Colorado State University researchers have recently concluded a study on driver behavior revealing something that may or may not be surprising to you: drivers who personalize their cars with bumper stickers, custom plates and other such markings are likely to be more aggressive and confrontational out on the road. It's all about marking your territory, say the CSU eggheads. When people use their rear bumper to, say, advertise who they voted for in the last three presidential elections (along with every associated platform issue), brag about how smart their precious kids are, or remind us about the highly unfortunate event that took place on October 27, 2004, it's really the adhesive-based equivalent of what that next-door-neighbor's dog does when he lifts his leg on your gardenias.
Those stickers make cars an extension of their drivers' home turf, which they will defend if they feel you're threatening it in any way. Conversely, people whose autos retain their stock appearance are more likely to show patience behind the wheel. So, the next time you're getting yelled at, honked at, or getting the finger from another driver, try to sneak a peek at the rear bumper as they drive off in a huff. Chances are you'll find some reading material there.
Contrary to the findings of the Japanese Metropolitan Police, a new study has just been released in Britain which suggests that older drivers are not dangerous on the roads. The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) data shows that older drivers actually become less of a risk than drivers under the age of thirty. Unfortunately, though, drivers over the age of seventy are more likely to be seriously injured when they do get into an accident. Neil Greig, director of the IAM Motoring Trust suggests that older drivers self-regulate themselves as they realize their abilities are weakening.
Still, the U.K. requires drivers over seventy to renew their licenses every three years, but it's up to the driver to report any physical conditions that could impair their driving. The U.K. government is considering adding new testing requirements for drivers over the age of seventy-five.
In other news, ninety-one percent of teen drivers consider themselves safe, though only 34-percent would say the same for their friends. Feel free to scare yourself by reading an entire press release of teen-driving statistics after the break.
This is a tourbillon. Nobody needs a tourbillon – it's sort of like the supercar of watches. And nobody really needs a supercar. You can get a rally-tuned all-wheel-drive four-door Japanese family sedan that will get you from A to B just as fast, and with less fuss. Likewise you could get a digital Casio that will tell you the time just as well. What the tourbillon and the exotic supercar have in common is that X-factor that sets it apart from the rest. Fitting, then, that this is no ordinary tourbillon; this is the Aston Martin tourbillon.
The tourbillon mechanism was originally developed for pocket watches, which, sitting in the same position most of the time, would throw off the balance of the mechanism over time. The highly complicated tourbillon, French for "whirlwind", involves a mechanism that rotates inside the case, counteracting the effects of gravity. The Jaeger LeCoultre AMVOX 3 Tourbillon GMT you see here showcases the company's own proprietary JLC caliber 988 tourbillon movement, which features an AM/PM indicator and a 48-hour power reserve. Oh, and that second hand? That's not a second hand. It indicates the time in a second time zone...handy for the world traveler. The seconds are indicated by the rotation of the movement itself. The mechanism is housed in a black ceramic and 18-karat rose gold case sandwiched between sapphire crystals. The strap is perforated with contrasting white top-stitching, just in case the watch wasn't desirable enough already. But you can keep dreaming: only 300 are being made, and with fine tourbillons typically selling for five figures, don't be expecting one as a retirement gift from the company pension plan.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police have begun a campaign urging elderly drivers to "have the courage to give up your license," according to a message on its website. This effort is in response to the mounting accident rates of Japan's rapidly aging population. Over the past six years, the overall number of accidents has declined in Japan by 20 percent while accidents involving drivers over the age of 70 have skyrocketed by 35 percent. Elderly drivers are being offered various discounts and perks from over 30 different businesses if they are willing to relinquish their licenses.
We can't count the number of times we've heard someone complain about elderly drivers, and if they are willing to hand in their keys or feel as if they may be a hazard, this could be a winning solution. On the other hand, this movement could present an additional problem to the already sagging auto market in Japan, as older drivers make up a large chunk of new car buyers.
There are a lot of automotive wristwatches out there. In fact, we had a really tough time picking only our ten favorites back in December '06. But once in a while, a new one comes along that makes us stop and take notice. This is one such timepiece.
The Hamilton U.S. 66 Power Reserve has a striking and unusual design clearly aimed at automotive enthusiasts. Take the case, which almost seems to be shaped like a speedway. The dial looks like a tachometer (if not so overtly as the special Alfa Romeo watch we showed you previously) with a center that looks like a mesh grille giving a peek at the ETA caliber 2897 automatic movement inside. Meanwhile, the strap reminds us of a grooved racing tire, with carbon fiber running down the center. Connoisseurs will also notice unique touches like the five-minute markers instead of the conventional hours and both the crown and the date window placed at 12 o'clock instead of at 3.
Although Hamilton was founded – and is still known – as an American watchmaker, its products are actually made in Switzerland. The U.S. 66 Power Reserve is ostensibly named for the famous desert highway as well, and features a power reserve window and sapphire crystal front and back. Only 2008 pieces will be made at an undisclosed price, and we want one. Bad.
Research International USA's TRU branch has polled the youth of our country and discovered that they'd like a fun, stylish car more than anything (duh) -- namely the Mustang. Twenty-somethings posed the same question picked the Honda Civic above all else, mainly because they've had a dose of reality, and are now paying their own insurance and fuel.
So what exactly does this study say? As you mature, your experience leads to more practical decision making, perhaps? That there's a whole subset of spoiled brat high schoolers who have their insurance and fuel paid for and also expect that being handed the keys to a 3,500 pound wheeled liability is a birthright? Probably a bit of both, we suppose, but the fact remains that the Mustang is a flashy, fun car that even non-car people could point out in a crowd and undoubtedly has decent youth appeal.
The rest of the teens choices weren't earth shattering. Besides the Mustang, the cars that young drivers most desire are posted below the fold.
Have teenagers gone nuts? The Federal Highway Administration is reporting that the percentage of teenagers with driver's licenses is going down. Yeah, decreasing! What is up with that?
When I was growing up, my teenage years focused on just one objective... driving. All I wanted was to get my driver's license. That little card with your picture on it was the golden ticket. You could borrow your parent's car, fill the tank (and grab a candy bar) for $20, and nobody could reach you until you returned. We didn't have cell phones, text messaging or GPS tracking. A driver's license represented freedom.
So, what happened? Experts aren't blaming unmotivated teenagers. Instead, they point the finger at the environment in which we are raising our kids. In today's world, parents are much more likely to chauffeur their teenagers from place to place. Tighter state laws govern when kids can drive, and in many cases legislation has pushed the driving age limit higher. Fewer high schools are offering driver's education classes, forcing parents to pay for more expensive private instruction, and steeper rates are making insurance cost-prohibitive for the high-risk teen-age category. Top it all off with gasoline at more than three-dollars per gallon, and maybe a driver's license just doesn't represent what it used to.
The automotive media are all abuzz with Peugeot's announcement of its drivers' line-up for this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. The French automaker's team took pole and second place at the event last year, and an overall victory in the European series where the equally matched Audi R10 TDI did not compete. PSA, however, is not about to rest until its team thoroughly trounces its rivals, especially Audi, and as we reported previously, towards that effort Peugeot has been recruiting top talent from Formula One to pilot the 908 HDi to victory lane.
The announced roster includes Ferrari test driver Marc Gene, BMW Sauber tester Christian Klien, former Lotus pilot Pedro Lamy, former Super Aguri driver Franck Montagny, former Minardi driver Stephane Sarrazin, Honda F1 test driver and former Le Mans winner Alex Wurz, F1 veteran Ricardo Zonta, and former world champion Jacques Villeneuve. Nicolas Minassian joins the team as the only member never to have earned his F1 Superlicense. Notable is the absence of Sebastien Bourdais, the four-time Champ Car champion who drove the second-place 908 HDi last year alongside Sarrazin and Lamy, but he has his hands full in F1 this year. With such an experienced roster of drivers, Peugeot could stand a more than decent chance of unseating Audi from its domination of the event, broken since 2000 only by the Bentley Speed 8, which Audi themselves supported.
Last year, we were surprised by Motor Week's choice for its 2007 "Best Of The Year" , the Honda Fit. This year, we were simply shocked that its choice for 2008 is the Scion xB. It's not that the xB is a bad car, it's that there are so many better choices. In fact, peruse the list below of winners in other categories. Almost any of the other cars on the list would be a better choice, save for the Sebring Convertible and possibly the minivans. Lexus makes fine vehicles, but its LS 600h L does not belong on a "Best Dream Machine" list.
Best Small Car - Scion xB
Best Family Sedan - Honda Accord
Best Minivan - Dodge Grand Caravan/Chrysler Town & Country
Best Convertible - Chrysler Sebring Convertible
Best Luxury Sedan - Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Best Sport Sedan - Cadillac CTS
Best Sport Coupe - Infiniti G37
Best Performance Car - Volkswagen R32
Best Small Utility - Nissan Rogue
Best Large Utility - Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon
Best Crossover Utility - Buick Enclave/GMC Acadia/Saturn Outlook
Best Pickup Truck - Ford F-Series Super Duty
Best Eco-Friendly - Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid/GMC Yukon Hybrid
Best Dream Machine - Audi R8/Bentley Continental GT Speed/Lexus LS 600h L
We can agree with a few of the choices, like the Audi R8, the Cadillac CTS and even the R32, although the new Evolution or STi might have been a better choice. These types of lists are never easy, but MotorWeek seems to have gone out of its way to make this one irrelevant.
