At LotPro.com, we’ve never really disliked the smart fortwo. Our argument with the car has always been that its focus may be just too narrow. In addition, trying to make an economic case for it as a first, or even second, car is difficult.

The base pure model starts at $11,990, about the same as a Chevy Aveo 5. For that price, neither vehicle comes with air conditioning or power windows. The Aveo comes standard with a 1.6-liter 4 making 108 hp, while the pure comes equipped with a 1.0-liter 3 and 71 hp.

Stepping up to the passion trim gives you, among other things, air conditioning and a radio, but with a jump in price to $13,990 – and now we’re only a grand away from the base Honda Fit. It should also be pointed out that both the Aveo 5 and the Fit also include back seats and a decent amount of storage – something both smart models lack.

In any case, taking retail sales numbers into account (September sales were down over 50% from 2008 with year to date sales down by almost 33%), the bloom may well be off the rose for the fortwo.

So to prop up numbers, parent company Daimler AG has come up with a tried-and-true method to boost its numbers – rental fleets.

car2go

On Tuesday, Daimler announced that in partnership with the City of Austin it was launching its car2go pilot project in North America. As a bonus, Austin also becomes the official headquarters of car2go North America LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler.

At the outset, 200 smart fortwo vehicles will be made available within the city for all registered car2go members. The fleet will be available 24/7 and, after a one-time registration process, customers can access vehicles on the street or by online reservation and may use the fortwo for as long as they like with charges based on time and rates starting by the minute.

The first-ever pilot took place in Ulm, Germany in October of 2008. During that pilot, the fleet of 200 smarts was rented between 500 and 1,000 times per day and was used by 15,000 customers with 90% of the rentals taking place outside the reservation process.

1919 Model T Police Truck

Cruiser news

Ford Motor Company let it be known today that it was developing plans for an all-new Ford Police Interceptor while reaffirming its commitment to the “police and municipal vehicles businesses.”

Earlier this month, on October 5th, we at LotPro.com had reported that General Motors, in anticipation of the demise of the Ford Crown Vic (the current segment leader with 45,000 sold out of the 60,000 units sold per year or 75% of the market), announced that they would be bringing to market an all-new Chevy Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle (PPV).

Current Crown Victoria Police Cruiser

Ford Police Interceptor

Working in conjunction with the company’s Police Advisory Board, which has provided input, during the past 14 months, on many key target areas, the new Police Interceptor will begin production just as the last Crown Victoria rolls off the assembly line.

“We have heard the repeated requests from the law enforcement community to continue uninterrupted support of the law enforcement community,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas.  “Ford is answering the call with the new Police Interceptor – engineered and built in America.”

“Ford’s commitment to the law enforcement community produced the Crown Victoria, the benchmark police vehicle,” said Lt. Brian Moran, fleet manager, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and a member of Ford’s Police Advisory Board.  “This commitment has continued, and Ford has been working closely with the Police Advisory Board on developing the new Police Interceptor. I am confident that the next-generation Ford police vehicle will meet the future needs of the law enforcement community and will set the new standard.”

Ford Interceptor Concept

No details

Although the Glass House does not plan on revealing details of its latest crime fighter until sometime in the first quarter of 2010 (just in time for law enforcement agencies, aftermarket manufacturers and upfitters to develop transition plans from the Crown Vic), the announcement is clearly timed to encourage those same agencies to put off making the decision to switch to the Chevy PPV until they’ve had a chance to check out Ford’s latest and greatest.

“Ford long has supported our public servants with vehicles that work as hard as they do,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service.  “We intend to build on this legacy with a new generation of municipal and police vehicles that set even higher standards.”

With very little information to go on, we at LotPro.com can only hope that the new Police Interceptor more closely resembles the 2006 Ford Interceptor Concept than that of the Focus-based Interceptor used in Italy.

Italian Focus Interceptor

Vehicle intros

At LotPro.com, many of us can remember when dealers used to hide their upcoming models in their back lots and put Kraft paper on their front windows in anticipation of the unveiling of their latest models (the cars, themselves, would be kept under wraps on the showroom floor). As kids, we used to climb fences and peek in the windows of garages in order to get that first glimpse of the new Fords, Chevys and Pontiacs.

But time and technology marches on. As a society, we are no longer content to wait for the actual model introductions – even though the auto manufacturers regularly push new models to market as soon as possible – timing be damned. And with the realities of the internet and digital photography, the spy shot of a new model can be sent around the world in all of its high-resolution glory within a matter of minutes.

To counter this, manufacturers have resorted to releasing “teaser” images of their upcoming models. Having witnessed this phenomenon for quite some time, we are now ready to begin classifying them according to the amount of useful information the images supply.

Level 1 tease

Recent example – the new Volvo S60

These images include some type of full resolution image. These teasers include images of the actual production vehicle and can be classified as a “tease” only because the manufacturer withholds images of the interior of the vehicle as well as miscellaneous up close shots of the wheels, engine compartment and trim pieces usually found in the full-blown press kit.

Level 2 tease

Recent example – the upcoming Volkswagen mid-size sedan

Level 2 teases usually involve releasing either a small image of just a part of the vehicle, or an artist’s rendering. In both cases, you get a glimpse of the design direction and the overall “feel” of the vehicle without actually seeing it in its entirety (which would be the level 1 tease).

Level 3 tease

Recent example – the new BMW 5 Series

The level 3 tease is best described as the overt attempt by a manufacturer to drive most car crazies out of their minds. Examples of the level three tease include supplying images of vehicle outlines or shadows. Shooting the model in black against a black backdrop while lighting only two feet of the front fender also qualifies, as does the recent release from BMW in which the new 5 series is assembled using a CGI array of ball bearings to highlight only the horizontal surfaces beginning at the beltline and moving upwards.

As the Brits might put it, this Volvo is “a bloody nice car”. Okay. Enough with the puns, already. Here at LotPro.com, we’re not exactly at the epicenter of the intended audience for the Twilight series of books. Given the fact that all four books are most popular with young adults (the majority of whom are female, to be sure), that pretty much knocks most of us here out of the picture (with one or two exceptions).

That being said, who are we to knock a franchise that has sold over 70 million books worldwide? On top of that, one of the lead characters will be driving a Volvo XC60 (with City Safety, no less) in the latest manuscript to celluloid translation of the saga (not series, mind you, but “saga”), New Moon.

And just like you can’t pass a Chevy dealer without one of the kids (usually a boy) shouting out “there’s Bumblebee!!!”, Volvo is hoping the latest Twilight movie will have the same effect on a somewhat older and more feminine audience as the central male character, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), will be seen throughout the film driving a 2010 Volvo XC60.

Twitter and Facebook and MySpace, oh my!

“Volvo is central to Edward’s character in the Twilight saga,” said Doug Speck, president and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America. “One lucky fan will solve all of the puzzles in Volvo’s New Moon interactive game and win a new XC60. While the XC60 doesn’t come equipped with a vampire, the winner will experience the power, beauty and protection that is Volvo-and it will transport them to all of their great moments in life.”

In addition to the U.S., other Volvo markets participating in the competition will be Canada, the U.K., France and Germany.

Win your own Volvo sans Kristen Stewart

Starting November 1, players can register at http://www.whatdrivesedward.com/ and will receive clues to help solve a series of puzzles. Since the puzzles increase in difficulty, players are encouraged to exchange hints through Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. The game runs for three weeks from November 1 through November 23.

In case fans were wondering, here are the specifics of the XC60 Edward drives in the movie:

Model: XC60
Exterior color: Saville Grey metallic
Interior: sandstone beige/espresso, cream leather steering wheel
Accessories: Achilles diamond cut wheels, side scuff plates, front bumper bar, rear skid plates

A first

At LotPro.com, we love cars that get great fuel economy. So it was with keen interest that we read this week that General Motors had announced that the Chevrolet Volt had become the first mass-produced vehicle to claim more than 100 mpg in the composite fuel economy rating. The EPA results also showed an electrical efficiency rating of 25 kilowatt hours/100 miles in the city cycle (equivalent to 230 miles per gallon).

Unlike conventional gasoline engines, the mileage testing on the Volt was performed using a new set of fuel economy standards that has been devised by the EPA specifically for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs).

The EPA’s new methodology for PHEVs places more weight on the city driving cycle and uses kilowatt hours per 100 miles traveled, as opposed to miles per gallon, to define the efficiency of plug-ins (as in the aforementioned 25 kWh/100 miles). Given the current cost of electricity (11 cents per kWh), a Volt owner would pay about $2.75 for the amount of electricity it would take to travel 100 miles – an average of about 3 cents per mile.

The Volt

The Volt, you will remember, is GM’s most recent foray into the realm of pure electric vehicles and it is scheduled to start production near the end of next year and will be designated as a 2011 model. According to company estimates (using pre-production prototypes), it is expected to travel up to 40 miles on electricity alone from a single battery charge with an overall range of more than 300 miles through the use of a flex fuel-powered engine-generator.

“From the data we’ve seen, many Chevy Volt drivers may be able to be in pure electric mode on a daily basis without having to use any gas,” said GM Chief Executive Officer Fritz Henderson. “EPA labels are a yardstick for customers to compare the fuel efficiency of vehicles. So, a vehicle like the Volt that achieves a composite triple-digit fuel economy is a game-changer.”

The numbers

“The 230 city mpg number is a great indication of the capabilities of the Volt’s electric propulsion system and its ability to displace gasoline,” said Frank Weber, global vehicle line executive for the Volt. “Actual testing with production vehicles will occur next year closer to vehicle launch. However, we are very encouraged by this development, and we also think that it is important to continue to share our findings in real time, as we have with other aspects of the Volt’s development.”

Images courtesy of General Motors

The Best of Detroit

As we stated in yesterday’s article on LotPro.com, the years 1955 to 1970 are looked upon as the golden age for many followers of the sport of drag racing. During this time, big corporate sponsorships were the stuff of dreams and most drivers who raced also had full-time jobs that helped support their passion for the sport.

In addition to the six vehicles mentioned on Monday, here are the seven more that appeared at the Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance this past Sunday:

1963 Pontiac Catalina 421 Super Duty

This particular 1963 Pontiac Catalina 421 Super Duty was among a select number of Pontiacs (there were only 14 produced) that were dubbed “Swiss Cheese” vehicles. The name came from the fact that the perimeter frame had approximately 120 holes punched in the side sections and the side of the box section was also removed.

With a factory shipping weight of only 3,308 pounds, the body featured aluminum panels on the fender, hood, trunk and bumpers. Factory rated horsepower was 420, but the engine blue printed out at well over 500 horsepower.

This particular Catalina was raced out of the venerable Royal Pontiac dealership in Royal Oak, Michigan (which was to become famous for the Royal Bobcat Pontiac GTO). Driven by Jim Wangers, it went on to win the B/FX class at the U.S. Nationals.

1963 Ford Galaxie Factory Lightweight

Ford’s answer to the Pontiac “Swiss Cheese” vehicles was the “Factory Lightweight.” Built in Atlanta and L.A., on the Galaxie line, the bodies were modified with aluminum panels and the interiors featured little in the way of luxury – no heater, no radio, and no frills. A very few of these lightweights featured Ford’s high-performance 427 engine.

1963 Chevrolet Impala Z-11

The Impala Z-11 was Chevy’s answer to the need for more horsepower and lighter cars in 1963. Chevrolet produced 57 of these vehicles that featured a modified 409 cubic inch engine that, in different variations, produced anywhere from 340 horsepower up to 425 horsepower.

Like its counterparts at Ford and Chrysler, this particular Chevy had no radio, no heater and no sound deadener and, like the Ford Galaxie, it was assigned an RPO (Regular Production Order) number (RPO Z-11), although it took more than signing on the dotted line to buy one of these specials.

1965 Plymouth “Color Me Gone”

A number of things took place in 1965 that were to profoundly change drag racing in the United States. That year, the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) created a factory experimental class that had less restrictive rules. The resulting Altered Wheelbase cars became the ultimate production-based muscle cars that would eventually bridge the gap between the Super Stock cars of the early ‘60’s and the Funny Cars that would emerge years later.

Chrysler eventually built 6 Dodges and 6 Plymouths and sold them to teams like the Ramchargers, Dick Landy and Roger Lindamood. Lindamood, in particular, won the 1964 Nationals and is a hall of fame driver.

1965 Mercury Comet “Dyno Don Nicholson”

Dyno Don Nicholson began racing in the 40’s and 50’s and was one of a select few drivers that helped propel the sport from a hobby to big business. Along with Jack Chrisman, The Ramchargers, Dick Landy and Gas Rhonda, he experimented with altering wheelbases, fuel injection, supercharging, big slicks and super duty transmissions.

His “Mercury Cyclone” was one of the most successful cars of its era and the car’s altered wheelbase, flip top and engine configuration led to the name “Funny Car” that is still used in drag racing today.

1968 Plymouth Barracuda “Ron Mancini Car”

By the 1960’s, all the major manufacturers were taking part in the “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” racing wars. In 1968, the Hurst Performance Center in Madison Heights, Michigan assembled 75 purpose-built cars specifically for drag racing. The new “Hemi” powerplant helped propel these cars to many NHRA victories.

This particular 426 Hemi Plymouth Barracuda was built by the team of Mike Dawson and Ron Mancini with the help of Gratiot Auto Supply and ran SS/AA.

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle “Red Alert”

Beginning in 1970, General Motors dropped its self-imposed rule of restricting mid-size cars to engines with less than 400 cubic inches of displacement. The LS6 package included a 454 cubic inch engine that produced 450 horsepower that resulted in quarter mile times in the low to mid-13 second range.

In 1969, drag racer Bob Hamilton purchased this Chevelle for his wife as a Valentine’s Day gift and, a year later, turned it into the “Red Alert” drag racer that competed in the NHRA SS/DA class. In 1971, model car company AMT created a model of the car that became their all-time sales leader. “Red Alert” continued to race until 1976 when it was Top Stock Eliminator in 14 out of 16 races.

Yo Bee, what’s up?

Fans of the movie Transformers (and possibly the toys as well) will now be able to get their hands on their very own Autobot wannabe as Chevrolet announced today that, beginning immediately, customers will be able to order a Bumblebee edition 2010 Chevrolet Camaro from their local Chevy dealer.

“When the first TRANSFORMERS movie was setting box office records, we had countless customers asking to purchase the ‘BUMBLEBEE’ Camaro,” said Karen Rafferty, product marketing director, Chevrolet. “Now, they can buy one with the new Camaro TRANSFORMERS Special Edition. Streets all over North America will be buzzing in no time.”

Specs

Here at LotPro.com, we see that the General’s latest über toy will be available in either LT or SS trim levels in “Rally yellow” and can be had either with or without the optional RS package.

The cost of the Transformers appearance package is $995 and will come with the following must-have amenities:

•    AUTOBOT® shield on the driver and passenger side panels
•    AUTOBOT® shield on each of the four wheel’s center cap
•    AUTOBOT® shield embroidered on interior center console
•    “TRANSFORMERS” logo on driver and passenger doors’ sill plates
•    “TRANSFORMERS” logo embedded into the hood rally stripes
•    High-gloss black center rally stripe package

Although the factory-spec version will not transform, it is available with all three production engines, i.e. the 304hp 3.6-liter V6 (available with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic, the 400hp 6.2-liter L99 V8 (available in six-speed automatic guise only), or the 426hp 6.2-liter LS3 V8 (available only with a six-speed manual transmission).

Images courtesy of General Motors Corporation

The obvious and not so obvious

Here at LotPro.com, we realize that it doesn’t take a genius to conclude that it’s going to cost you a bundle to insure a sports car like the Nissan GT-R, Dodge Viper or Audi R8. All three are very expensive, very fast, and attract traffic cops in much the same way that Brad and Angelina attract the paparazzi – you can’t miss them and they’re usually good for a money shot (using a radar with the former and a camera with the latter).

What is surprising is the inclusion of the Cobalt SS in the top 20, while Chevy’s big gun, the Corvette, is MIA (demographics may have something to do with it, since Cobalt buyers are younger and more prone to “mashing the foot feed”, as it were). BMW is well represented with the four models (M6, M5, M3 and X6), the most from any single manufacturer. Of the top 20, 14 are sports cars (we take exception to the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class being classified as a “passenger car” and have included it in this category), 4 are large SUV’s, the Cadillac Escalade EXT is the lone truck and, sans the aforementioned SL, the Audi S8 is the lone passenger car.

The results

Insure.com lists the Nissan GT-R at the top of the list, noting that “Owners of the GT-R buy it for power and speed, and their driving habits are often reflected in frequent and expensive insurance claims (insert here the Japanese word for ‘obviously’).” Not far behind is the Dodge Viper, followed by the BMW M6, Ford Shelby GT 500 and, rounding out the top 5, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class.

Here is the complete list of the most expensive 20:

The bottom 20 for the rest of us

Lacking a payment and insurance budget that might equal the GDP of a small third world country, the rest of us can always aim for the top least expensive vehicles to  insure.

Again, it doesn’t take a Mensa candidate to realize that this list will be populated, for the most part, by small and mid-size passenger vehicles equipped with 4 and 6-cylinder engines. Indeed, the top 5 vehicles are all Korean, with 3 Kia models and 2 from sister company Hyundai. Most of this list is comprised of various and sundry forms of family haulers with minivans (6), passenger cars (6, but really 7 if you include the Rio5 which is a hatchback) and  SUVs (5) accounting for most of the listed vehicles. The remaining two include the Scion xB (almost a minivan) and the list’s only truck, a Mazda (we’re assuming the B-Series).

The list’s biggest surprise, in more ways than one, was the venerable Lincoln Town Car, parked at number 17.

Here is the complete list of the least expensive 20:

How to save more green

Insure.com also had a number of other tips to help you save on your car insurance bill:

•    Trade higher deductibles for lower premiums – but make sure you can afford your deductible in case you crash your car

Vehicle safety systems

Here at LotPro.com, we pretty much take for granted the various safety features that have become commonplace on most modern vehicles. When it comes time to describe the new models, our eyes begin to glaze over when we reach the “safety” portion of the specifications page. Such things as crush zones, safety cage construction, multiple airbags, electronic brake distribution and even (lately) ABS, or anti-lock brake systems, are so commonplace that we give them very little thought. That is, until we find ourselves in a situation on the road that we are totally unprepared for.

I found myself in just such a predicament this past winter when I was traveling on the expressway during the morning after a snowstorm and was overtaken by a Chevrolet Cobalt just as the road took a moderate rise in anticipation of a sweeping right turn. The driver of the Cobalt blew past and darted into the lane in front of me. Just then, the Chevy hit a patch of black ice and began to rotate in a clockwise direction barely 2 car lengths in front of me. After a revolution and a half, it came to rest in a snow bank on the right shoulder – clear of my lane, but with only a few yards to spare between it and my vehicle. It was a total surprise and I hardly had time to react.

The same kind of situation was encountered by Maureen Edgeton of Yellowstone, Montana just a couple of weeks ago. And although she wasn’t as fortunate as I was, she was still able to walk away to tell about it.

Movin’ to Montana

According to the press release from Ford, here is the background:

Maureen Edgerton, 51, of West Yellowstone, Mt., was driving home on the dark night of April 11, when she unexpectedly slammed her 2007 Ford Fusion into a herd of bison. The 55-mile-per-hour impact totaled the car and killed several of the migrating “American buffalo” on the snowbound highway. Edgerton, however, walked away with only minor scrapes and bruises. Impressed by the Fusion’s crash protection, safety features and fuel efficiency, Edgerton has picked the new 2010 Ford Fusion to be her next new vehicle.

Here’s what Maureen had to say:

“The crash was like a war scene. By the time it was over the hood was smashed in, the mirrors were ripped from the doors and the windshield was shattered, but the interior of the car wasn’t affected whatsoever. And the car was still running and not leaking fluid. Not even the tires were deflated. Everyone who came to the scene asked ‘what kind of car is this?’ because they couldn’t believe it was possible to walk away from such a crash.”

The crash

According to a story in the West Yellowstone News, Ms. Edgerton had set the cruise control at 55, the posted speed limit. (The usual speed limit is higher, but at this time of year the Montana DOT reduces it due to the annual migration of American Buffalo from their winter habitat in Horse Butte to their summer “residence” in Yellowstone.) An oncoming trucker flashed his lights (perhaps in warning) and she looked down to check to see if her high beams were on. This slight glance was all it took and, almost immediately, the Edgerton Fusion slammed into the heard of bison (maximum size: 6 feet tall, 11 feet long and a mass of upwards of 2,200 pounds).

The epilogue

While Maureen was able to walk away, the same can’t be said for either the Fusion or a number of bison. The Ford, having done its job, was declared a total wreck, while 7 bison eventually paid the ultimate price for this chance encounter.

So what do we learn from this? Well, for one thing, the automobiles of today are absolutely the safest in history. For another, if you find yourself driving through Montana this time of year, keep a wary eye out for bison – they’re much larger than they appear to be on a nickel!

Something to talk about

There hasn’t been a lot of good news coming out of General Motors’ Renaissance Center headquarters lately. Just yesterday, the company announced that it would extend the normal two week summer closing of thirteen of its plants for up to nine weeks to help clear a backlog of unsold new cars from its dealers. So it has to be with a certain sense of relief that the marketing folks at Chevy have finally got something to talk about that has nothing to do with layoffs, plant closures and bankruptcy.

Grand Sport

Today, GM’s Chevy division announced that the Grand Sport is returning to the Corvette lineup. The announcement, made at the annual Corvette Birthday Bash held in Bowling Green, Kentucky, heralds the return of one of the most storied names in the history of the Corvette.

Back in 1962, Corvette chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov began a semi-secret program within General Motors’ Chevrolet division to produce as many as 125 lightweight prototype Corvettes based on the new 1963 Stingray in response to what Ford was doing with the Shelby Cobra. After assembling five of the prototypes and racing (Grand Sport #004 won an SCCA race at Watkins Glen in August) as well as testing them at Sebring in the fall of 1963, plans called for a debut at the 12-hour race in 1964.

1996 Grand Sport

Before that could happen, GM brass announced that the company would follow the 1957 AMA anti-racing resolution to the letter and the company’s involvement with NASCAR, along with everything else (including the Grand Sport) would cease. The company also ordered that the prototypes (which included three coupes as well as two convertibles – coupes whose tops were removed) be destroyed.

Fortunately, all five were hidden away at Chevrolet engineering and the three coupes were eventually campaigned by “privateer” racers such as Roger Penske and Jim Hall.

2010 Corvette Grand Sport

Although the Grand Sport moniker made a brief appearance in 1996 when a total of 1,000 were produced (810 coupes and 190 convertibles) with the LT4 engine, the latest iteration will replace the current Z51 package and promises to push the current standard Vette closer to the performance of the Z06 model.

The new Grand Sport will be available in either coupe or convertible body styles and will be offered with the current LS-3 powertrain with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The engine will be rated at 430 horsepower and 424 lb-ft. of torque with the standard exhaust system or 436 horsepower and 428 lb.-ft. of torque with an optional two-mode exhaust system.

The list of Grand Sport features includes:

•    Wider front and rear fenders – including specific front fenders with integrated Grand Sport badges
•    Z06-style front splitter and tall rear spoiler
•    Functional brake ducts and extra cooling
•    Unique 18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels; painted finish standard and chrome finish optional
•    Large 275/35ZR18 tires in front and 325/30ZR19 tires in the rear
•    Z06-size brakes, including 14-inch (355 mm) front rotors with six-piston calipers and 13.4-inch (340 mm) rear rotors with four-piston calipers
•    Specific manual transmission gear ratios
•    Specific rear axle ratio on automatic-equipped models

The Grand Sport can be ordered with the 1LT, 2LT, 3LT and 4LT trim packages and the coupe option also includes a removable roof. All of the Corvette’s exterior colors are offered and an available “Heritage” package, offered in four colors, adds front fender hash marks as well as two-tone seats with “Grand Sport” embroidery.