Good Car Bad Car

PRICING IDENTICAL VOLKSWAGEN DIESELS WITH DIFFERENT NAMES IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES & DIFFERENT CURRENCIES

2009-12-06T10:16:00.001-04:00

Pricing automobiles is a science for which automakers employ many employees. A science; yes. A perfected science; no.

Step too far beyond direct competitors and, regardless of your product's equipment advantages, the car may be priced right out of the market. When an automaker's aim is to provide the "value" alternative, protecting profits becomes terrifically difficult. Building the product outside of the target market throws fluctuating currencies into the equation.

Without attempting to arrive at conclusions, the Numbers below look at one car, a car with two names in two neighbouring countries with drastically different buying habits. The restyled 2010 Volkswagen Jetta diesel wagon - officially the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI in the USA and the Volkswagen Golf Wagon 2.0TDI Clean Diesel Comfortline (or Highline) in Canada - provides an interesting perspective for those curious about the reasoning behind automaker pricing methods. Why Volkswagen does the things it does GoodCarBadCar.net knows not - but these are still the things Volkswagen does.

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750 - dollars charged by Volkswagen Of America for "destination charge", tacked onto the base price automatically in VW.com's Build section

1,365 - dollars charged by Volkswagen Canada for "Freight and PDI", basically the destination charge and pre-delivery inspection, also tacked onto the base price automatically in VW.ca's Build & Price section

25,060 - base price, including the destination charge, of a Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI in the United States

28,240 - base price, including freight and PDI, of a Volkswagen Golf Wagon 2.0 TDI in Canada

26,498 - price of a U.S.-market Jetta SportWagen TDI converted to Canadian dollars

26,707 - price of a Canadian-market Golf Wagon TDI converted to U.S. dollars

30 - city MPG figure provided by Volkswagen Of America (via the EPA) for the Jetta SportWagen TDI, translated to 7.8L/100km for Canadian consumption

6.7 - city L/100km figure provided by Volkswagen Canada (via Natural Resources Canada) for the Golf Wagon Clean Diesel, translated to 35mpg for American consumption

1,100 - cost of adding Volkswagen's direct-shift gearbox to the U.S.-market Jetta SportWagen TDI

1,400 - cost of adding Volkswagen's direct-shift gearbox to the Canadian-market Golf Wagon TDI

482.83 - estimated monthly payment, in U.S. dollars, for the most inexpensive Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI in the state of Texas, with $0.00 down and no trade over a period of 60 months at an interest rate of 4.9%

602.87 - estimated monthly payment, in Canadian dollars, for the most inexpensive Volkswagen Golf Wagon 2.0TDI Clean Diesel Comfortline in the province of Nova Scotia, with $0.00 down and no trade over a period of 60 months at an interest rate of 4.9%

L.A. AUTO SHOW: INFINITI M, HYUNDAI TUCSON & SONATA, KIA SORENTO, MAZDA 2

2009-12-05T08:48:00.001-04:00

Right now in Los Angeles the temperature isn't a whole lot warmer than it is here on the east coast of Canada. Granted, the sun hasn't risen yet on the pacific. And the temperature will soon be dropping outside GoodCarBadCar Towers. But, you know, those of us not at the Los Angeles Auto Show need to console ourselves somehow.

Missing out on new vehicle introductions isn't as painful as it once was. For starters, images of new products are normally available before the show; sometimes weeks in advance. Rather than "shock and awe", auto manufacturers seem to be more content with "prepare to display". The Good Car Guy didn't get in on the preparation act a whole lot as far as the L.A. show goes because of the emphasis on Sales Stats. Besides, you're already aware of the Ford Fiesta ($13,995 or $15,795 for the hatch), Ford's new-for-2011 Mustang V6, the awesome Cadillac CTS Coupe, Porsche Boxster Spyder, Volkswagen up! Lite, and Chevrolet's Volt and Cruze. The pictures in this post relate to a few important introductions at the L.A. Auto Show you really shouldn't miss.

First, there's the 2011 Hyundai Sonata. Not built to be available with a V6, the new Sonata is much more design-conscious. Whether or not the styling will be appreciated by all, there's no denying it cuts a daring profile when compared with previous Sonatas.

Then Hyundai also brought out the new Tucson. In this increasingly active segment of small crossovers Hyundai has already been a formidable player. This Tucson looks the part and will probably drive the part. Again, four cylinders is the max. If this concerns you, consider the small number of people already in V6s in the midsize sedan and small crossover class and then consider how likely it is that Hyundai is ahead of the game.

Over at Hyundai's Kia subsidiary, the Kia Sorento is definitely available with plenty of horsepower. No longer a body-on-frame SUV, this crossoverish 2011 Sorento is available with a 174-bhp four-banger or a 276-bhp 3.5L V6. Kia has high hopes for the Sorento and plans to market it against the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4; a segment already activated by Hyundai/Kia with the Santa Fe, Tucson, and Sportage.

Mazda is increasingly less Ford-like, though the new Mazda 2 shares much with the Fiesta. We don't know yet if Mazda will price the 2 above or below or equal to the Fiesta. Will they share the same engine? Not sure. It's plausible that both cars, the 2 and Fiesta, could be highly successful models as years go by.

Finally, Infiniti introduced the all new M. With established competitors like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and BMW 5-Series, any new offering in this class needs to be spectacular just to get noticed; absolutely amazing to be purchased consistently by highly demanding consumers. The Infiniti M certainly has style on its side. Flowing curves and bulging wheelarches abound. M37s will be fitted with a 316-bhp V6. The M56 churns out an impressive 420 horsepower and 417 lb-ft of torque, enough to make the M37 seem deficient.

Toyota brought the next-generation Sienna minivan to Los Angeles, as well as a Prius plug-in. Honda showed the goofy P-Nut concept and Volkswagen had a Final Edition New Beetle. Overall, GoodCarBadCar.net now has the main bases covered.

FUEL ECONOMY IN CAR AND DRIVER JANUARY 2010

2009-12-04T09:39:00.001-04:00

In Car & Driver's hands, one of Japan's smaller mid-size sedans, the Suzuki Kizashi, fitted with a 6-speed manual and the obligatory 4-cylinder engine, managed to guzzle fuel at the same rate as one of Japan's uglier mid-size crossovers, the Honda Accord Crosstour, a vehicle which was fully outfitted with all-wheel drive. Follow that? Yes, the Suzuki Kizashi uses the same amount of fuel as the Honda Accord Crosstour. As an aside, the testing of GoodCarBadCar.net's long-term smart fortwo has resulted in an average of 37.2 miles per gallon through the first 3,000 miles. To see how the cars below fared in 0-60 testing, click here.

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Land Rover Range Rover S'Charged: 13 miles per gallon

BMW X5 M: 14 miles per gallon

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8: 14 miles per gallon

Porsche Cayenne Turbo S: 14 miles per gallon

Acura ZDX: 20 miles per gallon

Honda Accord Crosstour 4WD: 21 miles per gallon

Suzuki Kizashi: 21 miles per gallon

0-60 IN CAR AND DRIVER JANUARY 2010

2009-12-04T09:25:00.002-04:00

Car & Driver's January issue features Patrick Dempsey's hair on the last page. Hopefully you're more interested in Car & Driver's 10Best feature, an awards template similar to that of GoodCarBadCar.net's The Good 12, a process which starts for the third time on Tuesday. Outside of C/D's 10Best, the best feature in this monthy's copy has to be the comparison test in which the akwardly-named BMW X5 M takes on three other mega-fast SUVs from Jeep, Land Rover, and Porsche.

The M-powered X5 crushed the America, Brit, and its compatriot like my father-in-law demolishes hazelnuts on Christmas Eve: rather effectively indeed. C/D also took Honda's two ugly crossoverish/SUVs for a drive, the Acura ZDX and Accord Crosstour. Last month's 0-60 results are here, along with fuel economy testing, too.

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KTM X-Bow: 0-60mph in 3.6 seconds

BMW X5 M: 0-60mph in 4.0 seconds

Porsche Cayenne Turbo S: 0-60mph in 4.1 seconds

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8: 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds

Land Rover Range Rover S'Charged: 0-60mph in 5.1 seconds

Acura ZDX: 0-60mph in 6.4 seconds

Honda Accord Crosstour 4WD: 0-60mph in 7.2 seconds

Suzuki Kizashi (FWD): 0-60mph in 7.2 seconds

LUXURY CAR SALES IN AMERICA (NOVEMBER 2009)

2009-12-04T08:55:00.001-04:00

As far as the three main luxury automakers not seen in the Graph go, sales reached just 2,218 in November. Porsche actually improved upon last November. Hummer and Saab tanked miserably; harmed by desirability mostly but also availability.

Once again, the biggest slice of the pie goes to Lexus, Toyota's luxury outpost. Like October and September and August before, the Germans just can't keep up. Taking a look at the best-selling SUVs in America, it's not hard to see why. Lexus sells more copies of the RX than every other luxury SUV and the vast majority mainstream SUVs as well. It's tough to compete against that. Here then are the Numbers for the nine most prominent luxury nameplates competing in America. Their Sales Stats reveal a colourful story.

COMPARING SALES OF ENTRY-LUXURY CARS IN THE USA (NOVEMBER 2009)

2009-12-04T08:43:00.001-04:00

BMW's 3-Series is the Stephen Harper of luxury cars. Canada's Prime Minister, an excellent political strategist though not a charismatic figure, has great fun smothering the voices of opposition. His underlings help control the questions he is asked by the media. And his ability to dismantle a complaint put forward by an opposing Member of Parliament in Question Period is something to behold. Yes, Stephen Harper and the BMW 3-Series aren't fans of the competition.

However, like Stephen Harper, the BMW 3-Series crushes internal mutterings as well. Canada's PM avidly seeks out and consumes any part member tempted to travel off message; and he'll have your caucus entry card stripped just for voting against him once. Likewise, toppling the 3-Series from its King of BMW perch would require at least three other BMW models. In other words, combined sales of BMW USA's next two best-selling cars (the 5-Series and X5) don't even measure up to the worthiness of BMW's second-smallest car.

Here's a Graph to illustrate the 3-Series' domination in its own segment. Click here for the October edition of this Sales Stats post.

CAMARO vs MUSTANG vs CHALLENGER vs CORVETTE vs VIPER (NOVEMBER 2009 SALES)

2009-12-03T09:23:00.001-04:00

Certainly Ford can cope with overwhelming Chevrolet Camaro sales in its first few months on the market. Potential owners who went without a Camaro possibility for the middle part of this decade were finally able to satisfy their craving. People who need to buy the newest, hottest, fastest thing were lined up, too. Then you've got your Chevy loyalists, baby boomers who loved the car when they were young and single, and consumers who love really high rear decks.

Haven't all these people already gotten their fill? Either the Camaro appeals to a much wider cross-section of the populace or the groups mentioned above were significantly larger than previously believed. Yes, the Camaro is routinely beating the Ford Mustang in sales in the United States. Moreover, on a monthly basis, the Camaro is routinely crushing the Ford Mustang in sales in the United States. Most importantly for General Motors and its populist division is the Camaro's mainstream success. Forget comparing the Camaro to the Mustang, Challenger, Corvette, and Viper for a second and think about this. In November, the Chevy Camaro out-sold the following automakers': Audi, Lincoln, Volvo, Saturn, Mitsubishi, Mini, Porsche, Suzuki, smart, Saab, and Hummer. More Camaros were sold in America last month than Chevrolet Cobalts. That's right - Chevy managed to sell more sporty muscle cars than it did copies of its core small car.

Take a look at the Graph below for a full rundown of the Sales Stats, the complete whoopin' the Camaro laid on its competition. October's equivalent Graph is here. You don't want to do the math so I'll calculate for you: carry the 1..... a equals 7 if b equals 17.... plus 11. Right, Chevrolet has sold 54,100 Camaros so far this year.

TOP 5 BEST-SELLING SUVs IN AMERICA (NOVEMBER 2009)

2009-12-03T08:56:00.001-04:00

Given the Honda CR-V's longstanding reign atop the SUV totem pole, being overtaken would come off as surprising. At first.

Given Ford's Marketplace momentum, however, perhaps bumping Honda into second place on the Top 5 Best-Selling SUVs in America list isn't surprising at all. The Ford F-150 out-sold the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra combined. The Honda Civic failed to make an appearance on the best-selling cars list - its spot was grabbed by the Ford Fusion. It wouldn't surprise Canadians to see a Ford SUV selling better than anything by any other company. The Escape dominates SUV sales north of the border. But as seen in the October and September editions of this post, the CR-V is champion 'round these parts.

One other tidbit you might want to know about comes from General Motors' Sales Stats. Notice the Chevrolet in the mix in the Graph below? Link its sales with that of its platform-mate from GMC (as The Good Car Guy does with the GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado) and GM takes over #3 on the list of America's Best-Selling SUVs for November of 2009. For now, we'll leave 'em separate.

TOP 5 BEST-SELLING TRUCKS IN AMERICA (NOVEMBER 2009)

2009-12-03T08:27:00.001-04:00

If only GMC Sierra sales were a little stronger than 8,371, General Motors would have been able to push their truck sales past the planet's dominant pickup family at the end of November. Alas. What's more surprising than the steady full-size truck sales is the abysmal small truck sales. Remember all that talk a few years ago about the need for mid-size trucks, trucks that were a lot more like the full-size pickups without costing as much at the dealer or the gas station?

Ford sells almost 10 times as many F-Series full-size truck as it does small Rangers. Ah, but the Ranger stayed small, you say. How 'bout that bodacious Dodge Dakota, a big small truck if ever there was one. Get this: Dodge sells about 15 times more Ram full-size trucks than it does Dakotas. Chevy's secondary full-size truck, the Good 12 Supersize-winning Avalanche, out-sells the Chevrolet Colorado. Only Toyota sells small or midsize pickups in large Numbers. That's why the Tacoma is the only smallerish truck you'll see below on the list of the Top 5 Best-Selling Trucks in America from November of 2009. Check out October's truck Sales Stats here.

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#5 - TOYOTA TUNDRA: 6,379

#4 - TOYOTA TACOMA: 7,633

#3 - DODGE RAM: 9,787

#2 - CHEVROLET SILVERADO/GMC SIERRA: 30,472

#1 - FORD F-SERIES: 30,494

TOP 5 BEST-SELLING CARS IN AMERICA - NOVEMBER 2009

2009-12-02T16:08:00.001-04:00

One notable name from many'a best-selling cars list is missing from November's top hot cars. The venerable Honda Civic was narrowly pipped by Ford's award-winning midsizer, the Fusion. Apart from that headline, nothing changes in terms of which cars make the cut as the Top 5 Best-Selling Cars in America for November of '09. Perhaps most interestingly, though not surprisingly, each of these five automobiles posted greater Sales Stats than in November of '08. Take a look at the Graph below for all the details. While you're at it, catch October's Top 5 Best-Selling Cars in America here.

THE VOLKSWAGEN UP! FAMILY: NOW AVAILABLE IN UP! LITE

2009-12-02T15:04:00.001-04:00

Along came an up! Then a Space up!, Space up! Blue, E-up!, and now the latest, the up! Lite. Basically, the Volkswagen up! Lite is a diesel-electric hybrid with a 7-speed direct-shift gearbox and efficiency that puts the Toyota Prius to shame. Sharing bits and pieces with the new Small Car Family of Volkswagens, it's theoretically possible that the up! Lite could enter every global market, including North America.

With Volkswagen's tiny concepts flowing free, one begins to wonder whether VW has any intention of settling on one or offering everybody everything. There's even the L1 Concept - the uber-efficiency with CO2 emissions of just 39 grams/kilometre.

Volkswagen is very proud of the up! Lite's "Made In Germany" factor and its status as - what would be; in production form - the world's most environmentally friendly 4-seater. The details are endless, click through the Gallery below for pictoral amusement. Check out this link for more on the original up!. Visitors to the Los Angeles Auto Show will be able to see the up! Lite before anybody else.

TOP 10 BEST-SELLING AUTO BRANDS IN AMERICA (NOVEMBER 2009)

2009-12-02T12:27:00.001-04:00

Japanese infiltration of the U.S. automotive Marketplace is nothing new. You're not surprised to see Toyota leading the pack in auto sales for the month of November. Nor are you amazed to spot Honda on the list along with Nissan or even the luxury brand of Lexus. Americans love trucks, too. That explains why GMC is firmly ensconced on the list of best-selling auto brands in America, as well. It doesn't get much more American than Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge, either.

Which leaves two places open for European brands to step in and fill the void, right? That would be wrong. November auto sales rank Hyundai and Kia 6th and 10th, respectively. These Korean automotive brands are now established players in the U.S. auto scene. A perfect storm for the American consumer - recession, higher fuel prices, and discontent with traditionally accepted brands - has led to the economically-minded cars of Hyundai and Kia being regarded as smart purchases. Subaru, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen all miss out on cracking the top ten by fewer than 2,000 units. Check November/2009's Sales Stats story in the Graph below. For the October version, click here.

THE BEST SELLING SMALL LUXURY SUV REMAINS THE MERCEDES GLK (NOVEMBER '09)

2009-12-02T08:58:00.002-04:00

*Updated with BMW X3 sales figures 5/12/09 @ 8:21 AST*

You may now consider yourself acclimatized. In the small luxury SUV world, the Mercedes-Benz GLK is the dominant factor. Even in a good month for Audi's Q5, the GLK350 4Matic still comes out on top. Yes, this appears to occur every month - you're used to it - as hundreds of buyers after hundreds of buyers look at the Benz GLK and think, "I want".

Why doesn't BMW want to share their own personal Sales Stats for November 2009? It may be just a communication error, but after a long and hard search, The Good Car Guy came up with no data on BMW's X3. Of course, Land Rover continues to be absent from info presenting, as well. Check the October data here and the specific figures on small luxury SUV sales in November '09 below.

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Mercedes-Benz GLK350: 1,724

Audi Q5: 1,509

Volvo XC60: 1,098

Acura RDX: 943

Infiniti EX35: 630

BMW X3: 268

KIA SOUL vs NISSAN CUBE - NOVEMBER SALES IN THE USA & CANADA

2009-12-01T18:48:00.001-04:00

Kia has returned to its dominant self in the raging battle between the Soul and the Nissan Cube. Straight out of the gate, Souls sold like iPods on a half-off sale while Cube sales were more comparable to... well, the Zune. Sucky for Nissan. At the same time, 2009 has revealed Kia to be a major player in North America; and not just with the Soul.

(Check out the October, September, or May-August editions, too.)

As in months prior, The Good Car Guy has done the math and concluded that.... yes, Kia is the winner. Nissan appears to have had a lucky October in the States - November not so much. North of the border, buyers continue turning to Kia despite the award-winning hypercube.ca contest in which GoodCarBadCar.net played an unsuccessful role. Is there lingering bitterness directed towards Nissan over The Good Car Guy's lack of Cube ownership? No, not at all. Are there questions one must ask about Nissan awarding cars to the right (read: wrong) people? Yes. Consider those questions asked while mulling over the Nissan Cube's weak performance in the Canadian market last month.

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NOVEMBER SALES IN THE USA

Kia Soul: 2,505 (28,805 ytd)

Nissan Cube: 1,565 (18,414 ytd)

NOVEMBER SALES IN CANADA

Kia Soul: 733 (7,910 ytd)

Nissan Cube: 231 (2,179 ytd)

CANADA AUTO SALES - NOVEMBER 2009

2009-12-01T18:29:00.001-04:00

Overall, Canadians bought fewer cars and trucks this November than they did in November of 2008. To be more specific, passenger car sales were off less than a percentage point while light truck sales dropped nearly 5%. Still, many automakers competing in Canada posted huge sales gains in November, helped no doubt by the fact that last November was the worst November in a long time. Managing to sell more cars this November than last is a good thing, but these Numbers are still quite a ways beneath what some automakers managed in years gone by.

Arranged by total volume, these are the Sales Stats from Canada for the eleventh month of 2009. Have a look at the October edition here. Sometime around the middle of the month the sales of Ford Motor Company; General Motors; and Chrysler will be split up into their individual brands. Added to the mix will be some of the exoticar companies, as well. For now, it appears as though "Ford" beat Toyota by about a thousand vehicles - it'll be a tighter squeeze once genuinely Ford-badged vehicles are tasked with taking the fight to Toyota.

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Ford Motor Company: -1.3% to 15,895

General Motors: -29.6% to 14,958

Toyota: +27.4% to 14,829

Chrysler: -26.2% to 11,418

Honda: -4.3% to 7,955

Hyundai: +26.2% to 7,022

Mazda: +1.9% to 5,117

Nissan: +6% to 4,749

Kia: +28.2% to 3,464

Volkswagen: +12.3% to 3,190

Subaru: +50.4% to 2,215

BMW: +13.6% to 2,083

Mercedes-Benz: +26.4% to 2,071

Lexus: +11.5% to 1,284

Mitsubishi: -8.8% to 1,174

Audi: +47.4% to 1,086

Acura: +3% to 941

Suzuki: -23.7% to 713

Infiniti: +25.1% to 563

Volvo: +2.3% to 484

Mini: -3.4% to 346

Land Rover: +38% to 196

smart: -4.5% to 169

Porsche: +8.7% to 125

Jaguar: +25% to 50

Saab: -71.3% to 25

PROFILING HYUNDAI CANADA'S RAPID CANADIAN SALES GROWTH - NOVEMBER EDITION

2009-12-01T11:08:00.001-04:00

In October, the badge on the second best-selling SUV in Canada was the italicized H of Hyundai's. Meanwhile, October's fourth best-selling car in Canada also featured the italicized H. The Santa Fe and Elantra aren't newly introduced models, either. These are established players. Yet buyers don't appear to be put off by the Hyundais even if the North American consumer world has become accustomed to the look of the latest Santa Fe and Elantra.

With this background in mind, it's no surprise to see another astounding month of sales success at Hyundai Canada. Numbers published by Hyundai overnight show an increase of 1,459 sales over November of 2008. Canada Auto Sales figures from October reveal Hyundai to be the sixth best-selling automotive brand in Canada, just behind Honda, a brand succumbing to falling sales of late. Worldwide, Hyundai is ranked fourth in terms of volume. For all the details on Hyundai's last thirty days, keep scrolling. Check out the October version here.

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26.2 - percentage increase in year-over-year Hyundai Canada sales for the month ending November 30th

11 - consecutive months of double-digit sales increases posted by Hyundai Canada

10 - consecutive months with record-breaking sales figures posted by Hyundai Canada

7,022 - total Hyundai sales in Canada last month

2,206 - total Hyundai Elantra sales in November, including 513 Elantra Tourings

2,042 - total Hyundai Santa Fe sales in November, nearly double the number of Santa Fes sold last November

970 - total Hyundai Accent sales in November, the Accent being one of five Hyundai models to suffer lower sales this November than in November of '08

802 - total Hyundai Sonata sales in November (down from 1,391 Sonata sales last November), a month where Hyundai revealed initial images of the next Sonata

680 - total Hyundai Tucson sales in November, up 17% from last November

113 - total Hyundai Genesis Coupe sales last month, 1 more than the total of Hyundai's Genesis sedan which, somewhat surprisingly, sold fewer units this November than last

92 - total November sales of the Hyundai Veracruz, a model which starts just $2,000 below the Genesis sedan

3 - total sales of the Hyundai Azera in November, down 85.7% from last November, even as Hyundai extinguishes the model from its website

2011 AUDI A8 GALLERY

2009-12-01T09:21:00.001-04:00

Miami hosted the introduction of Audi's 2011 A8 last night. A huge selection of pictures are now available in the Gallery below, along with a brief outline of specs and dimensions.

The third-generation Audi A8 is longer and wider than its predecessor on a wheelbase that stretches 117.7 inches. Each headlight includes 22 white LEDs and 22 yellow LEDs. Audi will be continuing with aluminum space frame technology for the A8, a weight-saving advantage which is necessary to offset heaviness incurred by Quattro all-wheel drive. The interior, says Audi, is a "wellness lounge for the senses" - a very catchy and believable turn of phrase. Audi interiors are always top-notch, and the A8 is a top-notch Audi. We expect greatness inside. Although Audi doesn't appear to have moved the game on substantially, the A8's innards are lovely and the centre tunnel (including the shifter) is truly eye-catching.

Luggage capacity of 18 cubic feet is no joke. That's more than Mercedes-Benz offers in the S-Class; substantially more than BMW provides 7-Series owners. Horsepower stats come with a big number, too: 372-bhp generated by a 4.2L V8. Anticipate a hybrid, W12, or alternative fuel and diesel options in the relatively near future. Audi uses direct-injection in this V8 and links up with an 8-speed automatic which sends 60% of the power to the rear wheels in normal operation.

Check out GoodCarBadCar.net Renderings of an Audi A8 Hatch & Wagon

An exhaustive array of safety and "assistance" systems will be standard fit with the A8 when it goes on sale later in the new year. What really sets one uber-luxury sedan apart from another, however, isn't the array of acronyms or the best of beastly powertrains or even the loveliness of the logo. In this market, style is a major consideration.

From the front, this is typical new millennium Audi. The gigantic grille dominates the scene even though nobody's about to miss spotting those headlights, either. Viewed from the rear, the big brute of an Audi loses much of its charisma but still possesses a clean look, not deviating too far from the older A8's design. Unfortunately, it's in the profile view - the most important angle in my mind - where the A8's designers let their foot fall off the gas. See, Audi has a basic design credo that places the beltline at an approximate height and generally appropriates the proportions. Outside of that, one expects artistic flair to take over. Between the A8's wheels, the flanks appear to sag as a result of an amalgam of factors. One swooping line this way poses shadow issues that way and eventually we notice what feels like the weight of the doors pulling the car down just aft of the door line.

See how Audi's sales compare with its competitors in the USA

Whether or not every subjective eye will agree with that analysis, the 2011 Audi A8 is very good-looking car. In fact, the A8 may be more traditionally attractive than its competition. That being said, it's my belief that the 2011 Audi A8 does not look as expensive as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class or BMW 7-Series. The Lexus LS and Jaguar XJ lack in that department to an even greater degree. Make up your own mind by inspecting the photos below. You like? Feel free to spend around $80,000 on a new A8 4.2 as an early Christmas present next year.

FORD ADDS 65 HORSEPOWER TO THE V6 MUSTANG FOR 2011 - 3.7L FEATURES IN GALLERY

2009-11-30T09:53:00.002-04:00

There's something innocuous but terrible about most V6-engined pony cars. From the start, you know it won't be all that sporty. It really won't be very fast. Embarrassing situations will arise every time its V8-engined equivalent pulls up to the lights as the next car over.

This was all true before the new Chevrolet Camaro brought excitement to the V6 pony car battlefield. Chevy's 3.6L is a modern engine which Chevrolet shares with Cadillac, amongst others. 304 horsepower is no joke.

Ford's 2011 Mustang V6 adds a bit of humour, however. A few extra CCs and a single extra horse will turn the V6 Mustang into a more powerful car than the V6 Camaro. Yes, the Cleveland-built V6 is a 3.7L with 305 horsepower. Don't be surprised if General Motors finds an extra 6 or 10 ponies under the hood of the Camaro in the meantime.

Ford will also offer a Performance Package that should, in essence, turn the Mustang V6 into a GT beater. Body stiffening, suspension upgrades, a 3.31 rear axle ratio, and 19-inch wheels team with 305 horsepower to make the 2011 Mustang V6 the most notable competitor for the 2010 Mustang GT. We'll have to wait and see what Ford does with the GT's V8 to amp its level of performance up, up, and away from the V6. With "just" 315 horsepower, a likely heftier curb weight, and a setup similar to that of an '11 'Stang V6 equipped with the Performance Package, the GT wouldn't be all that desirable without upgrades.

Compare the 3.7L with the old 4.0L and you won't be able to overlook the improvement. Horsepower climbs from 240. Torque jumps from 240 lb-ft to 280 lb-ft. Fit the 2011 Mustang V6 with a six-speed automatic and highway fuel economy rises from a 2010 high of 26 miles per gallon to 30mpg. That's 6mpg better than any GT Mustang musters, too.

What of the Dodge Challenger's V6 engine? Well, it's not a weakling.... but the car's design is rather soft. The SE Challenger found its way into The Bad 8 v2.0 last winter.

Check out Ford's engine-focused pictures of the new 2011 Ford Mustang V6 in the Gallery below. The car should be available sometime around August of 2010. It still won't say GT on the badge, but for the first time in forever, the V6 Mustang won't be a coarse, under-powered embarrassment built for rental fleets and people who want a Mustang but don't have a drop of oil in their veins.

LEXUS GX460, KIA CADENZA, HYUNDAI SANTA FE GALLERIES

2009-11-28T09:03:00.001-04:00

Of all the major releases of new car photos this last week, the three previously unpublished galleries seen below take the cake for importance. Naturally, a new BMW 5-Series is nothing to sneeze at. The Cadillac CTS Coupe is hot. And the Lexus LF-A has seen its Gallery expand with a large selection of somewhat more flattering photos.

Comparitively, a large Kia sedan; a rejigged Hyundai SUV; and a jumbo SUV which'll sell in small Numbers are fairly irrelevant, at least photographically. Here's why that thought isn't applicable: The Hyundai Santa Fe has become Hyundai's breadbasket, selling like hotcakes and challenging Honda and Toyota in ways they never anticipated a few years ago. The model you see hear is the 2010 model, so far known as the 2010 Euro Santa Fe, but judging from Hyundai North America's absence of info on the 2010, possibly our 2010 as well. Savvy? In Europe, the '10 Santa Fe will be available with a 2.2L turbo-diesel 4-cylinder generating 194 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque. I want.

Meanwhile, the Kia Cadenza - already discussed on GoodCarBadCar.net - will replace the horrific Kia Amanti. Ridding us of the Amanti makes the Cadenza very, very important. Lexus's new GX460 uses a smaller V8 than the old GX470, providing owners with improved fuel efficiency to the tune of 13%. At the same time, the new 4.6L V8 produces greater horsepower and torque than the old 4.7L. She ain't the prettiest SUV available today, but there's no denying a Lexus GX treats its owners like royalty.

TOP 5 REASONS AMERICAN AUTO ENTHUSIASTS SHOULD BE THANKFUL

2009-11-26T10:43:00.001-04:00

U.S.-based automotive brands dominated The Good Car Guy's list of the Top 5 Automotive Turkeys this year. On the flip side, good news stories surrounding U.S. automakers make up the majority of reasons for U.S. auto enthusiasts to be thankful this Thanksgiving. That being said, GoodCarBadCar.net showcased similar subjects way back in '07 and 2008 wasn't so great. Whatever. Here are the Top 5 Reasons American Auto Enthusiasts Should Be Thankful on Thanksgiving '09.

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#5- DETROIT LIVES: You might be one of those Michiganders who will never buy another General Motors car because they asked for and received government money. Perhaps you're a GM lifer who hates your crosstown rivals. It may well be that nothing irks you as much as a troubled Italian company buying up Chrysler. Guess what: GM got their money, Ford's fine without more money, and Fiat controls Chrysler. Quit your complainin' and just accept it. And while you're working on the acceptance part, be thankful that America's auto companies are still breathing.

#4- STEADILY RISING SALES: Well, they needed a little shove (Cash For Clunkers) in the right direction. In some instances, U.S. car sales haven't recuperated as well as sales of domestic trucks and SUVs. Chrysler LLC, meanwhile, hasn't seen much in regards to "steadily increasing". However, five domestic brands posted better sales this October than they did in October of '08. Regardless of how sucky October '08 was, it's still better to be better.

#3- GOOD TRUCKS: Plenty of people who only pay enough attention automotive goings-on to realize pickup trucks return poor fuel economy would be content to see production of the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, and Dodge Ram fade into oblivion. Numerous negative situations would arise. How would contractors do their jobs? Where would hundreds of thousands of truck-production workers find jobs? And finally, how un-America would America be without the best freakin' trucks in the universe? Toyota builds their trucks in pickup central and builds 'em big and strong. Sales are weak. Nissan utilizes a whoppin' V8 in their Titan. Sales are weaker. Honda thought outside the box with the Ridgeline. Sales are weaker still. Combined totals for the F-150, Silverado, Sierra, and Ram? 95,406. That's just U.S. sales; just October.

#2- U.S. PRODUCTION BY FOREIGN BRANDS: Analysts predict by 2012, the majority of auto production on U.S. soil will be at the behest of foreign-based automakers. Does that offend you? Think about it this way. Much of the profit will be going back to Germany, Japan, and Korea; but not before American workers collect paycheques and the U.S. government collects taxes.

#1- FUSION, CAMARO, WRANGLER: Although children of the 90s would never know it, the family sedan category was once dominated by Detroit's cars. Now the Fusion is Motor Trend's Car Of The Year, the Fusion Hybrid is one of Car&Driver's 10Best, and a hot seller, too. Chevrolet's Camaro was reborn this year to take on the perennially-favoured Ford Mustang. Not only is the Camaro out-selling the 'Stang and Dodge's Challenger, it also out-sold every Chevrolet except the Malibu, Impala, and Silverado in October. Does it get any more American than the Jeep Wrangler? Me thinks not. Even with Chrysler's struggles, Wrangler sales are off only 2% compared with last year. The Wrangler is the number five on Chrysler LLC's best seller list.

TOP 5 AUTOMOTIVE TURKEYS FOR U.S. THANKSGIVING

2009-11-26T09:13:00.001-04:00

Yesterday a turkey arrived at the White House just so President Obama could issue a pardon, thus saving the turkey's life. As a result of hundreds of millions of dollars forked over to automakers since Thanksgiving '08, this Top 5 Turkey list is a lot different than it could have been. See, two years ago the Top 5 Turkey list here at GoodCarBadCar.net focused on a few specific vehicles while this year's list is brand-centred. Not only does this year's list revolve around five specific brands, it's also written in first person narrative. Just for added drama.

Fortunately, there's also a list of the Top 5 Reasons American Auto Enthusiasts Should Be Thankful, like in '07 - this year's version is coming up soon.

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#5- HUMMER: With GMC sales about 25 times higher than mine so far this year, it's pretty clear that I'm not a success in the Marketplace. GM managed to sell more copies of the Cadillac STS than all the different H2s and H3s combined. I continue placing V8s under the bonnets of my SUVs, and even though gas is pretty cheap, everybody's talking about turbocharged 4-cylinders. Give me a break.

#4- SAAB: Seriously, give me a break. Hummer sells more vehicles in America than me? Sure, my models are antiquated, but I'm Swedish.... just like IKEA. Everybody wants IKEA, so why doesn't everybody want me? And now what do I find out but a Swedish company, Koenigsegg, decided to buy me but, after a closer look, backed off. The shame may be enough to kill me.

#3- PORSCHE: If it weren't for those bureacrats and politicians in Lower Saxony I wouldn't be on this list. Oh, and that little R-word: recession. My sales tanked. Where was I supposed to get the money to buy Volkswagen? Whose idea was that, anyway? Volkswagen's huge, man. It wouldn't have mattered if those lousy government stakeholders didn't slow the process down so much. Now the embarrassment is too much, even my terrific management team has been squeezed out and.... oh my goodness, is that a Volkswagen logo on the new letterhead? Volkswagen bought me?!?!

#2- SATURN: You birth me in the eighties; you kill me in the noughties. It's not as though I was a drain on my parents' resources in the nineties. They never lent me any money for R&D whatsoever. Then they finally let me show some initiative when I had that idea for stealing all Opel's ideas. What happens? They let me carry on with that for a few years and then send me to death row. The Opel Insignia was supposed to be a Saturn. They think they can pull it off as a Buick? Ha!

#1- PONTIAC: True, I sold fewer and fewer cars as the years went by. But, I was still selling lots of cars - ya gotta give me that. The people wanted a car without side strakes; without cladding. So I bring over the Australian Commodore, call it the G8, and OPEC screws me. Nobody wanted a V8 last year. Yet, instead of the Aussies taking the heat for that one, I'm made out to look like the product planner par ruine. Listen, I've been around the block a few times. Okay, the G3 and G5 weren't my best efforts. But the Firebird was all me, forget what they say at Chevrolet. And why does Toyota get the quality credit for the Vibe? Besides, it was never my idea to give away 276 Pontiac G6s on Oprah. I thought we were doing it with the G8 on Jay Leno's show. Ya know, when it was on late at night after the old people went to bed.

WORRYING ABOUT FERRARI IS DIFFICULT - EVERYTHING'S JUST SO GOOD

2009-11-25T10:49:00.003-04:00

Purists are those who urge or require strict correctness. Establishing correctness - and arguing with preconceived notions of correctness - is more challenging than actually urging or requiring said correctness. Interestingly, Ferrari purists are more than likely not owners of current Ferraris. And even the purist Ferrari purist doesn't urge or require the sort of sportscar simplicity of say, a Lotus or even a Porsche purist.

Nevertheless, coming from someone who lists the Ferrari 458 Italia and Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano as 100 Favourite Cars members, there are worrying signs coming out of Maranello. evo magazine asked Ferrari's CEO a few questions at the Frankfurt auto show. Amedeo Felisa's answers were, by times, troubling. Here are a couple examples, the first two from an exchange relating to the 458 Italia.

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evo: Why have you chosen the DCT gearbox if it is so much heavier?

Felisa: Because it increases performance. Acceleration is better and the lap time round Fiorano is quicker. This is a sports car and so this is important.

evo: Is this the end of manual gearboxes in Ferraris?

Felisa: Yes, it is. The 458 will not be available as a manual, nor will future Ferraris as customers no longer request one.

evo: Which is your favourite new Ferrari?

Felisa: It used to be the 612 HGTE but now it is the California. I like GTs and the California is a fantastic GT car.

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Check out a full Gallery of the spectacular 458 Italia here

Ferrari is expected to build the quickest and best-handling cars in the world. Felisa has access to the cold hard numbers, but one wonders at his theory surrounding the 458's direct-shift gearbox and a traditional manual. Ferrari's boss admits that the DCT is much heavier than Ferrari's gated manual, so would the possible weight loss not make up for at leastpart of the DCT's accelerative advantage? Couldn't the option be offered so a prospective buyer could know for certain?

On the subject of manual transmissions and the brand as a whole, this is far more concerning. Is there no car in Ferrari's future that would be - possibly, maybe, by chance - more fun by shifting yourself? It doesn't help my pain that Ferrari's manuals were (formerly) presented more beautifully than any other shifter from any other automaker. Now Felisa has concluded that laptimes are more important than fun. Which probably has something to do with the driving ineptitude of many Ferrari buyers who grew up being chauffeured to private school in a Rolls-Royce - most definitely fitted with an automatic - before buying an E46 BMW M3 with that dreadful SMG. And they never acquainted themselves with any of the 794 manual shift programs.

Not that I'm jealous. After all, apart from two-thirds of Ferrari's latest releases, it looks like Ferrari's boss would equip the company to fight Aston Martin. Amedeo Felisa's favourite Ferrari was the whaaa? Any version of the 612 Scaglietti, HGTE or not, is not pretty enough for a mother to love let alone an uber-wealthy company CEO. And then his allegiance switched over to the California because he loves GTs? Grand Touring cars, seriously?

This is the boss of Ferrari. And I want to hear him say his favourite current Ferrari is the 430 Scuderia until his black-over-beige 458 Italia is ready which will be his fave until the Scuderia/Challenge Stradale version of the 458 debuts.

Thankfully Ferrari is a team environment. However cool Felisa may be, somebody smart enough to make the 458 Italia gorgeous is still working outside Enzo's old office.

FIVE SEDANS YOU USED TO THINK YOU'D NEVER SEE

2009-11-25T10:04:00.001-04:00

Five years ago, George W. Bush was President of the United States. Not everybody owned an iPod. People were finally realizing that wedding photography really ought to be done digitally. Crewe-based Bentley, a British subsidiary of Germany's Volkswagen, was only just breaking free of its traditionalist past with the Continental GT. General Motors was stuck in a rut. Porsche was making money hand over fist. Meanwhile Kia had been in Hyundai's hands for a while but was still a few years away from the class-competitive Soul and Forte.

Times they are a'changin'. Bush is in Texas, iPods are ubiquitous, and film is nearly nonexistent. Plus there are five sedans in production or about to be in production which, five years ago, you thought you'd never see. Have a look at this Top 5, arranged in order of shock value.

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#5- PORSCHE PANAMERA: If you want to make money in the automotive business, selling lots of automobiles would be a good idea. Only, an offering of sportscars won't amount to the necessary volume. Add an SUV - sales increase. Fuel prices rise; SUV sales go down. Regulations intrude; the cost of building SUVs rises. Add a sedan, er... a hatchback, really. This is Porsche's method. The madness? Why go about introducing a brand new model to the fold, engineer it to be one of the best-performing cars of any kind, and then make it ridiculously ugly? Therein lies the surprise. Each time Porsche steps out of the sportscar arena, Zuffenhausen coughs up an ugly duckling.

#4- KIA CADENZA: Previous editions of the large Kia have been laughable. Even when powered properly, the Amanti drives like a bag of overcooked pasta. Besides, in terms of avert-your-eyes offences, the Amanti ranks right up there with some of the nastiest cars of all time. The Amanti is so bad and the Hyundai Genesis so good, nobody would've been surprised if Kia left the segment. Instead, the Cadenza is an all-new car: engineered to lose weight, styled to do anything but embarrass its owner. Who'd a thunk it?

#3- CHEVROLET CRUZE: Whoopee, Chevrolet introduces a new small sedan. This ain't exactly revolutionary. Yet General Motors M.O. has been completely rethought and it is, in fact, rather revolutionary. The Cruze, which will replace the Cobalt (which replaced the Cavalier), began life at GM's operations in Korea. They don't build 'em like they used to, eh? GM Europe, as well as GM folks from Detroit and Australia, played a major role in the development of the Cruze. But, in 2004, I bet you didn't think that GM's most important car of 2010 was going to rise out of the far east.

#2- BENTLEY MULSANNE: It is common practice at Bentley and old partner Rolls-Royce to let models linger. By the time the Mulsanne starts rolling off the production line (if that's how they work things at Bentley), the Arnage will have been around for twelve or thirteen years. Before that, Bentley hadn't worked on a completely new car in a couple decades. So it's not as though we never expected Bentley to replace the Arnage. Nah, the public was simply viewing in a groove, an Arnage-acceptability canal. Then bang - Bentley drops a modern superluxolimo on us and we dunno what's going on.

#1- BUICK REGAL: Firstly, think back to late '04. Did you think Buick would still exist? And with a gorgeous CUV, a handsome large sedan, and a curvaceous Accord competitor? Probably not. How bout this, though: the Regal will feature four cylinders. In some cases there'll be a turbocharger. Every now and then, a buyer will select manual transmission on the option sheet. It still says Regal on the box, yet anybody opening up this Christmas present won't be forced to act surprised.

FERRARI, ROLLS-ROYCE & ASTON MARTIN ARE ALL MANUFACTURERS OF SMALL CARS?

2009-11-24T09:33:00.001-04:00

In a fight to be seen as both eco-conscious and economically aware, automakers which traditionally sell cars priced in the stratosphere are bringing their badges down to our level.

Aston Martin will be applying its grimacing grille to the front end of the Toyota iQ. They'll call it the Aston Martin Cygnet; they'll lux it up a fair bit; and they'll double the price.

Ferrari, meanwhile, will stick its badges on the 695 Tributo Ferrari, a hopped-up version of the Fiat 500. At least the Fiat 500 695 Tributo Ferrari will be significantly quicker than the regular 500, something that can't be said of the Cygnet.

Finally we have Rolls-Royce. The manufacturer of Phantoms and Drophead Coupes will soon be known as a custom outfitter of Mini Coopers. Mini Rolls will supposedly look just like regular Minis but inside - oh yes, inside - Rolls will have its way with high-end materials. Perhaps an umbrellla in the door, too?

Obviously the connection between Fiat and Ferrari is obvious. Fiat owns 85% of the autonomously-run supercar producer. Mini and Rolls-Royce are both owned by Germany-based BMW. But the Aston Martin/Toyota relationship is a curious one. Regardless, all three of the high-dollar brands will be endlessly criticized for degrading their brand values.

If part of what makes the Ferrari 458 Italia so special is its exclusivity, doesn't a commonplace Fiat 500 Tributo lessen that joy?

Consider the outrageous prices Rolls-Royce clients justify as a result of uncommon leather-lined seating and permanently upright wheelhub badges. Do you really want to pay so much more for the privilege when Mini customers receive some of the same treatments?

Meanwhile Aston Martin isn't simply badging Toyota iQs with logos from Gaydon. No, Aston is changing the whole look of the car. So the same company which builds the V8 Vantage, DB9, Rapide, and DBS will sell city cars?

However, there will be an unseemly amount of short term gain. Why else would Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, and Aston Martin participate in such a scheme? Businesses are on this planet to generate profits. Peering through the long-term tunnel to see the negative impacts come 2016 is not an easy procedure. In terms of these increasingly common small car ventures, it's a procedure to which certain supercar manufacturers are unwilling to submit.

2011 BMW 5-SERIES GALLERY - IS IT REALLY BEAUTIFUL, OR JUST IMPROVED?

2009-11-23T18:51:00.001-04:00

Well, whaddya think? Has BMW regained design supremacy in the crowded luxury sedan class with this, the 2011 BMW 5-Series? In Munich's nomenclature, this generation of 5s will be known as the F10. Currently ending its tenure is the controversially-designed but highly successful E60. Before that we enjoyed the classy lines of the E39, the elegant E34, the reputation-building E28, and the foundational E12.

So is this new F10 5-Series actually a genuinely handsome automobile or are we simply thankful that BMW laid aside the eyebrows of the E60? And really, does it matter? Do 5-Series buyers flock to the mid-size BMW because the Audi A6 is too out there while the Mercedes-Benz E-Class is too staid? Do 5-Series buyers become 5-Series buyers because of the 5's reputation as the sportscar of the mid-size luxury class; not because of aesthetic tastes (or lack thereof)?

Enough questions. Let's get down to the nitty gritty. The '11 5-Series is a very big car. Positioned with what can only assume is typically sublime BMW balance atop a 116.9-inch wheelbase, the F10 5-Series actually shares a platform with the full-size 7-Series, and thus the upcoming "small" Rolls-Royce. You know this is a big car now.

For North American owners, turbocharging will be standard fare with the new 5-Series. A single turbo fitted to a 3.0L inline-six will produce 300-bhp and 300 lb-ft, just like the current twin-turbo six. Twin-turbocharging a 4.4L V8 brings about 400 horsepower and a groundswell of torque: 450 lb-ft at just 1,800 rpm. Remember the E39 M5's 4.4L V8? That car, one of GoodCarBadCar.net's 100 Favourite Cars, generated a blissful 400 horsepower without the aid of turbos but was by no means a torque monster.

Struts are no longer the order of the day on a 5-Series' front suspension. Multilinks take their place. Honda would approve. Automatic gear ratios abound with eight speeds in all. The six-cylinder is available with a 6-speed manual, as well. Stripping the turbo off the inline-six later on in 2010 or in early 2011 will result in a 240-bhp option, the 530i, perhaps? Slotted in beneath the fast 535i and the wicked fast 550i, a 530i (or 528i?) would be an awfully nice vehicle for somebody who wants a 3-Series but simply needs more space.

There's no way the 5-Series is competition for the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class style-wise. In fact, the 5-Series might not look as good as the Audi A6 either. Nevertheless, the 5-Series looks better than it used to and, for a time, will be the newer/brighter/shinier/fashionable German sedan. And that, oh Good Car Nation, will just be one extra reason the F10 2011 5-Series will be hugely successful. Check out all 83 pictures of the new BMW 5-Series in the Gallery below.