We're already encouraged by the fact that Ralph Gilles has ascended to the top of Chrysler's design department, as the past vehicles penned under his supervision have all been some of Chrysler's best. Say what you want about the reborn 300 now, but when it was first introduced, it's styling set in motion a major tidal wave of accolades and was a fresh direction for Detroit's number 3. The 'Edge' look, as Gilles calls it, though, is getting a bit stale these days and Chrysler needs a new direction -- Sebring anyone? According to the new design chief, ChryCo's new look will be 'Organic', which Gilles says will get "our cars to be sexy again." Remember "cab forward"? That moniker could make a comeback along with the more stylish interiors that Chrysler so desperately needs.
Plastics make things possible, or so say the major plastic manufacturing companies in their ads. It turns out that there's some truth to the tagline, as automakers are increasing the amount of plastic parts in vehicles in an attempt to reduce weight and emissions. While many consider steel to be the most desirable material to pound out automobiles, the use of plastic is outgunning metals pound for pound on new cars. Even luxury brands like BMW and Porsche are using more plastics in their vehicles than ever before, and both see the trend continuing. Composites such as carbon fiber and kevlar prove that plastics can perform just as well as steel when properly designed and engineered.
Despite the overall goal of reducing weight and cutting vehicle emissions, most plastics still trace their roots to petroleum. Automakers such as Mazda and Mitsubishi are experimenting with bioplastics, which are made from natural ingredients such as sugars.
In the book of Genesis, man was given dominion over all the plants and animals, so we're guessing that dead, liquified ones count, too. Since Rocky Twyman started his Pray At The Pump effort in April, average fuel prices have certainly fallen. Twyman believes that his groups' prayers have effected the change, and that no other factors like shifting consumer behavior, international conflict, or speculators has anything to do with it. Right.
The Pray At The Pump group is not just asking for divine fuel price intervention without also encouraging acts of sacrifice on behalf of man – Twyman's ministry strongly encourages car pooling and better organized trips to maximize conservation on a day to day basis. After all, committing the mortal sin of gluttony while asking for the Lord to make it easier on us all would ring kind of hollow. We suppose even the non-faithful can get behind Twyman's effort in that it's at least as effective as the various fuel-saving trinkum that internet scheisters are imploring us to buy (run your car on water? hydrogen "batteries"?), and it costs nothing, to boot. Combined with a regimen of proven fuel-saving behaviors, extra prayers certainly can't hurt in keeping the flow of car-sustaining manna trickling along at an affordable price.
In light of the current pain at the pumps, fuel economy is on all of our minds these days no matter what kind of car you drive. That being the case, it might not be surprising to you that the car we're buying are getting more fuel efficient. Don't believe us? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has just revealed that the U.S. auto industry set a new record in overall fuel efficiency during the first half of the 2008 model year by averaging 26.8 mpg through March. That's up from an average of 26.6 mpg through the entire 2007 model year.
While this is certainly good news for both consumers and manufacturers that need to meet the government's mandated CAFE standards, the numbers used by the NHTSA aren't really representative of the real-world fuel mileage you should expect to achieve on the road. The testing standards were initially created in 1975 and automakers get certain credits for creating flex-fuel vehicles, which can artificially inflate their miles-per-gallon numbers. Additionally, automakers earn credits for surpassing the CAFE requirements and can carry these credits forward for up to three years. Still, the numbers are somewhat worthwhile when comparing the current model-year with those of the past. Expect to see the year-end numbers set another new record as consumers continue choosing smaller and more fuel efficient models over larger, gas-guzzling choices.
Thinking with their wallets, and avoiding $4.59/gallon fuel prices, truck owners in the States have been sneaking across the Mexican border to fill up with low-cost diesel (in Mexico, the fuel averages just $2.20/gallon). While filling a primary fuel tank isn't illegal, Mexico prohibits additional fuel tanks (aka auxiliary tanks) to be filled and moved across the border, so many truck owners with long-range tanks are finding themselves breaking Mexican federal law. Truck owners are getting stopped on the Mexican side of the border and their trucks are confiscated while authorities run tests to determine the origin of the fuel. If found in violation, owners face stiff fines. The Mexican Consulate is offering a blanket warning for all truck owners equipped with secondary fuel tanks to not drive those vehicles into Mexico. Not only do those owners risk truck confiscation, but the Mexican fuel is not formulated to U.S. ultra-low-sulfur regulations meaning emissions components will likely be damaged. (As if the trucks breaking the law are fitted with emission components in the first place...)
It's a claim that needs a big, fat asterisk after it, but Chrysler's Jim Press is cheerily touting a $1.1 billion dollar gross profit. The number, which wasn't pulled out of a posterior orifice but has yet to be adjusted, is known as the EBIDA, or earnings before interest, depreciation, and amortization. Well, shoot, if you take all of the albatrosses off the necks of the automakers, they're all cranking along with nice gross profit numbers. Too bad that Chrysler's gross profit will turn into a disgusting loss once the accounting is done. It's good news that Chrysler's still making some money, even if a gross profit will turn into a net loss, and Press seems to indicate that Chrysler is aimed at right-sizing itself for future success. Moving vehicles is increasingly becoming a challenge as we suffer a hangover from the boom years of easy credit, and total volume is bound to be off by millions compared to just a few short years ago. Chrysler's product line doesn't strike us as well situated to eventually earn a net profit, saddled as it is with subpar interior materials, powertrains that want for refinement and output (in everything that's not V8- or Hemi-powered, that is), and uninspired design, but if Cerberus hangs in there instead of making everyone's strip and flip fears come true, the automaker may be able to get its act together for its product line after 2010.
If you were looking at carbon fiber as the magical lightweight solution to the parallel automotive woes of low power-to-weight ratios and high fuel consumption, we have some potentially disappointing news for you. Two of the world's largest suppliers of carbon fiber have announced that they are raising their prices. And not by a little, either, with the going rate for the high-tech material rising by 10 to 30 percent in one shot.
The simultaneous announcement from Toray Industries Inc. (the #1 supplier of carbon fiber) and Mitsubishi Rayon Co. (the third largest) marks the first time both companies have universally raised their prices at the same time. The development would border on price-fixing if not for the fact that the second biggest carbon fiber manufacturer, Teijin Ltd., didn't participate. However Teijin is expected to announce its own price hike sometime this week, as well.
We all expected prices to drop as use of the exotic material became more commonplace in automotive, aerospace and commercial applications. However the rising costs of raw materials have contributed to the higher price. They're at Y4,000 (~$37) per ton now and are expect to go up by between Y400 and Y1,200 per ton. Because of the high demand for carbon fiber, the price increase is expected to take immediate effect. As for the impact on he automotive industry, it could mean price increases for cars using the material, while the development of new cars is likely to forgo employing carbon fiber in their construction for other materials like aluminum and plastic. Hopefully Honda and Nissan finish developing their mass-market carbon fiber sooner rather than later.
Gas prices are up, which has led to increased interest in midsizers, more specifically, the midsize offerings from Chrysler's competition. The Sebring has taken a 30 percent sales whack this year, mostly due to reduced fleet sales. The Avenger's year has been a little brighter, posting a two-percent gain. Contrast that with everyone else; Malibu, Fusion, and Accord are up ten percent or more this year; and therein lies Chrysler's problem. Ditching Chrysler's outmoded V6 for the four-cylinder powertrain will deliver more competitive fuel economy, if you can stand the NVH increase.
Top heavy with trucks and taking fire over the Avenger and Sebring's interior quality and efficiency, Chrysler's seriously looking at re-jiggering the sedan twins, killing the top R/T and Limited trim levels and sliding some of the good stuff down to the SXT and Touring trim levels. The 3.5-liter V6 will be left out as standard equipment, though, as it doesn't post great fuel economy. The goodies that normally accompany the six, like heated leather power seats, dual exhausts, and 18 inch wheels, will end up as standard gear on the Sebring Touring and Avenger SXT. The prices of those models get bumped - 9.9 percent for the Dodge, now starting at $21,750, and 3.4 percent for the Sebring, offered for $21,670. What's up with the Avenger costing more than the Sebring? We don't know. The Journey is also being considered for this initiative, rumored to be called the "Fight Back" plan, and suppliers had until yesterday to give Chrysler a yes or no on feasibility.
Russia has just passed Germany as Europe's largest market for new car sales -- for the first half of the year, at least. In fact, Russian consumers managed to snatch up 41% more cars for the first half of this year as compared to the previous year. Not only that, but the vehicles being sold in Russia are more profitable than before as well, with the record $33.8 billion in sales so far an increase of 64%. Top marques are General Motors and Hyundai, which replace last year's first and second place finishers, Ford and Toyota. Russian brands? Not so much.
Don't expect the sales figures to cool down any time soon, as the economy in Russia is still booming and it's the middle-class that is seeing the biggest benefit. Older cars will continue to be taken off the road as consumers purchase new replacements which will allow automakers to find an estimated 20-percent of the entire industry's growth in the Russian market over the next several years.
The all-new Camaro we've been waiting on for two years is just a few days from showing its production face, and we've already got some bad news. The General has dumped plans for the Z28. The highly anticipated Camaro variant was rumored to feature the same supercharged 6.2L engine that powers the brawny Cadillac CTS-V with well over 500 ponies. Without the Z28 in the picture, the still powerful SS edition will be the range-topper for now, and we're expecting power to be just under that of the base Corvette's 436 hp.
While this is certainly bad news for Camaro enthusiasts, it does make sense in the face of $4.25 per gallon gas to cancel a supercharged monster that's likely to be eligible for a hefty gas guzzler tax. What doesn't make sense is canceling the Z28 moniker when it means much more to Camaro fans than SS ever will. There goes the aftermarket for louvers and mullet wigs. Thanks for the tip, Doug!
We're already encouraged by the fact that Ralph Gilles has ascended to the top of Chrysler's design department, as the past vehicles penned under his supervision have all been some of Chrysler's best. Say what you want about the reborn 300 now, but when it was first introduced, it's styling set in motion a major tidal wave of accolades and was a fresh direction for Detroit's number 3. The 'Edge' look, as Gilles calls it, though, is getting a bit stale these days and Chrysler needs a new direction -- Sebring anyone? According to the new design chief, ChryCo's new look will be 'Organic', which Gilles says will get "our cars to be sexy again." Remember "cab forward"? That moniker could make a comeback along with the more stylish interiors that Chrysler so desperately needs. 
Spy Shot: Production interior of Chevy Volt (maybe)
Rumormill: Lexus LF-A... Stillborn?
Ford reveals 2010 Mustang badge
REPORT: Chrysler may sell Dodge Viper rather than kill it
Audi develops R8 GT3 racer
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Nissan Murano
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Dodge Journey R/T
In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Jeep Compass Sport 4x2
In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Porsche Carrera S
First Drive: 2009 Honda Fit Sport
