2010 Honda Element Dog Friendly

By Cristian Truers

The Japanese automaker Honda has just cooked up a new pet friendly Element for the U.S. market. The compact crossover is well known as a go anywhere do anything kind of vehicle, the car's resilient interior allows you to play all day at the beach, store all your surf gear inside and simply hose out all the sand when you get home. Knowing how much consumers are already spending on their animals, Honda figured that the 2010 Honda Element Dog Friendly was the next logical step to winning over, over accommodating dog owners.

Starting at only $20,525, this new Element is full of features for man's best friend. The entire cargo area behind the rear seats has been transformed into a pooch's traveling palace. First of all Fido will be able to effortlessly enter and exit his new perch atop the back bumper via a very sturdy looking ramp that if wide enough could handle a wheelchair. Once inside the pup will ride on a plush foam cushion covered with a neat Dog Friendly Element print. In order to keep Rex cool Honda's Dog Friendly engineers have built in a ventilation fan and to make sure that he won't go thirsty they have come up with a trick dog bowl that ensures minimal spillage even around the hairiest of hairpins, guaranteed to keep that extra member of your family comfortable even on the longest of car rides.

The Dog Friendly Element is powered by Honda's reliable 2.4 Liter i-VTEC four cylinder engine and shifted with a five speed automatic transmission that can send power to either the front wheels or with Honda's Real Time 4WD power all four. The only thing left for Honda to install is a video monitor so that the passengers can check on the family pet while he is riding in his kennel on wheels. If you have any doubts about how safe this setup is you can rest assured that Honda has chosen the Takata Corporation to design the whole thing. Now you might be asking why is that name so familiar, if you have ever seen a racecar driver strapped in with a really cool looking green racing harness, those are Takatas.

The Honda Element lineup expands for the 2010 model year with an all-new "Dog Friendly" pet accommodation system designed to improve safety, comfort and convenience for dogs and their owners alike, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today. The 2010 Honda Element arrives at dealerships nationwide by mid-October. The Dog Friendly Element is set to become available on November 16.

"The Honda Element has long been recognized as an accommodating vehicle for people with active lifestyles involving sports and hobbies," said Vicki Poponi, assistant vice president of Product Planning for American Honda. "The new Dog Friendly Element takes that concept to a whole new level with specially designed features for dogs and their owners."

Engineered to integrate with factory precision into the Element EX, the Dog Friendly equipment is intended to accommodate the secure transportation of a dog in the cargo area within a nylon-webbed car kennel. In daily operation the car kennel helps prevent a dog from interfering with the driver in traffic by keeping the pet properly restrained and out of reach of the driver. In the event of a frontal collision, the kennel is intended to help restrain the dog behind the rear seats, reducing the chance for the pet to be injured - or to injure human occupants during a crash.

The Dog Friendly equipment enhances pet comfort by providing a soft floor surface for the dog's legs and paws along with a dedicated fan and a s--resistant water source. Convenience is improved for owners with an integrated ramp, easy to clean surfaces and a full suite of matching Dog Friendly accoutrements. - 31488

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2010 Lotus Exige Scura

By Arhur Monderos

While a majority of automakers are bailing out of the Tokyo Motor Show, it is nice to see that there will indeed be a few new models to look at when it comes to be show time. One such vehicle will be a special edition sports car from he light weight English race car builders at Lotus. While the boffins from across the pond have already engineered every unnecessary ounce out of the Exige in the hopes of creating a hard core driving experience, this particularly dark model focuses on making the little Lotus as sinister looking as it is lethal. The special edition Tokyo Motor Show Lotus Exige is named the Scura, which is the Italian word for dark, due to its dramatic black bodywork and a GT3 inspired rear end.

Priced at around $75,000 the Exige Scura features a trio of Phantom Black stripes to break up the large panels of matte black paint, however the carbon fiber bits and suede wrapped racing buckets go a bit further towards showing off the Scura's true purpose of being an all out competition vehicle. Only now instead of laughing at bright orange bodywork, other drivers will stay out of this Lotus' way. Like all Exige models the Scura is powered by a supercharged four cylinder engine that delivers a maximum output of 257 HP 174 lb-ft of torque, while it can sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in only 4 seconds and reach a top speed of 152 MPH.

Lotus Cars unveils its latest special edition - the Exige Scura, so called due to its dramatic matt black and carbon fibre theme, at the Tokyo International Motorshow on 21st of October 2009.

Translated as 'dark' from Italian, the name 'Scura' reflects the stealth character of this already fierce looking Lotus and its stunning soft-feel matt black paint finish. Limited to just 35 cars globally, this Exige evokes a desire to 'indulge your dark side'. This is a serious looking car and enhancements to performance and a reduction in weight from the production level Exige S means that the Exige Scura demands to be driven by a serious driver.

Contrasting high gloss 'Phantom Black' triple stripes run the length of the car and a carbon fibre front splitter, oil cooler inlet vanes, side airscoops and rear spoiler enhance the stunning distinction between the different textures and exaggerate the tactile quality of the velvety touch to the matt black paint finish.

Luke Bennett, Director of Lotus Cars said, "The Exige Scura is a stunning vehicle which offers an adrenaline fuelled experience and is a real head-turner! Our Exige customers choose Lotus because we deliver thrilling performance and dynamic design and this special edition fits the bill on both counts. - 31488

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Lotus Exige Scura Review

By Arhur Monderos

While a majority of automakers are bailing out of the Tokyo Motor Show, it is nice to see that there will indeed be a few new models to look at when it comes to be show time. One such vehicle will be a special edition sports car from he light weight English race car builders at Lotus. While the boffins from across the pond have already engineered every unnecessary ounce out of the Exige in the hopes of creating a hard core driving experience, this particularly dark model focuses on making the little Lotus as sinister looking as it is lethal. The special edition Tokyo Motor Show Lotus Exige is named the Scura, which is the Italian word for dark, due to its dramatic black bodywork and a GT3 inspired rear end.

Priced at around $75,000 the Exige Scura features a trio of Phantom Black stripes to break up the large panels of matte black paint, however the carbon fiber bits and suede wrapped racing buckets go a bit further towards showing off the Scura's true purpose of being an all out competition vehicle. Only now instead of laughing at bright orange bodywork, other drivers will stay out of this Lotus' way. Like all Exige models the Scura is powered by a supercharged four cylinder engine that delivers a maximum output of 257 HP 174 lb-ft of torque, while it can sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in only 4 seconds and reach a top speed of 152 MPH.

Lotus Cars unveils its latest special edition - the Exige Scura, so called due to its dramatic matt black and carbon fibre theme, at the Tokyo International Motorshow on 21st of October 2009.

Translated as 'dark' from Italian, the name 'Scura' reflects the stealth character of this already fierce looking Lotus and its stunning soft-feel matt black paint finish. Limited to just 35 cars globally, this Exige evokes a desire to 'indulge your dark side'. This is a serious looking car and enhancements to performance and a reduction in weight from the production level Exige S means that the Exige Scura demands to be driven by a serious driver.

Contrasting high gloss 'Phantom Black' triple stripes run the length of the car and a carbon fibre front splitter, oil cooler inlet vanes, side airscoops and rear spoiler enhance the stunning distinction between the different textures and exaggerate the tactile quality of the velvety touch to the matt black paint finish.

Luke Bennett, Director of Lotus Cars said, "The Exige Scura is a stunning vehicle which offers an adrenaline fuelled experience and is a real head-turner! Our Exige customers choose Lotus because we deliver thrilling performance and dynamic design and this special edition fits the bill on both counts. - 31488

About the Author:

2010 Lotus Exige Scura

By Arhur Monderos

While a majority of automakers are bailing out of the Tokyo Motor Show, it is nice to see that there will indeed be a few new models to look at when it comes to be show time. One such vehicle will be a special edition sports car from he light weight English race car builders at Lotus. While the boffins from across the pond have already engineered every unnecessary ounce out of the Exige in the hopes of creating a hard core driving experience, this particularly dark model focuses on making the little Lotus as sinister looking as it is lethal. The special edition Tokyo Motor Show Lotus Exige is named the Scura, which is the Italian word for dark, due to its dramatic black bodywork and a GT3 inspired rear end.

Priced at around $75,000 the Exige Scura features a trio of Phantom Black stripes to break up the large panels of matte black paint, however the carbon fiber bits and suede wrapped racing buckets go a bit further towards showing off the Scura's true purpose of being an all out competition vehicle. Only now instead of laughing at bright orange bodywork, other drivers will stay out of this Lotus' way. Like all Exige models the Scura is powered by a supercharged four cylinder engine that delivers a maximum output of 257 HP 174 lb-ft of torque, while it can sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in only 4 seconds and reach a top speed of 152 MPH.

Lotus Cars unveils its latest special edition - the Exige Scura, so called due to its dramatic matt black and carbon fibre theme, at the Tokyo International Motorshow on 21st of October 2009.

Translated as 'dark' from Italian, the name 'Scura' reflects the stealth character of this already fierce looking Lotus and its stunning soft-feel matt black paint finish. Limited to just 35 cars globally, this Exige evokes a desire to 'indulge your dark side'. This is a serious looking car and enhancements to performance and a reduction in weight from the production level Exige S means that the Exige Scura demands to be driven by a serious driver.

Contrasting high gloss 'Phantom Black' triple stripes run the length of the car and a carbon fibre front splitter, oil cooler inlet vanes, side airscoops and rear spoiler enhance the stunning distinction between the different textures and exaggerate the tactile quality of the velvety touch to the matt black paint finish.

Luke Bennett, Director of Lotus Cars said, "The Exige Scura is a stunning vehicle which offers an adrenaline fuelled experience and is a real head-turner! Our Exige customers choose Lotus because we deliver thrilling performance and dynamic design and this special edition fits the bill on both counts. - 31488

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Stock Car Racing's 'Silver Fox' David Pearson

By Ross Everett

While there are a number of challenging tracks on the NASCAR stock car racing circuit, few have earned the fearsome reputation of South Carolina's Darlington Raceway. Known as 'the track too tough to tame', its shaped like an egg with a surface that shreds tires. Some of the best drivers--including NASCAR's 'King' Richard Petty never mastered it. David Person, on the other hand, dominated at Darlington. He won 10 races and won 12 poles--both records that will likely never be broken. He actually made the 'track too tough to tame' look downright easy.

David Pearson was born on December 22, 1934 in Whitney, SC"a textile town near Spartanburg. Like most of the locals, his parents worked in the local cotton mill and did their best to provide. David quit school after the 10th grade and went to work in the mill. It wasnt long, however, before his love of cars and racing made him leave the mill life behind. He bought a car and began racing at short tracks in the upstate. He ran his first race on 9/19/52 in Woodruff South Carolina. Within a few years, he won his first championship at the Greenville"Pickens Speedway in 1959.

Pearson never really sought much more than this local fame and success, but a couple of his friends and some fans had loftier ambitions"they began raising money to buy a car to compete in the NASCAR Grand National series (which was the forerunner to todays Sprint Cup series). With the financial backing from friends and family, David began racing a limited schedule on the Grand National circuit and was named the 1960 rookie of the year. In 1961, he became the first driver to win on 3 of 4 superspeedways in the same year (Charlotte, Daytona, Atlanta). Success beget sponsors, whos dollars allowed him to afford better cars and crew. This brought about championships"he won three Grand National titles in 1966, 1968 and 1969.

During the 70's, Pearson specialized in superspeedway racing. Through the end of the 1970s, Pearson won 43 races. In addition to his mastery of Darlington, he posted remarkable numbers all over the circuit. He is one of two men to have won more than 100 races, and his 105 is second only to The King Richard Pettys 200 wins. Hes also second on career poles (113) to Petty. Head to head, however, he has a slight edge over NASCARs legendary King: in races where he and Petty finished 1-2, Pearson won 33 to Pettys 30. His 11 consecutive poles at Charlotte is a feat that will likely never be matched. Another record that may never be broken is his 18.29% winning percentage, as well as his record of starting from the pole in 20% of the races he ran.

Pearson is alive and well and still lives in Spartanburg, SC. In March 2000, SC Highway 221 through Spartanburg County was renamed David Pearson Boulevard in his honor. He still gets out on the Darlington track a few times a year--impressive for anyone, but even more so for a 75 year old man. And he's still got the sterling silver hair which gave him his nickname of 'The Silver Fox'. - 31488

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1985 Ford Bronco Ii Xlt

By Arhur Monderos

"The ugly duckling. It may be rusty, but it runs better than most newer cars" What things have gone wrong with the car? Headliner falling down.

Driver seat a little twisted and ripped.

Engine valve noise, probably from driving 388,000 KMs.

Fenders and rear quarters rusted as well as other rust spots and peeling paint.

Speakers blown, but still work OK.

Valve cover leak and minor power steering hose leak.

General comments? Bought the truck for $500 and drove it 143 KMs home, and was surprised at how well it was running, and how well it rode for being a rusted cheap Bronco II.

The body is ugly brown on tan with a shade of rust, but still solid. Most of it is just surface rust.

4X4 works great, the manual transmission shifts good, and the clutch seems to be fine.

Heat works amazingly well, and surprisingly so does the A/C.

Handles bumps really well, and you do feel them, but you feel them in most true 44 offroad vehicles.

Carburated engine starts up quick, like as soon as the key hits the start position, it's running, and very quiet and smooth, you can barely hear or feel the engine running except for the minor valve tick.

I definitely need to put in a tachometer in it so I know it's running, because it's so quiet that every time you get to a stop sign or traffic lights and push the clutch in, everything is quiet and it seems like the engine stalled, but it's still running quiet and smooth.

I am very happy with this vehicle so far, even though it has 388,000 KMs. I would have no problem fixing up the body a little bit to get rid of most of the rust, and if I ever had to replace the engine or transmission, I would, but the way it seems right now, I almost think it would last another 300,000 KMs. - 31488

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2010 Ford Mondeo Titanium Econetic

By Arhur Monderos

There are plenty of cars from around the world that never go on sale here in the U.S. market, one of them is the shapely Euro only Ford Mondeo. While the Mondeo was previously a true world car, being sold around the globe, the full size family car hasn't been sold in America for almost a decade. Aside from missing out on the attractive styling of the fourth generation Mondeo, we are also missing out on Ford U.K.'s latest economical offer. The Ford Mondeo Titanium ECOnetic is a next generation turbo diesel powered family sedan that offers outstanding fuel mileage at a very affordable price, not to mention a few stylish options.

The ECOnetic part of the Mondeo's nameplate comes from the car's 2.0 Liter TDCi power plant that produces a maximum output of 115 HP that with the help of an optimal gear indicator helps the turbo diesel Mondeo to get an estimated average of 54.3 MPG. These numbers alone would be impressive for any vehicle, but when you consider that the new Mondeo ECOnetic is available with a set of stylish lightweight 16 or 17 inch rims, a lowered suspension as well as an optimized aero package complete with air deflectors and a rear spoiler all aimed at reducing fuel mileage robbing parasitic loss from heavy spinning items and aerodynamic drag that acts like a parachute pulling the car back from its intended direction of travel. In addition to all the items that make the ECOnetic Mondeo so great, the price trumps tem all; starting at only 23,295 for the space saving five door model and 24,545 for the estate.

Ford is introducing a new high series addition to its Mondeo line-up powered by ECOnetic technologies - the Mondeo Titanium 2.0 115PS TDCi with 139g/km CO2 emissions.

Targeting company car users increasingly conscious of company car tax costs while not compromising vehicle specification, the model is offered in five-door hatchback or estate form. Both deliver CO2 emissions of 139g/km and a combined fuel economy of figure of 54.3mpg.

While benefitting from Ford ECOnetic environmental features, this new model is otherwise identical to the standard Titanium series. The following features are added to help reduce CO2 emissions and improve fuel economy:

16in Y-Spoke lightweight alloy wheels (standard) 17in Y-spoke alloys (option) An optimum gear change indicator Aerodynamically optimised sports suspension and air deflectors Rear spoiler (five-door only) - 31488

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Honda Element 2010 Is Dog Friendly

By Cristian Truers

The Japanese automaker Honda has just cooked up a new pet friendly Element for the U.S. market. The compact crossover is well known as a go anywhere do anything kind of vehicle, the car's resilient interior allows you to play all day at the beach, store all your surf gear inside and simply hose out all the sand when you get home. Knowing how much consumers are already spending on their animals, Honda figured that the 2010 Honda Element Dog Friendly was the next logical step to winning over, over accommodating dog owners.

Starting at only $20,525, this new Element is full of features for man's best friend. The entire cargo area behind the rear seats has been transformed into a pooch's traveling palace. First of all Fido will be able to effortlessly enter and exit his new perch atop the back bumper via a very sturdy looking ramp that if wide enough could handle a wheelchair. Once inside the pup will ride on a plush foam cushion covered with a neat Dog Friendly Element print. In order to keep Rex cool Honda's Dog Friendly engineers have built in a ventilation fan and to make sure that he won't go thirsty they have come up with a trick dog bowl that ensures minimal spillage even around the hairiest of hairpins, guaranteed to keep that extra member of your family comfortable even on the longest of car rides.

The Dog Friendly Element is powered by Honda's reliable 2.4 Liter i-VTEC four cylinder engine and shifted with a five speed automatic transmission that can send power to either the front wheels or with Honda's Real Time 4WD power all four. The only thing left for Honda to install is a video monitor so that the passengers can check on the family pet while he is riding in his kennel on wheels. If you have any doubts about how safe this setup is you can rest assured that Honda has chosen the Takata Corporation to design the whole thing. Now you might be asking why is that name so familiar, if you have ever seen a racecar driver strapped in with a really cool looking green racing harness, those are Takatas.

The Honda Element lineup expands for the 2010 model year with an all-new "Dog Friendly" pet accommodation system designed to improve safety, comfort and convenience for dogs and their owners alike, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today. The 2010 Honda Element arrives at dealerships nationwide by mid-October. The Dog Friendly Element is set to become available on November 16.

"The Honda Element has long been recognized as an accommodating vehicle for people with active lifestyles involving sports and hobbies," said Vicki Poponi, assistant vice president of Product Planning for American Honda. "The new Dog Friendly Element takes that concept to a whole new level with specially designed features for dogs and their owners."

Engineered to integrate with factory precision into the Element EX, the Dog Friendly equipment is intended to accommodate the secure transportation of a dog in the cargo area within a nylon-webbed car kennel. In daily operation the car kennel helps prevent a dog from interfering with the driver in traffic by keeping the pet properly restrained and out of reach of the driver. In the event of a frontal collision, the kennel is intended to help restrain the dog behind the rear seats, reducing the chance for the pet to be injured - or to injure human occupants during a crash.

The Dog Friendly equipment enhances pet comfort by providing a soft floor surface for the dog's legs and paws along with a dedicated fan and a s--resistant water source. Convenience is improved for owners with an integrated ramp, easy to clean surfaces and a full suite of matching Dog Friendly accoutrements. - 31488

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