Earlier this month, an SUV that will debut on the automotive market in early 2008, won an award in Los Angeles.

When the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid hits the roads in the spring of 2008, it will already have made history. Not only because it will be the first full size Hybrid SUV on the market, but also because it holds the prestigious title of ?Green Car of The Year?. The annual award was presented to Jay Flaherty of Chevrolet, at the Los Angeles auto show by Ron Cogan, publisher of ?Green Car Journal?.

The panelists that decided who the recipient of the ?Green Car of the Year? award would be included Jay Leno, host of the Tonight Show, Carroll Shelby, legendary automotive designer, and spokesperson representing four environmental organizations.

The Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid brought to us by General Motors Corp., will also be the first General Motors vehicle that offers a hybrid system designed and developed in a collaborative effort with input given from BMW AG, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, in addition to GM.

General Motors Shows A Strong Back After Causing A Major Controversy.

With the release of the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, some critics may finally forgive General Motors for what was perceived as a major mistake. In 1997, GM launched the battery operated EV1, and the little electric cars were a hit with the few people who ever had the chance to own one. The revolutionary automobile never made it to the world, only the most thoroughly screened politian’s and celebrities were given the privilege of leasing them, and then they had to give them back. In 2002, GM yanked all the prototypes back in, and sent them to the junk heap. The reason was never explained in detail, nor will GM offer any further information on the particular issue. The entire program was completely and officially cancelled in 2003, the brief statement given at the time by a spokesperson for GM claimed that they ?never realized any profit from the product.?

Sophisticated Look, Distinctive Features, And Powerful Performance.

Powered by the world’s first two-mode hybrid engine system, the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid is inspiring to drive. This will be the first hybrid that is designed to optimize fuel efficiency for both city and highway driving. In the first mode, for driving at low speeds, with light loads, the Tahoe hybrid can operate in three different ways; gasoline engine only, electric only, or gas and electric together. In the second mode, for highway driving, or for pulling or carrying heavy loads, the Tahoe operates mainly with the powerful V-8 engine, assisted by electric battery when passing, or slowing.

Safety, appearance, and comfort are of great import to GM, as always. The newest member of the Chevy family is no exception to the rule. The Tahoe Hybrid SUV is as pleasing to the viewer, as is it is to the driver. The exterior has a sleek but sporty aerodynamic design, with optional features available. The dynamics that power the new model of Chevy Tahoe are updated, upgraded versions of the quality components that have made General Motors’ the worthy brand it has become. The interior of this model received quite a bit of enhancement over last year’s design. Including added storage space, additional air bags, and classy changes to the instrument panel and center console.

Mercedes-Benz USA launches a bigger Baby Benz imbibing the Mercedes standards. And it comes at an aggressive price.

?The C-Class is a gateway to the Mercedes-Benz brand,? said Bernie Glaser, general manager, product management. ?Priced at around $30,000, it brings new and younger buyers to our brand. It is also a stairway up into our brands, because some customers step up to the (midsize) E-Class, the CLS, potentially into the (flagship) S-Class,? he said.

The new Mercedes C-Class gets minor facelift for 2008 while the least-expensive 2007 model is discontinued. The new C-Class sedan has $31,975 as manufacturer?s suggested retail price for the C300 Sport model, with a standard six-speed manual transmission. The 2008 C300 Luxury model is $33,675, with a seven-speed automatic transmission. Both versions have a 228-hp 3.0-liter V6 engine.

A third model in the American Mercedes lineup is the 2008 C350 Sport, with a 268-hp 3.5-liter V6 engine, at $37,275. Sales of those three models start on August 7. All-wheel-drive 4Matic models will be available starting in September. A high-performance AMG model is expected to be added next year.

The 2008 C-Class is the third generation of the Mercedes entry-level car. In 1982, the automaker first launched the 190 Class, which was promptly called the ?Baby Benz.? In 1993, the C-Class replaced the 190 Class, and the next generation C-Class generation debuted in 2000.

The latest C-Class is bigger than the model it replaces in nearly every dimension, including overall wheelbase, length, front and rear shoulder room, and trunk space. ?This is a direct response to criticisms customers had about the old model; this is what customers told us they want,? Glaser said.

The 2008 C-Class is designed to rival the BMW 3 Series and the Lexus ES and IS models. With the 2008 model, Mercedes is also trying to make its ?Sport? and ?Luxury? C-Class models more distinct from each other. The company has offered two versions of the C-Class since the 2005 model year, but the divergence was less apparent.

The new C-Class Sport is equipped with enhanced Mercedes Benz muffler, slightly racier exterior styling, a metallic instrument panel and rubber-studded aluminum pedals, three-pointed Mercedes-Benz star in the grille, in place of the traditional, stand-up hood ornament. The seven-speed automatic transmission is optional, for $1,440. Mercedes-Benz aficionados know the ?star in the grille? is usually exclusive to the company?s sporty coupes.

The Luxury models have the distinctive black instrument panel, a traditional hood ornament, burl walnut wood trim and an exclusive exterior color dubbed as ?sand beige metallic.?

The 2008 C300 Luxury is actually $500 less than the 2007 C280 Luxury model, which has the same engine. The bad news is that Mercedes is dropping what could be called its ?entry-level? model, the 2007 C230, once it is sold out. That means the least-expensive C-Class for 2008, the C300 Sport, costs $1,550 or 5.1 percent more than the least-expensive C-Class for 2007, the C230 Sport.

But according to Mercedes-Benz, if you added options to the 2007 model to match the standard equipment in the 2008 model, like a power sunroof, upgraded front seats, Bluetooth connectivity and dual-zone climate control, the bigger and more powerful 2008 model would actually cost less than the comparably equipped 2007 model.

A $2,700 option package includes navigation, plus a 450-watt Harman/Kardon system with 12 speakers. The upgraded system can save music from a CD onto a hard drive. It also can play tracks stored on a data CD, DVD or memory card.

?We have raised the bar for the fourth time for ourselves, and for the competition,? Glaser concluded.

Japanese automaker Subaru recently honored seventeen of its dealerships in the United States for their 25 years of marketing Subaru vehicles in the country. The celebration for the 25th anniversary of the seventeen dealerships was held at the Subaru National Business Conference in Las Vegas.

These dealerships are keys to the automaker?s expansion in the United States. With Asian automakers gaining momentum over American automakers in the country, Subaru is in a position to become a major threat to other automakers in the market. With the help of their dealerships, the Japanese carmaking firm is reaching out to more consumers.

Tim Colbeck, the vice president of sales for Subaru of America, congratulated the dealerships saying: ?On behalf of Subaru of America, I’d like to congratulate our twenty-fifth anniversary dealers. We appreciate the commitment and investment that our dealers have made in the Subaru brand over the years, and we know that they will continue to lead the charge in enabling us to reach new levels of success.?

The seventeen dealerships recognized at the event have been marketing Subaru vehicles for more than two decades. The Japanese automaker is known for its use of boxer engines and all wheel drive powertrains. Boxer engines are flat engines with the pistons positioned horizontally and reciprocating in opposite directions. The name of the engine came from this arrangement as the pistons are said to akin to a boxer?s punching motions.

Aside from that, the Japanese automaker is also known for the use of all-wheel drive configurations. With the use of this technology, stability, handling and traction of their vehicles are known the world over. The Japanese firm uses this expertise in motorsports as they have entries in the World Rally Championship. For conventional drivers, the use of all-wheel drive system is very much welcomed by performance enthusiasts.

Reliability is also a trademark for Subaru. With auto parts such as Subaru mufflers, drivetrain components, transmission and other system components designed for a long life, Subaru vehicles have become known as reliable cars.

All these attributes are what the seventeen and other Subaru dealerships are using to attract consumers. Although not as popular as other Japanese carmakers such as Toyota and Honda, Subaru is slowly becoming a major force in the United States auto market with the help of the seventeen dealerships.

The Earthtimes reported that the seventeen Subaru dealerships celebrating their 25th anniversary are: Lamb Subaru, Prescott, Ariz.; Downtown Subaru, Oakland, Calif.; Schaller Subaru, Middletown, Conn.; Classic Subaru, Atlanta, Ga.; Subaru of Countryside, Countryside, Ill.; Tom Wood Subaru, Indianapolis, Ind.; Dwyer & Sons Subaru, Commerce Twp., Mich.; Clements Subaru, Rochester, Minn.; Jim Armstrong Subaru, Hickory, N.C.; Lynnes Subaru, Bloomfield, N.J.; Miller Subaru, Lumberton, N.J.; Stocker Subaru, State College, Penn.; LaRiche Subaru, Findlay, Ohio; Gentry Subaru, Ontario, Ore.; Hanson Subaru, Olympia, Wash.; Roy Robinson Subaru, Marysville, Wash.; and Dahl Subaru, La Crosse, Wis.

These dealerships have been with the company for a quarter of a century and with their efforts being appreciated by Subaru, it looks as if the relationship between automaker and auto dealers is going well.

These seventeen dealerships along with other Subaru dealerships will soon be marketing the newest models of Subaru vehicles. Included in the lineup of the Japanese automaker for the 2008 model year is the refined Legacy. The Subaru Outback will also be hitting showrooms soon. The legendary Subaru Impreza and its WRX have also been upgraded for the new model year.

It is no secret that Ford Motor Company is exerting extra efforts to be back in the automotive spotlight. Earlier, Ford launched its Bold Moves, the automaker’s advertising strategy that is made up of several episodes and product launches.

Bold Moves, the online documentary of Ford, includes the Way Forward plan. The latter is designed to convey the essence of building Ford vehicles. The documentary also shows Ford’s programs aimed at guiding its workers who are about to lose their job due to find new employment.

“The documentary will present a picture of a company that is committed to revitalization through our people, products, improved quality and costs, and a laser-sharp focus on the customer,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s President of the Americas. “Each episode will provide evidence that it’s not business as usual at the Ford Motor Company and that ‘Change or Die’ is not a sound bite. It’s the way we’re approaching our future.”

According to Mary Lou Quesnell, director of Ford Brand DNA, “Over time, the body of work we are creating will tell a compelling story about bold products, bold leadership and Ford’s customer focus. We will provide both sides of the conversation and let America watch Ford’s turnaround as it happens.”

Bold Moves is produced by JWT Detroit and JWT New York. Said production is directed by Radical Media Inc., a famed New York-based production company. The latter has already established its name in making quality documentaries. In fact, it was given the highly-acclaimed Academy Award in its previous production.

Part of Bold Moves is the introduction of striking vehicle lineup to revive its charisma and lure more car enthusiasts. Its new lineup includes the rear-wheel drive Fusion, C1-based Focus, Fiesta, and the Mustang. Auto parts Ford Focus are subjected to several enhancements. Consequently, Ford Fiesta performance parts and Ford Mustang parts accessories are painstakingly tested to pave way to powerful vehicles that bear the automaker’s unmistakable quality and performance.

Other Ford brands will also have empowered vehicle lineup. Lincoln will maintain the production of MKZ/Zephyr and Town Car. Mercury, on one hand, will be offering Montego, Milan, and Meta-one.

We have all seen then the bumper stickers that say I would rather push a Ford than drive a Chevy. For many people, it is the truth. There is a great deal of consumer loyalty when it comes to Ford and Chevy. In fact, there is even a Playstation 2 game called Ford vs. Chevy. It may have to do with owning a particular vehicle that excelled so they stayed with that manufacturer. Maybe their family owned Ford’s or Chevy’s and they went with what was familiar.

Ford and Chevy continue to be stiff competitors out there. Ford does seem to excel though in many areas. If you want speed the Ford Mustang will out do the Chevy Corvette hands down. Chevy is in the process of making a come back with the Chevy Camaro but fans of the Camaro aren’t taking to the new design very well.

Ford Pickups are available in a variety of sizes from small trucks to large work trucks. The Ford F-150 is their basic full size truck, but they have smaller models, such as the Ranger, and larger models like the F-850 for super heavy duty hauling. Chevy has several of them as well. The safety ratings for Ford are slightly better though when several of the same style of pickups were compared to each other.

Mini vans are very popular these days as they look sporty and they offer plenty of room. The Ford Windstar and the Chevy Venture both offer plenty of room. Yet the Ford Windstar is more stylish and offers more features.

Ford also has the Ford Escape, which Chevy does not really have a good answer to. The Escape has good mpg, at about 24, but it still has the power to tow 3,500 pounds with the towing package. It’s a great vehicle for anyone who does need the extra room and towing power larger SUVs offer, because the Escape is great on gas, easy and fun to drive, and affordable.

Price is always a big concern when purchasing a new or used vehicle. The cost of used vehicles really depends on the quality of the vehicle and the amount of miles on it. New vehicles are pricey, but Ford and Chevy often compete to get business. I can almost guarantee that if you tell the Ford dealer how much Chevy quoted you for a similar vehicle of theirs, they would meet or match the price. If they won’t, you can go to another dealer, or ask for concessions to make the deal more attractive to you.

In many areas such as price, speed, and safety, Chevy appears to have some catching up to do. One problem they have is they always seem to be following in the footsteps of Ford rather than introducing something new to attract new customers. While the age old debate between Ford and Chevy owners will continue on, it is important to base that decision on some solid facts. Just because your grand-daddy said that Ford was the best doesn’t mean that they still are. And it certainly doesn’t mean that Ford is better for the particular type of vehicle you are buying.

You can find excellent information on Ford and Chevy comparisons in Consumer Reports, safety ratings, and various online resources. Make sure you look for unbiased information though or you will end up with nothing more than the opinion of the reader.

As you can well guess, most reviewers are biased in a review like this. Safety ratings, MPG ratings and other figures are good things to look at when comparing. Don’t forget though, that there can be a good deal of variation from model to model and from year to year. So it’s very important to compare apples to apples. Don’t try to compare a 2007 Ford Explorer to a 2003 Chevy Blazer.

The prestigious Robert E. Petersen Lifetime Achievement Award, for the first time next year, will be given to an entire family and not to a single person. The Petersen Automotive Museum and Hotrod & Restoration have chosen the Ford family as the recipient of the award.

The awarding will coincide with the 75th anniversary of the 1932 Ford, one of the most influential vehicles from the automaker. The 1932 Ford, otherwise called Model B or Deuce coupe, is highly collectible these days. However, one should be prepared to pay thousands of dollars to restore its original style and appeal. Said vehicle played a significant role in giving birth to the hot rod era.

Petersen Lifetime Achievement Award is scheduled to be given to Edsel B. Ford II, chosen representative of the family, on the second day of March next year. Edsel B. Ford II is the great-grandson of Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company.

?There couldn’t be a more fitting family member to represent the Ford family than Edsel B. Ford II,” said Dick Messer, director of The Petersen Automotive Museum in a recent press release. “His grandfather, Edsel B. Ford (son of Henry Ford), oversaw the design of the 1932 Ford coupes and roadster, now nicknamed the ‘deuce’.” Those vehicles are the roots upon which the hot rod niche market has been built.”

]Robert E. Petersen, founder of The Petersen Automotive Museum and award namesake noted, “There couldn’t be a more appropriate time or appropriate place to honor the Ford family. The 1932 Ford roadster remains the most popular body style among hot rodders and has long been recognized as America’s quintessential hot rod. These vehicles formed the foundation for the hot rod movement.”

Ford Motor Company, an US multinational corporation Ford in 1903, is the third biggest automaker around the globe. The auto corporation is now made up of several brands that include Lincoln, Mercury, Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin and Volvo. Ford also owns one-third controlling interest in Mazda. The company has been in continuous family control for more than 100 years.

Ford has introduced numerous remarkable vehicles in the past. Up until now, the third largest automaker is still making big waves in the auto market despite its reported losses in several segments. Current flexible fuel vehicles from the automaker are F-150, Focus, Taurus, Mercury Grand Marquis, Lincoln Town Car, Crown Victoria, and Ranger.

1986 Ford Crown Victoria parts reflect reliability and durability. Ford Ranger aftermarket parts, consequently, exude quality, style and performance. Also, hybrid electric vehicles from the automaker also created warm acceptance from the auto market. This is especially true with Escape Hybrid. Ford Escape hybrid parts accessories have established a superb reputation in the industry.