Ethanol gets a lot of attention as the biofuel of choice in America. But BP claims that butanol will provide greater benefits than ethanol and is betting at least some of their chips on it as the gasoline-alternative to watch out for. Continue reading Butanol: A Better Biofuel?
OK, I know where I want to live. I’ve been thinking about Georgia for a while, but I dread the labyrinthine freeway system of Atlanta. But the new Aquarius Tower in downtown Atlanta offers more than any other American building I’ve seen yet. Continue reading Atlanta’s Solar / Wind Powered Aquarius Tower
Solar Power is cropping up in some weird places. While it’ll take some time for sunlight to become the fuel of the future, already solar power is being adopted by individuals and communities you might not expect. Continue reading I Got Solar in Strange Places
We are seeing rising prices every where we look. We could once buy a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk for under five dollars, Now, good luck finding that! Continue reading Car Insurance
The spy shots above and below (at right) show a number of minor changes to the prototype Flex Flex model since we first saw it at the New York auto show last month. We’ll get to all of them in a minute, but our first impression upon seeing the Flex hit the road? It looks long, long, long—much bigger than the discontinued Ford Freestar minivan it’s replacing. Flex could fit in well as an airport shuttle van, but we do still like the hinged rear doors (they could convince soccer moms that this is a perfect new ride after all those long years of service from the family minivan). Continue reading Ford Flex: Spy Report
I tested Saturn’s Aura midsize sedan last year and had a chance to get in its new hybrid version last week. The Aura Green Line shares its hybrid drivetrain with Saturn’s Vue Green Line SUV and gets an EPA-estimated 28/35 mpg (city/highway). That’s the same rating as the Honda Accord Hybrid but less than the Toyota Camry Hybrid’s 40/38 mpg. If the Aura isn’t already at your local Saturn dealership, it should be arriving shortly. Continue reading First Drive: 2007 Saturn Aura Green Line
We were mightily impressed with Volvo’s all-new S80 when we tested the V-8 powered AWD version a few months back. At the time, the only other engine offered was a 235-hp six-cylinder, with front-wheel drive. Now, Volvo is adding a turbocharged version of that six-cylinder, which produces an impressive 295 hp and 285 pounds-feet of torque paired to an AWD system. The V-8, for comparison, produces 311 hp and 325 pounds-feet of torque. Continue reading Volvo Adds Turbo to S80 Lineup
If one were to create of list of things needed to successfully elude the police in a chase, you’d think a full assortment of limbs would be pretty high on the list. Michael Francis Wiley, 40, from Florida would likely beg to differ. Wiley is a three-time amputee who lost both his arms and one leg in an accident when he was 13. Despite that, he taught himself how to drive with stumps and acquaintances report he can even drive stick. Continue reading Armless, one-legged man proves elusive for police in downtown chase
Bosch has been a pioneer in many of the technologies that make modern cars as capable as they are today, and the company has just recently produced its 150 millionth electronic brake control system. In 1978, the very first electronically controlled anti-lock brake system developed by Bosch appeared on a Mercedes-Benz using wheel speed sensors and the brake switch as the inputs to the system. The speed sensors detected when wheels were decelerating faster than the vehicle and reduced the braking pressure to the individual wheels until they recovered. After that, the system continued to control each wheel’s brake pressure to get optimum deceleration for the road surface. Continue reading Bosch produces 150 Millionth electronic brake control system
When it comes to turnarounds, Fiat serves as a case study. The Italian institution that rules over Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, and Maserati, trucks, agricultural equipment, construction equipment, and automobile components, lost $1 billion in 2000. Contrast that with 2006, when it posted a 35% jump in revenues year-on-year, and its operating profit was $384 million — a far cry from the $332 million loss of 2005. Fiat’s current market cap is more than that of GM and Ford combined in Europe, at $32.5 billion. Continue reading A car company can turn around. Just ask Fiat
Following on the heels of General Motors selling its Mesa, Arizona Desert Proving Ground, Ford has decided to look at doing the same with its own Arizona facility. The Arizona Proving Ground located near Lake Havasu is a 3,700 acre facility that employs 200 permanent staff in addition to Ford engineeers who come in to test vehicles. The track would be disposed of as part of the current cost cutting effort at Ford. Way Forward, ho! Most of Ford’s vehicle development testing is being consolidated at its Dearborn Proving Ground adjacent to the automaker’s engineering facilities. Nothing is finalized at this point, but it seems likely that a deal will happen sooner rather than later. Continue reading Ford considering selling its Arizona proving ground
Just last year marketing agencies were bemoaning the advent of the TiVo and similar digital video recorders (DVRs) that allow viewers to fast forward through commercials. A few of the smarter marketing folks, however, are embracing it. San Francisco-based Venables Bell & Partners was hired by Audi at the end of 2006 and the first campaign produced by the ad house has already hit the airwaves. Two of the ads, named 0.2 Seconds and Moment, feature 0.2 seconds worth of images flashed on the screen in a rapid fashion. Continue reading Audi’s batch of DVR-friendly commercials