Volkswagen, which has been building fuel-sipping ideas (remember the freewheeling Ecomatic golf?), Long before Toyota began to sprout Preen court has just launched a new range of Bluemotion, from 114g/km to 90g/km Polo BlueMotion Passat BlueMotion.

We focus here on the big sale 99g/km VW Golf BlueMotion 2009, Europe’s first central sub-100g/km Luke (99g/km the new Ford Focus Econetic follows the beginning of 2010). It is just as well we are writing about golf, because the above-oriented, slow and loud Polo BlueMotion is about as attractive as a diet of tofu and lentils. (The Passat BlueMotion is much more a celebration, but that’s another story.)

How is the VW Golf BlueMotion other than a regular golf?

Start with the standard 105bhp 1.6 TDI Golf that uses a diesel engine to the sweetest. Power and torque remain unchanged when Bluemotioning. Add stop-start (so that the engine shuts off when the car is stationary) and) regenerative braking (kinetic energy to increase coverage of the battery. Improving the aerodynamics so that the air cleaner splits (Note-Tronic ® lowering, revised grille, new front bumper and a small rear spoiler).

It’s not too late. The tires have less rolling resistance. The five-speed manual gearbox has longer ratios in third, fourth and above, so that to facilitate low-revving gear.

The changes you add a little more than 10mpg (on the official combined cycle) and about 1500 pounds. The fuel is about two years, the cost (if not $ 10,000 miles per year), and because the Golf BlueMotion squeezes under the crucial 100g/km barrier, there’s zero road tax if you live in the UK. So it makes sense financially and environmentally.

But what is the new VW Golf BlueMotion Mk6 how to drive, compared to other diesel hatches?

Very impressive. The latest VW Golf 1.6 TDI Bluemotion common rail diesel is a sweety. Intervene early in the 5000rpm redline, it sounds restrained. It also has enough torque to cope with the higher translations are to min surfing with 185lb ft from 1500 to 2500 rpm.

There is no fireball – no Eco / Blue / etc Efficient green goddess – but the performance is perfectly adequate. The switching behavior up ‘propensity low-rev economy and the low-end jelly using the turbo-diesel.

What’s more, the latest VW Golf Bluemotion has a great ride, handles well, steers strong and is probably the most pleasant of all the medium-lift gates, where to spend the time.

So you would a VW Golf 1.6 TDI BlueMotion about buying a Prius or other equally large economical diesel?

Yes, it’s going better than the Prius – not least because it is) the best part of 200 kg lighter (blame the Prius, the two big motors and battery. And I had a golf before buying any other cars of equal size. Only the (more expensive) Focus comes close.

All in all, the current Golf Mk6 is back just before the climax of the middle class sedan, the highlight of the 30-odd years of refinement since the first Gulf practically invented the industry towards the mid-70s. It is now an adult, well honed machine.

The BlueMotion eco-ups ante, while sacrificing nothing in the daily performance of a normal, non-true blue 1.6 TDI Golf.

No related posts.

What is the AddBlue technology? Well, AddBlue is a urea-based liquid which if is injected in the exhaust stream, it converts 80 percent of the nitrogen oxide into ammonia.

“These vehicles now have a urea injection [called AdBlue] which makes them 50-state [compliant],” Rob Moran, Mercedes-Benz USA spokesman, told Inside Line. “Bluetec enables a diesel to be as clean as a gas engine, in simple terms. For 2009, those SUVs become available in 50 states and become Bluetec, not CDI models. CDI is the 2008 model that is only available to be registered in 42 states.”

The ML320 has a 7 gallon tank for AddBlue which means it should be refilled every 10,000 miles. Mercedes-Benz will follow the ML320 BlueTEC with R-Class and GL-class BlueTEC models.

No related posts.