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Infiniti will not produce show car, but its Essence will live on
Some concept cars are design studies, while others closely preview production models. But as much as we may have hoped, the gorgeous Essence concept unveiled by Infiniti earlier this month at the Geneva Motor Show will remain firmly in the former, as company spokesmen have reportedly verified that the show-stopping show car will not be entering production.
Alright, so that may be no big surprise, but we're allowed to dream, aren't we? That doesn't mean elements previewed by the Essence won't be trickling down to production models. We certainly hope some of the breathtaking design will find its way into production sheetmetal, and reports suggest that the quirky kink in the C pillar could appear on future products from the premium Nissan division. The long-awaited successor to the flagship Q45, if produced, is tipped to borrow heavily from the Essence's design, while its concept drivetrain is expected to… Read the rest of this entry
IRS makes deductible sales tax on new autos official
One of the interesting tidbits revealed by President Obama during Monday's press conference on the auto industry was the announcement of a tax deduction for sales tax on new vehicle purchases. Later in the day, the Internal Revenue Service made the money saving incentive official and fleshed out some of the finer points.
The new tax deduction will be made available for those filing their taxes individually with adjusted gross incomes less than $125,000 or for joint filers with adjusted gross incomes of less than $250,000. Any new automobile, truck, motor home or motorcycle with a purchase price of $49,500 or less will be eligible for the deduction.
In order to qualify, the vehicle must be purchased between February 16th, 2009 (making it mildly retroactive) and January 1st, 2010.… Read the rest of this entry
First Drive: 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Full throttle down the back straight, the speedometer sweeps past 100 mph. The approaching turn is a 90-degree right, but it looks like we can still put more asphalt behind us before letting off the gas. At the last possible moment, we lift and then lean hard on the brakes. Deceleration forces us against the shoulder belt as the four contact patches ferociously search the line for traction. As the orange cones begin to fill our front windshield, it's obvious that we're carrying too much speed. A turn now and we'd spin.
Gallery:2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe – First Drive
In a last-ditch attempt to save it, we lift off the brake, floor the accelerator, and hold our breath. As… Read the rest of this entry
New York 2009 Preview: Subaru reveals 2010 Legacy
With the days winding down until the opening of the 2009 New York Auto Show, Subaru has released the full details along with photographs of its highly anticipated new Legacy, which replaces the outgoing model for the 2010 model year. The new Legacy has big shoes to fill, as the outgoing model offered a compelling package with a sleek design and capable chassis.
The exterior design of the new model bridges the gap between Subie's aging flagship model and the concept car the Japanese automaker revealed in Detroit. The new Legacy also grows an inch longer, and about three inches in each the wheelbase, width and height, in order to offer a more commodious cabin.
Three engines will be available: A naturally-aspirated four, a revised turbocharged flat-four and the flat-six. The 2.5-liter normally aspirated engine produces 170 horsepower and equal torques, and the fla-six swells from 3.0-… Read the rest of this entry
Ford Advantage Plan guarantees job loss protection for new vehicle loans
It isn't even noon yet here in Detroit, but already it's been a busy day thick with bailout fallout and new consumer loan guarantee programs introduced by General Motors and the Ford Motor Company.
The Blue Oval has just unveiled its new Ford Advantage Plan, which can be thought of as a riff on Hyundai's much talked about Assurance Program. Ford's new initiative will cover payments of up to $700/month for up to 12 months on any new Ford, Lincoln, or Mercury vehicle if the loan holder loses his or her job.
We hope to learn more specifics about the program soon (conditions/exclusions, etc.), but for now, the program takes effect immediately and runs through June 1. Buyers will be able to take advantage of the program as well as a new round of zero percent financing offers through Ford Motor Credit.
As part of the announcement, Ford is… Read the rest of this entry
GM launches Total Confidence program to encourage buyers
General Motors has announced a new incentive program that it hopes will encourage people to enter the car buying market again. Called GM Total Confidence, the program has four prongs that includes Payment Protection if you lose your job, equity assistance if you trade in your vehicle later for another one from GM, one year of OnStar and the automaker's 5-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. We're already familiar with the last two components of GM's Total Confidence program, so let's focus on the first two.
GM's payment protection program is much like Hyundai's Assurance Program in that the automaker will cover your payments in the event that you lose your job. GM's program covers you for 24 months and will make up to nine payments valued at up to $500/month. According to GM, if you qualify for state unemployment benefits, you'll qualify for the payment protection to kick in. … Read the rest of this entry
Cerberus to reportedly lose stake in Chrysler as part of bailout deal
According to The Wall Street Journal, Cerberus Capital Management is set to shed its stake in Chrysler as part of the conditions surrounding the company's bailout arrangement with the U.S. government.
According to the article, the financial paper cites an anonymous source within the Obama administration as effectively saying that “Cerberus' equity stake no longer holds value” and “…the firm's ownership will come to an end.”
According to the WSJ's sources, Cerberus will still hold on to a controlling stake in Chrysler Financial, but its stake in the automaker itself will likely be eviscerated. Such a move could make it easier for Chrysler and Fiat to come to terms on their alliance within the next 30 days (a deadline given to them by the Obama administration yesterday).
[Source: The Wall Street Journal]
GM to unveil new incentives to assure buyers?
All the bankruptcy talk surrounding General Motors hasn't helped the largest U.S. automaker on the showroom floor, as sales have dropped by over 50% in 2009. Without additional incentives, GM sales may fall further with the the Obama administration's rejection yesterday of the 100-year-old company's most recent viability plan.
GM is apparently not planning on going quietly into the night, as the automaker is reportedly preparing some big-time incentives to help move metal in the midst of all this bankruptcy talk. Bloomberg is reporting that GM will unveil new incentives on April 1 (no joke) that in many ways mirror the Hyundai Assurance plan. Any worker laid off after purchasing a car or truck will reportedly be able to turn in the vehicle without taking a credit hit.
Another element of GM's reported incentive plan is backing the residual value of its vehicles. While details are still sketchy,… Read the rest of this entry
2011 Ford Explorer reportedly to be built in Chicago on Taurus X platform
At the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Ford unveiled the Explorer America concept. It was a car-based crossover concept that, in theory, would improve efficiency versus the once popular body-on-frame Explorer SUV. According to union officials at Ford's Chicago plant, the next Explorer will be produced at the Torrence Avenue assembly plant in 2011. Union officials claim that Ford promised the Explorer to Chicago as part of the recently reworked UAW contract.
The next Explorer will reportedly be built on the outgoing Taurus X platform, which also underpins the Ford Flex, Taurus and the Lincoln MKS and MKT. The Flex, MKS and MKT are all built at Ford's Oakville, Ontario plant, while the pending cancellation of the Taurus X and Mercury Sable left the recently overhauled Chicago plant twisting in the wind. Ford has not officially confirmed that it will build the Explorer at Chicago, but the Blue Oval… Read the rest of this entry
Revealed: Volkswagen Golf GTD
The Volkswagen Golf GTD will go on sale in May in Europe with a base price of about $37,000. (Photo courtesy of Volkswagen)
LEIPZIG, Germany — The all-new Volkswagen Golf GTD is debuting at the 2009 Leipzig Auto Show, but the German automaker has no immediate plans to market the diesel-powered sibling to the Golf GTI in North America.
European customers will be offered a powerful turbodiesel engine — a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 168 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Transmission choices include a six-speed manual and a six-speed dual-clutch DSG.
With the manual, the GTD sprints from 0 to 60 mph in less than 8.1 seconds, with a top speed of 138 mph. Average fuel economy on the European cycle is 44 miles per gallon.
The Golf GTD will go on sale in Europe in May, priced from around $37,000. U.S. customers will have to… Read the rest of this entry
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