3 l 100 km equivalent to 199 gkm of CO2

The turn date of September 2005. BMW's Frankfurt Motor Show booth has many new features, but cars that the constructor is the foremost are not marketable. It is a part of a "X 3 Efficient dynamics" prototype all-terrain hybrid with supercapacitors, and on the other hand sedan 760 h and hydrogen powered engine sound. The constructor of Munich then begins a turn he will confirm the following year to the world of Paris Motor: sportsmanship that made the reputation of the brand is now placed second for the benefit of a brand positioning based on the concepts of technology and innovation. Sports models are of course always catalogue, but the constructor does most puts them forward.

Technologies to reduce the consumption of the "Efficient dynamics" package now use banner to the Bavarians. Very low consumption of the new generation of Diesel engines make low lines 1 and 3 series. And the automobile market appears to appreciate, because brand grew by 3.8 since the beginning of the year in Europe in a global trend to 3.9. Since then, the other German manufacturers followed. Audi insists on low consumption of fuel for its new generation of petrol engines. With its 2.8 FSI engine, the high-end A8 sedan consumes only 8.3 l / 100 km, equivalent to 199 g/km of CO2. A performance for a car of 5 meters and 2.033(2) kg.

Mercedes has presented its new family of Diesel engines. Launched in the average sedan C, it consumes only 5.2 l / 100 km, or 138 g/km of CO2 for the significant power of 204 HP. German manufacturers learned the lessons of the thrust of Toyota, which was its flagship of its Prius hybrid. It has "green" all the Toyota range, sometimes forcing the line, because the all terrain of the mark are not among the most virtuous.

Large corner

The constituent parameters of the image of a mark are moved over the past five years. More no group communicates on the power of its engines or the maximum speed of its vehicles. Even the victories at the 24 hours of le Mans or formula 1 pass the second plan. Symbol of this great shift: same Porsche, at the launch of its new 911, dropped the argument power and speed to insist on the decline of 15 of its CO2 emissions. "Such a campaign would have been unthinkable only five years ago," says automotive consultant.

Time, manufacturers have put forward the security and quality of their vehicles, but this argument is, in part, returned against them. "As for the quality, motorists now believe that security is a due." "Buyers want not pay more for a safer car," said one observer.

This movement coincided with the rise of the concerns related to consumption and CO2 emissions. Three factors have further accelerated the trend: the sharp increase in two times, summer 2006 and first half 2008 the price of oil, the pressure of lobbies ecologists and the unemployed.

This atmosphere helps small manufacturers of electric cars out of the shadows more quickly that they would have dreamed it, whether Venturi in Monte-Carlo or Tesla in California. And the big manufacturers hope quickly surf on this new wave of the electric car, whether it be Renault, smart or Opel.