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An article was written on detnews.com by Scott Burgess that talks about how he had test driven the Toyota Camry Hybrid and LOVED it.  He was able to test drive the Camry hybrid for a week and was quite sad to see it go.  Even though the Ford Fusion hybrid has better gas mileage with 41 miles per gallon, the Camry, at 33 mpg, took the prize for Burgess. 

You need to read the article that he wrote if you want his reasoning for his love for the Camry hybrid, but I’ll just give you some specs of this hybrid.

The starting price is $26,150, with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine.  It has a 105 kilowatt magnet synchronous motor with a 244.8 volt, 150 pound nickel-metal hydride pack battery.  This vehicle has 187 horsepower combined.   

So, if you want to take Scott Burgess’ word for it, go get yourself a Toyota Camry Hybrid, if not, go test drive one for yourself. 

 

www.unknowzone.com

General Motors Corp. has made the new limousine for President Obama. It is a Cadillac, but does not have a specific model.  The specifications of this vehicle are amazing. It will ride like a limo but act like a tank, says Marshall Brain of www.howstuffworks.com.  An article by Brain was in my local paper entitled “Rollin’ With the Prez.” 

According to Brain, “what the president needs is a car that contains many of the elements of a tank but still looks like a car for the sake of appearances.”  This is pretty much exactly what GM’s Cadillac division did to make President Obama’s limousine.  The car looks somewhat like a Cadillac, because there are bits and pieces from a real Cadillac, but everything else is custom work. 

The first thing that people will notice about this limousine is its size.  ”Think about the Hummer H2 for comparison” says Brain.  The Hummer H2 is the biggest car out there today, and this limo will be a foot longer.  When President Obama, at 6′ 1/2″, stands next to his new limo, it will be almost as tall as he is. 

Here are some things that have to be done to the vehicle to keep it and its content very safe.

1.  The bodywork is reinforced with steel and titanium to create bulletproof protection. 

2. The windows are 5 inches thick and bulletproof as well.

3.  The tires are built to withstand almost anything, and even if the rubber is destroyed, there are solid “tires” attached to the rims that will allow the limo to drive away.

4.  Five inches of steel plating is underneath the limo that would deflect a bomb or mine on the road.

5.  The engine and radiator are protected against bullets and bombs too.

6.  The limo is sealed like a cocoon with its own air supply and oxygen tanks on board as well in case of a chemical attack. 

7.  The gas tank is protected with armor and filled with a special form (like race cars use) to prevent it from exploding.  There is an automatic extinguisher system that would take care of any fires. 

That’s some serious safety precautions, as it should be.  And even with all this protection, the presidential limousine still has a motorcade that he travels with for safety as well. Pretty impressive stuff.   

    

Bob Keefe of the Cox News Service wrote an article talking about how automakers and their suppliers “aren’t slowing down when it comes to tricking out tomorrow’s rides” says Keefe.  In-vehicle technology is “one of the few bright spots in the auto industry.”  Two years ago, Ford Motor Co. introduced Sync, which is an on-board computer developed by Microsoft Corp. that gives drivers hands-free access to their cell phone, stereo, and emergency 911 service.  Cars with the optional $400 system are outselling comparable models without it by a 2-1 margin, said CEO of Ford, Alan Mulally. 

At the International Consumer Electronics Showin Las Vegas and the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this month, car gadgetry played a very important role.  Here are a few examples of the different high-tech stuff that is showing up in vehicles these days.

Hyundai and Kia showed their Wi-Fi systemsthat link cars to a wireless home network.  In a few years, Hyundai and Kia car owners will be able to wirelessly transfer movies from their home to their car.   That’s a fun technological advance for your car!

Ford has already introduced a new tool-tracking system for its pickup trucks.  You can stick radio-frequency identification tags on their tools, and antennas in the bed of the truck will sense where the tools are.  Ford also showed off a new dashboard touch-screen computer systems that can access the internet and spreadsheets and such.  That’s quite fun too!

LG Electronics, Delphi Corp., and others are developing auto receivers that will let car owners pick up local digital TV broadcasts while you are driving. This doesn’t sound very safe to me….. AT&T has unveiled their CruiseCast, which is a satellite TV network that will allow you to get 22 channels, but it costs about $1300 for the dish and $28/month.  Still sounds very unsafe…..

So, here are some of the high-tech toys available in your vehicles, but I guarantee that there are many more technological advances to come in the near future.

 

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An article by Richard Williamson of the Scripps Howard News Service, says that “if any car can save Ford, it won’t be a hybrid or an electric. It will be a car much like the one that “saved Ford” in 1986.  In fact, it may be the same car, the Ford Taurus.”  The buzz at the Detroit Auto Show was that there is serious potential for a Ford comeback with the Taurus.  Ford pushed this Taurus a year ahead of schedule when the auto market needed fuel efficient cars. 

The Ford Taurus’ biggest competitor is the Toyota Camry, who has been the best-selling car for 7 years in a row and 11 of the last 12 years.  In order to compete with the Camry, the new Taurus offers a power package and a choice of front-drive or all-wheel drive.  The Duratec engine is a 3.5-liter V-6 with 263 horsepower.  Buyers get a choice of two six-speed transmissions.  One fun technology of the new Taurus is the Adaptive Cruise Control, which uses radar to judge the distance between you and the car in front of you, and then adjusts the speed accordingly.  

Ford plans to put this car on sell in a few months, after the Camry’s anticipated March rollout.  The base price will be $25,995.  Hopefully, this new Ford Taurus can help pick up some of the pieces for Ford.  

 

I found an article on yahoo.com that I thought was important for people to see before they buy a new car.  Consumer Reports magazine says that maintenance and repair costs combine to equal about 4 percent of the total cost of owning a car over the course of five years.  Here is the list of Best/Worst Cars for Repair Costs.

10 Most Expensive (Worst is number 1)

1.  Dodge Viper - Maintenance/Repair Total $10,323

2.  Jaguar XK-Series - M/R Total $9,449

3.  Jaguar XJ-Series - M/R Total $9.449

4.  Land Rover Range Rover Sport - M/R Total $9,227

5.  Land Rover Range Rover - M/R Total $8.996

6.  Mercedes-Benz SL-Class - M/R Total $8,756

7.  Mercedes-Benz CL - Class - M/R Total $8,730

8.  Land Rover LR3 - M/R Total $8,637

9.  Audi RS4 - M/R Total $8,606

10.  BMW Alpina B7 - M/R Total $8,534

10 Least Expensive (Number 1 is Best)

1.  Suzuki SX4 - M/R Total $3,211

2.  Honda Element - M/R Total $3,211

3.  Nissan Versa - M/R Total $3,241

4.  Hyundai Accent - M/R Total $3,355

5.  Kia Sedona - M/R Total $3,355

6.  Honda Pilot - M/R Total $3,381

7.  Hyundai Veracruz - M/R Total $3,398

8.  Suzuki XL7 - M/R Total $3.403

9.  Honda CR-V - M/R Total $3,410

10.  Mazda Tribute - M/R Total $3,455

Just some more information for everyone to consider when buying a new car. 

 

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090113/FREE/901139987

 According to Autoweek.com, Audi’s Sportback concept car got the honor of Best in Show at the Detroit Auto Show.  This car is powered by a turbocharged 3.0-liter diesel V6.  “This was a unanimous decision. You could tell from the moment this car was unveiled that designers and executives could not help but be drawn to its stylish looks…” said Editor and Associate Publisher of Autoweek, Dutch Mandel.  This is a concept car, but the Audi Sportback should be in showrooms by the end of next year.  We don’t have any idea what the price will be, but I bet you the Audi Sportback will not be cheap when it hits the showrooms.

 

www.blog.wired.com

So, this is something new and extremely different. A flying car!  I found an article on the Discovery Channel website about a Boston-area company, Terrafugia, that has designed this flying car and will begin testing it this year. It’s a two-seater named Transition that basically can be both a car and a plane.  The company that designed this flying car likes to call it a “roadable aircraft.”   

Here’s how it works. You sit down behind the steering wheel, drive to the runway at the airport, unfold the two wings, and take off. You can go 500 miles on a tank of gas, regular unleaded gas.  Then you land, fold up the wings, and then drive to where you want to go.  At the end of the day, fly back, drive home, and park your flying car in your garage!   Here’s the kicker though. Not that you expected this flying car to be cheap, but it’s a $194,000. That’s a lot of dough.  But, you could be the first to drive/fly a vehicle of its kind.  Do some research and possibly try it!

 

 

There are five electric cars to choose from that are for sale this year.  I found a blog on autobloggreen.com showing photos and details of the five available electric cars.  Some of the criteria was that these vehicles have to be able to travel at highway speed and have no fuel tank.  So, here are the vehicles:

1.  Tesla Roadster - it has a 3.9 second 0-60 mph and a top speed of 125 mph.  It has the longest range of all electric vehicles at 220 miles.  The downside is that it costs $109,000.

2.  NMG (No More Gas) from Myers Motors - it costs $29,995 and can get up to 45 miles at a top speed of 76 mph. This is a one-seater, but a two-seater is in the works. It is really weird looking though.

3.  Mini E - it can be leased in NY, NJ, and CA this year, but not for sale yet.  It will cost $850/mo. with up to 150 miles of range and 8.5 seconds to go from 0-60 mph.  There is no back seat, because the battery pack is back there.

4.  Tango Commuter Car - this is another really weird looking vehicle.  This is a two-seater that gets to 60 mph in about the same time as the Tesla. It has a top speed of 120 mph. Right now, it has a range of 60 miles, but the company is hoping to make this better soon. The price tag is tough though…$108.000.

5.  Aptera 2e - another ugly car, as far as I’m concerned, but it will be cheaper when available this Fall.  It should cost somewhere in the mid-$20s.  This is a three-wheeled vehicle that will get 120 miles and has a top speed of 96 mph.

So, here they are….the available electric cars.  I don’t think I could buy any of them, but I’m sure some of you will like them.    

 

An article from Kimberly Johnson of The Associated Press talks about how Ambient Lighting is a spotlighted feature at the Detroit Auto Show.  Many new vehicles have better lighting inside their vehicles.  Ambient lighting on “dashboards, roofs, consoles, and doors is growing in popularity as drivers demand more features” says Kimberly Johnson.  “It’s a way to make the interior of a car like a home, and not just functional,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford Motor Co.’s  group vice president of global product development. 

The new Buick LaCrosse is using blue lighting that runs around the “rim of the console to highlight the lines and curves of the vehicle” said Jeff Nasca, the interior design manager.  Market research done by Honda found that customers find soft blue and whit lighting to be the most calming colors to look at while driving. 

Ford has ambient lighting in their new Flex, Fucus, and Fusion vehicles, and in the Ford Mustang, the driver can customize the colors with up to 126 different colors and shades.      

The 2009 Chrysler Town & Country has a ring of soft blue light around the roof console.  “It’s an inexpensive way to set off the interior of the vehicle” said Aaron Bragman, an auto analyst with the IHS Global Insight.  So, when you aer hunting for a new car, check to see what, if any, ambient lighting the car has. It may make you more interested in the car. Who knows.

 

I found an article on MSNBC.com that says that there is more than just the Detroit Auto Show going on in the upcoming weekend. For you motorcycle lovers, there is a motorcycle show going on in New York City next weekend. It’s called the International Motorcycle Show.  What’s interesting is that those interested in motorcycles and the motorcycle makers have the same concerns as the auto industry.  Sales are down and more fuel-efficient models will be showcased in order to try to draw in customers.  Tighter credit and “crippled consumer confidence” are also hurting the motorcycle industry.

Manufacturers are taking advantage of showing off their smaller models that normally in good economic times do not get any attention.  “We’re seeing motorcycles coming in that were originally designed for other markets that, because of people’s consciousness for fuel economy and ease of getting around, are all of a sudden finding a home in the U.S.” says Robert Pandya, the show’s spokesperson.

Scooter-maker Vectix Corp. unveiled two electric models; the VX-2, which will have a base price of just over $5000and will go 40 to 50 miles on a charge, with a top speed of 30 mph.  The VX-1E will cost about $3500 more but will have a top speed of 62 mph with a range of 55 miles.  Italy’s Piaggio & C. SpA introduced its new Vespa GTS 300, which can reach 80 mph with a 278-cubic-centimeter engine.  Honda Motor Co.,  Ducati, and Kawasaki also introduced new bikes.     

So, for those of you that are more interested in motorcycles than car/trucks, check out the International Motorcycle Show in NYC this weekend.