Filed under: Budget, Hybrid, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hatchback, Honda
There has been plenty of debate about the Honda CR-Z around the Autoblog water cooler. Does Honda’s sport-inspired mild hybrid have the style, power (122 horsepower), sales appeal and fuel economy numbers (36 miles per gallon city, 38 highway) to make it a legitimate successor to the CRX? We’ll have to drive the CR-Z to get the answer to most of our questions, and we’ll have to wait for a few months after launch to see whether car buyers will welcome the mild little hybrid with open arms (and wallets).
One thing we do know for sure, though, is that the post-jump European Honda CR-Z promo has too much fog, too many lasers and way too many 1990s-style effects to be cool. That said, it beats the heck out of those bizarre-looking animated jazz videos used to market the Accord Crosstour. Hit the jump to watch the video for yourself and to check out the official press release.
Gallery: Detroit 2010: 2011 Honda CR-Z
[Source: Gaucho Productions via YouTube]
Continue reading Video: Honda CR-Z ad gets crazy with the fog machine
Video: Honda CR-Z ad gets crazy with the fog machine originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Continue reading about Video: Honda CR-Z ad gets crazy with the fog machine
Filed under: Chrysler, Earnings/Financials, Fiat
When General Motors and Chrysler entered bankruptcy proceedings in 2009, it was very clear that one company had a future product portfolio and one didn’t. So while The General received the lion’s share of government funding, Chrysler was basically given to Fiat with the hope that Team Pentastar could benefit from platform and product sharing. The early results of the Chrysler/Fiat team have been somewhat encouraging. Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne and his team have made significant progress cutting costs, and the management team created a five-year plan for Chrysler that includes new, Fiat-derived platforms and re-badged Lancias and Alfa Romeos.
Will these steps be enough for Chrysler to remain the full-line manufacturer it is today? A report in Automotive News shows that Bernstein Research analyst Max Warburton doesn’t seem to think so. Warburton reportedly wrote in an assessment for Fiat investors that “we remain unconvinced Chrysler will survive in its current form despite Marchionne’s blood, sweat and tears.” Warburton cites four unnamed senior executives from Detroit.
The analyst’s feelings come despite the fact that he feels Chrysler will come close to breaking even in the first quarter even with relatively poor sales. Warburton actually anticipates that Marchionne will announce Chrysler made a small profit in the month of March. So why the doom and gloom? Warburton cites Chrysler’s still limited product development, light product portfolio and limited synergies between the two companies. The analyst also points to Marchionne’s target for Chrysler to hit a 14 percent market share by 2014 as a reason for alarm. Chrysler hasn’t been at 14 percent market share since 2000, and the Pentastar is currently just under 10 percent share.
In the report for Fiat investors, Warburton called a reasonable exit exit strategy from the situation “a slimming down of Chrysler to be just Ram, Jeep and a U.S. production base for Fiat.” We’re quite positive the folks in Auburn Hills, MI wouldn’t like that plan. What do you think? Drop us a line or two in ‘Comments.’
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req. | Image: Geoff Robins/AFP/Getty]
Report: Analyst claims Chrysler may not be able to survive in current form originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Continue reading about Report: Analyst claims Chrysler may not be able to survive in current form
Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal
Brake pads utilize copper because it helps dissipate heat, and keeping brakes cool is a very good thing. But every time a driver hits the brakes, tiny fragments of copper and other metals settle on the roads and surrounding areas. When it rains, that copper could end up in our waterways, polluting our water and potentially killing off wildlife.
Fox News reports that the state of Washington is looking to put an end to its copper pollution problem by cutting down the acceptable amount of the metallic element in brakes sold in the state to just five percent by 2021. Currently, copper levels can be 25 percent or more. Copper will be eliminated altogether by 2023 if OEMs and brake suppliers can figure out a way to make that happen. Automakers and suppliers have used copper in brakes since asbestos was smartly banned from our stoppers back in the early 1990s.
So why concentrate on automakers to cut down on copper pollution? Non-profit Sustainable Conservation claims 530,000 pounds of copper pollution enters San Francisco Bay per year, and one third of that number could come from brake pads. Washington ecologists reportedly agree with the one-third figure as well, stating that 70,000 to 318,000 pounds of copper enter Puget Sound each year. The remaining sources of copper pollution include copper pipes, building materials and paint.
While adding a couple dozen tons of copper to our waterways sounds anything but good, researchers reportedly haven’t come up with any widespread issues caused by man-made copper runoff. But government scientists claim that even low levels of copper can, for example, throw off the sense of smell of salmon, inhibiting the large fish’s ability to escape predators. Copper is also toxic to plankton, an essential food source for many fish.
[Source: FOX News]
Drop the Anchors: Washington State reportedly bans copper in brake pads to… save the fish? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 07:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Filed under: Technology, Ford, Lincoln
MyFord Touch promises to better connect drivers to their phones and MP3 players as well as the functions that are traditionally controlled by buttons and knobs. The screen will be displayed on a 4.2-inch LCD located directly in front of the driver next to the speedometer, with a five-way switch on either side of the steering wheel that enables the driver to access information without turning his or her head or taking a hand off the steering wheel.
MyFord (and MyLincoln) Touch already sounds impressive, but Ford apparently isn’t done wowing with its functionality. The Blue Oval announced today that its new touch interface will also help drivers save fuel by arming them with real-time feedback on fuel efficiency performance, helping coach drivers on how to conserve fuel. Jim Buczkowski, Ford director of Global Electrical and Electronics Systems Engineering, says in the company’s press release that MyFord Touch “provides an unprecedented level of information and interaction so drivers can make the choice to be more fuel efficient.”
Ford’s newest interactive infotainment creation will accomplish this feat by providing additional fuel economy information, similar to the SmartGauge leaf display utilized in the Ford Fusion Hybrid. SmartGauge rewards efficient driving with an increasing amount of leaves and flowers, and drivers can also track their fuel economy with a graphical bar chart next to the fuel gauge display that shows mile-per-gallon averages for the past five, 10 and 30 minutes.
Ford also plans to utilize its excellent navigation system to help drivers become more efficient. MyFord Touch pairs up with the map-based navigation to provide drivers an Eco-Route that instantly utilizes both historical and real-time traffic data to map you to the most efficient route possible. Ford says that while the Eco-Route isn’t necessarily the fastest route, it can help drivers consume up to 15 percent less fuel on any given trip.
MyFord Touch arrives this summer with the launch of the 2011 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX. Hit the jump to watch a video and read over Ford’s MyFord Touch press release, which also lists 10 useful tips for conserving fuel.
Gallery: Ford Eco Route
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading Blue Oval adds fuel economy coach to MyFord Touch [w/video]
Blue Oval adds fuel economy coach to MyFord Touch [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Continue reading about Blue Oval adds fuel economy coach to MyFord Touch [w/video]
The Japanese domestic market is home to some pretty interesting tuning styles, and we’re grateful that there are plenty of cameras in The Land of the Rising Sun to catch these wonky rides in action. One such style is VIP, which mixes large, rear drive luxury vehicles with mods designed to give the vehicle more luxury, more flare and more bling. And sometimes, VIP can apparently be associated with the bizarre.
digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/autos/Tuned_Japanese_car_is_very_off_camber_Video’; One gentleman sporting a video camera and a legitimate case of disbelief couldn’t help but drop an F-bomb (Seriously, NSFW) when he witnessed one of the most off-camber vehicles the world has ever seen. Hit the jump to see the brief yet bewildering footage of four very thinly rubbered wheels trying to do the splits. We can only hope the driver was on his way to the shop to have this issue looked at.
[Source: 7Tune]
Continue reading Video: Tuned Japanese car is (very) off camber
Video: Tuned Japanese car is (very) off camber originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Continue reading about Video: Tuned Japanese car is (very) off camber
Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Europe, Hatchback, Ford
2010 Ford Fiesta (Euro Spec) – Click above for high-res image gallery
Ford has been making some real progress here in North America, with sales up 37 percent in the first quarter. That’s good news to be sure, and new reports indicate that Blue Oval may be experiencing as much success across The Pond. The Detroit Free Press reports that Ford is now the number-one selling brand in the ultra-competitive Europe market after March sales in the top 19 Euro countries outpaced the industry with a 11.5 percent sales gain. Ford’s sales boost during March boosted the company’s overall market share to 10.4 percent, up .4 percent versus the year ago period.
The big reason for Ford’s sales dominance in Europe is the new Fiesta. The Fiesta accounted for 68,000 of the company’s 192,500 sales for the month, up 28.6 percent versus last March. The Fiesta appears to be picking up sales momentum in Europe, even after finishing 2009 as the second highest-selling vehicle in Europe behind the Volkswagen Golf. The Fiesta, which was launched late in 2008 in Europe, arrives in U.S. dealerships this summer.
Gallery: Review: 2010 Ford Fiesta (Euro-Spec)
[Source: Detroit Free Press]
Report: Ford becomes top-selling brand in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Continue reading about Report: Ford becomes top-selling brand in Europe
Filed under: Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Videos, Bentley, Luxury
Car buyers forking out a few hundred thousand dollars for a Bentley expect more than just a little luxury. And when the Bentley Mulsanne is unleashed upon the yacht and G5 owners of the world, the folks in Crewe, England know they need to come strong with otherworldly materials and craftsmanship.
A quick peek at the plush Mulsanne interior shows that Bentley designers and engineers have gone all out, but a few high resolution photos doesn’t tell the whole story. Bentley created a five minute video to explain some of the craftsmanship that goes into creating the Mulsanne interior by hand. For example, five people are in charge of inspecting and cutting all the leather that goes into the ultra luxury barge, and those cuts take three hours per vehicle. Hit the jump to watch the video, but only if you can live with the fact that you’ll most likely never even get the chance to sit in such an exquisitely executed interior.
Gallery: Bentley Mulsanne Interior
Gallery: 2011 Bentley Mulsanne
[Source: Bentley]
Continue reading Video: Creating the interior of the Bentley Mulsanne an exercise in craftsmanship
Video: Creating the interior of the Bentley Mulsanne an exercise in craftsmanship originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Filed under: Car Buying, Ford, Earnings/Financials
By most accounts, Ford had a pretty good first quarter. Sales were up 37 percent versus the first three months of 2009, and The Blue Oval’s market share rose an impressive 2.7 percentage points during the period. According to a report in USA Today, Ford President Mark Fields says that the extra showroom traffic led to added revenue for the company. And while added revenue doesn’t always translate into increased profits, the extra cash generated by increased sales makes an “in the black” first quarter far more likely. If Ford does manage a profit in the first quarter, it would mark the fourth consecutive period of cash gains for the Dearborn, MI-based automaker. Impressive, considering Ford lost nearly $15 billion in 2008.
The sales gains at Ford were realized mostly from the sale of Blue Oval-badged cars, trucks and crossovers. Lincoln and Mercury didn’t see much in the way of gains, but USA Today quotes Ford analyst George Pipas as saying most of the marketing money was spent on Ford, adding “If we were going to fix the business, we had to fix the Ford brand, because that’s where we had the best chance of getting a return.”
The Ford vehicle that realized the most gains in the first quarter was the Fusion. Ford’s mid-size sedan saw an 81 percent increase in sales compared to the first three months of 2009. Ford also increased its share of the pickup truck market. The profit-rich F-Series increased its overall share of the truck market to 38.5 percent, up 5.3 percent year-over-year. Ford is expected to announce official first quarter earnings later in the month.
[Source: USA Today | Image: Bill Pugliano/Getty]
Report: Q1 revenue, sales up at Ford on strong F-Series, Fusion sales originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Continue reading about Report: Q1 revenue, sales up at Ford on strong F-Series, Fusion sales
Filed under: Car Buying, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz
Automotive News reports that BMW announced final Q1 sales of 265,809 vehicles, besting Audi by an anorexic 1,709 units for the three month period. BMW saw a global sales increase of 14 percent compared to the same period of 2009, buoyed by strong sales of its new X1 crossover and a 56 percent increase in 7 Series sales. BMW sales boss Ian Robertson said in a statement that the company intends to improve sales across the globe, adding, “We are back on our growth track in nearly all the automobile markets.” And BMW isn’t just hoping the market improves – the automaker is counting on an increase in sales courtesy of its new 5 Series lineup, which was launched overseas last month and arrives in the U.S. in June. BMW also has a refreshed 3 Series coupe and convertible on the way as well. With single digit growth, BMW intends to sell 1.3 million vehicles in 2010.
But while BMW pulled out the slimmest of victories in Q1, we’re thinking Audi’s performance during the first three months effectively puts its German competitors on notice. With a very good product lineup and a considerable foothold in China, Audi may well achieve its goal of becoming the largest luxury car maker on earth by 2015 a lot earlier than most people expected.
Gallery: Review: 2009 BMW 750i
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]
Report: Audi may have passed Mercedes in Q1 global sales, but BMW is still #1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Continue reading about Report: Audi may have passed Mercedes in Q1 global sales, but BMW is still #1
Filed under: Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Toyota
Back in September of 2007, State Farm sent a letter to Toyota asking that the Japanese automaker pay for an insurance claim for a 2005 Camry that had reportedly wrecked as a result of unintended acceleration. According to a report in USA Today, State Farm wrote, “we are aware of several complaints to your company of sudden acceleration involving the Toyota Camry.” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was copied on the note, and the government agency wrote back to State Farm stating that it had been looking into unintended acceleration claims since August of 2006, but the investigation had been closed.
State Farm wasn’t reimbursed back in 2007, but in light of Toyota’s recall of 7.7 million vehicles for acceleration-related issues, the insurance company is taking a second crack at getting cash from Toyota. The process of an insurance company receiving money from an automaker is called “subrogation” and USA Today says Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons told the national newspaper that the process is fairly common.
Common or not, State Farm can recoup up to $30 million from Toyota, and the insurance company says customers involved in unintended acceleration crashes in a Toyota could get their deductible cash back, which can range from $250 to $1,000 or more. However, customers shouldn’t expect money any time soon. Case Closure mediation attorney Mark Bunim reportedly told said that the process could take some time to resolve as someone would need to check every Toyota claim and determine whether the accident involved sudden acceleration.
If Toyota doesn’t pay for the insurance claims, the automaker could indirectly foot the bill with higher insurance premiums. Due to Toyota’s otherwise strong quality and safety reputation, its vehicles are currently relatively inexpensive to insure. If Toyota pays State Farm for accidents involving unintended acceleration it’s a near guarantee that other insurers will follow suit.
[Source: USA Today]
Report: State Farm asks Toyota to pay for unintended acceleration insurance claims originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Apr 2010 17:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments