Archive | April, 2008

Audi Premiers Q5 SUV

By on April 21, 2008 in News

By Kevin Miller

04.21.2008

Audi premiered its Q5 SUV at the Beijing Auto Show this weekend. Built on the same platform that underpins the A4 and A5, the Q5 is aimed directly at competitors such as the BMW X3, Infiniti EX35, Land Rover LR2 HSE, Lexus RX350, and the upcoming Mercedes Benz GLK and Volvo XC60. Audi claims that the Q5 is a sporty and versatile performance SUV. It is smaller in size than Audi’s Q7.

At launch, world markets will see choices including one gasoline engine and two TDI units. Each of the engines are turbocharged and feature direct-injection. Whichever engine is chosen, the Q5 is equipped with Audi’s latest-generation quattro AWD with rear-biased torque split (40/60).

The first available diesel mill is the four-cylinder 2.0 TDI, which employs a common-rail fuel injection system and two balancing shafts. This engine delivers 170 HP, with 25 lb-ft of torque available between 1,750 and 2,500 rpm. Average fuel economy is 35.1 mpg (6.7 liters per 100 km). Equipped with this powerplant, the Q5 hits 62 mph in 9.5 seconds, and has a top speed of 126 mph. The Q5 2.0 TDI will be equipped with a six-speed manual transmission.

The gasoline engine is the four-cylinder 2.0 TFSI. It is rated 211 HP, with 250 lb-ft of torque available between 1,500 rpm and 4,200 rpm. The Q5 2.0 TFSI reaches 62 mph in 7.2 seconds, reaching a top speed of 138 mph. On average, the vehicle achieves 27.6 mpg (8.5 liters of fuel per 100 km).

The second diesel engine, and the most powerful engine in the non-USA Q5 line-up is the 3.0 TDI. This V6 diesel delivers 240 hp, with peak torque of 368 lb-ft. This diesel takes the Q5 to 62 mph in 6.5 seconds, accelerating to a top speed of 139 mph. On average, the three-liter engine returns 30.55 mpg (7.7 liters of fuel per 100 km).

Both the 3.0 TDI and 2.0 TFSI come with Audi’s S tronic twin-clutch transmission with seven speeds. The seven-speed S tronic can shift automatically, or the driver can select gears manually when desired, using controls mounted on the steering wheel.

When the Q5 launches in the US next year, it will be powered by a 3.2 liter V6 FSI gasoline engine, featuring direct injection, and Audi Valvelift System (AVS) variable intake valve lift. Rated 265hp and 243 lb-ft torque, this powertrain will get the Q5 from 0-60 mph in 6.8 seconds. The US-bound vehicle will have a Tiptronic six-speed automatic transmission; the fancy S tronic will unfortunately not be offered. This powertrain is slower and certainly thirstier than the 3.0 TDI offered in the rest of the world- that it will the the sole US powertrain offering is a disappointment to potential customers who would like a Q5 which is both quicker and more efficient.

Although few Q5s are likely to see serious off-road duty, Audi proudly publishes numbers which tout the vehicle’s abilities: a climbing capability of 31 degrees incline, front overhang angle of 25 degrees, ramp breakover angle of 17.5 degrees, ground clearance of 20 centimeters (7.87 inches), and a fording depth of up to 50 centimeters (19.69 inches) when driving through water.

Among the Q5′s options is dynamic steering, which continuously varies the steering ratio and the power steering assistance depending on the speed driven. At the vehicle’s handling limits, Audi claims the dynamic steering stabilizes the Q5 in conjunction with the ESP by means of instantaneous steering interventions.

The Q5 is a two-row SUV, and can seat as many as 5 people. To keep the passengers comfortable, available triple-zone climate control (standard on US models) is available, and Audi even offers a climate-controlled drink holder to keep drinks hot or cold. The Q5 has a lot of optional infotainment upgrades: the highest upgrade level features a Bluetooth telephone, a DVD drive, a TV tuner, an intelligent speech control system, an iPod interface and a Bang & Olufsen sound system.

The Q5 will be the first Audi to offer Generation 3 MMI, and navigation with real-time traffic information. The navigation system boasts a high-resolution monitor for new, three-dimensional representation of maps. The navigation system’s hard disk can also save music files in MP3 format.

Backrests for the rear seats are angle-adjustable and can be folded down by using a remote release in the luggage compartment, which expands the luggage area from 19 cubic feet to 55 cubic feet. As an option, Audi offers the “rear bench seat plus”, which slides 4 inches lengthwise to provide a load-through facility. Also, the front passenger seat can be folded flat for transporting long objects.

US-bound Q5s have standard 18 inch wheels, full body monochromatic paint, LED taillights, and aluminum exterior trim. They can be optionally outfitted with bi-xenon lamps and LED daytime running lights. If the 18s aren’t big enough for you, Audi will be offering larger 20 inch wheels.

In the USA, the Audi Q5 goes on sale in the first quarter of 2009 as a 2009 model year vehicle. It will be on sale across Europe even sooner.

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Bentley Joins the Race for Low CO2 Emissions

By on April 20, 2008 in Features, News

By Andy Bannister

04.20.2008

The drive to drastically lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new cars is gathering pace, with volume producers and niche companies alike waking up to the fact that doing nothing could seriously hurt their sales.

European Union lawmakers are currently working on new regulations which mean makers will be required to have much lower average emissions per car of CO2 by 2012, with the possibility of huge fines for non-compliance. Wrangling is still going in the European Parliament on the exact average figure required, which is likely to be between 120 and 150 grammes of C02 per kilometre.

British luxury brand Bentley recently raised eyebrows by announcing its cars would be capable of reaching the 120 gramme standard within that deadline. Given that each vehicle in Bentley’s four-model line up currently emits over 400 grammes per kilometre that seems a tall order. The Continental GT is marginally the greenest Bentley at 410 grammes and the larger models including the new Brooklands coupé churn out 465.

It isn’t quite clear exactly how Bentley will meet the standard, but it seems much of the saving will be made by modifying existing engines to be more efficient and capable of running on renewable biofuels, produced from ethanol, grain or sugar.

Biofuels themselves are controversial as they have been blamed for taking over large swathes of land used to grow crops for food, threatening food shortages in some third world countries.

A new engine for the Bentley line up is also in the pipeline, possibly spelling the eventual end of the company’s venerable V8, made since the 1950s and said to be the world’s second-oldest car engine still in continuous production. It appears, though, that Bentley’s most ambitious aspirations are based on persuading legislators that average CO2 emissions should be recalculated to take into account the energy expended in the production life-cycle of biofuel – an argument that is unlikely to cut much ice with Europe’s “green” campaigners .

It isn’t just Bentley that is feeling the cold winds of change. The performance division of Daimler, AMG is one of a number of producers which currently relies on huge engines which have poor fuel consumption and sky-high carbon dioxide emissions, and is searching for an answer on where to go next. No-one yet knows the effect on the long-term prospects of companies who sell the more polluting cars, but the worst case scenario is that in many markets they could attract disproportionately high taxes as well as become much less attractive as used vehicles, badly denting resale values.

CO2 taxes are already well-entrenched in some European states, with increasingly punitive annual road tax being introduced in the UK on the most polluting vehicles. Across the Channel in France, where a new CO2-based purchase price tax was introduced this January, marques including Mercedes-Benz, VW and Toyota have already been hard-hit, as buyers switch to smaller, more efficient models in line with the government’s intentions. The French-based carmakers, Renault and Peugeot-Citroën, stand to benefit from the changes, as they already produce a significant number of small cars which pump out low levels of CO2. There remains the problem, however, that small cars generally make small profits, unless production is outsourced to lower wage countries such as those in eastern Europe. The move is also likely to hurt sales of recently-launched larger French cars like the Renault Laguna and Citroën C5.

Downsizing is also spreading to engines, with Renault developing a new 900cc power plant for the big-selling Renault Clio hatchback (a Ford Fiesta and Honda Fit-sized model), which currently has a base engine of 1200cc. Having crept up gradually in engine size and weight steadily since the 1970s, European cars could suddenly begin to shrink again

Like the French, Fiat of Italy is also well placed with the hot-selling new 500 and models like the Panda and Punto which help the company to have one of Europe’s most CO2-efficient line-ups at the moment (an average of 144 grammes of CO2 per kilometre).

To reduce overall emissions still further and keep up with arch-rival Renault, Fiat is said to be developing a new small 900cc engine for the entry-level Panda, and has plans to introduce new hybrid cars and vans.

It looks a little more worrying for the German manufacturers who make the majority of Europe’s larger, more polluting models and could be hit by hefty fines if they fail to meet new EU targets. It’s also likely the target won’t be a one-off, but will get more stringent in future years.

All in all, these changes look set to cause some of the most radical changes the car industry has seen for many years, and the both the policies and their consequences are likely to spread soon to other markets around the globe.

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New York City Mandates Greener Black Cars

By on April 18, 2008 in News

By Kevin Miller

04.18.2008

The New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) voted unanimously today to approve a regulation requiring that any Black Car coming in to service on or after January 1, 2009, must have a fuel economy rating of at least 25 MPG city. Starting in January, 2010, that rating will rise to 30 MPG city. The regulation also includes a requirement that all Black Cars be retired after six years of service, which means that the entire fleet will meet at least 25 MPG by 2014.

Approximately 10,000 Black Cars are licensed to operate in New York City. The biggest difference between Black Cars and Taxis is that Taxis are hailed on the street, whereas Black Cars are not. The iconic NYC Black Car is a Lincoln Town Car, which is rated 15 MPG in the city running on gasoline (the E85 version is rated just 11 MPG).


Because of the new fuel economy requirements for black cars, the Town Car is likely to be replaced by vehicles like the Toyota Camry Hybrid, Nissan Altima Hybrid, or Ford Escape Hybrid. Because the Chevrolet Malibu and Saturn Aura Hybrids are rated only 24 MPG in the city, and the Chevrolet Suburban Hybrid is rated 21 MPG city, those vehicles are not eligible for use as Black Cars. According to the TLC, Black cars release 272,000 tons of CO2 equivalents annually, which make up 2% of the City’s transportation related emissions. Under the new standards, emissions from black cars will be cut in half.

In order to offset the cost of upgrading their vehicles when they reach mandatory retirement age, the TLC is setting up a fund to help Black Car operators finance the higher payments on their more expensive vehicles. Of course, some of the additional vehicle cost will be offset by the fact that drivers will be buying around half the amount of fuel currently used by Town Cars.

Unfortunately for passengers, none of the eligible cars noted above is as spacious or comfortable as the currently-used Lincoln Town Car. Until a manufacturer decides to build a large, comfortable car with an efficient hybrid drivetrain, the Black Car will be a little less spacious than it has historically been. In other words, it will be a little less black, and quite a bit more green.

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Industry Slowdown Hits Harley-Davidson

By on April 18, 2008 in News

By Kevin Miller

04.18.2008

Harley-Davidson announced this week that they are slowing production and laying off workers amid slowing demand for their motorcycles. Around eight percent of the company’s employees will be laid off, including about 370 unionized production workers across H-D’s production plants and 360 other workers, mostly in the company’s Milwaukee headquarters.

Production slowdowns will allow Harley to ship fewer motorcycles to dealers, which in turn will prevent stores from becoming overcrowed with motorcycles. As in the automobile industry, when inventories are high retailers often sell units at steep discounts, which lowers the value of the product. Harley-Davidson’s production slowdown will help protect the brand by keeping inventories low in order to avoid incentives or promotions to clear out unsold inventory.

While many people are downsizing their cars, or moving from cars to scooters or motorcycles to fight rising fuel costs, few people will be downsizing to a Harley, whose cycles are not inexpensive, nor are they particularly efficient compared to other motorcycles. Harley-Davidson motorcycles have become luxury purchases, high-end cycles for the well-to-do rather than motorcycles to be used simply for transportation. As such, Harley’s sales may not recover for quite some time; certainly not until the larger economy’s strength returns.

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The Ranger is Dead – Long Live the Ranger

By on April 17, 2008 in Features, News
The Ford Ranger will take a short holiday

By Igor Holas

04.17.2008


Much has been written about the folly of allowing the venerable Ranger wither on the vine and lose its sales crown to Toyota’s Tacoma. Many writers, editors, and bloggers took it upon themselves to come up with new and innovative ways to call Ford shortsighted and use the Ranger’s demise as a case in point that Ford is in the fast lane to bankruptcy. However, behind the scenes, Ford is readying a duo of new trucks to be released in the wake of the Ranger’s demise, and is also planning an ultimate return of the Ranger to the US market.

Internal sources have recently confirmed that the Ranger will be discontinued after the St. Paul assembly plant is shut down next year. We also had it confirmed that, at least for several months, Ford will not be producing any truck smaller than F-150 in North America, and will be just selling down inventory of already-built Rangers. However, Ford is not to be absent for long in the mid-size segment.

Our sources indicate that for the past decade, Ford has been working on a new mid-size truck. This truck was to answer the competition’s move from truly small trucks to something bigger – about the size of an old F-150 – offering more space, better ride, more capability, and more power. The new truck under development was to be released several years ago, but it fell victim to the changing of the guard among Ford’s top brass and the volatile product development plans. The project moved to and from the back burner several times as Ford shifted its attention to more “important” causes. As a result, not only did the Ranger miss the move from small to midsize trucks, it was left on the market way past its expiration date, and will leave the scene without a direct successor. Luckily, however this new truck is finally again settled on the front burner and will be released in the fall of 2010 as the 2011 F100 midsize truck. It will be built alongside its bigger brother in the Michigan Truck Plant.

The new Ranger built in Thailand will not become truly global and will not be sold in North America

The underpinnings of this truck are familiar – a shortened and lightened F¬-150 frame with numerous shared components. The truck will copy Dakota with a V6 and V8 engine lineup, but position its V6 engine as the key power plant – restricting V8 to limited-volume trims. The truck will be a little bigger than its competition with dimensions just slightly smaller than the 1998 – 2003 F150. Unlike the Ranger, the F-100 will finally include a true five-seating double-cab, upscale version of which will serve as a Sport Trac replacement.

This new truck platform will spawn one more vehicle: a new Ford Bronco. Secretly (until now), Ford has been preparing an answer to the success that is the Wrangler, and the threat that is the Hummer H4. The Bronco will stay true to its original roots and be a capable off-roader with two solid axles, true 4×4 and a truck frame. After the 2004 Bronco concept which was built on the Fiesta platform, many diehards were worried the Bronco would become a soft-roading lifestyle SUV for the urban youth market. While I and some others saw potential in this move, it seems Ford is playing it safe with the Bronco name and affixing it to a true, rugged off-road capable SUV. Like the Wrangler, the Bronco is to feature a removable top and folding windshield. It could debut alongside the F-100 in 2010, or a little later.

The Bronco is to make an honest return to its off-road roots. Ford is aiming at the Wrangler and the upcoming Hummer H4 with this new truck.

Finally, by the end of 2012, the Ranger is scheduled to return to the US showrooms. Last year, the F-100 was evaluated as a potential global replacement for the Ranger, but it was not awarded this prestigious position. Instead, Ford’s Australian branch was tasked with developing a brand new small truck platform dubbed T6. Unlike the current “Thai” Ranger or the upcoming F-100, the T6 “Global” Ranger is to return to its humble compact roots. The size will be very close to the current North American Ranger, and it might even shrink. The result is to be a one world-beating small truck that is happy to run on four-cylinder power. This new truck is to replace all the different Rangers around the world, along with the Bantam, Courier, and other locally-designed Ford compact trucks. While 2012 is a ways away, the T6 Ranger is being developed with US sales in mind.

So here you have it folks. Ford will discontinue the Ranger next year – it will happen. However, within a year, Ford will replace it with the F-100, add a new Bronco, and about a year after that revive the Ranger as what it is today – an honest, humble, hard-working compact truck without any pretense.

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Hino of Toyota Will Halt Production at California Plant

By on April 17, 2008 in News
Will this cause some adjustment of sales projections among competitors?

By Brendan Moore

04.17.2008

Hino Motors Ltd., the light commercial truck subsidiary of Toyota, said today that it would stop production of vehicles in their California production facility and move that output to a plant in West Virginia in order to maximize operational efficiencies. The move comes amid falling market demand in the U.S.

Hino produced approximately 5000 trucks at the California plant in 2007, and produced about 300 trucks at the plant in West Virginia, which just came on-stream in November 2007. The new West Virginia plant can produce around 2500 vehicles from a single daytime shift, and can accommodate a second shift quickly if needed.

Hino’s announcement comes fast on the heels of Toyota’s announcement that they would start consolidating production of their trucks at plants in Texas and Indiana due to falling demand in the United States. Hino ran the California plant at full capacity in 2007 and sold 7100 trucks as a result last year. Hino’s projection for sales in 2008 was 10,500 units, an increase of 48%, but there is now some doubt as to whether they’ll even be able to equal their 2007 sales number if the U.S. economy stays in a recession this year.

The Long Beach, California Hino plant produces both commercial trucks for Hino and auto parts for Toyota brand cars and trucks at the facility. It employs around 850 people, none of whom will be laid off, according to Hino. The expectation is that the vehicle production work will be replaced by parts manufacture production as the market rebounds.


As reported earlier this month, Nissan has announced plans to enter the North American light commercial vehicle market in the near future, throwing some doubt on Hino’s ability to recapture their market share after the recession ends.

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2008 Mercury Sable Premier AWD Review

By on April 17, 2008 in Reviews

By Chris Haak

04.17.2008

Last week, Ford dropped off a 2008 Mercury Sable Premier AWD for me to evaluate. I had actually requested this car because so many people have told me over the past few years that the Taurus and Sable are good cars obscured by their pedestrian, overly inoffensive styling. The line on these cars (when they were still named Five Hundred and Montego) in the past had also been that they were underpowered (by a 3.0 liter V6 producing just over 200 horsepower) and their available CVT transaxles provided an unusual driving experience. The cars now come with an upgraded engine and transmission, and improved styling, but they still are not resonating with consumers.

Exterior
When Ford decided that perhaps it wasn’t such a great idea to throw away the Taurus and Sable names after over 20 years in the marketplace, refreshing the Five Hundred and Montego seemed like the perfect opportunity to introduce the reborn names. To my eyes, the Sable’s new front clip is more attractive than the Taurus’ Fusion-like nose. The overall impression of this car, though, is one of size. It’s a very tall car – the rounded roofline does obscure some of its height, but it’s only a few inches shorter than many crossovers. My test car was a loaded Premier edition with all wheel drive; I’m not sure if it was the all wheel drive hardware or just the car’s fundamental engineering, but its ride height was a little high for my taste; the tops of the tires still left a several inch tall gap between them and the bottom of the fender’s wheel openings. The car is so substantial in size that I had assumed it had 16 inch or perhaps 17 inch wheels, but in fact it was equipped with 18 inch wheels and Pirelli tires.

Interior
The first time I opened the door, I was really impressed by the Sable. The interior was, of course, spacious with ample legroom for both front and back seat passengers, and also had plenty of headroom, thanks to the high roofline. Materials had a quality feel; they were similar in quality to the $39,000 Lincoln MKZ that I reviewed a few weeks ago, although the Sable actually left me with more of an impression of luxury because it had ample fake wood instead of ample fake aluminum like the MKZ featured. The wood’s realism was actually reasonably convincing, thanks to its interesting darker hue and a lack of unlikely curvatures and shapes. Another nice detail was contrasting stitching on the steering wheel’s leather as well as on the seats and center console lid; the charcoal black (Mercury’s name – not mine) interior was somewhat monochromatic, but would have been more so were it not for the dark “wood” and white stitching.

It was good to have another chance to use Ford’s exclusive SYNC system. As this Sable was equipped with a navigation system (a $1,995 option), it worked identically to the MKZ’s two weeks earlier. One complaint/observation that I had about the MKZ’s SYNC system still stands for the Sable; it does not remember playlists once the car has been turned off, although it will keep on the last song that you were playing. However, I wish every car had the excellent Bluetooth telephone connectivity that SYNC features; one thoughtful touch is that the number keypad is still active when the car is moving; Toyotas with navigation systems do not allow this and it can be very frustrating, but SYNC eliminates that frustration. After all, the workaround with the Toyota system is to dial the number on your handheld phone, then talk over Bluetooth once connected; it seems safer to enter a number on the navigation touchscreen rather than fumbling with your handheld phone when driving. I did yearn for the MKZ’s THX II Audiophile sound system; higher volumes – especially in songs with a lot of bass – tended to upset the speakers a bit. Although this Sable had the “Audiophile” system, it clearly wasn’t in the same class as the MKZ’s.

Parents of small children will be pleased to know that both a forward facing convertible car seat and a rear facing infant carrier fit in the back seat without any trouble. Further, the car’s spacious rear seat, large door openings, and high roofline all make getting little ones in and out about as easy as possible with a car (though a minivan with sliding doors is, of course, still easier). Looking at the two seats side-by-side, I believe that it would be difficult to fit a third child seat in the middle position when the outboard spots also have child seats installed.

The trunk is large enough for a folded stroller and left plenty of room for groceries or other cargo, and both the split rear seatback and the front passenger seatback folded flat to allow the driver to haul long items without the need to tie the trunk to the closed position.

The one odd sensation inside the Sable is the sound that the turn signals make. It didn’t bother me, per se, but was unlike any turn signal sound I’d heard before. They sounded like a horse was clip-clopping down a cobblestone street. Other sounds – aside from the growl of the engine under acceleration – were very subdued. Wind noise was not an issue, and I didn’t really have as much appreciation for how quiet the Sable was inside until I opened a window and realized how much sound it was blocking. I wouldn’t call the car remarkably quiet, but it was definitely peaceful.

Driving Experience
Although the Sable is a large car, it didn’t really feel like it, with the notable exception of navigating sharp curves within the parking garage near my office. In those tighter confines, I always felt very conscious of the car’s width. As with the MKZ, the 3.5 liter 263 horsepower V6 engine and six-speed automatic transaxle were a good pair, but torque management again severely restricted power from a stop. Additionally, shifts were extremely smooth – even under full throttle – because the engine computer cuts torque when shifting to smooth the transition between gears and preserve the drivetrain. The sensation is one of the car taking a moment to catch its breath between each gear. However, its target market probably appreciates the buttery-smooth shifting.

The steering ratio is slower than I’d prefer, but it seemed to be reasonably accurate. The Sable’s suspension was capable of soaking up any bumps that came its way, but driving briskly on a country road could quickly get the suspension to wallow a bit. Again, I’m not in this car’s target demographic, so that’s probably not a concern among buyers of traditional large cars. Plus, it felt a heck of a lot more buttoned-down than did the last Lincoln Town Car that I rented; many fans of the new Taurus and Sable point out that those cars are about the same size inside as the Town Car, but have the benefit of front wheel drive-based packaging and another few decades of development work that the Town Car didn’t enjoy. The Sable’s brakes brought the big girl to a stop without drama.

Fuel Economy
The Sable AWD is rated at 17 mpg city and 24 mpg on the highway. Because it’s a heavy car with the all wheel drive hardware, it burned a lot of fuel for me in stop and go traffic. Overall, I got about 16 miles per gallon, but when cruising at a steady speed on the highway at 70 miles per hour, a freshly-reset information screen showed figures in the mid- to upper-20s, right in line with EPA expectations. Although the Sable is a larger vehicle than the MKZ, it also got poorer fuel economy under my stewardship, driving a similar route and in similar traffic conditions. Front wheel drive models are rated at 18/24, so the additional all wheel drive hardware forces buyers to sacrifice about four miles per gallon on the highway for the security of all wheel drive. Similarly-sized vehicles such as the Pontiac G8 V6 (rated 17/25 for rear wheel drive) and Chrysler 300 V6 AWD (rated 15/22) can’t match the Sable’s fuel economy. V8 versions of those competitors get even worse fuel economy.

Pricing
The base price for a 2008 Sable is $24,375 (including destination) for a front wheel drive model. All wheel drive adds $1,850 to the price, and the Premier package (the only trim levels are base and Premier) adds a substantial $3,790, but includes 18 inch wheels, dual zone climate control, SYNC, and leather seats. Navigation, stability control, adjustable pedals, a reverse sensing system, a cargo management system, and Sirius satellite radio added another $3,375 to the tab, for a total MSRP (including destination) of $33,750. The Sable currently carries a $2,000 to $4,000rebate and dealers should be interested in cutting deals, as sales are down 12.4% year to date.

Bottom Line
The Sable was a heck of a good car. I was impressed by its large interior, five star safety ratings, and quality interior materials. The seats were comfortable and roomy, the car was easy to drive, and was pleasant to look at. It’s a shame the Sable started its rebirth behind the 8-ball a bit, because the Montego was so unsuccessful and many consumers are probably unaware of all of the significant improvements under the skin compared to a first-year Mercury Montego (primarily improved interior materials, the six-speed automatic, and 3.5 liter V6). However, taking the same fundamental package and wrapping it into a “Superman” wrapper instead of a “Homer Simpson” wrapper will probably help the next Sable substantially. Meanwhile, buyers astute enough to put it on their shopping lists will be impressed by this very credible effort from Mercury.

Click HERE for more photos of the 2008 Mercury Sable Premier AWD.

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Ford Transit Connect SportVan Debuts in Europe

By on April 16, 2008 in News

By Kevin Miller

04.16.2008

Ford has introduced the production version of its Transit Connect SportVan at the Birmingham (England) Commercial Vehicle Show this week. Shown as a concept at the same show in 2007, the Transit Connect SportVan is based on the short wheelbase (220) Transit Connect, with a 1.8 liter Duratorq TDCi, delivering 110 HP. The Transit Connect SportVan will be limited in production, with just 300 units planned. It is offered only in Performance Blue, with white “Ford GT-style” stripes and 18 inch, 7-spoke wheels.

The Transit Connect SportVan offers many exterior and interior styling features not found on the basic Transit Connect, including: full body colored bumpers, a bright chrome grille and side skirts, front and rear sports skid plates, body colored roof spoiler, and silver door mirror housings and exhaust finisher. Interior upgrades include a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, a silver surround to the center stack, and fancier air vents. Also included are leather seats with eight-way seat adjustment, ABS with stability control, traction control and park distance control, air conditioning, power windows and mirrors and a side loading door. Audio equipment includes a six-CD changer and Bluetooth capability.


When the Transit Connect reaches North America some time next year, attention-seeking US buyers who buy the vehicle as a “statement” rather than a work van are certain to want some of the SportVan’s unique appearance items, like the body-colored roof spoiler, leather seating, and alloy wheels. Exactly how the Transit Connect will be equipped and what options will be available is not yet known, but the SportVan certainly is an interesting look at what can be done with a Transit Connect.

Note: Unfortunately, Ford didn’t provide any photos of the production Transit Connect Sport, and we weren’t at the Birmingham CV show to take pictures of our own. Instead, photos of last year’s concept vehicle accompany this article.

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Honda to Export Pilot to Russia from U.S.

By on April 16, 2008 in News
By Brendan Moore

04.16.2008

You may or may not know that Honda Motor Co. builds the Pilot, their mid-size SUV in Lincoln, Alabama. The Pilot competes with SUVs like the Ford Explorer and the Toyota Highlander in the American market and is having a tough time of it. In 2007, sales in that segment fell by 13%, but sales of the Honda Pilot dropped an even more unsettling 23% to 117,346 units from 152,154 in 2006. It was the first year sales dropped since the Pilot’s introduction in 2002. And without putting too fine a point on it, 2008 doesn’t look too promising, either, with all new vehicle sales expected to put in a poor performance and mid-size and large SUVs predicted to drop even farther than the rest of the market.

What to do, what to do?

Honda’s solution is to send some of the new, second-generation 2009 Honda Pilots made in Lincoln, Alabama starting this fall, to Russia, a place that can’t get enough of the Honda Pilot. It’s also a place where they have experienced ten consecutive years of economic growth, where they bought 1.6 million imported vehicles last year ( a 61% increase from 2006), and where the state-subsidized gasoline is around $3.00 a gallon for A-92 unleaded, but Russians that can afford to buy a Pilot don’t seem to mind the gasoline prices much at all. It cannot be ignored that the average Russian, however, is not so blasé about gasoline prices.

The Lincoln plant is going to be pretty busy next year. They already build Odyssey minivans there; Honda is moving all the Ridgeline production from Allison, Ontario to Lincoln, and now the Pilot production seems assured with extra volume going to Russia. The plant has capacity to make around 300,000 light trucks a year, and should be operating at full tilt with all the changes just mentioned.

Honda’s new sales goal for the Pilot in the United States is 140,000 units every year.

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Ford Increases North American Focus Production

By on April 15, 2008 in News

By Kevin Miller

04.15.2008

Ford announced today that they would increase production of the Focus at their Wayne Stamping and Assembly Plant plant by 30 percent this year, to meet demand for the small car. As we reported earlier this month, a shift toward smaller cars has bolstered Focus sales. Ford has reported that compared to the first quarter of 2007, Q1-2008 retail sales were up 35 percent, while fleet sales declined slightly. The Focus now claims 7.6 percent of the U.S. small car market, 1.2 percentage points better than a year ago.

Ford asserts that the vehicle’s new design, as well as its 35 MPG highway fuel economy rating and SYNC multimedia system are driving up demand for the Focus. Ford is increasing production in order to build a total of 245,000 Focus units in 2008, up from 191,000 in 2007. The production plan means that the 2800 employees at the Wayne Stamping and Assembly Plant will work some overtime and Saturday shifts for the rest of the year to meet demand.

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