A month ago, Volkswagen introduced the Passat BlueMotion II, a truly frugal car that gets mileage numbers in the 57 mpg range (U.S.) and emits just 109 g/km of CO₂. Now, the not-quite-as-clean Passat BlueMotion 2 is available for orders in the UK. The Passat BlueMotion 2 has automatic stop-start technology and a new 2.0-liter TDI 110 PS common rail diesel engine good for 46 mpg (U.S.) for the estate and 48 mpg for the saloon along with CO₂
emissions of 128 g/km and 129 g/km respectively. Aerodynamics were tweaked by closing off the front air intakes and lowering the ride height; small changes we've gotten quite used to in the last year or so. VW calls this "the most efficient, economical and environmentally friendly Passat yet produced." Costs start at £17,700 for the saloon and £18,835 for the estate, a moderate increase (£475) over the standard models. Read more after the jump.

[Source: Volkswagen]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 BMW 3-Series

BMW's Efficient Dynamics program has prompted the Bavarian automaker to add fuel-saving technologies to its line of vehicles. Most of the changes have been made first to the most fuel efficient models, including the adoption of stop/start technology. By bringing the engine to a stop instead of letting it idle away, a huge improvement can be realized, especially in city-style stop-and-go driving conditions. So far, all of the models to be so equipped have featured four-cylinder engines underhood. No longer. BMW will soon be waving its stop/start wand over its excellent inline six-cylinder engines.

Expect to see the stop/start make its first six cylinder appearance in the 3 Series. A bit later on down the line, the technology will spread across the entire brand's range of vehicles. Now that the United States may finally be getting four cylinder BMWs again, is it too much to ask for them to allow us to save some gas with the stop/start too? We'll see.


[Source: Channel 4]

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Porsche 911

Stopping an engine when it's not necessary for the operation of the car seems like a common sense move when fuel efficiency and emissions are the main concern. When performance is the biggest priority, though, the added weight and complexity of a stop-start system might not be worth it, at least not for drivers interested in the Porsche 911. Instead, Porschephiles would prefer that their sports cars remain as pure as possible, which means a powerful but conventional flat-six engine at the rear of the vehicle. That said, Porsche does intend to a good number of PDK dual-clutch transmissions as opposed to the traditional three-pedal setup, which seems contrary to the mission of a pure drivers car. Porsche also looks to improve overall efficiency by reducing the weight of its Boxster and 911.

On the other hand, stop-start technology seems like a no-brainer for less-sporty vehicles like the Cayenne and the upcoming Panamera, which are also likely to be given a full hybrid drivetrain as an option. Diesels, long the bane of the Porsche aficionado, are also in the works for upcoming Porsche models.

[Source: CAR via Autoblog]

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Mercedes-Benz A-Class

While Mercedes-Benz is a leader in clean diesel technology, the German luxury brand has been lagging behind its arch-rival BMW when it comes to the adoption of green technology such as stop/start in its lower-end models. This omission will soon change, as the A-Class and B-Class models, which are not sold in the U.S. market, will be granted the technology shortly. While consumers will likely appreciate the fuel savings most, the brand will be happy to report the reduction in carbon dioxide, which is regulated in most of the world.

The stop/start technology that will be used by Mercedes-Benz is a very basic system and is shared with the smart brand. Because the starter will be used much more often than normal, a larger starter motor and battery is required. BMW harnesses a portion of the energy usually lost when braking to recharge this more powerful battery. Mercedes' system does not allow this capability, though the automaker claims it is hard at work on the next-generation version of this technology which they say will incorporate regenerative braking.

[Source: Automotive News Europe - sub. req'd]

Volkswagen has seen fit to offer stop/start technology on the next generation of its little hatchback, the Golf... or the Rabbit if you happen to live in the United States. To go along with the gasoline and carbon-saving technology, Vee Dub will add a BlueMotion label to all Golfs so-equipped. Although the stop/start technology will be standard on the BlueMotion Golf, it will also be optional on other models, according to Automotive News. So far, we have no indication on what powertrains the half-hybrid systems will be offered with, but we do know, and have already written about, new small engine options for the sixth-generation of the Golf. Considering how close we are to the planned late 2008 or early 2009 launch of the new hatch, we're sure that this new small-bore engine won't be available right away.

Expect to see VW's new stop/start technology trickle upwards to other models in its range. As is usually the case, the cost of the associated hardware will surely go down as it is installed in more and more vehicles.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Click above to view high-res gallery of the Alfa Romeo Kamal concept

Car-obsessed Americans will get another chance at the historic Alfa Romeo brand soon enough, as the company is planning on a resurgence for the U.S. market. As is the current trend among automakers, along with the beautiful range of automobiles that the Italian marque will be bringing to our shores, it plans on offering a crossover as well. Expect something in line with BMW's current utility vehicle offerings. What's more interesting to us at AutoblogGreen, though, is a possible hybrid system snagged from Fiat, which owns Alfa. Even if the full hybrid drivetrain is left off the docket, at the very least, a mild hybrid system in the form of stop/start will almost assuredly be available.

As an aside, take a good look at the Kamal concept from 2003. Looks a bit like the Subaru Tribeca before its last redesign, wouldn't you say?

[Source: Auto Motor und Sport via Autoblog]

In the name of increased efficiency, and quite possibly playing the game of automotive one-upmanship, luxury automakers such as Mercedes Benz, BMW and Lexus have been adding more and more gear ratios to their automatic transmissions. By allowing a computer to choose the most appropriate ratio for any given scenario, the vehicle's engine is required to only make as much power as absolutely necessary, potentially saving fuel in the process. ZF, one of the largest transmission makers in the world, claims that their new 8-speed unit boasts an efficiency increase of eleven percent over its older 6-speed unit. The transmission giant has just developed a new modification, though, which could increase the overall vehicle efficiency even further. By adding a hydraulic impulse storage unit, the new ZF unit can support stop/start functionality, which they claim can result in an additional five percent reduction in fuel consumption.

[Source: Just-Auto - sub. req'd.]