Why is auto insurance? The any intelligent person who opens the document should be blessed, if the existence of car insurance – not one day in Israel, where accidents do not happen. The best of these accidents will not damage your vehicle. In the worst cases – injuries at various levels, including, unfortunately, even tragedies. In fact, one of the biggest victims of the car supported the modern era but also one of the most powerful and wonderful thing I ever did – distance was one hundred and fifty years – for months – day trip today. Therefore, it is likely that the person will not abandon the move, but you should prepare for them accordingly, especially in motor insurance, which will help you get back to normal, in case of accident, covers the repair of motor accidents and medical care that we hope will not be possible. It is important to note that car insurance is often important when the vehicle is used to challenges, such as SUV.

We have precise information about how to drive and are willing to risk in return, buy a cheaper ביטוח רכב משומש. Moreover, the cancellation of the insurance savings means more money to pay brokerage commissions. Online find a variety of tips and advice on buying car insurance is very beneficial for everyone. Possible to compare different car insurance, rises when the leading online security.

Indeed, if there is one type of vehicle, car insurance is important, especially because this SUV. Why car insurance is very important for these vehicles? Quite simply – the SUV is prone to damage to vehicles, but their paths, but outside of them – the way past me and dunes. SUV built especially strong field, including, but not a guarantee that there is Inzko, even in the opposite direction – leadership SUV is a big challenge for management, and therefore prone to the vehicle several times and find themselves in risky situations. Therefore, in this case, the off-road ביטוח מקיף לרכב, warm up is not required to settle the insurance policy, but the full purchase an insurance policy, such a policy motor insurance covering the vehicle because of physical injuries.

Honda’s experiment with the Crosstour hasn’t gone well. When it debuted, the Honda Accord Crosstour (as it was known then) was supposed to be mark the beginning of an important new model line for Honda. It hasn’t quite turned out that way.

Crossovers are a growing segment for everyone – how could Honda have messed it up? Well, mess it up they did. From the moment of the Crosstour’s Facebook introduction, it was ill-received. The styling did it in – American Honda President Tetsuo Iwamura said last year that they “went a bit too far” with it. Agreed. They still think it is “very beautiful”, however – which is likely where some of the problem lies.

Don’t you know buyers only tolerate expensive, largely useless vehicles when they have a luxury badge on them? Anyhow, the question has now turned to a fix. The four-cylinder model that debuted last year isn’t going to do the trick in boosting sales by much. It lowers the MSRP, but takes away one of the redeeming features of the Crosstour: its peppy V-6. According to Honda a Crosstour “concept” will be making its way to the New York International Auto Show.

If we know Honda, concept means it will be a dead ringer for the production car. They have a recent strategy of releasing a concept about 6 months before the production vehicle. Why they do that rather than just labeling it as a production vehicle from the get go, we’ll never know. It’ll be interesting to see how much of a change the Crosstour Concept indicates. Maybe it will be a nip and tuck, maybe a more thorough mid-cycle enhancement. Hopefully it is the later. Either way, we’ll know on April 4th. Hopefully someday we’ll see a return to good looking Hondas again. We’d be surprised if that change began with the Crosstour though….

No related posts.
Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts

———————

In 2010, Citroen showed off its gorgeous Metropolis Concept. Brash, grand, over-the-top, audacious – it simply begged to be produced. The introduction of the Metropolis in China was very telling. The Chinese market, with its penchant for chauffeur-driven vehicles, offers a ripe-opportunity for full-size luxury sedans. Where else would BMW feel the need to introduce a long-wheelbase 3-Series?

Following the introduction of the Metropolis, Citroen’s CEO of Asian operations Gregoire Olivier indicated that the company would be producing it as the DS9. Since then we haven’t heard much more about the car – until now. The Citroen DS9 Concept is being shown off at next month’s Beijing Auto Show, but thanks to French magazine Automobile, we don’t have to wait until then to check it out.

The DS9 Concept was captured undisguised as press photography was being shot in Paris, France. It isn’t as Citroen was trying to hide it or anything – the car was right in the middle of one of the most trafficked areas of the city. The upcoming DS9 is another key part of Citroen’s revival of the DS moniker, which includes the DS3, 4 and 5. Unfortunately, the DS9 Concept doesn’t share as much with the Metropolis Concept as we had hoped. Citroen likely toned down the car in order to make it more appealing to a broader array of markets around the world.

The resulting DS9 Concept is more European, with a shooting brake body style. The car cuts a rakish profile far different than any other full-size luxury sedan. Citroens have always been quirky – why change now? You lose brand values when you try to go more mainstream. We’ve seen some of that with the smaller DS lineup models, but we’re in love with the DS4 and 5. Unfortunately it’s a moot point for us here in the United States, as Citroens haven’t been sold here since 1974.

No related posts.
Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts

———————

Despite enduring a lot of negative news about the economy in the United States, manufacturing is at an all-time high. Thanks to favorable exchange rates and a better wage situation, factories in the U.S (particularly in the car industry) are humming right along. To produce the new Passat, Volkswagen built a whole new facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The plant opened in May 2011.

The Passat won Motor Trend’s 2012 Car of the Year award and is a key element of VW’s world domination plans (no, really!). VW has just announced it is adding 800 new workers at the plant, in addition to the 200 new positions announced earlier this year. By the end of 2012, the Chattanooga plant will employ 3,500 workers.

VW originally promised to hire 2,000 workers when it announced the plant in July 2008. Volkswagen says the hirings are due to better-than-expected demand. Via Automotive News: “We’re adding a third team at this plant for a simple reason,” says Jonathan Browning, Chief Executive Officer of VW Group of America. “Customers want to buy Passats.” Maybe they’re seeing something we don’t, but Passat sales are slowly ramping up. Last month, 8,189 were sold – which if you extrapolated that out for the whole year, would places year-end sales at around 100,000 units.

The year-end tally is likely to come in a bit higher than that, but still far below the pace set by the segment’s top competitors. For instance the mid-size top three is currently made up of the Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima and Ford Fusion. They clock in at 34,542, 32,953 and 21,773 units respectively. The Passat’s total nets it an eight-place finish. Not exactly tearing up the sales charts. Despite a slow ramp up, VW plans to build 170,000 Passats a year by 2013, up from 150,000 units. The new additions mean Chattanooga will be running 10 hours a day, six days per week per shift.

No related posts.
Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts

———————

This year the New York International Auto Show is playing host to a lot of major debuts. Chevrolet is showing off the 2013 Impala and Traverse, Nissan the highly-important Altima and now Fisker is announcing its next model.

Next model, what? They just rolled out the Karma! That may be so, but the company is already looking forward to its next introduction. The teaser is for Nina, and it doesn’t give us much of a clue about what to expect. In fact, it is the most complicated teaser of its type that we have ever seen. Project Nina, as it has been known, is the centerpiece of Fisker’s development efforts. The bulk of Fisker’s Department of Energy funding was meant to go to this car, and it is the reason why Fisker purchased a former General Motors plant in Delaware. Likely, Fisker views New York this as a chance to kit the rest button by generating positive publicity. Things haven’t been going well lately.

First there was news that a skittish (it is an election year, after al….) DOE is unlikely to approve further funding for Project Nina. Then Consumer Reports decided to purchase a Karma, resulting in a slew of negative publicity thanks to its reliability issues. Recently, Chief Executive Officer Henrik Fisker said the company is “viable [and] self-funded.” With Nina 95 percent sourced and developed, they have decided the time is right to show it to the world.

Since 2007, Fisker has raised a total of 0 million from private sources. If the DOE doesn’t step up with funding (to the tune of 7 million) for Nina, they’ll have to find funding from sources. They have a big network, so with a positive response (and hopefully some new orders) at New York, finding it shouldn’t be a problem. Fisker clearly has big aspirations, and Nina is the centerpiece of its plans to be a volume automaker. The Karma was designed to get the company’s foot in the door, much in the way Tesla developed the Roadster. We’ll see if this strategy works out. Given the Karma’s beautiful lines, we’re expecting the Nina to be a styling stunner.

No related posts.
Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts

———————

The Mercedes-Benz GLK isn’t for everyone. Instead of taking a safe route inspired by the M-Class, Mercedes took cues from the boxy, iconic G-Class and the result is a polarizing vehicle. The GLK cut a bold figure that prefaced the more defined design language of current Mercedes vehicles.

Introduced as a 2010 model, the GLK is due for a mid-cycle enhancement. And right on schedule, Mercedes is debuting the 2013 GLK at the New York International Auto Show. The 2013 model focuses on refinement. The headlights are new and reshaped to incorporate LED light pipe elements. It helps give the car a softer face, and lower rear fascia has been designed as well. The surfacing is less busy and more befitting of a premium element.

The only thing that we’ve taken issue with on Mercedes-Benzes of late is the LED strips they put in for lower fog lights. There must be a more premium way to integrate them into the body work rather than just throwing them on. Almost indisputably (there will always be those who disagree) better is the interior, which was never one of the GLK’s strong points. The same was true for the C-Class when it first debuted. Its MCE helped improve things a bit, and with the GLK Merc has advanced even further.

The interior design shows the same cues that showed up on the B- and A-Class. That is to say, a design that features chrome circular vents and a large swath of trim area on the dash. On the Designo models this has the potential to look quite dapper. There is something missing though – the gear shift lever. It is now a stalk on the steering column. Now, the GLK wasn’t designed from the get go. It will be interesting to see what designers come up with in the interiors now that they are freed from having center console shifter.

As far as powertrain changes, the GLK will be adding a new diesel model – dubbed the GLK250 BlueTEC. It is powered by a 2.1-liter four-cylinder making 190 horsepower and 369 pound feet (!) of torque. The diesel GLK will launch next year in the United States, this year in Europe. The standard GLK350, which now makes 302 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, is set to go on sale this summer.

No related posts.
Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts

———————

Only in America. Most countries aim to celebrate their accomplishments. Only here would we develop a revolutionary product and then turn it into an object of partisan derision. And that is exactly what has happened with the Chevrolet Volt. Ridiculous. The whole situation is subject to a lot of eye-rolling by most in the automotive industry. The Volt has nothing to do with the Obama Administration, unlike those would make it so. But, we digress.

In Europe, the Volt is sold as the Opel Ampera and it begun deliveries just recently. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation into the Volt’s battery caused a delay in the Ampera’s on-sale date. Earlier this month, the car was announced as the 2012 European Car of the Year. According to Plug In Cars, orders have reached 7,000 units, putting the Ampera on track to hit its 10,000 unit sales goal by the end of the year.

The Ampera has a few changes versus the Volt that we think improve its appearance. That includes a redesigned front fascia with Opel’s signature swoosh design. In the interior, the Ampera has a two-tone color scheme and piano black plastic center stack that gives off a very upscale appearance. More substantive is a switch that enables the driver to run the gas engine exclusively. At first glance it might not seem to be an important distinction, but it is. Instead of running out the battery quickly on the highway, an Ampera driver can run on gasoline and switch to electric around town. This is not only far better for fuel consumption, but it is also a way to avoid the steep penalties drivers can incur traveling at certain times of the day in high-trafficked areas.

Enno Fuchs, Opel e-mobility director, says that “We are extremely pleased with the continuing demand for our Ampera…this news shows us that our sales target of 10,000 units for 2012 is well within reach.” General Motors’ five-week shutdown of Volt/Ampera production could delay some of these deliveries though Opel says the Ampera is attracting buyers from premium brands like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. You think we have it bad with our gas prices? In Europe, gas price averages are often double or more what we pay. Ouch. The Ampera’s sales mean the car could sell more examples in Europe than the United States. Oh the irony.

No related posts.
Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts

———————

Throughout the recession, Subaru was one of the lone automakers that continued to post sales gains. Subaru’s have a quirkiness about them that results in a loyal following. For one, they are one of the few manufacturers to still offer wagons. Subaru is now applying the Outback’s formula to the Impreza. The result is the XV CrossTrek, which first debuted internationally. Now, the car is coming to the United States.

The XV CrossTrek marks a significant reworking of the Impreza. Underneath the skin, Subaru’s Symmetrical All-wheel drive system is standard, tuned for a 50/50 split front to back. Opting for the car’s Continuously Variable Transmission adds Active Torque Split, which will automatically transfer power where it is needed. Ground clearance is up to an impressive 8.7 inches. Subaru says that is higher than most crossovers and even “dedicated SUVs.”

The boosted height really helps the car look the part. An interesting question is how much development work they really put in making the XV CrossTrek suitable for off-road duty. Is there any shielding down there to protect some of the components?Black plastic cladding, more aggressive fender flares and new front and rear fascias form the bulk of the exterior changes. The XV CrossTrek also adds roof rails, 17-inch wheels and standard privacy glass. Under the hood the XV Crosstrek is less impressive.

A 2.0-liter Boxer making four-cylinder 148 horsepower is your only choice, mated to either a six-speed manual or CVT. We know that every Subaru can’t be a WRX or STI (what a shame….) but 148 hp is pretty weak. Hopefully a more powerful unit will be available later down the line. Subaru’s estimates have the XV CrossTrek pegged at 25 mpg, 33 mpg highway, enough to make it the most efficient all- wheel crossover out there. This could be a potent combination for racking up sales in certain areas of the country. We’ll have to see how those numbers hold up after EPA testing though. We’ve been there before…

No related posts.
Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts

———————

10 years ago today, MINI made a return in the United States. And by the way, yet it is MINI with capital letters. “Mini” is the old one. In general, small cars have never been our thing, but there are a few exceptions. The Volkswagen Beetle was one of them.

The new MINI came along a bit after the revival of the VW New Beetle, with retro styling that you couldn’t help but love. Since 2002, MINI has stood out as one of the lone success stories in this segment. Example? When Fiat brought us the 500, surpassing MINI sales was the (overly optimistic) target. Unsurprisingly, Fiat didn’t reach that goal. For BMW, MINI has been a way to increase sales and reach buyers at a different price point.

When MINI launched though, it’s success was far from certain. Jim McDowell, vice president of MINI USA commented on this, saying: “MINI launched in the U.S. during the time when gas was cheap and large trucks and SUVs ruled the road…many thought the brand would be a one-hit wonder.” 10 years later we can see MINI was definitely not a one-hit wonder MINI. After setting a sales record in 2008 when gas prices were highest, MINI set another record last year when prices were stable. In 2002, the first MINI store to launch was in the San Francisco Bay Area – one just 66 around the country.

Today, there are 112 – surprisingly only in 38 states though. Over the next few years, MINI plans to expand that total to 125. A striking figure is that 60 percent of the showrooms are a stand-alone, a number that will only grow as all future dealerships will be free-standing. By 2014, MINI expects 90 percent of dealer facilities will be MINI-exclusive. MINI’s growth has been fueled by an ever-expanding (and overlapping) lineup that includes the Hardtop, Convertible, Clubman, Countryman, Coupe and Roadster. 10 years later, MINI plays a bigger role at BMW than anyone had ever imagined. All the best guys!

No related posts.
Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts

———————

Ferrari has always been associated with the color red – not green. to that end the idea of six-cylinder Ferraris doesn’t have us too enthused. We know the original Ferrari Dino was powered by a V-6, but to us they’ve mostly been eights and more definitively, V12s. Regulations on fuel consumption and emissions should leave exotic manufacturers like Ferrari and Lamborghini alone. OK, end of rant.

Speaking with Autocar, Ferrari Chief Executive Officer Amedeo Felisa recently commented on the future of Ferrari powetrains. The good news is that the V-12 is here to stay for the foreseeable future. In fact, the V-12 that debuted in the F12 Berlinetta is a new-generation unit, one that will be used to power the upcoming Ferrari Enzo successor. But the V-12s of the future will have a different twist on them versus what we’ve known before: hybrid power.

Not hybrid as in Toyota Prius hybrid power, but instead an F1-style Kinetic Energy Recovery System. KERS is all about making power, but more efficiently. And hey we’re all for that. Felisa speculated on a day when the technology could be standard on all Ferraris: “I’m not saying when, but it is possible that this technology will be on all Ferraris. It has been designed to fit all our future architecture, and if we go ahead it will be fitted as standard. It is not the sort of thing you offer as an option.”

When or where, we don’t know. KERS isn’t something entirely new for Ferrari though. They have experience developing it for Formula One and showed HY-KERS Concept in 2010. Originally the Enzo replacement was thought to debut the technology in a road car, but those plans appear to have been scrapped. What really jumped out at us was a consideration of six-cylinders, which would certainly need to be boosted.

“Why not six cylinders?” said Felisa. “It is far away in the future, perhaps, but it is clear perceptions have altered. Even in the US, where until a few years ago eight cylinders was the minimum, it is clear attitudes have changed. We have to think in that direction.” So what do you guys think? Would you be OK with a six-cylinder, hybrid Ferrari?

No related posts.
Automoblog.net – A Car Blog for Auto Enthusiasts

———————