Microturbine-powered hybrid supercar to debut in Los Angeles

The CMT-380 serial hybrid sports car is built on a Factory Five Racing kit car platform.

In an unlikely alliance, Capstone, manufacturer of electricity-generating microturbines, and Electronic Arts Chief Creative Director Richard Hilleman have built a hybrid sports car for the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show. The CMT-380 uses an electric power train with a range-extending diesel-fueled microturbine. A lithium polymer battery pack gives the CMT-380 80 miles of pure electric range, and the microturbine generates power for an additional 500 miles.

The car itself is built on a kit car platform, the Factory Five Racing GTM supercar. Capstone cites performance figures of 3.9 seconds to 60mph and a 150mph top speed. Impressively, the microturbine burns its fuel so cleanly that no catalytic converter or other exhaust treatment is needed for the car to meet California's Air Resources Board emissions requirements.

Not the first name that comes to mind in the automotive industry, Capstone has been making microturbines for stationary facilities and hybrid public transport vehicles since 1988. The microturbine in the CMT-380 is the company's smallest, generating 30 kilowatts. Capstone claims many benefits of its microturbine technology over an internal combustion engine, such as compact size, low maintenance, and efficient operation.

But forget buying your own CMT-380. Capstone says it may build a limited number based on interest at the Los Angeles Auto Show, but the car really serves as a demonstration of microturbine technology. Capstone will look for interest in the technology from automakers.

Production 2011 Chevrolet Cruze previewed

Chevrolet has confirmed details and unveiled images of the 2011 Cruze compact sedan, which is set to be revealed in the sheet metal at the 2009 LA Auto Show on December 2. Set to compete directly with the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla, Chevrolet expects the Cruze to stand out because of its expected highway fuel economy of 40 mpg.

The Cruze achieves this 40 mpg rating (and a cruising range of more than 500 miles) when equipped with its new, small-displacement Ecotec 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with variable valve timing. Standard on LT and LTZ models, the Ecotec 1.4L engine develops an estimated 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque.

Stepping over to the LS model nets you, among other things, a larger displacement 1.8-liter naturally aspirated engine and access to a larger wheel and tire package. With either engine, the Cruze is available with automatic and manual transmissions, both of which are six-speed units.

Keeping the Cruze connected to the road is a MacPherson strut suspension up front and a Watts Z-link independent suspension in the rear, which, according to Chevy, helps to keep the Cruze's handling responses symmetrical on both left-hand and right-hand turns. Standard StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover mitigation, traction control, antilock brakes and electric power steering also do their part to keep the Cruze's 16-, 17-, or 18-inch wheels on the tarmac.

According to Chevy, the Cruze's interior is "Corvette-inspired."

Meanwhile, inside the "Corvette-inspired" cabin, the Cruze benefits from an array of noise canceling technologies, from hydraulic ride bushings to nylon baffles filled with sound-absorbent foam in the body to improved weather seals and tighter panel gap tolerances. Expect a reasonable list of infotainment technologies, including a six-speaker stereo system with MP3 playback capability, an auxiliary jack for personal playback devices as standard with available XM Satellite Radio, and OnStar. Premium audio comes in the form of a Pioneer sound system with a USB port for iPod operation, Bluetooth, and navigation.

The full list of cabin technologies hasn't been carved in stone yet and much can change between now and the Cruze's launch in third-quarter 2010. Stay tuned to our coverage of the 2009 LA Auto Show for more details as they emerge.

Mazda shows off U.S.-spec Mazda2

This Mazda2 gets custom wheels and a roof rack to celebrate its U.S. debut.
The Mazda Mazda2, 2008 World Car of the Year, finally gets its North American debut in U.S. production trim. However, while the diminutive B-segment hatch was certainly on display at the 2009 LA Auto Show, Mazda was surprisingly shy with the details. We weren't even allowed to take interior photos, which doesn't exactly bode well for a vehicle that's scheduled to launch as early as summer 2010.

What we do know is that the Mazda2 will feature a front MacPherson strut and rear torsion-beam axle setup that's similar to the European variant. The subcompact is designed with weight reduction and aerodynamics in mind, which--when combined with whatever small displacement engine finds its way under the Mazda2's hood--should equate to respectable fuel economy. However, Mazda is also being tight lipped about the fuel economy estimates as well.

Based on what we know about the Euro-variant, we expect the Mazda Mazda2 to be powered by a gasoline engine displacing somewhere between 1.3 and 1.5-liters and sipping fuel at a rate somewhere about 35 mpg. Final numbers remain to be seen, so stay tuned for more details as they emerge.

Audi A3 TDI wins 2010 Green Car of the Year

Audi/VW's TDI technology grabs a Green Car of the Year twofer.
For the second year in a row, the Green Car of the Year award has been handed to a clean diesel vehicle. This time around, it's the 2010 Audi A3 TDI and its 2.0-liter direct-injected turbo-diesel engine that's beaten its way to the top of a field populated mostly with gas-electric hybrids from Toyota, Mercury, and Honda.

Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal, which sponsors the award, cites the A3's EPA-estimated 42 highway mpg, five-seater hatchback functionality, and fun driving experience seasoned with healthy portions of low-end torque as the reasons for its success.

The Green Car of the Year is awarded annually at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Previous winners of the award include the Volkswagen Jetta TDI, the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, the Toyota Camry Hybrid, and the Mercury Mariner Hybrid.