The auto media seem to believe that Toyota’s reputation is ruined.
Consumers, though, are still under the impression that Toyota’s quality is tops when compared to all other automakers.
How can that be? More importantly: Who’s right?
Car Industry News, Car Minded, Car Safety, Foreign Cars, General Chat, Trucks & SUVs
In case you missed it, we want to show you Conan O’Brien recently laughing about milking NBC for “crazy-expensive” comedy bits that really aren’t funny. [Audience goes wild.] So, he says, let’s “say hello to our new Tonight Show character, the Bugatti Veyron Mouse!” [Audience goes wilder.]
Townsend and her Pacifica, photo by Kyndell Harkness, Star Tribune
Car salespeople can be a shifty bunch.
How many times have car dealers outright scammed car buyers, using every sales trick ever invented to maximize their profits on each sale?
I’ve known salesmen who brag about how badly they’ve screwed costumers on car deals, just to fatten up their commission checks. So on the rare occasion when I hear about a dealership getting screwed, it’s hard to muster much compassion.
Check out this story:
This car, the R8 Spyder V10 5.2 FSR Quattro (to give it the full unwieldy handle), is undeniably one of the most exciting road cars ever built. Beautiful, powerful, with handling and performance that are state-of-the-art. Okay, Audi, how do you properly convey all that, not just to the miniscule group that can afford the R8, but to the real audience, the larger public that ogles cars like this?
Well, one tested way is to show ‘em a video. Let’s look at Audi’s latest (they have already created several not-so-hot others for the Spyder) after the break.
Saab could be sold for a buck, Chrysler will merge with Lancia, and the Dodge Durango may become a Magnum…
Needless to say, the happenings in the auto world are getting more and more unpredictable! Here’s the scoop on what’s going on that could impact what cars are coming soon:
Car Industry News, Car Minded, Cars Coming Soon, Domestic Cars, Foreign Cars, General Chat, Trucks & SUVs
MINI’s new crossover will come to life at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Until then, you can see pix and commentary all over the Web. We will sample some of that and give you our (mostly positive) thoughts on this new car.
The name Countryman hearkens back to the 1960s and the Morris Minor (if anyone but me remembers that machine). This hatchback has four doors, upright seating, and clever use of space. Outside, it’s the traditional MINI look as newly interpreted by BMW. Inside, you’ve got a Center Rail extending front to rear with lots of storage boxes, cupholders, and containers for all the “kit” people tend to carry these days.
Car Industry News, Car Minded, Car Shows, Foreign Cars, General Chat
I’m guessing there aren’t a lot of fans of Jennifer Love Hewitt’s Ghost Whisperer reading this blog.
I have to admit that I’m a big fan, though, and not just because of some of the low-cut dresses Ms. Hewitt sometimes wears.
On a recent episode, Hewitt’s character was surprised by her husband with a new GMC Acadia, which she gushed over. The car has since been worked seamlessly into many scenes, consistently showing the bold GMC logo.
And so goes the subtle nature of product placement advertising. According to the Detroit News, this is the kind of advertising we can expect from GM, rather than flashy and expensive Super Bowl ads.
The reason?
Car Industry News, Car Minded, Domestic Cars, General Chat, Trucks & SUVs
The Chinese are taking over the car world, or so they would have us believe. BYD showed its E6, a five-passenger plug-in electric crossover, in Detroit and got some pretty good world press. It’s going to come to the U.S. sometime before the end of the year with a “limited dealer network.” So said Henry Li, BYD’s export head, though David Cole—longtime auto industry observer—pointed out the difficulties in breaking into the U.S. market. Still, BYD aims to sell 800,000 vehicles this year and be the “top global automaker by 2025.” Warren Buffet is one of its investors.
The car is supposed to have a full-charge range of 330km; using 220-volt current it can quick-charge to 50 percent capacity in 10 minutes, to 80 percent in 15. Cost is predicted to be around $40,000. It’s comparable in size to the MAZDA5.
Car Industry News, Car Minded, Car Shows, CarGurus Features and Updates, Domestic Cars, Electric Vehicles, Foreign Cars, General Chat, Green Updates, Hybrid Cars
For those who believe the Jeep twins Patriot and Compass were as lowly as a vehicle wearing the seven-slot grille could get, get ready for this:
The blokes over at Autocar say Fiat is preparing to use the same platform used on the Alfa Romeo Milano (concept version pictured above) in an upcoming Jeep model. Does that sound to you a little like a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model crashing the party at a redneck wedding? Yeah, me, too.
Car Industry News, Car Minded, Domestic Cars, Foreign Cars, General Chat, Trucks & SUVs
This time it’s a hybrid, all-wheel drive, 400-hp concept that has been revealed in Japan. This, according to Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s partner that brought you another concept we reported on last Friday, the FT-86 G. Say what you will, the Big T is stepping out with performance concepts, and they look to be terrific.
The MR2 Concept has been testing for some time, we think, but some details were just released: A 3.3-liter V6 drives the rear wheels through a paddle-shifted CVT, with an electric motor powering the front wheels. Combined ouput of both systems is supposed to be 400 hp. With the car weighing in at around 2,866 lbs, you can expect some extraordinary performance. Leftlane estimates 0-60 mph in under 4.5 seconds.
Car Industry News, Car Minded, Foreign Cars, General Chat, Hybrid Cars
Recent Comments