Stone me! The gritters...
Stone me! The gritters are out - and this time it’s because the weather is too hot. Sweltering temperatures have increased the risk of melting tarmac. Now, hot-under-the-collar bosses at County Durham and Cumbria councils have ordered workers to spray surfaces with crushed rock dust, instead of the usual ice-busting salt. It should keep the bitumen in place on the road and off tyres.
Audi has announced its...
Audi has announced its next move in the race for lower CO2 emissions. The German manufacturer has taken the wraps off a new 1.6 TDi engine that will be added to the A3 range that produces just 99g/km of CO2.
The four-cylinder diesel powerplant puts out 105hp and 250 Nm of torque which means a sluggish 11.4 seconds to 62mph (11.7 for the Sportback) and a top speed of 118mph.
The
impressive 62mpg consumption figure is achieved by using a regenerative
braking system and stop/start engine technology. Audi has also
announced that the A3 will be fitted with a gear change indicator
because, as they claim, about 30% of fuel consumption depends on a a
driver"s decision and driving style.
No information on pricing was released but Audi did announce that the new engine will be available on A3 and A3 Sportback models in the first half of 2010.