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Report: Daimler to resume French sales per court ruling

Filed under: Europe, Government/Legal, Safety, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

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France’s highest administrative court said yesterday that authorities must resume registering Daimler vehicles, which were formally banned in late July, Automotive News reports, even though they are still equipped with R134a air-conditioning refrigerant.

The refrigerant is illegal in the European Union and is the reason for this legal battle, which has restricted the registration of Mercedes-Benz A-, B-, CLA- and SL-Class vehicles in France. But it turns out that the French government’s use of an EU “safeguard” provision to ban registration of the Mercedes-Benz vehicles, which allows countries to block sales of vehicles that would “seriously harm the environment,” wasn’t justified. Why? Because the use of R134a doesn’t appear to be an immediate danger to the environment, the Paris-based court said.

The new chemical, R1234yf, was made the EU’s standard for a/c systems because it emits fewer greenhouse gases into the environment. Daimler says it continues to use R134a because it found R1234yf to be flammable in testing. The German automaker also argues that approval of the use of R134a by the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) should be good enough permission for it to sell cars in Europe.

The current state of the situation prompted Daimler to say it expects French authorities to start registering its vehicles tomorrow.

Daimler to resume French sales per court ruling originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Aug 2013 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: French court lifts registration ban on Mercedes with contested refrigerant

Filed under: Europe, Government/Legal, Safety, Mercedes-Benz

The brief alphanumerics R134a and R1234yf are codes for a growing battle between carmakers, states and the EU. The air-conditioning refrigerant R134a has been banned by the EU for being too damaging to the environment, with R1234yf mandated as its replacement. Daimler and Volkswagen say that in their own studies, though, R1234yf can be more dangerous in an accident, potentially starting fires and releasing poisonous hydrogen fluoride gas.

Daimler received dispensation from the German motoring authority KBA to continue using R124a and has refused to put the new refrigerant in its cars, and took that national approval as a European-wide mandate. That has led to France refusing to register all Mercedes-Benz A-, B- and SL-Class vehicles in France that were manufactured after June 12 and filled with the now-banned refrigerant.

In a small victory for Daimler, Reuters reports that a French court decision has lifted the ban on registrations pending a 10-day reexamination of the order. It gives France’s environment ministry a period to decide whether to keep the ban in place and return to court to fight for it; it does not, however, require the French authorities to begin registering Mercedes cars. While Mercedes waits to resume sales in France, which could begin again in ten days if France doesn’t fight, the EU is threatening Germany with consequences if it refuses to adhere to the federal mandate.

French court lifts registration ban on Mercedes with contested refrigerant originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Jul 2013 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Spoiler Alert! The French leak key chase scene from Fast Five

Filed under: Videos, Chrysler, Dodge, Celebrities

fast five dodge chargers

Dodge Chargers get furious in Fast Five – Click above to watch video after the jump

Fast Five, the fifth installment in The Fast and the Furious franchise, hits theaters Friday, April 29th. Since we live in the age of instant gratification, you’re able to hunt down some of the key scenes and check out the furious action before you decide to plunk down your hard-earned bucks for a ticket. In order to facilitate the decision making process, a key chase scene has made its way to YouTube courtesy of the French arm of Universal Pictures.

We’ll let you decided whether or not you want to watch the clip posted after the jump. However, we will tell you that Dom (Vin Diesel) and Brian (Paul Walker) use a pair of pumped-up Dodge Chargers in a… unique capacity. The tow-rating on a 5.7-liter-equipped Charger is 2,000-pounds max, and even if you double that figure we’re pretty sure the director is employing a healthy scoop of automotive movie magic to shoot this scene. We’ll save the real sleuthing for a future episode of Mythbusters.

Click past the jump to watch three minutes and 44 seconds of Fast Five. It goes without saying that there are massive spoilers here, right? The audio is in French, but you shouldn’t have too much trouble figuring out what’s going on.

Gallery: Fast Five

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Spoiler Alert! The French leak key chase scene from Fast Five

Video: Spoiler Alert! The French leak key chase scene from Fast Five originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Renault Captur concept is French for “Nissan Juke”

Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Crossover, Renault

2011 Renault Capture concept

2011 Renault Captur concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

The lines between vehicle segments and bodystyles are getting more blurred all the time. And it isn’t just the Germans with their “four-door coupes” and “sports activitiy vehicles,” either. Nissan has proven just as capable of blurring the line between SUV and hatchback with their crossovers – vehicles like the Rogue and Juke. And now the Japanese automaker’s sister company, Renault, appears to be following down the same path with its new Captur concept.

The Captur follows last year’s DeZir show car in showing the way forward for the French automaker’s design language, capturing, as it were, the spirit that future Renaults will be taking. Of course this being a French concept car, it encompasses certain elements that won’t ever see production. Things like the fantastical interior, to start with, and those 22-inch wheels whose white spokes seem to blend right into the tires. But if you want an overall picture of where Renault is heading, this is where it’s at.

Powered by Renault’s Energy dCi 160 twin-turbo engine giving 160 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, the Captur also incorporates dual-clutch gearbox.

Although Renault doesn’t say so specifically in the press release after the jump, where you can scope out all the details, we’re assuming we’ll see the Captur on the show stand at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, from which we’ll be sure to bring you our up-close-and-personal impressions and images. In the meantime, you can scope it out in the high-res image gallery below.

Gallery: 2011 Renault Captur concept

[Source: Renault]

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Renault Captur concept is French for “Nissan Juke” originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paris 2010: Renault Latitude ready to carry the flag for French automaker

Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Paris Motor Show, Renault, Russia

2011 Renault Latitude – Click above for high-res image gallery

Earlier this year, the 2011 Renault Latitude was unveiled at the Moscow International Auto Show. The European version has now made its debut in front of the crowd at the Paris Motor Show. The Latitude is considered a business-class saloon and Renault is positioning it to become the automaker’s flagship vehicle.

The styling of the Renault Latitude somehow evokes images of the Chyrsler Sebring, new Volkswagen Jetta and any Lexus vehicle – yet it’s done in a stylish manner. When it launches in Russia, the Latitude will be available with either a 139-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a CVT or a 2.5-liter V6 mated to a six-speed automatic that’s good for 177 hp. The four-cylinder unit is rated at 34 miles per gallon while the V6 gets just under 30 mpg. As the car expands into other markets, it will feature an expanding lineup of engine and gearbox choices.

Inside, the Renault Latitude is all about comfort. The power-adjustable driver’s seat features a massaging function with five pneumatic rollers and four different settings. In order to keep everyone else happy, the Latitude has a climate control system with triple-zone adjustability.

The 2011 Renault Latitude hit dealer showrooms in September 2010, in Morocco and Algeria. It then starts popping up in Russia and the Ukraine before being made available throughout Africa. The European model will follow after that.

Gallery: Paris 2010: Renault Latitude

Paris 2010: Renault Latitude

Paris 2010: Renault Latitude ready to carry the flag for French automaker originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oh, Crap: Audi mucks up e-tron name in French

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Audi, Electric

Audi e-tron

Audi e-tron Detroit Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

There’s a lot of allure surrounding Audi’s all-electric e-tron. We’ve seen prototypes out and about on public roads and collected a fair share of photo galleries from different auto shows. Our comrades at AutoblogGreen even had the chance to ride shotgun in the R8-based electric rocket. But until now we haven’t thought much about Audi’s choice of nomenclature for its torque-tastic supercar, and according to Green Car Reports, Audi may have fudged this one… slightly.

Étron, in French, is apparently not a word that signifies electric power, sex appeal or innovation. It is, in fact, a word that’s closely associated with the less-than-glamorous act of excretion. If you hit up any one of the numerous online translation tools, you’ll learn that étron has some pretty… crappy synonyms, which include words like “caca,” “excrement,” “dung” and “feces.” Unfortunately, Audi may have inadvertently named its entire lineup of EVs after a bodily function that’s seldom associated with spectacular vehicles. That is, unless the automaker intended that we translate e-tron as, “the Audi that’s as fast as, well, you know.”

Gallery: Detroit 2010: Audi e-tron Detroit Concept

Photos Copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Green Car Reports]

Oh, Crap: Audi mucks up e-tron name in French originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Sep 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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French electric golf cart company planning $9.5M Aston Martin supercar

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Luxury

Aston Martin Super Sport by Star Electric Cars France – Click above for high-res image gallery

Yes, the past couple of months have been a little heavy on the supercar-dreamed-up-by-inside-dude’s-keister news, but this one is simply too compelling to pass up. A company called Star Electric Cars France is the European subsidiary of Star Electric Cars U.S. They make golf carts that look like Hummers and Rolls-Royces and the like, and the French firm also sells electric bikes and skateboards and a fascinating contraption called the Snow Rider.

The company also claims to “design unique cars built for presidents, kings and princes around the world,” and this would have to be one of them. Called the Aston Martin Super Sport, it’s a coachbuilt, mid-engined Aston powered by a 5.4-liter, twin-turbo V8 putting out up to 950 horsepower. The bespoke bodywork is carbon fiber and sports scissor doors, an alcantara-coated interior and Recaro buckets. Naturally, production is… up in the air.

The price of this imaginary slice of supercar pie, €7.5 million ($9.53M U.S.) – a sum so impossible to comprehend it deserves its own episode of Lost. According to the car’s developers, though, only eight will be made, with each color being unique. Word is that “sky blue is available immediately.” Of course it is… Hat tip to Bawlz

Gallery: Aston Martin Super Sport by Star Electric Cars France

[Source: GT Spirit via Top Gear]

French electric golf cart company planning $9.5M Aston Martin supercar originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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