Karl on Cars
Talk Back Tuesday
November 17, 2009
The buzz around electric cars reached a Norelco pitch last week after Nissan started showing off its new Leaf and Carlos Ghosn claimed 10 percent of global automotive sales will be electric by 2020.
That's 10 years from now, and when one considers the technological potential of the next decade it doesn't sound so far fetched, right?
Wrong! I think this prediction (like most automotive predictions involving more than 5 years) is more sound-bite than sound reasoning. And if you don't believe me, ask Bob Lutz. I did last week on the same day the Leaf made it's splash-down in Los Angeles.
Lutz was in Los Angeles as part of the 2011 Buick Regal reveal at the Hollywood Palladium, but several senior Edmunds.com folks spent some quality time with him at the Roosevelt Hotel. We discussed multiple topics, including the future of the electric car.
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- Karl Brauer November 17, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, MINI, Nissan, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Electric Car Nissan Leaf Chevrolet Volt Bob Lutz
November 10, 2009
Let me make one thing clear in the second sentence of this column. I am not saying GM has already pulled off a successful turnaround.
But events of the last few weeks have established a momumental realization (at least for me): I think it's possible GM might actually pull off a successful turnaround. You know what they say, 12th time's the charm.
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- Karl Brauer November 10, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, GMC, Talk Back Tuesday
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- GM Turnaround GMC Terrain
November 3, 2009
This list isn't very long, but it's getting longer every year.
The first vehicle to earn the distinction of "Cars I Want to Hate...But Can't" was the BMW X5, and I still consider it the poster child for this category.
Why would I want to hate the BMW X5? Because it was slower, heavier, bulkier, thirstier, costlier and less space efficient than a BMW 5 Series wagon when it debuted in the late 1990s. The car made no logical sense on any rational level.
Then I drove one and quickly realized that, as slower, heavier, bulkier, thirstier, costlier and less space efficient 5 Series wagons go, the X5 was an awfully nice vehicle.
Since then I've experienced a similar love-hate relationship with several models, including the (new) Dodge Challenger, the Porsche Panamera and -- as of last Thursday -- the Honda Crosstour.
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- Karl Brauer November 3, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- BMW, Dodge, Honda, Porsche, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Honda Crosstour
October 27, 2009
I feel bad for Lexus. And it's not often I feel bad for a vehicle manufacturer, especially one swimming in cash (and trust me, even with its recent financial woes Toyota is still swimming in billions of dollars).
But the introduction of the Lexus LFA has me seriously concerned. Not about the company's long-term outlook -- Toyota has too much money and too many strong products to be in any serious trouble. But I fear the next couple years could be very painful for Toyota's top-line dealers, and I don't see the LFA helping their cause.
First, every premium brand is facing an uphill battle to maintain sales in this emerging "rather-save-my-money-than-impress-the-neighbors" era. It's called value, and people are (thankfully, IMHO) finally considering it when making a vehicle purchase. Don't believe me? Check out our data showing how premium SUV sales have TANKED in the last couple years.
Second, while the Lexus LFA offers impressive technical and performance specs these can't overcome the inherent weaknesses in its supercar pedigree. A single-clutch automated transmission in a 2011 model that costs $400,000? That questionable technology is already a decade old. And even a 3.7-second 0-60 time and a top speed of 202 mph, as amazing as those numbers sound, really aren't class leading in today's supercar field.
Which begs the question: What makes a supercar truly super?
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- Karl Brauer October 27, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Ford GT, Lexus, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Lexus LFA
October 20, 2009
"Oh...um...sorry to bother you...disembodied OnStar voice. Hope I didn't interrupt any truly important calls."
That's my first reaction whenever I hear that OnStar "ding" followed by "OnStar Ready" in a GM vehicle. And that's why my apprehension level goes up when I see that OnStar button under the rearview mirror.
See, I like to think of myself as relatively self-sufficient. Sure, I'll ask for help but I have to really need it first. However, on a semi-regular basis, when I'm in an OnStar-equipped car I find myself unintentionally activating the system, which in turn causes tremendous guilt because I feel I'm bothering an OnStar employee who could be helping another driver, maybe even someone with a true emergency.
I'll give you a few examples:
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- Karl Brauer October 20, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Buick, Cadillac, Car Audio and Technology, Chevrolet, GMC, Safety Systems, Talk Back Tuesday
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- OnStar GM
October 13, 2009
I spent last week driving the new 2010 Volkswagen Golf through the country formerly known as Eastern Germany. A full Test Drive on the Golf will be forthcoming, but suffice to say it's very much like the 2009 Golf -- except a little better in every way (when you've got the best-selling car in Europe it's not easy -- or smart -- to make radical changes).
While the new Golf wasn't much of a surprise, the driving experience over three days and 300 miles in Deutschland was. I'd driven in Germany before, but it was 10 years ago and mostly through the congested streets of Frankfurt. This time I drove from Wolfsburg to Dresden to Berlin, with a few side trips in between.
I was also driving with Csaba Csere, former editor of Car & Driver, and one of our many conversation points was the vastly different driving experience between German and the U.S. roads.
As such, I'd like to present the Top 10 Differences Between German and American Drivers:
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- Karl Brauer October 13, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Driving, Talk Back Tuesday
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- German American Driver Differences
October 6, 2009
Two weeks ago I wrote about GM's "May the Best Car Win" ad campaign, in which Ed Whitacre states, "Car for car, when compared to the competition, we win."
I questioned the accuracy of that claim, but in these last two weeks I've driven two all-new GM products, the 2010 Buick LaCrosse and the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox.
My experiences have confirmed GM unequivocally is making better cars today than it was just a couple years ago. Are they making "...the best cars..." that will "win" in today's ultra competitive market? Well...
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- Karl Brauer October 6, 2009, 3:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, Chevrolet, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, GMC, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Buick LaCrosse Chevrolet Equinox
September 29, 2009
You know all those guys who bemoan the fact they ever sold their first car? I'm hoping to join that crowd.
I've decided to put my 1970 Plymouth GTX up for sale.
I'm not selling it for all the usual reasons (needing money, out of space, tired of fixing it). Sure, getting the money from the sale would be nice, as would reclaiming some garage space and some free time (no more hours repairing the occasional fluid leak, as I did this past weekend).
No, the desire to sell it is far more basic: I just don't want it anymore.
That may sound harsh considering I've owed the GTX for 23 years, but I have my reasons.
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- Karl Brauer September 29, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Dodge, Muscle Car, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Plymouth GTX Dodge Challenger
September 22, 2009
If you've been paying attention to the news over the past week you likely heard the tragic story of a California Highway Patrol officer, along with his wife, daughter, and brother-in-law, being killed in a car crash. You may have even heard the chilling, 49-second 911 emergency call from inside the car that leads up to the final moment of impact.
Unlike typical automotive fatalities involving alcohol or a high-speed chase, this accident appears to be the direct result of a jammed accelerator pedal (likely involving the floor mat).
If you're like me, you're probably wondering how a CHP officer, undoubtedly trained in the art of car control, could fail to avoid such a tragic outcome. But after my initial shock I began analyzing the specifics of the situation. Turns out it might not have been so avoidable after all.
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- Karl Brauer September 22, 2009, 3:00 AM
- Categories:
- Car Audio and Technology, Lexus, Safety Systems, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Lexus Crash Technology
September 15, 2009
General Motors introduced its latest sales incentive/ad campaign yesterday -- a 60-day money-back guarantee with a "May the Best Car Win" attitude.
If you saw the new commercial about this program (in heavy rotation during the NFL season kick-off on Sunday) you saw (and heard) a plain-talking GM Chairman, Ed Whitacre, talking about how "Before I started this job, I admit, I had some doubts." But Mr. Whitacre likes what he found at GM, and he thinks "Car for car, when compared to the competition, we win."
There are two key elements to this latest ad campaign:
1. Are GM's cars really as good or better than the competition?
2. Can GM convince a substantial amount of potential customers its cars are as good or better than the competition?
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- Karl Brauer September 15, 2009, 3:00 AM
- Categories:
- Buick, Cadillac, Car Buying Advice, Chevrolet, GMC, Talk Back Tuesday
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- GM 60-Day Guarantee May the Best Car Win
September 8, 2009
If you've been ignoring the "buzz" about the coming electric car revolution you're going to have to turn up your noise filter in the coming weeks. From the looks of the Frankfurt Auto Show you won't be able to swing a forged connecting rod without banging into an earth-friendly, non-exhaust-spewing city car sporting more electrodes than Iron Man.
I recently read an article from The Economist whose author aggressively enumerated all the things governments must do to bring about the electric car revolution. Here's a quick sample of what it said:
Despite short-sighted industry lobbying and occasional squeals of pain from voters, governments are beginning to favour cleaner cars. Regulations penalising vehicle emissions, and thus raising the cost of conventional cars, are tightening. Governments are linking taxes such as vehicle licences and sales taxes to carbon emissions. But plenty more could be done. Road-pricing schemes, congestion charging and discounted town-centre parking could all provide some of the sticks and carrots needed to increase demand for cleaner cars. Finally, governments and city authorities must make it easy for electric utilities and new start-ups to install vast numbers of street-level recharging points and develop "smart" power grids to supply the growing electric fleet without requiring much extra generating capacity. Do all those things and by 2020 electric cars will have become a common sight in cities across the world. Do too little and electric cars may remain little more than a promising niche technology
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- Karl Brauer September 8, 2009, 12:40 AM
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- Talk Back Tuesday
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- Electric Car
September 1, 2009
As I prepped for a Sunday morning motorcycle ride it struck me that I had two classic models in my driveway: Chevrolet Camaro and Norton Commando.
Of course one of those models is brand new with less than 2,000 miles on it, and the other has effectively been dead for 35 years (yeah, I know there have been mulitple aborted attempts to bring Norton back, and it's supposedly coming back yet again...).
This inevitably led me to ask myself: Karl, if you could revive any vehicle brand what would it be?
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- Karl Brauer September 1, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Motorcycles, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals, Talk Back Tuesday
August 25, 2009
Went to the beach this past weekend. Didn't take a long-term car (had the Nissan GT-R). Didn't take my old Plymouth GTX or Dodge Challenger or new (well, newer) Ford GT. Didn't even take one of my vintage motorcycles (the "newest" one of those is 20 years old).
Nope, took the wife's 2004 Chevrolet Malibu. It was a fascinating trip!
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- Karl Brauer August 25, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chevrolet, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Pure Utility Device Transportation
August 18, 2009
I just got back from The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and the Monterey Historic Races.
Like any automotive enthusiast I enjoyed the events immensly, but I picked up a new nugget of wisdom regarding petrol-themed activities:
If an automotive event has more parking attendants than judges (or track workers), it may be getting too big for its own good.
I say this after spending the last 3 days crawling between Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and The Lodge at Pebble Beach.
In my opinion the time and effort required to enter and park at Laguna Seca is acceptable, though I'm betting it still breaks my "Parking Attendant" rule. I was able to get from the main gate to my parking spot in 40 minutes, which is right before my patience meter goes into Red Alert mode. And considering the genuine feel of the classic racing action (once you're parked and taking it in) I feel the Monterey Historic event hasn't lost its soul. It remains worth the time and effort it takes to attend.
But Pebble Beach...
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- Karl Brauer August 18, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Ford GT, Retro Revivals, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Pebble Beach Monterey Historics
August 11, 2009
I remember attending a press event circa 1999. I was talking to another journalist as we?navigated the driving route and I mentioned that, someday, we'd be swimming in leftover SUVs from the SUV craze of the 1990s. In 1999 I didn't know how long the fad would last, but even if it had stopped that day I knew we had a good decade's worth of Explorers, Trail Blazers,?4Runners and a dozen?other nameplates roaming U.S. byways. These vehicles were bought in an era when gas was cheap and owning an SUV was "cool" --?even if you had absolutely no need for it.
But eventually fads shift and cars get old. I remember in the 1990s when you'd see all those horrible '70s and early '80s sedans (worth about $600) running around with their fourth or fifth owner. You could focus on the missing exterior trim or oxidized paint, but no matter how you looked at them they reminded you of how far the automobile had come in terms of design, safety and fuel efficiency.
I dreaded the day those tired old sedan sightings would be replaced by hulking, dented, worn-out SUVs from another bygone era. I figured somewhere around 2012 you'd start to see hubcap-less Expeditions, rusty Durangos and multi-colored Tahoes spewing smoke and getting single-digit MPG figures. I mean, whatever was wrong with those 1970s sedans at least they didn't represent a 6,000-pound ramming device capable of taking out a housing division (though a 1977 Ford LTD came close).
But now comes the Cash for Clunkers program, and despite whatever issues I might have with it at least C4C seems to be putting those aging SUVs out of my misery before they clutter up the roads (and potentially blow a worn out tire, flip over, and kill dozens).
However, there's one big catch to this situation: many of the cars purchased through Cash for Clunkers are even more depressing than a used up Excursion.
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- Karl Brauer August 11, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Talk Back Tuesday
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- Cash For Clunkers Bad Cars
August 4, 2009
I have a confession to make: I officially hate the Smart car.
I don't use that word lightly, and in today's world it takes a special kind of car to earn the "H" word from me, as almost every car is at least "fine" and the majority of them are "good" or better.
Maybe that's why I hate the Smart car so much. It's not even mediocre.
I drove home the Brabus version of a Smart convertible last week, and before I was 5 miles into my 50-mile (each way) commute I was annoyed at myself for picking the vehicle to take home. See, when you have a 5- or 10- or even 50-mile round-trip commute you can put up with a pretty rotten vehicle. But when I pick a car to take home I've committed to at least a 100-mile journey before taking a single side trip or wrong turn. That's a long distance over which to experience a bad car.
And make no mistake, these are just terrible cars. Do you want to talk ride quality? Do you want to talk seating position and ergonomics? Do you want to talk power? Do you want to talk stability? And let's please not talk about the transmission.
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- Karl Brauer August 4, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Car Buying Advice, Smart Car, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Hate Smart Car
July 28, 2009
All indications suggest quite a buzz around the government's just-launched Cash for Clunkers program. The program, also known as the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), is designed to increase new car sales while getting "gas guzzlers" off the road for cleaner air, reduced oil consumption and World Peace.
Okay, maybe I added that last item myself.
But the program, if you ask certain politicians, is certainly being hailed as the savior of all that's right in the automotive world. And one that's simultaneously reducing all that's wrong.
However, being the cynical/logical/critically analytical person that I am, I'm going to have to call P.C. Shenanigans on Cash for Clunkers, as I did in a CBS Evening News story from last Friday (shown above). I'm also going to describe how this program could/should have worked if the wise, well-grounded people ran the world.
That may sound like a back-handed insult directed at politicians, so let me be crystal clear on this point: most government representatives are so painfully out-of-touch with the real world their legislative efforts create more problems then they solve (and there goes any mystery on my stance regarding national health care...).
The latest example of this long tradition includes Cash for Clunkers. What follows is a list of the program's problems and (more importantly) how they could have been avoided:
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- Karl Brauer July 28, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Automotive News, Car Buying Advice, Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Cash For Clunkers, New Car Sales
July 21, 2009
I just returned from an 1,100-mile towing adventure involving our long-term 2009 Dodge Ram 1500
and my 1970 Plymouth GTX. In terms of drama it had to be one of the most boring tow trips I've experienced. The Dodge proved extremely capable over the mountain passes between Denver and Los Angeles, and even the triple-digit temps in Arizona and Nevada didn't upset the truck's cool, collected demeanor.
But not all my towing adventures have been so blissful. So for the benefit of those who like to learn from others' screw-ups, I present 5 Towing Tales to Terrorize:
1. When I was about 8 my aunt gave my oldest brother her car. It was a 1954 Chrysler New Yorker station wagon. It was actually in pretty good shape overall, but the engine wouldn't run so my Dad decided to tow it home...from Pennsylvania to Colorado...with our family station wagon and all of us aboard. It was going well until the Chrysler came unhooked in Kansas. At night. In the middle of a blinding snow storm. It took awhile to locate it, but thankfully it had landed in a famer's field with no real damage. We talked to the farmer, left it there, and eventually had it towed the last 500 miles by someone who knew how to properly hook up a tow bar.
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- Karl Brauer July 21, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Driving, Muscle Car, Road Trips, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Towing Tow Stories
July 14, 2009
I recently spent a week's vacation driving a 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T. It was my mount of choice for a family vacation that took me through New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania (it's near Tionesta and the Allegheny National Forest in the photo above).
Yes, you read right: a 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T was my requested family car for a vacation. The same two-dour, Hemi-powered muscle coupe that is supposed to represent high-performance and heritage in the Dodge line-up.
Now why would I subject myself (and my family) to a week of pounding out hundreds of miles in a modern hot rod? For the same reason my wife drove a 1970 Plymouth GTX for over two years after we were married, and a 2002 Mini Cooper for 18 months when our kids were ages 2 and 4. Of course it's obvious -- I like torturing them.
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- Karl Brauer July 14, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals, Road Trips, Talk Back Tuesday
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- 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T Family Car Cool
July 7, 2009
Just back from a vacation that included several days in New York City. I'd been to New York a few times before last week, but every trip was a work-related endeavor that left little time for simply enjoying the city. And yet, every time I'd been there I'd enjoyed the city more than I expected.
So I felt it was time to find out how enjoyable the city is when enjoyment is the only reason to go. Also, as indicated during last Tuesday's blog entry, I wanted to see how much of a "car town" New York really is (or isn't). I think I had a sense of both issues before going to NYC for a vacation, and yet the depth of how each affected me is something I couldn't foresee.
First, how enjoyable is New York when your only agenda item is to enjoy New York? Well, here's a word I didn't expect to use for America's largest population center: charming. Yes, the city is downright charming. And not just from a "I want to be entertained at 2 a.m." perspective (though it shines there, too). No, it's even charming for a family of four, with two kids ages 8 and 10. Whether walking Times Square or meandering in Central Park or even just sitting at an open cafe enjoying the best "people watch" in North America, the city offers as much family-friendly entertainment as Disneyland or Six Flags.
But you may notice in my description of New York fun that I have yet to mention a car-related activity (cruising, showing, street racing, canyon carving. etc.). This brings me to my second question: How much of a car town is NYC? Not much at all, really. And you know what? That's why I LOVE it!
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- Karl Brauer July 7, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Driving, Talk Back Tuesday
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- New York City Car Liability
June 30, 2009
It's summer time, and that means everyone, (including me) is traveling the country, taking in the sights and visiting new (or maybe old, familiar) places. I'm personally spending today flying to New York City to enjoy the sites and sounds of that singular metropolis. Even more exciting, I'm picking up a new, 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T as my ride around the Big Apple.
As you may have guessed, this is a press vehicle. However, according to the window sticker (it was faxed to me last week) this Challenger is equipped almost exactly as I would equip one for myself -- right down to the Deep Water Blue color. On one hand I'm thrilled to be driving a performance car I'm personally drawn to, but on the other I don't really think of New York as a car town. It's crowded with narrow streets, lots of stop lights and no where to park. Heck, you can't even drive through Time Square anymore.
That got me thinking. If I had access to this Deep Blue Challenger R/T and could go to any city to enjoy it, where would I go?
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- Karl Brauer June 30, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Driving, Muscle Car, Road Trips, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Talk Back Tuesday America's Real Car Town
June 23, 2009
A flurry of questions streamed through my head as I drove our new Mini E home from Nick Alexander Imports:
- Do I have to drive it easy during the "break-in" period?
- Does plugging my iPhone into the 12v outlet reduce range?
- How are we going to track fuel efficiency in the Mini E's logbook?
- Would a solar panel strapped to the roof extend the driving range?
But I think the most important question I had after spending a weekend with the Mini E is this: How far have we come since the GM EV1 debacle of 10 years ago?
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- Karl Brauer June 23, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, GM EV1, Hybrid Vehicles, MINI, Talk Back Tuesday
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- GM EV1 Mini E Electric Car
June 16, 2009
Mark your calendars kiddies, because this is the first (and very likely the last) time you'll ever hear me say this:
I'm supporting the idea of a new tax.
What could drive such blasphemy from the mouth of an avowed capitalist who thinks the government is best that governs least? Is it the ever-shrinking role of government in our present lives? The shrewd investment savvy of our government's spending habits (particulalry in my home state of California)? Did Obama call and say I was headed for "Rick Wagonerville" if I don't get with the program?
No...but if he did he'd probably make it a condition of my continued employment (and survival) that I not report such conversations...
Seriously, I think a properly executed gas tax could actually work. But because "properly executed" and "tax" rarely have anything in common I'm not optimistic. Just look at the "Cash for Clunkers" bill for yet another example of government intervention gone completey awry. However, I'll offer my description of a functional gas tax (let's call it "Karl's Gas Tax") and embrace the likelihood it will never be properly implemented.
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- Karl Brauer June 16, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Gas Tax Fuel Efficiency CAFE
June 9, 2009
Do you qualify for the proposed "Cash for Clunkers" bill being considered in Washington? I guess technically none of us know, because the bill isn't finalized yet. However, there's enough similarity between the two versions (House and Senate) under discussion to be pretty confident about a few aspects of the bill:
- It will offer no more than $4,500 to new car buyers
- It will require the trade-in vehicle to be crushed
- It will require the new vehicle to get better fuel mileage than the trade-in vehicle
That last point, regarding fuel mileage, is the proposed bill's most nebulous aspect in terms of how the final version will work. In terms of how effective this bill will be it's also the least important, so let's ignore it for now. Instead, let's focus on how the first two points will essentially make this bill useless to almost every new car buyer.
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- Karl Brauer June 9, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Car Buying Advice, Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Cash For Clunkers Bill
June 2, 2009
I know it just happened yesterday, but today's Talk Back Tuesday will not focus on GM going into
bankruptcy. Instead, I'm going to focus on Chrysler coming out of
bankruptcy, which it is on the brink of accomplishing.
Like most folks I've been suitably impressed by the apparent speed at which Chrysler processed its bankruptcy filing. Obama wanted it done in 30 days. Chrysler wanted it done in 30 days. Even Fiat wanted it done in 30 days. It appears everyone got what they wanted.
But it's really Fiat that made out in this deal. People keep saying Fiat "bought" Chrysler, but how much money did the Italian automaker pay for the Pentastar? That's right -- NOTHING!
Instead, Fiat was simply willing to take on the task of fixing Chrysler. Ironically, that made them the highest bidder in this sale, as every other automaker basically said "no thanks" and ran the other way.
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- Karl Brauer June 2, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, Chrysler, Dodge, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Fiat-Chrysler Merger Bankruptcy
May 26, 2009
Like any automotive enthusiast I've been slightly nervous about the impending changes the industry will undergo in the coming months. Maybe slightly nervous don't go far enough...
How about thinly-veiled, heart-stopping panic? Yeah, that's accurate.
Anyone telling you "it's no big deal" or "seen it all before" is either very old or full or excrement. The level of automotive upheaval gripping this industry hasn't been seen for approximately 80 years (think 1930s, when dozens of big name automakers went belly-up in the midst of The Great Depression). Where and how will it all end? Well, anyone claiming to know can't even fall into the "old" category; they're simply spewing BS.
But we do have a growing list of dead and dying cars that simply won't survive the current crisis. We'll be presenting the list in both a feature article and an Edmunds Daily blog post this week (it numbers almost 50 models), but I've taken a close look at the list and come to a reassuring conclusion:
If natural selection helps strengthen a species, than this industry downturn is long overdue.
As such, I present the following dead and dying models I WON'T be missing:
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- Karl Brauer May 26, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Dead and Dying Cars
May 19, 2009
That seems to be the question on everyone's mind these days. With Chrysler filing for bankruptcy a few weeks ago, and with last week's announcement of 789 dealership closures, it seems anyone can walk into a Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep showroom and get a new car for 50% off the MSRP.
Or maybe not...
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- Karl Brauer May 19, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Car Buying Advice, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Muscle Car, Talk Back Tuesday
- Technorati Tags:
- Dodge Challenger Chrysler Dealerships Bankruptcy
May 12, 2009
According to John McEleney, the National Automobile Dealers Association's (NADA) chairman, "Cutting dealers at this time would do absolutely nothing to make GM or Chrysler more viable."
When one considers the level of political clout commanded by the U.S. dealer body it shouldn't be surprising that they don't want to lose any of that power by losing dealers. And yet, I was still surprised by such a blatantly ridiculous statement. There's political posturing, and then there's just plain lying. If you're thinking the two have become one in the modern world...well, I won't argue the point.
But I would argue that if Obama wants to call out "speculators" as the evil doers of the Chrysler bankruptcy he might also consider turning that judgmental eye on the dealer groups forcing bankruptcy on Chrysler and GM.
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- Karl Brauer May 12, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Chrysler GM Dealers Bankruptcy
May 5, 2009
If you believe some of the headlines you might think the Chrysler/Fiat Merger is the best thing since relaxed credit standards and subprime home financing.
The supposed advantages of the merger are pretty obvious. Chrysler gets some much-needed small car entries that don't suck, and Fiat gets instant access to the Chrysler dealer network.
A no-lose proposition, right? Right?
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- Karl Brauer May 5, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Chrysler Fiat Merger
April 28, 2009
With the death of Pontiac official I'm experiencing the same emotions any nostalgic car guy is feeling. Surprise? Shock? Disbelief? Hardly. Try relief. Like the kind you feel when you're favorite aunt finally rests in peace after suffering years of painful terminal illness. If you're a remotely functional car guy you've seen this coming since...well, that's the question.
When did the concept of Pontiac going away first strike you as a likely possibility? When did Pontiac jump the shark?
How many of you just shouted "AZTEK" at your screen? That's a reasonable response, but I would suggest the first indications of Pontiac as a "damaged brand" came much earlier.
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- Karl Brauer April 28, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Pontiac Aztek Fiero
April 21, 2009
In case you missed it, the Ford Mustang turned 45 last Friday. It was August 17, 1964 when the car debuted at The New York's World Fair, effectively creating a new category of vehicle -- the Pony Car.
In the next three years over one million Ford Mustangs were sold. Think about that for a minute -- one million units in three years. We're not talking a million full-sized trucks or four-door family sedans. The Mustang was a two-door coupe with clearly sporting intentions. That would be like selling one million Hyundai Genesis coupes in the next three years (like the original Ford Mustang, the new Genesis is a sporty, rear-wheel-drive coupe that offers good value and performance).
Now I like the Genesis coupe, and judging by our site traffic reports and anecdotal evidence so do many of you. But one million units in the next three years? Not gonna happen.
But then a lot of things have changed over the past four-and-a-half decades. GM once owned over two-thirds of the U.S market with mulitiple models hitting the million-plus mark in three-year sales. Back then many Americans had never heard the words "Honda" or "Toyota" (let alone "Hyundai"), as both the manufacturer and model count was substantially lower. Did you know there are over 40 manufacturers and 330 U.S. vehicles for sale as 2009 models?
Which brings me to today's question: Could a future performance car ever see the level of economic and cultural success that the Mustang has seen over the past 45 years?
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- Karl Brauer April 21, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Cars in Entertainment, Ford, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Ford Mustang Sales Success Pony Car GM
April 14, 2009
As I write this I've just driven home in a brand new, 2010 Volvo XC60 featuring the new "City Safety" system. This is a system that will completely stop the new Volvo crossover's forward motion, independent of driver input, if you are traveling at less than 20 mph and show no sign of stopping yourself before hitting a solid object (wall, fence or another vehicle). The idea is that even the best of us can have a lapse in judgment or attention, but the car will turn an otherwise costly at best (and potentially deadly at worst) low-speed collision into a non-event. I've tried the system out, and it does indeed work. It can't discern a pedestrian- or motorcycle-sized object, yet, but Volvo says a later version of City Safety will.
This experience comes three weeks after driving a Bentley Continental GTC Speed from Napa to Los Angeles. The Bentley features adapative cruise control, allowing it to match the speed of vehicles in front of it regardless of the speed set in cruise control. These systems have been around for a couple years, but it took that 400-mile jaunt for me to fully realize the extent of its powers. Basically, you can set the speed at just about any velocity (say, 85 mph) and then use surrounding traffic to modulate your speed -- all without ever hitting the brake or gas pedal. Once you get confident in the system's ability (it took me about 100 miles of freeway driving) you realize how much easier it makes long-distant travel. Basically, you just have to steer -- at least until Bentley or someone else comes up with a fully-automatic lane-guidance system. Then you won't have to do anything.
Finally, this afternoon I saw a press release for the new Mobileye Accident Avoidance System. This is an aftermarket modification that can be added to any vehicle for approximately $1,000. Once installed it provides much of the same features listed above, including forward collision warnings and lane departure warnings.
It's clear we're rapidly moving into a world where cars will not only possess advanced radar systems (effectively letting them "see" as well or better than the driver), but they will also make decisions for the driver based on these systems.
Today's question: Is this technology making us better or worse drivers?
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- Karl Brauer April 14, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Driving Technology Safety
April 7, 2009
Over the past few weeks I've watched the headlines shift from "How Do We Save the Domestic Automakers?" to "How Do We Revive Car Sales?"
That's a positive sign, because it means even the brainiacs in government have finally realized funding a car company in a world of sub-10-million annual new car sales is like using a beach pail to bail out the Titanic. Put simply, the money flowing away from automakers in the form of depressed sales is far greater than what any government can afford to counter -- even if they themselves are using borrowed money and/or simply printing more bills as fast as they can (don't get me started on those aspects of the current "solution").
Yes people, there are only two ways to address the current car-buying shortfall: greatly increase sales or greatly decrease costs and capacity. The latter means shuttering factories, suppliers, dealers and (most assuredly) at least three or four major automotive corporations.
Yikes! Nobody likes that idea. Fine, let's focus on the former. Let's get new car sales back to a level where the current cadre of automakers (albeit after drastic cuts in size and producion costs) might be profitable.
How would you accomplish this? I've got an idea I'm certain would work, but it's far too rational, efficient and straightforward to garner support in the modern world.
Oh, what the heck -- I'll tell you anyway.
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- Karl Brauer April 7, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- New Car Sales Buying Incentive
March 31, 2009
It doesn't get much more turbulent in the automobile industry than the last 24 hours, and a little birdie told me there's plenty more coming in the next couple weeks, not to mention the next 24 hours...
But for now let's focus on what we know.
We know Rick Wagoner is gone. It doesn't matter if you agree or disagree with how he ran GM. It doesn't matter if you think his dismissal was prudent change or simple posturing (one guess as to what I think). The bottom line is he's viewed as the man at the wheel when GM steered into the sun, and the president's administration wanted a "fresh" approach.
We know Obama wasn't satisfied with either Chrysler or GM's viability plans and has asked for a "do over" from both. The president seems fired up by the idea of a Chrysler/Fiat merger (more fired up than he should be?), but he was nebulous about GM's next steps. It seems "go futher" and "work harder" on restructuring is the only concrete takeaway.
We know the president left open the concept of bankruptcy as a possible pathway to viability in his speech. After the speech GM's new CEO, Fritz Henderson, reiterated the bankruptcy option and spoke of likely government aid to expedite bankruptcy proceedings.
Finally, we know the government is now guaranteeing the warranties on all domestic automobiles. This is good because it means current and potential new domestic car owners can be comfortable knowing the government has backed up their vehicles (versus leaving them "out to dry" on warranty work).
Add these indisputable facts up and I think we all know something else: A GM bankruptcy is inevitable.
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- Karl Brauer March 31, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Automotive News, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, GMC, Hummer, Pontiac, Saturn, Talk Back Tuesday
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- GM Bankruptcy Automobile
March 24, 2009
So I'm cruising through Beverly Hills last week, returning from the Infiniti G37 Convertible event, when I spot this sign on the corner of Sunset and La Cienega. Between logistics and time I rarely drive on Sunset these days, and with the near constant state of traffic on this famous boulevard I don't much miss it.
But seeing this sign unexpectedly sends my mind cascading back 20-plus years, to West Colfax Avenue in Denver. It's the summer of 1986, and I'm spending nearly every night (certainly every weekend night) crusing "the 'Fax" in a 1969 Plymouth GTX. Blame one too many viewings of American Graffitti if you must, but the thrill I get immersing myself in a cornicopia of cars piloted by similarly bright-eyed youth is addictive -- I simply can't get enough. The stories from those days are many -- most of them unfit for print.
But for the first time, gazing at this sign, I came to a sad realization: cruising is a dead past time. Between its ecological implications and modern's youth's preference for technology over traffic it's hard to imagine anyone under the age of 30 choosing to spend hours in low-speed cruising on a Saturday night (though plenty of Angelenos are forced into it against their choice, and not just on Sunset).
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- Karl Brauer March 24, 2009, 6:00 AM
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March 17, 2009
One of my friends is ready to buy a new car. As you might imagine, when you're in my position and a friend or family member is ramping up for a car purchase the phone often rings (or, as in this case, the "New Email" folder goes bold).
My friend currently owns a 2005 Acura TL, which he purchased because of its combination of luxury, technology and quality. He's a successful lawyer, and financially capable of buying a much more expensive car, but he puts a lot of value on...well, value. When he asked me about the TL four years ago, and told me what his priorities were, I said, "The TL will absolutely serve your needs." He bought it and has had no regrets. But his driving habits rack up the miles quickly, and after four years his TL is pretty worn out.
So he's ready for a new car, and the just-redesigned 2009 Acura TL would be the obvious choice. After all, it still offers all the luxury, technology and quality of the previous version. However, in my friend's words, it is "quite ugly."
His girlfriend drives a 2006 Lexus RX, which he really likes except for one characteristic -- he HATES how the navigation system goes dead once the car is in motion. So he asked me in his email, "You're the car expert. Can you tell me if the new 2010 Lexus RX navigation system can be used while in motion or is it a completely useless upgrade like it has been to this point?" To which I replied, "Lexus=Toyota, and Toyota=nanny-ism. In other words, NO USING NAV WHILE DRIVING!"
This made him very unhappy and put him in a state where I can't reprint his next reply. It also made him write a no-nonsense letter to Lexus; a letter that generated a very corporate response. Follow the jump to read it.
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- Karl Brauer March 17, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Toyota Honda Lexus Acura Navigation System Nanny
March 10, 2009
Should General Motors go bankrupt? That's been the question of the day for the past four months (which, techncially, makes it the question of the quarter I suppose...).
The GM folks are loathe to use the "B" word. On a functional level they claim it will further depress an already depressed sales atmosphere while damaging the (already damaged, according to Lutz) brands. However, I further sense that on an emotional level they just don't want to go there. The word "bankruptcy" doesn't exactly inspire love or happiness, let alone employee, or consumer, confidence. If the government is willing to walk GM through a "bankruptcy-like" process without requiring the company to actually declare bankruptcy, why shouldn't GM do it?
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- Karl Brauer March 10, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- GM Bankruptcy Turnaround Government
March 3, 2009
As you read this the latest new car sales figures are rolling in from manufacturers, and the news isn't particularly bright. Car sales ticked up for the month of February compared to January, but in terms of the typical increase between these two months (usually around 15 percent more cars are sold in a given February than the preceeding Janaury) the figures fall well short of expectations.
Translation: New car sales remain in the tank.
Does this mean people have stopped buying cars altogether? Nope, they've just decided to chase maximum value for their car-buying dollar.
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- Karl Brauer March 3, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Used Car Sales New Value
February 24, 2009
It's not easy being a trailblazer. You have to constantly put up with people following your lead.
Maybe you bought your first Ducati in 1992, before every over-moneyed squid decided they were "cool" around 1996 (remember the movie "Fled" -- the closest Stephen Baldwin got to being a real actor). Maybe you owned your first Mopar muscle car in 1984, before everyone decided anything with a Pentastar built between 1967 and 1972 was a $50,000-plus car (unless it had a Hemi, then it was a $1,000,000 car). Maybe you bailed on print publishing in 1998 to go to "...Ed-something? Some Internet thing?..." (as my then-co-workers referred to Edmunds.com) while everyone at Petersen Publishing thought you were crazy.
Well, here we go again. I started on Twitter last June, but in recent weeks the "buzz" on Twitter has nearly eclipsed the pre-election Obama buzz.
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- Karl Brauer February 24, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Internet vs. Print Publishing, Talk Back Tuesday, Tweets on Cars
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- Twitter Blog
February 17, 2009
Avoiding a doom-and-gloom economic prediction is like avoiding...unemployment. It seems to get tougher every day. But after reading a doom-and-gloom article focused on U.S. banking and financial institutions last week I was forced to consider the obvious automotive correlation.
In Jon Markman's recent MSN column he effectively skewers our new Treasury secretary, Tim Geithner, for offering "bupkis" with regard to a solid plan to fix the economy. I haven't followed Geithner's actions closely enough to agree or disagree with that opinion, but a statement by Markman in the second half of the column made me go, "Hmmm."
"Nationalization [of the major U.S. banking institutions] would not be the end of the world, but it is a concept that is so anathema to Americans that it seemingly cannot be said in polite company. So instead we have this long, dragged-out Kabuki theater in which the banks have essentially been nationalized in everything but name, and yet no one will admit it to the American people. And the cost of this denial is another trillion-dollar program that will do nothing, most experts agree, except buy time until nationalization must be done later."
I read that paragraph and couldn't help making the same correlation many of you probably already have: Is Markman talking about the banks or the domestic automakers?
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- Karl Brauer February 17, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Talk Back Tuesday Government Motors
February 10, 2009
While watching a recent television program I noticed something troubling, but not at all unexpected in today's world. In the program a primary character was describing a new automobile, and the dialogue sounded almost like a dealer brochure. My guess is the writers tried (in vain) to mold the brochure-speak into a believable conversation string, but it didn't sit right with me. I told my wife, "Okay, first of all the features mentioned don't actually work particularly well, and second they are a major waste of money in terms of what you pay and what you get." I mentioned all this in an annoyed tone just to clearly establish my suspicions. Less than two minutes after this scene a commercial break began. Anyone wanna guess what the first commercial was advertising?
Now before we all get caught up in exactly which car was being discussed on which show let me clearly state the focus of this blog post: the changing nature of advertising (not the validity of any specific product claims).
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- Karl Brauer February 10, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Cars in Entertainment, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Advertising Media Message Product Placement
February 3, 2009
I'm watching an interesting conundrum brew in pop culture right now. In one corner you have the Green Movement rapidly gaining steam (wait! -- make that a non-GHG emission, like nitrogen) with a presidential administration fueling the hopes of tree huggers everywhere. In the other corner is the reality of our crumbling economic superstructure. The unemployment, GDP, 401K and consumer confidence numbers don't lie poeple -- this is serious.
If you were reading my blog last week you saw me ask a series of questions pitting environmental "Green" against economic "Green." Questions like "If you're unemployed and get a job offer from a 'non-green' company should you take it?" or "If a company could 'go green' but it would require a workforce reduction of 10 percent to pay for the initiative, should they do it?"
The point of these questions? It almost always takes Green to be Green, and right now we're precariously low on Green.
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- Karl Brauer February 3, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Global Warming Climate Change Green Initiative Obama
January 27, 2009
I've been making fun of the theory of man-made global warming for over 15 years -- basically ever since I first heard the concept. I know it was dreamed up by various "scientists" as far back as the 1970s, but I didn't hear about it until around 1992. Ironically, I had just graduated college, where I'd taken a science class on the sun and its affects on the earth (magnetic fields, radiation, aurora borealis, etc.).
The class provided a solid understanding of just how puny the earth is when compared to the sun, and it explained with solid scientific evidence how even tiny shifts in solar activity can have a major impact on our planet. And, despite being the early 1990s, well after the creation of global warming theory, our instructor never once mentioned the concept of human activity impacting the global temparature. Maybe he wanted to avoid the mocking laughter that would have surely followed.
But times change, and it's clear man-made global warming is no longer a theory but a certified fait accompli. And the critical point of this blog entry is to finally explain the causes of man-made global warming.
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- Karl Brauer January 27, 2009, 6:00 AM
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January 20, 2009
Seems like a good day for a leadership-oriented question, so here goes:
Let's assume it's a few months from now and our country's leaders have chosen a car czar, and it's you! Among your many duties (deciding which side of the car gets the fuel nozzle and making it universal, outlawing that ugly, peeling purple window tint, etc.) you've been told to cut all waste out of the entire business.
And in the U.S. government's eternal wisdom it's been ordained that the best way to cut waste is to cut brands and consolidate -- BIG TIME. No, this means more than scrapping Mercury and GMC. They want you to suggest which two global (not domestic) automakers should be allowed to survive, with the rest getting no government assistance...at all...from any government anywhere...ever.
In other words, all automakers (not just U.S. producers) will slowly be disbanded except two (hey, even the incoming administration still wants a little bit of competition), and it's up to you to decide which two get to live.
(BTW, if you're starting to pen your, "But that's impossible! No way the U.S. could decide which two global automakers get to survive! It's totally blah-frickin'-blah" response you need to stop reading my blog and start reading the Web sites that try to enumerate all the plot inconsistencies in the Back to the Future movies)
Anyway, I've got my two survivors picked out...
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- Karl Brauer January 20, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Car Czar Automakers Survive
January 13, 2009
Auto shows are supposed to be filled with fantasy cars. After all, for decades the glitzy show cars at these flashy gatherings were referred to as "dream cars," so expecting nothing but down-to-earth reality vehicles to appear on the show floor would be unrealistic (and, honestly, boring).
But at this year's Detroit Auto Show I found myself increasingly annoyed by the unending parade of pure fiction being shown off. This aggrevation came not as much from the show cars' embodiment as metallic vaporware as it did from the messages surrounding them. Basically, the automakers were claiming these vehicles would be available in the next 12-24 months when, of course, they probably won't represent viable transportation for upwards of 12-24 years.
By now you've probably identified which cars I'm referring to -- electric cars.
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- Karl Brauer January 13, 2009, 12:06 AM
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- Detroit Auto Show Electric Vehicles Fantasy Reality
January 6, 2009
I'm surprised (though I probably shouldn't be) when politicians recycle the same old, bad
ideas no matter how many times they are shouted down by common sense.
So here we ago again with the "brilliant" idea of crushing older cars to save the planet. Previously this theory was used to get "gross polluters" off the road. The idea was to give industry giants smog credits for every old car they crushed. If, for example, they gave someone $700 for an old car they would get the equivalent of several thousand dollars in credits against air pollution fines.
I first heard of this program when I was a bright-eyed editorial assistant at Hot Rod Magazine in the fall of 1994, and the project car they used to illuminate the program's stupidity was the Crusher Camaro. Basically, the Hot Rod staffers found a one-owner, all-original 1967 Camaro about to be driven into the crusher by an old guy who wanted the $700 without the hassle of selling it (it still ran fine, but he hardly ever drove it). They gave him the $700 instead and turned it into a tire-shredding street terror with a crate engine and bright yellow paint job.
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- Karl Brauer January 6, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- Crushing Old Cars Dumb Idea Politicians
December 30, 2008
If you've read Thomas Friedman's latest rantings
in The New York Times you already know the only way to save the world from multiple calamities is to kill the SUV -- ASAP -- through taxation. In this week's op-ed piece he calls for gas taxes, carbon taxes, and whatever else it takes to "permanently change consumer demand."
Funny, but I'm just old-fashioned enough to think the proper way to change consumer demand is through free-market forces, but I know that's an unpopular philosophy these days.
For the record, it was not too little government regulation that caused the current housing and credit meltdown but too much. Tell banks to give everyone a loan without considering the risk (because the government will pick up the tab on any defaults) and guess what? Banks gave out too many bad loans! Obviously the only way out of this mess is more government intervention...
But that's a topic for another day. For now let's focus on Friedman's insistence that Americans must be force-fed small, fuel-efficient cars whether they want/need them or not.
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- Karl Brauer December 30, 2008, 3:00 AM
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- Chrysler, Hybrid Vehicles, Road Trips, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Kill The Chrsyler Aspen Hybrid SUV
December 23, 2008
I'm ready to start driving this car today.
Seriously. Between the Honda FCX Clarity's power, handling, comfort, features, cargo space and, yes, even range on a full tank of fuel, this vehicle is 100% ready to meet the demands of today's car owner.
I personally drove the FCX Clarity over 110 miles between my commute and some errands (inlcuding Cold Stone Creamery with the kids). To say I was impressed would be inaccurate because the car isn't particularly quick or nimble or cutting edge in any way, except for the fact that it runs on hydrogen. Really, it's pretty much like any other Honda sedan on the road.
And that's what impressed me. If you like how Honda sedans drive (sales figures suggest many of you do), then you'll like the FCX Clarity. In fact you'll probably feel exactly how I did after driving one: "When and where can I buy it?"
Of course you can't buy it. Honda is only offering leases on the FCX Clarity, and so far only three are on the road, meaning they ain't exactly widely available. That's probably a good thing, as hydrogen (despite being the most common element in the universe) also isn't widely available as a vehicle fuel.
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- Karl Brauer December 23, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Honda FCX Clarity Hydrogen Fuel Cell
December 16, 2008
Believe it or not, my job doesn't always allow for as much seat time in shiny dream machines as I'd like. The demands of testing, evaluating, photographing, video recording and writing about test cars means there often isn't even a single night left over for "editor in chief driving."
But last week a combination of circumstances allowed me to experience four full days of Porsche 911 C4S bliss in a brand new 2009 model. What's more, in those four days I utilized the 911 under a wide variety of circumstances, furthering my understanding and appreciation for the model. That's particularly good because in a car like the Porsche 911 you can't simply blast down a mountain road and assume you've got it all figured out.
During my 96 hours in the 911 I commuted three times, I shopped four times, I transported my kids once and I drove through heavy rain for over 50 miles (even Mother Nature was helping me experience all aspects of this sports car).
So without further delay, I present my 11 Reasons I Love the Porsche 911:
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- Karl Brauer December 16, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Porsche, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Porsche 911 Reasons to Love
December 9, 2008
Seems like everyone is an automotive and/or economics expert these days. But I don't mind, as I remember when everyone was an anti-terrorist expert in the fall of 2001; just like everyone was a product-planning/fuel-efficiency expert in the spring and summer of this year.
Anyway, speaking as one who feels as much right to the "automotive expert" claim as the average American watching CSPAN (okay, I admit it, maybe I even feel a tad more justified in that claim), I'd like to run through the Four Fallacies of the Domestic Automaker Bailout I've seen bandied about over the past two weeks. Ready? Here we go:
Fallacy Number 1: "It's Not a Bailout, It's a Bridge Loan"
The domestic CEOs keep hammering on this point, so here's my response: Would you go out of business if you didn't get this money? Yes? Than it's a bailout (except possibly in Ford's case because they might not go under without the help).
Even if you pay the money back, on time and with interest, it's a bailout. That's the definition of "bailout" -- you take a business that is ready to sink (fail) and you bail it out (give it money to keep it from failing). Clear? Good.
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- Karl Brauer December 9, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Domestic Automaker Bailout
December 2, 2008
There are no more "bad cars" on the market. Sure, there are clearly "better" or "worse" cars in any given segment, but even the "worst" new 2009 cars aren't truly "bad" (yes, that holds true for the Dodge Caliber too...barely).
So, if there are no more bad cars, how do you decide which one to buy? Put pictures of new vehicles on a wall and grab some darts?
Actually, if you simply wanted to avoid a bad car that would work. But if you're looking to find the best car for you, that's where a site like Edmunds comes in. We get to filter out and identify the "better" cars from the simply mediocre models, and one of the many areas we analyze is on-board vehicle electronics.
It is my sincere belief that only two areas remain to truly differentiate modern cars from one another. One is exterior styling, the other is ergonomics/features. Basically, if a car looks good on the outside and has the features you want on the inside, you'll buy it. That first area is pretty tough to define, as vehicle styling remains a highly personal judgment.
But the second area is one we're happy to tackle in terms of testing and evaluation, and as such we've just launched our new Car Audio and Electronics Center.
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- Karl Brauer December 2, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology, Car Buying Advice, Talk Back Tuesday
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November 25, 2008
I just read this New York Times article
about the financial problem enveloping the domestic automakers. It discusses many of the challenges facing them, all of which we've heard before (slowing sales, costly production, too many dealers and brands, etc.).
But the author also takes a close look at what bankruptcy would mean for GM and the other domestics. In short, "Bankruptcy sucks as a way to achieve real business resolution." As an example the story offers Delphi, a company 4 years into the process of bankruptcy with no clear end in sight. GM's size, and challenges, are far larger than Delphi's, and the complexities involved in using bankruptcy to solve GM's problems are difficult to even fathom.
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- Karl Brauer November 25, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Automotive News, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Domestic Automakers GM Bankrupt
November 18, 2008
If we were to predict the Chevrolet Volt's future success on it's ability to generate interest, the car would have to be judged an unmitigated success. The GM folks brought one by the Edmunds.com offices yesterday to let our editors (and the rest of the company) have a first-hand look at the car some have dubbed the savior of General Motors.
That's a mighty large burden to bear if you ask me. It would be akin to assuming one man is capable of solving all the mounting challenges facing this country...
But I digress. Let's assume, for a moment, that GM succeeds in delivering a Chevrolet Volt production vehicle to consumers before the end of calendar 2010 (a promise the company has fully committed to). If said vehicle is parked in dealer showrooms 24 months from now, will it truly mark a drastic change in GM's future success?
I foresee two distinct scenarios facing the Volt in the next two years. Let's take a look at both of them.
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- Karl Brauer November 18, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Chevrolet, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Chevrolet Volt GM
November 11, 2008
By now we've all heard the news: domestic automaker X will be out of business by date Y unless they get Z amount of money PDQ.
It's a real alphabet soup of a problem, but as with various financial institutions over the last few months the question comes down to this: Should the domestic automakers benefit from a government (read: taxpayer) sponsored financial bailout, or should they be allowed to fail?The answer depends largely on what you think is worse, throwing potentially good money after bad at an industry steeped in questionable business skills over the past 30 years, or let hundreds of thousands of jobs vanish as the automotive industry experiences a tectonic shift.
For me the answer is easy: No taxpayer money should be handed over to these captains of industry...unless some very specific conditions are met.
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- Karl Brauer November 11, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Automotive News, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Talk Back Tuesday Domestic Automaker Bailout Fail
November 4, 2008
I guess there's some kind of election today, but I'm staying focused on what really matters -- the Automotive World. And the current buzz in the Automotive World is a possible GM/Chrysler merger and what it would mean for both companies, and the industry at large.
To keep things interesting I'm proposing a new role for each of you: CEO of GM.
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- Karl Brauer November 4, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Automotive News, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Talk Back Tuesday CEO GM Chrysler Merger
October 28, 2008
I just drove the 2009 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI home and back. Like most diesels I've driven recently, this one performed exceptionally well. All the standard-issue complaints (smelly, loud, slow) were absent, but every diesel I've driven over the past few years has shed those pitfalls, so that wasn't much of a surprise.
Far more impressive are the mileage numbers two fellow editors attained as part of the Q7's recent mileage challenge. Even though it involved some creative driving techniques, a figure of 31.5 mpg out of a multi-ton, seven-passenger crossover is, quite simply, astonishing.
Which raises the key question for today: After decades of luke-warm acceptance is it finally time for diesel to shine?
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- Karl Brauer October 28, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Audi, Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Audi Q7 3.0 TDI Diesel Mileage MPG
October 21, 2008
Remember when buying an Acura or Audi or BMW or Lexus or any other premium brand meant you got a premium car? The idea was pretty simple: If you wanted a premium car ownership experience you had to pay a premium price and purchase a premium vehicle.
As I drove the new 2009 Volkswagen CC recently it occurred to me the only thing separating this car from its Audi brethren was the emblem on the grille. Interior materials, performance, high-tech features, heck even exterior styling and "presence" were all up to Audi standards.
So was the price, of course, with a VR6 4Motion model starting at $40,000 (though $27,000 will get you into a base 2.0T car, which is still quite nice and a much better value).
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- Karl Brauer October 21, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Acura, Audi, Honda, Hyundai, Lexus, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota, Volkswagen
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- Talk Back Tuesday Do Luxury Brands Make Sense
October 14, 2008
If you're like, well, everybody these days you're probably watching one or more financial indicators and thinking your given investment choice wasn't too wise. But because pretty much
everyone
is feeling this way right now it doesn't seem like there's a safe port in this storm.
Or is there?
I remember back in the "greedy" '80s (because, you see, there was no greed before or since that decade...) when
Black Monday hit and everyone was convinced financial armageddon had arrived. In the midst of people calling for Reagan's head on a platter, even after seven years of strong prosperity under him (sound familiar?) there was the looming question -- If not the sometimes-turbulent stock market, where should I invest my money?
This was a particularly interesting question from my perspective because, at that time, American muscle cars were in the early stages of their first run-up in value. Seen as little more than old cars (actually big, gas guzzling old cars) since their demise in the early 1970s, there was suddenly growing interest in these metallic beasts from another era, with cars like a 1971 Hemi 'Cuda convertible (one of seven) going for as much as...$30,000!!
Â
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- Karl Brauer October 14, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Motorcycles, Muscle Car, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Stock Market Muscle Cars Triumph Hurricane
September 23, 2008
If I see or hear one more ad that only
lists highway milage I'm going to dump a barrel of oil in the offending automaker's lobby.
The fuel mileage claims being touted by every vehicle manufacturer have threatened to redefine the term "false advertising." It's frustrating because, technically, the claims aren't false, they just aren't true -- if you know what I mean.
For instance, when automaker ABC claims they have XX models that get over 30 mpg is that highway mileage or mixed mileage? And does every version of a model get over 30 mpg, or just one version (maybe even one version they rarely stock at dealerships)?
To inject some semblance of reality into this fantasy land I asked the crack Edmunds.com data department for a simple calculation: What percentage of each automaker's product line-up is rated at 30 mpg or better on the freeway?
Because some 2009 models aren't out yet we decided to use the 2008 model year as our starting point. And to qualify as a "model that gets 30 mpg or better on the freeway" only one version of the model had to attain that mpg. Here's what we found:
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- Karl Brauer September 23, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Talk Back Tuesday Fuel Efficient
September 16, 2008
About a year ago I commented on the fate of traditional manual transmissions
, and basically predicted their complete demise in the next few years. I'm not happy about that prediction, but 11 months later I stand by my statement, as I see nothing to stop the imminent death of three-pedal cars.
Another comment I made in that post related to the lack of flexibility offered by F1-style (or automated clutch) transmissions that are rapidly replacing both traditional manual transmissions as well as conventional automatics. This statement springs from the notion that when the driver fully controls the clutch he also controls how much clutch is or isn't utilized. This can come in handy in situations where the "on-off" nature of automated clutch transmissions are a liability.
For instance, if you get a vehicle into a situation where it is sliding (on public roads or at a race track) you may be able to save it by slightly disengaging the clutch and allowing the drive wheels to regain traction. There are a million variables at work here, and I'm certainly not suggesting traditional clutches will keep drivers from ever crashing. But having this level of control over the clutch is simply another tool at your disposal with a manual transmission; a tool you don't have with F1 transmissions.
After driving our long-term Nissan GT-R I discovered yet anonther option I don't have with automated clutches, and as this list of "can't-do-that-with-paddle-shifters" builds my enthusiasm for F1 transmissions falters.
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- Karl Brauer September 16, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Driving, Talk Back Tuesday
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- F1 Transmission Automated Clutch Manual
September 9, 2008
As pointed out by one KoC
reader (thanks maxwell3), an op-ed piece in Sunday's New York Times
has taken what seems to be a pretty logical position on the subject of automobile accidents and speeding. Essentially, Mr. Sepkowitz feels that too many people die every year in automobile accidents (a reasonable declaration), and he attributes one-third of these deaths to speeding.
His solution is pretty straightfoward: "...quit building cars that can exceed the speed limit."
As Mr. Sepkowitz points out, "Most cars can travel over 100 miles an hour -- an illegal speed in every state."
Can't argue with that. Is the solution as simple as limiting every car's top speed to the legal limits? Umm...no. Actually the holes in Mr. Sepkowitz "logic" could sink the Titanic, but I'll try to cover them all before Kate and Leo are floating on wreckage.
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- Karl Brauer September 9, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Driving, Talk Back Tuesday, Traffic Safety
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- Talk Back Tuesday Speed Kills Traffic Accidents Fatalities
September 2, 2008
If you think Lamborghinis
are nothing but non-renewable-resource-sucking status mobiles you probably don't care about yet another one being bashed and burned beyond recognition
. And if you think Lamborghini drivers are nothing but self-centered, over-moneyed cads you probably don't care about one meeting the same fate as his car.
Ever since "Dietrich" (aka Stefan Eriksson) balled up a Ferrari Enzo on PCH in February of 2006 the image of the spoiled rich guy with more money than brains has pervaded the national consciousness. Certainly there were wealthy guys wrecking expensive cars before Eriksson, but the value of that particular car (a million dollars-plus), along with the colorful (and criminal) background of the driver seemed to represent all the worst aspects of exotic car owners.
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- Karl Brauer September 2, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Ferrari, Lamborghini, Talk Back Tuesday, Traffic Safety
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- Talk Back Tuesday Lamborghini Crash Kill
August 19, 2008
Last Friday's post
about "Car Guys versus Posers" brought up some interesting points regarding what does -- and doesn't -- count toward car-guy status. I think everyone has their own opinions on this topic, but I'm willing to put mine into self-test form to help you determine your car-guy credentials.
With this test I'll try to take every aspect of car guy-ness into account (i.e. while I'm not personally into modern motorsports I won't discount that as a viable aspect of being a car guy). And while it would be easy for such a post to degenerate into a series of cathartic chides against said posers, I'll avoid that...for the most part.
And to state the painfully obvious in an overly politically correct world -- yes, you can can have two X chromosomes and still be a "car guy." Also, if you have to use google, wikipedia or any other reference source to answer these questions you're not only a poser, but a cheater.
Test begins after the jump:
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- Karl Brauer August 19, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Driving, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Definition of a Car Guy, Talk Back Tuesday
August 12, 2008
For most of you I don't have to explain this obvious pattern -- but I'll explain it anyway.
Whether we're talking 2008 or 1978, our car-buying patterns, as they relate to fuel prices, have about as much variation as a teen slasher flick.
It goes something like this: Prices shoot up, people freak out, large vehicles and V8 engines are deemed verboten while economy cars and (more recently) hybrids are hotter than unreleased Brangelina wedding photos. Then, prices eventually drop (rarely to their previous levels, but always from their short-term highs), and/or people get used to the new first digit on gas station signs, and car-buying habits return to "normal" (if you can ever call U.S. car-buying habits normal).
Of course, every time this happens people proclaim, "Yeah, well, I'm not getting burned again! I'm buying something with good mileage right now and never looking back!" But long-term market analysis of the past 35 years proves this declaration to be largely false. And the latest shopping data from Edmunds.com users suggests we're already cycling back to our "bad" car-buying habits.
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- Karl Brauer August 12, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Automotive News, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Car Buying, Fuel Economy, Talk Back Tuesday
August 5, 2008
Okay, since autoboy asked on not one, but two
different blogs in the past 72 hours, I'll do him the solid and open up the topic for official discussion.
Today's question: What should we put in the Edmunds.com long-term fleet?
Don't forget the possibilities include not just new cars, but interesting and/or worthwhile used cars as well. We officially said goodbye to our long-term Ferrari 308, and we've only got a few months left on our 2002 BMW M3. We've been thinking about a mid-80's Porsche 911, but happy to hear other thoughts.
As for new cars, there are some obvious ones and some not-so-obvious ones on my "to get" list.
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- Karl Brauer August 5, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Talk Back Tuesday
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- Long-Term Fleet, Talk Back Tuesday
July 29, 2008
To say the automotive industry is experiencing some turbulence right now would be like saying the nation's voters aren't completely aligned regarding the country's future leadership.
All three domestic manufacturers are following the standard "tough market" protocol -- slash workers, slash production, slash forecasts. They're also scrambling to remake a business and product plan based on small, fuel-efficient cars rather than large, gas-swilling trucks.
Finally, they are re-evaluating which brands are worth their time and trouble. Those that don't make the cut are put on the auction block, such as Jaguar and Land Rover. Others are likely to be killed outright, joining Plymouth and Oldsmobile in that big "Dead Brands" junkyard in the sky.
This raises an interesting question -- specifically, what will happen to Chrysler?
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- Karl Brauer July 29, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Chrysler, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Chrysler, Lease
July 22, 2008
I spent last week vacationing in the Denver area, but on two separate occasions my vacation was interrupted when work came a callin' in the form of disguised test mules (or prototype vehicles) undergoing high altitude testing.
On Tuesday of last week I spotted a taped-up 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK driving on the C-470 loop from south Denver to I70 (where it promptly headed up into the mountains while I head down into Wheat Ridge). It was being tailed by a C320 and both cars wore numerous antennas to record sensor data.
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- Karl Brauer July 22, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Cadillac, Future Vehicles, Mercedes-Benz, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Future Vehicle, Spy Photography, Talk Back Tuesday
July 15, 2008
I'm driving the Ford GT (pictured above on the assembly line in June 2005) back to my 20-year high school reunion in Denver this week. You can follow the details of the trip on twitter
if you're really bored.
There are a number of reasons I could list for this action. It provides great blog content. Edmunds will pay the gas bill. The car's warranty runs out in August, meaning this is my last chance to really utilize the car with some level of factory protection against mechanical defects.
But I think we all know the best reason -- to do what The Bandit did best: Show Off.
I was a certified car guy back in high school. Actually it started in junior high, when I drove my 1969 Plymouth GTX to the last day of 9th grade (so what if I only had my permit at the time). By 11th grade I owned a second, 1970 GTX. Between the two of them I had the most notorious cars in high school. The '69 was sold during my senior year, but the '70 GTX is still in my possession and already back in Denver, waiting for the festivities. The reunion schedule includes two night events and one daytime event, giving me ample opportunity to drive (show off) both cars.
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- Karl Brauer July 15, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Ford, Muscle Car, Road Trips, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Ford GT, High School Reunion
July 1, 2008
As noted by many folks, on the pages of this blog and throughout the automotive industry, the price of oil and gas is impacting much more than just folks' monthly gas bills. This week's Automotive News
is drenched in stories of increased supplier costs
- all at a time when car sales have evaporated and prices are being driven down by plunging demand.
More expensive production costs paired with falling retail prices? That's about as bad as it gets, and not just for automakers but for any retail outlet. Steel prices have been spiking upwards for a couple years, but now oil prices, and everything oil goes into, are skyrocketing. Think about all the products we buy that involve plastic and rubber - both heavily dependent on oil as a fundamental component? Of course even things that don't involve oil in the manufacturing process, like milk and bread, have to be shipped. I saw a news story last week about the price of food in Hawaii. I think a peanut butter was somewhere around $8 a jar!
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- Karl Brauer July 1, 2008, 4:15 AM
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- Talk Back Tuesday
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- gas prices
June 24, 2008
You may have already heard this, but Ford is delaying the launch of the all-new F-150 by two months.
There's really no way to spin this, it's simply bad news. It's bad because they've spent plenty of money redesigning this truck, so any delay in selling it ultimately costs them money. It's bad because the F-150 has represented a guaranteed, fundamental level of income for Ford for decades. Now it doesn't (a lack of 2008 F-150 sales is the official reason Ford is giving for the 2009 model delay).
Finally, it's really bad (for Ford, and all the domestics) because it clearly reflects the hostile market for big, old-school, V8-powered vehicles. This news comes on the heels of GM stating they have postponed the GMT900 (Silverado, Tahoe) platform redesign "indefinitely." So far (and I say that with some trepidation...) the all-new 2009 Dodge Ram launch is still on schedule.
While these news reports aren't exactly earth-shattering, or unexpected, I find them interesting on a level missed by most news reports -- Trucks have gotten pretty damn good!
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- Karl Brauer June 24, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Automotive News, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
June 17, 2008
I don't like saying, "I told you so" -- at least not too much.
In this case, however, I'm citing a New York Times article from October of 2006. The title was Small-Car Nation and in it the author analyzed the potential for small-car success in the traditionally big car (and truck, and SUV) U.S. market...
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- June 17, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Dodge, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
June 10, 2008
If you saw last Friday's blog you know that the Jaguar XF Supercharged comes standard with 20-inch wheels, and in my opinion those wheels reduce ride quality to an unacceptable level. The car's confidence around corners is undeniably enhanced by such large orbs, and many would say it's appearance benefits as well. Yet I would argue the car could/should handle exceptionally without wheels of this diameter. As for style, the large circles are actually too large in my not-so-humble opinion, further compromising the XF's already questionable looks.
However, in a world where entire TV shows can be named after automotive wheels it may be heresy to suggest a uniqe whip could actually be...too large? But I'm suggesting it all the same. The Jaguar XF by no means owns this "excessive rim" status. The new Dodge Challenger with 20-inch wheels? Too big! Makes the car sit too high, giving it more of a "monster truck" versus "performance car" stance.
Same goes for the 20-inch wheels on high-end luxury sedans like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the 22-inch rims on Cadillac Escalades both of them make the vehicles in question look like one of those circus clowns on stilts IMHO. Conversely, the 20s on the Rolls-Royce Phantom neither look too big (likey because it has such large proportions to begin with) nor upset the ulta-luxury sedan's ride quality. Consider the Rolls the rare exception, as I'd argue it's nearly impossible to put 20-inch wheels (or larger) on a vehicle without drastically sacrficing ride quality.
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- Karl Brauer June 10, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Cadillac, Dodge, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Talk Back Tuesday
June 3, 2008
Credit the wife with today's topic. She read an article
this past weekend about "gas theft" in Oxnard, (near Ventura) and while the actual incidence of gas theft hasn't spiked - yet - various police officials fully expect it to as gas inches ever closer to $5 a gallon (it's well above that price for diesel around here). Gas, like gold, is becoming a more valuable commodity evey day.
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- Karl Brauer June 3, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
May 27, 2008
Sumer is here (yeah, technically not until June 21st, but we all know it starts with Memorial Day), and the question today is simple:
Have your summer vacation plans been impacted by the price of gas?
I'm one of those freaks who actually enjoys driving across the country, and I felt this way long before the body-cavity-search/pay-extra-for-luggage/no-food-provided/no-water-allowed days of air travel.
Now it takes a pretty unique situation for me to board an airplane (like, say, having an ocean in the way). The bummer is, fuel prices have made it nearly as costly to drive as it is to fly, depending on the distance you're traveling and how many folks you're jamming into the car/minivan/SUV.
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- Karl Brauer May 27, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Road Trips, Talk Back Tuesday
May 13, 2008
"Gas prices are skyrocketing! There's no end in sight!! Who knows how high they'll go?!!!"
The above statements may or may not be true, but Chrysler is hoping enough of you feel this way to fall for their latest marketing scheme: Let's Refuel America!
The Edmunds data department confirmed last week that, for the most part, this "deal" isn't all it's cracked up to be (surprise!). But here's a story that pulls all the important numbers together and, in simple terms, says to avoid the "Let's Refuel America!" boondoggle and just take the good, old reliable incentive cash. You'll come out much better.
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- Karl Brauer May 13, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chrysler, Talk Back Tuesday
May 6, 2008
Everyone from Ford to GM to Toyota is betting on plug-in hybrids, with models like the Ford Escape, Chevrolet Volt and Toyota Prius promising to offer the technology in the next couple of years. The promise of all-electric operation, and the equivalent of 100 mpg, is hard to ignore. Yet there are many hurdles to overcome, like lithium-ion battery technology, heat management and warranty concerns. But an even bigger quesiton remains: How will utility companies react to this new drain on the power grid?
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- Karl Brauer May 6, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
April 29, 2008
In case you haven't noticed, the price of gas is a bit higher than it used to be. Actually, its ranging from 50 to 80 cents more per gallon than it was this time last year, and over the past weekend I almost couldn't cover my fuel charge with a $20 bill -- for my motorcycle! That was a bit of a wake up call.
I remember a conversation between my parents where my dad was talking about all the people who said they'd use roller skates before paying a given price for a gallon of gas. Of course, this conversation took place in 1984, and the price people were agonizing over was $1.25-a-gallon. Now we're at $4-a-gallon, and I still haven't seen any rollerskates.
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- Karl Brauer April 29, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
April 22, 2008
You may have already heard this, but there's a growing relationship between Chrysler and Nissan. For complete details, check out Michelle Krebs' excellent analysis on AutoObserver.com.
Like many automakers, Nissan and Chrysler are two companies with clearly-defined strengths and weaknesses. What wasn't so obvious to me, until hearing about the budding partnership and reading Michelle's article, is how perfectly these two entities line up and how much stronger they could be as a single unit. Recent history suggests that mergers on this scale are never as simple as they appear at first glance, and the last thing either automaker needs is another failed coupling.
But bottom line -- Cerberus Capital Management is a "show me the money" group of guys, and Carlos Ghosn has wanted a U.S. paring for awhile. It doesn't take a crystal ball to see where this might go, though for now both companies are merely talking about model-sharing plans. How far will these plans go? Let take a look at the obvious ones (all stolen from Michelle's article):
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- Karl Brauer April 22, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
April 15, 2008
Alright guys, I've got a new series I want to start with today's Talk Back Tuesday.
It's the first installment of Cars that Jumped the Shark, in which we discuss when a particular model topped out before beginning that inexorable slide into pathetic-ness. In some cases you may feel a car never jumped the shark and it is still getting better, which is fine. In other cases, you may feel a car never even got up on two skiis, but was fish food from day one, and that's okay too.
To start things off I'm going to ask about the BMW M3. With an all-new version now in showrooms, and a previous-generation M3 in our long-term fleet, it seems fitting to ask the question: When did the BMW M3 jumped the shark?
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- Karl Brauer April 15, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- BMW, Cars that Jumped the Shark, Talk Back Tuesday
April 8, 2008
Last Friday's blog entry discussed the crash-and-burn status of large truck and SUV sales. Basically, if it's big and it's truck-based, it ain't sellin' (with rare exception). At the same time, Ford's archaic Ranger is up for the year, and anecdotel evidence suggests new and used Rangers, along with older Toyota and Nissan compact trucks, are quite popular with truck buyers in 2008.
This is basically a repeat of what happned with American cars in the 1970s. For decades they'd grown larger and larger, then a fuel crisis hit and everyone (car buyers and car makers) stopped, took a critical look at the size of their vehicles, and basically said, "What the #@&* are we doing?! Nobody actually needs vehicles this big, we're just caught up in a 'Size Arms Race' with the rest of the industry. Now our vehicles are just stupid-big -- and they guzzle a lot of gas!"
This epiphany had every carmaker immediately downsizing their offerings as a result, and while cars have grown in recent years we've still never approached the behemoths being sold in 1974.
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- Karl Brauer April 8, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Dodge, Future Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
April 1, 2008
Diesel powertrains make up over 50 percent of new-car sales in Europe. On a cost-benefit ratio, diesels are more efficient and environmentally responsible (especially when you take total vehicle production and lifecycle into account) than hybrids. Modern fuel-system and exhaust-system technologies have removed much of the noise, smell, soot and pollution associated with diesel engines while giving them near gasoline-like responsiveness and performance (just ask Audi).
Basically, diesels have nearly every advantage over hybrid drivetrains, and score pretty well against traditional gasoline engines, too. I've spent the last week in our long-term Volkswagen Jetta TDI, and today I'm driving a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD (look for my specific post on that vehicle tomorrow). Both vehicles continue to validate the effectiveness of modern diesels at reducing fuel consumption and exhuast emissions while cutting our dependence on imported oil.
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- Karl Brauer April 1, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
March 25, 2008
I don't have one topic worthy of a full Talk Back Tuesday post, but I do have a few mini topics from the past week that, when added up, almost equate to one worthy discussion...hopefully. Here goes:
In the spirit of "perfect timing" comes a new Hummer H2 book: Yes, just as oil passes $100-a-barrel and gas hits $4-a-gallon we get a new book that, according to the press release:
"With unfolded centerfold the book reaches a width of 237 cm (94.5 inches), wider than the subject of the book, the HUMMER H2, itself. HUMMER H2 - KING SIZE AMERICA! is the biggest and most exclusive car book in the world and is published in a limited edition of just 999 sequentially numbered and signed copies. On 200 gloss-laminated pages German automobile journalist Hans-Jürgen Tücherer tells a great many entertaining and amusing stories that surround this spectacular American SUV. More than 270 fascinating pictures up to 43 x 237 centimeters (17 x 94.5 inches) in size depict the HUMMER H2 in all its glorious details and from many highly unusual perspectives. HUMMER H2 - KING SIZE AMERICA! is available for 999 Euros. The German edition is on sale now. The English version will be available online at www.h2book.com starting in April 2008."
Yes, for a mere $1,500 you too can pay proper homage to your H2 with a book as obnoxious as the vehicle itself! Better reserve your copy today!!
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- Karl Brauer March 25, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Audi, BMW, Bugatti, Hummer, Mazda, Talk Back Tuesday, Vehicle Awards
February 26, 2008
Last Friday's blog about the GMC Acadia versus Yukon Denali raised some interesting discussion points. The two dominant arguments were either:
1. The Yukon Denali is overpriced and unnecessary when the same division offers the Acadia; or
2. The Yukon Denali has more capability than the Acadia in areas like towing and hauling, and is thus worth the money
As is often the case, both of these arguments are correct, depending on your needs as a buyer. But this brings up the next big question: How much car (or truck, or SUV, etc.) do you really need? The emphasis on "really" comes from a phenomenon I think we're all aware of -- perceived versus actual vehicle needs. As such, I present the following two-step process to consider when buying your next vehicle:
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- Karl Brauer February 26, 2008, 7:00 AM
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- GMC, Talk Back Tuesday
February 19, 2008
I touched on this subject about 10 months ago, but it deserves another visit in the wake of recent activity. First is the ratification of a new energy bill that will raise CAFE standards dramatically (though not as much as you my think...). Now comes a story about insurance companies waging a war on horsepower.
As I noted in early April of 2007, the storm clouds are gathering and it appears a long, bitter "anti-performance" winter is about to begin. As you might expect, a period of "performance-car hibernation" is sure to follow, setting the stage for current supercars like the Corvette ZR1 and Nissan GT-R to play the role of 21st Century Hemi 'Cudas and Super Duty Trans Ams.
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- Karl Brauer February 19, 2008, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
January 22, 2008
I fear the answer for too many people is "No!" After all, learning about global warming (as opposed to simply forming an opinion based on mainstream media sound bites) can take all of...well, it took me about 10 minutes to take this Global Warming Quiz
, which not only tested my knowledge but greatly expanded it as well. I got one of the questions wrong (number 9), and I'd like to hear how other people score on this.
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- Karl Brauer January 22, 2008, 7:00 AM
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- Talk Back Tuesday
January 8, 2008
It's that time of year again -- time to figure out what long-term cars will be added to the fleet in the coming year. We've had our first meeting and the tentative list is in place, but we're nothing if not flexible.
So now's your chance. Tell us what you think should be added to the Edmunds/Inside Line Long-Term Fleet in the coming year. You probably already have a sense of the primary factors we consider, but just to be clear I'll state them again. We like to get all-new or redesigned models because we think consumer interest is higher in those. We also like to get a good balance of volume sellers and specialized/niche vehicles, as both tend to draw the most traffic and reaction from site users. Cars that fall in-between (not really big sellers and not really interesting low-volume cars) are, typically, the least valuable to us.
The following vehicles are all on our consideration list, but we won't get them all and we may get others not on this list:
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- Karl Brauer January 8, 2008, 7:00 AM
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- Talk Back Tuesday
December 18, 2007
I don't know if any of you saw the recent L.A. Times story about vehicle trailers and the deaths/injuries associated with them, but it's a rather heart-wrenching report. Basically, the number of trailers on the road has increased by 50 percent in the past 15 years, as has the rate of carnage from trailer "accidents." I use the quotes because most of these accidents are the result of clueless drivers and/or negligent towing practices.
This gets to the heart of one of my major beliefs. See, as a certified freedom lover I hate the idea of restricting people's actions. But as a lover of logic, I realize you can't let everyone do whatever they want whenever they want to. The solution? Training-training-training.
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- Karl Brauer December 18, 2007, 7:00 AM
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- Driving, Talk Back Tuesday, Traffic Safety
December 11, 2007
If you've been watching either the Straightline blog or the Strategies blog you've already heard about our Consumer Comparison Test pitting the Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry against each other. Feel free to predict the finishing order of this comparison test (that's what they're doing over at Straightline) but this post will be focusing on a different aspect of the event.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but this is HUGE. It's not huge because it involved letting consumers drive three competing models and provide feedback. We've seen that in various "buff books" ad campaigns for a couple years now, not to mention recent television commercials and radio spots. No, what makes this huge is the fact that no manufacturer was involved in the testing process.
Every previous "consumer" test I've seen has always been backed by a specific manufacturer. The buff book campaigns I just mentioned involved the Cadillac CTS and Jaguar X-Type -- with associated ad pages and tiny "advertisement" text on those pages (Ugh! -- I felt dirty just quickly thumbing past them). The recent television/radio ads we've likely all seen or heard involves Ford's "Swap My Ride" effort to show that the Fusion and Edge are "better" than the Camry and Highlander. Any guess as to which vehicles fared well in those tests?
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- Karl Brauer December 11, 2007, 7:00 AM
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- Chevrolet, Honda, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota
December 4, 2007
It appears that Indian carmaker, Tata Motors, is going to be the new owner of Jaguar and Land Rover. Several recent articles, including this one in the Financial Times, show Tata in a leading position to buy the brands from Ford. We've already discussed the premium brand Ford is keeping, Volvo, so today let's look at the two nameplates Ford is looking to unload.
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- Karl Brauer December 4, 2007, 7:00 AM
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- Jaguar, Land Rover, Talk Back Tuesday
November 27, 2007
Auburn Hills has been liberated, and Chrysler is once again a domestic car company. Not only is it a domestic car company, but a privately held one that should, in theory, be more nimble than its crosstown, Motor City rivals. While the German Occupation brought with it the hope of increased engineering prowess (a hope that was realized in some measure with the LX cars), the company lost much of its sense of design and innovation -- along with about $30 billion in value. I'd like to believe private equity plus Chrysler brand equity (Challenger, Charger, Jeep, 300, Ram, etc.) provides plenty of potential, there's lots of work to be done. Obviously cost cuts and downsizing will be a primary objective of the new owners, but recent rumors suggest everything is up for discussion -- including no more Dodge cars. Chrysler would produce all the cars, Dodge would sell only trucks, and Jeep would do...well, Jeeps.
That's one of the many rumors swirling around about Chrysler LLC's future, but if I were in charge this is what I'd do:
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- Karl Brauer November 27, 2007, 7:00 AM
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- Chrysler, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
November 20, 2007
Well, it's official. Ford is keeping Volvo. As the one division in the PAG that's shown any sign of life (and profit) over the past five years, this decision makes sense. But, as I noted recently in my 2007 Auto Sales post, Volvo is down nearly 10 percent for the year, and it seems there's been a stagnation in their product line-up. Yeah, the new C30 is exciting, but I don't see it causing a sea change in sales. And while the redesigned V70 should keep that model competitive, I sense the need for a philsophical shift in the design of Volvo vehicles.
What say you? What would you do if you held Volvo's future in your hands? I've got my plan.
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- Karl Brauer November 20, 2007, 7:00 AM
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- Talk Back Tuesday, Volvo
November 13, 2007
Superb story from The Economist
explaining the current challenges faced by Toyota, and how they may affect the brand's march toward world domination. Toyota was clearly on track to be the world's No. 1 automaker this year, but a (modestly) resurging GM (at least in sales) combined with a series of quality/reliability slips for Toyota has made this a bonafide horse race.
It's interesting to read about Toyota's struggle to rapidly increase production capacity while trying to maintain quality control. I give the company credit for doing as well as it has over the past 20 years, but it appears they've finally crossed some sort of "Quality vs. Quantity" line that even their stringent corporate philosophy can't overcome.
However, the most intriguing aspect of the article is the one we've already talked about on this blog: How can Toyota be the hero of environmentalists as it continues to roll out bigger, stronger and thirstier models? Obviously it can't, and the backlash (like most green backlashes these days) has grown from a low-frequency mumur to a high-pitched screech.
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- Karl Brauer November 13, 2007, 7:00 AM
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- Auto Shows, Chevrolet, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota
November 6, 2007
Last Friday
I posted automotive sales results, both for the month of October and for 2007 year-to-date. In those results it was clear that although 2007 was a challenging year some manufacturers were suffering more than others. Specifically, the domestics were all down for the year, along with Subaru and Volvo.
Many of you postulated on why those brands were down on sales, with fleet activity being a primary cause for the domestics' downturn. But what about Subaru? What is hurting their sales? Several comments talked about the againg product, the attempt to move upmarket and the loss of unique branding related to all-wheel drive (basically, everyone offers all-wheel drive today, so that's not really a selling point in 2007).
I'm going to do more of these "Manufacturer Makeovers" but let's start with Subaru because they are down for the year and there are plenty of opinions regarding why. The proposition: You wake up tomorrow head of Subaru (or at least head of Subaru's U.S. product line). What would you do to turn sales around? Here are my thoughts:
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- Karl Brauer November 6, 2007, 7:00 AM
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- Subaru, Talk Back Tuesday
October 30, 2007
I've touched on this topic before, the last time in June when discussing a recent J.D. Power study about "initial quality" ratings. In that post I questioned the value of a 90-day quality study. This time I'm going to hit on two larger issues that pertain to Consumer Reports. Just to be clear, I don't feel like Consumer Reports' vehicle ratings are "bad" or "inaccurate" or "wrong" (at least not usually), but I do have an issue with the perception -- or perhaps I should say mis-perception -- that surrounds them. This could be a very long post, but I'm going to keep it simple and straightforward.
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- Karl Brauer October 30, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Talk Back Tuesday
October 23, 2007
Last week Consumer Reports stated it would no longer place new or redesigned Toyota models on the publication's "recommended" list until it has at least a year's worth of reliability ratings on said models. Previously Toyota's all-new vehicles got a "pass" on earning the "recommended" rating because of the brand's formerly
stellar reliability reputation. You can read more of the details here
.
Then, yesterday, a group of "greenies" met outside Santa Monica Toyota to protest the company's stance on California's efforts to implement Assembly Bill (AB) 1493. This is the bill that would allow California to regulate vehicle fuel mileage by deeming carbon dioxide a "pollutant" (BTW, I'm hoping you didn't just gasp at that bit of news, because if you did you're also polluting our atmosphere). While I may not agree with these folks' stance on the top threat to our planet, I can't deny the fact that Toyota is making plenty of money off Tundra, Sequoia and V8 Lexus sales. Bottom line: the greenies and I appear to agree that Toyota's "green" reputation may be somewhat overblown.
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- Karl Brauer October 23, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota
October 16, 2007
What makes a great car great?
That's a topic that's been debated for over a century -- probably from the moment the first car was created. And it would be easy to get caught up in a multitude of features and traits when discussing the topic. But I've come to realize there are basically two overriding characteristics of a great car.
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- Karl Brauer October 16, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- BMW, Chevrolet, Honda, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota
October 9, 2007
Given the topic of yesterday's post it seems fitting to bring up a subject I've become increasingly aware of over the past several years. This is the concept of actually having to agonize over a car purchase, a situation that increases for me (and I assume other car shoppers) every year. I'm not talking the agony of paying for a new car (though that still happens as well) and I'm not talking the agony of dealing with car salesman (if you've used the wealth of advice on Edmunds.com that's a non-issue).
No, I'm talking about the agony of deciding between two or more models. Let's face it, the number of truly "bad" cars on the market today is about equal to the number of truly "good" movies that come out in a given year. We're talking shoe sizes for supermodels here, which means you can almost throw a dart at the list of 300-plus models and be safe. That's the good news, but the bad news is that finding the "best car for you" is now the new, higher-level goal we're all shooting for, and somethiing I endeavor to provide readers of Edmunds.com.
But in many vehicle segments it really is down to minor differentiators, meaning the "best" car is totally driven by an individual buyer's profile and preferences versus issues like performance, comfort, reliability or even style. And sometimes even using your personal mojo as a guide won't provide a clear choice. Here are a few examples to illustrate my point:
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- Karl Brauer October 9, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Talk Back Tuesday
October 2, 2007
I recently blogged about the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8. Overall I liked the car, but some readers commented that they couldn't understand how Jeep could offer such a clearly high-performance vehicle without a manual transmission (even as an option). Jeep is hardly alone in their lack of manual appreciation. The latest BMW M5 and M6 models weren't available with a traditional manual transmission, at least not initially. There's no manual in Audi's S8, Porsche's Cayenne Turbo, or any version of the Mercedes-Benz SL (a model whose name comes from the term sports light).
Then there are the models that a technically available with a traditional manual transmission, but good luck finding one at your local dealer or in the classifieds. These would include such paragons of performance as the Aston-Martin V8 Vantage, Ferrari F430 and Lamborghini Gallardo. Even Mitsubishi's orignal bad boy rally racer, the Lancer Evolution, will be available with only two pedals this year. And who wants to bet how the majority of them will be equipped for the U.S. market? Here's a hint: Remember when the Porsche faithful bemoaned the availability of an automatic in their beloved 911 Turbo? They wondered who would actually buy a car like that with a slushbox shifter between the seats? The answer turned out to be the majority of Turbo buyers.
What does all this mean for the long-term health of the manual transmission? Is it destined for the same fate as the hand-crank starter, points ignition and carburetor? And with the development of electro-hydaulic clutches is the death of the manual transmission even worth worrying about? As usual, I have the answer to all these questions and more.
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- Karl Brauer October 2, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Driving, Talk Back Tuesday
September 25, 2007
So you're Toyota. You're on the brink of passing GM as the world's largest automaker, and you're already well past them in terms of revenue, reputation and net worth. So now what? To quote Alan Rickman from the movie Die Hard, "When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain he wept, for there were no more world's to conquer." How should Toyota focus its vast resources in the 21st Century?
And I need more than, "I think they should bring back the Corona, man!" I need specifics. Do they go after the hydrogen thing or try to make the most of the internal combustion engine? With CO2 being declared a "pollutant" by the Chicken Littles it would seem fuel mileage is more important than ever, but Toyota just released their biggest truck ever and they are about to launch the biggest SUV in their history (the redesigned 2008 Sequoia). Multiple sports cars are in the works, as is a high-performance IS and a super-high-mileage Prius (likely with plug-in provisions).
Maybe they are on the right track and shouldn't change a thing? What say you? Here's my thinking:
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- Karl Brauer September 25, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Future Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota
September 18, 2007
There's a series of ad inserts that Conde Nast has been running in Automotive News. The compaign's theme is "The point of passion" and between the insert's size and the paper stock used it must be costing Conde Nast a good chunk of change. The photos on each page show various famous folks (this one has Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Vera Wang and Eva Longoria) gazing through various Conde Nast print publications in picturesque settings. Eva, for instance, is sitting in a red, late 1960s Mercedes-Benz SL with the copy, "Eva Longoria. Actress, desperate housewife, reader." Vera Wang is described as, "Designer, lifestyle mogul, reader." In fact, the word "reader" appears at the end of every description.
The ad copy on the back of the insert says, "A more engaged reader. A connection that drives culture. And the most effective media choice." Of course none of these folks are looking at a computer screen, though if you check out the online version of this ad campaign you will, logically, see famous folks looking at computer screens for Conde Nast's online publications like brides.com and flip.com, but online titles still make up a small minority of the company's offerings.
The "point" of this campaign seems to be, "If you want to have real influence with the 'right' kind of people you'll buy an ad in one of our many print publications." I can't begrudge a media company for spending ad revenue to try and create more ad revenue, but the idea that only print readers are truly "passionate" or "committed" or "engaged" makes me laugh. And suggesting it's "the most effective media choice" is, frankly, ludicrous.
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- Karl Brauer September 18, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Internet vs. Print Publishing, Talk Back Tuesday
September 4, 2007
According to Automotive News, Ford's future product is going global, while the Mercury division may be going...away? The industry publication shows a slow (probably too slow, IMHO) product ramp-up over the next three years for Ford and Lincoln, while Mercury simply seems to be slowing to a stop. The core strategy to Mr. Mulally's plan involves cutting costs by sharing platforms and parts on a global scale. Don't forget that while Ford continues to struggle in the U.S. market the Blue Oval is doing rather well in other parts of the globe (including Russia). Here's the three-year plan by division...sorry there isn't more to report...
Ford: The most exciting thing in Ford's future is the launch of Flex
(pictured above) in 2009. If you're looking for more than a "refresh" or "reskin" or "re-engineer" in the coming years you'll have to wait for a possible Focus redesign in 2012 (only about seven years late) and an Expedition redesign in 2011. The all-new, global products won't start showing up until after 2012. Mustang gets a reskin in 2010 (I hear it may look something like that Giugiaro thing
from last year's L.A. Auto Show -- please say it ain't so), and the F-150 gets a re-engineer in 2009 that should keep it competitive. Otherwise it looks to be a long half-decade.
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- Karl Brauer September 4, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Ford, Future Vehicles, Lincoln, Mercury, Talk Back Tuesday
August 21, 2007
It's time I admit it publicly -- I'm worried about the Tesla Roadster. Just last week a story by Automotive News' Mark Rechtin covered the latest delay in the electric Roadster's on-sale date, now scrubbed from late summer 2007 to fourth-quarter 2007. This announcement comes only a week after an announcement that the company's co-founder, Martin Eberhard, had "stepped down" from the post of CEO. Our own investigations have suggested the move was meant to free up Eberhard from the rigors of running the company and allow him to get back to the business of producing the car. An awfully good explanation...almost too good.
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- Karl Brauer August 21, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday, Tesla
August 14, 2007
The price of gas has been dropping, and all indications are that it will continue to drop -- at least in the near term. According to a recent Business Journal article
the price of gas in Long Beach is 7 cents cheaper than last week, 15 cents cheaper than last month, and 28 cents cheaper than this time last year. This trend follows nationwide, and the timing is great, as many folks are still enjoying the summer driving season.
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- Karl Brauer August 14, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
August 7, 2007
Every fall Automotive News reports on the future product plan of each major automaker. I've just browsed through GM's upcoming model portfolio and, for the most part, I like what I see. Some obvious call-outs include:
1. Cadillac is (finally) killing their luxo-barge models. The DTS will soon depart and the STS's future is in doubt. I've never liked the idea of a front-wheel drive Cadillac, so I say "Good Riddance" to the DTS. But the SRX's long-term outlook is also open for debate, and that's a shame. It's one of my favorite crossovers in that category. A "flagship sedan" (ala S-Class/7 Series) is supposedly still in the works, but CAFE concerns have GM's top brass wavering on this model. Too bad.
2. Chevrolet's biggest news is simply too far away. I fear the Camaro may be the next Ford Thunderbird, i.e. -- by the time it gets here no one will care. Lots of people wanted the retro-coupe right after seeing Transformers
, but by 2009 that movie won't even be in the dollar bin at Best Buy. A microcar like the Beat appears likely, and in my mind long overdue. I know they don't carry the profit margin of Tahoes, but it's high time the domestics gave us a decent econo-box (and no, the Aveo doesn't count). The Blue-Devil/SS Corvette sounds cool...and for a cool $100,000 it better deliver.
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- Karl Brauer August 7, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
July 31, 2007
You may have seen a recent L.A. Times story
about the possible revival of the DeLorean Motor Car. As someone who is often excited by the prospects of reviving a great car from the past I have to tell you -- I think this is a terrible idea. Why? Because the DeLorean was not
a great car from the past. It was more like a great promise not kept. The exotic proportions and gullwing doors essentially wrote a check the weak 2.8-liter V6 couldn't cash. Yeah-yeah, it had a starring role in Back to the Future
, and as a child of the '80s even I thought the car was cool...when I was 15. I've since grown up (sort of), as have my automotive sensibilities. If people want to make fun of the Ferrari Testarossa as an example of "When 80's icons attack!" how do they feel about the DeLorean? At least the Testarossa had a powerful 12 cylinder buried beneath the cheese-grater flanks.
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- Karl Brauer July 31, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Retro Revivals, Talk Back Tuesday
July 24, 2007
There are those folks out there, cynical types mostly, who think the system doesn't work. They feel like the government and the police have gone too far in the direction of "revenue generation" and lost sight of other, basic goals -- like public safety and prosecuting real criminals.
Well these people obviously weren't in Malibu this past Sunday, where a battery of police vehicles (cars, motorcycles and even a big RV with "CHP" painted on the side) were stopping every car and motorcyclist on Mulholland just west of The Rock Store. Yes, every motorist that passed -- at least until their ability to process folks was maxxed out, then they'd let a few vehicles slip by until the next slot in their mobile prosecution center opened up. Your speed didn't matter, nor the operating condition of your bike or car (though they were gunning people as they came up the hill, so if they could get you for speed they would).
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- Karl Brauer July 24, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Driving, Motorcycles, Talk Back Tuesday, Traffic Safety
July 17, 2007
We just posted a story on the next Toyota Prius at AutoObserver.com. It's an interesting look at what Toyota is planning for perhaps the most influential car in the company's recent history. You can read the full details in the story, but the main points are as follows:
1. Toyota will be launching the "first" next Prius in 2009; it will be slightly larger than the current model
2. The "second" new Prius will be much larger than the current car, similar in design to the Hybrid X concept, and launch in 2010
3. The "third" new Prius will be smaller than the current model, similar in size to the Corolla, and launch in 2011.
It's also worth noting that the new models are going to use nickel-metal hydride batteries, not lithium-ion.
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- Karl Brauer July 17, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota
July 10, 2007
If you haven't already seen Michelle Kreb's write-up on the death of the Cadillac Sixteen and Buick Velite
you should. And while you're over at AutoObserver.com you can read her latest feature story
that explores GM's lowest monthly market share in nearly a decade -- 22.1. That's the lowest market share number since a summer strike in 1998. The upside is that GM's incentive spending is down, as are its fleet sales.
If GM's plan is to focus on profitability over market share it seems to be on the right track. But I question the wisdom of killing such halo products as the Sixteen and Velite. According to Mr. Lutz those products don't make sense in a world focused on fuel mileage and "green" responsibility. But over at Toyota they've just launched the largest (and most fuel hungry) full-size truck in the company's history, and a monstrous Sequoia is waiting in the wings.
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- Karl Brauer July 10, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
July 3, 2007
Last week, when I commented on the quality of the new Saturn Aura's interior, the reactions ranged from surprise to agreement. But mixed in with the Aura-specific comments were several interesting posts from readers regarding the interior quality of past cars. In a nutshell, they were suggesting that all vehicle interiors have suffered in recent years, at least as far as material quality goes. I found this reaction fascinating for two reasons. First, I think we all like to feel like cars are generally getting better, not worse. Second, because I had been in the exact same conversation with Inside Line's Editor in Chief, Scott Oldham, a few days earlier. We were discussing our long-term Aura's mismatched wood trim and rubberized armrests when he brought up his 1989 Pontiac Trans Am that he's had since new. He basically said his 19-year-old Pontiac has a better interior than the new Aura. I responded that I've had the same thoughts in recent years. My 1987 and 1989 Dodge Shadow CSXs were essentially at the bottom of Chrysler's product barrel 20 years ago (coming after the Omni/Horizon and ahead of the Neon). Chrysler's modern equivalent to the Shadow? The Dodge Caliber -- and I don't think I have to tell any of you where I rate that car's interior, not just in comparison to other 2008 models but in comparison to my old Shadows. An undeniable step backwards. And if you want to talk muscle cars (the photo above is of my old 1969 Plymouth GTX) the same pretty much holds true -- better material quality than today.
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- Karl Brauer July 3, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
June 26, 2007
I like to think that the occasional voice of sanity in an insane world can make a difference, but I'm just realistic (pessimistic?) enough to know it won't. Case in point, I've just read possibly the most compelling article yet
on "climate change" and "global warming." This latest article isn't compelling just because it questions what has become "fact" in many people's mind, but because it comes from a...wait for it...scientist who specializes in earth's climate
. Sure, he's not Bono or George Clooney or Al Gore, but when you consider that he, himself, has been personally involved in climate-related research for nearly a decade it's hard to write him off as just a right-wing kook or a pawn of the oil companies.
But one article does not a religion change, does it? Well how about two? This article, from the not-exactly-big-oil-friendly publication The Nation, also questions what it refers to as "dogma" with regard to global warming and the CO2 relationship. You can't read the entire article without subscribing, so here are a couple choice exerpts from yours truly:
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- Karl Brauer June 26, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Talk Back Tuesday
June 19, 2007
You don't have to be a Le Mans fan to know that diesel engines are about to make an assault on the U.S. market. A respected source told us awhile back that Honda was investing heavily in diesel technology as a future staple of the company's drivetrain offerings, and not just for Europe. These Honda diesels will be for sale in normally diesel-retarded America, too. Speculation on Toyota's interest in diesel has been fueled (sorry) by the company's recent purchase of a stake in Isuzu and reports of talks between the two Japanese automakers
regarding Isuzu's ability to supply diesel engines for Toyota.
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- Karl Brauer June 19, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
June 12, 2007
We've all heard about how much of a potential role E85/ethanol will play in America's energy independence. The theory is pretty straightforward: Instead of buying our vehicle fuel from the other side of the planet (where some folks don't like us very much...) why not grow the fuel in our vast and fertile heartland? After all, Brazil did it so why can't we?
The reality is a bit more complicated. There are numerous factors that have to be considered. What is the cost/energy required to turn corn into a combustible fuel?..
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- Karl Brauer June 12, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
June 5, 2007
If you've been following automotive sales figures
for the past few months you already know two things: it's tough to be an automaker right now, and it's brutal to be an SUV-dependent company these days. While April sales figures were enough to frighten even the most optimistic auto execs, the May figures offer some hope -- if you've got cars and crossovers in the lineup. GM, Toyota, Chrysler and Nissan posted sales gains, while Ford and Honda slipped. However, the true picture comes not from total sales but from what is selling. For instance, here's an interesting piece of data I heard directly from Toyota's top executives yesterday -- the Prius was the ninth best-selling vehicle in May. Not ninth best selling car, but best selling vehicle
. That means even when placed against the large trucks (F150, Silverado, Ram, etc.) and the midsize sedans (Camry, Accord, Altima, etc.), not to mention all the less expensive economy cars (Civic, Corolla, Focus, etc.) it was still a top-ten seller
. First time it's ever done that, BTW. Anecdotally, I can attest to not being able to swing a Ford GT's rear end around PCH on my commute without hitting a Prius (not that I would ever do that, of course).
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- Karl Brauer June 5, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota
May 29, 2007
A few months back I noted that Mazda had gone "Crossover Crazy" in recent years, with no less than five models that can arguably be described as crossovers (Mazda 5, Mazda 6 Wagon, Tribute, CX-7, CX-9). Well, if Mazda is crossover crazy then BMW is going completely bonkers. Beyond the current X3 and X5 models the ultimate driving brand has already announced an X6 model, and now we're hearing about a new F3 small crossover (with early renderings that look uncomfotably like a squashed Dodge Caliber). While vehicles like the Mazda 5 and Mazda 6 wagon are concepts that officially pre-date the "crossover movement" (as a minivan and wagon) all four of these BMWs are pure crossovers, no two ways about it. Now throw in the rumored R-Class competitor (V5) and BMW is threatening to become the king of crossover brands. Tell me that doesn't disturb you.
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- Karl Brauer May 29, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Future Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
May 22, 2007
It's become increasingly apparent to me that the race for "greenest carmaker" has little to do with actually producing "green" vehicles. Two weeks ago
I lambasted car companies that try to claim the "green" title while doing little (or just not nearly as much as they could) to create real-world
reductions in their fleet's vehicle emissions and/or fuel consumption. This week I'm going to call out some noble efforts in this area -- even if the popular green movement has already moved on to, well, greener (at least in their eyes) pastures.
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- Karl Brauer May 22, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
May 15, 2007
I need several "Talk Back Tuesdays" to cover the current state of the automotive world, but I'll try to touch on the three most important points in just one blog post:
Issue Number One -- Mercedes-Benz sells Chrysler
, and loses approximately $30,000,000,000 in the process. The new owner, Cerberus Capital Management L.P., is a private equity firm. This essentially means Chrysler can now focus on...BUILDING BETTER PRODUCT!! Oh, you may think the company has been focused on this for years, but in reality Chrysler (like all automakers) has been focused on quarterly reports and stockholder happiness. With that B.S. out of the way, the company just might build some killer cars and trucks in the coming years. Yeah, they've got legacy health care costs and UAW folks to wrestle with, but Cerberus is flush with cash so they can throw money at this problem like no traditional automaker ever could. This is a huge (and in my opinion hugely positive) development. I expect drastic and rapid changes for the company. What do you expect?
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- Karl Brauer May 15, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Internet vs. Print Publishing, Talk Back Tuesday
May 8, 2007
Yesterday's post about the Ford Escape Hybrid's seat covers being made from "post-industrial waste" got me thinking about a far more interesting topic: What can an automaker do to be truly earth conscious? By this I mean actions that provide more than press-release fodder. What can they do to have a genuine impact
on how humans use natural, non-renewable resources and/or a measurable reduction
in their own vehicle-fleet emissions. If you've read this blog for any length of time you already know I don't believe the "chicken little" scenarios that have every coastal community under water by 2010 and/or the global oil supply running out by 2012, but at the same time I fully support the need to end our dependence on Middle East-supplied oil. And if we can cut our vehicle emissions as well you won't see me complaining (heck, it might even end my Orange County headaches).
Like any effective change in the status quo, I'm convinced that addressing these issues will require a substantive change in corporate priorities, and maybe even (gasp) a willingness to moderately curb profits -- at least in the short run. Because Toyota has, aguably, made the most progress in this direction I'm going to use them as an example of how this should work.
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- Karl Brauer May 8, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
May 1, 2007
"I don't care about the latest marketing term -- this thing is a station wagon."
That's what I found myself thinking when I drove the 2008 Saturn Vue recently. Not that it was an epiphany or anything, but there was something about driving the new Vue that particularly drove home the ridiculousness of modern automotive marketing. Everyone knows that minivans aren't cool anymore (except Chrysler, who refuses to let the term die, and with their market share who can blame them). But as the SUV term was tarnished by images of rolling/exploding Explorers and labels of earth unfriendliness all the former minivan-turned-SUV drivers were on the hunt for "the next big thing."
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- Karl Brauer May 1, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Saturn, Talk Back Tuesday
April 24, 2007
I'm having lunch with Tom Purves today. Mr. Purves is the Chairman and CEO of BMW North America, and I'm visiting the corporate offices in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey to hand over the various Editors Most Wanted Awards for 2007
. BMW captured two awards for 2007, Sedan under $35,000 (3 Series) and Sedan under $60,000 (5 Series). Mini also captured the "Coupe under $30,000" category so I'll be presenting that award as well. In past years
BMW has captured as many as six awards, and that's when we had fewer segments to vote on. So why has BMW lost some ground to other makes, particularly Audi, in recent years? I think iDrive and Chris Bangle are two of the culprits, but I'd be interested in hearing your opinions. Of course I'm only talking in terms of Edmunds Most Wanted awards. In terms of sales, the company has never been stronger.
Also, if you have anything you want to say to Tom, and you get your comment posted by noon eastern time, I can try to pass on your thoughts.
And yes, I'll be humming The Sopranos theme song as I'm riding toward the Newark airport in the taxi.
Update on April 25: Read Tom Purves' responses to your questions!
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- Karl Brauer April 24, 2007, 6:08 AM
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- BMW, Talk Back Tuesday, Vehicle Awards
April 17, 2007
I try to keep my posts related to the automotive world, and most of the time I succeed. But today I have been forced to stray from the usual topic of transportation so as to discuss another, darker form of people movers -- airplanes. Put simply, modern airlines and air travel blows. I know times are tough for them, what with fuel prices, security challenges and the occasional Hollywood flick depicting rampant reptiles roaming the aisles (and I don't mean the flight attendants). But in the past 60 days I've had all sense of sympathy for them blotted out by a force more powerful than oil supplies, Al Queda or even Samuel L. Jackson's acting ability. This force is greed, and it has turned air travel into a unique experience that is part boot camp and part highway (airway?) robbery.
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- Karl Brauer April 17, 2007, 6:00 AM
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- Talk Back Tuesday
April 10, 2007
If you've studied automotive history...well, congratulations! You're among a depressingly elite group of people in today's world. Regardless, if you know your history you know that big changes in the automotive marketplace tend to come in cycles. Two of the most dramatic occurred in the 1960s and the 1970s. In the '60s performance ratcheted up as domestic automakers got into a horsepower war; a war that resulted in the most powerful production vehicles of the era. Then, in the early 1970s, a combination of factors aligned to not only end the horsepower war but punish the combatants (both at the manufacturer and customer level). Between political, environmental and safety concerns it was suddenly much cooler (or at least more socially conscious) to drive a Vega than a 'Vette. In case you haven't already noticed, we're on the brink of a similar shift.
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- Karl Brauer April 10, 2007, 6:37 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Future Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Safety Systems, Talk Back Tuesday
April 3, 2007
Remember a few weeks ago when I suggested that "Global Warming" was on the precipice of transitioning from unsubstantiated theory to widely-accepted fact? Well, to quote Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park, "Man do I hate being right all the time." The Supreme Court today ruled
that the EPA has both the right, and the obligation, to regulate "greenhouse gasses" like carbon dioxide. This is because the Supreme Court believes "greenhouse gasses" fit into the Clean Air Act's definition of an "air pollutant." Yes, that means that everyone reading this post is officially emitting an "air pollutant" -- and not from the orafice you first thought about. This also means that plant food (remember, plants inhale carbon dioxide) is an "air pollutant." And when those same plants die and start to rot, they have the nerve to continue spewing deadly CO2 into the air. Since I'm quoting movie lines in today's blog, "Damn you plants! Damn you all to Hell!!!" For a great read on this perspective see Patrick Bedard's editorial
from last September.
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- Karl Brauer April 3, 2007, 6:07 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
March 27, 2007
This has been a busy week in terms the energy problem and how to solve it. First, we just published a story about the Sustainable Mobility Summit recently held at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. This was a meeting of the green energy movement, and like any good summit a variety of interesting ideas were floated (Volkswagen's army of microscopic car builders was certainly a new twist on the issue). Then there was the Joint Statement from Rick Wagoner, Tom LaSorda and Alan Mulally regarding their meeting with President Bush. To risk oversimplifying their statement, they essentially told the President that the energy solution relies on a more robust E85 and Biofuel infrastructure. Then you had Al Gore telling congress that global warming represents a Planetary Emergency.
While both the severity of the situation and the solutions to the problem could be argued until the next Sopranos' season starts (Oh, wait! That's actually pretty soon these days!), I've got a relatively cheap and highly realistic solution I'd love to see all these forces rally behind.
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- Karl Brauer March 27, 2007, 7:02 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
March 20, 2007
I see a storm brewing, and it could prove the knockout punch for automakers already on the ropes. A story in the Detroit Free Press
is reporting on the major drop in auto sales in sunbelt states like California and Florida. What's driving it? The creaking home mortgage market that appears ready to collapse -- and take a good portion of our economic health with it. Already it's causing consumers in these states to back-off on new vehicle purchases as they re-assess the true value of their homes. The result is a 17% drop in auto sales in California and an 11% drop in Florida for the first 10 weeks of 2007. The break-out for the domestic manufacturers in those states is even more dramatic. GM is down 6.6% in California (which isn't too terrible), but Ford is off 18.6% and Chrysler is down 19.4%. Much of this comes from a drop in new housing construction, which means a drop in the purchase of large trucks and SUVs by contractors -- which translates into a direct assault on Detroit.
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- Karl Brauer March 20, 2007, 7:08 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Talk Back Tuesday
March 13, 2007
Great story by Christopher Jensen in Sunday's New York Times regarding run-flat tires. In it he reports on the recent class-action lawsuit filed against Honda and Michelin as a result of the Odyssey's Michelin PAX run-flat tire sytem. We had this system on our long-term 2005 Honda Odyssey, and I can personally back-up consumer claims of how aggrevating the PAX system can be when it's time to fix a flat. One of our tires developed a slow leak that kept setting off the warning light for the tire-pressure monitoring system. I called several dealers and then Michelin directly before finding a tire store that had the necessary machine to remove the tire. I drove to the store and waited close to three hours for the repair work because the machine broke half way through and the technicians had to sort of "McGuyver" the tire and plastic innner donut back together after the repair. The bill was $50, and by the time I left I was getting nostolagic for the days when a slow leak was fixed at any tire store in 20 minutes for $20 bucks (or less). If the tire had needed a full replacement it could have been much worse...and more expensive.
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- Karl Brauer March 13, 2007, 7:02 AM
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- Honda, Safety Systems, Talk Back Tuesday
February 27, 2007
That title is a little misleading. I don't mean to say I've thrown away the publication completely -- just the printed versions of it. Like plenty of automotive enthusiasts I've been saving Car & Driver magazines for many, many years. I liked having them as a possible reference point for everything from bench racing discussions with my friends ("So, what was the Corvette's 0-60 time in 1992?") to article research when discussing how vehicles have changed over the past 30 years. But there are two problems with this system - first, it takes up too much space to store decades of magazines and second, it's too hard to find the information. Sure, you can dedicate huge swaths of shelf space to help organize the books, but that means taking up even more space (I've simply been using boxes in a closet), and you'll likely still have to leaf through multiple issues to answer that question about the '92 Corvette.
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- Karl Brauer February 27, 2007, 7:08 AM
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- Internet vs. Print Publishing, Talk Back Tuesday
February 20, 2007
It's less than a week after "The St. Valentine's Day Massacre" at Chrysler and the rumor mill is in full swing, placing odds on who will buy the Hemi boys first
. From the start I've been suggesting that Mercedes-Benz still isn't ready to sell Chrysler, and it probably shouldn't. The ongoing issues with the merger largely stem from idiotic cost practices (i.e. no platform sharing) and a dearth of compelling cars
for Chrysler (which, of course, could be easily addressed by intelligent platform sharing...). Fixing that problem is a lot easier and cheaper than breaking the companies apart. While the "nothing is off the table" comment by Dieter was a great pot stirrer, I still see a fixed DaimlerChrysler as the most logical final outcome.
However, if another company were to purchase Chrysler I'm certain it won't be GM. The reasons are pretty obvious:
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- Karl Brauer February 20, 2007, 7:10 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
February 13, 2007
Just had our monthly "Trends" meeting with our data and pricing gurus. These guys study the pricing and sales data every month and combine those hard figures with the remarks we've gotten directly (and indirectly) from industry executives. Add it all up and you get a strong sense of where things are and where things are likely headed. This month we uncovered the following nuggets of information:
1. Sales of all hybrids models are dropping. Beyond the Toyota Prius' incentives (as mentioned a couple days ago), the Camry Hybrid and Civic Hybrid are also selling below MSRP. Feedback from potential buyers indicates that the dropping tax credits (now at 50 percent on Prius), plus the lack of carpool lane stickers and (relatively) low gas prices are all contributing to the slowdown in sales.
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- Karl Brauer February 13, 2007, 7:01 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
February 6, 2007
Recently I had a very interesting discussion with an automotive industry veteran. Between his high-level background and his current position suffice to say he knows from which he speaks regarding where things are going. I won't provide any additional detail because it's respecting these people's anonymity that gets me this information in the first place. So instead of obsessing over exactly who it was just enjoy the type of information he provided:
1. Predictions of 17 million new cars sales in 2007 are optimistic to say the least. Think 16.5, or less, and with the domestics cutting fleet sales plan on massive market share drops for at least two of them.
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- Karl Brauer February 6, 2007, 7:06 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Internet vs. Print Publishing, Talk Back Tuesday
January 30, 2007
Well folks, we reached a critical milestone last week. No, I'm not talking about the season premier of 24 (though that comes in a close second), I'm talking about finally knowing when the world will end. According to scientists putting together the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
, we've got 10 years to end our evil, carbon spewing ways, or we're all gonna die!! Okay, the report isn't quite that dramatic. It just says we won't be able to live near the equator or the coast. Oh, and the Amazon and Great Barrier Reef will be destroyed.
I'm going to state for the record that I do not believe in any relationship between human activity and global temperatures. I could write a short novel on why I feel this way, but here is the easily-digested, blog-friendly version:
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- Karl Brauer January 30, 2007, 7:04 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
January 23, 2007
There's been enough buzz on today's other discussion that I'll now do what I probably should have done in the first place: let's talk trucks! Our Full-Size Comparison Test
just went up, and it provides an accurate description of each models' strengths and weaknesses. The final bout between Chevy and Toyota was close, but as someone who has recently driven both I can confirm it -- the Tundra's powertrain is simply awesome. Even with the too-long reach for interior controls, and the less-than-appealing interior design, I agree with the test's results that place the Tundra above the Silverado.
I will, however, hold my final-final judgement until we get final pricing on the Tundra...
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- Karl Brauer January 23, 2007, 1:46 PM
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- Chevrolet, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
Anyone following the recent Consumer Reports "test" of baby seats has already heard about this, but it does raise the nagging question of test results and how/when the average consumer can trust them. The short version is that Consumer Reports, after testing 12 infant car seats, said 10 of them "failed miserably."
That was back on January 5th, and as expected this report caused quite an uproar among parents, safety groups and the NHTSA. Now CR is retracting their findings after NHTSA analyzed the testing procedures
and found them to be inaccurate. Apparently CR's procedures simulated a side impact at more than 70 mph when they should have been simulating an impact at between 35-40 mph.
Not sure how CR missed the mark by such a wide margin but, just like the 20-year-old EPA tests for fuel mileage that are finally being updated for 2008, this situation raises that nagging question: How much faith should the average consumer place in product test results? If your answer is, "Consumers should only have trust in test results that come from a trusted source," then my question still stands...
Added January 29th -- A response from Consumer Reports...
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- Karl Brauer January 23, 2007, 7:15 AM
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- Safety Systems, Talk Back Tuesday
January 16, 2007
While Toyota is moving toward the title of "world's largest automaker" more quickly than many expected, China just leapfrogged Japan to become the world's second largest vehicle market. If you witnessed the Changfeng press conference at the Detroit Auto Show you might be wondering how all these cars are being sold (I know I am), but the bottom line is -- they are. China has become a major player in the global automotive marketplace, with 7.2 million units sold in 2006. Foreign automakers from Europe, Japan and the U.S...
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- Karl Brauer January 16, 2007, 8:02 AM
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- Auto Shows, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
January 9, 2007
As I prepare to board my flight back to Los Angeles I find myself pondering the winners and losers from the Detroit Auto Show:
1. Winner—GM the new CTS is beautiful, the Malibu looks like a substantial step forward and the Volt concept car tells a good story (could be a best-seller if GM can make it a reality). Oh, and a sweep of the North American Car & Truck of the Year awards for the Aura and Silverado didn't hurt, either.
2...
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- Karl Brauer January 9, 2007, 1:58 PM
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- Auto Shows, Talk Back Tuesday
January 2, 2007
With the New Year started it seems fitting to highlight where we were in 2006 and where we're going for 2007. This news release came out a couple of weeks ago, but in case you missed it here are some interesting facts from 2006 and the primary activities/trends we see occurring in the world of new cars and trucks over the next 12 months. Unlike the official news release that covered this topic, I'll include some personal thoughts on these issues in this post:
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- Karl Brauer January 2, 2007, 8:22 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday, Vehicle Awards
December 26, 2006
You already know what Edmunds picked as the Most Significant Vehicle for 2006 -- the Pontiac Solstice
. And you may have seen our "final call" on the vehicle regarding our ownership experience for the past year
. Yeah, we weren't too impressed by Pontiac's Miata killer, primarily because of its weak interior (in both design and material quality), lackluster engine and less-than-thrilling driving dynamics.
But, I stand by the "Most Significant" award for two reasons:
1...
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- Karl Brauer December 26, 2006, 9:58 AM
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- Pontiac, Talk Back Tuesday, Vehicle Awards
December 19, 2006
As you may have heard, the EPA will begin utilizing new fuel mileage test procedures for all 2008 and later models
. The new procedures are designed to provide a more accurate picture of what a vehicle actually
gets in terms of miles-per-gallon in the real world. In recent years the EPA had updated its simulated driving loop (with higher freeway speeds and more aggressive acceleration) to ensure an accurate measure of a vehicle's emissions level, but they continued using the 1984 fuel mileage loop (with freeway speeds held at 55, less aggressive low-speed driving, air conditioning turned off, etc.) for mileage ratings.
Now that they are incorporating the updated procedures you can expect those EPA mileage figures to take a substantial hit. Hybrids are expected to take the largest hit from the new procedures, with freeway mileage dropping by 20 percent and city driving losing 30 percent (largely because the new, more aggressive driving conditions will negate the "pure electric" mode that greatly improves their city ratings with the current system)...
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- Karl Brauer December 19, 2006, 9:50 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota
December 12, 2006
A few weeks ago I wrote asking about your automotive "thank you" list. Now I'm going to cover a darker topic: your automotive annoyances. I'm reminded of this because I had the benefit of driving the Lotus Exige S all weekend, and it was quite an entertaining ride. However, the car had absolutely no rear visibility, meaning it was up to the mirrors to tell me what's going on out back. The mirrors did a surprisingly good job of keeping me from running into -- or cutting off -- another motorist. And in a single-minded sports car like the Exige I can put up with a lack of rear visibility (though driving the Ford GT again yesterday reminded me of how even a small rear window goes a long way in reducing traffic stress).
However, the compromise in rear visibility on non-sports cars in recent years is among the most aggravating of modern trends. In a world where the difference between the "best" cars and the "worst" cars is getting harder and harder to measure (at least in terms of mechanical reliability and feature content), the only area left for differentiation is design. This is putting extra pressure on automakers to create unique and compelling exterior shapes. That's fine in theory, but outward visibility is taking a major hit in the process. The wost offenders in this area include:
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- Karl Brauer December 12, 2006, 9:24 AM
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- Talk Back Tuesday
December 5, 2006
You probably caught our coverage of the L.A. Auto Show
last week, and you may even be aware of the show's move this year from the late-December/early-January time frame to November. This most recent show was held the last week of November, but starting next year it will be held mid-November and the public days will extend through the Thanksgiving holiday.
Call me geocentric (every California resident is), but this is HUGE! The L.A. Show had existed in the shadow of both the holidays and the Detroit show for too long, and this move will finally give it the kind of pulling power it deserves. I have multiple reasons to believe L.A. will become the show on the international auto show circuit.
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- Karl Brauer December 5, 2006, 8:25 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Driving, Talk Back Tuesday
November 28, 2006
In case you missed it, the Toyota Camry has been named Motor Trend's Car of the Year for 2007
. As yet another award in the growing list of automotive awards I sometimes wonder just how much weight the average consumer gives a specific winning title. After the recent, um...discussion over Edmunds' 2007 Most Wanted winners
(where the new Toyota tundra took Most Significant Vehicle of the Year) I reiterated the point that our awards should serve as nothing more than an additional factor to consider when shopping for a vehicle. In other words, I've never fooled myself into thinking that a consumer's vehicle choice would be completely decided by looking at our award list...
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- Karl Brauer November 28, 2006, 8:36 AM
- Categories:
- Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota, Vehicle Awards
November 21, 2006
In the spirit of the season I've decided to make this week's "Talk Back Tuesday" about feelings of automotive gratitude. Specifically, what car (or cars) are you thankful for? This could be a car you own, a car you want to own, or a car you think will contribute to your favorite automaker's success. It can even be a car you think represents a stake through the heart of an automaker you don't like.
For my list, it'd be easy to pick the Ford GT...so I will. But that's just one, I'll include nine more: (for your entry feel free to submit just one, or more if the spirit strikes you)
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- Karl Brauer November 21, 2006, 8:16 AM
- Categories:
- Ford, Talk Back Tuesday
November 14, 2006
I'm at an undisclosed location today driving the new 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer
. I don't yet know what the embargo date is on detailed specs or driving impressions, but considering the car's debut at the Detroit Auto Show in early January I'm certain it will be sometime after that.
But even before driving this vehicle I've heard some interesting tidbits from my Mitsubishi contacts. As some of you may know, this car uses the "Project Global" platform that shares underpinnings with the new Outlander. And you also may know that, technically, the Outlander shares structural componentry with the new Dodge Caliber. But where I basically like the new Outlander, I basically dislike the Caliber. So what happened?
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- Karl Brauer November 14, 2006, 8:17 AM
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- Dodge, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Mitsubishi, Talk Back Tuesday
November 7, 2006
The issue of shrinking market share and shrinking (actually, non-existent in recent quarters) profits for the domestic automakers is not a matter for debate, but the way to fix it is anyone's guess. Ford and Chrysler have relatively new leaders (Mulally and LaSorda) and GM just finished talks with Renault. They've all got a "turnaround" plan in place, but most of them have been in "turnaround" mode for quite a while, and profits are still hard to come by.
Seeing as it's election day, it seems fitting to let the readers cast their vote on how to fix the domestic auto industry...
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- Karl Brauer November 7, 2006, 8:24 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
October 31, 2006
Considering that I just arrived in Las Vegas for the SEMA show it's fitting that this week's Talk Back Tuesday relates to aftermarket navigation systems. I've had the opportunity to use Magellan's Roadmate 2200T for the last few weeks, and I'm now convinced the days of the built-in navigation system are numbered. The major agrument for a built-in system is pretty obvious -- full integration with all vehicle systems.
But here are the arguments against factory nav systems...
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- Karl Brauer October 31, 2006, 8:40 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology, Talk Back Tuesday
October 24, 2006
The official announcement will go live on Edmunds.com in a few hours, but those visiting my blog will hear it here first. (drum roll please...)
Our 2007 pick for the Most Significant Vehicle of theYear is...the Toyota Tundra! The short answer comes in the form of Toyota -- finally
-- going full throttle after the last domestic-dominated vehicle segment. General Motors, Ford and Chyrsler have owned the lucrative full-size truck market ever since it was a market. Toyota began dipping their toe in the water with the T100 back in 1993, and got a little more serious with the Tundra in 2000. Then Nissan took a wack at it in 2004 with the Titan, a vehicle that won our Most Significant honors that year despite its limited range of body styles (two) and available drivetrains (one). But the 2007 Tundra is something altogether different. Unlike the Titan and previous Tundras, this one matches -- or beats -- the domestics on key full-size truck parameters. Much of the Tundra's spec sheet is still embargoed, but we've driven it and we can say this much -- the thing is BIG in more ways than one. It's got a powerful V8 option, several body styles, and montrous towing capacity. Trust us, this one will make the typically patriotic truckers out there re-evaluate their loyalties.
We also announced our 2007 Edmunds Editors' Most Wanted winners today. There are 32 categories and the winners are listed here:
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- Karl Brauer October 24, 2006, 8:54 AM
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- Talk Back Tuesday, Vehicle Awards
October 17, 2006
Maybe I'm wrong, but I could have sworn there was a gas price crisis going on in this country. Weren't we all supposed to be waiting in long lines at the local fuel station and/or paying $5 a gallon by now? But according to an AP story, gasoline is the cheapest it's been all year, with a national average of $2.22 a gallon. That's down more than 80 cents since the beginning of August. What happened?Continue reading...
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- Karl Brauer October 17, 2006, 8:14 AM
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- Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
October 10, 2006
Drove the new Chrysler Sebring last weekend, and for the first time the curse of the rental car became crystal clear to me. Not because the Sebring comes off as an obvious rental car, but because it made me realize that -- in today's ultra-competitive market -- supplying fleets and rental car companies can be hazardous to your company's long-term bottom line. Some people try to defend the value of fleet sales, even if they negatively impact resale value and brand image. I mean, these companies need to buy cars from somebody, so why fight it? Take the guaranteed business and be happy about it, right? But driving the all-new Sebring raised another point that hadn't previously occurred to me -- one that now seems painfully obvious. A point that goes way beyond depreciation and image control.
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- Karl Brauer October 10, 2006, 10:44 AM
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- Chrysler, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
Drove the new Chrysler Sebring last weekend, and for the first time the curse of the rental car became crystal clear to me. Not because the Sebring comes off as an obvious rental car, but because it made me realize that -- in today's ultra-competitive market -- supplying fleets and rental car companies can be hazardous to your company's long-term bottom line. Some people try to defend the value of fleet sales, even if they negatively impact resale value and brand image. I mean, these companies need to buy cars from somebody, so why fight it? Take the guaranteed business and be happy about it, right? But driving the all-new Sebring raised another point that hadn't previously occurred to me -- one that now seems painfully obvious.
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- Karl Brauer October 10, 2006, 9:00 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
October 3, 2006
I spent some quality time with Dodge's new Nitro R/T over the past few days. Commuted to and from work, plus had a few family outings. My take? It's a cool-looking SUV -- in a world increasingly over-run by cool-looking SUVs...
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- Karl Brauer October 3, 2006, 8:20 AM
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- Dodge, Talk Back Tuesday
September 26, 2006
If you're a techno-geek like me you're loving life these days. The latest version of HDTV (1080p) is available and dropping in price. TiVo is ubiquitous and, literally, changes your life (for the better). And now that Apple is working directly with companies like Intel and ATI you can get a killer Mac that runs PC software. Oh, and if you're as much an automotive geek as a techno-geek, you've got a whole new list of toys to play with this year. My personal favorite is the built-in hard drives making their debut in the Lexus LS460, the Infiniti G35, the Chrysler Sebring and the Jeep Wrangler...
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- Karl Brauer September 26, 2006, 7:59 AM
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- Car Audio and Technology, Talk Back Tuesday
September 19, 2006
California has come up with the latest "life-saving" law: No talking on a cell phone in your car unless you use a hands-free device (the law takes effect in July of 2008). According to statistics, there were six cell-phone-related deaths in California last year. Yes, that's six -- not 60, 600 or 6,000. And please don't pull out the "well, if it saves just one life it's worth it." We all know of life-saving laws that aren't worth enacting, so please don't go there...
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- Karl Brauer September 19, 2006, 8:03 AM
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- Driving, Talk Back Tuesday, Traffic Safety
September 12, 2006
I'm fortunate enough to be spending today at the Skip Barber Racing School at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California. (BTW, there's a certain company that spent a lot of money to modify the name of Laguna Seca Raceway; yes, that's right, they changed the name of Laguna Seca Raceway and now you're not supposed to call it Laguna Seca Raceway anymore -- so remember, it's not Laguna Seca Raceway, got it?!). Anyway, I feel like Laguna Seca Raceway is one of the best tracks in the country, but I admittedly haven't been on every track in the U.S. Other tracks where I've turned a wheel include Barber Motorsports Park, Virginia International Raceway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Sears Point Raceway (I think that one's name has changed, too...), Willow Springs, Road America, Seattle International Raceway, Pocono Raceway and Road Atlanta. There's not really a bad track in there, though it's difficult to think of a time when I left a race facility and didn't think it was a great place...
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- Karl Brauer September 12, 2006, 8:33 AM
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- Ford, Talk Back Tuesday
September 5, 2006
Everyone knows that Ford is trying to unload both Jaguar and Aston Martin
. Jaguar has cost The Blue Oval billions over the last 20 years, and the return on that investmest has been, to put it mildly, lackluster. Aston Martin is actually turning the corner of profitability -- ergo the perfect time to unload it. Yet if Ford waits until Jaguar is profitable before cutting it loose it might never get rid of the leaping cat. Plenty of speculation exists on why Jaguar can't make money, but to me it's pretty obvious -- no SUVs...
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- Karl Brauer September 5, 2006, 3:33 PM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
August 29, 2006
Unlike Honda and Toyota, both of which have seen sharp sales increases in 2006, Nissan is backsliding. Sales were off 18 percent for July, and are off 8 percent for the year. With an all-new Altima, G35, Sentra and Versa on the way, plus a flagship Skyline GT-R not too far behind, there's reason to believe Nissan's future is bright. But there's no denying the lackluster sales for 2006, and at some point they can't be explained away as a "minor hiccup" in the company's turnaround...
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- Karl Brauer August 29, 2006, 8:15 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Talk Back Tuesday
August 15, 2006
This may come as a surprise to few industry followers, but Toyota will likely take the title of "World's Largest Automaker" away from GM in the next 12 months. While that fact alone isn't earth shattering, what is surprising is how Toyota continues to succeed in spite of a few interesting facts. These include:
1. A tremendous drop in the overall quality gap for new cars, at least according to J.D. Power...
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- Karl Brauer August 15, 2006, 8:00 AM
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- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Hybrid Vehicles, Talk Back Tuesday
July 25, 2006
Automakers know that consumers live in a "Just in Case" world. As a result they have to build and market their vehicles accordingly. The examples of this are thick within the current automotive marketplace, but here are three clear samples:
1. Really Fast Cars -- The Bugatti Veyron (as well as any vehicle with a top speed over 200 mph)...
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- Karl Brauer July 25, 2006, 8:58 AM
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- Talk Back Tuesday
July 18, 2006
If you've been reading my online meanderings for a long time...well, then I'm a little worried about you. But it also means you might remember the days before Karl on Cars -- when I was using Karl's Daily Logbook to interact with readers. This discussion was done through our Forums platform, and you can still rummage through the old thread here. What I didn't like about that platform was the inability to easily publish photos or modify the text and layout of the posts. But what I did like was the readers' ability to start their own discussion threads and/or directly ask me questions about any topic. In an attempt to put back some of that community feel I'm going to start Talk Back Tuesday, which will basically be a weekly blog post where you guys can ask me questions or raise topics you're interested in. Maybe you want to know my opinion regarding the proposed GM/Renault/Nissan alliance, or what price I think gas has to hit before it has a substantial effect on consumer buying trends. I'll put this post up every Tuesday and you can figure I'll be checking back on it and trying to answer your questions for the rest of the week. Then on the following Tuesday I'll post a new Talk Back Tuesday and we'll start again with new topics/questions (unless there is some burning issue from the previous week that refuses to die).
To get things started I'll give answers to the two issues I just raised:
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- Karl Brauer July 18, 2006, 4:45 PM
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- Talk Back Tuesday
