TOP 100 RACING SITES
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| Toyota Barking Up The Wrong Tree with A-Bat Toyota will show its A-Bat truck concept at next week's North American International Auto Show. It is a small hybrid concept.It's small, of course, because Toyota's two-mode hybrid system is not suitable for a full-size truck like the Tundra. What baffles me about this exerices is how much the A-Bat reminds me of the Honda Ridgeline in its design. Only smnaller.I know it's a concept. But concepts are supposed to excite the media and show goers. Who greenlighted the brief that called for a hybrid concept in a small truck (the next Tacoma?), a market niche that doesn't exist and never will, and make it look like a truck that Honda can't give away to customers if it put $3,000 worth of bacon in the rear bed.Somebody's cheese is slipping off their cracker at Toyota. rss.businessweek.com |
Another Korean Carmaker Gets Its House Cleaned If I'm one of the Big Three automaker, or one of the leading Japanese auto companies, I'm showing very limited fear of Koreans Hyundai and Kia.Kia's Korean management over the weekend appaarently threw some kind of a hissy fit, resulting in the ouster of CEO Len Hunt and marketing chief Ian Beavis. That shake-up came two months after Hunt was elevated to CEO from COO. Hyundai last year, of course, parted ways with its COO, Steve Wilhite, after less than a year on the job. The COO before that was axed shortly after promotion, as well.Hunt's and Beavis's "resignations" were announced at the annual meeting of the National Automobile Dealers Association. Hunt replaced Peter Butterfield, who was fired as CEO of Kia Motors America at a dealer meeting in October 2005.Talk to most Americans during informal off-the-record moments who have worked for the two Korean car companies and you get a picture of management that is at worst, crazy, and at best, impatient to the point of screwing up any continuity of management.Kia sales last year were up 3.8% in a tough year. Sales of the Sorento SUV were way down by 28%, and Sedona minivan sales were down by about as much in a very tough year for minivans. But sales of the new Rondo crossover redesigned Sportage SUV made up for the decline in demand for the bigger vehicles.We frequently hear ambitious sales targets for Hyundai and Kia. I suspect they won't reach them in the U.S. until Korean managers grow up and put stability ahead of ego and a headstrong and dictatorial culture. rss.businessweek.com |
Kyle Busch takes Atlanta, logs Toyota's first Cup win With two victories in one NASCAR series this season and a rsum of top-fives in the other two, no one has been wondering whether ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
Saturn Astra Disappoints I wanted to like the Saturn Astra. I like the brand. I liked driving the Opel version. It's a cool design. It has European roots. So, what happened?I drove the manual transmission version of the car for the better part of a week. The first thing I felt was a car with a flabbier suspension than I expected or hoped for. I was hoping for a taut handling sub-compact to replace the Ion rental special Saturn mercifully discontinued. Not so much. My top choice in this segment is the Nissan Versa, followed by the Honda Fit.And the manual tranny? is this really the one Opel uses in Europe, or did they dumb it down? Unless you buy an up-market car in Detroit, the manuals you get in cars like the Saturn and Ford Fusion feel like a chicken leg moving through a cup full of marbles. Contrast that with tight notchy sticks found in Mazdas and Hondas.\I should note that my assessment on the suspension, stick and handling differs with my colleague Thane Peterson's review. But, hey, we don't have to agree, not even at the same magazine.The radio controls are confusing and over-engineered. I'm sure if I owned the car, I'd get used to it, but I'd never really be happy. There was one cup-holder in the front, and it's in a bad spot, way back in the center console, and too small.The 1.8 liter, 140 hp engine is a bit punky. There are two trim levels: the XE, which starts at $15,995, and the XR, which starts at $17,545. The base model comes with options you don't expect on low-priced GM vehicles: power locks, rain-sensitive wipers, six airbags, a tilting and telescoping steering wheel and a trip computer. The XR buys alloy wheels, AC and premium audio.I also want a Saturn small car to have good fuel economy. The Astra is rated at 24/30. I'm not impressed. Not in 2008. rss.businessweek.com |
Foyt: Forgetting Kansas and turning eyes toward Indy Change is good for a race team. Whether it's a change in personnel or a change in luck or just a change in the way we look at ... rssfeeds.usatoday.com |