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Nissan Leaf: The EV That Will Change Everything?

Автор: TaniaDonnelly | вторник, 18 августа 2009 г.

2011_nissan_leaf On Sunday in Japan, Nissan unveiled what just might be the kick in the pants electric vehicles need to go mainstream.

The company also revealed its potential to yank the carpet out from under GM’s electric Volt debut.

The Nissan Leaf, if it lives up to its promise, will appear in the United States in 2010 as a 2011 model and feature these specs, which are surely making Volt execs cower under their desks: a 90-mph top speed, a range of 100 miles per charge, and 107 horsepower coming from an 80-kilowatt electric motor.

Pricing should come in on either side of the $30K mark, but keep in mind that government subsidies could bring the out-of-pocket cost down to the low-to-mid 20s.

I have to admit I questioned Nissan’s ambitious EV goals earlier this summer. I wasn’t sure if the company could come from so far behind in the gas/electric hybrid game to overtake competitors in the strictly electric game. (While the Nissan Altima Hybrid is a fine car, it uses technology mostly sourced from Toyota.)

My tune is changing now, though, and I’m frankly shocked that it looks like Nissan might be able to turn the auto world upside down if it actually delivers a no-emission EV that’s practical as a daily driver, affordable, and looks like a traditional car. I’m sensing a home run here!

Nissan is brilliant to announce the Leaf’s planned release about a year ahead of time after quietly developing the technology, compared with GM’s endless hype about its Volt. GM’s is a failed strategy that has exposed every setback the Volt has suffered along the way, leaving me and the rest of the world already excited about its competitors.

Is Nissan poised to shock the auto world, or will the Leaf be another hype machine that fizzles out?

-tgriffith

Will the Government Control Your Car’s Speed?

Автор: TaniaDonnelly | суббота, 15 августа 2009 г.

London traffic: Don't go too fast!

With all the things that are controlled in our lives, sometimes it’s great to know we can just get in our cars, hit the open road, and go as fast as we want.

Maybe we just want to hear the growl of an engine or feel the wind blow through our hair. Maybe it’s the freedom that comes with being in control of a machine that speeds up the faster our right foot pushes down.

It’s a great feeling, because no one can take it away from us. Right?

We’ll see. A test program in London uses a GPS device to limit cars’ speed to the posted maximum. For now, the device is being used only on Transport for London’s own fleet of 12 Toyota Priuses, but the test could be extended.

Can you imagine driving your own car and having the government, through a satellite, control your speed?

Man oh man, it would be the end of car culture. The end of freedom as we know it.

Transport for London is conducting the test to see if accident rates decline. And they might, while drivers in cars equipped with the devices would also guarantee they’d never get another speeding ticket.

Chris Lines, Transport for London’s road safety chief, defends the program by saying,

There are 200 people killed and 2,500 seriously injured on London’s roads each year, and it costs £1.2 billion [about $1.9 billion].

Well… yeah. People die running marathons, too, but are you going to limit them to a safe walking pace so they don’t inconvenience you by dying on your streets?

Driver safety is a serious issue, but one that should be dealt with through education, not control.

Would you be in favor of a government program limiting how fast your car goes?

-tgriffith

Old GM Plant Home to New American Car Company

Автор: TaniaDonnelly | среда, 12 августа 2009 г.

So far, this is our only peek at a possible VVC vehicle

We love stories of upstart carmakers. From the tales of Tesla to the pie-in-the-sky Aptera, we think it’s fun to look into the future of what the automakers of tomorrow could look like.

It’s a pretty safe bet that automaking in the U.S. will consist of more than just GM, Ford, and Chrysler as the former Big 3 reorganize to become smaller, more efficient companies. As they shrink, opportunities open for new companies to sprout up.

One such company is V-Vehicle Co., a new automaker based in San Diego that recently announced they’d move into an ex-GM plant in Monroe, Louisiana, to build environmentally friendly vehicles. The state hopes 1,400 jobs that pay $40,000 each could result from the move. Not bad!

We don’t know much more than that, except that the new company has T. Boone Pickens as an investor. Pickens was last heard from touting his plan to tap into natural gas as a way to kick our oil habit, so it’s safe to say VVC could have something exciting up their sleeve. Plus they’ve hired a former Mazda design chief, the guy behind the MX-5 Miata, as their design director.

Sounds to me like the pieces are in place for some genuine competition to begin, as the soon-to-be-reborn GM and Chrysler have to do battle with well-funded and smartly designed upstart car companies.

Are you excited to see what kinds of car companies pop up in the near future? Can they succeed against still-massive GM, Chrysler, and Ford?

-tgriffith

Ford’s on the Rebound, But Could One Car Change That?

Автор: TaniaDonnelly | понедельник, 10 августа 2009 г.

2009-ford-fiesta

The people at Ford sure have been quiet lately, huh?

Not that you’d expect them to be jumping around with their tongues hanging out, taunting their fallen competitors from the safe side of Chapter 11, but still, a little celebratory PR wouldn’t be a terrible thing.

I have to respect Ford, though, both for keeping quiet about their cohorts’ fate and for being the sole remaining company from the former “Big 3″ that hasn’t gone into bankruptcy. Ironic that the two companies who accepted government aid failed anyway.

Not to say Ford isn’t struggling… its May sales were still down 21 percent from a year ago. Since analysts were betting on a figure closer to 30 percent, that’s actually a pretty darned good month, and Ford hopes it’s a sign pointing the way to recovery in the coming year.

Part of that recovery will be the continued success of Ford’s Fiesta, the hot little hatchback (pictured above) Europeans have been drooling over and Americans have been lusting for. Now it looks like Ford may be planning to bring a sedan version stateside, which by the looks of the pictures isn’t a good idea.

A note to Ford: You finally plan to bring a cool European-market hatch to the U.S. - please don’t ruin it by offering a version that looks like an Americanized Focus.

The Fiesta hatch is Euro-cool… the Fiesta sedan is American blah. We’ve had enough blah, and two of your competitors are paying for it in bankruptcy court.

If you were going to buy a new Fiesta, would you go for the hatchback or the sedan?

-tgriffith

Car Blog Showdown: Best-Ever Pontiac

Автор: TaniaDonnelly | среда, 5 августа 2009 г.

Here’s our latest Car Blog Showdown. This week, in tribute to the expected end of the Pontiac marque, tgriffith and jgoods were each invited to tell us about what they believe to be Pontiac’s best-ever vehicle. Which is your favorite?

Before we get to our cars, jgoods wanted to share a personal Pontiac story - here goes:

Fieros have always had an amazingly bad rap—from engine fires (that were rare) to unsafe construction to lack of power. Well, I admit to the latter. My 1986 Fiero SE, like the one pictured here, was silver and slow, and it had the 2.3-liter “Iron Duke” four-cylinder. It had no fires, and it was basically a marvelous car to hotrod and enjoy for very little money. I bought it used in 2002 for less than $2,000 and finally gave it to my younger son, who had just gotten his driver’s license. Two days later he rear-ended a Volvo in the school parking lot while inserting a CD. Naturally, we have not spoken since.
The Fiero had a plastic body over a very strong I-beam structure, a mid-engine design that got even better when they added the V6 in 1985, and decent handling, which could be easily improved. Mileage ranged from 27-40 mpg. The story is well known about Pontiac’s killing the car just when it got good, and unfortunately, this typifies the kinds of marketing decisions GM is famous for.

Now here’s our showdown:

1986 Pontiac Fiero

jgoods’ 5 reasons why the 1986-88 Fiero is the best Pontiac ever made:

* Where are you going to get a well-designed, easily hotrodded, safe, and sporty midengine car for this kind of money?
* The Fiero’s styling still holds up, both in SE and GT (long snout) versions.
* Fieros are still plentiful in the used-car market, many in good condition.
* The Fiero is extremely safe, with plastic body panels over a central I-beam frame, a wide stance, and no rusting.
* Drop in a small-block V8 or a 2.3-liter Quad 4 and watch what happens.

tgriffith’s 3 reasons why the 1986-1988 Fiero isn’t the best Pontiac ever made

* The Fiero was just Pontiac’s attempt to compete with the superb Toyota MR2.
* Some CarGurus user reviews say the Fiero drives like a go-cart.
* If you have a silver one, you’ll get it confused all day long with the “Back to the Future” DeLorean.

2009 Pontiac G8 GXP

tgriffith’s 5 reasons why the 2009 Pontiac G8 is the best Pontiac ever made:

* The G8 GXP is the most powerful Pontiac ever, with a 0-60 time of 4.7 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 13 flat at 108 miles per hour.
* The G8 GXP has the rumbling exhaust and torquey response of 1960s muscle cars combined with the precise handling and responsive ride of modern performance cars.
* The quality of the G8’s interior challenges the likes of Audi.
* The hood scoops and low front fascia make the GXP look as good as it drives.
* The team at Autoblog tried to push the GXP hard enough to expose weaknesses, but couldn’t find any.

jgoods’ 3 reasons why the 2009 G8 GXP isn’t the best Pontiac ever made:

* The G8 has a great engine, but no manual transmission available!
* The G8 still looks like a Pontiac, particularly the front end.
* When GM goes bust, what’s going to happen to your G8 for parts, service, and warranty?

Which do you think was the best vehicle ever made by Pontiac? Why?

Is the best car America produces headed for the scrap heap?

Автор: TaniaDonnelly |

Pontiac G8 Its interior has been compared to the phenomenal Audi layout. Its driving experience has been likened to BMW.

We’re not talking about anything new from Lincoln, Cadillac, or Buick… the car receiving such accolades is the 2009 Pontiac G8, specifically in its GXP trim.

The irony runs deep, as anyone who even remotely follows the auto industry knows the Pontiac brand will soon cease to exist. Had that been announced in 2006, the only disappointed folks would be the ones who buy cheap Pontiacs destined for rental fleets.

Now that GM has created a real contender in the RWD performance sedan market, there’s a lot of people saying, “Whoa… we’ve gotta keep this car around!”

The GXP uses a Corvette 6.2-liter, 402-hp V8 that reaches 60 miles per hour in under 5 seconds. The handling is tight, and the interior is downright comfortable and even…luxurious! The G8 is truly a home run, and GM is going to let it die? Let’s hope not.

Our friends at Jalopnik threw out the idea that the G8 GXP could become a Camaro or Impala SS sedan. Heck yeah it could!

An Australian Web site said that Holden (GM’s affiliate down under that markets the G8 as the Commodore) is in talks to provide U.S. law enforcement with a Chevy-badged version of the G8 to replace their aging Ford Crown Victoria squad cars.

As cool as the fantasy world of the G8 living on is, the most likely reality is that it’ll fade into automotive lore as coming too late to turn Pontiac around.

I’m sensing a future collectible and am half-tempted to go make a deal on one, have some fun with it in the summer months, then store it in my garage until someone makes me an offer on it that I can’t refuse!

Is the G8 GXP the car that could have saved Pontiac had it come sooner?

-tgriffith

Car Blog Showdown: Mid-’80s 4×4s

Автор: TaniaDonnelly | воскресенье, 2 августа 2009 г.

Here’s our latest Car Blog Showdown. This week tgriffith and jgoods were each invited to select their favorite mid-’80s 4×4. Which is your favorite?

1984 Toyota 4x4 Pickup

tgriffith’s 5 reasons why the 1984 Toyota 4×4 Pickup is his favorite mid-’80s 4×4:

The famous 22R four-cylinder engine will run forever. Literally.
You can drop it into 4WD without getting out of the truck to lock the hubs.
The truck is easily customizable. Raise it to accommodate monster 36-inch tires, or add chrome accessories and window tint to create a classy truck!
Leave the truck stock, and you’ll get gas mileage in the low-to-mid-20s.
It’s a compact truck, but it has a tough-looking stance. It looks as good in a grocery store parking lot as it does tackling the off-road park.

jgoods’ 3 reasons to avoid a 1984 Toyota 4×4 Pickup:

It’s a mini-truck - a “cute” truck.
It does NOT go everywhere.
Ignition problems have been reported.

1985 Chevy K5 Blazer

jgoods’ 5 reasons why the 1985 Chevy K5 Blazer is his favorite mid-’80s 4×4:

This is one tough truck, not one of them piddling little S10 babies.
Get the V8, not the V6, which has plenty of power and durability, despite low gas mileage.
The truck is a blast to drive on the dunes…and anywhere else you want to take it.
The K5 is versatile and will handle loads of people, bags of feed, vicious dogs, and truck parts to repair your buddy’s ’84 Toyota Pickup.
The styling is unmistakeable: Love it or hate it, this is the kind of vehicle GM built best.

tgriffith’s 3 reasons to avoid a 1985 Chevy K5 Blazer:

You’ll get something like 8 miles per gallon out of the V8.
If the transmission hasn’t blown up yet, expect it to soon. It’ll probably happen on the freeway at rush hour. Then you’ll be THAT guy.
It’s uglier and bulkier than anything else built in the 80s!

What’s your favorite mid-’80s 4×4? Why?

What’s the best movie ever about cars?

Автор: TaniaDonnelly | воскресенье, 19 июля 2009 г.

We all know that a great movie usually has at least one great car in it. But what about great movies that are ABOUT cars? I’m talking about the best movies that revolve around car culture, rather than just featuring a sweet ride in a couple of scenes.

We want to know what your favorites are! While you’re thinking about it, here are my top 5 movies about cars:

Cars

cars-lightning-mcqueen

The story of a cocky rookie race car realizing what’s important in life is as heartwarming as it is exciting. Yeah, it’s an animated “kids” movie, but adults can be entertained and learn from it just as much. We can even learn a thing or two about driving (turn right to go left!?).

Days of Thunder

days_of_thunder

Another hot-shot rookie race car driver (this time in human form) gets his shot at the racing big time. Fast cars, intense racing, true love… what else do you need? How about “the need… the need for speed!”

Talladega Nights

talladega_nights

“Shake” and “Bake,” baby! The top two NASCAR drivers always finish 1^st and 2^nd. But uh-oh… here comes a French Formula One driver ready to take over NASCAR! As funny as Will Ferrell is, Sacha Baron Cohen makes this movie. Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Jr. even make appearances!

Speed Racer

speed-racer-dec1

Maybe it’s just because I have a 7-year-old son, but I’ve seen this movie twice and loved it even more the second time. This movie lacks real cars, is partly computer generated and has completely unrealistic race scenes. Still, the race scenes are as fun as they are furious. This isn’t just a movie about racing; it’s a movie about saving the world of racing.

The Fast and the Furious

fast-and-furious

The underworld of LA street racing: fast cars, beautiful women… so tempting even an undercover cop isn’t sure he wants to give it up!

Did I miss one of your favorites?

-tgriffith

When test tracks become parking lots…

Автор: TaniaDonnelly |

nissan-parking Take a close look at this picture.

What comes to mind: Costco on a Saturday? Maybe the parking lot on Super Bowl game day?

This image is of Nissan’s test track in England. Those cars are unsold Nissans. If one image ever summed up the state of the auto industry, this is it.

You know those TV commercials where Nissans are shown racing around their test track, avoiding obstacles and going through sections of track with names like “the frame twist”? Well, Nissan’s not testing any new cars on that track now. The only obstacle encountered here would be other cars (which I suppose would make for a more real-world test)!

Seriously though, this tells me just how badly the auto industry is being hit, and it goes way beyond America’s automakers. Honda for example recently announced production cuts and layoffs. Even Toyota, who it was just announced has unseated GM as the world’s top-selling automaker, is announcing cuts in their production.

If the backlog of unsold cars is as bad as this picture makes it look, even production cuts seem like a futile effort to bring production back in line with demand. First they’ve got to find a way to clear out their unsold inventory.

And that’s where the good news is in all this. With so many cars waiting to be sold, there are some killer deals on new cars waiting just for you, if you know how to find them.

Would you buy a new car right now if you found the right deal?

-tgriffith

Ford’s Active Parking Assist: Why Bother?

Автор: TaniaDonnelly | суббота, 18 июля 2009 г.

I don’t get it.

Why in the world would a car company invest in developing a vehicle that parallel parks itself? I might be able to understand if the car was able to quickly and efficiently maneuver into an open space without any risk of hitting another car or the curb.

But check out this image provided by Ford, touting their new Active Parking Assist technology:

ford

Okay, first of all, why do we need a computer to tell us that parking in the miniscule space between two already parked cars is not possible?

Their second point says, “The driver still shifts the transmission and operates the gas and brake pedals with clear prompts from the Active Park Assist system.”

Awesome. Now even our car’s computer can nag us about the way we park.

If you’re developing a self-parking system, wouldn’t it make sense to develop one that actually… oh, I don’t know… parks the car? If I want instructions on HOW to park, I’ll pay to install a drivers’ ed instructor and permanently adhere him to the passenger seat (which I’ll bet is still cheaper and significantly less annoying than adding Park Assist as an option).

Then there’s this little gem: “While the steering is done automatically, the driver remains responsible for safe parking.”

Right.

So this system doesn’t operate the transmission, the gas, or the brake, or guarantee safe parking.

But hey, it will tell you that your car won’t fit between two already parked cars. Nice engineering, Ford!

Do you think there’s any use for a program like Ford’s Active Parking Assist? Would you add it as an option to your next new car? Leave a comment here!

-tgriffith

Last Auto Reviews Blog

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