Archive for December, 2011
Topless 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 Coming To Detroit: Report
Posted on 28. Dec, 2011 by admin.
Ford pulled the wraps off its 2013 Shelby GT500 coupe at November’s Los Angeles Auto Show, and the big news was that the uber-Mustang would pack a 650 horsepower V-8 beneath its hood. That’s more grunt than the Camaro ZL1, the Corvette ZR-1 or even the last generation Dodge Viper, which tells us that Ford wants customers to look at the…
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Year-End Sales to be Biggest in Years
Posted on 28. Dec, 2011 by admin.
Many experts are predicting that the 2011 year-end sales volume will be one of the best years we've seen in quite a while. Of course, that's not saying much, given the fact the U.S. economy took a huge hit at the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009.
Auto sales just over two years ago were 10.4 million vehicles, while conservative guesses on the final 2011 numbers will be closer to 12.8 million units. Early optimistic prognosticators say 2012 could get us back closer to a prosperous 14 million vehicles sold in a single year.
The final numbers are still at least a week or two away, but we do have the plant production numbers as reported by the various auto manufacturers, which then reported to Automotive News. And the numbers look promising. Of course, these are not actual sales, but they do represent the vehicles produced by the manufacturers as a result of the requests by their dealership networks.
Overall, not too many surprises. Small, fuel-efficient cars like the Chevy Cruze and Ford Fusion, as well as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, continue to sell well. A bigger surprise might be the fact that small SUVs have done quite well, such as the Jeep Compass, Ford Escape, GMC Terrain and Chevy Equinox. Likewise, the more traditional body-on-frame two- and four-door Jeep Wranglers are causing quite a stir, with production numbers closing in on 200,000 units for the year.
However, the segment with the biggest consistent gains is the pickup truck category. Most who watch this segment closely know there was a lot of pent-up demand for these vehicles; professional, construction and fleet buyers have postponed their purchases, waiting for the economy to show small signs of growth.
Except for imports (all three had supply-line issues because of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan), most truck makers are doing well, beating the average year-over-year sales improvement of 10 percent. Of course, we'll have more to talk about and more to say when the final numbers come in.
Here's what we know from the mid-December production numbers from last week:
* Indicates discontinued models
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Infiniti QX56-Powered Boat Project Sails On
Posted on 28. Dec, 2011 by admin.
When we first told you about Infiniti’s plan to power a restored Chris Craft speedboat with the 400 horsepower V-8 from the Infiniti QX56, it was little more than a concept. Still, it blended community-college-student-supplied labor with significant horsepower and vintage vehicles, so we were pretty much hooked from the start. Five months…
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McLaren Partners With Lease Specialist For U.S. Return
Posted on 28. Dec, 2011 by admin.
Prior to the launch of the new McLaren MP4-12C, the company hadn’t built an automobile under its own name since the McLaren F1 went out of production in 1998. It’s only recently established a dealer network on these shores, appointing nine retailers for the United States and one for Canada. Despite the brand’s legendary…
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Year-End Deal Reality Check: Chevrolet
Posted on 28. Dec, 2011 by admin.
As the year comes to an end, Chevrolet is offering some unique deals on select models, including no-money-down leases or financing that defers the first monthly payment for a few months.
Special deals are available to shoppers of the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, Traverse and Impala (LS trim only). All three have attractive 0% financing with the option of having no monthly payments until the spring, according to Chevy.
Well-qualified shoppers can get 0% to 3.9% financing for 60 months, depending on the model. The new 2012 Chevrolet Sonic and popular Cruze have 2.9% financing deals for 60 months. The soon-to-be-defunct Impala has $3,000 cash on the hood; so does the 2012 Chevy Avalanche. You can take off $2,000 on a new 2012 Traverse, while the hot-selling 2012 Chevy Tahoe and Suburban have only $1,500 on the hood.
The deals are even more attractive for those looking to lease a new Chevy. Under the Sign & Drive program, you can lease a new 2012 Cruze ($199 a month), Malibu ($229 a month), Traverse ($299 a month) or Silverado ($381 a month for All Star Edition trims) for no money down with 39-month and 39,000-mile terms.
All current Chevy deals end Jan. 3. For more information, go here.
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Will Morgan’s Three-Wheeler Be Its Ticket To Success In China?
Posted on 28. Dec, 2011 by admin.
Finding Chinese automotive enthusiasts with money isn’t a problem these days. What is a challenge, however, is standing out from the rest of the luxury car, sports car, or even supercar herd. Boutique British manufacturer Morgan thinks it has the answer, and to go forward in China it’s taking a step backward. To be specific, it’s…
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Battery Supplier Issues Fix For Fisker Karma Batteries
Posted on 28. Dec, 2011 by admin.
First it was the Chevrolet Volt, which suffered from a post-crash coolant leak and subsequent fire, caused by a dried-coolant-induced short circuit. Next, there were stories about potential coolant-related short circuits in the Fisker Karma, discovered by battery supplier A123 Systems. While no Fisker Karma fires have been reported, A123 has…
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Cars.com Reviews the 2012 Buick Verano
Posted on 28. Dec, 2011 by admin.
Compact, entry-level luxury vehicles haven't exactly set the world on fire, at least not here in the U.S. Nonetheless, Buick is taking another swing at the segment, its first attempt since the Buick Skylark was canceled in 1998. The Verano is based on the Chevrolet Cruze, but Buick has done a good job distinguishing it. With a more powerful engine, rich interior and hushed cabin, the Verano feels like a legitimate luxury car, according to Cars.com Industry Analyst Kelsey Mays.
2012 Buick Verano Review
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First Drive: 2012 Ford Transit Connect Electric
Posted on 28. Dec, 2011 by admin.
By Mike Hanley, Photography by Ian Merritt
Much of the attention surrounding electric vehicles has been focused on cars like the all-electric Nissan Leaf and range-extended Chevrolet Volt. Ford, meanwhile, has developed a model for those who need more hauling capability by equipping its Transit Connect van with an all-electric drivetrain through a partnership with Azure Dynamics. The Ford Transit Connect Electric is available to both fleet buyers and regular consumers.
The Transit Connect Electric is just as refined as the gas-only model and offers improved acceleration, but it comes with a steep starting price of $57,400, about $35,000 more than the base price of the regular van.
One of the most obvious impressions of the Transit Connect when I last drove it was that its 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine felt a little weak, especially on the highway, and that was without much in the way of cargo on board. The Transit Connect Electric, by comparison, offers more robust acceleration at midrange speeds and doesn't feel as burdened by the van's weight. Throttle tip-in from a standing start is seamless, and the Transit Connect Electric builds speed easily and quietly. The van's top speed is 75 mph.
Brake-pedal feel in alternative-fuel vehicles often isn't that great, but it's remarkably natural and linear in the Transit Connect Electric. Frankly, it's better than what many conventional gas-engine models offer.
The Transit Connect Electric rides well, too. Like the gas-powered version, it uses a unibody platform that delivers a much more carlike driving experience than traditional domestic full-size vans like the Chevrolet Express. The Transit Connect Electric we drove in Chicago at a Ford event had some cargo in back, and the suspension yielded a comfortable yet composed ride on South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago's highway along the lakefront. The regular Transit Connect is rated to carry 1,600 pounds, which seems ambitious considering the four-cylinder's power, but the electric version is only rated to carry 1,045 pounds.
The interior looks much like the regular Transit Connect's, but it does have a unique instrument panel that includes a range meter and a battery charge indicator. I was expecting some correlation between the two, but with the range gauge showing 50 miles (out of a maximum of 80 miles, according to Ford), the battery meter still showed a full charge. Like the regular Transit Connect, you start the van by turning the key in the ignition and put it in gear by moving the console selector from Park to Drive.
The 28 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack is under the cargo floor, so there's no loss of cargo space; there's still 129.6 cubic feet of cargo room behind the front seats. The Transit Connect Electric accepts the industry-standard charging plug and supports 120- and 240-volt service. With a 240-volt setup, it can take from six to eight hours to replenish the battery pack with the Transit Connect Electric's 3.3-kilowatt onboard charger.
Despite the stronger performance and familiar driving experience, the Transit Connect Electric's price tag remains a significant hurdle when trying to make a financial case for the electric van. If you ran a fleet where it could travel 50 miles a day, five days a week every week of the year, you'd rack up 13,000 miles a year. Traveling the same distance in a gas-powered Transit Connect cargo van, which gets combined gas mileage of 23 mpg, would cost $1,820 based on a $3.22 national average for a gallon of regular.
When you count the $7,500 federal tax credit the Transit Connect Electric qualifies for, it still costs $27,865 more than a base Transit Connect. Even if the electricity to charge the Transit Connect Electric were free, it'd take around 15 years to recoup the additional upfront expense. California buyers may be eligible for a voucher worth up to $15,000, which would reduce the payback time to about six years taking into account the state's higher $3.53 average for a gallon of regular. That's a big drop, to be sure, but it may still be too long for consumers who have an eye on the bottom line.
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Dodge Caliber, Dodge Nitro, Ford Ranger Officially Dead
Posted on 28. Dec, 2011 by admin.
The oft-forgotten Dodge Caliber and Dodge Nitro are officially dead; both vehicles ceased production this month. The old, but still popular, Ford Ranger compact pickup has also ended production, according to PickupTrucks.com.
The 2012 Caliber officially kicked the bucket this past Friday. The Caliber, which was produced at Chrysler Belvidere Assembly in Illinois, will be replaced by the 2013 Dodge Dart. The new compact sedan will go into production at the plant in August or September. In preparation for the Dart, the plant got a $600 million upgrade.
The Caliber has been a misfire for Chrysler since it was introduced for the 2007 model year. A replacement for the Dodge Neon sedan, the hatchback-only Caliber fought an uphill battle in a compact market dominated by popular sedans. The Caliber’s cheap-feeling interior, unrefined powertrain options, poor fuel efficiency and relatively expensive pricing only made things worse. A 2010 model year refresh, which included a new interior, did little to help the model with critics or in the sales department. Since November, Dodge has produced only 47,974 units, down 27% from last year, with overall U.S. sales down 21%. Caliber sales peaked in 2007, with 101,079 sold. For the 2012 model year, the Caliber lineup has been simplified to just three trims: SE, SXT and SXT Plus. The base model starts at $17,380, excluding $750 for destination.
The 2011 Nitro ends its life with fairly steady sales. Chrysler produced 24,547 Nitros since November, which translates to a 1.9% drop in production from 2010. Chrysler had planned to end production earlier but extended it until December so the automaker could fulfill orders related to a sudden burst in customer demand for the model. The 2011 Nitro likely won’t be replaced, though it’s still under consideration. The Nitro’s sibling, the Jeep Liberty, will be replaced with a yet-unnamed model in 2012.
The Ranger, which was produced from 1983-2011 with more than 7 million sold, is a far greater loss to the automotive landscape than the two Dodges. While the Ranger will be replaced with a new model in some parts of the world, the U.S. market will stick with the more fuel-efficient Ford F-150. The end of Ranger production also spells the end of the Twin Cities Assembly Plant. The closure of the 86-year-old plant will displace about 800 workers, according to PickupTrucks.com.
