While parent company Honda continues to bestow all of its hybrid technology on its Honda division vehicles, Acura is doing without any alternate engine sources to power their cars and SUVs. Instead, the division is relying on newer gasoline engines to promote fuel efficiency as well as to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Is Acura doing enough or is Honda’s luxury division missing the boat? Big changes are headed Acura’s way, changes that could enormously overhaul the brand and bring to the market vehicles powered by a variety of alternate fuel sources. Let’s examine exactly what might be Acura’s alternate powerplant offerings at the beginning of the next decade.
Diesel, Biodiesel – Honda got into the diesel market late, but the company’s first offerings are considered to be exceptionally good. Four cylinder powered diesel engines are being developed that will initially appear in select Honda model cars within the next two years. These new engines meet current EPA guidelines and raise the typical fuel mileage of each car by about 30%. Importantly, each engine will be able to run on biodiesel a renewable resource made of ingredients such as soybeans. Acura may get its own diesel aspirated engine soon after the launch of the first diesel powered Honda hits the market.
According to Bloomberg, at least two out of the Big 3 USA automakers are having serious problems this year. GM is estimated to show a sales increase in August over last year, but the primary cause is thought to be a significant shortage in inventory during 2005 rather than robust sales results this year. According to independent analysts, Ford’s sales will be down from 10% to 15% for the month of August compared to 2005, while Chrysler’s sales are estimated to be down anywhere from 8 to 15%. Both are experiencing significant declines for the entire year. Chrysler’s Jeep line of vehicles is experiencing a sizable downturn this year, which has to be troubling to Chrysler upper management!
The Jeep line historically has been somewhat of a pillar of sales strength for Chrysler, but 2006 is seeing an exception to this. According to Chrysler, sales of the Wrangler, Liberty, and Grand Cherokee are all down substantially from 2005. Chrysler reported that through July 31, 2006 year-to-date Wrangler sales were down 17%, Liberty sales were down 23% and Grand Cherokee sales were down 37% when compared to 2005 sales! Sales for July 2006 were down 32% for the Wrangler, 52% for the Liberty, and 58% for the Grand Cherokee. These are huge declines and one must wonder just what is fueling the drop. It has gotten bad enough that Chrysler has recently announced a big sale for their new Wrangler on September 1, 2006. See more details at www.automotive.com/features/90/auto-news/22878/index.html Can the huge decline in year-to-date sales for 2006 be due to Chrysler not significantly addressing fuel economy in its Jeep offerings? Are the latest Jeep additions, the Commander and Compass, eating into Grand Cherokee and Liberty sales? Are these drops to blame on last year’s huge incentive programs? Did Chrysler miss the mark with its new version of the Wrangler? Or is the Jeep name losing some of its trading power?
The power-assisted braking system provided in the Chrysler Crossfire is befitting to the performance level of the Chrysler. Undoubtedly, brakes and brake assistant system are important factor of a racing car like Crossfire. The brakes and brake assist system in the Chrysler Crossfire is appropriate for a racing car and also has set yardstick for others in the motor industry.
Following are some of the salient features of brake assist system used in the Chrysler Crossfire. The brake system of the crossfire has large diameter ventilated front discs and solid rear discs. The system is backed up by the highly sophisticated electronic wizards of Brake Assist System and ANS anti-lock.
Chrysler may be feeling some pain in the USA, but overseas they are realizing some excellent results. According to a Chrysler spokesperson, international sales are up 14 percent through August of 2006 with 15 straight months of month-to-month increases. The news is even better in Europe. Chrysler reported an increase of 35.6% in August 2006 compared with the performance from a year ago, and a sales increase of 15.5% for the year-to-date through August 2006. According to JATO Dynamics, a market information company, Jeep sales were up 25% in Europe through August compared to 2005, much of the increase due to the excellent performances of the new Grand Cherokee and Commander. These impressive sales results have made Chrysler the second fastest growing automotive group in Europe, second only to Fiat, and Chrysler predicts that international sales will account for 9% of total sales by 2007.
Looking at the sales numbers it stands to reason why the folks at Chrysler were excited about the unveiling of their production version of the two-door Jeep Wrangler and four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited for the first time in Europe at the recently held Paris Motor Show. The Paris Motor Show is a major event that is held every two years. It is a trend-setting showcase for the automotive industry around the world and it attracts participants from all corners of the globe. The newly demo’ed Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited models are powered by a new 2.8 liter diesel engine and feature a broad array of new off-road features. They will hit European dealer showrooms around April of 2006, and Chrysler feels they’ll be a big hit. Why shouldn’t we believe them? They seem to have an excellent grasp on the European market at the moment.
I mentioned in a related article that the first batch of Chinese built cars to be imported to the U.S. is only a few years away. In that article, I discussed Chery Automobiles and how the company has its designs on the American market, particularly in the entry level category. Well, now a second manufacturer – Geely Automotive Company – is also planning on bringing at least one model to the U.S. by 2008. Changes are in the wind, but lest you think that Detroit is the only one quivering don’t be fooled: Japan’s automakers and Korea’s automakers all must take notice of what is about to happen.
For certain, the U.S. automobile market is the most lucrative one in the world. It is also the largest with more than 17 million new vehicles sold annually. All automakers know that if you have a piece of the American market, you have a piece of big profits as long as what you are selling is what consumers want [Ford and GM, take notice].
Posted in Vehicles | Also tagged BMW, Chery, Chinese Cars, Ford, Geely, GM, honda, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, VW |
Full sized, rear wheel drive luxury is back in vogue. Thanks to the introduction of the Chrysler 300C, consumers have a choice that goes beyond the dated Lincoln Town Car or the expensive BMW 7 Series. With the release of the 300C, Chrysler is doing its part in revolutionizing full size car performance as the 300C is edgy, luxurious, and in the case of the SRT8 model, extremely fast. Read on to learn how you can maximize the performance of your Chrysler 300C SRT8 with a pair of trusty, potent aftermarket enhancements.
Three decades after the 300 designation was retired, Chrysler resurrected the 300 name and placed it on a shortened version of its big LH sedan. The 300M – as it was called — was praised for its smooth style and luxurious appointments, however the V6 powered, front wheel drive model failed to live up to the vaunted ancestry of the original 300 series built by Chrysler. Thus, the car was considered only a 300 in name, not in substance.
Toyota’s latest model is the subcompact Yaris, a replacement for the Echo and the newest entry level car for the division. Retailing for just under $11,000 the Yaris may impact the sales of another, slightly larger Toyota model. Is it the Corolla? No. How about the Matrix? No. The model I am thinking about is the Prius, Toyota’s compact hybrid hauler.
The whole idea of buying a hybrid car is to conserve fuel and save money, right? In part, that is a true statement. However, the price of a vehicle must also be factored in and the Yaris will be retailing for $10,000 less than the Prius. In addition, the Yaris is a real gas sipping car. EPA figures are showing that the Yaris will deliver 34 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. This compares to the 60 mpg city and 51 mpg highway for the Prius…and we all know that hybrid fuel economy figures are being widely attacked from all quarters for being vastly overstated.
Posted in Vehicles | Also tagged Buick, Dodge, Ford, General Motors, GM, hybrid cars, Jeep, Pontiac, prius, Toyota, Yaris |
The Chrysler Film Project is a film-based competition that focuses on the new emerging filmmakers in the U.S. by developing an original short film that features Chrysler branded vehicles along with Chrysler auto parts. Among the hundreds of entries, the judges narrowed down the selection and chose the five finalists that will continue their ultimate goal for a one million dollar movie production deal courtesy of Chrysler Motors and Silverwood Films.
David Rooney, Chrysler Brand Marketing and Communications Director, said, “At Chrysler, we are committed to inspiration and we are pleased at this opportunity to bring a new talent to a wider audience. The Chrysler Film Project illustrates how mainstream brands can directly impact the arts and bring inspiration to life.”
Ford was the first of the Big Three American car makers to introduce a car that would bring them back to a time when they were one of the leaders in the automotive world. Chrysler has announced that they plan to be the next and GM has unveiled plans for a retro vehicle as well. Ford had initially done this retro thing via the Ford Thunderbird but that was not considered a “muscle car” back in the muscle car era. Chrysler has brought back the Charger name but it looks nothing like the Dodge Charger of the late 60’s and early 70’s. GM brought back the GTO name but once again, it looked nothing like the previous GTO’s.
Ford was the first to bring a car back that actually looks like a past model in the Mustang. The new Mustangs resemble a pervious Mustang from the muscle car era. Chrysler followed suit with their announcement of bringing back the Challenger, which in my opinion looks more like the Challenger than the Mustang does. Not wanting to be left out, GM has announced they plan to bring back the Camaro. Their Camaro very much resembles the 69 Camaro which was and still is a very popular body style amongst Camaro enthusiasts. I still think the Challenger most resembles its intended target.
Blogs, car sites, and auto shows have been hyping up the concept Dodge Challenger to the point where you would think that the car is almost ready to roll off of a DCX assembly line. To say that the prototype is being well received is an understatement — quite frankly if the Challenger was available for sale today the waiting list would be many months long. Such is the demand for a retro car that takes its styling cues right from the ‘71 Challenger.
As it currently stands, the car will be built as DaimlerChrysler has given its blessing to the new Challenger. Still, the Challenger is more than three years from being manufactured as it is likely to be released some time during 2009 as a 2010 model. Yes, the wait will be hard for many, but if the hype equals the performance, then the wait will certainly be worth your while.
An oxygen sensor plays a critical part in reducing deadly emissions from your vehicle. Like any part your Honda’s oxygen sensor will age and wear out, therefore it must be replaced or your car will be found spewing noxious fumes into the atmosphere. You can take charge and replace the part, but you must be careful to find a product that meets rigorous standards and is built to last. Not just any oxygen sensor should be placed in your Honda vehicle, so let’s look at some of the requirements for a good replacement part.
Bosch oxygen sensors are considered to be amongst the finest ones in the industry, particularly since Bosch brought the first ones to market in 1976. Bosch’s product is considered to be the benchmark for Honda oxygen sensors, BMW oxygen sensors, and for others found in vehicles throughout America. Indeed, their product meets OEM [original equipment manufacturer] requirements on a wide variety of vehicles.
The Paris Motor Show is soon going to open and all people interested in meeting the best of the best vehicles there is would sure be running towards that mentioned grand event. And the manufacturer of superb Chrysler parts has announced its own share of vehicles that would be gracing the mentioned auto show.
According to the Chrysler Group, they would be sending out two new vehicles for the Paris Motor Show. One would be the all new Jeep Wrangler while the other one would be the Dodge Avenger. And as per the latter, Chrysler even further says that this new vehicle actually is soon going to be marketed as a brand new saloon vehicle and it would be coming to the United Kingdom’s market come the middle of 2007.
Since 1955, there have already been many vehicles that have used the name Chrysler 300. Yet, for the very purpose of this article, the Chrysler 300 would be referring to the present vehicle, the luxury car that is running under the Chrysler brand. This modern vehicle has been rolling on the streets since the year 1999.
During its introduction back in 1999, the Chrysler 300 sported a front wheel drive system. It also held a V6 engine as its power source. It was then built on the LH platform from Chrysler. Going back to history, one could say that this vehicle had replaced the Eagle Vision and the Chrysler 300 has perfectly fit the niche that the Eagle Vision had vacated.
If you take extended trips away from home, one of your concerns is the care and protection of your car while away. Unless it is garaged, it is subject to damaging rays from the sun, bug splatter, bird droppings, falling branches, nicks, scrapes, and more. Upon returning from your trip the damage is evident and not easily reversed. You can prevent problems in the first place by installing a custom fit car cover to protect your investment. Not all car covers are created equal, so here are some things you should consider before making your purchase.
Car covers are basically all the same, right? Absolutely not! There are car covers which are anything from what is essentially a loose fitting tarp to those like the BMW car cover which are custom designed for the particular make and model of the car. A loose fitting car cover can actually cause more problems than it can help as unwelcome moisture, debris, and harmful UV rays will still be able to get in.
German premier automotive maker BMW continues to maintain its hold as the top selling luxury auto brand in the world. Battling with archrival Mercedes-Benz year in and year out for the highest laurels, BMW continues to constantly tweak its existing line and add new vehicles to its line in a bid to stimulate and strengthen customer interest. One area where BMW has found much of its recent success is with its race car inspired line of vehicles, the M Series. Since 1979 various Motorsports [M} tags have been affixed to vehicles that have been developed by the BMW Motorsports division, including the BMW M3 a car based on BMW’s popular 3 Series. Today, BMW engineers are hard at work on developing an all new BMW M3 and, if all of the auto buzz is correct, very few cars will be able to keep up with this 400 hp road commander. Please keep reading for a closer look at the all new, soon to be released, BMW M3.
A pitched battle in autodom continues to gather force pitting German automaker against German automaker. Legendary Mercedes-Benz is taking on heralded BMW for the right to call themselves the top selling luxury brand in the world. For years, the honor belonged exclusively to Mercedes-Benz, but a recent stumble on Mercedes’ part coupled with a surge of new products from BMW has placed BMW in first place. Not far behind the two is Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota, but for now the battle remains a fight between these two German automakers.