The CarGurus Blog

If cars that fly through the air don’t move you, maybe you’ll go for a model with an air-powered engine. Indian automaker Tata Motors will build the predictably named “Air Car” and plans to have 6000 models driving around in India by 2008. Top speed will hit 68 mph and a fully powered engine will take you up to 125 miles.

So how does it work? Think of the new model as an electric car without the batteries. Compressed air powers the pistons in the 4 cylinder engine. Without relying on high-temperature combustion like traditional cars, engineers can utilize an aluminum powertrain that weighs less than half as much as a traditional engine. The net benefit comes in the emissions, which consist of warm air instead of noxious exhaust. Filling up should only set you back about $2. For an in-depth look at the mechanics and design, watch this YouTube video.

With releases planned in 12 more countries, will the Air Car ever make it to America? Probably not. The lightweight frame wouldn’t do well in U.S. crash tests. However, Air Car developer Guy Negre says that sometime in the not-so-distant future, we may see a gas-air hybrid that can go cross-country on one tank of gas. Until then, we’ll just have to wait and see whether the latest environmentally-friendly technology isn’t just blowing a lot of hot air.

- posted by Taeho Lim

This seems to be Dream Car Week here at the CarGurus blog (quite a change from last week’s hybrid and flex-fuel focus). My own wish-button was pushed by a press release I received about a Rolls-Royce gathering that marked the centenary of the luxury automaker’s Silver Ghost model.

According to DueMotori.com, sixty classic Silver Ghosts (and, of course, their owners) assembled at the Rolls plant in Goodwood for a 17-day tour of the United Kingdom in honor of the classic car’s 100th anniversary. The event was organized by the 20-Ghost Club, a group devoted to restoring and celebrating pre-war Rolls Royce cars.

You can see how a car this beautiful could become your passion, let alone your hobby. But the amazing thing (to me) about Rolls-Royce is that they still do make them like that. One of the advantages of the Rolls market niche is that their reputation and cachet allows them to charge premium prices, which in turn enables them to hand-craft their cars to an enduring standard of elegance.

The heir to the Silver Ghost legacy, the Phantom Drophead Coupe, has the same meticulous craftsmanship that made the Rolls Royce brand a synonym for luxury; when the 2008 Phantom Drophead Coupe was unveiled at this year’s Detroit Auto Show, gawkers and collectors alike were mesmerized. According to our friends at Autoblog.com, the first 2008 Phantom Drophead Coupe to be shipped to the US belongs to a Florida gentleman who paid $2 million for the privilege in a high-end charity auction (quite a premium over the 300,000-pound list price, but it’s for a good cause!

So one might ask: what does this have to do with the rest of us, who don’t have a couple of million to drop on a handmade Rolls? One lesson I think that the enduring success of Rolls Royce (now, of course, owned by BMW) can teach the auto industry as a whole is to build on strengths, and to incorporate history in a company’s future.

The British and European auto industries had to learn this tough lesson before the US auto industry, but the wake-up call is long overdue on this side of the Atlantic. The US isn’t going to be able to keep competing with Asian manufacturers (especially now that China has launched its automotive sector in a big way) on cost, volume, or efficiency.

What US carmakers can offer is a heritage of excellence, of powerful muscle cars and innovative, rugged trucks, of a century of redefining family transportation for the world. Ford’s revitalized collaboration with Carroll Shelby, the designer behind its classic Mustangs of the 1960s, is one positive step in this direction; I’d like to see more of this energy from GM, and perhaps the new management at Chrysler will be inspired by that brand’s past glories in creating its future. Let’s see what the next few years bring!

Admist all the automotive news about hybrids and compact SUVs and fuel-efficient engines and Smart cars no bigger than a size 11 shoe, there slip occasionally a few tasty tidbits about unabashed modern-day supercars. Admittedly some of these cars seem a little out of place in this day and age of soaring gas prices, but perhaps that’s what makes them so desirable. They’re sort of the bad boys of the automotive industry, and their numbers are small yet growing.

The newest addition to the 2008 lineup of multinational supercars is the Acura NSX, which hasn’t been seen on North American shores since 2005. By the time it dropped out of showrooms, the NSX had been around for 15 years and was showing signs of being dated. That’s not the case with the 2008 version, which has received a major makeover — and even that is a bit of an understatement.

Back in January, Honda unveiled the Acura Advanced Sports Car Concept (pictured above), which is generally accepted to be close to the final look for the 2008 NSX. And the changes between the old NSX and the new model are not only skin deep. The engine, for instance, will now be mounted under the front hood, rather than amidships. And the new NSX is expected to receive Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive, as well as a new V-10 engine.

The new NSX is currently ungoing testing, and a number of test cars have been captured by spycams. For the final version, though, we’ll have to wait until the Tokyo Motor Show this fall. But it looks like the new NSX will be well worth the wait.

We’ve all done it.  Stuck in a five mile-long traffic jam on a highway in sweltering heat, who hasn’t let their mind wander and imagine how wonderful it would be to lift right up and fly your car over the tired masses?  Maybe it’s the fact that the nicer weather has brought out more highway travelers, but I’ve decided to take a short break from land-based single-engine cars and indulge myself a bit in the ultimate concept car.  Forty years in the making and still only in a testing phase (tethered to a crane), orders are now being taking for the M400 Skycar.  That’s right, a flying car.  Looking more like the crude designs of little Anakin Skywalker’s pod racer than the sleek coupes in Minority Report, the Skycar is the brainchild of inventor Paul Moller, who first started designing his concepts back in the 1960s.

The “volantor” would be the first personal vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle — picture helicopter-like action, but without the propellers.  So long parallel parking!  Of course, flying cars have always captured our imagination, and even Henry Ford attempted to put the wings and engine of an airplane into a car, with little success.  In the 1950s, Moulton Taylor began work on the Aerocar, which nearly made it to production in the 1970s.  MIT is currently designing a prototype, still only in the model phase, called the Transition.  But the most likely candidate for actual production could be the Skycar.  Back in the 1960s, Paul Moller’s first flying machines, the XM-2 and XM-3, pretty much resembled flying saucers.  In the 1980s, his M200 actually took to the skies in several 50-foot flights, and was the predecessor to the M400.

The current M400 SkyCar looks is a four-seater “car” with four nacelles attached.  Nacelles are the airplane-like cylindrical housings for the engines and fans.  Each nacelle carries two Wankel rotary engines, for a total of eight.  Rotary engines are less complex (thus less chance for failure), lightweight, and can be used with a variety of fuel sources.  The prototype is designed to fit in a residential garage (the wings fold up), but, unlike your fastest Porsche, would likely peak around 275-375 mph and reach cruising altitudes of 20,000 feet.  A full tank of ethanol is predicted to take you 700 miles at 20 mpg.  It can even ride on the road for short distances, but only around 35 mph.

Will you need a pilot’s license?  At first, yes.  But Moller is designing the Skycar so everyday idiots who drive the streets eventually won’t have to take months and months of courses in aerodynamics.  A computer (plus a backup) will basically control everything via 24 microprocessors.  All the confusing dials, gauges, and controls of a regular airplane would be replaced with two handheld controls.  All the driver has to do is follow the directions given by the computer, which will sense positioning, direction, and location of other planes.  The eight engines mean there’s plenty of backup if one or two give out on you, and the entire Skycar gets its own parachute to help with landings in case of emergency.

All this might not be such a flight of fancy (sorry, couldn’t resist).  According to a 2005 60 Minutes report, NASA had apparently built a computer system that would work as a collison prevention and traffic control for these cars of the future, replacing those outdated systems called traffic lights. (The NASA program has since been discontinued).  Dubbed the Highway In the Sky, the computer aids the pilot-driver via a video screen that shows the plane’s position in a box.  Keep the plane in the box, and you’ll be OK. The computer does the rest.  Sound like a video game?  Exactly.  Meaning the current 10-and-unders and their children will take to it like, well, riding a bicycle. 

The price tag for your personal volantor?  A mere $500,000 to $1 million right now, but Moller hopes to get that down to under $100,000, about what you’d pay for a luxury automobile.  Moller envisions production models won’t be ready for at least ten years and would likely be initially used by police, border patrol, and emergency responders.  Ten years isn’t that far off from a Jetson-like era.  I wonder if they’ll all make that silly flying car noise too.

We’re very green this week at the CarGurus Blog, aren’t we?  One of the week’s biggest stories on the green automotive front was the announcement by New York’s Mayor Mike Bloomberg of a plan to turn all of New York’s yellow cabs green: by 2012, according to His Honor, all licensed taxicabs in New York will be hybrids.

Right now, says City Hall, 400 of New York’s taxis are hybrids.  Bloomberg’s plan, based in part on an earlier proposal by City Councilman David Yassky, would phase the environment-friendly new vehicles in over time, with a target of 1,000 hybrid cabs on the street by this October.  A headline-friendly appearance on NBC’s Today show, in which Bloomberg unveiled ten Ford Escape hybrids donated by Yahoo.com, launched the initiative.

Response to the initiative has been quite positive, with praise from the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers  as well as the American Lung Association of the City of New York, whose president, Louise Vetter, said “Putting more clean cabs on New York City streets is an important step in our fight to improve air quality.”

Hybrids are great choices for city taxicabs: they can idle on battery power, and use gas for higher-speed driving.  The gas/electric model is extremely well-suited for the stop-and-go nature of most taxi driving, especially in highly congested New York.  And the Ford Escape Hybrid is a roomy, comfortable SUV whose 36 city miles per gallon EPA rating is head and shoulders above the city’s existing taxi fleet.

But where is the hybrid sedan that’s going to replace the backbone of New York’s yellow cab infrastructure, the good old Ford Crown Victoria?  And while we’re thinking about the Crown Vic, wouldn’t a hybrid version of that sturdy warhorse make our cities’ police departments a lot greener?

The New York initiative is an important first step.  We’ll have to wait and see if the automotive industry–especially the beleaguered US automakers–take this nudge in the right direction.  And hybrids alone may not be the answer; by 2012, it may make more sense for a city’s taxi fleet to have a range of alternative-fuel vehicles, including rechargeables like the Chevy Volt and small runabouts like the SmartCar or the ZAP Zebra.  But for now, I’m looking forward to hailing a hybrid!

Want a chance to make history by driving the future?  As gas prices continue to balloon, the need for oil-independent fuel technology is no longer considered some sci-fi Asimovian fantasy, but an imminent real-world application.  GM has been developing its fourth generation hydrogen fuel cell technology and testing it on its Sequel Concept, set to come out sometime in 2012 once the system is perfected.  But as part of that development process, GM has announced it will real-world test the technology with 100 lucky consumers. 

The test vehicle will be a fully functional Chevrolet Equinox SUV, which will meet all safety standards and come fully equipped comparable to the gas-powered Equinox.  GM has announced it will put 100 of these Equinoxes on the road in late 2007, to be driven for three months by families, business people, and government officials alike.

The Equinox Fuel Cell, as it’s being called, will run entirely on a battery-powered motor that gets its juice from a combination of hydrogen fuel cells and regenerative braking.  Three tanks, containing a little over 9 pounds of hydrogen at 10,000 psi will deliver 97-hp and 236 lb-ft of torque for up to 200 miles.  With an extra 500 pounds added from the system, the weak power output is not impressive, struggling to make 0-60 in 12 seconds, but GM promises it will be able to start up in sub-freezing temperatures (a recent innovation).  To compensate for the extra heat put off, additional air intakes have been added, and four water vapor outlets replace the exhaust pipes.  Inside, special displays will show you fuel savings compared to the gas-powered Equinox, fuel-cell energy graphics, and inform you where to find the nearest “filling” station.

And that brings me to the drawbacks of this emerging technology.  How many hydrogen filling stations are there?  Two hundred miles on three tanks is only about three hours of driving, and does anybody out there know where you fill up on hydrogen?  I certainly don’t, and I’m not sure your average interstate rest stop employee will know what you’re asking for.  On a positive note in this ever-evolving technology, GM just reported that its Chevy Sequel concept recently completed a 300-mile trip on one tank of hydrogen.  Another sticking point is that the fuel cell life expires around 50,000 miles.  And though less pollution is created by emitting water vapors instead of carbon monoxide, the only way right now to make hydrogen is by cutting it out of natural gas and coal — whose extraction still releases pollutants into the air.

Still, every step in a direction away from oil is a positive one, and the fact that GM has production-ready vehicles set to test is an indication that an actual Sequel production car may be closer than we think.  If you’re interested in applying for the GM Equinox Fuel Cell program, you can go to its website and see if you’re eligible.  Applications will be sent out in June, and drivers must live in either New York City, Washington, D.C. or the Los Angeles area, so be prepared to get in line behind Schwarzenegger and Larry David.

More details in Car and Driver and Hydrogen Cars

As the previous entry intimated, the world’s #1 automaker maintains its global dominance on the strength of its top-notch sedans and innovative hybrids.  At the top of the lineup sits the Prius with its sleek design and industry-best 60 mpg on the highway and 51 in the city.  But just when you thought the news couldn’t get any better for Toyota, it turns out that the Japanese automaker has a 100 mpg Prius in the works for 2009. 

This potentially industry-altering development comes in response to Honda’s plans to develop a 2008 version of the Fit hybrid that would cost only $1700 more than the model’s gas-powered predecessor.  Toyota only recently ascended to the top of the automotive industry and won’t feel the same sense of entitlement that ultimately undermined the Big 3.

But forget about Honda for the moment.  Can anyone touch the Prius if Toyota’s development team executes the plan?  We’ve seen the Audi A2 and the Volkswagen Lupo get 80 mpg over in Europe and the Honda Insight gets 102 mpg in Japan.  However, those vehicles don’t meet U.S. emissions standards and no other domestic model has even approached triple digits.  With the increased emphasis on fuel-efficiency in today’s market, the 2009 Prius would break new automotive ground and effectively lap the competition.

In the end, we’ll have to wait and see if Toyota can make good on the buzz it just created.  100 mpg in Japan won’t necessarily equal 100 mpg in the U.S., especially with different testing standards and driving conditions in the two countries.  Hopefully for us, the 2009 Toyota Prius won’t lose anything in the translation when it hits our shores.

- posted by Taeho Lim

The 2008 Lexus LS600h and LS600hL luxury hybrid sedans officially went on sale in Japan on Thursday, May 17th, and will start showing up in showrooms in North America, Europe and Asia in the next month or two. Now that we’ve had our first real look at them, it’s clear they are truly the groundbreaking cars Toyota says they are, not only because of the technology under their sleek Black Opal Mica exteriors, but also because of their price tags — which come in at around $124,000. Obviously these are not cars for the masses, but they are an indication of the direction Toyota/Lexus is moving with its hybrid technology. To put it simply, Toyota is in this for the long haul, and expects to offer hybrid models at all price levels. It also plans to sell a lot of them, with sales of all hybrid models projected at a million cars by 2010, compared to about 300,000 sold last year.

So what do you get for that $124,000? Details were actually released about 18 months ago, and we reported on the LS hybrid last November. But a number of additional details have been released now that the production models are finally on sale. The LS600h (the “h” stands for hybrid) and the LS600hL (the “L” stands for long-wheel base) are powered by a 5.0-liter V8 engine and a permanent magnet electric motor, which together drive a full-time all-wheel-drive system. Horsepower is rated at 430, but all that power is produced with less gas and reduced carbon-dioxide emissions, compared to similarly rated cars. In fact, Toyota says CO2 emissions are about half that of a similarly performing luxury car with a comparable 6.0-liter engine. In addition, the LS models are built with a number of recyclable components and a reduced amount of toxic materials.

Inside is a leather-trimmed interior with real-wood trim and a black leather-trimmed instrument panel, a voice-activated navigation system with XM satellite radio, hand’s-free Park Assist, and a 19-speaker 450-watt Mark Levinson surround-sound stereo system. A premium rear-seat package with a fold-out table, DVD rear-seat entertainment system, and right rear-seat power recliner, massager, and leg-rest is also available. Outside are such features as LED headlights and 19-inch seven-spoke aluminum wheels.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as the 2008 Lexus LS models incorporate a long list of other high-tech and luxury features. If you’re a reader with deep pockets, no doubt you’ve already put your order in. The rest of us will have to make due with gawking at one as we pass it on the highway, and perhaps in time the technologies built into the new LS models will work their way down to less-expensive models we all can afford. And hey, there’s always the Prius.

It’s spring, and so a young woman’s fancy naturally turns to thoughts of…convertibles! And even though I’m not as young as I once was, the good news is that there are quite a few new, redesigned, and just generally super-cool convertibles out there for me to drool over.

My convertible-lust was first piqued by Royal Ford’s review of the redesigned Mazda Miata MX-5 in last week’s Boston Globe. I hadn’t seen the new Miata’s (optional) hardtop in action, and though it looks a bit weird (Ford describes it as a “Goldbergesque” contraption), it appears to work smoothly and make this zippy, sporty little convertible a year-round option for those of us who live in the Snow Zone. Best of all, the price for the most tricked-out MX-5, with all the options, is around $26,000: not super-cheap, but not bank-busting for what you get.

So this got me thinking. What other affordable convertible options are out there right now? Gen-Xers like me remember the dark, practically convertible-less days before the original Mazda Miata, when people who longed for the wind in their hair were doomed to spend their last dime on a pricey import or to nurse a vintage classic to health (again, often at the cost of that last dime).

Well, there’s some good news. Of course, if you’ve been lucky in the lottery/hedge fund/inheritance sweepstakes, the BMW Z4 Roadster or the Porsche Boxster are always an option. But for those of us trying to find top-down thrills on a budget, there are definitely some lower-priced choices. Even if we limit our options to American cars, there’s a wealth of good picks!

Pontiac’s G6 Convertible, alas, is still a work-in-progress. But the Pontiac Solstice, with a base price under $23,000, is already attracting a following. You’ll find Solstice owners celebrating their cool cars at SolsticeForum.com, with galleries of the sporty little roadster in action. Oh, it’s cute. And has plenty of power, to boot.

GM’s best-known convertibles, the Dodge Viper and Chevrolet Corvette, are fantastic cars, but sadly out of our price range. But if you want more oomph than the Solstice, but still want to keep your sticker under $30,000, be sure to check out the Saturn Sky, which reviewer Aaron Robinson called “a Corvette junior petite”.

Now, when you’re talking about affordable convertibles, you’ve got to mention the Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible. With a base price under $20,000 (!) it’s definitely the buy. Not everyone loves the Cruiser’s retro-styling, but I think the convertible version is probably the most attractive. And unlike the roadster-type convertibles, the Cruiser works for families.

Chrysler’s also got the Sebring and Crossfire, both with sticker prices under $30,000; let’s hope that the new management continues to offer this range of selections for convertible fans.

And what about Ford? Well, they have only one convertible, but heavens, it’s a beauty. The 2007 Ford Mustang, priced in the mid-twenties for the base model, is the original pony car. And the folks at Ford have had the good sense not to mess too much with Carroll Shelby’s vision for the ‘Stang. This year’s offerings (which include the Shelby GT500, successor to the Cobra, which I’ve already spotlighted here) are looking good, and reviewers and drivers alike are singing their praises. So what are any of us waiting for?

 
Hating to fall prey to trends or mass marketing techniques, I’m somewhat ashamed to say I’ve got a thing for the current crop of mini wagon/hatchbacks.  In my defense, I always loved the Honda Civic hatch (bring it back, please), so it’s not surprising that lately I find my wandering eyes settling lovingly on compact wagons such as the Mazda3 and the Pontiac Vibe.  Even the Matrix is starting to grow on me, and don’t get me started about my one true love, the Mini Cooper (and future Mini Traveler).  It’s not surprising, then, with the resurgence of these Volkswagen Rabbit-inspired cars that Audi, part of the Volkwagen group, is thinking about its own compact coupe wagon to compete with the likes of the BMW Mini.

The seeds of the newly confirmed Audi A1 wagon were first planted at the 2005 Tokyo Auto Show with the debut of the Audi TT Shooting Brake concept car, which was basically a TT front end attached to a wagon-like rear end.  Audi recently decided to scrap the concept as a TT production model in favor of building a new entry-level model in its A-series. 

 
Early rumors of the Audi A1 point to a sporty-looking two-door coupe wagon, with a fastback-like sloping roofline, oversized tires, and small rear windows.  The A1 will be slightly smaller than the current A3, making it larger than the Mini and more in line with the BMW 1 series in terms of exterior dimensions.  It will likely come equipped with a choice of 4-cylinder engines — a naturally aspirated 130-hp and a Twincharger (combining a turbocharger and supercharger) that hits around 170-hp.  In Europe, a diesel option will also be available.  The A1 will be a front-wheel drive hatch with choice of 6-speed manual or Audi’s 6-speed S-Tronic sequential auto/manual shift.  Though retaining much of the flashy look of the TT concept car, the A1 will be based on the Golf platform, rather than the TT, and is set to be Audi’s cheapest car. 

Not to fear, however.  Audi isn’t likely to tarnish its high-end reputation for luxurious rides, even in something as utilitarian as a compact wagon, and the A1 will likely not skimp too much on available features and creature comforts, such as ABS brakes, power seats, leather upholstery, and automatic climate control.  One expensive feature that might hit the chopping block is possibly the quattro all-wheel drive system, with the A1 being offered only in front-wheel drive.  This has not been confirmed.

Though the Shooting Brake concept was a 2-door wagon, it is likely the Audi A1 will also offer a 4-door version and a sedan.  A 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show debut is suspected, with a roadster version slated for 2010.  For now, it looks like the proposed Audi A1 will be a European-only car, unfortunately, since the very similar A3 already occupies a popular position as a compact wagon in the U.S. and Audi doesn’t want to dilute its A-series brand over here.  It’s a shame, really, because it’s one less piece of tempting eye candy for me.  Maybe for my own financial well-being, that’s a good thing. 

More A1 news at topspeed