MotorTrend magazine recently put North America's top family sedans through the ringer. Chevrolet's recently introduced - and much heralded - Malibu took on the similarly new Honda Accord (a Good 12 member), the perennial best-selling Toyota Camry, and the vivacious Nissan Altima. Here is their story by the numbers.
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4 - finishing place of the vivacious candidate, directly behind the Accord, which followed the Malibu, which gave place to the Camry.0.3 - the amount of extra time required for a '91 BMW M5 to reach 60mph over the startlingly fast Camry V6.112.3 - wheelbase of the Chevrolet Malibu, longest in the test.3684 - weight, in pounds, of the Malibu.14.6 - pounds which each of the Malibu's 252 horsepower are forced to carry, the worst ratio in the group.5 - speeds in the automatic transmission of the Honda Accord, fewest in the test. (Nissan's is continuously variable.)62.2 - front track of the Accord, widest in test.137 - feet required to stop the Accord from 60mph, 13ft more than the best-in-test Camry found necessary.
0.83 - lateral grip, measured in g's, of the Altima, best in test.0.86 - pounds of C02 emissions per mile of the Altima, lowest (cleanest) among the four competitors.14 - cu
bic feet available for cargo in the Altima, fewest in the group.
1000 - cost, in USD, of the JBL premium sound system found in the Camry.
1,000,000 - approximate total combined annual U.S. sales of Camry, Accord, and Altima. 189.2 - total length of the Camry, stubbiest of the lot.38.3 - rear seat legroom in the Toyota, most of any of the four combatants.
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THE GERMANS
Volkswagen Passat CC - VW bosses clearly think highly of the Mercedes CLS, but unfortunately the inspiration wasn't enough to induce perfect execution.
VW subsidiary Audi, with aspirations to become the luxury brand of the next decade, will finally introduce an "S" badge on the back of a TT. Audi has given us the S4, S6, S5, and even an S8, but the 265-bhp TT (itself a Good 12 member) will be the most stunning example of Audi's sporting heroes.
Expect to see production of the Mercedes-Benz GLK before long. This X3/LR2/RDX competitor will likely be introduced in a manner more akin to the GLK Freeside (below) rather than the GLK Townside, but you just never know what niche-happy Benz will do.
"Mercedes-Benz is the taxicab of choice in Germany, which shows if you have the right products, being the airport car won't hurt you." Ford President of the Americas, Mark Fields, speaking to the fact that Lincoln could attain limo+cool status.
"America has never been more ready for a car like this." smart USA President, David Schembri, speaking at the delivery to one of smart's first American customers.
"I think Chrysler has cut a lot." United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger believes that new labour agreements should be enough to stave off more cutbacks at American automakers.
"...we know what we're doing when it comes to combining industry-leading safety with industry-leading value." John Krafcik, a Hyundai VP, after noting that Hyundai produces more IIHS Top Safety Picks than BMW, Mercedes-Benz, or Toyota.
"I feel more than happy with today." Former two-time F1 champ Fernando Alonso after his first day of testing back at Renault.
"We are in discussion with Tata Motors on dealers and distribution of these brands. We are looking at an interesting set up." Alfredo Altavilla, Vice-Chairman of Fiat India speaks of Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and Ferrari being introduced in the world's second-largest nation.
"Everyone wants to pollute less; that's a no-brainer. What we've heard from our customers is if Bentley can be socially responsible that would be a positive.'' Bentley spokesman David Reuter figures the ultra-rich are about as socially conscious as the rest of us.
"Everybody at Rolls-Royce is delighted with this tremendous result which marks our fifth anniversary in the best possible way." Rolls-Royce's CEO, Ian Robertson, appears to ignore the multiplicity of decades prior to BMW's Rolls-Royce, but is happy with a worldwide sales increase of 25% and total Indian sales of eleven.
"We don't look at this as a car ad as much as we look at it as a statement." Scott Keogh, VP of Marketing at Audi, plays up the importance of Audi's Paramount Pictures-produced Super Bowl ad.
General Motors has decided not to import the Holden Commodore VE Sportwagon, projected to be sold as the Pontiac G8 Sportwagon. So says GM product boss Bob Lutz. He figures the interest isn't present in the American marketplace and the cost of meeting regulations would be too great, anyway.Daimler, better known for its Mercedes-Benz brand, owns 40% of racing outfit McLaren, the maker of the Benz SLR supercar. In order to gain full control of the company, Daimler could buy out Ron Dennis (15%), Mansour Ojjeh (15%) or Mumtalakat (30%). Expect them to find the perfect formula soon, ending up with 55, 70, or 100% of the company before long.
Once-great F1 drivers who've packed their bags and headed for other series': Juan Pablo Montoya & Jacques Villeneuve in NASCAR. Once-decent F1 drivers who've packed their bags and headed for other series': Ralf Schumacher, DTM. Apparently, Michael doesn't think Ralk should bother with the German touring car.
Dirk van Braeckel has won the award for top Euro design; the European Automotive Design Award. Dirk is the head of Bentley's design team, a Belgium native, and inspired by Ralph Lauren. Good inspiration, I say.
This week's nod to excellent linguistics goes to Volvo's contrasting seats available in C30's, S40's, and V50's with the R-Design package. Says Volvo Canada's press release: "...seats will be in off-black Vulcaflex with the seat cushion and backrest in contrasting cream-colored leather." Vulcaflex.
Although the German auto market stumbled in 2007 (largely due to a sales tax increase), overall European sales rose. BMW and Fiat are largely responsible, as is the nation of Italy as a whole. Fiat's sales rose 7.1% to 1,250,000 automobiles, while BMW sales climbed 6.7% to 848,080. Germans still buy more new cars than any other national purchasing group in Europe, but Italy took hold of the number two slot, just in front of the UK and leaving French sales a half-mil cars abaft.
Lawrence Cannon, Canada's Minister of Transport - Conservative Member of Parliament from Quebec - has announced that fuel economy standards for new vehicles in Canada will quickly accelerate. At least he hopes. There will be a period of discussion and consultation before the federal goverment hopes to base their standards on the latest American bill... or perhaps even further them.
Cannon wishes to meet the American's 35mpg-by-2020 average (6.7L/100km) standard at a minimum. Transport Canada says today's averages work out to 8.6L/200km. With enviromental groups attacking the US law for not insisting on more immediate changes, the Canadian goverment hopes to begin applying some form of new standards by 2011.
Who will face the consequences? Everybody - from General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, and Toyota - straight through to you the customer. Will you save money? After all, great efficiency equals less fuel consumed equals less money, right? If regular gasoline rises to $1.50/L in parts of Canada this summer as economists expect; and if the cost of technology in new cars is high enough to generate noticeable premiums in your monthly payment, the only words 'less' will affix itself to are emissions and consumption.
Shanghai Auto continues its dominance in the Chinese marketplace - with the help of two massive outsiders. Shanghai GM ("importers" must participate in joint ventures to gain permission to sell and build in China) tops the list of China's top ten with sales of 500,000 automobiles.
The story of General Motors claim to the number one spot in China is undercut by news of two Volkswagen joint ventures nailing the podium as well. In fact, Shanghai Auto and VW team up for third place, 34,000 units behind Shanghai GM and just 8,000 units behind FAW Volkswagen.
Chery wass China's most successful auto exporter in 2007. They sent 120,000 vehicles out of China 
and sold 381,000 inside the Great Wall, as well. Total Chinese production reached half the volume of Built-in-the-USA product during the twelve months of 2007.
Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai, and Ford were also involved in joint ventures with sales in the top ten. BMW sales topped 51,000. Honda sold 30.6% more vehicles than they did in 2006.
8,790,000 new motor vehicles were sold in 2007, twice as many as China saw leave showrooms in 2003. Vehicle ownership per 1,000 people is still about two-thirds less in China than in the rest of the world. For per capita ownership to reach that of the USA, the figure would have to rise 17x's. There are still approximately 956 million people in China without a vehicle. (Feel free to check my math.)
Yes, you read that correctly. Pontiac sold Azteks in 2007. Yes, you were under the correct impression that Aztek sales stopped in 2005. But, that impression was ever-so-slightly misleading.
The Aztek improved in 2002. Ever-so-slightly. The excessive cladding that coated the lower portions of the body was removed in favour of body colour continuation. Although Pontiac sought to sell 75,000 Azteks each year, that goal was never reached and production came to an end.... and not a moment to soon.Even so, over the last twelve months leading up to the point sixteen days ago, 25 Azteks were sold. One can assume the invoice was substantially less than the listed MSRP. The 185-bhp crossover-utes sold for $21,530 (front-wheel drive) or $24,445 (all-wheel drive). It's safe to assume a typical '05 Aztek would be worth half that price.
MotorTrend magazine recently put North America's top family sedans through the ringer. Chevrolet's recently introduced - and much heralded - Malibu took on the similarly new Honda Accord (a Good 12 member), the perennial best-selling Toyota Camry, and the vivacious Nissan Altima. Here is their story by the numbers.
bic feet available for cargo in the Altima, fewest in the group.
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