KOLKATA, India – Japanese two-wheeler makers are expanding business in India to make the country a production center of motorbikes, said a Japanese Suzuki businesswoman here on Tuesday.

Anu Anamika, India head of Marketing of Suzuki Motorcycle India Private Limited, told Xinhua on the sidelines of a media conference here that Suzuki at present exports motorcycles to Nepal and Colombia but plans to turn India into a main center to export its two wheelers to other countries as demand for two wheelers are increasing worldwide.

The Japanese two wheeler giant which has its factory at Gurgaon in the northern Indian state of Haryana shortly plans to open a research and development division in Rohtak in Haryana.

Suzuki Motorcycle India might also foray into the four-wheeler sector as it had entered into a joint venture agreement with leading Indian car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki but Anamika refused to reveal more details about it.

She was in this metropolis to launch its new two-wheeler Hayate — a 112 cc petrol driven motorcycle meant for the mass segment.

She said the company had already received bookings for 10,000 motorcycles a month and hopes this particular two-wheeler would capture 8 percent of the market share. Suzuki Motorcycle at present holds 22 percent market share in India in the scooter segment and only 2 percent in the motorcycle segment but she hoped within three years the mass segment motorcycle like Hayate will capture 8 to 10 percent.

Anamika added that the mass segment motorcycle market in India is 62 percent but was likely to increase as more and more people particularly in rural areas prefer two-wheelers compared with cars.

India also has a market for high priced motorcycles which are priced between 800,000 to 1.5 milion rupees (16,000 to 30,000 U.S. dollars) and are directly imported from Japan but only one is sold in a month on average though the demand is increasing, she said. (Xinhua)

The first product launched from TraffiCalm’s new generation of driver feedback signs for 2012, the 9-Inch Radar Driver FeedBack (DFB) Sign is a lightweight, fully-featured solution with highly visible LEDs by design. Set to be the most affordably priced electronic traffic calming solution on the market, the 9″ DFB is suitable for a variety of traffic calming applications.

Post Falls, ID (MMD Newswire) May 10, 2012 — Located at http://www.TraffiCalmSystems.com on the web. TraffiCalm Systems, a leader in the manufacture and worldwide distribution of urban/residential, highway driver feedback signs and traffic calming solutions, announced the first product in their new line of driver feedback signs for 2012.

“The new 9-Inch Radar Driver Feedback Sign is the first in a number of exciting new product launches we have planned for 2012 that is built on our new controller board design.” said Jan DeSantis, Business Development Manager for TraffiCalm Systems. “The new sign will be available for shipment beginning June 1st, and we’re anticipating that its light-weight footprint at just ten pounds along with the numeric, text and emoticon display capabilities will quickly make it an extremely popular part of our product line.”

The fully-featured and affordably priced new DFB sign features a fully enclosed electronic control system (ECS) that can be easily removed from the mounting frame as a complete unit for simplified installation and repair making it a labor efficient and cost effective solution.

The display shows the speeds of approaching vehicles using amber LEDs and is designed for use in areas where speeds are expected to be 35 mph or less; however, the sign is capable of showing and recording a wide range of speeds from 5 mph to 99 mph.

In addition, the new 9-Inch Radar Driver Feed Back Sign with Slow Down Message sign face measures a compact 8″ by 24″ inches, and has two 9″ high LED highway gothic numerals to clearly display the speed.

“As an added benefit, the new 9-Inch Radar Driver FeedBack (DFB) can also display a “SLOW DOWN” message in two lines of 3″ high characters, or a 9″ high ‘happy’ or ‘sad’ face emoticon.” added DeSantis. “This really is a great product for urban and residential traffic applications and comes with a five-year warranty.

All of TraffiCalm Systems’ DriveBrite™ radar driver feedback sign products feature a selection of available intelligent power options that make the signs ideal for use in a wide variety of settings along with

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May 9, 2012 (MMD Newswire) — Tom Owings, spokesman for Raceway Ford, Inc., announced today that Raceway Ford was awarded over $1.5 million in attorney fees and court cost as result of being named the prevailing party in Stone v. Raceway Ford, Inc., which was filed in 2004. Last week, Superior Court Judge Dallas Holmes ordered that the 14 named class members to pay the dealership $1,468,380.00 in attorney’s fees plus costs. These 14 individuals are now jointly and severally liable for the entire amount.

A class action case alleging violations of the California Automobile Sales Finance Act (ASFA) for “back-dating” contracts was originally brought by Robert Loverso against Raceway Ford. Loverso was represented by the law firm of Rosner, Barry and Babbit. The Complaint alleged, among other things, that rewriting retail sales contract to lower price and payments to meet bank approvals violated the Automobile Sales Finance Act (“ASFA”), the Consumer Legal Remedies Act (“CLRA”) and the Unfair Competition Law (“UCL”) by backdating his second purchase contract to the date of the original contract.

The case was renamed Stone v. Raceway Ford after Robert Loverso withdrew from the suit and was tried in March of 2010 in front of Judge Dallas Holmes. Attorney, Kellie Christianson of Callahan, Thomspon, Sherman Caudill, LLP represented Raceway in the matter. On April 16, 2010, the court issued its decision finding that “there was no incorrectly overcharged interest” and ruled in favor of Raceway Ford. The Automobile Sales Finance Act (ASFA) provides that attorney’s fees and costs be awarded to the prevailing party. Raceway Ford defeated all class claims and was found to be the prevailing party.

Owings stated, “It is clear the court understood that despite the plaintiff’s attorneys claim to be consumer attorneys they did not have the consumer’s best interest in mind when they filed this class action law suit.”

Media Contact: Tom Owings, Phone: (951) 248-6450 or email: towings@racewayford.com

Source: Raceway Ford

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Las Vegas, Nevada (MMD Newswire) May 3, 2012 — Niyato Industries, “where Technology sustains the Eco System” has completed its first compressed natural gas conversion “N150″, a light duty truck based on the Ford F-150 platform this week. Niyato chose the F-150 with the because of its time tested, and consumer approved design. The truck was converted using Ford approved components, with an estimated 27 miles per gallon running on CNG.

The N150 meets or exceeds all DOT and EPA requirements and has received a EPA Certificate of Conformity. Niyato is in discussions with several utility companies to partner with to build the infrastructure for re-fueling the vehicles in large US cities. “We are going to be aggressively partnering with those visionary utility companies that know this is just the beginning of the CNG demand curve,” said James Gaiser, Chief Marketing Officer for Niyato Industries. “We are actively looking for partners to help speed up production and bring vehicles to market. We anticipate huge demand from federal, state and local governments, as well as, companies that use fleet vehicles for their employees. Savings will be substantial when switching from gasoline to CNG.” Gaiser added.

The United States has a supply of natural gas that will last until 2104 according to government scientists at the United States Energy Information Administration. Compressed natural gas vehicles are just starting to gain popularity because of the huge savings when switching from gasoline to compressed natural gas prices. Costs for compressed natural gas can run half that of gasoline. Compressed natural gas is the alternative fuel of the future. According to the Department of Energy, “Compared with vehicles fueled with conventional diesel and gasoline, natural gas vehicles can produce significantly lower amounts of harmful emissions such as nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and toxic and carcinogenic pollutants as well as the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.” The benefits of CNG are almost endless.

“Demand for CNG vehicles is picking up dramatically” according to Gaiser, “Our company has had many inquiries from fleet operators around the country looking to buy CNG vehicles. This is the beginning of a revolution in new alternative fuels vehicles and Niyato is at the forefront of this exciting time” Gaiser added. President Obama has been a leader in the push for alternative fuel vehicles and their importance in reducing carbon emissions and decreasing our demand for foreign oil in the United States. Alternative fuel vehicles and especially compressed natural gas

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Detroit/Munich (dpa) – The high-tech entertainment that is normal on every long plane flight is finding its way into the car with several manufacturers working on sophisticated programmes that go way beyond simply turning on the CD player.

General Motors and students of the Israeli art and design academy Bezalel are involved in the Windows of Opportunity project where the windows in the rear of the car are turned into touch-sensitive screens, providing entertainment.

Software programmes in the form of apps turn the windows into a blackboard where children can paint with their fingers. Alternatively they can also be turned into a screen where for instance a virtual mosquito explains interesting sights in the area. Or they become an electronic wall to exchange messages with a fellow motorist in a traffic jam.

According to the project leader of Windows of Opportunity, Tom Seder, the ideas are at present only research. But a number of high-tech entertainment gadgets are already reality.

Several car makers including Audi and BMW are offering mobile hotspots that link-up with the internet via a WLAN connection through the car’s mobile phone antenna. Some eight different gadgets can be linked to the system, according to Audi spokesman Josef Schlossmacher. While daddy is having a quick look at incoming emails the children in the rear seats could be hooked up to the internet on a tablet-PC or laptop.

Most of the gadgets are designed for children or people sitting in the rear of the car but some developers are also specifically looking at the front seat passenger. The Mercedes S-Class, the Jaguar XJ and the Range Rover offer a so-called dual-view monitor where a different image can be seen from a different perspective. While the driver would be seeing the GPS details on his route the passenger would be watching a DVD on the same screen. To avoid radio disturbance the sound for the movie comes from an infra-red signal sent to headphones.

Audi researcher Werner Hamberger believes this is not yet sufficient. He is working on a second head-up-display designed for the passenger. While the driver has his GPS data transmitted to the windscreen in front of him, the passenger could be surfing on the internet or watching a movie. Hamberger sees the system operated by a simple hand movement where the passenger could send data to the driver.

Jan Burgard, who is a partner of the Munich Berylls Strategy Advisors, sees a growing significance in car entertainment systems.
”The car industry itself will have to come up with creative ideas to keep up with the electronic industry or they will end up missing the boat,” Burgard says.

Already there is a trend to taking the mobile phone or tablet PC on a trip. However, so-called rear seat entertainment systems are only ordered by about two per cent of customers with higher figures only registered among buyers of luxury sedans or Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs).

But it is still the person behind the wheel who mostly makes the decision on such entertainment options. BMW has thus developed a Micro Pause app that provides for brief distraction during the red phase of a traffic light.

As soon as the car stops, the speedometer makes room for emails or Facebook contacts. But project leader Marc Bechler rejects fears that the real world out there could be forgotten. ”The electronics keeps an eye on the traffic light and turns off the game or email function before the traffic light turns back to green,” he points out.

Beijing (dpa) – Audi has unveiled its first luxury-class e-tron concept car, the A6 L e-tron, at the Beijing Motor Show with a plug-in hybrid allowing a range of 80 kilometres on pure electric drive and designed specifically for the Chinese market.

Based on the A6 L, Audi’s best-selling premium car in China, the plug-in combines a TFSI engine with an output of 155 kW/211 hp with an electric motor of 70 kW/95 hp.

The liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery is located in a collision-protected space at the rear of the vehicle. The technology platform can be operated using only the internal combustion engine, only the electric drive, or in hybrid mode.

From the exterior the Audi A6 L e-tron concept features a long engine hood, a low extended roof line and sharp side lines, creating an athletic overall look. At the front, the single-frame grille with slender cross-bars and the nearly covered air intakes attract the eye – features typical of all e-tron models.

The body is identical to that of the Audi A6 L, consisting of approximately ten per cent aluminium, which weighs about 15 per cent less than a comparable all-steel design. Aluminium components in the load-bearing structure and exterior skin, as well as the high-tech steels used in the occupant cell, make the body significantly lighter.

Murrieta, CA (MMD Newswire) May 1, 2012 — TNT Inc, a leading name in the auto transport industry, announced today that they have begun a round of hiring for available positions. The round of hiring was in response to increased business throughout the first quarter. Applicants are encouraged to fill out the online application located on their website.

TNT has been providing reliable vehicle transport services since their founding in 1935. In that time, their focus has been on ensuring that customer expectations are met and exceeded. It was this attitude and focus that has helped TNT survive for nearly 80 years as a leader in the industry. It is also this philosophy that has made TNT a desired employer for many in the industry.

“Our last round of hiring went rather well.” Says Michelle Vega from TNT Inc. “We saw far more interest than we thought, and making a decision was more difficult than we thought. We’ve grown a lot since our last round of hiring, and we’re expecting this round to be even more exciting.”

TNT’s previous round of hiring was in the latter portion of the third quarter last year.

About TNT Inc.

TNT Transportation Services is an auto transport company specializing in interstate vehicle transport. Founded in 1935, TNT has been working on becoming a leading name in the automotive transport industry by focusing on providing excellent customer service and ensuring that each and every delivery is done safely and timely. It was this approach that helped them survive in the industry for nearly 80 years, and it is this approach that’s going to help them continue to be a leading name in the industry for years to come. When you’re looking for a reliable automotive transport service, you don’t need to look any further than TNT.

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April 27, 2012 (MMD Newswire) — Optic Armor Performance Windows a leader in polycarbonate racing windows since 1999, is proud to introduce their DIBO line of window products.

DIBO, which stands for Drop-In Blacked-Out is Optic Armor’s proprietary design that allows anyone from the chassis builder to the street warrior to install an Optic Armor Performance Window with no trimming or painting and can be glued in by any glass shop.

The DIBO windows fit directly into the factory steel body channel utilizing the factory window moulding for a factory look. Optic Armor also has over size formed windows for custom applications as well.

Please contact Optic Armor about any of the hundreds of applications available at 573-317-9066 or visit their website at www.opticarmorwindows.com

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Pontiac, IL, USA (MMD Newswire) April 24, 2012 — Driscoll Motors announces it is celebrating 29 years of service to Cadillac owners in Pontiac, IL, USA.

Some of Driscoll’s employees have been with it since the business was founded by Bob Driscoll nearly 30 years ago.

Pam Schahrer is the present owner, and has seen the company through thick and thin over the past thirty years. When the business first started, she noted that, “We did all our books by hand and telephones were used for talking. We didn’t get our first computer until 1984.”

In 2012 Driscoll Motors says it has established a name for itself in the online medium of social media. The sales personnel employed at Driscoll are mostly area natives and thus have a unique understanding about the demands of the community. It is their goal to make every customer sales experience positive and memorable.

All of Driscoll’s employees are familiar with the company’s emphasis on the customer. It is their mission to provide customers with the best possible service regardless of whether they are purchasing a brand new luxury vehicle, or if they are simply coming in for a routine oil change. Customers are made to feel comfortable and completely at home. Bob Driscoll was incredibly focused on the customer, and that legacy still lives on today.

The company says the talent of their technicians is very well-known. All of their automotive technicians have decades of experience combined, and customers know that their vehicle is in the best of hands when they bring it in for routine maintenance.

Driscoll Motors serves their customers in other ways as well. They also offer professional detailing services for both new and used vehicles to keep up their “fresh off the lot” look.

Schahrer also notes Driscoll’s unflagging support of the local Pontiac community. “In keeping with Bob’s memory,” she says, “we are involved with kids, whether it be 4-H, Boys and Girls Club fundraising, activities or sports teams.”

Driscoll’s even goes the extra mile by supplying vehicles in the Pontiac Threshermans’s Parade and Pontiac’s High School Homecoming Parade. Bob Driscoll was a true pillar in the community, and Driscoll Motors is helping to carry his legacy forward into the second decade of the 21st Century.

For more information contact:

Company Name: Driscoll Motors

1030 W Reynolds Street

Pontiac, IL 61764

Phone Number: 815-844-8525

Fax Number: 815-842-6781

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Detroit (dpa) – Chrysler has announced that the Grand Cherokee SRT8 is the most powerful Jeep ever offered with an output of 465 hp and acceleration from zero to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds.

The power unit is an all-new 6.4-litre HEMI V8 that builds on the outgoing 6.1-litre model by offering an additional 45 hp. To reduce fuel consumption, an active valve exhaust system cuts out four cylinders, which Jeep says helps increase fuel economy by 13 per cent on the highway.

Fitted with a large fuel tank, Jeep says the Grand Cherokee SRT8 is capable of a 724 kilometre range.

Inside, the Grand Cherokee SRT8 has steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters to control the five-speed automatic transmission. The driver has the choice of five modes: auto, sport, tow, track and snow.

The SRT8 comes with a more aggressive look featuring exclusive front and rear fascias with LED daytime running lamps and chrome bezel inserts. A rear spoiler is designed to reduce drag and improve downforce at high speeds.

The interior has been upgraded with a three-spoke steering wheel with a flat bottom, Nappa leather and suede seats and extensive carbon fibre accents.