New Cars

Hyundai ix55: Worst Alphanumeric Name Ever?

By Justin Berkowitz
September 5, 2008 - 1,418 views

Yes, we all hate the alphanumeric nomenclature, snaking over the auto industry like poison ivy. And with only so many letters and numbers, we always expect some repeats (Lexus LS/Lincoln LS, Chrysler 300C/Mercedes C300, BMW X5/Mazda MX-5). Has Hyundai gone a character too far? The car we North Americans know as the Veracruz is being introduced to Europe as the ix55. Not only is this a bizarre thing to say down at the pub (Oh, I drove my ix55), but it’s awfully close to, well, a lot of other cars. Hyundai’s new scheme for European car names is to begin with the letter “i,” because if it worked for Apple, it’ll work for them. Or Mitsubishi’s “i car.” The X we can assume refers to this vehicle being an AWD crossover, and of course the 55 is because it has a 5.5 liter V8. Erm, no. Instead, it sounds to me like a mish-mash of BMW (xDrive 50) and the 55 immediately conjurs memory of a trillion Mercedes AMG cars with 55 at the end, from C55 to E55 to S55 to CL55 to CLK55 to ML55 to G55). Besides, what was wrong with Veracruz?

Posted in Branding | Capsule Reviews | Europe | Future Vehicles | Gizmology | High Finance | New Cars | News Blog | 28 comments

Honda Reveals New “Insight” Prius Killer

By Justin Berkowitz
September 4, 2008 - 2,104 views

Or the concept version of it, at least. Honda says what you see here (and what they will show at the Paris auto show) is 90% of what we can expect when they roll out the production version - on sale in the US next spring. While Honda has said it will be the best priced car in the segment (what segment? It’s the Prius and nothing else), many have estimated its price will be below $20,000. Unlike the first generation Insight, which was a 2-seat bicycle, this new one very much follows the Prius layout: 5 passenger, 5 door (that means hatchback), and lots of high-tech gadgets. Making those gadgets optional should help to add high-profit margin items to the sales sheet, as well. While we have no information on engine or mileage, I’d be willing to bet that the all important MPGs will be very impressive. Honda is hoping to sell 100,000 of these in the US per year, and another 100,000 per year worldwide. Something tells me that won’t be a problem at all.

Posted in Electric Vehicles | Fuel Economy | Future Vehicles | Gizmology | Green | Hybrid | New Cars | News Blog | 43 comments

AutoWeek: Fuel-sipping V6 Camaro Rocks! Theoretically.

By Jehovah Johnson
August 29, 2008 - 1,960 views

"If you're sick of high gas prices, one remedy may be the V6 version of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro." Oh for Pete's sake; AutoWeek [print] is pimping a Chevy that's half a year away from the showrooms. In that sense, Greg Migliore's "Camaro Cure" is re-volting. "Ultimately, the V6 is expected to make up 70 percent of the car's 100,000 sales," Greg unquestioningly reports. "And General Motors says that fuel efficiency– just as much as raw power– will be a key selling point. The V6 Camaro is expected to deliver 26mpg on the highway." It's one thing when a manufacturer quotes highway mileage in an attempt to draw attention away from gas-piggery. It's another when a car mag does so on its behalf, and makes that some kind of lame-ass "talking point." The rest of the article is pretty much as expected, save "…overall the car feels more nimble than Dodge Challengers we've driven." File that one under "invidious distinctions." 

Posted in Media | New Cars | News Blog | 24 comments

Driving the Challenger is a Challenge

By Mike Solowiow
August 28, 2008 - 3,239 views

If I had a shotgun, I would be in jail right now. Since Chrysler LLC refuses to acknowledge TTAC's existence and won't give us access to their press cars (unlike Audi, Bentley, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, and a lot of others), we have to bug dealers for test drives. Seeing dealerships in the greater Oklahoma City Metro area receiving Dodge Challenger SE's (the V6 4-speed auto-only versions), I went a-hunting. Fowler Dodge: "you cannot drive a Challenger until you sign the paperwork to buy one, even the $25,000 model, because people want NO miles on them, as they are collectors items." David Stanley Dodge possessed no less than six Challenger SEs. They flat-out refused a test drive, demanding a sizeable deposit for the "collectible model." Mark Heitz Dodge scoffed and refused to even open up the their car. Bob Moore Dodge in Edmond roped theirs off (I'm pretty sure I saw an SRT8 in an inflatable bubble). ALL of the Challengers I encountered had at least a $5K markup on the windshield (some disguised as a "chrome" package). Meanwhile, the base $25k model is already finding its way into the rental fleets (check out your local Thrifty– they might have one already). The behavior of dealers like these is a big reason Chrysler finds itself in such trouble. Time after time, they insult the customer with ridiculous markups, patronizing sales tactics and flat-out deceit. Jackie Cooper BMW will let you take out a $75,000 BMW M3, Mercedes of Oklahoma threw me the keys to an SL55 and Porsche of Edmond called me to tell me about their new Boxster S. Dodge dealers, I hate to break it to you, but your $25,000 Challenger SE, while good-looking IS NOT THAT SPECIAL. It's a $25k Mustang competitor. Let as many people as you can drive them, price them right and maybe, just maybe, you won't have them stacking up on your lots in three months.

Posted in Dealer News | New Cars | News Blog | 67 comments

Honda Fit Hits Dealer Lots, eBay; Now the Markups Begin

By Justin Berkowitz
August 27, 2008 - 2,538 views

Honda decided to ship the new 2009 Fit to dealer lots a full one month before it was scheduled to do so. Why? Because they are selling them as fast as they can build them - or faster. The diminutive Honda hatchback is sold out through September, and Honda figured they might as well get a move on delivering Fits ASAP. And so begins the process of trying to buy a Fit. Welcome to "No, we're not doing test drives" and "It's a 2 month wait or longer" or the popular "We're going to need a credit card deposit." For people that want their own fun to drive 28/35 mpg car right now, there's already a 2009 Fit on eBay Motors, a Sport model (that's the higher trim level). Starting bid is at MSRP of $17,580, or you can buy it right now for $1000 over MSRP.

Posted in Dealer News | New Cars | News Blog | 46 comments

Debut of Daihatsu Move Conte; Teens Snickering

By Justin Berkowitz
August 25, 2008 - 1,418 views

There isn't a whole lot to say here. Daihatsu has just revealed a special trim edition of its "Move" Kei car, calling it the Move Conte. To this writer at least, it sounds like something that a rapper would yell at other cars out the window of his Escalade. Or, in the words of one forum commenter, "What cupid stunt thought this was a good name?"

Posted in Japan | New Cars | News Blog | Whiskey Tango Foxtrot | 20 comments

Aural Sex: Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster

By Robert Farago
August 22, 2008 - 793 views

This is the British TV car show's take of the AM Vantage iteration prior to the one Justin reviewed today. But still… I mean… wow. The noise! The noise! The noise!

Posted in New Cars | News Blog | 8 comments

Fields on EcoBoost: ” I call it the great taste, less filling school of powertrain technology”

By Robert Farago
August 22, 2008 - 1,371 views

OK, someone needs to tell Ford's Presidente de las Americas that FoMoCo didn't invent direct-injection turbocharged engine technology. Oh wait, someone did. A comment underneath The Detroit News' article: "Why is Ford getting all this attention just for catching up with the rest of the automotive world? VW, Audi, Subaru, Renault and a number of other manufacturers have had turbocharged direct injection engines for years. While it's nice to see Fords pulled its head out of its corporate ass for once, it isn't like they've done anything original." In fact, The DetN reports that "Ford began working on EcoBoost more than seven years ago"– only to be stymied by the marketing guys. And now it's rush, rush, rush. All that said, it's also worth noting that Fields floored the Eco-Boosted MKS and then claimed "This will put a smile on your face. But you get 20 percent better fuel economy with 15 percent less CO2."  Note to Fields: not at WOT you don't.  

Want to see how wonderful EcoBoost is?  Click here.  

The Detroit News »

Posted in Gizmology | New Cars | News Blog | 39 comments

DetN: Chevrolet Cruze to Get 45mpg

By Robert Farago
August 22, 2008 - 2,132 views

The last we heard (yesterday), GM NA VP of Chevy said the new Cruze will be "targeting having the best fuel economy in the small-car segment with Cruzeclass-leading mpg." Har-har. But seriously folks, where did the Detroit News come up with its new headline "GM plans $500M for 45-mpg small car." Extrapolation? Nope. Expectation. "The Cruze is expected to get about 45 miles per gallon and serve as a counter-punch to $4-per-gallon gasoline once it goes into production in April 2010." There's nothing in GM's press release suggesting that kind of fuel efficiency. The Freep reports "The Cobalt is rated at 33 highway miles per gallon and the new Cobalt XFE model gets 37 m.p.g. on the highway. The Cruze is expected to get closer to 40 m.p.g."  UPDATE: TTAC commentator Buick61 quotes Edmunds to provides an explanation: “On August 12, Beth Lowery, GM’s vice president of environment, energy and safety policy, told the Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, Michigan, that the Cruze will get better gas mileage than the vehicle it replaces — the current Chevrolet Cobalt. 'The Chevy Cruze will get an additional nine miles per gallon in fuel economy when it debuts in 2010 [versus the Cobalt].'"  

Detroit News »

Posted in Media | New Cars | News Blog | 46 comments

GM to Spend $500m on Cruze Launch

By Robert Farago
August 21, 2008 - 1,857 views

Not to belabor the point (much), but the Chevrolet Cruze is GM's next next big thing. As such, the future Chevy needs a steady stream of spin touting it as such. And so why-the-Hell-isn't-he-embattled GM CEO Rick Wagoner cruises over to Lordstown, Ohio to announce his company's intentions to someday rule the world. I mean, design, build and sell a competitive, profitable small car for the North American market. Automotive News [sub] reports that Rick promised Lordstown $500m to facilitate Cruze control. That ain't much in the new car development scheme of things. And once again, The General's spinmeisters are using every possible opportunity to amp-up the rhetoric re: GM's impact on the U.S. economy. "The investment in Lordstown is one of several that have been announced at U.S. plants in the past five years, adding up to over $2 billion total investment in Ohio and more than $20 billion in the United States." Federal loan guarantee much?

Automotive News »

Posted in Chapter 11 | New Cars | News Blog | 24 comments