It almost seems cruel to pass judgement on sales when a product has virtually just arrived on the lots, but in an Automotive News article on minivan sales, that's kinda what happened. The article talks about the continued downward spiral that minivans have suffered: 2007 look to be even worse. According to the article, some Chrysler and Dodge dealers have said that the new 2008 vans are "Not exactly flying off the lots." While it's probably too soon to get an accurate handle on how well the new people movers are going to fair in the market, it certainly isn't a good sign.
I'm a big fan of minivans. Just this evening as the family was headed back to the parking lot I saw that an Explorer had parked impossibly close to our van. On the other side of our car, I had parked pretty close to some landscaping in the hopes of leaving plenty of room on the right hand side. Sliding doors to the rescue as everyone was able to neatly hope in while I wedged myself into the driver's seat. How can you beat that practicality, folks?
Sunday, September 30, 2007
New Chrysler Minivans Not So Hot?
What's Next, Roadkill Cafe?
Local news outlets are reporting that for the past 10 years, some Caltrans employees have been taking a shortcut with roadkill. The official policy is that wildlife are to be taken to rendering plants and domestic animals to shelters so the owner can be notified. The shortcut? A hillside above the tony town of Saratoga. What could potentially make this worse it that is that many of the carcasses had fallen into Saratoga Creek, which runs by at least three parks - a small open space, Wildwood and Congress Springs - and behind numerous houses. Even worse? Saratoga Creek feeds into a water system that serves 1 million people in San Jose, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Monte Sereno and Campbell.
Caltrans says that it had been unaware of this practice and that as far as it knows only one employee has been doing this. The highway agency is investigating as is the water company.
source: mercury news
Saturday, September 29, 2007
UAW Docs Leak GM Product Plans
Nothing like a little sneak peak into the future plans of an automaker. This UAW report has a wealth of information, let's take a look!
- Corvette replacement beginning 2012
- Global Delta MPV7 beginning 2009
- Global Delta Volt beginning 2010
- Cadillac CTS coupe beginning 2009
- Cadillac CTS wagon beginning 2009
- Global Gamma notchback beginning 2010
- Global Alpha (2 styles) beginning in 2011
No shock on the Corvette, just a date for replacement for the hot coupe and its Cadillac compatriot.
Global Delta MPV7 could be a small crossover. From what I could find out, at least in Europe the Delta 2 architecture could spawn an Opel that would compete against cars such as platform siblings Suzuki SX4 and Fiat Sedici. Would that be the same for the US version? (Correction: this MPV7 might be for export only, no US sales)
Volt in 2010 would have to be regarded as somewhat optimistic. We'll see if that date slips.
The expected CTS coupe is there but also the less sure for production CTS wagon. Fabulous! The CTS is a great product and the news that it will be spawning a family is even better news.
Not as cheerful news is "global gamma notchback" as that would indicate that the version of the Corsa platform that we are getting will be a sedan or coupe and not a hatchback. (Correction: this looks to be the next Cobalt and friends)
Global Alpha is promising, it should be the sub CTS sedan (BLS replacement) that we get as well as the Pontiac G6 and later on a Saturn sedan. The Alpha is RWD and takes bits and pieces from the Kappa (Solstice, Sky) platform.
There are other nuggets contained in the report. You can click on the picture above to make it bigger.
Source: Detroit News
Is E85 Taking Food Out of Orphans Mouths?
Yes, that is a sensationalist headline. Sorry. Well, not completely. I'll get to my point in a minute, but first some history. I've espoused on this blog before what I think about corn based ethanol: I don't like it. We really are a corn based country. To steal a paragraph from the Washington Post's book review of the Omnivore's Dilemma.
American cattle fatten on corn. Corn also feeds poultry, pigs and sheep, even farmed fish. But that's just the beginning. In addition to dairy products from corn-fed cows and eggs from corn fed chickens, corn starch, corn oil and corn syrup make up key ingredients in prepared foods. High-fructose corn syrup sweetens everything from juice to toothpaste. Even the alcohol in beer is corn-based. Corn is in everything from frozen yogurt to ketchup, from mayonnaise and mustard to hot dogs and bologna, from salad dressings to vitamin pills. "Tell me what you eat," said the French gastronomist Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, "and I will tell you what you are." We're corn.
Because "we're corn" anytime that supply is jeopardized it has wide ranging consequences. The cost of protein goes up, milk prices sky rocket and crops such as soybeans are cast aside in the search for more corn production subsequently raising the price of those commodities.
Now back to the orphans. The amount of food aid our government buys has fallen to its lowest level in a decade. The amount of food bought for American food aid programs has fallen to 2.4 million metric tons this year from 4 million metric tons in 2005 and 5.3 million metric tons in 2000 Why? Higher energy costs to transport that food and now more increasingly the cost of the food itself. But that's not all. Just as high prices mean less food donations, it also means that the poor have a harder time buying food for themselves.
I'm not against E85 or ethanol (provided that there is a positive fuel energy balance). I'd just like to see it derived from other sources such as agricultural and forest residues, grasses, and fast-growing trees. I'd personally like to nominate switchgrass: it requires minimal irrigation, fertilizer, or herbicides but yields 2-3 times more ethanol per acre than corn does.
Sources:
NYT article on food donations (registration req)
Omnivore's Dilemma product page at Amazon.com
Plenty Magazine article on corn
Wikipedia article on switchgrass
Win a Dodge Charger (1/17/2008)
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Friday, September 28, 2007
Eight Days In An Element
A woman in Washington State was found eight days after she was reported missing, trapped in her Honda Element. Tanya Rider's Honda had slid 20 feet down a ravine and had been hidden from view by heavy brush. This is no "Hands on a Hard Body" stamina contest, Ms Rider suffered kidney failure and sores from lying in the same position for a week and was very pale and dehydrated. Cell phone pinging was the key to finding the accident site. You can read the full story here.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Driving the 2008 Cadillac CTS
After turning on the 2008 Cadillac CTS at the Milford Proving Grounds I paused for a moment to see if the car would return the favor. Sadly, I think Kate Walsh is being a bit of tease in the commercial as I didn’t notice anything obvious.
Having said that, the new CTS is probably the best conceived and executed GM product that I have ever had the privilege of experiencing. The exterior’s styling is bold, true to the brand but not overwrought or tacky. Inside the car doesn’t disappoint with most materials possessing the right look and feel. I also like the layout of the dash. I was quickly able to adjust my seat, set the climate to auto, the temp to 68, turn on the ventilated seats and be on my merry way: not always the case with high end cars and their myriad of gadgets. Automobile Magazine has carped about the “excess of textures and finishes” in the CTS but this was nothing that shouted out at me. My question, "Where’s Bluetooth?" Cadillac says it is coming.
The car acquitted itself very well on the test loop that GM had setup for us. If I could carp about anything it would be that the steering was a little light for me: I’d like just a little more effort dialed in there. Speaking of the steering wheel, it lacks shift paddles but honestly that didn't bother me as the automatic made all the right moves.
One thing I didn’t care for were the exterior mirrors. They might look alright from the outside, but when viewed from the inside they are in the shape of a stealth fighter. It was very distracting to me. Making things worse was the power adjustment mechanism: the mirrors moved in an erratic, stuttering manner that doesn’t scream quality but rather hark back to GM’s days of yore. Is this flaw the equivalent of the thermal exhaust port on the first Death Star? No, it’s very minor, but as Stewie (playing Vader) from the Family Guy would say, “let’s get some estimates on fixing that.”
A drive in the CTS4 AWD model showed a car that possessed many of the same qualities as its RWD sister, but presented a slightly dulled driving experience. It wasn’t a huge difference, but an offering at the altar of foul weather traction is being paid. Let’s just say that if you don’t foresee a lot of slick surfaces in your future I’d forgo the extra weight and expense.
The CTS may be Cadillac’s least expensive car from an MSRP standpoint, but it is by far its best vehicle. Of all the car segments out there this is truly where GM needs to have its best hardware on display and the CTS achieves this goal. The first generation CTS started to change minds, this second generation model is going to win hearts.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Smart Driving?
After returning back from Detroit earlier today, I was headed down to the office in Atherton when I saw a smart fortwo: a pretty rare bird around these parts as even the Zap! converted models were never California legal.
This cabriolet was a first generation model with California plates. There's any number of ways the owner could have snuck in the car, the odd part was I counted three heads sitting in the little devil. Say wah? It seems that the driver and his buddies decided to carpool in the two seater and to hell with seat belts or seats for that matter. The third guy was sitting on top of the engine cover in rear hatch area. Here's hoping that it was a short spin around the block!
I wonder if this "three up" seating arrangement is common up in Canada?
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Dinner with Ed Peper
I'll be honest with you: all this time I've been calling Chevrolet General Manager Ed "Peeper" Ed "Pepper" as in the Dr. Well I stand corrected. What I did find out about Ed today was that he is a generally engaging fellow and that he's really hot on the Malibu. In fact, if he could have it his way, he'd name this blog All Malibu, All the Time. It's understandable that Ed believes that he has a very competitive product on his hands. We didn't get to drive the Malibu, but there was one on hand to sit in. The interior plastics were a step up and what shiny bits were left were masked with this particular model's contrasting colors.
But enough about Malibu, sorry Ed, let's talk about Chevrolet in general. Firstly, there is a big push with hybrids, hydrogen and E85: not so much diesel. Ed believes that given the "beaucoup engine choices" that GM is providing there isn't such a push for light duty diesel. The party line seems to be that it would require tremendous resources to get a diesel ready for the states and the return on that investment is uncertain. What troubles me is that is the same line that GM used against hybrids years ago and later came to reverse their thinking. Perhaps GM hopes to gain similar diesel efficiency through homogeneous charge compression ignition? I don't know but I am a bit worried especially with diesels coming from VW, Nissan and Honda.
However, Chevrolet does have some aces coming. There is the aforementioned Malibu, the two-mode hybrid full size SUVs and the Enclave/Acadia/Outlook based Traverse. The Traverse will enter a segment that is blazing hot and will undoubtedly rack up big sales for Chevrolet dealers. Peper was quizzed repeatedly on the badge engineering aspect of these crossovers, but his boiled down response is GM sells more units with the separate brands than if they only had two. I along with others have to wonder if these short term sales gains create long term brand confusion. What frustrates me is that the Enclave is so wonderfully conceived and unique and the Outlook/Acadia are so similar. It strikes me as a rush job, not so much from the mechanical side but from the design side. We'll have to see how much the Traverse differentiates itself. What we do know is that the Traverse will be the value leader of the bunch.
Peper was surprisingly more upbeat on a micro car for the US market. I brought up the subject of the Beat/Groove/Trax and he said that Chevrolet might consider something along the lines of the Beat/Groove. Making no promises Peper said that he could see viability for a sub-Aveo entry if GM could "make it safe" and I might add make it profitably.
In discussing features like Bluetooth integration, Ed seemed to be of two minds. In private conversation he said that GM is definitely working on Bluetooth. However, at the dinner table he wondered how much gadgetry Chevrolet buyers really wanted. Peper asked, "Does the guy driving his family want a navigation screen, Bluetooth, IPod and everything else?" My immediate answer would be yes, but Ed has seen a lot more focus groups than I have. I do think that given current handsfree legislation GM would be wise to get Bluetooth available on every car in the near future, but we'll have to see how that plays out. My counter to Ed was that extra features like Bluetooth could be tipping points for buyers, but that was greeted with a big head shake. I brought up the example of the Nissan Versa throwing in heretofore high end options like keyless ignition and Bluetooth, but it was no sale. I still stand by my argument that the more unique relatively low cost features you can add to your car, the more competitive you'll be. I think it's worth the effort.
In the end I was impressed with Ed's willingness to come meet with us bloggers. I don't know if the opportunity was given to other managers but the fact that he was there and listening counted for a lot. I didn't agree with every answer, but I was glad to have the opportunity to ask the questions.
Driving GM's 2008 Collection
Whew! It's been a long day at the proving grounds! We kicked things off with a shuttle at 8:30 and didn't get back to the hotel until 5PM. There's still a dinner to go, but for the most part things are wrapping up.
Driving around Milford, you can't help but get excited. Living and breathing cars since I was old enough to know what a car was it really is like a magical place where all things automotive come alive.
The morning was taken up with a safety course. A lot of fun was had, largely because the crew running the event were so chipper. I've attending some driving courses where the folks were either tired or had just lost interest in their jobs, but that was not the case for Aki and his crew. Nothing is more fun while your gleefully spinning a car around then when everyone else in the car is laughing with you.
After the safety class there was a brief protocol speech about the cars were going to drive and then it was off to the races. Some folks elected to eat lunch, but I skipped the meal and went (ran) straight for the cars.
The course was roughly 5 miles in length: you got some tightly coned areas, wide open road, rough/broken pavement and just about everything in between. Not a bad way to evaluate GM's latest batch of models! I'll have my driving impressions posted soon!
Alarm Clock or Quack Product?
There is always the fear that after arriving in a new time zone that you'll miss your morning meeting or more importantly the breakfast before the morning meeting. That's where alarm clocks come in handy. On the flip side, alarm clocks are also the reason that people lose marathons (just watch Seinfeld). Staying here at the Inn at St. Johns, a nice little conference center located near the Milford Proving Grounds, has been enjoyable so far with the exception of their strange hybrid alarm clock that mixes touch screen and buttons to totally screw you out setting an alarm and a malfunctioning griddle that has taken both pancakes and/or french toast off the table (literally).
Monday, September 24, 2007
GM Collections: From Bob Lutz to Oxana Baiul
It has been an interesting landing here in Detroit for a blogger preview of GM's 2008 model year lineup. Conversation around the bar table was all over the map from Bob Lutz worship to some video shoot with Oxana Baiul. No secrets were revealed on future products, so I don't have any juicy gossip.
It's great to be here and I feel very privileged to help represent the wide swath of automotive bloggers out in the world today from the full timers to the hobbyist. This is GM's first blogger-centric collections event and I'm very keen to read all the various coverage it will get from the other blogs. I'll be linking over to stories as I find them.
I'd like to relate a story of my own. Way back when I started ACATT, I applied to all the various manufacturers for online media access. One of the lone hold outs was GM. Later on I noticed that GM had linked to some stories on ACATT in its Fastlane blog, so I applied again: denied. Now 2007 rolls around and ACATT is in! That's good stuff!
Tomorrow's ride and drive will inlude a non-Z06 Corvette, some dual mode hybrids, various Saturn Vues, a Hummer H3 Alpha and many more new/refreshed models.
I hope to have a lot of seat time and relate driving impressions back to you.
BTW: GM wants you to know that they paid my way for this trip.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Strike?! UAW Sets Deadline
11 a.m. EDT Monday is the date set by the UAW for a strike against GM if an agreement has not been reached. Supposedly most of the details have been worked out with the elephant in the room being the Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association (VEBA) that GM is setting up as a trust fund for retiree health care. GM reportedly has around $51 billion in underfunded retiree health care costs but would only contribute around $30 billion or so to the VEBA. The exact amount and how that breaks down in cash and stock are under discussion, but for reference a deal done in July between parts maker Dana Corp. and the UAW and United Steel workers set up a VEBA trust with assets equaling 71% of the liabilities.
The existing contract came due on on September 14 and has been extended on an hour by hour basis. It would appear that the UAW is trying to turn the screws and get a more favorable outcome out of GM. We'll find out soon enough...
Win a Honda Odyssey (10/31/2008)
Yes, that's right 10/2008! That's a long time from now! Still it's a free van, and a great one at that. Click here to enter.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
A Bridge in the Sky With Diamonds
Just as little Julian Lennon inspired a famous song with his school drawing, so did the Alaskan town of Ketchikan inspire the phrase "Bridge to Nowhere" in its now infamous bid to be able to drive the whole way to its airport. The $398 million dollar project would have connected Ketchikan with Ketchikan International Airport on Gravina Island. Mocked as a poster child of port barrel politics, the bridge has now been officially snuffed out.
Full story here.
Road Rage Justice?
The recent account of a motorist who was terrorized by a road rager has caught the attention of the CHP via a Mercury News article. According to the motorist, a BMW started to drift into her lane. The driver says she "tapped" on the horn. Now, of course this is her interpretation, but no matter how long she laid on the horn, the response should not have been to speed up, cut her off and then keep slamming on the brakes--but that is what the BMW driver did, repeatedly. The point of this article is that the CHP wants people to do two things: First, when someone does something rude to you while you're on the road "let it go" and do not try and reap vengeance on the spot. Secondly, if you are the victim of road rage, report it so that the CHP can keep track of repeat offenders. Full article can be found here.
2009 Honda Fit
Edmunds, those lucky devils, got a chance to drive a production prototype of the next generation Honda Fit. It's the usual story, with improvements all the way round, so it looks like Honda has another winner on its hands.
I like the exterior styling of the 2009 model: it's nice and clean, but the dash might take a bit of getting used to. Edmunds says that the plastics used are of a higher quality, but there sure are a tremendous amount of odd shapes!
Edmunds does seem a bit confused about the 1.5 liter engine headed for our market. They quote a 9hp increase, which is correct, the new model will have 118 hp as opposed to the current model's 109hp. However, Edmunds quotes a 21 lb/ft improvement in torque, but according to the numbers they quote there is only a 2 lb/ft increase. The current US model has 105 lb/ft and Edmunds says that the 2008 has 107 lb/ft. It's much more believable that the increase is only 2 rather than 21. The article also states a 22 pound weight increase, we'll see if that sticks in final US trim.
What I am wondering about is the equipment level for models bound for the USA. With the current generation Fit, a lot of features available in Japan/Europe were not available in the USA (for example, the driver's seat didn't have a seat height adjustment). What about that slick looking panoramic roof, what are the chances we'll get that?
In any case, all sign are that the 2009 Fit is a Go! You can read Edmunds review here.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Lithia Dealership Group to Go No-Haggle
Lithia Motors owns 108 stores in 46 markets located in 15 states in the Western and Midwestern United States. Lithia has 30 brands under its umbrella and had total revenues of $3.17 billion in 2006. So basically, what I am saying here is that Litha is a "big dog" in the industry.
Now comes news that over the next three years the Lithia Motors is going no-haggle. The problem that I have seen with no haggle is that unless everyone goes the same way, all a buyer has to do is get the no haggle price and then have a competitor beat it. That can get pretty frustrating for dealership personnel.
Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see the automotive business become more about service than absolute lowest price and dodgy sales tactics. However, I am skeptical that things can change. But if anyone can carry this off it will be a big dog like Lithia.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Win a 2008 Cadillac CTS (11/5/2007)
The CTS is one hot ride and I hope to have some driving impressions for you very soon. In the meantime here's your chance to win one! Click here!
Dale's Not Up on the Up!
Penske Selling Alfa's?
According to Automotive News, Roger Penske has had informal conversations with Fiat about becoming an independent distributor of Alfa's here in the USA. Of course I'm sure that existing Maserati dealers would get first pick, but Penske could fill in the holes.
In my conversations with Ferrari / Maserati of Silicon Valley the dealership didn't seem too interested in retailing anything beyond the limited edition 8C Competizione, at least with its existing facilities. I wonder how many other dealerships feel the same way. Alfa could bring in an entirely different clientele, one that existing Maserati dealers may not want to deal with.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Ride Safe
On our return trip from Oregon we had the misfortune of coming upon a car/motorcycle accident maybe 10 or 15 minutes after it had happened. No emergency crews were on the scene yet, but a large number of people had pulled over and were talking on their cell phones. As we approached the accident I saw a wrecked Yamaha sport bike that had come to rest on the shoulder of eastbound I-80. We were in the number one lane on the westbound side of I-80 and a motorist ahead of us had hopped out of his car and was directed traffic into the other lanes. As my wife pulled past the scene, I saw the motorcyclist laid out, face down on the pavement. His helmet had shattered and was scattered on the highway some distance beside him. From the way the scene was laid it, with the rider having been thrown into opposing traffic, the man was probably dead. A check of the news sites the next day confirmed that the 33 year old rider and died after being hit by two cars that were travelling at an estimated 60-65MPH.
It's one thing when you pull past an accident after emergency crews have arrived and secured the scene and quite something else when you see the uncensored version. It's heart wrenching and makes you appreciate life for what it is, a limited time opportunity. As a motorcycle rider myself for the past 18+ years, it makes me think back on all the close calls that I've had either from other drivers not seeing me or me being in a rush. I also recall my co-worker who was killed on his motorcycle a couple of years ago. It doesn't make me want to stop riding, but it definitely will make me pay more attention the next time I ride.
My heart goes out to the rider's family and I hope that all of you out there continue to ride safe!
Scritch, Scritch, Scratchin...CR Tests Scratch Removers
First off, great to be back after a week's vacation...Now back to the news. Consumer Reports tested scratch removers and only one product came away with decent marks from fine to medium scratches: "Quixx High Performance Scratch Remover" In addition to high marks Quixx also has a high price: $21 for 1.8 ounces. I checked Amazon and they have Quixx for $14.90 (although I don't know if it's the same amount).
No product is going to work miracles, so those of you with deep nicks aren't going to find salvation. However, for light scratches Quixx might do the trick.
You can read the CR press release here.
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Chrysler LLC's Full Court Press
I about dropped my laptop when I read the headline that the much vaunted Jim Press was leaving Toyota for a position at Chrysler. My immediate thoughts were "Why would he do that?" Is it the challenge that Chrysler presents? What Press is walking into is a car company that has lackluster sales, grumpy dealers and a product portfolio that leaves a lot to be desired. Also, from everything that we've been privy to so far, not much in the product pipeline looks to be game changing. I don't mean to dump on the Chrysler, but I really don't see any "save the company" type of products either already on the shelves or coming soon.
Simply by hiring Press, Chrysler has already provided some comfort to dealers. But at the end of the day, a car company's fortunes all come down to product, product, product. What does Press have to work with? Chrysler has vowed to take their interiors up a notch or two, but we have yet to see that. A recent Edmunds' review of the new 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan grumped about the quality of the interior materials. Products shots of the the new Dodge Journey's interior fail to impress as well. We truly are left to ask, "Where's the beef?"
Chrysler has also allowed its crown jewel, Jeep, to fall into some disrepair. The Grand Cherokee has fallen from its once mighty perch, the Commander had people laughing at the intro, the Liberty has merely be warmed over, the Compass is sheer madness, the Patriot is only passable and that leaves the Wrangler Unlimited as the only true rock star out of the bunch. Similar reviews of Dodge's and Chrysler's products lines are even worse. You could make the argument that the bold and beautiful 300C has never been succeeded and may become a high water mark for Chrysler.
Bob Nardelli has said that it may take up to 10 years to get Chrysler's product line where it needs to be and I believe him. It's going to take a lot of talent and vision to turn this sinking ship around. Chrysler has successfully redefined itself in the past, so we all know that it can be done. Let's hope that the team Nardelli is assembling is up to the task.
I have outlined some thoughts on Chrysler's mess:
- Fix dealer relationships. These folks are YOUR contact with the customer. If they are unhappy, it's hard to see how they around going to make vehicle buyers happy. Press is the right man for the job, give him the tools that he needs.
- Upgrade your interiors. There really is no excuse for this one and it should have been done a long time ago. Every vehicle in your lineup could benefit from an additional investment of $400 or so in quality materials.
- Look to the future. Yes, it's crossovers right now, but what will be next? Chrysler's best chance is another segment buster like the original minivan.
I feel that Press should be sitting where Nardelli is, but I have to give props to Bob for poaching him from Toyota. Undoubtedly this could not have been an easy decision for Press to make and hopefully he won't regret it. All I can say to Press is be prepared to make a lot more difficult decisions as you begin to fix Chrysler's many woes!
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Win a Subaru Tribeca (10/1/2007)