Car manufacturers continue to install technology that reduces fuel consumption in their vehicles. In addition to 3-cylinder engine technology is popular again in recent years, there are a number of new technologies that improve fuel efficiency in cars.
Legendary British automotive company, Mini, do not want to be left to follow the world trend is to develop stop-start technology, brake which can produce energy to charge the battery, and manual shifting are efficient at every engine speed.
Mini calls this technology with named Gearshift Point Indicator (GPI). This tool forms such as small gadget devices mounted on the dashboard of a car that tells the driver, the transmission gear position corresponding to a particular engine rotation speed and thus can be efficient.
The driver was just follow the directions of transmission indicator in instrument panel. For example, if the instrument GPI indicates the position of an efficient fuel consumption is on the use of third gear, the driver move the gear into the third gear.
GPI system is designed easy and simple, so that could help consumers who do not know the gear position and speed of transmission efficiency for a particular engine speed.
Other technologies are the start-stop engine feature. Actually the technology is not new, because it was developed for the luxury class cars with large engine capacity. But lately the start-stop features more popular, so is now the middle class car also has this device.
Working principle is to stop the engine when the car stopped in a traffic jam. Machine back on again when stepped on the gas pedal slowly.
The device is called Regenerative Braking is useful to channel the excess energy produced during braking to the battery. With the regenerative braking technology is the size of the battery can be made smaller and lighter weights. The result was the efficiency of fuel consumption to increase.
Mini put it on Clubman model that has been released in the UK since some time ago. Mini Clubman has a significant dimension to the bearing capacity of 1,600 cc petrol engine.
Mini Clubman. (Picture from: http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/) |
Entering 2012, the manufacturer of the Mini has prepared six new products, including Cooper Hatch, who will be introduced in stages until 2016. For the first year model, BMW Group subsidiary that will launch the Paceman concept was introduced at NAIAS 2011.
Mini Countryman. (Picture from: http://www.autoblog.com/) |
This car with a sporty two-door version of the Countryman who has five doors. At Paceman, the car look lower roof 20 mm in front and 40 mm at the rear of the Countryman with a longer window space.
The machine includes a four-cylinder turbo engine with a capacity of 1.6-liter that produces power 215 bhp. With a simple body design and aerodynamics, the car can accelerate within 7 seconds to reach speed of 100 km/h.
Mini Paceman. (Picture from: http://www.gizmag.com/) |
According to the plan, Mini Paceman cars will be demonstrated at the Paris Motor Show in September and go on sale in early 2013. *** [OVI | PIKIRAN RAKYAT 11052012]