springswheels com ■
Friday, March 8, 2013
More at SpringsWheels.com • Ferrari and McLaren unveil hybrid supercars • Kia concept car ‘Provo’ reminds some of IRA terror
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2013 Ford Taurus sEL FWd
Turbo Taurus is Tops in fuel mileage
BY ANN M. JOB ASSOCIATED PRESS Don't expect to find a four-cylinder engine in a big, roomy, 17-foot-long sedan? You're not alone. These big, four-door cars traditionally have V-6s, with choice of optional V-8s. But in the interest of fuel economy, Ford is turning tradition on its head. For 2013, the automaker's fullsize and attractively restyled Taurus includes an optional, turbocharged, EcoBoost four cylinder that capably and impressively delivers 240 horsepower and 270 foot-pounds of torque. This turbo four cylinder, which also is direct injected, makes the Taurus the most fuel-efficient, gasoline-powered, non-hybrid, 2013 full-size sedan in the United States. The federal government fuel economy rating for this model is 22 miles per gallon in city driving and 32 mpg on the highway, with an estimated range of nearly 450 miles on a single tank of regular gasoline. This mileage rating rivals the pricier, 2013 Mercedes-Benz E350 Bluetec, which uses diesel fuel and is a smallersize sedan than the Taurus. Also noteworthy: The 2013 Taurus earned across-the-board, five out of five stars for occupant protection in the government's frontal and side crash tests. Starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, is $27,495 for a front-wheel drive, 2013 Taurus with the base engine, which is a 3.5-liter V-6 that generates 288 horsepower. The lowest starting retail price of a Taurus with the EcoBoost four cylinder is $28,490. And the lowest starting MSRP, including destination charge, for an allwheel drive, 2013 Taurus is $31,545. The EcoBoost four cylinder is not available with all-wheel drive. All 2013 Tauruses come with sixspeed automatic transmissions, though the transmission mated to the EcoBoost motor is different than the one used with the V-6. And yes, there is a performanceoriented Taurus SHO model in 2013. It starts at $40,095. In contrast to SHO models from the past that had V-8s, the 2013 Taurus SHO comes only with a 365-horsepower, twin-turbocharged, EcoBoost V-6 and six-speed automatic. Competitors to the Taurus include other mainstream full-size sedans, such as the front-wheel drive, 2013 Chevrolet Impala, whose starting MSRP, including destination charge, is $26,685. The Impala comes with a
300-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 and automatic transmission and is rated by the government at 18/30 mpg. Meantime, the 2013 Chrysler 300 large, rear-wheel drive sedan has a starting retail price of $30,990 with 292-horsepower V-6 and eight-speed automatic. Its government fuel economy rating is 19/31 mpg. The 2013 Taurus is restyled on the outside, with new grille, lights, trunk lid, rear fenders and wheels updating the car with a fresh, more upscale appearance. But the new look doesn't quite bring the Taurus to the same sporty styling "face" that the Ford Fusion, Focus and Fiesta have. Inside, cheap-looking plastic from the predecessor Taurus is replaced by nicer-looking, textured plastic. And every Taurus comes standard with interior ceiling fabric that's made from recycled material and seat foam that is made from a soy-based rubber. Even Ford's Sync system that can be used to control radio, ventilation, navigation and other settings is updated, in an effort to be more userfriendly. It still takes time, however, to learn the Sync system and commands, and a driver can get distracted working the touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard. The EcoBoost engine really is the news. It costs only $995 more than
the less fuel-efficient, base Taurus V-6 whose fuel economy rating is 19/29 mpg. Plenty of passengers traveled in the test Taurus SEL with optional EcoBoost, and none guessed the powerplant was a four-cylinder gasoline engine. The four-cylinder engine displacement is just 2 liters, but with dual overhead cams, direct injection and turbocharging, this EcoBoost four gets as much as it can from every gallon of gasoline. Indeed, the test car, which traveled 70 percent of the time in city traffic, was driven spiritedly and frequently carried passengers, averaged more than 22 mpg. Yet, the Taurus never lagged or seemed taxed. The car moved smoothly with traffic on city and highway roadways, and shift points from the sixspeed automatic were not obtrusive. Peak torque comes on by 3,000 rpm, which is a good for both decent acceleration and all-situation driving. Note that the gas tank is a sizable 19 gallons, so fillups can be few and far between. In comparison, the lower fuelmileage Impala's gas tank carries 17.5 gallons, with the government estimating a full tank can go for 337 miles. The Taurus also impressed with its quiet interior. Not much was heard from neighboring vehicles at stoplights, and
conversations inside the car were in normal tones. There was a bit of road noise from the optional 19-inch, allseason tires, but wind noise was nicely muted. The optional larger tires, by the way, included a fancy-looking finish that made the Taurus SEL, painted Deep Impact Blue, look upscale. The 2013 Taurus has new, electric power-assisted steering and other fuel economy aides and it cruises comfortably on highways. The car's heft is noticeable, however, on back-and-forth curves on mountain roads. The Taurus trunk is downright huge, with 20.1 cubic feet of space. A lot of this room extends way inside the trunk, under the rear parcel shelf. In comparison, the Impala's trunk provides 18.6 cubic feet of space, and the 300's trunk has 16.3 cubic feet of cargo room. The black leather trim on the test Taurus seats looked good, though it wasn't the most supple leather to the touch. Front-seat legroom of 41.9 inches promises to accommodate just about any tall driver, while rear-seat legroom of 38.1 inches tops the Impala's 37.6 inches and is less than the 40.1 inches that Chrysler says is in the 300 sedan. Consumer Reports says predicted reliability for the Taurus is average. ■
SPRINGSWHEELS.COM • Director of Advertising: Brad Howard, 719.476.1645, brad.howard@gazette.com • Copyright 2013 The Gazette
Vehicle Specifications: BASE PRICE: $26,700 for SE with V-6 PRICE AS TESTED: $35,280 TYPE: Front engine, front-wheel-drive, fivepassenger, large sedan ENGINE: 2-liter, double overhead cam, turbocharged, direct injection, EcoBoost inline four cylinder MILEAGE: 22 (city), 32 (highway) TORQUE: 254 ft-lbs BUILT AT: Chicago
AUTO 2
❘ the gazette ❘ Friday, March 8, 2013
autodirectory ———————— ACURA ———————— Pikes Peak Acura 655 Automotive Dr. • 633-1500 “We’ve Got Motor City Covered”
Pikes Peak Acura Pre-owned Warehouse 103 Motor City Way • 955-1777 “We’ve Got Motor City Covered”
Pikes Peak Acura Truck Superstore 907 Motor City Dr. • 955-1775 “We’ve Got Motor City Covered”
———————— AUDI ———————— Phil Long Audi 550 Automotive Dr. • 575-7830 Colorado Drives Phil Long www.phillong.com
———————— BUICK ———————— Ferguson Buick-Pontiac-GMC 950 S. Academy • 596-5005
Mike Shaw Buick-GMC 1313 Motor City Dr. • 636-3881
——————— CADILLAC ——————— Red Noland Cadillac 990 Motor City Dr. • 633-4633 www.rednoland.com
—————— CHEVROLET —————— Al Serra Chevrolet North 1570 Auto Mall Loop • 719-387-8456 In Chapel Hills Auto Mall www.alserracolorado.com
Al Serra Chevrolet South 230 N. Academy Blvd. • 719-344-2660 Corner of Academy & Bijou www.alserracolorado.com
Daniel’s Long Chevrolet 670 Automotive Drive • 632-5591
——————— CHRYSLER ——————— The Faricy Boys Chrysler, Jeep 4950 New Car Drive • 636-1333 At The New Powers Auto Park
Perkins Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram 1205 Motor City Drive • 1-888-809-4936 The Better Way To Go!
———————— DODGE ——————— Colorado Springs Dodge 7455 Austin Bluffs Pkwy At Woodmen 475-8550 • The Dodge Superstore www.coloradospringsdodge.com
Perkins Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram 1205 Motor City Drive • 1-888-809-4936 The Better Way To Go!
———————— FORD ———————— Phil Long Ford North (Chapel Hills) 1656 Auto Mall Loop • 572-2200 In The Chapel Hills Automall Phil Long Ford South (Motor City) 1226 Motor City Dr. • 575-7100 Colorado Drives Phil Long www.phillong.com
———————— GMC ———————— Ferguson GMC-Pontiac-Buick 950 S. Academy • 596-5005
Mike Shaw GMC-Buick 1313 Motor City Dr. • 636-3881
———————— HONDA ——————— Front Range Honda 1001 S. Academy • 597-4500 Your Hometown Honda Store!
——————— HYUNDAI ——————— Phil Long Hyundai Of Chapel Hills 1510 Auto Mall Loop • 867-6767 Your Lifetime 100,000 Mile Warranty
Phil Long Hyundai Of Motor City 170 Motor Way • 575-7600 Your Lifetime 100,000 Mile Warranty www.phillong.com
————————INFINITI ——————— Red Noland Infiniti 565 Automotive Dr. • 444-8881 On The Hillside In Motor City www.rednoland.com
——————— JAGUAR ——————— Jaguar Colorado Springs 565 Automotive Dr. • 636-9199 On The Hillside In Motor City www.rednoland.com
———————— JEEP ———————— The Faricy Boys Chrysler, Jeep 4950 New Car Drive • 636-1333 At The Powers Auto Park • www.faricy.com
Perkins Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram 1205 Motor City Drive • 1-888-809-4936 The Better Way To Go!
————————— KIA ———————— Signature Kia 1020 Motor City Dr. • 694-0880 www.phillong.com
—————— LAND ROVER —————— Land Rover Colorado Springs 565 Automotive Dr. • 636-9199 On The Hillside In Motor City www.rednoland.com
Natural gas vehicles making inroads; sales rising BY dee-ann duRBin associaTed PRess DETROIT — ford motor co. said Tuesday it sold a record 11,600 natural gas vehicles in its 2012 model year, more than triple the number it sold in 2010. it’s the latest sign that natural gas is making inroads as a transportation fuel, particularly for truck fleets, buses and taxis. The consumer market is tougher to crack, but sales are gaining there as well. natural gas is cheap and plentiful in the u.s. after a spike in production that began in the middle of last decade. at the same time, the price of gasoline and diesel fuel has jumped more than 30 percent. That makes natural gas — which also emits fewer greenhouse gases — an increasingly attractive option for truck companies and municipalities. But while natural gas may be a good choice for snow plows and trash trucks, which go relatively short distances and can refuel at city-owned pumps, it’s a tougher call for ordinary consumers. natural gas cars cost more and there are few public places to refuel them. Those issues need to be addressed if the vehicles are to significantly boost their share of the auto market, which is currently less than 1 percent. general motors co. and chrysler group recently added natural gas pickup trucks to their lineups. Honda motor co. is seeing more interest in its natural gas civic — with record u.s. sales of nearly 2,000 last year — and industry experts expect more offerings for regular buyers in the next year or two. natural gas vehicles aren’t new. ford’s previous peak sales, of 5,491, were in 2001. But they fell out of favor later that decade when the price of natural gas spiked. ford stopped selling natural gas vehicles in 2004 and didn’t start making them again until 2009. during those five years, new technology unlocked vast reserves of natural gas in deep rock formations, creating a glut that has depressed prices. compressed natural gas — or cng — now costs between $1.79 to $3.49 per gallon in the u.s. depending on the location, compared with an average of $3.74 for gasoline and $4.12 for diesel, according to clean energy, which operates natural gas fueling stations, and aaa. it’s even cheaper for corporate or government buyers, who may pay as little as 80 cents per gallon for their natural gas, according to cng now, an industry lobbying group. in the u.s., cng is sold in units that have the energy equivalent of a gallon of gasoline. no one is quite sure how many natural gas vehicles are on the road. Honda and chrysler are the only companies that make cng-ready vehicles in their own factories. ford and gm make vans and trucks that are prepped to run on cng, or on a combination of gasoline and cng, but rely on outside companies to add about $10,000 worth of equipment, including the natural gas tank. some drivers convert their cars and trucks on their own. ge, which is currently developing a home fueling station, estimates there are 250,000 natural gas vehicles currently in use in the u.s. dave Hurst, a principal research analyst with Pike Research, a division of the consulting firm
navigant, estimates that 20,381 natural gas vehicles were sold in the u.s. in 2012. ford sold more the most, but big truck makers like navistar and freightliner and bus makers like new flyer were also in the mix. Hurst estimates that 1,600 cng buses and 1,500 cng garbage trucks were sold last year. Hurst expects cng vehicle sales to grow by 10 percent per year through 2019, when he’s forecasting sales of 39,864. in a market where 16 million new cars and trucks are sold each year, that’s still less than 1 percent. But Hurst expects to see steady demand from governments and other fleet buyers and new offerings to meet those demands. for example, ford plans to release a cng version of its lincoln mkT crossover — which is sold to limousine companies — in 2014. Hurst doesn’t anticipate a big uptick in sales to general consumers. Price is a problem. With a starting price of $26,305, a 2013 natural gas civic costs $8,100 more than the base gas model. Big trucks that burn 20,000 to 40,000 gallons of gas a year can easily make up that difference, but it takes far longer for regular consumers, who may only use 500 gallons per year. Home fueling stations add $4,000 to $6,000 to that cost. Range is also a concern. The u.s. has 1,100 natural gas fueling stations and only about half are open to the public. a natural gas civic can go around 200 miles on a tank. That’s better than an electric car, which might go 100 miles on a charge. But it’s less than the 300 to 350 miles a driver can go on a tank of gas in a regular civic. all those things could change. ge is trying to develop a $500 home fueling station, and the federal government could encourage sales with tax credits, as it has done with its $7,500 electric vehicle credit. some states are already giving tax credits to cng vehicle buyers, including West Virginia — which gives up to $7,500 for smaller vehicles and $20,000 for trucks — and colorado, which gives up to $6,000. “once we get a good home refueling station, you’ll never have to go to a gas station again unless you like their coffee,” said Jon coleman, ford’s fleet sustainability manager. coleman thinks sales to individuals will one day outpace sales to fleets because natural gas is so plentiful and is already being piped into millions of homes. for now, coleman works mostly with corporate and government fleets, which appreciate the stability of natural gas prices compared with gasoline. irving, Texas-based oil and gas company Pioneer natural Resources recently ordered 250 f-250 pickups that can run on a combination of gas and natural gas. The company already has 50 bi-fuel vehicles, and wants to convert most of its fleet by 2015, according to lynn lyon, Pioneer’s director of fuel market development. lyon, who uses a bi-fuel f-250 as her personal vehicle, says it seamlessly switches between gas and natural gas and is easy to fill up. But more important, the company is paying $2 less per gallon than if it was only buying gasoline, she said. “People will drive across town to save 10 cents a gallon at the pump. What would you do to save $1 or more?” she said. ■
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CLICK & CLACK:
BY Tom and RaY magliozzi ■ king feaTuRes sYndicaTe
When your car’s idiot lights come on, you’d be an idiot to keep driving Dear Tom and Ray: i have a 2002 subaru impreza WRX wagon. Yesterday, while sitting in traffic, i noticed that my temperature gauge was all the way in the red. i glance at it occasionally (weekly), and this is the first time i’ve noticed a high temperature. i continued on to my destination, parked the car for about two hours, then drove the car home. for the first three to five minutes, it was fine (below the middle mark), but then it slowly crept up, steadily but surely, to the Red HoT zone. it crept up there over the course of about 15-20 seconds. any idea what would suddenly cause this? Thanks! – Travis TOM: maybe it’s global warming, Travis. RAY: Yeah, combined with a blown head gasket. TOM: it’s possible it was something cheap and simple, like a stuck thermostat. notice i said “was” something cheap and simple. Because now it’s probably complicated and expensive. RAY: Because you kept driving, even when you knew the car was already overheating, you may have made it a lot worse. TOM: if your original problem was a loose hose clamp, now it might be a blown head gasket or a cracked head. RAY: so, what to do? Well, unless your mechanic is three minutes away or less, have the car towed to him, and ask him to take a look. He’ll check for simple stuff first. if he doesn’t see an external leak, he’ll do a head gasket test and call you with his “i’ve got bad news for you” voice. TOM: in the meantime, you can start working on your home equity loan application, just in case. RAY: and next time, when you’re tempted to “make it home, then figure out what’s wrong,” be aware that there are some circumstances when that approach will cost you thousands of dollars. TOM: Two of those circumstances are when you see red idiot lights on your dashboard that say either “HoT” (or sometimes “coolanT”) or “oil.” When you see those, pull over, shut off the engine and call for help. Remember, Travis, they’re called “idiot lights” for a reason. ■
Get more Click and Clack in their new book, “Ask Click and Clack: Answers from Car Talk.” Got a question about cars? Write to Click and Clack in care of this newspaper, or e-mail them by visiting the Car Talk Web site at www. cartalk.com.
———————— LEXUS ———————— Lexus Of Colorado Springs 604 Auto Heights Dr. • 385-0111 “Luxury’s Home In Motor City” www.lexusofcs.com
——————— LINCOLN ——————— Phil Long Ford Lincoln 1212 Motor City Drive • 694-1270 www.phillonglincoln.com
————— MERCEDES-BENZ ————— Mercedes-Benz Of Colorado Springs A Division Of Phil Long 730 Automotive Dr. • 575-7930 Colorado Drives Phil Long www.phillong.com
———————— NISSAN ——————— South Colorado Springs Nissan 175 N. Academy Blvd. Academy & Bijou • 550-3030
Woodmen Nissan 6840 Vincent Drive • 234-1000 I-25 & Woodmen
——————— PONTIAC ——————— Ferguson Pontiac-Buick-GMC 950 S. Academy • 596-5005
———————— SAAB ———————— Red Noland Saab 990 Motor City Dr. • 633-4633 www.rednoland.com
——————— SUBARU ——————— Heuberger Motors 1080 Motor City Dr. • 475-1920 The Road To Quality & Economy www.heubergermotors.com
—————— TOYOTA/SCION—————— Liberty Toyota/Scion 5115 New Car Drive • 598-2222 www.libertytoyotascion.com
——————— Volkswagen —————— Al Serra VW 1580 Auto Mall Loop • 694-0871 In Chapel Hills Auto Mall www.alserravw.com
——————— USED CARS——————— 5995 Bargain Corner 1338 Motor City Dr • 358-3904
5995 Bargain Outlet 8204 Jamboree Circle • 387-8582 www.phillong.com
McCloskey Motors 6710 N. Academy Blvd. • 594-9400 www.bigjoeauto.com
Mike Shaw Buick-GMC 1313 Motor City Dr. • 636-3881
MonumentMotors.com 465 Hwy 105 • Monument, CO • 481-9900 We Specialize In Used, Reconditioned & Current Model Subarus! View Inventory Online: www.monumentmotors.com Phil Long Ford Signature (Chapel Hills) 1540 Auto Mall Loop • 362-5805
Red Noland Pre-Owned 1260 Motor City Dr. • 325-7574
Valuecar North 1510 Auto Mall Loop • 387-8540
Valuecar South 150 W. Motor Way • 694-3454 www.phillong.com
Automakers report growing US sales in February BY dee-ann duRBin and Tom kRisHeR associaTed PRess DETROIT — americans want new cars and trucks, and they’re not going to let higher gas prices or political dysfunction in Washington stand in their way. general motors, Toyota, ford and most other automakers posted at least modest sales gains for february. industry analysts estimate last month’s sales rose about 7 percent from a year earlier as pent-up demand and cheap financing kept the u.s. auto sales recovery powering along. gm sales rose 7 percent, while ford’s increased 9 percent. chrysler and Volkswagen also reported increases, but both slowed from the torrid pace of the past two years. chrysler sales were up 4 percent over a year earlier, while VW sales were up 3 percent. Toyota sales were up just over 4 percent, while Hyundai and Honda each had 2 percent gains. of the major automakers, only nissan was down. its sales were off almost 7 percent from a record february of 2012. auto industry analysts say that higher social security taxes, rising gas prices and looming government spending cuts failed to keep buyers away from showrooms. “i think these little speed bumps aren’t big enough to slow down the momentum right now,” said Jeff schuster, senior vice president of forecasting for lmc automotive, an industry consulting firm. That momentum comes from a number of factors, including the need to replace aging cars and trucks,
historically low interest rates and steady improvement in hiring and hourly pay. But while sales for 2013 are expected to top last year’s figures, monthly increases are likely to be smaller than the double-digit gains the industry has regularly posted as sales recovered from historic lows following the recession. still, gm’s sales were the best since february of 2008, led by the chevrolet silverado pickup with an increase of 29 percent. kurt mcneil, the company’s u.s. sales chief, said the recovery in new home construction is helping to boost the economy and pickup sales. When home construction thrives, businesses tend to invest more to replace vehicles. The average age of a u.s. pickup truck is just over 11 years. ford also reported strong sales of its f-series pickups, up 15 percent. The company also posted record february totals for the escape suV and fusion sedan. fusion sales were up 28 percent and escape sales rose 29 percent. Together, the escape and fusion made up more than a quarter of ford’s monthly sales. ford also said it plans to increase north american production by 9 percent in the second quarter compared with the second quarter of 2012. at chrysler, which reported a 21 percent sales increase for all of last year, the growth slowdown was expected. ceo sergio marchionne has warned that first-quarter sales would decline, largely because the company
stopped making the Jeep liberty midsize suV as it prepares a factory in Toledo, ohio, to build a replacement model. The new Jeep cherokee is expected to hit showrooms in the summer. still, the company reported its 35thstraight month of year-over-year sales gains. Volkswagen reported its best february since 1973, but sales were far off the pace of VW’s 31 percent increase last year. Toyota reported strong sales of the RaV4 small suV and avalon large car. schuster says sales probably hit an annual rate of 15.2 million cars and trucks in february, which is normally a lackluster sales month. The Truecar. com auto pricing site predicts 15.7 million, which would be the best february performance since 2007. sales are still short of the recent peak of near 17 million in 2005, but they’re healthy now compared with the anemic 10.4 million recorded in 2009. matt lafontaine, general manager of the lafontaine automotive group, an 18-franchise chain in the detroit area, said all of his dealerships that sell detroit-based brands will beat their projections for the month. “The biggest thing for us is just making sure we have enough product on the ground.” customers, he says, “are ready to make a move.” lafontaine said the budget debate in Washington hasn’t cut into auto sales. congress and President Barack obama aren’t likely to reach a lastminute agreement before $85 billion in
automatic government spending cuts kick in friday. Higher gas prices also haven’t hurt sales, evidenced by the growth in large vehicles like pickup trucks. The average price for gas rose 36 cents per gallon in february to around $3.78 per gallon. consumers have also shrugged off higher social security taxes, which cut take-home pay starting in January. for a household making between $70,000 and $100,000 per year, it cost around $300 per month, which is close to a car payment. Barclay’s analyst Brian Johnson said the tax increase has had little impact on new-car buyers, but it may hurt used-car sales because those buyers are more price-sensitive. automakers are spending less on discounts and deals, which cut into their profits and brand image. discounts in february averaged $2,392 per vehicle, down almost 4 percent from a year ago, Truecar said. But low interest rates are offsetting that, lafontaine said. The average four-year auto loan has a 2.5 percent interest rate, according to Bankrate. com. That’s about half of what it was five or six years ago. on a $20,000 loan, that means a monthly payment of $438, down $23 from a 5 percent loan. Plus, automakers offer subsidized loans to spur sales, many with no interest. and some consumers have no choice but to buy. The average vehicle on u.s. roads is a record 11.2 years old. many car buyers are being forced to replace aging vehicles after hanging on to them through the great Recession. ■
Friday, March 8, 2013 ❘ the gazette ❘
AUTO 3
Workers dust a car at the Mini booth during last preparations prior to the opening of the press preview days at the 83nd Geneva International Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland. The Motor Show opens its gates to the public from March 7 to 17, presenting more than 260 exhibitors and more than 130 world and European premieres. (AP Photo/Keystone, Martial Trezzini)
European carmakers to get serious at Geneva Motor Show By SARAH DiLORENZO ASSOciAtED pRESS PARIS — the Geneva Motor Show has long had a reputation as one of the glitziest stops on the global auto show circuit — the place to unveil luxury models and out-of-this-world fantasy concept cars. But this year the dire state of the European auto industry will hang over the exhibition halls. Hit by fleeing customers, struggling economies and idle production lines, the region’s carmakers need to make tough decisions if they are going to survive. paul Newton, an analyst at HiS Automotive, an industry consulting firm, says no broad themes have emerged ahead of this week’s show and no landmark unveilings are expected — a sign of the industry’s malaise and uncertainty. He argues that European automakers need deep restructuring — not just a set of flashy new wheels. “the Koreans are taking customers from somewhere. And it would appear that these guys are taking customers from the mass-market, established European players,” said Newton. While the European financial crisis has sent unemployment soaring and led to a sustained fall in overall retail sales across the region, Europe’s auto companies were struggling even before the global financial crisis hit in 2008. they have long had far more factory floor space and employees than they need to produce the number of cars they can reasonably expect to sell.
this is reflected in the poor results of the Geneva Motor Show’s European exhibitors: Last year, Fiat’s profit fell 73 percent, while Renault’s dropped 15 percent. pSA peugeot citroen posted a record €5 billion ($6.5 billion) loss. Of the major European auto groups, only Volkswagen is thriving — profit rose 41 percent in 2012, although that was less than expected. Meanwhile in the U.S., both General Motors, which will be debuting a convertible corvette at the show, and Ford recorded healthy — but reduced — profits as strong sales in the U.S. covered losses in Europe. Even if Europe’s carmakers were better able to compete on a global stage, their home market is suffering. car sales across Europe fell for the fifth year in a row in 2012, pulling back another 7.8 percent, according to data from consultancy pwc. Analysts say sales probably won’t climb back to the 2007 peak before at least 2020. One reason for the poor financial performance is idle factory floors. A report by analysts Alix partners found that at the height of production in 2007, the industry in Europe was only using 83 percent of its capacity. it’s expected to be around 75 percent for the next couple of years. One way carmakers in the U.S. have turned around their operations is by dealing with their own overcapacity problem, shutting 18 factories in
four years; Europe has yet to bite the bullet. On top of this, building a car in Europe is more expensive than in many competitor countries thanks to rigid labor agreements that drive up wages and offer generous benefits. those same agreements also make it difficult to transfer jobs elsewhere. the high costs of labor and the overcapacity at factories both conspire to eat into profits — which could otherwise be re-invested in innovation and technology to capture new customers. the only way forward, analysts say, is to become leaner by tackling uncompetitive labor regulations and closing factories. this may be harder in some countries than others. in recent months, for instance, the French government and unions have fought plans by pSA peugeot citroen to trim its excess capacity by closing its Aulnay plant and eliminate 8,000 jobs. “the principles behind egalite and fraternite and all the rest are great if you can afford it,” said Newton of the generous French contracts that also hamper other European manufacturers. “the problem is France really can’t afford it when it’s competing with people who basically make better products at a cheaper price.” Volkswagen, which is expected to unveil a new Gti model in Geneva, has benefited from
Germany’s more flexible labor laws, which have helped it keep costs lower and continually push innovation. in addition to the rise in profits, the carmaker saw sales jump 21 percent last year. carlos Ghosn, head of the Renault-Nissan alliance, has hailed a new partnership with Mercedes as a way to address overcapacity, but said it all comes back to negotiating more flexible terms with workers. the carmaker is planning to eliminate 7,500 jobs in France over the next three years, mostly through attrition. “it’s a win-win relationship, which allows us to increase the utilization rate at Renault’s factories, while keeping our partners from investing in new production capacity,” he told Le Monde in a recent interview. Ghosn and his competitor cEO philippe Varin of pSA will be using Geneva to persuade the press and their customers that 2013 represents a new beginning. But as Laurent petizon, an analyst with Alix partners, stresses, if manufacturers are going to make a new start once the current economic and industrial downturns begin to ease, they have to learn the lessons of overcapacity and inflexibility. “the crisis is an opportunity to reform the industry once and for all,” he said. “there will be growth, maybe in two years. But to capture it, you have to be healthy!” ■
Speedometer top speed often exceeds reality By tOM KRiSHER ASSOciAtED pRESS DETROIT — the speedometer on the toyota yaris says the tiny car can go 140 miles per hour. in reality, the bulbous subcompact’s 106-horsepower engine and automatic transmission can’t push it any faster than 109. So why do the yaris — and most other cars sold in the U.S. — have speedometers that show top speeds they can’t possibly reach? the answer has deep roots in an American culture that loves the rush of driving fast. the automakers’ marketing departments are happy to give people the illusion that their family car can travel at speeds rivaling a NAScAR racer. And companies often use one speedometer type in various models across the world, saving them money. But critics say the ever-higher numbers are misleading. Some warn they create a safety concern, daring drivers to push past freeway speed limits that are 65 to 75 mph in most states. “you reach a point where it becomes ridiculous,” says Larry Dominique, a former Nissan product chief who now is executive vice president of the truecar. com auto pricing website. “Eighty percent plus of the cars on the road are not designed for and will not go over 110 mph.” Last year, speedometer top speeds for new versions of the mainstream Ford Fusion and chevrolet Malibu were increased from 120 or 140 mph to 160, which approaches speeds on some NAScAR tracks. the speedometer on the Honda Accord already topped out at 160. All are midsize family haulers, the most popular segment of the U.S. auto market, and like most new cars, have top speeds that seldom exceed 120 mph. the yaris got its 140 mph speedometer in a redesign for the 2012 model year, giving it the same top
reading as the original 1953 chevrolet corvette sports car. Even the new Nissan Sentra compact has a 160 mph speedometer. there are several explanations for the speedometers. When people are comparison shopping, cars with higher speedometer readings appear to be sportier, and buyers favor them even though they have no intention of driving over 100. “people really want to see higher numbers,” said Fawaz Baltaji, a business development manager for yazaki North America, a large supplier of speedometers for auto companies. “it is indicative of a more powerful engine. there’s a marketing pitch to it.” Although cars with high-horsepower engines can come close to the top speedometer speeds, most are limited by engine control computers. that’s because the tires can overheat and fail at higher speeds. tires now common on mainstream cars often can’t go above 130 mph or they could fail. Many tires, especially on older models, have speed limits as low as 112. But that’s still faster than most people will ever drive. Automakers, in a push to cut costs, now sell the same cars worldwide and use the same speedometers in different cars all over the world. in china and Europe, governments require that the top number on speedometers be higher than a car’s top speed. cars sold in Europe, for instance, have faster top speeds than those sold elsewhere because they can be driven over 150 mph on sections of Germany’s Autobahn. So to sell the same car or speedometer globally, the numbers have to be higher, said Kurt tesnow, who’s in charge of speedometer and instrument clusters for General Motors. Also, some mainstream cars have some souped-up cousins that go
faster and need higher speedometer numbers. A chevy Malibu with a 2-liter turbocharged engine, for instance, can go 155 mph, far higher than the mainstream version. the little toyota yaris gets its speedometer from another toyota model that’s sold in other countries. “it’s not that each speedometer is designed for that specific vehicle,” said Greg thome, a company spokesman. in a similar vein, U.S. automakers can make engines that blow past 70 mph because they make cars for global drivers and speed limits vary around the world. And drivers like the security of knowing they could outrun a natural disaster, such as a tornado, if necessary. the speedometer designs also reflect research that found most people like the needle to hit highway speeds at the top of the speedometer’s circle, said yazaki’s Baltaji. So the common freeway cruising speed of 70 to 80 mph is right in the middle on a 160 mph speedometer, he said. the rising speedometer numbers aren’t surprising to Joan claybrook, the top federal auto safety regulator under president Jimmy carter. She’s been fighting the escalation for years and says it encourages drivers — especially younger ones — to drive too fast. During her tenure, she briefly got speedometer numbers lowered. “they think that speed sells,” she said of automakers. “people buy these cars because they want to go fast.” Some drivers at dealerships tuesday conceded that marketing the higher speeds could have worked on them — at least when they were younger. paul Lampinen, 36, of Ann Arbor, Mich., said he bought a Ram pickup with a V-8 engine because he likes a powerful truck. the higher speedometer numbers could have influenced him when he
Although current cars with high-horsepower engines can come close to the top speedometer speeds, most are limited by engine control computers. That’s because the tires can overheat and fail at higher speeds. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) was in his 20s, but they wouldn’t work now, he said. “i don’t want to pay any tickets,” he said while getting his truck serviced at a chrysler dealer in nearby Saline, Mich. For years, most speedometers topped out at 120 — even though that was 50 mph over the limit in most states. then, in 1980, claybrook, who ran the National Highway traffic Safety Administration, limited speedometers to 85 mph, even though cars could go much faster. the move, designed to end the temptation to push cars to their limits, drew outrage from gearheads nationwide. Some automakers got around the rule by ending the numbers at 85 but leaving lines beyond that to show higher speeds. the government also forced automakers to highlight 55 mph, which at the time was the fuelsaving national speed limit. the limit was short-lived, overturned two years later by president Ronald Reagan, who campaigned on a pledge to end onerous government regulations. cars with 85 mph speedometers
lingered for several years until they were redesigned and the maximum speeds for most returned to 120. By the 2000s, however, the speedometer speeds crept higher. Even compact cars showed 130 or 140 mph. the 2014 chevrolet corvette speedometer and some Jaguar models now peak at 200. claybrook concedes there’s no data to show the 85 mph limit saved lives, but she believes it did. She calls the everhigher speedometer numbers immoral. At present, the government has no plans to reinstate speedometer limits or regulate top speeds, saying there’s no evidence to show it would prevent crashes. “Ultimately, drivers are subject to speed limits mandated by the states regardless of the top speed listed on a vehicle speedometer,” NHtSA spokeswoman Lynda tran said. But claybrook isn’t satisfied. “to have a car register any more than the maximum speed limit is really a statement by the company: Drive faster. it’s OK,” she said. “it’s encouraging people to violate the law.” ■
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❘ the gazette ❘ Friday, March 8, 2013
ELECTION NOTICE Pursuant to the Code of the City of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Notice is hereby given that a General Municipal Mail Ballot Election of the qualified electors residing within the corporate limits of the City of Colorado Springs, will be held in said City on TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 2013 for the election of the following District Council officers: The list of candidates whose names are entitled to appear on the ballot for the office of each District Council Member is as follows: District 1 Candidates Julie Naye Tim Leigh Linda Mojer Don Knight Joe Barrera
District 2 Candidates Angela Dougan Joel Miller Bill Murray
District 3 Candidates Tom Gallagher Jim Bensberg Bob Kinsey Brandy Williams Keith King
District 4 Candidates Gary L. Flakes Deborah Hendrix Dennis R. Moore Helen Collins
District 5 Candidates Bernie Herpin Roger McCarville Jill Gaebler Al Loma
District 6 Candidates Andres G. Pico David H. Moore Ed Bircham
Official notice is hereby also given that in addition to those names entitled to appear on the ballot, the following are the ballot titles as they will appear on the ballot for April 2, 2013: ISSUE 1 WITHOUT RAISING TAXES AND TO PROVIDE FUNDING FLEXIBILITY, SHALL THE EXISTING INITIATED 0.10% (ONE TENTH OF A CENT) CITY SALES AND USE TAX FOR TRAILS, OPEN SPACE, AND PARKS (TOPS) ORDINANCE, APPROVED BY THE VOTERS IN 1997 AND SUBSEQUENTLY AMENDED BY THE VOTERS IN 2003 AND 2010, BE FURTHER AMENDED TO ALLOW THE PORTION OF THE REVENUE ALLOCATED FOR PARKS (A MAXIMUM OF TWENTY PERCENT (20%) OF THE TOPS REVENUE) BE USED TO ACQUIRE, CONSTRUCT AND MAINTAIN NEW PARK AREAS AND TO MAINTAIN AND RENOVATE ALL PARKS COMMENCING WITH REVENUES RECEIVED ON AND AFTER JANUARY 1, 2013? ISSUE 2 SHALL ARTICLE XIII, SECTION 13-20(B) OF THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF COLORADO SPRINGS, BE AMENDED TO READ: ALL COUNCILMEMBERS SHALL RECEIVE AN ANNUAL STIPEND OF $6,250 PAYABLE PURSUANT TO ORDINANCE; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT COMMENCING MAY 1, 2015, ALL PERSONS HOLDING THE OFFICE OF COUNCILMEMBER SHALL RECEIVE AN ANNUAL SALARY EQUAL TO FIFTY PERCENT (50%) OF THE MAYOR’S SALARY AS AUTHORIZED IN ARTICLE XIII, SECTION 13-20(A), ABOVE, PAYABLE PURSUANT TO ORDINANCE, IN LIEU OF AN ANNUAL STIPEND. THE CITY OF COLORADO SPRINGS 1 SHALL PROVIDE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS TO COUNCILMEMBERS IN THE SAME MANNER AS PROVIDED TO FULL-TIME CITY EMPLOYEES?
Ballots may be mailed to the City Clerk’s Office or deposited at the locations listed during the hours as follows: Unless noted, all locations are only open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. On Election Day, all locations are open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Ballots may be dropped off at the City Clerk's Office, 30 South Nevada Avenue, Suite 101 from March 11 through April 2, 2013. The City Clerk's Office will have curb-side ballot drop-off available on Election Day from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM from South-bound Nevada Ave and West-bound Colorado Ave. Starting March 14, 2013 these additional Drop-Off sites will be available: Additional Drop-Off Sites Colorado Springs Senior Center Fire Station #8 Stetson Hills Police Substation Pikes Peak Library District — East Library Citizens' Service Center — EPC Clerk's Office Centennial Hall — EPC Clerk's Office DMV at Powers Blvd. and Airport Rd. North Union Town Center — EPC Clerk's Office
Address 1514 North Hancock Avenue 3737 Airport Road 4110 Tutt Boulevard 5550 North Union Boulevard 1675 West Garden of the Gods Road 200 South Cascade Avenue 5650 Industrial Place, Suite 100 8830 North Union Boulevard
Locations also open on Saturdays, 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM North Union Town Center — EPC Clerk's Office 8830 North Union Boulevard Locations available 24 Hours-a-Day Secure Mail Ballot Drop-Off Box
1675 West Garden of the Gods Road
No votes will be received by the judges of election unless the person offering to vote shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age, a citizen of the United States, who shall have resided in the State of Colorado and in the municipal election precinct twenty-nine (29) days immediately preceding the election, and who shall also be registered as provided by law. Any elector qualified to vote in the City at the General Municipal Mail Ballot Election whose name does not appear in the registration books shall have the right to register up to and including Monday, March 4, 2013. When any registered elector shall be absent from the City on the day of the election, such elector may apply to the City Clerk for an absent/replacement voter’s ballot by not later than 5:00 P.M., on the Tuesday immediately preceding the election, i.e. March 26, 2013, if the request is made for the ballot to be mailed; or March 29, 2013 if the voter requests the ballot in person as provided by law. All ballots must be in the hands of the City Clerk not later than 7:00 P.M. on the day of election.
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IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, the City Council of the City of Colorado Springs has caused this notice to be dated this 8th day of March, 2013. 2
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Published in The Gazette March 8, 2013
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