Wheels readers may recall that sales of some hybrid cars have been underwhelming, as Jerry Garrett pointed out recently in a post about Honda’s scuttling of the Accord Hybrid. (In a separate post, he noted that the next generation of the Toyota Prius may be delayed because of snags in a new type of battery system Toyota wants to use.)
Now The Times’s Micheline Maynard points out another reason that the Prius has dominated the market for hybrids: buyers want to show it off. As she writes:
The Prius, after all, was built from the ground up as a hybrid, and is sold only as a hybrid. By contrast, the main way to tell that a Honda Civic, Ford Escape or Saturn Vue is the hybrid version is a small badge on the trunk or fender.
The Prius has become, in a sense, the four-wheel equivalent of those popular rubber “issue bracelets” in yellow and other colors — it shows the world that its owner cares.
In fact, more than half of the Prius buyers surveyed this spring by CNW Marketing Research of Bandon, Ore., said the main reason they purchased their car was that “it makes a statement about me.”
Read the whole thing. Then tell us what you think: Are Prius drivers looking
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Don’t Judge the Rat Rodders by Their Name
The “devils” in their name, their tattoos (perhaps), and the noise of their cars made things tough for the New Jersey chapter of the Road Devils car club.
Jeff Mrozak, the club’s president, told me a couple of weeks ago that religious groups had opposed the club’s use of a parking lot in downtown South Orange, N.J., where for the last three years the group had held its annual “Peel Out,” even though the event raises money for the South Orange Rescue Squad.
And so the latest Peel Out — a gathering of retro-minded rat rodders and rockabilly music fans — moved to another square of asphalt two football fields south of the local Starbucks and South Orange’s rapidly gentrifying shopping district by the train station.
Among the 80 or so vehicles were beat-to-hell pre-WWII Fords, late-’50s Oldsmobiles, long ’60s wagons, and others. The richly tattooed arms and legs of club members (male and female) were as bright as the Mexican blankets — in rainbow hues — that covered the cars’ worn-out upholstery. Decals of demonic cigar-chomping woodpeckers decorated the windows. On the rearview mirrors were dice — not just fuzzy but flame-painted.
In the middle of the day, showers sent the crowd under a cluster of tents erected by visiting clubs and vendors of parts, T-shirts and refreshments. After the sun reemerged, an informal kickball game broke out. Women who looked like Betty Page boomed high punts to men with haircuts as hard and high as Bondo-filled fenders — not really the kind of hell that opposing religious groups had expected them to raise.
Now the Road Devils will visit the gatherings of their kindred groups later this summer
Jeff Mrozak, the club’s president, told me a couple of weeks ago that religious groups had opposed the club’s use of a parking lot in downtown South Orange, N.J., where for the last three years the group had held its annual “Peel Out,” even though the event raises money for the South Orange Rescue Squad.
And so the latest Peel Out — a gathering of retro-minded rat rodders and rockabilly music fans — moved to another square of asphalt two football fields south of the local Starbucks and South Orange’s rapidly gentrifying shopping district by the train station.
Among the 80 or so vehicles were beat-to-hell pre-WWII Fords, late-’50s Oldsmobiles, long ’60s wagons, and others. The richly tattooed arms and legs of club members (male and female) were as bright as the Mexican blankets — in rainbow hues — that covered the cars’ worn-out upholstery. Decals of demonic cigar-chomping woodpeckers decorated the windows. On the rearview mirrors were dice — not just fuzzy but flame-painted.
In the middle of the day, showers sent the crowd under a cluster of tents erected by visiting clubs and vendors of parts, T-shirts and refreshments. After the sun reemerged, an informal kickball game broke out. Women who looked like Betty Page boomed high punts to men with haircuts as hard and high as Bondo-filled fenders — not really the kind of hell that opposing religious groups had expected them to raise.
Now the Road Devils will visit the gatherings of their kindred groups later this summer
Monday Morning Motorsports
In Formula One, Kimi Raikkonen returned to the top of the podium for the first time since the season opener in Melbourne. Starting from third on the grid, Raikkonen passed Lewis Hamilton at the first corner to move into second, trailing only his teammate, Felipe Massa. He remained behind Massa through the first set of pit stops, but then pushed hard on the laps ahead of his second pit stop. This cycled him into the lead, which he maintained for a Ferrari one-two. Hamilton finished third and has yet to finish below the top three.
By the way, Sunday was the last time Formula One will be raced at Magny-Cours. With new grands prix being set up in more modern facilities around the world (like Istanbul and Singapore), aging European venues are getting the boot.
In MotoGP, Valentino Rossi won the Dutch Grand Prix in Assen. Rossi started from 11th on the grid, but by the eighth lap, he was in third. In a trademark move, Rossi tailed Casey Stoner closely for eight laps before sticking a pass for the lead with four laps to go. “I didn’t expect it,” said Rossi, “because I know Stoner had a great rhythm. He was starting second and around him there were some quite slow guys in the dry, so he would have an easy life from the beginning.” Nicky Hayden, last year’s champion, ended his podium drought with a third place finish. It’s been a disappointing season for Hayden, who is tied for ninth in the championship.
In IndyCar, Dario Franchitti made it two in a row by dominating the Sun Trust Indy Challenge. Franchitti set an IndyCar record by leading 242 of 250 laps. He never faced much competition in the final laps on the way to increasing his lead in the series. Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon, both of Target Chip Ganassi Racing, finished second and third.
In Nascar, Denny Hamlin fought off Jeff Gordon in the final laps to win his first race of the season. Hamlin was second in the Nextel Cup going into the race in New Hampshire, but he had yet to score a win. “If we came out second here today, we wouldn’t have gained anything,” said Mike Ford, Hamlin’s crew chief.
In Champ Car, Robert Doornbos won at Circuit Mont Tremblent for his first win in the series. Sebastien Bourdais finished second and felt that Doornbos, a former Formula One driver, was too aggressive in racing with the lead — a claim that Doornbos sidestepped. “I know the rules in the U.S. are different,” said Doornbos. “In Europe we race hard. It’s a sport. At the end of the day you’re fighting for the win and you have to be selfish for you own position.” Meanwhile Bourdais still has a stranglehold on the championship.
In the N.H.R.A., Kenny Bernstein, competing in the Funny Car class for the first time since 1989, made it all the way to the finals, where Mike Ashley beat him to win the title . In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher beat Rod Fuller, who still extended his points lead in the class. Other winners included Dave Connolly in Pro Stock and Andrew Hines in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Finally, it’s been a while since we had an Ashley Force article. Enjoy .
By the way, Sunday was the last time Formula One will be raced at Magny-Cours. With new grands prix being set up in more modern facilities around the world (like Istanbul and Singapore), aging European venues are getting the boot.
In MotoGP, Valentino Rossi won the Dutch Grand Prix in Assen. Rossi started from 11th on the grid, but by the eighth lap, he was in third. In a trademark move, Rossi tailed Casey Stoner closely for eight laps before sticking a pass for the lead with four laps to go. “I didn’t expect it,” said Rossi, “because I know Stoner had a great rhythm. He was starting second and around him there were some quite slow guys in the dry, so he would have an easy life from the beginning.” Nicky Hayden, last year’s champion, ended his podium drought with a third place finish. It’s been a disappointing season for Hayden, who is tied for ninth in the championship.
In IndyCar, Dario Franchitti made it two in a row by dominating the Sun Trust Indy Challenge. Franchitti set an IndyCar record by leading 242 of 250 laps. He never faced much competition in the final laps on the way to increasing his lead in the series. Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon, both of Target Chip Ganassi Racing, finished second and third.
In Nascar, Denny Hamlin fought off Jeff Gordon in the final laps to win his first race of the season. Hamlin was second in the Nextel Cup going into the race in New Hampshire, but he had yet to score a win. “If we came out second here today, we wouldn’t have gained anything,” said Mike Ford, Hamlin’s crew chief.
In Champ Car, Robert Doornbos won at Circuit Mont Tremblent for his first win in the series. Sebastien Bourdais finished second and felt that Doornbos, a former Formula One driver, was too aggressive in racing with the lead — a claim that Doornbos sidestepped. “I know the rules in the U.S. are different,” said Doornbos. “In Europe we race hard. It’s a sport. At the end of the day you’re fighting for the win and you have to be selfish for you own position.” Meanwhile Bourdais still has a stranglehold on the championship.
In the N.H.R.A., Kenny Bernstein, competing in the Funny Car class for the first time since 1989, made it all the way to the finals, where Mike Ashley beat him to win the title . In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher beat Rod Fuller, who still extended his points lead in the class. Other winners included Dave Connolly in Pro Stock and Andrew Hines in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Finally, it’s been a while since we had an Ashley Force article. Enjoy .
Introducing Auto Ego
This weekend you’ll find the debut of a new feature in the Automobiles section called Auto Ego. It’s been in the works for a while, and I’m afraid to say that I still don’t have a tidy pitch for what it is. But while reading the comments under my last post, I came across one from Iowagirl that seemed like a fine place to start:
“Cars are not just transportation, any more than a house is just shelter. They convey the owner’s style, dreams, sense of self, in much the same way a home owner’s personality is conveyed by home furnishings and decor. For the amount of time we all spend on the road, the car IS our home. Make it a good one.”
Some people choose a car for its reliability or safety. For others, it’s style or muscle. And then for a small slice of the population it goes beyond immediate interests to a deeper emotion, something that’s slyly guided by memories and personal history. For those people, that emotional tug is more persuasive and can be such a natural instinct that they aren’t even aware of it until they start talking about it.
I hope you enjoy hearing their stories.
“Cars are not just transportation, any more than a house is just shelter. They convey the owner’s style, dreams, sense of self, in much the same way a home owner’s personality is conveyed by home furnishings and decor. For the amount of time we all spend on the road, the car IS our home. Make it a good one.”
Some people choose a car for its reliability or safety. For others, it’s style or muscle. And then for a small slice of the population it goes beyond immediate interests to a deeper emotion, something that’s slyly guided by memories and personal history. For those people, that emotional tug is more persuasive and can be such a natural instinct that they aren’t even aware of it until they start talking about it.
I hope you enjoy hearing their stories.
The Hamiltonian Touch
Thousands stood hours in a queue in a downpour last Sunday for a chance to meet, greet and get an autograph from new Formula One racing sensation Lewis Hamilton here at the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed in England.
No actual racing occurs at the festival, a good-time weekend of racing nostalgia from past and present, but Hamilton was on hand to drive his McLaren-Mercedes Formula One racecar 1.1 miles up the hill course — for demonstration purposes only. Prior to his crowd-pleasing run, when introduced by the event’s host Lord March from the balcony of the lord’s manor house here, Hamilton was greeted like a rock star. Nevertheless, he dove into the crowd and signed autographs for everyone he was able to get to.
No actual racing occurs at the festival, a good-time weekend of racing nostalgia from past and present, but Hamilton was on hand to drive his McLaren-Mercedes Formula One racecar 1.1 miles up the hill course — for demonstration purposes only. Prior to his crowd-pleasing run, when introduced by the event’s host Lord March from the balcony of the lord’s manor house here, Hamilton was greeted like a rock star. Nevertheless, he dove into the crowd and signed autographs for everyone he was able to get to.
Hamilton, fresh off his victories at the Canadian and United States grands prix, had not expected such a reception. “It’s touching really,” he said. “I had not been home since those victories, and had no idea of the emotional response that would be waiting for me.” Hamilton, the handsome 22-year-old from Hertfordshire, England, is bidding to become the first rookie to win a Formula One world championship.
Hamilton so far has received high marks from the motoring press and others covering his skyrocketing career, for his courtesy, aplomb and thoughtfulness — unlike the stereotypical view of Formula One drivers as snobs, boobs or worse. He was asked why he took so much care with his fans Sunday, and he revealed that the tables had been turned on him here seven years ago.
“The drivers all brushed past me,” Hamilton recalled, “and I resolved that if I ever achieved my goal of being in F1, I would look the children, or whoever it was, straight in the eye, shake their hands and be proud to sign an autograph for them.”
He was as good as his word.
Hamilton so far has received high marks from the motoring press and others covering his skyrocketing career, for his courtesy, aplomb and thoughtfulness — unlike the stereotypical view of Formula One drivers as snobs, boobs or worse. He was asked why he took so much care with his fans Sunday, and he revealed that the tables had been turned on him here seven years ago.
“The drivers all brushed past me,” Hamilton recalled, “and I resolved that if I ever achieved my goal of being in F1, I would look the children, or whoever it was, straight in the eye, shake their hands and be proud to sign an autograph for them.”
He was as good as his word.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Of Trabants and a Belvedere
If you haven’t read Mark Landler’s article on the Trabant, I recommend checking it out.
Mr. Landler attended a meeting of Trabant owners celebrating the car’s 50th anniversary and learned that for many people living in eastern Germany, the Trabant represents a sort of nostalgia for the way things used to be before the Berlin Wall came down.
It’s called Ostalgie, or nostalgia for East Germany. According to one of the organizers of the meet, it’s not so much a longing for Communism, but for the simplicity of the time, before the region was swept into the tumult of marketing, luxury goods and, one assumes, Brangelina. “We treasured things in those days,” Uta Pleissner said. “The Trabant was a symbol: You had your family, you had a house, and you even had a car.”
I can relate to this. When I tell people that I write about cars for a living, they inevitably ask, “So you review cars?” My negative answer always leaves their faces blank, as if there’s nothing else to write about. But cars have always been more than products to be reviewed, consumed, and sold. You only have to look at the battle over global warming to understand. Cars are a politically charged symbol of where you stand on the future of the planet or, even more broad than that, of how much you care about anything. The entire automotive product line represents a scale measuring levels of humanity, with the Prius at one end and the Hummer at the other.
Mr. Landler attended a meeting of Trabant owners celebrating the car’s 50th anniversary and learned that for many people living in eastern Germany, the Trabant represents a sort of nostalgia for the way things used to be before the Berlin Wall came down.
It’s called Ostalgie, or nostalgia for East Germany. According to one of the organizers of the meet, it’s not so much a longing for Communism, but for the simplicity of the time, before the region was swept into the tumult of marketing, luxury goods and, one assumes, Brangelina. “We treasured things in those days,” Uta Pleissner said. “The Trabant was a symbol: You had your family, you had a house, and you even had a car.”
I can relate to this. When I tell people that I write about cars for a living, they inevitably ask, “So you review cars?” My negative answer always leaves their faces blank, as if there’s nothing else to write about. But cars have always been more than products to be reviewed, consumed, and sold. You only have to look at the battle over global warming to understand. Cars are a politically charged symbol of where you stand on the future of the planet or, even more broad than that, of how much you care about anything. The entire automotive product line represents a scale measuring levels of humanity, with the Prius at one end and the Hummer at the other.
Esurance Auto Insurance Glossary: U & V
Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage
Underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage is available in some states, where it's often mandatory.
This type of auto insurance coverage pays for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages when you or your passengers are injured in an accident caused by a driver who has insufficient auto insurance coverage.
This kind of auto insurance coverage typically pays the difference between the coverage limit you select and the other driver's bodily injury coverage limit.
The amount covered by underinsured motorist bodily injury is capped at the limit you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Underinsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage
Underinsured motorist property damage coverage is available in some states, where it's often mandatory.
This type of auto insurance coverage protects you if your car is damaged in an accident caused by a driver who has insufficient auto insurance coverage. Other specific protection afforded by this type of auto insurance coverage varies from state to state.
This kind of auto insurance coverage pays the difference between the coverage limit you select and the other driver's property damage coverage limit.
The amount covered by underinsured motorist property damage is capped at the limit you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage
Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage is available in some states, where it's often mandatory.
This kind of auto insurance coverage pays for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other general damages when you or your passengers are injured in an accident caused by a driver who has no car insurance. Uninsured motorist coverage also pays for injuries sustained in hit-and-run accidents.
The amount covered by uninsured motorist bodily injury is capped at the limit you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage
Uninsured motorist property damage coverage is available in some states, where it's often mandatory.
This kind of auto insurance coverage protects you if your vehicle is damaged in an accident caused by a driver who has no car insurance. Other protection afforded by this type of auto insurance coverage varies from state to state.
The amount covered by uninsured motorist bodily injury is capped at the limit you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy. In some states, you'll need to pay a deductible each time you file an auto insurance claim.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage
In some states, both uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury are bundled into a single coverage. In the states where this type of auto insurance coverage offered, it may be mandatory.
This kind of auto insurance coverage pays for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages when you or your passengers are injured in an accident caused by a driver who doesn't have enough car insurance, or who completely lacks auto insurance coverage. This type of auto insurance coverage also pays for injuries sustained in hit-and-run accidents.
The amount covered by uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury is capped at the limit you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
VIN
The VIN, short for Vehicle Identification Number, is the unique 17-digit number found on every car. The VIN contains the vehicle's serial number, as well as abbreviations for the make, model, and year.
The VIN appears on your vehicle registration card. It's also engraved in your car, near the base of the windshield on the driver's side dashboard and/or on the edge of the driver's side door.
Though you don't need to enter your VIN when you get an auto insurance quote from Esurance, you will need to provide your car's VIN when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage is available in some states, where it's often mandatory.
This type of auto insurance coverage pays for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages when you or your passengers are injured in an accident caused by a driver who has insufficient auto insurance coverage.
This kind of auto insurance coverage typically pays the difference between the coverage limit you select and the other driver's bodily injury coverage limit.
The amount covered by underinsured motorist bodily injury is capped at the limit you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Underinsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage
Underinsured motorist property damage coverage is available in some states, where it's often mandatory.
This type of auto insurance coverage protects you if your car is damaged in an accident caused by a driver who has insufficient auto insurance coverage. Other specific protection afforded by this type of auto insurance coverage varies from state to state.
This kind of auto insurance coverage pays the difference between the coverage limit you select and the other driver's property damage coverage limit.
The amount covered by underinsured motorist property damage is capped at the limit you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage
Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage is available in some states, where it's often mandatory.
This kind of auto insurance coverage pays for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other general damages when you or your passengers are injured in an accident caused by a driver who has no car insurance. Uninsured motorist coverage also pays for injuries sustained in hit-and-run accidents.
The amount covered by uninsured motorist bodily injury is capped at the limit you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage
Uninsured motorist property damage coverage is available in some states, where it's often mandatory.
This kind of auto insurance coverage protects you if your vehicle is damaged in an accident caused by a driver who has no car insurance. Other protection afforded by this type of auto insurance coverage varies from state to state.
The amount covered by uninsured motorist bodily injury is capped at the limit you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy. In some states, you'll need to pay a deductible each time you file an auto insurance claim.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage
In some states, both uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury are bundled into a single coverage. In the states where this type of auto insurance coverage offered, it may be mandatory.
This kind of auto insurance coverage pays for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages when you or your passengers are injured in an accident caused by a driver who doesn't have enough car insurance, or who completely lacks auto insurance coverage. This type of auto insurance coverage also pays for injuries sustained in hit-and-run accidents.
The amount covered by uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury is capped at the limit you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
VIN
The VIN, short for Vehicle Identification Number, is the unique 17-digit number found on every car. The VIN contains the vehicle's serial number, as well as abbreviations for the make, model, and year.
The VIN appears on your vehicle registration card. It's also engraved in your car, near the base of the windshield on the driver's side dashboard and/or on the edge of the driver's side door.
Though you don't need to enter your VIN when you get an auto insurance quote from Esurance, you will need to provide your car's VIN when you buy your auto insurance policy.
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