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Toyota Swears To Dominate NASCAR 2008

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 21:36:02 GMT

The juggernaut car maker from Japan has just had enough of eating humble pie. Toyota has finally shed its modest stance and is now vowing to win the NASCAR 2008.

The bold declaration was made by Toyota Motor Sales’ Vice President for motor sports, Jim Aust in the company’s official blog, Open Road. Aust proclamation refers to a NASCAR-specification built Camry that will vie to bring home the gold for Toyota. The racer is said to compete in the Sprint Cup 2008.

The prediction isn’t far fetched. “Keep in mind that Toyota posted just two top-five finishes and 11 top 10s in 2007, the brand’s first in NASCAR’s premier series,” read Toyota’s official blog.

Toyota entered the inaugural Cup with three teams composed of seven cars. Two of these teams are greenhorns. The brand is guaranteed two spots in the first five races. This leaves the remaining team the task of battling it out for a qualifying position. Consequently, the brands focus was just to make the grade.

The tiger brand has also announced its line-up of drivers in the person of Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Kaye Busch. These fine men and women will be manning the Camrys in the 2008 series. The three already have guaranteed spots for the first five races. Renowned former Joe Gibbs driver, J.J. Yeley is also set to ride the Camry. Yeley is now with Hall of Fame Racing. All in all, Toyota has a maximum of 11 cars (and a minimum of five) in the field.

Toyota’s V-8 which powers its Tundra entries intended for the NASCAR Craftman Truck was only allowed to enter the Busch franchise. The Tundra is also required modification for Nextel Cup eligibility.

It seems that Toyota is on the road to greatness, even managing to bump off Ford Motors in the second place for the most units sold in 2007. Toyota even managed to “out produce” GM, making the Japanese brand the largest automaker in the world.

Toyota’s Aust admitted that it doesn’t expect to “compete head to head” with established racing giants Ford, Chevy and Dodge in this year’s cup. However, these brands should watch out for 2009.

Nissan Faces Weight Issue, Vows To Shed 15% Off

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 01:40:05 GMT

We all know the power-weight trade-off. You want horsepower and torque than you got to settle for a weightier ride.

Technological advancements of the recent years took its tool on car weight. To answer this weight issue, Nissan vows to eliminate an average of 15 percent off the rides it produces within the nest seven years. To achieve this goal, the company is eyeing to maximize lightweight materials in its vehicles. Along with this, Nissan is also thinking of reassessing its vehicle design.

Presently, Nissan is looking in to reducing 350Zs weight by as much as 500 pounds from its curb weight. Hopefully the move will result in an optimal horsepower-weight ratio. The move is also eyed to give a better driving dynamics. At the moment, the cost of lightweight materials is relatively higher. Nissan is hoping that these prices would adjust given the anticipated popularity of materials such as carbon fiber. Optimistically, in the future, carbon fiber will find its way in to commercial vehicles.

Friday, December 14, 2007

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 17:57:00 GMT

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 01:20:52 GMT

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:51:03 GMT

Jaguar and Land Rover enjoy women-friendly work environments

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 03:41:58 GMT

For career women looking for great opportunities (this is not a job ad, by the way), Jaguar and Land Rover has been given recognition as an exemplary place to work for women scientists and engineers. The award giving body is the UK Resource Center for Women in Science, Engineering, and Technology (UKRC), which gave the two automakers a Gold Standard Quality Mark at the Jaguar and Land Rover internal diversity awards a couple of weeks ago.

The Quality Mark of the UKRC focuses on an organization’s level of commitment and achievements in terms of equality, gender, and diversity. Companies are thereby assessed and measured in eight essential criteria: people involvement, leadership and management, policy development, strategy and planning, processes, people involvement, external stakeholders, working environment, and performance.

Annette Williams, Director of UKRC, said: “The scheme aims to not only assess employers’ current status in relation to gender equality, but to support them in developing future action plans and measuring year-on-year progress and impact. Ultimately, the Quality Mark will provide organisations with a tool against which they can benchmark their own performance with others in their industry and Jaguar and Land Rover are certainly setting a positive example.”

“Diversity is driven from the top at Jaguar and Land Rover. The Chief Executive presented the company’s own diversity and inclusion awards and diversity policies are implemented by top personnel.”

Geoff Polites, CEO of both Jaguar and Land Rover is very happy with such recognition: “Diversity is high on our list of priorities. Creating a fair and supportive business ethos, with behaviours that acknowledge and value the mix of people that make up our business is essential for delivering positive results. Our view of diversity extends beyond our employees to our dealers, suppliers and customers – in doing this Jaguar and Land Rover really do value and respect people's differences in every element of our operations. Receiving the gold standard Quality Mark from the UKRC is a testament to our continued hard work in this area and demonstrates that we are fulfilling our goal to provide a diverse and inclusive working environment for all.”

For more details on information on the UKRC’s Quality Mark, please visit the following site: www.setwomenresource.org.uk/.

J.D. Power and Associates Releases its 2007 Sales Satisfaction Index

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:11:19 GMT

J.D Power and Associates, a leading marketing information services company, has recently released its much-awaited 2007 Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI). With regards to the result summary, celebrations are very much in order, as the automotive industry garnered an overall improvement rate and was able to achieve a record-high evaluation for the second consecutive year now.

For those not in the know, this industry satisfaction study has already been around for 21 years, ceaselessly tackling and analyzing the new-vehicle acquisition experience for consumers. The criteria for coming up with such an overall consumer satisfaction grade involves the study of five factors, namely vehicle price, sales team, dealership facility, paperwork process and financial matters, and the delivery process.

Among the world’s car brands, it is Lexus that attained the highest commendation in satisfying consumers relative to the new-vehicle sales practice. In fact, Lexus was able to attain a total SSI score of 897 points on a 1,000-point range, a 10-pt increase if its present score is to be compared from last year’s appraisal. Trailing behind Lexus are the brands of Hummer, Jaguar, Lincoln, and Mercedes-Benz, respectively. And as mentioned, it is already the second year in a row that automotive industry has reached a record-high overall satisfaction assessment of 852 points, beating the used to be record-high score of 847 points set in 2006.

Tom Gauer, J.D. Power and Associates Senior Director of Automotive Retail Research, commends the Lexus brand for its praiseworthy and still-improving sales process: "Lexus improves by four rank positions from 2006, which is a gain driven primarily by increased customer delight with the dealership facility, salesperson performance and vehicle price. For example, Lexus salespeople show particular concern for helping customers stay within their budgets, choosing the right vehicle for their needs, as well as for making the negotiation process clear and understandable. Hummer receives a score of 895, up by 21 points from 2006, and improves notably in the vehicle price and paperwork/finance process."

Unfortunately, Lexus’ budget-friendly prowess is yet to be fully applied by other car brand dealerships. As it goes, the study discovered that 44 percent of new-car buyers have reported spending more than their actual budget plan for a new vehicle. As a result, these budget-exceeding consumers keyed in 67 satisfaction points less than those consumers who stayed within their finance arrangements. Nevertheless, this slash in scores can be remedied quite easily if only the salesperson will be engaging and meticulous enough to explain the vehicle’s features relative to its monetary value.

As Gauer puts it, "While all new-vehicle buyers hope to get a good deal, customers are receptive to spending more than they originally budgeted provided that the salesperson does a good job of educating the customer about the features and benefits that they are receiving. Customers are looking to the salesperson to help them buy a vehicle that fits their budget, but they are certainly open to spending more if the salesperson can successfully convey the value of the vehicle."

Furthermore, the SSI finds that consumers with exceptional purchase experiences will most likely go back to the dealership for the necessary series of paid service. Indeed, it was charted that about 61 percent of consumers, whose expectations were greatly exceeded, will definitely return to the car dealership for customer-paid service work.

The J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Sales Satisfaction Index Study is wholly based on the responses of 38,654 new-vehicle consumers who registered their respective vehicles in May 2007. For more details and information regarding the study, please visit: http://www.jdpower.com/corporate.

Meanwhile, below is the list of chronological scores acquired by the industry’s automotive brands:
Sales Satisfaction Index Ranking
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)

Lexus - 897        HUMMER - 895            Jaguar - 893
Lincoln - 892        Mercedes-Benz - 888     Buick - 887
Cadillac - 885         Saturn - 880                Porsche - 879
Mercury - 878       Land Rover - 873           BMW - 872
Pontiac - 870         GMC - 866                     Saab - 866
Volvo - 866            Acura - 862                   Audi - 861
Chevrolet - 861    Ford - 859                    Infiniti - 856
MINI - 852              Volkswagen - 851          Chrysler - 850
Honda - 849           Kia - 848                    Toyota - 847
Subaru - 841        Scion - 840                   Hyundai - 838
Dodge - 835        Jeep - 825                    Mazda - 824
Nissan - 817        Suzuki - 812                Mitsubishi - 810

Volkswagen Canada Offers Prmotional Discounts

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:05:22 GMT

Great news for Canadians intending to buy a Volkswagen: Now is the best time to avail of the said automaker’s creations as Volkswagen Canada is reportedly having a manufacturer’s sales program.

For the period of November to December 2007, added manufacturer-to-dealer savings include $2,000 on the Passat, $1,000 on the Jetta, and another $2,000 this time on the Touareg 2. These savings are definitely intended for dealers to pass on to their respective consumers.

If is to be remembered, the year 2007 saw a previous price slash among several Volkswagen models because of a booming Canadian Dollar. The original entry pricing of the 2007 New Bettle was lowered by $1,710. On the other hand, the 2007 Jetta had a great price drop by $1,500. Also part of this batch is the 2007 New Beetle Convertible whose price was severely reduced by $2,090. All the lucky discounts doesn’t stop in 2007, as it is slated next year that the new Touareg 2 would be released with over 2,300 improved alterations but with a $1,550 lower starting price. This is what you could really call as a bargain.

John White, Volkswagen Canada Executive Vice President, has this further to announce: "Volkswagen Canada continues to realize strong sales, up 10 % over 2006 through October, by providing exceptional value on fun to drive, German-engineered cars."

"Our goal is to continue delivering more value and savings to Canadians, as well as to maintain our competitive position in the market."

Short backgrounder of Volkswagen Canada, as provided in the press statement:
Founded in 1952, Volkswagen Canada, Inc. is headquartered in Ajax, Ontario. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the City Golf, City Jetta, Rabbit, GTI, New Beetle, Jetta, Passat, Eos, and Touareg 2 through more than 130 independent Canadian dealers.

Saab Prepares Alert System for Sleepy Motorists

Sat, 24 Nov 2007 21:01:24 GMT

Good news for Saab owners. The minds behind this Swedish automaker are making a proactive enhancement to their Saab creations in order to put an end to sleepy and inattentive drivers on the road. This is in the form of the Driver Attention Warning System. To date, the program is being field-tested for an eight-month trial on a Saab 9-3 SportCombi, under collaboration with the Sweden Linkoping University.

But how does this actually work? As Saab sources put it, the Drive Attention Warning System would be able to track the driver’s eye and head movements through two miniature infra-red cameras located at the foot of the windscreen pillar and at the dashboard portion of the car. These cameras are then tasked to zero in on the driver’s eyes and eyelid movements to gauge the level of the driver’s drowsiness of inattentiveness during driving.

When the program then senses these dangerous predilections, the software would then send the following depending on the level of the driver’s condition: chime rings, text warnings to the dashboard display, voice messages, and even vibrations to the driver’s seat. For instance, when the software sees the driver almost nodding off, the program would generate warning chimes and a text message that says “Tired?” comes into view in the dashboard. If that is still not enough to keep the driver focused, the program would try again, this time with a voice messaging, indicating: "You are tired." Indeed, the warnings get sterner depending on the reaction of the driver, with the ultimate message being: “You are dangerously tired - stop as soon as it is safe to do so!”

Saab further attests that this program works day and night. In fact, even if the driver is wearing sunglasses, the program is still able to detect his or her condition. Moreover, representatives of Saab say its system "does not rely on measuring an erratic change in the steered direction of the vehicle. It is designed to detect the onset of drowsiness or inattention, rather than the immediate consequences."

Human Vehicle Integration Head Arne Nabo has this to say: “It is a fact that many drivers do not stop and get out of the car if they are feeling drowsy. So we are now trying to help drivers to help themselves.”

“This system also helps prevent a dangerous habit we call 'cognitive capturing'. For example, the driver can become too absorbed in searching for a favourite CD, programming pre-sets into the radio or trying to pick up a screaming baby's pacifier from the floor. All such behavior will be monitored and admonished.”

Mazda MX-5 Roadster is Scotland’s ‘Best Drop Top’ Awardee

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 21:30:55 GMT

Mazda went home with another recognition under its name when the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers (ASMW) granted the Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe with the ‘Best Drop-Top’ award, an acknowledgment from which the said model has achieved for the second year in a row.

Stephen Park, ASMW President, lauds the MX-5 for its winsome characteristics: “The Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe offers drivers the thrill of sports car driving with the added bonus of refinement, security, and value for money.”

“Believe it or not, there are more drop-top roadsters in the UK than anywhere else in Europe and Scottish motorists love them. The Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe is a worthy winner and proved its credentials by beating the new Audi TT Roadster to the top spot. The Mazda MX‑5’s combination of style, quality and driving experience outperforms many motors costing twice as much.”

Mark Cameron, Mazda UK Marketing Director, couldn’t be more pleased with the distinction: “We are truly delighted that the Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe has been named Scottish Car of the Year ‘Best Drop-Top’. This year’s award is further confirmation that the latest MX-5 has kept faith with the ethos of the original iconic Mazda sports car, while adding even more Zoom‑Zoom excitement, refinement and usability to the ownership and driving experience. It’s no surprise that Mazda is recognised as the UK’s favourite sports car brand.”