Cars And Motors

January 2010 Top 10 Year-to-Date Pickup Truck Sales

2010-02-04T03:23:00.001-08:00

Top 10 Pickup Truck Sales in January 2010
No. 1: Ford F-Series
27,630 +9.5% YTD
January 2010: 27,630
January 2009: 25,237
No. 2: Chevrolet Silverado
22,772 -5.1% YTD
January 2010: 22,772
January 2009: 23,987
No. 3: Dodge Ram
9,957 -22% YTD
January 2010: 9,957
January 2009: 12,843
No. 4: GMC Sierra
7,271 -9.3% YTD
January 2010: 7,271
January 2009: 8,020
No. 5: Toyota Tacoma
6,747 -4.1% YTD
January 2010: 6,747
January 2009: 7,619
No. 6: Ford Ranger
4,143 +47.3% YTD
January 2010: 4,143
January 2009: 2,813
No. 7: Toyota Tundra
3,904 -40.2% YTD
January 2010: 3,904
January 2009: 7,076
No. 8: Nissan Frontier
1,955 +22% YTD
January 2010: 1,955
January 2009: 1,603
No. 9: Chevrolet Colorado
1,939 -43.2% YTD
January 2010: 1,939
January 2009: 3,411
No. 10: Nissan Titan
1,492 +2.3% YTD
January 2010: 1,492
January 2009: 1,458
Update 1: February 2, 2010 10:47 pm
Fixed incorrect YTD sales figure for Ford Ranger

Small Pickup Trucks Lag in IIHS Crash and Roof Crush Tests

2010-02-04T03:21:00.001-08:00

By Larry Edsall for PickupTrucks.com

Only one of five small pickup trucks – the Nissan Frontier — tested for rollover protection received a good rating from the by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the group reported late Wednesday. However, even the Frontier (also sold as the Suzuki Equator) fell short of achieving the IIHS’ “Top Safety Pick” recognition.
Worst of all, though, was the failure of the Dodger Dakota’s side-curtain airbags to deploy in the pickup’s side-impact test.
“In our tests, side airbags have proven to be very reliable, so this is a surprise,” said IIHS spokesman Russ Rader.

The Dodge Dakota's side impact airbags failed to deploy in the IIHS test.
The IIHS says that Chrysler engineers told the Institute that they have identified the problem – a computer program algorithm that calculates when to fire the airbags – and are working on a remedy. The Institute will retest the Dakota after that software is repaired.
“The Dakota is the only 2010 small pickup the Institute tested that has optional rather than standard side airbags,” IIHS senior vice president David Zuby said in a statement. “Most of the auto industry pledged to get standard side airbags in every new passenger vehicle by now.
“Chrysler is the only manufacturer we know of that isn’t living up to the spirit of the 2003 agreement.”
In that agreement, 15 automakers agreed on rules to reduce the risks in frontal and side crashes involving larger and heavier sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks. According to the IIHS, “the idea was to make safety improvements like installing side airbags in all passenger vehicles more quickly than would have been the case with a government regulation.”

Rader noted that “one overall takeaway is that small pickups generally do not do as well in safety tests as other vehicle groups.”
But, he added, “We expect that to change as new models are designed.”
He said that it is not unusual for vehicles to fail to achieve a “good” rating in the rollover tests, a new part of IIHS ratings.
For example, among micro and mini cars, only one of six vehicles achieved a “good” rating. Among midsize cars, only 11 of 23 received “good” scores. Among small SUVs, only five of 14 got the “good” rating.
Nonetheless, “as a group, small pickups aren’t performing as well as small cars or small SUVs in all of the Institute’s safety tests,” Zuby said. “None of the ones we tested is a top-notch performer across the board.”

The Nissan Frontier after the IIHS performed its new roof crush test. It performed best among all small trucks.
The Frontier/Equator came close, but was rated only as “acceptable” for protection against occupant neck injuries in a rear crash. To be a top safety pick, a vehicle has to earn “good” scores in front, side, rear and rollover tests, and has to be equipped with electronic stability control.
In the Institute’s roof strength test, a metal plate is pushed against one corner of the roof at a constant speed. To earn a “good” rating, the roof must withstand a force four times the vehicle’s weight before reaching five inches of crush. A scale of strength-to-weight determines the acceptable, marginal and poor ratings.
The Frontier/Equator’s roof withstood 4.11 times vehicle weight. At 3.32, the Ford Ranger was rated “acceptable.” The Dodge Dakota (3.23), Toyota Tacoma (3.08) and Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon were rated “marginal.”

The IIHS also conducted side-impact tests and the Colorado/Canyon was rated “poor” in that category.
The Institute noted that while the Colorado/Canyon has standard side-curtain airbags, it “lacks additional airbags designed to protect a driver’s torso. The Colorado’s poor structure, along with poor protection for the driver dummy’s chest and pelvis, contributed to its poor rating overall. Plus the dummy’s head came close to moving around the curtain airbags during the impact by the intruding barrier.”
In fact, Zuby said, “a slightly different crash configuration could have resulted in a direct hit from the barrier on the dummy’s head.”
In the side-impact tests, the Frontier/Equator, Ranger and Tacoma were rated “good.”

Road Test Review: 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor

2010-02-04T03:19:00.001-08:00

Road Test Review: 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor

Last Updated on Thursday, 4 February 2010 09:27 Written by admin Thursday, 4 February 2010 09:27

Staring at a Molten Orange Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, it doesn’t take long for the truck to sear itself onto your retinas, creating an afterimage once you close your eyes. Afterimages disappear after a few seconds, but that’s not the case with the visceral impression of the Raptor, which has been permanently fused with our pickup-truck-driving neurons.
After all of the technical , first-drive and comparison coverage we've given the Raptor, you’d think we'd be bored with it. But every time we get in the factory prerunner, it's a new experience that leaves us wanting more.
As we enthusiastically prepare for the powerful, new 411-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8 Raptor to arrive any day now, we thought we'd spend one last week hitting the trails in the 310-hp, 5.4-liter V-8 version.
We were fortunate to receive the Raptor at PUTC's headquarters in Southern California. The truck was developed only 150 miles away — in the unforgiving terrain of the Anza-Borrego desert wilderness — and much of the undeveloped land in SoCal is just about perfectly matched to the Raptor's strengths. But before we could make a run across California's badlands, we first had to escape from Los Angeles.
Driving a clean Raptor on city streets feels about as natural as brake torquing a hybrid before leaving a stoplight; it borders on embarrassing. The last thing we wanted to be mistaken for was being a commuter in a Raptor. We'd rather be caught with pec and calf implants. There was a perceptible difference in the reaction of drivers, too. We got more thumbs up when the Raptor was dirty than when it was shiny.

The Raptor was impossible to hide in Los Angeles. Its color, width (6.6-inches more than a standard F-150) and height were immediately noticeable. That helped in traffic because most drivers gave it a respectable cushion of space, but parking it could be almost as challenging as running the Raptor over a technical trail. Both required some recon and planning before executing, but we weren't going to tear the roof off the Raptor in the desert like we might maneuvering it in a garage. If we thought driving a clean Raptor was embarrassing, we imagined it would be infinitely more humiliating to air down the tires to squeeze out from under a support beam.
This might sound trivial, but if there was ever a truck that could beat Southern California's notorious freeway expansion joints, it's the Raptor and its Baja racing-inspired suspension. The joints are regularly spaced breaks between concrete sections of highway surface, giving roads room to flex and breathe.
Extended cab pickups, like the Raptor, are notoriously prone to up-and-down “beaming” that frequently occurs while driving over these joints. You can go for miles where you have to hold onto your coffee to keep it from spilling.

The Raptor’s special Fox Racing-engineered front and rear shocks feature three shock fluid gates inside their barrels that change the dampening rate as the shock responds to every surface condition the truck encounters, from pothole to mudhole. The ride felt a bit stiffer than expected on the freeway, but it virtually muted all beaming in places where we’ve suffered it before in other extended cabs. We consider this a valuable bonus.
During our first drive of the Raptor several months ago, we mentioned how its six-speed automatic transmission constantly hunted or lazily shifted as it tried to optimize fuel economy over performance. That was our experience again with the truck, and it was particularly noticeable climbing steady grades with slight inclines. The Raptor couldn’t seem to decide whether it wanted to be in 5th or 6th gear, even when we held the truck’s speed using cruise control. As before on our first drive, our solution was to keep the truck in tow/haul mode to hold each gear a bit longer before upshifting. Driving became much more satisfying this way, though on downgrades we’d let the gearbox have full control to avoid an unexpected downshift as the truck tried to slow itself with engine braking, thinking a trailer might be attached.
Off the line performance wasn’t bad though for a heavy off-road truck with a 310 hp engine. In an earlier drive, we timed the Raptor with our VBOX taking a reasonable 8.8-seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph.

One of the marvelous things about the Raptor that doesn’t get talked about enough is its excellent cockpit. The seats are well bolstered and hug your back and hips. Hopping in, you immediately feel supported by the truck and confident driving it. When you close the door, all the controls wrap around you and are easily reachable. The console-mounted shifter, off-road mode and hill-descent control buttons and auxiliary power switches fall on your right side at waist height, so you can adjust the truck’s performance quickly as driving conditions change. And just so you don’t forget it’s Molten Orange on the outside, the seats and instrument panel feature the same colored inserts and highlights.
We’re huge fans of Ford’s Sync system, which easily detected our Blackberry and provided traffic conditions at a glance so we could steel ourselves for gridlock or try to plot alternative routes around LA’s crowded freeways and major streets. But as we prepared to set course for one off-road destination, we noticed one major shortcoming with Sync that really stood out in the Raptor. We couldn’t input latitude and longitude coordinates into the navigation system like we could on other trucks, such as the Ram Power Wagon. Geographic coordinates are important in reaching points off-road where the trails aren’t mapped or you need to carve your own path. Ford spokesman Alan Hall says the next version of Sync, called MyFord Touch, will allow us to enter latitude and longitude.
Our Raptor also came equipped with Ford’s optional Sony audio system. Sound quality was quite good, particularly playing satellite radio, but we weren’t so happy with the aluminum mesh speaker grates in the doors. They scraped the back of our hands like a cheese grater when we reached for stuff in the door pockets.
City driving behind us, we turned our attention to wheeling in the Raptor. Much of the year, desert temperatures are a furnace that can quickly turn you into beef jerky if you get into a jam before help arrives. But in the wintertime, it's much more hospitable to off-road exploration.

We took the Raptor to three off-road spots: the Trona Pinnacles, Red Rock Canyon and Hungry Valley. Each offered its own unique trails to challenge the Raptor. At Trona, we headed for a wide riverbed that runs between the park’s stunning rock formations. The sandy wash was bone dry on the surface but wet underneath with the moisture left over from last week’s big storms.
Aside from running flat out on a dirt road, there’s probably no better way to get familiar with the Raptor’s high-speed off-road capability than a dry wash. You can run flat out for hundreds of yards or more with little risk of hitting anything larger than worn river rock or a hardy bush. If you need to slow down, letting off the accelerator is usually all that’s needed because the Raptor’s 6,000-pound mass ensures it will start to sink into the sand as it sheds speed, slowing it even further.
We ran the Raptor in four-wheel drive with Off-Road Mode engaged. Off-Road Mode gives the Raptor a linear throttle response, like a race truck, instead of high power at the beginning and tapered at the end, like a street truck. We noticed that characteristic right away, as it took a few moments for the engine and mass of the truck to spool up to Baja-worthy speeds in the silt. Once in the zone and flying through the wash, the Raptor’s transmission found its sweet spot in the power range and held onto its RPMs instead of upshifting, similar to tow/haul mode. Even when we let our foot off the accelerator, using the sand’s friction and depth to scrub speed as we picked different channels to run through, the power was readily available when we needed to call on it again once we knew the way was clear.

Some of the most fun we had was trying to get the Raptor sideways. As much as we gripe about wanting more power from the 5.4-liter V-8 in the F-150, in the Raptor it lets you tail-slide with precision instead of overpowering the truck if you’re accidentally too strong with the throttle. You simply angle the wheel, hit the throttle and enjoy the tail-slide. In flat stretches, you can really let the Raptor rip and drift through the bends. The grippy 315/70R17 BF Goodrich tires and wide stance (about 6.5-inches wider than a standard F-150) add to the stability. Body control is excellent.
After Trona, we headed to Red Rock Canyon’s sandy and rocky trails. Here, we played with the Raptor’s agility on tight paths and followed trails that were little more than single tracks in places. Instead of high-speed stunts, we picked our way around sharp rocks and large bushes with little more than adding a few more desert pinstripes to the sides of the Raptor’s wide fenders.
All day we had looked for a place to jump the Raptor, and in Trona we found just the right bump to get the truck airborne. The amazing part of the jump was that it only took 20 to 30 mph to do it, and from the driver’s seat we almost couldn’t tell. As the Raptor’s suspension fully extended itself in midair, it was totally quiet in the cabin. On landing, the shocks and jounces soaked up the impact, so we weren’t violently pushed toward the roof. The triple bypass Fox dampeners we spoke of earlier only perform stronger the harder they’re pushed. Shock absorption is almost four times better at the end of the travel than when the shock is first compressed. It was simply an amazing performance in an act that probably would have destroyed 99 percent of the vehicles on the highway. Ford’s SVT engineers and the folks at Fox Racing deserve mad props for their suspension tuning and durability in the Raptor.

Finally, at Hungry Park near Gorman, Calif., we played with the Raptor on muddy trails still wet from the runoff of fresh snow. The Raptor didn’t feel quite as comfortable in this situation. The F-150’s weight played against it a bit as it sunk into sticky mud, but the truck’ never let us down when we needed extra power to scoot out of a slick situation.
Though it wasn’t as dramatic as power sliding in a wash, we played with the Raptor’s Hill Descent Control. Several times we let the truck crawl its way down some very steep hills. The HDC walks the truck by modulating the antilock braking system automatically so you can keep your foot off the brake and simply steer the truck in the proper direction. The Raptor’s HDC is the quietest we’ve experienced. The ABS modulations were smooth and unobtrusive. Once, the Raptor started to slide a bit going downhill because of the slick mud, but it quickly regained its footing as the tires bit into more solid dirt.
Each time we started crawling the truck down the grades, a small group of spectators and passing dirt bikers stopped to watch, and each time we gave what was probably a less dramatic show then they thought they’d see.
After two days of off-roading in the Raptor, we returned to city driving before giving the Raptor back to Ford. But before we cleaned it up, we drove around Los Angeles like we were wearing medals of honor. The Raptor was covered in a layer of dried mud and dust. The Molten Orange color was obscured and didn’t blind us with its brilliance as before. But that was OK. The memories of wheeling in the truck are going to last much longer. The Raptor is a truck that makes us want to play in the dirt every chance we get.

Ford Ka

2010-02-01T06:25:00.001-08:00

After 12 years sterling service the original Ka has finally been replaced. Based on the Fiat 500, the newcomer has a tough act to follow.

Styling/Image
When it was unveiled in 1996, the original Ka redefined the style standard for city cars. Unfortunately, the second-generation car can’t match the visual impact of its predecessor. As a result of being based on the same platform as the Fiat 500, the Ford’s exterior design is compromised. It looks particularly ungainly from the rear, where it appears too tall and narrow. There are four models available, including Studio, Style and Style+. At the top of the range is the Zetec, which is distinguished by standard alloy wheels and front fog lamps.

Interior/practicality
Given its diminutive exterior dimensions, the Ka has a surprisingly practical cabin. There’s decent space front and rear, and a useful 224-litre boot – extending to 747-litres with the rear bench folded flat. The Ford’s Italian connection is obvious from behind the wheel, as it uses the same dashboard architecture and switchgear as the 500 and Panda. All models get a six speaker stereo with aux-in connection, while Style trim adds electric windows and central locking. Air-con is standard on Style+ and Zetec versions.

Engines/Performance
For the first time ever buyers can specify their Ka with a diesel engine. The torquey 74bhp 1.3-litre unit serves-up decent refinement and mid-range pace, and should also return nearly 70mpg at the pumps. However, we’d plump for the excellent 68bhp 1.2-litre petrol powerplant instead. It lacks the muscle of the oil-burner, but its smooth and eager delivery suits the small Ford’s character. Both engines are mated to a standard manual five-speed gearbox that’s linked to a stubby and slick-shifting centre console-mounted lever.
Driving experience
The first generation Ka was famed for its agile and entertaining chassis. Unfortunately, the new model struggles to live up to the legacy of its illustrious ancestor. However, the blue oval’s engineers have tweaked the suspension and steering, making the driving experience more involving than Fiat 500. Compared the Italian car, the Ford has more accurate steering and stronger body control, while the ride has greater composure over big bumps.
Ownership costs
Up against most of its city car rivals, the Ka looks a little expensive on paper. Going some way to offsetting this premium is the lengthy list of standard kit on all but the entry level Studio model. The residuals are decent too, ranging between 42 and 45 percent. Ford’s extensive dealer network should also help to keep servicing costs down. All models emit less than 120g/km, meaning an annual road tax bill of £35.

Safety/Environment
With a disappointing four star EuroNCAP rating, the Ford actually achieved a lower score than the older Fiat 500. Only driver and passenger airbags are standard – you’ll pay extra for side and curtain items. You’ll also have to dig a little deeper in your pocket if you want ESP. There’s better news on the environmental front, where sub 120g/km CO2 emissions result in a low VED Band B tax slot.
Our Choice: Ka 1.2 Style+

Inside the Vauxhall Meriva

2010-02-01T06:24:00.001-08:00

We get world first access to groundbreaking new supermini-MPV

Vauxhall is opening up about its all-new Meriva – and Auto Express was first to jump into the driver’s seat!
Practicality is key in the supermini-MPV class, and the Meriva is stuffed with fresh ideas. Bosses say the car is groundbreaking – so to put these claims to the test, we got exclusive access to an early Opel-badged model.
The new Meriva has been designed from the ground up to be the most versatile and stylish car in the class. And with its innovative doors, wide variety of seat layouts and novel storage solutions, its cabin promises to take family-friendly features to a whole new level.
The major talking point is clearly the rear-hinged FlexDoors. They are similar to those on Mazda’s RX-8 and the MINI Clubman, but uniquely, on the Meriva the back doors can be opened independently of the fronts.
Easier
As a result, access to the rear is narrower than on most cars – but we found this set-up easier and more logical. We got in and out of the back with the door fully open, and also in a tight space, while you fall back into the seat, rather than climbing round it. Even when the Meriva is in a supermarket car park, for example, occupants will be able to rotate their bodies around the B-pillar and slip through this space with ease.
A further advantage of the layout is that parents will be able to strap their children into the back without having to contort themselves around the door. However, a Vauxhall engineer assured us this layout does not compromise side impact protection or torsional rigidity – so the car will be just as strong in the event of a crash.
The clever features don’t stop there. The cabin can be configured in layouts from one to five seats, depending on whether you need to maximise luggage or passenger space.
Up front, the design is a variation on that seen in the larger Astra and Insignia, and uses the same high-quality materials and intuitive controls. The front seats are carried over from these cars, and have the widest range of adjustment in the class. The gearlever sits high on the centre console, with the standard electric handbrake below it, and that has created space for the Meriva’s party piece: an entirely new version of Vauxhall’s FlexRail system. This comprises two aluminium rails, running between the front seats, on to which designers have mounted a three-tier storage bin with trays and cup-holders.
The box can be moved along the rails or taken out, and with the middle section of the rear bench folded flat, it can even be placed between the back seats. Adding to the practical feel is an optional bike rack, built into the rear bumper, as on the Corsa.
On the outside, the Meriva hides its functionality with genuinely desirable looks. The similarities to the Astra and Insignia are evident in the grille and creases in the door panels, but elsewhere the newcomer has its own personality. A blacked-out section below the rear windscreen disguises the model’s height, while the big headlamps and wraparound tail-lights help it stand out.
Yet chief designer Niels Loeb is most proud of the pronounced kink in the window line. “Not only does it add character to the profile, it also offers extra visibility for rear passengers, which could prevent children from feeling car sick,” he said.
Power comes from a range of six turbocharged diesel and petrol engines, delivering from 74bhp to 138bhp. We drive the Meriva in April, after its debut at March’s Geneva Motor Show – and if Vauxhall carries over the Astra and Insigina’s dynamic polish, it will have a real winner.

Toyota: Fix coming 'soon' for recalled gas pedals

2010-01-31T01:12:00.001-08:00

The automaker has been in discussions with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the fix.
The recall is to correct a problem that could cause the gas pedal, as it ages and becomes worn, to stick partway down under certain circumstances. Toyota recalled 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S. for this problem, although no repair procedure had yet been put in place.
The recall affects Toyota's 2009-2010 RAV4, Corolla and Matrix; 2005-2010 Avalon; certain 2007-2010 Camrys; 2010 Highlander; 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010 Sequoia. The Camry Hybrid is not included in the recall.
"We're extremely sorry to have made customers uneasy," Toyota president Akio Toyoda told Japanese news agency NHK on Friday. "We plan to establish the facts and give an explanation that will take away the customers' concern as soon as possible."
The Japanese automaker also recalled cars in Europe. That recall involves eight different models, several of which are not sold here. The precise number of vehicles involved in that recall is still under investigation but it could be as many as 1.8 million, Toyota said in a statement.
The gas pedal recall is separate from an earlier one, begun in November to fix a problem in which the gas pedal can become caught on the edge of the removable floormat.
The floormat recall was recently expanded so that it now covers a total of 5.3 million vehicles.
In many cases, the same vehicles are involved in both recalls. It was not immediately clear how many different vehicles, in total, are part of the two actions.
Toyota owners with questions should call Toyota's customer service line at 800-331-4331.

Toyota's sales could shift into reverse

2010-01-31T01:11:00.001-08:00

Michelle Krebbs, senior analyst for Edmunds.com, said that if not for this week's problems, Toyota's sales would have been up at least slightly for the month.
The expected drop could send Toyota's market share below 15%, which would be its lowest level in nearly four years.
Most of Toyota's rivals, on the other hand, are expected to post higher sales compared to a year ago. Ford Motor (F, Fortune 500), which reported its first market share gain in the U.S. since 1995 last year, is expected to pass Toyota (TM) in market share in January, according to Edmunds.com's estimates.
Ford joined General Motors and other automakers trying to capitalize on Toyota's problems, offering an extra $1,000 to buyers who trade in Toyotas when purchasing a new car.
That could be a big problem for Toyota.
"People buy Toyotas for their bullet-proof reliability. That was their main selling point, and that's taken a huge hit," said Krebbs.
Even when Toyota fixes the gas pedal problems, it is likely to have trouble gaining back share, some say. If the company loses market share this year, that would be the first decline since 1994.
Art Spinella, head of CNW Market Research, said Toyota should be worried about lasting damage to its reputation.
"This is a game changer for Toyota," he said. "They have some serious, serious work to do to repair the damage done to their image."
Spinella said Toyota was already more vulnerable than many believed. His firm's consumer survey from mid-January showed Toyota had already fallen from its traditional position of first or second in quality estimates of potential buyers to seventh. Apparently, recalls that began late last year are having an impact.
"This was just the latest recall problem for Toyota," said Spinella. "Word of mouth is the key for all of this, and always has been. And it's much tougher to move back up the list than to fall down."
Toyota spokeswoman Sona Iliffe-Moon said the company won't comment about any potential hit to sales and market share before its scheduled release of January sales on February 2.
"Clearly there will be a sales impact with the stopped sales," she said. "Really, right now our focus is working on a remedy."

The 2009 Volvo C30 R-Design, an AW Drivers Log

2010-01-27T07:03:00.001-08:00

SENIOR WEB REPORTER GREG MIGLIORE: What a riot of a little car. You get the horsepower and torque of a midsize sedan in a three-door hatch that’s a lithe 3,200 pounds--nice. It’s a fun, diminutive car, but it doesn’t drive too small; it’s not like the Honda Fit, where you can find your nerves jangled in some circumstances.
The turbo I5 is a solid powerplant, making for peppy passing and acceleration. Around 4,000 revs seems to be a sweet spot for this motor. I found the steering to be a little ragged, particularly during acceleration in turns, but not of poor quality. Just a little less refined.
The interior was quite comfy and stylish. The hatch is surprisingly useful and looks good with the glass. It’s too small for hauling lumber or anything like that, but it’s plenty good for a duffle bag or the everyday items we all drag around. The gauges are simple and easy to read, but there are too many numbers in the center stack. I don’t like the middle to look like a graphing calculator.
Nice sheetmetal with sleek lines. It’s a small car that looks great. The gas needle hardly moved during my commute and my night of running around. A manual transmission would have been nice, though.
The C30 was equally adept on the expressway, blitzing in and out of lanes with ease and confidence--not something most small cars exude. It was also fine in the close quarters of the small neighborhoods I had to navigate.
This, to me, is what a future small car should be. It’s useful, looks good and is fun to drive. Small for being small is no fun. But this mite does most things right.
COPY EDITOR CYNTHIA L. OROSCO: This little hatch is pretty hot. I liked the sheetmetal from the first glance in the parking garage. It’s sleek, it’s stout and it looks like it should be driven fast. And the C30 does go pretty fast, zipping along on neighborhood roads and especially on the expressway. The feel is very agile, making passing a breeze. When you step on the gas, this car goes, and it does so pretty economically. And when it comes time to stop, the braking is solid, no jerkiness.
Inside, the seats are quite comfortable and the materials don’t look cheap. But the seatbelt being so high on the B-pillar makes being belted in uncomfortable; I felt like I was being choked. On the positive side, those belts would definitely hold you in place in the event of a crash. The sound system was solid and the overall gauges/control setup was clean, except for what looked like a calculator. Pretty odd. The hatch did offer some space for making a grocery run, but I sure wouldn’t want to be in the back seat; there is no legroom. Maybe if the seat bottoms weren’t so long, someone might actually fit back there. As it is, maybe small kids, but you would have a tough time getting a car seat or booster seat in place.
All in all, my time behind the wheel was fun, and for what the C30 is and offers, the price point isn’t bad.
2009 Volvo C30 R-Design
Base Price: $26,745
As-Tested Price: $30,265
Drivetrain: 2.5-liter turbocharged I5; FWD, five-speed automatic
Output: 227 hp @ 5,000 rpm, 236 lb-ft @ 1,500-5,000 rpm
Curb Weight: 3,225 lb
Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 22/25.7 mpg
Options: Preferred package including Dynaudio premium sound system with Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound, power driver’s seat, keyless drive, trip computer, fog lights ($1,250); climate package including heated front seats, rain sensor, headlight washers ($675)

Saab sold to Spyker

2010-01-27T07:02:00.001-08:00

General Motors' Saab division won't end up on the postbankruptcy scrap heap with Pontiac and Saturn.
Just as Saab's death appeared imminent, the Swedish automaker was scooped up on Tuesday by Dutch supercar-maker Spyker Cars in a $74 million deal that has been in works for months.
The deal is expected to close on Feb. 15, according to a press release from Spyker issued on Tuesday. The first installment of $50 million will be paid on that date, with the remaining $24 million to be paid on July 15. The deal is contingent on the execution of a € 400 million ($564 million) loan agreement between Saab and the European Investment Bank, a loan that the Swedish government on Tuesday agreed to guarantee.
According to the agreement, Saab's future as an independent car company will be secured. All Saab assets will be transferred to the new company, which will be a Dutch public company renamed Saab Spyker Automobiles NV.
“We are very much looking forward to being part of the next chapter in Saab's illustrious history,” said Victor R. Muller, Spyker CEO. “Saab is an iconic brand that we are honored to shepherd. We are delighted to have secured the jobs and livelihoods of thousands of loyal Saab employees, suppliers and dealers and to have given reassurance to the 1.5 million Saab drivers and enthusiasts around the world. It was breathtaking to see so much support from the global Saab community over the last months, which not only shows the strength of the brand but also helped us in our relentless determination to get the deal done.”
Muller said as recently as two weeks ago that he expected to finalize the acquisition of Saab in “days, not weeks.” GM, meanwhile, was proceeding with the orderly two month wind-down of the company. GM purchased Saab two decades ago and had lost money on the company for years.
GM originally agreed to sell Saab to Swedish supercar-maker Koenigsegg, but that deal fell through in November.
Spyker's purchase of Saab means the company will need to hire more workers to increase production capacity so the new company can build Saabs and a higher volume of Spyker vehicles. Muller has said Spyker plans this year to make about 100 of its supercars that will sell for $200,000 to $250,000 each.

If Saab follows the product-rollout script written prior to the company going on the block, an all-new 9-5 sedan beginning production in Trollhattan, Sweden, will debut this spring. The new 9-5 is based on a long-wheelbase version of the Insignia from GM's European Opel subsidiary. It's not clear how the purchase will affect future Saab product, such as a replacement for the 9-3.
The sale means Saab owners are guaranteed a supply of parts, as well as future models, to replace the cars in their garages. Saab enthusiasts, some of whom came to GM headquarters in Detroit in early January to protest Saab's demise, can rest easy knowing their favorite brand is back from the brink.
What is also clear is that Muller's purchase left a bid stalled on the grid by Formula One commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone. Ecclestone and Luxembourg-based Genii Capital pitched the idea of buying Saab in early January.

Toyota halts sales as plants wait for new pedals

2010-01-27T07:01:00.000-08:00

Toyota Motor Corp. has suspended sales of eight models as its assembly plants wait for redesigned replacements for faulty accelerator pedal mechanisms.
The sales halt will be followed by a production shutdown next week at five North American plants, Toyota said late Tuesday. The factories produce the cars and trucks that were among the 2.3 million Toyota recalled last week to fix accelerator pedals that are prone to stick.
Some Toyota plants may have already received the replacement part, but others will have to wait until production of the new mechanism ramps up, a person familiar with the matter said.
The source didn't offer details of the timeline. Blueprints for the redesigned mechanism were finished earlier this week by engineers at Toyota r&d and the U.S. supplier, CTS Corp., the person said.
“The countermeasure pedal is now available from the supplier,” the source said. “We are now in the transition period. It's just a matter of time in getting the parts to the plants.”
Toyota spokeswoman Ririko Takeuchi confirmed that the supplier has already developed a replacement mechanism for the pedals. She said it was unclear to what extent they have already been shipped to assembly plants. Two of the factories are in Indiana, with one each in Texas, Kentucky and Canada.
The fix comes as the world's largest automaker struggles to rein in a widening crisis involving complaints about unintended acceleration cases, several that involved fatal crashes.
The faulty accelerators were made in Canada by CTS, which is headquartered in Elkhart, Ind. A person answering the phone after hours Tuesday declined to comment on the situation.
Last week's recall covers 2005-10 Avalons, 2007-10 Camrys and Tundras; 2008-10 Sequoias; 2009-10 Corollas, RAV4s and Matrixes; and 2010 Highlanders.
Takeuchi said next week's production shutdown is aimed at averting an inventory backup. It was unclear when output will resume. Production of the recalled vehicles will be initially halted from Feb. 1 through Feb. 5.
Following the Jan. 21 recall announcement, a limited number of vehicles continued to be made with the problematic pedal mechanism, Takeuchi said. It is unclear how many, but those vehicles were not shipped, she said.
Last week's recall followed a 4.2 million-vehicle recall last fall aimed at fixing floor mats that could jam the accelerator, causing unintended acceleration.
Bigger headaches still loom for Toyota.
Although the company has developed a replacement pedal mechanism so it can continue production of 2010 model year vehicles, fixing vehicles already in the field is more complicated.
Swapping old pedals for new ones would require volume of some 2 million pedals.
“We have to produce more than 2 million pedals,” the source said. “That takes a long time. That's more than we can produce in a year.”
Meanwhile, Toyota may expand the recall to Europe and China.

Report: GM’s Full-Size Pickup Trucks to Receive Major Update

2010-01-13T16:58:00.001-08:00

GM's executive committee recently approved several hundred million dollars to fund a major update for its full-size pickup trucks, according to a report in The Detroit News .

The Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra are expected to receive more aerodynamic exteriors, updated interiors and fuel efficiency improvements.

The current Silverado and Sierra light- and heavy-duty pickups were introduced in 2006 as 2007 models.

GM will introduce freshened 2011 Heavy Duty pickups this year with an all-new frame and a new Duramax 6.6-liter diesel V-8.

The updated trucks are two to three years away from showrooms.

Names 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid Best of 2010

2010-01-13T16:57:00.001-08:00

Today, Cars.com named the Ford Fusion Hybrid the 'Best of 2010' in the site’s annual Platinum Awards, which recognize the best cars of the new model year. Our editors put every new or significantly redesigned car, truck, SUV and crossover through a rigorous process of judging, and in the end the Fusion Hybrid proved to best a competitive field.

The other nominees included the Best New SUV, Chevrolet Equinox; Best New Compact, Mazda3; Best New Hatchback, Kia Soul; Best New Hybrid Hatchback, Toyota Prius; and Best New Wagon, Subaru Outback.

“The Cars.com Platinum Awards represent the best work by automakers for the 2010 model year. These vehicles excel on all levels,” said Patrick Olsen, editor-in-chief at Cars.com. “The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid outshined all 2010s, earning it the title Best of 2010, Cars.com’s most prestigious award. We’ve seen hybrids come into their own over the past few years, but none have been so free of compromise as the Fusion Hybrid. We recommend that shoppers – green or otherwise – take a serious look at this car.”

2011 Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty Pickups to Debut at Chicago Auto Show

2010-01-13T16:56:00.001-08:00

2010 Chevrolet Silverado HD pictured

The new 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty pickup trucks will debut at the Chicago Auto Show next month.

Two of the improvements on tap? A new 6.6-liter Duramax V-8 diesel engine and an all-new chassis underneath. Styling tweaks are also expected, and we're sure there will likely be other surprises.

We'll be in Chicago live for the reveal.

Special Editions Rams Coming Soon?

2010-01-09T02:03:00.001-08:00

The Chrysler Group has released information on a slew of new trim packages and models that will debut next week at the North American International Auto Show for existing vehicles in three of its four brands. They include the new Chrysler 300 S8, Jeep Wrangler Islander and Dodge Nitro Detonator. But what about the Ram brand? There's no mention of new models for its dedicated truck lineup but we think that could change soon.

Over the past several months, Chrysler has trademarked many of the names of the just announced vehicles, including two that weren't mentioned: Laramie Prospector and Laramie Western Sky. We're thinking that the Ram brand will announce these names for limited-edition versions of its full-size pickups next month at the Chicago Auto Show. Laramie is the top-end trim package for the Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 trucks.

Stay tuned.

Chevrolet Aveo RS at 2010 Detroit Auto Show

2010-01-08T22:47:00.000-08:00

Looks like: The next-generation Aveo, dressed up for “The Fast and the Furious” tryouts
Defining characteristics: Snub-nosed hatchback design, turbocharged four-cylinder engine, digital/analog instrument pod
Ridiculous features: Nothing that you can't already get from the aftermarket
Chance of being mass-produced: Maybe not this RS version, but a basic model will hit dealers

The Chevrolet Aveo RS is technically a “show car” designed to share with consumers the ways in which the upcoming production model could be modified. But if you remove the aggressive styling cues — large vents in the front bumper, 19-inch alloy wheels and center-mounted exhaust pipes, to name a few — you're looking at the next-generation Aveo hatchback.

Although Chevrolet showed reporters — including myself — near-production-ready versions of the Aveo hatchback and sedan at an event leading up to the Detroit auto show, the automaker said only the Aveo RS show car will be on display in Detroit.

The Aveo RS features a version of Chevrolet's signature twin-port grille, but the new circular headlights on either side of it give the car an entirely different look from its Chevrolet siblings. The production Aveo's headlights are a bit toned down from the ones you see here; they don't have the BMW-like halos that the RS gets.

The overall profile of the Aveo RS — with its snub nose and forward-raked C-pillar — is essentially the same as the production car, which means the new Aveo will be a pretty sporty-looking hatchback even if it doesn't come with the RS' appearance and performance bits. Some of those components include large brake calipers painted Boracay Blue to match the car's exterior and a liftgate spoiler.

The current Aveo is one of the most affordable cars available today, and its basic interior reflects that fact. The Aveo RS shows Chevrolet intends to raise the style factor of the car's cabin, as an all-new instrument pod in front of the steering wheel incorporates a digital speedometer and analog tachometer. New controls in the middle of the dashboard resemble the ones in Chevrolet's new Cruze compact sedan.

The front-wheel-drive Aveo RS is powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder that makes 138 horsepower. It's the same engine that will be offered in the Cruze, and it teams with a six-speed manual transmission. It's unclear whether this turbocharged engine will be offered in production Aveos.

The Aveo has been a source of cheap wheels for car shoppers for years, but the Aveo RS indicates Chevrolet wants to make it something more than just an affordable choice. It's too early to know how the new Aveo will be priced, but from what we can see from the show car, the new Aveo looks much better positioned to challenge models like the Honda Fit and Nissan Versa.

More photos below.

Consumer Reports Digs Up True Cost of Mercedes’ Diesel

2010-01-07T22:17:00.001-08:00

Thursday, 7 January 2010 06:57

When it comes to vehicle costs, it’s all a balance, isn’t it?

Consumer Reports discovered this firsthand when it brought a Mercedes-Benz GL350 diesel SUV to the dealer to fill up on AdBlue, the urea-based additive that keeps large turbo-diesel engines emissions-compliant by breaking down smog-producing nitrogen oxide into water and nitrogen, and the vehicle will stop running if the fluid runs low.

After a year of driving and with 16,565 miles on the odometer, the GL350 required a top-off of AdBlue to the tune of $32.20 per gallon for 7.5 gallons. After labor, the bill came to a hefty $316.99.

According to Consumer Reports' calculations, at this rate AdBlue costs alone would total $1,457.80 (without labor) for 100,000 miles of driving, canceling out roughly a third of the fuel savings you get instead of buying a comparable vehicle such as the GL450 V-8. (There is no gas-powered V-6 GL.)

Like we said, though, it’s all about balance. A simple oil change at a Mercedes-Benz dealership will set you back $100 every year, according to the folks at the service center of Mercedes-Benz of Chicago. In other words, if you’re buying a luxury SUV somewhere in the range of $67,000, you probably shouldn’t be shocked by most service bills.

Then again, if you buy a BMW diesel, the free maintenance plan makes AdBlue free for the first 50,000 miles.

Mercedes-Benz GL320 BlueTec—Feeling a Bit AdBlue Over Spending a Lot of Green (Consumer Reports)

Navigation Standard With MyFord Touch

2010-01-07T22:16:00.001-08:00

We didn’t know but could’ve guessed that the high-tech MyFord Touch system that debuted today would only be available with navigation included, but now Ford has confirmed that fact. When you check off the option box for MyFord Touch in the 2011 Ford Edge or 2012 Ford Focus, it will come with navigation.

An interesting note is that the Lincoln version, called MyLincoln Touch, will be standard in the 2011 Lincoln MKX, meaning that the SUV will have navigation standard. Few models of any make, even luxury brands, come with standard navigation.

No pricing for the MyFord option or the MKX itself has been announced. We’d guess that MyFord Touch will have to run similar to or more than the current Sync-powered systems in cars such as the Ford Fusion, whose navigation system costs $1,775.

Ford also revealed the front end of the MyFord media hub, with its two USB ports, SD slot and RCA inputs. That picture is below. All navigation updates will be downloaded via an SD card, the company says.

Excerpt from:
Navigation Standard With MyFord Touch

Special Editions Rams Coming Soon?

2010-01-07T22:14:00.000-08:00

Stay tuned.

Excerpt from:
Special Editions Rams Coming Soon?

Tags: chicago-auto, chrysler, chrysler-group, dedicated-truck, international, laramie-western, north, over-the-past | Posted under Autos | No Comments

Chevrolet Aveo RS at 2010 Detroit Auto Show

Last Updated on Friday, 8 January 2010 05:01 Written by admin Friday, 8 January 2010 05:01

Looks like: The next-generation Aveo, dressed up for “The Fast and the Furious” tryouts
Defining characteristics: Snub-nosed hatchback design, turbocharged four-cylinder engine, digital/analog instrument pod
Ridiculous features: Nothing that you can't already get from the aftermarket
Chance of being mass-produced: Maybe not this RS version, but a basic model will hit dealers

More photos below.

More:
Chevrolet Aveo RS at 2010 Detroit Auto Show

Tags: 2010 detroit auto show, aftermarket, aveo, chevrolet, chevrolet aveo, chevy-aveo, concept cars, detroit, furious, production, raise-the-style, showcar | Posted under Autos | No Comments

Shark Bite! We Drive the Amazing Project PT-57 Hot Rod Pickup

Last Updated on Thursday, 7 January 2010 10:29 Written by admin Thursday, 7 January 2010 10:29

Words and photos by Mark Williams for PickupTrucks.com

It was just last November when we first saw this custom ’57 Chevy pickup on the floor of the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. In fact, we picked the PT-57 as one of the top trucks of the show and knew we had to get a closer look.

Based in Luling, Texas (about an hour east of San Antonio), Hot Rod Jim’s builds late-model Corvette chassis to order for any hot rod-loving car nut who wants to build a Cobra-killer for the racetrack. Builder and owner Russell Alexander said the idea for the PT-57— named for the Pro Touring race class and 1957 Chevy pickup — came from an old bomber jacket his grandfather gave him years ago. He started working on the pickup about three months before the SEMA Show.

Without question, the most eye-catching aspect of the truck is the war bird theme as interpreted by its builder. With olive drab green as the base coat, both the yellow and black highlights make for a dramatic visual one-two punch. Clearly borrowing from the famous Curtiss P-40 Warhawk designs of the early ‘40s, the PT-57 screams World War II fighter, with the most pronounced detail being the signature “shark mouth” face boldly emblazoned on its snout.

Astute P-40 experts will notice the eyes (actually stickers) on this PT-57 fender were inadvertently mounted upside down, changing the overall effect ever so subtly from fierce to mildly upset. Still, the look on the front end of the truck looks striking and perfectly keeps with the project’s theme. And it’s cool. Russell credits his brother with all the painting, which includes the mock rivet and panel lines. But this truck isn’t just about looking good.

From the outset, with a clean ’57 Chevy body in hand, the team tailored the signature Corvette chassis to fit the truck’s narrow front stance. Russell and his crew also had to widen the rear bed fender wells to more closely align with the Z06 rear-end geometry. To keep the center of gravity as low as possible, Russell heavily modified the floor pan and firewall to give it a menacing low-slung stance. And he decided to keep the bed floor open to highlight all the suspension and performance components. For those looking for more rear-end grip, any number of bed floor designs could be accommodated.

Under the hood is a 6.0-liter GM V-8 taken from a 2500 Silverado HD and bolted to a Borg Warner T56 six-speed manual transmission. After a few modifications to the engine block, Russell mounted a pair of STS turbos behind the rear axle so they stay cool. Two K&N air intake filters are tucked behind the bed quarter panels with air inlets in the side panels designed to pull as much cool air as possible into the system. It’s worth noting the side pipes on the PT-57 (one of our favorite touches) are functional, working as an external wastegate, dumping unneeded exhaust gases when pressure builds. Although it hasn’t been on the dyno yet, Russell estimates it’ll put out almost 570 horsepower and close to 600 pounds-feet of torque at the rear wheels. And, he says, all the emissions from the tailpipe are completely legal, which may not be a surprise because in the state of Texas, it just needs to be as clean as a factory ’57 small-block pickup.

The finished truck weighs about 3,400 pounds and has a better distribution (closer to a 50/50 weight split) than a brand-new C6 Corvette, Russell says. With the heavier-duty rear axle bracing — complete with a custom-cut “PT-57” nameplate — and roll bar attachments, we’d guess the front-to-rear ratio is closer to 53/47, making it a strong and confident tight-track racer.

Our visit to the shop was supposed to include a thorough test drive of the rig, but we were pounded with ugly weather and nasty rain. (That’s why many of the photos are a little messy.) Although the roads were slick — and muddy in some cases — we were still impressed with how balanced and sure-footed the truck handled cornering and acceleration. No doubt the massive Michelin Pilot Sports helped provide tremendous grip. A quick spin around the Lockhart Municipal Airport convinced us that the chassis is about as dialed in as any pickup we’ve ever driven. And Russell says the payload to the truck is more than 1,000 pounds. Seems like a performance pickup truck with an independent rear suspension could make a lot of sense.

Perhaps our favorite part of the truck was on the inside — specifically, the PT-57’s fuselage-like interior, with its Spartan use of sound-deadening materials or basic amenities. (It looked more stripped than bare bones.) Like many SEMA project trucks, the interior is likely to remain a work in progress for quite some time. For now, we’d describe it as “rough,” not unlike the P-40 Warhawk’s interior — all that you need, nothing you don’t. No luxury or high-dollar details here, just gauges, levers and a steering wheel — ready for combat.

When asked how much it would cost to order one of these custom trucks, Russell was reluctant to give a definitive answer because his shop can offer so many options, including a Stage I or Stage II or Stage III configuration, depending on how much racing the owner wants to do. With that said, he figures the starting price is somewhere around $90,000. That’s interesting, because that turns out to be about twice what a brand-new P-40 cost when the Curtiss-Wright Corp. built them in 1944. How times (and prices) have changed.

Still, the PT-57 is craveable. Just imagine all the Japanese and German sports cars you’ll be able to notch on your belt or paint on the PT-57's flanks.

Read the rest here:
Shark Bite! We Drive the Amazing Project PT-57 Hot Rod Pickup

Tags: german, photos, project, rear, russell, sema, texas, truck | Posted under Autos | No Comments

EPA Proposes New Smog Standard

Last Updated on Thursday, 7 January 2010 09:20 Written by admin Thursday, 7 January 2010 09:20

The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday proposed a stricter standard for pollutants that cause smog, a rule that would affect utilities, manufacturers, oil refiners and automakers. The new standard, if approved, would impose moderate to large costs but also have impressive health benefits for millions of people.

The proposal would change the primary standard for ground-level ozone of no more than 0.075 parts per million, as imposed by the Bush administration, to 0.06 to 0.07 parts per million, but phased in over the next two decades.

The EPA estimates that this standard would cost the aforementioned industries between $19 billion and $90 billion a year by 2020 but would be offset by the benefits to people’s health, valued at $13 billion to $100 billion a year over the same period. The money would come from the savings born by 12,000 fewer premature deaths from heart and lung disease, as well as thousands of cases of bronchitis, asthma and non-fatal heart attacks avoided.

Obviously, environmental interests are lining up on one side of the argument — the National Association of Clean Air Agencies even thinks the EPA’s cost-to-industry numbers will turn out to be lower — while industry lines up on the other. The American Petroleum Institute derided the rule, saying it would cause job losses and raise energy costs.

The EPA offered no specifics on how the proposal might affect automakers, but one may assume they will oppose the new rule as well.

EPA Asks for Stricter Rules for Pollutants Causing Smog (New York Times)

Link:
EPA Proposes New Smog Standard

2009 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible Video

2009-07-28T03:05:00.000-07:00

When handing out reviewing assignments, it’s always best to put the 25-year-old guy into a car that will give his friends plenty of opportunity to lambast him. Thus, Cars.com reviewer Joe Bruzek had the opportunity to review the 2009 Volkswagen Beetle convertible. OK, so maybe it’s not his cup of tea, but is the Beetle convertible a car worth checking out anyway? Find out in Bruzek’s video review.

Date Cars: The Guys

2009-07-28T03:03:00.000-07:00

Do men care what kind of car a woman drives? If she pulls up for your date in a Chevy Camaro, would that significantly impress you? Would a minivan be a deal-breaker? These are the kinds of burning questions we had, so we sent Cars.com interns Emily Maters and Lauren Makholm to the 2009 Taste of Chicago festival to find out what men really think about their dates’ cars.

Yes, Electric Cars Will Reduce Carbon Emissions

2009-07-28T03:01:00.001-07:00

There are a lot of benefits to electrifying automobile transportation, but one of the best to keep in mind when you’re getting into debates with your naysaying friends is that electric cars will greatly reduce carbon-dioxide emissions. And yes, they will do so even if the electricity they’re powered on comes from coal.

The website Dvice did a little basic math to demonstrate that even when their power comes from coal, electric cars have a 60% lower CO2 impact than cars that burn gasoline.

There are 250 million cars in this country, so, hypothetically, let’s say that overnight all those cars become EVs with 25 kWh batteries. For some perspective, the Chevy Volt will use a 16 kWh battery and the Tesla Roadster has a 53 kWh battery.

Each kWh takes a car two to three miles, so let’s be conservative and say the average driver would charge their car twice a week, or about 100 charge cycles per year. All told, Americans would use 600 billion kWh per year, which is only 15% of our current total production of 4 trillion kWh per year.

This is a modest increase when considering the enormity of running every single car on the electric grid, but it gets even better in terms of CO2 reduction. Each kWh produced by a coal-fired power plant creates two pounds of CO2, so our car-related CO2 footprint would be 1.2 trillion pounds.

Yes, that’s a lot, but burning just one gallon of gas puts out 20 pounds of CO2 from the tailpipe. In 2008, we burned 3.3 billion barrels of gas, for roughly 3 trillion pounds of CO2. Therefore, a switch to electric vehicles would create a 60% reduction in C02 emissions, even if we only burned coal to generate that power.

Sorry, Critics — Electric Cars Really Are Greener (Dvice)

Domestic-Parts Content: Where the Automakers Stand

2009-07-28T03:01:00.000-07:00

American-Made Index rates cars built and bought in the U.S. The percentage of domestic content used in each car plays a major role in the index; we use the domestic-parts content rating that’s been required on new-car labels since the mid-1990s. The top-placing Toyota Camry, for example, has an 80% domestic-parts content rating for the 2010 model. But where do automakers’ entire lineups rank against each other in terms of their vehicles’ domestic-parts content, particularly when you weight the cars by how many they sell?

It’s no simple task to determine — you’ll see some wrinkles below — but we took our best shot. Weighted for sales, here’s how the big players measure up in domestic-parts content:

GM: 69%
Ford Motor Co.: 64%
Chrysler Corp.: 60%
Honda/Acura: 58%
Toyota/Lexus/Scion: 44%
Nissan/Infiniti: 31%
Mitsubishi: 25%
Subaru: 20%
Mercedes-Benz: 16%
Suzuki: 12%
Mazda: 11%
Volkswagen/Audi: 9%
BMW/Mini: 5%
Jaguar/Land Rover: 3%
Porsche: 3%

General Motors, which fielded three models in this year’s AMI, leads the pack at 69%. Credit strong sellers like the Chevy Malibu and Pontiac G6 (both 80%). While we disqualified the G6 in the AMI — as it’s being discontinued along with the rest of Pontiac — we didn’t for this list because this one is only concerned with the overall level of domestic parts that automakers’ cars and trucks use. Ford comes in second, even though Volvo (which it owns) has a lineup with minimal domestic-parts content. That drags its parent down roughly 2 percentage points. Chrysler rounds out the top three at 60%. Interestingly, Honda ranks the highest among Japanese automakers, thanks in part to heavy-hitters like the Odyssey (80%), Accord (65%) and Pilot (70%). Toyota landed a record four cars on the AMI, but its aggregate parts content remains a less-impressive 44%. Why? Despite popular cars like the Camry (75% for 2009 model, 80% for 2010), Tundra (80%) and Sienna (85%), the automaker has more than a dozen models with domestic-parts content ratings south of 30%.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration publishes a list each model year for domestic-parts content. To see where car companies stand, we weighted NHTSA’s 2009 domestic-parts content ratings against each model’s year-to-date sales through June. You’ll note that NHTSA doesn’t report every brand out there: A handful of brands, from Hyundai/Kia to Smart, haven’t yet been reported. We asked NHTSA why, and we’ll let you know when we get a response.

We aren’t the first group to compile this sort of ranking. The Automotive Trade Policy Council, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that represents the Detroit Three automakers, compiled aggregate domestic-parts content ratings in 2006. Back then, ATPC found Detroit automakers had sales-weighted parts content of 76%, while Japanese companies came to 48%.

Keep these figures in mind as you read the American-Made Index. The Camry may be the most American car this year, but when you’re looking at the domestic-parts content of an entire automaker, Detroit still comes out on top.

Recall Alert: 2005-2006 Subaru Baja

2009-07-28T02:58:00.000-07:00

Subaru is recalling 15,633 Baja sport-trucks from the 2005 and 2006 model years for faulty fuel systems. A fuel hose may crack leading to a fuel leak. Fuel leaks can lead to fires if near any kind of ignition source.

Dealers will replace all necessary parts free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in September. Owners can contact Subaru at 800-782-2783.

BMW Puts $4,500 Behind Diesel Models

2009-07-27T03:28:00.001-07:00

It’s not likely that many folks would shop at a BMW dealership looking to cash in on the Cash for Clunkers program, which is why the company has launched a new incentive to promote its two fuel-efficient diesel models. A $4,500 “eco-credit” will go toward the purchase of either a new BMW 335d or an X5 xDrive35d, on top of current financing offers, and with no trade-in required.

A 335d starts at $43,900, so according to the government program’s rules, it could qualify for either $3,500 or $4,500 in federal funds when exchanged for a clunker, no matter how many options it was loaded up with. The 335d is also eligible for a $900 tax credit. The 335d gets combined mileage of 27 mpg, versus a gas 335i’s 20 mpg, while still delivering a thrilling driving experience. We found a few modestly equipped 335d models in Cars.com’s inventory for $45,225. Add all the above incentives, and those would end up costing $35,325. Read our full review of the 335d here.

The X5 starts at $51,200 and thus would not be eligible for the government incentive (program rules say any vehicle with an MSRP over $45,000 can’t be bought using Cash for Clunkers), but with BMW’s eco-credit it would cost less than a base X5 xDrive30i. The diesel incentive offer runs through August.

Toyota Offering Five-Year Leases to Comply With Cash for Clunkers

2009-07-27T03:28:00.000-07:00

Part of the small print in the Cash for Clunkers legislation is that it can only be applied to leases with terms of at least five years. Most lease deals are for much shorter terms — two to three years — because the allure of a lease is that you get out of a car and into a new one quickly.

Toyota is one of the few automakers we’ve heard of that will offer five-year leases, created just for the program. The 60-month leases are available for the Yaris, Corolla, Camry, RAV4 and Tacoma. One sample offer for a Yaris lease lists a headline-grabbing monthly payment of $79 per month for 60 months. The money you’d have to pay up front is $5,229, but if you deduct the $4,500 Cash for Clunkers credit, you’d end up paying $729 up front.

How much would it cost you to buy a Yaris in the same scenario and own it outright at the end of the term? Financed at 2.9% for 60 months, with that same down payment, it would be $125.03 a month, not including tax or destination.

The lease also allows you to drive only 12,000 miles a year. Offers vary by region.

Mazda Adding $500 Cash for Clunkers Bonus

2009-07-27T03:27:00.000-07:00

Is the government’s $3,500-$4,500 Cash for Clunkers rebate not enough to get you to buy a new car? Well, we’ve already outlined 10 great cars to spend the federal funds on, but today Mazda is making sure it gets consideration, too. The company is adding a $500 cash incentive for those taking advantage of the legislation, and that’s on top of all current incentives.

That means that on the all-new 2010 Mazda3, which only has financing offers — 3.9% for 60 months through July 31 — you’d get $500 cash back, dropping the MSRP of $15,045 to $10,045 if you qualify for the full Clunker rebate. The base Mazda3 with a manual transmission has a combined mileage of 28 mpg, so it would qualify for $4,500 under the program no matter what you’re trading in. (Clunkers have to get 18 mpg combined or worse to qualify, and new cars have to get 10 mpg better to qualify for the full $4,500.) The automatic version gets 27 mpg combined, meaning your clunker would have to get 17 mpg to qualify for the full $4,500. These are the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid models in Mazda’s lineup.

Other noteworthy deals can be had on the 2009 Mazda6. The redesigned sedan is sporty, with plentiful backseat room and a giant trunk. Plus, it has low financing of 2.9% for 60 months, plus $1,500 cash back. Add another $500, and that takes the $18,550 starting price to $13,050, assuming the $3,500 clunker rebate. Combined mileage for the four-cylinder Mazda6 is 24 mpg.

Cash for Clunkers Postponed To Monday

2009-07-27T03:25:00.001-07:00

The government website that lists details on the CAR Allowance Rebate System (informally known as Cash for Clunkers,) has been updated this morning. While the site had said the program would start “around July 24” it now says the program will start on July 27, or Monday.

Many dealers locally are already advertising the federal incentive, and one at least one automaker, Hyundai, is advancing its dealers funds to cover the federal incentive. The company says Clunker sales made up 7 percent of sales in the first week of July.

We’d suggest consumers call their local dealers and ask if they’re already registered with the program and accepting trade-ins if they decide to go car-shopping this week.

We have been covering the program extensively since day one, and have a number of resources that can be found in our Guide to Cash for Clunkers.

Update: According to a Pittsburgh TV station, the program was delayed due to the government's computer system crashing.

2010 Acura RDX Gets New Grille, Price, Front-Wheel Drive

2009-07-27T03:25:00.000-07:00

Acura’s new company face, a big shield fixed into the grille, has landed on the RDX for 2010. It was the last model in the lineup to get it, and we have to say, it could have been left alone. Other design tweaks to the lower bumper and headlights are more welcome and add a beefier look overall. The backside gets some work, too, but it’s harder to see the changes there. The dual exhaust pipes are now hexagonal instead of circular, and the license plate frame is slightly smaller.

Inside, hardly anything gets touched, and the engine is the same 240-hp, turbocharged four-cylinder. The biggest changes come in terms of trim levels. The RDX now comes in a base, front-wheel-drive model in addition to the previous all-wheel-drive version. There are technology packages available for both. Pricing for the front-wheel-drive model is $32,520, with all-wheel drive starting at $34,520. The 2009 RDX with all-wheel drive started at $33,895. What do you get for the extra $600 and change besides the new grille?

Basically, the base models still come with leather, a moonroof, dual climate control and Bluetooth. The standard seven-speaker stereo system now comes with iPod integration and a USB adapter.

Gas mileage remains the same for the all-wheel-drive model, at 17/22 mpg city/highway. Front-wheel-drive versions will save 2 mpg, getting 19/24 mpg city/highway. Premium gas is required.

The 2010 RDX is heading to dealerships now. A full price breakdown and more pictures are below.

Pricing

RDX: $32,520
RDX SH-AWD: $34,520
RDX with Technology Package: $35,620
RDX SH-AWD with Technology Package: $37,620

Destination: $810

Reader Review of the Week: 2009 Ford Flex

2009-07-27T03:22:00.000-07:00

Franz from Bryan, Ohio, purchased a 2009 Ford Flex after finding that it met a long list of criteria. Surprised at the luxury the Flex offers, Franz nevertheless found fault with a few aspects of the Flex, including its less-than-stellar gas mileage. Read the full review to find out more, then post your own review here.

“I was looking for a vehicle that would fit all my needs: stylish, not plain, plenty of room for carrying passengers as well as cargo, good performance and decent gas mileage.

“Ford did a great job with the Flex, but before I bought one I had no idea how much of a luxury vehicle they were. I bought a 2009 SEL with everything except Sync and navigation (wish I would have bought Sync, though). The vista roof is great for passengers and the seating is comfortable. It is roomy enough for hauling students around to events as well as for my family on long trips.

“Gas mileage is all right with an average of 20 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway, but honestly it should be higher. There is plenty of power under the hood to make the Flex get up and go when needed, but using it really affects your gas mileage.

“Handling could be a little better, but it is adequate for daily driving. The Flex is a heavy vehicle. You will feel it in the turns, but it is not top heavy at all, so that is a bonus.

“Since I bought mine, all my friends have ridden in it and love it. One even ran out and bought one for himself. They are great and I am very satisfied with the Flex overall.”

Toyota to Liquidate California Plant

2009-07-23T22:13:00.001-07:00

According to a Japanese news agency, Toyota is pulling up stakes at its Fremont, Calif., factory, known as NUMMI. This is the plant that was jointly run by Toyota and GM before GM’s bankruptcy filing this summer. The Detroit-based automaker decided NUMMI — where it built the Pontiac Vibe alongside the Toytoa Corolla and Tacoma — was not integral to its future. NUMMI employs 4,700 people and is the only U.S. Toyota plant with UAW employees.

This would shake up Toyota’s U.S. manufacturing plans, as the company doesn’t build the Corolla or Tacoma anywhere else in the country. The Corolla is also built in Canada and Japan. Toyota recently built a plant in Mississippi that is sitting empty. It was scheduled to build the Prius hybrid, but those plans were put on hold after demand for the car fell along with gas prices.

Toyota could shift Corolla and Tacoma production there.

Update: Toyota previously moved Matrix production to Canada. The Wall Street Journal is also reporting that negotiations have begun for Toyota to pull out of NUMMI.

Update 2: L.A. Times also confirms the closing, mentions this is the last California auto plant.

Report: Toyota to end venture with GM in Calif. (Detroit News)

MIT Working on EV Rapid Recharging

2009-07-23T22:13:00.000-07:00

If you’re a student at MIT, you’re not like every other college student in the country. No, you get to develop a prototype rapid-recharging electric vehicle. And that’s not all -- the power needed to make such a system work has to come from your university’s own power plant.

Still, the concept isn’t pie-in-the-sky academic research. Rapid recharging is the holy grail of electric vehicles. Their limited range and 3-12 hour recharging times make them impractical for long trips and relegate them strictly to second-car or commuter-car status.

The students expect the prototype — a gutted 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid — to be up and running by 2010. They also say the engine itself isn’t the cost issue and rightly point out that electric vehicles should be cheaper to maintain for owners.

Video: MIT working on rapid recharging for electric vehicles (Engadget)

2010 Hyundai Accent Blue, 36 mpg

2009-07-23T22:12:00.001-07:00

For the 2010 model year Hyundai is updating its lowest priced model, the Accent, in a number of ways. Chief among them is a new trim level called Blue that gets 28/36 mpg city/highway. That’s up from 2009’s best Accent mileage of 27/33 mpg.

All other Accent models — like the SE shown above — also get mileage bumps of one to two mpg and Hyundai has added an “eco” indicator to all 2010 models that lights up when you’re driving efficiently.

The Accent Blue will also be the base trim of the Accent line, costing “around $10,000” according to Hyundai. It goes on sale this fall.

One other new feature is an iPod/USB port on all trims.

Picks Best Cash for Clunkers Deals

2009-07-23T22:12:00.000-07:00

Have you done your research and decided now’s the time to trade in your old clunker for a shiny, new car? Well, Cars.com knows there’s a dizzying array of choices out there — we’ve ranked them by make and model, mileage, car and truck — and come up with a list of 10 vehicles worthy of the government’s hard-earned money.

We made our selections based on a number of factors, including reliability, gas mileage, safety and, of course, overall price.

Podcast: 2010 Ford Taurus

2009-07-23T22:10:00.000-07:00

This week, Ask.cars.com editor Joe Bruzek joins senior editors Joe Wiesenfelder and David Thomas to discuss the new 2010 Ford Taurus and Taurus SHO. They break down why the new Taurus isn’t your father’s Taurus, and why it might not deliver what you expect it to. They also answer some Ask.cars.com questions.

Download the podcast via iTunes here or via web browser here.

Tesla Opening Seattle, Chicago Stores in Weeks

2009-07-23T00:15:00.001-07:00

Tesla, maker of a $100,000 electric roadster and an upcoming all-electric premium sedan, announced today that new retail outlets in Seattle and Chicago will open July 25 and Aug. 7, respectively.

Both locations will offer rides in the Tesla Roadster during their grand openings. Earlier this summer, Tesla opened outlets in London, where it will build right-hand-drive cars, and in Manhattan.

We assume that with the purchase of a storefront in Chicago, the company will replace the huge pest-control billboard that graces the building next door, which is visible from the highway as shown here in a Google image. Because we commute past it every morning, we can assure you there’s no Tesla signage in place yet and the building looks pretty much as it does in the picture.

What Would You Think of a Guy Who Drove This?

2009-07-23T00:13:00.000-07:00

Cars.com had a question for the women at the 2009 Taste of Chicago festival: What would you think of a guy who picked you up for a date in this car? Ranging from a minivan to a Smart ForTwo, our examples spurred a lot of heated discussion about what a guy’s car says about him on that first date. Also, the words “Italian stallion” are dropped in this video. Now you have to watch it just to find out the context, right?

Data on Distracted Driving Was Suppressed by NHTSA

2009-07-21T23:54:00.000-07:00

In 2003, researchers at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration were worried that the proliferation of cell phones was creating a severe threat on U.S. roadways and proposed a long-term study of 10,000 drivers to determine if cell phone use posed a public safety risk.

The study never happened, though, and hundreds of pages of research and data warning of the danger posed by drivers multitasking behind the wheel were kept off the public record. Officials now say it was partly because the U.S. Congress had warned the agency not to lobby states about hands-free laws.

Consumer advocacy groups like the Center for Auto Safety filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, and now the full body of research has been made available.

The findings are nothing new today. The research reiterates that cell phone use while driving poses a safety threat: A driver on the phone is four times more likely to get into an accident, the same as a driver with a .08 blood-alcohol level. It also noted that hands-free headsets do nothing to help drivers focus on the road, as studies showed that drivers using the sets were just as distracted and at risk for an accident as those who held the phone.

At the time of the study, the Transportation Department estimated that 6% of drivers were on the phone at any given time, but they now think that number has doubled. This is not reassuring, because in 2002, when there were far fewer cell phones around, researchers estimated 240,000 accidents caused by cell phones, including 955 fatalities.

For their part, the transportation officials at the time said the data was “incomplete” and “inconclusive,” and that more research was needed. The question for current Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is what to do about the growing number of distracted drivers. Of course, most regulation has come at the state and city level, with no intervention from the federal government.

U.S. Withheld Data on Risks of Distracted Driving (The New York Times)