Daihatsu releases new compact gasoline car on market

Daihatsu Motor Co. began marketing its new compact car "Mira e:S," the most fuel efficient non-hybrid gasoline car on the market.

The car runs around 30 kilometers to the liter, and is Daihatsu's try to capture a share of the green car market with an extremely efficient gasoline car. Such cars have been called the "third" type of green car after hybrids and electric vehicles.

"We've returned to the things that create compact cars appealing. Low price, good fuel economy, and little use of resources and forced them to the limit," said Daihatsu President Koichi Ina at an announcement of the Mira e:S's sale in Tokyo. In add-on to superb fuel economy, the Mira e:S's price tag has been kept low, with prices starting at 795,000 yen.

The car carries a new engine with enhanced fuel-burning efficiency and a function that turns off the engine automatically when speed drops to seven kilometers per hour or lower. By finding ways to decrease the number of parts, engineers made the car around 60 kilograms lighter, or about 8 percent lighter, than earlier cars in the Mira line.

To maintain prices down, Daihatsu used parts from Chinese and South Korean makers for the first time. "We cannot permit our company to be adversely affected by foreign exchange rates," said Ina, who expressed his intent to increase imports of parts from abroad.

"Interest in compact cars has grown-up, and we are expect a boost in demand," said Ina. The company predicts high sales of the new car: 120,000 for the first year, and 50,000 for the rest of this year.

The company plans to initiate technology used in the Mira e:S into other car models, including ones made and sold in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Brand new Fiat Panda 2012 model revealed

The third generation of the admired Panda model in its 31year history has just been officially revealed by Fiat and it has a more flexible exterior design with rounder lines but its power still remains under the 90 HP barrier.



According to the automaker, the new Panda model comes with four airbags, anti-lock, daytime running lamps, sunroof and electric power steering, some of them as standard, a few available as an alternative, Fiat didn’t say which is what yet.



The 2012 Panda is powered by Twin Air two-cylinder petrol engine delivering 64 BHP in the 0.9 Aspirated TwinAir form and 84 BHP in the 0.9 liter Turbo. A larger 1.2 liter and 68 BHP petrol unit is also existing, along with the 1.3 liter Multijet diesel which is developing 74 BHP.



The engines will be affiliated to Fiat’s Dualogic robotized manual transmission and the stop/start system will also be available.

The building quality of the new Panda generation will be enhanced by using 603 state-of-the-art robots and the new 2012 model will come in production in winter 2011 at the Giambattista Vico plant in Naples.

Seventh Generation Camry was Introduced by Toyota

Toyota introduces today the all-new, seventh-generation Camry, America's best-selling car for nine years running & 13 of the past 14 years.

The 2012 Camry introductions a bold, sophisticated new design with a wider interior, improved driving dynamics and an even quieter ride than before. Since from Introduce, Toyota has sold more than 15 million Camry models world-wide.


"The all new 2012 Camry blends a development of the car's values such as comfort, efficiency, reliability and safety with a more attractive design and engaging driving experience," said Bob Carter, Toyota Division group vice president and general manager.

The Toyota Camry once again offers three power train choices, all of which have been enhanced for 2012 to give better fuel economy and more responsive performance.

All Camry models with the revised 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that offer 178 horsepower, an increase of nine hp, and 170 lb.-ft. of peak torque.

EPA-estimated fuel economy figures are 25 mpg city/35 highway, and the 28 mpg combined is two more than the earlier generation Camry. The 2.5-liter engine employs Dual VVT-i (Dual Variable Valve Timing-intelligent), which controls valve timing on both the intake and exhaust camshafts for optimal performance and efficiency at all engine speeds.



The Acoustic Control Induction System (ACIS) help optimize torque over a broad engine speed range.
To tease out the Camry’s claim to improved performance, Toyota proclaimed that the 2012 model would be the official pace car at the Daytona 500 Nascar race next year.

Denny Hamlin, who drives for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Sprint Cup series, piloted a Camry appareled in pace-car livery onto the Paramount Studios lot during Tuesday’s presentation.

Maruti Suzuki expect New Swift sales in Festival Season

Maruti Suzuki doesn't anticipate cutting vehicle production in September as the forthcoming festival season and an upgraded version of the Swift hatchback will likely drive more customers to its showrooms.

"I don't think we'll involve to cut production beyond August," Mayank Pareek, managing executive officer for sales and marketing at Maruti, said at the introduction of the upgraded Swift hatchback.

Two month long festival season, which begins in the last week of September, is considered auspicious to make new purchases in India.

India's largest car maker Maruti by sales, fell 5% in the April-July period to 317,187 autos. That compares with a 4% arise in total sales of cars and sport-utility vehicles in India to 785,204 autos.

"The Swift has been a bestseller since it’s established. We wait for even better demand for the new Swift," said Shinzo Nakanishi, chief executive and managing director.

Maruti introduced Swift small car in May 2005, and since sold more than 600,000 units of the model. The Swift is one of the Maruti's bestselling models with a waiting period of up to six weeks.

Maruti has already got orders for 50,000 units of the upgraded Swift, Mr. Pareek said, adding that the company will lift production capacity for the car because of the strong demand. Also he added that Maruti will raise Swift's production to 17,000-18,000 a month by November from about 12,000 currently.

Chevrolet Beat Diesel Car Faces a New Challenge

General Motors India (GMI) has recently established the diesel version of its most popular hatchback Chevrolet Beat, which has acknowledged rave reviews and gushing response. Chevrolet Beat's petrol model and LPG version have already received warm welcome from Indian customers.



GMI has great hopes from the newly launched Beat Diesel model and anticipates that it will certainly add to its reputation. At the launch of the diesel variant, GMI President and MD, Karl Slym said, “Offering a diesel engine developed for Indian consumers in our most popular model is a momentous achievement for GM India.”



The Beat Diesel was designed with the goal to effectively cope up with the fuel worries as it provides the ARAI certified mileage of 24 kmpl. Beat Diesel accompanies 1.0 XSDE SMARTECH Engine, designed specifically for Indian market by the Bangalore based GM Technical Centre in partnership with GM Power-train Europe. It renders 58.5 PS at the rate of 4000 rpm with 150 Nm torque. Furthermore, Beat Diesel will prove to be economical as the engine oil will need to be changed only once in 1.5 years. The car allows better fuel economy and superior emission performance too.

The model's 65% high-strength steel body cage provides better resident safety. The sleek and stylish interior of the model is complemented by an advance in-dash integrated ice-blue lit music system. Additionally, the new Chevrolet Beat Diesel model costs between Rs. 4.40 lacs and Rs 5.5 lacs and comes with three years or 1 lac kilometre warranty.



GMI has great hopes from Beat Diesel and expects it to touch new borders of success; however, the way is not as smooth as it was speculated. The dynamics of auto business will surely change after the government indicated on Thursday that dual pricing of diesel may be introduced to remove the subsidy enjoyed by car owners.

Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, affirmed in the Lok Sabha that passenger cars were consuming about 15% of the diesel supplied in the country and that "we can try to work out mechanism, so that this section is not subsidised".



Oil Minister, Jaipal Reddy, also supported the Finance Minister's concern about the subsidised diesel. Besides, all these statements are coming at a time when most of the car manufacturers are working hard to maximize their share of the domestic diesel car market. Moreover, the number of sales of diesel cars has risen over the last few years only as diesel is cheaper than petrol.

All the car manufacturers have voiced their bear on as any change in policy or an additional tax on the fuel would harm an already sulky auto market. Besides, domestic car sales has already faced constant decline, which is 10% year-on-year in July. This is the worst statistics since the 7% decline in January 2009.



General Motors India President Karl Slym said "We are for market-driven price of diesel. Already the sales of car and passenger vehicles are sluggish in the domestic market and any change in policy will further impact it". However, GMI is not taking it as a fatal issue, as the Vice President of GM India, P. Balendran, adds, “We have diesel models, but diesel has other advantages than simply being a cheaper fuel. Diesel technology today is cleaner and fuel efficiency of diesel vehicles is higher. We would rather let the consumer choose according to his requirements”.

There are lot of hurdle race in the way, but GMI hopes that all these issues will not hurt Beat Diesel sales that much as it is ready to face all challenges boldly.

BMW introduces new i3 and i8 hybrid concepts

BMW has fully dedicated itself to the battery-electric driving revolution by setting up a whole new sub-brand - BMW i - devoted to emission-free motoring. Now, the i group has released details of two concept cars that appear set to become production models within a few years.

The i3 concept is a fully-electric city car with an everyday driving range of about 160 km (100 miles) per charge, and the i8 is a sporty 4-seater plug-in hybrid that combines electric and petrol drive to give a good compromise among emission-free commuting and petrol-powered range and performance.

Both cars make widespread use of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) to keep weight down, and both offer a raft of fascinating new driver assist and efficiency initiatives that look likely to make it throughout to the real world.



The BMW i3 - all-electric city boy

First up is the town car getabout - the i3. As a fully electric car, it's mainly aimed at urban commuting, but its battery range is conditioned to a level a little beyond that. On the FTP72 cycle, it's rated for 225 km (140 miles), but BMW says the car's everyday range, being driven by regular lead-foot clowns like you and I, is more like 160 km (100 miles).

Acceleration is in the range of 8 seconds to 100 kph (62 mph), but it should be fairly zippy off the line, as it develops 100 percent of its torque from a standstill. Top speed should be about 150 kph (93 mph) - but that's electronically limited, because autobahn speeds can be brutally draining on most electric vehicles.




The i3's large battery pack sits under the floor of the vehicle in a slab that's protected from crash damage by a number of buffer zones in the structure. As batteries are typically the most expensive part of an electric vehicle, you'd surely want to protect them.

The 170 hp electric motor, single-gear drive system and differential are located over the driven rear axle, and there's room there for an optional range extender - a high efficiency petrol engine that putts away and brings forth electricity to charge the batteries. With the range extender on board, you can roughly double the i3's range, and fill up at any petrol station.



The BMW i8 - a clean, hybrid all-rounder

While the i3 is best suited to round-town usage, the i8 has broader dreams. It uses the same electric motor as the i3, this time mounted over the front axle, in conjunction with a three-cylinder, 220 horsepower petrol engine over the rear axle. Blended, you're looking at a 354 horsepower all-wheel-drive with 550 Nm of torque.

All wheel drive isn't altogether accurate though - the i8 constantly proportions the power between the front and rear drive systems according to how the car is being driven. With a much smaller battery system than the i3, the i8 can only manage around 35 km (20 miles) in full electric drive mode - but then, that would cover an emission-free commute for the majority of people.

The true value of the hybrid system comes with longer range driving, where on the EU cycle, the i8 carries off a banging 104 miles per gallon (2.7 liters per 100 km). Driven hard, the fuel consumption will double, but don't forget that the Toyota Prius is advertised as a 50 mpg hybrid and is nowhere near as much fun.



Like the i3, the i8's top speed is electronically governed, but this time at a very sporty 250 kph (155 mph), so it'll hold its head high on any autobahn. The i8 will hit 100 kph (62 mph) in a brisk 5 seconds or less, decent sports car territory there, and the car's entire underbelly is totally enclosed to boost aerodynamic efficiency and cut down fuel consumption.

Common features



The i3 and i8 share a contrive philosophy and a number of characteristics worth talking about.

LifeDrive component separation and CFRP

Both cars are built on the LifeDrive philosophy, which separates the drive and passenger components and treats each differently. The Drive components, including engines, suspension, structural and crash protection functions, are chiefly housed in aluminum structures, while the Life elements - effectively the passenger cell - are designed using high strength, featherweight, carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP).

Accelerator/Decelerator pedal and regenerative braking

Even as they incorporate it in different ways, both cars feature a regenerative braking system to hold the battery topped up and cut down wear on the conventional brake system.

On the i3, this comes in the form of an accelerator/decelerator pedal, with which you're either on the gas, coasting, or braking depending on how far the pedal is pressed down. BMW approximations that around town, you can do as much as 75 percent of your braking this way - that is,without lifting your foot and hitting the brake pedal at all - and in our experience with other regenerative braking systems, that's not far off the mark. The regenerative braking system can contribute back up to 20 percent extra range to the battery charge, and it's very sensitive to use.

The press release is less clear about how the system works on the i8 - or how it works in with the petrol engine - but we assume it's somewhat similar, including a brake pedal which seems to use the regenerative system for the first part of the pedal travel, and the conventional disc brakes beyond that.

Intelligent Electronics: Proactive Front Protection, Parking Assistant, Traffic Jam Assistant

Driver aids abound on the i3 and i8, including frontal collision warning systems that flash, beep and eventually hit the brakes for you if they find out you're going to hit something.

Parking Assistant is a press-button parallel parking system that not only manages the steering to lead you into your parking spot, but also handles the accelerator, brake and gear changes for you, even if the park takes a few moves.

Traffic Jam Assistant is a wonderful stress-saver that holds a constant distance from the car in front, all the way from standstill to 40 kph(25 mph), and actually provides active steering input as well to keep you inside your lane. You just need to keep one hand on the steering wheel as you drift off to sleep.

Smartphone integration

Equally with all things in the future, the i3 and i8 will be highly integrated with your smartphone. You can use your phone to find your car,lock it, unlock it, make it beep its horn or flash its lights.

Your smartphone can also tell you where the nearest charging stations are, and through integration with the navigation system, it can tell you where to walk once you've parked your car to get to your destination.

ECO PRO mode

ECO PRO mode immediately changes the accelerator response characteristics so that you're constantly using less power for a given throttle application. It caps top speed at anywhere between 90 and 120 kph (56 and 75 mph), and it reduces the effectiveness of heating and cooling systems so they consume less too.

Whenever things get really scary, ECO PRO+ mode sets in and basically closes down everything except the absolute essentials, like demisters and whatnot. Top speed is reined in to 90 kph (56 mph) and you can be certain you're getting maximum mileage.

It'll be fascinating to see what alterations on these two concepts if and when they hit the market - but it looks fairly clear that through its i division, BMW is serious about emission-free motoring and ready to get into the game with some pretty competitive products.

Toyota’s new pre-crash technology is taking control of the car

In an unstoppable race to cut down the number of car accidents, united with the newest achievable technology, the Japanese auto maker Toyota is working on an unusual safety system which will take control of the car’s steering to avoid accidents so the vehicle can veer away when it isn't able to stop before impact.

New Pre-Collision System (PCS) from Toyota will use a super sensitive radar called “millimeter-wave” radar and two cameras with infrared night vision and, according to the manufacturer, it will take control of the steering wheel and “change the direction of the vehicle” to avoid hitting an object.

The vehicle computes how braking and steering must be applied to avoid a crash, said chief safety technology officer Moritaka Yoshida.

"We must learn from accidents and keep making improvements in safety features," he said.

Toyota said it was aiming for zero fatalities and injuries, although it did not say when that goal would be attained.


Another system on which the Japanese car manufacturer is working is an advance of the automatic high-beam headlights, where the technology can partially shade the high-beam lights to prevent blinding.

And if this wasn’t sufficient, Toyota is also working on a system which will notice the driver’s heath and in case of a sudden cardiovascular irregularity it can warn the driver or stop the car.

Cumbria's M-Sport launches two new rally cars

M-Sport has launched the new Ford Fiesta Regional Rally Car (RRC) – a variant of the Ford Fiesta RS WRC - to customers at the Cumbria-based company’s testing ground at Greystoke Forest this week.

The new Ford Fiesta RRC is based on Ford’s Fiesta RS WRC which arrogated a podium clean sweep at the FIA World Rally Championship season-opener in Sweden earlier this year.

Both cars share the same DNA but the Fiesta RRC features a 30 mm engine restrictor and aerodynamic modifications to qualify for the regional regulations. The RRC is supplied as a WRC variant with a kit of parts to enable it to be changed over to WRC specification in six hours.

The Fiesta RRC is directed at rallying’s most experienced drivers and marks the next step for drivers in their career after the extremely successful Ford Fiesta S2000.

The car is built to comply with FIA regional rally rules and the versatility of the car lets it to compete in national championships in its RRC guise but also in the World Rally Championship in its WRC variant. The Fiesta MS1 will complement the Ford Fiesta R2 and turn out to be the first step in Ford’s ladder of opportunity.

The MS1 is intended as the initial step for drivers in global markets including the USA, China, India and South America. Facebook pages have been set up to watch the progress of the new Fiesta RRC and Fiesta MS1 as they contend in regional rallies throughout the world.

M-Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:

“We are delighted to introduce the new Ford Fiesta RRC and the Ford Fiesta MS1 as both cars offer competitors more flexibility to help further their rallying career. M-Sport have been looking to expand the range of rally cars available to our customers and the latest additions have allowed us to provide two extra rungs to Ford’s ladder of opportunity.

The Fiesta MS1 offers drivers an introduction to rallying at an affordable level whereas the Fiesta RRC/WRC provides experienced drivers with the highest level of rally car but also includes the necessary components to convert it into a regional rally car. I look forward to revealing our new cars to the world rallying scene and to monitoring their performance in regional championships across the globe.”

World's 'most efficient' electric car unveiled by Gordon Murray

Gordon Murray has unveiled an electric car he claims is the most efficient in the world.

The T.27 shares its design with the ultra-compact T.25 city car revealed last year, and uses the same innovative manufacturing processes to deliver a three-seater EV with a 100 mile real-world range.

Gordon Murray Design's new model gets a modified 33bhp electric motor mated to a single-speed gearbox. The T.27 is limited to 65mph, but is said to hit that speed in less than 15 seconds.

It will return that performance while using significantly less energy than its rivals. According to Murray's company, the Smart EV uses 29 per cent more energy per km, with the Mitsubishi iMiEV and Mini-E on 36 per cent and 86 per cent.

Like much of the designer's work, the secret here is the T.27's low kerbweight. Murray has delivered a realistic electric car which weighs in at just 680kg, including the normally prohibitively heavy battery.

On unveiling the car, Murray said: ''Lightweight is the most powerful tool we have in our armoury in the fight against emissions and fuel expenditure. This is true of all cars and especially so with electric vehicles.''

The T.27 is intended as another showcase of Gordon Murray Design's new iStream manufacturing method, and turning it into a production actuality depends on someone investing in the entire process.

That could just be a matter of time though, as the firm is said to already be in discussions with three interested parties.

Motoring Memories: Duesenberg J and SJ, 1928-1937

Among the thousands of automobile nameplates throughout history, America’s Duesenberg J and SJ ranked with the worlds greatest. They were the equal of such famous marques as England’s Rolls-Royce, Germany’s Mercedes-Benz, France’s Bugatti, Italy’s Isotta-Fraschini and Spain’s Hispano-Suiza.

The J and SJ were the creation of German-born Fred and August Duesenberg, who came to America as children in the late 1800s. Growing up in Iowa, they were keen cyclists with enough natural mechanical capacity to build their own race-winning bicycles.

With the emergence of motorized vehicles, the brothers were soon dabbling in motorcycles and cars. In 1906, with backing from a Des Moines lawyer named Mason, they began production of the Mason car, a high-quality performer that won hill climbs and races. The company prospered and in 1910 was bought out by the Maytag Company, improved known for washing machines than for cars.

By 1913 the Duesenbergs were able to classify their own Duesenberg Motor Company in St. Paul, Minnesota, to build automobile and marine engines. They were soon producing winning racing cars that were made famous by such legendary driving greats as Eddie Rickenbacker and Ralph Mulford.

This attracted New York capital and in 1916, a $1.5 million venture was organized and a enormous factory constructed for the Duesenberg Motors Corp. in Elizabeth, New Jersey. This was during the First World War, and car building was late while the plant turned out aero engines.

When the war ended in 1918 the brothers returned to the car-building venture with a four-cylinder engine, but their hearts weren’t actually in it. This led to their departure, leaving them free to think on their real love, an eight-cylinder overhead camshaft racing engine.

Lotus Looking to Partner with a Major Automaker Says Company CEO

Lotus CEO Dany Bahar has made several changes to the storied British brand since he joined the company in 2009 and he’s not done yet. In a recent interview he made known his desire to see Lotus split off from its present Malaysian owner Proton, in search of a major global automaker – like Toyota.

According to Bahar, Lotus will need a partner in order to offset the cost of meeting strict new emissions ratings and crash tests. If a partner can’t be establish, Lotus could look at spinning off into a private company with publicly traded stock.

Rumors of a tie-up with Toyota are only too simple to generate with both automakers sharing a long-term partnership, with Toyota supplying engines in cars like the Elise since 1994.

Bahar’s plan is to build up Lotus as a serious rival to Porsche, with total sales reaching everywhere from 6,000 to 8,000 units annually by around 2015. In order to achieve this significant growth Lotus has already unveiled its New Era plan to expand several new models including a new Elise, an Esprit and even a possible city car, among others.

According to a report by Inside Line, the company is developing a latest aluminum tub to be shared across these models, which weights 220-lbs less than the 520 lb one used in the Evora.

New BMW 328 Hommage

BMW has uncovered a surprise new car this weekend at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este classic car demonstrate, to mark 75 years of the BMW 328.

The BMW 328 Hommage is an amazing modern day reinterpretation of the 1930s classic, which BMW has dramatically debuted at the lavish Italian classic demonstrate.

It is the latest in BMW’s line of ‘Hommage cars’. These are design studies created by BMW’s chief stylists, which are their take on how a model line could have evolved had it remain in production.

The first BMW Hommage car was the 2008 BMW M1 Hommage: be expecting such models to become a BMW staple in future years, as a celebration of the firm’s past icons.

Style by BMW design director Adrian Van Hooydonk, the BMW 328 Hommage is a streamlined design with the ‘taut surfacing’ style that seems to be developing into a prospect BMW theme.

The silhouette is flat with a strong wedge shape and a distinctive front bonnet line. All design elements have been done to make the 328 Hommage look very low, extensive and sporting.

The kidney grille is also famous, while the leather straps and distinctive alloy wheels with ‘knock-off’ centre bolts extra add to the retro air. It is an incredible-looking machine that MSN Cars will bring to you in fuller detail next week.

Europeans see U.S. market for new small luxury cars

As head of Mercedes-Benz USA in the late 1990s, Mike Jackson was determined to keep the clumsy, expensive A-class small car out of the United States.

The original A class, you would say, 'Oh, my God. I will never be capable to sell that to anybody. What can I do to keep it out of the U.S. so I don't have to deal with it?'" Jackson recalls.

Americans were unwilling to pay premium prices for little cars then, even if the cars wore luxury nameplates. And sales of such cars remain low.

But European luxury brands aim to change that noticeably in the next few years. Eager to increase sales and meet strict government fuel economy standards, they plan to roll out new small cars with premium prices and luxury content.

Now Jackson's on board. Mercedes-Benz unveiled a concept version of the redesigned A-class coupe in April at the New York auto demonstrate. Jackson, on the other side of the fence as CEO of AutoNation, the country's biggest automotive retailer, calls it completely beautiful.

Daimler car sales up 7.7% on China demand

FRANKFURT - GERMAN carmaker Daimler said its passenger car business sold 7.7 per cent more vehicles in April, helped by continued tough demand for luxury cars in China.

We continue to be hopeful about the second quarter, during which we want to boost sales above last year's level,' Mercedes-Benz Cars sales chief Joachim Schmidt said in a statement on Wednesday.

Vehicle sales in China, including Hong Kong, jumped 47 per cent to a record level of 16,536 units. In the United States, where the largely car market grew 18 per cent in April, Mercedes-Benz sales edged up 2.3 per cent.

Rival BMW earlier said it expected US sales to persist growing while Chinese demand would slow this year.

Rutgers student club designed, assembled race car shown at N.Y. International Auto Show

NEW YORK — On the main floor of the New York International Auto demonstrate last weekend, thousands of car lovers crowded around the glitzy displays where Chevy, Volkswagon, Toyota, Ford and dozens of other carmakers unveiled their most recent models and concept cars.

One floor up, 6-year-old Cameron Birnbaum climbed into a little race car with wide eyes. Among the hundreds of vehicles at the auto show, this one was special, Rutgers University senior David Gumpert explains to the Boston boy and his mother.

We intended it ourselves. And we take it out and race it, said Gumpert, an electrical and computer engineering major from Hunterdon County.

Man bailed after reservoir deaths

A man has been bailed after a collide in which a woman lost her mother, husband and two foster children when their car plunged into a reservoir. The woman has been described as "deeply traumatized".

The 23-year old man, detained on suspicion of causing the four deaths by dangerous driving, has been released on bail.

The four people died, believed drowned, when the people transporter they were travelling in plummeted into a reservoir in Wales on Wednesday. It is believed that the man's Ford Mondeo may have been accountable for forcing the people carrier off the road.

The woman at the wheel of the people carrier was the only person to endure the horrific accident, and was described today as "deeply traumatised" following losing her 84-year old mother, 66-year old husband, and two male teenage foster kids.

What ZipCar's IPO means for car-sharing

Car-sharing company ZipCar is expected to hit the public markets afterward this week, after some fits and starts caused by anti-trust issues in Britain. It would have an preliminary market cap of approximately $618 million, were it to price its IPO at the high end of its future $14-$16 per share range.

To get a better sense of what this listing could mean for the burgeoning car-sharing market, I spent various time on the phone with Shelby Clark, founding CEO of Relay Rides, a Google Ventures-backed company that lets users "borrow" their neighbors' car (ZipCar owns its individual fleet).

Up your street - Microsoft's take on Streetview

If you live in London you may see a car with cameras mounted on the roof coming down your street more the coming weeks. You are probable to assume that it's those folks from Google refreshing the Street view service which shows views along just about every road in the UK. But you'd be wrong - the car will be operated by Google's deadly rival Microsoft.

As it tries to make its Bing search engine a more potent rival to the company that dominates search, Microsoft is sending its cars crossways London to start building something called Street side. This service is already obtainable in the United States and is now coming to Europe. According to Microsoft, Street side "provides a true-to-life view you can explore to get a feel for a place and plan your activities. Travel along streets, view storefronts and parks, and navigate to destination without an address.

Ah, you might think, that sounds just like Street view. No, no, says Microsoft, it's very dissimilar. For one thing, we won't be going up every street, just sticking to downtown areas and traveler locations. For another, we will be distant more careful about telling everyone in advance that we are doing this.

When Google was gathering the images for Street view it ran into a number of privacy rows, particularly when residents of a village near Milton Keynes forced the driver of one of its cars to turn around and depart because they were sad about his cameras peering over their hedges.

Cars after Japan's quake: Toyota, Nissan, and Honda plan to restart production

Despite the huge difficulties the Japanese car industry is facing, analysts say automakers will be capable to recover in the year ahead.

Tokyo
As every car owner knows, it only takes one missing part to carry a car to a screeching halt. And the average car contains anyplace from 20,000 to 30,000 parts, many of which – even in American-made cars – come from Japan.

As disaster-hit Japanese automotive manufacturers and parts suppliers resist to resume operations, the global auto industry hasn't fairly come to a standstill, but it is suffering losses in production of hundreds of thousands of vehicles, amounting to billions of dollars.

We’ve already seen production at GM, Ford, Renault, and Peugeot being disrupt, says Christopher Richter, a Tokyo-based auto analyst for the Hong Kong-based CLSA investment group. The auto supply chain is a bit similar to a house of cards; and there are going to be some surprises popping up in the form of sudden shortages down the line.

Still, despite the enormous difficulties the industry is facing, analysts say automakers like Toyota, Nissan, and Honda will be capable to recover in the year ahead.

Putin rides first Russian hybrid car to see Medvedev

(Reuters) - Avid car lover and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin herd Russia's first gasoline-electric hybrid car on Friday to visit supporting partner President Dmitry Medvedev.

Called Yo-mobile, the car is a personal project of billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, who has said it could bring Russia a spirited edge in the global automotive industry, where the country is better known for its boxy Lada cars.

I would like to drive your Yo-mobile to Dmitry Anatolievich (Medvedev), and demonstrate it to him ... I hope your Yo-mobile will not fall apart on the way, Putin told Prokhorov at a meeting just outside of Moscow.

About 5 kilometers (3 miles) detach Putin's Novo-Ogaryovo country residence, nestled in a pine forest exterior Moscow, from Medvedev's home in Gorki.

The car, whose name is a play on a Russian swear word, drives both on petrol and ordinary gas.

It has a rotary engine and uses ultra capacitators, an energy-storing device seen as an choice to lithium-ion batteries, which are installed on all other hybrid cars presently in production.