2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE ECO
As smaller cars become ever more important to consumers, Chevrolet’s environmentally friendly 2011 Cruze Eco on display at the 2010 New York auto show are designed to further expand the new compact sedan’s marketplace appeal.
Eco is powered by a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque mated to either a six-speed automatic or a six-speed manual.
Chevrolet managed to boost fuel economy without cutting power thanks to a number of small aerodynamic changes. First, the Cruze Eco is fitted with ultra-low rolling resistance tires on unique 17-inch aluminum wheels. Further, it receives a revised grille, lower front air-dam extension, numerous underbody panels, rear spoiler, and a lower-grille shutter that closes at high speeds that improves engine cooling though optimized airflow.
Though efficient, the Cruze Eco is decidedly not quick. 0-60 times are estimated at 10 seconds for the manual and 9 seconds for the automatic.
2011 LINCOLN MKZ HYBRID
The MKZ Hybrid will be Lincoln’s first hybrid when it hits showrooms this fall. It’s essentially a Fusion Hybrid with Lincoln luxury appointments and exterior style.
Its parallel hybrid powertrain is a 2.5 liter Atkinson cycle hybrid engine that works in concert with an electric motor to produce 191 net horsepower, is unchanged from the Fusion version. Also like the Fusion Hybrid, the MKZ is capable of running under electric power up to 47 mph and has that magical 41 mpg city number to hype.
Another feature specific to the MKZ Hybrid is its standard Bridge of Weir leather seats. The Scottish luxury leather is unembossed, which Lincoln says allows for a more natural grain to come through, and its chromium-free tanning process reportedly makes it easier to recycle.
The MKZ Hybrid is also endowed with all the latest in Lincoln standard luxury touches, including Lincoln’s version of Sync, heated and cooled seats with 10-way power passenger seat, real wood trim (that of course comes from eco-friendly managed forests), a reverse sensing system and Lincoln’s Personal Safety System, a suite of seven safety technologies.
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