Car News Articles

MILFORD, MICHIGAN - I six-point buckle into the passenger seat of John Heinricy’s 2009 Cadillac CTS-V. It’s a silver sedan with a roll cage that earned the Nurburgring decal with the number, 7.59.32 added, on the rear deck. An automatic, Heinricy shifts it into the “sport” mode, letting the transmission do that part of the work. Then he drives the big sedan around the GM Proving Ground “Lutzring,” doing things with a Cadillac that you’d swear couldn’t be done with a Cadillac.

Read more

ROYAL OAK — The Woodward Dream Cruise, the world’s largest one-day automotive event, has a new event logo conceptualized and created by an automotive designer.

Read more

Automotive News Europe Executive Editor Jesse Snyder has moved to Detroit to become a senior writer at Automotive News.

Read more

Vauxhall and sister brand Opel are readying a concept-style flourish for its next Meriva – it’ll have suicide doors, just like the 2008 show car. Until recently, flash doors were the preserve of pricey models like the Rolls-Royce Phantom and Mazda RX-8, but they’re now trickling down to the B-car segment with novelties such as the Meriva and Mini Clubman.

The 2010 Meriva’s back doors are rear-hinged, opening to ease ingress and exit. Expect a grab handle to be built into the B-pillar, for younger passengers and elderly folk who need a steadying hand while clambering in and out.

Can I see the Meriva’s suicide doors in action please?

Our spy photos picture the car in motion, and the doors are thankfully shut (the system locks the doors above walking pace to prevent any unintentional suicide door spills). However, CAR Online understands the production doors will remain faithful to the trick apertures seen on the Geneva concept car.

Vauxhall and sister brand Opel will launch the new Meriva in 2010, priced from around £9000.

Click ‘Next’ to read more about the Meriva

Read more

Pole-sitter Kasey Kahne overcame a mistake on pit road to win the Pocono 500 on Sunday. The victory was Kahne’s second Sprint Cup points win of the season and vaulted him three spots in the standings to ninth. Brian Vickers finished second and Denny Hamlin was third.
Points leader Kyle Bush, who completed his weekend trifecta of competing in Craftsman Truck, Nationwide and Sprint Cup races in three states, finished 43rd because of an early accident. Busch’s team eventually got his car back on the track, but he finished 105 laps down. He remained the points leader, but Jeff Burton, who finished fifth, is now only 21 behind him. Third-place Dale Earnhardt Jr., who finished fourth Sunday, is 145 behind Busch.
For the weekend, Busch finished second in the Truck race at TMS on Friday, 20th in the Nationwide race at Nashville on Saturday and last at Pocono for an average finish of 21.7.
Read more about the Pocono 500 here. Get full results here and points standings here.

Read more

In addition to all the pleasures, though, we also noticed some hazards in Mexico. I’m not talking about the drinking water or the dangerous intersection of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez, I’m talking about hazard lights — the kind on your car. Mexican drivers use their hazards constantly. Several years ago, when my husband and I were just crazy, unmarried kids in love, we took a road trip through the interior, more provincial towns of Mexico and noticed the same hazardous phenomenon. We were then and are still now oddly smitten and somewhat amused by this universal use of hazards at the drop of a sombrero.

Read more

Read more

By Frank Williams
June 5, 2008 - 334 Views

I was wrong. In spite of indications to the contrary, the GMC salesman blogger defending your right to suck-up fuel and clog the roadways with oversized trucks didn’t have a change of heart about hybrids. In his latest anonymous posting on the Commercial Auto Dealers web site, the same person who warned us about the dangers of hybrids (so quiet we’ll all fall asleep behind the wheel) is “irked”  about environmentalists who “who think hybrids are God’s gift to humankind” because of “Al Gore’s half-truths and theories.”  And he’s specifically “annoyed” with those of you who’ve commented about his views on trucks vs. hybrids. Just to make sure you understand where he’s coming from, he states “I’m sticking with my truck and I’m not going to feel guilty about it.” Neither should anyone else “feel guilty about going to your local GMC truck dealer and getting the biggest, baddest truck you can find and driving it for no reason at all.” Gas prices be damned. After all, “when [hybrid owners] need a tow, the guys with the big trucks are the ones they’re going to call first.”

Commercial Auto Dealers »

 

Email This Post
 
Subscribe to Newsletter 
Back to Top
End of Comments 

32 Responses to “
Commercial Auto Dealers Annoyed at TTAC’s B&B ”

Pages: [1] 2 3 4 » Show All Reverse Order

• Stein X Leikanger :
  
  
  June 5th, 2008 at
  8:54 am

  Do you think he gets paid per letter or misspelled word?

• jaje :
  
  
  June 5th, 2008 at
  8:56 am

  With the mispellings he’s only trying to relate to this base of readers. Prey on the uneducated.

• N85523 :
  
  
  June 5th, 2008 at
  8:58 am

  Hey now, don’t be too hard on the guy’s writing. He did use “they’re” properly instead of using “their.”

• lth :
  
  
  June 5th, 2008 at
  9:00 am

  I agree with him, buy what you want and don’t feel guilty about it. Just be aware of what you are getting yourself into before making the leap.

• Orian :
  
  
  June 5th, 2008 at
  9:03 am

  The good old “super size” mentality. Get the biggest truck you can get into, go down to the local fast food joint and super size it. And the US wonders why we’re all overweight and can’t afford fuel anymore.

• NN :
  
  
  June 5th, 2008 at
  9:05 am

  why do you guys care so much about this? There are a million idiots blogging on the web. This person’s writing and opinions are not worthy of the attention of this site, IMHO.

• KatiePuckrik :
  
  
  June 5th, 2008 at
  9:09 am

  It’s amazing how when anyone attacks Al Gore’s “half truths” and “theories”, it’s always someone with a vested interest in polluting more (i.e truck salespeople, CEO’s, Oil and Gas lobbyists, etc). I’ve yet to hear a committed environmentalist say something to the effect off “We believe in global warming, but Al Gore is WAAAAYYYY off the mark!”.

  “But those scientists are ridiculed, censored or ignored. And I noticed that anybody who speaks against hybrids is treated the same way.”

  This is because hybrids are the most viable powertrain to save fuel. Diesels have a distinct cost disadvantage and are less clean. Fuel cells are a few years off, before becoming commercially viable and E85 is more harmful to the environment, plus, drives food prices up & exacerbates world hunger.

  As for feeling guilty about driving trucks, no problems there. Drive your trucks as much as you like. This is the free world and people are allowed to do what they want.

  Just don’t start moaning when oil prices rise higher because supplies are running low……

  P.S. “Don’t let the people who think hybrids are God’s gift to humankind make you feel guilty about going to your local GMC truck dealer and getting the biggest, baddest truck you can find and driving it for no reason at all.”

  More specifically don’t feel guilty about coming to MY GMC dealership……!

  What a tosser!

• Jordan Tenenbaum :
  
  
  June 5th, 2008 at
  9:10 am

  This guy reminds me of the kind of person who slaps those “Take my American flag off of your Import” (or some such variation of that) stickers on his truck.

• thoots :
  
  
  June 5th, 2008 at
  9:15 am

  Yep, go ahead and sign up for $200 per tank fill-ups, “gas prices be damned.” “Damned” or whatever, just bear in mind that one thing they’ll never be is “cheaper.” Especially if we keep on driving the least fuel-efficient vehicles on the planet, rushing toward peak-oil oblivion just as fast as we possibly can.

• Stein X Leikanger :
  
  
  June 5th, 2008 at
  9:16 am

  @NN

  The flac is too evident, particularly from writers who are paid to spout this kind of crap. Unfortunately, a lot of manufacturers and advertisers pay for this kind of polluting of the internet.

Pages: [1] 2 3 4 » Show All Reverse Order

Leave a Reply Back to Top

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Read more

Hunter S. Thompson’s early work is his best. No, I mean his really early writing, before the inventor of Gonzo Journalism reported on– and then succumbed to– fear and loathing in Las Vegas. Back when Thompson wrote for The National Observer, Esquire, The New York Times magazine and other highbrow literary publications, the former USAF Airman was a wry observer of political, economic and moral corruption. And man, the guy could write. Hells Angels: The Strange and Terrible Story of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs was Thompson’s greatest work, as passionate and informed a piece of non-fiction writing as you’ll ever read. From there, Thompson lost focus. Well, “Dr. Gonzo” became the focus. And that’s exactly what happened to the domestic automakers’ upper management. At some point, they stopped worrying about building great automobiles and started thinking about… themselves. Their priorities shifted from cars to car-eers. And today’s bad news is the result. Just as Thompson reported on the zenith of the hippie culture in San Fransisco, TTAC has born witness to the fall of Detroit. It ain’t over yet. But the end is in sight. And it is truly terrifying. As Thompson isn’t here to report on this epic tragi-comedy, we will do so in his name. 

Read more

File this under “News That Effects Me Personally.” As in, “Those city hall pricks are taking tacos out of my mouth.” Where I live in North Eastern LA, there are– or rather were– six taco trucks with a one mile stretch along the same road. As The New York Time rightly reports, each one offers uniquely delicious fare. Except for that one up on 51st — their tacos suck. But the other five, man… So here’s the dirt straight from the hungry horse’s mouth. Restaurants are complaining (and have been complaining) that the “roach coaches” are stealing customers because their food is so cheap. My new mortal enemy, county supervisor Gloria Molina, is pushing through the ordinance that will require taco trucks to move every hour. Effectively putting them out of business. Why? Henchman Gerry Hertzberg claims the trucks represent a “big quality of life issue.” Whatever that means. Taco truck owner Jose Naranjo puts it best, “We are poor people feeding other poor people.” Yeah, and me! The ordinance goes into effect today. This is a total tragedy as one truck in particular serves-up the best carne asada tacos in all of Los Angeles. And trust me, I’ve looked. Anyhow, I wrote Molina a letter and signed the save our taco trucks petition. Though I fear you can’t fight city hall. Tasteless jerks. 

Read more