General Motors’ climate control engineers call him The Iceman – a high-tech top gun whose team created a way to make vehicle passengers feel much warmer or cooler than the cabin temperature in which they are seated. The result: more-precise comfort control on the 2012 GMC Terrain.
The Iceman – his real name is Jeff Bozeman – says an instinctive sense of frugality drives him to find ways to make heating and cooling systems more efficient.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53864-gm-bozeman-virtual-hot-cold-comfort-gmc-terrain
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS), today revealed the NS4 advanced plug-in hybrid concept vehicle at the 2012 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The NS4 signifies Toyota’s vision for future mobility with a focus on connectivity and the human interface.
Toyota engineers were challenged to design a new mid-sized concept for potential global market introduction by 2015. The NS4 concept is a dedicated plug-in hybrid, separate from the Prius family, designed with future mobility requirements in mind.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/54013-toyota-ns4-advanced-plug-in-hybrid-concept-naias-detroit
Representing the leading edge of a wave of new products and technologies, Acura today unveiled three new vehicles at the North American International Auto Show, including a concept version of the all-new gateway to the Acura brand, the ILX luxury compact sedan; a prototype of the 2013 RDX crossover sport utility vehicle; and the NSX Concept, which presages the direction for Acura’s next-generation supercar.
Acura also announced that the next-generation NSX will feature Acura’s innovative new Sport Hybrid SH-AWD® technology and that the vehicle will be developed by Honda R&D Americas and manufactured in Ohio.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/acura/45743/
As wars end, the hardship continues. Servicemen are still stationed overseas, families remain left behind and veterans return to an economy stuck in the doldrums. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation’s Return the Favor campaign supports programs and services that work to ease the burden on America’s active-duty military, veterans and their families.
One key part of the campaign is the Unmet Needs Program. The program assists with basic life needs such as rent, mortgage, utilities, vehicle repair, medical expenses or food/basic assistance. It has helped over 3,000 military families and funds are available to all five branches of the military, as well as members of the National Guard and Reserves. Since 2004, the Unmet Needs Program has provided more than $4 million dollars in financial assistance to deserving military families.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53538-vfw-foundation-return-the-favor-campaign-on-national-tv-series-giving-back
The North American International Auto Show 2012 (NAIAS) has expanded its footprint inside Cobo Center and its outreach into the social media sphere as it prepares to open for Press Preview, Jan. 9-10, 2012.
With an additional 25,000 square feet of main floor exhibit space, and the anticipated unveilings of dozens of the most exciting production and concept vehicles in the world, NAIAS 2012 is speeding towards two full days of press conferences. And, with an increased presence on social media sites Facebook and Twitter, the word is out, wider than ever before.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53547-north-american-international-auto-show-cobo-center-detroit-january-2012
The list of winners of the Institute's TOP SAFETY PICK award is longer than ever this year, with vehicles in nearly every size category the Institute evaluates earning accolades. From minicars to sedans to pickups, consumers have a record number of choices among 2012 models.
In all, 69 cars, 38 SUVs, 5 minivans, and 3 pickups earn TOP SAFETY PICK. The award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rollover, and rear crashes based on ratings in Institute evaluations. The ratings, which cover all 4 of the most common kinds of crashes, help shoppers pick vehicles that offer the highest levels of crash protection. Because the federal government now requires all 2012 and later passenger vehicles to have electronic stability control to help drivers avoid loss-of-control crashes, ESC no longer is a requirement to win as it was in prior years.
The winners’ circle includes 18 new recipients for 2012, while 97 models that previously qualified for the 2011 award carry over to 2012.
When it comes to making sure the Chevrolet Cruze is as durable as it can be, Dave Schoener and his teammates are all wet.
As a GM splash test engineer, Schoener helped develop an innovative splash shield for the Chevrolet Cruze that protects the engine compartment from water and potentially harmful contaminants.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53559-chevrolet-cruze-goes-shields-up-for-max-protection
Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid is Volvo Car Corporation’s most technically advanced model ever. The world’s first diesel plug-in hybrid is an electric car, hybrid car and muscle car all rolled into one.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/volvocars/52801/
Elevating the notion of recycling to an art form, Lexus challenged four of fashion’s most inventive designers to rethink their notions of automotive design for an advertising campaign to appear in Vogue. Using some of the more than 2,000 individual parts of a completely dismantled Lexus CT hybrid, a vehicle that is 90 percent recyclable*, the designers created fashionable works of art as part of The Lexus Fashion Workshop.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53341-lexus-fashion-workshop-vogue-ct-art-basel
Kbb.com Offers Advice on Choosing New Cars Predicted to Maintain Value over Five-Year Ownership Period
Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new and used vehicle information, announces the all-new 2012 model-year vehicle winners of its annual Best Resale Value Awards, recognizing current and forthcoming vehicles for their projected retained value throughout the initial five-year ownership period. Since depreciation (or loss of value) is typically a car buyer's primary expense during ownership, these awards, like all of kbb.com's new- and used-vehicle information, are designed to help consumers make more informed car-buying decisions.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/53276-kbb-best-resale-value-awards-2012/
Hybrids have a safety edge over their conventional twins when it comes to shielding their occupants from injuries in crashes, new research by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), an affiliate of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, shows. On average, the odds of being injured in a crash are 25 percent lower for people in hybrids than people traveling in nonhybrid models.
The new finding is more good news for green-minded drivers who don’t want to trade safety for fuel economy. Not so long ago, car buyers had to choose between the two because fuel-efficient cars tended to be smaller and lighter. Now, consumers have more options than ever when it comes to picking an environmentally friendly — and crashworthy — vehicle.
For more information, go to: www.iihs.org
