This past decade, in-car infotainment electronics has evolved from a multi-disc CD charger and the occasional rear-seat DVD viewing system to a level of innovation once thought of as absurd. Satellite radio, electronic GPS guidance and even wireless Internet connections on several luxury products provide a mere tip of the iceberg to what is currently [...]
So manuals aren’t dead, after all. The third pedal on many cars has disappeared in favor of automatic transmissions and dual clutch gearboxes. In day-to-day driving and traffic we have to say we prefer the car doing the shifting (ducks for cover), but the choice needs to be there for everyone to make. Dearth of [...]
Number one can be a blessing, and a curse – just ask Toyota, who quickly fell the top spot. Manufacturers who chase volume exclusively often find it comes at the expense of quality and profit margins. The better choice is to make more money on each unit, thanks to profit-enhancing options. Unfortunately a lot of [...]
Sometimes, a company will stick with the same tagline for years. There are a few examples of that in the automotive industry, such as BMW’s Ultimate Driving Machine and Lexus’ “The Relentless Pursuit of Perfection.” Having the same, defined message helps brand identity – if you can find one that really sticks. Volkswagen’s recent “Das [...]
Stock cars in NASCAR share nothing with their road-going counterparts save for a traditionally cartoonish front-end design. Manufacturers pick a name and slap it on their race cars. Chevrolet fields the Impala, Ford the Fusion, Dodge the Charger and Toyota its best-selling Camry. Earlier this month, Ford introduced the redesigned 2013 Fusion at the North [...]
As expected early this 2012 year, automakers posted some very optimistic sales numbers for the United States marketplace for 2011. A place where consumers still love their cars, 2011 provided an excellent year for North American car fans. No other time in the North American auto industry has motorists been able to explore so much freedom [...]
Ford Fusion, is that you? The 2013 Ford Fusion looks nothing like the mid-size sedan that replaced it. WIth the 2013 model, Ford didn’t opt for a careful evolution of its mid-size sedan, it opted for a radical change. That is despite the current Fusion’s winning sales streak. For 2011, the Fusion logged a record [...]
After the magnificent display that was the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, I wrote an article on the notion that the California coast was the place automakers preferred to display their latest creations and concepts. Wondering if the 2012 auto show in Detroit would be have the same amount of enthusiasm, the sensory overload-inducing [...]