Folks, let’s face it–there are not very many British names we associate with cars. Anyone seen a Vauxhall lately? But there IS one name that leaps to the forefront of British automotive technology, and that is the Aston Martin.
And today, thanks to the awe and majesty of YouTube, we’re going to take a ride in one of the newest models from Aston Martin, the Rapide.
The first thing you’ll notice whilst bombing around in the Rapide is that you do NOT want to be in the back seat unless you are, say, a small child or possibly a hobbit. There’s not a lot of room back there at ALL. Yes, the seats are beautiful and they’ve got their own monitor screens, but for crying out loud, there’s just no leg room.
The rest of the car, meanwhile, is the kind of incredible mix of speed and sport that we’ve all come to expect from Aston Martin, and it had better be, considering that this thing weighs in at over a quarter million dollars. Seriously–it’s a hundred and forty thousand pounds, and we’re not talking weight.
The folks out at Delphi are working on a way for you to be able to check many of your car’s features from your iPhone. Pretty soon, if the folks at Delphi have their way, you’ll be able to do all of the following: start or stop the car, roll down the windows, check tire pressure, monitor oil and brake fluid life, as well as detect if the car has been broken into.
But this isn’t the most interesting part…no sir. Delphi has also been fiddling around with remote control of the gas, brakes and steering column, essentially allowing for the possibility of driving your car from your iPhone.
I don’t know whether to be amazed or horrified. On the one hand, if someone steals your car, you could pretty much recover it with your iPhone, and that’s awesome. But if someone steals your iPhone, they could have your car within minutes, and that is NOT awesome.
I’m left a little unnerved by this technological movement.
Thanks to its continuous development and offering of new vehicles in the market, Ford has made great headway in improving its retail market share since December 2006. Ford estimates its retail share performance from October 2008 through March 2009 was the strongest of any major manufacturer compared with the same period a year ago.
Ford’s newest products drove the company’s retail share performance: the new F-150 pickup, Escape small utility, Flex full-size crossover and Lincoln MKS sedan. The sell-down of the previous-generation Fusion mid-size sedan also contributed to the company’s strong retail showing.
Growing awareness and consideration of Ford and its high-quality, fuel-efficient products are starting to take hold. Plus, through June 1, Ford is offering consumers additional reasons to “Drive one.”
The Ford Advantage Plan is effective on vehicles delivered from March 31 through June 1. The Plan offers payment protection up to 12 months for up to $700 per month on any new Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle if a customer loses his or her job. Plus, 0 percent financing from Ford Motor Credit is available on select vehicles.
The folks out at