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9 Japanese Automaker
photo credit: Sanchez Photo
Japanese built and designed cars have flooded the North American market for over forty years now. Over time, many nameplates have come and gone, but Japanese cars continue to gain market share and acceptance with a growing number of motorists attracted to their high quality and durability. There are nine Japanese automobile manufacturing companies in existence. Can you name them? Let’s take a look at the list:
Toyota – The second largest automaker in the world is Toyota, maker of the Camry, the Corolla, and a host of SUVs, trucks, passenger cars, and a van. Toyota’s Lexus division produces luxury cars, while its Scion division manufactures youth oriented vehicles.
Honda – The Accord and the Civic are Honda’s two most well known models, followed by the Odyssey minivan, the Ridgeline truck, the Element, and several other passenger vehicles. Acura is the name given to Honda’s luxury car division.
Nissan – Drive a Datsun and then decide. Up until the early 1980s, Nissan’s North American nameplate was Datsun, but was switched to Nissan to give it a more global name. The Sentra, Maxima, and Pathfinder are amongst the division’s best selling vehicles. Infiniti is Nissan’s luxury car division. Renault Motors of France owns a controlling interest in Nissan.
Mitsubishi – Originally imported exclusively by Chrysler, Mitsubishi began to sell cars under its own name in the 1980s. Top selling models include the Lancer, the Eclipse, and the Montero. DaimlerChrysler owns a chunk of the company.
Mazda – The Tribute, Miata, and the “6” are some of the most well known Mazda models. The Mazda 6’s platform also powers several Ford Motor Company cars including the Mercury Milan. Ford owns an important stake in the company.
Subaru – Think all wheel drive and you may just think Subaru. The Forester, Outback, and Legacy are all top selling Subaru models. Fuji Heavy Industries [FHI] owns Subaru; General Motors has a 20 percent stake in FHI.
Suzuki – 20% owned by General Motors, Suzuki is as noted for producing cars as it is for manufacturing motorcycles. The Grand Vitara is one of its most noted models.
Isuzu – Did someone say General Motors? Again, GM owns a stake in Isuzu. At one time Isuzu imported cars to the US, but those days are over. Currently, Isuzu has a miniscule presence and the two vehicles they do sell – the Ascender SUV and I Series pick ups – are simply rebadged GMC vehicles.
Daihatsu – The Charade and Rocky were two models introduced by Daihatsu when the car company started selling vehicles in North America in 1988; four years later its North American operations were closed. In 1999, Toyota assumed controlling interest over the company.
So, there you have it: there are nine Japanese automakers, two of which are still independent. Much like the American market further consolidation is likely with nameplates disappearing entirely just like the Packard, Hudson, Oldsmobile, Plymouth, and a host of other North American nameplates have driven off into the history books.
All About Hybrid Cars
photo credit: Brent Combs PhotographyEnvironmental issues have never been in the spotlight as much as they are today. Consumers are becoming much more environmentally conscious and companies are scrambling to appease them. This is also very true of automobile companies and this trend has lead to the development of hybrid cars.
As the name suggests, hybrid cars are just that – hybrids. They do not run on one specific type of propulsion or fuel system. Rather, hybrid cars can typically use at least two propulsion systems. While many systems have been investigated, the most common hybrid cars are those that can run on either gasoline or electricity in the form of a battery. Most recently, hybrid cars have been manufactured which can use an ethanol derivative, commonly termed Flex Fuel.
Inventors have long been conducting experiments to create hybrid cars, without success. In fact, the first experiments were conducted in the 19th century when manufacturers were attempting to phase out steam-driven vehicles. The first successful hybrid car wasn’t created until the turn of the 20th century, but it was more than 90 years before the hybrid car was released for public sale.
Typically, hybrid cars contain the main components of an everyday gasoline-driven car. There is a fuel tank, a transmission and a gasoline engine. However, today’s hybrid car also contains electric mechanisms such as a battery and an electric motor. In some cases, the battery of the hybrid car is powered by solar energy. That way, the battery can recharge itself during the day. Some owners of hybrid cars prefer to switch propulsion systems depending on whether it is day or night. Amazingly, recent developments in hybrid cars have allowed for the kinetic energy created by the gasoline engine to be used to recharge the battery.
Hybrid cars are riding a wave of popularity. Most of the major car companies, including Toyota, Honda, and even Lexus, have introduced their own hybrid cars to the automobile market. With their smaller gasoline engines and reduced output of emissions, hybrid cars appeal to any socially responsible individual. The decreased size of the engines in hybrid cars have also led to new, sleeker designs and the incorporation of much lighter materials. So, the efficiency and power are quite satisfactory for the typical user, with hybrid cars reaching a horsepower of as much as 90. With the advancements in modern technology, it can only be expected that the hybrid cars of the future will be more efficient, cheaper and in great demand.
Auto Insurance: Be It Cheap Or Expensive
John Maxim is an independant writer who writes for several major publications. His latest project can be seen at Accounting Blog.
Cars are considered as valuable property. People have cars as a necessity but for some it is just a form of expressing luxury or vanity. Whatever the reason is, cars must be protected especially the owners and the people on the streets if any untoward incident.
This is where auto insurance comes in.
In the United States of America, there are varied policies concerning car insurance rates. The most common is that rates vary according to car model. As to date, these are the ten cheapest cars to insure and on the other hand, the ten most expensive to insure.
In this fast-paced world of young professionals and rising businessmen, a reliable means of transportation is an absolute necessity in order to stay on track in the urban rat-race. Years ago, owning a car was considered a luxury or status symbol, but now, given the rapid rate of technological developments it has become as essential and basic as eating and sleeping.
THE five CHEAPEST:
Chrysler Town and Country
The Chrysler Town and Country is a minivan marketed by DaimlerChrysler. The Town and Country was introduced in 1990, while its sister vehicles, the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager, had already been in production since the 1984 model year. Chrysler's success.
Chevrolet Cobalt
The Chevrolet Cobalt is a compact car introduced by Chevrolet in 2004 for the 2005 model year. The Cobalt is intended to compete with Japanese cars like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.
Dodge Caravan
The Dodge Caravan and Dodge Grand Caravan are minivans manufactured by DaimlerChrysler (they were sold by the Chrysler Corporation until 1998). They were introduced in 1983 for the 1984 model year along with sister model the Plymouth Voyager.
Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet's chief engineer in the late 1950s, defined the Impala as a "prestige car within the reach of the average American citizen." At its peak sales volume in 1965, the Impala was the best selling full-size car in the United States.
Chevrolet Silverado C/K Pickup
The Chevrolet Silverado from Chevrolet and its GMC counterpart, the GMC Sierra, are the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.
As of 2006, the Silverado pickup is the second-best selling vehicle in the United States, behind the Ford F-150 pickup.
These are just five among twenty cheapest cars to insure. For one not to spend bunch of money just for insurance rates, we let you know what cars do not require too much. In this modern time, it pays to have the best car but setting priorities will still be considered.
TOP TEN EXPENSIVE CARS TO INSURE:
Honda Civic
Chevrolet Cavalier
Nissan Altima
Ford Focus
GMC Sierra
Ford F-Series Pickup
Chevrolet Silverado
Dodge Ram
Toyota Camry
Honda Accord
OTHER CHEAP TO INSURE CARS:
Land Rover Range Rover
Porsche Cayenne
G-Class Mercedes-Benz
Lexus LX 470
Cadillac Escalade
Cadillac SRX
BMW X5
Sadly, the cold reality is that no matter which brand of automobile you purchase, you can never be totally certain that nothing will go wrong. There are just too many unstable factors on the road, drunk drivers, engine troubles, sleepiness, human error etc.
Yet, there is a way to protect yourself and be prepared for these so-called “road hazards” and unprecedented mishaps. This is where auto-insurance comes in. Auto Insurance is a form of insurance which comprehensively protects the insured from losses involving road mishaps depending on the type of coverage you purchase.