In Gear offers a fresh look at the world of cars – its technology, economics, and future – through the eyes of Monitor staffers and other automobile writers from around the world.
New 2013 Ford Fusions are seen at an automobile dealer in Zelienople, Pa., in May. Ford auto sales rose by 13 percent year-over-year in June, with the automaker's large pickups and small compacts driving the increase. (Keith Srakocic/AP/File)
June auto sales: Major automakers see gains, and a surprise big mover
Auto sales had a standout month in June, with industrywide totals reaching their highest levels in six years. As in May, pickup trucks fueled much of the increase, a good indicator for both the auto industry and the US construction sector.
Automakers sold about 1.36 million vehicles in the US last month (a 6 percent increase from 2012), and set a pace to sell 15.5 million vehicles this year if conditions hold steady, according to projections from auto industry website Edmunds.com. The Detroit automakers continued their respective streaks: Ford had the biggest year-over-year gain of the Big Three, with sales rising 13 percent since 2012. Chrysler and General Motors also fared well, with 8.2 percent and 6.5 percent annual gains, respectively. Chrysler extended its streak of monthly year-over-year sales gains to 39 months.
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"Once again, American consumers are shrugging off the noise out of Washington about the easing of economic stimulus and potentially higher interest rates, at least for now," Edmunds senior analyst Michelle Krebs said in the report. "June is proving to be a great month for seeming opposites: small cars and utilities, as well as full-size pickup trucks." ( Continue… )
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Henning Kagermann, head of the National Academy of Science and Engineering, look at a BMW i3 Concept-Coupe at the Electric Mobility Conference of German government in Berlin earlier this year. The 2014 BMW i3 is BMW's first official mass-production electric car. (Soeren Stache/Reuters/File)
BMW releasing its first electric car on July 29
The 2014 BMW i3 electric car is coming... but you knew that already.
Still, it gives BMW a chance to release another video, albeit one that tells us absolutely nothing save for the car's official date of unveiling: July 29th.
Luckily, previous videos, plenty of spy shots and numerous auto show appearances by i3 concepts means we've built up quite a knowledge base on the i3 already, so a video of depressingly beautiful people jumping up and down in a fashion shoot isn't all we have to go on.
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What we know is that the i3 is the first official mass-production electric car by BMW, using knowledge gleaned from the MINI E and BMW ActiveE field tests.
It's roughly subcompact-sized and uses a rear-mounted electric motor to power the rear wheels, keeping one of BMW's traditions alive. The rest of the car is very different from anything we've seen of the Bavarian automaker before, a deliberate move as the i3 also launches BMW's i sub-brand. ( Continue… )
The Nissan NV200 is displayed as a New York City taxi following a news event at the New York Auto Show in New York earlier this year. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters/File)
2013 Nissan NV200: function over form.
Small cargo vans might not be the first vehicle you consider when shopping new, but chances are you've gone for a ride in one already--or will soon.
The NV200 is new to the U.S. market, but it's been on sale in 40 other countries for some time. If you're a world traveler, you've seen it before. The compact van also was chosen as the upcoming New York City "Taxi of Tomorrow," and will hit the streets of the Big Apple later this year, just in time to ferry you from LaGuardia to Times Square.
Function over form
Cargo vans aren't designed to look pretty, they are designed to be functional, and the NV200 doesn't stray from that model. The front end is blunt and sharply angled; the steep rake generates a little aerodynamic help.
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Not to spoil the mystery ending, but the rest is...a van. A usefully sized box, the NV200 has 40/60 split-opening rear doors with both 90- and 180-degree opening positions. This makes curbside unloading both easier, and safer. The cargo doors are solid metal, though glass windows are an option.
It's a basic look, with black plastic bumpers even, but upper trim models feature body-colored front and rear bumpers, door handles, outside mirrors, and a chrome grille. ( Continue… )
The 2014 Chevrolet Malibu on Belle Isle in Detroit. General Motors CEO Richard Wagoner donated $1.7 million to startup Tred, which delivers test drive vehicles to customers' doors. (Carlos Osorio/AP/File)
No time for a test drive? Bring it to your door.
We're all pressed for time.
Ironically, the many innovations that should've helped us save time -- from washing machines to email to smartphones -- have simply given us more time to be busy with other stuff. "Oh, great, my Roomba can vacuum my house! I think I'll start a blog about fishing." And so it goes.
In the business world, the time crunch has made customer service a battleground where the hearts and minds of consumers are won. The company that resolves our issue the fastest earns our undying loyalty. (Until the next crisis rolls around, anyway.)
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On the auto front, this has forced dealerships to spend a lot more time learning to pamper customers and anticipate their every need. Heck, Chevrolet even sent its sales staff to Disney World to grab a few pointers. ( Continue… )
Rows of 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokees are lined up outside Chrysler's Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit in 2001. After Chrysler and the US government agreed to remove about 1.2 million Jeep Grand Cherokees from a Jeep recall earlier this month, some owners are confused about the safety of their vehicles. (Carlos Osorio/AP/File)
Jeep recall: Was it broad enough? Owners confused.
A deal between the government and Chrysler over Jeeps linked to deadly fires isn't sitting well with many Jeep owners and auto safety advocates.
In early June, after a nearly three-year investigation, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration recommended that Chrysler recall 2.7 million older Jeep SUVs because the fuel tanks could rupture, leak and cause fires in rear-end crashes.
But last week, after talks between outgoing Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne, the agency compromised, letting Chrysler limit the recall to about 1.5 million vehicles.
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The agreement removed about 1.2 million Jeep Grand Cherokees, model years 1999 to 2004, from the recall, leaving some owners confused about the safety of their vehicles. Chrysler argued that those Jeeps have a different design than the ones it agreed to recall and are as safe as comparable models from other automakers. ( Continue… )
The 2014 Honda Odyssey minivan is displayed during the New York International Auto Show in New York, New York, on March 28, 2013. The new Honda Odyssey, which has been priced at $28,825, includes Bluetooth, a four-way power adjustable passenger seat, and Pandora. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters/File)
2014 Honda Odyssey hits lots on July 2
The 2014 Honda Odyssey arrives in dealer showrooms just in time to serve as shuttle duty for your upcoming fourth of July party. Set to hit the lots on July 2nd, the updated Odyssey will wear a starting pricetag of $28,825.
This represents a $150 jump over the outgoing model. Not too shabby for a vehicle that's seen its fair share of upgrades while it still retains the near 250-horsepower V-6 engine under the hood. It's not the motor that maters most here, of course, it's everything else customers can expect at that starting price point.
Standard features now include Bluetooth, a four-way power adjustable passenger seat, the ability to connect to Pandora, and SMS text functionality. Of course, you don't have to stick with the base model because Honda has a handful of items on its available features list. Most noteworthy might just be the optional vacuum accessory that allows parents to suck up crumbs, gunk, and detritus that may fall from the tiny hands of the rearward passengers.
The 2014 Honda Odyssey trim walk is fairly familiar to anyone that follows the H-badged brand. Starting with the base LX, you quickly climb to the EX which starts at $32,125. From there you can opt for the EX-L, EX-L w/ RES, or EX-L w/ Navi. ( Continue… )
Ford Motor Company introduces its newest member of the F-Series family, the F-150 Tremor, to members of the media in Dearborn, Mich., on Thursday, June 27, 2013. The Ford Tremor is the first sport truck powered by an EcoBoost engine. (Courtesy of Ford Motor Co.)
Ford Tremor: potent sport truck. Better fuel economy
Ford’s universally popular F-150 SVT Raptor now has a little brother in the form of the all-new 2014 F-150 Tremor. The newcomer is the Ford Motor Company’s [NYSE:F] first EcoBoost-powered F-150 with the short-wheelbase, regular-cab design, and is aimed at buyers looking for a potent sport truck with decent fuel economy.
Under the hood is the familiar 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, which combines direct injection, variable cam timing and turbocharging technologies to help deliver 365 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. Our favorite attribute is the torque band: 90 percent of peak torque is available from 1,700 to 5,000 r.p.m.
Fuel economy is said to be 16/22 m.p.g. city/highway, for the rear-wheel-drive model. Opting for all-wheel drive will diminish those figures slightly.
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The engine is paired with a six-speed automatic and a launch-optimized 4.10 rear axle – the shortest final drive ratio offered in an EcoBoosted F-150. An electronic rear differential is also fitted as standard. ( Continue… )
The new Mazda 3 is unveiled during the Mazda Unveil & Press Event on Wednesday, June 26, 2013 in New York, New York. The hatchback has two SkyActiv engines and will deliver a high EPA rating. (John Minchillo/AP)
2014 Mazda 3 unveiled
Mazda launched its all-new 2014 Mazda 3 compact hatchback today at coordinated events in New York, Melbourne, Istanbul, St. Petersburg, and London.
The new Mazda 3 lineup, which will include a four-door sedan version as well when it goes on sale this September, is the second model designed around the company's line of ultra-efficient SkyActiv four-cylinder engines.
Without using any form of hybrid-electric drivetrain, Mazda's high-compression engines--here in 2.0- and 2.5-liter capacities--use carefully tuned exhaust systems and other refinements to deliver remarkably efficient driving.
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The size of the exhaust system has actually changed the proportions of the car, with the base of the windshield pillars moved back fully 4 inches to provide more space under the longer hood.
The proportions are similar to those of the 2013 Mazda CX-5 crossover, the first vehicle to be designed entirely around SkyActiv technology. ( Continue… )
The 2013 Fiat 500e, an electric model of the Fiat 500, was first introduced in California. Fiat may rollout additional 500e vehicles in other states that use California's emission standards. (Chrysler/AP/File)
Fiat 500e electric car 'sold out' in California
Fiat has never hidden the fact that its 500e electric car had been developed primarily for compliance reasons, thus there was little surprise when it was announced that sales would be limited to the state of California, at least, initially.
It looks like Fiat may have reason to speed up plans to offer the 500e in other states, however, as news that the car is already sold out for the year has emerged.
The information was revealed by Fiat’s U.S. chief, Jason Stoicevich, who spoke recently with Ward’s Auto.
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Unfortunately, Stoicevich didn’t mention whether he was talking about the 2013 calendar year, which only has six months left to go or whether he means the upcoming 2014 model year which starts next month and runs until June of next year.
Additionally, Stoicevich didn’t mention how many examples of the 500e Fiat had originally planned to sell. The number could be quite low considering the 500e was developed primarily for compliance reasons. ( Continue… )
The new Infiniti Q50 is displayed on stage at the New York Auto Show in New York, New York, earlier this year. The 2014 Infiniti Q50, which comes in both a sport and hybrid model, offers direct adaptive steering, active lane control, and predictive forward collision warning. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters/File)
2014 Infiniti Q50 boasts elegant styling, new technology
The 2014 Infiniti Q50 awed us with its dramatic and elegant new styling at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. Today, we learn the Q50 will start at a relative bargain price of $36,700 plus $905 destination and handling.
By way of comparison, the BMW 3-Series is nearly $5,000 cheaper in base 320i form, but the turbo four-cylinder 328i, which is a better equivalent for the Infiniti Q50, starts at $36,850, and rates 240 horsepower from its 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder. Audi's A4 sedan likewise comes in much cheaper in base form, at $32,500, but again uses a much less powerful base engine, a 211-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. The Mercedes-Benz C Class, at $35,530, gets a 184-horsepower 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, though the more comparable C350 sedan is priced about $5,000 more than the Q50. The new 2014 Lexus IS starts at $36,825, and it too offers a less-potent 204-horsepower from its 2.5-liter V-6 engine.
Infiniti's Q50 is, therefore, a relative bargain when considering its standard 3.7-liter V-6 engine, rated at 328 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. Substituting all-wheel drive for the standard rear-wheel drive bumps the price up to $39,405 (including delivery), while a premium package adds another $1,050 (RWD) or $2,850 (AWD).
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The 2014 Infiniti Q50S, the sport model, starts at $44,105 in rear-drive form, and $45,905 with all-wheel drive. ( Continue… )
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