ON THE TABLE

August 24, 2011

 VW. The German automaker says it is going to be more responsive to their American customers now and in the future. Whether or not this yields less exciting products remains to be seen, but they promise that vehicle quality and dealer service will be much better. That would be nice, especially since they plan on selling 800,000 cars here by 2018. But we'd imagine that every VW enthusiast-customer out there who loves their cars but has had a bad experience with quality issues, or a less-than-stellar dealer experience, is now an official resident of Missouri. Memo to VW executives. It's "Show Me" time.

 Honda. More stories are rumbling around about how the new Honda Civic is not being well-received and the lack of impressive design keeps showing up as a big reason. Design? Design and Honda haven't been used in the same sentence for years, and until Honda executives in Japan get their heads out of their asses they will keep disappointing people with their mainstream offerings, it's as simple as that. We're not holding our breath that anything will change anytime soon either. (For the record the CR-Z is the only Honda we like visually, and we'll like it even better when they bring out the version with the Si drivetrain.)

 Lexus. Speaking of design - or the lack thereof - the new 2013 Lexus GS is as bad as the concept was. Then again, upon closer review, maybe even worse. What did Albert Einstein say about the definition of insanity? Wasn't it doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results? That pretty much sums-up Lexus "design" over the years, doesn't it?

 Toyota. The Japanese automaker announced its new and largely forgettable Camry today. What makes it even more forgettable - besides the fact that other cars in the segment are much more desirable to look at, better equipped and more fun to drive - is the fact that it was announced on the same day that Porsche announced its all-new 911. Talk about getting lost in the shuffle.

 BYD. Warren Buffet bet big on this "green" Chinese automaker and now it's looking like it's turning into a big bust. Would you miss it?

Sergio Marchionne. He's going to build a Maserati SUV off of the Grand Cherokee architecture and unveil it at the Frankfurt auto show next month. He figures if Porsche can do it with the Cayenne, he can do it too. Uh, we'll see.

(Ford)
Edsel Bryant Ford’s restored 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster was unveiled last week by Lincoln and the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House at The Lodge, Pebble Beach in Monterey County, Calif. It appeared again on Sunday August 21, at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Restored to its timeless elegance, Edsel’s personal roadster shared its story of a decades-long journey. The Speedster celebrates Edsel's eye for design that began when as a small boy he would take pen to paper to sketch cars as well as everyday objects.  "My grandfather was an early believer that everyday objects - including automobiles - could be seen as works of art,” said Edsel Ford II, who unveiled the Speedster. “While he wasn't a designer in the traditional sense, his eye for styling and influence was apparent as he initiated and built the design department at Ford Motor Company.”  The Speedster’s extensive restoration by award-winning RM Auto Restoration in Ontario, Canada, revealed the stunning, custom made “one off” as it originally looked in 1940 after its final redesign by Edsel and designer E. T. Gregorie.  To get all the details about the Speedster and view the restoration process, visit www.fordhouse.org.

(Porsche)
The completely redesigned seventh-generation 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera is making its debut at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show next month. The evolutionary design of the iconic German sports car has a 3.9 inch longer wheelbase, reduced overall height and a  wider front track. The new lightweight body is an aluminum-steel composite construction weighing about 100 lbs. lighter than the previous model. When combined with the greater structural rigidity and optimized aerodynamics – including a wider, variably extending rear spoiler and side mirrors mounted on the upper edge of the door – the new 911 Carrera’s front and rear lift has been reduced to near zero while retaining the Cd value of 0.29. The new 911 has an interior heavily influenced by the Carrera GT with a rising center console and high-mounted shift lever located close to the steering wheel. Porsche says that the new 911 Carrera and 911 Carrera S "raise the performance and efficiency bar yet another notch." All versions get by with significantly less than 10 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (official U.S. EPA fuel mileage estimates are TBD) and fuel consumption and emissions are up to 16 percent lower in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) when compared with the predecessor, according to the German automaker. This is achieved through systems such as the Automatic Start Stop function, engine and transmission thermal management, electrical system recuperation, the world’s first seven-speed manual transmission and – in conjunction with the Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) – the ability to ‘sail’ or coast. The new electro-mechanical power steering offers not only Porsche’s typical precision and feedback but also helps increase efficiency and reduce fuel-consumption. The 2012 911 Carrera with the new 350 hp, 3.4-liter boxer engine and optional PDK consumes 8.2 l/100 km based on the NEDC – 1.6 l/100 km less than its predecessor. The 2012 911 Carrera S with its 400 hp, 3.8-liter boxer engine – 15 hp more than before – achieves 8.7 l/100 km in the NEDC when paired with the optional PDK transmission. This represents a fuel consumption decrease of 14 percent or 1.5 l/100 km. The 911 Carrera S with PDK accelerates from 0 to 60 in 4.1 seconds. Using the Launch Control function of the optional Sport Chrono Package cuts that to 3.9 seconds. The 911 Carrera with PDK goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds (4.2 seconds when using the optional Sport Chrono Package’s Launch Control function). Top-track speed for the 911 Carrera S and 911 Carrera is 188 mph and 179 mph, respectively. The first new 911 models will arrive in U.S. dealerships beginning in February of 2012. The 911 Carrera Coupe will have a base MSRP of $82,100, while the 911 Carrera S Coupe’s base MSRP will be $96,400 (excluding destination). Both models will include substantial additional equipment when compared to the previous models. Interesting tidbit: It is said that Dr. Ferdinand Piech is not happy with the new car (the last of the models guided by Wendelin Wiedeking) and is promising that the next generation will be substantially smaller, lighter, more efficient and just as fast. Sounds good to us.