Big three go green at L.A. Auto Show
Small, potent engines and e-cars take spotlight
For the Big Three, the L.A. Auto Show is becoming as important as the home-turf North American International Show held in Detroit every January. The difference is the thrust of the products highlighted. True to California’s green bent, the story here was all about fuel efficiency and the use of electrons. Here are the highlights for Chrysler, Ford and General Motors.
Chrysler
While Chrysler had several new models on display, including the 10th anniversary Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, the automaker featured its Fiat side — introducing three all-new models of the 500. The 500 Abarth Cabrio adds more punch and handling plus a canvas roof that lets in the sky.
The 500L — a stretched, higher version of the base car — measures 660 millimetres, adding 42 per cent more interior space. For the more adventurous, there is the bolder, two-tone interior L Trekking. The L offers Fiat’s MultiAir turbocharged 1.4-litre engine — 160 horsepower and 184 poundfeet of torque — paired with a sixspeed twin-clutch transmission.
The Fiat 500e is an all-electric version of the regular car, with a 128-kilometre (highway) and — better yet — a 160 km urban range, thanks to regenerative braking. It is also surprisingly fast, with a run to 96 km/h in less than nine seconds and a recharge time of a scant four hours.
Ford
The 2014 Fiesta will now be available with Ford’s latest EcoBoost engine — 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder milll producing 123 horsepower and 148 lb.-ft. of torque. Ford says it sips fuel at 5.9 litres per 100 kilometres. Having driven it, I can say it is peppy, with very good lowand mid-range power, though like other three-bangers, it sounds a bit grumpy when worked.
At the opposite end of the spectrum sits the Fiesta ST. It is powered by a 1.6L EcoBoost four that spins out 197 hp and, more importantly, 214 lb.ft. of torque via front-wheel-drive and a six-speed manual transmission. Ford says the ST will run to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds. The Fiesta ST earns Ford’s Torque Vectoring Control system and an advanced stability control system that allows the driver to deactivate the traction side or turn it off entirely.
Ford also pulled the wraps off the 2014 Transit Connect Wagon. It will be offered in two wheelbase lengths: a short in five-seat model and seven-seat long-wheelbase version. It boasts more than 100 cubic feet of cargo space with the seats folded flat, a truck-like payload of 544 kilograms and it will tow a 909-kg trailer. It will be offered with a 2.5L four-cylinder and an up-level 1.6L EcoBoost turbocharged four. Both are teamed with six-speed automatics. The list of available amenities includes a 6.5-inch touch screen with navigation, SYNC with My Ford Touch, backup camera and a panoramic moonroof.
General Motors
The plug-in electric version of the perky Spark is powered by an electric motor that twists out more than 130 hp — a whopping 56 hp more than its gasolinepowered sibling. Torque? Gobs of it! Chevrolet says 400 lb.-ft. is available from launch, resulting in a promised run to 96 km/h in under eight seconds, a full five seconds faster than the mortal Spark. It also promises a Volt-like top speed of 160 km/h. The power comes from a 20 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack fitted below the rear seat and under the cargo floor, so it does not impinge on cargo capacity.
One of the Spark EV’s key advantages, Chevrolet says, is it can accept multiple DC fast charges, (up to 80 per cent in 20 minutes), in a single day without melting the battery pack. Normal AC charging for most, even with a 220-volt supply, is six to eight hours. The secret lies in the battery pack’s ultra high-efficient built-in cooling system. The Spark EV goes on sale initially in California, but will be in Canada next summer.
Chevrolet also revealed its nextgeneration MyLink telematics system that will debut in the 2014 Impala. It pairs with smartphones to offer better integration, while the expanded series of apps will include a navigation function.