Click the MINI Cooper D for a high res gallery

For reasons such as imported oil dependency and environmental concerns, there are some people who think personal cars are evil and must be eliminated from our roads immediately. This sentiment is patently unrealistic, and there's no shortage of people, this writer included, who to enjoy cars while using less fuel and emitting fewer greenhouse gases. I'm not ashamed to say that driving quickly is fun and feels good, but that doesn't mean I like to waste fuel or dump pollutants into the air. That's why I love driving cars like the Tesla Roadster. Having fun driving doesn't necessarily mean you need to have an insanely fast car like the Tesla or an Audi R8. Small, lightweight cars like the Mazda MX-5 or or the Honda Fit don't have gobs of power, but they're fun to drive because they handle well and go around corners quickly.

The latest resident of the AutoblogGreen Garage is one of the most entertaining and fuel efficient cars I've driven in a long time. Unfortunately, it's also a car that Americans cannot buy. The 1.6L diesel-powered MINI Cooper D is not available in North America, but fuel system supplier Bosch has added one to its promotional fleet and recently loaned it to us. The aptly-named MINI is indeed a small car and the gas-engined versions offered in the US have been flying off lots at a record pace in recent months. Through the first six months of 2008, MINI sales in the U.S. are up 34 percent compared to last year. Follow the jump to see how the MINI Cooper D rates compared to the regular Cooper.


All Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

We were there but we thought you might like to take a look at what Medialink saw at GM's coming out party for HCCI. The video includes some shots of the car driving around and interviews with the engineers. The idea behind HCCI is basically, kill the spark plug. It's not a new idea at all. I think we are seeing this because presidential candidates are talking about a 40 MPG CAFE standard in less than ten years. Maybe we will see a gas vaporization test drive soon?

[Source: Youtube]

Click on the Smart for a high-res gallery of the little car

SmartUSA, the American distributor for the Smart ForTwo, is currently doing a summer roadshow to give most of the country their first up close look at the diminutive city car. They actually have three teams in the east, west and central parts of the country bringing cars to various events so that people can touch and even take for a short test drive. Next week, from July 18 to 21, they are going to be downtown Ann Arbor during the annual Art Fairs. If you are in A2 for the fair look for them on South University Avenue. After the fair closes they will be around the Detroit area for several days before heading east to Cleveland. ABG will be venturing over to the fair to check these out in the real world and we'll bring you a report. If you want to check them out in your area check the SmartUSA web site for the full schedule.

[Source: SmartUSA]

Autospies has a video up of their test drive of the new GS450h Lexus hybrid. The reviewer’s write-up of the drive through the desert near Las Vegas is a tad hyperbolic, but we’ll forgive for now. According to the review, anyone who likes to drive a powerful motor without quite the horrific mpg rating of most luxury cars will fall in love with the GS450h. The reviewer claims the test vehicle got between 23 and 30 mpg, depending on how much they abused the car during the drive. They also claim the 0-60 time is incredible, calling the car “an absolute rocket”. Well, we’ll see about that, but considering the love affair many people have with their cars, if high-end vehicles start getting slightly better mileage, that’ll make a difference in the long run. Autospies also has lots of photos of the GS450h at the site. [Source: Autospies]