Part car geek, part glam girl, Vlachakis insists, “Design is going to be the big thing to pull us out of this mess.” It’s a mission launched by GM products chief Bob Lutz, who has restored power to designers. “They’re back to basically running the asylum,” Lutz said in an interview last week. “Design is the last great differentiator in products,” Lutz said. “All cars work well. They all have about the same fuel economy. They’re all safe. They’re all comfortable. They all have heat and air-conditioning. What you’re left with is, ‘Do I love it? Do my friends admire it? Do I feel good about myself when I drive it? When I’m sitting in it?’”

While Michigan is still heavily involved in design, Detroit is absorbed in designing vehicles that will be produced and on the roads in the next few years, while the more distant future is unfolding out West. Every major automaker is represented in Southern California, with advance design studios spread from the beaches of Santa Monica to the outskirts of San Diego.

Designers wax about the state’s natural beauty and the inspiration they draw from its sunsets and coastline. But there are more practical reasons. An LA studio allows automakers to capitalize on the area’s creative talent and forward-thinking tendencies. The Solstice, for one, was conceived in GM’s design team in North Hollywood. “I thought about the car on the Pacific Coast Highway early in the morning, the way it would look, the way it would feel,” Vlachakis said.

She then spent the next few years in Detroit trying to hold on to that image as the vehicle worked its way from show car to factory floor at the Warren Tech Center. When the Solstice went on sale in 2005, GM sold the first 1,000 online in 41 minutes. By that August, when the Solstice went into production, Pontiac had orders for 12,000 more. A year later, while most Pontiac vehicles were sitting on lots for months, the Solstice moved in less than three weeks. BusinessWeek dubbed the Solstice “Pontiac’s Budget Porsche.”

There are many different colleges in which one would be able to study graphic designing, which they can in turn use to create their own unique vehicles for the future. Some of the more popular colleges to choose from are University of Pheonix, ITT Technical Institute, and Collins College.

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Both use a troop seat kit for troop transport operations. The cargo/troop carrier can also be configured in a four man crew configuration. The vehicles can climb 60% slopes and traverse a side slope of up to 40% fully loaded. The vehicles can ford hard bottom water crossing up to 30 inches without a deep water fording kit and up to 60 inches with the kit.

Fully-loaded M998, M998A1, M1038, and M1038A1 cargo/troop carriers will climb road grades as steep as 60% (31°) and traverse a side slope of up to 40% (22°). The vehicle fords hard bottom water crossing up to 30 inches (76 centimeters) without a deepwater fording kit and 60 inches (152 centimeters) with the kit. The M1038, M1038A1 are equipped with the self-recovery winch which can also be used to recover like systems. The M998A1 and M1038A1 models have the latest modifications applied to the vehicles. The only difference between the M998 and M998A1 cargo/troop carriers and the M1038 and M1038A1 cargo/troop carriers is that the M998 and M998A1 do not have winches and the M1038 and M1038A1 do.

The M998 is the baseline vehicle for the M998 series of 1 1/4-ton trucks, which are known as the HMMWV vehicles. The HMMWV vehicles include 11 variants. They are: M998 Cargo/Troop Carrier; M1038 Cargo/Troop Carrier, with winch; M1043 Armament Carrier; M1044 Armament Carrier, with winch; M1045 TOW Carrier; M1046 TOW Carrier, with winch; M997 Ambulance, basic armor 4-Litter; M1035 Ambulance, 2-Litter; M1037 Shelter Carrier; M1042 Shelter Carrier, with winch; M1097 Heavy HMMWV. All HMMWVS are designed for use over all types of roads, in all weather conditions and are extremely effective in the most difficult terrain. The HMMWVS high power-to-weight ratio, four wheeled drive and high ground clearance combine to give it outstanding cross-country mobility.

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Alot of hard work, sweat, and many different auto parts go into keeping those vehicles running and looking their best. That is why it is important to find the best parts that can be found for these vehicles. Unfortunately it isn’t always easy to find the parts that are needed.

We have recently stumbled upon site that not only provides the best parts, but it also provides them at an affordable price. Nengun Performance is one of the best wholesale suppliers that you can find on the internet.

They provide parts for the interior, exterior, and electronic gadgets for the vehicle. These parts come directly from Japan because they have most of the cutting edge parts that people love. Sometimes vehicles that are found in Japan cannot be found in any other part of the world. If you work with Nengun Performance they will be able to offer you that same vehicle.

They are a great place to work with and are ready to help everyone through this new year. Sign up with them today and you can check out their online magazine and see what you will need and what you want. Get a head start on that wishlist.

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Schumacher moves over 10,000 vehicles each year, including boats, RV’s, motorcycles, and more (not just cars) and have been in business since 1977. Their motto is “if it has wheels, we can move it”. With five US based warehouse locations, they make sure your vehicle is taken care of and is handled with the utmost attention to deal.

They offer customized pick up services that take into account your location, budget and overall requirements while providing pictures of what they’re transporting and staying in touch via email while possible. Their safety records for cargo shipment delivery have exceeded all industry standards so you can be confident that your vehicle(s) will arrive at their destinations in the same condition you handed them over in. Next time you need a car shipped, contact them for a shipping quote - you won’t be disappointed. This post was sponsored by Schumacher Cargo Logistics.

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The details are familiar by now, but that doesn’t make them any less impressive. For the CL 500, Brabus offers a tuning kit that boosts output to 419 horses, and for the more adventurous, a 6.1L engine upgrade that brings 462 ponies to the party. This is all well and good, but the big fun is reserved for the CL 600, which receives the Brabus 6.3L SV12 S Biturbo replacement engine. Its 730 horsepower is enough to make even the forthcoming CL 63 AMG weep. Tires will be happy to know that torque is electronically limited to just 738 lb-ft. That should enable them to last hours instead of mere minutes. A high-performance brake system is available to bring it all to a rest.

As is the case with every Brabus automobile, a full, tasteful aero kit is offered, complete with detail touches like integrated entrance/approach lights that make loading up and getting into the car at night a bit more pleasant. A lowered sport suspension, new wheels and tires, and a new exhaust system round out the technical improvements. In terms of creature comforts, Brabus will customize the interior to the buyer’s taste (good or bad).

The cost isn’t given, but expect it to be in the realm of “a lot.” For those who can foot the bill, a new rocketship awaits. Credit for this article goes to the Autoblog. You will find more photos and the press release there.

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The expert gang suspected of stealing two of David Beckham’s BMW X5 SUVs in the last six months did so by using software programs on a laptop to wirelessly break into the car’s computer, open the doors, and start the engine.

“It’s difficult to steal cars with complex security, but not impossible. There are weaknesses in any system,” Tim Hart of the Auto Locksmith Association told the U.K.’s Auto Express magazine. “At key steps the car’s software can halt progress for up to 20 minutes as part of its in-built protection,” said Hart.

Because the decryption process can take a while — up to 20 minutes, according to Hart — the thieves usually wait to find the car in a secluded area where it will be left for a long period. That is believed to be what happened to Mr. Beckham — the crooks followed him to the mall where he was to have lunch, and went to work on his X5 after it was parked.

While automakers and locksmiths are supposed to be the only groups that know where and how security information is stored in a car, the information eventually falls into the wrong hands.

According to the Prague Post leaving such information on a laptop is what got Radko Souček caught for stealing several cars. “You could delete all the data from your laptop, but that’s not good for you because the more data you have, the bigger your possibilities,” he says. He says any car that relies on software to provide security can be circumvented by other software. “Every car has its weak spot,” he says. Souček faces up to 12 years in prison.

The Leftlane Perspective: Many modern cars now rely on software entirely for security. Gone are the days where microchips supplemented mechanical locks as an additional security measure. In the case of true ‘keyless’ systems, software is the only thing between a thief and your car. As computers become more powerful, will stealing cars become even easier? Never mind future cars with better security — what about today’s cars a few years down the road? With cars as inexpensive as the Toyota Camry offering entirely keyless systems, these concerns a relevant to all consumers.

This article was originally written by Left Lane News, though it was so good we had to cover it

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The average cost of tank of unleaded in Ohio is $2.29 a gallon, which in comparison to this writer’s residence in the Golden State, is a full 58 cents less than the fill-up station down the road. Fine, we’ll see your cheap gas and raise you our ability to go skiing in our shorts.

Want to know what’s really strange about this? The gas in Ohio was over $3.00 a gallon all summer long but drastically went down for no apparent reason right after Labor day. Now I don’t know about other states, but in Ohio Labor day is the official start of the political campaigns… Coincidence?

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Why so much? Because they’re 2005 models! The third vehicle on the list, however, is the most appealing to us. Saab wants to get rid of the last remaining 9-2X models and is offering $5,000 off of the car’s base MSRP, which amounts to a substantial 21.75% discount on what is essentially a more luxurious Subaru WRX. The rest of the list is as follows.

• 2005 Kia Sorento – $5,000 (26.32%) exp. 1/2/07
• 2005 Kia Sedona – $5,000 (23.87%) exp. 1/2/07
• 2006 Saab 9-2X – $5,000 (21.75%) exp. 10/2/06
• 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Extended Cab – $4,500 (21.31%) exp. 10/2/06
• 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 Regular Cab (excl. SRT10) – $4,500 (21.28%) exp. 10/2/06
• 2006 Ford Freestar – $5,000 (21.14%) exp. 10/2/06
• 2006 Lincoln LS – $8,000 (20.36%) exp. 10/2/06
• 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis – $5,000 (20.18%) exp. 10/2/06
• 2005 Kia Spectra – $2,500 (19.46%) exp. 1/2/07
• 2006 Ford F-150 SuperCab – $4,500 (18.66%) exp. 10/2/06

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2. Search for comparative used-vehicle pricing. The development of Web sites such as Kelley Blue Book (kbb.com), AutoTrader.com and Edmunds.com have made searching for used-vehicle pricing information easy. Using these sites to compare prices will give shoppers a general idea of their desired vehicle’s price range without leaving the comfort of their homes.

3. Consider online classified ads. Online classified ads sites such as AutoTrader.com and cars.com are a competitive and convenient tool to give shoppers more options when considering a used vehicle. These sites allow sellers to post used-vehicle listings along with several pictures that can be viewed easily by shoppers, based on their preferred zip code.

4. Purchase or ask for a Vehicle History Report. Vehicle History Reports (VHRs) are an inexpensive way to check the track record of any used vehicle. According to the 2006 Used Autoshopper.com Study, nearly one-third (32%) of automotive Internet users receive a free vehicle history report from the seller. If your dealer or private seller does not offer a VHR free of charge, one can be purchased online through sites such as CARFAX.com and AutoCheck.com.

5. Search for financing and compare interest rates online. When shoppers have financing arranged ahead of time, it often gives them greater negotiating power when dealing with the seller. On most sites, applying for financing is fairly easy, and the interest rates offered by many online lenders are comparable to or possibly better than those offered by dealers.

Did You Know? The percentage of new-vehicle buyers who use the Internet in their vehicle shopping process remains steady at 64%. The rate for buyers 60 years of age and older shows an increase to 47%-up from 39% in 2003. Source: J.D. Power and Associates 2004 New Autoshopper.com Study (SM)

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Meanwhile, financial institutions like Capital One and Chase (think auto loans) are looking at online auto retail channels as a way to streamline the buying process for their loan clients – using volume buying power to guarantee a fixed price for its customers before they set foot in dealerships. Capital One has partnered with Zag – an internet-based company that brings its car buying expertise to affinity and membership organizations (think credit unions, buyers clubs like Costco, etc.). Even Amazon is rumored to be looking at auto sales.

Is this the death knell for the dealership? Well, no. By law, independent online sellers cannot buy “factory direct” – they must buy their cars from a dealer. Besides, virtual test drives aren’t very much fun.

Online Car Sales, Is Now The Time for You?

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