Jaguar starts making money

Here's some good news from the UK auto industry. Jaguar Land Rover has announced a net profit of £55m (US$140.7 million)in the last three months of 2009. The profit came from increased sales (more than 165,000 models)outside the UK. The biggest markets were Russia, Europe, North America and China.


Other related links:

• Tata Motors profits boosted by Jaguar Land Rover
• Jaguar Starts Making Money for Tata Motors
• Jaguar Land Rover makes £55m in return to profit

Honda Odessy Concept unveiled

Honda has just unveiled the Odyssey Concept at the Chicago Auto Show. It is sleeker and lower than the older Odysseys.

What do you think?

Top five safest cars of 2009

According to a press release from Euro NCAP, the top five safest cars of 2009 are as follows:

The VW Golf VI frontal impact test

1. VW Golf VI
2. Honda Insight
3. Toyota Prius
4. Hyundai i20
5. Toyota Avensis
5. Volvo XC60
5. Opel/Vauxhall Astra

This is based on their maximum five star award and their overall scores and was out of a total of 33 car models that were tested last year.

The VW Golf performed impressively in all four categories tested, namely, occupant protection of adults, protection of children, pedestrian protection and supporting safety and driver assistance systems.

It is interesting that two fuel-efficient vehicles, namely, the Honda Insight Hybrid and Toyota Prius, were placed second and third respectively.

On the other hand the Suzuki Alto and the Toyota Urban Cruiser, received three stars, Euro NCAP’s poorest results.

Download the printable table of all cars tested and upgraded in 2009 here.

More problems for Toyota

According to reports the Toyota recall due to gas pedal problems could cost the company around US $2 billion. Apparenalty it was due to a software problem but this has definitely hurt consumer's trust in this car company.

The story does not end there. Just found out that the US authorities are launching an investigation regarding problems in the 2010 Toyota Prius as well. Can't help but wonder there are vested interests working here considering the fact that the US Govt, has stake in the US car makers - General Motors and Chrysler.

Finding the Best Car Insurance Deals Online

It is amazing how much of our lives are dependent on technology today. Just a little over a decade ago, we were only becoming slowly accustomed to the Internet, what was famously referred to as the Information Superhighway. Today, we don’t just have email accounts, we have social networking accounts, YouTube, Amazon, and Google Earth. You can just as effectively shop online as you would at the mall, and all it takes are a few clicks. You can employ the same method, whether your purchase is small or big, cheap or expensive. Shopping around for the best car insurance deals is no exception.

The Web is teeming with online car insurance companies offering their services and so many to choose from. The challenge, however, lies in sifting through all of them and finding the one which is ideal for you.

You should compare quotes from different vehicle insurers, and this can be done by filling out forms on their websites and/or using a comparison website. You might be asked to provide information about yourself, your vehicle, and your driving history, as these details will help determine the level of coverage you can be offered, hence determining the quote you will be given.

Apart from getting quotes from individual insurers, you should definitely research the companies that interest you. Geico, GMAC, Progressive, AIG, Liberty Mutial, and All State, are among the most reputable auto insurance companies in the US, but remember that bigger is not necessarily better, so an insurance giant might not necessarily be your perfect match. Browse through insurers’ websites and go through car insurance reviews and testimonials of insurance experts and other insurance coverage seekers like you. Find out what discounts they offer on their insurance policies because you might be eligible for the good driver, safe vehicle, good student, senior, low mileage, rural, occupational, auto club or professional organization membership discounts.

The great advantage to purchasing your car insurance online is not just the ease by which you can accomplish this, but also the fact that you may get a discount with your insurer just because you made your purchase online. You may get money off your yearly premium, no claims discounts, or free breakdown assistance. The web is indeed the best place to search for the best auto insurance deals.

Honda CR-Z hybrid

Honda unveiled the amazing looking new CR-Z hybrid coupe at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

With it's low profile and sporty looks, it is definitely a way forward from the ugly looking Prius. The CR-Z has a 6-speed manual transmission along with a high tech 3-mode driving system - Sport, Normal and Econnomy.

See the video for more info.

MOT failure rates published

You want to get into the news but for the right reasons. Well, I am sure Ford UK is not happy with the reports that the brand leads in MOT (the mandatory road testing for vehicles more then 3 years old to ensure that they  meet road safety and environmental standards) failure rates.

This is the first time in history that it has been released following a Freedom of Information (FoI) request by the BBC.

Apparently theFord Transit Connect had the highest failure rate at 30.5%, followed by the Renault Megane and the Ford Transit.

I am not surprised that the Toyota Corolla had the lowest failure rate with just 11.2%.

The data is now available for free on the VOSA website in the PDF format (1,200 pages).