China-based Foton Motors and Texas-based Freescale Semiconductor will combine their collective knowledge to open the Foton-Freescale Automotive Joint Lab. The lab will focus on developing software and system-level solutions for use in upcoming Foton vehicles. Both companies will collaboratively work towards developing relevant electronic control technology for applications that included hybrids and electric vehicles (EVs). By focusing on electronics and, more specifically, on software development, the Joint Lab hopes to introduce technology that can reduce vehicle emissions while also increasing the “economic performance and comfort of vehicles.”

Speaking on behalf of Foton Motors, Wu Xeubin, the company’s vice president and director of engineering research said:

Foton Motor has been committed to promoting energy and environmental technology in the automotive industry, and has proved continuous breakthroughs in new energy-driven vehicles over the past years. The opening of the joint lab will provide wings for Foton Motor products to fly into a promising future.

Wings and flying? We’re not exactly sure what this statement implies, but it seems that the Joint Lab will be trying to help Foton Motors reach new heights.

[Source: Freescale Semiconductor]

Continue reading Foton Motors, Freescale Semiconductor to create joint lab for hybrid, EV development

Foton Motors, Freescale Semiconductor to create joint lab for hybrid, EV development originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 12:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well, this is certainly different. We’ve seen our fair share of wild vehicle modifications over the years, but this one takes the cake as one of the most imaginative. If the YouTube description is any sort of indication, this craft was hewn just for Sheik Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Nahyan as his personal toy. Near as we can tell, the guy liked the side-mount spare tire carriers on classic vehicles from the ’30s, but wanted to be able to deploy them without having to actually get out and spin a lug nut. The solution was found in the miracle (or curse) of hydraulics.

Let’s just do the world a favor and make sure this doesn’t evolve into a trend. We’ve already had terrible visions of a future SEMA show with row upon row of six-wheeled, white-wall wearing Honda Civics. If you’re brave enough, you can hit the jump to see the Nissan-based for yourself. Just don’t show anyone else.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Sheik’s custom six-wheeled Nissan SUV is a thing that makes us go ‘Hmmm’

Video: Sheik’s custom six-wheeled Nissan SUV is a thing that makes us go ‘Hmmm’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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General Motors will be expanding Chevrolet of Europe’s lineup by adding a five-door Cruze, and while we won’t get our first look at this new hatchback for a few weeks, GM has decided to preview it early with a few pictures on the web. Sure to be one of the major draws at the Paris Motor Show in just a few weeks, the liftback ought to compete nicely with the 2012 Ford Focus five-door, but don’t expect GM to offer the more functional Cruze in the United States. “Americans don’t like hatchbacks,” remember?

Much like the Aveo RS and Buick Regal GS from this year’s Detroit Auto Show, GM calls the Cruze hatchback a “show car,” but in this case, that means that it’s somewhere between the stages of concept and prototype. Don’t expect the body to change, but we can easily see the front LED light bar and larger wheels being scrapped for the sake of cost-cutting.

Chevrolet says it will begin selling the Cruze hatchback across Europe in mid-2011 and pricing will be announced closer to the model’s on-sale date. Follow the jump for the full details in GM’s press release. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Paris Preview: GM unveils Chevrolet Cruze hatchback for Europe

Paris Preview: GM unveils Chevrolet Cruze hatchback for Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve obviously laid eyes on the Mitsubishi i-MiEV on numerous occasions, but the modified Euro-spec version has remained unseen. That is, until now. If you gander at the image above you may notice the slight tweaks that differentiate the Euro-spec i-MiEV from its Japanese counterpart. What, you can’t see the differences? Okay, well maybe a long, drawn-out stare will lead you to discover that this Euro-spec models sports revised front and rear bumpers that meet EU regulations. Those revised bumpers are the only exterior changes that are required to make the i-MiEV Euro-ready and the only tweaks that you will find on the outside.

Turning out attention to the interior, the Euro-spec i-MiEV features a re-arranged center stack in the instrument panel and, according to Mitsubishi, improved passenger comfort. On the safety front, all Euro-spec i-MiEVs feature a stability control system and side curtain airbags as standard equipment. Pricing for the European i-MiEV will vary by country, but its expected to cost under €35,000 ($44,400 U.S. at the current exchange rate) in all 14 European countries that Mitsubishi targets for sales. Hit the jump for more on the Euro-spec i-MiEV.

[Source: Mitsubishi Motors]

Continue reading Paris Preview: Mitsubishi to debut Euro-spec i-MiEV

Paris Preview: Mitsubishi to debut Euro-spec i-MiEV originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daihatsu has announced plans to recalling over 500,000 vehicles in Japan due to taillight lenses that can fade over time. The lenses, originally orange, will bleach white with exposure to the sun, leading to a potential safety risk. As a result, Daihatsu is recalling a total of 435,423 Move hatchbacks built between 1995 and 2000, as well as 145,769 Mira models manufactured from 1998 to 2000. Both vehicles fall into Japans micro-car category and are powered by fuel-thrifty .66-liter engines.

The company plans to fix the issue by installing orange bulbs in the vehicles instead of the white ones that came from the factory.

Daihatsu is owned by Toyota, and the company produces a number of small vehicles for the manufacturing giant. While not as crippling as some of the other issues Toyota has had this year, the Daihatsu does add to the 11 million recalled Toyota and Lexus vehicles recalled since fall of last year.

[Source: Automotive News]

Report: Toyota’s Daihatsu recalls over 500,000 minicars over… fading taillamps? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When it comes to designing an MPV, it’s difficult to move beyond the standard two-box form. That’s where Hyundai’s “fluidic sculpture” design language comes into play. Penned by the automaker’s European R&D studio in Rüsselsheim, Germany and set to debut at Paris Motor Show at the end of the month, the ix20 attempts to add a level of style to the utilitarian MPV segment.

There’s no word on an engine or output, but Hyundai says the soiree in Paris will have a heavy focus on the brand’s BlueDrive drivetrains, and joining the ix20 on stage will be a refreshed i10 city car, complete with a new 1.0-liter engine. Full details in the press blast after the break.

Continue reading Paris Preview: Hyundai ix20 MPV sketched

Paris Preview: Hyundai ix20 MPV sketched originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One month of dreary sales does not spell the end of the hybrid, but the numbers reported for August do hint that without a rise in gas prices, sales of hybrid cars and trucks will likely continue to suffer. As a whole, hybrid sales dropped 40.4 percent this August compared to a year ago and even the industry’s volume leader, the Toyota Prius, didn’t escape from posting plunging sales results. Sales of the Prius plummeted 37.5 percent from August 2009 and dropped off 16.3 percent compared to July’s posted numbers. Combined, Toyota and Lexus witnessed a 36.2 percent decline from a year ago, while Ford fared better by posting a 17.1 percent drop in year-over-year numbers.

In all fairness, hybrid sales were boosted last August by the government’s Cash for Clunkers program, but this summer’s low gas prices continue to bear the burden of the blame for the hybrid fall out. Toyota remains in the number one spot and posted 15,444 sales last month. Ford sits in second place and moved 3,894 hybrid vehicles off dealer lots in August while Honda holds onto third with 3,485 sales. It’s getting redundant, but Toyota still leads the hybrid market. Anyone want to make bets on when that will change?

[Source: Green Car Advisor, Autoblog]

Hybrid sales drop off for August; even Prius records a 37.5% decline originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a recall on two Kia vehicles – the 2010 Soul and 2011 Sorento – to replace interior lighting wiring harnesses. These faulty units, supplied by JCI, can apparently cause an electrical short resulting in a fire. This recall affects 35,185 vehicles manufactured between September 7, 2009 and July 30, 2010.

In the Soul, the wiring harnesses in question are located in the front doors and control the funky accent illumination in the speakers. The Sorento has similar problems, but these wires power the lighting in both the front and rear door trim panels.

The full recall is expected to begin within the coming weeks and dealers will inspect and fix the faulty wiring harnesses free of charge. Hit the jump for the full information from NHTSA.

Photos Copyright (C)2010 John Neff and Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading Kia recalling Soul, Sorento over wiring faults

Kia recalling Soul, Sorento over wiring faults originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With the Paris Motor Show a mere month away, automakers from around the globe are unleashing a barrage of teasers and rumors that hint to what will be on display. According to Auto Express, Jaguar is the latest company to let slip what it has planned. The murky report says the Leaping Cat will pull the covers off of an XK-sized sports car inspired by the Porsche 918. While that likely means the concept will boast a fantastical hybrid drivetrain with more torque than sense, it doesn’t mean that Tata is going to fast-track this car for production. Auto Express says the car is more to flex the company’s styling muscles than anything else.

While that means we likely won’t be seeing another sultry two-door in the Jaguar stable any time soon, the new concept will give us some insight into what’s coming down the pike in terms of Jaguar design. That may include some new, oblong grille language to replace the slinky oval of the E-Types of old. Supposedly the company’s designers are having a hard time maintaining the oval grille’s proportions on the company’s new widebody platforms.

[Source: Auto Express | Image: Zach Bowman / Copyright (C)2010 AOL]

Report: Jaguar sports car concept bound for Paris originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Audi A3 TDI is typical of the clean diesel breed. It offers impressive low-end torque, belches out little in the emissions category and scores on the efficiency chart. The A3 also coddles both the driver and passengers with near-luxury levels of standard and optional equipment. It’s small enough to allow for easy maneuverability, yet sized just right to allow ample space for four adults. With so many stellar attributes packed into a single automobile, Green Car Journal decided that the Audi A3 TDI was worthy of the honor of 2010 Green Car of the Year and decided to acquire a long-term A3 TDI in hopes that a more rigorous round of testing would show if this clean diesel was indeed worthy of the award.

Six months and 5,000 miles later, the verdict is in and Green Car Journal proclaims that the A3 TDI does so many things right that it’s difficult to find a single flaw. Regarding that clean diesel engine, Green Car Journal writes:

Drop the S-Tronic dual-clutch automatic in ‘drive’ and press on the accelerator, and you’re treated to a burst of low-end torque that presses you back in the seat, courtesy of this TDI engine’s 236 lb-ft torque at the ready from just 1750 rpm.

The journal sums up the overall experience this way:

Six months of seat time in Audi’s 2010 A3 TDI have done nothing but affirm the obvious value of this model. This sharp, luxury-leaning sportback typifies the clean diesel breed with its low emissions and impressive fuel efficiency – an EPA estimated 42 mpg on the highway…and better from our experience – while endearing drivers and passengers to the brand. There’s simply a lot to like about this car.

Green Car Journal points out that the TDI-equipped A3, with an MSRP of $29,950, is not one of the cheapest clean diesels available, but being an Audi, its high price is justified, right?

[Source: Green Car Journal]

Six months spent in Audi’s A3 TDI is nothing but pure delight originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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