The Opel Ampera has already won its fair share of accolades, including "2012 Car of the Year” in Germany and "World Green Car of the Year 2011”. The unique combination of electric power and conventional combustion engine for maximum range is shared by the Opel Ampera and its GM sister model, the Chevrolet Volt.Depending on driving style and driving conditions, the car can cover an emission-free 40 to 80 kilometers on pure battery power. But drivers do not have to have the usual anxieties about electromobility and fear being stranded because of an empty battery. Drive it! puts the Ampera through its paces.
Present it! The VW Golf GTIWhen Volkswagen launched the Golf GTI in 1976, nobody could imagine how successful it would be.Present it! The VW Golf GTI
When Volkswagen launched the Golf GTI in 1976, nobody could imagine how successful it would be.
VW only planned to sell 5,000 units of the first generation. Global sales to date are close to 1.9 million. With at least 162 kW, the seventh generation of the Golf GTI delivers twice the power of the original edition. And now there is a Performance version boasting an extra 7 kW. The new Golf GTI hits the market in Germany for prices starting at €29,475.
Examine it! CO2 coolants - German automakers are looking into the futureA new EU greenhouse gas guideline is designed to replace the standard refrigerant in car air conditioners.A more climate-friendly substance known as 1234yf was the planned replacement. However, tests suggest that the new coolant can catch fire in a collision, releasing toxic fumes. Some German carmakers want to continue using the old refrigerant, but that would go against EU regulations. Daimler, VW and BMW want to develop a safer and more environmentally friendly CO2-cooled a/c system. This would not hit the market until at least 2017, however.
Test it! The Chevrolet TraxThe Trax is Chevrolet’s first SUV in the compact class, and continues a long tradition.In 1935 Chevrolet’s Suburban Carryall became the first Sport Utility Vehicle in history. The Trax is based on the same platform as the Opel Mokka. The seats can be folded away with ease to increase the cargo capacity to 1,370 liters. There are three engines to choose from. Drive it! tested the most powerful: a 1.7-liter diesel engine with 96 Kilowatts of power.
Spot it! Traffic Safety: is there a minimum speed limit?Everyone knows that speed demons put their own and others' lives at risk. But what about the dawdlers?There are drivers who ought to have a snail as a hood ornament. They creep along and obstruct traffic. But is there any such thing as a minimum legal speed limit in Germany? The only official stipulation is that you have to have a sound reason for driving so slowly as to hinder the flow of traffic. Drive It! asks around to find out exactly what that means.
Vintage: MGC GT SebringPascal Knapp had his MGC GT overhauled by a specialist in England six years ago.
The classic car and rally fan has been improving his rare beauty here and there ever since. MG is the famous sports car marque Morris Garages. The C designates the straight six-cylinder engine. And here, GT stands for the closed roadster body style, while Sebring was the racing version with broader fenders and a 200-horsepower engine. Pascal Knapp let Drive It! have a close-up look at his vintage rally car and join him on a drive in the country.
When Volkswagen launched the Golf GTI in 1976, nobody could imagine how successful it would be.Present it! The VW Golf GTI
When Volkswagen launched the Golf GTI in 1976, nobody could imagine how successful it would be.
VW only planned to sell 5,000 units of the first generation. Global sales to date are close to 1.9 million. With at least 162 kW, the seventh generation of the Golf GTI delivers twice the power of the original edition. And now there is a Performance version boasting an extra 7 kW. The new Golf GTI hits the market in Germany for prices starting at €29,475.
The Trax is Chevrolet’s first SUV in the compact class, and continues a long tradition.In 1935 Chevrolet’s Suburban Carryall became the first Sport Utility Vehicle in history. The Trax is based on the same platform as the Opel Mokka. The seats can be folded away with ease to increase the cargo capacity to 1,370 liters. There are three engines to choose from. Drive it! tested the most powerful: a 1.7-liter diesel engine with 96 Kilowatts of power.
Pascal Knapp had his MGC GT overhauled by a specialist in England six years ago.
The classic car and rally fan has been improving his rare beauty here and there ever since. MG is the famous sports car marque Morris Garages. The C designates the straight six-cylinder engine. And here, GT stands for the closed roadster body style, while Sebring was the racing version with broader fenders and a 200-horsepower engine. Pascal Knapp let Drive It! have a close-up look at his vintage rally car and join him on a drive in the country.
Audi is sending the third generation of the S3 onto the streets with a newly developed engine that generates 221 kilowatts of power. The two-door compact can zoom from 0 to 100 kilometers an hour in just 4.8 seconds. With fuel mileage of 6.9 liters per 100 kilometers for the automatic and 7 liters for the manual transmission, the new engine is much more fuel-efficient than its predecessor.
In Germany, the S3 has a starting price of just under 39-thousand euros.
