2012 Lexus GS 350/ LF GH Merged

Thanks to teaser images revealed last month, it’s already clear that the GS F Sport styling kit destined for Frankfurt this week will carry a closer connection to its concept progenitor.

Now, new reports out of Europe suggest we can expect future Lexus cars to look even tougher.

According to industry paper Automotive News, Toyota design boss Tokuo Fukuichi, whose office is based in Europe, has promised that the LF-Gh’s pronounced ‘Spindle’ grille will be emphasised further with future models.

“In the next model we will emphasize this grille even more,” Fukuichi told Automotive News. “You would probably remember this grille if you saw it pass on the street.”

With the new GS, the Japanese luxury brand has moved to overcome the dowdy image of its predecessor, focusing on sharper styling and handling in a push to draw the eyes of a younger crowd.

“We shouldn’t always stay in the middle of the mainstream,” Fukuichi added. “When you launch the product, it ends up with no character.”

2011 Lexus IS F

While the mean and chuckable IS F has helped the brand make in-roads with the enthusiast market, it’s the overseas HS 250h and the brand-new CT 200h small car that first marked a major change in the brand’s “L-Finesse” styling book.

The new look matured last month with the unveiling of the new GS, and the next model to get a going-over will be the IS mid-sizer, Lexus’ rival for the BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

Lexus Australia CEO Tony Cramb is confident the new GS’ look and feel will resonate with younger buyers- and poach loyalists away from its European competitors.

“This segment is very well defined. Buyers in the large luxury car segment are almost always male, and very wealthy – and they can have just about whatever they want when it comes to their choice of car,” Mr Cramb told TMR.

“Frankly, we’ve struggled to attract that type in the past, but this model, its styling and handling, we’re very confident it will change all of that.”

2012 Lexus GS

Courtesy of themotorreport.com

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

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.

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Aug. 1, 2011 – Ford Motor Company, which is working closely with suppliers to offer increasing levels of new technologies in its vehicles, was named a winner Monday of the 2011 Automotive News Suppliers’ Choice Award.

The award, announced at the Center for Automotive Research’s annual conference here, recognizes outstanding work in bringing innovations to market. Winners were chosen through a detailed survey of suppliers that J.D. Power and Associates conducts for Automotive News every two years. It ranks North American automakers on their ability to support, foster and commercialize the suppliers’ innovations.

“I am pleased to accept this award, not just on behalf of Ford Purchasing, but for all our colleagues in Product Development and throughout the entire Ford organization,” said Birgit Behrendt, executive director, Ford Global Programs and The Americas Purchasing.

Ford’s top performance in 2011 follows a significant improvement in the 2009 study, and is the latest example of Ford’s continuously improving supplier relations. Ford uses the principles of its Aligned Business Framework (ABF) to guide how it works with suppliers. In addition to collaboration and transparency, ABF promotes early sharing of product plans and new technologies between Ford and its key suppliers.

“Smart technologies are a distinguishing feature of Ford vehicles and we are collaborating more closely than ever with our suppliers to put these in customers’ hands,” said Tony Brown, group vice president, Ford Global Purchasing. “It is gratifying to see that our efforts are paying off, because they represent a win for both Ford and our suppliers.”

The new Ford Focus shows how Ford is working closely with suppliers to equip vehicles with numerous technologies that enhance customer comfort and convenience – technologies that are normally associated with luxury vehicles. The Focus includes 14 key technology benefits, such as the Active City Stop feature that helps drivers avoid low-speed collisions, that are the result of early cooperation with suppliers during the car’s development process.

“Suppliers are a tremendous source of the new ideas that bring added benefits to our customers,” said Brown. “Using ABF, we will continue to improve on our relationships and become the customer of choice for innovations that benefit all of us.”

In the Automotive News survey, automakers are evaluated on five factors: openness to new ideas; ease of working with the automaker on innovative ideas; level of trust; willingness to provide financial incentives or rewards for supplier innovation; and ability to implement innovations.

The 2011 survey included responses from supplier CEOs, presidents and executives, and represents all areas of vehicle design, engineering and manufacturing. Responses on 15 automakers that manufacture vehicles in North America are included.

The survey, launched in 2003, was conducted for Automotive News by J.D. Power.

Courtesy of media.ford.com

Travelers will be pleasantly surprised by current gas prices (David Kiley, AOL Autos)

Though we are right smack in the middle of July, a time of vacationing and road trips for millions of Americans, gas prices are remaining relatively cheap.

As of Monday morning, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was $3.631, which is up slightly over yesterday’s average of $3.627, but is noticeably less than the average one month ago, $3.714.

Gas prices tend to trend up in the summer, as demand is usually higher. With many people vacationing during the Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day holidays, gas station owners can generally get away with charging more per gallon.

This summer, however, seems to be bucking that trend, which is great news for travelers and the economy.

Gas remains most expensive in the typical spots. Drivers in states such as California, Michigan, New York and Hawaii can expect to pay between $4.071 and $3.748 per gallon. Commuters in southern states, however, won’t feel nearly the amount of pain at the pump, as average prices in states like Texas, Louisiana, Arizona and Tennessee are currently between $3.521 and $3.371.

In order to find the cheapest gas near you, check out the AOL Autos Gas Prices page. Average prices may be down, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t shop around for the best deal.

Courtesy of autos.aol.com

Gordon Murray's Batmobile

In the annals of Batmobile history, we’re not sure where to peg this latest version. The good: It’s dark, it’s carbon fiber and it spits flames from a carbon-ceramic afterburner. The bad: It’s just really freaking dull. But because it’s been designed by Gordon Murray of McLaren F1 fame (not to mention the strange-but-somehow-cool T.27 city car), we want to love it. But can’t.

Unlike the jet-engined powered Batmobiles of yore, Murray’s design is an odd attempt at the Dark Knight going green, with a hydrogen fuel cell and a brace of lithium-ion batteries. The carbon fiber body supposedly “breathes” and the “virtual wheels” are ringed in LEDs. How either of those features help the caped crusader fight crime is beyond us, but then again, so is the idea of the Batman Live World Arena Tour it’s been built for.

You can check out Murray’s original sketch below and watch a duo of videos. We’re going to weep quietly as yet another childhood dream vehicles succumbs to the PC overlords.

Wilson Automotive Group Toyota

Wilson Automotive Group Honda

Wilson Automotive Group Lexus

Courtesy of autoblog.com

David Wilson’s Ford of Orange is partnering with the California Department of Motor Vehicles, the California Highway Patrol, and the Anaheim and Orange Police Departments to host a FREE parent/teen driver safety awareness event on Thursday, June 23rd at their local dealership.

Vehicle crashes remain the No.1 killer of teenagers in the United States, claiming nearly 6500 lives every year. But as young drivers gain experience, studies demonstrate the crash rates decline considerably. “Teen driver safety and awareness is the most important lesson to teach, so here at David Wilson’s Ford of Orange we are committed to providing this free event to our local community” said Chris Pratt, Fleet and Commercial Director for David Wilson’s Ford of Orange.

David Wilson’s Ford of Orange is supporting safe driving and awareness initiatives that educate new and existing drivers because they believe it is critical to making the roads safer for everyone. “We believe in the importance of driving right? from the start, and encouraging teens to take the challenge of becoming safe drivers” said Pratt.

The event will include guest speakers from the California Highway Patrol to speak about highway and state safety, as well as Orange and Anaheim Police Departments to discuss local city traffic regarding teens. Representatives from the Department of Motor Vehicles will discuss the process of getting a driver’s license and Teen Road to Safety will discuss driving schools and the training process. This is a free event, and all guest speakers will provide informational booths for parents and teens to ask questions and receive material handouts.

For more information contact Christopher Pratt at (714) 633-6731 or cpratt@fordoforange.com

Toyota City, Japan, May 31, 2011—Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), as part of its social contribution activities, will introduce Table for Two (TFT), a program aimed at both encouraging healthy eating habits among its employees and providing meals to children in famine-afflicted areas of Africa. The program is administered by Table for Two International*, a non-profit organization that works to solve food-related problems around the world.

Beginning June 1, TMC will serve TFT lunches every Wednesday at a total of 15 employee cafeterias in the Tokyo head office and the Toyota City head office area. The price of these healthy lunches will include a 10-yen donation—matched by TMC—to be channeled through Table for Two International. This 20 yen can provide one hot school lunch to a child in Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi or Ethiopia. In this way, meals can be shared with those in need.

This is the first introduction of such a program, which TMC plans to expand companywide in stages, by a Japanese auto manufacturer.

As many as 1 billion people in developed countries are afflicted by obesity and other lifestyle-related diseases caused by overeating, while even more people in developing countries suffer from hunger. Table for Two International was established to address both aspects of this imbalance.

Separately, as part of wide-ranging efforts to support areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and its aftermath, meals containing ingredients produced in Japan’s Tohoku region are being served at TMC’s employee cafeterias. Some of these ingredients are planned for use in TFT lunches.

Courtesy of toyota.com