And if you want an idea of just how far out their GM execs are hanging "their collective a---s" on the Volt, Peter DeLorenzo at AUTOEXTREMIST lays it out in stark terms. Also, don't miss Peter's On the Table take on the Volt's design.
This was the week to be charged up about EVs. Chrysler even got in the act, releasing illustrations and info about its coming entries. Green Car Advisor has the illustrations, additional info and links to a Wall Street Journal news story.
Now, amid all the EV hub-bub, has anybody stopped to think what electron-powered racing is going to sound like? Jalopnik links to a Popular Mechanics compendum of the top 10 NASCAR crashes. What if these vehicles had been EVs?
Audi has a V10 turbo-powered RS6 in the works. 4WheelsBlog.com has the official release and photos. For another view, Inside Line's Matt Davis drove the RS6 at Paul Ricard Circuit and concluded there is a lot of oomph, but a lot to be oomphed, too.
So, oomphing right along ....
Could Robbie Gordon ever be worth 24 big ones? Full Throttle is, shall we say, slightly skeptical.
Amazing what you find in the strangest places. Shouting Thomas at Harleys, Cars, Girls & Guitars took a day-trip into NYC. and stumbled into an old Ford.
Now here's an interesting question posed by Dorri at If It's Got An Engine ....Why is heavy steering always associated with sporty cars and light steering with luxury barges? Check out Dorri's superb new blog design, too.
Jill McIntos h has a three-fer on GMNext, the Bimmer One-Series and the Nissan Pathfinder. That ought to be you out of trouble for a while.
They sound rather excited about the Caddy CTS-V over at Roadfly . I guess 556 horses will do that to you.
Massive Wall Street bailouts are getting all the headlines this week, but Detroit isn't about to be left out of the legally sanctioned looting of the taxpayer. Robert Farrago at The Truth About Cars takes apart the changing rationales.
And on the same tack, The Foundry offers an alternative approach to how Washington can best help Detroit - Get out of the way of bringing products like Ford's 65 mpg Fiesta Econetic for Europe here to the states.
WHAT I'M DRIVING THIS WEEK: 2009 Honda Fit
Europe and Japan knew and loved this vehicle for years as the Jazz. The second generation U.S. edition Fit is certain to become an even stronger player in the intensely competitive sub-compact segment of the market here than the first generation was from its first day on our shores. The reasons are simple: The new Fit is more ergonomically friendly, offers a greater measure of driving fun and abounds with Honda personality.
Honda carefully expanded the Fit, adding a bit more than four inches to the length and stretching the instrument panel a bit toward the windshield base. The result is the Fit's interior feels even more spacious. Curb weight is still at 2,500 pounds, though, so the 117 horsepower 1.5 liter i-VTEC four cylinder can move things forward in a sufficiently lively manner while returning excellent fuel economy.
The Fit's front seats are comfortable, the rear Magic Seats really do fold forward nicely and the instrumentation is among Honda's best efforts. Navigation and stability control are now available and I can easily envision doing my daily 76-mile commuting grind in the five-speed automatic. Yes, the Fit costs more than its rivals like the Versa and Yaris, but with gas at historic highs, it still qualifies as a bargain in my book.
See ya next week, friends and neighbors.
estreka says:
11:56 AM, 09/21/08
Let's compare: Volt vs. Civic Hybrid
-Volt-
$40K
$292 for 15K miles/yr
-Civic Hybrid-
$24K
$1,220 for 15K miles/yr (assumes 43mpg combined; $3.50/gal)
Assuming you paid cash for either vehicle, it would take you 18 years to make up the $16K premium for the Volt.
On the other hand, if you take out a 6% 5 year loan for these vehicles, you pay an extra $4,253 in interest, which takes an additional 4 years, totaling 22 years.
If GM had attained their $30K sale price goal, the Volt would have been very competitive.
Don't get me wrong, I hope GM finds a ton of suck- er, buyers for the Volt. The first few years of production will always be the most costly.
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Just how much has GM wagered on the Volt? The article states that GM has wagered the company, but what does that mean? GM is arguably on the verge of bankruptcy as it is, so the monetary figure doesn't have to be that high. If the Volt fails, I imagine GM will simply shrink, not go away.
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Chrysler can make all the drawings it wants. I think we're all aware of what Chrysler does with concepts (Sidewinder, Hornet, et al).
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"Hey, if Wall Street’s money men are getting all this money, why not help the people who actually build stuff?"
You can't do that by simply taxing everyone. Government can't raise cash by slashing taxes among the top tax brackets. If you want to see a more equal distribution of wealth, you have to have a stronger (read: more) government. I find it funny that those that scream for a freer market are the same ones that complain about execs filling out their own paychecks.
If it were possible, I'd short-sell my paycheck. Even with the potential for a 3.5% raise in January, I'm still losing to inflation.
hondacura4 says:
02:50 PM, 09/21/08
An inexspensive, spacious, high quality, safe, well executed, fun to drive, economical, efficient, fun to drive...oh and fun to drive car with the most flexible interior in its class. What a concept!
Driving an entry level eoconomy car is no longer considered punishment as the Fit has seriously smashed that mentality.
ateixeira says:
11:15 AM, 09/22/08
estreka: won't the Volt be more comparable to, say, a Camry Hybrid?
I'm expecting it to be a bit more upscale than a Civic.
I'm curious to drive one of those new Fits. Mom has the old one.
estreka says:
03:39 AM, 09/30/08
Ateixeira - I dunno. I've yet to hear any definitive specs on the Volt yet. But even so, the price gap is more than significant.