Economy cars since 2000 Economy car

1966 , 2007 fiat 500. new 500 larger , safer original



toyota iq production version



citroën c1



fiat panda 2005



mercedes a-class w168



audi a2 1999-2005



alfa romeo mito



bmw mini

today economy cars have specialised market niches. small city car, inexpensive-to-run not small general economy car, , performance derivatives capitalise on light weight of cars on based. models started economy cars such volkswagen golf , toyota corolla, have increased in size , moved upmarket on several generations, , makers have added smaller new models in original market niches. 2003 volkswagen golf mk5 had put on weight, models weigh same volvo 200 series. supermini 2002 volkswagen polo mk4 longer , wider 1970s volkswagen golf mk1. gordon murray formula 1 , mclaren f1 designer, said when designing new murray t.25 city car: today promises of hydrogen , hybrids , electric cars, if take ten percent out of weight of every car, effect in next ten years more of hybrids , electric cars on planet.

the city car market in europe 1990s has seen increased competition, market split between standard , designer city cars sold premium. these cars @ lower end of supermini size or smaller. standard city cars include toyota yaris, citroën c1/peugeot 107/toyota aygo (built in same factory), fiat panda, kia picanto, chevrolet matiz, volkswagen fox, mitsubishi colt, volkswagen lupo, , 2011 volkswagen up. designer city car became increasingly popular in europe in 1990s. first car of kind limited success, 1985 lancia y10, because had been hampered poor ride, being based on original utilitarian fiat panda. also, lancia dying brand in uk @ time. 1993 renault twingo , ford ka in 1996, marked upsurge in sales niche. ka launched along mid-1990s fiesta innovative australian 2 stroke orbital engine, tightening emissions laws meant launched updated ford kent engine instead. followed innovative engineering designs; mercedes-benz a-class under floor engine, 2 seater rear engined smart fortwo, , aluminium bodied audi a2 in aerodynamic form achieved drag coefficient of cd=0.25. sales took off 2001 bmw mini modern conventional front wheel drive engineering , re-interpretation of classic austin mini styling. has sold in other markets including north america. other cars of type include mitsubishi colt based smart forfour, vw polo based audi a1, fiat panda based fiat nuova 500, citroën c3 based citroën ds3, , fiat grande punto based alfa romeo mito. toyota iq, designed in france, went on sale in january 2009 in uk. competitor smart fortwo occasional rear seats. follows issigonis philosophy of packaging, innovations including flat under floor fuel tank , specially located steering rack , final drive unit maximise floor space passengers. seats 4 adults in car 2.985 m (117.5 in) long, 1.680 m (66.1 in) wide, , 1.5 m (59.1 in) tall, , achieves 65.69 mpg‑imp (4.300 l/100 km; 54.70 mpg‑us) 99 g/km co2 rating. achieved top euro ncap 5/5 stars safety rating.

a development in recent years in europe, has been launch of small mpvs/people carriers. development of giorgetto giugiaro tall car, high-seating packaging innovation first used in fiat uno. niche first emerged in japan 1993 suzuki wagon r keicar class car. sold gm in europe 2000 vauxhall/opel agila. followed larger supermini based cars renault modus, citroën c3 picasso, fiat idea, nissan note, , vauxhall/opel meriva produced in brazil. tall packaging designs offer interior space of larger car. higher seating increases visibility driver useful in urban driving. make easier in , out, useful personal mobility problems, such elderly , disabled.

the conflicting design goals economy cars – small size maximum usable interior space, low cost , light weight acceptable safety performance (light cars have higher ratio of unsprung suspension mass sprung mass, affects ride quality) , need light materials acceptable durability – continue stimulate innovative development. technology improvements such electronic engine management, adoption of 4 valves per cylinder, variable valve timing, direct injection of petrol/gasoline , diesel, hybrid power, , smoother, more powerful diesel engines high pressure electronic injection, have dramatically improved fuel economy , performance. latest technologies improve efficiency engine downsizing , automatic engine stop-start. automatic engine stop-start systems vws bluemotion, shut engine down when car stopped reduce idling emissions , boost economy, , mandatory not idle unnecessarily in cities in germany. updated version of 1980s vw formel e system developed 1990s vw ecomatic system. application of turbo-charging down-sized engines 1 way achieve efficiency benefits fuel economy , emission benefits instead of performance. recent fiat multiair system, electro-hydraulic development of variable valve timing allows engine management computer control valve timing, improving engine efficiency, giving better torque, power, economy, , emissions. safety design particular challenge in small, lightweight car. area renault has been particularly successful. sport compacts , hot hatches have developed own competitive genre. although economy has been compromised, these models offer higher performance because of lightness of platforms based upon.

as alternative manual synchromesh gearboxes, automatic continuously variable transmission (cvt) gearboxes optional on economy cars, such audi, honda, , mini 1 , mini cooper. tata motors india, announced use variomatic transmission in us$2,500 nano. cvt application economy cars pioneered fiat, ford, , van doorne in 1980s. rather pulled rubber drive belts used in past daf, modern transmission made more durable use of electronic control , steel link belts pushed pulleys.

a difference between north american car market , markets of europe , japan price of fuel. fuel heavily taxed , therefore relatively costly in first-world markets outside north america; fuel 2 , half times price in uk u.s. fuel costs higher proportion of income, due higher wages , lower living costs in u.s. during occasional fuel price spikes such of 1973, 1979–81, , 2008-9 have north american drivers been motivated seek levels of fuel economy considered ordinary outside north america.

the growth of developing countries has created new market inexpensive new cars. unlike in postwar period demand has not been met utilitarian advanced peoples cars . adaptation of standard or obsolete models first world has been norm. production of car models superseded in first-world markets moved cost-sensitive markets south africa , brazil; citi golf example.

tata nano



gordon murray design t.25

some mainstream european auto makers have developed models developing countries, such fiat palio, volkswagen gol , dacia logan. renault has teamed india s mahindra , mahindra produce low-cost car in range of us$2,500 us$3,000. tata nano launched in january 2008, in india tata motors, may mark beginning of return of so-called people s cars because of low announced price - claimed tata world s cheapest car @ us$2,500. nano, 1950s fiat 500, has rear engine , styled italians. designed whole families off scooters , onto 4 wheels. tata indica formerly sold in europe city rover until 2005 collapse of rover, sold poorly overpriced basic car.

the narrow profit margins of economy cars can cause financial instability manufacturers. historically, volkswagen in 1970s , ford in 1920s collapsed because of 1 model economy car business strategy. ford saved model , volkswagen saved golf. ford started mercury , lincoln brands diversify product range. vw moved away narrow profit margins of economy cars, expanding range spans small city cars volkswagen audis , bentleys, , owns seat , skoda.

china has become 1 of fastest growing car markets, overtaking u.s. largest producer of cars in world. followed india preference towards inexpensive, basic cars, both moving upmarket in tastes economic rise continues.

india becoming global outsourcing production centre small cars. suzuki alto , hyundai i10 being exported europe india. in march 2010 @ chennai, renault-nissan alliance opened us$990 million plant produce 400,000 units per year @ full production. first vehicle produced @ plant new nissan micra, indian market export on 100 countries in europe, middle east , africa. production of micra has been re-located uk , other developed countries. in 2011, plant start production of renault koleos , fluence, indian market based on same platform. maruti version of suzuki swift produced in india.

gordon murray formula 1 , mclaren f1 designer, said when designing new murray t.25 city car: discovered why people didn t make call sub segment cars, small city cars – don t make money on them. because tooling , development cost small car same bigger car. people rather build larger cars , make more profit. s when started thinking, if going work there needs new way of making cars, cost effective. high capital pressed components using low labour cost countries long distance developed world markets has large environmental cost. car manufacturers production emissions small compared tailpipe emissions, in fact significant proportion of total emissions. need re-think henry ford design of mass production. murray s solution laser cut tubular steel space-frame chassis built automated tube mill, braced bonded low-cost composite sheets cheaper , greener means of production. murray s istream simplifies each process eighty percent smaller factory lower cost production, making light weight efficient cars. there no sheet metal presses, spot welders or paint plants. built local market. murray reported negotiating production licences. t25 , t27 expected available in 2016.