Road Tripper

Toyota has been a leader in the auto industry in producing reliable vehicles. In fact, this is one of the reasons why the company is on the verge of becoming the world’s largest automaker.  The reliability of their vehicles is very attractive to car buyers.

In the United States auto market, the Japanese automaker has been drawing more and more car shoppers into their dealerships.  The reputation that the company has in producing really good cars with exemplary fuel economy has really impressed millions of auto buyers.

Recently, The Auto Channel reported that the automaker will launch the refreshed FJ Cruiser.  The report stated that for the first time, the FJ Cruiser will be available in a monotone white roof.  This is done to improve the aesthetic quality of the FJ Cruiser, not that it looks really bad.  The outside of the vehicle is of course is one of the many factors which car buyers consider before purchasing a vehicle.

On the inside, the Japanese automaker also created a better atmosphere.  Some of the features of the new FJ Cruiser includes “leather-trimmed steering wheel with audio controls, white color-keyed door trim and instrument panel trim, AM/FM six CD/nine-speaker audio system with MP3 player and 12-volt and 115-volt auxiliary power outlets”.

As for the pricing, The Auto Channel reported:  “The FJ Cruiser Trail Teams Special Edition will carry an MSRP of $4,755 over the $23,725 base price of the FJ Cruiser with a six-speed manual transmission with a 4.0-liter V6 engine and $5,110 over the $24,135 base price of the automatic transmission model with a 4.0-liter V6. MSRPs do not include a delivery, processing and handling fee of $685.”

Honda Accord has finally hits 3-0 this year in the UK. The Accord has been in the UK market for over four decades now and has sold more than 15,800,000 units worldwide making it as one of the most popular cars in the world.

It was in the year 1977 when the first Accord was sold in the UK but was first launched in the US and Japan. After seven generations of Accord it has evolved into an important corporate model equipped with the most advanced technology, remarkable driving dynamics, highly acclaimed diesel engine and a reputation for quality and reliability.

Honda the producer of quality Acura Integra flywheel has scheduled for the next generation Accord to go on sale in the UK in the summer of 2008 while the production versions of both the Saloon and Tourer will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

The Accord was also part of the highly recommended list of What Car? Reliability survey and has even received the prestigious award for the most reliable model in Fleet News’ highly commended industry survey the FN50.

The years of Accord’s success is reflected in its fast growing status in the corporate sector with sales up by five percent year-on year. According to Harvey Hughes, Manager-Corporate Operations, Honda UK, “We have a growing customer base and the popularity of Accord has helped to drive this. The new Sport GT we launched in September embodies all that the Accord stands for – high spec and great value for money.”

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles for this winter season is offering two convenient and good value services—an Express Visual Check and a Warm-up package—offered at any dedicated Volkswagen Van Centers and authorized repair centers.

The Express Visual Check provided a quick and free 29-point check of major working parts of the van that includes all essential fluid levels such as brakes and coolant, tyre treads and lights. This special service from Volkswagen does not call for pre-booking.

The Warm-Up Package on the other hand is available from January until the end of April and offered for a fixed price of £39.99. And since it’s a package it would comprise of several services that include:

• Express Visual Check
• top up of oil and fluids
• Winter care kit (including de-icer and scraper)
• Battery condition check
• Wash and vac
• One litre Castrol oil and ‘check it kit’
• 10 per cent discount voucher against any service or parts purchase
• 10 per cent discount voucher against any accessory purchase
• Entry into a prize draw to win £1,500 to spend at their Volkswagen Van Centre

The Express Visual Check and Warm-up package simply shows Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ commitment in providing customers with high a level of service and care for their vehicles and for the owners as well, explained Stephen Bateson, Head of Aftersales and Customer Care. For more info on these two special services simply visit www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk.

BMW’s M3 coupe is voted to be the overall Drive car of the year for 2007 by Fairfax motoring writers, and Bayerische Motoren Werke thanks the new V8 power for leading the car to victory.

The verdict was granted by a conglomerate of publishers both online and papers including The Melbourne Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and the www.drive,com.au. Out of 44 cars in 13 categories, the BMW M3 coupe grabbed the bragging rights.

“The M3 won because it re-writes the rule book on luxury performance cars,” the judges decided.

“It’s the great leap forward that a Car of the Year should be. The last-generation M3 was a great car deservedly revered, yet BMW’s engineers found a way to make the new model more useable, more refined, more technologically advanced - and also faster.

“It has an awesome engine, unbelievable grip, four comfortable seats, an anticipated five-star safety rating, and a price tag some $40,000 cheaper than a comparable (rival).”

Aside from the Drive Car of the year award, the BMW M3 Coupe also won in its category as the ‘Best Performance Car Over $60,000’.

The M3 coupe houses BMW’s finest 309 KW 4.0-litre V8 engine roaring 400 Nm of torque with a limit of 8,400 rpm. Debuted in Australia last October 11, the vehicle speeds up from 0-100 km/h in a click of 4.8 seconds and halts from 100 km/h in 34 meters.

“The new M3 Coupé is a sensational car on the track and on the road, and we are delighted that some of Australia’s harshest critics have selected it as the winner against a top class of contenders,” BMW Group Australia Managing Director Guenther Seemann said.

“We have been overwhelmed by customer demand for the M3, with this year’s allocation of cars pre-sold even before the first cars arrived in showrooms. With the added momentum of this award, our allocation for 2008 is likely to be filled quickly,” Mr Seemann said.

If performance is to talk about, the BMW M3 coupe is another BMW performance car, and Acura CL performance chip is another performance part.

Based from an article in prnewswire.com, the following are the winners in the “Protecting the Land” Challenge:

High School Winners

• “Team Kramedawg” — Farmingdale High School, Farmingdale, NY: Worked with administration and student government to increase awareness of the importance of recycling and started a recycling program on the campus. They created a Web site to help promote their idea.
• “The Elementals” — Herricks High School, New Hyde Park, NY: Researched the recycling habits of the campus community and used that information to help increase participation in recycling.
• “Manatee Team” — Manatee High School, Bradenton, Fla.: Improved school’s recycling program increasing teacher participation by 300 percent and raising awareness around campus about the importance of recycling.
• “Bayou Bartholomew EAST” — McGehee High School, McGehee, Ark.: Helped to clean up pollution in the longest bayou in the United States, Bayou Bartholomew. The team created a Web site to track the efforts of the clean up.
• “Newberry Environmental Girls” — Newberry High School, Newberry, Fla.: Started a bottle recycling program on campus with the potential to recycle more than 170 plastic bottles per day.
• “Viva Verde” — North Mecklenburg High School, Huntersville, NC: Organized “Viva Verde Fashion Show,” which showcases clothes made from organic cotton or secondhand clothing. Also hosted “Swap ’til you Drop” clothing exchange program.
• “The Ones Who Care” — Sierra Vista High School, Baldwin Park, Calif.: Conducted an outreach program to educate the campus community about the danger of pesticides to human health, soil, vegetation and animals.
• “Westminster CCC” — The Westminster Schools, Atlanta, Ga.: Increased recycling on the campus by creating the “Adopt a Recycle Bin” program, holding educational assemblies and recruiting volunteers to help in the recycling effort.

Middle School Winners

• “Eggsteins” — Great Neck South Middle School, Great Neck, NY: Explored the effects of deforestation by identifying trees, creating leaf impressions, and by taking younger students on nature walks.
• “Chi-Town Team” — Madero Middle School, Chicago, Ill.: Conducted an aluminum can drive and cleaned up a community park, both helping to raise awareness in the community about recycling.
• “The Eco-Gangsters” — Nevada Middle School, Nevada, Mo.: Increased participation in campus paper recycling program with a goal of recycling 2,500 lbs. by the end of the year, four times more than in previous years.
• “OJH World Environmental Managers” — Olympus Junior High School, Holladay, Utah: Cleaned up a local park and helped educate the community about recycling and proper disposal of trash.
• “The Spachio Six” — Phillipsburg Christian Academy, Phillipsburg, NJ: Raised awareness of the importance of recycling by tracking and recording a week’s worth of trash at their school. Discovered that 30 percent of waste is recyclable.
• “St. Margaret Science Club” — St. Margaret Catholic School, Lake Charles, La.: In the absence of a curb-side recycling program in the community, students increased participation in recycling through the school’s parent-teacher organization, school newsletter and school Web site.

The deadline of entries for the Challenge #2, “Water Works”, was last 9th of November. For Challenge #3, “The Air Factor”, you can still submit your entries until December 10, 2007. And, for Challenge #4 (Climate), entries will be accepted until January 7, 2008. Grand prize winning teams will be announced on Earth Day, April 22, 2008.

Are you having headaches with your Christmas gift list especially to your honey? Motortrend is on the rescue. The site collected some gift items for car aficionados. Since Christmas is the time for gift giving, you might as well fin something to give yourself.

Vintage Auto Treasures. Now through December 12, l’art et l’automobile is holding its Christmas auction for discriminating motorheads, including the original 1956 racing poster, (it’s estimated to sell for $500-$700) plus rare books, paintings, sculptures, toys, and memorabilia (Mark Donohue’s Porsche 917 racing seat, used when the famed racer set the world closed-course speed record in 1975, is among the offerings up for grabs — estimate: $2000-$3000).
Jeep Flashlight. An ordinary flashlight? No way. This ultra-tough model from Jeep (it’s shock-resistant, waterproof down to 30 feet — and even floats) will never leave you without light, thanks to a built-in wind-up crank that recharges the battery in just 60 seconds.

Some Spark for That Guitar. Perhaps the gift-getter in your life rocks out to the tunes of his own electric guitar — or maybe he plays a digital keyboard or other electronic instrument. Whatever his axe, if he’s a car enthusiast you’ll want to get him these cool new limited-edition Spark Plug audio instrument. Twelve feet long, with 1/4″ straight ends, the cables feature 24k gold connector tips, audiophile-grade components.

McQueen’s Machines. Motor Trend’s own executive editor, Matt Stone, penned this just-released, photo-filled hardcover, a must-have for any Steve McQueen fan. “McQueen’s Machines: from the 1968 Ford Mustang GT fastback he drove in “Bullitt” to the fence-jumping Triumph bike from “The Great Escape” to the star’s beloved 1963 Ferrari 250 Lusso.

The M3 of Coffee Machines. If this espresso maker looks racier than most, that’s because it was designed by BMW Design Works USA. Better still, the Sirena Espresso Machine from Starbucks ($599) makes a killer cup of joe. Professional features include a Rapid Steam Boiler, commercial-quality portafilter, and a patented back-pressure adaptor that automatically adjusts to the coffee’s grind — you get a primo shot every time.

Watch Workstation. Case in point: the new Suunto Core wrist computer ($249.99-$599.99, depending on case/bracelet), a highly accurate altimeter, barometer (including storm alarm), digital compass, depth meter (for snorkeling), and dual-time watch (it’ll even display sunrise and sunset times) packed into a single sporty case.
Pontiac Pizazz! Here’s another must-have tome for any 10W-30-blooded enthusiast. Two Pontiac legends — Jim Wangers, “Godfather of the GTO,” and Art Fitzpatrick, the artist who (with late partner Van Kaufman) painted Pontiac’s famed “wide-track” ads of the 1960s and 1970s — have collaborated to produce this dramatic coffee-table book featuring fifteen of the greatest Pontiacs from the maker’s glory days.

Porsche 911 Turbo Steering Wheel for PC/Playstation 3. You aren’t gaming in the big leagues until you’re twirling the rim of this gorgeous 911 Turbo wheel ($350) with matching pedals and choice of two shifters (manual or automatic) from Germany’s Fanatec. Not only are the parts accurate reproductions of original Porsche bits, but the wheel/pedals are wireless (no annoying cords to ruin your lap times) and the wheel boasts three force-feedback motors and a belt drive for extremely realistic feel.

Racing Art. Yahn Janou isn’t as well-known as, say, Randy Owens. But he should be. The Paris-based artist has drawn posters for several recent 24 Hours of Le Mans and produced artwork for the 1998 Monaco Grand Prix poster. Like many of his contemporaries, Janou paints in the modern-expressionist style, but he tends to give his featured cars — contemporary and vintage sport racers, F1 single seaters, street-bred sports machines — sharper, more identifiable contrast to their surroundings.

Martini Racing Jacket. Give that special someone a little retro racing style with one of these great Martini Racing jackets, a faithful reproduction of the 1970s classic (129 Euros; about $195). Made of tough nylon with a polyester fill, the jacket features the famed Martini Racing logo and stripes, an adjustable waistband, and the same extendable, integrated pit-pass holder found on the original.

Race Car Clock. What time is it? Why, it’s lap time! Enjoy around-the-clock auto action with this battery-powered Race Car Clock ($59.95). The two cars circle the clock/track each hour, and make engine and horn sounds as they go (don’t worry — there’s a volume control).

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona. One of the most famous “racing” watches ever made, the Rolex Daytona has been seen on the wrists of the rich and fabulous (most famously, Paul Newman) since its creation in 1961. The chronograph functions can be used to measure elapsed time and to calculate average speed. Like all Rolex Oysters, the Daytona features a Triplock crown for superb water-resistance (it’s rated to 330 feet) and is self-winding. Pick one up for just $25,000!

DC Pro Spec 1.0 Driving Shoes. From the makers that perfected the skateboard shoe comes their first driving footwear, the Pro Spec 1.0 ($199). Worn by Subaru rally driver Ken Block (who co-founded DC), the Pro Specs feature Dynamic Grip Technology for better pedal feel and control, drop-in cushioning for enhanced shock absorption, and a fire-resistant Nomex lined interior.

Acura CL brake dust shields are not included in the list. I was thinking of wrapping one for my sweetheart since she said her car needs a new one. And the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona will be my Christmas gift for my self.

To cope up with the heated green cars production race, Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) AG announced that they will also be mass producing their first hybrid car in four years. Recently, the highlights of the Los Angeles Motor show are the hybrids and the alternative fueled vehicles.

BMW had nothing else to prove when it comes to innovation. Aside from being the world’s top luxury automaker, the BMW badge had been attached to quality made vehicles. However, there is always room for improvement and BMW takes the hybrid technology as an opportunity to give their customers the best of the best. It’s another milestone BMW will make that other automakers will follow.

On the new BMW 7 series, the German automaker plans that under the BMW hood is an engine that can run both on hydrogen and petroleum. Trials are already made to some prototypes all over the world. BMW’s engineers and researches are given practical feedbacks giving them insight on what should be improved on the present system in the hybrids.

Among everything, BMW wants their hybrid to be genuinely eco-friendly combined with superb performance and style.

BMW’s hybrid would not be like the typical hybrids of other manufacturers. Aside from the electric motor the car will use, BMW plans that its internal combustion engine will be using a mixture of hydrogen and petroleum. More complicated, this idea requires more research and advancements because an internal combustion engine commonly needs fuel taking the liquid form.

For BMW, hydrogen is the automotive world’s future fuel. It may seem very futuristic though because the industry still needs a long time line to develop a vehicle that can run exclusively on hydrogen and BMW sees it as a possible achievement.

BMW said that they have chosen hydrogen as the power source of their new vehicle because it is the best answer to the biggest environmental related problem, harmful vehicle emissions. With hydrogen, water is the only by product compared to other fuels emitting carbon dioxide, a large contribution to pollution and global warming.

The female specie may constantly seek for stylish shoes and catwalk worth get-up, but when it comes to vehicle taste, women sets aside style and beauty and looks closely into function instead.

“The primary thing that women look for when they’re shopping for a car is the safety features,” says Courtney Caldwell, editor in chief and publisher of Road & Travel Magazine. “They do a lot of shopping on safety features for a vehicle because they have concerns for their own personal safety as well as that of their family and their child.”

Because conventionally women do the budgeting, the prospect car must be practical and must be within their budget range. “It’s not necessarily what they want if money were no object,” Caldwell says. And tastes vary widely. “There’s no one car that all women like,” she says.”It all boils down to lifestyle, age and income.”

Nowadays, women’s opinions and preferences are well paid attention. According to auto industry experts, 85 percent of vehicle sales are affected by women.

“The one big difference between men and women is that men are a little more power-performance conscious; women are more miles-per-gallon-economic conscious,” says Charlie Vogelheim, vice president of automotive development for J.D. Power and Associates.

Vogelheim added that women are more concerned on who will be riding the vehicle and the comfort it will bring while men are more into the vehicle’s utility and the cargo.

Age is another important factor when women chooses vehicles.

For women below 30 years old, Kelly Blue Book identified the most wanted economy vehicles which include:
• Nissan Versa (base price $12,550).
• Toyota Yaris (base price $11,150).
• Honda Fit (base price $13,850)
When women enter family life, their preferences also change. Minivans and SUVs are the preferred segment.
• Honda CRV (base price $20,600).
• Toyota RAV4 (base price $20,950).
• Mitsubishi Outlander (base price $21,370).
• Chevrolet Equinox (base price $22,865).
• Ford Escape (base price $18,580).
As their kids grow, their choice comes back to being stylish like:
• Lexus RX350 (base price $37,400-$38,800).
• Infiniti FX35 (base price 37,950).
• BMW Z4 (base price $ 36,127 – $42,000)

As seen above, women’s vehicle choices range from Japanese made hatchbacks and sedans to SUVs of Mitsubishi (makes Mitsubishi 3000gt performance parts), Honda and Toyota to luxury vehicles. It goes to show that women are really unpredictable. Change is really an ultimate truth for them.