1962 Ford Cougar!
In 1962 Ford was in pre-production of what would become the Ford Mustang. Rare pictures from those early days of development were posted on the Mustang Facebook page yesterday, along with the disclosure that the original name for the car was the Ford Cougar. Can you imagine, the first of the pony cars carrying a cat’s name? Maybe the entire segment would have taken on the name “kitty cars” had the Cougar name stuck.
Look closely and notice the iconic Mustang logo on the grille is actually a Peugeot-ish cougar scratching at the box it’s enclosed in. The photos are a fun glimpse into the birth of an icon, a car that has carried on for almost 50 years. The official 50th anniversary of the Mustang happens on April 17, 2014, which almost coincides with the coming sixth-generation of the muscle car. Ford has plans, of course, to celebrate its milestone. While we wait for those details, let’s take a look back at some of our favorite ‘Stangs from the last 49 years.
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It can be hard to sit here and write about cars on a day when so many humans were hurt in a senseless act of violence. I am not in Boston. I’ve never been to Boston. But that doesn’t take the pain away. This wasn’t just about Boston, but about the running community, the families of runners, the volunteers for the race, the citizens of the city and the people across the world watching live footage of the response and the tremendous outpouring of support that came immediately.
I know this is a car blog, and I’ll get back on topic, but I can’t let this event go unnoticed here, especially with so many fellow CarGurus, family and friends in the Boston area. I truly hope everyone is well, and that, if there is a positive to be taken away, it’s that the darkness of evil is replaced just a little more by the light of all those who choose to love instead of hate.
Part of recovery, of course, is moving on and finding stories of cooperation and getting back to the things that make us happy. With that in mind, I want to talk about two adversaries coming together for the better good of the automotive industry.
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Have you ever heard of the Wuling Sunshine?
Neither had I. The Sunshine is a minivan built and sold in China by Wuling Motors, which is actually a partner with General Motors. According to the automaker’s website, the Sunshine boasts a “user-friendly handling mechanism,” a “reliable braking system” and “comfortable interior decorations.” I’m sure the rest of the car is top-notch as well. I don’t know about you, but I’m left wondering where to sign! That bit about the reliable braking system sold me, because that’s just not something we see enough of these days.
Sarcasm aside, you might find yourself wondering why I’ve spent the first hundred words or so of this blog talking about such an obscure vehicle. Certainly it’s not the best selling car in the world, right?
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Think back to the year 2000, if you will.
Panic about the impending clock change had just passed, Pepsi Twist was the hot new soda, “Gladiator” was the big blockbuster, and nobody bought Cadillacs.
Well, nobody cool or even remotely young bought Cadillacs, anyway.
The Wreath and Shield brand was relegated almost entirely to the retired crowd without a lot of hope for a future turnaround. Today, 13 years later, there’s been a massive shift, as Cadillac has started tearing up showroom floors almost as fast as it finishes hot laps around the Nurburgring.
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I’ve been a card-carrying member of the diesel fan club for many years. The benefits of longevity and fuel economy speak for themselves, but the advancement of gasoline engines has significantly narrowed the gap in recent years.
The average cost of diesel fuel remains well above that of regular unleaded, and diesel cars typically cost much more than the same model powered by a gasoline engine. So have oil burners lost their edge? Chrysler doesn’t think so, as its turbodiesel V6 could start showing up in more models.
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Tesla hasn’t done much that’s conventional in the car business. Just being successful as an independent U.S. automaker is unconventional enough, but the feisty maker of sexy electric cars has shunned the traditional dealer network and, now, debuted a whole new way to finance a Model S.
Well, mostly new. It’s essentially a lease. And a purchase, but with all kinds of asterisks and “true cost of ownership” numbers involved. But is the new financing program truly revolutionary, as Tesla CEO Elon Musk has suggested?
Well, yeah, the idea actually is. Don’t expect to drive a new Tesla for dirt cheap (not even close), but Tesla’s new financing plan should pique the interest of more than a few potential buyers.
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If you can’t get to a Maserati, maybe a Maserati will come to you.
Maserati has always been an aspirational brand, sitting perhaps just beneath Ferrari but above BMW in the hierarchy of automotive royalty. To buy a new Maserati currently takes at least a hundred grand, and you’d have only a couple of choices. Buyers can choose the sexy and powerful GranTurismo sports car or the family-friendly supersedan known as the Quattroporte.
Even top-tier automakers, though, struggle to find a niche to generate profit. For many, the answer is dipping down to lower markets in an attempt to lure more buyers. The sales ploy is easy and often very convincing: Own an exotic car for nearly the price of a mass-market premium car.
The Maserati Ghibli may be next to test the theory of automakers going cheaper to make more money.
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2014 Chevrolet Impala: With the right marketing, it could be huge
Name a Chevrolet car, not called Camaro, that buyers would pay $40,000 for the privilege to take home.
Impala? Nope. Malibu? Nice, but not more-than-$30K nice. So why is it that competitors like Toyota and even Hyundai can sell cars for over 30 grand, or even up to 40, while Chevy is forced to move its metal through the use of heavy discounts?
The answer comes down to one word. You might think that word is “quality,” but you’d be wrong.
The word is “marketing.”
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Holy hot sauce, this is weird:
America’s supercar might go super-wagon. Maybe it’s an effort to emulate the Ferrari FF, or maybe it’s just a hair-brained idea to milk the Corvette marketing machine for everything it’s worth, but sports car tuner Callaway has released a few renderings of a design study for a shooting brake version of the C7 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.
I admit, the pictures look kind of cool. Alluring, even… but a long-roofed ‘Vette wouldn’t offer the amenities of the FF. So without adding the benefit of all-wheel-drive or a V12 engine, why bother?
Well, maybe Callaway has an answer for that question—an answer that could be more affordable than you think.
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photo: Dirk de Jager
Amelia Island sits just off the coast of northern Florida. It has a turbulent and violent history, having changed ownership after battles many times over the last few hundred years. Today, it’s a peaceful place known for a shrimp festival, music festivals, tourism, golf… and the annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
At just 13 miles long, it wouldn’t take long for a 1968 Ford GT40 to blast from one end to the other. Of course, a Concours d’ Elegance isn’t about speed or racing, it’s more like a beauty pageant for elegant and rare vehicles.
The Concours last weekend showed off some beautiful machines, with one of the two Best of Show awards going to a true racer.
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