The re-engineered and restyled 2010 Taurus, which were revealed Sunday at the Detroit auto show, is Ford’s attempt to recapture relevance for the storied Taurus line. Ford revived the nameplate in early 2007 by renaming the Ford Five Hundred sedan. The previous Taurus was dropped in 2006 after becoming a rental car mainstay.
Auto makers are pegging their hopes for a recovery on electric and hybrid vehicles, with a large number of prototypes unveiled at the North American International Auto Show this week.
Daimler, Toyota and General Motors, as well as industry newcomer BYD of China showcased new electric vehicles, while several others announced plans for battery-powered cars and [...]
This sexy ‘green’ sports sedan is the first product of Fisker Automotive. Folks were first wowed by the vehicle’s darn good looks as a concept at the 2008 Auto Show. Now in its production form, it uses a small four-cylinder gas engine that charges a lithium-ion battery pack when needed and regenerative braking to recover [...]
BMW Hydrogen 7-Series
BMW has focused its green energy on liquid hydrogen fuel. The problem is distribution. The company is in production with the BMW Hydrogen 7-Series now and plans to lease (at a very high price) 100 of the vehicles in the U.S. Brian Moody mentioned that a Santa Monica Shell station already has a [...]
Chrysler Aspen Hybrid
Edmunds.com reports that this hybrid will deliver an estimated 385 horsepower and return around 18 mpg in city driving and 19 mpg on the highway. Although pricing has not been announced for the Chrysler Aspen Hybrid or its sister product, the Dodge Durango Hybrid, expect a several thousand dollar premium over the non-hybrid [...]
Porsche Cayenne Hybrid
We include this on the list more for the Porsche brand’s popularity in the Southland, but Brian Moody fears the fuel savings will only be minimal. “I would imagine a hybrid version of the Cayenne would be as much about performance as mpg — sort of like the Lexus hybrids.”
Nissan Cube
Dan Neil touted this Japan-only car before its arrival in the U.S. was announced. Brian agrees that it deserves to be on the list of fuel-efficient wheels. “Like the Honda Fit, Ford Focus and other small cars, the Cube could work well for those looking to not only get better gas mileage, but want [...]
Mercecdes-Benz GLK
The character of Samantha in the “Sex and the City” movie drove a sparkling white GLK (not coming until the Fall of 2009) to go shopping on Rodeo Drive. But what makes it special to nonfictional car buyers? Brian Moody says, “What’s unique about it is that it’s a smaller SUV with a diesel [...]
Mercedes Benz S-Class Hybrid
Brian sees the writing on the wall for Mercedes-Benz’s green strategy — starting with the S-Class and working its way across the brand. “Mercedes has announced that they plan to have all their vehicles available as hybrids in the future. The hint is that a luxury diesel hybrid may be in the [...]
2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid
So how much more fuel efficient can the “Slade” get? Even as a hybrid, the Escalade is going to cost a bundle to fill at the pump. This may prove to be true, but expert Brian Moody makes a valid point: “GM was shrewd to put out a vehicle that basically helps [...]
