Flybrian

Yards away from the $20,000,000 Y-Job and $15,000,000 LeSabre in the GM Hertiage Center, there sits a Chevette. Anything is possible.

Its totalled. My car is about the same age is yours and it was totalled for a broken headlamp and dented quarter panel. Sorry to hear about this, man. But I'm glad you're okay!

She's a Limited. Chrome molding down the side gives it away. Nice ride!

That first one would imply she was conceived in a...

VW wastes its time pursuing the premium and elite markets where it a) has no business and b) already has a brand that does it (Audi). The article is dead right; VWs are not aspirational and they never will be. No one hopes to one day own a VW. No one looks at a VW as a sign that you've 'made it.' Not in this country. A Volkswagen says you're a little out there, a little crazy, a little hip, and a little cool. You want it because it fits your personality and *gasp!* you're supposed to be able to afford it with no problem. That's how VW rebounded from the depths of exile-dom late last decade with the Beetle, Jetta, and Passat. Cute, cheap, affable cars. Whoever ran the show, however, for the past eight years is a joke on wheels. The Phaeton. The Turwrarughagh. The Eos. All wastes of time and money exerted trying to pursue a market not meant for them. Keep those cars in Europe where they belong. Where is the funk? The cool? The groovy, daddy-o? The Beetle - which is snoring the hell out of me at this point - and the Rabbit/Golf are the only realistically marketable VWs in the lineup. The new Jetta is bland, soft, and pricey. The Passat is bland, soft, and pricey. The Touruhgiuhoiugh is wonderfully-engineered for a market that will never, ever use it. Can you see these 30 year-old wannabe broads offroading their VW? "Hill Descent Control...is that Starbucks' newest blend?" The Eos doesn't belong here. Get it out of here and bring back the Cabrio. God, I never thought I'd say that, but its true. You're asking folks to spend how much on a Volkswagen convertible with three seperate electrically-moving roof panels? Are you a masochist? You know how horribly disjointed that thing is going to look in three years? What happened to the $20,000 ditzy lil' ragtop that wasn't trying to be a luxury car, just fun? And now what's on the horizon - a Scirroco? Of course not, there's no market they say. However, there is a market for a lightly-reengineered Caravan. WHAT?! This is the plan? The Microbus would've had standing orders above MSRP for at least two years. VW would've struggled to meet demand, straining factories, importers, and dealers. Instead, VW gets a characterless, bland family box. Someone people are asking, "Is it going to have a diesel? It would be cool if it had a diesel...and maybe a stick. Yeah, it should have a turbo-four and a stick." WHO CARES[/b]...you can buy a Caravan for $21,000 at a Dodge dealership. What moron would buy this VW van? Remember when VWs had soul? People really didn't give a $h! if they fell apart a little (or a LOT) because they loved 'em anyway. You think Beetles and Microbuses were in any way reliable? Safe? Not really. But they were cute and appealing and people ate them up. Now, VW wants to show it has the pedigree and class to compete in the premium arena. Guess what - people expect premium cars to not fall apart. Its very ironic actually that the flower child becomes the corporate shill as much as VW has become. I do have to laugh a little at it.

Urban Cowboys Two Luxury Pickups Face Off By Michael Jordan, Executive Editor | Link to Original Article @ Edmunds | Date posted: 07-17-2007 Loving trucks is as American as the Marlboro Man. But just as that rough and rugged pitchman has ridden off into the sunset (probably coughing), rough and rugged trucks are a thing of the past. Even the lowliest Chevy Silverado is now packed with the kind of features and luxury once reserved for high-end sedans. The 2007 Cadillac Escalade EXT and 2007 Lincoln Mark LT are the pinnacle of this new breed of softer and gentler American pickup trucks. Part pickup, part recreational vehicle and part hot-rod sedan, these trucks put bling before balls...er...make that ball hitches. They reinvent the pickup truck as a luxurious recreational vehicle. Each is a grandly stylish device with both adventurous possibility and everyday utility. If It Looks Like a Truck Even a pickup truck guy can appreciate style, and these high-profile trucks are meant to make you think about the outdoors and your plans for the weekend. After all, if you want respect in suburban America, you're not supposed to carry a lunch bucket everywhere you go. The Cadillac Escalade EXT has enough style for two trucks and maybe a couple of cars besides. It's angular and aggressive, a machine for driving and not just for hauling. And just so you know it's a Cadillac, it's been overlaid with lots of automotive jewelry, including big high-intensity headlights, a retro-style egg-crate grille, and layers and layers of chrome detailing. On the other hand, the Lincoln Mark LT, is plainly a Ford F-150. But it's also Ford's most successful interpretation of the heavy-duty truck look since the Dodge Ram 1500 introduced this style so successfully in 1994. Like the Cadillac, the Lincoln sets itself apart with its own complement of jewelry, only they're the kind of chrome accents that you might find in a Harley-Davidson accessory catalog. The assembled, customized look is meant to be all about authenticity. Recreation Room on Wheels In case you haven't heard, the interior of a pickup truck isn't meant to be cleaned out with a garden hose anymore. Americans live in these trucks, and they need a cabin that amounts to more than just a cupholder big enough for a Big Gulp and someplace to toss the candy bar wrappers. With the Escalade EXT, GM's oversize, work-grade truck interior has finally given way to carlike detailing. You're meant to travel in the EXT, not just shuttle from job site to job site. That's why the seats are sufficiently bolstered to be supportive enough for long journeys, and they're available with both heating and cooling functions. A $3,990 complement of optional interior luxury features transforms the EXT into a luxury sedan. There's a complex audio system that plays DVD-audio as well as CDs, not to mention an MP3 player and satellite radio. Naturally there's a navigation system with an 8-inch touchscreen for the front-seat passengers plus a DVD player with a flip-down, 8-inch screen for the rear passengers. This particular Lincoln Mark LT didn't quite have an Escalade-grade arcade of optional electronic gizmos, although you'll find nearly identical stuff among this truck's list of available options. Where the interior of the Escalade resembles some kind of recreational device from the sporting goods store, the Mark LT goes for luxury-car elegance, as if it were the reincarnation of the Lincoln Continental Mark III. The seats are as easy to slide into as the old man's big puffy chair in the family room, although they're not supportive enough for all-day comfort. The interior of the Escalade EXT has one clear advantage over the Mark LT, and it lies in passive passenger safety. Both the Escalade and the Mark LT have front-passenger airbags, but only the Cadillac has curtain-type head-protection airbags for both front- and rear-seat passengers, plus front-passenger seatbelts with safety pre-tensioners. Aside from the details, the cabins of both these trucks have been designed for real vacation travel, not just short trips to the lumberyard. The Escalade EXT affords 108.9 cubic feet of passenger volume, while the Mark LT is substantially larger at 121.8 cubic feet. Both make it possible to take a family vacation without having to invest in family counseling afterward. A Real Truck Has a Cargo Box What makes these vehicles different from other vehicles (and each other) is the cargo box, the essence of any pickup truck. We live in a country where the home-improvement store is a destination resort, and as anyone who has ever packed a load of grass sod in the trunk of a Honda Accord can tell you, a pickup truck is a fine thing to have on Saturday mornings. What makes the Escalade unique is its Midgate, an access panel into the cabin from the cargo box that effectively lengthens the cargo box from 63.3 inches to 97.6 inches. It seems like an expensive indulgence, yet it enables a four-door cab and a cargo box to be integrated into a relatively compact package. The Lincoln Mark LT has a more conventional answer to the cargo box question. For 2007 there are two LT models, both the standard LT with a 138-inch wheelbase and a 67-inch cargo box, and the long-bed LT (like our test truck) with a 150.5-inch wheelbase and a 79-inch cargo box. Although the Escalade ultimately offers the larger bed, we should point out that using the Midgate opens the rear of the Caddy's cab to weather, plus it keeps you from locking the truck. In standard trim, the four-wheel-drive Escalade EXT is rated for a 1,362-pound payload of people and gear, and can tow 8,600 pounds. Meanwhile the long-wheelbase, four-wheel-drive Mark LT can carry a load of 1,430 pounds, and it'll tow 8,500 pounds. Just like regular pickup trucks, both the Escalade and the Mark LT can be equipped with optional towing packages for more capacity. Going Places With a plain old pickup truck, all you need is an engine good enough for motivation, not speed. But once you transform a truck into full-time transportation, suddenly driving becomes the priority. This four-wheel-drive Cadillac weighs in at 6,068 pounds, so it needs some serious motivation. GM's new all-aluminum, 6.2-liter V8 measures up with 403 horsepower and 417 pound-feet of torque. Even more important is its new six-speed automatic transmission, which not only improves the powertrain's response and acceleration, but also makes the whole truck feel effortlessly powerful. Power plus short gearing helps this Escalade make a quick full-throttle getaway. You can even feel the front tires get a little light with the weight transfer, and 30 mph comes up in only 2.5 seconds while 60 mph turns up in 7.0 seconds. It's hard to believe so much weight gets through the quarter-mile in 15.5 seconds at 90.6 mph. In comparison, the Lincoln Mark LT's iron-block 5.4-liter V8 puts down 300 hp and 365 lb-ft, although it has 5,870 pounds to move around, some 198 pounds less than the Cadillac. It reaches its respective power peaks at lower rpm than the Escalade, but it has to make things happen through a four-speed transmission, so the Lincoln feels like it slogs its way to the speed limit. As a result, the long-wheelbase Mark LT lags behind the Escalade when it comes to performance and it takes 9.6 seconds to get to 60 mph. The Lincoln brings up the quarter-mile in 17.1 seconds at 80.9 mph. The lighter Lincoln did, however, outstop the Cadillac, although neither is exactly the poster child for braking performance. Still, the Lincoln's 134-foot stopping distance from 60 mph is considerably better than the Escalade's 142-foot performance. Driving Matters The Escalade certainly doesn't make you feel as if it takes a lot of wrestling with physics to get where you want to go. Quick-ratio steering matched with light-effort assist isn't usually a happy combination, yet the Escalade manages to deliver easy carlike maneuverability with reassuring highway stability, and it never feels as if you're tugging at the front wheels with a length of rope. The Mark LT also successfully gets beyond the usual truck stereotype when it comes to getting down the highway, but it's trying to be far more reserved than the Escalade, so every control feels carefully insulated from the road, as if you were driving a Lincoln Continental Mark III. It's not entirely ridiculous to talk about cornering performance with these trucks. The Escalade has a 0.73g grip on the skid pad, using its big 285/45HR22 Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza tires to good effect. It carves up the slalom at 57.8 mph, and it went fast enough to require a little opposite steering lock (which apparently panicked the electronics sufficiently to trigger an inquiry from OnStar about whether we'd suffered some kind of airbag deployment). The Lincoln Mark LT provided more thrills on the pavement thanks to its crude leaf spring rear suspension, but it circled the skid pad in a stable, understeering slide at 0.73g, its 275/55SR20 Pirelli Scorpion ATR tires hanging in there steadily. And just like the Escalade, the long-wheelbase Lincoln went through the slalom cones at 57.9 mph. On the road, the Escalade has all the supple composure we've come to expect from the latest generation of trucks. The unique way the cabin's C-pillar is structurally tied to the cargo box makes the whole truck feel even more solid, while the coil-sprung rear axle responds relatively well to broken pavement. The Escalade feels large and comfortable, but it has a dimension of liveliness that makes it more enjoyable to drive. The Lincoln also goes down the road very well, yet there's so much emphasis on stability that the truck always feels heavy, as if its responses have been thoroughly muffled. The LT gets you there in comfort and silence, but you rarely remember the trip along the way. A Truck You Can Drive Every Day Trucks sure have gotten nice. They're so nice that the things that separate one truck from another no longer have anything to do with the number of fertilizer bags you can pack into the cargo bed. Instead we tend to make our choice based on the way the cabin can make you forget you're hauling anything like fertilizer in the first place. The 2007 Lincoln Mark LT offers a lot of luxury for the money, as it comes in at a base price of just $41,495. But even as you add options to bring up the luxury quotient, it still feels more like a pretty pickup than a real sporting device. For us, the Mark LT seems too much like a Lincoln-ized Ford F-150, and it needs more style and especially a more sophisticated powertrain to be enjoyable. There's too much implement, not enough spirit. The 2007 Cadillac Escalade EXT pretty well defines what we want from this new breed of SUV-style pickups. It's a truck that doesn't apologize for being big and functional, yet it helps you enjoy the ride with plenty of style. Even better, it has plenty of driving spirit, the kind of performance that makes you excited to get into it every day. It's a must-drive, must-use proposition, not just casual transportation. Cadillac makes you pay for the privilege, as its $53,705 base price indicates (a GMC Denali is a more affordable alternative), but the Escalade EXT shows the direction the American pickup must travel if it's going to stay relevant in this new era of breathtaking gas prices.

SPY SHOTS! 2010 Saturn AURA Link to Original Article @ Autoblog Yes, even more spy shots of the next AURA, this time from the Mojove Desert. Click the link above for several more shots of Saturn's next midsizer.

This is seriously the last warning for everyone involved in this baiting and arguing over what amounts to nothing. The next step is a 5-day suspension.

Can VW Finally Find Its Way In America? A last-ditch drive must correct disastrous turns to make the U.S. profitable again Link to Original Article @ Business Week Volkswagen's (VLKAY ) experience in the U.S. has always been one of highs and lows. But rarely have its fortunes sunk so low as now. Less than a decade ago, the quirky reinvented Beetle helped VW come roaring back from a previous crisis. But for the past three years, its U.S. operations have lost close to $1 billion annually. Now it's trying again to save the brand in the U.S. To head U.S. operations, it's bringing in Stefan Jacoby, a German with close ties to VW Chairman Martin Winterkorn and Supervisory Board Chairman Ferdinand K. Piëch, who took control of the company this year after a shakeup that left Porsche as VW's controlling shareholder. Jacoby, 49, an accountant by training, made his mark as head of VW's global sales and marketing. Since Jacoby took charge, the company boosted its European market share to 20.3% from 18.1%, helping keep it solidly in place as the Continent's leading brand. With its U.S. fortunes in long-term decline, Jacoby is facing his biggest challenge yet. His mission: to meet Winterkorn's target of breaking even in the U.S. by 2009. Only a year ago, VW was gearing up a huge marketing campaign to relaunch a revamped Rabbit and Jetta in a bid to recapture its niche as the affordable, stylish European car of choice for younger buyers. VW hired former MiniUSA marketing chief Kerri Martin, who recruited super-hot U.S. ad agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky. The plan, as chronicled in a BusinessWeek cover story (May 22, 2006), was to create a VW renaissance. It didn't work out that way. A string of attention-grabbing ads—one campaign showed people surviving crashes unscathed and another starred a German dominatrix named Helga—did little to juice sales of VW's two most important models, the Jetta and the Passat. "I've never seen a brand struggle so hard to understand the U.S. market and fail so miserably," says Rebecca Lindland, a director at consulting firm Global Insight Inc. VW's sales slid to 235,000 last year, from 338,000 in 2002. Martin left last December, part of a shakeup when Porsche took over. Making matters worse is the perception in the U.S. that VW's quality lags vs. its Japanese rivals. VW's interiors, for example, don't stand up to the kind of abuse they get from U.S. drivers, who do a lot more eating, drinking coffee, and applying makeup in their cars than Europeans do. That's one factor in J.D. Power & Associates Inc. (MHP ) ranking VW in the bottom 20% for reliability, quality, and service. "That really hurts VW when its young customer base does so much online comparative shopping," says Power Information Network analyst Tom Libby. To turn operations around, Jacoby has to battle the punishingly high euro and VW's limited manufacturing presence in North America. Even more important, the company needs to introduce new models that build on its long tradition of quirkiness and connect with U.S. consumers. Instead, the carmaker's more recent offerings feel bland. Dealers think VW blew a golden opportunity when it chose not to introduce an updated version of the wildly popular Microbus from the '60s and '70s. Instead, the company is launching a repackaged, Volkswagen-branded, Chrysler (DCX ) minivan. Casey Gunther, VW's top-selling U.S. dealer, in Coconut Creek, Fla., is worried. "We're missing the funkiness" that U.S. buyers expect from VW, he says. "The Germans don't understand." And unlike in Europe, affluent buyers don't see VW as an aspirational brand. Winterkorn vows the turnaround of the U.S. business is his "No. 1 priority." But there's only so long any management can put up with nearly $1 billion annual losses. Says one executive close to VW: "For the first time in some time, the phrase If we are to stay in the U.S.' precedes a lot of conversations at VW."

These people need to... A) Stop smoking pot. B) Shower. C) Find jobs. D) Buy their own goods. E) Have them vandalized for no good reason just to see how it feels.

Custom Skylark Found in Sarasota It's 1953 Again as One-Off Buick Skylark Convertible Surfaces Link to Original Article @ Edmunds SARASOTA, Fla. — It dawned slowly on collector and restorer Eugene Cohen: The 1953 Buick Skylark convertible he was working on was a one-of-a-kind. He already knew the car was one of only 1,690 built by GM, but details found on none of those other Skylarks made him realize this one was built as a showcar — or as a special treat for some VIP or employee of Buick. Cohen said the "general consensus among retired GM executives...at vintage-car meets" is that it was probably an auto show display model. The big tipoff was the blank trim and paint codes on the Skylark's ID plate, indicating the car was destined to get individualized paint and upholstery. True to the idea of '50s high style, those original individualized colors were seafoam green on the exterior and emerald green on the front fender wells and interior upholstery. The convertible top frame was a matching emerald green, whereas the standard '53 Skylarks had tan or black. Perhaps the most interesting departure from production Skylarks was the chrome-plated dashboard. GM used to build one-offs regularly before the era of government regulation of production models; such celebrities as TV-western star Dale Robertson, GM President Harlow Curtice and King Ranch mogul family the Klebergs got 'em. Cohen's Skylark, he eventually learned, had been made for one Muriel Dalgell. Who she is, and why she got such a special ride, is lost to the mists of history.

Chevrolet Europe targets booming new Eastern markets Neil Winton: European Perspective Chevrolet Lacetti Link to Original Article @ DetNews KILLARNEY, IRELAND -- General Motors may be having to beg, plead and bribe for every sale in the U.S., but its blue-collar subsidiary Chevrolet is on the crest of a wave in Europe. Chevrolet sales are booming, but the model names won't mean much to Americans, with the tiny Chevrolet Matiz, and other small cars like the Kalos (the Aveo in the U.S.), Lacetti and Tacumas swarming off dealer lots across Europe. The Captiva, Chevrolet's new Sport Utility vehicle launched recently here in south-west Ireland, won't mean a lot to Americans either, although if you look closely you'll realize it is a Saturn Vue in all but name. Chinese readers will know it as the XL7. Chevrolets are doing best in new markets like Poland, Ukraine and Russia, where buyers are often finally able to buy their first cars, but it is also competing well in Italy and Spain, where little and cheap go down big. GM already has two important brands in Western Europe, German-based Opel and British Vauxhall, and until recently it used its Korean subsidiary Daewoo to spearhead sales in less developed markets. It was one of General Motors' better ideas to change the name of products made by its Korean subsidiary Daewoo, to Chevrolet. Daewoo made worthy cars, but the brand name had zero power in the dealership. You might say that Chevrolet isn't very well known either in Europe, although motors like the Chevrolet Impala and the Corvette had their admirers here. Chevrolet, the global brand So why dump Daewoo and start all over again with Chevrolet? "Chevrolet is GM's global value brand, it is our foundation brand and it is GM's largest global brand. Chevrolet stands for affordable products that offer durability, high quality, expressive design and, above all, outstanding value for money. When GM decided to significantly expand its value brand activities in Europe with a range of small and compact vehicles sourced from GM's Korean operations, it was only natural that the choice was Chevrolet," said Wayne Brennan, Executive Director, Chevrolet Europe, in an interview with Detroit News Online. And Chevrolet Europe has expanded its value brand activities significantly. 500,000 by 2011 Chevrolet Matiz Automotive consultancy CSM Worldwide expects Chevrolet sales to hit 500,000 a year by 2011. Chevrolet's global sales in 2006 totaled 4.3 million. "Chevy broke the 300,000 barrier last year and we expect the bulk of these new sales to come from central and Eastern Europe," said Walt Madeira, Manager, European Vehicle Sales Forecasts for CSM. "It is the Russian, Ukraine and Poland markets that are exploding. Daewoo did well for GM, but Chevrolet does have a positive image. Last year sales were split close to 50/50 between western Europe and the rest, but going forward we see sales slipping in the west to about 30 per cent, with 70 per cent in eastern and central Europe. That makes sense; conditions in the West are cutthroat and sales overall are stagnating. Better to go where markets are rising and new buyers are emerging," Madeira said. Russia is now the market that excites car manufacturers most in Europe. "At the end of this year, the Russian market will be as big as Italy's and just behind the U.K. and Germany," Jonathan Browning, GM Europe's vice president of sales and marketing said in a speech last month in Prague, the Czech Republic. Trust and confidence Chevrolet Tacuma Germany is Europe's biggest market, accounting for just under a quarter of West Europe's annual sales of close to 14.5 million cars. German sales totaled 3.4 million in 2006. Russian car sales were 2.1 million in 2006. Chevrolet's Brannon wouldn't comment on the 500,000 forecast made by CSM, but did say this. "The speculations of CSM certainly show trust and confidence in our performance." Why not use Opel and Vauxhall, which have a wide range of vehicles from little city cars to big sedans, to push for sales in Eastern Europe? "Opel/Vauxhall are respected brands with the GM brand portfolio, but they are mainstream and positioned above the value brand products that Chevrolet offers in different segments of the market. Chevrolet vehicles and Opel/Vauxhall products are targeting very different customers," Brannon said. On the money Chevrolet Kalos Ralf Landmann, automotive partner with Roland Berger Strategy Consultants in Frankfurt, Germany, believes GM's strategy is on the money. "Their sales targets look realistic and I do believe they will have success. Yes, Chevrolet is growing in Europe and it has potential not only in the East but in the West as well. They've done a very good job in launching the brand and it is on the radar, even here in Germany". It made good sense to use the Chevrolet brand for lower priced cars. "It all depends on how far you can stretch a brand. Yes there are the established brands like Opel and Vauxhall, but in the lower price segment Chevrolet is much better positioned than Opel. They took an established, well-known brand (Chevy) and used it to their advantage. Sensible," said Landmann Some analysts point to the possibility of cannibalization of Opel sales by Chevrolets. For instance, a version of the Chevrolet Captiva is going to be sold by Opel and Vauxhall as the Antara. Completely different Chevrolet Captiva "The Opel Antara and the Chevrolet Captiva are based on the same vehicle architecture. However, they are completely different vehicles, not only in the sheet metal where each part is different, but also in the interior design and specifically the ride and handling. Captiva offers great value for money for families while the Antara addresses an audience likely to be without children -- it's only got five seats -- looking for more specification and additional refinement," Brannon said. Detroit-born Brannon has been in post since January 2006, arriving via various GM posts around the world including Africa, the Middle East and South America. Chevrolet's success in Europe is in vivid contrast to GM's Cadillac luxury division. Last year, Cadillac's Dutch importer said it would sell 20,000 Cadillac's and Corvettes in Europe by 2010. According to Automotive Industry Data, in the first half of 2007, sales were going into reverse, slipping to 2,600, from 3,000 in the same period of 2006. CSM Worldwide's Madeira said GM is ahead of the game with its use of Chevrolet. "In the East we see that all ships are rising in the high tide. As volume grows every one gets a bigger slice. The Japanese have been very quick and are well established in large markets like Russia. But we see European efforts trailing. Renault (of France) with its cheap, world vehicle the Dacia Logan (made in Romania) has done well, but Volkswagen and Peugeot are dragging their feet with a world budget vehicle. Fiat is trying again. The worry is that China will come into those markets and beat the Europeans with a budget vehicle," said Madeira. Russian politics There is one potential cloud on the horizon for companies seeking to climb on the bandwagon of booming sales in Eastern Europe. Recently, Russia has been flexing its political muscles and making scary noises about arms buildups and missile shields. This isn't going to have a long-term impact on business in Russia, according to Roland Berger's Landmann. "No. Not at all. Look at the sales figures in Russia and they are all growing by double digits and this success will be long term. Yes, there are rows now, but I don't think these political developments will gravely influence the sale of cars in Russia long term," Landmann said. With the clamor for smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles, will any of these little Chevys find their way to the U.S. market? "The Chevrolet Aveo is already successful in the U.S. market place, in fact it has been the best selling sub-compact over a long period. If the demand is there, Chevrolet is certainly in a good position to introduce small cars from its portfolio in the U.S. market," said Brannon.

Honda to roll out a redesigned Fit Christine Tierney | The Detroit News Honda Motor Co. will launch a redesigned version of its popular Fit subcompact in the fall, Honda CEO Takeo Fukui said in Japan today in a speech updating the automaker's progress on its three-year strategic plan. He confirmed that Honda would introduce a clean diesel engine to the U.S. market in 2009 that would meet emission standards in all 50 states, and he announced that the engine also would be marketed in Japan. In its 2005-08 plan, Honda outlined goals to improve its environmental performance, strengthen the Honda brand in Japan, and reinforce the automaker's foundation for global growth. "Honda will further accelerate its effort to strengthen the core characteristics that make Honda unique in each business area," Fukui said. The automaker, Japan's second largest after Toyota Motor Corp., is investing heavily in gas-electric hybrid and diesel technology as well as developing more small cars in its effort to be environmentally friendly. Over the past two years, as gas prices have risen, Honda has struggled to meet demand for its small cars. Cumulative sales of the Fit, launched in Japan in 2002 and first introduced to the U.S. market last year, have exceeded 2 million units. The new Fit is likely to be available in the U.S. market soon after its fall launch in Japan. Honda's vehicle range is among the most fuel-efficient, and the Union of Concerned Scientists in April rated the company the greenest automaker. All automakers are addressing concerns about fuel economy and the environment, but Honda's efforts in this area are longstanding. "They've done it much more consistently and with more dedication than Toyota has, although Toyota gets more credit because of the Prius (hybrid)," said George Peterson, chairman of AutoPacific, a consulting firm in Tustin, Calif. "If Honda just wanted to sell cars, they'd have a V8-powered luxury car out there -- and there ain't no V8 around," he said. In his update, Fukui confirmed that Honda will roll out a dedicated hybrid model in 2009 that will cost less than the Honda Civic hybrid, which starts at $22,600. Fukui also said: For the Japanese market, Honda plans to strengthen its mini-vehicle business. Mini-vehicles, fitted with very small engines, are among the most resilient segments in the weak Japanese auto market. Honda also will delay the launch of its Acura premium brand in Japan for two years or so. Honda had planned to bring Acura to its home market in the fall of 2008 but is revising its plans "based on a comprehensive evaluation of the current market environment." Like Toyota's Lexus brand, Acura was first established in the United States. In North America, Honda's production capacity will reach 1.62 million units after the construction of an assembly plant in Indiana, the expansion of a Mexican plant and the construction of an engine factory in Canada. In China, the Guangzhou Honda Automobile Co. venture will establish an R&D facility and develop a vehicle that will be sold under an original brand of Guangzhou Honda starting in 2010.

Keep Careful Watch of Chery Chrysler will closely monitor quality of Chinese-built vehicles By BRADFORD WERNLE | Link to Original Article @ AutoWeek | Published 07/16/07, 10:51 am et DETROIT -- To ensure that China-built vehicles with Chrysler brands meet global quality standards, Chrysler personnel will be on the scene early and often during manufacturing and development. "We're very prepared to have a lot of people involved early in the process," Steven Landry, Chrysler's executive vice president for NAFTA sales, global marketing, service and parts, said Thursday, July 12, at a press event here. "We'd like to play in all the volume segments," Landry said. "With Chery, we're going to be able to enter the B segment." In designing its small car, Chrysler has not identified any competing target vehicle, Landry said. Competitors would include the Honda Fit and Chevrolet Aveo. "Early production will go to Latin America, Mexico and possibly eastern Europe," he said. In those locations, safety requirements are less stringent, so Chrysler will have an opportunity to fix quality problems before China-built vehicles come to North America in 2009, Landry said. He emphasized that Chery vehicles will meet Chrysler's global quality standards. In interviews, Chrysler group CEO Tom LaSorda has expressed satisfaction with the level of equipment and knowledge at Chery facilities. Chinese government regulators approved the Chrysler-Chery venture on July 3 in Beijing. Chery is based in the city of Wuhu in Anhui province. Industry analysts have predicted the first vehicles to come from the venture will be branded as Dodges.

I like how Chrysler named a concept after a skeezy motel chain.

I would also prefer not knowing someone died in a car I'm driving.

I felt better not knowing those existed.

Ha. Those are the only folks who drive Escort and Tracer wagons around here.

Hey...how about we take this personal affronting off the board? Final warning.

Okay, second warning. Let's lay off the non-car-related banter here.

Allrighty, guys. Let's not attack members for their age. It makes no difference.

Google Streetview Camera Car Fleet Set to Invade America Link to Original Article @ Gizmodo A camera-toting tipster saw what appeared to be a giant armada of Chevy Cobalt cars in the Google parking lot, getting ready to take pictures of the entire world (or thereabouts) with special 360° cameras. The tipster says he followed a Google camera van as it cruised back to its Mountain View, California, lair yesterday after that van finished a session of picture taking for Google's Streetview navigation site. Exactly what did he see? It was an entire fleet of at least 30 brand-new Chevy Cobalt cars parked behind the building, most without license plates yet. As you can see in the pictures above, each had a metal device attached to its top, which looks suspiciously like a vertical extension for mounting Google's Streetview 360° camera. Our telltale tipster tells us he thinks Google is "preparing their invasion of US cities with an armada of C.C.C.Cs (Chevy Cobalt Camera Cars). I guess Cobalts are cheap but they certainly will be conspicuous. Maybe that's what they want." It looks like an auspicious addition to the camera car fleet, but it's going to take more than thirty Chevy Cobalts to take a portrait of the entire Earth, or even of the Silicon Valley. However, with Google's zillions, just about anything's possible. It's got its eye on you; the end is near.

Bugatti to introduce open-top Veyron Link to Original Article @ LeftLane News Bugatti has long been rumored to be mulling over the idea of producing an open-top version of its outrageous Veyron closed-roof supercar, but now the Volkswagen-owned manufacturer has confirmed plans for a Veyron sans top. The Veyron-without-a-roof will feature a targa-style removable roof over the two passengers in order to maintain structural rigidity. The detachable roof is expected to be glass, so it can't be stored inside the Veyron. But Bugatti engineers think of everything and they're planning to include a soft cloth roof for emergencies. Autogespot reports that the topless Veyron will have to undergo some structural reinforcements that will tone down the car's performance just a touch. But top speed is still estimated at 217 mph, hardly a letdown. Bugatti is planning to produce 80 open-top Veyrons.

Rolls-Royce introduces certified pre-owned program Link to Original Article @ LeftLane News Rolls-Royce has jumped on the increasingly popular certified pre-owned bandwagon with a new program called "Provenance." Virtually every luxury carmaker and almost all non-luxury carmakers offer some sort of certification program for qualified used cars and Rolls thought it was time for them to join the foray. U.K.'s Car magazine reports that Rolls-Royce's program doesn't differ much from other manufacturers in that it offers an extra 24 months worth of warranty in addition to any remaining warranty for qualified cars. Rollers that qualify must have passed an inspection process to the point where they are "virtually flawless," according to Rolls-Royce.