ExxonMobil Refining & Supply has announced it will invest more than $1 billion in three refineries to increase the supply of cleaner burning diesel by about six million gallons per day. The company will construct new units and modify existing facilities at its Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Baytown, Texas; and Antwerp, Belgium, refineries. If you picture sooty old residue on the bumpers of old diesel-powered cars, the new generation of clean diesel will change that image.

"This underscores the company's ongoing commitment to meeting the growing needs of the marketplace, while, at the same time, providing cleaner burning fuels to consumers. Our increase in diesel production at these three sites will be equal to the diesel produced from about four average-size refineries," said Sherman Glass, President, Refining & Supply. "In combination with cleaner-burning engines and the latest vehicle emissions control technologies, this low sulfur diesel reduces emissions in both on-road transportation, and off-road industrial sectors."

This investment is the latest phase in ExxonMobil's efforts to increase supplies and reduce the sulfur content of both motor gasoline and diesel. In 2000, the company began an integrated approach to convert and modify refineries, terminals and pipelines to provide ultra low sulfur fuel products.

Rain-X Offers Tips and Information to Help You Outsmart the Elements

Visibility is fundamental to safe driving. Although drivers depend on their vehicles' wiper blades to clear away rain, sleet and snow, many wait to replace them until they need them the most. So remembering to maintain wiper blades regularly can maximize visibility, efficiency and reliability.

Wiper blades deteriorate due to many environmental factors including:

•     Sun: Ultraviolet light and ozone deterioration
•     Oil: Car waxes and exhaust hold rubber-deteriorating oil
•     Airborne debris: Sand, mud and dust carried in the wind
•     Moisture: Acid rain and salt water (in moist air both near the shore and inland)

Count me among those people who watch the Super Bowl  simply so she can enjoy the parties and the advertising. I may not be a huge football fan, but I do love the spectacle of the Super Bowl Show! Especially the giant halftime entertainment, which this year will star Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band! Woo hoo! You think we'll accidentally get to see HIS chest?

According to an article in AdAge today, NBC has sold all but two of the prized Super Bowl advertising slots, AND "and has managed to sell all of them at prices above $2.4 million, a sign that economic issues haven't thwarted advertisers' desire to be in the annual football classic." That's great news, considering all the doom and gloom we've been hearing about the impending recession.

More good news is that we car fans can also expect a great assortment of auto-focused advertising, including spots from Audi, Bridgestone, Cadillac (who is sponsoring the game's MVP award), and Hyundai. If you're feeling the need to get warmed up, you can review highlights from Super Bowl XLII car campaigns here.

Bridgestone was cool enough to send us a teaser of their Superbowl campaign starring Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head. Bridgestone has purchased two 30-second commercials intended to showcase the performance of Bridgestone tires and reinforce the key message that "for drivers who want to get the most out of their cars... it's Bridgestone or nothing."

 Whether parents are worried solely about their child's safety or, additionally, the cost of adding their teen driver to their car insurance policy, having a teen get their driver's license is a stressful time.  While teens are a higher liability to insure, there are ways you can save on your car insurance premium after adding your teen driver onto your policy.

1) Good Student Discounts: Bs or Better = Discounted Rates
Most insurers will offer discounts, often from 10-25%, for teen drivers that maintain a B (3.0) grade point average or better. Not only can this serve as an incentive for your child to keep their grades up, but the savings get passed on to you.

2) Keep a Clean Driving Record
Unfortunately, the statistics don't lie. According to experts, the crash rates for 16 year olds are approximately three times higher than those for 19 year olds, and nearly 6 times higher than for drivers aged 20-24. Many parents find that their new teen drivers are very cautious in the beginning, but then quickly become overconfident and start ignoring basic traffic rules and/or driving recklessly.

A report released in June 2008 concluded that nearly a quarter of all automobile accidents occur in rainy and wet weather .  According to Rain-X, accidents in wet weather may in part be attributed to the nearly 78 percent of motorists that only change their wiper blades after the blades begin to impair visibility and become a potential safety hazard.

"Ninety percent of driving decisions are based on clear vision," says Jody DeVere, President and CEO of the #1 women's auto advice website, AskPatty.com. "Annually changing your wiper blades, as well as performing quick safety checks, can increase safety during inclement weather, especially during the winter months.  It is that yearly reminder to change your blades that is vital to maintaining roadway visibility and there is no better reminder than Groundhog Day when people are already thinking of the weather."

Clear visibility through the use of effective wiper blades and a windshield treatment while driving can improve reaction times by up to a full second in poor weather conditions.  When traveling at 60mph, a full second can equate to 100 feet and may be the difference in avoiding a potential accident.

To raise awareness around the issues of clear vision and safe driving, Rain-X is teaming up with Jody DeVere to spread this important safety message and mark Groundhog Day as an annual reminder for motorists to change their wiper blades and prepare their vehicles for unpredictable driving conditions.

United States' teen road deaths are in epidemic proportions; in fact, road trauma tops the list as the leading cause of death for teens. However, global studies show that parents can help stop the carnage through careful education and supervision during their young driver's formative educational period.  

Statistics released in 2005 show that 4,544 teens aged 16 - 19 died as a result of fatal injuries sustained in motor vehicle crashes.  A further 400,000 teen car occupants received injuries that required hospital treatment. It's not only the social costs of losing children in car crashes or having them injured, there are also huge financial costs - in 2005 teen road crashes cost the US $40 billion dollars.

I know firsthand the emotional trauma of having a loved one involved in a car crash, so we at AskPatty.com have joined forces with the road safety educators at The Survival Group to launch their new Road Safety Campaign -- the PATTI Program (Parents Actively Teaching Teens Initiative) -- to show parents how to help keep their teen drivers  safe on the roads. I have my own special interest in the success of this campaign, having nearly lost my own son in a high-speed crash several years ago.

As the automotive industry tightens its belt and marketing budgets are being slashed, automakers and their agencies are being forced to question the value of every penny spent. We've already seen some manufacturers abandon or scale back auto show participation at the Los Angeles and Detroit auto shows. Is this a good decision? According to a recent consumer survey from by Foresight Research, auto shows are still of great value to automakers, delivering better return on investment than many other forms of marketing.

According the survey, one out of four new vehicle buyers said they attended at least one auto show in a 12-month period prior to purchasing their vehicle, and among all buyers 10% said that the auto show had a significant influence on their purchase. The survey also showed that most often, auto shows impact buyers early on in the shopping process: 51% indicated that the auto show influenced their interest in a brand or type of vehicle; 39% said it influenced their decision to shop at dealerships for that vehicle and 19% said the auto show influenced their final purchase decision.

Like it or not, our car is an extension of who we are as individuals. It's the reason that Prius owners wave to each other, and why people feel the need to catch a glimpse of the person driving the Hummer.
Likewise, the car we drive also determines how much we pay for auto insurance.  Insurance costs are probably the last thing on your mind when you’re checking out cars at the dealership, but many owners are "car-broke" because of their insurance costs--and don't even know it. Are you driving one of the most expensive cars to insure?

Factors That Determine Auto Insurance Rates
Gender, age, driving record, location, annual mileage, credit scores (in most states) and, most importantly, the car you drive all play a role in determining your auto insurance rate. Although common sense holds that the pricier the vehicle, the more expensive the insurance, this is not always the case. Insurance rates differ greatly between makes and models. If a car has a good crash safety rating, is not stolen frequently and has additional safety or anti-theft devices, it will generally cost less to insure. Conversely, if your car is flashier, attractive to thieves and doesn't perform well in crash tests, it will cost more to insure.

Changing the many fluids in a vehicle is always a change for the better. Dirty engine oil, transmission fluid or anti-freeze are bad news for a car. But what about brake fluid? Many motorists know that this fluid should be topped off, but changed?

According to the Car Care Council brake fluid in the typical vehicle can become contaminated in two years or less. This is because the fluid absorbs moisture, which works its way through the hydraulic system. Under heavy braking conditions, such as those encountered in mountainous or hilly driving or when towing a trailer, moisture in the overheated fluid vaporizes (boiling point of water is lower than that of brake fluid) and braking efficiency is reduced.

"Even under normal driving conditions this condition can develop if the brake fluid is seriously contaminated" says Rich White, spokesperson for the Car Care Council. "Not only is the fluid vulnerable to vaporizing, it also can freeze.

The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company exceeded industry-wide expectations by recording more than $63 million in sales last week during the 38th annual Scottsdale auction. From January 11-18, 2009, the all No Reserve auction featured an eclectic offering, including a 1929 Ford 4-AT-E Tri-Motor airplane that sold for $1.21 million and the "first production" 1955 Ford Thunderbird that fetched $660,000. Despite an uncertain economy, numerous Barrett-Jackson records were set, including $220,000 for a 1959 Chevrolet Corvette convertible, $250,000 for a 50th Anniversary Hurst Performance 2008 Dodge Viper and $137,500 for a 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 fastback.

Hailed as "The World's Greatest Collector Car Auctions," the 2009 Scottsdale event featured over 1,100 collector vehicles and 40 hours of live, high-definition TV coverage on the SPEED television network. For the third consecutive year, more than 200,000 people attended the Scottsdale auction.

"The car collector community enjoyed another stellar Scottsdale event at Barrett-Jackson," said Craig Jackson, Chairman/CEO of Barrett-Jackson. "It was truly a celebration of our hobby and its resiliency. Sales were solid from start to finish and exceeded expectations. Barrett-Jackson was an oasis for hundreds of thousands of people looking to escape the economic headlines and enjoy some amazing cars in beautiful weather."