The Great Experiment Is Over

 Pontiac has annouced the demise of the Sunfire in June, bringing to a close the worst example of badge engineering to date, although the Chevy Trailblazer, Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7x is coming close.



 In 1982 GM released the J-Body platform, a front-drive compact platform meant to compete directly with the Japanese imports that were starting to erode GM's market share. In a not-so-brilliant move, GM decreed that each division would have it's own version, thus the Chevy Cavalier, Pontiac J200, Oldsmobile Firenza, Buick Skyhawk, and Cadillac Cimarron were born. Putting out five cars that were all basically the same under the skin had predictable results. Cadillac and Oldsmobile dropped their version after 1988, with Buick holding on for one more year.

 Chevy and Pontiac soldiered on, with the Arrowhead's version changing names three times, going from 2000 to Sunbird to Sunfire. Chevrolet just replaced the Cavalier with the Cobalt, but Pontiac has decided not to have it's own version. GM seems to have learned at least something from this debacle, finally, but leaving Pontiac without an entry-level model sure doesn't seem like a plan for success either. POntiac is apparently thinking of importing a model to fill the gap, but says there's nothing on the drawing board for at least 18 months.

 Pontiac is the performance oriented division, but apparently that performance is no longer for entry-level buyers. They'll have to get their performance itch scratched somewhere else.

The Real Driving Simulator

 I've got a new toy, the Logitech GT Force Pro wheel for my Playstation 2.



 This baby is $150.00, and at first I thought I was going to take it back. I tried it with Gran Turismo 3, and was disappointed. It seemed like it was a half-second off with the steering inputs. I'd corect my line, and end up fishtailing down half the track. When I play with a regular controller, I always use the third-person view where the camera is just behind you car. It allows you t o see what the vehicle is doing, and it works pretty well. I was trying the same thing with the wheel, and it wasn't working. We changed the settings, no dice. We watched the front wheels on the car as we drove around the track slowly, and they were following out steering inputs exactly. What the hell? Then it dawned on us!

 Gran Turismo 3 also has a first person view, where you're inside the cockpit. I've never used it much as it makes the car hard to control with a standard controller. But, with the Logitech wheel, it was a match made in a Lexus factory. The car was now magically controllable, and fishtailing was now part of history. The force feedback from the wheel, which always felt like it lagged behind what was happening onscreen, was now synched perfectly. It's the closest thing to real driving I've ever felt.

 It's so good it will make you wanna' slap your mama! If you own Gran Turismo 3 you owe it to yourself to have this wheel.

Japan Turismo

 Coming March 15th is the 4th installment in the Gran Turismo series. Destined to be a tour de force in the video game arena, the screen shots look stunning. The Japanese version contains 709 vehicles. And that's my only problem with the game.



 The list of cars is strongly biased towards Polyphony Digital's home merket, Japan. There's little attempt to localize a version with more US models, and there are quite a few cars that should be available, but aren't.

Acura: There's no Legend, the earliest Integra is a '91 (where's the first generation?), nor is the Vigor available.

Chevrolet: Beretta, Cavalier, Impala, Monte Carlo, and the NUMMI Nova.

Chrysler: Conquest, Le Baron, Sebring.

Dodge: Colt, Daytona, Omni GLH, Shadow, Stealth.

Eagle: Firts generation Talon.

Ford: Aspire, Escort GT, EXP, Festiva, Probe, Tempo.

Geo: Storm.

Isuzu: Impulse RS AWD, Stylus, I-Mark.

Mazda: MX-3, MX6.

Mercury: FWD Cougar.

Merkur: XR4Ti.

Mitsubishi: Cordia, Eclipse 1st gen.

Nissan: NX 2000, Pulsar, Sentra SE-R.

Pontiac: Fiero!!!!!!, Grand Am, Grand Prix, Firebird.

Toyota: Corolla AE92, Corolla FX-16, Paseo, Tercel.

Volkswagen: Corrado, Scirocco.

 That's 46 cars that are readily available to any enthusiast on a budget, and would be better choices for the US market instead of cars like the Daihatsu Move, Daihatsu Midget, Mazda Carol, and Mitsubishi Minica. And does there have to be over 50 versions of the Nissan Skyline? This is the fourth game, and still no Fiero?

 It's a great series, but I'm getting tired of being offered a bunch of Japan-only models when there are so many alternatives that could be added for he US market.

Lost Lustre?

 Mitsubishi has a new Eclipse coming out, and it will probably decide Mitsubishi's fate in the US auto market. Can a sports coupe really be that important? Let's go back in time for some perspective...



 Mitsubishi's first entry into the US market was sold by Dodge as the Colt. A modest econobox, it sold well enough, and the originals are now considered classics by some. The first hint at what was coming in the future was the Plymouth Arrow, a hot-rod version of the Colt. It's the 70's, so take that hot-rod description with a grain of salt. It was no 'Bahn Burner, but it pointed the way for future Mitsu coupes.



 Mitsubishi's next model came to the US as the Dodge Challenger and Plymouth Sapporo. It held it's own against the Celica's and 200SX's of the day, but most importantly it showed the Triple Diamond's pursuit of technology, with balance shafts in the engine and the MCA-Jet cylinder head (basically a Hemi). Again, it was a modest success, and lasted until 1983.



 1983 was also the year Mitsubishi started selling cars here under their own banner, and the Cordia was the Eclipse of it's time. Again, it was average for the sporty coupes of the day, and Mitsu's limited dealer network limited sales. Chrysler also opted not to sell a version of it, and it's one of the more obscure cars on the roads today.



 Stunning is not a strong enough adjective to describe the launch of the first Eclipse. The marketing was perfect (I still remember the commercials of a red Eclipse driving in front of a setting sun, gorgeous), and the car could be had as a simple NA four-banger up to a mind-numbing AWD turbo version, all at very competitive prices. There was nothing like it on the market, the magazines all praised it's excellence, and suddenly people were paying attention to Mitsubishi.

 It defined the brand, more than any car before it, and it's importance cannot be underestimated. If it would not have been a success, then cars like the 3000GT, Diamante, and today's Lancer Evolution would not be here. It's rare for a sporty coupe to be that successful, yet Mitsubihi did it. As time went by the lustre of Mitsubishi's Eclipse strated to fade as the car moved into the personal luxury coupe role, away from it's sporty roots.



 Now there's a new model arriving, and it's just as important as the first Eclipse. It will decide if Mitsubishi remains a player in the US market, or if the Triple Diamond fades away like Daihatsu, Daewoo, and Plymouth. It's a heavy burden for the attractive coupe, and history is not on it's side. Will the buying public welcome a new coupe enthusiastically? Will passion and excitement win out over practicality and frugalness? We certainly hope so. Mitsubishi is depending on it.

Ugly Today. Ugly Tomorrow?

 I recently went to Pull A Part, probably the best organized junkyard I have ever seen. Sitting among the Corollas and Civics was a Datsun 200SX, one of the ugliest Datsun's ever made. And yet, it looked beautiful to me.







 Time has mellowed the initial shock of the design, and it's grown on me. There's a spunkiness to the shape, a vehicle that doesn't give a damn if you think it's pretty. Compared to the Detroit iron of the time it throws a wrench in the whole "longer, lower, wider" style direction. While it will probably never be called a classic, it's earned a spot in my cars I lust over directory, which will likely be enough to get me committed. I don't care, just like the ugly 200SX.

 Now all this thought has gotten me thinking over some of today's "special" designs. Will they too become something I can appreciate? In 2020 will I be writing an ode to the much maligned Aztek? Food for thought.

Nothing To Do With Cars Or Motorcycles...

 but some pictures are just so wrong you have to share 'em.

Passion For 2

 I'm shopping for a motorcycle, and I've come to realize there's nothing new that really grabs me. Cruisers are nice, but are way too limited in their functionality. I want to ride, not cruise down Main Street. Sportbikes fall into the smae trap, beautiful to look at but difficult to blast across a couple of states in. I'm more into standards, your basic universal motorcycle that's a jack of all trades, master of none. Problem is, there's not a lot of choices out there. I've had to go into the past to find what I realy want.

 It's hard to explain my passion for standards. There's not the acres of chrome like a cruiser, or the sleek and sexy bodywork on a sportbike to dazzle the eye. The eye candy is nice, no doubt, but a standard goes deeper, touching the essence of riding. There's nothing hiding the mechanicals, it's all out in the open to admire. You can't avoid the machine, you become a part of it. It makes the experiance pure.

 Here's my choices so far, along with a short list of their plus and minuses.

 Honda CB-1



 Light and agile, with a 400cc engine, this would be a good bike for getting back into the sport, but cross-state cruising might be too much to ask of this little sweetheart.

 Honda Hawk GT



 Similar to the CB-1, this is another standard from Hoinda, but with a 650cc V-twin powerplant. It has a stronger character, but it's tilted more towards the sportbike side of the equation than most standards, which might limit it.

 Kawasaki Zephyr 550



 I've owned this motorcycle, being the last bike I owned. It has good power and handling, but it lacks character.

 Suzuki GS500E



 Similar to the Kawasaki Zephyr, it shares it's strengths and weakness, lack of character, but it's a good bike nonetheless.

 Suzuki Bandit 400



 For a standard, this bike is sexy. It's gotta be red, the blue version just doesn't do it for me. Like the CB-1, it's a 400 cc again, so I'm not sure if it's got what it takes to go cross-country, but damn it looks good!

 Suzuki GSX1100G



 The largest bike on my list, the big "G" is also the only one with shaft drive, which reduces maintenance. It will definitely go the distance, and that's the problem. It's big. I really appreciate nimbleness, and that does not describe the "G".

 Triumph Speed Triple



 Slotting neatky between the Honda Hawk and the Suzuki "G", the Speed Triple is almost perfect. It's the right size, has a wonderful engine, but the riding position is aimed squarely at the sporting side. A few mods would probably help this out, like raise handlebars, but I'm not sure how effective that would be.

 If you have owned one of these bikes, or have one for sale near Nashville, TN, I'm definitely interested. Leave a somment and let me know what you think.

Patterns

 If there's one thing GM doesn't do well, it's learn from history. There's an article on MSNBC about the fate of Saab, talking about the possibility of the marque disappearing. It's not very likely, and it would be a shame, but it illustrates my point. From the Cadillac Cimarron until today, GM just never see's the patterns.

 According to GM insiders, the company remains unclear what the Saab brand stands for. The typical customer is an academic - and, says one executive, "the question is, are there enough university professors to make the investments worthwhile?"

 Saab is easy to understand, if you're Swedish. When the rest of the world was using rear-drive platforms, there was Saab using front wheel drive. When the V8 was king, Saab was using a turbocharged four. Everyone put the ignition somewhere near the steering column, except Saab. Things are done differently at Saab, or at least they used to be.

 Saab has lost money in all but one of the past 10 years and GM has steadily reduced its autonomy over the past 18 months. Manufacturing, engineering and most design decisions are now controlled by GM Europe executives, based in Germany or Switzerland, reducing Saab's local management to controlling branding and marketing.

 Everything that made Saab what it was has been destroyed, "centralized" in GM's view to save money. A Saab is no longer a Saab, it's now a warmed over Opel or Subaru or (gulp) Chevrolet. The point in having different brands is to attract different customers. Taking one platform and using it for several marques has not worked in the past for GM ( a'la Cadillac Cimarron), why should it work today?

 Saturn used to be nearly autonomous in the GM world, but as that autonomy has diminished, so has the Saturn brand. Big suprise that the same thing has sappened with Saab. Everything GM has done has been in the name of saving money and better profits, but it's had the opposite effect.

 It's already over for Saab. Something unique in the automotive world is now gone, and it will never be back. It was nice knowing you Saab.

Run What You Brung

 There are so many fine automobiles to lust after. Exotics are the pinnacle, of course, cars most mortals will never even see in person. There are plenty of normal cars that can stir an enthusiat's blood, the new Mustang, Nissan's 350Z, Mitsu's Lancer Evo, and Chevy's Corvette, to name a few. So what's one to do if you own something like a Mitsubishi Precis?



 Drive it proudly, of course. Yes, it's a shoebox on wheels with an engine that feels like it's suffering an asthma attack, but it can also be a hell of a lot of fun.

 Sign up for the SCCA, do some autocrossing, and challenge yourself. The car itself really doesn't matter, the goal is to improve yourself. Having the latest and greatest in automotive tech does not make a btter driver, skill and determination do. Take that Mitsu Precis and go attack some corners!

Entertainment

 Finished watching the latest DVD release of Initial D. It's the story of a young driver dicovering the thrill of street racing, and the challenges he faces. It's actually a fairly technical look at the art of drifting, and every race highlights a new technique.

 Unfortunately they only come out every other month, with the next release scheduled in March. Volume 9 was released today, and is the final two episodes of the first season, along with the furst episode of the second season. Suggested retail is $19.99, but I've found that MediaPlay sells them for $14.99. Even if you're not into anime, it's a series aimed at automotive enthusiasts. You'll like it.

Desires

 There's been something dominating my thoughts recently...



 I had a dream yesterday I was riding a motorcycle down a twisty section of asphalt. Tilting into the corners, it was a feeling long absent from my life. I used to ride regularly, every sunday, seeing more of the stae of Tennessee than most residents. I've watched hang-gliders leap off a cliff, parked underneath a waterfall, followed several rivers along their meandering paths, and even rode a ferry across one. The one thing above all others a motorcycle grants is freedom.

 One of the best highlights was riding Deal's Gap, affectionately known as The Dragon. It's one of the most tangled pieces of asphalt on earth, and a biker's paradise. Here's a video of what "taming" the Dragon is like. It's been too long, I need a motorcycle.

Auto Show

 It's not the biggest, and there's never a true debut, but the Nashville Auto Show is as close as we get here. From the website, it seems Chrysler is the only manufacturer to show us some concept cars; the Chrysler Airflite, Dodge M-80, and Jeep Compass. If only Detroit was just a little bit closer! We'll also get to see the Ford Fusion and Toyota Avalon, yawn. At least Ford is bringing a GT.

 The show runs from January 27th - 30th, 2005, and show times are:
Thursday: 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Friday: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
Saturday: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
Sunday: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Tickets are only $7.00 for adults, $4.00 for seniors, and children are $2.00. If you're in the area, stop on by. Where else can you get this much automotive goodness for $7.00?

Edmunds Goes Enthusiast

 Edmunds.com has always been a good resource when researching a vehicle purchase. The reviews have been Consumer Reports bland, but the info was always helpful, concise, and targeted to a broad audience. Now Edmunds shows it wild side with a new section called Inside Line. Aimed towards enthusiasts, it's a refreshing change. Some of the first columns are real gems, too.

 Scott Oldham has a column titled Buy That Cool Car Now, detailing why you shouldn't wait to buy the car of your dreams. Kevin Smith chimes in with Time To Imprint, another fine articles. These guys have motor oil running through their veins, car nuts to the core. Welcome to the enthusiast community, Edmunds. It's about time!

Saturn Sights

 An article about the uphill battle faced by Saturn. We're finally getting some peaks at the new Saturn models, namely the Aura concept and Sky convertible.




 It will be interesting to see how things go, especially with the Sky. It's a whole new direction for Saturn, and hopefully there will be a big dfifference between it and the upcoming Pontiac Solstice, but I'm not holding my breath. Two convertibles that are basically the same are going to cannibalize sales from each other, not from the competition. Like the article says, it's "Do or Die Time".

I Really Want To Like GM

 There is no automotive manufacturer that tries as hard as GM does, and continously comes up short. Recent history has given us the Oldsmobile Aurora, probably one of the best sedans to come from GM in a long time, showing the world that GM engineers have a passion for automobiles, and yet Oldsmobile followed the Aurora with several lackluster models, and Oldsmobile went the way of the Edsel.

 Pontiac brings out the GTO, and the brand that at one time couldn't help but add pounds of tacky body cladding to every model brings out a car that is styled so plain no one even notices it. A few days ago I was driving behind one, the rumble of the V8 from the exhaust way more entertaining than any music on the rasio, yet no one around seemed to know they were in the presence of greatness. Sales are dismal, and the GTO can't be long from extinction.

 Saturn was once a beacon for all the hopeful that GM could get it right, almost, but as Saturn's independance has eroded away, so has the brand. There's new product coming, we're told, that will revitalize the image, but time will tell.

 Something always get's in the way, preventing GM from breaking through it's malaise and becoming the manufacturer we all know it can be. Market share continues to decline, The full-size pickups and SUV's that are it's bread and butter are under assault from many directions, but I still hold out hope for the old guy. I really, really, want to like GM, but whatever it is that knocks down their greatest achievements needs to be removed, post haste. Time is not on GM's side.

New Year, New Design

 For the new year, there's now a new design. Not sure if I like it, and it might need some cross-browser tweaking, but it'll do for now.

Happy New Year

 Welcome to 2005!

Charge It

 The new Dodge Charger that's coming soon is generating a lot of controversy, but I think Dodge is doing the correct thing. While there may be no direct styling cues from the original Chargers,and it's a sedan instead of a coupe, it's the right car for the market.

 Nostalgia is a great, but the market that dictated the design of the original CHarger no longer exists. Sedans are the new muscle cars, with only the Mustang hanging on in the original form. Everything else in the class has either morphed into something else or is no longer made.

 For the third version of one platform (Chrysler 300,Dodge Magnum), Chrysler has garnered a lot more attention for the Charger than they could have asked for, and I don't think it will hurt sales of the CHarger at all.

Toyota The New Buick?

 My uncle used to own a Buick Roadmaster, an absolute boat of a car. While it was extremely comfortable to ride in, there wasn't much there to get your blood pumping, unless you got into a corner too fast. Then it was like trying to keep the Titanic from striking the iceberg.



 He recently replaced the land yacht, with a Toyota Camry. It's a fine automobile, and I'm glad he picked it out of the many possibilities in the market. It should prove to be a faithful companion, but it illustrates the problem facing Toyota, aging customers.

 In the ongoing quest to improve the breed, cars like the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic are now larger than the original Camry and Accord. It's been a successful strategy so far, but with the advent of the Scion Brand, Toyota has recognized that it needs an injection of youth, else it ends up like Buick and Oldsmobile, with vehicles that only appeal to older customers.

 While Scion has been successful so far, I don't know if it will translate into eventual customers for Toyota. During the 80's, Toyota offered much for the young driver, with the Tercel anchoring the bottom, the Corolla GT-S, MR2, and Celica covering the middle, and the Supra on the top. The Tercel became the Echo, which has flopped, the Corolla GT-S has been gone for quite some time, along with the Supra, and this is the last year for the Celica and MR-S. The only car that can claim to be sporty in the Toyota line-up is now the Solara, basically Toyota's version of the Thunderbird/Cougar personal luxury coupe.

 For someone like me, a teenager during the 80's, I still remember the sporting side of Toyota, and Scion just doesn't fit the bill. The new TC is a fine replacement for the Corolla GT-S, but it ends there. What I'd like to see is a return of the original MR2, based off the Echo/XA-XB platform. Keep it light and simple, and don't move it upmarket. I know the MR2 went upmarket partially because insurance ona two-seater is outrageous, so maybe Toyota could offer insurance as part of the loan or lease (at least a year's worth), lessening the price shock.

 The sporting side of Toyota appears to be on life support right now, hopefully Scion can light a spark under the bosses at Toyota. Without sporting vehicles, an automaker faces a long and painful decline a'la Oldsmobile, Plymouth, and Mercury.

Christmas Down Under

 An interactive Christmas card designed for Toyota of Australia. Happy holidays!

Merry Christmas

The Truth About Transmissions

 There's a debate going on at The Truth About Cars about which is the better tranny, auto or manual. The automatic side points out "he main premise of my article was simple: it takes a higher level of driver attention to operate a manual transmission than an automatic." Because of this, it is deemed safer to use an automatic rather than a manual.

 In a perfect world, that statement would ring true, but it's far from a perfect world. There's a technique employed by big-rig drivers when they're caught in stop and go traffic. They move at a constant speed whenever possible, and the skillful almost never touch their brakes. They just coast along, while everyone else using their slushboxes speed up, apply the brakes, stop, then start the cycle over again.

 Because of the manual transmission in an 18-wheeler, the driver does have to pay more attention to what they are doing, otherwise they'll be shifting gears constantly. The driver is scanning ahead, and matching their speed to the general flow of traffic. Instead of adding to the traffic problem, they're doing their small part to alleviate it.

 I've tried, and there's no way to achieve this technique with an autobox. Below 35 mph there's just no way to regulate your speed precisely enough, the transmission fights you every step of the way. So what does all this have to do with safety? It's precisely because the manual transmission forces you to be an active participant in the act of driving more than an automatic that makes your average manual driver safer than your average auto driver.

 You have to scan ahead,rewad the road, and comprehend what's going on around you so you're not caught in the wrong gear. An automatic driver just hits the accelerator and goes, and to most it really doesn't matter what's happening five or ten car lengths in front of them, they'l happily let the tranny decide what gear to pick after they have to break because they didn'y\t predict that car merging into their lane. Again, in a perfect world, the auto has the advantage, because it frees you to worry about other things, the only problem is human nature takes that to mean that you don't have to worry about what's happening on the road ahead, while manuals force you to care. Your attention is more focused on the job in front of you, not what's happening at the office, in your marriage, and with the kids.

 If something forces a driver to pay more attention to what they're doing on the road, that's a good thing, not a hinderance.

Garage Life

 While waiting for Gran Turismo 4, I've finally started to seriously play Auto Modellista, and the game ain't half bad. It's more arcade style than sim, but it does offer some features that the Gran Turismo series sorely lacks.



 You can change the color of your car, alter some of the exterior parts (hood, spoiler, front and rear air dams), and sticker the hell out of the cars. It also features some tracks styled around the Initial D anime series, and these are a blast. But, the one feature that is a stand-out, and keeps me playing, are the items and posters you win for completing races. You can then place them in your garage, wherever you like, and it's wickedly addictive. I can spend an hour just designing the layout of my garage, calculating what's the most efficient organization. It's like a barbie doll for guys, and makes me long for a garage of my own.

 I've never understood people who take a garage and turn it into just another room of the house, or use it simply to store things. It's a holy place, a shrine to tools and automobiles, a refuge for your vehicles, and should be a vital part of anyone's love affair with things that go fast.

 If you've got a great garage, send in your photos and I'll post them here for all the world to see.

Burning Sensation

 I was giving the Corolla a wash today, and when I arrived back at the apartment to clean the windows, there was a truck burning in the parking lot.



 It wasn't the engine compartment that was aflame, it was the cab. When the firemen forced open the driver's side door, orange flames filled the compartment, but were quickly extinguished by the liberal application of some water.



 Someone's baby just died, and another cehicle goes to the grave before it's time.

Semper Fi

 Today, in 1775, the US Marine Corps was created. Happy birthday to the Marines, and let's pray for the safety of all the troops, especially the ones fighting in Fallujah, Iraq.

Tire Safety

 As cars have gotten safer, the safety groups are being forced to focus on marginal issues to justify theri existance. The newest safety "fad" is a tire expiration date. Amazingly, older tires seem to fail, and unlike that gallon of milk in your refrigerator, there's no expiration date on your tire sao you know when to replace it.

 There is a manufacture date on your tires, but like the article syas, "In the United States, consumers and tire dealers must decipher part of a serial number engraved on one side of a tire to determine the date it was manufactured". All it takes to "decipher" your tire's manufacture date is a quick search on Google, and voila, there's the answer. Look for the DOT certification, and the last four numbers are the manufacture date, the first two the week, the last two the year.

 Now, if someone is not going to take the effort to figure this out, how likely are they to pay attention to an expiration date? Consumers abuse the hell out of tires, and you see it every day. Tires with almost no tread, tires that are dangerously underinflated, the list goes on and on.

 It would be one thing if people were dying left and right, but the safety group can only produce 50 examples of this problem, resulting in 37 deaths. Plus, that's data over at least 5 years, not 50 examples in one year. Imagine what a difference could be made if the safety groups focused on something that would make a real impact, like driver education perhaps? Oh wait, then we couldn't blame evil corporations, we'd actually have to take responsibility for our actions. Never mind.

On Pins And Needles

via Cox and Forkum

Comments

  What the hell is this graphic doing on this site? Completely inappropriate, ya jackass.
NickNack

 That's the only comment I've gotten on the 9/11 graphic (permalink here).
It's a very strange comment, and I'm not sure what NickNack is trying to communicate.

 In answer to the question, the graphic is here because I placed it here. It was posted on September 11th, and was the most poignant summary of my feelings for the day. Of all the images from that horrific event, the people jumping to their deaths from the World Trade Center towers still choke me up the most.

 About the graphic being inapproprite, this is my site. I, and only I determine what is appropriate. If you don't like what I have to say, that's fine. There's a million other blogs you can go to. There are many blogs I used to read, but no longer visit, because of their views. I didn't go on their site and leave a comment calling them a jackass, I just stopped reading their blogs.

 In the end, it comes down to how tolerant you are of other views. I disagree often with Autoguy's views and conclusions, but I still think what he has to say is deserving of consideration. Never exposing yourself to other views and different theories keeps you from expanding yourself. Alas, there are people out there who never will.

 If you want to see more graphics like the Never Again one, I suggest a visit to Cox and Forkum.

Happy Halloween

Plain

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.

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.

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.

Never Again

via Cox and Forkum

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

$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.

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.

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.

I Must Be Adopted

 My Stepmom has a new vehicle, an Audi A4 Cabriolet.



 What does my father thinkof it? It's too small. It doesn't have a large enough trunk. I swear I'm adopted. It's a freakin' convertible, it's meant to be impractical. You drive it to renew your soul, enjoy the weather, and have a blast. My father and I will probably never see eye-to-eye on cars.

Mitsuless?

 Daimler-Chrysler is not going to bail out Mitsubishi, leaving the Japanese company in some trouble. There's speculation that Mitsu might have to pull out of the US market. Chrysler has long relied on Mitsu for engines and platforms, but has never taken advantage of sharing resources like Ford and Mazda have. Chrysler has been distancing itself from Mitsu for a long time, and it now seems that a permenant disconnect is about to take place.

 It's too bad Daimler-Chrysler pulled the plug on Plymouth. It would have been an excellent way to help Mitsu out. Just rebadge their cars as Plymouths, the Lancer could be a new Duster, the Galant as a new Breeze, the Eclipse would become a new Laser, the Diamante would make a fine Caravelle, and the Endeavour could become a new Raider. It would give Mitsu more sales outlets, and would have solved Plymouth's problem of being just rebadged Chrysler and Dodge models. Yes, they would have been rebadged Mitsu's, but once sales improved they could have invested in differentiating the two brands.

 It's just a pipe-dream, since it's not very likely, but it would be a shame to see Mitsubishi leave.

Eurotrash

 The Detroit Free Press has an article about the high price of gasoline, then compares it to what the Europeans pay.

 In the United States last week, gasoline was averaging about $1.76 a gallon for regular unleaded, with some motorists in California paying more than $2.
The average price of gasoline in Britain was $5.38 a gallon, a bargain compared with the Netherlands, where it was $5.69 a gallon. In Germany it was $5.01. The French got away with paying $4.78.

 The article is rather condescending, another one of those we're more enlightened than you responses from Europe about America, but who's really being stupid? We're not the ones paying 75% tax on gasoline. Our pices are driven by the free market, not controlled by some government buerocracy.

 They simply drive less, take public transportation more, buy more fuel-efficient cars and — get this, Americans — occasionally they’ll walk to the corner to pick up milk rather than drive.

 I live in Nashville, and have had to walk "to the corner" to get some milk when my car wasn't running. It's an hour round trip by foot, and unless I'm off from work that day that's just not a realistic way to for me to get some groceries. It's 10 minutes by car, round trip. America is not Europe, and never will be. We're just a bit larger, with more open spaces, and taking a short trip by foot or bicycle is not a reality for most Americans.

 Enjoy the price of gasoline. It may be higher than we are used to, but at least it's not artificially inflated 75% by our government.

Small Sube

 Every car deserves it's 15 minutes of fame on the web. Even the Subaru 360.



 Check out Subaru's little wonder, the Subaru 360.

Happy Easter

Lost Lexus

 If someone offered me a free Lexus, any model I wanted, what would be my choice? An LS400? Too big. Surely the new SC430 convertible? Nope. Here's the model I would choose.



 Yes, the ES250 with a 5-speed manual transmission. Why would I choose something that's not really even a true Lexus, just a dressed up Camry? It's all a matter of size. Short, compact, it's the smallest Lexus available that has some useful room with it. Choosing a 4-door vehicle is not something I would normally do, but I can't help but admire this car. I've always liked the underdog, and the ES250 fits that desription. Besides, souping that car up would be a blast, a true sleeper prowling the highways.

Designer Genes

 Platform sharing, it's all the rage in the automotive industry. It keeps development costs lower, and allows a manufacturer to bringa product to market quicker. Some companies make it work fabulously. Mitsubishi in the 90's took the lowly Mirage, and sprouted the Galant, Eclipse, Diamante, and 3000GT from it. I can't remember a review saying any of them felt like a bigger Mirage. Toyota has made it work with the Camry/Highlander/Solara/Lexus ES, and Lexus RX300/330. When everything goes well, it's a wonderful process, but sometimes companies falter, badly.

 The classic example is the Cadillac Cimarron, basically a dressed up Chevrolet Cavalier, and it was a dismal failure. GM seems to have learned their lesson, at least partly, as their shared models are a lot more distinct than they used to be. But sometimes, I think the car genes just won't allow you to hid the fact that two cars are close relatives.



 Pontiac's Aztek is like the Quasimodo of the automotive world, a horribly disfigured model that blemishes a marque that usually has some of the best looking models in GM's lineup. The Aztek's mechanicals are also the underpinning of the Buick Rendezvous, and somehow Buick got the styling right, well almost. From the B-Pillar forward it's a sleek, modern, and graceful design. Pleasing to the eye, it embodies the typical Buick flair, until you get to the C-Pillar.




 Everything then goes wrong, and it looks like one designer did the front, while a less skilled subordinate finished the rear. It's the Aztek gene, it has to be. It reared it's ugly head and gave the Rendezvous a hump on it's back, just like it's brother's. At least it spared the face this time.

Standard Catalog

 If you're looking for excellent model-by-model information on American cars, There's two books that might interest you. Standard Catalog of American 1946-1975 and Standard Catalog of American Cars 1976-1999 are superb sources of information. But, when you get to Standard Catalog of Import Cars 1946-2002, the series goes way downhill.

 1976-1999 is 969 pages, for $34.95, and covers each manufacturer year by year. Imported Cars has 909 pages for $32.95, with each manufacturer covered, but not year by year. Take Toyota for example. You get 1978-83, then 1984-90, then from 1991 to 2001 it's year by year. Why the change? Because this is actually the second edition, with expanded information. Unfortunately, they didn't go back and expand the information from 1946-1990, just added the information from 1991-2002.

 While it's still the best resource out there on import cars, to take a major manufacturer like Toyota and lump all the models between 1984 to 1990 under one entry is inexcusable. That the data is incomplete is just another slap in the face. Apparently Nissan didn't have a Stanza or Sentra until 1991, the first time those two cars are mentioned. The publisher has had eleven years to make this book match the standards set by the other editions, but nothing has really changed.

 While I recommend the Standard Catalogs for the American models, the Imported edition falls short of being a "detailed listings of autos imported into the U.S. from 1946-2002", as it says on the cover. It still has a lot of information, but don't buy it thinking it's as comprehensive as the other editions in the series.

There's No Future In Futura

 Looks like Ford can't use the the Futura name for it's upcoming Taurus replacement. Gee, I dunno, what's wrong with calling it Taurus? Oh, that's right, it doesn't start with "F"! Yeah, let's take a well known brand name, and replace it with a name from the 50's that just sounds old and out of date because some marketing genius decided the car will sell better if the name starts with "F".

 Someone in Dearborn just doesn't understand the value of an established name. If Honda was to rename the Civic so it would start with an "H", or Toyota decided the Corolla needed a name that started with "T", they would be abandoning over 30 years of brand recognition. The Taurus name has been part of the automotive landscape since 1986. It's not something Ford should just abandon. And Detroit wonders why people are not as brand loyal as they used to be?

Labels?

 Just read an article about how auto manufacturers define consumers into generations, and apparetly I'm a generation X'er. That's anyone age 26 to 37, then there's Gen Y (6 to 25 years old ), and apparently we're hard to market to. Here's how we're defined. See if you agree..

Generation Y

Who they are: Often called echo boomers, they crave technology, music and the Internet and they remain loyal to brands. But as an emerging consumer group, they remain difficult to label, though they are the savviest of all shoppers.

What they drive: Used cars and trucks, Mitsubishi, VW.

Generation X

Who they are: Raised on "Beverly Hills, 90210" and Grunge Rock, they shop at The Gap and Urban Outfitters. Difficult to market because they defy labels.

What they drive: Pickups, Subaru.

Even better Than The Last Post

 And I thought the Metro has a confusing name history? Check out the Pontiac LeMans. Germany called it the Opel Kadett, the UK had the Vauxhall Astra, Canada couldn't decide, so it was first the Passport Optima then the Asuna SE/GT, and Kore'a's Daewoo thought Nexia was mighty fine name, but then again Celia worked too. Schizophrenia, thy name is General Motors.

CheGeSuzHolPon

 It's amazing how many names one car can have. The Chevrolet Sprint became the Geo Metro, and then the Chevrolet Metro when Geo was discontinued, but it's also the Suzuki Swift. In Canada it was the Pontiac Firefly and Suzuki Forsa. Meanwhile, across the Pacific Ocean, Japan called it the Suzuki Cultus, and Australians knew it as the Holden Barina. Is anyone else confused yet?

Link Of The Day

 I don't know how I didn't run across this site earlier, 2.6Liter, loads of info on the Mitsubishi Starion and Chrysler Conquest.

Link Of The Day

 Every now and then, GM manages to create something magical, letting their engineers unleash an automobile that has little pratical value, but ignites the souls of enthusiast everywhere. If you haven't heard of the Lotus Vauxhall Carlton/Opel Omega, check out James Waddington's site. These cars were like a Chevy Impala( the Caprice-based one) on steroids, a fiery beast that blazed across the highways of Europe like Attila the Hun in automotive form.

Wrenching

 I'm not much of a mechanic. While I'm mechanically inclined (my grandfather was a mechanic for White Truck in Cleveland his whole life), it's not a skill that was passed down to me by my father. That's changing though. My best friend Bobby is teaching me the basic skills, and the Corolla just received new plugs, wires, and distributor, courtesy of me. The engine runs better, considering that before you could detach the plug wire on the #4 cylinder and the engine didn't even notice. She's still reluctant to start, but then she's carburated, so that'll be something else I can learn about, though the exhaust system is next on the list.

 Wrenching on your car, then seeing that there has been a noticeable improvement, connects you even more deeply with the machine. Not only is it something that you drive, it becomes you own personal creation, a work of art where your hands were involved in the process instead of an object that you admire. Getting grime under your fingertps, wiping the sweat off your brow, then the fateful turning of the ignition to see if it worked. It's like drilling for oil, but with a spiritual instead of a monetary payoff.