All-new Ford Ka -low price, low CO2 emissions

Following my earlier post on 13th October, I can report that Ford have announced prices for its all-new Ka ,when the acclaimed cheeky and fun-to-drive range of cars is launched for sale in the UK in January 2009. Key bullet points are:

• All-new Ford Ka priced from £7,995
• Improved economy and sub-120g/km CO2
• Affordable personalisation options from £300
• Diesel engine now available
• 55.4 mpg on the combined cycle

Ford says its expects ,though, that the Ka Zetec will take more than 40% of Ka sales. This model will cost from £9,495 (£10,195 for the 1.3 litre TDCi). It offers many additional features over the more basic Studio model (which is itself well equipped), and the Style and Style+ (from £8,495 and £8,995 respectively)...remote central locking,15 in alloys,upgraded instruments and trip computer,and theatre dimming interior lights. 

Ford are seeking to promote the Ka as the UK's best selling super-mini.

Zero emissions MINI Electric

The iconic MINI may some time soon be seen on our roads in its latest development - the all-electric Mini. It's history is well known, so too its selling power as a highly sought after and efficient performer. Now, BMW  are taking the electrically powered MINI E to the Los Angeles Auto Show to be held on 19/20th  November this year. The plan is then to ship 500 MINI Es to California,New York and New jersey for testing with private and corporate customers.

The 'E' top speeds at 95 mph, accelerates from stand still to 62 mph in 8.5 seconds. With a range of 150 miles and powered by a lithium-ion battery,the vehicle takes a full recharge in just two- and-a-half hours from a special ampere boosting wall mounted electric box socket.

Although,the MINI E won't be around here for a while, it is worth watching the results of the road testing - which we'll do. For more information  on this exciting new take on a bestselling motor -and on new economical and amazing value green production cars  in the showrooms now-click here for the Green Car Guide

Fiat Panda's to your pocket with another cost crunching low CO2 car

It's been a busy summer for Fiat with the launch of several new low fuel consumption cars, including the Panda Active ECO and the Dynamic ECO. Both cars have CO2 emission levels of 119 g/km.

An impressive  56.5 mpg on the combined cycle from the Active ( with a 1.1 litre petrol engine) and the Dynamo (powered by a 1.2 litre petrol engine) is partly achieved using low rolling resistance tyres, and a low viscosity engine oil. 

Standard equipment includes : immobiliser,driver and passenger airbag, ABS anti-lock braking,electric power steering, Follow Me Home headlights and electric front windows. The Dynamic also has remote control central locking, colour-coded bumpers and a CD/MP3 player.

Manufacturer prices on the road are given from £7,105 for the Active ECO, £7,705 for the Dynamic ECO.

Notes on low emission cars available now, or soon

Following the recent Paris Motor Show, I have been reviewing a short list of eco-friendly new cars actually out there in the market now, or soon to be on sale. In no particular order are six or seven you can consider :

First-up is the all-new MkII Ford Ka (featured here earlier this month) a sub-120g/km emitter of CO2. You will have a choice of two engines: the 1.2-litre petrol, or the 1.3-litre diesel. The journalists' view in Paris was that this was a stylish replacement for the outgoing model. 

 

In the Spring of 2009, Peugeot are unleashing  the 308CC with a list price from around £18,000. At 109 g/km emissions of CO2, this is a hybrid to compete with the Nissan Qashqai. 

Peugeot already has highly economical motors in the 107(mini), and 207 (hatch) ranges,and other 308s.

And, next summer, SEAT launch a new version of the best selling Ibiza , the MKII Ecomotive version with a 1.4-litre diesel engine chucking-out a mere 99g/km of CO2 emissions.

The Smart has to have a place in the line-up. The Coupe is listed at a price from £6,775. A city run-about, the Smart ForTwo is zippy and relatively easy to park. At an economical 60mpg ,and only 113g/km of CO2 emissions, this is a star eco-friendly performer.

Suzuki triumph with the Swift, a 1.3-litre diesel to rival the Mini. It also performs as well as the ForTwo in the 'green' department, with a parsimonious 60.1 mpg (and 119 g/km CO2 emissions). At a list price of from £8,260, the Swift is not expensive.

A special limited edition of the Swift called the Suzuki Attitude is shown above.

Hyundai are also in there with the i20 which had its debut at the Paris Show and is scheduled to be launched early in 2009.

Toyota come in with the iQ in January (top left) This mighty mini sports 1.0 litre VVT-i engined car ,with manual transmission , is set to deliver 65.7 mpg , and a provisional 99 g/km,making it likely exempt from road tax.

Almost finally, a short list of 61.4 mpg performers with 109 g/km of CO2 ratings:

Citroen C1 (middle top)

Peugeot 107

Toyota Aygo

Honda Civic

 Click on the Green Car Guide website for more information on these, and many other green cars.

All the cars featured above have to varying degrees cost savings over their larger and less fuel efficient cousins, whether this be in fuel costs,insurance premiums,parking charges,congestion charge, or road tax. Green Car Guide

Greener driving leading to lower CO2 emissions is down to both man and machine

Yes,amazing technology has produced more efficient production cars over recent years. At the MPG Marathon reported last time, a Toyota Yaris was driven to achieve a staggering 84.66 mpg. This competition proved ,however, that skilful driving can also further dramatically reduce the cost of motoring ,and cut the amount of CO2 emissions produced by Britain's 30 million motorists.

It was reported that  40 teams took part in the 2008 MPG Marathon, and they achieved an average improvement of 23 per cent over the manufacturers' official combined figures.If this performance was replicated by all of Britains's private and commercial motorists,it would result in a £8.2 billion per annum saving in fuel costs.

Normally, in a competition, no one remembers who came second. Deserving to be an exception to the rule are Sue and Joanne Cooke who,driving a 5-door Mazda2 1.4 diesel, came close to winning the MPG Marathon challenge with a creditable 84.58 mpg. After two days of competitive 'economy' driving, they scored a 19 per cent improvement ,while averaging 40 mph, on the official combined cycle figure (65.7mpg) of this popular Mazda (shown above). The Maxda2 has a CO2 rating of just 114 g/km qualifying it for the £35 VED band for road tax.

So just what does 'eco-driving' entail. Mazda's  9 'Smarter 'Motoring Tips are as follows:

• Change-up 'early' through the gears,just before 'peak torque'rpm
• Ease your speed . Driving at 70 mph uses around 15 per cent  more fuel than at 50 mph
• Anticipate to avoid unnecessary braking and stopping
• Use the air-conditioning sparingly as it increases fuel consumption
• Switch-off the engine  whenever it is safe to do so
• Check tyre pressures regularly
• Remove unnecessary weight from your car
• Reduce aerodynamic drag whenever possible e.g. removing roof racks when not in use
• Following the recommended servicing schedule

And there you have it. It does pay to have a low emission car, but you can help yourself, also.

'til next time.

Toyota Yaris achieves highest overall fuel economy

Driving a Toyota Yaris 1.4 D-4D, Andrew Anders and Gary Luton managed to squeeze-out 84.66 miles to the gallon, and the stiff competition, in the 2008 ALD Fleet World MPG Marathon. The two winning drivers took routes across Britain, over many different types of road and driving conditions, during the 400 mile challenge.

The winners for the last two years, in a Toyota Aygo, James Sutherland and Richard Hill, improved their previous performance in the same 1.0-litre petrol engined car from 78.39 mpg to 82.39 mpg. 

This  is the thing: when you drive a highly economical vehicle like the Yaris, how you drive it will significantly improve (perhaps by up to as much as one hundred percent) its performance by achieving reduced fuel consumption and, therefore, lower CO2 emissions over each journey.

In troubled times Ford seeks a quantum of solace in its new Ka offering at the Paris Motor Show

The second generation Ford Ka range includes for the first time a 1.3-litre 75bhp Duratorq diesel engine, to add to a 1.2-litre 69bhp Duratec petrol unit. Both engines give CO2 emissions of under 120g/km.

Ka is the second small car range to be launched by Ford this year. The first was the Fiesta ECOnetic range (see 7.10.08) As I  reported last time, Ford are banking on having two small cars out there to help ride the current down wave of UK car sales.Global car sales for September have been described by manufacturers as 'terrible'.

Well received in Paris,the Ka's cheeky looks and youthful appeal has already inspired a number of 'specials'. There is a 

special gold-painted version,the Bond Ka, to tie-in with the car's appearance in the soon-to-be-released James Bond film 'Quantum of Solace'. New Bond girl, actress Olga Kurylenko, helped launch the new Ka at a party on the eve of the Paris Motor Show.

Though you wouldn't know it to look at its exterior lines, Ka shares its platform with that of the retro mini car,Fiat 500.

Worth a look.Back soon.

Car manufacturers bank on smaller cars with green credentials to bring back the good times

Beat the credit crunch. Save the Planet. Buy a smaller car with low CO2 emissions. 

This seemed to be the message from large parts of the Paris Motor Show.

The list of manufacturers was impressive: Nissan,Toyota,Vauxhall,Volvo,Peugeot,Fiat, and so on. Ford are also heavily following this trend towards  smaller and greener cars. The Green Car Guide asks: Which best selling five-seat small family car can travel 65 on one gallon,can handle corners in an enjoyable way,yet costs less than #17,000? That'll be the the Ford Focus ECOnetic then.

You can't argue with one of the UK's bestselling cars. Especially in its low emission ECOnetic form. All the characteristics of the Ford Focus (it was first launched in 1998 ) are still there, and you get emissions of just 115g/km. The Model/Engine size: 1.6 16v TDCi 108 bhp ECOnetic, a diesel,offers fuel economy on the combined cycle of 65.7 mpg.

You can see a fuller report on the Focus at the Green Car Guide

The New Volvo Range to DRIVe its low emission cars below 120g/km

Volvo have come-in with its emblem,DRIVe, to signal the uprated properties for the new economical sub-120g/km variants of the C30 Sports Coupe,S40 saloon,and V50 Sportswagon (shown above). The new range will be shown at the Paris Motor Show which opens later this week,on 4th October.

All three models are in the 1.6D range, and are equipped with efficiency enhancing features.

On performance, the impressive fuel consumption figures from Volvo are for the C30 64.2 mpg, and for the S40 and V50 ,62.8mpg. Vehicle Excise Duty will be at Band B with CO2 emissions of 115 g/km for the C30, and 118g/km for the S40 and V50.

More details on specifications to come later. Volvo say on the road prices will be from £15,410(C30), £17,260 (S40), and £18,660 (V50). All three models will be available in S,SE,and SE Lux specifications. The first deliveries of this new car range will be received in the UK next January.