Toyota Australia back to full production

With the Japanese earthquake have a devastating affect on the parts supply; Altona was forced to cut production by up to 50 percent of pre-earthquake/Tsunami levels.
Toyota Japan has secured interim parts suppliers while some of the larger organizations gear up again, which has allowed the factory in Australia to increase production to 9000 cars per month from July 6.

It seems the Toyota Australia family have done their part too with Toyota Australia President and CEO Max Yasuda saying,
“The past two months have been challenging for Toyota Australia employees, dealers, and suppliers, but their flexibility and support has been critical in helping the company get back on it’s feet quickly.”

Mercedes SLK (R172)

the first styling packages for the new third-generation 2012 Mercedes SLK (R172).

Dubbed the Accurian RS, the package features a front lip spoiler and extended side skirts with optional LED lighting units. Out back, there's a revised rear apron, a new diffuser, a trunk-mounted spoiler and a four-tailpipe sport exhaust system. Other goodies include 19-inch alloy wheels and lowering springs which reduce the ride height by 25mm.

Last but not least, the tuner also offers a roof lowering module which enables the hardtop to be operated at speeds up to 60 km/h (37 mph).

Toyota Prius

While it might be well-known that U.S. automakers mocked Toyota and their “crazy” hybrid, secretly the folks at Toyota also though it would never catch on.
Unfortunately the design of the 2010 Prius is mostly indistinguishable from the ’09 model, which is a shame because Toyota has done a lot to improve the car. In fact, Toyota is taking a big step with this third-gen platform, in an attempt at moving it from a niche market science project to a mainstream auto.

To do this, the 2010 Prius has two very different sides to it. In order to appeal to a larger audience Toyota is making it easier to use while offering plenty of high-tech gadgets that will draw in up-market customers. And to keep the interest of past Prius owners and environmentally responsible folks, the 2010 Prius gets more fuel economy than ever.

EU Cuts Could Raise Clean-Diesel Prices

Diesel Down? could present the European Union and clean cut diesel prices

Western Europe in response to increased energy efficiency and less CO2 seems idyllic. Instead of letting the drivers of hybrid automatic correction blocked highways and diamonds, Europe becomes large sedans, high German couple real whiz at 155 kmh?

Not so fast. love story in Western Europe with high-tech clean diesel, at least in small cheap car, it might end. The EU has to balance their states to reduce diesel and gasoline at the pump and diesel has long pushed advantage, "said Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics.

"And 'this additional cost parity of unleaded gasoline with diesel fuel," says Hall. "No other expenses, high-tech diesel will go into decline in stock prices. With a diesel engine before you have spent a bit 'more because you have more."

Diesel efficiency means producing less carbon dioxide than gasoline engines, but they are inherently much dirtier than gas engines when it comes to other issues - particularly oxides of nitrogen. To remedy this, they cost more modern diesel exhaust treatment. This technology can also praised the type of engine that "clean diesel" progressively more expensive the state of the art hybrid than a conventional gasoline engine. EU nations have incentives to reduce CO2 in the cost of using "clean diesel" technology makes it so important for diesel engines cleaner than gas engines offer.

"The incentives of CO2 will not last forever," created lobby.

"I think we all agree," Christoph Stürmer, Head says that the Business Process Management at IHS Global Insight in Frankfurt, Germany. He explains, Diesel penetration in Western Europe slipped over the plans for demolition last year, similar to our demolition, because the buyers of low cost market. "These guys never thought of a diesel engine. Of course they are punished at the pump."

Now move forward, recovering from the diesel refers to "a growing range of affordable diesel fuel."

Striker and Hall agree on the market in Western Europe remains clean diesel in the executive branch of prestige and luxury cars from manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and strong, and SUV /. It will be hard to find Audi A8 in parts of Western Europe, not a turbo diesel, "said Hall. Penetration and diesel SUVs that are not" tuner "(Mercedes AMG, BMW M, for example) says nearly 100 percent, the attacker.

proprietary data shows demand for diesel in France, Germany, Belgium and Great Britain, Hall said softening, the EU struggles through an economic crisis. EU countries are less likely to renew incentives for CO2 specifically for the single question of benefit of diesel. Nissan will collect the paper for the European markets in England and is funding the new place more incentives for diesel-driven power.

"You can quickly learn the natural market for diesel engines," said Hall.

Air Filter Provides 1 to 4 h.p. power gain; 96 to 99 percent filtration efficiency; 1.19 in. height, 12.44 in

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K&N HIGH FLOW DIRECT FIT AIR FILTER, RED -- Provides 1 to 4 h.p. power gain; 96 to 99 percent filtration efficiency; 1.19 in. height, 12.44 in. outside length, 9.81 in. outside width; Oiled element; Panel style; Made of multiple interwoven layers of surgical cotton gauze; Increases horsepower and acceleration while providing excellent filtration; Custom designed to fit into existing air box and features a drop-in design which means adding performance is simple; Provides high air flow with excellent filtration; Economical and environment friendly; Works with OEM vehicle electronics; Will last the life of your vehicle; Washable and reusable; Lasts up to 50,000-mile before cleaning is required depending on drive condition.

Porsche Boxster and help fight cancer

To help fund research for the Lymphoma & Leukemia Society, a raffle called Drive Away Cancer is offering a 2010 Porsche Boxster or $55K as the Grand Prize.

The Drive Away Cancer campaign is organized by Omar Dawood, a survivor of Stage IV Hodgkins Lymphoma, diagnosed at age 14. He is now a physician, and was recently nominated Man of the Year by the Lymphoma & Leukemia Society and has kicked off the raffle to raise money for the cause. You can win the 2010 Porsche Boxster or the $55K and tickets are only $25 each, with the raffle closing on June 15th.

For more information, please visit Dawood's site www.driveawaycancer.com.

Ford Offers Current and New Focus RS Owners an RS500

In a move that shows how lame the whole story of the special edition version of the... special edition Focus RS, a.k.a., the RS500 story is, Ford's European division has announced the availability of a factory-approved performance package developed by the company's tuning partner Mountune Performance for new and existing owners of the standard Focus RS.

And yes, the engine modifications provided by the so-called "MP350" package are similar to those developed for the new limited edition Focus RS500 model that was sold out only a few hours after its reveal.

As with the RS500, the Focus RS performance upgrade increases the 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five's peak power from 305HP to 350HP, while torque rises by 20 Nm to 460 Nm.

Modifications include a larger intercooler, a larger air filter box, a larger diameter exhaust downpipe and an uprated fuel pump, along with an updated software calibration.

Not surprisingly, the MP350 package does not invalidate the standard Ford warranty.

Being only a performance kit, the package doesn't include the RS500's matte black film from 3M, but that shouldn't be a problem for RS owners looking to imitate the hot hatch's looks.

According to FoMoCo, the tuning package is available from Mountune Performance via a selected network of Ford dealers, initially in the UK, with a European roll-out planned to follow.