RE: Golf Goes On The Green
Tuesday 14th August 2007
The new BlueMotion in, er... motion.Volkswagen is about to make the ‘Green Bandwagen’ even bigger.
Golf Goes On The Green
VW plans super-frugal Golf
The new BlueMotion in, er... motion.
Carrying on from its range of ultra frugal BlueMotion cars, Volkswagen will display a newBlueMotion specced Golf at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this year.
Based on the 1.9 TDI, the Golf joins the Polo and both Passat saloon and estate versions in the BlueMotion range. It’ll do 62.7mpg (compared with the TDI’s 56.5mpg) and will emit 119g/km in CO2 (compared with 132g) - making VW one step closer to the EU’s 2012 target of 130g/km average CO2 emissions.
More importantly for you, it means no Congestion Charge from next year.
They’ve done it by changing several things on the car. Mechanically, they’ve increased the gear ratios to lower the engine speed and they've modified the engine management system.
Outside, the body has been lowered, the grill has been closed off and the underbody of the car has been tidied up.
The Golf BlueMotion will go on sale in Germany later this year for €20,615 (£13,990), although we'll only know the UK prices nearer the car's arrival in 2008.
Discussion
Longer gears and more aerodynamic.
So a frugally and slower driven older model in theory is just as good.
When will they realise that CO2 is roughly proportional to fuel consumed which is pretty much proportional to your chosen vehicles economy and the way and amount you drive it.
Fuel tax. Nah, far too simple.
Rag this around in a lower gear because it's got longer gears and it'll be no better than the one it's based off!
Dave
So a frugally and slower driven older model in theory is just as good.
When will they realise that CO2 is roughly proportional to fuel consumed which is pretty much proportional to your chosen vehicles economy and the way and amount you drive it.
Fuel tax. Nah, far too simple.
Rag this around in a lower gear because it's got longer gears and it'll be no better than the one it's based off!
Dave
VW have a history of doing this stuff, my first car was an '83 Polo Formel E. Tall gearing and a load of relays and what not to turn off the engine whenever you were in neutral - e.g. stationary at traffic lights. 45+ MPG was great when I was at Uni, and the high high gearing was awesome for running backwards and forwards from Bristol to London. I think the Prius (and Civic hybrid) are hugely overrated; I now live in LA and know several people with them, real world that don't do much better than the wife's mini in consumption and there's no comparison in driving experience.
VW!I applaud VW in what it is trying to do...
But the cynic in me thinks that all this is clever tweaking to find loopholes in current government legislation. I'm sure that these engines bench tested in lab conditions will do what they say. But in the real world, with a 'normal' driver who is not constantly thinking about fuel consumption, will the CO2 be any different to any other TDI golf? I for one don't get within 25% of my car's claimed mpg.
Not knocking the efforts, just not convinced of the real-world CO2 benefits either.
Mind you, as a punter, its worth it for the lower tax, insurance and no CC
But the cynic in me thinks that all this is clever tweaking to find loopholes in current government legislation. I'm sure that these engines bench tested in lab conditions will do what they say. But in the real world, with a 'normal' driver who is not constantly thinking about fuel consumption, will the CO2 be any different to any other TDI golf? I for one don't get within 25% of my car's claimed mpg.
Not knocking the efforts, just not convinced of the real-world CO2 benefits either.
Mind you, as a punter, its worth it for the lower tax, insurance and no CC
nice, just depends on the cost of the car. if the polo is around the 14k mark, then maybe this will be around 17k, which is kindof pricey even for a golf. and thats prob without air-con. residual values wouldnt be much higher than the norm though either. but then it asks the question, a bluemotion golf or golf gt tdi for a bit more?
weight is a big prob on modern cars, as we demand more. nice car though still.
weight is a big prob on modern cars, as we demand more. nice car though still.
WHAT IS GREEN ABOUT DIESEL?! Jesus Fcking Christ! When will common sense prevail? The sooner this Carbon Dioxide pollution myth blows over the better. The REAL pollution comes from shitty, unmaintained Diesels sooting their way from A to B. It beggars belief that politicans seem to think that unburned particulates are less dangerous to humans than CO2, a gases whose effect on the environment has yet to be proven beyond all doubt.
How many younger people are killed by automobile Diesel soot and NOx (and the higher noise level) - compared to benzol and pah, for example? And how much of the whole planet's CO2 emissions are these Diesel engines saving? That's the question. I don't have the numbers, but I think VW wouldn't use them in their next Golf advertisement.
Diesel is a step or two lower in the refining chain. Making it much greener to produce. You get further on a litre of diesel than petrol. Lowering emissions is not about the danger to humans; it's about the damage to the environment. If you want to wait for visual proof of CO2 damage it may then be too late to do something about it. (Come to think about it, haven't we just had record breaking rainfall, and the same in Asia, and didn't the US have a record number of hurricanes not long ago) We will always have emissions of some sort coming out of our cars, how can you knock the efforts of a company trying to lower the emissions is products give out, no matter how small it is, every little helps.
astrsxi77 said:
WHAT IS GREEN ABOUT DIESEL?! Jesus Fcking Christ! When will common sense prevail? The sooner this Carbon Dioxide pollution myth blows over the better. The REAL pollution comes from shitty, unmaintained Diesels sooting their way from A to B. It beggars belief that politicans seem to think that unburned particulates are less dangerous to humans than CO2, a gases whose effect on the environment has yet to be proven beyond all doubt.
Totally agree 100% !!!!!!I see diesels every day putting out black soot, which has to be worse for the environment than CO2.
Isn't the O-Zone supposed to be closing up now?
This whole green house gasses/global warming is just like the millennium bug, lets make some big bucks.
How much pollution does a volcanic eruption put out?
How come in Medieval times, we had vineyards at the very North of England?
They have shown that thousands of years ago, it was hotter in England, with stranger climates, than it is now.
Sure it is important than we keep our contamination of this fantastic world down to a minimum, I also agree on that, but what really annoys me is the constant drivval of "green house this and that", when we have Nuclear waste we can't dispose of properly, Diesels of 30 year old busses kicking out crap like no tomorrow all over the world (India/China, etc) and we STILL have coal power plants.
It's just all out of proportion and not enough is done in the right area.
Maybe I'm totally misinformed?
cat@10" Target="_blank">class="forumQuoter">cat@10 said:
Diesel is a step or two lower in the refining chain. Making it much greener to produce. You get further on a litre of diesel than petrol. Lowering emissions is not about the danger to humans; it's about the damage to the environment. If you want to wait for visual proof of CO2 damage it may then be too late to do something about it. (Come to think about it, haven't we just had record breaking rainfall, and the same in Asia, and didn't the US have a record number of hurricanes not long ago) We will always have emissions of some sort coming out of our cars, how can you knock the efforts of a company trying to lower the emissions is products give out, no matter how small it is, every little helps.
Well then, lowering emissions should bloody well be about reducing risk to humans! Christ, to think that this Alistair Campbell grade pseudo-science gets put ahead of cold, hard fact!As it is, I put the blame for the boom in Diesel passenger cars sales directly at the door of ignorant, artificial politics - they increase the tax on petrol, raise levels of tax on the "worst" CO2 polluters and people start ditching petrols - the manufactures respond to falling sales figures by rushing to develop Diesel and launch cars such as this VW, re-spun as Eco-Friendly and planet saving, when in real life, this shopping wagon will be steaming particualte smoke by 10,000miles old.
I think you'll find that manufacturers resent having to make Diesel such a priority because they cost far more to develop than petrol equivalents and it is more common to see Diesel engines written off earlier in their lives when they break, owing to expence of repair and complexity (imagine the pollution generated in dismantling all those old motors...think of the children etc etc etc).
And finally, there exist scientific communities who refute and disagree with the sacred cow view on C02. The difference is that the government won't engage with them.
Cars of the future they worry me, before we know it we can't even drive them as the route has been pre-set and it will take us from A_B but in the most effecient manner as not to upset the balance. We will probably have to justify our trips and pay heavy taxes to have the priveledges. Cars will get slower and the day when you just wanted to go off for a drive will be over as we are monitored, I know it all sounds pie in the sky but its coming.
New Scientist is as reputable as it gets. This article will clear up any misconceptions you may have, (medieval warm period and volcanoes etc.)
No politicians are involved in this information.
http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/...
Also coming soon to a diesel near you...
http://www.ecotravel.org.uk/fuels_8.html
http://www.saffil.com/diepar.htm
There are loads of other sites with info on DPFs.
Being green does not cost money, it saves it. The more efficent you are the less you consume, and your bills go down. If your car is efficient you are taxed less, your fuel bill goes down (less tax to the gov.) and you avoid congestion charges. If its a "lets make some big bucks idea" its a shit idea.
No politicians are involved in this information.
http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/...
Also coming soon to a diesel near you...
http://www.ecotravel.org.uk/fuels_8.html
http://www.saffil.com/diepar.htm
There are loads of other sites with info on DPFs.
Being green does not cost money, it saves it. The more efficent you are the less you consume, and your bills go down. If your car is efficient you are taxed less, your fuel bill goes down (less tax to the gov.) and you avoid congestion charges. If its a "lets make some big bucks idea" its a shit idea.
Edited by cat@10 on Wednesday 15th August 11:12
cat@10" Target="_blank">class="forumQuoter">cat@10 said:
New Scientist is as reputable as it gets. This article will clear up any misconceptions you may have, (medieval warm period and volcanoes etc.)
No politicians are involved in this information.
http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/...
Pah, it's nicer being warmer and wetter anyway.No politicians are involved in this information.
http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/...
Dave
cat@10" Target="_blank">class="forumQuoter">cat@10 said:
New Scientist is as reputable as it gets. This article will clear up any misconceptions you may have, (medieval warm period and volcanoes etc.)
No politicians are involved in this information.
http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/...
Also coming soon to a diesel near you...
http://www.ecotravel.org.uk/fuels_8.html
http://www.saffil.com/diepar.htm
There are loads of other sites with info on DPFs.
Being green does not cost money, it saves it. The more efficent you are the less you consume, and your bills go down. If your car is efficient you are taxed less, your fuel bill goes down (less tax to the gov.) and you avoid congestion charges. If its a "lets make some big bucks idea" its a shit idea.
How does it save money when a Diesel unit costs more to produce and dispose of? How so when more is required to make them "clean" via these particulate filters (not yet mandatory) and how is a heavier Diesel engine considered a step in the right direction? At the end of the day, oil will run out no matter whether "sipped" by a TDI or gluzled by a V8, so why risk human health in the name of using less? No politicians are involved in this information.
http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/...
Also coming soon to a diesel near you...
http://www.ecotravel.org.uk/fuels_8.html
http://www.saffil.com/diepar.htm
There are loads of other sites with info on DPFs.
Being green does not cost money, it saves it. The more efficent you are the less you consume, and your bills go down. If your car is efficient you are taxed less, your fuel bill goes down (less tax to the gov.) and you avoid congestion charges. If its a "lets make some big bucks idea" its a shit idea.
Edited by cat@10 on Wednesday 15th August 11:12
You think Ken would immediately drop the congestion charge if cars could suddenly be powered by water and unicorn tears tomorrow? Like hell he would....its too good an earner. Tax is name of the game.
How does a diesel engine cost more to dispose of that a petrol equvalent? They're both lumps of metal with oil in them. As for producing them, it's not costing you anything is it? The money is spent by VW, who make millions in profit every year. Does it matter how much additional stuff is requred to improve something? Any improvement is a step in the right direction!
We will allways be taxed one way or another, unicorn tears or not, you can't avoid it, they will find a way!
We will allways be taxed one way or another, unicorn tears or not, you can't avoid it, they will find a way!
astrsxi77 said:
At the end of the day, oil will run out no matter whether "sipped" by a TDI or gluzled by a V8, so why risk human health in the name of using less?
Where do you get your information/point of view from?Gassing Station | Motoring News | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff