y.m.m.v

Toyota Sienta

While many sites will speak of the new Armani Edition Mercedes Benz … I’ll stick to Toyota.

Toyota introduced another Vitz/Yaris/Echo platform based vehicle: the Toyota Sienta mini-van. Mini-van, in the Japanese sense of word.

Equipped with a 1.5 liter engine and a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) in 2WD models or an ECT (Electronic Controlled Transmission) with 4WD. The 4WD is more of a road-duty technology utilizing limited slip controls using electronics.

Clever use of space and looks inspired from the VW Polo, this little car seems destined to have a good run in Japan.

Modern technology is bringing car companies back to the old ways, where a engine, chassis setup would be made available to clients, yet the “coach-work” was something the client picked for themselves. Toyota’s NCP platform is certainly used this way.

Subaru Followup

Turns out the “scoop” about the “Subie Minivan” may not be so true after-all.

Information relayed form the NASIOC, North American Subaru Impreza Owners’ Club, seem to indicate either fake “photoshopped” cars or potentially misleading bits of information.

Check this URL for some tantalizing pictures of a large SUV, possibly named “Subaru Surveyor”.

Subaru Minivan

Auto123 gets the nod for a good scoop!

This vehicles is said to be the in-house designed Subaru Mini-van, a market necessity for Subaru to remain competitive back-home.

Mercedes GST

My take : An all-wheel-drive 6 person Toyota Matrix-Volvo XC90 combo by Mercedes built in Alabama.

TheCarFanatics have more information.

Subaru Forester XT 2004

Winner of the Towcar Of The Year 2004

Picture from Subdriven.

BTW, the 2.5 XT in Australia and Canada have the 2.5 liter engine with Turbo, developing 320 Nm of torque at 3,600 rpm, which translates to about 235 ft/lbs.

Canadian Lexus RX330 SUV

Congratulations to the folks at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC) plant in Ontario for becoming the first location in the world to produce Lexus models outside Japan. JustAuto

This is the same plant that makes the successful Toyota Matrix.

Aluminum

Ward’s Auto World is running a review of the impact of aluminum in the car industry.

By 2010, vehicles will average 318 lbs. (144 kg) of aluminum, forecasts Ducker Research, up from the current 274 lbs. (124 kg).

For the record, even the Subaru Forester now has an aluminum hood.

British Car Reliability Results

TopGear presents the results published by Britain’s Warranty Direct:

1: Mazda - £275.00 - 16
2: Ford - £207.98 - 31
3: Honda - £277.31 - 20
4: Toyota - £443.23 - 19
…
22: Subaru - £1,038.99 - 21

At the other end of the scale, Subaru falls a rather bizarre eleven places to 22nd in the chart. ‘Costly repairs to the Impreza’s engine and transmission units pushed the average bill to nearly £1040,’ says Warranty Direct, ‘making it the most expensive model repaired in the year so far.’

I guess many folks seem to think the Subaru are “WRC” car for the neighberhood. Ouch.

New Toyota Diesel

Hidden inside the BBC’s TopGear information on the new Avensis, there is mention of the new 2.0 liter D-CAT diesel engine from Toyota.

The result is that Euro IV emissions standards for NOx and particulates are beaten by 50 and 90% respectively, though CO2 emissions are up slightly on the D-4D - from 155 to 161g/km. Output and performance standards remain almost exactly the same, however - with 114bhp at 3600rpm and 207lbf.ft at 2000rpm, the vehicle ( Avensis -ed ) will hit 62mph in 11.2 seconds and reach a maximum of 122.

GT4 PRIUS Trial Version

In a rather strange twist, Toyota hired the legendary creators of the “Gran Tourismo” series of games, Polyphony Digital, a game studio that belongs to SONY to deliver GT4 PRIUS Trial Version.

The very big deal behind the scenes is the “Unique Demo” status that this software hods for all those fans who eagerly wait for GT4 arriving only in 2004. I wonder how many parents in Japan will be “convinced” by their children to test-drive a Prius…

Deer crashes

Not many people understand that the North American herds of whitetail deer are at all time high levels, but they do pay attention to the statistics: deer-car crashes

Car-deer crashes in Michigan cause an estimated U.S.$130 million in auto repairs each year. Nationally, reported collisions alone cause an estimated $1.1 billion in damage. One study found that car-deer crashes kill more people in the nation than all commercial airline, train and bus accidents combined in a typical year.

The article fails to mention that farming fields “raised” deer don’t lack food until overpopulation and weather “reduces them”, but that they always lack habitat, better worded as “roaming space”.

Offshore Car IT

Canadian Driver has a an overview article about the plans of car manufacturers to move IT and engineering functions “offshore”.

Wonder why I have begun to call IT functions the white-collar equivalent to “janitorial duties” ? With absolute apology to the “sanitary technicians” of the world, but respect is the last thing their jobs receive. IT workers are quickly being lumped-into the same category. We are needed, our work is messy and no-one wants to know how it is done. They simply complain when something doesn’t work, but loathe spending the money to fix it.

Instead of evolving into the equivalent of groundskeeper, concierge, maitre-d, caretaker et al …

Smart 2006

AutoExpress news hounds identify the start date for US sales of the smart brand to be 2006, yet including “none of the current model range”.

Confused ? I am.

And what is with that “ForAll” SUV ? Musketeers anyone ?

Snake Plissken from Namco

“I heard you were dead”. - is often said in “Escape for New York”, the cult classic movie, when someone encounters the seminal anti-hero : Snake Plissken.

The movie will get a game translation by Namco, so you too can walk a mile in Snake’s boots

Gothamist

Don’t even know how I stumbled on this site : Gothamist

Great Non-Politically correct quote from Quentin Tarantino :

“You know, my guys are all real. There’s no computer fucking around. I’m sick to death of all that shit. This is old school with fucking cameras. If I’d wanted all that computer game bullshit, I’d have gone home and stuck my dick in my Nintendo.”

Most intriguing coincidence, they link their new T-shirt maker, Tiny Factory, who uses American Apparel, the people I have been reading about locally in The Mirror.

Toyota to design more in the US

Toyota now uses 21 different body silhouettes in North America and 80 around the world, Hunter noted. “We intend to work hard on creating and sustaining a strong sense of consistency within these models both through design language and brand cues such as grilles, added Hunter, who described the emerging Toyota design philosophy as vibrant clarity.

The article from TheCarConnection.

Ils N’ont Rien Appris, Ni Rien Oublie

Jerry Flint from TheCarConnection makes a wonderful statement with his article on the “bad advice” from GM’s chairman Rick Wagoner titled : Ils N’ont Rien Appris, Ni Rien Oublie

TVI

Total Value Index, a rating that indicates Customer Satisfaction in the US. I recommend you read the article, it has some surprising information.

Can anyone though explain to me the % Incentives logic and meaning ?

Each was sold with incentives far below the industry average of 61 percent.

Does this mean that 61% of the cars were sold with an incentive or that up to 61% of the value ? The later make no sense, while the former is a pretty weak indicator.

Help.

Targa Newfoundland

CanadianDriver is doing a wrap-up report on the Targa Newfoundland. Look at all those happy people!

Me wanna race!

Smart Tyre

Tyres take a large amount of abuse and yet remain the lowest maintained item by most owners due in part to their low technology. Siemens VDO Automotive and Goodyear wish to change that by making tyres smarter and wiring them into the automotive computer systems.

I recommend you check tyre pressure often and look for uneven wear. Also, putting extra money into a higher-quality tyre may just make you car handle so much better that you will be amazed.

SunFuel®

VW is leading the way with SunFuel®, a “designer fuel” that is sulphur, aromatic compounds free and CO2 “Neutral”. (CO2 emission equivalent to the amount the bio-mass used in preparation had absorbed in growth)

Wankel Mazda MX-5

MX-5 In A Spin?

Sources at Mazda tell us the next-generation MX-5, due at the end of next year, could be powered by a rotary engine. Following the launch of a similar unit in the RX-8, the compact dimensions of rotary motors mean it is now the favoured choice for engineers.

NHTSA Rollover & Crash

Once the NHTSA fixes this link you will get the full review of recent tests.

The latest round of rollover testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) puts the BMW Z4 roadster at the top of the list for rollover performance, and the Volvo XC90 all-wheel-drive SUV at the top for front crash protection. The “star” rankings for both vehicles were five, the highest awarded by the safety agency. Other highly ranked vehicles include the Nissan Murano for rollover protection and the Honda Element 4×4 for frontal impact protection.

^{thanks to The Car Connection for the blurb}

NHTSA Publishes List of July 2003 Recalls

Useful car recall information from the NHTSA

Skoda Roomster

The Skoda Roomster Concept Car has gotten good press due to its innovative shape and use of space. New Zealand’s Car.Co.NZ has some nice alternative view of the same chassis.

More at VWvortex

The best North Americans can hope is that VW derives this chassis into a local model.

"In town without my car!"

My city, Montreal, is participating in “In town without my car!.

The magic date is 22nd of September. See if your city is doing anything …

^{props to Typo Lu for pointing this story out to a “sinus medicated me”}

Super7

Great name for a lottery … but it is a “car first”.

^{from CanadianDriver}

Verbatum :

Super 7 to attempt world records

Chemainus, B.C. - A left-hand drive Caterham SUPER7 GSXR 1300 Hayabusa Roadster will attempt to break world speed records at an airstrip in Nanaimo, B.C. on Wednesday.

The records challenged will include Zero to 60 mph, Standing ¼ mile, Zero to 100 mph to zero, 60 ft. circle ‘g’ load rating, and fastest speed in reverse gear.

The SUPER7 is a new version of the Caterham Super 7 sports car powererd by a 185 horsepower Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle engine and six speed sequential manual transmission. The car is produced under license by Ennerdale Engineering in Chemainus, British Columbia.

The world record attempts will be made by ex-professional CAN AM race car driver, David Saville Peck, founder of Ennerdale Engineering and president of SUPER7 Cars Inc.

SUPER7CARS

Subaru's Diesel Dilemma

^{Verbatum from AutoExpress}

“After perfecting the design of its distinctive flat-four petrol engine, Subaru has admitted it’s looking at the world’s first flat-four diesel for a passenger car. “We have working prototype units,” an insider told Auto Express. But there’s no guarantee the engine will be built. “Subaru must make a business case for introducing a diesel, and currently we don’t think sales would be high enough to justify the development costs,” said our source.”

Wiesmann

Gleaned for a comment by an AutoWeek blogger, I decided to check out what the “Wiesmann Gekko” was all about. Turns out to be a niche company that wanted to build a roadster and financed the operations through the ingenious work of making quality “hardtops” for big brands.

Their Roadster is rather nice with BMW running gear.

Incentives

“It’s the crack cocaine of the auto industry,” sums up Dennis DesRosiers, president-DesRosiers Automotive Consultants in Richmond Hill, Ont., Canada. He says incentives are the drug of choice because the cost is predictable, unlike leasing, which requires too much guesswork in calculating residual values.

The whole Ward’s Auto World article

Harbour Report data highlights the problem: Chrysler’s profit per vehicle fell to $226 last year from an industry-leading $1,497 in 1999. GM makes just $701 compared with Nissan’s $2,069 and Toyota’s $1,214.

Fuzzy Bear ?

Now how did this happen ?

You are Fozzie the Bear!! You are a born jokster,
although most of your jokes are absolutely
horrible! You are very friendly and have a
terrific imagination.


Which Muppet are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Johny Cash

Passed away at age 71. A “Country Singer” who had a penchant for gospel, a fascination with St Paul and yet a gritty chronicler of life in the USA.

Google search

Million Dollar Quartet

Sam Phillips probably still has the pages from his notebook which logged the session details, cash advances and the like and he definitely still has his original contract with Presley. The Sun International Corp., a division of the Shelby Singleton Corp. in Nashville, also has the tapes of the legendary Million Dollar Quartet, a session recorded in the old Sun studio in December 1956 just after Elvis had finished his first dates in Las Vegas. Elvis played piano in the two keys he knew, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins played guitars and Jerry Lee Lewis, just arrived from Louisiana, sang and played piano occasionally. “John was already there,” recalled Perkins. “He stopped by to pick up a little money and Elvis . . . came to see us. We started singing old hymns and we did things like Blueberry Hill, Island of Golden Dreams, I Won ‘t Haue to Cross Jordan Alone, Tutti Frutti, Peace in the Valley and The Old Rugged Cross. I guess Sam must must have two hours of tape there with lots of laughing and joking on it.” The tapes have been the subject of a lawsuit and it seems unlikely that they will be issued legally in the near future.

Best in Show

AutoWeek’s Blog has awarded the “Best in Show - Car Model (Female)” [nod-nod-wink-wink] to a particular Lancia Ypsilon … err … model.

I’m not sure which … both seem quite wonderful to me. Ahem.

Matrix/Corolla 1.8L SC

Toyota Racing Development, better known as TRD, has finally released the Supercharger for the 1.8L 1ZZ-FE engine. The installed price seems to be around $3500 US, mostly because it is a 4 hour job that even owners can do. Read an owner review at MatrixVibe.net

Of course, this kit is identical to the Pontiac Vibe’s, except for the wiring. So buy the right one and have the dealer install it, therefore keeping your drive-train warranty intact. Add a short throw shit kit and the low-rev-torque combo should be sweet.

MatrixVibe.net & GenVibe are good resources. A good review of how and where these cars come from is found at CanadianDriver. What confuses me is the statements that the Vibe was designed by Pontiac’s (GM’s) John Mack (CarDesignNews) and yet the car showed up in the “Vibe” look in Japan as the Toyota Voltz

Matrix Rally 2005

No, not an event but a new model. You see Automotive News published in it’s printed form the following bit:

Matrix Rally: Toyota is studying an off-road vehicle that adopts the rally racing cues from the RSC concept car. If built, it would be derived from the Corolla/Matrix platform. The vehicle likely will be beneath the RAV4 in size but probably not in price. The vehicle could arrive for the 2005 model year. Toyota wants this vehicle to be a bridge to lure Scion customers into Toyota vehicles.

The Toyota RSC, or “Rugged Sport Coupe” is real stunner.

More Jag R-D6

see some large pictures below (^{props to TheCarFanatics.com})

RX8 Check oil light

You better check you RX8’s oil regurally, say every two tank-ups. Yes, AutoExpress is running the news and Mazda is not denying it.
Rotary engines burn oil, often and quiet a bit.

Glad I could keep you informed.

Traffic Bypass: Aquada

Thinking of talking the waterways to get to work instead of being stuck on a bridge in morning or evening traffic ?

Get a second mortgage on your house and then buy a Aquada. problem solved.

Frankfurt, day1: Lancia

The Fiat owned label is intro-ing a much talked-about Lancia Fluvia

Frankfurt, day1: Jaguar

Twin-turbo V6 Diesel fastback coupe with 368 lbs of torque from Jaguar ?!

From Automotive News Europe the Jaguar RD-6 concept

Great review at AutoExpress who are calling this an “Reborn E Type” no less:

Frankfurt, day1: Audi

Audi Le Mans Concept car.

CAR . CO . NZ’s article.

Open Wheel Racing offers to buy CART

How weird is that ? A racing league, known for what can best be described as “dirt-track-hilbilly-fun-car” racing, is out to buy 50 cents/share CART, the distant cousin of F1.

So “fun” makes money and is exciting. Maybe this the best news in racing in a while. (AutoWeek)

AutoWeek Blog's Frankfurt

“Find out what happens behind the scenes when the AutoWeek crew descends upon the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show…”

read it here

Mazda 3 before year end

The Car Connection brings news of the late November, early December introduction of the new Mazda 3 (scroll down).

5mph bumpber test

Other then the new Mazda 6 (which is growing on me in terms of looks), the majority of the cars in the last 5 mph bumper test fared rather poorly. That lovely Infinity G35 is a mess of an insurance premium waiting to happen.

Pontiac G6

GM has given the go for the Pontiac G6 as another “Epsilon” platform ( shared with Saab 9-3, Opel and Vauxhall Vectra, and Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx )

Just look at that stance! One mean cat that is!

Evil Twin

Typo Lu passed on this silly video : Ford StreetKa, the Evil Twin

I always thought it was a StreetKa named desire…

Peugot 307 WRC

The 2004 season will see a new entry from Peugot, the 307 WRC.

This wide and swoopy car is based on the 307 Convertible chassis, weighing the same as the old 206 WRC, yet with better handling characteristics.

Looking forward to seeing this car drive fast in races!

( read more in French )

New Life K ?

Honda releases the new edition of a car named “Life”, K-car segment vehicle. The “K-cars” are among the smallest vehicles in Japan, limited to a max 64 bhp.
These silly looking small cars are versatile and economical, especially in the purchase and road tax categories.

Acura TL 2004

CanadianDriver drives the new Acura TL.

Toyota Leaps to #3

The Car Connection indicates the in August, Toyota jumped in front off Chrysler to become #3 for the first time in the US.

3$ gallon

It looks like the average US driver would only ditch his big guzzler if/when the price of fuel hits 3$/gallon. USATODAY

Bullheaded aren’t they ?

Subaru Team Fatalities

The NorthAm Team Subaru lost their works drivers this July in the Oregon Trail Rally. More information can be found at Subaru Motorsport

Condolences to the families.

Subaru Technical Information System

You own a Subaru and want to learn more ? Subaru was wise to start a website for dealers, technicians and owners that contains all the information they publish: Subaru Technical Information System

For free or a fee, you can access all the material and even purchase the shop manuals.

Way to go Subaru.

ForFour Video

Enjoy this goofy video for the new “smart forfour”.

Mazda RS Coupe

A new Mazda Miata ? Nope, the RS Coupe is based on the well known-and-loved rag-top, the MX5 edition Miata, but hard-covered and on-sale in November in the UK .

Viewing the Japanese site, I especially ‘am taken by the E-Type model, with Aston, Ferrari and Maseratti influences.

Porsche

A new Porsche 911, model family 997, news of the next Boxster model 987 and then the “brand new” 911 model 998 in 2005.

Porsche “is busy”http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/ae_news_story.php?id=39468.

VW Concept R

One part Audi TT, one part 5th generation Golf chassis, one part surprise: VW Concept R.

Read more @ CarDesignNews & VWVortex

Toyota CS&S

Toyota has a new concept car, CS&S, short for “Compact Sports and Speciality” and the potential replacement for the MR-S, aka “MR2 Spyder”.

CarDesignNews’s review, like many other the a cropping up around the ‘Net, gloss over the under-body possibilities.

My take is that the chassis is a derivative of the versatile NCP family (Vitz/Platz/Yaris/Echo/Will Sypha/etc…) with the engine and attendant electric 4WD system simply turned around. That would be a cost savings trump card, especially since this “brachetta” may be the replacement for the MR-S, rumored to be cancelled after 2004 year.

Parts compatibility to the Vitz/Yaris family would mean a plentiful after-market performance bin to pick from. And also setup Toyota to compete effectively with the upcoming SMART Roadster, “most likely” to comes to NorthAm.

Subaru Justy GX3

Built in Hungary by Suzuki for GM/Subaru, the new Justy GX3 will be also introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show and go on sale right after in Europe.

This will certainly not be the next World Rally Car platform … so should we expect some news before the 2004 race year ?