Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Gets Royal Treatment in Europe

MONACO — The first production Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid in Europe was delivered to His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco, as the Japanese automaker employs some royal cachet to market the car.

The prince will use the Prius Plug-in Hybrid for "private purposes," said Toyota in a statement. The prince has a two-month loan on the car from Toyota, which notes that he currently has a standard Prius in his automotive stable.

Prince Albert may be Toyota's best unofficial salesman in Europe. A one-off Landaulet edition of the Lexus LS 600h hybrid took center stage at his 2011 wedding to Charlene Wittstock.

Of course, with the handover of the keys to the Prius Plug-in Hybrid, Monaco also gets to strengthen its position as one of the green leaders in Europe. Even though the principality is just 48 acres with a population of 35,000, it is also home to 424 free charging stations.

The link between European royalty and cars is a strong one. Witness the media frenzy that ensued after England's Prince William and commoner Kate Middleton celebrated their nuptials last year with a joyride in an Aston Martin DB6 Volante.

Courtesy of Inside Line

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Monday Maintenance tip: Cold Facts About A/C Refrigerant

How did we ever get along without air conditioning in our cars? It’s a feature we take for granted until, suddenly, it’s blowing hot air.

In the past few years, many owners have discovered that fixing an inoperative air conditioner can cost a few hundred dollars or more, depending upon the make and model of vehicle. The reason is that the old standby R-12 refrigerant, trade named DuPont Freon, has been replaced by R-134a. Touted as being environmentally safer than its predecessor, R-134a has been standard since ’94.

If your older vehicle needs major repairs to the air conditioning system you can expect to replace refrigerant and the oil in the compressor in addition to the old components. You also may need to install a retrofit conversion. Do not allow anyone to mix refrigerants. They’re not inter-changeable. You cannot add R-134a to your older air conditioner without first flushing the system. Further, according to the Car Care Council, some substitutes are volatile mixtures of propane, butane and flammable hydrocarbons. Keep in mind the fact that if your vehicle is leaking refrigerant, you’re damaging the ozone layer.

An annual inspection of the vehicle, including the air conditioning system, may help forestall costly repairs. Many automotive service shops offer AC inspection specials when warm weather arrives. Otherwise, ask your service center to evaluate your system before those hot and humid days of summer.

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