Midway Group of Nebraska

Did you know: a production car contains more than 20kgs (44lbs) of glue? 

Did you know:

Itâ??s rumored the Chevy Nova sold poorly in Mexico because the word â??Novaâ?? is close to the Spanish phrase â??doesnâ??t go.â?? Maybe it didnâ??t sell because it was a Chevyâ?¦or because it was Mexico.

Only FOUR automobiles were registered in the United States in 1895. I guess everybody had to learn to share!

Toll Booths on The Garden State Parkway in New Jersey were supposed to remain until initial construction was paid off, sometime back in the late 1950â?²s.

Over 90% of car owners admit to singing while behind the wheel.

The first speeding ticket was issued in 1902.

In 1960, you could purchase a brand new Buick La Sabre for under $3000. With that you basically got two-doors, a (manual) steering wheel and an engine.

Early Ford vehicles contained Dodge engines. Some 1980â?²s Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouths contain Mitsubishi Engines.

Mary Anderson patented the windshield wiper in 1905 after she noticed snow and rain gathering on the fronts of trolley cars and automobile windows.

In 1898, the New York City Police Department used bicycles to pursue speeding motorists.

Japan produced the most passenger vehicles/most total vehicles world wide in 2006.

The Worldâ??s Oldest Car was built in France in 1884 for French Count De Dion.

In 2009, New York and New Jersey were surveyed as having the Worst Drivers in America.

Series brings the swank, monocle not included

Even if you're serious about maintaining your automobile, you'll enjoy these five fun facts about car maintenance.

Five Fun Facts About Car Maintenance

While there are many things you need to do to keep your car running smoothly, these are a few of the tasks associated with basic automobile maintenance:

• Changing the oil and replacing the oil filter
• Rotating and replacing tires
• Checking and replacing wiper blades
• Checking fluid levels
• Checking and replacing brake pads and rotors

While many of these tasks don't seem very exciting, you might be surprised by the following little-known facts about them.

Almost 900 Million Oil Changes Each Year

In 2007, drivers in the United States registered over 254 million passenger vehicles. On average, Americans drive their passenger cars and trucks just over 10,000 miles per year, and they get an oil change every 3,000 miles. That translates to nearly 900 million oil changes!

Different models of cars and trucks take different amounts of oil, but most engines require 5 to 7 quarts. That means that in one year, Americans use at least 1.1 billion gallons of oil in their vehicles. Much of this oil is reused and recycled.

The First Auto Tires Were Like Bike Tires

Decades ago, drivers had to replace their tires far more frequently than we do today. These days, it's not uncommon to get 50,000 miles or more on a single set of auto tires, but this longevity is due to the advanced technology and materials used to produce modern tires. Radial belts, synthetic and natural rubber components, and body plies, or layers, give today's tires a long lifespan.When inventor Philip Strauss designed the first tire in 1911, the structure of tires was very different. These tires were closer in design to bicycle tires, featuring an inner tube that was inflated to provide a firm base for the outer rubber shell.

Windshield Wipers Were Invented by a Woman

Next time you're driving in a rainstorm, you can thank Mary Anderson, who invented windshield wipers in 1903. Anderson was visiting New York City and noticed that the streetcar driver had to keep his window open in a sleet storm in order to reach his arm out of the car and manually clean his windshield with a squeegee. Anderson received a patent for the windshield wiper, but she couldn't sell the invention to the auto companies, who claimed that the device did not have commercial value. After Anderson's patent ran out in 1920, windshield wipers eventually became a standard feature on automobiles.Today, changing windshield wipers is an important part of automotive maintenance. Wiper blades come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and some are even heated to help keep your windshield clean in icy conditions.

Your Car Uses Six Primary Fluids

Think you can get away with just changing your oil? Think again! Believe it or not, you car actually uses six different fluids:

• Motor oil
• Coolant
• Power steering fluid
• Brake fluid
• Transmission fluid
• Windshield washer fluid

It's important to replenish and change these fluids according to the car's maintenance schedule, and it's also imperative that you properly dispose of the old fluids. Many of these substances are hazardous to people and animals.

Antilock Brakes Were Invented Over 50 Years Ago

Even though they are a fairly recent safety feature on most passenger cars, antilock brakes have actually been around for half a century. The British company, Road Research Laboratories, created an anti-skid braking system in 1958. The system, called "Maxaret," was used in production in 1966 on the Jensen FF Sports Sedan.

Initially, Maxaret and other antilock braking systems were simply too expensive for automakers, but advances in computerized braking now make it possible to get antilock brakes on almost any new car.

Dodge continues to unleash new products to the market, introducing the new 2011 Dodge Journey, its mid-size crossover with "right sized" proportions, five- or seven-passenger seating, innovative storage solutions, abundant safety and security features, all-wheel-drive capability and models packaged for a variety of lifestyles.

For 2011, Dodge takes what was good and makes it better. The Dodge Journey receives a major overhaul with a completely redesigned and retuned suspension, a new V-6 engine and a gorgeous new interior. And that's not all. Dodge Journey also features the latest and greatest in vehicle connectivity and customization with the Chrysler Group's new PowerNet electrical architecture. Owners will feel like they have the world at their fingertips with the Dodge Journey's available touch-screen command center, Uconnect Touch.

From navigation to dual-zone climate controls to the ability to check fuel prices, the all-new Uconnect Touch media center makes life in the new 2011 Dodge Journey an excellent adventure for the driver and passengers. Four Uconnect Touch models are available, all featuring easy-to-use controls and class-leading technology. With its touch-screen display and user-friendly touch-key categories, connecting and controlling personal devices is simple, intuitive and customizable.

The 2011 Dodge Journey is nimble, composed and handles well in all driving and road conditions. Chrysler Group engineers improved routine ride handling by re-engineering the suspension geometry, adding new, improved premium tires and redesigning the steering for a more precise and coordinated response. Overall, customers will be treated to an energetic, fun-to-drive experience behind the wheel.

Dodge Journey (2011)

In addition, at 283 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque, the 2011 Dodge Journey equipped with the new 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine delivers a 20 percent boost in power compared with the V-6 engine it replaces. It's mated to the smooth-shifting six-speed transmission.

Drivers also will be treated to a smooth, quiet ride. Engineers reduced noise, vibration and harshness by installing new, premium sound-deadening treatments and insulation throughout the vehicle.

But perhaps the most rewarding surprise is Dodge Journey's new interior. Customers will step into world-class levels of craftsmanship and comfort. A beautifully crafted one-piece instrument panel sets the tone. A new, larger cluster with standard electronic vehicle information center (EVIC) is positioned in the center of the new gauges. It's a full-color display backlit in Dodge red lights, giving it a soft glow unlike any in the segment. New, integrated center stack bezels are less angular and more sculpted, and designers softened the radius to make more room for the driver's knees. The heating and cooling outlets are also redesigned to make them better looking and better functioning.

The center console gets a lot of extra cushion on the tilt-and-slide armrest. Lift the lid, and there's a larger center storage bin with a 12-volt outlet and USB port where owners can hook up their MP3/iPod charging connections and hide them away.

The design team also worked to make the Dodge Journey's interior more comfortable. They moved the shifter and cupholders, making it easier for drivers and passengers to get their coffee and soda without having to lean over and under the dash. There's also a larger front storage bin with side nets. The new multi-functioning three-spoke Dodge brand steering wheel with integrated controls and a wider, longer, soft-touch armrest transform the driver's seat into a cockpit-like experience. Comfortable new seats might just make drivers want to take the long way home to get a little extra seat time. The Dodge Journey offers six new interior color and trims to complete the makeover.

On the outside, Dodge Journey maintains its sculpted, clean, aggressive lines, and adds a new front fascia that sports the signature Dodge Brand "split crosshair" honeycomb grille. The fog lamp bezels are bigger and bolder, and Journey models with the Pentastar 3.6-liter V-6 get a new, unique more aggressive lower fascia with the honeycomb texture in the grille (late availability). New 19-inch wheels, a new, less angular rear fascia and "ring of fire" LED taillamps wrap it up from front to back.

Dodge Journey also is loaded with an abundance of safety and security features, including: standard advanced multi-stage front passenger air bags, active head restraints, electronic stability control (ESC) with all-speed traction control, electronic roll mitigation and brake assist, new driver-side knee blocker air bag, supplemental side-curtain air bags covering all three rows, supplemental front-seat-mounted side air bags, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, LATCH child seat anchor system and trailer sway control.

NEW YORK â?? Celebrating its world car status, General Motors planned a simultaneous debut this week at both the 2011 New York Auto Show and 2011 Shanghai Auto Show for its all-new 2013 Chevrolet Malibu.

• 

The midsize sedan's wheelbase has been cut by 4.5 inches, but its overall length remains roughly the same. Width has been increased by nearly 3 inches.

Along with the slightly smaller overall size, the 2013 Malibu will also downsize its engine lineup. The Malibu now offers a new 190-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine only. The direct-injected DOHC Ecotec engine is expected to make 180 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission will be the only gearbox available to U.S. buyers.

Not much changes on the chassis side. There are still MacPherson struts up front and a multilink setup in back along with electric steering and four-wheel disc brakes. The wheels will range in size from 17 to 19 inches.

You may notice some obvious Chevrolet design cues in this Malibu, and it was fully intentional. "We wanted to bring a sport sensibility to the family sedan segment," said Bryan Nesbitt, executive director of design for GM.

Inside Line says: Actual production of the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu doesn't start until early next year. That should give Chevrolet plenty of time to work the kinks out before it heads to America and abroad. â?? Ed Hellwig, Editor, Inside Line


Looks are subjective and IMO this is now the best looking midsize car. It has a lot of Camaro design cues out back and it appears Chevy has turned another corner with their interiors.

AND MyLink will allow you to listen to Pandora without the need of a smartphone << probably my favorite part of the tech package.

Autoblog just heard it straight from the Italian-Canadian horse's mouth: The hot new Jeep Grand Cherokee in North America will â?? somewhere between soon and the end of 2013 â?? be getting the same recently improved 3.0-liter V6 turbo-diesel engine that Europe gets. In the Grand Cherokee, this oil-burning powerplant is good for 237 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, the latter of which is fully delivered between 1,800 and 2,800 rpm. This is music to all Jamboree and Rubicon fanatics everywhere.

It has not been decided whether or not there might be a special six-speed manual shifter offered alongside the W5A580 five-speed overdrive automatic transmission, and an eight-speed automatic is in the works, as well. But the manual with the Quadra-Drive II transfer case on a Trail Rated Grand Cherokee would bring the glee Stateside even moreso.

Fiat Auto CEO Sergio Marchionne is fast becoming the new Bob Lutz in his ability to cast aside all carefully kept secrets of the communications team and talk about the good things that are coming. Only minutes after Jeeps international bosses artfully skirted the issue of a common-rail diesel GC here in North America, Marchionne assured us that one would, in fact, be coming. We respect the Jeep leaders. We dig Sergio.

Not only does the latest generation of the 3.0-liter CRD engine with Multijet II management â?? built by VM Motori in Italy based on specifications from Fiat Powertrain Technologies â?? get 19-percent greater fuel efficiency than the previous mill, it produces 20-percent less CO2 emissions. Towing capacity is quoted at just over 7,700 pounds, the maximum for any current Grand Cherokee trim.

But will the Wrangler get the European 2.8-liter CRD inline-four good for 197 hp and 302 lb-ft of torque, paired with the NSG370 six-speed manual and Rubicon Rock-Trac transfer case? Because that, folks, is the holy grail item. Even Sergio was mum on this.

With a unique combination of style, technology and value, the Buick LaCrosse has already had a significant impact on the marketplace: Sales are brisk and the carâ??s ability to reach 30 mpg highway has been a significant contributor to its success. Now, just imagine how successful the LaCrosse would be if it could deliver the same exceptional ownership experience while boosting fuel efficiency to 37 mpg highwayâ??and 25 mpg city, too.

Well, come next summer, drivers will be able to give their imaginations a rest and buy a 2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist, a new â??light electrificationâ?? system that is expected to deliver precisely those EPA ratings.

â??The LaCrosse with eAssist technology is the latest example of how this successful car is shaking up the segment and helping to reinvent Buick,â?? said John Schwegman, vice president of Buick marketing. â??It is the smart choice for those who want great fuel economy and performance in a luxury vehicle, with excellent valueâ??the LaCrosse with eAssist will cost thousands less than competitors with similar technologies.â??

The eAssist system is a bundle of technologies that includes a lightweight and compact 115V air-cooled lithium-ion battery pack, integrated power inverter and 12V power supplyâ??mounted just in front of the trunk but having a minimal impact on the trunkâ??s cargo space and still allowing the use of split-folding rear seatsâ??and a liquid-cooled electric motor-generator attached to the LaCrosseâ??s engine in place of a standard alternator. Working together, this hardware delivers:

• Enough regenerative braking power to provide up to 15 kW of electricity for charging the LaCrosseâ??s battery pack.
• The ability to add up to 11 kW (15 hp) of electric power assistance when the car is accelerating.
• Automatic engine shut-off functionality when the vehicle is stopped.
• An aggressive fuel cut-off system that kicks in during deceleration.
• Intelligent charge/discharge functionality for its high-voltage battery pack.

In addition, fuel efficiency is boosted further thanks to a wide range of aerodynamic enhancements for the 2012 model year. Among them will be the same innovative grille-shutter system used to help the new Chevrolet Cruze Eco  achieve 42 mpg on the the highway. The system automatically closes â??shuttersâ?? on the lower grille of the vehicle for improved aerodynamics at speed, and opens them for better engine-cooling airflow at the lower end of the speedometer.

Also contributing to improved fuel efficiency on the new LaCrosse will be an advanced six-speed automatic transmission specifically engineered to leverage the eAssist technology and an ECO gauge mounted on the instrument panel. The gauge provides instantaneous fuel-efficiency feedback, coaching the driver to achieve better fuel economy through more efficient driving habits.

â??LaCrosse was the first in its segment with a four-cylinder/six-speed powertrain, the first with Hiper strut and is now is leading the way with the new standard eAssist technology,â?? added Schwegman. â??Importantly, LaCrosse with eAssist is the standard powertrain for four-cylinder-equipped models and there isnâ??t a cost premium.â??

Dodge has confirmed that the next-generation Viper will be revealed in late 2012â??we expect thatâ??ll make it a 2013 modelâ??and that it will pack stability control. (The car seen above is an ESC-blessed mule, and thatâ??s why Dodge is caning the beast on snow.) We should mention that stability control is required by federal law for all 2013-model-year cars, and that law is the reason many doubted the brutal and traditionally technology-shy Viper would make it to a new generation.

This ought to bring some healthy controversy. No previous Viper offered such computerology, giving it the reputation of being the automotive puristâ??s monster. This view isnâ??t unanimously held by folks who have had the schvitzy-palmed experience of wheeling a Viper, which is a rolling Yakov Smirnoff joke for some: â??In 600-hp Viper, car drives you!â?? In reality, though, the Viper can be easier to drive quickly than its reputation suggests.

Weâ??ve got a full rundown of what we expect from the next-gen Viper here, but expect between 600 and 700 hp. Contribute to your savings account and life-insurance policy accordingly.

DETROIT -- General Motors is looking to build on the momentum of Cadillac's SRX crossover with a more powerful engine for the 2012 model year.

The next SRX will get a 3.6-liter, direct-injected V-6, which will provide 300 hp and 260 pounds-feet of torque, the luxury brand said today. The crossover's current 3.0-liter engine makes 265 hp and 223 pounds-feet of torque.

SRX models with the new engine should arrive at dealerships in late summer, Cadillac said. Pricing wasn't disclosed.

The SRX has surged to near the top of the premium crossover segment since a redesigned version was introduced for the 2010 model year. Sales rose 153 percent in 2010, to 51,094, which was third among premium crossovers behind the No. 1Lexus RX 350 and the No. 2 Buick Enclave, according to the Automotive News data center. SRX sales rose another 29 percent in the first quarter of this year to 13,959 units.

Cadillac noted that the more powerful engine will top that of the RX 350, which provides 275 hp and 257 pounds-feet of torque.

"We're raising the standards even higher by providing the SRX with enhanced performance," Don Butler, vice president of Cadillac marketing, said in a statement. "The new engine will make the SRX more responsive for passing on the highway, entering freeways from on-ramps and climbing hills."

Other enhancements for the 2012 SRX include Bluetooth phone connectivity on all models, door-lock switches on the driver and passenger door panels and a heated steering wheel on higher trim levels.

Toyota to halt North America vehicle output for 5 days this month a Toyota Highlander assembly line. Toyota will idle is North American assembly plants for up to five days this month to conserve parts. Toyota Motor Corp. will suspend production at its North American assembly plants for five days this month due to earthquake-related parts shortages. All but one of Toyota's assembly plants are scheduled to be idled on April 15, 18, 21, 22 and 25, the automaker said in a statement Friday. Its plant in Georgetown, Ky., will assemble vehicles on April 21 and be down the four other days. The automaker estimates the latest production cuts, combined with previously announced plans to eliminate overtime, will result in the loss of 35,000 vehicles through April 25, spokeswoman Tania Saldana said. Most of Toyota's engine and parts plants in North America will be idled for the five days as well. Toyota said on March 23 that thinning supplies of parts would prompt interruptions of North American production. So far, the company has only curtailed overtime. "We are slowing down to conserve parts yet maintain production as much as possible," Steve St. Angelo, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, said in the statement. During the non-production days, Toyota's roughly 25,000 plant employees can still report to work for training and plant improvement duties, take vacation or take unpaid time off.