Jason Barlow in the Honda CR-Z in Japan – Click above to watch video
Honda snagged former Top Gear presenter and current Top Gear mag and Sunday Times writer Jason Barlow for a drive around Japan in the Honda CR-Z. He starts his shtick by putting the car in context “It’s not a gas-guzzling V-eht,” (watch the vid, you’ll see), but “a different kind of car for a different kind of road trip.”
We’re fine with that. But when he opines a little later that “It’s a car that car enthusiasts have been waiting for, rather than being made to drive a car that looks like a little spaceship,” well, we wonder who did the writing on the one. See, we have a nagging feeling that if he were reviewing the CR-Z for Top Gear, well, the script would have read slightly differently… to see what he thinks and how he goes on his “journey of discovery.”
Mahindra Pik-Up – Click above for high-res image gallery
According to the Hindustan Times, Global Vehicles, the Atlanta-based company that is slated to be the exclusive U.S. distributor for Mahindra & Mahindra vehicles, alleges that more than $95 million has been spent on getting the country ready to buy the Indian Pik-Ups. The problem is, and has been, that Mahindra still hasn’t provided any vehicles to sell. The Indian company is waiting on to sell the trucks here.
GV is tired of waiting idly, and has brought a lawsuit against Mahindra for having missed two soft deadlines and two hard ones. GV claims the delay has been “inordinate,” Mahindra says the lawsuit is “without merit.” We say that no matter who’s right, this is not the way to bring a truck to market.
Upon unveiling its most ambitious offering at April’s New York Auto Show, also made a splash by announcing that its 2011 Equus luxury sedan in lieu of an owner’s manual. Better still, not only would the device replace the weighty glovebox staple and save a few trees, but it would also serve as a digital liason between the owner and his or her dealership, helping to schedule maintenance through its Service Valet program, remind of routine maintenance, schedule vehicle (and loaner) pick-up and delivery, and so on. Speculation was that the unnamed tablet would take the form of the iPad, but up until now, Hyundai hasn’t confirmed that it is, in fact, an Apple product.
Not only can Autoblog confirm that the Equus device is an iPad, we’ve learned what the specific model will be. According to company sources, Hyundai will provide owners with a 16-gig, wifi-enabled (non-3G) iPad with a custom case. As is fitting for a premium automobile, the latter will be a landscape-style high-end leather case that is custom-made for Hyundai, with an embossed logo, suede-like interior and a built-in kickstand.
Most interestingly, the owner’s manual program will include all of the usual text and images, but also take advantage of the iPad’s display capabilities by showing videos to explain the vehicle’s functions.
The Equus-specific programs will arrive pre-installed alongside all other normal iPad software, and future updates will be available through iTunes, just like any other iPad program.
Click above for a gallery of graphtastic images from J.D. Power and Associates
J.D. Power and Associates has released its 2010 Initial Quality Study (IQS) and has earned back the top spot that was occupied by in . The annual J.D. Power study measures IQS based on problems reported per 100 vehicles (PP100) – a lower score means a lower rate of problem incidences and higher quality.
Domestic brands, as a whole, demonstrated higher initial quality than import brands for the first time in an IQS (impressive, as the company has been conducting the study for 24 years). “Domestic automakers have made impressive strides in steadily improving vehicle quality, particularly since 2007,” said David Sargent, vice president of global vehicle research at J.D. Power and Associates. “This year may mark a key turning point for U.S. brands as they continue to fight the battle against lingering negative perceptions of their quality.” According to J.D. Power, the industry average for initial quality is 109 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) in 2010 (that is a slight increase from 108 PP100 in 2009). However, initial quality for domestic brands as a whole has improved to an average of 108 PP100, slightly better than the initial quality of import brands, which average 109 PP100 in 2010.
made an impressive improvement in the 2010 study. The automaker climbed from 111 PP100 in 2009 to just 86 PP100 in 2010, earning second spot just under Porsche (83 PP100). (87 PP100) earned third position with Lexus (88 PP100) immediately following. (93 PP100) and (106 PP100) also earned Top 10 positions. Interestingly enough, (117 PP100) fell from its seventh position in 2009 to 21st in the 2010 study. The complete J.D. Power press release and charts can be found after the jump and in the gallery below.
The explosive burble from the V10’s exhaust coming off the back straight seems powerful enough to vaporize insects in mid-air. The Howitzer-like concussions shock through the firewall and slam into our spines an instant before the combustive dissonance has time to reverberate off the outside wall and into our eardrums. The menacing acoustics force the othercars on the circuit to back off, while trackside spectators crane their necks to look up and cheer as the rockets by.
We’re at California Speedway attending the “The Ultimate Lamborghini Experience.” This annual event allows owners to play with their exotics in a controlled environment free of driving citations and other pesky… um, slow cars. Since we don’t own an Italian exotic, we have to thank Lamborghini of Beverly Hills for graciously bringing along the automaker’s latest and greatest. In this case, it’s the .
2011 Nissan Juke – Click above for high-res image gallery
The may be a bit awkward-looking for our tastes, but first week sales in Japan show that quirky styling can lead to paying customers – at least in Japan. Local business daily Nikkei reports that sold 1,300 copies of the Juke in the automaker’s home market in one week. That’s 300 percent more sales than the Japanese automaker was hoping for in the first month. And those 1,300 sales are just the tip of the iceberg. Through Tuesday, Nissan has reportedly accumulated 5,296 orders.
Nissan is likely delighted with the early reception the Japanese public is giving the little crossover. The next big test comes this autumn, when the Juke goes on sale in Europe and here in the U.S. Will American customers be as eager to add the Anime-faced Juke to their driveway? Only time will tell, but the early results in Japan shows that unique styling and an efficient engine could make for a hot-selling mini-ute. A starting price of couldn’t hurt, either.
Three horsemen of the Revolutionary War – Click above for high-res image gallery
Is there anything more American than taking someone else’s hard work and claiming it for our own? Probably not. Maybe it’s some sort of collective synaptic impulses left over from our former masters in the empire or some sort of instinctive will to survive at all costs brought about by our ancestors being made to carve out a life on an uncivilized continent. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t seem like the impulse will let up any time soon. The recent recent is a perfect example. If you need a refresher, check it out after the jump.
In the midst of the patriotic daze brought about watching George Washington behind the wheel of , we failed to point out that Chrysler isn’t exactly the most American car company at the moment. As Consumer Reports has noted, with Canada owning a full 10 percent of the company and Italian carmaker holding the reigns to another 20 percent, the company isn’t as ‘apple pie’ as it would have buyers believe.
Then there’s the annoying fact that the Challenger itself is built off of a modified platform and constructed in Ontario, Canada. Of course, the same sort of criticism can be leveled at Chrysler’s , which, while built in the U.S., also rides on a Benz-derived platform and also shares Italian and Canadian ownership ties.
Still, none of these facts make these ads any less effective, just hypocritical in the most ironically patriotic fashion.
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[Source: ]
FIFA World Cup ad forgets where the Challenger is built
The Alpina B5 has been a couple of times and seen , so it’s pretty clear what we’ll be in for. However, before the car’s official unveiling at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, Alpina has released a sketch of what will be one of the hottest 5ers that doesn’t begin with an “M.” There will be two turbos stuck to the engine lurking behind that highly slatted front end, and we’re told that “there will be an eye towards fuel economy with this car.” But presumably, just one very, very little gnat-sized eye…
The unemployed of Mississippi received some encouraging news this morning as announced that it plans to restart construction at its Tupelo-area plant, bringing over 2,000 jobs to the state. Automotive News reports that Toyota plans to use the plant to build the perennially hot-selling late next year.
Today’s announcement brings some closure to a bad news story for Toyota. The plant was originally started in 2007 with the goal of crossover. In mid-2008, however, Toyota switched course and announced that the facility would instead . But by the end of 2008, it was obvious that the auto industry was in serious trouble, and Toyota decided it was best to . The facility was nothing but a shell at the time, but reports showed that the cost of the plant, which originally was estimated to cost $800 million to build, had ballooned to $1.3 billion.
The decision to build the Corolla in Mississippi means that nearly 90 percent of the hot-selling compact will be built in North America. Toyota previously shifted 150,000 units of Corolla production to Japan when it shuttered the NUMMI plant in California earlier in the year.
Ron Gettelfinger has been in the United Auto Workers for 44 years, the last eight of those years in the role of president. He’s taken his share of lumps from the people he faced across the table and his own constituents, but he’s led the UAW through some of the toughest years its faced in a decades, summed up , “We did what we had to do to get to tomorrow.” And now he’s out, with his chosen successor, Bob King, voted in by a landslide to replace him.
King’s candidacy was challenged by Gary Walkowicz, a bargaining committee member from Ford’s Dearborn Truck Plant, and it’s the first time someone has run against an endorsed candidate in 18 years. But that’s part of Gettelfinger’s legacy and a sign of the times – there are still strong and various currents of opinion about which way the UAW needs to go. However, with former lead Ford negotiatior King winning 2,115 votes to Walkowicz’s 74 when the ballot counting was stopped, the front is still unified enough.
In addition to crowning King err.. king, General Holiefield, James Settles, Joseph Ashton and Cynthia Estrada were elected vice presidents and Dennis Williams was voted in as secretary-treasurer.
As much as it runs against our colonial grain to say this, there are some perks to being a . Aside from having an entire kingdom crammed full of palaces and an army of staff just waiting to cater to your every whim, you’re evidently also free from prosecution under your country’s courts. At least in the United Kingdom. As it turns out, can’t be cited for traffic violations like, say, not wearing her seatbelt – something she was just caught doing. Why? Since the courts are conducted in her name, she would essentially be trying herself. You can see where that might become a bit of a sticky wicket.
Interestingly enough, the Queen isn’t required to have a driver’s license or to register her vehicle, either. Considering that Her Majesty enjoys spending time behind the wheel, those are both pretty good perks to have. Her custom 2001 XJ8 recently cropped up for sale for close to $100,000, though it appears she’s still driving a .
Mini training montage – Click above to view the video
seems to still be struggling to talk Porsche into participating in a throw down at Road Atlanta. After a couple of clever videos and hiring a plane to buzz the Porsche North America headquarters, the pint-size brand just can’t seem to talk its German Goliath into stepping into the ring. Maybe that’s because thinks – the dedication it needs to be a serious contender. What Mini really needs is a solid training montage, complete with bad ’80s music, sparkle filters and surly trainer.
Well, look no further. A fresh-from-the-oven video has cropped up over on Funny or Die featuring the S as it punishes itself in the pursuit of all-out motorsports glory. Don’t worry, Mini head honcho doesn’t spend any time on screen this time. to enjoy the hilarity for yourself.
Alas, poor , we knew ye not at all. We’re not sure which is the biggest tragedy – the fact that never graced the U.S. with the joy that is the company’s wild hatchback or that the three-door is already being sent out to pasture. Either way, buyers in the UK can now equip their new RS models with a set of slick rally-inspired wheels. For the low cost of just $741 at current conversion rates and including the Britain’s notorious Value Added Tax, Ford will be happy to install a set of white, 19-inch WRC-style wheels. Of course, that’s according to the press release. Something tells us the final price tag could be well north of that figure by the time the dealership gets through with you.
Ford’s UK dealers have sold the company’s entire allotment of hatches, but a handful of the standard RS models are still hanging around. While the white rollers wouldn’t completely make up for missing out on the 305 horsepower monster that is the hottest of the hot, they will certainly be a collectors item in a few years. for the press release.
[Source: Ford]
rolls off this mortal coil with WRC-style white wheels
2010 Chevrolet Sail – Click above for high-res image gallery
In 2007 broke Chinese sales records with over one million vehicles sold. That sounded pretty impressive at the time, but just three years later GM’s sales have come so far so fast that the General is now officially selling more vehicles in the Land of the Great Wall than it is in the States.
The Detroit Bureau reports that GM’s China sales are up 54 percent in 2010 versus the first five months of 2009, with 1,032,665 cars and trucks sold so far this year. The General isn’t doing nearly that well here in the U.S, with 882,277 units sold during the same period.
The biggest reason GM’s sales continue to outpace the growth of its competition is the shot in the arm provided by the brand. The Bow Tie brand’s sales are up 104 percent on the year, led by a 113 percent increase in sales of the . GM sold 14,524 copies of the Cruze in May alone, while the new-for-2010 Sail already hit 7,616 sales. While Chevy is quickly growing in the Chinese market, the still hot brand is starting to show some signs of leveling off. Sales of the Tri-shield are up a mere 22 percent so far this year. appears to be stealing a bit of Buick’s thunder as well, as the Wreath and Crest is up 98 percent on the year.
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG – Click above for high-res image gallery
There’s a lot to like about the . After all, we’re talking about a sleek, 563-horsepower super-Benz with functional gullwing doors and a soundtrack to melt your heart. It’s the embodiment of German engineering… or is it? Inside Line cites unnamed sources who say that the SLS AMG actually began life as the next-generation .
The story apparently goes like this. engineers were already hard at work on the next-gen Viper, with an aluminum chassis already completed and a new suspension on the way. caught wind of the project and decided that the chassis would be the perfect starting point for the upcoming SLS. The two teams reportedly worked side-by-side on the project until cash crunch caused the Dodge team to focus its resources elsewhere. The end result was a brand-new SLS for Mercedes and a hole in Dodge’s Viper lineup. IL bolsters its account of the Viper-turned-SLS with the fact that early SLS test mules caught by spy photogs were fitted with ill-assembled Viper sheetmetal.
While it’s hard to blame Mercedes for utilizing existing engineering work (it did, after all own Chrysler at the time) to bring the SLS to market faster and cheaper, we’re thinking it would have been nice to have a new aluminum chassis Viper on the streets. Here’s hoping that the makes us forget about our loss.
Edmunds’ Top 10 ‘Dark-Horse’ cars – Click above for high-res image gallery
We all know the typical sales winners of the automotive universe. Come hell or high water, Honda Civics and will still float off of the lot. Granted, that’s good news for most automakers, but at the same time, there’s a wealth of under-appreciated models languishing under the beady eyes of inflatable gorillas across the country. The good people of Edmunds have taken it upon themselves to wrangle up a top 10 list of those long forgotten winners and filed them under the collective banner of “Dark-Horse” candidates. Sexy.
We’re absolutely down with cars like the 2010 , 2010 and the 2010 , but the 2010 has us scratching our heads. While the car is a perfectly decent little compact, the market is awash with other excellent options. Need proof? Look no further than another Edmunds Dark-Horse selection, the 2011 . We suppose that with all the hype surrounding the new Blue Oval hatchback that it can’t as easily be considered a forgotten option, at least at this point. for the full press blast and check the gallery below for the top picks.
Stingray Speedster Concept – Click above for gallery
Now, isn’t this curious? The eagle-eyed crew over at Corvette Blogger have managed to get their hands on a few shots of what appears to be a speedster version of the ever gorgeous . You may remember the car from its starring roles in both the saga and the 2009 Chicago Auto Show. At the time, the car appeared to be a hard-top only, but as these photos demonstrate, it looks mighty fine without a roof, too. So what gives? Is this some sort of re-imagining of the old concept? Is it a movie prop?
We’re going to stick pretty close to the Corvette Blogger hypothesis and say it’s a little bit of both. The car was spotted sulking around Beverly Hills, so either we’re looking at Sideswipe’s latest set of clothes, or someone has finally managed to come up with a decent re-body kit to help the C5 look a little less dated. Either way, we like what we see.
2011 Opel Astra Sports Tourer – Click above for high-res image gallery
Small wagons might not have much of a place in the United States, but overseas, they do very well, thank you. Take the , for example – its wagon variant accounts for around 25 percent of its overall sales. Thus, hasn’t wasted any time in creating the wagon (Sports Tourer) version of the new Astra, and while it will make its public debut this October at the , is already spilling the virtual beans.
Inside, the Astra Sports Tourer uses a new FlexFold rear seat system, which allows rear seats to be folded down simply by pressing a button in the tailgate. We commonly see this feature on larger SUVs and minivans, and the Astra is the first compact wagon to have this function. With the rear seats down, the Sports Tourer can accommodate up to 54.7 cubic feet of haulables.
Not only is the Astra Sports Tourer quite functional, it has the makings of a vehicle that’s relatively good to drive, too. Opel has fitted its FlexRide adaptive suspension system to the wagon, with standard, tour and sport driving modes. Eight engine choices are available, ranging from 95 to 180 horsepower, including the turbocharged 1.4-liter four that’s slated for use in the U.S.-market .
It looks to be a fun little wagon, this Astra, and it makes us wish that there were enough buyers for such vehicles over here in the States. Have a look for yourself by either scrolling through the gallery below or watching the video (complete with Shaft-inspired soundtrack) .
2011 Mercedes-Benz R-Class – Click above for high-res image gallery
Not too long ago, there was a time when all of the vehicles in an automaker’s portfolio weren’t required to wear the same uniform. Each model could be its own unique expression of the brand’s strengths without being forced to schedule an appointment with the corporate plastic surgeon. Granted, some marques lost a bit of identity with scads of mismatched children running around the lot, but the world’s automotive variety pack was considerably more interesting. If you didn’t like the face on one product, but wanted to stick with the brand, there were a plethora of options to choose from.
That’s not the case anymore. We live in a world of increasingly unified automotive design, and while that’s resulted in a few products missing the mark in a big way (we’re looking at you, ), just as many manufacturers have created some real winners by spreading the corporate face among its progeny. decision to share the grille across its line was one of the best moves the company has made in recent history, and and have similarly benefited from strong familial design cues.
Now is looking to walk down the same path by spreading its upright grille to the 2011 R-Class. The move isn’t so much of a shot in the arm as a shot of espresso for the Silver Arrow’s awkward duckling, but it should help the luxury people mover blend in amongst its more beautiful brethren.
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Photos by Zach Bowman / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
There are an endless amount of interesting tidbits to be found when browsing satellite images in and . Unfortunately, we have to keep in mind that the images are not in real-time, or even close too it. Most are 2-3 years old or more. That means whatever you see today is likely long gone by the time you’re looking at it.
Such is the case for the imagery of a sad little industrial park in Green Cove Springs, Florida, just south of Jacksonville. The Reynolds Industrial Park was once an airport where the U.S. stored mothballed aircraft. Recently, some people with stumbled across this image and came to the erroneous conclusion that the thousands of white vehicles parked on the airport’s abandoned runways were UN trucks, possibly being readied for an invasion of Disney World (our guess, not theirs).
In fact, the truth is nothing quite so insidious. The two airstrips full of cars were a surplus of unsold Kias that had been shipped in from Korea and were being stored. Their white color is simply the shrink-wrap that’s applied to almost all new cars during shipping to protect their finish. Prior to becoming a Kia storage lot, the same facility was used by Kelsey-Hayes/TRW Automotive as a test track for anti-lock brake systems for some 20 years (this writer formerly worked as an engineer for TRW and spent time at this facility). The white ceramic tile pad formerly used for simulated ice testing is still visible on the upper part of the runway as are the circle tracks.
The airstrips weren’t the only automotive use of Reynolds Industrial Park. One of the buildings to the right of the strip was home to for a time in the mid-1990s before it went belly up. Rusting frames of the M12 supercar could be seen stacked outside for several years after.
