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China’s Car Sales Down in October – To 80 Percent Growth

By Bertel Schmitt
November 7th, 2009

So used has the MSM become to China’s red hot car growth, that Reuters headlines the October sales report “Chinese car sales dip in October, but still robust.” China’s passenger vehicle sales clocked-in a year-on-year growth of 79.6 percent in October. In September, the growth was 83.62 percent, which serves as the reason for Reuter’s slight concern.
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Posted in China | News Blog | no comments

Porsche and Ferrari: As Smart As They Come?

By Jameslist
November 7th, 2009

Ferrari singled out their Swedish dealer Autoropa at the brand’s 60th anniversary in Maranello, lauding their high sales stats. A reporter asked CEO Filip Larsson how they managed to sell so many cars in such a small country. “Easy,” Filip said. “We sell two cars instead of one.” Enkel. Unless you pay WAY over the odds to jump the queue for a hot new Ferrari—a practice which would earn some serious ire—there’s always a wait for the latest example of Maranello magic. While customers count the days until their nuova bella macchina assumes its rightful place in their humidity-controlled garage, Filip sells him/her a used Ferrari as a placeholder. ‘Cause it comes to getting a new Ferrari, Ferrari prefers Ferrari owners to own a Ferrari. Or two. Or three. Or more. Meanwhile, over at Porsche . . .

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Posted in News Blog | Sales | 5 comments

What Really Grinds My Gears: Gas Pumps Without A Locking Feature

By Robert Farago
November 7th, 2009

I have no idea when someone somewhere decided that there was some kind of safety problem with gas pumps offering a locking clip at the end of the nozzle. You know, the little metal doo-hickey that lets you take your hand off the pump while the car fills with gas, then kicks back to let you know its done. I suppose someone somewhere experienced a clip failure. I imagine gas poured onto the ground. I have a hard time believing that the result was a lethal conflagration, but a million monkeys and all that. Perhaps it was the idea of an inferno that led to their ban; the relevant bureaucrat having seen Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds as a kid. Meanwhile, here in the Ocean State, we have to physically squeeze the trigger on the nozzle until the tank’s full. As fellow SUV owners will attest, that can be a long time. Anyone who doesn’t live in the desert or the deep south will also tell you that pumping gas in sub-zero weather is painful enough to make an Antarctic explorer nostalgic. Tall people have to stoop. Weak people have to strain. Nervous people have to stand still. All for the lack of a single piece of metal. If we can put a man on the moon (and I know you and I were deeply involved in that venture), why can’t we (and now I’m talking about you rather than me) design a gas pump that doesn’t require so much human effort?

Posted in News Blog | Whiskey Tango Foxtrot | 19 comments

Fisker: Leonardo DiCaprio’s Prius Was The Inspiration To Start Company

By Paul Niedermeyer
November 7th, 2009

Never underestimate the impact of your choice of car, especially if you’re Leonardo DiCaprio, who I’m sure doesn’t. The high-profile early Prius adopter can now take credit for inspiring the creation of Fisker Motors. That comes straight from Henrik Fisker’s mouth. The former designer of gas-guzzling Aston Martins and BMWs told the Reuters Auto Summit this past week that he’s ready to be a star in the green revolution, thanks to the star in the Prius. (more…)

Posted in Green | Hybrid | News Blog | one comment

Florida: Early Data Suggest City Traffic Cameras Ineffective

By The Newspaper
November 7th, 2009

An early look at the performance of the red light cameras in Temple Terrace, Florida shows that they have done nothing to improve safety. Instead of merely repeating city claims on the topic, investigative reporters for the Tampa station WFTS ordered accident reports and checked the data for themselves. Although the program has been operational for a year, police only released enough data to produce a limited snapshot of the effect on accidents. Over the first five months of the program, accidents decreased citywide by 13 percent compared to the same period a year earlier without cameras. At intersections with cameras, however, the number of accidents more than doubled from six to fourteen. Contrary to claims that red light cameras decrease accident severity, the average police estimate of damage costs for each accident increased by twenty percent after cameras were installed.

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Posted in Crime & Punishment | News Blog | no comments

Curbside Classic Outtake: What’s Wrong With This Picture Edition

By Paul Niedermeyer
November 6th, 2009

I was torn about whether to use this Firebird for a Curbside Classic, until I saw a terrific “Screaming Chicken” T/A the other day. Only problem: I didn’t get any shots. But it made me determined to hold out for the real thing. I hear that Trans Ams are in demand now, fetching up to $30k. In the meantime, feast your eye on this delight. Oh, there’s more than one thing wrong with this picture. More detail after the jump: (more…)

Posted in Curbside Classic | News Blog | 28 comments

What’s Wrong With This Picture: Onward & Upward…?

By Daniel J. Stern
November 6th, 2009

What can we learn about GM’s R&D from the direction of the arrows in the departmental graphic identity…?

Posted in 3WTP | News Blog | 20 comments

Tradewar Watch 7: More Shots Fired

By Bertel Schmitt
November 6th, 2009

China’s Ministry of Commerce on Friday announced it would formally launch an investigation into subsidies on imports of some automobiles from the United States, Reuters reports. With all the bailout money sloshing around, China won’t have a hard time coming up with evidence.
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Posted in China | News Blog | 9 comments

Ford’s Inflatable Seatbelts: Progress or a Bridge Too Far?

By John Horner
November 6th, 2009

Media outlets around the globe are regurgitating Ford’s Press Release on its latest safety gizmo: Rear seat air bag seatbelts. Next year’s redesigned Explorer gets the optional new belts first with worldwide rollout expected someday. According to Ford, its all about the children: “The advanced restraint system is designed to help reduce head, neck and chest injuries for rear seat passengers, often children and older passengers who can be more vulnerable to such injuries.” However, don’t expect moms to flock back to Explorers thanks to the availability of yet another set of air bags. CarMax put out a release recently on their research into women’s car buying priorities. Safety features came in fifth place as mothers’ primary reasons to buy. Price, reliability, fuel economy and spaciousness all beat out safety as the mom’s hot button issues. It doesn’t look like yet more airbags is going to be the thing to get the Explorer back in the hunt.

Posted in News Blog | 45 comments

SLS AMG Another Mercedes Death Car?

By Robert Farago
November 6th, 2009

You may remember Mercedes’ last attempt at a “price no object” supercar: the Mercedes McLaren SLR. It was a thundering achievement, but the big Merc’s brakes were as touchy as an seventy-year-old Argentinian security officer at a Truth and Reconciliation hearing. That’s a guardrail of not good. There were other “issues”: leg room, trunk space (or a complete lack thereof), steering feel, road noise, autobox only and the fact that Paris Hilton owned one. Truth be told, the SLR was compromised from the git-go; McLaren designers were hamstrung by the car’s front mid-engined layout. The project left a bitter taste in both companies’ metaphorical mouths. McLaren went its own way and built its own supercar (whose American debut has been delayed). Mercedes took a clean sheet of paper to their in-house tuning wizards, AMG. For some unfathomable reason, TTAC wasn’t invited to the press event to drive the SLS AMG. But we can read. And when Car and Driver complains about a car’s handling, you know there’s trouble in fluss stadt.

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Posted in New Cars | News Blog | 19 comments

Ask the Best and Brightest: Have the Feds Done Too Much or Too Little for Detroit?

By Robert Farago
November 6th, 2009

Diners at the Motown bailout banquet are back at their tables, their plates groaning under the weight of federal “investment.” They’re just now beginning to tuck in, spending your hard-earned money on various plans to achieve what Oliver called “that full-up feeling.” The reluctant chefs (70 percent of American opposed GM and Chrysler’s second bailout) are showing signs of nausea. While the anti-GM/Chrysler bailout backlash has not been statistically analyzed (I wonder why), anecdotal evidence suggests that at least a small percentage of car buyers are shunning the welfare queens’ products as a protest against their government “affiliation.” Meanwhile, political analysts on both sides of the spectrum continue to debate the elections in Maryland and New Jersey, wondering if voters are rejecting the Obama administration’s heavy-handed economic intervention in the U.S. economy. Did I say “heavy-handed?” Plenty of pundits believe that not only did Uncle Sam have every right to nationalize GM and Chrysler, but they didn’t go far enough. What’s that all about?

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Posted in Ask the Best and Brightest | News Blog | 52 comments

More GM-Euro Double-Trouble-Speak: Double Chevrolet Sales!

By Paul Niedermeyer
November 6th, 2009

If the managers at Opel are feeling a little queasy today, this should have them running for the Alka Seltzer (or whatever Germans use). As if to throw (more) gas on the conflagration raging at Opel, Brent Dewar, vice president of Chevrolet, announced at the Reuters Autos Summit in Detroit that GM is targeting sales of 1 million Deawoo-Chevrolets in Europe, double the 500,000 vehicles sold in 2008. (more…)

Posted in Europe | News Blog | Sales | 5 comments

What’s Wrong With This Picture: Don’t Be Such a Pussy Edition

By Robert Farago
November 6th, 2009

Posted in 3WTP | News Blog | 28 comments

Breaking: Bob Lutz To Be New Chairman of Opel

By Paul Niedermeyer
November 6th, 2009

Spiegel Online reports that Bob Lutz will be named Chairman, and head of the Supervisory Board of Opel. Carl-Peter Forster, who threw in his hat with the Magna buy-out, resigned on the news that GM intends to keep Opel. Forster, the first German to head Opel in decades, was seen to be more independent of Detroit, and respected for his management skills. According to the Spiegel report, managers at Opel are preparing for payback from Lutz, for any prior sins of supporting Opel’s independence and aversion to meddling from RenCen. Opel managers blame Lutz and GM management for pushing cheap Daewoo-Chevrolets in Europe at the expense of Opel, directly contributing to Opels recent problems. For Lutz, aged 77, this is a circular development to his long career which began in Europe with GM Europe (Opel) in 1963.

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Posted in Germany | Industry | News Blog | 31 comments

Fiat 500: The Littlest Bailout Baby

By Edward Niedermeyer
November 6th, 2009

Chrysler is in desperate need of quick fixes. New versions of old nameplates (300, Grand Cherokee) and quick ‘n dirty refreshes, and modifications of existing, moribund nameplates are not going to keep showrooms busy while new, Fiat-based products wend their way to market over the next five years. And so, Fiat is bringing its 500 minicar to the US next year. At least that’s why Chrysler says it’s coming:  to “attract a new customer to our showrooms.” Of course, that’s far from the whole story. (more…)

Posted in News Blog | 50 comments