Saturn Aura Hybrid
Text & Photography by Sammy Chan
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人類時常希望科技和大自然不僅能相互並存
, 且能做到和諧協調. 隨著科技一日千里, 我們這個奢望和期望已能續步實現. 由多間車廠所研發和銷售的油電混合雙動能汽車 Hybrid 便能利用汽油和電力之間的調配, 於行車時作出最理想的動力輸出, 並同時兼顧對環境所帶來的影響, 以求做到最低的污染和破壞.什麼汽車才算是最環保的? 那當然是一部不須燃油而又不會透過將污染過程 "外化" 來掩飾對環保的損害的汽車了. 這有可能會是全電動汽車, 氫氣車或Fuel Cell, 甚或一種難以想象的車子, 但從各種跡象顯示, 電油電力雙動能 Hybrid 汽車就肯定是未來五年最切合實際的環保汽車了.
現今主宰北美雙動能汽車市場的是日本的豐田, 但自通用汽車公司 General Motors 去年宣佈重大策略轉變, 決定加速將雙動能車輛以及可供插座充電的油電複合動力車導入北美市場之後, 通用很快便會取代豐田於環保車陣容方面的一哥位置. 通用車廠旗下最新的Saturn Aura Hybrid 便是最具代表性的例子. 無論在設計和實用性方面, Saturn Aura Hybrid 都會比其最敵對的豐田 Camry Hybrid 有過之而無不及之處. Saturn Aura 最近便被北美車評界推舉為 2007 年度之最佳北美新車, 風頭還勁過炙手可熱的全新 Camry.
至於眾人所關注的售價問題, Saturn Aura Hybrid 也可說旗開得勝. 雖然, 市面上最平的 Hybrid 依然屬於本田的 Civic Hybrid, 但 Saturn Aura Hybrid 之 $27290 基本售價亦只比本田的貴了一千元左右, 而 Aura 卻是一款比 Civic 闊大得多的中形房車, 而那邊廂的豐田 Camry Hybrid 於售價方面則比 Aura 多要 $4610.
Saturn Aura 是繼雪彿蘭
Malibu 和潘迪 G6 之後最新使用 GM Epsilon 底盤的車輛. Aura 是於去年秋季在市場上推出, 而 Hybrid 型號則是只於個多月前才加盟 Saturn, 為非 Hybrid 的 Aura XE 及 Aura XR 加強了不少競爭能力. Aura Hybrid 亦是 Saturn Aura 陣容中唯一一部裝配四汽缸引擎的型號, XE 和 XR 皆是以 V6 引擎作為標準配塔的.Aura Hybrid 的混合動力系統是以一組使用 Nickel Metal Hydride 電池的電動馬達與 2.4 公升 Ecotec VVT 四汽缸引擎作出精密配塔和運作, 並透過一副四前速自動波箱來將最佳動力揮發出來. 於 6400 rpm 時, 此混合動力系統能發出 164 匹最大馬力及於 5000 rpm 時輸出 159 磅呎最高扭力. 數據看來不高, 但實際使用時, 低轉時之動力揮發也很充沛, 而動力也來得非常線性, 高速表現則不是強項, 如何催谷引擎也難將車速超越 160 km/h, 畢竟這也已與本意有點倒行逆施了.
此雙動能系統主要是透過以下方式巧妙地降低燃油消耗的
:依廠方說
, 若與非 Hybrid 的 Aura XE 型號相比, Aura Hybrid 之燃油消耗便可降低四分之一. 然而, 廠方是以一台 V6 引擎與之對比, 並不是以一台相同的四汽缸用作比較, 是以難以作為準則. 根據 Natural Resources Canada 之官方數據顯示, Saturn Aura Hybrid 之油耗指數為 City 8.5 L/100 km 而 Highway 則為 6.2 L/100 km, 也算非常理想.視乎需要
, Aura 這副混合動力系統也可從電動馬達發動時提供額外動力的, 例如在油門全開的情況下, 系統便會透過使用馬達/發電機以支持汽油引擎並達成最大動力的方式以加強加速. 此外, 此系統亦有另一項設計是值得注意的, 當車輛停止下來之時, 系統會自動維持完整的附屬功能如內室溫度控制和其它電動操作, 同時也能夠在低耗油以及車內舒適性之間取得適當的平衡, 讓乘客選擇兩種空調模式: Hybrid 冷卻模式由於限制混合能源的使用因而可降低油耗; 普通冷卻模式則可於炎熱的氣候下為乘客提供最大的舒適性, 並且加強除霧功能.環保與平實看來在 Saturn Aura Hybrid 上經已掛勾, 那些在 Aura 上閃爍生輝的銀鍍車門把手以及雙死氣喉已改為平庸設計, 而十七寸輪鈴亦化為較平民化之十六寸尺碼. 但整體上並沒有怎樣折減 Aura 的神韻, Aura Hybrid 依然是一款相當得體的家庭房車.
乘坐舒適感與比它貴多倍的名貴豪華房車不遑多讓, 不過懸掛調校始終是以舒適為主, 抗傾力是 Aura Hybrid 較弱的一環, 當以較快的速度入彎之時, 前輪車常見的過少轉向便很快應驗, 但只要立即收油, 馬上可以作出糾正, 況且車子亦可依賴作為標準設備的循跡操控系統 Traction Control 作出捕救 .
坐進駕駛室
, 立刻令人有著一種舒適及非常寬敞的感覺, 前後頭位都非常充裕, 坐在後座正中地方, 相信就連籃球好手亦不會感到局促. 廣闊的中控台設計甚有大將之風. 塑膠感頗強的軑環設有音響遙控調校掣, 擁有如斯方便設備, 駕駛者可說完全不用理會中控台上各種擺設了. 有感可惜, 寬闊的座椅為長途行車帶來舒適寫意感, 原嫌側身支撐有點不足, 但眼見背脊支撐也相當充裕, 便不再對之有所埋怨了.安全設備上
, 新 Aura Hybrid 除有齊所有綜合性安全配件之外, 亦在政府正面與側面撞擊測試中, 全部獲得五星級的最高評價, 使之成為目前最安全的車種之一. 關鍵的標準設備包括二階段式前安全氣袋, 簾式防側撞安全氣袋, StabiliTrak 循跡操控系統以及 OnStar 安全航護系統等等.We often wish that nature and technology can co-exist and complement each other in a harmonious working relationship. Now that technology has matured in leaps and bounds, we are one step closer to fulfilling our dreams. Developed and marketed by several automobile manufacturers, gasoline/electric hybrid vehicle combines a electric motor with a gasoline engine to produce optimum power while significantly improves fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, minimizing the negative impact that a vehicle would bring to the environment.
Questions often arose as to which is really the most environmentally friendly vehicle. That of course excludes one which requires no gasoline but on the other hand taxes the environment in some camouflage way in its attempt of producing some viable form of energy. This futuristic vehicle could be an all-electric car, a hydrogen car, a fuel cell car or something we could hardly imagine. However, at least for now and for the next 5 years that we could foresee, gasoline/electric hybrid vehicle is the one that pleases the environment the best.
Toyota has the upper hand in North American’s hybrid vehicle market currently, however this is going to change. Ever since General Motors announced a policy shift in the development of environmentally friendly vehicle last year, GM will soon have the most number and the widest range of hybrid vehicles. The all-new Saturn Aura Hybrid is a very good example of better things to come from GM. From design to function, the Saturn Aura Hybrid is more than equal to Toyota’s Camry Hybrid that it competes with. It also helps that the Saturn Aura was recently chosen as the North American Car of the Year of 2007.
As to the consumers’ big concern of pricing, the Saturn Aura Hybrid also starts with a big advantage. Its base price of $27,290 is only a thousand less than the cheapest hybrid in the market, the Honda Civic Hybrid. Belonging in the mid-size segment, the Aura is a much bigger car than the Civic. In comparison to the Aura, the Toyota Camry Hybrid is much more expensive by $4610.
Saturn Aura shares the same Epsilon platform as the Chevrolet Malibu and the Pontiac G6. The Aura was first launched in the market as recent as last fall and the hybrid version is only a month to 2 months new, bringing some needed ammunition to the Aura family which includes the Aura XE and Aura XR. Aura Hybrid is also the only vehicle in Saturn Aura’s line-up that is equipped with a 4-cylinder engine. Aura XE and XR trims are powered by V6 engines.
The Aura Hybrid is powered by a 2.4-litre Ecotec VVT 4-cylinder engine which is paired with an electric motor energized by a nickel metal hydride battery pack and matched to a 4-speed automatic transmission. At 6400 rpm, this hybrid system develops a peak horsepower of 164 and at 5000 rpm, produces a maximum torque output of 159 lb./ft. Although the figures are not impressive on paper, power delivery is smooth and low-torque output is generous on demand. Performance at high speed is not its strong forte and no matter how hard one pushes the car, it would take a long while to get past 160 km/h, which becomes a moot point when environmental-friendly vehicles are concerned.
The Hybrid system reduces fuel consumption by:
 | Turning off the engine whenever the vehicle is at a full stop, "idling" will therefore be non-existent. The engine will restart promptly once the brake pedal is released |
| Enabling early fuel shut-off during vehicle deceleration |
| Capturing vehicle kinetic energy during deceleration through regenerative braking to charge the advanced nickel metal hydride battery |
| Performing intelligent battery charging when it is most efficient |
According to GM, when compared to the non-hybrid Aura XE model, the Aura Hybrid will have a fuel-consumption improvement of up to 25-percent. Mind you, this is in comparison to a V6 engine, bigger in both configuration and displacement, and not to a similar 4-cylinder model, hence the actual fuel savings would have to wait till a new non-hybrid 4-cylinder Aura arrives on the market. Fuel consumption rated by Natural Resources Canada is City 8.5 L/100 km and Highway of 6.2, with a combined rating of 7.5 L/100 km, which for a vehicle this size is better than ideal.
Back to the environment and back to earth seems to go hand in hand in the Saturn Aura Hybrid. Gone are the chrome garnishes that decorate the door handles of the Aura XE/XR, ditto for the twin chrome exhaust pipes, while the multi-spoke 17-inch alloys have also humbled to a more people friendly of 16-inches. But all these back-to-basics have not diminished the Aura’s aura, it is still a very handsome and neatly designed family car.
Ride comfort in the Aura Hybrid is creamy and smooth, placing it near the top of cushy rides from mid-luxury mid-size segment. Suspension tuning is still on the soft side, leading to noticeable body leans and understeering in hard cornering. Lifting off the gas pedal will immediately honor the correction it needs and if that’s not enough, there’s always Traction Control on standby to save your day.
The aurally pleasant cabin of the Saturn Aura Hybrid offers a spacious and stressless environment for its driver and 4 occupants. An NBA professional would feel quite at home sitting in the middle portion of the rear bench. Design of the centre console is neat and tidy, controls are appropriately sized and well placed. The well-cushioned cloth seats are as comfy as cloth seats go, but can be better bolstered on the sides to turn long trips into short experiences.
On the safety front, the all-new Aura Hybrid is also blessed with the excellent 5-Star safety award given to the Aura in government frontal and side-impact crash tests. Key standard safety features in the Aura Hybrid include dual-stage frontal airbags, side airbags, side-curtain and thorax protection air bags, StabiliTrak electronic stability control and OnStar.
Saturn Aura Hybrid Specifications
Base price: $27,290
Wheelbase: 2852 mm
Length/Width/height：4851 / 1786 / 1464 mm
Engine：2.4-litres，DOHC，4-cylinder Hybrid
Maximum horsepower (HP)：164 / 6400 rpm
Peak torque (lb./ft.)：159 / 5000 rpm
Transmission：4-speed automatic
Suspension：Front MacPherson struts，Rear 4-Link, Coil springs，Stabilizer bar
Brakes：Front vented disc, rear solid disc, ABS
Tires：215/60 R16