The Recent Cadillac XLR and its V-series

Last week, Cadillac had released data on the latest XLR roadster. The image above has gotten from numerous shots of the halo Caddy in both the standard platinum trim and in rodded-up V-series form. Though the recent image of Cadillac interest so many car enthusiasts, its interior details have been ticking more the curiosity of many. A glimpse on the new Cadillac XLR can give an impression that it is primarily untouched. The gauges simply exchange their round, Bulgari-designed numerals to a look that one can see in other Caddys while the steering wheel is traded. For the Cadillac V-series, it keeps the mesh look in front while its back has wide exhaust outlets, which look like as if they are part of the rear bumper cover.

 

To sum it up, both the Cadillac XLR and the V-series are pretty much the same, there are only some enhancements but in general, it appears to be identical. Indeed, regardless of how the Cadillac and its V-series look like, they are still head-turner cars. The only problem lies in its price that is $100K (for the V-series). S$100K is too much for any Cadillac that has an interior that is attractive yet does not meet the standards expected to any entry-level CTS.

 

The Latest Simple Solution to Hybrid Cars’ Problems: PANDA or Pedestrian Awareness Noise-emitting Device Application!

Everybody knows that vehicles are great possessions. Every vehicle model has a lot to offer, from the comfort ride up to the luxury feeling of having one. One type of vehicle that nowadays is immensely growing in numbers is Hybrid cars. Hybrid cars have been gaining countless of praises for being fuel-efficient and environmental-friendly car. Likewise, negative criticisms have been here and there, saying the hybrid cars are “silent killers” since they quietly run on the road and pedestrians and other drivers can’t hear them coming.

 

The government has been looking at it as a big problem to solve. Anyway, two Stanford University students have developed a simple new way to give hybrid cars a noise. Installing some speakers under the wheel wells is the thought solution. Hmmmmp..What a nice, simple, and bright idea!

 

However, being silent of hybrid and electric vehicles is indeed a serious problem that worries several people these days. In fact, based from reports, an 8-year-old Minneapolis boy was hit by Toyota Prius just because he failed to hear it coming. Further, national Federation of the Blind has been receiving close calls concerning blind pedestrians. Even the Congress has been alarmed that 16 lawmakers are task to reverse or amend a bill requiring hybrids and electric vehicles emit a minimum noise.

 

It is good to note that Everett Meyer and Brian Bai, a pair of engineering doctoral candidates, discerned a simple solution to the said problem. The two initiated Enhanced Vehicle Acoustics, and are aggressively making a mechanism that is significantly a speaker beneath each wheel well that releases the sound of an internal combustion engine. The said mechanism is called PANDA, or “Pedestrian Awareness Noise-emitting Device Application”. Everett Meyer and Brian Bai worked with someone, who calls himself as psychoacoustics expert, to find out that among all the sounds that vehicles create, pedestrians prefer more the sound of a gasoline engine.

 

PANDA needs no more power and shuts down at above 25 mph velocity since wind noise of the vehicle is enough for the pedestrians to hear.

 

Now, for those auto makers and exclusively loyal to one specific car brand who are worried that their hybrid cars may sound like they burn gasoline and produce sounds that is identical to others, the company’s site stated that the PANDA system will permit drivers, auto makers, and even municipalities to create their own unique external automobile sound.

 

Concerning about when PANDA will be available in the market and how much the price will be is not yet certain. So, just hang on for further developments and details.

 

The Next Generation Toyota Prius!

Toyota Prius has been making its own noise in the industry for its appeal in the masses up to its million sales in the market. And now, there are so many assumptions and premises that are coming out about the third-generation Toyota Prius. Honestly, I myself eagerly want to see it with my naked eyes at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, the place where the official debut will take happen. I believe it has a lot more to offer than the present Prius, right? If the Prius now gains such attention and sales, how much more the next? However, it is not certain if the model that will be launched will go on sale. Based from what I researched, the official launch in April 2009 will be in the United States, Korea, and Japan. It seems that, Toyota believes that Toyota will be a very important model in Korean market so the price would be very aggressive.

 

Let’s wait for further news about the true phenomenal Toyota Prius.

 

Chevrolet Tahoe as Taxi Cars in Dubai

As part of the Project Better Place, General Motors have already delivered ten of its Chevrolet Tahoe hybrids to the government of Dubai for a taxi fleet test. Deputy ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Maktnum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktnum is the one who inaugurated the event at the Monarch of Dubai. Part of the event was a documentary show discussing the benefits that hybrid vehicles like reduction of emissions and fuel consumption in the UEA.

 

A two draft of laws that would cut carbon monoxide emissions and avoid the registration of cars of more than 20 years old was submitted by the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA). The said law represents the vow of the government in saving lives and properties, preserving the environment and so as the natural resources, enhancing public safety, and utilizing the necessary technologies to lessen the noise pollution that roots from different modes of transportation.

 

Indeed, the collaboration of General Motors and the government of Dubai is a great deal. Well, hoping for more collaborations like this one.

 

Lindsay Czarniak: Another Successful Female Pit Road Reporter

I know that this blog site is mainly intended for the new information about vehicles and women who are excellently doing good job in motor sports and other for those novice female car enthusiasts. However, I believe that this post is somehow related since Sprint Cup concerns cars and its one of the arena where some women race into.

Well, anyway, regardless if this post conforms in the theme of this site or not, I still find this post interesting. :,) Since women are naturally guarded by the society’s standards, there are only few women who have enough courage to act against what is the standard like joining in a race. Oh, my! The word race usually equates to men, isn’t it? That is my point here. Each time I learned that another woman has jump out of the strict standards of society, doing what she wishes, I felt proud.

So, now, here is Lindsay Czarniak who will begin her second season with the “summer six pack” of Sprint Cup race. Czarniak has been an addition to the number of women in what had known before as male-dominated arena and that is NASCAR pit road reporter. Going back before Czarniak’s turn, Krista Voda, ESPN’s Jamie Little and Shannon Spake had also done what Czarniak is doing now. So far, Czarniak is the only female pit road reporter for this Spring Cup’s season. The combination of females on-the-air is truly stronger than before since Wendy Venturini is now handling the reporting duties for SPEED’s RaceDay.

Lindsay Czarniak graduated from James Madison. She had several experiences like her shifts at two local TV stations in Florida, the different duties given to her by DC, her coverage of the Winter Olympics from Torino, and her work at ARCA Series for SPEED.

Well, I will find more women who are doing great in such fields where men are the usual participants.

 

The 2008 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance will be Held This Weekend

What are your plans this weekend? Have you ever thought of it? Well, if not, you would have surely loved to go to Greenwich, Connecticut where Bruce and Genia Wennerstrom will be setting the annual Greenwich Councours d’Elegance. It would be a nice idea especially if you are in the New York Metropolitan area.

 

The said event is regularly held over two days. Day 1, which will be on Saturday, June 07, will feature the American autos from every era while in Day 2, the European will take over the premises. Moreover, a supercar exhibit, which includes remarkable array of vintage motorcycles and one airplane, will be showed in the entire two days.

 

If you will go in the said event, you will witness the different kinds of vehicles like the irreplaceable 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Rondine which was sold for $1.76 million at barret-Jackson last January and other fascinating vehicles like the living prodigy John Fitch’s original Phoenix sports car. Admission price for the said event is $25/day or $40 for two days. Americares Kids under 12 will benefit from some of the proceeds by getting free admission. Gates will open at 10:00 AM on both days.

 

Never forget to take a view on the parking lot outside the Concours. Why? Of course, in parking lots alone, it is already a show in itself, right? :,) Also, remember to dress comfortably, presumably, your look should be in the upper 80’s and depends on the weather, of course. You should not worry about Greenwich being classy because Concourse is surely casual and breathtaking.

 

So, if you are just near, have time to visit the event because you will surely love the place, the cars, and so as the great stories of the owners about their cars. Well, have a good time there and see you all! *wink*

 

A Woman needs to call the Police for her to get out of her Own Car

Have you ever think that someone will be locked inside a car without knowing how to get out? Well, personally, I assume that all knows how to get out from a locked vehicle but all I thought remained to be presumptions until this story of a woman came out.

 

Her story might be strange but it is true. In Orem, Utah, a woman was kept locked in her car when the battery died. Based from reports, when the police officers arrived, the woman can not hear their instructions through the rolled-up windows so the woman gave signs to call her on her cell phone. That woman was not too unfortunate because the police officers were able to contact and converse with her through her phone. The officers explained to the woman how to operate with herself the slide lock device inside the door panel in order for the door to open thus freeing herself.

 

Well, the woman would have not escaped if without her cell phone. This story is truly one of the numerous benefits that cell phones bring to mankind. However, for me, I don’t want to experience such benefit if in the same situation. eheh..

 

Anyway, from the source where I got this information, it says there that you can keep in your glovebox a LifeHammers for emergency purposes. LifeHammers has two steel points ideal for smashing your window glasses out, and also imbedded on its handle is a pointed razor blade to open locked seatbelts. The very main purpose of LifeHammers is to permit car occupants to escape in a car if accident stops doors from opening but it can also be of great help when the same situation happens to you.

 

Indeed, knowing how the simple devices on our cars work like the locking mechanism can benefit us a lot and can even prevent humiliating scenes like the mentioned one. So, from now on, you better start discovering how to operate the devices inside your car and I will also learn mine. :,) LOL.

 

Ryan Briscoe was Congratulated by Danica Patrick

 

 

Do you still remember my previous about the tensioned encounter between Danica Patrick and Ryan Briscoe during the 92^nd Indianapolis 500 last may 25? In the said event, I had noted the fury felt by Danica when Briscoe slammed into her car on pit row. Then later after the race, both parties had talked. However, neither of them apologizes nor accepts the blame for the incident.

 

Before the month of May ends, both of them had decided to forget what happened and just move on with their races. Last weekend, both Patrick and Briscoe are again in the same race at Milwaukee Mile. I remember what Briscoe stated during his interview last Thursday that the race last weekend was the place where they won’t dwell on the past. Well, true enough because Danica even expressed her joy and congratulated Briscoe for his first IndyCar Series victory.

 

Yes. Ryan Briscoe is the winner during last weekend’s race. Danica felt happy that Briscoe got his win, she stated a day after the race. Briscoe deserves a big congratulation, she added. When Danica was asked about their recent misunderstanding, all she had said was that that was past and in every race, she will still race fairly because that is her type and of course, she expects the same treatment in return.

 

Well, indeed, in every race that a racer joins, it is always conditional. It doesn’t always mean that you win in one race, in the next you’ll win again… No, no, no..LOL. That’s why Danica, had just finished ninth at Milwaukee because some handling problems with her car.

 

Perhaps, Danica is a bit pressured of her previous win as the first woman IndyCar winner and that pressure is always intensifies in every race she is into, eager to grab a win again.

 

The 2008 Auto Pacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards is given to 2008 Saturn Vue and 2008 Saturn Sky

The Saturn Vue crossover SUV that is specifically redesigned for 2008 and the 2008 Saturn Sky roadster have both received their respective awards in the 2008 Pacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSAs). The Saturn Vue ranked first in the Compact Crossover SUV division while the Saturn Sky roadster, which is first launched in 2006 and the very first vehicle to lead in the spectacularly revised product array of Saturn, won the Sports Car division.

Anyway, here are some information to give you a more vivid view on what the VSAs is all about. VSAs measure the owner satisfaction based on forty-six different attributes. It is being controlled by data gathered from the thousands of new car and light truck buyers. Surveys were sent to owners of new 2008 car and truck models that are purchased between September until December 2007.

 

Out if the 46 attributes that were evaluated, 39 of those straightforwardly concern to the product and the seven centers on the financial and dealership feature of the vehicle.

 

The Saturn general manager, Jill Lajdziak, stated that the Auto pacific awards are chiefly significant since information comes directly from consumers. The awards speaks that they are not solely crafting great vehicles but also the treatment that Saturn buyers experienced.

 

Saturn Vue is a five-door crossover SUV which design is European-inspired and offers a sporty ride and handling. It is available in XE and XR models in front-wheel and all-wheel-drive patterns and so as the Green Line hybrid and Red Line performance models. Its price ranges from $21,875 to $29,925. On the other hand, the Saturn Sky is available in base and Red Line performance models that highlight an intrepid, European-inspired appeal, and rear-wheel-drive responsive driving. From $26,145 to $30,405 is its price range.

 

Saturn is part of the At-Home Test Drive program. It is generally known that Saturn has been performing at its best and being a part of the said program, Saturn retailers bring new Saturn cars straight to buyer’s homes, workplaces, and other places for their evaluation. For customers’ satisfaction, retailers will first provide a self-guided checklist for them to know if the vehicle suits in their needs.

 

One big round of applause for Saturn vehicles especially for Saturn Vue crossover SUV and Saturn Sky roadster!!! Good job!!!

 

Save More Gases Now that Gas Prices are Soaring High

Indeed, nobody can do anything about the continuous increase of gas prices. Everybody is affected by it. However, accepting it and not doing any measures to at least save gas should not be. There are still ways to save more of your gases. The thing is, only few cares.

 

Now, Car Care Council declared that if your car gets maximum fuel economy, you would surely pay less at the pump. Also, fuel economy is straightly linked to the care of vehicles and the behavior of drivers. Both have an important contribution on how much you pay at the pump.

 

More and more gas will be spent for nothing and the engine might lose its power if your car’s air filters are dirty. The dirt, dust, and other elements blocked in your car’s air filters cause air to be obstructed from entering the air filter which produces a “rich” mixture, which consume too much gas for small amount of air. The gas mileage of your car can best improve by as much as ten percent which can make you save fifteen cents per gallon when you replace the clogged air filters of your car.

 

Another factor that can help you economize your cars fuel is by inflating you car’s tires properly. Once your car’s tires are not properly inflated, it is like driving with parking brakes on which charge a mile or two per gallon.

 

Gas caps must likewise be considered. Damage, loose, or missing gas caps can waste gas. Seventeen percent of you vehicles on the road have gas caps troubles based from car Care Council. It causes 147 million gallons gas to evaporate every year. So, better make sure that your car’s gas caps are tightly fastened.

 

Every vehicle has four, six, or eight spark plugs that functions as three million times every 1,000 miles which exposes them to severe heat and electrical and mechanical erosion. One of the roots of fuel wastes is damaged spark plugs, causing misfiring. Please consult your manual for the recommended time of replacement of spark plugs for your vehicle to perform better.

 

Rich White, executive director of Car Care Council, said that many motorists ignore their vehicles when gas prices rise. They never realize the amount of gas that they can save at the pump through inspection of tires, air filters, spark plugs, and vehicle caps, he added. The said auto contraptions can all make significant difference in the vehicle’s fuel economy and will only cost them small amount of both time and money.

 

The council said that aggressive driving can lower the gas mileage as much as thirty-three percent on the highway and five percent on city streets which results to seven to forty-nine cents per gallon. Remember to always maintain the speed limit to further improve fuel economy. The gas mileage swiftly decreases at velocity above 60 miles per hour and each mile per hour consumes an added ten cents per gallon.

 

In general, vehicles need only one or two minutes to heat. You need not to keep it idling for a long time for it just waste your car’s gas. Also, evade jackrabbit starts and hard stopping which both make your car less fuel efficient. Instead, light application on the brakes and slow step on the gas both improve your car’s fuel efficiency.

 

It is true that traveling entails luggage. However, it should be remembered to limit the extra weight or better remove the unnecessary loads. An extra one hundred pounds can impede fuel efficiency by one or two percent.

 

Again, do not just accept the soaring prices of gas. Do your part in making your own car fuel efficient. There is no one who can make so except you.