Recent Comments:
G-Wiz! London drivers going electric {Autoblog}
Jun 26th 2006 6:35PM This is a Reva. This is an Indian company, and they designed and built these cars. They have been selling these cars in India for more than 5 years.
Sonata incentives pile up as Hyundai tries to meet sales goals {Autoblog}
Mar 29th 2006 1:04PM AJAC is Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, and its $35,000 canadian (not USD)
Ford Five Hundred quietly grabbing marketshare {Autoblog}
Mar 17th 2006 1:30PM This Ford Five Hundred / Mercury Montego is a great car. It would have been greater if it was a Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) instead of Front Wheel Drive (FWD). However even the FWD Ford Five Hundred / Mercury Montego is very rigid, the car has almost no body roll, very little Understeer commonly found in other FWD's of similar size.
I agree that the styling of the Ford 500 is a bit bland, but the Duratec 30 engine delivers 200HP coupled with the CVT is enough for a family sedan. This power and size suffices most American families as a everyday family car. Ford never marketed 500 as a Sports sedan.
It is the press, thats making a lot of brouhaha about the power deficiency. The press wants all the cars to drive like Ferrari's, also many people in the press have a bias towards Japanese and German cars. Nobody talks about the base Chrysler 300 which is 190HP, they only talk about Hemis, which is not practical for a everyday use family car. (I agree that Ford should offer a range of engines for its 500)
Also when it comes to safety none of the Japanese cars are safe including the most famous Camry and Accord. Leave Nissan, its crap when it comes to safety. (Check IIHS.org for bumper bash) This is where the 500 excels.
Overall 500 is a good family sedan coz its based on the Volvo S80 chassis. If you want better looks then go for the Mercury Montego, which is not that bland.
I am happy that Ford-Volvo relationship is healthy and both of them are using it in a productive way, unlike GM - Saab, where GM is killing Saab.
[Not TiVoSafe] Motorsports Highlights: March 11-12 {Autoblog}
Mar 14th 2006 9:08PM It looks like its going to be a tough season, as Ferrari, McLaren, Renault, Honda, and to some extent Williams are very strong. It also looks like Ferrari, and Williams are reliable compared to the others. If Honda gets its QuickShift transmission right then, probably it can easily beat the others. Nico Roseberg has performed really well, looks like he has a bright future.
Am happy to see that F1 is getting more and more interesting after five years of Ferrari domination. I am a fan of Ferrari, but it became too one sided, so it took away the charm from the sport
Geneva Auto Show: Volvo S80 debuts {Autoblog}
Mar 1st 2006 11:01PM This Volvo S80 is a great car. It would have been greater if it was a Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) instead of Front Wheel Drive (FWD). However even the FWD Volvo S80 is very rigid, the car has almost no body roll, very little Understeer commonly found in other FWD's of similar size.
You can also notice that the Ford 500 has very little body roll, and understeer compared to other full size FWD cars. I agree that the styling of the Ford 500 is a bit bland, but the Duratec 30 engine delivers 200HP coupled with the CVT is enough for a family sedan. This power and size suffices most American families as a everyday family car. Ford never marketed 500 as a Sports sedan.
It is the press, thats making a lot of brouhaha about the power deficiency. The press wants all the cars to drive like Ferrari's, also many people in the press have a bias towards Japanese and German cars. Nobody talks about the base Chrysler 300 which is 190HP, they only talk about Hemis, which is not practical for a everyday use family car. (I agree that Ford should a range of engines for its 500)
Also when it comes to safety none of the Japanese cars are safe including the most famous Camry and Accord. Leave Nissan, its crap when it comes to safety. (Check IIHS.org for bumper bash) This is where the 500 excels.
Overall 500 is a good family sedan coz its based on the Volvo S80 chassis. If you want better looks then go for the Mercury Montego, which is not that bland.
I am happy that Ford-Volvo relationship is healthy and both of them are using it in a productive way, unlike GM - Saab, where GM is killing Saab.
Geneva Motor Show: Alfa Romeo Spider world premiere {Autoblog}
Mar 1st 2006 9:31PM Alfa Romeo design has always been:
Style comes first
Utility comes next
Bush: "I can't make your automakers profitable" {Autoblog}
Feb 22nd 2006 8:15PM The quality and reliability of cars manufactured by Ford and GM have greatly improved over the past few years. But the public perception that Japanese cars are better needs to change, and it takes time for it as it is easy to get a bad name than earn a good name.
The Big 2 should also come out with innovative, appealing designs with cutting edge technology packed in their new cars. Foreign cars offer more technology in their cars compared to American cars.
(Eg1. Compare Mazda CX-7 to Ford Edge, Mazda gives Stability control, Side curtain Air Bags as standard, while Edge does not offer Stability control, and side curtain airbags are optional
Eg2.Compare the tecnology packed, and the design of the family sedans: Ford FiveHundred, Chevy Impala/ Malibu, Buick Lucerne, to VW Passat, Hyundai Sonata/Azera )
GM and Ford should also stop rebranding the same car under different brands (Eg. Saab 9-2X--Subaru Impreza, Chevy Malibu--Pontiac G6, Ford Fusion--Mercury Milan--Lincoln Zephyr, Ford FiveHundred--Mercury Montego). Instead of doing this GM and Ford should give each brand an identity with exclusive cars for each brand.
Finally, the healthcare cost in the USA is so high that every company in any industry will have face now or in the future, unless US govt comes out with some sort of a national health scheme like NHS in UK.
