2012 NAIAS FAILS
When you bring a concept car or a production car to a big show like the North American International Auto Show, you really want to make a statement with that car and get as much good press as possible. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out and these are the cars we think fall into that category. Continue reading
Main Street in Motion
WHITACRE and the Volt
2010 Suzuki Kizashi GTS Vivid Red
I’ve never really liked convertibles, and still don’t. It’s just something about the looks, and the fact that it almost always ruins a good coupe. I have had this dislike for a long time; Mustangs should be coupes. The Corvette should be a coupe. The 911 should most definitely be a coupe, and so on and so on. On the other hand, a true roadster or speedster that is born as a topless driving machine, I love. The Shelby Cobra, the Stirling Moss Edition SLR, and cars like the Ariel Atom and Caterham are cars that I have always admired and lusted after. Yes they don’t have a top, much like the convertibles I listed earlier, but the difference is that when you design a car as a coupe then chop the top to please a non-enthusiast buyer, you end up ruining the car in both performance and looks – in my opinion. Continue reading
ChevyTMS at Texas Motor Speedway
We got an invite to the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway by our friends at Chevrolet. Although the race was rained out and the conditions were not the best, we managed to have a great time just hanging out with the folks from Chevy and some NASCAR greats!
We started the day in the Village of Champions where Chevy had set up shop. We played some fun games and checked out the cars even getting to race some laps of TMS – okay in a simulator. Next, we were treated to a small personal Q&A with three NASCAR drivers including Jamie McMaury, Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart. After the Q&A, it was time for a quick bite to eat, provided by Chevy. Then, the long journey to the pits! Not much was going on as it was drizzling the whole time. Everything was covered up and the only thing on the track were trucks trying, hopelessly, to dry it off. Walking up and down pit lane was still a cool experience though, as we got the opportunity to see cool sights like the Wall of Champions and the Garages behind the pits. After our exhausting journey back the the Chevy tents, we sat down and relaxed and talked with a few others fans out there until we heard the inevitable news that the race would be postponed until tomorrow.
All in all, we had a great time and this was my first time to visit TMS. Can’t wait till my next opportunity and hope to actually get to watch the race! Continue reading
2010 Buick Enclave
When I was young, I bought some of those x-ray glasses out of the back of a magazine. Although my parents tried to warn me, I insisted that they would work, plus they looked really cool. After weeks of waiting, checking the mail every day when I got home from school, the package finally showed up. I rushed to my room and ripped open the box throwing all the packing all over my room. As I pulled the glasses out and put them on my face, I felt an immediate sense of dissatisfaction. I ran around the house looking at everything I could thinking they have to work, yet they wouldn’t look through a thing. Not only did they not work as advertised, they were also cheaply made and broke within the first few days of having them. It has been a long time since I’ve felt this kind of dissatisfaction, that is until this week. Continue reading
There are some things in life, things you have the opportunity to experience, that can change your perspective and desires. When you first hit that age where you notice girls and become infatuated with your first love, for example. Or the day your first child is born and you know above all else that because of you this beautiful baby has a life. I ran into one of these life changing situations the other day, where I know, no matter what I do, I can never go back. Continue reading
2010 Ford F-150 Truck of Texas
The Texas Auto Writers Association gathered together last weekend for their annual truck event known as the Texas Truck Rodeo. This year it was held in San Antonio where the trucks and SUV’s would be put through the test at the Knibbe Ranch.
Every year, the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) names the Truck of Texas after this event and for the past six years that truck has been the Ford F-150. This year was no different with the new Ford F-150 taking the big prize yet again. For 2010, the F-150 didn’t just get a new look, it got an all around new package. The interior is a nice place to be whether you are roaring down a highway or driving through an open field. The powertrain has been tweaked giving the new F-150 a boost in fuel economy by as much as 12% over the prior year model. The title for Truck of the Year seems to be well deserved for Ford’s hard work on the F-150 year after year.
Saturn Line Up
Penske and GM both issued statements today about the fallout of their deal for Saturn. Penske withdrew its plans to purchase Saturn citing they had problems getting a third party to supply Saturn with cars. After the pull out GM announced that it would not be seeking other buyers for the brand and would begin preparing dealers with the new terms. We don’t yet know how long MG will continue to feed Saturn with cars, not too much longer we assume.
It is sad to see that the deal turned out this way as we were genuinely excited to see what Penske could do with its own car brand.
Saturn Sky
When the Pontiac Solstice and the Saturn Sky first hit the show rooms I was more than ecstatic. Finally, we are bringing some small sporty life into American cars, I thought. The Pontiac lineup and the Saturn lineup were showing signs of revival and these cars spotlighted that revival. Now in 2009, with the bankruptcy of GM and the ever failing car market the Kappa platform that these cars are built on has ceased production. Saturn has been sold to Penske and no one really knows the fate of Pontiac so with the lower than expected sales of these fun little cars there has been no real push to keep them around.
It’s a shame, in my opinion, that these cars seemed to not catch on. The Saturn Sky often referred to as the baby Vette is a beautiful car with a very sporty look and feel and was quite fun to drive. The almost retro styling of the Solstice and the new to 2009 hard top Solstice were exactly what Pontiac needed to revive the sporty nature they had lost after years of cars like the Sunfire and the Grand Am.
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I really think they will have a big following in the used cars markets with all the aftermarket toys and companies willing to shove V8’s under the hood they appeal to a lot of enthusiast track day racers.
I still have hope, first for Saturn with Penske as the new owners they all but have to bring a racing car to the market. As I showed in my “Plea to Saturn and Penske” they should have some sporty vehicle to choose from. Second I’ll try and reserve some hope for Pontiac. There have been some companies put forth offers to GM to buy out Pontiac, each getting the same answer from GM “Pontiac is not for sale.” In their official bankruptcy filing GM only says that they are keeping Pontiac as a limited production brand. Will they bring it back from the dead with a whole new limited production line of sporty cars? It seems like a reach, but you never know.
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