Tips for Safe Driving During the Holiday Season

We're all in a hurry at the holidays. But speeding is not the answer, and it most certainly is not safe driving. Speeding-related deaths kill approximately 13,500 Americans each year, according to the Governor's Highway Safety Association. And thousands more drivers, passengers and pedestrians are injured by speeding.
Here are five reasons you should not speed…

Save lives - Slowing down increases the likelihood you and your passengers will survive a crash. Each 1 percent decrease in travel speed reduces injury crashes by about 2%, serious injury crashes by about 3% and fatal crashes by about 4%.

Save money - Speeding reduces fuel efficiency, causing you to buy gas more often. The Department of Energy estimates that, as a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph above 60 mph you drive is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for gas.

Save the environment - According to Ford Motor Company, driving a vehicle at 65 mph consumes about 15% more fuel than driving the same vehicle at 55 mph. More fuel consumed means more CO2 released into the atmosphere.

Save yourself a ticket - Highway safety agencies and law enforcement crack down on speeders, especially during holidays. Obey the sign or pay the fine!

Save your license - A speeding ticket could lead to points on your driving record. Too many points and you could lose your license and your insurance premiums could go up.

Safe drives are great drives.

Ford Introduces 2010 Fusion Hybrid

We haven't even turned the calendar pages to 2009 yet, and already the auto manufacturers are introducing 2010 models. Like the new Ford Fusion Hybrid, being introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show in mid-November, where eco-friendly green drives are the big news.

There also is an all-new 'regular' gas-powered Ford Fusion and its sibling Mercury Milan. Both offer Ford's all-new Duratec 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that is expected to deliver at least 3 mpg better on the highway than the Honda Accord and 2 mpg better than the Toyota Camry.

Back to the hybrid. This is Ford's own technology, not Toyota's, which Nissan licensed for its well-received Altima Hybrid. Ford claims its next-generation hybrid system will deliver class-leading fuel economy, besting the Toyota Camry hybrid by at least 5 mpg in city driving.

With the addition of the Fusion and Milan hybrids, Ford doubles its hybrid fleet, adding to the Escape and Mariner hybrids. And with four hybrid models, Ford becomes the largest domestic producer of full hybrid vehicles in North America. The insanely popular Toyota Prius other Toyota and Honda hybrids are not from Detroit. But, you could say neither are the hybrid Fusions or Mariners -- they are built in Mexico.

The new Ford hybrids vehicles can accelerate up to 47 mph in pure electric mode, about twice as fast as some competitors. That can extend your driving range on a single tank of gas to more than 700 miles. That's pretty substantial mileage between fill-ups.

Back to the gas-powered models now. The Duratec four-cylinder engines are 175 horsepower, and there an optional 3.0-liter V-6 and a hefty 3.5 liter V-6 for the Fusion Sport model that pumps out 263 horsepower. Models with the smallest engine are expected to deliver at least 3 mpg better on the highway than the Honda Accord and 2 mpg better than the Toyota Camry.
All of the gas engine choices have six-speed transmissions, for up to a 10 percent fuel economy improvement.

With the new arrivals, Ford will be the producer of the most fuel-efficient mid-size sedans and SUVs in America -- and the Fusion Hybrid is expected to perform at least 5 mpg better on the highway than the Toyota Camry hybrid.

This is all good news for those thinking about buying a new car. And Ford needs all the good news it can get. That goes for all the auto manufacturers, too.

Saab 9-X Bio-Hybrid Concept Wins Another Award

The Saab 9-X BioHybrid has been voted “Specialty Concept Car of the Year” by a jury of 25 professional automotive journalists. The award ceremony took place at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan.

It's the second award for this great future drive, a streamlined, environmentally-friendly design. The 9-X was named “Best Concept” by AutoWeek Magazine at its world debut at the Geneva Auto Show recently.

The annual Concept Car of the Year Awards recognize vehicles most likely to shape the future of the automobile industry. The Saab was voted the best of 40 concept cars and 12 production preview vehicles that debuted during the 2008 auto show season, which includes the Los Angeles Auto Show, the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and the New York Auto.

The 9-X BioHybrid is a vivid vision of what a future compact car from Saab could look like. It is designed to reflect the priorities of youthful customers who seek progressive looks, responsible performance and high-tech communications, all in a sporty, fun-to-drive package.

And it also has a pretty sensational power plant, too -- an ultra-efficient, 200 hp (147 kW), 1.4-liter BioPower turbo engine backed by GM’s next-generation hybrid system, with projected combined cycle CO2 emissions of just 105 g/km. That's low enough to qualify for one of the coveted SULEV ratings.

It's a sleek design, with ‘turbine’ wheels placed at all four corners. Minimal bodywork overhangs add to its sleek shape and reduce aerodynamic drag, too. The Saab designers know something about aero-dynamic. They design and build airplanes, too.

Ford Sells Jaguar and Land Rover

Tata, Jaguar! Tata, Land Rover!

Tata Motors is buying the Jaguar and Land Rover brands from cash-strapped Ford Motor Company.

Pictures are the Land Rover LRX concept, on the left, and the all-new 2009 Jaguar XF sedan on the right.

Oh, the shame and embarrassment that British citizens must be feeling! First, these two iconic British brands were bought by a company based in one former colony, now called United States of America. Ford, of course, is headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan.

Now, that former colony is selling them to a company based in another former British colony -- Tata is based Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, India.

But this is not about the history of the British Empire. It's about good, old-fashioned profits.

Ford has been bleeding money lately -- Ford has lost some $15 Billion (that's billion with a B) in the last two years, according to the New York Times. While Tata has enough spare change to be able to pay $2 Billion for Jaguar and Land Rover.

It's been a road filled with potholes lately for Ford, which invented the assembly line, with the legendary Ford Model T. And a superhighway for the upstart Tata, which is building a $2,500 small sedan -- but don't expect ABS, or even sideview mirrors for that price.

The official sale announcement is expected later this week, when Jag and Rover workers return from their Easter break. Surprise!

Now comes the guessing.

What will Tata do with the all-new Jaguar XF, the shining star of the brand's design and technology direction. And, what will Tata do about the Land Rover LRX Concept?

Perhaps, Tata will do for Jaguar and Land Rover what Germany's Volkswagen did when it bought the equally iconic Bentley brand -- VW poured zillions into Bentley design and manufacture, including a new factory in Crewe, England, and backing new models that have re-energized Bentley.

Just in case you are wondering about Rolls-Royce -- that's now owned by Germany's BMW, as is the Mini Cooper brand.