Yep, front end just doesn't look right with those side 'scoops' or whatever they are, and the grill seems odd. They get that look right on their cheap cars, but this megabuck one? Not so much...
* windows go all the way up to the roof * suicide doors will disappear * must be, what, 22" rims? * rear diffuser will be tamed down * goggles will have to go (hopefully) * it will get real side mirrors
Underneath all that is a big brother to the Optima.
Spotted one of the new MG Magnettes - a Ford dealer in Essex has added an MG franchise to his business, and it was sitting out the front, covered in decals etc - I only saw it as I went by, didn't get a chance to stop, but it looks just like the MG6 to me,not that those are around much either. The name Magnette has been chosen as I gather they thought MG6 was a bit bland - although it isn't a name most people under about 50 would be familiar with, as the last ones were made in the mid 60's...
I think MG are the only new Chinese cars sold in UK, although I regularly see a Wuhan microbus - that has Polish plates though...
Also saw two of the new Range Rover Evoques on a car transporter, when coming down from Northern England last Monday - a three door and a five.. I think the launch is this weekend, so I suppose these were dealer demonstrators - they were with about six Discovery's / R-R Sports etc.
Not sure about the Evoque - while it looks good from some pictures I've seen, it isn't so great in white like these two were - looked like something had dropped on the roof of the end one, but that might have been just the angle - it was hanging on the back of the trailer.
PT Cruiser...you can have it. Morgan = British = the stuff on the back is the repair kit (keep the fire extinguisher inside). However with their top issues they might be more fun than a Corolla or something.
Still can't imagine the CrossCabrio selling to anyone but retiring boomers with insane pensions that will never be repeated, or perhaps idle women married to affluent men with weird ideas of style. It's just so big and heavy and kind of awkwardly proportioned.
Saw a load of new cars at a local car show yesterday, big parts of the lineups of Maserati, MB, Aston, and a little bit of Ferrari too. And this:
Plenty of new cars to see on my trip to NYC this weekend. I'm always amazed at the number of Acura MDXs I see on the highway, new and old. That model must be what's keeping Acura alive.
I also saw quite a few Audi A4 Cabrios, I think they're beginning to outsell the BMW 3 Cabs. I did see quite a few 3er coupes, I think they're outselling the 'verts, not the case in the prior generation (E46).
I also saw a black Ferrari California Spider w top down. In person they look quite a bit better than in photos but nowhere near is beautiful as their namesake from the 60s.
I spotted my first Mitsu Lancer five-door and was surprised how good it looked. It's a near ringer for the Focus 5-dr. of which I saw several.
On a completely different note, there was a guy in an MG-A roadster barely keeping up with highway traffic doing about 60-65 in the right lane.
Good reason for that - they are more expensive than either, and they have a staid image. Today, the huge sunglasses and botox crowd loves their (imagined) rugged, individualistic, and stylish SUV or crossover which are perfect for venturing to every destination from the aesthetic improvement center to the gallery mall. I'd take the wagon. I am surprised it is offered, as BMW has dropped the 5er Touring here...but Audi seems to sell a few wagons still.
Saw an E350 bluetec this morning, can't imagine why more of them aren't so equipped.
C wagon has been gone for some time, the W203 version didn't sell a ton either. Strange thing about the new E wagon is that we get in gas only - I would imagine the wagonistas would like a diesel.
GLK is somewhat of a bargain in base form, compared to its brand and other brand competition. Options list can make you wince, though.
I like the W212, reminds me kind of an old W124, seems to be a better quality product than the previous (W211) E.
Diesel W212 sedan costs essentially the same as a gas, I can't imagine why a wagon would be different. The wagon bases at 56K, so maybe 57K for the diesel - which means 60K is there with just a few options. Resale will be higher too.
There should be some base GLKs out there for lease specials, probably no different than anything else - base C class are easy to find, just like base 3ers and A4s.
The main drawback of the W212 to me is the exterior styling, as I call it, "German Acura". But the build quality and materials of those I have experienced seem better than the old W211, which really had some issues especially in earlier years, no matter what CR might claim. Foreign media also reports the W212 to be a step up. Not a sporty car though, not intended to be, unless you go AMG.
Yeah, it was the older type...it made a big difference. I still don't think it is a good looking car, but anything has to be better than the 09+ model.
Juke...still amazes me how tiny it is. I'm sure a Versa 5 door is roomier, and a Cube could fit one inside.
Volt as well, still extremely rare even here in this political town (DC).
M37 and M37s - a pair of the new ones. The swoopy rear fenders are growing on me. I also saw a pristine first gen M, the old school Cedric/Gloria model, and boy did it look good.
E coupe as well. I like it better than the sedan (as it should be).
For Nissan, this gives it a total of 6,168 Leaf electric cars sold to date this year. GM, meanwhile, reported year to date sales figures of the Volt at 3,172 cars.
Just for kicks Lexus has sold 7408 CT hybrids so far this year (by end August). They should easily meet their 10k target even with a delayed launch in March and the tsunami supply disruption.
Edit: come to think of it, I saw a CT yesterday, in that electric yellow color. Looks like a silver someone coated with a couple of layers of candied yellow paint.
CT will be a real success, virtually Prius money for something less dorky looking, with the Lexus badge and dealer experience. IMO the most appealing product they have that is relatively affordable.
I wonder if marketing is even trying with the HS anymore. Might be a short run.
I've seen several CT in my area, not beside a Prius though. I visited the dealer last week, they had a few, all base models, 31K sticker, same as a decently equipped Prius, but without the stigma.
HS didn't do as bad as many people think. They sold over 7k last year, and remember the price was higher.
As soon as the CT came out, though, it's newer and cheaper, looks better, and is a lot more fuel efficient (which is all that matters to a hybrid buyer). They'll be lucky to sell 3k of the HS this year.
CT will easily exceed it's 10k goal, maybe by 10-20%.
It's also beating the BMW 1 and creaming the Audi A3. Not just A3 TDI, all A3 models.
I wonder how many sold to the loaner fleets or on $299 lease specials. There were no lines for those things.
CT is in a lucky place - good price, some features, image with both status and green - the Prius crowd will love it as an aspirational vehicle, and those sell a lot more than 1ers or A3s.
Are both the Leaf & Volt for sale nationally yet? I don't think it would be fair to compare their sales figures to other hybrids (or to each other) unless they share the same sales territory.
I saw a blue Leaf yesterday. IMO it seems pretty neutral in that color. Not attractive, not fugly like the Juke. If I were buying, I'd probably just get a Versa & pocket the difference.
If I were buying, I'd probably just get a Versa & pocket the difference.
IMO that's what any sensible car buyer would do. Why spend $15K or more for a car that is basically useless for any road trip over 100 miles, and can leave you stranded, since it's harder finding a charging station than a gas station in at least 49 of 50 states? Not to mention the 8-hour charging time compared to the 8-minute filling time at a gas station.
And no, you won't see an overall cost savings after 10 years of ownership, unless you're trading in an H2.
IMO that's what any sensible car buyer would do. Why spend $15K or more for a car that is basically useless for any road trip over 100 miles, and can leave you stranded, since it's harder finding a charging station than a gas station in at least 49 of 50 states? Not to mention the 8-hour charging time compared to the 8-minute filling time at a gas station.
And no, you won't see an overall cost savings after 10 years of ownership, unless you're trading in an H2.
Keep in mind that not everybody buys a car for the same reason. In many cases, the cost savings isn't the factor - it's the "doing something" factor that drives the purchase.
In reality, anything with a 40 mile range would work for me as a commuter - I drive about 35 miles per day to and from work. Either would work although I prefer the Volt's technology in case I needed to do divert from my route or forget to charge it. Further, it would cost me about $1 a day to charge either vs. the $5 or so I spend now for gas.
I agree about the "doing something" factor. And without early adopters who are willing to pay the premium for new tech we'd never see significant advances.
Still, the premium for the Leaf & Volt are pretty high.
A little price relief is on the way, though. Mitsubishi's i (a.k.a. i-MiEV) is coming out shortly. It offers slightly less range than the Leaf but costs thousands less. $21,625 after fed rebate base price v. the Leaf's $27,700. It's even RWD. I've seen the i a couple of times and hope to ride in it a little over a week from now at Factory MOD. Not that I'm in the market for an EV but I am curious to drive in something silent.
Comments
* windows go all the way up to the roof
* suicide doors will disappear
* must be, what, 22" rims?
* rear diffuser will be tamed down
* goggles will have to go (hopefully)
* it will get real side mirrors
Underneath all that is a big brother to the Optima.
Hyunkia learned that the in-house "style" wasn't cutting it 100%
Pocket rocket, sure, GT not at all. I always thought the name didn't fit.
I think MG are the only new Chinese cars sold in UK, although I regularly see a Wuhan microbus - that has Polish plates though...
Also saw two of the new Range Rover Evoques on a car transporter, when coming down from Northern England last Monday - a three door and a five.. I think the launch is this weekend, so I suppose these were dealer demonstrators - they were with about six Discovery's / R-R Sports etc.
Not sure about the Evoque - while it looks good from some pictures I've seen, it isn't so great in white like these two were - looked like something had dropped on the roof of the end one, but that might have been just the angle - it was hanging on the back of the trailer.
Saw these two rigs - both looked like fun ways to travel, so why not the Murano?
Why can't we peons get a red interior???
Still can't imagine the CrossCabrio selling to anyone but retiring boomers with insane pensions that will never be repeated, or perhaps idle women married to affluent men with weird ideas of style. It's just so big and heavy and kind of awkwardly proportioned.
Saw a load of new cars at a local car show yesterday, big parts of the lineups of Maserati, MB, Aston, and a little bit of Ferrari too. And this:
I also saw quite a few Audi A4 Cabrios, I think they're beginning to outsell the BMW 3 Cabs. I did see quite a few 3er coupes, I think they're outselling the 'verts, not the case in the prior generation (E46).
I also saw a black Ferrari California Spider w top down. In person they look quite a bit better than in photos but nowhere near is beautiful as their namesake from the 60s.
I spotted my first Mitsu Lancer five-door and was surprised how good it looked. It's a near ringer for the Focus 5-dr. of which I saw several.
On a completely different note, there was a guy in an MG-A roadster barely keeping up with highway traffic doing about 60-65 in the right lane.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
I think it may only be the first or 2nd I've ever seen, while E- sedans are a dime a dozen around here.
Saw an E350 bluetec this morning, can't imagine why more of them aren't so equipped.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
E wagon: $57,150
M: $46,490
GLK: $35,500
Yeah, a good bit cheaper, and that's the 2012 M class, too.
Looks like the C wagon is gone from the US? It would also have cost more than the GLK here.
I've driven the previous ML and E, but neither was my cup of tea.
Also drove the last X5 and 5 wagon, and in that case the wagon was a whole lot more satisfying to drive. By a wide margin, surprisingly.
550GT drives OK (not as good as the previous one) but the roads I was on didn't really let me try it out properly. High price means I'll pass anyway.
GLK is somewhat of a bargain in base form, compared to its brand and other brand competition. Options list can make you wince, though.
I like the W212, reminds me kind of an old W124, seems to be a better quality product than the previous (W211) E.
I wonder how many base model GLKs dealers order, probably not many.
Fair enough, though, the X3 costs more, and by the time BMW brings the X1 here, the X3 will creep up in price even more.
I liked the W211 better. Lady lawyer next door has one. It just seemed cleaner, more consistent styling nose to tail.
The W212 has those odd, separated headlights. Also, I doubt many Benz shoppers read it, but Consumer Reports actually scored the W211 higher overall.
Both too big/heavy for my tastes. Tested one with Edmunds member RSHolland, he loved it, I liked the C- and SLK better.
There should be some base GLKs out there for lease specials, probably no different than anything else - base C class are easy to find, just like base 3ers and A4s.
The main drawback of the W212 to me is the exterior styling, as I call it, "German Acura". But the build quality and materials of those I have experienced seem better than the old W211, which really had some issues especially in earlier years, no matter what CR might claim. Foreign media also reports the W212 to be a step up. Not a sporty car though, not intended to be, unless you go AMG.
I've seen at least 3-4 different ones. The mere fact that they exist tells you what people thought of them (real owners, too).
Volt as well, still extremely rare even here in this political town (DC).
M37 and M37s - a pair of the new ones. The swoopy rear fenders are growing on me. I also saw a pristine first gen M, the old school Cedric/Gloria model, and boy did it look good.
E coupe as well. I like it better than the sedan (as it should be).
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
http://www.earthtechling.com/2011/09/nissan-leaf-chevy-volt-sales-plod-along/
Just for kicks Lexus has sold 7408 CT hybrids so far this year (by end August). They should easily meet their 10k target even with a delayed launch in March and the tsunami supply disruption.
Edit: come to think of it, I saw a CT yesterday, in that electric yellow color. Looks like a silver someone coated with a couple of layers of candied yellow paint.
CT will be a real success, virtually Prius money for something less dorky looking, with the Lexus badge and dealer experience. IMO the most appealing product they have that is relatively affordable.
Saw one up close, the CT is a lot lower than the Prius. Roof height must be a foot less.
I've seen several CT in my area, not beside a Prius though. I visited the dealer last week, they had a few, all base models, 31K sticker, same as a decently equipped Prius, but without the stigma.
As soon as the CT came out, though, it's newer and cheaper, looks better, and is a lot more fuel efficient (which is all that matters to a hybrid buyer). They'll be lucky to sell 3k of the HS this year.
CT will easily exceed it's 10k goal, maybe by 10-20%.
It's also beating the BMW 1 and creaming the Audi A3. Not just A3 TDI, all A3 models.
25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0 / 03 Montero Ltd
CT is in a lucky place - good price, some features, image with both status and green - the Prius crowd will love it as an aspirational vehicle, and those sell a lot more than 1ers or A3s.
I saw a blue Leaf yesterday. IMO it seems pretty neutral in that color. Not attractive, not fugly like the Juke. If I were buying, I'd probably just get a Versa & pocket the difference.
IMO that's what any sensible car buyer would do. Why spend $15K or more for a car that is basically useless for any road trip over 100 miles, and can leave you stranded, since it's harder finding a charging station than a gas station in at least 49 of 50 states? Not to mention the 8-hour charging time compared to the 8-minute filling time at a gas station.
And no, you won't see an overall cost savings after 10 years of ownership, unless you're trading in an H2.
The scheduled roll out for both was fall 2011. Here in New England, dealers just received their 1 Volt for demo/sale and Leafs aren't around yet.
The Volt plant was shutdown in July for MY changeover so that cut supply.
And no, you won't see an overall cost savings after 10 years of ownership, unless you're trading in an H2.
Keep in mind that not everybody buys a car for the same reason. In many cases, the cost savings isn't the factor - it's the "doing something" factor that drives the purchase.
In reality, anything with a 40 mile range would work for me as a commuter - I drive about 35 miles per day to and from work. Either would work although I prefer the Volt's technology in case I needed to do divert from my route or forget to charge it. Further, it would cost me about $1 a day to charge either vs. the $5 or so I spend now for gas.
Still, the premium for the Leaf & Volt are pretty high.
A little price relief is on the way, though. Mitsubishi's i (a.k.a. i-MiEV) is coming out shortly. It offers slightly less range than the Leaf but costs thousands less. $21,625 after fed rebate base price v. the Leaf's $27,700. It's even RWD. I've seen the i a couple of times and hope to ride in it a little over a week from now at Factory MOD. Not that I'm in the market for an EV but I am curious to drive in something silent.
I saw a blue Leaf on the road the other day (Chicago suburbs).