Seniors Support Tougher License Renewal

Seniors Support Tougher License Renewal
GM Files for Trademark of ‘Velite’ Name
Honda Civic Type R Order Book Opens
AutoGuide Now For The Week of December 1
France Plans to Ditch Diesel
Special Mercedes SL63 AMG Celebrates F1 Championship

Posted:

Seven out of 10 people 65 and older agree that the rules need to be stricter for older drivers renewing their licenses.

Results released today of a report by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety show that more than 70 percent of drivers ages 65 and older agree that renewal should take place in person and that the process should require a medical exam.

"Even though public perception tends to unfairly characterize seniors as a menace on the road, these findings indicate that older Americans tend to support policies to keep themselves safer behind the wheel," AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety CEO Peter Kissinger said.

The same report says almost 90 percent of drivers ages 65 and older reported not being in a crash or having any moving violations in the past two years. Among drivers 75 and older, 65 percent said they didn't use a cell phone while driving compared to only 48 percent of drivers between 65 and 69 years old.

Over the next five years, the AAA Foundation plans to conduct a long-term study of driving habits among 3,000 older drivers.

GM Files for Trademark of ‘Velite’ Name

Posted:

Automakers are always filing to trademark different names, often for upcoming vehicles. Sometimes you can get an idea of what future products are in development by uncovering the names they've tried to secure.

General Motors has laid claim to the name "Velite," having filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The application was made on November 19, 2014 and the serial number associated with it is 86458313.

If you remember, the Buick Velite was a convertible concept car that was unveiled about a decade ago at the 2004 New York International Auto Show. After this much time could a production version of this ostensibly premium drop-top be far off?

SEE MORE: 2014 Buick Regal AWD Review

The filing is described as applying to "motor land vehicles, namely, automobiles, sport utility vehicles, trucks, vans, engines therefore and structural parts thereof." Surprisingly this isn't the first time GM has applied for this name. They submitted for a trademark on it back in 2011 and that filing carries the status "Fifth Extension – Granted." This shows that the company has been given various extensions to use the name on a real product. The United States Patent and Trademark Office allows applicants a total of six extensions, each of which is good for six months. Time is running out on the name Velite so we'll likely find out sooner than later whether a production Buick will be called this.

[Source: GM Authority]

Discuss this story on our Buick Forum.

Honda Civic Type R Order Book Opens

Posted:

Honda enthusiasts in the U.K. can now put a deposit down for the new Civic Type R.

The all-new hot hatch will launch in the U.K. next year and the Japanese automaker is expecting "unprecedented demand," allowing customers to place an order with a £3,000 deposit to secure a spot at the front of the line. Previously, Honda promised that the Civic Type R will "be the most extreme and high-performing Type R in the 22 year history of the red 'H' badge," which presumably means it will even outperform the NSX Type R.

Built at the automaker's plant in Swindon, U.K., don't expect the Civic Type R to show up at dealerships in the U.S. anytime soon.

Discuss this story at our Honda Civic forum

AutoGuide Now For The Week of December 1

Posted:

The AutoGuide.com staff will be rolling in luxury this week with three distinct high-class SUVs. Read what else we're testing and why in this edition of "AutoGuide Now."

2015 Chevrolet Trax: Mike Schlee, Road Test Editor:

Mike is off to San Diego to test out the new Chevrolet Trax subcompact crossover. Based on the Sonic, the affordable Trax uses a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 138-hp. Set to take on the Hyundai Tucson, the upcoming Honda HR-V and the Mazda CX-3, the Trax has to offer excellent value to stand out in this class. Tweet any questions or thoughts you have about the Trax to Mike, and be sure to follow his updates on Twitter to learn more about the Trax.

2015 Lincoln Navigator:

When Mike returns from his Trax drive, he will pick up a Lincoln Navigator to star in a comparison video of luxurious proportions. We'll take the Lincoln and put it up against its most natural rival: the Cadillac Escalade. Which one would you take? Let us know on Twitter and Facebook.

2015 Cadillac Escalade: Sami Haj-Assaad, Features Editor:

"When you think luxury SUV, no other name should pop out quicker than "Escalade." It's the go-to choice of large luxury vehicle and will be put up against the Lincoln Navigator to prove that point. With its fantastic 6.2-liter V8 engine and unmistakable looks, I wouldn't bet against Cadillac's offering." Tweet your thoughts and questions about the Cadillac Escalade to Sami.

2015 Lexus LX 570: Craig Cole, Associate Editor -

"It's not every day you get to evaluate a large luxury SUV, but for the next seven I'll be parking the Lexus LX 570 in my driveway. Luckily for the neighbors property values will be going up, if only for a week. This truck rivals vehicles like the Cadillac Escalade and Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, offerings an opulently trimmed cabin, loads of amenities and imposing exterior design. How does it stack up to these competitors? I'll have a full report in the coming weeks, but if you've got any questions hit me up on Twitter. My handle is @CraigCole."

2015 Nissan Murano: Luke Vandezande, Managing Editor -

"This week I'm taking a first drive in the 2015 Murano. Pricing starts at $30,445 and goes up to $41,485 for the all-wheel drive platinum model. It's bound for a Nissan dealer near you next week so be sure to check back to find out if you should think about buying one."

France Plans to Ditch Diesel

Posted:

When it comes to vehicular fuels two giants come to mine: gasoline and diesel. The former is dominant on this side of the Atlantic while the latter is extremely popular in the old world. Despite this the French government has plans to slowly phase out diesel for use in passenger cars.

They also plan to implement a ranking system that identifies the dirtiest, most polluting models. Supposedly this will permit local authorities to restrict access to certain places based on emissions.

About 80 percent of motorists in this Western European country drive vehicles with compression-ignition engines, though this is not necessarily a good thing. Prime Minister Manuel Valls said, "In France, we have long favored the diesel engine. This was a mistake, and we will progressively undo that, intelligently and pragmatically."

Beyond a ranking system and potentially limited access to cities, another option French lawmakers have is the tax incentive. The country's 2015 state budget seeks to reduce the advantage for diesel compared to gasoline. They plan to raise the excise tax on this oily fuel by two euro cents per liter, something that would bring in an additional 807 million euros next year.

Earlier this year the country's energy minister announced that drivers who opt to dump a dirty, diesel-powered car and buy a supposedly clean electric model can receive a bonus of up to 10,000 eruos, about $13,500.

It'll be interesting to see how France's machinations to ditch diesel pan out.

[Source: Automotive News]

Discuss this story on our Alternative-Fuel Forum.

Special Mercedes SL63 AMG Celebrates F1 Championship

Posted:

Mercedes-Benz is celebrating its Formula 1 World Championship win with two special SL63 AMGs.

Developed with input from its star drivers, the World Championship 2014 Collector's Edition cars are slated for a super limited production run. World champion Lewis Hamilton designed the black car while runner-up Nico Rosberg designed the white model. Mercedes will build 19 copies of each car representing the number of races held this season.

Each of the cars will be numbered and feature the name and layout of the track it is meant to represent. Rosberg's cars are also signed. The cars use the stock SL63 AMG powertrain, which was upgraded for 2015 to create 585 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque.

Car Reviews

Monday, 1 December 2014

Seniors Support Tougher License Renewal

Seniors Support Tougher License Renewal

No comments:

Post a Comment