By Thomas Geiger, dpa

Stuttgart (dpa) – Only 50 years after the invention of the motor car, the very first diesel-engined automobile, the Mercedes 260 D, took to the road with the qualities that still apply today – low fuel consumption and durability.

The diesel engine itself is much older and first made its appearance at the end of the 19th century, mainly in trucks, ships and locomotives. It was a long road from there for Mercedes in persuading motorists to switch to diesel.

It was a mammoth task for engineers to implant a heavy six-cylinder truck engine into a motor car. The heavy vibrations often led to breaking frames. They then designed a completely new four cylinder 2.6 litre engine with an output of 33 kW/45 hp, using taxi drivers a testers.

The taxi drivers were thrilled with the economy of the diesel and it was their enthusiasm that led to the decision to build the 260 D, which celebrated its debut at the 1936 international motor show in Berlin.

Petrol engines at the time had a fuel consumption of between 13 and 14 litres per 100 kilometres. In contrast the diesel used 9.5 litres and in a later version not more than 9 litres of diesel. A bigger tank gave it a range of more than 500 kilometres.

”At a time where you seldom found a filling station around the next corner, this was a crucial advantage,” according to classic car expert Michael Plag.

Taxi license holders at the time paid 17 German pfennigs for a litre of diesel while petrol cost twice as much.

Advertising for the Mercedes took the cue, arguing that for the price of a petrol trip from Berlin to Paris you could make a detour to Milan in Italy with a Mercedes 260 D.

Its huge spaciousness made up for the sluggish performance with a top speed of at the most 90 kilometres per hour. Apart from that the pre-war Mercedes was a sturdy workhorse that would just not break.

Many of the cars had more than a million kilometres on the clock before ending up in vintage car museums.

Los Angeles (dpa) – Celebrating its debut at the Los Angeles Motor Show this month is an updated version of the Volkswagen CC with an extended range of features including bi-xenon headlights, static cornering lights and a new LED taillight design.

Standard features are fatigue detection, stainless steel door sill plates and safety head restraints with additional longitudinal front seat adjustments. New assistance systems include optional technologies such as Side Assist Plus with integrated Lane Assist and a camera-based traffic sign detection system.

The European CC petrol versions are in the range between 118 kW/160 hp to 220 kW/300 hp while the diesel versions have an output of 103 kW/140 hp and 125 kW/170 hp.

The 140 hp TDI is listed with a fuel consumption of 4.7 l/100 km and carbon dioxide emissions of 125 grammes per kilometre.

By Christoph Walter, dpa

Berlin (dpa) – Many a motorist has jumped at the chance to boost the car engine with so-called chip tuning, but chip tuning is not without risk and should only be carried out by experts.

It sounds quite simple. The software used by the manufacturer for engine management is adapted or replaced, providing up to 20 per cent more horsepower.

“The data is either replaced or added to the electronic control system, keeping the original software intact,” says Harald Schmidtke from the German association of tuners (VDAT).

By changing the parameters for a turbo unit, or the timing of the fuel injection, the performance of the engine is boosted.

“We utilize the power reserves left by the manufacturers,” says Guenther Irmscher, who runs a tuning firm specialising in Opel cars.

Sven Gramm, from the Mercedes tuning firm Brabus, agrees that the car makers avoid going to the maximum of what the material and technology can do, especially when it comes to the parameters in mass production.

Philip Puls, an expert from the German technical testing authority TUV, says chip tuning can even contribute to improved fuel consumption while improving performance.

But Puls says there are also risks involved when the tuning is carried out by amateurs.

If the tuner happens to overdo the performance boost, it could lead to major engine failure and damage to the transmission, brake system, or other parts, Puls warns.

Any motorist wishing to boost the performance of her or his car should leave it to an expert, Schmidtke warns.

“Customers should go to well-known and reliable firms and not penny-pinch,” he says.

Reliable tuners always offer a guarantee of their work, Schmidtke explains, and customers should ask for it because the manufacturer’s guarantee does not cover damage that can be directly attributed to a tune-up.

A chip tune-up could also be lost during a software-update carried out by the manufacturer. This can be avoided by adding an additional box that can be adjusted to switch off automatically if the engine gets too hot, according to Schmidtke.

Seoul (dpa) – The new Kia Soul crossover vehicle has been given a thorough makeover, with improvements to its design, technology and equipment.

Modifications to the front and rear emphasize the car’s individual character. The front has been extended by 15 millimetres, giving it a more bullish look.

Apart from the proven 1.6-cylinder diesel unit with an output of 94 kW/128 hp, Kia is also offering a modern direct-injection petrol unit with an output of 103 kW/140 hp. It accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 10.4 seconds.

While the manual petrol unit is listed with a fuel consumption of 6.4 litres, the diesel unit is said to have a consumption of only 4.9 litres.

The Edition 7 includes extras such as LED daylight running lights, LED taillights and a third brake light in LED design. The top of the range Spirit version also has a roof spoiler and 18-inch alloys.

Munich (dpa) – BMW has launched the sixth generation of its bestselling 3-Series with design modifications including a refreshed front grille, wider dimensions and a more wedge-shaped look with most of the big changes found beneath the bonnet.

Compared to its predecessor, the new 3 Series has a wider track, increased length and augmented wheelbase with noticeably more interior space. However, overall weight is down 40 kilogrammes compared to the previous model.

Customers will initially have the choice of four more economical engines, all fitted with new TwinPower Turbo technology. Two further optimised diesel power plants and a six-cylinder petrol unit will become available later.

Apart from Auto Start-Stop function that comes as standard, other fuel-saving measures include Brake Energy Regeneration, Optimum Shift Indicator and need-based operation of ancillary components such as an air conditioning compressor that can be disengaged.

An ECO PRO mode helps the driver maximise fuel economy. The BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Edition with an output of 120 kW/163 hp is listed with an average fuel consumption of 4.1 litres per 100 kilometres which translates to an average carbon dioxide emission figure of 109 grammes per kilometre. An even more fuel-efficient BMW ActiveHybrid 3-Series is scheduled for later next year.

Optional extras include a Head-up-Display and Surround View with Side View and Top View, giving a bird’s-eye perspective of the vehicle and the area around it.

JAKARTA (Xinhua) — The Indonesian government plans to implement a subsidized fuel restriction policy next year, which bans private vehicles from consuming subsidized fuel, local media quoted a minister as saying on Tuesday.

The new policy was being introduced first in January or April in two main islands of Java and Bali in which more than half of the such fuel consumption was there, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Darwin Zahedy Saleh said.

“We noticed we should prioritize (restrictions) in Java and Bali islands first, because these two islands consume the most subsidized fuel, accounting for 59 percent of national consumption, or 24 million kilo of subsidized fuel, 53 percent of which is used for private vehicles,” Darwin was quoted by the Jakarta Post as saying.

“With this policy we could save up to 37.8 million kilo of subsidized fuel,” he said.

LONDON, August 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ –

Honda will launch the new Civic at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Developed specifically for the European market, the Civic will be offered exclusively as a five-door hatchback and will compete in the C-segment. It will reach European showrooms in early 2012.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this story, please click here:

http://multivu.com/players/English/51356-honda-motor-europe/

In the build-up to the reveal of the new Civic, Honda is releasing a series of short form films detailing its development. The third of these films focuses on noise and refinement.

NEW HONDA CIVIC: class-leading refinement

One of the focuses of the development team for the new Civic was optimising the interior refinement. The engineers worked intensively to hone every detail of the design, build and aerodynamics. The results add to a car that is relaxing to drive on all roads and in all conditions.

The engineers have spent a lot of time testing the car in Europe, tuning the new Civic to suit the distinctive road conditions. The team used Honda’s anechoic chamber in its R&D Facility in Swindon, England, to fine-tune the cabin insulation. One of the results of this research was to modify the design and construction of the roof lining, and how it interacts with the bodywork.

The new Civic’s aerodynamic efficiency also plays a key role in maximising its refinement. Several members of the development team have Formula One experience, which they used to deliver a car that combines a low coefficient of drag with excellent high-speed stability. Hours of meticulous work in the Honda wind tunnel has improved performance, reduced fuel consumption and resulted in an exceptionally quiet interior.

“We did not improve the noise and refinement of the new Civic through just one technique,” says Kazuo Sunaoshi, Development Leader – Chassis. “It was the accumulation of lots of little details. My big challenge was to match the noise and vibration levels of our European competitors. I am proud to say that we have achieved our goals.”

Find out more by watching the new ‘noise and refinement’ film release. The film is hosted on an interactive media player where all the films will be shown and automatically updated. You can easily download films and images or even embed the whole player in your site http://multivu.com/players/English/51356-honda-motor-europe/

Infiniti today provided an advanced look at the all-new 2011 Infiniti M performance luxury sedan at the 59th Annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. This is the third generation of Infiniti’s popular M and the first to be sold across all of Infiniti’s 32 markets around the world, including Western Europe.

Like the current Infiniti M, the next-generation design will be offered with V8 and V6 engines. The 2011 M models will be designated the Infiniti M56 and Infiniti M37 respectively, reflecting their more powerful, larger displacement engines. The M56 V8 is expected to offer more than 400 horsepower. For Western Europe, the M56 will be replaced by a V6 performance diesel.

The 2011 Infiniti M also features a completely redesigned body, with authentic sports sedan proportions and evocative new styling with a low front end and deeply sculpted fenders inspired by the Infiniti Essence concept car. The new M interior promises to be pure Infiniti, highlighted by the use of innovative materials, an advanced climate control system, superior audio and an enhanced quality feel. Despite improved performance from the new engine lineup, fuel consumption will be reduced.

In addition, the 2011 M will continue Infiniti’s technology innovation leadership with a blind spot intervention system. This industry-first system is designed to help alert the driver if another vehicle is detected in an adjacent lane during an intended lane change, and then help assist the driver in returning the vehicle toward the center of the original lane of travel.

The 2011 Infiniti M, which is scheduled to go on sale across the world starting from spring 2010, was revealed through a unique “video mapping” process — in which a “virtual M” was created on a 3D form. It is the world’s first “virtual only” (no physical vehicle) automotive application of this cutting-edge technology. The 2011 Infiniti M will make its official public debut later this year.