BMW vs Mercedes

2012 Mercedes C250 Sedan vs. 2012 BMW 328i Sedan

Most, if not all people familiar with German luxury cars, will recognize both Mercedes-Benz and BMW's entry-level C-Class and 3 Series sedans. What those people might not see is how quickly the baby Benz and Bimmer lines are changing to meet both customer and emissions demands.

Both automakers offered a refreshed look at the segment this year, Mercedes with the 2012 C250 and BMW with its 328i. The common theme here is shrinking engines with forced induction to offer a combination of fuel efficiency and the power luxury buyers expect.

While both cars deliver on those fronts, there will be a clear winner between the two, at least for anyone concerned with spirited driving. Mercedes crunched its engine down to a 1.8-liter turbocharged inline four with direct injection for this year. It makes 201 horsepower and 229 lb-ft of torque. The C250 also manages 21 mpg city and 31 mpg highway, solid numbers when you consider this car is at its most powerful during higher rpms, which will happen on the highway where it feels smooth and comfortable.

BMW, on the other hand, offers entry-level buyers a car well in line with its “Ultimate Driving Experience” philosophy. With a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine that makes a more substantial 240 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, the Bavarian car simply overpowers the Benz. Despite the extra strength, the 328i also gets better mileage with 23/33 mpg city/highway.

2012 Mercedes C250 Sedan With Sharp Lines

Unfortunately for the C250 its engine feels less than luxurious with a sometimes crude-sounding engine while the BMW is smooth and powerful. What's worse, the Mercedes mill doesn't feel nearly as punchy as its BMW rival.

That punchy feeling will be even more pronounced in the BMW with its standard 6-speed manual where Mercedes only offers a 7-speed automatic, which further dulls its driving feel. Optional on the BMW, and helping it’s fuel economy numbers, is an 8-speed automatic.

One area Mercedes fans will no doubt cheer about is the exterior styling. Anyone who appreciates the more angular, sharper look that started in 2006 will without question feel the same about this car.

Never one to be left out at a party, BMW also restyled its latest, though the change isn’t overly dramatic. This year the headlights reach in to touch the double kidney grille, leaving the car looking almost cross-eyed. Staring at this car head-on is almost like looking at someone who hasn't cleaned the sleep out of their eyes. A more muscular-looking hood with subtle ridges give an organic yet understated look of power that actually works quite nicely.

Especially with luxury cars, the interior is equally as important as a stylish body, something both brands stake their reputations on and execute extremely well. Thankfully, neither car is a departure from that tradition. Mercedes' C250 offers the quality of interior trim you would expect from a German manufacturer, with well-bolstered, comfortable seats, which is also true of the BMW. True to their brands, the Mercedes is more conservative, the BMW more Spartan.

Both cars offer an LCD display featuring Mercedes' MBRACE and BMW's iDrive systems respectively. They work well, but Mercedes' system is starting to look dated, which is tough to swallow considering that this really is a refreshed car. Once maligned, iDrive is now the undisputed leader in easy-to-use in-car telematics.

Either choice will offer a luxurious ride with available safety and convenience features like lane departure warning, blind spot assistance and more (albeit at a premium). Mercedes is also offering its alertness assistance technology that detects drowsiness and attempts to wake or alert the driver.

The 2012 BMW 328i Featuring a New Front End

BMW is offering the 328i chock full of new features that weren't available previously, like a self-parking system, though they carry a premium price tag. Both cars also offer iPod integration and the ability to sync with a cell phone via Bluetooth for hands-free calling.

There's no disputing that both Mercedes and BMW build impressive luxury vehicles for every segment currently entered. Priced at $35,775 to start, the BMW offers a much more engaging driver's car that will be comfortable and entertaining. For a starting $34,800, the Mercedes-Benz C250 sedan offers the mellower luxo experience, though the engine doesn’t quite live up to the brand’s identity.

With such similar pricing, the final decision will between the Mercedes' handsome and more mature luxury experience, or the less-attractive BMW's more engaging drive.

FUELS

Electric and alternative fuel vehicles

Compressed natural gas

The Honda Civic GX is the only purpose-built natural gas vehicle (NGV) commercially available in some parts of the U.S. The Honda Civic GX first appeared in 1998 as a factory-modified Civic LX that had been designed to run exclusively on compressed natural gas. The car looks and drives just like a contemporary Honda Civic LX, but does not run on gasoline. In 2001, the Civic GX was rated the cleanest-burning internal combustion engine in the world by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency‎ (EPA).

First leased to the City of Los Angeles, in 2005, Honda started offering the GX directly to the public through factory trained dealers certified to service the GX. Before that, only fleets were eligible to purchase a new Civic GX. In 2006, the Civic GX was released in New York, making it the second state where the consumer is able to buy the car. Home refueling is available for the GX with the addition of the Phill Home Refueling Appliance.

Flexible-fuel

Honda's Brazilian subsidiary launched flexible-fuel versions for the Honda Civic and Honda Fit in late 2006. As others Brazilian flex-fuel vehicles, these models run on any blend of hydrous ethanol (E100) and E20-E25 gasoline. Initially, and in order to test the market preferences, the carmaker decided to produce a limited share of the vehicles with flex-fuel engines, 33 percent of the Civic production and 28 percent of the Fit models. Also, the sale price for the flex-fuel version was higher than the respective gasoline versions, around US$1,000 premium for the Civic, and US$650 for the Fit, despite the fact that all other flex-fuel vehicles sold in Brazil had the same tag price as their gasoline versions. In July 2009, Honda launched in the Brazilian market its third flexible-fuel car, the Honda City.

Top: Brazilian flexible-fuel Honda Civic. Below: U.S. Honda Civic Hybrid.

During the last two months of 2006, both flex-fuel models sold 2,427 cars against 8,546 gasoline-powered automobiles, jumping to 41,990 flex-fuel cars in 2007, and reaching 93,361 in 2008. Due to the success of the flex versions, by early 2009 a hundred percent of Honda's automobile production for the Brazilian market is now flexible-fuel, and only a small percentage of gasoline version is produced in Brazil for exports.

In March 2009, Honda launched in the Brazilian market the first flex-fuel motorcycle in the world. Produced by its Brazilian subsidiary Moto Honda da Amazônia, the CG 150 Titan Mix is sold for around US$2,700

Hybrid electric

In late 1999, Honda launched the first commercial hybrid electric car sold in the U.S. market, the Honda Insight, just one month before the introduction of the Toyota Prius, and initially sold for US$20,000. The first-generation Insight was produced from 2000 to 2006 and had a fuel economy of 70 miles per US gallon (3.4 L/100 km; 84 mpg_-imp) for the EPA's highway rating, the most fuel-efficient mass-produced car at the time. Total global sales for the Insight amounted to only around 18,000 vehicles.

2010 Honda Insight hybrid electric vehicle(Second generation).

Honda introduced the second-generation Insight in its home nation of Japan in February 2009, and released it in other markets through 2009 and in the U.S. market in April 2009. At $19,800 as a five-door hatchback it will be the least expensive hybrid available in the U.S. Honda expects to sell 200,000 of the vehicles each year, with half of those sales in the United States.

2010 Honda Insight hybrid electric vehicle(Second generation).

Since 2002, Honda has also been selling the Honda Civic Hybrid (2003 model) in the U.S. market, It was followed by the Honda Accord Hybrid, offered in model years 2005 through 2007. Sales of the Honda CR-Z began in Japan in February 2010, becoming Honda's third hybrid electric car in the market.

In an interview in early February 2011, a Honda executive disclosed that Honda produces around 200,000 hybrids a year in Japan.

Hydrogen fuel cell

In Takanezawa, Japan, on 16 June 2008, Honda Motors produced the first assembly-line FCX Clarity, a hybrid hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. More efficient than a gas-electric hybrid vehicle, the FCX Clarity combines hydrogen and oxygen from ordinary air to generate electricity for an electric motor.

Honda FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cellvehicle

The vehicle itself does not emit any pollutants and its only by products are heat and water. The FCX Clarity also has an advantage over gas-electric hybrids in that it does not use an internal combustion engine to propel itself. Like a gas-electric hybrid, it uses a lithium ion battery to assist the fuel cell during acceleration and capture energy through regenerative braking, thus improving fuel efficiency. The lack of hydrogen filling stations throughout developed countries will keep production volumes low. Honda will release the vehicle in groups of 150. California is the only U.S. market with infrastructure for fueling such a vehicle, though the number of stations is still limited. Building more stations is expensive, as the California Air Resources Board (CARB) granted $6.8 million for four H2 fueling stations, costing $1.7 million USD each.

HONDA

LUXURIES OF LIFE

Honda Motor Company, Ltd.

A Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.

Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than 14 million internal combustion engines each year.Honda surpassed Nissan in 2001 to become the second-largest Japanese automobile manufacturer. As of August 2008, Honda surpassed Chrysler as the fourth largest automobile manufacturer in the United States. Honda was the seventh largest automobile manufacturer in the world behind Toyota, General Motors, Volkswagen AG, Hyundai Motor Group, Ford, and Nissan in 2010.

Honda was the first Japanese automobile manufacturer to release a dedicated luxury brand, Acura, in 1986. Aside from their core automobile and motorcycle businesses, Honda also manufactures garden equipment, marine engines, personal watercraft and power generators, amongst others. Since 1986, Honda has been involved with artificial intelligence/robotics research and released their ASIMO robot in 2000. They have also ventured into aerospace with the establishment of GE Honda Aero Engines in 2004 and the Honda HA-420 HondaJet, scheduled to be released in 2012. Honda spends about 5% of its revenues into R&D.

Motorcycles

Honda is the largest motorcycle manufacturer in Japan and has been since it started production in 1955. At its peak in 1982, Honda manufactured almost 3 million motorcycles annually. By 2006 this figure had reduced to around 550,000 but was still higher than its three domestic competitors.

During the 1960s, when it was a small manufacturer, Honda broke out of the Japanese motorcycle market and began exporting to the U.S. Working with the advertising agencyGrey Advertising, Honda created an innovative marketing campaign, using the slogan "You meet the nicest people on a Honda." In contrast to the prevailing negative stereotypes of motorcyclists in America as tough, antisocial rebels, this campaign suggested that Honda motorcycles were made for the everyman. The campaign was hugely successful; the ads ran for three years, and by the end of 1963 alone, Honda had sold 90,000 motorcycles.

Taking Honda’s story as an archetype of the smaller manufacturer entering a new market already occupied by highly dominant competitors, the story of their market entry, and their subsequent huge success in the U.S. and around the world, has been the subject of some academic controversy. Competing explanations have been advanced to explain Honda’s strategy and the reasons for their success.

The first of these explanations was put forward when, in 1975, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) was commissioned by the UK government to write a report explaining why and how the British motorcycle industry had been out-competed by its Japanese competitors. The report concluded that the Japanese firms, including Honda, had sought a very high scale of production (they had made a large number of motorbikes) in order to benefit from economies of scale and learning curve effects. It blamed the decline of the British motorcycle industry on the failure of British managers to invest enough in their businesses to profit from economies of scale and scope.

2004 Honda Super Cub

The second explanation was offered in 1984 by Richard Pascale, who had interviewed the Honda executives responsible for the firm’s entry into the U.S. market. As opposed to the tightly focused strategy of low cost and high scale that BCG accredited to Honda, Pascale found that their entry into the U.S. market was a story of “miscalculation, serendipity, and organizational learning” – in other words, Honda’s success was due to the adaptability and hard work of its staff, rather than any long term strategy. For example, Honda’s initial plan on entering the U.S. was to compete in large motorcycles, around 300 cc. It was only when the team found that the scooters they were using to get themselves around their U.S. base of San Francisco attracted positive interest from consumers that they came up with the idea of selling the Super Cub.

The most recent school of thought on Honda’s strategy was put forward by Gary Hamel and C. K. Prahalad in 1989. Creating the concept of core competencies with Honda as an example, they argued that Honda’s success was due to its focus on leadership in the technology of internal combustion engines. For example, the high power-to-weight ratio engines Honda produced for its racing bikes provided technology and expertise which was transferable into mopeds. Honda's entry into the U.S. motorcycle market during the 1960s is used as a case study for teaching introductory strategy at business schools worldwide.

TOYOTA

A Company of  Changing Man Life . . .

Background and Company History of Toyota

older building of toyota head office

Look back at the history of Toyota. It traces the company's development through 1937 from when Toyota Motor Corporation was established to when the 2 millionth Prius hybrid was sold.


Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), commonly known as Toyota, is a multinational corporation with headquarter in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. Toyota is the world’s largest automobile manufacturer by sales.

Toyota, founded by Kiichiro Toyoda in August 28, 1937, is a spinoff to create automobiles from his father’s company Toyota Industries. The Type A engine was its first product, and in 1936, its first passenger car was the Toyota AA.

The formation on the automobile brands that the Toyota Group develops and produces, along with automobile-related businesses include: Toyota, Lexus, Hino and Daihatsu; along with several “non-automotive” companies: Housing, Financial Activities, ITS, GAZOO, Marine, Biotechnology & Afforestation and New Business Enterprises. The Toyota Group is one of the largest conglomerates in the world.

More popular Toyota schemes/programs include: “Toyota Rent a Car” (Car Rentals and Leasing), Information on GAZOO.com U-Car (for used cars), T-UP (network for sales of used cars) and “Car Lots” (for used car dealers).

History and Timeline of Toyota in Milestones:



Toyota’s history with focus on business development and new model introductions, production, sales, and exports.

1867 Birth of Sakichi Toyoda
 1924 Sakichi Toyoda invents Toyoda Model G Automatic Loom
 1929 Automatic-loom patent is sold to a British company
 1930 Kiichiro Toyoda begins research on small gasoline-powered engine
 1933 Automobile Department is established at Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd.
 1935 The Toyoda precepts are compiled
 1936 The AA Sedan is completed
 1937 Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. is established
 1938 Honsha Plant begins production
 1950 Company faces a financial crisis; Toyota Motor Sales Co., Ltd. is established
 1951 Suggestion System is begun
 1955 The Toyopet Crown, Toyopet Master and Crown Deluxe are launched
 1957 The first prototypes of the Crown are exported to the USA Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Inc. is established
 1959 Motomachi Plant begins production
 1962 Joint Declaration of Labor and Management is signed
 1965 Toyota wins the Deming Application Prize for quality control
 1966 The Corolla is launched Business tie-up with Hino Motors Ltd. begins
 1967 Business tie-up with Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. begins
 1974 Toyota Foundation is established
 1975 The prefabricated housing business begins
 1982 Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. and Toyota Motor Sales Co., Ltd. are merged into Toyota Motor Corporation
 1984 Joint venture with GM (NUMMI) begins production in the USA
 1988 Toyota Motor Manufacturing, USA, Inc. (present TMMK) begins production
 1989The Lexus brand is launched in the USA
 1992 Toyota Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd. begins production
 1997 The Prius is launched as the world first mass-produced hybrid car
 1999 Cumulative domestic production reaches 100 million vehicles
 2000 Sichuan Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. begins production in China
 2001 Toyota Motor Manufacturing France S.A.S. begins production in France
 2002 Toyota enters Formula One World Championship Tianjin Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. begins production in China
 2004 The Toyota Partner Robot is publicly unveiled
 2005 The Lexus brand is introduced in Japan
 2008 Worldwide Prius sales top 1-million mark



Latest Highlights of Toyota include:



Sep 30, 2010 Toyota Unveils ‘Verso-S’ at 2010 Paris Motor Show

Oct 05, 2010 TMC Develops Advanced Energy Management System

Oct 06, 2010 Tsutsumi Plant Tree-planting Activities Make Green List

Oct 07, 2010 Worldwide ‘Prius’ Sales Top 2-million Mark

Oct 13, 2010 TMC to Use Bio-PET ‘Ecological Plastic’ in Vehicle Interiors

As of fiscal year 2010, it has a revenue of JPY 18,950,973 million, net income of JPY 209,456 million and total assets of JPY 30,349,287 million.


Toyota’s Number of Employees (worldwide):


In 2009, Toyota Motor Corporation employed 71,116 people worldwide

The Toyota Executives



Shoichiro Toyoda – Honorary Chairman

Fujio Cho – Chairman and Representative Director

Katsuaki Watanabe – Vice Chairman and Representative Director

Kazuo Okamoto – Vice Chairman and Representative Director

Akio Toyoda – President and Representative Director




Executive Vice Presidents and Representative Directors

• Takeshi Uchiyamada
•  Yukitoshi Funo
•  Atsushi Niimi
•  Shinichi Sasaki
•  Yoichiro Ichimaru
•  Satoshi Ozawa

Senior Managing Directors

• Nobuyori Kodaira
•  Akira Okabe
•  Shinzo Kobuki
•  Akira Sasaki
•  Mamoru Furuhashi
•  Iwao Nihashi
•  Tadashi Yamashina
•  Takahiko Ijichi
•  Tetsuo Agata
•  Masamoto Maekawa
•  Yasumori Ihara
•  Takahiro Iwase
•  Yoshimasa Ishii
•  Takeshi Shirane
•  Mitsuhisa Kato

Products and Services of Toyota

• Automobiles
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• Cars
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• Trucks
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• SUVs
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• Minivan
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• Hybrids
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• Vehicles
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• Fuel Economy
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• Accessories
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• Toyota Current Vehicles
•  4Runner
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• Avalon
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• Camry
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• Corolla
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• FJ Cruiser
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• Highlander
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• Land CRuiser
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• Matrix
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• Prius
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• RAV4
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• Sequoia
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• Sienna
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• Tacoma
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• Tundra
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• Venza
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• Yaris

Financial Services

Toyota financial services are handled by Toyota Financial Services Corporation (TFS), which has overall control of financial services subsidiaries worldwide. TFS provides financial services mainly for vehicle purchases and leases in more than 30 countries and regions worldwide.

Car in Life

HISTORY OF CAR

Cars have been around for over a hundred years. The first universal car in America was created by Henry Ford in 1908. This car was called the model ‘T’ also known as the Tin Lizzy. After the first car was introduced, the evolution of cars had changed in size, shape, and price. The most drastic change has been in price.

NECESSITY OF CAR

Car has become a basic necessity for everyone these days. There are many people who are simply crazy about cars. There are different kinds of cars, its basic utility, different features of car, etc. There are many people who have very vague knowledge about the cars but still are interested in spending money on buying cars.


BUDGET & CARS


A moderately priced car can range from $25,000 to $45,000. The moderately priced car gives the consumer a variety of options. A moderately priced car is considered to be a Toyota, Ford, Nissan, and Acura. These cars come with different choices of interior. For instance, the buyer can have the option of leather or cloth interior. The interior is also made to provide comfort to the driver. The stereo in the car is considered to be a decent model with a variety of controls. These type of cars offer cruise control, stick or automatic transmission, and free regular service check ups. The service check ups allow the car to have free oil changes and service inspections at certain miles. The engines in a moderately priced car range from a 4 cylinder to an 8-cylinder vehicle. When purchasing a car, the buyer appears to have more options with moderately priced vehicle then with an inexpensive or cheap vehicle.

An expensively priced car can range from $50,000 to over a $100,000. These types of cars are considered to be Mercedes, Porsche, Rolls Royce, Lexus, and BMW. All of the cars interiors are made from fine quality leather. The craftsmanship in the interior is very detailed. This type of interior has been made to make the driver feel like he is sitting in a recliner instead of driving a car. These types of cars also have an electronic switchboard that consists of power seats, door locks, windows, sunroof, and cruise control. Another option that some of the expensive cars have, is that they can be driving an automatic car, but they can also change the gears so that it can be a 5 speed driving machine. The performance in these cars has been made so that the stops and acceleration in the cars are seamless to driver. The expensively priced cars also have the options for a navigation system as well as an entertainment system. The navigation system allows the driver to view an electronic screen that displays a map on how to get from point A to B. The entertainment system has a DVD set up, which allow the passengers to view movies and play video games that are created from a compact disc. Another feature that these cars have is the temperature control. The passenger and driver can set their own temperature control based on where they are seated. If a person is sitting in the front, middle or rear of the car, they will have the option of changing the temperature control in the car.

The consumer has a lot of options to choose from when trying to decide which car to purchase. But the main factor when purchasing a car is price. A car can have a lot of features to the model, but if the price does not fit the buyer’s budget, the buyer will most likely choose a car that is moderately expensive, or inexpensive. Today manufacturers realize that they need to provide the buyer a variety of options to fit the buyer’s income. For example, Mercedes has now created models that are relatively in the moderate price range. This means that more people are able to purchase a Mercedes car. So even though the buyer has a variety of makes and models to choose from, price will always be a factor.