Auto Trend and Auto Insurance News

Toyota announced today that it plans to provide, for the third year in a row, home-use fuel cell cogeneration units as part of a government project to verify the practical use of CO2-reducing stationary fuel cells.

The municipal-gas-fueled 1-kW home-use fuel cell cogeneration units—which generate electricity and capture waste heat for household heating—are to play a role in the continuing Large-Scale Stationary Fuel Cell Demonstration Project of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). Twenty-four of the units will be provided to project participant Toho Gas Co., Ltd. (Toho), which will install them in homes in three central-Japan prefectures (Aichi, Gifu and Mie) to collect data toward commercialization. The government project, which was originally scheduled to conclude on March 31, 2008, is now expected to run until the end of March 2009.

TMC’s home-use fuel cell cogeneration units run on a system—jointly developed with Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd.—consisting of a stationary fuel cell and a hot water storage tank. Recent improvements, such as a modified heat-recovery circuit, have boosted heat-recovery efficiency by roughly 20% (as measured by TMC) without any loss in power-generation efficiency. The result is a marked reduction in household primary-energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
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• “Let’s Refuel America” available throughout the U.S. exclusively at Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge dealerships through June 2, 2008
• Three-year price protection from volatile gas prices available on compact, mid-size and full-size models, minivans, crossovers and pickup truck models
• Seventy-six percent of customers cite rising gas prices as “top concern”

Auburn Hills, Mich., May 5, 2008 - In response to direct customer feedback citing the prospect of rising gas prices as a top concern, Chrysler LLC today announces its own economic stimulus package: an exclusive gas price protection policy that eliminates the risk of further spikes in fuel prices. With the U.S. purchase of eligible Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles, customers can enroll in the “Let’s Refuel America” program and receive a gas card that immediately lowers their gas price to $2.99 a gallon, and keeps it there for three years. The offer is available at 3,511 U.S. Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge dealerships through June 2, 2008, and is available on vehicles ranging from popular new compacts, crossovers and minivans to full-size diesel-powered pickup trucks.

“Today we are proud to introduce an unprecedented program to help put customers’ minds at ease and do something to help working people who are worried about the volatility of fuel prices and vehicle cost of ownership,” said Jim Press, Vice-Chairman and President, Chrysler LLC. “The Let’s Refuel America Price Guarantee puts money in your pocket today, and allows our customers to better manage their fuel expenses. And you can’t get it anywhere else besides a Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge dealership.”

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General Motors Corporation and Isuzu Motors Limited announced their new joint venture, GM-Isuzu Camiones Andinos de Colombia Ltda., today. The purpose of which is to strengthen their strategic partnership and expand their truck and bus sales in Colombia.

The joint venture builds on the long-standing partnership that GM and Isuzu have enjoyed in the region by establishing a company that is dedicated to the marketing, sales, service and after-sales of commercial vehicles. The new partnership is the successful result of a 2007 agreement that studied the potential of a JV and will focus on strengthening the leadership that GM and Isuzu have built in this segment.
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In testing this morning at Germany’s Nurburgring, Cadillac’s upcoming new 2009 CTS-V completed a lap of the legendary Nordschleife in 7:59.32. This blistering time appears to be the fastest ever publicly documented for a production sedan.

Cadillac is nearing the completion of testing of the highly anticipated CTS-V, the limited-edition high-performance model based on the award-winning CTS sport sedan. John Heinricy, GM Performance Division executive and an acclaimed racing driver, piloted the CTS-V through its sub-8 minute lap today. The car itself was equipped exactly as planned for consumer production, which is scheduled to begin this fall.

Estimated at 550-hp, the CTS-V is at the moment going through the final stages of intensive testing and development. One of the realistic objectives of the Cadillac team is to make the CTS-V the world’s fastest production sedan, as a part of the overall goal to make the V-Series Cadillac’s ultimate expression of performance and technology. More updates will be released in the coming weeks as testing is finalized, including the car’s certified SAE power ratings, acceleration specifications and U.S.-market pricing.

Video documentation of the car’s breakthrough Nordschleife performance will be posted online in the coming days at www.Cadillac.gmblogs.com. The eight-minute mark has long been recognized as a major Nurburgring milestone, reserved for race cars and the fastest exotic sports cars. While there’s no single official repository for Nurburgring data from private test sessions, numerous reputable websites and publications report lap times from race teams, automakers and independent sources.

The new 2009 CTS-V includes a suite of advanced performance technologies, including a new version of Cadillac’s acclaimed Magnetic Ride Control suspension and a LSA 6.2-liter Supercharged V8 engine. For the first time, CTS-V will include the choice of 6-speed manual or automatic transmissions, with the new automatic sporting steering wheel-mounted shift buttons.

If the existing auto loan is problematic with high payments, refinance auto loan can be a way out. In such cases, advanced auto loan can be availed of. Refinancing of an existing auto loan is paying the remaining balance of the loan and avail a new loan from the same lender or another lender.

Auto loan refinancing should be according to one’s specifications. When given these specifications, advanced auto loan helps to locate the deal, which has the expertise in arranging auto loan according to specifications. Therefore advanced auto loan helps to refinance with a low rate of interest.

Fixed rate of interest is for people who want to play it safe and flexible rate of interest that change based on the changes in the market is suited for those who can undertake risks. The lender of the new auto loan fixes the interest rate by taking into account some of the factors like financing amount, the rates that prevail in the market, the credit score and the financial status. The lender offers competitive rates to all bad credit scorers. Even in refinancing auto loan, there are two types, secured auto loan and unsecured auto loan. The amount saved from refinancing can be utilized to buy accessories for the automobile. While availing refinance, the borrower has to provide certain details of the old loan, pay the entire pending installments of old auto loan and then avail the new loan of refinance at a lower interest rate.
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Aside from performing specific functions, most of the automotive parts are equipped with safety features. These auto parts, like the suspension system and automotive lighting, enable the driver to safely operate the vehicle. The bumpers, however, were installed for the primary purpose of safety for both the passengers as well as the vehicle itself. Like any other auto part, a bumper may lose its wonder if external factors continuously affects it. An aftermarket part called the bumper covers were developed in order to protect the vehicle’s bumpers.
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If you’re like the average driver then you can expect to put 15,000 miles on your vehicle every year and average about 20 miles on a gallon of gas. What this means is that for every 10 cents that gas prices rise you can expect to spend an extra $75 a year. Unfortunately you can’t control the price of gas however, you can change some driving/car habits that will allow you to save money every time you visit a gas pump.

The biggest money waster when it comes to purchasing gasoline for your car is determined based on how well you maintain your vehicle. Since your automobile only uses 15% of the gas you pump into it with the rest expended for various other reasons in behooves you to take care of your car. Always perform the regularly scheduled maintenance on your vehicle in order to keep it running smoothly and most importantly efficiently. This will allow it to use the gasoline you put into it more economically and allow your car to become more pocketbook friendly.
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The desire for luxury and comfort is common with everybody in the world. Everyone demands the typical combination of elegance and standard along with the features of latest technology. And this combination is beautifully shaped up by the manufacturers of Nissan in the form of Infiniti New York ranges of cars. This brand offers the series of cars that have everything to boast about. They mark excellence in style, look, performance, durability, services and possibly everything that you may look for in a car. The range is not only well known in New York but has widely spotted its popularity all around the world.
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Do you remember the time wherein cars are being equipped with audio systems that are using cassette tapes or are capable only of playing from radio stations? If we remember that, it was when we thought that cassette tapes and radio stations were all there is. Those are the times that we thought that cassette tapes and radio stations are the best in-car entertainment system. However, if we are to look to now as to what many companies can offer us, we will be amazed to find out that indeed the evolution of in-car entertainment has already gone a long way from cassette tapes to DVDs and all that stuff. Music and entertainment are some of the things and features that car owners want to be installed in their cars.
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