tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47094688144839010422024-02-02T05:21:57.403-05:00In Gear with RichPeople and the automobile from a New England perspective.Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-72701004072883840512021-03-01T14:40:00.100-05:002021-05-02T17:57:53.430-05:002021 Chrysler Pacifica Re-Energizes Minivan Market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021-Pacifica-Hybrid-Featured.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="800" height="172" src="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021-Pacifica-Hybrid-Featured.jpg" width="388" /></a></div><em style="text-align: left;"><br /></em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em style="text-align: left;">Originally Published 2/14/21 on <a href="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/Automotive/News/2021/02/14/2021-chrysler-pacifica-re-energizes-minivan-market/">RPM News Weekly</a></em><a href="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/Automotive/News/2021/02/14/2021-chrysler-pacifica-re-energizes-minivan-market/" style="text-align: left;"> </a><span style="text-align: left;">~</span></div>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.chrysler.com/pacifica.html">Chrysler Pacifica minivan</a> brings a long history of refinement to a new height with the refreshed 2021 model. Loaded with more standard content including 14 new-as-standard safety features; available in all-wheel drive gasoline versions; offering a plug-in hybrid variant; and presenting an ultra-luxurious new Pinnacle trim, this is a minivan that can surely beckon families away from impractical SUV fixations. <span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="2021 Chrysler Pacifica production" class="wp-image-2875" height="224" src="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021-Chrysler-Pacifica-sized-660x440.jpg" width="337" /></figure>
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<p class="has-background has-small-font-size has-very-light-gray-background-color"><em style="background-color: #eeeeee;"></em></p><blockquote><em style="background-color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Production of the new-for-2021 Chrysler Pacifica began in November 2020. The minivan sets a new standard, offering all-wheel-drive capability, utility-vehicle-inspired updates, new available interior FamCAM, new five-times faster Uconnect 5 with a 10.1-inch touchcreen, a new top-of-the-line Pinnacle model, unmatched levels of safety and security features and the segment's first Plug-in Hybrid minivan. ~ Stellantis North America Media</span></em></blockquote><p></p>
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</span><p>From every indication, attracting new customers is just what this minivan has been doing with sales up 32 percent in last year’s third quarter over 2019, and up seven percent in the fourth quarter according to the automaker’s senior brand manager Mary Ann Capo, who met this past week virtually with RPM News Weekly and members of the <a href="https://nempa.org/">New England Motor Press Association</a>. No doubt the range of the Pacifica's well-honed lineup has had a big part in the success with an entry-level Touring priced at just over $35 thousand while a top-of-the-line all-wheel drive Pinnacle checks in at $53,390. The hybrid Pinnacle, available with front-wheel drive only, knocks the price down to $50,845 while boosting fuel efficiency to an amazing 82 miles per gallon equivalent.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Pacifica-AWD-Explained-660x351.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="660" height="186" src="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Pacifica-AWD-Explained-660x351.jpg" width="350" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Pacifica PHEV Powertrain" class="wp-image-2885" data-full-url="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Pacifica-PHEV-Powertrain-sized.jpg" data-id="2885" data-link="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/pacifica-phev-powertrain-sized/" height="198" src="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Pacifica-PHEV-Powertrain-sized-660x372.jpg" width="350" /></p>
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<p>From its 1990s era start as a minivan concept that was clearly ahead of its time, the Pacifica has been on a curious journey that eventually began in the marketplace as a crossover for the 2004 model year. Unfortunately, that Daimler-Chrysler inspired progeny never quite reached its audience, and the nameplate was shelved for nearly a decade only to return in 2017 to its thwarted beginnings as a minivan. </p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">Four years hence and the Pacifica fully gets due justice in its Pinnacle form, strutting onto centerstage with all the poise and purpose of a star deserving every bit of her celebrity. A quick rundown of some of its exclusive features is enough to make this New Englander swoon – fully automatic all-wheel drive, a new Uconnect 5.0 touchscreen infotainment interface with a 10.1-inch display and built in theater games, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, FamCAM interior camera, USB A and C, LED lighting (standard), forward collision detection with pedestrian automatic emergency braking, Stow ’n Go seating, automatic high beams, LED tail lamp illumination that spans the width of the rear, and quilted leather seating with rear lumbar pillows. Front and rear seating is heated, front seats also get ventilation. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="2021 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle Interior 1" class="wp-image-2881" data-full-url="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CH021_123PFnjl2hqc4udep4k4ujjltvnlogb-sized.jpg" data-id="2881" data-link="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/the-new-top-of-the-line-2021-chrysler-pacifica-pinnacle-model-features-a-new-integrated-ultra-console-that-seamlessly-blends-into-the-instrument-panel-the-pinnacle-ultra-console-offers-13-65-liters-o/" height="264" src="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CH021_123PFnjl2hqc4udep4k4ujjltvnlogb-sized-660x440.jpg" width="397" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="2021 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle Interior 2" class="wp-image-2880" data-full-url="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CH021_109PFvlnghhd5sdgik79f9fm40q1pdj-sized.jpg" data-id="2880" data-link="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/the-new-top-of-the-line-2021-chrysler-pacifica-pinnacle-model-includes-a-unique-set-of-two-fully-movable-lumbar-comfort-pillows-for-the-second-row-captains-chairs-that-match-the-qui/" height="241" src="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CH021_109PFvlnghhd5sdgik79f9fm40q1pdj-sized-660x440.jpg" width="362" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Uconnect Theater rear-seat entertainment system" class="wp-image-2879" data-full-url="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CH021_108PFaq8n0sgk4e5ri9oa7q16qa2a24-sized.jpg" data-id="2879" data-link="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/the-class-exclusive-uconnect-theater-rear-seat-entertainment-system-with-two-10-1-inch-seatback-touchscreens-adds-additional-games-for-the-2021-chrysler-pacifica-such-as-chess-concentration-simon-c/" height="266" src="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CH021_108PFaq8n0sgk4e5ri9oa7q16qa2a24-sized-660x440.jpg" width="399" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="2021 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle Hybrid" class="wp-image-2878" data-full-url="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CH021_158PFlnmho3j0pqee8hpjhhlibrn4s0-sized.jpg" data-id="2878" data-link="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/2021-chrysler-pacifica-pinnacle-hybrid-shown-in-fathom-blue-fathom-blue-is-a-new-exterior-color-option-for-the-2021-model-year/" height="276" src="https://www.rpmnewsweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CH021_158PFlnmho3j0pqee8hpjhhlibrn4s0-sized-660x440.jpg" width="415" /></p>
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<p>If you’re concerned about having ample convenient cubby storage space, well is eight cubic feet enough? If you include the third row seat tub, that’s what you get. And, then there’s the 140.5 cubic feet available to you when you stow the rear seats and open up the entire cargo area. </p>
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<p class="has-text-align-center has-small-font-size" style="text-align: center;"><em>All photos courtesy of Stellantis North America Media</em></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">All trims are equipped with a 3.6-liter V6 gasoline. Output is rated at 287 horsepower in the gasoline only versions of the Pacifica, while the gasoline/electric hybrid earns a net rating of 260 horsepower. It might not win you any quarter-mile drags, but certainly enough power whether you’re behind the wheel of the 4521-pound front-wheel drive Touring or Touring L, 4883-pound all-wheel drive Pinnacle or any of the four 5010-pound PHEV trims. </p>
<!--/wp:paragraph-->Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com016 Main St, Mattapoisett, MA 02739, USA41.6593389 -70.81649399999999241.658938118367438 -70.81703044180297 41.659739681632566 -70.815957558197013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-1117620732264512012016-10-07T20:10:00.000-05:002016-10-07T20:10:05.141-05:00Becoming One With The BMW M2 – A Transcendental Exercise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7YtZcYWvEZX7ABKY323PAN6pfoMPgfbYO8zdKYZxhKStwW9oNG6gOzz7wwNAHCZKYalLt8oez74AwL3bnFG-qDr3DhtI6wc1XZePZkNizqrOHFLs4wgAuSgpMx-oW0oZnPc36JyiPoIZ_/s1600/10-07-16+M2+Hood+Adornment+v2.0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7YtZcYWvEZX7ABKY323PAN6pfoMPgfbYO8zdKYZxhKStwW9oNG6gOzz7wwNAHCZKYalLt8oez74AwL3bnFG-qDr3DhtI6wc1XZePZkNizqrOHFLs4wgAuSgpMx-oW0oZnPc36JyiPoIZ_/s400/10-07-16+M2+Hood+Adornment+v2.0.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Time behind the wheel of the 2016 BMW M2 is transformational. You can review a car by the numbers or you can review a car by the seat of your pants. For me to tell you that the M2 produces 365 horsepower and 343 pound-feet of torque becomes a tedious exercise in trying to prove something that only has meaning when it's experienced first hand.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">After all, a Ford Mustang GT makes 435 horsepower, and a Dodge Challenger Hellcat is beastly powerful with 707 horsepower, but neither make me feel the same exhilaration I have felt the past week every time I've been at the wheel of the M2. This is a car that flirts with nirvana.</span></span>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-81404770535420495342016-09-28T12:29:00.003-05:002021-05-02T17:25:15.736-05:002017 Subaru Outback Creates Enduring Impression<div>The 2017 Subaru Outback lends lots of credence to the maxim that first impressions are lasting impressions. The substantial click-swoosh on first opening the driver’s-side door, the easy ingress onto a comfortable, firm leather seat, and the plush, soft-touch surfaces all around proved to be markers for a rewarding five-day test-driving experience.</div><div><span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"> </span></div><div><span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif">Even so, the 2.5i Limited edition of the Outback I drove never gave me reason to think I had merely been overcome by the rush of new-car scented air. </span></div>
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif">New Englanders are no strangers to the <a href="http://www.subaru.com/vehicles/outback/index.html" target="_blank">Subaru Outback</a>. Consistently among the top-selling vehicles in this part of the country, this 5-passenger midsize wagon thrives in all seasons, showing the kind of pluck we’d like to think is our birthright. <span><a name='more'></a></span>On the surface, though, the Outback is not a car that quickens one’s pulse as a spiffy sports car might.<br /><br />I’m sure that’s not what I expected either, as I pressed the push-button starter for the 4-cylinder Boxer engine and prepped for my daily trek from Acton down Route 2 to Interstate 95 and eventually home. Surprisingly, I felt a bit relieved. My somewhat worn, end-of-day concentration made easy sense of the array of vehicle systems before me.</span><br />
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif"><br />Judiciously laid out, it was without a cavalcade of buttons running down the console from the voice-activated 7-inch touch screen multimedia system with optional navigation to the dual-zone climate control. The Outback Limited demanded little but simple intuition to connect my Bluetooth enabled phone, tune the radio, and set the air conditioning. Later, when I needed to dive into the inner workings of either the navigation system or vehicle settings, the multi-touch display served up the necessary menus logically and quickly.<br /><br />The entry-level Outback 2.5i receives a smaller 6.2-inch touch screen display while a new-for-2017 flagship Touring trim includes navigation as standard.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQOV8KfjGkt0u3uKjTgZAkmz5PNMW029mIEOseBqxAdQ9GKZ3IchORnpswK7wIHEg3Uj79tSMJNY4qeqlXGOy8tDBFfUyu3IYvtUN-HhW8f8QfK__o-dgUac4Fn57gZU7FHsB2RdfmoxA/s1600/IMG_5765.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 18.672px; line-height: 28.008px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQOV8KfjGkt0u3uKjTgZAkmz5PNMW029mIEOseBqxAdQ9GKZ3IchORnpswK7wIHEg3Uj79tSMJNY4qeqlXGOy8tDBFfUyu3IYvtUN-HhW8f8QfK__o-dgUac4Fn57gZU7FHsB2RdfmoxA/s200/IMG_5765.JPG" width="200" /></a><span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif">Notwithstanding the setting sun behind me causing occasional glare on the LCD display that made it difficult to view, I settled into the drive home with a feeling of confidence inspired by the commanding ride height and expansive view all around the vehicle. The 175 horsepower 2.5-liter engine provided sufficient thrust to prevent any sense of straining to get up to speed or to pass other vehicles. The continuously variable transmission delivered none of the racket often associated with this type of powertrain. Meanwhile, paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel offered a pleasant alternative when a little more driving engagement was desired, allowing manual shifting through six pre-set gear ratios.<br /><br />Output jumps to 256 horsepower when equipped with the 3.6-liter 6-cylinder Boxer engine available on Limited and Touring trims.<br /><br />It doesn’t take long to appreciate the poise of this vehicle. With its raised four-wheel independent suspension, symmetrical all-wheel-drive, and electric power-assisted rack and pinion steering, the Outback Limited seems to glide down the highway in a way that defies its price point.<br /><br />Take it on a longer trip, as I did, going to the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/caco/index.htm" target="_blank">Cape Cod National Seashore</a> and <a href="http://provincetowntourismoffice.org/" target="_blank">Provincetown</a>, and the benefits of its many available safety systems prove indispensible for making the day’s driving more stress-free.<br /><br />Subaru’s award-winning <a href="http://www.subaru.com/engineering/eyesight.html" target="_blank">EyeSight® Driver Assist Technology</a>, optional on Premium and Limited trims and standard on the Touring, is the centerpiece, providing conveniences such as adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, lane departure warning, and lane keep assist functions. With cruise control, the camera-based technology monitors the speed of forward traffic. When traffic slows it will reduce vehicle speed to match that of the vehicle ahead, resuming set speed when passing or when traffic speeds up. The system performed flawlessly all along the crowded Mid-Cape Highway.<br /><br />At one point, in stop-and-go traffic, an EyeSight® alert popped up in the display telling me that the car in front of me had moved, an indication that I should move forward, too. It is a much preferred way to get my attention than having the driver behind me blast the horn.<br /><br />Standard on the Limited and Touring and optional on the Premium is blind spot detection with rear cross traffic alert. As careful as I’d like to think I am as a driver, these systems gave me eyes behind my head, whether it was seeing an approaching vehicle that I missed or detecting a bicyclist zipping across the parking lot out of my field of view. I avoided accident scenarios like these more than once in the busy National Seashore parking lot and in the crowded Provincetown public parking lot. The high resolution, wide-angle rearview camera that’s standard equipment was mightily helpful, too. Fortunately, it never came to deploying the new reverse automatic braking.<br /><br />You always run the risk of getting stuck in Cape Cod traffic, especially on Labor Day weekend. An extra half-hour averaging 10 miles-per-hour might not only be exasperating but can get expensive if the vehicle isn’t very fuel efficient. Fortunately, I didn’t suffer on that account in the Outback. Even with two extended episodes of bumper-to-bumper traffic, on the way in and on the way out, the Outback rewarded me with a combined average fuel economy of 28.2 miles per gallon. That’s right in line with the EPA rating for this vehicle.</span></div>
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<span face="Trebuchet MS, sans-serif">There are many ways to leave lasting impressions. A key utilitarian feature that I didn’t have a need to use during my test of the Outback was the step-style doorsills. Not only do they make it easier to access the roof rails, retractable crossbars, and tie-downs, they also are a lot safer. Then there are the 73.3 cubic feet of available cargo space and the removable, washable cargo area tray that speak loudly to the car’s versatility. Finally, there are the heated front AND rear seats—surely proof that the 2017 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited is a family-friendly, all-weather warrior ready to impress New Englanders.</span><br />
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<i style="line-height: 28.008px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This review first appeared in the Boston Globe, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://archive.boston.com/cars/news-and-reviews/2016/09/09/subaru-outback-creates-enduring-impression/qMEqZUE1DIlrfjn9qms9xL/story.html">http://archive.boston.com/cars/news-and-reviews/2016/09/09/subaru-outback-creates-enduring-impression/qMEqZUE1DIlrfjn9qms9xL/story.html</a></span></i></div>
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Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-56154850127248739692016-08-31T21:08:00.002-05:002021-05-02T17:28:00.430-05:00The Thrill of Compromise in the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #262626;">All the excitement of
driving the 2016 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider can be addictive up until you take it for
a weekend retreat that's more than 90 minutes away. Then you'll be
second-guessing its practicality.</span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #262626;">This is a magnificent vehicle that belongs on
a road course track, not on a crowded freeway and certainly not in your
driveway for the neighbors to gossip about your finances while ogling its
curvaceousness. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a name='more'></a></span></span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Despite the 4C Spider’s
primitive intentions, you'll get no complaints from its 237 horsepower 1.7 liter
turbocharged engine as it launches you from zero to 60 in something like 4
seconds, and you'll quickly find that manual paddle shifting is actually the
way a car like this was meant to be driven, even if the hardcore among us would
prefer a foot-operated clutch instead of the one electronically controlled by
the 6-speed automated-manual transmission.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Don't look for comforts,
either, notwithstanding the Alpine audio system. This is a car where you need
to contort yourself not only to get into either of the two seats, but also
every time you want to grab your beverage from the cupholder that's just behind
your shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #262626; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Are the compromises worth
it? Absolutely. There are more thrills to be had from the 4C Spider than what
might be considered legal. Just engage dynamic mode, set manual drive and stomp
on the accelerator. Hyperventilating is not covered under the four-year,
50,000-mile warranty.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #262626; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwjvp94S3fkBCxn1sLSJ2QgcMr6pwU4RWdotaCVKJEo_rRSFqiYTEBAs3dnaBUgDW6lsbTspAM9Vi_3aRobmQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-34924757464530818912014-12-01T22:09:00.012-05:002021-05-02T17:55:46.535-05:00Zipping, Zooming & EZ Parking with MINI Cooper<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavHcYkYT00a2RdmbIgfVO7X6UDa9LcdgcZOHpQCtcTVFnML5oDF6XH85IFug0UoXmWJvTmBWqE3du9X-dDrK4DEOf8_zYFf03yxkeebV-b8CNXN4DhIe86xhymlTXCkvhdMZmCWqxALEp/s1600/MINI_Cooper_IMG_3425.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavHcYkYT00a2RdmbIgfVO7X6UDa9LcdgcZOHpQCtcTVFnML5oDF6XH85IFug0UoXmWJvTmBWqE3du9X-dDrK4DEOf8_zYFf03yxkeebV-b8CNXN4DhIe86xhymlTXCkvhdMZmCWqxALEp/s1600/MINI_Cooper_IMG_3425.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s one description for the MINI Cooper Hardtop that you won’t hear me using anymore – “It’s </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">cute!”</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">After doing lots of zipping – and the occasional zooming – around in a spiffed-up version of the four-seat coupe for a good part of a week, I can absolutely conclude that “cute” does not do this charmingly adept bit of refined automotive engineering any justice. And justice IS what it deserves after being saddled with such a chic, trendy, bountifully adorable image.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span><a name='more'></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From the moment I engaged the 2014 model year test car’s 6-speed automatic transmission, wound my way through the office parking lot and accelerated onto Route 2A, I could feel a transformation of consciousness. This was not merely the darling little, go-kart-like runabout I was led to believe, and the kind of fun I was about to have would have little to do with the cheery smiles I’d get in the supermarket parking lot. This car has some serious on-road skills.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It takes very little time behind the wheel to recognize that the MINI Cooper Hardtop is extremely responsive to driver input. As effortless as it is to turn the steering wheel, it still feels like something you’re directing and not some remote mechanical/electrical activity. Why is that good? Two words: confidence and control.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The twisty roads through Concord by Walden Pond never gave me reason to feel the car might get away from me. If I wanted to go tightly through a turn, the car obliged precisely and willingly. And when it came time to ramp it up onto Interstate 95, the turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine provided plenty of thrust, offering 134 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. That may not sound like much, but given the car’s small dimensions and consequent 2675-pound low weight, the MINI Cooper Hardtop as tested can accelerate to 60 miles-per-hour in about 7.3 seconds (the uprated Cooper S is even better at 6.4 seconds with its turbo 2-liter engine).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Surprisingly, I never felt threatened by the multitude of semi-trailers, heavy duty pickups and bulky SUVs that shared the highway. Despite its size, the MINI Hardtop inspired more confidence among these giants of the road than I felt in either the Fiat 500 or the Volkswagen Beetle, as much as I enjoyed those rivals for their own merits.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But perhaps one of the most unexpected realizations about the MINI Hardtop is how much of a city car it can be. There’s lots to be said about the practicality of having a small car if you live in the city. But small is really not enough if it means sacrificing style, comfort and drivability for the sake of a blip in fuel efficiency and being able to squeeze into a tight parking spot. The MINI Hardtop has it both ways. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">A Speedwell Blue plaid pattern<br />embellishes the floor mats and door sills.</span></td></tr>
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</div><div style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are millions of ways to factory customize the MINI Cooper Hardtop – it’s one of the brand’s hallmarks. The tested model was decked out in a Speedwell Blue plaid pattern embellishing the side mirrors, door scuttles, floor mats, door sills and removable sunscreens for the rear windows. It also came with several optional packages including a $1500 Sport Package with LED headlights, 17-inch wheels and sport seats, a $1750 Premium Package with a panoramic sunroof, automatic climate<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>control and a harman/kardo</span></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">n</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">®</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">premium sound system, and a $600 Cold Weather Package that includes heated front seats.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For urban New England drivers, the Cold Weather Package might be the only necessity from that list but there is one additional option that will prove itself invaluable wherever finding city street parking is most challenging.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Park Assistant may seem like a novelty at first glance, and spending $1000 for the package after everything else may stress some budgets. But, even if only for sparing the annoyance of figuring out if a parallel parking space is big enough for the car, this option is a worthy time saver. It does more, though. After sizing up a potential parking spot and determining it’s big enough, the system takes over and steers the car into it. This is definitely a value-added feature for anyone who lives or works in the city. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Altogether, the extras on the test car (including Park Assistant) boosted the base MSRP from $19,950 to $33,095 (the 2015 Mini Cooper Hardtop gets a $750 bump up in base price but is essentially unchanged except for some minor shuffling of feature content).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Complaints were few to be found. Most notably, the headlight beam has a purplish/blue halo that can be an occasional distraction, and the mouse-like console controller for the MINI Connected infotainment system is awkwardly placed, being especially difficult to use comfortably when the center armrest is in position. But the system itself is quite sophisticated and generally easy to navigate, making short-work of </span></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">connecting a Bluetooth</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">®</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">enabled smartphone.</span></div><div dir="rtl" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Sport mode engaged.</span></td></tr>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><div style="line-height: 1.15; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">Government fuel efficiency ratings put the MINI Cooper Hardtop in the sweet spot for gasoline-powered subcompacts, giving the current model a 40 highway/ 29 city rating when equipped with the standard 6-speed manual transmission. The test car earned a rating of 39 highway/ 28 city, but real-life achievements will surely be affected by how often the driver switches from normal Mid driving mode to either the Sport or the Green modes. Each mode automatically adjusts settings for engine, steering and transmission adding another dimension to the fun (I’m saving cute for the puppies) experience. </span></div></div><div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>This story first appeared in the Boston Sunday Globe, Nov. 2, 2014.</i></span></span></div>
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Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-66122584599374062882014-06-11T12:32:00.001-05:002021-05-02T17:57:16.536-05:00<h2>
<b>2015 Chrysler 200 Sets New Benchmarks</b></h2>
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<b>WHAT’S NEW: </b>For 2015, the Chrysler 200 is completely redesigned and now offered as a 5-passenger sedan only.<br />
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Call it casual elegance or affordable luxury, but either way, the <a href="http://www.chrysler.com/en/200/" target="_blank">2015 Chrysler 200</a> steps up the mid-size sedan driving experience with a whole new set of benchmarks that showcase the brand’s updated design language and state-of-the-art technology. Trims include the base LX, uprated Limited, sporty 200S and premium 200C.<span><a name='more'></a></span><br />
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The graceful new exterior styling is highlighted by integrated grille and headlight elements, creating a fluid look that extends along the sides. Standard equipment includes fully automatic projector beam halogen headlights, power side mirrors and LED taillights. The 200S model replaces the standard chrome trim with gloss black and adds integrated dual exhausts.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rotary Shift Dial and Uconnect 8.4-inch Touchscreen</td></tr>
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The well-crafted interior features a low-profile state-of-the-art electronic rotary shift dial enabling a unique pass-through storage space beneath. For driver convenience, the standard tilt/telescoping steering wheel incorporates audio and cruise controls. Tech savvy options include a 7-inch LED instrument cluster display that provides important vehicle information such as speed and real-time fuel economy, and the Uconnect 8.4-inch touchscreen multimedia command center with hands-free voice command and smartphone app integration.<br />
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Engine choices start with a 184 horsepower 2.4-liter inline-four. Optional on the 200S and 200C is a 295 horsepower 3.6-liter V6. Both engines are mated to an all-new 9-speed automatic transmission. Front wheel drive is standard, while V6 equipped models can be equipped with all-wheel-drive. An optional sport mode with paddle shifters provides a more spirited driving experience.<br />
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Here are the highest and lowest estimates for <a href="http://www.fueleconomy.gov/" target="_blank">fuel economy</a>:<br />
<b>Highest: 23 City / 36 Highway (2.4L)</b><br />
<b>Lowest: 18 City / 29 Highway (3.6L, AWD)</b><br />
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Standard safety features on the 2015 200 include an electronic park brake with SafeHold, which secures the vehicle if the driver opens the door and unlatches the seat belt while in gear. Optional ParkSense Parallel/Perpendicular Park Assist guides the driver into parking spaces.<br />
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The 200 is backed by a 3-year, 36,000-mile basic warranty and a 5-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.<br />
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Offering a premium-level motoring experience in a value-packed mid-size sedan, the all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 sets a new standard for affordable elegance.<br />
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<b>2015 Chrysler 200 Mid-Size Sedan</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Completely Redesigned For 2015</li>
<li>Fully Automatic Projector Beam Halogen Headlights, Power Side Mirrors, LED Taillights; 200S: Gloss Black Trim, Integrated Dual Exhausts</li>
<li>Electronic Rotary Shift Dial, Pass-Through Storage Space, Tilt / Telescoping Steering Wheel w/ Audio & Cruise Controls; Optional: 7-inch LED Instrument Cluster Display, Uconnect 8.4-inch Touchscreen Multimedia Command Center</li>
<li>2.4L I-4, 184-hp, 173 lb-ft of torque (9-AUTO, FWD)<br />3.6L V6, 295-hp, 262 lb-ft of torque (9-AUTO, FWD / AWD)</li>
<li>Electronic Park Brake w/ SafeHold; Optional: ParkSense Parallel / Perpendicular Park Assist</li>
<li>Basic: 3 Years / 36,000 Miles; Powertrain: 5 Years / 100,000 Miles</li>
<li>Well-Crafted, Affordable, Elegant
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Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-71573416726054282522009-03-03T22:59:00.008-05:002009-03-03T23:30:09.915-05:00Will Changing Times Change The Auto Industry?We’ve come a long way in a short 100 years with the automobile. Out of the minds of a few lone inventors and a handful of small bicycle shops and carriage manufacturers, emerged an automobile industry that has developed into a powerhouse of production and employment whose survival now seems inexorably linked to the success of world economies.<br />But as the big players in this industry stumble in the current mess of financial woes, one wonders if the playing field could fast be redefined by smaller start-up companies.<br />If so, will these new players need to make a gigantic leap across the entire last century of industrial growth in one jump? Or, will they be something that functions completely different?<br />Will Detroit’s automakers need to redefine their manufacturing model? Can corporations so massively industrialized become agile enough to rapidly alter production in the face of sudden changes in demand?<br />Each year, automakers offer consumers improvements and new features in their product lines. The evolution of the automobile into today’s lineup of vehicles has shown remarkable progress in safety, performance, function and durability.<br />But there’s a difference between what’s new and what’s really new. A new feature does not fundamentally change the concept of a vehicle; a new model doesn’t necessarily mean a totally new automotive entity. A new design is not a new way of bringing cars to market.<br />When Honda introduced North America to its first production gasoline/electric hybrid vehicle, the Insight, a decade ago, that was something really new. In both design and means of propulsion, the Insight defied convention. Toyota wasted no time in bringing out its hybrid, the Prius, soon afterwards.<br />The original two-seater Insight was in production until 2006 and is making its way back to market this April as a 2010 five-passenger model. Meanwhile, Toyota has launched a redesigned Prius that is bigger and more powerful.<br />American automakers were slow to respond to the hybrid challenge and have been playing catch-up since. At times, there were indications that they might not even embrace the technology at all.<br />Times have changed.<br />Ford tiptoed into the hybrid market (the first domestic automaker to do so) with a version of the 2006 Escape SUV. Now, it is set to go gangbusters with the Fusion Hybrid – a more mainstream type of automobile that will be in showrooms this spring. Looks like Ford wants a share of the Toyota Camry Hybrid market.<br />Bob Bancroft, owner of Ashley Ford in New Bedford, Massachusetts described the new Fusion Hybrid as the highest mileage hybrid made in America - chalking up a mileage rating of 41 mpg.<br />High-mileage is the new mantra.<br />“Ford’s CEO (Alan Mulally) has made a promise that every vehicle will get better fuel economy than the vehicle it replaces,” noted Mr. Bancroft. “That’s the big story.”<br />Good news for sure. Ford is showing good effort to change the perception that big automakers are not making the cars people want.<br />But big automakers worldwide may soon find their foundations being rattled by an innovative start-up company, Local Motors, located in Wareham, Massachusetts. The company describes itself as “the first disruptive entrant in the US automotive industry in decades.”<br />Local Motors is not looking to mass produce vehicles. If they can build 2,000 vehicles per year at each of eventually 25 locations, that would please company founder Jay Rogers. It will be proof that their idea of “challenging the paradigm of highly centralized manufacturing, embattled dealerships and dispersed service locations,” is the way to go.<br />Ultimately, it could change the way consumers buy (and think about buying) their vehicles.<br />“The world changes faster than we develop cars,” observed Mr. Rogers. “It doesn’t need to be that way.”<br />He expects to turn heads by demonstrating that there is a different and faster way to get the cars people actually want out to market than the way it is currently being done.<br />But comparing Local Motors to the small manufacturers at the dawn of the auto age is hardly accurate according to Mr. Rogers. There’s a lot of automotive infrastructure that’s developed and capable of producing high quality, off-the-shelf parts and supplies most of which is now going to non-OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) purchasers. This is what Local Motors plans to tap into instead of manufacturing automotive parts themselves.<br />“You can stand on the shoulders of product development,” explained Mr. Rogers.<br />Easy access to everything from engines to brakes is an advantage previous start-ups like the ill-fated DeLorean Motor Company did not have thirty years ago.<br />Aiming to produce lower-weight vehicles that are designed by an online consensus of car enthusiasts (a internet savvy technique called crowd-sourcing), built from off-the-shelf parts and marketed to specific geographic regions, Local Motors’ business model completely redefines the way cars get to market.<br />But how will selling 50,000 cars shake up the Detroit automotive establishment that looks at sales in the millions per year.<br />“We hope to be a tipping point,” said Mr. Rogers.<br />He’s not alone in that wish.<br />Dean Kamen, the inventive creator of the Segway personal transporter is busy developing an electric vehicle called the Revolt which utilizes his version of a type of external combustion engine called the Stirling (after Robert Stirling, its 19th century inventor) to provide an electrical assist to the vehicle’s batteries.<br />Even though Kamen’s DEKA Research & Development Corp. hopes to have a production version of the vehicle on the market in 2 years, his goal may be less that of becoming an automaker and more of becoming the inventor that paves the way for other automakers to use the technology.<br />The Revolt design is based on the Ford Think which was cancelled in 2002. Ford sold its stock in the company and ultimately the Think brand wound up in Norway and today is producing electric cars for the European market.<br />Think describes its vehicles as, “emission free and three times as energy efficient as the cars used today.” The Think City model is designed to muster 62 mph with a range of 126 miles on a charge.<br />But Jim Lutz, president of Alden Buick Pontiac GMC Truck in Fairhaven, Massachusetts is not holding out hope that these new smaller companies will last.<br />“If you look at the history of startups, it’s dismally bad,” he observed. “Even craft businesses have gone by the wayside.”<br />For him, the car industry, in terms of its business sophistication, ranks just below the aircraft industry. Starting a car-making business from scratch may be just too formidable a challenge to succeed.<br />“The development costs are so high, they create such a barrier to entry,” he said.<br />But faced with the economic battering they are experiencing, the big automakers are taking their hour of despair and looking differently at how they do business.<br />“At GM, they’ve really put all their focus on the electric hybrid,” noted Mr. Lutz referencing the hulky new Yukon Hybrid.<br />Although the 20 city/20 highway mpg ratings show the vehicle to have improved fuel efficiency, the numbers themselves seem to come up short of startling. But Mr. Lutz put that into perspective given the size of the vehicle and what consumers could expect in this type of vehicle not so long ago.<br />“It’s a very interesting technological progression to get to mileage unthinkable 20 years ago,” he said. “This is starting to show the advantage of electric power.”<br />On both ends of the car making spectrum, at big and small companies, long-established businesses and fresh startups, everyone is using the word change in new hopeful tones. That’s good. A change in perspective is at the heart of innovation.Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-33554841466344160562007-08-30T08:10:00.000-05:002007-08-30T08:53:52.574-05:00Lies Spin Hybrid Battery UndercurrentI came across a quote the other day attributed to Mark Twain that goes something like this, “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” It’s an apt description of what’s been dogging hybrid automobiles and keeping them marginalized.<br />I realized I needed to say something about this when my wife Susan came home the other day and asked me if it was true that hybrid automobile batteries needed to be replaced every two years at a cost of thousands of dollars.<br />Well, the simple answer to that question is NO.<br />This lie about hybrid batteries is a choice bit of misinformation put in motion by the spin doctors of the internal combustion gasoline engine lobby. They are hard at work undermining public confidence in hybrid technology.<br />Last winter, I first detected there was a bonafide effort afoot in some quarters of the auto industry to sideline the hybrid when a keynote speaker at the Northeast international auto show in Providence took pot shots at hybrid batteries and their disposal.<br />It was clear his words were meant to create doubts about the future of hybrid technology.<br />Looks like the spin is working when a humble consumer like my wife, who is considering a hybrid for her next automobile purchase, comes home with sudden second-thoughts.<br />Before I even address the “two year” part of the lie, consider this. At Toyota all hybrid-specific components on the Prius are guaranteed for at least 8 years or 100,000 miles.<br />Specifically, here’s what Toyota says: “Prius' hybrid-related components, including the HV battery, battery control module, hybrid control module and inverter with converter, are covered for 8 years/100,000 miles. The HV battery may have longer coverage under emissions warranty.”<br />You’ll find similar warranties with other hybrid manufacturers.<br />Regarding the alleged two year lifespan, that might apply if your driving you’re your car to death at the rate of over 50,000 miles a year. But even here there’s anecdotal evidence that a Vancouver taxi driver drove a Prius over 200,000 in 25 months and the batteries still held out strong.<br />But other than unusual driving like that, the average hybrid driver is likely to get well over seven years use from their batteries.<br />So much for the two year lie.<br />The batteries of a hybrid automobile system function a little differently than ordinary rechargeable batteries such as the ones in cell phones. Hybrid batteries never get fully charged or discharged. They operate in the 40 to 60 percent range of charge. This prolongs the useful life for this type of nickel-hydride battery.<br />In U.S. Department of Energy tests of hybrid batteries, it was determined that although the capacities of the batteries tested had diminished over time, their ability to absorb energy had not degraded even after 160,000 miles of use.<br />I realize that hybrid technology may not be the ultimate answer to our gas guzzling ways. It is at best a transitional technology. But it is a step in the right direction.<br />Consumers should be well advised not mislead. There’s a lot a stake both economically and with the environment. Lies are not the way forward.Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-33550117646854851602007-06-28T21:06:00.000-05:002007-06-28T21:23:41.232-05:00GPS Navigation Is the New Must Have Auto GadgetIt doesn’t get much easier finding one’s way to a destination than by using a portable GPS navigation system. Program in the location to which you’re heading and bingo, the most direct route is displayed in real time as you drive, street by street, turn by turn.<br />So convenient are these marvels of space age technology and now more affordable that the public has turned a niche market product of a year ago into the must-have-item-da-jour.<br />At Radio Shack in Fairhaven, Massachusetts sales associates Steve Slattery and Sean Landry have noticed a big upturn in sales of the devices over the last few months.<br />“More and more people are starting to buy them,” observed Steve.<br />Lower pricing and the availability of more brands has made the difference.<br />The GPS navigation device kiosk at Radio Shack displays three brands: Garmin (the industry leader), TomTom and Magellan. Prices range from $299.99 for the essential TomTom “One” to $899.99 for the Garmin “Nuvi 660”.<br />The most advanced models offer Bluetooth wireless connectivity to cellphones and headphones for hands-free driving convenience and safety. With similarly equipped Bluetooth cellphones, the phone display comes up on the larger GPS device display and audio is routed through the unit, too.<br />Plus, many models now include test-to-speech capability to actually recite the street names and turns as you go along with other instructions and can locate points of interest, restaurants and service stations.<br />Vacationers are a ready market for this level of technology. What is especially enticing is that there are no monthly service fees to use the equipment and get information.<br />“If I were traveling, I would probably have one,” noted Sean.<br />But even day trippers and commuters can find great convenience in using a GPS navigation system.<br />As familiar as a Boston or a Providence might be or even the winding back roads of Cape Cod, there are always new places one goes to in these locales that can be hard to find. Simply program the location into the navigation system and you’re ready to go – no guessing.<br />Some models also make a traffic re-routing service available for an additional subscription fee. The service will notify the driver of upcoming traffic snarls and offer an alternative route.<br />“Most people coming in, looking for the most features for the lowest price go for the TomTom “Go 510” or the Magellan “RoadMate 2200T”,” explained Sean. “Both are $399.99.”<br />Key differences are that the Go 510 offers Bluetooth compatibility whereas the Magellan holds a longer battery charge.<br />If you’re an iPod user, some models are fully compatible with the player and display the iPod screen on the navigation display. Other models provide mp3 music playback and memory card capability.<br />More than another distraction while driving, GPS navigation systems can make it a lot easier for drivers struggling to figure out where they are going.<br />“Definitely a nice thing to have,” said Sean. “The last time I was in Boston, I wish I had one.”Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-64168206366399856492007-03-21T09:02:00.000-05:002007-03-21T09:05:52.132-05:00Pinewood Derby Revs Up Youthful CreativityThe fascination with speed and how things move starts early. As children we observe, play and experiment with our toys and ultimately develop some understanding of motion.<br />On a practical level, as adults we apply this learning everyday when we drive our vehicles.<br />For the Cub Scouts of Pack 14 in Lakeville, last Saturday was the day to test their concepts of motion in the annual Pinewood Derby held at Ted Williams Camp off Route 18. Over sixty scouts participated.<br />The trek to the derby began three months ago. Starting with a small block of wood, two axles and four wheels, the cubs scouts fashioned small vehicles for the competition. They were bound by a strict set of competition parameters but had free reign to design and paint the vehicles to their own liking.<br />The cars had to conform to an overall width of 2-3/4" and a length of 7". The width between the wheels had to be 1-3/4" and the bottom clearance between car and racetrack had to be 3/8". The weight could not exceed 5 ounces.<br />The grail, of course, is to create a vehicle that makes it down the derby course in the fastest time. The creators of the three fastest vehicles go on to regional and possibly national competitions. Prizes are also awarded for Best Craftsmanship, Most Creative Design and Best Use Of Paint.<br />The standardized track presents a uniform way for the vehicles to demonstrate their mix of weight and drag.<br />Three at a time, the cars start on an incline at a height of four feet and pick up speed going downhill for a distance of about 16 feet. They then coast and additional 16 feet on a flat straightaway to the finish line. The results are electronically timed.<br />The designs of many of the vehicles stuck closely to conventional ideas of what race cars or dragsters look like but some are designed purely for speed and don’t look at all like ordinary notions of cars except for the four wheels. Some are just pure fun and imagination in their designs.<br />Such is the case with the coffin-like vehicle that Cameron Roberts created.<br />Cameron, whose father, Matt, is the Cub Master, said he based his idea on a design he saw in a television cartoon and although he wouldn’t expect to see a full-size car designed like it, the vehicle was not just an “all show and no go” design. It won its heat in the competition.<br />“I put weight inside the coffin and I put a lid on it,” explained Cameron.<br />Cameron’s mom, Cyndi, said that the event creates a lot of enthusiasm among the cub scouts and that it keeps growing each year. There’s good parent participation, she noted.<br />The fastest car of the day was created by Bradley Pedro. His vehicle finished with a time of 2.43 seconds. The thin, skateboard-like design was built purely for speed.<br />He described his feelings about winning in a word, “Good.”<br />His dad, Dave, was impressed with the enthusiasm everyone has for the event.<br />“This is the third year we’ve been doing it,” he said. “It gets better organized with more families each year.”<br />Plus, he’s observed how the kids put more into creating the vehicles as they get older.Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-50832387668318051892007-03-15T21:16:00.000-05:002007-03-15T21:19:03.358-05:00Kia Finds Power In Their SurprisesI was looking through a Kia Motors catalog recently and guess what? Their catch phrase “The Power To Surprise” is right on target.<br />The full Kia line presents just 10 models and includes SUVs, a minivan, sedans, hatchbacks and a new crossover that redefines the word station wagon. There are no pickup trucks. But what the lineup lacks in numbers, it makes up for in style, safety and quality.<br />The first surprise was discovering that Kia sold its first million vehicles to the U.S. market in just 10 years. That beats Toyota, Mazda, BMW and Mercedes to name a few heavy hitters.<br />In the fiercely competitive auto market, that’s an amazing accomplishment these days. An automaker does not make that mark on slick marketing. It takes a distinguished product to pull it off.<br />It must have surprised a lot of Kia competitors last year when the Rio garnered recognition as the “Highest Ranked Sub-Compact in Initial Quality” by J.D. Power and Associates. Suddenly, this young upstart is a force in contention.<br />Quality is a great starting point for consumer attention. But the Rio has more that buyers like, especially in the sub-compact segment – the safety of six standard airbags; plenty of passenger and cargo space (class leading 92.2 cu.ft. for people and 11.9 cu.ft. for cargo) and satisfying fuel efficiency (29 city/38 highway with the 4-speed automatic)<br />Then there’s the Sedona minivan. It’s the highest safety-rated minivan of all-time. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the government agency which rates the crash safety of all vehicles using a five star system, gave the Sedona the highest five-star safety marks in all four categories that cover frontal and side crashes.<br />The Sedona also got the nod as “Top Safety Pick” from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The list of standard safety features for this seven-passenger people mover is impressive: dual front air bags, front seat-mounted side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, front active headrests, tire pressure monitoring system, 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS, Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control System, child-friendly lower anchors and tethers.<br />Another surprise from Kia is the new Rondo. Functionally, one could call it a station wagon. But that description is dropping out of the vernacular these days. It’s a crossover vehicle – meaning that it takes styling and stature from the SUV segment but drives like a car.<br />The Rondo is big enough to carry seven passengers yet is fuel efficient enough to get up to 29 miles per gallon with the four-cylinder version. It designed to go toe-to-toe with vehicles like the Ford Focus wagon, the Subaru Impreza wagon and the Dodge Caliber.<br />The Rondo is a surprise late-entry into the 2007 lineup and is aimed to further Kia’s penetration into the U.S. market particularly in the fast-growing crossover segment.<br />News of Kia’s impressive level of quality, safety and value is growing. By industry standards, they are getting it right and consumers are beginning to take notice.<br />They’ll get a lot of mileage out of “The Power To Surprise” tagline especially when their surprises are all pleasant ones.Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-60250910328804195972007-03-05T14:13:00.000-05:002007-03-05T14:22:21.174-05:002008 EPA Mileage Ratings Give New Reality To PerceptionIf perception is everything, then automakers are going to have a job to do explaining the new EPA mileage-rating stickers that will be displayed on 2008 model-year vehicles. Fuel economy is going to show lower numbers across the board.<br />The new ratings are meant to better reflect real-world results. Even vehicles that have not changed anything about their performance from the 2007 model-year will show lower mpg numbers on the new 2008 stickers. Under the new way of calculating fuel economy, mileage estimates will fall between two and four mpg on average.<br />This is definitely for the benefit of consumers. The new way the EPA measures miles per gallon will take into consideration factors such as higher average driving speeds and more pervasive use of air conditioning. Consumer-minded AAA hails the change for addressing a truth in advertising issue. <br />No doubt, a change was long overdue. The last time the EPA revised the measurement system was in 1984.<br />But with sales of light trucks and SUVs, in a bit of a funk right now, the timing of the change is certainly inconvenient for dealers. Considering that the sales slump (total retail sales in 2006 was down 8.5 percent in this segment) likely was triggered by concerns about the price of fuel, having buyers see even lower fuel economy figures might be troublesome.<br />It presents more of an immediate issue for manufacturers such as Ford who have some 2008-designated models already being shipped to their dealers.<br />General manager Paul Neary at Ashley Ford in New Bedford is expecting his first 2008 Escape any moment. It’s so close to delivery, it’s already showing in inventory. He printed out 2007 and 2008 window stickers for comparison.<br />Side by side, the 2007 and 2008 Ford Escape 4WD, 4 speed automatic with a 3.0 liter Duratec V6 will show 19 mpg city, 23 highway for the 2007 versus 17 city, 22 highway, for the 2008.<br />Thus the perception problem.<br />Even the very economical Escape hybrid shows the 2007 at 32 city, 29 highway versus the 2008 at 29 city, 27 highway (hybrids typically fair better in the city than on the highway).<br />Now, I know consumers are pretty sharp and will quickly figure all this out. The EPA is even assisting by including the old calculations on the sticker in smaller print on the earliest of the 2008 models.<br />But on face value, at least for this transitional year, there’s bound to be some apples and oranges comparison between 2007s and 2008s.<br />For the time being, Mr. Neary is not overly concerned. Gasoline prices have been lower and he still sees a demand for Ford trucks. But he’s got his eyes focused down the road, too.<br />“Will fuel economy be an issue? Absolutely, going forward,” he stated. “But at $2.15 per gallon, I don’t see it.”<br />Mr. Neary is more concerned about what he sees as the mis-perception many buyers have about the fuel economy of vehicles coming from American automakers.<br />Hopefully, the lower numbers on the new EPA stickers don’t simply reinforce that perception.Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-88138586017306653602007-02-28T10:39:00.000-05:002007-02-28T10:40:47.198-05:00Trucks/SUVs Get Even More Car-Like In 2007As if to blur the distinction between truck/SUVs and cars, automakers are driving deeper into the comfort zone with their work and off-road vehicles in 2007.<br />With crossover being the vehicle buzzword that also aptly describes buying habits these days, the more a manufacturer’s truck or SUV does double duty as powerful workhorse and comfortable family vehicle, the more likely it is to attract buyers. Throw in some new technology that boosts fuel economy and that truck or SUV starts to look even more attractive.<br />If anything, 2007 is shaping up to be a watershed year for trucks and SUVs. Attracting and holding consumer attention in this segment of the auto industry is more challenging than it has been for the last decade.<br />In the showroom, many buyers had been purchasing trucks or SUVs and using them as though they were cars. But the auto industry is seeing that dynamic shift towards actual car purchases. They are responding with trucks and SUVs that are even more car-like. Take a look at some of what’s new in trucks and SUV’s and see for yourself.<br />One of the grand-daddies of the SUV family, the Chevrolet Suburban has gotten a complete makeover this year and has added a new engine to the lineup that employs a fuel-saving variable displacement system called Active Fuel Management to automatically shut down four cylinders while cruising on the highway.<br />The engine, a Vortec 5.3 liter V8, is standard in the half-ton series of Suburban. Highway mileage improves to 21 mpg. The LTZ version adds head-curtain side airbags in all rows.<br />The Suburban chassis has been redesigned to give a better ride and improve handling, too. Pricing starts at $37,760 for the LS. Entry point for the LTZ is $47,035.<br />The smaller Chevrolet Tahoe has gotten a similar makeover.<br />Chevrolet has scored big this year with the Silverado, winning both the prestigious North American Truck of the Year and Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year awards. The truck has gotten a completely new frame that improves handling and ride comfort. Side-curtain airbags are available as well as Active Fuel Management and GM’s StabiliTrak electronic stability control.<br />The WT (Work Truck) version of the Silverado is priced starting at $18,750 but there are so many variations of the model including crew cab versions that its easy to spend over $35,000 to get exactly what one wants.<br />Chrysler has introduced the Aspen for 2007 to go toe to toe with the Cadillac Escalade and the Lincoln Navigator. It’s available with either the huge 4.7 liter, 235 hp V8 engine or the humongous 5.7 liter, 335 hp Hemi V8 that employs cylinder deactivation to improve overall fuel economy.<br />“It’s the first full-size SUV that Chrysler has had,” noted Ed Pimentle, business manager at Hiller Co. Chrysler-Dodge in Marion. “It’s more of a luxury SUV.”<br />The Aspen really goes the route with high-end standard equipment including rear parking sensors and tire pressure monitoring but holds the line on entry level pricing at $31,490. Even with the Hemi option in the 4x2 version, the Aspen can attain 20 mpg on the highway. Other luxury features such as remote start, heated seats, navigation system and power liftgate are options.<br />At Dodge, the green light is on for environmentally friendly upgrades. Start with the Dakota pickup which adds flex-fuel E85 capability to the optional 4.7 liter V8 engine.<br />E85 is a fuel mixture of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline that many in the auto industry anticipate will be readily available in the next few years. Many gas stations already pump a mixture of 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline. Flex-fuel vehicles automatically adjust for the changing fuel mixtures to obtain maximum performance.<br />This year, the Dakota also adds a very useful dual position tailgate and spiffs up the interior with stain resistant fabric. Pricing starts at $19,780.<br />The Dodge Durango, which has seen a significant redesign for 2007, offers a fuel saving multi-displacement cylinder shutdown system with the optional 5.7 liter Hemi engine that can muster up 20 mpg on the highway. The smaller 4.7 liter V8 is E85 capable as in the Dakota.<br />Electronic stability control is now standard as well as side airbags. Bucket seats are available for the second row with heat. It’s best in its class for cargo storage behind the second row of seats, too. All told, the Durango can comfortably carry up to eight passengers and otherwise has numerous seating configurations. A base model with a 3.7 liter V6 engine is priced from $27,055.<br />Completely new at Dodge this year is the 5 passenger Nitro. This midsize SUV is clearly aimed at younger buyers with it’s “Loaded With Adrenaline” marketing tag. Off-road, the full-time four wheel drive should easily live up to the hype especially when coupled with optional 20 inch wheels.<br />Power in the base model Nitro is delivered by 210 hp, 3.7 liter V6. A bigger 4.0 liter V6 is available. Pricing begins at $19,885.<br />In that youthful vein, Honda has perked up the Element with an additional 10 hp, boosting the performance of its sole 2.4 liter 4-cylinder engine to 166 hp. The uniquely square-ish looking crossover SUV has also added a hip new SC version that has a monochromatic finish, sport suspension and 18 inch wheels. The 2WD entry level LX model comes in at $19,495. The SC is priced from $23,290.<br />Meanwhile, the popular Honda CR-V has gotten a complete redesign for 2007. Sleek on the outside and polished on the inside, in all categories this crossover SUV shows refinements – safety, comfort, style and performance.<br />Stability/traction control and ABS are standard. But that’s just the start to a long list of standard features that enhance this vehicle’s comfort level: power windows & locks, adjustable steering column, cruise control, map lights, a tachometer, air conditioning with air filtration. The list goes on. It’s priced from $21,195.<br />The four-door Honda Ridgeline pickup has also tweaked its level of refinements with passenger safety and comfort features including front seat side airbags with occupancy detection, side-curtain airbags with rollover sensors and rear seat heater ducts. Entry level price is $28,395.<br />The all-new Mitsubishi Outlander adds a hot new crossover to the 2007 lineup of SUVs. The featured-loaded vehicle belies its compact design.<br />Fuel consumption is maximized with variable valve timing and a six speed transmission; an electronic stability system controls brakes, engine output and 4WD to stabilize the vehicle when it detects skidding; a Bluetooth mobile phone interface with voice recognition facilitates hands free phone use; ABS brakes ensure safe stopping. All this and it’s priced from $19,990.<br />“People have gotten away from truck-styled SUVs,” explained Alan Hollis, sales manager at Executive Mitsubishi in New Bedford referring to the Outlander. “The new crossover SUVs are built more like cars.”<br />The Outlander LS will transport up to five people. The XLS version can transport seven. An available rear-seat DVD entertainment system can keep those passengers entertained.<br />Ford has added its own crossover SUV – the Edge - to the burgeoning list of quasi-cars now available. It’s a five passenger vehicle that offers higher sight lines than the typical car yet manages fuel with car-like economy. EPA estimates give the Edge 27 mpg on the highway.<br />Boldly styled and sharp-looking, the Edge offers a unique two-part panoramic glass roof as an option that will lets the sun shine in for front and rear passengers. With the back seat down, cargo space is an ample 69.6 cu. ft. Power derives from a new 265 hp, 3.5 liter V6. Pricing starts at $25,995.<br />This is just a start. There are lots more trucks and SUVs out there in the showrooms with new features that will impress. Go have a look.Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-14659032577237687342007-02-18T15:48:00.000-05:002007-02-18T15:58:23.131-05:00Automakers Zoom Back In On Thriftier CarsThere is perhaps no other time in automotive history as exciting and adventurous as these. The convergence of technology, entertainment and design is producing some of the most equipped and comfortable cars ever made.<br />What’s more is that consumers can find luxury, power, efficiency and value on all levels. Take your pick of sedan, wagon, hatchback or coupe and there’s likely more on those four wheels in 2007 than in previous incarnations. <br />As if simultaneously struck by an aha! moment, automakers are collectively more focused on the car than they have been in over a decade. Yes, after years of riding in the back of the lineup behind SUV’s and trucks, the car has returned to prominence.<br />Much of the renewed attention on cars is being driven by fuel economy. Pound for pound, cars typically go further on a gallon of gasoline than their 4-wheel drive SUV or truck counterparts. And better mileage is what more car buyers now want.<br />Manufacturers are responding with hybrid, variable displacement and variable valve timing technologies that are stretching miles out of a tank of gasoline.<br />Flex-fuel vehicles are getting a lot more attention, too, as the industry gears up for greater availability and use of E85 fuel, a combination of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.<br />Case in point is the all-new Chrysler Sebring. Redesigned from top to bottom, inside and out, the Sebring offers a 2.7 liter engine in the Touring and Limited editions that is flex-fuel compatible and delivers 200 horsepower.<br />But that’s not all. Clearly aiming at the technology savvy younger market, Chrysler has outfitted the Sebring with an abundance of electronics including the multi-function Harman/Kardon information, entertainment, navigation safety system.<br />Jay Hiller, general manager of Hiller Co. Chrysler Dodge in Marion pointed out that the Sebring brings a true competitor to the Chrysler lineup to go head to head with the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord.<br />“Chrysler hasn’t really had a car in that segment that has sold well,” he said. “The Sebring is priced well under them and it drives similar to them.”<br />Base price for the Touring edition is $20,195. Customers driven by price alone can opt for the 4 cylinder version which comes in at $18, 995.<br />Toyota certainly has not missed the parade toward better fuel economy. They have lead the way, keeping themselves one step ahead of the competition with leading edge hybrid technology.<br />Hybrid automobile systems combine a highly efficient gasoline engine with an electric motor and a battery storage array to boost mileage (particularly in city driving) to levels no gasoline engine alone can match.<br />For 2007, Toyota has added a hybrid version of the Camry to its lineup. Priced at $26,200, this hybrid can squeeze 40 miles out of a gallon of gas in the city.<br />All models in this sixth generation of the Camry design show improvements in power and style. A non-hybrid, 4-cylinder CE version of the Camry with a 5 speed automatic transmission is available at $19,520. Even here Toyota has not skimped on standard power and safety equipment including power windows and locks and ABS brakes. There’s a 160 watt sound system, too.<br />Nissan has run the Altima through a complete redesign that boosts power to both the base 4 cylinder and the 3.5 liter V6 models. Plus, now there’s a gas/electric hybrid version using Toyota technology.<br />All versions of the Altima, now coupled with a standard CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission), show mileage improvements. The suspension has gotten a reworking, too, for improved handling. Pricing for the base S series model starts at $19,800. The hybrid starts at $24,400.<br />The Mazda lineup is seeing only a few tweaks here and there but significant to note is that the Mazda 6 for 2007 has bolstered the standard equipped safety package in all versions with ABS, traction control and side airbags with side curtain airbags. Priced from $19,725 for the entry level 4-cylinder model.<br />The Mazda MX-5 Miata gets a new fully automatic power retractable hardtop as an available option. No more getting out to raise or lower the soft top. Plus the new top doesn’t eat up any of the coupe’s trunk space. Priced from $21,030.<br />At Mitsubishi, the Gallant has seen the most improvements in the line for 2007 with stylish interior upgrades and changes to the look up front. Plus V6 versions see mechanical improvements with a 5-speed sport automatic transmission that adjusts automatically to an operator’s driving habits and can be quickly put into manual mode with the flick of a lever.<br />The Mitsubishi Lancer missed 2007 but is due this spring with an early 2008 release. It will be a bigger version of the model with an optional CVT transmission.<br />Alan Hollis, sales manager at Executive Mitsubishi in New Bedford pointed out that because of the missed year, savvy shoppers can take advantage of hefty closeout deals on 2006 Lancer models in advance of the 2008’s release. Availability is good, too.<br />Pay close attention the next time you see Miss New Bedford in a local parade and you’ll see her sitting up in the back of a Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, the official Miss New Bedford parade car noted Executive Mitsubishi owner, Bob Burgess. For 2007, the sporty coupe has added a fully automatic, button operated clothtop to the lineup. With a 5 speed automatic, the Eclipse Spyder is priced from $25, 389.<br />Ford has trimmed the lineup for both the Crown Victoria and the Five Hundred but has significantly broadened the choices for the Focus. This scaling down the high end and scaling up the low end should shed light on the ample merits of the economical Focus.<br />Capable of up to 37 mpg on the highway, the Focus comes as either a sedan, wagon or hatchback. Gas sipping is best achieved with the 2.0 liter, 136 hp 4-cylinder engine. Pricing starts at $14,130.<br />A popular step-up in the Ford line is the Fusion. Major changes were not expected for the model since its introduction last year but safety has been raised a notch with front-seat side airbags and side-curtain airbags being made standard equipment. Pricing starts at $17,995. There talk of a hybrid version for 2008.<br />At Chevrolet, the Malibu is the car with the most important upgrades for 2007. Of those, variable valve timing introduced in the 3.5 liter V6 engines of the LTZ and Maxx LT versions deserves special note.<br />It’s not often one can purchase the power of a V6 and almost get the same fuel economy of a much smaller 2.2 liter four cylinder engine. That’s what Chevrolet has accomplished with variable valve timing in the Malibu.<br />The LTZ with the V6 is capable of delivering an impressive 32 mpg on the highway. Pricing for this model starts at $24,265. An entry level Malibu LS with a 144hp, 2.2 liter 4 cylinder engine is priced at $17,805.<br />The Malibu is also improved this year with head-curtain side-impact airbags for front and rear passengers.<br />Volkswagen has returned the Rabbit namesake to its lineup for 2007 with 2 and 4-door versions of the hatchback. Standard in both is a 150 hp, 2.5 liter 4 cylinder engine that’s capable of 30 mpg on the highway. Priced from $14,990.<br />A super version of the Rabbit called the R32 is equipped with a 250 hp, V6 and all wheel drive.<br />Also, new at VW is the Eos. Named for the Greek goddess of the dawn, this four-seater convertible can capture plenty of sunlight while providing lots of creature comfort, too. Loaded with premium features from electronic stabilization to cruise control, the Eos is the only fully retractable hardtop that also has a fully functioning sunroof. Options include 12-way power seats, multi-function leather-wrapped steering wheel and a premium sound system. Pricing starts at $27,990.<br />The Saturn Aura is all-new in the lineup for this GM moniker and is based on the platform used in the Chevrolet Malibu and the Pontiac G6. But the Aura captured the prestigious North American Car Of The Year Award for 2007 for its all around performance, comfort, safety and features. Pricing starts at $20,995 for the 4 speed automatic with a 3.5 liter engine or $24,995 for the 6-speed automatic and a slightly larger and more powerful 3.6 liter engine.<br />The 3.6 liter, V6 in the Aura delivers 252 hp while maximizing fuel economy with variable valve timing. EPA estimates are up to 30 mpg on the highway for that engine.<br />With the Aura, GM plans to soon introduce its first ever hybrid sedan.Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-34317163507208744652007-02-18T15:35:00.000-05:002007-02-18T15:47:00.434-05:00Washington's Birthday Car Sales Present ChoicesThere’s no way of knowing what George Washington would think about having his name linked with the biggest automobile sales marketing promotion of the year. But I imagine he wouldn’t object.<br />After all the automobile offers us a kind of freedom that was unavailable to him. I’m sure he would appreciate, too, that with that freedom comes choices.<br />In that spirit, here’s a few things to consider as you head out to the showrooms to take advantage of the Washington Birthday sales-a-thon.<br />• What is it that you really expect from your vehicle?<br />If you travel a lot with your car or make a daily commute of over 35 miles each day, your needs might be very different than if you basically use your car to shop and go to the mall with the weekly paycheck and you work for an employer who is just miles away.<br />• Do you do more or less city driving than highway driving?<br />Hybrid vehicles are much better on gas mileage in the city than on the highway. On the other hand, some of the new larger engines with variable displacement or variable valve timing are much better on the highway than in the city. There are new V6 engines that can deliver over 30 mpg on the highway and V8 engines that get upwards of 28 mpg highway.<br />• How big a vehicle do you need?<br />Buying a truck just because you might need it to move (change residences) is a little narrow if you’re not going to need it for much else otherwise. You can always rent a truck when you need it that’ll be bigger than any pickup out there. Conversely, buying a low-end minivan with a small 4-cylinder engine to save money does you little good if you plan on hauling around a van-load of people all the time or need it to haul a boat.<br />• How long do you plan on keeping the vehicle?<br />Buyers who keep a vehicle for over five years benefit a little bit financially because they lose less dollars in the end to depreciation. A five year old vehicle will likely depreciate less in the sixth year than a new vehicle in the first year. If you want a new car every two years, leasing might pay off better.<br />• Do you seriously expect your financial situation to change in the next couple of years for better or worse?<br />It helps to plan your purchase out a few years. Examine whether going with what you can afford right now will hamstring you or rein you in.<br />• What is the biggest down payment you can afford?<br />Calculate it and bring it with you. The less you have to finance the better off you’ll be especially at trade-in time.<br />• What kind of auto insurance can you afford?<br />If you finance a vehicle, your lender is going to require full coverage on the vehicle. That means you’ll be insuring what the vehicle is worth in case it gets stolen or destroyed in an accident. You’ve got to figure in those monthly payments on insurance (not to mention fuel allowance) when you calculate how much car you can afford.<br />Just about every driver I’ve ever met wants to own a new car. It’s a beautiful thing. But if the numbers don’t add up, don’t give up. There are great buys to be had in the used car market, too. <br />• Are you hung up on brand?<br />Shop around. Don’t let your brand prejudices blind you to good deals and good vehicles.Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-10463693639493135532007-02-09T12:53:00.000-05:002007-01-31T23:08:22.610-05:00Is It Time To Make Your Own Ethanol?Most days, we get in our vehicles, turn their ignitions, put them in gear and drive off on our merry way. If we think about fuel it’s probably only because we might need to put some in the tank and other than the price, we hardly pay much attention to what it is exactly that we’re pumping.<br />But there’s a little sticker on many pumps that points out that there’s 10 percent ethanol in the gasoline. It might easily go unnoticed.<br />Ethanol is getting a lot of attention these days from many in the automotive industry. Easily made from crops like corn, environmentally friendlier when it comes to putting carbon dioxide to the atmosphere and politically less vulnerable to foreign economies, the age-old fuel is finding new converts everywhere. <br />Turns out that some visionary dreamers have had it up on their radar for awhile.<br />You could say that there are two tracks that are shaping the pursuit of ethanol – environmental and financial. Sometimes they intersect and sometimes they are heading in different directions.<br />I recently came across an offer to build my own ethanol still. With it I would purportedly be able to easily produce enough ethanol to run my vehicle all the time at a cost of around $1 per gallon.<br />It’s called a still because you make it essentially the same way you make moonshine. In fact, ethanol is really ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol that has been denatured (purposely made poisonous) so that it unfit for human consumption.<br />Other than the denatured part of the process, you could technically use ethanol made from a still like this to stock the liquor cabinet.<br />But according to the offer, the still produces a refined triple-distilled 180 proof ethanol that is perfect for using in the many flex-fuel vehicles being manufactured today. The promoters do not recommend drinking the product.<br />The still was designed by Robert Warren, former founding director of the California Alcohol Fuel Producers Association (CAPFA), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting alternatives to using petroleum fuels. <br />Now deceased, Mr. Warren’s interest in designing devices to easily produce ethanol pre-dates the current trend by many years. His research on ethanol spanned 25 years. His family continues to offer blueprints for the still.<br />The materials for building the still will cost upwards of $500 and the blueprints cost $30. Once it’s up and running, the still can produce about 5 gallons of fuel per hour.<br />So you’ll have to eventually make and use about 500 gallons to start seeing some positive financial results from the project.<br />I suppose the satisfaction one might get from depriving the big petroleum manufacturers of some money is a just reward for the effort of building this device. Even more rewarding might be the benefit to the environment.<br />Carbon dioxide released from burning ethanol that’s produced this way essentially returns the same amount of CO2 to the atmosphere as was pulled from the atmosphere by the biomass of plants used to produced the ethanol.<br />Makes one wonder why we’ve waited so long to make more use of ethanol.Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-4424222172604819722007-01-31T22:55:00.000-05:002007-01-31T23:08:22.674-05:00Is it too soon for hybrid backlash from Ford?I’m detecting a little bit of hybrid car backlash where you might least expect it – from Ford.<br />After posting a $12.7 billion loss last year one might think that wholeheartedly embracing hybrid technology would be in their interest. Consumers have again become very conscious of fuel economy and are showing their power in the showroom these days by switching in droves from bigger trucks to more economical cars including hybrids.<br />So what gives?<br />In his keynote address last Thursday at the Rhode Island Auto Show to a VIP crowd that mostly comprised Rhode Island and SouthCoast Massachusetts auto dealer representatives and members of the Rhode Island Broadcasters Association and their families, Bob Tasca III gave a clear thumbs down to hybrid.<br />Bob, from the third generation of the well-established Rhode Island based Tasca Automotive family, is one of 12 national Ford-Lincoln-Mercury dealer representatives who regularly pow-wow with Ford Motors about where the company is headed.<br />“Truthfully, I don’t think hybrid, as we know it today, is really the answer…,” he opined. “So, the industry is really going to technology like flexible fuel vehicles.”<br />He cited battery disposal issues and the premium price of hybrid vehicles as hurdles that have ultimately lead some in the industry to rethink that direction.<br />This was news to me.<br />I always understood that hybrid automotive technology was transitional. In the grand scheme of things hybrids would be positioned to move us from total fossil fuel dependence as we make our way toward hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.<br />But to hear the technology dismissed so soon from someone in a key position to see what one of the industry leaders is planning for years down the road came as a bit of a surprise.<br />Apparently, the industry is all charged up about the prospects for E85 fuel that’s primarily made from ethanol. Many of today’s vehicles are already equipped to burn the fuel and are designated flex-fuel vehicles.<br />Being a renewable resource, made from plants including corn, ethanol is suddenly looking like a big player on the field.<br />One big obstacle, though, is finding E85 at the pump. There are precious few places around the country where E85 is available on a regular basis.<br />“Once you see the infrastructure build around it, you’re going to see ethanol as a real serious option in the field,“ noted Bob.<br />But there’s more.<br />Where I thought the internal combustion engine was headed for its last days as we move toward the holy grail of hydrogen powered vehicles, the industry is now putting some renewed effort into making engines that better conserve the fuel we have.<br />“You’re going to see some tremendous advances in the gas engine,” said Bob. “From variable displacement to variable valve timing, it’s going to be a big improvement over what we have today.”<br />I’m pleased with the news but a little confused with the mixed signals. I wonder what Toyota and Honda think about this?Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-72729339950818641792007-01-24T11:23:00.000-05:002007-01-24T11:41:44.513-05:00Ride Proves 2007 Silverado Is More Than A TruckAuto shows are great for getting an up-close-and-personal look at the most vehicles in the shortest amount of time. I plan to do plenty of that this weekend in Providence at the four-day Northeast International Auto Show.<br />But at some point, you’ll want to get in and take your favorites for a ride - something not usually possible on the floor of the convention center.<br />Last Saturday, courtesy of Ralph’s Chevrolet Cadillac in Dartmouth, I took a little ride in the new Chevrolet Silverado, Motor Trend’s favorite truck of 2007. If it weren’t for the truck label and the pickup bed, I might have thought I was riding in something with a familiar luxury moniker.<br />Such is the case at least in the 1500 1LT extended cab model with the Z71 off-road package. But a Silverado can be many things for many people. With models ranging in price from $16,700 to over $34,000, there’s a Silverado that can look good with bluejeans or with a suit and tie.<br />“There’s a wide range,” explained Ralph’s sales manager, Steve Marchand. “The WT – it stands for Work Truck – is available as a 6 cylinder automatic or manual with A/C. It’s for the typical worker who wants to throw stuff in the back.”<br />“Then you can go up to the crew cab and use it as a luxury car,” he added.<br />There’s some expectation that getting the nod as Motor Trend’s 2007 Truck of The Year will generate additional interest in the model so Mr. Marchand intends to use the Silverado as a featured vehicle.<br />But according to sales associate Joe Ferreira, who took me out for the spin in the truck, it’s a little too early to tell if word of the Motor Trend designation has reached the ears of customers, yet.<br />“For people who do their homework, it’s fine,” he mused.<br />However, he cautioned that with such a wide latitude of model prices and options in the Silverado buyers are wise to assess their buying power before letting their imaginations get ahead of them. He considers it part of his job to help customers with that.<br />“You really have to sit people down and get a feel for what they’re looking for,” he observed.<br />I noted how the truck we were in had a cute little third front seat in the middle with a seat belt when the console was popped up and back. It’s an option available in the 1LT that underscores Chevrolet’s aim to make the truck a versatile work, crew and family vehicle. The option disappears higher in the line with the 2LT and is replaced by bucket seats.<br />“It’s not really a work truck anymore,” said Mr. Ferreira. “People are trying to combine both. If you buy a 2LT you’re really not buying a truck for your workers, you’re buying a truck for yourself.”<br />Truck or not, the suspension in the Silverado delivers a more car-like ride than expected. The days of the hard-bouncing truck ride are over.<br />Plus, with a list of standard features in the 1LT that includes dual zone climate control, cruise control, tinted windows all around, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with 8-point compass and outside temperature display and a leather wrapped steering wheel, this truck is clearly built for comfort.<br />Buyers can take advantage of a $500 Auto Show Rebate until the end of the month, too. Makes that test drive a little more enticing.Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4709468814483901042.post-48787131175609760512007-01-22T21:23:00.000-05:002007-01-22T23:31:18.892-05:00Saturn Aura Beams Into Dartmouth ShowroomIt’s that time of year again when automakers seek to take us from the post–holiday glum days and re-energize us with visions of their latest creations. I know I’m ready.<br />So news from the North American International Auto Show in Detroit is welcome respite. I may have to wait until January 25th for the real hands on treatment in Providence at the four-day Northeast International Auto Show but meanwhile I’ll gladly settle for the good news from the Motor City.<br />Saturn seems to have made quite the impression in the auto press with their new Aura mid-size sedan. Getting the nod as 2007 North American Car of the Year is bound to be a boost for the automaker.<br />Coupled with Chevrolet’s winning the top honors in the full-sized truck category with its revamped Silverado, the show couldn’t have gotten off to a better start for General Motors.<br />Saturn of Dartmouth general sales manager Edward Figueiredo sees the award as validation that Saturn is reaching out to the market segment that wants roomy mid-sized sedans with lots of standard features.<br />“In essence, the Aura winning the North American International Auto Show Car of the Year is very, very big for us,” he explained.<br />Not since the L Series which last rolled off the Saturn assembly line in June of 2004 has Saturn offered anything comparable in size and roominess.<br />Plus, the list of standard equipment is what one ordinarily finds in vehicles priced considerably higher. The 4-speed Aura XE has a base MSRP tag of $20,995 while the slightly more powerful 6-speed XL starts at $24,995. Standard features include On-Star navigation and the GM version of electronic stability control called StabiliTrak. The vehicle has mustered a five-star safety rating, too.<br />“It’s an endorsement for the Aura as a whole,” added Mr. Figueiredo.<br />The Aura first hit the showrooms in September 2006 but this award has become its coming out party. Dealerships like Saturn of Dartmouth fully expect that the recognition will translate into foot traffic in the showrooms.<br />“I think it’s going to take off like a rocketship,” beamed Mr. Figueiredo. “A vehicle of this caliber would be in the mid to high $30,000 and still have less features.”<br />He noted that the car feels like a full-size sedan and offers plenty of power from either the 224 hp, 3.5L V-6 in the XE or the 252 hp, 3.6L V-6 in the XR.<br />“The Aura is well built, safe, sound and has excellent fuel economy,” he added.<br />A network of six air bags protect the occupants from both frontal and side impact crashes. The more powerful XR musters 20 city and 30 highway mpg and employs Variable Valve Timing to alter intake and exhaust valve timing to maximize fuel economy.<br />Check out the Saturn Aura and everything else at the upcoming Northeast International Auto Show in Providence from January 25 – 28 at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Admission is $9.00 for adults, $6.00 for seniors, $3.00 for kids, and children 6 or under are admitted free. Go to www.motortrendautoshows.com/providence/ for details.Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06178863490855820881noreply@blogger.com0