1. Changfeng Motor Group
2. BYD Auto Co.
3. Geely International Corp.
4. China America Automotive Inc./ZXNA
5. Li Shi Guang Ming Auto Design Co.
The show will be open to the public 19th January through January 27th.Detroit Auto Show Braces For Upcoming Chinese Invasion
A record number of Chinese companies will be exhibiting their products at the Detroit Auto Show in January next year. The show will feature the following Chinese manufacturers:
1. Changfeng Motor Group
2. BYD Auto Co.
1. Changfeng Motor Group
2. BYD Auto Co.
Nissan Pivo The Cute Little Car!
Nissan unveiled the Pivo concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2005. At first sight it appears to be another of those futuristic cars.But a closer look reveals a very interesting vehicle.It is an electric car with a unique revolving cabin which can turn 360 degrees.The advantage of this design is that it eliminates the need for reversing and parking is not a problem anymore because you have wheels that can turn 90 degrees.Whatever you do you can always be looking forward while doing it.This makes it much safer to drive also.The driver's cabin is bubble shaped which eliminates blind spots and gives perfect visibility.This is the new Nissan Around View Technology. Its engine The Nissan Super Motor is powered by a Compact Lithium-ion battery which has zero emissions and gives you one of the most environment friendly cars available.
The Pivo seats three. the driver sits in front in the center and two passengers sit side by side in the rear.The name Pivo is derived from the word pivot. Whenever you need to reverse or to park you simply pivot the entire cabin and do it while looking forward.This is possible because of Nissan's advanced drive by wire technologies which eliminate the need for mechanical connections between the cabin and the chassis.
Cameras mounted on the outside of the car feed an accurate image of the surroundings on to a dashboard monitor. These cameras are located at the front, rear and both the sides of the car. An image processing technique synthesizes these images into a single bird's eye view.
An infra red commander allows drivers to operate the navigation and audio systems without taking their eyes off the road.Because of Nissan's Horizontal Display information is displayed along the bottom of the windshield allowing drivers to concentrate on the road ahead.
Now Nissan has unveiled the Pivo 2.This car also features a robot which sits on the dashboard and warns the driver when it senses that the driver is getting sleepy.It also nods and shakes its head which cheers up drivers.Unlike the first Pivo this car has no axles.Instead it has four electric motors which power each wheel separately.This vehicle will be exhibited at the Tokyo Motor Show later this month. In Japanese the Pivo is called 'Kawaii' or cute. Nissan hopes that this car will be particularly attractive to female drivers. Let's see whether this car is a hit or not.
The Pivo seats three. the driver sits in front in the center and two passengers sit side by side in the rear.The name Pivo is derived from the word pivot. Whenever you need to reverse or to park you simply pivot the entire cabin and do it while looking forward.This is possible because of Nissan's advanced drive by wire technologies which eliminate the need for mechanical connections between the cabin and the chassis.
Cameras mounted on the outside of the car feed an accurate image of the surroundings on to a dashboard monitor. These cameras are located at the front, rear and both the sides of the car. An image processing technique synthesizes these images into a single bird's eye view.
An infra red commander allows drivers to operate the navigation and audio systems without taking their eyes off the road.Because of Nissan's Horizontal Display information is displayed along the bottom of the windshield allowing drivers to concentrate on the road ahead.
Now Nissan has unveiled the Pivo 2.This car also features a robot which sits on the dashboard and warns the driver when it senses that the driver is getting sleepy.It also nods and shakes its head which cheers up drivers.Unlike the first Pivo this car has no axles.Instead it has four electric motors which power each wheel separately.This vehicle will be exhibited at the Tokyo Motor Show later this month. In Japanese the Pivo is called 'Kawaii' or cute. Nissan hopes that this car will be particularly attractive to female drivers. Let's see whether this car is a hit or not.
2008 Nissan Rogue Arrives In Style
Nissan has been an active player in the SUV market with models like Pathfinder, Xterra and Armada.This will be Nissan's first entry in the crowded small crossover SUV field. It will be in direct competition with the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. Its counterpart called the Quashqai has already been introduced in Europe in early 2007.First exhibited at the Detroit Auto Show the Rogue is built on the same 'C' platform as Nissan's Sentra. The Global 'C' architecture has been developed jointly by Nissan and Renault.
Both the base Rogue and the upgraded Rogue SL have a 2.4 liter four cylinder engine matched with Nissan's trademark continuously variable transmission (CVT) producing 170 horsepower. The Rogue's engine gives it more power than most of its competitors.
The Rogue also offers a long list of standard safety features including front seat mounted side impact supplemental air bags and roof mounted curtain supplemental air bags. Electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes are also there.
The Rogue offers many high tech options like heated leather seats, keyless ignition, Bluetooth phone connectivity, Bose audio system, malfunction trip computer and Xenon headlights. These options will take your cost closer to $25,000 from the base price offer of $20,000.
"With Rogue, we have targeted drivers in their early thirties, whose responsibilities and functional needs have changed but who don't want to leave behind the person they've always been-someone who enjoys driving, who values style and design and who wants to retain his or her individuality", said Bill Bosley, Vice President and General Manager, Nissan Division. "The Rogue name was chosen to reflect its positioning, though we certainly believe that all buyers, regardless of age of life stage, will positively respond to Rogue's fun to drive, all climate performance and aggressive styling".
How the Rogue will impact the market is tough to guess. Experts feel that though it is a good car it is a latecomer to this segment and without any standout quality it will find it tough to beat the competition.
Both the base Rogue and the upgraded Rogue SL have a 2.4 liter four cylinder engine matched with Nissan's trademark continuously variable transmission (CVT) producing 170 horsepower. The Rogue's engine gives it more power than most of its competitors.
The Rogue also offers a long list of standard safety features including front seat mounted side impact supplemental air bags and roof mounted curtain supplemental air bags. Electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes are also there.
The Rogue offers many high tech options like heated leather seats, keyless ignition, Bluetooth phone connectivity, Bose audio system, malfunction trip computer and Xenon headlights. These options will take your cost closer to $25,000 from the base price offer of $20,000.
"With Rogue, we have targeted drivers in their early thirties, whose responsibilities and functional needs have changed but who don't want to leave behind the person they've always been-someone who enjoys driving, who values style and design and who wants to retain his or her individuality", said Bill Bosley, Vice President and General Manager, Nissan Division. "The Rogue name was chosen to reflect its positioning, though we certainly believe that all buyers, regardless of age of life stage, will positively respond to Rogue's fun to drive, all climate performance and aggressive styling".
How the Rogue will impact the market is tough to guess. Experts feel that though it is a good car it is a latecomer to this segment and without any standout quality it will find it tough to beat the competition.
2008 Ford Taurus Wins Crash Safety Award
The Ford Taurus was first introduced in December 1985 as a 1986 model.It was a front wheel drive automobile and was a milestone design not just for Ford but the entire American automotive industry. Between 1992 and 1996 it was the best selling car in the US, losing this status to the Toyota Camry in 1997.Sales declined thereafter but the Taurus continued to be a favorite of car rental companies.This further depressed the residual value of the cars and Ford finally stopped producing it in October 2006. Ford had hoped that the Ford Five Hundred and the Ford Freestyle would be worthy successors of the Taurus . However these two cars went almost unnoticed due largely to their unattractive styling and underpowered engines.
As it became clear that the Five Hundred and the Freestyle would have to be upgraded substantially, CEO Alan Mullaly decided to revive the Taurus name for the new models and the Five Hundred became the new Taurus and its mechanical twin the Freestyle became the new Taurus X. Clearly Ford is banking on consumer awareness of the Taurus name to help it come up with a winner.
But the name is not all that Ford is banking upon. The new car is powered by a 3.5L Duratec V6 engine that generates 263 horsepower compared to the 153 horsepower of the old Taurus and 203 horsepower of the Five Hundred. The car is not fast, about 7.6 seconds to 60 but it does'nt lag too far behind the competition.The vehicle is styled to reduce aerodynamic drag and to cut out noise. Interior noise is greatly reduced, partly by using a new sound absorptive material called Sonosorb.
Where this car has done particularly well is that it has earned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's(NHTSA) highest five star rating for not only the front crash test (driver and passenger) but also the side crash test (front and rear outboard passengers).It is also the 'Top Safety Pick' of the Insurance Institute of Highway safety (IIHS). It provides as standard equipment the Safety Canopy System with rollover sensors and side curtain airbags, the Personal Safety System featuring dual- stage front airbags plus side impact airbags.
It has attractive styling with a new chrome grille and new taillights. It is also amongst the roomiest cars available with a huge trunk in which to carry your golf bags.Although the mileage could have been better, experts consider it to be a good car.
Although it does not promise to be a bestseller it certainly deserves a second look.
As it became clear that the Five Hundred and the Freestyle would have to be upgraded substantially, CEO Alan Mullaly decided to revive the Taurus name for the new models and the Five Hundred became the new Taurus and its mechanical twin the Freestyle became the new Taurus X. Clearly Ford is banking on consumer awareness of the Taurus name to help it come up with a winner.
But the name is not all that Ford is banking upon. The new car is powered by a 3.5L Duratec V6 engine that generates 263 horsepower compared to the 153 horsepower of the old Taurus and 203 horsepower of the Five Hundred. The car is not fast, about 7.6 seconds to 60 but it does'nt lag too far behind the competition.The vehicle is styled to reduce aerodynamic drag and to cut out noise. Interior noise is greatly reduced, partly by using a new sound absorptive material called Sonosorb.
Where this car has done particularly well is that it has earned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's(NHTSA) highest five star rating for not only the front crash test (driver and passenger) but also the side crash test (front and rear outboard passengers).It is also the 'Top Safety Pick' of the Insurance Institute of Highway safety (IIHS). It provides as standard equipment the Safety Canopy System with rollover sensors and side curtain airbags, the Personal Safety System featuring dual- stage front airbags plus side impact airbags.
It has attractive styling with a new chrome grille and new taillights. It is also amongst the roomiest cars available with a huge trunk in which to carry your golf bags.Although the mileage could have been better, experts consider it to be a good car.
Although it does not promise to be a bestseller it certainly deserves a second look.
Hydrogen Cars Set To Revive The US Auto Industry
A couple of news headlines in the last few days have once again brought into focus two of the most pressing problems facing every nation on this earth today.They are the price of crude oil touching $84 a barrel and that the arctic ice is vanishing at an alarming rate.The former threatens to derail economic growth worldwide and the latter is a warning that we are on the brink of an environmental catastrophe with yet unforeseen consequences.This is exactly why hydrogen powered vehicles become so important.
Most people think that US automakers have surrendered technological leadership to their Japanese rivals for good.If one were to consider sales of conventional vehicles and the latest hybrids then nobody would have a choice but to agree.But fortunately things are not so bleak for the US auto industry as they may appear at first sight.
People tend to overlook the fact that one of the major reasons why US automakers have lagged behind in the development of hybrid technology is that they have concentrated on developing electric and hydrogen powered vehicles.
So how do hydrogen powered vehicles work?They work in two different ways.The first is that hydrogen is burnt in internal combustion engines in the same way as in conventional autos.The second is to use hydrogen to power fuel cells.Here hydrogen is reacted with oxygen to produce electricity which is used to power an electric motor through a battery.
Hydrogen can be produced from a multiplicity of sources such as natural gas ,converting coal into gas,biomass and other waste products apart from water.It is estimated that supplies of hydrogen are unlimited.
Presently there are about 200 hydrogen powered vehicles on the road in the US mainly in California.Companies have started offering hydrogen powered cars to customers but there are a couple of problems.For one the cost of the vehicle is very high and secondly the fuel is not easily available.However it is expected that mass production will lead to significant reduction in costs.
Although hybrid cars cut down emissions significantly, only hydrogen cars offer zero emission, the only emission being water vapor.Moreover these cars will drastically reduce the nation's dependence on imported oil.The US government is actively supporting this initiative and President Bush has allocated almost $2 billion to this program.Since one fifth of the nation's cars are sold in California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is trying hard to put in place an infrastructure which would ensure easy availability of hydrogen.Once costs come down and fuel is easily available there is no reason why hydrogen cars will not replace gasoline cars very quickly because performance wise hydrogen cars are a match for their gasoline counterparts.Moreover they are more efficient and give two to three times the mileage of gasoline vehicles per equivalent measure of hydrogen.
Hopefully it won't be very long before hydrogen vehicles are a common sight on the highway.
Most people think that US automakers have surrendered technological leadership to their Japanese rivals for good.If one were to consider sales of conventional vehicles and the latest hybrids then nobody would have a choice but to agree.But fortunately things are not so bleak for the US auto industry as they may appear at first sight.
People tend to overlook the fact that one of the major reasons why US automakers have lagged behind in the development of hybrid technology is that they have concentrated on developing electric and hydrogen powered vehicles.
So how do hydrogen powered vehicles work?They work in two different ways.The first is that hydrogen is burnt in internal combustion engines in the same way as in conventional autos.The second is to use hydrogen to power fuel cells.Here hydrogen is reacted with oxygen to produce electricity which is used to power an electric motor through a battery.
Hydrogen can be produced from a multiplicity of sources such as natural gas ,converting coal into gas,biomass and other waste products apart from water.It is estimated that supplies of hydrogen are unlimited.
Presently there are about 200 hydrogen powered vehicles on the road in the US mainly in California.Companies have started offering hydrogen powered cars to customers but there are a couple of problems.For one the cost of the vehicle is very high and secondly the fuel is not easily available.However it is expected that mass production will lead to significant reduction in costs.
Although hybrid cars cut down emissions significantly, only hydrogen cars offer zero emission, the only emission being water vapor.Moreover these cars will drastically reduce the nation's dependence on imported oil.The US government is actively supporting this initiative and President Bush has allocated almost $2 billion to this program.Since one fifth of the nation's cars are sold in California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is trying hard to put in place an infrastructure which would ensure easy availability of hydrogen.Once costs come down and fuel is easily available there is no reason why hydrogen cars will not replace gasoline cars very quickly because performance wise hydrogen cars are a match for their gasoline counterparts.Moreover they are more efficient and give two to three times the mileage of gasoline vehicles per equivalent measure of hydrogen.
Hopefully it won't be very long before hydrogen vehicles are a common sight on the highway.
Lamborghini Builds $1.4 Million Car!
One day Feruccio Lamborghini,a tractor manufacturer and a car enthusiast went to meet Enzo Ferrari at the Ferrari factory to complain about the clutch in the Ferrari he owned.Enzo Ferrari told him to go away and drive a tractor because he was not fit to to drive cars.Lamborghini went back to his factory, had his Ferrari's clutch dismantled,and fixed the problem.
Encouraged by his success he decided to go ahead and build a sports car to his liking.The Lamborghini 350GTV made its first public appearance at the Turin Auto show in 1963.A string of successful cars followed and the company entered the small world of super car manufacturers.
In 1972 the company suffered a major blow when a large tractor order for a South American country was canceled causing large financial losses and forcing Feruccio to sell part of his tractor business.The car division flourished however and became profitable.The same year Lamborghini sold his interest in the car division a well and retired to pursue his hobby of wine making.
In the 1970's the oil crisis hit sales of expensive high performance cars and Lamborghini was no exception.Since it had a two year wait list many customers simply got fed up waiting for it.It also had reliability problems and needed expensive maintenance.The US also prescribed strict emission norms for automobiles. Unable to cope Lamborghini declared bankruptcy in 1978.
The company got a new lease of life after it was taken over by Chrysler in 1987.Today Lamborghini is owned by Volkswagen, and these cars are among the most powerful, expensive and exclusive cars on the road today.
Continuing the tradition of building exclusive, super expensive cars Lamborghini has unveiled the 'Reventon' at the Frankfurt international auto show.This is the most expensive car it has ever built and it costs $1.4 million to own one.It has already sold the 20 cars it proposes to build.It took them just four days to do it. The latest news is that ultimately 100 cars may be built.Most of the buyers are rumored to be businessmen from the US.Powered by a Lamborghini V12 engine the Reventon has a displacement of 6496cc. and delivers a top speed of 309km/h.The Reventon promises to be one of the most exciting Lamborghini models ever.
Encouraged by his success he decided to go ahead and build a sports car to his liking.The Lamborghini 350GTV made its first public appearance at the Turin Auto show in 1963.A string of successful cars followed and the company entered the small world of super car manufacturers.
In 1972 the company suffered a major blow when a large tractor order for a South American country was canceled causing large financial losses and forcing Feruccio to sell part of his tractor business.The car division flourished however and became profitable.The same year Lamborghini sold his interest in the car division a well and retired to pursue his hobby of wine making.
In the 1970's the oil crisis hit sales of expensive high performance cars and Lamborghini was no exception.Since it had a two year wait list many customers simply got fed up waiting for it.It also had reliability problems and needed expensive maintenance.The US also prescribed strict emission norms for automobiles. Unable to cope Lamborghini declared bankruptcy in 1978.
The company got a new lease of life after it was taken over by Chrysler in 1987.Today Lamborghini is owned by Volkswagen, and these cars are among the most powerful, expensive and exclusive cars on the road today.
Continuing the tradition of building exclusive, super expensive cars Lamborghini has unveiled the 'Reventon' at the Frankfurt international auto show.This is the most expensive car it has ever built and it costs $1.4 million to own one.It has already sold the 20 cars it proposes to build.It took them just four days to do it. The latest news is that ultimately 100 cars may be built.Most of the buyers are rumored to be businessmen from the US.Powered by a Lamborghini V12 engine the Reventon has a displacement of 6496cc. and delivers a top speed of 309km/h.The Reventon promises to be one of the most exciting Lamborghini models ever.
Buying A New Car? Consider A Hyundai!
When one plans to buy a new car the name Hyundai doesn't come readily to mind.Hyundai motors America is headquartered in Fountain Valley California.Hyundai vehicles are sold throughout the US through more than 755 dealerships nationwide.
Hyundai entered the US market in 1986 and has had a fair amount of success since then.This year it hopes to sell 500,000 cars and it has a market share of 3.1% which puts it ahead of better known rivals such as Mazda.BMW and Volkswagen.
The Hyundai models have improved a lot over the last few years.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA) gave five-star crash test ratings, the highest government rating under the agency's New Car Assessment Program, to the all new 2007 Hyundai Veracruz and Santa Fe for both frontal and side impact crash tests.The 2007 Elantra also scored five stars for frontal crash performance and Veracruz earned four stars for rollover performance.Sixty-three
models were assessed.
The Veracruz SUV utilizes the latest in active and passive safety technologies,including standard Electronic Stability Control, Anti Lock Braking System with Electronic Brake Force Distribution, anti whiplash passenger cabin and six airbags.The Veracruz has engineered crumple zones and a host of other safety devices including a Tire Pressure Monitoring system which alerts drivers if any of the tires is under inflated.In the area of safety the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe ranked above the Toyota RAV4 and the Elantra beat out the Toyota Prius model in the compact car segment.
The Hyundai models perhaps lack the polish of their US and Japanese counterparts but they are darn close and if you consider that they cost about 20% less to buy, the difference becomes narrower still.In fact you no longer have to buy a Hyundai to save money.If you feel like saving money while buying something that is functionally as good and is a well conceived machine in its own right then a Hyundai is worth a second look.
The South Korean giant has aggressive growth plans and hopes to increase its US sales volume to more than 700,000 cars annually by the end of 2010, a 40% increase.Next week it plans to launch a new $150 million campaign in an effort to improve the Hyundai brand image.Its aim is to get rid of the image of being a value brand which sells only because of lower sticker prices.Experts acknowledge that its a brand issue and unless people have a good enough reason to change brands,they simply won't.With this in mind Hyundai plans to sell its total package rather than its price to consumers.Among other things it plans to offer attractive warranties and roadside assistance programs which are very important today to the consumer.
If this strategy clicks then we just might see more Hyundai cars on US roads in the near future.
Hyundai entered the US market in 1986 and has had a fair amount of success since then.This year it hopes to sell 500,000 cars and it has a market share of 3.1% which puts it ahead of better known rivals such as Mazda.BMW and Volkswagen.
The Hyundai models have improved a lot over the last few years.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA) gave five-star crash test ratings, the highest government rating under the agency's New Car Assessment Program, to the all new 2007 Hyundai Veracruz and Santa Fe for both frontal and side impact crash tests.The 2007 Elantra also scored five stars for frontal crash performance and Veracruz earned four stars for rollover performance.Sixty-three
models were assessed.
The Veracruz SUV utilizes the latest in active and passive safety technologies,including standard Electronic Stability Control, Anti Lock Braking System with Electronic Brake Force Distribution, anti whiplash passenger cabin and six airbags.The Veracruz has engineered crumple zones and a host of other safety devices including a Tire Pressure Monitoring system which alerts drivers if any of the tires is under inflated.In the area of safety the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe ranked above the Toyota RAV4 and the Elantra beat out the Toyota Prius model in the compact car segment.
The Hyundai models perhaps lack the polish of their US and Japanese counterparts but they are darn close and if you consider that they cost about 20% less to buy, the difference becomes narrower still.In fact you no longer have to buy a Hyundai to save money.If you feel like saving money while buying something that is functionally as good and is a well conceived machine in its own right then a Hyundai is worth a second look.
The South Korean giant has aggressive growth plans and hopes to increase its US sales volume to more than 700,000 cars annually by the end of 2010, a 40% increase.Next week it plans to launch a new $150 million campaign in an effort to improve the Hyundai brand image.Its aim is to get rid of the image of being a value brand which sells only because of lower sticker prices.Experts acknowledge that its a brand issue and unless people have a good enough reason to change brands,they simply won't.With this in mind Hyundai plans to sell its total package rather than its price to consumers.Among other things it plans to offer attractive warranties and roadside assistance programs which are very important today to the consumer.
If this strategy clicks then we just might see more Hyundai cars on US roads in the near future.
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