Hyundai has apprently learned nothing about vehicle marketing in the last five years. What they are supposed to do is develop overly-complicated high-efficiency models, put lots of eco-friendly badges on them, advertise them at rest in an unspoiled natural envrionment, and then charge people through the nose for them. Instead, they’re taking existing models, improving their efficiency with low-tech fixes, and selling them for even less money than the normal versions. Whatever they’re putting in the water over at Hyundai HQ, it’s making for some dangerously common-sense business decisions. The Car Connection reports that Hyundai started with normal Elantra and Accents to create their new “Blue” line of improved-efficiency sedans, and then decontented them to save weight, lowered them to improve aero performance and fitted low rolling resistance tires. Sure, this means you’ll get no a/c and no power anything, and you’ll probably suffer through some horrendous ride quality and handling, thanks to the tweaked suspension and crummy tires, but these are small prices to pay for saving the world. And not being the only family on the block with a Prius. GM has tried a similar approach to fuel efficiency with its Cobalt XFE, but its underpromotion is keeping it MIA from market success. No word yet on pricing or availability for Hyundai’s Blue line, but if they avoid the XFE’s mistakes, this should be a fairly popular option for the budget automaker.

This is what happens when a company makes more money by playing the markets than by selling product: the financial guys take over. In the good old days, Porsche made smallish, nimble cars that had great SPM and MPG ratings (the former being smiles per mile). Nowadays, Porsches are no longer small, but still manage to be desirable to car enthusiasts, Yuppie moms and pimps alike. With few exceptions, Porsches have always delivered a unique package of intuitive steering, a great soundtrack, a tractable engine with a wide power band, fantastic brakes and everyday reliability. Did somebody at Porsche explain “well, four outta six ain’t half bad” when the question was asked whether the “soundtrack” and “wide power band” parts are dispensable? We ask this since Porsche announced that for the first time ever, it will be using Diesels. Spiegel Online reports from Februrary 2009 onwards, European markets will enjoy (not!) Cayennes fitted the VW 3.0 TDI engine I kinda liked (and disliked) in the Audi Q7. It is not a bad engine, as it has more torque than the basic gasoline version. But it does make the Cayenne seem even more like an overpriced Touareg on steroids, which is saying something, since the Touareg is kinda like an overpriced Passat on stilts. More data for Chuck Goolsbee: 244g CO2; 550NM; 25.3 MPG according to EU ratings; €56k. Porsche thinks it needs this one because of CO2 regulations, until it gets its hybrid up and running. We suspect the real reason is that German Cayanne sales are down 13% this year.

Mining of Ford’s microsite (MICROSITE!) extravaganza – which gave us substantial info about the 2010 Fusion – has proven useful again. Now Ford has released what are at least preliminary data for the 2011 Fiesta – which should be on sale some time in the next 12 months (but when? and why not in the last 12 months?). The microsite (MICROSITE!) says “on the pavement in early 2010”

Engine will be the 1.6 liter Ti-VCT 4-banger. In Europe this engine has 118 horsepower. Ti-VCT apparently indicates twin independent variable cam timing. I assume some of TTAC’s engineering oriented readers will tell the rest of us if that’s significant or something that Yugo has been doing since 1959.

Transmission to be a Ford “Powershift” automatic – that’s a dual clutch gearbox. We blogged about this transmission in the Focus here. No word if a traditional stick will come to North America. Cue frustration, comments about “no stick no buy.” For the record, I love my DSG.

Stuff – Microsoft SYNC, Bluetooth, leather seats, standard electronic stability control. Also the Fiesta will offer “up to” seven airbags (dual front, thorax, curtain, and driver’s knee), and the use of the “up to” phrase means the value stripped out cars on dealer lots won’t have ’em.

“Built on a platform with a wheelbase of 100.4in, an overall length of 161.6in, an overall width of 70.3in and overall height of 63.4in, the Soul offers enough space for five adults with some space left for storage. The car rides on a fully independent front and twist-beam rear suspension system, with front MacPherson struts and coil springs. In the rear, the Soul suspension is sub-frame-mounted with a transverse torsion beam axle with trailing arms. To maximize space, the rear anti-roll stabilizer bar is mounted inside the torsion beam. The engine lineup will consist of a 120hp 1.6L unit and a 140hp 2.0L option. Fuel economy for both engines is estimated at 30mpg.”

Having stretched itself a bit thin buying up British luxury icons Jaguar and Land Rover, Tata Motors is working with what it has to get the revenue flowing. For those of you who haven’t checked out Jaguar’s portfolio recently, that means the XF. Specifically, Autoexpress reports that Tata has approved coupe and convertible versions of the sleek sedan for production. The coupe will target Audi’s A5, with the tight greenhouse and high-waistlined styling that large coupe buyers have come to expect. And with a price target set under the XF sedan’s $50k msrp, it will also be the ground floor for XF ownership. The convertible should top the XF range, but it won’t have the usual astronomical convertible premium. Well, at least not enough to bump up against the XK’s $80k sticker. The drop-top will sport a traditional folding cloth roof, and a shortened wheelbase for improved body rigidity. Engine choices will be unchanged, although the XFR’s supercharged 5.0 V8 could become an option when the coupe and convertible versions drop in 2010. Autoexpress is also reporting on the long-rumored F-type sportscar, supposedly aimed at Porsche’s Boxster/Cayman duo. If things go well, the F-type could be coming in 2012 based on a cut-down version of the next-generation XJ all-aluminum platform and sporting V8 power. Sounds good, but we’re not exactly holding our breath for this. Let’s see how the XF-stretching goes first.

I’m in tears. Back in 1972, Stewart Udall, interior secretary in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, proposed that the auto companies branch out into “exciting new variants of ground transportation” to produce minibuses, “people movers,” urban mass transit and high-speed intercity trains. Instead of expanding the Interstate highway system, he suggested that the road construction industry take on “huge new programs to construct mass transit systems.” And he called for building “more compact, sensitively planned communities” rather than continuing urban sprawl.” We all know what happened. Detroit, today desperately seeking a miracle, worked hard to ensure that this would never happen. Even today, while screaming and begging for tax dollars, Detroit is lobbying against California’s stricter emissions laws that dictate smaller cars. Here’s the thing: people don’t want cars, we want mobility. And the reason I’m in tears is that lots of people saw this, almost FIFTY years ago.

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Motor Trend reports that the hot new convertible versions of the hot new Camaro and Challenger have been canceled, falling victim to GM and Chrysler’s new emergency-mode priorities. It seems the Challenger was not designed with a ragtop version in mind, and re-engineering the LX platform would simply cost more money than Cerberus wants to fork over. Meanwhile, GM is being characteristically disingenuous, claiming that the Camaro convertible is simply “on hold.” At this point, it’s safe to consider the whole Camaro project in limbo, as the hardtop doesn’t debut until the first quarter of next year. As fast as things are happening right now, don’t be surprised if GM goes down before a single Camaro hits the showroom floor. Or, if wishful thinking is your cup of Knob Creek, heed the words of MT who reckon “If GM’s situation improves, Chevrolet could return the Camaro convertible to its product plans for the 2011 model year, just in time to add a fresh new version of the car.” Or, as we are fond of saying around here, not. Meanwhile Ford dealers are cheering this news, after enduring a tough year of declining Mustang sales. As the old industry saying goes, a muscle car at the dealership is worth two being endlessly teased around the autoblogosphere.

These are indeed turbulent times in the automotive industry. With every new day comes a flood of bad news, and a fresh sense of ominous momentum. As we continue to serve up hefty sides of bailout beef, we thought we’d offer up a quick, palate-cleansing taste of the non-bailout, non-industry-implosion gossip going ’round the net. And you’ll never believe what insiders have to say about the Toyobaru coupe pregnancy scare! Read More >

If GM wants to have a chance of celebrating the New Year as a (somewhat) solvent company, it needs find $5b in cuts by the end of December. We’ve heard about the layoffs, forced vacations and executive pay cuts (wait, scratch that last one). But what’s going on with product development? After all, if the taxpayers are going to buy into GM big-style, we should know what we’re funding, right? CNN Money went through the GM product pipeline. (Keep in mind that things are changing fast.) The Volt and Cruze are said to be on-schedule, set to debut in 2010, the year that seems to get farther and farther away with every passing day. CNN says GM has given these two projects “protected status;” they’ll remain on schedule “no matter what crisis materializes.” Y’know, out of the clear blue sky. Of course, the fact that GM hasn’t announced a Volt battery supplier might lead you to question whether the Volt will make it in time, and anonymous information from one of the competing firms suggests a widespread pessimism on this point. So, two new products by 2010 (should the General survive till then). Anything else? Anyone? Bueller? Read More >

Automotive News [sub] tells us that GM’s big hope small car, the Cruze, has gone on sale in Korea as the Daewoo Lacetti. The replacement for Top Gear’s one-time “reasonably priced car” comes with a 1.6 liter four-banger, making 116 hp and costing only $7,948 in devalued Won. With production underway in Gunsan, Korea, GM needs only develop US-market trim and begin production of its 1.4 liter turbo-four engine to bring the Cruze stateside. Unfortunately, GM is on a zero-development budget for 2009, meaning production at Lordstown, OH is on hold. We won’t expect any news of US production of the Cruze until the Department of Energy writes up regulation controlling the $25b in retooling loans needed to get Lordstown rolling. Still, it’s nice to know that, unlike certain other GM vehicles in the pipeline (cough, Volt, cough) the Cruze is already on the road, if only in Korean spec. If GM can’t find the money to build and sell a small, already-developed economy car, well, it makes one wonder what they’re doing in business at all.

To get answers to some of your questions regarding the refreshed Ford Fusion, I got in touch with one of the Ford PR folks, but rather than hide my findings in comments, we’ll post them here.

– The 2.5 liter 4-cylinder model will be available with a manual transmission, contrary to my previous expectations. For the other 98 percent of buyers, it’s a six-speed auto.

– AWD will still be available on the 3.0 and 3.5-liter V6 cars (proving Berkowitz’s guesses wrong again).

– The Fusion’s manumatic will be controlled with a +/- system on the gear lever base, not steering wheel buttons.

– On sale date is the nebulous “First Quarter 2009.” Considering that nobody is going to be buying cars this November, December, January, I don’t think it matters much that the refreshed Fusion isn’t going on sale for a few months.

– Ford is hoping/anticipating/guessing that the hybrid version will deliver best in class fuel economy. For reference, the Camry Hybrid is rated at 33/34.

– The Fusion Hybrid version will have slick/gimmicky SmartGauge system– two LCD screens surrounding the analog speedo gauge– to show instant fuel economy, etc. It’s good marketing to make hybrid drivers feel like they have a special car (i.e. the Prius’ space cadet interior).

– The Fusion’s cabin will be improved. I’ve tossed in one of KGP/Jalopnik’s spy photos of the Fusion’s refreshed interior into the gallery. SYNC will be available with or without the nav system.

You gotta sit up and take notice when a new technology claims a 40 to 50 percent increase in fuel economy. Either that or hide your checkbook. Personally, professionally, I’ve never heard of a hydraulic hybrid vehicle (HHV), never mind a diesel hydraulic hybrid vehicle (DHHV?). But IndustryWeek has, as well as the United Parcel Service, which plans to deploy a fleet of two (count ’em two) HHVs in Minneapolis early next year. The only explanation for the taxpayer-funded technology involved is, to say the least, literally, marginal. “The technology, originally developed in a federal laboratory of the Environmental Protection Agency, stores energy by compressing hydraulic fluid under pressure in a large chamber.” Does one of our Best and Brightest care to elaborate? Meanwhile, it’s kinda weird to hear our government officials talk about the hybrid premium: “The EPA estimates that when manufactured in high volume, the added costs of the hybrid components can be recouped in less than three years through lower fuel and brake maintenance costs.” [thanks to nutbags for the link]

Or not actually leaked. But since these are crappy photos of a brochure, it wouldn’t surprise me if this was an actual mistake, rather than covert PR work. Nevertheless, thanks to our friend Mr. Neff at Autoblog, we can see ’em. And on the basis of the blurry photos of photos, I think the next generation RX looks merely ok on the outside, and just awful on the inside. The pursuit of spaceship interiors continues, which will make Barrett-Jackon’s 2050 joint auction of the 2010 Lexus RX450h alongside a 1961 Impala SS.

Ford has just released the first picture of the 2010 Fusion, a facelifted version of the current car. While the Fusion we have now is a decent ride, it’s just decent. The refreshed Fusion attempts to rectify the current model’s below-class horsepower, among other improvements:

–The current 2.3 liter 4-cylinder is replaced with a “new” 2.5 liter 4-cylinder with 175 horsepower (the same engine that’s in the Mazda6 4-cylinder), a jump of some 14 ponies. Torque for the 4-cylinder is also up to 172 lb ft now, an increase of 16 lb ft. The 4-cylinder also has variable cam timing, a nice addition.

–The 3.0 liter V6 will stay, but is now up to 240 horsepower from 221 and its 6-speed automatic now has a manumatic shift mode; this should prove helpful in getting around the infuriatingly geared economy-friendly transmissions.

–The range topping “Fusion Sport” will feature Ford’s not-so-awesome 3.5 liter V6 with 263 horsepower.

–All models get 6-speed automatics, an upgrade for the 4-cylinder.

–A hybrid model will come at some point with the newer generation 2.5 liter 4-cylinder unit in the 2009 Escape Hybrid.

–No EPA testing yet but Ford claims 32 mpg highway for the 4-cylinder model.

As for which one I’d buy if I was in the market for a Fusion, unless there are major suspension changes to the 3.5 liter V6 Sport model, I’d rather keep the weight down and take the almost-as-powerful 3.0 liter V6. Then again, what I’d really want is a turbocharged AWD Fusion with 350 horsepower, but considering the market’s current implosion, I doubt Alan Mulally thinks that’s a good way to spend Ford’s money.