Talks About Cars
Thursday, June 26, 2008
2008 Mercedes-Benz CL Roll Out
The 2008 CL-Class is a 2-door, 4-passenger luxury coupe, available in 4 trims, ranging from the CL550 Coupe to the CL65 AMG Coupe.
The CL550 Coupe is equipped with a standard 5.5-liter, V8, 382-horsepower engine that achieves 14-mpg in the city and 21-mpg on the highway. A 7-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard. The CL65 AMG Coupe is equipped with a standard 6.0-liter, V12, 604-horsepower, turbo engine that achieves 11-mpg in the city and 17-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard. With this engine specification, it sure can provide a refined driving experience with plenty of punch for sporty maneuvers.
The 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL's sporty, aerodynamic styling gets positive reviews. All trims include Active Body Control, Active Curve Bi-Xenon headlights, moon roof, front rear fascias, and a 20 inch alloy wheels as a standard exterior feature.
The 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL's four-seat cabin delivers plenty of luxury and high-tech gadgets. The CL550 base model comes with a multifunction power-adjustable steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, 14-way power-adjustable heated front seats, leather upholstery, hand-polished Burl walnut trim, a 600-watt six-CD harman/kardon® LOGIC7 digital surround-sound system, and a 20-gigabyte navigation system.
Standard safety features include front, side, and side curtain airbags, stability control, and traction control. Mercedes offers several advanced safety options. These include Disctronic Plus, a programmable cruise control system that can sense slow-moving vehicles ahead and reduce speed as well as provide warnings.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Honda Announces First FCX Clarity Customers
Five of the first customers for its highly developed new FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicle was announced by the American Honda Motor Co., Inc. yesterday and also presented details of the world's pioneering fuel cell vehicle dealership network in the
According to the Auto Channel, film producer Ron Yerxa will receive delivery of the first FCX Clarity in next month. The remaining four early adopters for Honda's next-generation fuel cell vehicle are author and actress Jamie Lee Curtis and her filmmaker husband Christopher Guest; business owner and car enthusiast Jim Salomon; actress Laura Harris; and Jon Spallino, already the world's first retail fuel cell vehicle customer, who has been leasing the current generation FCX since 2005. Yerxa, Harris and Spallino attended the event in
American Honda announced the organization of the first association of dealers to aid the sales and service of fuel cell vehicles to provide its customers with exceptional sales and service support and as a significant pace in advancing fuel cell vehicles in the real world.
"This is an important day in the history of fuel cell vehicle technology and a monumental step closer to the day when fuel cell cars will be part of the mainstream. Our customers and dealers share in our vision for a cleaner and more sustainable transportation future, and share in our challenge to embrace a new generation of automotive technology that we think will carry the auto industry and its customers into the future," says John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda.
"Auto companies can't explore the potential for fuel cell technology as the ultimate solution to our world's energy and environmental challenges by ourselves. Our customers are true pioneers and leaders in the effort to bring fuel cell technology to the marketplace," said Mendel.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Hyundai Beats Toyota?
Consumer Reports judged the Hyundai Elantra SE best with an "Excellent" overall road test score after giving tests to a group of compacts and subcompacts. However, three other compact cars, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Corolla and Ford Focus, also obtained "Very Good" ratings in recent information on gas-saving sedans published in the July issue. The Corolla got a very remarkable 32 mpg overall in Consumer Reports' real-world fuel economy tests. The record set by the Corolla is among the finest gas mileage CR has ever accounted in a standard gasoline-powered car with an automatic transmission. On the other hand, only the smaller Honda Fit (32 mpg) and Toyota Yaris (33 mpg) subcompacts recorded fair enough remarks.
Two Chevrolets, the Cobalt and Aveo, has also undergone tests as part of this class. Both Chevy models ranked close to the bottom of the group. The Cobalt ranks 17th out of 19 vehicles tested among compact sedans. Among subcompacts, the Aveo ranks last among the 12 vehicles tested.
Prices for the six cars in CR's tests range from $16,205 for the subcompact Aveo LT to $19,106 for the Impreza 2.5i which is all wheel drive. The best of the present’s small cars offer several convenience features, comfy interiors, high-quality modification, and enhanced fuel economy even with prices under $20,000.
Full tests and ratings of the test group will come out in the July issue of Consumer Reports, which will land on various stores on June 3. The issue showcases a cover package of stories on gas-saving cars, with CR's ratings on a overall of 31 small sedans and 21 most used cars with superior mpg numbers.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Washington Auto Show In 2009 Being Settled
Yesterday, It was reported that the SAE International and the Washington Auto Show (WAS) announced that the 2009 SAE Government/Industry Meeting will co-locate with the Washington Auto Show. The event is scheduled to take place at the
"These two world-class events clearly complement each other and naturally belong together. The topics of safety, energy and environment discussed at SAE's Government/Industry Meeting will be amplified and the impact of these scientific discussions will be broadened not only for mobility professionals, but also for the general public wrestling with increased fuel prices and heightened concern for the natural world we live in," says Dr. David L. Schutt, PhD, SAE International's executive vice president and chief operating officer.
The up and coming Washington Auto Show has long been apprehensive with the junction of technology and public policy which was fashioned by the Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association (WANADA), and co-locating SAE's Government/Industry meeting at the event carries out these matter front and center.
"We are delighted to share the
Friday, February 22, 2008
ZAP ALIAS On Its Way
ZAP, a company that supports environmental causes, in collaboration with Youngman Automotive Group, the leading luxury coach and high-quality commercial truck manufacturer in China, and Lotus Engineering, same firm that helped develop ZAP’s famous Tesla Roadster, is planning to introduce its $30,000 electric sports car called ZAP ALIAS, news from ecofriendlydriver.com, said.
The ALIAS is a three-wheeled vehicle that runs via two in-wheel 320 horsepower motors. It is equipped with a hybrid range extender and could travel for 150 miles on just one charge. According to ZAP, ALIAS has a maximum speed capacity that reaches up to 120 miles per hour.
Ideally, ZAP aims to release the ALIAS by mid-2009. Lotus Engineering Chief Executive Officer Albert Lam supports that vision saying that based from their initial project development plan and discussions with other technology and engineering partners, that timeline is attainable.
Just recently, Zap and China Youngman Automotive Group announced their joint venture to revive the 100 year-old electric car brand Detroit Electric that has been an American icon in terms of the most popular electric cars in auto history. The ZAP ALIAS will be one of the cars to carry the two companies’ new brand, along with other new vehicle technologies that are expected to bring more jobs to citizens of
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Compact Communities To Fight Global Warming
What's the best antidote for global warming? The creation of compact communities. That's what they say...You may find it ridiculous or crazy. Or perhaps, the other way around. But some individuals insist that creating compact communities and getting rid of the need to drive everywhere is the best remedy to fight the ills of global warming by slashing greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. They added the answer to the problem of American car is not under the hood.
The production of modern cars is pricey and deemed an environmental nightmare. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, transportation generates more than a quarter of greenhouse gases in America. Part of that comes from moving freight around but over 20% is personal transportation.
To stress, our vehicle emissions serve as a major climate change contributor. But the tailpipe emissions are just a fraction of the total climate impact of driving a car. Moreover, having better mileage won’t solve the problems.
Yes, we are aware of the fact that density cuts driving. And we are capable of building dense neighborhood, right? Dense community isn’t synonymous with congested environment. It conveys public places, prosperous neighborhood retail, and a tangible sense of place. Not only is the result one of the most liveable cities in North America, but 40% of all downtown Vancouver households are car-free, according to BusinessWeek.
We are also capable of creating compact communities. Infrastructure, habitat and more are workable. Creating dense communities to save those 85 million metric tons of tailpipe emissions is uncomplicated - minus politics, of course.
If this end is materialized, it would mean dramatic energy and cost savings. Researchers at Brookings have this to say: "Transportation costs are a significant part of the average household budget. The average transportation expenditures for the median income household in the U.S. in 2003 was 19.1%, the highest expenditure after housing."
Yes, there are a lot of savvy environment-friendly allies who are absorbed in making green road machines. Worth noting is the pool of designers and engineers behind the 100-mpg Aptera. Take VDS Vision 200. According to the Vehicle Design Summit, it is a "hyperefficient four-to-six-passenger vehicle earmarked for India that will demonstrate a 95% reduction in embodied energy, materials, and toxicity.”
The report continued: “Green, compact communities, smaller, well-built homes, walkable streets, and smart infrastructure can actually offer a far better quality of life than living in McMansion hintersprawl in purely material terms: more comfort, more security, more true prosperity. But even more to the point, they offer all sorts of nonmaterialistic but extremely real benefits that suburbs cannot.”
We think of cars as things which are swiftly substituted and buildings as things which seldom modify. Such will not be the situation over the next few decades. Do you smell an overhaul of America? How about drastic transformation?
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
January Reflects Weak Sales
"Car sales were remarkably slow in January, probably in part because of dramatic stock market fluctuations that flustered consumers at a time when the housing market and other economic uncertainties were also making headlines," said Jesse Toprak, the executive director for industry analysis at Edmunds.com.
How grave is the expected decline? Analysts noted sales in the United States won’t improve until the second half of this year at the earliest. The controlling factors include the success of newly launched products and the national election.
At present, auto shoppers are getting playful. And some are getting pessimistic.
"Our sense is macroeconomic pressures, particularly deteriorating consumer confidence and gas 'permanently' above $3 a gallon, will increasingly catch up with consumers throughout 2008, weighing on demand for durable goods," Bear Stearns analyst Peter Nesvold said in a recent note to investors. "For many consumers, a new vehicle purchase has become largely a discretionary item."
Robert Barry, an analyst with Goldman Sachs, said in an interview with the Associated Press that while consumers can take comfort in the fact that gas prices seem to be stabilizing, they are still scared off by the weak labor market. He predicted annual sales of 15 million vehicles this year, which would be the lowest U.S. sales rate since 1993.
Other analysts, meanwhile, predict higher sales. But most of them said sales will likely fall below 16 million. Last year, there were 16.3 million vehicles sold. What’s more, Detroit’s Big 3 - GM, Ford, and Chrysler is likely to take the largest blows.