Archive for December, 2007
Tuesday, December 18th, 2007
The truth be known some us think the car should have been named the Taurus 500 from the get-go. For those who remember the Fairlane/Fairlane 500 or the Galaxy/Galaxy 500 we knew that the 500 designation meant a step-up; real good stuff and better all-around. We didn’t quite know what Five Hundred stood for. Others think that Taurus is just old baggage. Then again some of us don’t think the name is going to make much difference. Really.
Aside from saving Ford a fortune in marketing costs relating to a new name and name recognition (sometimes the key to success), there remains debate on Ford’s thinking regarding the name. There are those that consider Taurus, the once-sought-after mid-sized sedan which had considerable value in the late 1980s and early 1990s when it became a hit with the public (it was the best selling car in America for a handful of years surpassing the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry) had lost its luster in the 21st Century by populating corporate, government and most egregiously rental car fleets.
So is the new Taurus moniker a good thing or a bad thing? Will prospective buyers remember the sedan’s glory days or its near inglorious ending? The debate will go on. But forget the name. Five Hundred. Taurus. It doesn’t matter. The real news is that Ford now has a solid full-sized family car that can compete head-to-head with vehicles in its size category such as Toyota’s Avalon as well as slightly smaller but similarly priced sedans such as the Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima.
But it is not the name we drive, it’s the car, so call it what you will, it’s the new styling upgrades and more to the point, the engine upgrade that will sell the new Taurus.
Here’s the real Ford mistake, and hopefully this kind of thinking is something of the past; if the Five Hundred, a full-sized sedan introduced for the 2005 model year, had been done right (including some edgier styling) from the get-go it probably would have been at least a moderate success. But Ford decided that an existing 3.0-liter V-6 making a rather paltry 203 horsepower was going to wow the car-buying public. It was the only engine available and it was matched up against such heavyweights as the Toyota Avalon, the Nissan Maxima, the Chrysler 300 and the Chevrolet Impala, all with more potent V-6 (and some with V-8) engines available. What the heck were they smoking?
The Five Hundred had a lot of good things going for it including a roomy and quiet interior, a huge trunk and an impeccable safety rating.
The good news, as the new 2008 Taurus it retains all the exemplary things and dumped the junk.
The best news is that Taurus gains a 3.5-liter V-6 making 263 horsepower, a whopping 60 more than the 2007 Five Hundred. The new power comes with no loss in mileage. In fact our all-wheel drive test car was rated at 17 city and 24 highway, slightly better than the 2008-adjusted mileage of the ‘07 Five Hundred at 17/23.
It also gains some exterior styling cues including the new three-bar Ford grille. All to the better!
First, there’s the matter of the engine and transmission.
The 3.6-liter V-6 breaks no new ground, but it offers very adequate power for a sedan that stretches out more than 200 inches. We found the engine a bit course sounding under moderate to hard acceleration, but certainly not annoying.
More importantly, we found the new performance rewarding, especially when quick starts, passing or merging are desired. The Taurus willingly jumps to attention when the throttle is depressed. The new six-speed transmission smoothly handles the horsepower and torque (245 foot-pounds) as speed increases. Thankfully the continuously variable transmission (CVT) offered in the Five Hundred has been terminated.
We like to gauge performance by 0-to-60 runs for comparison purposes and the Taurus accomplishes the feat in 6.8 seconds as measured by a major automobile publication. That’s very acceptable time for a family hauler.
The Taurus handles well with - by 2008 standards - a rather soft ride but not barge like floatiness. Let’s not forget this is a family sedan, not a sports sedan so road comfort is important. And it offers a confident driving experience.
Perhaps the biggest advantage the Taurus has over nearly all its competitors is passenger room and cargo space. Even though the Ford measures only 201 inches in length, small by traditional American large-car standards, it has a huge 21.2 cubic-foot trunk and a very generous 41.2 inches of leg room for rear-seat passengers.
The Taurus advantage is big in most cases. For instance, the Ford has nearly six cubic feet more trunk space than the Maxima, seven more cubic feet than the Avalon, six more than the Chrysler 300 and a foot more than the Impala.
As to leg room, only the Avalon and the 300 can come close to the Ford’s 41.2 inches at 40.9 and 40.2 respectively.
Even the old Crown Victoria, for decades Ford’s biggest sedan and a much longer vehicle (212 inches) than the Taurus, has three inches less leg room in back.
The sedan’s enormous trunk capacity was demonstrated at Ford headquarters a few years back at the introduction of the Five Hundred when officials started pulling out sets of golf clubs. When they were finished, there were eight bags standing by the car. One pundit asked where the eight golfers were going to sit.
But you get the picture. The Taurus will swallow up four or five riders and their golf clubs, perhaps the only sedan sold in the world that can accomplish this task.
The second biggest advantage - perhaps better defined as a selling point - is the Taurus’ safety rating. The Taurus received perfect five-star ratings in all areas of National Traffic Safety Administration’s crash testing.
The Taurus comes in two trim levels, SEL and Limited. All-wheel drive is available in both trims. The SEL begins at $23,245 and the Limited at $26,845. All-wheel drive adds $1,850 to the bottom line and we figure it well worth the investment especially if you live in a cold-weather state that sees horrible winter conditions.
The standard Taurus comes with all the necessary standard equipment including full power, air conditioning, stereo with CD player and MP3 capability and cruise control. On the safety front, antilock brakes, traction control and a full compliment of airbags are standard.
Move up to the Limited and additional standard equipment includes leather seating, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a neat-looking oval analog clock, upgraded audio system and 18-inch wheels.
Some of the desirable options available include moonroof, navigation, rear DVD entertainment system, satellite radio and upcoming soon Ford’s Sync system that allows voice activation of cell phones and entertainment systems that is actually easy to use.
Our test car was a Limited version with all-wheel drive and a handful of options including navigation that brought the bottom line to $32,750.
By whatever name, the new large Ford sedan is now a job well done.
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Thursday, December 13th, 2007
German automaker Daimler AG’s trucks unit has zeroed in on the Munjal family — promoters of Hero Honda — for a joint venture to make commercial vehicles in India, and an announcement is expected before Christmas, local business daily Business Standard reported quoting unnamed sources.
Daimler has been directly in talks with the Munjal family, the report said.
‘The declared objective of Daimler Trucks has been and continues to be to substantially enter the Indian market, which, besides China, is the highest priority for us. We have said that we have identified a potential partner but are still in negotiations. We will soon announce the details of the finalised plan,’ the report quoted a Daimler spokesperson.
Daimler was earlier in talks with Eicher Motors but negotiations fell through over ownership issues, the newspaper said.
Management board member Andreas Renschler last month told an investors conference in New York that Daimler had completed talks over an Indian joint venture, but he declined to identify the partner.
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Thursday, December 13th, 2007
General Motors (GM) is among the greatest car manufacturers and one of the most famous brands of cars out its manufacturing lineup includes the Chevrolet, popularly called “Chevy.” This company is known for its quality cars. Accessories like key chains do not take back seat in terms of quality and innovation. With different designs, these key chains are known as style icons. You can get cable style or revolving key chains, if you are a person, who constantly wants to swirl the key chain in the air.
The manufacturer of this car began way back in 1911 by a company called “Chevrolet” founded by Louis Chevrolet and William C. Durant, which was later merged into GM Motors. The performance of cars is boosted by making changes in the air-intake mechanism (using different air filters) and engine modifications (changes to the cam, valve springs, boosting power by using fuel pressure regulators, use of turbo-charged engines, boost controllers and intercoolers, etc). Similarly, the craze for the key chains was increased by introducing different colors, patterns, designs and many more attractive things to a key chain.
In the olden days, key chains did not have much attraction among people. However, the usage and purpose of them is served by the youth of this generation. Many businessmen gift them to their existing customers and the potential customers also, along with their original product. Those items have the name of the company or bran
d imbibed on them on one side, and image of God or any message on the other. This has become a trend.
The Chevrolet key chains are quite interesting and multipurpose. The exchange of the Locket type key chains between the lovers with each other’s photograph can be a great idea, as this can accommodate the picture. If you have friends, who are mechanics or work with tools, give them a thoughtful present of a key chain with toolkit. Though the tools may not be used for bigger tasks, they can still used in minor tasks. Moreover, they would love it, as they can relate them to their work.
To purchase these key chains, you need not go to a showroom or a car dealer but can approach the nearest gift center. Another place to search these unique and classic key chains is the Internet. Most of the auction sites or shopping site would have a collection of them. One advantage of shopping the key chains over the Internet is you can sit in the comforts of your home and search as many sites as you want. There is no physical strain or loss of time. However, there are few disadvantages also.
You should not buy from every site available. Try the websites that are popular, and trustworthy, as few websites swindle the customers’ money or credit card information, and don’t deliver the goods. One tip for shoppers on the Internet is to look for logos near the bottom of the page.
As a Chevrolet car owner, you are sure to be considered, a person of classy and high taste. With Chevrolet key chain, you would be a proud owner, who is envied by many.
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Thursday, December 13th, 2007
Police guards were put on petrol tankers driving through Italy on Wednesday as the effects of the third day of a hauliers’ strike began to bite.
Many areas of the country are suffering a severe shortage of fuel and basic foods and some factories were forced to close after Truck drivers blocked roads and border crossings.
They defied a government order to return to work and insisted they would stay out for the full five days of their planned protest over high fuel prices, long working hours and foreign competition.
In theory drivers who disobey the order could have their licences revoked. Those who block ports and roads risk jail sentences of up to four years.
However, thousands of Trucks were still parked on main roads on Wednesday as their drivers stood nearby, huddled around fires and improvised barbecue grills.
The protest left many supermarket shelves empty, as perishable goods ran out and new stocks went undelivered.
“This is not good. They have no fruit, vegetables and milk,” said Giovanna Passo, a 40-year-old shopper at a downtown store in Rome. “It’s a disaster for my children.”
Many service stations across the country had already run out of fuel. In Rome, the few pumps still working attracted long lines that spilled into streets, causing further jams.
Petrol was rationed at the Vatican, where officials ordered pumps in the tiny city-state to sell no more than £15 worth to each Vatican employee.
Some Trucks were reaching Rome under police escort, in an effort to ensure supplies for emergency services and public transportation.
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Thursday, December 13th, 2007
Nissan North America Inc., a subsidiary of Japan’s Nissan Motor Co., said it will start supplying midsize Pickup trucks to Suzuki Motor Corp. in 2008 for sale under Suzuki’s brand, as part of their business tie-up.
Nissan North America’s plant in Smyrna, Tennessee, will produce Trucks for Suzuki based on its Frontier midsize pickup, under an original equipment manufacturer basis.
The plant is now making preparations to start production of the Trucks, which will be sold in North America by Suzuki.
In June 2006, Nissan and Suzuki announced a plan to reinforce their business tie-up, including mutual OEM supply of vehicles in Japan and overseas. As part of the deal, the two companies agreed that Nissan will supply light trucks to Suzuki for the North American market, while Nissan will receive subcompact vehicles from Suzuki for sale in Europe.
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Thursday, December 13th, 2007
The world’s first bamboo bridge that can withstand the weight of Trucks has been built in a village in the central Chinese province of Hunan, the local press reported.
This is a bridge made from superhard and moisture-proof modern materials fabricated from pressed natural bamboo, not the traditional, folk-crafted improvised structure made from the round trunks of bamboo butted together.
The ten-metres-long bridge over a shallow river was assembled within a week through the efforts of eight workers without the use of any building machinery. Trucks have already driven via the bridge, which had been designed by Professor Yan Xiao, an architect.
Yan said the bridge had been devised so that it could withstand an eight-tonne load. The service length of the bridge constructed from the ecologically pure materials will be about 20 years. It is at least half as cheap as the reinforced-concrete analogues.
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Monday, December 10th, 2007
Nissan ranks highest in customer satisfaction with dealer service for mini-cars in Japan, according to the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2007 Japan Mini-Car Customer Service Index (CSI) StudySM released.
Now in its fifth year, the study identifies four factors that contribute to mini-car owner satisfaction with the dealership service department. In order of importance, they are: service representative; service facility; service costs and timing; and service quality.
Among the seven mini-car brands included in the rankings, Nissan ranks highest for a third consecutive year. Honda, Mazda and Mitsubishi tie to follow Nissan in the ranking, while Subaru also performs above the industry average.
The study finds that 36 percent of customers are enrolled in dealer service programs, which can include benefits such as complimentary vehicle service and maintenance. Additionally, customers enrolled in a service program return to the dealership where they purchased their vehicle for service much more often than those customers who are not enrolled in a service program.
“Customers enrolled in a service program tend to be more satisfied and are more likely to use the dealership after the manufacturer warranty period ends, compared with those who are not part of a service program,” said Ryutaro Nakao, senior associate of the automotive industry group at J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Tokyo. “Clearly, service programs have a constant impact and can enhance customer loyalty. However, as the number of customers using dealership services increases, the quality of service may suffer. Thus, increasing efficiency of overall service factory operations and communication between staff members will be critical to dealerships in maintaining service quality.”
The 2007 Japan Mini-Car Customer Service Index Study includes responses from 2,449 consumers who have owned their mini-cars for 13 to 18 months. The survey was conducted in July and August 2007.
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Monday, December 10th, 2007
Those cagey spy shooters over at KGP Photography have managed to capture the heretofore-unseen 2009 Ford F-150, virtually unadorned with industrial camouflage.
In the latest iteration of Ford’s pickup, we can see a version of the corporate three-bar grill and headlights that are not dissimilar form those found on the Edge or the Taurus X. Additionally spotted by the photographers were revisions to the taillights, rearview mirrors, and a slight tweaking of the character lines on the F-150’s flanks.
The gentle nature of Ford’s visual updates to the new truck aren’t terribly surprising, considering how important the F-150 is to the company’s bottom line, and the relatively conservative nature of the American pickup consumer.
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Monday, December 10th, 2007
The Hummer H3 is related to GM pickups like the Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon. It has the same five-cylinder engine with the Colorado and the Canyon and shares about 15 percent of its components.
K&N Engineering has designed a polished high-flow air intake system (77-3065KP) for the 2007 Hummer H3 3.7 liter I5 engine, the 2007 GMC Canyon 3.7 liter I5 engine, and the 2007 Chevrolet Colorado 3.7 liter I5 engine.
K&N dynamometer testing shows a 7.19 horsepower gain @ 4533 RPM. K&N’s air intake design provides excellent air filtration and lower restriction than the factory air box system resulting in an immediate power gain.
A large chrome top K&N high flow air filter (RF-1048) allows free flowing air into the mandrel bent aluminum intake tube. The heat shield assembly is installed into the engine bay in the factory location. The heat shield isolates the K&N air filter from the engine compartment and allows it to receive a consistent flow of fresh cooler air.
The air intake includes an air pump filter in the heat shield that connects to the factory line. This K&N performance air intake is designed to work with the factory emissions system.
The 77-3065KP can be easily installed in 90 minutes or less and is backed by the K&N Million Mile Limited Warranty.
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Monday, December 10th, 2007
Led by Ford F-Series, truck sales momentum continues into November
November proved to be another winning month for Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited, where truck sales increased three per cent. Not to be outdone, Ford cars also saw a rise in sales in November – namely the newly redesigned Ford Focus and Ford Taurus.
November Highlights:
* Ford F-Series sales up 4%
* Ford Focus sales increase 6%
* Ford Taurus sales rise 14% in November
* Ford Ranger sales increase 33% and achieve best November on record
* Ford SUV sales are up 11%
“Our showrooms are bustling with pre-holiday traffic,” said Bill Osborne, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. “The ‘Get in and Drive’ year-end clearance has given Canadians even more reason to take a second look at the great products Ford has to offer. From the bold new look of the 2008 Ford Focus, to the enduring Ford Ranger and the reliable Ford F-Series work-horse, Ford of Canada provides vehicles to suit any need.”
Last month, Ford of Canada’s overall sales decreased 8.3 per cent to 15,971 units. Total truck sales were up 2.7 per cent at 12,039 units and total car sales of 3,932 units mark a 30.9 per cent decline compared to last November. This shift in car sales volume is partially due to a planned reduction in fleet sales.
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