BMW and Mercedes downplay high gas prices(10/20/2005)
The world^s two biggest premium car makers played down on Tuesday prospects that high U.S. gasoline prices would dent consumer demand for high-end or heavy vehicles. "Prices have gone up in the U.S. but for us at least we have not seen a change in buyer behavior," BMW Chief Executive Helmut Panke told an industry conference ahead of the Tokyo motor show. He said an extra $500 or so in fuel costs may prompt a tougher choice for buyers of cars that offer basic transportation, but would not put off those who can afford a premium car. "The current high energy prices -- and we should be prepared that they stay that way for, say, the next three, four years -- will not basically impact the premium segment as much as they will the basic mass market," he said. Dieter Zetsche, the head of Daimler^s Mercedes Car Group premium division and former head of U.S. arm Chrysler, said media prophesies that the U.S. market for light trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUV) would collapse had not come to pass.
Fuel-Conscious Buyers Cause SUV Sales to Plummet in September(10/4/2005)
Sales of sport-utility vehicles plunged dramatically last month as fuel prices raced past $3 per gallon in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The carnage was fairly evenly distributed between domestic and import brands, although full-size SUVs from Detroit automakers were particularly hard-hit. According to Autodata Corp., sales of the Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition dropped more than 50 percent, while the GMC Yukon and Hummer H2 were off 46 percent and 33 percent, respectively. The drastic decline in SUV demand pushed GM^s overall September sales down 24 percent, while Ford^s total vehicle sales dropped nearly 20 percent. But the domestics shared some of their pain.
Feds Urge Cell Phone Ban for Teen Drivers(9/24/2005)
Banning teenagers from using cell phones and other wireless devices while behind the wheel should be a national automotive safety priority, according to U.S. transportation safety officials. The National Transportation Safety Board put the proposed ban on its "most wanted" list of safety improvements for the coming year, Reuters reported on Wednesday. "Learning to drive and being distracted is a recipe for disaster," Mark Rosenker, the board^s acting chairman, said at a hearing in the U.S. capital. Highway crashes are the leading cause of death among 15- to 20-year-olds. From 1995 to 2004, about 64,000 young people were killed in traffic accidents. A survey released earlier this year found that cell phone usage among drivers between 16 and 24 increased to 8 percent in 2004, from 5 percent in 2002 and 3 percent in 2000.
The Senku - Japanese for ^Pioneer^ - is a four-seat coupe drawing on the sporting heritage of the Mazda name through the long-established success of the MX-5 convertible, which is now supported by the excellent RX-8 coupe. Both models provide exciting motoring at an affordable price, with the MX-5 range starting at £15,000, and the RX-8 at just over £20,000. The Senku is the latest concept from Mazda following the debut of the exciting Sassou at last month^s Frankfurt Motor Show. With the wheels close to the front and rear extremities, the Senku^s sleek body is designed to float above its large tyres.
For those looking for something a little different to Land Rover^s class leading Freelander, then the Mitsubishi Outlander is a viable alternative at an attractive price. Although the current Outlander lags slightly behind its rival in overall refinement and driving pleasure, a revamped model is to be launched at the forthcoming Tokyo Motor Show, and although initially for the Japanese market, expect the striking new Outlander to be heading to the UK in the near future.
Saturn introduced its 2006 Vue Red Line here at the 2005 California International Auto Show, with some key upgrades inside and out. The most evident appearance change is a new face with a revised grille that^s said to be inspired by the upcoming Saturn Sky roadster and Aura sedan. Styling elements of Saturn^s new corporate face include a chrome bar with integrated logo. The 2006 Vue Red Line also gets a new rear fascia and 360-degree, body-color ground effects. The 2006 Vue Red Line continues to be powered by a 3.5-liter V6 rated at 250 horsepower. It will be joined next year by an all-new Saturn Vue Green Line series — with a gas-electric hybrid powertrain.
Bentley waited until the hubbub surrounding the frenzied Frankfurt Motor Show died down before it announced details of a new convertible based on the Continental GT coupe, to be called the Continental GTC. It may appear odd that Bentley is to make two distinct convertible ranges, with the new GTC lining up alongside the recently announced Azure. However, the Azure is based on the aging Arnage platform and is more about glamour and, let^s face it, an ostentatious show of wealth. The Continental GTC still lets the world know you have a bob or two, but is much more modern than the Azure and will appeal to ^new money^, of which there appears to be plenty.
The current Impreza doesn^t split opinion quite as much, with distinctive styling thanks to its frameless windows and shapely light clusters, with full on in your face rally replica breeding reserved for the WRX models. The new Impreza looks like a clean evolution of the current car. Its biggest change is to the nose, where Subaru^s new corporate grille/moustache is grafted on. Thankfully the grille is in body colour on the Impreza so it doesn^t offend like the chrome offering on its big SUV brother. Along with the snout come slick new headlights similar to the Legacy^s, and restyled (but not reshaped) rear lights.
When Lamborghini showed us the Concept-S concept car at the Geneva Motor Show in March we knew that it was a preview to a new production open-top version of the Gallardo. It was never likely that the double cockpit design of the concept would make it into the production car, but the new car, which made its debut in Frankfurt, is no less dramatic. Even with the roof down, the Gallardo Spyder can apparently top 191mph, with a few more miles per hour possible with the roof locked in place. More importantly, the Spyder dispatches the 0-62mph sprint in a savage 4.3 seconds thanks to its upgraded 5-litre V10 engine now putting out 520bhp at 8,000rpm (up 20bhp from the current Gallardo, though that car is to receive the same upgrade). The six-speed manual from the coupe is standard, though featuring lower gearing. As on the coupe, drive is to all four wheels.