Geneva 2011: Renault R-Space is near-term look at the future of MPVs

Filed under: Concept Cars, Minivan/Van, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Renault

renault r-space

Renault R-Space concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Renault wants to design vehicles that fit into various cycles of its consumers’ lives, and to that end, the R-Space concept is the vehicle that you will need once you start a family.

The Cash Cab-like interior is designed to make transporting children an easy task. In what is perhaps its most interesting and showcar-like features, no fewer than 27 small motors control height-adjustable hexahedron-shaped platforms in the rear of the R-Space. Those motors can be can be modulated to produce a flat space, booster seat, table or a freestyle area for children to sit and play. From our vantage point, the rear area looks like a bar graph come to life (check our galleries below to see what we mean).

When the rear area is transformed back into a section for seating, the R-Space can get underway. Power is provided by a tiny 900-cubic centimeter three-cylinder engine (that’s .9 liters), which makes use of direct-injection and a turbocharger. The unit is good for 110-horsepower and 118 pound-feet of torque, with that power being funneled to the wheels via a dual-clutch gearbox. The handsome MPV is also green – it also produces just 95 g/km of CO2 while achieving 64 miles per gallon.

Gallery: Renault R-Space concept: Geneva 2011

Gallery: Renault R-Space Concept

Live photos copyright (C)2011 Noah Joseph / AOL

Continue reading Geneva 2011: Renault R-Space is near-term look at the future of MPVs

Geneva 2011: Renault R-Space is near-term look at the future of MPVs originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Geneva 2011: Renault R-Space is near-term look at the future of MPVs”

2013 Ford C-Max Energi and C-Max Hybrid offer two options for fuel-sipping MPVs

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrid, Minivan/Van, Ford, Electric

2013 Ford C-Max Energi

Ford C-Max Energi – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’ve already told you about the 2012 Ford C-Max, the Blue Oval’s new mini-minivan that’s set to launch here in North America later this year. The C-Max story doesn’t end with just the one gasoline-powered model, though – Ford is bringing two more versions of its small people mover to the 2011 Detroit Auto Show: the C-Max Energi and C-Max Hybrid.

What’s important to note is that while the gasoline C-Max with sliding doors is actually based on the three-row Grand C-Max that Ford sells in other markets, the Hybrid and Energi use conventional front-hinged rear doors and seat five, just like the shorter-wheelbase C-Max available in Europe. The automaker’s kinetic design language is in full force here, and the Aston Martin-like grille on these smaller C-Max models resembles what first debuted on Ford’s Focus Electric at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show.

2013 Ford C-Max HybridThe C-Max Hybrid uses the Blue Oval’s next-generation gasoline/electric powertrain technology, and we’re told that fuel economy will be higher than the 41 miles per gallon that’s currently on tap in the Fusion Hybrid sedan. By building upon the powersplit technology currently used in the automaker’s hybrids, Ford says that the C-Max Hybrid will be able to operate in electric mode at speeds higher than 47 miles per hour.

The big story here, however, is the C-Max Energi, which is essentially a range-extended plug-in hybrid that’s not completely unlike the Chevrolet Volt. Ford is targeting an overall driving range of more than 500 miles using both the battery-backed motor and Atkinson-cycle engine, and much like the Focus Electric, the automaker’s new MyFord Mobile software will allow users to monitor the C-Max Energi’s charging state while on the go.

Both the C-Max Hybrid and Energi will be built alongside the standard C-Max at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant starting in 2012, with European models being built in Valencia, Spain starting in 2013. Follow the jump for the full details in Ford’s press release, and check out each version of the new C-Max in our high-res galleries below.

Gallery: 2013 Ford C-Max Energi

2013 Ford C-Max Energi2013 Ford C-Max Energi2013 Ford C-Max Energi2013 Ford C-Max Energi2013 Ford C-Max Energi

Gallery: 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid

2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading 2013 Ford C-Max Energi and C-Max Hybrid offer two options for fuel-sipping MPVs

2013 Ford C-Max Energi and C-Max Hybrid offer two options for fuel-sipping MPVs originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “2013 Ford C-Max Energi and C-Max Hybrid offer two options for fuel-sipping MPVs”