Car Blog

The all-new Ford Focus with the SFE (Super Fuel Economy) package delivers an EPA certified 40 mpg on the highway to go with its array of smart technologies, exceptional standards of craftsmanship and retuned suspension for a total driving experience not found anywhere else in the segment.

The new Focus is certified by the EPA at 40 mpg highway and 28 mpg city through its advanced six-speed automatic transmission.

Some competitors utilize a manual transmission to achieve their highest fuel economy ratings, though sales of vehicles with automatic transmissions account for more than 90 percent of the market.

Focus becomes the fourth vehicle in the Ford Motor Company vehicle lineup with an EPA-certified rating of 40 mpg or more.

“Our customers tell us that fuel economy is the top reason for purchasing a Focus,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. “The all-new Focus meets that demand with great fuel economy, class-leading technologies and features, exceptional standards of craftsmanship and driving dynamics typically reserved for larger, more expensive vehicles.”

Affordable fuel economy

With the EPA certification of Focus, Ford continues to deliver on its promise to make fuel economy affordable for millions of consumers. Today, Ford Motor Company has 12 vehicles including cars, utilities and crossovers in the U.S. that lead their sales segments for fuel economy – a number no other automaker matches.

With the new Focus, four 2011 models achieve at least 40 mpg – the Ford Fiesta SE with SFE package (40 mpg highway) and the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid (41 mpg city). No other automaker offers four nameplates with EPA-certified ratings of 40 mpg or more, according to the 2011 EPA Fuel Economy Guide.

Audi announced  that the Audi Q5 and Q7 have been chosen as The Car Book’s 2011 BEST BETS for the American car buyer this year.  The Car Book 2011 is published with the Center for Auto Safety, the nation’s leading auto safety advocacy group, and is based on objective information collected from the government and independent sources.

The Car Book selected the Audi Q5 and Q7 vehicles based on nine key Car Book categories: crash tests, safety features, rollover, preventative maintenance, repair costs, warranty, fuel economy, complaints, and insurance.

The Audi Q5 combines the dynamism of a sports sedan with an impressively versatile interior and a wide range of practical features for leisure and family use. Powerful, efficient engines, quattro permanent all-wheel drive and an agile suspension layout form an impressive technological package for on-road and off-road use.

The Audi Q7 is the luxury SUV for sporty individualists, for people who are seeking a vehicle that will take them anywhere they want to go for sports, recreation, and business. It is available with a gasoline engine and the popular Audi TDI ® clean diesel engine. With a standard third row on all models, the Q7 can accommodate up to seven passengers.

Both the Audi Q5 and Q7 include important safety features, including:  Electronic Stability Control (ESC), which helps keep the vehicle traveling in its intended direction by utilizing ABS, the traction control of ASR and the electronic brake force distribution of EBD; six standard, second-generation airbags; and available Audi adaptive headlights that pivot up to 15 degrees to allow drivers to see ahead in the dark by lighting up corners more effectively.

The 2011 Chicago Auto Show closed Sunday night and enjoyed a 10 percent increase in attendance over its 10-day run when compared to a year ago.

“We enjoyed an opening weekend stronger than in 2010, but gave some of those gains back on Valentine’s Day,” said auto show general manager Dave Sloan. “But heightened interest in a recovering auto industry, coupled with a warmer-than-normal February and strong buzz in the community helped achieve the show’s gains. Our closing Saturday was among the best days we’ve ever had. Our manufacturers and dealers had hoped to see a bump in interest this year, and they weren’t disappointed.”

“I’d also say that the cooperation we had with McCormick Place in reducing the evening parking fees at surrounding lots was effective in bolstering our post-6 p.m. crowds,” said Sloan. “But now we have to see how this translates into sales at local dealerships. If the boost in our attendance is any indicator, I predict we’ll see a continuation of the increases we’ve been observing in monthly sales.”

The Chicago Auto Show is produced by the Chicago Automobile Trade Association, which represents the area’s franchised new-car dealers.

Toyota will launch a new advertising campaign on Monday highlighting the brand’s leadership position as the best-selling retail brand in America. The “#1 For A Reason” campaign will remind people why Toyota continues to be the top brand consumers turn to when buying a new vehicle.

“For three consecutive years, people have purchased more Toyota vehicles than any other brand,” said Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of Toyota Division for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. “We look forward to maintaining this momentum in 2011 as we continue to focus on fuel efficiency, value, quality and safety.”

The “#1 For A Reason” campaign will highlight some of the sales accomplishments Toyota vehicles have achieved throughout the years, as well bring attention to some of the notable third-party awards Toyota has received for its leadership in safety and overall value. Featured in the commercials will be Toyota’s segment leading products—Camry, Corolla, Prius, RAV4 and Tacoma.

With a full lineup of passenger cars, SUVs and trucks, the Toyota brand offers something for everyone, including Camry, the number-one selling car in America. Camry has retained its sales leadership crown for nine straight years, with more than 90 percent of Camrys sold over the past 15 years still on the road today.

The mid-size Corolla sedan holds the title of best-selling car of all time with more than 8.6 million sold in the U.S. since it launched in 1968. Equipped standard with the advanced safety features of the STAR Safety System, Corolla and four other Toyota vehicles, including Avalon, Venza, Highlander and Sienna, were named as Top Safety Picks by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety for 2011.

With more hybrids on the road than all other manufacturers combined, Toyota is no stranger to fuel efficiency. The best-selling hybrid in the world, the Toyota Prius, achieves an average of 50 miles per gallon, helping make Toyota the most fuel-efficient lineup of any full-line manufacturer.

For consumers that need cargo and towing capacity, Toyota also offers the best-selling compact truck, Tacoma. IntelliChoice named Tacoma the Best Overall Value in its segment for 2011 along with six other Toyota vehicles, including Tundra, 4Runner, RAV4, Sienna, Prius and Avalon.

The “#1 For A Reason” campaign will begin running at the end of the holiday weekend and continue throughout the month of March. Broadcast commercials and online media will roll out nationally on February 21, with print ads beginning in March. Regional-specific broadcast spots will also run during the same timing and will call out some of the special interest rates and zero-percent financing offers customers can take advantage of throughout the month.

Smart interface design allows drivers to take advantage of mobile communications technology while the phone remains safely stowed

Consumers who seek a higher level of in-vehicle wireless connectivity and customized infotainment options, plus the unmatched safety and security of OnStar need look no further than the 2012 Chevy Volt and Equinox.

When these vehicles go on sale later this year, they will be the first to offer Chevy MyLink – an in-car infotainment package that builds on the safety and security of OnStar and seamlessly integrates online services like Pandora® internet radio and Stitcher SmartRadio® using hands-free voice and touch-screen controls via Bluetooth device connectivity.

“There is a new generation of car buyers who don’t want to settle for mass market radio,” said Rick Scheidt, vice president of Chevrolet Marketing.  ”They want to create their own individual stations and have access to them wherever they are. Chevrolet vehicles have offered customers the ability to use portable media devices since 2006 and the introduction of MyLink takes media personalization to a new level.”

MyLink adds stereo audio streaming and wireless control of smartphones, building on the voice-activated Bluetooth hands-free calling capability already offered in most Chevy vehicles. MyLink also includes a seven-inch, high-resolution, full-color touch screen display that makes media selection easy to navigate.

“Chevrolet MyLink is the next logical step for in-vehicle connectivity,” said Karl Stracke, vice president for Global Product Engineering.  ”MyLink leverages the mobile broadband capability and the sophisticated, online services made possible by today’s smartphones.” Read the rest of this entry »

The Ram Truck Brand announced that it would launch a new Ram 1500 model aimed squarely at first-time buyers and owners who are looking for a vehicle with performance and style that they can customize and make their own.

The as-yet-to be-named Ram 1500 model has been developed under the code name “Adventurer,” and borrows the formula of the highly acclaimed 2011 Ram Tradesman.

The Ram Tradesman — unveiled Feb. 9, at the Chicago Auto Show — is a value-priced, HEMI®-powered Ram 1500 regular cab truck that appeals to a cost-conscious, new-vehicle buyer who doesn’t want to give up performance and capability. The unnamed new Ram 1500, like the Ram Tradesman, offers buyers a standard HEMI V8 engine with its 20 mpg rating for the same price competitors are charging for their V6 engines.

“We know we have the formula right,” said Ram Truck President and CEO Fred Diaz. “Now we just need a great name that promotes pride of ownership. This new Ram model will be an attractive alternative for a younger or first-time buyer looking for performance at an affordable price. Case in point, it will have more horsepower and a lower base price than our competitors’ entry-level performance cars with the added benefit of versatility and capability.”

Ram Truck executives had planned to introduce the new Ram 1500 model later in the 2011 calendar year, but based on an overwhelming response to the Ram Tradesman, pulled ahead launch plans and opened the dealer ordering process with only a code name – Adventurer – to work with.

“This is going to be a great-looking, sports truck.” added Diaz. “A buyer will be able to drive off in a new HEMI-powered Ram Truck with money left over for other things, like Mopar accessories. There’s nothing in the market – and that includes other trucks, as well as cars — that can compete with this truck’s blend of style, exhilarating performance and value.” Read the rest of this entry »