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It’s fantastic! Yes, that’s the right expression to describe how great is to win not just one but five awards at the recent 2008 BusinessCar awards, a renowned and  trusted business publication. See, the Ford Mondeo earned three of the five awards garnered by the Ford Motor Company!  

Furthermore, according to Ford.com, Ford’s vibrant and famous MPV duo was recognized too.

“Ford's huge success in the 2008 BusinessCar Awards illustrates the brand's progress in producing attractive and desirable cars that still make good business sense. Crowning the Mondeo as Business Car of the Year shows how the new model's quality and desirability has struck a chord with the business community. It's a very deserving winner of this prestigious award, which is decided by the people using the products for business on a daily basis, says Tristan Young, the BusinessCar Editor-in-Chief.

Check out Ford’s five fantastic awards:

• Business Car of the Year – Ford Mondeo (The main award and a  category containing all 2007's new models)
• Upper Medium Car of the Year – Ford Mondeo
• Estate Car of the Year – Ford Mondeo
• Mini-MPV of the Year – Ford S-MAX
• MPV of the Year - Ford Galaxy

“New Mondeo gathered a lot of attention when it was launched last year and we’re delighted with the sales figures. Fleet customers often put huge demands on their vehicles and, as this recognition prove, Mondeo is more than up to the job,” says Kevin Griffin, the Fleet Director of Ford of Britain, who collected the awards.

“As well as being spacious, refined, affordable to buy, lease and run, the Mondeo is also desirable. This is a car people can choose with their heart and head and in today’s market that’s very important. Of course our two MPVs also deserve recognition. Both S-MAX and Galaxy are flexible seven seaters that are great to drive. Factor in their five-star Euro NCAP safety ratings and it's not difficult to identify the reasons behind their popularity," he concluded.

Ford intends to give Nissan Versa and Toyota Yaris a pretty competitive rival. This is the reason why it will unleash the Verve subcompact which will arrive in American showrooms in 2010.

The subcompact was designed in Europe. Ford describes it as athletic, energetic and sophisticated. The automaker added that it will be available in a variety of rich colors.

The 3-door and 4-door version of the subcompact were displayed at this year’s North American International Auto Show. The automaker said that the 4-door is the basis for a sedan that will go on sale in North America in 2010, while the 3-door, expected to go on sale in Europe later this year, could also be sold in North America if consumer response is positive. This year, another version is expected to be up for sale in Asia.

"Verve aims to 'right' North American buyers' earlier small-car experiences by offering a product that changes customers' view of small cars from 'cheap' to chic and from affordable to desirable," said Ford Design Chief J Mays.

The Dearborn-based automaker said that the global demand for small cars has reached unprecedented levels. It expects small cars to represent 45% of all sales globally and 25% of U.S. sales by 2012.

"We know that when we come out with our small car we have to be a heck of a lot better than our competitors," Mark Fields, Ford's president for the Americas, said in an interview.

Driving that growth are young people ages 13 to 28, the group that will represent 28% of the U.S. population by 2010, reported Associated Press. The automaker said that about half of this group will shop the small-car segment when it's time to buy their first car. The company added its youngest customers are environmentally conscious, demanding and globally connected and will want the premium features Verve will offer, such as navigation and in-car phone controls.

With hue like that of the Verve plus the chic panoramic glass roof – add in other exceptional features, I couldn’t help but dream of having one!

Japanese automaker Subaru will show off more than the new 2009 Subaru Forester at the upcoming North American International Auto Show.  The Auto Channel reported that the Japanese automaker decided to use a state of the art exhibit to highlight the 2009 Forester.

Tim Mahoney, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Subaru of America, had this to say:  "We wanted to convey just how dynamic the Subaru brand is with our latest exhibit.  The choice of materials, layout and messaging communicate movement and action in the spirit of authentic outdoor adventure and driving performance."

The report described Subaru's display as:

"Consumers will be welcomed by a new white sweeping archway that flows throughout the exhibit. A blue metal mesh backwall lines the display incorporating a turntable, technology area and a large video wall. Natural and earth-tone elements on display illustrate the active lifestyle of Subaru customers."

"The new exhibit will also feature a three-piece cutaway of the all-new, third-generation 2009 Forester that allows customers to get up close and view inside the new vehicle's entire drivetrain including its world renowned Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. An interior buck, Subaru safety frame, 2.5 liter turbo and 3.6 liter engines will also be on display."

"The featured vehicle on display will be the all-new, third-generation 2009 Forester, a total re-design of the award-winning crossover utility vehicle (CUV) that will debut at the show. The 2009 Forester, which arrives in Subaru dealerships this spring, builds upon its predecessor's reputation as an icon of safety, dependability and versatility. The new-generation 2009 model projects a bolder, more SUV-like design and makes a major leap in safety technology, comfort, refinement and driving dynamics."

We know that the automaker is capable of creating such features for its exhibits.  But I also know that most of us would appreciate it even better if the automaker can come up with some truly groundbreaking features for their vehicles.

Automakers just don’t make cars. They too save lives by launching remarkable programs.

Remember the Hope On Wheels organization? Yes, the one created by Hyundai and its dealers. The organization was created to help kids fight cancer at the same time to give back to the community.

Hyundai joined the fight in 1998 through the efforts of New England-area Hyundai dealers and their donations benefiting the Jimmy Fund at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Recently, Hyundai Motor America and its dealers announced the launch of the Hyundai Scholars Pediatric Cancer Fellowship Program at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) and presented a $150,000 check to the CHOC Cancer Institute.

The Hyundai Scholars Fellowship Program will fund research positions at top pediatric cancer centers across the country, helping doctors find cures for this devastating disease. The program’s goal is to raise more than $10 million for pediatric cancer research in the next five years, reports said.

“Hyundai and its dealers have been great allies in the fight against pediatric cancer with financial and emotional support to hospitals, patients and their families,” said Dr. Leonard Sender M.D., Director of the Cancer Institute at CHOC and Director of Clinical Oncology Services at CHAO Family Comprehensive Cancer Center at UC Irvine. “The funds received from Hope On Wheels and the Hyundai Scholars Fellowship Program will be put to good use in our research department as we continue to look for new solutions and innovative tools in the pursuit of a cure.”

Since the inception of the cause-oriented organization in 2004, the automaker and its dealers have visited more than 100 hospitals nationwide and donated more than $10 million dollars. Hyundai’s Hope On Wheels program is a united effort of more than 750 Hyundai dealers to raise funds for pediatric cancer institutions across the nation, reported The Auto Channel. The tour highlights a white Hyundai Santa Fe covered with the colorful handprints of pediatric cancer patients countrywide, which are collected at “handprint” donation ceremonies.

“Hyundai’s involvement in pediatric cancer has grown both in total contribution and company-wide commitment since the beginning of the Hope on Wheels program,” Brooks said. “With the implementation of the Hyundai Scholars Pediatric Cancer Fellowship Program, Hyundai hopes to further develop awareness around pediatric cancer research funding and inspire others to support this important cause.”

It’s nice to hear heart-warming stories in real life. It lets me realize I am here for a good reason – and that is to help other people every chance I get.

We all know that vehicles produce pollution.  Burning petroleum fuel releases different types of harmful gases.  Let us take a look at what these gases are and how they can harm you and the environment.

According to this site, here are four emission gases we should be wary of:

Carbon Monoxide
Of the three main pollutants, carbon monoxide is the deadliest because you can’t see it or smell it. A concentration of only half a percent (0.5%) CO in the air can render a person unconscious — and kill within 10 to 15 minutes! Even concentrations as small as four hundredths of a percent (0.04%) can cause headaches and be life threatening after several hours exposure.

Hydrocarbons
Hydrocarbon emissions are unburned gasoline and oil vapors. Though not directly harmful, they are a major contributor to smog and ozone pollution (which are toxic). Hydrocarbons in the atmosphere react with sunlight and break down to form other chemical compounds that irritate the eyes, nasal passages, throat and lungs.

Oxides Of Nitrogen
Nitrogen makes up about 78% of the air we breathe. Though normally inert and not directly involved in the combustion process, combustion temperatures above 2500 degrees F cause nitrogen and oxygen to combine and form various compounds called "oxides of nitrogen," which is abbreviated NOX. This mostly occurs when the engine is under load and the throttle is open wide.

Evaporative Emissions
The fuel vapors that evaporate from your fuel tank can be another source of smog and ozone pollution. So fuel systems for the past twenty years have been sealed to prevent the loss of vapors.

Dearborn automaker Ford announced recently that it is in the process of developing two new safety belt technologies.  The automaker is taking on this challenge to further reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries on car accidents.

The first of the two is a four-point "belt and suspenders" design. Today, most safety belts are three-point designs.  The use of a four-point safety belt will ensure that the occupant of the vehicle will be safely strapped into the seat in the unfortunate event of a collision.  The second design that Ford is looking into is a seat belt which will have a built in air bag.

According to The Auto Channel:  "A strap of air bag material is hidden in the seat belt webbing. The strap inflates into a cylindrical shape when frontal air bags deploy. The concept of inflatable belts is to spread forces from a vehicle crash over a broader section of the body than traditional safety belts, further helping to reduce the pressure on the chest and helping to control the motion of the head and neck."

The automaker though needs to overcome some technical problems to have these belts made available for their new vehicles.