Robots in Disguise: Cars in Transformers 2

If you are fascinated with the Fast and Furious cars, feast your eyes once more on other great cars appeared in a movie. This time, the cars used in the movie “Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen” are featured on this post. Get to know the robots, Autobots and Decepticons, in disguise.

The Autobots

Optimus Prime as a Kenworth W900 truck
Bumblebee as a Chevrolet Camaro
Ironhide as a black 2007 GMC Topkick C4500 4WD Crew Cab
Ratchet as Hummer H2

New Allies:
Mudflap (one of the Twins) as a 2009 Chevrolet Trax
Skids (one of the Twins) as a 2009 Chevrolet Beat
Sideswipe as Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

Jolt as a  Chevrolet Volt

The Decepticons

Barricade as black Saleen S281 Extreme Mustang
Starscream transforms into an F-22 Raptor

New Foe:
Sideways as Audi R8

Source:  carblog.classifieds1000.com and motoring.sky.com

Cash for Clunkers???

The Senate passed a bill called Cash for Clunkers program or H.R. 2346. This bill was so not supported by the Republicans. Let us check out what this Bill has to do with us, auto enthusiasts, from the article provided by the AssociatedPress.com

Senate Passes “Cash for Clunkers Program”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress approved a “cash for clunkers” program Thursday to provide government incentives of $3,500 to $4,500 to motorists who trade in their gas guzzlers for more fuel efficient vehicles after Senate Democrats narrowly defeated a Republican effort to kill the plan.

Auto state senators said the program would help hard-pressed car dealers and automakers by bringing buyers into showrooms, and they got help from President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, who made calls to wavering Democrats urging them to keep the plan alive.

“This is an emergency for families and small businesses — for an industry that has been the backbone of our economy for a generation,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., who sponsored the proposal.

Opponents said it would increase the federal debt without doing much to get expensive-to-operate vehicles off the roads.

Senate supporters of the program overcame a procedural hurdle by the plan’s leading opponent, Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., on a 60-36 vote, winning the minimum number of votes needed to keep the program in a $106 billion war-spending plan that the Senate passed later Thursday.

The House approved the cash for clunkers bill last week on a vote of 298-119 and Senate Democrats attached it to the war-spending bill. The overall bill now goes to the White House for Obama’s signature.

Four Republicans — Kit Bond of Missouri, Thad Cochran of Mississippi, Susan Collins of Maine and George Voinovich of Ohio — voted with two independents and 54 Democrats in favor of the clunker measure, while Democrat Ben Nelson of Nebraska was opposed along with 35 Republicans.

Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., changed her vote to support the vehicle incentive plan and spoke by phone with Obama during the vote.

Cantwell spokeswoman Ciaran Clayton said Obama “acknowledged Senator Cantwell’s concerns that the cash- for-clunkers program … did not do enough to meet our nation’s urgent need to reduce foreign oil dependence” and vowed to work with Cantwell and others to “maximize the number of efficient cars on America’s roads.”

In addition to Cantwell, Obama and Biden reached out to Democrats Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Michael Bennet of Colorado, according to two people familiar with the outreach. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Obama has encouraged Congress to approve the consumer incentives for new car purchases as part of the government’s efforts to restructure General Motors Corp. and Chrysler Group LLC. The bill provides $1 billion for the program from July through November.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who supported a plan with more stringent requirements to receive the vouchers, said she received “absolute assurance” from Senate leaders that if the program was continued beyond November it would be modeled after the bill she pushed.

Supporters said the program, which would be implemented by the Transportation Department, was expected to be implemented by early August.

The auto industry and its union lobbied heavily for passage of the cash for clunkers plan as GM and Chrysler have received billions of dollars in government-led bankruptcies and the entire auto industry has dealt with plummeting car sales. In May, overall sales were 34 percent lower than a year ago.

Under the proposal, car owners could get a voucher worth $3,500 if they traded in a vehicle getting 18 miles per gallon or less for one getting at least 22 mpg. The value of the voucher would grow to $4,500 if the mileage of the new car was 10 mpg higher than the old vehicle. The miles per gallon figures are listed on the car window’s sticker.

Owners of sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks or minivans that get 18 mpg or less could receive a voucher for $3,500 if their new truck or SUV got at least 2 mpg higher than their old vehicle. The voucher would increase to $4,500 if the mileage of the new truck or SUV was at least 5 mpg higher than the older vehicle.

Dealers participating in the program would receive an electronic voucher from the government for the trade-in to apply to the purchase or lease of a qualifying vehicle. The bill directs dealers to ensure that the older vehicles are crushed or shredded to get the clunkers off the road.

The program was intended to help replace older vehicles — built in model year 1984 or later — and would not make financial sense for consumers owning an older car with a trade-in value greater than $3,500 or $4,500.

The U.S. industry is expected to generate about 9.5 million vehicles sales in 2009, compared with more than 13 million in 2008 and more than 16 million in 2007.

Associated Press writer Matthew Daly contributed to this report.

The bill is H.R. 2346.

10 Sexiest Cars of 2009

Well, folks, if lifestyle magazines are busy voting for their choices of sexiest men and women on the planet, we auto enthusiasts concern ourselves with another “sexiest” list. Of course, there are sexy cars and there are the sexiest. So which automobiles got into the top 10 Sexiest Cars of 2009? Autotropolis.com has the answer in their article:  Top 10 Sexiest Cars on the Road in 2009.

The Sexiest Cars on the Road of 2009

The sexiest cars on the road turn heads wherever they go.  Luxury interiors, exotic body styles, unique add-ons and much more can be found in this category. Those who purchase these types of machines are prepared to spend oodles of cash maintaining and caring for their new rides.  Many people will have their vehicles “tuned,” by adding larger wheels, adding tinting or even modifying the engine, suspension and exhaust of the vehicle.

This category is incredibly diverse and inordinately large. Creating a list of the top vehicles within the category was exhausting work, but we did it, gladly. You’ll find our list exhaustive, though you will not find any of the Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Lotus offerings available because we wanted our list to be accessible to a wide range of car buyers. Our list combines vehicles with the best of technology, as well as the best of, well, sexiness. In addition, we tried to include options that the average driver could hope to attain, as well as those with astronomical price tags.

Ranking the Sexiest Cars of 2009

We selected only 10 cars from the myriad available. We chose only those we felt offered the ultimate combination of style, design and sex appeal. We also used pure, unadulterated style, uniqueness, drivability, connectivity and luxury features to help make our decision. Low-end vehicles were judged on a combination of possible modifications, originality, uniqueness and more. Technology, connectivity, performance and polish were also thrown into the mix for good measure.

Throughout the categories on our list, you’ll find the best of modern innovation, as well as the judicious application of stunning new technology. After all, if your ride is going to be sexy, it should offer the best of technology to ramp up your efforts, shouldn’t it?

If the Cadillac XLR-V, Cadillac CTS-V or the BMW M6 are a bit pricey, be sure to check out their standard counterparts, the XLR, CTS and 6 Series.

Top 10 Sexiest Cars on the Road in 2009:

1. 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
MSRP From: $98500

2. 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class
MSRP From: $45950

3. 2009 Cadillac XLR-V
MSRP From: $104215

4. 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera
MSRP From: $76300

5. 2009 Chevrolet Corvette
MSRP From: $48565

6. 2009 Nissan GT-R
MSRP From: $76840

7. 2009 Cadillac CTS-V
MSRP From: $58575

8. 2009 BMW M6
MSRP From: $102100

9. 2009 Lexus SC
MSRP From: $66805

10. 2009 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
MSRP From: $107900

Politics and Auto Issues

I read this article on the syracuse.com blog and just had to share it, even if it is already a 3 month-old issue. It is about the new American President, Barrack Obama’s choice of adviser with regards to auto issues. As we all know, we also got to be updated with regards to the automotive industry’s influence on the nation’s economy and politics.

Here is a reprint of the article:

Who’s Obama’s adviser on auto issues?

Ron Bloom, a key adviser to President Barack Obama’s new auto industry task force, brings a combination of Wall Street savvy, ties to labor unions, and a penchant for out-of-the box solutions to the government-led restructuring of General Motors and Chrysler.

Bloom, a former investment banker who has worked with the United Steelworkers union since 1996, will serve as a top adviser to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner as the Obama administration attempts to revamp two corporate giants living off billions in government loans.

General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC are scheduled to submit roadmaps to viability Tuesday that show how they will repay $17.4 billion in promised government loans. The companies face a March 31 deadline to complete their plans, or else the government can pull the loans, essentially forcing bankruptcy.

Described as cerebral and blunt-talking, Bloom has been credited for taking creative approaches to managing the downsizing of the steel industry and creating a leaner operating structure. He also advised airline pilots in 1994 in the $4.9 billion employee buyout of UAL Corp., the parent company of United Airlines, and he worked with auto parts supplier Dana Holding Corp. to develop a health care trust fund.

“He’s not someone who brings just a conventional, cookie-cutter approach. He’s going to force people to think about new ideas,” said Andy Kramer, a Washington attorney who has sat on the opposite side of the bargaining table from Bloom.

Forgoing a single “car czar,” the Obama administration chose to create a multi-agency panel led by Geithner and White House economic aide Lawrence Summers. Advising Geithner, Bloom will have the day-to-day task of working with carmakers, their bondholders and labor unions to force concessions, reprising a similar role he played during the consolidation of the steel industry in the last decade.

A Harvard Business School graduate, Bloom served as a vice president with the Wall Street firm Lazard Ltd., focusing on the steel and airline industries. As a top aide to the steelworkers union’s president, he helped resolve a 10-month strike against the Wheeling-Pittsburgh Corp. in 1997, broker an agreement with Goodyear Tire in 2003, and facilitate Esmark Inc.’s successful tie-up with Wheeling-Pittsburgh in 2006, defeating a plan to merge with Brazil’s Companhia Siderurgica Nacional SA.

“He brings a unique perspective from Wall Street but can also relate very well to the steel worker, to the man on the shop floor,” said Mark Glyptis, president of USW Local 2911 in Weirton, W.Va. “He should be given a tremendous, tremendous amount of credit for restructuring — and I believe saving — the American steel industry.”

Billionaire investor Wilbur L. Ross Jr., who has rescued failed companies in the steel industry, described Bloom as “very tough but very pragmatic and very well-informed. He’s not just some ideological person. He’s really very practical and I think he’s kind of uniquely qualified for this task.”

In 2003, Bloom helped negotiate a new contract with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. that included many provisions that could be a part of the future GM and Chrysler. The Goodyear contract required the tire maker to refinance its debt quickly, maintain its U.S. plants, and limit executive pay.

Asked by Business Week if he didn’t trust management, Bloom responded, “We’re not going to save this company and then go back to the old ways of doing things.”

One of the major obstacles involves negotiations between the United Auto Workers union and General Motors over payments into a trust fund that will handle retiree health care expenses. Bloom will bring a deep knowledge of the voluntary employees beneficiary association, or VEBAs, which he helped set up with Dana and Goodyear.

“He knows them as well as anybody in organized labor in my view and he knows it as well, probably, as anybody on the management side,” said Joseph O’Leary, a Boston attorney who has worked with Bloom. “He really understands the issues that are confronting the auto industry right now.”

O’Leary, who has represented management in negotiations on many steel restructuring cases, said Bloom has actively pushed for alternatives such as providing board membership for the union and profit-sharing for workers.

“He was obviously representing organized labor all the way through but instead of just saying, ‘This is what we need, this is what we want,’ he was bright enough to say, ‘OK, what are the concerns that you have?’ … so that you could come to an accommodation.”

In 2005, Bloom’s old firm, Lazard Ltd., was hired by the UAW to review GM’s finances when the automaker sought help in reducing its massive health care burden. A UAW spokesman, Paul Krell, told Reuters at the time that Bloom was involved on an informal basis to help the union review GM’s finances. Krell called him “an old friend of the UAW.”

UAW legislative director Alan Reuther said Monday that Bloom had “very limited conversations” with the union during the review, “but he was never part of the UAW team, the UAW set of advisers.”

Kramer, who has represented Goodyear and Dana across the table from Bloom, doesn’t expect the UAW to get a sweetheart deal.

“I don’t think he’s going to play favorites here,” Kramer said. “I think he’s going to look at what’s best, how best to get the companies in the best position they can be at and be an advocate for that.”

*** So, penny for your thoughts, guys. What are your opinions regarding this?

Most Influential Cars from GM

From the past to the present, let’s take a look at the cars that set another milestone for GM.

Most Influential Cars from GM

1908 Buick Model 10
Unveiled at the New York Auto Show in November 1907, the Model 10 was one of the key vehicles of GM??s early years: Nearly half of all Buick’s sold in 1908 were Model 10’s. Buick was the No. 2 carmaker in the country at the time, and was a cornerstone of the newly-formed General Motors. The Model 10 was powered by an inline, valve-in-head, 4-cylinder engine that delivered 22.5 horsepower and had a sticker price of a whopping $900.

1912 Cadillac
The 1912 Cadillac is significant in that it introduced the electric self-starter, eliminating the labor-intensive and sometimes dangerous task of hand-cranking the engine, thereby revolutionizing the auto industry. By 1916, the electric self-starter was featured on 98 percent of all cars built in America. This car earned Cadillac its second Dewar Trophy, awarded by the Royal Automobile Club of London, for the most important automotive contribution of the year.

1927 LaSalle
The ‘27 LaSalle was historic in that it was the first vehicle designed from the ground up by a professional designer, as opposed to in-house draftsmen and engineers. That designer was Harley Earl, who had been customizing cars for movie stars. Earl gave the LaSalle a low body profile, with lines that flowed from front to rear, making the LaSalle stand out from other production models of the era.

1936 Opel Olympia
Before the 1936 Olympia was rolled out in Germany, almost all production cars were built by constructing the body and chassis separately, and then attaching them, which resulted in a “loose” ride. The Olympia changed that, in that its body and frame were built as a single unit, yielding a more lightweight vehicle, a tighter ride, improved safety and better aerodynamics. This “unibody” construction soon became the industry standard.

1940 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser The Custom Cruiser is most noteworthy for the fact that if offered the first automatic transmission, the Hydra-Matic – which made driving a lot easier for many folks who were weary of pumping the clutch. The Series 90 Custom Cruiser was Oldsmobile’s top-of-the-line model in the ‘40 model year. The Cruiser was powered by a 257 cu.-in. inline 110-hp 8-cylinder engine. Base price was $1,069.

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air
Introduced in 1955, the Bel-Air was a GM stalwart for many years, but the ‘57 is generally regarded as the peak year for the Bel-Air in terms of styling. Some of the more eye-catching design touches were the gold grille and rear fender scripts, distinctive two-tone interiors, and the striking, chrome-trimmed Caddy-like tailfins that imbued the vehicle with a more upscale appeal. The Bel-Air was Chevy’s top-of-the-line entry that year.

1963 Corvette Stingray Coupe
Though the original 1953 ??Vette caused a huge buzz when it was originally launched, it was the ‘63 Stingray coupe that re-cast the ‘Vette as a high-performance road-burner. The ‘63 Stingray was sleeker and sportier, and the body lines drew heavily on the Stingray race car that debuted in ‘59. It was the first ‘Vette to be offered as a coupe, and sported the now-iconic split rear window, which was available only on the ‘63 model year.

1970 Chevelle Malibu SS
Muscle-car enthusiasts agree that the ‘70 Chevelle SS was the high-water mark of that era and sadly, it represented the end of the true muscle-car era. The SS package included a 402-cu.-in. V-8 engine, popularly known and badged as the SS396, which came in two versions, cranking out 350 and 375 hp respectively. Or you could get the 454 cu.-in. V8 (badged as the SS454), which produced either 360 or 450 hp depending on configuration.

1980 Chevrolet Citation
The ‘80 Citation and its siblings, the Buick Skylark, Oldsmobile Omega, and the Pontiac Phoenix, were the first compact front-wheel-drive cars produced by GM, as the company predicted a demand for smaller, more fuel-efficient cars. These vehicles employed a new front-drive X-body platform, and were about 800 pounds lighter than the rear-drive compacts they replaced. The ‘80 Citation was named Car of the Year by Motor Trend magazine.

1999 Cadillac Escalade
The Escalade brought the luxury-SUV into the mainstream. It would become ubiquitous with sports and entertainment figures where it seemed every rapper, actor or athlete worth his weight in bling was stylin’ around town in high-line Escalade – or one of the other high-priced, fully-loaded SUVs that followed in its footsteps. The Escalade was the first truck-based vehicle in Cadillac’s history and was the result of the quickest development program in GM history, a mere 10 months.

2011 Chevy Volt
The Volt points the way for GM’s future. GM is confident that the Volt (a plug-in electric hybrid) will be ready to launch in November, 2010. Owners will be able to fully charge its lithium-ion battery by plugging it into a 110-volt outlet. With most drivers only commuting 30 miles a day, GM predicts that most Volt owners will be able to drive up to 40 miles a day on electricity only – no gasoline. The future for GM seems bright.

photos and information from autos.aol.com