2010 February Auto Sales

One year ago was the nadir. February 2009 was the low point last winter, when auto sales all but ground to a halt. So the fact that February 2010 sales are up versus last year is good, but it's not saying much. What's more encouraging is that the percent gain over one year ago was pretty healthy: 13%. That's much better than January's 6% increase over similarly sickly 2009 totals, and close to December's 15% gain over year-ago figures. But while December sales are always goosed by the year-end deal-a-thon, February's boost seems more organic. Particularly since it was achieved despite an ongoing publicity nightmare for Toyota and, for much of the country, several days of bad winter weather. The only real qualifier for February is that it did reflect increased fleet sales (up from a very low level last winter) - and the fact that the February's annualized sales rate of 10 million vehicles is still far off the 17 million of just a few years ago.

Herewith a look at what's up (by more than 13%, outpacing the industry's overall gain), and what's down versus last year.

First Look: 2012 Ford Taurus Police Interceptor

Ford's aging Crown Victoria is barely relevant to most consumers, but cabbies and police officers across the country will bemoan its demise once production ceases next fall. The Transit Connect van may satisfy the livery fleets, but to appease law enforcement officers, Ford crafted its new 2012 Police Interceptor.

Without a doubt, Ford's new Interceptor is a clean break from the decades-old body-on-frame, V-8-powered, rear-wheel-drive Crown Vic formula. Although Ford was once rumored to be modifying its rear-drive Australian Falcon platform for police use, Ford instead went to its American-built Taurus sedan for the new car.

As is the case with the consumer model, police departments will have their choice of two different powertrains in the Police Interceptor. The 265 hp, normally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6 is standard, and sends its power to the front wheels only. Those looking for a veritable pursuit special will likely opt for the other driveline, which is ripped straight from the Taurus SHO. Ford's EcoBoost twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 provides "at least" 365 hp, which is channeled to all four wheels. While power looks to be on par with a standard Taurus, Ford engineers did upgrade the Police Interceptor's brakes -- something we'd love to see transition to the SHO.

Like the Crown Vic, the Taurus Police Interceptor has been designed to pass 75-mph rear-end crash testing, and a heavy-duty alternator and an enlarged radiator have been added. In addition, the car has also undergone certification testing designed by the Michigan State Police and the L.A. County Sheriff's Departments to emulate the rigorous duty police officers will no doubt put the car through.

First Look: 2011 BMW M3 Frozen Grey Coupe

You won't find it noted on most calendars, but 2011 is a milestone for BMW enthusiasts: come next year, the vaunted M3 will have been in production for 25 years. To celebrate, the Bavarian automaker has crafted this: the 2011 BMW M3 Frozen Grey coupe.

BMW doesn't officially call this an anniversary edition, but the nomenclature does emphasize how this M3 differs from others: paint. Specifically, BMW has developed a unique metallic matte grey color, dubbed it Frozen Grey, and sprayed it over the coupe's exterior. Inside, the celebratory M3 mixes dark charcoal and Fox Red leathers in a vibrant two-tone combination, with the door panel inserts, armrests, and seat inserts splashed with the accent color.

Sure, the colors are nifty, but M3s have always been first and foremost about performance. Apart from the M3's 414-horsepower 4.0-liter V-8, Frozen Grey cars are fitted with the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the Technology Package (which includes adjustable performance settings via the 'M' button, along with a navigation system), and the new Competition Package. That last option lowers the suspension by 0.4in, revamps the electronic dampening and stability controls, and adds 19-inch wheels with a greater offset.

All Frozen Grey models also include the Premium Package (i.e. power folding mirrors, Bluetooth phone connectivity, Carbon Leather trim), heated front seats, premium audio system, Sirius satellite radio (bundled with a year's worth of service), and a USB/ iPod audio input. The cost for all this runs $78,900 (including destination and gas guzzler charges), roughly $5900 more than a comparably equipped M3 coupe. To sweeten the deal, BMW also tosses in a single day's worth of instruction at its Performance Driving School in South Carolina, something usually included only with the purchase of an M5 or M6.

Want one? You'll likely have to fight a number of other Bimmerphiles for the opportunity to park one in your garage. Only thirty examples are headed to the U.S., so you'll have to jump on the phone to grab your place in line. Reservations can be placed after 11:30 A.M Eastern on Monday, June 21, and we expect the allotment to sell out as quickly as the M3 moves

Porsche, Volkswagen, and Audi Clash Over Small Sports Cars

Could internal politics endanger the Volkswagen Group's trio of mid-engine compact sports cars -- the Porsche 356, the Audi R5, and the VW BlueSport? VW launched the mid-engine BlueSport concept at the 2009 Detroit auto show. The car was a runner, the engineers had done much more than their routine homework, and, in principle, marketing had given it a thumbs-up. Almost eighteen months later, however, the two-seater is still on hold.
Where is the problem? As usual, it lies elsewhere -- in Zuffenhausen and Ingolstadt, to be precise. Porsche doesn't want the next-generation Boxster to be cannibalized by a less expensive and potentially more capable 356. Audi, facing slow demand for the R8, doesn't see the need for a third sports car to be positioned between the next TT and its mid-engine flagship. Although VW is quick to admit that the BlueSport would work wonders for its image, the brand has its plate full coordinating the cooperation deal with Suzuki, preparing the next Golf, and getting the so-called New Small Family under way. "Sports cars are not at the top of our priority list," states chairman Martin Winterkorn. "This applies in particular to sports cars that require the collaboration of Porsche, which is not even part of the VW Group yet."
At Porsche, Not Invented Here syndrome is also a major issue. Porsche will almost certainly lose the development of the next Cayenne to Audi. The Cayenne's still-nameless, Q5-based little brother will also be conceived by the friendly enemy from Ingolstadt. If it were to base the 356 off VW's BlueSport, Porsche would lose its third project in a row.
The VW Group needs a modular sports car structure to stretch from the entry-level segment to the 911 or even beyond. And the only brand that can credibly conceive such a structure is Porsche," says one source in Zuffenhausen.

Rather than quell this burgeoning sibling rivalry, VW chief Ferdinand Piech is in fact encouraging Audi to pitch a new platform of its own against Porsche's. He's done this before -- the apparent intent is to motivate both groups and generate additional ideas. In the end, however, the project will likely land under the Porsche umbrella.

Although the platform for this mid-engine trio remains somewhat up in the air, we can speculate on how each will evolve. Porsche will likely insist on a flat four in a coupe and a roadster, but Audi could probably live with an R8- inspired derivative powered by the blown 2.5-liter five-cylinder in the TT RS. VW could then come out with a minimalistic droptop equipped with the "twincharged" (supercharged and turbocharged) 1.4-liter engine from Europe's Polo GTI. More fanciful ideas include a targa, a speedster, a turbocharged GT4, and a lightweight Clubsport for Porsche in addition to an E-tron with electric four-wheel drive, a solar-panel roof, and adjustable sideblades for Audi. Wishful thinking? We'll know more late next year when the integration of Porsche is complete.

Ford Start Concept - Fresh Start

It seems that small car icons always come from Europe-the Volkswagen Beetle, the Fiat 500, the Mini Cooper. But looking at the Ford Start, one begins to wonder whether an American car company also could make a truly enduring small car. We think this coupe-and it is a coupe, not a hatchback-is supercool, which is not surprising given that the design team had a 1956 Porsche Speedster and a 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Zagato in the studio while they worked on the Start. The concept is built on a shortened Fiesta platform and features a direct-injected, 1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder, Ford's smallest powerplant yet to get the EcoBoost treatment. The tiny turbo is headed for production, but the Start isn't. That's too bad, because the Start definitely deserves a go.
Freeman Thomas The head of Ford's California design studio, Thomas was the design director for the Start project.
"We did a 3-D clay model first, then reverse engineered it from there."
"It just has a small, little trunk compartment. But that allows this panoramic back glass and amazing visibility, and you don't have the extra structure [of a hatch] that adds weight, so it simplifies the whole car."
"We minimized the number of parts but made each part more endearing. For instance . . . the seats [are] one-piece buckets, but they don't have any sewing in them. They're actually molded in design."
"It's about the length and width of a Mini, but it's very different from a Mini. It's also very different from a Fiesta. We created something that we believe is sportier. Its influences and its inspirations come from sports cars, not hatchbacks." - Freeman Thomas

J Mays Ford's chief creative officer
"The Zagato and Speedster are edited, gorgeous shapes and forms that inspired us to move into the future with simplicity and focus."

"There are three things you see from space: the Pyramids, the Great Wall of China, and the headlamps on a Chevy Spark. We turned down the noise. The headlamps and taillamps are the most minimal slit that you can do."

Mercury's Wings Clipped

Proof that the car market is overloaded with excess brands and a confusing of miasma models, the Ford Motor Company has terminated Mercury's long run. Production will end later this year for the four remaining models-Grand Marquis, Mariner, Milan, and Mountaineer. Approximately 1700 dealers currently offering the brand will move on to other endeavors such as Lincoln sales. The hop, skip, and jump through Mercury's history that follows is our fond farewell to the car named after the messenger to the gods.

1937: Against his near-senile father's intuitions, Edsel Ford identified an opportunity for a new brand positioned between mainstream Fords and upscale Lincolns. The hope was to raise the competitive game against GM's thriving Buick, LaSalle, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac nameplates.

1938: The first Mercury 8s arrived (for the 1939 model year) powered by slightly uprated Ford flathead V-8 delivering 95 versus the standard 90 horsepower. Four body styles were offered and prices started at $916, approximately $230 more than the comparable Ford. Advertising stressed fuel economy but customers were more often drawn to the new Mercury's excellent acceleration and speed.

1942: By the time production ceased during World War II, the Mercury range had prospered to include six body styles.

1945: To move Mercury's image up and away from Ford, a new Lincoln-Mercury division was created.

1948: Fresh post-war styling arrived early in the year for 1949 models. Basic body shells were shared with Lincolns and the squished top combined with a beautifully sculpted lower body was a major hit.

1955: After James Dean drove a '49 Merc in Rebel Without a Cause, the sleek 1949-51 models became a favorite for hot rodders and customizers.

1958: The Lincoln-Mercury Division was expanded to include Edsel, the ill-conceived brand that survived only three model years.

1960: The first six-cylinder Mercury was the Comet, an inexpensive but slightly upscale compact sedan that shared Ford Falcon underpinnings.

1964: Quickly changing stripes, the Comet Cyclone was Mercury's first muscle car with up to 271 horsepower from a 289 cubic inch V-8.

FEATURES: Orphaned Concept Cars

If we buy into the cliché, the sleek, glitzy concept vehicles sitting on revolving turntables at auto shows across the globe are supposed to be the cars and trucks of tomorrow. What happens, then, if the company that sunk millions of dollars into the project turns insolvent shortly thereafter?

For the most part, absolutely nothing. But looking back on some orphaned show cars, we see that some manage to predict the automotive future with surprising accuracy -- which is more than a little ironic, given that their creators were often criticized for lacking a grasp of shifting trends or the big picture. ...next page >>