10 hours ago
Light Reading
There's an article on Netscape Autos about What Makes a Great Car.
If you like to sit in it, even when it's not running--or always turn back to give it one more glance after you've parked it and are walking away--it's a Great Car.
Exactly.
If you like to sit in it, even when it's not running--or always turn back to give it one more glance after you've parked it and are walking away--it's a Great Car.
Exactly.
How To Save Plymouth, Oldsmobile, Mercury
It's too late for Plymouth and Oldsmobile, but there's still hope for Mercury. The division can still be saved before the realities of business drop the guillotine on another marque, and the answer is staring Ford right in the face. It's the 2005 Ford Mustang.
It's a strategy that has served Harley-Davidson well. The hottest segment in motorcycles are cruisers, bikes styled along the lines of the '50's machines. The closer the machine emulates that style, the more successful it is.
Ford has been trying for years to make Mercury work (80's Capri, 90's Capri, the last Cougar), but has never hit the target. The basic premise is to sell a vehicle that is similar to the Ford model, at a higher price. The only way to achieve this that I see is to go in a new direction from what's been done in the past, and it means heading towards the past.
Imagine a Ford 500, except retro-styled. The basic platform remains the same, but the styling is a virtual copy of the Mercury models from the 50's. The cost savings would not be as great as the current models, as the exterior and interior would be different from the Ford, but the potential to make a larger profit is greater also, and they'd be targeting the market group that Mercury is looking for.
Mercury could become the Harley-Davidson of the automotive world. It can't do any worse than what's already been done with the marque.
It's a strategy that has served Harley-Davidson well. The hottest segment in motorcycles are cruisers, bikes styled along the lines of the '50's machines. The closer the machine emulates that style, the more successful it is.
Ford has been trying for years to make Mercury work (80's Capri, 90's Capri, the last Cougar), but has never hit the target. The basic premise is to sell a vehicle that is similar to the Ford model, at a higher price. The only way to achieve this that I see is to go in a new direction from what's been done in the past, and it means heading towards the past.
Imagine a Ford 500, except retro-styled. The basic platform remains the same, but the styling is a virtual copy of the Mercury models from the 50's. The cost savings would not be as great as the current models, as the exterior and interior would be different from the Ford, but the potential to make a larger profit is greater also, and they'd be targeting the market group that Mercury is looking for.
Mercury could become the Harley-Davidson of the automotive world. It can't do any worse than what's already been done with the marque.
Maybe, Just Maybe
Autoblog has actually seen a Ford 500, and commented on the styling. Apparently it actually does stand out, and that's good news. Ford could really use a boost, and it's really an advanced vehicle (AWD and CVT) that probably deserves praise. Of course, an enthusiast is going to notice a new vehicle, the real test is how the general public percieves the vehicle. It certainly won't have the impact of something like a Chrysler 300 or Dodge Magnum.
Return Of The King?
Toyota's new advertising slogan is Moving Forward, and while it lacks a certain flair, it's still acceptable. The Toyota website has had a slight redesign to go with the new slogan, and there's a new feature there, PlanetKaisen. Kaisen is Toyota's way of doing business, and it roughly translates to continual improvement. Nothing really revolutionary there, but if you go to the site and take the Kaisen test, one of the questions is truly thought provoking...
Toyota enthusiasts have longed for the day when Supra will once again roll in America. Not content with the current performance vehicles in the Toyota lineup, like Celica GT-S and Matrix XRS, Toyota loyalists alway want more. When was the last year Supra was built and sold in the U.S.?
I think it's a hint that the Supra is returning, finally. There's no hard evidence yet, but I'm leaning towards a debut next year, probably as an '06 model.
By the way, the answer is 1996, and I scored a 9 out of 10 on the quiz.
What's Happening To Ford?
It's 1983, and Ford introduces the new Thunderbird. Sleek, aerodynamic, and different from everything else on the road, it signals the beginning of a styling tour de force from the Blue Oval. The next year Ford brings out the Tempo, once again a sleek, stylish design. 1986 marks the high point in Ford design with the debut of the Taurus, still one of the best looking sedans ever made.
Forward to the nineties, and you can see Ford's designs start to lose their direction. Ford attempts to regain the initiative with it's new edge styling, but it's a half-hearted effort that only really shines on the Focus.
Now it's the 2K's, and what are we getting from Ford? New grilles that will differentiate each of Ford's three lines, and a strange desire to have every model's name start with the same letter as the division. Instead of keeping well known names, Ford wants each of it's cars to start with the letter "F", so out with Taurus and in with 500.
It boggles my mind that the new 500 is based off a Volvo that has more adventerous styling than Ford's. What used to be a company that dominated the domestic styling arena is now retreating into mediocrity as sales lag behind the competition. Now Chrysler in the king of design, and it's sales are on the rise. Ford is heading down the same road GM took in the 80's, badge engineered cars that all look the same, with only a different grille to distinguish between them.
J Mays, group vice president of design, is not the man who is killing Ford, he's just the one killing the spirit of design that used to make Ford something special.
Forward to the nineties, and you can see Ford's designs start to lose their direction. Ford attempts to regain the initiative with it's new edge styling, but it's a half-hearted effort that only really shines on the Focus.
Now it's the 2K's, and what are we getting from Ford? New grilles that will differentiate each of Ford's three lines, and a strange desire to have every model's name start with the same letter as the division. Instead of keeping well known names, Ford wants each of it's cars to start with the letter "F", so out with Taurus and in with 500.
It boggles my mind that the new 500 is based off a Volvo that has more adventerous styling than Ford's. What used to be a company that dominated the domestic styling arena is now retreating into mediocrity as sales lag behind the competition. Now Chrysler in the king of design, and it's sales are on the rise. Ford is heading down the same road GM took in the 80's, badge engineered cars that all look the same, with only a different grille to distinguish between them.
J Mays, group vice president of design, is not the man who is killing Ford, he's just the one killing the spirit of design that used to make Ford something special.
10th Anniversary
What's an automotive enthusiast in Nashville supposed to do for Labor Day weekend? Why, the 10th anniversary celebration of the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, of course! Seeing all those Corvette reminds one that GM can still make magic.
If you're going down I-65 through Kentucky, don't pass this museum by. It's well worth the cost of admission, and you can't help but admire the 'Vette.
Today we're going to start with some horsepower again, actual horses! I love holidays!
If you're going down I-65 through Kentucky, don't pass this museum by. It's well worth the cost of admission, and you can't help but admire the 'Vette.
Today we're going to start with some horsepower again, actual horses! I love holidays!
Bad News Is Good News
The headline reads GM Recalss The Troubled Aveo. Sounds like there's something majorly wrong with the car, doesn't it? The recall, "the rear seat belt can lock and become unusable", is not something that is really newsworthy. This is not an "Aveo's spontaneously exploding" type deal here, so why is the Aveo "troubled"?
Why, because "GM has had substantial problems with the Aveo since it went on sale last year. In February, the company ordered dealers not to sell the cars for a week after they were involved in five crashes that caused injuries. GM found that the vehicles weren’t to blame for the wrecks and let dealers begin selling them again." Seems to me like GM was acting more like a company afraid of getting sued , a la Ford Explorer and their Firestone tires, than a car with substantial problems. All this does is damage the reputation of a car that does not deserve it.
Why, because "GM has had substantial problems with the Aveo since it went on sale last year. In February, the company ordered dealers not to sell the cars for a week after they were involved in five crashes that caused injuries. GM found that the vehicles weren’t to blame for the wrecks and let dealers begin selling them again." Seems to me like GM was acting more like a company afraid of getting sued , a la Ford Explorer and their Firestone tires, than a car with substantial problems. All this does is damage the reputation of a car that does not deserve it.
Double Take
Take this Detroit News Headline, SUV glut signals dip in interest. Hmm, makes it seem like the slaes of SUV's are down, right? Autoguy takes from this that SUV sales are down 5-10%. Yet, right in the middle of the article is this gem...
Still, SUV sales growth continues to outpace the overall U.S. new light vehicle market. While industry sales are up 2.4 percent this year, sales of entry-level SUVs are up 4.3 percent, midsize SUV demand is up 6 percent, full-size SUV sales have advanced 3 percent, and demand for luxury SUVs is up 29 percent.
So which is it? Are SUV sales up, flat, or down? They're up, but the Detroit News is trying to convince you the end is near, the party is over, America is finally realizing the error of it's ways and buying smart. It's all wishful thinking, trying to force the facts to fit a preconcieved notion of what vehicles people should buy, instead of letting people decide for themselves. I'm no fan of SUV's, but I'm a big fan of the free market, and this article is a thinly veiled attempt to convince people niot to buy SUV's. So what if the facts get in the way, the SUV must die!
Still, SUV sales growth continues to outpace the overall U.S. new light vehicle market. While industry sales are up 2.4 percent this year, sales of entry-level SUVs are up 4.3 percent, midsize SUV demand is up 6 percent, full-size SUV sales have advanced 3 percent, and demand for luxury SUVs is up 29 percent.
So which is it? Are SUV sales up, flat, or down? They're up, but the Detroit News is trying to convince you the end is near, the party is over, America is finally realizing the error of it's ways and buying smart. It's all wishful thinking, trying to force the facts to fit a preconcieved notion of what vehicles people should buy, instead of letting people decide for themselves. I'm no fan of SUV's, but I'm a big fan of the free market, and this article is a thinly veiled attempt to convince people niot to buy SUV's. So what if the facts get in the way, the SUV must die!
Bluegrass Adventure
Wednesday I took the Escort up to Lexington KY. Took a look at a '92 Toyota Paseo, and I ended up buying her. She needs a new motor, and a new front fender, but is otherwise beautiful. Bobby and I are going to put the new motor in ourselves, a first for me, and the first time he's ever replaced a motor on a FWD car. Should be, well, interesting. We're going on Sunday to pick her up, and will probably stop at the National Corvette Museum, since it's on the way.
Of course, wednesday being a mini-roadtrip, there were a few unusual thing seen along the way. Washington County is a "certified clean county", so I guess someone goes around and verifies that everyone takes a shower each day. Passed a farm with "used cows for sale", but I didn't see abunch of rusty, dented cows with faded paint anywhere, big disappointment.
Of course, wednesday being a mini-roadtrip, there were a few unusual thing seen along the way. Washington County is a "certified clean county", so I guess someone goes around and verifies that everyone takes a shower each day. Passed a farm with "used cows for sale", but I didn't see abunch of rusty, dented cows with faded paint anywhere, big disappointment.
The Gamboy Advance Tune Up
Now you can use your Gamboy Advance as a programmable automotive tuning tool. I guess it's cheaper than a laptop, unless you get a nice used one off eBay.
Mini Madness
Cant afford to get a Mini just yet? Download the Mini Costume and you can act like you own one. Danger: just 'cause you dress your car up like a Mini, don't expect it to handle like a Mini!
Time Travel
Two days ago I received a shipment from eBay. It's a complete set of Car and Driver issues, 91-92. I've been reading each issue, and it's been like a journey back through time. The early nineties were truly a great era for enthusiasts. Just look at what was available.
Mercury Capri XR2 - Not as good as the Miata, but much more attractive now on the used car market.
Geo Metro Convertible - Convertible for those on a tight budget.
Nissan Sentra SE-R - Nissan hits one out of the ballpark.
BMW 325i - The new 3 series were stunners, and still look good today.
Dodge Spirit RT - A nice effort by Chrysler before the LH sedans came out.
Ford Taurus SHO - Proving that a Taurus does not have to be boring.
Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 - aww yeah.
Nissan NX2000 - A Sentra SE-R for those who want to be more stylish.
Lotus Carlton - Never available here, but wonderfuul nonetheless.
Dodge Stealth and Mitsubishi 3000GT - Mitsubishi really hit their stride in the early nineties.
Lexus SC400 - Lexus makes a car with passion!
BMW 850i - Not great, but still desireable.
Mazda MX-3 - A 1.8 liter V-6, Mazda proves they're still strange.
Lotus Elan - A FWD Lotus? Who would of believed it.
Nissan 300ZX - Still one of the best ever sports cars ever made.
Toyota Celica GTS - Not everyone liked it, but I think the design was the sexiest Celica ever.
GMC Syclone - GMC goes crazy on us. Someone at GM has passion!
Subaru SVX - Never caught on, but Subaru built a true GT car.
Nissan Maxima - When Nissan referred to it as the 4-door sports car, and it was true.
Mazda RX-7 - Mazda took the RX-7 back to it's roots, and made a true sports car.
That's just the '91 issues, but you have to admit that performance was the main course during the early nineties. Before the SUV crowded onto center stage, there were cars in every price range that spoke to the enthusiast. I miss those times.
Mercury Capri XR2 - Not as good as the Miata, but much more attractive now on the used car market.
Geo Metro Convertible - Convertible for those on a tight budget.
Nissan Sentra SE-R - Nissan hits one out of the ballpark.
BMW 325i - The new 3 series were stunners, and still look good today.
Dodge Spirit RT - A nice effort by Chrysler before the LH sedans came out.
Ford Taurus SHO - Proving that a Taurus does not have to be boring.
Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 - aww yeah.
Nissan NX2000 - A Sentra SE-R for those who want to be more stylish.
Lotus Carlton - Never available here, but wonderfuul nonetheless.
Dodge Stealth and Mitsubishi 3000GT - Mitsubishi really hit their stride in the early nineties.
Lexus SC400 - Lexus makes a car with passion!
BMW 850i - Not great, but still desireable.
Mazda MX-3 - A 1.8 liter V-6, Mazda proves they're still strange.
Lotus Elan - A FWD Lotus? Who would of believed it.
Nissan 300ZX - Still one of the best ever sports cars ever made.
Toyota Celica GTS - Not everyone liked it, but I think the design was the sexiest Celica ever.
GMC Syclone - GMC goes crazy on us. Someone at GM has passion!
Subaru SVX - Never caught on, but Subaru built a true GT car.
Nissan Maxima - When Nissan referred to it as the 4-door sports car, and it was true.
Mazda RX-7 - Mazda took the RX-7 back to it's roots, and made a true sports car.
That's just the '91 issues, but you have to admit that performance was the main course during the early nineties. Before the SUV crowded onto center stage, there were cars in every price range that spoke to the enthusiast. I miss those times.
First SUV
Found out this Sunday my sister bought a new vehicle. It's ugly, but in a spunky way, and with the rubber mat floor instead of carpet, it's definitely going to be useful to her. It's a Honda Element. Not quite sure what to think about it yet.
eBay Gets Better
Finally, eBay lets you search for cars, and will sort by distance. No more having to click on the item to see just how far from me that car is. Now, if they would only let me filter out things like transmission type, I'd be thrilled. Wait, cancel that, about 10% of the vehicles I look at have the trans listed wrong. And don't even get me started about the spelling errors, or things like a Mazda RX-7 with a 4-cylinder rotary engine!
How Much Is $2,000 Worth To You?
Lo and behold, the sales of big SUV's are dropping. People are considering the price of gas when making vehicle purchases, yet overall, SUV sales continue to rise. People are just choosing smaller SUV's, or opting for a V6 instead of a V8. What I find interesting about this article is what some people consider a "gas guzzler.
The first example is someone who wanted a big SUV, then settled for a Toyota 4Runner. Not exactly the most efficient vehicle out there. Then there's the guy who wanted a Toyota Sequoia, but decided on a Toyota Sienna. Why? "It's not a gas guzzler" was the response, and yet the Sienna gets 19 MPG in city driving.
Somehow I think the SUV is going to survive our "fuel crisis", stronger than ever.
The first example is someone who wanted a big SUV, then settled for a Toyota 4Runner. Not exactly the most efficient vehicle out there. Then there's the guy who wanted a Toyota Sequoia, but decided on a Toyota Sienna. Why? "It's not a gas guzzler" was the response, and yet the Sienna gets 19 MPG in city driving.
Somehow I think the SUV is going to survive our "fuel crisis", stronger than ever.
$2.00 Gas Is No Big Deal
$nbsp;While the price of gasoline continues to climb, it could be worse. Consider what drivers in Japan have to contend with...
>Average cost of mandatory driving school is $3,000.
>It is mandatory to obtain a garage or a space to park your car and register that space with the local police station. Average cost id $300 a month.
>Every 2 years your car must undergo a mandatory inspection process that can cost upwards of $3,000.
>Car taxes are due every year and are based on either the weight of the vehicle or the engine displacement. Cost varies from $500-$1,000.
>Average cost of mandatory driving school is $3,000.
>It is mandatory to obtain a garage or a space to park your car and register that space with the local police station. Average cost id $300 a month.
>Every 2 years your car must undergo a mandatory inspection process that can cost upwards of $3,000.
>Car taxes are due every year and are based on either the weight of the vehicle or the engine displacement. Cost varies from $500-$1,000.
It's The End Of The World
There's a Mitsubishi Montero that inhabits one of the parking spaces close to my apartment. It's a damn fine looking vehicle, brutish and big, and it has a presence that many a sedan lacks. You notice the Montero, a predator among the sheepish Camrys and Accords that mull around the parking lot.
It will probably never venture off the paved highways and romp through the wildlands of Tennessee, and logocally a mini-van would have fulfilled the owner's needs better, but logic always fails when it comes to the defining characteristic of the American consumer, passion.
There's a lot of buzz going around about the rising cost of gasoline, and how that's going to impact the automotive world. It's having an effect, but cruising around the auto internet gives you the impression that America's love affair with SUV's is about to collapse and we're all going to start driving Honda Insights and Toyota Prius'. It ain't gonna happen.
Passion has to be thrown into the mix, otherwise we would be in the middle of a mini-van craze rather than an SUV craze. People have been buying SUV's because that is what they want, what they desire. Yes, large SUV's are going to take a hit with rising fuel costs, but to say that the dominance of SUV's has already come to an end is jumping the gun. Smaller, more fuel-efficint models will gain in popularity, the process of basing models off car vs. truck platforms will continue, and mileage across the board will increase.
SUV's are at a bump in the road, not a roadblock.
It will probably never venture off the paved highways and romp through the wildlands of Tennessee, and logocally a mini-van would have fulfilled the owner's needs better, but logic always fails when it comes to the defining characteristic of the American consumer, passion.
There's a lot of buzz going around about the rising cost of gasoline, and how that's going to impact the automotive world. It's having an effect, but cruising around the auto internet gives you the impression that America's love affair with SUV's is about to collapse and we're all going to start driving Honda Insights and Toyota Prius'. It ain't gonna happen.
Passion has to be thrown into the mix, otherwise we would be in the middle of a mini-van craze rather than an SUV craze. People have been buying SUV's because that is what they want, what they desire. Yes, large SUV's are going to take a hit with rising fuel costs, but to say that the dominance of SUV's has already come to an end is jumping the gun. Smaller, more fuel-efficint models will gain in popularity, the process of basing models off car vs. truck platforms will continue, and mileage across the board will increase.
SUV's are at a bump in the road, not a roadblock.
No So Titan?
The sales results for the Nissan Titan are out, and it has not met sales expectations. Instead of capturing 5% of the market, it now stands at about 2.6%. So is the Titan a failure? Absolutely not.
Like anything worth doing, it's going to take time for the Titan to hit it's stride. The truck is supremely capable, and unlike the Toyota Tundra, it's out the gate full-sized and with a V8. So why the weak start?
There's a reason that full-size trucks are the last bastion of the domestic automakers. For a long time there were no other choices. While full-size truck customers seem to be lmore loyal than car buyers, I believe that's more from a lack of choices in the market.
There's nowhere left for the domestic's to hide. The Titan is here, and a new, larger Tundra is on the way. It's not going to be a dramatic changing of fates, but change is on it's way. If the big three think that the loyalty of their customers are going to keep them competitive, then they haven't been paying attention the last thirty years.
Like anything worth doing, it's going to take time for the Titan to hit it's stride. The truck is supremely capable, and unlike the Toyota Tundra, it's out the gate full-sized and with a V8. So why the weak start?
There's a reason that full-size trucks are the last bastion of the domestic automakers. For a long time there were no other choices. While full-size truck customers seem to be lmore loyal than car buyers, I believe that's more from a lack of choices in the market.
There's nowhere left for the domestic's to hide. The Titan is here, and a new, larger Tundra is on the way. It's not going to be a dramatic changing of fates, but change is on it's way. If the big three think that the loyalty of their customers are going to keep them competitive, then they haven't been paying attention the last thirty years.
Screwed
