Toyota develops rear window airbag

TOKYO–Toyota Motor Corp. has developed a rear window air bag to upgrade protection for back-seat passengers.

In the event of a rear-end collision, the air bag is ejected from the roof lining above the rear window and spreads like a curtain to protect the heads of the rear passengers.

Toyota said Tuesday the rear window curtain-shield air bag is the world's first.

The new safety gear will debut in the "iQ" compact four-seat vehicle, to be introduced later this year.

As part of an effort to attract buyers, Toyota has tried to make side air bags and shield air bags standard features.

Fiat launches super-tuned 500 Abarth

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Fiat's 500 Abarth promises to be a sought after baby hot hatch when it arrives in the UK next year, but just in case its 135bhp isn't enough for you, there's the new esseesse tuning kit.

The esseesse (pronounced simply 'S S') will be unveiled at the Paris Show alongside the racing version of the 500 and it goes a lot further than just a more powerful engine.

New 17-inch alloy wheels - available in white or a titanium finish - form part of the kit and really add to the sporting appearance of the Abarth model.

Lowered springs enhance the stance too, while new cross-drilled brake discs are fitted front and rear, along with high-performance brake pads at the front.

Performance is boosted by the 160bhp 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine, with 0-62mph taking 7.4 seconds and a top speed in excess of 130mph.

Although the esseesse tuning kit is only sold on mainland Europe through authorised Abarth showrooms, it's possible that UK buyers will obtain their cars through regular Fiat dealers. Prices have yet to be announced. Billet grills

Small Classic Car Auction Lures Deep Pockets

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The Worldwide Group auction at the end of August wasn't technically in the city of Auburn. But the Auburn name spells special car auctions to so many, that it likely seemed the best marketing approach.

But one would never confuse the Worldwide Auburn sale in a rural setting with the Kruse International event a few miles to the north. There were far fewer cars at Worldwide, there was no swap meet and, at least on the preview day, there were no vendors of Polish sausage and elephant ears.


Worldwide sheltered its products from the late-summer sun and dust of Indiana. Some vehicles even enjoyed an air conditioned setting, where prospective buyers could review them in complete comfort.

There were a few sales in the $20,000 range on August 30. Most required deeper pockets or longer lines of credit, with a 1959 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series III SWB the biggest sale of the weekend at $2.5 million. There were 80 cars for sale; 52 of them sold in the August 30 event.

Several other rare and desirable cars brought six figures. A few went home unsold.
 1953 Buick Super Estate Wagon sold for $99,000.
On the welcoming committee, with outside-the-tent duty on August 29, were a green 1929 Duesenberg J convertible coupe with swiveling headlamps and a 1953 Buick Super Estate Wagon clad in wood. The Buick brought $99,000 (prices include buyer's premium). The Duesenberg Derham convertible went for $742,500.

Nothing came close to the sale price of that '59 Ferrari 410 Superamerica, but there were some respectably high figures in addition to the Duesenberg Derham. A perfect, white 1911 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Roi-des-Belges brought $522,500, and a 1934 Packard Twelve Model 1107 seven-passenger touring car went for $495.

A 1960 Mercedes-Benz 300SL roadster sold for $545,000.

The most modest sales included a bright-blue 1929 Franklin Model 137 seven-passenger Oxford sedan, a 1932 Chevrolet Confederate standard two-door sedan and a 1954 Chevrolet 3100 Series _-ton pickup truck going for $22,000 each.

Worldwide's next auction is slated for November 1 at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
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Audi Develops Free A4 Racing game for iPhone

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Audi has created Audi A4 Driving Challenge for the iPhone. Five tracks are included, each one more difficult than the previous. The lap time and track time are displayed. The game, which renders graphics from an overhead perspective, uses the iPhone’s accelerometer for steering, with on-screen buttons to operate the gas and brake pedals. “The iPhone is an ideal platform to help introduce the entirely new Audi A4 to the public,” said Scott Keogh, chief marketing officer, Audi of America. “Audi customers are smart, sophisticated and technologically savvy. As a brand, we are committed to progress and innovation at every turn. We’re very excited to be the first automotive manufacturer to connect with our audience through the iPhone.” The 2009 Audi A4 will be available starting with September 2008.
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Skoda Octavia Scout

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Stretching its legs on a couple of lengthy motorway journeys of late. The first was a trip of to Le Mans for the annual 24 Hours extravaganza, where we met up with fellow Yahoo! long term reporters Shane and Kyle. My trip from Perthshire took me to Reigate via the Lake District on the first leg south, and on the second day to France through the Channel Tunnel and on to La Sarthe for the race. Like the others, camping was the order of the day and the Scout's boot coped easily with tent, deck chair, clothes and muddy boots. The return leg was a doodle as I managed to miss the crush leaving the circuit and ambled up the peage with the cruise control set at the French legal limit of 130km/h to make it to my Boulogne overnight stop. Another day, another long motorway trip as I collected my wife in London and headed home. All in, 1,700 miles in four days and the Scout shrugged it off with ease.

We're loving the -

The front seats. After the trip to Le Mans, an early start was required a few days later to have me at a mid-morning meeting in Birmingham. Dragging myself from a warm bed was made marginally easier thanks to the Skoda's superb seats. All the way to France and back and then during the return trip to Brum, not so much as an ache, creak or twinge - and this is from someone who suffers from a bad back. The trip home from Birmingham was frustrated by the M6 being closed south of Manchester, so a cross-country jaunt over the Peak District to the M1 also showed up how easily the Scout shifts from motorway cruiser to back road rouser. Throughout all of these long distance hi-jinks, the other element of comfort that has left a deep sense of satisfactions is the Octavia's stereo. With an MP3 connection as standard and my iPod plugged in, the speakers belt out my questionable choice in music with clarity and more than enough volume for my delicate ears. This is an important point when covering plenty of miles, which I'm more than grateful for after hearing of Kyle's woes with the Mazda's speakers.

But not so impressed by -

There's something loose underneath the dash. Even more frustrating is it's an intermittent problem as whatever is rolling around free must sometimes become lodged and ceases its campaign of torture. Whatever it is, it's easily upset by back road bumps that cause it to jump into life. A trip to the local dealership will hopefully cure this under warranty and be the first test of Skoda's service network that I've encountered since taking possession of the Octavia Scout's keys.

We're looking forward to -

Believe it or not, some towing. New house means lots of rubbish to cart to the dump and a recent session of garden clearing has left me with a pile of refuse too big and filthy to put inside the Skoda. So, it will be a first time test of the Scout's optional tow bar pack and only the third time I've dabbled with the black art of reverse parking with a trailer. Still, it will be worth it to be able to see the back garden again. If all goes well with the trailer, I may even be brave enough to make use of a borrowed caravan to head off on holiday later this year.
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News + Weekly Product Review: aFe Air Filters

I know, I know, we missed last weeks product review, but things have been moving and shaking here so I’ll give you the scoop on what we’ve been up to: we now have a Truck Racks and Van Racks department! In this new area of our site, you’ll find all the gear you need to add more hauling capacity to your truck or van. We’ve got new ladder racks in stock that are easy to install and can help secure your work gear in style. You can also check out the new hauler racks, which gives you extra overhead storage for bulky items that can weigh up to 1,200 pounds! And to save that back window from getting smashed by shifting equipment, we beefed up our selection of headache racks to give your truck the protection it deserves.




For the weekly product review, I wanted to let ya’ll know about the new high flow aFe filters we just got in stock. It’s called the aFe Pro-Dry S air filter; it’s washable, reusable, and oil free. That is a trifecta of benefits as you’ll never have to buy another air filter again and you don’t have to get your hands oily when recharging the filter. aFe Pro Dry air filters have a 99.2% filtration effieciency, so you know it’s doing its job to protect your engine. Backed by a lifetime warranty, this air filter will be the last one you ever buy for your vehicle.
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Hybrid Race Car Planned For Endurance Series.2

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Ten living ago, forte car maker Panoz vehicle Development also partyed with Zytek to polish a cross thrilling chase car called the Q9 that was parallel to the Corsa Zytek, says Mr. Pruitt.

If you liked the first section of this article, stay tuned because we have more to follow in the next section!

But its batteries weighed hundreds of pounds and the Q9 nicknamed Sparky -- abortive to modify for a chase. Mr. Pruitt says he has been work his new car the Q10 out of admire for that early power. vehiclemobile racing has long been touted as a focus of study and polishment that eventually finds its way to cars customers can buy. But nowadays sequence like Nascar's gallop Cup use technology that is crude compared with that found in the usual family car. American Le Mans officials say companies that chase in their sequence, with Volkwagen AG's Audi group, broad Motors Corp. and Honda Motor Co.'s Acura describe are polishing systems that will seem in boulevard cars inside a few living.

New diesel boulevard cars from Audi and Volkswagen burn cleaner and have surprisingly high horsestrength and fuel efficiency, in part because the fuel systems and engine-rule electronics were polished on the path in Audi's diesel-strengthed R10 chase cars. The Corsa Zytek cross, the Audi diesels and other chase cars strengthed by E85 are part of what the sequence calls the Green Challenge, which awards prizes for efficiency. Mr. Atherton of American Le Mans says the Corsa party's power is the creation of widespread acceptance of crosss. "I think cross strength will presently be part of the automotive fabric across the timber."

In closing, it will benefit you to seek out other resources on this topic if you feel that you dont yet have a firm understanding of the subject matter.
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