16th
March
2008
The recently enacted U.S. Energy Independence and Security Act mandated 36 billion gallons of biofuels by 2022. Good luck with that. Purchasing.com reports that soaring corn prices, a go-go ethanol industry and so-so E85 sales have turned the current bio-fuels boom into a damp squib. “Late last year, about 5.6 billion annual gallons of new or expanded fermentation ethanol capacity was due for completion in 2008, reports Nathan Schaffer, a fuels analyst with PFC Energy in Houston. Of that, he says, about a quarter has been ‘put on hold or taken off the boards’ since the start of the fourth quarter of 2007.” Maybe that’s because America already has an eight billion gal/year ethanol production capacity, relative to six billion gallons worth of domestic consumption. As R. Jeffrey DeReamer, president of EthanolMarket.com puts it “Supply is not going to be an issue for [ethanol] buyers this year.” Ya think? Oh, and “domestically produced ethanol will be supplemented by imports of the commodity from Brazil and the Caribbean this summer.” If the ethanol industry is going to stand on its own two feet (i.e. stop sucking on the government tit), consumers and retailers better fall in love with E85 STAT.
Read more
posted in Car News Articles |
16th
March
2008
Just been taking a good hard look at VW’s new Scirocco and I’m struggling a bit. So I’m asking for some TG.com help in making up my mind.
Read more
posted in Car News Articles |
16th
March
2008
Vintage Clarkson in this week’s Sunday Times newspaper. He’s reviewing a Laguna sportwagon, but it does take him a while to get there. What a meander! I enjoyed his social commentary and he got quite a few smiles out of me with his observations and jokes. If you are irritated by his writing and want to read more about the cars he’s ‘reviewing’ you’re kind of missing the point of what he’s all about and, besides, there are plenty of other places to go for the detail.
In years to come, social historians trying to find out more about life in Britain in the early part of the 21st century could do a lot worse than read his columns.
What will they make of this review over at Renault? For all its brevity, the section near the end on the car itself does stick the boot in a little. Jezza clearly didn’t like it. Looking for positives, they might like to note that he couldn’t remember anything at all about the standard hatchback Laguna he had recently, except that it might have been brown. So it clearly didn’t make an impression on him in a negative way. And in the area of the market where it sits, that’s perhaps not a total disaster.
Read more
posted in Car News Articles |
16th
March
2008
Via
NY Times
Chrysler Sets a Two-Week Furlough for Most Workers
By NICK BUNKLEY
DETROIT — Chrysler plans to halt virtually all operations for two weeks in July as part of its effort to cut costs and return to profitability.
Summer shutdowns are longstanding traditions in the auto industry so plants can be retooled for the new model year, but they primarily involve only hourly workers. Chrysler told its salaried employees Thursday that, except for those who keep working in “business-critical activities,” they must use vacation time during the shutdown.
In past years, Chrysler has staggered its shutdowns throughout the summer. This will be the first shutdown since Chrysler became a private company, under the equity firm Cerberus Capital Management. The company, which is the fourth-largest seller of vehicles in the United States behind the other Detroit carmakers and Toyota, has about 70,000 employees.
“As a private company, we all need to think like owners and do our part to accelerate Chrysler’s recovery and transformation,” Chrysler’s chief executive, Robert L. Nardelli, told employees in an e-mail message.
“One idea that we have taken a fresh look at is the implementation of a two-week mandatory vacation shutdown,” Mr. Nardelli said in the message. “This year, in order to create better alignment and efficiency across organizational lines and boost productivity, Chrysler will use a corporate-wide vacation shutdown for the weeks of July 7 and July 14.”
Complete Article
Read more
posted in Car News Articles |
16th
March
2008
After skipping yesterday, I was going to try to reward Car Lust’s few but long-suffering readers for this week’s weirdness (AMC Eagle? Honda Ridgeline?) by presenting a lovingly crafted piece on the Lotus Esprit S1. However, after a few minutes of writer’s block, I realized I didn’t have the superlatives in me today to laud its inspired design. So, instead, here’s the Subaru XT. It’s as wedgy as a Lotus Esprit S1, only without the superlatives.
Actually, if you cross your eyes a little, the XT’s spec sheet made it look a lot like something like its famous grandchild, the Subaru WRX. It started off with a light, compact, extremely aerodynamic body, all-wheel-drive, and a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The Subaru XT6 replaced the turbo four with a horizontally opposed (or flat) six–a configuration that, as Subaru breathlessly reminded us in XT6 ads, is the same as that used in the Porsche 911.
Combined with its wildly edgy lines, reminiscent of the exotics of the 1970s, those advanced specifications make the XT a budget supercar, right? Well, no. The XT was sporty only in relation to Subaru’s other, more agricultural, contemporary offerings, and is a crude, slow implement compared its more competent sporting Subaru successors, the SVX and WRX.
I really like the XT, though, precisely because it’s such an oddball. It’s as if somebody mixed together an original Esprit with a dollop of 1980s Japanese techno-geekery and mixed in Citroen’s design ethic. Its look is absurdly otherworldy both inside and out. I love the flying-wedge look; its chunky Japanese detailing is oddly reminiscent of the original Battlestar Galactica. On the inside, its uber-digital dashboard and bizarrely asymetrical steering wheel give it the feel of The Last Starfighter. The video below walks you through the dashboard, which was a knockout at the time.
Performance-wise, the XT was underpowered and an average handler. The XT turbo could muster only 110 horsepower; the XT6 upped the ante to 145 horsepower, but even that was only good for a 0-60 time in the 9-second range–barely average in its class. Still, while it wasn’t fast, the XT combined all the sturdy goodness of 1980s Subarus with some weirdly compelling details.
At the time, Subaru was one of the automotive world’s eccentric genius, smart enough to be ahead of the curve on all-wheel drive, but yet still free-spirited enough to come up with a strange flight of fancy like the XT. Today’s fast turbo Subaru Legacys and Foresters wear the XT designation. That’s probably coincidence, but I’d like to think it’s a tip of the cap to Subaru’s first sports car.
If you’ve ever wanted to put together a Subaru paper model–and who hasn’t?–your wish has now been answered.
–Chris H.
P.S. By the way, Our Cars Week starts Monday. We’ve had so many good responses that I may end my posts about my own cars at the end of next week but continue the reader posts for another week or so. As long as you keep sending me good posts, I’ll keep posting them!
Read more
posted in Car News Articles |
16th
March
2008
Click stars to vote (left is low, right is high)
Loading …
Seattle Subaru Spring Brake Service Special.
Your brakes are important, and as we head into spring and eventually into the summer driving season. Living in and around the great city of Seattle and its many hills its easy to recognize just how much we use and rely on our brakes. But we often see customers live to long with brake symptoms that may be decreasing the overall efficiency of the braking system in your Subaru. Stopping two or three inches sooner is sometimes the difference between having an accident and not having one.
Chances are you bought your Subaru because it’s one of the safest vehicles produced. Keeping it’s safety features operating at there optimum is just as important as the decision to own it. If it has been longer than 6 months since your brakes were inspected it is probably a good time to have the brakes checked. Be sure to be aware of any brake symptoms such as a vibration while applying the brakes, or any abnormal noises or sensations. Brakes that are not stopping the car smoothly may not be working to there full potential and your safety is just to important to go unchecked.
At All-Wheel Drive Auto we believe in performing brake service the right way, which starts with a complete brake system inspection, including a discussion about how your Subaru is used and what type of terrain it is driven in. Most of the time we will use O.E. Subaru parts when servicing your brake system, but there are some circumstances when using a good quality aftermarket set of brake pads may be a better alternative, such as a set of pads with a higher ceramic content than the original pads.
On average a Subaru Outback say from 1996 to 2004 with an automatic transmission will go through its front brakes any where from as early as 20,000 miles to 40,000 and its rear brakes every 50,000 to 70,000 miles. If your Subaru has a manual transmission you probably wont need brakes done as often, but as they say “actual results may vary”. Also if you have a Forester or Impreza your brakes should last a little longer as well.
From now until the end of April we will offer a free brake inspection with any other service we provide. As well as offer 10% off of brake service from now until the end of April as well. Start spring out right, start spring out safe.
Share This Post - instructions included
Read more
posted in Car News Articles |
16th
March
2008
BEIJING — Beijing Auto, which has joint ventures with Chrysler, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz and Mitsubishi, is in the midst of a sweeping expansion that could see annual sales double to 2 million units by 2010.
The growth will come from acquisitions and increased production capacity, according to top executives. To help fund its expansion, Beijing Auto and subsidiaries such as Beiqi Foton plan to raise money on the Shanghai stock exchange.
Local media reports say Beijing Auto also has been seeking an alliance with Fuzhou-based Soueast Auto.
Beijing Auto’s ambitious expansion plan hinges in part on huge growth in its own brands, including Foton. The company’s proposal to sell a 24 percent stake in Beiqi Foton to Daimler was scuttled by the government late last year. Foton makes heavy trucks, as well as a line of utility vehicles and pickup trucks.
What this means to you: Yet another little-known Chinese automaker with world-class ambitions. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
Read more
posted in Car News Articles |
16th
March
2008
Base Price: 2008 Ford Focus RS WRC - n.a. (last update: 1/15/2008)
Read more
posted in Car News Articles |
16th
March
2008
|
|
 |
  PrintFriendly Format |
|
|
03.04.08
Honda Becomes Official Vehicle of PGA National Resort & Spa
Home of the Honda Classic to feature Honda automobiles year-round
American Honda Motor Co., Inc., and PGA National Resort & Spa have entered into a three-year agreement naming Honda as the official vehicle of PGA National Resort & Spa, the companies announced today. Building upon a relationship started in 2007 with the hosting of the Honda Classic golf tournament, the resort will now feature Honda vehicles on display, as shuttle vehicles, for limited test-drives, and even as a perk of staying in the newly designated Honda Suite.
“Golf is a favorite pastime of many Honda owners, and the Honda Classic has become a highly anticipated stop on the PGA Tour,” said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of sales for American Honda. “Bringing Honda vehicles to PGA National Resort & Spa full-time offers the perfect opportunity to build upon Honda’s already great golfing legacy.”
The three-year agreement with PGA National Resort & Spa includes provisions for on-site displays of Honda vehicles, consumer-based promotions associated with Honda, advertising on in-room TV channels and renaming of select resort venues. This includes the new outdoor pavilion (now called the “Honda Pavilion”) which overlooks the 18th hole of the Championship Course.
Boasting a new multi-million dollar renovation, world-class European spa, five championship golf courses, seven spectacular restaurants and lounges and a wide array of meeting and event facilities, PGA National Resort & Spa is home to the Honda Classic golf tournament. It’s a retreat that provides leisure and business travelers with experiences both exciting and memorable.
For more information and downloadable high-resolution images of Honda vehicles, please visit www.hondanews.com. Consumer information is available at www.honda.com. For more information about PGA National Resort & Spa, please visit www.pgaresort.com.
|
|
 |
|
|
Read more
posted in Car News Articles |
16th
March
2008
Look at the first video of Maybach 62 S Landaulet on the net.
Read more
posted in Car News Articles |
The recently enacted U.S. Energy Independence and Security Act mandated 36 billion gallons of biofuels by 2022. Good luck with that. Purchasing.com reports that soaring corn prices, a go-go ethanol industry and so-so E85 sales have turned the current bio-fuels boom into a damp squib. “Late last year, about 5.6 billion annual gallons of new or expanded fermentation ethanol capacity was due for completion in 2008, reports Nathan Schaffer, a fuels analyst with PFC Energy in Houston. Of that, he says, about a quarter has been ‘put on hold or taken off the boards’ since the start of the fourth quarter of 2007.” Maybe that’s because America already has an eight billion gal/year ethanol production capacity, relative to six billion gallons worth of domestic consumption. As R. Jeffrey DeReamer, president of EthanolMarket.com puts it “Supply is not going to be an issue for [ethanol] buyers this year.” Ya think? Oh, and “domestically produced ethanol will be supplemented by imports of the commodity from Brazil and the Caribbean this summer.” If the ethanol industry is going to stand on its own two feet (i.e. stop sucking on the government tit), consumers and retailers better fall in love with E85 STAT. 
site map