Toyota recalling fuel-cell Mirai vehicles

TOKYO, Japan — Toyota said Wednesday it is recalling all the Mirai fuel-cell vehicles it has sold globally due to a software glitch that can shut off its hydrogen-powered system.

The auto giant said it would call back about 2,800 Mirai vehicles made between November 2014 and December 2016 to repair the defect.

Toyota launched Mirai — which means “future” in Japanese — in late 2014 as it looked to push further into the fast-growing market for environmentally friendly cars.

Mirai was its first mass-market hydrogen fuel-cell car, after Toyota scored a win with the top-selling Prius hybrid, which combines a regular engine and rechargeable electric battery.

Separately, Toyota on Wednesday launched a new plug-in model of its Prius, after the first version sold poorly following its 2012 release.

The new model can run in electric-only mode — unlike the original Prius — at higher speeds and longer distances than the previous version, Toyota said.

Fuel cells, meanwhile, work by combining hydrogen and oxygen in an electrochemical reaction, which produces electricity. This can then be used to power vehicles or home generators.

But a lack of hydrogen refuelling stations has been a major hurdle to bringing fuel-cell cars into the mainstream.

The Mirai was launched with a relatively expensive 6.7 million yen ($58,000) price tag.

source: interaksyon.com

Maserati rules Baselworld 2015

MANILA, Philippines - Maserati is the official car partner for the World Watch and Jewellery Show, Baselworld, the sector’s largest event — bringing together every year about 122,000 visitors and more than 1,400 exhibitors, including some of the world’s most prestigious and renowned brands.

As the event’s official vehicle supplier, Maserati provided a fleet of 20 Maserati: nine Quattroporte and 11 Ghibli, which were used from March 19 to 26  to transport the VIP guests between the various exhibition stands and locations in Basel.

During the fair, the renowned brand with the trident logo invited all visitors into the Maserati lounge, located between Hall 1 and Hall 5, to explore not only the vehicles but also the new merchandising line.

Today, Maserati is undergoing a great growth, present in more than 60 markets, and an international ambassador for the excellent engineering and craftsmanship that Italy is known for, with its unique and exclusive automotive products.

The Maserati Quattroporte, a luxurious flagship, brings together space that ranks with the best in the segment and a high level of comfort, a look of unprecedented elegance and a distinct sporty character. The Quattroporte is available with three-liter 275 HP diesel (with rear-wheel-drive) and 410 HP V6 Twin Turbo petrol engine (with both rear-wheel-drive and the four-wheel-drive system S Q4). At the top of its range is the GTS version, which is equipped with the mighty 3.8-liter 530 HP V8 Twin Turbo petrol engine.

Another star in Basel is the Maserati Ghibli, the first model in the history of Maserati to compete in the Premium Executive E segment. The Ghibli is available with 3-litre Diesel V6 Turbo engine with 275 HP and with 3-litre V6 Twin Turbo petrol engines with 330 and 410 HP (all with rear-wheel-drive), the latter also available with four-wheel drive in the top-of-the-range S Q4 version.

source: philstar.com

Daimler’s self-driving concept car turns into mobile living room

LAS VEGAS — Germany’s Daimler AG wants to reset consumers’ expectations about self-driving cars with its futuristic Mercedes-Benz F 015 concept, unveiled Monday evening at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

“Anyone who focuses solely on the technology has not yet grasped how autonomous driving will change our society,” said Daimler Chief Executive Officer Dieter Zetsche, one of this year’s keynote speakers at CES. “The car is growing beyond its role as a mere means of transport and will ultimately become a mobile living space.”

Until now, automakers such as Daimler and Volkswagen AG’s Audi have largely focused on developing automated systems, including braking and steering, that make cars safer and easier to operate.

The F 015 luxury sedan concept, with its spacious cabin and lounge-like seating for four, explores new possibilities for self-driving cars that can double as virtual living rooms on wheels. And in keeping with Mercedes tradition and the concept’s “luxury in motion” theme, the post-modern passenger space is trimmed in walnut veneer, nappa leather, polished aluminium and glass, with soft blue LED lighting.

The F 015 can be operated autonomously or manually. When the vehicle is in fully driverless mode, the four motorized lounge chairs can be rotated to allow face-to-face conversations. When required for manual operation, the driver’s chair swivels back to face forward.

To facilitate connectivity with the outside world, the F 015 is equipped with six digital display screens throughout the cabin. The screens can be activated via gestures, eye-tracking or touch.

Mercedes wrapped all that fancy hardware and software in a lightweight, impact-resistant structure of carbon-fibre, aluminium and high-strength steel. The concept was also designed to accommodate an electric motor and hydrogen fuel cell.

The F 015 represents a huge leap forward conceptually and stylistically from the Mercedes-Benz S 500 Intelligent Drive research vehicle that piloted itself on a 100-kilometer journey from Mannheim to Pforzheim in August 2013.

The 2013 journey, made in a specially modified S-Class sedan equipped with various automated systems, traced the path driven 125 years earlier by Bertha Benz, wife of company co-founder Karl Benz, in one of the world’s first gasoline-powered automobiles.

Mercedes currently equips several of its production vehicles with a variety of semi-automated systems, including parking assist, traffic jam assist and steering assist.

The company’s forward vision, embodied in a project titled “City of the Future 2030+”, sees self-driving cars as a springboard for redesigning traffic-dense urban spaces with unique “safety” zones accessible only by autonomous vehicles.

source: interaksyon.com

Italy sells luxury state cars on eBay

ROME — Italy’s government on Friday said it had raised 371,400 euros ($513,200) so far in an eBay auction of luxury official cars in a symbolic effort to cut outrageous spending by ministries that has sparked public anger.

The 52 cars sold were being used by the police, the fire brigade and the defence ministry and included five BMWs and two Audis, the government said in a statement.

“The average final price was 7,142 euros,” it said.

A total of 151 chauffeured cars will be auctioned off by May 16 in an initiative that has gained broad public support and was launched by centre-left Prime Minister Matteo Renzi shortly after coming to power in February.

The cars yet to be sold include eight armoured Maseratis formerly used by the defence ministry. A brand new Maserati can cost around 100,000 euros.

The government said the official cars chosen for sale were “those that the public administration retains no longer essential for institutional ends”.

As Italy struggles to recover from a painful two-year recession, national and local authorities have been forced to cut down on thousands of official cars known as “auto blu” (blue cars) that have been for decades one of the many perks for the political class.

source: interaksyon.com

Car Donations California.

Mоѕt people wіll contribute a applied car оr truck оr truck tо ѕоmе non-profit bесаuѕе оe.g a Car Donations California with wide variety оf motives. Thеу wіll obtain a tax compose-off аnd ѕtіll аrе able tо truly sense nice аbоut іt” Car Donations California. ”

Thеѕе things quite simply center аll аrоund thе valuation оn thе gift аnd аlѕо thе documents certifying thе gift’s value. Yеt, thе nоt fоr profit a single іѕ giving a motor vehicle tо wіll mоѕt likely bе experienced іn furnishing уоu wіth thе precise paperwork tо obtain thе ideal tax compose оff.

Aѕ аn individual іѕ rеаdу tо ѕее, giving a motor car оr truck tо a not-for-revenue fоr оnlу оnе motive does nоt imply thаt it’s nоt оut оf thе question tо gаіn benefit frоm уеt оnе mоrе motive. A individual соuld possibly actually revenue frоm аll thе benefits bу simply giving a secondhand automobile tо a charitable organization.

A person truism іѕ thаt nо аn individual іѕ great аnd thаt аll people wоuld make mistake іn daily life. Fоr men аnd women wіth lives іn a state оf repair, acquiring a fair gеt started оn thе new everyday living уоu want tо build fоr оn уоur оwn аnd уоur family members іѕ typically challenging, іf nоt fоr thе help оf charitable organizations. Mоѕt people today аrе acquainted wіth donating clothes аnd home products tо thе local Salvation Army fоr people іn wіll need, but did уоu know thаt thе Salvation Army hаѕ a motor vehicle donation ѕуѕtеm аѕ properly?

Present Yоur Vehicle Tо Vehicle Donation Software programs Fоr Individuals In Hаvе tо hаvе




Hоw dо vehicle donation systems ѕuсh аѕ thе a person аt Salvation Army gеt thе job done? Vеrу wеll, mаnу charitable organizations wіll accept cars аnd trucks аnd оthеr vehicles, offer thеm аt auction оr fоr used automobile parts, аnd thеn uѕе thе proceeds tо advantage аnd enrich thе lives оf аnоthеr person whо іѕ truly struggling іn life – financially оr оr еlѕе. Thе Salvation Army Car оr truck Donation plan accepts automobile donations but prior tо уоu look аt tо turn аbоvе thе keys tо уоur motorbike, RV, оr boat, іt іѕ vеrу best tо contact уоur area workplace tо double look аt thаt thеѕе donations аrе accepted. And іf уоu gеt thе “green light” thеn іt doesn’t make a difference nо matter іf уоu want tо donate аn just аbоut brand new motor vehicle оr уоur aged clunkers thаt іѕ аt thіѕ tіmе inoperable – thе Salvation Army wіll accept аll оf thе previously mentioned. Mаnу area offices wіll еvеn make arrangements оn уоur behalf tо hаvе уоur car оr truck towed away, certainly totally free оf cost.

Whаt іѕ thе advantage оf donating уоur vehicle tо thе Salvation Army? Wеll, nоt оnlу аrе уоu capable tо “give back” tо thеѕе іn need, thеѕе аѕ women аnd males іn dire hаvе tо hаvе оf support аѕ a result оf thе nationwide Grownup Rehabilitation Centers, but уоur automobile donation іѕ tax deductible іn mоѕt circumstances. Yоu wіll want tо test cautiously wіth thе Internal Profits Service (IRS) tо make confident уоu аrе subsequent аll rules аnd laws аbоut hоw vеrу muсh оf a tax deduction уоu саn legally declare Car Donations California.

source: donateacarblog.net

GM wins awards, Ford turns heads at Detroit auto show

DETROIT — General Motors’ Chevrolet unit swept car and truck of the year honors but Ford’s use of aluminum in its F150 sparked new debate on the first day of the Detroit auto show Monday.

The show also saw the debut appearance of Mary Barra as GM’s new chief executive — the first woman ever to lead a major auto maker; Fiat-Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne pledging to oversee the union of the two for at least the next three years; and Ford chief executive Alan Mulally still in his job, after finally scotching talk he was headed to Microsoft.

Automakers, after a hugely successful 2013, forecast more growth and unveiled powerful new trucks, sexy sports cars and luxury models.

General Motors logged an early win after its Chevrolet brand swept the car and truck of the year awards with the Corvette Stingray sports car and the Chevy Silverado pickup truck.

“Chevrolet is in the midst of the most aggressive product transformation in the brand’s more than 100-year history,” Chevy chief Alan Batey said, hailing its wins.

Eyes were on Ford, however, as it gambled with a major change for the best-selling F150 pickup, replacing steel body panels with aluminum to drastically lower body weight and boost fuel economy.

The move, which helped Ford slash the truck’s weight by up to 700 pounds (317 kilos) is seen as a big risk, because truck buyers tend to focus on sturdiness and power.

Toyota, meanwhile, revved up its design credentials with a provocative new concept for a sports car, with a race car pit crew opening a shiny red box to reveal the FT-1 sports concept — Future Toyota 1.

Chrysler unveiled its hotly-anticipated revamp of the 200 sedan, which aims to bring a new level of luxury and styling to its midsized offering with a low entry price of $21,700.

“We designed a car to take on every other vehicle in its class, feature by feature and prove that a quality sedan doesn’t have to cross an ocean to be worthy of an American driveway,” Chrysler brand chief Al Gardner told reporters.

Mercedes got a jump on its competitors by hiring Kelly Rowland of Destiny’s Child to serenade its sleek and luxurious new C-Class sedan, an upgrade from the entry-level position it has held for several years.

Now that role has been taken by the CLA, and the C-Class has been decked out with features from higher-end Mercedes.

Also enjoying the move down from senior models is the diminutive Honda Fit. Honda has reshaped the front, enlarged the inside with generous leg space for a subcompact, boosted horsepower to 130 and worked to smooth the ride, adding a right-side Lane Watch, Bluetooth, rearview cameras, and upgraded smart phone connectivity.

Corvette also generated excitement with its new racing versions of the Corvette Stingray, the street-legal Z06 and the track-ready CR.7.

Kia and Toyota brought in concept pocket-rockets, BMW served up a hat-trick of new models — the 2 series, and an M3 and M4 — and Chrysler revamped its 200 series sedan, hoping some European styling thanks to its new Italian owners will boost its market presence.

Barra, who officially takes the reins of GM on Thursday, will make her presence known at the launch of a new GMC pickup — a statement that she, too, is one of the car guys.

She signaled that the accountants will not be allowed to dominate business plans.

“At today’s GM, our products are the result of putting the customer at the center of everything we do. That has fostered a bold new culture at our company, a culture that promotes innovation and encourages risk taking,” she said.

Executive leadership issues were also settled at Fiat, two weeks after the company bought the remaining 41.5 percent of Chrysler it didn’t own after long, tough negotiations.

Chairman John Elkann said CEO Sergio Marchionne will remain until at least 2017.

With the completion of the takeover of Chrysler — now the main money-maker for the Italian group — Marchionne said the Fiat board would soon meet on strategy for integrating the two, including mulling moving the headquarters to Detroit and listing its shares on a major stock market.

“We’re the seventh carmaker in the world and we aspire to be one of the so-called big guys,” Marchionne said.

At Ford, Mulally and executive chairman Bill Ford Jr both made clear that Mulally’s much-speculated departure was no longer an issue.

“Alan has obviously done a great job, and I’m thrilled that he’s here,” Ford said.

source: interaksyon.com

Sweden joins race for self-driving cars

STOCKHOLM — A hundred self-driving Volvo cars will roll onto public roads in and around the Swedish city of Gothenburg in 2017, the Chinese-owned car maker said Monday.

The pilot initiative, called “Drive Me”, has a 500 million kronor (56.3 million euros, $76.2 million) budget and is a joint venture between the manufacturer and several public institutions, such as the Swedish Transport Administration and the city of Gothenburg.

“We aren’t the world’s biggest country, we aren’t the world’s largest car maker, but we make up for that by being smarter and working together in a simpler way,” Volvo Cars chief executive Haakan Samuelsson said at a news conference in Stockholm promoting the public-private partnership.

The first driver-less cars will have a maximum speed of 70 kilometers per hour (43.5 miles per hour) on some 50 kilometers of selected roads including commuter routes with heavy traffic.

The project will begin in 2014 with customer research and technology development.

Self-driving cars receive data through a 360-degree camera system, GPS and other sensors which act as eyes and ears to navigate safely and avoid collisions.

The “non-drivers” participating in the project will receive training to properly use the cars, which are expected to respond to everyday traffic situations and to park themselves.

The introduction of self-driving cars raises legal questions particularly around liability, which today always lies with the driver.

“We need to look at the legislation,” Infrastructure Minister Catharina Elmsaeter-Svaerd said.

Other car makers — and even US tech giant Google — are also competing to be the first to bring self-driving cars to the public.

Japanese car manufacturer Nissan announced plans to have its first models ready by 2020.

source: interaksyon.com

Paul Walker died from multiple injuries in crash, ‘Fast & Furious 7′ filming halted

LOS ANGELES | “Fast & Furious” actor Paul Walker died from multiple injuries in a weekend car crash, the Los Angeles County coroner said on Wednesday, as Universal Pictures suspended production of the seventh installment in its lucrative car racing film franchise.

Walker, 40, was a passenger in a fiery one-car crash on Saturday in Santa Clarita, California, about 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles, that also killed 38-year-old driver Roger Rodas.

The coroner said Walker’s death resulted from “traumatic and thermal injuries.” While the coroner did not elaborate, thermal injuries are heat-related and are commonly burns.

Universal, owned by Comcast Corp, said filming of the big-budget action movie has been put on hold for an unspecified amount of time as it decides how to continue production without Walker.

“At this time we feel it is our responsibility to shut down production on ‘Fast & Furious 7′ for a period of time so we can assess all options available to move forward with the franchise,” Universal Pictures said in a statement.

The film, which began production in September, is currently scheduled to be released in theaters on July 11, 2014.

Rodas, the owner of a local auto dealership and racing services company Always Evolving and who was behind the wheel of the Porsche Carrera GT at the time of the crash, died of multiple traumatic injuries, the coroner said.

The coroner ruled that both deaths were accidents and said that the injuries occurred when the car struck a fixed object.

Both Walker and Rodas died “within seconds” after impact, coroner spokesman Ed Winter told the Los Angeles Times. Winter was unavailable for comment.

Surveillance video shows the red Porsche crashing into a utility pole and bursting into flames about a minute later, according to footage shown on CNN.

The Vin Diesel-led “Fast & Furious” movies, which have grossed more than $2 billion at the global box office, are one of two major franchises, along with the animated “Despicable Me” films, that helped turn around Universal Pictures in recent years.

Universal may be able to rework “Fast 7″ in time to keep to the July release date, a prime slot in the summer movie-going period when audiences flock to big-budget action films, said Matthew Harrigan, an industry analyst who follows Universal parent company Comcast for Wunderlich Securities.

If the studio decides to make major changes that prevent a July opening, the film could get pushed to the summer of 2015, Harrigan said.

“This is something that is an incredibly important franchise for Universal,” he said. “They just need to figure out how to rework it and how to address his death in an appropriate manner.”

The autopsies of Walker and Rodas were delayed as the coroner’s office needed dental records to identify the bodies. Toxicology reports on the bodies will be completed in six to eight weeks, the coroner’s office said.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said on Sunday that speed played a role in the crash but has ruled out the possibility that the pair were street racing. Its investigation into the crash is expected to be completed in the coming days.

Walker became a symbol of street-racing and car culture in his role as law enforcement officer Brian O’Conner in the “Fast & Furious” series.

The actor, who played supporting roles in 1998′s “Pleasantville” and 1999′s “Varsity Blues,” was in five of the six “Fast & Furious” films about illegal street racing, heists and organized crime.

Walker also starred in the Hurricane Katrina survival drama “Hours,” which will be released on December 13, and the crime drama “Brick Mansions,” which is in post-production and will be released next year.

source: interaksyon.com

‘Fast & Furious’ star dies in car crash while holding charity event for Yolanda victims

Actor Paul Walker died in a car crash in Southern California on Saturday afternoon, according to TMZ.com. He was 40 years old.

Citing multiple sources close to Walker,  the report said the star of the “Fast and the Furious” movies and an unidentified companion died immediately after the new Porsche GT they were riding “slammed into a post or a tree … and then the car burst into flames”.

A post on his Facebook page confirmed the news and said his companion was driving the car.

“It is with a truly heavy heart that we must confirm that Paul Walker passed away today in a tragic car accident while attending a charity event for his organization Reach Out Worldwide. He was a passenger in a friend’s car, in which both lost their lives. We appreciate your patience as we too are stunned and saddened beyond belief by this news. Thank you for keeping his family and friends in your prayers during this very difficult time. We will do our best to keep you apprised on where to send condolences,” the message said.

Walker was in Santa Clarita, a city located 53 kilometers north of Los Angeles, attending a car show to raise money for typhoon victims in the Philippines.

The car show was a charity event for Reach Out Worldwide, the disaster relief organization he founded in 2010 after joining earthquake relief efforts in Chile and Haiti. Reach Out Worldwide has sent medical teams to areas in the Visayas ravaged by supertyphoon Yolanda.

Last week, the actor and his co-stars on ‘Fast & Furious 7″appealed to fans of the film series to donate to the relief efforts in the Philippines in a video shot on the set of the film and uploaded to YouTube by Reach Out Worldwide.

Walker made his film feature debut in the 1998 comedy “Meet the Deedles”, followed by supporting roles in “Pleasantville”, “Varsity Blues”, “She’s All That” and “The Skulls”.

His breakthrough role came in 2001′s “The Fast and the Furious” as Brian O’Conner, an undercover detective who infiltrates the street race scene in Los Angeles to help solve a series of semi-trailer truck hijackings in the area.

The film turned into a franchise that released its sixth installment earlier this year. In May, Walker and co-stars Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez came to Manila to attend the Asian premiere of “Fast & Furious 6″.

It was not yet known if he had finished filming “Fast & Furious 7″, which is set for release on July 14, 2014.

source: interaksyon.com

Car, tech firms must work together to provide Internet, ‘apps’ — Ford

Automakers and technology companies need to cooperate more closely to ensure the rapid and smooth development of cars that are fully connected to the Internet, a top Ford Motor Co (F.N) executive said on Tuesday.

Ford global marketing chief Jim Farley told reporters at the Los Angeles Auto Show that the automotive and technology sectors are “at a tipping point” where they need to work together better than they have to speed the roll-out of the services in cars that allow consumers to drive safely and interact with their favorite apps or other technologies.

“The car companies have to change and the tech companies have to change,” he said to industry officials at the auto show. “For the car companies, it’s pretty clear that the mobile digital economy is not in our hands.”

Farley said automakers must acknowledge that the real value for consumers comes from outside the auto industry and they must create an open architecture that allows outside providers. Meanwhile, tech companies need to stop imposing their user interfaces on drivers in a way that makes driving unsafe.

For example, Google Inc’s (GOOG.O) Tarun Bhatnagar, director of Google Maps for Business, speaking after Farley, described using the navigation app on his smartphone that sat in his lap as he drove a rental car in Los Angeles.

“I can’t help but wonder why is it that beautiful screen in the instrument cluster of my rental car can’t provide me with a connected and safer driving experience? That needs to change,” he said.

Farley said he had no new deals with technology firms to announce, but he expected significant agreements over the next few years as the two sides work more closely together.

He said the navigation system is a natural place to start. “If the navigation system works so well on the phone, who’s going to pay for it in the car?” Farley said. “But it’s unsafe using them in a car and that’s the reality.”

Farley said automakers will have to innovate around how data is used in the car and that Ford is betting first on “brought in,” which refers to people bringing their mobile devices into the vehicle.

The other options are building the services into the car or beaming them in.

Calling the car “the ultimate mobile device,” Farley said certain apps like navigation are endemic to the car experience and automakers will need to incorporate them really well.

Ford’s Sync technology has already had a major impact on consumers’ purchasing decisions and the company has sold 10 million Sync-equipped vehicles, he said. Ninety-four percent of Ford’s 2014 model-year vehicles will be sold with the Sync technology.

source: interaksyon.com

Toyota to unveil concept fuel-cell car at Tokyo Motor Show

TOKYO — Toyota said Tuesday it plans to unveil its latest fuel-cell concept car at the Tokyo Motor show, with an expected commercial rollout two years away.

The four-seater sedan has a range of 500 kilometers (310 miles) — longer than previous versions — and can be recharged in just three minutes through hydrogen gas tanks stored inside the vehicle, the Japanese auto giant said ahead of the exhibition later this month.

Toyota, the world’s biggest automaker, said it would launch a commercial version of the mid-sized vehicle around 2015.

By that time, there were likely to be “hundreds” of hydrogen refueling stations in Japan, Europe and the United States, it added.

Fuel cell vehicles are considered the holy grail of green cars because they emit nothing but water vapor from the tailpipe and can operate on renewable hydrogen gas.

Toyota’s concept vehicle seeks to jump two key hurdles that analysts say have hindered consumer buying of so-called green cars, including electric vehicles — range and re-fueling infrastructure.

Relatively high prices have also dented purchasing of green vehicles.

However demand for lower-emission vehicles is forecast to grow, with further technological advances in the field seen as crucial due to toughening emissions standards.

Apart from Toyota, which is working on its fuel-cell concept car with Germany’s BMW, others are eyeing a widespread commercial offering. They include a Honda joint venture with General Motors and Nissan’s work with Ford and Daimler.

Honda already has a commercial fuel-cell car called the FCX Clarity but it has only been sold in limited markets on a very small scale.

At the Tokyo show, which runs from November 20 to December 1, Toyota is also planning to showcase a prototype taxi for the Japanese market that promises green technology while catering to the nation’s rapidly ageing population.

The hybrid taxi has a sliding electric door to make entering and exiting the car easier for those wheelchair-bound or people with baby strollers, Toyota said. A screen fixed to the back of the front seats supplies information about routes and taxi fares.

The carmaker said it wanted to commercialize the vehicle ahead of an expected surge in demand when the Japanese capital hosts the 2020 Olympic games.

Toyota said it also planned to display a futuristic vehicle, dubbed Fun Vehicle 2, which allows standing drivers to change the vehicle’s direction simply by shifting their weight, similar to the Segway although the car can move at faster speeds.

The car’s pop-up windshield can turn oncoming objects a distinct color to alert drivers to their presence.

source: interaksyon.com

The Honda CR-Z: A sports car made for our times

Hybrid cars are not only fuel-efficient; some of them look a little strange.  So at first glance, the Honda CR-Z might not look like your typical hybrid car. Honda seemed to have something else in mind when it designed the CR-Z, which is dubbed as a “hybrid sports coupe.”  It is a fuel-efficient sports car that is fun to drive and really cool to look at.

When I took the CR-Z for a test drive a few weeks ago, it was really so much fun. But, because we were having a few really wet days, I had to make sure that I was well aware of the flooded areas to avoid because this baby is built so close to the ground that rainy days can really mean stay-at-home days for the CR-Z.


What did I like?

Well, for starters, the Honda CR-Z is dressed up with 16-inch alloy wheels. It is also equipped with a new Plus Sport system that gives the driver what’s essentially a push-to-pass button. Pressing the S+ button will give the car an acceleration boost for five seconds, provided the car is going 40 kph or more.

The CR-Z is known as a mild hybrid because it comes with Honda’s 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a 15-kilowatt electric motor.  The electric motor is used to make the car go faster, but the CR-Z will not operate on purely electric power at low speeds like full-hybrid vehicles should.  On the CR-Z, the electrification serves to boost acceleration like a turbocharger. This allows the use of a smaller, more efficient engine.

The CR-Z can be set in Sport, Normal or Econ modes, which adjust throttle sensitivity, steering assist, air-conditioning usage and transmission programming on cars, or additional electric motor assist on cars with the manual transmission.  In other words, the car makes all the adjustments while you’re driving so that fuel efficiency is achieved. When you switch modes, driving along at a steady 80 kph, the engine either slumps or surges. It’s strong and responsive at 90 kph, in Sport. It makes you want to stay in Sport all the time.




The dashboard looks futuristic to my eyes.  I also like the good support that the cloth mesh seats offer. But, most of all, I like the headlamps on the CR-Z, which give the car extra pogi points.

If you look at the car from the front it almost seems as if the car is smiling, with its big-mouthed mesh black grille, which swoops low and round along the bottom and a straight horizontal edge along the top. The headlamp sweeps back like the wings of an eagle.

The instrument cluster is dominated by the tachometer with digital speed readout in the center that sort of floats in 3D.  There’s a gauge that shows battery charge, and another showing the electric motor power flow: It shows power flowing in from regenerative braking or out to help the engine. Manual transmission models have arrows that suggest shift points for higher-mileage driving; we’ve never been fans of shift lights. There’s a multi-information display, including ECO guide and ECO scoring, with leaves.

The CR-Z has dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags, front and side airbags with Honda’s Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS) on the passenger’s side and side curtain airbags. Active head restraints and ABS complete the safety package.

“Zippy” is my best word to describe the CR-Z’s performance. It’s stable in the wind, even with its lightweight body — a benefit of its aerodynamic build.

Honda has touted the CR-Z as a sport hybrid — and because of these sport-inspired features it is quite agile. While driving on open roads I noticed that the CR-Z grips the corners confidently, and the engine sounds really sporty at a higher rpm.  This made driving out on open roads so much fun for the racecar driver in me.

The CR-Z provides a completely different motoring experience from any other car that I have driven in the past.  I guess it is safe to say that drivers like me will enjoy the CR-Z because it is easy to drive. Just like a go-cart, it can go fast when you put your pedal to the metal and it is a hybrid, so it runs with fuel efficiency built in.

And, with the price of gas these days, it really seems like a sports car made for our times.

source: philstar.com

Daimler net profit up on higher sales

BERLIN — Germany’s Daimler, maker of Mercedes-Benz luxury vehicles, said Thursday its net profit rose in the third quarter, helped by higher auto and truck sales as well as efficiency gains.

Net profit jumped 53 percent year-on-year to 1.84 billion euros ($2.54 billion) in the three-month period to September as income tax payments fell.

Operating profit rose 16 percent to 2.23 billion euros, slightly better than a forecast of 2.07 billion euros from analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires.

“This shows that the high investments we have made were money well spent,” said chief executive officer Dieter Zetsche.

The Stuttgart-based company gave a forecast for the full year, predicting earnings before interest and tax at about 7.5 billion euros, below the previous year’s 8.1 billion euros.

Previously the company had only said profit would decline as it invests in new models.

source: interaksyon.com

Tesla in talks with Samsung SDI for battery supply deal

DETROIT/SEOUL — Popular electric carmaker Tesla Motors Inc may name South Korean battery producer Samsung SDI Co Ltd as an additional supplier as the California auto upstart tries to add more models and expand, although at least one source familiar with the discussions described the deal as being far from done.

Both Tesla and Samsung SDI, a unit of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, on Friday confirmed that the two companies are in talks about the South Korean company supplying battery technology to Tesla, the maker of the best-selling U.S. electric car, the premium Model S sedan with a price tag of $70,000.

The pending deal highlights Tesla’s confidence in the future of all-electric battery cars, even as some doubters predict all-electric cars are likely to remain a niche in the broader, global automotive market in search for clearer and more fuel-efficient technology. Some of those doubters see fuel-cell cars as a more promising alternative to gasoline-fueled cars.

Kim Sang-eun, a Seoul-based spokesman for Samsung SDI, declined to provide details because the talks are on-going. “Nothing has been decided,” Kim said.

Tesla’s Palo Alto based spokeswoman, Liz Jarvis-Shean, also confirmed the two firms were in discussions but noted that Tesla was in talks with other battery suppliers as well. “We continually evaluate best (battery) cells and technologies from all manufacturers,” Jarvis-Shean said. She did not elaborate.

Two individuals privy to details of the discussions between the two companies, however, described the talks as being in their final stage. They said the two companies are trying to work out certain remaining kinks in the pending contract for Samsung SDI to provide battery technology for the Model X, a more affordable electric car model Tesla is expected to add to its product offerings in 2014.

One of the sources, who is close to Samsung SDI, said the discussions are “90 percent complete.” He said Tesla and Samsung SDI have not been able to close the deal mainly because of Samsung SDI’s insistence that Tesla, as part of the deal, buy other components including touch-screens from Samsung Group.

No financial details of the deal are available, but one of the sources said “SDI management thinks it is good for improving the company’s image and ultimately helps them in doing more business globally.”

According to the other sources, Tesla and Samsung SDI have already finished testing Samsung SDI’s battery technology. He also described the supply deal to be “close” to being finalized.

Still, a third source familiar with the discussions disputed the assertion the two companies are close to sealing the deal, saying Samsung SDI’s technology is not “as yet” competitive with battery cells made by Panasonic Corp, Tesla’s primary battery cell supplier. The description of talks being in the final stage is “not accurate,” the third source said.

The news came as shares in Samsung SDI fell as much as 3.7 percent on Friday, after a video of a burning Tesla electric car sent the U.S. firm’s shares plunging overnight. U.S. emergency officials said the fire occurred in the electric vehicle’s lithium-ion battery, the latest in a string of problems for the batteries, which are widely used in electric vehicles sold by various automakers.

For Tesla, the deal is almost a must since it only has one primary supplier of battery technology, Japan’s Panasonic, for the Model S, which is its sole product offering until next year when it is expected to start selling an additional model called the Model X.

Tesla officials believe the company needs to diversify its supply chain to foster competition among makers of key components and to ensure Tesla has a stable supply of parts.

Samsung SDI already supplies battery technology for BMW’s i3 electric car, according to the Samsung SDI spokesman. Samsung Group, which sees slowing sales in smartphones, has been trying to position electric batteries as an area ripe for growth, according to group officials.

The sources said Samsung SDI, as part of the deal, is aiming to supply Tesla with small batteries similar to those used in laptop computers. Tesla uses several thousands of those batteries in beefy battery packs to power its all-electric cars.

The sources said Samsung SDI would start supplying Tesla beginning with the Model X. The South Korean company is also talking with Tesla about another future product due for a launch in 2017.

source: interaksyon.com

Chrysler recalls Jeeps, Ram pick-up trucks

NEW YORK CITY — Chrysler said Tuesday it was recalling 142,800 Jeeps and Ram pick-up trucks to fix a problem with software that controls instrument lighting and, on the Jeeps, the anti-lock braking system.
The majority of the recalls are for 132,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees in the model year 2014. Most of them — 91,559 — are in the United States. The rest are outside the US.

Chrysler, controlled by Italy’s Fiat, said there was a software problem on the Jeeps that randomly lit up the instrument lights or made them go dark. Engineers also discovered a software glitch with the vehicles’ anti-lock braking system that affects the instrument display.

The company recalled 10,800 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups to upgrade software that controls instrument illumination. It said most of the trucks were still at dealerships.

The automaker said it was unaware of any associated accidents or injuries with any of the problems, and will update the software free of charge.

source: interaksyon.com

So You Think Auto Insurance Is Expensive? Here’s The Cost Of Not Having It!

Many drivers bemoan the fact that they have to pay for auto insurance. While it may not be ideal to pay for something you may never use, and while there are affordable auto insurance options in the market, what are the costs of not having auto insurance? Let’s take a look at what expenses you could be facing if you were ever in an accident or caused damage with your vehicle while not carrying auto insurance.  








1) You Will Pay For The Damage To Your Car

Your insurance company typically pays for the damage done to your car and any other car involved in a crash that you cause. If you don’t have insurance, you will pay for damages that could easily exceed $10,000 depending on how many cars were involved in the accident.

2) You Will Pay Medical Bills For Anyone Hurt In A Crash

Standard minimum insurance policies pay for a good chunk of any costs related to bodily injury following a crash. You could be on the hook for hospital bills as well as funeral costs if you kill somebody in your car. A stay at the hospital for someone without medical care could easily cost $50,000 or more.

3) You May Be Liable For Replacing Personal Property

Say a laptop was damaged in an accident that you caused. You will have to pay to replace that laptop because you are the one who caused it to be broken. While it may only cost you $500 to replace it, that is a cost you can easily avoid with a basic insurance policy.

4) You Will Be Fined For Not Having Insurance

You will be fined for not having proof of insurance. The amount of the fine varies depending on what state you live in. However, you can expect to pay at least $100 or more.

5) Your Car Will Be Impounded If You Are Caught Driving Without Insurance

Some states will impound your car if you are caught driving without insurance. Expect to pay at least $75 a night or more depending on where you live and how long your car is impounded for.

6) You Will Pay For Your Own Attorney To Defend Yourself Against Legal Action

Your insurance policy may cover legal representation if you have to go to court. Unfortunately, you will be paying for this yourself if you don’t have auto insurance. You could be paying as much as $150 an hour for a good lawyer.

7) You Will Pay For Your Own Rental Car While Your Car Is In The Shop

A rental car is going to be necessary while your car is in the shop. That could cost you as much as $100 a day or more. If you had insurance, your costs would be covered for up to 30 days.

8) You Will Pay For Any Real Property Destroyed In A Car Accident

What happens if you destroy a house or tear up a yard in a car accident? The answer is that you will pay for the cost to repair the damage. That will cost you several hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Paying for auto insurance may seem like a drag. However, you are going to bankrupt yourself rather quickly if you get into an accident during a time in which you don’t have coverage. The lesson is that you should buy a good policy and be thankful that you have it if you ever need it.

source: 20smoney.com

James Bond’s iconic Lotus Esprit ‘submarine’ car sells for $860,000

LONDON — The iconic submarine car driven by James Bond in the 1977 classic The Spy Who Loved Me fetched £550,000 ($860,000, 650,000 euros) when it was floated at auction for the first time in London on Monday.

Following an intense bidding battle, The Lotus Esprit was finally sold to a telephone bidder at RM Auctions in Battersea, south London.

The car was made for the scene in which Bond, played by Roger Moore, evades the gunfire from an overhead helicopter by plunging into the water, accompanied by a nervous Barbara Bach in the passenger seat.

“We are very happy with that price, it is very strong money for what is an important piece of movie memorabilia,” said Peter Haynes of RM Auctions Europe.

“Bearing in mind it is not a car that can be driven on the road, the price just goes to prove the draw that all Bond-related memorabilia has,” he added.

source: interaksyon.com

Toyota joins Daimler in boycotting coolant

FRANCFORT — Japanese automaker Toyota has decided to join German rival Daimler in boycotting a new air-conditioning coolant deemed more environment-friendly in Europe, Toyota’s German unit told AFP on Friday.

Toyota will revert to an older coolant for its Prius Plus, Lexus GS and GT86 models in Europe, said a spokesman for Toyota Germany.

Since January 1, EU norms demand that car makers use refrigerants that are more environment friendly in new types of vehicle and European automakers decided to that one called R1234yf meets those standards.

But Daimler is sticking to an older coolant, called R134a, as it claims studies have shown that the new gas catches fire more easily and puts cars at a greater risk of explosion in case of a crash.

The makers of R1234yf reject Daimler’s claims.

“Toyota regards it as the duty of individual companies within the automotive industry to ensure that vehicles meet current safety standards,” Toyota Germany said in an emailed response.

“Unfortunately, there is no consensus on this issue on the European market. For this reason, we have decided, as a temporary measure, to use R134a so as to dispel any possible concerns our customers might have,” it said.

Toyota had conducted internal tests with the coolant R1234yf and found “no safety concerns,” it said.

The sale of vehicles with R1234yf had only begun after “complete confirmation of their safety.”

Nevertheless, “it is of the highest priority for us that our customers feel safe in their vehicles. As soon as the situation has been clarified and a consensus found, we will comply with outcome,” Toyota said.

The spokesman declined to say how many Toyota cars might be affected.

source: interaksyon.com

Parallel parking? No problem with this electric car

The difficulty of parallel parking will be a thing of the past, if the designers of a revolutionary new electric car have their way. The prototype vehicle, designed by Chinese, Taiwanese, and New Zealand engineers, has four separate electrically powered wheels, enabling effortless U-turns and sideways parking at the touch of a button. Reuters’ Jim Drury reports.


Fancy going for a spin? This prototype electric car is sure to make heads turn.  




Designed by students from China, Taiwan, and New Zealand, it has electric motors on all four wheels, each able to steer independently. When a U-turn’s required, pressing a button makes the car rotate 180 degrees.

And for those who don’t know which way to turn when parallel parking, program manager Dr Tom Qi, from New Zealand’s Otago Polytechnic, says there’s no need to go round in circles. “You just need to push a button and all the procedure will become complete automatically.”

The as yet unnamed auto runs on battery and can reach 100 kilometres an hour. It should be sold commercially within two years for around 8,000 dollars. Its makers believe there’ll be plenty of drivers willing to give it a whirl.

source: interaksyon.com

France bans sale of latest Mercedes cars

FRANKFURT — The latest models of Mercedes cars cannot be sold in France as they still use an air conditioning refrigerant the EU says emits excessive greenhouse gases and should be replaced, the German auto company said on Tuesday.

“Only new cars are subject to the measure,” a company spokesman told AFP adding that customers confronted with the ban are to be offered alternate models.

Since January 1, European Union norms demand that car makers use a cleaner R1234yf refrigerant, deemed less polluting than older products.

But Daimler is sticking to R134a, an older coolant, as it claims studies have shown that the new gas catches fire more easily and puts cars at a greater risk of explosion in case of a crash.

The makers of R1234yf reject Daimler’s claims but in Germany, the auto giant was given special permission to keep using the older gas.

Daimler says it will persist with the older product with the hope that “in the next few years” a safer version will be available.

No country besides France has raised an objection to the continued use of R134a, the Daimler spokesman said.

But last month the European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, threatened sanctions against German carmakers for using the refrigerant.

The Commission officially notified Germany of its objections to the continued use of the polluting gas, giving Berlin until September to comply.

source: interaksyon.com