Jeremiah 29:11

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Posted on Tue, Dec. 05, 2006



Car-nivorous

By Laila Derakhshanian

Despite rising fuel costs and a drop in car sales nationwide, luxury car sales continue to rise.

"You are what you drive ... Our vehicles are an expression of ourselves," said John Sackrison, executive director of Orange County Automobile Dealers Association. Successful people "want the image of success, and a vehicle is a way to show that."

While some people want to exude an image of success, others want to make a statement about their values and their concern for the environment, and perhaps, their pocketbooks. Most car companies, including high-end brands like Lexus and Mercedes-Benz, are creating fuel-efficient cars and crossover vehicles (between SUVs and sedans) to address rising gas prices and environmental concerns.

Meanwhile, traditional Big 5 car makers like Dodge and Chevrolet are bringing back old classics like the Challenger and the Camaro.

And aftermarket companies are riding high on the custom-car trend. Nothing is too gaudy or excessive: diamond-encrusted interiors or DirectTV and PC access while you drive.

Here's a closer look at this season's most noteworthy trends, from the "green" cars to every customization you'd ever imagine.

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WHAT'S REVVIN' UP THE MARKET

THROWBACKS

Back in the late `60s and early `70s, car companies created the pony car: they took big engines and put them into smaller bodies. The pony cars were pinnacle performance cars.

To pay homage to these legendary creations, Dodge is reinventing the Challenger.

If you want one, you'll have to wait until 2008. Odds are that when this car shows up, it will be available with 400-plus horsepower and a $40,000 price tag.
CROSSING OVER

To fight the dip in SUV sales, car manufacturers are creating an automobile referred to as a crossover, providing most of the perks of an SUV, like ample passenger and cargo space, with better fuel efficiency.

The CUV has become the new SUV, and it's the largest growing segment in the auto industry, according to Ford rep Sara Tatchio.

Worth checking out: the Acura RDX, the Saturn Outlook, the Ford Edge, the Lincoln MKX and the Mazda CX-7.

These are different from the smaller SUVs that came out a couple of years ago; CUVs are built on unibody platforms.

HARD TOPS

Several companies are producing hard-top convertibles, which are popular in Europe.

The new Volkswagen EOS is the first hard-top convertible of its kind. It's almost like having three cars in one: you can go completely topless, or use the hard top's sliding/tilting sunroof.

The hardtop retracts in about 25 seconds. Prices start at $27,990; navigation tools are optional.

Other hardtop convertibles available on the market: the Mazda Miata and the Pontiac G6.---

RLSH700

The upcoming Sebring Convertible is a hard-top as well. The market has been heading towards luxury for quite a while. Why else would Chevrolet and Ford have problems. They've been doing this the wrong way all along. They need to use their more luxury orientated divisions.

Why else is Chrysler so successful at it? Their only mistake is they used their best division to do it. GM should use Buick since the only people they appeal to are a dying segment. Ford should use Mercury. Chrysler should have used Eagle, but they preferred to just make 90% of their line rebadged non-Chrysler products.


CUV=four conventional door minivans.

TechmanBD

Actually Ford should use Lincoln for the luxury line.

RLSH700

I will agree that Lincoln needs to be utilized more for divisions such as Lexus, Infinity, and the such, but what I'm talking about is that Ford needs to use the Mercury division to fight Toyota and Honda instead of Ford. Toyota and Honda have a more upscale image developed due to offering more expensive interiors and more refinement.

I doubt Ford or Chevrolet are going to be able to compete due to their old marketing strategies, besides there is an emerging popularity of extremely cheap cars (Kia & Hyundai) Since Ford and Chevrolet are essentially supposed to be the discount leaders, they out to try and compete against the Korean manufactures instead.