Car Blog

Forty-nine automotive journalists have selected the Chevrolet Volt, Hyundai Sonata and Nissan Leaf as the three finalists for the 2011 North American Car of the Year.

The finalists for the 2011 North American Truck of the Year are the Dodge Durango, the Ford Explorer and the Jeep Grand Cherokee

The finalists were revealed today at an Automotive Press Association luncheon in Detroit. The winners will be announced on January 10 at an 8 a.m. news conference at the North American International Auto Show.

The awards are unique in the United States because — instead of being given by a single media outlet — they are awarded by a coalition of automotive journalists from the United States and Canada who represent magazines, television, radio, newspapers and web sites.

To be eligible a vehicle must be all new or “substantially changed.”

The correct name is “North American Car of the Year” and “North American Truck of the Year,” not “Car of the Year” or “Truck of the Year.” Read the rest of this entry »

Lexus announced the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices (MSRP) for the all-new 2011 CT 200h hybrid, which will be priced at $29,120. The MSRP does not include a delivery, processing and handling fee of $875.

When it arrives at dealerships in early March, it will be the fifth hybrid in the Lexus lineup and have the luxury industry’s best overall combined fuel economy at 42 mpg. With its starting price of $29,120, CT 200h will have the most attractive price point in the Lexus lineup and offer the level of refinement, quality and reliability that customers have come to expect.

“For just $1,000 more than the cost of a non-luxury hybrid, buyers can indulge in a CT 200h with our proven Lexus Hybrid Drive technology,” said Mark Templin, group vice president and general manager, Lexus Division. “Lexus hybrids currently make up 90 percent of all luxury hybrid sales in the U.S., so you can imagine how excited we are to continue our leadership in this market with the CT 200h.”

The CT 200h emits approximately 60 percent fewer smog-forming emissions than the average new car, and has EPA-estimated ratings of 43 mpg city and 40 mpg on the highway utilizing regular 87-octane gasoline. Moreover, the CT 200h can be operated in a switchable EV mode which generates zero emissions. Read the rest of this entry »

Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, announced the all-new 2011 model-year vehicle winners of its annual Best Resale Value Awards, which recognize current and forthcoming vehicles for their projected retained value five years from now.  Since depreciation (or loss of value) is typically a car-buyer’s primary expense during ownership, these awards, like all of kbb.com’s new- and used-vehicle information, are designed to help consumers make more informed car-buying decisions.

Kelley Blue Book’s Best Resale Value Awards are based on projections from the Kelley Blue Book Official Residual Value Guide, determined by an expert staff of automotive analysts.  These prestigious awards honor vehicles expected to maintain the greatest proportion of their original list price after five years of ownership.  Low-volume vehicles and vehicles with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of more than $60,000 are excluded from award consideration, except in the luxury and high-performance categories. Read the rest of this entry »

Ford safety engineers in the U.S. and Germany crash tested the new 2012 Ford Focus more than 12,000 times in real and virtual worlds to prove out innovative new technologies designed to protect occupants in crashes.

The new Focus, which debuts around the world starting early next year, underwent an exhaustive testing regimen of occupant and full-vehicle computer simulations. Those simulations have become so realistic that the number of physical vehicle crash tests has been significantly reduced.

“Developing the Focus to meet the global safety standards has resulted in improved crash performance to help protect occupants in crashes,” said Matt Niesluchowski, Focus safety manager. “Ford’s safety team had a head start in working together around the world, which helped tremendously in ensuring the new Focus meets or exceeds a complex web of global safety regulations.”

Crashed by Ford to take the heat

The thousands of computer aided engineering (CAE) crashes and simulations allowed engineers to test hundreds of designs. The physical crash tests, conducted after a battery of virtual simulations, verify and validate the computer simulations to ensure every internal and external requirement is met.

“We are using more computer simulations than ever to optimize the designs of all the components that make up a vehicle to help enhance safety,” Niesluchowski said. “The complexity of crash tests, with hundreds of parts and systems interacting, still requires physical testing to validate those simulation results.” Read the rest of this entry »

Petrol-powered company cars could almost be obsolete in 10 years, according to a new study by Lex Autolease with 300 finance chiefs and company car drivers.

Two exclusive surveys, conducted for the UK’s largest leasing company, reveal that early adopters of hybrid and electric vehicles could sound the death knell for petrol.

Less than 5% of both groups polled believe that petrol cars, once the staple choice of business drivers, will outsell other fuel types in a decade’s time. In contrast, 8 out of 10 business drivers (78%) and two thirds of FDs (65%) are confident that hybrid or electric vehicles (EVs) will become the most popular company car choice.

Chris Chandler, principle consultant at Lex Autolease, says: “Diesel has already overtaken petrol as the fuel of choice in the fleet sector, which is renowned for being an early adopter of new vehicle technologies. But, clearly, there is an expectation that the move away from petrol will accelerate as hybrids and EVs now begin to attract greater market share.

“10 years is less than three company cars away for most business drivers, so these options are being looked at by finance chiefs and drivers with a greater degree of seriousness than many believed, even within the industry. Employees are readied for change and the business benefits are becoming more and more apparent to financial stakeholders too.” Read the rest of this entry »

For the past six years, the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) has produced an education day for thousands of students as part of a greater auto show experience. 2011 NAIAS promises to offer even more for those schools in attendance by providing students a full menu of potential career options, ranging from inside to beyond the automotive industry.

NAIAS welcomes students in school groups in grades 9 – 12 and college level to attend NAIAS Education Day: A World of Opportunities, presented by State Farm Insurance at Cobo Center in Detroit on Wed., Jan. 19, 2011 beginning at 7:30 a.m.

NAIAS Education Day, along with the help of leading specialists from a variety of fields, continues to give educators from around the Midwest an opportunity to enhance their lesson plans. Students who participate in this unique day gain insight into the latest technologies, engineering, automotive design and environmental concerns. They also will be able to meet with representatives from various colleges to learn about career paths in their areas of interest.

NAIAS Education Day will offer show floor tours led by industry specialists in the following areas of interest: Read the rest of this entry »