Blog Auto Review

Panelists agreed that there is excess capacity. Tim Manganello started off by saying that for a healthy automotive sector, (OEMs) are going to have to figure out how to restructure and close plants. Theres far too much capacity chasing far too few customers, said Rodney ONeal. Any one OE cant do well without the others doing well, and added that Europe is currently a negative environment, with growth at only 3-4%. Yet, that still is growth in a cyclical industry.

The importance of quality products and technologies was stressed by all; a manufacturer can massively restructure, but in the end, the market response is key. Browning weighed in on the importance of strong products; well managed brands is what the industry is all about. Managing brands is not a sales and marketing exercise The heartbeat of a company is the heartbeat of an engineering company. Manganello pointed out that the companies represented on the panel are all successful because of this leading technology.

A lot was said in response to the question of where they all see the most interesting opportunities for growth. In terms of products, the short answer was technology: connectivity and safety. Geographically? Asia more specifically, China. If you want to be successful today, you have to be in China. Its not an emerging market, it is emerged, stated Rodney ONeal. The tech has to be different and exciting, and an OEMs global presence must include China. Browning had a slightly broader view: The U.S. market has recovered to some degree, but going on to say this its fairly inconsistent, choppy, and not risk-free. While China, India and Brazil are growth regions, the U.S. is still a substantial part of the financial jigsaw. John Plant advised that the question is answered by the actions of the companies; there are new plants in China, India, and Mexico. About China, Manganello said the Chinese want to own technology, but their companies arent ready for prime time which is why they are so interested in distressed companies such as Saab; they can buy the name and the tech.

When the subject turned to the future of electric vehicles and alternative fuel technologies, however, some on the panel were not quite so jovial. Its accepted by the OEMs that regulations are necessary and improving fuel economy coupled with lowering emissions is a growth area largely because of these regulations. Browning diplomatically said that its been slow in terms of customer acceptance. ONeal didnt mince words and said that the marketplace has spoken and its capital carnage. Consumers are not wanting to buy a car thats a lot more expensive, said Jäger. EVs will improve over time, but it will be a gradual improvement.

To summarize there will be hard decisions to be made in Europe regarding manufacturing, and to a lesser extent, in North America, but there will be growth for savvy, well-oiled, global companies with quality products.

I’d like to start this multi-entry post with basic car maintenance tips and reminders that are generally winter-specific. So without further ado…onto the first tip!

Tip #1: Don’t Forget to Use Snow Tires. If you really need to drive during the snowy weather—meaning your boss won’t let you work from home or you need to travel to your relatives’ place out of town—play it safe by investing in great snow tires. Snow tires help increase traction, making your travels a lot faster and safer. And yes, while having to remount and balance your snow tires every single year can be such a pain in the neck, if you’ve ever driven sans snow tires through icy roads (which I seriously don’t recommend!), you’ll know that these specialized tires can mean the difference between a safe trip and a fatal accident. Be safe and use snow tires.

But if you’re really feeling incredibly lazy, or if you really hate having to remount and rebalance these tires each winter, then one way you can save time (but not money) is by getting your vehicle four steel rims. Take your snow tires and permanently mount them onto the steel rims. This should make it easier for you to install your snow tires, and later remove them when spring comes.

Now I understand that with the recent economic troubles we’re facing, it may be harder for most of us to purchase complete sets of winter tires. While it’s still best to have all four mounted on your car, if you can’t buy four snow tires and you have a two-wheel drive (front wheel drive or rear wheel drive), then two would usually do. Mount your snow tires on the wheels that are directly driven by your vehicle’s engine. If you have an “all-wheel-drive” on your hands, then I’m sorry to say that you need to have FOUR snow tires on your car.

If you don’t have space in your garage for your regular tires, then ask your local garage if they could store your regular tires throughout the winter season. Most tire shops will also charge a small fee for storage. Once winter is done, you can also ask them to store your snow tires until the next Thanksgiving.

Tip #2: Conduct Complete and Thorough Auto Cleaning, And Try to Keep Your Vehicle as Clean As You Can After. The first day you spot snow on the roads or on your roof, make it a point to take the time to clean your car completely (both inside and out!). It’s not just for aesthetic purposes, it’s also to help you keep your driving visibility at its best during the ultra-cold season. Since mirrors have a tendency to fog, keep all your glass surfaces as transparent and clear as possible by scraping away the buildup of snow or ice using an ice scraper or a snowbrush. Your auto lights should also be kept as snow-free as possible. So take the time to remove all traces of ice on your ride at least once a week.

Now that your auto lights and mirrors are snow-free, your work is done, right? Nope! There’s more work to be done, and for good reason. Remove snow from the rest of your ride. You’re probably wondering why you need to clean your ride when all that’s important are your lights and mirrors… well, let’s just say that if you happen to have snow piling up on your roof, sludge could easily make its way down your windshield after you hit the brakes—obscuring your vision and possibly even causing you to collide with an oncoming car. Some states also require vehicles to be ice-free during winter… so you can avoid a ticket by keeping your car as clean as you can all season long.

**Note: The second picture shows a snow tire.

Though we may have seen it coming, I was surprised when word got out that Suzuki will cease selling new cars in the US. American Suzuki Motor Corporation filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy today. It looked like Suzuki had been dormant for some time, but when The Garage reviewed the all-new 2010 Kizashi, I was encouraged at the renewed enthusiasm of Suzuki in the States. There were rumors the much lauded Suzuki Swift would finally make its return to these shores. Today, all that went up in smoke.

The Kizashi seemed like a ray of hope for a company that had appeared to have completely lost interest in selling cars in the US. But when the Kiazashi arrived with high hopes from Suzuki, the company marketed the car as just as good as an Audi A4, even challenging Audi shoppers to drive the car, with the promise to pay them $100 if they took the A4. But the Kizashi was competing against cars like the VW Jetta and Mazda6, and Suzukis marketing people werent talking to them. Which was a shame, because the Kizashi was a great car. Suzuki reached out to an audience that just did not care, and missed a great opportunity.

Suzuki blames low sales, a limited line of vehicles, among other reasons for withdrawing. And that is true. Suzuki has been selling around 2,000 cars a month nationwide. Toyota/Lexus sold 155,000 cars last month, to put things into perspective. Suzuki lacked a full line of vehicles to offer mass appeal to a large group of buyers as well, and the company is right for admitting the same. The SX4, a compact all-wheel drive car has been the bread and butter for Suzuki in the US since its 2007 debut. But with limited development, the SX4 started to get stale in an ever-changing market.

So yes, I am in complete agreement with Suzukis reasons. What I would like to add is a scant amount of dealers will hardly help boost sales. I actually live a couple miles from a Suzuki dealership, and I can honestly say I have never seen the Grand Vitara SUV or Equator pick-up on their lot. Hard to be a sales success when half of your products are not even available. But I cant put blame on the dealer when the company itself is doing almost nothing to promote its product. As a car journalist, I am ashamed to say until today I did not even know Suzuki sold a truck called the Equator, but on the flip side, it goes to show what little effort Suzuki did in promoting its vehicles to the automotive press, and even less so to the car buying public.

I honestly believe if Suzuki brought the Swift back to the US, marketed the Kizashi properly, and streamlined their car/truck portfolio they could have had a chance to be a small, but successful player. But the reality was Suzuki offered no brand identity, a fragmented product line, and a hugely misdirected marketing strategy on the Kizashi, which I now believe was the make it or break it car for the powers that be in Japan. The Kizashi was a sales flop, and that was it.

As a car guy, and one that always roots for the underdog, I am sad to see Suzuki leave the US market. Fear not, their motorcycles and ATVs will still be sold here, and Suzuki will continue building cars, just not selling them here. Still, I hate to see a company go that offered decent cars at reasonable prices, when it could have been different. While there has been no word from Suzuki Canada, odds are if no further vehicles will be imported to the US, the same can be said for our friends up north.

Related posts:

1. Suzuki Announces US Pricing for Kizashi
2. Suzuki Reveals 2010 Kizashi
3. Review: Suzuki Kizashi
4. 2010 Suzuki Kizashi launch
5. Suzuki to join WRC ranks in 2007

The North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Mich. keeps getting better and better.

Today Cadillac unveiled the first teaser image of the 2014 Cadillac ELR. If youre unfamiliar with the ELR its a luxury coupe that shares it underpinnings with the current Chevrolet Volt. If youre unfamiliar with the Chevrolet Volt, well its an electric vehicle that uses a gasoline engine to keep the car going even after its run out of charge.

A lot of rumors have been circulating that it will also be powered by a second-generation Voltec power train. While speculation might be fun, it tends to lead to a lot of let down at an unveiling.  I suggest waiting for January 15th when I will get the full story on this extended range electric car.

Check out the teaser image above and let me know what you think.