Mitsubishi's New Low Cost Mirage Supermini Pops up Ahead of Tokyo Motor Show

Standing next to the Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV for Tokyo Motor Show 2011 will be the production version of the small Japanese company Global Concept that was first shown in Geneva earlier this year.

The Mirage is a new B-segment size of the model developed for emerging markets. The low cost of five-door hatchback measures 3,710 mm long, 1665 mm wide and 1490mm high, the company says it offers "a comfortable interior space for five adults."

The style has been significantly watered down the conceptual model, but it was more or less is expected from Mitsubishi.

The Japanese automaker says it has launched a series of measures including the use of lightweight materials throughout, reducing rolling resistance and improved efficiency through improvements detailed in the engine, transmission, brakes, tires and aerodynamics, all aimed at reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

According to the market, the new Mirage will be offered with engines of 1.0 liters petrol 1.2 liters, while some models are equipped with a braking system and start-stop technology and a new generation CVT .

The market model as the Japanese economy will return a fuel economy of up 30km/lt [equal to 70.6mpg U.S. or 3.3lt/100km].

The Mirage first go on sale in Thailand in March 2012, and more markets to follow later this year.

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Subaru Doesn't Want Toyota's Help on Hybrid Tech, will Develop its Own System

When Toyota acquired an 8.7% stake in Fuji Heavy Industries [FHI] from GM in 2005, everyone expected that FHI-owned Subaru would not only benefit from Toyota’s experience and economies of scale, but also utilize its new partner’s expertise on hybrid propulsion systems.

This, however, does not seem to be the case as sources within Subaru have revealed that the company has decided to develop its own system and not adapt Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive to work with its boxer engines.

Subaru is said to develop a completely new “mild” hybrid system similar to the one found in the Honda Insight and CR-Z, and which does not allow the car to move on electric power alone but assists the gasoline engine in reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Back in 2009, Subaru had unveiled the Hybrid Tourer concept at the Tokyo Motor Show. The concept was powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter flat-four and a twin electric motors, a solution that will likely find its way into production, but without the second electric motor that was used to power the rear wheels.

This new hybrid system will be fitted to a new model, which according to the same sources, will be launched in 2013. The most likely candidates to receive the system include a new version of the mid-size Legacy sedan, the Outback crossover version or the Forester SUV.

Story source: Just-Auto

 

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New Volvo Concept Heading to Frankfurt to Showcase Engine and and Platform Tech

[Volvo Universe Concept from the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show Pictured Above]

Volvo announced today that it plans to reveal a new concept car at next week's Frankfurt Motor show. This new study, pictures of which have not yet been released, will highlight the Swedish company’s new downsized engine range, which will feature only four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines.

“It’s time to stop counting cylinders”, said Volvo’s Senior Vice President for Research and Development, Peter Martens. “The concept we will reveal at Frankfurt proves that downsized engines can go hand in hand with our customers’ expectations on luxury and driving pleasure.”

The new modular Volvo Environmental Architecture (VEA) four-cylinder engine range features direct injection for its gasoline and common rail for its diesel variants. According to Martens, the new engines are ideal for hybrid applications and will reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions without sacrificing performance.

“We will develop four-cylinder engines with higher performance than today’s six-cylinder units and lower fuel consumption than the current four-cylinder generation," said Martens.

Volvo claims that the VEA range, which is designed for transverse applications, will reduce the number of unique engine parts by an impressive 60%. It will also be up to 90 kg (198 pounds) lighter than the current range and improve fuel consumption by up to 35%.

Later this autumn Volvo will also test the Kinetic Energy Recovering System, which captures braking energy that would otherwise be dissipated as heat and power a flywheel that spins at up to 60,000 rpm. This system that is already used in Formula 1 will “offer the driver an additional 80HP while reducing fuel consumption by up to 20%," according to Martens.

Last, but not least, Volvo announced that it is developing a new model range that will be based on a new, modular structure called Scalable Platform Architecture (current Volvo models are based on previous owner’s Ford platforms) that will also be 100-150 kg (220-330 pounds) lighter than current models.

The SPA architecture will allow the company to base most of its new models on the same modular platform, thus achieving significant cuts in development, tooling and manufacturing costs. And, as Martens claims, “along with the new engine range, will enable us to be on par or even beat our toughest competitors in driving dynamics and fuel economy.”

The new engines and platform will also benefit future models looks as the company’s head of design, Peter Horbury, said that the Frankfurt concept will be “a great example of what we can achieve with the new architecture and engines.”

 

 

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