Now 80 years and 10 months later, Volvo sends out its 15 millionth vehicle, the C70, and yes, it is another convertible. Despite the years between the production of the two vehicles, the car maker has been able to create vehicles which would not only give you your needs and wants in a vehicle – it would also give you safety. And safety is something that Volvo has been very consistent with in their vehicles.

So this is Kudos to Volvo and to more vehicles from you!

Last October 27, 2006 at the Arena Civica in Milan, Italy, the Mini Cooper, Volkswagen Eos and a host of other stunning automobiles emerged victorious at the XIV L’Automobile più Bella del Mondo or The World’s Most Beautiful Automobile” competition for 2006. The international jury led by Bruno Alfieri, the Italian journalist and editor who created the awards back in 1993, chose the best looking cars in various categories such as city cars and compact cars, mid-size hatchback, limousine, coupe, spider, station wagon, concept cars and many more.

After examination of the various new models introduced in 2006, the jury proclaimed the winners in their respective categories. However, upon a closer look on the list of winners, one can see that Japanese and American cars are conspicuously absent from the list. Europe does offer some of the most stunning of automobiles, but do they have the monopoly when it comes to aesthetics? We don’t think so. Still, the list offers a veritable showdown of some of the most beautiful cars ever to grace the road.

City cars and compact cars: Mini Cooper

Mid-size hatchback cars: Volvo C30

Mid-size sedans: Volvo S80

Limousine: Bentley Continental GTC

Coupé: Mercedes CL

Coupé-cabriolet: Volkswagen Eos

Spider: Alfa Romeo Spider

Sportscars: Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

Station wagon: Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon

MPV: Citroën C4 Picasso

Crossover: Audi Q7

Specials: Studiotorino RK Coupé

Concept Cars: Renault Twingo Concept

Read the rest of this entry »

Finally, the world’s first treasure hunt for a buried vehicle is over. David Hutz, a 30-year old resident of Herndon, VA, was the lucky finalist who emerged victorious and won the Pirates of the Caribbean-themed Volvo XC90. The new SUV was awarded to David after he outplayed six other finalists in Survivor-style challenges to complete the treasure hunt. David guessed the exact location of the buried vehicle enabling him to win the special $82,000 Volvo XC90.

Aside from the garish Pirates graphics, the new Volvo XC90 is powered by a V8-engine, has 20-inch custom wheels, black leather seating, a quad-tip Borta exhaust system and many more features and upgrades. Meanwhile, the other six chosen from over 52,000 contestants from all over the world, did not go home empty-handed as they were also given new vehicles by Volvo in a surprise move that drew loud cheers and wide smiles.

Where in the world did Volvo bury that new XC90 V8?

This is the big question on every participant to the world’s first treasure hunt for a buried vehicle. The global, multi-media treasure hunt is part of Volvo’s marketing promotion tied in with Disney’s upcoming film ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’. Starting last June 12 until July 11, people nationwide can experience the exciting search for a buried treasure – Volvo’s hot, new SUV, the XC90. All you need to do is visit your local Volvo dealership and grab a free treasure map. This treasure map is important since winners will only be eligible for the prize if they can produce the original treasure map at the end of the contest. You also have to register at ‘The Hunt’s’ official website here.

Puzzles and mazes will then be regularly emailed to you. If you solve these puzzles you get to receive clues to the location of the buried treasure. The puzzles and mazes will become increasingly difficult to solve until the last clue is emailed on July 12. By then, Volvo will pick seven finalists from all over the world that got the right answer to the final clue. In August, the seven finalists will be flown to the location of the buried XC90. They will then set off on a mad scramble to find the buried vehicle first. First to find it, gets to keep it. Aside from the U.S, other nations participating in the global buried-treasure hunt are Japan, the U.K., Austria and Spain.

Meanwhile, Disney’s much-awaited flick ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’ is set to debut in the U.S. on July 7.

The results are in for this year’s fifth annual North American Concept Vehicle of the Year award. The jury of almost two dozen automotive journalists from across North America has chosen which among the 25 concept vehicles and 12 production preview vehicles that debuted in 2006 stand out above the rest. The award honors the vehicles that are most likely to shape the future of the automobile industry.

The Volvo C30 and the Aston Martine Rapide were adjudged as the 2006 Production Preview Vehicle of the Year. The Rapide, stylish, four-door, luxury coupe, impressed the jurors as much as the gorgeous Volvo C30 did. Meanwhile, the highly contested 2006 Concept Car of the Year Award went to the Chevrolet Camaro, highlighting the resurgence of the popularity of ‘Muscle Cars’.

In the Truck and SUV category, the Dodge Rampage emerged as the 2006 Concept Truck of the Year, besting other contenders with its innovative features like Stow-N-Go seating and dual-level cargo-bed. Meanwhile, in the Specialty Concept Category, the Ford Reflex snapped up the top spot. The Ford Reflex sport coupe also garnered the highest scores among the four finalists and emerged as the 2006 Most Significant Concept Vehicle of the Year.

The North American Concept Vehicle of the Year awards is given out annually for the five consecutive years now by the South East Automotive Media Organization or SEAMO.

Safety in motor vehicles is often relegated to being second only in importance to a car’s looks. Most of the time, an automobile brand’s selling point is not how safe their car models are but rather how sleek and sexy they look. Forbes recently selected what it regards as the safest cars available in the market today. They based their list from the vehicles that posted high ratings at Consumer Reports findings, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The following vehicles made it to Forbes’ rather short list:

Acura RL
Honda Civic
Saab 9-3
Volvo S80

A number of exciting new concept vehicles were introduced this year. Some debuted to resounding success and roused the interest of the public. Which among the concept vehicles unveiled this year is the best among the rest? This year, a jury of professional automotive journalists from all over North America will choose the best concept vehicle from among a field of twenty five concept vehicles and twelve production preview vehicles that were introduced into the North American market for the 2005 Auto Show season.

The 2006 Concept Vehicle of the Year award will recognize the concept vehicles that have made the strongest impact in terms of automotive design, engineering and market responsiveness. The four categories are Best Production Preview Vehicle, Concept Car, Concept Truck, and Specialty Concept. The semifinalists were recently announced at the Atlanta International Auto Show. Meanwhile, the awards will be handed out in June in Detroit. The semifinalists are:

Concept Car
Chevrolet Camaro
Dodge Challenger
Saab Aero X
Mazda Kabura

Concept Truck
Dodge Rampage
Ford Super Chief
Suzuki PX
Toyota F3R

Specialty Concept
Ford Reflex
Maserati Birdcage
Volkswagen GX3
Mitsubishi CT

Production Preview
Aston Martin Rapide
Buick Enclave
Mini Traveller
Volvo C30

Every year, thousands of people are either killed or injured in alcohol-related road accidents. In 2004 alone, 16,694 people were killed due to drunk driving alone. Drunk-driving fatalities constitute almost 40 percent of all traffic fatalities recorded. Of course, there are laws that penalize drunk driving and measures such as field sobriety tests and chemical tests to determine if a driver is indeed intoxicated. However, fatal accidents can and will happen even before law enforcers can flag down potentially drunk drivers.

However, new technologies that will help prevent drunk driving are currently being developed and tested by a number of manufacturers. One of the most promising devices is an ignition interlock device which stops a car from starting if its driver has had too much alcohol. The device works by detecting alcohol on the driver’s skin surface which thus eliminates the need for blow-into-a-tube breathalyzers. These devices are currently generating considerable interest and catching momentum.

In fact, New York legislators are mulling over whether to oblige cars and trucks to use these devices as soon as 2009. Meanwhile, Volvo and Saab are already using such devices in their cars, according to a report from USA Today. Mothers Against Drunk Driving CEO, Chuck Hurley, explains that “…it is literally possible that the epidemic of drunk driving could be solved where cars simply could not be operated by drunk drivers”.

Come April 13 to 24, 2006, the automotive industry will once again converge at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in the Big Apple to witness the world’s automakers bring out and introduce their newest vehicle models and concepts at one of the biggest auto events this year – the 2006 New York International Automobile Show. The NY Auto Show promises a very exciting presentation this year with automakers expected to pull out all the stops to unveil their latest offerings. Nearly 1,000 cars, trucks, minivans, SUVs and crossover vehicles with prices ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 will go on display at the auto show.

John LaSorsa, the chairman of the NY Auto Show said that “There are more all-new cars and trucks coming to the 2006 Show than we’ve ever seen before, from the luxury new S-Class Mercedes and Jaguar XK Convertible to the nimble and fuel efficient Nissan Versa and Honda Fit, the Javits Center will be overflowing with completely new and re-styled 2006 and ‘07 model year vehicles.”

Expect to see a good mix of both import and domestic car makes and models from industry heavyweights Toyota, Ford, Honda, GM, DaimlerChrysler, Volkswagen, Volvo, Audi and many more. Among the most anticipated new models to be unveiled at the show include the 2007 Ford Edge, the Jaguar XK convertible, the crossovers Mazda CX-7 and CX-9, the Nissan Versa, Volkswagen Golf GTI, Ford GT, Ford Adrenaline, Saturn Sky, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Mercedes-Benz GL Class, Jeep Compass, the all-new 2007 Chrysler Aspen, a new SUV from Daimler Chrysler and the Audi Q7, a seven seater from the German automaker.

The automakers will also whisk the coves off more than a dozen concept vehicles at the show. These include the Chrysler Imperial, Aston Martine Rapide, Acura RDX, Hyundai HCD9, and the Toyota F3R. The auto show will also witness the debut of several new hybrid vehicles such as the GMC Sierra Hybrid, Ford Focus FCV, Lexus RX 300H Hybrid, Honda Accord Hybrid and Saturn Vue Hybrid.

All roads will definitely lead to the Javits Center between 34th and 39th streets on April 14. A special public sneak preview will be held on the 14th while the official opening day will be on the 15th. In case you will not be able to go, just stay tuned to The Auto Blog. We will provide you with the latest news, important events and reviews from New York.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) has named its top car picks for 2006 in thirteen categories. AAA is the leading member organization in the country that offers motorists with solutions to their automotive needs. The Top Car Picks list for 2006 will help buyers make an informed decision when buying a new car. John Nielsen, director of AAA Auto Buying and Auto Repair Network says that “From fuel-saving hybrids to sporty, high performance vehicles, those looking to purchase a new vehicle in 2006 will be pleasantly surprised to see they have many makes and models from which to choose from .” Notable selections include the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 as the Cool Car of the year. Honda scored two with the Honda Ridgeline topping the Pickup category and the Honda Accord taking the $15,000 - $20,000 car category. The Ford Escape Hybrid SUV was also chosen in the SUV under $30,000 category. The Jaguar XJ8L is the most expensive car on the list. AAA’s Top Car Picks of 2006 are:

Under - $15,000: Mazda 3 - 25/35 mpg (city/highway)

$15,000 - $20,000: Honda Accord Sedan - 26/34 mpg (city/highway)

$20,000 - $25,000: Dodge Charger - 19/27 mpg (city/highway)

$25,000 - $30,000: Toyota Avalon - 22/31 mpg (city/highway)

$30,000 - $35,000: BMW 3 Series - 20/30 mpg (city/highway)

$35,000 - $40,000: Volvo S80 - 21/30 mpg (city/highway)

$40,000 - $50,000: Infiniti M35/M45 - 17/25 mpg (city/highway)

$50,000 +: Jaguar XJ8L - 18/27 mpg (city/highway)

SUV under $30,000: Ford Escape Hybrid - 36/29 mpg (city/highway)

SUV over $30,000: Mercedes-Benz M-Class - 16/20 mpg (city/highway)

Minivan: Honda Odyssey - 18/28 mpg (city/highway)

Pick Up Truck: Honda Ridgeline - 16/21 mpg (city/highway)

Cool Car: Chevrolet Corvette Z06 - 16/26 mpg (city/highway)