Peugeot has achieved sub-130g/km status this year.

That’ll please European legislators, who say European car makers must hit this range-average target – or else…. they’ll pay.

It’s been a gradual but sustained CO2 reduction for Peugeot: in 2001, its range average was 155g/km, falling to 145g/km in 2006. And the main driver of this? Diesel.

Today, Peugeot’s sales split is biased 64.4% diesel, and it commands 8.3% of the European diesel market overall. As diesel is, says Peugeot, 30% more fuel efficient (for similar advantages in CO2 too), it has an inherent sales advantage that is now paying big dividends.

Now, it’s going one further, and making a diesel hybrid. It’s been much-discussed elsewhere how logical this is, but here’s a bald-stat summary: Peugeot’s four-wheel drive crossover hybrid has a better CO2 figure than Honda’s five-door supermini hybrid.

The added logic of the Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4

Why, though, asked a French journalist, is it introducing it in the 3008 range, rather than an all-new car? Because, replied Peugeot, the 3008 has been a bit of a hit.

289,800 have been sold since it was launched in 2009; in 2010, the 129,600 sales total was, apparently, 40% up on objective. Year to date, it’s up another 16%. Even more impressively, the sales are 55% conquest, compared to the normal 35-40% for mainstream makes.

The 3008 will overtake the 308 in Peugeot UK’s sales league this year – a more expensive, more premium model overtaking the lower-range heartland that used to win it so many sales. The hybrid will also take 20% of those sales next year, too. Yes, 20% – for a model that starts at £27k.

So Peugeot is charging premium prices, presumably winning some premium customers, and backing it up with marketing focused on making it appear more premium. Could it actually end up becoming the mainstream-premium maker it wants? The 3008 HYbrid4 will be a telling test.

Even more smartly, although it’s pushing up prices, it won’t be paying any CO2 penalties as a result. The HYbrid4 technology is cleverly modular, so can be applied to any C- or D-sector model. 99g/km Peugeot 508 It’s on the way next year – with the 109g/km Audi Allroad-style Peugeot 508 RXH there to, yup, continue the premium drive.

Peugeot driven by diesel

All thanks to that staple of Peugeot’s range, the diesel engine. Diesel allowed Peugeot to get its average below 130g/km, without hefty investment in high-tech eco gadgetry. Now, it’s allowing the brand to explore new premium opportunities with further-enhanced impressive low CO2 claims.

The diesel-electric hybrid experience is classy, feel-good and, crucially, works with the sophistication expected of a premium brand drivetrain. Now, Peugeot’s going to exploit it, with some classy upper-range models.

Apparently, the 3008 HYbrid4 is generating real interest, and the special launch editions of the Peugeot 508 RXH sold out within three days. People already like diesels, and like the idea of hybrids. Peugeot has combined the two to create a very marketable concept that’s working even in sectors previously out of bounds to the brand.

The power of going green: there’s a clear business case for it too, that Peugeot is already enjoying. Yet more evidence that, right now, green cars really do hold all the cards.

And diesel is, at the moment, key to the whole green car movement.

+ Land Rover Defender: the great green potential

+ SEAT applies the sun green

+ How Honda justifies the Jazz Hybrid

Honda will not launch a hybrid version of the new Civic, because it feels diesel is a more relevant economy choice for European drivers.

Arch-rival Toyota sells two petrol-electric models in the Honda Civic sector (the Toyota Prius and Toyota Auris HSD), but Honda has no plans to follow suit – despite a hybrid version of the (surprisingly strongly criticised) new Honda Civic being available in the US.

What encouraging words to hear: that’s the engineers in the company speaking, rather than the marketing men. Engineers love a technical challenge, but they also love elegant solutions – and if a diesel can do all that hybrid can do, for less cost and less complexity, then so be it.

Mind you, maybe they’re also still charred from their European adventure with the Honda Jazz Hybrid and Honda Insight Hybrid. Both are clever hybrid cars that should’ve given Honda two well-priced winners – but for their glaring miss of a key CO2 target, the 100g/km barrier.

They were close: the Honda Insight reached 101g/km*, and the Jazz was on 104g/km. So why didn’t they go one step further? Pure engineer principals, I was told. Space wasn’t to be compromised, which meant the design couldn’t be fully optimised for CO2. If the Honda boys do hybrid with a set of goals in mind, by jove they’ll meet them. As one of the targets clearly wasn’t to hit 100g/km, then it wasn’t added to their to-do list. Dang.

Maybe this is why they’ve changed tack?

Anyway, Honda will instead launch a new small-capacity diesel to sit below the new 2.2-litre turbodiesel. This will be more relevant to the longer-distance, higher-speed European style of motoring (and also bring Honda in line with rivals’ trend of downsizing diesels).

The new engine is expected to be around 1.6-litres in capacity and will be even more efficient than the impressively-revised new 2.2-litre motor: the bigger engine emits 110g/km CO2 and is expected to average over 65mpg.

This is a double win for Honda: not only is the 2.2-litre i-CTDi far more fuel efficient than the old one (substantially raising the bar for any engine to sit beneath), it also does this from a step-behind starting point. Remember how the 2.2-litre diesel was pulled from Europe this year because it couldn’t meet Euro 5 emissions standards? Honda has been hard at work – despite, don’t forget, its apparent dislike of diesel…

Honda Civic evolution

Looking more generally, Honda said the new Civic is an intentional evolution of the current model, rather than an all-new car. Bosses described the approach as ‘radical evolution’.

The firm took this approach because the 2006 Civic was already radical, even in its latter years. Honda wanted to retain the style, which it called ‘sci fi’, but improve on weaknesses including ride and refinement.

Honda also focused on weight-saving during the design of the new Civic, which will be built at its British car factory in Swindon. Despite this, the new Civic is no lighter than the old one.

This is because Honda has put the weight saved into improving refinement, noise, vibration and harshness. There’s more soundproofing and other measures to make it smoother and quieter. Again, a very engineer-led approach that you’d expect from Honda. What’s likely to be of more benefit to customers – 25kg off the kerbweight or 25kg extra noise insulation?

Full production for the new Civic will begin at Swindon in November. British employees have been trialling pre-production versions at the factory for the past year, revealed a Honda executive, to ensure quality levels are even better than the old one.

‘We have concentrated on building in line quality, something that’s been enhanced by our Honda associate’s fantastic attention to detail.’

Excitement is already building in Swindon too, which is now finally back on full production and full employment. I spoke to BBC Radio Wiltshire on the day of the Frankfurt Motor Show, to report back on the new Civic. I probably garbled but still sensed the vibe on the other end of the line from Swindon – this is good news, and everyone’s looking forward it growing as the car launches.

No hybrid? Who cares. CO2 is bang-on regardless and, with all its UK content, the cars that launched in Frankfurt are even more acutely relevant. In a few months’ time, we’ll be able to drive and report on how Honda’s done. Many eyes, including those from Swindon, will be watching with interest…

* The 2012 Honda Insight now, magically, does hit 100g/km. Why not do it in the first place? And, will the Jazz now follow?

+ How Honda Justifies the Jazz Hybrid

+ Honda highlights hybrid hoopla

+ Honda confuses writer: not for the first time

TO be eco, you need a small, tiny engine. Yeah, right.

That’s Politician’s logic at work. Look for blacks and whites in things they don’t understand. Big is bad, small is good, always and forever more. Smile, smooch baby, job done.

If only they spoke to engineers, such as the engine chief at Ford’s Dagenham plant. He’d tell them, like he told me, that Ford eschewed the smaller, ‘more eco’ 1.4-litre TDCi for its Econetic models.

Fitted the 1.6-litre TDCi instead. Which, as it’s bigger, is clearly ‘not as eco’.

Wrong.

Yes, he said, in ideal conditions, the 1.4-litre might use a smidgen less fuel. But, real world, the characteristics of the 1.6-litre make it far more suited to the Eco treatment. Traits such as:

•    Very low rev torque ramp-up: the turbo wakes up at 1200rpm, meaning much lower revs (and, conversely, taller gearing) can be carried
•    Torque curve shape: the step between non-turbo lethargy and meaningful torque delivery is much better profiled to eco driving – it’s not ‘switch-like’
•    Part-throttle characteristics: allow ECU software to be massaged so fuel delivery can be turned right down
•    On-throttle immediacy: small throttle inputs elicit immediate, meaningful response, making it feel ‘bigger capacity’.

The demands and characteristics on the 1.4-litre mean it would be swamped. It would have to be worked too hard in practice, negating any eco benefits a lab bench revealed.

Light loads work best for eco driving. Hence, the development of the ‘bigger’ engine here.

Luckily, there are no tax disincentives to stop him following what he knows, rather than what politicians tell him should be true. Imagine if, say, the engine size-based company car tax rules of a decade ago were still in place…

If Ford played chess, don’t take it on

Ford gloom hides people carrier revolution

Why car scrappage is now inevitable

HEAVENS, I’m admitting something here. That I used to be in Chess Club at College.

OK, not for long. And I did used to put Breeders tapes (yes, tapes) on in the background. But, partake I did. Which is why I know Ford is like a member of said Club.

The feared member. The Club player I never dared play. The champ, the whizz, the one who nobody could beat – his moves were like a perfectly-placed onslaught of brilliance from the off. The git.

Bit like Ford right now (well, apart from the git bit).

Market share is booming. The right cars are flying out of the showrooms just at the right time. The dealers find they’re still able to make all the right noises for customers.

Checkmate, rivals.

It’s almost momentous, Ford happening to launch the brand-new, brilliant, bedazzling Fiesta and pretty decent Ka, just as the country enters a major recession and switches wholesale (well, 35 percent or so, according to the SMMT) to superminis.

Think of the Blue Oval right now just as we thought of the St Georges Cross flag seller, in the 2002 World Cup. Yes, him, on the beach in the Costa del Sol right now.

Is this by chance or design? Did Ford foresee changing market conditions? Did it intentionally make the Fiesta so damn great because it KNEW the market was switching this way?

Whatever, it’s working. Historically so. Mainstream is back in vogue, and the blue collar’s fave is reaping the benefits.

Damn, it’s good. You won’t catch me taking it on. Now, where’s me Breeders tape…

The most depressing engines in esistance: Ford 1.8D

Ford gloom hides people carrier revolution?

Weller does a MINI Silverstone gig

A Fiesta van made me think of this. Droning its way along, like a git.

Causing plain aural offence.

No wonder diesel was a dirty word within Ford for years. When it was making clunkers like this, I pity for the poor durability engineers who had to put 150k miles on the things.

It’s just so droningly raucous, the 1.8D. In anything it’s in, from Fiesta van, to Escort LX hatch, to Orion Ghia saloon. Clattery, like kettles packed into a cement mixer – yet, totally ineffective with it.

Sans turbo, this thing is dog slow. Not particularly torquey. Simply, old school diesel.

No hill will defeat it, say old school diesel stalwarts. As if the ability not to grind to a halt up a hill is something to boast about. My mum’s old 950cc Fiesta could do that, without the need to proudly compare itself to a Sherpa.

I drove one in a Fiesta, which revealed to me something else about this idiot of an engine. Not only is it clattery and slow, it also resonates, horrendously. Drones, moans. Buzzes. Is, basically, an irritating fool.

Not even those in the sanctity of other cars can escape it. No Euro V here – you’ll often spot them by the smoke they emit. Plumes. Lovely.

Ford put a whole lot of ghosts to bed when it common-rail’d this unit back in 2001. Transformed it, natch.

Shame the brands popularity mean there are still far too many of these on the road, depressing me.

The Alpina that’s faster/greener/rarer than a 325d

bmwblog and UK car dealer agree

Volkswagen looks to history for GTD inspiration

BMW usually covers all bases, but a hole in its range was highlighted today. OK, it’s a small hole, but nevertheless…

What’s the 3 Series diesel buyer to do, who finds a 320d too slow, but a 325d too, well, you know, ‘not quite a 330d’?

Well, you’d think, the 1 Series comes in twin-turbo four-cylinder 123d guise. With 214bhp, it’s got bags of go. It’s obvious, then. Chuck this into the 3 Series, revive a classic nametag from the past, and bingo. Yet another niche filled.

Not so fast. Earlier today, BMW told me there are no plans for a 323d. Pity. The engine is a gem, and the lighter 2.0-litre engine would help create a wonderfully balanced high-performance diesel.

Help, however, is at hand! See, Alpina GB clearly shares my thinking. And has just started importing the Alpina D3 Bi-Turbo. Yes, it’s a 3 Series saloon, with a 123d engine transplant, and the usual hardcore Alpina makeover.

It looks great. But if, like BMW, you think ‘hey – why not just buy the peachier six-pot 325d’, here’s some stats:

Alpina D3 Bi-Turbo/BMW 325d M Sport

Price: £29,950/£30,825

Power: 214bhp/197bhp

0-62mph: 6.9secs/7.4secs

MPG: 52.3mpg/49.6mpg

CO2: 143g/km/153g/km

Compelling, aye? Furthermore, with the Alpina, you get a stackload of ‘in the know’ kudos to boot. Those stripes, those badges, those wheels, that ALPINA sticker on the front splitter…

But is it any good? Are pace and economy fair substitute for the loss of six-cylinder smoothness?

A test drive request has duly been sent. Watch this space.

Diesel has devoured the bulk of car maker development budgets in recent years.

It’s been a quick and dirty way for them to reduce parc CO2 emissions. Petrol’s been left lagging. Fiat’s helping it catch up, and giving us a new acronym in the process. MultiJet for diesel, meet MultiAir for petrol.

As the company that invented common rail injection, now de rigueur for diesel, MultiAir is thus maybe quite significant (not least because it’s not as dirty as diesel). But what on earth is it?

A way to make petrol engines 25 per cent more fuel efficient, that’s what. God knows, they need it. Geneva was the first signs that development budgets are switching to petrol. How they’ve some catching up to do. The weediest 1.2 Grande Punto can’t even average 48mpg. The zappy 90bhp 1.3 turbodiesel? Nearly 63mpg. Plus 20g/km less CO2. That’s a big difference (circa 25 per cent in fact), even if the problem is that you do pay for it.

Now then. How it works. Fiat told me that if you want to enhance diesel performance and emissions, you need to control how much fuel you inject into the cylinders. It’s down to how accurately you can do this, too.

For petrol, though, the trick is to play with not the fuel, but the air being injected.

Normal engines have a ‘dumb’ intake valve. This can only open or close. How much air goes into the cylinders depends on the throttle valve, further up the air supply chain. This is (says Fiat) wasteful. What you should be doing is controlling the intake values themselves, electronically. At source, rather than further up the chain, so to speak. How to do it cheaply, though? That’s what’s been keeping car companies busy, apparently, since the 1980s.

Fiat’s solved this. MultiAir is easy, cheap, variable valve actuation, giving full independent control over what the intake valve does. Hurrah. Diesel eco without the diesel cost, plus cheaper fuel to boot. This is big stuff. But this realisation didn’t come before I’d interpreted a tech-heavy press release…

Eventually, I found out MultiAir uses a piston connected to the intake valve. It’s moved by a cam, but the clever part comes because it’s connected via a hydraulic chamber. A solenoid valve controls this. This can have two states – open or closed. Now, then:

• Solenoid closed? Oil behaves a like a solid body. Intake valves do what the mechanical cam says.

• Solenoid open? Bingo: intake valves decoupled from intake camshaft! They close instead under valve spring action. (This is why Fiat also fitted a hydraulic ‘brake’, for soft and controlled valve closing…)

So, what tricks does it offer? Well, the solenoid is always closed for maximum power. But for low-rev torque, independent operation comes in. It opens near the end of the cam profile, meaning the values close early – trapping as much air in the cylinders as possible.

However, for part load, it opens much earlier, which does all sorts of clever things to airflow. This boosting torque. Or, it can be opened later, boosting ‘higher-in-cylinder’ turbulence. These two modes, called ‘MultiLift’, can be deployed in the same stroke, which is the really, really clever part. And which is why it’s taken so long for the ECU engineers to map…

It’s not just for petrol, either. Potentially, it reduces diesel NOx emissions by 60 per cent, and taking 40 per cent of unburned hydrocarbons out of cold start emissions. Indeed, Fiat says that this is just the start. MultiAir could even see petrol and diesel engines unified, rather like Mercedes and VW are proposing with DiesOtto.

The first MultiAir will be a 1.4 Alfa Romeo later this year. Fiat will also fit it to its new two cylinder engine, coming to the 500 in 2010.

No need to hedge bets on the fuel of the near-future, then. Seems it’ll be a bit of both…