2005 Acura RL

2005 Acura RL

The Acura RL has always been more appealing to the older crowd. With the MSRP price of $41,900 I guess you can't blame them. This new look is more sporty and edgy for the RL

This car posses more horsepower, 300 to be exact. That's more power than any other Acura model. But I guess with the added power comes the added price. Retail price went up $6,000 from previous years. But one thing I noticed about Acura's was that everything comes standard. So, there isn't much you need to ad on. I remember I went to test drive the TL a while back and I noticed it had bluetooth features, navigation, heated seats etc etc: all included.

The new-generation RL also is the first with all-wheel drive. It's standard. The '05 RL becomes the first with a 5-speed automatic transmission and paddle shifters at the steering wheel, too—a feature that's reminiscent of race cars.

The new model includes:

• Automatic Transmission.
• Rear and Side Window Sun Shades.
• Power Moonroof
• Heated Seats
• Bose Surround System
• Fog Lights
• Tire Pressure Monitor
• Speed-Sensing
• Intermittent Windshield Wipes
• Navigation System with Voice Recognition
• Genuine Mapel Trim
• Electronic Stability Control
• Traction Control
• Curtain Airbags
• Anti-Lock Brakes
• Brake Assist
• One Year Subscription to OnStar
• Solar Sensing
• Dual-Zone Climate Control
• Trunk Pass-Through
• No Key Entry/Ignition

Downsides

While the RL is trying to actively compete with BMW and Audi, they do not offer any V8's like these other car companies do. And while Acura knows they could increase brand name with having a V8, selling these luxury versions only account for a portion of sales. Plus, the 300 horsepower is impressive enough when compared to other vehicles in its class.

The 300 horsepower comes with a price: fuel wise. The RL requires premium gas and is rated 18 miles and 26 miles per gallon on the highway

Other Good Things

"Called super-handling all-wheel driveThe RL's all-wheel-drive system does more than transfer power between front and rear wheels. It can modulate the power between the left and right rear wheels to help make cornering more precise and stable and thus contribute to sporty handling."

Fine interior

"The interior of the test RL was pampering and pretty. Seats have perforated leather on them, there's nice-looking wood trim, and the audio system's surround sound is awesome.
At night, a soft bluish light illuminates the RL's floormats and joins map lights in offering a welcoming interior. A pale blue light also shines down on the center console, and the instrument gauges have a blue light that seems to emanate from the center of each one. I just wish the Xenon High Intensity Discharge headlamps didn't have such an abrupt horizontal line at the top of their beam. It's distracting and takes some getting used to.
The RL is the first car in North America to put real-time traffic information about construction zones, congestion and crashes on the navigation system map. The system uses XM NavTraffic and is available for freeways in 20 major metro areas including Los Angeles, New York City and Chicago. <-- [this has got to be the best thing ever thought of!]

Another highlight: The car's information system includes Zagat ratings of restaurants."

Safety a prioritySafety is noteworthy.

"The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the 2005 Acura RL is only the third vehicle in the history of the agency's crash testing program to achieve the top rating of five stars for rollover and for all seating positions in frontal and side-impact crash tests.
The car comes standard with a new body structure that's designed to keep crash forces away from passengers. There also are standard curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes and stability control, among other things. The major competitors in the segment—the Cadillac STS, BMW 5-Series, Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class for the 2005 model year—had no reported test results. Acura officials look for the new RL to post annual sales of around 20,000, which is significantly higher than the 6,829 sales for the previous generation RL in calendar 2003, its last full year. And as you might have guessed by now, target buyers for the 2005 RL will have median age of 50 or less. "

Here's the complete list of 2005 model vehicles receiving ALG Residual Value Awards:

Category Vehicle

Industry Brand Honda

Luxury Brand BMW

Compact Car MINI Cooper*

Midsize Car Nissan Altima

Sports Car Mercedes-Benz SLK*

Near-Luxury Car Infiniti G35

Luxury Car Mercedes-Benz CLK*

Minivan Honda Odyssey*

Compact SUV Honda CR-V*

Midsize SUV Toyota 4Runner*

Full-Size SUV Toyota Sequoia*

Crossover SUV Volvo XC90

Compact Truck Toyota Tacoma*

Full-Size Truck Toyota Tundra*

* indicates repeat winner from previous year

2006 Police Dodge Charger

Here's a picture

Dodge charges into the police car market this fall with the all-new 2006 Dodge Charger police vehicle, offering law enforcement agencies a four-door sedan with all the power, handling and functionality they require to effectively patrol the streets.

"With rear-wheel drive and available HEMI® power at the pavement, the Dodge Charger provides optimum police car pursuit performance," said Darryl Jackson, Vice President – Dodge Marketing, Chrysler Group. "Dodge has a strong police heritage and is proud to offer vehicles armed with modern muscle and cutting-edge technology.”

The 2006 Dodge Charger police vehicle will join the previously announced Dodge Magnum police vehicle to round out Dodge’s growing fleet of bold, powerful and capable vehicles for law enforcement agencies.

“We listened to what law enforcement officers asked for and paid attention to the details that are important to them,” said Ray Fisher, Vice President – Sales, Service and Parts Operations, Chrysler Group. “By integrating features and functionality into the original design of the Dodge Charger, we can give our police customers an affordable, capable vehicle with industry-leading innovations.”

For the ultimate in pursuit power, the Dodge Charger police vehicle will be available with a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine that produces 340 horsepower at 5000 rpm and 390 lb.-ft. of torque at 4000 rpm. The V-8 HEMI engine features Chrysler Group's Multi-displacement System (MDS), which seamlessly alternates between smooth, high fuel economy four-cylinder mode when less power is needed and V-8 mode when more power is required. Fuel efficiency improves by up to 20 percent with MDS, but not at the expense of performance. Dodge Charger police vehicles equipped with HEMI engines will be able to go from zero to 60 mph in just 6.0 seconds.

The 2006 Dodge Charger police car also will be available with a powerful, 3.5-liter High Output V-6 engine that provides 250 horsepower at 6400 rpm and 250 lb.-ft. of torque at 3800 rpm, offering an outstanding blend of performance and fuel economy.

A fully electronic five-speed automatic transmission with an Electronically Modulated Converter Clutch (EMCC) offers improved shift feel to match a variety of driving styles, situations and road conditions. This transmission is standard on all Dodge Charger police cars. Heavy-duty brakes and linings, also standard on Charger police vehicles, provide secure and stable deceleration and braking capability.

In addition, Dodge Charger police vehicles will include an Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with Emergency Brake Assist, All-speed Traction Control and four-wheel Anti-lock Brake System (ABS). Combined, these features will provide balance and control for officers in a variety of surface and weather conditions.

ESP enhances driver control and helps maintain directional stability in turns, even on uneven surfaces, patchy snow, ice or gravel. If there is a discernible difference between what the driver asks through the steering and the vehicle’s path, ESP applies selective braking and throttle control to put the car back onto the driver’s intended path
Emergency Brake Assist detects when maximum braking is required through sensing the rate of brake application. By applying full brake pressure to all four brakes, this system improves stopping distance All-speed Traction Control enhances mobility and prevents wheel slip when accelerating on slippery surfaces. It also provides a measure of directional stability control and helps keep the car on its intended course. The system works by braking the slipping wheel in low-traction situations. However, it also can adjust the throttle control, making the vehicle less reliant on brake applications alone ABS keeps the vehicle straight and retains steering capability while braking on slippery surfaces by preventing wheel lock-up.

Both passive and active safety features also are incorporated in the new Dodge Charger police vehicles. These include: advanced multistage driver and front passenger air bags, a front passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) for controlled airbag deployment, constant force seat belt retractors, pretensioners, an energy-absorbing steering column, optional side-curtain airbags and a tire pressure monitoring system to alert officers of low tire pressure.

Preliminary Standard Features

Standard features on the 2006 Dodge Charger police vehicle will include the following items of particular importance to law enforcement customers:

• 100-amp battery power feed in trunk
• 160-amp high-output alternator
• 160-mph calibrated speedometer
• 800CCA heavy-duty battery
• cloth front bucket seats with manual lumbar and rear fixed bench seat
  column shifter
• easy path wiring grommet between underhood and passenger compartment
• emergency rear-door-lock override
• external oil coolers
• four-wheel independent performance suspension
• heavy-duty brakes and linings
• integrated engine hour meter
• P225/60R 18 V-rated all-season performance tires and 18-inch steel wheels
• performance-tuned steering
• police equipment interface module
• police equipment mounting bracket
• rear door locks and rear window switches inoperable from the rear seats
  severe-duty cooling system
• software-controlled alternating head- and taillamps
• special electrical wiring for police market applications
• speed control
• stealth mode switch for interior lighting

Additional standard features and optional equipment are available on the Dodge Charger police vehicle to provide law enforcement customers an affordable vehicle with industry- leading innovations that make upfitting the vehicle faster and safer.


Production

Production for the 2006 Dodge Charger and Dodge Magnum police vehicles will begin in the fall of 2005 at the Brampton Assembly Plant in Brampton, Ontario (Canada) alongside the 2006 Dodge Magnum, Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300.

The 2006 Dodge police vehicles will be available to county, city and state police departments in the fourth quarter of 2005, with pricing announced at that time.

Hybrids: Are They For You?

Haha stole this from Sara again...she's has some great links on her website

Apparently right now, it is more efficient to purchase a small compact car rather than purchasing a hybrid car in efforts to make up for fuel cost. Truth is, the extra money you potentially spend on buying the hybrid will never be returned. However the article explains some things that may tilt you towards buying a hybrid (other than the obvious: saving the environment, feeling good about yourself)

• The IRS offers a one time tax deduction for up to $2000. However, this was applied for 2004 and 2005 models. They will be removing this for 2006 (probably because of the increased popularity).
• There is more of a variety in vehicles that are hybrid. Especially now that many car makers are making hybrid models that are exact replicas of their gas-powered models, it's a lot easier to buy a car you like (rather than the notorious oddly-shaped and "futuristic-look" hybrids you see on the road).

All in all, you'll save more buying a hybrid than buying an SUV. But if you're looking to simply cut costs and save money, buying a hybrid may not be the way to go. At least not yet.

Mini Cooper

Some things just shouldn't be changed. BMW is planning on making the Mini Cooper bigger for 2007.

While the core body style will remain a three-door hatchback (with a two-seat speedster rumored), BMW is working on a longer-wheelbase version that will open the door for a wider range of Minis, including a five-door with more rear legroom and added cargo area. Could a three-door version of this herald the return of the Clubman? We can only hope.

The stretched Mini features a more upright rear hatchback, along with a pair of rear-hinged doors for easier access to the rear seats. The five-door will likely feature a Rolls-Royce electronic locking system that will allow the rear doors to open independently of the front ones—a major convenience improvement over most suicide-door systems.
The interior is new, and features a dashboard design with a centrally mounted speedometer but a much narrower fascia bounded by circular air vents. The dash will be available in wood trim as well as body color.

A new front end features bug-eyed headlights, and while the overall feel of the face is familiar, details change. The nose is a more upright design to satisfy new European pedestrian-protection laws, while the grille is moved above the bumper line, making for a cleaner license plate mount and allowing space below for an enlarged lower air intake.
This is needed because the Cooper and Cooper S models will feature new 1.6-liter turbo fours requiring an intercooler located fairly low in the front fascia of the new Mini. BMW is considering two turbo versions, making 143 hp in the Cooper and 170 hp in the S, and a base non-turbo Cooper model producing 115 hp.

Click here to see pictures

Rear Side View

Toyota Supra

Did you ever wonder what happened to some cars? My personal favorite way back when was the rabbit. I'm not sure why I liked that car. Perhaps it was just the weird name that caught my eye and that the rabbit car actually did kind of remind me of a rabbit. Anyway, I got thinking more recently. I know a few years ago, the Toyota Supra was a popular yet unattainable car. It seemed like they stopped making it. And I would like to ask why? It seemed like it had so much popularity. And backed by the fact that they were rare, made them even more popular.

Dirty Peter wrote a great article on it as well as the Skyline.

Hybrids

It's been awhile since I've written about Hybrids. I know I have previously mentioned that all hybrids have this weird look to them. But the people over at Lexus have come out with the RX 400h Hybrid. With the ever growing demand for these hybrid vehicles, I think Lexus stands out. Sara wrote a great article on it. Check it out

Scion TC

Among all the cars available for young buyers, I think this one takes the medal away. Scion, which is a small counterpart of Toyota, came out with the TC, xA, and the xB. I can't speak for the xA or the xB (which have unoriginal names by the way) but I think the TC definitely appeals to young people. For a base price of $16,515, I think its worth it.

With 160 hp, this baby can seem appealing to a lot of cars in this range.

A lot better than buying a car from ebay thats for sure.

Scion Website

2007 Saturn Sky

Ain't she a beauty?

I commend Saturn for making this car. I think they could really use it. And at a base price of $25,000 I think its pretty reasonable.

Powering the Sky is a 2.4-liter 170-horsepower Ecotec engine teamed to a short-throw 5-speed manual transmission. A 5-speed automatic will be an available option.

It's a step in the right direction. It will be available sometime soon this year.

Here's the back view.

Check out the review for the car as well.

2005 Volkswagon Jetta

I've been a little reluctant to write about this new car but I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I saw it at the LA Auto Show and I wasn't impressed. I feel that the new model is almost an mirrored version of the Toyota Corolla; I still like the 2000 model better. I have a couple of friends who own a Jetta and I can't say they've all had good experiences with it.

2005 Volkswagon Jetta

More Room

Well there's one thing that they fixed for sure. Volkswagon Jettas were notorious for being small in people room yet had the price tag much higher than it should have been.

"Rear-seat dimensions have improved all around in the new-generation Jetta. Legroom goes from 33.5 inches to 35.4 inches, which still is 0.6 inch less than what's in the back seat of the Civic, the top-selling compact in the U.S. market. But the Jetta's shoulder room improves from 52.5 inches to 53.1 inches, which is better than the 52 inches in a Civic, and headroom grows 0.3 inch to tie the Civic sedan's 37.2 inches. Then, there's the Jetta trunk—a newly roomy cargo holder that has 16 cubic feet of space, up from 13 in the previous Jetta and 12.9 cubic feet in the Civic. Indeed, this new trunk space is even more than the 14 cubic feet found in the midsize Honda Accord sedan. " Hallelujah!

New Suspension

"The fifth-generation Jetta is the first with a fully independent suspension that includes a four-link rear and front axle with McPherson struts. It's based on the Golf V platform and provides a solid, Teutonic kind of ride. Factory tires on the base model are 15-inchers, with 16-inch tires available on other models. "

New 5-Cylinder Base Engine

The double 2.5 liter overhead came from ideas over in Europe. It's a jump from its 2.0 liter four from previous years. However, at only 150 horsepower, it doesn't quite show how impressive the car can be. Also according to Volkswagon, the Jetta now makes 0-60 in 9.1 seconds where as the previous years made it in 11.7 seconds.

New Style

From the outside, the car looks more like a Japanese car, like I said before (reference to the Toyota Corolla) but apparently it has won awards for its interior design.

The Jetta's don't expect to come out with a navigation option until next year and they currently do not have an iPod feature.


Overall, I question this car. First off, Volkswagon has been experiencing a decline in the sales of Jettas and I could see why. The size just doesn't grow with the people that own it and the list of problems the Jetta has just isn't it worth it. Volkswagon also wants to target the same market of young people. But I think they could offer more to the younger generation which brings me to my second point: they really need to target the younger generation more such as adding the iPod feature as an option. Because sales are declining year after year, Volkswagon needs to up their marketing for this car. Lastly, I initially thought this new model was the 2006 model but turns out, its a late 2005 model. They're going to release their 2006 model but its not going to have many changes from the 2005.

I think Volkswagon vehicles have become unreliable. I, myself, wanted the Jetta back in high school but I'm glad I never made that investment. I hear about so many problems ranging from the windows to the transmission. And for the price that it is, I would rather buy another car. Many might be surprised that the Jettas are actually made in Puebla, Mexico where labor costs are low; so why is the Jetta still such an expensive car for what it is? Any Jetta owners out there? I'd like to hear what you have to say...

Keyless-Go and Smart Key

Many cars are coming with the option of Keyless-Go and Smart Key in their vehicles. It lets drivers unlock their doors and start their cars without pulling out a key. It works fine with the key in your pocket or in your purse.

Currently, these are the cars that offer this option:

• Cadillac STS and XLR
• Mercedes Benz S-Class, E-Class, SL-Class
• Lexus LS430
• Toyota Prius
• Infiniti M

While the Infiniti-M offers this option standard, Mercedes and Toyota offer it for a price. Mercedes' option is about $1000 for this option and Toyota offers it for about $900. It's nice to see that a wide variety of cars can have this option not just the ultra luxurious ones. What is being said is that people are more likely to buy it when you price it higher. I guess that makes sense.. with all the innovative technology going into it, you would think it would be a luxury to have. Imagine never having to fish for your key when you're running to you car in a rainstorm or imagine never having to go through your purse when you have children in your arms. It seems to make things easier no?

Of course while it is a nice thing to have, is it asking for more problems? One of my friends' parents have this option on their car and he told me a funny story about the Keyless-Go option. Both his parents were in the car but the father got out while the other took the car somewhere else. About a half-mile away from the house, the car shuts off because the father had the key in his pocket. Funny because it caused more chaos than it would if you didn't have the option. Of course, it takes a little while to get used to.. especially when you're going through the valet.

Another thing is that these "keys" are harder to replace because they had technology in it. At Mercedes, each fob as their called is customized for each customer so to replace a key, you have to show proof of ownership. Then Mercedes goes through an offsite secure facility which may take up to two days. Replacement of these keys may also run anywhere from $200 plus.

Mercedes was actually the first to market this idea and now currently has 5 models that have this option available. Way to go.

2007 Shelby Cobra

The Ford Shelby Cobra will be released in June of this year. At an estimated base price of $39,000, this car has a lot to offer. It will be the most powerful factory- built Mustang in history beating out the 1969 Mach 1 Cobra.

Here are some nice specs:

• Shelby approves. Carroll Shelby and Ford SVT team up
• Supercharged 5.4-Liter/ 6 Speed Transmission
• Solid Rear Axle to ensure is handles future performance

Start saving now buddies.

Check out the pictures

Everyone's Going to China

Nissan currently wants to expand itself in China by introducing about 5 new Nissan models in China. The article also talks about some historical tension the Chinese have with the Japanese which may cause bad sales or vandalizing of these Japanese vehicles in China. But for now, they remain hopeful and are going to continue their market in China.

Nissan on track to beat global sales target
By Chang-Ran Kim / Reuters
Copyright © 2004 Reuters Ltd.

SHANGHAI - Nissan Motor Co. , Japan's second-biggest car maker, said on Tuesday it was well placed to beat its target of selling 3.6 million vehicles globally in the 12 months to September 2005.
The Japanese company, held 44 percent by France's Renault SA, has committed itself to selling 1 million more vehicles during the period than in the fiscal year to end-March 2002 and aims to increase sales further to 4.2 million by the 2007/08 business year, armed with 28 new models.
"We're now less than six months away in the final measurement period, and I'm pleased to report that we're on track not only to meet but exceed the 1 million incremental sales as committed," Senior Vice President Steven Wilhite told a news conference to unveil five new cars for the Chinese market.
Nissan expects most of the growth over the next three years to come from China, with sales forecast to exceed 500,000 vehicles by 2007/08 in the world's third-biggest car market. China would also then be Nissan's third-biggest market after the United States and Japan.
"For Nissan, the Chinese market is recognised as a critical and important contributor to our growth during our next three-year business plan that begins this month," Wilhite, who oversees Nissan's global marketing division, said.
However, worries have grown over Japanese car firms' prospects as protesters across China, angry over a Japanese school book that they say whitewashes atrocities during Japan's 1931-1945 occupation of much of China, have taken to the streets in April, some smashing up Japanese-brand cars.
While Nissan restated its goal of selling 140,000 passenger cars in China this year, Wilhite acknowledged that the anti-Japanese sentiment was a concern and a risk.
"I think there will be some consumers that make unfavourable decisions for us because of our Japanese heritage, and I don't think that that can be helped," he told Reuters.
He said Nissan was not altering any of its plans in China, and that it was too early to think about how to proceed in the worst-case scenario of prolonged protests and a boycott of Japanese goods.
Nissan plans to launch five new models in China in 2005, including the Tiida compact sedan, which was in the showrooms from Tuesday.
"(This will promote) Nissan to the ranks of a truly full-line auto maker in China," Wilhite said, adding the line-up would include compact hatchbacks, sedans, luxury vehicles, minivans, pick-up trucks, sport utility vehicles and sports cars.
In addition to the Tiida sedan, Nissan unveiled the Tiida hatchback, Fuga luxury sedan, Quest minivan and the 350Z sports car at the news conference.
With competition intensifying and the government trying to cool down its racing economy, Nissan last year undershot its original sales target of 80,000 cars in China, selling fewer than 61,000.

Mercedes is also looking to make cars in China

The article is kind of lengthy. Here it is.

New Parking Lots

"The Maheshwari group of companies that has the MPM mall to its credit, is mulling automated car parking and this may form part of its projects in Hyderabad by December-end. The group is looking at setting up three more malls in the city in the next couple of years and the earliest among them is likely to be Bonsai – a 60,000-square feet mall at Himayatnagar." Article

You know, I saw some concept designs they were doing for Beverly Center. This was a while ago so I'm not sure if it was a little premature to think it was going to happen but they were going to build an indoor valet lot. From the pictures, it looked really sleek. But I was wondering how they were going to manage to make a parking lot in the middle of the mall. Basically the idea was to make a huge turnaround where shoppers can drive up their cars and leave it for the valet and be right in the middle of the mall. I know it doesn't completely solve the parking problem; its either a luxury for those crazy shoppers or maybe some efficient way of getting more people who valet their cars.


When I was in China, I actually saw a few parking lots that do the same thing that the Maheshwari group is proposing to do. However, the parking lots I saw were really shady and I wouldn't trust my car being in there. But new technological parking lots like these will save space and hassle for a lot of people. I know I share the hate of looking for parking spots, especially in Los Angeles. The Grove currently offers a smart parking lot that tells you how many spots are on each level so thats one step in the right direction.

This reminds me of a Seinfeld episode I was watching last night. It was titled "the Parking Spot" where George and another guy Mike were fighting for a parking spot in front of Jerry's apartment. They argued that no one parallel park head first and also that no one can back into a spot 50 feet away.. you know the whole Seinfeld argument. Jerry also did a stand-up comic bit about parking as well. He mentioned that the there are more and more cars being made but no parking spots being made. Which is so true. I know many families have more than one car in the family but with more and more drivers on the road, I think it makes the freeways and roads a little more dangerous. Also with the parking situation, it seems like each year, parking becomes harder and harder to find and its horrible. So I'm glad its an issue thats at least sort of being tackled. Cars deserve good parking spots.. none of this "reserved," "compact," or "no suv" bullshit.