The Automotive News Week in Review - October 23, 2009

$42,000 Rebate on Tesla Roadster in Colorado

No, that’s not a typo. The state of Colorado is willing to give Tesla Roadster buyers the deal of a lifetime in the form of a $42,000 income tax credit should they choose to purchase the electric car. The stunning discount is part of an aggressive eco-program implemented by the state with an eye towards encouraging new car shoppers to invest in alternative fuels.

How exactly did they arrive at the $42,000 number? Colorado uses a complex formula that takes into account the difference in price between the green vehicle in question and that of an equivalent car, as well as any costs related to converting the vehicle being purchased into an alternatively-fueled automobile. Any car or truck that burns alcohol, natural gas or even E85 fuel can be considered under the program, alongside electric and hydrogen vehicles. Mild hybrids or electric cars not intended for highway use (such as golf carts) do not qualify. The tax credit can be applied forward for up to five years, if necessary, although the vehicle in question must be purchased and titled in Colorado before the end of 2009.

Other vehicles featuring impressive rebates under the Colorado scheme include the Lexus LS 600h Hybrid ($20,392), the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid ($5,465) and the Honda Civic GX ($6,035).

Lexus LFA Finally Revealed at Tokyo Auto Show

Lexus can now add the title of “supercar producer” to its list of accomplishments with the long-awaited debut of the Lexus LFA at the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show. The Lexus LFA is powered by a 4.8-liter V-10 engine that provides 552 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque running through a six-speed automatic transmission. This is enough to launch the impressive vehicle to 60 miles per hour in just 3.7 seconds. The Lexus LFA’s stunning body work is unlike anything else currently produced by the company, although fans of the brand will be able to pick out Lexus-specific styling cues if they stare at the sports car long enough – and stare they will.

The Lexus LFA is planned to go on sale as a 2010 model, and will be available through December of 2012. The price tag for the very first purpose-built Lexus supercar? A cool $375,000. American audiences will get the chance to experience the Lexus LFA in the flesh as it makes the tour of 6 auto shows in the United States over the course of the next year.

EPA Top Fuel Mileage Ratings Released

Every year, the Environmental Protection Agency releases a handbook detailing the estimated fuel mileage of each model available in the American market. The most recent edition, called the “Model Year 2010 Fuel Economy Guide” has just hit the streets, so to speak, and there aren’t really all that many surprises to be found within its pages. The most efficient automobile currently prowling the highways and byways of the United States? The Toyota Prius (51 mpg city / 48 mpg highway). Other impressive showings come in the form of the Honda Civic Hybrid (40 mpg / 45 mpg), Volkswagen Jetta and Golf TDI editions (30 mpg / 41 mpg) and the Ford Fusion Hybrid (41 mpg / 36 mpg). The most fuel efficient trucks on the list are the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Hybrid twins (21 mpg / 22 mpg), while the least thirsty SUVs are the vehicles based on the Ford Escape Hybrid platform (34 mpg / 31 mpg).

Honda CR-Z To Hit American Shores

With the death of the Honda S2000 roadster at the end of the current model year, the Japanese automaker has very few sporty options currently for sale in the United States. With the exception of the Si edition of the Honda Civic, most of the company’s products skew towards the practical and economical side of the equation. With pressure mounting from Toyota, Subaru, Hyundai and Nissan on the small yet sporty coupe front, Honda announced at the Tokyo Auto Show that the Honda CR-Z concept will make it to the production stage with very few changes.

With exotic styling that is reminiscent of both modern Audi’s and the original Honda CRX econobox that handled like it was on rails, the Honda CR-Z will be an affordable front-wheel drive two-door that will attempt to balance fun driving with excellent fuel mileage. Tentatively, the Honda CR-Z will boast a 1.5-liter engine and a six-speed manual transmission, along with some type of hybrid drivetrain whose details have yet to be solidified. The news is excellent for Honda fans, who had feared that the brand would fade from the performance compact scene that it had helped to define in the 1990s.

Next From the Folks Who Brought You The Original Hummer…A Taxi?

While HUMMER might currently be the focal point for environmental rage when it comes oversized and gasoline-thirsty vehicles, it is easy to forget that the original H1 was in fact built by A.M. General. Although absent from the Hummer scene for many years, the company has continued to quietly toil away at a variety of projects, with the latest one able to trace its lineage all the way back to the original military-spec vehicle that set the hearts of adventure-seekers – and the Governator – alight.

The MV-1 steals the important bits of the current HUMMER H2 to create a tall wagon-like SUV that is meant to function as a people mover for fleet agencies. Special needs providers will also be impressed with the MV-1, which has been built from the ground up to be wheelchair accessible, combining a 36-inch wide side opening with a special ramp that stows in an integrated under-floor housing. As a result, the MV-1 will not suffer from the expensive conversion fees usually associated with wheelchair accessible vans. In addition, unlike Hummers of the past, the MV-1 has an environmental conscience, making use of a engine that burns natural gas and provides 250 miles of clean power per tank.