Automotive News Automotive Reviews
OHM Bicycles Make for Power Pedaling
By Jim Bray
TechnoFile.com
Avid bicyclists, environmentalists, or weenies who don’t want to work hard may want to check out OHM bicycles, power-assisted units that certainly made the ordeal of bicycling easier for this sedentary writer/weenie.
OHM bills itself as the premium brand of power-assisted bicycles and claims to offer the only power-assisted bikes equipped with the patented “BionX” torque sensor. It’s a technology they say responds automatically to the way the rider pedals, providing a smooth, natural sensation – even, supposedly compensating if one of your legs is pedaling more strongly than the other.
By Admin
Bill Reinert, the head of Toyota’s (NYSE ADR: TM) advanced powertrain research, stated that his company does not forsee the electric vehicle becoming the standard in the industry in the short-term future.
By Admin
The Hyundai Santa Fe is a practical-size vehicle for prowling the suburban savanna.It’s the larger of Hyundai’s two compact SUV’s, large enough for three-row seating, which the smaller Tucson is not.
Technically, both vehicles are crossovers, meaning they are built like cars, using unibody construction, instead of the body-on-frame technique of a traditional truck.That could prove to be a disadvantage in, say, the Paris-to-Dakar rally; or while outmaneuvering an unwanted military incursion. But in most ways it’s better for everyday driving.Compared to a truck-based SUV, a car-based crossover is generally lighter, smoother riding, and more responsive.Crossovers also tend to use less gas than truck-based SUVs.Still, with the right options, the Santa Fe can tow up to 3500 pounds.
2010 Kia Forte Car ReviewBy Admin
Join our new host, Jessi Lang, as she reviews the 2010 Kia Forte. The 2010 Forte is one of many in the small economy sedan segment, but it seems to bring a lot more bang for your buck. The exterior is well-styled, without any lines or angles that feel out of place. On the interior, you get standards that are frequently extra cost with other manufacturers; Bluetooth, an AUX jack, voice activation, steering wheel controls for audio, and Siruis radio all come standard on the Forte.
By Admin
Inside and out, Kia keeps it simple with the Optima’s design. The 2010 Optima has nice proportions as a whole, but up close it appear a bit derivative, with details picked up from past Camrys, Accords, and the like. A mid-cycle update last year offered a number of mild upgrades throughout, but it failed to change the Optima’s rather drab style. Several reviewers pointed out the Optima’s relative anonymity within the class of four-door sedans.
By Admin
When it comes to affordable large cars, not much out there is better than the 300 at making an impression. The big, retro-themed Chrysler sedan has been around for half a decade, but it still turns heads with its strong and imposing styling that harkens back to the days when Chrysler was king of the hill.
With its debut for the 2005 model year, the Chrysler 300 forged a new direction, and since then its rather boxy but low look has aged well. It’s still a head-turner—something that can’t be said of most other big sedan competitors. New for 2010 are some minor styling upgrades, including chromed door handles and front and rear fascia accents for the 300 Touring model.
Reviews the 2010 Suzuki KizashiBy Admin
An all-new model, the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi (ke-ZAH-shee) is a midsize car the manufacturer characterizes as a sport sedan. Four years have passed since Suzuki discontinued its previous midsize sedan, the Verona, which simply didn’t compete in a class crowded with many models — some of which boast decades-long histories and excellent reputations, like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. With the resurgence of Chevrolet’s Malibu and Ford’s Fusion, the climate is now more cutthroat than ever, but the Kizashi stands a chance thanks to a low entry price, impressive interior quality and affordable, efficient all-wheel drive.
By Jim Bray
It’s getting hard to find a bad vehicle these days, an ear which is a legitimate golden age for the automotive industry, technologically if not financially.
2010 Kia Forte KoupBy Admin
Kia introduced its new Forte sedan in 2009, re-establishing the company as a player in the compact-car segment with an affordable alternative to the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.
The Koup aims to do the same versus other two-doors, but unlike its four-door counterpart, there isn’t as much value in this new model. The Koup has a lot going for it, especially its attractive styling and gutsy engine in higher trim levels, but it doesn’t beat the competition on price. Will buyers still take a chance on Kia?
BMW MINI E to participate in UK electric car trialBy Admin
A fresh take on one of the most iconic designs in motoring will play a central role in the UK-wide trial of electric cars.
BMW has handed over 40 electric MINI E vehicles to test drivers at the start of two consecutive six-month field trial periods meant to evaluate the social, psychological and technical aspects of living with an electric car. The findings will be used to inform both BMW engineering teams and the wider world as decisions are made about the future of electric cars.
2010 Tesla Roadster ReviewBy Admin
Based on a Lotus Elise platform, the 2010 Tesla Roadster has wholly unique styling, not to mention unquestionable cool.
Many reviewers note that the Tesla Roadster isn’t an all-new vehicle; Car and Driver reports that this “two-seat targa [is] assembled by Lotus in England and finished by Tesla Motors in San Carlos, California.” But the exterior bodywork is completely changed, even if the Roadster’s underpinnings are derived from the Elise, and the Tesla has garnered glowing reviews from consumers and critics alike.
25 Mitsubishi i-MiEVs part of large alt car trial in UKBy Admin
Last month, the West Midlands police department in the UK took delivery of an i-MiEV for official duties. This weekend, the first batch of cars – 25 Mitsubishi i-MiEVs – in a large fleet of electric vehicles entered the area, giving the public a taste of what the police have been enjoying for a while now. The trial fleet includes 110 electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen vehicles in Birmingham and Coventry, with 340 throughout the UK. The UK’s Technology Strategy Board is funding the program with £25 million in it’s Ultra Low Emission Vehicle Demonstrator Competition. The vehicle breakdown goes like this:
By Admin
Ac Schnitzer ACS3 3.5d CoupeAC Schnitzer never tires of receiving awards. Very recently, the carmaker got a third world record for Aachen after having gone to Nardo in southern Italy.
Historically, many records are set in the high-speed circuit. Each year in southern Italy, in collaboration with the AUTO BILD sportscars’ editors and under the aegis of Continental AG, the top vehicle tuners compete. This year, it was on Oct. 18-19, 2009.
Suzuki Jimny Sierra Review & Road TestBy Admin
In one form or another the humble Suzuki Jimny Sierra has been with us for close to 45 years now, and true to its origins, remains a simple, no nonsense, light-weight 4WD offering honest value and tenacious off-road performance.
From the outside Jimny Sierra offers an inoffensive, amiable appearance that, as dated as it may appear, is nonetheless practical when you stop to consider just where the car feels most at home, and how far off the beaten track it’s prepared to push.
2009 Mitsubishi i / i-MiEV Prototype - Quick SpinBy Admin
What Are They?
A pair of Mitsubishi’s home-market minicars, one powered by gas, the other by electricity. The i minicar features a 63-hp, turbocharged, 0.7-liter three-cylinder engine and a four-speed automatic transmission tucked Smart-style between the back seat and the rear axle. The i-MiEV—currently in prototype form—swaps in a 63-hp electric motor and lithium-ion battery in place of the former’s drivetrain and fuel tank.
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