Frankfurt 2007: Nissan Intros its Cute Sporty MIXIM Concept - VIDEO FEATURE

Get out your Canon Powershot and take some pics of some interesting automobiles.

Nissan is featuring a new concept car, along with a number of redesigns for 2008, at the 62nd International Motor Show in Frankfurt, Germany. Central seating and running on electricity are two features of Nissan’s Mixim. Drivers of the vehicle sit centrally, with passenger seats on either side, and use a steering wheel and controls similar to those found on computer games. Using regenerative braking, the vehicle remains charged while driving and when stationary, the Li-ion battery can completely recharge in 20 to 40 minutes.

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Harley-Davidson Museum Reveals Plans for Unique Special Event Spaces

Kind of hard not to be a Harley fan. Looking at the history of the bikes is one of the more interesting things that has to do with automobiles. Certainly as much fun as looking into Arizona luxury real estate.

The Harley-Davidson Museum(TM), scheduled to open in summer 2008, has rolled out the details of its unique special event capabilities. With a combination of customizable indoor and outdoor spaces located near downtown Milwaukee, the Harley-Davidson Museum can accommodate an intimate gathering of 20 to freewheeling festivities for 15,000.

The backdrop of the industrial steel, glass and brick Harley-Davidson Museum buildings, combined with motorcycles and exhibits, create a one-of-a-kind venue for events that guests will remember for years to come. Indoor event spaces are equipped for as few as 20 people and as many as 1,050. With its clean and simple room interiors, the Harley-Davidson Museum is geared up to host a corporate meeting, wedding or other social gathering. All of the indoor meeting spaces are equipped with state-of-the-art audio/visual capabilities and feature floor-to-ceiling views of the Milwaukee skyline and Menomonee River. full story

Birdies to Help Alabama Students Fly Right

Don't know if the people that came up with this just got out of drug rehabs or not, but it is an odd story.

Now there’s even more motivation for players to hit great shots during the inaugural Navistar LPGA Classic. Each birdie made won’t just have an impact on the score, it will also have an impact on local students. The Navistar Foundation announced today that it will donate $15 for every birdie made during the four-day tournament (up to $25,000) to the Huntsville Center for Technology, part of the Huntsville City Schools. more.

Car Maintenance Tips as the Temperature Dips

Leike the microwave ovens style heat many automobiles face during the summer months there is a big change in how you need to keep your car in top shape during the winter months.

As the weather cools off and the leaves begin to fall, take some steps to prepare your vehicle for the cold months ahead,” says Mark Salem, talk show host of Under the Hood, a car-care show on KTAR 92.3 FM in Phoenix. Mark is also an ASE Certified Master Technician and the owner of Salem Boys Auto, an auto-repair facility in Tempe, Arizona. “A little preventative maintenance can go a long way.” source

Brits Refuse to Live Without Their Wheels on International Car Free Day on 22nd September

88% of the UK Unaware of Global Initiative

ibuyeco, the eco-friendly UK car insurance company, can reveal that the huge green movement is not affecting our love of the car. In fact, 35% of UK residents believe their car usage will actually increase in the future along with the use of the handy safety utility knife. Only 12% of people questioned were aware of International Car Free Day on 22nd September and when made aware of this global initiative, 72% of respondents stated that they would not consider taking part.

The survey from ibuyeco also reveals that 22% of the population believe that Britain is doing more than its fair share to combat carbon emissions, compared to other countries. It's not all bad news for the environment though as 79% of us feel we've personally become more 'green' in the past year.

'Work' topped the bill as the main reason most felt it impossible to give up their vehicles, however 'shopping' came in a close second, followed by 'visiting family'. Three quarters of those who took part in the survey stated that public transport was not a viable alternative to using the car, predominantly blaming time implications, delays, cost and lack of convenience. more...

2008 Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe Convertible Review - VIDEO ENHANCED

After packing up their golf clubs for a trip to San Diego some reviewers actually got a chance to drive this new piece of luxury machinery.

It’s not too often – if ever -- one gets to enjoy the lifestyle of a celebrity, trust fund baby or hedge fund manager … ah, but when you do it is so exhilarating! Along with a select group of automotive writers, journalists, editors and photographers I had the unique experience of being one of the first to drive the new Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupé recently in San Diego. See video

2007 Frankfurt Motor Show: Chrysler and Dodge Put More Muscle into European Expansion

Under the giant light fixtures of the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show Chrysler and Dodge show off some muscle.

As last week's press conference at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show illustrated, the New Chrysler is putting more muscle behind its expansion in volume markets outside North America with the world and European premieres Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep products.

The all-new Dodge Journey made its global introduction, while the all-new Chrysler Grand Voyager, with an all-new interior and exterior design and more than 30 new or improved features, complemented the European premiere of the restyled Chrysler 300C.

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Car-buying in U.S. Helps Retail Sales Numbers

Though retail sales have been weak due to many factors such as the collapsing housing markets, and people just plain not having any dough to spend, the car sales have added to the overall retail sales numbers in the last months. This doesn't mean people are out buying more gund stuffed animals, but it does make a play on the Fed to makes some cahnges in rates to help the economy.

"Consumers have turned more cautious under the weight of the weakening housing market, high gasoline prices and now a fragile job market," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com. "The retail sales number is just one more reason for the Fed to lower rates." more

Microsoft and Siemens VDO to Cooperate on the Development of Automotive Infotainment Solutions

Germany, and REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 7 -- Siemens VDO Automotive AG and Microsoft Corp. will join forces to develop in-vehicle communication, information, entertainment and navigation products. This new generation of automotive products will be designed to meet the industry's growing demand for innovative, flexible and affordable solutions. Working together, Siemens VDO and Microsoft will be able to deliver these advanced solutions to market much faster than the typical automotive industry's product development cycle. According to current planning, the first Siemens VDO product based on Microsoft(R) software technology is expected to go into production as early as 2009. This could be the diamond rings of the industry. more...

Floridians Support Red Light Cameras

Imagine a day after work at the old Delta faucets factory and you just sort of creep through a red light to make a right turn in Florida. No More! You are on camera and are going to get a ticket!

Several cities throughout the state of Florida have begun installing red light running photo enforcement safety programs in an effort to increase traffic and pedestrian safety within their community.

And that's just fine with Florida citizens, according to a poll commissioned this summer by Florida's STOP! Red Light Running Coalition, an organization dedicated to making citizens aware of the red light running problem and provide ways to act upon this crisis through legislation, enforcement and education. full story

GM to Use New Engines That Reduce Emissions, Foreign Oil Dependency

More alternative fuel sort of stuff. Also some information about quoizel lighting which is pretty interesting as well.

This article accompanies a video feature for those that aren't that interested in just reading about it.

General Motors (GM) reports it is working to install a type of engine that will improve fuel efficiency by more than 15 percent and contribute to reducing U.S. foreign oil dependency. The homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine also creates less toxic emissions by burning fuel with a flameless combustion rather than using a spark plug. Today’s vehicles currently use an internal combustion engine, a model that many engineers have been trying to improve for decades without significantly increasing costs. GM officials report they are working on a production model that uses an HCCI engine, however, an exact date of availability has not been specified. for video

Analysis of Alternative Fuel Vehicles in Europe

A nice analysis of more alternative fuel vehicles here. After being at some races the last couple of weeks I need to look into some sort natural skin care products to get my dust plastered skin fixed. Also, it is something nice to read about after watching these cars blowing through fuel like no other. The article is more than just an article, but an in depth analysis on what is going on in Europe. Interesting read none the less.