Auto news and reviews from Car Buyer's Notebook.com: 2008 Vehicles Archives

June 6, 2008

Mustang first convertible to win top safety rating

DEARBORN, Mich. -- When Ford Chief Engineer for Safety Systems Steve Kozak decided to give a new car to his teenage daughter as a graduation gift only one model would do: the 2008 Ford Mustang GT convertible, the No. 1-selling and top safety-rated drop-top in the U.S.

The 2008 Mustang GT is the only convertible to earn a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for frontal crash, side impact and rollover tests.

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2008 Mazda5 wins interior of the year award

IRVINE – Coming on the heels of best-ever sales in April and May, the 2008 MAZDA5 has been named Ward’s AutoWorld’s “Interior of the Year” in the “Popular Priced Truck” category. Thirty-six outstanding vehicle interiors representing 13 manufacturers competed for top honors in the annual competition.

Over four weeks, members of the editorial staff of Ward’s AutoWorld spent time with each finalist vehicle to evaluate its interior.

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June 5, 2008

Ford Offers Employee Pricing on F-Series Pickups

In the wake of a 30% drop in pickup sales in May, Ford has announced they are resurrecting employee pricing for all F-series pickups, through June 30, 2008.

The deal includes all 2008 F-Series: F-150, F-250 and F-350, but excludes Harley Davidson and chassis cab models.

And get this -- the memo from Ford says consumers will also be able to take current cash incentives, about $2,000, in addition to the employee price. Currently advertised on the Ford website, that means you can get a base F-150 for $16,274.

Saab Turbo X Lands In The United States

Detroit – The all-black Saab Turbo X, which made its world debut at the Frankfurt auto show last year, is now arriving at Saab dealership around the United States.

Celebrating thee decades of Saab turbocharging leadership and the first to feature Saab’s state-of-the art Cross-Wheel Drive system, the limited-edition Turbo X is a driver-focused performance car that is already being hailed as an instant classic.

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2008 Chrysler Town & Country Wins Interior of the Year Award

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Ward's judges named the all-new 2008 Chrysler Town & Country "Interior of the Year" at the 2008 Ward's Auto Interiors Show, the publication's annual auto interior event. The prestigious top award emphasizes Town & Country's place as the premium minivan in the segment.

"Best-interiors nominees included the usual smattering of utility vehicles, from the sporty Mazda CX-9 to the sophisticated Volkswagen Touareg 2," said Eric Mayne, Editor - Ward's Automotive Reports. "But the Chrysler Town & Country's rich content and well-executed functionality made it the consensus winner."

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Posted by Frank at 5:11 AM | Filed under 2008 Vehicles | Auto Marketing | Auto News | Chrysler

June 3, 2008

Challenger Orders Updated on Web

Each day, about 1,500 eager customers who ordered a 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 log in to check the status of their vehicle. They get updates as it’s being built.

Now, their wait is nearly over. That HEMI rumble on the road you hear this weekend may by one of the hundreds of recently-shipped muscle cars.

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May 30, 2008

Saab Yellow Making Only 140 People Yell Hello

Forget about mellow. This yellow's designed to agitate. Invigorate. And accelerate. The Limited Edition 2008 Saab 9-3 Lynx Yellow Convertible takes the pursuit of freedom in a stylish new direction — from its unique, eye-catching color to its spoiler, 17'' alloy wheels and 6-disc CD changer.

And under the hood, you'll be happy to discover, it's still pure Saab. A 4-cylinder, 210-hp turbo engine delivers more excitement than some people can handle. But something tells us you're probably up for it.

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May 28, 2008

Volkswagen EOS named top road trip vehicle

HERNDON, Va.—Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced today that the Eos has been named to kbb.com’s 2008 Top 10 Best New Road Trip Vehicles. Kelley Blue Book, the leading provider of new- and used-vehicle information, recognized that even with gas prices reaching $4 per gallon, many Americans will still hit the road for summer road trips.

“The coupe-sunroof-convertible makes the Eos a great vehicle for road trips no matter what the weather brings,” said Mark Barnes, Chief Operating Officer, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. “And with the highly acclaimed 2.0T engine, drivers can have fun with 200 horsepower, while still saving money at the pump with 30 mpg in highway driving.”

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Posted by Frank at 12:06 PM | Filed under 2008 Vehicles | Auto Marketing | Auto News | Volkswagen

May 27, 2008

Audi Sign and Drive Lease Deals

Audi is now offering no money down lease deals on three of their vehicles, through July 2, 2008.

Also known as sign and drive, this means if you've got good enough credit you can sign the lease agreement and drive away with a car without putting out a dime [or its Euro equivalent].

The hottest offer has got to be on the Audi A4 Cabriolet [convertible], for only $479 a month for 36 months.

You can also pick up a Quattro [4-wheel drive] A4 for $399 a month, an A6 for $599 a month or the Q7 SUV for $549 a month. Click here for more details.

May 23, 2008

Ford Donates Customized Escape Hybrids to LA County Lifeguards

LOS ANGELES -- Ford Motor Company is teaming up with the Los Angeles County Lifeguards, a division of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, to help save lives while protecting the environment.

Today, Ford presented the squad with the first 10 of a fleet of 45 eco-friendly Escape Hybrids with Intelligent four-wheel-drive, specially equipped for use on rescue patrol along 72 miles of Southern California coastline.

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2008 Chrysler, Dodge Minivans Earn Top Safety Ratings

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The all-new 2008 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan earned "good" ratings, the highest ratings available from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), in both frontal offset and side crashworthiness tests.

"Minivans are the one of the safest vehicles on the road and our all-new 2008 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan are built with more than 25 years of proven engineering innovations," said Larry Lyons, Vice President -- Car and Minivan Product Team, Chrysler LLC.

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May 22, 2008

GMC Offers Free Valet Parking in Acadia Promo

DETROIT -- Through the end of May, GMC is showering the driving public with compliments and complimentary services. More than 50,000 drivers across the country will be treated to free valet parking as they pull into their favorite shopping centers.

During the same period, thousands of coffee drinkers nationwide will get their caffeine fixes free. And with playful compliments like "Your hair looks really, really good today." and "Looks like someone woke up on the skinny side of the bed" placed on millions of valet parking tickets and coffee cup sleeves, their egos will get a stroke or two at the same time.

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May 17, 2008

Scion Announces Pricing For xD Release Series 1.0

Scion_xD_RS1.0.jpg Torrance, CA -- Scion announced today that the third limited-production Scion for 2008, the xD Release Series 1.0 (xD RS 1.0), will be available at dealer showrooms beginning in June.

The 2008 xD RS 1.0 features Hot Lava exterior paint. This first limited edition xD will turn heads with a DAMD body kit, rear spoiler, Release Series wheel covers and TRD lowering springs.

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May 16, 2008

Porsche Named Top Luxury Brand for 2008

ATLANTA -- For the fourth year running, America’s most affluent consumers have declared Porsche the most prestigious car available today.

The Luxury Institute’s 2008 independent nationwide survey of luxury auto brands rated Porsche tops against eleven of the world’s most prestigious car brands. Lexus and Mercedes ranked second and third, respectively.

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May 15, 2008

Porsche Boxster Lease -- Your turn to put on the driving gloves

The instant you turn the left hand ignition you’ll know: The Boxster is a direct descendent of Porsche racing. A nimble body. Mid-engine power and response. It’s built on the knowledge of over 28,000 victories.

No other roadster can boast this combination of performance and everyday driveability. This is no ordinary car. This is the stuff of legends.

Learn more about the Boxster lease offer here.

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