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Volume 35
Issue 13

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Monday, Oct 13, 2008

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The Saga Continues - Nevin to be featured Super Geek at CD release show

Zero to Sixty
by Jake Jay - SGN Contributing Writer My mission this week? Check out the North American car of the year, the 2007 Saturn Aura, and see what's cooking in the 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid. My first stop was Saturn of Renton, where sales consultant Rick Holbrook introduced me to the Aura. As far as exterior design goes, this was love at first sight. It is such a beautifully crafted car, the photographs don't do it justice. You have to see this one. Chrome accents and sculpted exterior lines are half the story. The other half is Distinctive headlamps are precision fit as well. The 252-hp V-6 engine with Variable Valve Timing is a marvel in itself, but how it works on the road is the result of the exterior, European lines and the overall design. The available 6-speed transmission allows you to get the most out of every gear. Platinum-tipped spark plugs never need changing, and the synthetic oil ensures 5,000 miles between oil changes. Driving the vehicle is loads of fun. I particularly enjoyed the racecar-inspired TAPshift paddle shifters which gives the option to experience manual driving on an otherwise automatic transmission. Gliding uphill and upshifting, gliding downhill and downshifting, the TAPshift is activated in "M" mode. Automatics generally have PRNDL settings. The Aura has PRNDM settings. The M is the manual mode. The inside of the cabin is luxury-class all the way. The seamless design and the sound dampened cabin (made possible by over 55 innovative noise-reduction features). The available panoramic roof adds to the feeling of freedom when on the road with the Aura. Backseat passengers are in for a treat. The roominess is standard, available wireless headphones offer the ability to listen to an independent audio source. I drove the XR for my test. It is equipped with a 3.6-liter, dual overhead cam, 24-valve Variable Valve Timing V-6. The safety features on the XE and the XR are really impressive. The dual-stage driver and front passenger air bags with Passenger Sensing System, combined with height-adjustable front safety belts with pretensioners, and (especially handy in Seattle weather) projector-beam halogen foglamps are my favorite safety features. There are altogether 14 safety and security features in the XE and 16 in the XR. The available entertainment systems include a voice-activated XM satellite radio, which adds considerable to the fun, and is actually a safety feature as well, as it doesn't distract your eyes from the road when making your entertainment decisions. The XR comes loaded at $24,995; the XE is impressive at $20,995 and the great news about the Aura is that it now comes in a green version with a hybrid propulsion engine, at $22,695. This is a car that must be experienced in person, for a look and a test drive call your local Saturn dealer. See ad this issue for details. HONDA CIVIC HYBRID I am a long-time fan of the Honda Civic. I have owned three, purchased new, the last one being the 2003 model. In 2006 the Civic was re-imagined, redesigned and retooled. Honda of Seattle hosted my test drive of the 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid. Overall, I was most impressed with the price. For under $25,000 you can get one that's loaded with extras, including a user-friendly touch-screen navigation system and a six hundred word voice command system! The news on the current Civic design begins with the dashboard. The two-tier instrument panel puts the information you need most right in front of you, so your eyes don't have to leave the road to monitor your speed, check engine temperature or check fuel level. The navigation system is just to the right of the steering wheel, not in the middle of the dashboard like so many others. It has an 8-gig DVD database to provide maps and directions across the lower 48 states, and there's a listing of over 7 million points of interest, like ATM's, gas stations and restaurants. The 6.5" display can show info for the XM Satellite Radio, plus folders and playlists for the digital audio-card reader that can play downloaded music files. The gasoline-electric powertrain on the Hybrid gets up to 49mpg during city driving. It is rated as an Advanced Technology Partial Zero-Emission Vehicle (AT-PZEV), the most stringent emissions standard yet achieved by a gasoline-powered vehicle in the United States. The 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid matches or exceeds other hybrids in starting, acceleration, city cruising, highway driving and braking. It features an innovative trip computer that lets you keep track of your fuel savings while you're on the road. The exterior design of the Civic Hybrid is both aerodynamic and sculpted in the European style. The available colors are striking, particularly the "Pearls": Magnetic Pearl, Royal Blue Pearl, Fiji Blue Pearl, Tango Red Pearl and Habanero Red Pearl. Standard interior fabrics are in Blue or Ivory. For a look and a test-drive, call Honda of Seattle 206-551-2403. INDUSTRY NEWS DiversityInc. has named DaimlerChrysler one of the "50 Best Companies for Diversity", and the company is in the top 10 for supplier diversity. The annual national listing, now in its seventh year, is based on four key areas: CEO Commitment, Human Capital, Corporate Communications and Supplier Diversity. Nearly 30 percent of DaimlerChrysler's workforce is made up of ethnic minorities, while women make up 21 percent of the company's workforce. DaimlerChrysler spent $3.9 billion with minority suppliers in 2006, representing 13.5 percent of total supplier spending in 2006. "DaimlerChrysler's . . . goal is to make sure DaimlerChrysler is a great place to work for all employees. We know that diversity and inclusion throughout our entire enterprise delivers a true competitive advantage in today's global marketplace."


2007 Civic Hybrid (above and middle) 2007 Saturn Aura (below)