April 2011 Archives

The latest Concept A-Class from Mercedes-Benz is the clearest indication yet as to what the automaker's next-generation A-Class will look like, and the good news is that the production version of this one is likely to hit U.S. shores.

Revealed at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show, and again at the 2011 New York Auto Show, the Concept A-Class precedes the production version expected to go on sale in Europe towards the end of next year. Mercedes-Benz' officials have also indicated that will also reach US shores, though there's yet to be an exact schedule of when that will be.

This story originally appeared at All Cars Electric

Believe it or not, most of what you watch on television is scripted. 

What you may not know is that some shows which appear unscripted, like the BBC's infamous Top Gear, are also scripted word for word. Everything from the banter between its three middle-aged hosts to its madcap challenges and car reviews has been meticulously planned, before any filming takes place. 

It's official. The Porsche 918 Spyder, a plug-in hybrid supercar, which so far has only been shown in concept form, is available for order and has been priced at $845,000 (not including destination and taxes). Porsche is only planning to build 918 examples of its stunning supercar, so interested buyers better be quick.

What they will receive when deliveries finally commence in November of 2013 is a plug-in hybrid supercar with a total 718 horsepower on tap and a stellar fuel economy of more than 78 mpg based on the European combined driving cycle. The earlier a customer orders their vehicle, the earlier it will be delivered, as production is initialized in the same sequence in which orders are received.

By Patrick Rall

Bridgestone debuted their Ecopia tire line, featuring a low rolling resistance design that helps to improve fuel economy without negatively impacting driving dynamics or braking.  If you are not familiar with low rolling resistance tires, think about how the tires on your car or truck "flatten" a bit where they meet the ground while the car is parked.  When you are driving, that same flattening occurs and that effect, in turn, creates drag that negatively impacts your fuel economy. 

Bridgestone's Ecopia lineup includes the EP422 passenger car tire and the Dueler H/L 422 light truck and SUV tire. Both feature a low rolling resistance design that improves the drag, caused by the tire's natural properties, by 36% compared to traditional passenger car tires and 42% compared to standard light truck tires.  This lowering of the rolling resistance by such a substantial amount reflects in fuel economy, improving the efficiency of the vehicle in question by 4%.  So by simply installing the Bridgestone Ecopia tire on your car or truck, you can improve your fuel economy by 4%.