The Trooper II deserves some serious respect and love. It was among the very first, perhaps the very first of the “compact” SUVs that took the US market by storm in the eighties. It was eminently practical, durable, rugged, and good looking. And it’s one of the cars on the list that I wish I had bought. Did it have any faults? Probably, but as far as I’m concerned, someone should still be making this Trooper. (Read More…)

In today’s 1962 Corvette CC, I made reference to the racing successes the Corvette had, beginning in 1957. I have vivid memories of reading about Dr. Dick Thompson and his successes with his ’57 fuelie that had more than a hint of factory behind-the-scenes support (this was during GM’s racing ban years). A number of special options turned the Corvette into a credible competitor, such as the sintered metallic brake linings and heavy duty springs and shocks. A quick pit stop at one of my favorite “refueling stations” blog.hemmings turns up this exquisitely restored vintage racer, fully documented from that era. (Read More…)

Does the headline suggest that Tesla Roadster production has caught up with demand? And that Tesla is joining the ranks of other automobile makers, in offering leases? Looks that way. (Read More…)

Li-ion battery start ups have been the dot.coms of the last few years. And like that not-so little bubble, a report now warns of a brewing global overcapacity, and coming shakeout. Some sixty li-ion battery makers are in various stages of development and production, fueled by projected EV demand.  GreenCarCongress reports:

a new report from Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, planned investments in lithium-ion manufacturing will result in significant overcapacity between 2014 and 2017 relative to the demand generated by that growth, especially in the US and in Japan.

As a consequence, Roland Berger forecasts, only six to eight global battery manufacturers will survive the next five to seven years. These are the findings of a new market survey conducted by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants titled “Powertrain 2020: Li-ion batteries – The next bubble ahead?” (Read More…)

Take One: The Ruf 911 Greenster EV. From AB Green’s report:

Last fall, Porsche high performance tuning specialist Ruf announced that it had built a prototype electric sports car called the eRuf which was essentially a lithium ion battery-powered 911. That was just the beginning of the story as the company has brought the Greenster here to Geneva. The Greenster is a targa top 911 in the old style with a chopped speedster type windshield. In the back sits a 270 kW Siemens electric motor with 695 lb-ft of torque. The battery pack system has been improved and is now 30 percent smaller in volume, restoring the front trunk space that was lost on the original. The battery pack now has greater power capacity allowing it to release and absorb power faster, enabling more regenerative braking capacity. The battery can apparently be charged in only one hour from a 400V outlet. The next iteration will switch to a twin motor setup and the company is planning a small series production run in 2010.

Porsche 911 have been a favorite target for EV conversions fir decades. Ruf’s version is almost series ready. It will probably have an EPA mpge rating similar to the Tesla’s 256 mpge. How many would Porsche have to sell to increase its fleet average to the amount necessary? (Read More…)

Seductive, voluptuous, hot, fast, flawed, sexy, modest beginnings, all-American, iconic, hits the big time in 1953, gone forever in the fall of ’62, immortal, unforgettable. My apologies if others have gone down this road before, but when I re-opened these Corvette pictures last night, that’s what came to mind. And I’ve learned to just go with it. Want to come along for the ride? If so, NSFW alert! (Read More…)

This CC Outtake is not about the Valiant per se; I’ve got the ultimate A-Body in the works for that (and we did a Duster 340 already), and it’s coming soon too. This is about what cars are worthy to be considered a Valiant successor. From the looks of this photo, this household thinks highly of the Mazda 626 to supplant the now rarely-used Plymouth. Well, they’re in good company; the 626 cultivated a rep for reliability, right from the beginning. In the eighties and nineties it was held in particularly high regard in Germany, and was the best selling Japanese car for a few years there, in part to its excellent showing in the ADAC Pannenstatistik. It was at the top of that list in 1994 and 1995.  (Read More…)

The biggest (only?) fringe benefit of my job is what I learn. Decades of perusing old books and magazines don’t begin to add up to the collective knowledge and perspective that TTAC’s commentators provide. Case in point: I wrote the Illustrated History of Automotive Aerodynamics because I’ve always been smitten by streamlined cars ever since I saw a Tatra as a young child. And I thought I had all the slippery bases pretty well covered. But thanks to a late comment by NeilBlanchard, I’ve been introduced to what is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable aerodynamic cars ever, the 1938 Schlörwagen.  It was originally tested at Cd 0.186, but a later test by VW in the seventies of a model resulted in a Cd of 0.15. Either of these values put the “pillbug” at or near the top of the list of the most aerodynamic concept cars ever built, like the Ford Probe V of 1985, with a Cd of .137. (Read More…)

Reuters reports that the Detroit offices of Denso, a major Japanese automotive supplier, has been raided by the FBI as part of an on-going investigation into alleged anti-trust violations. Denso spokeswoman Bridgette Gollinger said the investigation was “absolutely not” related to ongoing recalls by Toyota. Denso supplies accelerator pedals (see above) and other components to the automaker. “We are cooperating with the investigation,” Gollinger said. The FBI raid was first reported by The Wall Street Journal, which said that federal investigators had also searched the Detroit area offices of two other Toyota suppliers, Yazaki and Tokai Rika. Curious coincidence of timing as this happens while Akio Toyoda testifies on Capitol Hill.

Maybe the title should be “What Grates My Ears”, because there is no automotive sound that more predictably induces a spike of cortisol than the clatter of studded tires on pavement. As they steadily chew up the roads in Maritime western Washington and Oregon, where it snows once every couple of years or so, it’s also the sound of idiocy, greed and government’s inability to act on the obvious. That so few are allowed to create so much public damage, is truly mind boggling, especially as it results in little or no actual benefit to them. The conditions under which spikes offer some possible benefit (sheet ice) exist about 1% of the time. Even then, the actual improvement under those conditions is only 10%! And contrary to the popular myth, spikes offer little or no benefit on snow, and are materially worse on wet pavement, which of course is what it is most of the time on the west coast. And it’s not just the millions in dollars ($17 million per year in Washington alone) in damage alone that’s the problem; spikes make the roads much more dangerous for everyone, including the spikers. (Read More…)

The benefits of gasoline engine downsizing has its latest poster child: the new Polo GTI. It’s a graphic example of why diesel market share in Europe is declining, especially in smaller cars: a 25% reduction on the European mileage standards, without any loss of performance. The GTI’s 1.4 liter TSI produces 177 hp (132kW), exactly the same as its 1.8 liter predecessor. But the combined fuel consumption is 5.9 L/100km (40 mpg US)—equivalent to CO₂ emissions of 139 g/km, 25% lower than the outgoing model. Knowing that it also squirts to 100km (62 mph) in 6.9 seconds and comes standard with a 7 speed DSG transmission is only rubbing the wound of knowing it’s not coming to the US with salt. But undoubtedly, tightening CAFE standards will eventually send VW’s pioneering 1.4 and 1.6 TSI engines our way; the question is only in what body. (Read More…)

Presidential campaigns always start with books, and Mitt Romney’s ‘No Apology’ is rolling off the presses. For a guy who unapologetically strapped his dog (in a carrier) on the roof of the Family Truckster, that seems a fitting enough title. But the White House is asking for one; well, not exactly an apology, but it is firmly denying that it is “calling the shots” at GM. According to a Detroit News story, “Romney writes that that an unnamed CEO of an automotive industry corporation told him that despite what is said publicly, ‘the government is calling the shots on every major decision at GM, including which plants to expand and which to close.'” Romney also calls on the government to distribute its GM shares directly to the American people. (Read More…)

Today’s CC Clue introduces a new element; no , its not the snow and ice. We do see that here every couple of years. This CC was sent in by a reader (do you want to guess his identity too? His first name starts with a D). We’ll unveil his find (and his name) tomorrow. Good luck with this one!

[This piece first ran in 2007 as part of a five-installment series. I’ve added some pictures, but note that the ending was written at Buick’s all-time product low]

Buick was the special child in the GM family: the beautiful and temperamental second-oldest daughter that somehow always got the most attention from Daddy. Sure, oldest daughter Caddy got to wear the family jewels and formal gowns, but Buick was lavished with style. Whether it was Harley Earl or Bill Mitchell, GM’s top stylists always blessed Buick with their best efforts. For decades, Buick was maintained in the style to which she had become accustomed, and remained America’s fashion-conscious upscale buyers’ wheels of choice. And then, not. (Read More…)

The current fad for “four door coupes” like the Mercedes CLS and its Passat mini-me are a revival of a trend that this Buick helped usher in: the four door hardtop. It actually arrived mid year 1955, on the junior Buicks and Olsmobiles; but just like the 1949 GM two-door hardtops caught the rest of the industry off guard, so did these. Once again, everyone had to scramble and follow GM, until the four door hardtop became the victim of safety regs and changing tastes.

(Read More…)