Leaked brochures of the Toyota version be damned, Subaru continues to prepare us for the Tokyo auto show reveal of its rear-drive sports car with information hors d’oeuvres.

On the latest silver tray, Subaru serves up a glimpse at the car’s front end—you can see that the grille is different than the one on the Toyota FT-86/Scion FR-S—plus some additional specifications. As we learned during our drive of a BRZ prototype, the boxer engine architecture is Subaru’s, but Toyota has contributed its dual port/direct-injection heads. (Engineering geeks take note: Subaru’s working on its own direct-injection tech, as previewed in the Advanced Tourer Concept, and it’s not licensed from ToMoCo.)

A PDF also rocketed in from the Pleiades (you can check it out here) and reported the BRZ’s length, width, and height. The big deal here is less that the car is 166.9 inches long, 69.9 inches wide, and 51.2 inches high, but that the numbers corroborate those in a spec sheet allegedly leaked from Japan. That sheet also reports weight estimates of 2668 to 2712 pounds, numbers given further credibility by the dimensional accuracy. Overall, the BRZ and its Toyota sib will be longer and wider than the Mazda MX-5, though a bit taller and between that car and the RX-8 in weight.

Online leaks, teasers, a decoy set for the L.A. auto show—it sounds like J.J. Abrams is writing the launch plan for the BRZ and Toyota FT-86. At least it will all be over a month from now, when the pair of heavily hyped cars are properly and fully presented to the public in Tokyo.

The all-new 2013 Ford Escape has been the big newsmaker within Ford’s crossover family recently, but now is also mid-cycle-update time for that polarizing box on other end of the size spectrum, the Flex. Making its debut alongside the Escape at the L.A. auto show is a freshened Flex that greets the world with sleek new front-end styling, more horsepower from the base V-6, and an updated interior blessed (or just less-cursed, depending on your penchant for climbing technological learning curves) with an improved version of Ford’s controversial MyFord Touch system.

On the outside, the 2013 Flex jettisons its staid three-bar grille in favor of a single space-age chrome band which is flanked by skinny new headlamps set within darkened surrounds. The front bumper also is new, echoing the grille with a slim air intake bracketed by rectangular fog lamps. And if the Flex’s T-square styling isn’t unique enough in the segment, the contrasting roof is still available as a standalone option in white or silver, while a black lid is part of the Appearance package that also brings 20-inch machined wheels and sundry interior upgrades. Interestingly, the blue oval has been banished from the front end; the only Ford badges found anywhere on the vehicle’s exterior are discreetly placed on the wheel center caps and in the corner of the tailgate.

Still Not Sure We Want to Touch

Inside, the big news is that the 2013 Flex sees an updated version of the controversial MyFord Touch added to its options sheet. The first iteration of the system has been slow to win friends at C/D and in the market. Ford recently reworked the setup to provide quicker response times, clearer displays, larger and more readable system fonts, and “buttons” that look more like buttons, but we’ll reserve judgment for after we’ve seen and touched it ourselves.

As with the 2012 model, the base Flex is powered by a 3.5-liter V-6; thanks to variable camshaft timing, it now produces 285 hp and 255 lb-ft of torque (up from 262 and 248) and should travel an additional mile on each gallon of gas (up to 18 in the city and 25 on the highway for front-wheel-drive models). We don’t expect the uptick in output to shave much from its 0-to-60-mph time (which was a ho-hum 8.4 seconds last time we tested it), so speed demons are advised to check out the EcoBoost-endowed Flex, with its 355 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. This engine is unchanged from 2012, and again comes standard with all-wheel drive, which is optional with the naturally aspirated six. In our testing, the EcoBoost Flex hit 60 in six seconds flat and cleared the quarter-mile in 14.6 at 96 mph.

It should be noted that, regardless of what’s under the hood, no Flex has ever struck us as terribly fun to drive, and it doesn’t look like that will change for 2013. At least no Flex will be saddled—yet—with the wimpy 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder that, as we noted when we encountered it in the 2012 Explorer, is overmatched by the mass of a three-row crossover.

One thing seems clear when looking back on the Manila International Auto Show: The cars of the future will be safer than the cars of today. The reason for this is not only because of advances in technology or advances in scientific development. While these things of course play a large part in the whole change, the greater reason can be seen to be the driving desire to make safer cars and also because they will be eligible for cheap insurance. The people who are creating them really want to make the change, and this want is what will ultimately lead them to find the success that they are searching for.

It is also good to see that so many people went to the Manila International Auto Show, setting attendance records. On one hand, this shows that people are also interested in safety. They want to see what changes have been made and what changes are coming in the future. At the same time, it shows something even greater. It shows that people support these changes. People want cars to be safer and they want auto companies to put more effort into this part of their design and production process. They are turning out in large numbers not just because they want to see some impressive vehicles, but because they are happy with the things that are happening in the industry. They want to see those changes continue.

It is also very wise that auto makers are looking to racing as a place to test out new ideas when it comes to passenger cars. For one thing, races are heavily covered by the media. There is plenty of documentation to show how cars truly performed. The race is also the time when the car is truly pushed. It is the time when the car will really show what it can do. Most people do not push their cars to such limits, so it is impossible to see how the new safety regulations are working except in controlled experiments. While these can work, they are no comparison to putting a car out in the real world and seeing what it does. That there has not been a death in F1 racing since 1994 is a testament to how safe these cars have become.

The future seems to be very bright for the automobile in general. If safety is the focus, more consumers will be happy with the product that they get. Too often have people seen safety sacrificed for performance. Too often have they seen auto makers forget about safety in order to get a lot of cars on the road very quickly, in the name of profits. These kinds of things seem to be stopping, which will influence more people to buy cars.

If things continue in the direction that the MIAS suggests, cars could be reaching a high point in safety and reliability very soon. For those who have been watching the technology develop over the years and yearning for this sort of action, this is a very excellent future.

If you are in search of new car insurance, check your credit history beforehand as there are many insurers who are looking for it. For decades, auto insurance companies consider the credit information of the customers when deciding the premium to be charged for their insurance. The question arises- why is it so? Credit history is used as the criterion for determining insurance rates because there is an exact correlation between the credit history behavior of the customer and the expected claims that might take place. Even a couple of missing credit card payments can double up your insurance premium.

Credit score can prove to be fatal for those customers who have poor credit histories and studies prove that such people are more prone to file claims and accidents, thus should pay more for their insurance policies. It can be possible that a person who has never filed any claim or had had an accident might pay more for his auto insurance than the other with same vehicle only because of the differences in their credit scores. It seems to be a penalty for people with poor credits and discount for those with excellent credit scores. If you have an average credit score, then you will have normal rates of premium for your car insurance. People with good credit history enjoy lower premium rates than they did before. There are several other factors that are used by the insurance companies for calculating the premium rates for any individual and credit history is becoming the major one.

No matter how much time you have been with your car insurance company or regardless of your loss history, a poor credit score or history can lead you to high rates of insurance premiums. So better pay all your bills before going for new auto insurance.

To sell a brand new car is easy…however, it is expensive as well. And inflation is coming at high speed and does not leave any one of us unharmed. To sell a used car means profit for both parties. It is cheaper for the buyer, yet it is profitable for the seller. A
car is like gold, it is enough you have one, and you will never be poor. Here are some things you should do before you try to sell used car, in order to sell it at higher prices. www.wewillbuyyourcar.com”>Sell car tips:

1. Take it to a mechanic before your buyer does. This is very important because, once those little things get fixed, when your buyer takes it to their mechanic, they will sure have a pleasant surprise, and one little compliment on the car is enough for you to negotiate for a higher price.

2. It is very important your car is spotlessly clean. Do it yourself, or if you have some extra cash, take it for a thorough detailing. Your buyer will fall in love with it, and that is the moment you have been waiting for.

3. If you want your buyer to fall in love with your car, you will have to prove to them that you love it yourself. Collect all maintenance bills from the mechanics, reprint those you have lost and show your customer how much you care.

This will not make you sell your car as if it was brand new, but your effort will surely be worth it.

Let’s face it, waste in generally a bad thing – but many people feel that recycling takes both time and effort, time being a commodity that few of us have in surplus these days! Sometimes however there are things that can be done to help cut waste, that don’t require much effort, or time. Throwing your glass bottles into the right bin, for example. One way in which UK residents can now help the environment in a similarly effortless manner whilst also helping a charity, is by choosing the right method of disposing of their unwanted cars.

Whilst car recycling may seem a million miles away from simply choosing which bin to throw your glass bottles into, there are striking similarities. For example, in the same way that broken glass left on streets and in parks can cause harm, cars contain many harmful chemicals and substances that, if left to rot, can both pollute the environment and pose a more immediate threat to the safety of those nearby.

Instead of being left around for someone to fall on, glass bottles can of course be sent off to be processed and recycled into new glass bottles. Likewise, cars can also be sent off to be recycled. Even better, some parts can be removed off the scrap car and used again – reusing is generally thought to be more efficient and environmentally friendly than recycling, so this is a good thing.

With car recycling however the problem is often where to send your car… You hardly see car recycling drop off points in the car parks of major supermarkets now, do you?! There are probably scores of adverts in your local newspaper offering to dispose of your unwanted car, but can you trust the person advertising to dispose of the car in an ethical way? – Don’t forget that the car is registered in your name and, although you will obviously fill in the V5 document to get it out of your name when you scrap the car, if the buy is not a licensed scrap dealer, or commits a crime with your car, this may still cause you a headache.

Thankfully as we said in the intro to this post, it is possible to get your scrap car recycled, and also help a charity. A company called Giveacar, based in London (but serving the whole of the UK) will arrange the collection of your car by an approved salvage company, and they will even make a donation to charity for you!

Giveacar has a whole host of options of which charity should receive the donation, or you can specify one instead, and remember, this will cost you nothing! As for time and effort, all you have to do is pickup the phone, and call Giveacar on 020 0011 1664. Because Giveacar are a legitimate business, you also do not have to worry about your scrap vehicle being disposed of unethically, or going on to be used in a crime.

There’s no doubt about it, credit is hard to get these days. Even after the bank bailout, with the huge infusion of money to their coffers, bankers are stricter about giving out loans. You need a car. You have no credit history whatsoever. So, how about auto loans for people with no credit? Is this an impossible dream? Not at all. Surprisingly, if you have no credit history and are looking for an auto loan, chances are good you can obtain that loan. Here’s how to tackle the task and get that car.

The way the banks look at it is that no credit is better than bad credit. They want your business. The interest on the loan is cash on the hoof for them. So what do you need to qualify?

The first thing you need to know is that bankers view a loan with collateral in a far more favorable light than a loan without collateral. For example, if you’re going for a credit card line of credit, if you default, the bank has no way to recoup the loss ?they can’t repossess your groceries or that fancy pair of shoes. With an auto loan, the picture, from a banker’s point of view, is entirely different. They will only loan a percentage of the car’s value, that dollar amount that they can recoup, through the sale of the car, should you default. It’s really a win-win for them. When reviewing applications for auto loans for people with no credit, the lender has two important components in their favor: you need the car, they collect interest, and they have collateral should you fail to make the payments.

If you have a job which you’ve had for a year or more, pay your rent and utilities on time and are breathing, you’re likely to get the loan. Remember, auto loans for people with no credit means exactly that. You have no credit history. This can be a good thing. Get a copy of your credit report. If there’s nothing listed, this means, from the lender’s perspective, that you’ve satisfied the ordinary debts everyone incurs, such as rent and utilities. If you’ve defaulted on these debts, it will show up on your credit report. If not, the lender will rub his or her hands together in the happy anticipation of the interest the bank will realize.

You can further ‘feather your nest’, so to speak, with a reference from your landlord or utility companies which you freely pen in on your loan application. Sure, they’ll check your credit report anyway, but this gesture helps make a good impression. You’ve got nothing to hide.

If you don’t already have a savings account, start one, with regular, albeit small, deposits made via electronic transfers from your checking account. This bespeaks a financially responsible person. Points for you. If your paycheck is not now made via direct deposit, initiate the paperwork to make this happen. The lender then knows that your income goes straight to your account with every payday, making it easy to set up an automatic debit for the loan payment. When going through the approval process for auto loans for people with no credit, all of these factors can give you an edge.

Finally, consider that people who have gone through bankruptcy are able to obtain an auto loan. The collateral component is paramount. Don’t be shy. Auto loans for people with no credit are a dream come true. Apply and drive away tomorrow!

People along with governments of all over the world are worried about the pollution these days that happens due to the exhaust of growing number of cars. That is why all the car manufacturers of the world now spending hugely on research and development to invent green cars, so that people can drive cars without damaging the nature. Governments of many countries also are also encouraging car manufacturers to invent green cars by giving tax holiday and incentives.

The world’s biggest car manufacturer Honda is ahead of all other competitors in making green cars. It has already launched the electronic version of its best-selling car Honda Accord. The electronic version of the Accord runs electric power supplied by the Li ion battery of the car. The electric version of the Accord is now available at many countries of the world and people are showing huge interest to procure one for them.

When you contemplate buying a new car, you need to factor in not just what you put down upfront and fork over in your monthly payments. The cost of ownership is also what you spend on insurance, parking, car care and of course gas. And it wouldn’t be a bad idea to include in the price of the car the sense of loss you’d feel not spending the money you spend on the car on something you really care about. When you sit down and try to figure out how to buy a car, your notes should include more than just the research you put in to determine mileage, and the test ride you take. Look at it this way: if you’re 25 and the car price you’re willing to work with is $30,000, what if you lowered your expectations and bought one that cost $20,000 instead? If you decide to save the difference in a Roth Individual Retirement Account, you should probably have an extra $150,000 the day you retire.

Here are a few things for your consideration for when you decide to buy a car:

1. If you are not paying a car payment every month now, think about what it’ll be like when your income takes a $500 hit. You could test drive this by trying to live on $500 less for a couple of months to see how it works out.

2. Try not to roll over the loan you owe on your existing car over into the loan package for your new car. You won’t be paying the same old interest on the old loan that you always did. A rolled over car finance plan doesn’t have the collateral of the car for the lenders to feel secure over. You pay very high rates.

3. Make sure that you can obtain a loan at their interest rates. If you have poor credit, what you pay for your car loan could be so high as to be not worth it. Make sure that the car you buy isn’t going to cost you in expensive running costs every day – special gas, special tires and so on. As a rule, taking out more than a fifth of your household income to spend on car payments and maintenance is a bad idea. Next to the family home we buy, spending on buying and maintaining a car are about the most draining expenses we ever experience. Keeping it down here would make a real difference.

4. Car loans have become so much more expensive now than before – for people with less than ideal credit. You could put off buying a car for a few months and use the time to work on your credit rating.

5. It’s a fact of life – new cars are much-hyped, and the car price you pay for themwill be inflated too. It pays to wait. As wonderful as the new VW Beetle is, what would it be like if you had gone out and bought it at the premium they charged for it back then? You need to make sure you’re not doing something like that picking an in-demand car.

6. Try to find out if you can get financing somewhere other than at the dealership. If you walk in with the financing taken care of elsewhere, it can give you a great deal of leverage over working down the car price quoted to you. All put together, the payments you make under par over the years easily add up to about twice the original car price. Anything you can do to help cure can go a long way.

And finally, as you consider the car price you are willing to pay, try to see how you can make it go on regular fuel, and not premium. Buying the cheapest that will allow your car to run without knocking, is proven to be good enough. And when you do fill it up, do it at a gas pump that charges the least. There are Internet sites like GasPriceWatch.com that’ll send you text messages about where the cheapest gas goes in your neighborhood. Typically, driving over to a less pleasant neighborhood usually gets you cheaper gas. It’s priced for the neighborhood.