Artega car maker has unveiled new car sport electric construct, and elctrical version of its mid-engine sports car, it’s named 2011 Artega SE Concept. The 2011 Artega SE electric vehicle concept was presented at the 81st edition of the well-known Geneva Motor Show, aiming to offer its potential customers an efficient combination between environmental responsability and the passion for automobiles.
Categories: Uncategorized Tags: 2011, Artega, Concept
In Rhode Island motorists must be insured to legally drive, but they also have the ability to choose their own coverage provider. Making that decision should involve careful research and rating. In the Ocean State there are over 740,000 licensed drivers and many different coverage providers to choose from. Not all companies are created equal, and some insurers may be more affordable, more helpful and more financially stable than others. Luckily the investigation of these qualities is a process that can be largely accomplished online.
Rating Rhode Island auto insurance companies based on coverage costs is a task that motorists are urged to complete individually. Insurers often use unique methods for determining premiums, and policy prices are likely to be different for individual vehicle owners. Quote comparisons can be completed online where dozens of estimates can be amassed at once. But before choosing an insurer based solely on price, RI motorists should also investigate and rate additional qualities as well.
Insurance companies in the Ocean State commonly provide unique services. Residents are encouraged to contact several potential insurers to find out about special discounts or features that can make maintaining a policy more affordable or convenient. Many companies provide rate reductions for a variety of reasons, but some insurers may also offer customers helpful additions such as online billing or accident forgiveness.
After purchasing a policy, many motorists stay with the same company for years. For this reason, it is essential to rate the financial stability of a coverage provider before buying a plan. As time has shown, no company is entirely exempt from financial ruin, and maintaining a policy with an insurer on the verge of bankruptcy can result in future complications. To help vehicle owners better understand the financial background of Rhode Island insurance companies, many businesses regularly rank insurers based on their creditworthiness, financial strength and investment history, then post the findings online for residents to evaluate. Read more…
Officials with the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) announced this week they intend to push for the overhaul of no-fault auto insurance systems in several states this year and to fight in others against proposed increases in labor rates for auto body repair.
The association, which includes more than 1,000 member companies nationwide, released a list of issues this week on which it plans to lobby state lawmakers, including no-fault changes, proposals that would allow the state to set hourly rates for auto body repair and mechanical work on insured vehicles, and restrictions on the use of consumer credit histories in determining premiums.
“PCI is committed to advancing a pro-consumer agenda that supports healthy, competitive insurance markets across the nation,” Paul Blume, senior vice president of state government relations for PCI, said in a news release.
No-Fault Reforms Backed by PCI
PCI is one of many insurer organizations pushing for legislators to make changes to no-fault systems in a handful of states. According to a report released last month by the Insurance Research Council (IRC), increases in the number of injury claims filed by policyholders in New York, New Jersey and Michigan alone are driving up insurer costs nationwide.
Those states are three of a dozen nationwide with no-fault vehicle coverage systems that were designed to make it easy for accident victims to file claims and to cut down on the number of lawsuits filed as a result of vehicle crashes.
But PCI and other insurers and industry groups say dishonest claimants, lawyers, medical providers and others are taking advantage of loopholes in no-fault systems in Florida, Michigan, New Jersey and New York to file bogus claims.
Industry experts say staged accidents, overbilling, unnecessary medical procedures and other expenses have driven up costs for insurers and forced them to increase the price they charge consumers for auto insurance in New Jersey and other no-fault states.
According to IRC, personal injury protection (PIP) claim costs per insured vehicle nationwide rose by more than 18 percent from 2008 to 2010, driven partly by average per-vehicle PIP claim cost increases of 62 percent in Florida over that time period and a hike of 120 percent in Michigan over the last decade.
An Insurance Information Institute (III) study released last month noted that Florida and New York are the fourth- and fifth-most-expensive states, respectively, for private vehicle coverage, and the III estimated that motorists there would pay a combined $800 million extra on premiums in 2011 as a result of bogus claims and other scams.
New Jersey legislators have spent months discussing revamping that state’s system for insuring vehicles after repeated insurer complaints about criminals gaming the system by filing dubious claims.
And some lawmakers and insurers are also calling for an overhaul of Michigan’s no-fault system, the only one in the U.S. that requires insurers to pay for up to a lifetime of medical and rehabilitative costs for victims of serious vehicle crashes.
Michigan drivers must pay into a state fund that helps finance PIP claims that total more than $500,000. That fee, which was $145 in 2011, is added onto each motor vehicle policy.
Coverage providers say the system leaves them with prohibitively high health care costs and has caused policy rates in Michigan to become among the highest nationwide. PIP claim costs in Michigan have risen by 20 percent in the last five years because of the state’s lifetime benefits requirement, a recent study by the American Insurance Association found.
PCI Opposes Body Shop Regulations
PCI officials also plan to oppose some state legislation that would establish hourly rates for auto body work and impact the ability of insurers to steer business toward companies they prefer, among other measures.
A bill currently being considered by a legislative committee in Massachusetts calls for establishment of a “fair and reasonable process” for determining the hourly rates auto body shops can charge for fixing insured vehicles.
Wages for auto body workers in the state have stagnated in recent years, according to industry representatives. Coverage providers oppose any move for state involvement in the setting of hourly wages on the grounds that rates should be determined by the market and that establishing minimums would artificially drive up their costs.
Cost-Controlling Legislative Initiatives Could Help Insurers’ Bottom Lines Recover
PCI officials noted that 2011 was an extremely active year for tropical storms and other natural disasters that cost insurers plenty.
According to a recent report from PCI and ISO, domestic property and casualty insurers saw their profits dip last year to a combined $8 billion, a 70 percent drop from the previous year. The organizations put much of the blame for those subpar results on underwriting losses that resulted from catastrophic weather events.
But most insurers think 2012 will be a better year for the industry, with 75 percent of respondents to a recent III survey predicting increased profits this year.
More than two-thirds of coverage providers said they expect increased profitability in private vehicle coverage and 67 percent predicted the same for homeowner policies.
When Daimler let slip that Maybach was on the chopping block, the German automaker reportedly insisted that ultra-luxury editions of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class would replace the doomed marque. We’re all for a smattering of low volume, seriously pricey S-Class variants, but will the richest and most influential Maybach buyers feel the same way?
Automotive News reports that Bentley is betting that stars like Jay-Z and Samuel L. Jackson will want more than a gussied-up Benz, and the luxury car make is sending out olive branches in the form of a letter campaign. The premium Volkswagen brand is asking the high-rollers to step into a Bentley Mulsanne or perhaps a top-shelf Continental GT. To help persuade VIPs to switch to Bentley, the automaker is inviting select Maybach owners to tour its Crewe, England home.
Given the fact that many typical soccer moms and dads can afford an ML-Class, we can see why some movie stars and sultans would want to steer clear of the Three-Pointed Star. But is Bentley really going to gain much by wooing the 200 annual Maybach buyers? If a few more rap stars roll in a Bentley in their next music video, then the answer would appear to be yes.
Toyota car maker has unveiled new car four-door sedan model concept for the Indian Market, it’s Toyota Etios 2010 at 2010 New Delhi Auto Show and will be joined by a five door hatchback called the Etios Liva in April of 2011. Toyota has sold a little over 60,000 cars in India through October.
Etios chief engineer, Yoshinori Noritake, said at the show: “I visited many Indian cities and homes to learn the market and to hear from the consumer directly. Over four years, more than 2,000 engineers have been involved in the development of the Etios, and each has devoted his or her best effort with no compromises. I am convinced in my heart that the Etios offers joy of ownership and quality of life to consumers in India.”
The 2010 Toyota Etios Concept has been developed specifically for Indian customers and will be built at a plant in Bidadi, near Bangalore. However, Toyota eventually plans to offer the small sedan in other emerging markets such as China, Brazil, Thailand and possibly certain regions of South America.
Porsche has lifted the veil of the Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet, the convertible version of the new Porsche 911 series 991, presented a few months ago in a coupe version. The new 911 Convertible will make its official debut next month of January, 2012 at Detroit, before arriving in dealerships during the month of March.
The new 911 Convertible retains the classic setting of the canvas roof, however, has been redesigned and new materials have been used. With this line, with the hood closed, the 911 Cabriolet has the same profile as the coupe, as stated by the men of Porsche.
For the roof structure was used as magnesium. Thanks to this new measure, the Cabriolet weighs less than the previous model, although it is 4.49 meters long, that is 5 cm more. The roof opens in 11 seconds according to what is announced by Porsche.
The engines will be the same as the Carrera coupe version then the version under the hood there will be the boxer 3.4-liter 350 hp, while the Carrera S mount the 3.8 400 bhp. The changes will be available the new seven-speed manual or, alternatively, the PDK double-clutch.
Here’s our first set of images from the 24H Dubai. After 10+ hours of racing, we’ve seen a good number of lead changes and only one DNF from the AF Corse Ferrari. At the moment, the Mercedes SLS AMG GT3′s have been strong and running at the top for while now. Porsche has been absent from the front running but there are now 5 in the top ten. Lamborghini’s have slowly exited the top 10 but one is currently running 11th. United Autosport’s two Audi R8 GT3 LMS have been running well and currently 14/16th.
The 2012 Rolex 24 At Daytona is shaping up to be a great one, especially in the GT class. With the Audi R8 Grand-Am making its debut and Ferrari now in the mix, the fans are in for a show. An ALMS fan favorite, the Flying LIzard Motorsports team, will now be lining up at the start. Current team members Bergmeister, Long, Neiman will join up with Audi factory driver Mike Rockenfeller.
Flying Lizard Motorsports announced today the entry of the No. 45 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in GT for the 2012 Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 28-29. The No. 45 will be run in conjunction with Wright Motorsports. The driver lineup is Joerg Bergmeister (Germany), Patrick Long (USA), Mike Rockenfeller (Germany), and Seth Neiman (USA). Bergmeister and Long are Porsche factory drivers and co-drivers of the team’s No. 45 Porsche in the American Le Mans Series. Rockenfeller has been an Audi Factory driver since 2007; this will be his first race with the Lizards since the 2004 Rolex 24, in which he finished second in GT in the No. 74 Porsche. Neiman is Flying Lizard team principal and drives the team’s No. 44 ALMS Porsche.
This will be Flying Lizard’s fourth year at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. In 2011, the GT team fielded their first prototype: the No. 45 Porsche-powered Riley DP. After a promising start from the pole (Bergmeister) and having set the fastest race lap, the No. 45 was retired at hour 23 after a challenging race. In 2010, the No. 67 Flying Lizard/TRG Porsche GT3 Cup finished second in GT. In 2005 the No. 75 Porsche finished thirteenth, and in 2004, the No. 74 Flying Lizard Porsche GT3 Cup was second in GT and third overall.
Bergmeister has won three times here: in GT in 2009 (with Patrick Long), in GT and overall in 2003, and in GT in 2002. He was also the Grand-Am DP champion in 2006. He reflected on the famous circuit: “It’s great to be back at Daytona. I’ve had a lot of success here: three wins, including one overall. And of course, last year, being on the pole in the No. 45 DP was definitely a rush. We’ve also had some tough breaks at this track. In 2011, we were the fastest car on track but weren’t able to translate that into results and in 2010 we had a strong lead until a problem at the end knocked us back to second.” Read more…
The Suzuki Swift Sport 2012 is available for the Italian market since November 2011, with very few customization options: apart from the color, in fact, the standard equipment includes everything you need, especially with regard to safety. The aggressive appearance and technical content of interest to make this one of the Suzuki B-segment more fun and enjoyable to drive. The price of the sports version of the Suzuki Swift, full-featured, is € 17,900
For the moment only available in 3-door version, but will in future also the 5-door. Aesthetics of the Suzuki Swift Sport 2012 there are some distortions compared to the normal version, but all the changes are intended to enhance its sportiness. The final line was presented at the IAA 2011 with a frontal enriched with a much more aggressive bumper and large air intakes, and stand side skirts that give the little Japanese sports a muscular and dynamic. At the rear, the difference with the normal version is more evident, with dual exhaust, spoiler and extractor. In support of sports facilities, beautiful 4-inch alloy wheels 17 “. Six colors available: Red Passion, Ice White, Silver, Black, Blue and Dark Grey Kashmir, all metallic or pearl.
Santa Monica-based Consumer Watchdog is challenging a Mercury Insurance request to raise rates for its California auto policyholders by an average of 6 percent, claiming the proposed hike is an attempt to recoup campaign expenses associated with an unsuccessful 2010 ballot initiative bankrolled by the company.
The nonprofit public advocacy group filed a formal challenge to the rate filing this week with state regulators, in addition to requesting a public hearing on the matter. California law prohibits insurers from passing the expense of political contributions on to policyholders.
“It’s a pretty astonishing act of arrogance to spend millions on initiatives to raise insurance premiums for your customers and then try to make those same customers pay for your political attacks,” Consumer Watchdog Executive Director Doug Heller said in a phone interview.
Mercury submitted to the state Department of Insurance earlier this month a rate filing that would cost the company’s customers statewide an estimated $89 million, according to Consumer Watchdog.
Officials with the coverage provider staunchly deny any attempt to write off campaign expenses associated with Proposition 17, an unsuccessful measure on the 2010 ballot.
“Political contributions are not permissible, which is why Mercury has never included these expenses in the company’s rate filings,” Robert Houlihan, the company’s chief product officer, said in an emailed statement. “Any assertions to the contrary are completely false and demonstrate a total lack of understanding of the rate approval process.”
A spokesman for California Department of Insurance would not comment on the rate filing, other than to confirm it had been submitted and is available on the department’s website, which is publicly accessible.
Mercury poured $16 million into the campaign for Proposition 17, which would have changed state law to allow coverage providers to extend “continuous coverage” discounts for drivers who have been consistently insured to those who switch companies. Current state law allows companies to give those discounts, but only to those who are renewing with the same provider. Read more…
To show you WorldCarFans care about what.
