http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1413
Potholes are probably as commonplace as car guards in SA. Cash-strapped local authorities are hard pressed to fix them but assure us they are doing their best to remove them – they'll even arrest you if you try and fix them yourself.
Luckily a group of European engineering students have come up with a great way to minimize the risk of potholes, by painting them bright yellow.
Students Domenico Diego and Cristina Corradini have persuaded Italian road safety experts to adopt their plan.
The pair, who study at the Polytechnic University of Milan, now hope to persuade other traffic authorities around the world to take up their 'Street Safe' initiative.
"If you can't afford to repair them, at least let people see them so they have a fighting chance of avoiding them," said Domenico. "It could save countless accidents and save motorists a fortune on damage to their cars."
Seems a bit of a waste that it took a group of engineering students to come up with this idea but it's still a lot more than what's currently being done. At least now you'll be able see those chasms to the underworld passing off as potholes and take measures to avoid them.
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Hedge fund lawsuits threaten VW-Porsche merger
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Litigation tied to Porsche's failed attempt to buy a controlling share of VW could now threaten the proposed VW/Porsche merger which was announced last year.
In a VW prospectus on the merger, the litigation was listed as a risk factor that could delay or even derail the merger plan.
Last December, VW obtained a 49.9 percent stake in Porsche AG, the sports car division of holding company Porsche SE. According to the plan, VW will have to pay for the rest of Porsche AG as well as buy the Porsche Holding dealer network, the largest in Europe, by 2011. The lawsuits threaten VW Group's ability to fund the deal without going into substantial debt.
Porsche SE is accused of breaching market rules during its (failed) hostile takeover of VW which took place before the companies announced what amounted to a reverse takeover of Porsche by Volkswagen Group in 2009. Lawsuits filed by hedge funds, who claim to have lost more than 1 billion in what they contend was a manipulation of the stock market, were listed as a risk factor in the VW prospectus.
"The merger may not be possible at all, or may only be carried out at a later date," reads the prospectus.
How much of a risk the litigation is, analysts are not sure. But one banker did say the level of risk as described in the prospectus was "unusual."
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BMW considering fuel cell hybrid technology - 2014
BMW is working on a hydrogen hybrid drivetrain, which could enter production in 2014.
While details are limited, the drivetrain consists of a petrol engine, a 5 kW fuel cell, and an 82 kW electric motor. At low speeds, the hydrogen fuel cell provides power to the electric motor which turns the rear wheels. When more speed is required, the petrol engine motivates the front wheels. More importantly, the two powertrains can work together to provide rapid acceleration.
Currently being tested on a modified 1-Series (pictured), the hybrid fuel cell could be introduced on the next-generation MINI and the controversial front-wheel drive BMW. So far, the company has declined to green light production as they're waiting to see if hydrogen fuel pumps will become more accessible to consumers.
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Toyota faces second fine for slow disclosure
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1416
Toyota is now facing the prospect of a second fine by US government regulators over faulty gas pedals.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has already issued a record 16.4 million dollar fine against Toyota for failing to declare a gas pedal defect to authorities and not issuing a recall until four months after they learned of the problem.
Now, according to the NHTSA, Toyota actually found two separate defects in its gas pedals, both of which were kept from authorities. In the same letter issued to Toyota on April 5 informing them of the initial fine, the NHTSA warned the Japanese automaker that a second fine may be levied for the other defect.
Toyota has already recalled about 8 million vehicles worldwide related to problems with stuck accelerators.
The company has until April 19 to contest the fine in US courts.
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MINI by SIMACHEV and TOPCAR
http://www.maxauto.co.za/CntView.aspx?CatID=26&CntID=1417
A Russian artist Denis Simachev and a team of engineers from Russian tuner Topcar have attacked the MINI Cooper S to create two different versions of the car seen here.
Set to a production of 25 units each, the vehicles are equipped with a new "Bully" aerokit from Topcar, which includes a new set of 18-inch forged wheels. An aluminum sport grille replaces the original, while designers use daytime runners, and a new rear diffuser. Side skirts are added, along with flared wheel arches. The exhaust and the engine control unit are both upgraded, as well as the brakes, which are stepped up to Brembo units.
Simachev then created his own exterior design for the demonstration model. However, the graphics will likely be more tailored to each car buyer. A press release says that, "Each car will get its own distinctive character in order to provide the wide range of choice for different cities, personalities and ways of living."
In the first model, called the MINI Cooper Bully by Simachev, the car features a heap of glossy black, and pearl white, along with a carbon fiber interior trim. Simachev says the the car is really intended for the nouveau riche. "[The owner] likes socializing and is desperate to attend fashionable gatherings and parties. A real ‘party animal', he is just fooling around and looking for an adventure," a press release quoted Simachev as saying.
Meanwhile, the MINI Cooper Bully Moscow, by Simachev, uses blues and blacks, but changes color when the angle of light changes. Inside, the "Khokhloma ornament" paint scheme is replicated on the interior.
The MINI Cooper Bully will debut at Top Marques Monaco on April 15, with the Bully Moscow getting an April 17 unveiling at Simachev's Shop and Bar in Moscow. Pricing was not detailed for either vehicle.
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