Unhappy customer sets fire to dealership sales manager’s desk

A severe case of buyer’s remorse nets this customer some time as a guest of the state. A Pennsylvania man disenchanted with his two-year-old Hyundai will get to spend the next 11 1/2 to 23 months in jail followed by five years' probation for setting fire to a dealership sales manager’s desk, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer. According to police, the customer went to the Hyundai dealership in suburban Philadelphia about 3 a.m. last April 2 armed with a bowling ball, metal rod, lighter fluid and lighter. After smashing a window with the ball, the man cleared the broken glass with the rod, entered the building, and set a fire on the sales manager's desk. The angry customer left the scene and checked himself into a medical facility, where he told the staff he regretted his actions. In addition to the jail time, the judge also ordered the man to pay $76,000 in restitution.

A Delaware car dealership runs almost entirely on solar power

C P Diver Chevrolet is running on 240 solar panels that take up most of the main building's roof, creating a 48 kilowatt solar power system, reports the Delaware Coast Press. This is not the C P Diver dealership's first set of solar panels. In 1979, solar panels were installed for its passive hot water heating system. Mr. Diver said he first thought about installing additional panels at the dealership about a year and a half ago. He said he did not know the feasibility of such an undertaking until he learned back in January about grant money available through Delaware's Green Energy Fund. Diver said that special permission had to be obtained from the state due to the dealership's need for a larger-than-allowed transformer. Mr. Diver said that with self-generated solar energy, the dealership is saving around $1,500 a month on the electric bill -- especially cutting the cost of peak period usage, when power companies generally charge higher rates. "We would expect to save $10,000 a year," Mr. Diver said of his dealership's electric bill, adding that his company and others do not necessarily use solar power because it is a good deal. The bad news is that the ROI isn’t so good. C P Diver's system cost $440,000 to install, which at Diver's expected annual savings would take 44 years to recoup the installation cost. For a link to C P Diver's tracking Web site, go to www.cpdiver.com and click "Solar Energy at C P Diver."

Shelby Ultimate Aero named "Fastest Production Car" by Guinness World Records

West Richland, Washington - Guinness World Records has verified that it has named Shelby SuperCars' Ultimate Aero the "Fastest Production Car" in the world. It marks the first time the production speed record title has been held by a U.S. auto manufacturer since the Ford GT40 claimed the title in 1967. Guinness' testing procedure required the car be driven down the course, turned around, and driven on a second pass in the opposite direction, within one hour. The vehicle's official top speed was then calculated by averaging the top speed of each pass. Driver Chuck Bigelow drove the car, clocking 415.31 km/h (257.45 mph) on the first pass, and 410.24 km/h (254.92 mph) on the second pass, for an official record speed of 412.28 km/h (256.19 mph). This breaks the current official record, held by the Koenigsegg CCR at 388 km/h and the Bugatti Veyron's unofficial speed of 408.47 km/h. The Ultimate Aero uses a twin-turbocharged V8 engine to produce 1,183 hp and 1,094 lb-ft of torque.

Rolls-Royce working to meet "unprecedented demand"

Goodwood, England - Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has announced that its manufacturing plant at Goodwood is working at full production to meet unprecedented customer demand, with the introduction of additional shifts and extended working hours that will continue throughout the remainder of the year. By the end of September 2007, the company had retailed 22 per cent more cars than in the same period in 2006. Orders for the four-door models stretch into 2008, and orders for the new Phantom Drophead Coupe extended throughout all of next year. The company is also planning future development at Goodwood for a new two-door, four-seater model, based on the concept 101EX car, which it announced last week. The new model will be launched in 2008, with production scheduled to begin next summer.

Toyota to unveil eight concept cars at Tokyo Motor Show

Toyota announced that it plans to exhibit eight concept cars and 13 other vehicles at the 40th Tokyo Motor Show under the theme: "Harmonious Drive-a New Tomorrow for People and the Planet". The show will be open to the general public from October 27 to November 11 at the International Convention Complex in Makuhari, Chiba Prefecture. Toyota's concept car highlights include a vehicle that redefines what it means to be environmentally considerate and one that rewrites the rules of auto design with ultra-efficient vehicle packaging.
1/X
The 1/X (pronounced "one-Xth") is a concept vehicle that "redefines what it means to be environmentally considerate." The 1/X weighs only "1/Xth" that of other vehicles in its class; maintains an interior space on par with that of the Prius, with an aimed-for fuel efficiency that is double; and a curb weight reduced to 420 kilograms (about one third the weight of the Prius).
RiN
The RiN focuses on "increased comfort" and "serene, healthy living". Drivers are encouraged to reevaluate themselves and, furthermore, to turn their attention to society and nature, producing a healthy rhythm for both mind and body. In addition to featuring comfortable, heated seats, an oxygen-level conditioner and pinpoint humidifier, the RiN uses green glass that reduces infiltration of ultraviolet and infrared light and makes the surroundings seem brighter and clearer to increase cabin comfort.
i-REAL
The i-REAL represents the next stage of Toyota's personal mobility vehicle development, following the PM, i-unit and i-swing. It uses three wheels (two at the front and one at the back), in low-speed mode, shortening its wheelbase to allow it to manoeuvre naturally among pedestrians at similar eyesight height without taking up a large amount of space; in high-speed mode the wheelbase lengthens to provide a lower center of gravity and better driving performance.
iQ CONCEPT
With a length of less than three metres, the iQ CONCEPT offers ultra-efficient packaging aimed at reducing CO2 emissions. It seats three adults and one child (or luggage), and offers outstanding fuel efficiency to reduce CO2 emissions.
Hi-CT
The Hi-CT aims to offer a new "coolness" and new ways to have fun. It adopts plug-in hybrid technology, which allows it to charge from an external power source and gives it a greater driving range when running on its battery-powered motor. It comes with an AC100V accessory socket that enables stored electricity to be used for a variety of applications. The Hi-CT features a removable rear trunk and a deck where surfboards, bicycles and other equipment can be loaded.
FT-MV
The FT-MV, or 'future Toyota minivan', includes luxurious, second-row seats with fully automatic ottomans, and uses soft ambient lighting to create interior ambience.
Crown Hybrid Concept
The "next-generation inspirational luxury sedan", the Crown Hybrid Concept features the latest hybrid system with a two-stage motor speed reduction device that helps achieve smooth acceleration, high fuel efficiency, low CO2 and other exhaust emissions and quietness. Inside are 10 airbags.
FT-HS
A "next-generation hybrid sports car", the FT-HS doesn't compromise driving excitement for being environmentally considerate. It offers the smooth cruising of a hybrid vehicle combined with high fuel efficiency, reduced CO2 and other emissions and a quiet cabin, and the driving excitement of rear-wheel drive.