When it comes to car failures, we always think of the deadly pinto, in this video, WatchMojo looks at some of the other flops as well. Buckle up!
From MSN Autos:
“For millennia, men and women have tried to understand each other’s likes and dislikes. Diligent researchers, both male and female, have discovered a few reliable gender-specific preferences (flowers, beer, etc.) that will warm the heart of the opposite sex. But for the most part, the sexes remain a mystery to each other. When it comes to cars, however, it is easy to quantify who buys what and why. Market research firm Strategic Vision tracks exactly this sort of demographic data in its New Vehicle Experience Study, which surveyed 130,000 new-vehicle buyers.”
Every car manufacturer is doing what they can to save the world with their “green” cars.
From Kiplinger.com
Green is still a red hot buzzword in the auto industry, with all manufacturers competing to showcase their commitment to fuel savings. While not all of our picks are considered paragons of green technology, each represents the most efficient vehicle in its class, based on annual fuel cost.
Continue for 2009’s Most Fuel Efficient Cars
From Sympatico.MSN
“Micro cars can give motorists top-notch fuel efficiency at a competitive price, but the insurance industry says they don’t fare too well in collisions with larger vehicles.
In crash tests released Tuesday, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that drivers of 2009 versions of the Smart “fortwo,” Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris could face significant leg and head injuries in severe front-end crashes with larger, mid-size vehicles.
“There are good reasons people buy mini cars. They’re more affordable, and they use less gas. But the safety trade-offs are clear from our new tests,” said Adrian Lund, the institute’s president. Automakers who manufacture the small cars said the tests simulated a high-speed crash that rarely happens on the road.
They also said the tests rehashed past insurance industry arguments against tougher fuel efficiency requirements. The institute has raised questions about whether stricter gas mileage rules, which are being developed by the government, might lead to smaller, lighter vehicles that could be less safe.”
Norway had the idea to ban gas cars by 2015. To be more specific, they out forth a plan that would prohibit the sale of cars that run only on gas. Cars already on the road would not be affected. Hybrids that run partially on gas would still be okay.
The plan, put forth initially by the country’s finance minister (from the Socialist Left Party), is apparently thought of as crazy by the majority of the country, and is opposed by the opposition. The general idea is that since the economy is already bad, the car company’s are worrying about staying afloat, not developing new technologies.
Honestly, it’s not the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard a government propose. Read more…
Seriously… Science said so:
from LiveScience.com -
Several studies have shown that distractions while driving, such as using cell phones or texting, can be dangerous. New research confirms these findings among teens.
The study of 21 teens in a driving simulator found that while texting or searching their MP3 music players they changed speed dramatically, wove in an out of their lanes, and, in some cases, ran over virtual pedestrians.
Similar studies have found that adults who talk on cell phones while driving in simulators perform as dismally as drunken study participants. Studies from the University of Utah show that hands-free devices do not make it safe to use cell phones while driving.
In January, the National Safety Council called on state and federal lawmakers to ban the use of cell phones and text-messaging devices while driving and also urged businesses to prohibit it.
The problem is acute among younger people.
Motor vehicle accidents are leading cause of death for people between 16 and 20, accounting for more than 5,000 deaths each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Teens are four times more likely than older drivers to be involved in a crash.
The new study included 21 subjects between 16 and 18 years of age with at least six months driving experience. Anyone diagnosed with an attention disorder or with history of unsafe driving was excluded, as were teens who reported use of alcohol or excessive amounts of caffeine. Each driver completed four separate 10-minute driving blocks: Undistracted, talking on a cell phone, text messaging and using an MP3 player. Each 10-minute block was separated into two separate driving scenarios, rural and urban.
The results for the teens sending text messages or fiddling with their MP3 players showed increased “lane position deviation” and speed changes, mostly slowing down.
“What this study demonstrates is that not only does your speed go up and down, you’re swinging wide left and right,” said Dr. Donald Lewis, of the Eastern Virginia Medical School and Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Norfolk, Va.. “You’re a hazardous driver, to yourself and everybody else.”
The findings were presented to the Pediatric Academic Societies May 2.
Proper car care such as waxing will not only make your car look its best, but will also help to protect the paint from harsh environment. In this video from our sister site WatchMojo.com watch and learn how to wax your car which will give it a natural shine.
CBS is way behind WatchMojo.com… but they do have some more info on this make or break car for Chevrolet:
To say General Motors has a lot riding on the Volt is both a bad pun and a big understatement.
GM says this electric car is designed to lead the company into the second century - if it is to have a second century.
But when GM invited reporters to experience the Volt, what they actually drove was the Volt technology stuck into a conventional car called the Chevy Cruze, reports CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds. The real Volt is not yet ready.
The rush to showcase the technology was clearly designed to generate publicity for the car and public support for the federal money GM needs to stay afloat.
“What makes the technology so significant is actually what is under the skin,” said Frank Weber, with GM.
What is under the skin is a 6-foot-long battery that you can recharge every night by plugging it into your garage socket.
Battery power takes the Volt 40 miles. Since most Americans drive less than 40 miles a day, GM says the Volt will use zero gasoline and produce zero emissions. When the charge wears off, an on-board gas tank can power the car and extend the trip 400 miles, addressing what’s know in the trade as “range anxiety.”
“The current Prius doesn’t deliver that,” said Brian Johnson, an industry analyst with Barclay’s Capital. “The current Honda doesn’t deliver that, so they are trying to leapfrog the competition in that respect.”
“This is a livable vehicle,” said Tony Posawatz, a vehicle line director with GM. “It’s not a golf cart or whatever. This is something that people could buy in quantity … particularly if we can get the cost down.”
Perhaps way down - because the sticker price will be about $40,000 - for what GM calls a spunky car that can go from zero to 60 in less than nine seconds.
The Volt is due in dealer showrooms by the end of next year, which is itself a show of optimism about GM’s future. But there’s a problem: sales of existing hybrids have been plummeting for months because the price of gasoline has dropped. If that consumer attitude holds, it could mean that GM will be bringing out the right car at the wrong time.
In 1980, roughly 35 per cent of all cars sold were manual transmission. In 2006, that number had dropped to six per cent. That number is likely to drop even further as manufacturers are moving away from the stick shift. It used to be that manuals were better on gas and more reliable. However today’s automatics, for the most part, outdo their manual counterparts. Read more…
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