Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Cadillac to market new XTS to the Town Car set]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/17/cadillac-to-market-new-xts-to-the-town-car-set/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/17/cadillac-to-market-new-xts-to-the-town-car-set/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/17/cadillac-to-market-new-xts-to-the-town-car-set/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Cadillac XTS Platinum concept

General Motors is hoping to snag buyers who'd otherwise be driving an Audi A6, BMW 5 Series or Mercedes-Benz E-Class when it launches the new Cadillac XTS next year. That may prove a tall order, but the General is going about it in an interesting way.

Rather than (or in addition to) marketing the new XTS directly to prospective buyers, Cadillac is reportedly planning on selling its new flagship sedan (potentially stretched by approved third-party coachbuilders) to what are commonly known as Town Car drivers - known in the industry as Black Cars. We're not talking about the retiree down the street who refuses to drive anything but a full-size Lincoln - we're talking about car service operators who shuttle those with the means around cities like New York. Like taxis, only booked in advance and slightly more upscale, they're the preferred mode of transportation for affluent professionals and executives in Manhattan.

It's a market dominated by (and commonly borrowing its name from) the Lincoln Town Car, a vehicle that is finally out of production despite accounting for the lion's share of this niche market after extending its lifespan for years. Lincoln aims to retain its domination of the Black Car market with specially-prepared versions of the MKT crossover, while Cadillac (whose DTS never made as big an impact on these fleets as the Town Car did) is pitching the new XTS. In doing so, GM hopes the wealthy fares riding in the back of these shuttles will take note and maybe place orders of their own.

Cadillac to market new XTS to the Town Car set originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black carcadillaccadillac xtscar servicechaufferliverytown carxtsMon, 17 Oct 2011 08:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20082717/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/10/17/cadillac-to-market-new-xts-to-the-town-car-set/20082717/article-detail.xml 20082717 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/x10ccca007_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/x10ccca007.jpg <![CDATA[Audi Cam streams video of your repairs]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/05/audi-cam-streams-video-of-your-repairs/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/05/audi-cam-streams-video-of-your-repairs/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/05/audi-cam-streams-video-of-your-repairs/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Audi Cam in action - Click above for high-res image gallery

Handing your pride and joy over to a service tech is a nerve fraying experience. While the vast majority of service personnel out there are well trained, courteous and quick about their work, there are bad apples in every bushel, and you never know exactly who's getting their hands on your keys. Audi is looking to put some of that worry aside with a new program that the company is calling - brace yourself - Audi Cam.

Think of it as lifecasting for your mechanic. When you bring your vehicle in to the shop for repairs, you're connected to a technician via a two-way radio and a headset video camera. If there's any sort of problem, the tech can contact you over the radio and vice-versa. Even better, owners get to sit in the comfy waiting room and watch the action from screens there. The company is hoping that the move will give owners some added peace of mind by giving them a peek into the inner workings of the dealership shop.

For now, it appears that Audi Cam will only be available in Europe. But who knows? It might just make the jump across The Pond and into a dealership near you soon.


Gallery: Audi Cam


[Source: Audi via World Car Fans]

Audi Cam streams video of your repairs originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Jul 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Audi CamAudiCamcar maintenancecar serviceCarMaintenanceCarServiceDealershipMechanicServiceService TechnicianServiceTechnicianShopvideo cameraVideoCameraMon, 05 Jul 2010 10:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19540665/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/07/05/audi-cam-streams-video-of-your-repairs/19540665/article-detail.xml 19540665 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/02-audi-cam-630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/02-audi-cam-630.jpg <![CDATA[Fuel economy not luxurious enough according to Orlando]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/15/fuel-economy-not-luxurious-enough-according-to-orlando/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/15/fuel-economy-not-luxurious-enough-according-to-orlando/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/15/fuel-economy-not-luxurious-enough-according-to-orlando/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Corporate clients have long grown accustomed to being shuttled around in the back seats of Panther-platform Fords. The throwback Town Car that most car services run doesn't exactly sip fuel, so T.J. Donaghy of Orlando, Florida decided a Toyota Camry Hybrid would be a good addition to his fleet at Aristocrat Transportation. City officials have denied Donaghy's attempt at greening his livery fleet, reasoning that the Camry doesn't fit any of the five classes of vehicles for hire that the City of Orlando regulates. The city contends that the type of service offered by Donaghy can only use luxury cars. Adding to the confusion, the city has no exact language defining exactly what comprises a luxury vehicle, but like Potter Stewart, they know it when they see it, and it's not the Camry.

There is a real concern that opening things up for the Camry could have Kia Rios running around as "limousines" if some line in the sand is not drawn, but the high price of fuel along with ongoing greening efforts may make the path easier for the Camry. Other communities in Florida already allow Camry hybrids, also setting some precedent. It seems that the crux of the dustup is the idea of what exactly a "luxury" working car is, and how to fit the Camry Hybrid in somewhere without stretching the definition so much that King Midgets could get a free pass. All of this could have been avoided if Donaghy had just coughed up the loot for an LS600hL, though the Hybrid Synergy Drive system in that vehicle is used to bolster performance instead of fuel economy. Thanks for the tip, Bill!

[Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Fuel economy not luxurious enough according to Orlando originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 Jun 2008 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aristocrat transportationAristocratTransportationcamry hybridCamryHybridcar serviceCarServiceliveryorlandoorlando camryOrlandoCamryprofessional carProfessionalCartoyota camry hybridToyotaCamryHybridSun, 15 Jun 2008 10:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1225946/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/06/15/fuel-economy-not-luxurious-enough-according-to-orlando/1225946/article-detail.xml 1225946 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/06/camhybriddenied_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/06/camhybriddenied.jpg <![CDATA[Car service in less than an hour?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/10/car-service-in-less-than-an-hour/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/10/car-service-in-less-than-an-hour/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/10/car-service-in-less-than-an-hour/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Here's a policy we'd like to see made standard across every border.

Al-Futtaim Motors has promised full-car service on all Toyota and Lexus vehicles within 59 minutes. The policy started last month on the 15th and will end 59 days later on August 12th. Unfortunately, the service only applies to vehicles within the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and it's not worth it for us to drive that far for faster service. All of the chain's service stations in the UAE have also extended their hours to accomodate customers, and each customer will have a chance to win a Toyota Yaris in a prize draw.

'With the number of vehicles on the road on a steady increase, service centres in the UAE are currently faced with time constraints on car servicing, which in turn affect customers," states Kevin Jones, General Manager of Services. "Keeping our customers first, we have tried to combat that inconvenience by putting to work our years of expertise, the specially designed equipment and tools and Toyota's trained technicians, to offer our customers a full car service in just 59 minutes."

Unfortunately, the cited article doesn't say exactly what's included in a "full-car service", so if it takes these guys 59 minutes to change your oil, check the air pressure in your tires, and attempt to sell you new wiper blades, then they should that art has already been perfected and can be performed in 10 minutes.
 
[Source: AME Info]

Car service in less than an hour? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Jul 2006 19:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car serviceCarServiceUAEMon, 10 Jul 2006 19:05:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/641123/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2006/07/10/car-service-in-less-than-an-hour/641123/article-detail.xml 641123 http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/07/al-futtaim-motors-car-service_thumbnail.jpg http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/07/al-futtaim-motors-car-service.jpg <![CDATA[OnStar worth the price?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/10/onstar-worth-the-price/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/10/onstar-worth-the-price/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/10/onstar-worth-the-price/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Consumer Reports (CR) took a sampling of 204 OnStar subscribers to see how they used General Motors' telematics service, and then examined whether it is worth the monthly fee. CR discovered that only 63 percent of subscribers had ever pressed GM's vaunted blue button. Of those who did, 44 percent used OnStar's hands-free phone system, while 22 percent triggerd OnStar because they locked their keys in their vehicles or needed assistance for issues like flat tires.

OnStar costs between $17 to $70 a month. Adding navigation (called "turn-by-turn") to the basic service costs over $34 a month. CR, though, discovered that over 50 percent who used the service during the free trial period planned to subscribe to it, while over 70 percent who paid said that they plan to continue their subscriptions.

A breakdown of the sampling and more details can be found at the link.

[Source: Consumer Reports]

OnStar worth the price? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Apr 2006 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car serviceConsumer ReportsnavigationOnStarsubscribersMon, 10 Apr 2006 07:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/607079/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2006/04/10/onstar-worth-the-price/607079/article-detail.xml 607079 http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/04/onstar_thumbnail.gif http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/04/onstar.gif -1 2