Smart: a little book for a little car

Self professed Smart car 'nut',Paul Jackson, has written a history of the Smart car : the city-coupe,fortwo,crossblade and roadster coupe.This is the story thus far from 1998 and the promise of major worldwide sales in the future. This is 128 pp packed with text and 100 colour pictures.There are highs and lows. Failures and successes.It is in paperback, and 140mm tall X 140mm.

This is written by a guy who has owned many Smart cars.He seems to know what he is talking about and is prepared to share his experience and expertise of this small low emission car.

To view sample pages and details of where you can order this fascinating and entertaining story go to the Veloce Books website

The Greenline is another Fab(ia)Skoda

Earlier in the day, I covered a currently available Fabia estate a frugal 1.4 TDI at 120g/km emissions of CO2.Another in the Skoda family will soon be available,as of 21st April.The Fabia Greenline 1.4 TDI hatchback (shown above) can only be described as fabulously frugal.At nearly 69 mph consumption on the combined cycle,and CO2 emissions of a mere 109g/km,this is truly lean and green.Skoda says,the estate version of the Greenline models is probably the greenest and leanest estate currently for sale in the UK for the money - around £12,140(the hatchback- £11,490)

Just to put the performance another way, one tank of diesel should enable the Greenline driver to achieve a distance of 689 miles.

The 120g/km CO2 car club just got bigger

As promised,here is another car,in a short series of posts,with emissions of no more than 120g/km.The new 1.4 TDi PD 80bhp model of the Skoda Fabia Estate has a combined fuel consumption of 60 mpg, and it is on sale now.

Let's remind ourselves what the benefits of the 120g/km club are in a addition to saving on fuel costs : Road tax costs of just £35.00 ,and, if the revised Congestion Charge proposals for London are approved no charge

With 1,460 - litres of luggage space,this is an estate that won't cost you a royal ransom. The costs range between £9,360 and £13,775.

There are other versions of this car in the range that do not qualify for the sub-120g/km club.But Skoda's average CO2 emissions across its range is an improving and creditable 152g/km.

As to popularity,between 2001 and 2007,over 30,000 of the earlier models were sold.


Copyright (c) 2008 CFM(Services) Limited. All rights reserved

Making a Big Splash in March Suzuki's new mini-MPV

This post starts a mini series featuring new cars currently,or very shortly to become, available to buy in the UK.

First-up is the Suzuki Splash an all-new mini-MPV. It is available with a 1.3 litre diesel engine.Fuel consumption is 62.8 mph ,and CO2 emissions 120g/km which means annual road tax of just £35.It also comes with a diesel particulate filter to virtually eliminate any unburnt particles.

Green Car Guide reports :

"The 75 PS 1.3 litre 4-cylinder common rail turbo diesel is built in Suzuki's new engine plant in India under licence from Fiat, and is mated to a
5-speed manual transmission.

The Splash uses the Swift platform which should promise enjoyable handling even though this car is taller and has a higher seating position" - the high roof gives the Splash a feeling of spaciousness.

The front-wheel drive 1.3 DDiS model has a top speed of 103mph, and a specification identical to GLS+ grade. Available from 1st March,this model is estimated to cost £9,500.
Green Car Guide also says,"The Splash and its very similar looking sister car, the Vauxhall/Opel Agila, were engineered in Japan with initial styling work,chassis development and driving evaluations carried-out in Europe by Suzuki."

Do watch out for more feisty and stylish new sub-120g/km CO2 car'club'members over the
next week or two.

London Congestion Charge? Who wants it?

Well, it seems no one, of course.The latest London Mayoral edict will continue to penalise those with cars emitting the most CO2 emissions.Some residential rights to a discounted rate of charge will go in October this year.A pity really. Some vehicleswill attract a £25 a time charge.Many others with emissions between 121g/km and 225g/km will continue to pay the standard charge of £8.

So what is the headline ,in this change to an emission-based charging system? The message is join the club as owner of a sub-120g/km car to escape the congestion charge. Car manufacturers are falling over themselves to provide cars which emit CO2 below the 120 g/km threshold.

There are Fiats,BMWs and Minis,Citroens,Toyotas,Peugeots, and 31 Renaults, and others, that come below the 'bar' set at 120g/km.There is a choice. The Green Car Guide has it sussed. For a list of all the cars currently emitting 120g/km or less you can go to the Green Car Guide by clicking here.

Copyright (c) 2006-2008.CFM(Services)Limited.All Rights Reserved

Air Cars-so much hot air?Or what?

Cars that run on a few pence worth of compressed air, and with zero emissions? You bet.
Guy Negre, a former F1 engineer has spent many years in his Air Car Factories developing for commercial use ,a car that can travel at around 80 mph for 200 km on a 3 minute 'fill-up' of compressed air costing about £1.50. According to BBC News reports the vehicle with fibre glass body actually works, though it needs some refinements yet to make it look and sound 'normal'.With investment from Indian giant conglomerate Tata, the air car could be on sale next year in certain markets,at a price equivalent to £2,500.That sounds a good deal,even if the vehicle's use may be more suited and limited to city and suburban motoring rather than long distance travelling.

Vehicles powered by compressed are not new.The first were around over 100 years ago.However,it seems the technology became a victim of the oft common deterrent to developing propulsion without petrol based fuels,the vested interests of the oil industry which probably were responsible for an air car not being developed for commercial production before now.

Though the air car may now have its time, and a place as one of the emerging technologies to combat the rate of climate change,it has to find acceptability both in practical distribution and as a driving experience.The petrol engine may not be seriously unchalleged for a while yet,but keep a sharp watch out!

If you would like to know more click here for a BBC News article and video, and for the MDI website click here.

Corgi shows that even model green cars can make a difference- H2Go hydrogen-powered car wins 2008 ToyAward
At the Nuremburg Toy Fair, Corgi International has won the 2008 Toy Award (in the Electronics and Technology category)with the H2Go a revolutionary hydrogen-powered radio controlled car.

Proving that you can make it big by starting small,Corgi confirmed its reputation as one of the leading toy manufacturers world wide.Corgi's Chief Executive,Michael Cookson,said,"We are delighted about the great trust placed in our H2Go.The H2Go is not just a radio-controlled car featuring new technology but also a symbol of the toy industry's impending adjustment to a future powered by clean energy."

This may seem a strange post to have in a place devoted to the full-sized car model.But the message about clean energy is clear. It shows that like motorsport where dramatic improvements in clean energy technology can and are being be tested for use,if successful,in the production of more and better low emission cars,the toy industry,too,can make a significant contribution in this direction.

You may like to visit the Corgi website-click here

Want a New Car? Spoilt for Choice? More opportunities for Greener Motoring.Knowing what to buy-that's the thing.

Choosing a new car is getting much harder.But the good news is that the right information for you is available.You just need to know where to look. At low emission cars we continue to work to help you look in some of the right places.

According to a report from EurotaxGlass, UK buyers will be able as from this month to choose from more than 7,000 different model derivatives - a derivative is one that would qualify by body style,engine capacity, and so on ,for its own entry in a carmaker's price list- a 75 per cent increase over the 4,000 available in 2000. No wonder car buyers' heads are spinning? And they have the added problem ,if they wish to drive greener ,of sorting out the truly efficient and least CO2 emitting ,from the rest.

Today, we feature another sub-120g/km club entrant. A growing category. The Green Car Guide reports :

"The new Fiat Bravo, 1.6 MultiJet 16v diesel unit delivers 62.7mpg in the combined cycle (an increase of 5 mpg on the standard 105 bhp 1.6 MultiJet) and CO2 emissions of just 119g/km. This also makes the Bravo the first car in its category to be fitted with a Euro 5-compliant engine, well ahead of the 2009 deadline.

"To achieve 62.7mpg, the Bravo comes in 105 bhp form and in a special eco-package. In addition to revised engine ECU settings, this ‘Eco’ pack employs special measures similar to Volkswagen’s BlueMotion range including optimising the aerodynamics, incorporating low rolling resistance tyres and ‘taller’ gear ratios. Without the eco pack, the engine delivers 57.6mpg – and 129g/km - the same as the 120bhp version."

To read more about this new green car, and for further help to wade through the tall grass of the burgeoning car market you can click here for the Green-Car-Guide