As you've undoubtedly noticed (or at least read on this blog), there are very few truly "bad" new cars on the market today. Most cars range from adequate to exceptional, which means if you're a manufacturer banking on your product to guarantee success, you may be in trouble. I've read enough of your comments to know that a really bad dealership experience can end a relationship with a manufacturer, even if the car itself was great.

This article from the Financial Times talks about how the tight competition among luxury brands is forcing dealers to elevate everything from showroom architecture to on-site technology to available cuisine. At one of the Lexus dealerships in this article (located in New York City) the owner is attempting to remove the dealership experience completely by selling the cars online and delivering them to the customers' homes. When one considers the cost of office space in NYC this idea starts to make sense.

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Just took a gander at Automotive News' future product plan for Japanese carmakers. Not too surprisingly, the coming years hold hybrids and crossovers from the Land of the Rising Sun (actually, many of them will come from right here in North America). Each automaker has a few interesting items in the pipeline.

Acura: No official confirmation of a V8 in Acura's future, which I continue to view as the division's greatest failing. The next RL is due in 2011, so they better make up their mind. But we do know a V10 engine will power the NSX replacement. I like that they have a full-tilt exotic in the works, but one vehicle does not a division make (as was proven with the last NSX).

Honda: Honda will continue to push hybrids, with a smaller-than-Civic model. No more Accord hybrids, but the Odyssey will be Honda's first V6 diesel-powered vehicle in the U.S. in 2010 (also the year CR-V goes diesel with a 4 cyl.).  I'm personally looking forward to the Remix, the spiritual successor to the CRX. And between the Pilot and CR-V? Yup, another crossover is coming.

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I give Toyota credit for creating the Lexus RX400h. This car cost $7,000 more than the equivalent RX330 (now RX350), but for the RX customer, this price increase is negligible, and Lexus knows it. Instead of trying to eke out any substantial fuel mileage gains, the company used hybrid technology to give the RX400h a real "kick" when you floor it. The car is relatively quick, even though acceleration is only a couple tenths better than the 330 (you car read more about it in our comparison test between the RX400h, Highlander Hybrid and Liberty Diesel). But like the argument regarding torque versus horsepower, while the actual zero-to-60 time is only a bit quicker, the combination of instant power and strong pulling provided by the electric motor makes it feel quick. This is somewhat true of the Honda Accord Hybrid, but in that car the power boost isn't as noticeable. Plus, the Accord is theoretically a practical purchase while the Lexus (like most luxury cars) is a discretionary purchase. To get the hybrid technology, along with the green image and a slight boost in power, it's easy to justify an additional $7,000 -- for a Lexus buyer. But even half that cost for an Accord buyer makes no sense (ergo the Accord Hybrid's poor sales rate). Our long-term RX400h was even faster than our long-term Accord Hybrid, and it still got better mileage over the course of our test (25 versus the Accord's 22). Now, if only this "high tech" RX400h had satellite radio and an auxiliary input...

You want an example of how expectations can change an impression? When I attended the Toyota Camry launch last November I had to listen to two hours of product presentation about how the car was "finally passionate and inspired and desirable." Toyota really wanted to make the journalists believe it was no longer a vanilla sedan. Then I drove it, and it was still a vanilla sedan. Probably the best vanilla sedan on the market, and one that the target buyer will love, but having to adjust my expectations -- totally constructed by Toyota during the presentation -- to the reality of what the new Camry actually was almost wrecked my first impression of the car.

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I just spent the morning in the GS450h, and as expected it came off as a spectacular car. The primary point this car makes is that you can drive a hybrid vehicle with absolutely no penalty (except, of course, cost). Toyota's earlier hybrid efforts (Prius and RX400h) are fine vehicles, but the hybrid element is very apparent while driving them. For instance, when the engine fires up to assist with accleration on the Prius, you know about it. And when you apply the brakes in either car there is an inconsistant feel as the drivetrain switches from motor to generator. These issues are minor by earlier hybrid standards. For instance, in the Honda Insight you REALLY know when the drivetrain is doing its "hybrid" thing, while in the Prius you just sort of know and in the RX400h you only kinda know.

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WOW! I'm not saying that because of styling. Really, it looks like last-generation's S-Class front end and the current 7 Series rear end (without the Bangle Butt).

Here's the important stuff:

    
• 380 horsepower
      
• 8-speed transmission
      
• 0-60 in 5.5 seconds*
      
• Reclining rear seats (ala Maybach)
      
• Automatic parking system (yes, it parks itself)
      
• 4,000 song storage in audio system (takes 3 years to listen to them all)
      
• Short and long wheelbase versions

Looks like the Germans will be working late for awhile...again.

* Please note that 0-60 time has been updated –Karl.