Burn Up Your Car

Eight Facts About Warming Up Your Car in Winter

Old habits die hard, and one of the oldest — still rigorously enforced by many drivers — is that "warming up" the car for a few minutes is necessary to avoid some kind of unspecified damage.

But idling is totally unnecessary, which is why many communities have enacted ordinances against the practice.

Don't take my word about idling being ineffective, but do listen to my mechanic, Rob Maier, who runs Maier's Garage in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

He says, "You don't really need to idle your car, because of the efficiency of modern fuel injection, which eliminated carburetors and chokes. The only reason to let the car idle at all is to get the oil circulating, but after 30 seconds that's a done deal. My truck has 150,000 miles on it, and I just throw it into gear and go."

Here are some quick facts and tips that should put the idling question to rest:

1. Driving warms the car faster than idling

If your concern is not the health of the car, but simply your own creature comforts, Bob Aldrich of the California Energy Commission points out that "idling is not actually an effective way to warm up a car — it warms up faster if you just drive it."

The coming electric cars, such as the Nissan Leaf, will incorporate a wonderful feature that allows the owner to use a cellphone to tell the car (which is plugged into the grid) to pre-warm or pre-cool the interior. No idling necessary.

2. Ten seconds is all you need

Environmental Defense Fund, which produced the Idling Gets You Nowhere campaign, advises motorists to turn off their ignition if they're sitting stopped for more than 10 seconds.

"After about 10 seconds, you waste more money running the engine than restarting it, said Andy Darrell, deputy director of the EDF Energy Program. "Switch the car off at the curb, and you'll be leaving money in your wallet and protecting the air in your community."

3. Idling hurts the car

According to the Hinkle Charitable Foundation's Anti-Idling Primer, idling forces an engine "to operate in a very inefficient and gasoline-rich mode that, over time, can degrade the engine's performance and reduce mileage."

The Campaign for an Idle-Free New York City points out that idling causes carbon residues to build up inside the engine, which reduces its efficiency.

[ Related: Five secrets to make your car last longer and save you money. ]

4. Idling costs money

Over a year of five minutes of daily idling (which causes incomplete combustion of fuel), the "Anti-Idling Primer" estimates that the operator of a V8-engine car will waste 20 gallons of gasoline, which not only produces 440 pounds of carbon dioxide but costs at least $60.

5. Idling in the garage can kill you

Idling a car in a garage, even with the door open, is dangerous and exposes the driver to carbon monoxide and other noxious gases. If the garage is attached, those fumes can also enter the house.

[ Related: Six surprising sources of indoor air pollution. ]

6. Block heaters beat remote starters

Lori Strothard of the Waterloo Citizens Vehicle Idling Reduction Task Force in Canada says, "Remote starters can too easily cause people to warm up their cars for 5 to 15 minutes, which is generally unnecessary."

A block heater, which is designed to heat the engine and can cost under $30, on a timer set to start one to two hours before driving, does the trick in very cold climates.

7. Quick errands aren't quick enough

Natural Resources Canada points out that leaving your car idling while you're running into a store on an errand or going back into the house to pick up a forgotten item is another way to waste gas and pollute both your town and the planet.

"Leaving your engine running is hard on your pocketbook, produces greenhouse gas emissions, and is an invitation to car thieves," the agency (PDF) says.

8. Idling is bad for your health (and your neighbor's health)

According to Minneapolis' anti-idling ordinance, "Exhaust is hazardous to human health, especially children's; studies have linked air pollution to increased rates of cancer, heart and lung disease, asthma and allergies."

Isabelle Silverman, who runs EDF's anti-idling campaign, says that car idling "is the second-hand smoking of the outdoors. One of the problems is that cars idle close to the curb, where pedestrians are walking. And when you have a child in a stroller, they are particularly close to the tailpipe. Studies show that children's IQ levels are lower when they live near major roads with lots of traffic." (A fresh study even links autism to freeway pollution.)

Alex Scaperotta, who created an anti-idling campaign with a classmate when he was in fifth grade in Wilton, Connecticut, came up with a slogan that was used on bumper stickers and websites: "If you're stopped for more than 10, turn it off and on again." Sounds like good advice.

[ Related: Five road-tested ways to pay less than $1 a gallon for gas. ]

Source:Yahoo.com

PROTON FESTIVAL TO ALL MALAYSIAN

Celebrating 25 years of evolution at Festival PROTON 1 Malaysia

In celebration of its 25 years of operations, a convoy of over 60 Proton vehicles, from the very first Proton Saga to the latest Proton Inspira, will be travelling across Malaysia as part of its Festival PROTON 1 Malaysia.

From 18 December to 31 December, the convoy will make 11 stops across Malaysia, each time culminating into fun-filled events showcasing local artists’ performances and Proton’s entire range of cars over 25 years.

The end of Festival PROTON 1 Malaysia will end with a bang celebrating the new year on 31 December.
Source:Proton

Chevrolet New Spark

Is it possible to launch a car without launching a car? GM did just that at the 2009 North American International Auto Show, revealing the first image of the 2011 Chevrolet Spark minicar while rolling out onto the show stand the similar 2007 Beat concept. The production hatchback will appear live and in the sheetmetal at the 2009 Geneva motor show, but we sat down with sources close to the program to learn a little bit more.

It Looks Familiar

It should. If you'll recall the 2007 New York auto show, you'll remember a trio of pint-sized concepts: the Beat, the Trax, and the Groove. Each represented a possible design direction for GM's forthcoming new production minicar. GM asked the public to vote for their favorite design on its website.

Some two million votes were cast, and the Beat came out on top. The sole photo shown of the production 2011 Spark is almost a dead ringer for the Beat concept, save for the addition of two rear doors. GM hasn't shown an interior photo, but sources suggest it too will closely ape the concept's cabin and include niceties like MP3 audio systems and Bluetooth connectivity.

From Bupyong, With Love

As with both the Aveo and the current Spark/Matiz (sold in Europe and other markets), GM's leveraged its Korean Daewoo subsidiary for both development and production. That will be the same for the new Spark. Although engineering was overseen by Opel in Russelshiem, Germany, most activity, including assembly, will be performed in South Korea

Size (or the lack of) Matters

It's been called a microcar, and for good reason - this thing will be small. Though it's expected to be somewhat larger than the present Spark/Matiz, which is a scant 138 inches long and 59 inches wide, it will be slightly smaller than the current Aveo, which measures 170 inches long and 67 inches wide. (The next-generation Aveo, by the way, will likely grow a bit as it moves up to the Opel Corsa's Gamma platform with its next redesign, in 2011 or 2012.)

To most Americans - save for Smart ForTwo owners - the Spark will appear Lilliputian, but they may be surprised by the interior. We're told that clever packaging will yield a cabin that's not noticeably smaller than today's Aveo, but cargo space will be compromised - don't expect to get more than a couple duffel bags behind the rear seat.

Sparks destined for North America will be larger than their overseas brethren in one way: engine displacement. While vehicle classes and tax brackets in many Pacific markets mandate engines smaller than 1.0-liter in displacement, Americans will likely see something along the lines of a 1.2-liter four-cylinder. GM executives are promising fuel economy of 40 mpg highway, which would surpass the smaller, two-seat Smart.

Will It Sell?

That remains to be seen. Though GM was (more or less) playing by itself when it brought the subcompact Aveo to our shores, the viability of the segment had already been proven years earlier by the likes of the Geo Metro and the Ford Aspire. That's not the case for the even-smaller Spark - aside from the Smart ForTwo, this segment is a relatively unproven one in the truck loving U.S-of-A.

Still, GM has some reason to bring the car stateside. The quick shift away from large trucks and SUVs has shown automakers that if gas is expensive enough - say, $4 a gallon - consumers will move to smaller, more fuel-efficient cars. Smart sold nearly 25,000 cars in the U.S. last year, while Mini's U.S sales were above 54,000 units, making North America the brand's largest market.

There's also the matter of the web voting - while some differed in which concept they preferred, all shared one common message: build one, and bring it here. And GM will, in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Source:Automobilemag

New Comer From Proton

This is the Proton Lekiu concept, part of the group of Proton Pahlawan Series concept cars on display at the KLIMS 2010. It’s an Exora-based SUV concept that uses the Exora’s platform, and the styling especially the front end also borrows heavily from the Exora with some offroader style design elements added.This may or may not be sold as a Proton but we were informed sometime earlier this year at a briefing that Proton and Lotus Engineering were developing an SUV for Youngman Europestar so this could in fact be that project. If there’s a business case though, I don’t see why Proton won’t sell this. What do you think – should an SUV be part of Proton’s core model line-up? Look after the jump for a full gallery of the Lekiu Concept.

Source:Paultan

Persona Against Tuah??!!

Proton has quite a grand display at the KLIMS 2010 motorshow – there’s a whole array of concept models there that are called the Pahlawan series. All of them look like they could make it into production, at least some derivative of them – it’s just a matter of time when!

All of the concept cars are named after Malaccan warriors – Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Lekir, Hang Lekiu and Hang Kasturi. The most exciting for me is this Proton Tuah Concept which you can see above. It’s a four door sedan that could most likely be a preview of the upcoming Persona R replacement model. It’s still a clay model of course so don’t expect production-like finishing. The Tuah/new Persona replacement will be Proton’s new global C-segment offering.

It features a new family face, with daytime running lights integrated in the headlamps and in the fog lamp area. The side profile features large 18 inch 10 spoke wheels wrapped with 225/40R18 tyres, and a nice sloping roofline. On the rear end the left and right tail lamp cluster is joined as a single piece, kinda like a 2nd generation Subaru Legacy.

Look after the jump for a full gallery of the Tuah!

Source:Paultan

Proton Inspira In Jebat Name??

A favourite modification theme for Mitsubishi Lancer owners is to ape the legendary Evolution, and we’re sure that some Proton Inspira owners or prospects are looking at the same direction too. But before anyone has attempted that on their new car, Proton Design themselves have come up with an “Inspira Evo” to provide some inspiration. As part of the carmaker’s “Pahlawan” series of concepts at KLIMS, this is the Jebat!

The Jebat has a matt black coat covering large parts of its front and rear, with a matching strip at the lower section of the doors. Look closely and you’ll also notice that the front and rear fenders are puffed up, wide-body style. There are also daytime LEDs, bonnet vents (three in total) and a rear spoiler for the Evo look. The rear bumper has a diffuser that’s quite narrow, covering only the length of the number plate. The wheels are 18-inch items.

Inside, Hang Jebat gets to sit on nice Recaros with red stitching, a theme repeated on the door panels. That and a Clarion touch screen ICE system are the only changes from the standard car.

Live and studio images after the jump. What do you think?

Source:Paultan

Bugatti Veyron Launch In India

The Bugatti Veyron was officially launched in New Delhi, India, on 28 October 2010, despite the 110% import tax which raises its price tag to an astonishing $3.6 million (about 160 million rupees), thus making it the most expensive car on sale in the country.

Until now, that title rested with the Mercedes Maybach, which retailed in the region of $1.3 million.

The company will deliver the supercars six to eight months after receiving the orders. There are no sales estimations at this time, according to Guy Caquelin, Bugatti's marketing manager for the Middle East, Europe and India.

Exclusive Motors, which is sole distributor for Bentley and Lamborghini in India, has been appointed official dealer and is now listed on Bugatti's website as its representative and "Official Bugatti partner of New Delhi."

Sources say that the first Bugatti Veyron has already been delivered to a Mumbai based realtor a few weeks ago and another two will meet its owner, a business tycoon in southern India, later this year.

The combined net worth of India's 100 wealthiest people climbed to $300 billion this year, equivalent to a quarter of India's gross domestic product. “People have more spending power and are getting more aware of owning beautiful things,” said Satya Bagla, head of Exclusive Motors Pvt., the dealer for Bugatti, Lamborghini and Bentley. “They are more ready to show their wealth.

Source:Autoevolution