Many of the world's largest car manufacturers have experienced sales slumps since the global economic decline, yet some remain more optimistic than others.
Japanese giants Lexus are currently experiencing their worst sales period in their 20 year history, yet they aim to combat this slump by selling 25,000 new Lexus hybrid vehicles a year in the US alone as they really do believe in their product.
They have it all to do though as due to the rapid decrease in US gasoline prices, demand for hybrid vehicles - powered by an electric motor and a gas or diesel engine - has obviously dipped.
This isn't good news for Lexus, or indeed their parent company, Toyota, who pioneered hybrid technology with the first mass produced hybrid vehicle, the Toyota Prius - along with the Lexus marque, the Japanese giants have seven hybrid vehicles on the market.
Of course, Lexus should be praised for continuing their pursuit of eco-friendly perfection, and let's hope for the good of the globe that more people revert to greener cars, but with the current economic downturn, many people have more pressing priorities in terms of expenditure.
Buying a new Lexus is not at the top of most peoples' priorities list, many UK buyers in a position to take advantage of the new Government scrappage scheme will be looking at lower end vehicles, though sales predictions of new Lexus vehicles are relatively high in other countries as well as the US.
Hybrid vehicle sales are on the increase in Japan - a notoriously difficult market to make any headway in over the last 20 years - and with two new Lexus hybrid vehicles entering the market, they will most certainly appeal to the higher end of the market
One thing is for sure though, if the economy begins to pick up, both in the UK and especially in the US, the new Lexus hybrid models will be a popular choice with those seeking an eco-friendly, yet luxurious and stylish vehicle.
The aim of Lexus to combine their engineering and design expertise with the latest in hybrid technology looks sure to prove a winner, even if the sales target of 25,000 units seems a bit steep given the current market conditions.
With this combination of motor design excellence, Lexus will have no problem riding the current economic storm and look set to lead the hybrid revolution - something that must be embraced for the good of the planets in years to come.
About the Author
Thomas Pretty is a motoring journalist with many years of experience writing about the car industry. Find out more about new Lexus at http://www.inchcapelexus.co.uk/
|
|---|
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Leaks In Your Car Can Cause Water Damage
If you really love the car you drive, you are likely to take better care of it than someone who does not like their car. You might go out and buy all the little things to put in the cars like a really fancy steering wheel cover. Then you might go buy all of the stuff you see that you can stick under your hood. You will go buy seat covers, cup holders, even a holders for all of your compact disks. Then you might buy a compact disk player to replace the old one or just because you want this newer, fancier one. You might even want to buy a radar detector.
You put all of this money in this car of yours and then you find out that you might have a cracked or leaky window. If you find out that you have this problem, you need to take it to an auto repair shop so that this problem can be fixed. There is nothing worse than leaky window when it rains as you could become hit with water damages to the inside of your car. Water will run down these cracks and can ruin the carpets in your car. If the windshield in cracked, water is allowed to travel down the windshield onto the dash and also behind the dash where all of the wires are to your lights, and even that new compact disk player and it can be causing ruined.
It is important to realize that if you get water damage, you could also burn up this car as well. If you are going to put any money into a car like this you should take this vehicle to a professional to have this leaky problem fixed and as soon as possible. If you are buying this car new or used and you find out that you have some of these leaks, take it back to the dealer and have them fix it. This might be in your warranty, but remember that warranties will only last so long for this part of your deal.
Water damage can cause your car to rust even under your seats. If this happens your seats will become loose or even fall through the floor of your car. If the rust gets to bad, your feet could break through as well. If your car gets this bad, you will need to have it fixed or get yourself a new one. You will want to do everything you can to keep this from happening.
About the Author
Aydan Corkern is a writer and you can visit his sites for more information: water damage denver and water damage atlanta
You put all of this money in this car of yours and then you find out that you might have a cracked or leaky window. If you find out that you have this problem, you need to take it to an auto repair shop so that this problem can be fixed. There is nothing worse than leaky window when it rains as you could become hit with water damages to the inside of your car. Water will run down these cracks and can ruin the carpets in your car. If the windshield in cracked, water is allowed to travel down the windshield onto the dash and also behind the dash where all of the wires are to your lights, and even that new compact disk player and it can be causing ruined.
It is important to realize that if you get water damage, you could also burn up this car as well. If you are going to put any money into a car like this you should take this vehicle to a professional to have this leaky problem fixed and as soon as possible. If you are buying this car new or used and you find out that you have some of these leaks, take it back to the dealer and have them fix it. This might be in your warranty, but remember that warranties will only last so long for this part of your deal.
Water damage can cause your car to rust even under your seats. If this happens your seats will become loose or even fall through the floor of your car. If the rust gets to bad, your feet could break through as well. If your car gets this bad, you will need to have it fixed or get yourself a new one. You will want to do everything you can to keep this from happening.
About the Author
Aydan Corkern is a writer and you can visit his sites for more information: water damage denver and water damage atlanta
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Review: 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium
Adequate dynamics, very capable, super handy. That about sums up the last ten years of the Subaru Forester. And yet – once the sportier turbocharged version put rally-bred heat under the skinny pedal, the Forester was no longer just the squishy, squeezy Official Car of Vermont. It was suddenly possible to haul the family Newfoundland to the groomer and scorch the doors off more prestigious iron by flattening that Birkenstock. Eat our dust, punctuated by a "Be Green" sticker. More luxurious appointments were also put on offer, there was once even a Nardi edition. For all that, the Foresters were still little funk machines. For 2009, Subaru's Forester retains and expands what has historically been great about this Fuji Heavy crossover, but the rough edges have been hammered flat. Click past the jump to see if that's impacted the Subie's appeal.
A crossover before the term existed, the Forester began life as Subaru's stab at the still-burgeoning SUV market of the late 1990s. Grabbing the handiest platform, the little truck wound up riding on Impreza hardware. Basing its compact SUV on a car continues to be one of the Forester's biggest assets. The personality stays driver-friendly, and the lower center of gravity and modest weight make the Forester responsive instead of lumbering.
Now noticeably larger, the Forester will still please Goldilocks with its just-right dimensions. A giant moonroof on our tester acted like a skylight, making the Forester's cabin feel airy and open, and light colors inside enhanced the cheerful feel at the helm. One common complaint about the Forester has been interior cheapness, and for 2009 materials are improved. Better, but still not Lexus grade, those that molest the dashboard's contours with finger prods and knuckle rapping may be disappointed.
The Tribeca's silvery swoop motif is echoed handsomely by the Forester, bringing a welcome dash of style to a cockpit that previously lacked design whimsy. Seat fabrics no longer look like leftover stock from the 1970s. Squishy padded and devoid of much bolstering, the seats will not be mistaken for anything sporty. Long trips might make some drivers fidgety, too, necessitating stops to walk around and uncramp lumbar regions.
The ergonomics inside are faultless. Rather than go silly with jog dials and digital control schemes, simplicity wins the day. Subaru's done such a good job inside that the Forester just works. No need to crack open the manual, nothing to gripe about, just easy, logical functionality. Temperature controls are a knob each for temperature, fan, and airflow – does it get more intuitive? At the top of the clean center stack is an eyebrow that houses an inconspicuous LCD showing time, trip computer data, and outside temperature. Directly below that little telltale, which manages to hide in plain sight, is the radio.
Packing a lot of functionality into a clean interface, the audio system follows the same easy-to-operate theme that runs through the entirety of the Forester. Satellite radio capable, with an auxiliary input, the ability to speak .mp3/.wma, and the expected radio bands augmented by RDS, there's not much to beg for in the head unit. It's not like you'd expect to find iDrive in a Forester, and Subaru itself offers audio upgrades, not to mention the vast array of aftermarket choices for dB drag racing.
The dashboard's top pad is rendered in a nicer material than past versions, and the silver metallic trim around the center console sets the interior off tastefully. The gray plastic that comprises the balance of surfaces in the Forester's cabin carries a slight sheen of cheapness, but that's not out of the ordinary among the Forester's competition, either. While not the best interior in its class, Subaru has expended noticeable effort improving the environment inside the Forester, making it a place that doesn't alarm with chintz. The silverized plastic does make us think twice about how long it's going to take to scuff and wear thin, however.
Thanks to its size increase, the back seats are now easier to take, too. The 2009 Forester's wheelbase has been treated to nearly four inches of stretch, leaving space in the second row for a megalomaniac and his ego. Normal invitees will find that entry to any seating position in the Forester is stoop-free and visibility out of the glassy cabin is as clear as anyone could wish for. The 2.5X Premium we tried had limo-tinted glass from the rear doors back to manage glare and heat buildup.
The cargo area, always a compelling aspect of the Forester, has a bigger gut now. Stuffing things down the gullet of the 2009 Forester will still surprise you. The big cargo/small footprint strength is further augmented by the three-inch taffy pull the Forester's overall length has undergone for 2009. Our tester also had a handy vertical cargo net to keep loads secured and a retractable cargo cover handily kept greedy eyes off our bric-a-brac.
You can dress it up in fancy new clothes, but there's no way to disguise the familiar boxer-engine powertrain once the key is twisted. Subaru touts the horizontally-opposed layout's inherent balance and low profile, but it still speaks with a gravel throat and jiggles slightly at idle. Growling out 170 horsepower in naturally aspirated form, the engine's forte is torque, also 170 ft-lbs. XT trim level Foresters spice it up with a more lively turbocharged engine good for 224 hp.
A four-speed automatic isn't unknown among the Forester's peers, but it still feels behind the curve when there are some boxes out there offering double that (admittedly not in this class). We didn't mind our 2.5X's auto, but the five-speed manual is the way we'd go. There's even a short-shift kit to tighten up the standard linkage, and the extra cog should serve to keep the engine boiling more gracefully than the bigger ratio gaps in the auto. Fuel economy of 20/26 isn't horrid for a vehicle spinning a transfer case and differentials at each axle, but we'd snap up Subaru's diesel version of this engine in an instant if we could for its torque and efficiency.
Dynamically, the Forester is more mature. The chassis is newly buttoned down and pleasantly well behaved. Torque feels strong off the line, though with only four ratios and a tuning eye turned away from high RPM screaming, the 2.5X runs out of lung capacity before anything satisfying happens. The turbocharger would do a lot to offset the syrup in the automatic, but saddling the blown powerplant with anything other than a manual would be a shame.
Surefootedness is the mainstay of the Forester, and that capability has been augmented by for 2009. Structural rigidity is up, allowing suspension engineers to dial in more discipline and make the Forester's responses less sloppy, though there's still a healthy amount of body roll telling you to cool it if you corner too hot. The soft seats don't help keep you in place, either, so the driver ends up gripping the wheel extra hard and bracing him or herself. Vehicle Dynamic Control is a welcome safety net, and airbags have proliferated to the front, side, and seat positions. Smooth, confident security in any weather is to be expected from Subaru's Symmetrical All Wheel Drive system, a big factor to the Forester's long popularity in regions that see winter. Brakes are four wheel discs, and feel strong and sure, unlike our experience with Foresters past, where using the binders was akin to stepping into a bucket of custard.
Starting at $20,295, the Forester 2.5X offers much of the goodness that made our one-step-up 2.5X Premium pleasing at around $26,000. Five star crash ratings and a passel of accolades make ownership a comforting proposition, especially with top resale values. The superlative loyalty of Forester owners means that lovers of this Labrador puppy of a car tend to hold on to them, and Subaru offers a healthy list of options and add-ons to build a near-custom Forester.
This latest iteration has been scrubbed behind the ears and emerges less esoteric than before. Styling that's clean might be uncharitably described as boring, but we'll go with classy. Too much frippery would only harm the design's timelessness, and the new Forester looks like it should cost more, a happy circumstance. The Forester puts up solid numbers and has got the goods where it counts. Legions of fans speak to the success of the recipe, and for 2009, there's new sweetening added with more size, better performance, and slicker looks.
[Source: Autoblog]
Hummer purchased by Chinese heavy equipment manufacturer
According to sources at The New York Times, General Motors' Hummer division has been sold to a machinery company in western China. That company, Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company Ltd., presently doesn't build automobiles, it is known for making construction and maintenance equipment, but more recently it has segued into heavy-duty trucks.
The NYT says that the memorandum of understanding between GM and Sichuan Tengzhong needs to be signed off on by Beijing officials, as the government has the discretion to veto any purchases of overseas firms by a Chinese company, particularly those transactions valued over $100 million. Hummer's final price tag isn't yet known but it is widely believed that to be under $500 million. Hat tip to IHC!
UPDATE: It's official. GM's press release announcing the buyer is posted below the fold.
[Source: The New York Times]
By the Numbers - May 2009
We weren't expecting this, especially from General Motors, which was forced to sell cars and trucks last month amidst rumors of impending bankruptcy (something that came to fruition as soon as the month was over). Despite this, GM posted a decrease in sales volume of only 29.55%. Sure, GM's sales decreased last month compared to May 2008, but they decreased at a far slower rate than its major Japanese competitors: Toyota (-40.72%), Honda (-41.46%) and Nissan (-33.10%). Plus, check out the chart below and you'll notice that GM's top four performing brands – Chevy (-23.74%), Cadillac (-39.86%), GMC (-22.13%) and Buick (-16.98%) – are the same ones that will be transferred over to New GM after it emerges from bankruptcy, which is certainly a good sign.
Ford Motor Company performed best of the mutli-brand manufacturers with a sales slide of only -24.25%. The Blue Oval was helped by new product offerings like the redesigned 2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ, as well as an unexpectedly strong sales performance by Lincoln, which was the only brand this month that recorded a sales increase (credit the new MKS and a 103.3% increase in Town Car sales).
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2009 Mazda3 recalled over stability control software concern
If you own a 2009 Mazda3 with stability control, you may need to schedule some time at the local Mazda store for repairs. Mazda is recalling 7,100 2009 models for a problem with its Dynamic Stability Control system that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says is not in compliance with federal motor safety standards. NHTSA says the issue is that "the yaw rate measured after completion of the sine with dwell steering input exceeded the test standards." Sounds complicated.
Mazda hasn't yet given a timetable for owner notification, but 2009 Mazda3 owners can call 1-800-222-5500 to see if their vehicle is affected by the recall. Any Mazda dealership will be able to inspect and replace the stability control system free of charge. Hit the jump to read the official NHTSA press release.
[Source: NHTSA]
Novitec takes a stab at the Alfa MiTo
Alfa Romeo's spritely MiTo hatch may have been styled to look like the flagship 8C Competizione, but the performance gap between them is big enough to fit another entire model line. The MiTo GTA, previewed in concept form at this year's Geneva show, promises to close the distance some, but until it arrives, Novitec has come up with an answer of its own, and here it is.
The heart of any good mod job lies under the hood, and Novitec has plenty of options in store. For the gas-burning 1.4-liter turbo four, Novitec offers an auxiliary control module that can be installed in just five minutes and which adds an extra 31 horsepower to bring total output up to a respectable 186 and 0-60 time down to 7.4 seconds, or 0.7 seconds faster than stock.
For diesel models, Novitec also offers a module to boost power by about 20 horsepower on either the 1.3 or 1.6-liter JTD engines. Of course, the Dutch tuning house hasn't stopped there, offering a choice of sport springs to drop the height by 40mm or a fully adjustable coil-over set-up. A full aerodynamic package, stainless exhaust and 18" wheels coated in Pirelli rubber round out the package,
[Source: Novitec]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
