The Automotive Lease Guide has just released its annual report of . Thanks to slimmed production and lower incentives, both and saw jumps of 11 and 7.5 percentage points, respectively, compared to five years ago, and a number of other manufacturers saw the worth of their products climb as well. Ford’s passenger cars managed to rank second in the highest improvement since 2005 with a residual value of 48.8 percent. Both Ford and Chevrolet trucks are counted separately in the survey because of their disproportionately high residual value.
Both and found themselves on the top five list of improved residual value with 12.6 and 9.1 respective percentage point jumps over 2005 – healthy numbers. But for as much as those brands have improved over the last half decade, others, like , and have seen their numbers fall.
Porsche has taken the biggest hit, with the company’s residual value falling to 44.4 percent – an 8.2 percentage point drop since 2005.
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Photo by Drew Phillips, Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
The Boxster Spyder has been hailed as one of the best handling Porsches in the automaker’s line-up. We flog it through the mountains of Malibu to find out.
In the realm of over-reaching tuners, Mansory takes the top spot. And its latest Panamera Turbo project is further proof 690 horsepower still can’t outrun ugly.
The Lexus LFA “Pitch” ad has garnered plenty of attention, so Toyota has released a making-of video to explain how it was done.
It took a full year for the to regain its pony car sales title versus the reborn , but show that the ‘Stang has finally regained its mojo. The far more powerful 2011 Mustang plays a huge roll in the comeback, but after originally reporting the upset, Automotive News is now pointing out a second factor that helped the Blue Oval bring the May pony car sales title back to Dearborn.
The Camaro has been selling so well that General Motors hasn’t had to pour any money into incentives.That’s zero denero, no super low financing… nothing. The tale of the Mustang’s May sales tally is a bit murkier. First, 4,376 of the Mustangs sold in May were 2010 models, and those coupes could be had with $2,500 on the hood and financing between zero and 5.9 percent – depending on the length of the loan. According to Edmunds.com, the 2011 Mustang has $1,500 on the hood for returning lessees and conquests alike, plus financing as low as zero percent for 36 months.
Does the fact that the Mustang has some cash on its hood mean that its 10,225 to 8,931 sales victory against the Camaro is tainted? We’re not inclined to think so because a win is a win no matter how you dissect it. But at the same time, we’re pretty sure GM is thrilled to be selling their pony car at a clip of 100,000 units per year without any cash on the hood. Not a bad consolation prize.
If is an accurate indicator of eventual success, the will be a smash hit. At the very least, it looks to be more popular than the . The show that interest in the Leaf, as calculated by search volume and news articles, is nearly double that of the Volt. We don’t have to use Google as the only indicator that interest in the Leaf is high, just take a look at the , which lists more than 54,000 fans (something ), while the . If you still doubt that the Leaf is leading the online popularity contest, then look no further than the official interest lists for each vehicle. As , the Leaf’s is 130,000 strong, whereas the Volt only has 42,000.
Now, there’s no real way to translate these numbers into eventual, actual sales, nor can we predict success based on statistics alone. For that, we’ll have to wait until these the new EVs go on sale later this year and the real-world results allow us to crown a champion. Still, current indicators suggest that the Leaf is hot, hot, hot.
We finally take the GLK350 for a spin to see if the cute ‘ute is capable of more than shuttling insufferable forty-somethings.
An automobile manufacturer doesn’t survive for 70 years without producing its fair share of television commercials, so we take a rose-tinted look back on the best ads from Mercury.
The next Dodge Charger has been unmasked by our spies, it appears that the Italian invasion hasn’t toned things down one bit.
The Indy Racing League has yet to the of its new , but in the meantime has announced that will take effect in 2012.
The saga of engine suppliers in the series has been a convoluted one. During its inaugural season in 1996, carry-over engines from CART were allowed, but were replaced the following season by naturally-aspirated V8s provided by (under the Oldsmobile Aurora name) and (bearing livery). and came on board in 2003, while GM rebadged its program under as Oldsmobile was being shut down. Three years later Honda got the exclusive and has been supplying all the teams on the grid since, but that contract is nearing its end.
In its place, the IRL has issued a new open formula in the hope of drawing a diverse array of manufacturers to the series. For the first time since splitting with CART (with which it has since reunited), IndyCars will race under turbocharged power. Ethanol will continue to fuel the series, but beyond that, teams and engine suppliers will be free to use as many as six cylinders (in whatever configuration they choose), with displacements not exceeding 2.4 liters and power ranging between 550 and 700 horsepower.
The use of turbocharging and the variety of configurations allowed under the new formula should make for some interesting racing, and we’ll be waiting to see which manufacturers jump – or pass – at the opportunity.
2011 Chevrolet Cruze RS – Click above for high-res image gallery
has slapped a price tag on the all-new , and with a starting price of $16,995 (including destination), the new compact contender is well positioned to compete with the segment stalwarts.
The entry-level Cruse LS comes packing the 138-horsepower 1.8-liter Ecotec four-cylinder and a six-speed manual transmission, along with 10 air bags, traction ctonrol, OnStar and keyless entry. If you option up for the $18,895 LT, the standard four-pot is replaced with GM’s new Ecotec 1.4-liter turbo and a six-speed automatic box, and the Eco version rings up the same sticker with a six-speed manual, 17-inch wheels with low rolling resistance tires and an enhanced aero package.
The top of the line LTZ will set you back a suitably high $22,695 and comes with the aforementioned 1.4-liter turbo and automatic ‘box, along with cruise control, leather seats, Bluetooth, USB audio, redundant steering wheel controls, rear-parking assist and 18-inch wheels. Navigation, a nine-speaker Pioneer stereo, heated seats and RS Appearance package are all available as separate options. And you can start specing out your own cruise by checking out the press release after the break.
By now we should all know that isn’t the kind of vaporware tuner that throws out a rendering, some wild projected power numbers and then drops off the face of the planet, but that didn’t stop us from being skeptical when the Texas-based tuner/builder rolled out plans for its . Originally, the car was supposed to get its power from a beefy V10 borrowed from the nose of a , complete with a 1,000-horsepower tune in a 2,700-lb chassis. The final product, however, swapped the 10-pot for the supercharged V8 found in the mighty . Despite dropping two cylinders, horsepower estimates stayed the same.
Now Hennessey has rolled out a video of its creation on the dyno. How does a streetable 933 horsepower at the rear wheels sound? How about 874 lb-ft of torque at the tires? It sounds mighty tasty to us, especially considering that those numbers come courtesy of regular 93 octane pump gas (no race fuel here, kiddies) and, again, are at the wheel. Ditch the drivetrain loss and power at the crank will easily crest 1,000 ponies. Go ahead and to see the monster pull for yourself.
What it’s like to live the good life? We take the newest Roller for a spin to find out.
It’s the most recognizable movie car in the world and the lucky new owner gets rotating plates, guns, an ejector seat and more for the princely sum of just $5 million.
Mercury dies at the end of this year and Ford directs its efforts on revamping the Lincoln line-up.
Dodge explodes for 72.7-percent sales increase, domestics dominate
May 2010 was a crazy month of sales for the U.S. auto industry. Would you have expected Ford Motor Company, riding high on a string of successful monthly sales performances, to announce on the same day it posts nearly a 22% rise in sales? Would you have expected the four remaining “Core” brands of to outsell all eight of the company’s brands from back in May 2009? Would you have expected the brand to still be on the outs with customers, posting just a 3.6-percent rise in sales in comparison to (up 27.9 percent), (up 31.15 percent) and even (up 72.7 percent!)? And finally, would you have expected , something it hasn’t done since the Bowtie brand’s pony car arrived on the scene last year?
Check out all the numbers for yourself below in our handy dandy chart. A complete listing of our past By the Numbers charts can be found here.
*Brands and companies are displayed in descending order according to their percentage change in volume sales. There were 26 selling days in May 2010 and 26 selling days in May 2009, so the change in monthly sales volume will equal the change in the average daily sales rate (DSR) for each brand/company.
seems to have found the special ingredients it needed for the to spank the in . Thanks to a heap of power from a range of efficient new engines, the Blue Oval’s pony car managed to top the Bow Tie’s bruiser in sales for the first time since the Camaro sauntered back onto the market last year. Last month, Ford managed to move 10,225 Mustangs off of dealer lots and into the hands of the power-crazed public. , on the other hand, saw only 8,931 Camaros drive off into the sunset.
While the Mustang tended to rank higher in comparisons against the Camaro even before the new engines hit the scene for 2011, American buyers responded to the big power numbers and menacing style of the muscle car. Now that the Ford is cranking out slightly more grunt and marginally better fuel economy, Chevrolet may find itself playing catch up for the rest of the year. Not to worry, Bow Tie fans. It won’t be long before GM’s spicing up the Camaro lineup with the likes of a and the oft-rumored may still be in the cards, too.
IIHS rollover tests for midsized SUVs – Click above for high-res image gallery
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has completed a (though most are technically CUVs, but whatevs), and the results show that some carmakers are exceeding federal rollover standards. Six of the haulers scored a Good rating, led by the 2010 Jeep Liberty, one scored Acceptable, and the remaining five were Marginal. The Good rating means a tested car has a roof that is twice as strong as the current government safety standard.
Five of the top six – the , 2011Jeep Grand Cherokee, and , and – also scored Good marks for front-, side- and rear-occupant protection, and so earn the coveted classification of being an IIHS Top Safety Pick. If your CUV isn’t listed, fear not, as the IIHS is testing them in groups.
Follow the jump for the full release, and you can have a look at the entire batch of tested vehicles in the high-res gallery below.
2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS – Click above for high-res image gallery
It looks like customers opting for the upper trim levels on the will have to pay a little bit more when the 2011 models roll into showrooms this fall. According to a posting on the from a dealer employee, the 2LT and 2SS models will see a $350 price increase to $28,075 and $35,145, respectively. The LS, 1LT and 1SS models will carry over the 2010 prices so the 2011 will retain a for the V8 models.
The more interesting news is the apparent confirmation from ‘ new VP of Global Vehicle Engineering, Karl Stracke to that the Z/28 will become a reality. Chevrolet officials have declined to comment on the matter, but we’re guessing that it might appear sometime next year as a 2012 model. Motivation will likely be provided by a variant of the supercharged 6.2-liter LSA V8 found in the , with around 550 horsepower being channeled through a six-speed manual gearbox.
Opel Ampera – Click above for high-res image gallery
Due to an old-school system used in China that requires automakers to file patents or risk having vehicles copied by others, we’ve learned that the may very well debut in the as a model and not one bearing the Chevy or Opel badge. When filed its patent for China, it submitted the Voltec-powered Opel Ampera and not the Chevy Volt, indicating that the version coming to China will definitely not bear a Golden Bowtie. So why not an Opel then? Well, Opel has virtually no name recognition in China, leaving the obvious choice of branding the Voltec-powered vehicle as a Buick, .
Perhaps it only makes sense that the Ampera will be sold under the Buick name in China as various other Opel products have been rebranded as Buicks once they’ve reached the Chinese mainland. The Opel Astra transformed into the Buick Excelle and the Insignia switched over to the in China. So what will the Opel Ampera become once it reaches China early next year? Will it simply be the Buick Ampera, or something else altogether? Should we start a naming contest on this one?
For what it’s worth, assuming that there will be a Chinese Buick Volt, it will become the fifth Voltec model, joining the 2011 Chevy Volt, Opel/Vauxhall Ampera and Holden Ampera, all of which will initially be produced at . Now we’re just waiting for the Voltec-powered Daewoo model for the Korean market so that GM can call it a done deal.
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Photos Sam Abuelsamid / Copyright (C)2009 Weblogs, Inc.
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products are no strangers to hydraulics, but models that get the height-altering technology usually go by names like Impala or Caprice, not – and they are usually decades old, not 2010 models.
We say ‘usually’ because apparently an Arizona lad has gone and thrown some extra pistons underneath his gunmetal gray Camaro SS, and the result is a pony car that goes from limbo to lofty in a couple of secs. It nothing else, we can’t help but think it’d make a great doppelganger Decepticon for Transformers 3. to check out the vid, but sadly, there’s no three-wheel motion on display
Tribute 2010 Chevrolet Camaro – Click above for high-res image gallery
It’s easy to forget that while we spend day-in and day-out banging on QWERTYs and chasing our tails as automotive rumors get confirmed, then denied, then confirmed again, that there are men and women all over the world working to keep us safe and protect our families and our way of life. It’s , so regardless of where you stand in the political spectrum, it’s worth taking some time out of your day to say in your life.
We’re fortunate enough to live in a country where military service isn’t mandatory, and we all owe a debt to the souls that that have volunteered to serve in our nation’s armed forces. So take some time between your burgers and beers to pay your respects those that have fallen in the line of duty and honor those that are serving right now.
BMW sound engineer Manuel Reichle and the 635d – Click above for high-res image gallery
When considering how to go about improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions, we typically think of smaller engines, alternative fuels and electrification. One area that doesn’t typically come to mind is that of sound design and acoustics. While the noises produced by a vehicle don’t directly affect fuel efficiency, soundtracks are important because they are often a prime determinant in whether a given powertrain solution is acceptable to drivers and passengers.
Companies like , , and others have been actively pursuing mechanisms of controlling noise at the source in order to create more flexibility for modifying the powertrains. A key example is the with its 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder gasoline engine. GM added so it could allow the engine to spend more time running at lower speeds where the engine tends to make more of a low booming sound. Without the noise cancellation technology, the engine’s sountrack would turn off drivers.
Similarly, BMW has been carefully studying the structures of engine blocks and engine bays. Careful application of ribs and tuning of the structural shapes have allowed these structures to be made lighter without risk of excessive vibration. Similarly, adding insulation materials closer to the engine also reduces the amount needed overall as well as facilitating the use of other types of engines that might be inherently noisier.
All of these factors play into making more efficient vehicles that are appealing to customers. After all, if consumers don’t want to buy a vehicle for reasons that have nothing to do with function, all of the efficiency advantages they might offer will be left stuck in ‘park.’
The is old and tired, and in a few months, it’ll be replaced by the vastly superior . While the Cobalt may (deservedly) have an inferiority complex regarding its successor, Chevy’s generic sedan has one feather in its cap that the Cruze may never earn: the Cobalt has officially served as a (very) mobile delivery room.
Amanda McBride, Minnesotan and Chevy Cobalt driver, was in labor and driving to the hospital when it became apparent that her baby had an entirely different timetable in mind. Amanda wasn’t going to make it to the hospital. So, did she pull over and give birth on the roadside? Well, no. Instead, McBride told the baby’s father, who can’t drive due to a medical condition, to grab the wheel. She quickly pulled down her pants and . In the driver’s seat. According to McBride, the baby “just slid out.” We’re pretty certain that this is distracted driving at its zenith.
Anyhow, Chevy’s pretty excited about all the free Cobalt publicity for McBride, and to extend the news cycle make things a bit easier for the new mom, is springing for a year’s worth of diapers, a stroller, child seats and unspecified quantities of toys and clothing. See? Driving a Cobalt apparently does have its advantages.
Are there any among us that don’t dream of that elusive barn find? As far as we’re concerned, locating an ancient board track racer, Shelby Cobra or even the odd would be a life-changing event. For attendees of the upcoming Fairfield County Concours d’Elegance on September 12, 2010, such a find will at least get you .
So… just what is an eligible barn find? Says Tom Cotter, widely recognized enthusiast of the genre and author of several books on the subject including the imaginatively named The Cobra in the Barn and The Hemi in the Barn, that would be “a vehicle that has been previously unknown, or known and unattainable, or discovered through obscure means; all with a great story.” Such an example (in this case a classic and apparently the subject of Cotter’s next book, named… well, we’ll let you figure that one out) can be seen above.
Have such a machine in mind? No problem, just be sure that the car is in the exact same condition as it was when you found it; no 100-point restorations allowed in this category. You’ve got until July 1st to get your submission in, and only 20 vehicles will be chosen for the show. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got some serious scavenging to do…
May 2010 was a crazy month of sales for the U.S. auto industry. Would you have expected Ford Motor Company, riding high on a string of successful monthly sales performances, to announce on the same day it posts nearly a 22% rise in sales? Would you have expected the four remaining “Core” brands of to outsell all eight of the company’s brands from back in May 2009? Would you have expected the brand to still be on the outs with customers, posting just a 3.6-percent rise in sales in comparison to (up 27.9 percent), (up 31.15 percent) and even (up 72.7 percent!)? And finally, would you have expected , something it hasn’t done since the Bowtie brand’s pony car arrived on the scene last year?
