September 2007 Straightline Archives

Well, that UAW strike against GM was over faster than you can drive through a one-light town in the middle of the Mojave, but then that's good news, so let's hit the road for this week's drive around the auto blog block, shall we?

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Categories: Carnival of Cars

Well, not exactly, but close enough to make a point...

"This is like deja vu all over again."

This VEBA health care funding idea is not exactly new, as Caterpillar tried it back in 1998. Guess what? It didn't work, and now 20,000 Caterpillar retirees have to foot the bill for much of their medical expenses...

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Categories: Auto Industry,General Motors

What's a Tiguan? A cross between a tiger and an iguana. We don't get it either. But it's VW's new compact SUV...

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Categories: Volkswagen

We doubt we'll see Bill Gates tooling around in the new 2008 Focus. But Ford did wire it up with Microsoft's Sync technology. It's a voice-activated media player on wheels. But what about the rest of the car?

Read the Ford Focus First Drive on Inside Line...

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Categories: Ford

Toyota announced that they've developed a fuel-cell car with a range of up to 480 miles, which is roughly twice the distance of their existing model. In a real-world situation, two of these new fuel-cell vehicles traveled from Osaka to Tokyo, 350 miles or so, without refueling, while keeping their air conditioning on. They still had about 30% of the fuel left when they arrived in Tokyo.

Full story here...

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Categories: Green Tech,Toyota

It seems like the Texas State Fair is fast becoming a major stop on the auto show circuit, as more and more vehicle manufacturers (make that truck and SUV manufacturers) are using this venue to introduce new models to the public. Hey, it makes a lot of sense, as they have exactly the audience—and a huge one at that—corralled.

So along with Ford (The iconic Ford F-Series turns 60 ) and Dodge (2008 Ram Resistrol here ), GM is using this state fair as a stage to unveil their new GMC Yukon Hybrid and Chevy Tahoe Hybrid.

From this link you can find other links to all the vehicles on display at this year's Texas State Fair...

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Categories: All Auto Shows,Chevrolet,Dodge,Ford,GMC,General Motors,Hybrids,SUVs

Fifty five year old car racing aficionado Tom Wieringa has spent his whole life in Chicago. Next Wednesday (October 3) he’ll be in the most important car event he’s ever been in yet.
 
He’ll strap himself into a 1,525 pound 675 horsepower IRL Indy Series race car, accelerate from 0 to 100 miles per hour in three seconds and hurtle down the race track at speeds up to 210 miles an hour.
 
If he qualifies, he’ll set a new record as the oldest driver ever to get a license to drive in the 92 year history of the Indy Racing League...

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Categories: Motorsports

BMW's CEO Norbert Reithofer, at a press conference in Munich, hinted that BMW may offer a fourth brand beyond BMW, Rolls-Royce and Mini, sometime in the future. As to what it may be, or as to what market segment it may enter, little was disclosed.

Reithofer did mention that, if it happens, it could very well occur in conjunction with an alliance with another already established automaker, in which “synergies and efficiencies” could be maximized. So will it be FWD, or be smaller than anything currently offreed, or go in a completely new new direction, we just don't know yet...

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Categories: BMW

Inside Line drove the new Saturn Astra on Germany's autobahn.

The 3- and 5-door hatchbacks feature a 138-horsepower, 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine, a 5-speed manual transmission, and starting price in the mid-to-high teens.

Could the Astra be the best small car GM has ever sold in the United States?

Read the Saturn Astra First Drive on Inside Line.

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

Categories: Hatchbacks,Saturn

If you're like an increasing number of people, you LOOOVE your Internet. I'm rarely without access, and I recently paid too much for a new smartphone primarily so that as long as I have cellular coverage, I have the Internet -- albeit a very slow version -- in my pocket.

A company out of Cambridge, Massachusetts, known as WAAV (formerly Omniwav Mobile) aims to change the clunkiness and slow speeds of mobile Internet by introducing a new generation of in-car broadband Internet routers. Drivers and passengers (mostly passengers, we hope) will be able to access the Internet at speeds comparable to a DSL or cable connection and use all of their favorite applications, up to and including broadband gaming...

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Categories: Car Tech

Arguably one of the most successful automotive product lines ever, the Ford F-Series, is now 60 years old. The vehicles debuted back early in 1948 as the F-1, F-2, F-3, etc.; and the F-1 evolved into the F-100, which then in turn evolved into the F-150; as did the F-2, et al.

So Ford will be offering a special commemorative version of of F-Series pickups, which will have special badging, trim pieces and two-tone paint. The vehicles will be announced at the Texas State Fair...

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Categories: Ford

Not all the details of this new potentially landmark agreement have been announced to the public yet, as union leaders now have to present it —and SELL it!—to their membership. That will likely occur over the weekend. Then we will know if this is a done-deal or not.

Assuming the GM union members do fall in line behind their leadership, then this agreement will be used as a template for both Ford and Chrysler, which are next in line...

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Categories: Auto Industry,Chrysler,Ford,General Motors,Trends

Last month Straightline mentioned that Toyota and Subaru may be co-developing a small entry level sports car using the Subaru 1.5L and/or 2.0L boxer engine (Toyota and Subaru collaborating on a sports car). Now there is more news from Best Car (via 7tune.com), a Japanese auto magazine, on this vehicle.

I wouldn't put any money on the images you see here, as Japanese car magazines are famous for guesstimating as to what new vehicles will look like.

A test mule has been spotted on Toyota's test track, but with the front drive shafts removed...

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Categories: Future Vehicles,Sports Cars,Subaru,Toyota

Cadillac produced a uniquely American sport sedan with a 304-horsepower, direct-injection 3.6-liter V6 with a zero to 60 time of 6.5 seconds.

Is it enough to take on the heavy hitters like the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class, Infiniti G35 and Acura TL?

What do you think of the new 2008 Cadillac CTS?

Read the CTS Full Test on Inside Line.

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

Categories: Cadillac

Here's an ambitious undertaking to tempt Ferrari fanatics: a new video game from developer System 3 that aims to present the entire Ferrari product line since 1947.

Ferrari Challenge will ship with 30 car models and offer the rest of the Ferrari catalog and other upgrades through microtransactions -- a couple extra dollars here for Ferris Bueller's 1958 Ferrari 250 Spyder, a couple extra dollars there for a new track.

The game will feature 13 tracks at the outset, with Monaco available for download shortly after its retail launch. Cars will suffer damage -- rare in a licensed title -- but it will be cosmetic only, and won't affect their performance on the track...

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Categories: Car Tech,Ferrari

Late last night leaders from both GM and the UAW came to an agreement, ending the two-day-old strike. Details about the agreement are at the moment scarce, and union members still have to ratify the agreement, which could take place as early as Sunday.

Union leader Ron Gettelfinger stated: "We feel very good about this agreement. I think this strike helped our side."

GM's CEO Rick Wagoner had this to say: "The national agreement paves the way for GM to significantly improve its manufacturing competitiveness, providing the basis for maintaining and strengthening its core manufacturing base in the United States...

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Categories: Auto Industry,General Motors,Trends

Vintage cars hit the road—and the deck of the USS Midway—on a six-day, 1,000-mile tour de force 10/7 - 10/11

In October 2007, a caravan of 30 vintage American muscle cars and their owners will take part in the third annual Muscle Car 1000. This six-day luxury adventure tour will cover 1,000 miles from San Diego to Beverly Hills, featuring once-in-a-lifetime events including the first-ever exhibition drag runs down the flight deck of the USS Midway in San Diego .

As with the previous Muscle Car 1000 journeys (from Newport to Napa and back in 2005; Santa Barbara to Napa and back in 2006), this year's event is limited to 30 teams of two participants. This intimacy sparks true camaraderie among these classic car collectors. Each team must bring their own Muscle Car, defined as: 1964 1973 American Muscle Cars; 1955-1973 Corvettes; and 1962-1967 Cobras. And while, in their heyday muscle cars were not a symbol of luxe living, the Muscle Car 1000 adds premium living to powerful driving.

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Categories: Classic Cars

Our friends over at PickupTruck.com have put up an article on the Aussie Holden VE SS ute, which is rumored to come Stateside if Bob Lutz has his way. If it does come over (up?), rumor has it that it will be badged a Pontiac, or possibly a GMC, but not a Chevrolet.

The VE SS is powered by a 362 horsepower 6.0L V8, and is based on the Holden VE sedan. Power hits the ground via either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic...

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Categories: Chevrolet,Future Vehicles,GMC,Pontiac,Trucks

The Volvo Truck plant in Ghent, Belgium has become the first vehicle manufacturing plant in the world that operates without emitting any carbon dioxide, CO2, the company announced.

The company says its efforts to establish CO2-free manufacturing plants are in line with the European Union's goal for reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent across Europe in the next 13 years, by 2020.

"Our ambition is to make all our plants CO2-free plants and Ghent is the first," says Volvo CEO Leif Johansson. "It is not an easy undertaking, but we are prepared to try different alternatives to achieve our goal for CO2-free production in our plants."

Full story here...

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Categories: Auto Industry,Green Tech,Trends,Volvo

Chrysler has just launched an ad campaign on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" for its 2008 Chrysler Town & Country minivan.

It will feature Nick's Jimmy Neutron character at events like the Nickelodeon Slime Across America tour and in print ads. There's also a contest in which consumers can upload family photos to a Town & Country Web site for prizes like an all-expenses-paid family trip to the Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn in Orlando, Fla., a new kid-friendly hotel and resort.

The TV aspect will feature five 30-second spots on appointment-viewing shows like "Grey's Anatomy," "Men in Trees," "Desperate Housewives," "Ugly Betty" and "60 Minutes." The campaign will also includes two 30-second spots for African-American and Hispanic markets...

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Categories: Chrysler,Minivans,Trends