Author: Serkadis

Toyota said it will stop sales of its Lexus LS sedan for about three weeks as it comes up with a fix for the steering system. On Friday, Toyota announced a voluntary safety recall on approximately 3,800 late 2009 and certain 2010 model year Lexus LS 460 and LS 600h L vehicles in the United States.

Spokesman Brian Lyons said that the company was putting a stop to the sales of the LS on dealer lots until the U.S. receives repair parts, which probably won’t arrive until late June.

In the mean time, Toyota has fixed the problem in Japan, where the LS is assembled. It will be sending upgraded Lexus LS models that dealers can – those should arrive by mid-June, Lyons said.

Click here to learn more about the Lexus LS recall.

– By: Kap Shah

Source: Detroit News

FoMoCo announced today that it is investing $135 million to design, engineer and produce key components for its next-generation of hybrid-electric vehicles.

Ford will be moving work currently performed in Mexico by a supplier to its Rawsonville Plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan, which will assemble the battery packs beginning in 2012. The Dearborn automaker’s Van Dyke Transmission Plant in Sterling Heights will build the electric drive transaxles starting in 2012 from a supplier facility in Japan. The two plants will add a total of 170 jobs.

The move will make Michigan the center of Ford’s vehicle electrification, which now includes the design and manufacture of electrified components as well as total vehicle manufacturing for hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-electric vehicles. Ford will be adding more than 50 engineers to work as it brings these technologies in-house.

Ford plans on launching five new full-electric and hybrid vehicles in the compact, mid-size and LCV segments for North America by 2012 and in Europe by 2013. The lineup will consist of the Transit Connect Electric, which goes on sale later this year in North America. The Lincoln MKZ hybrid will arrive this fall followed by the Focus Electric in 2011. A next-generation hybrid and plug-on hybrid based on the company’s global C-car platform will debut in 2012 followed by the C-MAX electric and plug-in hybrid electric model for Europe in 2013.

Hit the jump for the press release for more details.

Press Release:

FORD TO ENGINEER, ASSEMBLE HYBRID BATTERY PACKS AND TRANSAXLES IN MICHIGAN, ADDING 220 NEW JOBS

* Ford is investing $135 million to design, engineer and produce key components for its next-generation hybrid-electric vehicles that go into production in 2012 in North America
* Ford is adding green technology jobs in Michigan as the state becomes its center of excellence for vehicle electrification, including a combined 170 jobs at the Rawsonville and Van Dyke Transmission plants, and more than 50 electric vehicle engineers
* Ford’s Rawsonville Plant will assemble battery packs for the next-generation hybrid vehicles, moving work to Michigan that is currently performed by a supplier in Mexico
* Ford’s Van Dyke Transmission Plant will produce a new electric-drive transaxle for the new hybrids, moving work to Michigan that is currently performed by a supplier in Japan
* The new hybrids are part of Ford’s plan to launch five electrified vehicles in the U.S. by 2012 and in Europe by 2013

YPSILANTI, Mich., May 24, 2010 – Ford Motor Company – moving to create a center of excellence in Michigan for vehicle electrification – today announced it is investing $135 million to design, engineer and produce key components for the company’s next-generation hybrid-electric vehicles.

Ford engineers in Dearborn will design the battery packs while engineers in Livonia will design electric-drive transaxles for the next-generation hybrids, based on Ford’s global C- and CD-car platforms, which go into production in North America in 2012.

“Electrified vehicles are a key part of our plan to offer a full lineup of green vehicles, and we are building a center of excellence in the U.S., here in Michigan, to keep Ford on the cutting edge,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas. “Today’s announcement is another important step in our larger strategy to launch a family of hybrids, plug-in hybrids and full electric vehicles around the world.”

Ford’s Rawsonville Plant in Ypsilanti, Mich., will assemble the battery packs beginning in 2012, moving work to Michigan that is currently performed in Mexico by a supplier. Ford’s Van Dyke Transmission Plant in Sterling Heights, Mich., will build the electric drive transaxles beginning in 2012 from a supplier facility in Japan. Ford is adding a combined 170 jobs at the Rawsonville and Van Dyke facilities to build these key components.

“I am proud of the tremendous success of the UAW and Ford in working together to keep good manufacturing jobs in the U.S.,” said Bob King, UAW vice president, National Ford Department. “We are pleased that both Rawsonville and Van Dyke Transmission have been selected to produce these important components for Ford’s next generation hybrid-electric vehicles. These new products will help the community and local economy in Michigan by creating 170 new direct jobs at Ford and hundreds of other supporting jobs in the community, while helping to reduce emissions that cause air pollution and global warming.”

Center of Excellence in Michigan
Ford’s creation of a center of excellence for vehicle electrification in Michigan now includes the design and manufacture of electrified key components as well as total vehicle manufacturing for hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-electric vehicles. Ford is adding more than 50 engineers to work on electrification as we bring these technologies in-house. By physically bringing research, engineering and manufacturing closer together, Ford, its suppliers, universities and related industries can drive both innovation and job growth in this evolving form of transportation.

“We’re working hard to make Michigan the center for electrified vehicle technology and production,” said Michigan Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm. “Today’s announcement by Ford represents another step forward in moving Michigan from the Rust Belt to the Green Belt by investing in green technology and creating green jobs.”

Ford’s in-house team will design and engineer the advanced lithium-ion battery systems powering its next-generation hybrid vehicles. These battery systems will be designed specifically for the company’s next-generation hybrids, including the new global CD-car platform hybrid and the new global C-car platform hybrid, which will be built at Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant in 2012.

To support battery pack assembly at the Rawsonville Plant, Ford will invest approximately $10 million in capital equipment and add about 40 jobs. Ford’s investment also supports the necessary engineering and launch costs for the advanced battery systems.

“Southeast Michigan has the talented, skilled work force that can turn 21st Century visions into reality. I am delighted that Ford will expand its presence in our area with a new operation critical to the company’s future,” said U.S. Congressman John Dingell. These are the jobs that will revitalize our region, strengthen our environment and allow us here in Southeast Michigan to power the high-tech economy of the 21st Century. This is the kind of announcement that shows the green shoots of our economic recovery.”

Hybrid Electric Drive Transmission
Ford also will internally design and engineer an electric, front-wheel-drive, continuously variable transaxle to supply its next-generation hybrid-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles in North America. Beginning in early 2012, Ford’s Van Dyke Transmission Plant in Sterling Heights, Mich., will produce the HF35 transaxle. Current model electric-drive transaxles are provided by a supplier in Japan.

To launch the new transaxle, Ford will add engineering and production jobs in Southeast Michigan, including about 130 manufacturing jobs at its Van Dyke facility, while investing about $125 million. The investment includes a grant received from the Department of Energy to help create green technology jobs in the U.S. This investment includes manufacturing capital equipment, launch and engineering costs and supplier tooling upgrades, all required to support the production launch of the HF35 transaxle.

Ford’s Electrified Future
Ford’s global electrification strategy includes plans to launch five new full electric or hybrid vehicles in the compact, midsize and light commercial segments for the North American market by 2012 and European markets by 2013. This lineup includes:

* The Transit Connect Electric light commercial vehicle in North America later this year and in Europe in 2011
* The Focus Electric in North America in 2011 and in Europe in 2012
* A Lincoln MKZ hybrid, available this fall in North America
* A next-generation hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle based on Ford’s global C-car platform in North America in 2012
* A C-MAX hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric model for Europe in 2013

“Electrified vehicles are one part of Ford’s broader strategy to offer a wide range of environmentally friendly transportation solutions designed to improve fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions affordably for customers around the world,” said Nancy Gioia, Ford’s director of global electrification.

– By: Omar Rana

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Ferrari, Racing

The crew at the Axis of Oversteer have managed to snag what could be the first images of the upcoming Ferrari 458 Italia Challenge, and while no one’s claiming that this is the real McCoy just yet, it’s certainly packing the right kit.

The standard coupe’s five-lug wheels have been nixed in favor of a single lug units, with each nine-spoke, lightweight hoop framing massive carbon ceramic stoppers. The Challenge appears slightly lower than stock and includes some revised aero bits in the form of longer, wider side skirts, a revised fascia and a bonnet sporting a set of hood pins.

Out back and inside, things appear to be slightly rough around the edges, so it’s safe to assume this is just a prototype for the time being. However, the roll cage, plastic windows and deeply bolstered race seat are all sure to make the cut when the Challenge debuts later this year.

One thing we do know: The launch of the 599 GTO is going on this week in Italy, so it’s likely that journalists are getting a sneak peak at the Challenge between making runs in Ferrari’s Enzo-beating GT. That being the case, expect all the details to be revealed shortly.

[Source: Axis of Oversteer]

Spy Shots: Ferrari 458 Italia Challenge originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 May 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earlier this year, we wrote about how Lady Gaga had leveraged free music as a huge part of building up her popularity, and turned that into money via sellout tours and corporate sponsorship. However, most of that article focused on “legal” free music — such as the songs her label had put up on MySpace and YouTube and elsewhere. But what about the unauthorized kinds? Well, in a wide-ranging (and really quite fascinating) interview that Lady Gaga did with the Times Online in the UK (check it out before they put up the paywall), Lady Gaga admits she’s fine with people downloading her music in unauthorized forms because she makes it up in touring revenue:

She explains she doesn’t mind about people downloading her music for free, “because you know how much you can earn off touring, right? Big artists can make anywhere from $40 million [£28 million] for one cycle of two years’ touring. Giant artists make upwards of $100 million. Make music — then tour. It’s just the way it is today.”

Similarly, she knocks bands that don’t really try to work hard to please the fans, and who just expect them to automatically buy each album:

“I hate big acts that just throw an album out against the wall, like ‘BUY IT! F*** YOU!’ It’s mean to fans. You should go out and tour it to your fans in India, Japan, the UK. I don’t believe in how the music industry is today. I believe in how it was in 1982.”

Like Mariah Carey, it looks like Lady Gaga has realized that this concept of Connect with Fans and giving them a Reason to Buy works at the superstar level just as much as it does down at the indie artist level. The specifics of implementing a business model around the concept are very, very different — but the core concept remains the same. Treat your fans right, learn to leverage what’s infinite to make something scare more valuable, and then sell the scarcity.

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Things have been pretty stable today (albeit down), but a bout of selling has come over the market in the past several minutes, and the Dow is off nearly 1% with out 50 minutes to go in the day.

It’s the same story with the S&P 500, though last week’s big loser, the NASDAQ, is holding up pretty well, though it’s down after having been in the green all day.

Some other notable markets include gold, which is up very nicely, and the euro, which has dropped below $1.24.

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Over the weekend, Jeff Collins at the O.C. Register noted that the “Central Park West” complex in Irvine, California that was mothballed by Lennar in 2007 is now back on the market.

And from Amanda Fung at Crain’s New York: ‘Shadow’ condos dim sale outlook (ht Nick)

A little over two years ago, SDS Procida suspended plans to market The Dillon, its 83-unit Hell’s Kitchen condo, when residential real estate tanked … the developer finally put the units on the block three weeks ago.

…

“It is still early—you’re not seeing a flood of apartments yet—but we may see it happen during the second half of the year,” says Jonathan Miller, chief executive of appraisal firm Miller Samuel Inc.

…

Mr. Miller estimates that there were 6,500 units of shadow space in Manhattan alone during the first quarter of this year. If those apartments were unloaded all at once, supply would potentially skyrocket by 70%.

The term “shadow inventory” is used in many different ways. My definition is: housing units that are not currently listed on the market, but will probably be listed soon. This includes:

• Unlisted new high rise condos as discussed above. Note: these properties are not included in the new home inventory report.
• Homeowners waiting for a better market. Some of the increase in inventory in April might have been sellers hoping to take advantage of the tax credit. This includes the accidental landlords who will try to sell as soon as the market improves and the current tenant’s lease expires.
• REOs, foreclosures in process and some percentage of seriously delinquent loans (some will cure, some are already listed as short sales). See: Mortgage Delinquencies by Period
• It is difficult to put a number on the total, but it is in the millions of units and all this inventory will keep downward pressure on house prices for some time.

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vitamins nutrients

Vitamins For Hair Loss – Discover the 9 Important Vitamin Nutrients to Overcome Your Scalp Problems

Have you just discovered a sudden and unexpected loss of hair? Many folks will encourage you to simply take vitamins for hair loss but you must seek an urgent health checkup from your doctor, registered medical practitioner or dermatologist to determine just exactly what may be the cause of this condition.

You will then need to establish a well balanced vitamins for hair loss program that incorporates several attacking fronts at the same time if you really want to restore and maintain the good health of your scalp.

The 9 essential nutrients to regain and promote a healthy scalp

1. Vitamin A (found in fish liver oil, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, apricots and peaches). Plays a role in a variety of functions throughout the body, such as immune function, maintaining normal skin health, hypokeratosis (white lumps in follicles). Warning: Consuming a large quantity of vitamin A daily is toxic to the body.
2. Vitamin B3 – niacin (found in brewers yeast, wheat germ and fish). Boosts scalp circulation.
3. Vitamin B5 – pantothenic acid (whole grain cereals, brewers’ yeast and egg yolks). Prevents strand falling and graying.
4. Vitamin B6 (brewers’ yeast, whole grain cereals, vegetables and egg yolks). Essential for protein and red blood cell metabolism and for the nervous and immune systems. It is helpful in prevention of thinning of strands.
5. Vitamin B12 (fish and eggs). Assists in preventing hair loss.
6. Vitamin C (citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwifruit, cantaloupe, pineapple, tomatoes, green peppers, potatoes and dark green veggies). Promotes healthy skin and hair and ensures the health of capillaries supplying blood to follicles.
7. Vitamin E (cereals, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, soybeans, eggs, cold-pressed vegetable oils, wheat germ oil, raw seeds, nuts and dried beans). Increases the oxygen in our system and improves circulation to the scalp.
8. Vitamin H – biotin or B7 (royal jelly, brewers’ yeast, liver, legumes, soybeans, swiss chard, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, carrots, almonds, eggs, onions, cabbage, cucumber, cauliflower, goats’ or cows’ milk, raspberries, strawberries, halibut, oats, and walnuts). Biotin is necessary for cell growth and is shown by many studies to stimulate and maintain a healthy scalp.
9. Vitamin B9 – folic acid, also known as folacin or folate (leafy vegetables such as spinach, asparagus, turnip greens, lettuces, dried or fresh beans and peas, fortified cereal products, sunflower seeds, liver and liver products and certain other fruits and vegetables and bakers’ yeast are rich sources of folate). Both children and adults require folic acid to produce healthy red blood cells and prevent anemia. It is also essential to numerous other bodily functions.

What about the important minerals & herbs?

Don’t forget the minerals essential to maintaining a healthy head of hair: zinc, calcium, manganese, magnesium, iron, copper and sulphur. Plus the herbal extracts: horsetail silica, saw palmetto, indian ginseng, omega-3 and evening primrose.

These are found in the same fresh produce as for above listed vitamins or produced from ground herbs or herbal extracts and are available in capsules, tablets or powder form.

So, the first plan of action to get the vitamins for hair loss you need is to eat regular, fresh and well balanced meals, alternatively you can undertake a daily course of balanced tablet or capsule supplements.

My personal recommendation of the best action to take today is using a totally natural solution which can be checked out here on my website. It is a new, highly effective, well-priced and totally natural remedy which includes all the necessary vitamins for hair loss that will produce no side effects whatsoever.

About the Author

Alan Wheeler is a dedicated researcher of current hair loss issues affecting both men and women. To learn about this new, highly effective natural hair loss remedy that Alan recently discovered and is now using daily, check out his web site at http://hair-loss.achievebetterhealth.com/ and see how it stacks up against other common hair loss treatment options.

What vitamins/nutrients are present in Psidium Guajava?

Same as stated above. By the way, Psidium Guajava is “guava”.

can’t find the Atlas

[phpbay]vitamins nutrients, 100[/phpbay]
The Truth about Vitamins & Supplements – Clinical Nutrition

Vitamins Nutrients is a post from the Vegetarian Vitamins Guide blog where you can find suggestions and advice from vegetarians and vegans on vegetarian diets, supplements, vitamins and overall nutrition.

The Intelligent Handling : its automation skills allow MARCEAU to provide customers with complete solutions.

Our automation/industrial computing design department develops all the programs which allow to :

*** Drive the installation : selection of the functioning (manual mode, automatic mode …), drive the manual modes, selection of the orders of manufacturing
*** Visualize : operating modes (manual mode, automatic mode …), faults on the lines, the placing of pallets on the facility, the follow up of pallets, the status of sensors, the active steps to facilitate the operations of maintenance

Another major contract won by DITEC has been completed in one of the largest shopping centres in Italy: the brand new Auchan shopping centre, recently opened in Catania.
Porte di Catania is the name of this new shopping centre developed over a huge area of 52,000 square metres; a big mall boasting an Auchan hypermarket, as well as 150 shops and a Decathlon outlet.
This is the site where DITEC, with the cooperation of its area dealer Di.Tec, run by Mr. Pino Contina, has installed as many as 40 Valor sliding pedestrian doors. This type of door has proved a highly reliable door and is already installed in many other large distribution outlets.

Sixty automatic doors which operate almost all pedestrian entrances in the shopping centre – from the ground floor doors to the entrances leading to underground car parks, to the terraced areas, to Decathlon outlet doors.
DITEC Valor automatic pedestrian doors, all TÜV certified, are unique not only thanks to the wide range of models offered, to the efficient remotely controlled monitoring system (DMSC) they are fitted with, but also to the large number of additional devices, which make them highly reliable and safe, especially in high traffic areas.

However, despite their large number, Valor automatic pedestrian doors are not the only doors installed by DITEC!
DITEC has also supplied and installed, with the cooperation of Di.Tec, of Mr. Contina, and of its partners, ten Smart high speed roll up industrial doors used for goods handling and people access inside and outside the shopping centre.
Smart are sturdy flexible roll up doors, easy to install and to maintain or even repair.

Ten more industrial sectional doors have also been installed for goods loading and unloading, as well as four Qik automatic barriers fitted to control access to the car parking areas.

LumaSense Technologies, a leading provider of infrared thermography, non-contact temperature and gas sensing solutions, today announced the release of its IMPAC Portable Pyrometer Series 8 pro.
With the IMPAC product line, LumaSense Technologies offers a broad variety of advanced pyrometers. The portable pyrometer series 8 pro is a revision of the 15 year-old proven plus series which has been optimized to suit special customer requirements. The aluminum die-cast housing is specially designed for mobile, reliable and efficient use under rough industrial conditions. The instruments feature full digital signal processing, resulting in wider temperature ranges as well as higher accuracy. Depending on the application, pyrometers with different measuring ranges are available. For high temperature applications, e. g in manufacturing of steel and glass, the IS 8 pro is available in two temperature ranges between 600 and 2500°C. For the medium temperature range, e.g. in metal processing application, the IGA 8 pro comes with a measuring range of 250 to 1600°C. The IS 8-GS pro is a special foundry version for the measurement of pouring streams.

The pyrometers now feature a large multifunctional display, so that the measuring results can be viewed and analyzed directly on site. Additionally, the instruments are equipped with a user-friendly keypad to select and modify all available parameter settings.

The easily focusable precision optics provides very small spot sizes for measuring distances up to 500 mm. With the optionally available high quality conversion lenses, very small spot sizes of minimum 0.8 mm can be achieved. The bright, optimized view finder with exact spot indication and built-in temperature display facilitates the accurate aiming on the object.

The extremely short response time of 1 ms allows exact measurements of fast moving objects and a very quick detection of temperature differences. The maximum temperature can be stored in the built-in peak picker (maximum value storage). The large data storage capacity permits comprehensive documentation of all process-related measured data and their subsequent interpretation.

Moreover, comprehensive software solutions for data analysis and reporting and other accessories are available

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Buick

Last week, we heard rumors that Buick had finally decided to produce the Regal GS but no official announcement came from General Motors headquarters.

This morning as U.S. media gathered to drive the Regal in California, the GS officially became a reality. And while our man Michael Harley is on the launch, we also just received an email from Dayna Hart in GM communications proclaiming:

“At wave 1 of our drive program for Regal we just confirmed that the Regal GS will be added to the Buick portfolio. We are not providing any additional details at this point.”

As the quote notes, Buick isn’t sharing any other details about the GS such as timing, or what engine will be in the car. We’re expecting that Buick will stick with the 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct-injected Ecotec inline-four that was listed on the spec sheet for the concept version shown at the Detroit Auto Show last January. However, now that Hyundai has announced the Sonata Turbo with 276 horsepower, we’re expecting that Buick will try to ensure that the Regal GS will have more than the 255 hp announced back in January.

Live photos by Sam Abuelsamid / Copyright (C)2009 Weblogs, Inc.

Officially Official: Buick Regal GS is a go! originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 May 2010 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A lot of details have spread out all over the internet about Killzone 3, and it appears that this is an announcement that couldn’t wait for E3 2010. Guerrilla Games held a small presscon in Amsterdam and

Grand Isle, LA is holding an emergency meeting tonight to determine the fate of 18 summer fishing rodeos. But the outlook looks bad.

“There’s a 90% chance it won’t happen,” commissioner and rodeo director Bob Sevin said about next weekend’s Speckled Trout Rodeo. “I wouldn’t be surprised if all of them are canceled.”

The Speckled Trout Rodeo brought in thousands of visitors last year at $20-a-ticket. Money raised at the rodeo is donated to community groups, including a beach beautification program — “Just what we need with all that oil” Sevin said.

Most of Grand Isle’s fishing rodeos raise money for the community. They also bring around 150,000 visitors to the town of 1,500, generating vital trade for local businesses.

Check Out Pictures Of The Town Covered In Oil >

Disclosure: The author owns shares in BP and Transocean.

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One of the highlights in this week’s update into Nintendo’s online stores is a game based on the enigmatic murderer, Jack the Ripper, where you’ll be in Scotland Yard to try and bring him in. Then there’s

South Carolina State Rep. Nikki Haley denies the claim of a blogger that they had engaged in an affair several years ago. Haley stated, “I have been 100 percent faithful to my husband throughout our 13 years of marriage. This claim against me is categorically and totally false.”

The accusation made by the blogger was seen as an act to ruin her rapidly-rising campaign for governor. Haley stated that it was less than a week after a poll showed that she was leading the field in a June 8 primary that the issue was brought up which makes it dubious. Other candidates, aside from Haley, running to replace Sanford in the June 8 primary are Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, Rep. Gresham Barrett and State Attorney General HenryMcMaster. Haley had been receiving endorsements from the former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

Will Folks wrote on his blog, “I refuse to play that game. I refuse to have someone hols the political equivalent of a switch-blade in front of my face and just sit there and watch as they cut me to pieces. The truth in this case is what it is. Several years ago, prior to my marriage, I had an inappropriate physical relationship with Nikki. That’s it… This network of operatives has made it abundantly clear that in the process of ‘taking down’ Rep. Haley, they will also stop at nothing to humiliate me, destroy my family and take a sizable chunk out of the credibility this website has managed to amass for itself.” The president of the blog, Nancy Mace, stated that “circumstances beyond his control compelled our founding editor, Will Folks, to address a personal matter Monday morning on FITSNews.com”

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Filed under: Hybrid, Performance, SUV, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Porsche, Luxury

In its new television commercial for the 2011 Porsche Cayenne, Porsche proudly promotes the middle letter in SUV, that “U” that stands for “Utility.” Because that’s why you’d buy a Cayenne, right – utility? Regardless of genuine or ersatz purchasing reasons, the commercial makes the new Cayenne look just and sound just as good as it does in real life, although the script is a bit staid, if we’re being honest.

Follow the jump to see the spot, and if you want to do a little dreaming yourself, you can always head over to the Cayenne configurator, now up and fulfilling (almost) all of your virtual wishes.

[Source: YouTube via Autoblog.it (translated)]

Continue reading Video: The 2011 Porsche Cayenne commercials have begun

Video: The 2011 Porsche Cayenne commercials have begun originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 May 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s widely known that China tries to widely censor political dissent online, but modern technology makes it possible to communicate widely not just on the internet. And, so, it appears that China is also looking to plug the “analog hole” in its Great Firewall — at least in Tibet. The gov’t is so concerned about photocopier machines, that printing and copy shops in Tibet will be required to take down detailed identifying information from everyone who uses the shops.

The authorities in Tibet apparently see printing and photocopying shops as potential channels through which unrest can spread. One Chinese print shop operator in Lhasa, who is of the majority Han ethnicity rather than Tibetan, said that her husband had been summoned to a meeting last week on the new requirements.

“You know sometimes people print documents in the Tibetan language, which we don’t understand,” said the woman, who gave her last name as Wu. “These might be illegal pamphlets.”

While some suggest that China’s censorship efforts are working well, when you get down to the level of trying to prevent people from making photocopies, it makes you wonder just how desperate the government is getting in trying to prevent any kind of speech it doesn’t want… and reinforces just how impossible a task it is to censor people in this manner.

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As Ram and Dodge travel down a different road, the Ram brand will move forward keeping the old ram’s horn logo while Dodge vehicles will simply get a logo saying “Dodge.”

Hoping to keep its sporty/youth oriented niche without the Ram pickups, Dodge CEO Ralph Gilles adopted the two red slashes of Chrysler’s SRT performance brand.

“It signifies our sporty character,” Gilles said. Most SRTs are Dodges.”

While the red slashes will appear on signs, advertising materials and owner’s manuals, the Dodge name will stand by itself in the new script without the two red slashes.

The first vehicle to sport the new Dodge logo will be the 2011 Charger and an upcoming 7-seat crossover that will replace the Dodge Durango.

– By: Omar Rana

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

When it comes to news we pick up from Famitsu, there’s really no guarantee that the heat in Japan will blow over to the West. Knights Contract, however, was very quick to get a European and North

Filed under: Crossover, Hatchback, BMW

It appears that BMW may have overestimated the U.S. market appeal for high-end versions of the 550i Gran Turismo, and executives now acknowledge that the six-cylinder 535i probably should have been available at launch. It’s not unusual for an automaker to launch an all-new model by shipping mostly loaded, top-level versions in order to absorb the maximum number of dollars from early adopters, but sometimes that approach backfires if the market isn’t ready for the new vehicle.

Case in point is the 5GT, of which BMW has apparently sold fewer than 1,200 units in the U.S. since the launch of the polarizing people mover late last year. Interestingly, BMW has found that more women than expected have bought the model, while its less-than-stellar fuel consumption has hurt sales in a still-weak U.S. economy. Gran Turismo sales are apparently ahead of projections elsewhere, but those other markets launched with both gasoline and diesel inline-six engine choices.

Given that the 5GT is best suited as a road trip machine, it might make sense for BMW to install the 3.0-liter diesel from the X5 and 335d as an alternative to the twin-turbo V8. So far BMW has not indicated any plans to offer a diesel GT in America, but the less costly 535i GT is still slated to arrive in the Fall.

Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: AutoWeek]

Report: Slow early sales have BMW thinking 5GT should’ve launched with six-cylinder originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 May 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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