IIHS Names Record 66 Cars To Top Safety Pick List
Cars really are getting safer, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick list. More cars and SUVs than ever made the list this year, a record 66 vehicles, despite the addition of a new roof strength requirement to earn the honor.
The roof-strength requirement was initially a high hurdle: only 27 cars made the list to start. After a single year of work to meet the new standard, carmakers have risen to the challenge, with Hyundai/Kia and Volkswagen/Audi leading the way at nine Top Safety Picks each.
American manufacturers are doing well, too: General Motors and Ford both snagged eight picks apiece, matching Toyota/Lexus/Scion and beating Honda, Nissan, and Mercedes among others. Subaru remains the only carmaker with all of its models on the Top Safety Pick list.
To meet the new roof test, a car must survive a metal plate pushed against one side of the roof at a rate of 0.2 inches per second, withstanding four times the vehicle's weight before deforming more than five inches. The test evaluates the vehicle's strength-to-weight ratio, and is intended to simulate the ability to withstand collapse in a rollover accident.
In addition to the roof-strength test, Top Safety Picks must also clear front, rear, and side impact testing with a range of dummies used to evaluate injury potential.
For a full list of all 66 winners, read on to page two.
[IIHS]
Mercedes Vehicles Made In China Just As Good As German-Made
Mercedes-Benz vehicles made in China now place in the top half of all the company's vehicles when ranked for quality. Ulrich Walker, Chairman and CEO of Daimler Northeast Asia, said (rather testily) that those rides are good enough to send to other countries: "Yes, our cars here are exportable. There is no difference in quality with those made outside China." However, he was quick to add that just because the vehicles are worthy of export doesn't mean they will be. Pointing to the country's booming car market, he said, "The market is so big in China we need all our local capacity to supply it." Which would explain why Daimler has ramped up production at its Beijing factory by a whopping 50%. [AutoNewsChina, sub reqd]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Sprinter Van Sprints From Dodge Back To Mercedes
It's official; as of January 1, 2010, the much-loved Sprinter van, made by Daimler, will once again have the three-pointed star in the U.S.—and be sold by Mercedes-Benz rather than Dodge.
Automotive News reports that the Sprinter will be sold by 120 appointed dealerships as part of Daimler Vans USA, a new entity that shares its corporate headquarters with M-B USA. Meanwhile, Freightliner franchises, which have sold Sprinters as well, will continue to do so, and the vans will still be built in South Carolina.
And if you're thinking about a Sprinter, you might want to hold off until then; the model will be relaunched with the more modern 3.0-liter BlueTec turbo-diesel V-6 that's offered on the Mercedes-Benz ML320 BlueTec, along with variants of the GL-Class and R-Class. The new engine in the Benz SUVs makes 210 horsepower and 398 pound-feet, while the older 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V-6 currently in the Sprinter makes 154 hp and 280 lb-ft.
The move is yet another blow to embattled Dodge dealers, close to 350 of which sell the Sprinter. Chrysler already cut its dealership network significantly earlier this year, but for 2010, as a new pipeline of Fiat-influenced vehicles is being connected, the stores need to make do with a model lineup that's essentially carried over from 2009—except for new heavy-duty trucks still set to arrive later in the model year, along with a few other changes like a refreshed interior on the 2010 Dodge Caliber. The once popular Durango has also been discontinued.Sprinter sales have been slow for the past couple of years, after peaking in 2006, but AN reports that might be because of a lack of financing for small business owners.
Chrysler is reportedly looking into the possibility of bringing Fiat's commercial vehicles to North America instead.
One option we're not likely to see is the return of the Ram Van and Ram Wagon. Those models, once extremely popular as part of the vanning culture of the 1970s and '80s, then group-transit mainstays, were discontinued at the end of the 2003 model year, after seeing few changes in many years, and replaced by the more fuel-efficient Sprinter.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Driven: 2009 Audi Q5
Why's the 2009 Audi Q5 the highest-rated compact luxury SUV here at TheCarConnection.com--and even so, why does it get different scores from its 2009 Audi A4 stablemate, when the two share a drivetrain combination, all-wheel drive and lots of other under-the-skin pieces?
Answers to those questions come from our hands-on road tests. We finally scored an Audi Q5 this past week, and after hundreds of miles cruising Georgia countryside and wandering into Hazzardous territory, we found out the Q5's very nearly the best in its class--pending a deeper look at the new Cadillac SRX.
The Q5 received a score of 8.4 out of 10 from our editors, with a perfect 10 in safety and a 9 for features. In its class, the Q5 tops the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLK and BMW X3, its most direct competitors, while tying the Lexus RX 350 and topping trucks like the Volvo XC60, Land Rover LR2, and Acura RDX.
How does it come out in first place? Hands-down, the Q5 is one of the most attractive utes in its class, along with the Cadillac SRX and Volvo XC60. It's also one of the best performers, with 270 horsepower pushing it to 60 mph in under 7 seconds. With optional Driver Select assistance for steering, shift quality and ride comfort, it's a little too adjustable, but the Q5's essential goodness isn't ruined by too much techno interference. Comfort and seating are high points, and quality of materials is very good--and the Q5 scored five stars in federal crash tests, on its way to a "Top Safety Pick" honor.
And yet, the Q5 doesn't score as well in performance as the 2009 Audi A4, which also offers Drive Select, the same V-6 and a six-speed automatic. For now, the A4 simply offers a wider range of driving options: a turbocharged four-cylinder version is available, unlike the Q5, as is a manual transmission. Not only do those options lower the cost of entry, our editors also tend to prefer Audi's turbo fours to their six-cylinders, for flexible power and much better fuel economy. Along with the limited performance palette on the Q5, there's the simple fact of physics: its greater curb weight and 7.9 inches of ground clearance leave it with less deft dynamics than the sedan. The four-door sits lower and feels more agile as a result. That said, we're keen to get into a non-Drive Select Q5 or A4, to see how well its standard suspension setting stacks up against the adjustable, electronic option.
We're also waiting for the day Audi puts its brilliant dual-clutch gearbox (DSG) in these cars. New versions with seven speeds instead of six are in the pipeline, and for both the Q5 and A4, the DSG would align these vehicles better with Audi's sporty image.
You can read more of our full 2009 Audi Q5 road test, but we've already taken the next step and compared the Q5 with the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLK.
Next up? We'll pit the Q5 against the 2010 Cadillac SRX to see which small luxury SUV will keep the top ranking for the 2010 model year.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet, Wagon On Track
The new Benz E-Class family is arriving two models at a time--and contrary to reports elsewhere, the next pair of mid-size Mercedes vehicles aren't taking the long way to market.
This year, Mercedes is launching the new 2010 E-Class Coupe and sedan. We brought you our first drive of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe, with the Sedan coming in short order. At the first press drive in Las Vegas, Mercedes executives said that convertible and wagon versions of the new E-Class were forthcoming--as we predicted when we showed you those E-Class Cabriolet spy shots last November.
Next up in the E-Class range: a four-seat Cabriolet and a Wagon. While some outlets are reporting that those two vehicles might be pushed back, Mercedes' U.S. arm says the opposite. Some "silly" reports suggesting a financial pinch would delay the wagon until 2012 are wrong, according to MBUSA, since the wagon and cabrio are "already developed."
The result? The 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet is due for a summer launch in 2010, and will make its first appearance at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The E-Class Wagon arrives later this year--in production form at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show, and in U.S. showrooms next June.
We'll have more from both auto shows, and stay tuned, greenies: there's a diesel Benz E350 sedan in the works, too.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Gets Price Cut
Mercedes-Benz hopes that an attractive new pricetag on its new 2010 E-Class will help you forget the recession, the bankruptcy of its old pal Chrysler, and will open your wallet.
The new E-Class gets a significant price cut for 2010. The base rear-drive E-Class will sticker for $48,600 when it goes on sale in June, according to Mercedes execs on hand for the Las Vegas introduction of the new sedan and coupe. The base price--plus an $875 delivery charge--represents a "value increase" of 10 percent from the $53,200 base price of the 2009 model, they say. The new model includes features not available on last year's E-sedan, including more airbags for knees and pelvises, the Attention Assist system that vibrates the steering wheel when you begin to drift in your lane, and Agility Control.
V-8 versions of the new 2010 E-Class will start from $56,300. Later this year, 4Matic all-wheel-drive versions of both will be available for a $2,500 increase over the base prices.
The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class lineup sails into showrooms in June with rear-drive V-6 and V-8 editions. The 268-hp V-6 accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and gets 18/25 mpg, according to Benz. The V-8 has 382 hp, accelerates to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds and scores 16/23 mpg in fuel-economy tests. Both engines are teamed to a seven-speed automatic.
While 4Matic versions arrive in September, fans of the E63 AMG have to wait until November for their cars to be delivered. A convertible version will be on display at the Frankfurt auto show in September and on sale in the U.S. before the end of the year.
Next March, the E-Class adds a diesel E350 Bluetec edition as a 2011 model, with 24/33 mpg fuel economy carried over from the 2009 model. Then, in June of 2010, the new E-Class wagon arrives in America with V-6 power and 4Matic all-wheel drive, and a 2011 model-year tag.
We'll have more on the E-Class later this evening, as we bring you our hands-on review of the new sedan. Tomorrow we'll bring you the latest on the Coupe after a sprint into the desert outside Las Vegas. In the meantime, luxuriate in tons of high-resolution photos over at our 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class page.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Tesla Teases Model S Electric Sedan
Network site AllCarsElectric today showed us this second teaser image of Tesla's upcoming Model S electric sedan. The vehicle is slated for a March 26 public debut and is said to retail for under $60,000.
Despite being perhaps a touch crazy - and the head of a company that's being decimated by financial woes - Tesla's Elon Musk keeps up a steady onslaught of tease, now giving us a nice Marilyn Monroe skirt lift of its new Model S electric sedan's side profile. The rims are gorgeous, looking positively like those on a Mercedes-Benz Vision SLR. And the nose and front fender look a bit to me like something penned over at Aston Martin.
But only $60,000 for the sedan? Thus far, Tesla has a bad track record for making pricing realities live up to PR promises. If Tesla can deliver, however, they'll give the stunning Fisker Karma sedan (at more than $80,000) a run for its money. But as Tesla has yet to deliver on mass production promises for its Roadster, we're not gonna hold our breath.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Finalists Announced: N. American Car and Truck of the Year
Today at Cobo Center, the six finalists for North American Car and Truck of the Year were unveiled. A panel of automotive journalists from the United States and Canada selected the finalists, according to the Detroit News.
The three car finalists are the Ford Flex, the Hyundai Genesis, and the Volkswagen Jetta TDI. Ford's Flex shows much promise for domestics in the land of the crossover; Marty Padgett was suitably impressed ferrying it around the traffic-clogged hills of suburban Atlanta. Despite a few journalistic jeers due to its softie suspension tuning, Hyundai worked hard on its Genesis sedan, and its Tau V-8 and interior do nothing but impress. Finally, you've heard me rave about the Volkswagen Jetta TDI's killer torque, awesome DSG transmission, and fun driving experience; the folks at Green Car Journal agreed, naming the VW the Green Car of the Year.
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The truck finalists are represented by the blue oval (2009 Ford F-150), the Pentastar (2009 Dodge Ram), and the three-pointed star (Mercedes-Benz ML 320 BlueTEC). Ford has been cleaning up in the truck awards so far with its new F-150, having taken both Truck of Texas honors as well as snagging Motor Trend's Truck of the Year. Wonder if Chrysler will emerge victorious in Detroit? Mercedes-Benz and all the other Germans have their work cut out for them in trying to repopularize diesels in America. Diesels make sense in heavy SUVs like the ML 320 BlueTEC, where they can average mid-20s mpg, a whole lot better than your neighbor's Escalade. Time will tell whether BMW, Audi, Mercedes, and VW's clean diesel experiment will pay off in '09/'10, but a win in Detroit surely wouldn't hurt. It's too bad Chrysler doesn't have its new mid-size V-8 diesel ready for duty in the new Ram, as that would be quite the compelling entry in this competition.--Colin Mathews
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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Consumer Reports Rates Ford and Japanese Brands Highest
We reported earlier today about Ford Motor Company's solid reliability ratings in Consumer Reports' 2008 Annual Car Reliability Survey. Says Consumer Reports, "on average, Ford continues to build the most reliable American cars." But the comprehensive test also revealed that reliability of European makes is on the rise and that fuel-efficient vehicles represented with largely superior reliability. These findings and others were presented today at an Automotive Press Association Lunch in Detroit, Michigan.
Again, Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury "continue to pull away from the rest of Detroit," good news that Ford should proudly claim in this hostile market, and hopefully a harbinger of the quality and reliability of its upcoming European-derived models like the 2011 Ford Fiesta. Says CR, "Ford's reliability is now on par with good Japanese automakers." The Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan sedans, notably sharing production and design with the new Mazda6, rank among the top family cars in reliability, and the new Focus sedan has risen dramatically since its debut in 2000 to now rank as above average.
Long plagued with quality issues, European brands like Mercedes-Benz are finally improving. That automaker's C-Class, E-Class V-6, and ML350 SUV have improved to average reliability, placing them in Consumer Report's "recommended" category. Three more Mercedes models made it to the average reliability level. This is in contrast to last year, when Mercedes made no models that even managed an average score.
Even with the improvements, roughly one third of Mercedes' products have reliability problems, with no models scoring above average. With that storied brand trying to bring diesel back to America, qualms about their reliability doesn't bolster an argument for a fuel the U.S. abandoned in the passenger car market 20-odd years ago. Audi presented a better story, also the purveyor of new diesels for it's '09 lineup, with two-thirds of its fleet scoring average or better, and most of BMW's 3 Series and 5 Series also scoring average or better. A Ford-owned Volvo made strides, leaving only the XC70 wagon rated below average.
As to the excellent reliability of fuel-efficient vehicles, the big story from Consumer Reports is in the gasoline/electric hybrid segment. Hybrid leader Toyota Motor Company scored high with its Toyota Prius, Toyota Camry Hybrid, and Lexus GS450h hybrid sedans, as well as its Lexus RX400h and Toyota Highlander hybrid SUVs. Nissan's Altima hybrid rated highly in the sedan category, and Ford scored yet another reliability win with its Escape Hybrid/Mercury Mariner Hybrid small SUV twins, which scored above average in predicted reliability. Finally, in the hybrid realm, the Honda Civic Hybrid, with its Integrated Motor Assist, scored above average.
Following the Japanese-heavy solid reliability stories with hybrids and fuel efficient vehicles, Japanese brands in general scored tops in reliability in Consumer Reports' annual survey, and lead a staggering 15 of 16 categories in the organization's predicted reliability ratings. We're used to this story from Japanese brands, though some of their newer ventures like the Toyota Tundra, Nissan Titan, Nissan Armada, and Infiniti QX56 SUV have been marked exceptions to their high-quality habits. Last year's Toyota Camry also had significant reliability problems, but the brand seems to to have these issues on the mend as they did score above average once more in the '08 survey. The Nissan vehicles mentioned "showed striking improvements" with the troubled models gaining average reliability. New products from Nissan such as the Rogue small SUV and the similarly sized Infiniti EX crossover have begun their product cycles with above average reliability, helping Nissan and Infiniti enjoy overall improvements in their rankings versus last year.
South Korean companies Hyundai and Kia also rank highly, scoring about even with the Japanese makers mentioned above. The majority of their models scored at least above average.
GM models were "a mixed bag," according to Consumer Reports. They spanned the range from above average for the 4-cylinder Chevrolet Malibu, average for the V-6 model of the same vehicle, and above-average ratings for the Buick Lucerne V-8 and four-cylinder Pontiac G6 (cousin to the Chevrolet Malibu). Chevrolet's Avalanche has moved up to an average ranking, but a solid one-quarter of GM's models are "still well below average." Sadly, models that performed well in Consumer Reports' testing regimen, such as the Cadillac CTS, Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Saturn Outlook, rang in with reliability that was below average.
But the worst reliability story come from the now Cerberus-owned Chrysler. While the newer platform-mates Dodge Caliber and Jeep Patriot small SUVs made respectable above-average ratings, nearly two-thirds of Chrysler's products were solidly below average. The Pentastar's bread-and-butter minivans, the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, which are claimed by many to be perhaps their most valuable products next to the new 2009 Ram pickup, earned low scores from Consumer Reports. Also scoring low for Chrysler were its Jeep Liberty, Dodge Avenger, and Chrysler Sebring V-6. Scoring abysmally low was the Chrysler Sebring Convertible, earning the worst predicted reliability score that was calculated at a whopping 283 percent lower than average--not good numbers for a car company that's struggling for existence.
It's a good day when we can report that an American manufacturer like Ford, whose future is at stake just like competitors GM and Chrysler, is at least turning out reliable, well-built cars that can compete on the same ground as the Japanese. Changing consumer opinion is a longer, tougher road, but with large agencies like Consumer Reports lending their support, perhaps the tides will change for Ford, which has recently seen stock prices drop to desperately low 1980s levels, leading some of its largest stockholders like tycoon Kirk Kerkorian to consider the sale of his entire holdings of Ford stock.
Fresher European-sourced products are quickly on the way for Ford, as consumers and the media have long complained about Ford's decision not to bring the excellent European Focus platform to America. Instead, we persist with the 8-year-old Focus platform spruced up only with styling and sheetmetal changes. If they can keep up the quality story with the new European products that are sized right for the times (and enjoy commensurately smaller consumption), Ford may be poised for a slow but sure comeback as long as the stock market and credit crisis begin a resolution. And that's a big "if."--Colin Mathews
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
