If you follow the car news - even if you don’t - you can’t have ever missed the name the world’s most famous car show presenter, Jeremy Clarkson. His influence measures in the millions of cars sold just because he deemed them beautiful, or unsold since he said they looked like a frog. (Sorry, Ford Ka.) Let’s see who the man is and what makes him so important. Jeremy Clarkson was born on April 11th, 1960 to entrepreneur parents. To raise money to pay for their children’s education, his parents made 2 Paddington Bear toys (one for each child) and sold it through their business. Mr. … [Read more...]
Niki Lauda: The Computer Brain of Formula 1
On May 20th, 2019, Niki Lauda, a three-time Formula 1 world champion, had passed away peacefully in his sleep in a hospital in Zurich, surrounded by family members. At that moment, the world was left without a man who gave so much to the racing sport, who revolutionized it and brought so much joy to the fans. We will always remember his bravery, his level-headedness and perseverance. Here is why. Andreas Nikolaus Lauda was born on February 22nd, 1949 in Vienna, Austria to a wealthy paper manufacturing family, that objected to his becoming a racecar driver. He started out with a Mini, … [Read more...]
10 Most Cost-Effective Hybrid Cars
With the Carbon tax now in full effect throughout Canada, people are looking for new ways to minimize their carbon emissions - which was the Government’s intent in the first place. Among other things, this also means that they are changing their requirements and desires when buying cars. Criteria like car dependability and lifespan still play a big role in choosing the vehicle, but overall, we can see a big shift towards electric and hybrid vehicles being purchased more often. If you are looking to buy a car, and your main criterium is how dependable it is, the latest J.D. Power … [Read more...]
10 Automotive Manufacturing Milestones (Infographic)
Since the late 19th century, and the first appearance of her majesty the automobile, our lives have never been the same. It’s become an irreplaceable part of our existence - and of many of us, the one thing they cannot go without. That’s why it’s only natural that it hasn’t stopped evolving - from appearance to speed and advanced capabilities, the vehicles of today are smart and more energy efficient. These changes resulted in some of the biggest automotive manufacturing milestones over the years, so take a look at the infographic to see what they are. CRS Automotive is in Hamilton and … [Read more...]
How Will Police Stop Self-Driving Cars?
As you know if you are a car buff, the automotive technology is constantly developing - and the car is evolving - bringing us significantly further from when it first appeared more than 100 years ago. Now we have not only cars running on electricity, but also smart ones - those that keep us connected with other people and in the know about the driving conditions in real time. And soon enough, people might not even be driving cars - with autonomous cars being developed by Tesla, Mercedes, Lexus, BMW and even Google as you read this. It’s an exciting time we live in, for sure, but it also raises … [Read more...]
Energy Efficiency: Electric Vehicles vs. Fossil-Fuel Vehicles
For a while back, we’ve been seeing the ever so slight shift within the automotive industry - from fossil-fuel vehicles to the electric ones. The first and most obvious reason for this is humanity’s attempt to reduce its carbon footprint and preserve the environment. The second and third are that electric vehicles are easier to maintain and electric charging is cheaper. However, there is one more thing to consider here. Apparently, electric cars have significantly higher energy efficiency than cars with ICE engines. Let’s examine. According to a study by the US Department of Energy … [Read more...]
10 Reasons to Admire Canadian Auto Production (Infographic)
Before the signing of the 1965 Auto Pact by Canada and the US, American car companies were forced to produce Canadian-specific models in branch plants located largely in Ontario. But with America exporting most of the required components, Canada racked up big trade deficits due to the value of parts crossing the border. The Auto Pact abolished automobile-related tariffs between the 2 countries and, in exchange, the Big 3 automakers pledged that Canadian auto production would not fall below 1964 levels. Canada would produce a smaller variety of vehicles, but in greater numbers – many of which … [Read more...]
Car Depreciation: What Are the Risks?
When buying a car, you have to be prepared to lose money… Over time. No one wants to throw money away, and whether or not you will do that with car purchase is up to you and your negotiation skills and the amount of preparation you’ve invested prior to buying a car. But, one thing is for sure - cars tend to lose in value as time goes by and start as soon as you drive them off the dealer’s parking lot. New cars usually lose around 11% in value as soon as you take them off the dealer’s lot and by the end of the first year of driving, its value has decreased by 25%. However, the good news … [Read more...]
5 Biggest Automakers’ Plans with EVs
The rise in sales when it comes to electric vehicles is more than noticeable, but it seems that we are able to say that mostly because of Tesla Inc.’s coming out into the mainstream electric vehicle market. They are also responsible for the end-of-year surge which lead to the year 2018 closing with 2 million sales. The estimated result stands at 2,018,247, which is 72% more than a year ago at an average market share of 2.1%. Moreover, all-electric cars took 69% of sales, while PHEV 31%. Such a high advantage for BEVs has not been seen since 2011. Next year result is expected at 3-3.5 million … [Read more...]
Why Aren’t We All Driving Electric Cars by Now?
Driving electric vehicles has its benefits - no doubt - if you disregard the high initial price of the vehicles themselves. Electric cars preserve the environment and help us breath clean(er) air. Moreover, electric cars are cheaper to own than fossil-fuel ones, not just in terms of “fuel” costs - charging costs for an EV are about 20-50% of gassing up a tank in a fossil-fuel car, but also in terms of maintenance. Finally, electric cars are easy to maintain and cheaper if you bear in mind that their systems are simpler than in fossil-fuel cars, thus making them easier to take care of. So why … [Read more...]
