PARIS, FRANCE - Renault displayed their futuristic DeZir sports electric car at the 2010 Paris Motor Show late last year. Shown painted in a brilliant red colour (see photograph), the two-seater DeZir's development was led by Laurens van den Acker from Renault's Design Department. The all-electric Renault DeZir concept car has 21-inch alloy wheels with a mid-rear mounted electric motor for optimum weight distribution. The car is powered by a 24 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, mounted behind the seats. On a full charge, the Renault DeZir electric car is capable of achieving a 160 km (100 mile) driving range.

The Renault DeZir has a design heritage derived from the Megane Trophy race car. The DeZir project team constructed the car's body of Kevlar with a tubular steel frame, delivering a considerable reduction in weight. Additionally, the Renault DeZir sports coupe has a double wishbone suspension, as found on the Renault Megane Trophy race car.

Renault has designed the interior of the DeZir for weight reduction. The seats are a one-piece construction and trimmed in white leather, with the console and accessories painted in a contrasting red laquer. The DeZir's bench seat cocoon's the driver, and is covered in an interlocking design, using a quilted pattern on the passsenger seat and a uniform pattern for the driver's side.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - Volkswagen of America released a photo this month of the new 2012 Passat TDI Diesel, which will be produced in the Spring 2011 at their Chattanooga, Tenn. manufacturing facility in the United States. The 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI has a 2.0 L Clean Diesel engine producing 140 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. In the United States, the 2012 Passat will also have two other engine combinations - a 2.5 L five-cylinder gasoline engine (170 hp / 177 lb-ft), and a powerful 3.6 L VR6 engine (280 hp / 258 lb-ft).

The base sticker price of the 2012 VW Passat is expected to be around $20,000 U.S., however the TDI model is expected to be sold at a slightly higher price. Our article will concentrate on the VW Passat 2.0 L TDI Clean Diesel engine model, which is expected to achieve 43 U.S. mpg on the highway and have a range of close to 800 miles from a full tank of fuel.

In the United States, Volkswagen will offer all 2012 Passat's with a 3 year/36000 mile warranty. Standard equipment features on the 2012 Passat will include automatic climate control, power windows, insulated glass, cruise control, external temperature sensor with frost warning, an MP-3 capable radio-CD system, and Bluetooth wireless connectivity. Additionally, the Passat TDI's driver's seat has 8-way adjustment capability with lumbar support as standard equipment.

The VW Passat's 2.0 L TDI diesel and 2.5 L gasoline engine can be equipped with either a standard 5-speed manual, or an optional 6-speed VW DSG automatic transmission. The Volkswagen's DSG transmission uses an automatic dual-clutch system, which engages gear shifts instantly, having the driving sensation of a manual, but with the precision of automatic shifts.

Volkswagen has become famous for their BlueMotion range of high-efficiency diesel engine cars in Europe, and the 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI continues this heritage, entering the U.S. market with its high efficiency Clean Diesel engine technology. Volkswagen's Clean Diesel engine is also available on the new 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, and both cars incorporate a NOx storage catalytic converter to reduce emissions.

The 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI will be available in three trim levels - S, SE, and SEL. The safety features on the Passat TDI include an Intelligent Crash Response System, ESP Electronic Stabilization Program, ABS braking, six air bags, and Hill Climb Assist (manual transmission models).

Optional features on the 2012 Passat are 17 and 18-inch alloy wheels, power driver seat adjustment, leather seating, touch screen satellite GPS navigation systems (RNS 510 or RNS 315 GPS models). Additional options are fog and cornering lights, wood trim decor, passenger power seat, memory driver's seat, and keyless entry with push-button start. Some options are standard equipment if you upgrade from S, to SE, and then to the premium SEL trim levels.

Inside the 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI, the instrument panel has chrome trimmed gauges, and chrome trim surrounding the multi-function display, air vents, climate control system, and the radio entertainment system. For the upper and lower decorative accents, the S trim level has a "Titan" design, the SE has a "Titan Silver Printed" design, with the SEL model having a wood decor "Autumn Nut Burl" design.

PARIS, FRANCE - Renault announced at the 2010 Paris Motor Show that their new ZOE electric car (see photo) will be launched mid-2012, and be manufactured at their Flins plant in France. Renault says that the ZOE Preview electric car that they showed at Paris is 90% representative of what the production model will look like.

The Renault ZOE electric car is powered by a 60 kW (80 hp) electric motor with a maximum torque of 222 Nm, which Renault says gives the ZOE nimble acceleration. The ZOE Preview on display at Paris was clad with 19 inch alloy wheels and special Michelin aero low profile tires. Renault says that the ZOE's lithium-ion battery can be fully charged in 6 to 8 hours off a standard household outlet, or quick charged for 37 miles driving distance in 10 minutes, and in 30 minutes for an 80% capacity charge. Renault also says that there is "quickdrop" battery change possible, which can be accomplished in 3 minutes.

Renault has paid particular attention to air quality on the ZOE Preview electric car. The ZOE's air conditioning system monitors the humidity level in the car and automatically senses when there is a need to provide humidity for skin hydration. There is also a toxicity sensor that can signal the air vents to close and use the cabin air filter to clean the air until the vehicle enters cleaner air space. The ZOE also has a scent diffuser which releases scent to relax the driver during rush hour drives home, and another scent can be diffused at night to keep the driver vigilent on the road.