"WHAZ UP!?" In The World Of Automotive

Covered, Not Stirred: How a New Bentley Flying Spur Arrives for Customers

2013-09-17T04:58:00.005+03:00

With super luxury brands like Bentley, you don't only pay for the car itself, but for the entire experience of owning one of the brand's premium products as well.

To give us mere mortals a little of taste of what goes on behind the curtains when a customer's car arrives in the shop, Bentley of Belgium shared these photos of a brand-new Flying Spur sedan before it's handed over to its new owner.

"This is how your Bentley arrives...," said the company on its Facebook page. "All wrapped up in his full body cover. We apply the procedures and check the condition of the car very carefully. During one full hour, we are occupied with the inspections."

With the entire car carefully wrapped from top to bottom, inside and out, the Flying Spur resembles a manufacturer prototype (or a Baci chocolate ball, depending on your affiliation with the auto industry).

In the U.S., the price of a new Flying Spur, which is a sedan derivative of the updated Bentley Continental series, starts at $200,500.

Photos via Bentley Belgium

Ford Brings Back Knobs On MyFord Touch

2013-06-19T04:36:00.001+03:00

JUNE 17, 2013
Ford will return to using buttons and knobs on its MyFord Touch radios, following years of complaints that its systems are too difficult to use for many drivers.

Knobs for tuning and volume will be restored to Ford systems, Ford’s head of product development Raj Nair told The Wall Street Journal.

Also the main screen will made simpler. Currently, most MyFord Touch radios use a touch screen radio with voice activated controls.

All Ford vehicles will get the new radio design as new models are rolled out.

Ford also announced there will be changes to MyFord Touch this summer in a downloadable upgrade.

Nair said consumers are happier with vehicles with MyFord Touch than without. But customer surveys showed they want to be able to change the volume or change channels quickly through familiar knobs. This is already offered to some degree on the F-150 which has an 86 percent rate of customer satisfaction.

“The F-150 blends touch screen capability with traditional buttons and knobs, a similar balance planned for future Ford vehicles,” said Ford.

Back in 2011, Consumer Reports revoked its highly prized “Recommend” rating for some Ford vehicles because the MyFord Touch radios were found to be too complicated.

J.D Power & Associates also found the quality wanting in the radios in its 2011 and 2012 Initial Quality Survey results

WSJ

Auto Brands Work a Boom in Pickup Truck Sector- June 10, 2013

2013-06-11T14:50:00.002+03:00

Pickup trucks accounted for a whopping 90 percent of Ford's profits last year, according to a Morgan Stanley analyst, while contributing to two-thirds of GM's earnings in 2012. So it's no wonder that the current performance of the pickup truck segment in the US market has executives of the traditional Big Three whistling while they work.

Thanks to the stubbornly steady overall recovery in the American auto market and a specific rise in the housing sector and other pieces of the economy, happy days indeed are here again for pickup truck sales. They accounted for about one-third of the overall 8 percent increase in US sales volume in May compared with a year ago, and the segment was up by 21 percent year-to-date while the industry rose only by 7 percent, Automotive News calculated.

Meanwhile, transaction prices for the segment have increased at more than double the average rate for the industry since 2005, Edmunds.com reported.

Better yet, the bulk of new-product offerings that typically goose sales by US automotive customers are still on their way. Ram rushed a significant overhaul of its eponymous truck into the market last year, which has been paying dividends, but GM is just launching its latest versions of the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra this month. Ford won't have a new F-150 until next year.

GM is thrilled at the developing industry backdrop as it swings into launch mode for its new Silverado and Sierra. "We think the timing will be perfect for us to take advantage with these great new vehicles," Chris Perry, vice president of Chevrolet marketing, told brandchannel.

Such is the updraft in the pickup business that it even has Ram executives plotting to get a share of a major part of the business that never had interested them much before: commercial-fleet sales. This is the bidding season for operators who purchase volumes of trucks, and Chrysler has doubled the number of its dealers with dedicated teams to handle commercial truck customers to 800, Automotive News reported.

GMC Sierra

Last year, Ford notched 57 percent of commercial truck sales while GM got 40 percent and Ram only 11 percent. Still, Ram's gain was up from 9 percent a year earlier. It has vastly improved the Ram line over the last couple of years and Ram is launching its first full-sized commercial van since 2010.
The real story for the pickup segment will continue to be written by what happens with the nation's nascent housing recovery. Plenty of analysts fall on either side of the question of whether the mini-boom in housing will be sustained for years or just months, but Ford's Doug Scott is one of the bulls.
"What we're really encouraged about is that the 2010-12 improvement [in the segment] came without the benefit of housing," Ford's truck-marketing manager told the magazine. "That was a missing piece of the puzzle. Now it looks like that housing element is going to be there."

Big pickup transaction prices rise at twice the industry rate

It feels like the good old days for the Detroit 3, with big pickups flying off dealership lots and plants running full out to fill orders for large, profitable models.

"It's a great time to be in the truck business," said Kurt McNeil, vice president of U.S. sales operations at General Motors, which starts shipping redesigned versions of its full-sized pickups to dealers this month.

In many ways, this may be an even better time than before the recession.

Although volumes remain well below the previous peaks, average transaction prices for full-sized pickups have increased at more than double the average rate for the industry since 2005, according to Edmunds.com. And manufacturers are not creating demand artificially with unsustainable discounts.

Edmunds says average transaction prices for large pickups, including heavy-duty models, have risen to almost $40,000, from about $31,000 in 2005. That equates to an 8 percent gain after adjusting for inflation.

And the housing market is just starting to give the auto industry a tailwind that some in the industry say could bring pickup sales back to the levels Detroit enjoyed nearly a decade ago.

AutoNews

Chrysler Group LLC Reports May 2013 U.S. Sales Increased 11 Percent; Best May Sales in Six Years

2013-06-03T19:08:00.002+03:00

Chrysler Group LLC Reports May 2013 U.S. Sales Increased 11 Percent; Best May Sales in Six Years

Best May sales since 2007
38th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. Eight Chrysler Group vehicles set sales records in May; Jeep® Wrangler and Jeep Compass record their best monthly sales ever.
Ram Truck brand sales up 24 percent; largest percentage sales gain of any Chrysler Group brand in May.

Dodge Dart, Dodge Durango, Chrysler Town & Country and Chrysler 200 Convertible are segment award winners in Strategic Vision’s “Total Quality” awards.
FIAT brand reaches new milestone in May as North American sales surpass 100,000 units since its reintroduction in 2011.

June 3, 2013 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Chrysler Group LLC today reported U.S. sales of 166,596 units, an 11 percent increase compared with sales in May 2012 (150,041 units), and the group’s best May sales since 2007.

The Jeep®, Dodge, Ram Truck and FIAT brands each posted year-over-year sales gains in May compared with the same month a year ago. The Ram Truck brand’s 24 percent increase was the largest sales gain of any Chrysler Group brand in May. Chrysler Group extended its streak of year-over-year sales gains to 38-consecutive months in May.

“Our best May sales in six years enabled us to extend our sales streak to 38-consecutive months of year-over-year sales gains,” said Reid Bigland, Head of U.S. Sales. “We continue to see strong retail sales throughout our product lineup as eight Chrysler Group vehicles set sales records in May, including best sales ever by the Jeep Wrangler and Compass.”

May 2013 U.S. Sales Highlights by Brand

Ram Truck Brand
Ram Truck brand sales were up 24 percent, the brand’s best May sales since 2007.

Dodge Brand
Dodge brand sales were up 23 percent in May, the brand’s best May sales since 2007 and its 24th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains.

FIAT Brand
The Fiat 500 set a sales record for the month of May with its 1 percent increase. It was the vehicle’s 15th-consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains and its best sales month so far this year. The new Ram pickup truck – Motor Trend’s 2013 Truck of the Year – extended its streak of year-over-year sales gains to 33-consecutive months.

Jeep® Brand
Jeep brand sales were up 1 percent in May, the brand’s best May sales since 2000 and its best sales month so far this year. All Jeep brand models in production recorded sales gains in May compared with the same month a year ago.

Chrysler Brand
Sales of the Chrysler Town & Country minivan were up 4 percent in May, the minivan’s best May sales in three years. The Chrysler 200 mid-size sedan set a sales record for the month of May.

Source:

The New 2014 Mercedes Benz S Class Revealed

2013-05-16T02:54:00.001+03:00

Long heralded as the best luxury sedan in the world, the arrival of any new-generation S-Class is always a major automotive event. However, intense competition from more recently redone key rivals like the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series and Lexus LS, coupled with the demise of M-B's short-lived Maybach ultra-brand, have seriously cranked up expectations for this all-new successor to the automaker's traditional flagship sedan.

Although it will take time behind the wheel to fully assess how well the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class really does fare when it comes to maintaining overall supremacy in this rarified realm, the official static reveal and accompanying technical details leave no doubt that it sets new benchmarks with respect to style, technology and elegant ambiance.

The 2014 S-Class Sedan is roughly one inch longer, lower and wider than the car it replaces. Like the current model, it will be available in both standard (119.5-inch) and long-wheelbase (124.6-inch) configurations, although only the latter will be sold in the U.S. The new bodyshell continues to match aluminum with high-strength steel, but advanced engineering has increased torsional stiffness of the structure by 50 percent, while further improving its passenger-protection capabilities.

Shelby SuperCars Tuatara

2013-05-16T01:50:00.000+03:00

Shelby SuperCars (SSC) is developing the hyper-fast Tuatara here in the United States. Besides looking completely amazing, this sucker will be fast and powerful.

SSC recently dyno-tested the Tuatara’s biturbocharged, 6.9-liter V-8 engine, and while the standard car will produce 1350 horsepower and 1280 pound-feet of torque when sold, the motor is actually capable of 1700 horsepower. We can only imagine what that sounded like during testing, especially considering the Tuatara’s stratospheric 9200-rpm redline.

With a dry weight of 2750 pounds, the Tuatara should be able to do 0-60 in just 2.5 seconds, with a projected top speed of 276 miles per hour.

Gears will be swapped with a seven-speed manual of seven-speed SMG paddle shift transmission.

Best 2013 Total Quality™ Vehicles; Winners May Surprise You

2013-05-14T19:12:00.002+03:00

“Best 2013 Total Quality™ Vehicles; Winners May Surprise You,” Says Strategic Vision

May 13, 2013

Strategic Vision declares the results of its 18th annual Total Quality Index™ (TQI) study. With new model vehicles like Chrysler’s Town & Country, Dodge Dart, Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and Ford Fusion all being Total Quality winners in their respective segments, it is clear that domestic manufacturers restated their position in some very competitive segments.

2013 Total Quality Award Winners

Strategic Vision has been measuring quality since 1994, using a comprehensive and actionable concept called “Total Quality,” which not only factors in counting problems but includes multiple aspects of influence and perception that customers use as a base for all their decisions. In addition to a multivariate examination of 155 specific aspects of Total Quality, Strategic Vision uses a
discriminating scale to accurately measure the most meaningful Quality experience products are generating to customers. “In our vehicle study we look at over 442 variables, many using a scale that involves Love,” says Darrel Edwards, Ph.D., Founder and Executive Chairman of Strategic Vision.

“Our on-going, revolutionary goal is always capturing the hearts and minds of the customer’s decision-making. That is why we use scales that include: 5) I Love It, 4) Delightful, 3) Excellent, 2) Satisfactory and 1) A Failure. We use specific aspects of specific emotions to create a scale that captures concrete judgments with great clarity, thus we have Total Quality,” expounds Dr. Edwards.

Strategic Vision’s Total Quality Index study summarizes how individual models, brands and corporations all performed.

Volkswagen Group of America was again the best overall corporation in Total Quality for the eighth consecutive year, with its luxury brand Audi tied with Lexus for the best individual brand. Ford Motor Company is second, followed by a statistical tie for third place with General Motors Corporation and Hyundai Motor Corporation. GM had remarkable success with Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Volt, Traverse, Corvette Coupe/Convertible, Avalanche and GMC Yukon, as all are Total Quality winners. Ford Fusion was a co-leader in the very competitive Mid-size Car Segment, with F-250/350 leading Heavy Duty Trucks.

“Dodge Dart’s win in the small car segment is extraordinary when you consider how much focus, design and competitive engineering exists within this important segment,” says Strategic Vision Vice President Christopher Chaney. “Dart is essentially ‘proof of concept’ that when you mix super exceptional versatility, motivating exterior styling, and a strong array of high quality performing components and concepts, customers respond. The challenge then becomes getting the word out,” states Chaney.

Dodge Dart

Dodge Dart Panel

Strategic Vision has presented Total Quality™ annually since 1995. Based on Strategic Vision’s quantitative “ValueCentered®” NVES study, the Total Quality Index was calculated from 17,568 buyers who purchased '13 models during Sep.to Nov. '12.

2013 Dodge Dart

Calculation of the Total Quality Index (TQI)

The Total Quality Index score is calculated using multivariate statistical techniques that measure the correlations of all aspects of the vehicle ownership experience including product, reliability and dealership (independent variables) against multiple outcome measures (dependent variables) which include the following:

Satisfaction with the complete ownership experience
Perception of quality
Owner reported delight
Future purchase intent
Emotional attachment to vehicle

The correlations derived from this complex procedure are transformed into a 1000 point scale to facilitate comparisons. The scores typically range from 750 to 900. Generally, scores over 800 are terrific, although in some segments a score in the low 800's is not very competitive.
The following list contains the number one ranked vehicles in Total Quality in their segments as rated by new vehicle buyers:

Chrysler Town & Country Van Interior

Chevrolet Traverse SUV Dash

Chevrolet Traverse

Traverse Interior

Buick Enclave

Buick Enclave Interior

Mercedes-Benz Citan; Another BlueEFFICIENCY Light Commercial

2013-05-08T01:40:00.001+03:00

The product range of Mercedes-Benz Vans includes The Vito, Vario, Viano, Sprinter and – marking the company's 2012 entry into the small van segment - the new Mercedes-Benz Citan.

In the Blue Efficiency models Mercedes shaved weight with lighter windows, less sound-proofing, and a thinner windshield. To reduce aerodynamic drag the car was lowered, has part of the grill blocked, and had some protrusions like mirrors and door handles optimized. This all makes for a more efficient car that the public is likely not to notice.

Kangoo & Citan

The collaboration between Renault-Nissanand Mercedes-Benz gives the first result: the utility vehicle Mercedes-Benz Citan, the restyled and upgraded German version of Renault Kangoo.
Mercedes-Benz hasn't had a small van before so rather than start from scratch with the Citan, its alternative to the likes of the Volkswagen Caddy, the manufacturer worked with Renault. That explains why the Citan's profile looks familiar - it's actually based on a Kangoo but this is much more than just a rebadged Renault. Mercedes-Benz has made big changes throughout and the result is small van that's just as good as its larger Vito and Sprinter models.

It's available in three lengths and alongside the standard and long wheelbase models, Mercedes-Benz is offering the compact version which is no longer available in the Kangoo range. As well as the standard panel van there is a Dualiner crew van and interestingly a Traveliner which is essentially a small people carrier. All versions drive very well with nicely weighted steering and a comfortable ride, even when fully laden, but what really shines through is the impressive refinement. Make no mistake this feels every inch a Mercedes-Benz van.

The new 2013 Mercedes-Benz Citan comes with turbo diesel engines, with a power range between 75 and 110 hp, but also with a gasoline engine – a rarity for an utility vehicles – which develops 115 hp.

The gearbox is having five or six gears and come with a lever located above the center console.

In addition, Mercedes-Benz Citan comes with the BlueEFFICIENCY package as standard on the gasoline engine and as an optional on the diesel engines. BlueEFFICIENCY includes the Start-Stop system, capture and reuse of energy used in braking (KERS) and tires with low resistance at driving.
At the level of safety, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz Citan comes with adaptive ESP, system which incorporates ABS, VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control, package that corrects the understeer and oversteer behavior), TCS (Traction Control) and ASR.

2013 Mercedes-Benz Citan Design

Among the representative stylistic elements from the 2013 Mercedes-Benz Citan are: a prominent front grille and an enormous chromed logo, details which are not usually found on the utility range of car manufacturers.

The new 2013 Mercedes-Benz Citan is available in three different configurations: compact, long and extra long. For each of the three configurations, customers can choose one of the bodywork types and the available seats placement: van, minibus or van-bus (a mixture of the first two).

However there are two problems Citan is facing today:

1. EURONCAP gave Citan 3/5 stars for safety;

2. 3,500 Citan Vans are currently recalled due to faulty air bags;

(Reuters) - German automaker Daimler is recalling 3,500 Mercedes-Benz Citan vans in Europe because of faulty airbags.

Renault engineers with Citan

Daimler Group On-line Mag "We"

Daimler Group

Chevy Impala & Malibu Not Doing Bad... US Auto Sales Q1, 2013

2013-05-04T18:40:00.002+03:00

Full Size Sedans in April 2013

Mid - size sedans

Mid - size SUVs

Clockwise: Explorer-Pathfinder-Durango-Traverse

Full size SUVs

Source:

Source;
GCBC

The Innovative and Unique "Art-on-Tires"

2013-05-01T03:18:00.001+03:00

TyreJET - The Innovative and Unique "Art-on-Tires" Printer

Dunlop Stand at 2013 Geneva Auto Show

Good Year Stand at 2013 Geneva Auto Show

Tyre Jet Printer

Click for the web site

W-Media

MT Blogs

Who is gonna buy 2013 Chevy Impala once seen the 2014..?

2013-04-30T02:32:00.003+03:00

Well, Chevrolet has the answer...

Outgoing Impala to Continue as 2014 Chevrolet Impala Limited for Fleets

The all-new 2014 Chevrolet Impala goes on sale at the end of next month, but the current model will remain in production through the rest of this model year. It will be renamed the 2014 Chevrolet Impala Limited and will be sold as a fleet-only vehicle.

The current Impala is already a big hit with fleets(including Police) and rental companies. About 77 percent of the car’s 169,352 sales last year were to fleets, so it makes sense for Chevrolet to milk the car’s popularity for another year even after launching the new 2014 model for consumers.

Source: Chevrolet

The Chevrolet Impala Police vehicle is an efficient performer, with a standard 3.6L V-6 that delivers 302 horsepower (225 kW) and EPA-estimated fuel economy of 17 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. StabiliTrak stability control is standard includes performance mode and traction control.

Now comes the 2014 Impala, and GM hopes that its fabled nameplate will reclaim some luster. The new design is more compelling than the yawner it replaces, a forgettable design that has became a rental-fleet mainstay.

Besides, the new one has more interior space, is quieter and has simplified controls for the older buyers who are likely to be the target customers. The five-seater is more aerodynamic and the V-6 version is already in some showrooms. GM today launched production of a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder model that is expected next month. A gas-saving limited hybrid version is due by the end of the year.

Fierce Competition in the segment !

Toyota is ready with the new Avalon to take on Impala.

Avalon

Impala

Avalon TRD

Jeep Grand Wagoneer is WANTED BACK..!

2013-04-29T18:16:00.002+03:00

Jeep has been promising to bring back the Grand Wagoneer, a boxy, wood-paneled model phased out in 1991 that many in and out of the industry have waxed nostalgic about since talk of the SUV’s revival cropped up in the past year.

However, since the Wagoneer’s demise, the Grand Cherokee has ascended to the top of the brand’s hierarchy, rivaling the Wrangler in both sales and popularity. The vehicle is pivotal to Chrysler’s long-term survival as the auto maker takes Jeep to a global-sales platform.

It’s important to mention the Grand Wagoneer because, by all accounts, it was the first American luxury SUV. While it has been absent from showrooms for more than two decades, the latest Grand Cherokee carries on the former’s premium tradition.

The Grand Cherokee hasn’t always been identified with such a lofty goal; rather, it has evolved from its rock-climbing, window-shattering days at the North American International Auto Show to attracting today’s luxury buyers.

As such, the model’s price range and trim levels have expanded as it sought to fight off rivals such as the Ford Explorer and Nissan Pathfinder, whose recent iterations have lost much of their rugged SUV styling.

This has left Jeep designers and engineers with the challenge of preserving the SUV tradition in an increasingly car-based cross/utility-vehicle world: rugged on the outside, supremely comfortable within.

Judging by our recent test drive of the new ’14 Grand Cherokee, the Jeep team has met that challenge and driven beyond.

The credit belongs to Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, who since he began overseeing Chrysler operations has vowed to make the Grand Cherokee an ambassador for the Jeep brand. The model, as executives have noted in recent months, is key to attracting premium buyers in Europe and China.

However, Americans remain Jeep’s bread-and-butter customers, and the Grand Cherokee continues to be one of Chrysler’s volume models, selling 154,734 units in the U.S. last year.

2013 Grand Cherokee

Click for the web site

Jeep Engineers Visit Grand Wagoneer Restoration Shop

A team of engineers from Chrysler’s Jeep brand recently paid a visit to a company that specializes in restoring the Jeep Grand Wagoneer. The trip, ostensibly to learn about the classic vehicles, may signal that Chrysler Group is considering its heritage in developing an all-new Jeep Grand Wagoneer.

Texas-based Wagonmaster buys, restores, and sells old Jeep Grand Wagoneers. The company has restored more than 1575 Grand Wagoneers over the last 19 years. According to an email that the company posted to its Facebook page, a group of Jeep engineers visited because, “You have a rich history of Jeep and can help us stay true to the heritage of the Brand on future vehicles,” and so that they could ask, “What are the key original details of the Grand Wagoneer that should always be kept?”

It is known that Chrysler Group is considering building a new seven-seat model that could revive the Grand Wagoneer name. The largest current Jeep, the Grand Cherokee, seats only five, whereas the Dodge Durango has three rows. At the Detroit auto show, Jeep CEO Mike Manley told Automobile Magazine that plans for a three-row model are “very much alive… There’s definitely room for a three-row model within the range, and I’d like to pursue it as soon as possible.” And a Grand Wagoneer figures in the company’s latest three-year plan, with a scheduled debut in 2015.

Given that the model won’t likely be introduced by 2015, we don’t expect to see even a concept version of the Jeep Grand Wagoneer for at least a year

Auto Recalls - Millions of cars have been recalled

2013-04-29T15:58:00.003+03:00

Millions of cars have been recalled over faults from sticky accelerator pedals to dodgy brakes and malfunctioning airbags

Almost every other day there are many sources frequently tweeting that "so n so automaker is recalling someK(K=1000) vehicles for an equipment or a part failure". How authorized services and vehicle owners are dealing with this issue is a subject for another close follow-up.

Questions come to mind... How a recall affects the 1) brand on one hand and 2) the owner on the other. Further, how does it affect 3) the potential customer; let alone several institutions mentioned below.

One may remark that the dealers shouldn't be worried about it; they get their money thru warranty once the job is done. Well, the recalled car arrives at the dealership for a replacement or rectification BUT there will hopefully be potential customers arriving for the renewal of their cars or new car buyers to switch from their current brand.

A recall 'works' only if the involved parties are made fully aware. Such an awareness is usually created by the automaker first informing the dealers together with making the needed parts available and ensuring the techs at the service are well prepared to handle the job; second the owners are contacted one by one to approach the nearest authorized service.In some cases the owner is advised even NOT TO DRIVE the vehicle as it is not safe until the problem is solved. Nice!; you just got a new car and can't drive it... Happens...

Recalls & Defects
LATEST RECALLS ANNOUNCED BY MANUFACTURERS are recorded and displayed by NHTSA

Improving Safety On Our Highways

NHTSA encourages complaints from vehicle owners and drivers, conducts defect investigations and administers safety recalls to support its mission to improve safety on highways.

Click for the list of recalls

Click for web site

Okay, the dealers and the owners are made aware within a closed circuit. Not really... The news is out, NHTSA(National Highwaty Traffic & Safety Administration) is automatically informed and so are the media. Each and every defect and recall is being quite LOUDLY spoken of. As far as Twitter is concerned, you may easily become an early bird in the case of recalls. You may FOLLOW the twitter account for NHTSA, https://twitter.com/@nhtsagov, and get your timely warning if not from many other media of your choice. Below are two out of 3(Autos.AOL) that are doing a perfect job on the subject.

Click for Recalls

Knowing the information is so widely spread out how then do the parties involved deal with it is what we are trying to find out and emphasize here.

Analysts say the breadth of the recall reflects the fact that automakers today try to share components among a wide range of products to reduce costs. But the strategy can backfire if a problem occurs.

A Recall Involves:

Automaker ( Toyota recall derails automaker's recovery efforts when it was just ranked the no. 1 in global sales )

The Owner ( Individual or a Fleet Operator !!!)

The Dealer ( Gets to deal with frustrated customers, inoperable fleets and loss of potential customers )

National Hi-way Traffic & Safety Administration/ (NHTSA)

The Part Supplier / It's Share Holders ( Loss of profit, Contracts, Future Business & Diminishing returns )

Vehicle Shoppers ( May change their minds )

Other vehicle owners in the traffic ( When a Safety Issue )

Media ( Jumps on the 'news')

Financial Institutions ( Takata shares rallied in Tokyo, shrugging off the recall.)

The Stock Investors ( Stock Value may plunge)

Advertising Agencies (Advertising either stops or slows down)

The Brand (Unwelcome publicity)

-M. Melih Tüzmen

Japanese Automakers Recall 3.3 Million Vehicles

By CHRISTOPHER JENSEN
Published: April 11, 2013

Click to read the above article

The air bag problem, announced during Japanese trading hours, hit Takata’s shares much harder than it did those of automakers.
Takata’s shares plunged 9 percent to close at ¥1,819, or $18.26.

In 2012:

Toyota recalls 7.5 million vehicles

Toyota recall derails automaker's recovery efforts

Nonetheless, “This could chip away at the number of people who would consider buying a Toyota vehicle,”

If Toyota’s quality and safety image continues to be tarnished, observers warned, it could steadily erode its ability to win over new buyers to replace older customers who might no longer be in the new car market.

The recall will bring a great deal of unwelcome publicity for automakers, especially Toyota Motor Corp., said IHS Automotive analyst Paul Newton. The world's top-selling car company is trying to rebuild a reputation for quality that was hurt by previous big recalls.

The latest recall is the fourth for Toyota since October that involves more than one million vehicles, Newton wrote in an email. And the company endured a series of huge recalls in 2009 and 2010 for faulty braking, sticky gas pedals and defective floor mats.

Toyota will have to inspect or fix 1.7 million vehicles worldwide, including about 580,000 in North America, 490,000 in Europe and 320,000 in Japan. The models include the Corolla compact, Matrix hatchback, Sequoia SUV, and Tundra pickup, as well as the Lexus SC 430 sports car. All the vehicles were manufactured from 2001 to 2003.

The recall is Takata's largest since 1995, when nine automakers had to repair faulty front seat belts in 9 million cars sold from 1986 through 1991.

Alby Berman, spokesman for Takata in North America, acknowledged that the company's image may be hurt. But he said Takata has produced millions of reliable air bags and should have enough capital with manufacturers to withstand the publicity.

But Newton said Takata, which gets 75 percent of its revenue from outside Japan, runs the risk of losing out on new supply contracts.

Takata stock plunged as much as 15 percent before closing down 9 percent in Tokyo. Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda shares rallied in Tokyo, shrugging off the recall.

Source:

How Automotive Recalls Work

Introduction

Perhaps like before, automotive recalls are as hot a topic in the US as the apology of Tiger Woods. In fact, the analogy might not be too far removed: while we loathe those who cross us, we can't help but forgive those who have truthfully begged for mercy.

Recalls are not something taken lightly by manufacturers or the Department of Transportation, mind you. They are fully researched over the course of a long period of time (which is why a lot of consumers question why recalls don't happen until tens or hundreds of complaints are filed).

We've put together this guide to show you how the process works and how you might submit a complaint if you have an issue with your vehicle

Complaints

Other than a manufacturer catching a problem on their own, 99% of the time a defect in an automobile is reported by an owner (or multiple owners).

Car owners who encounter problems believed to be due to some inherent flaw in their cars should, and often do, report issues to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. You can visit NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation by visiting their website http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/, or register complaints via telephone by calling 888-Dash-2-Dot.

Investigation Phase 1: Preliminary Evaluation

Once the complaints reach a critical mass, NHTSA takes the first step toward an investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation is launched after consumer complaints reach a critical mass to cause concern. The hard part is that critical mass is tough to define -- sometimes a few serious complaints can trigger an investigation, while other times they can pile up into the dozens or hundreds

Investigation Phase 2: Engineering Analysis

If a Preliminary Evaluation determines there may be deeper problems, an Engineering Analysis continues the examination and looks more in-depth at a potential problem or defect. This is the step that requires the technical expertise and perspective of experts currently called into question by Toyota's hearings.

This is the last step before a recall, and the two possible outcomes are closure of the investigation, or an escalation to a recall.

Recall

This is the official step: Cars are called home for fault repairs. Automakers often initiate the action, although the ODI may occasionally have to force the issue and call a recall itself. While a recall campaign must be honored and carried out so long as the vehicle is viable, anything past 8 years of age is not eligible to be recalled.

Notification

No matter who kicks it off, NHTSA or the car companies, the public at large is notified via pres releases, direct communication with owners, and an entry in the NHTSA database.

An Official Safety Recall Notice is sent to owners and outlines the problem and the corrective steps. You should not expect to have to pay for a recall to be carried out on your automobile, since it's the manufacturer's mistake.

Repair

The Official Safety Recall Notice will direct vehicle owners about what to do, which usually means a trip to a dealer for corrective action.

Most often, fixes are simple and carried out with revised parts or an adjustment. If the problem is too big, the automaker may replace your entire car for one without the problem, or give you a refund, though that's rare. While it's uncommon for owners to pay for recall repairs, automakers don't usually reimburse consumers for any damage or accidents that happened before the announcement of the recall.

Stipulations

Even though cars older than eight years cannot be recalled, by the time it ages out, a vehicle is often on its second or third owners. Those subsequent buyers may not know whether a vehicle has been back for any recalls issued. Luckily, recalls are forever, and the information about a particular car's recall history is often stored by the manufacturer and linked by VIN (vehicle identification number).

Source: AOL Autos

Click to see if your car is on the list

Compiled by:

W-Media

MT Blogs

Millions of cars have been recalled over faults from sticky accelerator pedals to dodgy brakes and malfunctioning airbags

Honda Fit Sport Recalled for Stability Control Issue

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/04/honda-fit-sport-recalled-for-stability-control-issue.html?utm_campaign=twitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter

2013 Nissan Altima Recalled for Spare Tire Defect

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/04/2013-nissan-altima-recalled-for-spare-tire-defect.html?utm_campaign=twitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter

Subaru Recalls New Foresters For Faulty Floor Mats

http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2013/04/26/subaru-recalls-new-foresters-for-faulty-floor-mats/?mod=WSJBlog&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Nissan Pathfinder, Infiniti JX Recalled For Faulty Brake Part

http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1083685_nissan-pathfinder-infiniti-jx-recalled-for-faulty-brake-part

Mitsubishi Motors recalls 3,839 Outlander plug-ins

http://www.just-auto.com/news/mitsubishi-motors-recalls-3839-outlander-plug-ins_id133727.aspx?utm_source=news-feed&utm_medium=rss-feed&utm_campaign=rss-feed&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Chrysler Group Recalls

http://www.leopold-law.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=news.details&ArticleId=930&returnTo=recalls--consumer-news

22,000 Kia Borrego SUVs Recalled to Fix Brake Pedal Mounts

http://blogs.automotive.com/22000-kia-borrego-suvs-recalled-to-fix-brake-pedal-mounts-97583.html#ixzz2Rn0GS0qM

Ford Trucks Get Recalled, Big And Small: Escape, F-650, F-750

http://blogs.automotive.com/ford-trucks-get-recalled-big-and-small-escape-f-650-f-750-102645.html#ixzz2Rn0XPTHu

Mazda Tribute Recall Covers More Model Years than Ford Escape Recall

http://blogs.automotive.com/mazda-tribute-recall-covers-more-model-years-than-ford-escape-recall-104303.html#ixzz2Rn0kLjCT

Fourth Recall for 2013 Ford Fusion, 2013 Ford Escape 1.6-Liter EcoBoost Engine

http://blogs.automotive.com/ford-recalls-ecoboost-1-6-liter-engine-for-fourth-time-120279.html#ixzz2Rn18mV9i

Honda recalls over 200,000 vehicles for shift interlock issue

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/honda-recalls-over-200-000-vehicles-shift-interlock-issue-1B9514947

Chrysler Recalls Over 214,000 Vehicles in US

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/04/chrysler-recalls-over-214000-vehicles-in-us.html?utm_campaign=twitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter

Subaru Recalls 215,000 Outbacks and Legacies for Corrosion in Brake Lines

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/02/subaru-recalls-215000-outbacks-and-legacies-for-corrosion-in-brake-lines/?smid=tw-nytimeswheels&seid=auto

Nissan Recalls Five 2013 Models Over Malfunctioning Air Bags

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/03/nissan-recalls-five-2013-models-over-malfunctioning-air-bags.html?utm_campaign=twitter&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitter

Porsche 911 Carrera Recalled for Cracking Exhaust Pipe

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/02/porsche-911-carrera-recalled-for-cracking-exhaust-pipe.html

BMW X5 Recalled to Fix Brake Problems

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/02/bmw-x5-recalled-to-fix-brake-problems.html

Buick Encore Recalled: Steering Wheel Might Come Off

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2013/04/buick-encore-recalled-steering-wheel-might-come-off.html

Mercedes' Latest Premium SUV Concept, the GLA

2013-04-19T22:48:00.000+03:00

Mercedes has confirmed that it will be taking the wraps off its latest premium SUV concept, the GLA, at Auto Shanghai, the doors to which officially open on April 21.

Conceived to help owners “escape the everyday” at 4.38 meters long and 1.97 meters wide, the GLA is small enough to negotiate busy city centers but thanks to permanent four-wheel drive should make for a willing leisure-time companion too.

Under the hood is a four-cylinder, 2-liter turbocharged petrol engine capable of pumping out 211bhp via a seven-speed double-clutch automatic transmission.

The inside of the cabin benefits from prodigious use of leather and aluminium. Other interesting interior touches include light-emitting air vents that shine blue when the air conditioning is set below 22°C and start to glow a brighter red as the heat is turned up.

The car also boasts externally mounted 3D/HD cameras that give the driver a clear, birds-eye view of everything surrounding the car, but that can also be removed and mounted on a helmet or mountain bike so that families can record their adventures.

The cameras can also be operated to make films or take still photos while the car is in motion and, thanks to an integrated, front-mounted lens, can project those images (or any others from the internet, a smartphone or hard drive) directly on to a wall or any other vertical surface, essentially turning the car into a mobile drive-in cinema.

LUXUO

NEW Fiesta Van...Ford of Europe Keeps Introducing choices to the Commerce

2013-04-17T16:13:00.003+03:00

Fiat Fiorino

After the redesign of Transit van and Transit Connect and the debut of the 'new segment' light commercial, Fiat Fiorino rival, Transit Courier Ford recently came up with the Fiesta Van. The line-up now is more than complete with so many choices for different aspects of commerce.. These vehicles should be waiting for their turn to be made available to the North American market one by one...- M. Melih Tüzmen(W-Media)

Transit Van

Connect Van

New Ford Fiesta Van Combines Class-Leading Fuel Economy with Sharp Looks and Smart Technologies

Stylish new Fiesta Van offers businesses an agile and good looking vehicle with class-leading fuel-efficiency – all diesel engines achieve sub-100 g/km CO2 emissions and 3.7 l/100 km (76.4 mpg)* or better

Fiesta Van

Fiesta Van offers new 75 PS 1.5-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel for the first time; Fiesta ECOnetic Van variant features enhanced fuel-saving technologies to deliver best-in-class 87 g/km and 3.3 l/100 km (85.6 mpg).

Fiesta Van offers key segment-first technologies including in-car connectivity system SYNC with Emergency Assistance, Active City Stop, and MyKey system to encourage safer driving, plus practical features like Easy Fuel and Rear View Camera.

The Collector's Edition Car Pool Tables...Mustang, Shelby & Corvette

2013-04-14T21:26:00.000+03:00

Originally available in classic Poppy Red, you can now order your Mustang table in any color you like.

The Mustang pool table is molded from a 1965 Mustang and this high-end replica looks like the real thing.

Though the length of the car-shell is "shortened" to fit the table, both the front and rear of the car are the original size with real working lights, chrome decals, bumpers, and hardware and real alloy rims and tires.

Pricing : $14,995

EACH COLLECTORS EDITION POOL TABLE COMES WITH A TITLE OF AUTHENTICITY AND IT'S OWN UNIQUE "VIN" NUMBER.

Carroll Shelby Signature Edition GT 350 Shelby Pooltable

This pool table is perfect for the true classic car collector and is currently increasing in value as there are only 50 produced and each one has been hand signed by Mr. Carroll Shelby himself.

With our exclusive agreement with the Carroll Shelby Foundation, these are the only 50 collectors edition pool tables made for Shelby and the only ones to bear the original and documented signature of Carroll. Finished in original Wimbledon white and Guardsman Blue with cherry finished rails and a solid hard-wood frame, our tables are designed to last as an heirloom collectibles for many generations. Your Shelby Pool Table is directly molded from the body of a real 1965 GT 350 and is trimmed with top quality auto paint and clear coat, wet sanded, and trimmed with real working lights, actual chrome bumpers and decals, and real alloy rims and tires.

The 1959 Corvette Pool Table!!!

Molded directly from a show-quality 1959 Corvette Convertible, this amazing car was only slightly shortened to fit around your new TOURNAMENT size regulation slate pooltable.

Your new 1959 Corvette pooltable is entirely made in the USA and comes complete with working lights(with remote), real chrome bumpers, trim, & hardware, GENUINE FULL SIZE steel rims, real white wall tires, chrome wheel covers (WITH spinners!), and a professional regulation size (4½ ft x 9ft) three piece slate top.

This is a VERY expensive table to make and is absolutely STUNNING.

Every inch of this table is beautiful and finished in an actual auto-body shop to showroom quality. It's even painted in the original 1959 Corvette Red & White, clear-coated with real automotive clear coat, and buffed and polished by hand!

The 1959 Corvette Pool Table is the ONLY officially licensed Collector's Edition pool table for Chevrolet and GM and comes complete with its own "VIN" number (Serial Number) and "Title" (Certificate of Authenticity).

You may order it here: mustangpooltable.com

All-new Ford Transit Courier & Redesigned Transit Connect

2013-04-10T15:47:00.001+03:00

The all-new Transit Courier marks a significant development for the Transit range, expanding the nameplate into the compact van segment for the first time.

Based on Ford’s global B-segment platform, the Transit Courier delivers class-leading load volume of 2.3 m3 (SAE) with standard full bulkhead within an overall length of 4.16 metres, and offers the agile handling and manoeuvrability of a compact vehicle.

The load compartment offers best-in-class features including:

longest load length at floor level of 1.62 m
greatest access width through sliding rear side doors
full-height, full-width steel bulkhead (glazed or unglazed), fully compliant with DIN and ISO standards for load restraints
optional folding mesh bulkhead and fold-dive passenger seat to accommodate extended length items, with class-leading load length of 2.59 m
six cargo tie-down points (DIN and ISO compliant), including four rear side-mounted points to avoid obstruction of the floor area
multiple pre-installed bodyside fixing points to mount racking or framework
optional ultra-bright LED loadspace lighting

Ford Transit Line-up

New Transit Connect

The Ram ProMaster

2013-04-09T00:18:00.002+03:00

Fiat &Chrysler Group CEO, Sergio Marchionne had made up his mind to bring Fiat Ducato van, a hot seller in Europe, to the US and badge it Ram to rather complete the Ram Truck/Van line-up. Well, debuted at the 2013 Chicago Auto Show, was Ram Promaster which will be built in Mexico and be available for sale this fall.

Rebadging process of the Fiat Ducato had triggered some photo-shop users to come up with a few 'front-end looks' of an expected Ram van.

The ProMaster revives the full-size van line Chrysler has been without since Mercedes took back the Sprinter, and will compete against the Sprinter, Chevrolet Express, Nissan NV and the (soon to be) Ford Transit — a mini-boom of vanitude after years of neglect. As of now, there's no indication a passenger version of the ProMaster will be produced, but at some point it might make sense.

Unusual for the commercial van segment, the ProMaster has a unibody construction and a front-wheel drive layout, eliminating the need for a rear driveshaft and rear differential, enabling the van to boast best-in-class fuel economy and cargo capacity. The 2014 Ram ProMaster comes with either the 3.6-liter Penstar V-6 that delivers 280 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, or the 3.0 liter 4 cylinder EcoDiesel that generates a solid 295 lb. ft of torque but a rather puny 174 hp.

When is Fiat Doblo to arrive? No info yet...

Coca Cola Fleet

European Doblo vans are produced in Turkey, while the Latin American and South African versions come from Brazil. It is also produced under license in Russia, China, and Vietnam for other markets.

Ram Commercial Line-up

New and More Muscle Coming..?

2013-04-08T00:53:00.002+03:00

Will GM Use the Chevelle Name on a New Chevrolet?

GM applied to trademark “Chevelle” in the “Exterior badges for vehicles” category late last year, but a new report says that the United States Patent and Trade Office has moved forward the application to the next step in the patent process.

GM Authority suggests GM may use the Chevelle name on an SS sedan replacement or for a production version of the Code 130R concept, a sports coupe aimed at younger buyers.

Then again, “Chevelle” might not be used on a production model at all. Aside from the Chevelle trademark filed in the “Exterior badges for vehicles” category, GM also filed Chevelle trademarks the same day in categories including toy vehicles, floor mats for vehicles, and clothing (including t-shirts, hats, and sweatshirts).

Chevrolet Code 130R Concept

But what sort of future product? GM Authority suggests – and stay with us here – that the Chevelle name could be applied to a new coupe to slot in above the Camaro but below the Corvette. In other words, Chevrolet could bring a version of the Code 130R concept (pictured) into production,

Chrysler registers Cuda nameplate, Hemi engine perks up in interest

Now that the muscle car wars are officially back in full swing – and, perhaps most importantly, the latest Mustang, Camaro and Challenger have all proven to be hits with the American population – Chrysler has hinted that the 'Cuda could once again terrorize the dealership lot.

Chrysler Looks to the 'Cuda to replace the Dodge Challenger.

There have been rumors lately that rather than changing the next generation Dodge Challenger to be smaller and compete more closely with the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro – the Chrysler Group’s SRT Group will reincarnate the Barracuda name for a new model to join the 2013 Viper in the SRT brand lineup. Original speculation suggested that the 2015 SRT Barracuda would be a super muscle car intended to compete with the likes of the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and the Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang but a new report from Car and Driver suggests that the Barracuda will be a full range muscle car with a variety of engine options as an effort to conform to the nonsensical CAFÉ laws.

The extremely innovative and skilled automotive design student Alex Imnadze

2013-04-07T02:53:00.003+03:00

Alfa Romeo 6C gets imagined by a design student

23 y/o design student, Alexander Imnadze, from IED in Torino created this concept as a competitor to the new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, SRT Viper, and all those cars that follow the "muscle car" philosophy.

Tern Project Alfa Romeo 6c .

Alex Imnadze:

''During the semester in IED Torino I was working on 2 project that are part of each other pininfarina & alfa romeo ,for the main inspiration i have used classical shapes & volumes of italian cars as for example alfa romeo 6c 1948 , 8c & 2uettottanta pininfarina, i have tried to make car for 2013-2014 competitor of new stingray ford mustang , camaro ss, italian muscle car if it's possible to say ,''

Lamborghini Supercar Design Concept

Alex Imnadze came up with the concept shown on this page, taking styling cues from legendary models like the Lamborghini Miura and Countach, but still closely based on the current Raging Bull V12 flagship, the Aventador LP700-4, especially at the front of his design.

Ferrari Quattroporte Design Concept

Imnadze took inspiration for the Ferrari Quattroporte from styling elements seen on the F12 Berlinetta and FF to create the concept with the two small rear doors possibly hinting that Rolls Royce-esque suicide doors could be featured.

Although no details are given about the car, it’s likely that it would be front-engined, like the FF and F12 Berlinetta while borrowing the rear-wheel drive system from the F12.

F 12

ALEXANDER IMNADZE

Sangyup Lee, Exterior Design Manager for the 2010 Camaro

2013-04-06T17:29:00.000+03:00

Sangyup Lee, designer of the acclaimed Chevrolet Camaro, resigned from General Motors in 2010 to accept a position as Chief Designer of Exterior at the Volkswagen/Audi Advanced studio in California.

Sangyup Lee, right, exterior design manager for the 2010 Camaro, with Micah Jones and Rebecca Waldmeir of the G.M. design staff

His role ,then announced, was to inspire a newly merged Volkswagen and Audi design staff in the Santa Monica studio.

Mr. Lee resigned after 10 years at General Motors. In addition to working in the headquarters at Warren, MI, Lee's tenure included several international assignments: the Camaro production program for Holden, Australia; a joint venture program for Subaru and GM in Japan; and a project between Bertone and GM in Italy where he developed the 2004 Buick Velite Concept car. The latter project established the brand aesthetics of current Buick products.

In early 2005, GM Design held a company wide competition to determine the direction of the Camaro brand. This included the advanced studios in the UK, Australia, Europe, Michigan and California. Tom Peters, Director of Design, was tasked to create a counter proposal, and this is when Studio X was created, and nick-named 'the skunk works'. Peters assigned Lee to the Lead Designer position in this secluded, anti-corporate but vibrant and creative environment.

Buick Velite Concept-2004

Lee explained how he and his team entered the competition to design the new Camaro later than the rest of GM design staff: "We had only two months to develop a full-size clay model out of my sketches, and those done by Vladimir Kapitonov and Steve Kim". In the final presentation to Bob Lutz and Ed Welburn, the decision was made to accept the Studio X proposal.

2013 Camaro

After the Camaro Concept debuted at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show, the car was so well received by the public that Rick Wagoner asked for the car to go into production as quickly as possible. The car was originally based on the Zeta platform, which was developed by Holden.

As Design Manager, Lee was asked to develop the production exterior in Australia over the next year and a half. He gives high praise and credit to the Holden Engineering and Design Team for the success of the program.

Lee is also the exterior designer of the 50th Anniversary Stingray concept, a project that actually started before the Camaro and while Lee had been working on the C6 Corvette.

50th Anniversary Corvette Stingray Concept-2009

Before devlving into car design, Lee earned a Bachelor's degree in Fine Art at Hongik University, where he studied sculpture. He later attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, and graduated with honors in 1999. While at Art Center, he had internships at Porsche and Pininfarina, and worked as a contractor at Porsche for approximately six months upon graduation.

Latest VW Passat is designed here at Santa Monica Studio

Carefully sculpted Passat hood crease traces headlights and outlines lower fog lights.

For Detailed Info On Design of The Camaro

Can Chevy Volt Be Better Off If Additionally Equipped With Air Driven Fan Generator(s)? Just Exploring...

2013-04-01T18:40:00.005+03:00

The wind power is nothing new..!

All you gotta do is channel it thru your car's grille...

Volt in GM's Wind Tunnel

Chevy Volt’s Coefficient of Drag is 0.28, Beats Prius and Insight

Aero dynamics engineers there helped develop an equally revolutionary design: With a drag coefficient of .28, the Volt is also the most aerodynamic sedan in Chevrolet’s history. Lowering the drag coefficient increases the vehicle’s efficiency, as less energy is used to overcome air pressure. As an example, aerodynamics contributes up to eight miles of electric range, and 40 miles of extended range...

2011 Motor Trend Car of the Year: Chevrolet Volt

A Car of the Future You Can Drive Today

Proposal

O.K.; having emphasized the drag coefficient and its contribution to the 'electric range' Volt covers it now becomes a paradox to suggest that controlled and even maximized air flow through the Volt will increase the vehicle efficiency.

On one hand the Volt engineers have worked hard to come up with a design that maximized the ability of the vehicle to overcome air pressure i.e. more efficient and more economical; on the other hand we are to propose a controlled air flow which in turn will lead to a compromise on drag coefficient and some extra cost. If the issue is to be the extra cost, !- the government may further subsidize the production cost together with increased tax incentives and 2- I think the potential Volt customer would be ready to come up with the extra cash to get EVEN more electric milage therefore making a better investment.

Let the air flow into the vehicle in a controlled manner where it will help generate power to add on the power generated by regenerative braking(when going down-hill) to charge up the batteries. Regenerative braking will become just another option as the air flow in to the vehicle will put in to effect an AIR DRIVEN FAN GENERATOR SYSTEM or even multiples of it. Thus you figure out the possibilities of extending the Volt's electric range.

Consumers are not going after the volt for its performance per great acceleration. The key issue MUST be the range the car can travel as a 'pure' EV.

Of course the engineers behind this product must have been evaluating similar technologies or others; we have no intention to preempt.

Imagine a Volt with a REAL, open grille to let air flow in, in a ever controlled fashion that every molecular flow is guided(the recently introduced AGS may be used to sense and control the amount of air flow; rather in an opposite to what they are currently used for) in to employed air fan generators and the power is produced to charge the batteries while you are moving..! Ample air/wind is out there available FOC.- M. Melih Tüzmen

The 2013 Chevrolet Volt electric plug-in hybrid represents a unique twist on the hybrid-car theme. Unlike the Toyota Prius Hybrid, which uses its gasoline engine to power the car and the electric drive as a supplement, the Volt runs purely on electric current. Once its battery pack is depleted (after 25 to 50 miles), the Volt's gasoline engine kicks on to run a generator, powering the electric motors and helping recharge the batteries. This extends the Volt's range an additional 300 miles or more. With its cool and elegant styling, and even more cool and elegant interior, the 2013 Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid not only makes a statement about your environmental consciousness, it also says something about your good taste and appreciation for style.

You'll Like This Car If...

If you're worried a pure electric car won't be able to satisfy your distance requirements before needing to be recharged, the 2013 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid electric sedan is the answer: It carries a charging station around with it, in the form of its 1.4-liter gasoline engine.

You May Not Like This Car If...

Buying a 2013 Chevy Volt is an expensive proposition, even with the federal and state tax breaks. If you just want long range, good fuel economy and low emissions, a VW Golf TDI or Toyota Prius is cheaper.

What's New for 2013

The 2013 Chevrolet Volt gets a new Hold mode in its drive selection to conserve battery charge, and a new no-cost-option low-emissions package qualifies the Volt for single-occupancy HOV lanes in California and New York. New features include lane-departure and collision-warning systems, and GPS-enabled navigation.

Driving Impressions

The 2013 Chevy Volt's electric motor delivers a big dose of torque right from the get-go, letting the car sprint away quickly from a standing start. The absence of engine... - KBB

Volt Grille/No Grille

Same is true for Cadillav ELR

Energy from regenerative braking is dumped into the battery (GM Statement)

All of the power that goes to the wheels of the Volt goes through its 111 kW (149 hp equivalent) electric motor. The 1.4-liter gasoline engine under the hood functions as a generator, creating juice for the electric motor. The Volt also has a regenerative braking system that recovers some of the energy of braking as a charge to the batteries.

The all-electric vehicle range of the 2013 Chevrolet Volt will be 38 miles on a single charge, providing owners with a three-mile EV range increase from the 2012 model. The miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) will increase from 94 miles to 98 miles and the total range, including extended range operation, will be 380 miles.

-------------------------

In automotive engineering, a grille covers an opening in the body of a vehicle to allow air to enter. Most vehicles feature a grille at the front of the vehicle to protect the radiator and engine. Other common grille locations include below the front bumper, in front of the wheels (to cool the brakes), in the cowl for cabin ventilation,

Why Do All These Electric Cars Have Grilles?-Jalopnik

Innovative Grilles

Active Grille Shutter

A reduction in the effective grille size opening can be achieved by either partially or fully closing the grille through a stepped speed motor actuator. When the grille opening size is reduced, under-hood airflow will decrease.

AGS on the new Ford Focus

Due to increased demand for improved fuel economy and reduction in CO2 emissions, active grille shutter (AGS) has been considered as one option to increase fuel economy by reducing vehicle drag resistance. An AGS system will allow airflow through the grille when demand on cooling system or air conditioning system is high.

Double Fan Structure

AIR DRIVEN FAN GENERATOR SYSTEM

An air driven fan generator system includes, in association with a fan, a secondary fan, which is mounted coaxially with the fan and with the blades of the secondary fan being relatively closed to the blades of the fan.

A generator device is associated with the secondary fan, so that power can be generated by the rotation of the secondary fan due to the movement of the air being passed through the fan. The secondary fan may have the same number, or a lesser number, of blades as the fan, and the pitch of these blades can be such as to provide the required output.

Van Harsleaar, H. Patents / Australia

…using already available air flow within existing ventilation systems (such as air conditioning, extraction, purification, ventilation etc) as its input driving force and providing electricity as an output by introducing a secondary fan that drives a generator. A small unit produces 50/60 Hertz and 1340 watts. Voltage is in the 240v range. Three phase units will increase capacity to 5000/6000 watts.

Volt owners exceeding EPA electric-driving estimate/2013-04-03

150 million combined electric miles equivalent of trip from Earth to Mars...

Here's how some are making use of the wind...

Just a farmer

WV's(Wind Vehicles)

Ventomobile

Spirit of Amsterdam
Greenbird
Mercedes-Benz Formula Zero

Supercar Stylist: Jason Castriota & The Phoenix Concept

2013-03-27T16:56:00.004+02:00

Jason Castriota, the 37-year-old Italian-American was the latest design director of Saab. Victor Muller, CEO of Spyker who 'temporarily' owned Saab, asked him to take over at the 2010 Geneva motor show. A year later, he unveiled his first Saab concept car at 2011 Geneva Autoshow.

-M. Melih Tüzmen

Saab Phoenix, 2011’s hybrid concept car to showcase the future of Saab design.

Jason Castriota’s 9-3 replacement was sensational. The more you’re allowed to see, the more you get to see how all the details come together to create a design that had Saab DNA to its core.

Saab had hired US designer Jason Castriota to head up its design team. Castriota, whose work to date includes the Maserati GranTurismo coupe, the fabulous one-off Ferrari P4/5 and the Bertone Mantide concept, has been brought in to help create a brand new design language for the Swedish car maker, and to help return it to its quirky, distinctive roots.

Before his move to Saab, Castriota worked at Pininfarina between 2001 and 2008, and then moved to Bertone until last autumn, when he set up his own outfit - Jason Castriota Designs.

Jason Castriota launched his own design firm

Castriota recently established his own design consultancy. The firm is based in both New York and Turin, and is already serving clients. Five designers working in his new studio are working on project ranging from cars to furniture to sneakers to water bottles.

For someone with a portfolio that includes the Maserati Birdcage, Rolls-Royce Hyperion and Bertone Mantide, he will continue his successful career.

Video: PhoeniX Concept Car Story

Saab PhoeniX Concept

Revealed at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, the Saab PhoeniX Concept is a sleek 2+2 coupé that previews the design direction of the company’s future models and introduces the “Aeromotional Design” formal language.

The Saab PhoeniX Concept is a sleek 2+2 coupé that previews the design direction of the company’s future models and introduces the “Aeromotional Design” formal language.

Based on the platform of the upcoming 2013 9-3 model, the Saab PhoeniX Concept previews the design of the company’s future models and introduces a new design language called “Aeromotional Design”, which builds on Saab’s aeronautical heritage.

Designed by a team led by Jason Castriota, the PhoeniX is a 2+2 coupé powered by a BMW-derived 200 hp 1.6 liter engine coupled with a six-speed manual gearbox and the eXWD electric rear wheel drive system.

The design features a sleek, muscular body. The front end has a new bold interpretation of Saab’s signature three-port grille and a front-hinged, long hood with two prominent ripples.

The side view is characterized by the flared sill line which rises rearwards from air outlets at the base of the front fenders and by the roof-mounted wing-like profiles that channel air from the side across the rear deck to increase downforce without increasing drag.

These distinctive elements visually connect with the profiles above the side windows, which integrate tiny cameras, mounted on slim stalks that minimize airflow disturbance.

The rear end has a distinctive lighting zone that extends across the full width of the car, continuing the light motif already established in the 9-5 and 9-4X series.

The 20-inch alloy wheels have a signature Saab ‘turbine’ design.

The DLO design is characterized by the dark-tinted A-pillars and roof, with integrated transparent surfaces above the seats.

The 2+2 cabin features clean, minimalist forms and a driver-focused instrument layout. The DynaCage concept uses the car’s underlying structure as a distinctive design element.

The shape of the PhoeniX appears to be molded by the wind, just like its iconic Ursaab forebear, the prototype for Saab’s first generation of cars. Coupé proportions are defined by clean and curvaceous bodywork that wraps around 20-inch alloy wheels in a signature Saab ‘turbine’ design. The frontal styling features a bold, stretched interpretation of Saab’s signature three-port grille in which the central wing form is now dominant. Wrapped by the car’s outer skin, the chrome-less opening encompasses the full width of the nose, including a deep middle portion and extremely narrow outer sections. Saab’s traditional central grille bar is evolved into a body-colored wing form.

At the tips of the wing, nestling almost invisibly, are powerful LED headlamps and indicators. This new frontal styling theme is likely to be seen on future Saab production cars.

A distinctive rear lighting zone extends across the rear of the car, continuing the full-width light motif already established in the 9-5 and 9-4X series. The tail, brake and indicator lights are housed within an arch of dot-like ‘perforations’. To extend the PhoeniX’s outer and inner body design theme, the rear face of the car and its venturi underside are also black, like its upper cabin and deep side sills.

Aeromotional Design

Rippling bodywork sheathes the Saab PhoeniX like the skin suit of a speed skater. It is ‘aeromotional’ design, a language inspired by Saab’s aviation roots and the passion that forged its first cars.

We’ve encapsulated the cabin in a teardrop-shaped ice block and then shrink wrapped the whole structure in a liquid-like skin,” adds Castriota.

This concept also shows there is great heart and technical substance just underneath bodywork. We wanted to communicate a connection between the outside and the inside of the car and this large, translucent ice block, housing our passengers and the mechanicals, helps us to do it by creating visual depth and interest.”

SAAB: From the land of the Vikings gone to Hong Kong, the land of the dragon

2013-03-25T01:31:00.004+02:00

Monday, September 3, 2012

NEVS finalize aquisition of Saab and right to use SAAB brand name

National ELectric Vehicle Sweden has today announced that the deal to buy the assets of Saab Automobile has been finalized. The company has also come to an agreement with the defense and security company Saab AB which gives NEVS the right to use the Saab brand name on future vehicles.

The press release:

National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB has finalized acquisition of the Saab Automobile bankruptcy estates.

No more Griffin(Gripen) for Saab-Sep 03, 2012

As reported earlier, National Electric Vehcile Sweden, which is the buyer of Saab Automobile, has been negotiating with the security and defence company Saab AB and the truck manufacturer Scania AB in order to be allowed to use the SAAB brand name and the Gripen (Griffin) logo on future Saab cars. But now Scania has decided that NEVS and Saab Automobile will not be allowed to use the Gripen logo in the future.

Company

National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB builds on the Saab Automobile AB legacy of innovative power, quality, progressive design and a firm commitment to environmental and safety issues. Our aim is to be a front runner in the automotive industry, with focus on electric vehicles.
The 100% owner of National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB. NME Holdings Ltd. was founded in 2004 by main owner Kai Johan Jiang. The company is registered in the British Virgin Islands and managed from Hong Kong. NME Holdings is the majority owner of State Power Group, a Beijing based enterprise which has pioneered development of renewable, clean energy in China.

Development work for the first electric vehicle is in progress, and launch is planned for early 2014. The initial EV model is based on Saab 9‑3 technologies, enhanced and modified for electric drive.
The 9‑3 platform will be replaced by a new platform where the Phoenix architecture is one of the assets which will be put to use.

Phoenix Architecture

Saab‘s new owners, National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), is looking forward to resurrecting the brand, and one model under consideration is a 9-3 convertible electric vehicle.

Concept sitting on Phoenix architecture

NEVS loses out on rights to Saab logo

The battery-powered 9-3 will be built on the Phoenix platform and manufactured in Saab’s factory in Sweden. Saab spokesman, Mikael Oestlund, confirmed that all future vehicles built using this technology will be branded as Saabs, but the company plans on designing a new logo for the brand.

Scania shares the image of the red griffon wearing a golden crown on a blue background with Saab Automobile and the defence company Saab, which were part of the same group until 1990.

"Scania doesn't want to allow the buyer to use the griffon symbol which is intimately tied to Scania," spokesman Hans Aake Danielsson told AFP.

"Whaz Up!?" brings forward the following suggestion for a new Saab logo:

The Griffin(Gripen/Grippon)

The griffin is a legendary creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle; and an eagle's talons as its front feet. As the lion was traditionally considered the king of the beasts and the eagle was the king of the birds, the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature.
While griffins are most common in the art and lore of Ancient Greece, there is evidence of representations of griffins in Ancient Persian and Ancient Egyptian art as far back as 3,300 BC

A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that features in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern mythologies, and the Chinese dragon, with counterparts in Japan, Korea and other East Asian countries.

M. Melih Tüzmen

How Automakers Put Personality Into Their Cars

2013-03-21T04:04:00.000+02:00

How Automakers Put Personality Into Their Cars

It’s important for car brands to maintain some “facial continuity” for purposes of recognition and awareness. The GRILLE becomes the essential design element.

In automotive engineering, a grille covers an opening in the body of a vehicle to allow air to enter. Most vehicles feature a grille at the front of the vehicle to protect the radiator and engine.

Simple & standard as the front grille of a car can be a subliminal way of distinguishing one brand from another.

The use of symbolic design cues in terms of their embodied semantic references that support strategic brand identity and the definition of the strategic brand identity requires well-grounded contemplation.

Strategic Brand Identity

To build awareness, to foster recognition, and to strive for distinctive offerings, companies are stressing activities of strategic identity building.

Identity can be described as a set of attributes that distinguishes one entity from another. The principal mission of a company identity is to foster recognition.

The company’s identity is communicated to the external world through branding. A specific brand (name) usually functions as the central manifestation of company’s identity. It involves the key identity attributes of the company in a “condensed” form. In specific, the brand name functions as a sign, connoting specific meanings by activating a network of associations, both intended and unpredictable.

The importance of branding and communicative product design has been stressed in the automotive industry since long.

An illustrative example is Volvo that had performed a radical redesign of its product language (“Revolvolution”) in the 1990’s and become one of the most appraised brands within the automotive design.

It is important that every new design should preserve the strong Volvo identity of the past.

The Volvo brand has a long and consistent heritage of automotive safety and Scandinavian appearance.

The typical Volvo design feature is the classic grille.

The car front grille design is presented as the case study and the aerodynamic drag minimization is chosen as the functionality criterion of the design. to investigate how to combine the aesthetic quality with the engineering functionality in a design project while preserving the brand identity.

Brand identity and grilles are extremely closely tied.

Look at BMW

Those kidney grilles define the brand more than anything.

The Kidney Shaped Grille

The two-section, rounded radiator grille – known as the kidney grille – was first seen on the BMW 303 at the 1933 International Motor Show in Geneva and evolved during the course of time into one of the most distinctive BMW design features. Over decades the characteristic kidney grille has been interpreted in many different ways and still characterises the unmistakeable face of every BMW vehicle.

Nobody has done this better than BMW and Mercedes. Both, across many decades and dozens of new vehicles, have evolved and modernized their grilles (with the “twin kidneys” of BMW sometimes wider, sometimes framed, sometimes more rectangular), but they have maintained their essential brand identities. This consistency is a large part of their enviable brand health. Being instantly recognized by everyone as the owner of a BMW or Mercedes is hugely important to the owners!

Mercedes Benz Grilles

BMW Grilles

Rolls Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin, Volvo, Alfa Romeo, Jeep, Cadillac, Buick, GMC and, especially Chevrolet are also excellent examples of ever-evolving, yet visually consistent, front-end themes. (In the case of Chevrolet, it only got religion on this about 10 years ago).

Not so Ford, Chrysler, Japanese brands and Hyundai, where every car and truck in the lineup has a face so different from the rest as to be unrecognizable from a distance. Recently, Volkswagen, Honda, Kia and Mazda are working on it. Renault, on all 2013 models and new concepts using single theme grille.

“Faces”/Grilles on cars do matter! And not that many car companies understand that.

Brand identity and grilles are extremely closely tied.

Rolls Royce Grilles

Bentley

Jeep

Cadillac

BUICK's now-trademark waterfall grille

Audi

Alfa Romeo

Mazda

Renault

HOT OFF THE GRILLE

Ford is heating up its grilles, particularly its Fusion model. The Fusion jettisoned the old, bulky shutters that go back years and embraced a wide, bold grille with numerous thin blades.

Consumer Reports' Jake Fisher says the grille helps the midsize family sedan "evoke the looks of an Aston-Martin" - adding to the mystique and brand identity without adding to the bottom line.

Ford hopes to finally surpass Toyota Camry's sales with the new Fusion, helped by a more aggressive-looking trapezoidal grille.

OPEL

Hyundai

The Grille Has Been A Court Case For Automakers

Feb 2001

DaimlerChrysler Files Suit to Block Copycat Jeep® Grille Says GM'S New Hummer Violates Jeep Trademark and GM Files back seeking legal protection for use of the HUMMER grille design and GM's federally registered trademark for that design.
In its suit filed in U.S. District Court in Toledo, Ohio, DaimlerChrysler is asking the court to block GM's use of the Jeep grille; force GM to recall any H2s distributed with the Jeep grille;
account for all profits derived from the use of the Jeep grille; and award DaimlerChrysler damages for trademark infringement and
Lawsuits broil over grille similarities

DaimlerChrysler is very serious about its Jeep brand. So serious that it is suing General Motors, charging that the front grille on GM's new Hummer H2 sport-utility vehicle looks too darn much like Jeep's front grille.
GM is countersuing.

What is distinctive, says DaimlerChrysler, are the seven slots in the grille of its Jeep. GM points out that Hummer, long a military vehicle, has had seven slots for more than 20 years.

DaimlerChrysler hired a research firm to see if consumers confused the Hummer's grille with Jeep's. "Nearly two-thirds of all Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Cherokee owners ... incorrectly associated the new H2 grille with a DaimlerChrysler," spokesman Jay Cooney had said then.

"Any 10-year-old can tell the difference, with or without the grilles," GM spokesman Brian Akre had said. "It's sort of like saying Arnold Schwarzenegger looks just like Mr. Rogers because both of them have nice smiles."

Hummer and Jeep have a shared history dating to World War II, when the Willys-Overland company made "Jeeps." The former American Motors purchased Jeep in 1970 and established a military vehicle division called AM General, which made the Hummer, and a Jeep division for the SUV.

American Motors sold the divisions in the early 1980s. Chrysler bought Jeep. AM General remained independent. GM acquired the Hummer brand name in 1999.

GM says in its lawsuit that AM General received a trademark for the grille in 1996. It says the trademark went unopposed until GM bought the brand.

The judge in the case ruled against the injunction and in GM's favor, thus allowing production to go forward.

Brand identity and grilles are extremely closely tied.

Why Do All These Electric Cars Have Grilles? Jason Torchinsky/Jalopnic

The truth is that electric cars don't really need grilles. There's no radiator, and while electric motors and other components do require cooling, they're often placed in areas nowhere near the traditional grille location. There are still parts of a car that will need airflow— air conditioning condensers, possibly oil coolers for certain kinds of motors, but nothing that really demands the type and size of grille that internal combustion cars require.

Brand identity and grilles are extremely closely tied. Having to design an electric car that fits visually with a family of cars while eliminating what is arguably the most prominent part of the cars' face is a big issue. Look at BMW— I imagine if I saw a pair of human kidneys laying on the sidewalk in front of me I'd think of BMW right before I shit myself. Those kidney grilles define the brand more than anything, so it makes sense when they're not needed, they're still sort of there.

Top to bottom: BMW-Lexus-Chevy Volt-Honda

Cadillac ELR

The Electric Vehicles’ Vestigial Grille

Far from being a merely functional opening in the front of the vehicle to allow airflow to the radiator, every manufacturer has turned this necessary item into a unique statement. Myriad shapes and colors and designs set apart each manufacturer from another, and the grille has become as ubiquitous as two headlights.

Electric vehicle manufacturers have been putting stuff in the place of the grille, solid grille-like panels with no airflow, but will we see grilles be bred out completely? Who knows? With the grille being such an identifying marker, it might be a long time before the public accepts anything that doesn’t have a grille.

Do electric vehicles need front air intakes?

Specifically: do electric vehicles need them at all and why do many internal combustion vehicles have such large examples. For conventional vehicles, an intake of some kind is necessary in order to dissipate the heat in the coolant that keeps the engine from melting.

While many modern cars, such as Audis, have what appear to be very prominent grilles these are actually mostly for stylistic reasons. If you actually take a close look at the grille area, you will find that much of it is actually closed off, particularly the upper areas. For optimum aerodynamics, air typically only flows through the lower grille. A prime example of this is the production version of the Chevy Volt. One of the changes from concept to production was closing off the main part of the grille.

Even without an engine, these cars still have cooling requirements. The electronics, the motor and the battery all need to be cooled. The Roadster and Volt both use liquid cooled batteries with radiators in the front. Aerodynamicists always try to minimize the open area to cut drag but some openings are still needed.

Most electric vehicles like the Tesla Roadster and Dodge Circuit have grilles as well

Dodge Circuit

Tesla Roadster

Innovative active grille shutters

All-new Ford Focus adds innovative active grille shutters, improving CO2 emissions by 2 percent and helping to improve thermal efficiency

The new Focus features active grille shutters, an innovative new system, which helps optimize aerodynamics by using vents to control airflow through the grille to the cooling system and engine compartment.

If air is required to cool the engine, the vents are opened. If no airflow is needed the vents are shut, contributing to significantly reduced aerodynamic drag.

Mounted in the grille aperture ahead of the radiator, the active grille shutters feature motorized horizontal vanes that can rotate through 90 degrees to block the airflow. Automatically controlled by the car’s electronic control unit, the vanes can be rotated into 15 different positions – from fully closed to fully open – depending on the amount of cooling air required.

When fully closed, the reduction in drag means the active grille shutters can reduce CO2 emissions by 2 percent.

As an additional benefit, the system keeps the vanes closed as long as possible when starting from cold, so the engine reaches its most efficient operating temperature more quickly. This also helps reduce fuel consumption.

Unless that engine is working extremely hard, or is in a hot climate, however, there is often more air entering the engine bay than is needed to keep the engine cool.

Moreover, that unnecessary air entering the engine bay can add significant aerodynamic drag to the car, increasing the amount of energy needed to move it along and thus decreasing gas mileage.

The higher the speed, the higher the aerodynamic drag.

It’s at those higher speeds, when the active shutter comes into play.

"WHAZ UP!?" In The World Of Automotive

Covered, Not Stirred: How a New Bentley Flying Spur Arrives for Customers

With super luxury brands like Bentley, you don't only pay for the car itself, but for the entire experience of owning one of the brand's premium products as well.

Ford Brings Back Knobs On MyFord Touch

Auto Brands Work a Boom in Pickup Truck Sector- June 10, 2013

Big pickup transaction prices rise at twice the industry rate

Chrysler Group LLC Reports May 2013 U.S. Sales Increased 11 Percent; Best May Sales in Six Years

May 2013 U.S. Sales Highlights by Brand

The New 2014 Mercedes Benz S Class Revealed

Shelby SuperCars Tuatara

Best 2013 Total Quality™ Vehicles; Winners May Surprise You

“Best 2013 Total Quality™ Vehicles; Winners May Surprise You,” Says Strategic Vision

Strategic Vision’s Total Quality Index study summarizes how individual models, brands and corporations all performed.

Calculation of the Total Quality Index (TQI)

Mercedes-Benz Citan; Another BlueEFFICIENCY Light Commercial

2013 Mercedes-Benz Citan Design

However there are two problems Citan is facing today:

Chevy Impala & Malibu Not Doing Bad... US Auto Sales Q1, 2013

Full Size Sedans in April 2013

Mid - size sedans

Mid - size SUVs

Full size SUVs

The Innovative and Unique "Art-on-Tires"

TyreJET - The Innovative and Unique "Art-on-Tires" Printer

Who is gonna buy 2013 Chevy Impala once seen the 2014..?

Well, Chevrolet has the answer...

Outgoing Impala to Continue as 2014 Chevrolet Impala Limited for Fleets

Now comes the 2014 Impala, and GM hopes that its fabled nameplate will reclaim some luster. The new design is more compelling than the yawner it replaces, a forgettable design that has became a rental-fleet mainstay.

Fierce Competition in the segment !

Jeep Grand Wagoneer is WANTED BACK..!

Jeep Engineers Visit Grand Wagoneer Restoration Shop

Auto Recalls - Millions of cars have been recalled

Millions of cars have been recalled over faults from sticky accelerator pedals to dodgy brakes and malfunctioning airbags

Improving Safety On Our Highways

A Recall Involves:

Japanese Automakers Recall 3.3 Million Vehicles

How Automotive Recalls Work

Introduction

Perhaps like before, automotive recalls are as hot a topic in the US as the apology of Tiger Woods. In fact, the analogy might not be too far removed: while we loathe those who cross us, we can't help but forgive those who have truthfully begged for mercy.

Complaints

Investigation Phase 1: Preliminary Evaluation

Investigation Phase 2: Engineering Analysis

Recall

Notification

Repair

Stipulations

Millions of cars have been recalled over faults from sticky accelerator pedals to dodgy brakes and malfunctioning airbags

Mercedes' Latest Premium SUV Concept, the GLA

NEW Fiesta Van...Ford of Europe Keeps Introducing choices to the Commerce

New Ford Fiesta Van Combines Class-Leading Fuel Economy with Sharp Looks and Smart Technologies

The Collector's Edition Car Pool Tables...Mustang, Shelby & Corvette

All-new Ford Transit Courier & Redesigned Transit Connect

The Ram ProMaster

European Doblo vans are produced in Turkey, while the Latin American and South African versions come from Brazil. It is also produced under license in Russia, China, and Vietnam for other markets.

New and More Muscle Coming..?

Will GM Use the Chevelle Name on a New Chevrolet?

Chrysler registers Cuda nameplate, Hemi engine perks up in interest

Chrysler Looks to the 'Cuda to replace the Dodge Challenger.

The extremely innovative and skilled automotive design student Alex Imnadze

Alfa Romeo 6C gets imagined by a design student

Tern Project Alfa Romeo 6c .

Lamborghini Supercar Design Concept

Ferrari Quattroporte Design Concept

Sangyup Lee, Exterior Design Manager for the 2010 Camaro

His role ,then announced, was to inspire a newly merged Volkswagen and Audi design staff in the Santa Monica studio.

Can Chevy Volt Be Better Off If Additionally Equipped With Air Driven Fan Generator(s)? Just Exploring...

The wind power is nothing new..!

All you gotta do is channel it thru your car's grille...

Chevy Volt’s Coefficient of Drag is 0.28, Beats Prius and Insight

2011 Motor Trend Car of the Year: Chevrolet Volt A Car of the Future You Can Drive Today

Proposal

Energy from regenerative braking is dumped into the battery (GM Statement)

Why Do All These Electric Cars Have Grilles?-Jalopnik

Innovative Grilles

AIR DRIVEN FAN GENERATOR SYSTEM

Van Harsleaar, H. Patents / Australia

Volt owners exceeding EPA electric-driving estimate/2013-04-03

Here's how some are making use of the wind...

WV's(Wind Vehicles)

Supercar Stylist: Jason Castriota & The Phoenix Concept

2011 Motor Trend Car of the Year: Chevrolet Volt

A Car of the Future You Can Drive Today