Today, the last Sunday in 2013, Automotives looks back at the first half of yet another calendar year in the business of revving engines and fantastic motor vehicle features, road safety and racing. Next week, July to December will be in the rear-view mirror.
WASHINGTON (AP):Ally Financial Inc is paying US$98 million to resolve United States (US) government claims that it illegally charged minority borrowers higher rates on auto loans than whites with similar credit histories.
BOSTON (AP):A new, environmentally friendly auto-racing series just got even greener. Boston Celtics managing partner, Wyc Grousbeck, and a dozen of his co-owners in the National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise have invested US$21 million in Formula E.
Songstress Tessanne Chin, who sang her way into the hearts of viewers worldwide to win season five of 'The Voice' television show last Tuesday, earned herself a brand new 2014 Kia Sorento SUV in the process.
In Jamaica the Christmas season usually sees a spike in motor-vehicle accidents, thus putting a strain on the centralised blood supply service as well as hospitals islandwide.
New cars and trucks sold in the United States last year got an average of 23.6 miles per gallon (10 litres per 100 kilometres) in combined city and highway driving, a record that came mainly through improvements to engines and transmissions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Drivers and front passengers in some automobiles are now able to control the temperature on their side of the vehicle, using Dual Zone Climate Control. While some vehicles have three- and four-zone climate controls, they are not as popular as the dual control.
Growing up in rural Jamaica at a time when there was not many motor vehicles driving through our community, an afternoon game of scrimmage football could be played at five-minute intervals before it was interrupted by a passing motor vehicle.
Well-populated stands with an enthusiastic crowd applauding the many thrills on the 1.8-mile track was the order of the meet last Sunday, according to the organisers, as a number of local and international drag racers went head-to-head at the JamWest Speedway in Little London, Westmoreland.
Pristine grey-tiled floors featuring local craftsmanship, white walls decorated with square shelves and LCD televisions showcasing the latest Mercedes-Benz vehicles. This is just a taste of the décor accentuating the brand new Silver Star Motors showroom at 51 South Camp Road, Kingston, which was unveiled to the public last Wednesday evening.
Local drag racers and two Jamaican international competitors are expected to duke it out along the 1.8-mile strip of the JamWest Speedway in Little London, Westmoreland, today.
With under a month left in 2013 and road fatalities already surpassing 2012's total of 260, the Jamaica Automobile Association (JAA) is making a final push for the year to increase motorists' awareness about the importance of safe driving.
Blind-spot detection has been made easier through technological advances. Blind-spot monitoring technology was introduced by Volvo in 2005 and has been adapted by other manufacturers who continue to refine it.
Six automotive dealerships which supply Japanese vehicles in Jamaica adorned the lawns of the residence of Japan ambassador to Jamaica, Yasuo Takase, last Thursday, at a function to commemorate the 80th birthday of His Majesty the Emperor Akihito.
Beep Beep Tyres, Batteries and Lubes Limited, headquartered in Ocho Rios, St Ann, has turned to Mexican company, Mexicana de Lubricantes, and its Akron line of petroleum products to fill a gap it perceives in the local market.
After starting yesterday at the Police Officers' Club, 34 Hope Road, St Andrew, the Jamaica Used Car Dealers Association (JUCDA) will conclude its 2013 automotive show today. The show is being staged with the intention of the association giving back to the public for its continued support during challenging economic times.
As car enthusiasts converge on the annual Guangzhou auto show, few have anything except a shiny new set of wheels in mind. But explosive growth that transformed China into the world's largest auto market is also giving life to a new industry - used cars.
Fidelity Motors treated customers to its second yard sale for the year yesterday, following a first staging in February. Held at its Hanover Street head office, parts for both newer and older Nissan models were made available at discounted prices.
Some vehicle manufacturers have placed greater emphasis on seating comfort with the introduction of the memory seat (or seats with memory) function. Branded as multicontour seat packages by some, the technology allows a driver to save a seating position and recall it if it is subsequently adjusted.
