We did know that Volkswagen was going to unveil its new roadster in Detroit, but we didn’t know it would show up as a diesel.
The Concept BlueSport is powered by a mid-mounted 177 hp 2.0-liter Clean Diesel (TDI) with common rail injection engine. VW says that it can make the 0 to 60 mph sprint in 6.6 seconds and tops out at 140 mph, all while getting 55 mpg. The engine is mated to a a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox mounted closer to the front of the car, which gives it a 45:55 front-to-rear weight distribution.
The concept is has some fun stuff like bi-xenon LED headlights outside and a touch screen command center inside. This all comes in a package that weights only 2645 lbs.
While everything about this car seems attractive except for possible the oil-burner engine, remember this is just a concept. When the production car shows up we expect it to keep the good points such as the mid-engine layout, almost even weight distribution, and lightweight design. We also expect to see some gasoline engines from the VW parts bin available on the production roadster.
Press release after the jump.
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Dodge first showed us the EV concept as part a trio of electrics it was working on back in September. Now Chrysler is giving the car it’s full debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It was pretty evident to sports car fans that the EV was a Lotus Europa with a battery pack. We don’t think Dodge was being unoriginal for trying to pass a Lotus off as its own. Lotus’ lightweight platforms are a good base for electric vehicles, just look at the Elise-based Tesla Roadster.
The Circuit EV is powered by a completely electric ENVI drivetrain that delivers 268 hp. The concept makes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in less than 5 seconds, while top speed goes up to 120 mph. It can even outrun a Dodge Challenger in a drag race. But if you’re not so hard on the throttle, Dodge says the EV can go 150 to 200 miles between charges.
Press release after the jump.
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Audi debuted Sportback concept at the North American International Auto Show, but we all know better. It’s no great secret that Detroit is where Audi was choosing to show the first preview of the Audi A7. The sedan-in-a-coupe-body is exactly what we’d expect from the four-ringed brand: sleek, big schnoz and a little different than everything else out there.
There is also some pretty significant technology behind the big grille. This concept is powered by a 3.0-liter V6 TDI clean diesel engine that Audi says almost completely eliminates nitrogen oxides. This engine already meets the emissions standards of all 50 states and the European EU6 standard scheduled to take effect in 2014. The engine delivers 225 hp and 405 lb. ft. of torque.
Audi claims the coupe will accelerate from 0 – 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in less than seven seconds and reach a top speed of 245 km/h (152.24 mph). The Audi Sportback concept’s average fuel economy is 39.87 mpg, and its CO2 emissions no more than 251.06 g/mile. No bad for a big car. The Sportback measures in at 16.24 ft long and 6.33 ft wide, but its only a low-slung 4.59 ft tall.
Press release after the jump.
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The fourth model is Chrysler’s ENVI line-up is the Wrangler Unlimited EV, a Range-extended Electric Vehicle that provides a glimpse into the future model from Jeep.
It is a two-wheel drive model using an ENVI Range-extended Electric Vehicle powertrain, consisting of an electric motor, an advanced lithium-ion battery system, and a small gasoline engine with an integrated electric generator to produce additional energy to power the electric-drive system when needed.
The electric motor produces 268 hp and 295 lb.-ft. of torque. The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited EV has a range of 400 miles, including 40 miles of zero fuel-consumption, zero-emissions, all-electric operation.
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A surprise electric vehicle that showed up in Detroit was the mid-sized 200C EV. With some luck, this is the future of Chrysler’s Sebring-sized sedan.
Taking square aim at Chevrolet’s Volt, the powertrain in the 200C EV has a 40 mile range purely on battery power, and then the range can be extended with the aid of a small gasoline engine. The total power from the engines should be about 270 hp. Chrysler wanted to be extra eco-friendly with this concept and painted it in in a water-based Liquid Graphite Pearl exterior color.
Press release after the jump.
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