Chrysler Minivans Here To Stay, But Direction Remains Unclear
With a lock on at least 40 percent of the minivan market, Chrysler isn’t going to be exiting the minivan market anytime soon – but they do have to decide on what direction they’ll take the next-generation minivan. The company still hasn’t decided on whether to kill off the Chrysler Town & Country or Dodge Grand Caravan – or if they should keep both.
BMW X1 XDrive35i: 0-60 In 5.3 Seconds
Although Canucks have been enjoying the BMW X1 xDrive28i for over a year now, the launch of the X1 in the United States will see both the four-cylinder model, and a 3.0L twin-turbo I6 version, dubbed the xDrive35i. And it’s fast.
Nissan Juke R Said To Cost $600,000
Reports are emerging that the Nissan Juke R will cost $600,000 (about $450,000 euro) once Nissan starts selling their steroid-enhanced crossover.
More Proof That What You Drive Does Not Define You
A significant detour on the way to work had me spotting this – a modestly priced house on a busy arterial road in a working-class area nestled between two notorious neighborhoods in Toronto. Jane-Finch and Black Creek.
Nissan Horrifies Automotive Media With Lack Of Juke-R Long-Term Testers
Nissan sent a blow to the automotive press today, with the announcement that none of the upcoming limited production Juke-R crossovers would be allocated for long-term testing.
April Plug-In Car Sales: Toyota Prius Wins, Chevrolet Volt Takes Second, Nissan Leaf Third
It was a good month for the Toyota Prius Plug-In, with the newest plug-in car outselling the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf in April.
Editorial: With Fiat Sales Soaring In Canada, Is It Time For More European Small Cars?
What do Buick, Volvo, Infiniti, Mini, Cadillac, Lincoln, Suzuki and Scion have in common? All were outsold by Fiat in Canada last month.
Lamborghini Gets Serious About India
Lamborghini has become very bullish about the Indian market. The Italian automaker launched its second showroom in the country last week and also set up a national sales agency.
Morgan 3 Wheeler Being Offered To Eccentric American Anglophiles
51 years ago, my beloved Grandfather emigrated from England. Despite being a man of modest means, he immediately went out and bought himself the biggest, V8 powered American sedan he could buy (the exact make remains obscure – it tends to change every time my grandmother tells the story), swearing off British cars and his cursed MG Magnette for life. He would be just as bewildered as I am that there is any demand for the Morgan 3 Wheeler in the United States that would result in U.S. sales.
Dodge Dart Gets "Aero" Package To Break 40 MPG
Looks like the Dodge Dart will apparently break 40 MPG adjusted in the end…but you’ll need a special option package to do it, just like its chief domestic rivals, the Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cruze.
Mitusbishi Mirage: Yes For Canada, Maybe For America
Looks like I have my work cut out for me yet again; the new Mitsubishi Mirage will be coming to Canada, but Mitsubishi may not bring their new small car to the United States. Yes, I’ll take time to review it.
Mazda Gives Us Another 1,000 Chances To Buy A Rotary Engine
Ah, the Mazda RX-8. Given that it shares many underpinnings with the NC Miata, has a high-reving, silky smooth powerplant, 4 doors and a useable backseat, it should be a shoo-in for my next car, right? Not at all.
Commercial Break: A Quick Example Of A Good "Gen Y" Ad
Here’s a quick example of Gen Y marketing done right, but this isn’t so much to do with the product.
Infiniti Getting Into The Long-Wheelbase Game
Chinese customers will be able to help themselves to not one but two long-wheelbase Infiniti M sedans., just in case up-and-coming plutocrats don’t want an Audi A6L.
2014 Chevrolet SS Performance – Great Car, Awful Name. Cadillac ELR Also Coming
Technology blogge r Christopher Price has found out that two all-new 2014 models from GM are coming, thanks to doing some digging around OnStar’s website.
Has Lotus Produced A World-Class Sports Car Under Dany Bahar?
Despite all the righteous indignation regarding Lotus and their legendary outburst – which I still maintain is a brilliant PR stunt to get their message out and subvert the armchair-racer blogger cartel – it appears that the British sportscar shop has made a real world class sports car under the leadership of Dany Bahar, the supposed Antichrist for “real enthusiasts of the marque”. The kind who may be able to buy an Isuzu Impulse with Handling By Lotus.
Volkswagen Jetta Getting 1.8T Engine – It's 2002 All Over Again
Ahh, 2002, those were the days. I was 14 years old, had my first girlfriend and an avid reader of Sport Compact Car. I was thoroughly convinced that the Nissan 240SX was the best car in the world but also had a thing for the Volkswagen Jetta with the 1.8T engine.
Ferrari Details New Hybrid V12 For Future Flagship
Ferrari’s next flagship will have *gasp* a hybrid system mated to its usual V12/7-speed dual clutch gearbox.
Peace Out, Scion XB
Scion will be killing off their xB hatchback (beloved by at least one commenter) and the xD hatchback (which nobody really liked).
Jaguar Adds 2.0L Turbo 4-Cylinder, Supercharged V6 To Lineup
Two new engines will be joining the Jaguar family, with at least one confirmed for the new F-Type sports car.
Generation Why: If You Are Under 25 Or An Idiot, Please Don't Buy A Scion FR-S Or Subaru BRZ
With the release of the SciBaru FRZ just weeks away, everyone’s been caught up in the sticker price, available options and aftermarket support for the car, but nobody has asked a crucial question; what about insurance?
Splitsville For AMG And Ducati
Once again, the temptation to create some sexually sugesstive headline like many other blogs is great – THIS IS THE AUDI THAT CUCKOLDED AMG’S DUCATI – is one that springs to mind. Instead, we offer you a dour, Germanic explanation of why things went south with Ducati and AMG.
Audi RS Q3 Is Macan The Baby Porsche SUV Redundant
What could be more China-centric than a high-performance Audi RS Q3 concept? Not much.
It's Curtains For The Lada 2107 – Sing The Internationale One Last Time
Lada will end production of their Soviet-era 2017 sedan, since citizens no longer have to line up to buy a car and can purchase one of the free market. Sales of the 2017 were down 76 percent in Q1 2012, and Lada, which now makes vehicles that aren’t warmed over Fiat clones from the 1960’s, decided to axe the venerable sedan.
Lincoln MKZ Grille May Not Spread Its Wings
That split-grille that graces the front of the 2013 Lincoln MKZ? Don’t look for it on every single Lincoln product going forward.
Cadillac Wagon Here To Stay
Even as the German brands are moving away from wagons and towards freak-of-nature pseudo-crossovers like the BMW 5-Series GT and Audi Allroad, Cadillac is standing by their station wagons – and coupes, for that matter. But there may be some product shuffling involved.
Time To Start The Suzuki America Death Watch?
Kizashi apparently means “omen”, sign or “warning” – it also means “something great is coming”, but the only thing on Suzuki’s American horizons is a bleak future.
Citroen Tells China How To Say "Panamera" En Francais
Save for some French cabinet ministers, you aren’t likely to find any of the global elite tooling around in French luxury sedans. Citroen is hoping to reverse this trend with a made-for-China luxury limo, seen above. Dubbed the “DS Numero 9”. We suppose that’s French for “Panamera lookalike”.
Farewell, Chevrolet Avalanche
Chevrolet announced that production of the Avalanche pickup will come to an end in 2013 – and there’s no replacement in sight. Ironically, the Avalanche was a victim of its own success.
Dealers Begin Subaru BRZ Price Gouging
Well, we knew it would happen. Some dealers are already starting to ask for markups on the Subaru BRZ. And some people are dumb enough to pay them.
Generation Why: Free Product Advice For GM (Or Anyone Else)
General Motors has often been the focus of criticism at Generation Why – despite what some of the B&B suggest, it’s merely a function of the fact that they put themselves out there the most when it comes to publicizing their youth marketing efforts. But it’s time to reward their efforts with some free, unsolicited advice from a know-it-all keyboard jockey.
Hertz To Rent CNG Vehicles, Pilot Program Begins In May
If you’re traveling to Oklahoma City any time soon, Herz will give you the option of renting a Honda Civic or GMC Yukon that runs on Compressed Natural Gas.
In A World Gone Mad, Lotus Publishes Angry Facebook Screed
Thank god for social media. Not only does it subject me to the various armchair CEOs and their plans for the future of Lotus, but it also alerts me to when an unknown Lotus PR wag goes completely off the reservation, and publishes a hate-filled invective on Facebook that looks like an angst-filled letter penned by a 19 year old boy to his ex-girlfriend. And you know what? I like it.
Jaguar F-Type To Be Offensively Loud
Among the various rumor-mongers in the automotive world, UK rag Auto Express has a pretty good track record of publishing “spy photo renderings” that look just like the real thing. So when they published some drawings and a video of the Jaguar F-Type, it was worth paying attention.
Fiat 500T, Abarth Convertible Coming In 2013?
Car and Driver is reporting yet another model for the Fiat 500 lineup, using a detuned version of the Abarth 1.4L turbo engine in more discreet packaging. The model, dubbed the 500T, will also arrive in tandem with a 500C Abarth.
Iran Khodro Plans Euro IV-Compliant Engine Family Despite Looming Sanctions
Even as the EU sanctions continue to add up, Iran’s national car maker is going in the opposite direction. Iran Khodro is set to launch a new engine family that will comply with the latest Euro-IV emissions regulations for use in their Peugeot-based models.
Land Rover Aiming For Toyota Hilux With New Defender?
The Land Rover Defender may be in for a substantial “reboot”, from utilitarian niche vehicle into the brand’s volume seller, when an all-new version goes on sale in 2015.
Diesels Account For Nearly A Quarter Of Volkswagen USA Sales In Q1 2012
An Automotive News report – about the oft-rumored return of the Volkswagen Scirocco – dug up an interesting nugget of information. Diesel sales accounted for 23 percent of Volkswagen sales in the first quarter of 2012, and future product plans are going to help give oil-burners a boost.
Most Hybrid Car Buyers Don't Purchase Another One
A study by Polk found that the majority of hybrid car buyers don’t end up purchasing another one – when Toyota Prius buyers are excluded, the number of repeat hybrid customers is as low as 22 percent.
GM Says Chevrolet Volt Production To Resume A Week Early
GM is planning on resuming Chevrolet Volt production a week early, shortening the planned five week shutdown to four weeks. The shutdown began March 19th, but GM began notifying workers on Wednesday.
The Other March 2012 Sales Numbers
(We’re big fans of Timothy Cain here at TTAC, and now the independent sales analyst par excellence is on board with us. Welcome!)
It’s one thing to point out that Fiat 500 sales jumped 642% in March in an attempt to display knowledge. It’s another thing to recognize, with great wisdom and awareness, that such a year-over-year comparison is all but invalid given the fact that Fiat only began selling the 500 in March of last year.
Pour One Out For The Hyundai Veracruz
Volkswagen Up! Is World Car Of The Year
New York 2012: 2013 Toyota Avalon Is For The Roxy Music Fans, Not The AARP
The closest I’ve ever come to dying in a car was at the wheel of a Toyota Avalon, and I credit the nice, long wheelbase, stable handling and strong V6 engine for helping me avoid a major catastrophe. The new 2013 model, with its swoopy styling, looks like something that just might get you into trouble rather than keeping you out of it.
At $25,495 Subaru BRZ Is $1,295 More Than Scion FR-S
Today seems to be “Pricing Thursday”, the anticipated forerunner to Good Friday, and the one we’ve been waiting for has finally risen revealed pricing details. The Subaru BRZ, at $25,495, is only $1,295 more than the Scion FR-S and $100 less than the Subaru Impreza WRX.
2013 Cadillac XTS Starts At $44,995
Infiniti Production To Leave Japan; North America, China Possible New Sites
Nissan’s upscale Infiniti cars can only be bought outside of Japan, but most of the cars are made in Japan. That will change, said Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn in New York.
New York 2012: Acura RLX Concept – Honda Brings Back 4WS!
We all know that the new Acura RLX will have a V6 and a neat SH-AWD system using electric motors and such – but how about the budget model, that revives the long-dormant four-wheel steering system from the Prelude, once known as 4WS!
New York 2012: 2013 SRT Viper; Real Pictures
8.4 liters. 10 cylinders. 640 horsepower. 600 lb-ft of torque. 3297 pounds. It’s still a Viper.
2013 SRT Viper Revealed In Screen Grabs
Inside Line has screen grabs of the 2013 SRT Viper. We have the gallery below.
Detroit-Hamtramck Shutdown Extended, Chevrolet Volt Production Slowed Again
The Detroit-Hamtramck plant that builds the Chevrolet Volt will be shut down for three weeks instead of the standard two weeks this summer, and according to GM, that’s just business as usual. Even when it’s not.
Lincoln Will Take You On A Date, Hopes To Get To Second Base
Ford wants to rekindle old flames and hopefully find new beaus and babes for its geriatric Lincoln brand. One item to make hearts beat quicker will be a retractable 15-square-foot moon roof, a must have for lover’s lane. If that’s not enough to entice buyers to a little make out (of a check,) Lincoln will invite them on a real date.
2013 Lincoln MKZ: Thick In All The Wrong Places
Here’s the 2013 Lincoln MKZ, and just as many of us suspected, the Ford Fusion is the much nicer looking car. Redundancy, thy name is Em Kay Zee.
Vigor: For Men. The Story Of The Strangest Automobile Ad
Murilee’s piece on the Acura Vigor brought back some fond memories for me involving that car, and an utterly bizarre bit of automotive trivia that was thought to be lost forever – a Japanese-market commercial for the Honda Vigor that features sexual deviancy (panty sniffing, anyone), Italian art house cinematography and the requisite badly-garbled English slogans.
Low Natural Gas Prices Aren't Spurring Demand For NGVs
Even with gasoline prices reaching higher and higher, and natural gas prices at decade lows, consumers are doing as little as possible to adopt natural gas vehicles. As investment blog Seeking Alpha found out, the answer isn’t so complex.
Generation Why: Lincoln Is About To Lose Them
If it weren’t for a Manhattan nightclub shooting in 1999, there’s a very good chance that it would be Cadillac, not Lincoln, that would be undertaking a costly showroom upgrade program, a brand “reboot” to shed a mushy identity and a hail-mary attempt at saving the ailing luxury division.
Fisker Atlantic Emerges Out Of The Vapor(ware)
Even though Fisker is enduring the kind of misfortune that Job would be hard pressed to shrug off, the newer, smaller Fisker, dubbed the Atlantic, got an early reveal thanks to a Czech auto site that leaked these early images.
How I Got Banned From Two Press Car Fleets
(Today’s guest post comes from Peter Dushenski. While most journalists love to brag about what kind of press cars they can get access to, Peter is here to share the story of how he got banned from from fleets. It’s one you won’t often hear. – DK)
“Also I must inform you that I will no longer be supplying you with Toyota or BMW vehicles.”
That was it.
That was the very last line in an e-mail I received last week from The Press Fleet Manager. No explanation followed. Not even a sign-off remark. No “Sincerely”, no “Regards”. No frivolity.
Volkswagen Alltrack Concept; A Diesel Wagon, But Alas, No Manual
Volkswagen will apparently debut a “concept” version of the Passat Alltrack, a European model that shares little with our Americanized Passat sedan.
Dodge's Facebook Campaign For SRT Viper Backfires
Dodge attempted to perpetrate yet another annoying Facebook teaser campaign, telling their fans that if they got 2013 “likes”, they’d be able to see another picture of the 2013 SRT Viper ahead of its New York Auto Show debut. The only problem is that the campaign failed.
Recent Comments