2011 Ford Explorer: First Drive
Reinvention has become something of a specialty among the domestic automakers. GM's kicked its reputation as being electric-car killers with the 2011 Volt, and Chrysler's axed battalions of quality demons from its lineup with the likes of the new Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee.
It's Ford that's transformed itself so strikingly: first with the pert Fusion sedan, then with the singular Flex crossover and the clever Fiesta small car, and now, convincingly, with the 2011 Ford Explorer SUV.
With the Edge and the Flex around, why even bother? Answer: There has to be an Explorer in Ford's lineup. In 20 years, the company's sold six million of them, and something like 96 percent of all Americans know the brand name. A smaller percentage of Americans can name our current Vice President. The Explorer was the 1990s version of the 1960s Mustang to the company, and with almost 150,000 former Explorer owners churning through the new-car marketplace every year, bringing out a new one isn't just a good idea, it's MBA 101.
Does it need to be an SUV? The new Explorer, by most measures, is now a crossover vehicle. But it makes some key overtures to the folks who dream of rustic cabins and epic trail rides. It's part of the car-based family that also counts the Flex, even the Taurus, as its members--but after a day of driving in the hills east of San Diego, the Explorer proved itself "SUV" enough for anything short of the heaviest of off-road duties. True to SUV form, it's also a little taller and a little less space-efficient and passenger-friendly than a good crossover vehicle of its size. From the same pieces, the seven-passenger Explorer is the yin to the seven-seat Flex's yang, even if the big boxes can't interlock with the same graphic perfection.
From all angles, a styling success
There's more Explorer in the sheetmetal than anywhere else on the new ute. The body reads as trucky as ever. Walk around its angled sheetmetal and pick up on the slight rolled corners and embossed sides, and the shape telegraphs "SUV" more than you might think possible, since the undergear also comes in Taurus SHO form. It's the new ute's high hood, the tall grille and the thick horizontal ribs, and the distinct angle of the C-pillar that recall old Explorers most fondly--and even the GMC Acadia, to some degree, while not weaving in as much of the Explorer America concept vehicle as it could. The more carlike details, like perforated grille pieces and big winged taillamps and a minivan-ish tailgate, net less attention than the sport-ute talking points. The old Explorer was a truck that pretended to a higher level of sophistication; this one does a Meryl Streep take on the peculiar SUV dialect, nailing the finer points and going a long way to winning you over to its interpretation with a few subtle twists.
Inside, it all falls apart, because for most of its early history the Explorer suffered from a miserable interior. With this edition, Ford says it's beaten Audi and BMW at their own game, and in truth the new Explorer probably is better than Audi's Q7 in some ways. Audis have only grown more plasticky and less subtle over the past half-decade. In the same time span, Ford's acquired a virtuosity in fitting different materials together, first inside the Flex. The convincing attention to materials and textures lifts the Explorer's cockpit into a niche way above the one occupied by the gross-grained Honda Pilot and the spotty Toyota Highlander. The new Jeep Grand Cherokee comes close--the Dodge Durango, a little closer even--but the Explorer's nifty blend of LCD gauges and screens, those exclamation points of metallic plastic on the center stack, and the tight fits between lots of dissimilar pieces, make the cabin exceptional. It's a peak Audi wishes it still could hit in any of its sub-$50,000 vehicles. Read more
March Auto Sales Out Like A Lion: We Pick Winners And Losers
March sales might have gone in like a lamb for Toyota (NYSE:TM), but thanks to some strong incentives it went out like a lion, finishing the month with very good sales numbers—topping 186,000 nationwide—though the automaker's incentives went from less than $1,600 per vehicle in March of last year up to more than $2,300 this past month.
That's because of the automaker's March Sales Event. Toyota has attributed about 60 percent of its March sales to repeat customers, who received the additional incentive of free maintenance for two years.
Kia, Subaru, Volkswagen, and Ford (NYSE:F) all surged in sales versus last March, despite substantially lowered incentives. Kia, for instance, demonstrated that it's producing more desirable products by boosting sales by 23.5 percent while lowering its incentives by 43.3 percent versus a year ago, according to the pricing-intelligence firm TrueCar. Subaru was a very strong performer yet again, posting the biggest March-over-March gain of any automaker, with sales up by 46.6 percent from last March, while incentives were down by nearly 12 percent. Volkswagen saw sales up nearly 39 percent versus last March, with incentives 13.4 percent lower than last year.
"And of those four, Kia and Subaru were two of the three brands that had increased sales in 2009," said Jesse Toprak vice president for industry trends at TrueCar, citing particularly strong product lines for each of those automakers. Toprak says that while incentives might be able to create a sales bump for a few months, "that sustained level of success can only come through the product portfolio."
Over the past year, Kia has introduced the well-received Forte sedan and Forte Koup, along with the Sorento crossover, and this year the new 2011 Sportage compact crossover as well as the 2011 Kia Optima sedan will go on sale. Subaru, meanwhile, has introduced all-new 2010 Subaru Legacy and Outback models and has shown a refreshed version of its performance-oriented Impreza WRX for 2011.
Volkswagen and Ford have also have substantially refreshed product lines and have increased sales so far this year, versus last year. Ford in particular was a winner this past month; the automaker was third overall in sales, after General Motors and Toyota, and saw a nearly 43-percent jump in sales compared to last March with incentives actually about nine percent lower.
But that other brand that did well in 2009, Hyundai, also showed strong, with a 15-percent boost in sales and 34-percent lower incentives overall.
Bailed-Out U.S. Automakers Give Thanks They’re Not French
Lots of people, including Teamsters Union members and Tea Party protesters, seem to have a beef with last spring's bailout and restructuring of the two bankrupt U.S. automakers, General Motors and Chrysler.
As our colleague Bengt Halvorson notes, the automakers themselves aren't complaining. They're keeping their heads down, sticking to their recovery plans, and focusing on the design and rollout of new and better cars and trucks.
And at the moment, they're also quietly thanking their stars that they're not French.
French national patrimony?
While U.S. automakers are likely to start hiring production workers again later this year, the French government is telling one carmaker what it must build, and where: Paris wants to force Renault to continue building its Clio subcompact in Flins, France.
The government--which owns 15 percent of Renault--opposed Renault's plan to move Clio production to Bursa, Turkey, in 2013. Wages for French auto workers are second only to Germany's, and far higher than those of U.S. workers (once benefits are netted out).
Renault wants to switch Flins to building electric cars and battery packs, which should be promising for French technology and workers. But the Clio, a major volume car for Renault, has apparently become part of the national patrimony. Now a government representative will take a seat on Renault's strategic committee.
Bow to the "will of the state," monsieur!
Carlos Ghosn, who runs the Renault-Nissan alliance, must be spitting nails after meeting this weekend with French president Nicolas Sarkozy and industry minister Christian Estrosi.
Estrosi's words should send a chill through the heart of even through the most ardent opponent of the U.S. restructuring: "The will of the state ... should be respected in Renault's future choices." Is that a guillotine we see over the horizon?
This contrasts with the Obama Administration's hands-off approach to GM and Chrysler. After replacing boards that clearly failed on oversight and passing tougher CAFE gas-mileage regulations, Washington has refrained from weighing in on model and plant choices.
Day of reckoning to come
Analysts agree meddling in such decisions only postpones the ugly day of reckoning lying ahead for Europe. As Chrysler-Fiat chairman Sergio Marchionne frequently points out, the European industry can build 20 to 30 percent more vehicles than it can sell.
European makers overall--but in particular the French and Italians, who specialize in small, low-margin cars--need to restructure, slash capacity, and reduce costs. Marchionne himself is fighting the Italian government over his closure of a plant in Sicily that hasn't turned a profit in two decades.
His comment on the French interference? He told industry trade journal Automotive News, "The minute we get that kind of interference [from government] is the day we should give up the keys to the car."
U.S. less costly than Europe
The North American industry is now largely done with the government-led restructuring of last year. Some European makers, including Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz, plan to open or expand plants in the U.S. because U.S.-built cars are now far less costly than those from Europe.
And U.S. carmakers, including GM, Toyota, Ford, and Chrysler, expect to start hiring again this year, as sales volume gradually recovers from the depressed levels of the last year.
Opel plan will tell
A telling sign of whether the European industry can face reality will be the reaction to restructuring plans from the Opel arm of General Motors, to be issued within weeks. Opel is widely expected to propose a 20-percent staff reduction, and close up to four European plants.
If the countries in which Opel operates forbid it to close plants or lay off workers, Europe's industry may stagnate still further. And worker threats to blow up closed plants don't help either.
[Financial Times, Detroit News, Automotive News (subscription required), Automotive News; guillotine drawing from Amnesty International's Flickr account]
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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Detroit Cries Foul On Japan’s Cash-For-Clunkers Program
As congress planned the controversial Cash-for-Clunkers program over the spring and summer of this year, there was some discussion of limiting new car subsidies to American brands; that provision was dropped, however, following outcries from other countries and from thousands of employees who work at foreign-brand factories and dealerships here in the U.S. In the end, foreign brands -- particularly Japanese makes -- saw a huge number of sales during Cash-for-Clunkers' brief run.
Now Japan has launched a similar program, and apparently, they're not playing quite as fairly: the Japanese government has blocked foreign automakers from being included in the program.
To be fair, the situation isn't exactly the same in Japan: although Japanese vehicles are hugely popular in America, Detroit accounts for just a tiny sliver of Japan's auto market (just 7,900 U.S. vehicles have been sold there this year), and of those, it's uncertain how many models would even meet the fuel-efficiency standards demanded by Japan's cash-for-clunkers program. However, it's a matter of principle, the Big Three argue. We're a bit surprised we haven't heard other countries like Germany chime in on this yet, but we expect to soon.
[Freep]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Honda, Acura Offer Domestic Partner Benefits
Honda is one of the most popular auto brands among LGBT consumers, so it's slightly surprising that the company only recently began offering domestic-partner benefits to all of its employees. (Sales and marketing staff got the option in 2008, but manufacturing folks weren't brought on until this year.) Still, we're happy to report that Honda and its flashier sister, Acura, have finally been added to GayWheels' list of gay-friendly automakers, which already includes brands from BMW, Chrysler, GM, Ford, Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen...well, you get the picture. Given Honda's size and stature, we might've assumed it joined the gay-friendly ranks years ago, but better late than never, right? [GayWheels]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Must-See Graphic: Cheat Sheet For Today’s New Auto Industry
Over the past eighteen months or so, the auto industry has been going through one of the most pronounced periods of change ever. While the Japanese and South Korean auto industries have avoided major upheavals, two major U.S. automakers have gone bankrupt, long-held brands have been sold to overseas companies, and other international companies we'd never heard of have now earned name recognition.
And yes, even a quintessential American brand, Hummer, has been sold to a Chinese company.
Yet other upstarts look poised to break into the market and, even if they're not yet serious contenders, it's enough to keep the major automakers worriedly looking over their shoulders and pressing their innovation buttons.
We at TheCarConnection.com have lost a lot of sleep in order to keep up on all of the action—and it's our job—so we completely understand if you feel like you missed some of it. Enter this excellent infographic from WallStats.com, which runs through most of this information at a glance, including the new owners of brands formerly held by the Detroit Three, new ownership of GM and Chrysler (complicated in itself), total job cuts to date, revenues, sales, and market share—along with a quick look at a few of these upstarts.
Think of this New Auto Industry Breakdown as a Cliffs Notes for the auto industry, and mandatory reading if you want to know where your new-car buck goes today.
[Mint.com]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Driven: Mazda Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid
Mazda hasn't ignored the possibility of a hydrogen economy, but it's taken a quite different path than other automakers with its hydrogen test vehicles, like the Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid. Instead of using costly fuel cells, it's focused its hydrogen efforts around a rotary internal combustion engine fueled with hydrogen.
The Japanese automaker introduced a RX-8 Hydrogen RE—simply powered by the so-called Renesis rotary engine, adapted for hydrogen—back in 2003. Then in 2007 Mazda announced a new hydrogen-hybrid version of its Premacy, a vehicle known in the U.S. as the Mazda5.
Mazda continues with its RX-8 project—most recently with the delivery of vehicles to the Norwegian partnership HyNor—but the automaker is looking ahead to the Premacy H2 RE as a more advanced evolution of its hydrogen technology, with improved performance, practicality, and driving range.
While the hydrogen RX-8 is sluggish on hydrogen, with the engine making about half of its normal horsepower rating with hydrogen, the new Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid that TheCarConnection.com recently drove can accelerate to 60 mph in around ten seconds and reach a top speed of more than 100 mph.
As in the hydrogen RX-8, the on-board RENESIS rotary engine can burn either gasoline or hydrogen—in hydrogen mode, it emits only water vapor, but because petro also goes in there, tasting tailpipe contents is unadvisable. The rotary engine is virtually the same, design-wise as what goes into the 2010 Mazda RX-8 sports car, with slightly revised lubrication. Its design is naturally well suited for hydrogen, Mazda says. However in the Premacy, the rotary doesn't directly move the vehicle; it instead powers a generator that charges a small lithium-ion battery pack and helps power a 110-kW electric motor.
The Premacy H2 RE does have a plug to give you enough juice to limp home if needed, but this is neither a plug-in EV or a range-extended EV; the lithium-ion battery pack doesn't have much range—an engineer said that it could creep at low range for a couple of miles—so the rotary engine is an almost ever-present companion.
Turn on the ignition in the Premacy, and the first steps are a lot like in a Toyota Prius. Engage Drive and step gently into the throttle pedal and the H2 RE moves quietly ahead quietly in electric mode only; go into the gas a little bit more and the rotary engine starts up and winds up to 2,000 rpm or so; but stomp the right pedal and the rotary sound takes over all the other electric-powertrain sounds, revving to 6,000 rpm or more to keep the battery charge up and power flowing to the motor. When going on and off the throttle for quick bursts of power, the revs slightly lag the delivery of power from the electric motor, giving it a sound and sensation somewhat like the motorboating drone of a small car with a CVT transmission—even though the engine isn't connected in any way.
The H2RE's powertrain responsiveness is much like that of slightly underpowered EVs. Just off a standing start, or at 5 or 10 mph, the H2RE feels super-responsive, as peak torque is available right away in an electric motor. By 30 mph and up to the 45 mph or so we reached a couple of times in a five-mile loop, the minivan was responsive but no longer felt downright quick.
TheCarConnection.com's editors love the way the Mazda5 handles compared to most other minivans and small crossover vehicles (and even some wagons), and surprisingly responsive handling is a trait that carries through to the H2 RE. At about 3,870 pounds, the curb weight is only about 400 pounds heavier than a U.S. spec 2010 Mazda5. The result is a vehicle that rides and steers much like the standard version, without the heft and hard ride of some EVs and fuel-cell conversions. No, we didn't really push it, but on the curves this hydrogen minivan felt downright nimble.
Fortunately, right before driving the Hydrogen RE, we were quite close to empty, so we went over to the Air Products portable refueling station Mazda had brought out for the event and watched the whole fueling process; the process can take up to 15 minutes, yet our nearly empty high-pressure tank, at 35 MPa, refilled in less than five minutes.
Driving range is about 200 kilometers (more than 120 miles) according to Mazda. And that's before considering the 250-mile driving range from the separate gasoline tank.
According to Mazda research and development chief Seita Kanai, the company has a total of eight Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrids in its own fleet in Japan. Under a very limited lease deal, deliveries are rolling out very slowly. Earlier this week, Mazda announced the delivery of two Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrids to government fleets in Hiroshima, Japan; these are in addition to the first lease delivery of the model to a Japanese corporation in May.
The slow rollout isn't surprising considering the tremendous cost of these vehicles. Kanai estimated that the actual cost of these vehicles as they are is in the range of a few hundred thousand dollars, versus ten times that for an actual fuel-cell vehicle.
There's no question that a hydrogen economy and viable hydrogen vehicles are still many years away. The Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid simply proves that fuel cells might only be part of the picture.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Volvo To Launch New EV Next Month!
It's been a busy week in the auto industry -- especially for European automakers. The big theme of Frankfurt has clearly been green technology, and most manufacturers in attendance claim to have some sort of electric vehicle in the works. The majority of those EV announcements have been vague, but here's one that isn't: Volvo is rolling out a battery electric vehicle in October. Yes, this October. Upside: it's based on the popular C70. Downside: it's got a range of 37 miles, a top speed around 9 mph, and no roof. Also, it's a golf cart. Ba-dum-bum! We're here all week, try the veal. [Autopia]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2009 Frankfurt Auto Show Coverage
They call it the "Messe" for a good reason.The show halls that enclose the sprawling Frankfurt Auto Show now number eleven. If you want to make it from the pantheon-style dome that houses Mercedes-Benz to the brand-new Halle 11 that's home to BMW's huge display, you'll need running shoes. Or one of those mythological shuttles that is said to cart journalists around the show grounds. In our dreams.
It wasn't like the glory days of the early 2000s, but this year's Frankfurt gathering showed some strong signs of life. The auto industry's starting to get back on its feet after an annus horribilis that nearly claimed some of the world's biggest automakers. It's still sickly, particularly in the U.S., but it's no longer in triage.
<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&task=viewaltcast&altcast_code=470cb067ca" rel="nofollow">HighGearMedia.com Covers the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show</a>
The 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show was the first big show since sales in the American market began to murmur off their flatline. And still, it proved to be all about the home-team advantage. BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen ruled the roost with new production vehicles and concept cars, while GM, Ford and Chrysler--and Toyota, Honda, Lexus, Infiniti and everyone else--play a supporting role.
Lucky you--you don't have to fight for press kits, photos or shuttle rides. TheCarConnection waded through all eleven Frankfurt halls to cover the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show live, right here inside your browser, like magic. With our High Gear Media team--TheCarConnection, Motor Authority and GreenCarReports--we've brought you different angles on the stories from Frankfurt, from luxury sedans and exotic coupes to the brace of new electric vehicles introduced by the likeliest, and least likely, of carmakers.
Need an insider tip sheet? Here's the vast collection of new cars, crossovers and electric vehicles that took a bow at the Frankfurt Messe:
2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: New Production Vehicles
Aston Martin Rapide: It's the lissome four-door you've been waiting for. If you are James Bond, and not Bernie Madoff. It's the Aston Martin Rapide, and it's set for a world show-off in Frankfurt. Crowds may get stuck on its stunning shape; we're keen to hear more about its 470-hp V-12 engine and those "swan-wing" doors Aston's been promising. The child-sized rear seats? We don't have that much attention span, now.
2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS: The Crayola-chic Porsche 911 GT3 RS is heading a few hundred kilometers north from its birthplace to Frankfurt. It'll bring with it a bored-out 3.8-liter flat six making 450 horsepower. The redline's soared to 8500 rpm, and the more powerful engine's paired with a six-speed manual shifter with shorter ratios than those in the GT3. That probably shaves miles per hour off its top end, Porsche admits, but it's in the interests of making the GT3 RS an even sharper tool on the track.
Ferrari 458 Italia: Heroes welcome--come to Frankfurt, where a Ferrari press-kit giveaway brings with it a danger that even Dave Salmone wouldn't approach without a big knife. (He's the new Paul Hogan, right?) The core of the new Ferrari supercar is a 4.5-liter engine (hence the name, plus an "8" for its cylinder count) that puts out 570 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. Ferrari promises the new engine, coupled to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, will shuttle the 458 Italia to 60 mph in less than 3.4 seconds--comparable to an, um, Nissan GT-R. Top speed should reach 202 mph.
Lamborghini Reventon Roadster: Lamborghini unveiled a Reventon Roadster at the Frankfurt Auto Show, and as usual, paired it with a selection of high-fashion models of a human nature. Only a handful of the supercars will be built, each featuring a snazzy 670-hp V-12 and a pricetag of $1.65 million. (Before taxes, naturally.)
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG: A new gullwing sounds lovely--and sounds nothing like those Aston swan wings, correct? Correct. The 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is a successor to the current Benz SLR roadster and former coupe. Inside a lightweight body, the SLS AMG will offer up a single powertrain, an evolution of today's big AMG V-8.That 6.2-liter V-8 is expected to produce about 565 horsepower in U.S. specification, along with 479 pound-feet of torque. Through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and rear-wheel drive, the SLS AMG is predicted to hit 60 mph from a standstill in about 3.8 seconds. Follow the link for our preview--and come back in November for our first drive.
BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo: Its sloping tail has drawn comments on either side of the approval fence, and the 5-Series GT is not quite even in print yet. BMW promises lots of room and a flexible rear seating area in the GT, which comes to the U.S. with BMW's 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8, with 400 horsepower and a new eight-speed automatic transmission. BMW promises 0-60 mph times of 5.4 seconds and a limited top speed of 130 mph, with a 150-mph top end on vehicles outfitted with a Sport package. There's Active Steering, Dynamic Damping Control, adaptive roll control and Driving Dynamics Control, to tailor the driving experience for different tastes. In back, the seats are raised, and move fore and aft on a track up to 4 inches, as passenger and cargo needs change. The tailgate opens as a conventional trunklid or as a large hatch, making cargo loading easier.
Rolls-Royce Ghost: The new sedan--a Bentley Continental challenger, perhaps, but a pricey one--was unveiled at Frankfurt in a dashing shade of sable. There's a preview at the link, and elsewhere you can follow Rolls' Ghost configurator Web site through the process of customizing your Ghost. You can plan your colors and trims on your new British sedan before accessing all your home equity to actually pay for the thing. Big V-8 and V-12 engines are in the offing, along with an eight-speed automatic, coupe and convertible body styles, and a certain sense of privilege.
2011 Bentley Mulsanne: Catfight Part II pits the 2011 Mulsanne right up against the dowager Rolls-Royce Phantom. Oh, yes--it's on. The Mulsanne gets a new architecture, a new V-8 engine, and probably a $300,000 base price. That's before you order the in-door drink carts, knurled aluminum dash, quilted seats, and before you order people around in that tone.
2010 Saab 9-5: GM's set to sell the brand to Koenigsegg, which makes the future of Saab uncertain in our eyes. However, they're insisting the 2010 9-5 four-door and wagon are coming.
Volvo C70: Volvo’s ultra-stylish C70 Convertible has a received a facelift for the 2010 model year and has been revealed in Frankfurt, and it's a worthwhile update to the somewhat stodgy four-seat fold-top. Equipped with the same three-piece steel roof, practical seating for four adults and Volvo’s renowned reputation for safety, the facelifted C70 features an updated front and rear design, along with an updated interior.
2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon: It's returning to America in E350 4Matic form, to pair with the recently driven E-Class sedan and wagon. Alas, the AMG edition shown here won't make the trip to America.
BMW X1: The new crossover is smaller than an X3, pricier than a Honda CR-V, and more adept at social media than lots of auto Web sites we know. We'll take a closer look and maybe drive one around the Frankfurt halls, if we can grab the keys from unsuspecting PR folks.
Audi R8 Spyder: The convertible version of Audi's sportscar shows up, with V-10 power "inspired" by Lamborghini. Possibly with a crowd of followers, too. Audi promises a 195-mph hairstyle for those with $150,000 or so in their coffers (coiffeurs?). There's also the electric version, the wildly named e-tron concept. No light cycles, though, drat.
Hyundai Tucson: The new compact crossover is known as the ix35 in Europe. In Frankfurt, the Tucson shows up with a much more muscular style. Front-drive and all-wheel-drive versions will be offered in the U.S. Tucson; a four-cylinder engine and a six-cylinder option are expected to power the new crossover.MINI Cooper Camden and Mayfair: It's MINI's 50th anniversary, and these two models will show up, just waiting for someone to take their picture. We'll volunteer.
Superlight Mazda MX-5 Miata: A race-minded version of the "Miata" (get over it) shows up in Frankfurt; is your track license up to date?
VW Polo: The new world subcompact takes a bow. Come 2011, it's coming to the U.S. to take on the Honda Fit and Ford Fiesta and Chevy Spark.
2012 Ford C-MAX: A new compact minivan based on the next Focus, the C-Max arrives in the U.S. late in 2011 with the global name and all.
2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: Concept Cars
BMW Concept EfficientDynamics: It's a diesel, a hybrid, a plug-in, a three-cylinder--and a tour de force, perhaps? BMW's Vision EfficientDynamics concept car grafts fashionable green technology on the body of a 2+2 sports car. The promise: BMW M-car performance from a vehicle with a three-cylinder diesel plug-in hybrid powertrain.
MINI Coupe and MINI Roadster Concepts: Dubbed the 2009 MINI Coupe or MINI Roadster Concept, the latest concept cars preview what will show up in the brand's showrooms in a couple of years. MINI is calling it a prototype for now but its engine and chassis, in this case a 211 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque (206 pound-feet with overboost) 1.6-liter gasoline unit and stiffened suspension lifted from the high-performance John Cooper Works model, are entirely plausible for a production spec model. Strictly a two-seater, the low roof line, compact dimensions, perfect axle load distribution and lightweight construction are all trademarks of a genuine sports car.
Lexus LF-Ch: The 2010 Lexus HS 250h is barely out and about, and already Lexus is preparing for an even more compact hybrid. The concept for the new concept, called the LF-Ch, has been revealed in Frankfurt. The rear three-quarters view of the car shows off some pleasant lines, but the heavily-styled rear fascia and stealthed door handles are not likely to make it to a production version.
Trabant: It's the brand no one wanted revived. Now, a German company with the rather itchy name of Herpa says it will reconstitute the Trabant brand at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show. They'll show a "New Trabi" prototype to lure investors in their scheme to restart the brand in its hometown of Zwickau. The concept will "sport" an electric drivetrain, a solar panel for battery recharges (perfect for powering up during those long, sunny winter days in Rostock), and a driving range of--well, they're claiming 156 miles.
Bugatti Galabier: The concept that wasthe talk of Frankfurt wasn't even there. Bugatti is hosting sneak previews of the new Galabier concept sedan for clients and dealers, but the concept itself won't come to the show at all. It could in fact be a trio of concepts tested over the next few months, prior to a world debut. Or a very quiet shelving, if economics don't justify new Bugattis just yet.
2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: Green Cars
BMW X6 ActiveHybrid and 7 Series ActiveHybrid: BMW's first hybrids ever greened up its stand in Frankfurt. They're slightly different in technology, if not mission: the X6 is based on the two-mode technology developed with GM, Chrysler and Daimler, while the 7-Series is a homegrown design with lithium-ion batteries.
Volkswagen E-up! and Volkswagen L1: The German car world is putting a toe in the electric-car pond again. If they're not electrocuted in the process, Volkswagen could turn its Frankfurt E-up! electric-car concept into reality as a new Beetle for the coming electric age. If that happens. For entertainment value, the single-seater L1 shows what could happen if certain Congressional leaders keep writing legislation for industries they know nothing about.
Renault EVs: The vehicle coming from Renault and Project Better Place saw a worldwide launch in Frankfurt as the Fluence EV concept, joined by three other less real show vehicles, including the Twizy. They'll be followed by lots of tests and first drives and pilot studies and possibly, one day...a better place. You have to earn a name like that, somehow.
2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: Headlines
Preview: 157 MPG Volkswagen L1 Concept
Ford C-MAX Headed To U.S. By Late 2011
Preview: 2010 Aston Martin Rapide
Frankfurt: Audi e-Tron Electric Car Has Awesome Torque, All-Wheel-Drive
Preview: 2011 Bentley Mulsanne
2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: MINI Roadster Concept
Zero-Emissions Volkswagen E-Up! Concept Rolls Out At Frankfurt
Preview: Lamborghini Reventon Roadster
Bugatti Galibier 16C Concept Previews New Super Sedan
2009 Audi R8 E-Tron Concept Revealed
Citroen Revolte/2CV Concept To Show At Frankfurt
Mercedes-Benz S500 Concept for Frankfurt: Plug-In Hybrid S-Class
Hyundai Unveils 2009 ix-Metro Hybrid Crossover Concept
Ford’s New 2011 C-Max Destined For U.S. Sale?
MINI Coupe Becomes Reality--Before It's a Concept
BMW News: MINI Crossover Delayed, Isetta Based On Toyota iQ?
Frankfurt Auto Show: BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept
Spy Shots: 2010 Hyundai Tucson
Rumor: Lamborghini Reventon Roadster Cruising To Frankfurt
Preview: 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: Lexus Teases New Compact
2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: BMW's Green Four-Door Coupe
2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: Superlight Mazda MX-5 Miata
Preview: 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon
2010 Saab 9-5 Preview [2009 Frankfurt Auto Show]
Teaser Image Hints At New Bugatti Model
2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG: First Photo, Going Electric Too?
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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Automakers, Dealers Fuel Nationwide Plunge In Ad Revenue
Bean-counters have finally assessed advertising data from the first half of 2009, and to absolutely no one's surprise, it wasn't very good. And who shoulders a big chunk of the blame for this dismal state of affairs? The auto industry, of course.
That's not entirely unfair. Auto ads generate a huge portion of total advertising revenue for media outlets like newspapers, magazines, TV stations, and websites. (Historically, between 6% and 10% of U.S. advertising dollars are spent on auto ads.) During the first six months of 2009, automakers and dealers spent $3.6 billion on advertising, or about $1.6 billion less than the same period of 2008. That 31% cut contributed to a 15.4% decline in total U.S. advertising revenue, from roughly $67 billion to $56.9 billion.
Of course, it didn't help that both GM and Chrysler underwent historic restructurings during the first half of 2009, and as a result, they instituted massive cutbacks in advertising. Today, Chrysler is still evaluating its marketing plan (and looking for a new creative agency), but General Motors is hoping to boost ad spending in the coming months. Combined with the slightly better state of the economy, that may yield marginally better results when analysts look at the second half of 2009.
[AutoNews, sub reqd]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
