Posted by Admin on
June 27, 2008
Much like the current Mercedes-Benz S Class, the new Toyota Crown Hybrid, has opted for a LCD panel mounted directly above the steering wheel in the dash, instead of traditional gauges. In the case of the Toyota, their 1280 x 480 pixel screen has a fancy name called “Night View.”
And just like the Mercedes-Benz S Class, Toyota is now offering a night vision system that changes the screen from the standard Speedometer and RPM gauges, to a full screen Night Vision displal. But, Toyota has gone a step further by adding a human recognition system to their night vision system. As with any bleeding edge technology, there are some limits however.
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Posted by Admin on
June 6, 2008
What makes a proper Road Trip? Do you have to cross political boundaries? Some minimum mileage that must be travelled? Do you have to be gone for days or weeks at a time? No freggin’ clue. But neither do the folks at Kelly Blue Book (KBB) who decided to compile an interesting mix of vehicles to meet the task of a Road Trip – ranging from the obvious choices like the Dodge Grand Caravan to surprises like the spirited Audi S5 and venerable Bugatti Veyron. And there’s even the VW Eos, not a car we’d enjoy to be crammed into for a long journey, but to each their own. The full list and press release below.
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Posted by Admin on
June 4, 2008
The Awards for Strategic Vision’s 2008 Total Quality Awards have been cast, and this year, three companies – Mercedes Benz, Honda and Toyota all have 2 models on the list that have managed to win in their respective categories.
The Strategic Vision’s Total Quality Awards are rated by The Total Quality Index™ which, of course, is the premier measure of new vehicle owner satisfaction. Strategic Vision asks buyers to rate every aspect of the ownership experience, from buying and owning to performance and driving. It is much more than simply counting problems.
The full press release is below.
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Posted by Admin on
May 28, 2008
Like a family crest, most Automotive emblems actually represent something important to their maker. Whether it be something historically important for the founder, ideals the brand strives towards, or a testament to someone’s ego, the symbol of each company has a history.
We stumbled across this encyclopedia of sorts that has cataloged the origins and meanings for almost every one of the worlds major automakers, and we must say, it’s pretty darn interesting. For instance Chevy’s logo has come about from…
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Posted by Admin on
April 24, 2008
The 2011 Lexus LF-A — or maybe it will be the 2010 Lexus LF-A, or maybe even the 2012 Lexus LF-A, depending on what you read. Anyway, this almost-supercar has been photographed by the always ready spy photographers at KGP. Those quick shooters caught the Toyota in fancy clothing as it appeared to be getting ready to hit the Nürburgring.
We’re all expecting hot laps won’t be far behind, but what’s taking the super number 1 most awesome automaker from the land of the rising sun from debuting their first entry into the world of super car performance? It’s been like, what, 3 years already since the Lexus LF-A first started hitting the auto shows? And during those years, how many versions of the LF-A concept? More than I’ve been able to keep track of. We distinctly remember at least, like 3 — one in 2005, a revised LF-A concept at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show, and the roadster concept as well as definitive word we’ll be seeing a sexy a price point of around $170K. So, we’re still talking about something like a 6 year development cycle here, aren’t we?
Jeez, and people get all upset when any other automaker takes a couple of years to develop a new muscle car. Anyway, despite the LONG development time, it will be interesting to see this new Lexus in showrooms in either a V10 or V8-with-hybrid flavor.
Full spy report from KGP below.
The Lexus LF-A has hit the roads around the ‘Ring, and some hot laps can’t be far behind. The LF-A’s retractable rear wing can be seen lowering in this sequence of shots. This prototype is obviously still wearing some preproduction lighting, and some details are clearly lacking production-finished trim, but the styling looks basically unchanged form last year’s prototype. It appears that Lexus may have finally locked-in the bulk of the LF-A’s final design.
In a recent interview, Lexus Australian chief executive confirmed that the LF-A is still being readied for production, although it may not reach showrooms until 2011. Even if that claim refers to the 2010 calendar year as a 2011 model, that still means a lengthy development course ahead. At that point, the LF-A’s gestation will be approaching six years. Such a long development process is almost unheard of in today’s automotive industry, although the Hyundai’s recent entry into the luxury market with its new Genesis is another recent example. The Genesis showcased many design changes right up to its auto show debut, and the Lexus LF-A has been similarly tweaked over the course of its development.
One can’t help but sense a whiff of uncertainty in Lexus’ entry into the rarefied supercar realm, but they’re certainly going to great lengths to see that its right when it finally reaches the market.
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