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	<title>Book Car Values &#124; Car Shopping &#124; Automotive Blog</title>
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		<title>KITT Is Coming: Dragon Drive! Lets You Dictate Texts On The Road</title>
		<description><![CDATA[ For decades, man has dreamed of speaking into thin air and having computers fulfill his every wish. Despite the potential downsides of living in such a world -- as seen in movies like 2001 or Terminator or I, Robot -- the fantasy lives on. As proof, we need look no further than the 1980s TV series Knight Rider or, more recently, commercials... ]]></description>
		<link>http://bookcarvalues.com/auto-news/kitt-is-coming-dragon-drive-lets-you-dictate-texts-on-the-road/</link>
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		<title>Best new car deals for the 2012 Memorial Day weekend</title>
		<description><![CDATA[ Looking for an affordable, reliable new car before summer? This Memorial Day weekend is a good time to hit the showrooms for deals on a new car primed for a road trip adventure. Dealers are in the final crunch to make their end-of-the-month sales quota this coming weekend, and the holiday weekend typically brings out additional incentives, putting shoppers in a strong position to negotiate a great deal on a good car. For our holiday deals, we have listed 2012 models that offer the best discounts&#8212;between 15 percent and 20 percent below MSRP. But dealers may be interested in negotiating further to reach their sales quota and to move vehicles off the lots. Also, you may find local deals and incentives, so check our pricing information on the model pages. As the model year approaches summer, it is wise to monitor which vehicles will be replaced for 2013. On this list, several deals&#8212;such as the Ford Escape, Ford Fusion, and Honda Accord&#8212;will soon be supplanted by next-generation models. The models listed below are just a few of our Best New Car Deals , meaning there are notable discounts on models that meet Consumer Reports' criteria to be recommended. These vehicles scored well in our testing, had average or better reliability in our subscriber survey, and performed well in government or insurance-industry safety tests, if evaluated. See our full list of deals on 2012 models. Make &#38; model Expires MSRP Invoice price Customer rebate Dealer incentive Bottom line price ]]></description>
		<link>http://bookcarvalues.com/auto-news/best-new-car-deals-for-the-2012-memorial-day-weekend/</link>
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		<title>The New Setra ComfortClass 500</title>
		<description><![CDATA[ Daimler subsidiary Setra, which manufactures top-of-the-line touring coaches, has just debuted its new ComfortClass 500 coaches. The new Mercedes-Benz-powered models are ready for retail by autumn this year, and they are touted to have superb fuel efficiency along with unparalleled aerodynamic qualities. Setra is banking on the inherent style that the ComfortClass 500 possesses, along with a slew of other desirable features. See, the coaches already comply with Euro VI emissions standards. Aside from that, there are plans to include various safety features like driver assistance systems and other safety elements as indicated by new regulations imposed on tour buses that will take effect within a few years. “With the new ComfortClass 500, we want to do more than just prepare our customers for the challenges of the next few years,” said Setra brand spokesman Lothar Holder. “As a technology leader, we are setting standards for design, aerodynamics and efficiency with this new generation of vehicles, making the future tangible today.” Mercedes-Benz BlueEfficiency engines act as the beating hearts of these ComfortClass 500 buses. There&#8217;s the 10.7-liter 6-cylinder OM 470 that has already been tweaked to provide optimized performance and fuel efficiency figures. It&#8217;s good for 428 horsepower with a max torque of 2,100 Nm—so even with the fuel efficiency, the power output is still considerable. ]]></description>
		<link>http://bookcarvalues.com/mercedes/the-new-setra-comfortclass-500/</link>
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		<title>The Ford Mustang Facebook Page Scores Four Million Fans</title>
		<description><![CDATA[ Ford is no stranger to social media, and now it has reached a new record: The Mustang is the most popular vehicle nameplate on Facebook. The car's official Facebook fan page now has over four million fans. Growing at a rate of approximately 14,000 new fans a day, the Mustang fan page is also one of the more engaged automotive Facebook fan pages... ]]></description>
		<link>http://bookcarvalues.com/auto-news/the-ford-mustang-facebook-page-scores-four-million-fans/</link>
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		<title>For $900, Home Is Where You Park It [Nice Price Or Crack Pipe]</title>
		<description><![CDATA[ When you think Mini Winnie, do you envision Danica McKellar during the first season of The Wonder Years ? Or, does that phrase elicit visons of fuel efficient RVs like today&#8217;s Nice Price or Crack Pipe Winnebago Centauri, from all those years ago? Either way, will this one&#8217;s price leave you wondering? More&#160;&#187; The rest is here:  For $900, Home Is Where You Park It [Nice Price Or Crack Pipe] ]]></description>
		<link>http://bookcarvalues.com/auto-blog/for-900-home-is-where-you-park-it-nice-price-or-crack-pipe/</link>
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		<title>The Next Mazda MX-5 Roadster Will Spawn An Alfa Romeo [Mazda MX-5]</title>
		<description><![CDATA[ How can an independent Mazda survive to zoom-zoom another day? Alliances. Like, say, loaning its robust roadster tech to the Italian brand that once defined the genre as &#8220;fun but flimsy&#8221;? Yes, Mazda&#8217;s inked a deal that could see the next MX-5 become an Alfa Romeo spider, and we couldn&#8217;t be happier. More&#160;&#187; View original here: The Next Mazda MX-5 Roadster Will Spawn An Alfa Romeo [Mazda MX-5] ]]></description>
		<link>http://bookcarvalues.com/auto-blog/the-next-mazda-mx-5-roadster-will-spawn-an-alfa-romeo-mazda-mx-5/</link>
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		<title>A Monaco Story: Mika and Nico Chats in Monte Carlo</title>
		<description><![CDATA[ Surely you have already seen two or more people bumping at each other in a random place, maybe in a coffee shop or an elevator, and it is not unusual anymore. In this video, it shows how Mika Hakkinen and Nico Rosberg sort of bumped into each other in Monte Carlo. You shouldn&#8217;t be surprised, as they live just a few floors apart. Mika Hakkinen has long history with Mercedes-Benz. In 1998 and 1999, he won the world title riding the McLaren Mercedes. Nico Rosberg is driving for the third season since Silver Arrows returned. In the video, you will see how long they&#8217;ve been &#8216;together&#8217;, it was long before Rosberg started in motorsports. He was just 11 years old when he met Mika, because Keke Rosberg, was the leader of his management team. Watch the video and hear how these two motorsports champion got in the game and stayed in it, and how they also got in their friendship. For the full story and the gallery, you can see it after the jump. Race Preview Feature Five: A Monaco story: When Nico met Mika Mika Häkkinen was the first Mercedes-Benz world champion of the modern era, and a two-time title winner in 1998 and 1999 with McLaren Mercedes; Nico Rosberg is the first man to win a Grand Prix at the wheel of a Silver Arrow since the great Juan Manuel Fangio, in the third season of the return of the Silver Arrows. On the eve of the race around their home streets, the two men met to discuss their experiences as part of one of the most spectacular events in world sport. The histories of Mika Häkkinen and Nico Rosberg have been intertwined for more than twenty years, when Nico was just a young boy and Mika worked with Keke Rosberg, who led his management team. “I don’t remember when we first met – maybe Mika does!” laughs Nico when the question comes. “Well, I started working with Keke at the end of 1987,” recalls Mika. “I think the first time we met must have been down here in Monaco in the early ’90s. I was visiting Keke, and you were playing in your room! It’s possible I was his first sponsor in karting – do you remember that?” “Yeah, sure,” laughs Nico. “It was 1997, I was 11 years old and competing in the French go-karting championship. I had a poster in my room with all my sponsors on there, and one of them was you!” “My son is eleven now,” says Mika, picking up the thread. “I’m sure I did a contract with Keke that one day, when Nico will win races and be world champion, he has to start supporting my son Hugo!” If the early stages of Nico’s career were supported by Mika – who today himself is a partner with Didier Coton in Aces Management and has, among others, young Finn Valtteri Bottas under his wing – the parallels between the two have only grown stronger as time has passed. Both Mika and Nico had to wait until their seventh Formula One season before climbing the top step of the podium – Mika after 96 races, at the 1997 European Grand Prix in Jerez; Nico in his 111th start, at this year’s Chinese Grand Prix. And both in their third seasons driving Mercedes-Benz-powered cars. “Your first victory in Formula One always feels like it is a long time coming,” explains Mika. “And especially in my case – but when it arrives, the feeling is just amazing. But problems are part of life, and winning or losing, they don’t disappear. You need to keep understanding the cause of disappointments and where you and the team can improve. There is no point having your face upside down for one week – it’s better to pick up the phone, travel, see people, talk, organise yourself. Then you know that at the next event, you will be stronger – and if not the car, then yourself; you can always be better. Because the day when you have a car to win, you have to be ready. If not, it’s too late. I knew that one day I was going to win, it just took a long time.” “I had exactly the same feeling – Ross, all the guys, kept telling me that the win would come, I just needed to stay patient and take my opportunity,” agrees Nico. “Of course, you get frustrated if it doesn’t go perfectly, but time takes that away and you keep going, follow the development, communicate constantly with the team.” “Nico did a perfect weekend in China and deserves full credit for that win,” emphasises Mika. “It was not depending on circumstances or luck, but purely on his hard work. As a Mercedes-Benz ambassador, it was great not only to watch his achievements, but to enjoy seeing Mercedes-Benz back on the top step of the podium.” Inevitably, the conversation soon turns to the unique challenge of racing around the Monegasque streets, which have been home to both of them for more than 20 years. For Nico, the tunnel was once the route to school, in the passenger seat next to his Mum or on the school bus. And that ‘local’ feel is one that Mika says remains throughout the weekend. “I had some great victories in my career, but Monaco was something special,” remembers Mika. “I have lived here for 20 years and the thing you realise is that the people who work on the race track are also the people who live and work in Monaco – the police, the pompiers. In everyday life, these are the guys you see in the street and they say ‘hi’ as you walk past. To win in Monaco is like winning in your home streets, and you recognise faces all through the weekend.” “It’s home for me too, of course,” picks up Nico. “I’ve grown up here, all my friends are here and my family, I know everybody and it’s very special to race here. Mentally, it’s quite a demanding weekend. You have a lot going on, a lot of PR events and appointments. Plus on track, too, it’s a bit more intense – but not so much. You need to be super concentrated at every circuit.” “That’s true. But what changed for me was that, when I got a car that I would win races with, Monaco became more important for some reason. When you are hunting pole position in Monaco, your mind changes; you put yourself in a higher power, even though you think you are doing it already. When you are fighting for P11 or P12, you always think you are doing your maximum. But when I started fighting for pole, it just happened that I was working even harder to reach my goal – but not purposely. And of course, we changed the car, too: the steering lock, and the seating position to sit higher in the car, because the aero was not so important and we wanted to see the Armco properly.” “That’s interesting, because we definitely make changes, too,” says Nico. “But I don’t think it’s common practice, even today.” Source: NicoRosberg.com ]]></description>
		<link>http://bookcarvalues.com/mercedes/a-monaco-story-mika-and-nico-chats-in-monte-carlo/</link>
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		<title>Superior Auto Design Presents the CEO Edition</title>
		<description><![CDATA[ US tuner Superior Auto Design released photos of the new project they made for a customer who brought to them his Mercedes-Benz SS50. Called the CEO Edition, it is the classier version of the S-Class (as if the stock version is not classy enough!) From silver, it was painted in 2003 Lamborghini Murcielago black, done by full body respray. Then the car was dismantled thoroughly, from interior to the trunk lid, as will be shown in the gallery below. They decided on putting on 22&#8243; Asanti AF156 wheels. No other information was released by the company for now, but you can start enjoying the photos they published through Luxury4Play.com and follow how they built the car from start to finish. Photo: Luxury4Play.com &#160; ]]></description>
		<link>http://bookcarvalues.com/mercedes/superior-auto-design-presents-the-ceo-edition/</link>
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		<title>Stunning Renault Alpine concept leaks</title>
		<description><![CDATA[ Filed under: Latest News The picture above is a leaked image of a new Renault. You&#8217;re not dreaming. Leaked onto the global blotting paper that is the internets, the wondrous blue thing above is the much anticipated Alpine concept, due to debut at the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend. According to Autocar, the car is designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original Alpine A110. It&#8217;s been known for some time that Renault is looking to resurrect the Alpine brand, and although this concept is not going to be made as seen (we assume &#8211; it&#8217;ll cost too much), there&#8217;s a chance a sporty Alpine coup&#233; could come. The concept is based on the Megane Trophy race car, says Autocar, and is mid-engined, powered by a 395bhp V6. Alpine could become to Renault as Abarth is to Fiat, although it&#8217;s unlikely &#8211; with Renaultsport already making hot versions of Renault&#8217;s run-of-the-mill stuff, it&#8217;s more probable that Alpines will be completely separate models, with all-new designs and Renault parts as hidden as possible. &#160; View original post here: Stunning Renault Alpine concept leaks ]]></description>
		<link>http://bookcarvalues.com/auto-blog/stunning-renault-alpine-concept-leaks/</link>
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		<title>Mazda and Alfa Romeo to make sweet roadster together</title>
		<description><![CDATA[ Filed under: Humour Mazda and Fiat have announced that they&#8217;re partnering to make a rear-wheel drive sports car together, one badged Mazda, the other Alfa Romeo. This car manufacturer love-in thing is catching on. By that we&#8217;re referring, of course, to the Toyota-Subaru tie-up that spawned the GT86/BRZ, widely regarded as an awesome piece of work. That said, the VW-Suzuki partnership&#8230;not so much. The Toyota-Subaru project was for a long while called &#8216;Toyobaru&#8217;, so let&#8217;s portmanteau this shizzle up&#8230; The Mazdalf ( yep, that works ) will use the next-generation MX-5&#8217;s rear-wheel drive platform, but both cars will be distinctively styled and use different power plants, with each company providing &#8220;specific proprietary engines unique to each brand.&#8221; Both cars will be built at Mazda&#8217;s Hiroshima plant, according to a Mazda statement, which says that Alfa production is &#8220;envisaged&#8221; for 2015. The agreement is tentative at the moment, expected to be finalised at the end of this year. Here&#8217;s what both parties have to say: Establishing technology and product development alliances is one of Mazda&#8217;s corporate objectives and this announcement with Fiat is an important first step in that direction. It is especially exciting to be collaborating with such a prestigious marque as Alfa Romeo on a new roadster based on the next-generation MX-5, which is such an iconic vehicle for Mazda and recognized as the best-selling roadster of all time. Takashi Yamanouchi, Mazda President and CEO. This agreement clearly demonstrates our commitment to Alfa Romeo and the determination to grow it into a truly global brand. By partnering with Mazda, we will be co-operating with the recognized leader in compact rear-drive vehicle architectures in order to deliver an exciting and stylish roadster in the Alfa Romeo tradition. We are appreciative of this collaboration with Mazda and look forward to maintaining a fruitful and continuous relationship. Sergio Marchionne, Fiat CEO So, obvious thing to ask and that, does this mean we&#8217;re going to get the best of all worlds &#8211; Alfa style and desirability with Mazda reliability and the MX-5&#8217;s famed dynamic prowess? One word: Arna. &#160; Original post: Mazda and Alfa Romeo to make sweet roadster together ]]></description>
		<link>http://bookcarvalues.com/auto-blog/mazda-and-alfa-romeo-to-make-sweet-roadster-together/</link>
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