Automobile // Current

The 6 vs. 8 Showdown presented by Motortrend and Automobile Magazine

On August 24, 2009, Motortrend and Automobile Magazine conducted a one-of-a-kind race... more

6vs8
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19 days ago
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Electric Roads

KAIST’s newly developed electric vehicle system could be onto something. The vehicle... more

whitespacecarpet
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1 month ago
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2009 Impatto Zero ?

Che incubo.. Vado a dormire con l'inquietudine di una natura minacciosa..e poi... more

GiovannaLaZorze
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1 month ago
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VCAM MINI - Excite the Planet: Fai un gesto MINI - Versione alternativa

Viviamo in un luogo meraviglioso e dobbiamo far sí che resti tale. Ad ognuno di noi... more

LucaMaximilianCaputo
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1 month ago
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VW Concept Car Gets 240 MPG

It's "close to production" and "will be developed."

Progresshiv
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2 months ago
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Consider this guide before buying a new vehicle

Before you purchase a new car/truck, make sure that vehicle is the right one for your... more

CHANLEEPENG
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2 months ago
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BMW Hybrid Rocks

62 mpg and it's a freakin race car. Come on, GM, Ford, and Chrysler- build a better... more

Progresshiv
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2 months ago
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4 comments

Trading Tariffs with China - Weekend Retaliation

After the U.S. imposed tariffs on low-grade tires coming from China, like it has done... more

outtheinside
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2 months ago
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Invisible Car: Camouflage Paint Job

Sara Watson, an art student at the University of Central Lancashire, has created a... more

whitespacecarpet
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3 months ago
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Hybrid Cars Using All the Rare Earth Metals?

So it turns all those hybrid car owners who turn their environmentally conscious noses... more

TommyTooThumbs
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3 months ago
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What is 'dirty oil' to U. S. is anything but to China

The Chinese government pushed its shovel deep into Canada's energy motherlode Monday... more

transit
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3 months ago
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Drive Smart Video Contest - Enter to Win 5K, VIP NASCAR & Indy Race Passes

The Drive Smarter Video Contest (http://www.drivesmarterchallenge.org/contest/)... more

Dorothee
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3 months ago
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Antarctic Glacier Melts at Unprecedented Rate

One of the largest glaciers in Antarctica is thinning four times faster than it was 10... more

Progresshiv
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3 months ago
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'Dirty Car Artist' Creates Masterpieces on Filthy Cars

Scott Wade, a graphic designer from Texas, is a 'dirty car artist'. He creates... more

burukku16
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3 months ago
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2 comments

Chevy Volt Will Get Up To 230 MPG

This will be a big help in the fight against global warming, even if it achieves... more

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3 months ago
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Tesla Motors Turns a Profit With Electric Roadster

Tesla turned its first monthly profit.

Progresshiv
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4 months ago
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Aston Martin One-77, Automobile or Work of Art?

Aston Martin is known for their gorgeously designed cars that drive to mind a... more

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4 months ago
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Report Shows Diesel Drivetrains Have Quicker Payback Time Than Hybrids

SANTA MONICA, California — With gasoline and diesel fuel prices staying low (and uncharacteristically consistent) as the summer progresses, data analysts at Edmunds conducted a recent crunch of the often-discussed payback times for the nation's two competing fuel-saving drivetrains: hybrid-electric and diesel vehicles.

The latest round goes to diesel. There are two factors currently working in diesel's favor. First, diesel fuel prices have dropped precipitously since last summer's explosion to $4 per gallon (and beyond) and normalized to pricing quite near regular unleaded gasoline.

Second, the price "premium" for diesel technologies is low — and in a few cases, combines with federal tax credits to make the diesel-powered vehicle actually cheaper than a comparable gasoline-engine variant of the same model. For those vehicles, diesel-engine payback time is immediate.

Conversely, Edmunds.com analysts point out that as gasoline prices stay low, hybrids struggle to justify their typically higher initial-cost premium. The average premium for all hybrids is $4,981, with premiums ranging from just a few hundred dollars (Toyota Camry Hybrid: $289) to big-bucks upcharges such as the GMC Sierra Hybrid ($7,493) and perhaps the ultimate hybrid, the Lexus LS 600h L ($15,969) from Toyota's upscale division. The average diesel-engine premium, meanwhile, currently is just $2,360.

Using current gasoline and diesel fuel prices — $2.53 per gallon for gasoline and $2.54 for diesel — hybrids can't touch the payback times for diesel-powered models.

With a 15,000-mile annual driving figure, the lowest hybrid payback time is slightly more than six months for the Camry Hybrid. But most hybrid models take longer to recoup their initial extra cost at today's gasoline prices. One typical example is the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid: Its $4,175 premium over a conventional Fusion requires 8.1 years to achieve payback, say Edmunds.com data analysts. A Honda Civic Hybrid: 13.3 years. The longest hybrid payback time: the already mentioned Lexus 600h L — 70.3 years at current gasoline prices.

And one intriguing "special" comparison comes between Toyota's redesigned 2010 Prius and Honda's all-new Insight. Consumers and hybrid enthusiasts have argued about each car's "value" compared with the other, but judged strictly by their price in relation to their EPA fuel economy, the Prius costs $4,030 more than the Insight and would require 26.2 years of driving to recover its "premium" over the price of the Insight.

Thanks mostly to markedly lower cost premiums and the widespread availability of tax rebates, diesels currently are a much better payback proposition. Current market conditions also mean many diesels are selling for less than MSRP.

Those looking to maximize payback will, in most cases, shop Mercedes-Benz: Generous tax credits have diesel-powered variants of the GL- and R-Class currently with True Market Value (TMV®) figures less than their gasoline-engine counterparts. A diesel-powered 2009 GL320 CDI is a giant $2,745 less than the GL450 (which uses a gasoline V8), leading to a payback immediately upon purchase of the diesel model.

Other diesel payback times include Volkswagen's popular Jetta TDI, at 4.1 years to pay back its $1,760 premium; BMW's 335d, at 5.6 years to pay back a $2,558 premium; and BMW's X5 xDrive 35d at 4.6 years to pay back its $1,732 premium. The longest diesel payback time is 20.6 years for Mercedes' E320 Bluetec.

Inside Line says: Although diesels may have the advantage in the payback department, that fact still doesn't hinder the demand for popular hybrids like the 2010 Toyota Prius. — Bill Visnic, Senior Editor, Edmunds' AutoObserver.comSANTA MONICA, California — With gasoline and diesel fuel prices staying low (and... more