April 2013

Grambling student wins Toyota Green Initiative

(April 24, 2013) TORRANCE, Calif. — Toyota Green Initiative (TGI), an environmental stewardship platform designed to empower the African American community to adopt a sustainable lifestyle,has announced that student Corban Bell of Grambling State University in Grambling, La., is the grand prize winner of TGI’s third annual Green Campus Contest. 

Tennis idol Sharapova to become brand ambassador for Porsche

(April 24, 2013) STUTTGART — Tennis megastar Maria Sharapova has taken on a new role: effective immediately, the 26-year-old world class player will be representing the sports car manufacturer Porsche as brand ambassador. The cooperation is initially signed for three years and involves a global communications campaign.

Nissan gets into 'Underground' wrap

(April 24, 2013) LONDON — Nissan has launched the first ever 360 degree advertising wrap inside the London Underground to promote the funky Juke crossover and its innovative Nissan Connect technology. The 360 degree advertising wrap covers the walls, ceiling and floor of the walkway to the Bakerloo and Victoria lines inside Oxford Circus station.

AAA identifies motorist breaking point on gas prices — $3.44 a gallon

(April 23, 2013) WASHINGTON — Half of U.S. adults consider gas prices to be "too high" when it reaches $3.44 per gallon, indicating a potential breaking point on gas prices, according to a new consumer price index developed by AAA. Roughly two-thirds of Americans (62 percent) are offsetting high gas prices by changing their driving habits or lifestyle.

Subaru releases 'Launch Control' video series

(April 23, 2013) CHERRY HILL, N.J. — Subaru of America. has released the first episode of “Launch Control,” a bi-weekly web video series that chronicles Subaru Rally Team USA and the Subaru PUMA RallyCross Team as they prepare for and compete in a fast-paced 2013 race season spanning the globe. With a mix of in-car video, car prep and driver interviews, “Launch Control” is the story of two teams, everything it takes to win and everything that gets in the way.

GM donates $647,000 to earthquake relief in China

(April 23, 2013) SHANGHAI — General Motors is making an initial donation of RMB 4 million ($647,000) to support relief and rebuilding efforts in Ya’an, Sichuan, which was struck by an earthquake on April 20.

In addition, GM employees across China are being encouraged to contribute. For every RMB 1 (16 cents) donated by employees, GM will donate an additional RMB 2 (32 cents).

New Volvo electric car claims full charge in 1.5 hours

(April 23, 2013) The first electric cars emerging from the strategic partnership of Volvo Cars and Siemens deliver on Volvo's commitment to electrification by enhancing acceleration and customer flexibility with a full recharge in just 1.5 hours. Beginning this summer, European leasing customers will drive and evaluate an upgraded demo fleet of 100 Volvo C30 fully electric cars.

Race cars by the numbers

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(April 23, 2013) Prodrive is developing a new approach to the design of race vehicles that, it claims, can slash the cost of developing a competitive vehicles by up to 50 percent. That has the potential to save a lot of money. The British engineering concern claims the approach focuses engineering resources for maximum return on investment, can be applied across any formula, and will “almost guarantee” a competitive vehicle.

GM 2013 sales reach one million in China on April 22

(April 22, 2013) SHANGHAI — General Motors sold its one millionth vehicle in China on Monday, the earliest it has ever done this in a calendar year. GM first sold one million vehicles in a single year in China in December 2007. Last year, GM reached the milestone on May 7. This year it came two weeks sooner —– and the earliest in the company’s history.

GM turns corporate lands into refuge for wildlife

(April 22, 2013) DETROIT — General Motors is transforming corporate lands at its global facilities into tailored areas for wildlife habitats. Together with the Wildlife Habitat Council, dozens of companies, including GM, are foregoing cement buildings for a different sort of structure: the kind that house animals.