CBO report supports the viability of per-mile taxing

The notion of taxing drivers based on miles driven isn’t a totally new concept, but such a measure has never been put into place. However, that could soon change as the Congressional Budget Office released a report this week stating that a tax based on miles driven could be a viable way to increase revenues.

Although not a full-on recommendation by the CBO, the report concluded that a tax based on miles driven could be a way to offset slumping revenues. The federal government is looking for new sources of tax revenues as it fears a shift to more fuel efficient vehicles could hurt highway funding.
The report states that the new form of taxing could be made possible by new technologies that can track total vehicle miles traveled (VMT).
“In the past, the efficiency costs of implementing a system of VMT charges — particularly the costs of users’ time for slowing and queuing at tollbooths — would clearly have outweighed the potential benefits from more efficient use of highway capacity,” CBO wrote. “Now, electronic metering and billing are making per-mile charges a practical option.”
However, the CBO did address cost and privacy concerned associated with VMT devices.
“Having the devices installed as original equipment under a mandate to vehicle manufacturers would be relatively inexpensive but could lead to a long transition; requiring vehicles to be retrofitted with the devices could be faster but much more costly, and the equipment could be more susceptible to tampering than factory-installed equipment might be,” CBO said.
The CBO acknowledge privacy concerns associated with the tax system, but didn’t offer any real solutions. The CBO only suggested limiting information that would be transmitted to the government.
The report isn’t yet scheduled to be brought in front of Capitol Hill, but Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, the man that requested the report, is pushing for portions of the report to be heard by year’s end.

What Makes a Luxury Sedan?

The answer is not as obvious as it sounds. Of course, premium sedan equipped with luxury finishes, exceptional build quality accessories and sophisticated. Less tangibly, these cars have an excellent after-sales service, reliability and efficient operation. The choice of a premium sedan should be an investment in quality and value.
What are the advantages of driving a luxury sedan? luxury saloon offers space and comfort with great handling and performance. They are also excellent for passenger cars, spacious and practical with a constant ride comfort.
Premium sedans are built with superior materials and accessories. In addition, high-end sedans are equipped with a large number of options, allowing drivers to customize their vehicle, according to specifications

Executive Sedan equipment
Executive rooms have progressive technology to enhance the driving experience and improve ride quality. Technologies such as adaptive cruise control, driver assistance and electronic parking assistance are operating a luxury sedan simpler and safer.

quality sound and entertainment systems make travel a pleasure, while satellite navigation systems, driver information and a multifunction steering wheel allows for quick and easy access to essential information.
The technology also has a direct impact on yield and quality, with progress in the provision of transport and food and electronics tuned suspension.
Premium car design
A luxury sedan can be a practical choice for demanding professionals, but should not be bland. A luxury sedan with elegance and refinement, as well as other practical advantages. The best contemporary sedans using progressive technology to produce a car that uses space efficiently and is also the vision of its designer.

Premium sedans should have a style that reflects its quality and excellent performance. With smooth keys, clean and modern, these vehicles are making their presence felt on the road.
fashion design has not always been so. Choosing a brand of luxury car with a pedigree established will ensure that the vehicle will be the state of the art today – and keep their good looks maintained over time. Choosing a car with a history of their future.
Performance and Efficiency
The economy is a significant advantage of premium contemporary sedans. Unlike less sophisticated vehicles on the market, these cars use the most advanced engines – many tests in race conditions – offering superior performance with unprecedented efficiency. This makes the operation relatively inexpensive and maintenance.
Premium vehicle brands offer a range of high performance engines, which can include diesel and petrol versions turbocharged high performance, comfort and reliability, some of which are designed to yield particularly high.
All vehicles need servicing and routine maintenance. A premium car brand is defined in part by the quality of service. When you choose a sedan, make sure you have access to a friendly and efficient service, dedicated to the sale after care and access to parts and accessories.
So what makes a luxury sedan? There are many distinctive features of these luxury cars that distinguish them from the mundane sedans. However, the only true way to appreciate a sedan sedan is to test a higher premium.

The Journey of Classic Jaguar Cars

It hit the top spot at Le Mans, has flirted with many an F1 driver, was alongside the rich and famous, and even had an affair with Steve McQueen – not bad for a girl to hit the big 50. If you did not work I speak of the famous Jaguar, who lost a slice of automotive history monumentous.
The Telegraph site refers to the Jaguar as the “coolest cat of all”, which is understandable when one considers the very flashy vintage cars who arrived from the British luxury car manufacturer. Two of the most beautiful moments of Jaguar’s long history to date have been recipients of the Le Mans 24 hours in 1951 and 1953.

In 1961, we were impressed by his unparalleled beauty, performance and exceptional value, but nothing prepared us for the fantasies that the Jaguar E-Type caused. For most of the British in 1961, owning a car was very ambitious, so it is hard to exaggerate what was a glamorous setting of this classic beauty.
If it’s good enough for Steve McQueen is certainly good enough for us. The love story between Steve McQueen and denied the Jaguar was not a secret, with a movie star thrills at the wheel of a classic creation, the couple was a match made in heaven.
Another chapter of the autobiography is the story of Jaguar XJ220, which is inspiring and sad. It was a car of your dreams in your day with a V-12 engine and 4 wheel drive, which saw her become the road car ever. The XJ220 was built at a cost of £ 400 000, which was where the problems started. In a report on PistonHeads.com, it was reported that the occurrence of exotic car market, buyers refused to pay these high prices, meaning these valuable cars are sold below list price – with a little more “Two hundred to expand the plant gate.”
Every girl needs her friends around from time to time, so it is not surprising that the launch party of the Jaguar XJ, the most popular Jaguar, was with other models like Elle Macpherson and Delevigne Poppy , discuss design, shape and style of the car with a glass of Veuve Clicquot.

The Chevrolet Corvette American Sports Car

The Chevrolet Corvette is often known as “The American sports car” due to the fact that it is the first American sports car built by American Motors manufacturing business generally. The Corvette has maintained its reputation as a powerful and affordable car for more than 50 years. The first car came in 1953 and was manufactured in a GM assembly plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA. What sets the Corvette apart from its European counterparts is its emphasis on simplicity. Most competing brands depend on smaller displacement and a complex engine. The Corvette, by contrast, uses a larger displacement and a single valve generals often resulted in an engine lighter, cheaper and smaller. This same philosophy is also reflected in the type of suspension used by the Corvette where GM opted to use the transverse leaf springs.

The Chevrolet sports car in 1953 entry-level from a warship very handy class frigate of the same name. The person responsible for choosing the name of GM’s sports car Myron E. Scott, who happens to be the creator of the Soap Box Derby. Corvette principles have fiberglass for their outer body, because of steel quotas left by the war. The engine used at the time was the “Blue Flame” engine truck line 6-cylinder two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission and drum brakes are similar to any Chevrolet car line of the day. Compared to their European counterparts, the Corvette has been a vehicle of low power. It was not until 1954 that a compressor Paxton became available as a dealer-installed option. This has greatly improved the performance of the Corvette, but still lag behind their counterparts.

The Corvette underwent major changes in 1963 and marked the beginning of the second generation Corvette was also known by the acronym C2. There were several body designs made by Larry Shinoda, which were published from 1963 to 1968. The development of the Corvette Stingray sporting broken rear windows and false start of the campaign was also launched in 1968. A 6.5 L engine option available and also the large block has become a bigger engine block came 7L 1966.The Third generation (C3) design of the Corvette made by Larry Shinoda was inspired by a Mako Shark . The C3 lasted until 1982 and every year that passes, several improvements were added to the Corvette especially on its engine. In 1973, the urethane bumpers replaced the chrome bumpers of the Corvette.

There are several notable variants of the model C4 Corvette namely the B2K Callaway Twin Turbo (1987), ZR-1 also known as the King of the Hill (1990) and the Corvette Grand Sport (1996). They opened the way for the development of the C5, C5 Z06, C5-R (1997-2004) Corvettes. The main changes to these models are part of the box hydrofoam, transmission has been placed at the rear of the car and the LS1 small-block engine with an output of 345 hp. The Z06 is the successor of the ZR-1 and inherited most of its good features. The Z06 comes with the LS6 engine and a lighter frame that makes it faster than the ZR-1, but has less power than the head cam engines of two ZR-1, which makes it slower than its predecessor.

Brabus Creates ECO PowerXtra D6S Performance Kit for Mercedes-Benz S350 BlueTec

Brabus is known to be luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz’s tuning company and has enjoyed a great deal of renowned works. Today, it has added another badge to its belt with the ECO PowerXtra D6S, a performance kit that is made specifically for the Mercedes-Benz S350 BlueTec model. With this, the tuning company has claimed that it has tuned the very first diesel automobile that successfully meets the emission requirements of the new Euro 6 regulations. These regulations are expected to go in effect by year 2014.
The ECO PowerXtra D6S is compatible with the 4MATIC all-wheels drive and rear-end drive models. The performance kit adds 55 horsepower and 52 lb-ft. of torque to your machinery. It powers the Mercedes-Benz S350 BlueTec with up to 313 horsepower and an amazing 509 lb-ft of torque.
The ECO PowerXtra D6Shas been designed to work with no fuss. The installation of the performance kit is expected to work easily like a plug-and-play hardware system while it adds power to the 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine through the 7G-Tronic Plus automatic gearbox. When you’re in “Eco Mode”, the torque is raised but the engine still has 258 horsepower. But when you’re in “Sport Mode” or “Manual Mode”, the engine’s maximum power level is raised. Therefore, the S350 model covers 62mph in 6.5 seconds and has a maximum speed of 155 mph.
The ECO PowerXtra D6S can also be attached to both Mercedes-Benz’s lines of E350 CDI BlueEfficiency and the CLS 350 CDI BlueEfficiency with the same results.

Source : http://automotiveupdate.net/news/brabus-creates-eco-powerxtra-d6s-performance-kit-for-mercedes-benz-s350-bluetec/

Honda Cuts U.S., Canadian Output By Up To 50% Due To Parts Shortages In Japan

 

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The Tohoku earthquake and tsunami that struck northern Japan on March 11 has affected millions of Japanese citizens, their families, and businesses. The country's auto industry was hard-hit -- both directly and indirectly -- and most Japanese automakers halted operations to grieve for lost workers, allow families time to re-connect, and assess damage at facilities.
The effects soon rippled outward to other countries, pointing out how quickly local incidents can have a major impact on global production. The latest news comes from Honda, which says that operations at some U.S. and Canadian plants will be cut by up to 50% due to a lack of parts from Japanese suppliers directly affected by the disaster.
Honda factories in Lincoln, Alabama, Greensburg, Indiana, Marysville, Ohio, and Alliston, Ontario will see most, if not all shifts cut to four hours. Honda's facility in East Liberty, Ohio, however, will run a nearly normal schedule, as will plants in Anna, Ohio and Jalisco, Mexico. Together, those plants build a wide range of models, including the Honda Accord, Civic, Element, Odyssey, and Ridgeline, as well as the Acura RDX and Acural TL.
Honda has not said which parts are causing the slow-downs, nor has it indicated which vehicles are most directly impacted by the shortage, but Honda spokesman Ed Miller has reiterated that "We're not shutting down anything." As of yet, we've heard nothing about price increases on Honda vehicles, although there have been reports of dealers scaling back incentives.
Employees affected by Honda's production scale-backs have three options: they can stay on-site during non-working hours and keep their normal pay; they can take vacation time; or they can take time off without pay, but with no negative impact on their attendance.
It should go without saying that our thoughts are with the people of Japan and their families as they begin the process of recovery. If you would like to contribute to their efforts, please consider making a contribution through the Red Cross or other service organization.

History of Automotive Movement

By definition an automobile or car is a wheeled vehicle that carries its own motor and transports passengers. The automobile as we know it was not invented in a single day by a single inventor. The history of the automobile reflects an evolution that took place worldwide.
It is estimated that over 100,000 patents created the modern automobile. You can point to the many firsts that occurred along the way to producing the modern car; and with that goal in mind, highlighted below are articles, biographies, timelines, and photo galleries related to the history of the automobile and its many inventors.

History of Cars

A multi-part feature on the history of automobiles starting with the first steam, electrical, and gasoline-engine cars. Learn the controversy behind what was the first car in history and the importance of the internal combustion engine. The lives of many famous automotive makers are explored in detail with special pages on the assembly line, the origins of the name automobile, the patent disputes, and more.
Early Steam Powered Cars
The History of Electric Vehicles
The First Gas Powered Cars
First Mass Production of Cars & The Assembly Line
After reading this article try our fun automobile trivia quiz to test your knowledge.

Biographies - Famous Automobile Makers

The men and women behind the over 100,000 patents that created the modern automobile. Biographies include for example: Karl Benz, the German mechanical engineer who designed and in 1885 built the world's first practical automobile, and Henry Ford, who improved the assembly line for automobile manufacturing and invented a car transmission mechanism, and others.

Pictorial Timeline of Automobiles

Timeline and photo gallery of automobile history. Was the first car the 1769 self-propelled road vehicle invented by French engineer and mechanic, Nicolas Joseph Cugnot?

History of American Roads

Just over a century ago, steamships, canals, railroads, and the telegraph were up and running. They were the technological marvels of the 19th century, setting the stage for the 20th century. Yet the invention that would spark a revolution in transportation was a simple two-wheeler - the bicycle. Its popularity in the 1880s and 1890s spurred interest in the nation's roads. However, it was the car that was destined to dominate the new roads. 

Air Bags

Airbags are a type of automobile safety restraint like seatbelts.

Air Conditioning in Cars

The first car with an actual refrigeration system was the 1940 model year Packard.

Bendix Drive or Starter Drive

In 1910, Vincent Bendix patented the Bendix drive for electric starters, an improvement to the hand cranked starters of the time.

Brakes

In 1901, British inventor Frederick William Lanchester patented disc brakes.

Car Radio

In 1929, American Paul Galvin, the head of Galvin Manufacturing Corporation, invented the first car radio. The first car radios were not available from carmakers. Consumers had to purchase the radios separately. Galvin coined the name "Motorola" for the company's new products combining the idea of motion and radio.

Crash Test Dummies

The first crash test dummy was the Sierra Sam created in 1949.

Cruise Control

Ralph Teetor, a prolific (and blind) inventor, invented cruise control.

Differential

Differentials are a variety of gearbox.

Driveshaft

In 1898, Louis Renault invented the first driveshaft.

Electric Windows

Daimler introduced electric windows in cars in 1948.

Fender

In 1901, Frederick Simms invented the first car fender. Similar to the railway engine buffers of the period.

Fuel Injection

The first electronic fuel injection system for cars was invented in 1966 in Britain.

Gasoline

The numerous processes and agents needed to improve the quality of gasoline making it a better commodity.

Heater

Canadian Thomas Ahearn invented the first electric car heater in 1890.

Ignition

Charles Kettering was the inventor of the first electrical starter motor ignition system.

Internal-Combustion Engine

An internal combustion engine is any engine that uses the explosive combustion of fuel to push a piston within a cylinder

License Plates

On April 25, 1901 the state of New York became the first state to require car license plates by law. The very first license plates were called number plates - first issued in 1893 in France by the police.

Spark Plug

Oliver Lodge invented the electric spark ignition (the Lodge Igniter) for the internal combustion engine.

Muffler

Eugene Houdry invented the catalytic muffler

Odometer

An odometer records the distance that a vehicle travels. A

Seat Belts/Safety Belts

The first U.S. patent for automobile seat beats was issued to Edward J. Claghorn of New York, New York on February 10, 1885.

Supercharger

Ferdinand Porsche invented the first supercharged Mercedes-Benz SS & SSK sports cars in Stuttgart, Germany in 1923.

Third Brake Light

In 1974, psychologist John Voevodsky invented the third brake light, a brake light that is mounted in the base of rear windshields. When drivers press their brakes, a triangle of light will warn following drivers to slow down.

Tires

Charles Goodyear invented vulcanized rubber in 1844 that was later used for the first tires

Transmissions

In 1832, W. H. James invented a rudimentary three-speed transmission. Panhard and Levassor are credited with the invention of the modern transmission - installed in their 1895 Panhard. On April 28, 1908, Leonard Dyer obtained one of the earliest patents for an automobile transmission.

Turn Signals

Buick introduced the first electric turn signals in 1938.

Power Steering

Francis W. Davis invented power steering. In the 1920s, Davis was the chief engineer of the truck division of the Pierce Arrow Motor Car Company, and he saw first hand how hard it was to steer heavy vehicles. Davis quit his job and rented a small engineering shop in Waltham, MA. He developed a hydraulic power steering system that led to power steering. Power steering became commercially available by 1951.

Windshield Wipers

Prior to the manufacture of Henry Ford's Model A, Mary Anderson was granted her first patent for a window cleaning device in November of 1903.