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New Crash Tests Of Midsize Cars
The best overall performers are the BMW 3 series and Lexus IS, which earned the silver TOP SAFETY PICK designation for good performance in the Institute's front and side crash tests plus acceptable ratings for their seat/head restraint designs in rear tests. The Ford Fusion, tested without its optional side airbags, earned the lowest overall ratings. It's the only car in this group that didn't earn a good rating in the frontal test. It earned a poor rating in the side test and a marginal rating for rear crash protection. "Nearly every car now earns good ratings in our frontal test," says Institute president Adrian Lund. "The Fusion is acceptable, which isn't a bad result, but it's not competitive with other cars in its class. Based on this car's side and rear evaluations along with its acceptable frontal rating, the Fusion is the lowest rated moderately priced midsize car we've evaluated"......... Posted by: Jim Permalink Source Saturn Aura
At the press conference on Wednesday, April 12, Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak alluded to the fact that Saturn was able to get higher sale prices for Saturns over their list price (not by any shenanigans -- by offering packages to customers that raised the prices of the cars). So our concern with the Aura is that Saturn is going to push this closer to $30k than low 20s. But it appears to be a good car and we think it's worth you looking at......... Posted by: Jim Permalink Source Meet The Saturn Family
2007 Saturn Outlook, Aura, Vue Green Line and Sky Red Line
As always, our retail experience is the envy of the industry. But now we have a portfolio of exciting new products like never before. We're still Saturn. But we're about to become better than ever. We'll have more and better product to satisfy our customers and deliver on the promise of the Saturn experience. The Saturn Aura - which remains true to the critically acclaimed concept version - blends performance with Saturn's bold new design. While the standard 3.5 L V6 is a great engine, I'm especially excited about the optional 3.6 V6 (252 HP) that comes with GM's first application of a six-speed automatic transmission. Later this year we'll add a hybrid powertrain. And on the interior, the Aura delivers a level of refinement that sets a new standard for our brand. The Saturn Outlook crossover offers versatility and room for the Saturn customer who needs to haul more people and stuff. It comfortably seats eight real, adult people and still has room for luggage, golf clubs, groceries, etc. All that room, yet its optimal proportions still provide for nimble and agile handling......... Posted by: Jim Permalink Source New Data On Risks And Consequences Of Seatbelt Non-use
The team used data from the 2002 Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES)* for Wisconsin. They studied 23,920 crash occupants, ages 16 and over, who were treated in hospital-based emergency departments (ED)'s, statewide in 2002, and compared ED outcomes and characteristics of seatbelt users with non users. Their study appears in the March 10, online issue of Academic Emergency Medicine. "Unbelted crash occupants represented 68 percent of the patients dying in the ED's," says lead author Shane Allen, a third year medical student. "Among motor vehicle crash patients who survived, only 20 percent of surviving unbelted occupants were successfully treated in an ED and discharged. The remainder mandatory hospital admission." Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for Americans ages two through 33 years. As per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, crash fatalities in Wisconsin rose from 763 in 2001, to 803 in 2002; while reported seatbelt use in the state dropped from 69 percent in 2001 to 66 percent in 2002......... Posted by: Jim Permalink Source Cadillac Bls Hits European Dealerships
2007 Cadillac BLS
So, much to my dismay on April 1st, The Detroit News published a story by Neil Winton titled "Cadillac slashes European sales targets as little BLS goes on sale." Funny thing is, they never said it was an April Fool's Day joke. There must have been some confusion in the numbers presented so I'd like to take this opportunity to set the record straight. The European Cadillac sales target for the full portfolio of Cadillacs is 20,000 units per year by 2010. This is Cadillac's target for full portfolio sales in all European markets and it remains unchanged since we first communicated it in 2004. By Jim Taylor........ Posted by: Jim Permalink Source Original Is Better
The original Audi TT was a near-perfect shape and even at a quick glance was very recognizable. Hell, both are great cars and we're glad Audi is keeping the TT around so that we have an automotive conquest to keep our eyes on. But we liked the original shape better......... Posted by: Jim Permalink Source Toyota First? Maybe Third?
So imagine our surprise when we read press reports recently (subsequently corrected) that Toyota was introducing "the world's first commercially mass produced hybrid system particularly designed for rear-wheel drive vehicles." Further investigation revealed that Toyota told the press at a preview in Hawaii that their new L110 hybrid transmission in the new Lexus GS450h hybrid sedan is the "world's first longitudinal hybrid transmission". Now, I'm sure the Lexus hybrid is a fine car. And Toyota's PR department never misses a chance to tout its hybrid vehicles, which is fine - that's their job. But as the head of GM Powertrain, I'm absolutely certain that GM has already developed two hybridized longitudinal transmissions, and we're nearing completion of a third system. So I'd respectfully suggest that Toyota recheck the calendar as GM's been in the market for quite a while now. GM has produced over 4,000 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra hybrid pickups - roughly twice the number Toyota has set as a sales target for the Lexus GS450h in the U.S. Our hybrid pickup trucks provide the highest estimated city fuel economy of any full-size pickup on the road today, and they deliver this benefit without any sacrifice in performance or towing and hauling capability......... Posted by: Jim Permalink Now That We've Got Your Attention
Chevrolet Aveo
against one another on the web in a similar format. We proceeded to launch www.chevyapprentice.com. Contestants are given a variety of images to work with and are given the ability to splice together the visual elements over which they can display their own advertising copy. A contest of this sort doesn't come without risks. As we expected, people who are opposed to SUVs for a variety of reasons quickly discovered that they were also welcome to participate. Early on we made the decision that if we were to hold this contest, in which we invite anyone to create an ad, in an open forum, that we would be summarily destroyed in the blogosphere if we censored the ads based on their viewpoint. So, we adopted a position of openness and transparency, and decided that we would welcome the debate. (As an aside, we have been truly disappointed by the number of submissions we had to filter out because of their vulgar content.) I won't bore you with the details, but the overwhelming majority of the 22,000 submissions thus far have been earnest attempts at creating positive advertisements......... Posted by: Jim Permalink Source Purty As A Piture
While the front end could use a little pizazz, the rest of the shape reminds of the VW Passat before German cars started looking like Japanese cars. Also, we're glad Ford is going to touch-up the Five Hundred. Ford (and others) need to act more like Toyota and Honda. T & H are all about refinement. The Five Hundred is good (it's safe, it's reliable, it's American-if that matters), but it needs to be put under a magnifying glass to make it better. And it seems like Ford is going to do that......... Posted by: Jim Permalink Source Lame Or Unwanted?
Sales for hybrid SUVs in March: Ford Escape: 3,475. Mercury Mariner: (couldn't find this. any help, folks?). Lexus RX400h: 2,470. We're actually pretty impressed with Lexus because the RX400h has no super-financing-action and costs about 55% more than the Ford, so how did little Lexus manage to sell so many of these dealies? For the record, we think hybrid SUVs are pretty lame. In fact, we think most SUVs are pretty lame. If we were going to buy one, however, we'd look at the new GM things or the good ol' Honda Pilot. They look pretty swank......... Posted by: Jim Permalink Source |
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