1958 Thunderbird

COTY award

In 1949, Motor Trend became the first U.S. magazine to offer a Car of the Year award. For the next 50 years, it was handed out to domestic vehicles only (an Import Car of the Year category was established in 1970 and the two were combined for the 2000 award year).

As hindsight is inevitably 20/20, it’s easy to knock some of the past recipients, such as the 1971 Chevrolet Vega (with its engine block design that led to a history of head gasket failures), the 1980 Chevrolet Citation (that set a new standard in fwd-induced torque steer) and the 1983 AMC/Renault Alliance (which has been universally acknowledged to have been perhaps the magazine’s greatest faux pas).

But that being said, the Motor Trend Car of the Year award has also been bestowed on many of the most historically significant vehicles to grace our roads, including the 1958 Ford Thunderbird, the 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado, the 1968 Pontiac GTO, the 1985 Volkswagen GTI, the 1998 Chevrolet Corvette and the 2005 Chrysler 300.

2010 nominees

For 2010, there were 23 contenders for the Motor Trend COTY award. As usual, vehicle eligibility is determined by a totally new or substantial redesign and all vehicles must have been available for sale between now and November 1st of the previous year. The list for 2010 was comprised of the following vehicles:

BMW 7 Series
BMW Z4
Buick LaCrosse
Chevrolet Camaro
Ford Mustang
Ford Fusion
Ford Taurus /SHO
Honda Insight
Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Kia Forte Koup
Kia Soul
Lexus HS 250h
Mazda3
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe
Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan
Nissan 370Z
Nissan Cube
Porsche Panamera
Subaru Legacy
Suzuki Kizashi
Toyota Prius
Volkswagen Golf /GTI
Volkswagen Routan

2010 Ford Fusion

In a first-ever live webcast event, Motor Trend announced this afternoon that the entire 2010 Ford Fusion model line had taken the honors for the 2010 Motor Trend Car of the Year.

“Ford has proven its resilience in these tough times by delivering to market a car with broad appeal to a broad range of consumers,” said Angus MacKenzie, MOTOR TREND editor-in-chief. “The Fusion range has matured into a competitive roster of midsize sedans, able to compete with sales juggernauts such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. It is no surprise the Fusion now ranks in the top 10 best-selling cars in America.”

Mark Fields, Angus MacKenzie, Derrick Kuzak

There to receive the award for Ford Motor Company was a plethora of executives from the company, including Mark Fields, executive vice president of the company and president, The Americas.

“The MOTOR TREND Car of the Year award is another testament of our commitment to delivering a world-class car lineup,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Ford Global Product Development, who accepted the golden calipers on behalf of the Ford team. “Whether it is the best-in-class fuel economy or quality unsurpassed by Toyota or Honda, the Fusion and Fusion Hybrid are clear evidence that Ford is serious about our car lineup.”

Hyundai Genesis

NACOTY and NATOTY awards

At LotPro.com, we normally have to wait for the short list of candidates to be released by Automotive News. This year, Marty Padgett of The Car Connection (and also a juror) was kind enough to reveal the list just a bit early.

Patterned after the European “Car of the Year” award, the North American awards were first given in 1994. The jury is composed of no more than 50 journalists from the United States and Canada. In order to be eligible for consideration, a vehicle must be “substantially changed” from the previous model and be on sale shortly after the announcement of the award in early January. In addition:

•    Cars must have reasonably foreseeable annual sales in North America of 5,000 vehicles.
•    Trucks must have reasonably foreseeable annual sales in North America of 2,000 vehicles.

Ford F-150

From the short list of vehicles you see here, the three finalists in each category are announced in December and the winners are unveiled at a press conference at the beginning of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit (although the show does not sponsor the awards in any way).

Award trivia: During the sixteen years of the car award, hybrids have been honored 4 times. Domestic automakers have garnered eight awards, Japanese automakers have won the award three times and European automakers have received the award four times (for Car of the Year), while 2009 marked the first year a Korean automaker was honored (the Hyundai Genesis for Car of the Year). In the Truck of the Year competition, domestic automakers have taken the award home 10 times (including the 2009 winner, the Ford F-150), Japanese automakers have won 4 times, while European automakers have won twice.

This year’s short list is comprised of the following vehicles:

Ford Taurus SHO

Car of the Year

BMW 335d
Buick LaCrosse
Cadillac CTS
Chevrolet Camaro
Ford Fusion/Fusion Hybrid
Ford Taurus
Honda Insight
Kia Soul
Mazda3/MazdaSpeed3
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Porsche Panamera
Subaru Legacy
Suzuki Kizashi
Toyota Prius
Volkswagen Golf/GTI

Cadillac SRX

Truck of the Year

Acura ZDX
Audi Q5
Cadillac SRX
Chevrolet Equinox
Ford Transit Connect
Honda Crosstour
Land Rover LR4
Lincoln MKT
Subaru Outback
Volvo XC60

A first for Kia

At LotPro.com we see that Hyundai-Kia’s Kia division unveiled its first production hybrid electric vehicle, the Forte Liquid Petroleum Injection (LPI) Hybrid in Seoul today, July 15th.

Based on the Forte 4-door sedan, the Forte LPI Hybrid joins its sedan sibling and the Forte Koup as the third member of Kia’s newest nameplate. According to information supplied by Kia, the company invested approximately $180 billion over a period of 25 months in order to develop the Forte LPI.

Drivetrain

The Forte LPI Hybrid is powered by a 1.6-liter “Gamma” engine, specifically engineered by Kia to run on liquid petroleum gas, coupled to a continuously variable transmission. The CVT, unique to the hybrid, is equipped with what Kia is calling special “E-gear” (Eco Drive) electronics that enable the transmission to make automatic adjustments in order to ensure maximum fuel efficiency.

The other half of the Forte’s hybrid system consists of an electric motor, inverter, converter and 180V lithium ion polymer battery. The system is augmented by Kia’s Idle Stop and Go (ISG) function, which switches off the engine during idle to further reduce emissions and improve fuel economy. The system also is active when the driver applies the brakes after running the vehicle for more than two seconds at speeds of 5.6 miles per hour or higher.

Exterior modifications

In addition to its unique drivetrain, the Forte LPI is the recipient of a number of body modifications designed to cut down on aerodynamic drag. LPI-specific front and rear bumper skirts, aluminum wheels and a small rear lip spoiler are the most obvious differences. Kia has also added underbody covers to the engine compartment and most of the passenger compartment that result in a Cd of just 0.26 for the LPI, as compared to 0.29 for all other Forte sedans.

Inside, the LPI boasts of what Kia calls its “full-digital SuperVision” instrumentation which, for all you Clark Kent wannabees out there, includes an “Eco Guide” function that will encourage drivers along the road to greenness with an “Eco Driving Point” icon.

While both the engine and the electric motor are activated when the ignition is turned on, only the engine will actually power the vehicle when cruising. The battery is designed to store energy created using regenerative braking and will be used solely to power onboard vehicle accessory systems.

The envelope, please

The results of all this green technical wizardry enable the Forte LPI Hybrid to return a fuel efficiency rating of 42 miles per gallon and CO2 emissions of 99g/km, qualifying it as a Super Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV).

As of this writing, Kia has no firm plans to export the Forte LPI Hybrid outside the home market in Korea, although the press release announcing the hybrid did state that, “feasibility studies are being conducted to assess consumer interest and potential demand in markets that possess liquid petroleum refueling infrastructure.”

 All images courtesy of Kia Motors Corporation

Forte part deux

Less than one month after the introduction of the Forte sedan, Kia has released its third salvo for 2009 in the guise of the Forte Koup. At LotPro.com we take note that this is Kia’s first-ever two-door coupe and marks the automaker’s next step in competing with the big boys in quality, performance and – dare we say – design, as well.

Based on its sedan sibling, the Koup version shares the same 104.3 inch wheelbase, but the 2-door body is 0.4 inches narrower, 2.0 inches shorter and 2.4 inches lower than the sedan. Speed-sensitive power steering is standard and the Koup sports a 33.9 foot turning radius with 16” wheels which stretches to 35.4 feet when it is equipped with 17” alloy wheels.

Standard equipment is anything but

All Koups feature Bluetooth® connectivity through the use of steering wheel-mounted controls which enable voice-activated and hands-free operation for all compatible cell phones. Audio controls, also located on the steering wheel, also come standard as well as USB and auxiliary input jacks located on the center console offer full iPod®/MP3 controllability via either the audio head unit or (this is getting repetitious) steering wheel-mounted controls. SIRIUS satellite radio and three months of complimentary service is also standard.

Trim levels

Two engine choices as well as four different transmissions are offered. The EX version comes with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with CVVT that produces 156 horsepower and 144 lb.-ft. of torque and is available with either a standard 5-speed manual transmission or an optional electronically-controlled 4-speed automatic transmission.

The upgraded SX trim comes equipped with a 2.4-liter 173 hp four and the choice of either a 6-speed manual as standard or an optional 5-speed automatic transmission with manumatic capabilities. SX-trimmed Koups also feature sports seats trimmed in red stitching, tilt and telescoping steering column, speaker lights (a’la the Soul), leather-wrapped wheel and shift knob, and metal-trimmed pedals. Both the SX and the EX trims will offer the option of a tilting power sunroof.

The Bottom Line

While sharing its interior and bits of outside trim (not a single body panel is shared) with the sedan, the Koup brings even more style to the Forte line as well as the C-segment in general. With EPA estimates of 25 mpg city/34 mpg highway for the 2.0-liter, with either transmission, or 23 mpg city/31 mpg highway (automatic) and 22 mpg city/32 mpg highway (manual) for the larger 2.3 four-pot as well as a class-leading 90.7 cubic feet of interior volume, the new Forte Koup makes Kia a major player. So from all of us here at LotPro.com, a hearty “kongratulations” to everyone at Kia!

photos courtesy of Kia Motors America

Another way to roll

Kia Motors America today rolled out the first special addition of its all-new mini people hauler, the Soul. Dubbed the 2010 Denim Kia Soul, it signals the second salvo from the Koreans for the hearts and minds of the Gen-Y’ers in its intended audience.

According to the PR blurb, the new special edition is “a unique iteration of the popular urban passenger vehicle that further emphasizes Soul’s cutting edge style and youthful, fun character.” In addition, “the special-edition Denim Soul provides consumers with even more personalization options.” So what does it offer over more plebian editions?

Special features

It turns out that the Denim edition is based on the Soul+ model and, as such, offers keyless entry, privacy glass, body-color door handles, power mirrors, 16” alloys, cruise and Bluetooth along with the uplevel 2.0 liter 142 hp 4-banger.

Other standard features include such amenities as air conditioning, tilt wheel, power locks and windows, ABS, stability and traction control, Electronic Brake Distribution and brake assist.

Inside, other plus features also include an AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system with SIRIUS capability (including a 3 month complimentary subscription) and USB and auxiliary input jacks with full iPod® controllability via the head unit and steering wheel controls with an optional iPod cable.

To this mix, the Denim version adds a unique “denim” (what else?) exterior color, white side-view mirrors, 18” alloy wheels and front fender turn signal indicator lights, a wing-type rear spoiler and a white off-set racing stripe that extends from just below the front grille back to the rear bumper. Also included is the Audio Upgrade Package (a $400 stand alone option on the plus) that adds a center speaker, subwoofer, external 315 watt amp and “speaker lights that pulse to the beat of the music.” Rock on.

Pricing

Pricing for the Denim starts at $17,995 for the 5-speed manually-equipped version and $18,945 for the automatic (representing a $2,350 premium over the standard Soul+).

According to Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing at Kia Motors America, the new Denim version “illustrates our commitment to fresh design, even on a vehicle that’s been in the marketplace only a few months, and it’s the first of more special editions to be offered in 2010 for the recently introduced Kia Soul.”

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

2009 Edition

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

Last year’s road tour that focused on the automotive application of the chemical element with the atomic number of 1 played out across the amber waves from Portland, Maine to Los Angeles, California. This year, at LotPro.com, we’ve noticed that the tour has been pushed up from August to May and June, and plays itself out on the west coast of North America – beginning in the land of the Governator and finishing up in the host city for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

vehicle refueling

The tour started in Los Angeles on May 26th by fueling up at the first 700 bar hydrogen fueling station to be sited in the United States at the University of California, Irvine. This year’s tour, organized by the California Air Resources Board, California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP), Powertech Labs (on behalf of British Columbia), National Hydrogen Association (NHA) and the U.S. Fuel Cell Council, is focusing its efforts on those communities “where hydrogen technologies, such as passenger vehicles, transit buses and hydrogen stations, will likely enter the market first.”

“The Tour will show how capable today’s hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles are by providing performance, environmental responsibility, a reduction of fuel imports and a pleasant driving experience for anyone who gets behind the wheel,” said Jeff Serfass, President of the National Hydrogen Association.

Tour vehicles

Participating in this year’s tour will be hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles from Daimler, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai-Kia, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen. In addition to veterans from the 2008 Hydrogen Road Tour, several new rookies will take part in the tour this year, as well as fuel cell transit buses which will participate at several of the stops (Vancouver, the tour’s terminus, will operate a fleet of 20 fuel cell buses for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games).

Here are this year’s participants:

 Daimler F-Cell

Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell vehicle

Honda FCX Clarity

Hyundai Tucson FCEV

Kia Borrego FCEV

Nissan x-trail FCV

Toyota FCHV

Volkswagen Tiguan HyMotion

Cadillac and Hyundai biggest winners

Here at LotPro.com, we see where AutoPacific today released its 13th annual Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSA) based on the results of a national survey of over 25,000 new vehicle owners and lessees.

Hyundai Genesis

Noting that the current survey was conducted “in the most challenging auto sales market in years,” the company also announced that “even with the turmoil surrounding General Motors,” Cadillac, for the second year in a row, ranked highest with new car owners and took the Highest Satisfaction Brand award.

Another bright spot in the survey was Hyundai, which climbed 11 places in the overall standings, more than any other manufacturer in the survey, earning itself the Rising Star award for 2009. Not only did the company score more points in 40 of 48 rating categories over last year’s results, two of the Korean manufacturer’s models garnered VSA awards this year in their respective categories – the Genesis for Aspirational Luxury Car and the Sonata in the Premium Mid-size car category.

“These are difficult times, with news of automaker bankruptcies, companies restructuring and dealer closures a daily occurrence,” says George Peterson, president of AutoPacific. “Clearly, the dynamics surrounding the Vehicle Satisfaction Award in 2009 are far different from anything we’ve seen in many years. Winners needed to overachieve to earn their awards.”

Honda Fit Sport

Award Winners

The survey focused on buyers of new vehicles that either purchased or leased them during the fourth quarter of 2008 – just as the economic downturn was pummeling the auto industry.

Although the complete list of winners is listed below, it should also be noted that the vehicle that registered the highest overall satisfaction for the reporting period was the Lexus LS – scoring 99 points above the industry average. The highest scoring truck, the Cadillac Escalade, also contributed mightily to that brand’s overall win.

2010 Ford Fusion

Multiple award winners included Toyota with 6 (including 2 for Lexus and 1 for Scion), Ford with 4, (including 1 for the Lincoln brand), Hyundai/Kia with 3 (2 for Hyundai, 1 for Kia) , Chrysler with 2 (1 for the Dodge brand and 1 for its Jeep division) and General Motors with 2 (1 for Cadillac and 1 for its Chevrolet brand).

Other manufacturers on the list are Honda, Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Porsche and VW.

2009 Dodge Ram

Highest Satisfaction as a Brand: Cadillac

2009 Rising Star: Hyundai

Passenger Car Categories and Winners:

Premium Luxury Car               Lexus LS
Aspirational Luxury Car          Hyundai Genesis
Luxury Large Car                     Lincoln Town Car
Luxury Mid-Size Car                Lexus ES
Premium Mid-Size Car             Hyundai Sonata
Mid-Size Car                              Ford Fusion
Image Compact Car                  Toyota Prius
Compact Car                               Mitsubishi Lancer
Economy Car                              Honda Fit
Sports Car                                   Porsche 911
Sporty Car                                   Scion tC

Light Truck Categories and Winners:

Large Pickup                                     Dodge Ram 1500
Compact Pickup                                Ford Explorer Sport Trac
Luxury Sport Utility                        Cadillac Escalade
Large Sport Utility                           Chevrolet Tahoe
Premium Mid-Size Sport Utility    Ford Explorer
Mid-Size Sport Utility                      Jeep Liberty
Luxury Crossover SUV                    Land Rover LR2
Large Crossover SUV                       Mazda CX-9
Premium Mid-Size Crossover SUV Toyota Venza
Mid-Size Crossover SUV                  Volkswagen Tiguan
Compact Crossover SUV                  Kia Sportage
Minivan                                               Toyota Sienna

Aqua Teen Hunger Force

Here at LotPro.com, we had some time on our hands, so we asked ourselves this question (yeah, right), “What do you get when you mix the latest funky urban chic econobox from Asia with an Atlanta graffiti artist and an adult-oriented show (are you dizzy yet?) from the Cartoon Channel?” Give up?

Well, it seems that Korean automaker Kia has the answer: the Aqua Teen Hunger Force-adorned Kia Soul courtesy of Atlanta graffiti artist (and member of the Atlanta-based Seventh Letter art collective) Hense.

Here is how Kia describes it:

Kia Motors America recently partnered with Cartoon Network’s “Adult Swim,” an animated and live action series for young adults for which Atlanta-based graffiti artist “Hense” was commissioned to paint a widely acclaimed Soul, themed with characters from Adult Swim’s “Aqua Teen Hunger Force.”

Still interested? In that case, as of May 4th, the Cartoon Network has set up a micro site, www.adultswim.com/kiasoul, where fans can go to view the creation of the vehicle through time-lapse photography as well as watch video footage of an interview with Hense, himself.

But wait, there’s more…

In addition to watching the genesis of the Hense-tagged Soul, those of you so inclined can also enter to win the limited-edition vehicle beginning at 10:00:01 a.m. Eastern Time on June 1, 2009. You have to be 18 or older by that time as well as a resident of the contiguous 48 states and D.C. and the promo ends at precisely 11:59:59 p.m. on June 28, 2009.

The Lone Star State

Although Texas may be known more for pickups than passenger vehicles (it is the number one market for pick-em-ups in the U.S.), it is still a very large market for cars. With the state’s combination of big cities and vast prairies, it may very well represent a middle ground between the import-heavy east and west coasts and the domestic-leaning heartland of our country.

Now in its seventh year, the Spring Challenge is a perfect foil to the annual Texas Truck Rodeo which takes place in the fall. This year, the Challenge took place at the Texas Motor Speedway from April 26th to 28th and honored vehicles from the following categories: Car of Texas (the overall winner), the Family Car of Texas, Most Innovative, Best New Design, Best Use of Technology and (as we wrote about yesterday) Best Value.

Here at LotPro.com, then, we see the findings of the Texas auto writers as being, at least geographically speaking, somewhat unbiased. So from that perspective, here are the winners of this year’s Writer’s Choice Awards:

The Car of Texas – 2010 Chevrolet Camaro

Yes, the Camaro is back. And even if you’re not a fan of the Transformers movie or even muscle cars in general, you have to appreciate the 111 more horses the SS version has over the Mustang GT while matching that V-8’s fuel economy figures.

The Family Car of Texas – 2009 Ford Flex

Squint hard enough and you will see a maxi version of the MINI intended for real families (not just 2 Pomeranians in the back). 2010 promises to give us a much-improved version of the Flex when Ford applies its EcoBoost magic with direct injection and twin turbocharging for a total of 355 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque.

Most Innovative – 2010 Volvo XC60

We told you this wasn’t going to be a domestic-only event. Among its many notable safety features, the City Safety System used by Volvo in their new XC60 crossover uses a laser system mounted behind the top of the windshield to detect imminent collisions below 19 miles per hour and, barring driver intervention, automatically stop the vehicle.

Best New Design – 2010 Chevrolet Camaro

It’s true. In addition to its zero to sixty performance, the new Camaro looks way cool.

Best Use of Technology – 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid

Ford recently set a record of 1445 miles on a single tank of gas while averaging 81.5 miles per gallon which certainly qualifies as a “best use of technology” in our book.

Best Value – 2010 Kia Soul

Kia is to the new millennium what Japanese manufacturers were to the 80’s – a company with a history of econocars that suddenly blossoms into one that offers both economy and style – plus one of the best warranties in the industry.

The Bottom Line

Once again, a tip of the Stetson to TAWA and all the winners of this year’s Spring Challenge.