Mazda introduces free Apple Iphone roadside assistance application

A number of Iphone applications already exist that are designed by major car manufacturers to aid with the running of their cars. One particular application will remember where you parked your car and direct you back to it. Mazda has jumped on the bandwagon and released their own application that aims to help their drivers with roadside assistance.

Safer motoring with new Mazda App

The Mazda application puts the driver in touch with a roadside assistance agent who can assist the driver as well as dispatch the relevant assistance to exactly where the driver has broken down, thanks to the GPS coordinates taken from the application. The application can aid in:

Flat tyre
Out of petrol
Locked out of car
In need of a tow

Please note though that this application will only work for US citizens. The application can be downloaded from http://mazda.crosscountry-auto.com/

Source: Mazda

Massive sales increases in March for major car brands.

With the world-wide recession now clearly a thing of the past, three of the top car manufacturers have once again shown strong sales figures and growth for the month of March. These figures are somewhat deceptive as they are generally compared to March of 2009, which was obviously an atrocious year for the automotive market as global car sales dropped dramatically. However these figures are still impressive in their own right as they clearly show the full recovery the automotive market is marking and a positive future for these major brands.

Volkswagen

Volkswagen of America reported that their March sales included 22,148 car units which resulted in a 40.9% increase compared to the same month in 2009. The Volkswagen Jetta, Golf and Touareg proved to be very popular during this time with their economic pricing and clean diesel engines.

Ford

The Ford brand in America, which includes Lincoln and Mercury vehicles, also posted very strong sales figures for March 2010. The sales figures were up 37% for the quarter compared to the 2009 year. Ken Czubay, Ford vice president US Marketing Sales and Service, reported that it was due to Fords lineup of new vehicles that carried sales figures and that cars, utilities and trucks were all on the up.

Among the top achievers for Ford cars include: The Ford Fusion, the Ford Taurus and the Ford Focus. As for the utility market, the Ford Escape is up 52% in sales.

Audi

Following in the trend and not to be out-done, Audi posted their US sales stats that included a 33.5% increase from the same month in 2009. This increase also gave Audi a personal milestone of its best first-quarter sales since they began selling cars in the US. At the top of the list is the

Audi A5 which set an Audi single month sales record with an increase of 59.8% compared to March 2009. The Audi A3 also saw impressive increases with a jump of 100% sales compared to 2009 which was increased by the new A3 being named 2010 Green car of the year. Also among the top contenders were the: Audi Q5 and Audi Q7 which also saw big gains in sales.

What about used cars?

The used car market, like the new car market, has seen an increase in sales compared to 2009. The market is once again thriving with renewed confidence from used car buyers and generally more money available. As always find a range of used cars on Cars.co.za.

Max Biaggi Wins Portimao GP for Aprilia

Max Biaggi achieved his first dual victory in the Superbike World Championships after a tense and exciting Race 2 that saw the Roman champ duel it out with his proud and speedy rival, Leon Haslam on his Suzuki. So it was a repeat of the first race won today by Max, in which he also beat out Haslam for the victory.

Max Biaggi for the win

Jumping into the lead from the start, Max Biaggi was pursued by Haslam, but unlike in the first race, they were unable to break away from the rest of the crowd: Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha), Carlos Checa (Ducati) and up until the point when his engine failed, Jonathan Rea (Honda) remained close behind the two leaders, making the race even more uncertain.

A mistake just four laps before the end of the race seemed to have compromised Biaggis run. Biaggi, in the span of a curve, found himself relegated to third place, having been passed by both Haslam and Crutchlow. The Romans will to win was exceptional, and he immediately regained ground over the Brit on his Yamaha and took off after Haslam, who he managed two pass just two laps before the end of the race. Resisting the Suzuki bishops attempt to regain the lead, Biaggi crossed the finish line in first place.

Max Biaggi up to 2nd place overall

Not since 1998 has an Italian driver (Pierfrancesco Chili at Kyalami) won a dual victory on an Italian motorcycle. With this double win, Max Biaggi moves up to second place in the world classification with 69 points, behind his rival Haslam (85 points).

Aprilia Alitalia Racing Teams triumphant day was completed by two fifth place finishes from the English driver, Leon Camier, who seemed to be improving continuously, and is by now quite comfortable on his Aprilia RSV4 and able to race for extended periods with the leaders.

Its a pleasure to be back on top after the problems we had in Australia, said Biaggi. Weve improved with respect to last year. The pace was a bit slower in Race 2 and we were all quite close. It was really a great battle with a lot of passes and a few mistakes. Im really very happy for this dual victory because it is truly a great outcome, both for me and my team, as well as Aprilia, which is really doing a great job.

I am very happy, said Camier. We did well in both races and set excellent paces. Unfortunately, I wasnt able to find my rhythm during the initial laps and this penalized me quite a bit. Now I also need to make improvements in this area. The familiarity with my RSV4 is improving with this new suspension and weve got a lot of work to do to keep moving forward.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class range gets new model

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class range is to expand with the addition of the C-Class Coupe. The C-Class Coupe is said to go into production in 2011 from the companies Bremen plant. The C-Class Coupe will be the fourth model in the C-Class lineup, which has already proven itself to be extremely popular among car buyers, especially in South Africa.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class remains popular choice

As the current 10th most popular searched used car on Cars.co.za, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class has remained a firm favorite among South African buyers. Its no doubt that the C-Class Coupe will continue this momentum and build on Mercedes-Benz’s popularity.

New Volkswagen Touareg with Hybrid Powertrain

Showcased at the 2010 New York International Auto Show, the new Volkswagen Touareg boasts some impressive new stats. The focus is largely on fuel consumption and low co2 emissions across the 3 available engines which include the V6 FSI petrol engine, the V6 TDI Clean Diesel engine and the V6 TSI Gasoline Hybrid engine.

Low fuel consumption for new Volkswagen Touareg

The focus point for the new Touareg falls in line with the ‘green’ movement that is happening world-wide. The 8-speed automatic gear box runs at 21 mpg during inner city driving. Added to this is the clutch which can disengage the transmission from the engine when the engine is not powering the Touareg, further reducing emissions and fuel consumption.

The styling of the Touareg has also been updated, with a narrower grille and a muscular appearance. Like many new cars these days, the Touareg has a chrome finish and LED illuminated lights. Compared to the previous Touareg, the 2011 Touareg is wider and shorter and has a longer wheelbase for a strong sturdy feel. Also the space inside the cabin has increased and the overall weight of the car has decreased, thanks largely to use of new materials

Audi cars win design competition

Audi cars have taken top spot in a design competition held by the Auto Zeitung magazine. Voters could vote on which cars they felt were the most beautiful and could choose from the top 50 best selling car brands in Germany.

Audi cars considered to be most beautiful

Audi came in with 26% of the vote for the brand with the most beautiful cars, which gave them the majority percent and thus the award. Also among the winners was the Audi R8 Spyder, which won the most beautiful convertible car and finished 3rd in the overall car model category.

This was the first competition held by the magazine, they intend to run the competition annually.

New Mercedes-Benz R-Class refreshed

The new Mercedes-Benz R-Class comes with a completely redesigned front as well as more space, and various styling elements taken from other Mercedes-Benz SUV’s and saloons. Another new addition is the option of various diesel options for the R-Class. These engines boast a fuel consumption of 7.6 liters / 100km. The various low emission models provide much of the same power that the previous R-Class models had, yet with less fuel consumption and less co2 emissions.

Loads of choice in new Mercedes-Benz R-Class

With 9 basic model variants provided by the new Mercedes-Benz R-Class, you can truly customize the vehicle to your exact needs. These models come with many features as standard, including many of the safety features.,including:

PRE-SAFE – “a unique anticipatory occupant protection system”
A complete restraint system with 8 airbags
Crash active NECK-PRO Head restraints
Tyre pressure loss warning system
Adaptive break lights

Other comforts include thermatic automatic climate control systems and an AUX-in cable to enable the driver to connect audio devices to play through the cars audio system. The R-Class comes with many more features to increase comfort, driving pleasure and style of the ride. Look for the new Mercedes-Benz R-Class in 2011.

VW Polo named 2010 World Car of the Year

The finals of the World Car of the year were held at the New York International Motor Show and the Volkswagen Polo came out on top as the 2010 World Car of the Year. The field was initially made up of 30 cars that were voted on by 59 jurors from around the world. These jurors were all selected based on their expertise and experience within the car market.

VW Polo Cream of the Crop

The field of 30 cars was initially voted down to 10 and from those 10, the World Car of the Year was chosen. The top 3 cars were as follows: The VW Polo (MkV), The Toyota Prius and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

The VW Polo was ultimately named the 2010 World Car of the Year, noted for its handling, classy looks, reliability and safety.

Previous winners include:

2009: Volkswagen Golf
2008: Mazda 2
2007: Lexus LS460

2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport makes New York Debut

Suzuki has chosen the New York International Motor Show to debut their new 2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport. The Kizashi Sport is set to go on sale in America in August with pricing being announced close to the time that the car is available for sale.

2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport – Features

There have been a few modifications done to the 2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport compared to it’s 2010 predecessor. It comes with quite a few changes in its looks, with chrome finishes, sill extensions and a trunk mounted spoiler. Added to this are custom light-weight 18 inch allow wheels.

Inside the 2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport is a specially designed sport steering wheel with perforated leather grip. Following the design of the car, the seats are form-fitting leather sports seats with a driver-centric cockpit. The 2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport will be available in 4 levels, from entry level to luxury models.

It’s still not known if the 2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport will be made available for South Africa, guess we will just have to wait and see.

BMW 5-Series ushers in long-wheelbase sedan

BMW adds to its comprehensive model range with the all new 5-Series long-wheelbase sedan. This BMW5-Series has been designed exclusively for China and the Chinese driving market. The Long-Wheelbase BMW 5-Series sedan is a combination of style, luxury and a sporty design which provides added space in the back for more luxury and comfort for all passengers.

BMW 5-Series long-wheelbase sedan offers power and style

The Long-Wheelbase BMW features a sportier engine and increased power from it’s varying engines. The different engine ranges generate 150KW/204hp up to 225KW/306hp at the highest range. The top model in the range is the 535Li which comes fully customizable to suit the individual’s driving requirements.

For such a big car, the BMw 5-Series still maintains a sleek look, with chiseled features and slender curves. The wheelbase is up by 14 cm to create proper balance and proportion. The day-time headlights are LED with the rear lights being L-shaped further adding to the overall style of the car.

The interior of the 5-Series is once again focused on comfort and luxury with a driver-oriented cockpit that features a high-tech instrument cluster. At the back there is a cooler box, entertainment system, automatic sun-blinds and a folding table, however some of these features are extras.

The new Long-Wheelbase BMW 5-Series sedan continues BMW’s commitment to sustainability, quality and safety. This car is aimed at the luxury business market and should feature well in the competitive Chinese automobile market.