That’s not exactly the equation, but that’s the idea. Anyone who buys a new Hyundai Equus — the car will be out in September — will receive an iPad instead of a printed owner’s manual.

“Who reads a 300-page manual anyway?” asked John Krafcik, the chief executive of Hyundai North America. “Instead, they’ll have a gorgeous color touchscreen loaded with the manual electronically, as well as photos of the whole Hyundai lineup.”

Besides interacting with the iPad to find the trunk-release switch in the new sedan or to locate the fuse box, owners will be able to use the iPad to schedule a service appointment online and arrange for a pickup to take the car in for maintenance. Mr. Krafcik said that additional programs would be installed on the device and that the iPad would be presented to customers in a leather slipcase.

The Wi-Fi retail version of the much-hyped iPad goes on sale this Saturday, with prices starting at $499. A more expensive version that can connect to the Web via 3G networks through the AT&T system is expected to arrive later this month.

Para peminat kereta Skoda, Volkswagen & kereta mewah seperti Audi pasti gembira apabila mendengar berita ini. Kerjasama yang akan diadakan antara Proton & Volkswagen adalah berkaitan CKD iaitu memasang kereta keluaran Volkswagen menggunakan kilang Proton di Shah Alam. Volkswagen dipercayai akan dapat menjimatkan kos yang agak banyak jika perjanjian ini berjaya. Kilang tersebut akan memasang kereta bagi pasaran Asia Tenggara & penduduk Malaysia akan beruntung kerana peluang pekerjaan yang banyak serta harga kereta keluaran Volkswagen ini akan menjadi murah serta mampu dimiliki oleh mereka yang berpendapatan rendah.

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The production version of the Scion iQ will make its debut at the New York Auto Show next week reports Bnet. Shown at the same show last year, but in concept form (above) we don’t expect the road-ready car to be nearly so wild.

Instead, the iQ is likely to look similar to the Toyota version of the car (the original), which is currently sold overseas. And considering that version is already quite funky looking, it should suit Scion’s youth-appeal brand just fine.

As for the engine, expect the U.S. Scion model to get the most powerful engine offered in Europe – a 1.3-liter 4-cylinder with 99-hp. That might not seem like much but with how small the iQ is, it should provide peppy performance. In fact, the iQ, which is technically a 3.5-seater (three adults and a child), is roughly the size of the Smart for-two.

Scion has yet to confirm Bnets’s report and we’ve heard rumors of a different model debuting in NY City. It’s likely we won’t know for sure until next week at Scion’s NY Auto Show press conference. We’ll be sure to bring you all the details and photos with full coverage of the NY Auto Show starting March 31st.

Click here for live coverage of the NY Auto Show starting March 31st.

[*Update*] Since publishing this story we’ve had the chance to contact Scion. While we didn’t learn anything about the NY debuts, they did tell us about a new website called ScionDimension.com which will tease photos of a car (or cars) ahead of the New York Auto Show, starting March 26th. The site also has a place to sign up to get more info and a downloadable widget to give you more info on new Scion products. It will also serve as a portal to get photos and information on whatever is unveiled in New York. Plus, it will host streaming video of the unveiling live on March 31st. [*Update*]