Posted on 09/07/2004 10:57:19 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
Peugeot-Citroen Has 'Stop and Start' Car 09.07.2004, 01:42 PM
PSA Peugeot Citroen SA will introduce an environmentally friendly car that shuts down its engine when the vehicle is stopped at a traffic light or in a traffic jam, the French car maker said Tuesday.
The car can cut fuel costs by up to 15 percent in urban driving with heavy congestion, Peugeot Citroen Chief Executive Jean-Martin Folz said. Carbon dioxide and particle emissions are reduced proportionately.
The "Stop & Start" system uses technology developed by French car parts company Valeo SA.
The car engine automatically goes into "sleep" mode when stopped and immediately wakes up when the brake pedal is released. A heavy-duty battery and sophisticated power management technology are required because the system requires more power than a normal car.
The system will first be offered in France on the Citroen C3, a small car for city driving, starting in October or November, Folz said.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
Hate to admit it, but I like the 2CV. Lots of ground clearance, lots of room for its size and anybody with a K-mart socket set can keep it running. You could do worse in a car.
Standard French design: One speed forward and five speeds in reverse...
Not really. Mostly just hard on the starter motor, and the electrical system. Other parts of your car, like your valves, which wear with every stroke, love the idea of shutting off at stoplights.
How smart can this guy be? Must be a liberal.
I have yet to buy my first French car.
That's true and not true. Some parts of your automobile are stressed more during starting, and other parts are stressed more while the engine is running. A stop and start car will just reverse which parts are stressed more. Probably won't make a lot of difference in the long run, although I imagine you'll go through a lot of starters and belts.
"Hate to admit it, but I like the 2CV. Lots of ground clearance, lots of room for its size and anybody with a K-mart socket set can keep it running. You could do worse in a car."
Oh, I didn't say I didn't like the old Deux Cheveaux. I just said it was the silliest car ever made. I had one back in the early 60s. Had a great time with it. Now, you wouldn't want to take it on the freeway, but it was a blast in town, especially the extreme camber changes when you turned corners. A blast, but still a silly car.
That would result in the Missouri School for the Hard of Hearing test, which goes: "Whuuut"?
Alternatively, or in conjunction with, the piston rings could be designed to expand and/or contract slightly to mitigate the effescts of lack of lubrication at start-up. However, this then creates another problem with oil getting past the rings.
I would feel more positive of this whole idea if was being done by the Germans.
*** Yes, and there is also a sizable Muslim population that supports and loves America. Problem is they are both so damned silent about it.
*** My thoughts on European cars:
-- Never buy an Italian car, unless your a mechanic.
-- Once you buy a SAAB, you will own it for life.
-- Never buy a French car, unless you live in France.
-- Never buy a British car, never.
-- If you can afford a BMW, buy a Mercedes.
;)
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