Dodge Ram Laramie Longhorn wins
TRUCK OF TEXAS title
By ALAN GELL
The Dodge Ram Laramie Longhorn edition was named as the TRUCK OF TEXAS after an extensive weekend of competition in the San Antonio – Bulverde area. The Laramie Longhorn follows in the footsteps on many great vehicles receiving the award in the 20-year history of the Texas Auto Writers Association.
Other top awards went to the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Nissan Juke, and Ford’s MyTouch system. Vehicles were arranged by categories, such as heavy-duty trucks, compact crossovers, or luxury SUV’s. Competition was intense, with each manufacturer bringing their best of the best. Workers were present all day, wiping the dirt and dust off. Individual winners were named for each category.
Almost 40 automotive journalists gathered for a long weekend of testing and evaluating approximately 60 trucks, SUV’s, and CUV’s in off-road and on-road areas. The majority of driving took place at the historic Knibbe Ranch near Canyon Lake. The test drive route took the journalists up and over steep rocky areas in the famed Texas Hill Country, through small ranch creeks, and along the gravel riverbed edge of the Guadalupe River. There were a few mishaps, including some cut tires on the sharp rocks and at least one vehicle bogging down in the swift-flowing waters of the Guadalupe.
Mike Herzing, current President of the Texas Auto Writers, commented, “This years' Rodeo was filled with excitement, surprises, and extraordinary emphasis on products. Manufacturers all represented themselves with great vehicles and knowledgeable people.” Manufacturer representatives were more numerous than the journalists due to the coveted awards. The awards translate into more sales and more sales translate into more money for the car companies.
Public Relations representatives, engineers, designers, planners, and even executives were present to attempt influence in the evaluation and voting process. Mark Fields, President of the Americas for Ford and Fred Diaz, President of Ram Division for Dodge was both present, as were other high-ranking individuals. Although there were no overt attempts to “buy votes”, there were plenty of ball caps, tee-shirts, key chains, and other small items handed out to the voting journalists.
The trophies, custom-made belt buckles, and other awards will be presented at a special banquet to be held November 12, 2010 at Space Center Houston.
The Truck of Texas is the Dodge Ram Laramie Longhorn. The Laramie Longhorn had been unveiled at the State Fair of Texas in late September and is classified as a Full-Size Luxury pickup.
The SUV of Texas is the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Jeep’s popular SUV has had significant changes made to their newest model. The Jeep Grand Cherokee was introduced several months prior to the Rodeo and has had significant mention in the automotive press.
The CUV of Texas is the Nissan Juke, recently unveiled and new on the market. This small Crossover is based on a car platform but performs like a small SUV.
The Truck Line of Texas is Ford Motor Company, maintaining its significant emphasis on providing a wide variety of products for the buying public. The Most Outstanding Feature award also went to Ford Motor Company for its new MyFordTouch. MyFordTouch is an extension of the popular SYNC and uses voice interaction with controls for the radio, climate control, navigation, and more.
2010 Truck Rodeo Category awards included:
Full- Size SUV - Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4
Mid-Size SUV- Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4x4
Compact SUV – Subaru Forester
Full-Size Luxury SUV – Cadillac Escalade Hybrid 4x4
Mid-Size Luxury SUV – Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid
Full-Size Luxury CUV – Lincoln MKT
Mid-Size Luxury CUV – Cadillac SRX Turbo
Compact CUV – Nissan Juke
Mid-Size CUV – Ford Edge Limited
Full-Size CUV - Chevrolet Traverse AWD
Full-Size Pickup Truck – Ram 1500 Outdoorsman Crew Cab 4x4
Mid-Size Pickup Truck – Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4x2 Texas Addition
Luxury Pickup Truck – Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn
Heavy Duty Pickup Truck-Ram 2500 Power Wagon Crew Cab 4x4
Texas Auto Writers hold Spring Challenge –
Cadillac CTS named “Car of Texas”
By: ALAN GELL, Lh.D.
Automotive Journalist
General Motors, Dodge, Ford – they all won “big” at the 2010 Spring Challenge conducted by the Texas Auto Writers Association. The event was held at the Texas Motor Speedway in DFW and consisted of experienced automotive journalists test-driving sports cars, sedans, and other vehicles.
TAWA is one of the most recognized and respected auto journalist groups in the US. It was created many years ago as a means to develop professional development and vehicle excellence in Texas. A Texas Truck Rodeo is held each October that consists of off-road competition and features trucks and SUV’s that are four-wheel-drive equipped. The overall winners are named as TRUCK OF TEXAS and SUV OF TEXAS.
Several years ago, it became apparent to the TAWA group that another event was necessary to compare the many sedans and other cars. The Texas Spring Challenge was first held in Austin and has since been held in various locations around the State.
The Texas Motor Speedway offers a tremendous backdrop to the wide variety of vehicles tested. It includes the infield track for high-speed driving and the outer parking lot loops. This allows the journalists to perform driving maneuvers without interfering with local roadways and traffic.
The 2010 competition consisted of approximately 60 vehicles. The journalists represented all areas of Texas media, including television, radio, daily newspapers, weekly community newspapers, websites, and web blogs. A few members came from outside of the State although their writings appear in various area newspapers due to syndication. The group included long-term experience as well as some newcomers.
At the conclusion of the event, the automotive writers completed their ballots and Mike Herzing, President of TAWA, along with the group’s Board of Directors, completed the tally. The awards will be officially presented to the manufacturers during the State Fair of Texas.
Named as the WRITERS’ CHOICE – CAR OF TEXAS was the new Cadillac CTS-V. Other categories and winners are:
HIGH PERFORMANCE CAR OF TEXAS – Dodge Viper ACR
FAMILY CAR OF TEXAS – Ford Taurus
MOST INNOVATIVE – Mercedes-Benz E350A Cabriolet
BEST NEW DESIGN – Ford Fiesta
BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY – Lincoln MKT
BEST VALUE – Ford Fiesta
Former TAWA President Marlon Hanson was present at the event and commented, “Consumers in Texas are the real winners in this event. All the manufacturers strive to make their vehicles better and safer.” Former President Harold Gunn was also present and said, “Texas journalists have a tough time choosing the best because the vehicles are all so good. It is a hard decision.”
(Dr. Alan Gell is a long time member and former board member of the Texas Auto Writers. He is also an active member of the Texas Press Association and former publisher of the Ellis County Chronicle and Italy News-Herald newspapers. He and his wife Judy reside near Elkhart and Grapeland, Texas.)
TAWA 2010 Challenge
By Judy Gell
Automotive Journalist
Each year the Texas Auto Writers Association holds two events for the membership, which allow journalists to drive and evaluate new vehicles. One is held in the fall, The Truck Rodeo, and features pickups, SUVs and CUVs to be driven over a challenging off-road course. The other event is called the Spring Challenge, where family and sports cars are driven on the road, and in some cases on a racetrack.
The 2010 Spring Challenge was held at the Texas Motor Speedway in Grapevine, Texas. Since it is one of only two events where a large percentage of journalist members get together at one place at once, there is a great deal of visiting and catching up that highlights the social times and meals. Once we discover the latest family and business news about one another, the conversation inevitably turns to the common passion that unites this group---cars!
There are typically 50-60 vehicles entered in the event; all to be driven by as many journalists as can make it into the driver’s seat. Since there are usually about 40-50 journalists, it becomes a very busy day! Safety is the first consideration, with rules and procedures listed and emphasized during the breakfast meeting. At the track the manufacturer representatives are eager to visit with each and every driver, listing the many advantages of the vehicles they have entered. It takes firm resolve and determination to back away politely and slam that driver’s side door from the inside so that you can get down to the business of driving. Occasionally you will discover that the rep has raced around the car to join you and is sitting in the passenger seat, continuing to sell you a vehicle you have no intention of buying!
Behind the wheel there are many things to consider as the few miles quickly roll by: I try to follow a routine, starting with my impression of the exterior appearance, followed by the interior and comfort, then the performance of the vehicle. There are no score sheets; the judging is by overall impression in categories such as “Best New Design”, “Best New Technology”, overall choice as “Best Vehicle” for the event, and more. Challenging is an understatement when you have driven as many as 40 vehicles, from roadsters to sedans to mini-vans, in the space of 6-7 hours.
It is several days before the results are sent out, during which the merits of one vehicle over another are discussed in emails and phone conversations. Each journalist is certain that his or her choices were the obvious best. The final results encourage more competitive discussion, but everyone is happy and eagerly anticipating the next event.
The winners of the 2010 Spring Challenge are:
WRITERS’ CHOICE – CAR OF TEXAS was the new Cadillac CTS-V
HIGH PERFORMANCE CAR OF TEXAS – Dodge Viper ACR
FAMILY CAR OF TEXAS – Ford Taurus
MOST INNOVATIVE – Mercedes-Benz E350A Cabriolet
BEST NEW DESIGN – Ford Fiesta
BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY – Lincoln MKT
BEST VALUE – Ford Fiesta
Ford wins “big” at 2009 Truck Rodeo
Harold Gunn, President of the Texas Auto Writers, reported that the 2009 Texas Truck Rodeo was a tremendous success. The Ford F-150 won Truck of Texas. The Mercedes Benz GL 350 won SUV of Texas. The Cadillac SRX won CUV of Texas.
The five major awards and the individual category winners are listed:
Truck of Texas – 2010 Ford F-150
SUV of Texas – 2010 Mercedes-Benz GL 350 BlueTEC
CUV of Texas – 2010 Cadillac SRX 2.8 Liter Turbo
Truck Line of Texas – Ford
Outstanding Feature – Ford Work Solutions
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Full-Size Pickup Truck – 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Supercab
Mid-Size Pickup Truck – 2010 Dodge Dakota Crew Cab TRX4
Luxury Pickup Truck – 2010 Ford F-150 King Ranch SuperCrew
Heavy Duty Pickup Truck – 2010 Dodge Ram 3500
Full-Size Sport Utility Vehicle – 2010 Ford Expedition King Ranch
Mid-Size Sport Utility Vehicle – 2010 Toyota 4Runner Trail Edition
Compact Sport Utility Vehicle – 2010 Jeep Patriot Limited 4X4
Full-Size Luxury Sport Utility Vehicle – 2010 Mercedes-Benz GL 350 BlueTEC
Mid-Size Luxury Sport Utility Vehicle – 2010 Lexus R450h
Luxury Crossover Utility Vehicle – 2010 Cadillac SRX 2.8 Liter Turbo
Compact Crossover Utility Vehicle – 2010 Subaru Outback
Mid-Size Crossover Utility Vehicles – 2010 Lincoln MKX
Full-Size Crossover Utility Vehicle – 2010 Ford Flex EcoBoost
JD POWER announces Most Appealing vehicles for 2009
J.D. Power and Associations has announced the highest rated vehicles in their annual survey of customers and owners. The survey is APEAL, which stands for Automotive Performance, Esecution, and Layout. The results are a measurement of customers' satisfaction with the performance and design of various vehicle, within pre-determined categories.
Porsche had the overall highest score for the fifth consecutive year. Jaguar came in a very close second. Cadillac, Audi, and BMW were ranked third, fourth, and fifth overall.
SUBCOMPACT - Smart fortwo, COMPACT - MiniCooper, COMPACT SPORT - Volkswagen GTI, MIDSIZE SPORT - Dodge Challenger, COMPACT PREMIUM SPORT - Mercedes-Benz SLK, ENTRY PREMIUM VEHICLE - Volkswagen CC, MIDSIZE PREMIUM CAR - Hyundai Genesis, LARGE PREMIUM CAR - Mercedes-Benz S-class, MIDSIZE CAR - Volkswagen Passat, LARGE CAR - Nissan Maxima, COMPACT CROSSOVER - Volkswagen Tiguan, MIDSIZE CROSSOVER - Ford Flex, LARGE SUV - Nissan Armanda, MIDSIZE PREMIUM CROSSOVER - Porsche Cayenne, LARGE PICKUP TRUCK - tie with Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Avalanche, MIDSIZE PICKUP - Honda Ridgeline, MINIVAN - Honda Odyssey.
Readers Choose Favorites
Last November 2008, the Texas Auto Media presented their annual Reader’s Choice Awards at the SEMA show in Las Vegas. Readers of newspapers, websites, and blogs all participated with on-line voting at AutoJudge.com. Ten manufacturers received unique trophies presented in a special Press Conference in the SEMA press room.
DODGE RAM won for Best Full-Size Pickup
TOYOTA TACOMA won for Best Compact Pickup
HONDA ODYSSY won for Best Mini-Van
TOYOTA YARIS won for Sub-Compact Car
FORD SUPER DUTY won Best Heavy Duty Pickup
MERCEDES-BENZ S-class won Large Luxury Car
HONDA CIVIC won Best Hybrid Car
CHEVROLET TAHOE won Full Size SUV
SATURN SKY won Best Two-Seat Roadster
TOYOTA HIGHLANDER won Hybrid Crossover Utility
Awards were presented by Marlon Hanson, Gretha Gudmundsson, and Alan Gell. The on-line judging has begun for 2009 at www.AutoJudge.Com. The 2009 Awards will be presented at the 2009 SEMA Show. Everyone is encouraged to participate and vote for your favorite vehicles. The categories change each year and the four finalists in each category are selected by a panel of experienced automotive journalists.
Ford sweeps Texas Truck Rodeo
By ALAN GELL
Every October, automotive journalists from across Texas as wells as from other areas of the United States, descend upon an off-road track to test-drive, evaluate, and select their choices of the best trucks, SUV’s, and other vehicles in Texas.
This year, the location was a motorcross park in Decatur, Texas, just west of Fort Worth and the Texas Motor Speedway. Over 40 active journalists were present, evaluating 55 new vehicles. The event spans three days of activity.
This year, although there were significant challenges from other manufacturers, Ford ran away with the top awards. The 2009 Dodge Ram and 2009 Ford F-150 were in a grill-to-grill competition, evidenced by the flurry of activity leading up to the Rodeo.
Although the balloting was close, the 2009 Ford F-150 was named TRUCK OF TEXAS. The 2008 Ford Expedition King Ranch was named SUV OF TEXAS. The 2009 Ford Flex was named the CUV OF TEXAS, a new category of judging for this year’s Rodeo. Ford was also named as the best TRUCK LINE OF TEXAS. The only other top award was for MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE, which was awarded for the specialty Ram Box system and the 2009 Dodge Ram pickup.
Awards will be presented as a special dinner at the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame in Waco in late November. Other individual category winners were:
FULL-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK – 2009 DODGE RAM 1500, LARAMIE 4X4
MID-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK – 2009 TOYOTA TACOMA D-CAB 4X4
LUXURY PICKUP TRUCK – 2009 FORD F-150 KING RANCH
HEAVY DUTY PICKUP TRUCK - FORD F-350 CABELA’S EDITION
FULL-SIZE SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE – 2009 GMC 2WD YUKON HYBRID
MID-SIZE SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE – 2008 FORD EXPLORER
COMPACT SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE – 2009 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA XSPORT
FULL-SIZE LUXURY SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE-2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE HYBRID
MID-SIZE LUXURY SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE -2009 MERCEDES-BENZ ML320 BlueTEC
LUXURY CROSSOVER UTILITY VEHICLE – 2008 LINCOLN MKX
COMPACT CROSSOVER UTILITY VEHICLE – 2009 SUBARU FORESTER 2.5X
MID-SIZE CROSSOVER UTILITY VEHICLE – 2009 MAZDA CX-9
FULL-SIZE CROSSOVER UTILITY VEHICLE – 2009 FORD FLEX
MUSTANG BULLITT and CORVETTE Z06 WIN TAWA CHALLENGE
Texas Auto Writers announced the winners in their annual Spring Challenge conducted at the Texas Motor Speedway. Mustang & Corvette shared the First Place as CAR OF TEXAS. Also winning awards were: Dodge Journey, Infiniti FX50, Audi R-8, Suzuki SX4, and Ford Focus.
Harold Gunn, President of the Texas Auto Writers group released this statement:
We have just completed the greatest ever Spring Challenge! We had the largest and finest collection of vehicle entries in our history and the variety and quality of the cars made judging very difficult and made for some interesting results as you will see below. As you can see, it was a very interesting outcome from an outstanding event. Many thanks to all the journalists who participated, driving and judging the vehicles, and to the industry for their amazing support.
WRITER'S CHOICE - THE CAR OF TEXAS: A TIE!
2008 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 (and)
2008 FORD MUSTANG BULLITT
THE FAMILY CAR OF TEXAS: 2009 DODGE JOURNEY
MOST INNOVATIVE: 2009 INFINITI FX50
BEST NEW DESIGN: 2008 AUDI R8
BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY: 2009 INFINITY FX50
BEST VALUE: ANOTHER TIE!
2008 SUZUKI SX4 (and)
2008 FORD FOCUS
STEVE PARRETT NEW MANUF COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Steve Parrett Moving to Nissan Headquarters in Tennessee.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 29, 2008) – Steve Parrett, communications manager in Nissan North America, Inc.’s South Central Region, will become Manager, Manufacturing Communications, based in Tennessee. His appointment is effective May 1.
In his new position, Parrett will be responsible for external communications activities involving NNA’s assembly plants in Smyrna, Tenn., and Canton, Miss., and the company’s powertrain plant in Decherd, Tenn.
In addition, he will work with Nissan Mexicana in communications activities involving its assembly plants in Aguascalientes and Cuernavaca.
Parrett joined Nissan’s Communications Department in 2002 at Smyrna, where he was responsible for internal communications. The following year he transferred to the regional position in Irving, Texas.
There, he was responsible for communications activities linked to Nissan’s captive-finance operation, Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp., and the regional sales and marketing office.
Consumers choose their Favorite Vehicles for 2007
Consumers, mostly those who read automotive news through newspapers, magazines, and websites, have recently participated in an on-line judging contest. Ten categories of vehicles were displayed, and participants chose their favorite among several entries on a unique website, www.AutoJudge.com.
After three months of judging, the results were announced and Awards were presented at the SEMA show in Las Vegas on October 30, 2007. The presentations were titled READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS and allowed consumers to be judges. The choices and categories were pre-selected by a group of experienced automotive journalists and auto fleet managers. Votes were received from almost every state in the US, Mexico, Canada, and countries in Europe.
Announced as winners of the first annual READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS for 2007:
SMALL ROADSTER: Mazda Miata
COMPACT PICKUP: Ford Ranger
FULL SIZE PICKUP: Nissan Titan
HEAVY DUTY PICKUP: GMC Sierra
LARGE SUV: Chevy Tahoe
HYBRID CAR: Nissan Altima
HYBRID SUV: Mercury Mariner
SUB-COMPACT CAR: Toyota Yaris
LARGE LUXURY CAR: Mercedes S Class
MINI-VAN: Kia Sorento
The READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS were presented by Marlon Hanson and Alan Gell, assisted by Gretha Gudmundsson. They were representing the Texas Auto Media Agency, sponsors of the awards. The contest was conducted and tabulated by SurveyGizmo, an independent survey service. The 2008 AutoJudge voting will begin in May 2008. TAMA and AutoJudge wishes to thank all those who participated by voting their favorite choices of vehicles.
For more information about TAMA, visit them at www.TexasAutoMedia.com
TAWA Names TRUCK RODEO WINNERS
The Texas Auto Writers Association held their annual TRUCK RODEO the last weekend in October. Approximatley 50 experienced and certified automotive journalists participated, testing and evaluating over 60 four wheel drive trucks and SUV's.
The 2008 Ford F250 Harley Davidson model was named the TRUCK OF TEXAS. This was the 4th year in a row that a Ford F series has won that award. The new Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid was named the SUV OF TEXAS. The Chevy Tahoe is built at the GM Arlington Assembly Plant. GENERAL MOTORS was named the TRUCK LINE OF TEXAS. This was a major coup by GM, since Ford has won that special award for many, many years.
Prizes will be awarded at a special banquet to be held Friday, November 16th, at the historic Menger Hotel in San Antonio. Harold Gunn of Houston was re-elected to serve as President of the Texas Auto Writers group.
WINNERS OF THE 2007 TRUCK RODEO:
TRUCK OF TEXAS
1st: Ford F-250 Harley-Davidson, 2nd: Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 3rd: GMC Sierra Denali
SUV OF TEXAS
1st: Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, 2nd: Toyota Land Cruiser. 3rd: Hummer H3 Alpha
TRUCK LINE OF TEXAS
1st: General Motors, 2nd: Ford, 3rd: Toyota
OUTSTANDING FEATURE
1st: Ford Tailgate Step. 2nd: Ford Sync, 3rd: Tahoe Hybrid Technology
FULL-SIZE SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE
1st: Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, 2nd: Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD, 3rd: Toyota Land Cruiser
MID-SIZE SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE
1st: Hummer H3 Alpha, 2nd: Nissan Pathfinder, 3rd: Jeep Liberty Sport 4x4
COMPACT SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE
1st: Mercury Mariner Hybrid, 2nd: Land Rover LR2 HSE, 3rd: Honda CR-V
FULL-SIZE LUXURY SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE
1st: Cadillac Escalade AWD, 2nd: Lincoln Navigator, 3rd: Toyota Land Cruiser
MID-SIZE LUXURY SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE
1st: Mercedes ML 320 CDI. 2nd: Volkswagen Touareg 2 V8, 3rd: Acura MDX
LUXURY CROSSOVER UTILITY VEHICLE
1st: Lincoln MKX, 2nd: Volvo XC70
MID-SIZE CROSSOVER UTILITY VEHICLE
1st: GMC Acadia AWS SLT 1, 2nd: Mazda CX-9, 3rd: Toyota Highlander Hybrid
COMPACT CROSSOVER UTILITY VEHICLE
1st: Ford Edge, 2nd: Saturn Vue XR Awd, 3rd: Mazda Tribute
FULL-SIZE PICK UP TRUCK
1st: GMC Sierra Denali, 2nd: Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab, 3rd: Ford F-150 Limited
MID-SIZE PICK UP TRUCK
1st: Dodge Dakota CrewCab TRX 4x4, 2nd: Ford Explorer Sport Trac, 3rd: Toyota Tacoma Double Cab
LUXURY PICK UP TRUCK
1st: Lincoln Mark LT, 2nd: Cadillac Escalade EXT, 3rd: Toyota Tundra Lucchese
HEAVY DUTY PICK UP TRUCK
1st: Ford F-250 Harley-Davidson, 2nd: Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Quad Cab, 3rd: GMC Sierra 3500 HG
FARLEY LEAVES TOYOTA TO JOIN FORD MARKETING
Jim Farley, a marketing star at Toyota Motor Corp., is joining Ford Motor Co. as group vice president of marketing and communications.
Farley, 45, joins Ford next month. He will be senior marketing officer and will report directly to CEO Alan Mulally.
Farley spent 17 years at Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., most recently as general manager of Lexus Division. He previously was group vice president of marketing for Toyota Division.
Farley also oversaw the launch of Toyota’s youth subbrand, Scion.
After 13 months on the job, CEO Alan Mulally is making his first significant outside hire with Farley. The company has been looking for a global marketing officer for several months now.
Mulally, who has criticized Ford marketing decisions, challenged Ford's marketing leaders late last year to do a better job of promoting product in 2007. That resulted in Ford shifting away from the Bold Moves campaign launched in 2006 in favor of the Ford Challenge promotion is has been using this year.
Toyota opens San Antonio Tundra plant for tours
By ALAN GELL (8/07)
www.CarColumns.Net
It was a great experience. A group of about 20 automotive journalists were invited to be the first tour group at the new assembly line plant on the south side of San Antonio, and I was a part. I have been on several tours of automotive plants before and they are always fascinating and captivate your attention. The Tundra plant is no different.
The Tundra plant in Texas is the sixth North American assembly plant established by Toyota. They first announced the site back in February 2003 and the groundbreaking was held that October. The first Tundra came off the assembly line in November 2006 -- just 3 years after the first announcement was made. This year, on August 20, 2007, the first Crew Max production was launched.
A small group of school kids in San Antonio won a contest and toured the plant a few weeks ago. A couple of national news networks were taken on private tours. But now, the folks at Toyota are gearing up to begin regular tours after the first of the year. We donned hard hats, safety glasses, and protective sleeves. We seated ourselves comfortably on a tram, which was equipped with wireless headphones. A tour guide provided a running commentary as we moved through the plant.
Actually, we did not see the entire plant operation. It consists of a variety of buildings, many of which are leased to sub-contractors and suppliers. This allows "timed response" for supplies and parts to be made available to the assembly line as it is needed without Toyota stockpiling large quantities. The actual plant buildings total 4 million square feet. This is 2.2 million sq ft for the Main Plant and 1.8 million sq ft for the suppliers. The buildings sit on a 2000 acre site.
The capacity for the plant at peak production will be 200,000 trucks per year, but currently, it is not there yet. Although the future can not be predicted, the plant is designed to produce only the Toyota Tundra full-size pickup truck and nothing else. The on-site suppliers manufacture various parts, components, and services.
Total employment is approximately 4,100 people, including 2000 working for Toyota directly and about 2100 working for the suppliers. There is an on-site fire station and an on-site health clinic. There have been a lot of rumors about the plant not hiring locals as had been promised, but the statistics tell a different story. Over 80% of the employees come from Bexar County. In fact, while I was waiting for a ride, a senior employee with Plant Engineering approached me. He recognized me from a scout camp we attended many years ago. He had grown up in San Antonio and was thrilled that so many like him had been hired by Toyota to be a part of the employee base.
After the tour, the group of journalists was invited to drive the new Tundra double cab, known as the Crew Max, while towing a heavily loaded trailer. The sixteen-foot trailers were loaded with various pieces of equipment including small backhoes, front-end loaders, and bobcats. Each load exceeded 10,000 lbs. We navigated a tight turning course that showed the small radius as well as pulled the load down a few straight-aways.
The Tundra is, without question, an awesome pickup truck. The towing capability is indisputable. Check it out yourself at a Toyota dealership and see what they mean when they say it was "made in Texas."
GSA UPDATES FEDERAL FLEET WITH ENERGY EFFICIENT SATURN HYBRIDS
U.S. General Services Administration Administrator Lurita Doan (left) receives the keys to the first of 55 Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid vehicles that will be added to the federal fleet, from Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak in Washington, DC Thursday, July 19, 2007. The Aura Hybrid sedans will used by the military and six other federal agencies, providing the best environmentally friendly fleet services at a low cost. (General Motors Photo/Mark Finkenstaedt)
BILL NEALE RETURNS TO TERLINGUA RACING TEAM
Shelby Automobiles, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc., (CSBI.PK) and designer/artist Bill Neale are returning the legendary Terlingua Racing Team to the forefront of the grassroots racing community. The team will explore opportunities to develop products similar to the Shelby program in the mid 1960s.
“We were a bunch of young hot rodders when we formed the Shelby Terlingua Racing Team,” noted Carroll Shelby, Founder of Shelby Automobiles. “Most people think our group disappeared because we took our activities underground when my company stopped building GT350’s and GT500’s. Now that Shelby Autos is working with Ford again to build high performance cars, its time to put the Shelby Terlingua Racing Team back into the spotlight. We asked Bill Neale, who was a co-founder of the group, to help us create cars and products for serious young enthusiasts who want both fun and performance.”
An avid enthusiast, Bill Neale has competed in SCCA and other sanctioned races throughout his life. He was part of the Shelby “rat pack” that dominated the American performance scene in the 1960’s.
“We loved to race and raced to win,” said Neale. “And we’ve continued to quietly compete in events worldwide over the past four decades. Just look around at most motorsports events and you’ll spot Terlingua Racing Team logos. Through the years, new young members have been initiated into the group. Working with Shelby Automobiles, we’ll go public again to introduce a new generation of racers to this irreverent lifestyle with the cars and stuff they need to blaze their own path on the track.”
The Terlingua Racing Team’s roots began when Ford Motor Company asked Carroll Shelby to turn its Mustang into a race winner. His team created a competition version of the Shelby GT350 for that purpose.
About that time, Shelby and a few close friends including Bill Neale, Dave Witts, Tom Tierney and David E. Davis, Jr., were enjoying the Terlingua area of the Texas Rio Grande region. Thumbing their nose at the establishment, they lived hard and enjoyed life to its fullest between winning races. As a symbol of their lifestyle, Neale designed a logo that is black and yellow, with a rabbit holding his paw in the air.
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Terlingua Racing Team Re-emerges (2/2)
Shelby said, “Some of the greatest racers in the world competed in Terlingua Shelby Mustangs. Ken Miles was the first to put the ‘prancing rabbit’ in the winner’s circle when he won the race at Green Valley Raceway in 1965. Then things really broke loose when he introduced Jerry Titus to the team.”
Titus became one of the most iconic Terlingua racers when he drove for the Shelby team in the 1967 Trans-Am series. He piloted the first “official” Terlingua Racing Team car.
According to Neale, “Jerry was a bit of a maverick and Shelby wanted his car to really show up on the grid, so we painted it ‘Gawdawful Yellow’ with a black hood. The combination of outrageous looks and serious performance in a car driven by such a cocky, talented driver made the team very popular. And it seems the Terlingua Racing Team is even more admired today by drag racers, drifters and road racers.”
Throughout the decades, drivers put Terlingua Racing Team badges on more and more cars; some were official Shelby entrants while many were not. When racing moved upscale and Shelby ceased building GT350’s in the early 1970s, Terlingua Racing Team drivers carried their anti-establishment attitude in competition piloting whatever vehicle they could put on the track.
“The Terlingua Racing Team symbolizes a time when racing was less structured and more pure,” noted Amy Boylan, President of Shelby Autos. “It was a poke at the seriousness of racing by some people who had the clout to make such a statement. It’s time to bring that attitude out of the shadows and give the next generation of racers their fair share of the fun.”
About Bill Neale
Bill Neale is a successful business owner, automotive fine artist and lifelong Shelby associate. A founding member of the prestigious Automotive Fine Arts Society, Neale’s paintings are the centerpiece of exclusive private and museum collections worldwide. A contributing artist for many national books and magazines, Neale also founded and managed advertising agency Point Communications. The owner of Racy Thangs and an avid racer, Neale has been involved with high performance cars and aircraft his entire life.
About Shelby Automobiles, Inc. and Carroll Shelby Licensing Founded by legend Carroll Shelby, Shelby Automobiles, Inc., (www.shelbyautos.com) manufactures and markets performance vehicles and related products. Shelby Automobiles is a division of Carroll Shelby International, Inc. (CSBI.PK). Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc., also a wholly owned division, is the exclusive holder of Carroll Shelby's trademarks and vehicle design rights. It also holds trademark rights for Shelby-branded apparel, accessories and collectibles. For information, visit www.carrollshelbyinternational.com.
The Evolution of Tiny Cars -- Polly Wheels unveiled in New York
by ALAN GELL (4/08)
Lots and lots of itty-bitty cars. Most moms and quite a few dads have heard about Polly Pockets, especially if they have daughters or grand-daughters. These are tiny dolls, complete with all the accessories. Now, Polly Pocket has entered the auto show circuit with something called POLLY WHEELS.
It's not new. We've seen miniature cars on display and sold at car shows for many years. But die-cast cars just for girls is definitely a news item.
The press release from Mattel was headlined, "Move over boys. Polly Pocket is letting girls take the wheel with the launch of Tiny Toy Cars." This was the first ever die cast toy car especially designed just for girls. The people in the display booth at the New York Auto Show laughing said, "We have the most number of cars on display here at the show." What appeared to be a mural backdrop at their booth was, in fact, thousands of those tiny die-cast cars.
The Poilly Wheels were designed 100 percent for girls based on girl play patterns, even though that includes some racing. This is due to the number of female enthusiasts in NASCAR and other motor sports. Mattel is no doubt aware of this trend and simply trying to pass it along earlier to young girls.
Michel Shore, VP of Consumer Insights at Mattel, commented, "Both girls and boys love using their imagination, competing and racing cars. But boys play with cars... with wild stunts and action... girls play with cars...using vehicles to reach destinations and act out stories.." That reasoning is why the Poly Cars come complete with a tiny removable doll. It's a simple feature, but obviously important.
Right now there are the Polly Wheels, and I expect you will see a lot of these show up in Christmas stockings later this year, just like boys have die-cast cars and trucks in their Christmas stockings. Expect to see a Race-to-the-Mall track playset as well. Where else would a girl want to drive her car except to a local mall to go shopping?
There will no doubt be more. But for now, tiny cars have invaded big city car shows. They were displayed in "Blueberry Frost", "Green Dream", "Splashing Pink", "Raxmatax", "Rock N Rose", and a lot more.
SUZUKI UNVEILS NEW SX4 AT NEW YORK SHOW
Almost everyone has seen the popular television commercial with the girl dressed in black leather comes roaring up on a Suzuki motorcycle and tosses a set of keys in the air to a guy, commenting, "Can you handle it?" Vanessa, the real-life rider, was on hand at the New York Auto Show, decked out in her motorcycle leather, posing with a new Suzuki SX4. The SX4 is a compact sport crossover for free-spirited life enthusiasts. The Suzuki folks say that their cars share the same spirit as their bikes -- Passion, Excitement, Edginess, and Fun. The new Suzuki SX4 has excellent visability, is very responsive, has bodly flared fenders, and a sport tuned suspension. And Vanessa looks pretty good too.
(Photo & Caption by ALAN GELL)
SATURN AURA & CHEVY SILVERADO WIN BIG
DETROIT (1-9-07) - The Saturn Aura has been named the 2007 North American Car of the Year by a panel of automotive journalists. That 49-member panel also named the Chevrolet Silverado as the 2007 North American Truck of the Year.
The winners of the annual competition were named today at the start of press preview days for the North American International Auto Show.
The Aura emerged on top from a field of 11 candidates for the car award. Jurors gave the Aura a total of 205 points out of a maximum possible 490 points in the round of voting to pick the winning vehicle.
For the truck award, the Silverado was given 243 points out of the maximum possible 490 points. The finalists were culled from a pool of 15 candidate trucks.
The process to choose the winning car and truck was changed for the 2007 award. This year, jurors cast a first round of ballots -- distributing 25 points among the candidates in the car and truck categories with no more than 10 points given to a single vehicle -- to narrow the lists down to three finalists.
This is the 14th year the awards have been handed out. Last year, American Honda Motor Co. swept the awards with the Honda Civic and Honda Ridgeline.
FJ CRUISER RACE TRUCK TO DEBUT AT THE 38th BAJA 1000
TORRANCE, Calif., November 1, 2006 - - The FJ Cruiser Race Truck will make its racing debut at the 38th Baja 1000 from November 15-18, 2006.
The grueling race is run from Ensenada to La Paz across Mexico’s beautiful, but barren Baja California. Entered in the Mini Stock Class, the FJ Cruiser Race Truck will be driven by the father-son team of Rod and Ryan Millen, with additional driving support from Adam Dupre.
The FJ Race Truck contains several performance and safety modifications
including a revised suspension and heavy-duty rollcage among the most visible, yet it remains primarily a stock vehicle. Performance features include BFG A/T LT285/75R16 tires on 16-inch black TRD wheels with two onboard spares. The Fuel Safe Sportsman 22-gallon fuel cell provides an added safety feature.
The Race Truck is based on the all-new Toyota Racing Development (TRD) Special Edition FJ Cruiser sport utility vehicle (SUV). The TRD Special Edition FJ Cruiser is a unique limited edition package available on 2007 FJ Cruiser fourwheel-drive models. The special package contains several performance, exterior, and interior
enhancements. Only 3,200 of the TRD Special Edition FJ Cruiser will
be produced.
AUDI REPORTS OCTOBER SALES
AUBURN HILLS, Mich.(11-1-06) Audi of America, Inc. reported that October 2006 sales totaled 6,431, a decrease
of 3.4 percent compared to strong results a year ago. For the year, Audi sales are up 4.1 percent over the same
period in 2005.
Consumers showed strong interest in the all-new Audi Q7 SUV and A8 models. Audi Q7 sales totaled 1,653 during
October, bringing the year total to 5,663 since its launch in June. The A8 model line had 442 sales during October,
a 12.5 percent increase over the same month last year.
Sales of Audi Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicles rose during October and totaled 1,882, a 0.5 percent increase
over last year. CPO sales for the year are 20,723, up 4.9 percent over the same period last year.
Audi history in America dates to 1969, when the brand was first introduced to the U.S. market. Today, a network of
over 260 Audi dealers currently offers a line of premium vehicles that include the Audi A3 compact; the sporty A4
sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models; the high performance S4 sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models; the high-revving
RS 4 sports sedan; the design-leading A6 sedan and Avant; the all-new Audi Q7 SUV; the all-aluminum Audi A8; and
the new V10-powered S6 and S8 performance sedans. |
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