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

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In what is perhaps another effort to jack up car sales and entice customer interest, Chrysler has announced the return of their leasing options for all 2010 models of Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge through their long-time ally and preferred lender GMAC financial services. With the additional financing options now back in harness, potential car buyers can now look forwards to broader options as far as buying new cars under the Chrysler brand.

Leasing will start on September 17 for all the 2010 Chrysler models. Among the featured vehicles for lease up to September 30 include:

• Chrysler Town & Country
• Dodge Grand Caravan, Ram 1500 and Journey
• Jeep Wrangler and Liberty

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Seems that, at the last minute, the big three automakers (which aren’t so big any more, ho ho, that really isn’t funny in any conventional sense) Ford and GM and Chrysler caught on to a fact that they probably should have caught on to long before now, that big cars are out.

What’s in, you ask? Golf carts!

Okay, so I’m being a little facetious there– but I’m not too far off from the truth.  The key thing here is, people don’t want bigger and more  than they had last year.  People are a little more willing to fix what they have and make do rather than going out and buying the latest and greatest.  To be fair however, some of this is forced on them.  Loans for big and fancy are a whole a lot harder to come by than they were this time last year, let alone this time five years ago.

But a small loan for a small car? Comparatively, far simpler.

Will this trend stay a trend?  No way to know that just yet.  But you know we’ll keep an eye on it.

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Answering the need to be more eco-friendly as far as their business operations are concerned, Team Honda, Team Nissan and Team Toyota have announced the launch of their first carbon neutral dealerships in Lithia Springs, Georgia. After starting out with their tire and oil recycling measures, the auto dealers are now focusing their attention on offsetting their carbon footprint to become the first carbon neutral dealers in Georgia.

The concentration now is to bring down their energy use, a practice that has drawn prices and queries from their customers on where they can get one for their own homes or offices as well. Additionally, employees are given thermal porcelain cups in lieu of the usual Styrofoam which itself is an eco-friendly hazard.

All AutoNation dealerships, Team’s parent company, make it easy for car buyers to shop for more fuel-efficient vehicles with its E-Vehicle program. The program identifies cars and trucks that produce at least 28 miles per gallon or deliver 10 percent better fuel efficiency than average for their class. AutoNation also singles out what they call “F-vehicles” with a yellow leaf logo; these are cars and trucks that use flex-fuel technology.

With the combined efforts of these popular auto dealers, the call to lower carbon emissions and the various practices to attain it should be something customers and employees will learn from. Hopefully they will be the catalyst to improve on the call for better green living needed these day.

(Source) Press

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If you think the potential new car buyers are now leaning more on finally buying a new car with the recent gas price rollbacks then guess again. They will buy a new car but they will be asking for one thing car dealers will have to answer honestly and convincingly: gas consumption.

This practice is common but not as important for buyers in the past decade. But with the increasing price of fuel, one has to really become attentive to it, particularly since finances are becoming harder to manage. Adding gasoline or fuel costs is an area that they can really cut down on and for the people who are buying a new one, the gas consumption ratio is something that will play a vital role in their next car purchase consideration.

Hence, car dealers can use in preparation for the questions to be expected. It may even be the difference between a sale or a waste of time.

(Source) Press

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Who would ever thought that a simple selection of car color could be much trouble? Well as far as car manufacturers are concerned, these are small things that play an integral role in the car manufacturing process. For one, they need the numbers to know which cars (and colors) they have to supply. It is not as simple as overstocking them since with hard times now, business optimization also means wise manufacturing processes.

DuPont take the initiative in tracking the consumer buying behavior to which they attribute everything to social factors. Money, mood, and marketing vary and play an important role on the color preference of potential car buyers. This includes soliciting data from varying regions, determining which color/s are indeed suitable.

Here are some color meanings that should give you an idea of what really drives customers to pick the car color of their choice:

• Red or light violet – passion
• Deep red – security
• Blue – communication
• Blue-green – wholeness
• Indigo – understanding
• Yellow-green – empowered/assertive
• Orange – self-esteem/confidence

(Source) Press

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Hyundai was the first one to honor the cash for clunkers program and it looks like the gamble is paying off. Out of all the cars that were preferred by car buyers after the trade-in, Hyundai Elantra stood tall. The Elantra topped the likes of other cars such as Ford and Dodge. Hyundai accounted for 41% while Ford 32%.

Apparently the price disparity had a bearing here. After the trade-in, they Hyundai Elantra ran a total cost of $8,620. Remember, though many people are hesitant on what car to get after the car rebate program, they will always consider the cost of the new vehicle. Though there will be exceptions such as brand preference, hard times means wiser buying.

Ford ran second but it still had quite a number of buyers. So if other car manufacturers should follow, who knows which other car would make the grade? Again, it depends on the price after discount, something which for now, points motorists to the Hyundai Elantra.

(Source) Press

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Today, cars rely heavily on what is hot as far as cars are concerned. While many point to magazines and websites, the only problem is reliability. For web users, landing the right side may be inconsistent since we all know that there over a million sites that offer car reviews which may be either exaggerated or lacking in information

However, there is a new way to get these leads, all through your mobile phone. The Talee’s TestDrive Website should be a great resource for motorists who want to find out the latest about the hot cars in the market either for possible purchase or simply for comparison.

“TestDrive gives car buyers a great new service that for the first time lets car buyers see which cars are rated the highest by real people from across the Web,” said Taleee CEO Steve Harmon. “Rather than rely on one magazine review or one opinion, with Taleee’s TestDrive car buyers get the overall rating on a car from consumers across the Web, the widest possible consumer base. Ratings from peers is number one.”

(Source) Press

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At least for one year, new Hyundai car owners can worry less about the fluctuating prices of fuel thanks to this partnership between Hyundai and Pricelock. Pricelock and Hyundai have joined together to implement a new program which will lock the price of fuel to $1.49 per gallon for a year on select new car models under the Hyundai brand.

This event promises to help spur car sales in the midst of a faltering market that is being affected by the governing fuel prices which have made motorists ponder about alternatives (such as hybrids and electric cars). But with a year of no worries in price fuel, the program may just work. Also, who knows what would happen after a year’s time on the fuel issues plaguing the world today?

For the Hyundai program, Pricelock will issue car buyers fuel cards, similar to credit cards, which drivers will use to purchase gasoline at any of the 165,000 participating gas stations, approximately 93% of all service stations in the U.S. Using the Pricelock card, the car buyer will be charged $1.49 per gallon for fuel, regardless of the price on the pump. Of course, if the pump price is below $1.49 per gallon, the cardholder will not use the fuel card, but instead will pay the lower pump price using cash or a credit or debit card and still be able to participate in the upside.

(Source) Press

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Their brands have been reliable and if there are secrets to be revealed on why their quality is something to be envious about, it can all be summed up to dedication and quality as far as car manufacturing for car buyers is concerned. Taking out the best for most cars lies heavily on how they are able to put together vehicles that showcase and uphold their products. And for Volkswagen and Ford, this has been proven before and continue to do so until this day.

“In today’s difficult market, the difference between products that generate consideration, build brands and increase sales versus those that do not is often how much delight and love the product generates with its customers,” says Dr. Darrel Edwards, Chairman of Strategic Vision.

Indeed, you can simply ask yourself which car brand you would ideally prefer, given the freedom to choose. These two brands, Ford and Volkswagen, have been around. To this day, they have proven themselves as worthy vehicles for consideration, something that most motorists are sure to prefer if they could afford them.

(Source) Press

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Among the new bumper crop of vehicles out in the market, there are certain features that people would love to change among them. But if there are two cars which have the least number of attributes that potential car buyers would change, two familiar brands popped out above the rest. The two car brands are Porsche and Ford which topped the 2009 Ideal Vehicle Awards (IVA). The IVAs are based on owners’ ratings of their new 2009 model year cars and trucks across 15 key vehicle attributes.

“In today’s economy, car buyers take many factors into consideration – styling, safety features, fuel economy and more,” says George Peterson, president of AutoPacific. “IVA winners deliver the most of what consumers are really looking for in their vehicles.”

The selection doesn’t seem that easy. Most cars offer great features while others leave it up to the buyers to modify. The Porsche and Ford Motor vehicles are equipped with one of the common and yet unique features which some would leave if the survey is any indication.

But basing it on tradition, these two car models have lived up to their name and such a selection should not really be surprising. For 2009, the top-rated premium brand is Porsche, outscoring Buick and Jaguar for the most ideal premium vehicle brand honors. The top-rated mainstream brand is Ford, outscoring Mercury for top mainstream brand results. Porsche and Ford were also the highest scoring premium and mainstream brands in the 2008 IVA rankings.

(Source) Press

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Daimler finally launched its own hybrid car version, the Mercedes Benz S Class which will come either in electric or petrol. The new hybrid Mercedes is now available in Europe, options that should give aspiring car owners of choosing between fuel consumption or electric power, the latter of which has been which many are talking about as of late.

The “CO2 champion of luxury cars,” as Mercedes bills it, nonetheless cranks out 186 to 189 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer, remaining one of the biggest polluters on the road, well above the European average of around 160 grams.

“For years, the German automobile sector did not believe hybrids had a chance…..but at a certain point, under market pressure, the industry changed its mind,” said Stefan Bratzel, professor at a specialized auto center in the western city of Bergisch Gladbach.

Despite being branded as anti-environment for its continued production of fuel-powered cars, the new Mercedes Benz S Class electric version should somehow even the odds. At least this time, car buyers can be given the choice, something that is obviously a business prerogative when it comes to choosing which car is wise to buy considering the current world economic situation.

(Source) Auto India

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We have read about it but does everyone understand what the Cash for Clunkers program is really all about? Apparently that needs to be addressed and one good medium to do it is through direct mail. And to make sure that Californians get every detail about this new program that aims to rid consumers of their old cars to get savings off the purchase of new ones, Cubic Marketing has been tasked to deliver the message in a massive effort to educate motorists and dealerships on what this bill is really about.

Cubic Marketing will be responsible for generating and distributing direct mail pieces that will inform the general public and car dealers about the new bill which grants car buyers a voucher of up to $4,500 if they trade in their current clunker for a new, more fuel efficient vehicle.

While we can always find out for ourselves via the web or from the official website of the Cash for Clunkers, the fact remains that not all people would be that tech savvy in finding out more about it. Further, this helps boost the actual intent of the program in a move to help the growing interest in what they can get for their old vehicles.

(Source) Press

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Controversial or not, Volkswagen of America has vowed its support for the “Cash for Clunkers” program of the government where each of their vehicles for their 2009 lineup qualifies for the said program. Under the “Cash for Clunkers” programs, potential new car buyers can get up to $4,500 off from the purchase price of new vehicles who trade-in their old cars.

In order to qualify, eligible new vehicles must achieve at least 22 miles-per-gallon for automobiles, and at least 18 mpg for small light-duty trucks and SUV’s, and trade-in vehicles must achieve 18 mpg or less.

“Volkswagen of America supports this historic decision of the United States Government to enact the Cash for Clunkers program.” said Stefan Jacoby, President/CEO, Volkswagen of America. “The fact that Volkswagen has long been known for producing fun-to-drive, fuel efficient vehicles, combined with our eight Top Safety Pick rated vehicles by the IIHS, should put Volkswagen on any new car buyers shopping list.” added Jacoby.

Among the new cars that Volkswagen has lined up include:

• 2009 Rabbit
• GTI
• Jetta
• Jetta SportWagen
• New Beetle
• New Beetle convertible
• Passat
• Passat Wagon
• Eos
• CC

(Source) Press

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Volvo makes another first as it has announced that they will be the first company to introduce the NAVTEQ Mapcare program that is expected to help in the navigational problems for motorists on the go. The program is a self-updating program that will now be equipped in premium segment vehicles of Volvo.

Therefore, from the model year 2010 release in June this year, customers buying a Volvo C30, S40, V50, C70, V70, XC70, S80, XC60 or XC90 with navigation will be eligible to receive two complimentary map updates.

Each car will include a registration card for the customer to complete and return in order to automatically receive the updates at the address of their choice and NAVTEQ will handle the registration and shipment. The program will be available through all Volvo Car Corporation dealerships in Western and Eastern Europe, North America and Russia.

“We believe this program will increase satisfaction and loyalty as customers will always have the latest maps. In addition, valuable opportunities for communication and cross-selling will be created,” explains Jeff Mize, executive vice president, sales, NAVTEQ. “It is a particularly convenient service for drivers of fleet or lease cars as it provides a clear channel to acquire map updates.”

This can only be a great welcome to people who want to get more car features that will help them save on gas. This new program promises to be something that will once again make Volvo one of the premier cars oozing with features that can be a preference for car buyers to date.

(Source) Press

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