By Kevin Miller

10.27.2008

A first glimpse of Volvo’s long-overdue replacement for the S60 sedan will occur in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. In a move that was surely made before the current economic downturn, Volvo has worked with Swedish glassworks and crystal company Orrefors to create the concept vehicle’s “floating center stack” of hand-made Orrefors crystal. Volvo’s press material states that “the graceful, crystal-clear center stack forms a gentle, calm wave from the instrument panel all the way to the [concept car's] rear seat backrest.”

Volvo Cars design director Steve Mattin says “It almost looks like a waterfall from the instrument panel, flowing through the center of the car.” The crystal panel appears to float above the centre console’s smart functionality. It rests softly on rubber pads and with the help of invisible light sources the crystal’s shimmering glow can be tailored to match the driver’s mood. Continue Reading

By Andy Bannister

10.26.2008

In another sign of the changes to come in the new car market, Renault is abandoning plans to replace its Espace, the long-running model which single-handedly brought the MPV concept to the attention of Europeans 25 years ago.

Faced with plunging sales of the current Espace and Renault’s other larger models, the Vel Satis luxury car and the Laguna executive model, the company has signalled an abrupt change of direction. According to media reports it has cancelled next year’s planned fifth-generation Espace at a late stage in its development and has indicated the Vel Satis will also die with no successor.

While the end of the Vel Satis is no great loss, the demise of the Espace is a huge blow to Renault’s prestige, having for years cultivated the image of it as the ultimate premium MPV. The Espace has until recently been an extremely fashionable vehicle and the automatic choice of wealthy large families from across the continent, despite a plethora of rivals from other manufacturers. Continue Reading

By Brendan Moore

10.25.2008

What is happening with Chrysler now? Are they going to end up with GM after everything is said and done? Will they go with Renault-Nissan’s partnership offer? Will the company be snapped up by a dark horse buyer/partner? Or, will they end up with no one?

Well, the last option is probably not going to occur – Chrysler LLC (owned by Cerberus) is very weak in a very weak market sector in a very weak economy, and furthermore, it has almost zero prospects in terms of new product to suit the current and short-term. Jim Press did his best a few days ago to make people believe that Chrysler staying independent was still an option, but it isn’t. The attempt to talk up the possibility of future independence for Chrysler was a valiant one, but ultimately a transparent one. No one really believes that Chrysler can stand on its own anymore.

Chrysler is cutting production like crazy and announced another 5000 job cuts yesterday, so it looks as if Chrysler is preparing itself for new ownership by becoming as lean (and therefore as attractive an acquisition) as possible.

What about that deal with GM? Continue Reading

Lamborghini’s Newest Police Car is A Little Bit Cooler Than A Crown Vic or D.A.R.E. Camaro

By Kevin Miller

10.24.2008

In 2004, lucky Italian police officers had a Lamborghini Gallardo to their vehicle fleet. That original Gallardo police car has clocked nearly 87,000 miles of patrol and transport duty on the motorways of central and southern Italy. In 2005, a second Gallardo entered police service around Bologna, and its odometer now shows more than 62,000 miles. Aside from regular servicing, evidently neither of the super police cars has required major repairs.

Today, Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. donated a police version of the company’s newest super sports car, a 560 HP, 203 mph, all-wheel-drive Gallardo LP560-4 Polizia, to the head of the Italian State Police. The car is painted in the required blu polizia paint scheme, with white stripes and lettering that follow the Gallardo’s unique angles. The light bar on the roof of the Gallardo was aerodynamically optimized for the vehicle’s high top speed. Four sirens are integrated into the front and rear of the Gallardo to let motorists know the supercar is coming.

This car will replace the original police Gallardo which entered service in 2004. Its main patrol beat will once again be central and southern Italy, primarily on the motorway between Salerno and Reggio Calabria. Remember that for the next time you’re speeding through Italy, as whatever you’re driving will be unlikely to escape the police Lambo. Continue Reading

If there was a way to say “oh, snap!” that sounded respectful and professional, I would say it

By David Surace

10.24.2008

Cerberus Capital Management–the company which owns 80.1% of Chrysler, LLC–is headquartered in New York City with affiliate and/or advisory offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Baarn, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Beijing, Osaka and Taipei.

Frank Rhodes, the archivist for the Chrysler family and great-grandson of the automaker’s founder Walter P. Chrysler, is headquartered in Chestertown, MD.

According to an Automotive News article (sub req’d), on October 16th, Mr. Rhodes sent a letter to Stephen Feinberg, the founder of Cerberus, issuing some unsolicited advice on some good places to take the company. The letter was also CC’d to Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli, Co-President Jim Press, among several other important people and media outlets. Continue Reading

By Chris Haak

10.23.2008

I’ve been trying to get my hands on an LS600hL to test for a while.  I’ve spent extensive seat time in nearly every vehicle in Toyota’s lineup, from the Corolla S to the IS350; from the Scion xD to the Sequoia and Tundra.  However, those vehicles are “just cars.”  I mean, the IS350 was a really fun car to drive, but it was just a big engine in a small car that happened to enjoy being thrown around on back roads.  I wanted an LS600hL so that I could see what Toyota’s state-of-the-art was.  I had extremely high expectations for the  LS600hL; it not only represents the flagship of Toyota’s automotive empire, but basically represents the best that Toyota can do when building a luxury car on par with the S-class Mercedes and BMW 7-series.  Also, the car had better be pretty great considering its $115,000-plus price tag.

The Lexus LS is a large car even in its standard form; the long wheelbase (which manifests itself mostly in the cavernous back seat) available in the conventionally-powered LS460 (called the LS460L) makes a big car even bigger. The car appears perhaps longer and wider than it is because it sits fairly low to the ground. I find the LS to be arguably the most attractive Lexus – in fact, the most attractive Toyota product – because it has some attractive lines and actually has a fairly original shape.  It shares Lexus’ so-called “L-Finesse” design language with the brand’s other cars, but seems to feel the most comfortable in its clothes.  I attribute the LS’s relative styling success to its size (it doesn’t look squashed or angry like the IS does thanks to its length) as well as the fact that L-Finesse has had a chance to evolve to the point that the LS is the newest sedan in the Lexus range.  Unlike the first-generation LS, which was unashamedly conservative, and unlike the last-generation BMW 7-series, which was unashamedly unconservative, I find that the LS strikes an appropriate balance between the conservatism expected in an expensive car’s style with a desire to make the car’s design as modern and appealing as possible.  The LS succeeds from a styling standpoint because the only part of the car’s styling that is an obvious knockoff is the Bangle-like trunklid bulge; otherwise, the only unfortunate thing about the styling is that Lexus made its front wheel drive ES350 look a little too similar to the LS for my comfort.  The LS600hL has fairly subtle hybrid badging to let the world know that you’re driving the most expensive of Lexus models.  Continue Reading

By Kevin Miller

10.22.2008

General Motors this morning has announced it is exploring its options for the sale of its ACDelco business unit. ACDelco is a global independent aftermarket parts business, a brand of GM Service & Parts Operations. GM’s press release states that a sale will promote more rapid growth of ACDelco globally.

This is a part of GM’s ongoing effort to raise capital by selling existing assets. The Hummer brand is for sale for the same reason, and there has even been talk of selling the Renaissance Center, the company’s headquarters. The rumors behind recent news that GM is looking to acquire Chrysler from its owner Cerberus, indicate that a big motivation behind that deal is GM getting their hands on Chrysler’s reported $11.7 billion cash stockpile (GM certainly doesn’t need the nameplates or models in Chrysler’s fleet). From General Motors’ standpoint, it’s all about getting their hands on enough cash to keep the company going and meet their goal of having more liquid assets. GM’s short press release can be viewed after the jump. Continue Reading

Love at second sight

By Igor Holas

10.22.2008

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to review the improved-for-2009 Escape/Mariner line. I previously tested the 2008 Escape Hybrid and was less than enamored. At the time, I criticized the bare-bones feel of the cheap, beige interior, outdated navigation system and the missing SYNC. The hybrid technology and its uniqueness in this segment were its saving graces, but overall, the vehicle did not win me over.

A lot has changed since February. First of all, I had the opportunity to drive several different vehicles, and realized just how many of them fell short of my expectations – I am picky, and realized I had to lower my standards. Moreover, the vehicle itself has changed. The 2009 Escape/Mariner saw a completely new line of engines and transmissions, improving power and mileage. Also refined were the brakes and exhaust system. Finally, the interior received some needed tweaks. Ford took a detailed look at the interior, addressing both the biggest omissions (such as outdated navigation, or lack of SYNC), and the easy fixes (such as exposed screws), improving its overall feel.

Continue Reading

By Kevin Miller

10.21.2008

I recently spent a few days in the all-new Kia Borrego. The white SUV with gray cladding and chrome wheels wasn’t bad looking at all, though from certain angles it looked a lot like other vehicles in its class; the Ford Explorer and the Volkswagen Touareg were among the cars that came to mind when looking at the Borrego. The styling is definitely derivative from other vehicles on the market rather than being particularly unique.

The word Borrego is a Spanish one, translating to “bighorn sheep”, which should call to mind a type of wild ruggedness. Kia’s Borrego is a body-on-frame SUV, available with either a 276 HP V6 or a 337 HP V8. Either engine is available with an optional full-time four-wheel drive system with driver-selectable high and low ranges. Unfortunately for Kia, this pretty nice SUV has hit the market just when such vehicles are in low demand. The V6 4WD Borrego’s EPA fuel consumption rating of 16/21 MPG doesn’t help its case any. Because the model I drove didn’t have any sort of trip computer which provided a fuel economy display, I have no idea what type of mileage I got during the three days and about 150 miles I drove the Borrego. Continue Reading

You can drive it home today as long as you can get approved

By Brendan Moore

10.20.2008

In what has to provide some measure of schadenfruede for anyone who has been declined for a car loan from GMAC, particularly since they raised their minimum credit score to 700, GM cannot get financing for the new car purchase they want, namely, buying Chrysler.

Yes, the irony for some people is probably thick enough to cut with a knife, but let’s focus on the machinations currently being exercised in pursuit of this deal.

General Motors would dearly like all or even part of the $11.7 billion cash hoard that Chrysler has on hand, and is searching high and low in the markets for some entity or combination of entities to finance the acquisition deal. It is widely assumed at this point that “Plan B” involves seeking the financing from the United States federal government, which may be interested in providing same, under the “objectionable, but necessary” doctrine it has employed in the past weeks of market turmoil.

And there is no doubt that Cerberus, Chrysler’s current owner, just wants this auto industry nightmare to end as soon as possible. They would very much like to bid a fond farewell to this experiment gone so horribly wrong.

The practical result of a successful acquisition of Chrysler LLC by General Motors, however, basically means that Chrysler just disappears into the ether of automotive history, where it will join other marques like DuPont, Stanley, Duesenberg, Plymouth, LaSalle, Willys, Studebaker, AMC, Packard, Sears, Desoto, Cord, Rambler, Stutz, Oldsmobile, etc. Continue Reading