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June 30, 2005

Audio Podcast: GM & Ford Win Big in J.D. Power's New Survey

J.D. Power's new study, on vehicle dependability, yields good information -- and some significant surprises -- for car buyers. Listen to the podcast for a breakdown, them check out the two Powerpoint slides mentioned in the show [see below].

To listen to the show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss

Download J.D. Power Survey Slide #1
Download J.D. Power Survey Slide #2

Posted by Frank at 11:40 AM | Comments (0)

June 29, 2005

Video: Consumers Can "Ride and Drive" Cars for Free at Automakers' Events

Click on the pic to watch Zero to 120!

Whether you're in the market for a new vehicle or not, there's not much more fun you can have this summer than going to a "Ride and Drive."

These events are sponsored by the car companies, and they let you test drive cars for free, with no obligation.

Watch this video to find out more, and for info on where to sign up for this summer's events.

Posted by Frank at 11:51 AM | Comments (0)

Toyota Tacoma Has a Lock on Light Pickup of the Year

After five months, it looks like the Toyota Tacoma is going to wind up taking the best selling light pickup crown for 2005. Unless, of course, GM's employee discount program managed to nearly double Colorado sales in June. We'll see on Friday.

It's a lot different than Toyota having the number one and two best selling cars, because they've been doing well in the car market for a while. But trucks are a different matter. Unless I'm mistaken, will this be the first time an International nameplate claims a truck category?

Overall, however, the category is down 4.6% on the year, and only the Dodge Dakota and Nissan Frontier have attracted new customers. The Chevy Colorado's numbers look robust, but the model is new, having replaced the S-10. Adding the year to date numbers for the S-10 [139] to the Colorado places Chevy still far behind Toyota. The big story, of course, is the Ford Ranger driving off the cliff.

Posted by Frank at 08:27 AM | Comments (0)

Honda Puts Safety Info on Window Stickers

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Starting with the 2006 model year, Honda will place the government’s crash test safety ratings on the window stickers of all its Acura and Honda vehicles, the company announced Tuesday.

Honda, which has the most vehicles of any automaker with top front and side impact ratings, expects the information to start appearing in showrooms inside of 60 days.

While the voluntary action is consonant with the company’s "Safety for Everyone" initiative, Honda decided to place the information on window stickers in support of legislation proposed by Senator Mike DeWine [R-OH].

Sen. DeWine’s proposal, known as "Stars on Cars" would require all automakers to place safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA] on their vehicle stickers.

John Mendel, Honda’s senior Vice president for automobile operations, said the move fits with the company’s philosophy. "It’s an industry first and I really encourage everyone to follow our lead," Mendel said.

Sen. DeWine praised Honda’s initiative, saying, "this is a very simple concept and we would urge all automakers to do as Honda’s done.

"The American consumer today who buys a car is much more safety conscious," De Wine said. "They want to go from vehicle to vehicle in the showroom and compare. They can’t do that today."

The vehicles Honda had on display at the event, a Civic EX and the Acura MDX, both sported the new stickers showing their five star ratings for front and side impact crash tests. Five stars, the highest rating, means vehicle occupants have a less than 10% chance of serious injury in the case of a crash. Honda’s new pickup, the Ridgeline, has also recently earned a "five and five" rating, and is the first four-door pickup to do so. Consumers can research government crash test ratings at NHTSA’s website, Safercar.gov.

Posted by Frank at 07:38 AM | Comments (0)

Zamboni Driver Drank too Many Zombies

A New Jersey man was arrested for Zamboni-ing while Intoxicated [ZUI], according to the Star-Ledger.

A fellow ice rink worker called police after he observed the Zamboni operator speeding and nearly crashing the four-ton machine into the boards.

The man registered a blood alcohol content of .12, fifty percent higher than the state limit of .08. His Zamboni privileges were revoked.

Posted by Frank at 06:58 AM | Comments (0)

June 28, 2005

Audio Podcast: Is Leasing Right for You?

In this segment we speak with Tarry Shebasta, president of Leasecompare.com, and he details the situations where leasing a vehicle is a good financial option, for either business owners or individuals.

One of the things that surprises many people is how they can get a much better vehicle for their monthly payment with leasing versus purchase financing.

To listen to the show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss

If you're in the market for a new vehicle, I encourage you to investigate all your options, including leasing. After listening to the show you can go to www.leasecompare.com and do some mock-up price quotes to see if leasing fits your portfolio.

Posted by Frank at 07:58 AM | Comments (0)

June 24, 2005

Video: Car Buyer's Notebook Takes a Look at the Toyota Prius

Click on the pic to watch Zero to 120!

Driving the Prius was a lot of fun -- it seems the jazz quotient is higher when you're driving one of the hottest "It" cars of the moment.

Yes, it is the best selling hybrid in America. Indeed, it really can be considered the vehicle that put hybrids on the map in many ways, when rising gas prices, interest in the car and overwhelming consumer demand all contributed to making the Prius a star in the media firmament.

But once you get over the hybrid faloozzle, you learn something else about the Prius -- it's a fun, sporty compact! This video goes over some of the basic data about the Prius, along with a special surprise.

Posted by Frank at 01:12 PM | Comments (0)

Audio Podcast: Singing the Praises of the GMC Envoy XL Denali

Sometimes you just gotta' have a big 'ol SUV -- and the GMC Denali is one fine, sure-footed luxurious ride. We took the seven-seater on a 750 mile roundtrip in bad weather and sometimes treacherous road conditions -- feeling safe and comfortable through rain, slush, mud and 400-foot drops.

To listen to the show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss

Posted by Frank at 08:01 AM | Comments (0)

June 23, 2005

Audio Podcast: Hybrid Vehicles as Category Killers and Practical Investments

Hybrid technology is here and not only is it not going away, it's going to have to become the standard in autos because people are obviously willing to pay for them.

But do they make financial sense? Yes and no -- at the same time! -- make sure to listen to find out how!

To listen to the show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss

Posted by Frank at 01:23 PM | Comments (1)

June 22, 2005

Audio Podcast: Goldberg Talks about Being an Automaniac for the History Channel

Bill Goldberg, former wrestling star and current host of Automaniac on the History Channel, gave us an interview about his new show -- and his personal relationship with Burt Reynolds.

Also included in this interview is a suggestion on what you should never call Goldberg -- at least not to his face. Unless you're Burt Reynolds.

For more information on the show, which airs every Wednesday night this summer at 10 EST, check out the website.

To listen to the show, click here to play it directly on your computer. Or you can subscribe to the daily Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast feed by putting this URL in your podcatching software: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss

Posted by Frank at 11:21 AM | Comments (0)

June 21, 2005

Audio Podcast: Toyota Avalon's Interior is an Oasis of Serenity

The Toyota Avalon has been enjoying impressive sales since early this year -- all you have to do is sit inside the car and you'll understand why.

Click here to listen to the podcast directly on your computer, or add this URL to your "podcatching software" to automatically subscribe: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss.

Posted by Frank at 11:03 AM | Comments (0)

June 16, 2005

Mercedes Credit Card -- The Rewards of Owning One

Like other car companies, Mercedes-Benz has a credit card.

Unlike everyone else, unless you own a Mercedes, you can't have one.

You can apply for the Mercedes Card online, at the same site where you can arrange financing to buy a vehicle that qualifies you to get a card.

The signature version of the card allows you to earn points that can then be used against your Mercedes payment, and if you donate to charity, you accumulate even more points.

Posted by Frank at 08:34 AM | Comments (0)

June 15, 2005

Automaker's Pension Plans Are Not Safe

In our ongoing series, "The Worker Always Gets It in the End," we have three stories about pension plans, and the situation of the automakers in specific.

The Detroit News has a piece detailing how Ford's takeover of Visteon could lead to pension problems, and the Buffalo News has an excellent story that provides an overview of the relationship between companies and the government's Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., along with some ominous statistics.

In short, when a company defaults on their pension, the PBGC takes it over. What that really means, to take United Airlines for example, is that the American taxpayer is now paying the pensions of all the pilots, flight attendants and ground crews. And I don't think we'll even get a lousy bag of peanuts for our troubles.

And speaking of United, let's not forget that the workers get jammed as well. When the PBGC takes over a pension, they often pay between a third and one half of the promised benefits to the retirees -- after working their whole careers under the assumption the pension plan was being funded. Here's a brutal story from the Washington Post about what happens when retirees have their pensions stolen from them, via legal maneuvers.

And for all of us who are underutilizing our liberal arts educations, consider this issue is a perfect illustration of the difference between William Blake's poem, The Chimney Sweeper, as presented in Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience.

Posted by Frank at 01:45 PM | Comments (0)

Ford to Add Navigation Systems to Six Vehicles in '06

According to Ward's Auto, Ford will add a newly dedeveloped CD-based navigation systems to six vehicles including the Ford 500, Mercury Montego and Ford Freestyle, in the next model year.

Currently the nav system is only available on two 2005 vehicles, the Expedition SUV and Escape Hybrid. The Mercury Mariner Hybrid, on sale in July, will also get the current CD-based system.

The Lincoln Zephyr, and Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer SUVs will also get the new system.

Posted by Frank at 01:26 PM | Comments (0)

Ford to Take Pre-Orders for Mercury Mariner Hybrid

Starting in July, Ford will taking preorders for a hybrid version of the Mercury Mariner, to gauge consumer demand.

Ford already has the Ford Escape Hybrid SUV [click to see video clip!] on sale; Mariner hybrid production will begin in October. By spacing out orders and production, Ford will be able to better calibrate production schedules.

A donated Mariner hybrid recently sold for $47,500 to raise money for Heal the Bay, a Santa Monica-based environmental group dedicated to improving water quality along California's coastline. Gas-powered Mariners sells for between $22,040 and $25,650, official retail prices for the hybrid Mariner have not been announced.

Full Mercury Mariner hybrid news release after the jump:

Mercury Mariner Hybrid

OVERVIEW

* PRODUCTION PULL AHEAD: Production begins a year ahead of schedule
* GROWING THE MERCURY BRAND: New models and goals
* DISTINCTIVE DESIGN: Mariner features clean lines, careful craftsmanship
* POWER PLAY: Full-hybrid gasoline and electric powertrain
* DYNAMIC CHASSIS: Nimble handling and a smooth, quiet ride
* DISTINGUISHED SAFETY: Full array of safety features
* GREEN MISSION: Ford Motor Company's strategy for sustainability in vehicles

"We are really excited about adding Mariner Hybrid to the Mercury lineup. The Mariner in and of itself is an outstanding product that is attracting new customers to Mercury showrooms. The addition of the Hybrid is a perfect fit for Mercury customers who clearly want to stand apart from the crowd."
– Darryl Hazel, President, Lincoln Mercury

The Mercury Mariner Hybrid offers a uniquely satisfying transportation choice for an ever-increasing segment of the population concerned about the environment. It's a stylish, upscale sport-utility vehicle with nimble handling and impressive performance, as well as ample cargo and towing capacity. In addition, it's an environmentally conscious SUV with remarkable fuel economy – an estimated 33 miles per gallon (mpg) city, 29 mpg highway – and is expected to meet the cleanest emissions rating achievable by a fossil-fuel vehicle (California's Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle standard).

"Mariner Hybrid is the smart, sophisticated solution to environmental responsibility," says Darryl Hazel, president of Lincoln Mercury. "It's the perfect vehicle for Mercury customers, many of whom are looking for a distinctive design, the versatility of a sport-utility, and advanced technology capable of bettering both their lives and the environment."

PRODUCTION PULL AHEAD: Production begins a year ahead of schedule

Ford Motor Company continues to advance its environmental commitment and hybrid market leadership. To meet that commitment, Ford Motor Company executives added talent and resources to the Sustained Mobility Technical Team. The team's efforts increased the speed of engineering and validation testing, enabling Mariner Hybrid to launch a year ahead of schedule.

Initially planned as a 2007 model, the Mercury Mariner Hybrid was pulled ahead one year in response to growing customer interest in hybrid gasoline-electric propulsion. Mariner Hybrid is one of four additional hybrid vehicles Ford Motor Company will introduce in three calendar years. When it arrives in showrooms in the fall of 2005, Mariner Hybrid will be one of the most fuel-efficient and cleanest sport-utility vehicles on the road. It shares the same advanced technology that earned Escape Hybrid the 2005 North American Truck of the Year Award from a panel of 50 distinguished automotive journalists.

GROWING THE MERCURY BRAND: New models and goals

"We have announced an ambitious goal of increasing Lincoln Mercury sales from 300,000 to 500,000 annually by the end of the decade," says Hazel. "To attract new customers to Mercury, we are offering a breadth of new products that adhere to a focused brand identity and design theme, supported by a new emphasis on innovative retail sales and marketing initiatives."

New products like Mariner Hybrid are a key component of Mercury's growth strategy. When Mariner Hybrid goes on sale this fall, it will join a transforming Mercury showroom with six new models introduced over four years:

* The Monterey minivan offers upscale design, class-leading safety technologies and innovative cargo-management solutions.

* The 2005 Montego, Mercury's first all-new sedan in nearly two decades, encompasses modern design, a spacious interior, a smooth, quiet ride and outstanding value in a full-size sedan.

* The 2005 Mariner blends modern Mercury design with refined driving dynamics in a small, stylish sport-utility vehicle, and will be joined by the 2006 Mariner Hybrid this fall.

* The 2006 Mountaineer offers distinctive Mercury styling, a new interior, new powertrain and chassis features, as well as amenities such as power-deployable running boards and a heated windshield.

* The 2006 mid-size Milan sedan offers clean, crisp lines, a distinctive interior with room for five and driving excitement. A hybrid version of the Milan sedan is scheduled for introduction in 2008 (calendar year).

* A crossover vehicle for Mercury showrooms will follow in a couple of years.

DISTINCTIVE DESIGN: Mariner features clean lines, careful craftsmanship

The Mariner Hybrid's exterior design follows Mercury's brand themes – clean lines and contemporary proportions inspired by modern urban architecture. Complex refractor headlamps are stacked over inset foglamps. The satin-aluminum-finished waterfall grille establishes a vertical theme surrounding a prominent Mercury emblem. Satin-aluminum finish also adorns the taillamps, a design cue shared with the Mountaineer and Monterey minivan. Bumpers, door handles, and protective side cladding are smoothly integrated and color-keyed, for a clean, tailored appearance.

"The Mariner purposely stands out from the crowded compact sport-utility field," says J Mays, group vice president of Design and chief creative officer. "It has an upscale design and premium features with no hint of brash or showy excess."

Consistent with customer desire to make a statement in a tasteful manner, Mariner Hybrid has only a few distinctive exterior touches: an air vent built into the driver's side rear-quarter window to help manage the temperature of the hybrid powertrain's battery pack and discreet road-and-leaf "HYBRID" badges mounted on the liftgate, front doors and acoustic engine cover, and unique 16-inch, five-spoke wheels.

A key engineering goal for the interior was to impose no sacrifices in style, passenger comfort and cargo-hauling capacity even with the hybrid technology. Mariner Hybrid's upscale interior ambiance is established by two-toned seats and door trim panels, accented with bright-ringed speaker grilles and chrome door handles. Satin-aluminum and chrome finishes harmonize with Sappele wood grain finishes on the center console and stack.

The instrument cluster features a multifunction message center, which reports trip statistics, mileage information and remaining oil life. A battery indicator dial is provided to inform the driver which way electrical current is flowing – to the battery during regenerative braking or from the battery to the electric motor when engaged to assist Mariner Hybrid's gasoline engine.

The available Hybrid Energy Audio & Navigation System features a four-inch screen that displays the energy flowing from the gasoline engine, the electric motors, the battery pack and the wheels. The graphics include idle state, electric drive, gas-engine drive, hybrid drive and regenerative braking.

The Premium Package also includes leather seating surfaces, heated front seat and side mirrors, a reverse sensing system, and safety package (side curtain air bags with rollover sensors and front side air bags.)

POWER PLAY: Full-hybrid gasoline and electric powertrain

The Mercury Mariner Hybrid powertrain blends the best features of a gasoline engine and an electric motor to achieve nearly 50 percent higher driving efficiency and lower emissions with no loss of the conventional Mariner's functionality or performance. This remarkable feat is accomplished by six powertrain components that work in perfect unison. Ford Motor Company has received more than 40 patents, and has another 70 patents pending, on these technologies shared with the Ford Escape Hybrid.

Ford Motor Company has received more than 40 patents on technology developed for the hybrid powertrain program.

The core powertrain components are a 2.3-liter DOHC Duratec four-cylinder engine with an Atkinson operating cycle, two AC electric motors that provide both motor and generator functions, an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (CVT), and 250 D-size nickel-metal hydride batteries in a compact, rear-mounted, sealed package.

Configured as a full hybrid, this powertrain is able to propel the Mariner to 25 miles per hour (mph) solely with clean electric power. When its 133 horsepower isn't required – during coasting, at stoplights, or crawling at low speeds through traffic – the gasoline engine automatically shuts down to conserve fuel and curb emissions.

Both the gasoline engine and the AC traction motor team up when needed for passing acceleration, climbing steep grades, or towing a 1,000-pound trailer. With a combined output equivalent to 155 horsepower and the continuously variable transmission's immediate ratio-changing capability, passing acceleration is comparable to the conventional Mariner powered by a 3.0-liter Duratec V-6.

Mariner Hybrid delivers impressive fuel economy, with estimated ratings of 33 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. Unlike conventional vehicles, Mariner Hybrid gets greater fuel economy in the city, where its electric motor can propel the vehicle up to 25 mph without assistance from the gasoline engine. In addition, Mariner Hybrid takes advantage of frequent stops for regenerative braking. The stop and go of the urban commute is where Mariner Hybrid shines. Certified to California emissions standards, Mariner Hybrid is expected to meet the rigorous Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) emissions standard in California, and other states that have adopted California's emissions standards.

The planetary CVT integrates and manages the power delivered from the gasoline engine and electric motor.

Mariner Hybrid's Intelligent four-wheel-drive system monitors throttle position and individual wheel speeds to supplement front-wheel drive with four-wheel drive before slippage and loss of mobility occurs.

DYNAMIC CHASSIS: Nimble handling and a smooth, quiet ride

Mariner Hybrid's chassis is optimized for space and weight efficiency, essential for delivering a fun-to-drive character.

The solid foundation is accompanied by a fully independent suspension. The MacPherson strut front suspension features shock absorbers, coil springs, L-shaped arms and a stabilizer bar. The independent multi-link system uses a trailing arm and two lateral links to locate each wheel, and coil-over shocks.

Engineers placed the additional hybrid powertrain components low and to the rear, to lower the center of gravity and improve the conventional Mariner's front-rear weight distribution.

Mariner Hybrid features MacPherson-strut type front suspension and independent rear suspension.

The rack-and-pinion steering is electrically assisted, rather than using the traditional hydraulic steering pump for consistent steering efforts and control whether the gasoline engine is stopped or running. Regenerative braking uses the traction motor to assist the four-wheel disc brakes in slowing Mariner Hybrid while simultaneously generating electricity for charging the battery.

The result is a confident, fun-to-drive vehicle, defined by its smooth, controlled ride, nimble response to steering commands and inspiring brakes.

DISTINGUISHED SAFETY: Full array of safety features

The nimble handling and four-channel anti-lock brake system help Mariner Hybrid owners to avoid accidents. However, should an accident occur, Mariner Hybrid is backed by a full array of safety features.

The standard Personal Safety System™ includes Occupant Classification Sensing to tailor the front passenger air bag deployment to match the passenger's size and severity of impact. The optional Safety Package includes side chest air bags for the front seats, and Safety Canopy™, Ford Motor Company's exclusive side air curtain rollover protection system that senses an imminent rollover and automatically deploys front and rear air bags to help guard occupants from injury.

The unibody structure is engineered to help protect the occupants in all types of collisions, including offset front impacts.

GREEN MISSION: Ford Motor Company's strategy for sustainability in vehicles

The goal at Ford Motor Company is to eliminate motor vehicles from the environmental debate by designing them to have a negligible impact on the environment. The industry is in agreement that vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells are the long-term solution, but still are decades away from being commonplace.

Mariner Hybrid advances Ford Motor Company's commitment to developing vehicles that have a negligible impact on the environment.

As Ford works to develop hydrogen fuel cell technology, potential alternatives that improve on today's conventional internal combustion engines are emerging, such as hybrid-electrics, advanced clean diesels and hydrogen internal combustion engines. And, of all the manufacturers on the planet, only Ford Motor Company is actively involved in the development of all four leading technologies: hybrid-electric, clean diesel, hydrogen internal combustion and fuel cells.

As such, Mariner Hybrid is a key component of Ford Motor Company's commitment to building a better world. The hybrid technology and engineering knowledge gained on the hybrid programs will be applied to similar functions in fuel cell vehicles.

Posted by Frank at 12:25 PM | Comments (0)

June 14, 2005

Mercedes Bionic Concept Car

WASHINGTON, DC -- It’s gotten harder to impress the public with so-called concept cars. Now that we have come to take DVD players, navigation systems and even hybrid technology for granted, most future vehicles are little more than an exercise in flamboyant design.

But now that Mercedes-Benz has unveiled their "bionic" diesel concept car -- featuring a radical leap in inspiration, design, construction and emissions technology -- there’s renewed hope once again for concept cars.

[Click here to play a video depicting the design process.]

Even the design inspiration -- turning to nature to find an aerodynamic shape -- features a counterintuitive leap. Dieter Gurtler, a Mercedes engineer, explained that when designers look to nature for structural inspiration, fast swimmers such as dolphins, sharks and penguins first come to mind.

Due to material limitations -- and the interior volume requirements of automobiles -- these initial models prove untenable Gurtler said, so Mercedes turned to the seemingly unlikely boxfish.

"Looking at the cross-section of the boxfish, there’s no other creature as close to a car," Gurtler said. The boxfish has a natural drag coefficient of 0.04, and after working with models that achieved 0.095, the final car has a Cd of 0.19 -- about 65% better than a production compact car.

[Click here to check out a neat-o Mercedes Bionic Car Screensaver -- it's free!]

The concept car’s shape isn’t the only thing that makes it bionic, or derived from nature, according to Gurtler. The boxfish, as well as other animals, is comprised of a mix of extremely durable and flexible parts that allow the organism to thrive in their environments.

Again working with natural principles and computer modeling, Mercedes sought to reduce the weight of the frame using a method known as Soft Kill Option [SKO] reducing material mass and strength in areas where stress is light on a vehicle, or in some cases "killing" the component altogether.

This resulted in a vehicle that weighs 1,100 kilograms, about 2,400 pounds, which is about half the weight of a comparable minivan or crossover vehicle.

Thanks to the aerodynamic design and SKO construction, the Mercedes bionic concept has achieved an average of 70 miles per gallon fuel efficiency, topping out at 84 mpg on a straight highway shot.

The excellent fuel economy is also due in large part to the 4-cylinder, 2-liter diesel that engine that delivers 140 horsepower. The engine uses DaimlerChrysler’s Selective Catalytic Reduction [SCR] technology to showcase a dramatic 80% reduction in NOx emissions.

According to Green Car Congress, "this aftertreatment sprays an aqueous urea solution into the exhaust system in precisely metered quantities, depending on the engine operating status." The reaction with the urea converts the nitrogen oxides into nitrogen and water, and is supplied through a separate reservoir and offers enough capacity to last a typical service interval.

Driving the vehicle at Washington, D.C.’s RFK Stadium, there was no discernable noise or combustion clatter from the diesel engine. None. While many recently introduced diesels sport dramatically quieter diesel plants, the Mercedes boxfish car was remarkable for failing to give away its diesel heart at all.

Beyond the overarching leaps in technology, the Mercedes bionic car includes some wonderful design features -- such as the sweeping overhead windshield that gives the impression of traveling in an underwater minisub -- that make this vehicle a true conceptual standout.

Starting at the hood and coming almost to the passengers’ heads, the glass serves the dual purpose of both windshield and sunroof, creating a closer connection between the occupants and the outside world.

Some of the design elements -- such as exterior, flush mounted cameras that feed interior monitors in lieu of mirrors -- serve double duty in terms of aerodynamics and aesthetics.

The rear wheel wells are covered with a translucent cover, and all four wheels themselves have wind-reducing masks affixed to them.

Not having external mirrors on the doors and covering the wheels all help preserve the vehicle’s low drag coefficient. Once you experience the camera and monitor system on an actual test drive, it’s evident they will soon replace traditional side and rear-view mirrors.

As with all concept cars, some elements will likely never see production. It’s hard to imagine the two-tone lime and pistachio suede interior ever creating huge consumer demand.

Now that the car has been revealed to the public, there is still work to be done, Gurtler said. "I’m very proud of the response to the product -- it’s absolutely necessary to take the response and put it into the development of the vehicle."

As for the lack of cupholders in the prototype, Gurtler laughed. "That’s the next project."

Posted by Frank at 12:37 PM | Comments (0)

June 13, 2005

Hyundai Offers Free Sonata Test Drives to Commute-Weary Philadelphians

On June 18 and 19, Philadephia-area residents will have a chance to test drive the 2006 Sonata, a vehicle that Hyundai believes will make brutish commutes that much more bearable.

Based on a survey of Philadelphia commuters, Hyundai found that 81% of commuters said vehicle "quality of life" options such as stereo, power steering and comfort, would factor heavily in their next purchase decision, and 98% said safety features would also impact their choice.

The survey found that 40% of Philly commuters drive at least a half hour each way to work, and 19% spend at least 45 minutes each way. So it's no wonder that nearly two-thirds of respondents said their commute would be a big factor in their next vehicle purchase.

So with all this data in hand -- Philly is officially the third toughest commute in the country -- Hyundai is hosting an opportunity for potential Sonata buyers to drive the vehicle at Philadephia Park, about 20 miles north of the city. Visit the event's website to register for either the 18th or the 19th, and to get directions.

To read more about Hyundai's $1.1 billion Alabama factory that's building the all-new Sonata, click here, and here.

Posted by Frank at 09:03 AM | Comments (0)

Toyota to Raise Prices

According to the Asahi Shimbum, Toyota will raise U.S. car prices 2-3% by October of this year. The move, which is being denied by Toyota spokespeople, comes after Toyota's CEO Hiroshi Okuda has twice said the company would raise prices to help out U.S. automakers.

Taking a page from the PR people of such American CEOs as Donald Trump, Ted Turner and Arnold Schwarzenegger, those remarks have also been downplayed as not meaning anything.

Meanwhile, based on Okuda's remarks, USA TODAY reported Friday that the U.S. Justice Department might start watching Toyota and domestic automakers' prices, because the Toyota's chairman's comments skirt into a very gray area of antitrust behavior known as price signaling, according to the story.

In other words, even though Okuda's action might be beneficent, if GM or Ford raises their prices in the wake of a Toyota increase, that is tantamount to price fixing. No good deed goes unpunished.

Posted by Frank at 07:04 AM | Comments (0)

Sign of the Times: Toyota Expects North American Production to Hit 2.5 Million by 2008

When Toyota's proposed Canadian plant is online by 2008, the company will have the capacity to produce more than double the 1 million vehicles it produced in North America in 2004, according to Bloomberg News.

Toyota currently has five vehicle manufacturing plants in North America, and is building a sixth in San Antonio, Texas. The Canadian plant, to be built near Toyota's existing Ontario facility, will be followed by another that is projected to begin production in 2010. Toyota has not decided where that plant will be located.

Toyota makes about 60% of the vehicles they sell in America at their existing domestic plants. The company plans to raise that percentage to 75%, with the capacity of the new San Antonio, Ontario and as yet-to-be-announced plant.

In the picture above right, 195th Street in Torrance, California gets its new street sign, proclaiming it, "Toyota Way." Toyota's national sales headquarters has been located in the city since 1966.

Posted by Frank at 05:56 AM | Comments (0)

Faa-aa-bu-lous Timing: Scion Sponsors GayWheels.com at LA Gay Pride Parade

The same week the American Family Association cancelled their Ford boycott over gay-friendly policies, a new website comes out to help gays identify which car companies support said policies.

GayWheels.com identifies car companies that offer domestic partner benefits to their employees, making them "gay-friendly." Gay car buyers -- or their friends, parents, relatives and fellow travelers -- can then decide where they want to spend their money.

You see, it's like the American Family Association's boycott, but in reverse.

GayWheels.com aims to reward companies for offering things like health benefits, insurance and equal rights in the workplace to all their employees, regardless of their disposition. Something like the protections guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.

The proposed AFA boycott of Ford drew 110,538 signatories, according to their website. Memo to AFA -- there's more gay people than that in Minnesota.

And last time I checked, gay couples possess the highest income, education levels and disposable income than any other demographic -- legally married or not. These are the attributes of people who buy cars, not people who sign petitions.

Scion's sponsorship of GayWheels.com at the June 12 parade in West Hollywood was reported here.

Posted by Frank at 04:37 AM | Comments (0)

June 12, 2005

White House Staffer Resigns Two Days After Revelation He Edited Climate Change Documents

Rick Piltz, a government scientist for 14 years, resigned in March over concerns that scientific documents were being amended for political reasons. Evidence released by Piltz was reported in the NY Times on June 8. Philip Cooney, the White House official accused of editing the reports, resigned June 10.

Philip Cooney, a former oil industry lobbyist who edited scientific language in government climate change reports, resigned Friday, just two days after the NY Times revealed his blue pencil work.

Cooney, a former lobbyist for the American Petroleum Institute, has no scientific training.

That's the top level version of the story, compelling enough on its own. However, more interesting to me is the chain of events and people involved in the situation.

The NYT story came directly from documents released by Rick Piltz, a government scientist who resigned in March. Piltz apparently spent some time getting his ducks in a row, obtaining representation from the Government Accoutability Project [GAP], a non-profit that represents whistleblowers.

Piltz released a 14-page memo to government scientists and officials on June 1, detailing his concerns over what he deems the politicization of science to dovetail with the needs of the current administration's policy regarding climate change. Piltz also wrote a shorter, 4-page memo explaining his resignation that GAP has posted on their website.

Money quote from the shorter document:

In particular, why does a former oil industry lobbyist have the authority to edit scientific statements developed by career federal science professionals?

To very roughly summarize the action, Piltz worked for a government consortium, the U.S. Climate Change Science Program [USCCSP], whose role is to compile scientific data and prepare reports.

Cooney was the Chief of Staff of the Council on Environmental Quality [CEQ], a White House office whose mission is to coordinate "federal environmental efforts and works closely with agencies and other White House offices in the development of environmental policies and initiatives."

In other words the CEQ is a political office and Cooney was a direct hire of the White House; USCCSP is a government funded research program, staffed by career scientists. Piltz is essentially accusing Cooney of editing scientific reports at the behest of the White House.

Unanswered questions:
1. Is Piltz a legitimate source?
2. Why did he obtain the help of the Government Accountability Project?
3. Did Cooney's editing result in any substantive change in government policy?
4. Is the Bush White House guilty of fudging science for its own ends, or is this a case of sour grapes and all-smoke, no fire?

It will be interesting to see if this story goes anywhere. Whether due to media interest or whether or not anyone knows about it, as Cooney's resignation came Friday and was reported Saturday afternoon -- the usual time frame for either really boring stuff like corn crop projections or really incendiary material that could cause problems.

And no, I don't have all the answers to the above, but I did think it was an interesting enough story to summarize. Corrections are welcome, but no flaming, I've tried to represent both sides here. I'm as skeptical of environmental extremists as I am of politicians, as evidenced in my story about the Union of Concerned Scientists' stance on diesel technology, reported here.

After the jump, a transcript of White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan's response to questions from the press regarding Philip Cooney.

---------------------------------
Press Briefing by Scott McClellan, Wednesday, June 8, 2005 on changes made to government climate change reports by Philip Cooney, former chief of staff of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

This press briefing occurred the same day the NY Times ran an article about the changes Cooney made, and two days before Cooney resigned from his post.

Q Scott, the Government Accountability Project, a private group, has obtained internal White House documents that show that a White House official that was formerly a lobbyist for the oil industry has doctored and edited administration scientific reports in ways that consistently emphasize supposed uncertainties about global warming -- uncertainties that the vast consensus of science doesn't think are that severe. And I wonder, does the President think that helps the credibility of the administration on scientific issues?

MR. McCLELLAN: Actually, first, I disagree with the characterization. I think that your characterization is contradicted by the scientific community. The National Academies of Science came out with a report in 2001 that was requested by the President; it took a look at science of climate change, and in that very report it talked about how there are considerable uncertainties. So some of the language that you referenced was based on the very report from the scientific community that the President had requested.

And in terms of this report that came out earlier today, let me just step back and talk to you a little bit about our interagency review process, because that's all this is. We have an interagency review process when it comes to issues like climate change and the environment. There are some 15 federal agencies that are involved in that interagency review process. It includes policy people; it includes scientists. And when we're getting ready to put out a report, it goes through that interagency review process so people can have their input into the report.

One of the very reports highlighted in the article today was the administration's 10-year plan for climate science. And that plan was widely praised by the scientific community, including the National Academies of Science.

Q The person in question, Phil Cooney, does he have any scientific background at all?

MR. McCLELLAN: Like I said, there are policy people and scientists who are involved in this process, in the interagency review process. And he's one of the policy people involved in that process, and someone who's very familiar with the issues relating to climate change and the environment.

Q Because of his work lobbying for the oil industry?

MR. McCLELLAN: I'll be glad to get you his background, Terry. But he's one of many people who are involved in the interagency review process, including those 15 federal agencies, and the White House offices like the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Council on Environmental Quality. And the Office of Science and Technology Policy is very ably led by Dr. Marburger; he is a well-respected scientist. And they are very involved in that interagency review process. And that office not only is involved in the review process, but signs off on these reports before they go out. And they have signed off on these reports because they know that they are scientifically sound.

Q But administration scientists, Mr. Hansen at the Goddard Center in New York, a NASA scientist for 25 years, and others have come forward saying that the politicization of science in this administration -- these are not democratic activists; this is a scientist who works for the government -- has reached an extreme. And they point to instances like Mr. Cooney's editing and doctoring of these summaries, scientific summaries as proof of that.

MR. McCLELLAN: I encourage you to go look at the reports, because one of the reports that you highlighted was widely praised by the scientific community, including the National Academies of Science. These reports should always be based on our scientific knowledge and what is the best available science. And that's what we expect. And that's what those reports are based on.

Q So the administration scientists who are saying you have politicized scientific research are just wrong?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I -- go back and look at what the scientific community said about that 10-year plan on climate science, and what the National Academies of Science said. And I point you back to the very first question you brought up when you talked about how there's some dispute that there are uncertainties regarding the science of climate of change.

Q That they are serious, that there --

MR. McCLELLAN: Right --

Q -- that there's uncertainty about the fact of global warming, and that there's a significant human component to it. The consensus is in.

MR. McCLELLAN: A couple things. The National Academy of Science report back in 2001 said there are considerable uncertainties about the science of climate change. Now, there are some things we do know. That report pointed out that surface temperatures are still rising, and that that is in large part because of human activity.

That's why this President is not waiting for us to have the full knowledge of science, as it continues to come in and we continue to learn more. The President is acting. We are moving forward on the President's initiative to cut greenhouse gas intensity by 18 percent come 2012. We are making steady progress. We are on track to meet that goal. We are moving forward on partnerships like the methane-to-markets initiative that the President outlined, and that the very individual you bring up was very involved in developing. This will help us produce cleaner burning electricity, and it will help capture a greenhouse gas emission and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

These are very important initiatives. We're also leading the way, when it comes to research, around the world. We are providing more resources and funding into the research and development of new technologies, cleaner technologies, that will help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Q But in every example that you've cited --

MR. McCLELLAN: Oh, do you all want to --

Q In every example that we have seen, and Mr. Cooney's emendations and deletions from these reports have been to the effect of making them less critical, less stringent, less apparently in need of immediate action. In other words, he's done everything in the examples we've seen to pull back from worst-case scenario. He is not a scientist.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, that's your opinion, and I think your opinion is wrong.

Q No, no, no, it's evident in the reading of it. He is not a scientist. It upsets the scientific community that non-scientists are doing this. That's why they say that he has a political agenda. Why wouldn't they think that?

MR. McCLELLAN: Bill, let me repeat what I just said: This is not based on any one individual. This is an interagency review process, where everybody who is involved in these issues should have input into these reports. And that's all this is. And if you go and look at the reports, namely the one I just referenced, the 10-year plan --

Q That's the only one you can reference. There are others that you can't reference because he changed them in a significantly different way.

MR. McCLELLAN: Where?

Q Well, right here, for example, in the October 2002 draft of Our Changing Planet. He says, "Many scientific observations indicate the Earth is undergoing a period of relatively rapid change." He made that, "may be." He cut out a section of another document on -- I can read that to you if you want, but you get the idea.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, you're selectively quoting things. I think you ought to go and look at some of the things he pointed out in his --

Q But the only thing you can point to is that one 2002 --

MR. McCLELLAN: No, I just pointed to what Terry brought up, when he talked about serious uncertainties, or something to that effect, and that is language that was used in the National Academy of Science report. So, I mean, if you want to talk about the facts, I'm glad to do that, and I think the facts point out that our reports are based on the best scientific knowledge, and they're based on the input --

Q But, Scott, you're not talking about the same thing here.

MR. McCLELLAN: -- they're based on the inputs of scientists.

Q But, Scott, you're clearly -- I mean, the United States is -- and I'm not making a judgment about this -- is out of step with other countries in the world, in terms of the existence of climate change and the causes of it. That debate is clear. I mean, the President, just yesterday, when asked about this, said, the United States is spending millions of dollars --

MR. McCLELLAN: Billions.

Q -- billions of dollars to research this issue, which is to say that he has not reached a conclusion yet. Fine. But --

MR. McCLELLAN: No, no, no, let me just correct you on that one point. It's to say that there are still -- there is still a lot of uncertainty when it comes to the science of climate change, and that's pointed out in the National Academy of Science report that the President requested when he came into office.

Q Right, but there is other -- there's the body of opinion here that still works against that. The point is, if you go back to June of 2003, an EPA report on climate change had a whole section on climate change simply deleted out of it, and critics charged the very same thing, which is that -- it's not that the view -- it's not a judgment about the view, it's that the process here, the science here is being overwhelmed by the politics. Is that not a fair criticism?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, it has been contradicted by the scientific community, itself, when they look at these reports and they widely praise the report that I referenced. It was one of our major reports on climate change. It was our 10-year plan on climate science research. And that is an important undertaking that this administration led. And there's an interagency --

Q There's ample evidence that you guys are -- that policy people are putting their own spin on the science.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, I guess, David, you want to let me finish and respond. I'm trying to get you the information that you want, not that some people may want us to say, because that's not the case. I'm going to tell what the facts are. And the facts are that there is an interagency review process with a number of agencies involved that are impacted by -- or that are involved in these decisions, in these reports. And many people have input into that interagency review process.

Our reports are based on the best scientific knowledge. There are number of scientists involved in this. The Office of Science and Technology Policy is involved very much in this process, and the head of that office is a well-respected scientist. And he has signed off on these reports because they're based on sound science. They're based on the best available science.

Q Scott, there's another player in all of this. It's a fellow who has been held out as a whistle-blower essentially, who is accusing the administration more or less of basically not giving an honest assessment on the environment. What's your take on him? Is he a whistle-blower? Does he have an axe to grind? To what extent can you weigh in on --

MR. McCLELLAN: Who is this individual?

Q The fellow's name is Rick Piltz.

MR. McCLELLAN: And what's his background?

Q He's been held out by the Government Accountability Project as a government employee --

MR. McCLELLAN: I mean, you might ask him --

Q -- who, in fact, works for --

MR. McCLELLAN: You might ask him those questions.

Q He's a senior associate for government climate change. So he's in the office affected, and he's the person making the assertions.

MR. McCLELLAN: And when did he come into that office and what was his background before that?

Q Well, he obviously left the office because he did not like the way these documents were being filtered. So are you not familiar with him? He was also mentioned in the article.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, you might want to look into his background. I don't know all the answers to that and why he has such motives. But that's something for you to do, and to look at his background, why he came to these -- or why he came to this. That's not for me to do. I'm here to tell you what the facts are. And the facts are that our policies and our reports are based on the best available science, and that this administration is acting and leading the way when it comes to addressing the serious long-term challenge we face from climate change.

Q So you disagree with his assertions? You disagree with the notion that the administration is, in fact, making the assessment of --

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know what his assertions are. I saw them referenced in a report, but I haven't heard exactly what his assertions are. That's for you to ask him, and it's for you to look at what his background is.

Posted by Frank at 07:58 PM | Comments (0)

May Minivan Sales -- Chrysler Town & Country Continues Strong Sales Performance

Chrysler's Town & Country minivan turned in another, almost shockingly strong month, with sales up 33.5%. Sales for the T&C with Stow 'n Go are up an amazing 53% for the year to date.

This makes the Chrysler the best performing minivan in the country, and cements the company's dominance of the segment as the Dodge Caravan is still the best selling mommy mover in the country. [See in-depth story on the Town & Country here.]

The Kia Sedona [up 15.9%] was the only other minivan to record a sales gain for the month, even the all-new Honda Odyssey, which is up 16.2% for the year, suffered a slight decline of 1.6% for the month. Though we are vocal opponents of the accounting trick known as the Daily Selling Rate [DSR], it's probable that the two fewer selling days in May accounted for the Odyssey's mild slip.

Posted by Frank at 06:19 PM | Comments (0)

Comprehensive Guide to Hybrid Vehicle Incentives -- Save Cash While Saving Gas

For a state-by-state list of incentives available to buyers of hybrid vehicles, I haven't seen anything better than this list at the Union of Concerned Scientist's website.

As far as the federal tax deduction is concerned, unless legislators change the rule, you only have the rest of this year to deduct $2,000 off your taxes -- in 2006 it goes down to $500.

As far as state incentives, it appears Colorado and New York residents get some of the best deals. Colorado offers full tax credits of about $2,700 to $4,700 for hybrid vehicle buyers. New Yorkers get up to a $3,000 credit. Credits, remember, are deducted right off the top of your final bill, as opposed to deductions which are taken off the income line.

Two observations: First, domestic car companies could advance a legit beef that tax programs amount to de facto government support of foreign automakers. It doesn't matter that they came to the market first, what matters is that the government is helping "foreign" companies gain a foothold. I don't necessarily agree with the logic, but it occurred to me that this is quite possible, let's say, around the time certain car makers go to the government asking for bailouts and/or assistance.

Second, I'm not a big fan of the Union of Concerned Scientists. While some of their stuff appears solid, their name is thoroughly deceptive. UCS is an environmental lobby group, first and last. The scientist part, while brilliant marketing, is misleading.

I particularly disagree with their opposition to diesel tax credits. Going by the same logic they use on their hybrid support site, granting tax credits to diesel means people will be encouraged to buy technology that gets, on average, 25 to 40% more use out of petroleum based fuel. The argument that diesel is more polluting has some merit, but without incentives, the technology could disappear, meaning that any potential advances in pollution reduction would never be realized.

Posted by Frank at 05:36 PM | Comments (0)

June 09, 2005

Free [Bionic] Screensaver! Mercedes Bionic Diesel

We had an opportunit to see Mercedes new concept vehicle -- the bionic car -- a crossover diesel inspired by God's design of the humble boxfish. And you now have a chance to download what is probably the world's very first bionic diesel screensaver!

Not only was the car a tremendous amount of fun to ogle over, the two Mercedes engineers on hand, Dieter Gurtler and Ralph Hettich, were a total delight, offering detailed explanations about the project, and yes, test rides.

I don't know how I got the idea, but somehow, around 11 last night, I decided it would be fun to create a screensaver based on my and Mercedes photos. Let's hear it for the plus side of having Adult ADD! It only took me five or six hours and $60 to buy the software.

Anyway, I think it'll be a fine addition to your desktop -- and baby boomers, culture junkies and TV fanatics should appreciate the intro music. And did I mention it's free?

You can download the very first Car Buyer's Notebook screensaver, featuring the Mercedes Bionic Diesel, by clicking here. The program I've used allows you to add an icon to your desktop, so you can play the show anytime you like.

Posted by Frank at 01:42 PM | Comments (0)

June 07, 2005

Subaru Supports Rally in a Big Way

WELLSBORO, PA -- As far as community outreach goes, Subaru and motorsports fit together like a hand in a racing glove.

With 20 Subarus running in last weekend’s Suquehannock Trail ProRally [STPR] -- out of 36 entries -- Subaru’s support of the sport, with sponsored teams and a rolling inventory of replacement parts, is an endeavor that pays out multiple rewards to participants, fans, dealers and the automaker.

James Han, manager of Subaru’s motorsports programs, says the company is simply "walking the talk," -- by showing up to support the owners and enthusiasts of their vehicles.

Both worldwide and here at home, Subaru’s Impreza platform, in the Impreza WRX and WRX STI models, is the vehicle of choice for competitors in the exciting off-road sport known as Rally.

In America, Rally is still a groundswell phenomenon, with teams self-funding their hobby -- but with Subaru’s backing, the competitors and the fans are staying in the game as the word about this exciting sport continues to spread.

Subaru coordinates three efforts through their Rally Support Program-- direct financial sponsorship of a professional two car team, a rolling auto parts warehouse known as the Rally Support Parts Truck, and a cash prize payout for high-placing competitors who Rally in a Subaru.

Of course, the professional teams tend to get the most notice, particularly by fans. That’s especially true as one of Subaru’s drivers is Travis Pastrana, a telegenic rookie driver who’s well known in the world of extreme sports from his career as a four time X Games gold medalist in motocross.

Pastrana was besieged by autograph seekers before the start of Saturday’s race, and Han said the rookie shows incredible promise as a pro driver -- as well as being a smart alliance for Subaru.

"Based on his stage times, Travis can be a contender in the championship," Han said. "We’re developing him as a Rally driver so he can contend consistently for wins."

Thanks to his previous career in motocross, Pastrana is proving to be a draw to Rally, particularly in the youth demographic that all car companies want to reach, according to Han.

"Travis really hits an age group, a demographic that’s an elusive one, that’s potentially a huge market for our brands. He’s shown a great deal of promise and he comes across as a credible and relevant personality to the segment," Han said.

Thanks to a well-coordinated effort aimed at including dealers native to race locations, Pastrana made a two-hour appearance at Cole and Burd Subaru in rural Mansfield,that was attended by over a hundred people the day before the race.

"You wouldn’t typically see that amount of turnout for a marketing program -- it really helps drive people to the showroom," Han said.

While not as noticeable to the public, the other two legs of Subaru’s support -- parts support and cash prizes -- show the dedicated Subaru drivers that the company is making an investment in their loyalty.

The Parts Support Truck may be Subaru’s most crucial role in the Rally world. Given that the cars barrel down dirt and gravel roads at a hundred miles an hour on the straights and sixty mph through hairpins, things tend to break on them that one mechanic told us, "never fail in a normal car."

The parts truck is stocked with thousands of individual items representing over 500 parts numbers -- everything from suspension parts, brakes rotors, pads and calipers, alternators and starts -- "everything we think might break, except for the body shell," said Clint Fast, Subaru’s Rally Team manager.

"It keeps people in the Rally," Fast said. "It gives them an incentive to use Subaru -- if they’re using another car and they break something, they’re stuck."

In a sport where up to 50% of cars don’t finish due to the brutal conditions, Han said the parts program is designed to keep Rallyiests in the race, "so their weekend isn’t a short one." The parts truck lent support to eight to ten teams this weekend, Han said, during a race where 10 of the 36 teams scored "DNF" [Did Not Finish] due to mechanical breakdowns.

Finally, there’s money. Subaru has set more than $100,000 in a pool of cash that’s awarded to drivers through their "Contingency Program."

Given that Rallying is one expensive hobby -- cars routinely cost $75,000 to get to the start line and $5-$15K per race to maintain -- Subaru pays out a sliding scale from $2,500 to $200 per race to the top eight Subaru-driving finishers. There’s also a parts allowance for the top five drivers and a Grand Prize for the national champ of $12,000 and a VIP trip for two to the 2006 World Rally Championship race in Mexico.

Han said Subaru’s support of Rally is a great investment for the company and consistent with their lifestyle-based sponsorship that includes the Birkebeiner cross-country race and the Wachovia cycling series, as well as road and drag racing programs. "We’re basically enhancing our relationships with our customers and reaching new ones."

Posted by Frank at 12:31 PM | Comments (0)

June 06, 2005

Top Ten Best Selling Cars for May -- Mustang Still Galloping, Toyota Has Unprecedented Top Two Movers

The Big Blue Oval could move 200,000 Ponies at current rate

With another month of Mustang fever under its belt, Ford could possibly sell 200,000 units of the hottest sports car in the country. As previously reported in the Notebook, Ford had projected sales of 160-165,000 Mustangs in 2005, but May's performance has the car on an annualized selling rate of 195,698 vehicles. Sales were up 46.9% for the month and nearly 25% for the year-to-date.

Despite turning in a disappointing flat sales month -- and actual drops for the Camry and Corolla -- Toyota still has the top two best selling cars in the country. This is just as amazing as it's been all year -- and it's still just as amazing that no other journalists are taking notice of it. Ah well, I've been plagiarized half a dozen times this year so far, so it's just a matter of time until someone sees these stats and appropriates them as their own.

Besides the Mustang, the only other car turning in an improvement this month was the Nissan Altima, which has been doing well all year. Of the big six automakers, Nissan was the only company to turn in an overall sales increase in May, when industry sales were down a total of 8%.

The new Chevy Cobalt is selling well, after making its first appearance in the top ten last month, and I think it's well deserved. I just finished a week with the Cobalt and was pleasantly surprised with the car's styling and performance. I especially liked the 145-hp engine, which seemed to me to be right-sized for the class. The Cobalt appeared in the number seven postion last month, this month it moves into number six.

What to say about Honda? Of the bix six companies, they suffered the biggest drop in sales, 14.7%, the main reason being the stupendous falloff of their cars, as you can see above with the Accord and Civic.

Posted by Frank at 08:55 AM | Comments (0)

Check Out GM's Employee Discount Ad

Click on the pic to play GM's Employee Discount for Everyone ad.

From June 1 through July 5, 2005, General Motors is extending their company's employee discount to all customers, a spiff worth about 3-4%.

The Corvette and GMC Medium Duty trucks are excluded from the program, and cars will be labeled at the dealerships -- but a really convenient way to make sure you're getting the right price is to copy down the VIN number off the car and check the price at GM's insider website, www.gmbuypower.com.

GM says the deal is compatible with other incentives programs, which sounds to me like they are offering double and triple discounts.

Posted by Frank at 07:36 AM | Comments (0)

June 03, 2005

Off to the Races: 2005 Susquehannock Trail ProRally

Photo credit: Don Weiman

We're traveling to northern Pennsylvania this weekend for the 29th annual Susquehannock Trail ProRally, a 10 stage, 125 mile race that goes on from Saturday morning until about 2 am Sunday.

This is our first time at seeing rally up close and personal, so check back next week for stories and pics. There are two previous entries you may be interested in: What is Rally?, and, Seize the Joystick.

For more details, check out STPR.org, press release after the jump --

29TH RUNNING OF SUSQUEHANNOCK TRAIL PRO RALLY IN WELLSBORO FEATURES WORLD RALLY CHAMPION, ALCOHOL-FREE ACTIVITY IN NORTH CENTRAL PENN.

--This year's STPR event, set for June 3-4, 2005, will host Swede Stig Blomqvist, a former World Rally champion, extreme motocross champion Travis Pastrana, defending STPR titleholder Shane Mitchell, and one of the most prolific STPR winner ever, Paul Choiniere. New for 2005 is the sanctioning body - Rally America, the debut of the rally's alcohol-free policy for all events, and a new rally chairperson --

WELLSBORO, PENN. (May 31, 2005) - From its first days in 1977 as an event for Rochester, NY-based car clubs to race through the woods of North Central Pennsylvania, to the spring of 2005, when national television, international entries, a new sanctioning body, and an alcohol-free policy will highlight the event, the Susquehannock Trail ProRally will bring thousands of people and millions of dollars into North Central Pennsylvania June 3-4, 2005.

What is ProRally?

The STPR ProRally is a form of auto racing in which the cars race against the clock, one at-a-time, on closed public roads of the Pennsylvania State Forest, at times bordering on the famous "Grand Canyon of the East" near Wellsboro. Each car has a driver, plus a co-driver, or navigator, who reads from a route book and barks out instructions while the driver is negotiating the course at high speed. The teams compete on ten different roads - or stages - covering 125 miles of racing over a 14 hour period, with the team having the fastest time over the whole course winning the event. The excitement of two and four-wheel-drive cars traveling on gravel roads at more than 100 miles-per-hour - especially on a blind course where no practice has been allowed - is exciting both for spectators and competitors.

The drivers meet their crew every couple of stages for service on the cars, and drivers must obey all local traffic regulations when their cars are not actually driving on the closed stage road. Unlike traditional racetrack driving, where repetition on the same course can lead to the "best line" or "best setup" for each corner, rally drivers must react to blind conditions at racetrack speed.

New Sanctioning Body and Organizing Committee

One of the most significant changes in this year's STPR event is the change in sanctioning body - the national organization that enforces the rules and administrates the championship. The Sports Car Club of America, which founded the national rally series and had run it since 1972, decided to drop the series at the end of last year, and two different race organizations have picked up the slack. The organizing committee, Finger Lakes STPR Motorsports, LLC - formed this winter after the Finger Lakes Region of the SCCA could no longer lend support to the event, has chosen Rally America, a Minneapolis-based group which maintains a national championship, enforces the rules, and insures the rally.

New STPR chairperson, Meridith Croucher, said the committee looked at both sanctioning bodies competing to sanction the 2005 event, and decided on Rally America based on the people running the organization.

"These are all people who have either rallied in the past or organized rallies under the SCCA, so we felt comfortable with them coming to Wellsboro to help us continue the STPR tradition," said Croucher.

According to Ms. Croucher, the change is a significant internal switch, but, for the public, it will be the same rally cars sliding down the gravel roads at thrilling speeds.

"Our goal is to provide both the competitors and the rally fans the same quality event we have always held here," she said.

Event Schedule

For 2005, STPR is Round #3 of the Rally America Championship, with festivities getting underway on Friday afternoon, June 3, with the 15th annual Wellsboro Charity Rally to benefit the local chapter of the American Cancer Society. This charity rally, which involves normal street cars going at legal speeds on public roads, is open to the public, and requires a driver and a navigator to participate. Those who can maintain a steady pace and follow directions closely can win prizes and help raise money to combat cancer. For details, log onto www.stpr.org.

The main rally, sponsored by Citizens & Northern Bank, the Wellsboro Chamber of Commerce, and the citizens of Wellsboro, gets underway at 10:15 AM on Saturday, June 4, from the Wellsboro town Green. The cars will proceed to the first stage, which is also the most famous part of the STPR event, known as the Stony Fork creek crossing, where the finish line is in the middle of a creek where the cars enter at high speed. More than 3,000 spectators are expected to gather there.

Other spectator areas around the course will be included along with spectator directions made available during rally week in Wellsboro, with information headquarters being the Wellsboro Chamber of Commerce. Admission to all areas of STPR activity is free to the public.

This year, all tech inspection and the competitor parties will be held at the Grand Canyon Airport just outside of town. The food will be catered by the Grand Canyon Pilot's Association.

All the rally events, including the pre- and post-rally parties at the Grand Canyon Airport, will be alcohol-free to help encourage the local "don't drink and drive" campaign. As always, there is no alcohol allowed at the spectator areas or anywhere in the Pennsylvania State Forest.

Also, within the STPR main event, there will be two shorter rallies - known as Regional Rally events - for those less experienced or those not seeking national points. The first one, which runs only during the daylight hours with stages 1 - 4, is called the Sherwood Forest Regional Rally, named in honor of the former Pennsylvania State Forest area District forester, Jack Sherwood. The second regional rally, which incorporates stages 5 - 10, is the Finger Lakes Regional Rally.

Mary Worthington, executive director of the Wellsboro Chamber of Commerce, said STPR provides a significant infusion of visitors to the area, and event sponsor Citizens & Northern bank estimates the event puts more than $2.5 million into the local economy.

Late-breaking rally information can be heard on KC101 FM in the Wellsboro area.

The Competitors

Because of the split sanction of Pro Rally events in 2005, some of the top rally drivers are working overtime to earn points in both the United States Rally Championship and the Rally America Championship. One such driver is Matt Iorio, from Westmoreland, NH, who is leading the points in both championships with his co-driver Ole Holter in their Subaru Impreza despite not winning any of the rallies.

Stig Blomqvist, the 1984 World Rally Champion, a Swede now living in England, has entered a Subaru Impreza WRX in the event. Blomqvist, who won the Rally America event in Oregon earlier this year, outran defending National Champion Patrick Richard to claim the win.

Other top entries include last year's STPR winner Shane Mitchell (Subaru Impreza), Paul Choiniere (three-time STPR winner), Tom Lawless (USRC winner this year at Cherokee Trails), Pat Richard (2004 North American Rally Champion and 2005 Rim of the World/USRC winner), and Travis Pastrana (extreme motorcross champion in his second year of Pro Rally).

Television

The STPR event will be carried by the Outdoor Life Network (national cable TV) as part of the Rally America Championship series starting in October, 2005. The network will show all eight Rally America events eight weeks in a row followed by a summary show. Check your local listings or www.rally-america.com for broadcast times.

For more information:

Rally information and schedule- http://www.stpr.org/glance.html
Citizens and Northern Bank - https://www.cnbankpa.com
Wellsboro Chamber of Commerce, accommodations - www.wellsboropa.com
Rally America - www.rally-america.com

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - www.dcnr.state.pa.us./forestry/frm.aspx.
Grand Canyon Airport - www.pagrandcanyonairport.com

Posted by Frank at 11:15 AM | Comments (0)

The Trunk Monkey Has Got it All Over Lo-Jack

Click on the pic to watch the Trunk Monkey take care of business.

Worried about keeping your car safe from auto thieves? Forget about high-tech, all you need are a bunch of bananas -- and some diapers, if you're fussy about cleanliness.

We first saw this ad when it was run by Don Beyer Subaru here in Virginia, and have been searching high and low for a copy on the web. Here it is, perfect to leave with you for the weekend -- e-mail it around!

Apparently an ad agency created a series of commercials starring the stalwart Trunk Monkey. Here are some other of his [?] starring roles:

Want a donut? -- cops don't like monkeys?
Road Rage -- a true urban fantasy.
Egging gone awry -- watch this one til the end and see Chimp justice in action!

Posted by Frank at 09:19 AM | Comments (0)

June 02, 2005

Audio Podcast: May Auto Sales -- Everyone Takes the Pain

Sales were down 8% in May, and the pain was spread out pretty evenly among domestic and international nameplates -- regardless of the headlines you may have seen.

This post is related to my earlier, text-based rant, Lies, Damned Lies, Statistics, Lazy Journalists and PR Hocus-Pocus.

Click 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 12:34 PM | Comments (0)

Fast, Furious Auction for Movie Stunt Car

This 1993 Supra "starred" in both Fast and the Furious movies, and was mistakenly sold by the film studio, winding up in a junkyard. Now it's being sold at online auction.

The car has turned into a boon for the guy who bought it, as well as OnlineAuction.com, the company milking its movie heritage for every single turbocharged ounce of publicity.

Bidding on the car has reached $99,300 last we checked. The auction can be viewed here, and the car has its very own website, here.

Posted by Frank at 07:49 AM | Comments (0)

Despite Frothy Media Coverage, Hybrids Still Only 1.1% of Market

Hybrid vehicles continue to roll off the lot -- quietly, under electric power -- at a fast clip, selling 16,877 units in May 2005.

Toyota continues to rule the battery-assisted roost with 73% of the market, mostly from the 9,641 Prius cars sold, though the 2,931 Lexus RX400h was more than the other four hybrids also available on the market.

The Ford Escape sold 1,234 units for it’s third strongest month, and Honda had combined hybrid sales of 3,261 cars. The Civic hybrid sold 1,895 units, the Accord hybrid 1,314, and the Insight, 52 units.

With approximately 1.5 million total vehicles sold in May, the hybrid revolution represents 0.0112513 of sales volume in the United States.

Hat tip to Green Car Congress for beating us to the Ford Escape hybrid numbers!

Posted by Frank at 07:14 AM | Comments (0)

GM Officially Offers Employee Discounts to Entire Country

From June 1 through July 5, 2005, General Motors is extending their company's employee discount to all customers, a spiff worth about 3-4%.

The Corvette and GMC Medium Duty trucks are excluded from the program, and cars will be labeled at the dealerships -- but a really convenient way to make sure you're getting the right price is to copy down the VIN number off the car and check the price at GM's insider website, www.gmbuypower.com.

GM says the deal is compatible with other incentives programs, which sounds to me like they are offering double and triple discounts.

GM press release after the jump...

GM PRESS RELEASE

GM is Proud to Invite America to be Part of its Family

For the First Time in its History, GM Offers Employee Discount to Everyone

DETROIT - For the first time in its history, GM is offering its employee discount to everyone who takes delivery of a new 2005 GM car or truck from June 1 through July 5, 2005.

"Our employees are extremely proud of the company they work for and the products they build," said Brent Dewar, GM North America vice president of Marketing and Advertising. "In recent months there has been plenty of news about GM, but not enough said about our industry leading product line-up. We want to bring the focus back to what drives our business - great cars and trucks. This program gives everybody a chance to drive the vehicles that we drive and pay the price that we pay.

"It also is a great opportunity for America to experience high quality vehicles such as the Chevrolet Malibu, GMC Sierra HD and Chevrolet Suburban, which were the highest ranked Entry Midsize, Heavy Duty Full-Size Pickup and Full-Size Sport Utility Vehicle in Initial Quality in the recent J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Initial Quality Study or one of our 19 models that achieve at least 30 miles per gallon fuel economy on the highway," Dewar added.

The 'GM Employee Discount for Everyone' provides consumers with a great price right up front. Prices are prominently displayed on eligible vehicles at participating GM dealerships and take into account available rebates, but exclude taxes, title and dealer fees. Consumers also can confirm the price of a specific vehicle by entering the vehicle's VIN number on www.gmbuypower.com.

"We firmly believe that once consumers have the opportunity to drive a GM vehicle, they'll know what we, and millions of loyal GM customers, already know about the value represented by the cars and trucks that we build," Dewar said. "The 'GM Employee Discount for Everyone' provides very simple, very compelling prices for consumers and clarity regarding the final purchase price. We believe it will cut through the clutter of all the other offers currently in the market. This is what we mean when we say we want to offer a transparent total value proposition to our consumers."

The 'GM Discount for Everyone' program includes all 2005 GM cars and trucks, except for Chevrolet Corvette and GMC medium duty trucks and is compatible with most other incentives currently available.

The program will be supported by significant broadcast, print and online media featuring GM employees. Advertising will begin on June 3.

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest automaker, has been the global industry sales leader since 1931. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 321,000 people around the world. It has manufacturing operations in 32 countries and its vehicles are sold in 200 countries. In 2004, GM sold nearly 9 million cars and trucks globally, up 4 percent and the second-highest total in the company's history. GM's global headquarters are at the GM Renaissance Center in Detroit. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.

Posted by Frank at 06:31 AM | Comments (0)

Feds Officially Investigating Toyota Prius Stalling Issues

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a preliminary investigation of the 2004-05 Toyota Prius hybrid cars to determine whether a defect is causing engine stalling.

NHTSA has received 33 complaints from Prius owners who say they were traveling between 35 and 65 mph when the engine cut out. Toyota has previously said a software problem is causing the shutdown.

In half the cases, the Prius would not restart and had to be towed. No injuries have been reported.

Michael Millikin over at Green Car Congress asked me if he thought the news would hurt Prius sales and I think no way -- in the media you're either teflon coated or a dog to be kicked, and right now Toyota is on a roll. Witness the recent recalls they've had and the relative shrug it's gotten from the media.

Contrast this with other automakers going through tough times right now -- a similar incident would elicit 1,500 word stories on how this is another example of how they are out of touch. My response is that unless hybrid batteries start exploding, nothing is going to hurt hybrid sales.

About 75,000 Prius cars would have to be recalled if the NHTSA formally finds a defect.

Posted by Frank at 06:18 AM | Comments (0)

Listen to the Notebook Every Day! Check out the Podcast Archives!

If you are a new reader, check out our daily podcast -- it's a daily audio story, generally two to four minutes long, covering the auto news of the moment. The podcast archives can be found here.

They are in MP3 format, and can be listened to directly through the website, or by subscribing to the daily "feed" that is directly downloaded to your computer. To listen directly, click on the link provided in each story you see with that big giant ear on the right.

To subscribe to the show, you will need to download and install a software program known as a "podcatcher." I recommend iPodder, a small, simple program you can download through this link.

It's simple to use. Once the program is on your computer, you can subscribe to the Car Buyer's Notebook Podcast by entering this URL in the line under the "status" tab: http://carbuyersnotebook.libsyn.com/rss.

Then, under the "scheduler" tab, set the download time for either once daily, or every eight hours. The show will be automatically transferred to your computer -- without interrupting your work -- whenever the software activates.

After it's on your machine, you need a way to open it -- generally, most people use iTunes software, which you can get here. After that, you can either listen on your computer, or transfer it to an MP3 player to take on the road with you. This is how it got the name "podcasting" as the format took off after Apple grabbed the attention of the marketplace with their popular audio player, the iPod.

Posted by Frank at 05:55 AM | Comments (0)

June 01, 2005

May Auto Sales: Lies, Damned Lies, Statistics, Lazy Journalists and PR Hocus-Pocus

Your friend Frank at the Notebook has just completed his analysis of U.S. auto sales for May 2005, and guess what? Sales are down.

For the entire industry, sales fell 8%. The bad news is spread pretty evenly this month, among domestics and international automakers. There were a few winners, most notably Nissan, where sales were up 6.6%.

There are two things annoying me about sales reporting right now that only a true noodge could care about, but since I don't print on paper I can take up all the column inches I want.

FIRST: While GM and Ford sales fell, so did most everyone else's with the exception of Nissan among those companies in the million-selling club. What that means is, international nameplate did not pick up any additional market share, though that is what you are reading in other stories.

And I'm not writing this as a homer for the domestics, last year I was one of the first journalists to start pounding away at the 40% market share achievement of the traditional foreign car makers.

However, what journalists are doing as the numbers come out -- and seeing GM and Ford down -- is jumping to the conclusion that the internationals had subsequent sales gains.

Thus the erroneous conclusion that the domestics lost more market share. This month that was not the case. Domestic market share is approximately 57.7%, while internationals are at 42.2%. This represents a slight decrease in share for internationals compared to last month. They still have a greater share of the market than ever, but additional pieces of the sky did not fall in May.

SECOND: Faced with a drop in sales, PR people pull out a handy little tool to confuse people. It's called using the Daily Selling Rate [DSR] calculation to convince you that a loss was actually a gain. Like I said, this is for nerds, but it drives me nuts, so let me explain.

Let's say you sold a 100 cars in May last year, and only 98 cars this May. To even those only qualified to work a register at McDonald's with little glyphs of Big Macs on the buttons, this represents a 2% drop in sales.

Enter the magic potion of DSR, however, and you can turn that deficit into a surplus! Here's how:

If you sold 100 cars last year in 26 days, according to the DSR incantation, you sold 3.84 cars per day. If there were only 24 days in the month this year, your 98 sales represents 4.08 cars per day.

Now, to be able to truly compare sales from year to year, so the DSR chant goes, you have to compare the units per day, and not the actual results.

So what this means is you take this year's 4.08 cars per day, multiply that by the 26 days from last year -- and then you get the "actual" performance. Which in this case equals 106.16 cars sold, all things being equal.

In other words, by selling 98 cars this year, that represents a 6% sales increase from last year's sales of 100 cars. You understand that, right?

The thing that really drives me nuts is some companies switch calculations from month to month, depending on which formula produces the better numbers.

I'm not going to name names, but when you read other reporters' stories, see how many of them fell for the Full DSR Monty. It's easy to spot -- just look for the statistics that don't make sense. At least to people with a calculator.

Posted by Frank at 08:40 PM | Comments (0)

Audio Podcast: Car Buyer's Bill of Rights Likely to Become Law in California

The amended legislation, crafted in concert with the car dealer's association, retains many consumer protection safeguards while ensuring dealers can make enough to stay in business.

The law was passed by the California legislature last year but was vetoed by Governor Schwarzengger. With the car dealers supporting this version, it's likely it will become law.

Click 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 05:04 PM | Comments (0)

Starting Today, Goldberg Changes Automotive Television as We Knew It

Click on the pic, or here, to watch the Automaniac trailer, featuring the inimitable Goldberg.

Tonight, at 10 PM Eastern, you can watch the first episode of Goldberg's car show, Automaniac. [And then every Wednesday, same time, same History Channel, for 12 more weeks.]

Titled, Gangster Cars, the show features the pics, and history [it is the History Channel after all], and tech specs behind the wheels of such famed mobsters as Al Capone and Bonnie & Clyde.

Since I've already previewed it and you haven't, I won't spoil the fun detail about how the twisted crime couple obtained their vehicles of choice.

What I like about this show is that it has a real mix of pure entertainment, great visuals and information. Why should a show about cars be boring? Apparently no one ever suggested the concept to Goldberg, or if they did, they're no longer around to tell the tale.

No matter, because he does it his way, and the show delivers -- off the top rope!

Posted by Frank at 12:27 PM | Comments (0)

Top Ten Fastest Turning Vehicles are International Nameplates

Model	Days to turn
Toyota Prius	7
Mercedes G-Class	9
Scion tC	11
Lexus GS	15
Adui A8/S8	15
Toyota Avalon	16
Lexus GX 470	16
Toyota Tacoma	16
Honda Odyssey	17
Infiniti M35/M45	17
Source: PIN	Chart: CBN

In April, the ten vehicles that spent the least amount of time on dealer's lots before being sold were all International models, according to the Power Information Network [PIN]. The measurement, known in the industry as days to turn, is a measure not only of model popularity, but also of manufacturing efficiency and dealer profitability.

Toyota dominated the list with six of the ten -- two from Lexus, three from Toyota and one Scion model. Toyota was the only manufacturer with more than one vehicle on the list, and the Prius hybird has the distinction of being number one on the list every month this year.

Originially published in the PIN newsletter, this distinction indicates the combination of short supply and high demand for all the vehicles on the list, and especially the Prius. The newsletter also points out that if the automakers could produce more of these, and other, popular models, recent market share gains by International nameplates would have been even sharper. Only one domestic model, the Ford Club Wagon, has appeared among the 40 entries so far this year.

Posted by Frank at 09:10 AM | Comments (0)

Big SUVs Losing Ground to Small, Crossover Models

J. D. Power is reporting that traditional truck-based SUVs represented just 12.1% of the market in April, their lowest rate since May 1996. Smaller SUVs, based on passenger car underbodies, captured 49% of the total SUV market.

This trend has pciked up since August 2004, and it now takes dealers twice as long to sell large SUVs now than in late 2002 and early 2003.

This supports our earlier theory that recent gas price spikes are not the trigger that has caused the slump in big SUV sales.

J. D. Power has found that large SUVs sold after being on the lot 79 days, the 11th straight month that number has been over 75 days. Car-based SUVs sell after an average 48 days.

Posted by Frank at 07:38 AM | Comments (0)

Ford and Home Depot Come Together, in a Manly Sort of Way

Through August 1, Ford and The Home Depot are at cross-promotions -- buy a Ford truck and get a choice of one of five gift packages at The Depot, worth up to $870; go to HD and enter a sweepstakes to win a Ford F-150 SuperCrew Lariat 4x4 or a $10,000 gift card from The Depot.

Ford is running the program at 3,800 nationwide dealers and will have truck and/or a display at 1,600 Home Depot stores.

The gift packages available include:
-- Outdoor Living Package – includes a Weber Silver Series B Genesis grill, grill cover and grill tools
-- Power Package – includes a RIDGID 18-volt combo kit with a hammer drill, circular saw, flashlight, dual port charger and heavy duty case, plus a 12-volt power ratchet driver and a corded ¼ sheet pad sander
-- Garage Storage Package – includes a Husky garage storage system: three 24" wall storage cabinets and three 24" base storage cabinets.
-- Outdoor Maintenance Package – includes a Husky power washer, Toro multifunction trimmer, Toro edger attachment, Toro pruner attachment and Toro blower attachment.
-- $500 Gift Card from The Home Depot

This promotion comes after Ford had success with a Dell computer giveaway linked to sales of the Focus earlier in the year.

In addition to The Home Depot gift package, customers are also eligible for the following finance offers:
-- 2005 Ranger – 1.9% APR financing or up to $1,500 cash back.
-- 2005 F-150 – 1.9% APR financing or up to $2,000 cash back.
-- 2005 Super Duty – 0.9% APR financing or up to $3,000 cash back.

Posted by Frank at 06:49 AM | Comments (0)

Mercedes Gets All Dick Tracy with Flash-MP3-Recorder Wristwatch

To be released in conjunction with the only-in-Europe B-Class, Mercedes has a nifty wristwatch that does quadruple duty.

The three-pointed star embossed timepiece has a hidden flash drive that can store 512 MB of digitial music or files, and can also record up to 36 hours of voice with the integrated microphone. Bet Woodward and Bernstein would have loved to have that during Watergate.

Either music or files can be transferred to the memory via a USB cable that comes with the rig, which also includes headphones with a nearly five-foot long cable for the sports-minded.

Mercedes has an online manual for the watch, as well as a B-Class model website where there is 11 hours of free music for download. You'd better be able to read German, though.

Posted by Frank at 06:37 AM | Comments (0)