Forget H1N1. Car floor mats next big health scare

This is a joke. Right?

The U.S. government wants to issue a recall on 3.8 million Toyotas because owners can’t properly manage those high-tech gadgets called floor mats?

Officially, Toyota takes public safety very seriously.  It believes its vehicles to be
among the safest on the road today. So it has to go along with this recall.

But people, c’mon. Take some personal responsibility here.

If you remove your floor mats, take the two seconds to replace them properly with the clips. Or if you buy winter mats, don’t place them on top off the original summer versions so that they slip around.

But asking the government to “protect” you? What’s next? Asking politicians to make Toyotas less boring to drive or look at?

PS - Chuck Darwin would be proud.

Bailout Blues: Do Sebring and Avenger deserve stay of execution?

Was anyone surprised that former Chrysler babysitters Cerberus had planned to kill the not-so-dynamic mid-size sedan Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger duo after the 2010 model year?

I mean come on. Within a segment chock-a-block with Camrys, Accords, Mazda6s, Malibus and Fusions, these two bottom feeders consistently finish dead last or at the back of the pack—take your pick.

But, apparently, someone forgot to tell current Chrysler caretaker Fiat’s CEO, Sergio “Don” Marchionne, about these plans.

At this month’s Frankfurt show, Marchionne was "surprised" at how little product development was going on over at Chrysler the past 24 months; i.e. no Sebring/Avenger replacement anywhere in sight.

“Surprised?” I guess the words “due diligence” doesn’t translate to well into Fiatspeak…

Anyhoo… Now that the Don is faced with the prospect of NOT having any product in one of the U.S. market’s biggest segments, he’s decided to give the woeful Chrysler sedan twins a stay of execution. At least until the mythical Fiat-based replacements arrive in about two years (at the earliest), or the Don manages to parcel off Chrysler’s bits. Whichever comes first.

Know this, though. Through August, Sebring and Avenger U.S. sales totaled 40,452—compared with 238,612 for the Camry, the mid-sized segment leader.

So, over to you: Do you think the Sebring and Avenger deserve to live on?

Or is Fiat better off Dr. Kevorkianing these two losers now?

[Sources: AutoWeek, CNN Money]

Is BMW’s “new type” of vehicle another nail in the sports wagon coffin?

Over the next few months, you’re going to be hearing a lot about BMW’s new 2010 5 Series Gran Turismo.

Both philosophically and literally, the 5er GT fills that sliver of a niche between the current 535xi Touring sports wagon and the sporty version of the X5 SUV—the X6. Its footprint, height and weight (and ultimately, driving experience) split the two other BMWs right down the middle.

Objectively, I think BMW’s new idea for a sporty and utility vehicle will be successful in the market. It should catch those customers who think driving an SUV these days is socially repugnant, or that station wagons are old hat.

As someone who grew up on Car and Driver’s David E. Davis and his various Boss Wagons, however, I’m one of those old farts who thinks a good ol’ sports wagon is just fine, thank you very much. They’re kind of like free beer: the driving qualities of a sports sedan with some extra utility thrown in.

But as a sports wagon fan, the 5er GT worries me.

At its media launch, BMW couldn’t confirm whether or not the next the next 5er wagon (due in 2010) will be coming to Canada.

Phrases like “Yet to be decided” and “Still in the plans” aren’t very promising.

This year alone, we’ve lost the Dodge Magnum and Mazda6 wagons. Mercedes replaced its C Class wagon with the less-than-elegant GLK cute-ute. And if we lose the 5er wagon, I’ll certainly miss it.

On a drive from Innsbruck, Austria, to Munich last fall, the 530i Touring I  borrowed proved to be a great drive. In fact, I was having so much fun at the wheel that I got to meet some new friends in the Austrian highway patrol, above. I’m not sure the new GT would inspire such spirited driving.

I’ll certainly miss the 5er wagon if it dies. But am I alone here?

Bailout Blues: Buick wants to get small

Are you in the market for a BMW 1 Series or Audi A3? What about a Volvo C30 or Acura CSX?

If so, Government Motors almost-but-not-quite-as-luxurious-as-Cadillac brand, Buick, is seriously looking at jumping into the premium compact shark pool.

Dubbed the Buick Avant (Audi lawyers are on the case as we speak), the concept sports doors that can both swing and slide open, a driver's seat that moves laterally to customize interior packaging, and a luggage shelf that brings packages to you.

GM’s marketing budget is tight these days. So in lieu of expensive focus groups (do you know how much egg salad sandwiches cost these days?), by clicking here, they want you to let them know what you think about the Avant (seen in the video below) and the six exterior and four interior designs they also came up with.

Like Toyota’s Bimmer-hunting Lexus LF-Ch from last week’s Frankfurt show, or Ford's Lincoln Concept C from last January's Detroit shindig, Buick wants a piece of the one of the only growing segments these days: pricey small cars.

Do you buy into the idea of a premium compact from the GM’s Roadmaster brand?

Do you think GM can get existing BMW and Audi (and VW and Volvo and Acura)  customers out of their compacts and into something with portholes?

And shouldn't Cadillac be going after these brands?

[Source: GM Lab]

‘09 Malibu vs ‘59 Chevy Bel Air: Another reason why old cars suck

What do they say about a picture being worth a thousand words? For all of you wallowing in nostalgia, believing  old cars were safer when manufacturers built them out of steel and concrete, this video should have you reaching for the Geritol.

The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety turns 50 this year. Instead of a weekend with the boys golfing, to celebrate the IIHS crashed a 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air into a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu at a combined speed of 130 km/h.

For the Bel Air, IIHS said: “The dummy's head struck the steering wheel rim and hub and then the roof and unpadded metal instrument panel to the left of the steering wheel.... The windshield was completely dislodged from the car and the driver door opened during the crash, both presenting a risk of ejection. In addition, the front bench seat was torn away from the floor on the driver side."

Ouch.

For the Malibu: “A high acceleration was recorded on the left foot, indicating that foot injuries would be possible.”

Hey, I guess they really don’t make ‘em like they use to—thank gawd…

[Source: IIHS]

Updated: VW's excellent North American adventure

The Crank received a bit of feedback over Volkswagen's plans (or lack thereof) from Canadian small and fun-to-drive car fans.

So, just to continue the pain of unrequited love a but harder and longer, here's a video on some of the Euro goodies we keep getting denied.

[Source: YouTube]

2009 Frankfurt: BMW's indoor carting

Okay. At 280 metres, it's about 20,520 m shorter than the Nurbrgring's Nordschleife circuit. But if you happen to be in Frankfurt this week, check out BMW's indoor track in Halle 11.

And if you're nice enough to the BMW people (ie not mention the relevancy of the X6M) they may let you take a taxi ride in some of the BMW museum rides they've brought o the show. Like this Isetta. Enjoy.

2009 Frankfurt: VW’s excellent North American adventure continues…

FRANKFURT – The biggest bit of excitement for Germany’s Volkswagen brand here was a piece of corporate backslapping dubbed the L1 concept.

The L1 stands for 1-litre; as in it needs only 1.38 litres of diesel per 100 km. Not exactly accurate, but this is a car show—who’s counting!

The new 1-litre concept—a follow up to the first VW 1-litre concept from seven years ago—is basically a covered tandem bicycle with four instead of two wheels.

Amazingly (and this is the “suspend your sense of belief” portion), VW said the L1 is "revolutionary yet close to production readiness" and is claiming about 2013 as a possible production date.

Puh-leeeze…

Maybe the local politicians in the crowd bought that one. But the L1’s chances of production are slim to none. And slim just got on a flight to Wolfsburg.

Also thin were VWs pickings for our market here in Frankfurt.

Despite Canadians’ penchant for sporty cars (BMW M, Mercedes AMG and Audi’s S and RS models sell a disproportionate amount of its factory hotrods here in Canada), VW Canada says the über-fun 270 hp Golf R isn’t heading our way.

Then there’s the new Polo, above.

Despite mainstream rivals like Toyota, Honda, GM, Ford and Hyundai already committed or already selling in the subcompact class, VW Canada says there are no plans to bring the Polo to Canada.

But VW had Canadian media here in Germany before the show driving Euro-spec Polos. Ostensibly, to write stories about how wonderful the car is to seed our market. Or just do the focus testing for them on the cheap. Who knows.

What I want to know is: Do you think VW is making a mistake by NOT bringing more of its European goodies over here?

2009 Frankfurt: Lexus goes Bimmer-hunting. Again.

FRANKFURT - Just as it covets BMW 3 Series customers with its entry-level sports luxury IS series, Toyota premium brand Lexus’s LF-Ch concept is targeted at BMW’s premium 1 Series compact.

First, as if you had to ask, the five-door (two normal, two suicide) hatch LF-Ch is a hybrid.

Shocking, I know.

Most of the Lexus concept’s nuts, bolts and electrons seem to come from the new 2010 Lexus HS 250h hybrid sedan.

Similar to Volvo’s C30 premium hatch, the Lexus sports four bucket seats. Auto show gimmicks include headrest-mounted iPhone docking capability for audio and video entertainment for rear passengers, just like in your parents’ luxo-barge sedan or SUV.

If you’ve been fed a diet of conservative Lexus styling, you may find it a bit hard to digest the LF-Ch’s aggressive looks. Especially at the front.

Get use to it. You’ll see it coming on Lexus’s new LF-A super car, and perhaps trickle down throughout the whole range.

Looks aside, do you think Lexus can attract premium compact buyers away from the more established offerings from the Euroweenie brands?

[Source: Toyota]

2009 Frankfurt: Along came a (Mazda) spyder

FRANKFURT - Looking for the world like a natural replacement for the soon-to-die Honda S2000 roadster, Mazda showed off its Miat-, er, MX-5-based Superlight concept.

Heralding Mazda’s long-term strategy that performance gains (while not at the expense of fuel consumption) will come from lighter cars, the Superlight is the second lightweight concept we’ve seen from Mazda recently.

In this one, the engine is stock (1.8-litre, 126 hp four,) But a Mazdaspeed intake and exhaust, combined with the reduced-to 2,194-pound curb weight from a stripped-out interior, drops the 0-96 km/h run down to 8.9 seconds.

Will a Superlight ever be sold to the public? Probably not in its present form.

But do you wish it would?

[Source: Mazda]