Triumph's newest version of the famed Bonneville is like a single-malt Scotch from the islands: It's lost much of its edge with time. A modern take on a 50-year-old classic, it's for riders who desire the mystique that the names "Triumph" and "Bonneville" conjure without the hassle, treachery and discomfort of bikes from the era in which those names were made famous.
First introduced in 1959 by brand originator Triumph Engineering Co., the Bonneville is beloved for its classic style and sporting pedigree. Racing to victories at the Isle of Man TT and Daytona in the '60s, the Bonneville has been considered the playboy gentleman of bikes ever since -- the sort of fellow who will kiss a lady's cheek, hold open her door...and pinch her well-toned fanny.
But the SE isn't such a cad. Manufactured by Triumph Motorcycles in Hinckley, the third and most current owner of the marque, the SE looks similar to an old Brit with its megaphone dual exhaust, spoked wheels and other retro "special equipment," but its temperament is reminiscent of another island country -- Japan. It's like a Boddington's ale with a sake chaser -- or three.
The SE has few mechanical traits in common with its distant forebear -- a 650 cc, double-carbureted twin which needed a swift kick to start its pushrod engine and some patience to endure its leaks, vibrations and shorts of finicky electrics. The SE is, like all modern Bonnies since 2007, an 865. It employs a double overhead cam, and it's fuel injected.
This Saturday, May 9, anyone with a membership in a car club is already signed up to show their pride-and-joy all over the Southern California landscape. We've cherry-picked a few car shows to choose from just in case you have a hankering to be a spectator of some very hot wheels. Click the links to get locations and details. Culver City - Cruisin' Back to the 50s Hundreds of classic cars and hot rods from all across California will be on display, as well as great exhibitors and vendors. Rockabilly bands, George Barris, creator of the Batmobile, the Munsters' Koach, the Beverly Hillbillies' jalopy. Check the links for exact locations and details. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Pomona - Cal Poly Pomona Tractor and Car Show Located at the Farm Store at Cal Poly Pomona campus, there are free tractor rides, tunes by DJ Havoc, a petting zoo and craft booths. Oh yeah, and custom, classic, muscle, street rods and motorcycles too. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Long Beach -- K-9 Officer's Association Benefit Car Show Of course hot rods and classic cars and motorcycles will be there, but there's also a K9 demonstration and you get to check out the Long Beach Police Academy. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Costa Mesa -- Que'n for Kids Charity Car Show -- Orange County Fairgrounds It's $10 to get in, but proceeds go to Kristie’s Foundation -- a nonprofit organization that provides assistance, support and cherished moments to critically-ill children and their families. There's also a barbecue cook-off and a butterfly release at noon. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Teens get monitored more than most people do in their daily lives: at school, at home, at work and often remotely by cellphone or global positioning system. You can even monitor their driving habits without actually sitting in the car with them.
Not only that, but a study released today suggests that a new kind of in-car tracking device results in safer driving habits for teens at a time when they're at their most vulnerable: flush with a newly attained license and driving a car without adult supervision.
Devices to track drivers' locations are nothing new, with GPS becoming commonplace in the most tech-phobic of families, but the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety studied a new gizmo that also allows a parent or guardian to monitor a teen's speed in real time. It also lets them know whether their teen is wearing a seat belt and whether he squealed the brakes or tires on the family car. The device also features an in-car alert for when they're driving over 65 mph (like those in some Volvo and Saab models currently on the market).
Result: safer teen driving habits, according to the IIHS. But not without raising a couple of questions on privacy and long-term effectiveness. And of course the simmering question: Would you like your own driving habits to be monitored this way?
As we approach the summer travel season, the American Automobile Assn. says it anticipates “coming to the rescue of 7.3 million stranded motorists this summer. During the months of June, July and August, AAA expects a rise of nearly 1.5 percent in roadside assistance requests over the same time frame in 2008.”
Really? An increase, despite the general reduction in miles driven? “AAA believes a combination of lower gas prices, consumers holding onto their vehicles longer and some motorists cutting regular maintenance from their budgets will drive an increase in the need for roadside assistance this summer,” said AAA Automotive Vice President Marshall L. Doney.
At least one independent mechanic we spoke to thinks the lack of regular maintenance is the leading factor. “We’ve never had so many cars come in on a wrecker,” said Robert Mitchell, who runs Mitchell’s Garage in Orlando, Fla. “People are letting things go with their cars until it’s too late, and it breaks down on them.”
AAA says it is is able to remedy problems at the roadside two out of three times, avoiding the need for an inconvenient vehicle tow. However, the motor club finds the number of motorists who suffer major vehicle problems that do require a tow usually increases during the summer months. This summer, AAA estimates, it will tow nearly 3.2 million vehicles.
“Many of the problems that end up with the vehicle on the back of a tow truck could have been prevented with regular maintenance,” Doney said.
In an effort to turn around the minds of headline-reading consumers, Chrysler will launch a national television and print campaign next week airing on prime-time shows including NBC’s "30 Rock" and "The Office."
One of the five television spots will be a corporate ad called “Bright Future” that covers a whole lot of ground in a very short 30 seconds:
The spot communicates that Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge…
...are forming an alliance with Fiat to produce smaller, more efficient cars ...are building cars you want like Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger and Chrysler Town & Country ...are restructuring the organization to be lean and competitive ...have the best warranty, backed by the U.S. government ...are building electric vehicles.
The main message, Chrysler spokesman Scott Brown says, is that although Chrysler is making headlines for bankruptcy and dealership closings, it’s really just “business as usual.” Brown says that the stigma of bankruptcy is different from what it once was -- that people don't think of it in the same negative way these days. “We firmly believe that when people get a great product -- the right car, the right package at the right time, they’ll start buying those cars.”
It appears Congress is close to reaching final terms on a "Cash for Clunkers" program, a stimulus effort that would give consumers up to $4,500 to purchase a new car. The catch? You have to trade in your old car. And your old car has to get terrible gas mileage.
On Tuesday, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce released a fact sheet outlining the terms of the plan. According to the document, passenger cars being traded in (i.e. the "clunker"), must get a combined EPA rating of less than 18 mpg. In order to be eligible for vouchers, new cars must get at least 22 mpg. Mileage improvements of at least 4 mpg will net consumers $3,500, while improvements of 10 mpg or higher pay the maximum of $4,500.
If you're in the pickup truck or SUV market, life's a little easier. Minimum fuel economy for new vehicles is pegged at 18 mpg, and mileage needs to improve only by 2 mpg to qualify for a $3,500 voucher; $4,500 vouchers come with improvements of 5 mpg. Requirements for large light-duty trucks (6,000 to 8,500 pounds) and work trucks (8,500 to 10,000 pounds) are even less stringent.
Similar programs have met with mixed success in Europe. German market auto sales are actually up, thanks to a plan in which consumers are entitled to incentives of about $3,000. Italy is offering up to $6,500 to participants that qualify, and Great Britain will write residents a check for about $2,900. Still, auto sales in the United Kingdom were down around 30% in March.
There's only a limited time to act on the U.S. program — it will run for only one year if passed by Congress,
Ford announced today that it would invest $550 million to retool and re-engineer its large SUV factory in Wayne, Mich., to begin production of an all-electric Ford Focus BEV (battery electric vehicle) in 2011. Given that this electric car has not yet been announced in concept form, news of the electric Focus and the survival of the Wayne plant comes at a time when Ford’s public relations clout seems to be as important as its product lineup.
The Michigan truck plant is adjacent to the Wayne assembly plant that produces the current Ford Focus. The plants are 10 miles west of the company’s headquarters in Dearborn, Mich. The truck plant was one of two Ford plants that built large Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs -- the other in Kentucky is still operational. In November 2008, when demand for the large SUVs dropped, the Michigan plant went idle for retooling and jobs were lost as an outcome.
Ford spokesman John Clinard said that although jobs would be created by the new plant, many employees would be consolidated from the existing Wayne plant that produces the current Ford Focus. "Our plan to create this new, modern and flexible facility will incorporate employees from the adjacent Wayne assembly plant," he said. The new operation will support approximately 3,200 jobs when operations are in full swing at the end of 2010, Clinard said.
It will take $430 million for plant reconstruction and $120 million more for launch and engineering costs. So where is the money coming from? Beyond Ford’s investment, the state of Michigan, Wayne County and the city of Wayne will contribute more than $160 million in tax credits and grants, and the plant will be the state’s first “automotive technology anchor site,” which will mean additional tax incentives for technology suppliers to move in – potentially creating even more jobs.
At the Detroit Auto Show in January, Ford made a general announcement of its plan to create its first all-electric commercial vehicle in 2010 (the Transit Connect commercial vehicle, made in Europe) and another battery electric small car in 2011 (which we now know is the next-generation Focus). They also announced that 2012 would bring next-generation hybrid vehicles and a plug-in hybrid.
-- Joni Gray
Photo: The Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne. Credit: Bloomberg News
Volkswagen launches five new 30-second television spots this week -- its continuation of the "Das Autos" campaign that features Max, the 1964 black Beetle with the German accent, commenting on an array of new Volkswagen models.
The new campaign, developed with VW ad agency Crispin Porter & Bogusky, features a new character, a 1963 red Micro Bus unimaginatively named "BUS," that will be played by Thomas Haden Church. Church, who began in radio, was nominated for an Academy Award for the 2004 film "Sideways." He grabbed the chance to be the voice of the Micro Bus, "I was excited by the chance to work with an iconic brand like Volkswagen and to develop my character to help make the campaign fun and irreverent."
For the first time in VW's history, the campaign will make direct competitive slams at other brands. Another first is VW's foray into social networking giant, Facebook, where viewers will be directed to visit and interact beginning May 18.
-- Joni Gray
Photos: 1963 VW Micro Bus from Volkswagen, Thomas Haden Church in "Sideways" from Fox Searchlight Pictures
For the record: This article had the spelling of Thomas Haden Church as "Hayden" and has since been corrected.
According to the automotive information web site Edmunds.com, Chrysler's bankruptcy -- coupled, perhaps, with positive statements from the president -- has actually bolstered consumers' interest in buying a Chrysler product.
Since last Thursday's Chapter 11 filing, "the visitors on the Edmunds.com website who are shopping for Chrysler models shot up 15%," the company announced. "By comparison, GM's shopping consideration dropped 6% since Thursday and Ford's was up 7%."
Said Edmunds CEO Jeremy Anwyl: "I'd call this 'the Obama bounce,'" referring to the president's recent speech in which he discussed Chrysler's situation and urged consumers to consider buying an American car.
"Maybe the Chrysler bankruptcy announcement attracted the bargain shoppers who may think a bankruptcy is the same as liquidation with price-busting clearance sales," said Edmunds' AutoObserver.com editor Michelle Krebs.
The website said dealers are reporting that customers are coming into the showroom making outrageously low offers for Chrysler vehicles, expecting dealers to take any price just to sell a car. While Chrysler vehicles are selling for a greater below-sticker discount than the industry average, the difference is not dramatic.
Will this increased "purchase intent," as Edmunds calls it, translate into increased sales? Too early to tell. "Perhaps Chrysler loyalists, though dwindling in ranks, are coming to the aid of their brand -- or seeing this as the last hurrah to buy their favorite brand," said Krebs.
-- Steven C. Smith
Photo: Chrysler dealership. Credit: Chris McGrath/Getty Images
When it comes to service and repairs, car owners surveyed by Consumer Reports said they preferred taking their cars to independent repair shops rather than dealerships.
Consumer Reports, the consumer affairs magazine and website published by the Consumers Union, surveyed owners of 349,000 vehicles among its subscriber base.
When it came to routine maintenance, 84% of respondents reported being “very satisfied” with the service that they received at independent repair shops, compared with only 77% satisfaction at dealerships. The difference was more pronounced where repair work was involved, with 75% giving the highest rating to independent shops versus 57% for dealerships.
“In many cases, we heard that independent shops were more thorough and consumers were more satisfied with repairs they made, there was less of a difference in routine service,” said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports Auto Test Center.
"The good news is consumers have choices when it comes to auto repair and maintenance," said a spokesman for the National Automobile Dealers Association, a trade group based in McLean, Va. that represents the nation’s new car and truck dealers.
"Today’s vehicles are becoming increasingly complex . . . "New car dealers invest heavily in training, service equipment and diagnostic tools."
Among individual brands, domestic dealerships fared quite well, with Buick, Saturn, Mercury, Cadillac and Lincoln all landing in the top 10 (Lexus was No. 1). At the bottom of the ranking were Mazda, Nissan, Jeep, Suzuki and — in last place — Volkswagen.
The full results of the survey will be in the June issue of Consumer Reports, which hits newsstands Tuesday, and at www.consumerreports.org.
-- Martin Zimmerman
Photo: John Kalleen of Accurate Autoworks in Pasedena. Credit: Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times
The Times's Greenspace blog posted Sunday about a motorcycle emissions bill making its way through the California Legislature.
The bill would enforce biennial "smog checks" on motorcycles 280cc and larger. It seems that certain types of motorcycles emit 14 times more emissions of oxides of nitrogen and hydrocarbons.
The bikes crashed. The data was collected. And the information from the 53 accidents investigated in the Southern California pilot phase of the U.S. motorcycle crash causation study are now sitting -- waiting for an assessment of its efficacy and, more importantly, a huge infusion of cash.
The long-awaited follow-up to the 1981 Hurt Study is short at least $2 million, and it's unclear whether that funding will come through any time soon. Or ever.
Filling the void is MAIDS 2.0. An update of the Motorcycle Accident In-Depth Study conducted in five European countries a decade ago, MAIDS 2.0 is a drilling-down of the data for the 921 crashes included in that report, specifically the 100 crashes that resulted in death -- 25 of which occurred on bikes under 50 cc and 75 of which happened on motorcycles 50 cc and larger.
Of the under-50 cc bikes, step-through scooters had a higher fatality rate than swing-a-leg-over models, such as mopeds. Riders of either type of under-50 cc machine who were aged 41 and older were 8-1/2 times more likely to die in a crash than younger riders. The rider, not another vehicle, was responsible for his or her own death in 64% of the fatal crashes; most often, the rider failed to perceive a road hazard and, as a result, failed to react to avoid that hazard. Most of the fatalities occurred in urban areas.
For motorcycles 50 cc and up, the most fatality-prone class was sport bikes. A bike's displacement and maximum velocity were not significant factors in predicting a rider's death, nor was the rider's age -- unless the irder was 22 to 25 years old and speeding. The highest incidence of death occurred in the 26-to-40 age range. As with bikes under 50 cc, the rider, not another vehicle, was at fault in most crashes that ended in death. The most common rider error for motorcyclists was making the wrong decision in reaction to a road hazard; 44% of motorcyclists also lost control in their avoidance maneuver. Most of the fatalities occurred in rural areas.
As we witness automotive history being made via corporate bankruptcies and government bailouts, the nation is polarized over whether to be supportive or critical of American car brands. We at Up to Speed see it in your comments, and results from a recent study by Gallup show a substantial jump in consumer interest for American car brands.
This is all well and good while the crisis continues, but the truth is that there are fewer American car brands in existence than ever before. History has recorded nearly 2,000 American brands since the industry's inception, but the recent loss of Pontiac, Saturn and Hummer leave only 10 truly American brands in the mix: Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac and GMC trucks.
So, if we purchase American cars, are we helping our own countrymen? What about foreign cars built in the U.S.? How do we know the difference? Kelley Blue Book's Classic Car Guide Editor Phil Skinner helped us ponder these questions and said that the answer lies right on your car's dashboard in the 17-digit number called the Vehicle Identification Number (or VIN). Actually, the truth lies in the very first number (or letter) of the VIN.
When a nearly century-old car brand dies, the automotive press works fast to get their obits up and running. This week's announcement of Pontiac's demise inspired some fast-moving journalism in the auto blogosphere and we've put together some of the best we found (including our own).
Though the praise and razzing are equally doled out, each story has its own unique take on the history of Pontiac along with priceless photos, TV commercials and expert insight.
Autoblog Top 10 worst Pontiacs of all Time Why be sappy and sentimental when you can find the worst in the Pontiac brand and "blog it!" Autoblog took that route.
Jalopnik Pontiac Is Dead... Again Jalopnik called the death early -- their obit, which ran last February, was taken out, dusted off and posted again -- this time with plenty of gloating. In it are a few great old TV commercials -- even one featuring Paul Revere and the Raiders!
Story: Pontiac's demise gets a muted response Tiffany Hsu takes a look at the response of consumers and the car industry to the demise of Pontiac. Is it leaving this world with a whimper? Seems so.
Cleaner than a G-rated movie, quieter than a plug-in toothbrush, it's Zero Motorcycles' new Zero S -- the first production electric street bike to roll on to the U.S. market. About 600 of these lithium ion-powered motorcycles will be built at the company's Santa Cruz facility this year, 100 of which have been pre-sold based on nothing but Zero's rep and former product.
The street-legal follow-up to the off-road Zero X introduced last year, the S is the clean, green superhero of supermotos. Powered with a four-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that propels the bike as far as 60 miles at a maximum speed of 60 mph, all it's missing is a cape. Designed to slink through town silently, spewing zero emissions while in use and sipping electricity from an ordinary wall outlet when at rest, it's a bad ass with a Colgate smile. It's Erik Estrada gone electric.
The S uses the same brushed, magnetic motor as the X; it's just been re-geared for higher speed to keep up with city traffic. Customers who ask for a custom chain and sprocket can boost the 60 mph max that's standard. Unlike the X, the S has an on-board charger, located just beneath the oven-sized battery. Attached to that charger is the world's shortest power chord. About three inches long, it tucks in to the bike's frame and attaches to an extension chord that can be carried in the bike's aluminum frame.
Media reports, citing anonymous sources, were circulating today that General Motors intends to scrap the 83-year-old brand as part of an accelerated reorganization plan to be unveiled next week.
As part of its effort to avoid bankruptcy, GM had already said it planned to reduce Pontiac to a niche brand, perhaps represented in showrooms by a single model — the Australian-built G8 sports sedan.
In a statement today, GM said that “contrary to media speculation, General Motors has not announced any changes to its long-term viability plan or to the future status of any of its brands.” And a week ago, newly minted GM Chief Executive Fritz Henderson branded as “speculation” reports that the automaker would consider killing or selling the Pontiac marque.
It should be noted, of course, that the latest reports surrounding Pontiac haven’t claimed that GM “announced” it would get rid of Pontiac, only that it plans to reveal its intention to do so next week. So the GM statement amounts to a bit of a non-denial denial.
Edmunds.com, for one, wasn’t buying it. “Pontiac is Dead” was the headline on a report rushed out late this morning. The demise would come even as the G8 was bringing back fond memories of the brand’s performance-car past.
“Just as the G8 reawakened our interest in 83-year-old Pontiac, the brand falls victim to bad times and old mistakes,” lamented Daniel Pund, senior editor of Edmunds’ Inside Line.
If Chrysler were to liquidate, its vehicles would sell for 30 to 40 cents on the dollar.
That's the best estimate of AutoNation Chief Executive Mike Jackson, who addressed concerns about the status of Chrysler and General Motors Corp. in announcing his dealership chain's first quarter earnings report this morning.
"On Chrysler, I think it's likely a deal gets done, but it's possible that, due to the complexity of the negotiations, it can't get done and you have to wind down that concern," said Jackson, who added that he believes GM is all but certain to survive the bailout process.
"For GM, I'm not concerned," he said.
Jackson's own company saw earnings for the quarter decline 32%, as new and used sales decreased, service revenue was down and credit remained tight. Still, that result -- a $34.6-million profit for the quarter, or 20 cents per share -- beat analyst expectations of 16 cents per share earnings.
AutoNation revenue dropped 36% to $2.47 billion.
Because AutoNation was able to eliminate $500 million in debt in the quarter while at the same time reducing inventories by 20,000 vehicles, Jackson portrayed the results in a positive light.
Corvette owners will have one less place to read about their favorite car — at least for the next six months.
Corvette Quarterly, the in-house magazine aimed at fans of the iconic Chevrolet sports car, recently told readers it would not publish its spring and summer issues.
According to a message on the magazine’s website, “we are taking some time to make Corvette Quarterly the best source of Corvette news available.”
That hinted that the magazine, which claims a circulation of 250,000, could return some day. But given the financial woes facing Chevy’s parent General Motors, some Corvette fans were concerned that Corvette Quarterly may never return, or that if it does, it would be only as an online publication.
New Corvette buyers got the magazine free for three years. Other enthusiasts paid $33.95 for a three-year subscription. GM sent refunds to paying subscribers — another clue that the hard-copy CQ may be an endangered species.
Its demise wouldn’t be lamented by all Corvette buffs. Noland Adams, a Corvette expert and former president of the Solid Axle Corvette Club in North Highlands, Calif., said the magazine appealed mainly to owners of newer Corvette models, not the classics that Adams and his colleagues prefer.
“It’s mostly news about the new Corvettes. That’s what they’re interested in publicizing,” Noland said. “To my group, Corvette Quarterly is kind of a lost cause.”
American Honda Motors celebrated Earth Day at the Honda Center in Anaheim with a multi-sponsored festival, a Honda Insight (the old one) “homecoming” and a public ride-and-drive of the 2010 Honda Insight that recently went on sale.
Although only about 40 of the older hybrids showed up to the event, Honda spokesmanKurt Antonious mentioned that a few owners traveled thousands of miles to be there for the “Homecoming.” “I’m amazed with how far people have come to join us today… .One drove all the way from New Jersey.”
On hand for the green event was hypermiler Wayne Gerdes of Wadsworth, Ill., -- the man who laid claim to coining the term “hypermiler” to describe a driver who gets the maximum mpg with sometimes extreme driving habits. Wayne, who runs the online forum, Cleanmpg.com, said he first posted the term on a popular autos forum just after Sept. 11.
While the big banks beg to give back their TARP money, automaker Ford Motor Co. continues to enjoy the fact that it never took any dough in the first place.
With all the national attention on General Motors Corp. and Chrysler, recipients of $17.4 billion in federal aid and more than a bit of official critique, Ford Motor Co. has for the most part been able to dodge the spotlight. And as this paper noted last week, Ford turns out to thrive in the shade.
Still, Ford believes that Washington could offer it a bit of help. According to Chairman Bill Ford Jr., the administration should create incentives to spur auto sales and enact a gasoline tax that would encourage people to buy more efficient vehicles.
"I think we need help with an autos stimulus plan," said Ford in an interview this week with the Los Angeles Times at a Fortune magazine conference on green business in Laguna Niguel. He believes that a cash-for-clunkers program, coupled with a federal tax that would maintain gas prices above a certain level, would help the U.S. auto industry survive the current crisis.
Although Ford hasn't had to dip its hands into the federal coffer, the Dearborn, Mich., company could definitely use some help. Through March, its U.S. sales are down 42%. And although that's better than the results at GM or Chrysler, it still is worse than the overall industry average, prompting some analysts to wonder whether Ford would be forced into federal arms soon if things don't turn around.
Henry Ford's great-grandson downplayed that notion.
