By Brendan Moore

08.30.2008

In the interest of disclosure, its only right that I tell you I’m a fan of wagons. The concept of a car that drives as well as its sedan brother but will haul a lot more stuff has always seemed nothing short of brilliant to me.

I know that goes against the grain of popular preference in the U.S. The station wagon is seen by many here here as the equivalent of wearing baggy sweatpants all day; that is, you’ve basically just stopped caring what you look like anymore and you’ve pretty much given up.

Of course, it is different in Europe, as a lot of things are. Combis, or estates, or touring models, or sport wagons, or, if you will, the somewhat-quaint name of shooting brakes are all held in good esteem. They’re actually seen as an indicator of an active, vital lifestyle. Sedans are for older people. Continue Reading

The times they are a-changing

By Brendan Moore

08.29.2008

Volkswagen stated yesterday that it sold 3.31 million vehicles worldwide in the first six months of 2008, which puts it ahead of Ford by approximately 220,000 units. Which means VW has moved ahead of Ford as the No. 3 vehicle manufacturer in the world, behind only Toyota and General Motors.

Just last year Toyota moved ahead of Ford for the No. 2 sales spot in the United States.

Yes, Ford is going in the wrong direction. Ford, however, is worried about surviving first, generating some kind of profits second, and will worry about market share later.

Paradoxically, Volkswagen’s paltry market share in the U.S. may be actually helping it in the global race for unit sales. All of VW’s brands together (VW, Audi. Bentley and Lamborghini) only notch 2% of the whole U.S. market. But having a very small amount of exposure to a geographic market that is experiencing staggering sales drops is not a bad thing. Continue Reading

By Andy Bannister

08.28.2008

If ever there was an award for a manufacturer’s persistence in the face of adversity, a strong contender for a lifetime achievement award would be Renault with its repeated attempts to enter the executive car market. Time and time again the French giant’s ambitions have spectacularly backfired.

Never one to give up in the face of buyer apathy, however, its latest toe in this often stormy body of water shows a decidedly new direction – with a lot of help from Korea.

The company has dusted off its Safrane nameplate and will attach it to a rebadged Samsung SM5 for an assault on a slightly unusual market for the French company – the Gulf States of the Middle East.  The car, in V6 automatic form, goes on sale in October,

It won’t even be considered for sale in Renault’s European heartland, where the firm is still struggling to shift its current executive model, the peculiarly proportioned Vel Satis. This tall hatchback is touted as a BMW competitor but has been almost universally ignored by buyers (though not quite as much as its ill-fated sister model, the spectacularly unsuccessful Avantime). Continue Reading

By Jason Lu

08.28.2008

According to the International Traffic Safety Data and Analysis Group, American road safety has been increasing for many years, but statistics show that the downward trend of traffic fatalities has been slowing. In 2006, there were 42,642 road fatalities. When compared to year 1980, the beginning of the decade in which several states passed seat-belt laws, year 2006 had a 17% decrease in deaths. Compared to 1990, fatality numbers in 2006 were only a four percent improvement, and in year 2000, fatalities actually increased by two percent. The major cause of the recent slowdown can be attributed to America’s use of “regulations over enforcement”. In other words, the United States has been focusing on the safety of the vehicles rather than the safety of driving itself.

The United States seems to have an inability, or unwillingness, to implement and enforce traffic safety laws other than speed limits. It has become an epidemic where highway patrols are seen by many as revenue collectors from speeding tickets than actual traffic safety enforcers. Most importantly, a law that many developed countries have enforced just as rigorously as speed limits, if not more, is rarely followed and even nonexistent in most of the United States: Keep right except to pass. Continue Reading

By Chris Haak

08.27.2008

Chrysler LLC announced today that it is “considering strategic alternatives” for its Dodge Viper sports car sub-brand. According to the company, several third parties have approached the company to inquire about the possibility of buying just the Dodge Viper (but, of course, not the rest of its Dodge brand) and continuing the car’s development into future models.

Because Chrysler decided to announce the review – and has retained investment banking firm Lazard as a financial advisor for the analysis – it’s obvious that this idea is more than just a passing fancy in Auburn Hills. Although many observers feared that Cerberus would “strip and flip” Chrysler after buying it last year, splitting the company into pieces and breaking it apart piece by piece, I wouldn’t put too much stock into the idea that this is an indication of that kind of strategy. Instead, the Viper faithful should actually see this as a good thing, as the car’s continued existence was (and still very much could be) in jeopardy. Continue Reading

By Brendan Moore

08.27.2008

They’re not just talking about using electric cars (EVs) for everyday driving in Japan, they’re doing something.

Subaru R1e

Most people are not aware of just how quickly mass-produced electric cars will be available in Japan. Both Mitsubishi and Subaru will offer an electric car for sale in Japan next year, with Nissan following in 2010. Mitsubishi’s offering will be the MiEV, a small hatchback, and Subaru’s market entry will be the R1e minicar. Nissan plans to sell their EV in 2010 in at least the Japanese and U.S. markets, and perhaps other markets as well. And although it’s not an EV, it’s a PHEV (plug-in hybrid vehicle), Toyota’s plug-in version of the hot-selling Prius will also make its debut in 2010 in Japan.

Continue Reading

By Andy Bannister

08.27.2008

Fate deals a cruel hand to some car manufacturers, and none more so than ZAZ, Ukraine’s national marque, which despite 50 years in existence has somehow never managed to achieve the big time.

ZAZ today sells the locally-designed Slavuta hatchback, an obscure and rather dated small family car little known outside its homeland. The company also assembles a range of models by other manufacturers.

Under the Soviet Union, however, ZAZ was the epicentre of that country’s small car production, and produced a series of promising-seeming models which, for one reason or another, all failed to live up to their export potential. As a result, the company is today one of the least-known global car manufacturing enterprises. Continue Reading

By Brendan Moore with Chris Haak

08.26.2008

Mahindra and Mahindra, the large Indian vehicle manufacturer, has informed its US distributor that it is pushing back its planned launch in the United States by six months in order to do more actual road-testing of its small truck, according to an article in Automotive News (paid subscription required).

The small truck will use a four-cylinder clean diesel engine that remains unapproved by the EPA in the US. The emissions requirements in the US become even stricter in 2010, but Mahindra’s public stance is that they are not concerned about the engine passing the tighter emissions requirements.

The delay of the launch of the first Indian auto manufacturer’s vehicles to sell in the US has nothing to do with concerns about EPA certification, from what Mahindra says. Nor does it have anything to do with drop in the light truck market in the US, states Mahindra, as their small trucks will achieve around 30 mpg. Mahindra simply wants to do more real-world testing in order to make certain all the bugs are out before launch in the world’s most competitive and most visible market.

Continue Reading

By Chris Haak

08.26.2008

Since its introduction, the Subaru Forester has attracted a loyal following among folks who appreciated its efficient packaging, poor-weather capabilities (thanks to standard all wheel drive) and good fuel efficiency. Things that people like me didn’t care for in the 1998-2008 model years of the Forester included awkward looks (too-tall windows and a too-short beltline), a cramped rear seat, and limited cargo space. I’m happy to report that all three criticisms have been addressed in the all-new 2009 model.

I spent a week with a Topaz Gold Metallic 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium, courtesy of Subaru, and appreciated the little crossover (it’s no longer marketed as – or has the appearance of – a tall station wagon, as Subaru has finally caved into convention and allowed it to embrace its “truck-ness.”) for its small-on-the-outside, large-on-the-inside dimensions, fuel efficient operation, and non-humiliating looks. Continue Reading

By Brendan Moore

08.25.2008

I recently (last month) had a new Chevrolet Suburban full-size SUV in my driveway for a week, and in that week, I had a chance to reflect on just what made the SUV so appealing to Americans in the last fifteen years. The SUV has been somewhat demonized in the United States this year as the price of oil (and the price of gasoline right behind it) has spiked up, but there must have been something good about these vehicles to start with, because otherwise, how did so many millions and millions of them get sold?

The temptation is to line up the usual suspects when answering that question; the confluence of great marketing, ridiculously cheap gasoline, irresistible peer acceptance, tax benefits of ownership, etc. But, still, there must be more to it than these factors; there must have been a great deal of initial attraction and subsequent loyalty by their owners to SUVs for the market segment to thrive for so long. What endears the SUV to Americans?

Let me give it a shot. Continue Reading