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Alex Nunez jumps in with Chris and Dan on Episode #198 of the Autoblog Podcast. The aftermath of the Paris Motor Show is a point of discussion, along with the product blitz. Moving to a completely different continent, we finish with the before wrapping it all up by responding to some of your feedback. An hour and twenty minutes later, we’re done – see you next week!
Autoblog Podcast #198 – Paris Motor Show, Lotus unveilings, Chevrolet Montana
In the Autoblog Garage:
Z06
News:
Paris Auto Show recap
Hosts:
, ,
Runtime: 1:25:42
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There’s some word that is seriously considering resurrecting the Continental name. The internets are buzzing with both confirmation and denial of the rumor depending on where you look. Over at Automotive News, a report suggests that dealers have been told that the Conti will resurface as part of an upcoming renaissance that includes the introduction of up to seven new or significantly reworked models in short order. Those dealers have supposedly been shown a handful of concept-level renderings of what the new models will look like.
Meanwhile, Motor Authority is reporting that Ford is trying to silence any speculation that the big Continental will return to the Lincoln stable. The site quotes Lincoln spokesman Christian Bokich as saying that of the seven new models headed to the showroom soon, none of them are a new take on the Continental.
That would seem to make sense for a number of reasons. With Lincoln fully embracing a terribly confusing alphabetic naming system, a nameplate like Continental would stick out in a big way (though perhaps Ford is reconsidering this nomenclature strategy). Throw in the fact that the is currently tucked into the slot that the Continental traditionally held, and there’s less and less room for resurrecting the nameplate.
So what does Lincoln have planned for the near future? The crew over at Pickuptrucks.com seems to think that the brand is going to take another swing at a luxury pickup, even though the Blackwood and Mark LT models before it have failed to move the sales needle. Of course, all of this is just well-intentioned speculation at this point. Chances are that with today’s dealer meeting proceedings underway, Lincoln won’t be able to keep its real plans under its hat for long.
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We’re recording Autoblog Podcast #198 tonight, and we’ve collected a few topics of discussion. Drop us your own feedback and questions below if you think there’s anything we’ve missed, or vote on your fellow readers’ submissions to help determine what we kibbitz about this evening. You can subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast if you haven’t already to hear your question answered.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #198
Paris Auto Show recap
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Every automaker strives to entice younger buyers into its fold, yet more new crossovers and large sedans tend to make their way to market than anything in which the young among us might be interested. What’s up with that? Well, it could have something to do with the fact that people under 50 years old just don’t buy many new vehicles.
JD Power and Associates studied age as it corresponds to new vehicle purchases, and the results of a survey of 41,000 new vehicle buyers showed that 62 percent of all new cars and trucks sold were delivered to the AARP crowd. Alarmingly, this statistic has spiked up dramatically from 39 percent back in 2001. Our parents and grandparents are also picking up hybrids faster than their children, as 73 percent of all battery-assisted vehicle sales are picked up by those over 50. On the other side of the spectrum, those 35 and younger account for just 12.7 percent of all new vehicle purchases, down from 24.4 percent in 2001.
There are two major reasons the 50-and-up club accounts for such a high total of vehicle sales, lead by the fact that baby boomers, the largest demographic in America, are growing old. But AARP director Mark Bradbury adds that people over 50 have the “ability to spend on higher-ticket items during harsh economic times. Younger adults are moving back home to ease basic financial burdens, such as housing and food.” It sure is hard to buy a new car when you’re back living with Mom and Dad, but hey, maybe they’ll let you borrow theirs.
Numbers like maximum horsepower, torque and tow ratings are the heart and soul of the full-size heavy duty pickup truck segment. No shocker there. But how much reliance can consumers actually put on figures provided by the manufacturer? And, keeping in mind that the average test drive doesn’t include hooking up a ten-ton trailer, how might we all get a proper frame of reference when judging one massive diesel beast with another?
Such questions may soon get an answer… , decided upon just a few weeks back. It seems that has issued a pretty straightforward challenge to : a towing duel up mountain grades, followed by a comparison of factory-issued exhaust brakes on the way back down. (Sorry, … guess you’re not invited out to play.) Seems simple enough, no?
Here are some relevant statistics: Ford’s () 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel V8 engine punishes the tarmac with an even 400 horsepower and 800 pound-feet of torque. That’s class-leading, as GM’s 6.6-liter Duramax . Looking at those numbers, Ford wins… right?
Not so fast, says Marketing Manager Tony Truelove, “Numbers on paper are fine,” he said. “Let’s go work these trucks in the mountains, and may the best truck win.” To which Ford Trucks spokeswoman Anne Marie Gattari replied, “We challenge our trucks against the competition in grueling prove-out tests continually, and the customer gives us the results – sales leadership year after year.”
That’s right, The Blue Oval plainly and unsurprisingly declined invitation. But the show must go on, and our friends at Pickuptrucks.com promise to be on hand in their very best black-and-white-striped shirts to serve as referees for the main event. Let’s get ready to rumble!
2011 Hennessey V700 Coupe on the dragstrip – Click above to watch video
We think the 304 horsepower is pretty cool and the . The power pundits at Hennessey think any car or truck could use a little more oomph than it leaves the factory with. John Hennessey’s crew has massaged the blown LSA motor under the two-door Caddy’s bulging hood and the results scream for themselves. The 2011 Hennessey V700 Coupe pushes out 700 hp to the rear wheels and makes nearly 740 pound-feet of torque.
How does that all that power do when the car is launched down the dragstrip? The trip from tree to finish takes just over 11 seconds. to see the action for yourself.
Gallery:
Photos by Steven J. Ewing and Chris Shunk / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
The Rose Bowl Parade has been title-sponsor free for 121 straight years, bucking the trend that’s taken hold over the past couple decades. Well, that’s over. has apparently backed up the truck for naming rights. This year, get ready for the 122nd Rose Parade Presented by Honda. While Honda is the event’s first title sponsor, the automaker and the famous parade have been linked through advertising for the past 50 years.
Nobody is talking at this point about how much Honda paid for the honor, but we’re fairly certain the bags of cash were heavy and plentiful. The biggest question now concerns the products Honda will choose to showcase during the parade. One option that comes to mind is a nationally-televised start to the campaign. We have no idea whether Honda will be ready to tout the new Civic by next January, but it would make sense to take advantage of the national stage to do so.
2011 Chevrolet Montana – Click above for high-res image gallery
Say hullo to this little truck: It’s the 2011 Chevrolet Montana and it might just make its way up from South America into U.S. dealer showrooms. It’s a small two-door, two-passenger ute that rides on the same platform as the Brazilian Chevy Agile, a hatchback city car.
According to , has no successor planned for the U.S.-version of the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon twins. This car-based, front-wheel-drive trucklet could provide a nice stepping stone into its family of larger pickups. The engine would likely have to be beefed up for this market, since potential truck shoppers might be scared off by the Montana’s 1.4-liter four-cylinder (it’s good for 97 horsepower, 95 pound-feet of torque, and 30 miles per gallon on the highway). Despite its modest power numbers, the Chevy Montana is capable of hauling 1,671 pounds in the rear cargo area – a number comparable to the payload ratings of several full-size pickups.
Is North America ready for a pint-sized, front-wheel drive truck? That’s a tough call, especially one with such Aveo-likeunique styling. The 2011 Chevrolet Montana might not arrive in the form you see above (and in the gallery), but it could provide a glimpse at what’s waiting down the road.
October brings us the beginning of Fall, Halloween, Octoberfest… and the Paris Motor Show. In fact, the second and final press day is coming to a close as we speak. Between now and the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas at the beginning of November, there are going to be hundreds of automotive events to keep car-lovers busy.
Local auto shows like the will bring all of the 2010 and some 2011 models to the public. The in Santa Monica will do the same for those who want the latest in green motoring. Camaro lovers of all stripes might want to stop in at the at their shop in Santa Fe Springs, CA.
Classic and collectible car fans can still see some of the most amazing machinery from throughout history at events like:
– a.k.a. Hershey
If you’d like to buy your own classic, there are a couple of auctions in October as well – hosts its Vintage Motor Cars of Hershey event during Fall Meet Week in Hershey, PA. RM also conducts its Automobiles of London auction this month.
Racing fans can take in Formula 1 action during the Japanese and Korean Grands Prix. The Chase is on in NASCAR and the pack will be making stops at Kansas, Charlotte, Fontana, Martinsville and Talladega. IndyCar finishes its 2010 season with the championship-deciding Miami Indy 300. The WRC hosts rallies in France and Spain this month, while the ALMS heads to Georgia for the Petit Le Mans. Drag racing fans can catch NHRA action at Maple Grove Raceway and Las Vegas in October.
If none of those events appeal to you, check out our Google Calendar for even more listings, all with detailed info and links. And please don’t forget to use the comments section to add or modify listings.
Mahindra Pik-Up – Click above for high-res image gallery
The automotive soap opera that is Mahindra keeps on turning. Today, the Indian automaker issued a statement regarding the claims put forth by Global Vehicles. Mahindra accuses GV of “” It states that the and Mahindra is free to pursue other means of bringing its Pik-Up to its network of waiting U.S. dealers. It has effectively rejected . Mahindra further claims that Global Vehicles is working hard to damage its reputation while disrupting its attempts to bring the vehicle stateside.
Honestly, we would love to see this little truck land in dealer lots here, but we don’t know how this drama will play out. Both sides are pointing fingers and we expect name calling to soon follow. Either way, this doesn’t appear to a very productive way of expediting vehicles to showrooms, now does it?
2007 Toyota Tundra Limited – Click above for high-res image gallery
Any pickup truck driver will tell you that the overall ride of their vehicle improves with a little bit of weight in the bed, but some trucks are naturally worse than others when it comes to unladen comfort. In fact, this exact issue is why made the decision to switch to coil springs in lieu of the more common leafs in the rear of the latest fullsize trucks.
But there’s one fullsize truck on the market that has gotten more complaints than any other, and it’s the 2007 through 2010 Toyota Tundra. For whatever reason, owners of these particular trucks tend to complain of a choppy ride much more often than owners of competitor’s trucks, and, despite a host of aftermarket solutions to the problem, for years these complaints went unacknowledged by .
Not any more. According to the boys at Tundra Headquarters, the Japanese automaker has finally announced a TSB that is intended to greatly reduce the so-called bed-bounce issue that has plagued the truck since ‘07. The TSB applies only to Double Cab Tundras and involves replacing the rear body mount bushings with new, upgraded units. It’s also important to note that this is a TSB, not a recall.
We’ve gone ahead and pasted the TSB after the break, and you’ll also find a video produced by a company that sells the ballast, which is intended to greatly reduce the bed-bounce problem. Judging from the graphic results in the video, we’d say the Willybar does its job rather admirably. Hopefully, Toyota’s TSB will prove just as effective. Thanks for the tip, Joel!
To say we were impressed by Ford’s latest pickup engines would be an understatement. As of today, Ford officially offers the very best range of powertrain packages in the half-ton pickup truck marketplace.
Exagon Motors’ 340-horsepower, extended-range Furtive e-GT is said to hit 60 in 3.5 seconds with a 248.5-mile electric-only range. The French manufacturer wants to begin production as soon as 2012.
Volvo’s new Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake is under scrutiny after a series of demonstrations for journalists in Australia went awry when an inflatable test dummy was mowed down after the system failed to detect its presence in time to stop.
Volvo V60 Pedestrian Detection test failures – Click above to
Volvo’s new is under scrutiny after a series of demonstrations for journalists in Australia went awry in rather spectacular fashion. During the presentation, an inflatable test dummy was mowed down after the system failed to detect its presence in time to stop. This, despite the fact that the technology was showcased under controlled conditions. The optional hardware, which debuts on the and , utilizes both radar and camera technology to avoid or mitigate an accident with a pedestrian by automatically slowing the vehicle to either a full stop or at least initiating full braking to lower the rate of impact (Volvo: “The system can avoid a collision at speeds up to 22 mph. At higher speeds, the focus is on reducing the car’s speed as much as possible prior to the impact”).
Volvo officials themselves cautioned… that the system may not always detect the dummy’s presence.
According to Aussie motoring website Car Advice, journalists at the demonstration were told by a spokesperson that the system may have been ‘confused’ by a tractor-trailer parked around 30 meters behind the dummy, but the subsequent removal of the big rig still saw two more failures resulting in impacts. According to the same report, Volvo noted that “around 650 media participated in the week-long demonstration – with a claimed 99.7 per cent success rate – the nature of the failed 0.3 per cent of runs appears to be undisclosed.”
Autoblog had the chance to sample this system firsthand at the earlier this month in similar parking lot tests with different dummies. It performed as-advertised for us, though a few other journalists did record failures of their own – though those lapses were evidently at least partially exacerbated by the drivers giving-in to their instinct to tromp on the brake pedal. Interestingly, Volvo officials themselves cautioned us in advance that the system may not always detect the dummy’s presence, in part because it doesn’t mimic the behavior of a human (the Pedestrian Detection system is trained to look for human movements – arms swaying, legs moving, and so on). In fact, when we asked if the system would also detect and activate when animals are in the road, officials said that the safety feature has not yet been trained to do so – it is only capable of registering bipeds.
As you may recall, this is not the first failure of Volvo’s new auto-stop impact avoidance systems. , we told you about another incident in which an S60’s City Safety auto-brake system test resulted in the car plowing into the back of a semi truck. Volvo would apparently later state that the crash was caused by a ‘low-voltage event’ in the car’s electrical system that turned the rear-impact avoidance system off, a flaw that has since been repaired.
Follow to watch videos of the PSD failures as well as an official Volvo video explaining how the system is designed to work.
Will Pickup Buyers Embrace A Turbocharged V6? They Should, And Fast.
2011 Ford F-150 – Click above for high-res image gallery
The year is 1977. Jimmy Carter replaces Gerald Ford to become the 39th President of the United States and creates the United States Department of Energy. Apple Computer is incorporated, and the Commodore PET, the world’s first personal computer, is sold. NASA’s first space shuttle is christened Enterprise and performs its initial test flight.
Music lovers welcome Fleetwood Mac’s latest release, the Grammy-winning album Rumours. The Supremes, Elvis Presley and Led Zeppelin play their final concerts, and, later in the year, Elvis leaves the building for good. The top grossing movie? Star Wars. On television, Fonzie rather famously jumps the shark.
In the world of automobiles, introduces the front-engine 928 and Burt Reynolds turns the black and gold Trans-Am into an object of desire. And, finally, the earns its status as the best-selling vehicle line in America. Clearly, a lot has changed since 1977… except, of course, for the Blue Oval, which can still boast that its full-size pickup truck is the number one nameplate in the United States.
Ford has no intention of passing that particular baton to anyone else, and in order to maintain this impressive bit of marketing gold for a 34th straight year, the Dearborn-based automaker is putting four brand-new engines, including a 3.5-liter turbocharged EcoBoost V6, in the engine bay of its F-150. The automaker says 2011 marks “the most significant powertrain upgrade in 62 years of the F-Series.” We, of course, had to verify that claim for ourselves.
…
Gallery:
Photos copyright (C)2010 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL and Ford Motor Company
Ford tortures its EcoBoost engine – Click above to watch video
is itching to show that its 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 engine is tough enough to take whatever F-150 buyers can throw at it. In order to do so, the company has lined up a bevy of torture tests and enlisted Mike Rowe to narrate a documentary on the whole affair. Things will kick off with Ford randomly selecting an EcoBoost engine off of the assembly line to be subjected to the equivalent of 150,000 miles on the dyno. From there, the engine will be bolted into an F-150, where it will head to Oregon to skidsteer logs for a lumber company.
Then, the same truck and engine will head to Homestead Miami Speedway where it will tow two Sprint Cup Ford Fusion race cars around the track for 24 hours at full throttle, stopping only for fuel and tires along the way.
But wait, there’s more.
From there, the engine will be removed from the 2011 F-150 and bolted into a , where it will do battle in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000. After all of that, Ford will tear down the engine and give the public a look at how things went inside. Sounds like a party. You can for a look at the full press release and to check out the first video in the series.
Mahindra Pik-Up – Click above for high-res image gallery
Mahindras road to the United States has been interesting so far, to say the least. It’s , seen , and .
Many here in the states are eagerly awaiting the arrival of an official on-sale date for the Pik-up. The biggest group waiting for that announcement might just be Global Vehicles, the U.S. distributor for the little truck with potential big appeal. Global Vehicles has already invested nearly $100 million to bring the vehicle to the US and now they’ve placed an initial order for the Mahindra pickups to the tune of $35 million.
John Perez, CEO of Global Vehicles, says:
“We are proud of the sales and service network we created to support the launch of Mahindra vehicles, and we look forward to bringing American buyers something truly unique in the marketplace – rugged, high-quality, clean diesel pickup trucks that can achieve nearly 30 miles per gallon. Our dealers are all seasoned auto industry professionals who will treat customers with honesty, integrity and respect. We built our business on these bedrock principles, which should be the foundation of every business relationship.”
Perez goes on to state that he believes Global Vehicles will prevail in the pending arbitration case against Mahindra. This would force Mahindra to honor its agreement with GV. The offending clause states that Mahindra could walk away from the deal if its truck did not pass EPA testing by a certain date. Mahindra claimed this last-minute contract change was to protect against potential losses if its truck didn’t receive the EPA certification. The deadline dates came up three times, with Perez’s company extending the deadline each time. The most recent time passed on June 11. Ten days after that deadline, Mahindra announced its vehicles were certified for sale and declared its relationship with GV now void.
It will be very interesting to watch this play out. The Pik-Up is supposed to be an affordable and capable, fuel-efficient truck which could be a perfect fit for many U.S. buyers. It’s clear that Global Vehicles remains extremely committed to its investment and hopefully we see the distinctly-styled trucklet roaming our streets in the near future.
A pool of 50 U.S. and Canada-based automotive journalists from various news outlets has cut down the list for the 2011 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards to 14 possible winning vehicles in each category.
Among the manufacturers, , /, , and lead with the most nominations, and the lists run the gamut from the inexpensive (Ford Fiesta, Mazda2), to the sybaritic (Audi A8, Jaguar XJ, Porsche Cayenne), to the groundbreaking (Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf).
Car
Truck
Dodge Durango
Ford Explorer
Jurors will cull each list down further in December, and the finalists will be displayed when the winning car and truck are announced at the Detroit Auto Show in January.
What car and truck do you expect to win? Check out our galleries of the finalists below, then to place your vote for the car and truck you expect to win. If you like, you can also drop your fellow commenter a line as to what vehicle you’d most like to see take home the heavy hardware.
(*Full Disclosure: Author is a member of the NACTOY voting jury)
Although many suspect that Daimler wants to buy Iveco from Fiat Industrial S.p.A., the German automaker denies it is angling to purchase the commercial division. According to The New York Times, there were supposedly talks during the summer about Daimler purchasing the “non-car business” – we’re not sure if that means the agricultural and the truck side – but apparently the two sides couldn’t agree on a price.
Daimler is the largest of players in the heavy truck industry – its various brands being among the market leaders on at least three continents. Outside opinion is that the German firm wants Iveco in order to help it penetrate Asia, where its current offerings are priced out of the mass-market competition. If nothing else, it’s being suggested that Daimler might try to work out some sort of partnership agreement with Iveco. Doing so could help keep integration costs way down and avert the scrutiny of anti-trust authorities. Fiat hasn’t commented on the matter, but this kind of tie-up is perhaps exactly what Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne had in mind when he .
2010 Audi A3 TDI – Click above for high-res image gallery
Audi’s has been something of a quiet entry point for the German automaker in the North American market, selling in modest volumes compared to its more upscale and brethren. According to of North America president, Johan de Nysschen, those low volumes have been supply constrained for some time. The A3 has been performing so well in the European market that capacity remains in short supply. The supply constraint is so acute that Audi hasn’t been offering any incentives or leasing plans to help boost the model’s numbers.
Another reason for the A3’s low take-rate, de Nysschen admits, is its five-door hatchback bodystyle, a configuration that is at odds with traditional expectations for premium cars among U.S. consumers. But help may be on the way.
As we , Audi may build a sedan version of the A3 to better appeal to this market’s consumer tastes. However, the company is reluctant to undertake the cost of developing a new bodystyle for the North American market alone, and Audi of Europe apparently isn’t terribly interested in offering one to its customers. The potential solution de Nysschen is pursuing hinges upon lobbying Audi’s other international arms to see if they are interested in offering an A3 sedan. Of those divisions, Audi’s Asian outposts would seem to be the most likely candidate, as countries like South Korea and China are very accepting of cars with trucks, and both are seen as strong growth markets.
Interestingly, de Nysschen reminded Autoblog that the A3’s sales volume has actually more than doubled in the States this year. That’s partly because Audi is earning more consideration from car buyers, and partly because demand for the model has fallen in Europe where it is approaching the end of its lifecycle. With less product needed to keep EU dealers happy, Audi has been able to secure more units to sell in the States. Through August, Audi sold 4,012 A3 five-doors in the States. That represents a whopping 74.8 percent year-over-year increase – a remarkable feat for a car that has been on sale since 2006. By this time last year, Audi had only managed to shift 2,295 units. Just as interesting is word that sales of the TDI diesel A3 account for around 50 percent of the model’s sales – a percentage that Audi says holds true for its other TDI offering, the .
The next-generation A3 is expected in 2012, but with plans for a sedan still up in the air, it seems unlikely that a four-door variant will accompany its initial rollout. Either way, the second-generation model is expected to continue sharing quite a bit with its counterparts, including offering a derivative of automaker’s ubiquitous 2.0-liter TFSI four-cylinder and Quattro all-wheel drive.
As part of the kick-off ceremonies for the State Fair of Texas, debuted its latest version of the – the Laramie Longhorn edition. (Think , only Chrysler). Available on 1500, 2500 and 3500 trims, the Longhorn can be had in a variety of two-tone color schemes, including the model-specific sagebrush green and white gold seen in the stock photos.
The real story with the Longhorn is its interior, which is done up in full leather with real woodgrain trim throughout. (For reference, even the highest-grade isn’t available with real woodgrain.) Added touches like flap-closure pockets on the front seatbacks with a metal buckle and magnetic clasp and unique seat piping look like a high-zoot cowboy’s dream, and with the plethora of Longhorn badging both inside and out, this is sure to be the sort of pickup that no one wants to get dirty. Consider it your fancy-pants out-on-the-town truck.
Saddle up and to read the full list of Longhorn upgrades in Chrysler’s press release, and take a gander at some high-res shots in the gallery below.
Every automaker strives to entice younger buyers into its fold, yet more new crossovers and large sedans tend to make their way to market than anything in which the young among us might be interested. What’s up with that? Well, it could have something to do with the fact that people under 50 years old just don’t buy many new vehicles.
