First Ferrari hybrid on sale 2015, following government pressure
Ferrari could put a hybrid car on the market by 2015, according to the automaker’s CEO and GM Amedeo Felisa. In an interview with Autocar, Felisa says that either European Union or Italian environmental regulations could force the company to put a hybrid up for sale.
However, Felisa comes off as defensive in the interview, saying he does not see the point in Ferrari being forced to comply with lowered emissions rules. “The issue of emissions for Ferrari is more a political one than real one,” Felisa said.
“Lowering emissions of every Ferrari will not save the planet, but it will cost us a lot of money.”
Currently, Ferrari is only exploring hybrid powertrains to reduce emissions within the next ten years. The company has not ruled out the eventual use of hydrogen.
2010 New York Auto Show Live:2011 Kia Optima introduced with DI, turbo and hybrid
At the New York Auto Show today, Kia officially introduced its new 2011 Optima mid-size sedan and, as we expected, it shares much with the recently launched Hyundai Sonata. In spite of the same wheelbase and almost identical dimensions, however, this is no case of badge engineering. The Optima has completely different styling from its corporate sibling with a crisp, modern look that is in keeping with other recent Kia introductions.
What it does share with the Hyundai is its complete powertrain lineup, including a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter Theta II inline-four, a turbocharged 2.0-liter version of the same engine and the new 2.4-liter hybrid powertrain. The latter two configurations were both announced by Hyundai yesterday for the Sonata. Each of the engines features direct injection and variable valve timing with the non-hybrids being rated at 200 and 274 horsepower, respectively. All the powertrains are mated to six-speed transmissions, with the base model being available with a manual and the others being all automatic.
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New York 2010 Live: Second generation Volkswagen Touareg makes U.S. debut, Hybrid too
Volkswagen has just unveiled its 2011 Touareg for the first time in the States, giving us Americans a chance to see the slimmed down SUV and its hybrid sibling that we first saw at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month. This second generation Touareg will still have a diesel option, but for those who like to feel even better about themselves while they gently crush wildflowers in the Arctic National Preserve, there’s also a hybrid model offered for the first time in a VW SUV.The hybrid model gets a 3.0-liter, supercharged, direct injection V6 gasoline engine paired with an electric motor and eight-speed automatic transmission that help it to a mileage rating of 21 miles per gallon city and 25 highway. That V6-plus-electric-motor combo also combines for 375 horsepower and 428 lbs.-ft. of torque, allowing a healthy towing capacity of up to 7,700 pounds.
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2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid boasts luxury plus efficiency, but is it enough
Earlier this week we reported that Ford had plans to repurpose its very well-received hybrid powertrain in the Lincoln MKZ. Makes sense, right? Both the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan (sister cars of the MKZ) benefit from the fuel-sipping mill, and by adding a bit of electric power to the Lincoln lineup, Ford is hoping to attract more buyers into its luxury division’s showrooms. What’s more, since Lincoln vehicles carry higher price points than comparable Ford or Mercury products, the return on this hybrid investment means a larger profit margin for the automaker as a whole.
Well, now it’s official. For the 2011 model year, the Lincoln MKZ will offer the award-winning 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder gasoline/electric powertrain from the Fusion and Milan hybrids, good for up to 41 miles per gallon in the city. In doing this, Lincoln aims to compete directly with the recently introduced Lexus HS250h, and since the MKZ will net six more MPGs than the HS, it can safely take the title of most fuel-efficient luxury sedan in America. What’s more, the MKZ is slightly larger than the Lexus, and if Ford plays its cards right, we wouldn’t be surprised if the MKZ Hybrid is less expensive than the HS, as well.
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All-wheel-drive BMW Alpina B7 xDrive slated for New York debut
Next Wednesday at the New York Auto Show, Hyundai will unveil its first U.S. market hybrid model based on the just released Sonata sedan, which thoroughly impressed us during our recent review. Unlike the Fusion and Camry hybrids which are barely distinguishable from their conventional counterparts, the Sonata Hybrid gets a completely new front fascia. The new look adds a massive lower grille inspired by the Blue-Will Concept that shown at the Detroit Auto Show in January.
We believe the Sonata hybrid will retain the same 2.4-liter direct injected inline-four found in the sedans that are on sale now. However, it may be re-tuned to operate on the more efficient Atkinson cycle like other hybrids. Unlike the gas-electrics from Ford and Toyota, Hyundai’s system is expected to use a conventional six-speed automatic gearbox in conjunction with a 30 kilowatt electric motor.
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Report: Lincoln MKZ Hybrid will debut in New York Auto Show
When we take a hard look at the current Lincoln lineup, we see some issues. For starters, the Navigator, MKS, MKT, MKX and MKZ aren’t exactly setting the sales charts on fire. Come to think of it, we just listed the entire Lincoln lineup. Okay, so Ford’s luxury marquee can easily be likened to a well-heeled slice of Swiss cheese, but we have proof that The Blue Oval is trying to breath new life into the brand. We loved the MKT, the 2011 MKX looks extremely promising and it looks like the four-pointed star is getting into the hybrid business as well.
The Detroit News reports that Lincoln will debut a hybrid MKZ this week at the New York Auto Show. The MKZ will likely share the same powertrain as the Ford Fusion Hybrid; a 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle mill mated to an eCVT transmission, along with an electric motor drawing power from a 275-volt nickel metal hydride battery pack. The MKZ hybrid will be the first battery-assisted model in the Lincoln lineup, giving Ford a luxury hybrid competitor to the Lexus HS 250h.
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Categories: Auto Show, Ford, Hybrid, Lincoln, New York Auto Show Tags:
