Chrysler 300 Luxury Series Set to Wow Public in 2012

Not only is the Chrysler 300 "imported from Detroit," for 2012, its luxury refinement will rival imported competition. The exteriors of the 300 "Luxury Series" will boast platinum chrome trim on the grille, door mirrors and handles plus impressive 20" polished wheels.

Inside, a seriously good eight-speed automatic transmission,first ever on a domestic sedan,powers the four-door vehicle with exceptional smoothness and authority. Fine interior details abound, from glittering switches to supple leather seating to intelligent dashboard design.

Of course, all of these improvements will be reflected in a price increase over the regular 300 models, but new car shoppers may just find the added value is worth the cost. And all of this added goodness comes with Chrysler's competitive 5-year/100K limited warranty.

Starting at just over $40,000, the 300 Luxury Series is also a good bit less expensive than other luxury cars with comparable trappings. We confidently suggest you will like what you see if you stop by a local Chrysler/Dodge dealer after New Year's and test drive the Chrysler 300 Luxury Series. Three of our favorites are Palmer Dodge in Roswell, Mall of Georgia Chrysler in Gwinnett and Stone Mountain Chrysler in Stone Mountain.Despite major improvements, public perception still lingers that most American luxury sedans don't quite approach the level of refinement and equipment offered by their imported competitors. And so it follows thatChrysler models fall shy of Lincoln and Cadillac, especially because their pricing is less dear. But the latest announcement from Auburn Hills aims to close that perception – and pricing – gap ever so gently.

Whereas in the past, the Pentastar automaker may have tried to sell the buying public on terms like "Corinthian leather" to sell their luxury automobiles, today, all it has to do is call up its friends (read: corporate overlords) in Italy to get some top-quality Potrona Frau leather (usually found in Maserati and top-of-the-line Alfa Romeo models) and hand-sanded wood trim sent over. The new-for-2012 Chrysler 300 Luxury Series is visually distinguished as well by "platinum-chrome" trim on the grille, door mirrors and handles, plus 20-inch polished wheels and all the bells and whistles Chrysler can muster. Starting at $40,125, it's also a good bit less expensive than other luxury cars its size cars with similar trappings.

Couple that with what Chrysler claims is the first eight-speed automatic transmission offered on a domestic luxury sedan and available all-wheel drive, and the 300 Luxury Series could just make luxury import buyers swing by their local Chrysler dealership for a closer look. Short of that, have a look at the high-res images in the gallery and the press release after the jump for a closer look.
Happy New Year to all of you from all of us at ACarDealer.com!

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The Washington Auto Show a success for VPG

by Madonna Long

The Washington Auto Show was a huge success for VPG Autos and the MV-1, which was displayed at Mayor Gray,s Taxi Display.  Mayor Vincent C. Gray and DC Taxicab Commission (DCTC) Chairman Ron M. Linton (pictured above) introduced their vehicle exhibit earlier at the Verizon Center to display four proposed color schemes for the District,s taxicab fleet.

The intent of the DCTC is to move towards a standardized uniform color scheme for the DC taxicab industry in the District of Columbia and moving toward mandating upgrades to the industry by the Taxicab Modernization Act.

People at the auto show stopped by the MV-1 display where they could also vote on their favorite color scheme.  Many people where very impressed by the MV-1 and the features that included universal design and a roomy taxi ride for everyone.

Chairman Ron Linton stopped by with his staff at the Taxi display at the auto show, as did members of the Department of Energy.

The MV-1 with the CNG features is an excellent choice for the taxi industry as it saves fuel, is green, made in the USA and is accessible to everyone. It,s truly a Taxi for All.

VPG representatives Steve Barker, Vice President of Sales, Jerod Chockley, Ian Minicuci and Madonna Long spent eleven days at the auto show greeting show attendees and educating them on the MV-1 with CNG by VPG Autos.

Steve Barker and Madonna Long enjoyed a night out with Mark Perriello, the CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD).  I had the great pleasure of having my friend Jeri, who is the coordinator for the Ms. Wheelchair D.C. program, also with Melissa, join me at the auto show.  It,s always so great to have advocates who understand the importance of working on so many issues together.

It was a really productive day for me on Capitol Hill. I spent the day meeting new Pennsylvania Congressman Keith Rothfus.  The highlight of my time was, of course, catching up with my friend Bob from Senator Reid,s office, where I snapped some great photos of his office and the U.S. Capital.  I also stopped by to see Dina Titus, Representative from Nevada and long-time Nevadan friend; I am so pleased to see her on Capitol Hill again.

Interested in staying up-to-date with the accessible taxi issue? Visit www.accessibletaxi.com or connect on Facebook.

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Car seats for parents in wheelchairs

by Tiffiny Carlson

They say parenting is one of the biggest tests of anyone's life, but if you're a parent who uses a wheelchair, getting your little bundle of joy in and out of the car seat will be one of the first (and possibly most frustrating) tests you face. But have no fear! This blog offers some suggestions that may make it a little bit easier.

There are car seats available with exceptional features, making it possible for those with lower-limb disabilities, as well as those with upper-body limitations, to take their babies out in the car independently.

But first, before buying a car seat, visit a store and try the available car seats to see what works for you, and what doesn't. Make sure to look for seats that are as lightweight as possible, and also car seats that are easy to clip in (it's even better to get one with a base that stays permanently in the car). And if you have limited finger movement, consider dressing your baby in a onesie that has straps (or handmade) loops on it that you can grab onto, to help you get them out of the car seat and onto your lap.

Now, onto some of the best car seats for parents who use wheelchairs...

Orbit Baby Infant G2 car seat: Designed by dads at Stanford University, the Orbit G2 Infant car seat is considered one of the best car seats around, and it's also excellent for parents who use wheelchairs because of its swivel base (turning a full 360 degrees), so you can turn the seat so it's facing you when you help the baby into it (until they can crawl into it by themselves that is). It's also easy to release the seat from the base if you have weak hand strength. All you only need to do is gently squeeze one of the two levers.

Evenflow Triumph Advance: While this car seat may not swivel, it does have a great feature going for it that you can't find on any other car seats - quad-friendly latches. The Evenflow Triumph Advance car seat is also a budget-friendly option because it can be used for newborns and children up to 50lbs. It faces both rear and forward, and it has a base stays permanently in your vehicle, saving you a lot of time in the long run.

Combi Zeus 360: The Zeus 360 is another car seat to consider if you use a wheelchair. As the name suggests, it swivels a full 360 degrees, letting you position the seat to any angle that best works for you, letting you get the baby in and out of the car seat without overreaching. Also, this seat works for children up to 40 pounds and is both rear and forward-facing.

Maxicosi Axiss car seat: For those not in the US, the Maxicosi Axiss car seat is a great car seat to check out. It too has a swivel-base and is intended babies over 9 months into toddler-hood. It swivels 90 degrees, to the left and right, and is forward-facing. Another nice feature about this car seat is that it has 8 different positions for your baby, as well as a harness that's easy to use for those with poor hand movement.

And the future looks bright for disabled parents. It's still a work in progess, but the Carkoon car seat could blow the roof off of car seats as we know it. It has an auto swivel and a built-in automatic cocoon that encases baby in case of a fire (with built-in sensors). If this ever comes to the market, you can bet parents with disabilities will be clamoring to get one.

Remember, it may seem daunting to take your baby out on your own the first few months if you use a wheelchair, but it can be done. Mom and dad's in wheelchairs all over the world have figured out their tricks, and with the above seat recommendations, it'll now make it just that much easier for you.

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Audio books - the perfect mulitasking tool

by Tiffiny Carlson

For a lot of folks, when they hear the word "audio book" they think, "Boring. Not my thing." I'm not sure how these tasty treats ended up getting such a bad wrap, but it's the truth. Most people would rather listen to crappy radio than listen to an audio book, and these people are missing out big time. From being the ultimate multitasking tool to keeping you awake on long drives, audio books are a grossly underappreciated form of literature.

And what's great is that you don't have to spend a dime to get one (or several) in your possession. Libraries all over the country have beefed up their audio book sections, allowing you to rent them whenever you like (and they can be renewed online at most libraries up to three times). And they have all genres of audio books - fiction, non-fiction, and everything in between. Whatever keeps your attention, you'll be able to find it in an audio book.

Strangely, my audio book obsession started 10 years ago when I was a young feisty 20 year old who never would've considered audio books, but my boyfriend at the time bought us The DaVinci Code on audio book for our summer road trips. When he first told me he wanted us to listen to the book via CD, I laughed. No proper book should be listened to, I thought. But dang, I soon found out how wrong I was 2 hours into our road trip.

The soothing sounds of the narrator kept me so rapt that by the time we hit our destination, it felt like we had only been on the road for a 1/2 hour, not 2. As a fidgety road tripper, this blew me away. We next got a fun dark mystery audio book for our Seattle road trip, and I was hooked even more. Nothing ever made the time pass this quick (other than sleeping, of course).

Last year I discovered the awesomeness of non-fiction audio books. Have you ever learned something while doing something else? You can do this with audio books when you're behind the wheel. And even for short drives, this is an awesome thing to do. We got one that went over everything you'd ever wanted to know about wine, from growing grapes to pairing wines with the right food. It was 6 CDs, took all summer to get through, but I now know everything about wine. Nothing can beat learning a new skill when most of the time in the same situation, all you'd be doing is flipping through the radio stations or looking out the window.

When it comes to choosing the right audio book for your tastes, think outside the box. From horror and fiction to audio books that can teach you a new language, there are a myriad of genres available on audio. Also, when you're listening versus reading, certain genres may be easier to digest than they usually are when you read, so have fun trying different genres of books. You never know what your next favorite book style might be.

If you're still not sure if audio books will jive with you, think of all the famous novels and tomes you've wanted to read, but never had time to do. Audio books can make this happen. Gone with the Wind, Lord of the Rings, the Narnia series, even the Bible, with audio books you'll be well-read before you know it. Here's a list of some fun audio books that are popular and far from boring:
- Born to be Riled (written and narrated by Top Gear's Jeremy Clark)
- Chattery Teeth and Other Stories (a collection of short horror stories by Stephen King)
- Bossy Pants (written and narrated by Tina Fey)
- The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes (short stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

From being one of the best forms of entertainment for a vehicle to being awesomely inexpensive, audio books will surely rock your world. Just make sure you get something you love so it keeps you awake, otherwise the dulcet tones of the narrator's voice may inadvertently hit your sleepy button.

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