2012 Honda Cr-z Base Hatchback 2-door 1.5l on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-up: First VW e-Golf in US up for auction, meet Project Ain't Fuelin'

Volkswagen is auctioning the first e-Golf in the US to raise money for Global Green USA. The auction is live now, and bidding goes until 3:30 pm Eastern on October 29. Global Green USA will use the proceeds to help find solutions to climate change, and the winner will get to enjoy emissions-free driving before the car e-Golf goes on sale in November. If you don't live in or near California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont or Washington DC, you might want to sit this one out, as the car will only be available to pick up at dealers in those initial launch states. Go bid now, or learn more in the press release below. Berlin, Germany will use Solaris electric buses for a complete bus line in 2015. The downtown line will run 3.8 miles between Zoologischer Garten Station and Sudkreuz. The transport operator Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) will use four of the Solaris e-buses for the test, each about 39 feet long. The buses use a 200-kilowatt inductive charging system at the ends of the line to recharge in just a few minutes. The government-funded test runs through 2016, but BVG pans to use the electric buses beyond that timeline. Read more at Green Car Congress. The American Petroleum Institute (API) is worried that the Obama administration will use ethanol requirements to influence a Senate race in Iowa. In the midst of a close race against Republican Joni Ernst, Representative Bruce Braley, the Democratic candidate, is urging Obama to reject a cut in the Renewable Fuel Standard. The November election approaches, meanwhile the EPA continues to delay issuing an ethanol requirement for the year, with or without its proposed 16-percent reduction. Rejecting the cut could help get farmers and ethanol producers on the side of Braley. "We are very concerned that the signals we are seeing from the administration is that the political calculations are outweighing sound fuels policy," says API's Bob Greco. Read more at Businessweek. Project Ain't Fuelin' aims to fix up old cars to return them to original fuel economy, and then surpass it. Episode 3 of Valvoline's Under The Hood video series features Daniel Gray of MPGomatic, who is doing just that to a 1999 Honda Civic HX Coupe. He aims to get 50 mpg out of the old Civic by tuning it up, tinkering with the aerodynamics, switching to more efficient tires and other modifications.

6 best cars for $5,000

Looking for a great used car but only have a few thousand bucks to spend? Check out our 6 favorite used vehicles that you can get for around $5,000 or less. 1. 2004-2006 Subaru WRX The Subaru Impreza WRX offers a lot of what you might want in a vehicle. A 2L turbocharged engine gives 227 horsepower and it gets 27 mpg on the highway. 2. 2006-2015 Mazda5 The Mazda5 never got the sales it deserved. It was affordable and more maneuverable than most vehicles, but it never took off. It was based on the Mazda3, and felt like it as well... just a bigger version. If you're lucky, you'll be able to locate one with a manual transmission. 3. 1990-1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata A car that's praised for rewarding the driver. The shifter is sublime, and the controls are light and accurate. The 1.6-liter engine that makes 115 horsepower or a 1.8-liter that makes 128 horsepower are our preferred versions. 4. 2009-2013 Honda Fit Beside being cute, it's supremely practical and great in the city. It manages to be pretty entertaining to drive, and let's not forget it's a hatchback. 5. 1987-2006 Jeep Wrangler Yes, it's possible to get a well-loved Jeep Wrangler with about 100,000 miles on the odometer. In many ways, a Wrangler is perfect for the snowy winters with its unrivaled 4x4 capability. An SUV, convertible and icon, all in one? What more could you ask for? 6. 2002 Chevy Silverado Truck lovers, we have you covered. We love the Chevy Silverado with a 5.3-liter V8 engine and a 4-speed automatic transmission. It makes a great second car, especially if you already have a fuel efficient vehicle around the house. What would you buy for $5,000? Honda Jeep Mazda Subaru Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video wrangler mazda5

Honda favoring turbo over hybrid for US-market Vezel

While Honda gears up to unveil the new Fit to the US market at the Detroit Auto Show next month, back in its home market, the car's crossover cousin is just going on sale. The Vezel was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show last month and already has a three-month waiting list in Japan, where Honda projects that 90 percent of customers will opt for the hybrid version. Not so in the United States, however.
When the Vezel reaches American showrooms, there'll be a number of key differences. For starters, it will carry a different name, though Honda isn't saying what that will be. For another, it will be built for North American consumption at Honda's new plant in Mexico, roughly half of whose production capacity is reportedly being allocated to the new crossover. And finally, it'll have a different engine.
In Japan the Vezel is being offered with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, with or without electric assist. Honda won't offer the hybrid version here - at least not initially - but it is preparing to offer a turbo option. Although it has yet to announce US specifications and options, the 1.5-liter turbo four (also unveiled at the Tokyo show) is considered a stronger likelihood than the 1.0- or 2.0-liter versions.