GCBC's The Good 12 For 2016

GCBC's The Good 12 for 2016 includes the vehicles that would be most welcomed as permanent members of the GCBC Towers driveway. Park them out front on Christmas morning. Tie them with a bow. We appreciate your kindness.

None have base prices above USD $67,000. They reflect many different parts of the market, they come from different places, they're powered by very different engines, they're accomplished in different areas. And when any one of them drives by, I want it for myself. 

Click any of the images to be taken to the model's Sales Stats page. Don't forget to check out GCBC's The Bad 8, the cars which we don't want to receive even as gifts. For more on what The Good 12 really is, visit the GCBC Awards page.

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	Chevrolet Suburban Can it ____? Yes. What about ___? Of course. Even ____? Yeah, that too. Fill in the blanks however you want. The Chevrolet Suburban is what you buy when you need one vehicle to meet every potential vehicular need.
	Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Remember the first Dodge Charger SRT-8 with its audacious 425-horsepower V8? That car was an edgy and affordable Detroit riposte to the typical German muscle sedan. This Charger SRT? 707 horsepower. Edgy, indeed.
	Ford Mustang There isn't just one good Mustang. The V6 is fun and affordable. The GT is fast and evocative. The Shelby GT350 is a proper European sports car fighter. They all look terrific. They're all far more modern than Mustangs were just two years ago.
	Honda Odyssey The value quotient with every minivan is unbelievably convincing. The Odyssey separates itself from the people-carrying pack with the sort of steering, ride, and handling that, rather than punishing you, rewards you instead.
	Jeep Wrangler Just ask the politicians who flop because they couldn't pull off the cowboy-boots-at-the-Iowa-state-fair look: authenticity matters. The Wrangler is exactly what the Wrangler is supposed to be.
	Mazda 3 5-Door Mazda's most popular car is the best all-around small car money can buy. It's sufficiently quick and fuel efficient, tackles a corner with aplomb, and marries attractive interior styling to terrific exterior styling.
	Mazda MX-5 Miata You wake up early on a Saturday morning in July. You took care of the day's pressing concerns last night. You own a Miata, so you leave the house to go for a drive. To nowhere in particular.
	Mini Clubman Most Minis are simply too small. The first two big Minis – Countryman and 4-Door – are awkward. So why not a Mini wagon? Mixing great on-road behaviour and a small wagon body at an affordable price produces a winner.
	Porsche Macan S 20 years ago the idea would have sounded foolish. But what's so categorically wrong about a Porsche with Porsche-like dynamics, all-weather appeal, and space for five people and their stuff?
	Ram 1500 EcoDiesel The Ram 1500 is a very good pickup truck, with or without the diesel. Highly regarded handling, true full-size capability, and attractive styling are integral to the equation. But mixing all this torque with so little fuel is a remarkable achievement.
	Volkswagen Golf GTI Before you even spend time with the GTI, you know it will be good. But then it's better than that. More space than you expected. More power. More expertise on a twisty road. And a more mature blend of performance attributes than you thought possible.
	Volvo XC90 Nobody does wagons quite like Volvo. But the modern wagon isn't really a wagon, is it? We want to ride high, climb snowbanks, and see the traffic beneath us. Thus, Volvo presents the second-gen XC90, with one of the best interiors in the current automotive universe and a prototypical Swedish exterior.

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RECOMMENDED READING
2015's The Good 12
2014's The Good 12
Every Vehicle Ranked By November 2015 YTD U.S. Sales
Every Vehicle Ranked By November 2015 Canadian Sales
2016's The Bad 8

Auto News For Monday, December 7, 2015 - Volkswagen Dealers Are Frustrated

Here are the five must-read, must-watch auto news stories and videos for Monday, December 7, 2015.

INSIDE THE AUTO INDUSTRY
Volkswagen dealers are frustrated, Automotive News reports, because, as one dealer GM said, "You're selling from empty shelves." 

FUTURE
While you're waiting for the first versions of the gorgeous new Buick LaCrosse to arrive in Enterprise fleets and complete their run in Enterprise fleets so you can buy an inexpensive luxury car, Buick will begin selling their first Chinese-built vehicle in America, the Envision.

MINIVANS
The 2017 Chrysler Town & Country must be a revolutionary product. But while FCA's Chrysler brand attempts to capitalize on what remains of the minivan market, FCA's Dodge brand will continue with the current Grand Caravan.

AUTOFOCUS
Volkswagen's in trouble, but through the first ten months of 2015, the three-best-selling European vehicles in Canada are all Volkswagens. It helps that most competitors are upmarket, far more costly vehicles.

REVIEW
Take one of the planet's most fun-to-drive cars, the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata, and remove the manual transmission. What do you have? An MX-5 with an automatic. Is it any good? 

WATCH
On a YouTube full of quick hit Ford Fusion car reviews, odd cats, strange birds, and abundant iPhone unboxings, evo magazine's excellence in cinematography stands apart, particularly during their awe-inspiring Car Of The Year test in Scotland.

Review: 2015 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Outdoorsman 4x4 Quad Cab - How Much Money Can You Save On Fuel In A Full-Size Truck?

You want a full-size pickup truck.

But there's one thing holding you back from pulling the trigger, from signing on the dotted line, from explaining to your friends that you need a pickup truck because you're "renovating" your condo.

It's not the MSRPs of modern pickup trucks – you know the steep discounts and low interest rates will make it doable if you avoid the options sheet. 

It's not the modern prettification of pickup trucks – black wheels, not chrome, will make your truck look tougher than Tonka. 

And it's not the loss of flexibility – modern four-door pickups can be family haulers.

THE GOOD • Incredible fuel economy • Plenty of power • Terrific 8-speed automatic • Impressive dynamics for a full-size truck • Stand-out styling

THE BAD • Huge diesel price premium • Not all interior bits up to snuff • Quad Cab not an ideal family layout • Lack of air suspension noticeable • Chrome bumper/black wheels/blue body?

No, it's the fuel bills that have you worried. That's why you're considering this 2015 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel. Sure, our Outdoorsman tester was fitted with $6,925 in options besides the $5,700 cost of the 3.0L EcoDiesel/8-speed automatic powertrain. But you don't need that stuff, right? You just need four doors, a bed, and reasonable fuel consumption.

But how much money can you really save? To what degree can a 5,400-pound full-size pickup truck's consumption truly be reduced? Can you buy a Ram 1500 EcoDiesel and feel comfortable taking pointless drives along the coast on a summer's evening, safe in the knowledge that you're not breaking the bank?

We have answers to these questions. Based on back-to-back week-long tests of the 2015 Ram 1500 Outdoorsman Quad Cab 4x4 EcoDiesel and the 2015 Ford F-150 Platinum SuperCrew 4x4 EcoBoost, we've determined just how much more Eco the EcoDiesel really is.

There are, of course, a number of qualifiers we must get out of the way. These trucks aren't perfectly comparable. The Ram's Quad Cab format is a truck that competes somewhat indirectly with both Ford's SuperCab and SuperCrew. For a true SuperCrew competitor, you'd need the Ram 1500 Crew Cab, which we've tested twice before. The trucks aren't equipped all that similarly, either, with the Ford lopping an additional $20,000 onto the sticker. 

2015 RAM 1500 OUTDOORSMAN QUAD CAB 4x4 ECODIESEL Base Price: $44,990 * As-Tested Price: $57,615 * Drive Type: four-wheel-drive Transmission: 8-speed automatic Engine: 3.0L DOHC 24-valve V6 turbocharged diesel Horsepower: 240 @ 3600 rpm Torque: 420 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm Curb Weight: 5406 pounds Length: 229.0 inches Width: 79.4 inches Height: 78.4 inches Wheelbase: 140.0 inches Tires: Goodyear Wrangler SR-A Tire Size: 275/60R20 Passenger Volume: 3302 litres Cargo Volume: 1628 litres EPA City: 19 MPG EPA Highway: 27 MPG NRCAN OEE City: 12.1 L/100km NRCAN OEE Hwy: 8.8 L/100km Observed: 24.2 mpg Observed: 9.7 L/100km * Canadian dollars, includes $1795 in fees.

Rather obviously, the Ford's 3.5L twin-turbocharged V6 EcoBoost isn't a diesel engine; the Ram's EcoDiesel is. Both are the most expensive engines in their respective lineups. (Ford also offers a more efficient EcoBoost, the 2.7L V6, which still makes plenty of power.) 

Although we didn't drive the two trucks on all the same roads with the same pedal pressure all the time, the trucks were driven by the same driver in the same environs – a mix of Halifax city driving, urban Dartmouth driving, and very little highway time – with similar prevailing temperatures over the course of two weeks.

The Quad Cab isn't nearly the family truck that the SuperCrew is. Rear seat legroom is tight, and rear-facing child seats are likely to be a pain. In terms of capability, the new F-150 is also a class-topper in terms of payload and towing capacity. 

There remain some bits in the eminently useable and straightforward Ram 1500 interior that don't feel up to snuff when the price stretches past $35,000, let alone to $57,615. The Ram's UConnect operates like it's many generations newer than the F-150's MyFordTouch, which it essentially is. Though the coil spring rear suspension of this Ram doesn't offer the luxury-like ride quality of the two air-suspension-equipped Rams we've driven over the last couple years, ride quality was still better in this Ram than it was in the accompanying F-150 FX4. Both trucks ride on 20-inch wheels. The Ram steers more precisely, handles with greater alacrity, shifts up and down through the wide array of gears with more intelligence and smoothness, and never feels underpowered. 

The F-150 Platinum looks like a very premium truck and draws ogling eyes everywhere. The bed side steps and tailgate ladder are nice touches. EcoBoost power is jaw-droppingly impressive. We trust that the truck is lighter than F-150s were because of this new aluminum body, but it still feels like the heftier machine on the road: less nimble, more difficult to see out of, less structurally rigid.

All Photo Credits: Timothy Cain & Steffani Cain
 ©www.GoodCarBadCar.net- Click Any Image For A Larger View
Ram Photos Shot At Fisherman's Cove In Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia
F-150 Photo Shot in Hartlen Point, Nova Scotia 

In such a thoroughly modernized pickup truck arena, the differentiation which causes the Ram, Ford, and GM's trucks to feel like individualized specimens is quite a welcome turn of events. This isn't a game of samesies.

These two trucks do, however, share one thing in common. Both the 2015 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel and the 2015 Ford F-150 EcoBoost make forward progress by consuming non-renewable fossil fuels. In real-world driving, here's how the math breaks down.

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Our 2015 Ram 1500 Outdoorsman EcoDiesel test vehicle consumed diesel at a rate of 9.7 litres per 100km, or 24.2 miles per gallon on the U.S. scale. The 3.5L 2015 Ford F-150 Platinum EcoBoost consumed regular gasoline at a rate of 13.2 litres per 100 kilometres. This means that for every 100 kilometres of mixed driving, the Ram drinks 3.5 fewer litres of fuel.

But the fuel consumed by the Ram is more expensive than the F-150's regular gasoline. In Halifax, Nova Scotia, regular gasoline costs $1.01 per litre; diesel costs $1.05. (That's a per gallon difference of $0.15.)

As a result, over the course of 15,000 kilometres of annual driving, the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel requires 1,455 litres of diesel fuel, or $1,527.75. The Ford F-150 EcoBoost requires 1,980 litres of slightly less expensive regular gasoline, or $1,999.80. On a monthly basis, the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel driver saves $39.34.

Over the course of five years and 75,000 kilometres, the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel driver saves $2,360.25.

On a weekly basis, the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel's $29.38 fuel cost compares with the F-150 EcoBoost's $38.46 figure for a $9.08 savings, or enough for a medium cup of Tim Hortons coffee every morning on the way to work.

There are greater financial issues to consider. At Ford, the least expensive 2016 F-150 XLT SuperCrew EcoBoost 4x4 costs CAD $47,449 before discounts. In a Ram dealer, the least costly Ram 1500 SLT Crew Cab EcoDiesel 4x4 currently costs $52,290. 

That's not the end of the money story, however. Ford Canada currently shows just $3,250 in discounts for that specific F-150, but the Ram is discounted by $8,500, changing the F-150's price to $44,199 and the Ram's to $43,790. 

That's not the end, either, because Ford offers 1.99% financing over five years for a taxes-included monthly payment of $891. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' current 0% interest rate over five years generates a taxes-included monthly payment of $839.

This isn't to suggest that these are the prices you'll encounter at your local dealers, with your deal subject to whether you remembered to buy on the last day of the month, the level of interest one dealer may have in your trade-in that the other dealer won't, and ever-evolving incentive schemes. But one thing is clear: the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel's frightening $5700 upgrade cost probably shouldn't be quite so frightening, washed away as it is by attractive offers from FCA Canada's accounting department.

Better yet, after an introduction phase that made it difficult to find Ram 1500 EcoDiesels on dealer lots, availability has dramatically ramped up. At Halifax's two Chrysler dealers, 29 of the 89 Ram 1500s available are equipped with the 3.0L EcoDiesel.

Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures. Follow on Twitter @goodcarbadcar and on Facebook. The Ram was supplied by FCA Canada's press office; the yet-to-be-reviewed F-150 by Ford Canada.

Auto News For Monday, June 29, 2015 - Finally A New Audi A4

Here are the five must-read, must-watch auto news stories, review and videos for Monday, June 29, 2015.

FUTURE
No surprises here. In keeping with Audi's handsome but conservative design ethos, the 2017 Audi A4, the first all-new A4 since the fourth-gen B8 was introduced nearly eight years ago, looks a lot like the previous car. Although its dimensions have increased marginally, the new A4 will weigh approximately 265 pounds less than the outgoing car. The wagon is gorgeous, but we're more likely to receive a slightly elevated, be-cladded Allroad version of the Avant. Audi USA sells an average of 38,000 A4s per year.

TTAC
2015 will be the seventh consecutive year that Ford's Fiesta ends a calendar year as the United Kingdom's best-selling car. The Fiesta's lead over the second-ranked Vauxhall Corsa stands at 18,883 units through just five months. The Fiesta outsold the second-ranked car, Ford's own Focus, by 46,114 units in 2014.

REVIEW
Is the iM the answer to Scion's problems? Not if the market agrees with Car & Driver. Calling it the iMeh, C/D says, "The segment is also full of cars offering better performance," and, "If Scion is going to survive, it needs a following. And at first blush, the iM doesn’t seem good enough to build one." U.S. sales at the Scion brand are down 19% so far this year.

RECALL
In a recall not yet posted to NHTSA's main recall page, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles says 65 owners of Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Durangos must stop driving their vehicles. The Durangos and Grand Cherokees were built in early June the recall is taking place, "because they may have been inadvertently equipped with improperly heat-treated suspension components. This condition, which was not apparent during the assembly process, could lead to component breakage, rear-end instability and/or reduced braking power." You can read more about the specifics and the means of discovering if your vehicle is involved at FCA's website or by calling FCA's U.S. customer care centre at 1-800-853-1403.

WATCH
Is the new HR-V the spiritual successor to the CRX, Civic hatch, Prelude, Accord wagon, del Sol, S2000, and Element? That's the story Honda is telling in this terrific commercial.

Auto News For Thursday, June 25, 2015 - New Mini Clubman Is A True Mini Wagon

Here are the seven must-read, must-watch auto news stories, review and videos for Thursday, June 25, 2015, with a heavy dose on new product info after a bizarre early summer Wednesday in which multiple automakers coincidentally revealed new vehicles.

FUTURE
The Chevrolet Cruze, which will continue to be marketed with a diesel engine and will be available in a hatchback bodystyle, was shown in new, second-generation form last night. The 2016 Cruze carries on with the 2016 Malibu's styling direction but does so, not surprisingly, with less pizzazz. Fortunately, the Cruze will lose around 250 pounds. Great weight has always been the car's chief downside. The Cruze is currently America's third-best-selling small car.

MORE FUTURE
The Mini Cooper 5-Door is actually not the Mini for people who wanted the most spacious, flexible, realistic new Mini. The Clubman is back, and it brings more barn doors and nearly an extra foot of length compared with the 5-Door. It also wears Mini's latest styling direction better than any of its siblings.

DROPTOP FUTURE
Take one new, sixth-generation Camaro, and remove the roof. There you have it,the new 2016 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible. The roof is fully automatic. Camaro volume has fallen this year as a new Mustang took over and the faithful waited for the debut of a new Chevy muscle car.

UNPREDICTABLE FUTURE
In Quadrifolglio trim, the 2016 Alfa Romeo Giulia will be a gorgeous 503-horsepower, BMW M3 fighter. The car isn't due in North America until mid-way through 2016, and don't believe anyone who tells you it will be common. But it would be good for automotive enthusiasts and the industry as a whole if a car like the Alfa succeeded. To do so, it'll need to be more reliable than Alfas of the past, it'll need to be dynamically sorted in lesser trims, and it'll need to be priced very aggressively. Concerns? In the words of Peter DeLorenzo, "You don't honestly believe that a magic switch will be "flipped" that will instantly purge decades of piss-poor quality from the Fiat car making Empire, do you? I suppose if you do, you're exactly the kind of buyer that Marchionne and his espresso-swilling minions are looking for."

RECALL
Subaru USA is recalling 72,000 Legacys, Outbacks, XV Crosstreks, and Imprezas (model year 2015) and WRXs (model year 2016) which are equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. "If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, the automatic pre-collision braking component of the driver assist system will not function."

Mitsubishi is recalling 459,618 Eclipses (2000-2005), Eclipse Spyders (2001-2005), and Chrysler Sebrings and Dodge Stratuses (2001-2005), because, "In the affected vehicles, the passenger side sun visor may be folded down in such a position that, if the passenger frontal air bag deploys, the passenger side sun visor may detach."

Mitsubishi is also recalling 74,836 Eclipses (2006-2009) and Eclipse Spyders (2007-2009), for a braking corrosion issue. "Due to corrosion inside the ABS unit, one or more of the internal valves may seize. In a braking event that uses the ABS, a seized valve would increase brake pedal travel and reduce braking ability."

WATCH
GCBC recently reviewed the 2015 Audi S3. The Audi RS3 reviewed here by CarBuyer's Mat Watson offers distinctly more performance than that already shockingly quick S3. And it's a hatchback.

Auto News For Monday, June 22, 2015 - Current Dodge Grand Caravan Lives Through 2017

Here are the six must-read, must-watch auto news stories, review and videos for Monday, June 22, 2015.

INSIDE THE AUTO INDUSTRY
Why were auto industry observers, including GCBC, skeptical of any plan that said the Dodge Grand Caravan was about to die? Windsor, Ontario's, FCA minivan plant has undergone renovations in order to build the next generation of Chrysler's minivans, but now we learn from Automotive News that Dodge will build the current, value-priced Grand Caravan for the 2016 and 2017 model years.

INSIDE THE CANADIAN AUTO INDUSTRY
The Globe & Mail makes rather obvious the point that FCA Canada isn't really selling quite as many vehicles as they say. The problem? It's not really an apples to apples comparison. We don't know what tactics other automakers are employing. We also know that no automaker's sales figures are directly comparable to another's at the best of times, since their lineups, outlets, prices, and incentives don't line up. 

INSIDE CANADA'S FASTEST-GROWING AUTOMAKER
No automobile manufacturer is growing at a faster clip in Canada than the Volkswagen Group: Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche. Autofocus.ca's Timothy Cain, the founder of this site, has details on the year-to-date Canadian sales of every VW Group product.

REVIEW
Automobile Magazine compares the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda 6, and Subaru Legacy and finds that the best-selling Camry was the worst of the bunch while the Mazda 6 buyers ignore is the best. 

RECALL
72 Dodge Challengers (model year 2015) are being recalled by FCA because of a loose or missing rear mounting bolt in the driver's side air bag.

Toyota is recalling 1,973,468 Tundras, Sequoias, Corollas, Matrixes, Lexus SCs, and Pontiac Vibes from assorted model years between 2002-2007 "to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag inflator which may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag."

WATCH
The upcoming Mercedes-Benz GLK-replacing GLC is more offroadable than you'd expect. That doesn't necessarily make it a modified Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, of course.

Auto News For Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - Chris Evans Takes Over On Top Gear

Here are the seven must-read, must-watch auto news stories, review and videos for Wednesday, June 17, 2015.

INSIDE THE AUTO MEDIA BUSINESS
We don’t yet know what Top Gear will do in terms of replacements for Richard Hammond and James May, but Jeremy Clarkson is going to be replaced by Chris Evans. He’s a known entity in Britain. The global audience will have plenty of opportunity to get to know Evans, an avowed car enthusiast and loyal Ferrari owner.

NOT THE FUTURE
If you thought BMW needed a more affordable roadster beneath the Z4 - call it the Z2, for example - you may have forgotten that BMW’s own Ian Robertson thinks the sports car market can’t recover. And he believes that because BMW hardly sells any Z4s.

TTAC
May 2015 was GM’s highest-volume month in the U.S. since 2008, and pickup trucks were just as important last month as they were seven years ago.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
Donald Trump, yet another candidate for President in the Republican Party, appears to have little chance of receiving enough votes to even come close to receiving the Republican nomination. Perhaps it’s policies like this one from yesterday’s announcement speech, in addition to his hair, that limit his chances.

"I would call up the head of Ford, who I know. If I was president, I’d say, 'Congratulations. I understand that you’re building a nice $2.5 billion car factory in Mexico and that you’re going to take your cars and sell them to the United States zero tax, just flow them across the border.' 

And you say to yourself, 'How does that help us,' right? 'How does that help us? Where is that good?' It’s not.

So I would say, 'Congratulations. That’s the good news. Let me give you the bad news. Every car and every truck and every part manufactured in this plant that comes across the border, we’re going to charge you a 35-percent tax, and that tax is going to be paid simultaneously with the transaction, and that’s it.'"

REVIEW
The Wall Street Journal’s Dan Neil says of the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata: "They could have called it the Déjà Vu."

RECALL
Chrysler is recalling 72 2015 Dodge Challengers due to loose or missing airbag mounting bolts.

WATCH
How much do you love the new Volvo XC90? Enough to watch a commercial that lasts for nearly two minutes? The message is basic: it gets you through the whole year. Or perhaps they’re trying to say something a little bit deeper.

Auto News For Thursday, June 11, 2015 - Adrien Brody Directs New Dodge Commercials

Here are the six must-read auto news stories, reviews and videos for Thursday, June 11, 2015.

FUTURE
Road & Track lists six things you need to know about the new 2016 BMW 7-Series, the luxury limo that, even in a good month, sells half as often as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

INSIDE THE AUTO INDUSTRY MARKETING BUSINESS
Guys don’t get much cooler than Adrien Brody. The star of The Pianist is now directing ads for… BMW? Alfa Romeo? Tesla? No. Try Dodge.

REVIEW
Want a van alternative? Thus far, Ford Transit Connect Wagons have proven either too small or too costly for most minivan buyers. But there’s a new candidate on the way, a midsizer that’ll float between the Transits and Sprinters and the Transit Connects and NV200s. It’s the rear-wheel-drive Mercedes-Benz Metris.

SUPERCARS AND BIG MACS
Driving.ca’s Lorraine Sommerfield drove a McLaren 650S to Ronald McDonald House so sick kids could get a drive in a hot car. And what a car it is.

RECALL
No new recalls since those detailed in yesterday's news.

WATCH
AutoGuide videos have focussed on one-on-one comparisons of late, which means there’s no Honda Odyssey in this test, nor is there a Dodge Grand Caravan. Instead, it’s a race between the Toyota Sienna, America’s current best-selling minivan, and the Kia Sedona, an all-new upstart.

Auto News For Friday, May 22, 2015 - Mazda Says Driving Matters, Not Zoom Zoom

Here are the six must-read, must-watch auto news stories, reviews, and videos for Friday, May 22, 2015.

INSIDE THE AUTO BUSINESS
GM's poor safety record related to the company's recent ignition issues has caused the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to mandate  monthly meetings between government officials and the automaker for at least another year. Call it oversight; call it babysitting; call it what you may. The GM ignition switch failure is now tied to 104 deaths, and a NHTSA lawyer called the order to disclose and meet, a "productive and effective tool," according to The Detroit News.

INSIDE THE AUTO MARKETING BUSINESS
Remember Zoom Zoom? It didn't make you buy enough Mazdas. So on the same line of thinking, Mazda now says, "Driving matters." According to an ad for the new MX-5 Miata, "You might not need it. But can you live without it?" Should an automaker be telling me I don't need their product? Or should they be, "You can't live without it," a nice declarative, affirmative statement?

INSIDE THE MINIVAN BUSINESS
Is Stow'N'Go a no go? If Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is going to install the hideaway third and second row seats and install all-wheel-drive, the AWD system may need to use electric motors to power the rear wheels. Now that workers are back on the job at FCA's minivan factory in Windsor, Ontario, it's probably about time FCA decides what they're doing with the new vans.

RECALL
The Ford Motor Company is recalling 21,435 Lincoln MKZ sedans (model year 2015) because, "the parking lights do not reduce their light output from a DRL level when used in conjunction with the headlights."

REVIEW
In a Car & Driver comparison test between Mercedes' new 2016 AMG GT S, the Porsche 911 GTS, and the Jaguar F-Type R Coupe, the winner is.... not the Jag.

WATCH
The era of David Letterman's Late Show on CBS is over. But Letterman was more than just a comedic talk show host, he's also a car nut. Here he is with Maximum Bob Lutz looking at a then new Chevrolet Volt on the Late Show stage.

Watch 2015 Dodge Charger R/T Video Review - Alex On Autos

The 2015 Dodge Charger R/T doesn't have the headline-grabbing horsepower figures of the Charger Hellcat, nor does it possess the Bentleyesque styling of the Chrysler 300C. 

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Historical Monthly & Yearly Dodge Charger Sales Figures
U.S. Passenger Car Sales By Model - April 2015 YTD

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But by any standard, this is a fast, full-size, American sedan. This video review of the 2015 Charger R/T by Alex On Autos' Alex Dykes is as thorough and complete as any Alex On Autos review. 

In terms of official testing, I haven't reviewed a Charger since pre-GCBC days. Full-size car reviews on GCBC currently include the 2014 Chevrolet Impala LTZ and the 2014 Kia Cadenza.

2013's The Good 12 - Dodge Ram 1500 - $30,000-$35,000

RAM 1500

There are probably about 1951 different Ram permutations that end up with a price somewhere between $30,000 and $35,000. One important new version is the V6-powered 2013 Ram 1500 SLT 4x4 Quad Cab. Relatively efficient, suitable for work and family life, and decently equipped, the $34,585 SLT V6 Quad Cab will now be a commonly seen truck. The 305 horsepower and 269-lb-ft generated by the V6 are impressive figures, limited only by the high engine speeds at which they're achieved.

The Ford EcoBoost-fighting V6 is only one part of what makes the Ram pickup range the one to consider. Let's be clear: there are countless reasons for the F-Series' marketplace dominance. You'll probably be satisfied with a Chevrolet Silverado, you'd have fun with the Nissan Titan's 5.6L V8, and the Toyota Tundra is a big truck on a continent that loves big trucks.

This Ram has a lot going for it, however, not the least of which is that new V6 engine. The rumbling Hemi V8 remains the most alluring truck engine on the market. Though not F-150-like inside, the Ram's interior is so far beyond what GM is currently offering. 

Much of the Ram's appeal continues to be its styling. Pickup trucks ought to be this aggressive, and the Ram's near-perfect truck design details - the forward-leaning crosshair grille and thick-spoked wheels especially - cause other trucks to appear almost unassuming. 

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Engine: 305 horsepower; 269 lb-ft of torque from a 3.6L V6, 310 horsepower; 330 lb-ft of torque from a 4.7L V8, or 395 horsepower; 407 lb-ft of torque from a 5.7L V8

Base USD/CAD Price: $22,590 / $19,995

City Fuel Economy: 14-18 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: The Ram is not a Ford F-150, and that alone is enough for many buyers to  avoid the truck formally known as a Dodge. As is the case with other trucks, Ram's diesel engine is unfortunately not available in non-HD versions.

Sales Stats: Consistently America's third-best-selling truck and Canada's second-best-selling truck (and second-best-selling vehicle), the Ram pickup range is the highest-volume nameplate in the Chrysler Group's lineup.

Viable Alternatives: Thinking specifically, the Good 12-winning Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is a statement maker, a veritable maker of statements. In general, it's hard to find a bad full-size truck. The replacements for GM's twins appear to be very livable products, too.

The Good 12

Kia Rio 5-Door - Fiat 500 Turbo - Volkswagen Golf GTI
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited - Dodge Ram - BMW 328i
Ford F-150 SVT Raptor - Chevrolet Suburban -
Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic Wagon - Porsche Boxster S - 
Porsche Cayenne S - Land Rover Range Rover

The Bad 8

Chevrolet Spark - Chrysler 200 Convertible -
Ford Escape Titanium AWD - Honda Crosstour - 
Lincoln MKS - Nissan Versa Sedan -
Toyota Corolla CE - Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid

The Good 12 Rules

November 2012 Top 5 Best-Selling Trucks In Canada

Now that we're six days into December, Ford Canada has surely sold its 100,000th F-Series pickup. Through the first eleven months Ford sold 99,331 F-Series trucks, 35,176 more than the second-ranked Ram's total.

Ram sales fell in November but are up substantially this year. GM will soon be replacing its trucks, and not surprisingly, sales are down despite hefty inventory and healthy incentives. 

Canada's two best-selling trucks also happen to be Canada's two best-selling vehicles, and by a healthy measure. Canada's best-selling car, the Honda Civic, was shown with its 19 closest rivals earlier this evening. The Ford Escape, Canada's top-ranked SUV, was profiled with the 19 next-best-selling SUVs and crossovers just minutes ago.

All 261 Vehicles Ranked By November 2012 YTD Canadian Sales

Find any GoodCarBadCar best seller list at this page. Historical monthly and yearly sales figures are available through GCBC's Sales Stats home page.

Rank	Best-Selling Truck	November 2012	% Change	Year To Date	YTD % Change
#1	Ford F-Series	7237	+ 6.4%	99,331	+ 12.4%
#2	Dodge Ram	5316	- 2.4%	64,155	+ 8.2%
#3	GMC Sierra	3396	- 16.3%	39,962	- 6.5%
#4	Chevrolet Silverado	2564	- 26.7%	33,591	- 8.6%
#5	Toyota Tacoma	897	+ 29.1%	9076	+ 29.2%

Source: Manufacturers & ANDC
Red font indicates year-over-year declining sales

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