The CarGurus Blog

  Despite a long history of involvement with utilitarian pickups, Jeep hasn’t had a pickup truck in its lineup since 1992, when the Comanche left the roads.  Since then, Chrysler has intermittently teased the public with possible pickup concepts, such as the 2002 Scrambler and the Gladiator, which debuted ceremoniously in 2005 at the NAIAS auto show.  Though full of promise and potential, the Gladiator concept was quickly scratched as too involved and costly for the ailing Chrysler.

In its wake, the Jeep JT concept has emerged as a much more realistic production vehicle, possibly for 2009.  Developed by the skunkworks division at Chrysler, which is where engineers get to tinker with existing vehicles and parts in their spare time in an attempt to come up with something innovative and daring, the JT is based off of the popular Wrangler Unlimited.  Because it is so similar to the Wrangler and borrows existing parts from other Chrysler vehicles (thereby circumventing any need for new development), its life beyond a mere concept car is feasible.  

The compact pickup is basically a Wrangler Unlimited inside and out, but missing its second row.  In its place is a steel bulkhead and a 5-foot long pickup bed with a rear-hinged tailgate.  The JT also adds a removeable hardtop roof over the cabin and front and rear electronic locking Dana 44 axles.  Recently tested in Moab, Utah, the JT concept featured a 3.8-liter, 205-hp V6 and 4-speed automatic.  Sitting three inches higher than the Wrangler, thanks to Superlift 35-inch tires on 17-inch wheels, it was able to effortlessly climb out of the Bathtub on the Hell’s Revenge Trail, a deep well-like depression with nearly vertical walls.  

Set to debut at SEMA in the fall of 2007, the JT may both please and frustrate Jeep fans hankering for the return of a pickup, who have probably learned by now not to get their hopes up since the quick demise of the Gladiator.  Though Jeep vice president, Ralph Gilles, says the concept is just a result of the skunkworks group playing around and having fun, the Hell’s Revenge test drive isn’t the only inkling of a possible off-roading Jeep pickup in the near future.  The Jeep JT has basically already been in production as a J8 Wrangler military vehicle used by the Egyptian military.  As such, so far the only color option spied on the test JT was Desert Sand.  That’s actually my more glamorous name for it.  For some reason, Jeep has ignored this helpful suggestion and chosen to go with the much more dramatic and romantic Hearing Aid Beige. 

One bit of good news on the automotive front this week came from Toyota, who finally unveiled their plug-in version of the Prius hybrid. The plug-in car, called the Toyota Plug-In HV, is going to get real-life roadtesting over the next three years, starting in Japan, with some limited testing in Europe and the US. Thanks to the Toyota Prius’s high profile (and big market share), this is attracting still more attention to the plug-in hybrid market sector.

On-road beta-testing is a big step for a new technology like this, and it’s a smart move by Toyota in terms of grabbing headlines. Of course, Ford announced a road-testing partnership for its plug-in hybrids earlier this month; still, the prospect of Southern California Edison using some plug-in vehicles (plans are for a fleet of 20 by the end of 2009) hasn’t captured people’s imaginations as much as the Toyota project.

And where’s our friend the Chevrolet Volt in all of this? Some industry watchers suggest that GM’s plug-in technology is the most potentially robust; are Bob Lutz and his colleagues wussing out on a challenge, or playing a waiting game?

The bottom line is that none of these vehicles are ready for prime time yet. The issue is the battery: nickel-hydride batteries just don’t have the power needed to run a car (much less an SUV) very far for very long. Lithium-ion batteries seem, right now, to be the answer (though some carmakers appear to be focusing instead on hydrogen fuel cells). The question is, how long will it be until someone develops an Li battery that’s safe, powerful, efficient, and affordable enough to make sense for people to want to buy it?

We spend a lot of time ooh-ing and ahh-ing at plug-in car design, but the cornerstone to making this work is lightweight, durable, and safe battery technology. Without it, the plug-in race is going to be stalled at the starting line.

The good folks at Tesla Motors seem to have worked this out–their Tesla Roadster goes 200 miles on a charge and tops out at 135 miles per hour, thanks to its nearly 7,000 lithium-ion power cells. Of course, all that oomph comes at a price; at over $90,000 and with a year-long waiting list, the Tesla Roadster isn’t likely to be the 21st century’s Model T!

         Many loyal Saab fans have complained that since GM acquired the Swedish automaker during the 1990s, a lot of what made Saab cars unique has been diluted.  GM refutes this, of course, and as proof, it claims its new proposed crossover concept, the Saab 9-4x, is a return to the style, performance, and luxury that attracted so many drivers to Saab in the first place.

The new 9-4x, slated for production in either 2009 or 2010 in Europe, is being kept under wraps as far as details.  The mid-size luxury crossover will eventually replace the larger seven-seater 9-7x, at least in Europe, though there will be some overlap for a while.  The 9-7x was not a big hit in Europe, which favors smaller, more maneuverable, and more gas-efficient cars.  Though the 9-7x has sold fairly well in the U.S., don’t rule out the 9-4x hitting these shores as well, based on the increased popularity of the smaller crossover market, which Saab has taken its good sweet time to penetrate.  In fact, the 9-4x takes the place of the B9 Tribeca-based 9-6x, which was killed before it ever got off the ground when GM severed ties with Subaru. 

Saab is in a transitional stage at the moment.  It’s planning a stylish new coupe, the Aero-X, and the 9-4x will be its long overdue entry into the expanding small crossover market.  It will likely share its platform with the new Cadillac BRX SUV, but whether that’s an Epsilon platform, as in the Opel Vectra, or a revamped Theta platform is unclear.  Powertrains are also foggy.  It’s likely there will be some kind of V6 and possibly a V8, and even a turbodiesel in Europe.  In the diesel, there have been some rumors of an additional 30-hp electric motor that could be called on to help combat turbo lag or power the car short distances.  The 9-4x will probably be offered in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive and hold five passengers in two rows of seats.  Styling is expected to mimic the Aero X concept, with low-slung windows and a horizontally split front grille. 

What is known is that there is not much known, at least until this September, when the 9-4x is supposed to debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show.  Until then, rumors and spy shots of are all we have to go on.  Though late to the crossover game, especially in the U.S., Saab is hoping to take advantage of this modern trend in order to step out a bit from under GM’s stifling wing and recapture its distinctive spirit of the past.

Sometimes I like to put the student loans to work (by borrowing titles from classic literature, for instance). But, as the coffee ads used to say, “it’s to prove a point.” This spring and summer have seen lots of green-car headlines, which makes me happy; however, if you look at the big picture, you see a lot of different directions.

For instance, I’ve been meaning to write about the Mercedes E320 Bluetec being selected as the 2007 World Green Car of the Year since the award was announced in April. The Bluetec is a fuel-efficient clean diesel; it gets 36 miles per gallon, and thanks to high-tech catalytic converters, its emissions are significantly lower than a gasoline engine’s. And it’s available in the US! (But good luck finding a gas station with diesel in most major cities.) Another finalist for the year’s Green Car honors was the Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion, a 60-mile-per-gallon clean-diesel family hatchback. Yes, you read that right. Sadly, the Polo BlueMotion isn’t scheduled to come to the US anytime soon.

Although clean diesel is all the rage in Europe, here in the US it seems that most of the emphasis when it comes to green driving is on hybrids. We’ve talked about New York City’s hybrid taxi initiative, led by the Ford Escape Hybrid; the Escape’s twin, the Mercury Mariner hybrid is generating buzz as well. GM’s jumped into the hybrid market with the Saturn Aura Green Line and its twin, the funky Chevy Malibu hybrid, which launched at baseball’s All-Star Game this week:

And Chrysler is getting into the act, too, with a 2008 launch of hybrid Aspen and Durango models. Meanwhile, Toyota continues to rule the US hybrid market with its Prius, as stateside sales of the distinctive gas-electric snubnose top 400,000.

But wait…what about the plug-in car? The Chevrolet Volt concept car is exciting us here at CarGurus and in the media at large. Ford’s plug-in HySeries drivetrain grabbed fewer headlines, but may beat Chevrolet’s E-Flex plug-in to the market; a test fleet of plug-in Escapes is being tried out by a California utility company. Right now, the plug-in field is dominated by Ford and GM, which may make a difference when it comes to US government incentives going forward.

And let’s not forget some of the other technologies out there, from biodiesel and flex-fuel to hydrogen-powered cars. It’s enough to make your head spin…wait! Maybe I could power a flywheel with that!

Seriously, though, the automotive industry is in a time of incredible transition. I don’t think anyone knows what fuel(s) are going to be powering us down the highway in 20 years. Is the fuel of the future hydrogen? Biomass? Clean diesel (whether biodiesel or petroleum)? Battery power, either hybrid or plug-in? Some combination of the above?

Only time will tell. And speaking of “time”, this reminds me of a similar moment in automotive history: the very beginning.

Yep, when cars first started being manufactured commercially, there was a similar wealth of choices when it came to powertrains. Who remembers the Stanley Steamer, a gorgeous automobile whose engine was an adaptation of the plants that drove trains down tracks, and powered ships along the rivers and across the seas?

And while we’re looking backward, let’s not forget the early electric cars, either. These beautiful machines were thought by many to have more staying power than the “coarse” and “unreliable” gasoline-powered competition. A hundred years later, electric cars are the New New Thing. Who says history doesn’t repeat itself?

  Recently launched in Europe on July 7th, the re-emergence of the classic Fiat 500, or Cinquecento, has received a lot of press and a lot of buildup.  It was even voted the Sexiest Car in the World by readers of Top Gear.  And now, to keep the hype going, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has hinted that the Fiat 500 might reach American shores as soon as 2010.

Based on the Tepiuno concept and built on a Panda platform, the tiny car plays on the heritage of the original Cinquecento, which was introduced post-World War II as a ultra-compact city car able to navigate the traffic-filled streets of Italy.  It became an icon and a movie star, but left the planet in the 1970s.  Taking nods from the success of the MINI, Fiat employs retro styling in an effort to revive the 500 nameplate, blending it seamlessly with modern updates, which include an emphasis on customization, with a long list of cloths, colors, graphics, and wheel styles to choose from, as well as options for Bluetooth, voice recognition, and USB ports.  The entire development process of the new 500 was a direct result of consumer input and suggestions to the Fiat website.

The four-seater Fiat 500 is sold as three catchy trims in Europe with retro names — Naked, Pop, Lounge, and Sport — with three different four-cylinder engine choices, including a 69-hp 1.2-liter, a 98-hp 1.4-liter,  and a 78-hp 1.3-liter diesel, all with a choice of either a 5-speed or 6-speed manual.  Measuring just 120 inches long and and just over 50 inches wide, the Fiat 500 is purely a commuter car, able to maneuver tight corners and tight parking spaces.  Because storage is limited, a removable luggage rack can be attached to the rear window.  Class-leading safety comes with seven airbags, including front, side, curtain, and knee protection.

Fiat will have to fight the derogatory acronyms that have haunted it over here (Fix It Again, Tony, Feeble Italian Attempt at Transportation, for example), and find a way to sell the 500 despite the current lack of U.S. dealers and the use of the name already by Ford.  One solution they’ve considered is to go through Ferrari, but serious talks of this nature have yet to take off.  Direct rivalry will obviously be with the MINI and even the affordable and economical Smart ForTwo, though the retro mod cool factor associated with the Fiat name may make it an attractive buy for car enthusiasts.

More detailed information here 

It took awhile, but the 2008 smart fourtwo, a sporty two-door minicar built by Mercedes, is finally ready for its closeup. Although the actual cars won’t be available in the U.S. until the first quarter 2008, you can now reserve your very own smart fourtwo for just $99. The reservation program, available through the automaker’s website at www.smartusa.com, is open solely to autobuyers and enthusiasts; dealers and brokers cannot take part in the program. By the way, three models will be available, including the “pure” entry-level coupe, the well-equipped “passion” coupe, and the “passion” cabio (convertible), which is the most expensive of the trio.

The 8.8-foot-long smart fourtwo is currently sold in 36 countries. That’s right, the U.S. will be the 37th country in which the car will be sold. Obviously it took a long time for the smart fourtwo to reach these shores — but it’s not the only small car out there. Of course, BMW’s Mini is on sale here, but a quick look around the globe shows that there’s a lot more out there for lovers of these small, sporty, efficient vehicles. For instance:

>> Ford recently announced that just as it has reintroduced the Taurus, it is bringing back the Fiesta, or rather bringing the European version of the Fiesta to the U.S. Details are still sketchy, as is the final design, but word is that a two-door coupe version of the Fiesta will arrive in the U.S. in late 2008 or early 2009. The subcompact is expected to share a platform with the Mazda2 and feature aggressive styling. More info as it develops.

>> Although its currently not slated for sale in the U.S., the Suzuki Splash is certainly, well, making a splash. Scheduled to make its debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September, the Splash (above) is a Japanese car that will be built in Hungary and sold in Europe. The four-door minicar will be targeted at families and offer a choice of three engines, including an 86-horsepower four-cylinder gas engine as well as a diesel. It’s expected to go on sale next spring. Only time will tell if it reaches the U.S.

>> Finally, Italian automaker Fiat, which has a long history of building and selling small cars, recently unveiled its new Fiat 500 Cinquecento minicar at the Turin Auto Show. The short, snub-nosed vehicle, which will be sold in Europe as well as Turkey, Taiwan, and a number of other countries, will be a two-seat vehicle available in coupe and convertible versions, with four different trim levels and a choice of three engines. Although its cars are very popular in other parts of the world, Fiat hasn’t sold its cars in the U.S. since the 1980s, so there’s little to no chance of the 500 showing up here. But perhaps it will inspire American automakers to think small.

I’m an unabashed electric-car fangirl. Well, maybe I’m slightly abashed, but I really believe that all-electric vehicles, along with hybrids, are an important piece of transportation and environmental strategies for the future. (And electric cars are just so cool!)

And that’s why I was so excited to read the reports of Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn’s recent press conference in Bangkok. Mr. Ghosn, a native of Brazil, has been credited with pushing Nissan (and its subsidiary Renault) toward a greener focus in the past year or so; some observers suggest that his internationalist perspective has helped shake up entrenched thinking at Nissan, which lags well behind Toyota and Honda in embracing green initiatives.

Ghosn sounded like all systems were go at the Bangkok presser, with statements like this: “We continue on the lithium ion battery. We think for us it’s a competitive advantage [....] We have a lot of technology in this area, and we think this is going to be very helpful, not only for hybrids but also for electric cars.”

When questioned further, Ghosn declared, “If you have an efficient battery for a hybrid, why not go all the way and go for electric cars? It has zero emissions of anything.” (These quotes come courtesy of the Associated Press; the CarGurus budget doesn’t run to overseas junketing quite yet.) Ghosn also announced a collaborative project with the Japanese government, slated to place “hundreds” of all-electric cars in municipalities around the country.

This is exciting news for us electric-car junkies. With Toyota and Honda (and, in the US, Ford) so focused on the hybrid segment, the all-electric development territory is dominated by GM and a handful of small companies. Nissan entering the field would mean a dramatic increase in competition, which might well lead to faster development and production. With two major players, as well as some very innovative independents, in the field, the electric-car dream would be that much closer to reality.

And, alas, as I was putting this post together, today’s WhatCar? headlines a statement from Chris Lee, Nissan’s general manager of product planning and strategy, saying unequivocally that Nissan isn’t planning electric–or even hybrid–models any time soon. “Electric or hybrid cars are not returning the investment costs yet, so it is not a route to pursue for us,” is how Lee’s quoted.

Now, I don’t know what’s going on here, but it sounds as if Ghosn got a bit ahead of himself in Bangkok. I hope, though, that whoever’s really in charge of this stuff at Nissan will reconsider. Only time will tell, I guess. It was a nice dream to have for a few days.

And just to give us all something to dream on, here’s the Tesla Roadster burning up the test track.

If you’ve got $90,000 (and the juice to leapfrog a bunch of movie stars and other VIPs on the waiting list), you won’t have to wait for the automotive dinosaurs to go electric–the Tesla Roadster’s first production models are shipping this summer! Sometimes it’s not easy, or cheap, being green.

 
Yes, now even a drooling Sean Preston, sitting on mommy Britney’s lap, may be able to navigate the Pacific Coast Highway.  Leave it to Volkswagen to offer glimpses of the first operational self-driving car and even name it in homage to Herbie the Lovebug, itself a Volkswagen Beetle.  What used to make us laugh as kids is now a potential reality, tested recently and succesfully on the German track near Wolfsburg.  The Beetle, however, has been replaced by a Golf GTi, nicknamed the “53 plus 1″ in honor of Herbie’s number.

Self-driving cars seem to be inevitable, what with GM’s planned Opel Vectra utilizing similar technology.  The concept has been around for a while, and not just as a James Bond-like fantasy.  Used primarily as a way for carmakers to test out conventional vehicles, with the advent of increasingly hands, foot, and brain-free innovations (navigation systems, self-parking, cruise control, backup sensors), the auto industry seems to be inching its way towards a production-ready personal people-mover within a decade.

The test GTi 53 uses a combination of lasers and radar to detect road conditions and obstacles, and a satellite navigation system relays positioning with one-inch accuracy.  All this information is sent to the car’s computer in the trunk, which then, well, drives the car, based on a calculated configuration of distances, positioning, and speed.  The test car was able to accomplish all this, including turning and cornering, at speeds of up to 150 miles per hour.  And lest you think it was all carefully planned out and programmed, observers were allowed to change the test track by repositioning the traffic cones, and the GTi still navigated perfectly. 

The catch?  As of now, the car has to do a slowed-down initial test-run through the course in order to “learn” it before it can successfully renavigate it at normal speeds.  I suppose this is great if you’ve forgotten something at the grocery store you just left, but I’m not so sure people would be up for doubling up on their morning commute.  Whether drivers will ever feel fully comfortable in a self-driving Lovebug remains to be seen.  I suppose there are some who would love the hands-free mobility to put on makeup, change CDs, or eat their fast food burgers without the current fumbling.  Personally, I don’t even like cruise control, just because I don’t like the feeling that somebody or something else is controlling the car (call it the HAL syndrome) without any input from me.  And based on everyday experience with PCs, the term “computer crash” could take on a whole new meaning. 

You have to give Ford credit for its aggressiveness in designing and marketing its 2008 lineup of cars, SUVs and crossover vehicles, which are just starting to hit showrooms. And if truth be told, a number of the automaker’s vehicles have all the markings of surefire hits. The Ford Escape Hybrid (above) is one such up-and-comer, as are the Ford Edge crossover vehicle (introduced in 2007) and the Taurus X crossover (a rebadged Freestyle that shows promise, though the exterior design needs some tweaking). I also like the Focus, which is a great little entry-level vehicle, and I think the new Ford Taurus (a rebadged Five Hundred) has the possibility of being a breakthrough hit for the automaker.

The 2008 Taurus is an interesting vehicle, in part because of the attention paid to it by Ford’s interior design team. According to press reports, it appears that Ford is determined not to screw up this vehicle. Instead, the automaker is paying close attention to the details, or what is often referred to as the vehicle’s “fit and finish.” Such components as the shift knob, the instrument gauges, the feel of the audio control knobs, and even the sound the door makes when it closes have come under intense scrutiny by designers, who are seeking to create an image of quality.

That’s admirable, and it’s a theme that’s beginning to resonate through the car company. For proof, just take a look at the “Top 10 New Product Features” for 2008 Fords, Lincolns, and Mercurys. A partial list includes the following:

> Ford Sync, a “voice-activated, hands-free, in-car communications and entertainment system.” incorporates Bluetooth technology and USB connectivity to enable drivers to easily integrate their mobile phones and media players with the car’s systems. For instance, you can control your iPod simply by speaking to it. Cool. Developed with Microsoft, the Sync system will be available on 12 Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles later this year, and on all of Ford’s vehicles in two years.

> Voice-activated navigation, which enables hands-free operation, will enable drivers to control the navigation system with more than 100 vocal commands. It will be available on 13 Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles for 2008.

> A capless fuel filler will be standard on 2008 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer models. No need to ever worry again about losing the gas cap. Instead, the capless fuel system opens automatically when a fuel nozzle is inserted, and seals shut automatically when the nozzle is removed.

> Eco-friendly recycled seating surfaces, made from 100-percent post-industrial waste, are installed in the 2008 Ford Escape and Ford Escape Hybrid. This is an industry-first, Ford notes, and should save 600,000 gallons of water, 1.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, and 7 million kilowatt-hours of electricity.

Other Top 10 new product features include a rear-view camera system, an LED ambient interior lighting system, one touch power-assisted flip-and-fold seats in the Taurus X, and a Tailgate Step in the 2008 Ford F-Series Super Duty trucks. All in all, that’s a pretty impressive list. All that remains is to see if drivers respond to these innovations with their pocketbooks.