The first thing that had to happen for automatics to get closer to manuals in fuel economy was an improvement in automatic transmission design. Advances like variable line pressure and the addition of more than four forward gears were far too long in coming to mass-market vehicles in this country. But, five- and six-speed autoboxes are finally becoming the norm. Even the retro four-speed automatics many domestics saddle their low-end models with now have variable line pressure, which reduces the amount of power needed to drive the transmission. All these improvements lead to better efficiency and reduced fuel consumption.

But the key, as with so many modern advances, has been in the software controlling the engine/transmission relationship. Old transmissions used a vacuum modulator and a mechanical governor to adjust shift points. New electronically controlled automatics take advantage of vast improvements in processor power to tailor shifts, internal pressures, and torque converter lockup to extract the maximum amount of efficiency possible. The engine helps, though: Cylinder deactivation, like Chrysler's MDS and GM's Active Fuel Management, only works effectively through constant communication with the transmission's requirements. You don't feel any of it happening: You just notice that your new automatic car gets close to the same mileage as your old 5-speed manual beater.

So, Rex Roy, we agree that automatics have made exponential improvements in recent years. But let's not give short shrift to the software wizardry and all the black boxes that allow an engine and a transmission to function as an integrated modern powertrain. [Detroit News; Photo Credit: ZF]

First up is this Firebird, which BZR says lives outdoors at all times:
I drove by this beast pretty much every day, until one day I finally broke down and came around to capturing it via camera. Seeing as it's a baby-blue Firebird, it's pretty hard to miss - and I still remember this post on the limited-edition 'Birds, so I knew I had a sneaking suspicion...

Just as I thought, it's not only a 70s Firebird (apparently any old American tanks are rare around here, minus the errant Dodge Dart I see) but it's one of the nearly-forgotten editions, right down the street from me in Syracuse, New York! How cool is that? I was pretty impressed.

It's always parked in the same spot. I didn't get a chance to encounter the owner, however. It's a damn shame the neat "Sky Bird", er, bird is missing. It's pretty well-preserved other than that. Check out the fuzzy dice! And it's a 1978 based on the grille pattern too, as I discovered.


Now here comes this sharp Galaxie two-door hardtop, which UDMan spotted while roaming the Northeast:
While I was visiting a dealer in Syracuse NY, my right rear tire went flat on the Altima. So, I was at a tire dealer, and a customer came in with this beauty, a 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 XL 2 door hardtop. As you can see, it’s in great shape, but there is a small problem. Apparently the car has an electrical draw because the customer stated that you have to disconnect the negative battery terminal after it’s driven. But look at this car! The details that seem to be lost at today’s car manufacturers, like the tail lamps, the ornamentation, those wheelcovers!


Just to show that Syracuse isn't just about the Detroit iron, Backstept has photographed this very solid-looking early-70s Volvo 1800ES wagon. I think those Draco wheels actually look pretty good on it, correct or not.
I don't know much about this car, but it's apparently a '71-73 Volvo 1800 ES sport wagon. only 8,078 were made.
I'm surprised at the condition, given the climate here in Central New York.

Seven "great" reasons to buy a hybrid

• Your old car is busted and you need a new one anyway
• You get a tax break with some hybrids
• Your employer is a hippy and offers hybrid drivers perks
• Hybrids can drive in the high occupancy lanes where you live
• Better mileage than your gas guzzler
• Hedge your bets against gas prices skyrocketing
• Buy a hybrid to send a message to automakers

• You think it will save money right now
• By some delusion, you think a hybrid is cheaper to own
• You think there's no difference in performance against a normal car
• You think you'll get the claimed fuel economy
• By some delusion, you think you'll never have to service it
• You're buying it as a fashion accessory, thus garnering the full vitriol of the Jalopnik community

Jalopnik Snap Jugdement: Considering we'll be seeing two all-new dedicated hybrids from Toyota, the formal debut of the 2010 Honda hybrid, who knows what from Nissan, and with the first fully-formed Chevy Volt revealed just a couple months earlier, the 2009 Detroit Auto Show is setting up to be a serious, next-gen hybrid battle royal.

More interesting to us, contrary to reports of the declining influence of the Detroit Auto Show and the rise of the LA Auto Show, is a trend of increasingly prominent Detroit unveils. Detroit will be showing off hybrids and meat-and-potatoes products — both at the forefront of consumers minds. While the LA Auto Show continues to feature lifestyle products like the Lexus LF-A and the Cadillac CTS Coupe. True, the 2010 Ford Mustang is dropping its top in LA, but that's to be expected given it's a convertible. Ironic, isn't it, that a state so obsessive about portraying itself as green gets mostly vain, luxury and low-volume while a city held up as the symbol of everything backwards in the auto industry displays the future? We think so.

[via DetNews]

"The high-end vehicles that are allowed are plush with amenities and covers on the back. It doesn't look like a pickup. It's fancier."

They even allow the Lincoln Mark LT, which is just an F-150 with a nicer grille and chrome.

This may not be a big deal in Greenwich, Glencoe or Grosse Pointe, but this is the reason why Texas has concealed handgun laws. We sympathize with Mr. Greenwood's frustration

"If we had a big Hummer, that could be in the driveway. If we had a Lincoln Mark LT, that could be in the driveway. But a Ford F-150 can't. That doesn't make sense."

We'll follow up on the story when someone gets shot. [Dallas Morning News]

Mustang enthusiasts,

The time has come to start talking about the new Mustang. But, we're not the ones that will be doing the talking!

We want to hear your stories, because we all have a story to tell about Mustang. What is yours?

Today, we launched www.the2010mustang.com which will be the home for the official countdown until reveal of the 2010 Mustang. We wanted to give you a first look at the website to help spread the news to Mustang Nation and the millions of enthusiasts that are waiting on the edge of their seats for any news about the new pony car.

The "Mustang Stories" contest begins on August 27th, so for now you just get a teaser of what's to come, but use the time wisely to think about your favorite Mustang story and be sure to come back and submit it for a chance to win your own 2010 Mustang.

Don't forget to also keep up-to-date on the latest Mustang news, including racing results, at: http://ford.digitalsnippets.com/mustang/

Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks.

[Source: Ford]

10.) Toyota Estima Lucida G Luxury Joyful Canopy

Known in the US market as the Toyota Previa and in Japan as the Toyota Estima, SOS10 brought to our attention the Lucida G Luxury Joyful Canopy edition of this futuristic van. Any of these modifiers by themselves aren't necessarily ridiculous, but when combined you're reminded of the awesome exuberance the Japanese have for naming their vehicles. [Photo Credit: Tripod]

9.) Diahatsu Charade

Consumers are already wary of purchasing a new car, especially from a company that has little name recognition in their market, so giving it a name that translates to "a pretense or fiction that can be seen through readily, or a travesty" is a travesty of its own. We can't be sure this is why the Diahatsu Charade was the last vehicle Diahatsu sold in the US market, but AllBoxedUp is right to suggest it didn't help. [Photo Credit: GreenCarSite]

8.) Tang Hua Detroit Fish

We had a chance to see the Tang Hua Detroit Fish up close. And while the amphibious Chinese auto was named in honor of its debut at the Detroit Auto Show, the actual concept itself is horrifying. No matter what anyone tells you BLS, do not under any circumstances eat any fish you catch in Detroit. We don't care what Wert says about the Rouge River being clean now.

7.) Pontiac Parisienne

For most of its life the Pontiac Parisienne was sold in Canada, where people speak French and don't mind driving a car that translates to "French lady from Paris." Unfortunately, for a few years Pontiac thought it would be smart to resurrect the name in the United States for a rebadged Impala with a Caprice nose and a Pontiac grille because customers wanted a RWD car from the brand. Clearly, people who demand RWD sedans also demand to drive the French lady from Paris. [Photo Credit: Picasa]

6.) Isuzu Mysterious Utility Wizard

Though Isuzu no longer sells non-commercial vehicles in the United States, they had a pretty good run with names. This is especially true with their trucks, which had tough names like Trooper and Rodeo. In Japan, they settled for the far more confusing Mysterious Utility Wizard. Ignoring the Wizard part, what is so Mysterious about the Utility? Maybe it's great at attracting parking tickets or getting birds to crash into the window. It should make drivers like Parkington nervous. [Photo Credit: AutoTrader.uk]

5.) Nissan Homy Super Long

In a fit of fantastic Engrish, the folks at Nissan named their small van the Homy. This is comical enough as a version of the American "Homey," made funnier by the slightly perverted addition of "Super Long" to the end of it. But add to it the fact that "m" looks like "rn" and you've got one horny and long van to carry around Joelf and his friends.

4.) Studebaker Dictator

Originally called the Standard Six, the Dictator was so named because of the car's ability to dictate the standard for other cars to follow. Unfortunately, this was in the late 1920's when dictatorships were rising around the world and threatening peace. In order to not ruffle any feathers, the Studebaker Dictator was given the name Director in markets that might be sensitive to being seen inside a dictator. We think Jim7 would agree that's a less awesome but more diplomatic name. [Photo Credit: AvrilsCars]

3.) Geely PU Rural Nanny

Oh Geely, how we love your comical mistranslations. The Beijing Olympics have shown that China is willing and capable of communicating in a way that the world understands. Those skills have not yet translated to the automotive industry. Geely offers two versions of its pickup truck: Urban Nanny and Rural Nanny. We get Urban Nanny but what exactly is a Rural Nanny? In addition to being a bad name it's almost impossible to say. Try saying it three times fast Tylinol. It's not easy.[Photo Credit: GeelyCar.fr]

2.) Ford Probe

Proving that if you want to do something wrong you should to it yourself, we have no mistranslations to blame for the Ford Probe. Meant to conjure up thoughts of the space program, it instead conjured up thoughts of what space aliens might do to mytdawg. Making matters worse, the car itself was enema shaped. Really, no automaker should ever name a vehicle after an invasive medical procedure. Ever. [Photo: Consumer Guide Auto]

1.) Mazda Scrum Wagon

While most of these names are bad on their own, the little Mazda Scrum Wagon, like an English casserole, is layer upon layer of terrible. Do we not like it because it sounds like scum? Do we not like it because it's a rugby term? Neither helps, but the good Dr. Danger knows that we can't abide this name because Scrum sounds an awfully lot like a double entendre gone horribly awry. Worse, what's gross in small car-like quantities, is made even more horrifying with the realization it's a whole wagon-load of nasty.

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BOND MOVIE ROLE FOR NEW FORD KA

COLOGNE, August 15, 2008 - The highly-anticipated new James Bond adventure, 'Quantum of Solace', will feature a cameo appearance from Ford's fresh-faced new model, the all-new Ford Ka.

Ford's cheeky new small car will make its screen debut alongside the film's beautiful but feisty leading lady, Olga Kurylenko. Kurylenko plays Camille, a woman with her own personal mission and who quickly becomes an unlikely ally for Bond.

The 'Quantum of Solace' Ka is unique with metallic gold paint and an exclusive exterior graphics and interior trim combination.

"The new Ka is the perfect match for the character of Camille - adventurous, individual and thoroughly modern," says Ford of Europe's Chief Operating Officer, Stephen Odell. "We are delighted that the launch of the film coincides with the launch of such a significant new model for Ford of Europe."

The special 'Quantum of Solace' Ka was created by Ford of Europe's Design team, in collaboration with the movie's Oscar ® award-winning production designer, Dennis Gassner. The Ka's cameo continues Ford of Europe's relationship with the James Bond films, following the debut appearance of the latest Ford Mondeo, in the 2006 blockbuster, 'Casino Royale'.

Twelve years after the original Ford Ka wowed customers with its modern spirit and what has proved to be a remarkably age-less design, its successor looks set to repeat its impact.

The new model retains all the qualities which made the Ka so popular - compact size, great looks, lively dynamics and fun personality - but presents them in a fresh new package. Further technical details of the new Ford Ka will be revealed closer to launch later in 2008.

'Quantum of Solace' is produced for EON Productions by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli and distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Directed by Marc Forster, the film stars Daniel Craig as the legendary secret agent, James Bond and opens in the UK and France on October 31st, then elsewhere November 7th.

The all-new Ka enjoys the spotlight of its own at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, on October 2.

# # #

The rest of the mostly uncovered Fusion shows more detailed, softer lines than the current generation. The taillights also look larger, rounder when compared to the first model. We don't want to go overboard, but the new design does appear to be more "kinetic" than "Hi, I'm Dave." Just saying.

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The Maverick was built on the aging Falcon chassis, with the Falcon nameplate getting moved over to the mid-sized Fairlane line for 1970, where it was used on the cheapo stripper models. The Maverick had the same suspension design- leaf springs and all- that made the early Mustangs handle so badly from the factory. Still, the Maverick was cheap ($1,995 in 1970), simple, and worked just fine as basic transportation. Look at it this way: for just $150 more than the '70 Beetle, you could get a traditional rear-drive/water-cooled American coupe.


Look, it's the '69 Dodge A100 van on the same block! That's the way Alameda works; surviving old machinery wherever you turn.


This Maverick is on the rough side, but it's being used for transportation every day and still getting the job done after 38 years.

The Buick engine was gone, but otherwise the Mark Mist was in pretty good shape.

The gauges still have their 24-karat gold plating, and the upholstery has held up very well. In fact, all the car really needs is a new engine and a general mechanical going-over to be ready to roll again. This car is a time capsule!

It's a love-it-or-hate-it design; some will cringe at the Edsel-esque face, but there's no arguing with the quality of the fabrication and craftsmanship here. No body filler, everything handmade.

A Buick engine awaits installation, and the Mark I Mist should roar back to life soon. Dave will likely sell it and move on to the next project once it's finished- he's already got a '57 Ford project in the early stages- but not before he makes jaws drop at a few shows and cruises with this thought-to-be-gone-forever classic.

Experian claims 47% of hybrid buyers choose another car from the same manufacturer, as opposed to 35% of buyers overall. Sounds like good news, but for whom? While the report may seem like a boost for Honda and Toyota — and it no doubt is — there's also a silver lining for GM and Ford. While the General doesn't have the best name recognition on its hybrid lineup, it does have two new hybrid trucks in the market starting second quarter of next year, which potentially could allow them to capitalize on the trend — especially considering over 30% of pickup buyers buy another pickup. That compares to only 25% of hybrid buyers. Similarly, the Ford Escape Hybrid has a following of its own among green-conscious buyers needing more space, arguably leading to the potential for halo sales of additional Ford products — including other SUVs of the non-hybrid variety.

Jalopnik Snap Judgment: Maybe it's not all roses, but there's an opportunity for domestic manufacturers to build a few more sales off hybrid pickup and SUV purchases. Of course, they'll both need to sell more than the token few hundred (in GMs case) or the token few thousand (in the case of Ford). [Detroit News]

First we have this '83 Lancia 037 rally, priced at 450 grand. It's got a 280-horse blown 2.0-liter engine, weighs just over a ton, and was built for one purpose only: to get a World Rally Championship trophy to display in Lancia HQ. It worked, too, with the '83 WRC Constructor's title going to the Lancia.


Does 0-60 in 2.1 seconds sound good to you? For a bargain $350,000, this genuine Ford RS200 Evolution, featuring "600+" horsepower, could belong to you! After the horrific RS200 crash at the Rally of Portugal, the FIA axed Group B, removing the reason for the RS200's existence but allowing this example to stay in like-new condition.


But wait! How about a car that utterly dominated its class in the Trans Am series, with wins in 8 out of 13 races? You could own that very car... provided you've got $450,000, that is. There must be some way to make this thing street-legal, right?

OK, which one will it be? You tell us!

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Continental: Found this convertible MKIII Continental appeared yesterday around the corner from my house (Boston, MA). You can see a tarp in the back seat, so I am guessing the top isn't working at the moment. You can also see some wires bleeding from the driver door. You can't really see much from the pictures, but the car is beat-up from head to toe. It has a Key West "Mile 0" marker sticker, so I am wondering if or when it made that 27+/- hour trip. Im not sure who the "Quinn 74" sticker is for. Trying to find a specific Quinn in Boston is like trying to find a needle in a needle-stack. It has Mass plates, so I am surprised the body panels are not eaten-up. There is also a forth-gen Continental that lives on my street, I was going to send pictures with my better camera with that one.

Nova: I was riding around on my lunch time and found this early 70's Nova. It was sitting in the middle of a loading dock around an industrial/warehouse area in South Boston. I think it is a straight-six from the look of the oil pan.

Spitfire: Funny, after all that British Leyland talk, I rode past this Triumph yesterday after work. Seems to be in good condition, even the top looked good. I didn't spot any rust on it, besides on the muffler. I thought it was funny to see the Mass plate that says "Spirit of America" just over the Triumph badge. Spotted in an industrial area in South Boston.

In '66, your new Mustang coupe cost $2,416 with a six-cylinder and three-on-the-tree. Add another 106 bucks and you got the 200-horsepower V8. The '66 Falcon coupe- essentially the same car under the skin- went for just $2,060, so Ford had a license to print money with the Mustang... much as they did during the more recent pickups-with-cupholders era.


2,488 pounds. That's the shipping weight on this car, which weighs about 188 pounds more than the "tiny" Toyota Yaris. But the old Mustangs were rattly and drafty, the radio had just one speaker (pointed at the windshield), and you could hear road noise! Our car-buying forefathers were tough!

FORD FLEX HITS SAFETY PINNACLE WITH 5-STAR RATINGS

- Flex earns U.S. government's top 5-star crash ratings for all four front- and side-impact tests - adding to Ford's leading number of 5-star vehicles.

- The daringly designed and fuel-efficient seven-passenger crossover continues to draw praise and customer interest.

DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 5, 2008 - The 2009 Ford Flex has earned five-star frontal- and side-impact crashworthiness ratings, the highest possible scores, in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests.

The results for Ford's newest full-size crossover are better than the Toyota Highlander's and include class-leading four-star rollover ratings for both the front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions.

"The 5-star ratings for the Flex are evidence of Ford's overall safety commitment. In fact, we have produced more 5-star-rated vehicles than any other automaker," said Susan Cischke, Ford's senior vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. "The Flex offers it all: a head-turning design, top safety ratings, unsurpassed highway fuel efficiency in its segment, power, spaciousness, comfort and great features."

Flex safety standard

Flex, which went on sale this summer, has a full array of standard safety equipment.

This includes dual front air bags, headliner mounted side curtain air bags, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, Ford-exclusive AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control™) and tire pressure monitoring system.

Flex gets some of its core strength from the use of lightweight aluminum-coated boron steel - one of the strongest weld-able materials - in the body structure. The use of high-strength steel in the B-pillars is only part of the Flex's robust safety profile. Ford engineers also located the side door intrusion beams to help manage and absorb energy during side impact crashes.

"Flex safety is built on a solid foundation - the platform of the 5-star rated Ford Taurus and Taurus X," said Gary Boes, Flex chief engineer.

How the Crash Ratings Work

NHTSA's frontal collision ratings are determined by placing crash-test dummies in the driver's seat and front-passenger seat and securing them with the vehicle's safety belts. Vehicles are then crashed into a fixed barrier at 35 mph, which is equivalent to a head-on collision between two similar vehicles that are moving at 35 mph. The 5-star rating attained by Flex indicates a 10 percent or less chance of serious injury to a belted occupant in the front seat.

Side-impact crash testing represents an intersection-type collision with a 3,015 pound barrier moving at 38.5 mph into the Flex, with crash test dummies buckled into the driver and rear passenger seats. Flex's five-star rating, the highest possible, indicates a 5 percent or less chance of serious injury.

"Safety is a top purchase consideration, second only to fuel efficiency, so Flex's top safety ratings and highway fuel economy are a winning combination," said Catherine Pearce, Flex marketing manager.

Even More Technology Works in Customers' Favor

Flex also can help drivers avoid problems on the road.

The new SIRIUS® Travel Link™ feature, praised for helping motorists find the cheapest gas, also can help route them around congested, potentially dangerous conditions using the vehicle's navigation system with real-time traffic information, available in select markets.

SYNC®, Ford's hands-free connectivity system for Bluetooth-enabled phones and digital music players, helps drivers keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel to reduce distractions.

Ford claims to have re-engineered the number three crossmember, allowing it to provide more torsional and lateral rigidity, providing the extra strength needed for the increased rating. And we're not surprised Ford is crowing about it: With the importance of contractor and work-truck sales in the face of a diminishing consumer pickup market, capability is again going to be the deciding factor in a lot of truck purchases. [PickupTrucks.com]

Franz will be tasked with shaping Tesla's future Model S sedan and sport compact, and if his work on the Mazda Furai concept is any indication, the next generation of Teslas should be lookers. Of course, this is all assuming the company can live up to its ambitions and actually survive long enough to produce vehicles beyond the existing roadster.

SAN CARLOS, CA - Deepak Ahuja, a seasoned auto industry finance executive with 15 years experience at Ford Motor Company, has joined Tesla Motors as Chief Financial Officer.

Deepak was previously the controller for Ford's small cars product development program, a strategic initiative to bring several fuel efficient cars to Ford's lineup in the United States. Previously, Deepak was CFO for Ford of Southern Africa, a $3 Billion subsidiary where he oversaw the finance, legal and IT functions. Prior to that, Deepak served as CFO for Auto Alliance International, a joint venture between Ford and Mazda with over $4 billion in revenue.

"Deepak's experience as CFO of multi-billion dollar business units with global sourcing and manufacturing operations makes him the ideal person to lead our finance organization through the company's next period of rapid growth," said Tesla CEO Ze'ev Drori. "The addition of another seasoned auto industry executive to the senior management team at Tesla demonstrates that Tesla is focused on combining the best of what Detroit and Silicon Valley has to offer in building the next great American automobile company."

"The opportunity to work for the leading alternative energy automobile company in the world, and one with as strong a brand as Tesla, is very exciting." said Deepak. "The team here has the vision, passion and the determination to make Tesla a driving force of change."

Deepak holds bachelors and masters degrees in Materials Engineering from Banaras Hindu University and Northwestern University, respectively and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University. Deepak, his wife and two daughters have moved from Michigan to Silicon Valley, where Deepak will work out of Tesla's San Carlos headquarters.

Recently, Tesla Motors announced the appointment of auto industry veteran Mike Donoughe as EVP Vehicle Engineering and Manufacturing.

Connor's class action is seeking damages of, get this, $11.8 million, or $1000 more per car than the value of all 200 cars sold. We're thinking Mr. Connor probably just didn't read the fine print well enough. That, or he just realized he bought a $58,000 Mustang — or maybe his wife just realized he bought a $58,000 Mustang. [Bloomberg]