autopartswarehouse

Green cars are have gradually penetrated the market as a good number of these pro-environment vehicles grace various auto shows in the past months. The Japanese automaker Honda is among the companies that have ventured into such technology and came out with the Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell that was one of the green cars showcased at the Los Angeles Auto Show held in the sunny state’s convention center last November 16 until the 25th.

The Honda FCX Clarity is the latest offering of the company that boasts of zero emission courtesy of its fuel cell power source. Running solely on hydrogen or water, this futuristic vehicle is capable of up to a 160-kilometer per hour speed, which translates to as much as 430 kilometers. Supplementing the power generated by the hydrogen tank is the lithium ion battery. Both these power sources make the electric motor of the car function. Moreover, these generators are made to weigh lesser than the recent Clarity version.

By the first to the second quarter of next year, the Honda FCX Clarity is slated to be available in the United States. California, however, is privileged as the company is keen in allowing southern motorists to rent a few of these green cars in summer. With that, these fortunate drivers can test the said capabilities and other offerings of this Honda find.

Source: AAP.

After learning about defective fuel pipes geared in several Lexus models, the Toyota Motor Corporation has immediately recalled these high-end Japanese passenger cars sold in and outside Japan.

The giant Japanese automaker straight away took back the sub-standard equipped products that include the Crown, Lexus, and Mark X, which were all sold in its own country, according to the company’s representative Yoshie Matsuura. To date, there are already 39 accidents caused by these defective fuel pipes in Japan according to the country’s Transport Ministry. Despite these recorded accidents, however, there were no reported casualties or injuries connected with these models.

Toyota’s products like the Lexus IS250 ad GS350, on the other hand, were taken back by the automaker from the United States. A total of 26, 274 of these luxury cars were recalled immediately.

According to Japan’s Transport Ministry, these defective auto parts are easily prone to premature wearing out like having cracks, lead, rust, among others, that can lead to bigger chances of fuel leaks.

In the last years, Toyota has been suffering from similar problems because the company is keener in meeting the clamor of the market, thus the quality of its products has been set aside. With this alarming realization, however, the Japanese automaker has promised its patrons that it will now come up with more quality-made vehicles to avoid such inconvenience.  

Details from gmanews.tv

A new Volkswagen plant opens today in Kaluga, which is the city found in the western part of Russia, that coincides with the statement from the Germany Company saying that this transcontinental country is the next big thing in Europe by 2009 in terms of the auto market.

According to Martin Winterkorn, who is the chief executive officer of VW, along with Finance Chief Luca Maestri of General Motor Europe, Russia is foreseen as a potential revenue-reaping country in Europe for automobile makers. Two years from now, he stated that there is a foreseen huge clamor for the latest vehicle models in Eastern Europe, which includes Russia. As a cushion for the sudden shift of car demands, the Kaluga-based Volkswagen plant, which is slated to start formal operation in the first quarter of 2008, along with a Pune-based Indian auto parts plant, is aimed to produce an output of 150,000 units every year.

If automobile sales in the countries in the western part of this continent would continue to plummet until next year, on the other hand, there is a big chance that the automakers will not get much from this region.

Details from Reuters.

Car thieves are everywhere. Whether it is day or night, these sneaky people strike the vehicle when the owner least expects it. There are instances, however, when the violator would even harass

someone just to get the car keys. Of the countless safety gadgets available, the Shock Car Key might

just work for the second scenario.

The Shock Car Key is a new gadget that is aimed to literally shock thieves with an electric jolt coming from it. This new auto part will work as a phony key for the crook. Once he or she tries to open the automobile with this, it will immediately send small electric charges that translate to a little pain.

There is a downside in the $51-Shock Car Keys. The huge ‘shock’ word in bold capital letters is placed on the side of the gadget. For that, it may already give the person a warning about what the supposed car key is really for. Minus the sort of warning, this device can actually work as it gives just enough time to run for help or to call the authorities.

Source: MacWorld.

Countless auto parts come out every month that can range from big and illuminated wheel hub to the most diminutive sensor. People flock to places where they can get huge discounts, like the Black Friday sale, among others. This month, there is an addition in the long shopping list as the new breed of auto part accessory dubbed as the Venturi Mini.

The Venturi Mini, which is carrying a tag price of $130, is a Bluetooth tool for vehicles.

When installed inside the cabin, one can make and take calls without necessarily holding the mobile phone. Through its small screen, one can actually see who is calling. This relatively small kind of convenience can also help prevent mobile phone-related accidents.

Another use of the Venturi Mini is for the car’s stereo. With the sound system connected to this Bluetooth device, music streaming is possible. Moreover, calls can be heard through the sound system with this installed.

Equipped with a USB port, the Venturi Mini is set to hit the market by next month both in the cyber and regular electronic stores.

Full story on NY Times.

The ongoing Los Angeles 2007 Auto Show is a showcase automobile craftsmanship of various automobile companies around the globe. Like every year, thousands of cars as well as auto parts, are unveiled. This year, like few years back, hybrid cars or the green cars take center stage in this annual exhibition.

Horsepower and speed alone can no longer survive in this motor show wherein participating companies have continuously spent much to shoulder researches and tests to come up with the greenest vehicle on the planet. In recent years, most of the debuting cars and futuristic concept cars have similarities that are all geared toward alternatives source of energy, such as hydrogen, diesel, or hybrid engines. These types do not produce so much harmful emissions that can exacerbate the current state of air pollution. Such environment-friendly vehicles also have a place in the sunny-state of California as its federal government has recently appealed to have its emission standard.

At the beginning of the L.A. auto show, however, the American-made 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid was the one hailed as the 2008 Green Car of the Year at the unveiling press conference of the event. The Green Car Journal chose the Chevy Tahoe because it is the first medium-built sport utility vehicle that made use of a spanking new two-mode hybrid system. Despite of its size, it can deliver lower emission levels and yet produce efficient power.

The annual auto show, which showcases new models, futuristic concepts, fresh auto parts and customized cars, started last November 16 and will run through until the 25th at the LA Convention Center.

Participants as well as automobile enthusiasts troop down to Florida’s famous Daytona International Speedway on Sunday to take part in the annual vehicle festivity dubbed as the Turkey Run.

For more than three decades, this auto exhibition, which showcases mostly vintage cars and original equipment manufactured auto parts, has wowed countless locals as well as tourists. Like every year, the show is set to offer a wide variety of good finds that range from affordable OEM auto parts to refurbished vintage cars. Such event will also be an avenue where people can sell and trade automobiles and other car components.

An amateur racing event will also part of the Turkey Run. Local motorists and some visitors, who are hungry for speed, are set to show off their stuff in the well-known Daytona International Speedway.

Interested participants must pay $10. Those who will be bring kids who are 11 and under can go in the event for free.

Go to News Journal Online for more info

Second-hand smoke is said to be the most dangerous. A non-smoker who is near someone who is puffing a cigarette gets to involuntarily breathe in the smoke, which can surprisingly linger inside the lungs for hours. Consistent intake of the second-hand smoke can lead to various respiratory health problems. Canadian legislator Leonard Krog is very much aware of the danger of second-hand smoke, thus he pushes for the Smoke Free Car Act in British Columbia.

Krog, who is from B.C.’s opposition MLA, is keen in passing such bill in his jurisdiction. The Smoke Free Car Act includes disallowing anyone to smoke inside a vehicle while children below 16 are also inside. With great support from other legislators, British ColumbiaCanada to ban smoking inside the car. might be the very first province in

He believes that those who do not smoke suffer the most. Young children, for example, that are driven to school by their parents who smoke get to inhale and to suffer early on. Moreover, Krog stated that if such habit continues, these students will not only endure respiratory difficulties but as well as affect their performance in school. Because of continues exposure to second-hand smoke, there is a tendency that the kid’s brain will be clouded with too much Carbon dioxide in the long run.

Drinking and driving is definitely not a good combo. When these two are combined, there are broken fenders, shattered windscreen, and loose tires, among others. Aside from the beaten vehicle, things can be a lot worse as injuries and fatalities are also likely to occur. To prevent such unfortunate scenarios in the United Kingdom, the UK government is looking into implementing the breathalyses technology for all automobiles.

Breathalyses, which is already widely used in Northern America and Australia, is a technology that evaluates whether a driver is fit to drive or not before successfully unlocking the door. When the device has concluded that he or she has an alcoholic level beyond the limit, the driver will not be permitted to start or even to enter the vehicle.

What Car? Magazine has stated that the UK government hopes that such auto part can reduce the number of drinking and driving-related car accidents in the country. Every year in Britain, an alarming 570 motorists and passengers are injured or killed because of drunk drivers.

At present, only the Swedish automakers Saab and Volvo have the Alcokey and Alcoguard features, respectively, that prevents drivers under the influence of alcohol from entering the automobiles. The Alcoguard, however, will only be available starting first quarter of 2008.

Details from UK NetCars.

Automobiles sprout like mushrooms. Every now and then, car companies across the globe come out with new vehicle models to the delight of motorists. These are geared with high-performing auto parts as well as new found car technologies. As more and more people are enticed to buy these four-wheel machines, the noxious emission level is doubled. Thus, the European Union (EU) continuously asks all the automakers to produce better engines.

EU sees it important that car companies have to be keen not only in releasing new models but also give equal importance to the performance of the engines. With the rate of how car ownership is going, which is a good five percent every year, the power plants really have to be that efficient in order to offset the harmful emissions produced by all of these automobiles.

In Europe, this government agency it announced a plan regarding its standard emission for new vehicles. Three years from now, EU hopes to achieve emission that is only 130 grams of Carbon dioxide in every kilometer. It may take a longer time than the 2012 deadline because last 2004's statistics still recorded 162 grams of Carbon dioxide.

The region's automobile industry, however, expressed that the deadline is a bit too early if EU wants to implement the policy to every model. Moreover, it also stressed that engines are already efficient and just will just need tweaking to further achieve that 130 grams of CO2.

For now, car makers, especially those based in Europe, just have to wait for the final rules regarding the standard Carbon dioxide emission for automobiles.

Details from UK BBC.