One of my favourite cars gets a sweet power train:
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/01/31/psa-peu...rid-technology/



69mpg. Don't give any power or performance numbers.... but whatever. Its a transformer! Ford seems to me to be one of the only companies going after diesel/electric setups. Its a great combo for gas mileage that's for sure, but one of the readers comments on the fact that both diesel and electric are low end torque motors. What about the high end? Well, i guess if you gear it right, you never have to run the engine too quick to get your speed.

 

It looks like they decided to copy the Japanese. Nix the rear seats and this car could pass for a CRX. Not bad looking at all. Still think a 2CV would better suit this powertrain, it looks funky enough (in a good way), and top end speed? Not a concern. Just wondering about diesel particulate emissions filter/trap (additional maintenance item or similar to cats?) since this would be more of a city car than anything.

 

Performance won't be more than adequate but that's not the point of this car. I don't know what the highway mpg will be but I think this would be a comfortable, economical car to take on a long road trip.

 

I saw few of them in Serbia last summer.

 

Good idea. I think diesels are wonderful. I really like what VW has done with that new "twincharger" setup.

There is a service customer here who has an 04 F250 Supercrew PSD. He hauls a lot PLUS he has diesel heating for his house and is locked in at $1.95 a gallon. So what did he do? He hooked up a pump to his home tank and just uses that fuel! He pays less than someone buying regular gasoline.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hi5.0 @ January 31, 2006, 7:58 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
It looks like they decided to copy the Japanese. Nix the rear seats and this car could pass for a CRX. Not bad looking at all. Still think a 2CV would better suit this powertrain, it looks funky enough (in a good way), and top end speed? Not a concern. Just wondering about diesel particulate emissions filter/trap (additional maintenance item or similar to cats?) since this would be more of a city car than anything.
[/b][/quote]


that's a good point, but in europe, their diesel is much cleaner than ours. furthermore, on october 15th this year, new regulations will come into effect for fuel producers so that our diesel will also be a lot cleaner, lower sulfer content. dirty diesels will be a thing of the past.

 

Nice, but does it transform? [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrinjester.gif[/img]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hi5.0 @ January 31, 2006, 6:58 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
It looks like they decided to copy the Japanese.
[/b][/quote]

Why would anyone do that? Copy Japanese? They have ugliest cars in the world.

 

Really? Have you looked at what GM has been producing lately? I can also see a little Focus in this car.

 

This car, the C4, has actually been around for at least a year or maybe two or something. I saw it in france last year and fell in love with it right away. It comes in two or 4 doors and they are significantly different from about midships back. This car is one of the reasons i wanna go live in france [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrinjester.gif[/img]

Check out the sweet transformer add that's certainly made its rounds of the internet, made in canada! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/canadamoose.gif[/img] (the add not the car)
http://www.theembassyvfx.com/citroen.html

But yeah, its just this hybrid diesel thing which is making the news. There have hardly been any hybrids coming out of europe, none that i can think of. They've just been all over diesels and simply small cars that don't use much gas in the first place. I can't wait to see what kind of mileage this thing can get. And hopefully it'll still have the sweet transformer option.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(scottie1113 @ February 3, 2006, 12:46 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Really? Have you looked at what GM has been producing lately? I can also see a little Focus in this car.
[/b][/quote]

Good point there.

 

Mustang_ Sallad,

I can think of better reasons for living in France than the C4. Renault makes some cool little cars--the Megane, I think it is, really rings my bell. Aside from that, the arcitecture, history, culture, and cuisine are some of the reasons I love France. The people are great as well, even in Paris. Yes, I'm a Francophile et je parle francais. My fellow Americans will hate me for saying that, mais c'est la vie.

 

topgear.com says this thing'll get 82.9mpg, vs 60mpg for the regular turbodiesel version.
Scott... trust me... the C4 is one of many many reasons i'm gonna go live there... actually, it was really just a joke. But its still a sweet car. But ya... they've got sooo much good ... everything there. Especially the food. And there's also the fact that, as of tonight and for the next 5 months, my girlfriend is there too!

They may have great food and cheap beer, but i really hope they have web cams [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen.gif[/img]