What Can The Fiat 500L Do For Fiat USA?

Let's assume for a moment that the new Fiat 500L will undercut the Mini Countryman in price, just as the 500 undercuts the Cooper. With that assumption in mind, we'll assume that the stylistically-challenged Fiat 500L might sell at least as often as the Countryman. 

The 500L is only available with front-wheel-drive. Even the Mini is only available with all-wheel-drive at the top of lineup. Neither car is a faithful design follower of the iconic original; the Fiat less so. Neither car is particularly quick. Both cars feature highly stylized interiors, neither of which is roomy like a proper SUV. By Mini standards, the Countryman isn't pretty. By car standards, the Fiat is ill-proportioned.

Regardless of their stark differences and apparent similarities, it's safe to project approximately 20,000 annual U.S. sales for the 500L, based on the Mini Countryman's total. Fiat USA will likely sell around 43,000 500s in 2012.

If the 500L can find 20,000 buyers in 2013 while selling another 43,000 500 hatchbacks, where does this position the Fiat brand?

Strictly judged by volume,  Fiat would only barely be trailing Mini. Fiat would be selling nearly as many cars as Volvo and would be selling twice as many vehicles as Porsche. 

Even if the 500L becomes a 20,000-units type of vehicle, Fiat won't sell 20,000 in what will be an abbreviated 2013 launch year. Yet we can still expect to see Fiat's 2013 year-end volume climbing at least 40% even if the 500 posts no year-over-year sales increase.

Check out historic monthly and yearly sales figures for the regular Fiat 500, Mini Cooper range, Mini Countryman, and any other vehicle or brand by making your selection at GCBC's Sales Stats home. U.S. brand rankings, where Fiat ranked 29th in October and Mini ranked 24th, can be accessed here.

Chevrolet Orlando vs Ford C-Max vs Mazda 5 vs Kia Rondo - Pictures And Dimensions

Styling is not the leading factor in the purchase of a minivan. That's not to say a vehicle's exterior design means nothing to a minivan buyer, but the design of a minivan's interior means more to the average consumer.

Downright odd from some angles, the Cruze-based 2012 Chevrolet Orlando is sometimes handsome, sometimes classy, always boxy enough to be truly spacious. General Motors will not be sending the Orlando into U.S. showrooms, but Canada, a market which is still offered the Kia Rondo, will see the Orlando presented. The innovative 2012 Ford C-Max will soon be making its way from Ford Of Europe to North America. Meanwhile, the mini-minivan field's most known face is the Mazda 5, a vehicle which has recently undergone a major facelift while skipping the 2011 model year. The 2012 Mazda 5, a vehicle that's been a member of The Good 12 in the past, suddenly faces challengers where it once had none.

Since styling is clearly not the major component of of a minivan purchase decision, GoodCarBadCar.net has gathered some numbers for your perusual. Primary dimensions of the Chevrolet Orlando, Ford C-Max, Mazda 5, and Kia Rondo are in the table below.

These four vans (the Orlando doesn't have sliding doors and thus can't be considered by some to be a van in any sense) aren't segment busters: remember the Mitsubishi Colt and Honda Civic? There's a whole continent full of currently produced mini-minivans like the Renault Grand Scenic, Citroen Grand C4 Picasso, and Toyota Verso -  Europe is not Honda Odyssey friendly.

What you have, then, are good products with good intentions and even some pedigree, competing in a market where, up to this point, previous editions haven't been overwhelmingly successful. Kia gave up on the Rondo in the United States. Mazda owned just 8% market share in minivan-hungry Canada last year, although that total wasn't far off the Toyota Sienna's or Honda Odyssey's. Throwing mainstream badges like the Blue Oval and Bow Tie into the mix will be a boon for sales. 

MINI MPV	LENGTH	WIDTH	HEIGHT	WHEELBASE	CARGO
Chevrolet Orlando	183.1	72.3	64.3°	108.7	16^
Ford C-Max	178	72	66.3	109.7	26.66^^
Kia Rondo	178.9	71.7	65	106.3	31.7*
Mazda 5	180.5	68.9	63.6	108.3	44.4**

° including roof rails. ^ Up to windowline, third row folded. ^^ 5-seat mode, laden to roof, with tire repair kit. * Behind second row. ** Third-row down. Length/Width/Height/Wheelbase measurements are in inches, cargo volume is cubic feet.

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2012 Hyundai Accent vs 2012 Kia Rio In Pictures

Sharing a 101.2-inch wheelbase and an engine lineup, the design paths of the 2012 Hyundai Accent and 2012 Kia Rio diverged in a wood, and Kia chose the more stylish route. That's not to say the 2012 Hyundai Accent isn't a handsome hatchback, GoodCarBadCar.net sees huge sales in its future, even more so after driving a 2012 GL Sedan. But from the rear, the 2012 Kia Rio is undoubtedly (beauty-in-beholder's-eye factor notwithstanding) a more cohesive package. Moreover, Hyundai's images of the new Accent make the hatchback's wheels appear terribly tiny when viewed from the rear three-quarter. The Rio, on the other hand, has strong five-spokers which could fool you into thinking this is the sporty high-output Rio derivative.

Read Updated 2012 Hyundai Accent Specs, Pricing,
Pictures & Fuel Economy Details Here

This is by no means the first time The Good Car Guy has thrown two Hyundai/Kia platform-mates into an image comparison. Some of the more popular posts on GoodCarBadCar.net include the Kia Sportage vs. Hyundai Tucson photo comparo as well as the Kia Optima vs. Hyundai Sonata contrast from this past November. Of course, the new Kia Rio and the new Accent must face off against other rivals, too. The 2011 Ford Fiesta is a capable, high-tech, fuel-efficient hatch with the now desirable Blue Oval badge. The Honda Fit is a tremendously roomy hatchback, one that's surprisingly fun to drive. And Ford's disconnected sibling, the Mazda 2, is attractive and more fun overall than the Fiesta.

2012 Kia Rio

Nevertheless, these eight images are meant to showcase the differences between two Korean hatchbacks, vehicles which will invariably feature low MSRPs and heady levels of equipment. We already know the Accent will be fitted with 6-speed transmissions and a full slate of safety gear - one would assume the Rio won't go without such niceties. Kia's press release for the 2012 Rio says some markets will also receive a 3-door hatchback and 4-door sedan. So there will be differences (the Accent is a 4-door sedan or 5-door hatch only) in the cabin and perhaps even the driving experience, but the most unique aspects of these two cars is surely the exterior design. Until more pictures become available, satisfy yourself with the two 2012 Kia Rio Galleries and The Good Car Guy's brief analysis after the jump.

2012 Hyundai Accent

Not too many years ago, we would've paused a moment and contemplated the largesse of the Rio's headlamps. Now, the over-the-top front end seems simply to be a uniquely Kia take on the typical OTT front fascia. The gaping air intakes remind me of the 2011 Volvo S60 (its photo gallery can be seen here) while the narrowly connected grille is the main connector to the 2011 Kia Optima. Merely noticeable from the front, the scalloped sides of the 2012 Rio are downright eye-catching when you stare straight at the Rio's taillamps from the corner of the car. Arching straight through the door handles, the two character lines which cause the concave surface help the small hatchback escape without appearing hefty while at the same time provoking visual interest. Details like the Kia badge sitting atop the trunk release are the sort of thing you wouldn't have expected to see so nicely turned out on a Kia of yore. 

The 2012 Kia Rio's rear has something of an old Seat Leon look to it, but it's also a little Ford Of Europeish. These aren't bad things, and no copycat criticism should be laid on a company for its latest hatchback. It's a two-box car - there are only so many places you can take a product with an engine room, a cabin, and four wheels. 

On to the Accent, the overall look is a little bit safer; a little bit more mature; a little bit more of what you'd expect. Let's not get ahead of ourselves: both cars are pleasantly-styled; neither car is ahead of the game or one bit avant-garde. Even so, where the Rio is more stylish in the moment, the Accent is clean and purposeful and features less you could dislike. Parked side by side the Accent might seem a little boring, but we should give credit for a few strong features.

First, the hood's shutline is enormously apparent but the eye remains drawn to a dose of character as things go concave where normally you'd see power bulges. In the same spot on the rear of the car is a lip just below the rear window that contributes to a very BMW 1-Seriesesque presentation. It's also obvious from the rear that this car, like the Rio, seems to offer a narrow slit for a backlight. That's a sacrifice for style. In these initial pictures the Accent looks to be the longer, lower car, truly a trick of designers and/or photographers. Besides that strange concave shape on the hood, there are a few other regions of the car that make the Accent look like the serious big brother of the two. 

There's droopiness over the license plate surround at the back. There's extra glass behind the rear door windows that the sportier Kia doesn't have. And that lip below the hatch's window must be there for a reason, and the reason can't be straight up style.

All in all, judging only on appearances, the Accent will look more current in ten years; the Rio is cooler now. And why do the exterior designs of two subcompacts matter so much to The Good Car Guy? Aren't these econoboxes acquired based on the best deal available? Consider this: in a thousand ways, the 2012 Kia Rio and 2012 Hyundai Accent are the same car. Driving them won't feel all that different. Paying for one won't be dramatically more expensive than paying for the other. Fuel economy will be the same. What's that leave? Style, my friends, style. Look as good as you can.





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2012 Volkswagen Passat Style Analysis And Photo Gallery

By late 2010, Volkswagen had proven that North Americans will quickly snap up VeeDub products in large volumes... if the price is right. The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta has been a smash hit for Volkswagen Of America and Volkswagen Canada, as U.S. sales jumped 27% in December and the Jetta became one of America's best-selling cars.

Volkswagen has huge global aspirations, but to conquer the global auto market, Volkswagen must first perform well in the United States, something the company hasn't been able to do in the recent past. Volkswagen can blame high prices on semi-premium products and reliability that called German engineering into question. Morever, the last Jetta and the outgoing Passat (excluding the more successful Passat CC) weren't exactly drop-dead gorgeous.

With the 2011 Jetta, Volkswagen attacked the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla with a similarly-priced larger alternative while, at the same time, sending a message to the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord that a roomy value-priced European option was now available for midsize buyers. The Good Car Guy offered up faint praise and some harsh criticism at the time, but it's been no surprise to see crazy sales success for the Jetta.

Now it's time for the Chattanooga, Tennessee-built 2012 Volkswagen Passat, a car which should come to market later this year with a U.S. price around $20,000 and a Canadian base price no higher than $23,500. If you haven't spent much time on Volkswagen's website lately, that's equal to about $7000-$8000 in incentives on the current 2010 Volkswagen Passat.

Gone is the 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder. In comes the Jetta's simple 2.5L inline-five. A 2.0L TDI diesel will be available, as will a strong 3.6L 280-hp V6. With lesser engines, Volkswagen will apply a 5-speed manual transmission as standard equipment, strange given that this is 2011 and 6-speed manuals are the norm during new car introductions. 6-speed automatics and 6-speed direct-shift gearboxes will be available. The 2012 Passat is four inches longer than the 2010 model on a wheelbase that's nearly four inches longer, so we can expect NBA-calibre legroom.

Though the Passat's press release offered up a style analysis of Volkswagen's own - "The Passat’s balanced proportions give it a unique, timeless and dominant styling..." - The Good Car Guy believes an outsider is a safer source on which to rely when it comes to style. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, yada yada yada. That should go without saying. Nevertheless, it's time for a good ol' fashioned GoodCarBadCar.net style analysis, just like the one provided for the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, the 2012 Ford Focus, the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, the 2011 Volvo S60 and Volvo V60. So read on after the jump for the 2012 Volkswagen Passat's Style Analsysis.

Imagine walking in to a Volkswagen showroom full of eager sales consultants in early 2012. The new Passat has been around for a little while; the sales team knows it well and have sold quite a few. One salesman catches your eye, notices you're kicking the tires, and decides to introduce himself and begin his pitch. Unfortunately, he begins his pitch with a yawn. He seems easily distracted and says very little about the car itself, speaking mainly about the wonderful fuel efficiency of Volkswagen's clean diesel technology. You ask about the jaw-dropping size of the new Passat, but he deflects and asks what you're driving today. He seems strangely attracted to your 2009 Mazda 6, and not in a that'll-be-a-nice-trade kind of way. The new Passat, he says, is way, way, way cheaper than the old one, but there's still German prestige wrapped up in here. He coughs. Clears his throat. Then chokes a little bit on his words as he tries to imply that this new Passat takes the style of the very successful Jetta and applies it on a larger package.

You find this all a l'il curious, then buy the new 2012 Volkswagen Passat because, hey, you've always wanted a Passat but could never afford one before. Not until you get home do you realize the new Passat's styling is so forgettable it disappears in your driveway.

Indeed, the 2012 Volkswagen Passat is bland to the point of being dangerous. This is the kind of bland that grows invisible in traffic and gets smashed by the guy in an Isuzu VehiCross because, well, "I just never saw you there." So forgettable is the 2012 Volkswagen Passat that.... uh, what car was I talking about? This 2012 Passat is channeling the 1980s, The Good Car Girl said. That's the sort of thing which tends to add dimension in all the wrong places, the kind of history which should only repeat itself in leggings and denim, not cars.

Strange though it may sound, there is no obscenely bad viewing angle for this car. The headlights are shaped appropriately. The taillights are angular and properly spaced out beneath the trunklid. Dual exhausts never hurt the rear-end styling of a car. And the roofline, though not at first glance, is actually rather Volkswagen/Audiesque in its arc.

But the more you stare at pictures of the 2012 Volkswagen Passat, the more I wish I was staring at something else. Onlookers start to fall asleep and, like the salesman we spoke of earlier, yearn for prettier things. This is the debut example of the new Passat, but the profile of those tires appears tall enough to work on a Jeep Wrangler. Sportiness is not thereby conveyed. The grille protrudes ahead of the headlights in an annoying fashion. The five-spoke design of these specific wheels appears weak and spindly. Big cars need strong spokes. Fussiness is found where the slab-sided body's character line snuggles the hood's shutline and the hood's shutline nuzzles the hood's character line. Volkswagen spoke fondly of predominant horizontal effects, yet after analysizing the car for a while, the seven lines you can easily count on the side of the car become dizzyingly long. Good styling masks unfortunate largesse and plays up incidental puniness. Volkswagen's new Passat just looks enormous. Where is the masking, the playing up? There's also a sense of an overloaded trunk. Is there a body in there, a crime we should report? The front end rides a speck too high, the rear a speck too low.

Still, this car will sell in numbers far exceeding Volkswagen's paltry 12,497 Passat total from 2010, more even than the Passat CC's 27,987 2010 total. Truthfully, Volkswagen wants to sell about 140,000 Passats annually in the United States. The VW badge has a certain allure. A roomy, inexpensive, inoffensive Passat will bottle that allure and sell it by the caseload. There is nothing about this car that stands out, a feat not unlike what Toyota routinely pulls off with the Camry. As you know, this hasn't hurt the Camry, America's best-selling car in 2010.

Besides, the interior of the 2012 Volkswagen Passat hasn't even been mentioned yet. Far more pleasant than the exterior, the very Germanic architecture, the level centre console, the tri-coloured dashboard, and the classy gauges all convey the sense that you're in a $28,000 Passat, not one that actually costs less than the neighbour's Camry.

Check out all the pictures in the Gallery below and stay up to date on GoodCarBadCar.net's Midsize Car Sales Graph to track the monthly successes or failures of the new Volkswagen Passat.



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Scion iQ Fuel Economy Ratings

Oft-discussed but never touched, official fuel economy figures for the 2011 Scion iQ are now available (and now, official U.S. numbers too.) Canada's Office Of Energy Efficiency has ratings for numerous new models available in their searchable database, one of which is the anxiously awaited Scion iQ. Expected to be Canada's sixth most economical car, the iQ's figures are jaw-droppingly good.

2011 Scion iQ city fuel economy: 5.5 litres/100 km
2011 Scion iQ highway fuel economy: 4.6 litres/100km

These numbers translate to 43 miles per gallon in the city and 51 miles per gallon on the highway.

It should be noted that the OEE/Natural Resources Canada figures aren't as close to reality as their U.S. counterparts from Fueleconomy.gov. GoodCarBadCar.net's 2009 smart fortwo, like the 2011 smart fortwo, is rated at 33/41 miles per gallon by the EPA - quite attainable numbers - but 5.7/4.8 L/100km by the OEE - quite challenging to attain. Expect the EPA's numbers eventually manifested on Fueleconomy.gov to be more in line with reachable figures. Nevertheless, The Good Car Guy is prepared to up GoodCarBadCar.net's April prediction from 35/42 mpg to 37/45 mpg.

As for the Scion iQ price, we finally have the answer.

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JUST HOW BIG IS THE 2011 MINI COUNTRYMAN?

Some would say - perhaps even I have said - that the term, "SUV" doesn't make any sense in the context of BMW's Mini brand. Mini, as in "miniature", is renowned for its ability to build fun-to-drive small cars; small cars which are, in modern times at least, a cut above similarly-sized vehicles. Though Mini might stand for many things, from retro British style to performance to premium positioning, the brand stands for small above all else. Thus, a sport-utility vehicle, or Sports Activity Vehicle as BMW calls them, shouldn't fit.

But what if the Mini Countryman is the Mini of SUVs? Among regular vehicles, few cars are shorter or narrower or lighter than the Mini Cooper, particularly in the North American market. Couldn't Mini fulfill an identical mission in the SUV sector? Or does this theory lead down a dangerous path, the end of which is marked by a itty-bitty Ford F-150 competitor with round headlights and a Union Jack on the roof?

Arguments were also made against BMW's first SAV, the X5. Mercedes-Benz aficionados weren't quite as frightened by the first M-Class, even if it did look like a minivan. Of course, Porsche was castigated for introducing the Cayenne. Yet by the time Audi delivered the Q7, the reaction wasn't negative, it was more, "Hurry it up, will'ya." Very, very, very few automotive brands are without some sort of SUV/SAV/CUV/crossover in their showrooms in 2010: Chrysler, Jaguar, Lotus, and smart being the only non-exoticar manufacturers found lacking. Mini debuting the Countryman is as obvious a next step as Jeep revamping the Grand Cherokee.

Still, the voices of naysayers will persist. Their voices likely won't be as loud as the soccer moms who want to cram a 7-year-old in the back of a stylish alternative to their.... ahem.... Honda CR-V. What do potential Mini Countryman owners have to look forward to? Well, get this, they can expect to find a really small trucklet - a Mini SUV, if you will. Shocker. Read on after the jump for an in-depth look at the Mini Countryman's dimensions.

At 161.3 inches long, the 2011 Mini Countryman is 15.7 inches longer than a regular Mini Cooper and 13 inches shorter than a Volkswagen Tiguan.

At 70.4 inches wide, the 2011 Mini Countryman is 4.1 inches wider than a Mini Clubman and 5.7 inches narrower than a BMW X5.

At 61.5 inches tall, the 2011 Mini Countryman is 6.1 inches higher than a Mini Cooper 6.3 inches lower than a Ford Escape

With 5.86 inches of ground clearance, the 2011 Mini Countryman is an inch closer to the dirt than a Volkswagen Tiguan, even 1.4 millimetres closer to the ground than a Honda Fit.

On a wheelbase of 102.2 inches, the 2011 Mini Countryman has 5.1 inches more space between the wheels than a Mini Cooper and 1.8 inches less space between the wheels than a Chevrolet HHR.

With a turning circle of 38 feet, the 2011 Mini Countryman requires almost 2 more feet to do a 360-degree turn than a Mini Clubman but a foot less than a Volvo XC60.

With 41.3 cubic feet of maximum cargo capacity, the 2011 Mini Countryman has 17.3 cubic feet more storage space than a Mini Cooper and 31.6 fewer available cubic feet than a Honda CR-V.

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2011 AUDI A8 GALLERY

Miami hosted the introduction of Audi's 2011 A8 last night. A huge selection of pictures are now available in the Gallery below, along with a brief outline of specs and dimensions.

The third-generation Audi A8 is longer and wider than its predecessor on a wheelbase that stretches 117.7 inches. Each headlight includes 22 white LEDs and 22 yellow LEDs. Audi will be continuing with aluminum space frame technology for the A8, a weight-saving advantage which is necessary to offset heaviness incurred by Quattro all-wheel drive. The interior, says Audi, is a "wellness lounge for the senses" - a very catchy and believable turn of phrase. Audi interiors are always top-notch, and the A8 is a top-notch Audi. We expect greatness inside. Although Audi doesn't appear to have moved the game on substantially, the A8's innards are lovely and the centre tunnel (including the shifter) is truly eye-catching.

Luggage capacity of 18 cubic feet is no joke. That's more than Mercedes-Benz offers in the S-Class; substantially more than BMW provides 7-Series owners. Horsepower stats come with a big number, too: 372-bhp generated by a 4.2L V8. Anticipate a hybrid, W12, or alternative fuel and diesel options in the relatively near future. Audi uses direct-injection in this V8 and links up with an 8-speed automatic which sends 60% of the power to the rear wheels in normal operation.

Check out GoodCarBadCar.net Renderings of an Audi A8 Hatch & Wagon

An exhaustive array of safety and "assistance" systems will be standard fit with the A8 when it goes on sale later in the new year. What really sets one uber-luxury sedan apart from another, however, isn't the array of acronyms or the best of beastly powertrains or even the loveliness of the logo. In this market, style is a major consideration.

From the front, this is typical new millennium Audi. The gigantic grille dominates the scene even though nobody's about to miss spotting those headlights, either. Viewed from the rear, the big brute of an Audi loses much of its charisma but still possesses a clean look, not deviating too far from the older A8's design. Unfortunately, it's in the profile view - the most important angle in my mind - where the A8's designers let their foot fall off the gas. See, Audi has a basic design credo that places the beltline at an approximate height and generally appropriates the proportions. Outside of that, one expects artistic flair to take over. Between the A8's wheels, the flanks appear to sag as a result of an amalgam of factors. One swooping line this way poses shadow issues that way and eventually we notice what feels like the weight of the doors pulling the car down just aft of the door line.

See how Audi's sales compare with its competitors in the USA

Whether or not every subjective eye will agree with that analysis, the 2011 Audi A8 is very good-looking car. In fact, the A8 may be more traditionally attractive than its competition. That being said, it's my belief that the 2011 Audi A8 does not look as expensive as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class or BMW 7-Series. The Lexus LS and Jaguar XJ lack in that department to an even greater degree. Make up your own mind by inspecting the photos below. You like? Feel free to spend around $80,000 on a new A8 4.2 as an early Christmas present next year.

FORD ADDS 65 HORSEPOWER TO THE V6 MUSTANG FOR 2011 - 3.7L FEATURES IN GALLERY

There's something innocuous but terrible about most V6-engined pony cars. From the start, you know it won't be all that sporty. It really won't be very fast. Embarrassing situations will arise every time its V8-engined equivalent pulls up to the lights as the next car over.

This was all true before the new Chevrolet Camaro brought excitement to the V6 pony car battlefield. Chevy's 3.6L is a modern engine which Chevrolet shares with Cadillac, amongst others. 304 horsepower is no joke.

Ford's 2011 Mustang V6 adds a bit of humour, however. A few extra CCs and a single extra horse will turn the V6 Mustang into a more powerful car than the V6 Camaro. Yes, the Cleveland-built V6 is a 3.7L with 305 horsepower. Don't be surprised if General Motors finds an extra 6 or 10 ponies under the hood of the Camaro in the meantime.

Ford will also offer a Performance Package that should, in essence, turn the Mustang V6 into a GT beater. Body stiffening, suspension upgrades, a 3.31 rear axle ratio, and 19-inch wheels team with 305 horsepower to make the 2011 Mustang V6 the most notable competitor for the 2010 Mustang GT. We'll have to wait and see what Ford does with the GT's V8 to amp its level of performance up, up, and away from the V6. With "just" 315 horsepower, a likely heftier curb weight, and a setup similar to that of an '11 'Stang V6 equipped with the Performance Package, the GT wouldn't be all that desirable without upgrades.

Compare the 3.7L with the old 4.0L and you won't be able to overlook the improvement. Horsepower climbs from 240. Torque jumps from 240 lb-ft to 280 lb-ft. Fit the 2011 Mustang V6 with a six-speed automatic and highway fuel economy rises from a 2010 high of 26 miles per gallon to 30mpg. That's 6mpg better than any GT Mustang musters, too.

What of the Dodge Challenger's V6 engine? Well, it's not a weakling.... but the car's design is rather soft. The SE Challenger found its way into The Bad 8 v2.0 last winter.

Check out Ford's engine-focused pictures of the new 2011 Ford Mustang V6 in the Gallery below. The car should be available sometime around August of 2010. It still won't say GT on the badge, but for the first time in forever, the V6 Mustang won't be a coarse, under-powered embarrassment built for rental fleets and people who want a Mustang but don't have a drop of oil in their veins.

FERRARI, ROLLS-ROYCE & ASTON MARTIN ARE ALL MANUFACTURERS OF SMALL CARS?

In a fight to be seen as both eco-conscious and economically aware, automakers which traditionally sell cars priced in the stratosphere are bringing their badges down to our level.

Aston Martin will be applying its grimacing grille to the front end of the Toyota iQ. They'll call it the Aston Martin Cygnet; they'll lux it up a fair bit; and they'll double the price.

Ferrari, meanwhile, will stick its badges on the 695 Tributo Ferrari, a hopped-up version of the Fiat 500. At least the Fiat 500 695 Tributo Ferrari will be significantly quicker than the regular 500, something that can't be said of the Cygnet.

Finally we have Rolls-Royce. The manufacturer of Phantoms and Drophead Coupes will soon be known as a custom outfitter of Mini Coopers. Mini Rolls will supposedly look just like regular Minis but inside - oh yes, inside - Rolls will have its way with high-end materials. Perhaps an umbrellla in the door, too?

Obviously the connection between Fiat and Ferrari is obvious. Fiat owns 85% of the autonomously-run supercar producer. Mini and Rolls-Royce are both owned by Germany-based BMW. But the Aston Martin/Toyota relationship is a curious one. Regardless, all three of the high-dollar brands will be endlessly criticized for degrading their brand values.

If part of what makes the Ferrari 458 Italia so special is its exclusivity, doesn't a commonplace Fiat 500 Tributo lessen that joy?

Consider the outrageous prices Rolls-Royce clients justify as a result of uncommon leather-lined seating and permanently upright wheelhub badges. Do you really want to pay so much more for the privilege when Mini customers receive some of the same treatments?

Meanwhile Aston Martin isn't simply badging Toyota iQs with logos from Gaydon. No, Aston is changing the whole look of the car. So the same company which builds the V8 Vantage, DB9, Rapide, and DBS will sell city cars?

However, there will be an unseemly amount of short term gain. Why else would Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, and Aston Martin participate in such a scheme? Businesses are on this planet to generate profits. Peering through the long-term tunnel to see the negative impacts come 2016 is not an easy procedure. In terms of these increasingly common small car ventures, it's a procedure to which certain supercar manufacturers are unwilling to submit.

2011 BMW 5-SERIES GALLERY - IS IT REALLY BEAUTIFUL, OR JUST IMPROVED?

Well, whaddya think? Has BMW regained design supremacy in the crowded luxury sedan class with this, the 2011 BMW 5-Series? In Munich's nomenclature, this generation of 5s will be known as the F10. Currently ending its tenure is the controversially-designed but highly successful E60. Before that we enjoyed the classy lines of the E39, the elegant E34, the reputation-building E28, and the foundational E12.

So is this new F10 5-Series actually a genuinely handsome automobile or are we simply thankful that BMW laid aside the eyebrows of the E60? And really, does it matter? Do 5-Series buyers flock to the mid-size BMW because the Audi A6 is too out there while the Mercedes-Benz E-Class is too staid? Do 5-Series buyers become 5-Series buyers because of the 5's reputation as the sportscar of the mid-size luxury class; not because of aesthetic tastes (or lack thereof)?

Check out pictures of the 2011 BMW 5-Series Touring

Enough questions. Let's get down to the nitty gritty. The '11 5-Series is a very big car. Positioned with what can only assume is typically sublime BMW balance atop a 116.9-inch wheelbase, the F10 5-Series actually shares a platform with the full-size 7-Series, and thus the upcoming "small" Rolls-Royce. You know this is a big car now.

For North American owners, turbocharging will be standard fare with the new 5-Series. A single turbo fitted to a 3.0L inline-six will produce 300-bhp and 300 lb-ft, just like the current twin-turbo six. Twin-turbocharging a 4.4L V8 brings about 400 horsepower and a groundswell of torque: 450 lb-ft at just 1,800 rpm. Remember the E39 M5's 4.4L V8? That car, one of GoodCarBadCar.net's 100 Favourite Cars, generated a blissful 400 horsepower without the aid of turbos but was by no means a torque monster.

Struts are no longer the order of the day on a 5-Series' front suspension. Multilinks take their place. Honda would approve. Automatic gear ratios abound with eight speeds in all. The six-cylinder is available with a 6-speed manual, as well. Stripping the turbo off the inline-six later on in 2010 or in early 2011 will result in a 240-bhp option, the 530i, perhaps? Slotted in beneath the fast 535i and the wicked fast 550i, a 530i (or 528i?) would be an awfully nice vehicle for somebody who wants a 3-Series but simply needs more space.

There's no way the 5-Series is competition for the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class style-wise. In fact, the 5-Series might not look as good as the Audi A6 either. Nevertheless, the 5-Series looks better than it used to and, for a time, will be the newer/brighter/shinier/fashionable German sedan. And that, oh Good Car Nation, will just be one extra reason the F10 2011 5-Series will be hugely successful. Check out all 83 pictures of the new BMW 5-Series in the Gallery below.

CADILLAC CTS COUPE GALLERY

Cadillac will not be long in following the '11 CTS Coupe with a CTS-V Coupe, fully equipped with 556 horsepower. That's good news for anybody interested in blowing the doors off a BMW M3 or Porsche Boxster. First, the CTS Coupe's angular styling will be the starting point for conversations relating to this new Caddy.

Cadillac does not say the CTS Coupe completely lacks a B-pillar, only that there is an absence of conventional B-pillars. Removing door handles smooths out the flanks. The windshield is super-fast; the rear glass is even more steeply raked. Surely discovering the angle at which reflections became a serious problem was a serious task for somebody. Exhaust outlets are centrally located, something no design examiner would have expected from Cadillac even ten years ago. (For context, the Boxster and Mini Cooper S use central exits, too.)

All in all, the CTS Coupe is a striking automobile. Its style is now signature Cadillac stuff. While the first-generation CTS was also full of sharp lines and proportioned similarly to the new CTS, it remained controversial and very disliked by many. The new CTS sedan moved the game on. This CTS Coupe ought to be a hit.

Check out the CTS Coupe's debut pictures from Detroit '08

Forget the base V6 for CTS Coupe buyers. Cadillac starts off with the direct-injection 3.6L which generated 304 horsepower. In the Chevrolet Camaro, this engine manages 29 miles per gallon on the highway. The CTS Coupe will be rated at 27mpg. Cadillac has named its suspension settings the Performance Package (18-inch wheels on all-season tires) and the Summer Tire Performance Package. Ingeniously, the latter setup includes summer tires, and on 19-inch wheels to boot. Buyers will be able to choose between a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmissions. Appealingly, the CTS-V's Recaro seats will be an option on all CTS Coupes.

More images of the CTS Coupe are now on offer in the Gallery below. Expect a GoodCarBadCar.net 3 To Beat soon.