The Detroit Auto Show in January was once the place to see all the hot cars for the next model year but things are changing. This year three marquee brands, Land Rover, Ferrari and Rolls-Royce have opted out of the 2009 Detroit Auto Show in January. Why the change? Partly it may be because these brands don’t sell a lot of cars in the Midwest. While the show offers a chance to impress journalists from around the world, they can probably pick up many of those same journalists at the Los Angeles show or in Europe. Not that Los Angeles is immune either. It is said that the L.A. show will have nearly 20% fewer exhibitors than it did last year. Exhibits are also less lavish and automakers are cutting back on the perks they offer for dealers as well as for those in the automotive media industry such as dinners, parties and sometimes hotel rooms for the shows. The Chicago Auto Show will also shrink in size by 15,000 square feet for its 2009 show and there are cutbacks planned for the New York show as well.

Continued

Popularity: 1% [?]

Cave Junction Lions Club held the 10th annual Antique & Classic Car Show in Jubilee Park on Saturday, June 28. The show attracted 84 entrants, down only 13 from last year despite higher gasoline prices. The Best of Show Award went to a 1937 Packard owned by Robert Weaver, of Williams. Four top awards were given to a 1957 Chevy pickup truck owned by Ashland residents Floyd & Mary Scaife.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Since its introduction in the 1950s, auto air conditioning has graduated from luxury addition to mainstream standard. Not only do many of today’s new cars include air conditioning as a standard feature, but thousands of used-car owners add air conditioning to their vehicles every year. Yet, despite its prevalence, most car owners don’t really understand how car air conditioning works or what to look for (or where to look for it) when something is amiss.

While you should visit a mechanic for significant problems, (the air conditioner system itself is highly pressurized and opening this system should be left to a professional), there are several everyday issues that you can address and a few handy guidelines to help you destinguish the mountain from the molehill.

In a nutshell, your auto air conditioner uses variations in pressure to remove heat from the air in your car, then carries the heat outside the vehicle, and returns the newly cooled gas into the passenger space.

There are five integral elements to an auto air conditioner: The compressor, condenser, receiver-dryer, expansion valve and evaporator. Check out ‘Trouble-shooter’s Guide to Auto Air Conditioning’ for an overview of each of the five parts, where they are and what they do. When you do have a hiccup in your car air conditioner, familiarize yourself with these five elements and the guide to see if it’s something you can easily tackle at home.

For instance, perhaps the compressor isn’t working, or your fan works but the air doesn’t get as cool as it should. A dirty condenser or evaporator might simply need a cleaning, but if your clutch is slipping you should talk to a mechanic.

Each of these symptoms is a clue that you can decipher, and many indicate ordinary issues that can be addressed with light maintenance or a simple fix. For more details about these common glitches, check out the full article from Mother Earth News, ‘Auto Air Conditioning’.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Reed is relaunching Abu Dhabi International Motor Show (ADIMS) as commercial vehicle sales are set to cross 23 million by 2010.

The event will take place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) from December 17 to 21 2008, the organisers said.

“Abu Dhabi is a natural choice for an automobile show as it is the richest of the oil-laden emirates, has a large expatriate population and is effectively transforming itself into a global tourist destination,” said Reed Exhibitions Middle East president Frederic Theux.

“The regional automobile industry is growing thanks to the economic, technology, prices and competition while the global market for commercial vehicles is expected to cross 23.2 million units by 2010,” said Theux.

The fastest growth, in terms of both sales and production, of vehicles is expected from the developing economies of Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

“The automobile industry in the Middle East is buoyant and is boosted by an open trade environment, the region’s tax policies towards automobile sector and ready availability of consumer finance have also has spurred the industry’s growth prospects,” said Theux.

Theux said Abu Dhabi’s diversification of its economy and ongoing expansion has attracted people from far-flung corners of the world, settling to live and work, enjoying first-class shopping, elegant hotels and a unique culture in Abu Dhabi.

Forbes magazine, in March 2007, named Abu Dhabi as the world’s richest city. Responsible for more than 90 per cent of the UAE’s oil production, Abu Dhabi possesses the fourth largest oil reserves in the world.

According to media reports, Abu Dhabi has an investment fund exceeding $800 billion with more than $140 billion in government and privately-funded development projects currently underway in Abu Dhabi.

Launched over 20 years ago, ADIMS is one of the oldest automobile exhibitions in the Middle East. With a completely new management, a new state of-the art venue and a new brand identity, the 2008 exhibition is slated to be the largest and most comprehensive motor show in the Middle East this year.

Meanwhile Emirates Auctions has pledged its support for the Abu Dhabi Auto Show by announcing an auction of cars and license plates, part of the proceeds of which will go to charity.

“After the stupendous success of our auctions including the one in Abu Dhabi where we sold a number plate for $14 million, we will be conducting an auction at the Abu Dhabi Motor Show,” promised, Emirates Auctions Company CEO Abdulla Al Mannai.

ADIMS - a biennial event - will showcase luxury cars, high performance supercars, custom cars, executive saloons, concept and hybrid cars, sports cars, off roaders and 4×4s, family cars and SUVs, motorcycles and quad bikes as well as commercial vehicles such as trucks and pickups, vans and mini buses, luxury coaches, limousines, trailers and campers, the organisers said.

Popularity: 2% [?]

As many as 40 luxury cars, whose owners have not paid the custom duty according to the law or got their vehicles cleared under a false classification, have been seized in the city in 2008, a Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) official told Daily Times on Saturday.

FBR Deputy Director Intelligence and Investigation Saqif Saeed said that many cars, cleared from the Customs Department under a false classification, were being driven in the city.

He said the Custom Department officials seized a black Lincoln Limousine from a parking point at Liberty Market Gulberg on March 27, 2008. He said that the car owner, in connivance with a customs-clearing agent, had got the car cleared from the department under a false classification of a commercial vehicle. But the owner was using the car personally and it should have been cleared as a personal vehicle, he added. The FBR official said that the Customs Department had charged 20 percent duty on luxury vehicles used as commercial, and 90 percent on vehicles used as personal. The owner had paid Rs 981,760 under the classification of commercial vehicle for his limo, instead of Rs 2,644,487 for the vehicle as personal one, he added. The owner had been asked to pay the difference of Rs 1,662,727 but he had not responded, therefore the vehicle was seized, he added.

The owner of the car refused to comment.

The official said that the department had seized many such cars, which had been ‘illegally’ cleared as commercial from the Customs Department, but were being in personal use of their owners.

He said that people were also using those illegally imported cars partly for rent-a-car businesses. Those luxury cars brought Rs 15,000 and above to their owner for a day, he added. Such cars are hired for honeymoons and weddings.

Ahmed Sultan, the owner of the DHA Rental Service, said, “A number of DHA residents have left their cars with us, asking for a fixed amount of rent.”

Hammad Nasser, a driver, said that the demand for big luxury cars had increased, as people took pride in using those vehicles on their functions. He said that the drivers needed to have complete documents of such cars, including custom clearance, to avoid any confrontation with the traffic police.

Popularity: 1% [?]

The Taurus X crossover vehicle was sold as the Freestyle from 2005 to 2007. The X features some exterior remodeling, a larger engine, and a conventional automatic transmission. Its main selling points are its high safety ratings and a roomy third-row seat.

But it holds little appeal for the image-conscious.

With its rename came a nose job that replaced the Freestyle’s dated look with stylized headlights and the bolder chrome grille I’ve come to like on most of Ford’s recent models. The hood, front fenders, and taillights also have been changed, and the roof rack was beefed up, according to Ford.

To me, it still looks like an overgrown wagon. I don’t consider that a bad thing, but many people do.

There are three Taurus X trim levels: the SEL, Eddie Bauer, and Limited, each of which comes with a choice of front- or all-wheel drive.

Ford seems to have figured out how to improve ride quality in most of its models, and the Taurus X is no exception. It’s comfortable without being floaty, and the handling is up for whatever the driver is likely to throw it into. The Taurus X isn’t a sport wagon, but it isn’t a lumbering minivan, either. Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and an electronic stability system are standard.

One of the main complaints about the Freestyle and Five Hundred models was that they were underpowered. The continuously variable automatic transmission also was poorly received. The Taurus X addresses both issues by changing from a 3.0-liter V-6 engine to a 3.5-liter V-6 and a conventional six-speed automatic transmission.

The improvement is evident immediately, thanks to a 60-horsepower increase, to 263 horsepower. It is felt most under high-rev acceleration and middle- and high-speed passing. Still no rocket, the X is now at least powerful enough - some would say more than enough. My Taurus X SEL was equipped with all-wheel drive, the heavier of the two drivelines, so it’s reasonable to expect the front-wheel-drive model to be as quick or quicker.

I support the concept behind CVTs, but their performance differs greatly from one to the next. The Freestyle’s was slow to react, and it seemed to bring out the worst in the 3.0-liter V-6 by causing it to rev too readily into high and noisy engine speeds. The new, stronger engine doesn’t need to work as hard to begin with, and the six-speed ensures the engine sound comes only when you expect it.

The cabin’s positives include roomy seats in all three rows and easy-to-use folding seats. On the downside are so-so materials and some shoddy build quality. By the numbers, the front seat isn’t especially roomy, but at 6 feet tall I found it more than workable. The steering wheel tilts, but doesn’t telescope. Power-adjustable pedals are available on all trim levels. The driver has a good view of the road without being needlessly high. The view to the rear isn’t bad, but the optional flip-down video screen for the back seat made my rearview mirror almost useless

Popularity: 1% [?]

Ford has launched the Ford Performance Web site, which it says is designed to forge greater ties with the enthusiast community — and to promote such hot properties as the next-generation Mustang.

“We recognize the important role that Ford loyalists play in raising consumer awareness of Ford Motor Company,” said Jamie Allison, Ford Racing Performance Group manager. “Performance enthusiasts tend to be the most passionate, active and influential customers of all.”

The new Web site has such features as “deep-dive” information about the Ford performance vehicle lineup and a hot line (800-FORD-788) that answers questions about such vehicles. It also provides links to club sites as well as “live, expert technical assistance on the use of Ford performance hardware.”

Popularity: 1% [?]