erstwhile Pontiac Aztec also received less-than-glowing reviews from its focus groups (and we all know how that project ended), the decision to “86” the Buick was probably a prudent one.

The good news, however, is that the hybrid technology originally intended for the vehicle will be, according to the same blog, “applied to another vehicle, at no delay.”

Images courtesy of Fiat U.K. and General Motors

Green Car of the Year

In the world of automotive awards, GCOTY is a fairly new one. Established just three years ago, the first one was awarded to the 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid. A year later, the 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid was the recipient, while last year, the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid received the award that was presented, for the first time, at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

In order to qualify for a nomination, a vehicle must, according to Green Car Journal, “exhibit characteristics that substantially raise the bar in environmental performance and be in production by January 1 of the award year.” In addition, each nominee is driven by Green Car Journal so that its driving characteristics can be observed first-hand. Nominee vehicles must also be in production to make sure they are actually available in the market during their award year.

The winner is selected by an 11 member panel that is comprised of both automotive as well as environmental experts. Past jurors have included such luminaries as Jean-Michael Cousteau of the Ocean Futures Society and TV personality and major car aficionado Jay Leno.

2009 Nominees

In alphabetical order, here are the 2009 nominees:

2009 BMW 335d

The 335d is BMW’s first U.S. diesel sedan in almost 20 years. Equipped with a 3.0 liter turbocharged direct injection diesel, this 3-series Bimmer produces 265 horsepower and a stump-pulling 425 lb.-ft. of torque.

Engine: 3.0-liter inline-six diesel
Emissions, EPA/CARB: Tier 2, Bin 5/LEV
Horsepower: 265
Fuel Economy, city/hwy mpg: 23/33 (EPA)
Base MSRP: $44,725

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid

Just introduced at the L.A. Show, the hybrid Fusion receives the same makeover as the rest of the lineup for 2010. Under the hood, the hybrid benefits from the same new 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine with intake variable cam timing as the Escape/Mariner hybrids, the green-friendly models produce 155 hp and 136 lb-ft of torque.

Engine: 2.5-liter inline-four, gasoline-electric hybrid
Emissions, EPA/CARB: Tier 2, Bin 5/AT-PZEV
Horsepower: 155
Fuel Economy, city/hwy mpg: 38/35 (est.)
Base MSRP: $27,000-$30,000 (est.)

2009 Saturn Vue 2 Mode Hybrid

The second generation Saturn Vue was introduced at last years Los Angeles Auto Show and, like its smaller brother the Astra, it’s a re-badged Opel, although in Europe it is known as the Antara. The Vue benefits from the first application of the General’s two-mode hybrid technology in a V-6 front-driver.

Engine: 3.6-liter V-6, gasoline-electric hybrid
Emissions, EPA/CARB: Tier 2, Bin 5/AT-PZEV
Horsepower: 255
Fuel Economy, city/hwy mpg: 28/31 (est.)
Base MSRP: Under $33,000

Smart Fortwo

The Fortwo is certainly the latest way for environmental fashionistas to wear their colors. Ideal for urban prowling, the fortwo, with its short wheelbase and lack of storage space, is less suited for spirited driving or family vacations. EPA numbers of 33 city/41 highway are impressive, but 0-60 times are best measured with an hourglass.

Engine: 1.0-liter inline three
Emissions, EPA/CARB: Tier 2 Bin 5/ULEV
Horsepower: 70
Fuel Economy, city/hwy mpg: 33/41 (EPA)
Base MSRP: $11,990

2009 VW Jetta TDI

Here’s where the fun starts. The VW, it must be noted, is the antithesis of the Fortwo. It has terrific handling, plenty of space and a clean diesel engine that meets emissions certification in all 50 states. To top it all off, fuel economy is 30 city/41 highway, with many drivers claiming close to 50 mpg.

Engine: 2.0-liter inline-four, diesel
Emissions, EPA/CARB: Tier 2, Bin 5/SULEV
Horsepower: 140
Fuel Economy, city/hwy mpg: 30/41 (EPA)
Base MSRP: $21,990

And the winner is…

As it announced this afternoon, the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI becomes the first-ever clean diesel to win Green Car Journal’s Green Car of the Year honor. From all of us here at LotPro.com, a tip of the hat to Volkswagen!

Washington - The U.S. Department of Energy, General Motors and Natural Resources Canada today announced the 17 teams selected to participate in EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge, a collegiate vehicle engineering competition set to begin in the Fall of 2008. EcoCAR will challenge university engineering students across North America to re-engineer a Saturn VUE to achieve improved fuel economy and reduced green house gas emissions, while retaining the vehicle’s performance and consumer appeal.

Students will design and build advanced propulsion solutions that are based on the vehicle categories from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) regulations. They will be encouraged to explore a variety of cutting-edge clean vehicle solutions, including full-function electric, range-extended electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell technologies. In addition, they will incorporate lightweight materials into the vehicles, improve aerodynamics and utilize alternative fuels such as ethanol, biodiesel and hydrogen.

The following teams have been selected to compete in the EcoCAR competition:

• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach, FL)
• Georgia Tech (Atlanta, GA)
• Howard University (Washington, D.C.)
• Michigan Technological University (Houghton, MI)
• Mississippi State University (Starkville, MS)
• Missouri University of Science and Technology (Rolla, MO)
• North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC)
• Ohio State University (Columbus, OH)
• Pennsylvania State University (University Park, PA)
• Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Terre Haute, IN)
• Texas Tech University (Lubbock, TX)
• University of Ontario Institute of Technology (Oshawa, Ontario, Canada)
• University of Victoria (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada)
• University of Waterloo (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)
• University of Wisconsin (Madison, WI)
• Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA)
• West Virginia University (Morgantown, WV)

During the three-year program, General Motors will provide production vehicles, vehicle components, seed money, technical mentoring and operational support. The U.S. Department of Energy and its research and development facility, Argonne National Laboratory, will provide competition management, team evaluation and technical and logistical support. Through sponsoring such advanced vehicle engineering competitions, GM and the U.S. Department of Energy are developing the next generation of scientists and engineers.

“We’re excited to see what these student engineers will develop over the next three years,” said Beth Lowery, General Motors Vice President, Environment, Energy, and Safety Policy. “The objectives of EcoCAR are right in line with GM’s strategy.”

“EcoCAR is the latest in a series of Department-sponsored student competitions that will foster the training of the next generation of engineers who will develop the clean vehicle technology solutions to enhance our energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Ed Wall, DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Program Manager. “It will be exciting to watch as the students work over the next three years to design, build, test and showcase their vehicles.”

Vehicle Development

In the first year, teams will develop their vehicle designs through the use of GM’s Global Vehicle Development Process – the modeling and simulation process currently used to develop all of GM’s vehicles. Sophisticated hardware in the loop (HIL) and software in the loop (SIL) systems will be utilized, and teams will be challenged to model and simulate the integration of their subsystems into the overall vehicle design. The emphasis is on optimizing a practical, realizable solution that will meet the goals of the competition.

During the second and third years of the competition, students will build the vehicle and continue to refine, test, and improve vehicle operation. At the end of Years Two and Three, the re-engineered student vehicle prototypes will compete in a week-long competition of engineering tests. These tests will be similar to the tests GM conducts to determine a prototype’s readiness for production. The Greenhouse gas, Regulated Emissions, and Energy in Transportation (GREET) model, developed at Argonne National Laboratory, will be used to assess a well-to-wheel analysis of the greenhouse gas impacts of each technology approach the teams select.

Sponsor Support

In addition to sponsorship from GM and DOE, Platinum sponsor Government of Canada is providing extensive operational support. The other Platinum sponsors, dSPACE, National Instruments, The MathWorks and Freescale Semiconductor are providing critical software and hardware components.

Gold sponsors are The National Science Foundation and MotoTron Corporation. Silver sponsors are: SnapOn Tools and Renewable Fuels Association. Bronze sponsors are: Delphi Corporation, EcoMotors, CarSim and Bosch.

Additional information about EcoCAR is available on the Web at www.ecoCARchallenge.org.

The following conversation was overheard at the Buick Riviera Concept stand: “What are those funny looking letters on the trunk lid?” Reply: “They look like some kind of Chinese writin’ to me.” At this point in time, I jumped into the conversation, “It’s Chinese for ‘Riviera’. This car was designed and built in Shanghai by the GM design studio there.” The two gentlemen that I was having the conversation with could only shake their heads.

The Riviera Concept only proves that it is a new world out there. Even the Detroit 3 are looking outside the U.S. – not only for new markets, but for technology and inspiration to lead them into the 21st Century. The latest “Riv” is a stunning example of this collaboration. With body panels constructed from carbon fiber, the concept is also purported to be powered by some type of hybrid drivetrain (details are sketchy at this point).

Saturn Flexstreme Concept

Saturn is rapidly becoming the outlet for Opel cars in North America. Not only does the division sell the Vectra-based Aura, the Saturn Astra is a re-badged Opel Astra with mildly re-worked front and rear fascias to meet federal requirements.

If Saturn can re-badge a production car, why not re-badge a concept? Enter the Flexstreme. Originally introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September of 2007 as the Open Flexstreme, the Opel/Saturn is powered by an electric motor from a lithium-ion battery to give it a range of 34 miles. In addition, a 1.3 liter turbo-diesel engine generates additional electricity to extend the range an additional 410 miles. The Flexstreme’s real claim to fame, however, is a pair of Segway scooters resting in the cargo bay beneath the rear floor and accessed by lowering a ramp under the rear bumper.

2009 Saturn Vue Green Line 2 Mode

Try saying that five times in a row. It makes me long for the days when I could say that I owned a Buick Skylark. In any case, aside from the name, the Vue 2 Mode is expected to deliver a fuel economy improvement that is estimated to be 50% better than the non-hybrid Saturn VUE XR.

Hummer HX Concept

A collaborative design effort by three recent graduates of Detroit’s Center for Creative Studies, the HX represents a number of firsts for Hummer including a standard front-mounted winch, removable fender flares and a 3.6 liter V-6. Power from the Cadillac-sourced engine is delivered through a full-time all wheel drive system to each of the 35” wheels. Based on its size, the HX would compete in the same market segment as the Jeep Wrangler – a niche below the current Hummer lineup.

Saab 9-4X BioPower

From the country that brought us The Ice Hotel and knackebrod (crisp bread) comes the 9-4X BioPower. The 9-4X is powered by a 2.0 liter, turbocharged, direct injection 4-cylinder engine that produces 300 hp and 295 lb.-ft. of torque. With the ability to run on either gasoline or an E85 ethanol blend (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline); it features the XWD all-wheel-drive system recently launched in the 9-3. According to Saab Managing Director Jan Jonsson, the Concept “represents our commitment to take the Saab brand to new customer groups…”