New 2010 Dodge Journey models add more capability, value and refinement. Delivering more excitement, functionality and value, the 2010 Dodge Journey offers several all-new models packed with upgraded features, all-wheel-drive capability at a best-in-class price and seven-passenger seating to give customers everything they need packaged at a value they can afford.

Compared with its previous lineup, the new entry-level Dodge Journey model gives customers a slew of standard features, including 17-inch aluminum wheels, cruise control, sunscreen glass, body-color mirrors, floor mats and passenger grab handles. A standard fuel-efficient 2.4-liter World Engine powers the Dodge Journey and delivers 25 miles per gallon (mpg) highway fuel economy.

For young families who need more seating, the Express package on the entry-level Dodge Journey model includes 5+2 Flexible Seating, providing a third row that allows owners to comfortably seat seven passengers.

For customers who want more power, the all-new Hero package adds a powerful 3.5-liter V-6 engine that delivers 35 percent more power and 40 percent more torque. This quality-proven 235 horsepower (175 kW) 3.5-liter V-6 engine with dual exhausts paired with a six-speed transmission adds more capability, driving performance and 24 mpg highway fuel economy to the Dodge Journey, as well as seven passenger seating.

Attracting singles and young families looking for style, performance and capability, the new Dodge Journey Heat model includes Uconnect™ Phone, iPod® Control, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, remote start, Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC), HomeLink universal transceiver, tonneau cover and six premium speakers with subwoofer.

A true family vehicle loaded with comfort, premium amenities and refinement—the new 2010 Dodge Journey Crew adds even more standard features to the well-equipped Dodge Journey Heat model, including the 5+2 Flexible Seating Group for seven-passenger seating, automatic climate control, premium gauge cluster, 9-inch rear DVD entertainment system , chromed interior accents, chromed roof rack, chromed door handles, 19-inch painted machined wheels and body-color side sills.

For luxury-minded customers who want it all, the new Dodge Journey Uptown takes it up a notch with leather-trimmed seven-passenger seating, power sun roof, Media Center 730N navigation system with 30-gigabyte hard drive and real-time traffic monitoring, Parkview™ rear back-up camera, rear-seat DVD entertainment system, 19-inch chromed wheels, and chromed body-side molding.

The new 2011 Silverado HD will offer an available Duramax 6.6L Turbo-Diesel V8 with a maximum 397 horsepower and 765 lb.-ft. of torque, making it the most powerful heavy duty available.  The amazing feat with the new Silverado is, it’s more fuel-efficient  than The truck will use a heavy duty and strong transmission – the legendary Allison six-speed automatic. The ’11 Silverado will feature an all new chassis – giving an improved ride and payload and towing capabilities that rank with its competition. Plus, innovative trailering features like Trailer Sway Control (SRW only) and StabiliTrak help keep you on track. Silverado. The 2011 SilveradoHD will arrive at dealerships summer 2010.

The Silverado 2500 and 3500 HD look very much like the 2010 models with only a new grille, bumper and hood to distinguish them—normally, you’d expect a complete restyle, but this modest approach was a cost-saving measure taken in light of GM’s bankruptcy. Expect a more thorough restyling in two or three years, after the company repays its government loans and issues stock in the new GM, but the new front end does give the 2011 truck a less pouty look. Underneath the familiar Silverado sheetmetal, though, is an all-new truck, starting with a new frame. The frame is now fully boxed end-to-end and boasts uprated crossmembers to achieve a 92 percent improvement in bending stiffness, a 20 percent gain in torsional rigidity. A new independent front suspension attaches to the hydroformed front segment and this forward portion of the structure is 125 percent stiffer, which let the engineers improve the ride quality and steering feel. Plus, all 4×4 permutations of the HD trucks are now capable of carrying the load of a snow plow thanks to an uprated front axle rating of 6000 lbs.

Despite a recent push on the electric vehicle front (a production ready Chevy Volt for example), General Motors put the public on notice this week that it remains as committed as ever to using its rolling science projects as a test bed for getting real world, mass-produced, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in consumer driveways. For those who have not been following GM’s fuel cell efforts, here is an update. Project Driveway is a real-world test that began in late 2007 with the automaker deploying a fleet of 119 specially outfitted Chevrolet Equinox vehicles with a hydrogen fuel cell stack providing the juice for its electric propulsion. Drivers have logged more than 1.3 million miles in all around the world during the test, and even got in a few accidents. The centerpiece of GM’s future hydrogen-powered efforts revolves around its Gen 2 hydrogen fuel cell stack, which is being designed to fit in a four-cylinder engine bay. It’s reportedly some 220 pounds lighter than the stack powering the Equinox fleet, and uses about a third of the platinum than the present stack. Gen2 will employ fewer and lighter components and with its smaller overall size, GM hopes it will be able to spread the stack around to more vehicles in the future. In addition to the Gen 2 stack, GM is also continuing to develop its hydrogen storage solutions. The Equinoxes at present employ three tanks, which the automaker hopes to switch out with a smaller, two-tank setup.

When will GM fuel cell vehicles come to the market? GM says it is focusing on producing a “production intent” program by 2015. Notice the word intent, meaning that this question is really unanswered; however, GM firmly believes that hydrogen-powered vehicles will have a place in future of powertrains.

The buzz around Chevrolet is an all new compact sedan with high expectations. The 2011 Chevy Cruze will arrive at dealerships sometime this year. The Cruze will be replacing the Chevrolet Cobalt.  The Cruze marks the first compact car to reflect the higher-quality approach GM has taken with many other models’ interiors. The Cruze has been sold in Europe and Asia since 2008; the North American model is assembled at the Cobalt’s former factory in Lordstown, Ohio.

The Cruze gets two new GM four-cylinder engines: a 1.8-liter and an optional turbocharged 1.4-liter. Compared with the base engine’s 136 horsepower, the turbo upgrade’s 138 horsepower seems negligible, but it raises the torque output from 123 pounds-feet to 148 pounds-feet, which should make a big difference in off-the-line acceleration. The Cruze’s styling isn’t daring, but it’s distinctive in this class and a big improvement over the bland Cobalt. Unlike the Cobalt, which also came as a coupe, there are no plans for additional body styles as of the start of the 2011 model year. The Cruze’s cabin has higher interior quality than the Cobalt. Interior choices include interesting rough-hewn woven trim or more conventional leather-style appliqués on the dashboard and door panels. Leather seats are optional, as are accent-colored center panels. For safety, the Cruze is the first affordable compact car to include 10 airbags standard. In addition to the required front pair, there are seat-mounted side-impact airbags for all four outboard seats, curtain airbags to cover the side windows on both sides and knee airbags for the front, which protect the occupants’ legs and help prevent them from sliding forward that would make the other restraints less effective. The Cruze includes a standard electronic stability system.

With the huge increase in smartphone and i-phone usage, developers are creating apps to keep up with the trend. One type of app that can be very useful for iPhone users are apps that are meant for use in the car. Apple has brought a car-customization approach to consumer electronics by allowing anyone with programming skills and an innovative idea to develop third-party applications for the device. Read below for a few suggestions for cool car apps.

The Car Care application ($4.99) allows you to keep tabs on your ride with just a few screen taps. It tracks oil changes and tire rotations as well as fuel economy.

Gas Cubby ($4.99) is another maintenance and mileage app that files fuel economy info and provides service reminders and records, while Trip Cubby ($9.99) from the same developer is designed for business road warriors who need to monitor mileage for expense purposes. It even allows you to log deductible expenses for multiple vehicles and drivers.

gMeter ($8.99) measures forward and lateral Gs and can be used to compute velocity, distance traveled and engine power. It can also be set up to capture timed distance, timed speed and timed braking and has a hands-free auto-start feature.

g-tac ($4.99) is a less expensive alternative to the above apps that only records straight-line performance. It can be used to capture 0-60 and quarter-mile times, 60-0 stopping distance and acceleration G-force, while graphing allows comparing three separate runs.

DevToaster’s Rev is a performance app that’s currently under development (and the beta version is free). It can graph cornering, braking and acceleration Gs, and it uses the iPhone’s built-in GPS to display acceleration and braking data on a map screen. With the addition of an interface, it can tap into a car’s OBD-II port and display information such as vehicle speed, RPM, engine load and other parameters and allow you to check and reset engine and error codes.

AccuFuel ($.99) is another iPhone car app that allows you to see how your driving habits affect fuel-efficiency. While this is something anyone can do with a pen and paper, AccuFuel computes gas mileage according to the kind of car you drive, and it can keep track of multiple vehicles.

iGas app ($2.99) shows the 10 lowest gas or diesel prices in a given area of the U.S. and also provides directions and the distance to each station.

Auto Fuel Economics ($.99) compares the sticker price and fuel economy of two vehicles, taking into account current gas prices, the average number of miles driven per year and how long you plan to keep the car to calculate what it will cost to drive it, minus maintenance.

Car Finder V1.1 ($.99) app will save you time, and perhaps embarrassment. Using the GPS capability built into an iPhone 3G, it lets you note the level you parked on and the car’s location so you can get compass directions and use Google Maps to lead you back to it.

G-Park ($.99) is a more sophisticated app that also works with the original iPhone and iPod touch, although it’s more accurate when used with the iPhone 3G. After parking, you press the app’s Park Me button, and then when you’re ready to return to your ride simply press the “Where Did I Park My Car” button and Google Maps provides turn-by-turn directions.

Car Spotter ($.99) only works with the iPhone 3G, but offers features such as a timer, camera log, audio recorder and a notes section. It also allows you to set the accuracy of the “pin drop” where you parked your car as well as adjusting the type, view and zoom level of the phone’s GPS map.

Benefits of used cars

For many, the benefits of buying used, rather than brand new, are worth it. Every consumer knows there are risks involved, but if it is done right, purchasing a used car can be a satisfying experience. With the increase in used vehicles, there are many available models for sale at used car dealers PA. If you are looking for a specific model, even a specific trim, and with the aid of the internet, you will likely be able to find it.

The first step in the used car process is research. With the age of the internet, this is easier than ever. Researching online will give you a good idea of how much you should be paying for a particular car, which cars are known for their reliability, and how they have scored in safety tests. Make sure you take into account what condition the car is in, as this is a big factor. With improvements in the quality of automobiles over the years, a well-maintained car should remain reliable for at least 10 years and 100,000 miles. To buy one of Philly’s Best Used Cars still means making a major purchase and requires comparison shopping for price and value to find the best deal. Do you research and you will be happy with your next used car.

The Wrangler Islander

The Islander is distinctly Jeep, but with a tropical flair. After a 20+ year hiatus, the Wrangler Islander has returned. Legendary capability and durability is standard along with a dose of surf and sun attributes. Islander is decked out in dark gray cloth seats with unique surf blue inserts, embroidered Islander logos and a leather wrapped steering wheel with surge blue stitching. On the outside, Islander rides on tall 32” all-terrain tires wrapped around 17” Moab wheels and boosts a new Tiki/Islander hood emblem and side step for a look that’s drenched in fun in the sun attitude.

The Contest

WIN a trip for you and a guest to the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS), PLUS a chance to win a 2010 Jeep Wrangler Islander Edition while you are at the show!

How can I win?

1. Keep your eyes on @Jeep – the Official Jeep Twitter Handle, for a daily Jeep Trivia question.
2. Questions will be tweeted daily, between 12–3:00pm (EST), beginning March 15th thru 19th.
3. Be the first to correctly respond, via the @Jeep handle and you and your guest will be on your way to the Big Apple!

IMPORTANT! All answers must include @Jeep, and #NYIAS hashtags. Go to Jeep.com’s Wrangler Islander page for more details, information about the Islander, and contest rules.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released preliminary information showing that the number of fatalities on American roads is once again declining. The data collected and analyzed by the NHTSA indicated a decline in highway deaths of 8.9% from 2008 to 2009, the lowest fatality rate–1.16 deaths for every 100 million vehicle miles traveled–on record, the lowest overall number of deaths–33,963 — since 1954, and 15 straight quarters of decline in the number of overall roadway deaths.

News of the decrease in traffic fatalities is an encouraging sign that the safety measures employed by the Department of Transportation, the automakers, and American drivers themselves are having a positive effect. Each new car sold in America is designed with safer materials, arranged in a safer way, to produce safer outcomes in case of accidents.

The overall number of deaths (33,963) is an 8.9% decrease from 2008 and is the lowest on record since 1954. The data is in line with a continuation of declining traffic fatalities since they hit a near-term high in 2005, in which there were 43,510 deaths. The data also indicates that the national vehicle miles traveled (VMT) increased by about 6.6 billion miles, a 0.2% increase from the 2008 VMT. Though American drivers traveled more, the fatality rate per 100 million VMT decreased to 1.16 in 2009, the lowest on record.

Still, it is important to remover that the current death rate on American roads, which is in the 30 thousands, is too many. Lawmakers, automakers, and those in the safety technology industry are working hard to make the numbers even lower. But it can’t be done without consumers help. Buckle up, drive safe, keep distraction away, and do your best to get home safely every night.

A new auto technology is aimed at drivers, to help them drive with the environment and fuel efficiency in mind. Green Road is the manufacturer behind a green driving system designed to encourage motorists to drive in a safe and fuel-efficient manner.

Green Road’s technology combines GPS, an accelerometer and map data to provide feedback to a driver on how efficiently and safely they are driving using a dashboard device that lights up red if they are braking or cornering too sharply. The device also records a log of driving maneuvers throughout the day, allowing fleet managers to assess how individuals are driving. The firm says a typical fleet operator sees up to a 50 per cent reduction in crash costs and up to a 10 per cent cut in fuel consumption within the first year.

Car crashes are the leading cause of death for young drivers. Already in use by thousands of drivers, the GreenRoad 360 service has been proven to decrease crashes by as much as 50%. While based on sophisticated technology, the service is incredibly simple: young drivers receive continuous feedback and coaching on safe driving habits both in their vehicles and online. Parents can finally have peace of mind when their teens are out on the roads. Insurance companies are so impressed with the results they are offering discounts of up to 25% to young drivers who sign up.

The dashboard component is directly connected to a password-protected web interface, where drivers and their managers can access real-time reports on driving performance, recommendations for improving safety measures or fuel efficiency, and tools to calculate risk on a vehicle or fleet-wide level. Currently, GreenRoad has 80 fleet customers, some with as many as 20,000 active vehicles. Each of these clients pays $1,000 per car equipped with the GreenRoad system. The hope is that the Green Road driving system will eventually become more mainstream on the consumer market and help drivers around the country drive ‘greener’ and safer.

The Jaguar XJ was redesigned for 2010, and has been hailed as the new era of Jaguar. The XJ, along with the 2010 Jaguar XK, and Jaguar XF are the remaining models in the Jaguar lineup. In keeping with Ian Callum’s new design direction for Jaguar, the new XJ is an all-new exterior design and a break from the XJ series mould carried over on all previous generations. It is a longer, wider car that looks much bigger than its predecessor. The front has clear links with the executive car XF, although with slimmer, sleeker lights and a larger, squarer grille and more aggressive appearance. The rear is the contentious part, like nothing Jaguar has shown before. The upright, swooping taillights, nicknamed ‘cat’s claws’, and black roof panels each side of the rear screen, which aim to hide the XJ’s width, are the most striking aspects. There is also a standard full, length sunroof, which extends all the way back with just a single body-coloured roof panel that the designer likens to bridges on yachts.

But where did the XJ begin? Back in 1968 the original model was released as the Series I  XJ6. Power assisted steering and leather upholstery were standard on the 2.8 L ‘De Luxe’ and 4.2 L models and air conditioning was offered as an optional extra on the 4.2 L. Daimler versions were launched in October 1969, in a series of television advertisements featuring Sir William. In these spots, he referred to the car as “the finest Jaguar ever”. An unusual feature, inherited from the Jaguar Mark X, was the provision of twin fuel tanks, positioned on each side of the boot / trunk, and filled using two separately lockable filler caps: one on the top of each wing above the rear wheel arches.

The XJ12 version, featuring simplified grille treatment, and powered by a 5.3 L V12 engine (coupled to a Borg Warner Model 12), was announced in July 1972:[1] the car was presented at that time as the world’s only 12-cylinder four door car. 3,235 of these first generation XJ12s were built. Again, an upmarket version, this time called the Daimler Double-Six, was available, reviving the Daimler model name of 1926-1938. Since the sixties the famed model has gone through many changes, been offered in many forms, and at times has even been questioned. But Jaguar has managed to keep the XJ, in one form or another, alive all these years. Today, it is the future of Jaguar.