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Like it paves the way for diesel cars with the new 50 state general TBI. Let's see if this janitor soaks up more than just mileage do we explain our drive special. That Goss fuel economy this time on Goss's garage. And explore what bright young Energy Star see ahead as they meet challenge X plus find out if hybrids make dollars and cents for the family sedan. So come drive with us next. Motor Week TV's original automotive magazine brought to you by cars dot com. Let's say you're looking for a car. Cars dot com can help research locate even contact a dealer because Dodge caught. My idea of a symphony a Pistons playing the tune my ride for you to listen to a. Bell feeling.

100. Percent. Feel like LFC and all the places people let it go. I love being part of the company that helps those people get there. You know these things so you can get. Your host from over a week. John Davis. Well hello and welcome we're glad to have you with us for a BOTA weeks clean power drives special erratic gas prices have everyone wondering about the future of the automobile and what can be done to make them more efficient. But this week we want to focus on fuel saving technologies and tips that can help ease the pain at the pump right now. So let's start with a road test of the first modern 50 say legal diesel car to go on sale in America. The clean quiet and thrifty Woakes Wacken Jetta. With the words clean and he's old now living and happy coexistence. Books wagon

fans are celebrating the introduction of the 2009 Jetta TVI sedan and the Jetta TVI sport wagon. Both get their 50 state legal diesel power from Volkswagen's newest TVI engine a 2 liter turbo charged 16 valve for cylinder with common rail direct injection in 2009 trim the WS compact diesel makes 140 horsepower and 236 pound feet of torque compared to the Jetta standard 2.5 liter gas engine. The diesel delivers 30 horsepower less 33 percent more pulling power torque. While BW is part of the blue tech diesel cooperative with Mercedes the jet is TDR Ford does not use the urea injection found on Mercedes new blue TEC SUV V-6 to handle nitrogen oxide emissions. Rather and intellects traffic is used as well as up particulate filter first shut. Both are then burned off periodic Lee. Other advanced hardware includes a high pressure pump that feeds fuel Taposh PS 0 controlled

injectors. They deliver a fine multi-stage spray for a more complete combustion. The end result is emission levels comparable to those of a similar size gasoline engine. But like all diesels the TVR easily beats gas engines in the mileage contests earning government fuel economy ratings of 30 City 41 highway with a manual transmission at 29 city 40 highway with an automatic. This gives the jet a TVI and energy impact score of only eleven point six barrels of oil per year and a small six point two carbon footprint. Our seat of the pants testing using an automatic jet is onboard mileage computer delivered a result of forty point seven miles per gallon of low sulfur diesel fuel. And that was on the often steep and twisting pavement of L.A.'s Mulholland Drive. On. Transmitting this cleaner diesels power to the Jet his front wheels are either a six speed manual gearbox or a DST direction automatic with sequential manual mode from the very beginning of our drive we were impressed with the TVI

prodigious torque even on Malone's many tight twists and turns. We rarely had to downshift the manual from fifth gear. The automatic transmission didn't work much harder. It's infrequent ships being clean and fuss free. The TVI engine is also very smooth and remarkably quiet. The day of the clattering dirty diesel is truly gone. But while the jet is TVI engine was a revelation the curio over chassis is a proven package. The ride is smooth and quiet under all kinds of conditions but the TBI suspension is tuned song so there's a good bit of rock push in tight corners but we expect few drivers to complain about the TDR eyes very well-equipped interior. As always the boat's wagon layout is simple and clean with a full complement of air bags standard the front seat feature VTech full leather upholstery a toy adjustment and heat while the center stack packs manual singles on climate control. The rear seat delivers good headroom but limited space for adult

legs or elbows. No such issues with the trunk however which measures a big 16 cubic feet. Jenna TDR as an employee she's going to twenty two thousand six hundred forty dollars with a manual and twenty three thousand seven hundred forty dollars for the DSG automatic. That's only about twenty one hundred dollars more than a comparably equipped petrol powered jet to se the TVI sport wagon started twenty four thousand two hundred forty dollars for the manual at twenty five thousand three hundred forty for the automatic. But since many TDR buyers will be able to claim a thirteen hundred dollar federal income tax credit. The only real obstacle the TVI ownership is the price of the clean diesel fuel itself. The 2009 folks wagon Jetta TVI is just what diesel fans have been waiting for and what the driving population as a whole needs a totally practical and affordable diesel alternative to the typical compact family car. The TDR is a no compromise effort

and one they can take American drivers a long way towards their own personal brand of energy independence. Next up a visit to Goss's garage for some tips that everyone can use. John this time some facts and some lies about fuel economy. First you have to make sure your engine runs hot enough the colder the engine runs the worse your fuel economy. So get the thermostat checked on a regular basis and figure that it may have to be replaced every two or three years. Another thing that you want to consider oxygen sensors and some of the other sensors under the hood. Many of them deteriorate with use. Well they should be checked regularly and things like the oxygen sensors if they're getting lazy replace them because you'll get better fuel economy. Now here's a law that is that

using thicker oil in the engine is better for the engine and fuel economy. Neither is true. It's not better for the engine. It's not better for fuel economy. I always use what the owner's manual recommends. Another lie right here. The air filter supposedly a dirty air filter affects fuel economy but it doesn't because the computer picks up its airflow reading past the air filter so it balances fuel delivery relative to the actual amount of air going through the meter not through the filter. All right. Windows down or windows up. Well in slow speed traffic and so on windows down air conditioning off on the highway windows up an air conditioning on. All right. Weight is always a big concern so get rid of all the extra stuff that accumulates in the car. The more weight you carry. Well the lower your fuel economy. And speaking of more weight remember that

gas is heavy. So if you don't need a full tank of gas don't keep the tank full all the time. More weight again. Lower fuel economy. Tire pressure. Always a big concern. And remember that proper tire pressure is not necessarily what's on the side of the tire. It is what's on the decal inside the door or the fuel filler or the glove box or center console. But the really big big thing is your right foot in the way you drive. Aggressive Driving can reduce fuel economy by up to 30 percent. So ease up. Leave your attitude at home. Drive gently and two things not to do so all over the Internet. Tailgate for better fuel economy. Hand over inflate your tires. Those are far too dangerous to ever attempt. Don't do it.

And if you have a question or comment write to me or send me a DVD-Video of your question and you might see yourself on TV. The address is Motor Week Owings Mills Maryland 2 1 1 1 7. Automotive Technology is evolving at a rapid clip and so are the engineering practices used to develop new cars and trucks. This can be a problem for our nation's colleges and universities however since today's graduates can't design tomorrow's cars with yesterday's knowledge. So to provide hands on experience actually developing an advanced technology vehicle using Andersen practices. The U.S. Department of Energy's latest design competition invites North America's brightest students to step up to challenge X.. This is this is where it's really at. Everything is changing. This is where the jobs are going to be. It's really exciting and we will do what it takes. We will be the best. 2008 marks the fourth and final year for the challenge X competition in

which teams from 17 engineering schools were given a stock 2005 Chevrolet Equinox and tasked with improving its emissions and fuel economy. The use of renewable fuels in Advanced Technologies was encouraged and sponsors provided funding technical support and more importantly the advanced hardware needed to make their designs a reality. We headlined sponsor General Motors provided the vehicles as well as mentoring support for each team and allowed the competition to mimic its a global vehicle design process by which GM develops its own prototype vehicles. Year 1 of the competition focused on modeling vehicle simulation and deciding which approach to take. All chose some form of hybrid electric drive train and many schools chose to burn bio diesel or ethanol while a few ambitious teams opted for hydrogen fuel. Teams were given their vehicles in year two and have worked ever since on implementing their power train designs. But the students also had to think real world and

consider the packaging of their components fit and finish drivability and consumer acceptance teams have to present marketing plans for their vehicles conduct outreach programs and also give detailed technical presentations objective judging was conducted in each year of the competition measuring each team's progress in terms of emissions economy and component integration. Most students participate for just one year of the program meaning a greater number can benefit from the experience. This also means that designs in progress are passed along to the next year's pit crew giving them an opportunity to fix problems and improve the design. No two cars turned out alike and many innovative ideas for battery packs emissions treatment and engine controls have evolved from the competition and so the engineer of the future won't be a mechanical or an electrical or chemical engineer he or she will be a systems integrator that takes a variety of advanced systems and makes them work in one platform.

The benefits for the students in terms of knowledge and experience has been incredible for many competing here has opened a door directly into the engineering job market over the last three years General Motors has recruited and on board 50 students out of this program. And I tell you that some of the top talent universities that we could get they events of the competition are designed to ensure that they understand the tradeoffs that balance between speed and emissions and fuel economy. And if I hadn't have that as a student I certainly wouldn't understand vehicles the way that I do now and I would use that experience throughout my career at General Motors. The 2008 challenge ended up with Drag Race an auto cross competitions and a road rally along the East Coast from New York through Baltimore to Washington D.C. and the finish line appropriately in front of headquarters. For 2008 Mississippi State University took top team honors there through the road parallel bio diesel electric hybrid

achieved a 38 percent increase in fuel economy while also achieving the fastest quarter mile and top ranking in seven of the 18 scored categories. Congratulations also go to the University of Wisconsin-Madison for second place and the Ohio State University in third position but the ideals of challenge X don't end here. Seventeen teams have already been chosen to participate in eco car the next challenge with competition beginning in the fall of 2008. In this new competition teams will engineer and dance propulsion solutions for a Saturn View with the goal of achieving near zero emissions. Sounds like a win win win situation for the students who gain the experience for the sponsors who enrich their talent pool. And for the rest of us who reap the benefits of a clean driving future. Next up on our border we clean power draw special Jessica trucks with a new

fuel economy ratings and what they mean to you. With gas prices continuing their rollercoaster ride and spot shortages due to everything from hurricanes to panic buying It's no wonder Americans continue to be fixated on fuel economy. So what better time to check in on the latest in government fuel economy ratings. The U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the government fuel economy guide in the fall of each year. For decades the guide has helped car buyers compare vehicle mpg and fuel costs so they can choose the most fuel efficient models to meet their needs. Easy to use and print online and now even accessible by cell phones and PDA. The 2009 fuel economy guide is organized first by vehicle class and second enough about the order by manufacturer model. The vehicles with the highest fuel economy in each class are highlighted in the two seater class. This year's leader is the smart for two. It tops out contenders with 33 mpg city and 41 mpg highway. Well suited the

four place Mini Cooper takes the lead in the mini compact car class and with no surprise to us Toyotas Yara snails down the sub compact segment. Honda Civic hybrid takes honors in the compact segment with 40 city and 45 highway. The best non-hybrid compact is the Volkswagen Jetta TV ideas old 30 city and 41 highway Toyotas Prius is once again the winner for a midsize car with a stunning 48 city and forty five highway ratings. And for the large car class the Hyundai Sonata edges out rivals a 22 city and 32 highway. In the wagon market the small category is headed by the Volkswagen Jetta TVI sport wagon. While the midsize class winner is the tall Kia Rondo. For the SUV the Ford Escape Hybrid offers the best mileage the escapes efficiency is also available as the Mercury Mariner hybrid and Mazda Tribute hybrid Mazda also takes on the minivan prized for its compact Mazda far with ratings of

22 city and 28 highway. While before Ranger is the most fuel efficient small pickup you can buy a 21 city and 26 highway. It is also available wearing the Moscow B 23:00 badge. Better pick up class includes both mid size and full size models. The most efficient efforts here are the Chevrolet Silverado hybrid and the GMC Sierra hybrid for non hybrids it's the Dodge Dakota and it should be she rater at the top. End of the large brand category flex fuel capable Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana models are the mileage champs for both cargo and passenger needs. As for overall fuel economy leaders hybrids and a diesel occupy the top spot in five categories for 2009 and their influence is sure to expand in the future. Even better is the fact that the 2009 winners list is quite well rounded with a wide variety of manufacturers. That's a sign that leads us to believe that automakers are getting more serious about offering fuel efficient choices.

The online version of the fuel economy guide is updated throughout the year and while we encourage you to keep yourself posted we'll be sure to track any changes that could affect your future vehicle choice. And that's it for this week's Motor News. Hybrid is the biggest buzzword in the auto industry today and many consumers it does sound like magic. Promising amazing fuel economy without compromise. So let's suppose that you want a hybrid family sedan. Where do you start. What kind of hybrid technology is available and are they worth the cost. Well we'll try and answer those questions with a tale of two hybrid mid-size family sedan to see if either is ready for a spot in your garage. Let's compare the 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid and the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu hybrid. But bear in mind this is not quite an apples to

apples comparison. The Camry is a full gasoline electric hybrid while the Malibu is a mild hybrid. A full hybrid can run solely on electric power at low speeds. A mild hybrid primarily uses its electric motor to shut down and quickly restart the gas engine it stops to reduce wasteful idling any power boost is small. Both of our hybrids are aimed at optimizing fuel economy in urban traffic. So besides the start stop feature. They each also share regenerative braking that keeps the batteries charged. Along with the smaller Prius the Camry hybrid is a big part of Toyota's hybrid Synergy Drive juggernaut and Camry the system combines a 105 kilowatt electric motor and a two point four leader four cylinder gas engine for a net total of one hundred eighty seven horsepower. Power reaches the road through a continuously variable transmission Camry hybrid government fuel economy ratings are 33 City 34 highway with a

combined rating of 34 mpg. Our Camry Hybrid managed thirty two point two miles per gallon in mixed driving. By comparison the base 4 cylinder automatic Camry elete has a combined rating of 25 MPG so the Camry Hybrid rates nine miles per gallon or 36 percent more efficient than a non hybrid Camry. With a high fuel economy comes a low energy impact score of just ten point one barrels of oil consumed per year while the carbon footprint comes in at a small 5.4 annual tons of CO2 emitted. Another plus whirlpool hybrid is exhilaration on the track our Camry Hybrid tester move from zero to 30 and three point two seconds and zero to 60 in eight seconds flat. While there was some conflict between electric and gas powered during full throttle launches the overall performance is comparable to a gas B6 inside the Camry

Hybrid tops a formal well equipped with upgrades such as tools on climate control over the Camry elete. The biggest hybrid difference is in the gauge cluster where a screen inside this but ometer shows how the hybrid system is operating. Arrows indicate the flow of energy between components and the wheel to the left is an analog gauge for instantaneous MPG. Now let's turn to the Chevrolet Malibu hybrid. The most fuel efficient version of General Motors most acclaimed new car design in decades. For the Malibu hybrid GM is 2.4 leader eco tech 4 cylinder engine games out hang on electric motor starter generator that provides 10 kilowatts of power through a straightforward Delta pulley system rounded to the gas engine spraying total output it's one hundred sixty four horsepower managed by a four speed automatic transmission. Government fuel economy ratings for the Malibu hybrid are 26 City 34 highway with a combined radius 49 mpg.

Our tester achieved twenty nine point five mpg and real world driving a base four cylinder Malibu automatic has a combined rating of 25 MPG so the Malibu hybrid has an advantage of four miles per gallon or a 16 percent gain. The energy impact scores a modest eleven point eight barrels of oil consumed per year while the carbon footprint measures only 6.3 annual tonnes of CO2 emitted. In terms of performance our Malibu Tester ran from zero to 30 in 3.7 seconds and zero to sick. See you in 10 seconds even without a substantial electric motor boost. That's a full two seconds slower than the Camry Hybrid on the inside the Malibu hybrid displays a sporty well-appointed twin cockpit style dash the hybrid is a step above L.T. trim adding automatic climate control for efficiency info there's a simple eco light instant fuel economy readout as well as a hybrid charge assist gauge. Just keep the needle pointed directly to your right for

optimum operation. OK so which hybrid makes sense in MPG the Camry man is thirty two point two over the Malibu's twenty nine point five. That's a 10 percent edge for the Camry. They can raise carbon footprint is about 18 percent smaller than the Malibu's and it has better acceleration so the Camry is clearly the more ecological choice. But when it comes to cost the tide changes. The Malibu Highbridge base price of twenty five thousand three hundred forty five dollars is fifteen hundred twenty five dollars less than the Camry Hybrid space price of twenty six thousand eight hundred seventy dollars. One of them. Malibu qualifies for a thirteen hundred dollar federal hybrid tax credit that has expired for the Camry. That puts the Malibu's cost advantage at over twenty eight hundred dollars. Based on our test mileage using $4 a gallon gas one would have to drive the Camry Hybrid 250000 miles before it would be a better dollar value than the

Malibu hybrid. But if gas goes higher and the Camry will pay back faster. Still both cars are headed in the right direction. We'll design five passenger hybrid sedans that fit the mainstream American lifestyle. One is more green to drive while the other takes less green to drive home. So cool hybrid or mild hard bridge we say. Buy what you can afford. Either way you will save on gas and know that you've made a choice that will benefit all of us. Thank you for joining us for our motor week clean power drive special and I hope to see you here next week for more motor we will test the end of a to all new Dodge Ram pickup that will mark our spot on the blacktop Woodstock. And if you still haven't gotten enough of us why not check out our latest podcast of Motor Week online till next time I'm John Davis and we'll fill you here on Motor Week.

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