Premium hatchbacks have been taking the European market by storm, with models like the , and Audi A1 continuing to dominate. It’s a trend that can’t well afford to ignore, and now sources indicate that plans are moving forward to field a challenger of its own.
Tentatively called the Junior, the Opel/Vauxhall model would slot in below the existing Corsa and Agila (pictured above) but pack only three doors. It’s expected to come in around the size of the Mini Cooper but, with an arched roofline and wide track, offer more interior space than the Fiat 500.
The model was reportedly part of GM’s plans until the economy collapsed, forcing the company to trim its localized development programs in favor of global products. The General’s chief of European operations Nick Reilly, however, appears to have convinced the bean-counters in Detroit of the necessity of the Junior project.
The name is still being finalized and could be announced in Frankfurt alongside the of the Astra GTC and Zafira Tourer and that mystery concept, with sales slated to start in early 2013. When it does hit the market, we’d likely be looking at a range of three-cylinder engines shoehorned into an adaptable engine bay with the potential for an all-electric version by 2015.
The American Customer Satisfaction Index has released the results of its annual investigation into the automotive industry, and the biggest winners hail from Japan. Although is tied with and atop the standings with an overall score of 87, the top few automakers – with and at the tippy top – hailed from the United States.
According to ACSI, it seems Toyota’s fall from grace in the minds of consumers was just a small blip in a long history of customer satisfaction. Lincoln dropped a few points to join with a score of 86, while Buick and both earned 85. Next on the list is a three-way tie at 84 from , and .
was the poorest performing automaker in the report, eking out a meager score of 76. Overall, the auto industry itself scored 83 points, which is higher than the average for all durable goods on the index. For all the details from ACSI, check out the press release .
, Lexus, Toyota tie for lead in customer satisfaction index
Our enthusiast’s Spidie Sense started tingling when we heard about the newest bit of technology employed on the enhanced . It was not a more advanced variable valve timing system; the Yaris’ 1.5-liter engine is carried over and already has an intake cam with adjustable phasing. It was not more cogs gracing a more advanced transmission; the Yaris makes due with a 4-speed automatic and a 5-speed manual. The suspension is also traditional with struts up front and torsion beam in the rear.
So what was the next great thing?
A mono-arm windshield wiper with washer jets aimed to either side of the big blade. Ah, our Spidie Sense was trying to warn us of an exceptionally dull car. In this world where small, inexpensive cars are becoming more fun – and anyone – the new Yaris is a yawner.
For normal consumers, however, the 2012 Yaris – available as the L, LE and SE – is a much improved, affordable and economical transportation appliance. It’s the kind of car you’d feel comfortable recommending to a friend’s sister or anyone who thinks of cars as nothing more than subway substitutes.
Is there any automotive rivalry burned into the American psyche as deeply as versus ? We don’t think so. Those whose blood runs blue would never dream of piloting anything wearing a Bowtie, and vice-versa.
This being the case, it doesn’t surprise us in the least that Adam, a Ford man through-and-through, challenged Cooper and his Chevrolet to a tug-of-war right in front of all their shirtless buddies. As it turns out, it’d be a fight to the death, at least for one of these lifted pickup trucks.
Now, before all you pickup fanatics get all up in arms, please understand that neither of these trucks is remotely stock. Both are heavily modified, with suspensions jacked up in order to fit massive tractor-style tires underneath. And, judging from the result of the pull-off, one of them was welded up much more solidly than the other. Check it out for yourself in the video .
Inside Line has released an of what its editors consider to be the 100 greatest cars of all time. We’re constantly arguing about what the best cars of all time are here in the virtual halls of Autoblog HQ. And we hardly ever agree, but with a list of 100 vehicles, you’re bound to see most of the cars you want included somewhere. Where they land in the list, however, is what’s most clearly debatable.
For instance, does the 1992 Hummer H1 at 95 deserve to be ahead of the 1991 Ford Explorer at 99? Should the 1968 Toyota Corolla, which went on to become the best-selling nameplate ever, be a little higher than 83? What about the first V8-powered Corvette at 72 or the 1906 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost at 68, both behind the 2010 Porsche Panamera at 67? The 1941 Jeep MB didn’t even crack the top 50.
We’ve debated this list among the staff fairly extensively already – some Autobloggers are rather pleased with it, while others believe there are glaring holes (no 1948 Citroën 2CV or 1955 DS? 1956 Volvo Amazon? 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air? 1969 Dodge Daytona Charger? 1992 McLaren F1?). We won’t spoil any more spots for you and let you discover on your own what made Inside Line’s Top 100. After you look over the list, drop us a line in Comments to let your fellow readers know what you think about the list.
The trusty hatchback was far and away the segment leader when the second-generation car arrived in late 2008. But since then, the B-segment has been a huge point of attention for many automakers, and as such, Honda’s all-star now has some pretty serious competition from the likes of the , , and , not to mention soon-to-be-released newcomers like the , and .
In an effort to keep the Fit fresh, has, um, fitted it with some new standard equipment for 2012, as well as some minor styling tweaks. Sport models now get a new grille, black headlight bezels and a new finish for the 16-inch alloy wheels. The base Fit receives body-colored mirrors and a new wheel cover design. New standard features on the Fit Sport include steering wheel-mounted audio controls, as well as Bluetooth HandsFreeLink on navigation-equipped cars.
Under the hood, the Fit’s 1.5-liter inline-four carries on unchanged, producing 117 horsepower and 106 pound-feet of torque, mated to either a manual or automatic transmission, both of which are five-speed units. It’ll be another couple of years before the Fit’s all-new replacement arrives. Just in time, too – by then it’ll be the old dog in a segment of new pups. for Honda’s official release.
has teamed up with specialty manufacturer SPX and Barrett-Jackson to create a custom widebody that will sell for charity early next year.
Inspired by the 1969 Boss 429, this features a hand-fabricated metal widebody kit that adds an incredible nine inches to the width of the car, functional side scoops above the rear wheels, and a functional hood scoop from an actual Boss 429. Under the hood is a Ford Racing supercharger system that boosts the 5.0L V8 to 700 horsepower. For the interior, Galpin added custom red suede and black leather seats and upholstery and a 1000-watt JLT audio system. To top it all off, the car is painted in a PPG Candy Apple Red hue.
The car is scheduled to make several appearances, including Barrett-Jackson’s Las Vegas auction and before going up for auction at the Scottsdale auction in January, with the proceeds from the sale to benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital. You can read more about the car and the auction .
If you’re and you feel the need to top your previous and ridiculously popular videos with a fourth installment, what do you do? Why, turn to Hollywood, of course. For Gymkhana 4, Block and his crew travel to the Universal Studios lot, and, as such, you’ll see plenty of classic movie props in this film.
Let’s see… we’ve got Back to the Future, Jaws, Zombieland and Slumdog Millionaire for starters, along with a couple of gorillas and Segways. But it’s the automotive action you’re most interested in, right? And in that case, we’ve got more good news for you: Block’s sideways smokey action in back in full effect, and this time, he crashes through buildings, dodges animatronic sharks and pirouettes around the guys from .
All in, you’ll find just over nine minutes of automotive hoonage starring Block’s , punctuated by movie references and product placement along with plenty of special effects and insane camera angles. See it all for yourself right
Over the past couple years, Oklahoma-based Classic Recreations has made a name for itself with various iterations of the Shelby GT500, starting with and moving on to the continuation cars including the most recent .
It looks like Classic Recreations will be branching out, if you can call it that, with a new model. The company has posted a new rendering of a GT350CR based on the 1965-1966 Mustang Fastback on its web site. Following the same theme as the other Classic Recreation cars, the GT350CR combines classic styling with modern amenities such as rack and pinion steering, coilover suspension and disc brakes. Each car also features a 545-horsepower, 427-cubic-inch V8 and plenty of authentic Shelby Performance Parts. No word on when the cars will be first delivered to customers, but Classic Recreations is currently taking order with a starting asking price of $119,000.
You can see a full list of Shelby GT350CR features and specs .
, and owners use statistics like 0-60 times and quarter-mile trap speeds to prove why their chosen muscle car is better than the rest. If there’s any other segment of the industry where numbers mean everything, it’s heavy duty pickups.
Need proof? Check out the latest set of towing and payload ratings for the HD versions of the , , and . For what it’s worth, the GM twins officially have the highest set of numbers with up to 23,000 pounds of capacity when trailering a fifth wheel, 18,000 pounds with a conventional trailer and 7,215 pounds of payload capacity when properly equipped.
So, GM’s got the bragging rights… for now. We expect and Ram to counter GMC’s latest statistics with revised ratings of their own, after a few small tweaks allow them to earn back their place atop the HD standings. After all, it’s been happening exactly this way for the last several years.
For a fun little rundown of how the three American pickup makers play the game of one-upmanship, we suggest you from our friends at PickupTrucks.com. Speaking of which, after that website’s latest HD pickup comparison, at least GM has earned the right to boast by against the F-Series and Ram.
Back in 2007-08, U.S. automakers and the United Auto Workers union signed landmark labor contracts that included many concessions on behalf of workers to keep the companies they work for competitive. Among them was an agreement to a that allowed automakers to start hiring replacements for retirees at a lower starting wage of $14-16/hour.
As one might expect, the people who got these lower paying jobs aren’t too happy about the disparity in pay anymore. They’ve begun to organize with the hope of repealing the two-tier wage structure in negotiations leading up to the current four-year contracts’ expiration on September 14. About 50 people showed up to a rally held at a church in Detroit over the weekend to express their opposition.
These opponents claim the pay disparity causes rifts on the factory floor, effectively turning union members against each other at a time when solidarity is most important. According to The Detroit News, they also argue that the two-tier structure erodes the middle class and could lead to pay cuts for the first-tier workers who start at $28/hour.
UAW President Bob King has reportedly said that the union would like the starting wage of second-tier workers increased in the next contract, but has not committed the organization to calling for its outright repeal. The other interesting wrinkle is that union workers for both General Motors and gave up their right to strike by accepting government-funded bailouts. Only union workers for may choose to exercise that right next month if things don’t go their way at the bargaining table.
What We Like: There is a lot of rational left-brain advertising in the auto sector these days, especially in the pickup truck category. Take , which has fast-talking, urbane actor/comedian Dennis Leary rattling off all kinds of numbers about fuel economy, towing capacity, etc. A new Ram ad campaign, launched a few months ago, goes the other way, continuing to use cowboy actor Sam Elliott whose leathery vocal chords seem to ooze images of toughness, heroism and even nostalgia for the kind of old-school work ethic that built the frontier. Indeed, this whole campaign seems to point one’s thinking and emotions toward Gary Cooper’s code of honor in the film classic “High Noon,” and uses sets and locales that were actually used for the HBO series “Deadwood.”
The two new ads in the campaign, carrying the tagline “Guts. Glory. Ram,” and revolving around a theme of “Code of the West,” actually takes the cowboy imagery Chrysler is establishing and dials in a bit of left brain info: the fact that Ram gets 20 mpg with its V8 Hemi, and another TV spot for the Power Wagon that shows the pickup rock crawling.
The best overall ad campaign for trucks we ever saw was Chevy’s “Like A Rock.” It combined a great music track with emotionally driven imagery that set the stage for any left-brain messaging GM wanted to convey. It was signature creative in its day. This Ram effort fills a void vacated by Chevy – asserting the truck and an advertising story line that makes you want to option up your next Ram for the saddle leather upholstery (if you can afford it), and get the “Big Horn” belt-buckle.
What We Don’t Like: The Power Wagon TV spot shows off the truck’s rock crawling capability, and asserts that Ram is the only truck “off the line” that can do that. But the truck is just climbing up a mound of rocks… to what end? How about making the point by showing a story of why the truck has to crawl those rocks?
There is a line in the campaign, though not in these two new ads, that proclaims: “There is No Middle Ground.” Call us over-analytical, but while we know this is an ad about a truck and maintaining standards of excellence, the “No Middle Ground” as an idea is going to lose currency very quickly as the whole country comes to realize that out economic survival depends on political leaders finding just that – some middle ground. We’d hate to see a scene from the campaign used by far right wingers to make a point about something that has nothing to do with trucks.
And hey… how about some real music attached to this campaign.
Strategy: It’s not Dodge Ram any more. The company, under the direction of , has separated cars and crossovers from the truck business. So, it’s just Ram now. Company executives point to a 26% increase in business this year as evidence that the strategy and campaign are working to drive traffic. Some future Ram products are going to be adapted from Fiat commercial vehicles, we think. It will be interesting to see how the company morphs this very compelling creative to support those vehicles, unless Sam Elliott remains Ram pickup exclusive. Then again, wouldn’t it be cool to see spagetti western style ads? Paging Clint Eastwood.
Ford’s Vista Roof option has been selling well recently, and the automaker says this is, in part, to the little shot of Vitamin D it gives to drivers’ everyday commutes. The split glass roof also has UV protection comparable to SPF-50 sunscreen, which should satisfy even the fairest-skinned buyers. So far this year, the Vista Roof option is checked on 48 percent of sales, 56 percent of sales and 32 percent of all sales.
The numbers are staggering when you consider that the Vista Roof is a standalone option in most cases, and an expensive one at that. It costs $1,595 to let the sun shine in on the Edge and Explorer, and $1,495 on the Flex. The available all-glass roof on the is the most expensive at $1,995.
The Vista Roof is certainly a great way to work on your tan before you ever hit the beach, but it ain’t exactly your dad’s . for Ford’s official press blast.
Our friends at PickupTrucks.com have just completed their “HD Hurt Locker” comparison test, in which the , and were put through quite a series of tests. PickupTrucks.com editor Mike Levine called it a “grueling showdown among industry heavyweights that included towing 19,000-pound fifth-wheel trailers up and over some of the most demanding grades in the United States.”
After seven days of testing, Levine and the rest of the PickupTrucks.com crew found that ‘ offering, the Sierra HD, was the most capable in this test, outperforming the and trucks.
At 23,000 pounds, the Sierra 3500HD boasts the maximum fifth-wheel towing capacity in the group, as well as the greatest conventional towing capacity at 18,000 pounds. for GM’s official statement about the results, and head over to PickupTrucks.com to .
Ask any of the competitors for the what the goal of the event is, and you’re likely to get a different answer every time. Lou Gigliotti, ALMS driver and owner of LG Motorsports, will tell you that it’s to break the course record of 3:10.53 set by event organizer and Spectre Performance owner Amir Roseenbaum back in 2002. Gigliotti bested his time from last year by seven seconds with a modified , but fell a few seconds short of the overall record with a time of 3:14. Others, like Kevin Wesley, say it’s about breaking into the 3:41 club. Wesley did just that, managing to get a 3:39.9 in a completely stock . For many, though, it’s simply about having a fun weekend and being able to go home in one piece.
The event, held on a 5.2-mile stretch of twisty mountain road near Virginia City, Nevada, allows anyone with a street legal car, a fresh set of tires, $341 dollars for an entry fee, and an unhealthy amount of bravery to run the course as many times as they want in two days. And that’s the beauty of the 341 Challenge. The event is pretty much open to whoever wants to enter, no matter the budget. RJ Gottlieb arrived with his famous “Big Red” along with an entire crew and a helicopter to film the whole thing. Then there’s guys like local Jeremy Kappus, who brought out his daily driver , or Thomas Berndt, who competed with a he modified himself.
The affordability of the event essentially makes the 341 Challenge an inexpensive two-day track event, albeit a dangerous one with no run-off areas and very few guardrails to protect against the numerous drop-offs and cliffs. Beforehand, drivers are warned about the dangers of off-camber turns, slippery painted lines, and not cutting corners into loose gravel on the side of the roads. Most heeded the warnings, and there was only one incident the entire weekend with the driver walking away unharmed.
Overall, the this year’s Spectre 341 Challenge was a resounding success. No less than 48 drivers completed 391 runs up the hill, logging over 2,000 miles at speed, and five new drivers were inducted into the Spectre 3:41 club. Most importantly, everyone went home safe. Next year’s event has already been scheduled for June 15-17.
You can view photos from the event in the gallery above, or to see videos from the event including Lou Gigliotti’s run up the hill in his Corvette ZR1.
Just a couple years after to their lowest levels in decades, dealers are finding an industry-wide shortage of used vehicles. This lack of used inventory has driven up the price of scarce pre-owned vehicles on lots, sending more and more consumers into aggressively priced new vehicles. One economist says as many as 500,000 people who intend on purchasing used will instead take delivery on new vehicles by mid-2012.
This phenomenon wasn’t completely unexpected. When production and sales slumped, many realized the steady supply of returned leased and fleet vehicles – which traditionally deliver late-model low-mileage inventory – would slow to a trickle down the road. The used vehicles are often reconditioned by dealers for sale with extended warranties, but special financing and automaker incentive packages usually don’t apply. Parked next to new vehicles, with aggressive pricing and low interest rates, consumers are finding only a marginal jump in price (if any) will put the aroma of a freshly minted vehicle in their driveway.
The news is good for automakers such as (new car sales up 13 percent), GM and (both expecting a 10 percent boost). However, most Japanese automakers are still reeling after which won’t allow them to stock lots and take full advantage of the unique situation. Industry experts, who are able to trend new and used vehicle sales, predict the used car market will remain strong for at least the next year or two.
This is going to be a serious effort, and the early signs are encouraging.
The is finally marshaling the resources and money to transform into a true luxury brand again. While the company is guarded in discussing the full details of its plan, it’s divulging enough for now to let the world know that this is going to be a serious effort. And the early signs are encouraging.
The linchpin to this turnaround will be daring new products and significantly upgraded dealerships. And the key to accomplishing that is a new organizational structure for Lincoln. Up through the 1950s, Lincoln was a stand-alone “house” with its own headquarters, designers, engineers and assembly. The new organization will not recreate that original “house” concept, but it’s a big step in the right direction.
Lincoln says it will not abandon its traditional customers, but it must attract a new generation of buyers, people with a different psychographic mindset than those who have been buying Town Cars for the last quarter century. Yet, while it may not abandon those buyers, saying they’ll suffer from benign neglect may not be too far off the mark.
Of course, other luxury brands are not sitting still, and new entrants like the are getting into the game. Everyday that goes by only makes Lincoln’s comeback all the more difficult. Even so, the Ford Motor Company has formidable resources and here’s how it plans to put them to work.
John McElroy is host of the TV program and daily web video . Every month he brings his unique insights as a Detroit insider to Autoblog readers.
originally appeared on on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 16:58:00 EST. Please see our .
The relentless Gymkhana hype-machine is ramping up yet again and the first teaser is officially upon us.
will play the lead roll in Gymkahana 4 and we get a brief (and appropriately loud) taste of the turbocharged rally machine’s anti-lag system. Nine GoPro cameras catch the two-foot-long flame projecting out the Ford’s titanium exhaust, and you can get your first taste before the real show begins on Tuesday.
originally appeared on on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:01:00 EST. Please see our .
We didn’t exactly get off on the right foot with the . As the spiritual successor to the profitable and successful Dodge Neon, this boxy hatch had big expectations to meet when it touched down way back in 2006. Unfortunately, the Caliber never found itself in the same room as those expectations. But it was crafted during the dark days before Chrysler’s fall, and the company has recently made great strides in shoring up its product line.
Nearly every vehicle in the and stable, as well as few pieces from the houses of and , have gone under the knife and come out all the better, but the lowly Caliber has largely escaped revision. Facing new competition from vehicles like the revised , all-new , and fresh , the Caliber is awash in a sea of excellent options. We took to the wheel to find out if the compact from Dodge has enough life left to keep its head above water until a replacement arrives.
Dodge Caliber Heat
originally appeared on on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our .
The past couple of weeks have been incredibly difficult for the stock market, with some of the largest drops in the history of the Dow. And even though and recently posted massive second quarter profits, domestic auto shares are indeed taking a beating. In fact, GM stock has dropped by 25 percent in only a few weeks, down to $23.92 at closing on Wednesday.
So, does a massive stock drop mean that it’s time to cut and run? Not for GM CEO Dan Akerson. The Detroit Free Press reports that the chief executive picked up another 10,000 shares of GM stock at $25.05 per share. Akerson now reportedly owns 103,600 shares, which would translate into about $2.47 million worth of GM stock.
We’re guessing Akerson is buying GM stock now to show investors that he believes in the future of the company, but some analysts feel the stock is a good buy on its own. Bloomberg analysts feel GM stock will trade at about $42 per share in 12 months. Goldman Sachs seems to agree, predicting that the stock could hit $40 in the next year. But while the future looks good at GM, analysts warn that a sustained recession could further drop auto shares over the next year.
originally appeared on on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 11:28:00 EST. Please see our .
John McElroy is host of the TV program and daily web video . Every month he brings his unique insights as a Detroit insider to Autoblog readers.
