Poll: Should GM give in and call the Volt a hybrid?

Apart from the humorous articles and the plethora of eBay finds we come up with, Carscoop?s bread and butter is automotive news straight from the manufacturer. And as such, we read a lot of press releases. In all the ones I?ve read, General Motors refuses to call the Chevrolet Volt a hybrid. It?s a range extended electric vehicle.

I speculate that it might have something to do with hybrids being uncool (so sayeth GM CEO Dan Akerson) or to avoid comparisons with that other hybrid. You know, the one made by the world?s other biggest car manufacturer.

So let?s hear the cases for and against:

Yes, GM should call the Volt a hybrid and here?s why:

A hybrid, by definition, is a vehicle that has two or more powerplants. In most cases, one is an electric motor and the other is a gasoline engine. There?s no requirement that these run in tandem, or be connected to one another in any way. More than one powerplant and you have a hybrid. And let?s face it: GM isn?t trying to lure buyers away from the Nissan Leaf or the Mitsubishi iMiev; their target is and always has been the Toyota Prius. And what?s the Prius, children? ?A hybrid!? In a dumbed down worldview, nobody wanted to buy a Saturn Green Line so this was Option B. The Volt looks like a hybrid, is mechanically like a hybrid and was designed to compete with hybrids. For this, the Volt is one and the same.

No, GM should call the Volt a range extended electric vehicle and here?s why:

The Prius uses its electric motor at low speeds, when idling and when overtaking. The rest of the time it?s running on its gasoline engine alone. On the other hand, the Volt engages its gasoline engine only when its electric motor has run out of juice. Like a WWII submarine limping home on its diesel engines after its batteries have run dry. So if anything, the Volt is like a Nissan Leaf with the added security of a gasoline engine making sure you don?t end up on the hard shoulder, waiting for the AAA man to come along with a very long extension cord. For this, the Volt is a range extended electric vehicle.

So where do you stand? Do you buy GM?s marketing buzz or do you side with the cynics? Cast your vote and leave us a comment.

By Tristan Hankins

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What should GM call the Chevrolet Volt?

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AC Schnitzer Offers First Batch of Goodies for MINI Countryman

German tuner AC Schnitzer has launched its first tuning package for the MINI Countryman . The focus is clearly on the wheels, as clients can choose between four different designs in two different sizes (18- or 19-inch) to go with the two-tone white and black exterior paint job. In fact, AC Schnitzer has just broken a personal record: in a company first, it has fitted a MINI with 19-inch rims. As for the interior, the tuning house offers an aluminum pedal set and gear knob or various knobs clad in leather with incorporated, digital gear display unit.

By Csaba Daradics

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Fiat Abarth 500 Gulf Limited Edition: The Real Photos

This here is the actual, factual Fiat Abarth 500 Gulf Limited Edition special in the flesh, photographed at the Autopolis Fiat dealership in Luxembourg. We say this because yesterday, we reported on the limited run special and Fiat"s photoshoped picture that made the internet rounds. While our friends from Auto55 and Autofans verified the story with the official press release, we were left wondering what the Italian mini with the classic racing-livery would look like in real life.

Today, our pondering came to an end as the Marketing and Communications director of Autopolis Luxembourg dropped the first real life shots of the car in our mailbox. We believe Fiat should have released these photos instead of the "chop from the beginning, but we"ll give them props for keeping a close eye on the web-o-sphere and swiftly reacting to our post.

As for the car itself, it was created by the Italian brand"s official importer for Luxembourg, Autopolis, in association with Gulf Petroleum, to celebrate the latter"s 10th anniversary in the country.

Only ten examples of the Fiat Abarth 500 Gulf Limited Edition will be built, each priced at ?25,000 (not including VAT) a piece, which is about US$34,000. Aside from the iconic Gulf Racing livery, the special edition 500s also get the "esseesse" performance kit that pushes the 1.4-liter turbo engine"s output to 160-ponies, a Monza sport exhaust and Corse-Sabelt racing buckets with the seatbacks finished in Gulf-blue.

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It Came from eBay Hell: ?80s VW Golf Stretch Limo with Mercedes Nose

So you want your own limousine? Sure, I can dig that. Who hasn?t thought of trading in their daily commute for something that?s chauffer driven? And what better place to start your search than on eBay, where you?re sure to find something both unique and affordable, if not exactly well built or driveable.

Here?s one such find, based on a 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit (Golf for the rest of the world) with a Mercedes-Benz nose piece. The seller?s description reveals that this vehicle has new brakes, struts, a new exhaust, new wheels and tires, new windshield and gas tank. And it still has its original motor and transmission, with a twin barrel carburettor with aluminium intake and header which the seller assures us makes it, ?Fast for what it is.?

Inside there are two bench seats facing each other, and an electrically operated tinted glass partition that can separate the passengers from the driver. Classy.

The interior is in need of a lot of attention, though. There?s no headliner, no carpet and the custom interior panels have yet to be fitted. The air conditioning?s not hooked up and there?s no sound system, either. The car?s also missing a, ?Few other odds and ends.?

On the upside, it has a clear title and the car comes with a fixer upper GTI engine and a white rabbit plush toy that has been stretched and has a VW hat on its head. Sadly there are no pictures of the latter. The starting price is a low, low US$4,999.00 (?3,676). Price for a first generation Rabbit, but not bad for something with such...uh...?unique qualities.?

The strange this is, this car has been on sale before, almost two years ago. And it was in the exact same state it?s in now. We don?t know what this means, except maybe that the owner grew tired of working on it. Take that however you want, and leave your comments below.

By Tristan Hankins

Link: eBay

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EPA Rates the 2012 Fiat 500 at 38MPG on the Highway

The U.S.-spec 2012 Fiat 500 equipped with the 5-speed manual gearbox has received EPA ratings of 38 mpg on the highway, 30 mpg in the city and a combined figure of 33 mpg. American buyers can also opt for a 6-speed automatic, which is rated at 34 mpg highway, 27 mpg in the city and 30 mpg combined.

The 500 is produced at the Fiat Group?s Toluca plant in Mexico and it will start arriving in larger volumes this spring. The automaker plans to open a total of 130 dealerships, of which 40-50 will be in business by the end of March, while the rest should be open by the end of the year, according to Fiat North America.

At the start of sales three models will be available. The entry-level Pop costs $15,995, while the Sport and Lounge are priced at $17,995 and $19,995 respectively, with all prices including destination charge. The Sport model is expected to become the biggest seller of the lineup.

All models come equipped with power locks and windows, air conditioning, 50/50 split fold-down rear seat, speed control, heated mirrors, 7 airbags, 15-inch steel wheels and 4-year, 50,000-mile warranty.

Compared to its European counterpart, the U.S.-spec Fiat 500 was modified in order to be more appealing to American customers. The automatic transmission is one of the major additions, but the North American car is also quieter and has a more comfortable ride, while the 101HP 1.4-liter FIRE engine received the MultiAir intake system as well. Fiat claims that MultiAir improves fuel efficiency and power output by 10% over the Euro-spec engine.

Last but certainly not least on the public?s necessities list, the U.S. version also comes with larger cupholders.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Autonews

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