Best and worst vehicles of the decade

Published: Today

The year ends tonight and 2010 promises better horizons.

Living in Metro Detroit, I’m outwardly cynical but secretly optimistic. In a few more years, things will really turn around, but probably not.

At least 2010 won’t start out like 2000, when people talked about pointless hybrids, those great Firestone tires and how much the public loves trucks. Back then, crossovers were a niche market and V-8s still rumbled down every highway.

Change was in the wind, and for Detroit it was a tornado.

In the end, this past decade offered some delights and some disasters. Pony cars growled again and electric cars are so quiet Congress has considered forcing them to make more noise.

What a ride it’s been, and the catastrophe of 2009 only seems to push the automotive world to do more.

So what were the best and worst of the past decade? Let’s take a look:

Worst

The Pontiac Aztek was perhaps the ugliest car stamped in the past 10 years. Tool and die makers must have thought the sheet metal plans were some crude joke. A few General Motors Co. executives have told me privately that the Aztek was a vehicle that tested well with consumers during development. Every time someone at GM asked consumers if adding something else to the vehicle was a good idea, the answer was yes. People loved the idea of the Aztek, just not its execution.

And really, the Aztek wasn’t awful. It rides and handles well. But it was a victim of trying to be everything to everyone — a task that, if you’ve ever tried, never works out.

Best

The Ford Mustang: Redesigned in 2005, the Mustang struck a chord that hadn’t been heard in decades. The retro styling drew from the car’s heritage, and Ford masterfully managed that image with limited-edition models and the return of the Shelby GT 500. The 2008 Mustang Bullitt is one of my favorite cars of the decade because it’s just awesome.

Best

The Honda Civic: Few compact cars are truly groundbreaking, but the current Honda Civic is just that. Sleek, high-tech and affordable, the Civic remains one of the best cars available. It’s truly an all-around vehicle that is welcome in almost any family.

Worst

The Chrysler Sebring: This past decade was not kind to the Sebring. Once the best-selling convertible in America, the Sebring slowly deteriorated into its current unpalatable form, complete with shiny plastic dash and a hood made for grilling.

Best

Any American pickup: It doesn’t matter which of the current pickups you choose, all three are fantastic trucks. This decade may not have been the best time to rely on truck sales to float your company, but the Chevy Silverado, Dodge Ram 1500 and Ford F-150 are truly the tools that build America.

Many experts point to the tough economy and ill-timed introduction of Toyota’s full-sized Tundra as the reasons it failed — and for all intents and purposes, it has failed. But I also think the high level of craftsmanship, quality and utility of the Silverado, GMC Sierra, F-150 and Ram all helped stave off the attacks from Toyota. One reason pickup owners are loyal to their brand is they love their trucks, and with good reason: all of them are loveable.

Worst

The smart fortwo: You won’t forget your first time in smart USA’s little two-seater, either. And after that initial test-drive, you’ll be less likely to drive it again. While the car fit the eco-sensibilities of some consumers, its abysmal transmission remains its Achilles’ heel. Bumper cars are more fun, and have more room. Add to that its French pedigree, expensive price and relatively poor gas mileage and the smart fortwo isn’t even wise forone.

Best

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06: This coupe crushes supercars for a third of the price. It reset performance standards and shows what Chevrolet should be at every level: Precise, exact and overwhelming. It’s a monster in aluminum and carbon fiber clothing. When it returned at the start of this decade, it seemed gleeful to blast drivers through corners. Then in 2006, its new design wowed even more people.

Worst

The Jaguar X-Type: What an awful car inside and out. The Jaguar X-Type should serve as a shiny reminder to never let accountants design a car and never take a premier brand and devise a way to cheapen it for the masses. Exclusive means never having to throw money on the hood.

Best

The Chrysler 300: This car still looks great on the road. That big front end and long hood, the high belt line, the powerful engine are details that prove how classics are always classics. When the 300 arrived in 2005, it proved that rear-wheel drive vehicles can still appeal to the masses. The 300C, with its 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, was the home run Chrysler needed at the time. Now, it needs another hit, but even bigger.

Best

The Cadillac CTS: While the first CTS stirred the pot, the second-generation CTS redefined a brand. Look through Cadillac’s lineup and see how each model emulates the other, building on their family resemblance. The Escalade may have been the first Cadillac in this decade to draw such high design praise, but it was the CTS that legitimized it as a sporty, luxury brand. Performance and luxury never looked better and the direct injection V-6 under the hood is an engine that will serve as a workhorse for the next decade.

Best

The Toyota Prius: If there were only one vehicle to choose as the defining motorcar from 2000-09, it would be the Toyota Prius.

Toyota created its green image because of the Prius and changed the way every carmaker approaches hybrids. It spent millions to develop its program and remains the hybrid leader in most consumers’ minds.

While Prius’ success coincides with the rise of Toyota as the world’s largest carmaker during this past decade, it’s not coincidence.

Source: http://detnews.com/section/auto01 

[Via http://toyotaoflewisville.wordpress.com]

"That Supra"

You know which one.  Mahalo’s to Emission for hooking me up with the build thread link on Supramania.  I went through the 9 pages to grab the best pictures and a bit of info on the car, built by a user named garagefujimoto, from Canada.  Canada will now be the home of hockey, maple syrup, weird “bacon” and this wild JZA70.

Test fit shot.  Flares are made for a S30Z, although the rears have a little too much poke for my liking.  In my opinion, throw a set of BAMF (Bad Ass Mother F**ker) flares for the Z on there and it would be perfect, as they are an inch or two wider…  Remember, these Meisters are 18 x 12 -28 in the rear!

Fronts look awesomeeee… 18 x 12 -18.

13″ Wilwood brakes with braided lines, adjustable upper arms, thick swaybars with BIC endlinks, GP Sports tie rod kit, KTS Pro coilovers with a modified strut housing, KTS Pro pillowball uppermounts, 18k Swift springs and JIC under engine control arm brace.

Caged, Bride seats, Takata Harnesses, Nardi steering wheel and what looks like some Defi gauges.  Looks like it’s straight from Japan.  And I’m LOVING the houndstooth accents around the interior!

The heart of the beast.  1.5JZ (1JZ head mated to a 2JZ block).  Nothing much to say here as the owner didn’t really put much info up.  Anyone have any specs on the motor?

Here it is on Supramania!, although I pulled all the good info and pictures.  it’s mostly 19 pages of people saying “ZOMG, THAT THiS IS SICK!”.

The post that blew the JZA70 up to nearly Yuta 240Z status!

[Via http://kyushakai.wordpress.com]

Toyota Venza minisite

This is a single-panel mock-up for a promotional minisite for the Toyota Venza. The site was to have been a simple javaScripted sliding tab on mouseover, loaded with moody photography.

Classically, just before it was to have gone into development, Toyota Canada decided instead to repurpose the American minisite for a Canadian audience.

[Via http://muckney.wordpress.com]

mobil menteri, 150 unit Toyota Crown Royal Saloon, bisa buat gratiskan 2.300 siswa

Sejumlah kalangan mengkritisi pengadaan mobil dinas baru bagi para pejabat negara. Setidaknya, 150 unit Toyota Crown Royal Saloon sudah meluncur di jalanan mengantarkan para menteri Kabinet Indonesia Bersatu II, pimpinan lembaga perwakilan rakyat, dan pejabat negara lainnya.

Dalam sebuah kesempatan, Rektor Universitas Paramadina, Anies Baswedan juga menyayangkan pembelian mobil mewah yang konon senilai Rp 1,3 miliar per unit, di tengah suasana keprihatinan masyarakat.

Anies mengatakan, meskipun memahami penyusutan aset pada mobil dinas lama, menurutnya, dalam situasi seperti saat ini, penganggaran yang besar untuk fasilitas pejabat negara bukanlah hal yang tepat. Anggaran besar, katanya, seharusnya bisa dialokasikan untuk pos anggaran yang berimplikasi langsung pada kesejahteraan rakyat.

Catatan Indonesia Budget Centre (IBC) menunjukkan, sejak tahun 2005-2010, Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Negara (APBN) yang dialokasikan untuk belanja pegawai (gaji) berkisar 15-22 persen terhadap total belanja pemerintah pusat.

Peneliti Hukum dan Politik Anggaran Negara IBC, Roy Salam, mengatakan, tren alokasi anggaran untuk pos ini selalu naik dari tahun ke tahun, dan belum termasuk belanja barang untuk fasilitas pejabat dan aparatur di bawahnya.

“Sejatinya, APBN digunakan sebesar-besarnya untuk meningkatkan kesejahteraan rakyat. Faktanya, APBN justru digunakan untuk menggemukkan birokrasi dan foya-foya pejabat dengan seribu alasan good governance. Padahal, mestinya dengan logika tersebut, anggaran lebih diefisienkan bukan malah diboroskan,” kata Roy, saat memberikan catatannya atas pengelolaan anggaran negara, Selasa.

Berdasarkan data yang dikumpulkan IBC, pengadaan mobil mewah pejabat menyedot APBN sekitar Rp 106 miliar. Harga 1 unit dikabarkan sekitar Rp 1,3 miliar. Sumber lain menyebutkan, mobil mewah yang diadakan melalui APBN-P 2009 itu, untuk 80 unit, beban pajak (PPnBM) yang harus ditanggung negara sekitar Rp 785 juta per mobil atau totalnya sebesar Rp 62,8 miliar (www.depkeu.go.id).

Satu untuk Biaya Sekolah 2.300 Siswa

Roy memaparkan, untuk total belanja mobil pejabat negara tersebut, setara dengan memberikan pendidikan gratis bagi 184.000 siswa setingkat SMP. “Ini fantastis! Bayangkan, jika saja pemerintah masih memiliki sense of crisis dengan kemiskinan masyarakat saat ini, maka sesungguhnya anggaran pengadaan dapat menggratiskan biaya pendidikan sekitar 184.000 siswa setingkat SMP atau biaya 1 mobil (Rp 1,325 miliar) dapat menggratiskan biaya pendidikan sekitar 2.300 siswa setingkat SMP dalam setahun,” ujar Roy.

Menurutnya, pemerintah bisa saja mengadakan mobil jenis lain yang harganya jauh lebih murah. Hal ini akan menghemat pajak mobil mewah yang mencapai Rp 62,8 miliar. “Uangnya bisa diposkan untuk kebutuhan yang lebih prioritas dan pro rakyat. Alasan untuk meningkatkan kinerja juga tidak bisa diterima. Siapa yang bisa menjamin dengan diberikan mobil mewah, kerja mereka akan lebih baik?” lanjutnya.

Pengadaan mobil mewah melalui instrument APBN-P 2009 pun, dinilai sebagai cerminan masih buruknya sisten perencanaan APBN. Beban APBN tidak akan berhenti hingga ke pembelian. Anggaran perawatan dan pemeliharaan aset negara tersebut juga diyakini Roy akan menyedot keuangan negara dalam jumlah yang tidak sedikit.

Sumber : kompas.com

[Via http://ckyiscky.wordpress.com]

Old and Random Stuff

I forgot all about my old Flickr account!  The picture quality is so much better than Photobucket, and there’s still all my random stuff uploaded to it.

The last Old School Meet I had, prior to starting Kyusha Kai.  The Hachi crew rolls together and they roll HARD.  I don’t know what happened to the detail shots I got of them, but I’ll be sure to get some at the upcoming Kyusha Kai Meet x Potluck x Cruise.  Old school Toyota heads are insane when it comes to attention to detail.

I LOVE this picture.  I think it embodies what Kyusha Kai is all about. It’s one of the pictures that helped me to come up with the motto…  Which will be revealed soon.

Awesome Supra.  The owner, Julian, runs into the same problems as me.  Whenever people see the car, they expect an old Filipino or Japanese dude driving it.  Instead there’s a punk kid driving around.  I’m gonna change that soon enough with my new set up…

Brothers.  Dan’s 260z and my 240z.

His is auto-crossed and mines is a street prowler.

The view of Diamond Head from Oahu’s unofficial racetrack/greatest togue.

The Old Man’s Mustang.  I love this thing.  There’s nothing like a vintage V8 rumble.

All original.  Super pimp white interior.  Just wish it was a manual transmission though.  The project Mustang that’s been sitting forever is going to go in the opposite direction.  Hot rod engine, manual trans, crazy stance, the whole nine yards…  Damn you economy for slowing us down!

The view from my apartment’s Garden Deck.  I love BBQ’ing up here.  There’s no place like downtown Honolulu.

Ribs dripping in BBQ sauce ready to go on the grill, cheap beer and…

…  Tako (octopus) and wasabi spicy ahi (tuna) poke.  Poke is basically raw seafood mixed with different sauces, onions, ogo (seaweed) and whatever else.  I never used to like raw fish until just a couple of years ago, but now I can’t get enough of it.  I still don’t touch tako or squid though.

Oh and the Ono Hawaiian Seasoning is the greatest thing ever.  Toss it on a steak and you won’t need any kind of seasoning or sauce.  Come over and I’ll show you how good it is.

[Via http://kyushakai.wordpress.com]

Comparison: 2010 Toyota Prius vs 2010 Honda Insight

2010 Toyota Prius vs 2010 Honda Insight

Hatchbacks (Updated)

www.autorivals.net

The Prius finally has a real competitor with the arrival of the 2010 Honda Insight. The new Insight completely ditches the design of the last generation and mimics the Prius instead. The new Prius was also redesigned for 2010 and enters its third generation and becomes better in every way.

[Via http://autorivals.wordpress.com]

Toyota-Astra Motor Raih Competency Award 2009

Jakarta, 22 Desember 2009 - PT Toyota Astra Motor (TAM) mendapat anugerah sebagai perusahaan dengan tingkat kompetensi tinggi (Competency Award) 2009 dari Badan Nasional Sertifikasi Profesi (BNSP). Lembaga independen yang bertanggungjawab langsung ke Presiden itu, menilai Toyota Astra memiliki tingkat kompetensi yang sesuai dengan bidangnya terutama bidang wiraniaga dan teknisi.

Penyerahan penghargaan dilakukan oleh Muhaimin Iskandar, Menteri Tenaga Kerja dan Transmigrasi kepada Djoko Trisanyoto, Direktur Pemasaran PT TAM, di Jakarta, Selasa (22/12). Djoko mengatakan, pihaknya senantiasa melakukan proses pembelajaran kepada setiap karyawan sesuai dengan bidang tugas masing-masing dengan standar baku yang telah ditetapkan oleh perusahaan.

Dengan sistem standardisasi itu, sebut Djoko, maka kompetensi tenaga kerja Toyota juga telah diakui secara nasional maupun internasional. ” Selain itu, kami juga melakukan sosialisasi dan edukasi, khususnya kepada para pendidik dan generasi muda melalui Toyota Technical Education Program (T-TEP) maupun program training. Semua itu, manfaatnya bisa dirasakan masyarakat luas,” tandas dia.

Sementara, Johnny Darmawan Presiden Direktur PT TAM mengaku, penghargaan tersebut akan menjadi pendorong bagi PT TAM dan kalangan industri otomotif lainnya untuk memperhatikan kompetensi tenaga kerjanya.

“Apresiasi ini menjadi pemicu bagi kami, sekaligus motivasi bagi pelaku industri lainnya, untuk selalu memperhatian kompetensi tenaga kerja kita. Upaya peningkatan kompetensi dan kualitas tenaga kerja juga berperan penting dalam mengoptimalkan kinerja industri nasional,” kata Johnny.

Penghargaan ini diberikan kepada lima tokoh masyarakat, enam profesional, enam perusahaan dari bidang industri berbeda serta lima lembaga pendidikan pelatihan. Toyota masuk dalam kategori di antara enam perusahaan industri tersebut.

[Via http://rajufebrian.wordpress.com]

New Car

We’re getting a new car. Pictures will be up soon.

We got an beautiful sparkling cham-pag-neigh Innova today.

Pictures will be up if I can get my phone to connect to the machine. Windows is horribly bad at this.

Pizza to celebrate.

Update:

Pictures:

Nice eh? Dad picked it out. Either this was a big co-incidence, or he’s geekier than I am.

But as my grandmother remarked: “It the numbers all add up to a multiple of nine, so well, it must be a good thing.”

Haven’t driven it around yet. Dad’s getting used to the feel of driving a big car. So, it’ll be a while.

We also installed this audio system that can communicate with dad’s phone and any iPod today. So, we’re pretty hi-tech-ed up now.

[Via http://codemanure.wordpress.com]

Arbonne FC5

Still excited about Arbonne’s Fc5 line because I met a lot of Arbonne people a couple of months ago and they seem, well, just so happy. It is in stark contrast to the feeling I get when I go into a department store, I have respect for everyone who works in there; however I can’t help but feel that management can make the atmosphere more humanly friendly. That’s why I don’t like to shop in department stores. So, in contrast to my getting my face cream in a department store, where I don’t feel good, I associate with a bunch of ladies (and some men, too) who sell Arbonne. And the experience is a happier one. And I am not one to discount where happinesss comes from.

So, Fc5. Fc5 is a product line put out by Arbonne and it is designed to be less expensive than another high end line it has – and although the retail price is cut very low, compared to the value of the product itself, I have used the product and love it and will pay money to use it again.

Interested in a Business Tidbit?

The process Arbonne is using the the sale of Fc5 is a smart one, and very similar to a process Toyota is using. I love Toyota. Always have. If you read the business history and evolution of Toyota as a company, you may fall in love, too. Toyota’s Scion is a car line designed to get new car buyers (of a younger age, somewhere in 20s or early to mid 30s) to to buy – its price point is about 15,000 for a brand new, warrantied, car, with Toyota engine engineering (will last for 100m000 – 300,000 miles if you like). And then Toyota’s thinking is that when the individual is ready to buy his/her second car, he/she will have a better job and will pay for the 30,000 or 40,000 or higher price point car. The introduction of the consumer to Toyota at a lower pricepoint is smart, and Arbonne is doing the same thing with Fc5. Fc5 is a great product, and Arbonne has more great products, and, depending on your needs and wants and values and pricepoint, there are other, luxurious, effective products, too. But the main point here is that Arbonne is bringing in new clients such as myself with a lower pricepoint, and I will try a new product at this particular pricepoint. And now that I’ve fallen in love with Arbonne, I have tried samples of the luxurious RE Line – and that’s exactly how it is suppose to work, from a corporate perspective.

I have 5 years Quality Assurance and Manufacturing experience working for Avon. I was immersed in Avon’s formulas for those 5 years and learned a lot about the beauty industry. And Avon is doing the same thing that Arbonne and Toyota is doing. Avon’s Teen line is a specific target at a specific age and pricepoint to introduce younger folks with a certain income into the “business” and then when the young people get a regular paying job, they will be ready to buy more and higher pricepoints – that retail not for 99 cents but for 50 or 75 dollars.

All for now,
if you have thoughts, please drop them off. It’s an interesting business.

[Via http://beverlymau.wordpress.com]

Saatchi & Saatchi's Toyota Social Media Disaster

I’ve always admired Saatchi & Saatchi and I still do. But even the best of agencies will have their share of mistakes. It’s about learning from them and moving on.The thing I respect about Saatchi & Saatchi in this instance is that it dared to push the envelope and to venture into an area it did not have much experience in.

So what exactly happened?

So what exactly happened and how did Saatchi & Saatchi land itself in a social media disaster? For more info, you can visit mUmBRELLA’s write-up on it.

In a nutshell, though, Saatchi & Saatchi decided to incorporate social media into its campaign for Toyota’s Yaris without the help of a digital agency, and some things went wrong. Sadly, the world can be quite unforgiving of “mistakes”. The story soon spread to Aussie news sites, British news titles, the Aussie papers, US media and large global ad blogs.

As part of the Yaris social media campaign, a Facebook page managed by Saatchi & Saatchi was set up and on this page, S&S ran a video competition. Members of the Facebook page just needed to create videos about the Yaris and the top videos would win $7,000, $3,000 and $1,000 for first, second and third prizes respectively. Unfortunately, the participation level was dismal because many of us in the social media space are probably tired of such video competitions run on Facebook pages to count towards eyeballs and ROI.

Faced with the embarrassing prospect of few entries, Saatchi & Saatchi opened the competition to its production houses in the following email:

From: Rob

Subject: Clever Comp

Hey creative people

I’ve got something that you’ll (or your housemates, brothers, sisters, artistic friends etc will) be interested in.

It’s a film comp in aide of promoting Toyota Yaris.

“A film comp? I don’t have the time!” you may say, but listen up. So far, NO ONE has entered and it has been open for more than 10 days and closes 1st December. Voting is done on hits and comments so if you’re in first you have a huge advantage. And you don’t have to make an ad, just put a Yaris in somewhere a la the ‘number 8′ or ’spring’ in Tropfest or something

First prize is $7,000. $3,000 for second and $1,000 for 3rd. At this stage, you could enter a picture of your cat playing in his kitty litter and win 7 grand.

Details are in the attachments. If you win, I’d love an all carbon fibre road bicycle for Christmas.

Cheers y’all.

-Rob

This initiative garnered entries from the production houses as there was also an understanding that the winning production house entry would win S&S’s business to produce Toyota Yaris’ ads. A team comprising of S&S and Toyota representatives came together to decide on the winning entry and TADA, presenting the winning entry (with no lack of sexual references by the way):

My thoughts on this whole episode?

• While many in the world are slamming Saatchi & Saatchi for this incident, I would like to speak up on behalf of S&S (no, I am not an employee of S&S and I have no connections with it) because I must say I admire S&S’s courage in pushing the envelope and expanding into an area that it had little experience in. I know some will call this foolhardy but honestly, are agencies which allow risk-aversion to prevent them from playing with new ideas and charting new territory, in this modern world of innovation, any less foolhardy? At the end of the day, the best of agencies have their share of “mistakes” but if their achievements and acquired capabilities outweigh these “mistakes”, the world will recognize them as commendable and respectable agencies.
• I’ve also learned from this incident that in the social media space it’s so important to create intangible value for users. Sure, the video competition promised cash prizes for winning entries but clearly that wasn’t enough to get users involved. Tangible benefits were not enough. The main problem was probably that the Facebook page already lacked content that would bring users back to the page to interact with the content and to even want to join the page in the first place. Apparently, the videos were old viral videos that anybody active in the social media space would most likely have seen. Besides the video competition was a “tired” idea. Even the cash prizes could not convince users to join the page and the competition.
• Competitions on social media channels to drive user-generated content should stay that way – user generated. I think what enraged many people about S&S opening the competition up to its production houses was that the video competition was positioned with the production houses as a pre-business pitch. What was this? A video competition originally intended for amateurs and ordinary people to participate with equal chances of winning the cash prizes was not being opened to production houses (the professionals) as a pre-business pitch? Didn’t that mean that the winner was already pre-determined to be one of the production houses? At the same time, what made this situation worse was the fact that the winning entry was decided on by a panel of Toyota and S&S employees. If the contest was a user-driven contest in the social media space (which highly values egalitarianism), why wasn’t the winning entry decided upon by users? Or at least, why weren’t users given some (if not total) say in the results of the contest?
• We must always go back to the basics – the core brand values. Another thing that got many people upset was the content of the winning entry. We’re talking about Toyota here – a brand that has long been associated with reliability and family life. In choosing the video entry that was replete with sexual references, Toyota (or S&S on behalf of Toyota) was going against Toyota’s core brand values. Even if they had wanted to energize Toyota’s brand to appeal to a younger audience, this had to be done carefully, without offending Toyota’s core fan base. This selection of such a controversial video was simply too sudden and radical.

That said, it is episodes like these that we should and must learn from, and I believe that Saatchi & Saatchi will learn from this to keep up its good work all these years.

[Via http://dodobirdsrcool.wordpress.com]

And Just to Tease Enoezam

Since he loves Work Meisters so much.  18 x 12 all around.  Fronts have a -18 offset and the rear, a staggering -28.

This MA70 is madness.  The stance, the color, the aero…  Perfect.  The only thing the owner needs is A BETTER DAMN CAMERA!  Seriously, he’s gonna spend who knows how many thousands of dollars (yen?) on his car, but he doesn’t bother to get even a $100 point and shoot?  GAHHHHH I WISH I HAD SOME QUALITY PICTURES OF THIS CAR.

[Via http://kyushakai.wordpress.com]

Car of the Year Nominees: Part 2

Continuing with Car of the Year nominees, here’s the second part. Family Car of the Year and Cheap Car of the Year are here.

Family Car of the Year

This is where we choose the ideal car for people with big families. Lots of space is an absolute must.

Fiat Doblo: Looks great, seats plenty of people, and it’s quite economical as well.

Toyota Sienna: The looks are a bit iffy in some places, but it promises sporty handling with a comfortable ride, great interior, and plenty of room.

Volvo XC60: A good looking car with a great, spacious interior. Very safe as well.

Vauxhall/Opel Insignia Sports Tourer: New Vauxhalls/Opels have said good bye to their old, conservative, ugly ancestors and buried them in the middle of nowhere. As a result they now make good cars and this good looking estate Insignia is one of them

Dacia Duster: A funky looking car with plenty of space, promising a low price tag.

Citroen C3 Picasso: Funky Citroen looks, with plenty of practicality and a reasonable price.

Cheap Car of the Year

These are cars for those of us who don’t want to, or simply can’t, spend too much money. Price range we set is 25,000 CAD and under.

Renault Twingo: A nice looking car with good handling and interior. Comes in a fantastic Renaultsport trim too.

Ford Fiesta: Ford has launched the new Fiesta hatch in 2008 in Europe but not in North America so we actually found an excuse to nominate it as it is a very, very good supermini.

Volkswagen Polo: This small, German hatchback has actually won the European Car of the Year Award but that’s not important as now it faces the most important test ever: Will it be our Cheap Car of the Year?

[Via http://theblogofcars.wordpress.com]

F1 News Book – All the lastest F1 news and views

Button collects trophy at FIA Gala

Jenson Button and the Brawn GP team collected their world championship trophies at the FIA Gala Prize-Giving in Monaco last night

Di Grassi says F1 deal is done

Lucas di Grassi is set to be announced as Virgin Racing’s second driver early next week, with the Brazilian having revealed that he has completed a Formula 1 deal with one of the new entrants

Lotus to reveal drivers on Monday

The new Lotus Formula 1 team is to announce the identity of its 2010 drivers on Monday

FIA invites proposals to improve 2010

The FIA has asked the Formula 1 Sporting Working Group to bring forward proposals for making F1 more entertaining in time to be implemented for the 2010 season

Ex-F1 drivers to join stewards’ panel

Experienced ex-Formula 1 drivers will be part of the stewards’ panel from the start of the 2010 grand prix season

Abu Dhabi to host 2010 season finale

Abu Dhabi will host the final round of the 2010 Formula 1 world championship after a late date change was confirmed by the FIA World Council today

What the new points mean for F1

The previous two changes to the Formula 1 points scoring system were implemented to alter the weighting between each position. The new-for-1991 system increased the winner’s score from 9 to 10, then the 2003 tweak increased the prize for second place from 6 to 8, and extended to eighth place.

FIA announces new F1 points system

Formula 1 will introduce a new points system from 2010 after the FIA World Motor Sport Council approved the F1 Commission’s proposal to award points to the top 10 finishers in each race

Teams approve Brawn’s name change

World champion team Brawn GP’s renaming as Mercedes has been officially ratified by the Formula 1 Commission

Whitmarsh to become FOTA chairman

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh has been voted in as Luca di Montezemolo’s successor as the chairman of the Formula One Teams’ Association (FOTA), AUTOSPORT can reveal

Wolff open to increased Williams role

New Williams shareholder Toto Wolff says he hopes to play an increasingly large role in the team in the future, but is in no hurry to do so

Drivers vote Senna the greatest ever

Three-time world champion Ayrton Senna has been voted the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time by a unique poll of 217 of his fellow world championship drivers conducted by AUTOSPORT magazine

Korean GP preparations on target

Korea’s plans for its first Formula 1 race are completely on schedule – with race organisers saying their only issue at the moment is sorting out accommodation for fans

Schumacher would be good for F1 – Fry

Mercedes GP CEO Nick Fry believes rumours about former world champions such as Michael Schumacher returning to Formula 1 are great for the sport, as speculation continues to link Schumacher with Fry’s team

Teams plan joint launch in Valencia

Formula 1 teams are scheduled to put the finishing touches to plans for a common car launch of their 2010 contenders on Thursday, with outfits looking to unveil their machines in Valencia in late January

Fry: F1 will improve internet coverage

Formula 1 has been wholly guilty of not embracing fans enough through new media, but moves are being made to address the situation in time for the 2010 season

Circuits plan to offer more for fans

Leading Formula 1 circuit chiefs have admitted that they need to make their events and venues more fan-friendly if they are going to survive in the increasingly tough business world

Abu Dhabi handed final race of 2010 by FIA

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will now be the 2010 season finale after the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) agreed to the race organiser’s request for a change to the calendar

Renault reported to have secured its F1 future

The Renault team will race on in Formula 1 next year after a deal was struck to secure its future

Lotus out to beat Manor in 2010

Lotus team boss Tony Fernandes has pledged his team will beat the Virgin backed Manor team in its debut season in Formula One

Silly season drags on

ESPNF1 takes a look, team by team, at the driver market as it stands and what we expect to happen

F1 driver parade to get makeover – Fry

Proposals to immediately improve the spectacle of the grand prix weekend will be developed by the formula one teams.

Mercedes to offer 7m euros for Schu return

Mercedes is reportedly proposing to pay Michael Schumacher 7 million euros if he agrees to return to F1 as Nico Rosberg’s teammate in 2010.

Button and Brawn collect their silverware in Monaco

Jenson Button and Brawn GP were officially presented with their world championship trophies on Friday evening, as the annual FIA Gala in Monaco provided the grand finale for a dramatic 2009 Formula One season. Button and Ross Brawn picked up the silverware for the drivers’ and constructors’ titles respectively, whilst Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel and Brawn’s Rubens Barrichello took the stage to collect their second and third place trophies…

Newey on Red Bull’s newfound title-winning confidence

Red Bull came so close to clinching the 2009 title that chief technical officer Adrian Newey could easily feel disappointed that they couldn’t quite wrestle the championship out of Brawn GP’s grasp. Newey, however, believes their ‘09 performance has boosted the team’s confidence to such an extent that they are facing 2010 with optimism. “For me 2009 was a great year because, although we didn’t manage to win the championship, Red Bull Racing as a team matured to the point where we were able to win races and challenge for a championship,” said Newey in an interview on Red Bull’s official website. “For the team to achieve that so early in its history has been very satisfying.

Sheikh becomes the first Qatari to drive an F1 car

On Thursday His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al-Thani became the first Qatari to drive a Formula One car when he took to the 5.3-kilometre Losail International Circuit in a Williams FW31. His Highness, who is the owner of the Al-Anabi Group of Drag Racing Teams in the US and the Middle East, completed five laps of the Qatar track. “The Williams FW31 is a remarkable vehicle, unlike any other race car I’ve ever driven,” he said after his run. “Being the first Qatarian to drive a Formula One car was an amazing experience I will not forget. I am proud that I was able to experience this honour at home in the State of Qatar.”

Toyota season review

Toyota’s final season was a microcosm of its eight-year stint in F1: big investment, plenty of promise but no breakthrough.

Ferrari season review

Problems with double diffusers, KERS, stand-in drivers and its worst car for years made Ferrari’s season one to forget.

[Via http://chrishf1.wordpress.com]

Toyota! From the same people who brought you Pearl Harbor

I noticed the bumper sticker on the Chevy Impala in front of me as I was driving home today. It had the Toyota logo with a line through it. It boldly proclaimed: “Toyota! From the same people who brought you Pearl Harbor.” I stared incredulously. Suddenly, I had a epiphany.

Such logic is undeniable!

Heretofore, I shall boycott Toyota. But I’m not stopping there. I’ve compiled the following list of other boycotts in which I plan to participate. Thank god for that bumper sticker! Join me in my boycotts:

• BMW! From the same people who brought you the Holocaust.
• Tobacco! From the same people who brought you slavery.
• Nobel Peace Price! From the same person who brought you dynamite.
• Jesus! From the same people who brought you the Crusades.
• Women! From the same people who brought you the fall of man.

[Via http://davohynds.wordpress.com]

Screw the Lexus LFA, I Want the Supra

Photo copyright ©2009 Damon Lavrinc / Weblogs, Inc.

You’ve heard of diamond-encrusted televisions. You’ve heard of gold-plated refrigerators. You’ve heard of bathtubs dipped in platinum. Are any of these things better because of their blinged-out status? No.

A gold-plated refrigerator is still a refrigerator. If I gold-plated my excrement, it would still be excrement.

When you get down to the nuts and bolts of the matter, it’s just flat-out tasteless.

This is what plagues the Lexus LFA.

It’s a great machine. It can lap the Nürburgring in 7:24. It’s got a great-sounding V10 engine. It’s dynamic, and it’s the automotive equivalent of gold-plated excrement.

I have come to this conclusion via the power of complex mathematical reasoning. If I were born yesterday, I’d be able to guesstimate the LFA’s price at $168,000 just by looking at it. If you told me how it performed, I’d add $25,000 to the total. If I were to hear the sound of the engine – which may be the best sound of any road car today - I’d start feeling generous and I’d add $30,000 to the expected price.

So where does that leave us? $223,000
Lexus LFA MSRP: $380,000
Discrepancy between perceived price and actual MSRP: $157,000

So where did all those Benjamins go? They went into the carbon fiber-reinforced polymer body which saves about 200 lbs. versus an all-aluminum car.

So tell me, are you willing to pay $157,000 to lose 200 lbs? I’m not and I’m certain NBC’s Biggest Loser isn’t either. So while the Lexus LFA is a great car, it’s a great car wrapped in carbon fiber, or the automotive equivalent of gold plating, and for an extra $157,000 … well, if i carry the seven and cross-cancel – yep, that makes the car crap – crap wrapped in “gold”.

I know, everybody wants to be like Audi. Put a halo car in the showrooms to get people to walk in, and they walk out with an A4. Same thing with the Ford GT. Same thing with the Acura NSX. Same thing with the Dodge Viper. All those cars changed their entire car companies and the way people perceived them.

But now the halo car business is becoming too much of a “me too” business; as a result, I think this car will hurt Lexus’s image. The Lexus LFA is a halo car done wrong. Halo cars have to present something new and/or unique to the marketplace. The Acura NSX was the best example – it was the first supercar that was easy to drive. The Dodge Viper – the automotive equivalent of a red thong flossing a tan butt on a summer day north of 100°F. Audi R8 - a true supercar you could drive every day and almost afford. LFA: just another fast car.

You see, halo cars don’t necessarily have to beat all their rivals, but they have to be compelling. I’m sorry, but among Ferrari 599 GTB Fioranos and Mercedes-Benz SLS AMGs … even the much cheaper Nissan GT-Rs, the Lexus LFA is leaving this reviewer cold.

The name LFA originates from “Lexus Future Advance”. It’s a shame because in many ways, this car is retarding Lexus’s future.

They should have made a successor to the Supra (the name alone sounds better than “LFA”) that would have been less expensive than the Nissan GT-R, but better-performing. What they’ve given us is an overpriced Supra with a Lexus badge and radiators in the back. Stinky.

Photos copyright ©2009 Damon Lavrinc / Weblogs, Inc.

[Via http://futurenumberone.com]

All-New Third-Generation Toyota Sienna Makes World Debut

Toyota unveiled the all-new, third-generation Sienna minivan at a media conference today at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto show. The Toyota Sienna is well known as a transportation solution for moving people and cargo comfortably and efficiently. The third-generation Sienna will look and drive more like a sedan, conform to new ideas about personal comfort, easily accommodate cargo, and handle big loads.

[Via http://sladetx.com]

ลูกผสม Toyota Highlander

เมื่อมันได้มีมายัง SUVs ลูกผสมคนจำนวนมากไม่แน่ใจว่าพวกเขาจะทำงาน out. สามารถ SUV จริงๆยังคงเก็บทุกห้องและยังประหยัดน้ำมันยอดเยี่ยมหรือไม่ดี โตโยต้า ได้พิสูจน์แล้วว่าแนวคิดของลูกผสม SUV จริงๆสามารถทำงานกับ โตโยต้า ใหม่ของลูกผสม Highlander. ขณะที่คุณสามารถคาดหวังว่าจะจ่ายน้อยมากสำหรับลูกผสม Toyota Highlander กว่าคุณสำหรับเครื่องยนต์ก๊าซปกติคนจำนวนมากรู้สึกว่ามีประโยชน์คุ้มค่าใช้จ่ายเพิ่มเติมในเริ่มต้น.

ประหยัดเชื้อเพลิง Superior

เมื่อมันได้มีมายัง SUVs หนึ่งของปัญหาหลักของพวกเขาได้รับการที่พวกเขาจะไม่ดีมากในน้ำมัน. เนื่องจากพวกเขาจะหนัก, ใหญ่กว่าและอากาศพลศาสตร์ของรถเหล่านี้ไม่ได้มีประสิทธิภาพเป็นในรถยนต์ก็ใช้เชื้อเพลิงไกลกว่ารถจะ. ขณะที่มีการรถยนต์ลูกผสมในหัวข้อสำหรับไม่กี่ปีตอนนี้เมื่อมาน้ำมันเศรษฐกิจปัจจุบันลูกผสม Toyota Highlander มีการวางแผนการทำสิ่งเดียวกัน. เชื่อว่าหรือไม่คุณจะได้รับระยะเชื้อเพลิงนี้ใหม่ลูกผสม SUV ที่ดีเช่นเดียวกับรถยนต์ที่ออกวันนี้มี. ดังนั้น โตโยต้า Highlander แน่นอนเสนอเศรษฐกิจเชื้อเพลิงที่ไม่สามารถตีโดย SUV อื่นๆ.

ดียิ่งสำหรับสิ่งแวดล้อม

นอกจากนี้ใหม่ลูกผสม Toyota Highlander ยังเป็นสภาพแวดล้อมที่ดีขึ้นกว่า SUVs ธรรมเนียม. เมื่อคุณ coasting ลงเขาหรือหยุดในการจราจรลูกผสมที่จะปิดปิดเครื่องยนต์. ซึ่งหมายความว่าว่าคุณไม่เพียงแต่การใช้ก๊าซน้อยลงแต่คุณยังไม่ได้ร่วมเป็นปล่อยมากอากาศดี. ประหยัดสิ่งแวดล้อมและลดลงในการปล่อยเป็นสิ่งสำคัญและลูกผสม Toyota Highlander จะช่วยให้คุณประหยัดสิ่งแวดล้อม.

ห้องผู้โดยสาร

เมื่อคุณนั่งในลูกผสม Toyota Highlander, สิ่งหนึ่งที่คุณจะแจ้งเป็นว่ามีมากมายห้องพักสำหรับผู้โดยสาร. แม้ที่นั่งด้านหลังมีมากมาย legroom แม้เมื่อคุณมีที่นั่งในตำแหน่งหน้า. แต่ขณะที่พวกเขามีที่นั่งแถวที่สามที่ควรจะนั่งสองคนมันเป็นเรื่องยากที่จะได้ไปที่นั่งด้านหลังและห้องมีน้อยมากที่จะทำงานกับ.

ประสิทธิภาพรวดเร็วและมีประสิทธิภาพ

เมื่อคุณได้รับลูกผสม Toyota Highlander บนถนนคุณแน่นอนจะแจ้งให้ทราบความแตกต่าง. แม้ว่าคุณจะเริ่มขึ้นรถและเริ่มออกเครื่องยนต์ใน SUV ที่อาจไม่ได้ทำงาน. เมื่อคุณได้ด้วยความเร็วต่ำเครื่องยนต์ก๊าซคือจะหยุดแต่ไม่ได้หมายความว่าคุณจะสูญเสียออกพลังงานและประสิทธิภาพ. เมื่อใดก็ตามที่คุณต้องการพลังงานที่จะมีสิทธิแต่เมื่อคุณไม่จำเป็นต้องคุณจะไม่ต้องกังวลเกี่ยวกับมันกินขึ้นของก๊าซ.

[Via http://alltoyotareviews.wordpress.com]

Holset Hx35 on a Built JDM 3SGTE swapped into a 1997 Toyota Celica GT.

I can’t believe I haven’t posted this sooner, I forgot all about my Celica’s dyno video.
Like the video says Mike Bruell & Myself made 330whp & 250wtq at 14.5lbs boost (1bar).

Here’s a couple drive by videos for your enjoyment.
I know it doesn’t look like I’m going fast but that last pass I hit 120mph easily.
In the 2nd pass you can hear the tires break free then 8,500rpm rev limiter.

Ok, and below just to show you guys the engine is now in the MR.
Heres a video of it RIGHT after I got it in the car, there was no exhaust, the timing was off and It hadn’t been tuned. So yeah I know it sounded like shit in the video but it was just to show
people I completed the swap. Since then everything and more has been done to that engine.
Thats going to be my next post

The 91 JDM 3sgte 9.0:1 comp engine is built with these mods:
AEM Full Standalone Unit
Holset Hx35 Turbo
Forged 87mm CP pistons
Forged Eagle H-beam Rods
Balanced, Blueprinted, micro-polished Internals
Wolkatz Top Feed fuel rail
Aeromotive FPR 1.1
870cc Delphi Injectors
HKS 264 ex 272 in Cams
Eagle valve springs
RMR Intake Manifold
Heat resistant resin intake manifold gasket
70mm Mustang Throttle Body
Cometic head gasket
ARP headstuds
Custom 3″ V-band downpipe
Fidanza cam gears
Solid motor mounts
Aem Uego Wideband o2
Gm boost solenoid
Gm 3 Bar Map
Spec (clutchmaster) stage 3 clutch
HKS Super Mega Flow intake filter (actual name haha)
Apexi dual-drive blow off valve
12×12 Oil cooler
Canton Racing Oil relocation fitting.
3″ mandrel bent side exhaust W/ huge muffler & resonator
300×600x3″ Bar and Plate Front mount intercooler W/ 2.5″ to 3″ mandrel bent piping

Not bad power.
This was a break in tune so we didn’t turn the boost up, It was set to the wastegate spring, 1 bar.
Which is unfortunate because at 1 bar this turbo wasn’t even in its efficiency range yet.
Around 22+ lbs is were this turbo comes alive and really puts down power.
Currently I’m building a 2.2L stroker 5SGTE, 8:1 compression ratio.
With this turbo in my MR2, Plan to run 30lbs of boost on pump gas daily, but thats another post.

Anyways, don’t be afraid to leave me a comment.
Mike Bruell is a great tuner and is always up to the challenge of tuning vehicles.
If you would like us to tune your vehicle send me an email.Heres more pics of the celica.

[Via http://digitaladdict.wordpress.com]

Enkei'd XB

Not SSR’s but these minty fresh…… no more like teal Enkei’s are the next best thing.

Some shoes are just timeless.

[Via http://tailoutsx.wordpress.com]

Could Renault Sell Team To Prodrive?

Today Renault F1 bosses are holding crisis meetings about the future of the manufacturer in Formula One.  With the economic crsis and the after effects of Crash-Gate hitting the team hard, they could well be looking to pull out of the sport and sell their operation.

A report written in today’s French newspaper L’Equipe suggests that David Richards and his Prodrive outfit could be ready to make a move for the team, based in Enstone, Oxfordshire.

Richards could then sell the whole Prodrive operation headquaters at Banbury and move the team into the Enstone facility, described to The F1Fanatics Blog earlier this year by a Williams employee “As one of the best headquters I have ever seen”.

Prodrive had planned to make an F1 return, attempting to gain one of the new grid slots having been previously accepted bu failing to make the grid.  They failed, but are still interested with the former British American Racing team principal at the helm.

It would be a large investment for Richards whose Prodrive company used to build Subaru’s World Rally cars, and now concentrates on Le Mans series under the Aston Martin banner.  Richards was quick to find funding to save the aforementioned British car manufacturer from extinction a few years ago and it is unknown if the new team could run under that banner.

Prodrive were being very cagy today in their response.

“We will make an announcement the day we have something interesting to announce,” a Prodrive spokesperson is quoted as saying.

“The truth is that Prodrive, whose candidacy was not accepted by the FIA for 2010, will be ready to take part in F1, on the condition of being able to be competitive and that the company be viable.”

There are said to be other interested parties, and one could be Stefan GP.  The Serbian outfit also failed to get into F1 on the new grid, and have been sniffing around purchasing Toyota’s operation but this has now hit the rocks as Toyota gave the FIA back their entrance in order to pave the way for Sauber’s return.  However Stefan GP are said to be interested in purchasing the 2010 car model from the Cologne based team.

Even if they sell the team, Renault will still continue to manufactuer engines for the Red Bull Racing team who they recently re-signed into contract.  They could also provide engines to the purchaser of their team, but there is some online speculation that they could revive the Mecachrome or Supertec brands for the engine badging.

[Via http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com]

Lead in a internet-mediated global world

Organizational structure in our times

@benjaminellis, @audio and I had a spirited discussion yesterday on organizational structure.

@benjamellis was exploring mesh cultures.  A full p2p model in a small team.  Sorry, Benjamin, I’ve lost the link.  I’ll add it later today if you dm me.

Classic functional organizations and Henri Fayol

@audio was advancing an argument that management theorists will recognize as being a cluster of principles articulated by Henri Fayol at the turn of the century.

Manages have authority (delegated from their managers).  They set a single, unified direction.   The principle of unity of command says they receive orders from one person only (so as to avoid confusion) and they are disciplined.  They decided what to do by reference to those commands.

These are the principles of classical functional organizations and they are a good place to start in organizing anything.  Even in a family wedding, its helpful to let “one person be in charge”.  We might be able to do a slightly better job than that person, on one or more aspects of the organization.  But we get a better result overall  if we pull together instead of in different directions.

Divisional organizations and market led companies

Functional organizational structures run out of steam when we move from simple product lines and simple markets to  complex technologies and complex markets.

The car industry illustrates this point.

Ford made any car provided it was black.  Standardised, cheap and one car for everyone.  The functional model works well.

GM (yes that one) revolutionized the market by making “a car for any purse.”  They began to differentiate the market and from there the divisional structure was born.  The market leads, so to speak, and the essence of the staff and managerial function is to integrate the responses to the different markets and find efficiencies.

Matrix organizations and multiplex leadership

Toyota blew a giant hole in this model.  They began to make customized and inexpensive cars.  They have short production runs. They change lines and retool quickly.  How do they do it?

In short, they cede control.  Workers have the power to stop the assembly line.  They do.  Workers have the power to change the pace of the line.  They do.  It is called kan ban.  Workers are capable of controlling quality and doing the work studies to improve productivity.  They do.  It is standard every day work based on statistics only Honors students learn in the West.

Suppliers have access to Toyota’s production statistics and have Toyota’s loyalty in return.  It feels it should be the opposite doesn’t it?  Remember loyalty breeds loyalty.  Let the big guy be loyal first.

The net effect are better cars, less waste, lower prices, more competitive company.

Local modularization, globalization and the internet

Life has moved on from Toyota, who we know are struggling as well in the downturn.  Our model for organizational structure now is local modularization.  It sounds like lego and it is.

Think Boeing.  They used to make planes.  Think of the specs for one plane.  A giant document.

Well the specs for the 787 (that is behind schedule) is all of 20 pages long. 20 pages to design on giant plane.

How did they manage this feat of simplification?   Well,. it seems they concentrate only on the interlinkages between modules.  They don’t have to design the parts.  They only have to contract to buy parts that will perform a certain function in relation to other parts.

These systems are hard to grasp when they are new.  Take another example from a British industry.  Rolls Royce makes engines.  It takes 10’s of 1000’s of manhours to design an engine and no one, no one, has an overall plan to make the engine happen.  Now if only I could find the link to the Cambridge researcher who documents this magical process.  I know where to find it though.  I’ll get it.

Commander’s Intent or Adding Boundaries to a System

I’ll leave you with an excerpt from a commentary on Obama’s statement on Afghanistan.  An unhappy soldier is asking for the Commander’s Intent – the mission. The one line sentence that explains the group’s goal.  This is very similar to Fayol’s unitary command.

My contention is this. Every system requires individuals and jobs where the purpose is to state the purpose – clearly and concisely.  There are many psychological, organizational and logistical reasons why this is important.

First, lets just look at a good example.   And then lets separate two things.  Distinguish arrogating the right to decide the content from articulating the group intent clearly.

‘3rd Platoon will ensure the delivery of 18 loads of class XII equipment to FOB Oscar, and safely return to base with all personnel and equipment accounted for.’

I could comment more. For now, I’ll repeat my contention.  It is a very important competency to be able to state clearly and concisely what our group will contribute and that competency will become more important in multiplexed leadership.

[Via http://flowingmotion.wordpress.com]

Toyotas live forever

Great commercial?  Yes?  Misleading?  Yes

It is no mistake that this commercial starts with the  claim that 80% of Toyotas sold in the last 20 years are still on the road.  Toyota’s brand is built on reliability and this seems to be the ultimate claim.  Our cars last two decades.

So what’s my beef?  My beef is that the average person is going to interpret this commercial as “If I buy a Toyota tomorrow it has an 80% chance of being on the road 20 years from now.”  This is far from the truth and there are two main reasons why:

1.)  Toyota’s recent sales far outnumber sales from over a decade ago.  So what?  So their percent on the road counts for much more when you are doing a weighted average.

2.)  Combine point one with the assumption that nearly 100% of all cars sold in the last 5 years are on the road and you can get a hugely inflated number.

Lets just assume Toyota sold twice as many cars in the last five years as in years 16-20 and that 95% of cars sold in the last 5 years are still on the road.  Lets also assume that the middle 10 years average out to 80%.  What percent of cars sold in years 16-20 would have to still be on the road to make the 80% number?

Only 50%! A far cry from implied claim of 80%.

Huge assumptions made? Yes.  Might this still be an impressive number?  Maybe.  I would have to see other manufactuers numbers to compare.

Even if my assumptions are far from accurate, file this as an example that shows how easily marketers can manipulate numbers and make claims that both appear to be and are too good to be true.

[Via http://atorchio.wordpress.com]