It’s been a long time since I saw one of these early 928s. This one is all-original, including those “telephone dial” wheels and mighty dinky rubber. Guess what size they are? 215 60 x 15″. That’s econo-box size today. The engine was the 4.5 liter V8 that put out 219 (net) hp in US trim; 240 PS in Euro tune. It was a fast, comfortable coupe for its day, and a pretty rare find today.
Time to visit the the in-laws and old friends in the Bay Area. When the women and kids head for the mall, and the men turn on the game, its time for me to slip out and prowl the streets of San Mateo. Like most older Bay Area cities, it’s densely built, and an ideal hunting ground for Curbside Classics. And the climate here is about the best possible for street-side car preservation: less rain than Oregon, but not too much intense hot sunshine either. I’ve bagged a whole bunch of interesting cars that I haven’t seen in Eugene, so let’s take a look at them this week starting with this very excellent 1968 Riviera. Read More >
Idle-stop technology, which turns off a car’s engine instead of idling, is available from a number of automakers in the European and Japanese markets. Mazda claims nearly half of its Mazda3 compacts and Biante minivans sold in Japan are ordered with the $500 option, as consumers seek out fuel economy improvement without the cost of a full hybrid system. So, why doesn’t Mazda sell idle-stop equipped cars in the US? According to the company, though Japanese fuel economy tests show stop-start improving efficiency by seven to nine percent “the EPA city-mode test cycle includes only one complete vehicle stop, so stop-start technology registers only a 0.1- or 0.2-mpg improvement.” And who would pay $500 for that?
Shawn asks:
I have a 2006 Mazda5 GT which has blown it’s second rear shock in less than 87,000 km. My question is whether I should just replace it with yet another Mazda part, or whether I should go aftermarket and replace both rear ones at the same time. My concern with this option is whether or not the ride quality will be maintained. I do not want to end up with a harsh ride with an aftermarket part. Does anyone have any suggestions? What is a good brand for shocks? Does anyone have any experience with the Mazda5 or have a suggestion for shocks? I am also tempted to just rid of the car altogether :( This would be the fifth repair related to the suspension in three years of ownership.
Saabsunited ran a recent piece by Sweden’s Dagensindustrie through Google Translate, and came out with a possible (and very old-GM) outcome for the new Epsilon II-based Saab 9-5:
According to Dagens Industri’s sources, GM is planning to use the new Saab 9-5: an own model program, including a future Buick in the U.S.. GM is also in a letter to Saab’s sub-contractors have estimated the time of closure of Saab to five years.
There are sources in Saab Automobile in the Dagens Industri – DI – indicates that GM now see positive opportunities to closure of Saab. By making use of Saab’s technology, tools and production equipment for GM use the new 9-5: an – that would be launched in the spring – to a future Buick in the U.S..
In the GM is also talk of exploiting Saab technology for the production of a new premium car for Opel, “says DI’s sources. It would then be about the reopening of the closed trial with an Opel Senator in Europe.
When news came out that GM would sell a critical 1 percent of their Chinese joint venture to SAIC (now owner of a 51 percent majority,) and that GM would sell half of their Indian operation to SAIC, rumors swirled that GM would sell-out their future in the world’s only remaining growth markets to raise cash for Opel. It doesn’t seem that way. GM is mortgaging their future at the pawn shop for pocket change. A whacko report even claims that GM is already under Chinese control …
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Russia’s Sberbank isn’t the only party that is unhappy with GM and wants to see money.
Germany’s government wants GM to put “a lot of money” on the table before any further discussions about European state aid for Opel would be entertained, reports Germany’s Handelsblatt.
Note that the harsh comments are coming from Roland Koch, Premier of Opel’s home state Hesse. Previously, Koch had been a vociferous proponent of state support for Opel. Not more.
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Starting January 1, 2010, Chinese buyers will get the rare chance to buy a genuine, Made-in-München (or Regensburg) BMW 3 Series at the price of a Made-in-Shenyang BMW 3 Series, while the Chinese BMW/Brilliance joint venture updates its production facilities.
BMW Brilliance will import BMW 3 Series in large quantities starting January 1, 2010. The BMW venture in China will stop manufacturing the series temporarily to upgrade its production line, Gasgoo reports.
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These days, no Christmas cheer is complete without a little Opel jeer. Russia’s Sberbank has demanded compensation from GM for reneging on the Opel deal, Sberbank CEO German Gref said in an interview on Russia’s Vesti television channel. Groveled a grouchy Gref:
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The Christmas season would be a reason to be merry, would it not be for Hugo Chavez. More details about his expropriation threats emerge. Turns out, Chavez did not just threaten to kick out Toyota for being lackadaisical in the production of “rustic” vehicles.
“President Hugo Chavez told foreign automakers Wednesday to share their technology with local businesses or they will be told to leave the country,” writes the Boston Globe. Chavez gave the ultimatum in wholesale fashion to Ford, General Motors, Toyota and Fiat. Implied, the ultimatum is also meant for Fiat-controlled Chrysler, for Mitsubishi, Mack and Fiat-owned Iveco. All of the above have production facilities in Venezuela. All are at risk of instant deportation.
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Battered auto parts makers in Japan are surviving on a diet of non-auto parts.
Today’s Nikkei [sub] has it that companies like Toyoda Gosei,. NHK Spring Co. and other auto parts makers are earning an ever greater proportion of profits from electronics components and other businesses not related to cars.
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May all your Christmas, Holiday and New Year’s wishes come true. For mine to come true, Santa, this Pantera is going to need a little home-country friend to keep it company, like the one after the jump: Read More >
At least now we know how Saab will die. But Spyker CEO Victor Muller’s unfortunate choice of metaphors isn’t the only indication in his interview with the WSJ Deal Journal that Saab will die on the operating table. Take, for example, his answer to the question “Why does Spyker want to buy Saab?”
Saab has 1,100 dealers world-wide. If we sold Spykers in just 5% of those dealers, we would be tripling our distribution base. Saab also has access to technologies that would be ideal for Spyker, such as an all-wheel drive system. Also, a company that should sell 100,000 cars a year has very high purchasing power and get parts cheaper than a company that wants to make 100 cars a year.
Emphasis on wants to make 100 cars per year (they sold fewer than 50 last year). And yet, somehow Muller “hopes to model a Saab acquisition after Audi’s successful take over of Lamborghini in 1997.” Except that Saab ain’t Lambo and Spyker ain’t exactly Audi. Meanwhile, Muller also seems to think that Saab can survive on “quirk” alone, and he does some confused back-pedaling on his racially-charged statements about Saab and Spyker. The saga continues. Read More >
Not all too surprisingly, China’s Geely is planning to build a Volvo factory in China once the purchase of Volvo from Ford has closed, Bloomberg reports. The plant will most likely go up in Beijing, but just in case the Beijing government is not providing the adequate support, Geely has two other Chinese cities identified for the facility.
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Venezuela’s, well, President Hugo Chavez took a page out of the U.S. government’s playbook, and ordered Toyota’s local assembly plant to make more cars, pronto. If the Japanese don’t produce an adequate number of vehicles designed for rural areas, Chavez will expropriate Toyota and kick them out of Venezuela.
According to this morning’s indignant Nikkei [sub,] Chavez said his socialist government is going to apply strict quotas on the number and types of vehicles firms can produce. He ordered an immediate inspection of Toyota’s facilities to see how many “rustic vehicles” they are currently producing. (“Rustic,” not “rusty.”)
“They’ll have to fulfill (the quotas), and if not, they can get out,” said Chavez during a televised address. “We’ll bring in another company.” And what company would that be?
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