Inside The Mind Of An Automotive Geek
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Bigger Asian Auto Markets Soon
According to a recent study conducted by J.D. Power and Associates, the Asia Pacific region's auto market will be growing considerably in the near future that it will become the largest market in the world before the turn of the decade. According to the report from J.D. Power and Associates, the Asia Pacific Region's car sales will eclipse that of Europe by 2009.
By that time, it is estimated that 23 million cars and light trucks will be sold in the region compared to the 22.7 million sales prediction for Europe. Surprised? If you have been following news in the auto industry lately, I'm sure you will not be surprised with this prediction.
The Asia Pacific region, if you're not aware is where the second and the third largest auto markets are found. China is the second largest and it is still growing and Japan is the third although it is showing some signs of slowing down. But the growth of the Chinese auto market is enough to offset the decline of the Japanese auto market as this study shows. Aside from these two countries, other markets in the region is still developing and is yet to reach their peak, late bloomers you can call them.
India's auto market is booming as evidenced by the hordes of automakers expanding their operation in the said country. Nissan, General Motors. Ford, Volkswagen, Toyota, they are all taking stocks in the growing Indian auto market. Aside from that country, the Southeast Asian nations are also becoming a solid market for automakers. Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines may be minor markets but combined, they give automakers a place where they can market their cars as well as low-cost production areas. Korea, the home of Kia and Hyundai is also a growing market that is yet to reach its peak even with two world renowned automakers based in the country. Malaysia may be showing signs of slowing down too just like Japan but with the upcoming deal between Proton and Volkswagen, it will be a good production base for the European automaker.
Jeff Schuster, executive director of forecasting at J.D. said: "Clearly, global sales growth in 2007 and into the future is being driven by strong demand in Asia's two major developing markets, China and India, while sales in other regions are moderate. Steadily rising incomes in the Asia Pacific region will make vehicle ownership possible for more consumers in those areas, and we expect China and India to remain the forces that drive future global growth."
New Land Speed Record Set By “Rocket Ranger” Pickup!
SPAL USA, the leading manufacturer of ISO 9001-certified and TS16949-certified OEM and aftermarket automotive products, has set a new land speed record! SPAL USA’s “Rocket Ranger” pickup driven by Hypermax Engineering’s Max Lagod grabbed the crown of the World’s Fastest Diesel Pickup Truck last August 11-17, 2007 at the Bonneville Salt Flats Speed Week! Actually, I read this news just yesterday morning from TheAutoChannel.com, just days after the record-breaking day.
An average speed of 215.091 was pulled off by the Rocket Ranger beating the old record of 213. 583 miles per hour in the “C/Diesel Truck” - almost two miles faster than the previous one! The ground-breaking new record was recognized by the Southern California Timing Association /Bonneville Nationals Inc.
Six years ago, Ford was approached by SPAL USA with their Rocket Ranger concept. Ford was delighted and gave their support by giving a stock Ford Ranger pickup. The Rocket Ranger is boosted with a Ford Powerstroke®/Imternational 6.0 diesel engine packed with Hypermax intercooled series turbochargers, Mach 7 performance module and injectors, a ZF 6-speed transmission and dual SPAL USA 12” high-performance cooling fans.
"The Bonneville Salt Flats is the ultimate proving ground to demonstrate the performance of our cooling fans and centrifugal blowers. We are thrilled to achieve this prestigious record, not only for SPAL USA, but also for Hypermax," says Heath Langenfeld, the sales and market manager for powersports of SPAL USA.
The "Rocket Ranger" was capable of beating and setting new land speed record in three different occasions. But the Rocket Ranger had some trouble building the back up run. All throughout the first back up run, a faulty piston required the team to change the truck's engine in Utah's 100-degree heat while on their second back-up run, an oil pump interfered.
"It came down to the 11th hour, but in the end the truck definitely had a record-breaking performance," said Lagod. "It was so exciting to beat the existing land speed record to become a member of Bonneville's 200 mile-per- hour club with the 'Rocket Ranger'."
SPAL USA's "Rocket Ranger" came back to Bonneville to place a Powerstroke diesel engine for the first time that was used for a land speed record attempt in 2003. The truck achieved a highly regarded 222 miles-per-hour but was incapable of completing the back up run.
"Nothing comes easy at Bonneville. We are very proud of the work our dedicated team has put forth. This record breaking performance would not have been possible without the support of Hypermax, International Truck, Ford Motor Company, and Creative Werks Inc," says Mark
Kitlinski, the sales and market manager of bus & truck for SPAL USA.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Toyota And GM: Head To Head Battle In IntelliChoice.com Best Deals For August!
The battle between GM and
GM had a strong performance with the Chevrolet Silverado outperforming all of its competition in all full-size truck segments against
“The Chevy Silverado continues to show well in the face of stiff competition from
Here are the winners of IntelliChoice.com's “Best Deals” for August 2007 which are ranked by vehicle type and size:
Class Brand/Model
- Subcompact Car: MINI Cooper Hatchback
- Compact Car over 16000: Honda Civic Hybrid
- Compact Car under 16000: Honda Civic
- Midsize Car over 21000:
- Midsize Car under 21000:
- Convertible: MINI Cooper Convertible
- Luxury Convertible: Audi A4 Convertible
- Near Luxury Car: Lexus IS
- Luxury Car: Lexus ES
- Large Car:
- Base Sport Car: Honda Civic Si Coupe
- Sport Car: Chevrolet Corvette
- Sport Sedan/Wagon over 38000: Lexus GS Hybrid
- Sport Sedan/Wagon under 38000 Infiniti G35 Sport
- Small Wagon:
- Midsize/Large Wagon: Ford Focus Wagon
- Compact Utility/Crossover: Ford Escape Hybrid
- Midsize Crossover:
- Luxury Crossover: Lexus RX 400h
- Intermediate Utility: Hummer H3
- Full-Size Utility: GMC
- Luxury SUV: Lexus GX
- Compact Pickup Truck 2WD:
- Compact Pickup Truck 4WD:
- Full-Size Pickup Truck 2WD 1/2 Ton: Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Extended Cab 2WD
- Full-Size Pickup Truck 2WD 3/4 Ton: Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD Crew Cab 2WD
- Full-Size Pickup Truck 2WD One Ton: Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD Crew Cab 2WD
- Full-Size Pickup Truck 4WD 1/2 Ton: Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Regular Cab 4WD
- Full-Size Pickup Truck 4WD 3/4 Ton: Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD Crew Cab 4WD
- Full-Size Pickup Truck 4WD One Ton: Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD Crew Cab 4WD
- Minivan: Honda Odyssey Passenger Van
- Full-Size Van: Chevrolet Express 1500 Passenger Van
- Cargo Van: Chevrolet Uplander Cargo Van
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Cars.com’s August DealerADvantage LIVE Webinar
Calling all car dealers out there! This month is your chance to jump-start your new car sales! Why? Don’t ask me. You better check out Cars.com because they will provide a seminar called the DealerADvantage LIVE Webinar August edition!
Now is the right time for franchise dealers to improve their new-car sales by attending this one of a kind and helpful discussion! The August DealerADvantage LIVE Webinar series will concentrate on Internet strategies that dealers can apply to obtain progressive new car sales starting this month. Isn’t that a wonderful offer or what?
Based from the article that I read from TheAutoChannel.com, it will be an hour-long free event (Jump-Starting New Car Sales: Your Online Marketing Options) that will start on August 10, 2007 at noontime. So you better be there…
"With dealers nationwide confronted by a slump in the new-car market, we've focused this session on how to implement a comprehensive internet strategy that will help them drive more traffic to their stores and desk more deals. In addition to buying leads to supplement their business, successful dealers tell us they use their online advertising to list their new-car inventory and promote their new-car specials. This integrated approach allows them to minimize the impact of the current downturn and to generate more online traffic," said Dennis Galbraith, the vice president of dealer products and operations at Cars.com.
Cars.com training manager Kathy Kimmel will host a board of three franchise dealers who will discuss these matters:
- How to create a multifaceted new-car sales campaign online
- Where to find quality new-car leads
- Why it's important to market your new-car inventory through online listings
- Ways to promote your new-car specials with automotive shopping sites and on your store's website
- How to effectively work new-car prospects and drive even higher close rates
"It's time to talk about a comprehensive approach that combines the traditional quote-request process with inventory-based solutions," Galbraith said.
Since it was launched last September 2006, there are hundreds of franchise and independent dealers who participated in the DealerADvantage LIVE since Cars.com. Car dealers are not necessarily required to be Cars.com customers in order for them to join. Although it’s very easy to register, aspiring participant must download free WebEx software (http://www.webex.com/) to participate.
Furthermore, the DealerADvantage LIVE of Cars.com provides a comprehensive dealer training program. It will include in-market and web-based training workshops. For more details and inquiries, just visit http://dealers.cars.com/ live.
Archived webinars include topics such as:
- Right Car, Right Price, Right Profit: Maintaining Gross on Internet Sales
- Driving Sales with Certified
- Measuring Your Online ROI
- Put Display Advertising to Work
- Managing Leads: Strategies to Close More Sales
- Picture More Sales with Multiple Photos
Monday, August 6, 2007
The Used And New Fuel Efficient Rides!
All of us are facing and experiencing fuel crisis today and all we want is the best answer to this kind of situation. So what can we do about this? In our own little way, we can help ourselves in case you didn't know! How? The answer is easy - just pick a car that is fuel-efficient! That's right. Fuel efficient cars are the most practical vehicles that we should all be driving today! Take it from AIDA Affinity Partner NADAguides.com!AIADA Affinity Partner NADAguides.com has released their recently conducted study of vehicles on its website to further evaluate vehicles which have the highest fuel efficiency of all used and new cars they have listed. The results revealed that the most fuel-efficient vehicles arefrom Toyota and Honda. They topped NADAguides.com's fuel efficient car honors in both the new and used vehicle segments.
Here are the final and official results of AIDA and NADAguides.com's survey for the most fuel-efficient new and used cars:
New Cars with Best Fuel Mileage
(EPA Estimates and Base MSRP)
- 2007 Toyota Prius Hybrid – 51 Highway/60 City - $22,175
- 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid – 51 Highway/40 City - $22,600
- 2007 Toyota Corolla – 41 Highway/32 City - $14,305
- 2007 Toyota Yaris – 40 Highway/34 City - $11,150
- 2007 MINI Cooper – 40 Highway/32 City - $18,050
- 2007 Honda Civic Sedan – 40 Highway/30 City - $15,010
- 2007 Honda Civic Coupe – 40 Highway/30 City - $14,810
- 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid – 38 Highway/40 City - $26,200
- 2007 Honda Fit – 38 Highway/33 Cities - $13,850
- 2007 Kia Rio – 38 Highway/32 City - $10,770
Used Cars with Best Fuel Mileage
(EPA Estimates and Clean Retail Value, Base Models)
- 2000 Honda Insight Hybrid – 70 Highway/61 City - $8,025
- 2006 Toyota Prius Hybrid – 51 Highway/60 City - $21,775
- 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid – 51 Highway/49 City - $17,310
- 2004 Honda Civic – 51 Highway/48 City - $11,600
- 2002 Volkswagen Jetta Wagon – 50 Highway/42 City - $9,000
- 1998 Volkswagen Passat – 50 Highway/39 City - $5,400
- 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle – 49 Highway/42 City - $6,025
- 1999 Volkswagen New Golf – 49 Highway/42 City - $4,875
- 1998 Chevrolet Metro – 49 Highway/41 City - $2,175
- 1999 Volkswagen Jetta Sedan – 49 Highway/40 City - $4,275
There are other things vehicle clients can do – in addition to buying an economical car – that can mainly enhance a vehicle’s overall fuel efficiency, according to NADAguides.com.
Here are some tips from NADAguides.com on how to save fuel in a very simple way:
- reduce your speed
- drive at a consistent speed
- avoid abrupt stops and starts
- maintain adequate tire pressure
- lighten the load while driving
Friday, August 3, 2007
Left or Right, Does it Matter?
Early morning yesterday, while I was sitting on my backyard’s bench, watching over the vehicles passing by, a thought came out of my mind. In the streets of Detroit, even in the entire United States, why do all drivers keep their vehicles on the right lane of the road?Would it be because most people are right handed, making it convenient to manipulate the gear stick, adjust the radio or wrestle with the earphone of your hand-phone with your right hand, leaving all other tasks of steering on your left hand?
Well, if that is so, then the people in Japan are mostly left handed so what happens then?
The tradition of doing major tasks with the dominant hand leaves out two-thirds of the world’s population believing in several customs, which mostly are practically lacking valid reason and so it goes varying from country to country.
What would be happening if people got the choice on where the driver’s seat is settled? Would it be depending from person to person or would it jsut create more trouble? The worst scenario would be if drivers got the option to run their vehicles either sides - they’d probably be ending lifeless. The world would be very much unruly with this concept - vehicular accidents would be found everywhere. Frightening idea.
Youngsters die due to lack of care, road safety knowledge and enforcement of road rules. Well, that was just an “IF”. It’s good enough that laws have been made to protect the people and as much as possible prevent road accidents.
Being left- or right-handed doesn’t actually matter in driving, as long as you secure yourself with efficient application of safety precautions. This includes compliance in maintaining individual auto parts, preventing yourself from getting trapped in the middle of a street. Just like what happened to me, in my newbie era as a driver, not being conscious on checking over the parts of my vehicle. It was involving my Hyundai Scoupe radiator. I wasn’t able to check on it before I left home, so my engine suddenly overheated. It served as a lesson learned. Then, I’ve set simple rules for myself to prevent the-likes from happening. I even browsed the web for some basic tips.
Just to share, I also found this Traffic Safety Tips, discussing on the HOW’s and WHY’s on managing turn signals, passing safely, slow moving vehicles, allowing some space, right on red, the right of way, and traffic control signs and signals. They are basic, but still, some people fail to apply it. We know accidents would be greatly reduced, if people would be more careful, conscious and be complying with the rules.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
A Hybrid Porsche
We all know that German automaker Porsche is the maker of world renowned cars such as the 911. We also know that the carmaker will keep on churning out precision engineered cars designed not only to break the necks of onlookers but also to upstage any other car in a street race. Then came the Cayenne.
The Cayenne is not actually a bad thing - it just don’t fit right with Porsche’s image. Initial reaction to the SUV from consumers who have tried it though is very positive. For those interested in consumer reviews of the Cayenne, the 2006 model year version, you can check out this site. Here’s a sampler for you:
jloch of Sacramento, California says: “A great sporty package with good overall utility. A very-well engineered machine, feels bulky at times but sporty most of the time. The Cayman S has ample power, best-in-class handling, love the PASM feature, excellent cornering abilities. The S has a wonderful throaty exhaust sound and generates a few thumbs-up at stops signs and traffic lights.”
And then, the automaker once again surprised many by announcing that they will be producing a hybrid version of the SUV. Yup! You read that right, a hybrid Porsche is in the works. In fact, Porsche has already showcased the prototype that they have built. For images of the hybrid Porsche SUV, click here.
Well, for me, whether Porsche has an SUV on its lineup or not, it is still the maker of high performance cars that I’ve come to admire. And as to the presence of a hybrid version of the Cayenne? It’s all good. I mean, the extra power provided by the electric motor can only give the Cayenne better acceleration. Look at the Accord Hybrid - it may not have over-the-roof gas mileage but its performance is better than conventional Accords.
Furthermore, a hybrid SUV is no longer a rarity, with the Ford Escape Hybrid already making believers out of so many consumers, I really think that it is about time that Porsche came out with this hybrid Cayenne. Will I buy one? That depends if I can afford one actually. LOL. Kidding aside though, if I can afford it, why not? I mean it has the good capabilities of an SUV, the size, the off-road driving capability, and now something that I can show to Prius owners that I am also doing something for the environment, but unlike them, I’m doing it with style. LOL.
The Cayenne is not actually a bad thing - it just don’t fit right with Porsche’s image. Initial reaction to the SUV from consumers who have tried it though is very positive. For those interested in consumer reviews of the Cayenne, the 2006 model year version, you can check out this site. Here’s a sampler for you:
jloch of Sacramento, California says: “A great sporty package with good overall utility. A very-well engineered machine, feels bulky at times but sporty most of the time. The Cayman S has ample power, best-in-class handling, love the PASM feature, excellent cornering abilities. The S has a wonderful throaty exhaust sound and generates a few thumbs-up at stops signs and traffic lights.”
And then, the automaker once again surprised many by announcing that they will be producing a hybrid version of the SUV. Yup! You read that right, a hybrid Porsche is in the works. In fact, Porsche has already showcased the prototype that they have built. For images of the hybrid Porsche SUV, click here.
Well, for me, whether Porsche has an SUV on its lineup or not, it is still the maker of high performance cars that I’ve come to admire. And as to the presence of a hybrid version of the Cayenne? It’s all good. I mean, the extra power provided by the electric motor can only give the Cayenne better acceleration. Look at the Accord Hybrid - it may not have over-the-roof gas mileage but its performance is better than conventional Accords.
Furthermore, a hybrid SUV is no longer a rarity, with the Ford Escape Hybrid already making believers out of so many consumers, I really think that it is about time that Porsche came out with this hybrid Cayenne. Will I buy one? That depends if I can afford one actually. LOL. Kidding aside though, if I can afford it, why not? I mean it has the good capabilities of an SUV, the size, the off-road driving capability, and now something that I can show to Prius owners that I am also doing something for the environment, but unlike them, I’m doing it with style. LOL.
2007 Motorist Choice Awards Unveiled!
The leading online source for automotive ownership cost and value analysis, IntelliChoice.com and AutoPacific, the industry source for owner satisfaction rankings, has declared the ultimate winners for their second annual Motorist Choice Awards for model year 2007 last week! And guess what? Toyota and GM, the top giant automakers in the planet, emerged victorious during the said set of awards!
Eight Toyota cars scored high in their respective segments which include the ultimate Motorist Choice of The Year winner - the Lexus LS! On the other hand, GM trailed Toyota in second place with five GM car winners on their respective segments which include the Cadillac DTS and the GMC Yukon XL.
“This year’s roster of winners earned their place by challenging vehicles often recognized for their quality and value,” said James Bell, the publisher of IntelliChoice.com. “While Japanese manufacturers garnered a majority of the 25 vehicle segments, the 2007 Cadillac DTS checked in as the top overall large luxury car. GM also showed well by scoring top honors in both the large light-duty and heavy-duty truck segments with the Chevrolet Silverado.”
“Those who monitor the industry closely are probably not surprised by the performance of the Cadillac DTS,” said George Peterson, the president of AutoPacific. “Across all segments, the DTS came in a close second to the overall winner Lexus LS, and it was the top ranked vehicle overall in AutoPacific’s recently announced Vehicle Satisfaction Awards. It’s a car that can definitely challenge the other elite brands.”
Here are the 2007 Winners of the 25 individual segment awards:
SEGMENT - Winner
Aspirational Luxury Car - Lexus IS
Compact Car - Mazda3
Compact Crossover SUV - Chevrolet HHR
Compact Pickup - Toyota Tacoma
Compact Sport Utility/ORV - Toyota Tacoma
Economy Car - Honda Fit
Image Compact Car - Volkswagen GTi
Large Car - Toyota Avalon
Large Heavy Duty Pickup - Chevrolet Silverado HD
Large Light Duty Pickup - Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Large Luxury Car - Cadillac DTS
Large Sport Utility - GMC Yukon XL
Luxury Crossover SUV - Acura MDX
Luxury Mid-Size Car - Nissan Maxima
Luxury Sport Utility - Land Rover Range Rover
Sport Mid-Size Car - Volkswagen Jetta
Mid-Size Crossover SUV - Honda CR-V
Mid-Size Sport Utility - Toyota 4Runner
Minivan - Honda Odyssey
Premium Luxury Car - Lexus LS
Premium Mid-Size Car - Nissan Altima
Premium Mid-Size Crossover SUV - Nissan Murano
Premium Sports Car - Lexus SC
Sports Car - Porsche Boxster
Sporty Car - Scion tC
