Jonathon Ramsey
Etc., Green, Tech, Lifestyle

According to a study by the Energy Watch Group (EWG), all of you Mad Max fans out there might get the chance to live the movie if oil production continues to decline. The oil industry believes Earth’s oil reserves can last about another 42 years at current pumping rates. Energy Watch, basing its conclusions on actual rates of production, says that oil production has declined since 2006 and will continue to do so — by 2030, oil production could be half of what it is today.

The situation we’re headed for — and that some predict as soon as next year — is called “peak oil.” That means that although plenty of oil is still being pumped and sold, there isn’t enough of it to go around. And that means the possibility of “widespread blackouts, the virtual collapse of transportation infrastructure in industrialized countries and a shortage of petroleum-based chemical fertilizers necessary to grow most of our food.” And that means war, famine, pestilence, and hunger. A situation that is otherwise known as “deep doo-doo.”

Of course, the caveat to all of this is that no really knows how this is going to play out. Long-range predictions have a way of being false as often as they’re true (paperless office anyone?). We aren’t suggesting that EWG is wrong, and we aren’t saying that we don’t need to be a lot smarter about our resources… but a lot is going to change between now and 2030. Who knows — if a $30,000 Volt arrives in 2010, we could get another hundred years out of our oil supplies. Nevertheless, in case a Road Warrior future is in store, you might want to start practicing your lines now. Say it with us: You can run, but you can’t hide!

[Source: Green Daily]

Source: Will peak oil trigger Mad Max society?

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Dan Roth
Coupes, Etc., BMW

click above for more high-res pics of the BMW 135i

If you’re still frothing at the mouth for anything having to do with the new BMW 1-Series coupe, some new photos have found their way onto the internet. It’s still a 3-series that was left in the dryer too long, but the new shots show the car off in its best possible light. There’s been a lot of talk about the 135 being a return to the roots of what propelled BMW to such greatness, with alphanumerics like E30 M3 and 2002tii flying about. The 135i certainly holds its own stylistically, even if it is not possessed of the same delicacy of line as its forebears. The 135i appears hefty, like a block of dense marble carved by a skilled artisan, and when you get right down to it, that’s what it is. We’ve babbled enough, check out the gallery. Thanks for the tip, Horatiu!

[Source: edbmw]

Gallery: BMW 135i Official Shots

Source: Pics Aplenty: New official shots of the BMW 135i

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Xavier Navarro
Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Lotus, Middle East

Not long ago we Lotus’ plans to develop business in Saudi Arabia. Lotus Engineering and Mubadala Development Company have now announced a similar agreement in Abu Dhabi, the capitol of the United Arab Emirates.

As in the case of Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi is wondering what to do when they run out of oil to sell. As the announcement from the Lotus and Mubadala states, a company that reduces well-to-wheel CO₂ emissions can be a good idea for Abu Dhabi’s plans. The company will work with advanced lightweight materials and hybrid technologies

The press release states that this will support “Abu Dhabi’s low carbon footprint philosophy” and will “address the environmental imperatives facing the automotive industry globally.” You can read it after the jump.

[Source: Lotus]

Press Release

Agreement Encourages Technology Development in Abu Dhabi

Lotus Engineering and Mubadala Development Company (Mubadala) are pleased to announce the signing of a long-term Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The joint aim is to further enhance Abu Dhabi’s position at the forefront of environmentally orientated technologies and accelerate the development of its manufacturing and business infrastructure.

The agreement outlines the basis for a strategic relationship to discuss development inadvanced technological disciplines. Activities will be focussed on reducing ‘well to wheel’ CO2 emissions through the use of advanced lightweight materials and hybrid technologies, thus supporting Abu Dhabi’s low carbon footprint philosophy and addressing the environmental imperatives facing the automotive industry globally.

Potential investments in the future of the worldwide automotive and associated industries can harness Abu Dhabi’s abundant natural resources and further support the achievement of Mubadala’s key strategic objective of diversifying and developing the rapidly growing economy of Abu Dhabi.

Source: Lotus goes to Abu Dhabi on a eco-car business trip, finds Mubadala

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By Peter Nunn

TOKYO - Acura’s redesigned 2009 TSX sports sedan has broken cover, weeks ahead of its official intro at the New York International Auto Show.

In what’s shaping up to be a busy year for Acura, Honda’s premium brand, this new TSX announcement comes just days after the revised 2009 Acura RL flagship was unveiled at last week’s Chicago Auto Show. Acura has also said it will debut an all-new TL performance luxury sedan later year as Acura’s model lineup gets a substantial revamp.

Indeed, John Mendel, executive vice president of automobile operations for American Honda Motor Co., had promised last summer that 2008 would be the year of laying out Acura’s new direction.

TSX: Based on Japanese-Euro Accord

The TSX continues on as Acura’s compact, entry-level sedan and this keenly awaited 2009 version is set to go on sale in the U.S. as early as this spring.

Some might feel that, at first sight, it perhaps doesn’t look so hugely different from the car that’s been on sale in the U.S. since 2004, a model that’s garnered strong reviews for its fine enthusiast chassis and strong engine.

But look again, for this is a completely new package and though Acura at this point is being economical with details of what’s under hood, it’s no secret TSX design and engineering are tied in inextricably with that of the Japanese/European-market Accord.

In the grand scheme of things, Honda does two Accords. One ‘narrow body’ car for Japan and Europe. Then a ‘wider body’ model for North America with different looks.

So it goes that this 2009 TSX is closely linked to the new European Accord, which co-incidentally went live this week and will get its official launch party at the Geneva Salon in early March.

Though Europe’s new Accord comes in both sedan and wagon body styles (it will also sell in Japan from this fall), the TSX goes with only the sedan shape. But all models are built in Japan at Honda’s Sayama factory, and engines are exclusively four-cylinder

Some clues as to what drives the TSX can be gleaned from the European Accord’s spec with its new range of gas engines and one state-of-the-art new clean diesel.

Although the EU Accord kicks off with a new 2.0-liter i-VTEC engine developing 154 bhp, it would be a major surprise if the TSX didn’t get the stronger of the two gas engines, namely the 2.4-liter i-VTEC, essentially a heavily revised version of the outgoing TSX 2.4.

With higher compression, larger valves, revised valve timing and reduced exhaust-system pressures, it produces 148 bhp in Euro trim, but America’s may develop more.

Acura: Going Diesel vs. Hybrid

The real headliner, though, is the introduction of Honda’s second-generation 2.2-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel, a state-of-the-art, ultra-clean engine Honda has confirmed will launch in the U.S. in 2009 and seems all set to drop into this new TSX.

Dubbed i-DTEC, it’s said to be smoother, cleaner and even more refined than the acclaimed i-CTDi engine, Honda’s first diesel that’s sold exclusively in Europe to date. So clean, in fact, that the i-DTEC already meets America’s tough ‘Tier II Bin 5′ emission standards, Honda says, and the next stringent European benchmark — Euro 5 — as well.

True, the diesel won’t have the outright power of the gas 2.4 but if the European TDI is any guide, (it develops a massive 258 ft. lbs. at just 2,000 rpm) it will be in another league for torque. Both gas and diesels come with six-speed manual or five-speed auto boxes.

The big question mark with the diesel will likely be price. Diesels cost more to build and to buy, but offer excellent economy over time and distance. So the price premium needs to be weighed carefully. For fast, smooth-revving driveability, though, these latest-generation Euro diesels are simply a world away from all the clattery diesels of the past. And if gas prices keep rising, the eco-charms of Honda’s efficient new turbodiesel could suddenly win a whole lot of friends.

TSX’s Euro Style

Visually, the Acura TSX gets a different grille and set of wheels compared with Europe’s new Accord. Size, meantime, takes a sizeable leap upward, the new model being more than 2 inches longer and 3 inches wider, also sitting some quarter-inch lower.

Underneath the rakish new sheet metal lies a substantially more rigid platform with new front double-wishbone and rear multilink suspension

All along, the Acura TSX has been a worthy alternative to the benchmark BMW 3-Series, despite having ‘only’ four cylinders and front-wheel-drive.

So it’s no surprise Acura is rolling out a new one and like its European/Japanese Accord relation, it clearly packs a lot of promise.

Photos by Honda
1 - 2009 Acura TSX for the U.S.
2-3-4 - Honda Accord for Europe

Source: 2009 Acura TSX: European Flavored

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Simona Alina
Filed in: Bugatti | sedan | luxury cars | future cars

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Bugatti already announced there will be an even more powerful and expensive model than Veyron. It’s true this will be the Project Lydia, a 1175 hp supercar that will be priced at more than 2.5 million euro. But this won’t be the only big thing coming from Bugatti. We all know they like exclusive thing and want to have a world to say in the auto-industry. So why just the supercars world? After all there are a lot of people who would pay one million dollars to own a sedan for their family! Right, no? It seems this is what the company wants: a 950 hp, one million dollar sedan that will be launched in 2010. Competitors? None!

Our renderings is an old Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic combined with the EB118 and the EB218 Concepts. Both concepts were powered by a 18-cylinder engines. Of course the old and the concepts version needed to be adapted to real life!

More after the jump!

The 2010 Bugatti Sedan will be powered by a 8.0 liter engine -mounted up front- delivering 950 HP, just a little less than its 1000 HP Veyron mid-engined sibling.

The new model will have a coupe-like profile, similar to the Mercedes CLS-Class and Porsche Panamera. But, this extraordinary mix of a car and pure art will have a price that will only allow super-rich people to enjoy it: more than 1 million dollars.

Like the Veyron, the Sedan will be built in extra limited-edition. We presume same amount of units as the supercar.

Source: Bugatti Sedan

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GM’s global operations has just reported a record net loss of $38.7 billion ($42.84 AUD) for all of 2007.

Despite the enormous figure, CFO Fritz Henderson expects the company to be solidly profitable in North American by 2010 or 2011.

How does GM (North America) expect to become profitable? The company will begin by replacing older, high-cost workers with new workers who will essentially do the same jobs for less money (AWAs anyone?). GM will also hire these new workers with reduced health care benefits.

” In order to get North America sustainably profitable and generating cash, we need to win in the market and rein in costs, we need to step on the gas on how we are performing in the market.” Henderson said today

However the massive loses are a result of the way in which GM has calculated certain tax assets and the multi-billion dollar figure is not entirely accurate.

GM’s worldwide automotive operations were actually profitable last year, making $553 ($612 AUD) million, having lost $339 ($375 AUD) million in 2006.

Confusing figures aside, GM still lost money in North America. The company reported a pretax loss of $1.5 (1.66 AUD) billion for 2007. The U.S. government has acknowledged that GM’s losses show a weakening American auto industry, but one which would ultimately pull through the slump.

The old General’s Asia Pacific operations (including Holden in Australia) generated $425 ($470) million in profits for 2007.

Source: GM reports $42.84 billion loss in 2007

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Not many cars can claim to have given birth to two American small- and big-screen legends, but the Trans-Am can. Notorious for its use by The Bandit in the Smokey & The Bandit series of movies, the Trans-Am was also the original basis for Knight Rider’s KITT. Plans to revive the legendary nameplate alongside the new Camaro have been shot down, however. The cost of bringing the Trans-Am to market under the new fuel economy scheme just wouldn’t make sense, according to GM leaders.

News of the Trans-am’s demise comes from a conference GM held with its Buick, Pontiac and GMC dealers. Despite the Holden-sourced G8’s arrival at the brand, the high-performance, rear-driven revival of Pontiac is on hold thanks to the new CAFE standards. While it’s not exactly surprising considering the state of the economy and of the industry, it’s still disappointing to learn of Pontiac’s redirection. Although given the already haphazard alignment of Pontiac’s product line, taking away the clear goal of becoming GM’s performance division returns the brand to its rather useless position within the GM hierarchy.

One dealer at the meeting told Automotive News that the Trans-Am didn’t make it to market because “It would cost $200 million to bring out the vehicle.” That sounds like a rather steep pricetag for what would essentialy be a rebodied Camaro, so one has to wonder if that figure isn’t loaded with other considerations. Perhaps bringing the Trans-Am to the Pontiac line-up would have necessitated a new factory or updates to existing factories. Offsets in product lineup necessary to meet the CAFE standards coming in 2012 could also have increased the cost of bringing the Trans-Am to fruition.

Whatever the reason, we hate to see another potentially great car bite the dust before it sees the light of day.

Source: GM nixes the Trans-Am, but the G8 lives

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Sam Abuelsamid
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, GM

There are hundreds of engineers and technicians at both General Motors and its suppliers working feverishly to try and get the Volt into Chevrolet dealerships by late 2010 or early 2011. The company’s senior management all seem to be firmly committed to the project. Everyone I’ve spoken to at GM seems to believe that the carmaker’s long-term survival may hinge on the success of the Volt. But even with so many people behind it, this is in many ways just like any other new car program. There are time-lines and budgets to meet and a market must be shown to exist. Plenty of car programs have been killed when they were a lot further along than this one.

Does that mean that the Volt could still get killed before it lives? Of course it does. Is it likely to get killed? Probably not. A column in Automotive News outlines three of the possible culprits in the potential cancellation of the Volt. Physics is the obvious one, and perhaps least likely to be a factor. The technological challenges in guaranteeing the robustness of the battery pack are tough but appear to be surmountable. The other two are potentially more problematic. OPEC is one. At this point no one can say with any certainty what the price of oil will be in 2010. It could be $300/barrel or it could be $30/barrel. If our political “leaders” had the backbone to set a minimum price for petroleum that would help ensure a demand for efficient vehicles, this could easily be removed as a factor. Fat chance of that happening though. Perhaps the most troubling possibility is the owners of the company. As a public corporation GM has a fiduciary responsibility to earn a profit for its shareholders. If the new vehicle market in the U.S. tanks in the next few years, there is certainly a possibility that GM will not be able to afford the subsidies that will almost certainly be needed to make the Volt an affordable mainstream proposition in its early years of production. If that happens the Volt could either be priced out of the market or euthanised entirely. Any of these three scenarios are possible. All the fans of the Volt certainly hope they don’t come to pass.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. req’d]

Source: Could the new electric car get killed before it even hits the streets?

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Volkswagen USA announced today the launch of the 2008 Wolfsburg Edition Jetta that will be produced in approximately 12,500 units. Unlike the 2007 Wolfsburg Edition Jetta (pictured above), the 2008 model dumps the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-five for the GTI’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces 200 horsepower and 207 ft-lbs. of torque. -Continued

The special edition Jetta gets unique “Wolfsburg Edition” badging on both front quarter panels along with 17-inch alloy wheels and leatherette seats. It is available in the following color schemes; Reflex Silver, Black, Salsa Red, and Platinum Gray. Prices are set at $20,875 with a six-speed manual transmission, and $21,950 with the optional six-speed DSG automatic transmission.

Source: 2008 Volkswagen Wolsfburg Edition Jetta 2.0 Turbo

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A new aerodynamic body-styling kit for the Audi A3 8L is being put on the market as from today by the tuning specialist RDX RACEDESIGN Automotive, Germany. It brushes up the first-generation A3 with rejuvenating body-styling at the same time giving it a really sporty appearance.

The aerodynamic kit comprises a front bumper spoiler (299.- euros), intended for use with a single-frame grille. It can be combined with the original Audi grille for the A3/8P Sportback as well es with various other single-frame grilles* supplied by RDX RACEDESIGN. In addition it can also be used on vehicles with or without headlight washing systems. The final detail