September 6, 2008
For me it's a no-brainer: Jeep Liberty all the way.
I never understood the Nitro. Oh, it's kinda cool looking, but it clearly steps on the Liberty's toes in the marketplace. Besides, it doesn't even offer a low-range 4WD! What kind of "Ruf-N'-Ready" SUV is that? It's got all of the traditional SUV disadvantages, yet it's is missing the most essential of all traditional SUV advantages--that being good off-road ability. It should never have been made in the first place. Ax it--and the sooner the better!
Full story here.
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- Posted by: Bob Holland September 6, 2008, 4:00 AM
- Categories: Dodge, Jeep, SUVs
September 5, 2008
The Band
The Roadster
Laugh at their hair all you want, meanwhile, there are more members of the band than Tesla's on the road.--The Mechanic, Inside Line Contributor
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- Posted by: The Mechanic September 5, 2008, 11:57 AM
- Categories: The Mechanic
It's no secret that Hummers are the poster vehicles for bad behavior. Heck, if I put up a post on a Hummer here on Straightline, the resulting comments are almost always negative. There have even been cases of Eco-Nazis vandalizing Hummers (not by Straightline followers, of course), or any vehicle that exudes mucho-machoismo.
Now it appears Hummer-lovers and other like-minded are fighting back. Literally. In fact the Toyota Pruis has become the anti-Hummer object of hate to many. Actually this (Prius vandalism) is not a new movement, as it's been going on for some time. What is new is that it appears to be gaining ground among vehicular Neanderthals across the planet.
Here's Green Car Advisor's take: Prius Envy or Hybrid Hatred? Something Is Fueling Attacks on Toyota's Mileage Star
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- Posted by: Bob Holland September 5, 2008, 8:57 AM
- Categories: HUMMER, Hybrids, SUVs, Toyota, Trends
The general manager of Suzuki Australia, Tony Devers, has stated that the new mid-size Kizashi sedan will be powered by a 2.4-litre I4 engine as well as a V6. The latter is likely to have a capacity of 3.6-litres. Both engines will be Suzuki units. Now I'm sure Devers was speaking in terms of the Aussie market, but I think it's safe to assume this is what we'll see here as well.
The news is not unexpected, as this info pretty much follows suit of most other vehicles in this size segment. What is interesting is that Suzuki will now have two 3,6L V6s; a home-grown in-house engineered unit that's mentioned here, and the GM-source unit now found in the XL-7.
Full story here.
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- Posted by: Bob Holland September 5, 2008, 7:24 AM
- Categories: Sedans, Suzuki
This month GM will reveal a production-ready version of the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid at GM's 100-year celebration. The car is expected to go on sale by November of 2010.
Full story here.
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- Posted by: Bob Holland September 5, 2008, 4:00 AM
- Categories: Chevrolet, General Motors, Green Tech, Hybrids
We get the Tacoma pickup, and the rest of the world gets the HiLux pickup. Years back, as in decades back, the Toyota pickup sold here was also called the HiLux.
Moving forward... I don't know about the rest of you folks, but I find the styling of this HiLux
soooo much more appealing than the Tacoma. Also
very appealing is that the HiLux can be had with a 171 hp 3.0L 4-cylinder diesel.
Full story here.
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- Posted by: Bob Holland September 5, 2008, 4:00 AM
- Categories: Diesels, Toyota, Trucks
September 4, 2008
As promised, Honda lifted the curtain today on their all-new Prius-fighter hybrid. In doing so Honda resurected the name Insight, which was first applied to their 70 mpg 2-seat hybrid of a few years back.
This concept, like all recent Honda concepts is almost showroom-ready. Also like all Hondas, it is far more attractive (in my eyes) than the corresponding Toyota model that it would compete with.
The Insight will go on sale next spring, and is expected to undercut the Prius by $2K or so, starting at just under $20,000.
Here's Inside Line's take: 2008 Paris Auto Show Preview: Toyota Prius-Fighting Honda Insight Concept
Mazda will debut their Kiyora concept at the upcoming Paris Auto Show. The styling follows the flowing (think folded drapery) theme found on all recent Mazda concepts. Other than having a "next-generation" direct injection 4-cylinder engine, not much is known about what's under the skin.
Full story here.
Here's
Inside Line's take:
2008 Paris Auto Show Preview: Mazda Kiyora Concept
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- Posted by: Bob Holland September 4, 2008, 7:19 AM
- Categories: All Auto Shows, Mazda, Paris Auto Show
As in July, only Nissan of the Big Six automakers, showed a profit. As compared to August of last year, sales for the auto industry are down roughly 15 percent.
One of the surprises here is that, unlike the rest of the industry, several of Nissan's trucks and SUVs had a really good month. Their formerly slow-selling Frontier midsize pickup broke out with 56-percent leap in August, totaling 9,140 sales. The Xterra SUV showed an incredible 77-percent increase with 8,208 units sold. One thing I'm happy to see is that Subaru continues to surprise with a 14 percent gain over last August. The new Forester had a 73 percent increase over last August!
Here's
AutoObserver's take:
Auto Sales Still Dismal in August - But At Least It Wasn't July
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- Posted by: Bob Holland September 4, 2008, 6:51 AM
- Categories: Auto Industry, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Trends
GM has several suitors from the Middle East interested in the Hummer brand. The General lost $51 billion over the last three years, and is hoping to get at least $15 billion as a result of selling assets and cutting costs.
"We are trying to approach this (Hummer sale) on an urgent basis," states COO Fritz Henderson. "End of this year is a fair amount of time. It can conceivably happen ... but if it takes us to early next year, that is okay, too."
Full story here.
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- Posted by: Bob Holland September 4, 2008, 4:00 AM
- Categories: Auto Industry, General Motors, HUMMER, SUVs, Trucks
Carscoop (via Km77.com, a Spanish web site) has nabbed a couple of images of the next Miata refresh.
The new front end is daring, for sure. To be honest, I don't care for it. I much prefer the current model. No word yet on other changes. The car should be officially announced soon.
Full story here.
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- Posted by: Bob Holland September 4, 2008, 4:00 AM
- Categories: Mazda, Sports Cars
September 3, 2008
Like everything else with wheels these days, expect the next-gen Corvette to go after more mpg rather than more mph. Popular Mechanics is reporting that there is talk of V6s and maybe even diesels. As they say, everything is on the table for discussion.
Full story here.
Photo Illustration: Anthony Verducci
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- Posted by: Bob Holland September 3, 2008, 9:05 AM
- Categories: Chevrolet, Sports Cars
AutoExpress is reporting that Toyota's Smart-fighter, the iQ, may get a plug-in hybrid version. The car would use a 500c gas engine. It would be able to travel 15 miles in pure electric mode. It could be in production by 2010. No word yet as to whether it will be sold here.
Speaking of "smart" and "iQ," what's with this naming of vehicles based on one's brain capabilities? Do they actually "think" (another brain function) that the buyers are smart and have high IQs? I always "thought" (past tense brain function) that puns (like these) were mainly for those (like me) of less capable intellect?
Full story here.
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- Posted by: Bob Holland September 3, 2008, 7:55 AM
- Categories: Green Tech, Hybrids, SMART, Toyota
Depending on which side of the fence you're on, this is either good news or lousy news. Me? I'm on the "lousy" side of the fence.
Okay, I guess I was wearing my "naive" cap on this one, as I was really hoping that--some how--some way--that Nissan and Dodge would find a way to keep the excellent 5.6L Nissan V8; but it ain't gonna happen. Way too expensive, so I've been told, to retro-fit the Nissan engine into the Dodge half-ton.
So the next Titan (are they even going to keep that name?) will follow the long-established pattern of being a 100-percent badge-engineered product. I don't know about anyone else, but I see this as having FAILURE being written all over it.
Why you may ask? Because I have yet to find a badge-engineered vehicle that I would want to own. Nope, not a one--and I don't expect this next Nissan truck to be any different. Nor have I seen any badge-engineered vehicles be really kick-ass successful. Granted, GMC has done pretty well, but it's always played second fiddle to the Chevy counterpart--and its future is very much up in the air. Nissan will get some sales. I don't, however, see this truck as ever being anything more than a bit player.
And if by chance I do find myself liking it--I'd buy the Dodge version instead, assuming I was in the market for a truck. I'd simply rather reward the guys who did all the real work here, and not reward the truck maker that bailed and took the easy way out. I suspect I'm not alone in feeling this way.
Full story here.
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- Posted by: Bob Holland September 3, 2008, 4:00 AM
- Categories: Dodge, Nissan, Trucks
Originally planned to debut at the Paris auto show, Honda is now planning on teasing us with some pictures of their new hybrid-specific sedan on September 4. It should be noted, as per recent Honda debuts, that what will be shown will be a close-to-production "concept," and not the finished product. Don't you just loved to be toyed with this way?
Whatever. We'll take it. The actual concept--in 3-D, will be on display at the Paris show.
John Kingston, Honda UK environmental manager, said the new model was critical to Honda's future. "It is a very important car for Honda and our future direction," he said, adding: "This is a car that will change customer perception of hybrids."
Full story here (subscription needed).
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- Posted by: Bob Holland September 3, 2008, 4:00 AM
- Categories: Honda, Hybrids, Toyota
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