52-year old Honda boss Ross Brawn turned a Ferrari challenge in the Formula One feeling that the challenge posed by the Italian team is not a challenge enough.

"The fact Ferrari wasn't in crisis made it less attractive to me," he said. "I had 10 fantastic years there but you have to be careful going back.

"Honda are a UK-based team with a fantastic racing heritage."

Ross Brawn had served Honda as technical director for ten years. His service providing the tactics had led the Italian giants to six consecutive constructors' championships in 1999 until 2004. At the end of 2006, Brawn left his job to take a 12-month time off when Michael Shumaker announced his retirement after being the Formula One World Champion for seven times.

Brawn revealed that he had given a thought of returning to Maranello but also admitted that both parties haven't reached an amicable agreement. Brawn also confirmed that returning to a UK based team was a huge factor after a vacation with his family in England.

"It looked like it would be difficult to find a solution that suited my ambitions and Ferrari's needs," he told BBC Sport.

"I was getting stronger ties with the UK. I love Italy but it would have been a wrench to go back.

"My mind moved into looking at other options and alternatives and Honda was the first-choice team for me.

"I could see from the outside that they looked like a team with a high level of commitment and a team where I hope I can have an influence.
"Going to Japan and meeting the Honda executives just convinced me it was an exciting choice."

The year 2007 was not that great for Honda's racing team but Brawn foresees a great potential in the team that includes Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, both from Ferrari.

"I've got a lot of experience with Rubens, he's a great driver," said Brawn. "Given the car, given the support and given the circumstances, he can win races.
"There were several championships which Rubens would have won had Michael not been there.

"I have never worked with Jensen, [but have] always admired him from a distance. He's always looked very good to me."

During the 12th Annual Women of Color Technology Awards Conference in Atlanta, Ga., six women from Chrysler LLC have been awarded as Technology All-Stars and one as a Technology Rising Star. These women have proven that the female specie is no longer an alien in the world of technology which is traditionally dominated by Men. The event was held from November 1 until November 3, 2007 and was the 12th consecutive year that Chrysler LLC earned such prestige in the annual affair.

Technology All-Stars
  -- Linda Castaneda, Lead Program Manager - FWD Product Team
  -- Sohalia Feizy-Marandy, Engineering Supervisor - Jeep/Truck Engineering,
     Thermal Systems
  -- Jayanthi Iyengar, Senior Manager - Hybrid System Integration
  -- Toshiko Omonishi, Project Quality Manager - Peoplesoft Employee Support
     Processes
  -- Tabitha Robinson, Group Leader - Paint, Belvidere Assembly Plant
  -- Pamela Ruffin, Team Lead - Street & Racing Technology (SRT) Vehicle
     Synthesis

  Technology Rising Star
  -- Keisha Taylor, Chassis Production Planner - Belvidere Assembly Plant

"The recognition these remarkable women have received is impressive and deserving," said Nancy Rae, Chrysler Senior Vice President - Human Resources. "Chrysler is proud of the contributions this diverse group of women makes to the company every day."

The Annual Women of Color Technology Awards Conference started as a little one day conference and over 12 years, the event is one of the most awaited events in the technology industry. Now, thousands of professionals from all over the world attend the event, all from different technology industry. Most significantly, this affair gives recognition to the contributions made by women in their technology careers. Aside from giving appreciations, the conference also creates technology career opportunities for women from different cultural backgrounds. It also had been a very helpful resource for college students attending the event to meet the winner and gives them insights on how to begin their technology careers.

Holidays often spells road trips. Last year at Thanksgiving, the AAA estimated that almost 32 million Americans travel at least 50 miles away from home by car. Most often road trips are done as way for family bonding that means sharing your vehicle with the kids, sibling, parents and in-laws. A car to be the best road trip vehicle must have the features that will make your passengers refreshed and enjoy every minute of the travel. Cars.com ranked ten of their favorite car features best for road trips. Here they are:

1. Navigation system and trip computer
Nav systems can make child's play out of the most convoluted trips. Many of the latest systems offer real-time traffic reporting, and nearly all have voice-guided directions that can route you back to the main road should your sister-in-law insist on a tchotchke detour. Virtually every nav system includes some kind of trip computer that keeps tabs on gas mileage, miles until your tank is empty and more. Road atlas — your days are numbered.

2. Music flexibility
Advanced stereo systems to the rescue; the vast majority include auxiliary hookups for MP3 players, and some take integration a step further, allowing you to see your iPod's playlists and choose tracks with the stereo controls. Want more? Satellite radio broadcasts commercial-free music, and onboard hard drives can rip and store songs from CDs. Load up your collection, and you can listen to John Denver all the way to Denver.

3. Cruise control
Many luxury cars now offer advanced cruise control systems that can accelerate and brake — within reason — to maintain a comfortable, safe distance behind the car you're following. Even if you have a more basic version of cruise control, your feet will still thank you at the end of the day.

4. Multi-zone climate control
Separate climate settings for different passengers often go unused in daily driving, but they can really come in handy during long drives. Front, and sometimes even rear, passengers can set their own temperature independent of the driver, staving off complaints of being too hot or cold. Available a decade ago only in luxury cars, dual-zone controls now come in everyday cars like the Honda Accord and Ford Escape.

5. DVD entertainment systems
DVD players are the holy grail of minivans and SUVs, affording parents hours of peace while the kids watch cartoons — in silence, too, thanks to wireless headsets. Models like the Nissan Quest offer two drop-down screens, one for each row in back. Chrysler's latest minivans offer two screens with satellite TV and dual programming, so one row can play video games while another watches Nickelodeon.

6. Smart cupholders
Smaller cupholders, meanwhile, leave the soda chuggers among us high and dry. Smart cupholders are an effective solution: They're big, but they have padding inside that clamps skinnier cups or gives way to accommodate the larger stuff. Buy whatever you want at the rest stop — it's bound to fit.

7. Heated and cooled storage units
Once exclusively found in expensive luxury cars, climate-controlled storage has finally made its way down the affordability ladder. A number of Dodge and Volkswagen models have cooled glove compartments, and the Dodge Avenger and Chrysler Sebring sport heated and cooled cupholders. These features won't turn lukewarm soda ice-cold, but they can help frosty beverages stay chilled for a few hours or keep the java hot a little longer.

8. Lane-departure warning systems
Infiniti was an early pioneer of the system, and now Cadillac offers one on the STS. Lane-departure warning systems use cameras to scan the road for lane markings and chime an alert when you drift too close to the next lane without signaling. The system is no substitute for drivers who pay attention, but it's nice to have as a second line of defense.

9. Household power outlets
Anyone who's ever had portable electronics run out of juice on the road will appreciate the in-car two-pronged household power outlet. With voltage typically running between 110 and 120V, household outlets accommodate most devices that plug into a two-pronged socket. Most cars with a utilitarian bent should have one — that means everything from a Toyota Matrix to a Volkswagen Touareg.

10. Reclining rear seats
With reclining rear seats, you can leave those at home. Backseat passengers will be snoozing in no time, though drivers will want to keep them from reclining too far, as that can pose a safety hazard. A few models are still holding out, but most SUVs and minivans have them in the second row, if not the third as well.

Last October 24, 2007 in Paris, France, the World Motor Sport Council met. The conference ended up with several new decisions in the world of motor sporting including the 2008 calendar of world rallies and touring. The 2008 Sporting Regulations and the 2009 Technical Regulations have various amendments, Ferrari’s request to supply two teams with engines in the 2008 and 2009 championship have been granted by the council, the renaming of Spyker to Force India has been accepted and many more.

If you are a World Motor Sport fan, you may want to mark your calendars for these dates next year.

According to president of United Auto Workers locals, three out of four major locals have already approved the tentative agreement between the union and Chrysler LLC.

Out of the 1,500 Chrysler workers at Local 869 in Chrysler's Warren Plant, 75 percent voted for the contract approval an the remaining 25 percent are dissidents according to Da Juan Tolbert, the local's recording secretary. The exact figures recorded are a total of 930 employees voted for the contract and 312 are against. The remaining 200 did not cast their votes.
 
In Chrysler's Truck Assembly plant, which is also in Warren, representing 2,600 Chrysler workers, the contract garnered 78 percent approval and 22 percent opposed. According to local president Melvin Thompson, a total of 1,961 of his workers felt good about the pact.

At local 1264 in Sterling Heights, 82 percent out of the 2,000 workers gave the contract their approval said local president Bob Stuglin. The local leader did not give the exact figure to how many voted for the contract but he said that it was the biggest approval votes his local ever given to a deal.

In local 1700, also in Sterling Heights, the votes are still being tallied on Wednesday night. This local makes Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger midsize cars representing 2,500 Chrysler workers.

Approvals of these locals will cause relief to UAW chief Ron Gettelfinger who had faced a lot of oppositions from his members regarding the new deal. Like any other contract to be implemented, the deal must gain majority of the votes.

The four union locals voting Wednesday represent more than 8,600 workers — or roughly 19 percent of the 45,000 workers who would be covered by the historic four-year agreement.

Angela Parker, a Chrysler employee who had worked for the automaker for 10 years initially rejected the contract but eventually gave her approval because she was persuaded by his local president and that the contract entails higher wages for those earning less. "That was my main concern, that they weren't going to be stuck making $16 an hour on the line doing the same jobs that we are doing," said Parker, 40.
 

As the automotive industry attempts to give its consumers the best things possible, they combine the best cars and the best technologies. New car technologies are not just for aesthetic purposes, most of the time, the added cash on the price tags of new vehicles spells additional comfort, and especially, safety. Askmen.com ranked 10 of technologies that combine innovation and practicality, some are already available and some are coming soon. Here they are with their tag prices and cars to which you have to look for them:

Navigation With Live Traffic Information
Car: BMW 3-Series ($2,100)
Coolness rating: 10
Practicality rating: 8

GPS technology has improved commendably during its short time on Earth. No longer do systems advise drivers to cross lakes or drive five miles past the destination, make a U-turn, then come back. Having reliable directions is one thing, but having live traffic alerts beamed onto their cars' nav screens is the real icing on the cake. The best systems can route users around the mess and recalculate the trip without missing a beat or spoiling your plans.

Keyless Ignition with Memory Settings
Car: Cadillac STS (standard); Jaguar XKR (standard)
Coolness rating: 9
Practicality rating: 8

We're talking about multifunction systems that automatically unlock your car when you're within range and allow you to hop in, push the brake and a "start" button, and the car awakes. What's more, the car automatically remembers each driver's favorite settings for seat, steering wheel, mirrors, HVAC, stereo, and more. Best of all, no pointing is necessary.

Wi-Fi
Car: Aftermarket only (prices vary)
Coolness rating: 9
Practicality rating: 8

Passengers or stationary drivers can stay connected with their notebooks through portable, in-car routers for Wi-Fi that have all but eliminated dead spots. Generally speaking, the coverage and quality is similar to that provided to cell phones.

Reclining Rear Seats With Massage
Car: Lexus LS long-wheelbase models ($12,570)
Coolness rating: 10
Practicality rating: 6

Japanese luxury sedans may lack a little prestige and boldness compared to their European counterparts, but their gadgetry is amazing. Take the extended wheelbase Lexus LS models, for example. For the price of a used ES 300, buyers can choose the $12,570 Executive Class Seating option. In exchange, they'll get a right rear seat that reclines, pops up a footrest and indulges the lucky owner with a shiatsu. The coolness and brag factor of having this is understandably high, but the novelty wears a little.

Safety Warning Systems
Car: Various cars (prices vary)
Coolness rating: 7
Practicality rating: 9

Today's safety warning systems can sense lane departure, maintain an adequate space cushion in cruise control mode, recognize imminent crashes and prepare seat belts and airbags for impact, minimize wheel spin, and maximize traction -- without you having to lift a finger. Some say cars have become smarter than drivers, and in some instances, that's true and possibly the only way to keep them -- and us --reasonably safe when they're on the road.

Premium Audio Systems
Car: Audi A8 (B&O - $6,300); Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano (Bose -- standard); Lexus LS 460 (Mark Levinson - $5,645 to $6,345)
Coolness rating: 10
Practicality rating: 7

They are fine-tuned through the collaboration of experts from the audio and auto firms for listening experiences that redefine aural pleasure behind the wheel.

Search & Send
Car: Mercedes-Benz C-, CL- and S-Class (part of option packages, prices vary)
Coolness rating: 7
Practicality rating: 7

We can't help but wonder how many GPS users are defeating the purpose by taking many precious minutes to program detailed directions when they could just be driving. In what will be an undoubted time saver, Mercedes is offering its Search & Send on selected 2008 models. Quickly find your desired spot with Google or Yahoo! Map pages, and then send that info to your car. This should also enable custom routes too, not just what the GPS thinks you should do.

Parrot Rhythm N' Blue
Car: Aftermarket only ($369 suggested retail)
Coolness rating: 8
Practicality rating:: 7

Your mind may not immediately jump to "Parrot" when you're pressed to name well-known car stereo manufacturers. But if you're a techie and was asked to name a firm that was an early player in voice-recognition, Parrot would be one of the first you'd recall. In an effort to bridge that gap and make your life easier, Parrots Rhythm N' Blue combines a decent car stereo with CD, radio, MP3, and Bluetooth capability plus voice recognition for dialing your contacts.

Night Vision
Car, price: BMW 7-Series ($2,200); Mercedes-Benz CL600 (standard)
Coolness rating:: 9
Practicality rating:: 4

2008's night vision technology is the sort of thing The Rockford Files' Jim Rockford would have appreciated while on a stakeout, had it existed over 30 years ago for the Firebird. The technology is handy and the thermal imaging is ingenious, but the night vision available to motorists is positioned best for occasional reference rather than a primary means of nocturnal navigation.

Broadcast TV
Car: Rolls-Royce Phantom (standard feature)
Coolness rating: 6
Practicality rating: 6

On the upside, the Rolls-Royce Phantom complements its DVD entertainment system with live television through its two generous 12-inch screens for rear passengers. On the downside (and what tempered our ratings) was the limitation to free TV, not cable networks via satellite.

A green vehicle is actually the first step on how to drive green, aside from choosing a green vehicle, the more important thing is how you make the green vehicle even greener. Greencars.org listed several tips on how to drive your car van or light truck the green way:

• Avoid "jack rabbit" starts and aggressive driving. Flooring the gas pedal not only wastes gas, it leads to drastically higher pollution rates. One second of high-powered driving can produce nearly the same volume of carbon monoxide emissions as a half hour of normal driving.
• Think ahead. Try to anticipate stops and let your vehicle coast down as much as possible. Avoid the increased pollution, wasted gas, and wear on your brakes created by accelerating hard and braking hard.
• Follow the speed limit! Driving 75 mph instead of 65 mph will lower your fuel economy by about 10 percent, and can dramatically increase tailpipe pollution in many vehicles.
• When possible, plan your trips to avoid rush hour. Stop-and-go driving burns gas and increases emissions of smog-forming pollutants.
• Combine trips. Warmed-up engines and catalysts generate much less air pollution, so combining several short trips into one can make a big difference.
• Take a load off. Carrying around an extra 100 pounds reduces fuel economy by about 1 percent. Take a few moments to unload your cargo area.
• If your vehicle has it, use overdrive gear at cruising speeds. When driving a manual transmission, shift up as soon as possible. Running in a higher gear decreases the rpm and will decrease fuel use and engine wear.
• Try using the vents and opening windows to cool off before you turn on the air conditioner. Air conditioner use increases fuel consumption, increases NOx emissions in some vehicles, and involves environmentally damaging fluids.
• Unlike many older cars and trucks, modern vehicles don't need to warm up and they have automatic chokes, so you don't need to step on the gas pedal before starting the engine.

The United Auto Workers union Chrysler council is made up of local union leader from all over the nation. Yesterday, in a meeting in Detroit, the council expressed their approval of the new tentative agreement with Chrysler LLC. Prior to settling in to the new contract, the union already launched a strike which ended the moment the UAW negotiators announced about the pact on October 10.

"The UAW negotiating committees at Chrysler, both hourly and salaried, did an excellent job bargaining this agreement and we look forward to discussing it with our members in explanation and ratification meetings which will begin this week", said UAW President Ron Gettelfinger. "Thanks to the determination of Chrysler workers, we have moved forward on our agenda to protect manufacturing jobs in our communities -- and we have also protected wages, health care and pensions for active and retired workers."

"This proposed agreement meets the challenges of our industry head-on," said UAW Vice President General Holiefield, who heads the UAW Chrysler dept. " It sets the stage for future success at Chrysler, and for our members to share in that success."

From automotive news.com, here are the highlights of the new four-year Chrysler LLC-UAW deal:

When you see a Jeep carrying its Jeep formula, your adrenals are signaled for extreme adventure. Its body-on-frame chassis, solid front and rear axles, removable doors, fold-down windshield and offering the most capable drivetrains on earth creates the Jeep identity. The Wrangler, one of the most versatile Jeeps ever and for the 2008 model year Chrysler designed the Wrangler in a tougher, and simple rugged assembly. Offered in three models, Wrangler X, Sahara and Rubicon carries the brand's expression of freedom, adventure, ruggedness and authenticity.

From autospectator.com these are the product highlights for the 2008 Jeep Wrangler:

Benchmark Jeep characteristics
Off-road capability
•    Dana front and rear solid axles, available next-generation Command-Trac® and Rock-Trac® transfer cases and electric axle lockers
•    Electronic-disconnecting sway bar – Active Sway Bar System
•    Equipped with skid plates, tow hooks and available 32-inch BF Goodrich tires

Power
•    A standard 3.8-liter V-6 engine with 202 horsepower and 237 lb.-ft. of torque includes a standard six-speed manual transmission or four-speed automatic

•    Achieves more horsepower and torque with improved fuel economy than the previous six-cylinder engine

Interior space and comfort
•    Front-seat area provides 54.8 cubic feet of volume, for comfortable shoulder and hip room, while rear-seat volume is 48.3 cubic feet of space
•    Space behind rear seat provides more comfort, ergonomics and storage capacity
•    56.5 cu. ft. of cargo volume behind front seats – an increase of 13 cu. ft.
17.1 cu. ft. of cargo volume behind rear seats – an increase of 8 cu. ft.

On-road refinement

•    Torsionally stiff frame resists bending
•    Wheelbase at 95.4 inches, which contributes to a smooth ride and quiet cabin
•    Lower spring rates, advanced shock tuning and heavy-duty powertrain and body mounts isolate the passenger compartment from vibrations

Open-air fun

•    Only true 4x4 convertible
•    Three-piece Freedom Top™ system provides more options for open-air driving, while a Sunrider® soft top provides a second, easy open-air option
•    Dozens of different door, top and windshield combinations

Safety features

•    Advanced multi-stage air bag
•    Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
•    Brake Assist
•    LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren)
•    Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM)
•    Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
•    Energy-absorbing steering column
•    Occupant Classification System (OCS)
•    Seat belt pretensioners
•    Seat-mounted side air bags
•    Side-impact door beams
•    TPM

True to Jeep heritage
• Stays true to the Jeep Wrangler recipe but features a precise appearance with clean, crisp lines and improved fit and finish
• Classic round headlamps, signature seven-slot grille, wide wheel flares, exposed forged hinges, fold-down windshield, sport bar, removable tops and doors and washable interior

Rugged Jeep character with new conveniences and features
• Available MyGIG™ Multimedia Infotainment System with navigation system, six-disc stereo, MP3 player and SIRIUS Satellite Radio provides the latest interior conveniences
• Available power windows and door locks are designed so that doors may be easily removed

The Daimler-Benz and Chrysler merging forming the DaimlerChrysler AG had been a failure resulting to the selling of the Chrysler LLC group to the private equity, Cerberus Capital Management LP. However, even after losing its 80.1% stake at Chrysler, the German automaker retained the Chrysler name until yesterday as DaimlerChrysler AG becomes Daimler fading the merge in history.