Thursday, February 28, 2013
Happy Birthday, Kenny Ross Ford!
Senior Master Level Certification
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Mazda Specials!
Positive Review on Cars.com
Thank you for leaving this review! Read more here: http://bit.ly/VNEjlB
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
The Future of Auto Innovation for Nissan Takes Shape in Silicon Valley
"This is where everything is happening. This is where all the intelligence lies, so this is where Nissan needs to be," said Nissan Americas Senior Vice President of Research and Development Carla Bailo.
The new facility is part of Nissan's global plan to expand research and development outside of Japan into key local markets. The team will work with the Nissan Research Center team in Japan to develop autonomous driving vehicles, in other words, car that can safely drive themselves.
"I think Nissan wants to create the future for mobility in autonomous driving," said Nissan Corporate Vice President Takao Asami.
Researchers will also look for ways to connect the car with the internet, existing infrastructure, and other self-driving cars. They will additionally research what's called Human Machine Interface, so autonomous and connected cars can interact better with people.
"This lab is focused in reaching out beyond the cars to things that are beyond the automobile. It is really trying to think about the car in society and not just the car and the interior of it and I think that's the future," said MIT Media Lab Professor Alex Pentland.
The Renault-Nissan Alliance has had a presence in Silicon Valley since 2011 with an office in Mountain View, Calif. Now the Alliance will continue their work in the larger lab in Sunnyvale.
"We hope to be an open center and have collaborations with the Silicon Valley attitude and with the Silicon Valley spirit. Nissan is well positioned I think to take the next step and be a leader in autonomous driving and connected vehicles and that is very exciting," said Research Director for Nissan Research Center Silicon Valley Dr. Maarten Sierhuis.
Some of the smartest and most innovative minds in the area will come together here to move the car industry and Nissan Motor Company into a new, more advanced, even Jetson-like era.
"Maybe we will have a Jetsons era. We will see," said Bailo.
-Courtesy of Nissan News
Monday, February 25, 2013
Guess the Vehicle!
Friday, February 22, 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Appearance and Care
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
5-Star Review!
Kudos to John and the rest of the Kenny Ross team! Read more of our reviews here: http://bit.ly/ULjRRg
Bonus Cash Savings on Select Ford Models!
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Chevrolet Introduces the “Smart Material” in the 2014 Corvette!
In addition, the redesigned seventh-generation sports car is the first vehicle to use a General Motors’-developed lightweight shape memory alloy wire in place of a heavier motorized actuator to open and close the hatch vent that releases air from the trunk. This allows the trunk lid to close more easily than on the previous models where trapped air could make the lid harder to close.
Considering there are about 200 motorized movable parts on the typical vehicle that could be replaced with lightweight smart materials, GM is looking at significant mass reduction going forward.
Shape memory alloys – typically made of copper-aluminum-nickel or nickel-titanium – are smart materials that can change their shape, strength, and/or stiffness when activated by heat, stress, a magnetic field or electrical voltage. Shape memory alloys “remember” their original shape and return to it when de-activated.
In the new Corvette, a shape memory alloy wire opens the hatch vent whenever the deck lid is opened, using heat from an electrical current in a similar manner to the trunk lights. When activated, the wire contracts and moves a lever arm to open the vent, allowing the trunk lid to close. Once the trunk lid is closed, the electrical current switches off, allowing the wire to cool and return to its normal shape, which closes the vent to maintain cabin temperature.
“Smart materials like shape memory alloys offer new possibilities for many movable vehicle features,” said Jon Lauckner, GM’s chief technology officer. “These new materials enable innovative designs and new and improved features at a lower cost than traditional motors and actuators.”
Shape memory alloy also helps remove unwanted mass, which can help improve vehicle performance and fuel economy. The wire actuator used on the new Corvette is approximately 1.1 pound (.5 kilogram) lighter than a conventional motorized system.
“The shape memory alloy used on the new Corvette represents nearly five years of research and development work on smart materials for which GM has earned 247 patents,” said Paul Alexander, GM smart materials and structures researcher. “And it is just the beginning. We have many more smart material applications in the pipeline that will bring even more improvements to our vehicles going forward.”
-Courtesy of GM News
Friday, February 15, 2013
What's Your Favorite...
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Chevy Cruze Lease Offer
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
5-Star Review on DealerRater!
Read more of our happy customers' reviews here: http://bit.ly/ULjRRg
Monday, February 11, 2013
Don't Know What to Get Your Valentine?
Friday, February 8, 2013
What Does Your License Plate Say?
Excellent Google+ Local Review!
Positive Review on DealerRater!
"I purchased a 2013 Ford Fusion and absolutely love it! My salesman, Mark Nelson, was so easy to deal with and had a great sense of humor! I would definitely recommend this dealership if anyone is looking for a new or used car!" -lwilfong
Read more reviews here: http://bit.ly/ULjRRg
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
ALL-BRANDS SPECIAL!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
This Week in History: Ford Buys Lincoln Motor Company
On February 4, 1922, Ford Motor Company
bought Lincoln Motor Company for $8 million. At the time, Ford was rapidly
losing market share to General Motors. GM offered a variety of vehicles for
American consumers, while Ford focused on just the Model T.
Lincoln Motor Company, which was also struggling financially at the time, helped to expand Ford's lineup, keeping American drivers interested in the brand. Shortly after the purchase, Ford introduced the Model A, which took many design cues from Lincoln vehicles. The car was actually nicknamed the "Baby Lincoln" given the remarkable resemblance.
Henry Leyland, former manager of Cadillac at GM, and his son Wilfred founded Lincoln in 1917. The company was named after Abraham Lincoln, a hero of Henry's. After its purchase, Lincoln continued to operate as an independent company until the 1940s, when it became the Lincoln Division of Ford Motor Company.
Over the years, Lincoln developed several iconic vehicles, including the Zephyr, Town Car and Navigator. But today Lincoln's future is dubious. Lagging sales, poor brand perception and no must-have products have many asking if the brand has a future at Ford.
Time will tell, but if the new line of Lincoln cars doesn't catch on, the vision of the Leyland's could become a thing of the past.
Lincoln Motor Company, which was also struggling financially at the time, helped to expand Ford's lineup, keeping American drivers interested in the brand. Shortly after the purchase, Ford introduced the Model A, which took many design cues from Lincoln vehicles. The car was actually nicknamed the "Baby Lincoln" given the remarkable resemblance.
Henry Leyland, former manager of Cadillac at GM, and his son Wilfred founded Lincoln in 1917. The company was named after Abraham Lincoln, a hero of Henry's. After its purchase, Lincoln continued to operate as an independent company until the 1940s, when it became the Lincoln Division of Ford Motor Company.
Over the years, Lincoln developed several iconic vehicles, including the Zephyr, Town Car and Navigator. But today Lincoln's future is dubious. Lagging sales, poor brand perception and no must-have products have many asking if the brand has a future at Ford.
Time will tell, but if the new line of Lincoln cars doesn't catch on, the vision of the Leyland's could become a thing of the past.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Mod Monday!
Friday, February 1, 2013
What Bad Driving Habits Are You Guilty Of?
Positive Review on DealerRater!
Read the entire review here: http://bit.ly/UwRvJQ
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