All Cars, All the Time: October 2007

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Next Ford Ka

I drove the current version of the Ford Ka in Tahiti and walked away not so impressed (I did like the Fiesta). The rendering above is from Auto Express. What's big about the next Ka is that it will share the Fiat 500's underpinnings. The Ford/Fiat partnership came to fruition soon after General Motors bailed out of its relationship with the Italian manufacturer. The next version of Ford's little buggy will be slightly bigger, quieter and classier inside--of course, doesn't every car released today follow that formula?. No matter what, it'll never be as cute as the 500.

Full Auto Express article here.

Dalai Lama's Land Rover To Be Auctioned Off

The Dalai Lama’s 1965 Land Rover Series II 88" Station Wagon is going up for auction on EBay paired with a chance to sit next to actress Sharon Stone at an upcoming Dalai Lama gala in San Francisco. If that wasn't enough, you also get to meet with the Buddhist guru as part of a private teaching session in India next March. Richard Gere may or may not be hiding in the back of the vehicle when you pick it up.

The reserve price on the auction is set at $75,000 and begins on Friday, November 2. You can check out the entire restoration process here.

Manufacturing footage: Toledo North Assembly

In the continuing series of promotional video footage, may I present "Toledo North Assembly" starring some woman wearing shorts installing a muffler. I think this one was overlooked by the academy, folks.

The Toledo North Assembly Plant was opened in 2001 building the unibody Jeep Liberty. The plant is located at 4400 Chrysler Drive and construction began in 1997. Starting in 2006, then owner DaimlerChrysler invested $600,000,000 to retool the plant to built the Dodge Nitro.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

WooHoo 5.6 Quake

ACATT's world headquarters just had a nice little roller coaster ride. 5.6 in magnitude (preliminary).

Chrysler Idol: Who Gets to Stay?

According to the Detroit News, the board of Chrysler LLC is expected to decide today to kill at least three slow-selling models. Unfortunately, the article mentions the Chrysler Pacifica crossover, the Dodge Magnum wagon and the PT Cruiser hatchback. Rats! I like those cars.

I'd much rather see the likes of the Compass, Commander, Aspen and Durango get the chop. The PT Cruiser I could sort of understand, as its retro theme is pretty much played out. But the Magnum? I love that thing. I also think that the Pacifica can be resuscitated. That's a white hot segment right now. Perhaps they'll kill the Pacifica, but replace it with a new model that is larger than the Dodge Journey. Please, don't just rebadge the Journey as a Chrysler.

I wouldn't mind seeing most of Chrysler's slate wiped clean. They need to hit the reboot button on product and get fresh blood pumping through the company's veins.

Full article in the Detroit News here.

2008 Dodge Charger Police Car

This is just stock footage of a Charger in law enforcement livery zipping around a track. I'm a fan of corporate videos. The vids are not that exciting, but I'd rather see more product and less breathy voice overs--unless the voice belongs to Kate Walsh, in which case I'm totally for it.

You can read reviews of the Dodge Charger Police Package at Edmunds and Car & Driver.

2009 Nissan Murano

The debut of the next Murano should be in November at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Until that time we have these photos. Certainly nothing too shocking about this one, but is that a Rogue-ish grill I see there? I hope not, because that is the least appealing part of Nissan's smaller crossover. I've included a shot of the Rogue so that you can compare snouts.

Spy ace Brenda Priddy also has some shots of the next Murano, you can check those photos out by clicking here.

Nardelli: Let Them Eat Options

Did you catch it? ACATT posted late notice on the live webcast for Chrysler helmsman Bob Nardelli's interview at the Magazine Publishers of America conference. You can still catch the full monte by clicking here. But let's say you are busy and don't want to bother...Skipping past the chit chat and backslapping, here's the meat:

Competitve interiors, "A vehicle today has to be your most favorite room under your roof."

Reestablish a partnership rather than adversarial relationship with dealers.

Customer first, quality period, being green, "globality" and great leaders.

Stock options for a much larger number of employees. No specifics on what kinds of options a privately held company would offer

Can Bob do it? Well, he's assembling a team of credible experts and that is a start. I think that Nardelli also shows an attention for detail, such as monitoring security cameras at his former employer Home Depot and calling an incredulous store manager about boxes being left in an aisle. However, to really make a difference you have to have sexy, desirable products and Chrysler is woeful in this area. I don't care how many lit cup holders you have, if you're surrounded by crappy plastics and ho-hum exterior styling you are going to be selling products at a discount. Period.

Bob is definitely placing an emphasis on interior quality going forward, but he made one very disturbing comment. He was discussing interiors and all the attributes that they must posses and then stated that the fact that a car gets you from Point A to Point B is almost incidental. INCIDENTAL? That sounds like a man who has been chauffeured far more miles than he has driven himself. This doesn't sound like a company who is going to be posting a "Drivers Wanted" sign on its dealerships' doors.

It's far too early to draw any assumptions based on 100 days of service. I'm willing to give the man a fair shot at redemption, but please Bob don't forget driving enjoyment.

Monday, October 29, 2007

Saturn Astra Tuner Concept

When I was talking with Saturn marketing officials a few weeks ago, they mentioned the SEMA Astra and how it would look radically different from the car we'll see on dealers' lots. I guess with that buildup I was expecting something a little more radical than what we've got here.

The Astra is a striking car, even when she dresses down for regular duty. The slicked up paint, rims, Recaro seats, lowered ride height, and added power certainly do add something. But in the right hands I think that the Astra can be much more. Too bad that the Astra wasn't allowed to really strut its hot hatcback side for the crowds in Las Vegas. I look forward to what others will be able to do with this ride.

Here are some highlights of the SEMA concept:

1.8L Ecotec DOHC four-cylinder with approximately 160 horsepower, via exhaust header, cold-air intake and modified throttle body

Lowered ride height

New front and rear fascia extensions

New grille surround finish

Tinted headlamps, taillamps and windows

Rear center-outlet exhaust

Production side moldings deleted

High-performance Recaro seats

Unique interior trim

Unique sill plates and parking brake handle

Bob Nardelli Interview/Webcast

Busy Monday for you? If not you can see a live webcast of Chrysler Chairman and CEO Bob Nardelli's appearance at the annual conference of the Magazine Publishers of America. Starts at 1:30 PM Eastern (the site actually says 1:45).

Click here to view the webcast.

Win a Nissan Rogue (12/28/2007)

Another Rogue sweepstakes is upon us. Click here to enter.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

5-Door C30? Volvo Considers Its Options

According to Automotive News, Volvo is giving serious consideration to adding a 5-door version of the sporty C30 hatch. The added model would increase volume for Volvo, something that the brand is keen to see happen. Count me in! I like the idea of a more practical, yet still very stylish C30.

Hometown News: $3.99/Gallon Super

Not exactly how you want your hometown to make the news, but here it is. In all truthfulness, some of the Shell stations in Redwood City are on the pricey side. The gas station down the street is selling regular for $3.11, which is 48 cents less that this Shell. Still, I think its a sign of things to come.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Picture of the Week: Bicycle Flambé

Here's a pretty wild photo of a bicycle burning in the Rancho Santa Fe area of San Diego. As with any large scale disaster, there's bound to be lots of vehicle carnage. Friends of ours had to evacuate and leave behind a brand new, not yet insured Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14. Fortunately their area was unharmed, so bike and rider have been reunited.

The bicycle photo was taken by Mario Anzuoni and distributed by Reuters.

Catalytic Converter Thefts on the Rise

Just surfing around this morning, I stumbled upon a local thread where folks were talking about catalytic convert thefts. Apparently this is a growing problem, especially for vehicles with higher ground clearance. "A thief can slip under a vehicle and, with a battery-operated saw and metal-cutting blade, make two quick cuts and remove the catalytic converter, " said Mike Antich, a reporter for fleet-central.com.

What's so attractive about the catalytic converter? The precious metals inside. A converter can contain platinum, palladium and rhodium in small amounts. It could take up to 15 converters to equal an ounce, but an ounce of platinum, for example, was selling for more than $1,400 on the spot metal market recently, palladium was $365 and rhodium more than $6,000. When the thief fences the stolen part, he gets a couple of hundred bucks and you get a bill ranging from $350 to $1,500. Sadly, short of motion or vibration sensing alarm systems and enclosed garages there isn't a whole lot you can do about the problem.

You can check out the Topix forum here.

SR 392 Roadster with Hemi Crate Engine

What do you get when you combine the new 392 HEMI® crate engine from Mopar® with the world’s first-ever steel reproduction of a 1927 street rod body and three car-crazy designers? The result is a custom SR 392 Roadster that will debut in the Mopar booth (#42427) at the 2007 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show. The SEMA Show is the annual showcase of technology, trends and products representing the $36.7 billion automotive parts and accessories industry that will be held Oct. 30 – Nov. 2, 2007 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

For nearly two years, Chrysler’s Mark Allen and Ralph Gilles planned to build the SR 392 Roadster as a SEMA stunner with Michael Chetcuti of Livonia, Mich.-based auto supplier, Quality Metalcraft (QMC). Allen is chief designer, Jeep®/Dodge Truck Studios – Chrysler LLC and Gilles is Vice President of Jeep/Truck & CFM Design, Chrysler LLC. Gilles and Allen are members of Chrysler’s Mopar Underground SEMA design team, a group of in-house automotive enthusiasts who donate their time to SEMA project vehicles.

What is this, the Prowler 2? I'm sure this was a hoot to sketch and put together, but as a finished product from a company that really needs to turn the product side around I think it's a little lacking. I'm sure it will look great in the metal but it just seems to be a rehash of ideas.

Chrysler / UAW Pact Ratified

"We are pleased that our UAW employees recognize that the new agreement meets the needs of the company and its employees by providing a framework to improve our long-term manufacturing competitiveness," said Tom LaSorda, Vice Chairman and President, Chrysler LLC.

Okay, now that the labor agreement is a done deal, let's get back to saving the company! Hopefully we will see some exciting new concepts in the forthcoming 2008 auto show season!

Friday, October 26, 2007

Freeway Shooting Followup

Just a quick footnote on the freeway shooting that was solved with the assistance of a red light camera. It would appear that the victim did not know the assailants, but rather this was a case of road rage. At one point "Somebody cut somebody off, or came up too fast tailgating or something," said Burlingame Police Commander Mike Matteucci

What a tragedy. Full article here.

Friday Chuckle: Cementing Good Driving Techniques

I actually prefer the headline "Motorists Were in a Slurry" but I couldn't just rip the whole posting now could I? Basically some drivers in Mequon, Wisconsin drove into a patch of freshly poured cement causing between $15,000 and $20,000 in damage. The subject of debate is whether or not the drivers knowingly drove around the orange barrels and yellow caution tape.

"It was really a very confusing and poorly marked intersection," whined lead motorist Dennis Paul who managed to sucker between at least four and as many as 10 vehicles into going the wrong way. Mr. Paul sounds very similar to Luke Skywalker's complaining "But I was going into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!"

However there are those who backup the errant drivers claiming that the construction job has suffered from poor planning and marking. There even a blog about the construction zone called Mequon Clog. You can read the full story here.

Photo (which has nothing to do with the cement debacle) from mequonclog.com

2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Have Any Questions?

I'll be attending a social media preview for the 2008 Malibu at the end of next week (November 2/3). Part of the session will include a Q&A portion with Chevrolet representatives, so if you have any questions you'd like answered just e-mail them to me at tips@allcarsallthetime.com or enter them in the comments below.

Some questions that I have received so far include: the phaseout time frame for the four speed automatic and why neither the Saturn Aura or the new Malibu have a rear center armrest.

Can a Dodge Save Your Squeeze? (11/15/2007)

Well, it's a sweepstakes...sorta. Dodge has this contest titled "R U Tuned Out?" The premise is that either you or your significant other will "tune out" on the relationship for the sake of a car. The Caliber SRT4 is already all tricked out so theoretically the relationship would be saved because the car nut wouldn't have to devote some much time to the car.

Okay, you have to had it to Chrysler: they aren't just giving away cars. You have to put a little more work into the process in order to net yourself a new ride. To enter the contest you have to come up with a 250 word essay answering the questions "Why are you or your significant other tuned out?" and "How will an all-new Dodge Caliber SRT4 help you or your significant other tune back in?"

Click here to enter.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Volkswagen Golf VI Delayed

According to rumors floating around the Internet, European sales of the next generation Golf is being delayed by at least six months due to a host of last minute design changes. One of the big objectives of the next design is to bring the cost of manufacturing the car into line with competitors. However, the delays have stemmed from a review instigated by VW boss Martin Winterkorn. Hopefully, the changes will not be noticeable to the buyer. Look for the new model to bow at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. Until then, enjoy this rendering of what the next Golf might look like.

Busted! Wagon of Interest Nabbed

Well that was fast. Following up on yesterday's story about a late seventies, early eighties GM wagon involved in a shooting: the suspect has been caught! The offending wagon was not a Chevy but in fact a 1980 Oldsmobile.

A tipster saw the red light camera footage on television, recognized the wagon and notified police. "We have three vehicles in our custody that we're interested in," Burlingame Police Sgt. Jeff Downs said. "We have the primary suspect in custody."

The suspect is now sitting right here in San Mateo's County Jail just a few blocks from ACATT's headquarters.

No motive has been established. Full story here.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Suzuki Kizashi 2

It really is Suzuki that is impressing me this go-round at the Tokyo Motor Show. The Kizashi 2 has been tweaked slightly from Frankfurt's Kizashi (compare the Frankurt version in red), but still looks daring and very, well, very large. Large in that I've never seen a Suzuki so big. Given that Suzuki is showing this car at multiple auto shows, and making slight adjustments along the way, certainly makes it seem that the Kizashi will spawn some sort of production model(s) such as a sedan and or crossover wagon. I have a real affinity for hatchbacks, wagons, basically any car that doesn't have a trunk so it's not too much of stretch for me to say that I think this car is quite stylish. But facing the realities of the US market, and the slow sales of the somewhat similar looking Dodge Magnum, Suzuki is going to have to play up a crossover angle on this car. Add some ride height and show it slogging around in some mud or something, that should help it avoid a hatchback or wagon stigma. I hope they build it and send it here.

Seen Either of These Cars?

Just a few weeks ago I had posted an article about the growing use of license plate recognition (LPR) systems. Here's a case where a red light camera is being used to help solve a murder.

A man was shot and killed on Highway 101 near the City of Burlingame. Burlingame PD has two cars of interest that were captured on red light camera footage. The red light system only uses LPR on cars that blow through a red light. In this case neither of the cars in question ran the light, so all the department has is streaming video footage of the cars passing by.

The police have tentatively identified the cars as a 1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme or similar model with the lower chrome trim missing from the right side, and late 1970s or early 1980s Chevy Malibu wagon.

American's aversion to wagons might be a key to solving the mystery. There are a lot of Cutlass Supremes still rolling on the road, but you don't see a mid-80s blue or greenish station wagon with fancy rims on it every day.

For comparison, I've posted a picture of a non-murderous 1979 Malibu Wagon.

You can check out the full story here. Know anything about the vehicles involved? Call the Burlingame PD at 650-777-4100

Suzuki X-Head Concept

I'm not quite sure why I like the X-Head concept so much, I just do. Maybe its the secret fantasy that we have as kids that our Tonka toys will grow in size so that we can really drive them on the road?

There is all sorts of uses for the X-Head besides taking up space in your driveway next to your "project cars." Suzuki has listed a few examples such as the Camper Unit that has sleeping space for two adults and would be aimed at the outdoorsy set. The Fashion Unit is designed for "stylish urban mobility,"Scion anyone? The Rescue Unit can be employed in extreme environments for emergency rescue operations, maybe responding to giant forest fires?

It's a fun concept with very slim chances for ever reaching our shores. Pity.

Chevron, AC Transit Test Alternative Fuels

For six months 22 Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) buses will be using two different types of fuels: B20, a blend of 80 percent ultra-low-sulfur diesel and 20 percent soybean-derived biodiesel, and a gas-to-liquids (GTL) diesel fuel derived from natural gas, which is first reformed into a synthetic fuel called syngas before being converted into a cleaner-burning diesel. Over the course of the test the buses are expected to travel 400,000 miles and consume 100,000 gallons of alternative fuel.

The GTL fuel will be sourced from Sasol Chevron, a joint venture between Chevron and Sasol Ltd., a South African company that produces and markets chemicals and liquid fuels. Chevron will guarantee the quality of the fuel, while Cummins Engine, which makes engines for the transit district's buses and is also participating in the test, will warrant the AC Transit bus engines.

The pilot program is unique because it provides the opportunity for an end-user, a fuel provider and an engine manufacturer to collectively learn more about the characteristics, distribution, efficiency and emissions of biodiesel and GTL diesel. Over the course of the test, the companies will monitor engine performance, tailpipe emissions, fuel economy, vehicle handling characteristics (including acceleration and noise), the impact the fuels may have on lubricants and engine components, and driver feedback.

More info available here.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

MKX Beats Lexus RX350, Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica

The Lincoln MKX has bested the Lexus RX350 in the near-luxury SUV segment of the 2007 Strategic Vision Total Value report. "The MKX really stood out in things like technical innovation, the standard equipment that came with it and the refinement in the interior in comparison to what the Lexus had to offer," said Alexander Edwards, president of Strategic Vision's automotive division.

Things that I observed about the MKX include sub-par plastics, such as a very flimsy glove box door and mismatching trim in the hatch area. A recaltricant alarm system that went off in the showroom and a hood that unevenly aligned with the body of the car. Granted this car was probably one of the earlier models produced. I will say that the MKX is an attractive car, but even with a $3,000 price difference there is no way that I could honestly recommend this car over the RX. Especially with nearly identical Ford Edges tooling around the streets. The RX has a proven reliability and resale record. The RX also has a much more polished feel about it. I do want to root for the home team, but I cannot give away points just for trying. The MKX is an decent entry, but it needs to be more than that to knock the RX off its lofty perch.

Volkswagen of America was seen as the best full-line corporation in value overall. That's another pick that I would quibble with. I like Volkswagen products, especially the GTI, but I don't feel that their current lineup is as strong as it has been in the past. From a value for money perspective, I don't think that Volkswagen is tops, especially when factoring in VeeDub's less than stellar reputation for quality. Most Volkswagen owner's that I know love their cars, but they also freely admit that they are in the shop way too often.

You can read the press release here and the rest of the picks by category below:

Small Car
Toyota Yaris Honda Civic Honda Civic Hybrid

Small Multi-Function
Toyota Yaris Hatchback

Medium Car
Volkswagen Jetta

Medium Multi-Function
Volvo V50 Wagon

Larger Car
Hyundai Azera*

Near Luxury Car
Acura TSX

Luxury Multi-Function
Audi A3

Luxury Car
Lexus LS 430*

Small Specialty Under $28,000
Mini Cooper*

Small Specialty Over $28,000
Chevrolet Corvette Coupe*

Mid-Specialty Car
Honda Accord Coupe*

Convertibles Under $30,000
Mini Cooper Convertible*

Convertibles Over $30,000
Chevrolet Corvette Convertible*

Minivan
Honda Odyssey

Small SUV
Hyundai Santa Fe

Medium Crossover
Ford Edge

Medium SUV
Toyota 4Runner

Large SUV
Ford Expedition EL

Near Luxury SUV
Lincoln MKX

Luxury SUV
Mercedes-Benz ML

Standard Pickup Truck
Honda Ridgeline*

Full-Size Pickup Truck
GMC Sierra 1500

Heavy Duty Pickup Truck
GMC Sierra 2500/3500 Classic

*2006 Total Value Award™ winners

Win 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid (11/2/07)

Whenever it's a busy day for me I always like to lean back on the sweepstakes crutch. Today you're getting two chances to win! Click here to enter.

Win a 2008 GMC Acadia (11/16/2007)

The Acadia is a fine people mover. A minivan in SUV clothing. Click here for your chance to win one!

Monday, October 22, 2007

Ford Employee, Trapped By Heavy Machinery, Passes Away

Robert Conley, 48, of Manchester, Mich., a maintenance supervisor in the final assembly area was killed today at Ford's Wayne Stamping and Assembly Plant where the 2008 Ford Focus is assembled. Conley had worked for Ford for 17 years. According to news reports, Conley became trapped in some machinery that is used to move the cars along the assembly line. Unofficially, on some Internet forums employees have described the scene as being very disturbing.

All news stories and discussion groups describe Conley as being a tremendous person and one who will be truly missed. It is a testament to workplace safety that events such as this are few and far between. Obviously, there is always room for improvement and hopefully much will be learned from this event to prevent any families from having to go through the agony that the Conley's are undoubtedly going through right now.

My condolences to all who knew and worked with Robert.

You can view the updated news report from WXYZ here.

Gas Station Attendant / Fire Fighter

So you're sitting at your job at a gas station when suddenly a car slams into one of the pumps. The driver flees on foot and you're left with a fireball. What would you do?

61-year-old Luis Tamayo, the station's attendant, said he had no choice but to fight the fire himself. "I had to find a solution until firefighters arrived," he said through a translator. "I tried to do the best I could with what was available. This gas station was saved because I had three new fire extinguishers.

The guy who shot the video describes the scene: "He first got an extinguisher, and he was putting it out. That ran out, so he went and got another one, and then the second one ran out, and he slams it on the floor like he was super frustrated, so he still went back in and got a third one, and he put the fire out."

You can check out the video here. CNN also has an extended version of the fire video here.

Source: WSNV

Chrysler Future Product Plans: Looks Dismal (For Now)

Automotive News released its future product review for Chrysler LLC and I have to say it looks very bleak:

Jeep may ax the Compass and Commander. Good riddance. The hot selling Wrangler will get a pickup version. The Grand Cherokee will probably add a third row option with its next makeover to help fill the Commander's shoes.

Dodge may give the Avenger some emergency surgery to help boost its sales, although those nip/tucks wouldn't appear until the 2011 model year. The slow selling Magnum may not get picked up on the next go around. If the Magnum does get a stay of execution, 2011 model year would mark its major model change. Of course there is the ultra cool Challenger, but it will never be a high volume model. The Durango and Dakota are on the bubble for a remodel, so they may not make it past 2009/2010. According to sources inside the company, the 2009 Ram may loose the truck-like face for more of an F-150 visage (think Nitro or 2008 Dakota).

For the Chrysler brand the future of the Pacifica is hanging in the air. A Chrysler version of the Dodge Journey may be stillborn. The Aspen is probably not going to make it and the Crossfire will likely be caught up in the crossfire.

Oh, it's all just so depressing, isn't it? For one thing, the 2008 lineup really is evidence of how bad Chrysler's German masters screwed things up. Chrysler was a hot brand before it got married to the wrong partner. At first I thought it might be a good union. Heck, look at the stellar 300C, how could they lose, right? Well, it appears that the 300C was one of the few bright moments. Many of Chrysler's other products were replaced by inferior models with cheap interiors and less than stellar styling.

Well, THERE IS A BRIGHT SIDE! The new management realises that the cheap interior plastics have to go. They know that a badge engineered version of the Journey for Chrysler is a bad idea. The see that the Compass was never right for Jeep and the Commander arrived in the wrong decade. I would argue that the Dakota and Pacifica deserve another go around. I would also argue that taming the styling of the 2009 Ram might not be such a great idea. On the balance I think that Chrysler is making the right moves towards salvation. However, look at all these time frames: 2010, 2011...that's a ways off and there really is no way around that. Small cars manufactured by China's Chery Automobile Co. are still on tap but not before 2010 for North America. However, we will have to wait a bit to see what Chrysler LLC believes its new portfolio should look like. Until we can see what's coming to replace the stinkers, hang in there everybody!

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Gas Prices Up 60 Cents Year Over Year

Gas prices rose a nickel during the past two weeks, to an average of $2.80 per gallon of self-serve regular, a national survey said Sunday. That's 60 cents more than prices at this time last year, but 38 cents below the all-time peak of $3.18 set on May 18. Of course, that's a the national average. Here in the Bay Area we're over the $3 mark already and it wouldn't surprise me to see gasoline prices reach $4 gallon in California before the winter is over.

In the short term we have yet to feel the full effect of oil's recent run up to $90 per barrel. In the same time that gasoline has risen an average of five cents, crude oil has gone up the equivalent of 18 cents.

Source: CNN

Out of this World and Into Your Outlander

So what is this hook-like object? It fell out of the sky and into a Mitsubishi Outlander that was parked outside Happy Harry's Drugstore in Stanton, Delaware. The SUV's owner, Susan Wilson, said she was in the drugstore. When she returned to her car, she found ash and debris on the driver's seat and a gaping hole in the roof. On the rear floor, she found the hot object still smoldering . Boy, that sure is a lot of junk she's got in that Mitsu!

The airport doesn't think it fell off any plane and the nearby Air Force Base also claims that it isn't theirs. Full story can be found here. Can you solve the mystery?

Saturday, October 20, 2007

GM / Avis Budget Group Enter into Pact

GM and rental car company Avis Budget Group have entered into a three year agreement that sets forth the terms and conditions related to Avis Budget's purchase of vehicles from dealers of GM for the 2008 through 2011 vehicle model years.

Under the agreement Avis will feature only products of GM in all advertising and promotional materials where any vehicle is featured or promoted, and which are developed for its Avis brand during the 2008 model year.

Of course Avis/Budget is free to buy other cars, such as the Toyota Prius, but you won't see it featured in any advertising. Domestic manufacturers are trying to wean themselves off of fleet sales, but they are still important. Rental cars are a great way for manufacturers to get their wares into potential customer's hands and spread the word about all the progress they've made.

Friday, October 19, 2007

RC Jets

It's been a long time since I've checked out remote control planes. I was just fooling around on YouTube and stumbled on some RC jet videos.

These puppies aren't cheap. The engines start at a couple grand and move up from there. The full kits for the fuselage, retracting gear, etc start at around three grand. Yep, that's at least five grand for a build it yourself, turbine powered fighter.

Even if you have the cash, the pro's recommend a slow progression up the RC food chain until you finally max out with these fast moving flyers.

Sources:

JetCat USA
RC Plane Talk
Philip Avonds

Jim Press Interview on WJR

In case you missed the WJR interview you didn't miss a whole lot. To be honest, the interview was mostly a puff piece.

When asked about the Pacifica, Press went on a long winded spiel,

“The world is changing, especially with regard to the environment and powertrains,” he said. “So we’ve been looking at and will continue to look at our product line to see where we’ve got some duplication, where the same products are serving the same customers. We’ve got other products where we don’t have coverage, and we’ll be adjusting our portfolio of vehicles over time.”

With regards specifically to the Pacifica, Press responded

"I like the Pacifica quite a bit...Crossover SUVs are very important. Obviously we're not going to abandon that segment."

Breaking away from the interview and continuing to talk about the Pacifica. Does something like the Dodge Journey provide sufficient coverage in the market? My own opinion is that no, Chrysler will need to field something else in addition to the Journey. Will that something else be called Pacifica or have a new name? Hard to say.

If you'd like to hear the whole interview, visit here.

Heroes: Grow Jatropha, Save the World?

Jatropha is a tough, shrubby weed with golf-ball-size fruit that yields a refinable oil. The plant can grow in unfavorable conditions, with little fertilizer or water, and cannot be used for food, avoiding the problem of competition between food and fuel supplies that corn now faces. Until recently, jatropha was best-known in India and elsewhere as a hedge to keep wild animals from wandering onto farms.

The jatropha oil is subjected to a process called transesterification. Plant oils - those derived from jatropha as well as the oilseed rape and soya beans from which biodiesel is produced in Europe and the U.S. - consist mainly of triglycerides, the fatty acid esters of glycerin. They are extremely viscous and tend to resinification - qualities that are not desirable inside a fuel tank.

Transesterification, in which the glycerin is replaced by methanol, makes it possible to use the processed plant oil as fuels. However, that’s only the first step in the transformation of plant oil into biodiesel. After transesterification, the resulting raw product is centrifuged and washed with water to cleanse it of impurities, such as glycerin and excess methanol. Only at the end of this process is the biodiesel of usable quality.

In a 2004 Daimler study it was revealed that jatropha-based biofuel can be used without any problems in modern CDI engines adapted for biodiesel. What’s more, this fuel produces only half of the unburned hydrocarbon emissions and one-third of the particulate emissions produced by diesel fuel derived from crude petroleum.

Furthing jatropha's stock is some Goldman Sachs data on the estimated cost per barrel of fuel made from a variety of sources:

Cellulose: $305

Wheat: $125

Rapeseed: $125

Soybean: $122

Sugar Beets: $100

Corn: $83

Sugar Cane: $45

Jatropha: $43

Just like everything in life, there are downsides. The plant has never been domesticated. Jatropha's oil output is unpredictable and often lower than expected. Although it can grow without water, it tends to do much better when water is added, raising its cost of production and mitigating some of the perceived benefits.

For now the question remains: "Can a scrappy weed truly help to save the world?"

Sources:
Popular Science
The Wall Street Journal
Daimler
Biopact
Institute of Science in Society

Thursday, October 18, 2007

San Francisco Auto Show Courtesy of Infiniti

I received a marketing e-mail today from Infiniti that offers free entrance to the SF Auto Show for interested customers. It's an early bird special: 8:30AM on Saturday, November 24.

The e-mail doesn't make any mention of the offer being limited to original recipients of Infiniti's marketing list so why not give them a shout? Give them a call at 1-800-521-0808.

If they shut you down let me know and I'll remove the post.

EVENT DETAILS:

San Francisco International Auto Show

Moscone Convention Center
747 Howard St.
San Francisco, CA 94103

November 24, 2007
8:30 AM

Call 1-800-521-0808
to RSVP.

Jim Press on the Radio

For you early morning risers, Jim Press is going to be on WJR radio at 7:20AM Eastern tomorrow (Friday 10/19). You can tune in on the radio station's website here. For those not up at that hour, especially those of us on the West Coast, I'm sure the interview will be recapped in some articles.

However, if you are more adventurous you could try Replay AV which claims to be able to time shift most online stations. I tried the product years ago when it was called Replay Radio and it didn't work out so well, but you'd think that most of the bugs would be worked out by now. You can download a trial of Replay AV here.

Audi A1 Metroproject Quattro Concept

I wasn't expecting a whole lot from Audi and it's A1 concept car that is debuting at the Tokyo Motor Show, but I have to admit that I'm happily surprised. I really like the look of this little buggy!

Twenty Trees For a Ford

The 11 o'clock news goes to commercial. Queue the soggy music. Glaciers falling into the sea. The announcer starts talking about automobiles and the environment. Okay, who could it be? Some sort of environmental group, right? Nope. It's a Ford dealer. Frontier Ford in Santa Clara is touting the fact that it will plant twenty trees for each car purchased. This in turn would theoretically help offset the carbon spewing out of a brand new Expedition.

Carbon offsets are nothing new. It's a growing business that shows promise of becoming a worldwide phenomenon. It's how Al Gore offsets his inconvenient electric bill. What caused me to drop my remote was how Frontier Ford was advertising this new perk: by drawing direct causality between global warming and automobiles. This isn't a wink and a nudge, these guys are raising their hands and saying "Guilty" and then offering twenty trees.

It's all a bit too close for comfort in my opinion and one that twenty trees planted in a newly purchased Expedition's honor does little to assuage. I fail to see who wins here. As Coldplay found out, there is a lot more to sustainable carbon offsetting than just buying a bunch of saplings. So will environmentally savvy people truly be swayed by a dealer's offer to plant a few trees? I doubt it. On the flip side what damage does a commercial like Frontier's do to the image of the automobile? It certainly doesn't help.

Let's say a dealership wanted to really show that it was green. How about solar power or a living roof? How about using green alternatives in the shop? How about handing out tire gauges to all visitors? Any of those alternatives will probably do a lot more for the environment than a bunch of defenseless saplings that have only a slim hope of surviving.

I'm not against a dealership offering to help the environment, but I just don't think this campaign is well thought out. What it looks like to me is that someone offered the dealership a way to appeal to the environmental crowd for a very minimal investment. I'm guessing this whole promotion costs Frontier less than $50 per car sold. Probably a lot less. However, it does cost the automobile credibility. Something the automotive industry can ill afford to lose.

Will Residuals For Hybrids Trail Gasoline Versions?

According to Automotive Lease Guide, hybrid versions of gasoline cars will sell for less three years down the road. The reasoning behind these projections? Used car buyers are concerned more with price than fuel economy (well that's what ALG says). Some examples include the Civic with 58% residual for the hybrid and 60% for the gasoline version. The Camry hybrid is 51% and the gas version strides in at 55%.

Is it true? It's a brave new world out there and I'd say there is a bit less science to the art of predicting hybrids' value. For example here in California, a hybrid equipped with a carpool sticker instantly gets around $4,000 added to its resale price. Future increases in gas prices could make mileage a greater part of the decision making process for thriftier used car buyers. Of course, there is also the worry that all the gee-whiz hardware in hybrids may prove to be more troublesome as the miles and years pile on.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Directed Repair or Directly Pocketed?

So your car gets smashed up a bit...At some point in the process the insurance company handling your claim is going to make a "recommendation" that you take your vehicle to a certain auto body shop for repairs. This practice of steering vehicle owners to certain body shops has a name, Directed Repair Program or DRP. Supposedly everyone benefits, you get repair done quickly and it will be guaranteed and the insurer reaps the benefit of pre-negotiated rates. But let's say you do not follow that recommendation, what happens then? Well, your repair will probably take longer because the insurance company will send out an adjuster to check the work being done, probably more than once, and the payments to the body shop will also be delayed.

So are DRP programs really all on the up and up? Not all of them. Recently the Automobile Club of Southern California fired a manager in its collision repair section. Rumors allege that Palmer took payoffs in the form of consulting agreements through a sideline business he created. The rumors also suggest he received gifts in the form of cash, paint jobs on hot rod cars, leather jackets, Rolex watches, lavish vacation accommodations, and much more.

Certainly there are many honest folks out there in the insurance and repair business. However, after reading more about the topic it would appear that it is in serious need of review.

Sources:

LA Times

Collision Industry News

Crash Network

Blog Quality Slipping?

A reader notified me that several links were non-operational on the site. I do apologize about that. The Camaro sweepstakes was totally "my bad" and I have since fixed it. The Price is Right YouTube clip, however, was working but it appears to have been yanked due to copyright issues. I've let Chrysler PR know about this, so we'll see if they have another link.

Update: The Price is Right link is now to a CBS site, so that should stay up for awhile.

I have also added a contact link on the page so that you can reach the Chief Word Mechanic (AKA rwcmick) with any tips/corrections/etc.

2008 Honda Odyssey Pricing

Honda released pricing for its lightly refreshed 2008 Odyssey. The big deal, I think, is that PAX tires are now optional on the Touring model. Good riddance. Also, active head restraints have been added for the front passengers. I'm sure Honda wanted to get this feature added quickly so as to get back into good graces with the IIHS. The Kia Sedona/Hyundai Entourage had stolen IIHS's "top safety pick" because they have the active restraints. The '08 Odyssey should now be able to join the Korean twins at the top of the list.

The Variable Cylinder Management system now offers additional capability to selectively deactivate either two or three of the engine's six cylinders during cruising and deceleration (instead of three, exclusively). Bluetooth hands free cell phone capability is now available, but only on the top end models. I think this is a mistake. A huge chunk of buyers in California will be scrambling for hands free operation when the new laws kick in on January 1, 2008. Why not lead the pack by offering this feature on the whole range? There are couple of other changes, such as daytime running headlights, but on the whole the rest is of much less interest.

This is still the minivan to buy if your life requires such a thing. We really do love our Odyssey.

You can check out the '08 Odyssey "What's New" page here. You can visit IIHS's 2007 minivan safety ratings page here.

Pricing is shown below:

$25,860 LX
$28,960 EX
$32,210 EX-L
$40,010 Touring

$40,610 Touring w/ PAX

AutoExpress Drives the Mazda6

AE loves to crow about driving things first, sometimes even being questioned on whether or not they really drove the car in question. In this case it's reasonable to assume that in fact AE has driven the new Mazda6. Their findings? Better ride comfort and much less engine noise. Of course this is all Euro spec stuff, so we'll have to wait our turn to see what the new 6 has in store for us. The reason I bring up the review is because AE noted that "some of the [interior] plastics Mazda has used could be sturdier." Now unfortunately that isn't something that will change when the 6 reaches our shores. Sorry to hear that. You can check out the full review here.

Chop! Will Chrysler Euthanize Models?

According to the Detroit Free Press,Chrysler may be set to cut up to five models from its stable. Four of the models in jeopardy are the Chrysler Pacifica, Dodge Dakota, Jeep Commander and Compass. I'm fine with killing the Commander and the Compass as I've never cared for either one of those models. The Pacifica on the other hand is in a hot market segment and may be deserving of a bit more effort to resuscitate it. I have always liked the Dakota truck and would rather that they kill the slow selling Durango and Aspen.

Interestingly enough, the article also mentions potentially axing the Sebring. Previously a very good seller and a stalwart in the convertible market. Some people see the redesigned Sebring as a low point for the brand where a revised model actually slid backwards in some areas.

Overall, I'm fine with Chrysler hacking away at its model lineup. There are only a few truly commendable models in its portfolio. Trimming the number of vehicles that Chrysler produces would make it easier to create consolidated dealerships. The tragedy in my mind is that there really doesn't appear to be much in Chrysler's future product pipeline. Here's hoping Chrysler has some tricks up its sleeve.

source: detroit free press

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Carey Gives Away Wrangler

Who knows, maybe this will be a trivia question some day. What was the first big prize that Drew Carey gave away on The Price is Right? Jeep Wrangler is the answer we're looking for.

You can watch all the action on this YouTube clip. You can skip to 2:10 to get to the Jeep part of the show.

Update: Sorry, but it appears that the YouTube has been pulled. I have notified Chrysler PR since they are the ones that tipped me off about the story. We'll see if they come up with something else.

Update 2: Here's the workaround. You click here to go to CBS and then watch the 10/15/2007 episode. You can skip to about 3:00 to get the the Jeep.

Win a 2009 Camaro "Bumblebee Replica" (1/15/2008)

Sweet sweepstakes! They are giving away not one but three of the replicas! Click here to enter.

2008 Nissan GT-R (Updated With More Pictures)

Nissan had been playing a game of strip poker with the GT-R with pieces of camo slowly being peeled away. However, in a press release to announce the winner of its "Sport Utility of the Year" competition, Motor Trend has given us "The Full Monte." Nice! Tons of photos and specs should be released once the Toyko Motor Show is underway.\

The GT-R's twin-turbo V6 gives it a 0 to 60 mph time of near 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 192 mph. Base price is expected to be less than $80,000.

Update: Floodgates are open!

Monday, October 15, 2007

US News & World Report on Cars

There are those of us who spend most of our free time reading about cars online, in magazines, trade papers, visiting car manufacturing plants, auto shows, etc. Then there are people who don't really think about cars until its time to purchase one. If you don't track the automotive business on semi-regular basis it can become a bit overwhelming. Some folks deal with this by simply sticking with what they know. For example my neighbor buys a Camry every time he needs a new car. He doesn't even drive anything else, he just wants a Camry. Judging by visitors to his driveway, many of his friends and family feel the same way. Then there are some folks who are open to other brands, but they don't want to spend a lot of time looking. These types of buyers will flock to "buyer's guides" to help narrow the field. There are a million buyer's guides out there. However, US News and World Report thinks it has stumlbed onto something new.

US&WR claims to be "taking the bias out of the advice" by surveying the reviews of more than 100 "reputable sources." A one to ten point scale is used to assign values to the reviews and then "proprietary software" crunches the data. The magazine has a new website, humbly billed as "the only automotive website you'll ever need," with all the rankings and various ways to access the data. You can check it out by visiting here.

Want to know what to expect? Camry ties with the Accord in "Affordable Midsize Cars" with the Ford Fusion in close range. Honda CR-V slightly edges out the RAV4 in "Affordable Compact SUVs." BMW 5-Series squeaks past the Mercedes E-Class in "Luxury Large Cars." The Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Suburban sweep the "Affordable Large SUV" class.

I suppose that review aggregators like this have their place. Some folks simply want to buy the "best car" and be done with it. Personally I can't play that way. US&WR raises a good point about contrasting reviews and how subjective the whole business of reviewing a car's performance is. However, for me variety is the spice of life. I enjoy reading all types of automotive reviews. Most of the time I pick out pieces in each article that I disagree/agree with. Yes, you can buy a Camry and it will probably serve you faithfully for many years. But what about the sporty performance of the Honda Accord, Mazda6 or Nissan Altima? Or how about rolling the dice and taking a huge price break on a Saab 9-3? What about the new Malibu headed our way? No matter how you drill down through the data at some point you're going to have to drill into your heart. Yes it is true that what you might find there is a Camry but it just might be something you never expected.

$86

U.S. light crude oil for November delivery closed at $86.13. Wow. What has been somewhat amazing is that the price we pay at the pumps hasn't jumped as well. The official line is that with the summer driving season over, demand has diminished and stockpiles have risen. However, it's very hard to believe that this state of imbalance will remain for much longer. One way or another stockpiles of gasoline will be diminished and we'll be paying way over $3/gallon again.

The high watermark for oil (in inflation adjusted dollars) is $90 a barrel struck after the Iranian revolution in 1979. It would now appear very likely that we could see a new peak.

Just this week an Automotive News article asked "Why haven't small-car sales taken off?" The article defined "small cars" as those with a wheelbase of less than 103 inches and overall length of 175 inches or less. Using that basis small car sales in the first nine months of this year were up only 3.4 percent.

If $3/gallon isn't the tipping point for US consumers, then what is? $4? $5?

smart sets up "smart house" in LA

Making a big marketing push in what will undoubtedly be a hot market for its new fortwo, smart usa is is setting up a marketing gallery in the Los Angeles area. Prospective buyers will be able to to touch, drive, configure and place reservations for the smart.

An exclusive studio building on Abbot Kinney Boulevard will be transformed into the “smart house” for four months starting October 11, 2007, serving as the springboard for the US market launch of the smart car. smart has begun preparations in the heart of the hip Venice Beach district, setting up a temporary showroom to demonstrate to customers, journalists and VIPs that the smart fortwo is much more than just an economical, compact, and safe automobile.

The marketing buzz continues as we edge ever closer to the day that consumers will be able to drive off in their own vehicles. I wonder if smart will do something similar for the East Coast, perhaps in NYC?

The smart house on Abbot Kinney Boulevard 1319, Venice Beach, Los Angeles California is open from 11 October 2007 to 25 January 2008; Tuesdays to Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Dumb Stunts

So, I sliced my finger with a really large knife today and ended up in the ER for four hours. I felt pretty dumb about that, so to cheer myself I turned to YouTube to see some other people do dumb things...

Oh, THAT Kind of Lube Job

A Spokane, Washington motorist calls police complaining that a van has been following and passing her and that the driver was naked and masturbating. When the PD ran the plates, they were a little surprised to find that the van belonged to a fellow officer. It turns out that the van had been dropped off at Spokane Chrysler for a tune up and an oil change. Somewhere along the line a dealership employee decided that it might be fun to take the vehicle for test drive while naked.

To make up for the trouble, Spokane Chrysler has given the officer a rental and will perform a complete detailing job on the car (presumably by clothed employees). The dealership will also comp the service.

Still, no matter how much the that van is cleaned there will always be the memory of what that van has gone through. Nasty.

Source: SpokesmanReview

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Plate Recognition:Privacy Nightmare or Law Enforcement Boon?

Recently the case of an abducted girl in San Jose was quickly resolved with the help of license plate recognition (LPR) technology. The girl and had been hit by a stolen car and then abducted. She escaped from her captor but the hunt was on to catch the creep. An officer using LPR spotted a stolen car which was found to be the one used in the abduction. Investigators were then able to quickly zoom in on a suspect.

LPR utilizes digital cameras mounted on vehicles to quickly scan license plates and compare them against a database. What's in that database you might ask? Well it could be stolen cars, amber alerts, expired tags, parking ticket scofflaws, etc. In addition to scanning plates, most systems also take a complete picture of the car so that officers can provide proof that the offending vehicle was indeed there at that particular time and place. These LPR systems can scan up to 12,000 plates a day, which is a tremendous amount of data.

So what's not to like? Privacy advocates worry about what else the data collected by LPR might be used for. An example might be an anti-war rally. A law enforcement vehcile could scan the plates of every vehicle in the area of that rally. Over time officials could develop a database of vehicles that show up at all such anti-war events and that data could then become part of a larger investigation. Suddenly tracking the whereabouts and habits of thousands of people becomes much easier. Seemingly innocuous uses could become sinister. Big brother.

There is also the potential abuse by private businesses. Casinos already use LPR to identify when high rollers or cheats drive into the parking lot. It could be only a matter of time before other businesses follow suit. It's one thing when a business rolls out the red carpet for you before you open your door, but another when it gives you the cold shoulder or jacks its prices because it knows you're a sucker.

As you can see LPR has unlimited potential. As I sit here and write this post I keep thinking of new uses/abuses for the technology. As it stands right now, LPR is mostly being used for good. It helps catch crooks and frees up law enforcement for other duties. No one is going to argue with that. However, limits need to be put into place to make sure our rights are protected.

Source: SFGate article

Friday, October 12, 2007

Driving the Saturn Astra

Here in San Francisco Saturn held a combined retailer/consumer product event for the Astra. Retailers were allowed to drive the Astra during the day and consumers got their turn at night.

In the intro area there were a number of Astras along with competitors from Mazda and VW. The cars were hooked up to an outside electrical source so that you could play with all the controls and see how they lit up. There was a very brief introduction and then off to the driving course.

The only manual transmission available for testing was the five door, which was kind of strange given the sporting ambitions of the three door. No matter, the manual is where it's at. The engine never gets too harsh as it is rev'd out and the manual snicks through the gears nicely. It might be true that some cars offer more direct feel when it comes to shifting, but in day to day use I think the Astra is just fine. Handling around the slick, very short course was commendable. I didn't get to try the Astra on the freeway and that's unfortunate. Around the circuit the Astra was a lot of fun with the manual. The automatic was pokey and not nearly as enjoyable. That's about all I can tell you about the driving experience. If I get the chance to take an Astra out for an extended spin then we'll have something else to talk about.

The cabin has nice, soft touch plastics and all the controls feel substantial. Some reviewers have not cared for the amber driver information display in the center of the dash, but I rather liked it. It gives you something else to play around with while you sit in your new car in the driveway. All the controls illuminate well at night and it was easy for me to find a comfortable driving position. The five door model offers the option of a massive sunroof. Something that I couldn't fully enjoy as it was dark and rainy outside.

From what marketing was able to tell me there were be limited events for the Astra until they arrive in full force. There are the ride and drive events, so be sure to check that out. I was told that the events are starting to book up so if you want to sample the goods you'd better hop to it. I asked about how they are going to publicize their car and they responded that the Internet will play a big roll. Edmunds.com and Facebook are two big names that the rep dropped. There will also be a specially kitted out Astra representing at SEMA.

In my brief exposure to the car what can I tell you? The Astra is not the Mazda 3, a car that I regard as the leader in this class. It just doesn't have the same level of sportiness about it. But you can just as easily flip that around and say that the Mazda3 is no Astra. What you get with the Astra is a genuine European hatchback. No foolin. Is that important? I think so, yes. If you value driving something a little different. Unique. Special.

Understandably Saturn didn't want to talk about the next Astra, especially on the first day of its publicity tour for the car but know this: The Belgium built Astra will only be with us for a short time. In a few years the next Astra will be built here in the States and sadly I suspect will lose some of its unique European traits (and premium content) to better match US tastes and price points. If you're looking for the true Euro experience, the time is now.

You can find out more about the ride and drive here. You can check out the Astra microsite here. To see the panoramic windshield (which doesn't look to be coming to the states) on the Euro Astra, check out my visit to a Vauxhall dealer here.

California Rejoice: The First Diesel Sedan Arrives

I has been a long wait since new diesel cars were wiped off the lots of California. No manufacturer could meet the stringent standards set forth by the sunshine state. States who followed California's lead were also denied access to new diesels. However, now the tide is starting to turn. Mercedes has now cleaned up the E-Class sedan so that it will meet the toughest standards. There's even a Craigslist ad from a Torrance, CA Mercedes dealer touting the October 15 announcement of the return of the diesel. You can check out the add here.

That's great news for us! Oh sure, some people might balk at the starting MSRP of around $53k but there were be more, cheaper, cars to follow. VW will be bringing it's 50 legal diesel to market soon as well as Audi, BMW, Honda and Nissan. Good stuff indeed. Right now in California used diesels are commanding a hefty premium as folks seek to run biodiesel. I'm sure that buyers will appreciate the new options available.

Update: Mercedes-Benz is opting to lease rather than sell the vehicle because only about 100 cars will be available. The E320 will be offered only as a lease vehicle for 2 years/24,000 miles for about $600 a month — the same rate as a gasoline E Class.

Yoink! X-type Departs USA

So long! That's what Jaguar dealers are beginning to say to the entry model in the Jaguar's US lineup. Derided as being a tarted up Mondeo, the X never gained traction here in the USA. Jaguar will stop making US spec models in December when the factory switches over to the slightly revised model. That's really too bad. I own a 2005 wagon and I have found it to have decent handling, nice interior appointments and only one persistent electrical gremlin that was finally exorcised by the dealership.

I've always been a fan of the X-Type. I thought the looks were right on for a baby Jag. Certainly the first examples to arrive here in the USA were trouble. They were massively over priced and still had a lot of quality issues. However, over time Jaguar ministered to its baby and she became a very capable entry. However, many folks' minds were already made up. Impressions based upon the first examples and their opinions could not be changed.

Certainly the X isn't perfect. She sucks gas, she could use more power and never received features such as dual climate control. That shouldn't discourage you should you seek to buy a late example. Depreciation is fierce so you'd be best to find a slightly used model, but I wouldn't look disapprovingly at you if you bought a new copy just as long as you managed to rake off a few quid.

It's not as if there aren't other, some superior, entries in the field. But for me the Jag is a nice contrarian approach to hauling cargo. I will miss her on the dealer's lots, but my copy has quite a few miles to go so I'm happy I got in when I did.

For those of you who are wagon fanatics, there is the forthcoming CTS wagon (which I presume is going to be marketed here) and I think that it will be a great entry. Of course you could get a SortCombi from Saab an equally eclectic choice. I'm not disrespecting the BMW, Volvo or Audi wagons but they have never captured my fancy.

Win a 2008 Cadillac CTS (10/29/2007)

Another chance to win a great car! Click here to enter.

Saturn Vue: Minor Quality Snafus

A friend dropped by the house today with a Saturn Vue that he had picked up at the rental car agency. The Vue only had a couple of thousand miles or so on the clock. I had driven a Vue Red Line back in Detroit, but I always relish the opportunity to hop into a new car.

Overall, I like what Saturn had done here. I like the exterior styling, it's sleek and modern looking. The car's interior had a very nice look to it. The plastics look good and feel suitably expensive and the seat's fabric feels upscale.

Having said that, this particular car had some issues. Firstly, when I went to use the passenger assist handle in the ceiling it came off in my hand. Looking at the screw that holds the left side of the handle in place, it had definitely been tightened all the way as you can see the thread locker is worked into the screw. It's hard to tell if the threads were stripped or if the screw had just worked its way loose. Next I wanted to see how the interior lit up at night. As we were sitting in the car, looking at the dash I noticed that light was leaking out of the glove box. I opened and shut the glove box, but the light was still there. We turned off the car and waited for all the lights to turn off, but the glove box light was still on. I felt around the inside of the glove box and found that the switch was hidden behind the box. The funny thing is, there is a cheap piece of foam stuck to the back of the glove box that is supposed to press against the switch. However, the foam has been indented so that the switch is never pressed in which in turn means that the glove box light never turns off. We temporarily fixed the issue by pulling off the foam and repositioning it so that a new piece of foam would come into contact with the switch. Voila!

Both issues are easily fixed, but it does leave you nervously looking around the car for anything else that might not be bolted down all the way. Chances are that this was an early production model and all the kinks were not worked out yet. However, I'd advise GM to rethink the foam block/light switch setup as it seems like that is ripe for failure.

I really do want to see Saturn succeed. I love the vehicles and I don't want to see anything get in their way.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

You can take an employee out of Toyota, but can you take the success as well?

In the auto business there is always some employee swapping going on. However, in the past couple of months there have been three high profile defections from Toyota. Farley is headed to Ford but previously Chrysler named Jim Press, who had been the Japanese company's highest-ranking U.S. executive, as president and in August hired Deborah Wahl Meyer, formerly a top marketing official for Lexus.

This brings up several questions in my mind. Firstly, how deep is Toyota’s bench? Secondly, can these top drawer executives transfer their successes to their new employers? In my mind both of those questions can be answered by one word: product. With the right leadership in place, competitive “gotta have it” vehicles can work their way up through the organization and onto the dealer’s lots. Bob Lutz help foster this very atmosphere at GM and its portfolio is now starting to really blossom.

As Chrysler has shown in its previous near death/miraculous rebirth cycles, one very hot, high volume product can buoy an entire downtrodden company. So what’s in the pipeline for Chrysler and Ford? This is where things currently don’t look so promising. Ford has the new F-150 debuting soon, but with the pickup market so cut throat right now it’s going to be a challenge for Ford to make any real headway. The real heavy hitter could be the Flex. If Ford can retain buyers trading out of their Windstars, Explorers, Expeditions, and perhaps poach a few customers from its competitors then the Flex could make a nice home for itself on the sales charts. The Flex can’t save Ford all by itself, but it’s unique enough to make a splash. Peering into Chrysler’s immediate future, I don’t really see any new breakout, high volume products. Obviously there are vehicles that I have no idea about, but outside of the niche stuff I don’t see Chrysler’s savior. I hope I’m wrong.

As for Toyota? I think it will be able to carry on. Even if it must endure some growing pains, the Toyota and Lexus brands have so much equity that it was take a colossal failure of new products to cause a real slowdown in Toyota's momentum.

Both Ford and Chrysler have other issues embedded in their organizations that have to be exorcised, but as with real estate the Automotive biz is all about product, product, product.

Farley to Ford

Just like a Superbowl winning team loaded with free agents, Toyota is finding itself being poached of its top players. The latest player to leave is Lexus nee "Scion papa" Jim Farley. Farley's official title at Ford will be Group Vice President of Marketing and Communications. Undoubtedly one of Farley's first tasks at Ford will be to ask Mercury Division staff "Who's your daddy now?" We'll have to see if Toyota's alumni can repeat the magic with their new employers.

I'll also take this opportunity to pay a little tribute to Jim's famous cousin, Chris.

Crunch! IIHS's Latest Tests

They're bigger, but not necessarily tougher. That's what the point the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is trying to make with its latest round of crash 'em ups.

You can't say that any of the vehicles"aced" the test with each model showing a weakness in one area or another. The IIHS started pushing active head restraints only in the past few years, so many vehicles aren't receiving the "Green G" (good) for rear crash protection.

The other observation that the IIHS made was that the Grand Cherokee and Chevrolet Trailblazer did not come with torso airbags but rather only side curtain airbags. The IIHS believes it's important to have both to adequately protect occupants. The Pathfinder and Xterra models that were not equipped with optional side airbags also received an "Orange M" (marginal) for side impact (they received "Good" ratings with the optional side bags in place) and the Ford Explorer received a slightly higher "Yellow A" (yellow).

One positive note, I think, is that stability control is standard on each of the models. It's a very important safety feature!

Say what you will about the IIHS, they have made a difference in automotive safety. I find it hard to fault anyone who strives to better protect passengers in a crash. You can click on the picture above to enlarge it.

Saturn Astra Ride & Drive

I've mentioned before that I'm very happy with the decision to bring the Astra to our shores. The Astra is a true, high feature content European hatch and I hope that it does well.

If you want to take a spin the Astra prior to its official release, Saturn is kicking off a tour (dates below). Sorry for the late notice for those of you in the Bay Area.

San Francisco - Oct. 12
Los Angeles - Oct. 17
Phoenix - Oct. 22
Chicago - Oct. 24
Orange County, Calif. - Oct. 25
Seattle - Nov. 1
Detroit - Nov. 8
Houston - Nov. 15
Dallas - Nov. 20
New York - Dec. 3
Philadelphia - Dec. 6
Orlando - Dec. 10
Atlanta - Dec. 13
Miami - Dec. 13

To register you can click here and click on the "Rethink the Test Drive" link on the bottom of the page or you could skip all the flash and just click here.

CTS Wagon: Nice Photochop...Not!

I'm a wagon guy. They just make sense to me. I really like the CTS sedan. I think it's GM's best effort to date. So I'm really looking forward to the CTS wagon. I had big hopes when I saw the link for the CTS wagon spyshot on The Car Connection site, but sadly it's a pretty poor photoshop.

My understanding is that the CTS wagon will be designed more for flash than cargo, so don't expect such squared off edges. People tell me that Antoine Guilbaud is Vince Burlapp from The Hollywood Extra fame. Well Vince...I think you're off on this one.

To see the picture, you can click here.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Nissan Round Box (RD/BX) Concept

From the front this concept sure is an odd duck. The side profile gets better and the rear view is all French (Renault Avantime / Megane).

Now the Avantime was a crazy car. I remember when Renault first shacked up with Nissan. They studied the idea of bringing the Avantime here as an Infiniti. Uh, it didn't go over very well. The Avantime didn't go over so well in Europe either. I saw one on a used car lot in rural France last year, they were still asking a pretty Euro for it.

My first reaction wasn't so favorable but I have warmed up to the car. I still don't like the grill however. Funky stuff indeed.

The Nissan Round Box, with its compact convertible design, represents a new take on open-air motoring, providing exhilaration for all passengers - not just the driver - through its uniquely shared experience of fresh air stimulation, a sensation of speed and easy-to-use high-spec features.

The Round Box features an environmentally friendly turbocharged direct injection gasoline engine mated to Nissan’s advanced Xtronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). It is also equipped with a number of safety systems based on Nissan’s Safety Shield* concept, including Around View Monitor and Distance Control Assist System (DCAS).

The inspiration for Round Box’s interior, which features the “right sized” space to facilitate communication between the four occupants, was not another vehicle, but a social environment. “The car was inspired by the lively atmosphere of a sports bar,” explains Tatsuya Shiosaki of Nissan’s Exploratory and Advanced Product Department. “In a sports bar everyone is focused on the game for pure enjoyment. They are totally free of the pressure and tension felt by the players who are actually playing the game on the field. A sports bar affords an enjoyable, stress-free space where friends can experience a sense of togetherness. Simultaneously, they can enjoy thrilling excitement like being on a roller-coaster yet without any risk involved. That is the sort of emotive world the Round Box is intended to provide.”

So what happens in Tokyo stays in Tokyo or can we expect to see this car on a showroom floor somewhere in the world?

Lexus LF-Xh Concept

Okay, I'll admit that I'm confused a bit. The pictures above seem to portray the next RX from Lexus. However, the previous LF-X AKA HPX (last picture above) concept seemed to presage the GS based JX that is slated to compete with the likes of Infiniti's FX.

Speaking of the Infiniti FX, I found this tidbit over at GM Inside News forum:

I got invited to a market research study and it turned out it was to evaluate a concept FX. I had to compare it against the new Acura MDX, BMW X5, Lexus RX, and Mercedes ML. The side profile is pretty much the same with the addition of vents in front of the front wheels. The back is evolutionary with nice curves and lines. It is a nice step forward. As to the front, I remain somewhat speechless. Where-as the current FX has a tall front grill, the front of this car appeared much thinner. It was almost like the front of a sports car had been stuck onto the FX. The front was the biggest change and I'm not sold on it yet. However, compared to the other cars, I'd still pick the FX.

The FX37 gets bumped up to 300 horsepower. The FX50 comes with 390 horsepower and 369 lb.ft of torque. This sold me more than anything. I would guess that if the weight doesn't change that much, this thing must be quick.

The interior was nice. The steering wheel was hot with really cool looking paddle shifters. The look of it and the instrument panel reminded me a bit of the Acura MDX. The center console was much like the M.

They showed some technology on a laptop demo:

1) Slow moving traffic cruise control. The car can slow down and speed up based on the car in front of you.

2) The mirrors would move if you moved the seat. So I guess if you're on a long drive and occasionaly change your seat position, the mirrors would auto adjust with you.

3) This was the coolest. It was the rear-view camera taken to the next level. There were cameras in front of the car and behind it. On your Nav screen, it would show an outline of the car (as if looking down from the sky) and would paste the images around the car, so you'd have an almost 360 degree view of what was around you.

Interesting stuff.

Back to the Lexus...Let's go with the RX analogy for now. Word is that the next RX may grow to accommodate an (optional?) third row. This LF-Xh sure doesn't seem to offer room for that third row. Given that the RX has been so successful for Lexus, it's doubtful that they will mess with the recipe too much, but I could see it picking up a lot from this concept.

Toyota FT-MV Concept

Amongst Toyota's flights of fancy are more practical, near production concepts such as this van which looks to be the replacement for the Alphard (the last picture above).

What about us in the US? Nissan's Quest has pretty much scared everyone from straying too far from the mainstream when it comes to styling so I doubt that the Sienna is going to steal any cues from this one. However, I have heard that both Toyota and Honda are nervous about the downward spiral of minivan sales and that with their next full model changes may look to spice things up.

I don't mind radical van styling, but what I'm after in this concept are the footrests for the rear passengers. Nissan has also showed a concept in the past with support for passenger's legs, so I'm hoping that someone will take the plunge and add it to a production van here in the states.

Crazy Intersections of the World

Auto Express had the clever idea to pick their top ten crazy intersections of the world and then show them using Google Earth. I've got the top three here, to see all ten you'll have to read the full story.

From the top:

I-710 and I-105 Interchange, Los Angeles, California

A9, Shanghai, China

Roundabout, Swindon, Wilts, UK

Toyota Hi-CT Concept

How can you not love the Tokyo Auto Show? This Toyota number is wild! Do you see Futurliner in the front end? Empowering this specimen is a 1.5-liter engine mated to a hybrid motor with plug-in capability.

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Mmmm...Applebee's

You're six years old, jonesing for Applebee's and grandma says no. What to do? Well how about you move your booster seat to the driver's seat, start the car and put it in reverse. After 49 feet you hit a curb then another 30 feet hit an electrical box. Well that's what did happen in Broomfield, Colorado.

The kid got of hook with the police, even accused of being adorable. Awww.

Full story is here.

OnStar Set to Slow Down Your (Stolen) Ride

GM / OnStar announced plans to introduce a new service called Stolen Vehicle Slowdown where police could, after establishing a line of site with a stolen vehicle, request that OnStar send a remote signal to the vehicle that interacts with the Powertrain system to reduce engine power which will slow the vehicle down gradually.

Here's the full procedure for SVS:

Once the vehicle has been reported stolen to law enforcement, the subscriber can call OnStar and request Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance. OnStar will confirm the subscriber has not opted out of the Stolen Vehicle Slowdown service.

OnStar will use real-time GPS technology to attempt to pinpoint the exact location of the stolen vehicle and provide this information to law enforcement to help them recover the vehicle.

When law enforcement has established a clear line of sight of the stolen vehicle, law enforcement may request OnStar to slow it down remotely.

Safeguards will be in place to ensure that the correct vehicle is slowed down.

OnStar then sends a remote signal to the vehicle that interacts with the Powertrain system to reduce engine power which will slow the vehicle down gradually.

With turn by turn directions, SVS and OnStar's traditional offerings it sounds like some serious value is being added to the service. I received OnStar free for a year on my 2002 Viggen and I have to say I didn't find much to commend the product. When I tried to use the directions & connections feature the operator had a hard time figuring out where I was. Restaurant reservations and the like didn't go that smoothly either. My version of OnStar was analog so the calls were always scratchy and had a lot of static.

SVS will be available on roughly 1.7 million Model Year 2009 vehicles. Current pricing for OnStar is $18.95/mo $199/yr for basic service that does not feature directions and $28.90/mo $299/yr for the full boat service. You might be able to recoup some of that expense with an insurance discount.

2009 Pontiac Vibe

We'll see the full unveiling for the Vibe at the LA Auto Show but until then we have this image of the GT model. The Vibe's sister, the Matrix, will be making its debut at the SEMA show.

The Vibe looks nicely puffed out around the wheels and I like the look. That slanted roofline is going to take away cargo room but definitely gives it a sporty flair.

Looking at the rear pillar's styling don't you see Jeep Compass? I'm not trying to compare that dog with the much better looking Vibe, but it is one of the first things I thought of.

Massive props to the Vibe for keeping the hatch/wagon dream alive. The Vibe was also one of the first cars that had a 120V outlet, a feature that I like to see in all cars. Now let's see that interior!

Honda CR-Z

Looking around on the other blogs and forums this morning it would appear that talking about the CR-Z involves a lot of "Look like x" comparisons. "Looks like an Audi from the front" "Looks like a Beluga whale" "Looks like a Maserati" "Looks like Mazda" Well, you get the idea.

CR-Z is supposed to stand for 'Compact Renaissance Zero'. Whatever Honda wants to call it, we'll all think CRX. The CR-Z is equipped with equipped with Honda's original gas-electric hybrid system which "Achieves both clean performance and a high level of torque."

I'm on the fence about this design. It certainly doesn't make me want to rush down to my Honda dealer and drop a deposit. Perhaps when there are more pictures of this car released, preferably with something other than a stark white background, my opinion might change.

Monday, October 08, 2007

Magna to Build Mini SAV

The forthcoming Mini SAV (artist rendering above) looks to be manufactured by Magna Steyr at its Graz, Austria facility. This works out really well for Magna as the X3 contract runs out in 2010.

I hope this rendering is way off. I just don't feel the Moke spirit.

While I can see why Mini wants this car, this is a HOT segment, this car seems to be an odd duck. To further take the Mini out of it, it won't even be built in England. Will that matter to most buyers? Probably not. I'd just like to see something a bit more creative.

BMW Dealer to Lessee: No Soup For You

Consumerist has a shining example of customer service by the folks at Brecht BMW. Apparently the woman was told that she could not turn in her leased BMW to the dealership even though technically she should have been able to. However the case is somewhat murky. Firstly, she was told by Chase that she could return the car to any authorized dealership. However, it seems from the story that she never called the dealership in advance before making the 45 mile trip to the showroom. I don't know about you, but whenever I return a lease I call at least several times to confirm that I have all the details right. I like to get a name and setup an appointment. It's an important transaction and I want to make sure it goes smoothly. Also, unlike the letter writer, I don't wait until the absolute last day to return a car for the very reason that she experienced: some sort of trouble with the return.

Given all that, however, it still seems like the dealership responded in an inappropriate manner:

Next the manager came out and said, you need to leave or I am going to call the police. I asked for his name. He took out his business card and threw it at me. I said that I had better treatment from VW when I owned my BMW. He told me to go back to VW, because 'I don't deserve to own a BMW.' He again said to leave or he was going to call the police. By this time my children were in tears because he was yelling at me and threatening me. We left without them ever assisting us.

We weren't there, we don't know what she was saying to them or how she was acting. However, customer service should still take the high road. Something that apparently failed in this case.

Full article here.

Win A Nissan Rogue (11/15/2007)

Another chance to win Nissan's latest entry. What's with that grill?

Click here to enter.

Sunday, October 07, 2007

2008 Chevrolet Malibu

Edmunds has a first drive posted on their website. According to the review the Malibu shakes down as a very competent entry. It's worse sin? It's the heaviest of the group and that in turn effects mileage. GM is aware that some of its platforms that have been upgraded over time carry weight penalties. The Vue is another example of a vehicle could lose a few pounds. On a previous Autoline Detroit program a GM rep pledged to pare down the weight on future clean sheet vehicles.

It's a rare day when any "first look" preview has many conclusive findings, so not that much can be gleaned from the review. But there are worst ways to spend your time than reading about cars, right? Since the car is a close relative to the Aura, I'll ask the same questions: available dual climate control? sunglass holder? rear center armrest? I haven't had a close look at the exact specs on the '08 Malibu, so those answers will be forthcoming.

Edmunds article here. You can read my full review here.

California's Bay Area Gas Tax Increase?

Officials are once again looking at upping the gasoline tax in the Bay Area by as much as 10 cents. The idea is to market the increase as a way to fight global warming, something that according to one think tank official "People will kill their puppies" for. Nice. Sometimes you really have to wonder about what people are thinking (or not thinking) when they put their mouth into drive. Anyways, the increase would pile on top of the state's 18 cent tax, the Fed's 18.4 cents and sales tax.

It has been shown in Europe that high taxes will change people's buying habits. However is ten cents going to dissuade anyone? Let's say you drive 15,000 miles and you get 2o miles per gallon. That's a whopping $75 a year, not even $10 a month. Not really a big motivator, is it?

I'm not opposed to slowly increasing the gasoline tax to increase conservation and fund programs to help us find alternatives. However, from what I've seen of this proposal it's far too vague about where the funds raised (up to $300 million per year) will go.

Eurocopter: Hermès Edition

For that someone special who really does have everything, Eurocopter introduces a partnership with fashion design house Hermès. The goal of the partnership is to "Restore the passenger to a position of pre-eminence" because really, if anything needed restoring it was the stature of helicopter passengers.

Sliding doors open to reveal an interior configuration that is aesthetic light-filled and unexpectedly spacious. The cabin, completely redesigned by Hermès to maximise available space, reflects the quality and finesse of Hermès’ craftsmen, offering passengers a pleasing blend of functionality, refinement and comfort. Surfaces from floor to ceiling have been covered in ‘Toile H’, a signature Hermès canvas used to manufacture the firm’s travelware since the nineteen-twenties. Seats and banquette are handcrafted for exceptional comfort, and upholstered in calf leathers, naturally grained and highly resistant.

Perfect! Just what I was looking for. Some of you looking at the pictures above might be saying "Hey, that's just a Eurocopter EC 135 like the one sitting on my helipad!" and you would be correct. I could not find any pictures of the Hermès edition.

Friday, October 05, 2007

AE Ranks Mazda 3, Opel Astra, Subaru Impreza

It's not an auspicious beginning for the Impreza hatch. Many have question the looks and the decision to switch from wagon to hatch. I'm fine with a hatchback, but the nose (as has afflicated many scoobies) is just atrocious.

Auto Express recently drove the Mazda 3 1.6 TS, Vauxhall Astra 1.6 Life and the Subaru Impreza 1.5 R. The troubling news for Subaru is that the all-new Impreza placed last. The winner? Who else could it be? The Mazda 3. Every time I drive a Mazda 3 I always walk away impressed, the car is just plain fun to drive. The Astra is no slouch. I've only had limited exposure to the car in Europe, but I love the styling and interior appointments. It will be great to have the Astra here and I think it will have a lot of appeal as being "something different" yet quite capable in its own right.

But back to the Impreza. Why did it finish last? Besides objecting to the exterior styling, AE thought that the interior didn't match up either:

The materials feel cheap and the vast expanse of grey plastics is unappealing. Everything seems rather dated, and this isn’t helped by the old-fashioned column stalks and standard instrument dials.

What I'm excited about is that soon we'll be able to do a similar comparo here in the states! It will be interesting to see how the trio in US spec shake down.

Full AE review is located here.

Your Friday Afternoon Chuckle: The Ford Focus We All Want

The caption reads "The 2008 Ford Focus is the first car...." (You can click on the photo to enlarge it.)

You gotta love local papers. The story is from the AP and written by Ann M. Job, but I think it's the local copy editor that added the Mondeo photo. File this away in the "I wish" department.

If you want to read the review, you can find it online by clicking here.

Win a 2008 Honda Accord Coupe (11/15/2007)

The new Accord coupe looks to be a stylish ride. Why not enter for your chance to win one? As a bonus there is a quarterback game that you play and it can be quite the little time waster.

Click here to enter.

Streecar Rider Gets a Helping Hand From Fellow Riders

A rider on San Franciso's L-Line was nearly dragged to his death when his arm became trapped in the door. What happened was a calamity of apparent failures in the safety systems designed to prevent such an occurrence. The first failure was the fact that the door didn't automatically bounce open and start screeching.

"As the train began to move, people began to scream in panic as the man ran alongside the train with his hand trapped inside the car. As the train sped up, the man stumbled and was dragged along the platform."

The passengers did everything they could to stop the car: they pushed the emergency call button, pulled the cord used to request a stop, and tried unsuccessfully to pull the emergency release for the door that had trapped the man's hand. Finally a rider triggered the emergency release for another door on the train, bringing the car to an immediate halt. The rider reportedly refused medical treatment.

Muni's official line is that they are investigating the incident and....what was it?...umm...oh yeah....DON'T STICK YOU HAND INTO A CLOSING DOOR.

Full SF Gate article here.

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Dealership Group Closes After Employees Robbed Mentally Ill Man

West Seattle dealership group Huling Bros. / Gee Automotive has announced to its 160 employees that unless another sucker (sorry, buyer) could be found by October 7 they would be forced to close up shop and lay everyone off. To refresh your memory on this issue I'm going to quote the Seattle Times article:

The scandal originated in July 2006, when a 59-year-old customer who had a history of mental illness came into Huling Brothers wearing feces-stained pants and seeking to buy a truck. The man paid $30,000 for a vehicle, and told a salesman he had far more money back at his apartment, according to police reports. The next day, Dillard and five underlings practically tripped over each other to be the first to steal the remaining cash; Dillard and another salesman, Ted Coxwell, succeeded, according to a Washington State Patrol report.

After being beaten to the cash by co-workers, another salesman, Paul Rimbey, managed to steal the man's new $30,000 truck by getting him to sign over ownership while the man was in Harborview Medical Center's psychiatric ward, according to charging papers.

Gee Automotive Companies of Spokane which bought the dealership after the incident claimed that they never knew about the scandal until after the arrests. Huling claims that the floundering dealerships have more to do with business model changes made by the Gee's rather than the scandal itself. However a survey commissioned by the Gee's showed that 90 percent of the respondents said they knew of the criminal allegations at Huling.

It's unfortunate that innocent employee's are going to lose their jobs, but after such atrocious acts committed by some of the dealership's salesmen it would be very difficult for a business to regain its good name. Let's face it, auto dealerships are already viewed with some suspicion and this story is the nail in the coffin for this particular group.

source: seattle times story

Think About It: Hyundai Tiburon Coupe Spy Shots

The new Tiburon looks very promising. RWD and undoubtedly some power to back that up will make a strong statement for the brand. However the continuing turmoil of Hyundai USA managers has me a little bit worried. Hyundai's top dog Steve Wilhite left for destinations unknown (some say Ford) and before him it was Robert Cosmai. Over on Kia's side it was Peter Butterfield abruptly getting the ax. With so many people sitting in the king's throne there's bound to be some confusion in the rank and file. With aggressive goals in place, Hyundai/Kia need to have leaders with a steady hand at the wheel. It would be a shame to see great products get the short end of the stick.

Bill of Sale Example Document

As a followup to my previous post about selling a car, I thought I'd show you an example of what I use. Ideally this document would be paired with a "Release of Liability" that you file with your DMV. You can find out about your state by visiting dmv.org (a private website) "release of liability online" page located here.

Now, I'm not an attorney so there might be a million things wrong with this document. If you do use it and something goes wrong, I don't want a rusted out Maxima on my front lawn. Consult an attorney if you're really worried about creating an air tight document. Notice something wrong or missing in the document? Please let me know and I'll make the changes.

Happy selling!

USED MOTOR VEHICLE BILL OF SALE
AND
CERTIFICATE OF TITLE TRANSFER

IN CONSIDER OF $ _______________________, IN HAND PAID BY _________________________
(BUYER(s) ), THE RECEIPT OF WHICH IS HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGED, THE UNDERSIGNED SELLER (s) DO(es) BARGAIN, SELL AND CONVEY TO THE SAID BUYER(s) ALL RIGHTS, TITLE AND INTEREST TO THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBED USED MOTOR VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE IS SOLD "AS IS" WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE CONDITION OF SUCH VEHICLE. BY ACCEPTING THIS BILL OF SALE BUYER(s) REPRESENT THAT BUYER(s) HAVE PERSONALLY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, ACCEPT IT "AS IS", AND ASSUME ALL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY:

MAKE: _________________________ MODEL: ____________ ODOMETER:
MODEL YEAR: ______________ COLOR: _____________
IDENTIFICATION / VIN NUMBER: ______________________________________________
THE SELLER(s) FURTHER COVENANTS AND WARRANTS THAT HE/SHE (THEY) IS (ARE) THE LAWFUL OWNER(s) OF SAID MOTOR VEHICLE WITH GOOD RIGHT TO SELL SAME, AND WILL DEFEND THE SALE OF SAID MOTOR VEHICLE TO SAID BUYER(s) AGAINST THE LAWFUL CLAIMS AND DEMANDS OF ALL PERSONS WHATSOEVER.

SELLER(s)
________________________________
Signature
________________________________
Print Name
________________________________
Address
DATE: _________________

BUYER(s)

_________________________________
Signature
_________________________________
Print Name
_________________________________
Address
DATE: __________________

WITNESS
________________________________
Signature
________________________________
Print Name
DATE: _________________

STATE: (your state)
COUNTY: (your county)

Lassie Come Home! No, Not You F-150

Years ago I sold my Mustang to a friend. She drove the car for awhile then sold it to someone else. Apparently that someone else never bothered to re-register the car but rather decided to drive the hell out of it and then abandon it. One morning my friend awoke to find her old Mustang, in complete shambles, sitting on her front lawn.

Today's Wall Street Journal tells a similar tale of a family selling an F-150 to a friend of a friend and then ten years later getting a registered letter in the mail telling them they owed $11,129 for a 17-year-old pickup that had been impounded.

It turns out that the friend had sold the pickup to someone else who had never registered the truck. Fortunately the author had kept a paper trail proving that the car had indeed been sold years ago.

The lesson? Get a bill of sale together showing mileage down to the tenth (just in case the new owner crashes around the corner). Be sure to send in any release of liability to the DMV or taxing authority. I usually write down the new buyer's complete info on the bill of sale to prevent any misunderstandings. I also like to have a witness around to listen to the transaction and sign the bill of sale as well. This has come in handy when the new buyer has gone out and collected parking tickets in San Francisco and then the bill arrives at my house.

I found the "Frank's Towing" site during a search for images for this story. It's a pretty funny spoof site created by some people tired of predatory towing. You can check it out here. If you are a subscriber to the Journal, you can check out the story here.

Syncing Up Ford Focus Reviews

Not so punny? Well when trying to drum up something clever to say about the 2008 Ford Focus it all comes down to the Sync entertainment system. Maybe there is a little more to it than that. When Ford announced the revised Focus they pretty much lost me when they said that the hatchbacks were canned. The coupe and the sedan are none too swoopy.

Autoweek's review draws a bit more out of the Focus than some other reviews. AW sites NVH improvements, improved shift action, and a better balance between maintaining ride quality and maximizing contact patch than many of its competitors. Edmunds isn't nearly as charitable: "All the things that made the original Focus a unique driving experience have been firmly pushed aside."

So, what about the Sync?

Voice-activated, hands-free calling: Simply press the “Push to Talk” button on the steering wheel, and then say the name of the person you wish to call. Sync will automatically connect with the names in the mobile phone’s contact list.
Uninterrupted connections: No need to hang up in the middle of a cell phone call as you enter your vehicle. Simply touch the Telephone Button on the steering wheel, and Sync will instantly connect to a Bluetooth phone.
Audible text messages: Sync will convert text messages from your phone to audio and read it out loud. The system is even smart enough to translate such commonly used text messaging expressions as “LOL” and J. You can choose to reply from any of 20 predefined responses.
Advanced calling features: Sync includes the same features offered on mobile phones, including caller ID, call waiting, conference calling, a caller log, a list of contacts, a signal strength icon, and a phone battery charge icon – all conveniently located on the radio’s display screen.
Voice-activated music: Browse the music collection on your digital media player, mobile phone or USB drive by genre, album, artist and song title using simple voice commands, such as “Play genre Rock,” “Play ,” or “Play Track .”
Instant voice recognition: Sync’s advanced voice recognition technology means when you’re ready to use your phone or digital music player, just speak simple voice commands.
Ring tone support: For supported phones, Sync will play personal ring tones. If you’ve configured unique ring tones to identify specific callers, Sync will automatically play those, too.
Automatic phonebook transfer: Sync will automatically and wirelessly transfer all the names and numbers in a mobile phonebook.
Multilingual intelligence: Sync is fluent in English, French and Spanish.

However for the most compelling reason for the 2008 Focus look to Ford's media release: "Every new Focus also is scanned by Perceptron vision cameras to measure its dimensional integrity for fit and finish and to eliminate squeaks and rattles." Ooh...Perceptron.

All kidding aside, it's the styling that I just can't get past. Even with the last minute changes Ford made, it's still a dowdy car and without a hatch or wagon not a very functional one at that.

Autoweek Review

Edmunds Review

Auto123 Review

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Big "Fan" of Maserati? Own One for $449.99

That's right, you can own the fan originally created for the Maserati Quattroporte. Parts manufacturer SPAL has introduced the 30102130 dual 12 inch fan and it's ready for your mid-generation muscle cars - including the Chevelle - as well as Corvettes, trucks and vehicles using 28"-30" radiator cores.

No, this is not a slow news day! Just a little bit of variety. You can visit SPAL's site here.

Rental Car Dropout, Go Back to High School

The Wall Street Journal has an article about a subject that has concerned me for some time: the decreasing quality of rental cars. For so long rental companies gorged themselves at the table of program cars. Cars were cheap and sold at a prearranged price after about 9 months. Heck for awhile manufacturers were even pumping out "fleet only" cars.

Now the party is over. Manufacturers are pulling back on selling to fleets and that leaves rental firms with the unappetizing thought of having to buy risk cars that they will have to sell themselves.

This makes thin margins even thinner and leaves rental companies on the prowl for profits. Likely targets? Running the cars longer: Vanguard (National and Alamo) admits that their cars have an additional 2,000 miles on the clock. Increased attention to the fuel gauge: the needle had better be at F or higher, even the slightest dip will get you a penalty. Reduced loyalty programs: raising the amount of points required to earn free rentals.

Rental cars companies says that the cars aren't any worse for the wear and that they are not in the business of giving away gasoline. No matter, what I have seen over the past few years is a definite decline in the quality of cars that I have rented. They have more miles and they are dirtier on the inside.

Dockable GPS, Makes Sense

When TomTom and Toyota announced at Frankfurt that they were introducing “the first embedded portable sat-nav in the world”, it made a lot of sense to me. European buyers will soon be able to order up a Yaris with a built in dock for a portable TomTom unit. I like the idea of being able to pop out the unit and use it elsewhere, but in the car it will have a nice, factory integrated look. No suction cups, no dangling cords and you hear instructions via the car's speakers.

It's unclear if this option will spread to other models or if it will ever make its way here. Hopefully you should be able to upgrade to newer units when they are made available, because that is one of the biggest drawbacks up the factory units: sure you can change out the DVD, but you don't get to get the latest interface.

Speaking of interfaces, the latest units in GM cars looked great. When they picked us up in the new Enclave, the navigation really "popped" even from my seat in the second row. I really liked the fact that the navigation system showed landmarks. I've found that even with today's system, there are times when things a still a bit vague: I think 3D landmarks are the next step in making the right turn crystal clear.

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Toyota Yaris/Prison Break Microsite

There! I did it! I used the word Microsite 3 times today. How annoying is that?

Okay, now that I got that out of way...Automotive News ran an article about the pairing of Toyota's Yaris and Prison Break. The article referred to the forthcoming 16 page Prison Break pullout in TV Guide and how Toyota has attached onto the whole scene with topical advertising. Featured in the pullout is a Prison Break inspired tattoo that shows a Yaris. In addition there is the microsite that has "Mobisodes." The Yaris/Prison Break partnership has been going on for some time as I found an April 2006 press release talking about the partnership.

I have to say that I don't find all of this particularly newsworthy, but I thought I might use the occasion to a) use the word microsite and b) talk about the automotive tie ins that I've seen this fall. There's the Nerd Herd Yaris on Chuck and NBC's promotion of the Rogue during premiere week. I'm sure that there were tons more that I missed.

One particularly annoying product placement was the VW Jetta on this season's Rescue Me. The Jetta was first seen in an accident, but then the next week they were talking about how safe the Jetta was and finally Dennis Leary swapped his impounded Escalade for a Jetta for his daughter. Please. How about the time Tony Soprano gave his son an Xterra? Suddenly Tony starts talking about all of the Xterra's features like they were in a showroom. It's just so disjointed when heretofore "tough guy" characters suddenly put on the smile and start talking about the benefits of a particular car.

With the advent of DVR's and skipping through commercials I suppose we can expect even more built in advertising as marketers look to recapture our attention.

Personally I still prefer an entertaining commercial to a sly marketing tie in.

Can't resist? You can check out the Yaris/Prison Break site here.

Pontiac Dishes Up G8 Pricing, Microsite

Another car that was on my wish list for Detroit was the Pontiac G8. I'm not so big on the nostrils in the hood, but given GM's experience on with the GTO I can understand why they think they might be necessary. Anyway, this car looks set to rock our world early next year. What we found out today is that the sticker for the base car will start at $27,595 and the GT model will command $29,995. Nice!

Looking at the "build a bear" section of the G8 microsite, there are two option packages on the GT: the premium packages that serves up leather, power seats, rear center armrest (that's an option?) and heated seats. The sport package adds such swag as 19" rims, sport pedals and sport steering wheel. On the base model there is a comfort and sound package that adds dual zone climate and upgraded stereo equipment. Stand alones so far seem to be limited to a power sunroof on both models and 19" rims on the GT.

You can visit the G8 site here.

Monday, October 01, 2007

Saturn Astra Microsite

I was hoping to drive the Astra back in Detroit, but that didn't happen. I am very excited about this car because it is a straight up, European hatchback. Not a sedan. Not decontented. Pretty much ripped right out of a Euro showroom.

I've read a ton of comments where readers ask "Why don't they sell it here?" "Why does Europe get all of the good stuff?" Well folks, we are about to get a great looking import: how well will it sell?

To visit Saturn's Astra site, click here.

ACATT's New Look!

It has been over a year since ACATT received a makeover, so I decided to take the plunge and give this blog some TLC. As always, nothing related to this site's design could have been achieved without the ever resourceful Joe.

Win a 2008 Corvette (2/28/2008)

Driving the 2008 Corvette at the Milford Proving Grounds was treat. The top was on, the fiberglass fumes wafted around the cabin and life was good. Here's your chance to own one so you can live the experience every day. You have to register on the site (takes just a minute). A UPC number is required, but you can get one on the entry page. Click here to enter.

Welburn on Next Generation Hummer H2

In an interview with Automotive News, GM's Ed Welburn was asked about the Hummer brand and what might be in store for its iconic styling. Welburn responded that the next H2 will having styling that has been cleaned up and will look much more modern.

Does that mean that such festoonery as the fake helicopter hooks will finally be done away with? I hope so! To me the Hummer DNA should be authenticity and real purpose, not make believe components that to my mind evoke the pec implants of some Hummer drivers. The overall design of the Hummer is classic and deserves a clean, honest approach. It sounds like the next H2 might possess those qualities.

What else can we talk about Hummer? GM's revolutionary new 4.5 liter diesel will find one of its first applications in the H2. Not a moment too soon given the fuel economy of the current setup. We know that the H3 will get an H3T variation and that there should be a Hummer H4 concept at the 2008 Detroit show. There was no mention of H4 production anywhere in the product commitments summary of the UAW contract analysis. That really doesn't mean anything, but if the H4 were to be based on the H3, you would kind of expect it to be listed in the Shreveport, LA section. However, all we see listed for Shreveport is the H3, H3T, Colorado and Canyon.