Volkswagen launches the new Golf GTI at the BIC

The launch event comprised of a press conference followed by a full day exclusive drive event for the Media, Volkswagen loyal customers and guests. Invited guests were able to get a first hand experience of the new GTI on Bahrain International Circuit, right venue for the right car.

"With around 150 proud owners of MKV - GTI in Bahrain the GTI has already made a place for itself in peoples' hearts and minds. For GTI owners their car is part of their life and very dear to them. We are confident that this new iconic sporty car with its groundbreaking capabilities and astonishing performance will add hundreds of new members and the let the GTI flag fly high in the Kingdom of Bahrain,"


said Mr. Felix Miranda, the Brand Manager for Volkswagen Centre in Bahrain.

With the first generation of the Golf GTI, Volkswagen presents a Golf of the purely sporty type. Despite originally only being planned as a limited series of 5,000, the GTI was simply destined to be a bestseller and quickly became synonymous with nifty sporty compacts. The Golf GTI is no ordinary car - it is also an automotive perspective on the world. Since the debut of the first and the discontinuation of the fifth generation, more than 1.7 million buyers made the GTI to the world's bestseller. In 2004, the fifth Golf GTI brought back this legend more powerfully than ever before.

Now this is being followed up by the sixth GTI, even sharper and more confident than all of the others before it. A GTI whose chassis systems - with standard electronic transverse differential lock (XDS) - redefines behaviour in curves and traction. A 240 km/h fast GTI that is more fun to drive with its powerful 155 kW / 210 hp turbo engine and yet only consumes 7.3 litres super unleaded (0.7 l/100 km improvement). A GTI that delivers audible dynamics with a sound generator and new exhaust system design (two tailpipes, one left and one right). A GTI that successfully transfers the tradition of the original version to the future.

Engine of the GTI

In the case of the Golf GTI generation VI, the fascination for many began once again with the engine as it is extremely important that the current GTI, like the last one, should be another turbo. This boosted high-tech engine fits in perfectly in our modern times. It is more fuel efficient than a large displacement engine, but with the turbocharger it is just as athletic. That is a key aspect of the Golf GTI tradition too: As early as the second generation, the G60 had an impressive boosted four cylinder engine (118 kW / 160 hp).

Later, the era of boosted GTI engines really gained momentum with the fourth generation in the 'Golf GTI 132 kW'. The technology and times were ready for this approach. A limited edition (3,000 cars) of the 132 kW / 180 hp version was introduced on the GTI's 25th anniversary in 2001. Although there had already been a 150 hp turbo, it did not yet have the aggressive punch of the anniversary version. With the launch of the fifth Golf GTI, an entirely new turbocharged four-cylinder engine was employed, which delivered a power of 147 kW / 200 hp. On the 30th anniversary of the GTI, a 169 kW / 230 hp turbo engine was introduced in the Golf GTI Edition 30. Somewhat later, this new engine also powered the second Pirelli GTI.

At exactly 155 kW / 210 hp, in terms of power level the new Golf GTI's TSI engine is positioned between the last production GTI and the 30 Year Edition. Although its performance and displacement data might suggest an advanced development of the 200 hp engine, this was actually a new powerplant of the 'EA888' generation of engines whose technical origins were in the 230 hp version.

The TSI that is used in the sixth GTI is a product of the second development stage of these highly agile engines. Compared to the first 'EA888' development stage, this engine - optimized for transverse mounting in the new GTI - has new components such as modified pistons and piston rings, a regulated oil pump, a new vacuum pump, a new high-pressure fuel pump and a new mass airflow sensor. When used in the most powerful Golf today, the engine fulfils limits of the Euro-5 emissions standard.

Performance of the GTI

When it comes to emissions and fuel economy, the new 210 hp engine has advanced far ahead of the two previous GTI four-cylinder engines with 200 and 230 hp. To be specific, the 1,984 cm³ displacement TSI on the new GTI is content with just 7.3 litres fuel per 100 kilometres on average. On the 200 hp GTI, fuel consumption was 8.0 litres, and the 230 hp GTI came in at 8.2 litres per 100 kilometres. So the theoretical range of the sixth GTI is about 750 kilometres between fill-ups.

At 170 g/km, the engine also shows marked improvement in CO² emissions. And the new GTI, succeeds in bridging the gap between a serious business car during the work week, and a competitor on the Nürburgring on the weekend. In this context, it should be noted that the first Golf GTI in 1976 had a power of exactly 81 kW / 110 hp and a top speed of 182 km/h, and at that time it was also one of the few cars to perform this balancing act.

The new GTI successfully addresses these aspects while attending to the property of most interest to GTI buyers - besides the car's appearance - which is its dynamic performance. At a low 1,700 rpm, the engine already develops its maximum torque of 280 Newton-metre. And this reserve torque is available as a constant value - exhibiting an ideal plateau in the torque curve that is not really a curve any longer - up to 5,200 rpm. In practice, this means impressive power in all of life's situations. The maximum power of the sixteen-valve engine with 9.6:1 compression ratio can be tapped over a speed range from 5,300 to 6,200 rpm.

The resulting package delivers enormous propulsive force; the car completes its acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.9 seconds, and the new Golf GTI handles a 1,000 meter sprint from a standstill in 27.3 seconds. Just as impressive is the engine's elasticity. In fifth gear, the Volkswagen accelerates from 80 to 120 km/h in just 7.5 seconds. Even in sixth gear it only takes 9.5 seconds. Not until 240 km/h is a balance reached between air resistance (cw = 0.324) and power. The tachometer indicates 5,900 rpm at this top speed.

Like the previous model, for the new GTI an optional 6-speed dual clutch transmission (DSG) will be offered as an alternative to the 6-speed manual transmission (including standard upshift recommendation as on the BlueMotion). In this case, the Golf delivers a top speed of 238 km/h (at 5,920 rpm). Like the manually shifted GTI, the DSG version also accelerates to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds. Its average fuel consumption of 7.4 litres (173 g/km CO²) nearly matches the excellent value of the manual transmission (7.3 litres).

Yet the numbers themselves only tell half of the story about the dual clutch transmission. The DSG is incredibly fast and precise, and the way in which the Golf GTI with DSG automatically double declutches when downshifting is a joy for any sports car driver. Interesting is the fact that the pedal position on the very first GTI, and of course also on the normal Golf, was laid out so that well-versed car drivers could double declutch properly.

Sound of the GTI

The engine and exhaust system of the new Golf GTI are making their appearance with an entirely unique and typical GTI sound. A sound that makes a very sporty impression yet does not irritate car occupants on long tours. On the exterior, the noise level is fully regulated by the newly developed GTI exhaust system. The only visible components of the exhaust system are the pair of chrome tailpipes integrated in the GTI's black diffuser, one on the left and one on the right. Inside, a complex exhaust routing system produces the typical GTI sound. In parallel, it was possible to reduce the weight of the system and its back pressure. And that has a direct positive impact on driving performance and fuel economy. Moreover, a sound generator ensures that the sonorous engine acoustics are perfectly 'mixed' in the car's interior as well.

Chassis of the GTI

'Physical handling limits' always come into play when the safety reserves of a chassis need to be determined. The actual boundaries of the new Golf GTI's physical handling limits are revealed when just a few laps around a track or the mountain roads. It becomes immediately apparent just how precisely the GTI tracks steering inputs and this steering precision is directly reflected in driving quality. The production car chassis offers practically no hint of body roll. The car's quasi lack of roll and pitch results in very safe driving behaviour. However, the GTI not only handles with sports car stiffness; it is also very comfortable. The electronic damper control of its new DCC system, in particular, produces an ideal synthesis of great comfort and excellent handling properties in the GTI.

The sixth Golf GTI is equipped with a sport chassis; its front end was lowered by 22 millimetres, and its rear by 15 millimetres. The entire architecture of springs, dampers and rear stabilizers was completely re-tuned. In front, the familiar strut-type suspension operates with helical springs and telescoping shock absorbers. In the rear, an innovative multi-link suspension ensures that the ESP system seldom needs to intervene. The braking system is also extremely durable. Distinctive here are the red painted brake callipers.

Sportier and safer with XDS

For the first time in a Volkswagen, the XDS electronic transverse differential lock is being used. It significantly improves traction and handling properties. Technically speaking, XDS is a functional extension of the electronic limited-slip differential (EDS) integrated in the ESP system.

In fast curve driving, as soon as the innovative electronics detects that the wheel at the inside of the curve on the GTI's driven front axle is insufficiently loaded, the ESP hydraulics specifically builds up braking pressure at this wheel to restore optimal traction. So XDS acts as a type of transverse differential lock that compensates for the understeering that is typical on front-wheel drive vehicles when driving fast through curves.

The results: Due to the XDS, driving behaviour is significantly more precise and neutral; drivers perceive this as more like the handling characteristics of a car with all-wheel drive than those of front-wheel drive. Beyond the GTI's already good chassis layout, XDS gives the car an enormous measure of driving stability. And it leads to greater driving enjoyment, since it reduces understeering. Experienced sports car drivers will be much more active underway. Yet, XDS is a very important safety feature for normal drivers too, because they will not experience any unpleasant surprises with the GTI. It simply would no longer press ahead.

Dynamic yet comfortable with DCC

In addition, the dynamic chassis control (DCC) system is available on the new GTI. It continually reacts to the roadway and driving situation and modifies the damper characteristic accordingly. The driver perceives the significant advances in comfort and dynamic performance directly. During acceleration, braking and steering actions, damping is stiffened in just fractions of a second to optimally satisfy vehicle dynamic requirements and reduce pitch and roll movements.

To let drivers choose the desired system behaviour, besides the 'Normal' program with a basic medium setting, DCC on the Golf GTI also offers the 'Sport' and 'Comfort' modes that are activated by a pushbutton above the shift gate. In 'Sport' mode, the power steering is also tuned for greater dynamic responsiveness.

Cruising safely with ACC

For the first time, the distance control system ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) will be offered on the new Golf GTI. When ACC is activated, the system automatically brakes and accelerates the GTI within a speed window from 30 to 210 km/h. Above all, when cruising at constant speed, e.g. at the speed limit on the freeway, ACC offers a significant plus in comfort and safety.

Distance control is implemented with a laser sensor in the rear view mirror that continually scans the distance to the vehicle in front of the car and its speed using five laser beams. The system operates successfully in curve driving too. ACC is controlled via a lever on the steering column. Important: As soon as the ACC system reaches its limits, the driver is asked to resume control by visual and acoustic warning signals.

Park Assist Generation II

Another high-end technology on the new Golf GTI is the optional Park Assist park steering assistant. The second generation of the system is used here. It enables nearly automatic back-up parking parallel to the roadway. The driver just needs to actuate the gas pedal and brake, while the GTI steers into the pre-scanned space by sensor control. Previously, the space had to be at least 1.4 meters longer than the vehicle; now 1.1 meters is sufficient. In addition, the system now enables multiple forward-reverse stages in parking. Park Assist deactivates itself as soon as the driver manually intervenes in steering. When the GTI is ordered with this system, the acoustic proximity warning system ParkPilot (front and rear) and Hill Hold Control are included too.

Bi-xenon headlights with curve lighting

As an option, Volkswagen is offering the new Golf GTI with completely redesigned bi-xenon headlights, including dynamic curve lighting. The headlights swivel through a steering radius of up to 13 degrees to the outside and seven degrees to the inside. The styling of the headlights closely matches the GTI's sporty character. The interior dual modules (xenon outboard, parking light / turn signals inboard) each have a chrome pod through which a very impressive visual image projects. Placed low below the bumper - and also GTI-specific in design - are the vertically aligned and always standard front fog lights.

Interior of the GTI

If there is such a thing as total ergonomic perfection, then it is to be found in the new GTI. The ambiance lacks nothing that a person would have in a luxury sedan, nonetheless, the interior is uncompromisingly sporty. The seats offer a high degree of long touring comfort and are equally fit to run a 24-hour race. The GTI is super comfortable, super ergonomic.

The Golf GTI is equipped with standard sport seats, which - as once before - are upholstered in a tartan fabric pattern ('Jacky'). Leather seats ('Vienna') are available as an option. A lumbar support integrated in the seats is positioned by a lever on the side of the seat. For safety, whiplash-optimized head restraints (WOKS) are also on board. The head restraints precisely counteract whiplash in case of an accident. The GTI logo has been worked into the WOKS material.

Additional features: Naturally, this Golf also has pedals with brushed stainless steel caps, a customized GTI gearshift lever in aluminium look, a leather steering wheel with grip recesses and GTI emblem; naturally there are decorative red seams on the steering wheel, gearshift surround and leather parking brake grip; naturally the roofliner is black, and so is the pillar trim. Naturally, because this Golf is a GTI. That is why the decorative inserts in the doors and instruments are also customized with 'Black Stripe' style elements - black, high-gloss accents in metallic look. In any case, the GTI breaks through class boundaries with its high-end surfaces and features that are pleasing to the touch and the eye.

The impression made by the materials and their workmanship, details like brushed chrome accents and elegant round instruments give the impression of actually sitting in a car of the next higher class, or in a far more expensive sports car. In contrast to most sports cars, however, the Golf GTI offers ample space for five persons. Its cargo capacity of between 350 and 1,305 litres also ensures that GTI drivers can handle nearly all of the challenges of daily life with confidence.

Toyota Verso pollution changed

You run this new car for 12, 18, 24 or 36 months depending on the term, and run it within an agreed mileage limit (usually 10,000, 15,000 or 20,000 miles per year, but different mileages are possible). If you exceed the mileage limit, you pay for extra miles at (typically) 4p – 10p per extra mile. This is known as the excess mileage rate.

EnvironmentMy customers agree to adhere to a fixed mileage allowance (usually 10,000, 15,000 or 20,000 miles per annum) and they are charged for "excess" miles. This means they are far more aware of the costs involved in unneccessary journeys in their new cars. To a certain extent, my customers will consider "is my journey really neccessary?" and "would it be cheaper to do this long trip on the train?".

In 1993 exhaust emission limits, (generally referred to as the Euro 1 standards) were introduced for new cars which resulted in the adoption of advanced emission control techniques, e.g. catalysts. More stringent emission limits came into effect in 1997 (Euro 2) and 2001 (Euro 3) and 1st January 2005 (Euro 4). Euro 4 came fully into force on 1st January 2007 and now covers most new cars on sale.
Having got all the info for the Toyota Verso Petrol Manual, I can publish the new CO2 figure: 165g/km. This will change across the different models of this particular car, they are all a bit different. Click on the “fridge label” to get a enviroment label to print for this car. The combined cycle economy for this Toyota Verso is now 40mpg.
My Toyota Verso (New Shape) 1.8 V-Matic (144bhp) T2 MPV (7-seat) 5dr 1798cc Petrol Manual gearbox is only £333.49 inc VAT per month with 3 months initial payment, followed by 35 payments on direct debit. Business customers, make sure you deduct the VAT, when making decisions. As I can’t tell what type of customer you are (business or private), I can’t display the price any other way but to show VAT seperately (sorry!).
This price on my Toyota Verso includes full road tax for the length of the contract, on all of my cars and vans! Free delivery to your home or work and free collection from you at the end! £333.49 inc VAT per month is based on you driving 10,000 miles per annum, but higher mileages are usually available at a small extra cost. If you go over the allocated miles, you can pay a small excess mileage charge, usually between 3p and 15p per mile.
The comparative or "fridge" label, is compulsory in car showrooms – except you’ve got to DRIVE there to see it! I won an industry award for displaying it electronically for all website visitors. I am the proud winner of the 2008 Best Environmentalist 2008 Automotive Management Award. Like me, Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair talks straight about cars versus planes. "The usual horseshit", he says. One day, every car will be as Green as my Jolly Green Nuclear Missile Truck "Calm down dear!" – it’s only done 1,000 miles since 1970.

Must Read: GM launches ‘May the Best Car Win’ campaign, previews new vehicles in TV spot

There is a huge change coming to General Motors Company, and we feel its one we can believe in – and no that’s not General Motors talking that’s us here at egmCarTech that have driven the new 2010 Chevrolet Equinox and spent a couple of minutes behind the new 2010 Cadillac SRX.

Leading the change is new Chairman Edward Whitacre, who has been in the spotlight quite a lot this week. Whitacre joined GM during its bankruptcy process and remained fairly quite until this month. It was reported earlier this month that Whitacre is being “frighteningly direct” with the top-level executives and is asking to see improvement in sales, market share and profitability. He said that if those changes don’t happen soon, there will be significant consequences.

Whitacre is also leading GM’s new advertising campaign along with Bob Lutz called “May the Best Car Win.” I first came across the campaign on an ad I clicked that took me to this website http://www.thebestcarwins.com/. It was basically a website asking you which vehicle you think ranks at the top in terms of fuel-efficiency, safety, quality, performance and overall. The survey ends with saying that “on September 13th, one car company is putting it all on the table. The cars will speak for themselves. And the facts just might change some opinions.” Later on in the day I figured out that the site was a part of GM’s new ‘May the Best Car Win’ campaign (you can follow the campaign on Twitter here http://twitter.com/thebestcarwins)
The campaign will kick off with a new TV spot featuring new Chairman Whitacre, walking through GM’s design studios (you can check it out after the jump). The 60 second ad shows off some feature upcoming GM products including the Cadillac Converj, a GMC Scion competitor, the next-generation Buick Enclave, the Cadillac ATS (hidden under the covers), the Chevrolet Spark and the Chevrolet Volt. Whitacre also speaks about GM’s new incentive where buyers of a new Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet or GMC will be able to return their vehicle within 60 days if they are not happy with it.

“Every ad is going to give the consumer a reason to consider our vehicles,” said Bob Lutz in article over at GM FastLane Blog. “We will be highlighting our quality, design, performance, road manners, fuel efficiency, 100,000-mile/5-year warranty, and our new 60-day satisfaction guarantee. We will directly compare our attributes to the competition and “may the best car win.”

“In short, we’re going to take away every last excuse not to consider a vehicle from Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick and GMC. We have confidence in our products, he said. “This campaign is designed to encourage the consumer to share in that confidence.”

Personally, we feel Bob Lutz should be in these commercials, but that’s just our opinion.

You can check out the 60-second ad spot after the jump along with two other viral spots. Make sure you drop by http://www.thebestcarwins.com/ and cast your vote.

Selling Opel: GM's Biggest Mistake Ever

by: Jerry Flint

The General Motors board of directors has decided to sell control, 55%, of Opel, its European car-making operation. This is the biggest mistake the new GM has made--and perhaps the biggest mistake GM, old or new, has ever made.

Opel, and the cars made in Britain under the Vauxhall name, account for more than 1 million sales a year, but the operations are more important that the sales. The German unit is the heart of GM's car engineering, and particularly the creation of front-drive cars and compact-size cars. U.S. models are derived from these cars, such as today's Chevy Malibu.
Of course, GM will have agreements; the new Opel, controlled by others, will pledge to continue to cooperate, share, coordinate and work with GM in developing cars. That's what the agreements will say. Unfortunately, the world doesn't work like that. The Germans will be happy to snub requests from Detroit GM, put them on the back burner and ignore requests to design with the U.S. in mind.

The Germans at Opel have been sticking it to the Americans whenever they could for years. At times they have rejected direct orders from the Detroit headquarters. One of GM's highest executives once told me he considered the old Opel board to be "traitors." Now the Germans have their chance to really stick it to their old owners.

Who did GM sell 55% to? A partnership of Magna, the large Canadian auto parts maker and its Russian bank partner, Sberbank. My experience is that the Russians don't take a back seat to anyone, and dealing with the Russians has been a losing game for more than one Western partner. If the deal is successful, they have been known to steal the assets through their corrupt courts.

Perhaps I have a personal grudge. I examined the Russian auto industry for Forbes magazine in 1996. Later, my writing partner, an American who headed Forbes magazine in Russia, was murdered on the streets of Moscow.
Opel has been a money loser for GM and is shrinking, but it's reasonable to believe that is due to incompetence. The proof is that the similarly sized European Ford ( F - news - people ) operation is profitable and growing, not losing money and shrinking.

The German government has wanted GM out of Opel too. That is its mistake. GM and Opel have been together since 1929. Whatever the problems with GM, they are better partners than the Russians.
It's not a good sign for the new GM.

Ethiopia: Holland Car Rolls Out Three New Models

Binyam Tamene

9 September 2009
Addis Abeba — Named after famous Ethiopian rivers, ABAY, AWASH and TEKEZE, Holland Car Plc, finally unveiled its most anticipated three latest model and technically advanced cars on Monday.

The new models go on sale starting from Ethiopian New Year in the local market, with prices for the products anounched during a launching event held at Sheraton Addis. As a result, the company said ABAY Executive and TEKEZE excutive would both be attached with 189,500 birr price tag, and AWASH executive tagged 279,000 birr.
With an engine displacment of 1299 cc, TEKEZE Executive uses internationaly advanced multi-point EFI (electronic fuel injection) engine technology with Electron Company ECU system.

Having the same engine technology as TEKEZE Executive, Awash Executive also has a minimum of 160(no-load) of ground clearance.

It is also equipped with an engine displacement of 1488 cc, which the compnay said "Its Emission Standard complies with Euro IV (with OBD)." Abay Executive also falls under Compact car catogory and is equiped with an engine of 1299 cc.
Both, Abay EXECUTIVE and AwashExecutive, according to the manufacturer, "can be defined as home business and Economic Cars suitable for the Ethiopian Highlands and Weather." As a result of termination of agreement with Lifan Company to the supply of spare parts, Holand Car would import spare parts for its new models from its new Chinese partner and car manufacturing company, Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co. Ltd (JAC).

Previously, the company imported spare parts for its product from Lifan, another Chinese Auto Manufacturing company, which eventually terminated over an allaged plot to take over the company.

Lifan Auto, however, dismissed Holandcar Plc's allegations as completely baseless, and clarified that the direct reason for terminating the contract in June is that Holland Car has failed to reach the sales target set by both sides.

In 2008, the Ethiopian partner only achieved half of the orders it had promised even after it had borrowed US$100,000 from Lifan, the Chinese company said.
Tadesse Tessema, General Manager and co-founder of Holland Car Plc said the company has now scaled up its capacity to producing six cars per day.

"When experience gained, we shall be able to assemble up to ten cars per day," he said.

Previously the company was facing serious problems leading it to cut-off its production facilities due to the shortage of foreign currency in the country.

Holland Car PLC is established in 2005 and is a joint venture between the Dutch company Trento Engineering BV in share of 50 percent and the Ethiopian company Ethio-Holland PLC in Addis Ababa 50 percent.

Ford's Battery Electric Focus Is Exclusive Vehicle On 'The Jay Leno Show's 'New Green Car Challenge

Ford Motor Company is teaming up with "The Jay Leno Show" and providing an all-new battery electric Ford Focus that celebrities will drive as a way to showcase Ford's leadership on fuel efficiency and electrified vehicles.

Ford's electric Focus will be the exclusive vehicle for The Jay Leno Show in a segment the host calls the "Green Car Challenge." The battery electric vehicle, specially made for the show, foreshadows elements of the electric Focus that Ford will begin selling in North America in 2011.
"Having our Focus battery electric vehicle on the show is a great way to demonstrate how fun to drive these cars really can be," said Lisa Drake, chief engineer, Ford Hybrid and Battery Electric Vehicle Programs. "Beyond the immediate excitement of driving, it demonstrates that Ford is investing in this technology and that we're committed to electric vehicles."

Ford has an aggressive plan to put at least four electrified vehicles on the road in North America by 2012, including the Focus BEV in 2011, as well as new hybrids and a plug-in hybrid.

"Ford is absolutely committed to delivering best-in-class fuel efficiency with every new vehicle we introduce," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. "The Focus showcases how electric vehicles can be smart, green, fast and fun. It also illustrates Ford's commitment to fuel efficiency and doing our part to contribute to a better world."

"The Jay Leno Show"

Leno will showcase Ford's electric Focus when the show kicks off Sept. 14. Celebrity guests will complete against each other in the "Green Car Challenge" segment.

Ford's hybrid and battery electric vehicle program team worked together with Ford Racing to develop the special BEV for the show. It took three weeks to build the car and another couple of weeks to properly tune the suspension so it could be driven fast on a racetrack. The development work was done at Ford's Michigan Proving Grounds in Romeo, Mich.

The Focus BEV built for the show has a split battery pack, with one battery in the cargo area and one underneath the car in the space normally occupied by a fuel tank. Because this Focus is built to race, it is equipped with a roll bar and five-point harness for the driver.

Ford's Fuel Efficiency Leadership

Ford's fuel efficiency leadership includes new EcoBoost engines on sale today in the Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS and, soon, Lincoln MKT. EcoBoost uses gasoline turbocharged direct-injection technology for up to 20 percent better fuel economy, 15 percent fewer CO2 emissions and superior driving performance versus larger displacement engines.

By 2013, Ford will offer EcoBoost engines in 90 percent of its product lineup with annual volume of vehicles with EcoBoost at 1.3 million globally.

Ford also has four hybrid vehicles on the road today, including the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid, Mercury Milan Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid. At 41 miles per gallon, the Fusion Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient mid-size sedan in America – 8 mpg better than the Toyota Camry Hybrid.

Overall, Ford is making an unprecedented investment in new engine, transmission and driveline components, helping the company further improve vehicle fuel economy.

"We are committed to delivering new products with the best fuel economy in every segment in which we compete – driven in large part by substantial advancements in powertrain technology," said Barb Samardzich, vice president, Ford Global Powertrain Engineering. "We are focusing on sustainable technology solutions that can be used not for hundreds or thousands of cars – but for millions of cars, because that is how Ford truly will make a difference."

Among coming products are pure battery electric versions of the Transit Connect commercial van in 2010 and Focus sedan in 2011. The Transit Connect is expected to have a range of up to 100 miles.

The Focus BEV, which Ford is developing with Magna, will be produced at Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant. The sedan can be charged from both a standard 110V as well as a 220V wall outlet.

Fast lane: New Toyota hybrids

By Christopher Tan

SMALL BUT POWERFUL

As sort of an encore to its magical 1.4-litre twincharged engine, the Volkswagen Group has unveiled a new 1.2-litre direct injection turbo that puts out 105bhp and 175Nm of torque from 1,500rpm.

With an aluminium crankcase, the four-cylinder eight-valve engine weighs just 89.5kg. The first cars to have this mighty mite will be the three-door VW Polo (above) and Audi's three-door A3.

AVOID HITTING ERRATIC BOB

Volvo Cars has a new crash dummy nicknamed Bob. He never gets to sit in a car during a collision.

Instead, he is the one who risks being run over. He may suddenly appear from behind a parked car or around a corner. This is because he is suspended from a crane that can propel him into the driver's field of vision.

Bob's erratic behaviour poses a challenge to Volvo's latest active safety system, which features both radar and cameras. The new system will spot pedestrians who suddenly dart into the car's path, then activates the brakes if the driver does not respond in time.

NEW PRIUS CONCEPT

To be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in a fortnight are a couple of new Toyota hybrids. These include an all-new Auris hybrid concept and a new Prius Plug-in Hybrid concept.

Early next year, Toyota will test 150 units of the latter in Europe. The company will also display another Lexus concept: a sporty wagon-style hybrid with an extended all-electric range.

KIA'S NEW LPG-ELECTRIC HYBRID

Also, KIA will preview an LPG-electric hybrid at the Frankfurt show. The Kia Forte LPI Hybrid is powered by a 114bhp 1.6-litre engine that runs on liquefied petroleum gas (commonly used for cooking).

It also has a 15kW 105Nm electric motor powered by a 180-volt lithium polymer battery pack. It has a continuously variable transmission, stop-start function and "regenerative braking". The car's drag-coefficient is reduced to just 0.26. Kia will test a fleet of the unique hybrids from next year.

The Korean brand will also unveil an all-new model at the show. The Kia Venga is a compact car that offers the roominess of a mid-size model. It has a 2,615mm wheelbase and a 1,600mm roofline. The latest Kia will be equipped with a sliding rear seat that also folds flat onto the floor for a spacious cargo bay. Engine choices include a 1.4- and 1.6-litre, in petrol and diesel.

RENAULT COMPACT WAGON

Renault has stepped into the compact wagon segment with the Renault Sport Tourer. Stylishly designed and powered by 1.6-litre engines, the range could compete with cars such as Volvo's V50 and Audi's A4 estate.

The French wagon is suitably equipped for the job, with premium options such as dualzone climate control, electric folding mirrors, electrochrome rear-view mirror, electronic parking brake, panoramic sunroof and 16- or 17-inch wheels.

SAAB'S SPECIAL OFFER

Saab agent Trans Eurokars is marking the Swedish marque's "new era under the Koenigsegg Group" with a special offer to customers. They will be offered a competitive car loan with zero interest in the first year. In addition, they will enjoy a comprehensive five-year servicing plan at no extra charge.

BMW'S K BIKES

BMW's latest two-wheeled road warriors will be unleashed this weekend. The new K-series - K1300S and "naked" K1300R - will offer more punch and flexibility.

Engine displacement goes to 1.3 litres, offering 175bhp in the S and 173bhp in the R. The bikes come with a lot of equipment, including anti-lock braking system as a standard feature and a second generation of electronically adjustable suspension as an option.

Chevy, Cadillac offer new models, upgrades

MUNCIE -- Four all-new vehicles, as well as several upgrades to existing models, are among the changes to the Chevrolet and Cadillac car lines for 2010, say representatives of the local dealership. "In addition to our loyal customers, we're excited by the number of people visiting us for the first time," said Dale Aaron, assistant sales manager at American Chevrolet Cadillac of Muncie. "Among those changing over to Chevy or Cadillac from other brands are some who are purchasing their first-ever American-made vehicle."
New or completely-redesigned for 2010 are the Chevrolet Equinox and Camaro, the Cadillac SRX and a new Sport Wagon version of the Cadillac CTS.
Chevrolet Equinox
At up to 32 miles per gallon, the 2010 Equinox has the highest highway economy rating in its class, Chevrolet says.
The vehicle's mileage, refinement and build quality have been making for strong sales since the first of the new Equinoxes began arriving in Muncie about six weeks ago, according to Blake Absher of American.
"If people want to see what General Motors can do, come in and drive this Equinox and compare it to the foreign brands," he said. "The vehicle speaks for itself."
Chevrolet Camaro
The new Camaro, which reached showrooms this past March, has been popular among car enthusiasts, says Nate Allen, assistant sales manager at the dealership.
"For those who recall the early Camaros, the new one seems to bring back memories of happy times," he said. "But the younger people love this car just as much, for they have heard or read about the older Camaros and know how great they were, but they also know this one is much more advanced mechanically."
Cadillac SRX
Cadillac's luxury crossover vehicle, the SRX, has a new look and several upgraded features for 2010, Absher said.
"The SRX's climate control system now includes a humidity sensor and an air quality sensor to offer the ultimate in driver and passenger comfort," he explained.
SRX buyers can choose one of two new engines: a 265-horsepower, direct-injected, three-liter V6, or a 300-horsepower, turbocharged, 2.8-liter V6. Both engines offer high power levels from smaller displacement sizes to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions, Cadillac says.
Cadillac CTS
There have been updates to the CTS sedan, such as new choices of wheels, but the big change will come in a few weeks with the introduction of the CTS Sport Wagon, said Dale Aaron of American.
"The CTS Sport Wagon is essentially the same size as the acclaimed CTS sport sedan on the outside," Cadillac announced in a press release. "However, the new Sport Wagon nearly doubles carrying capacity, with 25 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats."
Malibu
While the car's design did not change for 2010, a six-speed automatic transmission now comes at no extra charge on more Malibu models, and the standard 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine is now FlexFuel-capable, allowing it to run on either gasoline or E85.

The Kia Picanto is a Green car yet?

With my deals, you get a brand new car with zero miles on the clock, delivered to your door. The new car is fully taxed and has the full manufacturer’s warranty and AA cover. It has proper New Car Smell; you know this smell? MMMMM!

EnvironmentAt the Kyoto Conference on Climate Change in December 1997 all developed countries agreed to legally binding targets to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in response to warnings over global climate change. Following this the European Commission and the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) came to an agreement in July 1998 that committed ACEA to reduce the CO2 emissions from new passenger cars by over 25% to an average CO2 emission figure of 140 g/km by 2008. This is one of the most significant industry agreements on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and it has led to more fuel efficient vehicles being brought to the market. Similar voluntary agreements have now been reached with Japanese and Korean motor manufacturers. I dread to think what the Chinese are doing…

In 1993 exhaust emission limits, (generally referred to as the Euro 1 standards) were introduced for new cars which resulted in the adoption of advanced emission control techniques, e.g. catalysts. More stringent emission limits came into effect in 1997 (Euro 2) and 2001 (Euro 3) and 1st January 2005 (Euro 4). Euro 4 came fully into force on 1st January 2007 and now covers most new cars on sale.

Enviroment LabelThe CO2 for this Kia Picanto Petrol Manual is better than it was, at just 117g/km. It is a bit different if you look at a slightly different trim level. Click on the “fridge label” to get a enviroment label to print for this car. The combined cycle economy for this Kia Picanto is now 57mpg

The Kia Picanto falls into the C C band overall.

My Kia Picanto 1.0 (60bhp) Hatchback 5dr 999cc Petrol Manual gearbox is only £132.24 inc VAT per month with 3 months initial payment, followed by 23 payments on direct debit. Business customers, make sure you deduct the VAT, when making decisions. As I can’t tell what type of customer you are (business or private), I can’t display the price any other way but to show VAT seperately (sorry!).

KiaThis price on my Kia Picanto includes full road tax for the length of the contract, on all of my cars and vans! Free delivery to your home or work and free collection from you at the end! £132.24 inc VAT per month is based on you driving 10,000 miles per annum, but higher mileages are usually available at a small extra cost. If you go over the allocated miles, you can pay a small excess mileage charge, usually between 3p and 15p per mile.

Kia PicantoWinning the environmental award (2008 Best Environmentalist in the car industry) was very pleasing for me as it meant I was being recognised for my hard work. I’m the the ONLY new car supplier to display and promote environmental info for ALL new cars, on the web! Please note I have pioneered availability of environmental information on the internet. Using the internet to research and buy new cars is the most environmentally friendly method, by miles.

The R(E)volution of Online Advertising

Summary
as Web use becomes ever more convenient; consumers will continue to spend more time online brand and will look for proposals that deliver entertainment, service and convenience. Brands that understand the importance of a consistent two-way relationship and have the critical business processes in place will benefit from a trading environment that brings them as close to their customers as a medieval merchant once was.
Analysis
From evolution to revolution
it was once a universal truth that online advertising creative plays poor relative to the nobility of the Advertising & Marketing Agency world. In creative terms, perhaps less in line is considered poor cousin stepbrother and more dwarfish with one eye blind, hearing impaired and a speech impediment. For this reason, the Internet was once viewed solely as a place for direct response campaigns, and certainly not to be trusted with a building or driving brand awareness.

But the Ugly Duckling is slowly becoming the swan as it moves out of its infancy and start having cool haircuts and trying to find a girlfriend. With this, the online creative scene is finally Embracing the power, force and sexual allure that relative youth can bring, while Daddy reaches its vitamin pill for the looser and all sense of rhythm. But what's behind this blossoming of online? Now that it's come of age, what is the proper pursuit for a medium that for so long but could crawl, Dribble and manage a few simple words like "click here"?

It all comes down to people. The person is doing it, the people paying for it and the people consuming it. The people doing it are better.

There was a time when online ads were largely produced by designers who, despite being good designers, were not 'creative' Schooled in conceptual thinking. "Knocking out a few links as an afterthought, concept design based on whatever they'd used in the header of a client's website lead to an idea devoid of ads and unable to communicate to an audience in proposition. As creative designers replace in digital agencies, this problem fades.

The slow down in the advertising market as a whole have benefited digital agencies. Good planners, account and creative people have begun to consider online as a career option - with the industry growing at future looks more secure online than in traditional agency roles. The more good people, the better the level of work, which in turn attracts bright graduates to the industry. It's still the case that most creative looking for their first job for big ad agencies, but the reality of life in a traditional shop is often frustrating for creative free spirits. Bagged by senior accounts being top teams and internal competition gives rise to a viper pit atmosphere. Within the online space, there's room for bright young teams to work on Edgy Ideas for more brands from the off - and with the relatively fast turnaround on digital projects, they are not stuck servicing the same day in day out account. All this makes for a creative vitality producing better and better ideas on the Internet.

The people buying it understand and appreciate it
Agencies can not take all the credit. The increasingly savvy marketing manager is embracing online as never before and there is something of a "viral" effect taking place as web-literate decision-makers move jobs, helping grow online budgets in companies that once overlooked entirely digital. And with the legendary measurability of online including SEO and SEM, the talented marketer has the tools to persuade boards to release cash.

But it's always been measurable. What's changed is that strong brand building creative ideas capable of motivating brands are offering customers the ability to gain unprecedented consumer insights. Exaggeration it’s not to say this is transforming the way brands market themselves - FMCG companies now have tangible relationships with the customer unmediated by the big multiples. This is nothing short of revolutionary and is slowly beginning to release the kind of budgets that provide scope for bigger ideas.

The people buying it have the money for it
Marketplace factors that have threatened the traditional agencies are benefiting Upstart. Audience fragmentation on TV, longer working hours and the break down of traditional benefit all demographic groups in highly targeted medium like the Net. So while budgets have gone down in the last one year, the proportion of online spend has gone up 50% year on year since 2004. Meanwhile, increasingly brand literate consumers are demanding new things from their communications.

The people are responding positively consuming it
With many home broadband users accounting for Internet connections, an Assured good experience means that consumers are spending more time online in greater and greater numbers. The Internet now accounts for approximately 10% to 25% of all media and news consumption and within certain demographics; the Internet is almost the only place to guarantee a satisfactory ROI. As for recent research which we undertook for a client, the average 21-35 year old spend over 50 hours a month on the web. The more time consumers spend online, and the more money they have with them, the more online as a branding medium becomes relevant. As we know from the offline world, it's a great deal easier to inspire loyalty and sell premium priced products to consumers who engage with the brand.

From passive to interactive real-time communication
The stupendous success of Twitter and numerous Online Viral Ads is proof of the fact that online engagement at exalted - interrupting someone with a 60 second TV ad, does not compare to the possible "time with brand" achievable online. The best online campaigns can capture attention by interruption with a 10-20 second ad and keep that attention with entertaining and informative content on a brand site. The end point of this chain of engagement could be a data-capture opportunity to purchase gold, but the motivating factor for the customer is entertainment and information. If the creative standards are high enough en route, the customer may spend up to 15 minutes with your brand before going back to what they were doing.

Using time efficiently with BRAND
with an entertaining brand experience agency can keep a good digital consumer to engaged. But the key to understanding the potential for online brands lies in what a business can do with that opportunity. Until the Internet arrived, brand communication, driven by TV ads was characterized by the passive consumer receiving messages. It was a one-way process and the advertiser had little genuine insight into response. In order to combine brand strategy with consumer insight, DM was brought into the mix. The drawback with direct marketing is that high creative standards tend to be prohibitively costly for all but the highest-ticket purchases (cars, etc.). Now that the Internet can deliver on the creative audience reach and impact necessary for brand advertising, its unique strength comes into play. The site combines the reach of television with the targeting and consumer insight of traditional DM.

In order to benefit from this powerful combination, businesses must embrace a communications process that recognizes the importance of a seamless, entertaining journey from ad to transaction. It's not sufficient to rely on highly creative advertising that simply sells off the page. Effective strategies require a combination of digital creative ads websites with engaging, insightful information architecture and business processes geared up to receive information and understand the customers are prepared to give as they interact. Done correctly, joined up to Virtuous circle where branding becomes valuable consumer insights are gathered at each part of the customer journey and are fed back into the creative process to develop a more and more engaging brand experience.

The Future & Beyond
Those businesses that embrace power of the internet as a branding medium now will make substantial gains in the future. High speed broadband (2MB speed and upwards will be the norm) will enable companies to deliver richer content and in so doing they will be able to harness consumer interaction more easily. As Web use becomes ever more convenient and cheap, consumers will continue to spend more time online brand and will look for proposals that deliver entertainment, service and convenience. Brands that understand the importance of a consistent two-way relationship and have the critical business processes in place will benefit from a trading environment that brings them as close to their customers as a medieval merchant was eleven, closer, better. The time is now for online advertising.

Whole new generation of Mercedes - Benz E-class coupe Xiangjie

In the Mercedes - Benz coupe model introduced in 2003 and listed on the CLK-class coupe is one of the leader can be said, this production by the C-Class sedan platform, by virtue of its unique market position in the world Mercedes-Benz has won many fans like it. In 2009, Mercedes - Benz launched the new generation E-class coupe-type (E-Class Coupé), as a replacement model CLK-Class, E-class coupe-based production platform is also from the C Level elevated to the E-class, which will shape the movement by virtue of a more robust and higher performance configuration to prolong the Mercedes - Benz coupes unique charm.

Streamline shape highlight tough style

Whole new generation of Mercedes - Benz E-Class Coupés tough strength of character

From the outside, the whole new generation of Mercedes - Benz E-Class Coupé body size longer and wider than the CLK-Class models, but the vehicle height is lowered 16 mm, compared to the new generation E-Class is a low 73 mm, to better reflect the coupe chassis with low center of gravity low, high-speed stability, good features. In the overall style, E-Class Coupé disclosed in the smooth lines of a strong sense of tough, compared to CLK-class movement to look younger and more are also different from other brands Coupé silky smooth appearance, the front four sharp headlights with an inverted L-shaped arrangement of LED light group is also very eye-catching, while the same strain of the CLK-Class models without the traditional design of column B, so that is more smooth flowing lines of car-side to show more aggressive than the sedan, sports personality; rear part of the same by the new E-Class is almost the same design techniques, sharp style, it is even more personality and vitality. It is precisely because the new E-Class Coupé has a perfectly smooth curve, its drag coefficient of just 0.24, which is the worlds production car that can be said to be among the best, not only high-speed traffic is more quiet, to enhance the fuel economy is also a clear benefit.

The five engine power output surging

In the dynamic, E-Class Coupé is available in two diesel and three gasoline-powered models.

Under the tough exterior of a strong driving force

Introduction of diesel models E 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Coupé equipped with a new generation of four-cylinder diesel engine, with two-stage model of turbo-charged open system with piezoelectric injector common-rail fuel supply system that can output 204 horsepower, than in the past CLK-Class type of four-cylinder diesel engine, this new diesel engine that can improve about 36% of the power output and reduced by about 17% of fuel consumption. According to the test, E 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Coupé, the average fuel consumption of up to 5.30 liters / 100 kilometers, carbon dioxide emissions of just 138 grams per kilometer, energy saving and environmental performance is very distinguished. As the top diesel model E 350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Coupé, equipped with a new generation V6 diesel engine, maximum power output to 231 hp and 179 grams per kilometer of carbon dioxide emissions.

Is equipped with direct injection technology, E 250 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY Coupé entry-level petrol model, the maximum power output of 204 horsepower can be, and five-speed manual transmission transmission system as standard equipment, with an average fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions were 6.99 liters / 100 kilometers and 164 grams / km.

Gasoline models E 350 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY Coupé, the maximum power up to 292 horsepower, an increase over the previous 20 hp or so, with an average fuel consumption of 8.5 liters / 100 kilometers, carbon dioxide emissions of 199 g / km, but also with the specifications than the previous petrol Engine decreased by about 14% of emissions.

As the cars in the top model E 500 Coupé, equipped with a maximum power of 388 hp V8 engine, with an average fuel consumption of 10.8 liters / 100 kilometers. In addition, E-class coupe models have switched all the power in advance through Europe five environmental regulatory requirements.

A strong bulwark of security to provide comprehensive protection

To provide comprehensive protection for the occupants of the airbag

In addition to powerful dynamic performance, the new E-Class Coupé also offers strong security protection, according to years of Mercedes - Benz Accident Research Group a traffic accident data collection for the collection, E-Class Coupé is equipped with a series of representative Mei Saide Sri Lanka - the highest technology in Mercedes-Benz driver assistance systems, the CLK-Class models with the past than in the safety performance is more to the next level.

As a standard E-Class Coupé is equipped with Attention Assist System attention-assisted system is in the previous CLK-class models have not used the technology, according to Mercedes - Benz Accident Research Group report, long-distance driving at night or Cruise is a long case, the driver due to lack of concentration and short nap or for driving while asleep Dantiaokuzao a great possibility. The attention and the support system according to more than 70 kinds of different parameters to determine the mental state of driving, if we find the driver the case of mental incompetence, will be immediately sent through a dashboard warning areas and speakers.

Attention standard auxiliary system can effectively reduce the occurrence of accidents

CLK-Class is assembled before the preventive safety systems (PRE-SAFE?) Also re-equipped in the E-Class Coupé, the Mercedes - Benz invented security technology can be avoided, when the sensor surveillance measured vehicle accident about to happen, it will start all the passive protection mechanism to prepare in advance, such as driver and front passenger seat belts are pulled back to the safety of electrical devices to tighten the tension. Once the impact can not be avoided that the function can ensure that the airbag before the start of the front row sitting in the best protection personnel position, so that the airbag to play a better protective effect. Prior to this, of course, anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic control ESP (ESP?) Will intervene in order to avoid such dangerous place.

On the active safety, E-Class Coupé the new configuration active headlights auxiliary system configurations than the CLK-Class models have also escalated, with HID xenon headlights, available in accordance with the different driving environment, real-time to provide the best lighting conditions, and can be detected through the windshield in front of the camera under the car for dynamic, self-adjusting headlights irradiation angle to avoid glare effects for cars, and there is this system of assistance, as far as exposure can range from the past 65 mithi up to 300 meters, and when faced with detours, of course, will start the active steering function to provide the best lighting angle.

Active braking system is the first to configure the E-Class Coupé, which is effective to avoid rear-ended the vehicle in front of the science and technology, it is under the front of the long-range and short-range radar sensing, first to warn drivers that if the situation of emergency, will start its own braking system to maintain distance from the vehicle in front.

Passive safety part, E-Class Coupé has a basic three-point seat belts, along with tightening up device with the beam-force limiters and so on, airbags are standard for seven, respectively, dual front and dual front side, drivers knee, car window curtain air bags and so on, while the rear-seat side airbags are optional on all the thousandth of a second balloon can be inflated to complete preparations; E-Class Coupé will also be pedestrian protection system as standard equipment, when the front hit the pedestrian, the hood immediately on the rear strut to mention 50 mm, as a buffer when the pedestrian impact.

Excellent space for enjoying cozy comfort

Color LCD display control table

Compared with the CLK-Class, E-Class Coupé body length and width increased by 46 millimeters, the front and rear seat leg room has increased significantly. For the E-Class Coupé seats used by Mercedes - Benz sports car is also in accordance with the spirit of the new development, first adjust the seat height and back angle of electrification as a standard feature, and in order to facilitate rear seat passengers entry and exit, also designed a fast and convenient access to the system will be quickly before the seats forward; To further improve the ride comfort, the former four-way adjustable seat with lumbar design, also offers a variety of breathable leather matching the owner; back and CLK Class models are designed as two separate seats, close to 1.8 meters wide and can ensure the car has a spacious rear passenger space, but the original CLK-class models and the rear central armrest adjustable head restraints are all gone, reflecting the new E-class coupe biased sports-oriented design.

E-Class Coupé will automatically temperature control system (THERMOTRONIC) as an optional item, THERMOTRONIC allow each passenger to choose the car is most comfortable temperature and air flow from the sensors to detect sunlight intensity, and then automatically adjust the Vehicle room temperature and out of wind. Compared with the standard dual-zone automatic temperature control air-conditioning system THERMOTRONIC. In addition, E-Class Coupé equipped with multi-function steering wheel, control the stage color LCD screen, integrated CD / DVD audio-visual system, eight speakers, Bluetooth wireless system and other equipment, so that the road is full of fun.

New policy lets students buy permits each trimester

While Prior Lake High School students are gearing up for the new school year, school officials are trying out a new parking permit policy that could make driving to school a little more affordable.

The new policy will allow students to pay for parking privileges in three installments, instead of making one payment at the beginning of the school year, said Assistant Principal John Bennett.

"We've always had people purchase for the entire year, but this time we're going to try letting them purchase a trimester at a time," said Bennett. "In these economic times, there are people who do not have $ 150 laying around, so this allows them to break it up into payments, and I think that's important for a lot of people."

The policy change should also help eliminate bookkeeping issues brought on by students wanting refunds, the assistant principal said. In the past, staff "had to cut through a lot of red tape" to issue refunds when students left school Halfway through the school year or when their cars broke down and they had to return to the Busing system, Bennett explained.

"Often times, we have a sophomore who doesn't get his license until later in the year, and so we've broken it down to just make it easier," he added.

In spite of the new, more relaxed payment options, the total price to park at the high school has actually gone up. Last year's permits cost students $ 105 for a year's worth of parking. Students last year I was unable to catch an additional break by opting-out of the School District Busing's service, bringing the total cost of an annual parking permit to $ 80th

This year, the district has institute an "opt in" program, meaning K-12 students district-wide have to notify administrators that they intend to use the service Busing, Bennett said.

When asked about the price increase, Bennett pointed to maintenance costs.

"Our prices are associated with our cost," he said. "The biggest cost is snow removal. That can cost anywhere from $ 60,000 to $ 100,000 [annually], depending on the snow and how many times they have to Plow. "

Parking permits would also help fund the school's five campus supervisors, who check the permits of vehicles Parked at the school and also help direct traffic before and after school, the assistant principal said.

"We're trying to keep [the price] reasonable," said Bennett.

All-New 2010 Ford C-MAX Revealed: Based on Next-Gen Focus, Offered in Two Body Styles

We've just been tipped off that Ford will swipe the covers off the all-new 2010 C-MAX minivan by the end of this week as the automaker seeks to get some additional publicity before the world premiere of the model at the forthcoming Frankfurt show . The new compact-sized MPV is based on the next-generation Focus platform with its styling loosely inspired from the Iosis MAX concept car that was displayed at the 2009 Geneva Salon in March.

According to Carscoop sources, Ford has followed in the footsteps of Renault and Citroen with their respective Scenic / Grande Scenic and C4 Picasso models by developing two different body styles for the C-MAX, one for the five seater version and another one for the larger and more practical, seven seater model.

While we're patiently waiting for Ford to green light the release of the first official images, we've added a full set of spy shots of the seven-seater model. Unlike the base C-MAX with five seats and conventional rear-doors , the seven-seater version features a pair of sliding rear doors that promise to improve access to the rear seats.

It is believed that Ford will premiere its newly developed 1.6-liter Ecoboost turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine on the new C-MAX that will also be available with numerous other normally aspirated petrol and turbo diesel units.

The new Ecooboost engine will eventually make its way on other Ford models in Europe such as the Mondeo and the next-generation Focus range.

Sales of the new C-MAX models are expected to start in Europe in mid-2010.

As for North America, even though Ford has confirmed that the US will get the all-new, next-gen Focus model in 2010, there's no word if the range will also include the C-MAX.

Rematch: 2010 Ford Mustang GT vs 2010 Chevrolet Camaro V-6

Some rivalries just keep on. And just as Coke and Pepsi fans continue to stand their ground, so do pony-car fans. We just brought you fresh driving impressions on the bargain-priced 2010 Ford Mustang V-6 Coupe, which for about $25,000 will get you head-turning looks all around, a pretty lengthy list of standard features (including very nice mag-look alloys), and distinctive pony-car attitude.
That 'attitude' we're talking about—to those who have never had the privilege of owning a Mustang, Camaro, Firebird, or the like—means that it’s not completely civilized in every respect. The back end hops around a bit when the pavement turns rough, gearbox sounds are ever-present, and the engine’s seriously old-school. But all that’s okay for $25k, especially in a car that makes that sort of style statement, right?
Back to this talk of rivalries: At the Run to the Sun—an annual ride-and-drive touring event for those of us in the Pacific Northwest who write about cars—TheCarConnection.com recently drove a 2010 Ford Mustang and 2010 Chevrolet Camaro in very different forms. Now, if $25k seems like a great deal on a pony car, $40k—which the sticker price approached for both of the cars on that drive—is pushing into a completely different class that gives pony up a new meaning.
One of them was a 2010 Ford Mustang GT Convertible Premium, with just a few options including heated seats, a security package, and bright machined 19-inch wheels, totaled $39,710. The Mustang, in Grabber Blue, with two-tone Charcoal Black and Grabber Blue leather, looked quite stunning.
At the same event, we drove a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro 2LT Coupe. This V-6 Camaro was optioned to the brim, with the ridiculous 21-inch polished wheel package, which costs $4,680 and includes Z-rated tires, a $2,265 ground effects package (officially a dealer-installed option), remote vehicle start, a sunroof, a body-color engine cover, compact spare, and beautiful Red Jewel Tintcoat paint, which together with the wheels made the Camaro look like it was ready to go run the Woodward Dream Cruise rather than race along Cascades mountain roads.
We weren't able to go back and forth between these cars enough to call it a real comparison, but the real surprise came when we hopped behind the wheel of the Camaro. It’s fast. While the Mustang V-6 Coupe we drove is fast enough to give you a little bit of a thrill, the Camaro V-6 is pin-you-in-your seat fast. Torque output feels similar between the two cars just above idle, but the Camaro’s direct-injected 3.6-liter V-6 quite simply packs a wallop over the Mustang’s Cologne V-6. Car and Driver timed the Camaro V-6 at just 5.9 seconds to 60 mph with a manual; that’s only about a half-second behind the Mustang V-8. With the automatic, the Camaro’s V-6 became increasingly urgent yet still refined all the way up to about 7000 rpm in each gear, while it was just as happy lugging along.
Here’s where it becomes interesting. The V-6 Camaro isn’t quite as fast as the V-8 Mustang GT, but it’s quite close; even though it's a bit heavier than the Mustang, the Camaro's six speeds and long power band shine when you open it up on a straightaway. And yes, Chevy fans like to taunt Ford fans with the fact that last year’s Mustang GT made less power than this year’s Camaro V-6. True, but the Mustang GT has an uproarious V-8 character that’s hard to beat.
That’s the one feature—a good ‘ol V-8—that makes either of these vehicles a little more appealing in their more expensive Mustang GT or Camaro SS forms. In the Mustang’s case, it handles quite a bit better as a GT (all GTs for ’10 get the set of suspension improvements formerly incorporated as part of the Bullitt package), with the GT just much better planted and harder to fluster in corners.
Both V-6 versions are more efficient, though. EPA ratings are 18 mpg city, 29 highway with the six-speed automatic, whereas our test Mustang V-6 rated at 18/26 and the Mustang GT Convertible was at 16/24. In the V-6 Mustang we got 22 mpg in a week of driving; we’ll be in the V-6 Camaro for a week soon again and will report back—especially with some feedback on the Camaro’s controversial interior.
What’s the point here? You don’t have to have a V-8; unless you’re drawn to the character and sound of the larger engines, you’ll probably be happy with the V-6—especially in the 2010 Camaro. But the differences this year, the year that the Camaro came back from a slumber, are more pronounced than they're likely to be next year, when the ol' rivalry is expected to heat up with a couple of more powerful new engines on the way for the Mustang.
As a jump point for the continued pony-car debate, you’ll want to check out our Car Compare results: 2010 Chevy Camaro vs 2010 Ford Mustang. Then revisit our overview pages on the 2010 Camaro and 2010 Mustang for the full reviews plus the latest pictures, specs, and comments.

Ford India looking at Eco-boost engine technology

Latest news from me.

NEW DELHI: Ford India, is looking to introduce its Eco-Boost engine technology in its new cars that the company claims will raise fuel mileage by
20%.

EcoBoost, Which uses gasoline turbocharged direct-injection technology has already been launched by the US-based parent, in its compact cars and large trucks sold in the American market. Ford claims the new engine also lowers carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 15% compared to the conventional petrol and diesel engines and would help the company meet the future emission norms.

Michael Boneham President and MD Ford India said, "Initially we will go for the regular technology to develop 1.2 Liter petrol and 1.5 liter diesel engine to benefit from government's policy of lower excise on such engine sizes and introduces much-expensive Eco-boost engines in the long-term. "

Ford India has set up a new engine plant at Chennai and is also doubling its plant capacity to 2-lakh cars as part of its $ 500 million fresh investment in the country earlier announced. This is part of the plan to develop Chennai as a strategic production hub to produce cars and engine for Ford's global operations at competitive costs. The company is looking to save 15-20% on engine costs by going for high localizations after developing a local vendor base at Chennai.

The plant currently makes 1.6 Duratec petrol engines and 1.4 Duratorq diesel engines currently strapped in its Ikon and Fiesta besides the Fusion sedan hatchback.

Automotive franchises going strong despite industry problems

These are very hard times for the American automotive industry, but an exclusive franchise study by Franchise Direct (http://www.franchisedirect.com/) has revealed that automotive franchises are doing well nonetheless. With Americans holding onto their cars for longer than ever before, their analysis of the Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDD’s) of 30 automotive franchises found that more and more drivers are turning to franchises to keep their car on the road.

The endemic problems in America’s car industry have been well-documented. But Franchise Directs study has found that the sharp decline of automotive industry, coinciding with America’s worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, has actually created some exciting opportunities for aftermarket and car rental and sales franchises.

The reality is Americans are not buying new cars as regularly as they once did. According to this new automotive franchise study, the projected new car sales for this year are 9.7 million units. This constitutes a 40% decline since 2007. Yet Americans continue to love their automobiles. The bottom line is that drivers are becoming more dependent on services provided by automotive franchises because they are choosing to get more life out of their car.

Aftermarket automotive franchises are best positioned to succeed, as consumers seek maintenance and repairs with greater urgency. Used car and rental franchises will also enjoy the benefits of this new reluctance to splurge on new automobiles.

There are also new niche markets developing for franchising to exploit. In the last few years, drivers have embraced automobiles with complicated engine control, microprocessors and high-tech safety and entertainment equipment. There has also been a movement towards ‘green’ technology in car manufacturing. As these technologies become more and more popular, a new market is growing for aftermarket franchises. Drivers no longer have the know-how to do this complex automotive work on their own and will turn instead to reliable franchise brands.

The great irony is that the global recession and the collapse of Detroit’s auto industry has opened the door for the recent success of automotive franchises. America’s love affair with the automobile is undiminished, but American’s attitude towards car buying has radically changed. This research shows that consumers are turning towards automotive franchises (http://www.franchisedirect.com/automotivefranchises/7) to keep their cars on the road. With the government’s stimulus plan providing economic optimism, it is an excellent time to consider franchise opportunities in the automotive sector.

2010 Ford Flex SEL with EcoBoost

Although the crossover is a new automotive segment, automakers churned out enough boring designs to make it as homogeneous as the economy car segment. Smartly, Ford spun its own crossover with retro elements to give it a unique look, making it stand out yet retain practicality. The latest iteration of Ford's crossover, the 2010 Ford Flex SEL with EcoBoost, adds a new high-tech power train to the car, giving it power it doesn't necessarily need.

Ford's current cabin tech offerings are the best you can get, with a hard drive-based navigation system nicely integrated with traffic, weather, and gas price information. Unfortunately, our review model didn't come with that option, instead just having a six-CD player and radio interface in the dashboard, but that doesn't mean it didn't have navigation. The latest generation of Ford Sync, standard on the Flex SEL, offers a set of off-board services called Traffic, Directions, and Information. Using a paired cell phone, the system calls the 800 number for a telematics server, which can send turn-by-turn directions to the car.

The Flex is one of the most unique-looking crossovers on the market.

We took the 2010 Ford Flex SEL on a journey through the Pacific Northwest, with stops in Seattle and Portland. Previously having tested Ford's in-dash navigation system in the 2009 Ford Flex Limited, we missed this option in the SEL, as having a map up on a big LCD makes navigation so much easier. Lacking the LCD, the Ford Flex relies on its monochrome radio display to show information from Sync, which includes music, phone, and route guidance information.

Sync navigation sinks
To compensate for the lack of a touch screen, Ford fits the Flex with four-way directional buttons to help navigate menus for the car's electronics. However, as the enter button is integrated with the tuning dial on the right, we found it easier to use the dial to scroll through phone book entries or an iPod music library. To make browsing music easier, Sync breaks up artist, album, and song listings into four chunks, letting the user drill down, for example, into a section with artists ranging from HAP to SEP, in alphabetical order. As our MP3 player contained 60 gigabytes of music, this organizational theme proved very useful.

The interface breaks up artist and album listings into more manageable chunks.

And as a feature of Sync, we could also just ask the system to play artists by name, a function of its voice command so far not replicated by any other automaker. Although we've used Sync's voice command in other cars over the last couple of years, it is still phenomenal how well it recognizes even the most difficult artist names. Similarly, Sync let us dial people in our paired phone's contact list just by saying their names. The Kia Soul now incorporates similar technology.

Although we had used the MP3 player and cell phone aspects of Sync previously, the 2010 Ford Flex SEL presented our first opportunity to use the new Traffic, Directions, and Information service. We used only the system's navigation feature, and found it frustrating--just a trifle worse than GM's OnStar. Connecting through our paired phone to a voice recognition server, the off-board system had no problem understanding which city we named, but stumbled repeatedly on road names.

In our first attempt to use it for navigation, after a few tries we got it to find Dash Park Road, south of Seattle. It downloaded the route to the car, and the next turn showed up on the radio display, using a GPS chip in the car to determine the distance to that turn. As we followed the guidance, it took us on a completely unnecessary series of right turns that could have been avoided with one easy left turn. Further along, we intentionally went off the route to see what would happen. Similar to the way OnStar works, which we most recently tested in the Chevrolet Camaro, a voice notification told us we were no longer on the programmed route, and offered to download a new set of directions based on our current location.

The radio display shows Sync's turn-by-turn directions.

Our second attempt to use the system proved more frustrating, mainly from trying to enter our destination. This time, the street we wanted was South 176th Street, but we could not get the voice recognition system to understand that street name, and eventually had to give it the nearest cross street. The Seattle area may be a problematic area for Sync's navigation system, as streets and avenues go up to very high numbers, and are often prefaced with North or South.

One last note on the car's cabin tech: Ford's recent partnership with Sony for premium audio systems makes for a relatively inexpensive option that adds considerable value. With 12 speakers, including subwoofer and center channel, it does a good job of covering the capacious space inside the car. The amp is powerful enough to put the sound through the speakers without overwhelming. Most importantly, the system neatly stages the sound for all seating positions. We like the quality of this sound better than that produced by other premium systems in much more expensive cars.

EcoBoost efficiency
In its standard configuration, the 2010 Ford Flex SEL seats seven passengers, but ours was equipped with twin bucket seats for the middle row, cutting the passenger capacity down to six. But that trade-off in capacity meant easier access to the third row seats; during a few trips we had the car filled to capacity with six adults and heard no complaints about comfort. The middle and third rows fold down for cargo room. With the third row up, cargo space is nearly eliminated.

Optional autofold seats in the middle row mean one less passenger but easier access to the third-row seats.

The 2009 Ford Flex came with only one choice for power, a 3.5-liter V-6 mated to a six-speed automatic. For the 2010 model year, the SEL and Limited trims can be had with Ford's new EcoBoost engine. This is the same engine we tested earlier in the Ford Taurus SHO. EcoBoost models of the Flex also come with all-wheel-drive.

The EcoBoost engine uses direct injection and twin turbochargers to boost the power from the car's 3.5-liter V-6, while getting the same mileage as the standard, naturally aspirated V-6. The EcoBoost engine makes 355 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, compared with the base V-6's 262 horsepower and 248 pound-feet--a substantial difference.

The EcoBoost engine incorporates direct injection and turbochargers to maximize efficiency.

That extra power is easily felt with the gas pedal, as a light tap makes the big Flex push forward hard. Although we were impressed by the available acceleration, and used it for passing maneuvers, merging with traffic, and climbing hills, it seemed like overkill, as the standard V-6 felt adequate for the 2009 Ford Flex we tested earlier.

However, the extra power from the EcoBoost engine could come in handy when using the Flex as a tow car, and it comes at no cost in fuel economy. Ford states the EPA fuel economy at 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway for the Flex with EcoBoost and the naturally aspirated engine. In our testing, we achieved an average of 19.9 mpg with a considerable amount of freeway driving thrown in. With the 2009 non-EcoBoost Flex, our average economy was 17.8 mpg.

Where the 2009 Flex had a six-speed automatic with a low range, the 2010 Flex with EcoBoost has a six-speed automatic with manual gear selection, and includes paddles on the steering wheel. We went through the gears for testing purposes, and found typical slushbox shifting, but didn't rely on it for the majority of our driving. The standard drive mode works seamlessly with the engine, and readily downshifted when we asked for its best acceleration.

The Flex's all-wheel-drive system isn't particularly sophisticated, but offers a little more grip than the standard front-wheel-drive version of the car. We had the Flex on some gravel roads, which included a winding ascent, and appreciated that it could throw torque to the rear wheels, especially useful under these conditions. Pushing it up those roads, we felt minimal slip from the wheels.

In sum
The 2010 Ford Flex SEL with EcoBoost proved to be an excellent car for the kind of vacation traveling we were doing. The lack of cargo space in the rear when the third-row seats are in use could be a problem for large families. From a design standpoint, we give the Flex high marks for its unique style, but fault it a little for the unnecessary directional buttons on the center stack. Fortunately, getting the navigation option solves that interface issue.

Likewise for the Flex's cabin tech, we weren't impressed by the Ford Sync navigation service, but the optional hard-drive-based navigation system makes up for that in a big way. In fact, not getting the navigation option means missing out on the traffic, weather, and fuel price data integrated with the maps. Beyond Sync's inadequate navigation, though, the Bluetooth cell phone and MP3 player integration still beats out anything else on the road today.

Finally, the new EcoBoost engine gives the Flex big points for performance tech. Although 19.9 mpg isn't spectacular mileage, the fact that it gets the same mileage as the base V-6 while adding more than 100 horsepower is truly impressive.

Spec box

Model	2010 Ford Flex
Trim	SEL with EcoBoost
Powertrain	Direct injection twin turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6
EPA fuel economy	16 mpg city/22 mpg highway
Observed fuel economy	19.9 mpg
Navigation	Optional hard drive-based with traffic; standard through Sync Traffic, Directions, and Information
Bluetooth phone support	Standard
Disc player	Single CD/DVD, MP3 compatible; optional six disc changer
MP3 player support	iPod, Zune, many others
Other digital audio	USB drive, internal hard drive, Bluetooth streaming, auxiliary input, satellite radio
Audio system	Optional 12 speaker Sony system
Driver aids	Standard sonar distance warning, optional rear view camera, optional self-parking system
Base price	$39,940
Price as tested	$40,905

New & Used Car Buying Tips

SAVING MONEY WHEN BUYING A CAR

It is very easy to spend more money than you should when buying any make or
model of new or used car. We have outlined some general tips and information
that will help you save when buying a pre-owned vehicle.

-- Buying a car makes more sense than leasing one. Think about it, when your
lease is done, you don't own anything. On the contrary, at the conclusion of
your car loan, you own the vehicle you just financed.

-- Try going to a dealership to buy a car during bad weather. Because of the
poor weather, business will be slow, making it more likely that you will get a
good deal on your purchase.

-- If you are going to utilize financing for your vehicle purchase, make sure
you get a copy of your credit report before you apply. This will help ensure
that the reported information is accurate and up-to-date, getting the most
optimal interest rates and loan terms possible. If there is erroneous information
listed, you will need to remove and/or dispute them.

-- Avoid becoming upside-down on your car loan by leaving a deposit of no less
than 20% and by utilizing financing for no more than four years. Being
up-side-down means you will owe more for your car than it is worth.

-- If you are going to trading-in an old vehicle, make sure you know the value
of the car before entering the dealership. Otherwise, you won't know if you are
being offered much less than the car is worth.

-- Shop around for the best deal possible. Once you get a quote from one dealer,
go a few others. Be patient. Letting the dealers know that you have been in
touch with multiple dealerships will likely result in you being offered better
car price quotes.

-- Do some research to see if your regional incentives are available in your
area for the vehicle that you are buying.

-- Never buy on impulse!

-- When negotiating, make sure you negotiate financing terms, final price and
the trade-in value separately. Otherwise, it is likely that the dealer will look
to combine these transactions together.

-- If you are at all uncomfortable with any aspect of your transaction, whether
it be the way you are being treated, the terms you are being offered, the sale
price, etc. be prepared to walk out of the dealership and bring your business
elsewhere.

-- Obtain a pre-approval for an auto loan prior to your car shopping. This will
allow you to try and receive better interest rates for dealer direct financing.

-- Instead of trading-in your vehicle, try and sell it privately. Selling it
privately will get you more money than if you trade it in.

-- Save money on car loan interest by making two loan payment every month.

-- Purchasing a used car that is 1 or 2 years old will save you money while
getting you a vehicle with many of the same features of a new car that is the
same model.

-- Try and buy a car that is coming off a lease. These types of cars are sold as
certified pre-owned vehicles and come with great warranty coverage.

Jacob Joseph is a financial expert for http://www.starloanservices.com. At Star Loan Services you can apply for a bad credit auto loan for any make or model of new or used car.