The original equipment manufacturer (OEM) sector has been flooded with various types and versions of tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) products in the wake of the passing of the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act. This act makes it mandatory for all new vehicles in the United States to be equipped with a TPMS.

A study on the North American tire pressure monitoring systems market by Frost&Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, reveals that the research and development of aftermarket indirect systems is in the final stage and may directly threaten the TPMS industry in the OEM sector due to price advantage.

“While on one hand many suppliers are developing increasingly advanced systems, on the other several vehicle manufacturers are considering TPMS a commodity, and are in constant search for more cost-effective systems. The market supports those participants who offer inexpensive products without comprising on quality and who have a strong brand image,” Frost&Sullivan reports.

The study adds that many end users are expected to abandon direct systems in favor of the considerably lower-priced indirect ones, once the systems meet TREAD Act’s requirements. Currently, indirect systems are not fit to be implemented as OEM issue, but ongoing developments in advanced indirect systems is expected to change this and help the technology wean customers away from direct systems.

Meanwhile, the rushed implementation of TPMS in the OEM sector, technological advancements and product proliferation have created parts standardization issues within the market, and has especially affected the aftermarket segment of the automotive industry.

“Almost each vehicle model had a distinct TPMS type and some are not compatible with certain diagnostic tools,” said Frost&Sullivan industry analyst Kyu-Min Oh. “Standardization of direct TPMS technologies by OEMs and production of diagnostic equipment that are compatible with the variety of systems by aftermarket tools manufacturers is expected to go a long way in aiding the overall market.”

To take the new OEM implementation in their stride, the study adds, the aftermarket maintenance participants and tire retail channel have emphasized on technician training and consumer education. Since approximately 19 million TPMS-fitted vehicles are expected to be sold annually, it is vital for technicians to have an in-depth knowledge and training about the system.

“It is critical for aftermarket maintenance and tire industry participants such as tire retailers to educate technicians on the wide variety of TPMS products and the repair and diagnosis process for different applications,” the analyst added. “This will help eliminate unnecessary costs such as compensations for damages.”

According to the report, the adoption of TPMS has not only necessitated specific training for technicians but also discouraged the offer of complimentary services such as tire rotations to preferred customers, as TPMS servicing is labor and time intensive.

It adds that maintenance participants also have to invest in TPMS diagnostic equipment to carry out repairs, replacements and re-calibration. Due to the volume of TPMS in use, it is crucial for workshops to have the appropriate equipment to work on TPMS-equipped cars.

COLUMBUS, Ohio—It’s high time for the American hot rod as the National Hot Rod Association sets the stage for the 5th  annual Holley NHRA reunion. Billed as a one-of-a kind American car lover’s dream, this year’s NHRA event will feature the high-octane drag racing it’s been famous for.

For American motorsports driver and NHRA Hall of Famer Jeg Coughlin Sr., this year’s NHRA races will be even more remarkable as he ride down memory lane.

As once one of the most dominant drivers of his generation and now founder of aftermarket high performance parts supplier JEGS Mail Order, Coughlin has been at the forefront of hot rodding and drag racing for nearly five decades. At this weekend’s Hot Rod Reunion at the National Trail Raceway, he will be honored as the event’s Grand Marshal.

“It is such an honor to be named the Grand Marshal of this event,” said Coughlin. “I’ve always said that the best part of these events is being able to see all of your old friends and former competitors again. I can walk through the pit area and literally spend hours reminiscing about the good old days. As we get older, we realize how special it is to be able to spend time with the people we’ve raced with and against for the last twenty, thirty years or more. My only complaint is that there aren’t enough hours in the day to see everyone you want to see.”

Since its inception in 2003, the NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion has experienced significant growth in both spectators and participants, forcing event organizers to seek a bigger venue. In 2007, the event was moved from its former home in Bowling Green, Kentucky, to the historic National Trail facility just outside of Columbus.

“I’m especially excited since the Reunion is now being held at my home track at the National Trail Raceway,” said Coughlin. “This track has had so many great memories for me and my family over the years. It’s hard to remember them all. I’m sure that we will have a lot more great memories after this weekend, too.”

The event, which will be held until June 17, features a car show, swap meet, barbecue, and the popular “Cacklefest,” a thrilling exhibition of power featuring more than a dozen classic nostalgia race cars with their nitro-burning engines fired simultaneously. On the track, nostalgia drag racing classes include Top Fuel, Junior Fuel, Supercharged gassers, classic Funny Cars, Fuel Altereds, factory Super Stock racers and a variety of exhibition runs.

Coughlin made countless quarter-mile runs at the National Trail Raceway during his career, which included stints in NHRA’s three professional classes, Top Fuel, Funny Car, and Pro Stock. Coughlin’s sons, John, Troy, Mike, and Jeg, have also combined to win seven NHRA national events at the team’s home track.

In addition to Coughlin, honorees for the 5th annual NHRA Hot Rod Reunion are Johnny Abbott, Don Cain, Ted Harbit, Fred Hurst, and the successful Ohio-based Top Fuel team of G.L. Rupp and driver Pat Dakin. The Justice Bros. Reunion Spotlight will be cast on two-time Funny Car champion and Drag Racing School founder Frank Hawley. Hall of Famers “Big Daddy” Don Garlits and “TV Tommy” Ivo are also expected to attend.

Quantum International, manufacturer of high performance engines and drive trains for the original equipment and aftermarket auto parts industries, spearheaded this week the launching of Norsk hydrogen refueling station as part of Europe’s effort to build a “Hydrogen Highway” across the continent.

Lines of Toyota 2007 Prius took to the refueling station outside the company’s research center at Heroya, Porsgrunn, Norway. It was officially opened on June 12 by State Secretary Steinulf Tungesvik of the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications, and Norsk Hydro’s president Eivind Reiten.

The planned Hydrogen Highway between Oslo and Stavanger will cover a total of 580 kilometers of road. The Norwegian HyNor plan calls for five refueling stations along the main highway from Oslo to Stavanger, the center of the national petroleum industry that makes Norway the world’s third largest oil exporter, after Saudi Arabia and Russia.

By 2009, HyNor plans to have enough fueling stations along the 580 km route to allow hydrogen-powered vehicles to routinely make the trip. The ultimate goal is to extend the hydrogen infrastructure network through much of Scandinavia under the Scandinavian Hydrogen Highway Partnership, a joint organization formed by HyNor, Sweden’s HyFuture, and Denmark’s Hydrogen Link earlier this year.

“We are excited to participate with Miljobil Grenland, Norsk Hydro, Statoil, and the Norwegian government in building the foundation for one of the most progressive public-private hydrogen partnerships in the world,” said Alan Niedzwiecki, president of Quantum International. “Quantum’s hydrogen hybrid Priuses are generating increasing interest from around the world as clean, fuel-efficient alternatives to petroleum-fueled vehicles.”

“Based on the enthusiastic reception we received at the grand opening of the Norsk Hydro hydrogen station, we believe that opportunities will continue to grow for Quantum’s hydrogen hybrid Priuses throughout Europe and North America,” the Quantum president added.

Europe’s planned shift to hydrogen fuel cells came on the heels of a poll done by CarGurus.com, a US-based automotive community site, which revealed that a majority of the more than 500 respondents, or 80 percent, have no plans to buy a hybrid vehicle as their next car despite rising gas prices and a growing interest in curbing the emission of gases that contribute to global climate change. Hybrids cut emissions and gas use by using a fuel cell, like hydrogen, at slow speeds.

“Taking these results with the results of another survey we did in January, which showed the top two reasons car shoppers have for buying a new cars is better performance and better gas mileage, I think the concern here about hybrids is they don’t deliver on performance,” said Langley Steinert, CEO of CarGurus.com.

Hybrid cars do deliver better gas mileage. The 2007 Toyota Prius gets a combined city and highway gas mileage of 70 km per gallon, according to the US Department of Energy. That is far higher than the 35 kpg average fuel efficiency for other vehicles in the midsize car segment. But the 2007 Prius goes from 0 to 80 kph in a sluggish 10.1 seconds and achieves a top speed of only 130 kph, which could leave many new-car buyers cold, Steinert said.

There may be other road blocks for hybrid sales, which have wobbled since August. These include a decline in gas prices late last year and the fact that Toyota has run up against a federal limit for tax credits that have helped drive sales of the gas-friendly sedan. Another reason is recently revised fuel mileage standards from the Environmental Protection Agency that are designed to more accurately reflect how Americans drive their cars and will cut fuel economy estimates for cars like the Prius by an average 8 to 12 percent beginning this year.

Exhaust systems are typically one of the first things to be upgraded on a Mustang. The sound of an exhaust system can transform the image of a car from a quiet and simple daily driver to a mean muscle car that sets off car alarms as it drives down the street.

For most Mustang owners, the optimal exhaust system lies somewhere between the two. The performance aspect of replacing the stock exhaust system is also enticing, as a free-flowing exhaust can mean more horsepower and torque. Gibson, manufacturer of performance exhaust system based in Corona, California, recently launched a line of muscle car exhaust systems including one for the S197 Mustang GT.

Gibson performance exhaust was recently put to test opposite a 2007 Mustang GT test car. The GT was fitted with a set of Gibson shorty headers, x-pipe crossover pipe without catalytic converters, tailpipes, and dual mufflers. The system is built from T-304 stainless steel and is backed by a limited lifetime warranty.

Each component is completely bolt-on and requires no welding and includes all hardware necessary for installation. The headers and mufflers are 50 state smog legal, although the x-pipe is for “off road use only”. One will need to keep the stock crossover pipe with catalytic converters if passing an emissions test is a consideration.

Gibson put particular effort into developing their Superflow CFT Performance mufflers. The design utilizes chambers, baffles, and louvers to provide for optimal air flow, particularly in the low and mid range where it is most usable. Gibson’s tests show approximately a twenty percent increase in air flow, improving from 300 cfm to over 360 cfm. The system also provides a more aggressive exhaust tone.

“On a V8 everybody wants that deep, throaty sound,” said Shawn Seidelman, Gibson’s head of research and development department. “That’s what we strive for here—that perfect sound. We did tests on the Mustang for a month and a half trying to get the right sound and the right power out of it.”

Gibson’s system does indeed improve exhaust efficiency. The dyno tests done on the test car before and after the installation showed a significant increase in both horsepower and torque across the entire rpm range. With the shorty headers, x-pipe, and mufflers installed, our Mustang GT netted an additional 20.9 horsepower and 26.1 lb-ft torque.

As for the sound, the system proved a much deeper and more aggressive tone, but stayed relatively quiet and unobtrusive at idle. The system’s high points include the quiet Mustang cabin while cruising and the aggressive sound during acceleration.

Overall, the Gibson system provided an excellent improvement in both power and sound. Pricing has yet to be announced, but Gibson officials said it will be competitively priced like other Gibson performance exhaust systems. Installation does not effect vehicle warranty. Exact specifications assure the installer and purchaser that all systems fit properly and yield programmed benefits.

Gibson has been in the aftermarket performance parts industry for close to 30 years. It offers one of the the most cost-effective performance-grade exhaust systems in the market and each Gibson assembly is emission legal in all 50 states.

LOS ANGELES, California—SCORE International, organizer of the premiere off-road racing in the country, has just added the Robert Bosch Tool Corp. in its stable of race sponsors for the Las Vegas Terrible Cup III. Bosch USA joined perennial race sponsors American Suzuki and NAPA Chassis, setting the stage for what promises to be the most exciting SCORE event of the year.

“SCORE has a long history of having great sponsor partners and adding Bosch is very special and having Suzuki and NAPA return to our series is a distinct honor,” said SCORE International president Sal Fish, who has led SCORE since soon after it was founded in 1973.

“We welcome all three companies to our SCORE family of sponsor partners and look forward to helping them achieve their marketing objectives through SCORE desert racing,” he added.

All three companies will have a significant presence at the upcoming third edition of the Las Vegas Terrible Cup. The third round of the six-race SCORE Desert Series, the World’s Foremost Desert Racing Series, held from June 1 to 3 in Ensenada, Mexico, attracted nearly 500 entries competing in 28 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs.

Current SCORE official sponsors include big names in the aftermarket industry: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Sunoco Race Fuels/Bryant Petroleum-official fuel supplier, Bilstein-official shock, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance-official Mexican auto insurance, American Racing ATX Series-official wheel, Slime-official tire sealant, Airstar America-official space lighting provider, Red Bull–official energy drink and Bosch Power Tools-official power tool.

Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, Terrible Herbst Inc., Blue C Communications, Kartek Off-Road, Fram, Autolite, Prestone, Bendix, American Suzuki, NAPA Chassis, SignPros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie’s Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.

Bosch is one of the world’s largest private industrial corporation’s worldwide, with 261,300 associates and annual sale of 54.5 billion. In North America, the Bosch Group has nearly 24,750 associates, and in 2006 achieved total consolidated sales of $8.8 billion.

“The relationship with SCORE was an easy decision for Bosch,” said Mark Fishburn, key account manager for the Western United States. “Bosch customers not only work hard, but play hard. Bosch wanted to recognize this by supporting SCORE in our customers playground-Las Vegas. The toughness and grit of the SCORE races is synonymous with the quality and toughness of Bosch Power Tools.”

Bosch Power Tools has three partners this racing season. Besides SCORE, Bosch is partnering with The Milwaukee Mile racing complex for three major event weekends. One will be for an IRL race, one will have both NASCAR Busch and NASCAR Truck Series races, and the third will be an ARCA RE/MAX event.

Bosch is also a sponsor of the No. 18 Dodge driven by veteran Ken Schrader in the NASCAR Truck Series. As part of its agreement with SCORE International, Bosch developed a special contingency program for racers, which it unveiled during the 40th anniversary of the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 last November.

The third edition of the Terrible Cup will be held from July 19 to 21 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. All classes will race twice on Friday night and twice on Saturday night. The draw lots for starting position will be held this Friday, June 15.

ACDelco, the aftermarket parts arm of US automaker General Motors, showcased its wide range of auto parts at the Automechanika Gulf Exhibition 2007. The exhibit, billed “All Cars, All Models, All Quality Parts,” set the stage for the company’s planned push to build a strong, dynamic and growing aftermarket business across the region, providing customers with a quality line up of automotive parts.

In the face of strong market demand, the network of very popular and convenient ACDelco Service Centers is also set to expand by 50 percent by the end of the year (up from 30 percent year-ago level), significantly increasing the availability of parts and aftermarket service across the region.

ACDelco has expanded its range of high quality aftermarket parts for Asian, European and North American vehicles, with the inclusion of a wide range of oil, air and fuel filters, gas and fluid filled shock absorbers and struts, universal wiper blades, brake pads and non asbestos brake discs, universal spark plugs, light bulbs, and resistors with premium platinum coating. All the parts come with a 12 month warranty and are manufactured to the highest EU quality standards. High point of the ACDelco aftermarket parts is their significantly lower price compared to genuine parts.

Automechanika Gulf 2007 was held at the Dubai World Trade Center from May 27 to 29, and catered to the rapidly developing automotive aftermarket segment in the wider Middle East and Africa. The exhibit covered the full range of parts for motor vehicles, as well as components for the drive, chassis, body, electrics and electronic groups, equipment for vehicle service and repair, bodywork repair and painting, tires, batteries and performance systems.

Glenn Heller, general manager of ACDelco Independent Aftermarket at General Motors, said: “We have seen the ‘All Cars, All Models, All Quality Parts’ range increasing in popularity as more and more people, whose vehicle warranties have expired, recognize the quality and price competitiveness of ACDelco parts.

“We will be looking to build on this success over the coming months, notably with the introduction of parts for European vehicles and the expansion of the ACDelco Service Center network.

“We have seen strong market demand for the latter from customers who require a fast, efficient and unbeatable automotive service that’s supported by the use of quality parts backed up with a 12 month warranty.”

ACDelco has been an integral part of the automotive industry for almost 100 years, establishing a reputation for setting industry standards for top quality automotive parts. Since ACDelco’s launch in the Middle East in the early 1990s, the brand has quickly become synonymous with quality, safety and reliability. ACDelco is already the market leader in automotive batteries, supplying a battery suitable for every vehicle available in the Middle East.

ACDelco is a market leader with the capability to handle all makes and all models of automotive vehicle regardless of the manufacturer. Today, it supplies more than 75,000 component parts in 57 different component classifications backed by a regional distribution center in Dubai.

It consistently brings new advances in parts technology, smart inventions and innovative ideas to the marketplace ahead of its competitors. All parts are engineered and rigorously tested to ensure that they meet or exceed original manufacturers’ specifications. General Motors’ aftersales business, in which ACDelco plays a significant role, posted a record year in 2006, with sales increasing by more than 22 percent.

Goodyear is hitting the trail with a “self-healing” carbon-loaded drive belt that can reduce the possibility of a long walk home. The Goodyear Gatorback Sport is the first Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) belt with carbon fiber reinforcement in its body construction, according to Loren Danhauer, Goodyear chief belt engineer.

“Threadlike strands of carbon fiber are strong and flexible and weigh much less than steel of similar strength,” said Danhauer. “The fiber alignment in the rubber compound provides added stiffness across the width of the belt.”

Jonathan Cocco, marketing manager for Goodyear aftermarket products, said a Goodyear survey of quad riders shows they want precise, immediate throttle response and off-road durability whether for hunters, ranchers, fire rescue teams or sport enthusiasts.

A CVT system varies the working ratio of two v-shaped pulleys linked by the belt, said Cocco. The distance between pulley flanges can fluctuate, allowing the belt to ride smoothly up or down the pulley, continuously changing the gear ratio and varying vehicle speeds.

The pulleys are part of a power sensing drive that increases tension during acceleration and lowers tension when power is reduced. Danhauer explained that conventional CVT belt sidewalls can glaze and char from heat build up when engaged with pulleys under extreme loads. Materials from the top width of the belt then turn down and inward, creating vibrations that can quickly destroy the belt.

“Gatorback Sport regulates itself under extreme events,” said Danhauer. “Its carbon fiber in the rubber compound allows desired edge slippage without losing top width. When extreme demand subsides, the belt self-heals and again picks up the load.”

Danhauer added that tests he conducted show significantly improved top width wear and reduced belt weight loss. Cocco said Gatorback Sport is responsive and durable. “Its aggressive carbon fiber material maintains pulley grip without sacrificing belt wear,” he said. “It provides quick, clean throttle response to help riders conquer steep hills and nasty mud pits, while withstanding inadvertent abuse, such as spin-and-runs.”

Gatorback Sport’s performance was born from race technology introduced last year. Hendrick Motorsports and eventual NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion Jimmy Johnson turned to Goodyear for help after making mid-season engine adjustments for added horsepower that increased demand on cam drive belts by 50 percent.

Goodyear quickly responded by mixing carbon fiber reinforcement in rubber compounds for the new timing belt. The result was an advanced composite that withstood the increased loads and higher temperatures, allowed engines to run more efficiently, and provided precision timing in every harsh environment.

“Buoyed by our success with carbon fiber, we went to work on the CVT belt for all-terrain vehicles,” said Cocco. “Its performance earns it the Gatorback name, joining a growing family of popular Gatorback automotive belts that are used by all major NASCAR Cup Series teams and are available in auto part stores and service centers.”

While Gatorback Sport’s lateral strength comes from carbon fiber, its longitudinal strength comes from Goodyear Flexten aramid cords traveling the circumference of the belt. Flexten minimizes stretch, stabilizes overall length and maximizes horsepower transmission.

“It adds up to predictable tension performance,” said Danhauer, “and tension is as important to belts as air pressure is to tires.”

Engineers also took care when designing belt dimensions, precisely duplicating most major manufacturers’ original equipment profiles and measurements for top width, length and sidewalls to ensure proper fits. Gatorback Sport’s top width range is 17 to 35 millimeters or 0.68 to 1.37 inches, while its length range is 679 to 1106 mm or 26.75 to 43.56 inches.

Kentucky—Holley Performance Products, the industry leader in performance fuel systems, announced Friday its shortlist of attractions for this month’s Somernites Power Cruise. The July power cruise is scheduled to cover four states before heading here at Somerset, Kentucky. The caravan will then meet up with over 1,000 other cars who regularly converge on the historic city square one weekend per month throughout the summer. The tour legs will be leaving the morning of July 28 from Nashville, Knoxville, Cincinnati, and Louisville. Specific locations and times can be found at the official Holley Somernites website.

From Somerset the caravan will travel to Corbin and make a stop at the Cumberland Falls, where the group will link up with the Power Cruise group coming from Knoxville and cruise back to Somerset in a caravan of classic cars and trucks.

“The Somernites Cruise has become a huge attraction over the last few years in our home state of Kentucky”, said Holley marketing director Bill Tichenor. “It really is a national type event drawing cars from all over the east coast, but it still has that small town appeal. Everyone just cruises the strip and hangs out together talking about cars. You’ll see everything from street rods, to muscle cars to slammed trucks. It’s just about car enthusiasts enjoying cars. We’re really proud of the folks over in Somerset. They’ve done it right and we’ve decided to join in,” added Tichenor.

Somernites Cruise organizers expect a record breaking day in July due to the popularity growth of the caravan. Last year, they have expanded the cruise area to an additional location at The Center for Rural Development, where cruise participants were treated to the same relaxed atmosphere and music as downtown while they enjoy entertainment and special attractions slated at the event.

“Mustang Alley” had been a big hit in the May Power Cruise, with well over 200 ’stangs of all models, colors and styles staking their claim to the special area that organizers have set aside each month for their featured makes and models. For the June 23 power cruise, organizers are calling out on all Mopar Fans to step up and show the Blue Oval folks what true loyalty is. June is “Mopar Mania” month, organizers said, and the June power cruise will have a huge area set aside just for Mopars.

All Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth owners, together with all Mopar Clubs are invited. “Last month, the Blue Oval crowd swamped the show with over 200 of their ponycars. We think the Mopar crowd simply won’t stand for that and we want you to turn out in big numbers to show everyone just which manufacturer has the most dedicated and fanatical car owners! We know you don’t have to worry about being “snake-bitten” when you are leaving them in your dust! So whether you own a new Charger or Viper, a classic Roadrunner or one of those nasty ‘Cuda’s or Challengers, we want to see you and your car at the June show proudly displayed in the “Mopar Mania” area.”

Holley Performance Products will give away Weiand intakes, Hooker Headers, NOS Nitrous, Earl’s Plumbing, Lunati Cams and FlowTech Exhaust for eac of their performance divisions. Holley, which has been in the industry for a century now, powers every NASCAR Nextel Cup team and every NHRA Pro–Stock champion. The Holley line includes performance fuel pumps, fuel injection, intake manifolds, cylinder heads and engine dress-up products for street performance, race and marine applications.

IRVINE, California—Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc. is set to develop the diesel hybrid electric version of its Alternative Mobility Vehicle (AMV) Aggressor. Its client: The US Army. The program is a follow up on Quantum’s successful Aggressor vehicle, a high-performance light-duty off-road fuel cell hybrid vehicle developed for the US Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center and the National Automotive Center. The project has a total value of $4.88 million.

The objective of the program is to develop a second-generation high-performance light-duty off-road hybrid electric vehicle platform based on the results of and feedback from the US Army’s testing and evaluation of the Aggressor. The first prototype of the Aggressor, built in 2004, never made it beyond military testing and evaluation. The propulsion system for this next phase of AMV development will focus on a JP 8 fuel-compatible diesel internal combustion engine based, battery dominant, series hybrid electric system, which would provide a cost-effective, near-term solution as fuel cell technology matures. Preproduction prototypes will be developed and built for testing and evaluation by selected commands to assess mission suitability, supportability, performance objectives, and guidance on final vehicle configuration.

“We believe that the AMV program offers an innovative solution as a long-range reconnaissance vehicle that fills a technology gap for the US Army in its national defense efforts while reducing its fuel logistic burden,” said Alan Niedzwiecki, president and CEO of Quantum. “The vehicle’s silent watch capability, high performance acceleration, extended range, and exportable power provide significant advantages for the US Army in communications, surveillance, targeting, and reconnaissance missions. We believe that this vehicle and Quantum’s innovative hybrid drive train will also be very well-suited for other commercial applications, including homeland security, border patrol, park service operations, and light-duty automobiles.”

A wider, 66″ body design makes room for performance-grade acceleration— at least as far as military vehicles go—with the second-generation Aggressor set to rev from 0 to 40 mph in four seconds and top out at 80 mph. But speed is not the main attraction here. Stealth is. The Aggressor design provides battery-only operations, allowing it to switch into “silent mode” with a reduced thermal signature. Combine that with extended range and exportable power, the Aggressor is set to become the first tough-to-detect AMV for missions involving communications, surveillance and targeting.

The contract will be administered by Alion Science and Technology Corp., based in Alexandria, Virginia. Alion will provide project management oversight in support of this effort for the US Army. Quantum, a fully integrated alternative energy company, is a leader in power train engineering, system integration and manufacturing of packaged fuel systems and accessories for specialty vehicles and applications including fuel cells, hybrids, alternative fuels, hydrogen refueling, new body styles, mid-cycle vehicle product enhancements and high performance engines and drive trains for OEMs and consumers of aftermarket parts and accessories.

The company has product commercialization alliances with General Motors, AM General and Sumitomo, while its customer base includes Toyota, Opel, Hyundai, Suzuki, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, SunLine, Yamaha, AeroVironment, and the US Army.

ROANOKE, Virginia—With the high cost of gas, drivers can use planning and common sense to squeeze a few more miles out of a gallon of gas, and reduce the flow of money going from their wallet to the gas pump. It begins with taking care of your vehicle. A simple tune up can increase fuel mileage significantly, according to Bryan Gregory, director of consumer education for Advance Auto Parts, a leading manufacturer of aftermarket performance auto parts.

“Start with the air filter ,” Gregory said. “Inside an engine, it takes 10,000 gallons of air to combust one gallon of gas. If either part is in need of replacement, fuel mileage declines significantly Replace your air filter every 7,500 miles, unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer.”

From May 27 to June 30 this year, all air filters are 25 percent off at Advance Auto Parts retailers. A dirty air filter can decrease horsepower, acceleration and performance. Replacing your air filter can increase both performance and fuel efficiency.

Proper tire pressure is the second largest influence on fuel mileage. Check the driver’s side door post to see exactly what the tire pressure should be, then check it weekly, on all tires for best results. “Tire air pressure is critical,” Gregory said. “It’s why NASCAR [National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing] teams spend so much time adjusting the air pressure. Every pound per square inch that a tire is underinflated results in a 6 percent loss in fuel efficiency. Tires that are properly inflated create the least amount of rolling resistance, and lead to a safer vehicle through improved handling.”

Vehicle maintenance should always be a priority, but some of the most important factors in reducing fuel consumption depend solely on the driver.

“You definitely want to avoid idling when possible because you get zero miles to the gallon when sitting still,” Gregory said. “Be sensible about how long you warm up the car. For most cars and trucks, 30 to 45 seconds of warm-up time is sufficient.”

To reduce idling, plan trips to avoid high-volume traffic, whether it’s by eliminating rush hour commutes or going to the drive-through window before or after peak meal times, Gregory added. Reducing a vehicle’s load by eliminating excess cargo, such as extra tires, equipment, bike or ski racks, saves gas because every 200 pounds of extra weight in a vehicle reduces fuel mileage by one mile per gallon.

“A bad habit that’s dangerous and robs fuel mileage is tailgating,” Gregory said. “It can reduce fuel mileage by nearly 10 percent because of needless braking and acceleration. Nearly half the energy needed to power a vehicle goes into acceleration. Accelerate slowly, particularly from a dead stop, to enhance fuel economy.”

To make slow starts a habit and avoid punching the gas pedal, Gregory recommends imagining an egg underneath the accelerator pedal. “That’s the method multiple Indy 500 winner Jackie Stewart said he used to win so many races,” Gregory explained.

Advance Auto Parts and its well-trained house mechanics are set to provide customers with gas-saving, do-it-yourself auto parts enhancements through the company’s Automotive Service Excellence-certified experts and consumer education program. The program, featuring instructional brochures and video clinics, show customers how to save money and increase vehicle efficiency by repairing and replacing various vehicle systems, fluids, and parts themselves.