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July 26, 2010

2011 Ford Explorer Raises XSUV Bar - Explorer Reinvented

The 2011 Ford Explorer is the latest iteration of the Ford Explorer and arguably one of the most important.  In many ways the Explorer launched the popular use sport utility vehicle market in the USA when it introduced the 4-door Explorer in 1991.  Previously, 4-door SUVs had been either Jeep Cherokees, the occasional Japanese entry and Chevrolet/GMC Suburbans.  With the introduction of the Explorer the growth in the SUV market skyrocketed until almost one in four vehicles sold in the USA was an SUV of one type or another.  In its heyday, Explorer was counted among the top five best selling vehicles in the USA and in its top year sold almost 450,000 units.

Until the new Explorer, the Explorer had been very much a two box SUV designed to move five (and later seven) people comfortably.  While Explorer was an "SUV" it was a pretty mild one.  It was known for being easy to live with but not for its prowess off-road.  Ford never pretended the Explorer had the off-road chops of a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

EcoBoost 4-Cylinder OPTIONAL Powertrain  The base engine for the Explorer is the 3.5L V6 with 290-horsepower.  This engine is expected to be in 75% of Explorers sold.  The extra cost optional powertrain is the 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine with 237-horsepower.  This is an unusual pricing strategy for any manufacturer - giving LESS FOR MORE.  Of course, Ford will position the EcoBoost 4 as the high technology, high fuel economy alternative that is worth more.  Well, we'll be watching this one closely because Americans usually don't buy less for more and many still believe the adage "There is no replacement for displacement."

Continue reading "2011 Ford Explorer Raises XSUV Bar - Explorer Reinvented"

Posted by George Peterson at 10:54 AM | Comments (0)

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July 20, 2010

2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe - Flash and Dash

We met up with the Cadillac CTS Coupe crew at Dogpatch Studios in the Dogpatch area of San Francisco.  Grabbed a CTS Wagon and headed to the Carneros Inn in Napa Valley where we tag teamed with a CTS Coupe that was the feature of this drive evaluation. Cadillac lodged the media at the Bardessono Hotel in Yountville.  Environmentally pure, the Bardessono is an experience in itself.  

The CTS Coupe is the third of the three bodystyles Cadillac plans for the CTS.  The first was the sedan introduced in 2008 followed by the European-inspired wagon in 2009 and now the Coupe in 2010.

Don Butler, Vice President of Cadillac Marketing took the gathered press through where Cadillac is and where Cadillac plans to be in the future.  Bold, product-oriented positioning will have Cadillac going head-to-head against Audi, BMW and Mercedes.  Lexus was added as an afterthought. 

Cadillac had set up a flurry of identical specification CTS Coupes for this group of journalists and analysts to drive through the hills surrounding Napa Valley.  Some of the most picturesque and challenging roads in the country put the CTS Coupes to the test.

Continue reading "2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe - Flash and Dash"

Posted by George Peterson at 9:00 AM | Comments (0)

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July 13, 2010

Ideal Vehicle Awards: Identifying Vehicles that Measure Up to Expectations

Each year AutoPacific surveys new car and light truck acquirers via mail and Internet about their new vehicle in order to learn more about their purchase experience, attribute importance and satisfaction, lifestyle, preferences, vehicle use, personal characteristics, desired features and more. The Ideal Vehicle Awards are based on scores developed using results from a part of this survey that focuses on the consumers desire to change their vehicle if given the opportunity. Respondents rate 15 attributes indicating whether they want them to be changed (larger, smaller, more or less) or not changed (stay the same) after having driven their vehicle for 90 days. The attributes all pertain directly to the product itself.

The Difference: IVAs quantitatively gauge how closely a vehicle matches an owner's expectations. An IVA is earned by those automakers that best understand their customers and are able to create the vehicle these customers demand - their ideal vehicle.

The Ideal Vehicle Awards are just one of three awards given by AutoPacific throughout the year. Each year AutoPacific analyzes the results of our New Vehicle Satisfaction Survey and identifies the top performing vehicles. These are owners talking. And who better to evaluate a vehicle than the owners themselves?

An "ideal" is defined as conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence. In the 2010 Ideal Vehicle Awards, announced today by automotive research and consulting firm AutoPacific, owners rate their new vehicles by how closely they come to their ideal. "After owning and operating a vehicle for some time, consumers often identity shortcomings, and ideas about what they would like to change about their vehicle," says George Peterson, President of AutoPacific. "The IVAs are based on owners' ratings of their new 2010 model year cars and trucks across 15 key vehicle attributes ranging from power and acceleration to interior storage. The cars or trucks that owners would change the least are the most ideal."

"In today's vehicle market, quality is expected, and car buyers take many factors into consideration - styling, safety features, fuel economy and more," says Peterson. "IVA winners deliver the most of what consumers are really looking for in their vehicles. Shoppers can use the IVAs as a benchmark for vehicles that are designed and built with customers in mind."

Posted by Keagan Patrick at 2:53 PM | Comments (0)

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2010 Lincoln MKZ wins AutoPacific 2010 Ideal Vehicle Award

Luxury Mid-Size Car: This year's Luxury Mid-Size Car segment winner is the Lincoln MKZ beating out the competition with a strong performance in handling and safety categories. The MKZ also received impressive scores in exterior size, ride, and seat firmness.

Posted by Keagan Patrick at 10:00 AM | Comments (0)

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