Nissan Launches New Dualis Crossover in Japan

Nissan rolled out its new Dualis midsize crossover in Japan on Wednesday, with a relatively low price range of $16,080 to $19,970. The domestic debut of the Dualis follows the February launch of the model in Europe under the Qashqai name.

The company's home-market aspirations for sales volume are fairly modest. Nissan targets annual sales of 24,000 Dualis crossovers in Japan versus sales goals of about 106,000 vehicles in Europe. The midsize crossover will be launched in other markets, including Australia and South Africa, in the future.

The Dualis, which has the dimensions of a compact hatchback, gets a DOHC 2.0-liter inline-4 that delivers 140 horsepower and 147 pound-feet of torque. It is mated to the company's new continuously variable transmission with a six-speed manual shift mode. Four-wheel-drive models of the Dualis borrow the advanced all-mode 4x4 system featured on the Nissan X-Trail. Stability control is optional. Nissan said it used sophisticated Computation Fluid Dynamics analysis for the first time ever in designing the body of the Dualis. It resulted in a drag coefficient of 0.35, one of the lowest such figures for a vehicle in its class.

High-tech options include a sideview monitor that reduces blind spots and a rearview monitor.

The Euro-designed Dualis will be built in the U.K. and shipped to Japan.

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Mini carbon footprint

Mini is all set to launch a revised and super-economical Cooper D.

The new car replaces the just-introduced model and will be capable of 72.4mpg. It will have carbon dioxide emissions of just 104g/km, which is the same as a Toyota Prius.

The revised Cooper D arrives in August, and Mini reckons the model will do away with the need for hybrid power for some time to come.

The Cooper D will also feature other fuel-saving technology, including Auto Start-Stop, which cuts the engine when sitting at the lights and starts it again as soon as you want to pull away.

There's also a display to tell the driver when's the best time to change up a gear for maximum economy. Who says you can't be green and have fun at the same time?

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Buick Skylark for China in 2009

General Motors will launch a new Buick Skylark compact in China in 2009 that could be exported to the U.S. as a 2010 model.

The Skylark will replace the Daewoo-based Excelle in China and will be assembled by the Shanghai GM joint venture, Inside Line has learned.

GM also is considering whether to add another Chinese Buick, the new Australia-sourced Park Avenue sedan, to its U.S. lineup in 2009, supplier sources told IL.

The new Skylark is based on GM's Delta 2 global small-car architecture. It will share its underpinnings with the next-generation Chevrolet Cobalt, Opel Astra and Pontiac G6. A new Saab, the 9-1, will be based on the same platform, as will the next-generation Saturn Astra.

The current Buick Excelle that's built in China is a version of the Daewoo Lacetti that's also sold in North America as the Suzuki Forenza and in other overseas markets as the Chevrolet Optra. The next-generation Lacetti also is expected to shift to the Delta 2 platform in Korea.

The new Park Avenue is based on the Holden Statesman and goes on sale shortly in China. IL has learned that Buick's U.S. dealers have asked for the car in late 2008 as an '09 model. GM has tentative plans to assemble a redesigned Park Avenue, based on its Zeta rear-drive architecture, in North America in late 2010, alongside a new rear-drive Chevrolet Impala.

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2007 Mastretta MXT Prototype: more photos

(from Mastretta Design Press Release) Mexico City based TECNOIDEA, S.A DE C.V (www.mastrettadesign.com) has presented the first prototype of its new MASTRETTA MXT sports car.


The MXT is a two seat, mid engine sports car to be offered in local and international markets.

Developed in house by our design team, the MXT project has also benefited from of a two year collaboration program between our company and some prestigious engineering companies based in England and the USA.

The frame has specially developed aluminum extrusions with steel complementary subframes. The suspension uses unequal wishbones all around.

The body will be produced using closed mold, high quality fiberglass technology.

The engine and transaxle of the production car will come from a high volume manufacturer established in Mexico.

The car is now under final development and intensive testing program before presentation for Low Volume Type Approval for sales in Europe. In the U.S. market, the car will be initially offered as a component car with a “Track day “ version also offered by end of 2008.

Presentation to the market will be in December 2007 and production will start on January 2008.

First year production target is 150 units.

We are also in the process of creating a distribution network for U.S, Europe, Japan, and other international markets.

SPECIFICATIONS

Price: USD$ 55,000.00
Production: Jan 2008
Engine: L4, 2.3 liters, normally asp.
Weight: 970 Kg.
HP: 200
Top Speed: 230 Km/h
0 – 100 Km/h: 5.8 seconds
Brakes Vented Disc 11.75 inches, ABS

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Sportec Audi S3

Swiss tuning house Sportec is offering a new go-fast edition of the Audi S3, already a superb compact flyer.

Sportec takes the turbocharged 2.0-liter T-FSI engine, adds some software tweaks and nudges output from 265 to 300 horsepower, with torque climbing from 258 to 302 pound-feet. Top speed rises slightly, from 160 to 165 mph, while 0-60-mph acceleration time is trimmed by nearly a second, to just under 5.1 seconds.

Other enhancements include the addition of a stainless-steel sport exhaust system, high-performance brakes, coil-over suspension and a choice of either 18- or 19-inch alloy wheels, shod with Continental Pneus.

In addition to some subtle exterior mods, Sportec's package bundles aluminum pedals, a short-throw shifter and Alcantara upholstery.

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Hyundai QarmaQ

OK, so the jury is out on the looks of the Qarmaq, Hyundai's crossover coupe-SUV. Actually, that's not quite true. It looks a bit daft.

But the cartoonish looks mask a car that's chock-full of brilliant ideas.

Designed at Hyundai's Tech Centre in Germany in close conjunction with GE plastics, the QarmaQ has more than 30 advanced features that Hyundai says will be rolled out on its road cars from 2008 to 2014.

And number one of these is the car's bodyshell, made from the same PET plastic used for soft drink bottles - in fact, each car will re-use about 900 bottles that would otherwise become landfill.

Thanks to the use of a variety of plastics, including lightweight polycarbonate resin windows, the QarmaQ is 60kg lighter than it would be if it were built more conventionally.

And once its time is up, it should prove to be a cinch to recycle. Or even re-recycle.

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VW Proton Talks Sputter

The Malaysian government, which controls automaker Proton, said it will not provide a financial bailout for the struggling company, now that it appears discussions have broken off once again with Volkswagen.

Both VW and General Motors had expressed an interest in acquiring a stake in Proton, but neither automaker made an offer by the government's late-March deadline.

Instead, VW now appears to be looking at establishing a regional assembly facility in nearby Indonesia, according to government officials in Jakarta. Among the company's alternatives is a tie-up with a local assembly partner in Indonesia.

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kia picanto

When Kia takes the wraps off its face-lifted 2007 Picanto at the Salon Internacional del Automovil in Barcelona on June 7, it will show off a small car that appears to draw inspiration from such Japanese powerhouses as Scion. For starters, the redone Picanto pays more attention to amenities, with the addition of what Kia describes as "higher-quality audio equipment."

The Picanto — known as the Kia Morning in the home market — gets cosmetic upgrades for 2007, including a "more rounded and intimate" look, the automaker says. The '07 Picanto is 1.6 inches longer, although the wheelbase is unchanged at 93.3 inches. The Picanto now has a more snub-nosed appearance and a larger rear bumper. It also adopts the new "face of Kia," with a wider radiator grille with a black mesh background and twin horizontal chromed bars.

The Korean automaker's design teams in Europe and Korea are responsible for the new look of this A/B segment car. Kia noted that it plans to expand sales of the Picanto to 90,000 units annually over the next few years. The Picanto is bound for Europe and Korea, with no plans to sell it in the U.S., since it is considered to be too small for American tastes.

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Kit Heaven: Sebring International Exalt

Despite rumors of the demise of the British auto industry, you would not have felt a funereal attitude at Stoneleigh Park, south of Birmingham, this month. At a major kit-car confab, there was no shortage of small enterprises exhibiting their specialty cars, including plenty of Lotus Seven and Cobra replicas. One standout was the exotic Exalt Sebring International.

Sebring International offers high-quality replicas of the Austin-Healey 3000 in addition to being a dealership for used TVR sports cars. As is often the case, one of the company leaders had an idea on how to improve the looks of the classic 1960s roadster and set out to find the necessary bits and pieces. The result was the Exalt.

Classy touches include the rear lamps from the moribund Ford StreetKa roadster and a frog-eyed front that hints at Austin-Healey's other success story, the Sprite, which was nicknamed Frogeye.

So far only a non-running prototype exists, but reaction at the show convinced Sebring to make self-build kits available by year's end.

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Mitsubishi Delica D:5 Roadest

When they were still on relatively friendly terms, Mitsubishi and Chrysler discussed the possibility of sharing a version of the Dodge Caravan, much as Mitsubishi received its own version of the Dakota pickup.

It's probably a good thing the minivan deal never happened. We're even more convinced of that after seeing the latest version of Mitsubishi's home-market-only Delica van, dubbed D:5 Roadest (and, yes, there is only one T in the name).

When the redesigned Delica was unveiled last fall, it bore the unmistakable DNA of Mitsubishi's recent designs. Now, with the arrival of the Roadest, the humble family hauler also adds a hint of the Japanese automaker's performance chops.

Although the factory engines remain largely untouched, the Roadest features lower ride height, 17-inch wheels and tires, an aero body kit and choice of monochrome paint schemes. Prices range from $20,900 to $25,400.

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Land Rover

Put on the oven gloves: offsetting is a serious hot potato at the moment.

Basically, it's all about neutralising your carbon dioxide emissions. You do this by investing in something which reduces or avoids CO2 altogether, so that the amount saved offsets your original emissions.

Typical offsetting projects include persuading Eritreans to swap their open fires for charcoal stoves or, more commonly, converting to renewable energy sources and planting trees.

Trade in 'carbon credits' has become very brisk recently, each credit worth about the same as a tonne of carbon. Concerned pop stars like the Pet Shop Boys and Radiohead have been doing it for years; concerned car companies like Land Rover have recently realised that it might be the only way to avoid the mother of all PR disasters as the anti-4x4 lobby becomes more militant.

The 'carbon economy' is growing rapidly: by 2009 it's expected to exceed £300m globally.

Yet critics doubt its effectiveness, and claim it's just a cop-out for big business. Kevin Anderson, a climate change research scientist, told The Guardian, "Offsetting is a dangerous delaying technique. If we had gone to the limit of what we can do in our own lives then it would be a route to go down, but we've not even started to make changes to our behaviour."

Mike Mason, founder of Climate Care, the carbon offset organisation working with Land Rover, disagrees. "We've all got to climb Mount Climate Change and the greenies would like us all to put on our crampons and ice axes and go straight up the north face."

In other words, at least we're starting somewhere.

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2008 Ford F-250/350 Harley-Davidson Edition

On the heels of the official introduction of the 2007 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson edition earlier this week, photographers have spied the 2008 Ford F-250 Super Duty Harley-Davidson out testing.

While the F-150 Harley-Davidson was coated in purple paint, the future Super Duty Harley-Davidson truck gets a black-and-copper paint scheme all around. Copper-colored lower rocker panels continue around the rear wheel well to wrap the rear bumper, and copper-colored seat inserts and trim panels dress up the big truck's interior.

Harley-Davidson badges are visible from every exterior angle, including the center caps of the large black-and-chrome wheels. Harley badges also adorn the F-250's front seats.

The blacked-out grille forgoes the Super Duty embossing found on regular models, and Ford has added horizontal chrome strips within the grille frame. Revised headlamps flank the sides, and a new Ford oval is upsized with an extra chrome ring.

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Ford Nucleon

Ah, the heady innocence of the 1950s. An era when nuclear power wasn't a dirty word that conjured up images of glowing sheep and barren landscapes. Or Wales, as it's better known.

No, the world of the 1950s was all aquiver at the seemingly limitless prospects of atomic energy. From trains to wristwatches, everything was going to be powered by the glorious, clean - and cheap - power of fission.

Including cars. In 1957, Ford came up with this: the Nucleon concept. With a design that looks sleek and futuristic - albeit a trifle weird - even now, the Nucleon was the most ambitious project ever to come out of Ford's development stable.

Ambitious because it was powered by a small nuclear reactor strung between the rear wheels. The setup was, in principle, the same as that of a nuclear submarine - only much smaller. It would use uranium fission to convert water into high-pressure steam, which would drive a set of turbines.

Then the steam would condense back into water, and sent back to the steam generator in a closed system - allowing the reactor to keep producing power for as long as active nuclear material remained.

And when it ran out - after 5,000 miles or so, calculated Ford's engineers - the nuclear reactor would simply be changed at a roadside nuclear station. Which would be common, obviously. Best of all, you could choose a reactor based on your personal needs - efficient and long-lasting or as powerful as, erm, a nuclear explosion.

A nifty theory, but one that never took off. Unsurprisingly, really, because the public's nuclear bubble burst (or rather exploded messily) and the risks of driving bumper-to-bumper with other radioactive cars sank in. And so, predictably, the project was shelved.

But nuclear-powered cars might be back on the agenda. A senior analyst at JP Morgan recently predicted that nuclear-fuelled hydrogen might provide the next generation of cars with power, and several of the oil giants have confirmed their interest in nuclear technologies.

Yes, the worries of safety remain, but Tony Blair has admitted this week that nuclear is going to play a big part in powering Britain's future.

Powering its cars too? Ford's engineers might not nave been so far off the mark.

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Nissan Mulls Altima Convertible

Nissan is looking to pry open niches using existing hardware, and the four-place convertible market might be next in the company's sights if it green-lights the idea of an Altima convertible. In creating the Altima coupe, Nissan studied markets into which it could expand its midsize sedan, examining segments such as station wagons before deciding that a coupe was the way to go.

Much of the rationale that precipitated the coupe's development applies also to the idea of a convertible, and with the coupe already in place, most of the heavy lifting has been done. The question now is whether a drop-top Altima will be approved by Nissan's product planners. "Wouldn't that be great?" enthused Sean Blankenship, senior manager of Nissan marketing. "I'd love that."

Just as the company contemplated its options before building the coupe, Nissan is again considering possibilities. "We are studying a number of possible variants," Blankenship acknowledged.

In building the coupe, Nissan sought to give the company and the Altima family a halo car that would enhance consumers' perception of Nissan as a company with sporty products. With a body using entirely unique panels — except the hood, which is shared with the Altima sedan — and riding on a shortened platform, the coupe has the stance and lines of a "true coupe," which was Nissan's goal for the car. With that engineering work already done and the sheet metal created, a convertible is tantalizingly within reach.

In the segment, an Altima convertible would face many of the same competitors it is challenging in the coupe market. In fact, the company attributes the decline of the coupe market to customer fatigue with the aged products in the segment, and not to a decline in interest in coupes.

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2007 Hamann Ferrari F430 Spider

2007 Hamann Ferrari F430 Spider

Specifications:

Engine: 4.3 liter V8
Weight: approximately 3351 lbs
Aspiration: natural
HP :538 hp
HP/Weight: approximately 6.2 lbs per liter
HP/Liter: 125 hp per liter

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Jeep Jumps the Gun on SEMA With Two Concepts

In a bid to grab some SEMA glory well ahead of schedule, Jeep rolled out two of its entries this week for the fall show: the Jeep Wrangler JT and the Jeep Wrangler Ultimate.

The Jeep Wrangler JT, a product of the company's specialty concept design team, is tricked out with a 5-foot pickup bed, a removable hardtop and whopping 35-inch BFGoodrich Mud Terrain tires. Off-road enhancements include a 3-inch suspension lift by Superlift, a Mopar rear bumper and rock rails, and a new Ramsey 9500 UT winch.

The chrome-heavy Jeep Wrangler Ultimate is described by its creators as "the best off-road machine ever offered by Jeep." Chrome touches are bountiful and include the fuel-filler door, taillamp guards, tubular side steps, exterior mirrors, tow hooks, door handles, hood hinges and fascia overlays. The Wrangler Ultimate gets an all-new exterior color: liquid charcoal pearlcoat. The suspension gets a 3-inch lift and 35-inch BFGoodrich Mud Terrain tires mounted on custom 18-inch wheels.

The cabin of the Wrangler Ultimate takes its cues from sports bags and accessories. Materials include orange mesh fabric and dark slate gray napa/Province leather with black leather baseball-style stitching.

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Volkswagen Golf Plus Dune

Summer must be on the way, for the rough-and-tumble faux offroaders are out in force.

Following the Renault Scenic Conquest and the Seat Altea Freetrack to the plastic body panel party is Volkswagen's effort: the Golf Plus Dune.

Yes, it's an ever-so-hardy variant of the Golf Plus, designed to appeal to people who like the countryside but wish it wasn't full of scary things like wasps and nettles.

Ticking the obligatory boxes, the Golf Plus Dune gets a raised ride height, plastic front and rear guards, silver roof rails and something worryingly described as 'durable plastic rubbing strips'. We're not even going to ask.

It's powered by VW's 1.9-litre turbodiesel, which will return a countryside-friendly 50.4mpg while reaching 62mph in a hedgehog-scaring 12.1 seconds.

Priced at £18,495, the Golf Plus Dune is to be strictly limited to a production run of 400 vehicles.

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Where's Our Astra TwinTop?

Saturn is getting a version of the Opel/Vauxhall Astra compact later this year. But one Astra model that won't be making the transatlantic crossing is the Astra TwinTop, a two-door retractable hardtop that's sold only in Europe.

Moreover, a few lucky British customers this summer will be able to buy an even more limited Vauxhall variant: the TwinTop Exclusiv Black.

Priced from $36,990, the Astra TwinTop Exclusiv Black is based on the range-topping Design trim level, adding black leather, heated seats, cruise control and custom 18-inch alloy wheels. Standard features that are carried over include an electronic stability program, piano-black trim, rain-sensitive wipers and automatic headlamps — and, of course, the retractable hardtop, which includes automatic rollover bars.

The limited model comes in either pearlescent Black Sapphire or Power Red and can be ordered with a choice of gasoline or diesel engines.

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2008 Volkswagen Golf GTI Pirelli: More photos

(from Volkswagen Press Release) The New Golf GTI Pirelli - Key Aspects

World premiere at Wurthersee: Comeback of the GTI Pirelli
Traction control: New Pirelli 18-inch wheels and size 225 P-Zero tires
Unique character: Seat and seatback surfaces of sports seats with tire tread design
Sports car engine: Golf GTI Pirelli has 230-PS engine from GTI Edition 30

Wolfsburg, 17 May 2007 - The Golf GTI Pirelli is back; a powerful, fast and very exclusive GTI. Volkswagen is continuing the history of one of the best known limited edition models in Europe. In May 1983, the “Original Pirelli” arrived on the market. It was based on the first generation, second series Golf GTI. A distinctive identifying feature: Specially designed alloy wheels with the “Pirelli P” on their outer edges. A remarkable 10,500 cars of the special model were built and sold within half a year. Then it was over – a limited edition! If there were an Automobile Hall of Fame for young-timers, the “Pirelli GTI”, as it was called by its fans, would have long held a place there.

The legendary tire tracks of the young-timer are now being extended by the new Golf GTI Pirelli. And indeed with completely new Pirelli high-performance tires too. They are wrapped around powerful 18-inch Pirelli wheels in Titanium look. The car’s interior has been upgraded with a partial-leather sports seat system that has an embedded tire tread pattern. Instead of the previous 112 PS the new car converts 230 PS into forward propulsion. If needed, a 245 km/h top speed is within the car’s capabilities. In 6.8 seconds the Turbo-FSI propels the GTI Pirelli to 100 km/h from a standstill.

The Golf GTI Pirelli, conceptualized by Volkswagen Individual, will be presented in a worldwide debut between May 16 and 20. The occasion and site of this premiere are a perfect fit: The international GTI Meeting at Wцrthersee, Austria. Production will begin in September.

Driving performance of the Golf GTI Pirelli.

A look at the numbers gives it away: 169 kW / 230 PS – those are the same performance values as the engine in the Golf GTI Edition 30 that arrived on the market in 2006 on the occasion of the GTI’s monumental birthday. The 200 PS of the “normal” GTI were boosted by one PS for each year since 1976. Now this “jubilee engine” is also powering the Golf GTI Pirelli. The sports car races to the 100 km/h mark in just 6.8 seconds. But it can go even faster: When the GTI Pirelli is ordered with the optional DSG dual clutch transmission, the most powerful GTI of all times breaks through the magic “sound barrier” in 6.6 seconds. The GTI philosophy of agility is accompanied by the efficiency with which this Turbo-FSI goes to work: 8.2 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers, or 7.9 liters with DSG, are evidence of the virtuosity with which Volks­wagen masters the keyboard of engine building.

Tires and wheels of the Golf GTI Pirelli.

“Power is nothing without control”, says Pirelli. Volkswagen sees it this way too. Chassis, brakes and ESP combine for a well-balanced safety package that can even perform masterfully on the North Loop of the Nuremburg Ring track. But things do not really get rounded out until the tires come into play. That is why Pirelli is contributing a new high-performance tire to the project: The latest generation of P-Zero tires. The material mixture and tread pattern of the 225/40 P-Zero were designed to benefit handling, braking, ride comfort and aquaplaning properties.

As in 1983, the tires are wrapped around Pirelli alloy wheels. They are coated with a Titanium-colored paint. The manufacturer interprets the visual effect of the five spokes as an homage to the wheels of the first Pirelli GTI. They had openings in the form of a P for Pirelli on their outer edges. This P is also found in the new wheel design – but in this case it is reflected: In the rim flange. However, there are worlds of difference between the dimensions of the two types of alloy wheels: They are 7.5x18 inch today, but were 6x14 inch back then.

Body of the Golf GTI Pirelli

Bumpers and side skirts painted entirely in car color visually set the Golf GTI Pirelli apart from the 200-PS GTI. Recall that on this classic GTI, introduced at the end of 2004, the spoiler in front, the lower bumper section in the rear, and the skirt between the wheel housings on the sides were in black.

Similar to the GTI Edition 30, a plate with the Pirelli signature on the right side of the tailgate is a reference to this exclusive Golf GTI. In its side profile, the new car has standard tinted rear windows and another Pirelli signature can be seen here on the C-pillar of each side. Designers coordinated the color of the signature to the body paint color. Four of these are offered on the Golf GTI Pirelli. If “Blue graphite” or “Black magic pearl” is selected, the Pirelli signature is in silver. If the GTI – available as a two-door or four-door – is ordered in “Sunflower” or “Reflex silver”, there is a black signature. “Sunflower” – a bright yellow – was created especially for this GTI. So if you look in your rearview mirror this coming fall and see something yellow with a black radiator grille growing larger very quickly, it can only be one thing: The Golf GTI Pirelli.

Interior of the Golf GTI Pirelli.

Just as distinctively as on the GTI Edition 30, the GTI Pirelli stands out from the rest of the model series with its refined interior. Take the example of the sports seating system: The standard GTI seats developed by Volkswagen Individual were upgraded to perfectly customize them for the GTI Pirelli: The anthracite colored lateral supports, seatbacks, head restraints and center armrests are upholstered in leather (“Vienna” type); yellow decorative seams provide a fine visual contrast. But the real highlight is the center seat panels. They are not made of the usual GTI “Interlagos” diamond pattern, rather of a breathable and very luxurious microfiber from the Italian producer Miko (“Dinamica” type): The tire tread pattern is embedded in the microfibers, which also sport the anthracite color. There is yet another accent in the front head restraints. Where the “GTI” letters are usually found, in this car the lettering is “Pirelli” throughout.

“Pirelli” equipment features also include heated seats, electrically adjustable lumbar supports in front, and all-leather center armrest in the rear. Under its counterpart in front, there is a storage bin that may be used optionally to house a CD-changer or MP3 player.

The leather sports steering wheel and parking brake grip have been retooled to match the top sports seats: They also have decorative yellow seams. In addition, the steering wheel with ergonomic hand recesses and perforated leather here support a sporty driving style. The vertical spoke of the steering wheel has a metallic Pirelli emblem as an accent.

Engine of the Golf GTI Pirelli.

It was 25 years ago when Volkswagen first introduced the era of downsizing on its first turbo-diesel. Of course, the Turbo-FSI on the GTI is technically unrelated to a turbo-diesel, but they have the principle of downsizing in common – in both cases engine displacement is replaced by engine charging. Approximately one decade after the first turbo-diesel, the direct-injection TDI followed. This engine extended the principle of downsizing to include the aspect of direct injection. This mix of technologies yielded lower fuel consumption and emissions, and more torque and power. On the Golf GTI, Volkswagen has transferred its 2004 downsizing concept to a powerful gasoline engine for the first time; its use of a turbocharger with intercooler plus direct injection brings fuel economy and sportiness in greater harmony than ever. The proof of this is measurable: The 147 kW / 200 PS and 280 Newton-meter strong Turbo-FSI of the “normal” GTI attains a top speed of 235 km/h and takes 7.2 seconds for the sprint to 100 km/h. Average fuel consumption: Exceptionally low for a sports car at 8.0 liters per 100 kilometers. If the GTI is shifted by DSG, fuel consumption is reduced to 7.9 liters.

The Golf GTI Pirelli is proof today of the potential in combining gasoline direct injection and charging. Its turbocharged direct-injection gasoline engine is currently the most powerful four cylinder engine from Volkswagen. This front-mounted transverse engine is shifted by a standard manual six-speed gearbox. The 16-valve four cylinder with 1,984 cm3 displacement outputs its maximum power of 169 kW / 230 PS at 5,500 rpm. Its maximum torque of 300 Newton-meters is available over a large speed window – from 2,200 to 5,200 rpm. Nothing is more befitting a sports car than this sort of torque characteristic.

And the efficiency of the charged VW direct injection gasoline engine is measurable here too. In spite of an extra 30 PS, 20 Newton-meters and 10 km/h top speed, compared to the 200-PS version the manually shifted Golf GTI Pirelli consumes just 0.2 liters more fuel per 100 kilometers. When shifted by a DSG dual clutch transmission, its fuel consumption is even identical at 7.9 liters per 100 kilometers!

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Morgan Lifecar

The development of green technologies seems to be mirroring the development of the car industry as a whole: the Japanese boldly leading the way; Americans following with a slightly confused look on their faces.

But fear not, Brits, for we're in on the green game too, in our own small and defiantly eccentric manner.

This odd-looking specimen is the Morgan LIFEcar. That's LIFEcar for Lighweight Fuel Efficient car (see what they did there?), the product of a £1.9 million collaboration between Morgan and a range of British companies.

Part-funded by the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI), the LIFECAR is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell built by defence experts QinetiQ.

The advantages of fuel cells are well-known - they're clean, quiet and only emit water - but so are the disadvantages, with critics citing their weight and cost of production.

But Morgan reckons that the fuel cell used in the LIFEcar could change all that. The cells powers four electric motors - one in each wheel - and needs only produce 24kW to power the vehicle, compared to around 85kW from most competitors' vehicles.

This efficiency has been achieved through regeneration of surplus energy and keeping the LIFEcar - which is based on the Aero 8's chassis - as lightweight as possible.

"LIFECar is about catching the first big wave in the energy revolution, which is set to transform the motoring industry in the same way that the computer industry was transformed by the PC decades ago," says Ian Whiting of Qinetiq.

A noble aim indeed, but one which should be taken with a pinch of salt - especially when Charles Morgan describes the LIFEcar as "beautiful".

We'll back loony Britishness to the hilt, Charles, but let's have at least a pinch of realism in here. The LIFEcar looks like a misshapen shoe. Green it may be, but sexy it ain't.

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