The Toyota Prius: The Most Important ‘04 Model? Yes.

If you want to understand the future of automotive design and production—what you do for a living, not this publication—then you have to understand the Toyota Prius. The 2004 Prius is the second-generation. While some vehicle manufacturers are researching and developing, or hemming and hawing, Toyota, which is certainly on track to achieving a technology position that’s commensurate with its quality and productivity positions (which ought to scare the hell right out of vehicle manufacturers everywhere), has been deliberately working toward bringing alternative power trains to the streets of the world. This began in earnest in the early 1990s, when the G21 committee was established. That’s “globe” and “21st century.” The goal was to determine how the company could develop and market vehicles that would have low emissions. Late in 1994, about a year after the committee was formed, a concept vehicle was developed called the “Prius,” taken from the Latin word for before, as in “ahead,” not something from the past.

The concept was shown to the world on October 27, 1995 at the Tokyo Motor Show. But prior to that and not on the world’s stage, on June 30, 1995, the development of a hybrid vehicle was approved by Toyota corporate officials. It was code-named “890T.” The vehicle would be powered with what was (and is) called the “Toyota Hybrid System,” a system that would combine an internal combustion engine with an electric motor like Civic Hybrid. The undertaking went in short order from being the sort of thing that committees do to a full-out product development program. In December 1995 it was announced that the hybrid vehicle would go on sale in Japan in two years’ time. And on December 10, 1997, it did.

In August 2000, Prius was launched in the U.S. with an MSRP of $19,995. Prius sales in the U.S. were 15,556 in 2001. They increased to 20,119 in 2002. Certainly this is not a whole lot of cars by any measure. But there was Toyota (joined only by Honda with its Insight and Civic Hybrid and Accord Hybrid, selling a compact car that was providing an estimated 52 miles per gallon in the city and 45 on the highway, learning not only about developing hybrid vehicles but about selling them in a market where horsepower tends to be king. (The ‘03 Prius has a four-cylinder DOHC, 16-valve engine that provides 70 hp @ 4,500 rpm that can be supplemented by a 44-hp permanent magnet electric motor for a total of 98 hp in action.)

Speaking of the launch in the U.S., Don Edmond, senior vice president and general manager of Toyota Motor Sales, admits, “Frankly, it was one of the biggest crapshoots I’ve ever been involved in. Not because we lacked confidence in the quality of the product or the logic of the concept or the significance of this breakthrough technology. The key was to convince consumers in the U.S. that hybrid technology was more than a science project. More to the point, the key would be convincing them that Prius was a real car.” Arguably, other efforts by other companies did smack of Dr. Science and Rodney (“Remember: He knows more than you do”), or seemed to be put off to some point in the ever-receding Future.

This Is A Business (or, It Takes Money To Make Money).

At this point, there is an oft-heard objection regarding Toyota selling the Prius at a loss and subsidizing the cost of the vehicles. Here’s Masao Inoue, Prius chief engineer, Toyota Motor Corp.: “Toyota has largely recovered its initial long-term investment in the first-generation Prius.” Here’s Dave Hermance, executive engineer, Regulatory Affairs, Toyota Technical Center, U.S.A.: “The product is profitable.” How profitable is a question that’s unanswered, at least at this point in time. Presumably, in the years ahead, that will be something that should become clear.

The Benefit of doing it yourself

There’s something that needs to be understood about the development of the first-generation Prius, development that has led to a superior electric-gas hybrid technology that’s designated “Hybrid Synergy Drive” (which is actually the third generation gas-electric hybrid system Toyota has developed). According to Inoue, “Back in the early ‘90s, when Toyota was developing a business case for hybrid technology, it was decided that the engineering program would need to be done almost entirely in-house. This meant that nearly every bit of design, engineering, parts production, and assembly would be done in-house. No partnerships. No contractors. No suppliers of major components or systems.” In other words, when most vehicle manufacturers were looking for the ways and means to outsource the design, engineering and manufacturing of even conventional technology components and systems, the people at Toyota decided that it would be in their long-term best interest if they did the development.

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HONDA gives AN INSIGHT INTO THE FUTURE OF Hybrids

Honda Hybrid vehicles have always intended to be a bridge to a hydrogen powered future, the potential of which has already been demonstrated by the FCX Clarity. The Insight Concept STYLISTIC has clear links to the world’s first production fuel cell car, with both vehicles’ forms shaped to maximize the efficiency of their respective drive trains.

The Insight STYLISTIC Concept is the inspiration for the production version which will go on sale in 2009. From this unique position in the marketplace, Hybrid technology will open Insight to a new generation of customers.

The 1.3 liter Insight is powered by Honda’s IMA Acclaimed system, which has been extensively modified to reduce its cost and weight. With careful engineering of key components and refinement of manufacturing processes, the cost of the Accord Hybrid system has been significantly reduced. This ensures that Insight can be sold at a very competitive price without compromising ability, quality, environmental performance or profitability.

The Insight will benefit from a significant cost reduction in Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) components resulting in the most affordable hybrid vehicle to date. This dedicated hybrid vehicle will be offered as a 5-door Hatchback with seating for five passengers and built on a newly developed platform. Engineers have mounted the compact control unit and battery space beneath the boot to give the Insight to both low center of gravity and the practicality of a conventionally powered Hatchback.

This reduction in cost has not been brought about by compromising the quality of the Insight; instead the Japanese manufacturer has its task engineers with finding more intelligent cost reduction solutions.

Insight will uses various technologies, including a function to assist more fuel efficient driving giving customers a further improvement in real-world fuel consumption. Along with the Civic Hybrid, the new vehicle will be produced at Honda’s Suzuki factory in Japan which has recently expanded hybrid engine production line.

CO2 emissions and fuel economy are targeted to be at a level similar to the existing Civic Hybrid, giving drivers a highly flexible and practical car lower environmental impact. At its expected price point, Insight will have a unique combination of passenger space, luggage capacity, emissions and economy.

“The original Honda Insight launched in 1999 was the pioneer of hybrid technology in Europe and remains an Iconic symbol of Honda’s environmental innovation,” said Fukui, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. CEO. “This new Insight will also break new ground by providing an affordable hybrid to an expanded number of customers craving great fuel economy and great value.”

The Insight will form the first part of Honda’s new hybrid strategy, which will see a further dedicated hybrid model, derived from the CR-Z show car and a hybrid version of the Jazz. The strategy will make hybrids both more accessible and more appealing to a range of customer types.

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Honda dealer network expands with new store cars Field in Gijon

Madrid, Dec. 3 (EFE) .- The concessionaire Carsa Mobile SA has opened new central facilities for the distribution of paul miller honda automobiles in Gijon with more than 1,300 square meters of exhibition.

With this new Honda opening the network of service and distribution of automobiles has 106 outlets and as the vice president of the brand in Spain, Marc Surrey, at the end of 2007 expected to reach 25,000 units sold. EFE

Toyota Launches Program to European suppliers recommended sheet metal and paint

Madrid (EFE) .- Toyota Motor Europe has launched the program suppliers recommended veneer and painted a pan-European initiative that incorporates a 22 suppliers, while domestic distributors have the freedom to select the companies with which they want to work.

The partners have been selected following procedures for verification, based on criteria to offer the best service to its customers, among them the presence in different markets, regional training centers and telephone hotlines. EFE

Nissan convenes design with inspiration from the Micra-T Design Contest

Madrid (EFE) .- A new model of Nissan’s Micra T-Design Contest “will be the source of inspiration for the design of T-shirts that Nissan Iberia has convened to publicize the talents of young students from different schools in six regions.

The proposals will be presented between Nov. 20 and Jan. 12 and projects must have a design city. The winner will get 3,000 euros in prize and Nissan will produce and distribute 10,000 T-shirts with the design selected. EFE

Naomi Campbell donated two vehicles Fiat Professional for disabled

Madrid (EFE) .- The model Naomi Campbell has donated two vehicles to the Fiat Professional Althea Onus Foundation, of which he is honorary chairwoman, to promote the therapeutic tourism and mobility in leisure time for people with disabilities.

Source : NJ Honda Dealers

Requirements For Getting A Private Pilot License

Getting a pilot license is a very fun and rewarding experience. There are guidelines set by the FAA that explain what you have to do in order to get a private pilot license. The basic requirements for a pilot license are as follows:

Medical Certificate – You must pass the basic medical exam that all applicants are required to undergo,Element, certifying that you meet the medical standards for safely operating an aircraft. More details about the medical certificate are discussed below.

Age – You must be at least 16 years old to fly an airplane solo (by yourself) with a student pilot certificate, and 17 years old to get a private pilot license. There is no upper age limit, provided that you are healthy enough to pass the basic medical exam.

Language – As a private pilot, you have to be able to read, speak, and understand English (the international language of aviation).

Time – A private license requires a minimum of 40 hours of total flight time, with the national average around 65 hours before the final check ride, as well as extra time for study on the ground in preparation for an FAA written test. The length of your training depends in part on how much time you devote to it. Concentrated full-time programs can be completed in as few as two weeks or a month, while a part-time student typically takes between four and six months of flying a few times a week.

Money – You can learn to fly on a budget even still, it is not a cheap undertaking. If you train part-time at a local airport, for example, plan on investing in the range of $4,000 to $6,000, with costs varying widely by region. It is a good idea to consider whether you have the funds to start training and reach your goal within a reasonable time period. Someone who flies a few times a week keeps what they have just learned fresh in their mind. Each lesson allows new topics to be introduced. However, flying only a couple times a month may have you relearning some of the material from the previous lesson. In this case, not only will it take you longer (on the calendar) to get your license, but it might take more flight training hours to get ready for your checkride as well. But as long as you are having Fit fun, it will be well worth it in the end. Keep in mind that you do not need to pay for all of your flight training up front. Most flight schools let you pay as you go, although you might get a price break by paying for a block of lessons in advance. Another way to pay for your training is through financing. When you learn to fly at a Cessna pilot center, you’re eligible for a Sallie Mae Financial Corporation professional education loan – affordable financial aid from the nation’s leader in educational financing (www.salliemae.com). It’s easy to qualify, your rate can be as low as Prime +1%, and you can make interest-only payments (as low as $75 per month) until your training is complete. Generally, for students, there is financing available through Sallie Mae Company, Pilot Finance, Caldwell car dealer and Key Bank. Many students also use local banks for flight training loans.

Another way to reduce your costs once you have your license is to share time with other pilots. There are many people who are looking to fly and build time and experience. Most of the time, it is very easy once you are a pilot to find other pilots who will gladly share in the expense of the flight just for the flight hours. Money is one of the largest obstacles to becoming a pilot. That is why so many people put it at the top of their list of questions when considering flying. You should be concerned with the cost, but ask yourself this question: What is it worth to you to learn to fly safely? For me, it was well worth it.

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Car Buying from a Dealer

Have you ever heard that you don’t want to go to a Paul Miller Honda? All though most of us hate to go to the car dealerships to purchase a car we often find ourselves ending up at one. For the most part we feel we are getting a better deal than going to some person we don’t know or an auction where we can’t test drive the vehicle. There are many tips that can help you get through the car buying process with a car dealer that you may feel help you the next time you purchase a new or used car. – When purchasing from a dealer you have to know about the car. In other words do your research. Go to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and learn the facts about the car. Is the car going to be road safe? What might the dealer not want to tell you about that particular car in order to make a sale? – You will also want to check out Kelly Blue Book or some other consumer report where you will learn the retail value, the used retail value from a car dealership or private sale, and what the car is really worth. The details that are given are based on the condition, amenities that come with the car, and the year of the vehicle. Armed with this data you have a better negotiation stand with the used car dealership.

You also want to know where you stand on your FICO credit scores. Not everyone is honest when it comes to these numbers. To make a sale they may tell you your numbers are low. If you have the scores in front of you, you can make a stand and ask to see where they pulled their numbers. A NJ Honda Dealers also uses a risk number that is determined by more than just the FICO score. This number will tell them the likelihood of your not making payments regarding a loan or getting into an accident. Your credit scores are going to be important to the negotiations as well.

You should also ask to see the carfax report. Carfax is a report put out on your vehicle vin number. In other words the maintenance schedule, accident reports, and other things that a vehicle may go through are reported to carfax and available to consumers. In fact you can find out how many previous owners there were for the used car you are interested in. The dealership must show you this paper if you ask for it. It is another line of defense to make sure the dealership is being honest about the cars mechanical state. – Don’t buy into the salesman line. They have several different sentences that are supposed to pressure you into taking the sale right then, such as ‘This is such a hot deal you know it won’t be here tomorrow, or I have five other people interested in this car’.

2006 Honda Civic – Whow!

After taking a look at the all new 2006 Honda Civic, I have to say that I’m most impressed. It’s seems to have had a complete redesign job and I think it looks just fantastic despite the raw comments from the usual critiques. I’m just a Joe average and no real authority on the motor, but as a long and loyal customer of Honda cars, I think I have some valid remarks to make on this latest addition to the Honda family.

One of the fist things I noticed when I got inside the car was that it seemed to have more space than the previous models. There’s also a smart looking all black 2 level instrument panel which I really like. Once you’ve got the ignition on, the lower dash area lights up and the upper layer displays the digital speedometer. Really slick and very easy on the eye. The layout is smart, clean, functional and convenient. It’s also void of any distractions.

Being a family man I was looking at the 5 speed 4 door manual model with a 140bhp 1.8 liter engine. It seems as though electric windows are a standard feature now which is a nice touch. Other features and options worth a mention are electric door mirrors, front and rear air bags, side curtains, ABS and few other minor touches.

This is only a short review as I’m neither a professional critique nor a driver of all models but what I can say as an avid fan and owner of Honda Civics is that Honda has done us proud on this model.

The Hybrid, which is a class of its own, differs in a number of ways. Its engine is smaller to start with, but it has a big electric motor support it. The clever thing about the Hybrid motor is that charges itself, spending and saving fuel as the situations arise. The new Honda Civic Hybrid boasts an impressive 50 mpg and not at the expense of power either, as this clever design has the gas engine and electric motor working together in perfect harmony.

As always, Honda has brought out the Si which has a different engine to the standard models. I’ve not driven it but I’m assuming the performance of the Si will be as impressive as always.

In my opinion, Japanese cars have always been great all round value from money but for me, Honda rules. I’ve been lucky enough to have owned a total of 7 Honda cars now and haven’t encountered any serious problems for any of them.

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Coin Dealer- Get to Know The Secrets

Are you interested to know how a Caldwell car dealer, makes his money? Well, it all depends on the dealer knowing the right type of people. And they are the people who have coins to sell, and those who want to buy.

The dealer tries to find coin collectors who are willing to pay the money he is asking. Coin collectors are looking to buy coins for less than their value. So, it is important that the coin dealer has a network of people seeking coins. He then has to persuade them that his price is worth paying and that the coin’s value is higher.

The question is – why don’t these collectors buy and sell the coins themselves? Why do they need a coin dealer? Well, although the collectors think their coins are incredibly interesting, rare, unique, and therefore valuable, it may be that they have over-estimated their worth. Quite likely, these coins aren’t desired by other collectors as much as they once desired them. So, the coin dealer is the person in between the seller and the buyer-rather like a real-estate agent but in the coin world.

If so many coins are available for selling, the second question is why doesn’t the Honda Dealer NJ drop the price, sell more coins, and make more cash? Well, firstly the coin dealer has to make sure that his own collection of coins doesn’t become depleted. Therefore, he must ensure he recoups the money he paid to buy the coins. Secondly, if the dealer paid a goodly amount for the coin, why would he want to sell it for less?

Lastly, Paul Miller Honda are like Scrooge-they don’t like to let go of their money. And coin collectors are no better. Each of them is eager for a bargain and won’t pay more than necessary. The dealer of coins is a risk-taker. If he pays a lot of money for a coin, his risk is higher because he has to ensure he recoups his outlay. Coin dealers also have to beware of collector spam. Yes, collectors can also be greedy and ask for more money than what the coin is valued. With so many coins on the market, the coin dealer knows that the collector can go elsewhere to sell his coins.

So how does a dealer of coins minimise these risks? Knowledge is the key. Without information, the dealer can be deceived. The dealer must know coins back and front-he must be an expert in grading the coins down to the finest detail. If the dealer can’t be trusted to know his stuff, he isn’t going to be the kind of bridge needed between the seller and buyer.

The dealer must also be a star-gazer and know the future of coin values. If he offers a price, he needs to know that it will one day fetch him a profit. This way he minimizes his risk and makes money. Like a spider waiting for a fly, the coin dealer will wait patiently for the right type of collector to come into his shop. This collector will pounce on the coin and not want to let go, willingly paying the price that the coin dealer asks.