From the Fleet: 2012 Infiniti M Hybrid

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FROM THE FLEET are brief synopses of manufacturer-supplied rides that happen to end up in my laneway – JL

The auto industry’s recent niche-within-a-niche product strategies have left us with some weird and quite often oxymoronic mutant forms of four-wheeled transportation. Strange car type combos like “four-door coupes” and “sports activity vehicles” come immediately to mind. As do “performance hybrids”, like this new-for-2012 Infiniti M 35 Hybrid.

Do racing automaker CEOs help or hinder car sales?

 

Standing up in front of government officials or at auto shows is where we usually find the head of car companies. But Toyota and Aston Martin have released a video of Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda and his Aston counterpart Ulrich Bez not in pinstripe suits behind a podium, but wearing Nomex behind the steering wheels of racecars.

Is this the car that was supposed to save Saab?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All over the Interwebs today, a grainy shot of what appears to be the much-anticipated 2013 (or 2014) replacement of the almost-dead Saab 9-3 is making the rounds.

The Swedish newspaper that posted the pic says the image is from a presentation the automaker made to Sweden’s National Debt Office from earlier this year, one of several cap-in-hand sessions the caretakers of Saab have had to make since General Motors said good riddance in 2010.

Will Canadians ever buy “small” trucks again?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As my Wheels colleague, Jill McIntosh, has written in her review of the updated-for-2012 Toyota Tacoma, Canadians love trucks—but not unless they are of the full-size nature.

You are probably well aware that the long-reigning best-selling new vehicle in Canada is the Ford F Series. But did you know that including the Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra twins, the Ram (nee Dodge) 1500, and the less-popular Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan, 193,694 full-size pickups have been sold though to the end of September this year, here in Canada*.

From the Fleet: 2011 Audi S5 Cabriolet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FROM THE FLEET are brief synopses of manufacturer-supplied rides that happen to end up in my laneway – JL

 It's hard to ignore the seasonal signs of hibernation. Available daylight has become precious. Lawn furniture is overdue for storage, and you've probably already had to rake your yard for fallen leaves at least, if not twice. And then there’s the act that can bring tears to an enthusiast’s eyes: the ritual of "putting away the ragtop" for the winter.

Is Scion becoming Toyota's Saturn?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Pop quiz time: Did you know that it’s been one year since Toyota Canada introduced its so-called “youth” Scion brand to this country? No? Well, you’re forgiven if you forgot to get an anniversary gift or send a card. With sales a mere fraction of the automaker’s original estimates, it’s not like Scions have been clogging up Canadian roads. Even more worrisome for Toyota fans is how similar the Japanese automaker’s bungling of Scion mirrors how rival General Motors spolied its now defunct Saturn brand's early success.

From the Fleet: 2012 Porsche Cayman R

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FROM THE FLEET are brief synopses of manufacturer-supplied rides that happen to end up in my laneway – JL

One look at its sales figures and you’d be forgiven if you thought Porsche was trying to get out of the sports car business. Of the German automaker’s sales of 1,771 units to the end of August this year in Canada, its Cayenne SUV and Panamera sedan made up 65 per cent of those numbers, with the evergreen 911 2+2 at 22 per cent.

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a (small) Mercedes-Benz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Three days before she died in 1970, American singer Janis Joplin recorded in song a request to the Almighty to procure her with a car from the famous German luxury automaker, a colour television, and a “night on the town”, wailing that these materialistic items were needed to keep up with her friends who “all drive Porsches”.

Over 40 years later, Joplin’s “Mercedes-Benz” is still in rotation on oldies radio, and the German automaker’s cars (and Porsche) still vie for the same, status-seeking upscale customers as in the singer’s day. However, as a response to tighter fuel economy and tailpipe regulations, and an existing customer base that is growing older—quickly—Mercedes is joining its German luxury car rivals in attacking the type of small car customer  that mainstream brands like Mazda or Honda already have covered.

Just last week at this year’s Frankfurt auto gala, Mercedes unveiled its next-gen compact B-Class four-door hatch, seen above with parent Daimler head honcho, Dieter Zetche. And although Canadians have been buying the original B at a rate of about 3,000 units per year, the next model precludes a whole family of new, small ‘Benz’s based off the B’s platform, and eventually, the even smaller A-Class.

And in a recent chat with The Crank, Mercedes-Benz Canada’s new President and CEO Tim Reuss (seen here on the right, taking the "torch" from his successor, Marcus Breitschwerdt, who now heads Mercedes-Benz UK., with Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales and Marketing, Daimler AG, in between) is counting on these small Mercedes to sell at a higher annual rate than the current B.

A lot higher.

Whereas the more traditional compact C-Class sedan and GLK-Class crossover make up the majority of ‘Benz sales in Canada, Canada’s number-one luxury brand last year is betting that smaller, more fuel efficient—and perhaps more important for younger buyers—and less expensive cars are the way forward.

“In the future, these small cars will be the core of our product lineup,” said Reuss.

Following the new B-Class— debuting this year in Europe and set to go on sale in Canada next year—Reuss said the new family of front- and all-wheel-drive compact cars will include a four-door crossover in 2013 and a four-door coupé (think mini-CLS-Class) in 2014.

After that, the subcompact A-Class, currently seen only as a two-door hatchback in concept, arrives in 2015.

Despite Mercedes previous lack of presence in the small car market, Reuss is adamant that these new Bs and As won’t cannibalize sales from existing larger Mercedes models. In fact, he believes that ‘Benz’s new fleet of small cars will attract new buyers to the brand from “near-luxury” makes like Acura, Lexus and Infiniti.

“We’re targeting everyone, young males, older females”.

Reuss has reason to be optimistic. As Canadians have proven in the past, we like small cars. Its why the Smart ForTwo went on sale here four years before the U.S. got it, and the original B-Class in 2006, which the States still don’t get. But Reuss knows success in Canada means more than just dumping a bunch of small cars into the market.

In a recent cross-Canada tour that saw him visit every Mercedes dealer in Canada, Reuss realized how diverse new car buyers are here.

“In Toronto alone, you have at least five distinct markets,” remarked Reuss.

German-born, the Mercedes executive has had plenty of experience in diverse, international markets. And he readily admits one of his biggest challenges going forward will be to manage future growth simultaneously with Mercedes expanding its lineup in Canada AND sustaining its luxury segment leader status.

From a logical standpoint, the forthcoming gaggle of new Mercedes’ seem to be where the majority of luxury car buyers are heading. Yet any time any automaker ventures into a new segment, there’s a certain amount of risk.

In a nutshell: If Joplin was alive today, would she be wishing for a Mercedes B-Class?

And how do you feel about paying a premium price for a Mercedes-badged car, compared to less-expensive-yet-similarly-sized cars from near- or non-luxury brands?

6 things I learned at this year's Frankfurt auto show

FRANKFURT – Did you know that the traditional “frankfurter” fast food involves two sausages on a hamburger bun? Me neither. But that’s only one of the things I learned at this year’s bi-annual Frankfurt auto show…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Those French have a certain je ne sais quoi when it comes to concepts - While the Germans roll out one predictable concept car after another, yet again, it was left up to one of the French automakers to hit one out of left field at this year’s show. Specifically, Citroen, and its Tubik Concept van.

Looking like the love child of the Hindenburg zeppelin and a 1972 Chevy shaggin’ wagon, the Tubik confirms what comedian Steve Martin once said, “Boy, those French, they have a different word for everything!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite what its CEO is saying, Volvo WILL build a flagship sedan, damnit! - There’s been an ongoing pissing match between Volvo’s CEO, former Volkswagen of America head German Stefan Jacoby and the chairman of China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, Li Shufu, the company that bought the Swedish brand from Ford.

Jacoby has gone on record saying he doesn’t think the brand can command the $100,000-plus price tags the flagships sedans like the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes S Class ask for. But Li does. And now with Volvo's Design You Frankfurt concept, the second flagship sedan concept this year after the Universe that popped up in March at Geneva, it looks like Li is winning the battle and will get his Volvo flagship, whether anyone will buy one or not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Kia is the new leader in mainstream brand car design - If you need any further proof that Korea’s Kia is designing the best-looking affordable cars, look no further than its GT Concept, here in Frankfurt.

While the stunning rear-wheel-drive GT won’t be built as is, it does give clues to how future sporty Kias (which there are several planned for) will look like, and reconfirms the Korean automaker’s burgeoning design dominance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nobody wants station wagons anymore, except the rich - As a follow up to the forthcoming Mercedes-Benz CLS-based sports wagon and the Ferrari FF, Fisker Automotive unveiled its Surf Concept, a shooting brake (or wagon) version of its Karma luxury sedan, powered by a  pair of electric motors to the rear wheels, and described as and "electric luxury/sports automobile for an active and eco-friendly lifestyle" that is a "crossover between a sports car and a station wagon".

So let me get this straight: Station wagons seem to be making comeback. But only for the rich new car buyer?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your kid's next new car will be a four-wheeled electric motorcycle - The pair of Audi Urban Concepts (the Urban Spider is seen above), General Motors’ Opel Rake and Volkswagen’s Nils represent a potential new type of car: tiny, ultra-lightweight electric-vehicles, with seats for only one or two passengers—and more importantly for cash-strapped younger new car buyers—potentially at a cost substantially less than mom’s new Corolla.

So while you drive around in your Grand Caravan in retirement, keep an eye out for your kids as they whisk by at your hubcap level in these EV quadracycles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Volkswagen Group is the next GM - If that sounds ominous, it is. As Germany’s largest automaker—with the long-term goal of outselling number-one General Motors and number-two Toyota worldwide—the Volkswagen Group’s plethora of production car unveilings dominated the Frankfurt show floor. And no other vehicle demonstrated VW’s determination for world dominance more than its new Up! city car.

While Canadians won’t be getting the Up! until we stop buying pickups as daily transportation, the four-seat city car was presented in six different concepts, reminding people of the original Beetle, and how it was eventually spun off into various variants.

There was the Myers Manx inspired Buggy Up! (shown above), the Let’s go to the beach! Up! Azzurra, the mini-crossover Cross Up!, the sporty GT Up!, the diesel Eco Up! and all electric e-Up!—well, you get the point.

Why a Kia will be the “hit” of this year's Frankfurt auto show

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’ve been following the teasers, leaks and previews of the auto show season’s kick-off event planned for Frankfurt next week, you know there’ll be a fleet of new and exciting concepts and coming-to-a-showroom-near-you production cars ready to be unveiled.

Frankfurt only happens every other year, toggling back and forth with Paris as the big Euro fall event. That, and recognizing their home field advantage, the Germans usually own this show. And this year will be no different. The all-encompassing Volkswagen Group and its plethora of brands, BMW and Mercedes-Benz will have a staggering array of vehicles to unleash. Heck, even General Motors’ Opel saves its best and brightest ideas and most important production car debuts for Frankfurt. Yet, based on some newly-leaked images, I’m predicting Kia’s GT concept will be the hit of this year's Frankfurt media days.

By now, you know the story about how the Korean brand hired former VW/Audi designer Peter Schreyer a few years back, to give its cars a more international flair. So far, Pete’s done some exemplary work. Not only are current Kias like the Soul, Sportage, Forte, and Optima clean-cut designs that look good on the streets of Seoul and San Francisco, they also offer a completely different design language from the Hyundai vehicles Kias shares their mechanical bits with. Not an easy job (see Ford vs. Lincoln).

But as Schreyer told me last year in Seoul, the design language at BMW and Audi are always an ongoing development, and he wants Kia’s styling to have the same legs. “We are already working on cars for the next generation. It always goes on and on . . ."

Hence the stunning GT concept that will show up in Frankfurt next week.

Apparently based on the same rear-wheel-drive Hyundai-Kia Motors platform that underpins the Hyundai Genesis and Equus, the Kia concept isn’t a direct precursor towards a particular future production car. Instead, its overall theme, and especially the cleaner lines of its interior (right), gives clues to what the next round of Kias will look like. More important to car zealots, the GT suggests the design language for a planned-for small coupe to take on the Toyota FT-86 and a sedan larger than the current midsize Optima. Sweet, no?

From a broader perspective, the Kia GT shows what kind of design chutzpah Schreyer is bringing to the table. Kia's so-called mainstream branding and pricing strategies doesn't seem to be stopping him from blessing his cars with premium or exotic styling. Compared to the conservative steps its Japanese rivals are taking (i.e. 2013 Lexus GS 350, right), you can see why new car buyers are getting into Kias based on looks alone.

What do yout think of the Ka GT?

Does the concept elevate your thoughts on what a Kia stands for?

Or are a vehicle's looks alone not enough to sway your new car purchase decision? 

[Sources: Car and Driver via Jokeforblog]