For consumers in the market for a new car, it can be difficult to keep up with all of the new—and newly redesigned—models that have been released since they last bought a car. Autotrader’s editorial team is helping consumers narrow down the many choices on the market today by selecting the top 10 vehicles that shoppers should experience for themselves. Announced today, Autotrader’s Must Test Drive vehicle lineup for 2016 includes a wide range of body styles to ensure that no matter what kind of vehicle a shopper is considering, the list will point them in the right direction for their next purchase.
“We created the Must Test Drive Awards to highlight vehicles that are unexpectedly good,” said Brian Moody, executive editor at Autotrader. “We have a chance to drive a lot of cars, but few leave us certain that shoppers are missing out if they don’t take them for a spin. The 10 vehicles we chose this year did just that.”
A car is typically one of the biggest purchases a consumer makes, and a recent Autotrader survey showed that 84 percent of consumers say it is extremely important to test drive a vehicle they’re considering. The top three things they look for during test drives are performance, comfort and handling. While 30 percent wait to test drive vehicles until they know the exact model they want to buy, 44 percent get behind the wheel when they’re still considering a few options.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7790751-autotrader-must-test-drive-awards/
Aurora Flight Sciences announced today that the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded the company the prime contract for Phase 2 of the Agency’s Vertical Takeoff and Landing Experimental Plane (VTOL X-Plane) program.
VTOL X-Plane seeks to develop a technology demonstrator that could:
• Achieve a top sustained flight speed of 300 kt-400 kt
• Raise aircraft hover efficiency from 60 percent to at least 75 percent
• Present a more favorable cruise lift-to-drag ratio of at least 10, up from 5-6
• Carry a useful load of at least 40 percent of the vehicle’s projected gross weight of 10,000-12,000 pounds
The Aurora team’s design for its unmanned aircraft, named LightningStrike, seeks to provide an approximately 50-percent increase in speed over existing VTOL aircraft designed for comparable mission applications.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7617851-aurora-flight-sciences-vtol-xplane-darpa/
The Audi Group once again set records for deliveries, revenue and key earnings data in the fiscal year 2011. The brand with the four rings sold more than 1.3 million cars in the past year, at the same time increasing revenue to €44.1 billion. Operating profit for the Audi Group rose to over €5.3 billion in the past fiscal year. The operating return on sales climbed from 9.4 to 12.1 percent.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/audi/53778
Legacy®, through an unrestricted educational grant from Genentech, launches two new resources devoted to helping smokers understand their risks for lung cancer and reducing their risks for mortality.
Lung cancer is the nation's number one cancer killer of both men and women, accounting for 28 percent of all cancer deaths. More Americans are killed by lung cancer than by breast cancer, prostate cancer, or any other cancer. Up to 90 percent of lung cancer cases result from smoking and no current treatment can cure lung cancer. Early detection is the key to better quality and longevity of life.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/legacy/47244/
More than 15 percent of reproductive-aged women have filled a prescription for an antidepressant medication during the years 2008–2013, according to a new analysis published today in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month and the CDC is working with the March of Dimes to raise awareness about the use of antidepressant medications by women of reproductive age, and what women should know and do for their own health and that of their babies. There is conflicting evidence about the potential link between some antidepressants and certain birth defects. Some commonly used antidepressants are sertraline (Zoloft), bupropion (Wellbutrin, Zyban), and citalopram (Celexa).
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7709851-march-of-dimes-antidepressant-pregnancy-study/
Based on thorough market analysis, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Toon Boom Animation Inc. with the 2011 Global Frost & Sullivan Award for Entrepreneurial Company of the Year. In a highly concentrated market, in which the top three companies hold nearly 67 percent of the market share, Toon Boom has shown remarkable entrepreneurial spirit, rapidly gaining a strong foothold through product innovation, marketing and the implementation of a well-rounded strategy.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/56394-toon-boom-2011-frost-sullivan-award-entrepreneurial-company-of-the-year
Today, VSP Vision Care, the largest not-for-profit vision benefits provider in the United States, and market research agency YouGov released new findings showing that half of people in the U.S. are neglecting their eyes despite 84 percent of people rating vision as their most important sense. This disconnect occurs because people don’t understand the importance of annual eye exams and its connection to overall health.
In fact, only 1 percent of people know that signs of serious conditions like thyroid disease, high blood pressure, autoimmune disorders and certain types of cancer can be detected through annual eye exams. This is concerning because even if you have naturally good vision and don’t need prescription glasses, you still need an annual eye exam to protect your overall health.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8363551-vsp-vision-care/
More than 10 million (1 in 6) seniors in the U.S. face the threat of hunger and more than 15 million (1 in 4) are living in isolation. Meals on Wheels America is a national network of local community organizations that deliver meals, friendly visits and safety checks to our nation’s most vulnerable seniors. With the senior population projected to double by 2050, and an aging volunteer base, Meals on Wheels America, in partnership with the Ad Council, is launching its first national integrated campaign this summer to recruit a new pipeline of volunteers to meet the growing need.
Every day, Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver one million meals and smiles to seniors in need across the country. The current network represents more than 5,000 local programs in virtually every community in America and relies on an army of two million volunteers to deliver meals five days a week, typically between 11 am and 1 pm. Beyond providing nutrition, delivering a meal also provides a moment of human connection that nourishes both the senior and the volunteer. For many seniors, the volunteer may be the only person they will see that day. According to a survey of current Meals on Wheels volunteers, more than 75 percent are over the age of 55, and the average age of volunteers is 62, making it critical to recruit additional volunteers to keep the wheels rolling for future generations.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7867951-ad-council-meals-on-wheels/
Amway parent company, Alticor Inc., announced global sales exceeding USD$10.9 billion for the year ended December 31, 2011.
The results represent 17 percent growth over 2010 annual sales of USD$9.2 billion. This is the sixth consecutive year of growth for the company, which has posted sales increases 11 out of the past 12 years.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/amway/49574
The American Le Mans Series reports it reduced its petroleum usage by nearly 50 percent in its most recent race.
Series president Scott Atherton delivered the message today to journalists and government officials in Washington at the National Press Club. “Ten days ago at Road America, renewable fuel use by our race cars reduced petroleum consumption by 48 percent compared to traditional all-petroleum racing fuel,” Atherton said. “According to the Department of Energy, if such a result was translated to the U.S. vehicle fleet, the nation could decrease imported oil dependency by half, saving $175 billion every year inside our economy.”
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/51926-american-le-mans-series-tequila-patron-reducing-petroleum-usage
In California where over one-third of the country’s vegetables and two-thirds of the country’s fruits and nuts are grown, businesses in the agricultural industry are looking for ways to reduce costs while continuing to deliver high quality products. In one of the nation’s sunniest states, farmers, food processers, beverage suppliers and more have used complete solar solutions from SunPower (NASDAQ:SPWR) to save on one of their largest operating expenses: electricity.
One grower-owned almond processor based in the 7-square-mile town of Buttonwillow, Calif., now offsets 90 percent of its electricity costs with a 1-megawatt SunPower® Helix™ system. Golden Empire Shelling can see up to 70 million pounds of almonds roll through its state-of-the-art facility each year. With limited land and water resources in the area, the company chose a solar solution that delivers 29 percent more energy per square foot compared to conventional systems, and can be robotically cleaned with 75 percent less water than manual methods.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7706154-sunpower-solar-solutions-for-agricultural-industry/
Today marks the 87th anniversary of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This day provides an opportunity to think about ways to give back to the nation, and there are many ways to give back to one’s country. One of these ways is to preserve the resources that the nation has, and at the forefront of these resources, is energy. It is the vein that Saudi Arabia feeds on to continue its development and prosperity.
For the past three years, the demand for energy increased at a yearly rate of 8%, and is expected to increase up to 58% in the next 25 years. These figures will have an immense impact on oil, especially that 90% of the Kingdom’s revenue is generated from oil exports. While 27% percent of the produced oil is spent on generating energy.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8184051-save-energy-saudi-national-day/