Car Blog

An all electric Jeep Grand Cherokee will be introduced at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit and available to test drive

AMP Electric Vehicles, specializing in SUV electric vehicles, announced the expansion of their product line-up with their new AMP Jeep Grand Cherokee EV, which will be introduced at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. This is the latest demonstration of AMP’s proprietary technology for SUVs and full-sized vehicles.

The addition of the Jeep Grand Cherokee complements AMP’s Mercedes M-Class EV offering. EV buyers will now have two great SUV choices in the retail market, and the Jeep EV also provides an attractive entry for companies that are adding “green” vehicles to their fleets.

“Beginning with a world class vehicle, and adding AMP’s electrification results in an EV that offers everything SUV Customers expect: smooth powerful performance, zero emissions and up to a 100-mile range,” said Jim Taylor, AMP CEO.

AMP will announce pricing, initial delivery dates and market distribution at the Detroit Auto Show.

A majority of Americans believe new transportation projects should be paid for with user-fees instead of tax increases, according to a new national Reason-Rupe poll of 1,200 adults on cell phones and land lines.

The Reason-Rupe poll finds 77 percent of Americans oppose increasing the federal gas tax, while just 19 percent favor raising the tax, which is currently 18.4 cents a gallon. The public thinks the government wastes the gas tax money it already receives. Sixty-five percent say the government spends transportation funding ineffectively, and just 23 say money is spent effectively.

The survey shows Americans believe new roads and highways should be paid for by the people driving on them: 58 percent of Americans say new roads and highways should be funded by tolls. Twenty-eight percent say new road capacity should be paid for by tax increases.

The Reason-Rupe poll finds broad support for user-fees. If a toll road would save drivers a “significant” amount of time, 59 percent of Americans say they would pay to use it. And 57 percent favor converting carpool lanes, or high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, into high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes. Voters are much-less supportive of variably-priced toll lanes, however. Half of those surveyed oppose, and 39 percent favor, variably-priced tolls that rise and fall with traffic levels. Read the rest of this entry »

According to Moore’s Law, technological advances in society develop at an exponential rate over time. Nowhere is that speedy progress more evident than in the field of auto body repair. Welcome to the new frontier, where 818 Auto Body has already proven itself a leading pioneer. 818 Auto Body uses state-of-the-art facilities and equipment to offer its large and ever-growing base of loyal customers more for less. The hi-tech services at this top auto body shop in Los Angeles are performed by a cadre of specialists who are highly trained and experienced.

Looking for auto paint in Los Angeles ? This service is a perfect example of an area in which the professionals at 818 Auto Body are able to offer higher grade results because of their access to more advanced technology. The team of experts at 818 Auto Body uses computerized paint matching – a process that ensures superior precision and consistency. You will be hard-pressed to find another body shop in Los Angeles that is so dedicated to staying ahead of the curve. Their customers certainly seem to appreciate it; 818 Auto Body is currently experiencing a boom in business as a direct result of positive word-of-mouth. As more satisfied customers recommend their services to family, friends, and colleagues, people are flocking in droves to see what the buzz is all about. Read the rest of this entry »

Fifty automotive journalists have selected the Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra and Volkswagen Passat as the three finalists for the 2012 North American Car of the Year.

The finalists for the 2012 North American Truck of the Year are the BMW X3, the Honda CR-V and the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque.

The finalists were revealed today at an Automotive Press Association luncheon in Detroit.

The awards are unique in the United States because — instead of being given by a single media outlet — they are awarded by a coalition of automotive journalists from the United States and Canada representing magazines, television, radio, newspapers and web sites. The awards are financed by the jurors’ dues and NACTOY does not accept advertising from automakers. Read the rest of this entry »

Map Updates At www.navigation.com Make the Perfect Gift For Navigation Users

NAVTEQ suggests the gift of a Map Update to give to current or soon-to-be users of navigation devices. A Map Update empowers navigation systems to maintain optimum performance with information on the current road network and important places data like Points of Interest (POIs) for use in in-vehicle and portable navigation devices.

Here are NAVTEQ’s top ten reasons to give the gift of a Map Update this holiday season:

1. Stress-Free Driving – Help calm nerves with a Map Update that arms drivers with the most current and necessary knowledge on the road network to allow them to drive with ease – both in choosing the best route to take and knowing the length of travel time. Read the rest of this entry »

Kelley Blue Book, the leading provider of new car and used car information, announced the most-researched new vehicles of 2011 on the company’s top-rated website, www.kbb.com.

In addition, Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com reveals the top five brands with the greatest share of market interest for 2011.

Kbb.com’s Top 20 Most-Researched New Vehicles of 2011

This year’s success story is the Hyundai Elantra, entering the top 20 most-researched new vehicles list at No. 7, jumping 29 positions from 2010.  Elantra’s victory can be attributed to the vehicle’s top-rated fuel efficiency, affordability, superior redesign and Hyundai’s increased popularity among consumers.  Read the rest of this entry »