The scooter’s image is evolving, and scooter numbers are rising: Scooter sales in the US have jumped dramatically in recent years, from roughly 20,000 units sold in 1999 to over 150,000 in 2006.

“People are migrating toward scooters for all the right reasons,” says Kevin Andrews, Piaggio/Vespa brand manager for Piaggio USA, which showed off several lines of classic and modern scooters at a motorcycle show in New York City in December. “They average about 70 miles per gallon; every time the price of gas goes up, people give us more consideration, which is great.”
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New York City’s police department is testing out a new electric scooter called the “Vectrix” to replace their fleet of gas-powered motorcycles.
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2009 Toyota Matrix S 5-Spd MT

AS PART OF A NATIONAL push to promote its 2009 Matrix wagon, Toyota is marketing to Asian-Americans via sponsorship of the 26th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, which runs through March 21.

Toyota will offer the Matrix as a free shuttle to and from opening festivities and after parties at the festival, which is the largest and oldest Asian-American film gathering in the U.S. The Matrix will also sponsor several events during the festival, including live interviews, screenings and musical performances. » Read the rest of the entry..

The 2008 Audi R8 supercar, as it’s already been dubbed, boasts two transmissions with design elements reminiscent of the Porsche or Corvette. With its unique layout, and everyday driving capabilities, the R8 offers more than just the raw performance that’s usually likened to a sports car. Audi R8 2008 manufacturer’s suggested price starts at $109,000 dollars.
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Audi Canada captured the triple crown of Canadian automotive awards Wednesday with the all new R8 mid-engined sports car.

At the opening press conference of the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, the R8 was presented the 2008 “Canadian Car of the Year” award by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). The Audi R8 was evaluated against a long list of discerning criteria amidst a group of strong eligible competitors. The Audi R8 beat 11 other “best new” category winners, announced December 4th, to secure the prestigious Canadian Car of the Year honours. » Read the rest of the entry..

The new Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4, has broken cover in Geneva.

Boasting a new 5.2-litre V10 engine, permanent four-wheel drive and revised suspension the LP560 takes the already superb Gallardo to new levels.
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The 2008 R8 is a Two-door, Two-passenger sports coupe, available in two trims, the Coupe quattro and the Coupe quattro with Auto R tronic.

Upon introduction, the Coupe quattro is equipped with a standard 4.2-liter, V8, 420-horsepower engine that achieves 13-mpg in the city and 20-mpg on the highway. The Coupe quattro with Auto R tronic is equipped with a standard 4.2-liter, V8, 420-horsepower engine that achieves 13-mpg in the city and 19-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard on both trims.

The wheel of a prototype Toyota Plug-In Prius Hybrid tooling around the legendary streets of the Motor City … on clean, quiet, electric power. Woodward Avenue, after all, is home turf of the American muscle car, where cubic inches and high octane gasoline have ruled for decades. The car we were driving is an early variant of a high efficiency hybrid that EV aficionados want in the worst way…with little or no gasoline required.

The plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) designation is what sets this Prius apart from the current showroom model. Essentially, Toyota doubled the battery capacity of the current model, recalibrated the electronics, and provided an onboard charger to make this Prius unique. The extra nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) cells take up the space formerly occupied by the spare tire and raise total capacity to 13 ampere-hours, from 6.5 Ah in stock form. Secreting batteries in the spare tire well allows the rear cargo floor to remain flat without intruding on cargo capacity. » Read the rest of the entry..

Malaysian car maker Proton Holdings Bhd unveiled plans on Friday to introduce new models this year, aiming to boost sales in a home market that skidded into reverse last year.

State-controlled Proton has a weak record on new product launches and several of its most successful models such as the Wira and Iswara sedans are about 10 years old.

That and its poor reputation for quality have prompted local buyers to opt for cars made by foreign firms such as Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp. and Korea’s Kia Motors .
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version of the Burgman 400 scooter, and even a 650 model as well for that matter.It’s a scooter manufactured by Suzuki - not an ordinary scooter, mind you, but rather what is today, commonly referred to as a maxi or super scooter.

Regardless of its name or how it originated, the Suzuki Burgman 400 is an extraordinary scooter, that when viewed from the front, looks for all the world like a sport bike - only when moving around to the side for a better look, does it take on the persona of a scooter, with no visible engine and a step-through mounting. There are several maxi or super scooters in the marketplace today, ranging from 400 cc to 650 cc in displacement, but the Burgman 400 seems to rank a cut above the others in terms of its styling execution. The light, rigid chassis and sleekly designed, curvaceous body not only gives the scooter a sporty appearance, but an aerodynamic advantage as well at higher freeway speeds. The widely-spaced “cat-eye” headlights and rakish windscreen with a lower vent add to the purposeful sport bike look up front, creating a smooth air flow over the rider, while the updated taillights wrap deeply into the body sides for a clean effect.
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