2012 Ford Flex, 2013 Lexus GS F-Sport Debuts, Aptera: Car News Headlines

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Today at High Gear Media we review the 2012 Ford Flex while Nissan details the Juke-R's engine. The Diesel Coalition says diesel demand will rise and Toyota is losing the number one automaker spot. All this and more in today's car new, right here on The Car Connection.

We review the 2012 Ford Flex and find it to be a unique vehicle with copy-proof styling, and thrones for seats.

The 2013 Lexus GS F-Sport will make its debut at the 2011 SEMA show, finally.

Toyota is about to lose the number-one automaker spot as VW and GM are riding the wave to the top.

Aptera says there's something coming, but won't say what.

Nissan's released video that details the Juke-R's engine.

Road travel dips to historic lows because you're driving less.

Halloween is coming and we have some safety tips for both kids and parents.

The Diesel Coalition says diesel demand will increase.

2012 Chevy Camaro ZL1 not powerful enough for you? Hennessey will turn it into a 1,026-horsepower beast.

Ford slides in reliability rankings as Jeep gains traction.

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2012 GMC Terrain Debuts Camera-Based Collision Alert

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While radar-based collision detection systems aren’t new, General Motors is the first automaker to debut a simpler, more economical camera-based system. The camera will also provide drivers with a lane departure warning system, and it’s now an affordable option on the 2012 GMC Terrain crossover.

The collision alert system, which operates at speeds above 25 miles per hour, uses a windshield-mounted high resolution digital camera to capture some 14 frames per second.  Each frame is analyzed by an image processing algorithm to determine the change in position of objects in view.

If the system detects a car in front, it signals the driver with a green icon; follow too closely, and that green icon changes to a solid red warning bar. Close on a vehicle in front too quickly, and that red bar will flash, an audible alert will sound and the Terrain will pre-charge its braking system to reduce stopping distances.

That’s simplifying it a bit, since the system also takes into consideration speed, directional change, accelerator position and brake pedal position before calculating whether or not a warning is required. For rush hour commuting, warning range can be adjusted to accommodate traffic flow, or the system can be disabled entirely by the driver.

The camera also senses the Terrain’s position within painted lane markers, at speeds above 35 miles per hour. Deviate from your lane without using a turn signal, and the lane departure warning icon changes from green to flashing amber, accompanied by a series of beeps.

The camera and associated processing software is smart enough to function day or night, but can be affected by snow or mud obscuring the lens. Unlike radar-based systems, which can add thousands of dollars to the cost of a vehicle, GM’s camera-based system is a $295 option on the 2012 GMC Terrain.

View the original article here

2012 GMC Terrain Debuts Camera-Based Collision Alert

Newsletter Stay up to date on car reviews, buying guides, articles and more

While radar-based collision detection systems aren’t new, General Motors is the first automaker to debut a simpler, more economical camera-based system. The camera will also provide drivers with a lane departure warning system, and it’s now an affordable option on the 2012 GMC Terrain crossover.

The collision alert system, which operates at speeds above 25 miles per hour, uses a windshield-mounted high resolution digital camera to capture some 14 frames per second.  Each frame is analyzed by an image processing algorithm to determine the change in position of objects in view.

If the system detects a car in front, it signals the driver with a green icon; follow too closely, and that green icon changes to a solid red warning bar. Close on a vehicle in front too quickly, and that red bar will flash, an audible alert will sound and the Terrain will pre-charge its braking system to reduce stopping distances.

That’s simplifying it a bit, since the system also takes into consideration speed, directional change, accelerator position and brake pedal position before calculating whether or not a warning is required. For rush hour commuting, warning range can be adjusted to accommodate traffic flow, or the system can be disabled entirely by the driver.

The camera also senses the Terrain’s position within painted lane markers, at speeds above 35 miles per hour. Deviate from your lane without using a turn signal, and the lane departure warning icon changes from green to flashing amber, accompanied by a series of beeps.

The camera and associated processing software is smart enough to function day or night, but can be affected by snow or mud obscuring the lens. Unlike radar-based systems, which can add thousands of dollars to the cost of a vehicle, GM’s camera-based system is a $295 option on the 2012 GMC Terrain.

View the original article here

2012 GMC Terrain Debuts Camera-Based Collision Alert

Newsletter Stay up to date on car reviews, buying guides, articles and more

While radar-based collision detection systems aren’t new, General Motors is the first automaker to debut a simpler, more economical camera-based system. The camera will also provide drivers with a lane departure warning system, and it’s now an affordable option on the 2012 GMC Terrain crossover.

The collision alert system, which operates at speeds above 25 miles per hour, uses a windshield-mounted high resolution digital camera to capture some 14 frames per second.  Each frame is analyzed by an image processing algorithm to determine the change in position of objects in view.

If the system detects a car in front, it signals the driver with a green icon; follow too closely, and that green icon changes to a solid red warning bar. Close on a vehicle in front too quickly, and that red bar will flash, an audible alert will sound and the Terrain will pre-charge its braking system to reduce stopping distances.

That’s simplifying it a bit, since the system also takes into consideration speed, directional change, accelerator position and brake pedal position before calculating whether or not a warning is required. For rush hour commuting, warning range can be adjusted to accommodate traffic flow, or the system can be disabled entirely by the driver.

The camera also senses the Terrain’s position within painted lane markers, at speeds above 35 miles per hour. Deviate from your lane without using a turn signal, and the lane departure warning icon changes from green to flashing amber, accompanied by a series of beeps.

The camera and associated processing software is smart enough to function day or night, but can be affected by snow or mud obscuring the lens. Unlike radar-based systems, which can add thousands of dollars to the cost of a vehicle, GM’s camera-based system is a $295 option on the 2012 GMC Terrain.

View the original article here

Aston Martin V12 Zagato debuts, wins top Villa d’Este award

Monday, May 23rd, 2011 @ 9:45 a.m.

To honor the anniversary of one of its most valuable heritage models, Aston Martin teamed up again with Italian design house Zagato to debut a new design – the Aston Martin V12 Zagato.

Unveiled last weekend the Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza in Cernobbio, Italy, the Aston Martin V12 Zagato will make its racing debut later this month at Germany’s Nürburgring circuit, where it will compete in a four hour race. Later this summer, Aston Martin hopes to put two V12 Zagatos into the 24 hour Nürburgring race.

“The DNA of both Aston Martin and Zagato has combined successfully to make some of the world’s most desirable collector cars in the past and in this special anniversary year of the DB4GT Zagato it is appropriate to explore a modern collaboration,” said Aston Martin CEO Ulrich Bez in a statement.

“Now is the right time for a new Aston Martin Zagato and in combining our design intelligence I think we can create something fitting of the iconic DB4GT Zagato that has gone before and since established itself as one of the most famous Aston Martins of all time.”

With flared fenders and an aggressive front spoiler, it’s obvious that this Zagato-penned creation is designed for the race track. Its red paint scheme isn’t typical for a British racing car, but it does seem to fit with the Italian flair of a Zagato design. The two-door is made entirely from aluminum, including the Zagato-typical double-bubble roof.

Underneath its hood, the V12 Zagato features a 6.0-liter, 510-horsepower version of Aston Martin’s V12.

The introduction honors the first time Aston Martin and Zagato worked together. Just 16 DB4GT Zagato coupes were created in the early 1960s. Of those, three were lightweight racing models piloted by competition’s greats – Jim Clark and Roy Salvadori, among others.

Today, DB4GTs are worth well into seven figures, with the lightweight models listed as some of the most valuable cars ever made.

Award-winning
After its debut at the Concorso d’Eleganza, the V12 Zagato was awarded with the show’s top prize for concept and prototype cars.

“We are thrilled to see that this car conquered people’s hearts.,” Bez said in a statement.

“With the V12 Zagato we managed to add just another successful chapter both to the history of Aston Martin and the future of our brand. This is an exciting car, powerful and incredibly beautiful.”

View the original article here

Hyundai debuts Blue2 Hydrogen Concept at Seoul Motor Show

Thursday, Mar 31st, 2011 @ 3:55 a.m.

The alternative energy future is still an open ended question, and automakers continue to offer up their version of the answer.

This time around it is Hyundai, and their answer is a hydrogen-powered concept known as the Blue2 (read: Blue square), which was revealed today at the Seoul Motor Show in the automaker’s domestic market of South Korea. For those of you that follow Hyundai, you may recognize the use of “Blue,” borrowed from Hyundai’s Blue Drive technology, which was then combined with H2 (hydrogen) to form the vehicle’s name.

Although the spec sheet for a hydrogen-powered car doesn’t read quite like its gas-powered counterparts, one will find a correlation to another type of alternative energy driven vehicle: the electric car. For instance, the Blue2 features a hydrogen fuel stack that cranks out 90kW – or 1.65kW per liter – and a fuel economy rating of 34.9 kilometers per liter, or roughly 82 miles per gallon.

Similarities to hybrids and electric vehicles continue with the use of low rolling resistance tires and special light-weight alloy wheels with a closed front design, intended to improve aerodynamic performance and reduce the energy input required to turn the wheels.

Other less eco-minded features include automatically opening doors, asymmetric instrument cluster and dashboard, an information system driven by a motion sensing moustick, which is a haptic wheel that uses a motion sensor to detect driver’s touch. Slightly eco-minded, and slightly cosmetically minded are side mirrors that are replaced by cameras, as well as the use of special ultra-light tempered glass, known as Gorilla glass, which help to display graphic information from a transparent organic light emitting diode (TOLED) monitor.

Hyundai didn’t give any indication as to whether or not the Blue2 itself has production in its future, but the automaker did suggest that its design is a preview of production vehicles to come.

View the original article here