and have experienced phenomenal growth over the past few years, even as the rest of the auto industry was embroiled in an ugly downturn. In fact, 2011 was a terrific year for the Korean automaker, as sales jumped by double digits globally.
But while Hyundai/Kia has been on fire of late, Reuters reports that company officials feel that 2012 isn’t likely to return the same gains. The automaker is reportedly looking for a still-impressive six percent sales growth in 2012. One reason for the somewhat conservative expectations is that the automaker is stretched thin on capacity, and Hyundai Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo (above) wants to concentrate on quality.
The markets weren’t all that impressed with the Hyundai Group’s announcement. Hyundai stock dropped by .9 percent, while Kia shares shrunk by .3 percent. That’s not good for the portfolio, but if Hyundai and Kia can manage to improve product quality, then both investors and car buyers should be plenty impressed.
In spite of standing poised to retake the top sales spot, perhaps breaking its , and and two new models coming, GM’s stock price got beat like a goat in 2011. On January 2, 2011 the stock traded at $37.06, on January 2, 2012, it hovered a few dimes above $20, making GM the worst-performing auto-industry stock of 2011: with a 46.1-percent drop, it edged out Cooper Tire (-41.7), TRW Automotive (-40) and (-37.3).
The Motley Fool suggests the decline could be due to the Treasury’s ownership of hundreds of millions of shares, keeping investors wary about buying. Europe is also considered a sore spot, with GM’s operations on The Continent still in the red and there being no clear plan to turn that around (particularly with the ).
However, there is most likely more to it than that: many investors likely remaining unsure about company fundamentals, and they are likely concerned that GM (like Ford) is rated just below investment-grade by Moody’s rating service, which keeps some large institutional investors out of the pool. The good news for 2012: The General’ stock is trading at five times less than earnings and the outlook from all observers is uniformly positive.
They don’t make ‘em like they used to? Morgan would beg to differ. Because while 75 years may be a milestone many automakers would be glad to celebrate, this 75th anniversary doesn’t commemorate a company’s founding. Nor does it mark the years since a specific factory was inaugurated, the birth of the company’s founder or anything like that. This milestone is marked by one specific model.
That’s right, the Morgan 4/4 has been on the market – largely in the same form in which it debuted – for a whopping 75 years. And here you thought the stuck to an old formula.
The first four-wheeled model from the British automaker that made its name (and recently returned to building) vehicles – and packing a four-cylinder engine where the trike uses a V-twin – the 4/4 proudly rejects the being developed elsewhere at Morgan headquarters in favor of the same old-world construction it has always employed.
So to celebrate three quarters of a century of proudly rejection progress and strict adherence to “the good old days”, Morgan has released a special 75th anniversary edition. Buyers can choose from three colors (black, red or white), with a matte black stripe running up the hood out of which the numbers 4/4 and 75th are carved and under which sits a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine.
Its 145 horsepower may not seem like much by today’s standards, but remember: the 4/4 doesn’t care for today’s standards very much. So that’s plenty to pull the tiny roadster to 62 miles per hour in 7.2 seconds and on to a 118 mph cruising speed. Like what you see? Scope out the high-res image gallery for a closer look.
We’re almost ready to record Episode #263 of the Autoblog Podcast. Check out the topics below and you can join us live via , as well, and we’ve embedded our UStream player Thanks for listening!
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #263
The first episode of has been unleashed, and Leo Parente and crew hopped a flight to Germany to provide an in-depth look at the Nürburgring 24 Hour race.
DRIVE’s opening salvo is part of a new bi-weekly motorsports show entitled Shakedown, with Parente manning the mic and providing race reports throughout the year.
Part mini-doc, part fanboy journey, Shakedown provides a glimpse into the Green Hell’s most intriguing and chaotic road race, and finally answers the question: what do those flashing blue lights mean? Check it out .
Newfoundland is a bit of a funny place. It’s the easternmost point of the North American continent, has its own half time zone, was the last province to join Canadian confederation (having existed as a British colony until 1949) and has its own linguistic dialects. It’s also the kind of place where you can fail upwards, it seems. Particularly when driving a customized Enzo.
You may recall the story of one Zahir Rana, a Kenyan-born exotic car dealer and enthusiast based in Calgary, Alberta, who took his Edo-modified Enzo to the 2011 Targa Newfoundland rally and promptly and into a tidal river on the Atlantic coast. (If you missed the story, you can watch the .) Some $100,000 in damage was reportedly caused to the million-dollar supercar – though we wouldn’t be surprised it the final figure were substantially more – but that hasn’t deterred Rana, or his friends, from returning.
Having lived to tell the tale of his epic crash, Rana has had his Enzo’s engine further tuned to 950 horsepower, and is reportedly planning to bring it back for the 2012 Targa Newfoundland… along with 20 of the friends and clients he has amassed from over a decade in the business. Which strikes us as a particularly headstrong and determined way to get back on the prancing horse, so long as this year’s rally goes a little more smoothly for Team ZR Exotics.
We record Episode #263 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, and you can drop us your questions via our Q&A module below. Check out our discussion topics or chime in to help determine what else the crew chats about this evening. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast if you haven’t already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #263
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The Dubai International Motor Show was a good one for Jerod Shelby and the SSC Tuatara. The event for heinously powerful supercar, far exceeding Shelby’s expectations for a show that was merely supposed to show off where the Tuatara is headed. Shelby sat down with Studio One shortly after the show for a brief interview, and rather than focus on the newest creation from SSC, the show took a closer look at who Shelby is. As it turns out, the American was bitten by the speed bug at an early age, competing in national-level go-kart races from the time he was eight years old.
That early taste of challenge and competition easily translated into Shelby’s desire to build a company capable of producing world-class supercars. SSC specifically engineered the company’s first vehicle, the Ultimate Aero, to take the title of the fastest production car in the world from the mighty Bugatti Veyron. Shelby and SSC succeeded, sparking off a polite rivalry that carries on to this day.
Shelby even takes the time to explain the rationale behind saddling his newest creation with a name that’s as difficult to pronounce as it is hard to spell. to check out the video for yourself as well as a brief recap of the company’s experience in the Middle East.
Racing fans who enjoyed the spectacle of open-wheel single-seaters racing around Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and past Camden Yards where the Orioles and the Ravens play may be disheartened to read of the latest developments. But take heart: it ain’t over, they say, until the fat lady sings, and in this case she appears only to have taken a brief intermission.
The future of the Baltimore Grand Prix (an IndyCar race, not to be confused with Formula 1 grands prix that typically take the host country’s, not the host city’s name) has been for several months now. As with many things, the issue boiled down to money: while most communities support such racing events financially with public funds, the organizers of the Baltimore Grand Prix were expected to remunerate the city to the tune of $1.5 million. At the end of the day, Baltimore Racing Development failed to meet its financial commitments, so the city has revoked the firm’s contract only one year into its five-year term.
So does that mean the race won’t be held again? The signs seem to point in a positive direction, as the city holds discussions with other organizers interested in taking BRD’s place. Series organizers appear to have faith that a new deal will be put in place in time for the upcoming season, with the event currently on the official IndyCar Series race calendar for September 2.
The new calendar, meanwhile, drops the races in Milwaukee, New Hampshire and Kentucky. Las Vegas was also following the now-infamous Wheldon crash, while the race in Japan was replaced by a , China.
The exponential growth of China’s auto market has left many automakers licking their lips at the thought of rampant profit. Recent years have seen the country’s government spur foreign investment with various incentives, including reduced tariffs on imported manufacturing machinery. According to Automotive News, that’s all about to stop. China has said it will cease encouraging foreign investment in a move designed to promote natural growth in the sector. The country saw automotive growth drop to one tenth of what it was in 2010.
That’s not to say China is putting a stop to all aid to foreign automotive investment. The report says China will still encourage foreign automakers to develop green technologies within its borders.
Automakers from General Motors to Toyota and have all focused more heavily on the Chinese auto market in recent years. Honda recently began producing models as part of an effort to move more of the company’s production out of Japan, as well. Similar strategies may become less cost effective as China makes it more difficult for foreign companies to invest in manufacturing.
Car crashes kill thousands of Americans every year. In fact, in 2010 alone died as a result of an accident. In the past, auto accidents held the top spot in injury deaths here in the U.S., but that statistic has changed.
reports that a study by the National Center for Health Statistics reveals that over 41,000 Americans lost their lives due to poisoning. Over 90 percent of those deaths were drug-related, with prescription drugs like Morphine and Vicodin among the major culprits.
This is bad news for the health care industry and drug makers, but it’s good news for automakers, motorists and insurance companies. Vehicles have become progressively safer over the decades thanks to the efforts of carmakers, independent watchdogs like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and government agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Traveling is now safer than it has been in decades, but nearly 33,000 deaths mean that we’re not out of the woods yet.
If you’re looking to turn your Mercedes-Benz Vito into an executive-class van, Vilner has what you need. The company used its expertise on the German minivan to craft an interior inspired by private jets. With Nappa leather seating, an Alcantara headliner and mahogany details spread throughout the cabin, the Vilner Vito is suitably deluxe. Additional power outlets make it perfect for long-distance chauffeured travel, while a 19-inch LCD display and stocked mini fridge help keep passengers entertained..
Mechanically, the Vilner Vito is identical to the stock model, though new alloy wheels take the place of the stock rollers. A set of bi-xenon headlights are part of the package as well. How much will the conversion cost you? If you have to ask…
Anywhere you find rabid car culture you’ll find rabid tuners. Japan’s no different, where the make-it-hotter ethos applies to everything. When it comes to , , and yes, even the Every kei car, Wataru Kato’s 18-year-old shop wants to be the last word in entertainment – not only for owners, but also for visitors.
Liberty Walk designs its own parts and applies them to a range of vehicles that go from the understated to the unbelievable. Kato says he wants his shop to be an amusement park for kids who just want to be around supercars. (We assume he means kids of all ages.)
Follow the jump for a video showcasing his work. If we make it there, we might start by asking to play with Kato’s white F40…
The Zastava Yugo 45 was intended to be a serious car. Instead, it became a punchline. Milos Paripovic’s Zugo concept, on the other hand, is a bit of a joke that instead was taken seriously enough to win fifth place in a European design competition. After updating the lines of the Yugo for the Zugo, Paripovic endowed it with features that probably would have been useful on the original.
The electric concept has a heated rear hatch so your relatives, when pushing it, have a warm place to put their hands. But the hatch also contains a pressure sensor so you can tell if any of those relatives aren’t pulling pushing their weight.
Paripovic said such features, and others, “are put in contrast to everyday reality of Yugo owner.” That’s why the Zugo is open source and provides diagrams of all of its parts so owners can fabricate their own. It’s also why the safest recommended place for the Zugo is “in the garage.” Check it out in the attached image gallery. It might be the finest offspring of a Yugo 45, ever.
The . The . The . The Craftsman CTX-series… lawn tractor? Indeed, as odd as it sounds, you can count the latter among the many debuts scheduled for the 2012 Detroit Auto Show when the doors open to the public.
Craftsman’s new premium tractors go on sale in February and will range in price from $3,000 to $6,500, with two yard tractor and two garden tractor models available. (The garden tractors are the most flexible, able to accommodate the full spectrum of towed, front-mounted, and ground-engaging attachments, which are sold separately.)
Power comes from Briggs & Stratton, whose available 30-horsepower engine allows for a top forward speed of 8 miles per hour (3 mph in reverse). It’s mated to a hydrostatic automatic transmission. Key features include electronic fuel management, automatic traction control (power is independently split between the rear drive wheels), a quick-release mowing deck, electronic cutting height adjustment, digital instrumentation, cruise control, tilt steering, and the obligatory cupholder. The evolution of creature comforts for these rigs will continue as well. In , a Craftsman spokesperson says that an iPod jack is planned as a future enhancement for its tractors.
The Craftsman CTX will be displayed in the concourse/lobby area of the COBO Center, so Dodge needn’t be concerned about it stealing the ’s thunder on the main show floor. Regardless, that placement ensures plenty of eyeballs for the new tractor as the public files in and out of the exhibition. And if you think the CTX seems like an absurd product to showcase in Detroit, consider this: it’s at least more viable and relevant to American consumers than the Chinese-car vaporware that has occupied premium floor space at the venue in the past.
You can read the full press blast from Craftsman .
As the Poison frontman is wont to sing, every rose has its thorn. Indeed, if the 1969 Bret Michaels sold at the 2011 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction was that flower, his latest consignments are as painful as pricked fingers.
Michaels will be offering three vehicles at the sale, to be held January 15-22, 2012. The first (and the only marginally interesting one) is a 2004 . The other two are Blue Oval SUVs that might more appropriately be found on a used car lot: A 2004 and a 2011 .
Clearly, it was nothin’ but a good time for Michaels at last year’s Barrett-Jackson, where his non-original Camaro fetched a remarkable $200,000. That’s about five times what it might have sold for without playing the celebrity card. But hey, at least it was a ‘69 Camaro and Bret even threw in an autographed guitar.
This year, however, Michaels’ consignments look like what the cat dragged in. While Barrett-Jackson is known for its unabashed embrace of , these offerings just hit a wrong note.
Proving that he is nothing if not predictable, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich blamed the United Auto Workers for the loss of American manufacturing jobs at a recent campaign appearance. Automotive News reports that Gingrich lauded the factory in Spartanburg, SC, for being “vibrant” and mentioned , and in a positive light, while blaming the UAW for impeding continuous improvement at domestic automakers. The UAW did not respond to a request for comment, according to the report.
While we wouldn’t expect Gingrich to behave any differently towards his political enemies in the union, we will say that the loss of manufacturing jobs is a far more complicated subject than this or any other soundbite can explain. And for all the attention that the auto industry continues to receive from politicians hoping to score points with voters, we remain appalled at how little those on both sides of the aisle actually know about the business.
Qatar’s police force has a sizable fleet of and patrol vehicles at its disposal. How is this? Well, Qatar has lots of oil, for starters, so there’s that income. The emirate also holds a 17 percent stake of preferential shares in the Group. So, it’s not particularly hard to see how the stable of luxo-cop cars came to be. The force took them for a spin on December 18, Qatar National Day, and you can get a look at the coolest fleet in the video .
We are nearly at the end of 2011, and that means another 365 days of driving the latest cars and attending automotive events around the world. Of course, we constantly have our cameras at our sides so we can share everything with you, and we take a lot of pride in bringing you beautiful, high-res images of all the cars we come across, whether it’s one that just debuted at an auto show or one that just spent a week in our garage.
As has become tradition here at Autoblog, we’ve spent the last few weeks going through our archive of images to select the very best photos that we captured with our own cameras from the last year. We’ve carefully chosen our favorite 100, which you can see in the gallery above. We’ve also included links to the article in which the image originally appeared, in case you want to see more photos of the car or event.
We hope you enjoy viewing the images as much as we did taking them and putting them together. If you want to see our favorite images from previous years, you can view our galleries from , and . Enjoy!
We’ve been doing Autoblog for a while now and still don’t know exactly why some posts become popular and others completely miss boarding the crazy train to Viralville. Maybe we were the first to post about a hot topic. Videos are almost always poised for success, and of course any post that includes a first look or specs of a highly anticipated vehicle can be a hit waiting to happen. But every time we hit the publish button it’s like throwing a dart in the dark.
It may be difficult to know in advance what you all will click on the most, but after the fact, simple math tells us everything we need to know. We’ve assembled the 10 Most Popular Posts of 2011 according to clicks, and the results are available .
