April 2016

Acura, Toyota top Edmunds 2016 Best Retained Value Awards

(April 15, 2016) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Twenty-four new car models took home top prizes in the sixth annual Edmunds.com Best Retained Value Awards, which recognize the 2016 model year vehicles that have the highest projected residual values after five years. Acura and Toyota, meanwhile, won brand-level awards in the luxury and non-luxury categories, respectively.

Toyota won more model-level categories than any other automaker with  five awards, followed by Honda, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz with three each.

Distracted driving survey reveals majority of drivers still multi-task

(April 14, 2016) IRVINE, Calif. — Distracted driving is defined as any activity that could divert a person's attention away from the primary task of driving. While nearly every state in the U.S., as well as Washington D.C., has laws prohibiting the use of mobile phones while driving, a new survey by Kelley Blue Book reveals that 61 percent of drivers continue to multi-task from behind the wheel.

Mobil launches vehicle name generator for cars

(April 13, 2016) HOUSTON — To celebrate every car’s distinct personality, ExxonMobil is launching Mobil 1 “Loved Cars Have Names,” a two-month promotion accompanied by an online name generator that appropriately names cars to reflect the role they play in peoples’ lives.

Gas prices drop slightly week-over-week

(April 12, 2016) WASHINGTON — The national average price of gas declined on the week for the first time in nearly two months, though the drop was only about one cent, according to AAA. Gas prices have moved higher for 28 of the past 35 days, and motorists are paying 13 cents more per gallon on the month.

Today’s average of $2.04 per gallon is the lowest for this day since 2009 and average prices are about 35 cents per gallon cheaper than a year ago.

Toyota commemorating Earth Week attempting record with Prius parade

(April 11, 2016) SAN RAMON, Calif. — Toyota is celebrating Earth Week this year across the Bay Area with two events honoring the fourth-generation 2016 Prius. The first event, Prius Pick Me Up, will take place April 20-21 and offers commuters free rides to-and-from the East Bay and San Francisco in a 2016 Prius.

Study shows women are driving demand for Lincoln's newest vehicles

(April 7, 2016) DEARBORN, Mich. — Women are driving demand for Lincoln’s newest vehicles — particularly its SUV offerings — according to a recent analysis of IHS Automotive vehicle registration data. In the last decade, Lincoln registrations among women have increased 45 percent.

Women buyers grew at more than 11 times the rate of the Lincoln brand in the last 10 years twice that of the overall luxury segment.

Most affordable vehicles to insure for Uber, Lyft drivers

(April 6, 2016) LOS ANGELES — Transportation Network Company (TNC) drivers — those who drive for Uber, Lyft and Sidecar — get to be their own bosses. They determine the length of their shifts, the hours during which they want to work and the communities they want to serve.

Gas prices begin April at cheapest levels since 2009

(April 5, 2016) WASHINGTON — Despite increasing for 36 of the past 41 days, the national average for gas is at its lowest price point for this same date since 2009, according to AAA's weekly report. Monday's average price of $2.06 per gallon represents an increase of two cents on the week and 24 cents on the month. Pump prices continue to reflect year-over-year discounts, and drivers are saving 34 cents per gallon versus this same date last year.

What I don't know, I look up: 'American Muscle Cars' my newest resource

By Russ Heaps
Clanging Bell


(April 5, 2016)  I'm not the kind of guy who deludes himself into thinking he knows a lot about everything. I clearly don't know much about anything and, at my age, that's not likely to change. In the words of Dirty Harry Callahan: “A man's got to know his limitations.”

Nissan NV Cargo van drifts into April — Fools Chris Forsberg

(April 2, 2016) NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nissan has put the NV Cargo Van through over 7,000 quality and durability tests to ensure it's ready for the toughest of tasks. Nissan says, "We've even gone as far as letting Bret Michaels smash a guitar on the hood in 'Tough Love,' and let Mickey Rourke and Carl Weathers torture test it in the desert in 'The Delivery' — so when the opportunity came to showcase our commercial van strength in another extreme situation, we were clearly up for the challenge."