With car and truck sales hitting the skids, dropping 37% in March, automakers, are ramping up innovations and designs. President Barack Obama’s attentiveness to American automakers and determination to revive the ailing industry was made clear with the ousting of General Motors Corp. CEO Rick Wagoner last week.
In an effort to boost the lagging U.S. auto industry, and fulfill his campaign promise to green up the nation, Obama has pledged to get 1 million hybrid plug-in vehicles on the road by 2015. Seemingly taking heed to the mission, automakers unveiled a number of luxury environmentally friendly vehicles at the New York Auto Show held on April 10-19 at the Jacob Javits Center.
These aren’t your typical Toyota Prius-style, compact coupes. Rather, luxury makers including BMW and Mercedes-Benz are changing the game, adding their signature touch to these revamped vehicles. Take a look.
Lincoln C Concept
Combining the space of the 1961 Lincoln
Continental with contemporary sleekness, the C Concept car is the latest environmentally friendly vision from Ford’s Lincoln-Mercury division. The C’s 1.6 liter EcoBoost engine uses “direct-injection†technology for up to 20% better fuel economy and 15% fewer carbon emissions than larger displacement engines, Ford says.Cadillac Converj Concept
Equipped with solar panels on the glass roof, the hybrid-electric Converj showcases GM’s new Voltec electric propulsion technology. The concept car also features emissions-free electric driving. While it doesn’t have the signature Cadillac grill, it does incorporate the iconic shield. The four-passenger vehicle is slated to go into production by the end of 2010.
BMW X6 ActiveHybrid
Seeking to make its mark in the eco-friendly car arena, BMW unveiled it’s 2010 model of the X6 ActiveHybrid. The vehicle features a V8 engine with twin-turbo technology. BMW claims the X6 hybrid uses 20% less fuel than a comparable vehicle with an internal combustion engine.
Mercedes-Benz ML450 Hybrid
The ML450 Hybrid is the first full hybrid from Mercedes-Benz. The newest addition to the M-Class can operate on a purely electric or purely combustion engine setting, or a combination of the two. Mercedes says the ML450’s fuel consumption and emissions are up to 60% less than classic eight-cylinder SUVs. It’s slated to hit dealerships at the end of the year.