Thursday, May 29, 2014

Gumball 3000 coming to Atlanta



WHAT:                 Gumball 3000
WHEN:                 Thursday, June 5th; 5pm – 10pm
WHERE:               Centennial Olympic Park
                              265 Park Ave W Northwest, Atlanta, GA 30313
WEBSITE:            www.gumball3000.com
SOCIAL MEDIA: www.facebook.com/gumball3000 | @gumball3000

 Ladies and gentleman, start your engines! The Gumball 3000 rally is coming to Atlanta for one incredible night of music and the most extraordinary auto rally ever to hit streets of Atlanta.  Now celebrating its 16th year, this tour has never been to Atlanta until now.  The Gumball 3000 tour includes a route that begins in Miami and travels to Atlanta, New York, Edinburgh, London, Paris, Barcelona and Ibiza for 8 incredible shows. 

Gumball 3000 will be held in Centennial Olympic Park on Thursday, June 5th and will include a star-studded concert with performances from Xzibit, DJ Drama and Bun B, alongside Atlanta’s home-town talent, Trinidad Jame$ and Meek Mill. The event also features an extraordinary display of 120 rare and beautiful supercars including but not limited to the following:

v  Fiat Abarth 695 BiPosto 
v  Batman's Tumbler
v  Pagani Zonda
v  Deadmau5's Purrari 458
v  Ferrari LaFerrari
v  Jon Olsson's Rebellion R2K
v  Jens Byggmark's BMW Z4 GT3
v  Ferrari F40
v  McLaren P1
v  Mercedes Brabus G65 6x6


Gates open at 5pm and the concert will be 7pm – 9pm. The supercars will arrive throughout the evening starting after 7pm. The event will end at 10pm.

General admission tickets are $25 advance / $30 day of show and VIP tickets are $125 advance / $130 day of show. Tickets go on sale Monday, May 19th online athttps://www.freshtix.com/events/gumball3000 or by phone 678-701-6114 or may be purchased day of show at the event. 

Gumball 3000 is a rain or shine event. Patrons under the age of 17 must be accompanied by an adult age 25 years or older with valid photo ID.  Items prohibited into the park for this event include: pets, glass, tents, pro cameras, cameras with detachable lens, video equipment, coolers, picnic baskets, framed backpacks or bags, drugs, weapons, fireworks, and hard back or non-collapsible chairs.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Clean Air Tips - Let's Breathe Easier

Ok, we're very late to this party. But May has been Clean Air Month in Georgia. The way we see it, though, every darn month should be clean air month, since, you know, every month we all gotta breathe.

For clean air month(s), the Georgia Clean Air Force issued the following tips:                                     DONT BE AN AMERICAN IDLE
         An effective way to improve both air quality and the life of your car¹s engine is to avoid idling. Americans waste nearly four million gallons of gas annually by unnecessarily idling, which is hard on the environment and our wallets. Idling uses more fuel than turning off and restarting an engine. Idling can allow harmful deposits to form, contaminating oil and damaging engine components. If you will be idling for more than 30 seconds, and it is safe to do so, turn your engine off. 
SOLES, PEDDLES AND POOLS
         Now that it¹s getting warmer, pledge to walk or ride your bike to work once or twice a week. If you have a longer commute, team up with some of your colleagues and carpool to work. According to The Rideshare Company, the average vehicle releases 10,000 pounds of carbon dioxide annually, which contributes to global warming.
FUEL IN THE COOL 
         Hot temperatures and gasoline fumes combine to create harmful ground-level ozone. Plan to refuel your vehicle at night, when temperatures are  cooler and gasoline evaporates less rapidly. Also, don¹t forget to tighten your gas cap. Each year, loose, damaged, or missing gasoline caps allow 147 million gallons of gasoline to vaporize.
          PLAN A SUMMER STAYCATION   
Instead of planning a long road trip this summer, take a short trip to enjoy the natural beauty of one of Georgia¹s 48 state parks. Georgia state parks offer areas for hiking, biking, fishing, boating, picnicking, golf, disc golf, horseback riding, birding and more. Camping opportunities also abound, ranging from modern and primitive campsites to cottages, lodge rooms and yurts. Make sure to pack lightly and don¹t overload your car. For a list of Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites visit www.gastateparks.org
MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE    
         UPS, a leading global package delivery and logistics company based in Sandy Springs, Ga., conducted groundbreaking research concluding that eliminating left turns conserves fuel, lowers emissions and increases safety. Since 2004, UPS has saved 10 million gallons of gas and reduced CO2 emissions by 100,000 metric tons ­ equivalent to taking 5,300 passenger cars off the road for an entire year ­ by instructing its drivers to avoid left turns. 

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Summer trip vehicle tips



With summer's arrival, Ford is offering tips for making sure your vehicle is ready for vacation season. Read these tips to find out what you need to do before heading out on the open roads.

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Friday, May 23, 2014

Toyota a Rising Power in NASCAR



A few years ago, Toyota, which had long been firmly established as a powerhouse in the consumer vehicle market, decided to try its hand at NASCAR, an archetypal American phenomenon that had been dominated by American automotive brands.
Ostensibly, the move came with the objective of further establishing the brand’s standing among U.S. consumers, perhaps even reaching some who had never really considered the Japanese brand when it came to thinking motorsports, much less buying a car.

Well, fast forward 10 years, and Toyota has done in NASCAR exactly what it’s done in the U.S. auto market – posting impressive success and making people forget that the company at one point didn’t have a presence in the field. 

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

2014 Honda Pilot: A High Flyer among SUVs




The 2014 Honda Pilot has seating for eight, plenty of standard features and gets pretty good fuel economy. That's what makes it one of the top choices among family vehicles.

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Monday, May 12, 2014

2014 Honda Accord Hybrid: There's No Topping This Sedan

The Honda Accord Hybrid offers outstanding fuel economy, a roomy interior and great safety features.
See why it's one of the best sedans on the market.

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Tuesday, May 6, 2014

2014 Toyota Avalon: A Superb Large Sedan



The Toyota Avalon got a major style overhaul last model year, and for this model year, it adds some standard features.

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Monday, May 5, 2014

Lincoln Shows MKC Crossover

Lincoln recently showed its new MKC crossover to automotive media in Atlanta. The vehicle goes on sale this summer.

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Friday, May 2, 2014

2014 Toyota Corolla is Bolder and Better




For automakers looking to succeed in today’s compact car market, you better bring something more than just an econobox on wheels.
A stylish design and a little performance pizazz are highly recommended.

Armed with that knowledge, Toyota looked to upgrade its venerable Corolla sedan.

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

2014 Nissan Versa: Hard to Beat its Affordability



If it's economical transportation you want, you'll be pleased with the 2014 Nissan Versa sedan because of its low price and tiny appetite for fuel.
The Versa gives you an interior that's surprisingly roomy and a fairly large trunk.

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Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Atlanta Media Choose Top Family Vehicles


Greater Atlanta Automotive Media Association (GAAMA) named winners at its second-annual Family Choice Challenge event held last week at Lake Lanier Islands Resort north of Atlanta. Automotive and lifestyle journalists chose the2015 Hyundai Genesis as Top Family Choice, while five other family-friendly models earned category awards.
Hyundai's impressive Genesis sedan is completely redesigned for the 2015 model year. The Genesis earned high marks from judges thanks to its handsome styling, comfortable and spacious cabin, technology-rich features and strong overall value. An average score of 31.2 (out of a possible 35 points) outpaced nineteen competitors to earn top honors.

Thanks, GAAMA

Monday, April 21, 2014

2014 Lexus CT200h: Style Meets Sustainability



The Lexus CT200h is a hybrid hatchback that has gotten a refreshed styling for the 2014 model year.
The result is a sportier looking car that retains great fuel efficiency.

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Thursday, April 10, 2014

2014 Infiniti QX70: Quiet Quality

Quizzically is how I responded when I first learned of Infiniti’s plan to rename its vehicles so that they would start with the letter Q.
Quirky, I thought; why do such a thing?
Quickly, though, after getting into the QX70 luxury crossover, I realized that by any name, this is a pretty good vehicle.
QX70 is the new name for what used to be called the FX37 or FX50.

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Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Toyota Recalling 6.4 Million Vehicles

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling 6.39 million vehicles globally for a variety of problems spanning nearly 30 models in Japan, the U.S., Europe and other places.
No injuries or crashes have been reported related to the recalls announced Wednesday. But two reports of fires are linked to one of the problems, a defective engine starter that can keep the motor running.
Some vehicles were recalled for more than one problem. The recall cases total 6.76 million vehicles for 27 Toyota models, the Pontiac Vibe and the Subaru Trezia, produced from April 2004 through August 2013.
The Pontiac Vibe, which is a General Motors Co. model, is also involved because Toyota and GM made cars at the same plant in California and the recalled model is the same as the Toyota Matrix. It was recalled for a problem with a spiral cable attached to an air-bag. It is unrelated to a separate GM recall over ignition switches linked to at least 13 deaths.
Subaru is partly owned by Toyota, and the model was the same as the Toyota Ractis.
For the recall, Toyota also reported problems with seat rails, the bracket holding the steering column in place, the windshield-wiper motor and a cable attached to the air-bag module.
The recalls affect a large range of models, including the Corolla, RAV4, Matrix, Yaris, Highlander, and Tacoma.
By region, the latest recall affects 2.3 million vehicles in North America, 1.09 million vehicles in Japan and 810,000 vehicles in Europe. Other regions affected by the recall include Africa, South America and the Middle East.
Toyota was embroiled in a massive recall crisis in the U.S. starting in late 2009 and continuing through 2010, covering a wide range of problems including faulty floor mats, sticky gas pedals and defective brakes. In response, it has become quicker to issue recalls.
Last month, the Japanese automaker reached a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department to pay a $1.2 billion penalty for hiding information about defects in its cars. It earlier paid fines of more than $66 million for delays in reporting unintended acceleration problems.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration never found defects in electronics or software in Toyota cars, which had been targeted as a possible cause.
The focus in the U.S. auto industry has recently shifted to another major recall problem, this time with defective ignitions in compact cars made by GM.
___

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

2014 Lexus ES 300h: Fuel Economy Star in a Luxury Package



The Lexus ES 300h is a luxury hybrid sedan that was introduced in the last model year and has so far been very well received.
It's not hard to see why.
On the inside, five passengers can sit comfortably in a roomy space that is luxurious, but not overdone.
The car runs on a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine linked to electric motors and a high voltage battery pack, a combo that kicks out 200 horsepower and 156 pounds-feet of torque. The transmission is of the continuously variable automatic sort, with a front-wheel drivetrain.

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