Toyota’s Latest Concept Car – 'Smartphone on Four Wheels'

Japanese car maker Toyota has unveiled a new concept car which is designed like a smartphone, featuring multiple touch screen panels on the outside The Fun-Vii, which stands for vehicle interactive internet, was unveiled by the company ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show, in order to showcase what the car maker plans for the future, when drivers will be able to interact with their cars in a way similar to how they use a smartphone.

The car's outside is embedded with a series of touch screen panels that allow the driver to change the body colour and display content. The company said that people will also be able to customise the interior of the car depending on their mood According to the concept images released by Toyota, the car's windshield will come with augmented reality capabilities and will also feature a virtual assistant for navigation and other driving related information.

Toyota has no plans to launch the car in the mainstream market but aims to demonstrate how technology can be used to make cars with great design and interactiveness with the external environment.

Source : itproportal.com

World's Most Expensive Car: 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic

The Bugatti Type 57 and is subsequent variants are the most desirable cars on the planet right now, and Youtube user CarsandCoffeIrvine has a very interesting video of the most expensive one ever, this awesome Atlantic model.

Called by many the most beautiful car from the pre-war ear, the Atlantic body has flowing coupe lines and its most liked for that unique dorsal seam running the whole length of the car. This feature is actually a bit like what you see on fighter planes of the time, since the body is made of aluminum alloy and has to be riveted as it could not be welded.

Only four of these were ever made and of those two have survived This is the car that was previously owned by Dr. Peter Williamson and was sold for between $30 and $40 million at an auction in May 2010. The other is in Paris and belongs to Ralph Lauren’s amazing collection.

Arctic Cat XC 450 ATV Recall Issued Due to Bent Tie-Rods

Nearly 1,400 Arctic Cat XC 450 all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) have been recalled due to fears that they may pose a crash hazard an Arctic Cat XC 450 ATV recall was announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on November 10, after Arctic Cat Inc. received at least three reports of bent tie-rods.

The CPSC warns that the tie-rods could lead to a loss of control of the ATVs, though there have been no reports of injuries related to the defective Arctic Cats all 2011 Arctic Cat XC 450 ATVs and some 2012 Arctic Cat XC 450 ATVs are affected by the recall. The 2012 models affected by the recall have 6V0101 through 6V0178 and 700101 through 700230 as the last six digits of their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The VIN can be found on the lower front frame tube below the front bumper.

The ATVs come in black and orange or black and lime green and have the words “Arctic Cat” on each side of the cowl, and the “450 XC” on the front of the cowl. There are about 1,384 units in all affected by the recall The recalled ATVs were sold at Arctic Cat dealerships nationwide from February 2011 to present for between $6,500 and $6,900. They were made in Taiwan.

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Dog sledge caps tryst with Arctic

The magic of the Arctic had cast such a lingering spell on the Arctic Challengers of Oman in the past three days that even after the temperatures dropped further and the chilly winds got harsher, the explorers longed for more thrill. And why not? After all where else on the earth could one experience such an unspoilt wilderness from such close quarters?but the unfavourable weather conditions prevented us from exploring the interiors and we were advised not to go further North. So the last leg of our trip faced a setback and our plans of meeting the Inuit people had to be called off.

“We were told that these inhabitants of the remotest part of the Arctic have adapted themselves to the harsh climate. Learning about the Inuit culture is as interesting as experiencing the wonders of the frozen wilderness of the Arctic. Sadly, we had to forego our dreams of meeting them.not being able to meet the Inuit people left us extremely disappointed but we were aware that ‘safety comes first’. Hence, we decided to stay back in the town and make the best of what we had.

It seemed to be a day of heartbreaks. First, we missed the opportunity of meeting the Inuit people and later we could not see the magnificence of the Northern Lights, especially the time when the glaciers get lit by the glow of the Northern Lights, owing to the bad weather conditions.

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Land Rover’s DC100 debuts in Los Angeles

Land Rover has presented its DC100 and DC100 Sport concepts at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The company said the models “investigate the potential design direction for a replacement for the iconic Defender,” and they are being displayed to judge North American reaction and explore the possibility of bringing the Defender back to the U.S. market “The Defender has always been at the heart of the Land Rover brand and single-handedly defines our go-anywhere, can-do spirit,” said John Edwards, Land Rover global brand director.

“Our ambition is to create an all-new Defender for a global market that remains absolutely faithful to its original DNA: tough, versatile, durable and capable. At the same time, it will be developed for the 21st century and adaptable for the needs of future generations.”evolved since their unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show last September, the concepts now ride on optimized off-road 20-inch alloy wheels with Cooper all-terrain tires.

The DC100 also features expedition accessories with a raised air-intake snorkel for wading, and a roof rack the concepts use a next-generation Terrain-i system which creates a map of the topography in front of the car and displays it as a 3D visualization, automatically identifying potential hazards and suggesting alternative routes. A new Wade Aid system uses sonar sensors to measure water depth, and optimizes the car for water crossings by closing body vents, raising the ride height, selecting a low gear and advising the safest speed.

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Get Your Bike Geek on at the Bike Expo This Weekend

This weekend brings the geekiest, bike geariest local event of the year—The San Francisco Bike Expo for all of you bike nerds like me, the SF Bike Expo at Cow Palace is the local motherland of all things pedal-powered. It’s the once-a-year event where all of the local bike shops unload their inventory and bike companies big and small showcase their goods.

If you’re looking for vintage wool jerseys from the ’70s then this is your place. If you’re wanting to ogle the custom handbuilt frames of small-batch bike builders, this is your spot. And if you just want to watch pretty bikers model the latest cycletastic fashion, or BMXers tear it up on a jumps course, you can do that too. Best yet, if you’re looking for a good deal on a new or used bike, there’s no better time to find one.

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Electric carmaker CODA opens global HQ in LA

Electric carmaker CODA Automotive Inc. opened its worldwide headquarters in Los Angeles on Thursday, strengthening California's bid to become the hub of clean-energy business the state hopes will create thousands of new jobs CODA, a startup company that began in Santa Monica, formally unveiled a 100,000-square-foot engineering, research and sales center that has more than 200 employees "it is a milestone. We started with a few people in a Santa Monica hangar just about four years ago," CODA spokeswoman Larkin Hill said.

"Dynamic innovation is a key building block of California's 21st century economy," Gov. Jerry Brown said at the ceremony. "Car companies like CODA are investing in California because our laws encourage electric cars and recognize the paramount importance of reducing oil dependency We see it as a catalyst that will usher in new jobs, more investment, and a stronger clean-tech industry to Los Angeles," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said.

CODA is working on a five-passenger sedan with a range of up to 150 miles per charge. It will be manufactured in China and final assembly will take place at a plant in Benicia, Calif. The car will sell for $44,900, or $32,400 after federal and state credits for electric vehicles.

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Steamboats not a-comin' to Cincinnati next year

Cincinnati’s latest Tall Stacks riverboat festival is being delayed because of other events competing for sponsorship money the next Tall Stacks Music, Arts & Heritage Festival had been tentatively planned for October 2012. Organizers tell The Cincinnati Enquirer they hope to reschedule for 2013.

They indicate that a 2012 edition of Tall Stacks would have had difficulty landing sponsors because of the World Choir Games, also set for next year in Cincinnati tall Stacks started in 1988 to celebrate Cincinnati’s bicentennial and has been held six times since then. The last time was in 2006 and featured 16 boats that drew 800,000 spectators.

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New Helicopter To Boost Wildlife Conservation Operations

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has received a major boost in its air operations following the acquisition of a new Bell 407 helicopter.

The chopper, with a carrying capacity of seven, is set to further enhance conservation work.

The purchase of the helicopter is seen as an important investment expected to generate more revenue in addition to aiding KWS’s air services which include air patrols vital in anti-poaching operations, animal censuses and surveillance, large mammal translocation and client personnel transportation, among others.

During the launch of the helicopter, KWS Director Julius Kipng’etich also commissioned a new VIP lounge at the KWS Wilson Airport Hangar offices in Nairobi .

Mr Kipng’etich said as part of the organisation’s force modernisation and expansion programme, plans are underway to increase its aircraft in the next few years.

This would see the purchase of an additional caravan aircraft in 2013 and ensure that by 2015, each park should have at least one light aircraft to enhance operations.

The Director also challenged staff to come up with a proposal to acquire another hangar at the Wilson Airport aimed at multiplying the airwing’s efficiency and increase its productivity.

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Red Bull Racing Team Martinsville II race report

And the hits just kept on coming. And coming. And coming. By the time Sunday’s Tums Fast Relief 500 was complete, 18 caution flags had waved that consumed more than a fifth of the 500 laps at Martinsville Speedway, putting the pace car third on the laps led list with 108. Brian Vickers, according to NASCAR’s cumulative report, was involved in five of them — three before lap 100.

Vickers drove into the top 10 courtesy of longer runs in the race’s middle stages and was running ninth with 50 laps to go. But the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota, already beaten and battered, took its worst shot when Matt Kenseth punted Vickers’ car into the turn-three wall with 42 laps to go. That irked an already frustrated driver, and Vickers, who had gone from a possible top 10 to multiple laps down, countered on Kenseth not long after in the same spot.

The end result? A 30th-place finish and a scrap heap of a race car that didn’t see the checkered flag for only the second time this season.

“These are the races where we all get to capitalize on it and do all the other things right, keep working hard and get yourself back in the game,” said Ryan Pemberton, Vickers’ crew chief. “Right there at the end, we just took ourselves out of it. We were in the game and now we’re out of the game — after all that. Four or five hours into the race and we finally get into good position, like, ‘OK, here’s the chance to capitalize on something.’ And we didn’t even have the chance to swing the bat.”

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Transport ministry suspends air controller for 3 months

The transport ministry announced Friday it has suspended a 56-year-old male chief controller at Tokyo's Haneda airport for three months for posting a flight plan for the U.S. presidential aircraft, Air Force One, and other internal information on his private blog.

The controller started his blog in 2001 and posted 192 pictures taken at his workplace, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

Five of the pictures showed flight plans screened on a monitor, including the flight plan for U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Japan last November for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum held in Yokohama.

Another showed the flight plan of a U.S. Global Hawk unmanned surveillance aircraft that flew around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power complex shortly after the plant was crippled by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

After finding sensitive information had been leaked that way, the ministry decided to designate flight plans for foreign government aircraft as top classified data and take other security measures.

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BMW 6 Series Coupé arrives in Kuwait

The model has new interior and exterior designs and comes with a wealth of technology highlights that distinguish it from competitors. Offering stylish design, outstanding performance, luxury and sheer driving pleasure, the model is expected to set trends in both the premium car and sports activity vehicle segments.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Yousef Al-Qatami, General Manager of Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive, said: "The all new BMW 6 Series Coupé, marks a new chapter in sporting design for Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive. With its beautiful exterior, luxury and innovative technology, the BMW 6 Series Coupé will make the hearts of sports car aficionados in Kuwait beat a little faster."

"The initial response we have received on this car has been positive, and we are confident it will prove popular among our customers in Kuwait," he added.

Following the launch of the BMW 6 Series Convertible earlier this year, the third generation of the 2+2-seater sports Coupé sees premium automotive manufacturer BMW adding another exciting chapter to its thirty year-long tradition in the production of sports cars.

On board to deliver the BMW 6 Series Coupé's signature driving experience is a range of innovative driver assistance systems and BMW ConnectedDrive infotainment features. The new car therefore meets the highest, not to mention the broadest, expectations of driving pleasure in a large, premium 2+2-seater in incomparable style.

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Renault Unveils Small Car Pulse in India

Renault SA Saturday unveiled a new small car, Pulse, in India that it plans to start selling from January to boost sales and compete with bigger rivals such as Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., Hyundai Motor Co. and Tata Motors Ltd. in Asia's third-biggest automobile market.

The Pulse, Renault's third vehicle in India, will mark the French auto maker's entry into the high volume small-car market which makes up nearly two-thirds of passenger vehicle sales in India.

It is also a part of the company's plans to introduce five car models by the end of next year.

"India is one of the key markets for us along with Brazil and Russia. This Pulse is designed and produced for Indian drivers," Carlos Tavares, chief operating officer of Renault, told reporters. He said the company plans to sell 100,000 vehicles in India by 2013.

The Pulse shares its platform with Renault's Japanese partner Nissan Motor Co.'s V-platform. Nissan already sells its Micra small car based on the same platform.

The car will be manufactured at a factory near the port town of Chennai in southern Tamil Nadu state which the company jointly owns with Nissan. The factory opened in March last year with an initial annual capacity of 200,000 cars.

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2012 Fiat 500c Review: Cute but Underpowered and Overpriced

Lest one think this is an automatic bashing of small cars – it is not. They are actually a particular favorite. The problem comes from the Fiat 500c's powertrain. This is a small – and I do mean small – car with no zip to it nor good fuel economy for its size.

Let's address the latter point first. It's one of the big knocks against the Smart car. It's little and cute like the Fiat 500 and only gets 33 mpg city and 41 mpg highway. The Fiat 500c, based on EPA figures, does even worse at 27 city and 32 mpg. A Hyundai Accent, which is bigger by all measurements, gets 30 mpg city and 40 mpg highway.

That's the unsettling thing about truly small cars in the U.S. They get relatively poor fuel economy for their size and typically run on premium fuel. Who wants to pay more just to get less fuel economy?

No Power in the Fiat 500c

What's also unsettling is how under powered this little car is – even for a little car. Americans don't mind small if it has a little zip to it. The Fiat 500c has a 1.4-liter MultiAir in-line four-cylinder engine that provides 101 horsepower and 98 lb. ft. of torque. As I said last summer when I reviewed the Mazda2, torque figures in the double digits are never a good thing.

The new Fiat 500c features the world’s first Fully Variable Valve Actuation (FVVA) system on a production engine. Also known as MultiAir, this intake-valve system replaces a traditional overhead cam with hydraulic actuation controlled by four, fast-responding, electronic solenoids – delivering instantaneous air-fuel adjustment at any time in the engine cycle for maximum efficiency and power or so Fiat claims. Maybe it does deliver maximum power but it's power that is lacking.

No Safety Concerns

One thing I can't knock about small cars is their safety. Sure, you can't overcome the laws of physics. A semi tractor-trailer crashing into a Fiat 500c is never going to end well for the Fiat passengers but there's a lot more protection inside than people may realize. Don't overlook a Fiat for safety reasons. It would be a mistake.

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The new Dodge Viper will not debut next month

Mania over the new 2013 Dodge Viper has given way to pure insanity, with outlets reporting that the next generation super Mopar's going to appear at a regional press event in Florida next month. Yeah, we don't think that's happening — and you should believe us, because at least two of us here are crazy enough to think even Sports Night's coming back one day so we'll believe anything if there's a shred of hope it'll happen.

This rumor has its genesis at Top Speed, who seems to have pulled it directly out of their asses. Here's what they say


Debuting an extremely important car at a an event for a bunch of local automotive journalists who, despite their charitable intentions, have little national reach? Not going to happen.

Dodge PR confirmed to us that, as much fun as that would be, it ain't happening. In a phone call that lasted all of 56 seconds.

I just think some journalists are angling to get a trip to South Florida in the winter and thus are unwilling to pick up a phone to deny the most easily deniable rumor ever.

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Wounded Gaddafi Shown No Mercy

Dragged from hiding in a drainage pipe, a wounded Muammar Gaddafi raised his hands and begged revolutionary fighters: "Don't kill me, my sons." Within an hour, he was dead, but not before jubilant Libyans had vented decades of hatred by pulling the eccentric dictator's hair and parading his bloodied body on the hood of a truck.

The death Thursday of Gaddafi, two months after he was driven from power and into hiding, decisively buries the nearly 42-year regime that had turned the oil-rich country into an international pariah and his own personal fiefdom.

It also thrusts Libya into a new age in which its transitional leaders must overcome deep divisions and rebuild nearly all its institutions from scratch to achieve dreams of democracy.

"We have been waiting for this historic moment for a long time. Muammar Gaddafi has been killed," Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril said in the capital of Tripoli. "I would like to call on Libyans to put aside the grudges and only say one word, which is Libya, Libya, Libya."

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BMW 6-series coupe dressed to thrill

While it's easy to spec-up BMW's 6-series coupe to well beyond the quarter of a million dollar mark if you tick enough boxes like the M-sport option and lists of remarkable sound-systems, wheel choices and lighting alternatives, I hope I don't sound trite when I say it's still good value.

That's because, despite being very much a day-to-day turn-key sports coupe, it has sufficient performance to challenge competitors with another $100,000 to $200,000 on their sticker cards. As well as its obvious segment- mates, like the 'Benz CL ($285,000), Jaguar's XKR-S ($260,000) and the Maserati GranTurismo ($285,000), the 6-series has sufficient style and performance to be seen next to or to be driven with Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Aston Martins costing so much more.

There'll be but a single model of the 6-series Coupe for New Zealand - the 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged 650i - rather than the range of sixes and diesels and two and four-wheel-drive drivetrain options enjoyed in its native Europe. Standard gear includes sumptuous Dakota leather, chassis settings you can change with the prod of a console button and a standard sat-nav system that uses a huge fixed screen in the upper dash. The device threatens to dominate the otherwise well-organised and nicely designed cabin. There's an M Sport model which gets some subtle external body styling, special sill-plates and a chromed, Martini-striped M-badge for the bootlid as well as more sporting seats.

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Rolls Royce speeds up for first 100

One of the world's premier luxury car manufacturers, Rolls-Royce has decided to strengthen its operations in India, owing to the rapid growth of the Indian automobile industry. The British car maker has its presence in India for the past 75 years. When it entered the domestic market, back in 1932, the company primarily built aero engines that were first used in Tata Airlines.

Recently, Rolls-Royce Operations India Private Limited was established in Bangalore, amid celebrations of its 50-year-long partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in 2006. Since its establishment, Rolls-Royce has been inclined towards introducing its luxury cars in India. Rolls-Royce has now decided to expand its operations as well as its product range in India. Currently, the car maker has two dealerships located in Mumbai and Delhi. The company aims to achieve the desired level of expansion by the end of 2011 or early 2012.

For expanding the dealership network, the company has appointed Herfried Hasenoehrl as the Head of Business Development for Rolls-Royce India. He is expected to give new highs to the Rolls-Royce dealership network in the country. In addition, he will be responsible for identifying potential cities for sales of Rolls-Royce products.

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Ford Focus Traveller: Fesche Ladezone

Ob more work now belongs to the traveler was once an open question. And if so, he will bear with equanimity - he has the skills necessary to yes. Ford reduced the Focus body styles on the two (apart from the coupé-cabriolet) and after it is no longer three-door and the sedan is not offered for us to stay just 5-door and Travellers. Traveller is traditionally the address for the cluster .

Traveller (ie friends) is a perfectly fitting name, since you like the Focus is taking longer trips. Space for luggage or other leisure utensil's enough (490 and 1516 liters with rear seats folded down). At least as gratifying to the, fact that the sill is pleasantly deep down, board life of the trunk and the hatch opens before without disturbing excesses of one. The 1.6-liter Ecoboost with 182 hp ensures that there is fault with the performance anything even if one exploits the full load. Even in the lower rpm range, there are a lot of lard, to 182 hp, the engine feels but only at higher speeds.

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Yamaha FZ6R: Zero Gravity Windscreens

Made in the USA, Zero Gravity's new line of 2009-2012 Yamaha FZ6R windscreens is now available in three distinctive styles, SR Series, Double Bubble and Sport Touring.

The stock replacement Yamaha FZ6R SR Series (20-523 shown in light smoke) approximates the size, shape and function of the OEM windscreen.

The Double Bubble (16-523 shown in light smoke), features a stepped profile design with an overall height somewhere between the SR Series and Sport Touring.

Performance is geared for sports riding, canyon carving and "tucked in" aerodynamics. Both the SR Series and Double Bubble are available in a variety of colors as well as clear, light smoke and dark smoke.

The Sport Touring Series screen (23-523 shown in light smoke), is 3 1/4" (82.55mm) taller than stock and provides enhanced wind protection while riding in the upright position aboard the Yamaha FZ6R. Mounting holes are pre-drilled. Installs using OEM fasteners. Included with each screen is a photo-detailed instruction sheet for quick installation.

Zero Gravity screens are made with cutting edge technology and feature a precise fit, hand polished visible edges and distortion free optical clarity.

Available in a variety of colors, Zero Gravity's new Yamaha FZ6R windscreens start at $89.95 and are protected with a limited factory warranty.

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