Richmond Auto Mall Autoblog

Richmond Auto Mall’s 2011 Food Bank Challenge a Huge Success!

2012-02-14T19:42:35+00:00

Avoid “Jack Rabbit” Starts and Aggressive Driving.

2012-02-07T22:40:10+00:00

Avoid "jack rabbit" starts and aggressive driving. Increasing your speed from 100 kilometres per hour to 120 kilometres per hour will increase fuel consumption by about 20 per cent, and can lead to drastically higher pollution rates. Just one second of aggressive driving can produce nearly the same volume of carbon monoxide emissions as half an hour of normal driving. The tortoise wins again!

Auto Show Highlights from Detroit

2012-02-07T21:31:20+00:00

With Detroit and LA often vying for attention when it comes to automakers plans to debut new vehicles, for 2012 at least, the Motor City appears to be staging a comeback. There were more than 40 concept and production unveilings this year, including a number of world premieres. Here’s a look at some of the most significant production vehicle introductions this year.

The ILX gives US dealers an entry-level Civic based model to sell, while in Canada serves as a replacement for the CSX. The 2013 RDX Crossover, adopts a more mainstream stance, ditching its four-cylinder turbo motor for V6 power.

2013 Buick Encore
Does Buick really need a compact crossover? It probably won’t hurt, especially in Canada given the popularity of vehicles like the Ford Escape. Powered by a 1.4-litre Ecotec four, it should offer decent fuel economy and will feature a wide range of luxury amenities.

2013 Cadillac ATS
GM’s BMW 3-Series fighter is designed to provide a true sporty driving experience, mixed with cutting edge technology. It should give Cadillac a chance to shine in this highly lucrative segment.

2013 Dodge Dart
Chrysler should give its dealers a welcome trump card in the popular compact segment, with the 2013 Dart. Using Alfa-Romeo DNA, it promises to deliver an invigorating driving experience and quality craftsmanship at a very competitive price.

2013 Ford Fusion
A game changer if ever there was one, the 2013 model aims to strengthen Ford’s position in the hot selling (especially in the US) mid-size sedan market. Smaller engines, more upscale interior fittings and European styling are key points on this car which will be sold globally.

2013 Honda Accord
It’s definitely familiar, but the 2013 Accord shown in loosely disguised concept form, is slight smaller and lighter than the current model. With four and six-cylinder engines, plus a CVT transmission, it’s said to deliver class leading fuel economy and the production version will be joined by a Plug-In Hybrid.

2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo and Genesis Coupe
At Detroit, Hyundai revealed a hotter version of its youth oriented Veloster, a turbo model with 201 hp. A revamped 2013 Genesis coupe with styling tweaks, more power and updated transmissions was also announced.

2013 Mercedes-Benz SL
A new version of Mercedes’ best-known luxury two-seater has been a long time coming and now finally here, making its world debut in Detroit. Lighter than the previous version with a smaller displacement V8, it’s deemed to be the most powerful and capable ever.

2013 Mini Roadster
In yet another proliferation of the Mini brand, the two-seat open air-roadster is offered in base and turbocharged S versions. A hotter JCW version is reportedly in the works.

2013 Nissan Pathfinder
A change of direction sees Nissan’s premium SUV change from a body-on-frame truck based vehicle to a car-derived crossover, likely a good move. Three-row seating should prove popular with families.

2013 Scion FR-S
Although Subaru did much of the engineering work, this little, rear-wheel drive coupe, should help Toyota’s youth brand establish itself as a credible player in the performance car stakes.

2013 Toyota Prius C
We’ve seen the addition of the Prius V hatchback, now Toyota has added an entry-level city car model in an attempt to bolster appeal of its cult Hybrid.

2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid
It was all about sustainability on the VW stand. The Jetta Hybrid adds a thrifty, zero emissions capable version to North America’s most popular European branded car, bringing the total number of variations to five.

Source | Huw Evans, a contributor editor for Canadian auto dealer and a longtime automotive industry journalist.

Richmond Auto Mall & The Richmond Review Proudly Presented the 2011 Windows of Hope

2011-11-23T22:21:04+00:00

On Tuesday, November 22nd volunteers from local businesses, corporations and students entertained and painted the Windows of Hope at the Richmond Auto Mall. This year, $20,000 was raised in support of The Richmond Christmas Fund! Thank you to everyone for making this all possible!

Nissan Eyes Top Spot for Green Autos

2011-10-25T22:14:28+00:00

Yokohama - Oct. 24 - Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn unveiled a new environmental plan on Monday, pledging a host of measures that aim to balance ambitious growth targets with sustainability.

Among goals in the Nissan Green Program 2016, the automaker will further expand the global market for electric vehicles, cut CO2 emissions from corporate activities by 20 percent per vehicle from 2005 levels, and invest 70 percent of its research and advanced engineering budget on environmental technologies.

“Our track record demonstrates these plans are driven by clear and challenging operational objectives that we are consistently able to achieve,” CEO Ghosn told reporters gathered at Nissan’s Yokohama headquarters.

Under the new green plan, Nissan’s third, the company will build on its leadership in zero-emission vehicles, producing a total of 1.5 million EVs with partner Renault by 2016 and boost battery capacity to 500,000 units a year.

That’s something that should get the backing of Japan’s government, says Nissan Senior Vice President Hitoshi Kawaguchi. “The government currently is quite eager to support us for those advanced technologies because that’s the way Japanese companies can lead the international competition,” he says.

To lower cars’ impact on natural resources, Nissan also plans to raise the ratio of recycled materials in its vehicles to 25 percent and boost average fuel economy by 35 percent from 2005 levels in key markets, tapping technologies including a new CVT and a front-wheel drive hybrid system.

“We’re also focused on developing lighter materials and optimizing structures to increase fuel efficiency. For example, we’re developing the world’s first ultra-high density steel and will adopt it in vehicles from 2013,” Ghosn said.

Combined with the Power 88 mid-term business plan, Nissan expects to achieve an 8 percent global market-share target by 2016 without sacrificing its environmental commitment.

Get the Junk Outta Your Trunk & Increase Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency!

2011-10-18T21:55:35+00:00

No matter what kind of car you drive, eliminating weight can go a long way toward increasing your car's fuel efficiency. Clean that junk outta your trunk! Sports equipment, strollers, gym bags … for every extra 100 pounds your car carries, it loses 2 percent in fuel economy, so just by cleaning up your act, you can start on the road to saving.

Richmond Auto Mall Blog: Driving Tips to Ensure a Happy, Safe Halloween!

2011-10-18T21:03:31+00:00

At a glance Help protect trick-or-treaters by following these driving safety tips on Halloween, or on the night your community hosts Halloween activities. Be especially careful between 4 and 8 p.m., when most severe vehicle/young pedestrian collisions happen.

Drive slowly, and don't pass stopped vehicles. The driver might be dropping off children.

Park your mobile phone. Avoid distractions by waiting until you've stopped to call, text, or surf.

Watch for children darting into the street. Kids can cross the street anywhere, and most young pedestrian deaths happen at spots other than intersections.

Yield to young pedestrians. Children might not stop, either because they don't see your vehicle approaching or don't know how to safely cross the street.

Communicate with other drivers. Always use your turn signals. And if you have to pull over to drop off or pick up your kids, turn on your hazard lights.

And, to keep your own trick-or-treaters safe:

Teach them how to safely cross streets. They should look both ways and cross only at corners and crosswalks.

Consider indoor community Halloween programs for younger kids. Some communities also offer to help you inspect your kids' treats to make sure they're safe to eat.

Brighten them up. Give them flashlights and glow sticks, and/or use reflective tape on their costumes, so drivers can see them.

HAVE A SAFE & HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

Source: [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]

CAA’s annual Cost Driving Guide shows hybrids cost more to run than compacts

2011-08-19T21:00:40+00:00

CAA finds hybrids cost more to run than compacts

The Canadian Automobile Association has released their annual Driving Cost Guide and once again it shows that hybrids are not the most cost effective vehicles to own.

The CAA Driving Cost Guide takes into account the purchase price, depreciation, insurance, and operating costs.

For the purposes of their study the CAA compared a Toyota Prius with a Chevrolet Cruze and a Dodge Grand Caravan.

Check out the results after the jump.

Based on 18,000km, a Cruze costs $8,883.85 a year to operate, which is 49.4 cents per km. A Prius on the other hand is $9,496.20 or 52.8 cents per km to operate. The gap narrows at 32,000km/year where the Cruze's total cost is $11,333.85 (35.4 cents/km) compared to $11,484.20 (35.9 cents/km) for a Prius.

Overall, the Prius has significantly lower operating costs and if it's driven more the fixed costs (purchase price, depreciation etc.) can be amortized over greater kilometeres, reducing the impact on the total cost.

What do you think? Are hybrids worth the price premium?

Read the complete 2011 Driving Cost Guide.

[Source: AutoNorth]

Buy with Confidence - CarProof is Canada’s most detailed and reliable Car History Report

2011-08-16T20:52:04+00:00

Why Buy a CarProof Report?

Buying a used vehicle can be a very stressful experience. In any situation where you’re spending so much money, you want to be sure you have all the information available on what you are buying to make the best decision you can. You don’t want to go on just what you’ve been told – you want impartial, thorough, accurate, and timely data. As well, not only do CarProof reports protect your wallet, but most importantly, having this information helps protect your family from the possibility of purchasing a vehicle that could be unsafe.

If you are selling a used vehicle, CarProof reports are an invaluable tool. You want to help your prospective buyer make their decision quickly and with confidence, and by showing them the CarProof, you are proving the history of your vehicle and giving them the ability to trust you.

From accident information to fire damage, from liens to registration information: CarProof reports are the most detailed and complete vehicle history reports available to you. Unlike our competitors, CarProof reports offer all this and more:

Real-time Data – CarProof is electronically connected “live” to our data sources. This means that our data is always current. Other services purchase periodic data dumps that will often miss information that we capture.
Cross-Canada Guaranteed Lien Info – CarProof is the only service that provides consumers with guaranteed cross-Canada lien search information. We are connected live to each provincial and territorial Registrar responsible for maintaining these records. Other vehicle history report companies, including Carfax, do not report any Canadian vehicle lien information. Further, only CarProof® offers a guarantee regarding enforceable liens.
Accident Data – CarProof has access to critical accident data that will allow you to make a more informed decision when buying or selling a used vehicle.
Registration & Branding – CarProof is the only service that is available to consumers providing critical real-time registration and branding information. This information discloses in which province or territory a vehicle is and/or was registered and what brand is associated with the vehicle (stolen, salvage, rebuilt, non-repairable, normal, etc.).
Full U.S. History – CarProof provides consumers with data from one of the largest U.S.-based vehicle history services. Through our connection to Experian Automotive’s 2 billion+ record database, all of our reports include the data you would get from other popular U.S.-based vehicle history report services, but we also include important auction declaration information that others do not.
Bilingual – CarProof is the only vehicle history report company to offer its entire website and vehicle history reports in both English and French.

Innovation key to Mazda’s SkyActiv Technology

2011-08-10T22:43:05+00:00

Innovation key to Mazda’s SkyActiv technology

August 9, 2011

Mazda SkyActiv-G gasoline engine.

Article and photos by Paul Williams

Vancouver, British Columbia – You’ll soon be hearing a lot from Mazda about Skyactiv, Mazda’s new technology to lower fuel consumption, enhance vehicle dynamics and reduce emissions.

No, Skyactiv doesn’t mean Mazda’s getting into the aviation business; the term refers to the expression, “the sky’s the limit.” But unlike larger competitors that have the resources to develop a range of alternative propulsion technologies — like hybrids, electric vehicles, plug-ins and hydrogen fuel cells — the smaller Mazda (annual global sales 1.2 million) has chosen to focus on the familiar, and innovate.

True-to-form, though, the company that perfected the rotary engine and invented the term “zoom-zoom” to describe the sporty character of its vehicles is moving in what some may consider unexpected (but by no means radical) directions. Nonetheless, the experience of driving some Skyactiv prototype vehicles in Vancouver would suggest that consumers will definitely benefit from Mazda’s new technology.

Specifically, Mazda believes there are significant opportunities for further development of gasoline and diesel engines, along with benefits to be gained from transmission and chassis refinement. It has consequently spent several years completely rethinking the company’s existing powertrain and chassis technology, culminating in a suite of developments that will be incrementally introduced in new Mazda vehicles in the coming years.

Mazda SkyActiv-D diesel engine.

Yes, you did read “diesels.” Mazda confirms it will be bringing its new diesel engines to Canada — expect an early 2013 timeframe — although we don’t have commitments on exactly what vehicles will receive the option. Our diesel-powered test vehicles in Vancouver were Mazda6 sedans (mostly in test “mule” form), and the engine works very well in those. But the upcoming CX-5 compact SUV would be a good fit, and it was certainly hinted that this is a possible application. Actually, any vehicle in Mazda’s line-up is a good fit, given that the new diesel is expected to generate 310 pound-feet of torque at 2,000 rpm, while sipping fuel.

In addition to their power and fuel economy, the upcoming Mazda diesel engines — called Skyactiv-D — also have advantages when compared with Mazda’s diesels currently available in Europe and Asia, and diesels from other manufacturers that require “after- treatment” technology to reduce emissions to acceptable levels. Due to its low compression ratio of 14:1 (a breakthrough technology, according to Mazda, and the lowest for a diesel engine) lighter weight, innovative piston shape, 30 per cent reduced internal friction and innovative combustion management, the Skyactiv-D will comply with Tier2 Bin5 emission regulations without after-treatment technology to remove soot, carbon dioxide and other pollutants. This makes the Skyactiv-D fully compliant in North America.

From the consumer perspective, class-leading low- and high-end torque, faster diesel warm-up times and a 20 per cent reduction in fuel consumption (when compared with Mazda’s current diesels used in other markets) should be very popular indeed.

From my perspective, it’s about time, as you’re unlikely to find a Canadian automotive writer who’s experienced the excellent diesel-powered vehicles in Europe and doesn’t think the technology would do well here (not to mention that Canadian consumers have demonstrated they’ll buy every Volkswagen TDI product the company can supply).

Mazda6 SkyActiv test “mules.

Complementing the diesel engines, Mazda gasoline engines are also receiving the Skyactiv treatment, although in a gasoline engine (as opposed to a diesel) it’s a high compression ratio that’s coveted, according to Mazda Skyactiv Program Manager Niini Susumu. “With gasoline engines, every engineer knows that a high compression ratio is key to power and fuel efficiency” said Mr. Niinai in Vancouver.

At highway speeds, he explained, the gasoline engine is working at 20 to 30 per cent efficiency, and in the city it’s working at only 10 per cent efficiency. Consequently there is significant improvement in efficiency available in the gasoline engine, and given that (according to Mazda) 80 per cent of vehicles will still be powered with gasoline engines in 2020, the argument to improve this technology is compelling.

Mazda engineers therefore set themselves the task of increasing efficiency in a number of ways, starting with raising the compression ratio of Skyactiv-G engines to an industry-high 14:1 (a Ferrari is 12.5:1 and the average family car ranges from 9 -11.1).

You may ask why, if simply raising an engine’s compression ratio is the key to efficiency, other manufacturers have not attempted this with mainstream vehicles. The answer is that engine knocking is associated with higher compression ratios and that developing the technology to manage this has presumably not been commercially feasible.

However, Mazda has managed to control engine knocking by using an innovative piston cavity design and fitting a sophisticated four-into-two-into-one exhaust manifold. The Skyactiv-G engines also feature lighter materials, more precise engine tolerances, and other techniques to mitigate misfiring, exhaust, cooling, mechanical and pumping loss in the engine’s operation. It is, as Mazda describes Skyactiv-G, “the ideal combustion engine.”

But we won’t see the available 14:1 Skyactiv-G engines in North America as our low-octane regular-grade fuel is not sufficient to facilitate optimal operation. Our Skyactiv-G engines in their final form will operate at 13:1, thankfully enabling consumers to use regular-grade gasoline, rather than more-expensive premium.

Compared with Mazda’s current 2.0-litre engine, the result of all these developments is a 15 per cent increase in fuel economy and torque and a corresponding reduction of emissions in Skyactiv-G engines, the first iteration of which (initially without the special “header”) will be seen in the new Mazda3, debuting this fall.

Brief drives in the mostly right-hand drive test “mules” in West Vancouver demonstrated the smoothness and quietness of both Skyactiv-D and G engines, along with the diesel’s surprising power. In comparison with current examples, both engines were noticeably superior.

[Source: Autos.ca]