y.m.m.v

Urban Classics

What a brilliant idea: Urban Classics refits classics Vespa’s and Lambrettas!

And if that wasn’t pure genius, the company is now taking orders for “other classic vehicles including VW split screen camper vans, Willis Jeeps and the classic VW Karmann Ghia”.

What fun daydreaming opportunity.

^{props to PistonHeads}

Too good to be ...

CarCostCanada is running an article to debunk the “Good Deals” that GM, Ford and now Chrysler offer.

Since CCC can provide you the dealer price without incentives, you can make some shrewd bargaining options yourself. Or have them find a prospective dealer for you that is willing to sell you on Cost + X$.

So the bargains aren’t as great as they first appear to be. No surprise really.

For the record, both my mother and I used CarCostCanada to purchase our last cars, and though I can recommend them, I’m in no way in their pocket.

I'm not a number!

^{the Mazdaspeed 6 pictured here is how I picture they all should look like}

In the past I have derided the Mazda 6 for it’s rather bland look and style. I changed my mind. In my defense against being labelled “wishy-washy”, most Mazda 6’s were sold in a horrid blue color and the rear lights are always going to bother me.

My transformation from hater to admirer came a few weeks ago while walking on Montreal’s Saint Catherine street during the last days of the Jazz festival. Before reaching the pedestrian only areas, my eyes noticed the proliferation of white cars parked along the way. White for sedans is in and the one that caught my eye was a 6.

It started with a side glance of this car, which carries a classic wedge shape smoothed out with various seems and folds. The shape is pleasing, something I had not expected. Then I stared at the car from front 3/4 view and it looked cohesive. The tail I still find hard to agree with, the whole idea of the lights stick ing out sideways ruins it for me.

Then I remembered that the rumored Mazdaspeed 6 might be introduced in Canada and US. The picture above shows what a little more visual tweaking can give the car even more character. I wish the regular car could look like that.

The Mazda 6 platform, aka CD3, is found also underneath the Ford Fusion and others. Reading about the 10-to-1 cost savings of this platform based approach, it is no wonder that today it’s imperative to know what is beneath the car you buy.

Admired

Henri Fisker designed the BMW Z8. This is the guy who later moved to Aston Martin and brought us the new Vantage and the AMV8 prototype. Now he is at Jaguar making another automotive sculpture.

But this is the one I now prefer. I saw one on the highway a few weeks ago while driving to work. Dreamy ‘60s style with absolutely modern construction and quality. Wow. The price is a scorcher, over 100K when new. eBay has some at 60K U$.

See more at BMW Z8.us including pictures from Andrew Machpherson @ MacFly

BMW 1 series advert

Nothing beats a surprise. German BMW 1 advert.

Fahrfreude in der Kompaktklasse (hi : lo) [Auto Zeitung]

^{props to Jalopnik}

Retired.

	12 July 2005 Goodbye NSX!

Reuters

New 1.8l Honda VTEC

Honda unveiled a new engine, that is both bigger in capacity, better in fuel economy and overall contains less parts.

Honda has stated a goal to begin engineering engines and cars that are mechanically simpler and yet more economical, in both costs and utilisation.

That’s what engineering should be all about.

Employee deal in Canada

Chrysler & Ford bring the employee discount sale to Canada.

To Quote from CTV article:

“It does not get them out of trouble,” DesRosiers tells CTV News. “In fact, it gets them into more trouble. It does solve a short term inventory problem but longer term, it hurts their brand position.”

and this choice bit :

Asia-based automakers Toyota, Nissan, and Honda Motor Co., all of which lost U.S. market share in June, have all said they won’t match the campaign. And it’s mostly because “they don’t need to,” adds DesRosiers. Despite the sales drop last month, he says their vehicles “are good enough to sell on their own” because of their high quality levels.

Ouch. That’s stating it directly.

Oh, the sales don’t include “hot” cars such as the Mustang. Figures.

Employee Discount

^{This is the Pontiac Solstice, a car not available in the promotion}

You don’t have to work for General Motors anymore to obtain an Employee Discount.

This small fact helped GM raise their June sales by 40%+ and begun an all-out-price-war from Ford and Chrysler. But is this the time to buy ?

The answer is that today is July 5th and it’s too late; today was the last day anyway. GM ran this promotion in the US, while in Canada we get a 20cents/liter rebate on fuel, to a max of 2500$/year.

I was driving back from Ottawa on July 2nd and heard some crazy car prices on the radio. Example: 40,000$ Dodge Grand Caravan for 33,000$

What does that say about car prices if they can slash them so ferociously ? Car makers have often stated that they make little profit on small cars, but what is “little” if you can afford to cut 7K$ off a minivan ?

I wish the world economy wasn’t so linked to the car buying whims.

TCC Confidential has more to say on this topic Given that it looks like another month of the GM promotion, where will it end ? Can anyone just rightsize the car prices and call it a day ?