March 8, 2010

Mazda Design Chief Gives New Meaning to Zoom-Zoom
Ikuo Maeda, the new design chief at Mazda Motor Corp., earned the nickname "Speedy" for his lead-footed driving on the race course and off. According to Automotive News, he may be the only standing auto executive to have had his license revoked - twice. It's only natural then that Maeda, who took the design reins last April, views himself as the rightful guardian of Mazda's zoom-zoom brand heritage. Not only did Maeda design the bold, muscular silhouette of today's RX-8 sports car. But a generation before, his father - himself a Mazda stylist - designed the RX-8's spiritual ancestor, the original RX-7. "There are lots of car enthusiasts at Mazda, but I think I'm at the top," says Maeda. Small wonder that keeping Mazda sporty and dynamic is Maeda's top priority. Despite his ties to the RX-8, his big pet project is bringing back the RX-7. In the meantime, the new-generation Mazda5 minivan, with its wavy side paneling, is a sign of things right around the corner. It will reach U.S. showrooms early next year. But Americans will get an earlier taste for Maeda's work in the Mazda2 subcompact, which goes on sale this summer. Click here for more from Automotive News on Mazda design chief Ikuo Maeda's philosophy and his future plans for Mazda vehicle design.

Toyota to Refute Electronics Link to Acceleration
According to MSNBC, Toyota Motor Corp. plans Monday to try to undercut suggestions that its electronics systems caused the sudden acceleration problems that led to the recall of more than 8 million vehicles. The automaker plans an event in which it will seek to debunk a critic who claims faulty gas pedals did not cause the sudden acceleration. Toyota will aim to duplicate the scenario created by David W. Gilbert, a professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Gilbert told Congress on Feb. 23 that he was able to recreate sudden acceleration in a Toyota vehicle by manipulating its electronics. Toyota said the director of Stanford University's Center for Automotive Research, Chris Gerdes, will show that the malfunctions Gilbert produced "are completely unrealistic under real-world conditions and can easily be reproduced on a wide range of vehicles made by other manufacturers." Toyota also has hired a consulting firm to study whether electronic problems could cause unintended acceleration. The firm, Exponent Inc., released an interim report that has found no link between the two. Toyota executives will also address recall issues at its annual suppliers meeting in Kentucky on Tuesday. Click here for more from MSNBC on Toyota's plans to address theories about the link between its vehicles' electronics systems and unintended acceleration.

GM to Reinstate 600 Dealerships Slated to Be Cut
General Motors will reinstate 661 dealerships it sought to drop from its sales network. According to USA Today, GM executives said Friday that the dealerships - more than half of those seeking to stay with the automaker - will receive letters giving them the option to remain open. GM said it would not have enough time to negotiate with all 1,100 dealerships that appealed the automaker's decision to close them within a four-month window imposed by the federal government. GM's decision to keep the additional showrooms open effectively shrinks the number of appeals it has to contend with. Arbitration hearings for the dealers who didn't get offers but still want to stay with GM will begin later this month. GM said it chose the 661 based on a variety of criteria, including sales and other business factors. The company said it hoped to have every letter of intent with dealerships by Monday. At that point, dealers have 10 days to respond and 60 days to meet a set of criteria that would allow them to stay with GM. Click here for more from USA Today on GM's plans to reinstate 600 of its dealerships ahead of a federally mandated arbitration process.

Most Value-Packed Cars
Forbes has compiled its list of the most valuable vehicles on the road today. To determine the most value-packed cars of 2010, the publication first evaluated the five-year total cost of ownership for all models sold in the United States. Five-year costs of ownership include adjusted MSRP and five-year totals for fuel costs, maintenance, repairs, average national insurance rates, depreciation, interest, opportunity costs, and taxes. Forbes then isolated the two models in each segment with the lowest costs of ownership, further eliminating any among the top pairs that weren't selected by Consumer Reports as a "Recommended Pick" for 2010. Recommended Picks are models that have average or better predicted reliability and that meet Consumer Reports' safety standards; they also had to have performed well in accelerating, braking, handling, comfort, and other user-oriented tests. Most of the cars on Forbes' list are international. Volvo's $39,200 S80 and Lexus' $39,025 RX350 are the standouts, each meeting Forbes' list criteria: standard leather interior on at least one trim level, satellite radio and Bluetooth capability, advanced airbag systems, cruise control, AWD, and remote keyless entry. But they go above and beyond that. Click here to check out Forbes' full list of value-packed cars. Click here to read in-depth analysis on the best values on the block.

Review: Acura Back on Track with 2010 MDX
Scott Burgess at The Detroit News writes that despite his misgivings with some recent Acura vehicles, his experience test-driving the 2010 Acura MDX reminds him how good this brand can be. This seven-passenger crossover is a blast to drive with its super-handling all-wheel drive and comfortable and well-designed interior. Click here for a picture of the MDX. The MDX provides the luxury appoints you'd expect in a premium brand, surprisingly good road manners, and lots of attention to detail inside and outside the vehicle. The exterior is simple and straightforward with chunky lines along the side of the grille. Acura has done a nice job with the narrow headlights that seem to flow right out of the grill. For the 2010 model year, Acura tried to toughen up the MDX's looks and, overall, succeeded. The MDX has an athletic stance. All of the lines seem to be drawn parallel to the ground to create a very stable look. The extra thick D-pillar in the back may make looking out more difficult from the third row, but it adds to the dramatic curves cut by the windows. More importantly, the MDX rides and drives the way you'd expect an Acura to roll. Click here for Burgess' entire review of the Acura MDX.