Recall for Volkswagen's Audi A3 and Cabriolet

Volkswagen Group of America, LLC is recalling Cabriolet and Audi A3 vehicles for an issue with the driver and or front passenger seats that may have been incorrectly stitched which could potentially cause problems with the side air bags deploying in a crash and increasing the risk of injuries in the event of a crash. The affected vehicles were manufacture between 6/5/14 and 4/1/15.

This recall is scheduled to begin in February of 2016. If you have any questions regarding the recall you call Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-822-8987 the recall number is 74C9. 

Chrysler Recalls 2015-2016 Jeep Cherokees

Chrysler is recalling some of their Jeep Cherokee Vehicles for a defect that poses a possible fire risk. The recall is for model year 2015-2016 Jeeps equipped with a power Lift-gate for the possibility of water leaking into the Control Module of the the Power Lift-gate that could potentially cause a short circuit in the module increasing the risk of a fire.
Chrysler will be notifying owners to take their Jeeps in to the dealerships to inspect the module and connectors for corrosion. Any damaged components will be replaced, also dealerships will be installing a water shield over the module. The repairs will be done at no charge to vehicle owners.

Maserati car and Indianapolis

Did you know that Maserati produced a car named after the Indianapolis racing circuit? Maserati did, it was the 1969 Maserati Indy by Vignale named after the 1939 and 1940 Indianapolis racing circuit in which Maserati won the championship both years.

The car featured a front mounted 4.2 liter V-8 engine and it was the first four seating Maserati with low drag aerodynamics, it also featured full width rubber bumpers with pop-up headlights and a tail gate that could be folded down for access to the rear compartment without having to lift the window hatch.

Original Corvette Logo

Here's a piece of trivia, did you know that the first Corvette logo was not legal? It was originally designed to have a checked flag and the American flag, fortunately for the company they realize they could not trademark the American flag exactly as it is without changing it into an interpretation.

Thank you Veterans

To all of the Veterans that have served in the Armed Forces, all of us at 2carpros, Inc. want to thank you and your families for your service and the sacrifices that you and your families made to keep this great country free. And for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service there are no words that can truly express just how much we appreciate you and your families. THANK YOU!

1969 Jeep XJ001 Concept Car

The 1969 Jeep XJ001 Concept car has kind of a sad story. The XJ001 was going to be Jeeps attempt to revamp its look. It was a sporty looking with a  fiber-glassed body and what looked like bug eyes for headlights. The XJ001 used the existing Jeep CJ-5's chassis, the XJ001 did not have doors, the roof was made from canvas and the windshield frame was made from at the time a newly developed process that made the frame strong enough to bear the weight of the car in the event the XJ001 were to be involved in an accident.

Unfortunately right after American Motors Company (AMC) purchased Kaiser-Jeep the entire project was scrapped and to make things even sadder for XJ001 and Jeeps vision for the future, all was lost when the transporter truck carrying the XJ001 concept car flipped over caught on fire burning the XJ001 concept car to the ground.

2016 Diesel Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon

The 2016 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon with 2.8-liter turbo charge four cylinder engines have been certified by the EPA at 31 mpg on the highway, the highest ranking of any truck big or small with gasoline or diesel engines.

General Motors is moving forward with its plan to add diesel engines to its line-up in spite of the emissions fiasco with Volkswagen's diesel engines that has caused increased scrutiny by U.S. regulators for vehicles with diesel engines.

The 2016 Colorado and Canyon are scheduled to go on sale before the end of the year at a price that is about $3,000 more than the gasoline powered V-8 trucks.

Officially the ratings from the EPA for the Colorado and Canyon are 22 mpg city and 31 mpg highway and 25 combined.

Mercedes-Benz USA Vehicle Recall

Mercedes-Benz USA is recalling some of its vehicles for an air bag manufacturing error. 
The  issue is with the air bag control unit, it could corrode causing the control unit to malfunction. This issue with the control unit could cause the air bags to unexpectedly deploy which increases the risk of injury or cause a crash. Alternately the air bag control unit may malfunction during a crash and not deploy the air bags increasing the risk or the severity of the injuries to the vehicles occupants. The affected vehicle models are; 2008-2009 Sedan, C300 4matic, C350 and C63 AMG, also 2010 GLK350 and GLK350 4matic vehicles.
Vehicle owners will notified by Mercedes-Benz USA to take their vehicle to a dealership where the air bag control unit will be inspected and replaced if needed, at no cost to the owner.

Rare 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible Sold for $3.5

June 2014 a 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible was sold at auction for 3.5 million dollars. It was a very rare fully restored bright blue Cuda that had numbers matching the engine and most of its original body parts. Only eleven convertibles with 426/425 hp engines were produced in 1971 with a Dana 60 4.10 rear end, Super Track Pack, 26 inch radiator and Shaker Hood. What makes this car extremely rare is that it is one of only two that were produced for the U.S. market with the 426/425 hp engine and a manual 4 speed transmission, and is the only one that still exist.

This Cuda is not the only one to be sold for well over a million dollars, in 2007 a modified car sold at auction for 2.42 million dollars and in 2004 another car was privately exchanged for 3 millions dollars. Incredible!

Dodge La Femme for women

Back in the mid 1950's Dodge produced a car that was specifically designed for women the La Femme. The La Femme was a full sized car with accessories designed to target the female driver. The car was available in a two color paint scheme of Feminine Sapphire White and Heather Rose with a special interior fabric of pink rosebuds on a light pink back with a light pink vinyl trim. Behind front passenger seat was a custom compartment that held a purse, which if the customer desired she could have her name engraved on the front of the purse. The purse came with matching accessories; face powder compact, lipstick case, comb, coin purse, lighter and cigarette case. Also included with the La Femme were an umbrella, rain coat and rain bonnet all in the matching rosebud interior pattern.
The La Femme was produced from 1955 to 1956 and about 2,500 cars  were made. The La Femme was considered a marketing flop and Dodge dropped the La Femme in 1957. The La Femme was noted as a step forward to gender equality as the automotive industry was considered a mans domain.

The AMC Javelin, Alabama's Highway Patrol's Hot Rod Cruiser 1971-1979

The Alabama Highway Patrol (State Troopers) had the first true performance car produced for the Highway Patrol. The Alabama Department of Public Safety was looking for a vehicle that had a lot of power with a reasonable price tag. They chose the AMC Javelin with four barrel 401 cubic inch (6.6L) engine with a high compression ration. The car also featured a forged steel crankshaft and connecting rods that were engineered to with stand 8000 rpm. The transmission was a BorgWarner T-10 four speed manual transmission with a Hurst floor shifter.
The Alabama Highway Patrol used Javelin's from 1971 to 1979. You can see one of the original cars at the Museum at ADPS (Alabama Department of Public Safety) Headquarters.

Ford is recalling three different vehicle models

Three recalls by Ford for a total number of 131,000 vehicles

129,000 Lincoln MKX SUV's and Ford Edge's model years 2009-2010 are being recalled in states that use road salt for problems with rust that can occur with reinforcement brackets where the fuel tank is mounted to the vehicle. The check engine or fuel leak light may come and there could be the presence of fuel order. If the tank was to leak there could be a potential fire danger. According to Ford they are not aware of any accidents or injuries reported.

Next Ford is recalling 1,900 Mustang's model year 2016 in North American for damaged restraint parts that could have experienced some damage during shipping from the supplier prior to being installed in the cars. The damaged parts may not conform to safety requirements for seat belt assembly or child restraint anchor systems. Ford is not aware of any reported accidents or injuries.

And lastly Ford is recalling 72 Ford E-Series cutaway and chassis cab vehicles model year 2016 for trailer brake controller issue. When the driver presses the brake pedal the brakes do not engage, however when towing a trailer the driver can manually engage the trailer brakes. Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries.

2105 C7 Corvette Z06 sells for One Million Dollars at Auction

The very first 2015 C7 Corvette Z06 recently sold at a Barrett-Jackson auction for one million dollars. The sticker price for the Corvette is somewhere around $85,000. The million dollar Corvette features supercharged 6.2 liter V-8 engine with 635 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque.

It was all for a good cause, the proceeds from the sale benefit cancer research at Michigan's Karmanos Cancer Institute. 

Pontiac's 1964 Concept Car the Banshee, Competition for the Chevrolet Corvette?

In 1964 Pontiac unveiled their newest concept car the Banshee during the Banshee's development it was called XP-833 project. John DeLorean the head of Pontiac at the time called the Banshee the "Mustang Fighter", it was rumored that he intended to bring the Banshee into production. However, the bosses at General Motors felt the Banshee would be too much of a threat to the Chevrolet Corvette and if DeLorean had his way the Banshee would out perform the Corvette. The Banshee weighed 500 pounds less than the Corvette with the same horsepower and the Banshee was able to reach 60 mph in second gear.

There were several different versions of the Banshee constructed, but only two were drivable prototypes were built. The car was a small and seated two with a long hood and a short rear deck. One of the drivable prototypes built was a silver hard top with a straight six cylinder and the other was a white convertible with a V-8. 

Unfortunately for John DeLorean in 1964 he was instructed by GM execs to stop and further development of the Banshee. Interestingly the exterior styling of the Banshee can be seen 1968 in Chevrolet's the third generation Corvette.

1978 Indy 500 Pace Car

I bet most of you remember the Corvette pace car for the 1978 Indy 500, but what you may not know is that because magazine ads in 1978 were still mostly photographed in black and white the pace car was painted a specific way so it would look good in the black and white ads.

Fiat's New Model the Toro

Later this year Fiat plans to unveiled its new model of truck the Toro which in Italian means "bull".  In a statement Fiat said, " it will debut a new segment, that of the Sport Utility Pickup or SUP". "Combining the strength and characteristics of a truck with all the comfort features and drivabiltiy fo an SUV".

The Toro will be available for sale in select Latin American nations and may be offered in Europe sometime next year. Some of the unique feature to the Toro are barn doors instead of the traditional truck tailgate which if you remember was last seen on the not so successful Lincoln Blackwood.

Adding a touch of style to a typically utilitarian look of a truck the Toro will have sleek tail lamps that fit into the quarter panels and the back will feature one of the largest Fiat emblems ever seen displayed on any Fiat production vehicle.

Most of the specs of Fiat's Toro have not been released so there really is not much technical information available. There is some speculation that the Toro will have the underpinnings of Jeep Renegade which if that's true then buyers will get to choose either a four cylinder gasoline-burning 1.8 liter engine with 138hp or the 1.8 liter Multi-jet four cylinder turbo-diesel 170hp. Buyers will just to have wait and see what is really going to put into the Toro. 

Kia Recalling Sorento Crossovers for a Transmission Issue

Kia is recalling over 419,000 Sorento Crossovers in the U.S. and Canada for an issue with the transmissions.

Kia's own regulatory team began investigating in August after receiving a letter from an attorney alleging the clients son was able to shift the parents 2011 Sorento out park without pressing the brakes or putting the key in the ignition. A document filed with the NHTSA stated that the "vehicle began to roll in a parking lot."  "The father stepped in front of the car and the son got out and joined him. Son was between Sorento and stopped vehicle and allegedly suffered a fracture leg."

In a statement from Kia "The crossover can roll unexpectedly if the gearshift lever is pressed with too much force, causing the brake-shift interlock to chip or crack. That, in turn, can cause the transmission to shift out of park, even if the brakes are not pressed".

There have been 3 injuries, 14 customer complaints and 54 warranty claims. Beginning in November Kia will be issuing recall notices, the brake-shift interlock will be replaced by Kia with new parts at no cost to the customer.

The recall is for Kia Sorento Crossover's model years 2001 through 2013. 

BMW Four Cylinder Engine Building

Interesting bit of information.  In the 1960's to honor their four cylinder engine heritage BMW had an Austrian architecture professor design their world headquarters building to look like a four cylinder engine. BMW's four cylinder building is located next to Olympic Park in Munich Germany.

Corvette or Opel?

Did you you that Corvette was originally named Opel? The code name for the Corvette while in development was Opel.

Ford Mustang Makes the 2015 Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog

This years Neiman Marcus Christmas book will offer an exclusive to Neiman Marcus  limited edition Ford Mustang. This new hot-rod version Mustang features a 5.0 liter V8 engine with over 700 horsepower, 600 pound-feet of torque with a supercharger and an automatic transmission that turns all four wheels. This super Mustang can travel from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and can reach a top track speed of 195 mph.
The Mustang will have a snappy black, silver and blue paint combination and feature Neiman Marcus emblems, a sporty body kit, a new grille, deeper front bumper, a trunk mounted spoiler and new side skirts. And for the cherry on top, the car will have double fin tonneau cover and a pair of hoop style roll bars.
This Neiman Marcus Christmas edition Mustang is priced at $95,000 and just 100 cars will be available for purchase. The purchase price includes a two day driving experience at Ford's offical racing school

Heinz Foods Concept Vehicle

Here's an interesting bit of information. Did you know that the grandson of the co-founder of Heinz Foods (known for ketchup) developed a line of transportation vans to transport the companies product? In 1938 a Detroit American coach-builder Deal Body Company constructed an aluminium body for a small fleet of streamlined step vans (Phantom Comet 57) that were developed by Rust Heinz the grandson of the H.J. Heinz co-founder of Heinz Foods. The vans were put into use to deliver the companies food products throughout Pittsburgh. Unfortunately the company scrapped the fleet of step vans in support of World War II for the aluminum. 

Jaguar Land Rover to Assemble Evoque in Brazil

The first British automotive company to build in Brazil, Jaguar Land Rover confirmed that the Range Rover Evoque and the Land Rover Discovery Sport will be assembled at their new factory in Itatiaia, Brazil. The new factory will employee 400 people, construction is almost complete and will be ready to begin production in early 2016.

This will be the first locally made Evoque in Brazil, the Evoque accounts for about 60% of JLR sales in Brazil. The 2016 Evoque has been updated with new technology and design features.

All of us at 2carpros.com were immensely sadden by yesterday's shooting at Oregon's Umpqua Community College. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone that was affected by horrific event.

Mercedes Benz C111/I Concept Car

The 1969 Mercedes Benz C111/I was used to test various engines, the Wankel (rotary) engines, superchargers, turbochargers and diesel engines and configurations. However, Damiler-Benz decided on a rear mid-mounted, naturally aspirated three rotor 1.8 Liter engine that could accelerate the car from 0 to 60mph in just 4.7 seconds. The C111/I's experimental engine could reach a speed of 160mph. The car featured a fiberglass body, gull-wing doors, leather upholstery, climate control and air conditioning.
If you're thinking wasn't that the famous 1970 Mercedes-Benz C111/I concept car?
It's not, the 1970 Concept car was the C111/II and the 1969 Concept car was the C111/I. Kind of looks like the DeLorean, don't you agree?

Chevrolet and GMC the First to Receive Extra EPA & CARB scrutiny on Emissions Testing

Chevrolet is feeling the heat from the backlash of Volkswagen's diesel emissions cheating scandal. The EPA has said that they will begin more stringent testing to insure that vehicles meet the requirement for emissions testing in the lab and on the road.

Volkswagen is being investigated for their practice of installing software that could switch on and off the emissions system so that when lab testing was being done the emissions system was turned on and when it came to the road test the emissions system was turned off which allowed the engines to put out as much as 40 times the legal limit of nitrogen oxide. 

Chevrolet and GMC will be the first to get the extra scrutiny form the EPA and CARB on their new diesel-powered pickup trucks. Chevrolet was told by the EPA and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) that they will not certify any of its new diesel-powered Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pick-up trucks without having been tested on the road and in the laboratory.

Scott Yackley Chevrolet's Trucks assistant chief engineer stated. "GM engineers have conducted extensive lab and road tests and are confident that the trucks will pass the additional testing. He also said " Part of our development process is on-road and off-road (laboratory) testing.

Little known Information About Lamborghini

In Italy Lamborghini gives two Gallardos to the Italian State Police and are used to deliver organs transplants to hospitals for transplant patients.

Honda Steps-Up it's 2016 Civic.

After faltering sales and reviews in the U.S. Honda is trying to turn around the Civic's previous reputation of cheapness by overhauling the 2016 Civic Sedan. 

The 2016 Honda Civic has a more muscle look with sculpted sides, bulging wheel well arches, daytime LED running lights, it has a massive front molded front grill and C-shaped tail lights. Honda has moved the cabin back to give the Civic a longer more dramatic hood-line.

In addition to the Civic's new look there some serious features and engineering specs not typically seen its class: Collision Mitigation Braking, Hydraulic Bushings, Multi-link Rear Suspensions, Road Departure Mitigation, Adaptive Cruise Control with low speed follow.

In the interior the Civic has heated leather seats front and back and top end models will feature a full color instrument panel and a Display Audio System and 7" touchscreen. Also available is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and more...

Honda will offer the Civic in 5 models, Sedan, Coupe, Si, 5-Door hatch and a high performance Type-R. There are two engines, a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder with either a 6 speed manual transmission or a continuously variable transmission or a 1.5 liter direct injected turbocharged 4-cylinder.

Ford's New Adaptive Steering System for 2016 on Select Models

The Edge crossover and three other models will be the first vehicles Ford will feature an innovative variable ratio steering wheel system on select vehicles. Beginning this fall Ford will incorporate this new steering wheel system which is designed to make steering and turning at slow speeds much easier for the driver. Behind the steering wheel airbags Ford has installed a small electric motor that drives a gear connected to the shaft leading to the steering rack, the motor spins the shaft at a faster rate than the driver turns the steering wheel like when turning into a driveway or parking lot reducing the amount of turns of the steering wheel. 

This new steering system will be available as standard equipment for 2016 on the Edge Sport Models, the Lincoln MKX, the Ford Galaxy, the S-Max and two models that are not available in North America and an option on Edge Titanium.

Bentley Motor’s 187 Mph Luxury SUV

Really? A 187 mph SUV? That’s right the Bentayga is Bentley’s newest addition to the SUV market, this 6 liter, 12 cylinder, 600 horse power twin turbo charge engine SUV has earned the title of the world’s fastest SUV. It has the ability to go from 0 to 60 mph in just 4 seconds. Wow! That’ll get you to the market and back in no time.

The chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors Wolfgang Durheimer said, “The Bentayga is truly the Bentley of SUV’s’. “It redefines luxury in the SUV sector and offers a genuine Bentley experience in any environment thanks to a combination of unparalleled attention to detail, go-anywhere ability and cutting edge technology”.  The Bentayga features a 1,950 watt, 18 speaker audio system and the panoramic sun roof that will open up 60% of the vehicles roof.

Other luxurious high-tech features include an adaptive cruise control that has the ability to correct itself in accordance with to camera and GPS data for speed limit changes. 

The Mercedes-Benz Concept IAA 

Released before this weeks Frankfurt auto show Mercedes-Benz's Concept IAA is two cars in one. The car can be transformed automatically upon reaching a speed of 80 mph or manually at the touch of a button. Below 80 mph the cars looks like more like a standard sedan, however once the car reaches the 80 mph mark the car goes through an incredible transformation. There are eight segments that extend at the rear increasing the cars length up to 390 millimeters, in the front bumper there are flaps that extend out 25 millimeters and 20 millimeters in the rear bumper, creating a more efficient air flow over the front end and front wheel arches. In addition the Active Rims can change their cupping 55 millimeters to 0 Millimeters and the louver in the front bumper can move 66 millimeters to the rear this improves the air flow under the car.

The car features 279-horsepower hybrid drive train, two 12.3 inch display communicates information to the occupants and the steering wheel uses optical sensors allowing the driver to navigate through menus with just his/her fingertips.

The Beginning of the Lamborghini Sports Car?

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Did you know that Mr. Enzo Ferrari once told a man “you may be able to drive a tractor but you will never be able to handle a Ferrrari properly?" The man was so insulted and angry he swore that he would create the perfect sports car. Oh, the man’s name? It was Ferruccio Lamborghini. 

Avoiding Daylight Vehicle Collisions DRL’s or Vehicle Color?

According to a study at Monash University Accident Research Centre in Australia, white vehicles had about a 10% less chance of being in a crash during daylight hours than other vehicles in what are considered lower visibility colors like, blue, silver, red, black and silver. 

Institute and Federal Government studies show that the chance of a vehicle’s involvement in a crash during daylight hours can be reduced 3.5% with the use of DRL’s (daytime running lights). Russ Rader a spokesperson for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says, “There’s a small benefit for daytime running lights, it’s likely that any benefit from a more conspicuous car color is even smaller”. What does Rader consider a conspicuous vehicle color? “Emergency Vehicle” colors like bright reds and yellows. 

Best of both studies purchase a white vehicle equipped with DRL's and turn them on.

 Happy Motoring

 A Little Know Concept Car

The 1969 Chrysler 70X concept car, there's not a lot information about the car. The 70X featured parallelogram doors the front doors slid forward and the rear door slid backwards, like today's mini vans.

Mounted next to the back seat speaker was a small ultrasonic electronic device that swept a 50 foot area to the rear of the car and when a vehicle entered one of zones a red warning light located on the rear view mirror lit up. This warning system gave the drivers about a .04 second warning before impact.

Consumer reports released it list of the worst cars in 2015

Here are four vehicles that made the bottom of their list

The Chrysler 200: It ranked dead last on the list. The reason, it has a "raspy" four cylinder engine, "klutzy" handling and to add to the discomfort a "cramped" back seat.

The Land Rover Discovery Sport: Next one up from the bottom, consumer reports noted that the Discovery has an unrefined transmission, and a "flat footed" engine and the entertainment center was "from another age".

The Lexus NX 200t/3000h: Too much like the Toyota RAV4 according to consumer reports, with a "jostling" ride and cheap feeling components. It falls short of its German competitors.

The Kia Sedona: Although this mini van was made to look like an SUV, the ride is less than desirable along with squeaks and rattles and the steering is "vague".

To ensure Consumer Reports are testing the same vehicles consumers are getting when they buy a vehicle form a dealership, Consumer Reports purchases the vehicles they are testing unlike some of testing groups that have the test vehicles given to them from manufactures.

Another Recall for Fiat Chrysler's Jeep Cherokee SUV

This is will be the sixth recall for the 2014 model year Jeep Cherokee, this time it is for a defect in the windshield wipers. If the wipers are used in dry conditions static can build up affecting the control module that powers the windshield wipers which could potentially cause the wipers to stop working.

To remedy this latest recall dealerships will be installing a ground strap to the module to prevent the static buildup at no cost to the consumer.

In this latest recall Fiat Chrysler is recalling 206,668 Jeep Cherokee's model year 2014. Fiat Chrysler said it discovered the windshield wiper defect and according to FCA there have been no reports of accidents or injuries related to this defect.

The Dispute Between VW and Suzuki has Been Settled

The International Chamber of Commerce has ruled on the failed partnership between VW and Suzuki, VW will sell it's 19.9% stake in the company back to Suzuki.

In a statement from VW, "We welcome the fact that there is now clarity. The co-operation between the two companies has now been ended."

Osamu Suzuki said, "It was a precious experience." "l learned there are different types of companies."

At this time there has been no word on when the buyback will take place.

The Tesla Model S P85D scored a whopping 103 of 100 in the Consumer Reports Ratings System

Tesla's Model S P85D the all-wheel-drive electric sedan performed better in test conducted by Consumer Reports Ratings than any car has ever score before earning a perfect road-test score.

The S P85D sedan is quick 0 to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds. The car has better braking and handling than the standard Model S and the S P85D gets 87 miles per gallon.

However, it is louder than the standard model S and not as luxurious has other high end luxury vehicles. The price is a staggering $127,000 making the car too expensive for most people.

The charge on the Tesla Model S P85D has an approximate range of 200 miles on a single charge. So long drives could be a real concern. Bjorn Nyland a programmer was able to get his Tesla to go 452.8 miles on a single charge by driving at a speed of 25 miles per hour. 

The Ten Most Traffic Congested Cities in North America

California made the list three times, Los Angeles, San Jose and San Francisco. As a native Californian I can attest to the traffic. It can be a nightmare at times, but the traffic really isn't that bad you just need to know which roads and highways to avoid during peck traffic times and your good.

Here are the ten most congested cities in North America from number ten to the number one worst city for traffic congestion in North America.

10. Chicago
9. Montreal
8. San Jose
7. New Orleans
5. Seattle
4. Honolulu
3. San Francisco
2. Vancouver
1. Los Angeles

Have you ever heard of General Motors Holden (Australia) concept car the Hurricane?

The Hurricane was way ahead of its time in appearance and features. Produce in 1969 the Hurricane had not only a futuristic body, the car had futuristic options that today we consider regular options when purchasing a car. This car looked like something right out of a science fiction movie:

• Instead of the regular driver and passenger car doors the Hurricane had a hydraulically-powered canopy that swung up and forward over the front wheels while the steering wheel rises up and tilts forward.
• It also had a type of GPS called Pathfinder that worked with magnetic signals that were built into the road to guide the driver.
• An automatic temperature control air conditioning system.
• Rear facing back up cameras with a screen mounted on the console. 
• Four wheel disc brakes.
• Foam lined fuel tank                                                                   
• Digital instrument displays
• Interior padding and integral headrest.

Automotive Air Conditioning

In 1933 New York company was the first to offer air conditioning installation in cars. Their customers were mostly limousine and luxury car operators.

In 1939 the Packard Motor Car Company began offering air conditioning units commercially in their cars making Packard Motor Car Company the first automobile manufacture to offer air conditioning. Those first air conditioners were made by Bishop and Babcock Co, of Cleveland Ohio.

The air conditioning units were called "Weather Conditioner", these early A/C units were both air conditioners and heaters. The cars ordered with "Weather Conditioners" were sent to the Bishop and Bacock factory from Packard's East Grand Blvd facility for the conversion. After the A/C conversion was finished the cars were then sent to a local dealership for customer pickup.

The A/C conversions were fully warranted by Packard, unfortunately they were not successful for a lot reasons:

The systems did not have a temperature thermostat or an automatic shut off mechanism, the only way to turn them off was to manually switch the blower off.

The drive belt was continuously connected to the compressor any movement would allow cold air to enter the car. In later systems this problem was remedied by the use of electrically operated clutches.

The main evaporator and blower system was located in the trunk and took up almost all of the trunk space. In later years the trunks were larger so the lack of trunk space was not as much of an issue. Also there were several feet of plumbing traveling from to and from the engine compartment and the trunk and was an unreliable service.

It was a costly addition to a vehicle in 1939 the price was $274 US dollars to give you an idea how much of an expense that would have been to a buyer, in 2014 that same A/C unit would be an added cost of $4,692 US dollars. The air conditioner conversion proved to be too costly and unaffordable to most of the population in the post depression, pre-war era in America.

 Packard discontinued the option after 1941.

If you are having problems with your air condition system go to: 

http://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-air-conditioner-not-working-or-is-weak