Fall Driving Safety Tips

As weather and road conditions change with the season, following fall driving safety tips will help keep you safe as you enjoy the cool crisp air and the beautiful colors of the autumn leaves.

The Dangers of Leaves on the Roads
When leaves accumulate on the roadway and become wet, they can get extremely slippery, making the driving conditions similar to driving on ice. If the temperature drops below freezing, the wet leaves will freeze and turn into dangerous icy leaves on the roadway. Besides reducing the car's traction, causing skidding and the possibility of losing control of the vehicle, leaves often cover the painted road markings, making it difficult to know the locations of the lanes.

• Slow down if you are driving on a road covered with leaves, especially when driving around turns.
• Allow yourself plenty of room to stop in an emergency. Keep a greater distance between you and the car in front of you.
• Leaves make it difficult to see potholes and bumps in the road.
• A pile of leaves raked to the side of the road is an inviting place to a child. Children enjoy jumping into the leaf piles or burrowing down into them and hiding. Never drive through a leaf pile. Use caution going around turns and where children are playing.
• Keep your windshield leaf free to avoid wet leaves getting stuck under the windshield wiper blades.
• In order to avoid the possibility of a fire hazard from the exhaust system or catalytic converter, never park your vehicle over a pile of leaves .

Changing Weather Conditions
In many areas, autumn is a damp, wet season. There are many rainy or foggy days and nights. As the temperatures drop, frost often coats the ground at night.

• When driving in fog, set your headlight to low beam. This setting aims the beam of light down toward the roadway.
• In the fall as temperatures drop, frost often forms on the roadway, causing hazardous driving conditions. Drive slowly and break gently at overpasses and bridges as these areas frost over more quickly than other roadway surfaces.
• Be aware of areas where black ice forms on the roadway.

Adjust for Fewer Hours of Daylight
In the fall there are fewer hours of daylight. In the earlier darkness it is common to see children outside playing or riding their bicycles. People are walking their dogs, jogging or taking late afternoon or evening walks. In the fading light of dusk it is more difficult to see the children and pedestrians.

• Watch out for children at their bus stops in the morning and as they return home in the afternoon.
• Halloween is a fun fall holiday. Take special care where children are out trick or treating. They may be wearing masks or costumes that limit their visibility.
• Always drive defensively.

Vehicle Maintenance

• Keep your headlights cleaned and in proper working order, making sure they are aligned.
• Replace your windshield wiper blades if they show any signs of wear.
• Keep an emergency car safety kit in your vehicle.

Additional Fall Safety Driving Tips

• Always keep a pair of sunglasses in your vehicle. Fall sunrises and sunsets can be very brilliant. The bright sun often creates a large amount of glare, making it difficult to see other vehicles, the roadway or the road's shoulder. Wearing sunglasses during these times reduces the danger.
• If you live in an area where there are deer, they are more apt to run into the roadway especially at dawn and dusk since the fall is an active breeding time. If you see a deer cross the roadway, proceed very slowly as they often travel in groups.

Naturally safe driving practices are essential all through the year. However, being aware of the unique autumn driving hazards and following the fall driving safety tips here will make you a safer driver.

Source: safety.lovetoknow.com

3 Improvements For the 20th Anniversary of the Subaru Outback

How is Subaru celebrating Outback’s 20th anniversary? The 2016 Subaru Outback gets 3 features that set it apart from the competition.

The 2016 Subaru Outback is arriving in dealer showrooms as the SUV-alternative vehicle is celebrating its 20th anniversary. There’s many crossover vehicles that are now available on the market, but the Subaru Outback was a pioneer in this category. The fifth generation Outback gets three new updates that set it apart from the competition.

Ever since the first-generation Outback, Subaru has retained what made it popular and has refined the crossover concept even further for adventure seekers. Outback combines the comfort of a passenger car, with the versatility of an SUV and the load capacity of a wagon. It’s all-wheel-drive capabilities are what Outback is known for, and it gets more refinements for the new-generation model.

Greater off-road ability

Subaru has taken the fifth-generation Outback, that embodies this concept, to an even higher level. Outback comes with ample ground clearance for off-road adventures but now comes with new features such as X-Mode. Outback owners will be able to enhance vehicle control by engaging X-Mode which also activates the new Hill Descent Control, which uses engine braking to help maintain a constant vehicle speed when the Outback is traveling down a steep mountain trail. 

Greater agility

The new Outback gets enhanced body and chassis rigidity, together with the addition of Active Torque Vectoring (ATV), that gives the wagon handling agility that was developed in the WRX STI, Subaru’s high-performance icon. Starting in 2015, Outback features ATV, a new yaw-control system. This technology, featured in the WRX STI, makes handling more precise and enhances the vehicle’s agility in the corners. This is accomplished by using the braking system to help turn the vehicle. ATV allows the driver to push the performance envelope to the limits and gives the driver a greater sense of control in spirited driving. 

Greater safety

The new Outback features another major advance. New models can be equipped with EyeSight, Subaru’s original crash prevention technology. EyeSight is the world’s first driver assist technology with adaptive cruise control and a pre-collision braking control that uses stereo camera technology only, to detect pedestrians and cyclists as well as vehicles. First launched in Japan in May 2008, the technology has been rolled out in North America, Australia and Europe.

The 2016 Subaru Outback gets the new generation EyeSight safety system that adds a Lane Keep Assist function which the driver can activate with a steering wheel mounted switch. It’s another example of how Subaru is establishing itself as the “safety brand” through advances in safety performance.

Source:  www.torquenews.com

Fall Driving Tips

Fall means a number of wonderful things, like warm, comfy sweaters, foliage, and baking pumpkin pies. For drivers, fall also brings unique dangers to the roads. Find out what makes fall driving dangerous and what you can do to keep yourself safe.

Why Driving In The Fall Can Be Dangerous

Weather conditions can be unpredictable in the fall. A bright, beautiful afternoon can turn rainy and cold in minutes. And with days getting shorter, you could find yourself commuting to or from work in darkness.

Back-to-school traffic

Fall means back to school for kids, which means more cars and buses on the roads. Drivers also need to watch out for increased pedestrian traffic in the morning and afternoon as children walk to and from school and their neighborhood bus stops.

Rain

The first rain in a few weeks can be particularly dangerous, as water pools on top of dust and oil that haven't had a chance to wash away and makes the pavement extremely slippery.

Leaves (and leaf peepers)

Fall foliage is certainly beautiful, but as leaves begin to fall, they litter the roads, making streets slick while obscuring traffic lines and other pavement markings. They also hide potholes and other road hazards. And when it rains, it can make those wet leaves on the roadway as dangerous as ice.

And where there are turning leaves, there are leaf peepers. These leaf-peeping drivers tend to crawl along the roads and make unpredictable stops to admire the changing foliage. If you're driving behind a car with out-of-state plates, give them a little extra space just in case they stop short for a photo.

Fog

Cold fall mornings often lead to fog, which can greatly limit your driving visibility and perception of distance. Fog tends to occur in low places or areas surrounded by hills, water, mountains, and trees. One common mistake drivers make during foggy conditions is putting on their high beams instead of staying with their low beams. This only makes visibility worse because your high beams will bounce off the fog and create glare.

When driving through fog, slow down and stay well behind the car in front of you so you'll have adequate time to stop if you need to.

Frost

During the fall, temperatures tend to drop dramatically during the night, which can lead to morning frost and icy spots on the road. This is especially common on bridges, overpasses, and shaded areas of the road.

Sun glare

Fall is also a bad time for sun glare on the roads. Sun glare can impact your sight for seconds after exposure, making it hard to see pedestrians, oncoming traffic, or the car in front of you. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drivers describe being "blinded" after exposure, and this sometimes leads to accidents or near misses.

Sun glare can also cause problems when the sun sets behind drivers. In this case, sunlight can bounce off your rearview mirror or reflect off traffic lights up ahead, and this can blind you for a split second while your eyes adjust. It can also make it hard (or impossible) to see traffic lights, which can prevent you from knowing if you're supposed to stop or go.

Deer

The fall season brings an increase in deer activity because it's their time for mating and migrating. If you live in a deer-heavy area, watch for darting deer, especially when driving at night.

Fall Driving Tips

·        Being prepared for fall's inclement weather and hazardous driving challenges is half the battle.

·        Watch your speed: Drive a bit slower when faced with fall driving hazards, especially if you're driving around a school bus.

·        Keep your distance: Leave a little more space between you and the car in front on rainy or foggy days, during dawn or dusk, and in areas with wet leaves. This will give you more time to react.

·        Stick with low beams: Keep your headlights on low when driving in the fog (and rain). High beams will only cause glare.

·        Clear frost away from your windows: Frost can reduce visibility and response time on the road.

·        Approach traffic lights carefully: Sun glare can make it harder to see traffic lights change, so approach them with more than the normal care.

·        Avoid using products that increase gloss: Washing and waxing with these products can magnify the fall's sunny glare and make it hard to see.

·        Clean your windshield, inside and out: When your windshield's illuminated by sunlight, dust particles, streaks, and smudges become magnified, making it hard to see the road.

·        Watch for wildlife: especially in the early morning and evening hours.

·        Check your tire pressure: Since fall weather rapidly changes from warm to cold, your tires will often expand and contract. This can lead to a loss of pressure.

Source:  www.esurance.com

3 important chassis upgrades are coming to 2016 Subaru XV Crosstrek

Subaru UK has announced a raft of modifications and upgrades to the chassis of the 2016 XV compact crossover. What 3 upgrades did XV get?

The Subaru XV already has the lowest center of gravity in the compact crossover class, the highest ground clearance and it’s stable off-road. Subaru says they have made upgrades to all-wheel-drive vehicle’s suspension that will result in a smoother, more compliant ride.

What Subaru engineers did to the XV chassis

For the 2016 Subaru XV Crosstrek, Subaru says their main focus for upgrades to the chassis was to improve the car’s ride quality and reduce the intrusion of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) into the cabin.

Engineers at Fuji Heavy industries (FHI) retuned the front and rear suspension by lowering the pitch rate of the dampers and the coil springs get new settings. Subaru says this will improve ride quality by suppressing the transfer of vibrations into the cabin and the changes will further reduce roll for greater cornering stability.

The new spring rate settings should improve stability under cornering by ensuring greater tire contact with the road, while allowing for greater flexibility in ride over rough road surfaces.

Subaru also changed the steering ratio on XV and the 2016 model will be 10 percent quicker than before. This will improve the small crossovers steering response and provide more linear, direct and stable handling characteristics, requiring only 2.8 turns, lock-to-lock. The XV’s front cross-member has also been stiffened to improve steering stability.

NVH improvements

2016 XV also gets a quieter cabin from extra sound-absorbent material throughout the crossover and from the adoption of new under-bonnet insulators. This cuts vibrations from the engine and reduces wind and road noise in the cabin.

The XV’s under-body cover has also been reshaped to reduce wind noise around the rear of the car, while thicker glass for the front side windows and front quarter lights further reduces wind noise around the A-and B-pillars. Subaru says the new XV’s cabin is now 1dB quieter under acceleration or when traveling at high speed.

The upgraded 2016 Subaru XV Crosstrek goes on sale in the UK this month. In spite of all the chassis upgrades, Subaru was able to keep its existing on-the-road price, with the range starting from 21,995 British Pounds. There were also upgrades made to the XV’s interior and infotainment.

Source: http://www.torquenews.com/

Volkswagen plugs new Passat GTE into European outlets

It's been the better part of a year since Volkswagen first announced the Passat GTE and revealed it at the Paris Motor Show. And now the German automaker is finally bringing it to market. That is, at least, certain markets, anyway.

The new GTE broadens the range of the European-market Passat (which is entirely different from the model we get here) with a plug-in hybrid for the first time. It follows the emergence of the Golf GTE which has a similar setup. The gasoline-electric powertrain marries a 1.4-liter turbo four to an electric motor and a dual-clutch transmission, producing a combined 215 horsepower. It can also be switched into pure electric mode, giving it a battery-powered range of 31 miles and warranting exemption from congestion charges in London and other such cities.


VW will offer the Passat GTE in both sedan and Variant wagon forms, with sales already beginning in select markets and broadening across Europe this fall. Asian markets can expect to see the new plug-in by year-end as well. Interested US customers will just have to admire this particular model from afar.

Source: http://www.autoblog.com/

Camp in style with the new Volkswagen California

Now in its fourth generation, the California is still unique in the campervan world as it is designed and built in house, by VW itself.

Based on the equally new Volkswagen T6 commercial vehicle, the latest VW camper van gets the option of four-wheel drive and a paddle-shift gearbox for the first time and the vehicle can be specified with adaptive suspension for greater comfort even when fully loaded.

There is also a range of safety systems including Driver Alert -- which monitors activity to make sure the driver is awake -- brake assist for performing emergency stops more rapidly, and post-collision braking for bringing the California to a complete halt immediately after an accident.

In terms of camping comforts, the California can sleep four, has a pop-up roof for improving headroom and concealing a double bed, a fridge, stove, sink and a host of ingenious storage solutions.

The California will be offered in two trim levels -- Ocean and Beach -- and the first deliveries are expected this summer.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/

3 important updates are coming on 2016 Subaru Forester

Subaru announced pricing and updates for the 2016 Forester. What new refinements do consumers get for the modest price increase?

Subaru’s best-selling Forester gets new updates in safety and infotainment for 2016. The new model gets a modest price increase from $200 in the base 2.5i Forester to $700 for the 2.5i Premium, 2.5i Limited and 2.5i Touring models. The 2016 Forester 2.0XT Premium with a 2.0-liter Boxer engine and Lineartronic CVT with manual mode and paddle shifters, also gets a $700 price bump and starts at $29,195. 2.0XT Touring starts at $33,795 (+$700). All models will add $850 destination and delivery. What do Forester buyers get for the price increase?

What’s new for 2016?

The 2016 Subaru Forester SUV gets several upgrades for the new model year. New for 2016, Forester models equipped with EyeSight now include Steering-Responsive Fog Lights. This added safety feature uses the pre-aimed fog lights to individually provide enhanced illumination in the direction of a turn. 2016 Forester also gets new safety and infotainment upgrades.

New STARLINK safety and security

For 2016, Forester Premium, Limited and Touring trims now feature two new Subaru STARLINK Safety and Security packages. STARLINK Safety Plus package includes SOS Emergency Assistance, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Automatic Collision Notification, Maintenance Notifications, Monthly Vehicle Health Report and Diagnostic Alerts. The STARLINK Safety Plus & Security Plus Package adds Stolen Vehicle Recovery Service, Vehicle Security Alarm Notification, Remote Lock/Unlock, Remote Horn and Lights and Remote Vehicle Locator.

STARLINK infotainment

All 2016 Forester trim lines now feature STARLINK, Subaru’s in-vehicle platform that gives drivers entertainment services and hands-free connectivity. Owners can use their smartphones and tap into nearly unlimited entertainment with apps like Pandora, iHeartRadio Aha, and Stitcher. The technology can deliver live traffic alerts and helps reduce driver distraction by displaying texts and allowing the driver to use voice commands for music and navigation (when equipped).

The 2016 Forester 2.5i base model features STARLINK 6.2” Multimedia with a 6.2-in. single-touch gesture display. Forester Premium, Limited and Touring trims get upgraded STARLINK 7.0” Multimedia Plus with a high-resolution 7-in. LCD screen featuring multi-touch gesture controls as standard.

The 2016 Subaru Forester compact SUV begins arriving at dealerships this summer.

Source: http://www.torquenews.com/

VW announces reworked 6.0 W12 TSI engine

Nobody makes more engines with a dozen cylinders than the Volkswagen Group. They're W12s, of course, owing to the novel shape of their cylinder banks. Now the German industrial giant has announced a comprehensively reworked version of that engine at the same Vienna Motor Symposium where it presented its new 2.0-liter turbo four.

The new W12 retains the same arrangement and the same 6.0-liter displacement, but updates it all with the latest powertrain tech. In place of Audi's FSI direct injection and Bentley's TMPI multi-point injection, the engine has adopted a new TSI system. It's also got a pair of new twin-scroll turbochargers, APS-coated cylinders, a new cooling system, active engine mounts, cylinder deactivation, and a stop/start system. And – crucially for application in the upcoming Bentayga – it has an oil circuit designed for off-road use.

The revised package now produces 600 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. Considerably more than the 567 hp and 516 lb-ft offered in the Bentley Continental GT W12, but less than the GT Speed, which we suspect will get an even more powerful version of this new engine. It's also more powerful than even the top version of Audi and Bentley's 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, to make the W12 a more compelling option.

Of course that's just as far as the Continental GT is concerned. The W12 has also found use in the Continental GTC andFlying Spur, as well as the Volkswagen Phaeton and Audi A8, and could find further applications under the Flying B emblem and elsewhere in the future. VW says that in the right application (say, in the production version of the Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 concept, for example), the new twelve-pot could deliver 0-62 times of under four seconds and a top speed in excess of 186 miles per hour.

Subaru smashes sales goal five years ahead of schedule, plans more US models

There are few things an automaker likes to do more than beat its sales goals. In Subaru’s case, it is crushing them.

The latest news from the Japanese car brand is that it will hit its North American sales targets a full five years ahead of schedule. In the automotive world, that’s like getting into Harvard fresh out of elementary school; it just doesn’t happen.

Currently, the Outback and Forester are Subaru’s hottest selling models, which were both redesigned in 2014.

In response, Subaru plans to ramp up production and will introduce new vehicles in the U.S. earlier than it had planned. The sales target has also been raised to 600,000 vehicles by the end of the March, 2016. That also means capacity at Subies Lafayette, Indiana plant will be pushed to 394,000 units annually by the end of next year to satisfy demand.

Subaru’s President, Yasuyuki Yoshinaga (who is actually the president of Subaru’s parent company, Fuji Heavy Industries) had this to say, “If only we had more cars, we could be selling more.” Leaders of automotive brands only dream of uttering such words.

Subaru will kick off a new global platform late next year that will underpin models like the next-generation Impreza and will eventually be the bone structure for all models in its lineup. This move will help the automaker reduce costs via greater manufacturing efficiencies.

Down the road, Subaru will roll out a new seven-seat SUV that will replace the Tribeca and a plug-in hybrid model. Additionally, Subaru will move to direct-injection for each of its gas-powered engines to improve fuel economy figures.

Why Subaru’s 3 recreation-purposed vehicles are driving the brands success

Subaru’s top 3 selling vehicles, the 2015 Subaru Outback, 2015 Forester and 2015 XV Crosstrek were at the Denver Auto Show. How are they driving Subaru’s success?

Subaru brought the 2015 Outback, 2015 Forester and 2015 XV Crosstrek to the Denver Auto Show that ran April 8-12. The new Outback is now the best selling vehicle in Colorado and Forester and XV Crosstrek are also contributing to the brands success in the Rocky Mountain region in a big way.

Subaru has seen 40 consecutive months of year-over-year growth, the best March ever for Forester, Outback, XV Crosstrek, Legacy and WRX/STI and will likely blow away their sales projections for 2015. Subaru is a small automaker, and they are doing certain things to attract an active younger generation to their brand. It’s working well for the Japanese automaker and there are 3 things contributing to their success in the Rocky Mountains.

Subaru has created a niche market with the 2015 Subaru Outback, 2015 Forester and 2015 XV Crosstrek and it is what’s driving their success in this area of the country. That niche revolves around their recreation-purposed vehicles that provide a three-pronged approach to what the Japanese automaker does best. They build multi-purpose vehicles that are functional, safe and fun to drive.

Boxer engines set Subaru apart

The fundamental philosophy of Subaru, and what sets the brand apart, is its Boxer engine design that sits lower in the chassis for a lower center of gravity. It provides the kind of driving dynamics that is high on the fun-to-drive meter. Even though the recreation-purposed Outback, Forester and XV Crosstrek have a higher ground clearance for weekend use, they also deliver sporty driving dynamics. Subaru is the only brand in the world that offers a boxer engine design beside Porsche.

Recreation-purposed design

The second key to Subaru’s success is that all Subaru vehicles except for the rear-drive BRZ sports coupe, feature Subaru’s Symmetrical all-wheel-drive system. The Boxer engine design, in combination with their all-wheel-drive technology, provides outstanding driving performance in all weather conditions. This gives an active generation of consumers in the Rocky Mountains, vehicles that have a go-anywhere attitude. Subaru owners use their vehicles for weekend excursions in the mountains to get away from the crowd. The Forester, Outback and XV Crosstrek offer outstanding utility for carrying recreational gear like snowboards, mountain bikes and camping equipment because of their functional crossover designs.

Subaru aims to be #1 brand in safety

Subaru is the only automaker in the world with the distinction of earning IIHS Top Safety Pick awards for every model it builds and has done so five consecutive years. Subaru doesn’t seem to be satisfied with where they are in the area of safety. Subaru has stated they want to keep the customers trust and will do this by continuing to build the safest vehicles on the planet. Subaru has been committed to safety and has developed its highly-rated collision safety and "EyeSight" driving assist system that is rated number one in the industry. Subaru has said they want to “become a #1 brand for overall safety with "All-Around Safety" protecting all passengers and pedestrians.”

It’s a three-pronged approach to building their recreation-purposed vehicles that resonated with consumers in Colorado. The 2015 Subaru Forester, 2015 Outback and 2015 XV Crosstrek multi purpose vehicles were at the Denver Auto Show and they are driving the brands success in the Rocky Mountain region.

VOLKSWAGEN TEASES GTI SUPERSPORT VISION GRAN TURISMO CONCEPT

After the success of last year’s Vision Gran Turismo Concept, Volkswagen has decided to take another crack at creating a Gran Turismo 6-exclusive special model based on the Golf GTI.  For their second concept, Volkswagen has created the GTI Supersport Vision GT, a widebody two-door featuring DTM-inspired aerodynamic cues and what sounds to be VR6 power.  At this time, information is extremely limited, but we wouldn’t be shocked if the car was unveiled at Worthersee Treffen next month.  Check out the videos below.

VOLKSWAGEN ANNOUNCES PRICING OF 2015 PASSAT LIMITED EDITION

Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced pricing on the 2015 Passat Limited Edition model. The Limited Edition model will have a starting MSRP of $23,995 (plus transportation) and supersedes the Wolfsburg and SE models from the current model year.

The new Limited Edition model offers a great value: compared with the automatic transmission S model, it has $2,755 of additional equipment, but costs just $1,555 more. The Limited Edition model introduces the following standard equipment above the S: 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels; KESSY® keyless access with push-button start; a rearview camera; V-tex leatherette seating surfaces; heatable front seats; a power eight-way driver’s seat with power lumbar; a touchscreen radio with SiriusXM® Satellite Radio capability; 8-speaker sound system; a leather-wrapped steering wheel, parking brake, and shifter; chrome window surrounds; and front foglights.

The Chattanooga, Tenn.-built Passat Limited Edition comes standard with the award-winning 1.8-liter, turbocharged and direct-injection EA288 TSI® four-cylinder engine, mated to Volkswagen’s smooth shifting six-speed automatic transmission. This highly efficient powerplant offers an estimated EPA fuel economy rating of 24 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. Like the rest of the Passat range, the 2015 Limited Edition model offers class-leading rear-seat legroom, a voluminous 15.9 cubic foot trunk, and German-engineered ride and handling.