the air

At first glance this car looks like a mean and hungry roadster. This car is designed to take on the Mazda Miata MX-5 head on and it seems it will do a fine job. It will debut at the Geneva auto show next month. Pricing is not available for this vehicle, but you can expect it to be competitively priced against the Miata. Since it still is a concept car, it does not have fixed specifications, but rumors are that it could come mated with a 172 hp 2.4 liter 4-cylinder engine that can produce 165 ft-lbs of torque. It is possible that Dodge may offer their “World Engine” that is found on the Caliber SRT-4. This engine has the capacity to produce 300 hp, enough to even take on the Honda S2000, Nissan 350Z, Subaru WRX, and Mitsubishi Lancer Evos. Although, only the S2000 would seem like the appropriate roadster to compete against.

This car looks like a mini-Viper that is out to hunt some people down. No word on the official price of this car, but it is interesting to note that it has been built from the grounds up, unlike most concepts which build upon existing platforms currently in use. You can check out more high-quality images here. The official press release along with some commentary can be found by clicking this link.

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The Toyota Prius has become the hottest selling hybrid vehicle in the United States. With sales of just over 100 thousand, Toyota has proven to the world that hybrids are defintely here to stay and that they are in high demand. I remember just a few years ago that the Prius was hardly available and you had to join a waiting list, sometimes even pay well over the sticker price just to drive home in one of them. However, Prius sales in 2006 fell to 106,971 from 107,897 from the year before. This does not mean the Prius is faltering, but rather, increased competition and lower demand for the vehicle.

Toyota has started a new program that offers more incentives and lower lease rates to spur more sales of the Prius. The Prius’ rise to fame is its 50+ m.p.g (miles per gallon) in city driving. Too bad it cannot replicate higher numbers on the highway. The Prius is truly a commuter vehicle not designed to operate on open highways at high speeds. It actually sports lower m.p.g numbers during highway excursions than with stop-and-go traffic.

Consumer are also becoming smart in realizing that the higher pricetags of hybrid vehicles means they won’t break even until approximately ten to twelve years down the road. Since most hybrid vehicles are barely five years old, no one really knows if the Prius and other hybrids can last that long. Some predict that the batteries will need replacing after ten years and you will only be able to get the batteries replaced at your manufacturer dealer, at your expense of course.

Moral of the story is to stick with your gasoline model until gas prices start to hover around $5 mark.

Source: MSNBC Article

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No I am not talking about the planet Saturn. Rather, GM’s “separate” division, Saturn, has recently started to up the ante in the highly competitive mid-size sedan market by introducing the Aura. The mid-size sedan category is currently dominated by the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord, GM is hoping to change that field very soon. The Aura has a respectable starting price of around $17,000 and is priced to move directly against the similarly priced Hyundai Sonata. However, the glowing contradiction is that the Aura boasts a high-end price tag for the XR trim line at around $27,000. GM’s goal may seem unattainable, given the many miscues by the Saturn division, but the Aura has the ability to put GM back in the race and give both the Camry and Accord a run for their money. Or is that just my imagination?

Saturn has had a very rough 17 years. It started out in 1990 as a response to the growing forces of Toyota and Honda. GM marketed the division as a car that was made by Americans for Americans. Unfortunately, Saturn failed to capitalize on its niche by neglecting new designs and mediocre quality. Since its inception, GM has “revolutionized” the division twice and every time it has stalled into becoming an innovating brand. Perhaps the most revered aspect of Saturn is its “no-haggle” pricing. That means, the price you see on the window of the car is the price you pay. This is great, from a certain point of view, since you know that the person down the street from you will not buy the car at a much lower price than you. However, it also could mean that you may be overpaying for what you are actually receiving in return.

On the road the Aura is smooth, quiet and comfortable, conveying every impression of solid construction. That may be in part thanks to a magnesium reinforcing beam that runs under the dashboard to strengthen the body shell. A Saab 9-3…, which shares the same corporate chassis under the skin, seemed to creak and groan occasionally, a foible that’s absent in the Aura.

I think the Aura is the vehicle that will put Saturn back on the map. However, it has suffered greatly and many people are not willing to try another vehicle that does not have a proven track record. Both the Camry and Accord are pricier than the Aura but both the Accord and Camry give you two things that the Aura cannot promise yet, quality and reliability. In addition, many people may not be comfortable or even aware Saturn’s policy of no haggle pricing. As such, first time Saturn buyers might be turned off at the fact that they are not getting a bargain on the car. Although the base model is priced at $17,000, we are all well aware of how frugal GM is with base models. In addition, it is likely that a comparably equipped Aura will be around the same price as a Camry and Accord. However, in that case, you can easily bargain down the prices for the Camry and Accord and buy it at a cheaper price than you could with the Aura.

Saturn does not only need to worry about Toyota and Honda. Hyundai has made extensive strides with its Sonata and Azera models. Hyundai is now fully capable of boasting high quality and reliability at an affordable price. Many more consumers are willing to buy a Hyundai since it can offer you more features and amenities than the Camry, Accord, and Aura at the same price point. It would be worth the time to test drive an Aura, however, I would probably still lean towards a Camry or Accord or even the Sonata before throwing my money away at Saturn.

Source: MSNBC Article

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The Ford Motor Company recently released its fourth quarter results and they were definitely not what analysts wanted to hear about. For the fourth quarter, the Ford Motor Company posted around $5.8 billion in losses due to declining sales and ballooning restructuring costs. For the year 2006, Ford posted a total of $12.7 billion in loss, making it the largest loss in its 103 year history. Analysts are definitely expecting Ford to have more significant losses to mount this year and I’m not surprised by that.

I think this is a great time to buy Ford stock since Ford doesn’t really have many things to work with. For the most part, Ford has been dealing with gas guzzling SUV’s and trucks in the hopes that they can reap huge profits. The mistake that Ford made was that it banked on the SUV fad to continue even with rising fuel costs, a mistake shared by GM as well. However, in the past two to three years, Ford has released the Fusion and the Five Hundred, both of which are commendable vehicles and focus on quality. The problem with Ford, I think, has been their reluctance to design and produce vehicles that cater to what the consumer wants. They were so focused on profit margins and production capacity that they completely forgot the consumer and shunned quality.

Ford’s insistence to maintain the money losing Jaguar brand and the sluggish Land Rover product line is also not helping. Although both brands resonate luxury in the minds of millions across the globe, it is important to note that both Jaguar and Land Rover do not command the same respect as Mercedes or Lexus do. Even people with absurd amounts of money are beginning to put more emphasis on quality than a high price tag. What I cannot understand is why Jaguar does not abandon their classy roots and move to appeal a younger audience that is more tech savvy and crazy for uniqueness. The same goes for Land Rover’s luxury Range Rover vehicle. The Range Rover is a proven SUV, but it fails to hold its own in front of Mercedes’ GL class and Lexus’ GX model.

I encourage people to buy Ford stock since Ford does have some tricks up their sleeve. The Fusion has proven to be a worthy alternative to the Camry and Accord and its styling is definitely more provacative than Toyota’s and Honda’s. In addition, Ford is doing the right thing by slimming down their entire infrastructure and moving towards acknowledging the varying demands of its target consumer. In addition, Ford is an iconic American brand that will not simply disappear anytime soon. If anything, Ford’s stock price will soar to new levels in the near future and purchase of its stock will be a long term investment. So if you want some short term gains, purchase Google, but if you’re looking for some solid long term investment, try Ford.

Source: More Ford Woes

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Back in 1991, my parents purchased their first minivan, a Plymouth Grand Voyager. For them, it had been a remarkable vehicle. It had gone to Florida twice and we covered much of the Eastern seaboard with it. I still remember that van fondly and I just wish that it had not died due to old age. In fact, we kept that van for a little over 12 years, finally laying it to rest in March of 2003. Now that both my brother and I are grown up, we have no further need for a minivan. However, ever since I have seen a minivan, I’ve always felt that they lacked statement. They seemed conservatively designed and not very appealing. Perfect for soccer moms does not mean that the rest of the car buying public would agree. In fact, I’ve had a soft spot for minivans for a while; imagine having wild parties on wheels. However, their bland driving style and conservative exterior and interior designs really prevented me from even giving them a second thought. However, all of that is about to change.

The picture above is a snapshot of the 2008 Chrysler Town & Country. Set to be debuted at the North American International Auto Show, this van is much more prominent with a boxier styling and with bigger rims and more chrome. In fact, Chrysler is aiming this van squarely to appeal to the masses and give the van a much more manly feel. I’m just glad they got rid of the egg shape style and moved towards a style that was popular with the Chevy Astro or GMC Safari. The Chrysler Town & Country will be powered by a 3.3 liter V6 coupled with a 4 speed automatic or a 3.8/4.0 liter V6 with a 5 speed automatic capable of producing 240 H.P.

Although Chrysler is hoping that hip-hop artists and celebrities will adopt this new minivan and “pimp” it out. Unfortunately, I do not really see that happening. The minivan won’t die out, but I think it is starting to fade. However, I do think that minivans will be able to compete fairly well with sedans and SUV’s. If you are in the market for a new van, be sure to check out the more edgier and more appealing 2008 Chrysler Town & Country.

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