HONDA SUCCESSFULLY TESTED ITS SMARTPHONE APP TO REDUCE TRAFFIC JAMS AND FUEL CONSUMPTION

Automakers are investing heavily in making cars safer and more economical for the future. And what better place to begin with then reducing traffic jams as that reduces the risk of collision, saves time by reducing traffic jams and improves fuel economy.

Honda developed a smartphone app which it tested on a toll road between Ulujami and Pondok Ranji in Jakarta, Indonesia with positive results.

The new smartphone app that on average was able to delay the formation of traffic jams by as much as six minutes and improve fuel-efficiency by as much as 22 percent. Tech-On reports that Honda worked with researchers at the University of Tokyo to deploy a new smartphone app in vehicles between September 2012 to February 2013 on a toll road in Jakarta, which monitored the acceleration and deceleration of a vehicle and instructed drivers on when to slow down.

The concept is simple; drivers often struggle to maintain a safe and appropriate distance between them and the car in front, resulting in late reactions that cause the cars behind to do the same. In order to test the effectiveness of its technology, Honda tested two concepts; one that operates as a standalone system, and another that connects to a cloud server to monitor and synchronize driving patterns of the cars involved in the test.

JEEP REVEALS SIX NEW CONCEPT 4X4S FOR MOAB EVENT

Each year Jeep shows off special concepts for the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah, USA and not all of them reach the production stages but they do garner a lot of deserved enthusiasm from Jeep and 4×4 aficionados.

No one is sure which of the following models will eventually see production as last year, at the Mob event, Jeep introduced Forward Control Concept which was met with mostly positive reviews however, it never saw production.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Diesel Concept

The newly introduced 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel V6 is featured in a bespoke blood-orange paint and rides on 35-inch Mickey Thompson off-road tires on Wrangler Rubicon 17-inch alloy wheels. It also gains enlarged wheel openings with custom fender flares, custom front and rear skid plates, dual rear tow hooks and modified Mopar rock rail, along with an assortment of SRT parts such as the hood and front fascia.

 

Jeep Wrangler Mopar Recon

If it’s power you want, that’s what you’re going to get with the Wrangler Mopar Recon that gets a 470hp a 6.4-liter HEMI V8 crate engine paired to a 5sp automatic. The five-door model rolls on huge 39-inch off-road tires and includes number of Mopar applications, such as front and rear off-road modified “Stinger” bumpers, prototype LED headlamps, slush mats, trailside winch kit and a custom seat made from Navy blankets and Navy camouflage material.

 

Jeep Wrangler Stitch

Jeep has developed a follow-up to the lightweight Pork Chop named the Wrangler Stich, based on the 2013 Wrangler Rubicon. The funky-looking concept has been stripped down and now has a curb weight of 3,000 pounds (1,361 kg). The Detroit company says it shaved weight from the frame, axles, body and interior, while the hood is now made from carbon fiber.

Other highlights include the front seats sourced from the 2013 SRT Viper, the Mickey Thompson 35-inch off-road tires on lightweight 17-inch alloys, and the unique, see-through silver architectural fabric used at the back.

 

Jeep Wrangler Sand Trooper II from Mopar

The Wrangler Sand Trooper II is another follow-up from Jeep and Mopar. It features a 375-horsepower 5.7-liter HEMI V8 linked to a 5-speed automatic, added ground clearance, 40-inch off-road tires, LED off-road lights and headlamps, and an array of Jeep Performance Parts.

 

Jeep Wrangler Flattop

The Wrangler Flatop combines a more upscale appearance inside and out with hard-core off-road gear available from Jeep, like the 37-inch Mickey Thompson off-road tires, the DynaTrac Pro Rock 44 front and Dana 60 rear axles with ARB air lockers and TeraFlex sway bars.

Standout features include the chopped windshield and windowless hard top (both sit 2-inches lower), the metallic sandstone paintjob with copper and brown accents, LED lights, and the dark saddle Katzkin leather seating.

 

Jeep Wrangler Slim

The last Wrangler concept is named Slim after the weight saving measures applied to body and the mechanical hardware. It’s powered by a 3.6-liter V6 and rolls on prototype 17-inch forged beadlock wheels with Rock Lobster rings. The Slim also sports lightweight rock rails, black grille, black hood decal, LED headlights, locking gas cap, Rubicon tires, and a prototype Mopar 2-inch lift kit.

 

THIS IS THE NEW ‘DEAR’ TOYOTA VITZ FOR CHINA!

By Baber K. Khan (bk) on March 19, 2013

It is quite a looker and although Its called ‘Dear’ but then cars name in Chinese and Japanese market have mostly been this way. Ever since the grey (imported cars) market has expanded here, we’re seeing all sorts of ridiculous names, like Honda Life, freed, Mobilio, Parnter, Passport, StepWagon, That’s…and Toyota Biyana (In Urdu, it means the condition or token money one pays to book the car), Voxy, Will, Wish, Gaia, Rectis?, Succeed, and Kluger… there’s so much more.

Chinese automotive website, 163.com says that this is the new Toyota Yaris, and while design-wise, it is based on the Toyota Dear hatchback that was first shown as a concept at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show. The renderings show a sporty little hatch with a newly designed front which is quite tamer then the actual concept with was extreme.

Powered by a new 1.5 liter four-cylinder with 136hp, mated to a 5-speed manual, the new Vitz is expected to debut later this year at the Shanghai Auto Show.

Toyota Dear:

 

Toyota Vios:

 

THIS IS THE NEW ‘DEAR’ TOYOTA VITZ FOR CHINA!

By Baber K. Khan (bk) on March 19, 2013

It is quite a looker and although Its called ‘Dear’ but then cars name in Chinese and Japanese market have mostly been this way. Ever since the grey (imported cars) market has expanded here, we’re seeing all sorts of ridiculous names, like Honda Life, freed, Mobilio, Parnter, Passport, StepWagon, That’s…and Toyota Biyana (In Urdu, it means the condition or token money one pays to book the car), Voxy, Will, Wish, Gaia, Rectis?, Succeed, and Kluger… there’s so much more.

Chinese automotive website, 163.com says that this is the new Toyota Yaris, and while design-wise, it is based on the Toyota Dear hatchback that was first shown as a concept at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show. The renderings show a sporty little hatch with a newly designed front which is quite tamer then the actual concept with was extreme.

Powered by a new 1.5 liter four-cylinder with 136hp, mated to a 5-speed manual, the new Vitz is expected to debut later this year at the Shanghai Auto Show.

Toyota Dear:

 

Toyota Vios:

 

Ducati 1098

The Ducati 1098 is a sport bike made by Ducati from 2007 to 2009, in three versions, the 1098, 1098S, and 1098R. The 1098 was succeeded by the1198 in 2009, though the 1098R remained in production that year.

The 1098 shares more design elements with the older 998 than with its predecessor the 999, such as horizontally placed headlights and a non-integrated exhaust system. Another carryover from its 916/998 heritage is thesingle-sided swingarm. This return to a more traditional Ducati design has been welcomed by many Ducati fans who criticized the design of the 999. The Ducati 1098/1098 S/1098 R were available in black, red, yellow and a special edition 1098s in the Italian national flag colours of red, white and green calledTricolore. The 1098 was designed by Ducati designer, Giandrea Fabbro.

Triumph Daytona 675

The Triumph Daytona 675 is a 600 cc class sport bike built by Triumph Motorcycles since 2006, to replace the Daytona 650.

The 2008 model has a tested dry weight of 363.7 lb and wet weightof 407 lb. Tested power output is rated at 104.4 hp 11,750 rpm.

Triumph Daytona 675 development started in 2000 following the launch of the TT600. The TT600 represented Triumph's first modern middle weight sports motorcycle. A decision was made to manufacture a machine closer aligned with traditional Triumph values. A notable technical decision was the selection of a three cylinder engine as the power plant, instead of the four cylinder used by the TT600 and the other 600 cc supersport motorcycles.

In 2001, soon after the completion of the similarly three cylinder powered Triumph Daytona 955, Triumph began engineering analysis to work out weight, engine performance in horsepower and torque. Pleased with the figures, the project moved to the full concept phase in March 2002.

ONLY 57 PERCENT OF FERRARI OWNERS ARE HAPPY

So like you, I will also be the happiest man when I have bought a Ferrari but study conducted in England suggests otherwise. It says that only 57 percent of Ferrari owners actually found driving their exotic supercars entertaining.

The survey, which has surprised millions, was conducted by the insurer AXA Group and found that BMW drivers were happiest, with 82 percent of its owners enjoying the privilege of getting behind the wheel of their German luxury vehicle. Overall, 69 percent of drivers claimed to enjoy driving out of the 2,000 surveyed while 20 percent saw it as a necessary evil to get around town.

Moreover, the top five car-type owners in order of driving enjoyment were Aston Martin with 78 percent, Lexus with 78 percent, Seat with 76 percent, and Peugeot with 75 percent had the most happiest drivers and surprisingly, Land Rover drivers (59 percent) and Volvo drivers (46 percent) were the least happy with driving their cars.

Ferraris and Lamborghinis aren’t exactly daily-drivers and day-to-day commute might be a bit pain in them because of their stiff suspension and low driving position however, Land Rover and Volvo drivers, the least happiest with their cars comes as bit of more surprise then the Ferrari drivers.

CHICAGO AUTO SHOW 2013 – FACE TO FACE

Chicago Auto Show débuts latest vehicles on 7th and 8th of February, 2013. Though it’s the largest motor show, yet there are few news headlines about this cars show. Let’s watch face to face the day 1 cars revealed at 105th Chicago Auto Show in the windy city of Chicago. Enjoy the front pictures of latest vehicles appeared at motor show in Chicago.

2013 Dodge Challenger Redline at Chicago Auto Show

2013 Nissan Juke Nismo at Chicago Auto Show

2013 Nissan NV200 at Chicago Auto Show

2013 Turbo Chevrolet Camaro at Chicago Auto Show

2013 VW Gti Drivers Edition at Chicago Auto Show

2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel at Chicago Auto Show

2014 Nissan 370z Nismo at Chicago Auto Show

2014 Nissan GT R Track Edition at Chicago Auto Show

2014 RAM ProMaster at Chicago Auto Show

2014 Toyota Tundra Platinum at Chicago Auto Show

2014 VW Beetle GSR at Chicago Auto Show

Ford Fiesta ST GRC Race Car at Chicago Auto Show

Ford Focus Trackster at Chicago Auto Show

KIA 5 Door at Chicago Auto Show

KIA GT 50 at Chicago Auto Show

Optima SuperMan at Chicago Auto Show

Scion FR S Celebrity Race Car at Chicago Auto Show

VW Beetle Convertible R Line at Chicago Auto Show

NEED FOR SPEED MOVIE TO COME IN THE YEAR 2014

Rumor mill has been constantly gearing up and down regarding a possible movie based on the popular racing game series, Need For Speed. Electronic Arts have finally confirmed those rumors saying that a movie is indeed on its was and will be released in 2014.The film rights to the game have been acquired by DreamWorks Studios, which is scheduled to start production at the beginning of next year. The NFS movie will be directed by Scott Waught and will be based on the entire Need For Speed series, not a particular game, while the screenplay is being taken care of by brothers George and John Gatins.

“I’m excited about getting back into the creative trenches with John and George Gatins and my partners at EA to bring to life an exhilarating script based on an epic video game that seems to have been made for the movies,” movie world star and DreamWorks co-founder Steven Spielberg said during the official announcement.

TOYOTA UNVEILS ITS SECRET 1:5 SCALE MODEL COLLECTION

Toyota is the company which we love and hate. Love it for the GT-86 and the countless classic cars it has produced and hate it for a variety of reasons, for example; having such a short portfolio in Pakistan is on top of the list.

However, today we’re going to talk about classic cars, for example; the 1st gen. Celica, ’74 and AE86 Corolla, Crown, Supra, Corona, Mark II, etc etc. We could go on and on without exhausting the list of countless great classic cars it has produced but behind building every car, there is a process, a design process in which designers draw the car followed by building an actual scale model which then marks the birth of a model (brand) which today has its own cult following.

However, collecting full-size cars is an expensive hobby limited to the lucky few so most of us, resort towards collecting scale-models of the full-size cars which aren’t as cheap as you might think they are if you go for high details but you can definitely get hundreds if not thousands for the price of one Celica in good condition.

A friend of mine has a full-size cupboard full of scale-models while we’ve also seen the largest toy car collection of Pakistan which always brings the inner-child out of us almost instantly.

Then Toyota has slowly been revealing its plans to celebrate the brand’s 75th anniversary and Toyota has also brought out their inner-child as those plans include a very special and unique display consisting of 50 1:5 scale models of their greatest cars which were kept  hidden all these years previously and now, they’ll be displayed at the Toyota Automobile Museum in Nagakute City, Aichi, until May 6.

According to Toyota Blog, these smaller but precise replicas were built by expert in-house modelers at the Toyota Design Center and were kept in a secure and confidential location up until now. Simply put, this might be the opportunity of a life time for Toyota fans to see them displayed all at once.