RideLust

Well it’s finally happening, the new 2011 Chevrolet Volt has finally started shipping out to dealers from the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant in Michigan. We recently drove the Volt from New York City to Detroit, MI and came away very impressed. GM expects to ship around 160 vehicles this week alone, with customers in California, Texas, New York and Washington D.C. receiving the first shipments. Tony DiSalle, Volt marketing director stated,

“We have redefined automotive transportation with the Volt, and soon the first customers will be able to experience gas-free commuting with the freedom to take an extended trip whenever or wherever they want.”

Now, I don’t think the Volt has exactly redefined the electric car segment, but it is a wonderful car that will give those looking for great economy and eco-friendly transportation a wonderful alternative to a conventional automobile.

Source: GM

Well it’s happened, there is finally a new 2011 Nissan Leaf electric car roaming the streets of California. This past weekend in Petaluma, CA, 31 year old Olivier Chalouhi received the keys to his brand new Leaf and with it came a media opportunity that Nissan simply could not resist. Flanked by four other Leafs Mr. Chalouhi drove his new car to a press conference at San Francisco’s City Hall, which, believe it or not already has a public charging station (how convenient). Elected officials, Nissan representatives and even Mr. Chalouhi took the podium to speak about the wonders of the electric car. As of right now San Francisco has plans to install around 100 charging stations throughout the city as officials have claimed its residents are responsible for more orders than any other region thus far.
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The current Chevrolet Aveo is a tiny little puddle jumper of a car. It’s cheap (around $12,500), economical (35 mph hwy) and provides one with basic transportation to and from their destination. Over the last 10 years Chevy has been trying to revamp their image, and with cars like the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and 2011 Camaro, they’re actually doing a pretty good job of it. As the Aveo goes the way of the dodo bird, we’ll be greeted to a new replacement called the Sonic. The Sonic will basically be a redesigned Aveo with new sheet metal, interior and a more youthful image that GM hopes will help drive sales.

The head of marketing for Chevrolet in the U.S. states, “The new car is roomy, stylish and fun to drive, and Sonic is a youthful, energetic name that helps convey what this vehicle is about.”
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To absolutely no one’s surprise, the price of gasoline is on the rise again, just in time for the holidays. The driving factor is the current price of crude oil, which has now topped $90 per barrel. It doesn’t matter that the gasoline already in the system was refined when oil was less expensive; what matters is that people drive more at the holidays, so retailers can charge more for the product. In fairness, I’m sure gasoline suppliers are charging more to the retailers already, so feel free to pass the blame up the food chain. I know from first hand experience that the gasoline retail business is not for the faint of heart, and only casinos are more relentless in their pursuit of profit than oil companies.

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Not long ago I was asked as to whether or not I would actually pony up the cash and purchase an electric car. My knee jerk reaction was HELL NO! Then after thinking about it for awhile I started to rethink the question in terms of; what would an electric car have to become in order for me to purchase it? So much of what I love about the automobile is visceral. The looks, feel, sounds and smells are all part of what make an automobile attractive to me. For me to like a car you can better believe that it needs to have one hell of a presence to it. Today’s cookie cutter jelly bean rides are crap, and although they do serve a purpose, they have no place in my garage. Seriously, my version of hell would be having to drive a Toyota Camry everyday for the rest of my life… dear God that would suck.
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The Dodge Neon, a little car that has the ability to swipe any masculine characteristics away from its owners in no time flat. As you can see this hood scoop was obviously installed by a professional, and is the perfect compliment to a car that only put out a pavement shredding 132 hp when brand new. I applaud the owner for going the “do-it-yourself” route, but I can’t help but feel that this car is in dire need of a tissue.

Source: YouDriveWhat.com

I never was a fan of vans—until my son came along. Now I can see why they’re so popular, why their toy-swallowing cargo holds and goo-resistant upholstery are so appealing. Heck, I even drive one and I’m not ashamed to admit it. And I wouldn’t be ashamed to drive this snazzy Euro-import Ford Transit Connect XLT Premium Wagon. Ford announced that they’ll be offering the civilian version of their work van soon. The family wagon seats five with enough headroom for Sultan Kösen and room leftover for a pair of Border Collies. The XLT Premium Wagon is powered by the same 2.0-liter inline four as its working brother. The engine is good for 136 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque and returns about 26 miles per gallon on the highway. A four-speed autobox is standard equipment. It doesn’t look like Ford will offer the van with the Eurpoean 1.8L Duratorq TDCi Diesel and five-speed manual transmission. It’s a shame because an oil burner with a manual gearbox would be a great combo for those who really want that industrial feel. My personal Ford Transit Connect fantasy: EcoBoost V6 and all-wheel-drive.

The EPA has finally issued its fuel consumption rating for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, and thank God because this was the last thing holding up the first deliveries of GM’s new plug-in electric car. With an estimated 93 MPGE for electric usage and 37 MPG for traditional fuel, GM seems quite pleased. Autoblog.com reports that Chevrolet Volt Global Vehicle Line Executive Doug Parks is happy with the EPA’s numbers for the Volt. He also said that they (GM) worked together with the EPA to figure out how all different modes of driving actually impacted the Volt’s actual efficiency.

Source: Autoblog.com

I suppose if you throw enough money and development at something you can make anything go fast and look good. Take this Fiat 500 Abarth for example. In stock form the U.S. version is said to have about 170 hp, a figure that seems pretty good in a car that’s no bigger than a roller skate. You’d figure with that much power in such a pint-sized package most people would be feeling pretty good about it. However the tuners at Hamman and H&R are not most people, so they decided to have a crack at getting a few more ponies out of Fiats little play toy.
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It looks as though FIAT is going to be marketing itself as a lifestyle brand here in the United States. Their first ad takes on a “break the mold” type of vibe by flooding us with images of beautiful people doing fun things in happy places. Basically they’re telling you that you’re boring and that by purchasing this little roller skate, your life will be turned around. Brands like MINI and Smart have been preaching this stuff for years to their customers and it’s definitely helped them move some merchandise. Listen, at the end of the day the new FIAT 500 is a cute little car that I have a feeling will be a big hit over here in the United States. Lets just hope it’s reliable, well built and fun to drive, because if that old “Fix It Again Tony” acronym comes out to rear its ugly head, this thing will all but die before it even gains any steam.

Source: Youtube.com