May 31, 2005
Mercedes M-Class Road Rally was a Blast!
We went over the bridge Sunday to FedEx field here in the DC Metro area, and had a chance to test drive the 2006 Mercedes M-Class SUV. The event is part of a nationwide tour under way by Mercedes and there are still plenty of dates left for you to jump in a high-end SUV -- for free. Check out MBUSA.com for details.
We drove both versions, the ML 350 [6-cyl., 268 hp] and the ML500 [8-cyl., 302hp] and both of them were a blast -- though the 500 was a turbocharged blast at that.
Mercedes provided two courses, a performance run and a simulated off-road course, that were meant to showcase the vehicles' performance.
On the off-road course, it wasn't until I was in a vehicle, waiting for another SUV to get past the ramp, that I saw the right rear wheel come off the ground! This was intentional, meant to give you a feel for how the Electronic Stability Program [ESP] lends a helping hand. Going over the ramp myself, it was a little queasy, but I never felt the vehicle was going to let me down.
They provided a similar trick on the performance course, inviting you to gun the gas on a deliberately wet "rain pad" where the ESP kicked in and kept you from dealing with out-of-control spinning wheels.
But the straightaway was really fun part, especially in the 500, which can go from zero to sixty in under seven seconds. Although taking both vehicles through the twisty cones on both courses was also a blast -- the only limitation seemed to be with the drivers and not the vehicles.
Posted by Frank at 11:05 AM | Comments (0)
Orbitz Now Offering Harley Rentals
Orbitz, the online travel reservation company, is now offering Harley-Davidson motorcycle rentals in 24 cities.
Customers can rent all current models, including the Electra Glide, Road King, Heritage Softail, Dyna Wide Glyde and Fat Boy. Rentals come with unlimited miles, helmets, on-site storage for client luggage, and a self-drive route map. All customers must have a valid motorcycle license.
The rentals are available in a partnership with Eagle Rider; the cities include Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Palm Springs, Fresno, Las Vegas, Chicago, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, Knoxville, Dallas, Miami, Orlando, New Orleans, St. Louis and Washington, D.C.
Posted by Frank at 10:54 AM | Comments (0)
Survey Shows Consumers Trust Car Salespeople
A new survey illustrates that the image of the automotive sales profession is outdated and lags behind people’s actual experience --more than 1,100 new vehicle buyers and consumers overwhelmingly say that salespeople are respectful, professional and reasonable in their dealings.
Conducted by Autmotive Retailing Today [ART], the survey interviewed 887 new vehicle buyers, 147 car shoppers and 630 general consumers for their opinions about the automotive profession.
ART’s survey included a sampling along ethnic categories that also demonstrated a near-universal consensus regarding the high performance of automotive retail professionals.
The most outstanding statistic -- consistent across ethnic groups -- was that 95% of the respondents felt that vehicle salespeople behave in a respectful manner.
The survey also showed that vehicle salespeople are consistent throughout the transaction [84%-93%], took the time to listen to the consumer’s needs [79%-88%] and showed a willingness to negotiate to the satsifaction of all parties [82%-88%].
---------------------------------------------
* These findings are based on responses to 1,164 in-depth telephone interviews with a representative sample of 887 new car purchasers / lessees, 147 consumers who shopped for a car but did not make a purchase and 630 consumers who had not shopped for a new car during this same timeframe.
About Automotive Retailing Today
Automotive Retailing Today (ART) works to promote the facts about the auto retailing marketplace to narrow the gap between perception and reality that negatively affects dealer image.
Since 1998, ART has commissioned biennial public opinion surveys to understand what consumers and the media think about the experience of purchasing or leasing new vehicles from franchise new car dealerships. This most recent research, conducted by Harris Interactive in the summer of 2004, also explores the issue of consumer trust. For more information, visit ART’s website: www.autoretailing.org
Posted by Frank at 10:38 AM | Comments (0)
Did Toyota Suffer a TKO With Pricey "Contender" Endorsement?
Ad Age is reporting that Toyota suffered a loss in their reported $16 million endorsement of the boxing reality show, The Contender, which just finished its NBC season.
The show suffered poor ratings and was not renewed by the network.
The deal was reportedly the most ever for an endorsement of its kind, and even the show's finale failed to draw eight million viewers, according to Ad Age. Compounding Toyota's problem is that they negotiated directly with the show's producer, Mark Burnett, and not the network, preventing them from receiving any financial credit for advertising in lieu of hoped for viewership.
Posted by Frank at 08:32 AM | Comments (0)
Ford Slaps Expiration Date on Tires
Ford Motor Company is recommending that consumers replace tires after six years, regardless of the apparent physcial condition of normal wear markers such as tread depth and visible signs of stress.
The move is an outcome of a series of accidents invloving Ford Explorers equipped with Firestone tires, that led to a tire recall and also several lawsuits, according to the Wall St. Journal.
The new guideline includes spare tires that have never been used, as Ford company research indicates that the chemical composition of rubber actually changes over time, leading to a potential weakening of the material.
DaimlerChrysler has also moved to a six year standard, joining European and Toyota motor company standards.
The only thing that wrinkled my nose about this development is how Ford reportedly came to their conclusion -- by subjecting tires to heat simulation testing to check on the resilience of tire layers.
This seems to me to be more of a heat resistance test than one that can be used to extrapolate time-related stresses to tires. It might have been better had they gone to the trouble of obtaining tires of various ages -- three, five, six, seven and ten-year-old tires for example, and tested the status of the rubber in those examples.
Posted by Frank at 08:15 AM | Comments (0)
Audio Podcast: GM's New Incentive Plan Makes the Cobalt a Must Test Drive
GM is expected to announce a new discount program where all consumers will be able to take advantage of the company's employee discount -- this makes the fantastic -- and fun -- Chevy Cobalt even more of a must test drive than before.
The car is equipped with a 145-hp engine, perfectly sized for a compact, and has plenty of the features you're looking for in a smaller car.
Click here to listen, or paste this URL into your podcatching software to get the Car Buyer's Notebook daily podcast automatically: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 07:34 AM | Comments (0)
May 27, 2005
Audio Podcast: Chrysler and Mercedes are Sponsoring Nationwide Consumer Test Drives
Both Chrysler and Mercedes are taking their vehicles on the road this summer to give consumers a chance to test drive them on controlled courses.
Chrysler is doing eight events in different cities, which will include letting people get into their 300C SRT8 and running it on a drag strip!
Mercedes is promoting their M-Class SUV at 37 different locations, in an event called the M-Class Road Rally, which offers drivers two different courses to have at it. I'm going to the event here in Washington tomorrow, so check back next week for the video we're shooting of the event! Click to listen so you can sign up!
To subscribe to the Car Buyer's Notebook podcast, paste this URL into your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss. Thanks for listening!
Posted by Frank at 02:49 PM | Comments (0)
Honda to Keep Up Production to Aid US Auto Industry
According to AP, Honda President and Chief Executive Takeo Fukui has said the company will continue to keep U.S. production at high levels and purchase more parts in this country as a means to aid the struggling domestic industry.
Fukui said this course of action is preferable to raising prices, as Toyota's CEO Hiroshi Okuda usgested last month as a means to help slide the erosion of domestice maker's market share.
Okuda's comments proved to be more insult to Detroit than balm, and the company quickly retracted the notion.
Though media reports -- particularlry in Japan -- continue to mention fears over a protectionist backlash, the Notebook has already reported that such an idea is outdated. This audio podcast covers the issue [click to listen!]
Fears over protectionism are unfounded because so many International automakers now build the majority of the cars they sell in the United States, in the U.S., with tax paying [and car buying] workers who are paid good wages.
Check out these stories about Hyundai's new Alabama plant -- on the opening, and on jobs. If there was one overwhelming impression I got in Montgomery, it was that the residents, workers and local and state officials were besides themselves with gratitude and glee that Hyundai brought a $1.1 billion plant and 2,000 jobs to their neck of the woods.
During my trip to Alabama, I had a chance to discuss this issue over dinner with a pair of Japanese business journalists who are stationed in New York. When I floated my argument that current conditions have changed due to foreign investment, they both responded by saying the memory of car-bashing from the early 90s was still fresh in their country's memory.
Since they are stationed here, they agreed that the coverage in Japanese media fails to acknowledge the historical shift. However, when we made note that the stories are coming from editors and editorial writers -- and not journalists in the field -- we all laughed and ordered drinks.
No matter what the language, all journalists hate their editors!
Posted by Frank at 11:41 AM | Comments (0)
Site Update: Audio in Full Swing, Video Coming Along and a Request for Reader Donations
Support the Notebook's Multimedia Initiative!
Hey, Frank Giovinazzi here, with an update of what's been going on around here. As you may have noticed, I'm morphing into one of those stand-alone multimedia journalists you've heard so much about.
The audio podcast is now being updated daily. Simply put, a "podcast" in our case is nothing more than a news story delivered as an audio file. I'm having a lot of fun producing stories in this manner, and as the feed is posted to several directories on the net, we're reaching more people than ever.
The audio is in MP3 format, which you can listen to either by clicking on the direct links you find here, or by adding this URL [http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss] to your "podcatcher" software, that will automatically download the file. Podcasts are so named because they've taken off in popularity thanks to the Apple iPod. However, any MP3 device can play the files, and of course you can play them on the computer as well.
As of this post, I've produced several video news segments, which have also enjoyed a far and wide reach. As I am looking to produce higher quality, though, I'm waiting to resume this feature until some new software and a MiniDV camera arrives. It'll be better for all of us.
Which brings me to my request for donations -- the software, camera and accessories purchase rings the register at about $1,000 -- and I am asking regular readers to pitch in with some of their own hard-earned dough so the site can compete with larger media companies.
If you're new to this site, please don't think I'm sitting around hoping money rolls in for no effort -- I currently edit two other automotive sites, essentially a full-time and a half commitment unto themselves, in addition to working on the Notebook. Those jobs pay the bills, but leave us short for capital expenses such as technologoy upgrades.
So give what you can -- you can donate by clicking on this link. We appreciate it!
Posted by Frank at 10:47 AM | Comments (0)
Gas Prices Have Nothing to Do With SUVs Drop in Sales
I've been gnashing my teeth over all the media reports that high gas prices are killing SUV sales. This is largely the work of non-auto journalists who see high gas prices and want to hang a story on it -- but it is a classic error of logic, otherwise known as a false premise.
The fact is that SUV sales peaked nearly five years ago. Like everything else consumer related, SUVs are a product that had a popular run, which must necessarily lead to a decline. Fads come and go. But to lazy thinkers it looked as if the phenomenon of dropping sales and rising prices were a true causal relationship. It is not.
I would allow that the recent gas price spike may have exacerbated the flight from large haulers -- and the attendant media drumming is also playing a part in driving behavior that was already in play. Otherwise known as a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Dan Lienert covers the facts about SUV sales pretty well in this article. Barring traumatic gas price hikes, or a sensible nationwide tax sending gas up to European levels, what we are going to continue to see is a move to smaller SUVs, wagons, crossovers and sedans such as the Ford Five Hundred, that incorporate size, a higher seating platform and a smallish V6 to deliver a combination of performance and slightly better mileage than the traditional large SUVs.
Posted by Frank at 10:34 AM | Comments (0)
Nissan to Build Hybrid Altima in the U.S.
According to Bloomberg, Nissan intends to build a gas-electric Altima at either its Smyrna or Canton plant starting in late 2006. Both factories manufacture the gas version of Nissan's best-selling car. The hybrid edition will be a 2007 model, according to the report.
Posted by Frank at 10:09 AM | Comments (0)
May 26, 2005
Audio Podcast: AAA Can't Avoid a Memorial Weekend Crash
The AAA motoring club's new online gas price service got crushed Thursday by thousands of people looking for cheap fuel -- fortunately we have a couple websites for you to check out until AAA sorts out the wreckage.
Click here to listen, or paste this URL in your podcast software to get the Car Buyer's Notebook pod feed daily: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 08:53 PM | Comments (0)
Click and Clack Booted from Virginian-Pilot After Car Dealers Complain
The world-infamous Magliozzi brothers, Tom and Ray, who write and broadcast the Click and Clack column/show, got dropped from the Virginian-Pilot, according to Editor & Publisher.
The boot came from car dealers who thought they went too far too many times, but it seems the real deal killer was that their column appeared in a special section of auto dealer advertising. In other words, a subsidized editorial "product" where they have every right to complain, since they bought the real estate, so to speak.
Posted by Frank at 05:01 PM | Comments (0)
"Chariots Return to War After 2000 Year Hiatus"
That is the official title on the release sent out by the company, American Chariot, announcing they had shipped 24 of its electric chariots to the Army for service in Iraq.
The all-electric, battery-powered vehicles, which reach speeds up to 20 mph, will be used for personal transport around bases, instead of using gas vehicles, such as Humvees, which are in short supply and needed elsewhere. The chariots can travel up to 15 miles on a single 6-hour charge, and have a combined payload of 450 pounds of rider and cargo.
"The chariot has been around since 2,500 B.C., and used in countless battles before other inventions made it obsolete. The irony is that thousands of years after chariots' initial military use, our Chariot has found its way back into the American military with a use that's both practical and extremely cost-effective," said said David Joseph Lacagnina, president and CEO of American Chariot.
Posted by Frank at 09:35 AM | Comments (0)
Thanks to Volvo, We all Wear Three-Point Safety Belts
This is the brilliant PR piece of the day. Volvo has released this pic, along with a release, detailing how a Swedish inventor created the three-point seat belt with the help of the automaker, who put them in their domestic cars in 1959.
Volvo then brought the revolution to America in 1963, making them standard in all their cars, at a time when seat belts were still an option in most vehicles. Seat belts only started becoming mandatory in this country in 1985.
The man responsible for this innovation is Nils Bohlin, an inventor with a backround in aircraft pilot ejector seats. Bohlin was brought into Volvo by the company's president at the time, Gunnar Engellau, who had lost a relative in a car crash.
Here's more from the Volvo press release:
In 1958 Nils Bohlin, Volvo design engineer, patented the "Basics of Proper Restraint Systems for Car Occupants," better known as a three-point safety belt. A year later, Bohlin's lap-and-shoulder belt was introduced by Volvo as standard equipment on all of its cars, in Sweden. Today, the 3-Point Safety Belt -- not the first but the modern seatbelt -- is now a standard safety device in almost every car and truck.
Posted by Frank at 08:27 AM | Comments (0)
May 25, 2005
Audio Podcast: A Hybrid Podcast About Hybrids
In today's edition, we cover six news stories concerning hybrid vehicles and the sales, attention and incentives they are receiving. Included is news from Toyota, Honda, Porsche and Volkswagen, including sales plans, milestones and in VW's case, no decision as to what they're doing with their hybrid lines.
Click here to listen, or paste this URL in your podcast software to get the Car Buyer's Notebook pod feed daily: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 01:30 PM | Comments (0)
Mitsubishi's Eclipse is a Hot Coupe
Mitsubishi is selling the new, 2006 Eclipse sport coupe several weeks ahead of schedule, as part of their strategy to get people excited about the brand and their product -- by putting it into the showrooms.
For the starting price of less than $20K, the Eclipse has got a much richer profile than anyone could expect for the price, and the base GS model's 162-horsepower should have plenty of go-go power with the standard five-speed stick.
The GT model, starting at $23,699, should be even more juicy with the 3.8 liter V6 that puts out a very nice 263-hp.
Both vehicles can have an optional automatic tranny put in for $900, but I think the Eclipse demographic will probably stick with the stick.
A $1,500 Sun and Sound Package for the GS includes a power sunroof, 650-watt Rockford Fosgate audio system with nine speakers including a 10-inch subwoofer, six-disc in-dash CD changer, steering wheel audio controls, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and compass and temperature readings in the center display.
The GT Premium Sport Package, at $3,270, adds everything in the Sun and Sound package, plus automatic climate control, leather front seating surfaces, six-way power driver's seat, heated front seats, alloy pedals, 18-inch alloy wheels with 235/45R18 tires, and heated side view mirrors.
Posted by Frank at 10:11 AM | Comments (0)
Click It or Ticket -- In Force Through June 5
Media
spots supporting the Click It or Ticket campaign. |
 |
| Click on the screenshot to watch a pickup truck safety video. |
 |
| Click on the ear to listen to a radio ad for Click It or Ticket. |
In fact, since 1960 seat belts are credited with saving over 168,000 lives -- more than half the amount saved by all other safety technologies combined.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA], which compiled the statistics, says the next closest technology are improved door locks, responsible for saving 28,902 lives in the same period.
These stastistics explain why seat belt compliance is such a vital -- and tragic -- issue. With nationwide seat belt use around 80%, the result is that people not properly belted perish and suffer serious injury in traffic accidents.
NHTSA estimates that 14,903 lives were saved by seat belts in 2003. Conversely, if seat belt/restraint use were 100% for all passengers over the age of 4, a total 20,984 lives would have been saved.
Put another way, about 6,081 people died in 2003 that didn’t have to, for lack of buckling up.
"Safety belts in themsevles can reduce motor vehicle fatalities and injuries by 50% in a passenger vehicle and up to 60, 65% in a van or light truck," said Ann Mitchell, Highway Safety Specialist for NHTSA. The agency estimates that for each percentage-point increase in safety belt use, 2.8 million more people buckle up, about 270 more lives are saved, and 4,000 injuries could prevented each year.
These statistics bring us to Click It or Ticket, the nationwide seat belt awareness program currently under way that has the support of about 12,000 law enforcement agencies and is being publicized through paid advertisement, public service announcements and media coverage.
Yet despite the ominous tagline, the purpose of the program being coordinated by NHTSA is not to generate traffic tickets. "The purpose of Click It or Ticket is to get people to buckle up," said Robin Mayer, chief of NHTSA’s consumer information division. "If the motoring public hears the advertisements that say law enforcement is out there, we hope that’s enough incentive to get them to buckle up -- they don’t have to get a ticket."
According to Mayer, The national Click It or Ticket program developed after the agency noticed state and regional programs were proving effective at increasing seat belt use during the campaign. Seat belt use nationwide was up to 80% in 2004, from 58% in 1994, thanks to passage of seat belt laws in all states except New Hampshire. The problem, however, is that seat belt compliance was hitting a sticking point -- but a ten state Click It or Ticket program conducted in 2002 helped raise seat belt use 8.6%, a result that helped move the idea to the national level.
The 49 states and U.S. territories have a mix of primary or secondary belt laws, a distinction which has am impact on compliance. In the 21 states and territories with primary laws, where a police officer can stop you for not wearing a belt, seat belt use is 84%. In states with secondary laws, where you can only get ticketed if you’ve been stopped for another violation, seat belt use is only 73%.
The Click It or Ticket website is comprehensive -- offering concerned agencies and the public an array of stories, statistics, artwork and audio and video assets that cvan be used to publicize the education effort. There are also links to related safety initatives such as booster seat use, and information for target communities such as pickup truck drivers, Hispanics and African-Americans and those in the 18 to 34-year old age demographic.
While seat belt use among African-Americans has traditionally lagged, that community has since raised average use to 77%, just below the national average.
The group that maintains the lowest rate of 70% -- pickup truck drivers -- is the subject of a special campaign, Buckle Up In your Truck, that aims to counter the notion that the larger vehicles offer more protection in an accident, which contributes to low compliance rates.
To the contrary, fatalities by pickup rollover amount for as much as half of total deaths for this vehicle category, and the problem is exacerbated in southern states, where pickups and light trucks account for a greater percentage of vehicles than elsewhere in the country.
Posted by Frank at 09:19 AM | Comments (0)
May 24, 2005
Podcast Audio: High Tech End to Car Chases
A California company is working on a roof-top mounted transmitter capable of stopping cars by messing with their onboard processors. This would bring vehicles to a safe halt without endangering police, pedestrians or guard rails.
Of course, the perp will probably still jump out of the car so he can get shot.
What are LA-based TV stations going to do? Will they sue for violation of their first amendment rights to scare the public?
Click here to listen, or paste this URL in your podcast software to get the Car Buyer's Notebook pod feed daily: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 02:22 PM | Comments (0)
May 23, 2005
Audio Podcast: Hyundai's New Alabama Plant
The opening of Hyundai's Montgomery Alabama plant was a huge event and the tour of the fully automated factory was an impressive site. Also, Hyundai customers dog Stern!
Click here to listen, or subscribe by pasting this URL in your podcasting software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss.
Posted by Frank at 11:41 PM | Comments (0)
Video Review: Ford Mustang Convertible
In this edition of Zero to 120, Frank takes a look at the Ford Mustang Convertible -- GT edition -- that boasts 300 hp and sells for a little under $30k.
This car is sunshine on wheels -- the reaction of people everywhere is like the sun coming out from behind the clouds, you should see the smile break out. And it deosn't do too bad for the driver, either! Click to watch.
Posted by Frank at 01:07 PM | Comments (0)
Porsche Aims to Pepper Cayenne Sales with Hybrid
In response to a sales drop of more than 25%, Porsche has said they will reveal plans in September to sell a Hybrid Cayenne SUV. The company will not have a product on display at the Frankfurt Auto Show, when they plan to announce.
Porsche is holding talks with potential supplies for the powertrain, and expects to have a vehicle ready for the 2008/2009 model year.
Posted by Frank at 12:38 PM | Comments (0)
Hyundai Customers Rebuffed Stern
Howard Stern snarled at Hyundai last week when the company said they went with XM over Sirius because of his potty mouth. Little did Stern know, however ...
It turns out that Hyundai executives weren't the ones who gave the thumbs down to the New York-based King of All Media.
During a survey of 300 to 400 customers, Hyundai received numerous write-in comments saying they didn't want Hyundai to go with Sirius because of Stern. This paints a different picture than the one Stern described last week, when he blamed Hyundai executives for being too timid. Or words to that effect.
However, the thing that amuses us, is that XM radio is home to an even raunchier show, Opie & Anthony -- remember, they were the shock team that got fired for broadcasting audio of a couple having sex in St. Patrick's Cathedral. Lately, O&A have been waging an attack against TV reporters, jumping into the background of live shots and harassing the talent.
In this case, Stern's notoriety worked against him. He is simply more well known to the general populace than the other clowns, even though they inhabit the same depths. Hence, the Hyundai surveys, which rebuffed the devil they know for the devils they don't.
Posted by Frank at 12:33 PM | Comments (0)
Hyundai Alabama Open for Business
MONTGOMERY -- The party may be over, but in some ways Hyundai is just getting started.
On Friday, the company celebrated the opening of it’s first American manufacturing plant, a $1.1 billion investment that will employ 2,000 workers and build 300,000 vehicles a year.
Hyundai spared no expense to celebrate their achievement, inviting over 4,000 government officials, car dealers, media and dignitaries -- even going so far to bring in a Korean Air Lines plane for visiting execs and suppliers, and shutting down the line for the afternoon so their team members could attend the festivities. Former President George Bush attended, as did Chung Mong-Koo, Hyundai’s Chairman, Alabama Governor Bob Riley and Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright.
Now their work really begins. After several years of rapid growth in quality and sales, Hyundai aims to take on the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord in the midsize sedan segment, with their all-new Sonata that is now built in Montgomery. To do this, the company expects to have 700 U.S. dealers by the end of 2005, up from 664 currently in business.
Dan O’Brien, who owns Extreme Hyundai in Bloomington, Illinois, and attended the event, said the Alabama-built Sonata is just what the dealer body needs to reach Hyundai’s sales goal of 500,000 units this year.
"It’s an excellent car, from fit, finish and styling, to room and safety -- they’ve got a winner," O’Brien said. "But what really impressed me was the pride -- these people have a lot of pride in what they’re building and I’m excited to sell them."
Bob Cosmai, president of Hyundai Motor America, said the Montgomery plant will produce about 80,000 Sonatas this year. Since opening in early May, the plant has been ramping up production and plans to add a second shift in the coming weeks. The plant will begin producing the Santa Fe SUV in January 2006.
When asked who their competition was, Cosmai was clear Hyundai is targeting the "Japanese Big Three."
"We’re atracting cross-shopping with the Toyotas, Hondas and Nissans of the world," Cosmai said.
To take market share away from other surging International nameplates, Hyundai must continue to advance the quality initiative introduced by Chairman Chung Mung Koo when he took over the company in 1999. The continual drive to satisfy Chung’s "zero defect" standard will be aided by the Montgomery plant’s largely automated processes.
For example, the first three stages of production -- stamping parts from raw metal, welding them into a frame and then painting the chassis -- are all done with over 300 robots that move materials from beginning to end without being touched by human hands. The most labor intensive part of the process is the general assembly stage, where about more than half the line workers are employed to add components.
Thanks to the heavy automation -- once a frame is received from the first three stages, a car can be assembled in six and a half hours -- every car that comes off the line is subject to a complete inspection that includes a 2.3 mile road test, a brake and alignment check and a five-minute shower in a water test booth to check for leaks and paint blemishes.
Everyone involved -- from Hyundai’s top executives to the team members on the line -- are aware the Sonatas they are building are critically important to the company’s momentum.
The Sonata is the second of seven new vehicles Hyundai is introducing in a 24-month period, following on the treads of the Tucson compact SUV which is proving a hit with gas-price weary consumers.
And just like the Tucson, the Sonata delivers on the same philosophy of offering best-in-class styling and features at a price point at or slightly lower than its competitors’ similarly equipped models. The Sonata comes in four models, with four and six-cylinder engine options, all of which come standard with six airbags and four-wheel independent suspension. Prices for the Sonata range from $17,895 to $22,895. Prices for the Toyota Camry start at $18,195 and run to $25,555; Honda Accord prices range from $16,295 to $28,850.
Posted by Frank at 12:08 PM | Comments (0)
May 18, 2005
Hyundai Brings 2,000 Sweet New Jobs Home to Alabama
It’s fitting that while it took Hyundai three years to build it’s new $1.1 billion Montgomery manufacturing plant, it took over two years to assemble the workforce that will build the 300,000 Sonata sedans and Santa Fe SUVs the plant can produce at full production.
Kerry Christopher, Hyundai’s Montgomery spokesman, said the company "expected a lot from the people who applied," and now that the hiring is nearly complete he said, "we feel very comfortable we have the right team in place and that Montgomery was a good choice."
But Hyundai did not go it alone when putting together the team that’s staffing it’s first American assembly plant -- they enlisted and worked alongside an Alabama agency that, starting in March 2003, processed 20,000 applications, then screened and trained the final candidates.
The agency that worked with Hyundai, the Alabama Industrial Development Training [AIDT] program, has had plenty of experience building workforces for International automakers in the state.
Prior to Hyundai, AIDT screened and trained approximately 8,000 workers for Alabama plants built by Mercedes-Benz, Honda and Toyota. The agency, part of the state’s community college system, provides the training free of charge to the companies and trainees. AIDT concentrates on screening and training production and maintenance employees, while companies like Hyundai handle management hiring. The Montgomery plant’s full employment workforce of 2,000 is made up of approximately 85% AIDT-screened workers.
AIDT’s track record is so good, it was recently voted the best state-sponsored training system of its kind in the country -- beating out the other 49 states -- and is considered the driving force behind the state’s most important economic story of the last ten years.
That story, of course, are the four International nameplate manufacturing plants that have brought $3.79 billion in new investments and more than 10,000 jobs to Alabama, according to Steve Sewell, Executive VP of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama. [see list below.]
"AIDT is a great, great advantage for economic development -- we say it’s our best incentive," Sewell said.
The four International automakers have allowed Alabama to replace jobs lost in other manufacturing sectors, Sewell said, and their success has brought "unbelievable recognition to Alabama as a place to run a business."
Each of the three original manufacturers have either already expanded or announced plans to add more capacity, and Sewell said that has bolstered the state’s reputation even further.
"The fact that they’ve come here with ambitious goals and have been successful has enhanced our reputation as a place to do business," he said.
And in addition to the jobs at the automakers, the new plants bring other manufacturing, constructions and support jobs to Alabama -- and the rest of the country. Sewell said there are 22,000 additional auto industry jobs in the state, on top of the 10,000 at the plants. In Hyundai’s case, the Montgomery plant will generate 5,500 additional jobs from a network of 64 suppliers throughout North America.
Due to the intensive nature of the screening and training -- and the sheer volume of applicants -- AIDT’s role is more necessity than luxury, according to Phyllis Wesley, spokesperson for AIDT.
"Mercedes said we did more for them than they could have while they were building the plant -- Honda’s said it, too," Wesley said. "We tell them when you’re building your plant, we’re building your workforce."
For Hyundai, AIDT performed training at a center adjacent to the plant. The 40-hour process, for which applicants are not paid, included three stages, Wesley said. The first two were basic testing, demonstrating whether the applicant had the skills they claimed, and if they had the ability to learn new skills. The final component included mock workstations that helped illustrate what the tasks would look and feel like.
After that process was complete would AIDT recommend applicants to Hyundai, who reviewed the pool and made preliminary offers. Only after passing drug tests, and physical and background screens, would the applicants then receive a final offer.
Kerry Christopher, of Hyundai, said the company is more than pleased with the results of their collaboration with AIDT. About the team members they’ve brought together to build the first American-made Hyundai’s, Christopher said, "everyone has a positive outlook, people here are very excited."
------------------
International Nameplate Manufacturing in Alabama
Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama
Location / Production Start: Montgomery / 2005
Capital Investment: $1.1 billion
Employees: 2,000 team members (At full production)
Production Capacity: 300,000 engines and vehicles annually (at full production)
Plant Size: 2 million square feet
Products: Sonata sedan, Santa Fe SUV and V6 engines
Mercedes-Benz U.S. International
Location / Production Start: Tuscaloosa Co. / 1997
Capital Investment: $1 billion
Employees: 4,000 team members (at full production following expansion)
Production Capacity: 160,000 vehicles annually
Plant size: 3 million square feet
Products: M-Class SUV and R-Class Grand Sports Tourer
Honda Manufacturing of Alabama
Location / Production Start: Lincoln / 2001
Capital Investment: $1.2 billion ($1.27 billion after engine expansion)
Employees: 4,400 associates (4,500 after engine expansion)
Production Capacity: 300,000 vehicles and engines annually
Plant size: 3.1 million square feet (3.25 million after expansion)
Products: Odyssey minivan, Pilot SUV and V6 engines
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama
Location / Production Start: Huntsville / 2003
Capital Investment: $490 million (including announced $250 million expansion)
Employees: 800 team members (300 positions with expansion)
Production Capacity: 400,000 engines annually (upon completion of expansion)
Plant Size: 300,000 square feet
Products: V6 engines for Tundra and Tacoma pickups, V8 engines for Tundra pickups and Sequoia SUVs
Source: Economic Development Partnership of Alabama
Posted by Frank at 12:52 PM | Comments (0)
May 17, 2005
Podcast Audio: Toyota Looking into Prius Stalling Problems
Toyota has received more than a dozen complaints that it's popular Prius hybrid is stalling out at high speeds ... also, an announcement is due today about Toyota's Kentucky plant ... and GM scores higher on a customer satisfaction survey than Lexus, Scion or Toyota!
Posted by Frank at 07:57 AM | Comments (0)
May 16, 2005
Podcast Audio: Breaking News! Win the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile for a Day!
That's right, boys and girls, you can win the use of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile for a day -- along with up to $5,000 in cash.
Listen to the podcast for details -- all the way to the end for a surprise!
Posted by Frank at 03:11 PM | Comments (0)
Goldberg's an Automaniac
We've gotten our paws on the very first episode of Goldberg's car show that's called Automaniac. Not surprisingly, there's plenty of Goldbergian brio on hand -- he's big, he's loud -- He Is Goldberg.
But, if this first episode is any indication, we think that crucial crossover demogaphic -- wrestling/car fans -- are in for a fun ride. The premier, Gangster Cars [airing June 1, on the History Channel!], takes us into the world of Al Capone, Bonnie and Clyde and their rides, all the way up to today's Mercedes-sporting international thugs.
Goldberg has a lot of fun showing how Capone's men would spray bullets from a Tommy Gun while either standing on the running board or his tricked-out V16 Cadillac, or shooting out the rear windows. And he informs us of a historical nugget we didn't know about -- the Chicago gangsters invented and perfected the drive-by shooting.
Beyond Goldberg's outsize personality, and the clear fun he's having with the topic, what's cool about the show is how much he delves into historical facts like this, and gets down to the nitty gritty of describing automotive technology.
For example, Bonnie & Clyde liked the Ford V8 so much, that was the car they preferred to steal! There's also nuggets that describe how the V16 Caddy was essentially a side by side V8 linked to the same drive train, and how Ford cast their V8 block from a single piece, moving engine technology forward from the previously used multi-piece method.
So there you have it -- we think Automaniac is going to be a success because it goes beyond what you'd expect and delivers ride that is fun and informative. And loud, ala Goldberg.
Show info:
Series premiere Wednesday, June 1st @ 10 p.m. ET/PT
Buckle your seat belts—it's going to be a wild ride. Hosted by pro wrestling and feature film star Bill Goldberg, AUTOMANIAC puts you in the driver's seat of the coolest, hottest, fastest and most unusual vehicles ever to hit the road. Each episode of AUTOMANIAC focuses on an unusual theme, such as vehicles driven by gangsters, police departments, hot rodders or the super rich. Incorporating a mix of history, technology, the culture and hands-on participation from Goldberg himself, AUTOMANIAC takes viewers into the garage, under the hood and out on the road to show how these amazing cars work and what makes them the hottest wheels of any era. The History Channel® one-hour weekly series AUTOMANIAC premiere airs Wednesday, June 1st @ 10 p.m. ET/PT.
AUTOMANIAC host Bill Goldberg was named one of the 100 most powerful people in the sports industry by The Sporting News. Goldberg has had a longtime passion for cars and motorcycles and has a collection of over two dozen vintage cars, from an all-original 1959 Chevrolet to a 2003 Ferrari Modina 360. Goldberg’s starring roles range from the upcoming films The Longest Yard and Santa’s Slay to his roles in Warner Brothers Pictures’ Looney Tunes: Back In Action, Ready to Rumble and Universal Soldier II.
Episodes include:
GANGSTER CARS (June 1st at 10 p.m.): Smooth, sleek and glamorous, these cars helped make outlaws like John Dillinger and Al Capone look like gentlemen. Their cars could go from zero to 60 faster than most police cars. Some were bulletproof; others weren't. This episode looks at such cars as Al Capone's 1929 V-16 Cadillac, Bonnie & Clyde's 1934 Ford Deluxe Four-Door Sedan, John Dillinger's Hudson Terraplane 8, and armored versions of the S-Class Mercedes, one of the protective cars of today's mobsters.
MOONSHINE CARS (June 8th at 10 p.m.): Today's NASCAR circuit has its roots dating back to Prohibition. During that era, a variety of vehicles had roles in transporting illegal bootleg liquor. Searching for any advantage over the Feds who sought to close them down, they modified Detroit's best cars into hot wheels that they raced against each other on Sunday afternoons—and then raced for their lives and livelihood.
SUPER CARS (June 15th at 10 p.m.): Superfast, supercharged and superbeautiful, these are the ultimate sports cars. The ideal marriage of art, engineering and passion, these cars are sleek, powerful expressions of affluence and freedom. Ride along in cars such as the Lamborghini Miura, Ferrari F-40, the Saleen S7, and the McLaren F1 Road Car, the fastest passenger car in the world.
MUSCLE CARS (June 22nd at 9 p.m.): They’re some of the baddest cars ever built. High performance, fast cars from the 60s and 70s, powered with large V8 engines. We’ll trace their history from the Pontiac GTO – the first true muscle car – to the Yenko Camaro to the Shelby Cobra. We’ll also burn rubber in Goldberg’s own Mustang Lawman, a one of a kind muscle car that went to war to entertain troops overseas.
DEATH CARS (June 29th at 10 p.m.): As long as there have been cars, there have been accidents and death. This episode looks at the circumstances behind the automobile-related deaths of 1950s icon James Dean, cowboy star Tom Mix, sexy screen siren Jayne Mansfield, and standup comedian, Sam Kinison.
LOWRIDERS (July 6th at 9 p.m.): They spray brilliant sparks when scraping over asphalt. They dance down dark alleys like a salsa performer. They hop higher than a kangaroo. These cars are a unique combination of art and sophisticated technology welded together to create the ultimate automobile phenomenon. From their Mexican origins to today’s car shows throughout the world, they have become some of the coolest cars to cruise the boulevards of America's roads.
COP CARS (July 13th at 10 p.m.): These four-wheeled predators prowl the urban and rural roadways of America, hunting down speed demons, armed robbers and cold-blooded killers. From the primitive paddy wagons to today's state of the art sedans and the 2004 Crown Victoria, go on the chase in some of the most popular and powerful police cars ever made. Go under the hood to see how these vehicles are modified to be the highest performing cars on the road.
CUSTOM PICK UPS (July 20th at 10 p.m.): The pickup truck is a uniquely American concept. Built tough, rugged and reliable, they were originally designed by Dodge, Ford and Chevrolet to be workhorses. But since their inception, their owners have dedicated themselves to testing the pick up truck's limits, to expand its functions, increase its power and improve its look. Meet die-hard enthusiasts who restore, trick out and customize any classic model they can get their hands on. This includes George Barris’ 1929 Model A Roadster, the “A La Kart”, Spencer Murray’s 1950/54 Chevy Dreamtruck, Bill “Maverick” Golden’s Dodge A100 “The Little Red Wagon”, and Gale Banks Dodge Dakota “Sidewinder”, a diesel powered pickup clocked at more than 200 mph.
EXTREME BIKES (July 27th at 10 p.m.): Not all bikes are created equal. These sleek, fast and innovate bikes were made for the rich or for speed-crazy racers. Hop on for a ride on the ultimate bikes in terms of technology, design and performance including the Indian 8-Valve Board Track Racer, the 2005 Ducati 999R, the BMW R32, the Vincent series C "Black Shadow" and the Easy Rider "Captain America" chopper.
RIDICULOUSLY LARGE ENGINES (August 3rd at 10 p.m.): Meet the innovative hot rodders who practice their craft on an unimaginable scale. This episode will showcase extraordinary mechanical engineers who have managed to cram the largest powerplants into the most amazing vehicles – Bryan Thatcher and his massively overpowered Nash Metropolitan; the tank-engine powered roadsters of the Blastolene Brothers; Shannon Seydel and his Jet Firetruck; and Boss Hoss motorbike sporting engines that belong in cars.
HOT RODS (August 10th at 10 p.m.): Hot Rods. They’re an American pop-culture icon, revered throughout the world. Stripped down and hopped up, they started as a Southern California craze nearly a century ago, and are now found racing on streets, drag strips and dry lakes everywhere. We’ll explore the colorful history of these speed demons. From the “souped up” Model T’s of the 20’s to the Belly Tank Lakesters of the 40s and 50s, to today’s Rat Rods and fiberglass reproductions. We’ll even take a ride in “Milner’s Coupe”, the hot rod made famous in the 1973 film, “American Graffiti”.
BIKES FROM HELL (August 10th at 11 p.m.): Strap on your leatherjacket for a badass ride on the motorcycles preferred by hardcore bikers. Motorcycles include the 1948 Indian Chief (the bike of choice of the Jack Pine Gypsies), "bobbed" 1941 Crocker (the bike of the Boozefighters), the chopped Harley (of the 1960s Hell's Angels), the 2003 Honda CBR 954RR (of today’s Sport Bike Freaks) and the Suzuki TL 1000S (of today's Team-X Factor), which can go a jolting zero to 100 in four to five seconds.
CARS OF WORLD WAR II (August 17th at 10 p.m.): They’re the cars driven by the leaders during World War II. Dwight Eisenhower’s 1942 Cadillac, FDR’s 1939 Ford, Hirohito’s 1930 Rolls Royce, and the 1931 Mercedes 770K and 1938 Maybach driven by members of the German High Command. These automobiles share a unique history from one of the darkest times in human history.
Posted by Frank at 02:15 PM | Comments (0)
Podcast Audio: Protectionism is a Thing of the Past
While some newspapers and Japanese parties are speaking about protectionism, they are misreading the climate change that has taken place in this country. Toyota and other "import" cars now make as much as two-thirds of their vehicles here, with American workers.
Listen to the Car Buyer's Notebook daily podcast by clicking here.
Add the podcast to your syndication software by copying and pasting this link: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Posted by Frank at 10:16 AM | Comments (0)
May 15, 2005
Veddy Veddy Funny Review of the Nissan Murano
It's in The Times of London, and it's Britishly humorous. There's a reason we like their dry wit, especially when they call their elected leaders, "commies." It's a good read by someone who knows cars and hates weenies.
But what I really like about this review is the way he attacks the bias against SUVs and gas guzzlers. We've seen this phenomenon in this country, but in stealth manner in the media -- all that scare stuff about gas prices has been influenced quite a lot by the press' bias against consumption.
For example, there was a story about gas prices hitting $3 a gallon, even though there was no data to back it up. So everyone in the media ran with it, trying to scare people out of buying big SUVs. Then they started writing about people not buying big SUVs. This was a trend the media tried to create from scratch, and then report on it as if it was a spontaneously combusting event. Bollocks!
Posted by Frank at 06:49 PM | Comments (0)
May 13, 2005
Podcast Audio: EPA Considers Changing MPG Calculations
The EPA is considering changing the way it estimates gas mileage to more accurately reflect real world mileage conditions. We reference a previouos Notebook story in this audio, about AAA backing a legislative approach to the same dilemma.
You can listen to the podcast by clicking here, or by adding this URL to your syndication software client: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss.
Sites of interest:
GreenCarCongress.com -- best site for enviro/tech vehicle news.
GreenHybrid.com -- includes real world hybrid mpg database.
FuelGaugeReport.com -- current gas prices.
EPA Mileage Guide -- MPG estimates in PDF form.
Posted by Frank at 10:03 AM | Comments (0)
Video: Help Save Thor, the Crash Test Dummy
The second edition of Zero to 120 relates the tragic story of Thor, a crash test dummy being held against his will in a lab at Wayne State University.
Warning: This video includes graphic depictions of animatronic beings being tortured in controlled conditions.Click to play!
Posted by Frank at 08:34 AM | Comments (0)
May 12, 2005
Podcast Audio: Part 2 of How to Buy a Car with Philip Reed of Edmunds.com
In this second installment of how to buy a car, Mr. Reed discusses the importance of pre-arranging financing before you go to the dealership.
You can listed a couple different ways:
By direct download, you can listen using the player in the dashboard above, or by clicking on this audio file.
You can set up your podasting software to automatically receive the boradcast, by adding this URL: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Or, you can make a point of visiting the offsite archive page where the Car Buyer's Notebook podcast is stored: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/
Posted by Frank at 12:42 PM | Comments (0)
May 11, 2005
Podcast Audio: How to Buy a Car With Philip Reed of Edmunds.com
The Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast is finally here! Now you can listen to a daily podcast dedicated to "exploring the automotive life!"
You can listed a couple different ways:
By direct download, you can listen using the player in the dashboard above, or by clicking on this audio file.
You can set up your podasting software to automatically receive the boradcast, by adding this URL: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss
Or, you can make a point of visiting the offsite archive page where the Car Buyer's Notebook podcast is stored: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/
Posted by Frank at 12:30 PM | Comments (0)
Video Review: Ford Escape Hybrid
Click here to watch the very first installment of Zero to One-Twenty, a two-minute auto news video segment.
Transcript: Hi, my name’s Frank Giovinazzi. Welcome to Zero to 120. Today we’re looking at the Ford Escape Hybrid – the very first hybrid SUV to make it to the marketplace. By adding a gas-electric powertrain to their best-selling compact Ford’s done something especially smart -- offering consumers an instantly recognizable product that offers the incredible advantages of a hybrid vehicle.
Posted by Frank at 08:02 AM | Comments (0)
May 10, 2005
Test Drive a New Jaguar, Get a CD Box Set
Jaguar is giving away a limited edition, four hour CD box set to anyone who signs up to test drive a new vehicle.
Check out the online audio player and registration site here. By clicking on the link, you get a form for your e-mail address and you're signed up.
The box set was produced by KCRW DJ Jason Bentley and features an eclectic mix of dance and electronic music including tracks from Merz, Cut/Copy, Arsenal, Spooky and Ror-Shak. Get the lowdown on Disc 1, Dream Highway after the jump:
Volume 2.1: Dream Highway
The first CD in the Jaguar series is the most intimate collection of the four, making for a decidedly chilled listen. Ulrich Schnauss, plus advance music from Merz and Spooky fit the bill with their achingly beautiful music.
Lemonjelly always cast a special magic, and 'Make Things Right' has an optimism that grabbed me from the start. Chungking is one to watch for in 2005, and this 4 Hero remix of 'Making Music' is a classic retouch. Gerd's 'I'm In Love With You, I Tell You' is a soulful groover from my record box that hits the spot every time, while the simple beauty of Mint Royale's 'Little Words' makes this a favorite from their forthcoming album See You In The Morning.
Sweden's Plej (pronounced 'play') made waves with their debut album, but it's worth noting that this vocal version of 'Lay of the Land' didn't make the album. 'Find An Oasis' by Block 16 is an old favorite featuring diva crooner Jhelisa, transporting us to a faraway place courtesy of the Fug remix.
Counting Grammy-winning producer Jacques Lu Cont as a member, Zoot Woman is one of the most under-rated groups on the dance/electronic music scene today. 'Maybe Say' is a real gem from their self-titled album. Bent continues to defy category with their fresh approach, and they bring this collection to a close with the aptly titled 'I Can't Believe It's Over'. So relax and enjoy the ride with some of the best and brightest artists on the laid-back side of electronic music today.
Posted by Frank at 01:17 PM | Comments (0)
May 09, 2005
MINI Robots for Sale -- But Check out the Free Poster!
MINI has "transformed" their beloved go-cart into a series of three robot designs, retailing for $20. Each figure comes with a book, "Men of Metal: Eyewitness Accounts of Humanoid Robots."
The book features pics of the three different R50R bots available -- Dark Silver with a Checkered rooftop, Electric Blue with a Stars and Stripes rooftop, and Chili Red with a Union Jack rooftop.
Also, if you are either really ambitious, really love MINI or are really, really underemployed, you can download this 289-page PDF puzzle that will make a 17x17 FOOT poster of one of the bots. That's right, you have to print out a 289-page PDF -- in color -- then tape it together to make a poster. If you're even remotely tempted to do this, then it's really time to move out of the basement. Instructions are at www.miniusa.com.
Posted by Frank at 10:27 AM | Comments (0)
May 06, 2005
Ford Escape Hybrid in Action
We've got the Ford Escape Hybrid SUV for a week, and are going to post a full review, but we wanted to point out this really cool feature.
On the navigation panel, you can switch to the "Energy Flow Screen" that shows the hybrid system in action. There's three main graphics on the screen -- the battery is inline with the electric motor, and the engine lines up behind the front axle in the schematic.
When you're driving slow, an orange arrow goes from the battery to the motor to the axle, indicating the Escape is operating in all electric mode. Hit the gas and the engine graphic gets lit up, indicating both are providing power to the drivetrain.
When you hit the brakes or even let the car decelerate, the orange lines reverse, from the axles to the motor and through to the battery, indicating the system is capturing energy to recharge the battery.
Thanks to the marriage of an electric motor and rechargeable battery to the gas engine, the Ford Escape Hybrid can get an average of up to 35 mpg -- pretty high for an SUV. The two wheel drive starts at $27,370; four wheel drive goes for $28,995.
Posted by Frank at 12:38 PM | Comments (0)
Protecting the Homeland Against Scofflaws
High-tech infrared cameras rigged for license plate recognition are most commonly used to collect unpaid parking tickets than to track down stolen cars or "security threats."
The cameras, mounted on traffic enforcement vans or scooters, instantly catpure license plates on city streets and compare them against scofflaw databases. Cities are using them to increase the number of vehicles they boot, and can even keep track of whether or not you keep shuffling the car around to different spots or feed the meter all day.
The Ohio State Police and LAPD have used them for more serious law enforcement activities, such as identifying stolen cars and vehicles associated with wanted persons.
So far, the leading company in this field is AutoVu, while Remington Elsag and Extreme CCTV are also ramping up marketing efforts.
Posted by Frank at 11:51 AM | Comments (0)
May 05, 2005
Top Ten Best Selling Minivans -- The Chrysler Town & Country Continues Apace
It may be boring to you, but minivans make money for DaimlerChrysler, and the Town & Country is proving the companies investment in Stow & Go was well worth it.
After finishing in fourth place last year, the Town & Country is strengthening its second place position, as first documented in this Notebook story.
The new Honda Odyssey is performing well, at better than 22% up for the year and the month, but the Toyota Sienna is starting to wilt under the pressure of the new designs.
Posted by Frank at 10:37 AM | Comments (0)
Top Ten Best Selling Cars -- Chevy Has a Winner in the Cobalt
The Chevy Cobalt roared into the top ten best selling cars in April, to the number seven position. GM did have a rough month, but car sales were up 12.1% as demonstrated here with the Cobalt.
The Ford Mustang continues its strong pace in the number eight position, but the real story is how Toyota is still holding on to the number one and two positions for the year to date with the Camry and Corolla.
The Honda Accord is closing the gap, however, with another strong showing in April, and it looks as if it will regain the spot in another couple months if the trend continues.
The best performer in cars is the Nissan Altima, with a 46.6% sales increase in April, putting it 7.3 points ahead for the year.
Posted by Frank at 10:24 AM | Comments (0)
May 04, 2005
Click It or Ticket -- Through June 5
 |
| Click on the pic to watch pickup truck seat belt video. |
In other states, you'll see advertising announcing the program, and police will be making a point of stopping people [where it's allowed] who aren't belted up.
Seat belt use nationwide was up to 80% in 2004, from 58% in 1994, thanks to passage of seat belt laws in all states except New Hampshire. The other 49 states and U.S. territories either have primary or secondary belt laws.
In the 21 states and territories with primary laws, where a cop can stop you for not wearing a belt, seat belt use is 84%. In states with secondary laws, where you can only get ticketed if you've been stopped for another violation, seat belt use is only 73%.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA] estimates that 14,903 lives were saved by seat belts in 2003. Conversely, if seat belt/restraint use were 100% for all passengers over the age of 4, a total 20,984 lives would have been saved.
Put another way, about 6,081 people died in 2003 that didn't have to, for lack of buckling up.
The Click It or Ticket website is pretty comprehensive -- it's where I got the data quoted above. Of particular interest is the way the website addresses the issue of "diverse populations" and seat belt use. While seat belt use has risen among African Americans, it's still slightly lower than the general population, and teenage use is lower still.
The website includes a frank "Talking Points" section about African American drivers and addresses the issue of racial profiling, even going so far as to use the phrase "Driving While Black." The memo manages to honestly address a legitimate concern in the African American community while still sticking to its point about seat belt use. Kudos to whoever put it together.
The facts about another demographic group, rural and pickup drivers, also deserves mention. Seat belt use by pickup drivers is only 70%, the lowest of any group, and fatalities by pickup rollover amount to as much as half of total deaths for this vehicle category. This statistic is for the South Central Region of the US, which accounted for 22% of pickup fatalities in 2002.
Posted by Frank at 01:17 PM | Comments (0)
As International Sales Jump Nearly 15%, Domestics Continue to Lose Market Share
With Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai and the smaller companies like Kia, Subaru and Suzuki turning in astonishing sales numbers for April, domestic automakers are watching their market share slip away.
The most telling number, perhaps, is the 42.44% year-to-date market share for International vehicles. Not only is this nearly a 2% jump from last year at the same time, that number itself, 40.51%, was a historical first.
In other words, the leap past the 40% share barrier has turned out to be just an easy step for Internationals, as they continue to make strides toward parity in auto sales.
With the sales of GM and Ford down slightly this month, and with Internationals posting a 14.7% sales increase over last year, traditional imports commanded 43.47% of the US new vehicle market in April.
GM actually performed quite well in car sales -- up 12.1% in April over last year, thanks to Cadillac and Chevrolet. Cadillac car sales were almost up 50%, and Chevrolet turned in close to a 25% sales increase, due to the popularity of the Cobalt and Malibu.
GM's truck division took a 13.4% hit, however, and since trucks make up the lion share of GM's sales, that accounts for the 3.7% overall decline. Chevy trucks were the big decliners, mostly in full-size vehicles such as the Suburban, Tahoe and Avalanche. Chevy continues to have strong success with the Equinox small SUV and the Colorado small pickup, however.
Chrysler was up 9.2% for the month, with strong numbers coming from Chrysler brand products such as the 300 sedan and the PT Cruiser, PAcifica and Town & Country light trucks. The Town & Country minivan, in particular, continues to surprise the industry with a 25% sales gain over last April, proving the company's Stow n' Go gamble is paying off.
Jeep turned in a modest sales gain, on the strength of the Grand Cherokee; Dodge, however, held Chrysler back due to plunging sales from the Neon and Stratus.
Ford also had success with car sales, and as in the case with GM, it was not enough to offset the slide in truck volume. The Ford Mustang, of course, is knocking 'em dead, and the Five Hundred turned in a very strong 9,215 unit sales.
Combined with the Mercury Montego and Ford Freestyle, all built on the same platform as the Five Hundred, the trio sold over 18,000 units for the first time, thus making Ford's projection of 200,000 combined annual sales a distinct possibility.
With the exception of the Freestyle and F-series pickups, Ford saw losses in all its other consumer trucks. The worst decliners were the Explorer and Expedition SUVs and the Ranger pickup.
Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru and Suzuki all turn in stellar month
The 14.7% increase in April sales by International nameplates was robust enough to lift the entire U.S. auto industry to an overall improvement of 1.3% over last year, despite a decline in traditional domestic auto sales.
International vehicles are now selling at a pace of 6.2% ahead of last year’s record-breaking performance, when the sector broke 40% market share for the first time in history. Market share for the International segment stands at 42.4% in 2005.
Toyota, Nissan and Honda lead the way
While Nissan and Honda turned in their best April sales performances ever, Toyota had its best sales month on record in the United States. While Toyota’s overall April 25.9% sales increase is extraordinary, the company’s main car division turned in an astounding 46.4% increase over the same month last year. Three of its cars -- the Camry, Corolla and Prius -- broke their own April sales records, and the all-new Avalon nearly tripled sales with 9,229 units sold.
Toyota’s success was well spread out -- Scion had its best month with 15,802 units sold, as did the full-size Tundra pickup. The small Tacoma pickup had increased sales as well, and the new Lexus hybrid RX400h SUV sold 2,345 units in only 13 days after its April 18 release. Lexus overall was up 10.7%, aided by sales of the newly released GS 300 and GS 430 sedans.
Nissan also had an exceptional month, with seven of its models contributing to its overall 31.8% sales increase. Nissan-brand cars improved 37.2%, with the Altima’s best-ever April sales of 22,869 representing a 46.6% increase over the same month last year. The Sentra turned in an even better increase of 64.7%. Nissan trucks also improved nearly a third [31.7%] thanks to the new Pathfinder SUV and the Titan full-size pickup, which has improved sales by nearly 50% for the year. Infiniti sales were up 16.6%
Honda sales were up 18% in April, where increases were also seen in its cars, trucks and luxury Acura division. Honda sold 5,579 hybrid vehicles in April, between its Accord, Civic and Insight models. Honda-brand truck sales were up 25.9%, led by individual April record sales for the Odyssey minivan and CR-V and Pilot SUVs. Acura division’s 16.2% increase to 19,102 units represented an April record and the division’s second-best month ever.
Subaru, Hyundai and Kia all have record setting April, Suzuki has best month in 17 years
Subaru’s 16,717 units sold represents a 22.9% increase over last year, led by a nearly 40% increase in its Legacy line, which includes the Outback wagon. Subaru sales are now up 5.4% for the year.
Hyundai had its best April, with 40,958 vehicles sold, a 16.9% increase. The Elantra and Sonata cars had their best April ever, and the new Tucson SUV set a single-month sales record with 5,195 units sold.
Kia posted a similar 15.9% increase over last year, and the company’s sales are up 9.3% over 2004’s record-breaking pace. Sales of the Spectra and Amanti were both up over 55% for the month.
Suzuki’s 14.8% increased sales of 8,084 vehicles was its best month since August, 1988. Notably, the Forenza platform, which includes the Forenza Wagon and Reno, were up 87.9% for the month, and the XL-7 SUV was up 57.9%. Suzuki’s sales are up 11.5% for the year.
Mercedes and Mazda post modest gains
Mazda was up 2.6% for April, led by the 3 and 6 series, as well as the Tribute SUV, which posted a 34.6% sales increase.
Mercedes’ 18,805 vehicles sold represents a 2.3% increase, leaving the company 7.3% down for the year. A 60% increase in sales of the all-new 2006 M-Class offset sales drops in the C and E-Class sedans.
Audi and Volvo stay about even, Land Rover is up
Audi’s 7,202 vehicles sold represents a .9% increase, while Volvo’s 10,743 units sold is a .6% drop. Audi is down .5% for the year, Volvo’s sales are off 3%.
Land Rover's new LR3 helped the company post a 24.3% increase in April, with 3,140 vehicles sold. The LR3 has sold 6,534 vehicles in 2005, more than half of Land Rover's total volume, which is up 8.6%.
BMW and Porsche drop
BMW brand vehicles fell 10% in sales for the month, due to a 19.5% drop-off in car sales. The company’s X3 and X5 SUVs continue to be popular, with sales up 26.2%. For the year to date, BMW’s sales are even with 2004
The MINI brand, however, continues to sell well, with sales up 31% over last April. A slight drop in hardtop sales was more than compensated by the 1,528 convertibles sold last month. For the year, MINI is up 25.4%.
Porsche’s success with the Boxster -- up 82% -- were not enough to offset the drop in Cayenne sales, which fell 38.3%. Overall, Porsche’s sales were down 7.8% for the month and are .2% up for the year.
Volkswagen and Mitsubishi drop further
Volkswagen reported sales of 18,458 units, down 28.1% for the month, and now down 18.9% for the year. Mitsubishi's 9,230 vehicles sold in April represents a 43.3% drop, putting the automaker down 40.2% for the year to date.
Saab, Isuzu and Jaguar
Saab dropped 8.6% in April, Isuzu is down 12.1% and Jaguar posted a 30.1% drop in sales.
Posted by Frank at 06:04 AM | Comments (0)
May 03, 2005
80 Year Old Starts Internet RV Company
Orren Hall was just sitting around, retired in Florida, when he got the bug to start an Internet business.
Not just any old car site -- anyone can do that -- but a membership-based RV club that offers information and discounts on parking, fuel, prescriptions and eyeglasses.
Right now Omni RV is offering an introductory $24.95 annual membership offer, that includes a hardbounbd copy of the OmniGuide, a directory of over 3,000 free parking spaces nationwide.
Posted by Frank at 10:27 AM | Comments (0)
Check Out GM's Internet TV Station
General Motors has an internal video news service, GMTV, that for some reason isn't password protected from the general public.
If you're looking to stay on top of GM's public relations and news operation, this one-stop video shop is more convenient than rooting around text-based news sites.
GMTV features a daily video newscast, hosted by Wendy Orthman, as well as archives for each of its brands. By clicking on the Cadillac section, I was able to view the NY Auto Show unveil of the Cadillac XLR-V -- the video segment that included a walk-on by Donald Trump.
Posted by Frank at 09:37 AM | Comments (0)
May 02, 2005
Jeep Liberty CRD: Are SUVs the Next Natural Market for Diesel?
Given that 93% of diesels sold in America are in pickup trucks, it makes sense that SUVs represent the next warm market for diesels.
With the recent gas price spike -- and all the media handwringing that it's going to kill SUV sales -- diesel-powered SUVs are a natural for at least two reasons.
First is the improved gas mileage. You can still have the size, style and convenience of an SUV, but with diesel, you're going to get 25% to 40% better mileage. This is the case with the Jeep Liberty CRD, which turns in mpg of 22 city and 27 highway. The 4-cylinder diesel turns in about 25% better mileage than the 6-cylinder version of the same model.
Second, diesels produce more power, measured in torque, than gas-powered engines. For people who buy SUVs for performance, this is a clear win. And it and may even be appealing to those who purchase SUVs for the appearance of off-road ruggedness. We can here it now, "yeah, it's a got a diesel in it."
Finally, the sound of a diesel engine, while noticeably quieter with new technology, could be viewed [or at least marketed] as adding to that power cachet. We can imagine this exchange: "Hear that? That's 295 pound-feet of torque ready to cut loose."
The Liberty CRD deliver 25% more torque than its six-cylinder gas counterpart. In real-world driving, both on and off-road, torque matters. As Dennis Fitzgibbons, Director of Public Poliy for DaimlerChrysler [DCX] said, "it's not a question of high-end, it's a question of grunt."
The Liberty CRD is selling well ahead of projections. DCX set a goal of 5,000 units for this year, and with 850 Liberty diesels sold in March, sales are actually double what was expected.
Jeep sells the Liberty CRD in two versions, both of which come with 4WD and a 5-speed automatic transmission. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price [MSRP] for the Liberty CRD Sport 4x4 is $25,125; base MSRP for the Liberty CRD Limited 4x4 is $27,355.
Posted by Frank at 04:18 PM | Comments (0)
New Study Shows Crash Danger for Kids in Autos
A new report from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia shows the importance of always seating kids in the rear seat of vehicles, and always putting them in appropraite restraints, no matter how short the trip.
Of the 1,794 children under 16 killed in crashes in 2003, one-third were in the front seat, and more than half were in no restraints at all, according to the study.
"The single most important life-saving decision parents can make for their child is to use the rear seat and age- and size-appropriate restraint during every car ride, every time," said Flaura Winston, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator of the Children's Hospital/State Farm study. "Crashes happen to the best of drivers and often on the most routine occasions like grocery shopping or picking the kids up from soccer practice. No one is immune from a crash."
"We know that, overall, children seated in the front seat are 40 percent more likely to sustain serious injuries in a crash than are children who sit in the rear seat of vehicles," said Dr. Winston. "The deployment of passenger airbags and contact with the hard surfaces of the dashboard and windshield are common injury mechanisms for children who ride up front."
The hospital has an excellent website with consumer info on safety -- in particular, the videos are especially helpful as they include great data and show how to properly install and seat children in restraints. The booster seat video, for instance, says that putting children in boosters will reduce the likelihood of injury by 60% in the event of a crash.
Posted by Frank at 12:28 PM | Comments (0)
May 01, 2005
Today's Diesels are "Clean, Quiet and Fun to Drive"
Sen. Carl Levin [D-MI], pictured, sponsored the event, along with
Sen. George V. Voinovich [R-OH].
The timing for last Thursday’s Meet Clean Diesel event on Capitol Hill couldn’t have been better, according to Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum.
"Today’s really the perfect storm for diesel," said Schaeffer, who organized the event to showcase the benefits of diesel-powered vehicles from eight different automakers.
"We’ve got the President talking about and calling for tax incentives for diesels -- putting them on a par with other advanced technologies like hybrids -- we’ve got the House just passed an energy bill that includes tax credits for diesel and today we’re showing the most advanced clean diesel technology that’s available here in the US and what Europeans are experiencing," Schaeffer said.
With the reality of gas prices hanging over every American’s pocketbook, and the debate over dependence on foreign oil, Schaeffer said, "Now’s the time to be talking about diesel in a big way."
A recent study shows that diesel is already starting to become more popular. R.L. Polk released data in March that showed over 468,000 diesel vehicles were sold in 2004 -- a 50% increase from five years previous. While most of those were pickups, sales of diesel-powered passenger vehicles also increased 50% in the same time frame, according to the study.
"Diesel has come so far from what it was 20 years ago. Today’s diesels are nothing like those in the past -- they’re clean, quiet and fun to drive," Schaeffer said.
The customers who purchased Mercedes’ E320 CDI when it was reintroduced last year didn’t have to be convinced of diesel’s merits. The car, which was part of the demonstration Thursday, met its sales goal of 3,000 units in just five months, said Dennis Fitzgibbons, DaimlerChrysler’s Director of Public Policy.
"Mercedes has always had a loyal diesel customer base," Fitzgibbons said, adding that in the 1980’s, about 80% of Mercedes sold in America were diesels.
"The interesting thing about the E320 is that it outperforms its internal combustion counterpart," Fitzgibbons said. "And, obviously, you’ve got fuel economy benefits in addition to that."
At first glance, the diesel E320 looks as if it has less power than the gas version -- the diesel has 201 horsepower, while the gas version has 221 hp. The difference, however, lies in the torque ratings -- the diesel puts out 369 lb-ft, while the gas version delivers 232 lb-ft.
Torque delivers power in real-world driving conditions, such as accelerating to pass or from a standing stop, Fitzgibbons said. "It’s not a question of high-end, it’s a question of grunt."
Yet even with the greater "grunt" the diesel E320 gets over 30% better gas mileage than its gas counterpart. The diesel is rated at 27 mpg city, 37 highway, while the gas E320 sits at 20 city, 28 highway.
Schaeffer said that with diesels such as the Mercedes E320 CDI, "consumers are going to have real savings at the pump. They’re going to be able to go farther on a gallon of fuel." Indeed, the range of the Mercedes diesel is nearly 800 miles on a single tank of gas, versus 576 miles for the gas model.
The Volkswagen Passat was also available to drive at the event, and it’s one of four diesel-powered passenger car vehicles the company is marketing in the US, according to David Geanacopoulos, VW’s Director of Industry-Government Relations.
"We’re committed to the diesel passenger car market in the United States, not just for the short term, but for the long term," Geanacopoulos said. "We see it competing with other advanced technologies -- it provides great performance and customer appeal and tremendous environmental benefits."
Besides the Passat, VW also has diesel versions of the Jetta, Golf and New Beetle. Customers can also purchase the Jetta Wagon and Passat Wagon with a diesel powertrain. Other diesel-powered vehicles on hand at the event were: Smart ForTwo, Saab 9-3 [European edition], Jaguar S-Type, Chrysler Voyager, Ford Focus C-Max and the Jeep Liberty CRD.
Posted by Frank at 10:00 PM | Comments (0)