DETROIT DEBUTS - Part I

Truck sales are dwindling. Which two companies does this transition hurt the most? That'd be Chrysler and Ford; two manufacturers who are facing some pressing financial concerns.

So who debuts new trucks in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show? That'd be Chrysler and Ford; two manufacturers who produce relatively impressive pickups but need to stay on top of the game to maintain their lofty sales totals.

Check out AmericanTrucks.com and their

large selection of Ford Truck Bed Covers

Dodge Ram debut factoid: 115 head of cattle were present for the introduction, suggesting most strongly that the 'personal transportation truck' may be slip-slidin' away, but the 'work truck' is still necessary.

The '09 Ford F150, America's best-selling vehicle for... forever, is not as "all-new" as the Ram but does sport some toughening, both underneath and skin-deep.


F150 debut factoid: Toby Keith joined Mark Fields in the F150 as it drove on stage.

LEXUS ISF IN MOTION

Lexus is soon to be selling amongst the nastiest, meanest, most aggressive sedans on the planet. The ISF, not surprisingly, will be a high-value contender in a segment dominated by a trio of Germans. Not surprisingly? Indeed, every time Lexus enters a new market segment, they offer a more refined and higher quality package at a lower price.

The Audi RS4, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, and BMW M3 are more than just meritorious badges - they're incredible cars, each offering a different host of reasons in order to lure you in. The ISF is the same, but with a lower dollar figure on its side. Here it is in motion.

NUMERICALLY SPEAKING - #4

124 pages of February/08's Car&Driver inspired me to provide The Good Car Nation with a complete look at the big numbers in autodom over the last month. Discussed, written, and edited by C/D, but provided to you succinctly, here are the numbers you need to know.

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20 - percent of the overall energy used in the USA by private vehicles.

1100 - cost per hour (in dollars) to use the wind tunnel at the Auto Research Center in Indianapolis.

145 - loss of horsepower from Lincoln's MKR concept to the standard MKS production car.

5 - births required (in a one-shot, five-at-a-time deal) for Kia UK to give you a free car. Birthing one child will net you a $1,000 discount.

15.5 - size, in inches, of the Brembo carbon-ceramic - vented and cross-drilled - brakes on the upcoming Corvette ZR1.

60,000 - price per gallon of the clear-coat finish that Chevrolet will be applying to the exposed carbon-fibre weave on the ZR1.

8 - extra cubic feet of interior volume in the rear of a Jeep Liberty when compared with the Nissan Rogue.

1000 - Extra towing ability, measured in pounds, of the Liberty, when compared with the Rogue.

40 - Extra horsepower provided by the Liberty's V6, compared with the Rogue's 2.5L four-cylinder.


1.1 - time saved in the Rogue, compared with the Liberty, in the sprint to 60 mph.

118 - top speed, in mph, of the Rogue; 6mph higher than that of the Liberty.

0.79 - lateral grip, in g's, of the Rogue, .12 greater than the Liberty's max around a 300ft skidpad.

5 - extra miles each gallon of fuel takes you in a Rogue when compared with the Liberty, both on the highway and in the city.

13 - STi logos emblazoned on the new flagship Subaru Impreza.

6.8 - 0-60mph time of the new Honda Civic Mugen Si sedan, 0.1 seconds slower than that of a regular Civic Si coupe.

0.88 - lateral grip offered up in the Mugen Si, .03 lower than that of the Si coupe.

81 - weight gain in the Mugen Si sedan over the regular Si coupe.

8190 - price increase of the Mugen Si sedan over a base Si sedan.

1000 - buyers who Honda believes are willing to pay an extra $8190 for a Mugen badge.

REGULARITY RESUMES

The Good Car Guy has offered you a well-rounded summarization of twelve cars you'll want over the next year (and perhaps beyond) and eight you want to avoid.


The Bad 8 features two models from within the Ford Motor Company (Lincoln Town Car and Ford Taurus), one from General Motors (Saab 9-5), two cars designed whilst Daimler and Chrysler were still one (Crossfire and Sebring Convertible), two Japanese vehicles from opposite ends of the spectrum (Nissan Versa and Lexus SC430), and one Korean (Kia Amanti).


Before members of The Bad 8 made their unfortunate debut on GoodCarBadCar, The Good Car Guy introduced The Good 12 one-by-one over the last twelve days of 2007. Dominated by European automobiles (Audi TT, BMW 3-series cabrio, Mini Cooper, Porsche Boxster, smart fortwo, Volkswagen GTI, and Volvo V70) The Good 12 still made room for one GM product (Chevrolet Corvette), one Korean (Hyundai Accent hatch), two Honda's (Fit and Accord) and a Japanese 3-series fighter (Infiniti G).

Beginning today, regular posting resumes. Truck/Van/SUV/Crossover Good/Bad's will debut soon.

THE BAD 8 - PART VIII

SAAB 9-5

While neither pretty or ugly; fast or slow; cheap or expensive; poorly constructed or tough-as-nails, the Saab 9-5's overwhelming mediocrity and unchanging attitude solidify its position in this oh-so-undesirable group.

Fifteen years ago I sat in the passenger seat of a Saab 9000. The throttle hit the mat, the turbo eventually spooled, and the kick in the back was unbelievable. Not much has changed in the last decade or two - except for the fact that the kick in the back is now completely believable. Stronger kicks are available elsewhere.

Whether its Beckenbauer or Beckham; Ronaldo or Ronaldinho, eventually everybody steps off the field for the last time. Saab has left the 9-5 on the table long past the time the coffee went stale and the Coca-Cola lost its fizz. The best before date sailed past many years ago.

It's unlikely you will ever see a car facelifted as many times as the Saab 9-5 has been nipped and tucked in the last six years alone. In fact, few cars - if any - will ever see a model continuation cycle like that which GM afflicted upon Saab. What was once a more than decent car has become an oft-ridiculed, frequently-derided, overpriced mockery of the Swedish automotive industry.

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Alternatives: Audi A6, Infiniti G35, BMW 335i

Necessary Incentivizing To Switch To The Good 12: Buy a Saab 9-5 and receive 50% off guaranteed production prices of the Aero X.

Anything Else? The 9-5 is not jet-inspired, or jet-derived, or jet-powered, or jet-fast either.

THE BAD 8 - PART VII

NISSAN VERSA SEDAN

Allow the images to speak for themselves. Experience the odd sensations of the Xtronic continously variable transmission. Hear the engine drone. And, once again, allow a profile shot of the Nissan Versa sedan to convince you of its Bad 8 credentials.

The Versa hatchback is an odd duck, itself. A weekend long GoodCarBadCar test drive made that clear in June. The sedan is similarly spacious but lacks the versatility of the hatchback configuration. So Nissan markets the sedan as a safe and secure option for Americans, likely as headquarters in Japan and France wonder at the existence of such a small four-door with a trunk.

Honestly, however, the ugliness of the Versa sedan and the multitude of better options seals its fate. Buyers want - or at least should want - more than just space and fuel efficiency. Add some spunk and funk to the Versa and you could have a winner.

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Alternatives: Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Hyundai Accent

Necessary Incentivizing To Switch To The Good 12: 25% off the purchase price.

Anything Else? Nissan's spunkier and funkier other-world small car options include the Micra, even a Micra C+C.

THE BAD 8 - PART VI

Lincoln Town Car

For a second there, you thought it was still 1994. Ford Motor Company is still selling the Lincoln Town Car. It still weighs over 4,300 pounds, generates no more than 239 horsepower, and suffers from a suspension system that's independent only at the front of the car. The transmission in this luxury car makes use of just four speeds. Park a smart fortwo alongside and enjoy the complete view of the heavily chromed wheels. Step inside, and although high-in-features and comfortable, the all-around design and ugly column shifter make you think high-end Wal-Mart.

So Lincoln's Town Car is slow, overweight, humongous, ugly, and antiquated. A surprising amount of Town Car buyers are individuals (65%) rather than taxi/limo/hearse buyers, but even with the '60% repeat customer' tagline, that first number is appallingly low. Unfortunately, the latest news seems to show that the upcoming MKS will not boot the Town Car from showrooms.

For now, the best we can do is place the Lincoln Town Car on The Bad 8 as a recommended "AVOID" for 2008.

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Alternatives: Chrysler 300C SRT8, Cadillac STS, Lexus ES350, Audi A6

Necessary Incentivizing To Switch To The Good 12: 50% off + the paperwork required to progress the sale to your Floridian great-uncle.

Anything Else? Forget what the Lincoln reps might tell you: the platform on which every Town Car rests (named Panther) was introduced in 1978 in Ford and Mercury showrooms and in 1980 for the Town Car.