Wednesday, October 30, 2013

A Woman’s Touch, Still a Rarity in Car Design

Steve Fecht for Chevrolet

FOR Monika Zych and Sandy McGill, becoming car designers for BMW started with Matchbox toy cars, racing the tiny replicas around the living room as little girls.

                    Darren Yasukochi/BMW Group                                        DesignworksUSA
Helen Emsley, who headed a team that designed the interior of the 2014 Corvette and was recently appointed executive director of GMC design and user experience, spent her childhood afternoons in the local railroad museum, sketching design legends like the Flying Scotsman.
Kimberly Wu, who worked for Honda, jokes that, with a father and grandfather working in design and engineering, “we have gasoline in our veins.”
At the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., John Krsteski, a car design instructor, said he was seeing more women interested in the field. “We’ve gone from one in 15 students being female to having two or three each year,” he said.
But women in the car-design world are still often relegated to automotive interiors, not the sexy exteriors that can represent a brand for decades. “There are some women in design, but the plum jobs — the exterior — are still designed almost entirely by men,” said Tara Weingarten, a longtime automotive journalist and founder of vroomgirls.com, a website for female drivers. “I can’t think of any who are the lead designers on exteriors. All the upper management in the industry is a men’s club. The glass ceiling is really there.”
The redesigned BMW Z4, introduced in 2008 and still in production, remains an automotive rarity, a car designed by two women. Its interior was designed by Nadya Arnaout and its sculptured exterior by Juliane Blasi. The Volvo YCC concept car was also designed by an all-female team, with customized seats and storage for the female driver.
“I think interior car designers require a completely separate, if not more challenging, skill set than those of exterior designers,” Ms. Wu said. In addition to styling a vehicle’s interior, “interior designers are responsible for considering the ergonomics and human factors involved with a driver’s experience.”
“Interior car design tends to seem less formulaic as well,” she added. “There is room for technological advances that may not be possible on the exterior.”
Ms. Weingarten, citing figures from the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute, said more women than men had driver’s licenses now. Her site, which she designed to be “a Motor Trend experience without the jargon,” reviews four to five new cars each week, from Ferrari to Toyota.
A car columnist for Newsweek for 15 years, Ms. Weingarten grew up steeped in the Los Angeles car culture. “Women very much influence car-buying decisions, especially for family vehicles.”
Female drivers want a car that meets their needs for fuel-efficiency, and in colors and styles they find appealing. “Women — not all, of course — like cute cars, like the last-generation VW Beetle especially, the current Fiat, and the BMW 1 Series,” Ms. Weingarten said. But creating a car designed only for women is a nonstarter, she added.
Dodge came out with a car called La Femme in 1955. “It’s hysterical,” she said. “Women didn’t go for it.”
Women want reliability from their vehicles, but they also really want a place to store their purse or laptop while driving, designers agree. Toyota, which won Ms. Weingarten’s praise for designing well for female customers, has added “a huge space” in its 2014 Highlander S.U.V. for this purpose, she said.
“If we could start over and really see what women want in the interior, it would be far simpler and less superfluous in terms of gadgetry and controls,” said Chris Chapman, chief designer for Hyundai Design North America.
Mr. Krsteski, also a design manager at Hyundai Design North America, in Irvine, Calif., sees in his classrooms the value of women’s ideas in the industry.
“Women bring another level of attention to detail and the complexity of colors,” he said. “A lot of the male designers focus on the big picture but not the finer detail development, while a lot of the female designers I’ve had enjoy working it out to the very last stitch.”
Ms. Wu, a former student of Mr. Krsteski, agreed, saying, “I do think women inherently have a different sensibility when it comes to aesthetics.”
“Our approach towards form, surfaces, details and colors are all factors that potentially set our work apart,” she said. “In a sense, I found it liberating to work in a male-dominated field. It was an opportunity to stand out and a challenge to identify myself outside of the work I was so conditioned to seeing. Within a working group dynamic, I’ve found it really crucial to have a female perspective analyzing a project brief among male designers.”
Kerrin Liang is one of four female designers at Hyundai’s California design office. “At Hyundai in Korea, there are many more,” Mr. Chapman said. “Still, they primarily occupy positions in color and material development, and not the design department in terms of shape and geometry.”
Ms. Wu worked for four years at Honda’s Advanced Design studios as a contract exterior designer, both in California and Tokyo. “The majority of my automotive designs were for the company’s internal projects,” she said. “The advanced studios I worked for at Honda primarily focus on future concepts that may or may not evolve into some of the cars on the road you see today.”
To work in car design requires a blend of passion and patience, since the final product typically takes three or more years from inspiration to finished automobile and is subject to the opinions and needs of many others, from engineers to marketing departments.
Female car designers agree that having encouragement — whether from their relatives, friends or nurturing professors — can make this lesser-known career choice more appealing.
“I’ve been very fortunate in that my parents have always fostered an unrestricted accessibility to the arts,” said Ms. Wu, who now runs a company designing handbags and other products with her sister and works as an illustrator and design instructor. “My sister and I were exposed to several creative outlets at a young age — ceramics and painting were among our favorites.”
She was also lucky to have had ZhaoPing Wei, a visual development artist at DreamWorks, as a mentor.
“I began taking drawing lessons from him at 8, then on and off through college,” she said. “He’s taught me volumes through the years on design. There are underlying shapes to everything we see around us, and I learned how to reduce a design down to a fundamental idea and form, then build from that.”
Do female drivers benefit when a vehicle is also designed by women?
“The female voice has become stronger in car development as their purchasing power has risen, along with their prominence in the historically male-dominated corporate world,” Mr. Chapman said. “There are more women these days getting college degrees than men. This certainly has a positive impact on overall product development in terms of balance.”
Ms. Wu said: “The area where I can see this most obviously manifested is in the car interior. Women have needs and a desire for more options in the interior that men often are less opinionated about.”
Ms. McGill is a lead designer at BMW Group DesignworksUSA, and Ms. Zych is its studio director, having designed the user interface in the interior of the BMW i Series cars. Designing a car interior means working with manufacturers of paint, wood, leather, carpet and textiles, often beginning with a large library of samples, Ms. McGill said. “Our inspiration may come from anywhere. A Loro Piana cashmere might inspire the interior of a Rolls-Royce where we might include wool or cashmere.”
When Ms. Emsley, whose work at GMC now includes pickup trucks, crossovers and full-size S.U.V.’s, reimagined the interior of the Corvette, “we knew we really had to change it. The interior was good but not that good. I formed a team, and I wanted new, young people to have a chance to work on a Corvette. Ten studios around the world contributed their ideas. In the end, we had three sketches we really liked, two local and one from China.”
“I really pushed for great materials. If it looks like it’s aluminum, it is aluminum. If it looks like carbon fiber, it’s the real thing. Can you imagine the headlines if we got it wrong? ‘British woman kills the Corvette!’ ”

Audi previews 2135 model year car in 'Ender's Game'

We're sure many of you have read Orson Scott Card's award-winning science fiction novel "Ender's Game," but we're pretty sure that few of you ever imagined an Audi in that fictional universe. Granted, we do occasionally feel that some fiction novels (OK, many fiction novels) could benefit from gratuitous and prolonged appearances of sports cars in the story, but our daydreams are rarely rewarded. That is not going to be the case with the film "Ender's Game," which opens in the U.S. on Oct. 31. as Audi has collaborated with Digital Domain, the effects house used by the production company, in creating a futuristic Audi Fleet Shuttle Quattro that will appear in the film and will be driven by Harrison Ford.

Even though Harrison Ford will appear to be driving the car created for the film, he'll actually be sitting in a contemporary Audi, which will be replaced by a digital model of the futuristic Audi in post production. Now that you have read that, will your suspension of disbelief fall apart as you're watching the film? Hopefully not, especially given the fact that the story revolves around a race of giant insects referred to as the "Buggers" intent on wiping out Earth. So the appearance of an Audi will hopefully only buttress the film's plausibility and realism, we feel.
The last time we saw futuristic Audis in a Hollywood production was nearly 10 years ago in the 2004 Will Smith film "I, Robot." And now that we've looked back at the photos of the Audi RSQ that had a cameo in that film, we can't really say that a great stylistic leap took place from the RSQ seen in "I, Robot" to the car previewed in "Ender's Game."
We'll leave it up to you to decide if car design has advanced between 2035, the year that "I, Robot" is set in, and the 2130s when "Ender's Game" supposedly takes place.
Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20131029/carnews01/131029779#ixzz2jDtjFepo 

Monday, August 19, 2013

GM Expands Tennessee Factory



General Motors plans to spend $167 million in production capacity upgrades for its Nashville, Tenn. factory, the Associated Press reported.

The investment is in addition to a previously announced $183 million worth of upgrades planned for the facility, which was idled amid the economic downturn in 2009, AP said. The plant was reopened following a 2011 contract agreement with the United Auto Workers that included salary concessions for entry-level workers.

The new spending is expected to create or keep 1,800 jobs, but GM did not comment on how many new workers would be hired, AP said.

While the company also wouldn't identify the new vehicles that would be built there, the facility currently produces the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain crossover SUVs. These vehicles were last updated in 2009, AP said.

The plant produced more than 3.7 million Saturn cars between 1990 and 2007. Most of the facility's workers were then furloughed while the plant underwent a $600 million overhaul to build the build the Chevrolet Traverse crossover.

At its peak, the facility employed nearly 8,000 workers. By 2009, that number was down to about 630. The plant, which also makes four-cylinder engines, currently employs 2,000 people, AP said.

By Light & Medium Truck
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1-855-407-4160

Friday, August 16, 2013

Montoya seeking 'winning car'

Juan Pablo Montoya, NASCAR, Foxsports.comJuan Pablo Montoya isn’t sure what lies ahead for him in racing.
But his first requirement for any potential suitor, whether it’s in NASCAR, IndyCar or Grand-Am would be to give him the opportunity to drive “a winning car.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do but I want to be in a winning car,” Montoya said. “It was a fun seven years with the Target car and (team co-owner) Chip (Ganassi) and everything. We worked really hard, we had our ups, our downs but at the end of the day, I want to win races. He wants to win races. And we wanted to try something different.
“It could be with Chip. It could be with somebody else. With Chip, something we said is ‘number one, we want to keep our friendship.' We are really good friends. We have a good relationship and that was it. It’s not that bad.”
While Montoya was disappointed by the company’s decision not to renew his contract to drive in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beyond this season, he didn’t appear to be surprised. Certainly, over the last seven years Montoya’s equipment at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing has been hit or miss. The driver has revolved through five crew chiefs and six teammates in that time period and, over the last year, endured a complete overhaul of management and his race team. It stands to reason that part of the lack of stability can be traced to the transient nature of the No. 42 team.
Still, it’s curious why a driver with Montoya’s immense talent in open-wheel racing — seven wins and 30 podium finishes in Formula One, an Indy 500 win, a Champ Car title and three Rolex 24 victories in seven starts — never fully acclimated to stock cars. His strength was on the road courses.
On Friday, five-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson said that it took him roughly five years to acclimate to the different NASCAR tracks and procedures that accompany the season. Montoya didn’t seem to think that was part of the problem.
“A lot of it was learning (how to drive the cars) at the beginning,” Montoya said. “But I picked it up pretty well. I ran pretty well. I made the Chase (for the Sprint Cup) in my third year. One of the hardest things is the amount of changes. There was never ever consistency and that was one of the hardest things. They weren’t doing it on purpose. They were just trying new things to make things better. The problem is every time you make changes, it makes it harder.”
Certainly, there would be opportunities for Montoya in open wheel if he pursued that path — perhaps even with current team owner Ganassi. When asked whether Montoya has spoken to prospective employers in NASCAR, he replied, “ages ago."
“I’ve been looking at my options for a while,” Montoya said. “I wanted to make sure we had the door open to stay at Ganassi if the opportunity was here.
“I have talked to a lot of people, put it that way. I don’t want to be specific about anybody. I know some people are interested and I just want to make sure whatever I do, as I told you, I have an opportunity to win races. I grew up winning and I’ve won at everything. I won some races here, but I miss dominating.”
Montoya will attempt to take the high road for the remainder of the season. He’s not changing his philosophy regarding life — or racing. Montoya just wants to have fun — and win.
“Right now, it’s actually fun," he said. "I’m really good friends with everybody on this team. They mean the world to me. We still have a lot of racing to go. Number one thing is keep enjoying racing and go hard at it every week.”
Article by Lee Spencer of FOXSports.com
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1-855-407-4160

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Chrysler Posts Higher 2Q Profits, Adjusts Forecast

Strong sales across the Ram and Jeep product lines in the U.S. helped boost second-quarter sales for Chrysler Group LLC, Bloomberg News reported.
However, spending associated with product launches and weak sales for its European brands compelled the company to cuts its full-year forecast, Bloomberg said.
Chrysler’s 2Q net income rose to $507 million from $436 million a year earlier, while net revenue increased 7.1% to $18 billion, Bloomberg said. Chrysler’s U.S. deliveries gained 8.9% in the first half of the year to 908,332 cars and light trucks, helped by a 23% gain for the Ram division and a 7.6% increase for the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Bloomberg said.
Overall vehicle sales 10%, to 643,000 units versus 582,000 a year ago, and were driven largely by a 17% gain in the company’s U.S. retail sales, Chrysler said. Weakness in the company’s European operations dragged down the overall results, as did spending associated with upcoming product launches, Bloomberg said. Among those launches is the upcoming release of the new Jeep Cherokee.
Due in part to these factors, Chrysler reduced some of its full-year guidance. Chrysler now forecasts operating profit of $3.3 billion to $3.8 billion, compared with a previous target of about $3.8 billion. It now expects net income of between $1.7 billion and $2.2 billion, down from an earlier expectation of about $2.2 billion. And the company now predicts vehicle deliveries of about 2.6 million vehicles, compared with a range of 2.6 million to 2.7 million.
“The timing of product launches and capacity increases causes this year’s performance to be biased to the second half,” Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne said in a statement. “A continued aggressive drive for excellence and flawless execution will be essential to attain the targets we’ve set for ourselves.”
Marchionne wants to buy the 41.5% of Chrysler Fiat doesn’t own and forge a global manufacturer able to challenge General Motors Co. and Volkswagen AG. Fiat, which is based in Italy, rescued Chrysler through a government-brokered alliance in 2009. Marchionne obtained control of Chrysler without paying cash by pledging Fiat’s vehicles, technology and managerial expertise to the company.
Since then, Chrysler has emerged as the financial power of the Fiat-Chrysler alliance. Without Chrysler, Fiat would have reported a loss for 2012, Bloomberg said.
By Light & Medium Truck

For more information on shipping cars or enclosed auto transport services, call N-Motion Auto Transport today @ 1-855-407-4160.

Chevy Sends Service Trucks to Classic Car Event

Chevrolet is dispatching five rescue trucks to the annual Woodward Dream Cruise classic car event this weekend to help participants who experience trouble, the manufacturer announced.
Chevrolet is bringing a fleet of five Silverado pickups equipped to handle routine break-downs to the annual event, which is expected to draw 40,000 classic vehicles and 1.5 million visitors to the area.
During the week-long event, spectators line Woodward Avenue as classic car aficionados drive their vehicles along the route. In the 1950s and 60s, Woodward was often used by automakers to test out their latest models.
Chevrolet, which is a sponsor of the event, will be on hand Saturday, Aug. 17 – one of the busiest days – to help drivers in need. In addition to the trucks, the manufacturer will also set up two service locations along the road. ASE-certified technicians from five area Chevrolet dealerships will handle the repair issues, the manufacturer said.
This is the second year Chevrolet has sent a support team to the event. Last year, the squad helped more than 25 cruise participants, prompting Chevrolet increase the number of roaming vehicles two to five, it said.
By Light & Medium Truck

For more information on shipping cars or enclosed auto transport services, call N-Motion Auto Transport today @ 1-855-407-4160.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

50 Unusual Car Facts from around the world

So many interesting, and strange, things have happened in the automotive industry over the course of time.  Ranging from the price of different cars to the height of the world’s lowest street-legal vehicle, weird things tend to keep us intrigued in the car world.  Below are 50 quirky car facts that were put together for you viewing pleasure. 

MAKING HISTORY

1902 – The first speeding ticket was issued; most cars could barely reach 45 mph.

82 YEARS – the number of years Mr. Allen Swift, of Springfield, MA drove his 1928 Rolls-Royce Roadster.

1896 – the first road traffic death.

1907 – the worlds first purpose-built racing circuit, Brooklands, opened in Weybridge, Surrey.
42 SECONDS – the fastest time for removing a car engine, and replacing it, using a Ford Escort, on 21 Nov. 1985.

1927 – the first electric traffic lights were launched in Wolverhamption.

THE DASHBOARD – was originally a piece of wood attached to the front of a horse-drawn carriage that would prevent mud from splattering the driver as the horse galloped.

1969- the first automobile accident; the damaged vehicle is still preserved in the Conservatoire Nationale des Arts et Metiers in Paris.

1935 – the first coin-operated parking meter was installed in OKC.

19 INCHES – the height of the world’s lowest street-legal car.  The “Flatmobile” was built by Perry Watkins from Buckinghamshire.

22 HOURS, 10 MINUTES AND 33 SECONDS – the time it took for Hugh Edeleanu to drive a JCB from John O’Groats to Land’s End at an average speed of 40 mph.

FLAT, ASPHALT ROADS – were introduced for cyclists, not motorists as is commonly believed.

STOCK CAR RACING HAS ITS ORIGINS IN MOONSHINE RUNNERS – they modified their cars so that they could outrun police cars in Prohibition-era America.

MONEY-MONEY-MONEY

$8.7 MILLION- the price of the most expensive car ever made, a 1931 Bugatti Royale Kellner Coupe

THE ICONIC ROLLS ROYCE HOOD ORNAMENT IS CALLED ‘THE SPIRIT OF ECSTASY’ – in 2008, a special edition diamond-encrusted version was designed, with an asking price of $200,000.

£38 – the cost to have someone else drive your car through a traffic jam in China.  The original driver is whisked away on a motorcycle.

5 SHILLINGS – the fine for the first motor offence in the UK, issued to petrol engine pioneer John Henry Knight in 1895 for not having a license.

£30 – the fine for using a car horn whilst stationary in the UK.  Taxi drivers beware!

1884 – the year the world’s oldest surviving car was built in France for the Count De Dion.  It was sold at auction in 2011 for $4.6 million.

$1,000,000 – the largest speeding fine ever, given to a Swedish man who got clocked at 180 mph in Switzerland, where fines are proportionate to income.

BRANDS

YOU CAN PLAY PONG IN A SAAB – the game is included as an Easter egg in the on-board computer.

19 PEOPLE – can be crammed into a Smart Car.

80% - of cars registered in Albania are Mercedes-Benz

HITLER – while in prison, wrote to a Mercedes-Benz dealership begging for a car loan.

HONG KONG – the city with the most Rolls Royce’s per capita.

VOLKSWAGEN – named many of their cars after winds.  Passat (after the German word for Trade Wind),  Golf (after Gulf Stream),  Bora (after Bora), Polo (after Polar Winds), and Jetta (after Jet Stream).

“IT’S A DOOZY” – the phrase has its origins in Dusenberg automobiles, which were regarded in the 1920s as the most luxurious cars in the world.

TOP SELLER – for 4 years the Ford Fiesta has been the best-selling vehicle in the UK.  Over 100,000 are bought each year.

DANGER! DANGER! – South African BMW’s can be equipped with flame-throwers to prevent car-jackings

KAZUNORI YAMAUCHI – the creator of the Gran Turismo videogames helped develop the Nissan GT-R and has been racing professionally since 2009.

FERRARI – produce a maximum of 14 cars per day.

TOYOTA – the world’s largest car manufacturers, every day produces 13,000.

AROUND THE WORLD

99 DAYS – will be spent stuck in traffic by the average British driver over the course of their lifetime.

TEDDY BEARS – many British traffic police carry teddy bears to console children with after car crashes.

90% - of drivers sing behind the wheel.

THE “NEW CAR SMELL” – is composed of 50 volatile organic compounds.  Fortunately, they are non-toxic.

ELDERLY CAR – drivers over the age of 75 must display the Koreisha mark in the back of their vehicle in Japan.

PARKING – the average British car is parked up 90% of the time.

THE AUTOMOBILE – is the most recycled product in the world.

1 OUT OF 4 – cars produced in the world comes from China.

STEVE JOBS’ – car never had a license plate due to a loophole in Californian state law.

FRANCE – it is compulsory to carry a breathalyzer kit in France. 

SIX MONTHS – the time it would take to reach the moon if you could drive upwards at 60 mph.

960 MILLION HOURS – the amount of time Britons collectively waste in traffic jams each year.

TECHNOLOGY

MODERN F1 CAR – can drive upside down in a tunnel at 120 mph.

256 – the amount of times you can press an out-of-range car remote key before it will stop working.  This is due to the method of encryption between the car remote and the receiver in the vehicle.

60 MILLION CARS – are produced in a single year.  That’s 165,000 cars a day!

REMOTE KEYS – holding a remote car key to your head double its range because the human skull acts as an amplifier.

80% - of Formula One teams use an exhaust pipe coating originally developed for nuclear reactors.

GERMAN CARS – a car has been developed in Germany which is controlled solely by the thoughts of the driver. 


1 BILLION – cars are in active use across the world today.

With N-Motion Auto Transport's enclosed auto transport, your vehicle is completely protected from elements of the long road ahead. Call today and ask about our hard-side car carriers. 1.855.407.4160

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Nationwide R.V. Shipping


Many people have or will be planning their vacations soon.  The question arises, should we just fly somewhere or should we just do a road trip?  Motor homes are just that…a home with a motor.  Recreational vehicles can be enjoyed while even just sitting in your drive way.  Weekends are great for cleaning and preparing the RV for road trips or even just relaxing and hiding from the kids.  At N-Motion Auto Transport, our strong network of carriers and dedication to quality transportation is second to none for all nationwide car shipping.

Motor Coach Shipping Across Country

Very often, for an event or show, an R.V. is a great way to relax during or after the festivities.  Just because it has wheels doesn’t mean you need to drive it long distances.  Not everyone has that kind of patience nor do they necessarily need their headquarters moved frequently.  Our team at N-Motion Auto Transport can pick up and deliver your R.V. to any destination across the nation.  You can hop on a plane and go wherever your heart desires.  We will then plan accordingly and ship your R.V. to you in a timely manner so that you won’t have to worry about added mileage or fuel costs. When shipping cars across country, trust the professionals at N-Motion Auto Transport.

R.V. Transport Services

We at N-Motion Auto Transport ensure the safety and protection of your recreational vehicle and always verify carrier insurance policies and DOT paperwork. If safety and/or legal documents are not up to date, the carrier will not be contracted with.  We take pride in offering quality services from quality drivers with up to date equipment. Our personal relationships with these drivers add to our flexibility with timing, rates, and overall service.  By treating our drivers well, our customers are in turn treated well.

Call us today for all of your shipping needs at 1-855-407-4160!

Monday, April 22, 2013

The Brand New 2014 Corvette Stingray Likes to Sing in the Rain


The 2014 Corvette Stingray has yet to be released to the market and we are all sitting in suspense.  Orders are being taken with the ordering guide on Corvette Blogger.  This beastly C7 not only produces a massive fully-upgraded 450 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque, but it has a weather mode too? 


GM had a brilliant idea of incorporating an increased all-weather capability that will immensely increase stability and traction in rainy conditions.  Autoweek noted back in January that the “weather mode” is just one of four driver-selectable settings controlled via the center console.  This mode was created to improve safety in rainy and/or snowy weather conditions. 


Chevrolet explains the weather controls: “In inclement weather, the vehicle senses and adapts to road conditions, distributing appropriate power to the real wheels.  Tailored Traction Control and throttle progression promote more confident driving in rain or snow.”

Now remember, you will not experience all that the Stingray has to offer while in “weather mode.”  The control system reduces specific power in order to retain full stability while driving in external conditions.  This is a safety feature that protects not only the driver but the vehicle as well. 


Some of the other features in the center control panel are as follows:
·         Eco – to reduce engine labor and conserve fuel, ECO MODE maximizes Active Fuel Management to limit power when traveling at cruising speeds.  Fuel economy is automatically optimized until aggressive acceleration is called for.  An Eco index is available.
·         Tour – this vehicle default setting offers adaptable power for everyday driving.  Systems relieve stiffness from shock damping and optimize comfort for long-distance driving.  Gauge cluster configuration displays audio, navigation and phone data. 
·         Sport – Optimized for spirited road driving, steering effort and Magnetic Ride damping are stiffened but tempered.   Performance Traction Management and launch control are enabled, and StabiliTrak Active Handling can be activated for a more stable ride.  Gauge cluster configuration features a large analog tachometer for effortless visibility. 
·         Track – Exclusively for track driving, Track mode is designed for legitimate race settings.  Launch control provides maximum off-the-line accelerating.  Steering effort and Magnetic Ride damping adjust to provide maximum responsiveness.  Performance Traction maximum responsiveness.  Performance Traction Management is enabled.  Throttle progressing optimizes for track performance.  Gauge cluster configuration offers a C6.R race-inspired display complete with lap timer. 


For more information on shipping cars or enclosed auto transport services, call N-Motion Auto Transport today @ 1-855-407-4160.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Door to Door Chicago Car Shipping Services Now Improved by N-Motion Auto Transport

PRESS RELEASE


N-Motion Auto Transport announces their plan to increase Door to Door Car Shipping Services in Chicago and surrounding areas.















N-Motion Auto Transport has recently seen an upward trend in the requests to ship cars to and from
Chicago.  Whether it is professional athletes moving back and forth during the season or just a corporate relocation, N-Motion Auto Transport is facilitating the Chicago car transport needs of customers on a daily basis.   If the vehicle or vehicles are within a 600 mile radius, same day pickup and delivery is very common.  Auto dealerships are frequently swapping vehicles between each other in order to fulfill the requirements of each customer, whether the buyer demands a specific color or feature on the vehicle. 

Chicago Car Transport Solutions

Chicago is large city with main highways running in and out of it for easy access to many locations along the way.  A large number of trucks run through the Windy City due to its largely concentrated population and bustling business corridors.   N-Motion Auto Transport continues to increase the number of car transport trucks they send through the city in order to facilitate the timing needs of clients.  N-Motion knows that time is money and every second counts in this busy world we all live in.  They are committed to providing the best customer satisfaction in the transportation industry today. 

Major cities surrounding Chicago that receive Door to Door Car Shipping Services include:
Milwaukee, WI
Springfield, IL
Indianapolis, IN
St. Louis, MO
Detroit, MI
Cincinnati, OH

About N-Motion Auto Transport

N-Motion Auto Transport is the nation’s premier car shipping company, with several years of car transport experience and a courteous staff that makes clients feel like they are a part of the family.  Their goal is to provide value-priced, hassle-free auto shipping services to customers nationwide, while never compromising its commitment to unmatched quality and seamless auto shipping customer service.

For more information on vehicle transport services, call N-Motion Auto Transport today at 1-855-407-4160 or visit us on the web at www.NMotionAutoTransport.com

Thursday, April 4, 2013

The Mecum Auction Has Arrived Once Again in Houston, TX on April 4, 2013 & N-Motion Auto Transport Will Facilitate the Car Shipping Needs of Car Collectors Nationwide

PRESS RELEASE


Houston, TX and N-Motion Auto Transport welcome the Mecum Auction to The Reliant Center, April 4-6, 2013.  This is the Mecum Muscle Cars and More edition with about 1000 vehicles on the showroom floor.  The auto auction can be seen live on Discovery’s Velocity Network.

The Mecum Auction is a great way for car enthusiasts to gather together and have a chance to purchase some of the most beautiful cars that aren't readily available to the general public. From modern Ferrari’s to classic Chevrolet Corvettes, automobile fanatics will bid against one another in order to acquire that missing puzzle piece to a car collection.
N-Motion Auto Transport knows how important these caliber vehicles are to customers and that they are not only vehicles but works of art. When a customer spends all that time searching for the automobile of their dreams, they are going to want to make sure they use dependable auto shippers to move that newly purchased vehicle.
Many consumers that go to collector car auctions have a car shipping company that they might have used in the past to ship cars. Although, many do not! N-Motion Auto Transport’s primary clientele bases are repeats and referrals but they also facilitate the auto shipping needs of new clients as well.
With all of the new technological advancements in the auto transport industry, customers can move their vehicles worry-free with N-Motion Auto Transport. However, there are a few things that you will want to keep in mind. Depending on the monetary value of the vehicle, and or the sentimental value, you might want to consider shipping those classic vehicles on an enclosed trailer vs. an open carrier.
Enclosed car carriers are the industry’s leading form of vehicle transportation when dealing with high-end, classic, collector and antique automobiles. It offers a 360 degree, complete protection of the vehicle while in transit, which keeps it safe from all the outside elements. Customers will not have to worry about dust, weather, rocks or debris from the road. Lift gates are typically utilized for low ground clearance vehicles and makes the loading process that much easier.

About N-Motion Auto Transport

N-Motion Auto Transport remains a staple in the car shipping industry with their competitive pricing. This is all due to the mass volume of vehicle shipments that N-Motion brings, to not only markets of scale, but even the little shippers. Our strong network of affiliated carriers and dedicated fleets help N-Motion Auto Transport assist each customer with a personalized transport program.
For more information on classic car shipping, contact N-Motion Auto Transport today at 1-855-407-4160 or visit us on the web @ www.NMotionAutoTransport.com

Thursday, March 21, 2013

N-Motion Auto Transport Increases Car Shipping Services from Houston, Texas to Miami, Florida

PRESS RELEASE

Texas and Florida have always been pretty popular states when it comes to auto transport service needs. With the summer months upon us, N-Motion Auto Transport is seeing a large influx of customers asking about Florida car shipping rates. Many are vacationing in the Sunshine State with families and some are just making a corporate relocation to the sandy destination. Customers are looking for a timely and cost efficient alternatives to driving the vehicles themselves.

Once they have hired their household goods moving company, step 2 would be to hire an auto transport company to facilitate the car shipping to Florida. Customers have enough things to worry about with the whole moving process and N-Motion Auto Transport is there to remove the extra stress.

Facts About the Car Shipping Process:

Road trips might be fun every now and then, but what about when there isn't enough time or it’s just a very long distance? There are many factors that can deter people from driving the long road ahead. With crude oil prices always on the rise, it is getting very costly to drive anywhere these days. Not to mention the cost of lodging, food, and wear/tear on the vehicle all adding up on the bill. Above all, the most important factor to think about when making that road trip would be the safety factors. There are many reckless drivers on the roads and many dangerous routes as well. If the wrong road is chosen somewhere along the way, it might then cause a whole new issue. What if the car breaks down in the middle of nowhere and there is no cell phone signal? These are just a few of the important things to think about before making the trip.

About N-Motion Auto Transport

N-Motion Auto Transport is a full-service car shipping company, specializing in 8-10 car trailers, goose-neck trailers, wedge trailers and more. Being one of the world’s best auto shipping providers doesn't happen overnight, but N-Motion Auto Transport works hard every day for its customers in offering them a wide range of customized worldwide vehicle shipping and logistics solutions. The relationships that N-Motion Auto Transport has built over the years with truck, oceanic, and air carriers = greater flexibility and a multitude of equipment options to bring vehicles to customers.
For more information on transportation services, call N-Motion Auto Transport at 1-855-407-4160 or visit us on the web at www.NMotionAutoTransport.com

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Diesel Dips 4.2cents, hitting $4.088 & Gasoline Declines for Second Straight Week


Looking to be a positive overall outcome, retail diesel fuel prices have dipped for the second straight week from $4.13 per gallon to $4.088. The US Energy Information Administration expects the diesel prices to continue to decline for the next two years, which studies have shown that this will reduce truck fleets annual fuel costs by as much as $5,700 per rig.  This is great news for car carriers and their drivers because it seems that the cost of everything else in steadily increasing, other than their pay checks.

According to the EIA, the 4.2-cent dip in diesel prices last week was less than fuel costs were back in 2012 at this same time.  To ice the cake, prices were actually increasing at this time last year from $4.123 a gallon and up.

US Oil Production Increases, Paving Way to
Lower Fuel Costs
Once gas prices hit $4.051 in February of 2012, prices didn't drop below the $4 mark until the middle of May 2012.  Mid-March of 2013 was the first time since November of 2012 that diesel prices have been cheaper than the prior year.

Not only did diesel prices drop but gasoline prices did as well.  Last week’s fuel prices were $3.759 and have since dropped this week to $3.71 per gallon, much less than last year’s prices at the comparable time.  Car shipping customers and other customers alike will also enjoy the splendors of lowed fuel prices.

Phil Flynn, an analyst of the Price Futures Group in Chicago, states that steady oil markets are putting less pressure on diesel prices at the same time winter demand is easing up on crude oil used in both diesel and heating oil.

US Fuel Prices Finally Dropping in 2013
Crude oil closed out on March 14 at $93.03 whereas one year ago it was at a staggering $106.71.  The steady production of oil in the U.S. is making natural gas a quality option in the auto transportation industry being that both factors are beginning to affect diesel costs.

In the EIA’s short-term oil price report that was released on March 12, retail costs of diesel is anticipated to drop to $3.90 in 2013 from the previous $3.97 in 2012 and will drop even more to $3.80 in 2014.  “U.S. crude oil production exceeded an average level of 7 million barrels per day in November and December 2012, the highest volume since December 1992,” the EIA report said.

It’s a recurring search for new ways and technologies to decrease fuel consumption and increase gas mileage, but after the ten year long search it is finally paying off. 

For more information on vehicle shipping or industry related topics, call N-Motion Auto Transport today at 1-855-407-4160.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

2013 Geneva Motor Show Unveils Ferrari’s New Supercar – LaFerrari

Ferrari is always on top in the supercar world and they now have reached out into more of the Formula 1 racing scene in producing a hybrid car that uses less fuel, emits fewer CO2 particles and check this out…it accelerates to 60 mph in less than 3 seconds.

The Ferrari LaFerrari obtains more power under braking or when the motor creates excess power to the battery by which is then transferred to 2 electric engines.  The first one gives a boost to the gas engine and the other one feeds the accessories. 

This supercar has something called the HY-KERS system which stands for hybrid kinetic energy recovery system.  The system runs in conjunction with the engine and never solo, categorizing it as a mild hybrid like the Civic and Malibu. 

The Ferrari LaFerrari has a couple of aliases, the F70 and the F150.  It was initially introduced at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show and then the Frankfurt Auto Show – the world’s 2 biggest automotive showcases.  The 2013 shows were showcasing high-performance, ‘green’, and mainstream cars for world markets.

How does KERS work, you ask?

This kind of technology is all about renewable energy - that in yesterday’s vehicles would be wasted.   So, for instance, the Toyota Prius is a good example of renewable energy because it uses this technology so that the vehicle only runs a mile or so on battery before the gas engine kicks in.  This KERS is additional power on top of the already high powered combustion engine creates (much like a turbocharger but more efficient)

A couple of interesting methods that are used to create this energy are:
  1. The spinning up of a flywheel while braking
  2. Transferring power to supercapacitors

Both of the methods work for about 10 seconds because of two reasons; either all of the storage systems are used up or because the sanctioning body limits the vehicle to a fixed amount of boost per lap.  The system then changes the energy and pushes it to a pair batteries that are bolted to the cars carbon fiber frame.  The first battery feeds the propulsion system and the other diverts power to the cars accessories, i.e. windshield wipers, A/C, audio system, etc.

Environmental Gains

The LaFerrari emits about 330g of CO2/km in the European emissions testing cycle, which is roughly about 10 percent less than other V12 Ferrari’s.  The development team says that this car isn’t exactly an active hybrid like the Prius because that is not the main goal of the vehicle at the moment. 

Cost of the Ferrari LaFerrari

The price is an estimated $1.3 million and there will only be about 499 units made.  The veteran clients of Ferrari get first dibs on the new supercar and get a nice discounted rate of $700k to continue to deliver the brand to enthusiasts instead of speculators. 

Moving Ferrari's and other supercars is easy with N-Motion Auto Transport’s specialized Ferrari car shipping and enclosed auto transport programs.  Call today for a free car shipping quote and enjoy the ride!

1-855-407-4160


Tuesday, March 12, 2013

N-Motion Auto Transport Now Delivering Instant Auto Shipping Quotes via WheelEstateAuctions.com

PRESS RELEASE


N-Motion Auto Transport is giving classic car collectors a simpler solution to getting auto transport rates on WheelEstateAuctions.com with their online functionality. 


As a part of N-Motion Auto Transport’s ongoing campaign to increase awareness and proper pricing in the automobile transportation industry, they are aligning themselves with relative automotive companies and websites.  Wheelestateauctions.com is one of the many websites happily offering the auto shipping services of N-Motion Auto Transport. 

Founded by Salvatore of Arizona, Wheelestateauctions.com has had the privilege of offering the world a wide array of collector vehicles.  Salvatore grew up in the auto industry and learned everything about it along the way.  The emergence of Wheelestateauctions.com has really boosted the collector car market while offering silent auto auctions to thousands of customers in over 70 countries. 

The alignment of N-Motion Auto Transport and Wheelestateauctions.com will only improve the automobile industry and fuel the passion of all collector car enthusiasts around the world.  With N-Motion Auto Transports reliable car shipping services and Wheelestateauctions.com’s quality automobile options, car collectors are covered in every aspect of the purchase.

N-Motion Auto Transport has provided all customers visiting Wheelestateauctions.com with simple access to receive auto shipping quotes.  With the click of a button, clients can fill out an online car shipping quote form and in the matter of minutes they will receive a phone call from a friendly N-Motion agent to discuss the customers transport needs.  N-Motion creates specialized transport programs that fit with the customer’s specific criteria.   Clients will also receive an email with all information discussed and a quote number so that when the time comes to transport that vehicle, they can easily place the order without delay.

Monday, March 11, 2013

From Tractors to Supercars, Lamborghini Veneno is the Newest of the Bunch

About 50 years ago, Ferruccio Lamborghini was made famous from his finely built tractors in Italy, but his passion was more for sports cars.  So with this, he turned his sights on building a better, faster car than his rival in Italy, Enzo Ferrari.  He established Automobili Lamborghni in 1963 and it has now grown to be one of the most well-known brands in the automobile world. 


Even long after the death of both Enzo and Ferruccio, their brand names continue to thrive and awe the masses.  The corporate rivalry has increased both companies’ sales and has only helped the two brands become more powerful.  At the recent Geneva Auto Show this year, Lamborghini brought out a beast that no one had ever seen before: the extremely exclusive Lamborghini Veneno. 


What many thought would be the fastest car on the market with such a high price tag, ironically it’s not!  This $3.9 million cost of the Veneno nearly tripled the value of the new hyper-hybrid LaFerrari.  Both super cars exceed 350 km/hr but the Lamborghini took the cake with its massive pre-tax sticker price.

Talk about exclusive!  Only 3 Venenos were built and all three were pre-sold.  This is also considered one of the most extreme Lamborghinis in their showroom due to its over-the-top futuristic styling.  With scissor-style doors, large rear spoiler, air scoop mounted on the roof and “shark fin” stabilizer, the Veneno is far more than just a car….it’s a showpiece!

Many people may like it but there are many naysayers that just think it’s too much for them.  Many would rather have the sleeker LaFerrari because it’s a third of the cost and doesn’t look as outrageous. 
In comparison, the LaFerrari combined a gas engine with an electric motor to conservce fuel and and reduce CO2 emissions while the Veneno and its 6.5 liter V12 knows nothing of the sort (what is green?)

Let’s just compare the two real quick:


Lamborghini Veneno
Ferrari LaFerrari
Horsepower
750
963
Engine Size
6.5 liter V12
6.3 liter V12
0-60 Mph
2.8 seconds
Less than 3 seconds
Top Speed
221 Mph
230 Mph


For enclosed auto transport, exotic car shipping & car delivery services for such vehicles, call N-Motion Auto Transport today!

1-855-407-4160