Australian authorities have announced plans to remove the speed limit from a low-traffic highway deep in the outback.

 
For a one-year trial period beginning next February, a 120-mile stretch of the Stuart Highway will have no speed limit between Barrow Creek and Alice Springs, said Peter Styles, Australia’s Northern Territory transport minister.

 

Styles said the measure would fulfill a campaign promise to undergo an evidence-based analysis of open speed limits, while others suggested that it would attract visitors and provide enthusiasts a safe place to enjoy the thrill of speed.

 

“These days you can buy a vehicle for a reasonable price that would probably do 300km/h (186 mph). I dare say some people would like to come here and try that,” said Peet Menzies, Motor Vehicle Enthusiasts Club NT president.

 

However, the initiative left many concerned about a steep increase in roadway fatalities.

 

“It’s government by hillbilly,” said Harold Scruby, Pedestrian Council of Australia chief executive Harold Scruby. “They will have blood on their hands, mark my words.”

 

Australian Automobile Assosciation chief Andrew McKellar described the trial as “gambling with people’s lives…it is absolutely inevitable that people will die as a result.”

Derestricted roads aren’t new to Australia – certain highways in the Northern Territory previously had no speed limits, but an 81-mph maximum was imposed in 2006.<![CDATA[
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel has convinced the European Union to gradually phase-in the strict fuel economy standards it announced last June.

The EU initially wanted all new passenger cars to emit just 95 grams of CO2 per kilometer (59 mpg in a mixed European cycle) in 2020, a drastic reduction compared to the 130-gram norm applied today.  Supporters claimed producing cleaner engines would slow global warming, save drivers money at the pump and make European automakers more competitive on the global scene.

Under the new plan pioneered by Merkel and adopted by the EU’s 28 member states at a meeting in Luxemburg, only 80 percent of an automaker’s passenger car fleet will be required to emit 95 grams of CO2 per kilometer in 2020.  The number will grow by five percent annually until it reaches 100 percent in 2024, giving automakers time to develop the technology needed to bring their latest, heaviest and most powerful models in compliance with the norms.

Historically an avid supporter of Germany’s auto industry, Merkel explained she sees the need for cleaner cars but believes implementing the 95-gram limit at once will cost automakers too much money and make them less competitive on the world stage, potentially putting jobs at risk.  She doesn’t believe the EU should be any harsher on its auto industry than other continents are on theirs.

Portugal, Britain and a host of eastern European nations backed Germany’s position in exchange for Merkel’s support on banking- and debt-related matters that will be debated before the end of the year.  Italy was against delaying the application of the norm to 2024 and the French government did not to comment on the matter.

Opponents accused Germany of feverish lobbying other governments and said the decision was a step in the wrong direction for the European Union.

“It is not a terrific thing that we could not conclude on cars,” commented Connie Hedegaard, the EU’s Climate Commissioner.

The precise terms of the new deal will have to be hammered out by members of parliament and approved by the European Commission.  Merkel believes a new norm could be drafted over the next few weeks but skeptics point out the process might not be completed until next May.

Photo by Ronan Glon.<![CDATA[
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Mercedes’ commercial vehicles division has lifted the veil off of the 2014 Citan Crewbus, a long-wheelbase variant of the existing Citan capable of carrying up to seven passengers.  The name Citan is a combination of the words “city” and “titan.”

The Citan is a product of the alliance between Mercedes parent company Daimler and Renault-Nissan.  Essentially a rebadged Renault Kangoo Maxi, the Citan Crewbus wears a front fascia heavily inspired by the recently-facelifted 2014 Sprinter van but nearly every body panel is interchangeable between the Kangoo and the Citan from the A-pillar back.

Stretching 180 inches long, the Crewbus features space for up to seven passengers spread out over three rows of seats.  The third row seats can be adjusted individually and removed altogether when not in need, freeing up a generous amount of cargo space.

 

The Citan Crewbus inaugurates two new variants of existing Renault-sourced four-cylinder engines: A 1.5-liter turbodiesel that churns out 110 horsepower and a 1.2-liter gas-burning unit rated at 112 horsepower.  In Europe, the 1.5-liter is also found under the hood of the Dacia Logan, the Renault Clio and the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class.

Both engines send power to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission and are available with a fuel-saving start-stop system.

The 2014 Mercedes Citan Crewbus will go on sale throughout Europe next spring.  Pricing information will be announced closer to its launch.

Mercedes is working on selling the Citan in global markets including Russia, Chile and select Southeast Asian countries but the van will not take on the Ford Transit Connect on U.S. shores.<![CDATA[
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New rumors have surfaced suggesting Mazda’s next-generation Mazdaspeed3 could arrive with a turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive.

The latest report is in stark contrast to previous rumors – in July it was reported that the next Mazdaspeed3 would ditch its turbocharged powerplant altogether for a more powerful version of the automaker’s 2.0L naturally-aspirated Skyactiv mill. However, Australia’s Drive is now claiming that the new Speed3 will retain its boosted motor.

A turbocharged engine would match up more closely with other hot hatches in the segment, such as the Volkswagen GTI and Ford Focus ST.

Although it sounds as if the Mazdaspeed3 might hold onto its turbocharged engine, the pocket rocket’s infamous torque steer could be put to rest. The latest Mazda3 is built on the same architecture as the CX-5 crossover, meaning it would be fairly straightforward to equipped the Speed version with all-wheel drive.

“From a technical point of view it’s not difficult to install a four-wheel-drive system,” Mazda3 deputy program manager Takeo Mariuchi said.

Mazda is mostly keeping quiet on the future of the Mazdaspeed3, but expect to see a new version of the car in showrooms within the next two years.

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