Thinking of trading your gas-guzzling SUV in for something smaller, a bit more fuel efficient? You are not alone. The rocketing cost of gasoline, and diesel fuel, is having a ripple effect on the SUV market. With consumers trading in their behemoths by the thousands in exchange for more frugal transportation, dealers are stuck with a surplus of unwanted sport-utes sitting on their lots with values dissolving.
Diesel-burning trucks aren't immune either. As diesel fuel costs hovering about fifty cents per-gallon above gasoline, some of the bigger oil-burning SUVs and trucks are losing measurable resale by the day. Overall, according to CNW Marketing Research, used SUV sales were down 14% in March alone. With any surplus, come big discounts. It may be a ghastly time to fill a 30-gallon tank on an SUV, but it is the perfect time to negotiate with a dealer for that seven-passenger family truckster you've been fancying. No need to hurry -- there will be an even better selection tomorrow.
Oil company advertising is apparently much more effective than we had originally thought. As gasoline prices creep up towards $4.00 per gallon (already there in Southern California), consumers are still more likely to purchase fuel based on brand over price.
According to NPD Group analyst David Portalatin, consumers cite "product performance" as their justification for buying one particular brand over another. It's all due to very effective branding and marketing, cites Portalatin. (We'd have to agree, as we've yet to meet anyone who can discern a difference between a tank of Chevron or Costco fuel from the driver'sseat.) Now that the massive oil mergers are behind them, the petroleum giants are focusing on selling "quality" to differentiate themselves from the discount fuel stations. As consumers continue to blindly drive towards big brand gasoline, their efforts are apparently working -- regardless of cost. Let's just hope Starbucks doesn't catch wind of this trend and try a new source of revenue...
[Source Advertising Age, Photo by David McNew, Getty Images]
Whether you call it "premium," "super unleaded," or even "high test," it all means the same thing -- the most expensive gasoline at the pump. In a somewhat counterproductive trend, the skyrocketing cost of fuel is forcing automobile manufacturers to use smaller and more powerful engines, often with forced-induction. Unfortunately, these engines require higher octane... the distinguishing feature of premium fuel.
Kelley Blue Book has been following the trend and according to their analysis, there were 166 vehicle models that required premium fuel in 2002. This year, that number is up to 282. While some automakers only require premium for their highest performing models, companies like BMW call for premium fuel across their model range.
While there is no advantage to running premium fuel in an engine that doesn't call for it, you should run the higher octane fuel in a powerplant designed for it (if in doubt, check the owner's manual, or the inside of the fuel filler door). While nearly every late-model high-performance engine on the road can handle a slightly lower octane rating without damage, don't skimp when filling up as your fuel economy and horsepower will suffer (yes, it will likely negate any savings at the pump).
It's hard to imagine, but Fiat is rumored to be developing an even smaller car than the 500 and Panda. The new model would be a low-cost vehicle targeted at markets in South America, Russia, India and China.
Depending on how the Italian automaker determines a budget automobile would reflect on the company's other products, the vehicle could be marketed under the Fiat nameplate, or possibly under a different one altogether. If the company decides it will wear the Fiat badge, it could revive the Uno nameplate and effectively replace the Palio (pictured above), which currently serves as Fiat's "world car", with production in Brazil, India, Turkey, South Africa, North Korea and China, in hatchback, sedan, wagon and pickup body-styles. Fiat's close relations with Tata, makers of the Nano, could come into play, but one way or another, nobody does small cars like Fiat, so the competition had better take note.
Once known as knock-offs for their distinctive retainers, pin-drive wheels are making a comeback amongst the tuner set. One Lug Wheels added its setup to the dolled-up Tjin Edition/Turtle Wax Chevy Cobalt. The car has received attention in a myriad of areas, but what really caught our eye were the lug-less wheels. Real racing cars - versus bestickered street driven spectacles - use wheels with a single central retainer to facilitate quick changes. The One Lug Wheels system appears to be like similar systems. There's a hub adapter that is secured to the lugs, which then allows the fitment of the appropriate wheels. The clean look of the wheel is the only street-bound benefit. The whole system adds unsprung weight, and probably increases the sideload on the wheelbearings. Not only that, the safety margin that multiple fasteners deliver is negated in favor of a stylish wheelnut. If you're comfortable with those tradeoffs and like the uncluttered wheel center, One Lug Wheels will soon be offering its wheels and mounting system to the buying public. Even if you're not into the tuner scene, how slick would it be to put knock off Halibrands on your Bullitt Mustang? With its retro-cred, the knockoff wheel has the potential to appeal to wrench turners young and old.
This quarter, the Volkswagen Rabbit knocks the Toyota Yaris out of the top spot on Gaywheels.com's list of top-researched cars. The Yaris, which had hung on to the numero uno spot for the last twelve months, dropped to third place as the VeeDub managed to snag the second spot as well with the hardtop-convertible Eos, which is also a chick car. Making their first appearances on the list are the Volvo C30 at number nine and the Mazda 3 at the tenth spot.
Interestingly, Joe LaMuraglia from Gaywheels.com points out, "60% of the vehicles on the most-researched list are hatchbacks and four of those six have a MSRP starting at under $16K." You'll also see that the entire list, which is available after the jump, is populated with gas-sippers.
Note too that each vehicle on the Most-Researched list is offered by a gay-friendly brand -- based on corporate policies for offering domestic-partner benefits to employees in the U.S.
Comments, as always, are welcome. Please remember to keep 'em clean.
Mercedes jump-started a new trend of four-door coupes with the CLS. But after several years of having the niche market to itself, the German automaker is bracing for an onslaught of competition, from above and from below. While the Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Rapide attempt to take the four-door coupe formula even farther upmarket, Volkswagen has launched its assault by undercutting the CLS with the new CC (until now known as the Passat CC). If the reports are to be believed, it's the latter that Daimler sees as the bigger threat, and the automaker is preparing to launch its own counter-assault with what's being dubbed as the CLE.
Like the CLS is based on the E-Class, the CLE would be based on the C-Class. But instead of coming in under the C-Class like the recently facelifted but still ageing CLC, the CLE would likely slot in between the C and E. Most of the mechanics would probably also carry over from the C-Class sedan, and the prospect of a swoopier version of the C63 AMG makes us hope the project comes to fruition.
Detroit's Big 3 American automakers account for roughly half of new car sales in the United States. So how do you explain that they hold almost two-thirds of all the new car dealerships in the country between them? The automakers themselves recognize the problem, and have been closing dealerships faster than you can say "foreign competition".
The Automotive News Dealer Census shows that, as of the start of this year, GM, Ford and Chrysler had 14,199 dealerships across the United States, 621 fewer than at the start of last year. The closures reflect a growing trend of reduction in the number of dealerships and franchises. Today U.S. carmakers have nearly 5,000 domestic dealerships fewer than they did in 1980. The closings began in earnest five years ago when the Big 3 closed 256 outlets in 2003. Of the 513 dealerships that closed last year in the United States, 484 were for American automakers. While GM continues to lead with the most outlets in the country, it closed 238 dealerships and 227 franchises itself last year. Ford closed 214, while Chrysler closed 164. Both GM and Chrysler are also campaigning for its dealerships to consolidate between brands: The General is aiming to combine Pontiac, Buick and GMC into single dealerships, with luxury dealerships focusing on Cadillac, Saab and HUMMER, while Chrysler LLC is undertaking Project Genesis to consolidate Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep franchises into single outlets.
[Source: Automotive News – subs. req'd, Photos by Justin Sullivan and Roberto Schmidt/Getty]
Brand revival has become a hot trend in the automotive industry, but while European marques like MINI, Maybach, Bugatti and Spyker have returned to the limelight, American automakers have yet to climb on board. According to this Brandjunkie survey conducted by Interbrand's website brandchannel.com, the public most wants to see the retired American auto marques Oldsmobile and Studebaker revived. The gone-but-not-forgotten car brands follow names like Pan Am and Atari on the list, which also happened to include the retired Chrysler division Plymouth.
Elsewhere in the survey, respondents answered that BMW would make a great dinner party guest; Ford and Toyota have made a significant impact on the course of history; GM and Ford deserve a good tongue lashing in an argument; BMW, Toyota, Mercedes or Volkswagen would be good brands to be if one could be a brand; BMW, Mercedes and Toyota inspire people; GM, BMW and Mercedes need to be rebranded; and Toyota, Honda, GM and BMW are truly "green" brands. Outside the auto industry, Apple is apparently the best brand ever created, as it nabbed the No. 1 survey spot in most questions.
Click above to view the Porsche Design White Collection in hi-res
White is not "the new black". Nor is anything else, for that matter. Black is the new black, and always will be. That's why it's black. What white is, however, is the white-hottest color for new cars these days. Porsche knows that as well as anyone else, and its merchandising division, Porsche Design, is celebrating the trend with a line of products in hot white instead of the usual black.
The new Porsche Design White Collection is highlighted by a white version of the company's award-winning mobile phone, rounded out by items ranging from pens to jackets and laptop cases to sunglasses. Arriving just in time for a summer spent cruising around in a white 911 Turbo convertible, the collection goes on sale next month, its products available in any color you want... as long as it's white. Check out the press release after the jump for more info and the images in the gallery below.
When the C-Class predecessor launched, it was known as the 190 and carried a four-cylinder powerplant underhood. Mercedes is now considering a return to four-pots in the U.S. market as the price of fuel continues to soar. MBZ is reportedly already testing a 1.4-liter carrying a supercharger, which is strange when you consider there's already a 1.8-liter blown four-cylinder on sale in Europe. The C180 Kompressor seems like it'd be the easy way to get fours back into the U.S. lineup, but Mercedes must have some other ideas driving the decision to develop the smaller 1.4.
Even stranger, while the talk is all about forced induction, the end result will supposedly be underwhelming in the power department, so Mercedes is planning on ramping up the glitter without delivering the gold. Perceived performance is the euphemism for a car that comes with a loud exhaust and twitchy throttle, and that's what Mercedes engineers think it will take to make the car palatable to U.S. buyers. Gee, leave the sound insulation out so that 25 mph feels like 100 and we're sold! Seriously, is this a late April Fool's joke? "Perceived performance?" A car that's not in denial about being thrifty might be more successful than a poseur.
Click above for a high resolution gallery Shelby's personal '69 GT500
Those who follow the classic car market are probably not surprised to hear that prices of vintage Detroit iron, especially those cars from the muscle-car era of the mid-'60s to early '70s, have shot up in the last several years, outperforming both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 Index, according to NADA Guides. Classic cars valued at over $125,000 performed the best, on average, by appreciating 47 percent between February 2004 and February 2008. By way of comparison, collectible cars in general increased in value at an average rate of 36 percent. Sounds like a good rate of return to us!
For those interested in the collector car market but who don't have deep enough pockets to afford some of these high prices, NADA Guides' research shows that the market has begun slowing in the last year and that even the lower-priced cars of $25,000 or less are increasing in value at a good clip.
Of course, Autoblog is not making any suggestions on how you should manage your money. If you are truly interested in getting in on the auction action, you may want to contact a professional. We imagine, though, that as time goes by, classic vehicles are only going to become rarer. Although new classics seem to sprout up all the time.
In a sign that the high cost of gasoline has finally struck a central nerve, car shoppers today are reportedly more concerned about fuel economy than they are about the brand of vehicle when shopping for a new car. In addition, consumers want more government control over fuel economy. This startling news, and a reversal of consumer trends two years ago, is the result of a new AAA survey which studied consumers' attitudes towards fuel prices.
It appears that consumers were getting used to the cyclic fluctuations of gas prices. Prices shot up based on market conditions, supply and demand, and season increases. However, they always seemed to drop back to more palatable levels... at least they used to. Today, according to leading economists, consumers are finally catching-on to the idea that $4 a gallon gas might be the norm. This reality-check of fuel costs will lead to downsizing, and a focus on vehicle efficiency. Have we finally found the Achilles heel of the SUV?
Automakers work very hard at the branding process, which takes years and years of effort to achieve. For instance, when a consumer hears Porsche, he or she likely sthink of sports cars and iconic design principles -- despite the fact that the German brand sells plenty of SUVs, too. And when a brand starts to get a negative image, it can take years to overcome that bad stigma -- just ask Ford. So, with all of this in mind, Kelley Blue Book has announced the winners of its 2008 Brand Image Awards, which are based on consumer perception studies of which KBB keeps track.
The big winners this year are Toyota for "Best Overall Interior Design", BMW for "Best Overall Exterior Design" and Mercedes-Benz for "Best Overall Prestige Brand". We would have expected Audi to do well in the interior design category, but these awards are not based on reality, but perception instead. For a complete run-down of the awards, we've included the press release after the break.
Click above to view more pictures of the 2008 Honda CBR1000RR
Motorcycle design has been evolving over the years to the point that sportbikes of old look almost nothing like what's currently on showroom floors today. Full fairings add an aerodynamic look to the modern sportbike, although the basic mechanicals underneath remain the same. What's most interesting, though, are front end and headlight designs, which are what often differentiates one bike from another and gives a bike its character. It turns out that this unique look is sometimes designed to make people think of the bike as human. For instance, Honda's latest CBR1000RR has headlights designed to look like eyes with an abbreviated "nose" in between. By establishing a human connection, other drivers are more likely to notice the motorcycle, which is definitely a boon for safety, and it also gives the rider a connection to the machine making him or her feel that it is an extension of themselves.
Some motorcycles are purposely styled to look aggressive or mean, intimidating the rider and reminding them that their lives are on the line. It's not often that we think of motorcycle styling as a safety measure, but it's something we can appreciate. Still, there is a part of us that appreciates the elemental mechanical look of classic bikes that much of the industry has lost today. Fortunately, choices abound on the market, so there is surely a bike out there that will appeal to each individual rider.
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_thumbnail.jpg "Lamborghini Reventon unboxed in Las Vegas")
