New MINI Deemed Super Safe By EuroNCAP
[Source: BMW]
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[Source: BMW] New Low-roof Sedans as Coupes?
Nothing, however, is really new. Rover, fo"introduced its P5B" in 1967, when it added an all-aluminum V-8 to the luxurious P5. The "B" stood for Buick. Until then an inline six had been standard but the P5B benefited from a new 3.5 liter engine made with tooling the company had purchased from the GM division. Originally, and briefly, used in a Buick compact, that engine went on to successfully power several Rover models along with the Morgan +8 sports car. With the new engine, Rover lowered the sedan's roofline for a more rakish look, reduced the size of the greenhouse, added a few more niceties to the very English wood and leather interior and called it.... right, a coupe. There were examples of sporty 4-door sedans with high waists and low roofs dating back to the 30's, so Rover wasn't first, either, but the men who made those cars didn't call them coupes. Perhaps, like your reporter, they were under the impression that a coupe is traditionally a 3-window (windshields don't count in this vernacular) 2-door with a shorter roofline and longer trunk. Through most of its history the coupe cost less than a sedan because, with fewer body parts, it cost less to make. Today, due to the way marketing types have skewed the facts, you'll pay more for a 2-door. But they still cost less to make. [photo: Historic & Classic-car Hirers Guild] New Parking-charge Schemes Linked to Emissions
So, if you are residing at Richmond, south-west London and own a vehicle that emits high carbon dioxide, from now, you will have to pay up to three times the normal residential parking fees! So, be aware and get your car serviced regularly, which means — a family with two such cars could pay up to 750 a year! But, it is raising protests among many residents. According to opponents, the scheme contradicts the parking permit system as it was designed to protect residents. In a survey by the council, 47% of the residents voted for and 39% voted against the scheme. The remainders were undecided. Happy to be putting this ground-breaking scheme (as he defines) in place, Richmond council leader Serge Lourie said, We only made our decision to go ahead with the principle of the scheme at the end of January after we had consulted local residents and the proposals had been debated by a number of council committees. Breakthrough Points To Hydrogen-powered Vehicles
Nenad Markovic (left) and Vojislav Stamenkovic
The results of their findings identify a clear trend in the behavior of extended and nanoscale surfaces of platinum-bimetallic alloy. Additionally, the techniques and concepts derived from the research program are expected to make overarching contributions to other areas of science well beyond the focus on electrocatalysis. The Argonne researchers, Nenad Markovic and Vojislav Stamenkovic, published related results last month in Science and this month in Nature Materials on the behavior of single-crystal and polycrystalline platinum alloy surfaces. The scientists discovered that the nanosegregated platinum-nickel alloy surface has unique catalytic properties, opening up important new directions for the development of active and stable practical cathode catalysts in fuel cells. These scientific accomplishments together provide a solid foundation for the development of hydrogen-powered vehicles, as basic research brings value to society today by helping to lay the foundation for tomorrow's technological breakthroughs. "Understanding catalysis is a grand challenge of nanoscience that is now coming within reach," said George Crabtree, director of Argonne's Materials Science Division. "The systematic work that Voya and Nenad are doing is a major step toward transforming catalysis from an empirical art to a fundamental science"......... Ford Inches Closer to Sell Aston Martin, but to Keep 15 Percent Stakes
Ford Motor Co. is taking several measures to raise cash after last year’s record loss, will sell its profitable Aston Martin luxury sports-car unit for as much as $850 million to a consortium of investors. The consortium is led by the British motor-sport entrepreneur David Richards. His consortium is believed to have held talks with investors from the U.S. and Middle East, including Egypt’s Naeem Capital. However, as of now the group’s final makeup is not clear. The US auto manufacturer is being forced to sell off the luxury sports car brand in an endeavor to patch up its balance sheet, the company is expected to hold on to a share of around 15 percent. The prospective sale is crucial for Ford, which in January reported a $12.7-billion net loss for 2006, largest ever, and is process to restructure itself as a smaller, more competitive company in the wake of waning U.S. market share. According to reports, a Kuwaiti conglomerate is supporting the consortium led by David Richards, the British accountant turned motor-racing boss. The takeover will be led by Richardss Prodrive business, which specializes in enhancing the performance of racing cars. Prodrive had taken to develop cars for Aston Martin Racing about three years back. In recent times, investment funds from the Gulf region are keen to branch out and have been buying up assets in UK including Madame Tussauds, P&O and Veridian, the main electricity supplier in Northern Ireland. Dubai International Capital owns a $1 billion stake in DaimlerChrysler and Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Development Co owns 5% of Ferrari. Ford had taken a controlling stake in Aston Martin in the year 1987 and attained full ownership in 1994. The company has planned to sell the company almost six months back. Moreover, the sale of Aston Martin has prompted speculations taking rounds over the future of Jaguar. Ford had acquired Jaguar in 1989, but has since the brand is running in heavy loss on the investment. Last year, Ford was compelled to invest further into the company to maintain its existent in their aegis. The Volvo S80 has a woman's safety in mind
The best automotive "peace of mind" innovation since the three point seat belt is the new Personal Car Communicator Volvo S80. The PCC is like having a status window for what's going on inside the car. The fob can exchange information up to 330 feet from the car, and doubles as an authentication key. With the PCC in a pocket the car doors will auto unlock upon approach, and the dash features a pushbutton ignition. A quick glance at the PCC will show if the car doors are locked or not, but personal security is what the PCC is really all about. The PCC uses flashing lights to notify the driver that there's someone hiding in the car. Once the alarm is triggered, a heartbeat sensor can detect the biorhythms of a living body in the car. When approaching the S80, a tap on the status button will cause the PCC to beep and vibrate if a bad guy has broken into the car and is hiding in the back seat. The idea is to secretly alert the driver and to quietly slip away to summon help without alerting the trespassers. Good job, Volvo. Posted by johnny 2007 Geneva Auto Show: Alpina B3 Set to Charge Onto the Marketplace
Its squeezed engine gives the power to ZF six-speed automatic gearbox that gets the vehicle to 62 MPH mark in less than 5 seconds. It offers 360 HP between 5,500 and 6,000 RPM and 368 lb.-ft. of torque available from 3,800 to 5,000 RPM. Some notable changes were swapping the tuner with steering wheel, switching out the gauges with blue clusters and affixing an oil temperature gauge. They remained tight-lipped about the pricing and the availability of the Alpina B3. Via: Autoblog BMW Alpina B3
Not nearly as famous as BMW's own M division, but in many ways every bit as potent, Alpina has been making Bimmers go from fast to frightening for decades. And if their latest showcase at the 77th annual Geneva Auto Show is any indication, they're still up to their old, tyre smokin' tricks. Alpina has debuted their own version of super-tuned 3-Series - in saloon form. The Alpina B3 is set to charge onto the marketplace with a twin-turbo, 3.0 liter, straight-six cylinder transmission. BMW traditionalists are sure to thrill at Alpina's decision to keep the six alive in well in the performance grade 3-series category. By the by, the Blue Roundel recognizes Alpina to the extent that Alpina's modifications will not void the manufacturer's original warranty. Learn more aboutM. Porsche to Offer a Hybrid Version of Cayenne in 2009
It has been a year since the idea of a hybrid version of Porsche Cayenne surfaced. Now the company is planning to develop one and release it in 2009. At the Melbourne Auto Show, Porsches Australian managing director Michael Winkler revealed that a hybrid Cayenne is under development and will be offered to the Australian market in 2009. Moreover the company also stated that the hybrid version will be designed to work with any engine in the lineup rather than being limited to only one. The hybrid version will be mated to the all wheel drive system and wont be offered to other models. Via: autoblog Pinpointing Traffic Accident "Hotspots"
The software is publicly available and can be adapted for use by any state, said Christopher Holloman, associate director of the Statistical Consulting Service in Ohio State's Department of Statistics. Currently, the Ohio State Highway Patrol is using it to help position its cruisers during major holidays. "We can make predictions for every major roadway in Ohio, under all possible road conditions, for every hour of the day, for every day of the week," Holloman said. The software relies on reports of injuries and fatalities from the highway patrol, and incorporates statistics about what makes accidents happen. Common accident causes such as speeding or alcohol consumption are fairly easy to model using computers, Holloman explained. Others -- such as when a driver will be distracted by a cell phone -- are impossible. So the software makes general forecasts. "Everyone would love to be able to predict exactly where and when the next crash would be, but there are just too a number of factors involved, and too much randomness to do that," he said. "We can confidently make broad statements, like whether a particular piece of roadway is riskier at a particular time"......... |
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