This year marks the 60th year of Group Lotus Plc’s being in the auto industry. And as part of their diamond anniversary, the company has decided to celebrate this event in style. A list of high profile happenings are already planned and all these events are focusing on the roots of the Lotus brand and just what the auto industry should look forward to. One of the most awaited events would be the Birthday Party for Lotus and the company is already expecting more than 15,000 guests to arrive and share the night with them.

Group Lotus Plc started back in 1948 when its founder, Colin Chapman, completed his very first racecar. From that first unit, Chapman continued designing stylish vehicles that are packed with power and maintain a good performance on the road. At present, Chapman is known as one of the best engineers in the auto industry with his “performance through lightweight” theory highly regarded as the foundation that today’s racing teams still apply when creating vehicles

You love traveling with your pets and your pets sometimes meet some untoward events during your trip. What do you do?

If you have the Pet E.R. Guide with you, you would not have to worry. The Pet E.R. Guide is a 200-page book which gives you tips on what you should do in cases of emergencies that concern your pets. This guide was published by Trailer Life Books and it has a list of contact information of vet services to help you find the kind of help that your pets need.

Aside from these, the guide also has a list of things that you should bring with you if you are taking your pet on a trip. A list of plants that are poisonous to your animal friend could also be found in the guide. Questions on what you should ask vets are also in the guide so you can gauge whether the vet of your choice is going to be good for your pet.

With the opening of the doors of the New York International Auto Show, car followers were able to meet a new kind of concept vehicle from Nissan. This vehicle is the Nissan Denki Cube Concept vehicle and it is, as its name suggests, square.

This concept vehicle is not just square - it also is an electric concept, thus the name Denki, which is the Japanese translation for ‘electric’. The company did disclose that the Nissan Denki Cube Concept runs on a lithium-ion battery and this vehicle is also part of their move to inform the industry about what they are doing to help the environment.

The concept is also a preview of what Nissan has in store for their future vehicles which they are planning to send to the North American auto market. In fact, Nissan said that one of the plans that they have for the Denki Cube Concept is that they make it into a production vehicle and start selling units in the United States by 2009.

Hyundai Motor Company is the affiliate of Kia Motors Corporation. According to the former, which is also known as the top car manufacturer in South Korea, the latter would soon be selling a new car sometime in the third quarter of this year. It was also disclosed that the new vehicle would be an entry-level unit and that Kia has decided to start selling such so as to help the company have more sales.

The name of the new vehicle has yet to be disclosed however Kia has announced that the vehicle has been given the code name AM. The vehicle has already undergone a trial production. The company’s Gwangju plant would be the facility responsibility for manufacturing the unit. Auto experts who have an inkling as to what the Kia AM is all about has mentioned that it was first introduced as the Kia Soul concept and that it looks like the Scion xB.

During each auto show, there are always those cars which car followers and experts alike look out for. Some of these popular cars are concept vehicles and there are also those production vehicles which offer something exciting or something really useful.

Here are some of the vehicles that the industry has been waiting for before the New York International Auto Show opened:

• Mercedes Benz vehicles with BlueTEC diesel engines - R 320 (crossover), GL 320 (SUV), and ML 320 (SUV).
• Hyundai Genesis (coupe)
• Acura TSX (sedan)
• Honda Fit (hatchback)
• Nissan Maxima (sedan)
• Scion Hako (coupe)
• Suzuki Concept Kizashi 3 (concept vehicle)
• Saleen Supercar S5S Raptor (concept vehicle)
• Pontiac G8 muscle vehicles - GXP (sedan) and G8 (truck)
• Dodge Challenger (sports car)

Reading through reviews of the New York International Auto Show, it seems like the event has been really something and many people have enjoyed taking part of the event. Who wouldn’t, especially with these remarkable vehicles around?

Each year, the auto industry celebrates the National Car Care Month in April. Many organizations in the industry look at such a celebration as a good way of informing consumers about the importance that vehicles have and what consumers could do to keep their investment in real good condition.

The Car Care Council, as part of the National Car Care Month, say that despite gas prices going up, drivers can still take control of how much fuel they use. The organization also continued to disclose that if a car owner maintains his vehicle well, he/she could save up as much as 10% on fuel. Maintenance of the vehicle’s parts like the tires, spark plugs, and air filters among many others would help any car owner save 10% of his vehicle’s fuel. Total all of the money you usually spend on gas and you would realize that 10% is a huge amount.

You can check out various tips on how to maintain your vehicle. The money you save could be used for other important things like replacement parts and maintenance services.

A car that can be controlled by a remote is quite possible but many look at such an idea to be foolish. However, that did not stop James Brighton, a student from the Cranfield University in Britain, to change his Hummer H3 into a remote-controlled vehicle. Yes, Brighton did such and he did it successfully. Experts who have taken a look at the converted full-sized Hummer H3 has said that converting the vehicle was not a really easy thing to do but Brighton did it really well.

According to Brighton, his Hummer H3 can be controlled with a remote and it can climb a vertical wall that is 16 inches high. It can also still move forward in water that is two feet deep.

What would be the practical use of this Hummer H3? Most are still stumped but Brighton may have his reasons. Right now, the remote-controlled Hummer H3 is, to the eyes of most consumers, is yet just another toy.

Have you ever driven your car straight right into a pothole? What happened after that? Did your vehicle have much damage?

Most people know the kind of damage that potholes could do to a vehicle. It is important that you learn how to protect your vehicle from the kind of harm that those potholes could do to your car.

Here are some tips from State Farm, one of the nation’s auto insurance companies, which you may want to read:

• Try to limit your travel to roads you know very well. That knowledge could keep you from hitting a chuckhole and seriously damaging your car.
• When driving at night, try to drive on well-lit roads so you can see the road surface. Once again, it’s probably a good idea to limit your travel to roads you know very well.
• Slow down. Give yourself a chance to see the pothole and avoid it.
• If you hit a pothole, carefully inspect your tires and wheels for possible damage. Note how your car handles in the aftermath. If it “pulls” or you feel a wobble in the steering, you may need to have your car checked out by a mechanic.
• If you must hit a pothole, do your braking before impact. There’s less damage when a tire is rolling than when it is skidding over a hole during braking.

[Via The Auto Channel]

Starting March 21st, the doors to the 2008 New York International Auto Show will open and attendees would be able to witness the newest and the best vehicles that car makers have set on display.

Mercedes Benz would be taking advantage of the mentioned event to show off three of its newest SUVs. According to the automaker, these three SUVs have been equipped with their diesel engines which has been known as the cleanest and the most state of the art diesel units in the world. The three vehicles which would be coming with the mentioned engine are the ML320 BlueTEC, the GL320 BlueTEC, and the R320 BlueTEC.

According to the car maker, these new engines have been designed so that owners of the mentioned diesel engine-equipped SUVs would be able to save 20% to 30% on fuel. These vehicles are not only clean but could also perform well.

CarMax, Inc., one of the United States’ largest sellers of used vehicles, is keen on sharing tips on how to keep your vehicles running well. One of the most recent set of tips that they have shared is how to replace your car’s battery.

Do’s

• Wear proper eye, hand and clothing protection when around batteries.
• Check the terminals where cables connect to be sure they are tight and corrosion free. If corrosion is present, have terminals cleaned by professionals.
• Lubricate terminals with a dab of petroleum jelly to keep cables clean and free from corrosion longer.
• Make sure the battery is firmly secured to its mounting bracket. An unsecured battery can become damaged and cause short circuits.
• Check the fluid level unless it’a maintenance-free battery. If the fluid is low, add distilled water. If there is no fluid visible, then replace the battery.
• Keep your battery case clean. Dirt conducts electricity which can discharge the battery. Use a solution of baking soda dissolved in warm water to clean. Wet the case and agitate with a nylon bristle brush to scrub surface. Rinse well with plain water.
• Batteries come in many different sizes. When replacing a car battery, make sure you choose the right size for your vehicle. When it comes to car batteries, bigger is not always better.
• Always disconnect the negative cable first and reconnect it last. Charge battery in a well-ventilated area.

[Via The Auto Channel]