New Car Buying Tip: 08/01/2008

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Chrysler Considering Sale of Dodge Viper Program

Chrysler Considering Sale of Dodge Viper ProgramIt came to life as one Bob's pet project, and now another Bob may sell the Viper, permanently.When then-president Bob Lutz introduced the Viper concept at the 1989 Detroit auto show, public reaction was so great that the Cobra homage was greenlit for production. The car has now been in production since 1992 and has undergone several major revisions over its lifespan. It has a cult-like following with an active owners' club and yearly gatherings. It even spawned a short-lived television show in the mid-90s.And now Chrysler may give up what was once Dodge's halo car. Chrysler LLC chairman and CEO Bob Nardelli announced today that the company is looking into selling off the Dodge Viper program to help the struggling automaker focus on more relevant projects."We have been approached by third parties who are interested in exploring future possibilities for Viper," said Nardelli. "As the Company evaluates strategic options to maximize core operations and leverage its assets, we have agreed to listen to these parties. We will do so keeping in mind the best interests of those who have shown tremendous support for the vehicle - including employees, suppliers, dealers and a worldwide group of loyal Viper owners and enthusiasts. Viper is an integral part of this Company's heritage. While this is a strategic review, our intent would be to offer strong operational and financial support during any potential transaction, in order to ensure a future for the Viper business and perpetuate the legacy of this great vehicle."Cutting through the business talk, it's obvious that a potential sale would be an opportunity for Chrysler to make some money while discontinuing the niche model and also ensuring the vehicle's continued existence. In the statement, Chrysler was careful to note that this strategic review is "unique to the Viper specialty vehicle," and not a sign of the company trying to sell off all of its valuable assets.The sale would make sound financial sense. At this point, Dodge no longer needs a halo car, it needs high-volume products. The Viper was rumored to be at the end of its life anyway, so selling the brand and its associated assets would be a profitable way to cease production of a vehicle that would otherwise just disappear. Selling the Viper would boost the bottom line while freeing up members of the SRT team to work on projects that would do more to help the company's future.Who might these interested parties be? Given their investment in developing aftermarket packages for the Viper, we could see tuner company Hennessey as a logical suitor. Traditional Mustang-maker Saleen is another possibility, as the company is already responsible for painting the Viper's body panels at its Troy, Michigan, facility. If someone does end up buying the Viper, it would likely continue to be built in its current form with an agreement for Chrysler to supply the necessary shared parts. Other Viper suppliers would have to sign off on the deal as well, and would probably be happy to do so given their other option.From the enthusiast standpoint, we would like to see the Viper live on in capable hands, keeping its basic formula of mega power and grip. During its 16-year run, Dodge engineers took the Viper from a 400-hp beast to the present 600-hp version with handling and even creature comforts improving along the way. And just think of what the new owners could do with it once the corporate lawyers are no longer involved.Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

Saturday, August 30, 2008

GM's Ten Favorite Concept Cars

GM's Ten Favorite Concept CarsAlong with picking out its favorite production realities, the folks at GM dug through its portfolio and selected their top ten concept cars of the past 100 years. Here are the cars it deemed worthy of such a title.2007 Chevrolet Volt Why wouldn't GM love the Volt? The PR darling of the 2007 Detroit auto show has quickly transformed itself in to GM's future. Demand for the plug-in hybrid proved to be strong enough to warrant pushing it into production by 2010. Just don't expect the production car to look exactly like the concept. 2002 GM AUTOnomy Unlike most concepts, the AUTOnomy's most important features isn't its styling, but its chassis. The 'Skateboard' platform supposedly could house every component required for a fuel cell vehicle (i.e. batteries, tanks, fuel cell stack), allowing the possibility of interchangeable bodies. The idea is a long ways away from reality, but think of how using one common chassis - for all vehicles - would change the automotive industry. 1990 GM Impact While the idea and funding came directly from GM, the engineering behind the Impact show car didn't. Built and designed mostly by AeroVironment, a small group of engineers in California, the Impact was still the most viable electric car idea GM had ever fielded. 1987 GM Sunraycer Much of the inspiration for the Impact stemmed from GM's involvement with the Sunraycer, a solar-powered race car built in collaboration with Hughes Electronics and AeroVironment. The car ended up winning the World Solar Challenge in Australia, and eventually set a long-standing speed record for solar-powered vehicles. 1970 Vauxhall SRV Yes, it's a four-door. This slim wedge, designed by Wayne Cherry, was unveiled at the 1970 London motor show as an experiment in aerodynamics. Measuring only 41 inches tall, the SRV used electrically-adjustable rear suspension, an adjustable front spoiler, and could transfer fuel between two tanks to adjust weight distribution. 1965 Opel Experimental GT We love it when designers create something beautiful with a concept car, but we're thrilled when the design crosses into production with little change. Although it took four years to do so, the design of the Experimental GT (foreground) differed little from the production 1969 GT. The little coupe, looking remarkably similar to the 1969 Corvette, was built upon the chassis of the pedestrian Kadett sedan, with which it shared a 1.9-liter I-4. 1961 Chevrolet XP-755 "Mako Shark" Although it built upon the design of Bill Mitchell's Stingray SS racer of 1959, legend has it much of the XP-755's design (and color) were inspired by a shark Mitchell caught while on vacation. Shark cues, including a pointed nose and gills, were nicely integrated into the car, while a 425-hp, aluminum-block 454-cu.in V-8 (better known as the ZL-1) lurked underhood. 1954, 1956, 1958 Firebirds I, II, and III Although all three cars were collaborations between GM's Design Studios and Research Laboratories, it was a chance meeting between Harley Earl and Bill Turunen that sparked the birth of the Firebird series. Learning of Earl's Firebird 1 design - and the possibility of it using a Boeing jet engine, Turunen and his team began work on a series of gas turbine motors for passenger car applications. Other R&D features were tested on the cars: Firebird 1 featured disc brakes and four-wheel independent suspension, Firebird II could drive itself on specially-prepared roadways, and Firebird III featured a single joystick to control all driving motions. 1951 LeSabre Although it drew inspiration from the F86 jet fighter, the LeSabre wasn't powered by the exotic engines found in the Firebirds. Instead, it used a supercharged 215-cu-in. V-8 with an interesting flex-fuel set-up using two carburetors. One carb sucked in normal gasoline for low-speed driving, while another used methanol for that extra performance 'kick.' Other interesting features included air brakes and a power top that raised itself when it sensed rain. 1938 Buick Y Job No list of notable concept cars - GM or otherwise - is complete without mention of the Y Job. Crafted by Harley Earl, the Y Job was essentially the first show car, a test of the car's styling, not engineering. The car still looks elegant today - hidden headlamps clean up the front fascia, while a metal tonneau cover spiffs up the rear quarters.Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

Friday, August 29, 2008

Rumormill: Fisker planning four hybrid models

Filed under: Convertibles, Coupes, Hybrids/Alternative, Sedans/Saloons, SUVs, Green, Rumormill

Click above for high-res gallery of the Fisker Karma

Fisker Automotive is going to have its work cut out for it when it comes to meeting its self-imposed deadline of bring the Karma sedan to market by the fourth-quarter of 2009. To complicate matters even further, the automaker is now rumored to be working on three more plug-in hybrids. That would represent a truly serious undertaking for such a small automaker. To ease matters slightly, all four models would use the same basic underpinnings -- including the most important piece of all, the lithium ion battery and its assorted bits. Fisker has recruited Quantum Technologies, a company which has seen success building vehicles for the military, for help in creating the drivetrain for its electric vehicles. Reportedly on the drawing board are a coupe, a convertible and an SUV, all of which should go a long way towards meeting Fisker's goal of selling 15,000 vehicles a year by 2011.

Gallery: Fisker Karma

[Source: Channel 4]

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GM Picks Top Ten Greatest Production Cars

GM Picks Top Ten Greatest Production CarsEven with a hundred years of history behind it, General Motors has refrained from looking too much into its past. That said, with its centennial celebrations scheduled for September 16, 2008, GM decided to dig into its archives and select its ten favorite cars ever built. In chronological order, here they are:1996 GM EV1 Given that its cancellation continues to irk EV advocates to no end, we're a bit surprised to see this one here. Then again, it may be the single greatest piece of engineering GM's put into (limited) production. Thinking outside the box is one thing; implementing those thoughts for real-world driving and building a business case for them is quite another.1964 Pontiac GTO GM cites this as being the first "Muscle Car," a claim possibly challenged by the 1955 Chrysler 300C and the 1957 Rambler Rebel. That said, the GTO seems to be the epitome of what we love about '60s American iron: taught lines, plentiful interior space, and substantial amounts of power underhood. We'll also give it (and John Z. DeLorean) credit for reviving Pontiac, a brand that, at the time, was considered stodgy - not unlike today's Buick.1955 Chevrolet Bel Air The change from the 1954 to the 1955 Chevrolet couldn't have been more noticeable. Gone was the lumpy, ovoid shape introduced in 1953; in its place was a contemporary, cleanly-styled car with just the right amount of ornamentation. Look closely, and you'll also note just a hint of tailfin in the rear flanks. 1953 Chevrolet Corvette Never mind the underpowered "Blue Flame" I-6 or the two-speed automatic transmission: the 1953 Corvette was still sporty, if in looks alone. The fiberglass-bodied sports car has a pure, elegant form, in spite of a few bolt-on baubles. Although it wasn't the fastest thing on four wheels, the Corvette nameplate has since become a symbol for some of the greatest sports cars America can produce - ZR1, anyone?1950 Saab 92 You've heard it in all those ads: a team of sixteen Swedish aircraft engineers put their heads together, and produced this: the ovoid Saab 92. Although more complex than Citroen's 2CV, the 92 was still remarkable in its simplicity: that two-stroke two-cylinder engine produced only 25 hp, while the uncomplicated shape yielded a remarkable drag coefficient of .35. In Sweden, simple sold - nearly 20,000 examples were built over a seven year period before being replaced by the Saab 93. 1936 Opel Olympia Though GM notes the Olympia was the car that introduced Germany to unibody construction, we've also this car to thank for Russia's auto industry. During the chaos that was World War II, designs and tooling for the Olympia mysteriously made their way into Soviet hands, and became the 1946 Moskvitch. 1930 Cadillac V-16 Although it was a pre-war Cadillac that won the esteemed DeWar Trophy, it's hard to argue that the 1930 V-16 wasn't a "standard of the world." Indeed, the sixteen cylinder engine remains a legend in Cadillac's legacy. Essentially two straight-eights joined with a common crankshaft, the 7.4-liter monster produced 185 hp - paltry in today's world, but superb in its day. Perhaps more impressive is the engine's refinement: you may see a V-16 running at a concours d'elegance, but you'll be hard pressed to hear it... 1927 LaSalle While many GM brands focused on offering bang-for-the-buck or engineering marvels, none put any focus upon styling. That all changed with the LaSalle, a brand intended to slot between the Buick and Cadillac portfolios. GM turned to Harley Earl, a young designer then known for customizing cars for movie stars, to style the car. The LaSalle's success led to GM hiring Earl as a full-time designer, who then formed the Art and Colour Section - GM's first real design studio. 1912 Cadillac No history of GM is complete without mention of Charles "Boss" Kettering, an engineer and founder of the Dayton Electric Labs (aka Delco). Although Kettering had a part in many important innovations, the one that kick-started his career with General Motors was an electric self-starter, first launched on the 1912 Cadillac. The device was ingenious - no longer were drivers faced with the dangerous task of hand-cranking a motor, and Cadillac was able to sell the starter as yet another luxury. 1910 Cadillac Model 30 Yes, GM went on a Cadillac kick here, but there's no denying the Model 30's role in history: it's a hardtop. In fact, it's the first hardtop, built in an era where an "enclosed" car was little more than a convertible with ill-fitting side curtains attached to the top. Buyers may have found the upright styling unusual, but the fully-enclosed cabin allowed them to travel unimpeded by the elements or debris. Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Reader Spy: Chevy Volt caught on set of Transformers 2

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Paris Motor Show, Chevrolet, GM

Click either image to view full gallery of the production Chevy Volt

Ed sent us the top pic pilfered from the Transformers Live Action Blog and judging by the roofline, headlights and taillights, you're looking at the first picture of the production Chevy Volt. Not proof enough? Click on the image above and look closely at the metal plate in front of the sideview mirror. It's emblazoned with the four letters that spell out GM's savior. The Volt it is. Our boys at AutoblogGreen have already called upon the General's minions for a comment, but no response has been delivered to our inbox... yet.

UPDATE: We've found view video of the production Volt on the Transformers 2 set here. Also check out screen grabs like the one above that show the production Volt in full view in our gallery below.

Gallery: Production Chevy Volt

[Source: Transformers Live Action Blog]

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The blokes at Car say they've got the scoop on the upcoming Audi A7, including a convertible version depicted in the rendering on the right. Power is rumored to start with six cylinders across the range, with a V10-powered S7 and a twin-turbo V10-motivated RS7. Expect a variety of transmissions to be on offer as well, including manuals, automatics and dual-clutch gearboxes with six or seven speeds, along with the availability of quattro all-wheel-drive.

Sources have suggested that, while Audi will be behind the game in bringing a four-door coupe in the Mercedes CLS mold to market in the first half of 2010, it's got another segment-busting trick up it's sleeve: a full four-door convertible. And according to Car's illustrators, the A7 cabrio will feature a full retractable hard-top. Many have toyed with the idea of a four-door convertible - most recently arch-rival Mercedes with the Ocean Drive concept from Detroit '07 - but Audi may be the ones to actually revive the long-lost segment. Parade detail, here we come.

[Source: Car]

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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Mazda

The Chevy Volt is unique in that its engine is really just a generator that produces electricity for the batteries, which then power an electric motor that turns the front wheels for propulsion. While the Volt powertrain is pretty spectacular, it may not be unique for long. British car site AutoCar is reporting that Mazda is not only interested in a similar setup for a future plug-in hybrid, but it already has a working prototype on the road. Mazda engineers told AutoCar that a battery pack charged by a rotary engine is already being used in a Mazda5 mule, and that management is encouraged by the early results but wants to see battery costs go down before proceeding.

If Mazda is working on a series hybrid like the Chevy Volt, that means its owner, Ford, would have direct access to the same technology. We do, however, find it odd that Mazda would use a rotary engine in this setup. While the Wankel engine is very compact and light, it's not very efficient and sucks oil, at least in the RX-8. When it comes to plug-in hybrids, though, we're with AutoblogGreen in saying the more the merrier.

Gallery: Production Chevy Volt

[Source: AutoCar]

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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Etc., Green

A number of factors are conspiring to create a situation that recently would have been unthinkable: the United States as a supplier of gasoline to world markets. According to Booz & Company, those factors are the rise of biofuels in the West, the introduction of plug-in electric and other alternative fuel vehicles, and the growth of the really cheap car, like the Tata Nano.

The United States imports oil to feed its gasoline habit, but the U.S. has refining capacity that developing nations cannot match. The U.S. is also lowering its reliance on traditional gasoline due to the price, states' mandates on switching to biofuels, and the dawn of mass market alternative fuel vehicles. This adds up to the United States importing oil, and then selling it to nations like India and China to feed their larger appetites for gasoline.

In the middle of all of this are the refineries, who made predictions for today's business plans two decades ago. Sure, no one is crying for them -- they need extra pages to include the zeros on their profit statements -- but they have to start figuring out who's going to need which products and how they are going to deliver them. And, by refining company standards, they need to do it quickly, which is a method of operation they aren't well versed in.

[Source: Green Car Congress via Kicking Tires; Photo CC 2.0 - National Archives]

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Future Chevrolet Lineup Emphasizes Small Cars, Crossovers

Future Chevrolet Lineup Emphasizes Small Cars, CrossoversIf there's one GM brand that's not in doubt, it's Chevrolet. Although the lineup and model mixture needs some revision in order to remain viable, we hear the division will receive more new models over the next five years than any other GM marque. Here's a quick look at what may be in order.2009 What's on deck for 2009? A Silverado Hybrid enters production early in the year, while the Traverse crossover allows dealers to offer fire sales on both Uplander minivans and Trailblazer SUVs. Oh, and there's the Camaro. Although it's technically a 2010 model, production of the neo-muscle coupe in GM's factory in Oshawa, Ontario, begins in February. 2010 We'll call 2010 the 'Year of the Delta.' Chevrolet will bring two compact cars riding on the new platform to market, the first being the Cruze. The car, designed overseas but scheduled for assembly in Ohio, will effectively replace the Cobalt sedan in 2010. The coupe, however, may stay in Chevy's portfolio if the General shifts production to Mexico. The other Delta introduction lies with the buzzworthy Chevrolet Volt. Should battery suppliers pan out, GM hopes to push the plug-in hybrid into production by 2010. On the SUV front, the Equinox is expected to have a complete redesign, riding again on GM's Theta platform. 2011 Automotive News claims the Aveo will be redesigned for 2011, but we wonder if that name will stick. A new subcompact car, using GM's global Gamma architecture, will arrive sporting styling from either the Groove or Trax concepts of 2007. Like the Aveo, the new small car will be engineered mostly by Daewoo, but will instead be built in Mexico. We're also hearing of some radical changes for the HHR - the PT Cruiser clone will shed its retro digs in favor of a 'mini-minivan' approach, much like that of the Mazda 5. We're not sure what word will replace the "Heritage" in the car's acronym, but the van will be built off the Opel Zafira minivan - itself being considered for Saturn's lineup. While the light-duty pickups will change little, expect to see some revisions applied to the heavy-duty (2500 and 3500) Silverados. We'd wager on seeing some changes to the trucks' powertrain, along with subtle styling tweaks. 2012 If GM had its way, the Impala sedan would have been redesigned for 2010, riding atop the rear-wheel-drive Zeta chassis. Today's economy and a new CAFE mandate have killed that idea. Instead, the Impala will move to the Epsilon platform, allowing it to grow slightly wider than the current car. GM had also hoped to restyle the Malibu sedan for 2010, but cost cutting postponed the program. If a restyled Malibu is to emerge, we're told it may appear in 2012 with a shorter length and wheelbase to appease CAFE. On the performance front, a Camaro convertible will finally be offered, but no turbocharged I-4 - as was once rumored - is expected to appear underhood. 2012 will also mark the first look at an all-new Corvette (C7), although it technically will arrive as a 2013 model. Looking at Chevy's truck portfolio, a proposed redesign for the Colorado, headed by GM's engineering staff in Brazil, is postponed for the U.S. market. Perhaps most radical are the plans for the next generation of full-size sport-utes, including the Tahoe, Suburban, and Avalanche. For the sake of fuel economy, these beasts may be downsized onto a longer version of the Lambda crossover. Source: Automotive NewsRead More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Ford to meet with dealers about future products, try to close stores

Filed under: Car Buying, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury

2008 has been a historically woeful year for the auto market, but Ford dealers have been in the crosshairs of a sales decline for over a decade. That brutal reality, along with financial incentives of up to $700,000 or more from the Blue Oval, has lead to the closure of over 500 dealers since mid-2006, and over 150 so far in 2008. To close still more dealers while giving remaining stores a heads-up of future happenings, Ford is embarking on a series of meetings with Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers. Among the topics of discussion will be future products, product volume and market conditions.

Though Ford isn't stating publicly how many dealerships it wishes to close, the Blue Oval is hoping to have enough departures to make the remaining dealerships healthy. Ford would like to see Ford brand dealers with 1,500 sales per month and Lincoln Mercury dealers with 600 sales per month, which is far higher than what Ford's 3,900 stores are averaging now. To help entice dealers to hang up their plaid sport coats, Ford will be offering cash incentives, but Ford Market Representation Director David Kelleher is hinting that those deals won't last long.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd, Photo by Scott Olson/Getty]

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Company Turns Familiar Gas Cars Into Electric Vehicles

How would you like to drive an all-electric Mini? An EV Smart Car? A PT Cruiser? With the help of Hybrid Technologies, you can. They’ve taken many familiar vehicles, ripped out their engines, and replaced them with lithium batteries and electric motors. On the surface it makes great sense and it seems there would be a huge demand for this sort of thing. Electric cars are nearly maintenance free. They don’t need oil changes and they have 90% fewer parts than gas cars. Plus, these EVs look like the normal cars that are already popular with many folks. Cool. How much will it cost? Glad you asked. How about a slick $40,000 for an all electric Toyota Yaris hatchback? Or $60,000 for the Mini? Come on now, I know you wanted that Beemer, but let’s be realistic, the price of gas is only rising and you never liked going to get oil changes anyways. Given the savings on fuel and maintenance, the company states that they believe their prices are “competitive” with other vehicles when looked at over a 7 to 10 year time frame. Although this is probably true, I see some issues with their business model. To start with, I’m guessing that coming up with $60,000 all at once (or even paying $1,200 a month on a 5 year loan at 7% interest) would be out of the realm of “doable” for the demographic typically interested in buying a Yaris, a PT Cruiser, or a Mini. Secondly, at $60,000, you’re 60% of the way to buying yourself a Tesla Roadster with much better stats (not to mention a status factor light years beyond a mere all-electric PT Cruiser). Chances are, if you have $60,000 you can throw at a vehicle, you probably can manage the stretch to $100,000 as well. Lastly, I think the company has missed a bigger consumer demand for converting cars that people already own into all-electric vehicles. If you’ve owned something like a PT cruiser for 6 years, you’ve probably paid it off and you might be thinking of buying a new car. Buying a new car would cost you around $25,000. If the conversion to all-electric costs around $25,000, why not just do that instead? In the process they remove all the parts that tend to break down, you end up with a car that costs pennies per mile to operate, and you’ve essentially recycled your old car. In 4 years time, I’d do that with my 2007 Yaris in a heartbeat. Posts related to Electric Car Conversions and Other Electric Cars: Get 120 MPG Out of Your Prius (Plug It In) Sick of Gas?: Convert Your Car To Run On Electricity An Electric Car With Muscle: The 175 MPGe X1 Prototype by Wrightspeed Inc. Inflatable Electric Cars: Surround Your Body in Bliss An Electric Car You Can Buy Today: The $20K TRIAC EV Snapshot of Battery Technology for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Cars Image Credits: Hybrid Technologies

Cheap, stylish ride: Oxymoron or attainable dream?

Filed under: Car Buying, Economy, Humor

Is it possible to buy a car that's both inexpensive and ultra cool? Can a $22,000 Toyota Prius really get you the same respect from the valet as a $70,000 BMW? That's what "Wired Magazine" wants to know, and they're asking readers to decide which of five relatively cheap cars they would feel coolest driving.

So far, the most expensive of the bunch, the Prius, is in third place with only 18% of the vote. Behind it with 11% is an early-'90s Volvo and a 25-year-old Mercedes 300 SDL. In first place, with a big lead over a used Ford Mustang, is a 1995-1997 Jaguar XJ6.

Really? Those are the only choices we get? For the price of that 2005 V6 Mustang, you could get yourself a real tire-smoking, V8-powered 1966 Mustang. Sure it'll need some paint, probably some fresh Bondo and maybe a transmission overhaul, but that builds character in both owner and car.

Or if you're not into power, don't even think about that wheezy Volvo. Go German instead, and get a classic VW Beetle. You'll pay more than what that boxy sedan cost, but the cool factor of the Bug will more than make up for it.

So what say you, Autoblog fans? What cheap transportation would you choose for its cool-boosting properties? Or is "Wired" right on the money?

[Source: Wired Magazine]

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Tuesday, August 26, 2008

In the Autoblog Garage: 2007 Toyota Prius Touring

Filed under: Garage, Economy, Hybrids/Alternative, Hatchbacks, Toyota

Click image for high-res gallery of the 2007 Toyota Prius Touring

Regarding Toyota's poster child for "green" motoring, I had never really been a fan and I'm as guilty as anyone of taking the occasional swipe at the petro-lectro hatch. Hey, it's an easy target. With some followers who see it as a kind of four-wheeled Messiah capable of preventing the sky from falling, it's easy to look at the Prius, roll your eyes, and scoff at the hyperbolic ridiculousness that is "Prius Culture." I had done all these things. Call me a hater. I don't mind. To top things off, I had never even driven a Prius. So I asked Toyota for one, figuring that if I was going to continue being a smartass, I might as well be an informed one.

Gallery: 2007 Toyota Prius Touring

Continue reading In the Autoblog Garage: 2007 Toyota Prius Touring

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AutoblogGreen for 08.26.08

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green

click to visit AutoblogGreen

Design. It's certainly a cornerstone of the auto industry. And as cars get cleaner from a fuel/emissions perspective, the look often does, too. What should we make of the Hinterland 1 concept car, then? I think there might be clone troopers inside, while the exterior - and interior - of the new Ed Hardy(R) Smart is also a place where design runs wild. That should delight more than a few people. As for the design of the rumored Cadillac "Volt", well, we'll just have to wait and see.

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Monday, August 25, 2008

Honda Begins â€œProductionâ€ of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle

Honda has started rolling the first US specification FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell sedans off a production line in Japan to be delivered to a small group of hand-picked high-profile California test customers. Leases to these customers, including Jamie Lee Curtis, are scheduled to begin in July. The combined sales plan for the US and Japan calls for a few dozen to be leased the first year with about 200 total units leased over the next three years. The FCX Clarity was designed from scratch as a dedicated fuel cell vehicle and is powered by the relatively compact Honda V Flow fuel cell stack. With a 280 mile range per tankful of hydrogen, Honda claims it has a miles-per-gallon-gasoline-equivalent (GGE) fuel economy rating of 74 mpg (how’s that for a confusing tongue twister of a concept?). Honda chose California as the starting place for the roll-out because, currently, California has the best liquid hydrogen distribution network in all of the US â€" with plans to expand the existing network of hydrogen fueling stations even more. Hydrogen fuel cells create electricity to run a vehicle in the same way as a battery powered vehicle. However, fuel cells need to have their electricity generating substance (e.g. hydrogen) constantly replenished, whereas batteries are a closed system that can be recharged by plugging them into an outlet. To accommodate the special equipment needed in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, Honda has designed and built a new dedicated assembly line. The assembly line includes processes for installing the fuel cell stack and hydrogen tank. Because of the potentially explosive nature of storing compressed liquid hydrogen on board, the attention to detail must be very high. Obviously, the adoption of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles at any meaningful level is going to be entirely dependent upon accessibility to compressed liquid hydrogen refueling stations (unless hydrogen can truly be produced in large enough quantities in the vehicle and on-demand by some other means). This is no small road block and it leaves me still wondering if hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will ever really make it big. But I guess it’s a good thing to research all the different possibilities for cars of the future. Eventually a few technologies will settle out as the winners and the world will be better off for it. I could be eating my words in 10 years, but I just don’t think hydrogen fuel cells are going to be one of those winners though. Posts related to Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Vehicles: VW Debuts Tiguan HyMotion Fuel-Cell Vehicle and 2009 Clean Diesel Jetta GM Backs Hydrogen Refueling Station Near LA Toyota Announces New 516-Mile Range Fuel-Cell/Electric Hybrid Want to Test Drive a Hydrogen Powered Car? GMâ€™s â€œProject Drivewayâ€ Looking For Drivers Provoq Concept Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Vehicle Company Unveils Hydrogen Hybrid Supercar: Available Fall 2008 Safe Hydrogen Fuel System Ready for Market and Your Car! Save Gas Without Losing Your Shirt: 3 Gas Saving Devices with High Scam Potential Image Credit: Honda Motor Company

Sunday, August 24, 2008

gran turismo 5 prologue

gran turismo 5 prologueLike most car guys, I got Gran Turismo 5 Prologue the day it came out. The funny thing is that I didn't even have to go wait in line to get it. My fiancÃ© was nice enough to buy me a copy on her lunch break(yes, I am that lucky). Now for a review of the game.I have been a huge fan of Gran Turismo since the first edition on PS1. I have spent countless hours sitting in front of my TV and I am now such a "turbo nerd" I have a seat and Logitech force feedback wheel in my living room. The set-up is nice, but I have heard that the new wheel is even better.I had an opportunity to demo prologue at SEMA last year and I left extremely impressed. I think the graphics on the release version are even better than I remember. The in car view is astounding with full dash boards and even the drivers arms. Outside the car, the views are equally as amazing. Those of us who have been playing HD for months will be surprised at the big jump in quality.The driving physics in Prologue have improved upon what was already a great physics engine. The car moves realistically and behaves very much like the real thing. I have heard several complaints about the physics being too fake. I have a feeling most of the complainers are confusing it with too realistic. These are the guys that go into a turn standing on brakes and yank the wheel to one side and expect the car to turn. Tell ya what, get in your car, go to a track, get up to 80mph, lay into the brakes and jerk the wheel. Tell me how that turns out for you.The few complaints I have with Prologue is the lack of tracks. I realize this is Prologue it isn't supposed to be a full version. Unfortunately however, they didn't include any of my favorite tracks. The selection of cars is good, but I am annoyed you are forced to buy certain cars to compete in a single race.This leads me to my next point. I like driving in Gran Turismo, I am not a huge race fan. Would it be completely outside the realm of possibility to just give me everything in the beginning? Maybe I just want to turn on the game, pick any car I want and drive it wherever I want. I get annoyed at running race after race, I paid for the entire game, give to me.My problems with the entire video game paradigm aside, this is by far the best and most accurate driving simulator ever. I can't wait for the full version, I am just not looking forward to the hours I will have to spend to drive all the cars I am looking forward too. Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

Saturday, August 23, 2008

AutoblogGreen for 12.26.07

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green

If you got stuck in a traffic jam this holiday, wouldn't it be terrible to come to the end of it and realize that there's no obvious cause? Just nothing there? Some mathematicians now think they understand why. If you were wondering why your favorite Christmas beer was more expensive, some say to blame ethanol.

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Friday, August 22, 2008

lotus daily driver

lotus daily driverThe fastest car I have driven lately was a 700hp 996tt. I am saying this up front because that always seems to be the answer to the question I get asked most often. People always want to know whatâ€™s the fastest. No one cares about the most fun, or even the best fuel economy. The most fun would be a Lotus Exige S 240 and the best fuel economy would be an Audi A4 Avant 2.0TDI.I guess there was a long time when I considered the most fun car out there to be the fastest. That quickly wears off when you are constantly around truly fast cars. You begin to realize that just blasting around in a straight line gets old pretty quick. Take for example the 996tt compared to the Exige. The 996 is a huge, hulking vehicle compared to the Lotus. The thing is almost 70% heavier and bigger in every dimension. The clutch on this particular car was brutal to operate and basically felt like an on/off switch. The Lotus on the other hand has a weighty substantial clutch, but is easily managed in traffic and takes up like a standard Golf, no drama or jerking, just smooth operation.The 996 feels as though you are always holding it back, keeping it in shackles and tamed. As linear as the power band is and as willing as it is to idle, it feels as though it is in pain driving around town at low speeds. The Lotus on the other hand is perfectly comfortable dawdling around town and performing daily tasks. It may be much harder to get in and out of, but once inside the comfort level is nearly as high as the Porsche.To really drive either car you need to be on a racetrack. With that said however, the Lotus can prove to be entertaining driven at just about any level. Freeway ramps, traffic circles and just normal driving are all entertaining, even driving at 5/10 the cars ability just because of the amount of feedback the car gives. The Porsche on the other hand, doesnâ€™t really reward until driving at nearly 8/10 of what the car can do, and with 700hp, all wheel drive and bi sticky rubber, that will more than likely land you in jail. The Lotus is by no means slow. It will hit 60mph in just a tick over 4 seconds; yet you donâ€™t have to drive it like that for it to be fun.The Porsche may make a more comfortable daily driver, but it certainly wonâ€™t be as fun a daily driver. It is ironic since Lotus bills itself as a company that makes track cars, yet its cars are still so much fun on the street. The beauty of it is, the Elise is actually very close in fun level on the street, and used Elises are starting to become rather reasonable. I may just have to pick one up soon.Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

Thursday, August 21, 2008

BMW bumps its prices for 2009

Filed under: Car Buying, BMW

High commodities prices and the unflattering value gap between the Euro and U.S. Dollar are forcing a lot of European automakers to bump their prices here in the States. We told you a few weeks ago that BMW was planning on raising the sticker price on many of its products, and now we're starting to see the extent of the damage. The price changes range from an increase of $600 on a 128i to $1,400 on an M6. The 335i received several MSRP increases, with the sedan going up by $800, the coupe by $1,200, and a raise of $1,300 for the convertible. The 328i sedan, meanwhile, rose $700 to an MSRP of $33,400.

Options also went up in price, as the dual clutch on the M3 has gone up by $200 making it a $2,900 option. The sport package for the 335i sedan and coupe has risen by $450, and some standard equipment like the Logic 7 Sound System has been nixed for 2009. Beginning in October, iPhone integration can also be had for $150. Since $150 is almost the price of the phone, that one smarts just a bit. To see more 2009 BMW pricing (except for the new 7-Series), hit the read link below.

[Source: BMW Blog, photo by rahims | CC 2.0]

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2008 Woodward Dream Cruise in a 2008 Audi R8

2008 Woodward Dream Cruise in a 2008 Audi R8The Woodward Dream Cruise. It's my favorite day of the summer; a collection of everything vehicular that one could possibly imagine (or dream, even) parked along or rolling down Woodward Avenue.This year, as always, I saw the old (muscle cars, '57 Chevys, E-type Jags), the newer-than-new (ZR1s and Challengers for all!), the obscure (a Citroen C3 Pluriel and several other Europe-only cars) and the truly unique (a mid-90s Dodge Ram dually that had been widened stem to stern to look like a single-rear-wheel truck*). And people saw me - or more accurately the supercar I was driving.With the senior edit staff off in California attending a more exclusive car show, I was left the keys to the magazine's Four Seasons Audi R8 for the weekend. It was my first time in the car and I quickly found that everyone, and I mean everyone, notices the R8.I didn't really mind most of the attention, though I did feel weird receiving it in such an expensive car that wasn't mine - especially when several people had the moxie to ask what it cost. At that point, I felt compelled to tell them I didn't own it. Others just asked what it was, whether it was a new model, or who was letting me drive it. (I was glad that not everyone assumed I was an R8 owner.)It started on Friday night when I pulled up next to a new Challenger wearing a manufacturer's plate. Apparently the gentleman inside needed to prove that his car, like mine, had an engine. After making a drifty left turn that almost put his car into a wall, he did a burnout next to me and continued to pace alongside the R8, gunning his engine and lurching forward when traffic allowed. Cool Mopar, guy.Out on Woodward, I was like a kid in a slow-moving, gasoline-fueled candy store, my eyes constantly darting from one unique creation to the next. I've been present for most of the 14 Dream Cruises so far including the first in 1995, but this was the first time I was the one being seen and not just doing the seeing myself. While creeping along on Saturday I pointed something out to my passenger, saying "that's cool!" as I did so many times over the weekend. Someone in an old Camaro one lane over heard me, pointed back at us and said, "No, that's cool." TouchÃ©, sir.The attention was not limited to the cruise and continued at highway speeds. I had people come up behind me at 90-plus mph to get a look at the car. Cameraphones snapped away while cars hovered in the R8's blind spot. Thumbs up and funny stares were par for the course around town and on the freeway. People stop and stare wherever this car goes.I enjoyed my weekend of indirect attention and my first R8 experience. All of the eyes on the car got me thinking: I could probably use it to get a date. I may have to test that hypothesis soon.*If anyone knows anything about that widened Ram, please share in the comments.Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

2008 Woodward Dream Cruise

2008 Woodward Dream CruiseIf sitting in gridlock traffic along Woodward Avenue on Thursday night sounds stupid, I willingly did the same all day on Saturday.Â Then again, it wasn't just any traffic - it was officially the 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise, and the traffic was made up of all sorts of weird and wonderful vehicles.Although this homologation-spec Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 was moving considerably slower than it did in its Group B rally days, it still proved elusive to my camera.Â Go figure.I wouldn't argue that, in their day, Dodge Darts weren't commonfare.Â A Dodge Dart wagon, however, is considerably harder to come by.Â This car, which looks to be a '65, was in great shape.Even the Michigan State Police got into the act, bringing their lone remaining Fox-body Mustang Special Service coupe down from Lansing to patrol the boulevard.Pity the driver of this 1967 AMC Marlin.Â Seems the Kenosha iron underhood was suffering from vapor-lock, making the car and its passengers sitting ducks in the middle of Woodward traffic.Â Fortunately, we saw the car up and running later in the afternoon.Think that Peugeot wasn't quirky enough for you?Â I spotted a few British Fords, including this amazingly well-kept Anglia Thames panel van sitting by 14 Mile Road and Woodward.OK, so I wasn't able to hit the 'NextCruise' this year (maybe next?), but I did witness some small gatherings of electric vehicles at an event dominated by dinosaur-fueled machines.Â One example was this Jet Electrica van - hey, any Subaru Sambar microvan powered by lead-acid batteries is sure to win my affection.I didn't major in marketing, but I'm willing to guess if I were launching a new Camaro, I'd take full advantage of an event that celebrates past Camaros and attracts droves of Camaro fanatics.Â Sadly, GM didn't seem to share this mentality - you're looking at the only advert we saw for the car during the cruise.And speaking of the car, we only saw one Camaro - the red RS model featured in our early stories - present at the cruise.Â No, no one fired it up.Â And no, it didn't occasionally make its way down Woodward Avenue.Â A shame; even the SSR had the honor of taking to the street during its launch.Â Then again, perhaps Chevy's hoping the Camaro won't follow that car's path...I came across this comparison test in Birmingham.Â To be truthful, I'm still not sure which - the Gremlin or the cardboard box - is more aerodynamic.Visitors to Saturn's stand could enter to win this: a 'limited edition' Bon Jovi-edition Outlook.Â We kid you not, and outside of a few crazy logos on the crossover, we couldn't tell how it differed from a regular XE model - although I'm hoping there's a Flowbee in the center console.A mini-parade of Ford movie cars formed in Birmingham, led by this Batmobile clone (the original was built from the Lincoln Futura show car)......and followed by this LTD.Â If you've not had the honor of seeing one of these babies go full-keel around the corner, may we remind you that Hawaii Five-0 is conveninently now on DVD...Unbeknownst to me, one of these cars may be related to our own David Gluckman.Â All I'll say is the chain is shorter than the whole Kevin Bacon fad, and no, you won't win a tee-shirt for connecting the dots.Say what you will about K-cars, but our copy editor here will knife-fight anyone who says these cars aren't 'klassics' in their own right.Ah, the lonely Corvan.Â This may well be the ideal vehicle for taking your friends and family through the cruise: it's a classic, has room for six to nine people plus a cooler or two, and is virtually incapable of overheating.Â Perfect.Amidst a pack of angry F-bodies was this: a beige 1977 Toyota Celica.Â Thumbs-up for federalized bumpers!On paper, the idea of restoring a milk truck seems odd.Â In reality, a restored Divco is delightful.Â The Chrysler Airflow-meets-postal truck styling changed little over its lifespan, making it hard to place the vintage of this truck.Insert your own 'goes to dogs' comment here.Â I saw so many examples of this, I'm out of both fresh and recycled material.I saw a few grey-market import Skyline GT-Rs throughout the weekend, but the award for hottest JDM-import goes to this: a 1991 Nissan Figaro convertible in pale green.Â Whadd'ya mean, joking?Â I'm dead serious.Nash Metropolitans are cool, but who knew Cragar made alloys in 11-inch diameter?It's a cluttered shot, but when's the last time you saw an early-60s International Travellall in this shape?Â I thought as much.Continuing with that SUV-theme, someone had a nice Jeep Commando parked on a side street.Yes, it's a freakin' bus, but let's look at the context of this photo.Â Unbeknownst to the driver, he managed to park his (mostly original) 1954 GM PD-4104 no more than two blocks from where it was built 54 years ago in Pontiac, Michigan. Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

GM adds 12-month/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty on certified used vehicles

Filed under: Car Buying, Maintenance, GM

Now that leasing seems to be going through a slow phase-out, shoppers looking for a good deal on a newish vehicle may take a harder gander at certified pre-owned models. GM realizes this and has responded by ~~ambushing customers~~ increasing the warranty coverage on the CPO models for all of its brands, minus Cadillac which has its own program. The new warranty stands at 12-months or 12,000 miles and begins when the CPO purchase is made -- an increase of up to nine-months over the previous guarantee. Being a "bumper-to-bumper" warranty, everything excluding wear items like tires and brakes are covered for manufacturing defects. The powertrain warranty remains: five years or 100,000 miles from when it was sold as new.

GM hopes that this increased coverage has a corresponding effect on its CPO sales. What's more, the automaker also believes that this action will have a desirable effect on its vehicle's residual values.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

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2008 Cadillac CTS awd

2008 Cadillac CTS awdThe 2008 Cadillac CTS I drove for a week was loaded to the gunwales with options, pushing the price to $48,240. An $8165 luxury package bought a high-end stereo with music hard drive, navigation, an extra-huge sunroof, heated and cooled seats, leather and wood, passive keyless entry, full power seats, rear park assist, and other lesser items. In addition, this car had a $1740 performance package (sport suspension, eighteen-inch wheels, HID headlamps, a limited slip differential, an uprated cooling system, and fog lights). A high-performance braking system was a separate item, at $395. Another major sticker inflator was all-wheel drive, at $1900.The black-on-black Caddy made a good initial impression. The interior is striking; its materials and design need no excuses. Outside, this second-generation of the art & science (whatever happened to that tagline, by the way?) design is beautifully realized. But the car's price struck me as very high, and many of the options seemed of dubious value.The first few days I had it, I drove it only up and down the steep hills of our town, and the gas mileage was horrible. It was mired in the 13-mpg range, and I wondered if the all-wheel drive was to blame. EPA tests for the 306-hp CTS rate both the RWD and AWD versions at 16 city/22 highway, but in the real world there may be a penalty. Eventually, I took a 10-hour road trip and despite heavy traffic the overall mileage improved to 21 mpg. On that trip I encountered several severe downpours, and the AWD CTS plowed through it all, for which all-wheel drive perhaps bears some of the credit.GM's navigation system, however, once again proved disappointing. Sample failing: I-287 ends at I-95, and as I'm leaving I-287 and entering I-95 east, it tells me to keep following I-287 for the next 8 miles. I also couldn't get it to display the map alongside the XM radio info; it only wanted to show the list of upcoming exits (a function I find pretty worthless) alongside the radio info.I also grew to hate the passive keyless entry, mostly for its passive locking feature. (If you have the fob in your pocket, the car automatically locks as soon as you walk more than a few feet away from it.) This means that if the driver carries some item into the house, the cars locks itself while your passenger is still getting stuff out of the car. Or when you walk up to open your front door, the car locks itself before your passengers have gotten out, and they then set off the alarm. Passive unlocking is fine; keyless starting is fine; passive locking is annoying.The 306-hp engine is gutsy and the automatic never makes a false move, although I was surprised to find no shift paddles, particularly considering the sport package. The steering is nicely weighted, but the sport suspension feels stiffly sprung and under damped.Overall, I think less is more when checking the option boxes on the CTS. It also certainly would be cheaper.Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

China may replace Germany as VW's top market

Filed under: Car Buying, China, Volkswagen

Volkswagen was one of the pioneers in infiltrating the booming Chinese market, and now the automaker's early efforts are paying off handsomely. VW is planning to sell over 1 million vehicles in the land of the Great Wall in 2008, which should mean that the automaker's China sales will surpass those in Germany for the first time ever. While that may make it sound like there's a problem with VW's Germany sales, it's more a testament to a 19% market share in a country with 1.4 billion people.

Volkswagen is also keeping the heat on the Chinese market, with 14 new vehicles scheduled for launch during the next two years. That's a substantially faster pace than the 11 products VW updated in the previous three years, and a big reason why sales will likely continue to rise. The automaker is turning a serious profit in China, and with products like the affordable and efficient up! on the horizon, Germany's volume automaker looks to be set up well in the worlds fastest-emerging market.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

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Monterey 2008: Pebble Beach celebrates California Spyder's 50th

Filed under: Time Warp, Convertibles, Sports/GTs, Misc. Auto Shows, Ferrari

Click image above for high-res gallery of pics of the Ferrari California Spyders

The 250 GT California Spyder is one of Ferrari's most celebrated (and valuable) models, most often remembered by the general public for its starring role in the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off. This year marked the Spyder's 50th anniversary, and the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance celebrated the occasion by giving the car its very own class. Six variations of the car were produced, all of which were displayed on the 18th fairway including the original prototype and a competition version that raced at both Sebring and Le Mans. Follow the jump for more information on these amazing cars and enjoy the high resolution gallery below.

Gallery: Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder 50th Anniversary

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Monday, August 18, 2008

How To Buy New Toyota Emblems from a GM Dealer

How To Buy New Toyota Emblems from a GM DealerThe apocalypse is nigh. I say that not because of global warming, rising fuel costs, insane resale values for Geo Metros, or anything touted by cable news' various talking heads.I say this because I purchased brand new Toyota emblems from a General Motors dealership.No, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you. What you see are, in fact, two Toyota emblems sealed within polystyrene, with each bag reading "Genuine GM Parts." And yes, those do happen to be valid GM part numbers to boot.Before the brand-loyal fanatics on either side of the aisle jump up in protest, let me play Mr. Spock and insist to you that there's a logical reason for these parts. And no, it doesn't involve Bizzaro World. In 1996, Japanese Toyota dealers began stocking the Toyota Cavalier, a badge-engineered version of the Chevrolet Cavalier. Although Toyota executives saw it as a means to expand GM's presence in Japan, dealers weren't enthused. And why would they be? Although Japanese consumers inexplicably revered the Chevrolet Astro, customers found fault with the Cavalier's buzzy engine, dismal interior, and expensive price tag (all criticisms of the car in its domestic market, by the way). There was no way the J-body could compete against Toyota's superior offerings, especially when they were sold within the same showroom. Initial hopes were to sell 20,000 units annually in Japan, but by July of '96, Toyota moved only 6700 Cavaliers. A number of mild changes (including a TRD-tuned model) tried to increase consumer interest, but by 2000, Toyota simply gave up. GM's Service Parts Operations, however, hasn't. Like most eight-year old GM vehicles, plenty of the parts specific to the Toyota Cavalier, including airbag covers, rear seatbacks, taillamps, and, of course, emblems, are stocked by GM's parts warehouse in Lansing, Michigan. And, like any other eight-year old GM component, each of these JDM-specific parts carry GM unique part numbers. In theory, ordering the Toyota parts is as easy as walking to your parts counter and handing them the specific parts numbers - although there is a catch. Many dealers quickly note that these are export parts, and fitting such parts - especially when it comes to emissions or lighting parts - would render a customer's vehicle non-compliant with federal standards. As a result, if they'll even let you order the parts, a manager will soon call back to let you know the order's been nixed.However, some parts counters realize the Japanese emblems don't modify the Cavalier's DOT compliance any more than adding a Z24 badge would. These folks, apparently few and far between, will actively work around the red tape. Such was the case with the third dealer I called, who even (somehow) managed to fulfill the order within four days time. Sure, they're just emblems, but it makes for a great party trick - especially when you note that Toyota dealers sell a similar logo for nearly $2-10 more than what GM asks. Read More | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Th!nk Ox: An Electric Car With Style and Smarts

Norwegian company Th!nk is hoping to kick start the market for electric cars with its upcoming five-seater, the Ox. Although an Ox is not what I’d call a particularly stylish or intelligent animal, don’t let the name confuse you â€" the Th!nk Ox could be about the most attractive and functional electric car ever designed. Before the debate starts over that claim, note the all-important “and” between the words attractive and functional. Due out in 2010/2011, the Ox is about the size of a Toyota Prius. It can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 8.5 seconds, travel between 125 and 155 miles on a single charge, and its lithium-ion batteries can be charged to 80% capacity in less than an hour. Solar panels on its roof power equipment such as the radio, navigation system, instrument panel, and air conditioning â€" even while parked with the car switched off. The Ox is fully connected: GPS, mobile internet, a customizable digital dashboard, as well as a whole host of other modern features, all link the driver to his or her surroundings. In April we wrote about Th!nk’s new North American partnership with venture firms RockPort Capital and Kleiner Perkins. This partnership gave rise to ThInk North America. It may not seem like a big deal, but Rockport Capital and Kleiner Perkins have an excellent track record when it comes to choosing and investing in winners. Indeed, both firms provided much needed funding to companies such as Amazon and Google when they were mere start-ups. These days, with the number of start-up electric vehicle companies nearing the ridiculous stage, it’s hard to know who among them will actually stand the test of time. Yet Th!nk has positioned itself to be a promising competitor in the race, and, from the get-go, looks as if it has endurance. Not only does Think have the backing of the above venture powerhouses, its first vehicle, the City, is already being sold in Europe for around US $25,000. Think is on track to sell about 10,000 of them there this year. With the establishment of Think North America, the City will be available to US customers by early 2009. What does this mean for the rest of us? Given that Th!nk already has a working product and has the backing of some prestigious financiers, it looks like the Ox is for real. It’s exciting to think it might be my next car. Posts Related to Electric Cars: The All-Electric (EV) CitiCar: Powered by the Sun Mindset Six50 Electric Car Mixes Gas, Li-Ion and Solar Power Company Turns Familiar Gas Cars Into Electric Vehicles An Electric Car With Muscle: The 175 MPGe X1 Prototype by Wrightspeed Inc. Inflatable Electric Cars: Surround Your Body in Bliss An Electric Car You Can Buy Today: The $20K TRIAC EV Apteraâ€™s $26,000 Electric Car and 300 MPG Hybrid Coming Soon Tesla Motors Sues Fisker Automotive Over Electric Car Design Teslaâ€™s First Electric Vehicle, 2008 Roadster, Now Under Production Subaru Unleashes R1e Electric Car on New York Chevy Voltâ€™s Lithium-Ion Batteries Road- Tested By Monthâ€™s End Image credits: Th!nk Global Source: Businessweek

Saturday, August 16, 2008

VIDEO: Schumi shows off Ferrari 430 Scuderia to customers

Filed under: Car Buying, Videos, Supercars, Ferrari

Click above to watch the video

Not that the deal would need to be sweetened, but buying the latest Ferrari supercar comes with perks. For a group of European customers who came to Maranello to take possession of their new 430 Scuderias, that included a hands-on advanced driving course to show them what their new rides could do. And who better to demonstrate the capabilities of the fastest car ever to lap Fiorano than the driver who helped develop it? Follow the jump and you'll find a video of Michael Schumacher glad-handing the millionaires and their new rides around Ferrari's private on-site test track, posting hot laps and drifting around the wet handling course. Prepare to be jealous.

Gallery: Frankfurt 2007: Ferrari F430 Scuderia

[Source: FerrariWorld channel on YouTube]

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Filed under: Convertibles, Rolls-Royce

Click above for high-res gallery of the Pininfarina Hyperion

The one-off Pininfarina Hyperion made its debut tonight at the Gooding & Company auction tent, and we were on hand to see the cover come off this highly anticipated coach-built convertible. Their was a somewhat somber mood among the Pininfarina team, who dedicated the car to the car to the late Andrea Pininfarina, but their spirits were lifted as the Hyperion received an excellent reaction from the crowd as it was unveiled. The car looks truly stunning in person, and we prefer the styling of the Hyperion over the standard Drophead Coupe. The hood is incredibly long, due in part to the extra 400mm created by moving the windscreen back, and we especially loved the unique headlights. We will have additional photos for you on Sunday when the car is displayed during the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Until then, enjoy the gallery below of the unveiling.

Gallery: Pininfarina Hyperion Live Unveiling

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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Etc., Green, Toyota

In the future, we'll eat all our meals from toothpaste tubes, everyone will be beautiful and healthy, and we won't need cars, what with the proliferation of nuclear-powered jet packs. Prediction is such thorny business, though Toyota isn't making such a fantastical claim by suggesting that each of its vehicles will have a hybrid option available by 2020. Wired's blog seems to agree that by 2020, hybrids will have proliferated like rabbits, and we'll be awash in electron propulsion systems.

We still feel a little cheated that eight years into the 21st century, we still don't have all those things promised to us fifty years ago, but at least automakers are hard at work pushing alternative systems toward viability. Justin Ward, a manager at the Toyota Technical Center overseeing advanced powertrain programs, told a Management Briefing Seminar in Traverse city that work continues on fuel cells to overcome challenges like climate extremes and range. Battery technology, too, will continue to advance, making the current Hybrid Synergy Drive even more efficient. Toyota is still holding off on diesels, and plug-ins present some issues when you consider where that electricity is generated, so it's looking like Toyota will continue to develop its fuel cell technology for the long term and bolster its hybrid offerings in the near future.

[Source: Auto News - sub req. Photo: itd.idaho.gov]

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Filed under: Convertibles, Hybrids/Alternative, Sedans/Saloons, Lexus

Click either image for a high-res gallery.

Another year, another limited edition Lexus. But this year's Pebble Beach Edition SC430 (the sixth consecutive variant) is joined by the first-ever LS 600h L Pebble Beach Edition. We know, the excitement is palpable.

Only 50 LS 600h Ls will be made available in Callaway Golf Experience, Travel Package or Epicurean Encounter trim levels, swathed in Truffle Mica exterior paint and featuring two-tone Alabaster and black leather trim interior, with Dark Grey Bird's-eye maple wood trim. Both models receive all the prerequisite badging to stand apart from the rest of the Lexi in the golf-course parking lot, and are equipped with a host of standard equipment that you can read all about in the press release after the jump.

One of the 300 2009 SC 430s can be yours this September, while the Pebble Beach Edition LS 600h L will hit dealers the following month.

Gallery: 2009 Pebble Beach Edition LS 600h L