Have you ever wanted your cars emblem to have more personality and really come alive? Yea, me neither, but apparently at least one new company thinks there is a demand for car emblems with pizazz! Meet Emblem Alive by JEPP Industries
This “innovative” new technology (really?) will make your cars emblem really come alive! This is accomplished by adding sound and motion. They utilize a patent pending (really like someone else would patent this) design with VeSAM technology with projected availability in 2011. The initial launch will be for the Chevrolet Camaro and late model Ford Mustangs (1999-2004, which is old.) Emblem Alive’s tag line is “Your Cars Personality Coming to Life.” I personally do not want my cars personality coming to life in this manner. I can’t keep writing about this because I can’t stop laughing. I dare you to watch the video and keep a straight face.
The Silverado is a nameplate that goes back generations. People’s grandfathers and their grandfathers drove these pick up trucks while working the land. They are every worker’s friend and seem to always be there. Over the years, as we have evolved, so has the Silverado. The pickup of yore were smaller and less powerful, not to mention much less luxurious. Though things have changed, the underlying characteristics that makes the Silverado, the character has not.
In 2007 the Silverado went under the knife for a major refresh. In the first commercials Chevrolet had a clay Malibu and then showed designers reshaping the vehicle into the new Silverado. This was to try and tie the sharp styling of these two vehicles together and connect the Chevrolet brand. Without question, the outside of this truck is sharp. The front has the headlights stacked vertically and the hood has two small power bulges on the sides. The fender flares are over-sized and shaped nicely, though the side of the truck, specifically the cab is plain and rather slab sided. The windshield has a steeper rake then the previous generation Silverado and the panel gaps are tightened up. This all leads to better aerodynamics. Overall, the look is sharp on the exterior, though I would like to see more done with the cab styling.
The current Silverado rides on the GMT900 platform, a truck chassis adapted from the current Tahoe and Suburban. The frame is fully boxed and that helps not only the payload and towing specs, but also the ride. Engineers commented at the launch of the 2007 Silverado about how they wanted to keep high capacities but strived to hit a good mix for ride and handling, both when the truck was under load and when it was empty. It rides nice all the same.
I formed strong opinions about my experience with the truck and little things struck me. For instance, the Silverado I had was an extended cab. The rear half doors swung open on unique hinges a full 180 degrees. This is not only impressive but also quite handy. The truck also was equipped with the Z71 package which among other things, on the interior gave a unique gauge cluster background which resembled carbon fiber. I personally liked the gauge cluster in the Silverado. I found it easy to read and had all the necessary gauges a truck owner using his vehicle might need. I found the leather seats to be very comfortable and the leather seemed to be good quality. The sound system was the base unit and sounded decent at best. It got muddy with the lows, while not the worst system I would definitely opt for the upgraded unit. The USB port was hidden in what you would assume to be a power outlet but it was easy to reach and quickly connected with my iPhone using a little white cable. The biggest down fall of the interior, and this is a huge downfall, is the plastics. The entire dash is made of hard plastic that does not even look that great. The door panels are all cheap plastic except for the touch points. While this used to be fine in the pick up segment the competition (Ram and Ford F150) have all upgraded their interior cabin material significantly recently and that makes the Silverado look dated. All was not lost for I did like the electronic climate control interface. Though the gauge cluster, terrific 180 degree extended cab doors and electronic climate control interface cannot fully make up for the cheap interior plastics.
The 5.3L V8 in this Silverado pumped out 315 hp and 335 ft-lb pushed to the rear wheels though it had four wheel drive. A six speed automatic handled the power and was programmed quite well. It seemed to be in the correct gear and never seemed lazy. The mileage is rated at 15/21 which is definitely competitive and right along the lines of other full size pick ups. I averaged 14.8 throughout the week. The way this particular Silverado was equipped it was rated to tow a maximum of 10,400 lbs and the maximum payload is rated at 1714 lbs. Neither of these numbers was I able to confirm as I did not have a Bobcat lying around to tow. Though I can only assume it would tow a boat or trailer quite easily.
The Silverado I had was a 1500 4WD extended cab LT. With many packages tacked on this LT was not stripped. The optional packages included the interior plus package, exterior plus package, power pack plus package, off road suspension package, Z71 appearance package and the 40/20/40 split bench seat. Among these packages features such as the dual automatic climate control, Bluetooth, chrome exterior bits, remote start, and much more were added. The total sticker price rang up to $37,775. The package I wanted to take a moment to focus on was the power pack plus package. This upgraded the engine to the LTZ trim levels 5.3L V8 with active fuel management. That engine gives a few more horsepower and ft-lb but the real addition is the six speed automatic ditching the four speed transmission. I am a bit shocked this engine is not the standard V8 and transmission combination on the Silverado line. What is the exact reason for offering the 4.8L V8 and four speed automatic transmission on the base LT models. Make with the standard six speed transmissions already.
The reality is simple when it comes to the three American made trucks, you are not going to buy a bad truck. Really, I know you are about to blast me and that is because everyone has an opinion on this topic. The reality of it is these trucks are all very capable when it comes to working hard they are worlds nicer, stronger and more power then they used to be. At the end of the day would I recommend a Silverado to someone? Absolutely. Now ask me if it would be my first choice and I would say no. I really do like the Silverado but I would have to be honest and say both the new F150 and Ram 1500 are more competitive in their own rights. The interiors have been heavily upgraded and the innovative features are endless. The Silverado is not a bad truck, it simply is not currently the best truck. A complete refresh is coming around the 2013-2014 time frame (possibly sooner) and we shall see how the chips fall at that point.
Full Disclosure- The review vehicle was provided by General Motors
The numbers are officially in on the all-new Pentastar V6 and it will be pumping out 10 more hp then previously stated in the upcoming 2011 Grand Cherokee. That brings the grand total to 290 hp and 260 lb-ft channeled through a five-speed automatic. The optional Hemi will be rated at 360 hp and 390 lb-ft, also channeled through a five-speed automatic. Definitely notable is the estimated fuel mileage in the V6, which is expected to come in around 18 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. That is significantly better than the current generation Grand Cherokee’s 3.7 liter V6. The Hemi will probably be rated right around 14 mpg city and 22 mpg highway. For that kind of power the Hemi has a somewhat acceptable highway rating in my opinion. More news is sure to flow out on the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee as it is anticipated to go on sale next month and arrive in dealerships shortly after.
What do you do when you have a car that won’t be launching for almost a year? “Leak” your own photos, of course. Chevrolet did just that this afternoon, posting two photos of the upcoming 2011 Camaro convertible onto their Facebook fan page. They asked the question, “Anything about this Camaro look different to you?” Why yes Chevrolet, that looks like a convertible – not a coupe.
Things we can note from this is the rear bumper has the little sensors for a back up sensing system, which will be available on the 2011 Camaros. We can also see how the rear end has been designed (from a straight on viewpoint). The vehicle pictured is obviously the V-6 model, due to the missing fake hood intake. One of the things we already know about the convertible is that it will feature a cloth top rather then a hard top. I am fairly confident that this is the exact Camaro convertible I saw when touring the various GM design centers during the GM Tech Event last August. Until we get more pics, enjoy what Chevrolet has provided us.
The 2011 Buick Excelle is almost here and these shots do not leave a ton to the imagination. This new Buick will sell in the Chinese market and more then likely will arrive at some point here in the U.S. market. Powertrain is unknown but one can assume it will be powered by a four cylinder possibly featuring direct injection. The interior shot shows the continuation of the current Buick interior styling theme.
Episode 23 starts by discussing what CAFE standards are and also what the next generation standards will be along with when they are going into affect. Moving into the garage we talk about the GMC Acadia I was in for the past week along with the Chevrolet Traverse Colin was in. We then move along to the major news of the week segment. This week included-
We then proceed to the clip of the week segment. This week we featured an ad telling Canadians to stop urinating on the planet. (Link)
Next came our main topic which was discussing CAFE standards and solutions to meet those standards. We mainly talk about different materials used in building cars currently and possibly in the future.
I was recently talking to someone about the auto industry (shocking, I know). Perception about the current state of the industry came up in conversation and, more specifically, we talked about the very distinct and different views within the industry.
Recently we have been having tough economic times. Some called it a recession while some went as far as to call it a depression. I am not an economist but I will say things have been harder in all industries lately. Individuals and companies have tighter budgets and are spending less money.
Somewhat recently, two of the three American automakers filed chapter 11 and reorganized, making the companies reassess all product and future planning along with deciding what is making money and what was not, identifying where the demand is and trying to predict where will it be. Making a mistake can be costly. Ten years ago, mistakes were more easily accepted. These companies were large enough that the marketplace could gloss over mistakes but this is no longer the case. Every product launch counts. GM and other companies have said recently that there is no room for errors and mistakes: all new product launches need to go off without a hitch.
A few people in the automotive industry who I talk with are so negative, it is scary and it seems to be commonplace for many in the industry. The things I hear coming out of people’s mouths blows my mind! The complainers offer little in the way of real feedback and they just blast the automaker for doing anything incorrectly. This may shock some people but humans run the automakers. Humans are not perfect and make mistakes.
One bright spot is Adam Barrera. He tries to think positively. He praises the good and is productively critical of the bad. He does not only focus on the bad things and sees the whole picture. He is not perfect, but what Adam does have is a positive view on life, something others seem to be sorely lacking. Now, more then ever we need to be critical of what these companies are doing but we also need to push the companies to be better by offering feedback that is helpful. Make suggestions. When you say you do not like something, say why. Do not just say this is a piece of junk or that it has little or no reason to exist. Offer reasoning.
The bottom line is that being constantly negative will get us nowhere. Offering up ideas on how to improve will move us forward. The glass is not always half empty. Nothing is perfect and, in fact, many things are far from it. Offering critical feedback that shows the positive things and the negative things is invaluable. I will admit that I maybe a little more positive sometimes then I should be. Bringing a balanced view is important and I am trying to improve how I do that. There are far too many people in the industry that are negative and offer little in the way of praise when it is due. Do not be so high and mighty as to think that you know it all. None of us do. As a society, we need to work together to bring a better future in all aspects of life including the auto industry.
So I was watching two live blogs of the Apple iPhone OS 4.0 preview event and Joel Johnson from Gizmodo posts this (stating that is was completely off topic)- “So anyway, I bought this stuff called “SeaFoam” for the BMW which you add to the fuel and then it causes a huge cloud of smoke but apparently that’s really good for it? It’s basically cigarettes for cars. But without the cancer. Cigarettes that remove cancer. I guess it’s marijuana for cars.” After cracking up hysterically it dawned on me I must share this with the world.
If you asked me back in January what one of the best midsize sedans was, I would have instantly shot out the name Ford Fusion. We are now three months later and I have to say, “What just happened?” Remember Kia and Hyundai? You know, the Korean car companies. They used to make cars that you really did not want but you could afford them and they seemed to be safe enough. Them times are a changin’ and now the Korean car companies are not only making affordable cars, they are making cars you want to buy. Crazy concept, I know.
The new Optima and Sonata are sisters. They share their platforms and powertrains although the sheet metal and interiors are completely different. With everything from Bluetooth to navigation, these cars are every bit the car the competition is. In fact, as standard on two upper trim levels of the Optima, Kia has now even launched Uvo, a new infotainment system licensed through Microsoft and based on the same underpins as Ford’s SYNC. Uh oh….
2011 Kia Optima
2011 Kia Optima Interior
With three powertrain options ranging from a 2.4 liter direct injection four cylinder that achieves 35 mpg on the highway (yes, you read that correctly) to the new hybrid, the Korean car makers are making strides. Let’s not forget that direct injection turbo charged four cylinder 2.0 liter putting out 274 hp while still achieving 34 mpg on the highway. That alone is impressive but really, all these numbers are impressive in their own right.
The look of both these cars is distinctive. Exterior styling has sculpting and strong lines while interior styling in both is just terrific. No longer are these “budget cars.” The reality is that these are terrific looking cars. I overheard that a certain OEM was cursing under their breath at the New York Auto Show when the numbers on the hybrid and turbo engines were released. That in itself is a sign of the changing times. Do not just take my word for it just look at these cars.
I have recently been telling my friends how great Hyundai and Kia have become. They have come a long way. They have the product but the problem for some is still perception. Many of my closest friends (car friends and non-car friends alike) have scoffed telling me “I would never drive a Kia/Hyundai.” When I ask why, they exclaim how “junky” (their term not mine) they are. I am going to venture a guess that the new Optima (which is just gorgeous) and new Sonata (again, a real looker) might help change their minds. If not, it really ends up being their loss. I am not sitting here and blindly saying these two heavily refreshed cars are the absolute best in the segment (they will be for some consumers). There are plenty of great cars in this midsize segment to choose from. I am merely saying this is a wake up call and the other OEM’s need to be watching and taking notes. Kia and Hyundai should be seen as a serious threat because they are coming for you.
My buddy was surfing the infamous Craigslist to find a used gem. Along the way he stumbled upon this hidden treasure which he quickly sent me the link to check out its collectors status. This just has so much win about it. The best part is that it is truly honest marketing. They are up front about the car needing some work. It has already been put to a vote on Twitter and this absolutely makes it into the running for the best of Craigslist. Leave your marketing spin on this gem in the comments.
Source- Craigslist (be warned- as with any Craigslist posting the link will be broken once the ad expires or is taken down thus the embedded screen capture)
