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.

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.....

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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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.

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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.

BIG PAPI'S BENZ & OTHER HAPPENINGS IN AUTODOM

Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz watched his Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG go unsold on eBay recently. 18 bids came (and went) on the hi-lux coupe-convertible which had a smidgen over 4,000 miles on the odometer. Ortiz bought the car after the '04 BoSox World Series victory for $205K and then added around $35,000 in accessories. (Think stereo and wheels.) Reminds me of the time George Costanza tried to impress a potential lady friend with a 1986 Chrysler LeBaron convertible that once belonged to Jon Voight. Didn't work, especially since the real owner was John Voight; not Jon, and a leftover chewed pencil in the car didn't match the bite marks the real Jon Voight left on Kramer's arm. I digress. Perhaps high rollers who enjoy their AMG Mercedes' care little about the previous owner's slugging reputation. However, with 604 horsepower on board, the SL likely had little trouble getting Big Papi to Fenway and back home in record setting time......


In an effort to enhance the image of diesels in the United States, Volkswagen held a contest for the highest mileage diesel Volkswagen on the road. A verifiable 562,000-mile (899,200 km) Jetta, model year 1986, was brought forward by an Ohio man whose Jetta frequently achieved over 50mpg. Syl Schmid will now drive a Touareg V10 diesel for 6 months. As for the oldest VW diesel; it was a 1977 Rabbit from California.....




Nissan's upcoming Skyline GT-R, the first GT-R to be officially imported to North America, may come under tight resell restrictions. With a looooooong queue already forming and the obvious knowledge of higher second-hand values than new MSRP's, Nissan may announce beforehand that warranties on GT-R's will be voided if sold within the first year of ownership. Is this a case of Nissan attempting to scrounge all the money for itself? I doubt it. It's more likely a case of Nissan protecting prospective owners from paying $100K for a $70K car.....



In other Nissan news, a fuel-efficiency meter will eventually become standard equipment on all Nissan models. The gauge will start out in the Altima and Infiniti G35 as well as three Japanese market cars. Nissan studies have shown that people using prominent fuel-efficiency gauges will return up to 10% more efficient fuel economy. Nissan's gauge will show real-time and average efficiency, but Nissan reminds that results 'may vary based on individual driving style'.......


Pics have been released relative to the newest, best-selling Honda. The next Accord's V6 will punch out 273 bhp from a 3.5L engine. The new 4-cylinder will come in two states of tune, punching out 180-200 bhp. The hybrid is gone, but interior space specs now place the Accord in the EPA's large car category, with more space than either the Camry or the Fusion.


13,470 deaths occurred in the USA in 2006 because of crashes involving at least 1 car or motorcyle operator. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration thus plans an $11million campaign that'll run through Labour Day including thousands of police agencies and a slogan: "Drunk Driving. Over The Limit. Under Arrest." The operators who caused those 13,470 fatalities were all breathalyzed and showed Blood Alcohol Concentration levels over .08.

INSECT MORPHS WITH BEAUTIFUL CAR - Becomes Caparo T1

Two engineers who worked on the McLaren F1 under Gordon Murray's watch recently formed a company named Freestream. That company was swallowed by Caparo, and their vehicular idea is now a full-blown supercar known as the Caparo T1.


Its premise? To make use of light-weight tech to further the car's performance and lower its emissions and fuel economy. Weighing not much more than 500kg but still punching out over 500 horsepower, the T1 will be one of, if not the world's quickest automobile. Graham Halstead and Ben Scott-Geddes have a united desire to see the conversation around fuel cells, hybrids, ethanol, and electricity become a sidebar to the use of composites, a notch or three better than aluminum.



This wicked car looks good. Kind of like an insect morphing into a transportation device kind of way. These British boys are onto something, and the attention the company is garnering for itself bodes well for the future of all lightweight automobiles. Which is the whole point.


The GCBC Auto Olympics will return in no time at all.

WHAT'D YOU SAY? ISUZU? WHO?

You ever see the interview where Shaquille O'neal does this routine where he pretens he doesn't recognize the name Kobe Bryant? As a certain online dictionary puts it, "...O'Neal would refer to Bryant only as 'that guy', or 'the other guy'. When asked directly about Bryant, O'Neal typically would either feign ignorance as to who Bryant was, or simply act as if he had not heard the question."

The two won a bunch of titles together in the world's foremost basketball league. But Shaq seemed, for a while at least, to forget who Kobe really was. Kobe Bryant - who? I'm not familiar with that name.


Izuzu is one of the world's mass producers of trucks. Trucks that are used for waste disposal and other commercial enterprises, and pickup trucks that sell especially well in Africa and southern Asia.

North America was once a stable environment for Isuzu vehicles - meaning vehicles for personal use. Presently, there are no Isuzu cars; one Isuzu sport-utility vehicle; and one pickup truck sold in a couple configurations.

Toyota has a small stake in Isuzu, but General Motors portion fell drastically and then disappeared about as fast in this present decade from what was once 49%. Isuzu sold less than 30,000 vehicles in North America during 2004, and over 2/3rds of the total was made up by vehicles it had cancelled, the Rodeo and Axiom.

Canada once featured plenty of Saturn/Saab/Isuzu dealerships, but Isuzu left Canada behind in 2003. (Thanks for leaving, don't..... SLAM the door on your way out.) What's left to make up Isuzu's product lineup? Its SUV is a rebadged and regrilled Chevrolet Trailblazer. Which also means it's a GMC Envoy, and it was once an Oldsmobile Bravada (see yesterday's post here) and Buick Rainier.

The pickup is just another redo, but of the small Chevrolet and GMC; Colorado and Canyon. They call it the i. But they add some numbers to signify the engine capacity, i290 and i370. Such excitement. With that kind of showroom appeal, what can Isuzu do to improve? Well, perhaps because of their dwindling sales and the obvious need to find money in somebody's wallets, Isuzu has chosen the obvious route.

This is the interesting thing: when Chrysler can't sell cars, they put a wad of cash on the hood and call it Chrysler Employee Pricing. Everybody works for Chrysler, they say. When Chevrolet can't sell an aged large sedan, they add equipment; offer 0% financing rates; and lower the price.

But Isuzu wouldn't do that, no no no. Nobody wants to buy an Isuzu Ascender, therefore the obvious marketing tactic is a rising MSRP. Last year you could buy this Explorer/Pilot/Highlander/Trailblazer competitor for $26,694 in the USofA. For 2008 - $28,619. Sure, side airbags will now be standard. And your local Isuzu dealer will surely hang a handsome deal in front of your face.

But doesn't this strike you as a humourous headline? "2008 Isuzu Ascender Gets Price Hike" Stop the press. Pay attention. Behold and see. Be aware. On your toes. You can now buy a more expensive.... what was it again? Oh, right, an Isuzu. To paraphrase and twist the words of a giant, "I'm not familiar with that brand."

UPDATE YOURSELF WITH THE LATEST CAR TALK

As North American law enforcement loves the cheap and tough Ford Crown Victoria, so Europe (especially the UK) loves its Volvo V70. Volvo has just debuted its new cop car iteration based on the very new civilian V70. So much cooler than any Crown Vic. See GCBC's take on what cops should be driving by clicking here. .......

Chevrolet sells two different vehicles named Aveo in Canada and the USA. And I don't mean sedan and hatchback; although its true that both configurations are significant. But in reality, the sedan which is presently offered to North American customers is light-years ahead of the hatchback in terms of tech and engineering, not to mention exterior design. For Europe (and hopefully for us), a new Aveo hatchback was just introduced. The Korean-based product is features a much more aggressive Chevrolet face......

Kia wishes to further enhance its image, and the thrust toward sportiness will never be believed until a vehicle in sporty configuration debuts. At the forefront of Kia's design team is Peter Schreyer, once an Audi designer. He has been tasked with producing a stylish sporty coupe to build a foundation for sportier versions of Kia's mainstream automobiles. Says he: "I believe this concept car could be a 'landmark' vehicle in Kia's history and I wanted it to appeal to the widest possible audience. This design is not the result of self-indulgent design excess. It incorporates a host of elements that will become the new face of Kia right across our product range...." So far, only the profile of the sports cars appearance has been shown, but the whole car should be revealed at the Frankfurt auto show....

Chery, one of China's best-known automotive brands, is extending its reach into Iran. Up until recently, Chery was simply a partner of Chrysler and Fiat; but now it can be spoken of in association with Kerman Khodro and Iran Khodro. A subsidiary of Iran Khodro already builds old Peugeots and a Suzuki 4x4. In this $370 million deal are players Chery (30%), Iran Khodro (49%) and a Canadian group named Solitac, who'll posses 21% of the group. One of Chery's cars will be built at a plant in northern Iran owned by this agglomeration. Another Chery has a 4-month waiting list at present. The Chinese company also builds cars in Malaysia, Uruguay, and Egypt and builds cars for Chrysler and Fiat in China.....

Toyota's 8.7% stake in Subaru owner Fuji Heavy Industries may soon pay off for consumers. The two companies have a joint initiative to build a small and inexpensive sports car. Featuring Subaru hardware like a boxer engine and all-wheel drive, the sports car would still, most likely, wear a Toyota badge in Japan.....

Finally, J.D. Power's dependability study shows Lexus in a tie for first. With whom, might you ask? That'd be Buick. In fact, Cadillac; Mercury; and Honda rounded out the top five. Land Rover was the bottom-feeder. Remember, this study looks at 3-year old cars and the problems they've faced. Buick and Lexus were tied at 145 problems per 100 vehicles. Land Rover nearly hit 400 per 100. Oddly, two Oldsmobile's led their respective classes - minivan Silhouette and the SUV Bravada. Oldsmobile's death was announced when the Bravada debuted. The three Buick's which topped their categories are all out of production: Century, Park Avenue, and Rainier.

GOOD CAR CRAVINGS

The technology that allows you to read The Good Car Guy's view on every piece of automobilia that comes through his mind is the same piece of tech that sits at the computer repair shop. Anybody understands the reinstalling of TCP/IP protocols - please email.

For those of you who care not one whit about such things but care very much about the most beautiful, expensive, and powerful cars in the world, GCBC is supplying a taste. The Good Car Mother offered up a spiffy laptop to satisfy the yearnings of The Good Car Nation. Thanks be unto her.

Volkswagen owns the somewhat infamous, always famous Bugatti. Bugatti, after years of showing outrageous supercars with outrageous cylinder counts, actually produced an outrageous automobile. Four turbos aid an already immense 16-cylinder engine (configured in a W formation, if you care), which then feeds the power through a a 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox and on to all four wheels. A car - if you can call it that - like this Bugatti will forever be considered an immense waste of time and energy, but it will also continue to pose as an engineering feat unlike any other. 1000 horsepower, a hefty $1million+, and as much luxury as performance.



On the other hand, drop horsepower by a few... hundred, and shed a few pounds, and the still amazing driving experience can come to you by way of Porsche, Ferrari, and Pagani.

The Pagani Zonda, in all its permutations, is an ultra-exclusive supercar for the artistically-inclined rich. Horacio Pagani may equip his car with a simple Mercedes-Benz engine (ha!) but creates an interior which warrants as much attention as the wild exterior. A truly feelsome supercar.

Something that perhaps can't be said of Ferrari's Enzo. A paragon of performance; an aerodynamic tour-de-force, but perfect to the extent that the driver isn't as deeply entrenched in the experience as s/he would be with the Porsche or Pagani. The Enzo, named for the founder of the company, can hardly be considered a stylized option. Everything on this car contributes to ultimate lap-times. Strictly speaking, its ugliness has never hindered commercial success. Of the 399 or so Ferrari Enzo's which were sold, many of those which haven't been crashed are trading substantially above list price.

Porsche's entry into this class, the Carrera GT, is such a beauty. Just look at her, especially with the top off. Proportions... perfect. Engine noise... sublime. Interior simplicity and ergonomics... untouched by criticism. Clutch takeup? Horrible. However, once the Carrera GT gets moving, who cares about the clutch? Not I, my friend, not I. Over 600 horsepower out of the Porsche and Ferrari. And Pagani's slightly lower figured matter little, considering its light weight.



Videos via Youtube from evo, the best car magazines you can buy.

THE TOP GERMAN COUPE TRIO

It was just two weeks ago that GoodCarBadCar showed clips of the most sporting models from Germany's foremost luxury brands. Audi's RS4, Mercedes' C63 AMG, and the latest BMW M3. Only one of those vehicles is competing with two doors. Have you taken note of the configuration of Audi's latest hot ticket item, or Mercedes-Benz aging but still popular CLK? Just two doors. There's something romantic about the chopping off of doors.

While the siblings of sedans frequently suffer hot sales in their first model year, it is often the case that the practical merits of the sedan or the urge of everyone to buy a newer, more stylish model take over. For three German automakers, 100% of whom are on a presently successful tear, coupes offer increased profits while barely dipping into the coffers for extra R&D, certification processes, or name recognition.

The BMW 3-series is now available as a sedan, coupe, wagon, and as a hardtop convertible. BMW, with all its performance intelligence, chose to leave the option of a fixed roof coupe even though the convertible pulls the stunt pretty well. Why? Extra rigidity and weight savings lead to purer performance. The latest 3-series is just that: the latest - a part of BMW's long history of handsome and elegant two-doors. Cars which effect a great degree of envy and jealousy at 5 and 10 year high school reunions, but cars that are not unreachable for the common man. We all snarl at the driver when he cuts us off in his 335i, but we sure do wish we had his car.


Mercedes has offered up a refreshing new take on its CLK. The first generation was arguably a better-looking car; the newer model the better drive. Having been on the market for a while, though, AMG turned things up a notch or three and placed a CLK in Mercedes-Benz AMG's new Black Series. The result is basically an F1 safety car for the road. Rawer than most any recent Mercedes - AMG or not - the CLK63 AMG Black is a vicious device on the road and an excellent piece of machinery for the track. Unlike plenty of the high performance cars in today's garages, the Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black excels as a real-world driving tool; with great traction and a ride/handling compromise to handle whatever a road can throw at it.

Audi's is the most recent coupe introduction. The A5 and its one-up performance derivative, the S5, are what designer Walter da Silva calls his best design ever. While that isn't true, (he once penned some gorgeous Alfa Romeo's) the A5 is a looker. Obviously until there's an RS5, this Audi won't even come close to competing with the CLK Black, at least price wise. Which matters little, that Mercedes was so limited in its production that it would never make a dint in the sales of these two other coupes. The S5 utilizes Audi's common V8 with 354 horsepower. The A5's V6 has 89 fewer horses, but still holds plenty of juice.

FAMILIAL BATTLE - TOYOTA, LEXUS, MERCEDES-BENZ

Three of the most successful automotive manufacturers in the world offer too many choices. Except, come to think of it; it must not be such a surplus of choices, or else these three automakers wouldn't be so stinking successful.

One would think that producing two vehicles for the same express purpose would lead to money-losing operations. Why increase your manufacturing cost just to give customers two very similar options?

General Motors has always provided the North American market with a vast array of automobiles utilizing different grilles and badging. This could never be considered niche marketing. A Pontiac Sunfire was always the same as a Chevrolet Cavalier, just as the Cadillac Cimarron fooled nobody in terms of its true lineage - that of the Cavalier. Wasn't one of Oldsmobile's greatest problems that of its me-too vehicles? Why go to the staid old brand to buy a Bravada when you could already buy a Trailblazer, Envoy, Ascender, and Rainier?

Mercedes, Lexus, and Toyota are doing things differently. They're not producing family reunion fights between cousins (Trailblazer vs. Envoy) where close relations fight for sales with their unique 'extra grille bar' and 'professional-grade wheels' at different dealerships for the same price and with similarly annoying salespeople who don't even know what Toyota is. No, not at all.

Mercedes-Benz gives you three large people carrying vehicles. Working down from Supersize you start with the 3-row Mercedes-Benz GL, available in America with two V8's and a V6 diesel. The diesel is the most inexpensive option, at around $54,000 USD. There's another 3-row option at your M-B dealer, though. The R-class is also available with a diesel (the most expensive of the mainstream options) as well as the ubiquitous 3.5L V6. You're also permitted to forfeit the all-wheel drive option, mandating the 3.5L V6. Mercedes lists this R-class odd-duck-minivan-wagon-suv with..... all its sport utility vehicles, right below the wagon section.

Speaking of the wagon section, M-B makes a third row possible in the E-class as well and sells this car with all-wheel drive. And then, in the SUV where you may expect a third row, you don't get one. The M-class is available in diesel, V6, or V8 formats. Mercedes says it's designed to 'feel like a luxury sedan'.

I would've thought that to be true regarding the CLS550, and CLS63 AMG. After all, they are just more gorgeous E-class derivatives. Characteristics like four doors, sweeping bodywork, and a cozy interior convey a true grand touring sedan, do they not? Apparently not. The CLS is a coupe in Mercedes opinion. It is very much an E-class sedan, rebodied and tuned for slightly more sporting dynamics. The privilege costs an extra $8,000.

Lexus will sells you a cushy front-wheel drive sedan for $33,470. Along for the ride are 272 horses and enough shocks, springs, dampers and electronic doodads to make you forget about the world outside. For $3,215 less, Lexus will give you a sporty sedan and 68 fewer horses, along with the option to power all four wheels. Pay $2,235 more than the first cushy sedan and you'll get a car just like the second sedan, but with 102 more horsepower. The medium-powered; middle-priced; cushy sedan - ES350 - was and continues to be a true Lexus success story. The IS, both as the IS250 and IS350, are terrific cars still fighting for market share in a segment dominated by the BMW 3-series.

Lexus' parent Toyota, on the other hand, distinguishes its sedans quite clearly. Yaris, Corolla, Camry, Avalon. Tiny, small, normal, and large. Stick a true niche car like the Prius and a hauler like the Matrix in there, and you've got yourself a car lineup.

For sport-utes and crossovers, however, Toyota complicates things. The Japanese giant sells six of these vehicles in the USofA, and only one is stuck with two rows of seating. The four vehicles in the middle, with FJ Cruiser on the low end and Land Cruiser at the top, span the $20-40K range with 4-cylinders, V6's, and V8 powertrains. The rough and tumble 4Runner starts $365.00 above the more car-like Highlander. The Highlander is way more expensive than a base RAV4, but a typical six-cylinder all-wheel drive RAV4 is only $2915 less than the Highlander. Another rough and tumble ute, the Sequoia, starts just $1235 above a four-wheel drive V8 4Runner. Toyota's luxed-up Land Cruiser, however, is over $11,000 cheaper than its Lexus platformmate.

It all sounds odd, but only with specific individual examples is this strategy not working. As a whole, the world of car consumers want differentiation. Selling a better-looking E-class, called the CLS-class, may sound odd. Why not just make the E-class better-looking? But when some buyers don't want to stand out, others will crave the jealousy of their neighbours. And yet more will simply want the latest new 'thing'. Whether it's a black U2 iPod or a more beautiful Mercedes.

NEWS IN THE 4-WHEELED WORLD

Ford sales, down 19% this July. You're not surprised to hear bad news coming from Dearborn. A 22.3% plummet? That'd be General Motors, and that may surprise you somewhat. 22.3% lower than last July really sucks. The Chrysler Group mourns a measly 8% descent. Surprising you may be Toyota's triad, whose sales dropped for the first time since 2004. The Japanese monster's 3.5% drop seems like terrific news in light of the individual Toyota brand facing a 10% decrease in July vehicle sales. Mazda sold 3's at a 27% higher rate this July versus last. BMW and one of its old groupies, Ford-owned Land Rover, saw gains somewhere around 20%. The automotive industry put an average of $2,524 in incentives on the hood of cars at American dealerships in July.

What to take from this story: renaming the Five-Hundred with the 'hallowed' Taurus nameplate isn't rescuing Ford from financial ruin......


Germany's Manager Magazine says BMW, caretaker of British baby Mini, can't make money on the One, Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper D, their convertible equivalents, or the upcoming Clubman. But BMW's CFO had a great line, especially in light of Mini's soaring 18% improvement in the second quarter. Said Stefan Krause, "The only thing that is not mini about Mini is its profit." Right on, my German friend. GCBC just recommended your car......


One more thing about BMW. Audi, the one time runt of Germany's premium car litter, saw worldwide sales increase 9.8% in the first half of this year. Better news was found in the financial results, however. Profits rose 12.4%. BMW's recent struggle is increasing profits with its booming sales. All its investment into research - especially efforts to increase fuel efficiency - has decreased BMW's profit margins a whole 2% when comparing the first half of this year with the first half of 2006......




In Japan, the car that may become North America's Toyota Matrix has been equipped with a 3.5L V6. Punching out around 276 bhp (likely closer to 300) from a car the size of a Corolla is a wonderful thing. The Matrix has always been a GCBC recommendee, but can you image the fun you'd have in a better-looking Matrix/Vibe with that kind of power? Toyota calls the car the Blade Master G in Japan. Curious, that......


Ford could save a barrel of money by sticking with its own proposed plan for the next Fusion/Lincoln MKZ/Mazda6/Ford Edge/Mazda CX-7 & CX-9 et al. Base these vehicles on Ford of Europe's Mondeo. GCBC has rated the Mondeo favourably before......


Didn't you always want a Saab-badged Chevrolet Trailblazer? With a previous generation Corvette engine? 20 inch wheels and abysmal fuel economy? For $45,690 USD? Nope, neither did I. It's called the 9-7X Aero. If you see one, email goodcarbadcar@gmail.com. Take a pic if you can. That'd be a rare photo, indeed......


General Motors continues the methodology you just read about. Already applying stupid horsepower to cars few people care about at Saab, GM then puts its terrific 3.6L V6 into the Pontiac Torrent. Call it the Torrent GXP, place the same engine in the G6 coupe and sedan. Name them GXP as well, but detune them to the tune of -11 horsepower. What's up with that? Just make the cars good, and you won't need a re-shaped hood and super-chrome wheels, big exhaust tips and too much horsepower to sell your cars. Like you will do, Pontiac, with the G8. So hurry up with that car already......


Foreign brands outsold the three American-owned conglomerates in July. For the first time. Ever. In the 70's, General Motors; Ford; and Chrysler had 84 percent of the market. Last year they had 52%. In July of 2007, the once big 'Big Three' held just 48.1 percent. Sucks to be them.