PRICE HIKES ARE EVERYWHERE

Yes, price hikes on the models you know and love (and hate) are popping up everywhere. But it's not all bad news. Think percentages and it's unlikely to upset you. Spread out the increase over the five years you pay for the new car and you'll not even notice the difference versus 2007 models. The personal transportation available to us as of August 31st/2007 is pretty impressive, so please abstain from anything that sounds like, "I remember when I first got my license, well.... MSRP's sure didn't look like that."

Chevrolet's compleeeeeeeeetely redesigned Malibu costs around $2,100 more than the old Malibu, the not-so-classy Malibu Classic. Hold your horses (Chevy is offering plenty more of those, speaking of equines), the base Malibu is a very-well equipped car. ABS, air-con, six airbags, XM satellite radio, and 169 horsepower. The optional V6 is one of the General's better engines, too. 252 horses from a 3.6L paired to a 6-speed auto. Chevy's new Malibu Hybrid is 2mpg better than the 4-cylinder on city roads and the highway, but costs more than two grand more than the basic Malibu.

How much should the price increase bother you? Bother-be-gone, the new Malibu is light years ahead of the last.

Some '08 Nissan Frontier's see a modest price increase; the rear-wheel drive King Cab might nab $1.60 more out of your wallet each month. Nissan's Xterra sees a larger increase at $1,080 on the base model. In addition to the rising price comes rise in standard equipment.

Volvo's Cross Country, aka XC70, is totally new for 2008. A new six-cylinder replaces the older, less powerful 5-cylinder in addition to a new six-speed automatic and, most obviously, a new look. Pay $405 extra bucks for the privilege. Right on, brother Gustaf. Take my money. Give me a better car.

When once a Maserati Coupe was available to you without a six-digit price tag, its achingly gorgeous replacement, the GranTurismo, demands $114,650 USD. Only recently a BMW M3 could be your's for not-terribly-more than $50,000. Estimated base price in America for the new V8 M3? $63,000.

Then there's the good news. Chrysler's new minivans (Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country) are fairly innovative people carriers. Optional mid-row seats can do a full swivel, meeting around a pop-up table for Travel Scrabble with the third-row occupants. Add side-curtain airbags, electronic stability control, self-leveling shocks, standard V6 contrasting last year's base 4-cylinder, bigger wheels, better handling and more modern looks cost..... less money than the old Grand Caravan.

Build configurations are down from 11,000 to 1,300 aiding Chrysler in its quest to create an even higher-value vehicle. $22,470 or $27375 for an SXT. Honda's Odyssey may be better, but it'll cost you.

CTS-V COMPETITOR YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT - BMW M5

Everybody seems to be pointing out that the Cadillac CTS-v appears to be an M5 beater. Outrage is necessary, don't you think? I mean, so.... okay, the Caddy has more power and speed, better looks, a better transmission, and will cost less money. But what else have you got? 

The M5 has a button that unlocks an extra 100 horsepower from its V10 - yes, ten cylinders in a V formation. BMW's super sedan is also the 'Ring taxi at the Nurburgring, the car of choice to frighten passengers on a track where Cadillac points so that you know about GM's development time for the CTS-v. GoodCarBadCar.net has posted extensively on the CTS-v this morning and it's past time that a little bit of M5 action was shown. The clip is below.

Nose up, M5 drivers. Chin up, CTS-v drivers.

CADILLAC CTS-V PROMO VIDEO

Having noticed that over 50,000 YouTubers had viewed this CTS-v clip, and having noticed that it was indeed a very good one, and realizing that CTS-v photos were posted on GoodCarBadCar.net six times this morning, it was decided that there might as well be more Sunday morning supercharged V8 power. This Cadillac is one mighty car.

MORE 2009 CADILLAC CTS-V PICTURES

Only a few minutes ago, GoodCarBadCar.net posted new pictures of the long-since introduced Cadillac CTS-v. They're just such great pics, we thought you'd want to see some more.

NEW CADILLAC CTS-V PICTURES

The 2009 Cadillac CTS-v will be Cadillac's (likely) successful entry into the supersedan segment where many of the competitors are priced tens of thousands of dollars higher than the Caddy. With 556 horsepower from a supercharged V8, Cadillac says the CTS-v will roar to 60mph in 3.9 seconds and finish the quarter-mile in 12. Its magnetic ride control reads the road 1000 times per second.

And this is what it looks like. Oh, you've seen it before. But these are new pictures, something for American car lovers to be proud of. For more on the CTS-v, click here to watch it attack the Nurburgring, click here for the introduction post from January, or here for the CTS wagon, or here for The Good Car Guy's drive of the regular CTS at GM's proving grounds. Cadillac's CTS-v website allows you to hear it roar, as well.

YOUR CAR WAS DEVELOPED HERE

It is becoming increasingly likely that your next car is being developed at one of the most famous racetracks known to man. The Nurburgring (more frequently called just 'The Ring') lies in the Eifel mountains south of Cologne, Germany. A portion known as the Nordschleife, at 13 miles long (20.8km) is still used for relatively major races, but Formula 1 was deemed to fast for this track decades ago.



What interests motor enthusiasts is this: Manufacturer's days. Not only is this where you see those spy shots of camoflauged Audi's tailgating camoflauged BMW's around the terrifying Karussell. In contrast to these days are the Public days, when anybody on wheels can pay 19 Euros for a ride around The Ring in their own car, motorcycle, motorhome, or tour bus. The Ring Taxi, a frequently re-tired BMW M5, offers a seriously fast passenger ride for those who want a truer experience.

Some automakers use the Nurburgring enough to make a permanent on-site garage necessary. Although once a BMW/Mercedes/Porsche/Audi bastion, The Ring is now used by every maker with a brain, which included at first the Japanese and now even General Motors. GM makes great claims on behalf of the Cadillac CTS' and Chevrolet Corvette's handling, and much of the credit, they say, comes down to the Nurburgring. It simulates all the road surfaces, turns, radii, and wear and tear a car will see in the run of its motoring life.

Critics say that Ring testing is partially to blame for today's rough-riding cars, especially those cars which stem from traditionally smooth-riding manufacturers. These rough-rides are part of the compromise when you seek enhanced handling, but the cause may be better traced to run-flat tires on heavier cars with the big wheels consumers demand.

Here's a few Google Earth images of facilities where automakers perform a huge chunk of their secret development and testing. GoodCarBadCar skipped the images of snow-covered frozen lakes in Finland and arrow-straight roads through the United Arab Emirates where much of the cold and hot weather testing is done.




Fiorano is not just the surname of the Ferrari 599 GTB, it is also the host track to Ferrari's F1 and road-car testing. Maserati would be a frequent visitor as well. Found in Maranello, Italy up against Ferrari's facilities, Fiorano is 35 years old. Enzo Ferrari's house/office is nearby, just one factor leading to an aura unlike any other track you see here.



That crop circle you see in the middle of the image is the Nardo high-speed bowl. Found in the heel of Italy's boot, Nardo's bowl is almost 8 miles around. When speeds rise significantly, a car will eventually be free of any lateral forces. This provides hands-free driving. Mind the bumps, however. High-speed testing for multiple manufacturers is completed here in addition to record breaking top-speed attempts by automakers like Koenigsegg and Bugatti.

As difficult as it is to realize that the Nardo bowl is 12.5 km long, so it is with this Volkswagen-owned facility known as Ehra-Lessien. What is actually just the name of a municipality in Lower Saxony has become a name synonymous with really crazy fast top-speed runs of cars like the Bugatti Veyron and McLaren F1. Although there are almost 100km of track available to Volkswagen, Audi, Bugatti, SEAT, Bentley, Skoda, Lamborghini.... and Porsche, the real tasty bit is the 9km straight.


MIRA is a massive testing facility in Warwickshire, England. Click to see the larger image and you'll see the massive network of roadways including a handling and stability circuit, steering pad, high-speed circuit, wet handling and cornering facility, corrosion test facility, resonance road, twin straights, cross-country/4x4 area, and test hills. Vauxhall is not the only user, by any stretch.

The Milford Proving Grounds outside of Detroit, Michigan is home to, guess who? General Motors. Milford opened in 1924 but the operation has grown significantly, with 4820 salaried employees making use of and working directly at MPG. This GM facility was a precursor of all the massive, heavy-duty at home testing facilities to which automakers have become accustomed. You can imagine the debate in the corporate headquarters not long after WWI, not long before the Great Depression, over the cost of building and operating an area like this.


Ford Motor Company's Dearborn home is also home to their major proving grounds now known as the Dearborn Development Center. This is but one of Ford's many like-minded facilities. Ford also has complexes in Naples, Florida; Yucca, Arizona; Bemidji, Minnesota. International proving grounds for Ford are located in Sao Paulo, Brazil; Cuautitlan, Mexico; You Yangs, Australia; Essex, England; Lommel, Belgium and Thompson, Manitoba.



Finally, you have my personal proving grounds. What these grounds proved, I can't say for sure. But I am an accident-free, low insurance risk and I do perform a mean mid-winter-storm parking lot drift. If you can guess where this group of nasty turns is located, email goodcarbadcar@gmail.com for congratulations in your superior map-reading ability.

FAST FACTS FROM THE CAR WORLD

Mercedes-Benz smallest coupe/convertible, the SLK, is available with a few different engines. The most extreme example of the SLK hardtop convertible is called the Black Series, and under that banner the car loses its retractable roof. And 100 pounds. The news: Horsepower is now a pleasantly round 4-0-0. A car this small with 400 horsepower (competitor Porsche Cayman S has 'only' 295 bhp) is capable of reaching 60 mph in a smidge over 4 seconds.....

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards spoke out to SUV drivers - hopefully just those drivers who abstain from towing and off-roading - yesterday in Florida. He believes Americans are willing to sacrifice, and wants one of those sacrifices to be sport-utility vehicles. "We are the worst polluter on the planet," the former senator said. "America's going to have to change." He's right. Were he to become the president, would he insist the Secret Service sell off their Suburbans? We're unlikely to find out.....

Who is George Hotz? Yeah, the dude who hacked - or reverse-engineered - Apple's iPhone. George made the iPhone compatible with cellular companies other than AT&T. When selling the phone he hacked, George wrote that he wanted to make money to put the engine back into his Mitsubishi 3000GT. Instead, now famous/infamous George Hotz has the keys to a brand new Nissan 350Z.....

The drag coefficient of the next-gen Audi A4 is a slippery 0.27. With China now being a large executive car market, the A4 will be built in China starting next year..... Toyota has decided that its Australian Camry, the Aurion, will compete with hot versions of local Ford's and GM's. The Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon have forever been linked to stinkin' fast versions. Now Toyota is using its TRD brand (a true sub-brand down under) to release a supercharged Aurion. 323 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque are believed to make this the most powerful production front-driver in the world. A Camry? An odd bunch, those Aussies.....

Earth's most beautiful sedan, Maserati's Quattroporte, has again gone under the knife. This time doctors from Brembo and Pirelli joined the Maser' physicians to create an even more impressive Q'Porte. The car will be named the GT-S, feature upgraded Brembo brakes and a new Pirelli foursome on a set of dark chromed dubs. Maserati dropped the ride height while the fancy adjustable Skyhook suspension is dropped for fixed springs and shocks. It'll be expensive.....

In Pebble Beach, California, one of the world's most prestigous Concours d'Elegance recently finished. At the auction, a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spyder sold for $4,950,000. That car finished 5th at Le Mans in 1959.....

Honda's new Accord features an optional V6, half a litre larger than the old Accord V6 with two.5 dozen extra horses, but the new Accord V6 is 3mpg better on the highway. Thank technical advances and the ability to run on six, four, or three cylinders.....

Speaking of Honda and engines, the world's preemindent engine producer has tentative plans to sell a 3.5 litre V6 diesel in the USA by 2010. Honda wants the engine to be legal in all 50 states, but unlike the likely four-cylinder diesel we'll see in the next Accord, this V6 would be visible in the bays of Odysseys, Pilots, and Ridgelines.....

Oh, and speaking of Honda and engines: Honda has always been an effective advertiser. I just saw these lines in an American car magazine: "At the last two Indy 500s, our record was 66 and 0. For the 2nd year running, Honda engines have powered every race car at the Indy 500. That's 66 high-performance engines racing at full speed for nearly 25,000 miles in all. And for the 2nd year in a row, there wasn't a single engine-related problem in the race...." That is effective marketing.....

In top-speed runs around Ford's Arizona Proving Grounds, a Dodge Viper guzzles at a sickening rate - 4.9mpg. To attain the same 254mph as Bugatti's Veyron would require the Viper V10 to produce 1100 horsepower. Or you could make it 49.7% more aerodynamic. A Corvette Z06 would need a greater aerodynamic gain, but could get by with 1032 horsepower. Then you'd have to take into account cooling issues and stability problems, all of which have been sorted in the Bugatti. One problem reveals another, and it's very likely that an 1100 horsepower Viper would not touch 254 mph. Theoretically, it works. Practically; probably not.....

Germany's foremost producer of sports cars has already built over 100,000 current generation (997) Porsche 911's. Russia and China aren't taking as many as you'd think. The Russians and Chinese want Cayennes because they are better vehicles in which to be chauffeured.....

Italy wants Fiat 500's so badly that Fiat may be forced to postpone launch in other countries.In case you hadn't heard, at the July 4th launch of the 500, a thousand of the old 500's gathered in Turin. Curiously, this oh-so-Italian small car is not built in Turin but in Tychy. That'd be Poland for you geographically challenged folk. Youthful Fiat CEO Luca de Meo was told upon accepting that job that he must make the Trepiuno concept into the 500. By whom? His mother.....




In celebration of Ferrari's 60th anniversary, Panerai is producing 60 rose gold or steel watches that'll indicate the correct date until the year of our Lord 2100 A.D. Subject to your winding, that is. The cost, at least in the UK, is £23,400. Hmph, I don't even wear a watch. So I don't want one.....

THREE IMPORTANT EUROPEAN INTRODUCTIONS

North America isn't the only continent where Toyota is criticized for building boring - but better - cars that happen to be rather successful. When you first heard about the Scion tC, you might've also heard the odd mention of the Toyota Avensis. Parts were shared, architecture crossed the pond. There's a new Avensis in Europe, and while always a little more interesting than the last, this isn't a visual stunner. 

Built in Britain, the Avensis will, as expected, feature engines that Toyota says will, "that are both more powerful and emit less CO2." The car won't go on sale until the beginning of 2009. For details on the current Avensis and to remain slightly bored, have a look at the British Toyota site.

Meanwhile, Toyota also wants buyers to latch onto a more interesting vehicle in early '09. The Urban Cruiser will compete in a segment that, in Europe at least, has doubled in size since 2002. Toyota likes to refer to it as an urban all-roader. CO2 emissions should be somewhere under 140g/km. That's good. Perhaps the sale of a Scion xD 4x4 in America would help Toyota seize buyers who are drifting from SUVs but want.... an SUV.

Spanish automaker Seat, a subsidiary of the world's third biggest automotive conglomerate Volkswagen, has released images of its 180 horsepower twin-turbocharged Ibiza Cupra. Cupra is the Seat equivalent of BMW's M or, more likely, Chevrolet's SS. In size terms, the Ibiza is a Toyota Yaris competitor. In performance terms, this juiciest Ibiza takes it to a corporate cousin or two (Volkswagen Polo GTI for one) while ride quality is likely - I only said likely - about as stiff as John McCain at his vice-presidential introduction rally. 

Seat equips the Ibiza Cupra with a direct-shift gearbox. The tiny 1.4L engine should be a boon to eco-savers who still want fun-to-drive cars. Read more about the Ibiza at their UK site.

LETTER FROM HONDA TO CANADIANS

Recently noticed the following at www.honda.ca in a not-so-prominent position. Big news, however. Rather righteous, considerate, and responsible. Follow this link to the Government of Canada's ecoAuto Rebate website.

--- "In an open letter to Canadians, Honda Canada reaffirmed a long-standing commitment to provide “blue skies for our children.” This philosophy goes beyond industry and government requirements to ensure consumers are not forced to choose between the environment and safety when making a vehicle purchase.

In its March 2007 budget, the Canadian Government recognized the Civic Hybrid among the vehicles eligible for its recently announced ‘ecoAUTO’ rebate. While pleased to offer customers products that provide advanced class-leading fuel efficiency, Honda Canada Inc. believes the eligibility criteria for the rebate is too arbitrary and ignores the balance between environmental responsibility and consumer safety.

“We believe that our vehicles offer the customer the right balance of fuel efficiency and safety,” said Jim Miller, executive vice president of Honda Canada, Inc. “Honda’s Safety for Everyone commitment offers the same fuel-efficient vehicles with advanced levels of safety as standard equipment regardless of the price or size of the vehicle that meets customer needs.”

Safety and environment are cornerstones of Honda’s DNA. Consider Honda’s track-record in the areas of safety and environmental initiatives:

SAFETY

• Advanced safety technologies as standard equipment on virtually all vehicles regardless of size or price (Oct. 2003)

• Only automaker with standard Occupant Protection Detection System for front passenger side airbag deployment

• Honda has more NHTSA 5-star/5-star vehicles than any other automotive brand

• 100% of MY07 Honda and Acura trucks achieved NHTSA 5-star/5-star ratings

• Ridgeline is the first 4-door pickup truck to earn a NHTSA 5-star/5-star rating

• 2007 Honda CR-V and Pilot, and 2007 Acura RDX and MDX earned ‘Top Best Pick’ status from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)

• Pioneer of advanced airbag technology

• First vertically deploying passenger airbag; first “smart” airbag

• Leader in car-light truck collision compatibility

• Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure – applied to more than half of all current Honda and Acura models

• Pedestrian safety features on more than 5 million Honda and Acura vehicles

ENVIRONMENT

• North America’s most fuel-efficient car company

• First automaker to introduce Low-Emission Vehicle (LEV) technology to Canada

• First automaker to introduce Hybrid technology to Canada

• First automaker to establish a voluntary target to improve fuel efficiency (May 2006): aiming for a 5% improvement in its fleet average fuel efficiency from 2005 levels by 2010

• All MY06 Honda and Acura vehicles meet stringent Tier 2 emissions standard, more than any other full-line automaker

• Union of Concerned Scientists recently nominated Honda as the “Greenest Automaker” for the fourth consecutive time

• March 2007, Fortune magazine singled out Honda as the only automotive company to go beyond what the law requires to operate in an environmentally responsible way

• A new, more affordable, dedicated hybrid car positioned below the current Civic Hybrid in size and price, to be introduced in the U.S and Canada in CY 2009

• New “clean” 4-cylinder diesel engine technology that meets U.S. EPA Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standards (without a tank of urea), to be introduced in the U.S and Canada within the next several years

• More advanced and efficient versions of i-VTEC and Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology, introduced by the end of the decade, beginning with VCM on the all-new 2008 Honda Accord V6

• Next generation Honda fuel cell vehicle, based on the hydrogen-powered FCX Concept, will be marketed on a limited basis in the U.S. and Japan beginning in CY 2008

In response to the Government of Canada’s arbitrary definition of fuel efficiency and to ensure that Canadians have an equal opportunity to purchase a vehicle that offers the right balance of environmental stewardship and safety, Honda Canada and its automobile dealers are responding.

Customers who purchase or lease a new 2007 Honda Fit with automatic or manual transmission or a new 2006 or 2007 Honda Civic with manual transmission (excluding the Civic Si Coupe) will receive a benefit that mirrors the Government’s ecoAuto program.

Named the “Honda Benefit,” a $1,000 incentive will be applied and, same as the Government program, will be effective retroactively to March 20, 2007, for eligible consumers who purchase or lease one of the above noted vehicles from a Honda dealership...."

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857,735 VEHICLES FROM 13 DIFFERENT GENERAL MOTORS NAMEPLATES RECALLED FOR OVERHEATING WASHER FLUID

Pay close attention, because this is about to get really deep. The list of recent General Motors vehicles affected by this Recall is below. For some of them, this is the second recall currently affecting their model. For instance, the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Saturn Outlook were just sent to the principal's office for other windshield wiper problems.

This time 857,735 GM vehicles built sometime between 2006 and 2008 with heated windshield wiper systems will be recalled, but NHTSA isn't yet sure just when. "A short circuit on the printed circuit board for the washer fluid heater may overheat the control-circuit ground wire." This could lead other electrical systems to malfunction. Dealers will be installing a wire harness with an in-line fuse to take care of the problem. More information is perhaps available at GM's recall page. Add up the vehicle sales from other countries and your total hits 944,000 GM vehicles.

The vehicles affected are as follows:

2008 Buick Enclave

2006-2008 Buick Lucerne

2006-2008 Cadillac DTS

2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalde EXT, Escalade ESV

2007-2008 Chevrolet Avalanche

2007-2008 Chevrolet Silverado

2007-2008 Chevrolet Suburban

2007-2008 Chevrolet Tahoe

2007-2008 GMC Acadia

2007-2008 GMC Sierra

2007-2008 GMC Yukon and Yukon XL

2006-2008 Hummer H2

2007-2008 Saturn Outlook

ACROSS THE POND - SKODA

Europe has in its repertoire a whole host of weaponry that the new world of North America will never lay claim to. Tourists flock to Europe's historic cities. Sports fans are catered to by massive crowds at football games. Scientists walk on land which featured a huge population many hundreds of years prior to the Viking discovery of North America. Politicos can cross border after border of nations with drastically different governmental organization and theory - all within a day.

For the auto enthusiast, Europe lays claim to a multiplicity of automobile manufacturers that have either never officially campaigned on our side of the Atlantic, or haven't done so in years. We suggest it was their failing reliability or implicit desire to be unique in a more conservative marketplace that forced their departure.

Whatever it was; our collective wish is often different now. Rather then, "Go home", we shout, "Come on over". In most cases, it doesn't appear to be working.

Skoda, a Czech make which has been under Volkswagen's hold since 1991, sells four cars in English-speaking Europe. (GCBC's unilingual status precludes us from discerning the activities of this week's feature companies in countries such as Andorra and Bosnia.) Ironically, Skoda's origins date to 1894 when its founder, Vaclav Klement, sought out the parts to repair his German-made bicycle. The Germans responded to his Czech-written letter with a German-written letter saying this: "If you would like an answer to your inquiry, you should try writing in a language we can understand."

From this, Klement began to repair and then build bicycles; then motorcycles, and then cars. Skoda now competes in the World Rally Championship and builds cars in a fair number of countries including Bosnia & Herzegovina and India. Skoda built over 550,000 vehicles in 2006.


Skoda names its stretched, subtly rebodied, previous-generation Volkswagen Passat the Superb. The backseat is absolutely capacious and luxurious features abound. The car is better looking than the last Passat ever was, thanks mostly to more appropriate proportions. The uppermost trim level is named Laurin & Klement, in honour of the founders of the company that eventually became Skoda. Equipping the Superb with VW's older 2.8L VR6 and an uplevel trim would give you a similarly priced car to Volkswagen's own GTI.

The Octavia would appear very much as a Golf/Rabbit were it not for the body on top of all the hardware. Underneath this Skoda lies the architecture of the current Golf, and on top lies similarly conservative sheetmetal. Similarly conservative, but not similar. Skoda's have not been known for stepping up to the plate with home-run styling, and it is only in this concern that the Octavia falters. The Octavia vRS is a seriously competitive performance edition, featuring much of VW's GTI performance paraphernalia in wagon or 5-door hatch formats. You'll pay substantially more for a true GTI, however. Up to £2000 more.

Fabia is the name of Skoda's sub-Octavia lineup. The newest Fabia has crossed over from the field of boring styling to hip and funky. Painted orange with a white roof..... mmmm, it looks good. Skoda starts the bidding for the Fabia about £3000 lower than for the Octavia, which rings in around £11,000. The Fabia is very much a Volkswagen Polo which itself is sized very close to the second generation Golf. A variety of diesel and gas engines are available on the new Fabia, with a likely hi-po diesel in the upcoming vRS. Horsepower sits between 60 and 105 for now.


Skoda's coolest car may well be the Roomster. One of Europe's fastest growing segments is the small people-carrier. Where we are offered the Mazda5 and Kia Rondo, Europe prefers to skip over big MPV's like the Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna and buy Mazda5-like vehicles. The Roomster is a small-on-the-outside big-on-the-inside vehicle, capable of holding a normal sized family and their luggage. Many vehicles of this type have been odd ducks and shamed members of the family - cars like the Citroen Berlingo and Renault Kangoo. Skoda sees the Roomster as a competitor to the Honda FR-V and Renault Scenic. Traditional Skoda pricing positions the Roomster as a high-value item. Plenty of space in a package that fits between the Fabia and Octavia. Like the Octavia, the Roomster supplies a 'Scout' version - very much in the mold of the Volvo Cross Country or Subaru Outback line of thinking.



The Roomster is a striking vehicle in a category full of frumpy but fun-to-drive people haulers. Skoda's Fabia finally offers stand-out looks in one of the most active sectors in all of Europe. The Octavia is a traditionally sized family car. Too traditional? Or just a wickedly sweet Q-ship? The Superb can't compete forever on last decade's technology. But it does show Skoda's honesty as a producer of cars for the people. Take it or leave it - Skoda keeps you comfortable and safe and proves you to be a contemplative car buyer.

---
GoodCarBadCar Auto Olympics pickup where they left off real soon. One semifinal and the two medal matches remain. The next 'Across the Pond' will feature Renault.

THE REAL DEAL HUMMER H1 ALPHA FALLS UNDER RECALL

Apparently somebody still cares that the Hummer H1 existed. We all know Donald Rumsfeld didn't care to fix problematic Hummers. NHTSA wants 684 H1 Alphas (the ones from 2006 equipped with 300-bhp, 520 lb-ft of torqye 6.6L Duramax diesel) recalled because the fuel tank could come in contact with the rear prop shaft. Problem.

Obviously this rubbing could eventually cause a leak, which, beside an ignition source would be seriously damaging. The fuel tank will be completely replaced with a new design when GM begins this Hummer Recall in November.

HYUNDAI RECALLS 2008 ELANTRA

Due to faulty fuel pump motors, NHTSA has instructed Hyundai to Recall the 2008 Elantra. There are 65,000 Elantras that could suffer from poor pumping pressure, leading to an inability to start as well as perform to its best ability. You surely know what it feels like when your engine isn't getting the juice it wants.

Sometime during September, Hyundai will replace all fuel pump subassemblies. For more on the Elantra, check out The Good Car Guy's Driven post right here. For more Recalls, click here.

7200 MAZDA 6'S FROM MODEL YEARS 2007-2008 RECALLED

A new Mazda 6 arrives and what do you get? NHTSA Recalls the old Mazda 6. 7,200 midsize Mazdas built with California Emissions specs in mind could suffer from a perforated fuel tank because, well, the protective coating might've been damaged when assembled.

Of course, nobody hates fuel leaks more than NHTSA. Except, I guess, the person who just paid $4.00/gallon and is losing fuel. Mazda was supposed to begin this recall yesterday, but if you're confused about your '07 or '08 Mazda 6 call them at 1-800-222-5500 option 2.

LAMBDA CROSSOVERS RECALLED - Buick Enclave, Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia

88,809 General Motors crossover vehicles are being recalled because an excessive buildup of snow or ice could on the windshield could cause the windshield wiper linkage to detach "from the motor shaft and the wipers may become inoperative." However, this Recall is highly specific, so pay attention.

NHTSA only wants you to take notice of this Buick Enclave, Saturn Outlook, and GMC Acadia recall if your vehicle is currently or has been registered in one or more of the following states: Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia. That basically precludes those of you who live in winter-less states from involving yourself in this recall. 

I guess you better watch out if you go on a winter vacation up north. If you haven't learned your lesson, folks, never turn your car off without also turning off your wipers in the winter... especially if you know a storm is coming. The wipers will try and clear 10 inches of snow as soon as you turn the car (its heater, and defroster, and heated seats) on in the morning. No wiper has that kind of strength. Don't ask it to find such strength, and don't kill your wiper motor. For clarity's sake, let it be clear that The Good Car Guy's drive in the Buick Enclave did not require the testing of wipers.

MERCEDES-BENZ RECALLS CL, SL, AND S-CLASS FOR ABC PROBLEM

There's a funny thing that happens as technology moves the goalposts and NHTSA starts dealing with hugely expensive automobiles: the Recalls are bad news, of course, but they sure are hard to figure out. Has a recall ever meant good news?

Mercedes-Benz is issuing a recall affecting 4,564 of their most expensive cars. The 2001-2008 CL-Class, 2002-2007 S-Class and 2003-2007 SL-Class all fall under the lovely recall banner. 

Because of active body control, these vehicles have acceleration sensors on the front struts. "These sensors measure acceleration around the Z-axis of the vehicle and assure an automatic adaptation of the front struts to maintain a relatively level body position. Variations in the soldering process resulted in soldering points on the board of the ABC sensors which may not be within design tolerances. Signals from the affected sensors measuring the acceleration may not be accurately transmitted to the engine control unit."

"A variation in the transmitted values between affected and unaffected sensors can result in one front strut adjusting to a value indicating body movement while another strut does not adjust presenting the driver with an uneven front suspension. This condition may lead to unexpected body movements at the front axle which can adversely influence the vehicle's directional stability and could lead to a vehicle crash."

The Recall is beginning in September. It could be difficult to determine if your car is affected. Mercedes-Benz is reachable at 1-800-367-6372.

AUDI RECALLING PREVIOUS-GENERATION A8 FOR TRANSMISSION ISSUE

The 5-speed automatic transmission placed inside the Audi A8 from 1996-2003 - totalling 13,900 cars in a NHTSA Recall - could fall out of the park position even without the key in the ignition. That's not safe.

Audi will begin the recall early next month where dealers will, says NHTSA, "modify the automatic transmission locking cable by installing an adjusting piece that will secure the locking cable in place." That sounds rather necessary. 

A8s from this era were available in North America with a 4.2L V8 and Quattro all-wheel drive or a smaller V8 and front-wheel drive, a combo that likely didn't motivate many stuffy upper-end luxury limo buyers to hit the Audi showroom. The current A8 is an all-wheel drive car only.

JAGUAR XF RECALL AFFECTS 7918 IN AMERICA

The brand new 2009 Jaguar XF, famed replacement for the S-Type, is being recalled because of faulty seat belts. It all has to do with a poorly rotating d-ring in the rear seatbelt assembly, and of course, dealers want to take care of the problem for 7,918 XF owners involved.

Jaguar is available at 1-800-452-4827; the Recall is beginning about now; and before I hear anything about poor British quality, remember two things: the XF is an absolute belter of a beauty in person and it was developed under American control and owned by a company in a former British colony. Oh, and a third thing: Jaguar was recently ranked tenth in J.D. Power's 3-year dependability study. 

TOP 5 MOST LEASED VEHICLES IN AMERICA

In order to better understand the current state of affairs in the automotive leasing domain, check this morning's earlier post from GoodCarBadCar.net. If you want to know, and of course you do want to know, which vehicles are leased the most often this year in America, keep reading.

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#10 - Jaguar XJ: 65.8% of customers leased

#9 - BMW X3: 67.3% of customers leased

#8 - Audi A4: 68% of customers leased

#7 - BMW 6-Series: 68.6% of customers leased

#6 - Land Rover Range Rover: 69.6% of customers leased

#5 - Mercedes-Benz E-Class: 70% 

The E-Class has a base price of $52,775 for a powerful V6 with a 7-speed automatic. With similar financial scenarios, a 36-month lease would save you close to $100 per month compared with a 60-month purchase.

#4 - BMW Z4: 70.7% 

Achieving close to 30mpg in a BMW roadster ain't shabby. This $36,700 car was a styling controversy when introduced but, says BMW, can be leased for $379 a month over 36 months.

#3 - Audi A6: 74.1% 

Priced at $42,950, the A6 sedan is a capable beauty that performs in most categories at or near the top of the class. That doesn't mean it sells with the worldwide force of the E-Class or BMW 5-Series, but Audi is a successful company, thanks in no small part to the A6.

#2 - Saab 9-7X: 82.2%

As AutoEnergy put it, the 9-7X is about as Scandinavian as apple pie and ice cream. Think American at its core. GMC and Chevrolet will sell you less luxurious-but-otherwise-identical vehicles in their showrooms, but if you insist.... the 9-7X starts at $41,145. Presently, it's possible that leasing a 9-7X would cost you more because of heavy incentives on the purchasing side. 

#1 - BMW 7-Series: 85.3% 

If you can find $1009 every month for the next 36 months, BMW wants to put you in a "well-equipped" (read: basic) 7-Series. That nets you the strange iDrive system, a wild V8, and abundant luxury features. Only 15% of 7-Series customers take it any other way.