Odds and ends
-
This year has seen a larger-than-normal number of advertising and marketing gimmicks as carmakers work to rally sales despite tough conditions. Fuel incentives, loan incentives and employee pricing are just a few of the methods that have been employed. But Volkswagen is taking the idea a step further by depositing $1,500 into a college tuition account for buyers that make a down payment on the Routan minivan. The account will be held by Upromise, Inc., until it is transferred to a college savings fund, known as a 'Section 529' account. Upromise is owned by SLM Corp., which also owns Sallie...
-
Insurance rates climb despite drop in distance driven
Americans are driving less and less as oil prices continue to hold at relatively high levels, but despite the decrease in road usage, insurance companies aren't dropping their rates. Typically, distance driven is directly correlated with the likelihood of crashes - that's the basic theory that...
Nelson Ireson -
GM picks its own top 10 cars of the past 100 years
The Internet, and America in particular, loves top 10 lists. Whether they're favorite cars or simply reasons to vote, top 10 lists fuel many a spirited watercooler discussion. General Motors' most recent addition to the cultural phenomenon is no different, with a few odd choices for its own...
Nelson Ireson -
Land Rover makes record journey across Bering Strait
A UK man has set a record as the first to cross the Bering Strait in a land vehicle. Deciding to tackle the problem in a unique way, Steve Burgess decided that instead of attempting to cross the icebridge that forms across the water in winter, he'd wait for it to melt and float across. That...
Nelson Ireson -
Violence could prompt Nano plant move, says Tata
Protests that have grown increasingly violent at Tata Motors' planned Singur, West Bengal Nano production site could force the carmaker to leave the area and find another location for its upcoming people's car. With $350 million already invested into the operation, however, it won't be a cheap...
Nelson Ireson -
Are tolls more fair than taxes for road charges?
Though not popular in many areas of the U.S., road tolls are a common part of daily life in many Eastern cities and in cities around the globe. According to a new study by researchers at two California universities, the age-old question of whether tolls are more equitable than taxes has been...
Nelson Ireson -
Lotus has designed a system to make hybrid cars produce whatever engine sound the owner might desire, and recently Eberspacher revealed a similar technology. The reasoning is that hybrids are so quiet they actually pose a danger to pedestrians - and especially the blind - who can't hear the cars approaching. Already a concern in many states, particularly on the pedestrian-heavy East coast, California has now joined the debate by fielding its own committee to study the matter. While the law passed in California's legislature doesn't actually prescribe the noise-makers for hybrids yet, it's...
-
Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte with built-in automotive appeal
Nokia has introduced a new version of its premium 8800 mobile phone constructed from carbon fiber, titanium, polished glass and stainless steel – materials that can make an auto enthusiast weak at the knees. Called the Nokia 8800 ‘Carbon Arte,’ the new handset features woven...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Carmakers unhappy with NHTSA eco-assessment of new CAFE regs
The difficulty facing the U.S. automotive industry with the recently-revised 31.6mpg by 2015 CAFE requirement is well-known, but no less pressing. The carmakers claim the costs to comply will be measured in the billions of dollars when they can least afford it, and now a draft NHTSA report on the...
Nelson Ireson -
Jetstream SC250 roadster enters production
Following in the lines of cars like the Caterham Seven and Ariel Atom comes a new British sports car that has been designed primarily for the track but is still fully road legal. The car is the new SC250 from Jetstream and it’s now in production after being revealed for the first time at last...
Siddarth Raja -
Audi releases A4 Challenge iPhone driving game
Marking the first-ever entry of a carmaker into the field of iPhone applications, Audi has released a new driving game for the platform. Making use of the phone's built-in motion sensors, gamers can steer a tiny version of the 2009 A4 through a range of courses. Rated at just 2.5 stars out of five...
Nelson Ireson -
Industry fighting new customs rules
The concept of 'just in time' (JIT) shipping of parts, relying on the supply chain's timeliness instead of a massive - and expensive - warehouse of parts, is a fairly recent one, but it has found a home in most major industries thanks to its efficiency. New regulations in the U.S. Customs and...
Nelson Ireson -
Finding inexpensive ways to reduce fuel use is a burgeoning business, and U.S. carmakers have joined forces to promote a program that aims to re-train the way drivers approach their cars. By focusing on maintenance and driving style, the EcoDriving website, launched by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers an the Environmental Defense Fund, promises to reduce fuel use by up to 15%. This is not the first time the industry has gotten together to encourage smarter driving and better vehicle maintenance, however. Back in May a wesite called Drive Smarter Challenge launched as part of an...
-
Advanced Automotive shows Heldo sports car at Woodward cruise
There are far more small custom sports car manufacturers out there than most people realize. Touring the Woodward Cruise this year, the Heldo sports car from Advanced Automotive has drawn a lot of attention as an example of some of the unique and occasionally bizarre results of those companies'...
Nelson Ireson -
Next-generation Ford Ka stars in new Bond film
While most Bond fans will be salivating over the Aston Martin DBS in the new Bond film, the oddly named Quantum of Solace, fans of the Blue Oval can look out for the appearance of the next-generation Ka subcompact. As expected the diminutive hatch won’t be 007's primary mode of transport...
Alex Kaufmann -
China plans to tax the air clean
Taxing vehicles based on size, the newest anti-pollution measure in China goes after the source of much of the country's street-level emissions, the automobile. While China's air quality woes have been greatly popularized thanks to the Summer Olympics in Beijing, the rest of the nation's rapidly...
Nelson Ireson -
Golden Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe lands in Abu Dhabi
Not content with the boundless luxury exuded by the standard Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe, the sole dealer of the bespoke cars in Abu Dhabi has taken delivery of a unique version decked in a gold metallic paint scheme and finished off with a gold-plated Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament. Almost...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Carroll Shelby and SAAC end legal quarrel
Fans and owners of Carroll Shelby's creations in the Shelby American Auto Club (SAAC) have come to a resolution with the man himself, ending the battle that started earlier this year. The basis of the disagreement was over Shelby's perception of the club's use of his image and likeness for profit...
Nelson Ireson -
Carmakers are struggling and the global economy is straining under the weight of high oil prices, but cars haven't been this affordable in nearly 30 years. Calculated by relating the number of weeks it takes for the median family's income to pay for the average new-vehicle price, the quarterly rating, determined by Comerica Bank, stands at 23.1 weeks. Last year's second-quarter figure was nearly two weeks of pay higher, and no quarter of any year since 1980 has been lower than the second quarter of 2008. What that means in real dollars is that the average price of cars sold in the U.S. is...
-
Dutch university trialing air-cleaning paving stones
The Dutch University of Twente is collaborating with the town of Hengelo to trial a new kind of paving stone that absorbs airborne pollutants. Based on Japanese technology, the stones have already passed basic effectiveness demonstrations, and are now being tested on a larger scale. The stones work...
Nelson Ireson -
10th Gumball 3000 Rally starts today in San Francisco
Today marks the start of the 10th Anniversary Gumball 3000 Rally, a sort of intercontinental supercar scramble. Beginning in San Francicso, then sweeping down the Pacific coast through Los Angeles to San Diego before heading east to Las Vegas, where it will leave the U.S. and fly to North Korea...
Nelson Ireson -
London admits congestion charge failure
Traffic levels in London are the same today as they were five years ago when the city’s controversial congestion-charge (c-charge) was first introduced. This has prompted officials to admit that the scheme is a failure as it has not significantly reduced traffic levels or journey times as...
Siddarth Raja -
Switzerland considering extremely tough anti-car law
Switzerland's political system, like that of California and several other states and nations, allows for individuals to propose legislation upon the gathering of enough signatures to support the bill. One such proposition by the youth section of the Swiss Green Party would ban all vehicles weighing...
Nelson Ireson -
America's legendary Packard brand up for sale
Defunct American luxury automobile manufacturer Packard may be the next legendary auto brand to be revitalized, with latest reports indicating the rights to the company as well as a V12 prototype is now up for sale. Former Arizona residents Roy and Barbara Gullickson are looking for a buyer for the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran