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Ο χρήστης leonp έγραψε:
Οι AR πανε ΗΠΑ γιατι εκει οι απαιτησεις για
φινιρισμα και γενικα για ψιλοασήμαντες λεπτομέρειες είναι μικρότερες.Μάλλον το αντίθετο συμβαίνει. Κοίταξε ποια μοντέλα θα στείλει η AR και ποια στέλνουν οι άλλοι κατασκευαστές - τα καλύτερα.
Δε νομίζω. Πάρε για παράδειγμα τη GM και τη χαοτική διαφορά σε απτή ποιότητα που έχουν τα Opel και τα Saab με τα αντίστοιχα Chevrolet, Saturn και Cadillac. Στο Aura για παράδειγμα νιώθεις ότι στους αρμούς χωράνε τα δάχτυλά σου ενώ το ταμπλώ με τα πανελ των θυρών δεν πετυχαίνει να συναντηθεί πουθενά. Τα δε πλαστικά θυμίζουν κορεάτικο δεκαετίας όπως και η απομίμηση ξύλου. Όχι ακριβώς η εικόνα που συναντά κανείς σε ένα Vectra.
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TURIN, Italy -- Alfa Romeo is coming back to the United States in late 2008 with big-sticker cars.
The Italian brand wants the $200,000-plus sports cars to pave the way for a 2010 or 2011 introduction of three volume models.
'We have a team working on the Alfa Romeo comeback to the U.S., and we will make an announcement at the Paris auto show' in September, says Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Alfa's parent, Fiat Auto S.p.A.
Alfa plans to sell its cars through the 47 U.S. dealers that sell its sister brand, Maserati.
Alfa has postponed its return to the United States repeatedly since 2000. At the time, Fiat said Alfa would introduce the redesigned two-seat Spider convertible in 2003.
James Selwa, president of Maserati North America, will head the Alfa Romeo relaunch in the United States. He says plans are still preliminary.
'The dealers know there is work going on, and they are excited,' says Selwa.
'But there is a lot more work to do on the product before we get to dealer development.'
The first Alfa Romeo to go on sale in the United States will be the limited-edition 8c Competizione carbon-fiber car. The car is based on a shortened platform of the Maserati Coupe, the company said.
The car will be powered by a Maserati 4.2-liter V-8 gasoline engine, which will produce more than 400 hp.
Prices likely will start at about $200,000 in Europe.
A soft-top version called the 8c Spider will debut in the United States in 2009.
Only 500 of each 8c Competizione model will be built for the world. The United States will get half of each vehicle's production.
Around 2010, Alfa plans to launch the Spider, Brera coupe and 159 sedan in the United States.
Changes for U.S. tastes are planned. The 159 will be extended by 10 inches to add more rear legroom and trunk space.
Alfa Romeo left the United States in 1995 because of quality problems. Alfa Romeo regularly finished at or near the bottom of J.D. Power and Associates' Initial Quality Study.
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Ο χρήστης gavriil1 έγραψε:
Report says Alfa Romeo may pave U.S. return with sale of high dollar sports cars - - LUCA CIFERRI | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS - - Source: AutoweekAlfa Romeo left the United States in 1995 because of quality problems. Alfa Romeo regularly finished** at or near the bottom of J.D. Power and Associates'** Initial Quality Study.
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Αν το κατάλαβα σωστά και αν οι ΗΠΑμερικάνοι χρησιμοποιούν τον όρο 'ποιότητα' με την ίδια έννοια που τον χρησιμοποιούμε εμείς, τότε η AR ήταν ένα χάλι από πλευράς υλικών, συναρμογής και εμφάνισης.
Και ποιος το λέει αυτό; Οι Αμερικάνοι που φτιάχνουν φορτηγάκια και λουξ αυτοκίνητα με ίδιες καμπίνες.
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Ο χρήστης manosk έγραψε:
Αν το κατάλαβα σωστά και αν οι ΗΠΑμερικάνοι χρησιμοποιούν τον όρο 'ποιότητα' με την ίδια έννοια που τον χρησιμοποιούμε εμείς, τότε η AR ήταν ένα χάλι από πλευράς υλικών, συναρμογής και εμφάνισης.Και ποιος το λέει αυτό; Οι Αμερικάνοι που φτιάχνουν φορτηγάκια και λουξ αυτοκίνητα με ίδιες καμπίνες.
μιλάει για το 1996 που οι Alfa δεν βλεπότανε από ποιότητα, συναρμογή, αξιοπιστία κλπ.
Πάντως οι Αμερικανοί πιστεύω έχουν υψηλά στανταρντς καθώς πέρα από τις 'καλές' μάρκες (Cadillac, lincoln, κλπ) εισάγουν καταπληκτικά αυτοκίνητα (Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Lexus, Infiniti, Saab, Volvo) κλπ.
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Μάλιστα. Αργούν πάντως. Το 2009 είναι μακρυά και ως τότε πολλά μπορεί να έχουν αλλάξει στον συσχετισμό δυνάμεων.
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Ο χρήστης manosk έγραψε:
Μάλιστα. Αργούν πάντως. Το 2009 είναι μακρυά και ως τότε πολλά μπορεί να έχουν αλλάξει στον συσχετισμό δυνάμεων.κοιτά μην φθάσουμε στο 2009 και μιλάμε για την επιστροφη το 2013
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The quality gap between luxury and high-volume vehicles keeps narrowing.
The latest example: Mercury vaulted six places to take the No. 2 spot in J.D. Power and Associates' latest Vehicle Dependability Study. The report surveyed 47,620 owners to record problems after three years of ownership.
Lexus retained the top spot in the study's ranking for the 12th consecutive year with 136 problems per 100 vehicles for the 2003 model year. The Mercury brand scored 151 problems per 100 vehicles in the study, a reduction from 195 problems per 100 vehicles for the 2002 model year.
Rounding out the top five brands were Buick, 153 problems per 100; Cadillac, 163 problems per 100; and Toyota, 179 problems per 100. The industry average in the 2006 survey was 227 problems per 100 vehicles, compared with 237 problems per 100 vehicles in last year's survey.
Japanese dominate
Japanese automakers still dominate the survey's rankings of vehicles by segment. Of the 19 segments listed by J.D. Power and Associates, Japanese brands were top-ranked in 13 of them -- and 12 of the 13 were captured by Toyota or Honda vehicles.
Other big gainers in this year's survey included:
Jaguar, which jumped from No. 23 and 268 problems per 100 vehicles last year to No. 8 and 210 problems per 100 this year.
Kia, which moved from No. 37 and last place in last year's survey to No. 34 this year. Problems per 100 vehicles declined from 397 in the 2005 survey to 310 this year.
Mini, which moved from No. 35 last year to No. 29 this year. Problems per 100 vehicles declined from 383 last year to 280 this year.
Over the past four years, the quality gap between luxury and high-volume vehicles has been cut in half - from an average gap of 31 problems per 100 in the 2003 survey to 15 problems per 100 in this year's survey, the research firm said.
Porsche plunges
But paying high sticker prices is no guarantee of long-term quality.
The Porsche brand plunged from No. 2 in the 2005 study to No. 22 in this year's study, as its problems per 100 score jumped from 149 for the 2002 model year to 248 for the 2003 model year.
Also, Land Rover, which ranked just above last-place Kia last year, was last on this year's list with a score of 438 problems per 100 vehicles. The gap between Land Rover and next-to-last Saab was 112 problems per 100 vehicles.
Other brands that tumbled in this year's survey include:
Infiniti, which slipped to No. 10 on this year's survey from No. 6 last year. Problems per 100 vehicles increased from 178 last year to 215 this year.
Lincoln dropped to No. 11 from No. 3 last year. Problems per 100 vehicles jumped from 151 last year to 220 this year.
Saturn, which dropped to No. 31 from No. 15 last year. Problems per 100 increased from 240 last year to 289 this year.
Also, the Hummer brand made its first appearance on the firm's three-year dependability survey. Hummer ranked No. 33 out of 37 brands with 307 problems per 100 vehicles.
**2006 Vehicle Dependability Study: Nameplate Ranking
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Οι Ηπαμερικάνικες εταιρείες συνεχίζουν τις καλές επιδόσεις!!!
http://www.4troxoi.gr/index.php?cat_id=230&page_id=4081 -
Ο χρήστης pafos13 έγραψε:
Οι Ηπαμερικάνικες εταιρείες συνεχίζουν τις καλές επιδόσεις!!!
http://www.4troxoi.gr/index.php?cat_id=230&page_id=4081Καλά, κουτόχορτο τρώμε?
Δύο μή αυτοκινητιστικά παραδείγματα
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Όταν π.χ η Ναυτεμπορική βγάζει τίτλο 'διπλασιασμός κερδών για τον Ξιφία', νομίζετε
ότι γίνεται 'απλά για ενημέρωση'? Πίσω απο κάθε δημοσίευση υπάρχει σκοπιμότητα. -
Στην πρώτη μου δουλειά (πληροφορική), όσο βγάζαμε ολοσέλιδη διαφήμιση στο RAM, τα
PC μας έπερναν καλό ώς πολύ καλό βαθμό. Όταν έσφιξαν οι κ@loi και μειώθηκε το
διαφημιστικό κονδύλι, έπεσαν και οι βαθμοί (πολύ).
... το τρέχον εξώφυλο'
Tο τρέχον 'πρωτοσέλιδο' των 4troxon στο internet είναι εννοείται εκ του πονηρού.
Στα αριστερά GM, Crysler, Ford χαμένοι και δεξιά η Toyota κερδισμένη. Σύμπτωση?Αν αύριο αποφασίσει και η Hyundai να σπρώξει το διαφημιστικό κονδύλι, θα δείτε αντίστοιχο
εξώφυλο 'accent τα έχει όλα και συμφέρει'. Το ίδιο και η ford, όταν τα ακουμπήσει, θα βγεί
το εξώφυλο με 'focus πρώτο σε πωλήσεις πανετρωπαϊκά'.Έτσι είναι η ζωή. Δούνε και λαβείν.
Κρίμα που μερικοί τα χάυτουν
Περιοδικά συγκρίνουν πωλήσεις της Mercedes Ιουλίου 2006 με... Ιούλιο 2005 χωρίς
κανονικοποίηση. Δεν συγκρίνονται μήλα με πορτοκάλια, χωρίς κανονικοποίηση δεν μπορείς να
αναφέρεις νούμερα.Στο άρθρο αναφέρει πτώση 7% σε εταιρία, όταν η ΣΥΝΟΛΙΚΗ πτώση για όλες ήταν 14%. Αυτό
τί σημαίνει? (για σκεφτείτε) Αναφέροντας τα 'μισά' νούμερα, ΟΠΩΣ ΤΑ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΚΑ ΚΟΜΜΑΤΑ,
μπορείς να βγάλεις ΟΠΟΙΟ ΣΥΜΠΕΡΑΣΜΑ ΘΕΛΕΙΣΗ toyota άξια θα φτάσει στην κορυφή, δεν χρειάζεται κολαούζους να την 'διαφημίζουν'
με 'πονηρά' πρωτοσέλιδα. Κρίμα -
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Ο χρήστης zardoz έγραψε:
- Στην πρώτη μου δουλειά (πληροφορική), όσο βγάζαμε ολοσέλιδη διαφήμιση στο RAM, τα
PC μας έπερναν καλό ώς πολύ καλό βαθμό. Όταν έσφιξαν οι κ@loi και μειώθηκε το
διαφημιστικό κονδύλι, έπεσαν και οι βαθμοί (πολύ).
Γνωστό τοις πάσοι για τα περιοδικά, για αυτό και δεν τα παίρνω ποτέ σοβαρά...εάν διαβάσω ποτε κάποιο.
Καλά για εφημερίδες...ακόμα χειρότερα.
Εχετε παρατηρήσει στα τεστ των μοντέλων αυτοκινήτου που ξεκινούν και τελειώνουν με ολοσέλιδες διαφημίσεις του ίδιου του μοντέλου ή έστω την ίδιας αυτοκινητοβιομηχανίας?
- Στην πρώτη μου δουλειά (πληροφορική), όσο βγάζαμε ολοσέλιδη διαφήμιση στο RAM, τα
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Ο χρήστης zardoz έγραψε:
Καλά, κουτόχορτο τρώμε?
...- Όταν π.χ η Ναυτεμπορική βγάζει τίτλο 'διπλασιασμός κερδών για τον Ξιφία', νομίζετε
ότι γίνεται 'απλά για ενημέρωση'? Πίσω απο κάθε δημοσίευση υπάρχει σκοπιμότητα.
...
Έτσι είναι η ζωή. Δούνε και λαβείν.
Κρίμα που μερικοί τα χάυτουν
...
Στο άρθρο αναφέρει πτώση 7% σε εταιρία, όταν η ΣΥΝΟΛΙΚΗ πτώση για όλες ήταν 14%. Αυτό
τί σημαίνει? (για σκεφτείτε) Αναφέροντας τα 'μισά' νούμερα, ΟΠΩΣ ΤΑ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΚΑ ΚΟΜΜΑΤΑ,
μπορείς να βγάλεις ΟΠΟΙΟ ΣΥΜΠΕΡΑΣΜΑ ΘΕΛΕΙΣΕυτυχώς πάντως υπάρχουν και αρκετοί 'υποψιασμένοι' (εδώ τουλάχιστον)!...
- Όταν π.χ η Ναυτεμπορική βγάζει τίτλο 'διπλασιασμός κερδών για τον Ξιφία', νομίζετε
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NHTSA Mandates Stability Control - - SOurce: The Car Connection
Anti-rollover stability control will be required on all new passenger vehicles-cars, trucks, and SUVs alike-come the 2012 model year, according to a new mandate announced on Thursday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The agency estimates that from 5000 to 10,000 lives will be saved each year when stability control is made standard on all new passenger vehicles. 'No other safety technology since the seat belt holds as much promise to save as many lives and prevent as many injuries as electronic stability control,' said Nicole Nason, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, at a press conference announcing the new rules. A slew of automakers have already announced their compliance with the rules, including Ford, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, and Toyota.
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Ford Making Stability Control Standard - - Source: The Car COnnection
In advance of an expected mandate from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Ford Motor Company says it will make stability control standard on all its vehicles by 2009. All Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles will have the features, while Volvos and Jaguars already offer the system. The agency is expected to announce the new rule on Thursday morning, giving automakers at least three years to install the systems on their vehicles. Safety officials from the NHTSA and insurance groups estimate stability control could save 10,000 lives each year if made standard.
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DETROIT (AP) -- Lower gas prices boosted truck sales in October, helping two of the domestic Big Three and Toyota Motor Corp. post sales gains compared with a dismal October last year.
General Motors Corp. led all automakers with a 17.3 percent increase, fueled by a 33.2 percent rise in truck and sport utility vehicle sales. But GM car sales dropped 1.9 percent.On a percentage basis, GM outperformed Toyota Motor Corp., which reported a 9.2 percent sales increase.
Ford Motor Co. also posted a big sales gain, but DaimlerChrysler AG posted weaker U.S. sales than in October 2005.
Paul Ballew, GM's chief of global market and industry analysis, said the decline in gas prices from a peak of $3 a gallon earlier this year helped the industry as a whole and truck sales in particular.
'What we're seeing right now is not a movement back into utilities, but at $2.20 a gallon, some of the pressure which was really dampening demand in the utility space has been lessened,' he said. 'We are not seeing the mass migration out of utilities into cars or crossovers that we saw in the spring.'
Toyota and Lexus sold 4.3 percent more cars last month, but their truck sales were up 16.3 percent. The company's performance, though, wasn't enough to unseat Ford as the No. 2 vehicle seller in the U.S.
Ford sold a total of 214,806 vehicles in October, compared with Toyota's 189,011. GM sold 297,401 vehicles.
The sales improvements came in part because they were compared with a dismal October 2005, when sales plummeted for nearly all manufacturers following an incentive-fueled summer frenzy.
Ford's U.S. sales were up 8 percent, thanks mostly to a 22.1 percent increase in car sales. Sales of trucks and sport utility vehicles inched up 0.8 percent from the year-ago period. The figures include the Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Jaguar, Volvo and Land Rover brands.
DaimlerChrysler, meanwhile, reported that its sales dropped 1.6 percent due mainly to a 3.2 percent drop at the U.S.-based Chrysler Group. But that was partly offset by a 12.3 percent increase at Mercedes-Benz, which posted a record October sales figure.
Chrysler's car sales were down 33 percent, while its truck sales were up 9.2 percent. The company sold 159,586 vehicles last month, compared with 164,814 in 2005.
Both GM and Chrysler said car sales dropped in part due to reduced sales to rental car companies and other fleet buyers. Automakers have been trying to wean themselves off fleet sales because they yield less money than selling to individuals.
'Generally, when you're very encouraged by the retail sales in a month (as) in this particular case, it also comes with a corresponding reduction in fleet sales for the month, which is in line with our fleet strategy,' said Steven Landry, Chrysler's vice president for sales and field operations. 'That's what makes us a little happy.'
At Honda Motor Co., sales were down 0.2 percent in October, with trucks up 11.1 percent and cars down 8.8 percent.
Nissan Motor Co. reported a 3.9 percent increase in October sales over the same month last year, with an 8.2 percent increase in truck sales and a 0.1 percent rise in car sales for its Nissan and Infiniti brands.
Chrysler and Ford, as well as General Motors Corp., have struggled recently to match the offerings of Asian competitors as consumer tastes shift to smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles. The Big Three have long relied on high-margin pickups and SUVs for most of their sales and are now trying to cope with huge inventories by slashing production.
Ford said Monday that it expects to further cut production in the first six months of 2007 -- by 8 percent to 12 percent from the same period this year -- as it works to bring manufacturing in line with lower demand for its products. For 2006, the company has said production would be down about 9 percent from 2005.
Ford said Wednesday that Ford, Lincoln and Mercury inventories were estimated at 622,000 at the end of October -- 107,000 units fewer than a year ago and 30,000 fewer than at the end of September. The company said it estimates that three-quarters of its inventory is new 2007 models.
'We are very serious about aligning inventories with demand,' Al Giombetti, sales and marketing president for Ford and Lincoln Mercury, said in a written statement. 'Our dealers did an outstanding job with the 2006 model sell-down program, and we took a painful but necessary action to reduce fourth-quarter production.'
Ford sales analyst George Pipas said the automaker's inventory split between new and old models may have brought down last month's sales, which were made up of 37 percent old models and 63 percent new ones. A more typical October ratio is 50-50, he said.
'In October, from a sales standpoint, it kind of hurts you if you have insufficient old models, but from a long-term perspective we're in a much stronger position,' he said.
Pipas said the current inventory also reflects a truck-car mix that is more in line with demand.
General Motors shares fell 27 cents, or 0.8 percent, to close at $34.65 on the New York Stock Exchange, while Ford shares rose 24 cents, or 2.9 percent, to $8.52. DaimlerChrysler's U.S. shares rose 83 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $57.76.
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Ο κοσμος ξεχναει γρηγορα...
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Oct. Oct. Pct. 10 mos. 10 mos. Pct.
2006 2005 chng. 2006 2005 chng.
BMW* 24,492 25,666 –4.6% 254,576 251,586 1.2%
DaimlerChrysler** 180,209 183,191 –1.6% 1,985,381 2,130,359 –6.8%
Ford Motor Co.*** 214,591 198,716 8.0% 2,488,525 2,687,254 –7.4%
General Motors**** 297,401 253,546 17.3% 3,437,282 3,792,988 –9.4%
American Honda† 110,624 110,895 –0.2% 1,271,134 1,223,812 3.9%
Hyundai Group†† 50,576 50,044 1.1% 631,833 615,601 2.6%
Isuzu 638 778 –18.0% 7,412 10,600 –30.1%
Mazda 18,843 19,504 –3.4% 228,082 221,367 3.0%
Mitsubishi 9,288 9,292 –% 99,392 105,420 –5.7%
Nissan††† 75,095 72,279 3.9% 851,459 908,204 –6.2%
Porsche 2,355 2,588 –9.0% 28,766 26,397 9.0%
Subaru 15,404 16,774 –8.2% 164,290 161,562 1.7%
Suzuki 5,950 6,246 –4.7% 87,278 69,732 25.2%
Toyota‡ 189,011 173,085 9.2% 2,117,507 1,887,351 12.2%
VW‡‡ 22,613 24,168 –6.4% 270,057 249,007 8.5%
Other (estimate) 599 530 13.0% 5,608 5,413 3.6%
TOTAL 1,217,689 1,147,302 6.1% 13,928,582 14,346,653 –2.9% -
U.S. Rises in Auto Reliability Ratings - - By Sarah Karush, Associated Press - - Source: yahoo.com
DETROIT (AP) -- Ford's new Fusion model earned high marks from both Consumer Reports testers and consumers who rated its reliability, the magazine said in its 2007 new car preview, showing that U.S. automakers may be making strides in initial quality.
Asian automakers once again dominated the closely watched reliability ratings, but U.S. automakers are steadily improving, David Champion, senior director of automotive testing for Consumer Reports, said Thursday.
'You're almost chasing a moving target,' said Champion, who presented the findings from the magazine's annual reliability survey and testing in Detroit. 'The quality of cars has improved dramatically.'
The Fusion and the Mercury Milan were among the top-ranked family cars for predicted reliability, on par with the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry. The magazine bases its reliability forecasts on information provided by consumers for the past three model years. In the case of the Fusion and the Milan, the rating is based on only one model year because the vehicles were new for 2006.
Overall, Japanese automakers had 39 of the 47 vehicles with the best predicted reliability. U.S. manufacturers had six, including the Fusion, the Milan and the Lincoln Zephyr -- all from Ford Motor Co.
General Motors Corp. did well in large sport utility vehicles, earning top ratings for their Chevrolet Tahoe and the GMC Yukon, again based on one year of surveys because the trucks were redesigned. GM's Pontiac Vibe wagon was another top-scorer.
Champion said the key for Ford and GM will be maintaining the success in the coming years.
'It's that last year that (a consumer) owns the car that's probably most important in terms of reliability,' he said. 'If it's been pretty reliable over the first three years and then the fourth, fifth and sixth year it's dropped apart, he's not going to buy another one.'
Consumer Reports sends the auto reliability survey to print and online subscribers. Some 950,000 people responded this year, providing answers on about 1.3 million vehicles.
The survey results appear in the magazine's new car preview special edition, which is sold at newsstands. A more comprehensive analysis of the data will be published in the magazine's April issue.
Consumer Reports also listed the Fusion among the new or redesigned vehicles that most impressed its testers, saying its smooth ride and good handling made it feel 'like a much more expensive European car.'
Champion said the Hyundai Azera sedan was another pleasant surprise and praised it as 'very comfortable, very quiet,' with a good price, though he said fuel economy was not a strong point. Other hits among new or redesigned vehicles were the Kia Sedona and the Mazda5.
Among the biggest disappointments was the Dodge Caliber crossover, the magazine said, calling its acceleration sluggish, its fuel economy unimpressive and its interior cheap. The magazine said 'many of the same low-quality components' in the Caliber are being used in other DaimlerChrysler AG products.
The magazine also criticized the Subaru B9 Tribeca, the Mitsubishi Eclipse and the Pontiac Solstice.
Speaking of the Solstice, a two-seat roadster, Champion cited a lot of little flaws.
'There is no place to put your cell phone,' he said. 'The cup holders are behind you, so every time you try and take a drink, you spill your drink.'
Consumer Reports Gives Detroit Cheer - - SOurce: The Car Connection
The head of the Consumers Union auto test unit, David Champion, ventured to Detroit this week to talk to a somewhat skeptical Automotive Press Association about CU's conclusions on reliability, fuel economy, and stability control, after extensively testing some 85 new 2007 models - significantly up from only 35 different models a few years ago.
Somewhat surprisingly, some of Ford Motor Company's new products got a good report card, specifically the Fusion/Milan/MKZ/Zephyr family. They were among the handful listed by Champion as 'most impressive.' Others were the Hyundai Azera, Kia Sedona, and Mazda5.
On the 'least impressive' list were the Dodge Caliber, Pontiac Solstice, Subaru Tribeca, and Mitsubishi Eclipse.
Champion said CU believes its fuel economy tests are more representative of consumer driving experience than the current EPA cycles used for labeling purposes. He noted, moreover, that the Japanese brands are way ahead of American, European, and Korean brands in fuel economy. Only four American and two European and no Korean brands made the 'best' list compiled by CU, compared with 35 Japanese. Conversely, the 'worst' list for fuel economy included 29 American, six Japanese, six European, and four Korean.
Another part of his report, reflecting write-ups in Consumer Reports' 'New Car Preview 2007' issue, dealt with CU testers' evaluations of stability control. Listed as 'well-tuned' were systems found on '06 Explorer, '06 Corvette, '06 Porsche 911, and '05 Kia Amanti. Rated as 'not quite there' were systems on the '07 Audi Q7, '06 Cadillac CTS, '06 Outback VCD, and '05 Lexus GS300.
Consumers Union sends annual product reliability surveys to some five million reader/members. The most recent mailing yielded some 950,000 responses including 1.3 million different vehicles comprising 264 different '97 to '06 models, a huge database but of course potentially biased by self-reporting. CU tries to eliminate duplicate reporting of vehicles, Champion told the automotive writers, and ask respondents NOT to include reports of recalled items. The testing organization also requires a minimum of 100 of any given model to be included in the reported results, he said.
On the basis of predicted reliability, this year Consumer Reports has newly recommended eleven American models, four Japanese, six European, and six Korean. The 'not recommended' badge of shame is newly associated with eight Americans, two Japanese, eight European and no Korean models. CR's 'most reliable' list includes six American, one European, one Korean, and a whopping 39 Japanese models. But the 'least reliable' list comprises 20 Americans, five Japanese, nineteen European (!), and two Korean.
Champion named only a few names to auto journalists in his organization's predicted reliability findings. The Fusion family 'matches Accord and Camry' but 'I would like to see if how well Fusion is in its fifth year' when most people are ready to trade. He noted that the Buick Lucerne and Cadillac DTS were presently predicting better than Avalon, and that new GM SUV models also looked promising when it comes to trouble-free operation. Other models singled out for favorable ratings were Azera, Sorento, Sedona, Entourage, and MINI Cooper.
Finally, he noted that quality and safety of vehicles has 'improved dramatically.' The ratings are 'moving targets' because the base average of 'things gone wrong' or defects is always being improved.
Champion was a test engineer for Goodyear, Land Rover, and Nissan before joining Consumer Union in 1997. -Mike Davis
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Americans Have The Best Roads - - Source: The Car Connection
American roads have been voted the best place on the globe for Brits to go motoring. The World Driving Report 2006 has just been published in London, and revealed 58 percent of people ranked the USA as their top destination for ease of car use. Australia was second with 53 percent, followed by Ireland by on 49 percent. The data has been compiled by vehicle rental firm http://www.easycar.com and also highlighted America as one of the vacation destinations felt to have the safest roads. It took third spot behind Australia and Switzerland in that category. Almost 2000 drivers were polled for their opinions in the study. British motorists believe South Africa is the scariest place to get behind the wheel, while Holland got voted worst for congestion. -Richard Yarrow
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Who gives a shit?
Όσο τα όριά σας θα είναι στα 55 και μόλις πας 56 θα κινδυνεύεις να σε πυροβολήσει ο τοπικός σερίφης...
Όσο οι δρόμοι σας θα είναι κατα 95% (και λίγα λέω) απέραντες ευθείες και για να βρεις στροφή θα πρέπει να πας σε roundabout...
Όσο θα κυκλοφορούν 'big is beautiful' φορτηγάκια-τρομοκράτες του στυλ DODGE RAM κτλ με άσχετους στο τιμόνι.
Όσο θα υπάρχουν οδηγοί στην Αμερική που πιστεύουν ότι το να οδηγείς με χειροκίνητο κιβώτιο ταχυτήτων σε κάνει ανώτερης κάστας οδηγό (φαντάσου επίπεδο)
ΕΓΩ ΔΕΝ ΘΕΛΩ ΝΑ ΟΔΗΓΗΣΩ ΕΚΕΙ ΠΕΡΑ, ΑΚΟΜΑ ΚΑΙ ΑΝ ΣΤΟ ΤΕΛΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΔΙΑΔΡΟΜΗΣ ΜΕ ΠΕΡΙΜΕΝΕΙ Η ΑΤΖΕΛΙΝΑ ΤΖΟΛΙ ΜΕ ΑΝΟΙΧΤΑ ΤΑ ΠΟΔΙΑ! [/url]
Αυτοκινηση ΗΠΑ - Πωλησεις Honda στις ΗΠΑ απο το 1970 (σ.88)