ON THE TABLE
Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at 12:18PM April 20, 2011
"Lt. Dan" Akerson. The GM CEO admits to reporters in New York that GM's massive incentive spending during the first part of the year - which annoyed the shit out of its competitors and threatened to send the domestic auto industry back to the incentive spending stone ages - was a tactic to start the year off strong. Really? This after sending any number of executives out to "spin" the fact that it wasn't a tactic at all but just the normal course of doing business? Nice.
"Lt. Dan" Akerson. The GM CEO also blames GM's recent stock plunge on the crisis in Japan and rising oil prices. That's original. We bet it won't be long before he'll trot out our favorite excuse: "sun spots."
(GM)
Want to see GM's latest stuff? Go to China. The Buick Envision SUV concept vehicle, "which represents a convergence of future ideas and technology for Buick in the market," made its global debut Monday at Auto Shanghai 2011. According to GM, the Envision merges Buick’s global “fluid dynamics and peaceful comfort" design language with Chinese aesthetics for the SUV segment. The Envision envisions having a PHEV plug-in hybrid system and was developed jointly by Shanghai GM and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC). According to Ed Welburn, GM Vice President of Global Design, “The Envision has inherited Buick design DNA and taken the Buick global design language to a new height. It makes a significant statement for Buick styling and technology, and will influence upcoming models from the brand.” Wake us up when this crossover craze is over, please.
(GM)
The all-new Chevrolet Malibu made its global debut Tuesday with simultaneous introductions in the United States and China. New stuff on the Malibu we'll get here include a new, more powerful 2.5L four-cylinder engine and next-generation six-speed automatic (the V6 is discontinued), a design that's tweaked to be more aero efficient as well as more aggressive looking, a wider stance with better handling traits, etc., etc., etc.
(GM)
The 2012 Cadillac CTS Sport Sedan, Coupe and Sport Wagon get upgraded V-6 power, a new grille and a newly available Touring Package. The freshened 3.6L V-6 delivers 318 horsepower (237 kW) and 275 lb.-ft. (372 Nm) of torque, compared to the current engine’s 304 horsepower (227 kW) and 273 lb.-ft. (370 Nm) of torque. The EPA fuel economy will remain 18 city/27 highway mpg. The new Touring Package will be available in the 3.0L V-6 and 3.6L V-6 engine configurations. With that you get an exclusive grille with a dark finish, metal pedals, dark Sapele wood interior trim and sueded seat inserts, steering wheel and shift knob. The Touring Package Sedan and Wagon also will have chrome door handles. The 3.6L version will have 19-inch polished wheels and Recaro 14-way adjustable performance seats. The 3.0L version will have 18-inch wheels with a pearl-nickel finish. Other changes for the 2012 model year include standard Bluetooth phone integration on all models and side blind-zone alert technology available on the CTS Coupe. The 2012 models will arrive at dealerships in late summer.
(Ford)
Ford is freshening the Taurus for the 2013 model year, spending their efforts on better fuel economy, more technology, enhanced design, improved craftsmanship and sharpened driving dynamics. The big news is the availability of a 2.0-liter EcoBoost™ engine which will deliver an estimated 237 horsepower, 250 lb.-ft. of torque and best-in-class fuel efficiency of at least 31 mpg highway. The new Ford Taurus SHO sedan (above) boasts more aggressive 20" wheels and is tweaked even further to give it more visual differentiation in the Taurus lineup. The new Taurus will be available one year from now. Why are they showing it at the New York Auto Show now? We have no idea.
(Photos courtesy of Toyota)
Scion unveiled the rear-wheel drive FR-S Concept sports coupe at the 2011 New York International Auto Show and it's definitely a hit. The FR-S Concept - which stands for Front-engine, Rear-wheel drive, Sport - is Scion’s attempt at doing an authentic rear-wheel-drive sports car and we like it, a lot. Toyota is touting the core goal of achieving “pure balance” with the FR-S, which begins with the strategic placement of a flat, direct and port-injected 2.0-liter boxer engine which is mounted lower and further back towards the rear giving the front-engine, rear-wheel drive configuration a lower center of gravity and a dynamically favorable front-to-rear weight ratio. The flat-four will come with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. Power is distributed via a limited-slip differential. “Akio Toyoda has mentioned that he is going to bring the fun-to-drive spirit back to Toyota,” Jack Hollis, Scion vice president, said. “I know that the Scion FR-S Concept is one of the ways that he plans to accomplish that.” Amen to that.
