Engineers from Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. will work together to develop a hybrid powertrain for use on rear-drive trucks and SUVs, the companies said on Monday. The automakers also will collaborate on basics for future in-car information technology, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

The rear-drive hybrid powertrain is expected to be ready for use later this decade. The goal is to improve the fuel economy of trucks and SUVs without cutting back on their ability to tow or haul payload, said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s head of global product development.

While Ford and Toyota will work together to develop the hybrid powertrain, it’s up to each automaker to fit it to individual vehicle platforms.

The Ford-Toyota rear-drive hybrid powertrain would give the automakers technology that competes against the Two-Mode rear-drive hybrid system jointly developed by General Motors, the then-DaimlerChrysler and BMW. GM uses the system in its full-size pickups and SUVs.

Takeshi Uchiyamada, head of Toyota’s research and development group, noted that American consumers are unwilling to give up trucks and SUVs. So working with Ford will speed up creation of technology that makes those vehicles pollute less and remain affordable, he said.

Toyota and Ford, whose vehicle lineups include several rear-drive trucks and SUVs, also face government mandates that will boost fuel-economy regulations. Automakers must meet a fleet average of 35.5 mpg by 2016, and full-size trucks face the potential of annual increases in fuel-economy mandates of up to 5 percent a year in the 2020s. But automakers might get fuel-economy credits for using hybrid technologies in their trucks.

The collaboration effort started with talks between Ford CEO Alan Mulally and Toyota president Akio Toyoda in April. Teams headed by Kuzak and Uchiyamada then looked at potential projects, narrowing the focus to the rear-drive hybrid and in-car entertainment technologies.

Source Autoweek

You can do all of these at Get Your Heart Racing, 1 – 9 p.m., Saturday, October 15, at Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn, Michigan, as Ford and Henry Ford Health System partner to fight heart disease.

Shelby Tickets include a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for one person to participate in the following activities on the Ford test track:

•Drag racing – a two-car race on a short course.
•Highway Driving Simulation – choose from a wide selection of Ford vehicles.
•Wet Pad – a helmeted ride with a professional driver on a skid pad, for a demonstration of extreme handling.
•Driving Challenge – drive a coned course to experience driving dynamics.
•Hot Laps – ride with a professional driver in a Mustang on the high-speed track. Names will be drawn to choose three guests who will ride with Formula Drift 2010 Champion Vaughn Gittin Jr..
•Over The Top – drive F-150s or Explorers on an off-road course.

Drivers must be 18 or older, with a minimum of one year driving experience to participate in track events.

Shelby Ticketholders may bring a guest for an optional track tour, and both are invited to the Winner’s Circle following the afternoon at the track, for dinner and a program with remarks by Ford Motor CEO Alan Mulally. Several million-dollar cars, including some from Ford Racing, will be on display.

Entertainment will be provided by renowned magician Bill Malone. Silent and live auctions will offer items tailored for the car racing enthusiast. Live auction items include two tickets to the 2012 American Idol final in April, including hotel and airfare, or a Ford Championship Weekend VIP Experience in November, including three races, meeting Ford drivers and a personal garage and pit tour.

The highlight of the evening is the live auction of a “one of one” 2012 Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca, designed especially for this event.

Shelby Tickets may be purchased  for $2500 at getyourheartracing.org until October 14, and four tickets are being raffled.  For a chance to win a Shelby Ticket to this event,  $20 raffle tickets are available by calling (734) 246-9639. Winner’s Circle tickets are $500.

Dress is casual.  Those who will be on the track are required to wear jeans and athletic shoes. Personal cameras and cell phones will be checked at the door, but photos and video will be available as a remembrance of the day.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Edith and Benson Ford Heart & Vascular Institute at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and the Center for Cardiac Care at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital.

Ticket sales are limited. For more information about this event, including sponsorship opportunities, visit getyourheartracing.com or call (734) 246-9583.

About the Edith and Benson Ford Heart & Vascular Institute

With a history that spans more than 90 years, the institute has earned international recognition as a leader and innovator in comprehensive cardiovascular care, research and education.  Established in 1946, the cardiac training program is one of the longest running in the U.S., and the first in Michigan.  The program is one of only three in Michigan for advanced heart failure treatment options and one of the few programs in the U.S. offering robotically assisted laparoscopic aortic surgery.

About Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital

Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital was established in 1926.  This 401-bed acute care hospital serves the Downriver region and surrounding communities of southeast Michigan. It offers a full range of clinical services, including general medicine, surgery, birthing center and 24-hour emergency care. Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital also provides physical medicine, rehab, adult mental health and neurosurgical services. Its Henry Ford Health Center-Brownstown offers medical imaging, ambulatory surgery, 24-hour emergency care, a sleep lab and other services. Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital is a member of the Henry Ford Health System. For more information visit henryfordwyandotte.com

Source Henry Ford Health System

“September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and our Labor Day Hope on Wheels 5K Race & Walk is an ideal platform to raise awareness for childhood cancer and the need to find a cure,” said John Krafcik, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. “I’ll be running this race with lots of folks from Hyundai and runners from across Southern California, as we all come together to support this most worthy cause.”

The Hope on Wheels 5K Race & Walk kicks off the organization’s competitive September Hope Grants program, where Hyundai will travel to at least 60 hospitals to donate grants in the amount of $100,000 or more. By the end of 2011, Hyundai Motor America, it’s more than 800 dealers across the country, and Hope on Wheels will have committed more than $43 million in donations to pediatric cancer research since the organization’s inception in 1998. All proceeds from the event will go toward childhood cancer research and the Hyundai Cancer Institute at CHOC Children’s Hospital.

Jenn Shelton, a top ultra marathoner out of Ashland, OR, who currently holds the record for the fastest female 100 mile trail race, will join in this inaugural event.

*Online registration for the Hope on Wheels 5K Race & Walk is available until Saturday, Sept. 3 at 11:59 p.m., at only $30. Children nine and under can participate in the 5K Race & Walk at no cost, and race participants can take part in the Celebration of Life Family Fun Day at no cost.

Event day schedule:
  
6:30-7:45 a.m.
5K Registrations
 
8:00-10:00 a.m.
5K Race/Walk
 
10:00-11:00 a.m.
Hyundai Hope on Wheels Handprint Ceremony with CHOC Children’s
 
11:00-2:30 p.m.
Celebration of Life Family Fun Day
 
The Celebration of Life Family Fun Day, which takes place immediately following the 5K, will celebrate the lives of the brave children battling the disease and will feature various activity villages to engage people of every age.  The event will consist of food vendors, a carnival with clowns and face painting, Wii, Kinect, and other interactive games, and even a classic car display, featuring the dream cars of a bygone era. 

For more information visit www.hyundaihopeonwheels.com/5k. 

Hyundai Hope on Wheels is the united effort of Hyundai Motor America and its more than 800 dealers across the U.S. to raise awareness about childhood cancer and to celebrate the lives of children battling the disease.  In 2011, Hope on Wheels will have committed more than $43 million in donations to pediatric cancer research since the program began in 1998.  Hyundai Hope on Wheels is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. 

Source Hyundai Hope on Wheels

Harley-Davidson will select four women to win the “Ultimate Learn-To-Ride Experience,” a prize package that includes a brand new 2012 Harley-Davidson motorcycle that they can design themselves via Harley-Davidson’s new H-D1™ factory customization system, as well as $1,000 in new Harley-Davidson MotorClothes apparel. In addition, the four winners can each pick a friend to accompany them on an all-expense-paid trip to Milwaukee, Wis., home of Harley-Davidson, where they will learn to ride a motorcycle through Harley-Davidson’s Riders Edge New Rider Course and explore Harley-Davidson’s home turf including tours of the Harley-Davidson Museum and Powertrain Operations. Women can enter the contest at www.h-d.com/mytime.

“We’re excited to help inspire more women to fulfill their dream of learning to ride a Harley-Davidson motorcycle,” said Claudia Garber, Director of Marketing Outreach at Harley-Davidson. “The ‘Ultimate Learn-To-Ride Experience’ contest is one aspect of many exciting things Harley-Davidson is doing to encourage more women to get started on their riding journeys.”

The “Ultimate Learn-To-Ride Experience” contest runs through July 20, 2011. For more information about the contest and to enter to win, visit www.h-d.com/mytime.

Source Harley-Davidson Motor Company

Fresh off his 20th birthday, Trevor Bayne became the youngest driver in NASCAR history to win The Great American Race. It was an epic win – one 35 years in the making for the famed Wood Brothers Racing team – and it happened to unfold at America’s most storied track, Daytona International Speedway. Throughout 200 grueling laps, Bayne impressed multiple veteran drivers with his strategic racing skills, and earned a spot on the most coveted list of NASCAR winners.

Bayne’s improbable victory provided consolation for grieving fans rooting for the legend’s son to win at the track that claimed his father’s life just 10 years ago. When a heart-wrenching collision eliminated Dale Earnhardt Jr. from contention, the race was wide open and led to the unlikely victory that would capture headlines around the country.

With DAYTONA 500: THE INSIDE STORY, NASCAR Media Group captures an unforgettable week of tributes to the late Earnhardt that ended with Trevor Bayne’s unthinkable drive into Victory Lane. This one-hour documentary delivers never-before-seen footage, extensive pit-to-car radio communication and exclusive interviews with some of NASCAR’s biggest names.

DAYTONA 500: THE INSIDE STORY is produced for HDTheater by NASCAR Media Group.

Source HDTheater

Bosch Diesel Systems, one of the world’s largest suppliers to diesel vehicle makers, will be at the ACT Expo in Long Beach, Calif., from May 4-6, 2011, to showcase its fuel-efficient technology now featured in most new clean diesel vehicles and demonstrate how important the overall cost of ownership of a vehicle is in the face of high fuel prices.

Sales statistics compiled by the website Hybridcars.com, which works with the market research firm Baum & Associates, showed that in the first four months of 2011, clean diesel sales had increased 42.7 percent compared to 2010. During the same period, hybrid sales increased by 25.6 percent, while the overall market increased by 19.4 percent.  

“We believe consumers clearly see the value of clean diesel cars and trucks,” said Alex Freitag, director, Diesel Systems Engineering, Diesel Systems, Robert Bosch LLC. “Even when diesel prices are higher than gasoline, consumers understand that diesels offer more miles per dollar of fuel spent.”

In addition to the operating cost advantage of clean diesels, a recent study by Carnegie Mellon University found that the total cost of ownership for clean diesels enhanced their consumer value.

“It’s been generally known that diesel vehicles typically post lower operating costs because of their increased fuel economy,” said Lester Lave, university professor and Higgins Professor of Economics at CMU’s Tepper School of Business. “But, that’s only one element of the equation. Our study considered a vehicle’s initial price and resale value along with other operating and maintenance costs.”

The study, titled “Comparing Resale Prices and Total Cost of Ownership for Gasoline, Hybrid and Diesel Passenger Cars and Trucks,” also found the price differential between a clean diesel passenger car and a traditional PFI (port-fuel-injected) gasoline-powered vehicle could be recouped in less than 18 months of driving. In addition, clean diesels deliver an average of 30 percent better fuel economy than their gasoline counterparts. All of this translates into savings for the consumer, Lave said.

Clean diesel passenger vehicles are becoming available in the market in growing numbers. Today, Audi offers two models (the A3 TDI and Q7 TDI), BMW offers two (the 335d and X5 xDrive x35d), Mercedes-Benz offers four (the GL350 BlueTEC, ML350 BlueTEC, R350 BlueTEC and E350 BlueTEC) and Volkswagen offers four models (Golf TDI, Jetta TDI, Jetta Sportwagen TDI and the Touareg TDI). In each of these models, a gasoline model is an alternative choice for consumers (in some cases there also is a hybrid version). According to Polk registration data and analysis conducted by Bosch, the diesel model is chosen as much as 80 percent of the time.

Other companies, such as Mazda, have announced they will be bringing clean diesel models to the American market. In the heavy-duty pickup segment, optional diesel models dominate the marketplace and have for more than a decade. Even at premium prices, they offer superior torque and towing capabilities along with better fuel economy than gasoline alternatives.

Source Robert Bosch LLC

The highest bidder will walk away not only with a piece of weather history but also a chance for their own tornado adventure. Considering the bidding is over $75,000, Green and his highly trained professional crew will take the buyer on a training adventure during the height of the tornado season, May 15 through June 15. Team Tornado will accompany the winning bidder for 10 days at the buyer’s expense to Tornado Alley for an attempt a drive into their own tornado. Team Tornado will also give the winning bidder a chance to witness, firsthand, Green’s walk into a tornado. 

The Attack Vehicle was designed to literally attack a tornado for the purpose of learning more about the phenomenal storms. The vehicle, Green, and the crew made history on June 12, 2004 when the famed tornado hunter drove into a twister and rode it out in the customized vehicle. The event was witnessed and filmed by Discovery Channel’s Storm Chaser, Reed Timmer. This vehicle, which withstood the storm escaping unharmed, has been seen on Discovery, The Weather Channel and many other programs.

It is equipped with a 700-horsepower V-8 engine, is made of 16-gauge steel and coated with polyurethane impact-resistant material. The windows and wheels are covered with bulletproof M10 Lexan plastic. The windshield has three coats of DuPont Mylar film. A single sheet can stop a .38 caliber bullet.

Green stated that the tornado attack can quickly drop its entire assembly down on its belly pan sucking the ground and holding the vehicle tight in the high winds with a system designed and built by Parker Hydraulics. The attack truck was designed and built through a five-year process by Green and the team at a cost of more than a half of a million dollars.

Green’s energy plan uses geothermal activity and creates a safer environment for citizens while providing a cleaner and healthier way to produce energy over the current 104 nuclear reactors located in the states.

“We have the most active region of geothermal activity on earth in the U.S., Yellowstone National Park,” he said. “By using Yellowstone’s 10,000 geothermal pockets, we can reduce the carbon footprint by more than 85 percent.”

The quiet, clean and efficient energy-producing plants would be in remote, uninhabited parts of the park where wildlife will not be disturbed and tourists will not see. The plan puts Americans to work and provides a safer environment.

The Tornado Attack vehicle is being sold on eBay 220777866130. You can also bid on a seat to ride along with Steve Green in a high-performance chase vehicle to witness his attempt to be the first man to intentionally walk into a tornado at eBay ID 220778143118.

For more history and information, visit http://www.meetstevegreen.com.

Source PRNewswire