Most people would say it's feeding those in need. Normal, right? Unfortunately, the press seems to think the story is the cars. That's right; instead of people who require help, the exotic transportation became the story. It's insane.
Sure, the idea of high-end Italian exotics delivering food to the elderly is tons of fun (and an interesting PR boost for Gotham Dream Cars)...but how is this legitimately important? For God's sake, the New York Times (supposedly one of the last great print papers) put up an article about feeding America's hungry and the main point was still the fact that mad-expensive cars were out doing charity duty. Other than some ho-hum dribble about the cars, the rest was press quotations and gibberish. No facts whatsoever.
Pascack Valley's "Meals on Wheels" director Jeanne Martin says, "The support of our community is essential to combating senior hunger in the area...We’re pleased to have the support of Gotham Dream Cars to help spread the message about the difference local volunteers can make in helping out seniors in need." Of course they are; after all, it's attention-grabbing for Pascack Valley and its hungry citizens. But what about the rest? As in, the rest of America? Hell, why not make it the rest of the world and get everyone involved?
Sadly, odds are that even with this post the most memorable part of the story is that someone, somewhere, is delivering food to people in exotic cars. Neato, but not really the point. How about giving some important facts, other than manufacturer names and ritzy BS info? Facts like this: there are over three million people in the States with hunger-related issues right now. And now. And now. Beyond that, a world citizen dies every few seconds due to starvation.
Knowing this, it raises the question: is there a point to the New York Times running this story? The answer, hopefully, is yes...but only if people learn something. If not, and all readers remember are car names, then what's the point? Internet hits?
Admittedly, Gotham Dream Cars has done something cool for the people involved in this program and received very positive PR in the process; however, the story of Italian supercars delivering food is nothing more than that: a nice story.
If you've gotten this far, you'll hopefully see what I'm getting at: the story's pointless, so go out and throw a few cans of Campbell's soup in the direction of your local soup kitchen. Tis the season.
By Phil Alex
Source / Photos: Pvmealsonwheels , Via: New York Times
While the U.S. car market is still underachieving compared to the best results of the last decade, December sales are expected to significantly contribute to the annual forecast of about 12 million sold vehicles, as 2010 is clearly ending with an uphill trend, according to industry analysts.
“That's a long way from the 16 million and 17 million sales rates that we experienced for the better part of this decade. But we're coming out of 2010 on an upswing and I think this bodes well for 2011”, said Ford Motor Co. sales analyst George Pipas.
The trend could continue well into next year, though December results are not enough for a thorough forecast. However, industry experts are optimistic due to the fact that retails sale are up, compared to the less profitable fleet and rental sales, which are expected to drop by about one and a half percent, according to TrueCar.com.
“It's slowly evolving”, Morningstar analyst David Whiston said of the recovery. “You did just see the retail (annualized sales rate) creep up. It's not like it shot up half a million units in one month. It's going to be gradual”.
Compared to 2009, GM’s sales are up 1.9 percent, while Ford shows even more stamina with a 6.3% growth. On the other hand, Toyota is still struggling, as the massive recalls it has issued this year are taking their toll and it’s expected to report an 11.4% drop for the closing month of 2010.
By Csaba Daradics
Source: Reuters
Boasting a similar silhouette (though with edgier details) to the outgoing model, the new SLK will arrive in the market sometime next year offering buyers a revamped engine lineup of four-cylinder and V6 gasoline units, and if the rumors turn out to be true, a diesel option also. The range will be completed by a high-performance AMG model, said to be equipped with either twin-turbocharged V6 or a larger-displacement V8 engine.
Keep an eye out for the SLK either at the Detroit Motor Show in mid-January or at the Geneva Salon in March.
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So, what have we learned today? Well, first of all, avoid overdoing the burnout if your car is tied to a block of concrete. Also, always keep a fire extinguisher at hand, because it turns out that putting out flames with some refreshments isn’t very effective. Who would of thought it? Watch the video after the jump.
By Csaba Daradics
Kudos to Ivan for the tip!
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Source: Noblesse , Via: Farm of minds
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According to one page on Chrysler.com, the 200 sedan equipped with the 173 hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine returns 21/30 mpg city/highway, with both the 4-speed and 6-speed automatic transmissions. This is kind of strange to begin with, as you’d expect the more modern gearbox to have better numbers for the sake of marketing, if nothing else.
The yet-to-be-revealed 200 Convertible, fitted with the same four-pot and six-speed ‘box, is rated at an identical 21/30 mpg, which is hard to believe, as open top cars need extra structural strengthening, increasing weight and lowering fuel efficiency.
And as if that wasn't enough, in the “Compare Vehicle and Model Specifications” section, the 200 sedan with the 2.4-liter engine is said to return 20/31 mpg.
Either way, the 2.4L DOHC 16V Dual VVT finishes last when compared to the Toyota Camry (22/32 mpg), Honda Accord (23/33 mpg) and Hyundai Sonata (22/35 mpg).
With the 283 hp 3.6-liter V6 under the bonnet, the situation is a bit better, as the 19/29 mpg rating helps the Chrysler 200 and 200 Convertible rank above the Ford Fusion (18/27 mpg) and Chevrolet Malibu (17/26 mpg), but below the Toyota Camry (20/29 mpg).
By Csaba Daradics
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