Click to enlarge

Is the vehicle pictured above the production Chevy Volt? It sure looks like it. It has the right greenhouse profile and judging from the head and tail-lights it looks an awful lot like the teaser shots that GM has been releasing lately. Perhaps the most telling detail though is the visible at the base of the A-pillar right in front of the mirror. The letters on that badge sure appear to spell out VOLT! (see enlargement after the jump). The car in this photo was shot during filming of Transformers 2 somewhere in Long Beach. So far calls to our contacts at GM are going unanswered but let you know as soon as we hear something. Thanks to Tony for the tip!

UPDATE: This is indeed the Volt! A video of the shoot has turned up that shows the car from above and clearly shows the rear end with a Chevy bowtie badge and prominent Volt logo. You can check out the video here and screen caps in the gallery below.


[Source: Transformers Live Action Blog]

A prototype of Ford's 3.5L EcoBoost engine. Click to enlarge.

When Ford announced the EcoBoost idea at this year's Detroit Auto Show, the main message was that this was a reasonable technology that could be implemented soon, would save people money by improving fuel economy without decreasing performance and that the improved engines would be paired with lighter cars to emphasize the fuel savings. Oh, and then there's that easy-to-remember tag line that its a V6 with the power of a V8.

Ford is moving full steam ahead with the EcoBoost project and will install the first production engines in the 2009 Lincoln MKS. Thus far, there have been hundreds of test engines built at the Dearborn testing facility and these have spent countless hours (well, we're dealing with engineers here, so these hours were probably actually counted) on the track and dynamometers. Ford is inviting journalists to Dearborn this week to get a close-up view of the EcoBoost technology and AutoblogGreen got to spend a few hours talking to the team and bolting a few parts to the test subject.

Read on after the jump for more.

Hypermiling is too strong a phrase when you apply the MPG-increasing practice to a Jaguar XK-R. Extra-miling might pass muster, but all it amounts to in this particular instance is driving a $104,000, 420 horsepower Jaguar convertible like it's a $22,000 Camry.

Why not go for big dollops of both performance and luxury when you're trying to rock every possible mile out of a tank of fuel? With that in mind, we lined up a Jaguar XKR convertible filled to the hilt with everything but the
$8,000 brake upgrade. When it arrived, the last thing on our minds was what kind of mileage it gets. Dressed in a metallic red called "Radiance" which complemented the tan leather interior and matching cloth top, it looked like the ride home from the office was going to be a good one. Then the thunderstorms rolled in and stayed for a week. Hit the jump to see how we dealt with the weather in our XK-R.

OK, so FOSH got our attention last week by kinda, sorta promising the sky when it comes to green car dreams. But, reading their words again, it's painfully obvious that all of the "mights" and "coulds" in that announcement were important for the smokescreen that these jokers were readying. Their first self-imposed deadline came and went without any real information and a second deadline announced for last night. What happened? Here's what ABG reader Dave wrote to us last night:

OK, So I thought I would check out the unveiling at FOSH Automotive that was to happen tonight at 9:00pm CST. At about 10 minutes past they put up a page on the website of an aborted fetus and ranted and raved about Obama. FOSH automotive is a total hoax, scam, you name it. Who ever is internet savvy should report them to their webhosts and have the site pulled down. I don't know how to go about this - otherwise I'd do it.

It's true, the new FOSH site (which I'm hesitant to link to so as to avoid giving them even more publicity) is an anti-Obama, anti-abortion rant. Here's what the site's writers have to say now:

Disclaimer - We are a real business, but we do not operate under "Fosh Automotive". We are not associated with any business, website, or person that promoted this site. All information found on our site is of our opinion. Also, there is an unintentional error in our domain registry information and the number listed is a digit off. In this article we will also explain what we will be doing with the email list we have for our "testers".

For those that believe we are pulling a hoax, you're dead wrong. The real hoax is barack hussein obama and we are trying to make the world a better place by showing you how easy some people fall for what they want to believe. The United States of America, without the socialist, entitlement supporting, flip-flopping, lying, checkered past barack hussein obama as our leader, is better off, as is the world.

It goes on from there. Read on after the jump to find out what FOSH will do with all of the names/emails of people who signed up with them. Hint: it's got nothing to do with cars.

[Source: FOSH website]

Click the 2009 Honda Fit Sport for a high res gallery

When Honda introduced the first generation Fit to the North American market in mid-2006, its timing couldn't have been better. The entry level hatchback appeared just as fuel prices in the U.S. were heading skyward. Ever since then, the Fit has been selling as fast as Honda can bring them in from Japan. The Fit (or Jazz as its known in some markets) debuted in 2001 and the second-generation model went on sale in Japan last fall. Honda showed the new U.S.-spec Fit at the New York Auto Show last spring and we had our first opportunity to drive it on the roads north of Ann Arbor MI last week.

As is typically the case with new models, the updated Fit has grown a bit (about 4 inches in overall length) but it's only about 44 lbs heavier than the outgoing model. Also in the usual fashion, Honda strove to increase the refinement of the Fit while not losing any of the fun-loving qualities of the original. In the process, Honda has had to deal with rising raw material and shipping costs while keeping the price from getting out of hand. Read on to find out if the spiritual descendants of Soichiro Honda have succeeded.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Click the Civic hybrid for a high-res gallery

Toyota may have been the first automaker to bring a mass produced gas-electric hybrid to market overall, but Honda was the first to hit the road in the US with the Insight in late 1999. The insight wasn't a huge commercial success for many of the same reasons that the GM EV1 likely wouldn't have been even if GM had opened it up to everyone. The two-seat Insight was small, had limited cargo capacity, was expensive to build and had limited appeal for American tastes at the dawn of the 21st century. While the Insight's package wasn't a retail success, Honda took the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system and dropped it into the Civic sedan beginning in 2002. A new generation Civic with a corresponding hybrid model debuted for the 2006 model year carrying over the IMA system. While the Civic hybrid hasn't had anywhere near the sales of the Prius, it does remain the third best selling hybrid behind the hybrid icon and the Camry hybrid. AutoblogGreen spent a week driving the Civic hybrid recently and you can read all about it after the jump.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Click for a high-res gallery

As of this month GM is adding a third model to its family of Two-Mode hybrids as the Cadillac Escalade hybrid becomes the first luxury SUV so equipped. The Escalade is of course built on the same GMT900 platform as the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon. As such much of what goes in the places you can't see is exactly the same on all three vehicles including the entire powertrain. All three SUVs get the same 6.0L V8 paired up with the Two-Mode transmission. Unlike Chrysler's new hybrid SUVs all three GM trucks are available in either rear or all wheel drive.

The Escalade distinguishes itself from its siblings with unique front and rear styling and a significantly more upscale interior. If you thought the first two hybrid SUVs were expensive you haven't seen anything yet. The rear wheel drive Escalade price tag tips the scales at a mere $71,685 some $20,000 more than the Tahoe. That makes the Escalade the world's second most expensive hybrid behind the Lexus LS600h. Unlike the earlier hybrids GM is actually declaring that the Escalade hybrid commands a $3,600 price premium over a comparably equipped conventional model. We had a chance to take a short drive in the Escalade around Birmingham MI today.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Click above for high-res gallery of the BMW 123d

We've reviewed a number of high-mileage and alternative fuel cars that can't be purchased here in the USA. Why bother wasting time on such unobtainable machines you might ask? It's because the number of high mileage cars available in this market is relatively small compared to elsewhere in the world. Even more scarce are high mileage cars that are fun and interesting to drive. Until we get to buy more hybrid, electric and diesel-fueled cars here, we will keep bringing you samples of what the rest of the world has to offer. With that in mind we bring you the BMW 123d. BMW introduced the 1-series to the U.S. market for the 2008 model year, but only with six-cylinder gasoline engines. Across the pond buyers have the choice of three variants of a 2.0L four-cylinder diesel engine with various power levels. Automotive supplier Bosch tossed us the fob (no premium cars use actual keys anymore) to a 123d for a week. Read on to find out what it was like.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Historically whenever gas prices have gone up, charlatans have come out of the woodwork offering drivers all manner of devices that are claimed to provide dramatic reductions in fuel consumption. From magnets that are clamped to fuel lines, to assorted vacuum advance devices, and intake vortex generators and magical carburetors none of these have actually been demonstrated to work. Many of these old school devices can still be found, but one of the most popular new devices is the on-board hydrogen generator and injection system.

The basic premise is that injecting hydrogen into the intake stream will displace some of the gasoline required, reducing both gasoline consumption and emissions. Just have hydrogen and injecting it will actually achieve this result since the hydrogen burns and produces only water and trace amounts of NOx (although much lower than gasoline or diesel engines). Burning more hydrogen means less gasoline is consumed. Easy right? Not so fast there buddy! Where does that hydrogen come from? The marketers out there are selling on-board hydrogen generators which are claimed to provide enough hydrogen to reduce gas consumption by 30-40 percent or more. Is this plausible? Not even close. Read on after the jump to find out why.

[Sources: Wikipedia, Hypertextbook.com, answers.com]

There are cogent arguments on both sides

If you read my first ABG column a few weeks ago, you know that I'm no believer in human-caused global warming. My logical, data-driven engineering mind can't wrap around the idea that the 4% of CO2 created by all of the planet's human activity (96% is naturally generated), which goes into the less than 4% of greenhouse gases (95% is water vapor) and the 380 parts per million of the atmosphere that is CO2, can really be making much difference.

But wait! Before you begin writing the usual angry, insulting comments questioning my intelligence and ancestry, be aware that I recently wrote a pretty good argument supporting anthropogenic global warming (AGW). Why? It was an assignment for a major web site that wanted a balanced presentation of both sides so its readers could decide which to believe.

Click the Aspen Hybrid for a high-res gallery

This summer, Chrysler hits the market with the 2-Mode hybrid Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen. Chrysler and former owner Daimler partnered with General Motors and BMW back in 2006 to help bring the 2-Mode hybrid system to light-duty vehicles. The setup was originally developed for use in buses by Allison transmission when it was a part of GM.

The 2-Mode transmission made its passenger vehicle debut last year in the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon. Built by General Motors at its Baltimore, MD transmission plant, the GM and Chrysler systems have identical internals, but there are some packaging differences where the units mate up to the two manufacturers' engines and transfer cases. We attended Chrysler's New England launch event for the hybrid Aspen and Durango. Read on to see our initial driving impressions.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Click the MINI Cooper D for a high res gallery

For reasons such as imported oil dependency and environmental concerns, there are some people who think personal cars are evil and must be eliminated from our roads immediately. This sentiment is patently unrealistic, and there's no shortage of people, this writer included, who to enjoy cars while using less fuel and emitting fewer greenhouse gases. I'm not ashamed to say that driving quickly is fun and feels good, but that doesn't mean I like to waste fuel or dump pollutants into the air. That's why I love driving cars like the Tesla Roadster. Having fun driving doesn't necessarily mean you need to have an insanely fast car like the Tesla or an Audi R8. Small, lightweight cars like the Mazda MX-5 or or the Honda Fit don't have gobs of power, but they're fun to drive because they handle well and go around corners quickly.

The latest resident of the AutoblogGreen Garage is one of the most entertaining and fuel efficient cars I've driven in a long time. Unfortunately, it's also a car that Americans cannot buy. The 1.6L diesel-powered MINI Cooper D is not available in North America, but fuel system supplier Bosch has added one to its promotional fleet and recently loaned it to us. The aptly-named MINI is indeed a small car and the gas-engined versions offered in the US have been flying off lots at a record pace in recent months. Through the first six months of 2008, MINI sales in the U.S. are up 34 percent compared to last year. Follow the jump to see how the MINI Cooper D rates compared to the regular Cooper.


All Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

The Autoblog Green Podcast has finally reached our second dozen! Sebastian and Sam kicked it just before the July 4th holiday, and touched on the Tesla sedan, fuel prices making a possible case for economical vehicles to consumers, ethanol from invasive species, and the possibility of GM dusting off the EV1. Most importantly, the new design of AutoblogGreen is discussed a little bit, too. Thanks for listening, see you again soon!

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A quick Google search is all that is required to find hundreds of stories of people who claim to have increased their fuel mileage by installing a hydrogen generator which extracts hydrogen and oxygen from water and funnels the gas into the engine. Some of the claims are pretty wild, and the Japanese company Genepax has again lit a fire under the topic of running a car on water. While the Genepax car uses a conventional fuel cell, most of the "kits" available on the Internet introduce a bit of gas into the engine which is then combusted along with the liquid gasoline.

It is, of course, natural to feel a desire to buy into the hype promised by these systems. The truth, though, is that large fuel economy gains are highly unlikely. Popular Mechanics has decided to build themselves one of these systems for testing. The mag intends to install the finished product in an automobile and report back. We're keenly interested in their findings, though we're pretty sure we already know what will happen. Stay tuned.

[Source Popular Mechanics]

If you listened to or read our post on T. Boone Pickens speaking at the AFVI Expo in May, then you know that he's a big proponent of wind power and natural gas (some say he needs to learn more about hydrogen cars). Mr. Swift Boat is all over the media today because of an announcement regarding something called "The Plan," Pickens' big new idea to shift some of the $700b the U.S. spends each year on foreign oil into increasing domestic energy production. Unsurprisingly, Pickens says that wind and natural gas are the ways to go. Maybe this is what he meant when he said he wanted to be a player in the fall election.

Pickens spoke to NPR this morning about The Plan, which includes installing 2,500 wind turbines in Texas to deal with Peak oil (The Plan website says that happened in 2005). As for natural gas, Pickens says it should win as a power source for vehicles because it is cheaper than gas, abundant and domestic.

If you need a jolt of irony with your lunch today, check this out. Pickens told NPR that, "The mistake was made because we didn't have the leadership that stepped up and said, 'We cannot continue to import foreign oil.'" One reason no one stepped might be that people like Pickens invested a lot in oil companies looking for oil in foreign lands. Sheesh. h/t to Dave B.

[Source: Pickens Plan, NPR]