Toyota Camry Hybrid vehicles are increasingly becoming mainstream, but so far all of the production units available on the market have used gasoline exclusively as the fuel for the internal combustion engine. Various manufacturers have also shown concept and one-off test hybrid vehicles with diesel and E85 capable flex-fuel engines. One combination we don't recall seeing is a CNG fueled hybrid. Toyota plans to address that oversight at the LA Auto Show in November with a CNG fueled Camry Hybrid. Vehicles running on compressed natural gas are nothing new, although the only one currently offered by a major automaker in the US right now is the Honda Civic GX. Since CNG vehicles have a shorter range, they have primarily been used by fleets with centralized filling stations. Toyota has built this vehicle as part of its wide ranging sustainable mobility strategy. With domestic supplies of CNG being comparatively plentiful, something like a CNG hybrid sedan could be a good option for someone who does most of their driving locally. Combine it with the Phill home fueling station and you'd never have to go to a gas station again. Press release after the break.
LA Auto Show Preview: Toyota to display CNG fueled Camry Hybrid concept
Quick Drive:Chrysler Future Electric Vehicles Dodge Sports Car E
It takes a contortionist to slip inside the little yellow Dodge EV. But what would you expect? It is, after all, little more than a modified version of the cramped Lotus Europa.
Yanking my legs in and stowing them under the steering wheel, I reach for the "D" button, which has replaced the British sports car's gearshift, on the center console. At first, it seems nothing has happened, but my escort just smiles, then suggests I tip in the throttle. Not quite as firmly as I try, it turns out, the sports car lurching forward with a shot.
"Got it," I say, gamely returning his smile. This time, I squeeze the pedal a little more smoothly, steering my way out of the parking lot and onto the ramp that leads to the sweeping test track at Chrysler headquarters, in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
First Look: 2009 Pontiac G5
The Pontiac G5 arrived in the U.S. with little fanfare in 2006 as a 2007 model to serve duty as Pontiac's entry-level vehicle. The compact is identical to the Chevrolet Cobalt save for the front end and badges. Sold in Canada in Mexico as a sedan and a coupe, only the sportier two-door G5 is available here.
The smallest Pontiac rolls into 2009 with several changes, most notably under the hood. An updated 2.2L inline-four that gets a power boost to 155 hp and 155 lb-ft is now the only engine option for the G5 -- the 171-hp 2.4L inline-four that used to power the G5 GT goes away. When combined with the standard five-speed manual transmission -- which receives a new 3.63 final drive ratio -- and newly added 15-in. wheels with low-rolling-resistance tires, the revised engine allows the base G5 to achieve an improvement in fuel economy to a fairly impressive 25 mpg city/37 mpg highway.
Jaguar Files Patents for 2011 Jaguar C-XJ and C-XE Names
Jaguar has patented the words C-XJ and C-XE. What this means for us looking through the British pussycat’s cage is that two new concepts will soon be unveiled to the public. The one is of course the new 2011 XJ big daddy leaper which has been extensively spied on a number of occasions already. The second one is XE. Lots of guesses on this one, but a likely candidate is a smaller XK, something of a Porsche Boxster or BMW Z4 rival perhaps? Or just a step below XK, say something to rival a 911 instead. The X would be Jaguar’s way of labeling its cars, and the E stems from the classic E-Type. Others contend that it’s the X-Type replacement.
First Drive: 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
We've said it before: There is no automotive silver bullet that saves money, reduces environmental impact, and gets us off foreign oil all in one shot. At least not at the moment, given the current state of technology, infrastructure, government statutes, and business case realities. But Volkswagen has chambered a round that moves the game forward by a fair amount. VW has sold diesels on and off in the U.S. market since 1977. All were good, most were slow, and they suffered from the old maladies that have been associated with diesels for decades.
Audi RS5 Headed for 2009 Detroit Motor Show
Audi fans will be in for a special treat come the 2009 Detroit Motor Show when the Audi RS5 goes live to the public for the first time, many months after spy photos and renderings have long been doing the rounds. Although the RS5 will bare it all for the media world to see on January 11, 2009, US lovers of everything RS will have to make do with only this version for a while. That’s because Audi says the RS6 won't be heading for American dealerships, thanks to exceptionally stringent emissions laws Stateside.
