A Sync-equipped vehicle.

Ford Motor Co. says it will make live help a standard feature of its Sync Services driver information search system. The new feature, called Operator Assist, will let Sync users speak to a live person when they have trouble navigating the system.

Voice-activated Sync Services provides news, traffic, sports, weather, stock quotes and other information and can also perform business searches and give turn-by-turn directions. Ford days 70% of calls to Sync are requests for business searches and directions. But Sync also has developed a reputation for confusing and confounding its users.

Under the revised system, customers can say “operator,” confirm the request, and then get help with searches and other information from an operator. In many ways, the feature is similar to the OnStar system that rival General Motors has offered for more than a decade.

“This isn’t just about offering customers a back-up option to the services we have already. This is about giving customers a variety of choices when it comes to how they would like to receive information,” said Doug VanDagens, director, Ford Connected Services Solutions Organization.

In July Ford said it was testing the system under which customers needing extra help with their Sync services could get operator assistance. The apparent rise in demand for operator assistance on the road suggests that many drivers still prefer to speak with a human when they are in a pinch.

Courtesy of blogs.wsj.com

THE 2011 Accord’s external modifications include a new front grille and bumper.

Honda Motor Co.’s flagship executive sedan, the Accord, has grown in value in more ways than one. In 2008, when the Accord was so completely restyled that it abandoned its long-established design theme, Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) priced the top-of-the-line 3.5 liter V6 variant at P1.995 million. Today, the 2011 3.5 Accord AT V6, which is basically the same as the 2008 model except for minor tweaks here and there, costs P2.050 million.

But aside from retail price, the Accord has gained in other forms of value. Since its debut in 1976, over 18 million units of the Accord have been sold in 160 countries. Over the years, the Accord has earned many honors, among them: Japan’s Car of the Year award three times, 25 times in Car and Driver Magazine’s 10 Best Cars list, a Recommended rating from Consumer Reports in 2009, 2010 and 2011 and a 2011 Top Recommended Vehicle rating from Edmunds.com. In 2004, the Accord won the Car of the Year Philippines award and in 2009, the Executive Sedan award of C! Magazine.

Back when I was working for a big corporation in Makati, my first executive car was an Accord with a 2.4 liter VTEC engine and leather seats. It was the roomiest, most comfortable and most reliable sedan I ever owned. The very same values—spaciousness, riding comfort and reliability—have been carried over and increased in the latest iteration of the Accord. And other values—safety and fuel efficiency—have been enhanced.

What’s new

For the 2011 model year, the Accord has undergone a few external modifications. It has a new front grille and bumper plus chrome garnishing on the trunk. Although Honda classifies the 2011 Accord as a midsize sedan, in the United States the government categorizes it as a large car. That’s how big the interior space is, with more head, leg and hip room in both the front and back than other cars in its class. The cabin looks essentially as elegant as that of the 2008 model, which I test-drove on Manila-Baguio-Manila route along with other motoring media in May 2008. What’s new inside the 2011 Accord is the Bluetooth hands-free telephone connectivity that is mounted on the driver’s side pillar.

The cabin materials are of high quality with rich leather, wood grain panels, swaths of metallic trim on the steering wheel, dash and gear shifter—all put together with excellent craftsmanship. Paddle shifters, a luxurious center console/armrest and a 6-CD changer audio system with six speakers and a subwoofer complete the inside story.

Riding comfort is provided by wide, well-bolstered leather seats and an independent double wishbone coil spring front suspension plus an independent multi-link suspension with coil spring at the rear, both supplemented by stabilizers fore and aft. For a quiet cabin environment, Honda installed a rear floating subframe and thicker front side window glass to shut out road noise.

The VCM

But what really makes the new 3.5 liter Accord stand out is its V6 i-VTEC engine with Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) that has been carried over from the 2008 model. The VCM activates and deactivates cylinders from 6 to either 4 or 3 cylinders, depending on your driving style, in the process maximizing fuel efficiency and reducing harmful emissions. When the Accord is running on only 4 or 3 cylinders, an ECO light appears on the instrument panel. Running on full 6-cylinder capacity, the 3.5 liter, 24-valve engine delivers 275 ps at 6200 rpm and 34.6 kg/m max torque at 5000 rpm. That’s more than adequate power for a big sedan like the 2011 Accord, as I verified by driving it on the Skyway.

While the Accord’s V6 i-VTEC VCM engine and gear shift hold control show how far ahead Honda has advanced in automotive technology, the manufacturer’s continued use of a 5-speed automatic transmission (AT) does not. These days, the 5-speed tranny is considered primitive as the 6-speed AT is seen even in cars that are smaller and much less expensive than the Accord.

A 6-speed AT contributes to fuel economy; on the other hand, the VCM does practically the same thing as proven by the overnight October 23-24, 2008 Department of Energy (DoE) Economy Run when the 3.5 Accord V6 averaged 17.82 km per liter covering 333 kilometers of the DoE-NLEX- SCTEX (Clark-Subic)-NLEX-DoE route.

Six airbags

Another value that the Accord aces is safety. The 2011 Accord 3.5 is equipped with six airbags, an Occupant Position Detection System, ABS with EBD, Vehicle Stability Control, front and rear parking sensors. It earned a 5-star overall vehicle score from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the highest safety rating possible. As for reliability, the new Accord scored 9 out of 10 in the Predicted Reliability Rating of J. D. Power and Associates. The Accord’s high resale value is proof enough of its long-term reliability and quality.

Summing up, although the ho-hum exterior styling and 5-speed gearbox of the Accord indicate Honda has some catching up to do as the entry of fresher, high-tech rivals intensifies competition, the Accord’s core values of spaciousness, riding comfort, safety and time-tested reliability can still make it a winner.

Courtesy of business.inquirernet.com

After winning praise for renewing Ford Motor Co.’s product lineup in Europe, then globally, Joseph Bakaj now must make the company’s powertrains greener.

Bakaj said his latest role takes him back to when he joined Ford in 1985 in the UK to work on powertrains. This time, the challenges are bigger. Tougher fuel economy and CO2 emission regulations in Europe and the United States, and increased consumer demand, are driving the race for cleaner, greener engines.

“How to do it is a challenge, but it’s exciting for me. The pace of technological change is faster than ever,” Bakaj said.

Bakaj has a brilliant track record. In 2000, he was named Engineer of the Year by a UK magazine for his work as engineering manager for the Ford Mondeo.

After stints as Ford’s engineering director for North American truck product development and at Mazda, where he was responsible for global product development, Bakaj became Ford of Europe’s head of product development in 2005.

His work in renewing Ford’s product lineup with models such as the S-Max minivan, Kuga crossover and Fiesta subcompact earned him a promotion to head of global product programs three years later.

An important project on Bakaj’s desk is Ford’s new 1.0-liter, three-cylinder engine for the company’s global small cars. The engine is designed to deliver the performance of a four-cylinder, 1.6-liter unit, but with greater fuel economy.

Another key program is an eight-speed automatic transmission that will allow the carmaker to continue its effort to downsize engines, Bakaj said.

Courtesy of autonews.com

September 22-25, 2011 • Anaheim Convention Center
800 West Katella Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92802
www.OrangeCountyAutoShow.com

Southern California kicks off the auto show season with the 2012-Model Orange County International Auto Show. Hundreds of new cars, trucks, sport/utility vehicles, hot exotics, alternative fuel vehicles and more will be taking over the Anaheim Convention Center and attendees will be able to test drive select models right outside the show. From the hottest new models to show-stopping entertainment, the show offers something for everyone.

More than 30 Major Domestic & Import Manufacturers– Featuring hundreds of the latest 2012-model cars, trucks, crossovers, exotics and sport/utility vehicles.

Ride & Drives– Take a spin and get a real feel for the performance and handling in new models from Buick, Chevrolet, Ford, GMC and Toyota. Plus, be one of the first people in Orange County to test drive a Nissan LEAF at the Drive Electric Tour sponsored by the 100% Electric Nissan LEAF.

Gumpert Apollo– Gumpert has teamed up with CEC to bring the Supercar to North America. The 2006 Gumpert Apollo is the very first one in the series with serial # 001.The Apollo can go from 0-60 MPH in just 2.8 seconds and has a top speed of 203 MPH.

DUB. Magazine Celebrity Car Showcase– See tricked-out vehicles owned by music and sports celebrities.

SHIFTR Automotive and Lifestyle Expo– Experience the Tuner lifestyle at the SHIFTR display, featuring DJs spinning music, an Urban B-Boy Battle and more.

King Robota, Saturday & Sunday– Standing more than eight feet high, the Comic-Bot, King Robota, will entertain showgoers with his quick wit, dancing and musical talents.

The OC Auto Show is an indoor exhibition of new-model vehicles. The show is owned and presented by the Orange County Automobile Dealers Association and the Southland Motor Car Dealers Association, and produced by Motor Trend Auto Shows, LLC.