All Entries in the "Auto News" Category
Top 10 Toyota Stories of 2010
Has there been a more important year in Toyota’s U.S. history than 2010? Toyota experienced a once-in-a-lifetime scandal, took an unprecedented action and stopped building or selling key models for 10 days, became the target of a $10 billion dollar lawsuit, and yet somehow managed to increase truck sales 15% in 2010 compared to 2009.
Has 2010 been a good year for Toyota? No. But it hasn’t been bad…at least not as bad as some people projected. Toyota’s culture seems to be undergoing a change, and consumers are slowly but surely warming back up to Toyota.
Here are the top 10 Toyota stories of the past year:
2011 Dodge Ram Diesel Coming?
Allpar.com, a long-time Chrysler enthusiast website, has reported that Ram dealers are seeing order codes for a 2011 5.0L diesel and a two-mode hybrid transmission in their vehicle ordering system. This is intriguing news considering all the vehicle updates and redesigns we’ve seen out of Chrysler since the Fiat takeover. While the hybrid transmission is probably a red herring – GreenCarReports does a good job of explaining why – the diesel Ram 1500 seems feasible.
Ram dealers are seeing order codes for a 5.0L diesel engine on the 2011 Ram 1500 - could that be proof that a Ram 1500 diesel is coming?
Despite a near-collapse in the North American truck market in 2008, a government bailout in 2009, and stringent new fuel economy rules in 2010, the diesel Ram 1500 has never officially been killed. Instead, Ram has been coy – they’ve never said that the diesel 1500 Ram was off the table, but they’ve never committed to anything either.
Allpar’s news – combined with numerous other pieces of evidence – could be proof that Ram will release a diesel 1500 Ram in 2011. But before we start lobbying Toyota to make a diesel Tundra in 2012, let’s walk through this whole thing.
Mandatory Backup Cameras by 2014?
According to NHTSA, 18,000 people are injured each year and 300 are killed because of “backovers” – situations where people back their vehicles into obstacles, cars, bicyclists, or pedestrians. This is a startling statistic to be sure – it’s hard to imagine how this can happen so often – but if you think about it the number (sadly) makes sense.
How many times in your life have you jumped out of the way of a vehicle in reverse while walking through the parking lot at your local mall? How many of us have backed into an unseen obstacle? How many friends or neighbors have had close calls with pets or children behind their vehicle? If you think about the number of people backing their vehicle up every day, it’s easy to see how the injuries could add up.
The question is, should automakers be required to include a backup camera on every new vehicle in order to try and prevent these accidents from happening?
Chrysler’s Future Still Uncertain – Would You Buy A Hyundai-Made Ram?
Despite receiving a massive bailout from U.S. and Canadian taxpayers, the long-term future of Chrysler-Fiat is still up in the air. According to Steve Rattner, the former Obama administration “car czar” who orchestrated the Chrysler bailout package, there were serious misgivings about Chrysler’s future by many in the Obama administration in 2009. Rattner’s book Overhaul indicates that Chrysler was bailed-out more to prevent job losses than based on any certainty that Chrysler could remain a viable automaker.
As reported recently by the Detroit News, financial analysts at international mega-lender Deutsche Bank echo these same concerns. While Chrysler has generated operating profits in the past year, they’re still a money-losing company (nearly half a billion year to date). Deutsche Bank’s analysts believe that Chrysler’s future hinges on new Fiat-based product due out next year – starting with the Fiat 500.
Deutsche Bank's analysts believe the future of Chrysler hinges on new products from Fiat, including the Fiat 500
While a new line of Fiats might just save Chrysler, it’s also possible that they won’t. If Chrysler-Fiat has to throw in the towel, the Ram brand would be made available for sale…something Hyundai might love to see.
Did Mahindra and Global Vehicles Kiss and Make Up?
Like many truck fans, I’ve been waiting for the Mahindra Pik-Up. Not only because it’s going to the first “baby” diesel truck available to consumers, but also because it promises to deliver a tremendous amount of capability (great towing and hauling) at a great price ($25-$30k per).
Are Mahindra and Global Vehicles REALLY going to sell any trucks?
Unfortunately, the future of Mahindra has been pretty cloudy this year. Mahindra and Global Vehicles (their U.S. distributor) haven’t been on the best of terms lately. Global Vehicles President John Perez has alleged heavy-handedness from Mahindra, and Mahindra has tried to completely dissolve their relationship with Global Vehicles.
However, a recent email from Mahindra President John Perez indicates that this relationship may be on the mend:
