Smart Car Care

Mazda Hybrid Prototypes Donated To The Los Angeles Fire Department

Five Mazda hybrid prototypes were donated by the Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD). These prototypes, which are the Mazda Tribute Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV), are all clean-burning and are very fuel efficient.

The whole event took place at the Fire Station 27 in Hollywood, California. There was even a ceremony as part of it. The five prototypes are actually based on the Mazda Tribute compact SUV. These five are all part of the 30 vehicles that the company would be actually loaning to fire agencies all across Southern California like Orange County, Corona, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Riverside.

The donated prototype Tribute HEVs all came branded with the LAFC badge. These vehicles would be driven by the staff of the said fire department in various assignments throughout their area. Of course, they would be mostly used for non-emergency tasks that could include fire safety inspections, education programs, maintenance activities, and the like.

Jay Amestoy, MNAOs vice president of public and government affairs, stated, We wanted to give something back to the community with these Tribute Hybrid SUVs. Southern California firefighters are among the best in the country, and were proud to have them in our backyard. These men and women demonstrate courage, strength, and wisdom no a daily basis to protect the people who live in Los Angeles and it is a privilege for us to be able to partially repay their courageous efforts with the two-year loan of these Tribute HEVs.

William Bammatre is the LAFC Fire Chief and he was one of the people who received the said vehicles. He even says, We are so grateful to Mazda for their generous loan of these four-wheel-drive Tribute HEV prototypes. What makes this such a significant gesture by Mazda is that these are clean, fuel-efficient SUVs, which means we will reduce our operating costs while contributing to a healthier environment.

I have to make a confession here and I am hoping that everyone who reads this has done the same thing I am about to confess to.

When you buy a new car you find yourself rushing up to the window to check it a few times during the first few nights, don’t you? I am surely not the only person who listens nervously to every noise from the street while thinking that their shiny new car is the most attractive target in the whole city for any sneaky burglars out there.

After a few weeks I usually calm down a bit but I still hate the thought of leaving one of my prized possessions out on a busy street. I don’t ever buy really expensive cars so I can only imagine the torment which owners of cooler cars go through on a nightly basis. If you have just spent tens of thousands of pounds on a vehicle it must be horrible to see it sitting outside all alone as night falls.

Would a Bike Be Better?

As always my wife is a big help on these occasions. Apart from telling me to go back to sleep she will come out with pearls of wisdom such as advising me that I should buy a bike if having a car is going to cause me insomnia. This doesn’t help me much but at least it gives me an excuse to go in a bad mood and move to the spare room, which has a better view of my parking space.

Thankfully I haven’t had to look out the bicycle clips yet though, as a friend told me about how you can use your home CCTV system to protect your vehicle better. Obviously the way you do this depends largely upon where you park your car but having a home CCTV system pointing directly at your car is a fantastic way to put off any lurking thieves. Just as these systems keep your home protected they can make sure that your vehicle doesn’t attract unwanted attention during the night.

Then there are the specific CCTV systems for vehicles. You might have seen one of these used in a taxi even if you don’t have one yourself. They use a number of cameras to check up on what is happening both inside and outside the vehicle. A recording device is hidden within the car and stores all of the information which the cameras see.

These types of vehicle CCTV systems are also commonly used to clear up claims in the case of an accident. The CCTV footage will make it clear to the insurance companies which of the drivers was at fault for the incident. However, I am more interested in finding a way to regain my beauty sleep whenever I get a new car, so keeping thieves at bay is definitely my number one priority. With this sorted out I can go back to peaceful nights of dreaming of driving my new car in a Formula 1 race and stunning everyone by winning.

From the MX Crossport concept, it has now come to become known as the 2007 Mazda CX 7. This vehicle is a midsize crossover sport utility vehicle model. And the Mazda CX 7 is actually the production version of the said concept car. Built in Hiroshima in Japan, this vehicle went out to be known by the public during last Januarys 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show.

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This vehicle has been created and mounted on an all new platform rather than the rumors that it would be having the very same platform that the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossovers would be using the Ford/Mazda CD3 platform. However, the Mazda CX 7 would be using a new one. Alongside with that, the Mazda CX 7 will also be having a front suspension system that the Mazda MPV minivan also uses as well as a rear suspension system shared with the Mazda 5. As per most of the all wheel drive system components as well as the turbocharged engine, these would be coming from the Mazda Mazdaspeed 6. Made available for the new Mazda CX 7 is a six speed sport automatic transmission system.

As previously mentioned, the Mazda CX 7 will be using a turbocharged engine that is also used by the Mazda Mazdaspeed6. This engine will power the Mazda CX 7 machine. It actually holds 2.3 liters and it is a straight four MZR engine. It has been crafted so as to be able to produce some 244 units of horsepower at 5000 rpm and some 258 pound feet of torque at a low of 2500 rpm.

The Mazda CX 7 comes as a complete package of various features. Included in the list of all the features is a fully independent suspension system, four wheel ventilated disc brakes with standard four wheel anti lock braking system (ABS), a Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system, a Traction Control System (TCS), a front wheel drive, and Mazdas active torque split all wheel drive. As per the active torque split all wheel drive, there actually is computer controlled coupling that feeds up to fifty perfect of the engines torque to the Mazda CX 7s wheels.

Jim OSullivan, president and CEO of Mazda North American Operations says about the Mazda CX 7, Mazda President Hisakazu Imaki is committed to bringing new products to market and expanding our line of vehicles. The addition of the Mazda CX 7 is great news and a critical step forward for us in North America. To successfully grow our business, we have to be true to our core values and for any vehicle to wear the Winged-M logo on the grilled, it must have the soul of a sports car. I am convinced this vehicle will deliver.

The very first Taguchi Award has been awarded to the Mazda Motor Corporation just very recently. The Taguchi Award is given by Japans Quality Engineering Society. The society has decided to award such an honor to Mazda as a way or recognizing the companys innovative quality control techniques which actually make use of quality engineering approaches on all its production lines.

They were able to make such a decision after they were able to make studies and checked Mazdas quality controls. After such a study, they were able to see that all got good results as well as successful outcomes. They also received excellent reviews. It was the Mazda Production Engineering Division that was chosen as the recipient organization of such a highly regarded award from the Quality Engineering Society.

Awarding of such a recognition to the Mazda Motor Corporation was done as part of the 14th Quality Engineering Conference which is held annually. It was done last 15th of this month in Tokyo, Japan. Receiving the award in behalf of the company was Yasuto Tatsuta who is the executive officer and general manager of the companys Production Engineering Division.

So you may now ask what is the Quality Engineering Society? Well, it is the group that gives out the Taguchi Award. It recognizes companies or organizations who continuously strengthens its approaches to research and development. It also considers production and the quality of products that they provide the market. QES also checks into the group or companys outcome which they base on the evidence like the performance of these groups or companies in its business. Another factor that they look at is the quality of engineering that shows in the improvement of the quality of products that is offered in the market.

After the Mazda 616 and the Mazda 618 and also before the Mazda Mazda6 came the Mazda 626. The former mentioned vehicles, the Mazda 616 and the Mazda 618, were the predecessors of the Mazda 626. Of course, this vehicle is the product of the Mazda Motor Companys hard work and efforts. They have been able to build the Mazda 626 as a compact and midsize car. Its competition in the automobile market includes the Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord, the Nissan Stanza, and the Hyundai Sonata.

The Mazda Motor Corporation targeted the Mazda 626 to be designed and marketed as a car that could be utilized by families. Also, they made the vehicle as a commodity that could be exported to other areas and regions. It was actually based on the Mazda Capella which was a vehicle that the company only sold in Japan. In 1979, the Mazda 626 replaced the spot that was the Mazda 616s, Mazda 618s, and the Mazda RX 2s. Up until 2002, the Mazda 626 was in production. However, soon enough, the Mazda Mazda6 took over the family car market and the Mazda 626s production was completely halted.

If you travel to other parts of the globe, you would see that the Mazda 626 was sold under various names. In Asia, in Australasia, and in Southern Africa, this family car was known and marketed as the Ford Telstar. However, it only lived for a short while since the Ford Mondeo, which was sourced from Europe, came into these markets and took over the Ford Telstar.

This vehicle is actually known one of the very first Japanese brand cars that were built in the United States. However, it was certified as a domestic car by the United States government after ten long years. In last years of the Mazda 626, it was built and restyled to have exterior upgrades and interior upgrades. These upgrades gave the Mazda 626 a sportier look and it also provided the vehicle a better performance and handling.

From the Mazda Motor Corporation which is based and has its headquarters in Japan is yet another vehicle that has made heads turn at the sight of it and has made its passengers and its driver wonder about the comfort and reliability that this vehicle could offer. This is vehicle is the Mazda 323. It is a subcompact car. It was produced starting from 1975 and the last year that units of this vehicle were crafted was in 1984. When the Mazda 323s lifeline was completed halted that in 1984, Mazda was already cooking up another vehicle to replace and take the spot in their vehicle line up which the Mazda 323 would be leaving blank. The Mazda 323s replacement was the Mazda Mazda3.

The Mazda 323 has been made available in two body styles and these are the sedan and the hatchback. Mazda has also made sure that this vehicle would give interested parties the chance to choose as per what kind of engine would suit their needs, and preferences. The engine choices are the 1.4 liter UC engine, the 1.3 liter E3 engine, and the 1.5 liter E5 engine.

If you take the time to travel to Japan, you would notice that the very same Mazda 323 vehicle is known as the Mazda Familia there. In the United States, on the other hand, it has been previously marketed by the company as the Mazda GLC. Later on, it became the Mazda 323 and then in 1990, the name was changed to become the Mazda Protg. However, if you do travel to the far reaches of South Africa, the people here would not introduce the vehicle to you as the Mazda 323, Protg, GLC, or Familia. Here, this vehicle is known as the Mazda Etude. When the Mazda 323s were still in production, assembly of the vehicle was done in various countries like Taiwan, Malaysia, South Africa, Colombia, and New Zealand.

On the other hand, for the greatest deals on Mazda 323 parts and other Mazda model parts, Mazda Parts and Mazda Auto Parts has the largest source of superior quality and affordable parts. Mazda Parts and Mazda Auto Parts brings Mazda owners, aficionados, and interested parties the greatest selection of outstanding Mazda auto parts like Mazda accessories, air intake, brakes, climate control, clutch parts, cooling syste, drive belts, driveshaft and axle, electrical parts, electrical engine parts, exhaust system parts, mechanical engine parts, and transmission parts among many others.

From the Ford Motor Companys luxury division, the Lincoln brand has introduced to the world the Lincoln Mark IV. In the United States and the rest of North America, this vehicle was actually sold and marketed from 1972 up until 1976. It replaced the Mark III although it was already successful that time. Later on, the Mark V replaced this vehicle. For most parts and most of the specifications, the Lincoln Mark IV and the Ford Thunderbird were very much alike. Even the platform was shared by the two vehicles.

By taking a look at the style and design that the Lincoln Mark IV has, one could be able to see that most of the motifs and angles are just like the Lincoln Mark III. These include the tall Rolls Royce style grille, the fashionable long hood short deck style, the covered headlamps, the spare tire hump found in the trunk, and the taller and knife-edged fender line. As per the grille, the Lincoln Mark IVs version is much taller. And to allow this kind of adjustment, the close fitting bumpers were dipped. The spare tire hump was more rounded and from thereon, the lines led further down the vehicle. As per measurements, though, the Lincoln Mark IV came out to be longer and wider. The angles were slightly softened out and made more rounded. The wheel openings were made to be symmetrical front to rear like in the Oldsmobile Tornado inspired style that was popular that time. The Lincoln Mark IV also held a vinyl roof.

The power of this machine and vehicle comes from a 460 cubic inch or 7.2 liter Ford 385 series V8 engine. On its introduction, it has been that this vehicle could prove to produce and create some 212 units of horsepower or 158 kW. To assist this engine, the Lincoln Mark IV also came with a C6 3 speed automatic transmission system.

In 1976, Lincoln took a gamble and made the Designer Series. When it was introduced that year, the Lincoln Mark IVs under this series were actually holding colors, trims, and interior choices designed by fashion designers. Each of the designer signed at the opera window, plus a name engraved on the gold plated plaque on the instrument panels. There were four designers that time that took their time to show off their craft using Lincoln Mark IV. The series comprised of the Bill Blass Edition, the Cartier Edition, the Givenchy Edition, and the Pucci Edition.

Standing for Luxury Sport, the Lincoln LS has been freshened for the year 2006. It comes with four doors. It has the capacity to take in a maximum of five passengers in its spacious and very comfortable cabin. It is a luxury sports sedan. For this year, 2006, the Lincoln LS has been made available in only one trim level which is the V8 Sport.

Upon its introduction, the Lincoln LS comes equipped with a standard 3.9 liter V8 engine that has the capacity and capability to produce some 280 units of horsepower. It can achieve 18 mph for city driving and some 25 mph on the highway. Also made standard so as to assist the engine in its performance is a five speed automatic transmission with overdrive. This midsize, rear wheel drive entry level luxury car from Lincoln shares its Ford DEW 98 platform with its relative, the Jaguar S Type and the Ford Thunderbird. Its primary competition includes the BMW 3 series, the Lexus ES, the Mercedes Benz C Class, the Acura TL, and the Cadillac CTS.

Originally, the Lincoln LS was supposed to be named the LS6 and the LS8. This would be depending on the engine choice. However, these were then replaced with LS V6 for the LS6 and the LS V8 for the LS8. This was changed so so as to avoid any kind of confusion with the Lexus trademarks.

For this year, it is said that the Lincoln LS has received a minor facelift. The V6 model was deleted from the line up as soon s the Lincoln Zephyr was introduced. Lincoln sure is proud of this vehicle for it has received very high marks during an occupant protection crash test. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave this vehicle a rank of Best Pick. Along with that was a perfect score for the frontal offset crash test. Along with that, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also gave the Lincoln LS almost perfect scores in the test for side impact and rollovers. To make Lincoln prouder was when CNBC proclaimed the Lincoln LS was one of the five safest cars of all time.

If you are looking for Lincoln parts, Lincoln Parts and Car Parts offers an impressive array of Lincoln LS parts and many other Lincoln parts and accessories. By accessing its online store, one could find the latest in innovative and stylish parts that only Lincoln Parts and Car Parts can offer. It has a huge inventory that allows visitors to get to their choice of parts without going through any kind of confusing set ups. In its collection, you could find a/c condensers, rear bumpers, header panels, hoods, lights, mirrors, radiators, weatherstripping, and wheels among many others.

The Ford Motor Companys Lincoln division of luxury vehicles recently got into a squabble with the Honda Motor Company. This was during the Detroit auto show back in January this year when the squabble started. Several employees from the Acura division of Honda were checking out a sport utility vehicle which was a fairly new vehicle from the Lincoln brand. However, they noticed that the name of this new vehicle, Lincoln MKX, was very much similar to the Acura SUV named Acura MDX.

After the said show was over, the Acura division then sent off a letter to the Lincoln divisions mother company, the Ford Motor Company. The letter demanded that the luxury line drop the name, MKX. However, the Ford Motor Company refused to do such a thing. This led to Acura filing a lawsuit. The accusation was that Ford was guilty of trademark infringement. The lawsuit is currently still in the process of being decided over. However, the thing is that behind all this big issue is the simple squabble over a combination of letters.

The Lincoln MKX is actually pronounced as Mark X. It is a crossover sport utility vehicle. Expectations for this vehicle include this vehicle as a replacement for the Lincoln Aviator comes the following year. This new sport utility vehicle would be built along with the Ford Edge in the companys assembly plant in Ontario, Canada. Sources have it that the 2007 Lincoln MKX would be bearing a price tag that ranges from $34,495 to $44,885.

Main competitors for this crossover vehicle would include the Cadillac SRX, the Acura MDX, the Lexus RX, and the BMW X5. Also, this vehicle has been built on the CD3 platform which is also the one used by the Ford Edge and the Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ. It will hold the Ford 3.5 liter Duratec 35 V6 engine which has the capacity to produce 250 units of horsepower and 240 units of pound-feet.

Lincoln has the choice of many people for this brand holds a line of luxury vehicles. Come 1924, the brand has become the top choice in cars of the extremely rich and the very famous that includes inventor and businessman Thomas Edison as well as administrator, humanitarian, engineer, and 31st President of the United States Herbert Hoover. At present, this vehicle brand continues to design, create and craft more vehicles that do not sacrifice its American luxury vehicle heritage as well as enigmatic characteristics of elegance, cleanliness, power, high technology and well thought of designs.

The Lincoln Continental used to be Lincolns flagship that sports four doors. However, its reign ended when the Lincoln Town Car came into being in the year 1981. The Lincoln brand, which is the Ford Motor Companys line of luxury cars and vehicles, has been creating the Lincoln Continental for years up until the last year of its production in 2002. Through the years, it has made its distinguishing mark as the premier American luxury car. This vehicle got its name from its body style and design which held an open chauffeurs compartment and the enclosed passenger compartment.

A midsize model that primarily competes with the Cadillac Seville and the Cadillac Deville, the Lincoln Continental was first developed and designed to be Edsel Fords own personal vehicle. Perhaps due to its success, definite structure, and superb performance, the company has then decided to market it and sell it to the automobile world. It was in 1938 when Ford then commissioned chief stylist Bob Gregorie to produce and provide him a custom design. What came out was this elegant convertible with a long hood that covers up the Lincoln V12 engine. It also held long front fenders, and a short trunk, as well as the covered spare tire which was mounted on the outside. The latter soon became the Lincoln Continentals trademark. In 1961, the Lincoln Continental became the very first automobile to receive the title as Design of the Year. This award is given and awarded by the very prestigious Industrial Designers Institute.

The Lincoln Continental has been totally planned for it took months of research, design, and development for it to be created. It holds unique proportions that totally enhance and optimize space and roominess. It also shows off elegance, sophistication, and supreme comfort in its interior and cabin. This luxury vehicle from Lincoln features center opening doors. It relies and focuses on simplicity and total refinement. The powered center-opening doors are actually triggered by a remote or also through a simply touch of the flush aluminum door handles. This type of technology requires less power than the conventional type. The case holders built into the cabins front seat backs have the capability to fold down so as to allow an attach to be opened without removing it from the sleeve.

Lincoln Continental and Lincoln vehicle owners can take a peek at Lincoln Parts and Car Parts extensive stock of dependable and long-lasting Lincoln Continental parts. By doing such, they hold in their hands the capacity and ability to maintain their Lincoln vehicles total luxury and comfort. It also is the start of great savings while preserving at the same time the performance of the Lincoln that exudes luxury as well as performance.