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weight reduction


Chrysler to cut weight of next-gen Jeep Liberty by 600 pounds!

The Jeep Liberty is not a particularly large vehicle, but Chrysler engineers managed to pack a lot of mass into it nonetheless. The current Liberty weighs in at nearly 4,300 pounds! At the Chrysler business plan meeting today, product development SVP Scott Kunselman revealed that aerodynamics and weight reduction will be a big part of all future vehicles. Using modern computer design tools and lighter materials the company plans to pare large amounts of excess mass. As an example, Kunselman revealed that the next generation Liberty SUV will ... Read more →

Audi shows off lightweight aluminum/carbon fiber A5 prototype Sam Abuelsamid

As much as we like the Audi A5 with it's lovely lines and proportions and good driving dynamics, we have to admit that it's a bit porky. The lightest version currently available in the U.S. market ...

Next-gen BMW 3 series to get turbo three, better aero, hybrid powertrain Sam Abuelsamid

The next generation of BMW's 3-series looks like it will get some major revisions when it arrives in about two years. The new model is expected to be the first in the range to get new turbocharged ...

Lamborghini adds solar power to factory, vows to cut range CO2 35% by 2015 Sam Abuelsamid

In the grand scheme of things, the facilities and products of Lamborghini don't really amount to a hill of beans. After all, the company only has one main factory that produces a few thousand cars a ...

The future of your car seat is foamless Xavier Navarro

French seat manufacturer Faurecia has announced a new seat design that eliminates completely the use of polyurethane foam. The model, called Sustainable Comfort Seat, has two sheets of ...

Mazda to focus on more efficient engines and weight reductions before hybrids 7 months ago on Autoblog Green

The "zoom-zoom" brand is, as always, just a little bit different from everyone else. While most of its Japanese competitors are focused on building hybrids or shifting to plug-ins of various types, Mazda is taking what it hopes will be a more cost effective approach: losing weight and going diesel. ...

Next gen Audi A4/A5 to go on a major diet and get smaller engines 8 months ago on Autoblog Green

The cars built off of Audi's "B8" platform, including the A4 sedan, A5 coupe and their derivatives, have much to recommend them. Light weight is not among those characteristics. The lowest mass four cylinder front wheel drive A4 sedan weighs in at nearly 3,600 pounds and the V8-powered AWD S5 runs ...

Hyundai going down the DI and weight reduction path for more MPG 1 year ago on Autoblog Green

Hyundai is already near the top of the fuel economy ranks in the U.S. market, but that's not enough to meet future requirements. Currently, Hyundai trails only Honda and Toyota in the CAFE race. Going forward, Hyundai plans to upgrade its powertrains and reduce mass to get its conventional vehicles ...

Mazda plans to chop 400lbs from next-generation vehicles 1 year ago on Autoblog Green

With its most recent entries, the mid-sized 6 and sub-compact 2, Mazda has demonstrated that new generations of cars don't necessarily have to get heavier. Each of the recently introduced new models are at least 100 lbs lighter than the predecessors. For its next generation of new cars, Mazda ...

Mazda declares it will cut consumption by 30% by 2015 1 year ago on Autoblog Green

Mazda has declared that by the middle of the decade they will have replaced their entire powertrain lineup and cut fuel consumption by 30 percent. On the powertrain side, engines will be upgraded across the board including a new direct injected wankel rotary. In 2009, a new Smart Idle Stop system ...

Lotus creates lightweight structures division 1 year ago on Autoblog Green

The philosophy of Lotus founder Colin Chapman was always to make his cars as light as possible. He is reported to have said at various times "to add speed, add lightness" and "simplicate, than add lightness." Over the years, Lotus cars have often been among the lightest of their kind and innovations ...

No more body on frame SUVs likely from GM 1 year ago on Autoblog Green

The current GMT920 full-size SUVs from General Motors are very likely to be the last of their kind from the Detroit automaker. Even though new fuel economy standards give the big trucks a break based on their footprint, radical changes are likely for the next-generation models. A fully-equipped ...

BMW likely to start downsizing engines on M-cars 1 year ago on Autoblog Green

Since the debut of the original BMW M3 in the mid-eighties, the high-performance editions of most of BMW models have garnered plenty of praise for their dynamic abilities. Unfortunately, over several generations, the M3, M5, and M6 have grown progressively porkier as they have grown more powerful. ...

Mondragon University studies two ways to reduce weight in cars 2 years ago on Autoblog Green

The Mondragon Unibersitatea (University of Mondragon, Spain) is currently leading a development project focusing on reducing car weight. It's estimated that reducing by 10 percent the weight of a car saves 7 percent of fuel at the pump. This project, called Automotive Lightweighting Materials is ...

Land Rover going aluminum for next generation Range Rover 2 years ago on Autoblog Green

AutoCar rendering of possible next generation Range Rover When the current version of the Jaguar XJ was introduced a couple of years ago, the styling didn't change radically from the look that has prevailed on the big cat sedans since the late sixties. One major element of the car did change ...


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