Finalists for ‘Green Car of the Year’ Announced

The 2014 “Green Car of the Year” finalists have been announced ahead of the L.A. Auto Show and the BMW i3 is among the final candidates.

The other finalists are the Audi A3 TDI, Chevrolet Impala Bi-Fuel, Honda Fit hatchback and Volkswagen Golf.

Here is a closer look at the cars:

BMW i3

The i3′s electric drive-train generates output of 125 kW/170 hp and peak torque of 250 Newton meters, which is immediately available from a standing start. The BMW i3 sprints from 0 to 60 km/h in 3.7 seconds and from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds. Its top speed is limited to 150 km/h for efficiency reasons.

The US EPA says the i3 has a range of 81 miles with a combined MPGe of 124 (138 MPGe City, 111 MPGe Highway).

Audi A3 TDI

Audi’s all-new A3 TDI presents an exciting choice for those looking to go upscale and ‘green,’ appearing for the first time as a stylish four-door sedan featuring the automaker’s new fuel-efficient, 2.0-liter TDI clean diesel power plant with a 150-horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque, driving the front wheels.

Chevrolet Impala Bi-Fuel

The vehicle is available only with a 3.6L hardened engine with hardened valves and valve seats for improved wear resistance and durability with the CNG fuel system. The CNG tank mounted in the trunk has the equivalent capacity of 7.8 gallons of gasoline, which is expected to offer approximately 150 city miles of range on compressed natural gas based on GM testing.

 Honda Fit

The fit features a 1.5-liter inline-four which includes direct-injection and increased compression ratio. It’s rated at 130 hp and 114 lb-ft of torque. The EPA rating the Fit LX with CVT at 33/41 mpg city/highway.

Volkswagen Golf

Under the hood of the latest Golf,  VW placed a 1.8 liter inline-four engine producing 170 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque.  The Golf now achieves 26 miles per gallon city and 37 mpg highway.

By: Unknown On 10:00

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BMW i3 vs Volkswagen e-Golf – Comparison

Auto Express UK test drives and compares the BMW i3 and the Volkswagen e-Golf.

The e-Golf is VW’s first bet for the electric market and will launch this fall. The i3 is the only one of the three electric vehicles to be considered a premium product and has recently launched in the United States.

The e-Golf and Leaf follow a conventional design with seating five passengers and a look and feel that resembles a “regular” vehicle. BMW gave the i3 a more futuristic look and a departure from the classic BMW design, a move that is equally loved and hated by the media and consumers.

The e-Golf’s 114 bhp electric motor delivers all 270 Nm of torque from standstill. The 0 to 62 mph is 10.4 sec and 85mph top speed. Far more telling is the 4.2 sec time from 0-37mph, which is even faster than the Golf GTI hot hatch.

The BMW i3 is the first of the BMW i vehicles constructed from the ground up primarily of carbon fibre to enter the U.S. market. With 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque hybrid-synchronous electric motor, the fully electric BMW i3 is electrified by a 22-kWh lithium-ion battery, good for 80-100 miles of emission-free driving. Agile and engaging to drive, the BMW i3 is ideally suited for dense urban areas. The BMW i3 has a base MSRP of $41,350 and the range-extender model will have a starting MSRP of $45,200.

I3

With innovative engineering and the use of advanced composite materials, the i3 is a ground breaking electric car that’s fast, good to drive and practical. But beyond the technology, the funky cabin and futuristic looks give it the desirability factor EVs have traditionally lacked. If you can cope with the range limitations, then it’s a very tempting proposition. And it just edges victory over the worthy but less exciting VW.

Volkswagen E-Golf

The e-Golf is another excellent electric car from Volkswagen. It’s a well engineered and good-to-drive EV, with a similar real-world range to the i3. The Golf won’t turn as many heads as the i3, but its traditional image is a plus for some. However, it trails the BMW on performance, plus the ride is firm and the handling slightly blunted. More importantly, it lacks the all-round desirability of its futuristic rival.

By: Unknown On 11:30

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Top 5 Car Advertisements!

Companies from around the world spend billions of their hard-earned money on TV advertisements, and us car companies are not excluded from this. Whilst some of thede adverts can be a tad boring, there’s always a few that will stand out and make us laugh or inspire and amaze us. For us petrol-heads, some remind us of why it is hat we love cars so much.

For your entertainment, we have complied a list of 5 of the most impressive, clever and exciting TV adverts from the world of motoring. 

Lets start with number 5!

5. Shell/Ferrari Formula 1

Whist it may only be advertising a type of petrol that Shell produce, it succeeds in igniting in all of us the fantasy that we too can drive a race car if we purchase Shells fuel. Whilst the product itself may not be terrible exciting, the footage that comes along with is defiantly is:

4. ‘The Cog’ by Honda

Released in 2003 to advertise the Honda Accord, this 2 minute advert took 606 takes and 4 days of filming! It also cost £1,000,000 to produce and was premiered in an advert break during the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix. See why it took so many attempts to get it perfect:

3. The Volkswagen Golf GTI

This advertisement from the world of motoring is an oldie but a goodie. Whilst it may not feture the special effects or examples of physical prowess as some car adverts do, it succeeds in conveying a clever marketing message whilst being very clever and entertaining at the same time.
 

2. Volvo meets JCVD

This is an advert that went viral a little while back, but it is still just as impressive now as it was back then. Made by Volvo in order to demonstrate the stability and precision of Volvo Dynamic Steering, it features tough-guy Jean- Claude Van Damme performing while he calls “the most epic of splits”. If you haven’t seen it already, prepare to have your jaw hit the floor.

  1. BMW M4 and the ‘Ultimate Racetrack’

This video, created by BMW Canada, was only released to the world a few months ago. Since then, it has already caused a bit of a stir on the internet. It shows us the newly released BMW M4 tearing around a racetrack on the desk of a naval aircraft carrier, albeit with the help of a little GGI trickery. Nevertheless, the howling engine note, sideways drifting action, and quick-fire gearshifts make for a great watch!

By: Unknown On 15:00

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