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Video: Renault and Nissan imagine a world where gas powers everything

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM, Nissan, Renault, Electric

Nissan gas-powered everything

Nissan’s “Gas Powered Everything” ad – Click above to watch the videos after the jump

What would the world be like if everything were powered by gasoline?

Renault-Nissan has kicked off a massive advertising campaign intended to highlight the advanced technology of electric vehicles with the debut of a pair of videos that bang home the point that consumers depend upon electricity to power items used everyday and that using gasoline is, in some instances, utterly ridiculous.

In one spot, a middle-aged man wakes up for work to the burning whistle of his gas-powered alarm clock and with a few fierce tugs at his coffee maker’s rip cord, manages to fire up the gas-gulping machine. That same man, while at the office, walks up to a miniature gas pump to refuel his laptop computer.

Oh, and the owner of a Chevrolet Volt, while standing at the gas pump refueling his plug-in hybrid, watches in envy as another man across the street unplugs his Nissan Leaf and drives off as onlookers watch in amazement. Yep, that’s how Nissan sees the world if “Gas Powered Everything.”

Since the videos are, in our humble opinion, absolutely hilarious, we’ll refrain from revealing too much. Hit the jump to view the clips clip. Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

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Renault and Nissan imagine a world where gas powers everything originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 May 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford powers into Birmingham with one-off Transit SuperSportVan

Filed under: Concept Cars, Minivan/Van, Performance, Work, Ford, Misc. Auto Shows, UK, Diesel

2011 Ford Transit SuperSportVan

2011 Ford Transit SuperSportVan – Click above for high-res image gallery

While the latest hot Mustang, Fiesta and Focus models may garner most of the attention from Ford and its performance divisions, back in the UK, the Blue Oval gives delivery boys and construction workers something to dream about with the occasional souped-up Transit. The last such SportVan it rolled out packed a 18-inch alloys and white stripes over red paint, but only a 140-horsepower turbodiesel engine. The model you see here, however, is another beast entirely.

This one-off Transit SuperSportVan packs a 200-horsepower, 3.2-liter turbodiesel five with a six-speed into the short-wheelbase 260 chassis. Upgraded aero package, rolling stock and classic blue stripes over white body are also part of the package, all to show the competition who’s boss.

Unfortunately, just a concept, the Transit SSV was prepared for the Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC in Birmingham, England. It follows a long line of hot panel wagons from Ford UK that traces back to the 1971 GT40-based Transit Supervan, the Coworth V8-powered Supervan II of 1984, the ’95 Supervan III that packed a 650hp Formula One engine and the Y2k Ford World Rally Transit complete with Martini racing stripes.

Follow the jump for the full press release, and scope out the photos in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Transit SuperSportVan

[Source: Ford]

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Ford powers into Birmingham with one-off Transit SuperSportVan originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mini Countryman configurator powers up

Filed under: Car Buying, Crossover, Mini

Mini Countryman Configurator

Right on schedule, the German brain trust in charge of marketing the heck out of (and hopefully selling a boatload of…) the 2011 Mini Countryman has uploaded the whole kit ‘n kaboodle to the Web, and you are now free to build and price out your very own Mini crossover.

If you’re willing to avoid all options whatsoever, including one of Mini’s six extra-cost colors, you can drive home in a brand-new 2011 Mini Countryman for the low price of just $22,850 (including destination). We went ahead and priced out what we figure would be a standard load of options and could just barely keep the price below $30K – ringing the tab up into the low $30s isn’t particularly difficult, even without choosing the turbo model or all-wheel drive.

In fact, stepping up to the Mini S Countryman All4 will cost you $27,650 to start. And, as is typical with the Mini brand, a full load of options can send that asking price skyward in record time. In fact, we didn’t have much trouble configuring a loaded Countryman S All4 up past $40,000 after checking a slew of option boxes – and that’s before entering the coveted John Cooper Works accessories. See our screencap above for the MSRP carnage.

Go ahead and spec one out for yourself, then come back and report to the rest of the class where your own personal Countryman fell in the pricing scale. Thanks to all who sent this in!

Gallery: 2011 Mini Countryman: First Drive

2011 Mini Countryman

[Source: Mini]

Mini Countryman configurator powers up originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy Volt configurator powers up

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

It’s hard to believe that the time to purchase a Chevrolet Volt is finally almost here, and the latest evidence of this fact comes in the form of Chevrolet’s official online vehicle configurator. Taking a quick look at the “build and price” options reveals few options for the seven markets eligible to purchase a 2011 Volt. That’s probably a good thing since a new Volt starts at $41,000, (or $32,780 after U.S. government tax breaks).

If you want to spec out more than a base Volt, you can choose from one of three uplevel paint jobs, $695 for a rear camera with Park Assist (an option we very much recommend after experiencing the Volt’s compromised rear visibility), $595 for polished aluminum wheels or $1,395 for a Premium Trim package with heated leather seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. All optioned out, the Volt jumps to $44,680. If that price tag feels like a bit of a tall order, keep in mind that the Volt can be leased for $350 a month for 36 months with $2,500 due at signing, an option that we suspect will be very popular. Head over to the Volt configurator to build your own. Hat tips to Richard and Clayton!

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt: First Drive

2011 Chevrolet Volt