For Your Consideration: Six American Cars

By Jim Motavalli

The American auto industry is a basket case, reeling as the recession shrinks the market, consumers defect to imports, and General Motors and Chrysler fight to recover from bankruptcy. Many Americans want to help, but also don’t want to be martyrs to one of Detroit’s unreliable, poorly built gas-guzzlers.

Fortunately, that’s old news and there’s never been a better to time to buy a U.S.-made car. Really. Even if your prejudice against Detroit goes back 20 to 30 years, now’s the time to take a serious look at the domestics. Operating in what veteran GM executive Robert Lutz describes as the worst auto market since the end of World War II, Ford, GM and Chrysler have introduced some quality cars and trucks that—especially when it comes to value for the money—offer serious competition to the best from Europe and Asia.

For the newly launched CBS MoneyWatch. I wrote a piece entitled “Six American Cars Worth Buying Now,” and I think my choices can compete with the best from Europe and Japan. The full story is here. I picked the Tesla Roadster as my performance choice, and here’s a look at that ultra-fast battery car on the road:

 Here are my five choices, but if you want a complete accounting visit the longer version of this story on the CBS MoneyWatch page:

1. Ford Fusion. Without its Mazda roots showing too much, this is an excellent sporty sedan with an even better hybrid version.
2. Chevrolet Malibu. Not grandpa’s Malibu from ’66, this is a far more sophisticated, Euro-style sedan but with accommodations for the family.
3. Chrysler Town & Country. From the company that invented the minivan in the 1980s, a kid-friendly update.
4. Ford Escape Hybrid. An excellent and very fuel-efficient hybrid SUV.
5. Cadillac CTS. Cadillac ties with Lexus in a recent University of Michigan consumer satisfaction survey, and this very competent entry-level luxury car is a big reason for that.
6. Tesla Roadster. Zero to 60 in 3.9 seconds. On batteries. And that’s not even the Sport model.

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Comments:
Tough time for American cars but so be it.The North American market has been dominated with the ever reliable Japanese brand cars but it has its own cons too.We have to think that we live in North America and "Comfort" is one big factor that American Cars offer that the opposite has mismatched for quite a while and -40 temperatures in Canada are a breeze for American cars while a culprit for the Japanese mades.

Frankfurt Motor Show promises plenty of gems Begins Tuesday

By Derek McNaughton

The 63rd International Frankfurt Motor Show will open its doors to the world’s media starting Tuesday Sept. 15th and some of the hottest wheels on earth will be seen in the flesh for the first time.
The cars will range from the super sexy to the super sensible, from an Audi R8 Roadster to a brand new plug-in hybrid from Toyota Motor Corp.
Some of the cars will remain exclusive to Europe, but many will be making their way to North America and Canada. There will be fast and expensive cars, as well as frugual and inexpensive ones.
Here, then, is a rundown of some of the cars making their first appearance on the world’s automotive stage at the 2009 show.

Aston Martin

The production version of the four-door Aston Martin Rapide, as well as a V12 Vantage.

Audi

• Potential new RS models from Audi, including an RS5 and a most-anticipated RS3, as well as a possible electric vehicle of some sort.

• Stunning new R8 Roadster. Also the A5 and S5 Sportback.

BMW

• 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6, slated to become the most powerful hybrid in the world.

• A BMW concept called Vision Efficient Dynamics that is extremely fast as well as frugal in its use of fuel. Also the BMW X1 and 5-Series GT.

Ferrari

• A new Ferrari to replace the aging F430. The official unveiling of the new 458 Italia, another breathtaking design by Italian corrozzeria Pininfarina.

Ford

• Ford Motor Co. says it plans to show the redesigned version of its C-Max, a small minivan sold in Europe similar to the Mazda5.

Honda

• The official reveal of the 2010 Honda CR-V, the popular compact utility that gets a fresh new look.

Hyundai

• Hyundai will show its new Tuscon, known as the Hyundai ix35 in Europe, as well as another concept for a small car.

Kia

New 2010 Sorento SUV as well as the Venga, a mini MPV.

Lamborghini

• The 2010 Lamborghini Reventon Roadster, a car that is more fighter jet than automobile and priced accordingly at $1.75 million U.S.

Mazda

A facelifted CX-7 with a turbo diesel that could potentially come to North America as well as a stripped-down version of the MX-5 – the Mazda MX-5 Superlight – to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

MINI

• Mini will celebrate its 50th birthday with a special anniversary edition coupe.

Mercedes

• A new supercar from Mercedes, the SLS, as well as the E-class wagon, or “Estate.”

McLaren

• A new supercar from McLaren, the MP4-12C.

Porsche

• 2010 Porsche GT3 RS, a track ready street-legal 911.

• 2010 Porsche 911 Sport Classic, that won’t come to Canada, but is nevertheless a stunning take on a regular 911, as well as the new Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo cabriolet and 911 Cup car.

Saab

• 2010 Saab 9-5.

Toyota

• The 2010 Prius plug-in hybrid vehicle, or PHV, which Toyota says can be recharged at a household outlet.

• A luxury compact from Lexus called, so far, the LF-Ch Concept.

Volkswagen

• 2010 Volkswagen Polo that many have widely speculated is coming to Canada.

Volvo

• 2010 Volvo C70 convertible with a new hard top as well as new C30.

Stay tuned for more reveals, but this is a start to what you can expect.


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Comments:
Well buyers, take your choice. Which among this new models are hybrid and or very fuel efficient?
Let's not be lured by the looks only but most importantly...the price.

Car makers planning a record number of new models

A hyper-competitive marketplace, brimming with new choices in both existing and emerging segments - cars and crossover utility vehicles especially - is great news for buyers

By:JEREMY CATO
It will be a buyer's market from now until at least 2012, a new report from the auto analysts at brokerage house Merrill Lynch suggests.
The story starts in the numbers. Or in one number: 42. That's the average count of all-new models expected to be launched each and every year over the next four years - 17 per cent more than the average launched each year between 1987 and 2008.

This is great news for buyers.
A hyper-competitive marketplace, brimming with new choices in both existing and emerging segments - cars and crossover utility vehicles especially - means auto makers and their dealers will be chasing customers more aggressively than ever.

And they will be doing so with sharp new fuel-efficient, technology-laden vehicles reflecting the new reality of high fuel prices in particular.

"Over the next four years, the industry will replace 67 per cent of its [sales] volume, with the disparity among the major manufacturers reaching the lowest level ever," says the latest Car Wars study from Merrill Lynch.

That should mean smaller market shifts among the manufacturers and even more competition than we've seen in recent years. General Motors's market share, in fact, should increase slightly and Ford's losses will be reduced.

Chrysler, though, looks to be in play. Its private owner, Cerberus Capital Management, is likely to break up and sell off the various parts of Chrysler that have value. What remains, primarily the car business, would be phased out entirely.

"It is possible that Jeep will be sold to a strategic international auto maker, possibly Tata," says Merrill Lynch. "The relationship with Nissan-Renault may be a sign of where the pickup business may land, and minivans would also be a natural tag along.
"The big question would be what to do with the car business? We would assume it might be wound down.
"Whatever direction the rationalization of Chrysler takes, as long as it is relatively orderly, it should be a positive for all other auto makers. It should be especially positive for GM and Ford as they pick up the majority of the share that Chrysler relinquishes."
Nissan will be most aggressive with launching new models - 80 per cent of what Nissan sells today will be replaced with something new by 2012.
The South Korean auto makers, Hyundai and its sister company Kia, will renew 74 per cent of their lineups, followed by Honda (72 per cent), Toyota (71 per cent), GM and the various European manufacturers combined (70 per cent), Ford (66 per cent), and Chrysler (51 per cent). The industry average renewal rate comes in at 67 per cent.
Read more....
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Comments:
Will this be indeed a buyer's market for the new hybrid and crossover vehicles?
How are we going to phase out our new and old gas fueled only vehicles? What's the phase out timetable?
Well, this remains to be seen...

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Watch out for new developments and trends to the ever growing hybrid car market and specially the hybrid minivan in Canada and North America.