The launch of the new Golf Cabriolet reminded me of a piece of Volkswagen lore: The convertible that never was. A few calls to the Volkswagen History Department (now called “Volkswagen Classic”) later, here is the story: Read More >
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Rich writes:
Sajeev,
My New vs. Used dilemma was posted on 2/4/10. Based on your advice, TTAC member feedback and other research, I have made my decision. Last month I purchased a 2007 Ford Five Hundred SEL 2WD from the local Ford dealer. The car is just off lease with 28K miles, mechanically excellent, interior almost cherry and exterior very good. The dealer was asking for $14K, I offered $12.5K and we agreed to the Edmunds price of $12.7K. It drives pretty much as the critics say, great handling for a large car though a bit short on power. The power deficit is not terrible for everyday driving, I just need to rev it a bit. The motor isn’t tuned for low speed torque; something like GM’s or Ford’s 3.8 would be a better match for this car than the Duratec. The car returned 21 MPG in suburban driving on my first tankful.
Having penned the original Golf, possibly the most influential modern global compact car, Giorgetto Giugiaro and his Italdesign staff are revisiting the theme of forward-thinking, compact and subcompact hatchbacks for its new owner, Volkswagen. A sleek, C-segment three-door may hint at the look of future Golfs, but if so it’s a peek well into the future, as the Golf VII debuts later this year with a decidedly more evolutionary look. Ital’s designs shrink the front fascias of both cars to the width of their narrow headlights, improving aerodynamics and allowing a relatively open greenhouse… VW’s designs have been headed in this direction since the Duplo-block Golf III, and Giugiaro’s boys may be planning the stylistic endgame. Even the more upright subcompact concept has the same minimalist brow and unexpectedly curve-dependent, organic design language.
In any case, VW has not yet commented on the designs, so we don’t really know where they fit into the brand’s future. Still, it’s cool to see the house that penned the original Golf taking on the same design brief, decades after the original helped define a whole segment.
A consensus is growing among the appellate divisions of the California Superior Court that red light camera evidence currently offered by private companies does not meet the appropriate legal standard of proof. In December, a three-judge appeals panel in San Bernardino handed down a unanimous decision reversing the photo ticket issued to motorist John Macias.
Macias received a ticket in the mail after his car was photographed in Victorville on January 10, 2009 making a slow right-hand turn at a light that had been red for 0.36 seconds. His attorney, Robert D. Conaway, argued that when San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputy Baker testified as a witness against Macias, Baker had no personal knowledge of the facts of the case. As such, his evidence was hearsay.
Ever since Volkswagen bought not quite 20 percent of Suzuki a little more than a year ago, industry observers said: “Now what?” To this day, the couple remains childless. Lately, there have been rumors that the impatient German side is pushing for offsprings, whereas the Japanese side stays chaste. Now finally, there might be results – if India’s Economic Times has the correct information. Read More >
A breeze of fresh air for Volkswagen’s program: The Wolfsburg company shows a new Golf Cabriolet convertible at the Geneva Motor Show. No stop and squeeze your fingers while folding the roof in this one. The Golf has an electro-hydraulic drive that takes down the Golf’s top in a 9.5 seconds flash. If you attempt any motorized folderol at speeds above 30 km/h (19 mp/h), the roof will refuse. It would turn into a giant air brake otherwise. Read More >
Let’s face it: if you’re considering an Aston-Martin, you’ve got pretty refined taste. You’ve got the resources to scoff at the mere 470 horsepower offered by the DB9, but you aren’t enough of an ostentatious bore to jump for a 510 horsepower DBS. What to do? Luckily Aston has heard your subtle yet distinctive cry for help, and is exhuming its Virage nameplate just so you can enjoy a thoroughly respectable 490 horsepower in your coupe or roadster. Because any more would be obnoxious and any less would just be pathetic.
You’d think that a place with “taxation without representation” on its license plates would pay close attention to fiscal decisions, but according to a fascinating Washington Post story, when it comes to cars, all bets are off. District of Columbia Council Chairman Kwame Brown has claimed for months that his leased Lincoln Navigator was simply issued to him by the District, but thanks to a Freedom of Information Act request, it has been discovered that Brown simply bullied his way into a $1,900/month “fully loaded” Navigator lease that had to be sourced all the way from Kansas City.
The story might just seem aggravating if you may be asked to pay for D.C.’s $440m budget shortfall, but it’s also a fascinating insight into government vehicle sourcing. We’ve covered some strange government vehicle purchases before, but we’ve never before seen exactly how politicians go about securing their unnecessarily flash rides. The key: just insist on the best and don’t take no for an answer. Read the whole thing. [Hat Tip: Brady Holt]
Though it appears that it may take even more government stimulus to achieve President Obama’s goal of putting one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015, online auto juggernaut Edmunds has come out against existing EV tax credits in a commentary by CEO Jeremy Anwyl. Anwyl’s argument is rooted in the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy‘s finding that the tax credit-qualifying Chevy Volt is only the 13th-greenest vehicle on the market while its greenest, the natural gas-powered Honda Civic GX, remains unsubsidized. Anwyl argues
The problem is this: When the government picks a technology, it crowds out development of other, potentially promising alternatives, like the natural gas engine used in the Honda Civic GX (above). LNG is not a new technology. I had friends who converted their vehicle to natural gas back in the Seventies. But how much are we hearing about it today? Or what about hydrogen fuel cells? A few years back, they were the stars of the major auto shows. Were any fuel-cell vehicles on display at the recent Detroit auto show? No. Every automaker was busy touting EVs.
Lamborghini was clearly hoping to tease its fans with a long, drawn-out release of pictures of its new Murcielago-replacing Aventador, as pictures of the supercar’s greasy bits were released today. But, in the era of global media, even the most-complicit outlets can accidentally let loose images of new supercar hotness… and that’s apparently what happened with the latest Lamborghini. EVO Magazine’s Croatian edition leaked the first image of the Aventador to Car and Driver, and it’s now making its way across the web. But really, aren’t the pics featuring the Aventador’s carbon fiber tub, pushrod suspension and other non-styling features the more interesting photos?
TTAC Commentator Astigmatism writes:
Dear TTAC: After six months of commuting by bus from New Jersey to Manhattan, I’ve decided to treat myself by buying myself a car (my wife commutes with our 10-year-old RX300), getting a monthly parking space through my company and driving into work every day. Please don’t try to talk me out of this decision: the buses are routinely late, stop at every corner between my house and the highway, take me to the wrong part of town, and generally take at least twice as long all-in as driving in the few, blessed days when I’ve driven to the office.
Initial reports of a diesel version of the Chevy Cruze coming to the US market cited GM management sources who apparently told workers at the Cruze’s Lordstown, OH assembly plant they would begin building the diesel-powered Cruze for the 2013 model-year. But GM spokesfolks tell the Youngstown Vindicator.
GM has some of the most capable engineers in the world and very capable engineering in Europe. If and when the time comes, there is no doubt GM will be able to produce a diesel engine in America,
The implication being that a diesel Cruze is not imminent… but that doesn’t mean it will never happen. Local UAW boss Dave Green clarifies
I did see the report. I read where we may be getting some diesel-powered Cruzes, but we have not gotten word of that from our corporate offices
So… call the diesel Cruze a big maybe. At some point. Perhaps Chevy is waiting for the Cruze five-door to come online before making an all-out bid for America’s “Mr Euro” market with a diesel hatchback.
When should you not buy a used car? Try right now. From mid-February thru early-June, the auto industry goes through an event called tax season. Folks receive their refund checks from the IRS, which in turn creates a nice little bubble of activity in the used car industry. Which is a good thing. Except that bubbles always have nasty repercussions down the road. Read More >
Nissan raised a tempest in a chatroom (or 20) when it claimed a 7:29:03 Nürburgring lap time for its GTR, and taunted Porsche that this time beat its 911 Turbo. Porsche took the bait, claiming that its drivers couldn’t replicate the GTR’s lap time and that Nissan must have used non-stock tires. Nissan fired back, and as the controversy became mired in he said-she-said nonsense, the fanboys gradually lost interest. And now, years later, Nissan is literally shoving the controversy into the faces of Porsche owners in hopes of getting even more mileage over one of the sillier controversies in the world of performance cars. But can you imagine this nearly three-year-old taunt actually stinging Porsche owners into considering a GTR?
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