New Car/Auto Link Directory

14 April 2007

CarKing.net has opened it’s auto link directory, In an effort to provide helpful links to visitors. If you own or operate a new car dealership or used car dealership, offer car loans, sell auto parts & accessories, are a car wash, car rental center, car repair and service center, or sell car alarms and car audio equipment, or run your own car related website and would like a link in our directory, go to the Submit page.

CarKing

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The Automotive X Prize Launched

11 April 2007

Remember the X Prize that gave a boat load of cash to a team that
could get a passenger vehicle into space safely and cost-effectively?
Now they’re working on an automotive X Prize hoping to create a
viable, affordable, safe, highly efficient car. The teams building the
vehicles must have a business plan and show that the car is able to be
manufactured on a large scale.

The prize itself has not been announced, but the guidelines are up on
the site for review and feedback (a nice first step to ensure they’ve
considered everything).

The competition will end with a race, which would be nice to have on
television, in 2009. The X Prize foundation will be working to bring
the winning car to production. Visit the Automotive X Prize site.

CarKing

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Have a say in the next GM model.

4 April 2007

As a part of the New York Auto Show General Motors has begun a pretty cool campaign to help determine what “minicar” to produce and send to the market. The marketing campaign lets people decide which vehicle GM should send to production. A pretty good idea if you ask me. If you want to sell something people are going to want to buy, let them decide. Seems simple enough to work.

GM has set up a site where you can view the concept cars and vote for your favorite. You can get there by clicking here.

GM has named the concepts the Beat, the Groove and the Trax, all obviously trying to appeal to a young crowd. The designs are a bit “Scionish” but pretty cool nonetheless. So which will I vote for? Hmm…I dunno. I think they want me to vote for the Beat since there are more pictures of it, and it’s the only one with interior shots…but the Trax is nice. I need to think about this one…such a big decision, I’ve never been asked to decide which car a manufacturer should produce!

CK

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Ferrari in a Shell Oil Commercial

23 March 2007

When does a commercial for an oil company give you goosebumps? When it
shows you a Ferrari racing through Rome, New York, Rio de Janeiro and
other great cities.

The directing of the Shell commercial is great. Very nice shots of the
Ferrari racing through the streets are coupled with surprised looks,
and aerial views. How much would you pay to drive a Ferrari race car
on these city streets?

See it here.

Car King

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Nissan to target janitors.

22 March 2007

Nissan motors is beginning a new marketing campaign to promote their push-button-ignition Altimas.

Their grand scheme is to intentionally “lose” 20,000 key rings, with useless keys attached, around bars, sports arenas, concert halls…you
get the idea. People finding the keys will notice a tag on them stating that they don’t need to bother returning them, because the all-new Altima has push-button ignition.

So, to all you janitors out there, all you hard-working souls cleaning up after our enjoyable nights out, give a big middle finger to Nissan for leaving more crap behind for you to pick up. The least they could have done is make the keys fit a 1994 Altima out in the parking lot.

CK

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225 Miles-Per-Gallon?

21 March 2007

Robert Q. Riley Enterprises is claiming you’ll be able to buy plans in May to build your own diesel/electric hybrid vehicle that will get you 225 miles-per-gallon when in hybrid mode, or 40 miles on a single charge.

The three-wheeled XR-3, even more interestingly, is claiming to get 125 mpg when running diesel alone.

You may have to find someone to help you put it together, though they state anyone with “average mechanical abilities” will be able to piece it together.  The real question, for me, is if I get these plans, buy the parts, hire the mechanic…is it conceivable that my state will not allow me to drive it on the roads?

http://www.rqriley.com/xr3.htm

CK

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The Zap electric SUV.

20 March 2007

There’s a nice round-up of the Zap electric SUV from Autobloggreen. The article, found here, states the automaker claims the vehicle will go 350 miles on a single charge, and charging takes a tiny 10 minutes.

Also of note is that it has 4 doors, unlike the electric car offering from Tesla. Zaps car, supposedly, will go up to 155 mph, and have 644 horsepower. These are major feats, and encouraging, if not a little unbelievable.

The car’s glass will help retain solar energy, though probably not enough to generate many more miles from the vehicle.

It’s all very nice, and a great direction for automobiles. I’d like to see Zap, and maybe Tesla, partially purchased by an American automaker
(ok, or a foreign company) with financial backing enough to mass-produce these and put the gas companies on the defensive.

CK

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Dodge Demon for $16,000

18 March 2007

So the target price range for the uber-fantastic Dodge Demon concept is $16,000. Is anyone else thinking, “Yeah, so when the hell can I get one?”

My car is almost paid off, which is going to free up some cash. A car that looks as good as the Dodge Demon, and appears to be fun to drive, might just get me to pony up for a summer-only vehicle. My current car has all-wheel drive, and I live where we get lots of snow, so this sports car would have to be part time…but at $16,000 that seems almost reasonable.

Dodge, please, tell me, when can I get one?

CK

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Ford Sells Aston Martin for $925 Million

14 March 2007

Ford sold Aston Martin for $925 million, while keeping $77 million
worth of shares in it.

Ford sold the brand to a group comprised of Kuwaiti investors, the
head of Prodrive (David Richards), and John Sinders (a collector).

Ulrich Bez will remain the CEO.

Aston Martin will also be introducing two new vehicles, the 4-door
Rapide, and the DBX (of which nothing is really known).

CK

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February sales good for GM, not so much for Ford

11 March 2007

It’s just one month, so everyone’s trying not to get too excited, or
worried, but let’s celebrate a good thing just a bit.

General Motor’s U.S. brands were up 3.9% over last February. That’s
made up of a large jump by Chevrolet and Saturn. Ford and Chrysler, on
the other hand, both dropped (13.9 and 8.3 respectively). Chevy’s
Silverado even beat Ford’s F-Series trucks in sales, something unheard
of. The F-Series has been the best selling
truck…since…like…ever.

Obviously I’d like to see the U.S. automakers do well, so I’ll clap
for GM and hope for Ford and Chrysler.

CK

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