THE NEW FORD MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE IS HERE - 11 PICTURES

A more detailed overview of the 2010 Mustang is here, concentrating on the coupe that will garner more sales in northern climes. What you see here is the 2010 Ford Mustang convertible, vehicle of all wealthy high school quarterbacks in SoCal. 

Ford's inability to hide the Mustang's roof when its down is disappointing. Let me check the calendar.... alright, this is late 2008 and Ford has, in other places, learned to hide a FOLDING HARDTOP. Apparently, the Mustang's soft-top wants to reveal itself annoyingly.

Apart from that, Ford is serving up fairly standard fare here. More power, revised appearance, updated interior. Only because this is a Mustang do we pay so much attention. Revised musclecars don't come along very often and this 2010 Mustang convertible is truly exciting compared with facelifted midsize sedans from Asia. All eleven pictures are in the gallery below.

THE NEW FORD MUSTANG IS HERE - 72 PICTURES

Let's start the day off honestly: the new-for-'10 Ford Mustang looks like it was facelifted. That's not a bad thing; facelifts can work wonders. As for a completely refreshing take, this new Mustang evolved from the previous-generation about as slowly as the Porsche 911 moved from 996 to 997 and about as swiftly as the Jaguar XJ8 of the early 2000s moved on to the completely new-for-'03.

In other words, the new Mustang doesn't look all that different. Face the facts, the Mustang is 50% looks and 50% muscle, creating a situation where, um... looks matter. In profile, the Mustang still rides too high at the rear. As a new Mustang drives away from you, the rear end won't look too terribly new at all even if it is a cooler design. Stand in your upstairs window looking down at the 2010 Mustang in your driveway and you'll start to believe it's a tidier, tightened, tenser, and tauter design. There's something about that angle that reveals an almost European influence; slightly delicate and assuredly tenacious at the same time.

Certainly the front end is where the revitilization was most successful and most noticeable. Appearing lower and meaner, the grille is far and away the most telling feature that proves this is the 2010 Mustang.

Ford had been making lots of noise about improving the interior. At first glance, that was just a bunch of noise. The cockpit still looks like a mish-mash of cheap and expensive. Not to worry, underhood, a V8 is still available. Are you not paying pennies for fuel again?

Ford's 4.6L is now a 315-horsepower mill. Wheels start at 17-inches in diameter and creep up to 19-inches at the max. Front-end lift for the V8 GT was reduced 23%, which, when teamed with a 7% slipperier body, should significantly aid steering and handling.

Does the Mustang have the Challenger's presence or the Camaro's eye-catching allure? Nope. Actually, it's not even close. On the other hand, the Mustang will almost certainly be less expensive across the board and doesn't scream mid-life crisis like the two competitors. The full gallery of 72 pictures is below. Click here for the convertible gallery.

2010 FORD FIESTA SEDAN - CHINA AND USA WILL LOVE IT

If you're a betting auto watcher, place your money in these three places: Europeans snicker at the thought of a new Fiesta sedan, Chinese and American customers suck up Fiesta sedans like reinvented sliced bread, and Canadians are a little bit interested but prefer the hatchback that many customers south of the border fear.

When Ford releases the 2010 Fiesta, you'll hear plenty of positive reviews. Expect the Fiesta to make the Chevrolet Aveo feel like tin pie plate. Meanwhile, the Toyota Yaris will become blander than ever in the light of Ford's Fiesta, and the Dodge..... oh wait, Chrysler/Dodge doesn't have a car in this segment. 

However, one can hope not too much praise is lavished upon the Fiesta sedan. Oh, it'll drive as well as its hatchback brother(s), and the interior fit and finish will likely be top notch. But man, look at that thing. True, the picture you see here is the absolute worst angle possible - that's why The Good Car Guy picked it; to make a point - but still, she ain't pretty.

They say she's got a nice personality, though. Fortunately, the hatchback mixes personality and looks.

NOT FULLY RECANTING, THE GOOD CAR GUY SEES LINCOLN MKS AND VW PASSAT CC AND RE-THINKS POSITION

Countless dozens of cars have appeared at dealerships in the lifetime of The Good Car Guy that forced a complete turn around of previous beliefs. 

The first sighting of a Lamborghini Countach resulted in a, "I still want one, but man, she ain't pretty". Unless painted black, the latest Chevrolet Malibu isn't nearly as handsome and classy as first believed. BMW's latest M3 is still a little too soft, but a whole lot more aggressive in the flesh than in photos. Chevrolet's first-generation Avalanche wasn't good to begin with but became absolutely wretched during a drive-by.

Two of the most recent examples are positives, however. With great love for the Mercedes-Benz CLS, The Good Car Guy wanted to love the Volkswagen Passat CC, too. The CC is, after all, a Mercedes CLS on the cheap. Alas, in pictures, the Passat CC was bloated and disappointing. Considering the Passat wagon was a better starting point than the Passat sedan anyway, one couldn't be too surprised.

Likewise, the Lincoln MKS was such a departure from the direction GoodCarBadCar.net believed Lincoln should go.  That direction? The Lincoln Continental concept of 2002 was all-American goodness. The MKS is a Euro-Japanese amalgam of ideas mixed with a nasty grille.

However, in hindsight The Good Car Guy wishes a little more softeness had been used in describing these two vehicles. After witnessing a few MKSs drive by in urban situations (without being able to see the front end), the Lincoln has some serious presence and looks expensive. Will the MKS manage to garner a Good 12 spot? No, but it's far from The Bad 8.

The story is similar for Volkswagen's Passat CC. Looking long, low, and lean in real life, the CC actually fulfills its Benz-CLS-on-the-cheap mandate rather well. Nah, it's not a recommended purchase - there's just too much better stuff available for the price - but the CC isn't ugly in the metal. It's quite nice.

A QUESTION FROM THE GOOD CAR GUY

Condemnation directed at the Detroit Three is running rampant. "They build the wrong vehicles", says America. "New leadership is required," say the analysts. "Why not sell us their better Euro-market cars?" inquires the umm.... auto bloggers. 

Valid points; these are, with a few problems. General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler may build the "wrong" vehicles, but Americans still buys plenty of them. In fact, only in recent years has the Detroit Three's hold on the majority of their domestic market fallen away. No, that's not good news, but perhaps we should all stop acting like General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler don't sell any cars whatsoever.

And while we accuse the Detroit Three - especially Chrysler - of being too truck-heavy in their offering list, let us remember that selling a bunch of $13,487 Calibers in Canada isn't likely as lucrative as selling a handful of Rams at a $10,000 discount. Sure, that's not an appropriate long-term view, and it is in long-term perspectives that the Detroit Three has been found wanting, but still.... GM, Ford, and Chrysler were manufacturing the vehicles Americans wanted and making serious coin doing so. For a while.

As one-shot contrarian examples show, what analysts called for wasn't always the answer. Everybody was excited to see the Opel Astra heading across the Atlantic to become the Saturn Astra until we saw the price that GM needed to set in order not to lose money. Of course, furthering that argument is a third point that says Honda can build a better car and sell it at a better price soooo; why can't GM?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending the Detroit Three's short-sighted views on trucks and SUVs. I just can't cease to wonder at America's collective hatred for Detroit's business methods when America collectively supported those business methods. Judging by polls that suggest American citizens don't want to throw good money after bad in Detroit's direction, I also wonder why so many Americans are willing to see large chunks of their friends and family lose their jobs. 

Acknowledging that GM's business models were - and perhaps continue to be - terribly reactionary and overwhelmingly astigmatic, one must also wonder if any federal rejection of aid is the complete opposite in a negative praxis. It's wonderful to act wise and suggest that throwing billions more dollars Detroit's way wouldn't be good for future generations and likely wouldn't help for long anyway, but that wisdom comes at a cost: jobs, jobs, jobs, and more jobs.

WHY DOESN'T MAZDA UPGRADE THE RX-8? NISSAN'S 370Z LOOKING MIGHTY

Horsepower isn't everything. It's just.... mostly everything. 

Steering feel, a Mazda RX-8 hallmark, along with incredible balance (another RX-8 trait) and spectacular shift quality - something Mazda always offers - helps make a sporting car great. Indeed, the Mazda RX-8 is a quick car with wonderful steering, incredible balance, and a near-perfect transmission. But the torqueless rotary is not only weak compared to the RX-8's most avid foe; it's also terribly inefficient.

In a year where Nissan is completely overhauling the 350Z and turning it into the 332-horsepower Nissan 370Z, a car that may be lighter and will definitely be faster with better-handling, Mazda tinkered with the RX-8. The horsepower differential stands at 100. Torque figures for the $31,930 RX-8 R3 are 13 lb-ft lower than that of the 370Z's little brother, the Sentra SE-R. No, not the Sentra SE-R Spec V, just the piddling SE-R. 

Despite a great degree of admiration for the RX-8 then, The Good Car Guy must speak out before the RX-8 becomes a quaint section of all the new car buyer's guides for the next four years. Something must be done. Horsepower isn't everything; but it's awfully vital. And while every RX-8 owner surely enjoys everything about their car (fuel efficiency excepted), potential RX-8 owners will surely be turned on by the 370Z's amazingly powerful V6 and two impressive transmission choices.

CNN MONEY AND MSNBC TAKE DEEP LOOK AT AUTO BAILOUT

Sources of information regarding the possibility of a bailout for Detroit are everywhere, some misleading; some not. Depending on the avenue you take in searcing for information, you'll get a different set of facts. CNN Money and MSNBC's recent articles might help. General Motors is in deep, Good Car Nation. Without help you, your friends, or many of your friends' friends are going to lose your job. By the way, CNBC has an interesting article related to gas prices and why their drop isn't making anybody feel better.

1 KEN BLOCK + 1 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI + 1 ABANDONED AIRFIELD = 1 WICKED VIDEO

I've watched figure skaters who couldn't complete the kind of turns Ken Block hooks up in this Impreza STi. Ken Block is sick. This 530-horsepower '06 WRX STi is sick. The sound of the boxer four-cylinder in this video makes the viewer very glad that no music was added. Sure, Mr. Block touches one barrier, but we're gonna say he meant to do so. Some very impressive skills are displayed in the video below, and you will want to hang around for the full 4:27. Defying physics? The Good Car Guy isn't qualified to render that verdict. Simply put, this is the new best car video on the web. Watch it. Then watch it again. Then watch this other Subaru vid where Ken Block is playing around with snowboarders on the side of a mountain.

TOP 5 DEFUNCT AUTO NAMES

In light of the possibility that General Motors will receive some money soon to keep it afloat if it meets certain conditions, and the more distinct possibility that GM will be killing brands, The Good Car Guy looked back and discovered numerous automotive brands that clearly did not receive money from the federal government. 

Now, there are many names you're very familiar with: Plymouth, Oldsmobile, and American Motors to name just three. But if we're going to wish five such brands back into existence, it can't be for the success of the cars. That would, after all, put Plymouth and Oldsmobile in the thick of things since they lasted longer than many of the hundreds and hundreds of automobile manufacturers.

No, this is purely about names. We're so accustomed to hearing words like Chevrolet or Cadillac or Mercury that they've lost their romance and their sway. So here you have it, the Top 5 Defunct Auto Names that would be nice to have around again. Read other GCBC Top 5s here.

-----

#5- AUBURN: More cars need to be named after colours (not universities). From 1900 to 1936, America had Auburn.

#4- ESSEX: For just fourteen years, Essex was a name auto aficianados knew. After 1932, it simply became a county in New Jersey. 

#3- NASH: Although Canadian auto bloggers can't complain when the most famous Nash is a Canadian game's two-time MVP, it'd be nice to see a car name last marketed in 1954 return with funny hair class and panache.

#2- DUESENBERG: Come to think of it, Mercedes-Benz's luxury division, Maybach, may have been better received if the name Duesenberg was revived 70 years later rather than a defunct auto name that nobody knew anything about. 

#1- PIERCE-ARROW: The only American luxury nameplate to rival Aston Martin for wow factor, Pierce-Arrow sold very expensive cars. Apparently, not enough of them. Pierce-Arrow died in 1938.

TWO THINGS NOT NEEDED FOR A PORSCHE SUV: Edo's Cayenne GTS Explains

Numerous issues will keep today from becoming an active day at GoodCarBadCar.net. Some points need to be made, however.

Porsche's Cayenne has come under the knife since its debut as one of the planet's ugliest vehicles. Don't get me wrong, the Cayenne is more capable than ever and almost as ugly; but it's not as bad as it was. 

Apparently Edo Competition wants to return the Cayenne to its uglier days. A bigger front air dam is fitted and there are red wheels at each corner.

You know the two things no Porsche Cayenne has ever needed? A bigger front air dam and four red wheels. Against every automotive thing I believe in, here's a gallery of the Edo Porsche Cayenne GTS.

GOV. JENNIFER GRANHOLM TRIES TO HELP CNN READERS UNDERSTAND AUTOMOTIVE CRISIS

Shared background of the Governor of Michigan and The Good Car Guy: Canadian birth, Norwegian ancestry, childhood in America. Considering Gov. Jennifer Granholm's nation of birth, it is unfortunate that she's unaware of Canada's significance in the oil consumption of the United States. Apart from that and some straight-up exaggeration on the whole plug-in hybrid phenomenon (General Motors calls the Volt an electric car with a range extender), Gov. Granholm's op-ed piece on CNN.com is more than interesting. It's a must read.

Earlier today, CNN's media partner at Time offered up some Numbers on what the automotive bailout consists of.... potentially. Gov. Granholm offers up some more. The most-telling fact Granholm uses to make her position is that "U.S. automakers buy more U.S.-made steel, aluminum, iron, copper, plastics, rubber, electronics, and computer chips than almost any other company". 

KIA SOUL AD - TWO MORE CLIPS

The Good Car Guy just revealed, via YouTube, two of Kia's early Soul promo videos. Check them out here. Two more are below. Man, but don't it look good?

KIA SOUL AD - TWO CLIPS

Act surprised, if you like, that Kia's early promotion of the Soul isn't based more significantly on the vehicle. Apparently Kia wants to warm you up to the name. That's fine with The Good Car Guy. The Soul is just so good-looking, is going to be such good value, and apparently feels good and drives alright, too. What more want ye? More clips are coming, but for now, check out the first two found on YouTube. Remember, because the Soul won't be on sale until after January 1st, it won't be eligible for The Good 12.

STRICTLY NUMERICAL - The Facts From A Potential GM Bailout

That sound you hear throughout the day and into the night comes to your ears all the way from Detroit, Michigan. It's the sound of $46,296 per minute being flushed through General Motors' toilets. Time.com published some of their theories regarding the wants/needs of and for a GM bailout. The Numbers you see below come from that article.

-----

16,000,000 - total U.S. auto sales in 2007

13,500,000 - expected total U.S. auto sales in 2008

2,000,000,000 - total cash spending, in USD, by General Motors every month

16,000,000,000 - .... and dwindling; total cash, in USD, held by General Motors

5,000,000,000 - USD saved by "throwing all manner of stuff overboard" such as retiree health benefits, workers, assets, and soon-coming designs

2,500,000,000 - total USD third-quarter loss for General Motors in 2008

10,000,000,000 - total USD needed by General Motors from the federal government to pay its bills in 2009

15,000,000,000 - total USD needed by General Motors from the federal government to close plants

54 - total plants in jeopardy (owned by GM, Ford, and Chrysler) in North America if bailout money isn't secured, thus jeopardizing another 4,000 Tier 1 supplier plants that also supply some large Japanese manufacturers you may have heard about

240,000 - total direct employees of the Detroit Three last year

974,000 - total employees of the Detroit Three's partsmakers and suppliers

1,700,000 - total (other) automotive-related workers who have jobs because of the 974,000 mentioned above; who have jobs because of the 240,000 above them

10 - likely unemployment figures, in percent, in the United States were the Detroit Three to come to a halt

12,000,000,000 - total cost, in USD, that Deutsche Bank figures General Motors would have to spend in order to compensate dealers who lose their stores and to chop labour costs and shutter plants

6,000,000,000 - total USD saved in operating costs were GM to spend $12,000,000,000 on getting rid of stuff

AUDI A6 WILL OFFER SIMPLE-TO-CLEAN ALLOY WHEELS FROM ALCOA

Somebody needs to take this Alcoa technology and apply it to toilets. Imagine if toilets cleaned with water; and water only? 

Dura-Bright, a registered trademark of Alcoa, will be applied to Audi A6 wheels in this the 60th anniversary year of Alcoa. Aiding resale value and personal pride levels, the Dura-Bright stuff will make dirty wheels with peeling lacquer a thing of the past, at least on Audi A6s.

Click this link to watch an explanatory video at StrongWheels.com, an Alcoa site. Keep in mind, these wheels are forged, not cast, and thus weigh about 20% less; thereby reducing unsprung weight. Unsprung weight, oh Good Car Nation, is the arch-enemy of all vehicle dynamics engineers and the unknown enemy of girls across SoCal whose 17-year old boyfriend equipped his '94 Civic with 20" wheels and brakes to match.

THE BMW M3 SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS

Follow me through this two-part introduction. Gordon Murray (McLaren F1 designer), Ron Dennis (McLaren Formula 1 boss), Bernie Ecclestone (umm... Formula 1) all worked for a company that has beneficially altered the BMW M3. Damon Hill, Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet, and Dan Gurney all drove for this company. The owner of this company drove for this company, for goodness sake. The name of Brabham is evocative, with history squarely on its side.

Now for the car. I love the BMW M3. It's hard to justifiably dislike the BMW M3, really. It is fast, handsome, and handles like a dream. M3s are technologically advanced but inherently connected to their drivers' senses.  BMW has built such a franchise with the M3 that it has become a performance enthusiast's choice almost as obvious as the Porsche 911. 

Alas, with the current - and still much-loved - M3, BMW fell into a bit of a trap. Perhaps the German masters over-thought the process. I dare say, the M3 looks almost as if its styling went through focus groups, as it doth appear a bit of an amalgam of new ideas, M3 connotations, and performance addenda. 

The reborn Brabham Racing appears to have fixed all of that. And worthy though Brabham Racing is and will become as its own self, wouldn't it be lovely if the BMW factory gave way to Brabham and let the little-bit-too-soft M3 become the car you see pictured here. Continue with the 414-bhp V8, perfect balance, wonderful transmissions, and the carbon fiber roof. But please oh please BMW, make it look like this.

AUDI A4 OUTSELLS THE REST OF AUDI IN CANADA DURING OCTOBER '08

Recently booted out of the European Car of the Year competition along with the BMW 7-Series, Jaguar XF, and Volkswagen Scirocco, the Audi A4 proved in Canada that it doesn't really care.

Well, the A4 is an inanimate object and therefore doesn't care about anything. But in personification terms, the A4 ignored Euro COTY and became the car of the year for hundreds of Canadians. 

In fact, tha A4 was so popular in Canada that it propelled Audi Canada sales to a level 67% higher than in the previous October. Moreoever, the A4 family was so popular in Canada that it outsold all other Audis combined. The A3 was the next-best, followed by the Q7 and A5/S5. Add up all Audis - including the TT, A8, A6, and R8 - and you still can't touch the excellent new A4 for sales.

WATCH ANDERSON COOPER, MARK HALPERIN, AND THE NY TIMES BUSINESS EDITOR DISCUSS AN AUTO BAILOUT

Politically, the prospect of sending money the way of the Detroit three (General Motors, Ford, and.... Chrysler) is obvious but hyper-complicated. If something isn't done soon, the potential for disaster - most definitively at GM - is grave. Different types of disasters could occur.

For auto watchers, it's not news. We know that the "spin-off", as they call it, is more of a tornado than a dust devil. Nonetheless, CNN's Anderson Cooper along with a Time editor and New York Times business editor discuss the political side of the potential auto bailout in the video below.

UPDATED BENTLEY AZURE T - 17 PICTURES

In a fashion that's awfully contrary to modern Volkswagen-designed Bentleys, old-fashioned Bentleys like the Azure T have a timeless appeal. Don't get me wrong: the Continental GT and Flying Spur and GTC are desirable vehicles; but they'll need changing.

The Azure just keeps on ticking with mild updates. And we keep wanting it. Some members of the "we" actually have enough money to buy one or two. 500 horsepower and 737 lb-ft of torque ought to keep them happy.

Yes, driving the Azure T, despite its gargantuan nature, is a pleasure. Allegedly. The convertible weighs 5,700 lbs but still manages to hit 60mph from a standstill in little over five seconds. Meanwhile, you're sitting in the most gorgeous quilted leather in front of more genuine wood and metal than can be found in four Corvettes. Take a look at the gallery below and check out the Bentley label for all Bentley-related posts on GoodCarBadCar.net.

THE VEHICLES OF WAR - REMEMBRANCE DAY SPECIAL

While people head to memorial ceremonies today in their air-conditioned, leather-lined, MP3-playing, 268-bhp midsize sedans, The Good Car Guy thought some perspective was in order.

Less than three hours before a ceremony at the Grand Parade cenotaph not far from where I live, it dawned on me that, from GoodCarBadCar.net's angle, there was much that was different in the era of my grandfather. Feel as free as you like to remember the terrifying sounds; horrifying immigration stories; the hatred of Kristallnacht; and the wonders of D-Day. But the pictures in this post cause me to wonder, just a little bit, at what the rest of a soldier's time must've been like in the south Pacific or western Europe - if this is what they were forced to drive in. 

The Fox Armoured Car is above to the right. At the top, the Rolls-Royce Armoured Car. The Otter light reconnaissance vehicle and the Universal Carrier are below. Think of that the next time you slide behind the wheelof your 3-Series and head off for the law office. They fought for somethin'.

FERRARI BRINGS SCUDERIA SPIRIT TO 430 SPIDER

Back when Ferrari strode back to the firm, indisputable top of the pack, the F355 was a 380-horsepower supercar. 380 horsepower? You mean five more horsepower than Hyundai's V8 luxury sedan? Quaint.

One received the impression since the F355's time that Ferrari didn't want to play in horsepower wars - Lamborghini and Mercedes-Benz AMG both outpunched Maranello in that department - but managed the acceleration of horsepower increases quite capably. For instance, take the car you see here: Ferrari's new Scuderia Spider 16M. In the Ferrari of the past, a convertible would never be treated to the most outrageous of Ferrari's performance equipment. Now, the 430 Scuderia has joined with the 430 Spider in fitting the Scuderia Spider 16M with a 510 horsepower 4.3L V8. In the F355's era, even the hyper-expensive 456M GT, a V12 supercoupe, only had 442 horses.

Better yet, the Scuderia Spider has shed 176 pounds. Worse yet, the Scuderia Spider will likely feature a base price of close to or over $300,000 USD.

Yes, Ferrari's manufacturing of a new hardtop convertible, the California, spoke volumes about the Italians' willingness to work with open-top cars. Now cometh the Scuderia Spider 16M. Only 499 will be assembled. (2700 F355's were built by Ferrari, by the way.) 

Not only was the 430 Spider's predecessor never built with the most powerful Ferrari V8 of its time; the 360 Spider was never available with the Scuderia Spider 16M's sound option either. A special 16GB Ferrari iPod Touch will rest prominently in a central dock in front of the dashboard. 

BOOMERANG TRACKING'S TOP 5 MOST STOLEN VEHICLES IN CANADA

If you've been an active member of The Good Car Nation this morning, you already know which car sits at the top of this list. Follow that link back to learn more about Boomerang Tracking and read below to learn about the most stolen vehicles in Canada. Since GoodCarBadCar.net loves Top 5 lists and Boomerang provides the Top 10, hear ye this: the '94 Dodge Shadow/Plymouth Sundance hatchback is likely part of the list because of its, shall we say, lack of security. Audi's 2000 TT Quattro sits at #9. The '98 Acura Integra is in the #8 spot. Numbers 7, 6, and 5 belong to variants of the '94 Dodge Caravan. 

-----

#4 - '94 ACURA INTEGRA: Loved by every tuner and appreciated by all for its quality, the Integra was a stellar car with multiple positive characteristics.

#3 - '04 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX & WRX STI: Early in its North American life, this turbocharged Japanese rally rocket was about as desirable a real-world car as could be found on the continent. Apparently thieves feel the same way as the rest of us.

#2 - '00 HONDA CIVIC SIR: While we joined with the Americans in naming the current Civic Si the, er... Civic Si; the previous generations were stuck with SiR north of the 49th. The good ol' Honda double wishbone front suspension with a high-revving inline-four that made VTEC a household brand was ripe for modification. This Civic was simply a very good car. So good in fact that slightly older models were ripe for thievery as well.

#1 - '99 HONDA CIVIC SIR: With prices for stock SiRs around $10,000 for a 10 year old car and not likely to budge anytime soon, one can understand - and still blame - auto thieves proclivity for jacking this Honda. 

BOOMERANG SAYS '99 HONDA CIVIC SIR MOST STOLEN CAR IN CANADA

Care to share your car? Apparently the owners of MY1999 Honda Civic SiRs find themselves sharing more often than the owners of any other car in Canada. It's not because of their generosity, but because of the propensity for thievery.

Boomerang Tracking wants to help. In addition to wireless technology that enables Boomerang to claim they can track stolen vehicles where regular GPS trackers can't, Boomerang has also released a guide on the myths and realities - as well as prevention methods - of auto theft in Canada. Their YouTube channel aims to educate drivers, too. Although pricing for Boomerang devices varies by contract length and authorized dealer, you could expect to pay less than $20 per month with a $250 recovery fee (if necessary) that's most likely covered by insurance.

Check back for Boomerang's list of the most stolen vehicles in Canada later today.

NORTH AMERICA, HERE IS YOUR KIA SOUL

Sometimes it's the bumper height or the width of the seats. Other times its the placement of the blinkers or the size of the wheels. But you rarely notice anymore. We're speaking of the difference between the European, American, Canadian, Japanese, and Australian market vehicles. And many more nations that have slight restrictions on different things; things like bumpers and blinkers.

So spot the differences if you will, but one way or another, this is the Kia Soul meant for consumption in North America. Not eligible for The Good 12 v2.0 because of its late on-sale date (see last year's intro for rules), the Soul will surely be a competitor for one of twelve spots on The Good Car Guy's list of recommended vehicles for The Good 12 v3.0.

Terrific value should be easy to come by - the Soul will be priced between the Rio and Spectra. Kia got the image right. The Soul is tough but still modern and edgy and quite handsome. And though you'd expect the option of all-wheel drive on a vehicle that looks like the Kia Soul, the absence of such an option will help keep the cost down for everyone. 

130 VOLKSWAGEN '09 PASSAT (AND DERIVATIVES) RECALLED

A handful of '09 Volkswagen Passats, Passat wagons, and Passat CCs will be recalled because they "may have an electromechanical steering gear control unit that can malfunction due to a damaged capacitor". That basically means that where you point the car and where the car goes may not be associated. Problem arisen.

Before you shout to your friends that Volkswagen has built 130 cars that steer the opposite direction of where you turn, let me remind you that this hasn't been happening over 5mph and it's only been happening immediately after the vehicle's started. Nevertheless, "the driver's steering input is not properly processed"? That is scary stuff. Early in December Volkswagen will begin this Recall by simply replacing the steering gear.

As an aside, let it be known that The Good Car Guy's previous disgust with the Passat CC rests now only on its purposelessness, not on its appearance. However, seeing the Passat trio together revealed that the regular Passat wagon is still a better looker than the Passat CC and their less expensive brother, the Passat sedan.

DODGE CHARGER AND MAGNUM COP CARS RECALLED

Upon posting the Top 5 Vehicles the Police Should be Driving, The Good Car Guy quickly discovered that regular consumers are quite interested in the choices police departments make. It's true that the Dodge Charger and Dodge Magnum weren't included in that Top 5, but that's only because cops had already taken a liking to their benefits above and beyond those offered by Ford's Crown Victoria. 

More recently, Chrysler announced that Kuwaiti officials would be purchasing 150 Dodge Chargers for their police service. That's basically a drop in the puddle - Dodge is recalling 20283 Chargers and Magnums that had been outfitted with the police package and column shifter. 

These Recalled vehicles are from model years 2006-2009. Column shifters, not a feature associated with regular Chargers and Magnums, "may become disengaged from the steering column mounting bracket and cause an incorrect transmission gearshift position display". Obviously the danger revolves around inadvertent vehicle movement. 

Dealers, NHTSA says, will add a locking mechanism to the gearshift cable to "ensure proper retention and shift linkage function". Apart from added weight and the (sometimes) lack of a V8, the Dodge Charger driven by The Good Car Guy was, to say the least,a  decent value. Check out that review here.

BRAND NEW CADILLAC CTS RECALLED FOR AIR BAG PROBLEM

12,662 recently built small Cadillacs - that'd be the CTS - will be recalled "for failing to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standards #208". Since you aren't up to speed on the code, let me remind you. Safety standard #208 is the one about occupant crash protection. The passenger air bag may be disabled when it should be enabled, says NHTSA, or enabled when it should be disabled.

The Recall will not mandate any mechanical change. A software update at your Cadillac dealer should do the trick.

The '09 Cadillac CTS is just like the '08 CTS which The Good Car Guy drove on GM's proving grounds. Check out that review here.

HOW WOULD GM/FORD/CHRYSLER DESTRUCTION AFFECT YOU?

Facebook revealed an interesting memorandum to The Good Car Guy this afternoon. Written by David Cole, Sean McAlinden, Kristin Dziczek, and Debra Maranger Menk, "The Impact on the U.S. Economy of a Major Contraction of the Detroit Three Automakers" is educating and deep, to say the least. The Centre for Automotive Research's piece will surely come under deeper scrutiny than that afforded by a Canadian freelance/blogger/car expert, but that's not to say you shouldn't read it for yourself. So head to CarGroup.org or follow this link. 

"The motor vehicle and parts industries employed 732,800 workers directly as of September, 2008, and the Detroit Three employed 239,341 hourly and salary workers in the United States at the end of 2007. The international producers employed roughly 113,000 people in the United States at that time. The auto industry has one of the largest economic multipliers of any sector of the U.S. economy, and is sufficiently large that its growth or contraction can be detected in changes in the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. In many states employment in automotive and automotive parts manufacturing ranks among the top three manufacturing industries."

How's that for starters?