Car Chute

After a couple of best cars awards list, I think it would be fair to look at the other extreme: the worst ones. Although it may not seem nice at first, it’s a way for the auto industry to look back and learn for their past mistakes to ensure that they don’t name a particular vehicle the wrong way. A good way to start would be Cars.com’s Worst Named Cars of All Time List.

After 30 years of looking back at the automobile industry, Cars.com presents the Worst Car Names of All Time!

10. The Entire Lincoln Lineup
Lincoln is a brand with a considerable history, and we know they know how to give cars strong iconic names such as Continental or Navigator. Somewhere around 2007, many of those easy-to-remember names went out the window, leaving consumers with a hodgepodge of names starting with “MK.” That’s a shame because Lincoln has a strong lineup right now. What’s the difference between the MKZ, MKX and MKS? Gimme a second to look it up because I honestly can’t remember which is which.

9. Hyundai Equus
The inclusion of the Equus might be premature considering it’s not even on sale yet, but this could be the push Hyundai needs to give the car a proper name before it’s released. Companies occasionally give Latin names to products to make them sound sophisticated or fancy, but Equus just makes us think of the Broadway play of the same name — most recently starring Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame — where a young man loves horses a little too much.

8. Toyota Yaris

There was a girl in my dorm freshman year who organized her shoes alphabetically by mood. She majored in dead languages and responded to every single question with “no worries.” She once set the dorm microwave on fire by overcooking a ham-and-cheese Hot Pocket. Yes, that story is ridiculous and nonsensical … sort of like naming a car Yaris.

7. Kia Forte Koup
As writers, we’re particularly offended when companies take liberties with the English language in an effort to be cutesy — and this is no exception. We actually like this car! But Kia is asking us to overlook years of schooling and experience to accept their quirky spelling of coupe. It might require a few sessions with a therapist before we can get to that happy place.
6. Subaru B9 Tribeca
Here we’ve got a family crossover named after a fashionable neighborhood in lower Manhattan and … a World War II bomber? Consumers didn’t understand the B9 moniker either; that part of the name got the ax when Subaru redesigned the SUV for the 2008 model year.

5. Volkswagen Touareg
A few Volkswagens could’ve made this list, but the Touareg was easily the name that tripped up our American mouths the most. Early Touareg commercials in the U.S. even depicted people struggling to say the name. When an automaker has to spend precious time and ad dollars helping consumers learn to pronounce the car’s name — something is wrong.

4. Ford Probe
There are many borderline inappropriate jokes you could make about a 1990s sport compact named Probe, but we’re far too classy for that. Even if you don’t take into account the tasteless jokes, this is just a bad car name. There is nothing cool about a probe (the word, not the car). What thesaurus was Ford using where probe was synonymous with sleek and sporty?

3. Subaru Brat
Although Brat is technically an acronym — it stands for Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter — it’s a particularly unfortunate one. “Brat” is almost never used to describe something positively. A brat is not a calm, confident driver who knows what he wants and how to get it. A brat is busy throwing a hissy fit in the corner because his mom won’t let him borrow the car to go buy the new Styx album.

2. Isuzu VehiCROSS
Isuzu deserves a little credit for creating an attention-grabbing crossover before it was even a recognized vehicle segment, but the name practically beats consumers over the head with the idea (think SUV plus a cross-training sneaker). Add to that the unnecessary capitalization and the fact that VehiCROSS is a mouthful, and you have one bad name.

1. Ford Aspire
It’s pretty safe to say that many drivers’ dream cars fall under the category of sports car or luxury auto; few children hope to one day spend their commuting hours behind the wheel of a 63-horsepower subcompact hatchback. When Ford slapped the Aspire name on the back of this car, they were basically saying: “Yeah, even our car knows you wish you were driving something cooler.”

Well, there they are, hopefully this list won’t grow longer…

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Do you remember last time that there was a contest on how car designers view cars in the year 2030? Well it got a lot of entries but naturally there can be only one winner. And the one who won it is the Nissan V2G.

The Nissan V2G (Vehicle to Grid), was chosen for its holistic approach in answering the future’s design questions. With the consensus that the future will be much more integrated, the V2G offered a great vehicle design that took environmental aspects into consideration.
“The scope of this year’s concepts and designs – from the initial sketches to the final presentations – were very impressive,” said Chuck Pelly, director of Design Los Angeles and partner in The Design Academy, Inc. “In the end, it came down to which team had the most inventive and solution-oriented design. Nissan’s designers showed passion and were able to create the ultimate Youthmobile for 2030 with their V2G design.”

Well, there’s no note on whether the cars who joined this contest would be running on gas or not, but I guess they focused more on the design. It would be great if they can also figure in the “green” aspects of a car.

Entries were judged by multi-discipline design professionals who selected the winner based on its originality of creative concept, integration of futuristic design elements and level of adaptation to the needs of the youth consumer in 2030. All of the Youthmobile 2030 entries delivered a great variety of answers to the question posed by this year’s Design Challenge. However, the Nissan’s V2G design was most distinguished with its combination of story and design.

Well, here’s hoping that they include the green aspect next year.

Press Release

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With 2009 about to end, there’s a lot of Cars of the Year awards coming out of the woodwork. Although there are some organizations that stand out to provide a good quality choosing of the winner, and one of them is NADAguides. According to them the Car of the Year goes to the 2010 Kia Forte/Forte Koup. It won the August 2009 Car of the month and it’s won the whole year now.

“Our editorial team realized the moment we got behind the wheel of the Forte that it would be a top contender for our NADAguides.com Car of the Year, but it wasn’t until we extensively drove the sporty four-door sedan and the two-door coupe that it solidified our decision,” said Michael Caudill, NADAguides.com auto expert and spokesperson. “2009 marked many great new entries in the auto industry. With cars like the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Mercedes-Benz E350 and Nissan 370Z Roadster coming in closely behind the Kia Forte, it made our decision difficult, but when you add up the low price point, Best in Class features, and a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, it made our decision to award the Forte much easier.”

As to why they chose it, they were simply blown away with its money saving and safety features.

“The Fuel Economy Package (available with the EX trim only) adds even more unique elements: electronic power steering, a smart alternator, low rolling resistance tires and aerodynamic improvements to achieve 27 city/36 hwy mpg. What does that ultimately mean for the driver? Fewer trips to the pump, and more money in your pocket!

The safety features on the Forte are evident not only with its 4 dual front, side and full-curtain airbags, but also with the 4 wheel anti-lock braking system and electronic stability control.”

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Where have all the quality and safety in American cars gone to? It seems that overseas manufactured cars and automotive vehicles seems to be the one that’s taking a look at quality and safety more than it is over here. No wonder our automotive industry is down in the gutters. This is further proven after Car and Driver Magazine just listed down the 10 best cars of 2010: and it’s no surprise that only two of the top ten belong to American car manufacturers.

Following are the 2010 Car and Driver 10Best winners (in alphabetical order), followed by the number of times each model has made the list:

• 2010 Audi S4 (2)
• 2010 BMW 3-series / M3 (19)
• 2010 Cadillac CTS / CTS-V (2)
• 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid (1)
• 2010 Honda Accord (24)
• 2010 Honda Fit (3)
• 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata (11)
• 2010 Mazda 3 / Mazdaspeed 3 (3)
• 2010 Porsche Boxster / Cayman (3)
• 2010 Volkswagen GTI (7)

The list is not in a ranked order. A panel of 18 Car and Driver editors determined the winners by rating them on a scale of 1-100 with a focus on functional performance, driving satisfaction and value. Vehicles considered for the award must be available in the United States by January 2009 and priced below the cap of $80,000, or 2.5 times the average transaction price as of summer 2009. Winners from the previous year are re-nominated if they are still available under the price cap.

Hopefully this is a wake up call to American car manufacturers to do their best to produce quality cars that will attract not only local buyers but foreign ones as well.

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Although this is primarily a car blog, I believe that this particular article be added as this may save a lot of people from road accidents. Since the invention of the mobile phone, most drivers just cannot stop checking their email or SMS while driving. Although it’s already been outlawed on a lot of states, some people still risk killing others or themselves just to check out who texted them.

It’s fortunate then that the application called Drivesafe.ly was created to help people hear their SMS and emails while on the road. This allows them to see straight and keep their hands on the wheel while listening to the message on their mobile phone.

“DriveSafe.ly is taking off because people want to stay connected while they drive, and do it in a safe way” says Heath Ahrens, CEO of iSpeech and creator of DriveSafe.ly. “I recommend that everyone install DriveSafe.ly, not because I work for the company behind it, but because I actually use it and it stops texting while driving.”

Indirectly, this also allows blind people to hear messages to their mobile phone. This application could do a lot of good for a lot of people making their lives a bit safer on the road. It’s so good that it has been nominated for an award.

“DriveSafe.ly, which was just yesterday nominated for the prestigious 2009 Mashable Open Web Award for Best Mobile App,reads text messages and emails in real-time without any action from the user.”

Please install it for you and the people around you while you drive.

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After a landmark government bailout, General Motors has emerged from bankruptcy on a mission to win back American car buyers. In an effort to change their corporate culture and re-focus on customers and cars, the revamped automaker is asking consumers to “Tell Fritz.”

The new campaign allows people to go online and send their comments to company executives, express their views and give input on the direction of the new GM. In addition, executives, including CEO Fritz Henderson, recently invited consumers to meet them and drive all of the latest models at the company’s Michigan Proving Grounds.

And the new commitment to customers may be paying off. The company recently announced they would be building 60,000 more vehicles this year than originally planned, and have recalled over a thousand previously laid off workers to help build them.

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Essex Racing Limited has announced that it has adjusted its prices for full body kits online. Essex Racing is the UK’s number one importer and retailer of body kits for a wide variety of cars including Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Honda, Renault, Audi and other popular automotive manufacturers.

All of Essex Racing’s body kits are manufactured to the very highest standards in Europe. They come ready for preparation and painting. Body kits add style to vehicles, producing a focus on the curves and shape of the vehicle the kit is fitted to.

General manager, Keith Johnson states, “We believe we have the most comprehensive range of body kits at the most competitive prices in the UK.”

Customers may purchase securely online. Trade accounts with Essex Racing can also be opened upon request and review.

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The first day of the month always starts with an award for the previous month, and Car Chute chose The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid as Our Car for the Month. It’s introduction was early and even before we really see the ‘Most Fuel Efficient Mid-Size Car in America’, it already set a scene by receiving an honor as NADAguides.com’s Car of the Month, too.

Wondering what is being offered by this stylish wonderful hybrid car? Continue reading…

Many hybrid cars have futuristic models to suit its technology. However, have you ever asked yourself: Are you ready to ride a car with that odd style? Well, the good news is Ford had been thinking about that, and The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid is able to provide an exceptional fuel economy without sacrificing style.

The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid is supported with a combination of 2.5-liter 4-cylinder gas engine, electric motor and nickel-metal hydride batteries. Advanced regenerative braking recovers up to 94 percent of the energy lost during braking, feeding power back into the battery. The whole system allows the Fusion to run at up to 47 miles per hour in pure electric mode.

What makeCar Chute proud is that The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid has many ‘green’ features such as Ford’s SmartGauge with EcoGuide. This system displays dozens of statistics including instant fuel economy, battery charge status, vehicle power mode and accessory power consumption that make it both easy and entertaining for the driver to maximize fuel economy.

Are you ready to ride your 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid car as fast as 41mpg in the city? Purchase your own starting at $27,270 and welcome your eco-friendly life!

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To coincide with a national observance this month, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is urging everyone to show a caring attitude toward their tires.

National Tire Safety Week, held during June 7-13, is a period that emphasizes the simple steps drivers can take to ensure their tires are in good working condition. Research reveals that motorists rank tires as the second-most important safety feature in vehicles next to brakes, yet only a third of consumers properly check their tire inflation pressure.

Improper air pressure in tires can lead to a multitude of problems – from uneven and accelerated tire wear, to structural damage in a tire. An underinflated tire also has the potential to affect tire performance, including making a vehicle less fuel-efficient. With temperatures rising and vacation travel commencing, the attention given to the care and maintenance of tires should be heightened, according to Goodyear officials.

“Checking tires for proper inflation and tread condition is one of the most critical – and easiest – maintenance procedures for a consumer,” said Joey Viselli, Goodyear brand director. “It doesn’t take much time or sophisticated equipment. Drivers can check their tires by themselves, or any of our retail outlets would be happy to provide the service.”

Goodyear-owned retail outlets and participating independent Goodyear retailers offer a service known as “Free Air,” in which consumers can stop in without an appointment for a free tire check. This includes an inspection of the tread condition and tire inflation, with air added at no charge if the inflation level is down.

According to recent research by the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA), not only do most drivers ignore their tires, most simply do not know enough about how to care for the tires correctly.

Goodyear recommends that motorists should check tire inflation at least monthly or before a long trip. Tires should be inflated to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations printed on the vehicle door placard or in the owner’s manual, not the maximum limit stamped on a tire sidewall.

In addition to proper inflation, according to Viselli, another way consumers can potentially benefit from increased fuel efficiency is by choosing a tire such as Goodyear’s new Assurance Fuel Max. Available at Goodyear retail outlets since April, Assurance Fuel Max has a fuel-saving tread compound that helps reduce energy loss as the tire rolls. This helps to save 2,600 miles’ worth of gas over the life of a set of tires.

Among other initiatives from Goodyear during National Tire Safety Week are these:

• Goodyear outlets will distribute the RMA’s “Be Tire Smart, Play Your PART” consumer booklets. Those guides stress the importance of inflation pressure, wheel alignment, tire rotation and visual checks of tire tread.
• On www.goodyeartires.com, visitors will find extensive information on tire care, product selection and more. Through a link, visitors can request a copy of the “Goodyear Tire Buying Made Easy Guide.”
• With their lighted message boards, Goodyear’s famous blimps continue to spread the tire care message while in flight, urging consumers on the ground to check tire pressure and treadwear.

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