Daily Archives: January 26, 2012

Bosch marketing exec Lars Ulrich (not the one from Metallica) remains bullish on…

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged diesel Google+ on by (updated 4699 days ago)

Bosch marketing exec Lars Ulrich (not the one from Metallica) remains bullish on the prospects for clean diesel cars here in the US. While only Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Volkswagen are currently offering diesel cars here right now, the models they sell are generally doing well.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120126/AUTO01/201260478/1148/rss25

I'm a fan of modern diesel engines and I love the way they drive, so much so that I put my money where my mouth is. Sitting alongside my Mustang in the garage is a 2010 VW Jetta TDI wagon. The American market diesel ranks will be growing in the next couple of years with new models from the existing players plus entries from at least Chevrolet in the form of the Cruze and the new Mazda CX-5 compact CUV.

If you haven't driven a modern clean diesel recently, it's worth trying out.

#diesel

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First Drive: 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI – Cick above for high-res image galleryThe state of California has the toughest vehicle emissions regulations in the world

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The Office of Technology Assessment was defunded by congress in 1995 2

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged Google+ gov20The opengov PIPA SOPA on by (updated 4699 days ago)

At the time the house of representatives was controlled by republicans swept in during the 1994 elections on the back of the "contract with America." Who was their leader? One Rep Newt Gingrich (R-GA)

Reshared post from +Alexander Howard

"Only a Smarter Congress Can Make Better Internet Policy," writes +Daniel Schuman at the +Sunlight Foundation.

If you're still wondering how the problematic tech aspects of #SOPA & #PIPA made it into the bills, much less how they almost passed, Schuman lays it out for you: a "congressional technology lobotomy" in 1995, when Congress defunded its Office of Technology Assessment and made it very difficult to attract and retain top technology policy staffers.

If you're wondering why Congress doesn't get tech, start here.

Schuman: "The Office of Technology Assessment [http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/ota/Ota_5/DATA/1972/9604.PDF] was created in 1972 to equip Congress with “new and effective means for securing competent, unbiased information concerning the physical, biological, economic, social, and political effects” of technology. OTA “was intended to facilitate congressional access to expertise and permit legislators to consider objectively information presented by the executive branch, interest groups, and other stakeholders to controversial policy questions,” in the words of a CRS report. It was a runaway success.

OTA’s small staff of experts (around 140 at its maximum) generated hundreds of reports http://www.fas.org/ota/otareports/ at the relatively modest cost of $20 million annually. Unfortunately, it was defunded in 1995 as part of a broader effort to make the Congress appear more efficient. Despite repeated calls for OTA’s reinstatement, nothing has filled the void, and policymaking has suffered."

Indeed. As we say here on the Interwebs, read the whole thing.

#opengov #gov20

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Only a Smarter Congress Can Make Better Internet Policy
Recent calls for technologists to hire lobbyists to educate Washington on internet issues miss a significant part of the big picture. Congress makes bad technology decisions because it has dismantled …

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Here's a thought to set Lincoln apart in the American luxury segment 2

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged Google+ on by (updated 4699 days ago)

Create shooting brake (aka sporty wagon) variant of the new MKZ and power it with the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 diesel that they build at their UK engine plant for Jaguar and Land Rover.

Of course it's not going to happen but a diesel wagon lover can dream, right?

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The Lincoln MKZ Concept Car | An All-New Concept In Luxury | Lincoln.com
The New Lincoln MKZ Concept – Immerse yourself into the new Lincoln MKZ concept vehicle, view photos, read about new features & get the latest news, reviews & buzz.

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One of my all-time favorite cars that I reviewed was the BMW 535d that Bosch loaned…

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged diesel Google+ on by (updated 4699 days ago)

One of my all-time favorite cars that I reviewed was the BMW 535d that Bosch loaned me a few years ago. http://green.autoblog.com/2007/12/17/in-the-autobloggreen-garage-2007-bmw-535d-yes-its-a-diesel/

That car was powered by a twin-turbocharged version of BMW's marvelous 3.0-liter inline-six diesel that cranked out 286hp and a massive 428 lb-ft of torque. It was both quick and fuel efficient achieving 27 mpg during a week of hard driving.

Yesterday BMW officially launched the first of its long-rumored diesel M models with an even more powerful variant of the 3.0L diesel. The addition of a third turbocharger has bumped up the bottom line to 381 hp and 546 lb-ft which is sufficient to drop the 0-60 time from the 6.4 seconds I recorded in the 535d to just 4.7 seconds in the M550d. The new tri-turbo engine is available in the 5-series sedan and wagon as well as the X5 and X6. I'll take a M550d Touring wagon in Dark Graphite please!

#diesel

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BMW M550d xDrive and BMW M550d xDrive Touring
BMW M550d xDrive and BMW M550d xDrive Touring: Technical features, information and photos

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