finding the signal in an industry filled with noise
Ad spending for the Fit [sold elsewhere as the Jazz] introduction was not disclosed, but sources said a $50 million-plus push is planned. (When Honda refreshed the Civic last year, the Torrance, Calif.-based automaker spent $140 million in measured media, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus.) Honda spent $735 million advertising in 2005, according to Nielsen. – Brandweek
My preferred rent a car company is Hertz, simply because they’re most likely to have something that’s remotely pleasurable to drive than the next company.
This special edition of the Mustang only reinforces that opinion…
Underway, the Prius is quieter and its more powerful electric motor (67bhp compared to the Civic’s 20bhp) is happier to provide the sole drive around town. Not that the Civic is unrefined: wind and road noise is kept to acceptable levels and, at a cruise or under light acceleration, the 1339cc petrol engine is relatively hushed. Ask for a lot of acceleration, though, and it’s boomy; louder than a Prius, and with less-impressive acceleration. In terms of drivetrain refinement, the Toyota gets the nod. But not when it comes to enjoyment. The Civic is no driver’s car, but it corners neatly, with quick and accurate, if lifeless, steering and decent agility. But this is not a fun car: it’s more entertaining than a Prius in the same way that eating liver is preferable to eating fish heads. – Autocar Online
...a series of rapid-fire bumps peels back the 330i’s immense composure, the suspension struggling to keep the wheels on the ground on occasion and giving you quite a rough ride… you can’t help wondering what the 330i might be like without heavy runflat tyres (in this instance Michelin Pilot Sports) taxing the suspension… The BMW has its flaws… Chief of which is the short-travel suspension. On smooth roads it’s brilliant, but as the surface deteriorates some of the 330i’s composure goes with it. – evo
Changes for ‘06 include variable valve timing for the 2.0-liter engine. ABS and variable-intermittent front wipers become part of the standard features list for all 2.3-liter models and the 2.3’s automatic now has 5 speeds rather than 4.
I’m still waiting for standard side airbags and stability control, Mazda…
New overall DaimlerChrysler boss Dieter Zetsche… claims new [quality] control measures will start to push the company up the rankings soon, saying the current, costly problem facing Mercedes is dealing with the legacy of cars built before the drive to raise quality was started… Zetsche said: ‘This is costly, but you also cannot get to the top unless you engineer and build-in quality in the first place.’ [He] concedes that while the Mercedes brand has 100 years of valuable history to draw on in the bid to win buyers, ‘There have been a number of years were we have been withdrawing from this account rather than paying in.’ – whatcar.com
Mercedes is going back to fixed service intervals rather than ones based on how the car’s been used. Click here for more…
Speaking to a manager of the local Apple store I learned that the concept for the mini Apple store came from Steve Jobs’ admiration of the MINI Cooper.
Makes sense – like the Cooper, mini Apple stores have a smaller footprint but the same attention to detail and usability as their larger, more expensive alternatives…
Click here for more info.
(By the way the nav system in the new TT is said to include character recognition – you just use your finger to write in the address… Makes the other German NAV systems seem even more outdated.)
...can be viewed here.
(It should drive far better than the last one given how much better this Golf platform is than the last – they’d have to try hard to screw up what is essentially the new GTI with a lower driving position and center of gravity…)