Monday, May 24, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
US PRICING FOR CARS
New Car Reviews and Prices
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz earn IIHS Top Safety Pick with 2010 sedans
The IIHS has announced that the 2010 Hyundai Genesis sedan and 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan have earned the institute’s Top Safety Pick award. In order to earn the IIHS’ Top Safety Pick award, a vehicle must earn the top rating of ‘good’ in front, side, rollover and rear crash protection, as well as come standard with electronic stability control.
Although the 2010 Hyundai Genesis sedan carries the distinction of being an IIHS Top Safety Pick, the 2009 model did not earn the same accolades. Hyundai improved the Genesis sedan’s roof structure for the 2010 model year, allowing for the top rating of good.
Despite a strong reputation for safety, the 2010 model year actually marks the first time the E-Class has earned the institute’s Top Safety Pick award. The award applies to any E-Class model produced after March 2010.
IIHS standards above federal mandates
In order to earn the IIHS’ top rating of good in the rollover test, a vehicle’s roof must be able to support 4 times the vehicle’s weight before crushing five inches. That figure far exceeds the federal government’s required strength-to-weight ratio of 1.5 – a law that has been on the books since 1973. The IIHS’ lowest rating of poor is given to any vehicle with a strength-to-weight ratio of 2.4 or lower.
The federal government has pledged to raise the roof strength requirements to 3.0 by 2016, but even that rating would earn the IIHS’ second lowest rating of marginal.
Monday, May 17, 2010
From the Book
Book 21, Number 21.1.3:
Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam from Abu Salih as-Samman from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Horses are a reward for one man, a protection for another, a burden for another. The one who has them as a reward is the one who dedicates them for use in the way of Allah, and tethers them in a meadow or grassland. Whatever the horse enjoys of the grassland or meadow in the length of its tether are good deeds for him. If it breaks its tether and goes over a hillock or two, its tracks and droppings are good deeds for him. If it crosses a river and drinks from it while he did not mean to allow it to drink it, that counts as good deeds for him, and the horse is a reward for him.
Another man uses his horse to gain self reliance and up-standingness and does not forget Allah's right on their necks and backs (i.e. he does not ill treat or over-work them). Horses are a protection for him .
Another man uses them out of pride to show them off and in hostility to the people of Islam. They are a burden on that man."
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was asked about donkeys, and he said, "Nothing has been revealed to me about them except this single all-inclusive ayat, 'Whoever does an atom of good will see it, and whoever does an atom of evil, will see it.' " (Sura 99 Ayats 7,8) .
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Horse Breeding
Omanis take pride in their horses which symbolise the nobility and longevity of their culture. Horses are mentioned in the Holy Quran in Sura Al-'Adiyat which runs "By the steeds, that run with panting breath. And strike sparks of fire, and push home the charge in the morning, and raise the dust in clouds the while, and penetrate forthwith into the midst of the foe en masse.
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It is said that the first horse to come among the Arabs was named Zaad ar-Raakib and in his book "The Genealogy of Horses" Al Kalbi mentions that the Prophet Solomon gave the Azd tribe (of the people of Oman) a horse from among his stock.
Ibn Batuta, writing in the 14th century, mentions the export of thoroughbred horses from Dhofar, and Marco Polo, writing earlier, in the 13th century, also refers to the export of fine Arabian horses from Qalhat and Dhofar.
In the Sultanate of Oman there are currently about 2,000 horses, of which approximately 350 are pure-bred Arab horses, 150 are thoroughbreds, and 1,500 are pure-bred Omani horses.
The Omanis' love of horses can be seen in the way they deck them out: the neck ornaments, the silver bridle, the sweat cover placed on the back and the undercloth to prevent chafing, the silver collar-piece, and finally the reins. There are annual horse races at the Royal Stables, and throughout the year in the regions especially on religious and national occasions.
Besides the races the riders participate in polo matches, tent-pegging competitions, trotting races, show-jumping, dressage and carriage processions.
His Majesty the Sultan pays special attention to all aspects of horse-breeding, preserving bloodlines, and equestrian sports of all kinds. A Directorate-General of the Royal Stables has been established under the Diwan of Royal Court which supervises the breeding and rearing of horses using scientific methods in conformity with international standards.
In addition the Royal Horse Racing Club was established to oversee the planning and development of equestrian activities, as well as organising the Royal Oman Horse Show which is held every 5 years. The Racing Club also distributes horses every year to citizens who are prepared to care for them and organises the annual Royal Horse Race meeting which takes place under Royal patronage.
The Oman Equestrian Federation arranges other race meetings and equestrian events, with the aim of preserving this valuable heritage. The Royal Stables possess numerous breeds of horses known for their excellence in racing, dressage, showjumping and polo, in addition to a troupe of cavalry horses.
Following directives from His Majesty, a horse-breeding department was set up in Salalah which concentrates on the breeding of pure-bred Arab horses. In general, the Royal Stables breed a variety of pure bred and thoroughbred horses from the finest bloodlines available.
The Royal Stables is a member of the World Arab Horse Organisation (WAHO)
The Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) was also a great lover of horses. They constituted an essential part of his army. When they returned after a mission, he would give them strokes of affections on ankles and necks. The Prophet Sulaiman (peace be upon him) did so in approbation of their loyalty and high speed.
Cars You'll Be Driving In 10 Years
What can consumers expect to see on roads by 2020? Lightweight and fuel-efficient sports cars; innovative design schemes; and powerful four-door sedans from some of the world’s most exclusive luxury automakers.
China is already taking steps to increase car sales. Transactions are expected to more than double by 2015, according to an April 22nd forecast by J.D. Power and Associates. Last year China's government awarded the equivalent of one-third of the country's gross domestic product to consumer-stimulus and bank-lending plans--which translated into roaring vehicle sales and record profits for many long-established automakers, according to the report.
Those automakers have got some special vehicles planned to capitalize on that fervor. BMW is hoping its zero-emissions Megacity Vehicle and GM's EN-V (Electric Networked-Vehicle) will become big sellers in Asia's big cities.
MORE AT FORBES.COM
"China’s rapid growth makes the automotive market highly attractive and almost irresistible to any automaker," John Humphrey, senior vice president of global automotive operations for J.D. Power, said in the report. "The retail landscape in China is going to undergo dramatic change in the coming years."
Stateside, drivers can expect luxury--in both small and large vehicles. Think along the lines of a four-door Bugatti and Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid. Bugatti, for one, is competing with recent luxe four-door entries from Porsche and Maserati. Porsche, with its super-fast hybrid, is hoping to capitalize on the growing hybrid market. Hybrid sales in the U.S. decreased just 7.5% to 290,280 units in 2009, compared to a 21.2% decline for all vehicles. They held about 3% of the U.S. automotive market last year but are expected to triple by 2015, according to J.D. Power.
Model Cars
To get a sense of what cars we'll be driving 10 years from now, we spoke with automakers including General Motors, BMW, Audi and Porsche. While they couldn't divulge which cars and trucks we'll see in showrooms in 2020 (new-product specs are closely guarded secrets), the concepts they are currently debuting give us a pretty good idea.
The Bugatti 16C Galibier concept gives the public a peek at what the automaker will produce in the next several years. Judging from photos Bugatti has already released, the car based on the 16C Galibier will have blue carbon-fiber and polished aluminum bodywork, eight external exhaust pipes and a body-long spine that opens like flywings along the front hood. If the Veyron is any indication, the four-seat Galibier will be the most expensive, most powerful four-door car in the world.
At the other end of the automotive spectrum, the car based on the electric Toyota FT-CH will be an even more economical counterpart to the $22,800 Toyota Prius. The car is part of Toyota's goal to sell one million hybrids each year globally before 2015; it's launching eight all-new hybrids in the next few years. FT-CH will be smaller (22 inches shorter in overall length), lighter and cheaper--and targeted to a younger audience.
When is a Car Not a Car?
The introduction of such innovative vehicles means that those behind the wheel will have to think differently about their driving habits. For people living in European and Asian cities, the future of transportation could look a lot like GM's EN-V--an electric two-wheeler created by GM and the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp (built on previous concepts that GM created with Segway). It's about five feet long and less than 1,000 pounds, with a top speed of 25 miles per hour. The pod uses a GPS system to navigate traffic and even has an auto-drive mode--perfect for commuters who want to be driven on their way to work but also want their own vehicle.
These innovations might also include high-quality, luxurious interiors, super-advanced crash-avoidance technology and drastically reduced carbon emissions--something along the lines of the Audi E-Tron.
E-Tron's air intakes open and close depending on driving conditions, decreasing drag on the car and improving driving range. The cabin is shifted toward the front axle (the battery unit is in the rear) to improve handling performance, and the cockpit is oriented toward the driver, with a "floating" dash and slim center console. There are almost no buttons or switches inside (it has no transmission, and the gear selector emerges only when the car is started.) Energy-efficient automatic headlamps and LED lighting line inside and outside the car.
"There's a perception that everybody's a car freak or a car geek and cars have to look like cars, but to a lot of people, an automobile is just a means of getting someplace," says Clay Dean, GM's director of advanced global design. "So we're looking at the things that you can do that perhaps are unique, things that are very, very small, things that are extremely efficient."
Automakers keep notoriously mum about exactly how much they spend on research and design, but it's safe to assume most spend tens of millions of dollars on it each year: Dave Engelman, a spokesman at Porsche, says the Stuttgart-based company spends about 15% of its total budget on R&D--and didn't slough off any when the industry went south.
"It's a tremendous amount to spend, especially from a percentage standpoint, from the size of the company that we are," he says. "But it's where we learn quite a bit."
Two-seater car-pods and silent sports cars may seem futuristic, but they actually aren't that far off. It takes about seven years to design, develop, test and produce a new car--in fact, GM designers have already developed what's slated for the next several years, Dean says: "In my mind, I'm already living in 2015."
Cars You'll Be Driving In 10 Years
Porsche 918 Spyder
What We Know Now: A carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic monocoque makes the 918 light (3,285 pounds) and efficient--Porsche has estimated a 78-mile-per-gallon fuel efficiency. It is likely to go 0-62 mph in 3.2 seconds with a top speed of 199 miles per hour. Under the hood, a 500-horsepower V8 engine derived from the Porsche RS Spyder will partner with a 160 kW motor (that's equivalent to about 210 hp).
Audi E-Tron
What We Know Now: The air intakes in the single-frame grille and in front of the rear wheels, which open and close depending on driving conditions, decrease drag on the car and improve range. The cabin is shifted toward the front axle (the battery unit is in the rear); the cockpit is oriented toward the driver, with a "floating" dash and slim center console. There are almost no buttons or switches inside. Energy-efficient auto-reflective headlamps and LED lighting are found throughout the vehicle.
GMC Granite
What We Know Now: The Granite will have a 140-horsepower turbocharged engine, six-speed automatic transmission, navigation and Bluetooth capability. Fuel economy will be 27 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway, according to GM. The car is small, designed for maneuvering on crowded streets, and features no-pillar doors that open from the center--which give it more space inside.
Toyota FT-CH
What We Know Now: This car will be a small, hybrid cousin to the Prius (it's 22 inches shorter in overall length). The car is part of Toyota's goal to sell 1 million hybrids each year globally before 2015; it's launching eight all-new hybrids in the next few years. FT-CH will likely be less expensive than the Prius and targeted to a younger audience.
Buick Regal GS
What We Know Now: GM is hyping this sedan as the car that will revitalize "Buick’s Gran Sport heritage." It has a 255-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and six-speed manual transmission, with an interactive drive control system that reaches 60 mph in about six seconds. Accents include two vertical front air intakes, aluminum 20-inch wheels and performance tires, and a racing-style steering wheel and metal pedals.
How about an AUDI R8 then
Tags: 911, Porsche, Turbo
