Chris Shunk

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REPORT: Infiniti still mulling production Essence coupe

by Chris Shunk (RSS feed) on Dec 4th, 2009 at 11:28AM Geneva Motor Show


Infiniti Essence Concept - click above for high-res image gallery

When we first laid eyes on Infiniti's Essence concept at this year's Geneva Motor Show, we were, quite frankly, smitten by its voluptuous lines. We apparently weren't alone, as Infiniti exec Ben Poore has reportedly told Motor Trend that reaction to the concept was "phenomenal." When the Essence was unveiled, Infiniti told the audience at Geneva that the vehicle was concept-only and that future vehicles would be influenced by its stunning design. We were a bit disappointed by that news, because, of course, the world can never have too many stunning twin-turbo V6 hybrid coupes capable of a combined 592 brake horsepower.

But while we were let down by Infiniti's initial decision on Essence, we're at least encouraged by the fact that Poore recently told MT that that the concept is "only a show piece... for now." Could that mean that we could have a production vehicle based off of the Essence in the future? We hope so. Will it have a twin-turbo 3.7-liter V6 with a lithium-ion backed disc-shaped electric motor? Perhaps not, but we wouldn't exactly be disappointed if it did.


Gallery: Infiniti Essence Concept


Gallery: Geneva 2009: Infiniti Essence


[Source: Motor Trend]

REPORT: GM selling control of Chinese joint venture to SAIC, half of India operations

by Chris Shunk (RSS feed) on Dec 4th, 2009 at 9:00AM

It has been a busy week at General Motors. The week started off with CEO Fritz Henderson's abrupt resignation, then executives converged on the LA Auto Show where Bob Lutz was the keynote speaker and then the U.S. market Chevy Cruze was revealed. Now, the General is reportedly deep in negotiations halfway around the world with its Chinese partner, SAIC, to sell its partnership stake in what is now the largest auto market in the world.

Here is how the deal will reportedly break down: According to Reuters, GM will give SAIC a scant one percent of its interest in the China venture and 50% of GM's India operations. In exchange, the General would receive what amounts to about 20% of the value of the China venture. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal considering the fact that GM isn't exactly a big player in the Indian market – but there is a very big downside. If GM cedes one percent of its joint venture with SAIC, then the Detroit, MI-based automaker would no longer control its China operations. The rumored deal will contain a proviso that the General can later buy back its lost percentage for a "premium price." That sounds a little like GM just got a loan from SAIC and put up one percent of its ownership as collateral.

While GM currently has over $40 billion in its cash coffers courtesy of its recent bailout and bankruptcy, The General is in a big hurry to pay back the money it owes the government. It also has to contend with what is still a very soft auto market – not to mention Opel restructuring costs that could tally $5 billion or more. But China is also a monster part of GM's business plan, so any money gained from this deal could come at an even greater cost. We have to wonder if this deal had anything to do with Mr. Henderson's abrupt exit stage left...

[Source: Reuters]

Ford accepting applications for Fiesta Movement 2

by Chris Shunk (RSS feed) on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 8:28PM

2011 Ford Fiesta – Click above for high-res image gallery

Ford finally unveiled the U.S. version of its B-Segment Fiesta yesterday at the LA Auto Show, and thanks to some clever marketing, the Blue Oval's newest small car is already well-known to prospective buyers. Ford's ingenious "Fiesta Movement" marketing initiative, which put 100 Euro-spec subcompacts in the hands of socially advanced "agents," resulted in over six million YouTube views, 740,000 Flickr views and 3.7 million Twitter impressions. All that traffic has apparently resulted in a 60-percent vehicle recognition score in Ford's survey findings – a number that would be good for a vehicle that has already been on the market a few years.

The first Fiesta Movement was created to get the Fiesta in front of the car-buying public while engaging in customer-driven dialog. Connie Fontaine, Ford brand content and alliances manager, says that wave two will focus on "driving unparalleled consideration." In other words, Ford wants customers to be excited to buy a new Fiesta. Given the fact that Ford generated 80,000 "hand-raisers" with Fiesta Movement number one, another group of Fiesta agents probably isn't a bad idea.

Ford is looking now for 20 teams of agents to participate in getting the word out about its new small car. Interested parties can apply via video on fiestamovement.com between now and January 31. Round two begins in mid-February. Winning contestants will need to be "socially vibrant" and "in-tune with the latest happenings in their neighborhood." Winners will be chosen based on public reaction to their video presentations... though it probably wouldn't hurt to look young and Millenialish. Hit the jump to check out Ford's official press release.


Gallery: LA 2009: 2011 Ford Fiesta


[Source: Ford]

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Ford Motor Company

Driving Skills for Life

Ford hosted another Driving Skills for Life driving camp in Washington D.C. just before a two-day summit created by the U.S. Department of Transportation on the topic of distracted driving. The connection of the two is a natural.

Full Coverage >

Inside Line editors pick their 'Most Wanted' for 2010 - do you agree?

by Chris Shunk (RSS feed) on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 7:00PM


Inside Line Most Wanted 2010 – Click above for high-res image gallery

We love award season, even if it is a bit tough to keep up with them all. Motor Trend has a set of golden calipers for its Car, Truck and SUV of the Year winners. Car and Driver has its 10Best. Automobile has the, well, the Automobile of the Year. Then there's Edmunds Inside Line and its six Most Wanted winners. Sure, Most Wanted doesn't enjoy the same sort of name recognition as the aforementioned awards, but at the very least, we tend to like the vehicles IL picks as their favorites. We also appreciate the fact that their selection process isn't exactly chock-full of rules. If they tested the vehicle before November 1, 2009, then it's eligible for Inside Line's six shooter. The only award category that truly stands out is the "Instant Classic," an award won over the last two years by the Audi R8 and the Nissan GT-R, respectively.

This year's list didn't have quite the raw power of last year's winners, but we can definitely see where the final six could be considered big fun on four wheels. The big winner is the 2010 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. The 540-horsepower pony car picked up IL's Instant Classic award for being such a willing dance partner – even at 3,900 pounds. In fact, Blue Oval badges dominate this year's Most Wanted list, as the EcoBoost'd Flex and the wicked cool F-150 SVT Raptor made the final cut. Porsche scored with its new Panamera, while Audi found its way back on the list with the R8 V10. The cheap thrills Mazda3 rounds out this year's list. Click on the gallery below to check out Inside Line's Most Wanted winners in our high-res gallery, then let us know if you agree with their findings by leaving a note in 'Comments.'


Gallery: Inside Line Most Wanted 2009


[Source: Inside Line]

Ready, Set, Go! Clever stoplight concept counts down to green

by Chris Shunk (RSS feed) on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 5:40PM

Eko stop light - Click above for image gallery

We've got the stoplights in our neighborhood timed pretty well, but it's pretty painful when you're at a foreign intersection and have absolutely no idea when the light will turn green. We shift our vehicle into Neutral and give our left foot a break at a stoplight that we know is long, but at uncharted lights, we occasionally keep our clutch foot to the floor.

One designer by the name of Damjan Stankovic decided we should wait no longer, so he designed an innovative-looking "Eko" stoplight that offers an easy to read indicator that shows how much time the light has until it turns green. The idea has some merit. If you want to conserve fuel and reduce CO2 emissions, you could turn off your engine during truly long lights. (We wouldn't, but you could). If drivers were able to see the light from far away, they could also let off the accelerator early and save a little strain on the brakes. We can think of one big issue, though: drivers trying to time the turn from red to green.

What do you think? Would a red light timer be a good thing, or would it be a recipe for disaster? Give us your take in 'Comments.' Thanks for the tips, Spyros and Jared!


Gallery: Eko Stop Light


[Source: Yanko Design]

LA 2009: Ford Taurus and Volvo XC60 named International Car and Truck of the Year

by Chris Shunk (RSS feed) on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 4:58PM

Ford Taurus and Volvo VX60 named International Car of the Year – Click above for high-res image gallery

Hold onto your hats folks, because while magazine award ceremonies appear to be just about finished, the auto show trophies are just starting to be handed out. This time, it's the International Car of the Year at the LA Auto Show, and we've got two winners from within the Ford empire. The Ford Taurus took top car honors while the Volvo XC60 won as the best truck. Both vehicles have been well received by the press and early returns from customers appear to be positive, too. While the Taurus is outselling its bland and unexciting predecessor, the XC60 has helped Volvo achieve six consecutive months of year-over-year sales increases.

ICOTY creator and executive producer Courtney Caldwell claims that the winners aren't chosen based on performance, but instead on how the vehicles "reflect our personalities, lifestyles and self-image and how well the automaker achieves that goal through the design and marketing of the vehicle." Uh-huh. And while the ICoTY award isn't exactly one of the big-name trophies for the mantle, a win is a win, and both Ford and Volvo are proud recipients of the accolades. Hit the jump to read over the press releases from Ford and Volvo.


Gallery: LA 2009 COTY: 2010 Ford Taurus and 2010 Volvo XC60


[Sources: Ford, Volvo]

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VIDEO: 2011 Ford Mustang with 305-HP V6 gets seen and heard in motion

by Chris Shunk (RSS feed) on Dec 3rd, 2009 at 2:59PM


2011 Ford Mustang - Click above to watch the video after the jump

The 2011 Mustang is only one year removed from a major refresh, but that didn't stop Ford from adding a host of upgrades, especially to the V6 model, to better-compete against its new pony car competition. While we certainly don't discount the V6 Stang's new suspension and packaging updates, the big story resides under its bonnet. The new 3.7-liter V6 packs 305 horsepower mated to a six-speed auto tranny (a six-speed manual is also available, but you lose 1 mpg) giving the new Mustang a big advantage over its predecessor while reportedly delivering the 30 mpg efficiency the masses are looking for.

We got our hands on some b-roll video of the new Mustang V6, with both static and moving shots. If that's not a good enough reason to watch there is also some aural pleasure courtesy of the new 3.7-liter V6. Unfortunately, the engine sounds are only audible when the Stang is in park but it still sounds pretty meaty when inside the cockpit. Hit the jump to see and hear the 2011 Mustang V6 in action.


Gallery: 2011 Ford Mustang 3.7-liter V6


[Source: Ford]

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LA Preview: 2011 Ford Fiesta for America revealed, hits 40 mpg

by Chris Shunk (RSS feed) on Dec 2nd, 2009 at 12:01AM

2011 Ford Fiesta – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Ford Fiesta has proven to be a very successful small car wherever it's sold in the world. Ford has sold 12 million Fiestas over the vehicle's lifetime and the new-for-2009 model has moved half a million units already this year in Europe and Asia. It's a smash hit in spite of the fact that the Fiesta is not for sale in the U.S., a.k.a. the world's biggest car market. That all changes in the spring of 2010 as the Fiesta finally makes its way stateside.

Ford appears to be focusing its efforts in the U.S. small car market at exactly the right time, as consideration for B-Segment vehicles is at an all-time high and the trend appears to be upwardly mobile. And while Ford would love for us to believe that it was clairvoyant when deciding to bring the Fiesta to the U.S., it just isn't true. In fact, the Fiesta wasn't originally designed for the U.S. market, but the shock of $4 per gallon gas and a new-found interest in eco-friendly transportation led the Blue Oval to rethink its strategy. Ford didn't start readying the Fiesta for the U.S. market until many bits and bolts of hardware were already settled, so Team Blue had to go back to the drawing board to make its small car ready for Americans. The result is a U.S.-spec Fiesta that has only 60% of its parts in common with the Euro Fiesta. Will Americans be missing out? Follow the jump for everything you need to know about the Fiesta.


Gallery: 2011 Ford Fiesta

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REPORT: GM could sell some Saab assets to Chinese; brand has through year's end to find buyer

by Chris Shunk (RSS feed) on Dec 1st, 2009 at 7:26PM



General Motors' Saab brand has been given a one month stay of execution as the Detroit, MI-based automaker has announced that it will hold off on a decision regarding the brand's fate until the end of the year. GM's apparent non-decision comes just one week after it announced that Swedish specialty car maker Koenigsegg unexpectedly pulled out of the running for Saab.

While GM isn't commenting on any potential suitors at this time due to non-disclosure agreements with the parties involved, speculation is that Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. and Wyoming-based Merbanco Inc are in the running for the struggling Swedish automaker. BAIC appears to make some sense considering the Chinese automaker's desire to enter the U.S. market and the fact that it was also involved in a bid to purchase Opel from GM earlier in the fall.

Beijing Auto was also reportedly involved in the original Koenigsegg deal, which fell apart for reasons we may never know. GM said in a brief statement (available after the jump) that if no deals materialized by the end of the year, it expects to begin an orderly wind down of the global Saab business at that time."

[Sources: The Detroit News; General Motors | Image: Torsten Silz/AFP/Getty Images]

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Michael Richards named Buick GMC general manager

by Chris Shunk (RSS feed) on Dec 1st, 2009 at 7:01PM



Fritz Henderson's unexpected resignation may have taken top billing today, but it wasn't the only move announced by General Motors today. Michael Richards has been named the new General Manager of Buick GMC effective immediately, with the automaker looking from outside the company to fill the roll. Richards replaces Susan Docherty, who was named Vice President of US Sales in October. Richards joins GM after a short stint at Trilogy Automotive in Austin, Texas, where he led the use of digital and Internet-based solutions. Richards also worked as a consultant for JD Power where he launched tools for improved vehicle launch profitability and customer satisfaction.

The bulk of Richards' experience comes from cross-town rival Ford where he worked from 1981-2008. Richards was most recently the marketing brand manager for Lincoln Mercury from 2006-2008. Prior to that he worked as the general sales manager for Ford Customer Service from 2002-2006.

Regardless of where Richards received his management chops, Vice Chairman and Marketing and Communications chief Bob Lutz likes what he has with the long-time Ford man. "We are pleased to have Mike as a member of the GM family. His vast sales and marketing experience will be invaluable in his new role, as he leads the team building the Buick and GMC brands."

[Source: GM]

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Autoblog Podcast #155: 'Twas the night before LA...

Chris, Dan, and Editor Paukert go over some LA Preview action and quietly whoop it up on the podcast.

 
 

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