To help customers go for greener driving, United Automobile is offering bonuses to replace cars with new Opel models that have lower fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. Clients who exchange any vehicle with a new Opel by May 15 will benefit from €500 on the Corsa range; €800 on Meriva, Astra GTC five-door hatch and four-door saloon; and €1,200 on Zafira and Astra Twin Top.
From saving fuel by making engines work smarter to smoothing transmission function for better performance and efficiency, Opel is using technology to improve the internal combustion engine (ICE) while working toward the hydrogen future. The innovative Twinport technology with variable intake control and higher rates of exhaust gas recirculation is an example of progress in emission reduction.
New in the Meriva range is the 1.4 Twinport with nearly 15 per cent better fuel efficiency. The newly developed 1.2 Twinport engine with 59 kW/80hp premiered in the Corsa, is not only more powerful than its 75 hp 1.2-litre predecessor with conventional fuel-injection, it also boasts up to 12 per cent better fuel efficiency. The innovation was first introduced in the Astra 1.6 Twinport at the beginning of 2003. The top fuel saver is the Corsa Eco which, with its 44 kW/60 hp 1.0 Twinport Ecotec engine, consumes only 4.6 litres of fuel per 100km (non-urban cycle).
With recycling and end-of-product responsibility important items on the environmental agenda, Opel's lifecycle thinking approach and initiatives, such as the Oil-Life System or lifecycle analysis studies, have also helped the company make informed decisions about materials, processes and implications for end-of-life disposal.
In addition to future technologies like hybrid electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, Opel continues to make improvements to the traditional gasoline engine. Some of the key powertrain technologies that Opel is implementing include active fuel management (AFM) which shuts off half of the vehicle's cylinders when less power is needed, such as during steady cruising speed or deceleration; engine variable valve timing which helps optimise engine air flow for maximum efficiency and power; six-speed transmissions so smaller 'steps' are used between gears, compared to a conventional four-speed automatic. This allows the transmission to quickly find the best gear for the vehicle speed and road conditions. Over one million vehicles annually will be equipped with this technology by the year's end. In addition to engine technologies, Opel is focused on aerodynamics. Every vehicle Opel produces undergoes rigorous mathematical analysis and physical testing in the world's largest automotive aerodynamics wind tunnel and lab to optimise aerodynamic shape development, maximise cooling airflow, and minimise wind noise.
To view the Opel range call at the United Automobile showroom in Abate Rigord Street,
Ta Xbiex, call 2132 0560, e-mail info@unitedautomobile.com.mt or visit www.unitedauto-mobile.com.mt
Tips to be green
• Avoid unnecessary short trips.
• Drive as you start the engine. Don't let the engine be idle until warm but drive at moderate engine speed until it warms up. Turning off the engine pays off for waits of as little as one minute.
• Maintain constant speed, avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking.
• Shift into higher gears early. In each gear, stay in the lower engine speed range. While in coasting mode, don't step on the gas and don't disengage the clutch.
• Give your vehicle regular maintenance and tune ups, and check tyre pressure.
• Remove roof luggage racks when not in use and switch off devices that consume additional energy, such as air-conditioning, heated windows, or fog lights, when not needed.