One of the things that lure the interest of car buyers these days would be the features of their vehicles. And for this luxury SUV, the makers of the Range Rover , optional heating and cooling comforts through a Climate Control Seats have been traditional. But now with the 2010 Range Rover, the option gets broadened as they now have provisions for providing CCS for both the front and rear seats. The CCS system is provided by Amerigon Inc. for the front seats of the Range Rover since 2007. The addition of the rear seat CCS adds more splendor on the 2010 model which should add to its already sultry line of features which include new seats and lush interiors.

The system is completely independent of the automobile’s heating and air conditioning system and does not reduce power available to the engine. It also emits no CFCs or other gases and is completely friendly to the environment.

Image Credits

(Source) Press

Tags: air conditioning system, amerigon inc, automobile, car buyers, ccs system, cfcs, climate control, gases, heating and air, heating and air conditioning, heating and cooling, image credits, lush interiors, luxury suv, provisions, Range Rover, rear seat, splendor

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A new state of the art facility is in the works for Subaru of America as it reveals plans to open a second Subaru dealership in the area by the coming year. Apparently the move is geared in establishing the Subaru brand in Arizona.

“For us to make a $10m plus investment decision to build a new dealership in today’s environment, the brand had to be right for the market,” says Bud Thurston, co-owner of the Subaru Superstore of Chandler. “Quite frankly, Subaru offers the complete package of what customers want… an incredible vehicle at a great price, uncompromised safety, long-term dependability, and a focused commitment to doing what’s right for the environment. When you’re the only automobile brand realizing sales gains in 2008, you’re doing everything right. Subaru definitely gets it by delivering the perfect products at a tremendous value that connects with the market.”

The Subaru Superstore of Chandler is slated to open November 2009 and will be staffed with thirty to thirty-five new employees. The new dealership is a 38,000 sq. ft. facility. The exterior finishes include metallic surfaces, natural slate, and a sleek, all-glass view into the showroom. The curved front wall provides architectural interest.

(Source) Press

Tags: architectural interest, art facility, automobile, bud, chandler arizona, glass view, investment decision, metallic surfaces, natural slate, perfect products, state of the art, Subaru, subaru dealership, subaru of america, superstore

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The Aero-Mobile, the car driven by the great Howard Hughes will be up for auction after a thorough restoration which even found Hughes’ 1936 credit card hidden under the fabric and wood lining of the glove box door.

The “Aero-Mobile” has left the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville Oregon, and is now being prepared for its departure to the Leake Collector Car Auction in Tulsa Oklahoma. It will be put up for auction on June 13th 2009. The automobile was acquired in 2005 from a museum owner’s estate. It has since been completely restored to the time Hughes had personally customized it.

After reducing the original weight by thousands of pounds and modifying the engine and exhaust, this car would have easily cruised in excess of 100 MPH. Originally Hughes might have started out to compete in some sort of speed contest; however, some say Hughes was developing retractable aircraft landing gear and had to create a car that could keep up with airplanes while filming high speed take offs and landings.

(Source) Press

Tags: aero, aircraft landing, airplanes, automobile, aviation space, collector car auction, credit card, evergreen aviation, fabric, glove box, High-Speed, Howard Hughes, landings, mcminnville oregon, space museum, speed contest, tulsa oklahoma

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The United Kingdom has made good its promise to address the growing problem of carbon emissions by older cars as its car scrappage scheme was officially inaugurated today, providing owners a £2,000 discount if they surrender their car for scrappage. Cars over 10 years are eligible for the scheme.

Now before you go on considering this deal, would £2,000 be sufficient to get rid of that old automobile in lieu for a new one? Depending of course on the type of car you will be getting, you just have to do some pencil pushing. New cars don’t come cheap despite the price cuts and discount deals that car manufacturers are undertaking to survive.

One cry is to adjust the said discount deal, something more tempting to be able to get a good vehicle in the market. Though nothing has been said for now, it looks like this deal will remain the same although it is likely studies may be ongoing as we speak.

“There are so many good deals out there on pre-registered nearly-new stock that actually it’s easier to find a car with a bigger discount under these pre-registered deals than it is under the scrappage scheme,” said Kieran Puffett, editor of Parker’s.

(Source) BBC

Tags: 10 years, automobile, BBC, car manufacturers, car scrappage scheme, carbon emissions, discount deals, good deals, kieran, new cars, older cars, pencil, uk car, united kingdom

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About 259,119 Toyota Camry’s from China have been recalled for problems regarding their brakes. Toyota Motor Corp.’s auto-making joint venture in China with Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. is recalling 259,119 Camry sedans due to brake problems, according to a statement posted on China’s product safety regulator’s Web site.

The vehicles were produced between May 15, 2006, and March 3, 2008. In affected cars, a flaw in the braking system may cause the braking distance to increase and may lead to accidents Toyota also has an auto-making joint venture in China with China FAW Group Corp.

(Source) WSJ

Tags: Accidents, automobile, brakes, braking distance, braking system, Cars, guangzhou, safety regulator, sedans, Toyota, toyota camry, toyota motor, toyota motor corp

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Green Star Products is bringing its act to the United States as it announced today their strategic plans to build and assemble electric vehicles for the U.S. market. Electric vehicles are ideal for today’s city traffic where most of the population commutes – they do not waste energy while not moving at a stop light or slow traffic; electric motors are more efficient than similar internal combustion engines; and they do not pollute in high traffic areas where pollution control is critical to air quality.

GSPI’s plan is to build an assembly plant that will produce electric vehicles to meet that market using an improved, inexpensive, high-performance technology similar to the one used in GSPI’s electric vehicle production era combined with strategic support from global auto industry companies.

GSPI determined that it needed an inexpensive, lightweight truck that can carry a significant amount of weight. Green Star decided on a commercial lightweight vehicle built in China that, even with an extended cab, weighs only 1,980 pounds (900 Kg) and has a carrying capacity of 1,760 pounds (800 Kg), which is almost its own weight.

Vehicle prices start at $20,000 dollars and will probably qualify for significant government rebates. At the present time, and with the help of our major Chinese automobile partners, there are no competitors for this type of vehicle at this price range in the United States.

(Source) Press

Tags: assembly plant, automobile, carrying capacity, city traffic, electric cars, electric vehicle, electric vehicles, global auto industry, government rebates, high performance technology, internal combustion engines, lightweight vehicle, pollution control, star products, traffic areas

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The 2010 Toyota Crown Majesta promises a re-designed full-size premium luxury sedan that will likely feature the Amerigon Climate Control Seat. Sold only in Asia, the flagship Crown Majesta, the Toyota brand’s top sedan, is expected to be in showrooms this summer.

The Crown Majesta is designed with distinctive interior and exterior styling, unparalleled comfort and an ultra-luxurious interior which includes CCS.

CCS, the premier actively heated and cooled seat system in the global automotive seat market, delivers year-round comfort to automotive seat occupants by providing both active heating and cooling. The system is completely independent of the automobile’s heating and air conditioning system and does not reduce power available to the engine. It also emits no CFCs or other gases and is completely friendly to the environment.

CCS, the premier actively heated and cooled seat system in the global automotive seat market, delivers year-round comfort to automotive seat occupants by providing both active heating and cooling. The system is completely independent of the automobile’s heating and air conditioning system and does not reduce power available to the engine. It also emits no CFCs or other gases and is completely friendly to the environment.

(Source) Press

Tags: Amerigon, automobile, Climate, conditioning, luxury, Majesta, SEAT, Toyota

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The figures don’t lie and if you base it on the news you have been reading as far as the automobile industry is concerned, this report is not at all surprising. In what many seem to be readily acknowledging already, China has risen above the occasion and surpassed the United States in the area of car production. China in 2008 manufactured 9.3 million cars, while the United States built 8.7 million. In 2009, China will build 8.7 million autos, compared to 7.6 million for Japan.

“China’s rise to the No.-2 position in global car manufacturing in 2008 marks a major milestone in China’s economic ascendency and the United States’ industrial decline,” said Egil Juliussen, PhD, director and fellow, automotive research, for iSuppli.

“China during the last five years more than doubled its domestic automobile production, while U.S. manufacturing has declined by nearly 50 percent. China, which produces most of its cars for domestic sale, has benefitted from its booming economy and the soaring disposable incomes of its consumers. Meanwhile, U.S. auto production has been declining steadily due to increasing imports from the NAFTA nations Canada and Mexico, as well as from Europe and Asia.”

(Source) CIOL

Tags: Asia, automobile, Canada, china, Egil, Europe, Industry, iSuppli, Japan, Juliussen, manufacturing, Mexico, NAFTA, united states

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Honda’s bet into the pickup market is the Ridgeline RTL. When Honda decided to enter the pickup truck market with its own open bed hauler, it decided the traditional American pickup would be hard to beat, playing the home team on their home field. Cheaper wasn’t the Honda way. So it would be different.

The Honda Ridgeline isn’t like any other pickup truck on the market, but even with a unit body construction including even the bed, it still has a load capacity of 1,100 pounds. It’s available only as a four-door with a full-automobile-sized cabin, and it also fully independent suspension so it really does have that coveted car-like ride.

The Honda Ridgeline was given a minor restyle for the 2009 model year. The most readily apparent change is the new grille. It doesn’t look nearly as much like a heating element as the original did. Front and rear bumpers were changed and the RTL now gets fog lights and 18-inch wheels.

Honda made a variety of changes inside as well, from larger icons on the air conditioner controls to a redesigned instrument panel to MP3/WMA compatibility.
(more…)

Tags: air conditioner, automobile, body construction, Honda, honda ridgeline, instrument panel, pickup truck, rtl

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The Honda Insight has not even gone full throttle yet but Mugen has started to do its own line of work as far as car aesthetics is concerned. Ranging from exteriors to interiors, Mugen has been the known brand to improve on what accessories that Honda car owners often look for. And the Honda Insight is a new concept that they surely want to focus on right now.

Few hybrids will really get your heart racing when you look at them, and rightfully so: A hybrid’s focus is fuel efficiency, not aesthetics. Mugen, however, wants to change that notion with a set of accessories for the 2010 Honda Insight.

No word on whether the wealth of Mugen accessories will be available in the U.S. However, with the healthy accessory market, don’t be surprised to see some upgrades – perhaps wheels or floor mats – available at your local Honda dealer once the Insight goes on sale on April 22nd.

(Source) Automobile

Tags: aesthetics, automobile, fuel efficiency, honda car, honda insight, hybrids

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While all the talk is about the future of motoring, a slight visit to the past would not hurt. Through the years, we have seen various models of cars from the greats like General Motors, Ford or Mercedes however, rarely would you find someone who would treasure them and keep them intact until this day.

Apparently there is one person who did that. It is located at the sprawling farmhouse in Mehrauli. Pro Bono Publico.

Pro Bono Publico is one of the country’s few vintage and classic vehicle museums, home to more than 70 old cars, which made international news recently when one of the cars, a Cadillac Coup de Ville – series 62 – manufactured in 1952, won the prestigious Cartier ‘Travel with Style’ Concours d’Elegance award in November.

It is owned by Delhi-based automobile collector and lawyer Diljeet Titus, the general secretary of the Heritage Motoring Club of India (HMCI).

“Humankind has been fascinated by cars since the first working model was developed in the 19th century and has grown to become one of the largest industries in the world,” Diljeet Titus, owner of the museum told IANS.

(Source) The Times of India

Tags: automobile, Cadillac, classic vehicle, General Motors, heritage, Mercedes, motoring club, titus, vintage cars

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Hyundai motors continues to introduce cheap cars in the market to which leading competitors, the Vauxhall Corsa and the Ford Fiesta may be raising their arms in disbelief. The reason? Cheaper price!

Pricing seems to be the driving factor for car buying these days. And with the unstable economy, it is not really surprising. As cheap to buy, cheaper to run and worth more when you sell it at the end of its life, the i20 has the value contest won already.

However, there is a drawback for the i20. What will make rivals sigh with relief is that, however cheap, well equipped and capable it may be, the i20 has nothing to offer more stylishly inclined buyers. Despite being designed in Europe, it is a visual non-event, the kind of car you leave in a car park and walk past five times trying to find again.

(Source) Times Online

Tags: automobile, Cadillac, classic vehicle, elegance award, General Motors, heritage, Hyundai, Mercedes, motoring club, old cars, titus, working model

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