Posts tagged with "Volvo"

Boatyard – Top 10 Most Innovative Marine Company

BOATYARD RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS INDUSTRY AWARD FOR INNOVATION
Customer Experience platform designated as a Top 10 Most Innovative Marine Company for 2022

Boatyard, the first customer experience platform designed for the marine industry, announced today that the company was chosen as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Marine Companies by leading industry media outlet, Soundings Trade Only.

“To be named among iconic brands like Brunswick, Garmin, Volvo, and all of the other innovative marine companies is a humbling moment for our team,” said Boatyard founder and President Nathan Heber. “We look forward to continuing to help our boat dealers, marinas and service teams deliver remarkable experiences to their customers. ”

Boatyard is an easy-to-use customer communication platform that transforms the boat service experience for both customers and service teams. Marine companies of all sizes use Boatyard’s software-as-a-service platform to digitize and automate customer communications, order management, payments, status updates, photo and video sharing, scheduling, and much more.

According to the judges, Boatyard was selected as a Top 10 Most Innovative Marine Company for its start-up work culture and boundary-breaking achievements in software development and technology. Recent product releases, including automated service reminders, a digital forms feature, and task management for technicians through the Boatyard Pro app, have helped the company earn this distinction.

To learn more about how Boatyard transforms the boating customer experience, visit boatyard.com/business to schedule a demo.

ABOUT BOATYARD

Boatyard’s mission is to transform the boat ownership experience by building stronger connections between boat owners and the marine businesses that serve them. Founded in 2015, Boatyard began as an on-demand consumer service engine, driving consumers to marine businesses while helping boaters navigate the murky waters of ownership, repairs, and maintenance. In 2021, Boatyard launched a suite of new tools for their flagship product of the same name, making it the first and only true customer experience platform built for the marine industry. The easy-to-use system focuses on enabling better customer communication while increasing revenue and saving time for boat service teams. Now, Boatyard continues to innovate and pushes the barriers of our industry to bring groundbreaking user experiences to boaters and businesses of all sizes. Boatyard’s customers range from small service businesses to multi-location retail operations, including MarineMax, Huck’s Marine and Resort, Y Marina, and Hartman Yachts. More information on Boatyard can be found at www.boatyard.com/business.

Piano City Milano 2022

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May 20, 21 and 22 see the return of PIANO CITY MILANO 2022, with the eleventh edition of the most eagerly awaited piano festival of the year. Promoted and organized by Associazione Pianocity Milano and the Municipality of Milan, the event is recognized as one of Italy’s most prestigious music festivals.

216 unmissable concerts across the whole city of Milan with more than 300 artists performing in 100 magnificent locations will carry the audience with their pianos on a wonderful emotional musical journey. Piano City Milano is a unique event that brings institutions, associations and partners to collaborate in making Milan ever more dynamic, through an incredible number of concerts all over the city. Curated by Ponderosa Music & Art and Accapiù, the project boasts artistic direction from Ricciarda Belgiojoso and Titti Santini.

“There are events that can speak about the city to the city: Piano City Milano is one of them” states the Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala. “During this extraordinary three-day festival, the universal language of music will truly echo throughout Milan. Over 300 highly talented artists will perform and bring to life historical sites, remarkable new locations and emerging spaces that are under development. Unique, emotion-fuelled piano concerts allow the audience to discover how the city is changing”.

“How many places in the last ten years have we discovered by following the sound of a piano? How much music have we listened to and how many musicians have we discovered by attending a Piano City Milano event since the first edition in 2012? How many pianists and spectators have been able to share the joy of a live concert performance? These questions cannot be answered in numerical terms, but I am certain that the overall value of the interactions between music and the city is very high, and that this is the deepest sense of the event,” explains Tommaso Sacchi from the Milan Department for Culture. “This is why I am certain that this eleventh edition will once again be a great celebration for the whole city.”

“With Piano City Milano, a lively and dynamic city joins forces with music from all over the world. Pianos take their place in every neighborhood, from the gardens of Galleria d’Arte Moderna to beyond the edges of the city, in Milan’s new places and in other spaces that are under transformation and are being opened up for the first time for the festival. We offer new perspectives on Milan and on music, starting with the opening concert by the great Abdullah Ibrahim. This will be followed by an array of other remarkable Italian and international names with music created for the occasion, plus amazing six-piano and eight-hand events. The festival captivates the city with the sound of the piano and a huge thank you goes to the partners that make this extraordinary event possible,” concludes Ricciarda Belgiojoso, Artistic Director of Piano City Milano.

Piano City Milano is the result of an extraordinary collaboration between public institutions and private companies that allow free entrance to all concerts. It is an example of a remarkable synergy which this year brings together the Municipality of Milan, its Department of Culture and main partners Intesa Sanpaolo and Corriere della Sera, along with Volvo, Hermès for talent-support, institutional partners Regione Lombardia and Fondazione Cariplo, charging partner Be Charge, Snai San Siro Racetrack, Università Bocconi, Conad as well as technical partners AIARP, Steinway & Sons, Fazioli, Griffa & Figli, Passadori Pianoforti, Tarantino Pianoforti, Tagliabue, Schimmel Pianos, Shigeru Kawai, Scorticati Pianoforti, Fabbrini and Barletta Pianoforti. The event’s media partners are Radio Monte Carlo, ViviMilano, Classica HD Sky, Wired, Zero, Lampoon, Pianosolo, Club Milano and Mi-Tomorrow.

There are also collaborations with a number of prestigious musical institutions such as Teatro alla Scala, Milan Conservatorio di Musica Giuseppe Verdi, the Civica Scuola di Musica Claudio Abbado, the Bergamo Conservatorio Gaetano Donizetti, Premio Venezia and Festival Milano Musica.

The festival returns to enhance Milan, inviting the public to discover new perspectives on one-of-a-kind contexts, old and new neighborhoods, the city’s symbolic locations, and places undergoing redevelopment, spaces that have been opened up especially for this occasion. Each concert has been created for its location, with musical genres that range from classical to pop and from jazz to electronic.

In addition to historic venues such as the GAM Gardens, Volvo Studio Milano, the Rotonda della Besana (home of the Milan Children’s Museum MUBA), Triennale Milano Teatro, the Museo Teatrale alla Scala, and the Snai San Siro Racetrack, the event will also be held in important new spaces such as the Bocconi Campus park, the ADI Design Museum, the Passeggiata Boris Pasternak at the Feltrinelli Foundation, Piazza Olivetti in the Symbiosis business district, and the garden of Via Ludovico di Breme in the Certosa District. There is a special focus on the outskirts of the city too, with concerts in the MM courtyards, in the fields of Vaiano Valle, in the Adriano district, in barn conversions turned cultural centers, and at Casa Enzo Jannacci, Europe’s largest social support center. Plus, there will also be music in the parks of Villa Finzi, Chiesa Rossa, Parco delle Cave and Parco Lambro.

The complete program of events for Piano City Milano 2022 is available on the festival’s official website HERE. All concerts are free of charge and booking is not required unless stated otherwise on the printed and digital program for events where places are to be reserved.

Hot Wheels Legends Tour

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Mattel debuted the official Hot Wheels^® 1:64-scale die-cast of the 2021 Hot Wheels Legends™ Tour winning 1969 Volvo P1800 Gasser built by Lee Johnstone of the United Kingdom. The first international Tour winner, Johnstone and his daughter, Victoria Upham, attended the global unveiling ceremony in New York City, where their family’s passion project was officially inducted into the Hot Wheels Garage of Legends™, a collection of the brand’s most iconic and celebrated designs existing both in 1:64^th and life-sized scale.

A 71-year-old motor mechanic, Johnstone restored and modified his 1969 Volvo to become a real-life track star, which he races with his wife and three daughters. A winner on and off the track, the P1800 Gasser emerged victorious from a historic 25-stop international Tour spanning 5 continents, joining previous champions including the inaugural 2018-winning 2JetZ™, 2019-winning THE NASH, and 2020-winning 1970 Pontiac^® Firebird™, as the next permanent fixture in Hot Wheels history.

The announcement was made by Ted Wu, Vice President and Global Head of Design for Vehicles at Mattel, at the legendary Classic Car Club Manhattan one week prior to the start of the historic fifth annual Hot Wheels Legends Tour presented by Mobil 1. The epic space was reimagined to showcase dozens of examples of how Hot Wheels has influenced culture, ranging from high fashion to NFTs. The 2022 Tour kicks off with virtual live streams in New Zealand and Australia on April 14 and April 21, respectively, followed by the first North American live event in Miami, Florida on April 30.

“The Legends Tour began in 2018 as a way to celebrate and engage the car builder community around the world,” said Wu. “Lee Johnstone’s 1969 Volvo P1800 proved to be a truly awe-inspiring Gasser interpretation that captivated the entire Hot Wheels team. As the first international Legends Tour winner, we can’t wait to share his dream with Hot Wheels fans in more than 150 countries around the world.”

Hot Wheels is an automotive legend, and for generations, every auto enthusiast’s love for cars has begun with Hot Wheels. Since the casting of the brand’s Original 16® vehicles in 1968, Hot Wheels has continued to define itself by creating some of the most iconic cars in the world, both influencing and being influenced by car culture. Beyond the automotive world, Hot Wheels has expanded into pop culture through segments such as gaming, fashion, luxury and film. But, it always remains true to its car culture heritage. Hot Wheels has established itself as an iconic automotive-lifestyle brand, and is now also a major player in the global custom car builder community.

More than 54 years after Hot Wheels launched its original vehicles, the process of transforming life-sized cars into 1:64-scale has changed dramatically while the focus on design continues to be at the forefront. Beginning with CAD (Computer Aided Design) scanning, the Hot Wheels team is able to digitalize every aspect of the 1969 Volvo P1800, before additional rounds of 3-D modeling and sample printing help designers determine the 1:64-scale vehicle’s final shape. Once approved, the final design must also undergo a rigorous series of Hot Wheels track tests to ensure it performs as good as it looks.

Anyone with garage spirit can compete in the Hot Wheels Legends Tour. To enter, please click HERE.

In collaboration with Mobil 1, Walmart and Dickies, the 2022 Legends Tour will culminate in November with a livestreamed Global Grand Finale event to crown a historic fifth champion. As in the past, all fan car submissions throughout the Tour will be judged on the basis of creativity, authenticity and garage spirit.

Global Grand Finale of 2021 Hot Wheels

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The 2021 Hot Wheels™ Legends Tour Global Grand Finale is here. Presented by Mobil 1, this virtual event is the culmination of the largest ever international hunt for the next custom fan vehicle worthy of being inducted into the Hot Wheels Garage of Legendsä and immortalized as a Hot WheelsÒ 1:64 die-cast toy. Ten finalists, representing the top five North American submissions and five best international builds, will go head-to-head in a live-streamed event hosted from Jay Leno’s Garage at 9:00 a.m. PT on Saturday, Nov. 13.

Ten cars will compete but there can only be one winner. The vehicle that best embodies true authenticity, creativity, and garage spirit will emerge as the next Hot Wheels Legend. The task of crowning this year’s champion will be conducted by an expert panel of judges, including Henrik Fisker, automotive design icon; Elana Scherr, Car and Driver Senior Editor; Ted Wu, Global Head of Design for Vehicles, Mattel; Bryan Benedict, Director of Vehicles Design, Mattel; Brendon Vetuskey, Vehicles Designer, Mattel; and of course car-loving celebrity Jay Leno.

“The Hot Wheels Legends Tour Global Grand Finale is where dreams come true,” said Ted Wu, Vice President, Global Head of Design for Vehicles, Mattel. “By expanding the international tour through both in-person and virtual events across five continents, the 2021 Legends Tour is by far the most competitive to date. Millions of Hot Wheels fans from around the world have attended this year’s tour stops to see which builds will be competing for the top spot. Looking ahead to the finale, we can’t wait to see which vehicle will go on to inspire the next generation of Hot Wheels fans in die-cast form.”

During the finale, fans can also expect to learn more about a Limited Edition Hot Wheels Twin Mill die-cast featuring a unique Mobil 1 livery, as well as get exclusive access to Limited Edition Hot Wheels NFT promo stickers, in anticipation of the Hot Wheels NFT Garage drop on Nov. 16th. 360 Magazine is excited to see competition as it contains a lot of kids’ childhood.

The 2021 Hot Wheels Legends Tour finalists include:

1991 Porsche 911 Baja from Sun Valley, California
Custom aluminum racer named “Lulu” from Santa Fe, New Mexico
1969 Daytona Charger Superbird “Scraptona” from Macomb, Michigan
2003 Exoskeleton Nissan 350Z from San Mateo, California
1968 Mercedes Benz 250S from Penticton, British Columbia, Canada
Custom Volkswagen Beatle sedan from Mexico
Custom Volvo P1800 Gasser named “Aint No Saint” from the United Kingdom
Custom Wittgenstein from Germany
1986 Dihatsu Mira from Malaysia
1973 Mazda 616 Capella from New Zealand

To tune into this legendary event, visit the Hot Wheels Facebook page here: https://fb.me/e/5tMdrD9L1

To check out the Hot Wheels Garage of Legends, visit www.HotWheels.com/GarageofLegends.

Notable High End EV Car Companies in China

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NIO

NIO is a Chinese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Shanghai, specializing in designing and developing electric vehicles. The company is also involved in the FIA Formula E Championship, although NIO has ended funding the team after selling to Lisheng Racing.

Xpeng

Xpeng or Xiaopeng Motors, also known as XMotors.ai, is a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer. The company is headquartered in Guangzhou, with offices in Mountain View, California in the US and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

Li Auto

Also known as Li Xiang, the company builds electric vehicles that use range extenders for a power supply, Li Auto has vehicle manufacturing, engineering, and design services located in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province with corporate headquarters and research and development located in Beijing.

Faraday Future

Faraday Future (FF) is a California-based global shared intelligent mobility ecosystem. Established in May 2014, the company is headquartered in Los Angeles along with its R&D Center and Futurist Testing Lab, and has offices in Silicon Valley, Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu. FF is poised to break the boundaries between the Internet, IT, creative, and auto industries with product and service offerings that integrate new energy, AI, Internet, and sharing models. FF’s vision is to create a shared intelligent mobility ecosystem that empowers everyone to move, connect, breathe, and live freely.

Polestar

Polestar is a Swedish automotive brand established in 1996 by Volvo Cars‘ partner Flash/Polestar Racing and acquired in 2015 by the former. It is owned by Volvo Cars and by extension its parent company Geely. Geely describes the brand as “independent” from 2017 onwards and “co-owned” by it and Volvo Cars. It is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden with vehicle production taking place in China. The company develops electric performance cars and offers performance hardware upgrades and engine software optimizations for Volvo models through their Polestar Engineered division.

Geely Zeekr

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd (ZGH), commonly known as Geely, is a Chinese multinational automotive company headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. The company is privately held by Chinese billionaire business magnate Li Shufu. It was established in 1986 and entered the automotive industry in 1997 with its Geely Auto brand. It sells passenger vehicles under the Geely Auto, Lotus, Lynk & Co, Proton, and Volvo brands as well as commercial only vehicles under the London EV Company and Yuan Cheng Auto (Farizon Auto) brands.

MADD × Auto Tech

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MADD Identifies 241 Examples of Auto Tech to Help Prevent Drunk Driving

New Analysis Follows Introduction of Two Federal Bills That Would Lead to Mandate for Drunk Driving Prevention Tech on All New Vehicles

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) released an updated analysis of vehicle technologies that are available now – or in various stages of development – that could be installed in vehicles to prevent drunk driving and other impairments and save thousands of lives a year.

The analysis was first submitted Jan. 11 to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in response to the agency’s Request for Information on drunk driving prevention technology. MADD also submitted the RFI to the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee as part of the record for an April 27 auto safety hearing.

MADD’s update to the RFI submission follows the introduction of two bipartisan bills, one in the House and one in the Senate, that require NHTSA to issue a rulemaking that will lead to drunk driving prevention technology as standard equipment on all new vehicles. Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-Michigan), David McKinley (R-WV) and Kathleen Rice (D-NY) introduced the Honoring Abbas Family Legacy to Terminate Drunk Driving (HALT) Act on March 23. The bill is named in memory of a Northville, Michigan family, Issam and Rima Abbas and their children Ali, Isabella, and Giselle, who were killed by a wrong-way drunk driver while driving home from a Florida vacation in January 2019. On April 22, Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) introduced the Reduce Impaired Driving for Everyone (RIDE) Act of 2021.

“The HALT and RIDE Acts represent the beginning of the end of drunk driving forever,” said MADD National President Alex Otte. “The many technologies MADD identified in the original RFI, and now our new RFI update, illustrate the very real potential for equipping all cars with technology that will stop an impaired driver. When you see what’s available now, the question becomes, ‘Why isn’t this already on cars and stopping these tragedies that kill 10,000 people and injure 300,000 every year?’ MADD believes automakers can solve this, and we challenge them to move quickly to start saving lives.”

More than 9,400 drunk driving deaths could be prevented each year when drunk driving prevention technology is made standard on every new car, according to a study released last year by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

MADD’s updated RFI submission describes 241 examples of three different major categories of technologies that can reduce or eliminate drunk and impaired driving. Some of these technologies are referred to as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).

77 examples of driving performance monitoring systems can detect signs of impaired driving. These technologies monitor the vehicle movement with systems like lane departure warning and attention assist. These same technologies can be used to monitor erratic driving by a drunk or impaired driver. Although not currently programmed to detect drunk and impaired driving, these systems are standard equipment on almost all new cars today.
122 examples of driver monitoring systems can monitor the driver’s head and eyes, typically using a camera or other sensors. These systems can determine the state of the driver and detect if a driver is drunk or otherwise impaired.
42 examples of passive alcohol detection technologies use touch or breath-based technology to detect if a driver is drunk. Examples are in two Patents filed 12 years ago by DENSO, one of the largest tier one auto suppliers in the world. The two Patents are for breath or touch-based systems and are detailed in MADD’s RFI:
- Denso touch-based system (Patent US8469134B2 filed in 2009)
- Denso breath-based system (Patent US8201437B2 filed in 2009)

An example of using both driving performance monitoring and driver monitoring was announced by Volvo in March 2019. Volvo said it would equip new cars with cameras and sensors to enable the car “to intervene if a clearly intoxicated or distracted driver does not respond to warning signals and is risking an accident involving serious injury or death.”

“All of these technologies could be beneficial not only to prevent drunk driving, but to detect other dangerous behaviors that lead to crashes such as drugged driving, drowsy driving, distracted driving and medical emergencies,” Otte said. “That is why it we believe it is urgent that Congress pass the HALT and RIDE Acts, to get these lifesaving technologies in all new cars as soon as possible.”

For more information on the HALT and RIDE Acts, visit the MADD website.

About Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Founded in 1980 by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes and prevent underage drinking. MADD has helped to save more than 400,000 lives, reduce drunk driving deaths by more than 50 percent and promote designating a non-drinking driver. MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Drivingcalls for law enforcement support, ignition interlocks for all offenders and advanced vehicle technology. MADD has provided supportive services to nearly one million drunk and drugged driving victims and survivors at no charge through local victim advocates and the 24-Hour Victim Help Line 1-877-MADD-HELP. Visit MADD or call 1-877-ASK-MADD.

Mercedes-Benz Drops in US Luxury Car Sales

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By Nica San Juan

It was a close race right to the finish line for the top luxury car brands in the US in 2020. For the second consecutive year, BMW clinched the top spot.

According to the research data analyzed and published by Stock Apps, the Bavarian automaker sold a total of 278,732 units during the year. Compared to its 2019 tally, that marked a 17.5% sales decline. Its best-selling model was the X3, which posted 59,941 unit sales.

The Munich-based company had a strong Q4 2020, contributing significantly to its crossing the finish line in the first place. During the three-month period, it sold a total of 98,750 cars. Thanks to this impressive rebound, BMW’s unit sales in Q4 2020 were a mere 2% lower than Q4 2019.

German rival Mercedes-Benz sold a total of 274,916 units in 2020, marking a decline of 13% year-over-year (YoY). Just like BMW, Mercedes too had SUVs in the lead, with the GLC-Class selling 52,626 units during the year.

Generally, Mercedes’ SUV lineup had a strong year in the US accounting for close to 65% of total annual sales. However, Mercedes was not the second best-selling premium brand. The honor went to the Japanese brand Toyota Lexus, which sold 275,041. There was a difference of only 125 units between the second and third best-sellers.

Compared to the two German brands, Lexus had the best year in terms of percentage decline, dropping by 7.7% only. Lexus RX was its top-selling model, posting 101,059 unit sales, almost as much as BMW and Mercedes’ best-selling models combined.

Audi took the fourth spot on the list of best-selling luxury brands in the US. With a total of 186,620 unit sales, the automaker posted a 17% YoY decline. Rounding up the top five was Cadillac with 129,495, down by 17.1% from 2019.

Volvo was in the sixth position, the only US luxury brand to post a percentage increase in sales. It sold 110,129 units, marking a 1.8% increase YoY. Lincoln sold 105,410 units (-6.1%), Infiniti 79,502 (-32.5%) and Porsche 57,294 (-7%).

Mercedes-Benz Clinches Top Spot Globally with 2.16 Million Unit Sales

On a global scale, Mercedes-Benz narrowly outpaced BMW to secure the title of the best-selling luxury vehicle brand worldwide in 2020. It was the fifth consecutive year in which Mercedes beat its archrival and topped the ranks.

Over the 12-month period, it sold a total of 2,164,187 units according to Auto Industriya. The figure marked a decline of 7.5% over 2019 when it sold 2,339,562 units.

It is worth noting that while its sales in North America and Europe sank compared to 2019, the Asia Pacific market saw a 4.7% increase. China was the major force behind the uptick as it had a sales increase of 11.7%.

The GLC was its best-selling model during the year, moving a total of 320,000 units. Mercedes reported a 12.9% increase in SUV and crossover sales during the year. For its all-new S-Class, there are more than 40,000 customers on the waiting list.

On the other hand, BMW was the world’s second best-selling luxury car brand, falling 136,000 units behind the #1. It posted a slightly lower decline in sales, -7.2% YoY, with a total of 2,028,659 units sold. Audi took a distant third spot with 1,692,773 unit sales in 2020 and a decline of 8.3% YoY.

Li Auto Deliveries Soar by 530% in December 2020

Mercedes, BMW and Volkswagen’s Audi have had over 60% of China’s luxury car market under their control for years according to Bloomberg. But while the Chinese market drove their growth in 2020, they ceded share to Tesla and electric upstarts, Nio and Li.

Nio delivered a total of 43,728 electric vehicles (EVs) in 2020, marking an increase of 113% YoY according to Inside EEVs. These included 27,945 ES6s, 10,861 ES8s and 4,922 EC6s. The automaker launched its first EV sedan, the ET7 on January 9, 2021.

As of mid-December 2020, Li Auto announced cumulative sales of 30,000 units year-to-date (YTD). In December 2020 alone, the upstart delivered 6,126 vehicles, an increase of 530% YoY. Q4 2020 saw a total of 14,464 deliveries from the automaker.

In response to the growing threat from these brands, the aforementioned German car brands are rapidly expanding their offerings of electric vehicles. Daimler is planning to launch four purely battery-powered EV models in 2021, including the EQA compact set to launch in January. Meanwhile, BMW is planning to double its offering of pure EVs and hybrids to 25 by 2023.

In total, Mercedes sold 160,000 EVs in 2020, compared to BMWs 193,000. Audi was far behind the two with 47,000 deliveries of its e-tron SUVs.

What Your Car Might Say About How You’ll Vote

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Forbes Wheels just published a summary of data indicating the links between the car Americans drive and who they’re likely to vote for. Below are the highlights — does your car match your political affiliation?

Vehicles And Voting: What Your Car Might Say About How You’ll Vote

A month ahead of the U.S. presidential election, pollsters might gain more insight into American consumers’ voting preferences by the vehicle they drive. Based on exclusive data from Strategic Vision, in an analysis of 250 car models and 11 political affiliations:

Republicans make up 55% of the SUV market and 53% of the heavy duty pickup market.
Democrats make up 38% and 36% of the small and mid-size APT (hybrids, EVs) market, respectively.
Among heavy duty pickups, Republicans outnumber Dems 8-1.
Democrats drive smaller, more fuel efficient cars (think Honda, Subaru, or Prius).
Brands also convey political leanings. Audi, BMW and Volvo over-index on Democrats, while Cadillac, Land Rover, Lexus and Lincoln are heavily Republican. Chrysler, Genesis, Jeep and Kia are more balanced between political preference.

For additional insights, a breakdown of top models by political affiliation or more on the data, view the chart below or visit the full synopsis here.

About Forbes Wheels:

Forbes Wheels is a trusted destination for car reviews, advice, news and trends, dedicated to helping consumers make informed car shopping decisions

LEXUS UX

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By Alexandria Baiz × Vaughn Lowery

As of late, 360 Magazine had the opportunity to join Lexus in Seattle for an intimate ride and drive of their wholly-new UX SUV at the newly reimagined luxurious Loews Hotel 1000. This seaport city is home to both tech giants Microsoft and Amazon. With Lexus’s innovative track record for having unparalleled technology within their cabin, it was befitting that they brought us to the home of the Space Needle. Subsequently, this town is known to think outside of the box.

The 2019 Lexus UX takes a step into the future of modern luxury with its two most affordable and compact SUVs – the UX 200 and UX 250h. UX stands for urban crossover (x-over). The UX 200 will be released in December 2018 starting at $32,000 and the UX 250h will be released in January 2019 for around $34,000. Gearing towards an opulent compact car with an exterior design so specific, the UX has a signature three-dimensional shape that makes it different from its siblings.

The front has brow-shaped LED lights with optional ultra-small 3-projector LED units. Across the back of the boot, are an innovative wrap of three-dimensional LED lights which help with stability on the highways – a standout design element on the UX. The structure is built to mold into an everyday vehicle that is stable, perfect for urban use because it’s small and easy to park. We had no problem squeezing to the front of the Bainbridge ferry.

The 18″ 5-spoke aluminum alloy dark gray metallic wheels are proportional to the overall aesthetics of the vehicle. Available in a variety of twelve exterior colors, two of which are exclusive to the UX F Sport – Cadmium Orange and Nori Green. The Cadmium Orange includes a cherry base with yellow lowlights, making it appear vivid and adding tons of depth. Nori Green possesses bright highlights and dark contrast alongside of calm shades, drawing the color brilliant. Both of these colors are newfangled and daring for the Lexus brand.

The F Sport package is available in both the UX 200 and UX 250h model as well as has enhanced features and style which contributes to its name. This option comes in the two colors – Ultra White and Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0. The F Sport performance is exceptional, transforming the UX into a bespoke-like designer car with front sports seats, grille design, and jet-black trim.

The concept of UX stems from the versatility and adaptability this vehicle offers. With a seamless interior coupled with the Japanese concept of engawa offers a richer field of vision. Executed with a high-strength structure, placement of sound absorbing and insulating materials throughout, one can enjoy an extremely quiet ride.

The connection between driver and the vehicle is apparent with the “seat-in-control” concept. Entering and exiting is made easy with hip-point bottom cushions. 8-way power driver seats (including lunbar) allows the driver to operate with a comfortable yet natural posture.

All UX models are fabricated to ensure safety while driving. The Pre-Collision System alerts drivers of pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles with a forward-facing camera and radar system. The LSS+ 2.0 system enhances this with specific light detection for different hours of the day. If the Pre-Collision System detects a high possibility of collision, an audio and visual alert will prompt the driver to take action. If the driver does not break at that point, the system may automatically apply brakes to help mitigate impacts. Dynamic Radar Cruise Control maintains a preset distance and operates between 0 to 110 mph. The Lane Departure Alert is extremely helpful with the Multi-Information Display (MID) the system can use forward-facing cameras to detect colored land marking illustrations. If the driver deviates from a visibly marked lane, the system alerts the driver with an audio and visual alert. In addition, the UX has an Electric Power Steering and Steering Assist. The Road Sign Assist can read a variety of traffic signs and will display them on the vehicle’s MID. Furthermore, Parking Support Brake uses braking control and visual warnings to reduce possible contact with moving objects while parking.

This Lexus is extraordinary with its high definition, intuitive technology, and overall performance. The UX includes a standard 7″ TFT (thin-film-transistor) LCD control panel while the UX F Sport features an 8″ TFT LCD panel design with a movable meter ring. By pressing a switch on the steering wheel, it moves to the right, enlarging the multi-information display. With the Lexus Remote Touch Interface, the 2019 UX feels as familiar as a smartphone. The most impressive tech feature is Amazon’s “Alexa” – which immediately connects you to play music; find directions; open your garage door on a rainy day; lock/unlock from a smart device and amongst other things control the lights in your home. The Lincoln Navigator is the only other vehicle in Northern America which offers Alexa. Moreover, additional driver connectivity features include Apple CarPlay, 4GB Wi-Fi Hotspot, Voice recognition for commands and the SiriusXM. The heads-up display allows drivers to focus more on the road and less on the infotainment unit.

The UX complies with the global trend of efficient gas mileage vehicles – UX 200 at 33 mpg (2.0- liter inline four-cylinder engine, similar to competitors but with less under-hood heat and lower weight for better vehicle balance). The UX 250h at 39 mpg, making it the wave of their next generation of hybrids. With 181 hp, the UX 250h is the fuel-efficient leader with the best-combined mpg of any CUV and/or SUV without a plugin NA.

In short, the Lexus UX 200 and UX 250h is a shoo-in for a ‘xennial’ buyer – a person who grew up in an analog environment and can easily adapt to present-day’s digital society. Just think of all of your friends and family members with a recent graduate degree or higher residing in a metropolis. Most likely they have a high appreciation for the arts and take local trips within their surrounding area with one or more cronies and a small lap dog in tow.

Pre-order UX

Doron Levin weighing in on President Trump’s comments

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SiriusXM host Doron Levin weighing in on President Trump’s comments – during his State of the Union address – on Detroit and the auto industry.

AUDIO: http://soundcloud.com/siriusxm-news-issues/doron-talks-sotu

“…State of the Union message from President Donald Trump and he did take the time to make a shout out to Detroit and to the auto industry.

I think we should talk about it because he did say in his speech that because of him the country was building and expanding auto plants, something that we haven’t seen in decades. That was one of his assertions.

He also said that very soon auto plants were going to be opening all over because of him.

With the President you always have to fact-check what he said. Afterwards he said that this was the biggest audience that had ever heard a State of the Union address and, of course, that wasn’t true but, we have to fact-check this stuff about the auto industry too. It turns out that while he does want to take credit for this there’s some good and there’s some bad.

The good is that it is true that we have had a big boom in the stock market and in personal wealth since he came into office. I don’t how much that can hang on him but it’s going to be that we can buy more cars, probably.

And that people are feeling optimistic and that’s going to be very good for the car makers. And I love it when the car makers are doing well because it means they can invest more in new models and we can get more features. And the whole mobility scene gets better because people are feeling confident and buying new vehicles so, that’s very good news.

As far as the assertion, that we’re now going to have a bunch of new car plants because of him let’s look at that.

In the last 20 years, and this is mostly when he’s not been President, global car makers have actually invested 75 billion dollars in the United States. What we need to understand is that the United States is a very good place to not only to build vehicles but also to export vehicles that’s because this is a very profitable market, it’s because we have very favorable trade agreements and I hope that doesn’t get messed up with the North American Free Trade Agreement being renegotiated in a way that isn’t advantageous to us. President Trump has said that he’s going to re-negotiate that and that has to be done carefully because that has worked out for us.

We have a new Volvo plant coming soon to South Carolina; a new Mercedes Benz plant in Alabama; we have additions coming to the BMW plant in South Carolina; Toyota and Mazda are going to build a new plant in Alabama; and even Chrysler is going to bring back some of its truck production from Mexico to Michigan, which is good news for the UAW and good news for the Michigan economy.

So, yes, the place is great for building vehicles and I think the Presdient was right to highlight that stuff but, we can’t say that it’s basically because of him. It’s been happening, actually a trend, a long-term trend, long before he even announced he was going to run for President so, let’s put that in some kind of perspective.

The important thing about this truck deal that Chrysler has now in Michigan is that it’s really being done as a hedge against the possibility that trade agreements that made it advantageous to build trucks in Mexico and bring them back to the United States may change. And if that changes then Chrysler needs to be building those trucks in the United States and it’s important for the administration not to mess up trade rules.

Now, I know a lot of you tune in to this show to hear about cars but, part of hearing about cars is also hearing about how they’re built, where they’re built, why they’re exported to where they are, and why they’re imported to where they are and a lot of that has to do with the trade rules. So, we look forward to all of that being negotiated in a way that’s advantegous to us in the United States and I think that that’s going to happen.

I don’t foresee that the North American Free Trade Agreement or some of the other agreements that allow cars and trucks to be built in Canada, United States, and Mexico and parts built in those places that allow them to go across the borders more or less without tariff I don’t foresee that changing. One thing that might happen, that the administration may do, and this is why no one really wants to contradict the President on this and get him upset, is a rethinking of some of the stricter fuel-efficiency rules and that could mean that we could see, soon, a relaxation which the auto makers would like, because they don’t want to bring in electric vehicles more quickly than people actually want to drive them.”

SiriusXM’s “In The Driver’s Seat with Doron Levin” airs every Saturday at 12:00pm ET on SiriusXM Insight channel 121.