De Tomaso resurrected with SLC concept

Italian brand returns with luxury SLC crossover concept which debuts at Geneva Motor Show.

De Tomaso is back! The Italian luxury car manufacturer will rise from the ashes with the SLC – Sport Luxury Car – concept, which will be shown at the Geneva Motor Show.

Originally founded in 1959, De Tomaso has a somewhat chequered history of building sportscars and luxury saloons. Ultimately going into liquidation in 2004, the De Tomaso name and trademarks were bought up by former Fiat marketing man Gian Mario Rossignolo in 2009.

Backed by an investment group which has invested €116million (£98 million), he plans to relaunch the company with a new business plan, which was presented to the Italian government yesterday, that will see the firm build 8,000 cars per year including 3,000 of the Pininfarina-designed SLC that’s a rival for the BMW 5 Series GT. An SUV and a two-seater coupe are also planned.

The cars will be built at Pininfarina’s Grugliasco plant in Italy from 2012, and feature an innovative aluminium construction called Univis. One of De Tomaso’s original hallmarks was the use of an aluminium backbone chassis in its car’s construction. 

The SLC will get a new name at launch, and be offered with a choice of 296bhp V6 or 542bhp V8 petrol engines, or a 247bhp V6 diesel, powering all four wheels. Prices are set to start at around €85,000 (£71,000).

New Ford hybrid sedans post 41 mpg in the city

Ford Motor Co. said today that its Ford Fusion and Mercury Milanhybrid sedans have been certified by the EPA at 41 mpg city/36 highway.

The ratings put the hybrids' fuel economy at the front of the mid-sized pack, Ford said in a statement. Ford engineers spent three years revamping the gasoline-electric powertrain that debuted in the 2004 Escape Hybrid crossover.

The announcement underscores efforts by the Detroit 3 to bring more fuel-efficient vehicles to market.

During recent congressional hearings for federal bailout funds, the Detroit 3 were criticized for their past adherence to larger vehicles with poor fuel economy.

The latest version of Ford's hybrid powertrain again uses a one-speed continuously variable transmission. The size of the gasoline engine has been increased to 2.5 liters from from 2.3. The nickel-metal hydride battery pack is smaller and lighter but puts out 20 percent more power.

The Fusion Hybrid arrives in dealerships next spring with a base price of $27,270, excluding delivery charges that have not been announced. No price has been announced for the Milan Hybrid.

Competition is stiff among fuel-efficient cars.

Volkswagen's compact diesel-powered Jetta sedan delivers 30 mpg city/41 highway, while the Honda Civic Hybrid sedan gets 40 city/45 highway. The Toyota Camry Hybrid, similar in size to the Fusion and Milan, is rated at 33 city/34 highway.

But Ford may have the edge when it comes to driving on pure electric power. The Fusion Hybrid and Milan Hybrid can reach speeds of 47 mph on electricity alone, a higher speed than other hybrids.

"The Fusion Hybrid's ability to run at much higher speed in electric mode allows drivers to maximize fuel efficiently in many driving situations," said Praveen Cherian, Fusion Hybrid program leader. "This would allow drivers to travel around their subdivision and parking areas in all-electric mode."