THE RUSSIAN CAMRY

Oh, America moans and groans and protests when Vladimir Putin exercizes far-reaching authority in Russia. True, Russia isn't a big fan of American fighter jets escorting planes away from Alaska and back toward Russia. Admittedly, there have been some tension-filled issues between the two powers over the last 10; 20.... OK, 50 years. 

But a new Russia is emerging. A Russia with McDonald's, soaring wealth, vast oil production, and Toyota Camry manufacturing?

This is starting to sound like middle America. Hey, after all, what's more American than a Big Mac spilling its contents on the cloth seats of an '01 Camry?  

Russians pay for their Camry privileges. The advent of St. Petersburg Toyota production will bring prices down 9% but the Russian Camry will still sticker around the equivalent of $33,000 USD. The northwestern Russian plant won't build more than 20,000 Camrys at first. As in America, expect heady acceleration toward 200,000 per annum.

CHRYSLER UK RETHINKS ITS BUSINESS

Simon Elliott, the boss at Chrysler's UK branch, wants something better. Since returning to the UK after a couple years managing Chrysler's operations in China, Elliott has seen the dreadful numbers. Chrysler sales dropped 21% in the UK last year and Jeep sales dropped 9% over the same period. Though Dodge sales jumped dramatically, Elliott predicts an absence of growth from the Ram-badged brand this year. Yikes.

So, says, the boss, "We currently have 21 models across three brands and I would like to see that dramatically reduced over the next 12 months." Ya think? Chrysler brass is talking about this (and acting on it) on our side of the pond as well.  

Chrysler UK has 83 dealers, too. If that sounds like too much to you, Elliott disagrees. He just wants dealers to carry the cars that'll sell well in their region, rather than filling their lots with every single model. Sounds so revolutionary.  Wow. Dealer profitability is quite low or nonexistent. As some give up and, as Simon Elliott says, "lose their appetite for us", Chrysler wants to recruit new enterprises to keep the number up around 83.  

It might help Chrysler if some of the cars for sale were appealing to Europeans. 

FORD, POLAND & THE GLOBAL ECONOMY

Get this: Ford Motor Company is an American automotive production business. The Ka is a small car, two sizes down from the Focus, that this American company does not sell in the United States but does offer to most of the rest of the world. 

With this American background, you'd expect to hear lots about dollars and cents. But in Ford's latest announcement, the Polish nature necessitated euros rather than dollars. Poland? Well, sorta. The plant was actually owned by an Italian conglomerate.

Here's the business. Tychy, Poland is a former Fiat site at which Ford will thrust 94 million euros. For what reason? Ford wants to manufacture over 120,000 Kas per at the site. Remember this as well: the new Ka will share a basic foundation with Fiat's impressive and attention-grabbing 500. 

The global connections are mind boggling.

CHEVROLET HAS HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR THE TRAVERSE

Badge engineering, the forming of multiple automobiles from the same foundation while adjusting the fascias and switching the logo, is alive and well. Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute, Mercury Mariner? How 'bout the Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5? 

Not surprisingly, the most prominent badges often steal the sales. General Motors' impressive Lambda platform has played host to a trio of successful crossover utes. At the high end, Buick's Enclave is a seller; plus it has earned favour right here at GoodCarBadCar. The Saturn Outlook is the garden-variety Lambda from the brand that promises something different. At present, General Motors' trucking badge, GMC, sits on the front of the Acadia, a vehicle that GoodCarBadCar named one of the Top 5 Cars the Police Should Be Driving.

The trio of Lambda CUVs will soon become a quartet. Typically, adding members to your band is a surefire bet for increasing tension and messing with the harmonies. Imagine what happens when the fourth and latest member is intended to be the lead singer and main spokesperson. Chevrolet wants its Traverse to eventually sell 150,000 units per year. That's about what the Enclave, Outlook, and Acadia sell. Combined. 

Is the Traverse able to attract the attention and hype to overwhelm its brethren in sales? More than likely, the Traverse will drive down the road with exactly the same mannerisms as the former trio. Features and content won't measure up to the Enclave, nor will the exterior appearance. However, the Chevrolet Traverse will be the most affordable CUV from the Lambda platform. Cheap is good.

BHP FIGURES TO JAR YOU

Yesterday, The Good Car Guy showcased three nice vehicles with shockingly large vehicles. Volkswagen's Passat Wagon, Toyota's full-size SUV, and Mercedes-Benz' entry-level car in Canada are all potential budget busters, even if the original MSRP failed to frighten. 

Today, frighten is a key word. Nissan's GT-R is a wickedly fast supercoupe with Porsche Turbo-baiting laptimes and a Corvette-worrying pricetag. With all-wheel drive, a mean&nasty exterior, and immense levels of technology; the traditional high-end coupe sellers had reason to worry. Then the Nissan took to the track and began roasting opponents; turning the favourites into underdogs. MotorTrend decided to find out exactly why the GT-R could pull crazy stunts beyond its supposed ability. Why does the GT-R punch above its weight?

Though the Nissan will continue to forever punch above its $$$ figure weightclass, its power figures now show an embarrassment of riches. We had been told the GT-R utilized a twin-turbo V6 to generate 480 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. By independently testing the GT-R on a dyno, MotorTrend (with K&N Engineering's help) discovered that the Nissan brute is making at least 506 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. 

$$$ FIGURES TO JAR YOU

Hey Canada, go and build your Volkswagen Passat Wagon at www.VW.ca and choose the 3.6L V6. Now you've got plenty of power, all-wheel drive, and not a little luxury. Add navi, rear side airbags, one $3,000 package, freight and PDI, and you're looking at ......... $52,160. It's a Volkswagen; a very nice Volkswagen. But it's a midsize Volkswagen. It may even be worth it. But again, $52,160 jars my liver.

Venture over to www.Toyota.ca. Though you may think your interest in gas-guzzlers is fleeting, the Toyota Sequoia seems plenty nice, doesn't it? With a 5.7L V8 in Platinum trim? It'll cost ya'. $59,900 is only the start. Add your "Green Levy" at $2,000; freight and PDI at $1,390; and another $115 for air-con and tire taxes, and you've got yourself a bill. $63,405 increases to $71,647 with HST in a place like Nova Scotia. How does a lease payment of $1,213 sound with $2,455 due at delivery? 

Mercedes-Benz and 'entry level' seem oxymoronic. But the B-class starts below $30K. True, 134bhp isn't exactly smokin', but the B200 is a very practical family vehicle. Then again, equipping the B200 in genuine Benz fashion necessitates over $5,000 in options and $890 for a good shade of red paint. It'd be nice to try Mercedes' Continuously Variable Transmission and - hello - this is Canada, you need heated seats. That's another couple grand. If your kids are going to ride around in the backseat of a Benz, they'll feel silly without a sunroof. The panoramic version from Mercedes costs, however. $1,600 down the tubes. You're $29,900 Mercedes-Benz turned into a $39,515. Sorry, that's life.

DRIVE AN AUDI R8 FOR 1 WEEK

Earlier today The Good Car Guy posted a Kijiji Find. And what a find; a slightly used Audi R8 at a price significantly higher than the base MSRP. An email just arrived at GoodCarBadCar about an opportunity to win an Audi R8.... for a week. How could this privilege be a part of your life? By test-driving another Audi, of course, and being entered in a draw, obviously. The A3, A4, A5, A6, A8, TT, and Q7 form the complete Audi showcase in Canada (where this specific offer resides). 

Says the ad: "There's no better time to buy an Audi. First month's payment FREE. Security deposit waived." Why don't you read it for yourself? Here's the link. Have fun. 

HIGHWAY FUEL ECONOMY - by the Numbers

According to CNNMoney.com, here are some numbers we should all be keeping in mind as fuel prices climb. And climb. And climb. Do you wanna be responsible with your cash? Can you manage making a one hour trip a 70 minute trip, if need be? It'll be a struggle, but these numbers might convince you. You can check out other Fuel-oriented articles here or check out the GCBC Numbers here.

-----

40 - percentage of energy wasted by your vehicle just "pushing air" around at highway speeds

4 - fewer miles per gallon your vehicle (and we mean pretty much any vehicle) will travel for every 10 extra miles per hour you manage

0.54 - equivalent extra cents per gallon you 'pay' for every 10mph over 60mph

28 - a vehicle that achieves this kind of mpg at 65mph would achieve just 24mpg at 75mph

3.6 - number of gallons required by the 28mpg vehicle for every 100 miles driven

1.93 - extra money, with gas at $3.25/g, required to drive the same car at 75mph rather than 65mph, using an extra 0.6g

30 - mpg of a Toyota Camry at 75mph rather than the 35mpg it achieved at 65mph, according to Consumer Reports

18 - mpg of a Mercury Mountaineer at 75mph rather than the 21mpg it achieved at 65mph

6.19 - extra dollars spent by the Camry owner when driving at 75mph rather than 65mph over a 400-mile road trip; or $10.32 for the Mountaineer

50 - minutes saved by driving at 75 rather than 65mph over the same 400 miles

evo LAPTIMES FROM CADWELL PARK

Blasts from the past dig deep into your being. Even as the National Hockey League comes closer and closer to total parity - where any of the 16 playoff teams could feasibly win the Stanley Cup and the wealthiest franchise in the league is on the verge of missing the playoffs for the third straight season - I tell my hockey addict friend that I have a yearning for the good ol' days of dominance. "Remember when we were kids and teams clinched their playoff spot? It wasn't a few games shy of the season end." I want a blast from the past. 

When an iPod was a Sony Walkman. When cranking a manual window lever required great effort and built up my forearms. Ah.... when the hot hatchback was not just hot; but wild. evo, a Brit car mag looks back to the hot hatch past more than just about anybody I know. Contrasting an all-time great with some newer and smaller hatchbacks may not be obvious, but it looks fun. And fast. Cars involved included the sub-Saturn Astra, aka Vauxhall Corsa; the successor to another all-time great, the Renaultsport Clio 197 Cup; and the predecessor of the Ford Verve/Fiesta. Oh, and the Lance Delta Integrale. Here are evo's laptimes from the Woodland Circuit at Cadwell Park. Other evo-related posts are available here.

-----

Vauxhall Corsa VXR 888 .... 53.3 seconds

Renault Clio 197 Cup .......... 54.1 seconds

Ford Fiesta ST185 ............... 55.5 seconds

Lance Delta Integrale Evo .... 55.8 seconds

evo's Jethro Bovingdon concludes: "If you're looking for a new car, then the Fiesta just gets our vote. Maybe what we really need is a car with the indulgence of the ST, the control of the Cup, and the performance of the 888. If it could have even a tenth of the character and sense of occasion of the Integrale then we'd really have a new hero."

evo.co.uk

AGAIN, QUESTIONS FOR THE GOOD CAR GUY

Although this site, GoodCarBadCar, can be searched at the top left of the page and at the very bottom, some people prefer to 'ask'. Not a bad choice altogether since The Good Car Guy is here to help. So, let's get it on.

-----

HOW MUCH DID THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY PAY FOR JAGUAR? That depends on your degree of gentleness. In 1989 Ford paid $2.5B for Sir William Lyons faltering brand. If you'd rather Ford be embarrassed, figure it the way The Good Car Guy did the day of Ford's sale of Jaguar to Tata Motors. Click here. 

HOW DO YOU MAKE CARS FOR THE MAFIA? This is a difficult one. You're either expecting a lot of The Good Car Guy or you work for an automaker that lacks a dynamic, bad-boy rear-wheel driver. (Yes, I'm talking to you Ford.) I have to admit my inability to delve into the mechanical and electrical makeup of a perfect Mafia car. On the other hand, one of GoodCarBadCar's most popular articles is the Top 5 Cars for Mafia Dons and Yakuza Kumichos.  In other words, cars like the Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman and the Chrysler 300 SRT8 cut the mustard.

See all Question and Answer posts by clicking this link

HOW MUCH ARE PEOPLE PAYING FOR 2007 HONDA CR-Vs? A 1-year old Honda is not a very used car, no matter how used it is. Toyota and Honda have carved out a gigantic niche for themselves in which consumers are commonly willing to pay the full MSRP for a new car while the second-hand customers feel strongly that paying top dollar for a used ToyoHonda will pay off in the long run. The old adage about vehicles losing huge chunks of their value as soon as they're driven off the lot doesn't really apply with the CR-V. With a quick look through AutoTrader in the USA and Canada as well as Kijiji, it's quite clear that American customers will pay from about $20K into the low $20Ks. Yes, that's about where CR-Vs start when new, but few would have been purchased without upgrades. Even with the base Canadian MSRP of a new CR-V being significantly under $30,000, there are plenty of 2007 CR-Vs in Ontario for more than $30,000. The CR-V ranked #2 on GoodCarBadCar's list of the best small SUVs and crossovers.

CADILLAC RECALL

Driving a brand new Cadillac STS-v? We all know you've got 469 horsepower to git yourself to the dealer before your tire-pressure monitoring system fails. Don't mock: these systems are a terrific invention; for safety and convenience. 

In fact, the regular STS is under the recall, too. That makes it about 4,600 cars.

'GENERAL MOTORS ACCESSORIES' SHOWS OFF

Options and accessories are the easiest way for automakers to make money. The years and millions of $ that go in to researching and developing a vehicle - especially a car that may not sell for top dollar - can strip away much of the profit; even when sales number in the hundreds of thousands. Thus, accessorize. For instance, as if Porsche doesn't make enough coin already, they'll charge you $2,100 USD for a sport exhaust system on a base Porsche Boxster. Accessories reek of profits.

So how does it all take place? Here's a clip from General Motors of their own head of Global Accessories Design, Larry Sully, in the studio. Plus, a look at the new Camaro; a very good thing.

$2.7B + $2.5B = $2.3B? FORD SELLS UP

It's official....aly depressing for Ford's accountants. Tata, a gigantic Indian industrial conglomerate, has purchased two historic and evocative British automotive brands from Ford Motor Company.

Ford paid $2,500,000,000 for Jaguar back in 1989. Ford paid $2,700,000,000 for Land Rover in 2000. With an approximate inflation adjustment, Ford's $2.5B into Jaguar works out to around $4.3B now, and the $2.7B it cost Ford to snag Land Rover from BMW works out to about $3.3B now. Ish.

See previous posts on the matter here

So if you want to make Ford look really, really, really bad, figure the math like this: Ford paid $7,600,000,000 for Jaguar and Land Rover and sold the two as a set for $2,300,000,000. Ford's beancounters say, "Umph!" Ratan Tata says, "Result."

Ford is even going to contribute $600,000,000 to employee pension funds. Thankfully, Tata is leaning towards maintaining the current workforce level in the UK of 15,300 workers. 

As of 9:17am EST, Ford's "Global Sites" still included Jaguar and Land Rover. Who knows, they could be there for a while. Awkward. 

A SUBURBAN OF NOTE

Driving in Mexico presents a completely different set of potential scenarios that you wouldn't encounter across the Rio Grande or above the 49th parallel. Two 6-week trips spent mainly in the state of Nayarit provided the sort of 'driver training' never offered by my high school or Young Drivers of Canada. An acquaintance of mine drives an '02 Chevrolet Suburban - a favourite of Mexicans who need space and ability - and he drives it well. 

Three things of note in the picture below: though 140km/h won't strike Chevrolet Corvette owners as 'heady progress', the tachometer reading of around 2100rpm manifests the ability of Suburbans and Yukon XLs to manage long distance travel. Also, have a look at the fuel gauge. You won't see many Suburbans cruising at this speed with a full tank. Finally, look behind the camera.  Oh, right... sorry - you can't see that direction. But can you guess the profession of the driver?

smart IS SELLING EVERYWHERE

Roger Penske, Mercedes-Benz' chosen importer for their smart fortwo city car, sounds very excited about the long-term prospects for the 2-seater in America. After all, if the car succeeds outside of cities, it clearly points to a lack of fear in terms of highway driving; sitting beside 18-wheelers on the interstate; and enduring long trips. These are issues which hundreds of thousands of buyers across the world have ovcrcome; most recently in Canada.  

To read more smart-related posts from The Good Car Guy, 

click on this link

And now, in the United States. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that 1,800 smarts have been registered in the States. 30,000 more people have their $99 deposits down and are waiting. Interestingly, the upper-end fortwos have wrought greater uptake than expected, with the fully loaded examples forming 10% of the sales rather than the expected 4%, says Edmunds.com. The average number of dollars spent on options is equivalent to 15% of the MSRP. 

Of course, Penske said in that Edmunds article that even on its own, "Los Angeles alone would be our number-one state in sales." Along with that, dealers in places like Pittsburgh are dying for more cars. 

PUT DOWN YOUR RIFLE - BMW of Lincoln will sell the M3

Ken, a Californian who purchased a brand new BMW M3 from a Nebraska BMW dealership but was refused the ownership because the dealer didn't like the purchase price (it didn't accelerate with demand the way they thought it would) will be getting his car after all. Apparently BMW of Lincoln and - we can assume, BMW HQ - didn't like the web onslaught that started at M3post.com, then Autoblog, and on to sites like GoodCarBadCar.net. 

So, unless Ken doesn't get his M3 tomorrow for the $60,000 price and we have to reignite the firestorm, there's no more need to make fun of Fil's haircut or harass the dealer. What this whole brouhaha may well affect is BMW of Lincoln's long term reputation. YouTube, Facebook, and MySpace are only continuations of the whole WWW phenomenon that accentuates and defines problems like these and gives attention of the worldwide variety. 

So good for Ken. And good for us. After all, wasn't I/You TIME's Person of the Year? If you haven't seen the original post, follow this link.

2 BY KIA

Hyundai is still not allowing its Sonata brother - the Kia Optima/Magentis - to catch up. The 'new' Optima has refreshed engine compartments, but must continue to battle in the lower tier of the midsize sector with low levels of power. Might Kia be on to something?

The 2.7L V6 makes 190 horsepower, just 15 more than the 2.4L 4-cylinder powerplant. Battling with smaller, less powerful engines than its competitors may permit the Kia Optima to be seen as a fuel-efficient alternative. Whether that will bear itself out on public highways and city streets remains to be seen. At present, the Optima has a base MSRP a few hundred dollars below that of the Hyundai Sonata in the USA. The story is the same in Canada, where the base MSRPs of both vehicles are over $4,000 higher than in America.

Remember hearing so much about Hyundai being positioned as the Toyota competitor while Kia took it to sportier brands like Mazda and Honda? Taking a look through the showrooms presents a contrarian view. Kia is the company with the lower-powered midsize car. Hyundai is the brand with a new rear-wheel drive coupe and a sedan with a V8 engine. Then again, one New York auto show concept sends a new message. 

The Koup looks to be a real Civicesque Si knockoff. That's ok. Kia's sporty little 2-door has some relatively unique character traits. And there's no denying this Kia is sporty. Four-cylinder engines are progressively more potent. Mate the 2.0L capacity with a turbocharger and direct injection and you get yourself 290 horsepower. 

Kia needs this car if it ever wants to be seen as anything that approaches a sporting brand. 

SKODA SALES CLIMBING

Volkswagen-owned and Czech Republic-based, Skoda has passed the first test of its reborn life (credibility) and is on its way to becoming a power player among Europe's mainstream car brands. Funky designs like the Roomster and innovative solutions such as the trunk/hatch of the new Superb are part of what makes Skoda more than just a cheap Volkswagen alternative.

Skoda sales were 19.4% higher last month than in February of 2007. Combined January and February sales were 17.8% higher than during the first two months of last year; at 105,179. Thank its home market, Germany, and the ever-emerging consumership of Russia. Czechs bought 4,780 Skodas in February; Germany registered over 8,000; and Russians registered just over 3,000. 

See all Skoda-related posts with a click right up on in here

Skoda's 58,838 monthly sales just a few months earlier in October were considered a massive jump. It was indeed a 15% increase over the same period of the previous year. Skoda was smart to delve into the Chinese market and sold 27,000 cars there last year in a 12 month period in which they sold 630,000 cars worldwide. With months like February under their belt, expect the head honchos to be very pleased when those six figures are easily eclipsed.

In the Czech Republic, Ford and Volkswagen compete for second place while Skoda takes one third of the market share.

BMW DEALER IN NEBRASKA MADE BAD CHOICE

When a BMW dealer decided not to honour the bid of an eBay user in an online auction where the price did not significantly elevate over and above the MSRP, they should have expected an internet uproar. This is the World Wide Web, after all, and weaving a tangled web on the web is terribly unadviseable. It began at Autoblog and will continue elsewhere, including here at GoodCarBadCar. 

This link will take you to the staff page where you can see the name of the "no photograph" internet manager. I especially like the 'internet specials' tab at the bottom of the main page. Great line considering the situation they're in now.

Fil Catania introduces himself as the General Manager and Operating Partner when you head to the page and mentions that they're absolutely commited to making your next automotive purchase as easy as possible. Hmm, not so much in the case of the Californian M3-buyer who got himself a fair deal. Other than BMW, this dealer group appears to offer GM brands and Mercedes-Benz.  The original post on a forum fills you in on more of the story, as does the eBay listing viewable here.

MALAYSIA SEPANG GRAND PRIX F1 RESULTS

Lewis Hamilton mitigated the disappointment of a steadily worsening weekend by finishing fifth in today's Malaysian Grand Prix at the Sepang circuit. McLaren-Mercedes' superstar sophomore finished fifth after, as CP said, after running "afoul of the officials". Lewis had trouble with wheels and pitstops but ended just two places behind his teammate Heikki Kovalainen. 

Bigger news involved Ferrari. Last year's world champion, Kimi Raikkonen, captured first place at Sepang finished some 20 seconds ahead of BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica. The other Ferrari driver, pole-sitter Felipe Massa, spun halfway through the race and did not finish. Neither Ferrari finished last week's race in Australia. 

Check the Melbourne F1 race results with a simple click 

or follow this link to all Racing-related posts on GoodCarBadCar

Toyota's F1 boys seem to like the idea of improving their results in the same manner as the NASCAR teams in the United States. Jarno Trulli finished fourth for Toyota while Timo Glock was punched out of the race after a collision with Nico Rosberg - in his Toyota-powered Williams - at the beginning of the race. 

BMW's Nick Heidfeld finished sixth, thus ensuring 11 points when paired with the result of Kubica. Cars with Renault powerplants finished 7th, 8th, 9th, and 11th. Drivers of the two Red Bull cars, Mark Webber and David Coulthard, were split by Renault's factory driver, Fernando Alonso. 

Jenson Button and Rubens Barichello finished 10th and 13th, respectively, in their Hondas. The Super Aguri Hondas of Anthony Davidson and Takuma Sato finished 15th and 16th. Along with Nico Rosberg in 14th, Williams-Toyota watched as Kazuki Nakajima finished two laps back in 17th.

Adrian Sutil in his Force India with a Ferrari V8 did not finish due to hydraulic problems. Giancarlo Fisichella managed to drive his Force India car to 12th position. That leaves the Scuderia Toro Rosso cars, Ferrari-engined, as well.  Neither finished. Sebastien Bourdais spun early on and hydraulic issued knocked Sebastian Vettel out on the 39th lap.

The Sepang race first ran in 1999. Rumour has it that F1 would like the Malaysian race, among others, to be run at night next year. Alonso won last year's race in a McLaren-Mercedes. He also won in 2005 in a Renault. Fisichella took first place in 2006 in a Renault. Raikkonen drove a McLaren-Mercedes to a race win at Sepang in 2003. No other current driver has ever won the Malaysian Grand Prix.

QUESTIONS FOR THE GOOD CAR GUY Re: Cadillac

Wondering how front-wheel drive creates a different driving experience? Does Honda build bad cars? Are Land Rovers worth the money? Is the Chrysler Sebring good or bad? Does the Honda Fit's fuel efficiency qualify it for any rebates? Is a Saab, Buick, Toyota Yaris, or BMW M3 any good? Are cars in general... any good?  

These are questions that have come into GoodCarBadCar.net and you can find the answers for them by simply clicking here for the Questions label. For historic significance, let's look all the way back to 2003 for a recent query. 

-----

HOW MUCH HORSEPOWER DOES THE 2003 CTS V6 HAVE? For future reference, much of The Good Car Guy's research when answering a question like this - if it isn't available through brain power - is done by clicking the Research tab at Cars.com. Whoever was seeking out information regarding the first year of Cadillac's CTS production may be interested in a few more details.

Follow this link to learn about the new CTS coupe and CTS-v

Previous small Cadillac sedans included the Cimarron and Catera. Each disappointed in their own unique fashion. 'Small' is a relative term when it comes to Cadillac. The CTS and Catera would by no means be considered small in  Toyota, Honda, or even BMW showroom. Think about the massive sedans and SUVs which shared dealer space with the CTS to prove the 'small' point. However, offering more useable space than a BMW 3-series or Audi A4 while snuggling up to them in price was no bad idea on General Motors part.

Read about The Good Car Guy's drive in the new CTS at GM's proving grounds in Michigan

The original CTS generated 220 horsepower via a 3.2L V6. Traditionally, GM automatic transmissions are stellar, and the 5-speed took the massive chunk of sales you'd expect away from the more drivercentric 5-speed manual. Engine choices eventually switched to a lower-powered 2.8L V6 at 210bhp and a larger 3.6L V6 that delivered 255 horses. Oh, and don't forget the CTS-v and its Corvette V8; a 5.7L with 400 horsepower. 

The first iteration of the CTS, with its bold and adventurous Art & Science inspiration, gave us time to prepare for the more mature and sophisticated second-generation CTS. The 3.6L V6 is now standard fitment and can be upgraded to a direct-injection 3.6L that, at 304 horsepower, offers over 40 more than the base and an extra 80+ beyond the original CTS as asked by a GoodCarBadCar.net reader.

LEXUS IN JAPAN - By The Numbers

Competing in the luxury car sector became much more difficult once Lexus reached North American shores in 1989. Toyota revolutionized the way high-class sedans were perceived and proved that buyers on this continent weren't nearly as brand conscious as we all thought we were. In addition, Lexus changed the way BMW; Mercedes; and Audi built and marketed their vehicles and drastically altered the typical after-the-sale procedures.  

See all Lexus-related posts with a simple click here

In the year 2000, Lexus became the top-selling luxury brand in America and hasn't ceded its crown yet. Topping the world's largest market has not, however, enabled Lexus to become the world's best-selling automotive luxury brand. Though it might seem strange to the casual reader, Lexus only began competing in Japan in 2005. Sure, the same - or at least similar - cars were sold in Toyota showrooms (see Kijiji Find Toyota Soarer) during that time, but Toyota was fearfully held under the impression for quite some time that a prophet is never received in his home land. With a quick look at the Numbers below (with help from BusinessWeek), you'll find Toyota's fears were righteous.

-----

60 - percentage of total initial sales targets reached by Lexus in Japan in its brief existence

34,800 - total Lexus sales in Japan in 2007

3 - total Lexus offerings when the brand began sales in 2005, with the IS; GS, and SC being previous Toyota-badged models

80 - percentage of new Lexus buyers in Japan who were former Toyota owners

5 - percentage of new Lexus buyers in Japan who were former Mercedes-Benz or BMW owners

10,000,000 - cost, in dollars, of each new Lexus dealership built by Toyota

160 - total number of new Lexus dealerships in Japan

4 - total Lexus offerings at this time, along with the performance-oriented version of the IS (IS F) and a hybrid version of both the LS and GS

8 - total Lexus offerings at this time in the United States where the RX crossover, GX & LX sport-utility vehicles, and ES are all sold - as well as three hybridized versions and the IS F

39158 - equivalent cost of a base Japan-spec Lexus IS in USD

30555 - cost, in dollars, of a base US-spec Lexus IS