In remarks before the opening of the Geneva Motora Show, Volkswagen Group Chairman of the Board of Management Prof. Dr. Winterkorn said that a plug-in hybrid version of the Volkswagen Passat would join the Group’s range of low-CO2 vehicles “soon.”In his remarks, Winterkorn noted that Group research and development expenditure rose by 15% last year to the record value of €10.2 billion (US $14 billion), with the “lion’s share going to green technologies.” Winterkorn said that the Group was reinforcing its objective to become the world’s leading automaker, also in ecological terms, by 2018.
Category Archives: Useful Information
3rd generation Audi TT diesel offers fuel economy of 56 mpg
Audi is unveiling the third-generation of its TT compact sports car at the Geneva Motor Show. (The first generation arrived on the market in 1998.) The new TT and TTS models will be available with three different four-cylinder engines with turbocharging and direct injection. A start-stop system is a standard feature.
Citroen to pioneer ‘pay-per-use’ leasing scheme for C4 Cactus
Citroen plans to be the first automaker in Europe to offer a “pay-per-use” leasing scheme with the launch of the new C4 Cactus. The scheme mirrors plans offered by mobile phone operators.”The pay-per-use scheme will include a monthly lease rate plus an additional payment that will vary according to the kilometers driven in the month,” Citroen CEO Frederic Banzet said during a preview of the car last month. He declined to provide specific details, which will be revealed at the Geneva auto show on Tuesday.
some research studies overstate energy crop yields by as much as 100%
New analysis by researchers from the International Council on Clean Transportation in the journal Biomass and Bioenergy suggests that estimates for potential energy crop yields from some widely cited research studies may overstate those yields by as much as 100%. The findings could have significant implications for long-term renewable energy targets.
GM ignition defect recall extended to include Opel GT
General Motors extended a recall over an ignition-switch defect to the Opel GT.U.S. regulators are investigating why GM took years to recall 1.6 million cars over an ignition-switch defect linked to 13 deaths in crashes.
