http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...23024/1530/FREE "LONDON - After watching rival BMW dominate the headlines at the Geneva auto show in March with the introduction of carbon dioxide-reducing stop-start versions of the 1 series, Mercedes-Benz will fight back. "We will catch up and get ahead," said Thomas Weber, head of r&d at Mercedes parent DaimlerChrysler. Mercedes-Benz will launch stop-start technology across its entire lineup, beginning with the A- and B-class entry-premium cars in September, Weber said at a press event here..." The thing is, Mercedes has never sold the A or B class here. (Not that I'm a Mercedes fan), but http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...1024/latestnews says that the B-class will eventually be coming to the US. It's interesting to note that one can DOMINATE headlines by just having a stop-start version of a car.... hmmmm.
took a while.... can't believe all cars don't have this feature (esp. since it's NOT a hybrid feature). VW had this on their diesel car (Polo I think) in 1996. Let's hope all manufacturers follow MB's steps.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(cwerdna @ Jul 28 2007, 09:10 PM) [snapback]486893[/snapback]</div> I was reading on a Canadian gov't website that the modern standard for when to shut off the gas ICE rather than idle is now 10 seconds -- that ten seconds of idling wastes more gas than stopping and restarting the engine. They also claim that the rate of starter/battery replacement is not appreciably higher in vehicles that had been driven with shutdown at stop rather than idle at stop. The point was to get Canadian drivers to shut down at stoplights rather than idle. So, I do that in my non-hybrid car -- I just habitually turn it off at every stoplight -- and my kids refer to that as "priusing" the car. Really makes you appreciate the electrical AC on the Prius, though. That said, yeah, why isn't this standard on all vehicles -- let the AC-on override the stop function, most drivers would never even know it was happening.
I've considered doing this with my other cars, but then I get anxious about taking too long starting up and moving. I try not to annoy other drivers while driving the Prius.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ShellyT @ Jul 30 2007, 08:17 PM) [snapback]487703[/snapback]</div> You definitely have to hawk the lights, so that you have it running before its your turn to move. It helps that the car I do this in is manual transmission -- I can leave it in gear as I turn it off. But it definitely requires more attention than just sitting at idle. On the other hand, what else do I have to do at stoplights anyway? Can't believe that the amount of fuel involved is substantial, but it gives me something to do, and it helps a bit.
