50,000 people want Clarkson as prime minister of Britain

Jeremy Clarkson would be perfect for the job and there was still a 1,000-strong Facebook group calling for him to run the country and the fans of top Gear presenter believe it. But he has ruled himself out of becoming prime minister of Britain because he would be a ‘rubbish leader’. Naturally Jeremy thinks the idea is bloody ridiculous and that he would be a rubbish leader. If I were him I’d think the same right thing in deciding between joining politics or test driving some of the most amazing cars in the world.

Jeremy Clarkson said he hated bureaucracy and over-powering safety rules. Although people say Clarkson would be the perfect for the job and people calling him to run UK, He contradicts himself. No he doesn’t.

Back in August 2007, making Jeremy Clarkson as Prime Minister an e-petition started on the UK government site. At that point in time the petition was signed by 15,489 people with a deadline of April 17^th, 2008. And found out a total of 49,442 people had signed the petition on April 17^th.

What does Clarkson have to say about all this? He said he enjoyed the thrill of working on Top Gear. ‘I have always said the Government should build park benches and that is it. They should leave us alone,’ he said.

Clarkson also spoke he raced a bullet train in Japan, the upcoming season of Top Gear. Well, it has something to do with the Nissan GT-R? Let’s have to wait and find out.

10 most memorable cars to appear on the small screen

Here is the list of the 10 most famous television cars. They are ranked according to show endurance, using the number of episodes that were broadcast. As of a gravity-defying Dodge Charger to a futuristic Ford Mustang, Take a look at the 10 most memorable cars to appear on the small screen.

One of the most brilliant television stars from the 1980s, K.I.T.T. was a smart-talking Pontiac Trans Am driven by David Hasselhoff in the series Knight Rider. Now K.I.T.T. proceeds in a new television movie that premiered to such big ratings NBC executives are hinting a weekly series is likely again.

The original K.I.T.T., or Knight Industries Two Thousand, was remarkable for its ironical personality and array of high-tech features. In its four years as a reluctant crime-fighter on a hit show, it became an icon worthy enough to make our list of the top 10 most famous TV cars.

Top 10 Most Famous TV Cars:

The Black Beauty (1966 Chrysler Imperial): The Green Hornet
The Munster Coach (modified Ford Model T’s): The Munsters
K.I.T.T. (Pontiac Trans Am): Knight Rider
Ford Gran Torino: Starsky & Hutch
A-Team Van (GMC G-Series): The A-Team
Miami Vice Ferraris (Ferrari Daytona Spyder and Testarossa): Miami Vice
Volvo P1800: The Saint
Batmobile (1955 Lincoln Futura concept): Batman
General Lee (1969 Dodge Charger): The Dukes of Hazzard
Magnum P.I. Ferrari (Ferrari 308 GTS): Magnum P.I.

Several of the cars on the list exude star personality. Take the bright orange Dodge Charger known as the General Lee, which frequently shows off its speed and athleticism in the wild car chases that typify The Dukes of Hazzard.Capable of jumping over rivers and smashing through roadblocks, the General Lee never appears to suffer any damage from the ferocious driving that helped make it another 1980s icon.But other cars on the list are much more unlikely stars. Consider the Ford Gran Torino from the 1970s series Starsky & Hutch.

General Motors Promotes Alternative Fuel

Automakers are saying that they are going to make a car that can run on this and that but so far, they have only managed to come up with hybrids and flex fuel vehicles.

Hybrid vehicles are good for the environment for the fact that they use electricity (sometimes) to power a vehicle.  Apart from hybrid vehicles, there are also flex fuel vehicles or those vehicles which can run on either gasoline or ethanol.

Using ethanol means we do not have to depend on oil producing countries for our fuel as it can be produced here in the country.  We have a lot of areas where corn can be cultivated and then used to manufacture ethanol.

The problem here though is that there are limited infrastructures manufacturing said fuel.  Also there are very few refilling stations which offer E85, a blend of fuel containing 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.

General Motors though has taken an initiative to promote the presence of refilling stations in California by partnering with the first refilling station in Los Angeles to offer ethanol.  On February 26, drivers would be able to fill up their flex fuel vehicles with bio-ethanol for only 85 cents per gallon.

This move by the automaker is a good one as it means they are serious about flex fuel vehicles.  Last year, a study showed that 99 percent of flex fuel vehicles actually still runs on gasoline thus not actually being of great help to ease of energy dependency on petroleum fuel.

I think that the government should also step in to help the alternative fuel industry set up the proper infrastructure which would enable them to supply clean bio-ethanol to more consumers across America.

Fast, Silent Like A Bullet

Of course, you can’t resist the temptation of a car which is as fast and silent as a bullet. Electric cars are like that; they are pretty silent.

One of the world leaders in the production of electric cars is Tesla Motors. On the cover of the March issue of Automobile magazine, the automaker was tagged “this year’s most important [electric] sports car.”

The automaker boasts of performance statistics of zero to 96 kilometers an hour in 4.7 seconds, and a top speed of 200 km/h and a 340-km range.

With the arrival of Tesla in the United States, buffs holler…but the cars were quiet.

National Post writes:

“P1,” which is auto industry parlance for the first production unit, belongs to Elon Musk, Tesla’s chairman and a former PayPal executive who has spent much of his personal fortune making the car a reality.

After mechanics installed the battery pack that contains more than 6,800 lithium-ion cells, Musk took the car out for its first spin. “I’ve invested US$50-million and a lot of time and effort into Tesla, so it’s very gratifying to be able to drive my car for the first time,” he said.

Musk envisions selling thousands of Roadsters a year before quickly expanding to a more affordable electric luxury sedan and then adding a cheaper compact electric. “We’re definitely going to make a lot of cars, otherwise this would be a very expensive car,” Musk said. “Much anticipated and much delayed, the Tesla Roadster heralds a new age of electric vehicles.”

The zero-emission car was scheduled to kick off early last year, but problems with its transmission derailed the release. Tesla grabbed the spotlight over the past year as it replaced its CEO and co-founder, Martin Eberhard, with Ze’ev Drori, a Silicon Valley tech expert. “This is the beginning of the realization of the dreams,” Drori added.

Tesla’s arrival calls for a celebration. Cheers to that!

LoneStar At the Chicago Auto Show

Three things. Customers only want three things when buying trucks. That was Dee Kapur, president of the Navistar Truck Group, said. Now what are these three things? First, personal touch. Kapur said that customers want a truck that states something about its driver. Second is comfort. Whether working or resting, they demand that they stay relaxed. Finally, customers want a cost-effective vehicle. Something in which fuel economy and serviceability comes together to increase if not maintain their income.

That’s exactly what the International LoneStar is all about. A product of extensive customer research and especially designed for customers, it has a striking, aerodynamic appeal with its top of the line interior and exterior innovations. The LoneStar that debuted at the Chicago Auto Show is tagged as a big-rig truck, visually striking with its advanced technology.

It also features improved ergnomics, industry-leading suspension and other highly developed technologies that provides its occupants with a higher level of comfort. LoneStar boasts of a combination of workstyle and lifestyle. It is equipped with a standard ABS, roll stability, traction control, Bluetooth integration for hands-free phone, leather-wrapped steering wheel, swivel chairs, sofa-bed design with back pillows, mini refrigerator, monsoon stereo system with 11 speakers, sub-woofer and amplifier plus more features that according to Navistar Truck Group Chief Designer David Allendorph, could make any truck driver spend 120 hours or 5 days in his or her truck – enjoying his or her own lifestyle while driving.

He added that LoneStar’s purpose is to deliver style, comfort and practicality with a projected fuel efficiency of five to 15 percent compared to standard trucks, equivalent to an annual savings ranging $3,000 to $8,000.

Other trucks from Navistar are currently on display at the Chicago Auto Show that is ongoing ‘til now.

‘Woman Of The Year’ Goes To Ford’s Europe VP

Ford Europe’s vice-president, Birgit Behrendt, was proclaimed as Europe’s “Woman of the Year”. Oh yeah, it’s totally girl power! The recognition was announced by the magazine Automotive News Europe.

At 48, Birgit Behrendt is in charge for management purchasing for the Ford brand across the European regions. According to the Auto Channel, Behrendt was chosen for this arrangement almost four years ago in February. The 2008 Women of the Year recipient is also accountable for the second major financial credit within Ford purchasing following the Americas. Her team consists of 500 people and thirty-five percent of which are women.

“Every year we identify outstanding women in the European auto industry. We selected Birgit for her contribution to the growing success of Ford of Europe’s operations as well as her work in the supplier OEM relations arena,” says Arien Bongard, the editior-in-chief and head of Automotive News Europe judges.

“Suppliers are becoming more and more important to automakers. If you see how much of the car cost comes from suppliers and how much of the innovation in the car comes from suppliers, it is crucial that an OEM like Ford works well with suppliers. The other reason we are honoring Birgit with this award is that she played a key role in helping the company grow. And of course that’s always a team effort, but Birgit is the only woman on the Board of Ford of Europe and is actually the only woman on the Board of any automaker in Europe,” Bongard concluded.

Cars: The Heart Of Modern Electronics

The heart – throbbing, beating, giving life. Without it, you won’t be around to read this post. That’s how important the heart is to humans. But in the realm of modern electronics, the heart can be equated with cars. Yes, cars.

You need not look far and wide to search for the thing that best functions as the heart of electronics. Cars are entertaining cutting-edge metamorphosis to pave the way for the most sophisticated ‘infotainment’ tools. Wireless Internet networking, television, video games, music, mobile phone connectivity – name it, all of them can be had inside the plushest cars on the roads.

The goal? Well, it’s all about making the drivers informed and the car occupants entertained. “The car is a lifestyle product,” said Sterling Pratz, Autonet Mobile’s CEO. “It’s not just a car anymore.”

But do you think having them inside the car is more of a blessing than a curse? As for me, the consequences vary. For responsible drivers and occupants, this fact could be taken on a positive note. But that won’t be the case with easily disturbed drivers.

When we are driving, distraction is a big no-no. And if modern auto technologies serve as such, it is better not to have them at all.

According to the Consumer Electronics Association, automobiles have had technological accouterments ever since the advent of the car radio. In-vehicle technologies were an $11 billion market in 2007. And the figure is expected to jump to $12.8 billion this year.

Factory-installed technologies are getting more and more influential. Take Ford’s Sync, which was produced in partnership with Microsoft. The Sync is an in-car voice-activated communication and entertainment system that is etching milestone sales at present. General Motors’ OnStar feature is also doing well.

One reason for automakers’ increasing comfort is that powerful computers now found in cars can get software updates fired in by wireless networks, letting vendors fix bugs and keep features up to date, said Erik Goldman, the president of Hughes Telematics Inc. Goldman’s company will be working hand in hand with Chrysler and Mercedes to produce navigation, entertainment and diagnostics auto service in 2009.

Hughes Telematics system will include a personal Web portal that lets people remotely lock and unlock their car doors, plan routes, check their auto’s emissions and engine status, select music playlists and even monitor their vehicle’s location, reported Associated Press. Car technology might be catching up to the state of gadgetry today, but it’s not quite yet at the vanguard, it added.

The electronics industry “is still developing technology faster than the automaker can adapt,” noted Chris Cook, a vice president with Mitek Corp., a maker of car audio equipment.

True, revolution is constant. What isn’t constant anyway?

Big 3 Plans For 2008

 

There are so many things to look forward to this year. In the auto industry, all eyes are set on the Big 3. So what are the things to expect from the auto giants?

Freep.com gives us the hints of what are expected to arrive in the industry:

Ford
Ford is launching Sync, the wireless auto technology developed with Microsoft Corp., in California with a two-month marketing campaign in 3 of the largest cities. Eight vehicles will be badged Street Sync vehicles, including the 2008 Ford Focus, Ford Edge and Lincoln MKZ, as they visit 24 high-profile locations.

“The goal is to rejuvenate interest in the Ford brand among California consumers, who have traditionally been tough on domestic manufacturers,” according to a Ford article.

Coming Up: On Monday, Ellen Hughes-Cromwick, Ford chief economist, will participate in the UBS Auto Outlook 2008 — Economist Luncheon.

Chrysler
The NHTSA awarded 7 Chrysler vehicles the government’s highest ratings for front and side-impact crash protection, the automaker announced last week.

The 2008 model vehicles are: Jeep Liberty, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Nitro, Dodge Caliber, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Chrysler Pacifica and Chrysler Town & Country.

Coming Up: Chrysler is making its videoconferencing equipment in Auburn Hills available for families to communicate with troops stationed in Iraq at Camp Taji, Al Asad Airbase, Camp Fallujah and Camp Victory.

General Motors
GM set prices for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe last week. It will start at $15,895 when it goes on sale in February. The all-wheel-drive model will start at $19,495, and the performance GT model will be start at $19,895. Prices include the destination charge.

The Vibe is powered by a 1.8-liter engine and five-speed manual transmission that can be upgraded to a 2.4-liter engine. All-wheel-drive and GT models come standard with the 158-horsepower 2.4-liter engine.

The Detroit automaker said its new models, aimed at young, urban drivers, get better gas mileage and have more horsepower than the previous models.

Coming Up: GM looks to see if Chevy Malibu, Cadillac CTS and Buick Enclave are among finalists Wednesday for North American Car and Truck of the Year.

[credit: Detroit Free Press]

Toyota’s New Pick Up Truck

The leader in hybrid car making is planning to do another hybrid vehicle. And this time it will be a hybrid pickup truck. The new vehicle is called the A-BAT concept vehicle which claims to have that 100% fuel economy with lower gas emissions. The company said that the vehicle, which can carry four passengers, will have the gas-electric hybrid powertrain technology Hybrid Synergy Drive. It will also have the trapezoidal profile of the Prius which is another hybrid Toyota vehicle.

The president of Calty design research at Toyota’s North America-based research and design center Kevin Hunter said: “This concept is the next evolution of the compact truck. This compact truck is as comfortable for long commutes as it is for road trips. It can accommodate outdoor toys and home improvement supplies.”

Supercars That Spoil

What cars make you feel like a star?

For me, they are speedsters and ultra-luxury vehicles. Nothing compares.

Buyers of ultra-high-end cars have traditionally fallen into one of two camps: performance or luxury. There are the thrill seekers, strapped into million-dollar Bugatti Veyrons, zooming down the autobahn at 200-plus mph. And then there’s the chauffeured set, lounging in the backseats of Rolls-Royce Phantoms while sipping glasses of Cristal, according to MSNBC.

Judging by the latest crop of supercars to hit the market, automakers are betting more big-spenders fall somewhere in between the two extremes. You no longer have to choose between ultra-fast acceleration and hand-stitched comfort. In some new models, you get the best of both worlds.

No car embodies the Goldilocks approach better than Fiat’s Maserati GranTurismo, a supercar that made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show. A sportier update of the four-door Quattroporte, the Pininfarina-designed GranTurismo is more compact and more curvaceous than its predecessor, with a wider grille.

Maserati also wanted to cater to the power-hungry driver by giving it a 4.2-liter V8 engine capable of 405 hp at 7,100 rpm. That produces a top speed of 177 mph and zero-to-62-mph acceleration of 5.2 seconds — not the quickest of the supercar lot, but a first for the luxury nameplate. Drivers aren’t likely to forget they’re inside a $110,000 Maserati, either: The interior is covered with Italian leather, and the trunk has its own set of designer luggage co-branded with Italian luxury design house Salvatore Ferragamo.

In its bid to trump German rivals BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche with an aggressive coupe of its own, Volkswagen’s Audi division in 2007 introduced the R8.

Some carmakers are betting there’s a strong market for the all-out performance supercar. That’s the statement Lamborghini made when it introduced the Reventon at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, the rarest, most expensive, and most powerful car the company has ever produced. Modeled after a stealth fighter jet, the sleek, metallic car has a V12 engine capable of 651 hp. It comes in just below $1.5 million, and only 20 will ever be produced.