The 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour is schizo. On the one hand, it is glomming onto the trend that Europe has known forever – 5 door hatches are the most efficient layout, but at the same time, I think the intention was to semi-obscure its hatchiness because looking too much like a wagon is a big Brady Bunch no, no these days—unless you’re a weird sta-wag fetishist. However, isn’t this just the emperor’s new Accord Wagon, with better handling?

I also think Honda was excited by the Crosstour’s hauling capabilities, at least compared to the sedan, but with just 51 cubic feet of cargo space versus the Venza’s 70 cubic feet, it means 1.5 fewer sorority girls will fit back there and that alone might make the Venza more attractive to some, not to mention the fact that the Crosstour goes from 0-60 in just 7.5 seconds, a whopping half-second lower than the Venza. Plus, girls don’t like schizos. Ok, Jennifer Connelly did in “A Beautiful Mind”, but I don’t think she’d be riding in the back of a Honda Crosstour. Or the front for that matter, but I digress. Let’s talk about the basics.

It costs $29,670 on the low end, and $36,220 on the high-end and is EPA mileage estimates are 18/27/21 for the 2WD and 17/25/20 for the 4WD. People get pissed every time 60 Minutes does a story on how inaccurate the EPA estimates are, and then they go back to surfing for pictures of Jennifer Connelly on the web. Also, Accords are usually all, “hey, you guys, we’re into fuel economy”, but the Crosstour only comes with a 3.5 liter V6 engine making 271 horsepower.

However, according to folks who test-drove it, the suspension tuning is more compliant than the sedan, so that warrants a “yaaaay” as does that fact that it slalomed at 64.4 seconds, fast for a crossover and the leather is faaaancy. Oh and apparently the ride is quiet. What is this, a hybrid? Ed Begley? Is that you? Back in the “boooo” department, the test drivers said that there wasn’t much torque response in lower RPMs and it could use a manual shift mode option.

Some of the standard features are nice, like a sunroof. (What happened to the trend of calling it a moonroof? Is there an eclipse-roof?) Also standard is dual climate control, a USB cable and a sub-woofer, so you can blast, “Who let the dogs out, who, who?” super loud at the stoplight, maybe luring 1.5 sorority girls back into the hatch. Wait, they don’t fit.

I was most excited by the really random “comfort and convenience” features that some poor guy has to type in, like, “garment hook” and “coin box”. Also, anyone who actually checks to make sure that the curb-to-curb turning diameter is actually 40.2, I’ll send a penny from said coin-box. All you need to do is send me a self-addressed stamped envelope. So what about the Crosstour’s classmates in the school of hatch?

In addition to the inevitable comparisons to the aforementioned Venza (which at the end of the day does the Crossover concept better) as well as the Mitsubishi Sportback, the BMW 5-series GT probably gets the hatch concept best. The Honda’s hatch is raked for style/aerodynamics, but a hatch is about hauling without totally looking like you’re hauling, so it’s sort of like putting the wrong head on the right body, like a Minotaur, only with less power. Audi is doing something similar and calling it a Sportback, but it’s not coming to the states.  Finally, there’s the Porsche Panamera which like the Crosstour, is weird looking, but it’s a Porsche, and it could kick your ass. Plus, Jennifer Connelly is much more likely to ride in one of those.

So what is the final analysis? It’s good that auto-makers are trying to detox off of the SUV crack rock in a last-ditch attempt at dignity. And inspired by Saab whose been doing 4-door hatches quite well for years, US manufacturers are finally figuring out the utility of that approach by cross dressing the Crossover to create the Crosstour, and trying to sell the utility as ‘sporty’ while subliminally sneaking in some wagon design. There’s that shizo stuff again, but I think you’ll be waiting a long time for Jennifer Connelly.

More photographs of the Crosstour in the photo gallery

Lead photo from Autoblog.com

By Derek Mau

Pros

• Excellent for around town driving and taking care of all the necessary family functions
• The benefits of a hybrid without sacrificing luxury amenities
• Conservative styling upgrade easily blends in with the thousands of other Lexus RX’s on the road today
• More technology gadgets but with less driver distraction

Cons

• Batteries and electric motors add up to a serious weight penalty with regards to braking and cornering
• Electronic steering control is good for mothers on their way to PTA meetings, but not so good for relaying feedback from the road
• Horrific blind spot
• No towing capacity

The new generation Lexus RX blends the geekiness of high technology with the green consciousness of driving a hybrid car. Launched in the summer of 2009 as a successor to the RX 400h, Lexus’ new RX 450h builds on the success of the company’s first luxury hybrid SUV. Visually similar to the RX 350, the 450h has a few of its own unique styling features, including an exclusive grille, hybrid badging with blue-trimmed Lexus logos, unique front bumper, special 19-inch wheels, blue-tinted headlamps and taillamps, and optional LED headlamps.

Exterior Styling

Toyota played it safe with the Lexus styling. You have to look really close to catch the differences between the new and previous generation RX hybrid. The RX 450h is less rounded and bubbly than its predecessor. It’s also a bit wider and seems to sit lower on the road, but that’s just because of its headlight placement and hood sculpting. From the front, the RX 450h looks bolder and stronger, but still elegant.

The RX 450h’s profile is similar to the RX 400h’s. The roof-mounted spoiler is a bit stronger and hides the rear wiper, and Lexus has added a small “shark-fin” antenna. The door handles are now body-colored, but there’s new chrome trim around the windows and along the door bottoms. There’s also a discreet hybrid badge that sits near the lower chrome strip.

Beneath the Sheetmetal

The 2010 Lexus RX 450h enhances its luxury ride and cabin with a hybrid power train that achieves fuel economy unheard of for an SUV. The hybrid-specific, 2GR-FXE version of the 3.5-liter V6 resembles the revised V6 featured in the 2010 Lexus RX 350, but it has higher compression (12.5:1 instead of 10.8:1) and runs on the fuel-saving Atkinson cycle. Additionally, its variable valve timing operates only on the intake side.

The Atkinson cycle keeps the intake valves open during part of the compression stroke, so this V6 makes just 245 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 234 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm, while the conventional version of this V6 delivers 275 hp and 257 lb-ft of torque. In short, this is a significant increase over the 3.3-liter V6’s 208 hp and 212 lb-ft of torque.

The RX 450h also draws power from its 37-kilowatt, nickel-metal hydride battery pack to power the h-model’s electric motors (a 123-kW electric motor for the front-wheel-drive RX and an additional rear 50-kW motor for the all-wheel-drive RX). The battery pack provides 50 hp, giving the 2010 Lexus RX 450h a rating of 295 hp total, up from the 268 hp of the RX 400h. In operation, there is an almost seamless transition between the electric motors and ICE. Perhaps this is the result of the two-stage mechanism to absorb torque that the Lexus engineers have added to the transaxle’s flywheel damper.

We noticed that the battery pack is rated for fewer kilowatts in the RX 450h; the RX 400h’s battery pack had a 45-kW rating. Don’t let the numbers mislead you. The 2010 RX 450h actually gets more power out of its battery pack due to an improved cooling system for the inverter and converters — it’s the same setup used on the Lexus LS 600h L.

Total power from engine and electric motor is rated at 295 horsepower, a little short of a V-8, while fuel economy gets an EPA-rated 32 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. Our ballistic driving style netted us 28 mpg overall, a figure that many four cylinder cars would have trouble hitting.

Driving Impressions

Acceleration was peppy for a hybrid SUV vehicle weighing nearly 4800 pounds and there was little trouble accelerating up to high speeds on the highway, thanks to the capable V6 engine.  Likewise braking was responsive, though it had a strangely different feel thanks to the regenerative braking features.

The crossover also features a new, uniquely designed double-wishbone rear suspension that helps provide exceptional agility and control. Its distinctive design also allows for five percent more cargo volume and easier loading. To complement the new rear suspension and provide excellent dexterity and ride comfort, the front McPherson strut geometry was optimized. The suspension did take turns very well, but the trade-off was that it just did not perform sufficiently when absorbing large road bumps.

As for the feel of the vehicle, its very comfortable and spacious.  The steering wheel retracts when you’re not driving, a nice touch.  The drive is relatively smooth and NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) is not overly high, thanks in part to the smooth electric motors.

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Look, it’s even more good news out of Detroit. What with Ford actually making a profit, it looks like all the doom and gloom about the number of dealers set to be shuttered might have been estimated on the high side.

At least that’s the case if you believe David Cole, who is Chairman of the nonprofit Center for Automotive Research. Cole told federal investigators that he thought General Motor’s and Chrysler’s projected dealership cuts will reduce market share in small to mid-sized markets. Cole summed it up by saying, “These cuts didn’t make any sense to me.”

David Cole cautioned the investigators that he has no research expertise or experience working directly with dealerships, and that he was asked to come speak only after he sent a letter to the Obama administration’s auto task force earlier this month stating his case for fewer dealership terminations. Although Chairman Cole did agree that terminations in larger metropolitan areas were in fact justified, he made the case that the automakers would be harming their historical stronghold in rural areas as well as modest-sized markets with many of the planned dealership terminations.

“The dealer is the face of the manufacturer to the average customer,” Cole said in a letter to the chief of the auto task force, Ron Bloom. Cole later said to investigators that , “By pulling out, GM and Chrysler are giving a beachhead to Ford and some of the imports.” And then Cole added, “I would suggest that the distribution network for these manufacturers be revisited by the automotive task force.”

Currently Chrysler has closed 789 dealerships, and GM plans to cut 1,350 dealerships from its ranks. These closures represent roughly 25% of a given manufacturer’s dealership network.

Whether Cole’s number and idea does pan out is one thing, and whether the Obama administration acts on them is another thing entirely.

Source: Left Lane News

More interesting tidbits and a lot more exciting stuff to follow in the next few days. Click on the thumbnail  below to view the fullsize image.

Ken Block Monster Subaru

Scion xB DJ 2.0 by Five Axis

Tacoma All-Terrain Gamer

JGRMX Concept Bike by Toyota

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]]> http://reviews.carreview.com/blog/2009-sema-photo-gallery-day-1/feed/ http://reviews.carreview.com/blog/new-detroit-rd-facility-for-mercedes/ http://reviews.carreview.com/blog/new-detroit-rd-facility-for-mercedes/#comments Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:00:57 +0000 tonyb detroit redford mercedes benz tesla http://reviews.carreview.com/?p=12221

Interesting news from Mercedes-Benz when they announced that they are planning to open a new alternative powertrain technology center. Based on the campus of Mercedes’ Redford Township, Michigan facility, the German company made the announcement shortly after the township approved a tax exemption.

The Detroit Free Press said that Redford Township’s tax exemption would allow Mercedes-Benz to purchase $2.3 million worth of equipment for use at the Redford site. Located just 15 miles outside of the Detroit city limits, the move announced by Mercedes can only be seen as positive for an area struggling during the recent economic downturn.

Just how much of a positive impact the move by Mercedes-Benz will have is hard to say, specifically, at this point. The German car maker has yet to publicize just how much it will invest in its new research and development facility, although current estimates speculate that Mercedes new investment is expected to spawn 223 new jobs. And at this point in time, every job counts.

The new Mercedes-Benz facility will work on the automaker’s upcoming generation of transmissions, electronics and control software as well as conventional and alternative engine testing. There is no word, as of yet, whether Tesla, who recently announced a technical partnership with Merc will be involved. There are persistent rumors that Mercedes might also use the Redford Township facility to construct the company’s first diesel-hybrid powertrain.

Besides the obvious benefit this will have for the people of Redford Township and Michigan, the move by Mercedes points to a growing trend of outside auto manufacturers investing more and more in American based facilities. Whether factories or research centers, it seems like foreign auto manufactures know a good deal when they see one.

Disused facilities are cheaper to modernize than building from scratch, and the pre-existing base of talent, from line workers all the way up to trained engineers is also hard to ignore.

Source: Left Lane News

Photo from Flickr user Tomás Fano

If you desire more concrete evidence, Tire Rack published the results of their low-rolling resistance tire test that centered used a Toyota Prius as their test vehicle and subjected the new generation of low-resistance tires to a battery of tests (braking, cornering, mpg performance, etc.). Yokohama’s formal press release and link to the Tire Rack test follows after the jump.

(Continued on page 2)

Ford made a profit. Yes, you read that right, a car company, and not just that, but an American car company, actually made money in the past quarter. After all the doom, gloom, buy-outs, shotgun marriages, bankruptcies and the like, this is the last thing you’d expect to read, but it sure looks like it’s true.

And add to that that this is Ford Motor Company that we’re talking about. The only car company of “The Big Three” that walked away from the government bailout cash. They took a look at the terms of the deal, and said, ‘No thanks, we think we can make it on our own.’ And damn if they weren’t right.

To further put this into context, realize that in these seemingly austere times, look how Ford has gone about racing. Just the fact that they’re going racing (which far too many knuckle-draggers out there consider to be “frivolous”) says a lot about them, for one thing. But Ford continues to race worldwide in very high profile ways. They almost took down Sebastian Loeb in the WRC (which is probably impossible because he’s so good), they race like crazy in NASCAR (just ask anybody that tries to beat Jack Roush) and they keep turning out door-slammer dragsters left right and center.

Ford ain’t shy, in other words.

And world wide, Ford is selling cars as fast as they can crank them out. They are gaining market-share the way Krispy Kreme customers are gaining on the grim reaper. Ford dropped automotive costs by 1 Billion dollars during the past quarter, which added to the total reduction of spending to $4.6 Billion so far this year alone. That is 0.6 above Ford’s target numbers.

And here’s the really good news. The combination of sales added to the cost savings means that world wide , Ford’s 3rd quarter pre-tax profits came to $1.1 Billion. Yes, billion with a “B”. In profits. In North America alone the pre-tax profit was $357 million. Which gave Ford their first profitable quarter since early 2005. And Ford says they are expecting to be fully profitable by 2011.

Source: The Garage Blog

Photo from Flickr user Refracted Moments

Hyundai’s Genesis Coupe garnered a lot of good press and gearhead interest from the get go. And it seems to be fully justified and also understandable. The Hyundai Genesis is well styled (enough), rear wheel drive, and above all, reasonably priced. It’s a car that a young tuner-oriented kid can sink their teeth into, and there’s already a pretty decent aftermarket for the car.

And Hyundai just added a new wrinkle to the mix with its announcement that it will be making a Genesis Coupe 2.0T R-Spec for 2010. With a starting price of just $23,750 and hitting the dealer showrooms fairly stripped down, that way being all the better for future customization by the end user, the R-Spec promises to be even more of what the aftermarket tuner wants.

Photo gallery of R-Spec after the jump

That stripper equipment list for the R-Spec includes a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that cranks out 210 horsepower, not bad as a starting point. The Coupe also comes with a six-speed manual transmission only, there is no automatic option. There are also 19 inch alloy wheels mounted with Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires, and in back of the wheels are Brembo brakes; 13.4 inchers up front and 13.0s out back. The 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T R-Spec also has a ‘track-tuned’ suspension (whatever that might be) and Torsen-type limited-slip diff that isn’t in the standard Coupe. Naturally there’s R-Spec badging so everyone knows how cool you are.

The R-Spec Coupe isn’t totally stripped down, however. It does include keyless entry, front, side and side curtain airbags, active front head restraints, air conditioning, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, power windows and door locks, an MP3-capable six-speaker stereo system with iPod/USB connectivity and projector beam headlamps.

The R-Spec package is said to offer as much performance as Hyundai’s Track model, but at a $3,000 less, which will give the prospective buyer more headroom, cash-wise, to spend wherever they’d like. With an extra $3K in your budget, things like larger turbos, aftermarket intercoolers, bigger than necessary audio/video systems and the like.

The R-Spec exists to attract the tuner market. The new for 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T R-Spec will make its official U.S. rollout at the upcoming 2009 SEMA Auto Show in Last Vegas, and will go on sale nationwide soon after.

Source: Motor Authority

Following on the heels of the Cube Krom, Nissan has decided to release a Rogue SUV Krom Special Edition version of its 2010 Rogue SUV. The factory-prepped Cube Krom, that came out earlier this year, was enough of a hit for Nissan to justify the presentation of a similar special edition version of its Rogue crossover. Going on sale at Nissan’s U.S. dealers in December 2009, the upcoming Rogue Krom will feature a host of cosmetic upgrades such as a unique grille treatment and a new front bumper with fancy side air-inlets. It will also get 17-inch brilliant finish alloy wheels with P225/60R Continental 4×4 Contact tires and a new rear bumper that has been restyled with integrated center-exit twin tail pipes.

Other goodies include a body-colored rear spoiler and exterior mirrors. Nissan has tinted windows and added Krom emblems as well as installing steering wheel-mounted audio controls to complete the equipment modifications. The Krom Special Edition Rogue which is based on the ‘S’ trim model.

No pricing on the 2010 Rogue Krom Edition has been announced by Nissan yet, but the extra gee-gaws shouldn’t set you back that much.

Pat Steiner, director, Specialty Vehicles Group, Nissan North America had this to say about the upcoming Rogue model, “The new Krom edition expands Rogue’s already strong appeal, bringing its unmistakable sporty and active design to buyers seeking to stand out from the crowd of ordinary compact SUVs. Just as our NISMO models add enhanced performance straight from the factory, the Krom lineup offers intriguing, customized design right off the showroom floor.”

So what does that mean, exactly? Does this mean that Krom will be an appearance package tweak that Nissan will add to other vehicle lines? Maybe. Maybe the Krom versions of the Cube and the Rogue are just testing the waters, and if the Rogue follows on the Cube’s success, then expect to see more Krom packages become available straight from the factory.

Source: CarScoop

Son, you’re gonna drive me to drinkin’, if ya don’t stop drivin’ that hot rod Lincoln. Yeah, way back when, Lincolns were not cars to be trifled with. They had big enough plants and there was enough go fast goodies out there that you wouldn’t treat them the way … well, the way you’d look at a Lincoln today.

Sure, for the past however long, they’ve been very nice and luxurious Fords, but performance cars? Not so much. Lincoln is looking to change that with three customized rides rolling out at this years SEMA show.

Lincoln will be displaying a trio of customized versions of its MKS flagship sedan, MKT crossover and MKZ saloon at next month’s 2009 SEMA Show in Vegas. The three project cars were developed in cooperation with Raceskinz, Rick Bottom Designs and 3dCarbon.

“Lincoln as a brand is continuing to attract younger customers to the showroom with products like the MKS, MKZ and the new MKT luxury crossover. These customers place huge importance on style, design and technology, and these are areas where Lincoln plays well. SEMA gives customizers the opportunity to push the boundaries of design, while still focusing on the core strengths of the Lincoln brand,” said Amy Marentic, Ford North American Car and Crossovers group marketing manager.

Lincoln calls the 2009 Lincoln MKS Elite by Raceskinz “a perfect example of what happens when you merge beauty and technology.” Sure, why not? Raceskinz slathers the thing with carbon fiber inside and out and adds a high-powered LIIV entertainment system.

The Rick Bottom Designs 2010 Lincoln MKT “Panache” will have luxury and high style in abundance. The flamboyant exterior has been shaved of its door handles, antenna and rear reflectors, and features a custom-made beltline molding in chrome to further accent the body line. The paint treatment is striking and the interior ambience is improved with two-toned leather and matching floating armrests. Rick Bottom Designs worked over the audio system as well as the nav system.

The 2010 Lincoln MKZ by 3dCarbon aims for refinement and elegance of the standard 2010 Lincoln MKZ. The company calls it “a realistic and beautiful take on a new classic Lincoln car.”

Source: CarScoop

2010 Lincoln MKZ concept design by 3dCarbon

2010 Lincoln MKT by Rick Bottom Designs

2010 Lincoln MKZ by Raceskinz

By Alex Kramer

Pros:

• Responsive 240 hp V6 engine
• Capable chassis and suspension
• Roomy and comfortable interior
• Good value

Cons:

• Some chintzy interior plastics
• Exterior design still needs work
• Disappointing fuel efficiency

Introduction

Trivia question: Which manufacturer produced the best-selling car in America 15 years ago? If you’re thinking Honda or Toyota, guess again. Although it seems hard to believe, given the recent collapse of the US auto industry, in 1994 the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable reigned supreme, proving that America could beat the foreign competition and build a top-rated, best-selling family sedan.

Unfortunately for Ford, the Taurus/Sable lineup gradually lost its edge and by the late 1990’s Honda and Toyota had firmly re-established their dominance in the market for mid-sized sedans, and it’s been a Camry and Accord love fest every since. Fast forward 10 years and it looks like Ford is finally ready to reclaim its title as the go-to manufacturer for quality family transportation. With the refreshed 2010 Fusion, Ford has an appealing mid-sized sedan that should make the competition more than a little nervous.

Performance

When the Fusion was introduced several years ago, the initial reviews revealed a capable chassis that was unfortunately married to a pair of underachieving engines. Both the base 2.3 liter 4-cylinder engine and the optional 3.0 liter V6 were less than inspiring, especially compared to the competition’s higher output 4 and 6 cylinder motors. To remedy this deficiency, Ford offers three new engine options for the 2010 Fusion, including a larger 2.5L 4-cylinder as the base engine and optional 3.0L and 3.5L V6 engines, the latter of which is only available in the Fusion Sport.

Our Fusion SEL test car featured the optional 3.0 L V6, which now puts out a healthy 240 hp and 228 lb-ft torque. This is a capable engine that easily gets the Fusion up to speed and provides plenty of power for passing or merging. Although not quite as quick as the larger 3.5 L V6 engines now found in most mid-sized sedans, this engine impressed us with its peppiness and it should satisfy all but the truly power obsessed. The V6 comes paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission that upshifts quickly and crisply, especially when accelerating hard, although downshifts are a bit on the clunky side. The transmission works well to keep the engine happy and features a manual mode should you want to do the gear changing yourself.

About the only major performance letdown is less than impressive fuel efficiency. Our mileage over the course of several hundred miles of mixed driving hovered in the low 20s, which is not significantly better than most larger V6 engines, and the Fusion does sacrifice a few horsepower due to its smaller displacement engine. Even Ford’s own 3.5L engine gets pretty much the same mileage, making us wonder why Ford even offers the smaller engine.

Handling

The Fusion is based on the first generation Mazda 6 chassis and has luckily inherited lots of zoom-zoom from its corporate sibling. The chassis is plenty stiff and the suspension is dialed, balancing handling and ride quality like a more expensive European sports sedan. Take the Fusion out for an afternoon of spirited driving in the hills and you’ll come away with a big smile on your face. Even without the stiffer suspension of the Sport model, the Fusion is quite the driver’s car, something that can’t be said for many mid-sized sedans.

Our test car came with optional 18” wheels shod with low-profile Goodyear all-season tires. Although summer tires would have given the Fusion even more bravado when carving a corner, the unassuming Goodyears provide surprisingly good grip. They will start to squeal like a pig when pushed hard, but even then the car remains quite manageable. Perhaps the one area Ford could improve to make the handling even better are the brakes, which are adequate but not spectacular.

(Continued on page 2)

Of the 120 people who gave a crap, Lutz chose seven. Of the seven, three are auto journalists: Jalopnik’s Wes Silver and his Jaguar XFR; The Truth About Cars’ Jack Baruth; and Lawrence Ulrich of the fancy NY Times. The journalist invites are clearly a tactical move on Lutz’ part. The other four are joe-blows. Michael from New Jersey and Michael from New York are bringing a BMW M5 and M3 respectively. (Perhaps Lutz was feeling nostalgic for his days as a BMW exec.) Tom of Philly will race his Audi RS4 and Chris from Michigan will bring his Cadillac CTS-V.

It’s clear who Lutz thinks Speed Racer is, but then who is Racer X? And what about Trixie? And that weird monkey? Let’s leave those questions in the obtuse pile, and focus on the race itself.

There are many variables at play and while it’s easy to start comparing the cars themselves, the track and driver experience are huge variables. With Monticello, you’ve got one big straight and then a bunch of tight bends. I’m thinking the Caddy’s power to weight ratio and gearing could increase its odds, especially because it will take a super savvy driver to pull out the M5’s potential. And let’s talk about drivers. While Lutz doesn’t have much open track experience, the dude is fearless and all heart.

And recall that Lutz made his objective very clear: “We’re going to take away every last excuse people have not to consider our products. We know that some consumers still think Cadillac cars do not have the top-end performance they believe the German luxury cars have. The development objective of the 556-hp Cadillac CTS- V was to create the world’s best high-performance sedan. In final testing, the car lapped the legendary Nürburgring in 7:59.32, fastest ever for a production sedan (recently eclipsed, reportedly, by Porsche Panamera). In other words, we believe we have achieved our goal of building the world’s fastest sedan, but I look forward to putting that theory to the test…. and may the best car win.”

Spritle and Chim Chim answering Bob Lutz’s Callout

Ok, so that’s clearly code for ” last-ditch marketing ploy,” and God knows how many behind-the-scenes shenanigans are taking place to make sure Cadillac does not end up looking like an A-Grade loser, but I do give Lutz props for going the anti-Facebook route for his marketing strategy. I guess his background as a Marine aviator inspired him to go old school mano-a-mano, even if it could end up being a slight of mano. We’ll know soon enough if Lutz will get his wish. I doubt I will get mine though: getting Lutz to say, “Go, Speed Racer, Go!”

You can call this a good news/bad news sort of thing. The bad news is that Chrysler’s two-mode hybrid joint development program has been disbanded, and the good news is that the hybrid Ram pickup is coming in 2010.

The joint development program, which was a very big deal for a while, was created several years ago between Chrysler, General Motors, Daimler, and BMW to work out a two-mode hybrid system for light duty vehicles, is now effectively over. The four automakers involved have either launched or are about to introduce versions of the two-mode hybrid system, so the program is being wound down and the engineering office will be closed by the end of this year.

But the Ram pickup hybrid should be in dealerships by 2010.

Although Chrysler is now going with a straight hybrid for the upcoming ram, they did briefly build a version of the Aspen and Durango SUVs with the dual-mode hybrid system last year. Chrysler says that they are dedicated to re-launching the hybrid system in the Ram pickups in 2010, possibly even a follow on development of the two-mode (depending on who you ask). Also depending on who you’re listening to, in this case the Detroit News, there is speculation that it is “unlikely the planned light duty hybrid will launch anytime soon in the Ram 1500.” So, this might come down to who do you believe, Chrysler, or the Detroit News.

On other two-mode news, the Mercedes ML450 hybrid and BMW X6 ActiveHybrid are both going into production at this very moment, both of which will be using a version of the two mode transmission built by Daimler and designed under the now-ended joint partnership.

There’s a way of looking at Chrysler’s move, accounting-wise, for making a pickup into a hybrid, rather than making a smaller hybrid instead. If you look at the whole fleet’s fuel economy, if you raise the lower end, which is where the MPGs for pickups live, it has a greater overall effect than raising the top end.

Source: AutoBlogGreen

San Mateo, Calif., October 27, 2009 - MicroCarMag.com, your source to the microcar world, announced that during the week of the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas they will be the content provider of coverage to CarReview.com.

During the week of November 3rd, MicroCarMag.com will provide the readers of CarReview.com with the most up-to-date coverage directly from the show floor. Coverage will contain daily video wrap-up, high quality photos of the latest products and industry happenings.

“We are excited to provide CarReview.com with content from the SEMA show floor,” stated Thomas Musante, founder of MicroCarMag.com. “We welcome the opportunity to reach a wider audience through this partnership.”

CarReview.com is an online community of automobile enthusiasts who take pride in maintaining and upgrading their vehicles. Visitors of the site regularly research cars and follow the latest industry and automotive technology news. CarReview.com is the perfect resource for finding the right car or truck to buy for you. Plus, it lets enthusiasts share how to make their cars go faster, handle better, and look “good“. Follow the latest news and reviews from CarReview at reviews.carreview.com or twitter.com/CarReview

MicroCarMag.com, founded in 2009, is your source to the microcar industry and can be found at Microcarmag.com and on twitter.com/microcarmag.

It looks like Ford will be moving the production of its Kuga small (-ish) SUV to a plant in Kentucky. Yes, this will be good news for those needing jobs in Kentucky (which would seem to be a lot of people), but it also has some interesting ramifications in a larger sense.

For starters, a lot of you might be asking, “What’s a Kuga?” Good question. The Kuga is an SUV primarily sold in the European market. So how can making a car in Kentucky, which is sold in Europe, make sense? And also, if they’re going to build it here, will they sell it here?

Thanks to the U.S. dollars drop against the Euro, falling 18 percent against the continental currency this year, Ford has decided to move production of the Kuga compact SUV from its factory in Saarlouis, Germany to Louisville, Kentucky in the U.S. starting from October 2011. An 18 percent shift sure makes it seem economically viable, if you ask me.

If the story does pan out, and so far there’s been no official word from Ford, this story comes via Bloomberg News, it looks like Ford will be producing as many as 80,000 examples of the Kuga a year that will be exported to Europe.

But the real meat to the story here is that if the Kuga is being produced in Louisville, Kentucky is could also likely mean that the compact SUV would finally make its way to North American dealerships.

Over in Europe, the Kuga goes head to head against VW’s Tiguan in the small SUV market. In Europe the Kuga is offered with a 200HP 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five gasoline engine, and a 2.0-liter turbo diesel putting out 136 horsepower. Both plants come with both automatic and manual gearbox options.

Those engines might not make it into the American version of the Kuga though. Ford has a new powertrain coming on line for the near future. This would be the already announced new family of 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol units, that would be ideal for a North American version of the Kuga.

Source: CarScoop

Mercedes Benz has spent the last two years trying to figure out what the next generation A and B-class compacts should be. Traditional gas and diesels? Hybrids? EVs? A mixture of all of those? The stakes are high in the this segment of the automobile game and MB has a lot riding on it. And Merc’s parent, Daimler, has just announced that it is going to obligate €600 million in updates and expansion to the factory that builds the A and B-class compacts.

Mercedes has yet to announce which platform, whether the A- class or the B-class, it will use for the upcoming small cars, but we do know that they will start production at the Rastatt factory in late 2011. Mercedes is adding a 710,000 square foot body shop to produces the shells of the new models at the factory and they have already started construction of a new stamping facility in nearby Kuppenheim to produce the body panels that will be welded at the Rastatt body shop.

In addition to the current hatchback body styles, the next-generation compacts will also add two new body configurations, although Mercedes is playing their cards close to their vest as far as details on the new models. The current speculation is that the most likely candidates are some sort of taller wagon/MPV sort of ride to contend against the likes of the VW Touran or Ford C-Max style of Euro-boxes (think a continental version of a Scion xB), or possibly a sedan.

If it is a sedan, then the word has it that model will actually make it to the North American market. There has long been a desire for the current A-Class to be sold over here. It’s a car sort of like a Mercedes version of the latest Honda fit; sort of a mini, minivan, one box design. Mercedes produces them with a range of engines, and even had fuel cell demonstrators running around in Europe for a time.

This, of course, had various green car enthusiast salivating at an American A-Class for some time, but to no avail, as of yet.

The CEO of Daimler, Dieter Zetsche, also revealed that a low-volume production run of the battery electric A-Class, dubbed the A-Class E-Cell, would start late next year. There is speculation that Tesla, who is now in a technological partner shim with Daimler, will be supplying batteries or other components for the electric A-Class, but the California-based company would not confirm this.

Source: AutoBlogGreen

By Greg Gaillard

Hybrids Come of Age

Just 10 years ago Honda released the Insight as the first US mass market hybrid combustion/electric car.  Its two seat aerodynamic teardrop shape, light weight and focused engineering delivered spectacular fuel economy that generated quite a bit of media attention.  In the real world however, the Insight represented significant compromises in terms of utility, performance and perceived safety.  Launched at the height of the SUV boom alongside inexpensive gasoline, sales weren’t significant and to many people the Insight was another Honda engineering experiment; a car that Honda’s Asimo robot might drive, but not something American families would put in their garage.

What a difference a decade makes.  Last week the EPA released its annual Fuel Economy Guide for 2010 and hybrids swept the podium with 9 out of the top 10 MPG scores.  At least in terms of EPA ratings, hybrids are the drivetrain technology of the moment.  Perhaps more important than MPG is how the technology has evolved into a variety of solutions that can be used across a range of body styles without many of the original Insight’s compromises.

Thus, many car shoppers are now faced with yet another question to consider — ‘Should I get the hybrid?’  It looms large amongst the usual shopping factors of size, price, performance and features.  The information below should help demystify at least part of the hybrid question. We provide general information about the technology and list the hybrids currently available with direct links to manufacturer information. Once you read beyond the technical details there are harder questions that deserve consideration.  Finally, no guide to hybrids is complete without attempting to identify some ‘best’ choices and then posing the more important question of whether hybrids are in fact good choices at all.

Technology First

When setting out to buy a car, recognize that the hybrid powertrain option is just one choice among many and it shouldn’t be perceived as magical or a starting point.  In simple terms it is a technology that helps reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.  That said, the technology is not simple, nor is it cheap.  Knowing a bit about the different types of hybrid technologies may help explain the cost/value difference of one particular hybrid over its combustion counterpart or competitor.

If you know about hybrid technologies, jump to the Choices section

Currently the two major types of hybrid solutions are referred to as mild and full.  True electric vehicles (EVs) are beyond the scope of this article, but deserve mention because they are a natural evolution of hybrid technologies.  There are a couple of true EVs on the market today such as the Hollywood darling Tesla and many refer to the next generation of ‘plug-in’ hybrids as EVs, but the lithium ion battery technology underneath them isn’t quite ready for the mass market.  That will change very soon, but buyers should feel comfortable knowing that today’s hybrids are based on mature, cost effective, nickel-metal hydride battery packs.

Mild hybrids are combustion/electric motor combinations with a relatively small electric motor/battery pack which provides assistance to a gasoline engine in a way that helps the combustion motor be as fuel efficient as possible and still provide acceptable performance.  Currently Honda and GM are the major purveyors of this solution and its major advantage over full hybrids is relative simplicity and cost.  Mild hybrids may not provide the spectacular fuel economy numbers of full hybrids, but with careful engineering they can come close with much more manageable manufacturing costs.  They also tend to offer more flexibility in packaging which allows mild solutions to be easily fitted to a broader range of vehicles.  Finally, the weight of a mild hybrid tends to be less than a full hybrid because of the smaller battery packs.  Lower weight improves drivability and makes the experience more transparent.

Full hybrids have a larger electric motor/battery back combination which enables them to run solely on battery power at urban stop-and-go speeds.  They only engage the combustion motor when more performance is needed or the batteries need recharging.  Full hybrids are more complex than their mild counterparts and there are a variety of interpretations of what ‘full’ means; from the classic Toyota blend in the Prius, to the combustion motor as ‘range extender’ working in series with the electric motor that we will see in the upcoming Chevrolet Volt.  Regardless of the subtype, full hybrids still combine combustion and electric motors with more emphasis on the electric side of the equation to maximize efficiency.  The upside is typically class leading mileage with the downside being complexity, weight and cost.

(Continued on page 2)

Lingenfelter Performance Engineering, a name that should really need no introduction to serious American hot rod enthusiasts out there, will be bringing a version of the latest Trans Am to this year’s upcoming SEMA show. It’s got all of the Trans Am goodies you remember:

Duck-tail spoiler, fender vents, twin-port front grille, raised white-letter tires, a 445 cubic inch V8, honeycomb wheels and that hideous screaming chicken hood decal.

Wait a second, the Trans Am was a Pontiac, and Pontiac is now, officially, sadly, dead, you say. Indeed you are right, but that’s didn’t stop Lingenfelter, now did it?

Now, for those of you that don’t know, or are too young to remember, the Firebird Trans Am was Pontiac’s version of the Chevy Camaro Z28, the hottest option you could get. And as is GMs want, under the sheet metal, the difference between the Firebird and the Camaro was essentially zilch.

Hence, even though Pontiac is now history, the new Camaro is very much alive and kicking. So turning the latest Camaro into a “new” Firebird Trans Am would be a snap for an out fit like Lingenfelter Performance Engineering.

Built up on a current Camaro body, the Lingenfelter 455 TA features a GM LS-based, aluminum-block V8 plant under the hood that cranks out a healthy 655-horsepower. It sports 11.5:1 compression ratio and has ported and polished LS7 heads (better fill it up with premium, huh?). The clutch is a version of the Corvette ZR1’s twin-disc flywheel/clutch deal, and the wheels are custom 20-inch honeycombs wrapped with Nitto tires.

The 455 TA will roll out at the SEMA show in early November is inspired by the second-generation 1971 Pontiac Trans-Am with the huge 455 engine.

The only word on the insides is that Lingenfelter guarantees a “custom classic interior” to match the exterior style. Yeah, this is just a one off, but Lingenfelter says, they will be gauging whether there’s enough interest to build a run of customer cars.

Source: Inside Line

Honda fans can finally rejoice at the official unveiling happening at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, sort of, of the CR-Z coupe. Honda, ever the conservative Japanese car company says that the 2009 CR-Z coupe you see here “remains a concept”, but the car seems production ready to anybody with eyes. Especially since the CR-Z will go on sale in Japan this coming February of 2010 (that’s four months away) and then arrive in North America in the fall. If there’s going to be any major changes, it will be very surprising to see Honda pull it off.

The rather attractive grill from the original 2007 concept has been largely carried over, and still seems like a Honda toned-down interpretation of a Maserati nose to me. The most noticeable changes to the CR-Z being, to some extent, the taller roof and a less raked windshield with A-pillars now blacked out. The higher roof (and the more upright front glass that would have to follow) seems to be compromises allowing people over 4 foot 10 to fit inside.

View gallery after the jump

Mechanically speaking the most interesting thing about the CR-Z is that it’s a hybrid that will come with a manual transmission. Meaning that in a lot of ways, the CR-Z will be sort of like a green updating of the much loved, and much missed, Honda CR-X. No the CR-X wasn’t exactly a sportscar, but it wasn’t exactly boring either.

In the case of the CR-Z, we get the same mill from the Insight hybrid, only with an increase in displacement up to 1.5 liters. And rather than being hooked up to a slush-box, the CR-Z gets a six-speed tranny, making it the first hybrid with a manual available (unless I missed one along the way).

In Tokyo, Honda didn’t mention any number concerning the power output or the expected mileage for the CR-Z, but those should be out closer to Japanese launch time. And you got to figure that both should be pretty good.

The car’s not that big (always a good thing) so it can’t weigh all that much (which is also always a good thing) so it should (please-please-please) be a real hoot to drive. Which brings us another step closer to what I think we dearly need: A hybrid sportscar.

Source: AutoBlogGreen

Click on a image for fullsize view

Small car lovers and cheap skates rejoice! Nissan is planning to make a new model, based on the much-loved Micra, and bring it to the good ol’ U. S. of A. The Micra is this car that’s like Nissan’s bread and butter everywhere BUT America. Nissan cranks them out the way McDonald’s makes burgers, and they seem to be very practical, yet Spartan rides. Cheap too.

Nissan made it official that the automaker is going to add a new, entry-level model to its US lineup as a competitor to the Toyota Yaris and Ford Fiesta. The as yet unnamed car will be based on the next generation Micra, also known as Nissan’s “V-platform”. It will be a hatchback (of course) but there’s also word of two additional models coming along, a four-door sedan and a multipurpose vehicle.

“Nissan’s engineers spent four years to find ways to reduce production costs and weight out of the small car,” said “V platform” manager Vincent Cobee.

Nissan also said that the new platform will see a 50 percent improvement in fuel economy over the current Micra, which sounds a bit optimistic to me. The Nissan engineers say they have reduced the total number of parts in the car by 18 percent. Nissan also says that the U.S. market will play a significant role in the firm’s plan to sell a million vehicles a year from all the derivatives of the newly created “V platform”.

What Nissan DIDN’T say was which of the three models would make it to the States, the also failed to mention when the car would go on sale or if the U.S.-market vehicle(s) would be manufactured here.

As far as the venerable Micra was concerned, Nissan said that will be made in five different plants around the world, including India, China, Thailand and two other unnamed locations.

Source: CarScoop