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Friday Morning News

GTO Stayin', Then Goin', Then Comin' Back
According to Autoblog (which rocks, btw) Pontiac is keeping the GTO around through '06. But then it looks like it's going away for a few years until reappearing as an '09 model. We said as much in our review-roundup last year of the 2004 Pontiac GTO. Now, it would be something if the new GTO (the '09 dealie) was a real retro-like car. This may sound a little strange coming from us since we like the new Dodge Charger and it's not a 2-door like the original. So what are we saying? (come on, coffee, come on, coffee... kick in!) Well, we hope the new GTO isn't a minivan. Oh, this is all based on the assumption Pontiac is still around in '09 which we're not totally certain of. As of June '05, Pontiac sales were down 11% compared to same time last year.

Volvo XC70: Buy it up!
Our friends at Carpundit claims it's time to buy up the Volvo XC70 (the Cross Country model). Well, CP is a lot smarter than we are so they may be on to something here. Here's what should happen, Volvo should loan a Certified Pre-Owned Volvo XC70 for 3 weeks so that they can review it and let all of us know if it's a good time to buy one.

Ford Fire Issue Still on CNN's Auto Page
We give CNN some credit. Since they first posted the story about Fords burning up they've kept it on their main page for everyone to see. Everyday. We hope this is a embarrassing thorn in the side of Ford and therefore prompts Ford to do something. Well, we hope Ford places lives over money and therefore fixes these problems before someone else is hurt. And we hope CNN keeps the article front and center until Ford addresses the problem. This is not and endorsement of CNN, however, as they still seem to have a fascination with hurricanes, celebrities and missing white women rather than reporting on harder news stories.

Oof, Far East Going After Mid West
It had to happen. Or continue to happen. Or whatever we're trying to say (come on, coffee, kick in already!). The Japanese manufacturers are going to go after the heartland of the U.S. Detroit better double check they're makin' the best cars and trucks they can... these Japanese manufacturers know how to build good stuff that lasts and lasts. And with the same manufacturers now making bigger trucks (Nissan Titan) and family-friendly trucks (Honda Ridgeline) it's gonna be tough for Detroit to stay on top.

Thursday Morning News

Nissan Cries
Nissan has been doing well sales-wise but the lead of an Autoweek article says it all: Nissan Division has been on a roll with U.S. sales up 16.0 percent this year through June. The sole sore spot is the Quest minivan. What we find weird is Autoweek claims, Its unusual redesign for the 2004 model year failed to connect with U.S. buyers yet Nissan's lead designer says, "But when the Quest is redesigned in a few years, it will not be traditional." What the... If the design was too radical and it didn't sell why is the solution not to be traditional? We don't get these crazy car dudes.

By the way, all you folks who are afraid to buy a minivan because of what it might say about you... quit it. Our old friend Clint always loved minivans before minivans were cool (err, we're still waiting for minivans to be cool, Clint) and we never really understood until recently. But once you have more than your own (fat) arse to haul around, man, minivans make a lot of sense. Practical sense.

EPA Turns Evil
The EPA delayed a report until Congress passed the country's energy bill. We're not smart enough to really dig into this but is sure smells fishy.

Speaking of EPA... fuel economy is way the hell down from where it really should be. And why? Power. Look at the power of today's engines: the Altima makes 240 horsepower for crying out loud. A minivan that makes 255 horsepower? A sedan that makes 340 horses? Come on! Look, we are totally in agreement that more power is better but not at the expense of really, really bad fuel economy. Our Saab chariot makes 150 horsepower and merging on to the BQE is a hair-graying (if we had any hair) experience for sure. But we are saddened when more power comes before more responsible engines.

Finally: Chrysler replaces old Jurgen design with new, easier-to-pronounce Dieter model

They Like It! Hey Mikey!

Hey hey! The internet professionals at Forbes like us! Aw, shucks, thanks dudes! We can't really compete with the big boys what with their "fact checkers", pricey lawyers and long pants but we sincerely appreciate anyone reading the site and posting comments.

Oh, for the record, Jessica Alba and Natalie Portman have to stop calling us! We are all married here at Cars! Cars! Cars! and it's not going over so well with the phone calls and honking. Well, Simon doesn't mind it so much but it's driving Mr. Peterson crazy!

They Like It! Hey Mikey!

Review: 2005 Volkswagen Jetta

We like the new Jetta. While it does have that bland Corolla look now, it does seem address some of the shortcomings of the previous generation -- one of which was rear seat space. This model will be an interesting one for VW because VW's been having some problems lately and need a really, really popular car. The Jetta could be it... let's see what the experts have to say:

About.com
2005 Volkswagen Jetta
They dig it. So I'm happy to report that the new Jetta is a superb automobile; not without faults but a great improvement over the previous model and guaranteed to make certain Oriental manufacturers and at least one German very nervous.

The Auto Channel
2005 Volkswagen Jetta
They dig it. It's much closer to a near-luxury sports sedan than a compact 'econobox' in its feel and road manners. ... Volkswagen's new Jetta has gotten a little larger, and more luxurious, but it hasn't lost its verve.

The Car Connection
2005 Volkswagen Jetta
They seemed to be luke-warm. Around town we found the engine/drivetrain combination worked well offering sprightly performance. But on twisty mountain roads enthusiastic driving was not as pleasant as the transmission shifted too early at around 5300 rpm. ... the Jetta upholds VW's reputation for producing driver's cars. It holds the road better than the previous Jetta thanks in part to a new multi-link rear suspension and a much stiffer body shell.

Detroit News
2005 Volkswagen Jetta
They seemed to be luke-warm. There's still not enough rear-seat head and legroom, though. Comparison shoppers will find they're more comfortable in the back seat of a Pontiac G6 or a Mazda6. ... The new five makes a barely adequate 150 horsepower; Mazda's smaller 2.3-liter is considerably peppier and makes 160 horsepower. ... One area where VW did not scrimp is interior quality. The materials used in the Jetta's cabin are first-drawer and fit and finish are truly world-class.

Edmunds
2005 Volkswagen Jetta
They dig it but not as much as we thought they would. Out on the road, the Jetta manages to provide both comfortable ride quality and agile handling. The new Jetta shines thanks to its fully independent suspension and precise electric power steering.

Forbes
2005 Volkswagen Jetta
They didn't like it. Unless it was cheaper, in which case they'd love it. ... the engine is only good for 150 hp. Peak torque at—170 foot-pounds—is strong, but since that figure doesn't come up until nearly 4,000 rpm, you're not getting the stoplight-escaping kick in the pants that strong torque is good for. ... The Jetta is just another example of a car that is too expensive for what it offers. It's a fine—even great—car at $17,000 to $18,000. But at $20,390, the competition is going to be too fierce.

New Car Test Drive
2005 Volkswagen Jetta
They dig it. The all-new Volkswagen Jetta is a delectable dish of European-bred automotive technology, superior materials and tangibly good build quality. Choosing to address the American driver's thirst for torque was one of the more pleasing ways that Volkswagen fashioned this car for the stop-and-go derby of urban driving, but it's still how well the Jetta conquers the open road that makes the Volkswagen driving experience especially distinctive and enjoyable.

Dig it: 4
Luke-warm: 2
Hate: 1

We haven't tested one ourselves but from our experience in the driver's seat of the new version -- it felt fine (uh, say "fine" in the sexy voice you reserve for things that feel good all over your body). We'd recommend cheaping out and getting the Value Edition with automatic and tractions control. For $20k, it's a good deal.

Wednesday Morning News

Hot Pursuit of the Bandit

Let's start off with something sorta fun, police chases. Last time we were chased by the police it was a nightmare. We were flooring it the whole time. By flooring it, we mean passed out on the floor and being chased out of Jessica Alba's flat by the police. But it was a nightmare. CNN covers police chases... It's not as interesting as out JA story, however.

Big Trouble In Little Detroit

Well, initially it doesn't read like trouble: Employee pricing plans keeping Big 3 dealers busy; GM's 2005 model supply running low Despite our initial crappings, GM has managed to move a lot of cars. And when were posting a review of the Chevy Cobalt we did a little pricing on the Chevy site and, dammit, the Malibu Maxx is a hell of a deal now. Oh, it's far from a looker but it's a lot of car for $22k. Yes, we are aware that the Cobalt is different than the Maxx but we like to price everything out. Everything, baby!

But with all those sales, it doesn't seem to be helping. Autoweek follows up with: Despite recent gains, Big 3 brands headed for dip below 50 percent of U.S. retail market share. Dude, that's the first time ever. We really think the Japanese are going to continue to grab a bigger marketshare until the Koreans (and after them the Chinese?) get into high gear. While this may sound bad for the U.S. (it is) it is good for the consumer.

GMAC selling loans
We're not experts (on anything, tell you what) but we thought GMAC was the branch of GM that was actually making money. And if you sell off the pieces that are making you money (the loans) how do you keep making money?

GM to stop the employee discount dealie?
Man, just when everyone was diggin it! Shifting to lower costs, eh? We hope GM doesn't slip on the quality... that's what got them into this whole mess in the first place. We do realize that the discounting thing couldn't go on forever but it's going to be a cold shower for a lot of people soon (consumers, GM, etc.)

Honda, Honda, Honda
Oh, stop. So we like Honda. Big F'in deal. We like their cars (boringly-styled as they may be), love their engineering and are impressed with their business acumen. CNN reports: Strong sales boost Honda profit. It's impressive that while Detroit is having trouble keeping their house of cards from falling that Honda can not only not lower their prices but have higher sales translating into higher profits (whereas Detroit sold more cars at a higher loss).

I Always Wanted Me One That Was Long and Black

Good thing Johnny didn't live long enough to see this... Cadillac bikes?

The Detroit News reports that General Motors Corp. (Research) has started licensing its luxury car brand and logo to Kent International Inc., which has created a Cadillac Bicycles unit and is producing a line of mid- to high-end bikes. The bikes will cost $500 to $1,900, according to the report.

We think it's a bad idea to dilute the brand this way. Cadillac is on a decent enough roll... they shouldn't do anything to derail that.

Monday Morning News

Look at me! Look at me! Lookit lookit!

So, it turns out, people driving hybrids do want other folks to notice and say, "Hey, that dude over there... yeah, the one who doesn't get any... he's using less fuel than I do." CNN reports on recent Toyota research that finds Hybrid drivers want to stand out. Oh, just paint the cars some sort of special green and be done with it. Good thing a strong sense of self satisfaction doesn't penalize on fuel efficiency.

Dodge Caliber
Forbes (the other white dude) reports on Dodge's prototype called the Caliber and we think it looks pretty slick. We're way into wagons over SUVs so we're glad to see more wagons and hatches being made. And based on Dodge's track record as of late, they should go into overtime to get this thing made... it'll sell.

Cool!

Two boys make what GM said wasn't feasible: freon-less AC! Woohoo. Check out this article:

Really cool invention brings teens awards

Thanks to Slashdot for the link

Morning news

Detroit is still feeling pinches despite steep discount programs. Or is that because of?

GM posts 2Q loss: CNN/Money

Ford braces for more cutbacks: The Detroit News

So, the issue isn't sales since GM, for example, sold 2.6 million vehicles vs 2.4 million last year (same quarter)... the issue? Revenue is lower because of those discount programs. CEO Rick Wagoner didn't say that was the issue though, he blamed it on employee and retiree costs. Which is just total BS. While these costs are real, it's part of the deal GM made with these folks. It's quite obvious GM (and others -- it's not just GM) is going to pin (some for sure, but we guess a lot) blame on their health care costs when in fact, it's GM's fault. How so? After years of designing mediocre (to poor) cars, GM has to resort to drastic measures to get buyers into show rooms. Luring a new customer away from a very good competitor (that you pushed that customer to) is more expensive than keeping a customer and now Detroit is feeling it.

By the way. we don't buy the fact that Detroit has to deal with unions whereas Japan doesn't. Fact is, if Detroit was always building cars people wanted this wouldn't have happened.

Subaru sales and profitability up
And they even raised prices by 4%. We guess that goes to show price isn't everything. We tested a Forester and found it to be a great little car/wagon/SUV... uh, thing. A little pricey for our wallet, however (it was $28k).

Review: 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt

Chevrolet Cobalt

What are professional reviewers saying about the Cobalt? Is GM building a good car now? Can their car compete with the masters of the small car segment (i.e. Toyota and Honda... soon to be Hyundai)? Let's see.

The Car Connection
2005 Chevy Cobalt sedan
They dig it. If you're at all generous-minded, give the Cobalt a look. This car has a lot to offer and might just rehabilitate your feelings about Chevrolet and General Motors.

Edmunds.com
2005 Chevy Cobalt SS
They dig it. In fact, they wrote: Fastest in its class or not, there's no arguing that the Cobalt SS Supercharged is the best Chevrolet compact to come along in decades.

The Detroit News
2005 Chevy Cobalt SS
Bear with us here, it's one of those Paul & Anita review dealies. He liked it more than she did but he did have to say: But Chevy is finally offering a credible entry at the lower end for kids who want an entertaining ride, don't have a huge budget to work with and aren't inclined to haunt the local auto parts stores.

The Auto Channel
2005 Chevrolet Cobalt LT Sedan
They mostly liked it. They wrote, Handling is good for a small car. This means it isn't great, but the Cobalt handles corners with ease and zips along Interstates as if it was made for them. We have to poke some fun at Mr. Helig a bit here because you know, John, cars are made to handle corners and zip along interstates. (grin)

New Car Test Drive
2005 Chevy Cobalt
They mostly liked it. The Chevrolet Cobalt will satisfy the needs of drivers looking for economy of price, economy of operation, and a nice, quiet ride. We think it's a handsome, well-equipped car. The standard engine could offer more responsive low-end power, however.

Cars @ About.com
2005 Chevy Cobalt
They dig it. They wrote, The Cobalt's one glaring fault is the seat comfort (or, more specifically, the lack thereof), a problem which is going to cost Chevy a lot of Cobalt sales. Shame, because the Cobalt is the best small car to come out of Detroit in years. We don't think back seat sales are necessarily going to cost Chevy a lot of sales. The price point of the Cobalt is not only that of small families, it's also the price point of young, single folks. And the back seat isn't used to carry people, it's for... oh. Well maybe it will cause a few less sales.

So, what's the deal? Were we wrong when we said the unreleased 2006 Honda Civic is going to clean the Cobalt's clock? We're not sure we are going to be proven wrong but perhaps it's a bit early to call it a knockout. If the Cobalt's engineering and build quality hold up until its buyers are ready for their next newer, bigger car maybe Chevy will be able to lift sales without crazy sales tactics. Despite what critics say, we're rooting for the underdog.

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