The 2008 Chevrolet Equinox Sport will deliver something that’s still rare in the new-car marketplace: a complete sport-tuning package on a compact sport-utility vehicle.
The new Equinox Sport model was unveiled in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and it should merit a second look from sport-minded shoppers when it goes on sale late this summer. While the market is crowded with hot-selling small SUVs, only the Mazda CX-7 and Toyota RAV4 offer sport models aimed at enthusiast drivers.
Like Chevy’s larger Trailblazer SS, the 2008 Equinox Sport will add a comprehensive performance-oriented package that includes a sports suspension, styling tweaks and a new, 263-hp V6 engine with a six-speed automatic transmission.
By appearance, the Sport will be easy to distinguish from the standard Equinox. The standard roof rack will be removed for a more streamlined look. The Sport’s grille and lower bumpers will be painted to match the body, with big, silver-trimmed air intakes in the front bumper. Polished five-spoke aluminum wheels, 18 inches in diameter, will come standard.
The biggest news is under the hood. Its 3.6-iter V6 is not a mildly tweaked variant of the overhead-valve engine in the standard Equinox. Rather, it’s the same four-cam V6 offered in more expensive GM vehicles like the Cadillac SRX, with the latest materials and control technology, including fully variable valve timing. Generating 263 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque, the Equinox Sport’s engine will be one of the most powerful available in a small SUV, surpassed only by the optional V6 in the RAV4 Sport (269 hp, 244 lb-ft).
Moreover, the Equinox Sport will feature a six-speed automatic with tap-up, tap-down manual shift capability. The class standard remains a five-speed or less. Chevy promises 0-60 mph times in under seven seconds, and 3,500 pounds of towing capacity with the optional fulltime all-wheel drive system.
The Sport rides about an inch lower than the standard Equinox, with firmer springs and bushings for more immediate steering response and less lean in corners.
Inside, the Equinox Sport will feature seats with bigger side bolsters, a thicker, four-spoke leather steering wheel and model exclusive monotone Ebony trim. Standard features will include remote starting, a flat-folding front passenger seat, power door locks with remote keyless entry, power windows, air conditioning, tilt steering, rear liftgate defogger and wiper, and a six-speaker stereo with CD player, auxiliary jack and XM satellite radio. Options will include leather upholstery, power sunroof, seven-speaker Pioneer audio and GM’s OnStar system with navigation.
Safety features will include GM’s StabiliTrak electronic stability control system, four-channel antilock brakes and tire pressure monitoring. It remains to be seen whether Chevrolet will upgrade airbag protection. Current Equinox models are equipped only with front-impact airbags, while some competitors offer front-passenger side impact airbags and full-cabin head-protection airbags.
Bottom line: if Chevrolet’s typical pricing scheme applies, the Equinox Sport will offer a lot of small SUV for the money.
Source : http://nctd.com
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Chevrolet Equinox Sport
Honda Accord Coupe
Honda has offered a sneak peek at its next-generation Accord Coupe, and a revealing peek it is.
Company officials call the car pictured here a “concept,” but that description requires some context. Pure concept cars are a rarity at Honda Motor Co., and until now the company had not produced a concept car that carries the name of an existing model. Rest assured that the Accord Coupe Concept, revealed in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, is very close to the eighth-generation Accord that’s expected to go on sale as a 2009 model sometime around the spring or summer of 2008.
Even Honda’s press literature concedes that the Accord Coupe Concept “reveals a totally new look for the next-generation Accord, along with key technologies for safety, fuel efficiency and performance.”
The Accord Coupe Concept is very close to production quality, in terms of finish and manufacturability, right down to its production-car tires. It has the classic flowing coupe look, with a long hood, fastback roof and short rear deck, yet in certain respects it’s also quite angular. Its prominent honeycomb grille has six distinct edges, and its projector beam headlights are recessed deeply into the front fenders under angular covers. This is also the most aggressive looking Accord yet, with sculpted lower-body cladding and quad exhaust outlets that scream “go fast.”
We can be quite sure that the next Accord will offer a choice between at least one four-cylinder engine and a V6. The V6 in the concept featured Honda’s i-VTEC variable valve timing, and the company says the next Accord V6 will be more fuel efficient, thanks to its next-generation Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology. This system de-activates every other cylinder when the car is cruising under light load to reduce fuel consumption.
The auto-show buzz suggested the next Accord coupe will feature another first, which Honda officials didn’t deny: a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The recently launched Acura RDX features Honda’s first turbocharged production engine in a car or truck in North America. By its design and performance, that 240-hp 2.3-liter four would be nicely suited to a coupe of the Accord’s sporting intent.
Safety features in the next-generation Accord were established by Honda’s Safety for Everyone initiative, which set a baseline for standard equipment on all future models: front and side-impact airbags for front-seat occupants, curtain-style head protection airbags front and rear, electronic stability control, advanced anti-lock brakes and Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure. ACE incorporates a front-end frame structure designed to absorb and disperse crash energy over a large area in a frontal impact. It also makes the vehicle more crash compatible in impacts between vehicles of differing ride heights.
A concept car, maybe, but this much is clear. If you like the look of the Accord Coupe Concept, you will probably like the next Accord coupe. You should be able to buy one in 2008.
Source : http://nctd.com
Chevrolet Camaro
There was a strange time warp at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The calendar said it was January 2006 but the cars on display made many think the clock had been turned back more than three and a half decades.
On display were a new Shelby Mustang, a new Dodge Challenger and a new Chevrolet Camaro. The last time all of those constellations aligned was a quarter-century plus 11 years ago.
But it appears the pony car era, created in the mid-1960s with the birth of the original Ford Mustang and then resurrected a couple of years ago with the rebirth of the ‘69 Mustang as a 2005 model, is galloping again. Not only did Chevrolet unveil its Camaro concept but the Chrysler Group unveiled a very retro Dodge Challenger concept.
While the smoothly curvaceous Challenger looked like it was simply reissued, though in a somewhat more modern size because of its Chrysler LX underpinnings, the Camaro concept had a more contemporary and angular appearance that looked cutting edge, and we mean that both literally and figuratively.
This was not a retro or reissued ‘69 Camaro. In fact, some might have wondered if this car was designed in the Chevy studio at all. It’s edginess looked Cadillac inspired, and if all you caught was a quick glance through the crowd around the car, you might have thought you’d wandered out of the GM display and into the Mitsubishi stand.
GM says the Camaro concept is a “thoroughly modern interpretation of the classic sport coupe” with “dramatic design” and “responsive performance.”
GM still is working on the rear-wheel-drive Zeta platform on which a future production Camaro would be built. The concept version was based on the same architecture as the Pontiac Solstice, though that platform was modified to accept a 400-horsepower, small-block V8 powertrain borrowed from the Chevrolet Corvette.
By using Active Fuel Management to shut off cylinders not needed for highway cruising, GM figures the modern Camaro could achieve 30 miles per gallon in such circumstances, yet still provide the off-the-line muscle that made the pony cars appealing in the first place. Putting that power to the pavement in the concept cars are huge 22-inch rear wheels, with 21s up front to provide steering control and with 14-inch disc brake rotors to provide stopping power.
While the exterior has a modern edge and attitude, the interior has more retro styling cues with two large main gauges and with other gauges located at the front of the center console.
GM says the concept “is intended to explore customer reaction to design and engineering elements that might lead to an all-new version of the Camaro,” the Chevy pony car that ceased production after the 2002 model year.
The Camaro concept was unveiled at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. We’re looking for production to resume as soon as 2008.
Source : www.nctd.com
Honda Accord Coupe
Honda has offered a sneak peek at its next-generation Accord Coupe, and a revealing peek it is.
Company officials call the car pictured here a “concept,” but that description requires some context. Pure concept cars are a rarity at Honda Motor Co., and until now the company had not produced a concept car that carries the name of an existing model. Rest assured that the Accord Coupe Concept, revealed in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, is very close to the eighth-generation Accord that’s expected to go on sale as a 2009 model sometime around the spring or summer of 2008.
Even Honda’s press literature concedes that the Accord Coupe Concept “reveals a totally new look for the next-generation Accord, along with key technologies for safety, fuel efficiency and performance.”
The Accord Coupe Concept is very close to production quality, in terms of finish and manufacturability, right down to its production-car tires. It has the classic flowing coupe look, with a long hood, fastback roof and short rear deck, yet in certain respects it’s also quite angular. Its prominent honeycomb grille has six distinct edges, and its projector beam headlights are recessed deeply into the front fenders under angular covers. This is also the most aggressive looking Accord yet, with sculpted lower-body cladding and quad exhaust outlets that scream “go fast.”
We can be quite sure that the next Accord will offer a choice between at least one four-cylinder engine and a V6. The V6 in the concept featured Honda’s i-VTEC variable valve timing, and the company says the next Accord V6 will be more fuel efficient, thanks to its next-generation Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology. This system de-activates every other cylinder when the car is cruising under light load to reduce fuel consumption.
The auto-show buzz suggested the next Accord coupe will feature another first, which Honda officials didn’t deny: a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The recently launched Acura RDX features Honda’s first turbocharged production engine in a car or truck in North America. By its design and performance, that 240-hp 2.3-liter four would be nicely suited to a coupe of the Accord’s sporting intent.
Safety features in the next-generation Accord were established by Honda’s Safety for Everyone initiative, which set a baseline for standard equipment on all future models: front and side-impact airbags for front-seat occupants, curtain-style head protection airbags front and rear, electronic stability control, advanced anti-lock brakes and Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure. ACE incorporates a front-end frame structure designed to absorb and disperse crash energy over a large area in a frontal impact. It also makes the vehicle more crash compatible in impacts between vehicles of differing ride heights.
A concept car, maybe, but this much is clear. If you like the look of the Accord Coupe Concept, you will probably like the next Accord coupe. You should be able to buy one in 2008.
Source : www.nctd.com
Nissan Altima Coupe
The Nissan Altima midsize sedan is about to get a new sibling, a two-door coupe version that should offer the sporty handling and performance that characterize the sedan.
Like Toyota with its Camry sedan and Solara coupe, Honda with its Accord sedan and coupe, Chrysler with its Sebring sedan and retractable-roof coupe, and Pontiac with its G6 sedan and coupe, Nissan will offer a midsize vehicle for those who don’t need a four-door sedan.
The Altima coupe was unveiled at the LA Auto Show, where its sleek design drew a lot of traffic. Many who saw the vehicle for the first time thought it was Nissan’s most attractive styling effort since the launch of the Infiniti G35 coupe, the upscale coupe that shares its underpinnings with the Nissan 350Z sports car.
The Altima coupe shares its underpinnings with the Altima sedan, so it has front-wheel drive.
Like the Altima sedan, the coupe will be available with the choice of a 175-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine or a 270-hp 3.5-liter V6. Buyers will have their choice between a six-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission, or CVT.
The coupe design features a five-sided grille set between large headlamps that sweep back over the front fenders. The windshield is raked back to reinforce the coupe’s sporty design. The coupe’s roofline is 2.5 inches lower than the sedan’s and flows back into a long and nicely sculpted tail section that narrows between wide shoulders above prominent wheel arches. The tail treatment includes a spoiler edge to the rear deck lid and large tail lamps that accentuate the car’s sporty styling and enhance its wide stance.
Inside, the cockpit features trim with a metallic finish. Nissan has applied a “Fine Vision” title to the design of the instrument panel and gauges. The coupe has a standard “intelligent” key with push-button starting, sports-style front seats and various storage compartments.
A Bose audio system and Bluetooth hands-free telephone are among the options.
Safety features will include front and side airbags for the front seats and side-curtain airbags that cover both rows.
The back seat offers a 60/40 split and folding seatback that provides expanded cargo capacity.
While based on the Altima sedan, the coupe is smaller, by 7.1 inches in overall length and by 4.0 inches in wheelbase. The suspension will be tuned to provide the driver with a more nimble responsiveness. That suggests the coupe will offer sportier handling than the Altima sedan, already among the sportiest entries in the class.
Source : www.nctd.com
Saturday, March 24, 2007
JetBlue cancels 100 flights due to storm; most are to or from JFK
JetBlue canceled 215 flights Friday because of a winter storm on the East Coast, aiming to avoid the days of cancellations and criticism that followed a storm last month, an airline spokesman said.
The cancellations affected about one-third of all JetBlue flights. More than 200 of them involved flights to or from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, said airline spokesman Sebastian White.
He said a few flights also were affected at New York's LaGuardia Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, and Boston's Logan International Airport. In addition, the airline had canceled 15 flights Thursday night, White said.
The cancellations came as the National Weather Service forecast three to six inches of snow and sleet in New York City, with more or less in its suburbs, depending on their location, according to meteorologist Peter Wichrowski.
The storm was moving up the East Coast early Friday as moist air from the southeast chugged toward a cold front over New York City and the northeast, he said. While the weather was springlike in New York only a day before, 'We're still in March, officially not out of the winter season,' Wichrowski said. 'You still can see these potent storms this time of year.'
JetBlue has been under pressure to do better in bad weather since passengers were stranded in planes at Kennedy for up to 10 1/2 hours during a storm last month. JetBlue was unable to resume normal operations for days afterward because flight crews weren't where they were supposed to be.
White said Friday's cancellations were intended to insure that crews would be available where needed, and that departure gates would be free in case weather forced planes to return, he said.
'We're hopeful the plans we have in place will be effective and allow us to recover quickly,' he said early Friday.
JetBlue has been striving to regain customers' esteem since a Feb. 14 snow and ice storm left hundreds of passengers marooned on parked planes at Kennedy. The airline had hoped to get through the storm without canceling flights, but later acknowledged it waited too long to ask airport authorities for help getting passengers off the stranded planes.
'We've always tried to take a wait-and-see approach with the weather ... believing that people want to get to their destination late, rather than never,' White said Friday. But since the Feb. 14 storm _ and the maelstrom of complaints that followed _ JetBlue has had 'a shift in thinking,' he said.
The airline pre-emptively canceled 66 flights on Feb. 26 because of snow. JetBlue representatives said the strategy succeeded in making sure the airline could resume normal service quickly, though some passengers expressed frustration.
In the last month, JetBlue also has unveiled a customer bill of rights that promises vouchers to passengers who experience delays. The airline also ran full-page newspaper advertisements apologizing to customers about the Valentine's Day problems.
Passengers whose flights were canceled Friday were offered refunds or a chance to rebook travel through April 30 without paying a fee for the change, White said.
New York-based JetBlue Airways Corp. normally operates about 600 flights a day to various destinations in the United States, Bermuda and the Caribbean.
South Pasadena tunnel plan may advance
In an effort to end a decades-old standoff over freeway expansion, Los Angeles County transportation officials are set to take a small but significant step today toward tunneling under South Pasadena to connect the 710 and 210 freeways. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board is expected to give the go-ahead for preliminary engineering and technical studies for building an underground freeway. A vocal group of South Pasadena residents opposes any effort to close a 6.2-mile gap in the 710 Freeway between Alhambra and Pasadena, including this one.
But the tunnel idea seems to be taking hold in surrounding cities. 'This community, along with every other community in the San Gabriel Valley, is negatively impacted by air pollution, traffic congestion on local streets and lost family time spent idling on freeways every day of the week,' the Monterey Park City Council wrote in a letter urging the MTA board to fund the studies. City council members from Alhambra, El Monte, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino and South El Monte want the freeway gap closed - any way possible. An estimated 100,000 cars a day empty onto Alhambra streets near where the 710 Freeway ends at Valley Boulevard. The state Department of Transportation has been locked in legal battles with South Pasadena and its residents for decades over the proposed demolition of homes to extend the freeway. A few years ago, Caltrans and the MTA joined to examine the feasibility of building tunnels as a possible alternative. A preliminary study last year found that building twin 4.5-mile tunnels to connect the freeways was physically, environmentally and financially feasible. The project would cost about $3 billion and take nine to 11 years to complete. Some MTA board members are pushing the proposal forward. But Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina, who heads the MTA, expressed concern about dumping millions of dollars into studying a project without a firm board commitment to build it. 'I don't want to spent $13 million on studies if we are going to get politically impotent at the end of the day,' Molina told her colleagues during a committee meeting last week. If there is no political will to extend the freeway, Molina advised MTA board members to consider pulling the plug now and spend the money on projects more likely to be built. Board members John Fasana and Richard Katz, among others, support the tunnel studies. Completing the 710 Freeway would cut traffic in downtown Los Angeles by 20%, Katz said. Currently, commuters traveling between Long Beach and the San Fernando Valley must go through downtown L.A. or get off the freeway and travel through San Gabriel Valley neighborhoods. 'For 30 years, the tail has wagged the dog on this thing,' said Katz, a board appointee of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. 'It is time to bring relief to the rest of the county.' But La Ca ada Flintridge officials oppose further study of the tunnel idea. And city officials in South Pasadena and Pasadena are wary of the MTA study process. They fear that further review would prematurely commit the agency to building the tunnels. La Ca ada Flintridge city leaders question why the MTA would put any money toward a project that, they say, would 'worsen traffic for communities in adjacent areas' and adversely affect communities along the 210 Freeway, including La Crescenta and Glendale. South Pasadena Mayor Philip Putman called the preliminary feasibility study completed last year inadequate. He wants the MTA to define the project's scope, including proposed routes, so it can be properly assessed.
'This analysis has to be done before we go into the environmental study,' Putman said. MTA board members assured him that the engineering and technical studies would not automatically result in a formal environmental review but that the data collected for them could be used in a future environment impact report. 'We anticipate doing a lot of technical work,' said Doug Failing, regional director for the state Department of Transportation, the project's lead agency. The studies would take at least 18 months to complete.
Western Express trucking says it will buy Iowa carrier
Nashville-based truckload carrier Western Express Inc. is buying an Iowa company in a $90 million deal that will be the second such merger involving a local transportation player in recent months.
The acquisition of Fort Dodge, Iowa-based Smithway Motor Xpress Corp. should make Western one of the U.S.'s top 15 truckload carriers. It also gives the company a presence in the Midwest.
"We're excited about the prospects," said Rick Prickett, chief financial officer of Western.
More than two-thirds of Western's trucks are enclosed vans that move freight in the Southeast and Northeast. About 72 percent of Smithway's are flatbeds that run in the Midwest.
Smithway's shareholders will get $10.63 in cash for each share they own. That amounts to $54 million. The total sales price of $90 million includes Western taking on Smithway's debt, the companies said.
If the deal closes as scheduled by summer, Smithway would become a subsidiary of Western Express, which would remain a closely held company. In late 2005, though, Western made an initial filing with securities regulators for a public offering of stock. Prickett declined to comment on Western's current IPO plans but said the filing almost a year and a half ago that sought to raise as much as $90 million was delayed by a weak market for trucking stocks at the time.
Deals worth $3.9 billion
There have been lots of mergers in the trucking industry lately.
There were 32 mergers and acquisitions worth $3.9 billion announced in the United States last year, according to tracking by Bloomberg LP. That was up from 18 deals worth $3.4 billion the previous year.
Statewide, three deals worth $103 million occurred last year, including the $82 million acquisition of Nashville-based Star Transportation by Chattanooga-based Covenant Transport Inc.
"Clearly bigger is better," said Beth Franklin, Star's former chief executive officer who remains a consultant. "Margins in our industry have gotten so squeezed that you have to be large to command the buying power for fuel and equipment — to be able to stay competitive in the current rate environment."
Franklin, however, said there are signs that demand for trucking services is picking up.
Douglas C. Sandvig, chief financial officer of Smithway, said the company took Western's offer because the companies complement each other. Also, Marlys Smith, the widow of Smithway's deceased founder and former CEO William G. Smith, controls more than 50 percent of its voting stock and apparently wanted to cash in.
The combined company would operate roughly 3,000 trucks. Western was ranked the 28th-largest U.S. truckload carrier, based on 2005 revenues of $262 million by Transport Topics, an industry trade publication. Smithway was ranked No. 34, with revenues of $220 million that year. For 2006, Smithway had net earnings of $4.3 million on revenues of $228.8 million.
Smithway's stock rose $1.32 a share, closing at $10.32 in trading Friday.
Fliers want low fares and to be on time, but can airlines deliver?
ATLANTA — How do you turn a profit and make the customer happy at the same time, especially with less staff and fewer available seats?
That question is front and center of late for the slimmed-down airlines with flight delays, computer glitches, lost baggage and weather-related problems getting more attention. Airlines started the week still struggling with delays and cancellations caused by an ice storm in the Northeast over the St. Patrick's Day weekend, and on Wednesday, JetBlue Airways Corp. lowered its 2007 profit outlook, partly because of a rash of weather-related cancellations.
There's only so much the airlines can do when it snows or ice freezes the runways, and system malfunctions can happen from time to time. But with the airlines laser-focused on controlling costs and turning profits, customers have a right to expect more for their money, travel watchers say.
"We've had a race to the bottom in the airline industry to see who can operate an airline with the least amount of people," said Terry Trippler, a Minneapolis-based airline expert. "I don't know which airline has won, but I know the consumer has lost."
The number of total employees fell from 672,294 at the end of 2000 to 529,590 at the end of 2005 among U.S. carriers designated as major airlines by the Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Meanwhile, government data shows U.S. carriers did a poorer job of on-time performance and baggage handling in January compared to a year earlier. The 20 airlines reporting had an on-time arrival rate of 73.1 percent in January, down from 78.8 percent a year earlier, and 8.19 reports of mishandled baggage per 1,000 passengers, up from 6.93 a year ago, according to the DOT.
David Castelveter, a spokesman for the Air Transport Association, said it's unfair to blame airlines for things that are often beyond their control — like weather-related delays. And while he acknowledged major airlines have reduced capacity and cut staff in recent years, he said they haven't lost sight of the importance of good customer service.
"I think it is a convenient argument for people to make that downsizing has increased delay times," Castelveter said. "I find that to be unsubstantiated."
He said that while having fewer available seats doesn't always provide for a customer to quickly get to his or her destination when a flight is delayed or canceled, "there are many cases where there are seats available."
Widely publicized gaffes lately have not made things easy for the airlines.
New York-based JetBlue suffered a public relations fiasco after a storm on Valentine's Day caused widespread operational delays. The airline, which could not resume a normal schedule for days, adopted a customer bill of rights after reports that passengers were stranded for hours on grounded planes.
Earlier this month, Tempe, Ariz.-based US Airways Group Inc. was affected by computer glitches that started shutting down hundreds of check-in kiosks. Problems with self-service kiosks in several cities began after the airline put a new computerized reservation system in place. The malfunctioning kiosks resulted in an unspecified number of flight delays.
JetBlue spokeswoman Alison Eshelman said it's reasonable for passengers to expect a lot from the airlines.
"We want to hold ourselves to very high standards," she said. "When there are weather delays, they can know exactly what to expect from us."
US Airways' Phil Gee said airlines should be prepared to handle any situation.
"We're in the customer service business and the customers expect good customer service every time they fly," he said.
They also want low fares.
Dawn Van Meeteren said her family wouldn't want to pay more for a ticket, even if it means fewer delays.
"It's expensive now as it is!" the Bellflower, Calif., woman said while standing in the baggage claim area of Los Angeles International Airport after a recent US Airways flight from Houston.
Besides, sometimes delays bring perks. Her brother Timothy once got bumped up to first class and received a discounted ticket for the hassle.
"Things happen and you can't control them all the time," Timothy Van Meeteren said.
One of the things the airlines can do is be proactive, especially when preparing for inclement weather, said James Whitehurst, chief operating officer of Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines Inc.
"We shouldn't have excuses as airlines," Whitehurst said. "We know weather happens. We need to have processes in place. We need to have contingencies in place."
"I don't want to say we can always fly through a storm," he noted, but then added, "It's up to us to invest in the technology and the processes so we can recover quickly."
Whitehurst said on-time performance is ultimately about execution.
"In the end, the root cause of why we are in bankruptcy is because we lost sight on the customer," Whitehurst said.
The company's reorganization has led it to focus more on service.
"The good news from our perspective, we've been out of the press because we've been delivering better," Whitehurst said.
FAA Picks Plan To Make Airspace More Efficient
The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday said it has chosen a new flight pattern for the congested airspace around New York and Philadelphia that will ease delays, but also lead to noisy jets flying over some communities for the first time.
The redesign plan involves alterations to the airborne highways over 31,000 square miles in five states, and will usher in changes big and small for people living near the new routes.
FAA officials said the option they selected, over three competing plans, will bring desperately needed efficiency to a patchwork airspace map that has been unchanged since the 1960s.
The new system will save an estimated 12 million minutes in delays a year at the region's four major airports-a reduction the FAA said could save the airlines as much as $720 million a year.
The downside will be that some people in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut will hear planes rumbling overhead for the first time.
Some elected officials immediately assailed the FAA's plan for not doing enough to keep planes away from people's homes.
U.S. senators Robert Menendez and Frank R. Lautenberg, both New Jersey Democrats, said the plan would bring unacceptable, elevated noise levels to 300,000 people in the state, particularly in northern Bergen County, Gloucester County, Essex County, and Union County.
"Your proposal will have massive negative quality of life implications for hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans, and reduce property values for many in our state," the senators wrote in a letter to FAA Administrator Marion Blakey.
They called on the plan to be reevaluated "with aircraft noise reduction as a major design element."
U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, a Democrat whose district lies just west of Philadelphia International Airport, said Congress should intervene and prevent the plan from being implemented.
"The idea is to say, 'What do we need to do to hold off here and see planning done appropriately, and be a model for the
future?"' FAA program manager Steve Kelley said the agency is working on a variety of plans to ease noise, like routing planes over less densely populated areas and having jets descend in a way that uses less engine power.
The $50 million, six-year redesign involved an analysis of the approach and departure routes from 21 airports, but it will have its biggest effect on John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, Philadelphia International and LaGuardia.
Those four airports, along with Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, had the highest percentage of delayed flights in 2006.
Increased air travel is expected to make things even worse over the next decade.
"If we do nothing to address those delays, that traffic will increase and the delays will increase in turn," Kelley said.
The essence of the FAA's plan involves expanding and simplifying the space in which planes going to and from the airports are allowed to operate.
The FAA rejected plans that would kept the system as-is, made milder modifications to existing routes, or sent more planes out over the Atlantic Ocean.
Final approval of the proposal won't take place until at least August. The FAA plans to spend the next few months discussing ways to reduce noise in communities that will be seeing more flights.
U.S. Gov't Tentatively OKs Virgin Plan
The Transportation Department on Tuesday removed a barrier to fledgling airline Virgin America's plans to start U.S. operations, saying the company was 'back on track' toward complying with laws limiting foreign control of a domestic carrier.
The agency gave a tentative OK to a revised plan filed in January by Burlingame, Calif.-based Virgin America, saying the revised plan 'should meet U.S. ownership rules' that cap foreign control of a U.S. airline at 25 percent. One required change is that Virgin America replace CEO Fred Reid.
In December, the Transportation Department tentatively denied Virgin America's application to fly, mainly because of its ties to British entrepreneur Richard Branson _ the billionaire who came up with the idea for a new U.S. airline that would offer travelers more comfort at a lower cost than the industry's long-established powers. Branson hired Reid.
Several of the major U.S. airlines, including AMR Corp.'s American Airlines, Delta Air Lines Inc. and Continental Airlines Inc., have spearheaded the drive to prevent Virgin America from flying.
Refusing to bow to the resistance, Virgin America in January a long list of concessions to the Transportation Department to allay regulators' concerns. Virgin America's proposed reforms included selling more stock to U.S. investors, eliminating one of the three board seats awarded Branson's Virgin Group and, if necessary, firing Reid.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
The Vauxhall [Vauxhall quotes] Corsa 1.3 CDTi won the Supermini category, and was the overall runner-up.
OKYO, March 22 (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co. (7267.T: Quote, Profile, Research), Japan’s second-biggest auto maker, said on Thursday it would recall more than 390,000 vehicles in Japan due to faulty components in the fuel pump and oil feed pipe. Honda said it would also fix the hydraulic pump in more than 290,000 Odyssey and Elysion models, boosting the total cost of repair to about 5 billion yen ($43 million).
Honda said the defect in the fuel pump could cause the engine to stop and fail to restart, although no accidents stemming from the trouble have been reported. The 13 models subject to the recall of 298,231 units include Accord, Civic, Civic hybrid, Odyssey, Life and Fit manufactured between April and October 2005.
The company has already announced the recall of more than 200,000 vehicles in overseas markets due to the same fuel pump defect.
In another case, Honda will recall 96,061 units of Vamos and Vamos Hobio models made between January 2000 and March 2007 because of a faulty oil feed pipe that could start a fire and burn engine components.
Two cases of fire have been reported due to the defect.
Shares in Honda rose 1 percent to 4,200 yen on Thursday, compared with a 1.49 percent rise in the Nikkei average (.N225: Quote, Profile, Research).
($1=117.51 Yen)
((Reporting by Sachi Izumi, editing by Mike Miller; Reuters Messaging: sachi.izumi.reuters.com@reuters.net; +81-3-3432-8587; sachi.izumi@reuters.com)) Keywords: HONDA RECALL/
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Honda Civic: best green car award
The Environmental Transport Association has announced the winners and loser in its 2007 Car Buyers’ Guide. The awards rank cars by their environmental impact and awards the best cars in class.
The Honda Civic wins the overall award for the second time in two years, and also wins the Small Family Car category.
The Vauxhall [Vauxhall quotes] Corsa 1.3 CDTi won the Supermini category, and was the overall runner-up.
The Toyota RAV4 five-door diesel and the Jaguar XJ 2.7 diesel won their respective classes of Best Off-roader and best Luxury vehicle.
The Car Buyers´ Guide awards rankings in terms of power, CO2 emissions, fuel consumption, noise and safety.
The Guide also names the worst offenders in terms of damage to the environment with Lamborghini Diablo Roadster named worst offender for the third year running, and the Murcielago Roadster taking second place.
“The issue is that people are still buying cars that are much too big for their real needs,” explained Andrew Davis, director of the ETA.
“Large off-roaders, like the Jeep Cherokee or the Porsche Cayenne, highlighted as the worst Off-road cars are three times as damaging to the environment as, for example, a Mazda 6, winner in the Large Family Car category.
Consumer pressure
“It is not surprising that the winner this year is again the Honda Civic Hybrid. What is more striking is the huge range between the best and worst - the greenest and the least green cars in Britain today.
“Manufacturers don´t make cars that consumers won´t buy. It needs consumer pressure alongside government leadership to help persuade manufacturers to allow us the choice to buy cars that are more environmentally sound.”
The winner for the first an Innovation Award was Saab for its Bio Power Flex-Fuel Technology. Saab has developed the first production car that runs on E85 bio fuel.
Top ten cars in this year´s Car Buyer´s Guide:
• Honda - Civic Hybrid
• Vauxhall - Corsa 1.3CTDi
• Toyota - Yaris 1.4 D-4D Manual
• Renault - Modus 1.2 16V VVT
• Daihatsu - Sirion M300
• Citroen - C1 1.1
• Toyota - Aygo 1.0 Manual
• Peugeot - 107 Manual
• Daihatsu - Charade Manual
• Fiat - Panda 1.3
The worst ten cars in the Car Buyer´s Guide:
• Lamborghini - Diablo Roadster
• Lamborghini - Murcielago Roadster
• Ferrari - Supermerica
• Ferrari - Scaglietti
• Bentley - Azure
• Bentley - Arnage RL
• Aston Martin - Vanquish
• Aston Martin - DB9 Manual
• Bentley - Continental Flying Spur
• Ferrari - Spider
Audi TT tuning door JE Design
Het optische pakket voor de TT, welke een halfjaar geleden al door JE Design werd aangekondigd, is eindelijk klaar. Het gaat oa om 20-inch porno, twee dubbele uitlaatpijpjes, een dikke voorspoiler en sportvering. Wat betreft vermogen krijgt de 2,0 TFSI zo’n 244 pk en 355 Nm, ook komt men binnenkort met een kompressorkit voor de 3,2 liter V6: 350 pk.
JE DESIGN sets the the 2,0 Litre-TFSI motor under heavy pressure. Following alterations to the motor control system, the turbo gasoline-engine car has 180kW / 244HP at 5100 RPM (series produced: 147kW / 200HP). The series produced 280 Nm increases to 355 Nm providing measurably improved elasticity values. Aside from this the TT races a clean 247 km/h (series produced: 240 km/h). Naturally customers can expect better acceleration. The TT from JE DESIGN wins from 0-100 magical mark in just 6 seconds. In accordance, this motor meets all emission regulation requirements. Additionally JE DESIGN supplied parts provided for enhanced power have been approved through TÜV: German Technical Inspection Association. 244 horsepower is a okay, but JE DESIGN already has scheduled to bring in the next big hammer. The Leingarten based tuners are in preparation of a compressor kit for the 3.2 Liter-V6 that elicits a Porsche-killing 350HP.
To leave a stronger mark in the rear mirror of other cars, JE DESIGN provides the TT with distinctive features of a two-part front spoiler mounted on the left and right front. Perfectly matching and connecting this components is a spoiler lip in carbon-look, which also enhances a touch of motorsports. In back, JE DESIGN throws in a diffuser-insert in carbon-look for use in combination with a JE DESIGN 4-pipe stainless steel exhaust silencer which especially creates a sporty sound with the 3.2 Liter-V6 motor. It can be fitted to the 2.0 TFSI version as well. Naturally, the exhaust silencer is delivered with EC-approval. The diffuser-inserts come alternatively in a standard version finished in matching car or contrast colour.
A discreet rear spoiler lip for lift reduction rounds up the new rear view. All aerodynamic components are constructed per CAD guaranteeing precision fitting. The front spoiler part as well as rear spoiler lip are constructed of high quality PU material and the diffuser-insert is of ABS-plastic.
Fiat Nuova 500 Versions From 1957 To 1975
Tuned Versions And Interpretations
The Abarths
Abarth is an Italian firm famous for tuning car engines for regular road use and for competition. At the 1957 Turin Motor Show, Carlo Abarth exhibited a version derived from a model just launched by Fiat which boosted the standard delivery of 13 bhp to 20 bhp, and the top speed from 85 km/h to 100 km/h, without altering engine capacity.
And at the same Show, Abarth teamed up with Pininfarina to exhibit a delightful coupe version of the 500. In 1958, Carlo Abarth, who was Austrian by birth but lived in Turin, built a 500 GT with Zagato. In 1963 the 595 saloon 1st series appeared, with an engine derived from the 500 D and a power output of 30 bhp. It was totally re-engineered compared to the basic version, and could be ordered as a ready assembled car or as a kit for an extra 145,000 lire. Several evolutions of the 595 appeared in 1964, the 595 SS convertible saloon, the 695, and the 695 SS in 1965 and 1966.
Over the years, 500 Abarths became icons and introduced the fashion of tuning one’s own car to Italy, to the point that customers unable to purchase an Abarth would at least try to get hold of the styling accessories. As a result, there were a number of entirely normal Fiat 500 Ds on the road that resembled the 595, stylistically at least.
The 500 Giannini
Talk of tuned Fiat 500s should include a mention of Domenico and Attilio Giannini, two brothers from Rome. Their company, which was created as a mechanical repair shop, was linked to the Itala in the 1920s, and in the 1930s Giannini began to modify Fiat cars, including the Topolino, and the Nuova 500 from 1957. The years up to 1960 were the best for Giannini, which opened branches and workshops, and launched several tuning kits, in addition to complete modified cars, both for everyday use and competition.
Coachbuilders and the ‘modified’ 500
Numerous coachbuilders and stylists also worked on the 500, including Vignale who launched the Gamine model based on the 500 F, Moretti (who also worked on an electric engine), Francis Lombardi with his 2-seater coupé, the Coccinella, and Fissore, who tried his hand both with a coupé and, in 1966, with an off-roader, the 500 Ranger, which boasted sturdier engineering borrowed from both the 500 and the 600, but still had two-wheel drive to the rear wheels.
Opel Corsa OPC: Opel turns its sub-compact city car into an Autobahn-ready screamer.
Opel’s Corsa is a very popular compact tuning platform over in Europe. Open any European tuning rag and you’ll see its pages littered with tuned and tweaked versions of GM Germany’s feisty two door. The aftermarket business is just as popular in Europe as it is in the U.S. and Japan, and Euro tuners (the people) spend billions of Euros (the money) a year on tricking out their rides.
Opel sees this healthy aftermarket as billions of Euro in lost profits. Why should a Corsa owner send his/her cash and car over to Steinmetz when GM can build a hot Corsa right from the factory? To fill the public’s growing need for a fast hatch, Opel has built its fastest Corsa ever - the Corsa OPC. Opel fans (all two of you in the U.S.) may already be familiar with the “OPC” name, as GM Germany has slapped the badge on other tuned Opels such as the Astra and Vectra. With the introduction of the Corsa OPC, the total number of factory-tuned Opels gets bumped up to six.
So what makes the Corsa OPC so special? Well, it’s a hatch of the “hot” variety, meaning its engine and suspension have been built up considerably. This Corsa gets its motivation from a turbocharged 1.6 liter inline four that pushes out 192 bhp and 230 Nm (169 lb.-ft.) of torque. Those numbers aren’t bad - especially considering the engine’s diminutive size. Still Opel knows that Corsa OPC drivers will sometimes find themselves wanting an extra bit of power, so an overboost system was added to allow the engine to temporarily increase its torque by 15 percent.
All this power, plus the close-ratio six-speed manual transmission can get the Corsa OPC from null to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 7.2 seconds. Top speed in the Corsa is a respectable 225 km/h (139.8 mph) - not bad for a car with “just” a 1.6.
With the Corsa OPC being a real “Euro-tuned” ride, a lot of attention was given to the car’s suspension set up. Opel - being based in Germany and all - tuned the hot Corsa on the famed Nurburgring Nordschleife. Upgrades to the suspension made include a stronger rear axle profile, revised springs and dampers that drop the ride height by 15 mm and a revised stability control program (which can be turned completely off if so desired). 17-inch wheels come standard, but 18-inchers are optional. The car’s internally-ventilated brake discs measure a hefty 308 mm in the front and 264 mm in the rear.
Part of the appeal of a hot hatch is its appearance. Special attention was given to the Corsa OPC’s exterior so that it would appeal to the German boy-racer types that will likely be all over this thing. The OPC’s front end gets a more aggressive treatment, as does the rear - check out that triangle-shaped exhaust in the center. The car’s side mirrors and rear wing are also OPC-exclusive.
Special attention has been paid to the OPC’s cockpit as well. Depending on the vehicle color chosen, some of the OPC’s interior trim pieces (such as the rings around the vents) will be given a silver or blue color. The Opel OPC’s front racing buckets were developed in conjunction with super seat maker Recaro. These seats are said to offer all the support that a traditional racing bucket has with the added safety and security of integrated side airbags.
The Opel Corsa OPC is now available for order in Europe for a rather affordable (for Europe) 22,560 Euros ($30,204). With exchange rates being what they are (and given Americans’ dislike for small vehicles), there’s a near 100-percent chance that we’ll never see the Corsa OPC here in the States. Still, one never knows… If Saturn’s new Opel - the Astra - is a huge sales success for GM’s U.S. side, we just may see the Corsa offered here. Again, the chances of that happening are slim to none - so get your fill of the Corsa OPC by clicking on our Media Page.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Bose Car Stereo Packed with Modern Features, 30GB HDD
Leave it to Bose to provide you with a comprehensive auto music system. The venerable audio products manufacturer has gone totally modern with the Bose Media System, a car audio system that incorporates traditional and modern technology into something that looks like it would fit in cars of today or of 20 years ago.
The duality of features includes AM/FM radio, CD playback, and satellite radio. Keeping with the modern theme, the company has added MP3 player plug-in and management and a 30GB hard drive, for storing all manner of audio data for your listening pleasure.
Typical of this manufacturer is the uMusic system, which takes intelligent playback to a new level by identifying similar songs based on your “mood” as exemplified by whatever you just chose to play.
We have this nice picture, but we don’t have nice and tidy pricing or availability. If history is any indication, however, the price will be a bit higher than most similar systems.
Car Review: B&W and Jaguar team up
Swanky XKR Portfolio to get equally swanky British-made sound system.
Jaguar has drafted in British speaker maker extraordinaire Bowers & Wilkins to create the in-car “audio experience” for its new XKR Portfolio sports jalopy.
The system, which includes B&W signatures like improved dispersion Kevlar mid-range speakers and extended high-frequency performance aluminium tweeters, is the first in-car system the company has made.
According to B&W’s boffins, the Kevlar helps maintain the “sonic purity” of the signal, spreading sound evenly across the frequency range – which results in a clearer, more detailed sound hitting your lugholes as you put pedal to the metal. The system was also calibrated by the same B&W engineers that tune the company’s 800 Diamond Series speakers – the self same noise-bricks used as the audio reference in Abbey Road studios.
The system will be fitted as standard in all XKR Portfolios, which Jaguar expects to be available in early summer. We’ve got ours reserved already.
Car Review: New Lexus LS 460
The brand of car you drive is still vitally important to most UK new car buyers despite the constraints of ever increasing ‘green’ and personal taxes and chronic traffic congestion that blights any road journey.
At the premium end of the executive car market the German big three still dominate sales, BMW, Mercedes and Audi with Jaguar in contention as well. But the fast emerging brand is the premium make from Toyota, namely Lexus.
Lexus [Lexus quotes] UK sales are climbing rapidly, another record year in 2006 with nearly 15,000 cars and SUVs sold, an increase of 40% over 2005. Already this year UK sales are up again by nearly 2%. Since 1991 Lexus has been the best selling luxury brand in the USA and in more recent years it has produced a significant number of converts in Europe as well.
The Lexus range has a new luxury flagship, the LS 460. This is the fourth generation of this model and it went on sale in January this year.
For the first time the LS is being offered as a range rather than a single model. Currently there are three versions, the LS 460 costing £57,000, the LS 460 SE at £65,000 and the LS 460 SE-L at a not inconsiderable £71,000.
All share the same all-new 4.6-litre, V8 petrol engine and the world’s first eight-speed automatic transmission. Soon these models will be joined by the LS 600h, the world’s first petrol-electric hybrid power car in the segment. A long wheelbase version of this model will also be introduced taking it into the limousine sector.
Lexus GB expects to sell 500 LS 460 models this year and another 250 of the forthcoming petrol-hybrid variants.
Lexus see the Audi A8, BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class as the main opposition and when price adjusted for specification they say the Lexus LS 460 works out cheaper because the standard specification is higher. You virtually do not need an options list for the LS 460 range, the models have it all although there are a few luxury and safety technology packs the owner might choose for their bespoke car of choice.
The sensational Mercedes S-Class is still ‘top dog’ in the luxury sector although with all the added extras it is very expensive. Like for like Lexus say the S-Class costs £19,000 more than their top LS model. In the end for well off customers it will come down to brand exclusivity and Mercedes still has the edge – just.
Technology, quality of construction, fully comprehensive levels of equipment and driving refinement at a competitive price are the current hallmarks of Lexus and we can now almost add brand desirability.
The new LS is 15mm longer overall, 45mm wider and has a 45mm longer wheelbase. The sleek design features prominent wheelarches and a deep front air dam, giving the car a stronger, more muscular appearance.
The LS 460’s intelligent technology extends to the ergonomics, the feel and function of the switchgear and the enhanced visibility of the Optitron instrumentation. The attention to detail even extends to the surface of each button being shaped to alternate between concave and convex to make individual controls easy to find, and to each lid in the cabin opening in the same direction and at the same speed.
Lexus say the new LS 460 has a higher content of sophisticated safety technology than any other car.
These elements are contained in a new advanced Pre-Crash Safety system, a package that is provided as standard on the LS 460 SE-L and which is available as an option on other versions. They include four world firsts in preventive safety: an Advanced Obstacle Detection System, Driver Monitoring System, Emergency Steering Assist and Rear Pre-Crash Safety.
A ‘big brother is watching you’ feature comes in the form of the Driver Monitoring System. This constantly monitors side-to-side movement of the driver’s head, using an infrared camera mounted on the steering column.
If it detects the driver has his or her head turned away from the road ahead when the car is moving and an obstacle is detected in its path, the system activates the Pre-Crash warning function. If the driver still fails to respond, the brakes are briefly applied. If both actions fail to gain a response, all the other Pre-Crash functions are engaged.
Other features include front and side laminated windows, four-zone air conditioning with the world’s first Roof Climate Diffusers (SE and SE-L models), a high-speed satellite navigation system with traffic avoidance function and Electronic Multi-Vision touch-screen display, and voice command recognition for control of audio, ventilation, navigation and Bluetooth hands-free phone functions. The LS 460 is the first car in its class to provide a rear parking assist monitor as standard.
The standard 10-speaker sound system has a single-slot six-disc in-dash CD autochanger and additional audio controls mounted on the steering wheel. For the ultimate in on-board entertainment, the SE and SE-L models are equipped with the latest 19-speaker, 450W Mark Levinson Reference Surround System (optional on LS 460).
Using the Electro Multi Vision display screen, it delivers a complete, discrete 5.1 home theatre entertainment experience for music, music videos and DVD movies.
Rear seat passengers can enjoy the system using a retractable, ceiling-mounted nine-inch LCD wide screen while the car is moving. The front screen can only be used when the vehicle is stationary.
The LS 460 is powered by a new 4,608cc V8 petrol normally aspirated engine, which says Lexus, is the most technologically advanced unit they have built. Maximum output is 375bhp at 6,400rpm and maximum torque 493Nm at 4,100rpm.
Matched to a new eight-speed automatic transmission, the V8 will accelerate the LS 460 from nought to 62mph in 5.7 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 155mph.
In spite of these performance figures, the engine is also one of the most economical among V8s returning 25.4mpg in combined cycle driving, 22.9mpg actual figure during my road test. CO2 emissions of 261g/km put it in Band G for a £210 vehicle excise duty rating.
Summing up what can I add - it is refinement personified. It is whisper quiet, smooth as silk, the engine is so quiet and matched to the eight-speed automatic transmission the gearchanges are seamless. The ride comfort is refined, the steering could do with more feel and feedback, but most users will not even notice that.
Virtually everything about the car is high quality, from the luxurious interior to the technical wizardry under its skin. It is not imposing or stunning to look at, it does lack soul when being driven, you could say it is clinically perfect, and some would agree it has understated class. It will be an acquired taste.
MILESTONES
Lexus LS 460 SE-L
Engine: 4.6-litre, V8, normally aspirated, 4-valves per cylinder with variable valve timing, 375bhp, 493Nm of torque
Transmission: 8-speed automatic, rear wheel drive
Performance: 155mph (limited), 0-62mph 5.7 seconds, 25.4mpg (22.9mpg actual), CO2 261g/km
VED: Band G £210
Insurance group: 19E
For: Fully equipped, technology masterpiece, reasonably luxurious, roomy, generally looks well made, whisper quiet and smooth engine, seamless gear changes.
Against: Lifeless steering, instrument label strip coming unstuck, lacks S-Class finesse and must- have status.
New car 2007: Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid Fuel Mid-Size SUV
The gas/electric hybrid, called the “Green Line,” is the only SUV from GM with this engine configuration. The Saturn Vue is a compact SUV built on a mid-size truck platform, the same as other General Motors products including the Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent SUVs.
Personally, I would like to see all compact passenger vehicles get well over 30 MPG in town and over 40 on the highway. Anything less is wasteful. The technology exists, yet the automakers don’t use it. It’s a shame, especially when you consider that China’s fuel-economy standards are higher than our own.
The Saturn Vue Green Line’s gas/electric hybrid engine provided about a 20% increase in fuel economy over similar vehicles with gasoline-only engines. That’s not much when you consider you’re starting at around 22 MPG on the highway for a gas powered engine and getting 25 from the hybrid.
Both the hybrids and the gasoline powered engines provide poor gas mileage. The Saturns — both gas powered, and hybrid fuel � get around-town mileage in the high teens and low 20s, and highway mileage in the mid-20s. That just isn’t enough to be considered environmentally friendly. You’ll save a little money on gas, but you won’t be doing much for the environment, nor decreasing our dependence on foreign oil.
Another annoyance — hopefully to be resolved by changes in the EPA’s reporting of fuel economy — was that our fuel tests found the reported EPA city mileage of the Green Line to be between 10 and 15% higher than actual, and the highway mileage to be 25% higher than actual. Tisk, tisk, tisk. Because the fuel savings just isn’t there we have compared the Saturn Vue Green Line to both hybrid fuel engine vehicles, and those with standard internal combustion engines powerd by gasoline.
Pros: Relatively inexpensive. Roomy interior for passengers. Lots of interior cargo space. Nice wide, flat cargo floor. Engine shuts off automatically when stopped, and turns on seamlessly.
Cons: No significant gas savings and little reduction in green house gas emissions. Poor acceleration. Road noise in cabin. Fold-flat passenger seats don’t fold flat.
MSRP: $17,475 - $23,710
Invoice: $16,339 - $22,169
Vehicle Price As Tested (including $625 destination charge): $23,750
Class: Compact Sport Utility Vehicle
EPA Mileage (city/highway): 27/32
Tested Mileage (city/highway): 25/23.5
Where Built: Springhill, Tennessee, USA
Fuel Capacity: 16.3
Options: Leather appointments package $755
Competition: Acura RDX, Ford Escape, Ford Escape Hybrid, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Compass, Jeep Patriot, Jeep Wrangler, Kia Sportage, Mercury Mariner, Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Mitsubishi Outlander, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota RAV4
Models and Versions
The 2007 Saturn Vue is available only in the compact sport utility format. It comes in a variety of configurations. The base model has a 4-cylinder, gasoline engine with two-wheel drive, and either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission.
There is an optional V6 engine version, that comes with 2-wheel drive, a 5-speed automatic transmission, traction control, and antilock brakes. The Saturn Vue Red Line has a V6 engine, All Wheel Drive (AWD), a 5-speed automatic transmission, traction control, and antilock brakes.
You can almost visualize Homer Simpson salivating over these pictures. While they look like giant doughnuts, these circular snowballs are better known
One of the biggest keys to BMW’s success has been its consistency.
Price and position in the lineup mean little: Whether it’s the entry-level Three Series or the top-of-the-heap Seven Series, performance, handling and comfort are top drawer.
And no wonder. BMW actually has somebody on staff whose job it is to ensure just that kind of “BMW-ness” in all of its products. You might say he’s the protector of BMW DNA.
This month, I was lucky enough to drive two 2007 BMWs — a 525i and a 335i, both sedans.
The rear-wheel drive 525i sedan came equipped with a 3.0-liter, 215-horsepower in-line 6-cylinder engine, rated at 21 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. Standard equipment included the usual power assists, dynamic brake and stability control, traction control and alloy wheels. The final price was $49,315.
The rear-wheel-drive 335i sported the same equipment, along with brushed aluminum trim, moon roof, satellite radio, cold weather package and many other features. Final price was $46,645.
Not surprisingly, these cars have a lot in common.
Both are wickedly fast and handle like they invented the word. Driving them is a challenging, spine-tingling, yet satisfying experience. These cars get an almost absurd amount of power and energy from what seems on paper to be a relatively modest amount of horsepower.
But it’s the subtleties of these cars that sets them apart from just about anything else on the road.
For example, the steering wheel feels good in your hands: It’s the texture of the leather and the thickness of the rim and the way it snaps back quickly in turns and curves.
Responses to everything, from acceleration to cornering, is hair-trigger quick. And the braking leaves you with a feeling of utter invincibility because these cars stop on a speck of dust, let alone a dime.
Inside, there’s the satisfying snap and click to the turn signal and the “snick” of the gearshift. And of course, there’s also the aural experience: The sweet symphony of a top-drawer engine furiously at work resonates in your ears. It’s a marvelous combination of jet engine and Grand Prix race car, all concocted just for you.
No, these two cars are not perfect, of course. There’s cramped quarters in the rear seats, more so in the Three series than the Five series. The interiors come across as Spartan and quite Germanic to some eyes. The cruise control system is in a maddening location that sometimes causes you to engage it when you really want the turn signal.
And iDrive? Even after years of using this mouse-driven computer system, I still have trouble with it every now and then. Others just plain hate it.
The Three series is the car that basically defines the term “sports sedan.” Yes, it’s nicely appointed, but there’s no mistaking what this car is all about: performance. There are firm, supportive seats and not a bit of trim or glitz more than it needs. Gauges are, of course, simple and direct.
The acceleration with this twin-turboed, 6-cylinder, 3.0-liter, 300-horsepower demon is explosive, and it corners like a bobsled. Fuel economy was rated at 20 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway.
After driving the Three series, I was surprised to find that the 525i felt almost sedate. This one’s the comfortable cruiser for the highway, the faithful companion on a long trip, the terrific sidekick for a long, casual drive over a varied and sometimes challenging course.
It’s got the suspension setup, the powertrain, and the interior comfort to make it the “go to” sports sedan for families who love road trips.
The styling of the Five series has been an issue since the current generation was introduced. It has held up well in my view, looking smart and contemporary. It is particularly handsome looking in a darker color.
The BMW Three and Five series sedans are land-going dreamboats if ever there were a pair.
Mmmm . . . . doughnuts (USA Today)
You can almost visualize Homer Simpson salivating over these pictures. While they look like giant doughnuts, these circular snowballs are better known as snow rollers. Washington State Department of Transportation maintenance workers spotted these snow rollers on March 13, 2007,…
Read More..BMW X6 coming in 2008
BMW’s chairman today confirmed the X6 crossover vehicle will go into production at the company’s North American plant next year. Norbert Reithofer said it would spearhead a flurry of new products in the next few years.
The X6 is designed to mix the best bits of BM’s saloon car range with its X3 and X5 off-roaders - but wrapped in a coupe-inspired design.
BMW announced 2006 pre-tax profits of more than £2.7 billion, with revenues up to a record of £33 billion. The group sold 1.37 million vehicles last year, up nearly 4 percent over 2005.
Mercedes-Benz: A 160 CDI and B 200 CDI
The internationally renowned environmental institute Öko Trend has awarded its Car Environment Certificate to two Mercedes Benz models. Both the A 160 CDI and the B 200 CDI manufactured by the Stuttgart brand achieved top marks during an extensive and critical analysis by specialists at the independent institute.
The two Mercedes-Benz models concerned achieved well-above-average results in all areas. In the view of the institute, they not only achieve excellent values with respect to fuel consumption and exhaust/noise emissions, but also excel by virtue of environmentally friendly production, materials and logistics.
The Öko-Trend institute was full of praise for these impressive results: “The Mercedes A 160 CDI may be seen as one of the most eco-friendly vehicles with a conventional drive system,” the experts found. “The development phase for this compact car was already based on a comprehensive environmental concept which takes the entire lifecycle of the vehicle into consideration. Numerous specific measures have reduced emissions during the production and operation of the new A-Class by approximately 17 percent compared to the preceding model. All in all, Mercedes has set new ecological standards for conventionally powered vehicles with the new A-Class.” The A 160 CDI consumes 4.9 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres, which corresponds to a CO2 value of 128 grams.
According to the findings of Öko-Trend, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class is distinguished by “a high degree of variability and spaciousness, as well as convincing environmental credentials”. The Öko-Trend institute had special praise for the power unit of the B 200 CDI: “The 140-hp diesel engine is equipped with a particulate filter as standard. Thanks to a high torque of 300 Nm, which is already available from 1600 rpm, this engine allows a relaxed style of driving and early upshifts. A fuel consumption of six litres per 100 km is feasible in practice. All in all, therefore, the Mercedes B 200 CDI achieves a very good environmental rating.” The institute also emphasised the high ecological standards that generally apply at Mercedes-Benz.
The “Öko-Trend Institute for Environmental Research” founded by the Bergische University of Wuppertal has been publishing research reports about the eco-friendliness of car models since 1997. Last year the environmental specialists at this financially independent and neutral institute expanded their analytical activities, and began to issue their internationally renowned Öko-Trend Car Environment Certificate, which is only awarded to vehicles which meet particularly high environmental standards. In making their assessment, the specialists take not only vehicle-specific criteria such as fuel consumption and exhaust/noise emissions into account, but also environmental parameters relating to production, logistics, recyclability and the manufacturer’s environmental management systems. The certificate is only awarded to vehicles which achieve at least 90 percent of the maximum score in all assessment criteria.
To date only 15 car models worldwide have been awarded the Certificate, among them the recently certificated Mercedes-Benz model A 160 CDI in the compact class and the B 200 CDI in the compact van class.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
New BMW 1-Series Equipped
The new BMW 1-Series models, announced in January, had their world premiere at the Geneva auto show.
In addition to featuring a start-stop system, brake energy regeneration and electric power steering to reduce fuel consumption as standard, the new 1-Series benefits from new four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines.
Gasoline. The new BMW 1 Series features two variants of the new generation of gasoline engines, both using second-generation High Precision Injection direct fuel injection. This technology is able to maintain lean-burn mode throughout a particularly wide range of engine speeds.
In the new BMW 120i, the 2.0-liter engine develops maximum output of 125 kW/170 hp and accelerates in just 7.7 seconds (five-door: 7.8 seconds) to 100 km/h. Fuel consumption is 6.4 litres per 100 kilometers (37 mpg US). Compared to its predecessor, the new engine reduces fuel consumption by almost 14percent on an increase in power of 15 kW or 20 hp. CO2 emissions are 152 g/km (down 16 percent).
The new BMW 118i, with an output of 105 kW/143 hp, consumes 5.9 liters per 100 kilometers (40 mpg US—an improvement of 24 percent over the older model—and CO2 emissions are 140 g/km (down 20.5 percent).
Both these engines consume less fuel than the smaller displacement, lower-powered entry engine in the 116i.
The second-generation High Precision Injection uses jet-guided combustion rather than wall-guided. To enable this, BMW engineers had to fit the piezo injectors between the valves immediately adjacent to the spark plug despite very tight space constraints in the cylinder head.
The jet-guided method enables more precise metering of fuel quantities, and ensures a considerably faster and more efficient mixture preparation without losses caused by fuel mist on the cylinder walls.
An electric pump in the fuel tank that only switches on when needed supplies the high pressure pump on the cylinder head. The high pressure pump generates a pressure of 200 bar in the supply line for the four injectors. The piezo nozzles, which open to the outside, ensure a stable, conical injection jet entering the combustion chamber. In addition, the fuel quantity used in one stroke can be injected in several portions. In this manner, a highly controlled, clean and efficient lean-burning combustion process is achieved over a broad load and engine speed range.
In lean-burn mode, also known as stratified cylinder charging, intersecting layers of the fuel-air mixture of varying compositions build up within the combustion chamber. As the distance from the spark plug increases, the proportion of gasoline in the mixture decreases. A layer of fuel/ air mixture sufficiently rich and therefore easily ignitable is formed only in the direct vicinity of the spark plug. Once this layer of fuel and air has ignited, the leaner layers at a greater distance from the spark plug will also start to burn in a smooth, clean and consistent fashion.
Among other innovations to reduce engine weight, BMW used a lightweight hydroforming camshaft and a switchable intake manifold (DISA) made of synthetic material.
The new lean-burn engine features a main catalytic converter close to the engine and downstream catalytic converters for the prevention of NOx emissions.
BMW says that it will introduce a 1.6-liter four-cylinder member of the new gasoline engine range develops 90 kW/122 hp and maximum torque of 160 Nm/118 lb-ft at some point in the future.
Diesel. The new 2.0-liter diesels feature an all-aluminium crankcase, turbocharging, third-generation common rail injection, diesel particulate filters positioned close to the engine and other innovations.
Both are of the same displacement. The variation in their outputs results from modifications to the injection and charging technologies. With maximum output of 105 kW/143 hp and maximum torque of 300 Nm/221 lb-ft, the basic configuration of the new diesel powertrain exceeds the former engine by 15 kW and 20 Nm/15 lb-ft, respectively.
The more powerful of the two new four-cylinder diesels offers 130 kW/177 hp, which is 10 kW greater output than the former version. Its maximum torque equals 350 Nm/258 lb-ft (plus 10 Nm/7 lb-ft). The rpm range is extended by 10 percent per cent in both models.
Compared to the former versions of the engines, the new drive units are characterized by reduced weight and considerably lower fuel consumption and emission values despite significantly higher output. Fuel consumption in the new BMW 118d in the EU test cycle compared with the predecessor model is lower by 16 percent despite an increase in output of 15 kW.
The new engines weigh 17 kilograms less than the four-cylinder diesel engines of the previous generation. The largest percentage in weight reduction came with the new aluminium crankcase, which replaced the grey cast iron block in use until now.
The intake ducts of the newly constructed cylinder head are laterally positioned. To achieve the lowest possible emission values, the spiral filling duct is electronically controlled with continuously variable settings.
The large diameter valves facilitate the ready exchange of gasses and now come in a vertical arrangement. The incoming fresh air is made turbulent in the swirl channel, improving interior mixture formation.
While the basic configuration of the engine operates with an injection pressure of 1,600 bar and fuel metering is handled by magnetic valves, the diesel fuel in the larger of the two engine variants is delivered at a pressure of 1,800 bar by four piezo injectors. Because the fuel is injected in up to three portions per stroke, the flame spreads gently, primarily to the benefit of the running characteristics.
Each of the engines, which have outputs of 105 and 130 kW, respectively, is equipped with an exhaust turbocharger with variable turbine geometry. Through this technology, power development can be optimally adjusted to all load ranges. Using an electric actuator, the turbine’s control apparatus is adjusted to the specific requirements with a high degree of accuracy and minimal delay. This ensures an immediate response at low engine speeds and high power density under full load. Maximum torque is available between 1,750 and 2,500 rpm for the 105 kW motor and 1,750 and 3,000 rpm for the 130 kW variant.
The new 118d offers fuel consumption of 4.7 l/100km (50 mpg US)—19 percent better than its predecessor—and CO2 emissions of 123 g/km—a decrease of 18 percent.
This article was originally published on GreenCarCongress.com on March 8, 2007
New 2007 Toyota Corolla
The 2007 Toyota Corolla is a 4-door, 5-passenger family sedan, available in 3 trims, ranging from the CE to the LE.
Upon introduction, both trims are equipped with a standard 1.8-liter, I4, 126-horsepower engine that achieves 32-mpg in the city and 41-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional.
Standard Engine:
1.8L I4, 16 valve, 126 hp @ 6000 rpm
* 5 speed manual (standard) or 4 speed automatic transmission
* 32 mpg city / 41 mpg hwy
* Green Rating: 76
Economy Vehicle: New 2007 Toyota Yaris
The 2007 Toyota Yaris is a 3- or 4-door, 5-passenger family coupe, or family sedan, available in 3 trims, ranging from the 3-Door Liftback to the S.
Upon introduction, both trims are equipped with a standard 1.5-liter, I4, 106-horsepower engine that achieves 34-mpg in the city and 40-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional.
Standard Engine:
1.5L I4, 16 valve, 106 hp @ 6000 rpm
* 5 speed manual (standard) or 4 speed automatic transmission
* 34 mpg city / 40 mpg hwy
* Green Rating: 77
Sen. Thune avoids being named ‘Porker of the Year’
MITCHELL -- Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., has avoided being named "Porker of the Year" by the Washington-based Citizens Against Government Waste.
The group had named Thune its "Porker of the Month" in November for his work on behalf of the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad. He and three other lawmakers subsequently were picked as finalists for the year-end award.
Thune said the Federal Railroad Administration's rejection of the DM&E's request for a $2.3 billion federal loan might have helped him avoid the "Porker of the Year" award.
The DM&E had wanted the loan as part of the financing for a $6 billion project to build new rail line to the Powder River Basin in Wyoming and rehabilitate its existing track across South Dakota and southern Minnesota in order to haul low-sulphur coal and other commodities.
Actually, the group's award was announced three days before the loan rejection. Thune got the fewest votes in balloting that was conducted online.
He said that being nominated was representative of the opposition campaign that contributed to the rejection of the loan application.
"The sad part about it is, I felt through this whole thing that I've been operating in a parallel universe where the facts don't matter," Thune told the Mitchell Daily Republic.
The loan was a prime example of a pork barrel project, according to Citizens Against Government Waste.
The group said its members sent more than 10,000 letters to members of Congress in February, urging opposition to the loan request.
"The DM&E loan coasted under the radar until activists expressed outrage over its financial, economic and safety risks," Tom Schatz, Citizens Against Government Waste president, said in a news release.
Thune noted that the railroad was requesting a loan, not a grant.
The DM&E project could eliminate bottlenecks in the Powder River Basin, reduce energy costs and shipping costs for farmers and create competition for agricultural shipping, he said.
"These are chronic problems, and this would have been a great way to solve it," he said.
The "Porker of the Year" award went to Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va. "for abusing his position on the House Appropriations Committee by securing millions of dollars in earmarks," Citizens Against Government Waste said on its Web site.
On the Net: http://www.cagw.org
JetBlue cancels 100 flights due to storm; most are to or from JFK
JetBlue canceled 215 flights Friday because of a winter storm on the East Coast, aiming to avoid the days of cancellations and criticism that followed a storm last month, an airline spokesman said.
The cancellations affected about one-third of all JetBlue flights. More than 200 of them involved flights to or from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, said airline spokesman Sebastian White.
He said a few flights also were affected at New York's LaGuardia Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, and Boston's Logan International Airport. In addition, the airline had canceled 15 flights Thursday night, White said.
The cancellations came as the National Weather Service forecast three to six inches of snow and sleet in New York City, with more or less in its suburbs, depending on their location, according to meteorologist Peter Wichrowski.
The storm was moving up the East Coast early Friday as moist air from the southeast chugged toward a cold front over New York City and the northeast, he said. While the weather was springlike in New York only a day before, 'We're still in March, officially not out of the winter season,' Wichrowski said. 'You still can see these potent storms this time of year.'
JetBlue has been under pressure to do better in bad weather since passengers were stranded in planes at Kennedy for up to 10 1/2 hours during a storm last month. JetBlue was unable to resume normal operations for days afterward because flight crews weren't where they were supposed to be.
White said Friday's cancellations were intended to insure that crews would be available where needed, and that departure gates would be free in case weather forced planes to return, he said.
'We're hopeful the plans we have in place will be effective and allow us to recover quickly,' he said early Friday.
JetBlue has been striving to regain customers' esteem since a Feb. 14 snow and ice storm left hundreds of passengers marooned on parked planes at Kennedy. The airline had hoped to get through the storm without canceling flights, but later acknowledged it waited too long to ask airport authorities for help getting passengers off the stranded planes.
'We've always tried to take a wait-and-see approach with the weather ... believing that people want to get to their destination late, rather than never,' White said Friday. But since the Feb. 14 storm _ and the maelstrom of complaints that followed _ JetBlue has had 'a shift in thinking,' he said.
The airline pre-emptively canceled 66 flights on Feb. 26 because of snow. JetBlue representatives said the strategy succeeded in making sure the airline could resume normal service quickly, though some passengers expressed frustration.
In the last month, JetBlue also has unveiled a customer bill of rights that promises vouchers to passengers who experience delays. The airline also ran full-page newspaper advertisements apologizing to customers about the Valentine's Day problems.
Passengers whose flights were canceled Friday were offered refunds or a chance to rebook travel through April 30 without paying a fee for the change, White said.
New York-based JetBlue Airways Corp. normally operates about 600 flights a day to various destinations in the United States, Bermuda and the Caribbean.