The Fast Lane

Hey guys, move out! This is the fast lane and we better make way for this fast vehicle before we end up eating dust and mud! I won’t share something like the Subaru CV boot or whatever cool auto parts. I’m here to share something beyond a car addict’s craving! And one thing’s for sure, this vehicle that we are going to discuss is one of the biggest surprises ever to hit the automotive world. So sit back, relax and enjoy as I show you the best of the Pontiac Solstice!

The Pontiac Solstice starred in the movie Transformers which is the highest ranked blockbuster movie this season. The Solstice was the car-alternate of Jazz, an Autobot. He was Optimus' second-in-command - he is a small but he is an agile and acrobatic fighter. He is geared with magnetic hands as well! But the sad part is, he died in the movie!

Anyway, so much of that awesome movie, let’s try to get to know the real Jazz - I mean the real Pontiac Solstice. Let’s get to know this ride… deeply!

If you get to hold this awesome convertible inside, it’ll make you feel super relaxed and comfortable just like a celebrity! And to tell you, convenience needs no fame or stardom! In your own little way, with the help of the Solstice, you’ll be an instant star! Standard interior features include air bags in driver and right front passenger with passenger sensing system, air conditioning, single-zone, audio system, AM/FM stereo with CD player, includes seek-and-scan and digital clock and auxiliary input jack for MP3 players, AM/FM stereo with CD player and MP3 playback that includes auxiliary input jack, Monsoon premium 7-speaker system with 2 - 6" door speakers, 2 - 1" A-pillar tweeters, 2 - 3.5" rear speakers and 1 subwoofer, XM Radio with a wide variety of programming, XM has something to electrify any driver. A Cruise control electronic with set and resume speed and a whole lot more features can be found here! When I say a lot, it’s more plenty than you can imagine! Now, can you feel the Solstice effect already?

You can either choose between the two available engines: the 2.4L Ecotec® DOHC VVT with Electronic Throttle Control or the 2.0L Turbo Ecotec® DOHC VVT SIDI. But rest assured that both of these two power engines are radically extreme!

Now let’s get down to some of its safety features:

• OnStar AccidentAssist,: get step-by-step guidance about what to do in the event of an accident OnStar Advanced Automatic Crash Notification: an Advisor can call for help if the vehicle is involved in frontal-, rear-, or side-impact crashes in any case of air bag deployment
• OnStar Automatic Notification of Air Bag Deployment: if your air bags deploy, we can contact you to ask if you need assistance
• OnStar Emergency Services: if you ever need help, OnStar is your link to emergency services
• OnStar Remote Door Unlock: an Advisor can send a signal to unlock your doors in most cases.

I’ve been dreaming about driving a solar car or just simply have a glimpse at it because my whole life, I’ve never seen one! I wonder if it has the same muffler as my Bug’s . Anyway, whatever parts they install to a solar car, I’m still fascinated about these solar-powered vehicles!

Speaking of solar cars, have you witnessed a solar car race? Too bad, Texas high school students are the only one who can enjoy the annual Dell-Winston School Solar Car Challenge. It’ll be a very long race! You know why? Because contestants can only conclude the race if they can overcome the 2,020 miles of the toughest roads and terrains in eight states namely Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio, Pennsylvania and the finish line in Newburgh, New York. The race will last for nine long days. Nine tough days of pressure and excitement!

Definitely a history in the making! 9 teams joined the 12th Annual Dell School Solar Car Challenge. Contestants have prepared for this event since last year. The students made use of the best materials and best solar panels that would give power to their creations. 

"The Dell-Winston School Solar Car Challenge helps students become more aware of the environment and the world around them," said George Gray, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's assistant administrator for research and development. "EPA supports Dell's commitment to the environment and their efforts to help students innovate. Groundbreaking ideas generated by innovative minds pay enormous dividends which include growing our economy, reducing pollution, increasing energy efficiency and improving the lives of future generations."

The Dell-Winston School Solar Car Challenge is one of the thousand successful programs Dell has been supporting for over the years as part of its large commitment to environmental leadership which includes worldwide free recycling of used Dell gears; “Plant a Tree for Me” to help customers balance carbon emissions from their computers; and the recently launched long-term efforts to partner with clients to become the greenest technology company on Earth and to diminish the carbon amount of its global operations by 15 percent come the year 2012.

“This race gives young thinkers the opportunity to understand first hand the power of being part of the Re-Generation, this global community of people of all ages who want to improve and sustain the earth we share,” said Karen Bruett, Dell’s director of K-12 business development. “United by a commitment to their education and the planet and armed with 21st Century skills like teamwork, problem solving, math and science, these students hold the keys to the future.”

To get Dell news direct, visit www.dell.com/RSS!

The General Motors Corporation announced on Monday that they have agreed to buy the 50% stake of the Italian engine maker VM Motori S.p.A. from Penske Corporation. A spokesman from GM said that the deal will not have an effect on their operations in their Tonawanda engine plant.

The company announced that the engine plant will start producing 4.5L turbocharged diesel engines in 2009 for the out going light duty pickup trucks as well as for the Hummer H2. Other GM production plants will continue to operate making car parts like air filters and other parts.

The collaboration between GM and the VM Motori with connections to Isuzu Motors will be a great pact. GM’s expertise when it comes to engine making will be matched with a great partnership with VM Motori to make more performance engine parts.

Last week, GM had confirmed that the engine which will be made together with the new Italian engine maker will be installed on both Cadillac and Saturn cars. Other cars which will be made in 2010 will also receive these engines. The domestic car manufacturer will use the V6 2.9L engine made by the Italian VM Motori to its Saturn Aura and Cadillac CTS.

Worldwide, VM Motori has a positive reputation on building quality engine parts with noticeable high performance engine parts with a variety of uses which also includes being mounted in light commercial vehicles.

On television, they drive Benzes and Maseratis but their real rides are not that glamorous…

Celebrities and the roles they play may demand six-figure Maseratis and Mercedes-Benzes, but many of the actors on HBO’s hit series "Entourage" go for the unexciting Toyota Prius while others yearn for vintage cars.

Kevin Dillon, who plays endearing tough-guy Johnny Drama, digs '60s muscle cars, just like his character would. "Entourage" producer Mark Wahlberg has an alternative-fuel idea that the Cadillac might consider for its Escalade SUV.

MSNBC has caught up with the cast of HBO’s "Entourage" and other celebs at the series’ season four premiere and after-party in Manhattan. Here are their responses to questions about what they drive, what their first car was and what wheels they hope to get someday.

Kevin Dillon
Johnny Drama on "Entourage"
Q: What was the first car you ever owned?
A: The first car I ever owned was an Audi Fox, and then I had a '67 Firebird. I destroyed the Fox. The '67 Firebird, someone jumped out in front of me on Friday the 13th and smashed through the side of it. But that was a great car, convertible. So Friday the 13th still scares me to this day.

Q: That's your dream car?
A: No, my dream car was actually like a ‘Vetter, like a Stingray, like a '67 ‘Vette. Someday.

Mark Wahlberg
Executive producer of "Entourage"
Q: What was your first car?
A: A Volkswagen Bug was the first car I'd ever bought, but the first legal car I ever had was a '75 Cutlass Supreme. I sold it. I smashed it and sold it.

Q: What is your dream car?
A: An electric Cadillac Escalade. Hopefully, Cadillac will be working on that. If we had listened to Jimmy Carter, we'd have some great electric cars right now.

Jeremy Piven
Ari Gold on "Entourage" was fascinated with the Mustang parts.
Q: What was your first car?
A: The first car I ever owned was a '65 Mustang, and my friend unfortunately had it taken away from the city while I was in London studying in college because there were too many parking tickets. When I got home it was gone and they sold it. I've been trying to get that '65 back my whole life.

Q: What's your dream car?
A: I really like vintage cars, to be honest with you. I like a lot of the vintage Jaguars. They're kind of amazing.

Adrian Grenier
Vincent Chase on "Entourage"
Q: What was your first car?
A: My first car was a Prius.

Hayden Panettiere
Claire Bennet on the television show "Heroes"
Q: Do you have a car that you own right now?
A: Yes, I'm selling it. So if anyone wants to buy it, it's a Porsche Cayenne S. It's a Merlot color, black leather interior, navigation system; it's got the wooden steering wheel and panel. But I want a Prius.

[Via: MSNBC]

The Nissan Motor Corporation will present eleven scholarships for its 2007 Nissan-NPO Learning Scholarship Program last July 11, 2007 as a part of the Nissan Awards 2007. Eleven more scholars will be given the chance to learn and experience various educational programs prepared by the Nissan-NPO Learning Scholarship Program. The ceremony took place at Nissans Ginza headquarters for the eleven new lucky beneficiaries and for last year’s awardees as well.

The ground-breaking program intends to nurture gifted young individual who have the passion and the desire to help the society in any way and also those who have the dedication to help out the welfare of the community. Through this program from Nissan, which is being presented annually, it offers scholarships to young individuals who seek the knowledge of working in a non-profitable organization (NPO) right after they complete their NPO internship. The 10-year successful program was first launched in 1998. It was Nissan’s joint venture with non-profit organizations which led to representation of Nissan's commitment to support education, as one of the three main concern areas under its corporate citizenship program.

The outline of the 2007 scholarship program is as follows:

Outline of the 2007 Nissan-NPO Learning Scholarship Program

1. Supporting organizations Sponsor: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Partner: Japan NPO Center
2. Participants 11 students currently enrolled in a university or a graduate school
3. Host organizations 9 NPOs
Children's Fund of Kanagawa, The Foundation for Child Well-being (National Children's Castle), Shapla Neer Citizens' Committee in Japan for Overseas Support, Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA), Japan NPO Center, Ecosystem Conservation Society-Japan, The Association of National Trusts in Japan, Kanagawa Information Center for Citizens' Activities (Alice Center), World Vision Japan
4. Application period April 25-May 31, 2007
5. Program duration July 2007-February 2008 (Duration may differ according to the particular NPO)
6. Further information about the Nissan-NPO Learning Scholarship Program can be learned from its official website: http://www.nissan-global.com/JP/CITIZENSHIP/NPO/index.html

What else excites us most aside from the lead characters or the story in a film? What else - it’s definitely the cars! Our jaws drop every time there’s a car being featured in a movie with its perfect auto body styling and features.

Don’t switch on your BMW turn signal yet because I’m going to give you the top ten best movie cars of the year courtesy of Cars.com! The survey is being conducted every year and is distributed to various respondents. And here’s the result for this year's research! 

The Top 10 Movie Cars Chosen by Cars.com courtesy of the number one automotive source, www.autochannel.com: 

No. 10: 2003 Mini Cooper S, "The Italian Job"
2006 rank: 10
Drivetrain: 163-horsepower, supercharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with six-speed manual transmission; front-wheel drive
Notable Features: 200 pounds lighter than stock Cooper S; painted red, white or blue

No. 9: 1959 Cadillac Ambulance, "Ghostbusters"
2006 rank: 7
Drivetrain: 325-hp, 6.4-liter V-8 with two-speed automatic transmission; rear-wheel drive
Notable Features: Tailfins, flashing lights, sirens, attached ladder

No. 8: 1974 Dodge Monaco, "The Blues Brothers"
2006 rank: 3
Drivetrain: 275-hp, 7.1-liter V-8 with three-speed automatic transmission; rear-wheel drive
Notable Features: Cop motor, cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks

No. 7: 1932 Ford coupe, "American Graffiti"
2006 rank: New for 2007
Drivetrain: 60-hp, 3.6-liter V-8 with three-speed manual transmission
Notable Features: Bright yellow paint job bound to be noticed by bored teens in Modesto, Calif.

No. 6: 1976 AMC Pacer, "Wayne's World"
2006 rank: New for 2007
Drivetrain: 100-hp inline-six with three-speed automatic transmission; rear-wheel drive
Notable Features: Flame decal, licorice dispenser, "Bohemian Rhapsody" on continuous playback

No. 5: 1968 Ford Mustang GT 390, "Bullitt"
2006 rank: 6
Drivetrain: 325-hp, 6.4-liter V-8 with four-speed manual transmission; rear-wheel drive
Notable Features: Fastback roof, higher engine note than the Charger

No. 4: 1964 Aston Martin DB5, "Goldfinger"
2006 rank: 4
Drivetrain: 282-hp, 4.0-liter six-cylinder with four-speed manual transmission; rear-wheel drive
Notable Features: Bulletproof glass, machine guns, incessantly beeping radar screen

No. 3: 1961 Ferrari 250 GT, "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
2006 rank: 2
Drivetrain: 280-hp, 3.0-liter V-12 with four-speed manual transmission; rear-wheel drive
Notable Features: Cherry-red exterior, wire grille, Cameron-sized tonneau compartment

No. 2: 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, "Smokey and the Bandit"
2006 rank: New for 2007
Drivetrain: 200-hp, 6.6-liter V-8 with three-speed automatic
Notable Features: T-top, CB radio, runaway bride in the passenger seat

No. 1: 1981 DeLorean DMC-12, "Back to the Future"
2006 rank: 1

Drivetrain: 1.21-gigawatt nuclear/electric hybrid with five-speed manual transmission; rear-wheel drive
Notable Features: Gull-wing doors, 16-port twin exhaust boxes, flux capacitor

Listen up car fans because NADAguides.com, the top vehicle pricing and information website, has announced the sum of online visitors to the site’s New Car Section. The number of visitors has increased by 112% in the span of its first six months compared to the early part of last year using the same timeframe. Pick-ups, sedans, SUVs are the most visited and most favorite categories from the New Car page.

The 2007 Nissan Altima, 2007 Toyota Prius and the 2007 Toyota Camry are the most popularly visited and researched latest sedans among all the categories’. On the other hand, the most researched New Trucks are the 2007 Toyota Tacoma, the 2007 Ford F-150 and the 2007 Toyota Tundra. In the SUV category, the cars we expect to top the most popular and most researched SUV were undeniably outstanding. These SUVs are the 2007 Honda CR-V, the 2007 Toyota RAV4 and the 2007 Saturn VUE. These vehicles are mainly the center of attention for all online visitors than any vehicles around.

"For 74 years, N.A.D.A. has been widely known for its Used Car pricing information," said Don Christy, Jr., the president and CEO, NADAguides.com. "Our reports prove that car buyers embrace NADAguides.com as a New Car information source too. Not only is the New Car area of our website increasing in popularity, it has seen the largest percentage of growth during the first six months of this year."

"Even though Used Car traffic to NADAguides.com was very strong from January to June of this year, the total number of Used Car visitors did not experience the same growth as New Car visitors," said Christy. "It's obvious car buyers are increasingly turning to NADAguides.com for New Car pricing and specification information."

Most Commonly Compared Sedans:
The 2007 Toyota Camry was most commonly compared to the:

• 2007 Nissan Altima
• 2007 Toyota Avalon
• 2007 Hyundai Sonata

The 2007 Nissan Altima was most commonly compared to the:

• 2007 Toyota Camry
• 2007 Honda Accord
• 2007 Honda Civic

The 2007 Toyota Prius was commonly compared to the:

• Honda Civic Hybrid
• 2007 Lexus ES350
• Toyota Camry Hybrid

Most Commonly Compared Pick-up Trucks
The 2007 Toyota Tacoma was most commonly compared to the:

• Honda Ridgeline
• Toyota Tacoma (different trim levels)
• 2007 Ford F-150

The 2007 Ford F-150 was most commonly compared to the:

• 2007 Toyota Tacoma
• 2007 Honda Ridgeline
• 2007 Chevy Silverado

The 2007 Toyota Tundra was most commonly compared to the:

• 2007 Ford F-150
• Nissan Titan
• 2007 Toyota Tundra

Most Commonly Compared SUVs
The 2007 Honda CR-V was most commonly compared to the:

• Toyota RAV4
• 2007 Honda CR-V (different trim levels)
• Lexus RX350

The 2007 Toyota RAV4 was most commonly compared to the:

• 2007 Honda CR-V
• 2007 Lexus RX350
• 2007 Toyota RAV4 (different trim levels)

The 2007 Saturn VUE was most commonly compared to the:

• 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid
• 2007 Toyota Prius
• 2007 Toyota Camry

The word appealing is greatly defined by the 2008 Ford Edge! There’s no doubt about it because J.D Powers and Associates crowned the Edge as the most outstanding and top performing vehicle today when the vehicle topped the 2007 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Study (APEAL). The Edge got the highest scores thus outperforming the competition with 68 index points. The results came in after a thorough evaluation of brand new vehicles done by J.D Powers and Associates.

The Ford Mustang was also recognized by customers who joined the recent APEAL study. It was named as the highest ranked vehicle in the Midsize Sporty Car sector for its second straight year. The Mustang has received the APEAL awards for three consecutive years since it was awarded as the Sporty Car back in the year 2005!

“This is more good news and further affirmation that we’re delivering more products people really want – especially when you consider the newest vehicles in our lineup,” said Mark Fields, the president, The Americas, Ford Motor Company.

“Last year, Fusion topped its segment in the J.D. Power and Associates APEAL study. This year, fresh on the heels of Ford receiving top honors in five vehicle segments in the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study (IQS), Ford receives more strong quality feedback from customers who made Edge the industry standout and a top performer in the fastest-growing and most competitive segment in the industry,” he added.

Three other Ford Motor Company vehicles ranked second or third in their segments: the Ford Explorer Sport Trac in 2nd; the Lincoln Navigator in 3rd; and the Mazda CX7 in 2nd also. Since last year’s APEAL study, most Ford Motor Company brands enhanced or preserved their splendid performance.

“It’s gratifying to have two strong Ford nameplates – Edge and Mustang – leading the pack on consumer appeal,” Fields said. “While we’ll celebrate this achievement with our employees, we know that the quality race never ends. We’re going to continue working harder to provide people even more reasons to consider driving Ford vehicles again.”

“The lineup is growing stronger, and the Ford team’s efforts are paying off,” Fields commented. “We’re working to deliver our plan, and creating quality cars, trucks and crossovers for our customers is a key part of it.”

• Main
• Archives
• Albums
• Links
• Admin

• June 9: A Historic Date for McLaren
• Famous Speed Drivers
• Kyle Busch Got the success pole for all-star competition
• Speed Racing - One of my favorite car racing online game.
• Can Nelsinho Emulate His Father?
• Corvette Racing Goes Green
• Make Way For The Biggest Classic Motor Auction
• Toyota Drivers To Step Up Game
• Patrick Long Returns To ALMS With Penske Racing
• Nelsinho Will Hit F1 With A Bang

• General [54]

• RSS 0.90
• RSS 1.0
• RSS 2.0
• Atom