General Motors' Cadillac luxury division has recently announced that the IAA International Motor Show that will take place in Frankfurt, Germany this coming September will be the stage for the world premiere of its BLS luxury Wagon model. After the show, GM will roll out the Cadillac BLS Wagon in dealerships all over Europe starting in November with four trim levels: Business, Elegance, Sport and Sport Luxury. Moreover, Cadillac will also launch fuel efficient and eco friendly variant of the BLS Wagon and BLS Sedan that are capable in running with bio-ethanol-fuel.

“The BLS Wagon is an appealing addition to the Cadillac portfolio for customers seeking dramatically designed luxury vehicles that offer versatility and performance along with outstanding ride and handling characteristics. We think it will do well in many European markets where consumers desire a high degree of versatility and functionality in their vehicles.” said Cadillac General Manager Jim Taylor.

Anyway, going back to the BLS Wagon, the vehicle will feature a powerful 1.9-liter  four-cylinder two stage turbo-diesel engine under its hood. The engine comes with common-rail direct-injection and pumps out 180 hp and 400 Nm amount of peak torque. This engine will be combined to a six-speed manual transmission, or to a five- or six-speed automatic gearbox to complete the powertrain package for the Cadillac BLS Wagon.

For speed-starved European peeps, the BLS Wagon is also available with two powerful petrol engines including the 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine, and the 2.8-liter V6 unit capable of producing 255 hp with a twin-scroll turbocharger and variable phasing of the intake camshafts.

When the Cadillac BLS Wagon jumps in the IAA International Motor Show, expect the vehicle to showcase these features including:

- Cadillac hallmark V-shaped chrome-plated grille
- Vertical tail lamps with the latest LED technology and rear bumper
- Three-spoke leather steering wheel and an analog clock in the center stack
- High-quality audio units from American sound specialist Bose
- DVD navigation system with touch-screen operation
- Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone system with a hands-free kit and remote controls on the steering wheel
- Comfort and driving dynamics
- Chassis developed to provide both the agility and comfort

Each model trim comes with additional features like:

Cadillac BLS Business
- 16-inch alloy wheels
- Cadillac’s StabiliTrak electronic stability program engine immobilizer
- front, side and head curtain airbags
- three-spoke leather steering wheel with control buttons
- seven-speaker audio system with CD player
- “Piano Black” interior decor trim.

Cadillac BLS Elegance
- wipers with rain sensors
- eight-way power seats
- dual-zone climate control
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Red walnut wood veneer trim

Cadillac BLS Sport
- 18-inch wheels
- lowered sports suspension for the front MacPherson struts
- aluminum interior trim and the circular instruments with white numerals

Cadillac BLS Sport Luxury
- Bi-Xenon headlamps
- heated and electrically adjustable leather seats with memory function and wood trim

Watch out for this model when it rolls out in US markets anytime soon.

General Motors Corporation is advertising the “Transform Your Ride” in connection to the upcoming movie “Transformers” which will premiere on July 3. GM will be starting the promotion starting today until July 9. They will be putting selected models on sales on the said promo. GM is offering all the buyers a 0% financing for 36 months for all the qualifiers or a full $1,000 cash back guarantee.

Of course, the part of the promo will be advertisements. And according to the GM, they will be releasing a TV ad that features images of the robots that were used in the Movie “Transformers”. Not only that, it will be a 5.1 surround sound on a high-definition videography which they say will be appreciated by all including the non-car aficionados.

I found this list on the blogs.cars.com. These are the cars that were included on the movie.

Chevrolet:
2006 and 2007 Cobalt,
Monte Carlo,
Impala,
HHR,
TrailBlazer,
Tahoe,
Suburban,
Avalanche
2007 900-series Silverado

Buick:
2006 and 2007 Lacrosse,
Lucerne and Rainier

Pontiac:
2006 and 2007 G5,
G6,
Grand Prix
Torrent

GMC:
Envoy,
Yukon,
Yukon Denali,
Yukon XL,
Yukon XL Denali
2007 900-series Sierra   

So if you have few more cars for a car, get one. This is rare chance of getting the cars which was also shown on the movie.

The trend today, the smaller the car the better since it consumes lesser fuel. And for the past few years there has been an increase in the number of subcompact and compact vehicles. Most of the brands that thrived in this segment are Japanese such as the Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, and just very recently the new Scion xB and xD models which are scheduled to go on sale this summer.

Aside from the promised fuel economy, subcompact and compact cars are also more affordably priced and usually cost less than $20,000 dollars. They also come equipped with loads of standard features and in fairness to these small cars they look good and drive well.

Here is a list of some of the compact and subcompact vehicles available at dealerships. Hope this helps.

Chevrolet HHR
-   Retro look compact crossover SUV  
 
Dodge Caliber
-   Features a shrunken-down crossover SUV chassis and plenty of room to store
 
Nissan Sentra
-   Boasts a bigger overall design,
-  A more powerful engine and comes equipped with the kind of details that would have been expensive options on past models
 
2008 Scion xB
-   Price: $16,600
-   Grown in shape, size and power
-    Retains the now-iconic boxy shape
-   Engine and drive train: 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder engine, 158 horsepower, 162   lb-ft torque; five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic; front-wheel drive
-   MPG: 22 city/28 hwy (manual), 22 city/28 hwy (automatic)
-   The illuminated cup holder
-   Tech-themed instrument panel
-   Center stack
-    Glowing audio system
 
2008 Scion xD (previously known as xA)
-   A five-door “urban subcompact
-   Futuristic exterior the well-designed and intuitive layout
-   Engine and drive train: 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder engine, 128 horsepower, 125 lb-ft torque; five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic; front-wheel drive
-   MPG: 27 city/33 hwy (manual), 26 city/32 hwy (automatic)
-   The illuminated cup holder
-   Tech-themed instrument panel
-   Center stack
-   Glowing audio system
 
2007 Honda Civic Si Sedan
-   Price: $21,090
-  Engine and drive train: 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder engine, 197 horsepower, 139 lb.-ft    torque; six-speed manual; front-wheel drive.
-  MPG: 23 city/32 hwy
 
2007 Volkswagen Rabbit
-  VW’s perennial favorite has great looks
-  Excellent build quality
-  Price: $14,990
-  Engine and drive train: 2.5-liter inline 5-cylinder engine, 150 horsepower, 170 lb.-ft torque; five-speed manual or optional six-speed automatic with Tiptronic; front-wheel drive.
-  MPG: 22 city/30 hwy (manual), 22 city/30 hwy (automatic)
 
2007 Honda Fit
- Price: $13,850 (Sport model starts at $15,170)
- Engine and drive train: 1.5-liter inline 4-cylinder engine, 109 horsepower, 105 lb.-ft torque; five-speed manual or optional five-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
- MPG: 33 city/38 hwy (manual), 31 city/38 hwy (automatic) or 31 city/37 hwy (Sport automatic)
 
2007 Toyota Yaris
- Three-door form
- Price; $11,150
- Engine and drive train: 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, 106 horsepower, 103 lb.-ft torque; five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic; front-wheel drive
-  MPG: 34 city/40 hwy (manual), 34 city/39 hwy (automatic)
 
2007 Chevrolet Aveo5 SV
-  Price: $9,995
- Engine and drive train: 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, 103 horsepower, 107 lb.-ft torque; five-speed manual; front-wheel drive.
-  MPG: 27 city/37 hwy
  
 

For the past years people between the ages of 15 and 20 were killed in motor vehicle fatal crash and considered to be the number one cause of death among this age group. Why? Lack of experience, exceeding the posted speed limit or driving at a risky speed and driving under the influence of alcohol!

Although it is illegal in every state especially in California for a minor to drive and purchase or acquire alcoholic beverages, accidents due to drunk driving are still rampant.

Well, to prove that young drivers and alcohol doesn’t fit well together, proof to this is the recent news about the Hollywood young singer-actress Lindsay Lohan who was arrested recently by the police because she was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol when she crashed her car the night after bar hopping and nightclubbing with some of her friends.

Aside from that all along Interstate 15 in Escondido three Perris teenagers were killed because of drinking and over speeding. Add to that was the death of a drunken teenager and the injury two teenage girls due to car crash by new comer Hollywood actor Lane Garrison.

Candysse Miller executive director of the Insurance Information Network of California said that “California has some of the toughest young driver laws in the country, and this week’s high-profile and tragic collisions are graphic reminders of why these laws- zero tolerance and graduated licensing provisions exist.” 

Actually according to the last year report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, car accidents that involves teenagers is decreasing due to the said scheme. This zero-tolerance law bans those young drivers to be seating behind the wheel possessing blood level of .01 per cent or worst higher than that.

Well then despite of the encouragement done by the government still zero tolerance programs for teenage drivers seem to be hard to grip. So the best advice for this is to urge parents to insist on familiarizing themselves with the possibility of jeopardy with regards to their young inexperienced teenagers.   

Mazda Motor Corporation has celebrated its 40th anniversary in developing and successfully manufacturing rotary engines for their numerous vehicle commercial and motor sports racing models. Mazda released the first rotary engine powered vehicle in May 1967 and to date, Mazda has already produced about 2 million models equipped with the rotary engine.

As a part of the celebration, Jim O'Sullivan, President and CEO of Mazda North American Operations commented: "Only Mazda -- a company with a laser-like focus on vehicle development and engineering success -- would have had the perseverance and unwavering spirit to pursue the rotary engine. From humble beginnings in the 1950s to a very bright hydrogen-fueled future, the rotary engine represents Mazda as a company that follows the road less traveled, and makes its own successes where others have failed."

Check out the highlights of Mazda rotary engine over the last 40 years.

• The 1970 R100 was the first Mazda model sold in the US equipped with the rotary engine. It was followed by other Mazda models including the RX-2, RX-3, RX-4, RX-5 Cosmo, and the Rotary Pickup truck.

• During the launch of the Mazda RX-7 in 1979, it shook up the sports car establishment and set sales records never before seen with sports cars
• Subsequent RX-7 generations were launched in 1986 and 1993, including the first production applications of turbocharging the rotary engine in the U.S. market.
• The rotary engine saw an update with the introduction of side porting featured in the Mazda RX-8 four-door sports car, which was launched  in 2003
•  Mazda vehicles in motorposrts equipped with the rotary engine has landed over 100 professional sports car racing victories in the U.S. alone
• Mazda was the first and only Japanese automaker to ever win the grueling 24-Hours of Le Mans race.
• So successful was Mazda's entry in the 1991 race that the rules for subsequent races were changed to ban the rotary engine.
• The Star Mazda Championship uses open-wheel race cars equipped with the Mazda rotary engine.
• Mazda continues to develop the rotary engine combined with other powertrain interface like the hydrogen-fueled rotary and hydrogen rotary hybrid-electric engine.