So I was looking at some different websites looking for a topic to write about and I came across topspeed.com, which had a category called Strange Cars.  I thought I’d give you some information on a few of the strangest cars in my opinion.

http://www.topspeed.com

This is the NMG2 made by Myers Motors.  So, this strange car has three wheels and three headlights, in case you missed it.  It is an all-electric vehicle, so props to them for that, with top speed of 75 mph and a 60-mile range.  The NMG2 runs on lithium-ion batteries and Myers Motors is hinting that possibly there will be a new model coming out that will have a 100-mile range.  This car will be available to buy at the end of 2010 and cost alittle under $30,000.  Not bad, but still quite strange looking.

   www.metro.co.uk

The Ferrari Citroen hybrid is a bizarre looking car for sure, but the dynamics behind it are even crazier.  This car is a Citroen 2CV that was put on top of a Ferrari F355.  What a waste of a Ferrari!  It has a V8 engine, but still. Ugly!

www.topspeed.com

Alright, you would think that this is a joke and doesn’t belong in my strange cars blog, but I had to include it. You can’t get much stranger than this? 

The Tokyo Motor Show began today (press only-open to public starting 10/23-11/4) and of course there were many new concept cars unveiled.  Many automakers had decided not to participate in this show due financial difficulties but those that have exhibits there are trying to make the most of the situation.  Lexus is showing off the LF-A super car with a 500 horsepower engine.  I was reading alittle about the LF-A at topspeed.com and people aren’t saying nice things. They don’t like the look of it and aren’t buying the super car advertising of it as well.

Another concept car unveiled at this show is the Toyota FT-86.  This is a compact, rear-wheel drive sports car that supposedly provides “driving joy and excitement.  Also the Toyota FT-EV II was introduced which is a compact electric vehicle designed for short distances. 

Mazda also are showing off a new concept as well as a new engine and transmission at the Tokyo Motor Show.  The Mazda Kiyora has a Mazda Sky-G engine and Sky-Drive transmission, which are both being debuted at the Tokyo show as well.  The Sky-G engine has greatly improved fuel economy due to thermal efficiency. 

I’m sure there will be more talk of the Tokyo Motor Show as the week goes on, but I thought this was some good information about some new concepts.  The thing is that I feel like most of these concepts have the same ideas. They are smaller, with more power and better gas mileage.  I guess that’s what people want. 

As the fuel economy rules become stricter in the next few years, many automakers will be offering 4 cylinder engines in their vehicles to meet these rules.  BMW will be adding these four cylinder vehicles by 2012 in the 3 series.  Several others models by BMW are being considered for four cylinder engines.  The four cylinder engines with be equipped with twin-turbo diesel engines.  Someone made a really good point about these engines. People buy BMWs for performance and power and if you make a expensive, fast 4 cylinder engine then it won’t get the gas mileage that they need to get. Therefore the power that is needed for customers to want to buy the BMWs is going to have a hard time working in a 4 cylinder.  It’ll definitely have to be something new, because the current 4 cylinders are not powerful enough for the price tag of a BMW (in my opinion of course!)  Mercedes-Benz is also considering these engines, and again may have the same problems as BMW.  Well, the good news for these and other automakers is that they have time. It will be interesting to see how most of the automotive companies make out by 2016 when the mpg average needs to be 35.5.  Most have some work to do, others have ALOT of work to do.

So, silver is still the world’s favorite car color for the 9th straight year.  White is second, black third, and red a distant fourth. 25% of all US vehicles are silver, 35% in Europe, and 34% in Asia-Pacific region.  Geez, this really surprises me. I would have thought that black would be number 1.  I guess what do I knows?

Car sales fell sharply in September after a nice summer for sales and Cash for Clunkers. Sales fell 41% from August. Yikes!  GM and Chrysler were the biggest losers. 

Chevrolet will be announcing a new rear-drive police car on Monday that may resemble the Pontiac G8.

So about a week ago, I wrote a very uplifting blog about General Motors‘ money back refund deal currently going on.  I was excited about it. Thought it was a good strategy for GM. They need to differentiate themselves to get customers back. Well, I may have changed my mind on the brilliance of GM.  Here’s what I failed to mention to you guys (and I’m sorry that I did….) the fine print.  That’s the really small details that may be small in font, but HUGE in detail.  So, here are the true rules of the GM money back refund deal.  It sounded as simple as returning shoes that don’t fit.  Guess what. That’s not the case at all.

1.  You can only return the vehicle from day 31 to 60.  That does make sense for GM. People sometimes have buyer’s remorse right after the purchase, so by making the customer wait 30 days may also make them decide to not bother and keep the car.

2.  You don’t have to have a reason for wanting to return the vehicle, but there cannot be any damage of more than $200.  GM will be inspecting for damage, and $200 doesn’t get you very much. A tiny scratch or scuff will most likely cost more than $200 to fix.  Yet again, GM has to make a rule so that people can’t just bring back badly damaged vehicles and expect their money back.

3.  You will get most of your money back, but not all.  You can get the cost of the car and the sales tax back, but not the registration fee, title, or any other fees.  Also, if you get any add-ons, you won’t be refunded for those either.

4.  I know I mentioned this in the last blog, but you cannot exceed 4000 miles or the deal is off as well, and you must be current in your payments. 

5.  Don’t buy 2 GMs. Only 1 return per household. Sorry.  

6.  If you lease, you cannot return the vehicle.

Nope, not done yet.

7.  Program runs from 9/14-11/30.

8.  If you choose to waive the return policy, you will get a $500 rebate check toward the purchase of the new vehicle.  Take the $500 and run.  Too many hassles and rules for it to be worth it at least in my mind.

I would love to have someone actually try to return one of these vehicles and succeed. It would be a good story!

www.autoblog.com

Nissan has unveiled a all-electric vehicle, which is a four-door hatchback called the Leaf.  It will be going on sale in Japan, Europe, and the United States next year.  This is a midsize car that can “comfortably seat five adults.”  The Nissan Leaf will be able to go 100 miles between chargings, and take about 8 hours to fully charge at home, and just a half hour at a special charging facility.  Nissan has not announced the price yet, but according to the CEO it will be “affordable and not priced out of reach of most consumers.”  The Leaf will also be about to qualify for the special tax breaks and incentives for zero-emission vehicles. 

The Leaf has an 80-kilowatt electric motor, which gets its power from a lithium-ion battery pack.  There is no tailpipe or gas tank, which makes it a zero-emission vehicle.  My only problem with the electric vehicle is that the automakers HAVE to figure out a way to get the Leaf and other electric cars to last longer than 100 miles. That just isn’t long enough between chargings, especially since there are limited charging facilities currently in the U.S., so most people that would own these cars will need to charge them at home for 8 hours. 100 miles is not a lot of miles whether you are driving around your town let alone travelling.  Just my thought….

www.green.autoblog.com

The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept car is currently on display at the Frankfurt Auto Show.  This car is being described by BMW as “BMW’s most innovative concept car ever.”  Supposedly this car can go from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and it received a score of 62.6 miles per gallon on the EU combined test cycle according to autobloggreen.com.  The concept had a 1.5-liter turbodiesel engine but rumor has it that BMW may go with a smaller engine than this.  The doors to the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics car (that’s a long name!) flip up like a Back to the Future vehicle. I think thats cool, but something even cooler is that this car is green. It is a plug-in hybrid. It can go approximately 31 miles in all-electric mode and an additional 400 miles if you use the diesel engine as well.  Charging with a regular 220 volt outlet takes about 2 1/2 hours.  BMW has not said that it will make these vehicles, but hints state that there will be a car similar, if not the same, as the concept car available in the future.

Do I have a deal for you.  Go buy a General Motors vehicle starting Monday and if you aren’t happy with it, you can return it within 60 days for a full refund.  The program is called “May the Best Car Win” and is being offered to help bring back customers that are leery of GM since the bankruptcy earlier this year.  Between Monday and November 30, GM will allow customers to return their new GM vehicles with no questions asked within day 31 and 60.  Two stipulations - the car cannot have more than 4000 miles on it and the customer must be current with their payments.  The offer applies to Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac brands.  So, moral of the story is that you need to get out and at least try a GM vehicle. Worth it!

Do you own a 1994 Honda Accord?  If you do, lock your doors!  If you own a 1995 Honda Civic or a 1989 Toyota Camry, lock your doors!      These were the top 3 most stolen vehicles for 2008. The top 5 was rounded out by 1997 Ford F-150 and 2004 Dodge Ram.  Even though you wouldn’t think anyone would want these cars, people do. First of all it’s easier to steal these older models, because there are no anti-theft features in the cars and the parts are still good. The stealers want to sell the parts. The good news is that auto-theft has dropped by 13.7% from 2007.  Also, vehicle-theft has dropped for the last five years in a row.

The NICB (National Insurance Crime Bureau) recommends that you protect your vehicle with a four-layer plan.  Lock your car, get a car alarm, get a immobilizing device (kill switch or steer wheel lock), and a tracking system for your car. Get all of these things, and your car should be safe……possibly I guess.  Anyone have all these things on their vehicle?????

I just have a question for you guys that has been on my mind for several months now.  Will the gas prices increasing, the economy decreasing, and the constant talk of the need to be “green,” how many of you are/will buy a small, green car as your next one?  Maybe I should be embarrassed to say this, but I don’t think I’m one of them. I don’t need a gas-guzzling SUV, but I’m pretty sure I’m not going to buy a small hybrid.  Sure, I want to be green and help the environment, but I’m not overly impressed with the look of the smaller vehicles and quite frankly just not interested in a small car.  Does this make me a bad person in the automotive view?  Possibly, but I have a feeling that I am not alone. I can’t be alone in this. I think there are a lot of people out there who still aren’t sold on the small cars.  I just had to ask. Everytime I write a blog on a hybrid, electric, small vehicle, I think about how even with all the accessories and good stuff they have to offer, I’m not interested. Just my opinion that I’m sure isn’t shared by everyone, but I know I must not be alone!