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Convertible sales retracted in 2007 {Autoblog}
May 16th 2008 1:31PM My office is near LAX, so I see a LOT of rental cars pass by while I'm downstairs enjoying a good smoke break.
I recently saw what was obviously a rental current-gen Sebring Convertible hardtop drive by with the trunk and roof panels frozen into place in almost the exact same position as the photo for this blog entry. The thing was going like 50mph. I was just waiting for the wind to either lift the car off the ground and/or rip the panels right off the car!
I think I read somewhere that Chrysler is having a lot of problems with the hardtops malfunctioning. I'm guessing a saw a living-breathing example. Betcha Jim Press and Debra Wahl Meyer didn't have to deal with crap like this in their Toyota ivory tower. Though I am rooting for a big Chrysler comeback. Can't get much worse.
DOA: Droptop CTS Coupe {Autoblog}
May 15th 2008 2:40PM x2. I'm in the market for a premium car, and have personally test driven all the big players in the segment, and have several friends that own a variety of models in the segment as well.
I'm talking A4, 3-series, C-Class. Am not considering TL because I don't consider it to truly be in this segment.
My purchase will be a CTS. And I'm not laughing.
Future Classic: 1984 Chrysler Minivans {Autoblog}
May 9th 2008 1:46PM In 1990, my parents were the talk of the neighborhood when they bought a brand-new 1990 Chrysler Town & Country. It was the first minivan Town & Country, and was only produced for one year until the new, more aerodynamic second-gen vans were introduced.
Usually very modest with their purchases, it was quite out of character for them to make such a flashy purchase: white van, V6, wood paneling (of course), leather interior (not sure if you could really call it leather), white snowflake rims (that spent most of the time black with brake dust), waterfall grille, Infinity stereo system, and GLASS pentastar hood ornament (the lowly Voyagers and Caravans had a metal ornament).
My favorite feature, as a kid, was the automatic window vents in the third row that you could control from overhead switches in the front row. I remember always playing with those and thought there were the coolest things ever, because the base model minivans had round switches in the roof that you had to manually crank to open and close the vents (man...anyone else remember those?).
Looking back, the minivan craze was pretty insane. Out of my group of friends growing up, I think our moms represented all minivans for sale at the time: Vanagon (with the longest shifter I've ever seen coming up out of the floor...thought that was so weird as a kid), Aerostar, Caravans/Voyagers (regular and Grand), Toyota Van, Astro.
Looking back, it's probably a good thing that craze has passed...we went through three transmissions, a water pump and God knows what else on that van. But I still have a soft spot for those rare first T&Cs whenever I see them.
Lexus files trademarks for IS Coupe {Autoblog}
Apr 24th 2008 5:20PM Have they trademarked the "Lexus IS-BORING" name, or is that just implied on every vehicle they make?
I kid, I kid...would be nice to see an IS coupe. Better late than never I guess.
It has a nice personality: Ford boosts Focus production by 30% to meet demand {Autoblog}
Apr 15th 2008 5:53PM @ Stealth: Totally agree with all of your comments. The new Corolla IS ugly. Yes, it's a baby Camry, and no, that's not a good thing (Charger/Avenger, anyone?) The Camry can barely pull off its looks, and is able to in large part because of how big it is. Shruken down to micro-machine proportions, the Corolla looks out of proportion, and, somehow, both squished AND fat. Like so many new models being introduced from Toyota and Honda lately, the last generation looked better. Absolutely shocking that they delayed the Corolla's intro a year only to give us this mess.
Toyota's last vehicle that had any style at all was the last-gen Celica, which ironically borrowed lots of design cues from the "New Edge design" Fords of the time, especially the Cougar and Focus. Since then, it's been appliance after appliance after appliance, each generation getting fatter and softer-looking than the last.
It would be one thing if Toyota's cars were just boring (like the late '90s Corollas and Camrys), but they're now firmly into ugly territory. I honestly believe they don't invest in good styling because they know anything with the oval badge will sell. And I find that insulting to the buying public.
With the gap between automakers narrowing each year in terms of quality and reliability, Toyota will not be able to keep resting on its reputation with no regard to how their products look. Scion looked promising with their first-gen vehicles, but the new xB and xD dashed my hopes that Toyota will ever find an exciting, attractive design language.
Spy Shots: 2010 Buick LaCrosse shows off its insides {Autoblog}
Apr 11th 2008 6:31PM A few weeks ago I was talking to my 66-year-old dad about how his car needs replacing. I mentioned that he could probably get a great deal on a Buick. His reply to me, completely serious and straight-faced, was, "I'm not old enough to drive a Buick."
A solid LaCrosse replacement might change his mind, though. While he might not be old enough to buy a Buick, he IS old enough to proudly claim he's never bought a Japanese car in his life.
First Drive: 2009 BMW X6 xDrive35i and xDrive50i {Autoblog}
Apr 11th 2008 2:02PM Hated this car at first, but it's growing on me. Looks pretty slick in black, not so much in the white or red.
Will sell like crazy in here LA, where the word 'practical' does not exist.
Volkswagen drops "Passat" sticks with "CC" for new sedan {Autoblog}
Apr 3rd 2008 8:04PM "That said, i hate the CC name, and this car."
Well at least we agree on one thing.
Volkswagen drops "Passat" sticks with "CC" for new sedan {Autoblog}
Apr 3rd 2008 7:41PM @zamafir:
While I can't link to an official VW press release due to the fact that large companies don't usually issue press releases pointing out the fact that they made a desperate, last-minute decision that makes the company seem schizophrenic, here's an excerpt from the Motor Trend review of the '07 Rabbit:
"Bet you didn't know: The decision to change the name was so last minute, the first Rabbits shipped to the U.S. were actually badged as Golfs."
If you insist on seeing it with your very own eyes, here's a link: http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/car/112_0701_2007_coty_testing/2007_volkswagen_rabbit.html
Regardless, my diatribe is not about the fact that VW renamed the Rabbit at the last minute. It's about the fact that they need to take a step back and figure out the big picture instead of making decisions and then changing them way later than they should be. Toyota is in a position when it can worry about little chicken sh*t stuff like "Should it be the MR2 Spyder or just the MR2?" VW needs to decide on a strategy and, more importantly, STICK TO IT, before it's too late. First they're decontenting and basically giving away stripper Jettas and Rabbits to artifically boost sales (a.k.a. "Sign then Drive"). Then they introduce the CC at the high end of the market. Then they move their entire corporate headquarters and fire a bunch of people. Then they introduce a cartoon character for a spokesman, throw in a little David Hasselhof and expect people to think it's cool.
I'm not a VW hater. I think they're going in a million different directions right now and would like to see them right the ship and make some progress. Kind of like when you see a good friend spiraling out of control. That's all.
Volkswagen drops "Passat" sticks with "CC" for new sedan {Autoblog}
Apr 3rd 2008 6:32PM VW is getting as bad as Ford with these last-minute name changes that are nothing more than a waste of time and money.
First, it was the last-min decision to rename the Golf the Rabbit (I might be imagining this, but hadn't VW already built cars with "Golf" badges before the last-min change, and have to rebadge them "Rabbits"? News flash for VW: young buyers who you're targeting with this car don't remember the Rabbit. Golf, Rabbit, same difference.)
Golf or Rabbit, Passat CC or CC, more important that the name is the car itself. It doesn't matter if a car is called Zephyr or MK-Z, it's STILL A FORD FUSION when all is said and done.
That said, I can see the CC selling well here in LA. But VW really needs to figure out what they're about and where they're headed instead of freaking out at the least minute and making changes like this. Makes them seem like DAS unstable car company.
