The Ford Motor Company sure is going to be reaping in more bucks as part of an agreement that it has took part in. This is possibly one of the largest agreements on export that the car maker has ever been in. According to a report, Ford would be exporting products that would amount to around $800 million. The lot of exported products would include auto products as well as transmission parts. These would be sent over to the Asian country of China.

Aside from the mentioned products, Ford would also be sending over 30,000 vehicles to China. These vehicles would be built in North America and then shipped to the mentioned country. All of these would be coming true by next year. Alan Mulally is the chief head for Ford and he said, “This historic export agreement with China is another step in our commitment to accelerate the development of new products that customers want and value and leverage Ford’s global assets.“

A factory that would be responsible for producing batteries for hybrid vehicles is the new project that Toyota Motor Corporation would be having with Matsushita Electric Industrial Company. In an announcement, they said that such move is actually to be able to supply what the market demands for fuel-efficient rides because of the prices of fuel have gone increasingly up.

Together, Toyota and Matsushita would be investing $193 million so as to be able to complete creating the new factory. This is according to a statement from Yasue Kato, Toyota’s spokesperson. The plant would be creating nickel-hydride batteries which would possibly be used in some of Toyota’s hybrids like the popular Prius. Matsushita though is quite happy with the partnership for its spokesperson, Akira Kadota, declared, “We will cooperate with Toyota on expanding the joint venture.”

Atsushi Kawai is Mizuho’s Investors Securities Company’s senior analyst and on this change, he shared, “The new plant is necessary for Toyota to meet the sales goal.”

In the very near future, drivers may be seeing things in a different light – literally. That’s because of the growing interest automakers have on LEDs or light emitting diodes used for headlights. In fact, as early as next year, LED headlights will be available in at least one new vehicle model, the new Lexus Hybrid LS. Technological breakthroughs have made LEDs bright enough to be used as headlights and daytime running lights. Unlike conventional lamps which use filaments or gas, LEDs use semiconductors to release electrical energy in the form of light.

LEDs offer several special characteristics and advantages over conventional lights. First, LEDs are power-efficient. For instance, LED running lights from Hella consume only 10 watts compared to the 150 watts it takes for a conventional headlight to light up in low beam. Second, LEDs offer more than just a single light beam. They can be dispersed into different interesting and exciting patterns to add to the aesthetic aspect of vehicles. Third, LEDs take up less space than conventional headlights freeing up more space for safety equipment in the vehicle’s front.

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After the rousing success of the Ford Shelby GT-H concept unveiled at the 2006 New York International Auto Show, Ford Motor Corp. has confirmed the production of the retail version of the Ford Shelby GT. The new Ford Shelby GT will be the newest member of the highly popular Mustang stable of performance cars. It is set to take its place between the Mustang GT and the powerful Ford Shelby GT500.

The Ford Shelby GT is powered by a 4.6-liter, 325 horsepower engine and is equipped for both street and track use. It is the third modern Shelby Mustang, produced through Ford’s partnership with racing legend Carroll Shelby. “It’s got the heart and soul of the Mustang GT pumped up with a great noise, strong motor, and nimble chassis,” Shelby proudly said in a statement. “It’s one of those rare cars that’s really easy to drive really fast.”

Mustang and Shelby enthusiasts will surely have their pulses racing as the Ford Shelby GT graces dealer’s showrooms in January. But they better hurry up since only fewer than 10,000 units of this coupe will be built.

Lexus has always been very particular about the sound quality inside their vehicles: from the solid thump of a closing door to the low growl of a turning engine. The audio system is also one of the showcases of technological advancement in any Lexus automobile. The audio system in the new LS 460 offers a new dimension in audio experience. Lexus has teamed up with renowned hi-fi experts Mark Levinson to create the LS 460’s new Reference Sound Audio System, an enhancement of the original Premium Sound Audio System. The trademark quietness of the Lexus vehicle’s interior space is the perfect environment for the excellent sound reproduction of this audio system.

This new Mark Levinson audio system aims to provide the ultimate benchmark of in-car sound quality. This 15-channel amplifier and 450-watt speaker system is perfectly suited for the dimensions and acoustic properties of the LS460’s interior. The system uses an individual, all-digital signal path to each speaker or pair of woofers. The Reference Sound Audio System also uses sophisticated 7.1-channel speaker architecture which guarantees that everyone in the car can experience surround sound.

There’s also an Automatic Sound Leveling (ASL) feature which keeps the volume at a constant when on the move. All these features makes the Reference Sound Audio System one of the most sophisticated car audio systems today – perfect for one of the most luxurious and accomplished cars on the road, the Lexus LS460.

Among the many control components installed in every vehicle is the window regulator. The window regulator takes charge of the window glasses. This allows both the vehicle driver and the passengers to raise or lower the windows whenever they need to or feel to. Normally, the window regulator is most accessible to the nearest person closest to the particular window. And with the new cars of today, the window winding mechanisms allow th e driver to have full control over all the windows of the vehicle.

There are two basic types of window regulators: the manual window regulator and the electric window regulator. A typical manual window regulator set up raises or lowers the window using a hand crank. The rotation of the various gears activates the mechanical plate, thus raising or lowering the window glasses. The window bar and the linkage arm function as the support of the window glass.

The electric window regulator, also coined as power or automatic window regulator, basically does the same thing, except that everything is performed automatically in a touch of a button. A small electric motor integrated with the switching components of the vehicle activates the functional gears that raises or lowers the windows.

Power windows are great… when they work. A bad power window motor or window regulator takes the fun out of driving. Motorists and passengers alike give utmost concern to comfort and convenience. Unfortunately, car window regulators sometimes give up the ghost, and you’re stuck with a car window that won’t open or close. Car window regulators and window motors can freeze up or get clogged and render your power windows useless. Worse, power window motors and window regulators are quite expensive to repair or replace.

Make sure you take good care of your ride . Proper maintenance pays off some good bucks.

Summer is in full swing and 4th of July is only a few days away. For most Americans, this is the best time to go on a road trip. However, before you hit the highways, you better check on one very important part of your vehicle – the braking system. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that over 2,600 deaths and 100,000 disabling injuries happen every year because of neglected vehicle maintenance. Thus, it really pays to have an auto professional or mechanic check up every part of your vehicle, especially your brakes. Here are some important reminders to help keep your brake system in top shape and always ready for a road trip.

Have your brake system checked and analyzed annually – For best performance, you should have your braking system checked by a technician, preferably one who is certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence or ASE. Your technician should inspect every part of your car’s braking system such as brake lining, rotor, hoses, brake lines, brake fluid level, brake lights and others.

Change your brake fluid regularly – It is recommended that you have your brake fluid changed ever 24,000 miles or two years. Brake fluid will become contaminated over time because of the moisture that gets absorbed from the vehicle’s hydraulic system. This moisture can lead to brake malfunctions, rust, corrosion and other problems. This can lead to dangerous brake failure.

Look out for the symptoms of a bad braking system – Drivers should be aware of the signs of defects in the braking system. These include excessive squealing noise accompanied by burning smell when braking.

Other symptoms that indicate a problem in your brakes are: vehicle pulls to the left or right when braking, brake lights and warning lights come on when driving; brake pedal goes down too far or feels to hard, vibration in the brake pedal, steering wheel, or the entire vehicle when braking.

The Ford F-150 is about to get a new 4.4-liter V-8 diesel engine within the decade. Ford is currently in the development and planning stage though the diesel engine is still awaiting approval. The new diesel engine will be a scaled up version of the 3.6 liter V-8 engine that Ford developed for the Range Rover. As soon as it is approved, we may see a launch production within two-three years. Meanwhile, diesel engines are already available in Ford’s line-up, specifically in large pickups. Other automakers also offer diesel engines in their pickups.

Ford has been contemplating on developing a diesel engine for the Ford F-150 for many years now and even considered buying the engine from outside suppliers. Now, Ford is bent on developing its own diesel engine. Meanwhile, Ford hasn’t officially confirmed its plans for the 4.4 liter engine. Ford spokesman Nick Twork said that “The best thing to say is we intend to maintain truck leadership. We have some great diesel engines in our lineup.”

Source: Autoweek

Toyota is recalling close to 1 million vehicles in a global recall to repair a glitch in the steering parts and systems. Apparently, the intermediate shafts and sliding yokes were prone to cracking and skewing which can seriously jeopardize the driver’s control over the vehicle. Since March 2004, Toyota has received over 30 complaints regarding the steering part problem but there have been no crashes or injuries reported yet.

The recall will involve up to 170,000 Toyota Prius hybrids sold in the U.S. It will also cover 565,756 vehicles in Japan and 240,000 vehicles in Europe. Most of the recalled vehicles were manufactured within September 2002 to November 2005. The last major Toyota recall released in October 2005 involved problems with headlamps. Meanwhile, Toyota is going to appoint a new quality managing director, according to President Katsuki Watanabe.

The importance of seatbelts in vehicle safety can not be ignored. Over the yeas, innovations have been introduced to make seatbelts more efficient and convenient for vehicle occupants. New seatbelt designs and technologies are now being developed by a number of companies and automakers. Many automakers are working on seatbelts that are attached to the seats instead of the side or ceiling of the car as in conventional seatbelts. However, this type of seatbelts may not be convenient for rear-seat passengers than front-seat occupants.

Some automakers are also developing seatbelts that amp up the level of protection by automatically tightening as soon as it detects pressure on the brakes in the event of an impending crash. This ensures that the passenger is properly restrained in case of crash. Another seatbelt innovation still in the works is a rear-seatbelt warning system that inflates on impact.

Another high-tech innovation in seatbelts is a built in breathalyzer system that is linked to the car’s starter. Apparently, the car will not start if the breathalyzer detects a high alcohol content level in the driver. Still, this integrated breathalyzer must comply with varying state DUI laws. These new designs will be offered either as standard equipment or part of a safety options package.

Among the current models featuring seat-integrated seatbelts include the 2007 Honda Element, Saab 9-3 convertibles, Mercedes CL-, SL-class. The Infiniti Q45, M35, and M45 also offer electronic sensor system. The rear-seat shoulder belts in the new Ford Reflex concept feature air bags. Meanwhile, Volvo is developing an integrated breathalyzer and seat-belt system called Alcolock.