Engineering students from Ohio State made a trip out to the Bonneville Salt flats to see how fast their Lithium-ion battery-powered Buckeye Bullet 2.5 could go. With batteries provided by A123 Systems and engineering back-up from Venturi in Europe, the OSU team was ready to hit the salt. The OSU team was frustrated early on, however, by several aborted runs and days of heavy wind—finally completing just two clean passes this past Monday afternoon. The two runs the Bullet blitzed across the measured mile at 286 and 297 mph. Tuesday, the team made another two runs resulting in a new record: 307.7 mph.
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Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG developed by Mercedes-Benz AMG. The car is the first Mercedes automobile designed in-house by AMG and is described by Mercedes as a spiritual sucesssor to the 300SL Gullwing. The vehicle was unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show. Sales will begin in mid-2010 and in the United States in mid-2011 for less than $200,000. The SLS AMG will have a V8 with 583HP and 480T 0-60 3.6sec (est)
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Mr Goodwrench Retires
DETROIT — General Motors Mr. Goodwrench Retires
The mechanic who served as the symbol of GM's dealer service brand for 37 years will be Retired as of Feb. 1 in favor of the new name "certified service" for each of GM's Service Departments Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac. The company said Tuesday. "This is more than a name change. It is a declaration of our commitment to our customers," Steve Hill, vice president of customer care and after-sales services for GM, said in the statement. The company said the change will come with increased service adviser and technician training and more work on customer satisfaction, with hopes that the customers will return to the dealers for service. The Detroit automaker started the Goodwrench service brand in 1974.
GM You want people to come back to the dealership to get there cars fixed STOP CHARGING $80 - $100 AN HOUR FOR LABOR every time I took my Camaro's, Firebird, Monte Carlo, Caprice & Impala in it coast me $500-$1,200. When I left the Service Department I wanted to Beat Mr Goodwrench with a Camshaft. Mike Stigs http://www.stigscomedy.com/
The mechanic who served as the symbol of GM's dealer service brand for 37 years will be Retired as of Feb. 1 in favor of the new name "certified service" for each of GM's Service Departments Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac. The company said Tuesday. "This is more than a name change. It is a declaration of our commitment to our customers," Steve Hill, vice president of customer care and after-sales services for GM, said in the statement. The company said the change will come with increased service adviser and technician training and more work on customer satisfaction, with hopes that the customers will return to the dealers for service. The Detroit automaker started the Goodwrench service brand in 1974.
GM You want people to come back to the dealership to get there cars fixed STOP CHARGING $80 - $100 AN HOUR FOR LABOR every time I took my Camaro's, Firebird, Monte Carlo, Caprice & Impala in it coast me $500-$1,200. When I left the Service Department I wanted to Beat Mr Goodwrench with a Camshaft. Mike Stigs http://www.stigscomedy.com/
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Ford's ad dollars on Facebook & Twitter
DETROIT (Reuters) -- Forget the Super Bowl: Ford's marketing chief Jim Farley says he can get more for less on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.If Farley is right, millions of hits for Ford Motor Co. on social media Web sites will dwarf the impact of ads broadcast during the National Football League's February championship game -- high-profile space selling for $3 million for 30 seconds. "Customers are spending as much time with the mobile smart phone or online as they are watching TV now, so our advertising dollars have to flow to where the people are," Farley said in an interview. Under Farley, 48, who joined Ford from Toyota Motor Corp. in 2007, the No. 2 U.S. automaker has bet bigger on the emerging category of digital advertising -- including Web sites social media -- than any of its rivals. Farley has taken the approach credited with the early success of the youth-oriented Scion brand he launched at Toyota and applied it to the makeover of an established auto brand. He is betting Ford can use Facebook and Twitter to accelerate the word-of-mouth recommendations long familiar to the auto industry and help the blue-oval brand connect with younger and richer people. Farley said he learned at Scion that the only way to push past consumer skepticism is "to break into their world." "You have to shove your way in there. The way we do that is to break down myths. The great thing about Americans is they are always hungry for something new," he said. Ford's U.S. sales are up 19 percent so far this year, almost twice the growth rate of the industry overall. Farley's term at Ford has coincided with a sharp turnaround in its image. ALG, a firm that tracks consumer perceptions, said in a report issued on Monday that Ford cars and trucks lead all brands in gains in perceived quality since 2008.
Facebook friend Farley, who is seen as a potential successor to Ford CEO Alan Mulally, called the Super Bowl, "a fantastic advertising opportunity" -- for unknown brands. "If you are a company that wants to launch a new product that no one has ever seen before, it's a great venue." Under Farley, Ford has spent 25 percent of its advertising budget on digital media in 2010, the same proportion as in 2009. That ratio is twice what J.D. Power and Associates says will be the average digital media spend in 2012. Farley would not disclose the dollar amount of that spending. One of the first experiments in Ford's new approach was its 2009 move to recruit Web-based "agents" who would help promote its launch of the Fiesta subcompact. In a follow-up, Ford used Facebook to reveal key aspects of the Explorer SUV rather than wait for an established auto show. Now, Ford is seeking "bloggers, social media mavens and Facebook friends" to submit video applications to be one of 100 who will drive the 2012 Focus around southern France or Spain early next year, ahead of the car's launch. The effort, called "Ford Focus Global Test Drive" seeks to create buzz ahead of the launch of a vehicle central to Mulally's vision for a streamlined product lineup.Farley said that the Fiesta campaign had boosted consumer awareness of the Ford subcompact over direct competitors like the Honda Fit or the Toyota Yaris. At the same time, Ford only spent one tenth of what it would have through traditional media, including television, he said.
Facebook friend Farley, who is seen as a potential successor to Ford CEO Alan Mulally, called the Super Bowl, "a fantastic advertising opportunity" -- for unknown brands. "If you are a company that wants to launch a new product that no one has ever seen before, it's a great venue." Under Farley, Ford has spent 25 percent of its advertising budget on digital media in 2010, the same proportion as in 2009. That ratio is twice what J.D. Power and Associates says will be the average digital media spend in 2012. Farley would not disclose the dollar amount of that spending. One of the first experiments in Ford's new approach was its 2009 move to recruit Web-based "agents" who would help promote its launch of the Fiesta subcompact. In a follow-up, Ford used Facebook to reveal key aspects of the Explorer SUV rather than wait for an established auto show. Now, Ford is seeking "bloggers, social media mavens and Facebook friends" to submit video applications to be one of 100 who will drive the 2012 Focus around southern France or Spain early next year, ahead of the car's launch. The effort, called "Ford Focus Global Test Drive" seeks to create buzz ahead of the launch of a vehicle central to Mulally's vision for a streamlined product lineup.Farley said that the Fiesta campaign had boosted consumer awareness of the Ford subcompact over direct competitors like the Honda Fit or the Toyota Yaris. At the same time, Ford only spent one tenth of what it would have through traditional media, including television, he said.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Ford Smart Key
Smart Key
Ford recently introduced a "smart" ignition key that allows a parent to program the key for a child. Mom or Dad can set the maximum vehicle speed, activate a persistent seat belt reminder, set the volume level for the radio and manage other features.
Ford recently introduced a "smart" ignition key that allows a parent to program the key for a child. Mom or Dad can set the maximum vehicle speed, activate a persistent seat belt reminder, set the volume level for the radio and manage other features.
Friday, November 5, 2010
The Automotive "BLACK BOX"
Automotive "BLACK BOX"
Most passenger vehicles are now equipped with "black box" devices that record data immediately before, during, and after a crash. these event data recorders, or EDRs, can help police and investigators reconstruct what happened in a crash and why. They record information such as vehicle speed, throttle position, air bag deployment, whether brakes were applied, and if the driver was wearing a safety belt. First introduced by General Motors in basic form on air bag-equipped models, by the 2005 model year EDRs were being used by various manufacturers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says more recent data shows all new cars have some form of EDR. But the specific information gathered varies by auto manufacturer, and some companies make it easier to retrieve data than others. Back in 2006, NHTSA mandated that all new vehicles equipped with EDRs by the 2013 model year must make the information standardized and readily accessible by authorities. While the devices can undoubtedly aid with crash investigation, privacy issues have been raised about the use of EDRs. According to NHTSA, captured data is the property of the vehicle owner. But even on vehicles where it is accessible, special tools are required to get it. The IIHS says police or investigators can access the data with the owner's consent, or can obtain a court order to gain access if the owner refuses.
Most passenger vehicles are now equipped with "black box" devices that record data immediately before, during, and after a crash. these event data recorders, or EDRs, can help police and investigators reconstruct what happened in a crash and why. They record information such as vehicle speed, throttle position, air bag deployment, whether brakes were applied, and if the driver was wearing a safety belt. First introduced by General Motors in basic form on air bag-equipped models, by the 2005 model year EDRs were being used by various manufacturers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says more recent data shows all new cars have some form of EDR. But the specific information gathered varies by auto manufacturer, and some companies make it easier to retrieve data than others. Back in 2006, NHTSA mandated that all new vehicles equipped with EDRs by the 2013 model year must make the information standardized and readily accessible by authorities. While the devices can undoubtedly aid with crash investigation, privacy issues have been raised about the use of EDRs. According to NHTSA, captured data is the property of the vehicle owner. But even on vehicles where it is accessible, special tools are required to get it. The IIHS says police or investigators can access the data with the owner's consent, or can obtain a court order to gain access if the owner refuses.
Monday, November 1, 2010
The 5 Most Deadly Interstate Highways
Best of www.stigza.com The 5 Most deadly Interstate Highways
1. I-95, Florida
2. I-76, New Jersey
3. I-4, Florida
4. I-15, California
5. I-10, California
1. I-95, Florida
2. I-76, New Jersey
3. I-4, Florida
4. I-15, California
5. I-10, California
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