The world is at a crossroads. While the rising influence from China and India have strengthened the car industry, the amount of cars on the roads is becoming undeniable large. Indeed, individuals have long turned to renting and leasing in order to avoid the cumbersome burden of owning a vehicle. However, a new methodology is slowly growing from an unlikely source, giving us the power to alter the way we travel forever.

General Motors Vice President Steve Grisky has recently told Time magazine reporter Anita Hamilton that the company has begun a round of funding for a rather little known company called RelayRides. Providing them with nearly $3 million (£1.8 million), the company is spearheading a program of peer-to-peer car-sharing services across the United States.

Rather surprisingly, what emerges from this relationship is a daunting contradiction: Why exactly would GM offer funding to a company that directly competes with them? Indeed, the carmakers purpose is to ensure the sale of their vehicles. However, as the company has noted, what truly matters is that individuals are driving HM vehicles regardless of whether they own them or not.

However, it should be noted that this type of service is certainly not new. Car-sharing services like Zipcar have been utilising a fleet of nearly 9,500 vehicles to perform a similar task. What RelayRides as well as another company called JustShareIt are doing is allowing individuals like you and me to rent out their own leased or own vehicles to other individuals.

Not only a providing a financial boost, GM will be pairing their smartphone capabilities with the OnStar system. According to analysts, this function will ease the ability locate cars in the local community, ultimately strengthening this company considerably.

Unsurprisingly, it was a Harvard Business School graduate Shelby Clark who came up with this scheme in 2008. He initially came up with the idea when he had to bike nearly 3 miles in bad weather. He saw many cars parked on the roads and thought that they could be put to better use. Now a thriving company, it looks like the brilliant mind came up with quite an intriguing idea.

With a pool of over 250 million vehicles in the US, the UK may initially have a difficult time applying such a scheme. While it certainly isn’t inconceivable, it won’t be replacing leasing and car dealerships anytime soon. For many individuals, such a scheme ultimately involves an uncomfortable level of trust that can be broken rather easily. While its future remains clouded, the idea is nonetheless incredibly innovative.

The Internet is a rather peculiar place. Offering its user an assortment of powers, some use it for good while others for evil. While this line tend to be blurred, governments throughout the world try to regulate its processes through new laws and enforcement techniques. While few could forget the United States’ attempts to censor the Internet through SOPA and PIPA, their failures did not hinder attempts to curtail questionable Internet content.

Indeed, the most recent skirmish between Kim Dotcom, the founder of Internet sharing site Megaupload, and the combined forces of FBI and New Zealand police have highlighted these tensions. While this battle seems to be one of many yet to come, it does show how wealthy individuals can get from successful Internet websites.

The German-born man, formally known as Kimble Schmitz, profited from his simple program, ultimately amassing a rather large car collection.  In an attempt to extradite Mr Dotcom over a $500 million worth of copyright infringements, the FBI has had to go through the mans property in order to properly assess the companies profits.

Police estimate that the car collection is worth a whopping $4.8 million. Those vehicles worth noting include a beautiful black Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe as well as a classic 1959 Cadillac that came in a fantastic pink.  Pictures of the property seem to show an assortment of various cars, each being hauled away by the police. Most recent estimates seem to suggest that there were around 18.

Unique among these cars are some of the vanity number plates that came along with them. It seems that the man had quite an interesting sense of humour when he registered names like “Stoned,” “Evil,” “Mafia,” “God,” and quite ironically “Guilty” as well as “Police.”

If the collection was not enough to suggest that he was a vehicle aficionado, the man also took part in the luxurious Gumball 3000 Rally, a global competition similar to Cannonball Run. The Herald Sun noted that he was taped driving a black Mercedes and speeding past police vehicles, mocking them.

It seems that his good luck has now run out. With the odds stacked against him, hacker groups have tried to avenge their fallen comrade; yet, it appears that he, in layman’s terms, is completely “screwed.” While the website did retrain legally valid information, the vast qualities of the illegally shared material will make it very difficult to defend him.

It is axiomatic that vehicles owned by celebrities will fetch a higher price than their normal counterparts. For whatever reason, items tend to embody the presence of their former owners, ultimately becoming valuable commodities for collectors. As a result of this, there tends to be some interest when one of these vehicles makes it on the market. Unsurprisingly, when reporters found out that the current President of the United States Barack Obama’s car is going on sale, the world quickly turned its attention to the auction.

While it may not be the armored limousine that the president is known for, the 2005 Chrysler 300C is still quite a looker. Reporters at the Daily News have noted that Senator Obama drove this vehicle around Chicago between 2004 and 2007.

While it is a valuable piece of history, the car certainly doesn’t come cheap. Those interested should note that the car’s minimum bid is a cool $1 million. While the bidder will have 10 days to come up with the cash, it is a tall order for most considering the vehicles Blue Book value is actually $17,000.

The anonymous seller called Cubfanatic23 lives in the Chicago area. Unfortunately for him as of now there are no bids for the vehicle. While all hope is certainly not lost, a few more hours remain before the bidding is about to close.

Reporters reveal that the then Senator sold the Chrysler at Hawk For in Oak Law and after a few more transfers it was bought by Tim O’Boyle. Originally the car went on sale in 2009 but a humorous bidder wanted to purchase it for $1 billion, causing the seller to take it off eBay. This fresh auction hopes to inspire greater confidence from its bidders.

Those interesting in purchasing the vehicle for themselves should note that this 2005 model has a 5.7-litre Hemi V8 engine that may come in handy in a variety of situations. Burning 15 miles to per gallon in the city and 22 on the highway, the car is certainly thirsty. However, you should get your bids in soon, the owner has recently stated that there are quite a few verified bidders that are getting ready to pounce on the vehicle rather soon.

If you have a few million rolling around and want to purchase your own part of history, you have a little over 4 hours to complete the transaction here: Ebay Link

Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is pleased to announce reductions of up to £40 a month across selected models in the Chrysler range including the Chrysler Delta, Grand Voyager and Ypsilon.

First up is a fantastic deal on the all-new Chrysler Delta. Launched in 2011, the Chrysler Delta is a striking and affordable alternative to the popular Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. It also pretty impressive when it comes to equipment, with a wide range of personalised options available including xenon headlights, panoramic sunroof, automatic parking system and GPS navigation. Prices now start from just £234.95 + VAT a month for the 1.4 T-Jet S with savings of up to £40 a month across the range.

For those after a larger vehicle, the popular Chrysler Grand Voyager has been reduced by up to £18 a month. Boasting tons of space, classic Chrysler styling and ingenious fold-away rear seats, the Chrysler Grand Voyager is the ideal vehicle for larger families or for those who need extra space. One of our best deals is on the Chrysler Grand Voyager 2.8 CRD LX Auto, available to lease from just £359.95 + VAT a month.

Finally, you can now save up to £12 a month on the all-new Chrysler Ypsilon. Poised to take the supermini market by storm, the Chrysler Ypsilon is hard to beat when it comes to eye-catching design, world-class engines and the latest in technology, with Chrysler’s new ‘Magic Parking’ system available on selected models. Prices now start from just £149.95 + VAT a month for the Chrysler Ypsilon 1.2 T-JET S.

To take advantage of these fantastic Chrysler savings, call Nationwide Vehicle Contracts today on 0844 482 9595 or follow the above links.

Prices based on a 4 year contract and excludes VAT, initial payment and processing fee. Limited Stock Available. Terms & Conditions Apply.

While Steve Jobs may have passed on several weeks ago, his legacy continues to make headlines across the world. The most incredibly of these have been the Siri application found in the new iPhone 4S. Capable of doing practically everything but drive your car for you, the innovative additions made to the application have significantly altered what it’s capable of doing, producing a very powerful tool for the car enthusiast.

Most interesting of these capabilities is its ability to start your car on command. Developed by engineer Brandon Fiquett, his Viper SmartStart program allows him to start his Acura using his iPhone. He merely speaks to Siri and the machine does as its master commands. Knowing that this innovation could be applied further, Mr Fiquett also extended it to locking doors, opening trunks as well as even starting car alarms.

The system works by sending the command to Siri who uses the Viper server to rely the command over the cellular connection directly to the car. This interesting hack actually presents both an opportunity as well as a security issue as Siri is not meant to preform unauthorized tasks of this nature.

A further innovation was also made this week, this time by the website Auto Blog. The innovators wanted to see if the program was be capable of being tethered using a Bluetooth connection. Testing the development in a number of cars, including a Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300 and even a few Mercedes Benz, they showed that Siri was able to both understand commands and after several tries was capable of being used to control a cars built in music system.

As Phonereview noted, Youtube footage of the event showed how the Siri was capable of adapting to the facilities by fading audio when an incoming call came in. This innovation would allow drivers to simply call out commands while they drive, allowing them to remain undistracted and in complete of their entire music library.

Paired together these innovations seem to change the manner in which cars will work. If indeed apple were to allow such innovations on a wider scale we would all be able to control a variety of features in our cars from our phones. While apps offer a great deal of pleasure, being able to control a car on such a scale would completely recognize the way we drive and interact with out cars.

You can now save up to £28 a month on the all-new Chrysler Delta with prices starting from just £244.95 + VAT a month.

Officially launched in the UK earlier this month, the all-new Chrysler Delta is already turning heads with its striking exterior style, powerful engine range and tons of personalised options including xenon headlights, panoramic sunroof, automatic parking system and GPS navigation. Based on the Italian-built Lancia, the Delta has been rebadged and re-modified for the UK market and is set to rival the popular Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus in the hatchback market.

Nationwide Vehicle Contracts has reduced the monthly leasing rates across the Chrysler Delta range with savings of up to £28 a month on selected models. Prices now start from £244.95 + VAT for the Chrysler Delta 1.4 T-Jet S. Standard features on this model include:

• Radio/CD with MP3
• Steering Wheel Mounted Controls
• Daytime Running Lights
• Electric Windows
• Privacy Glass
• Air Conditioning
• Remote Keyless Entry

To take advantage of these fantastic savings and to get an instant quotation on any model in the Chrysler range, simply follow the above links or call Nationwide Vehicle Contracts on 0844 482 9595.

Prices based on a 4 year contract and excludes VAT, initial payment and processing fee. Limited Stock Available.  Terms & Conditions Apply.

The all-new Chrysler Delta is now available to lease with Nationwide Vehicle Contracts with prices starting from just £247.95 + VAT a month.

Based on the Italian-built Lancia, the new Chrysler Delta has been rebadged and re-modified for the UK market, offering a new alternative to the popular Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. The Delta boasts a striking new style with revised grille, along with four powerful engine options including a 2.0-litre Multijet diesel unit, delivering 165bhp. A range of personalised options are also available including xenon headlights, a panoramic sunroof, an automatic parking system and GPS navigation.

The all-new Chrysler Delta is now available to lease with Nationwide Vehicle Contracts with prices starting from just £247.95 + VAT a month for the Chrysler Delta 1.4 T-Jet S. Standard features on this model include Radio/CD with MP3, steering wheel mounted controls, daytime running lights, electric windows, privacy glass, air conditioning and remote keyless entry.

To find out more about the Chrysler Delta and to view the full range, simply follow the above links or call Nationwide Vehicle Contracts on 0844 482 9595.

Prices based on a 4 year contract and excludes VAT, initial payment and processing fee. Limited Stock Available.  Terms & Conditions Apply.

There’s never been a better time to lease a new Chrysler with the introduction of two new models to the range and reductions of up to £16 a month on selected models.

First up is a fantastic offer on the Chrysler Grand Voyager Touring available to lease from just £394.95 + VAT a month. Boasting tons of space, classic Chrysler styling and ingenious fold-away rear seats, the new Chrysler Grand Voyager Touring is the ideal vehicle for larger families or for those who need extra space. Savings can also be made on the Chrysler Grand Voyager Limited with prices now starting from just £476.95 + VAT a month.

The all-new Chrysler Ypsilon is now available to lease from just £154.95 + VAT a month. Boasting an eye-catching design, wide range of world-class engines and tons of new technology including Chrysler’s new ‘Magic Parking’ system, the new Ypsilon is expected to take the supermini market by storm following its official launch this month. Standard features include Radio/CD with MP3 compatibility, daytime running lights, premium cloth upholstery and tinted glass.

Finally, the new Chrysler Delta has also been added to the Nationwide site with prices starting from just £247.95 + VAT a month.  Featuring a striking new style and powerful 1.4-litre engine delivering 120bhp or 140bhp, the new Delta combines luxury with space and is expected to be a big hit with UK consumers. Our cheapest deal is on the Chrysler Delta 1.4 T-Jet S available to lease from £247.95 + VAT a month.

To view the full Chrysler range and to get an instant quotation on any model, simply follow the above links or call Nationwide Vehicle Contracts on 0844 482 9595.

Prices based on a 4 year contract and exclude VAT, initial payment and processing fee. Limited Stock Available.  Terms & Conditions Apply.