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Aston Martin Announces The Release of Their Lagonda
The new Aston Martin Lagonda will be an amazing car, but it’s not for everyone. Promising that the new super saloon will be the “finest of fast cars,” the new model will be hand-built in strictly limited numbers and if you want one, you’ll have to wait to be asked.
That’s because sales will be invitation only and, according to the company, offered exclusively in the Middle East — a decision it says it has made based on “specific market demand.”
When the William Towns-designed futuristic original Lagonda was revealed in 1976 it was one of the most technically complex, striking and expensive cars in the world. In fact it was so complex to build that Aston Martin struggled to keep up with customer demand (which came primarily from the Middle East).
Nearly 40 years on Aston Martin is a completely different company in terms of the technology and investment at its disposal and while it is still dedicated to the finest craftsmanship and personalization, it can now offer those services within a state of the art production facility, rather than a couple of draughty factory units.
Specific details about what prospective owners can expect from the new car remain a secret, and according to the company, as each model will be tailored exactly to an individual client’s demands unless an owner chooses to reveal particulars about his or her Lagonda, that’s the way that things are going to remain — confidential.
However, we do know that the new Lagonda will be built on the same platform as all of the company’s existing cars and that it will have a V12 engine under the hood, sending power to the rear wheels. And, of course, in terms of exterior design and expected price tag, the new car and the original will have a lot in common. This is an amazing vehicle, but if you want it, you are going to have to wait and how that you are asked.
Audi Gives Mercedes a Run For Their Money
Audi has a new strategy, get them well they are young and ready to buy. Audi is closing in on Mercedes-Benz in the small but crucial market for premium cars priced that start below $30,000.
In its first three months on the market, Audi’s A3 outsold the comparable Mercedes entry-level coupe almost 2 to 1, according to researcher Autodata Corp.
In June, the A3’s U.S. sales beat the CLA’s sales 2,452 to 1,658, according to Automotive News data. CLA sales have dropped in seven of the past eight months, a turnabout from last year, when the sporty four-door pushed Mercedes past BMW to become the U.S. best-seller and the most successful new Mercedes model in two decades.
“CLA was the only game in town for a while, and now there’s something to compare it to,” Michelle Krebs, an analyst at AutoTrader.com, said in an interview. “If you read some of the comparison tests, the A3 is coming out on top by a long stretch.”
While entry-level models represent just a fraction of overall sales for high-end luxury brands, the market is important. Carmakers use lower-priced vehicles to target young, upwardly mobile drivers who might become brand loyalists for life, eventually shelling out six figures for a top-of-the-line, high-margin sedan.
“The idea is to get them when their brand preference is being formed,” said Jesse Toprak, an analyst at Cars.com. “And then hopefully keep them as they make more money and upgrade.” Entering this market is a smart move on Audi’s part. It will be interesting to see what other luxury car manufactories will do to keep up to them.
Firefighters Free Puppy from Wheel Rim
Firefighters in Bakersfield, California, were put to the test Friday night when they had to rescue a pit bull puppy from a tight spot.
The puppy had its head stuck through the hub of an automobile wheel when its owner brought it to a Kern County fire station on Friday.
Fire Department spokesman Brandon Hill says two firefighters used vegetable oil to ease the dog’s head out of the hole.
The little pooch, named Junior, has returned to live with its owner and seven siblings.
Could your next Ford be made out of Ketchup?
Not exactly. But it could be made out of the byproduct in the production of ketchup.
Ford has found another unexpected material that it can use to make car parts, joining coconuts, soy, rice hulls and recycled blue jeans,
Ford says it has a deal with H.J. Heinz to use study whether the stuff left over from making ketchup, like dried tomato skins, seeds and stems, can be used to make composites. Sounds crazy? Well, Ford thinks the skins alone could make wiring brackets or center console storage bins.
Heinz has a lot of skins. It processes 2 million pounds of tomatoes a year.
“We are exploring whether this food processing byproduct makes sense for an automotive application,” said Ellen Lee, plastics research technical specialist for Ford, in a statement. “Our goal is to develop a strong, lightweight material that meets our vehicle requirements, while at the same time reducing our overall environmental impact.”
Introducing the New Nissan Leaf: Simpler Style, More Mileage
The Nissan Leaf became a breakthrough modern, mainstream electric car. Now Nissan officials are opening up about how they want to proceed with the next generation of the model.
Most important will be range. Nissan wants to double it from the current Environmental Protection Agency rating of 84 miles per charge, the News says. That improvement, based on new battery chemistry that Nissan thinks it has in the wings, would dramatically improve the car’s practicality. The improved battery should be ready in 2017.
“The battery chemistry is all about range and energy density. That’s where you see the technology moving very, very fast,” Nissan’s Andy Palmer is quoted as saying last month at the Beijing auto show. “This really is the game-changing technology.”
Then there are its looks. Leaf was designed to look distinctive, much the way Toyota scored by giving the Prius hybrid its own look so that customers can proclaim their environmental consciousness every thing they drive. For the next generation, however, the car will be made to fit more into mainstream of styling out on the streets.
Apps and Other Aids to Limit Distracted-Driving Enter the Market
Texting and driving is dangerous, it’s a fact. Distracted driving was cited as the cause of more than 3,300 deaths nationwide in 2012 and thousands more injuries. With new technology, our phones may actually help us stay focused behind the wheel.
Surveys show that drivers recognize the danger of distracted driving, and 43 states and the District of Columbia forbid texting while driving, yet large percentages of drivers — including roughly three-quarters of teens and other young drivers — continue to do it anyway. We have not managed to put down our devices long enough to get from point A to point B, even under threat of death or injury.
For all of us who know better, but can’t seem to police ourselves nor our driving-age children, a market has emerged for apps and other aids that limit distracted-driving for us.
Cellcontrol, of Baton Rouge, La., is one of a growing number of third-party suppliers of systems that let an administrator, likely a parent, to limit their child’s phone use while the car is in motion. Cellcontrol charges $119 to $129 for its device, which either plugs into the car’s diagnostic computer or adheres to the windshield in the form of a small black transponder.
The device determines when the vehicle is in motion and disables phone functions to the administrator’s preset customized levels, such as enabling only calls to emergency numbers or preventing texting. Hopefully a decrease in distracted driving thanks to apps means a decrease in fatal accidents.
Car Manufacturers Prepare for Flood of Used Cars on Market
The off-lease vehicle surge to hit in 2016 could have significant impact on buyers’ wallets and overwhelm dealers. The used-vehicle inventory drought is almost over.
This year, according to Manheim projections, about 2.1 million off-lease vehicles will return to the market, up from 1.7 million in 2013. Manheim also predicts that number will grow to 2.5 million in 2015.
In 2016, and for several years thereafter, the number will exceed 3 million, Manheim predicts.
That’s good news for dealers who are struggling to find reasonably priced late-model used cars and trucks — the fallout of three years of slumping new-vehicle sales and a lease market that all but dried up in 2009.
But it will mean a double whammy for new-car buyers. Greater supply will mean lower prices for used vehicles, thus reducing the trade-in value of a shopper’s current vehicle.
Audi has new synthetic e-fuel technology in the works
From electric to ethanol and even hydrogen fuel cells, we’ve seen a lot of advancements in the automotive world when it comes to alternative fuel solutions. But Audi has a new technology up its sleeves in the form of synthetic e-fuel.
Synthetically engineered e-fuel can replace gas and diesel, and so far Audi claims to be making significant strides in its performance and viability. The German automaker recently completed a series of tests, confirming that its e-fuels burn more efficiently in internal combustion engines than traditional fossil fuels, resulting in far fewer emissions.
E-fuel production takes the energy from the sun and nonpotable water and converts it into liquid fuel using a photosynthetic process involving microorganisms. But rather than the photosynthesis producing more cells, the microorganisms produce fuel. Audi claims there’s no need for fresh water or agriculture of any kind in the process.
Ford redesigns Ram 1500 with better fuel economy
The 2014 diesel-powered Ram 1500 pickup gets 28 mpg on the highway, the top rating for any pickup in the United States. The mileage ratings were announced today on the EPA’s www.fueleconomy.gov Web site. The Ram 1500 EcoDiesel is rated at 20 mpg in the city and 23 mpg combined city and highway.
The rating gives the Ram pickup the two highest fuel economy ratings among full-sized pickups. The Ram 1500 HFE with a 3.6-liter V6 gasoline engine is rated at 18 city/25 highway/21 combined.
In the fall, Ford will counterpunch in the pickup mileage fight with the redesigned 2015 F-150, which has a weight-saving aluminum body.
Hot Rods Going Green – Can It Be?
What an awesome car and it is fantastic to see it going green! At 455 horsepower, the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is not only set to out-perform the maker’s original expectations but to deliver more muscle than any “base” ‘Vette since the two-seat sports car was first introduced 60 years ago.
That news came the same day that Aston Martin unveiled its fastest model ever, the 200 mph V12 Vantage S. In fact, for those who like performance, there are plenty of options – like the nearly 1,000 horsepower LaFerrari that will get you from 0 to 60 in fewer than 3 seconds.
While the media spotlight may be on green machines – from the $20,000 Chevrolet Spark EV to Tesla’s Model S, topping out at over $100,000 – muscle still matters to those paying.