Saturday, 31 May 2014

Stand by for a new small-car price war | carsguide.com.au

Stand by for a new small-car price war | carsguide.com.au

Posted: 16 May 2014 02:01 AM PDT

Small-car price war about to shift up a gear as Korean carmakers Hyundai and Kia get ready for Free Trade deal.

New-car prices are already at 20-year lows but a new battle is about to bring even sharper deals.

South Korean car makers Hyundai and Kia are about to embark on their biggest challenge yet to the established Japanese brands.

Both companies have had radical management changes at their Australian head offices ahead of the Free Trade deal that will eliminate the 5 per cent import tariff on South Korean cars, due to be ratified later this year and introduced early next year.

Hyundai's fledgling sister brand Kia has poached a high-ranking executive from Hyundai Australia and appointed him as the new boss.

Former Hyundai Australia sales director Damien Meredith has been hired as the chief operating officer at Kia Australia, effective May 19.

Mr Meredith helped double sales at Hyundai since 2005 and the company is now the fourth-biggest brand in Australia behind Toyota, Holden and Mazda and ahead of Ford, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Honda.

Kia is currently only just inside the Top 10, selling about one-third the vehicles of Hyundai Australia, believed to be the largest gap between the two sister brands in any developed market.

The new appointment is likely to drive competition in the coming months and force rival brands to respond, giving buyers a greater choice of discounted cars.

"I believe there is enormous potential in the Australian market," said Mr Meredith. "It is my aim to make the most of that potential and grow the business in every direction."

Although Hyundai and Kia are partner companies and share automotive technology, development and design resources, their sales and marketing operations and dealer networks are fierce rivals.

While Australians helped drive Hyundai to a record of almost 100,000 sales in 2013, Kia has been slower to gain popularity.

Kia Motors Australia arrived as a factory-backed operation in 2006 but it took seven years for the subsidiary and all its head office resources to overtake the sales peak set by the former independent distributor in 2005.

Mr Meredith, who also previously worked for Honda for 20 years and Volkswagen for three years, is credited by industry peers as the driving force behind Hyundai's sales surge in Australia.

Hyundai Australia may have been blindsided by Mr Meredith's sudden departure but it has been hiring high-ranking executives from rival car brands for years.

In October 2012 Hyundai appointed John Elsworth, a 22-year Holden sales and marketing veteran, as its chief operating officer in Australia.

Under Mr Elsworth's leadership Hyundai Australia posted its all-time high sales result of 97,000 deliveries in 2013 and is on track for another record in 2014.

Both Hyundai and Kia have increased sales so far this year even though the new-car market has slowed.

Hyundai sales are up by 4 per cent and Kia sales are up by 2 per cent in a market that's down by 3.1 per cent from January to April compared to the same period last year.

This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling

Friday, 30 May 2014

2015 Nissan Versa Note Priced At $14,990, New SR At $18,340

2015 Nissan Versa Note Priced At $14,990, New SR At $18,340

2015 Nissan Versa Note Priced At $14,990, New SR At $18,340
Used Luxury-Car Prices Continue Slide in March - KickingTires
Are Rising Car Prices a Good Thing for the Economy? - General ...
NADA Used Car Guide: Wholesale Prices Moderate in April - Top ...

2015 Nissan Versa Note Priced At $14,990, New SR At $18,340

Posted: 29 May 2014 04:08 AM PDT

Jeffrey N. Ross

2015 Nissan Versa Note SR

After being introduced as an all-new model last year, the Nissan Versa Note is getting a couple minor changes for the 2015 model year. As announced at the Chicago Auto Show, the 2015 Nissan Versa Note will be adding two trim levels to go along with some minor pricing changes, which were just announced.

ALSO SEE: Google Debuts Its First Autonomous Car: Is This The Future Of (Non) Driving?

Bringing a sportier style to the lineup, the new Versa Note SR (shown above) starts at $18,340, and it includes cosmetic upgrades like sporty front and rear fascias, fog lights, smoked headlights, a rear liftgate spoiler, 16-inch wheels and "suede-like" seats.

Also new for 2015 is the Versa Note SL. For 2014, the SL was a package on the SV trim level, but it is now the range-topping, stand-alone trim starting at $18,770. This trim comes standard with heated front seats, a backup camera, NissanConnect with Mobile Apps and the adjustable cargo area load floor. The Versa Note SL can also be equipped with navigation and heated mirrors as a part of the $790 Tech Package.

Adding the SR and SL now gives the 2015 Nissan Versa Note a total of five trim levels from which customers can choose, including the base Versa Note S, which receives a slightly higher starting price of $14,990. This represents an increase of $190 compared to 2014, but the Versa Note S now comes standard with Bluetooth phone pairing and is still one of the lowest-priced hatchbacks on the market. With this starting price, the 2015 Nissan Versa Note is $1,325 less than the new Honda Fit, $435 less than the ever-popular Ford Fiesta hatchback and it's even $525 less than aged Mazda2.

DON'T MISS: 2014 Subaru Forester: SUV, Crossover, Or Wagon? We Try To Define

Matching the base S trim, the starting price of the S Plus trim also increases by $190 to $16,240, and adds standard equipment like Nissan's Xtronic continuously variable transmission, active grill shutters and cruise control. The biggest price jump for 2015 is to the SV trim level, which climbs $340 to $17,140. The 2015 Nissan Versa Note is on sale now, and all of the above prices include the required $810 destination charge.

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Used Luxury-Car Prices Continue Slide in March - KickingTires

Posted: 27 Mar 2014 06:56 AM PDT

2011-chevrolet-volt

Models from luxury brands accounted for seven of the top 10 used cars with the biggest price drops in March. That's the same number of luxury brands we saw on the list last month. Overall used-car prices held mostly steady in March, down just $6 to an average of $23,243.

Used Luxury-Car Prices Drop Most in February

Luxury brands had the majority of cars on the list, but the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric car experienced the biggest price drop. It was down 3.1 percent ($811) to $25,000. This winter has not been kind to used Volt prices, which are down 10.5 percent ($2,922) since Dec. 1, 2013.

Among cars with the biggest price gains, the Ford E-250 Super Duty full-size van led all models for the second month in a row. It was up 2.6 percent ($548) to $21,946. Most of the models in the top 10 were cars and trucks from mainstream brands, but one luxury car — the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class roadster — made the list with a 1.9 percent ($1,536) increase to $82,138.

The charts detail used cars from the 2011 to 2013 model years with the biggest price drops — as well as those with the biggest gains. To be eligible for the lists, a model had to have at least 250 cars in Cars.com's national inventory.

FINAL-UsedCarPricesDown

FINAL-UsedCarPricesUP

Cars.com photo by Evan Sears

Are Rising Car Prices a Good Thing for the Economy? - General ...

Posted: 15 Apr 2014 12:58 PM PDT

Despite the highly promotional theme that seems to always be present in the car sales market, it turns out that new vehicle prices have been rising steadily over the past five years. This is after a period of consistent declines from 1998 to 2008. Sterne Agee's Michael Ward has a report out on Tuesday showing the trends that both new and used vehicle prices were up again in March. The question we would ask is if your paying more for a new car (or used car) is actually better for the economy as a whole.

The most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics also accounts for the notion that retail incentives have been in a tight range over the past four years, averaging about 8% of the gross transaction price. His report considers that positive pricing and declining costs have contributed to record financial performance for the auto sector.

It will be interesting to see how this trend plays out with the recalls of the General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) cars. Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) is actually seeing a rise in its shares after reporting strong sales trends in Europe, but Sterne Agee's report is aimed solely at U.S. vehicle sales.

Sterne Agee data shows that new vehicle prices in March were up 0.2% compared with the year-earlier period and used vehicle prices were up 0.1%.

More importantly, new vehicle prices rose by an average of 1.1% in 2013, the fifth consecutive annual increase after declining in 10 of the 11 years between 1998 and 2008. Year to date 2014, new vehicle prices have increased 0.2%.

Used vehicle prices decreased an average of 0.3% in calendar year 2013 according to the BLS, versus a 0.9% increase in 2012. Used cars are exceeding new cars in 2014 as well, as the Sterne Agee report shows that used vehicle prices have risen 0.7%. The report further says:

Used vehicle price increases have outpaced new vehicles in the five of last six months, a positive trend for new vehicle demand.

Ward also points out that U.S. dealer inventory levels ended March at 3.7 million units, the highest comparable level since 2006 — dealer inventory levels typically peak in March and move 15% lower by the end of August, and Ward expects a similar move this year.

So, how much is an average transaction price? $31,021 per unit in 2013, up 1.7% from the last year — and monthly comps have been consistently positive for more than three years. The average transaction prices was also up 1.7% in the first quarter. By maker, the report shows the following for the month of March:

General Motors average prices were up 4.1%
Ford showed an average transaction price gain of 1.2% from
The CPI Used Vehicle Price Index rose by 0.1%

Again, Sterne Agee's report said:

The gains in used vehicle prices have outpaced new vehicles in five of last six months, a favorable trend for new vehicle sales (higher relative used vehicle prices improve the trade-in value and reduce the cost for new vehicle on a trade in).

Manheim Consulting's Used Vehicle Value Index totaled 124.4 in March, up 3.3% versus the year-earlier period — the highest value since May 2012. The Adesa wholesale price reading in March averaged $10,429, up 6.0% compared to February and up 4.0% versus the year-earlier period.

It may seem silly to think that rising car prices is a good thing for you or for the economy. But consider a few things here. This helps when you want to sell your used car. This keeps the auto industry strong — which is good for jobs.

By Jon C. Ogg

NADA Used Car Guide: Wholesale Prices Moderate in April - Top ...

Posted: 13 May 2014 01:00 AM PDT

May 13, 2014

McCLEAN, Va. — No longer influenced by winter weather, wholesale activity steadily returned to normal in April, the NADA Used Car Guide reported this week. The firm, however, did spot the onset of seasonal softness as the month progressed.

Following March's pronounced 3.7% rise, the average price of units up to eight years in age fell by 1.1% in April, essentially equal to the 1% rate of decline recorded for the month the past two years. The month's performance caused little change in the NADA's seasonally adjusted used-vehicle price index, which was tied with March as the highest figure reached at 125.8.

"Price movement at a segment level was directionally in line with the NADA's expectations as prices dropped the most for the segments that experienced the biggest increases in March," the firm stated in its May report.

After rising by an average of nearly 4% in March, prices for mid-size cars, utilities and vans fell by an average of 1.3% in April. Compact utility prices and vans fell by an average of 1.3% in April. Compact utility prices followed suit, dropping by 1.2%, while compact prices slipped by a less-severe 0.8%.

"While prices for all compact cars and utilities and mid-size cars were lower in April, it's worth noting that depreciation was on average one percentage point less than what was recorded for the month last year," the report stated. "Mid-size utility depreciation matched last year's pace, while the mid-size van fall was nearly one point greater."

In a reversal from a months-long trend, large pickup depreciation was among the market leaders, as prices for the segment fell by 1.3% last month. April's decline was the third largest recorded for the segment in the past two years, trailing the 1.6% and 2.4% drops recorded last September and October.

Prices for luxury utility and luxury car prices fell by 0.6% and 1%, respectively, while large SUV prices dipped by just 0.4%, the least of any segment.

On an annual basis, market prices through April were 2.3% higher than a year ago. With prices up 11.5%, large pickups continue to overshadow other segments in this area. The next closest segment was large SUVs, which experience an annual price growth of 7.6% — nearly 4 percentage points lower than that of pickups.

Mid-size utilities and vans also continue to exhibit exceptional annual gains in prices, the firm reported. "Prices for the two segments were up by an average of 4.5% year to date, and it's been more than 18 months since prices for either have been lower on a prior-year basis," the report stated.

Compact utility, compact car and mid-size car prices were 1.5% to 2.9% higher on a year-to-date basis, while luxury utility prices were up by 0.9%. Luxury car, which was down 1.7%, was the only segment with prices lower than they were a year ago.

Thursday, 29 May 2014

2015 Infiniti QX70 Review, Ratings, Specs, Prices, and Photos - The ...

2015 Infiniti QX70 Review, Ratings, Specs, Prices, and Photos - The ...

2015 Infiniti QX70 Review, Ratings, Specs, Prices, and Photos - The ...
2015 Infiniti QX50 Review, Ratings, Specs, Prices, and Photos - The ...
2015 Ford Mustang EcoBoost starts at $25,995, GT at $32,925 ...

2015 Infiniti QX70 Review, Ratings, Specs, Prices, and Photos - The ...

Posted: 28 May 2014 11:33 AM PDT

Shopping for a new Infiniti QX70?

GET A FREE PRICE QUOTE

The Basics:

You might know this car by another name. Up until last year–when it became the QX70–it was called the FX37, or just plain FX, and one of the most driver-focused crossovers on the market today.

It's not a trail-ready or rugged crossover by any stretch of the imagination, instead focusing on excellent driving dynamics, handsome looks and its legitimately luxurious interior appointments. At first glance, it's one of the best-executed marriages of sleek lines, wagon practicality, and fast underpinnings we've seen. Where the BMW X6 failed in that mission, the QX70 excels from a design standpoint. Sure, there are a few too many details that might clutter the look from some angles, but it's otherwise excellent–from it's racy roofline to its beautiful sheetmetal. Inside, it's inviting and warm, with rich appointments like quilted leather and subdued wood trim–though there may be a few too many buttons for some shoppers.

This is one of the few crossovers that feels at home on a curvy mountain road; with underpinnings derived from Infiniti's sport sedan, it drives with a poise that's almost foreign to this kind of vehicle. You don't need the V-8 if you want a vehicle with a lot of get-up-and-go. In '3.7' models, the 3.7-liter, 328-hp V-6 is shared with other Infinitis; and while it's not quite as smooth as the V-6 engines found in some other crossovers, it allows acceleration to 60 mph in the low 7.0-second range. So-called 5.0 models and their V-8 are cut from the lineup this year. One sore point throughout the QX70 lineup remains its thirst for premium fuel. EPA ratings are only acceptable, at up to 17/24 mpg.

Despite the chunky curb weight (4,200 pounds minimum), the QX70 handles as if it's considerably lighter, and they have a sense of poise and balance on a curvy road that's better than most other SUVs and crossovers.

Inside, the QX70 is delightful—provided you're in the front seats. Like many sports cars and sport sedans, the FX seems to give those in front good comfort and enveloping support while neglecting backseat passengers. It's surprisingly cramped back there. Cargo space also suffers because of the curvy design and high cargo floor. You do get a little too much noise in the cabin from V-8 models, as well as some road noise; and QX70 can get very choppy on urban interstates.

Prices have risen very modestly going from the Infiniti FX to the 2015 Infiniti QX70. The QX70 comes in three different models—QX70 3.7 and QX70 3.7 AWD. QX70 models top $60,000, but they include the contents of the Premium, Deluxe Touring, and Technology packages. Big-ticket tech options include a lane-departure warning system, an adaptive suspension, adaptive bi-xenon headlamps, and a navigation system with an especially good display and interface. New for this year is a sports package that comes with special wheels, adaptive lighting, and heated/ventilated sports seats.

Likes:

Frisky powertrains
Technology in full force
Good navigation interface
Saucy silhouette
Great handling

Dislikes:

Back seat slights head, leg room
Too many buttons for some
Poor gas mileage
Shallow on cargo space

Next: Interior / Exterior »

2015 Infiniti QX50 Review, Ratings, Specs, Prices, and Photos - The ...

Posted: 28 May 2014 11:10 AM PDT

Shopping for a new Infiniti QX50?

GET A FREE PRICE QUOTE

The Basics:

You might know this car by another name. Up until last year – when it became the QX50 – it was called the EX35, EX37, or just plain EX, and one of the most driver-focused crossovers on the market today. It's just not terribly practical.

The QX50 looks the part of a crossover with its tall-ish ride height and lift-gate design – not unlike the Cadillac SRX, Lexus RX 350, and Acura RDX–but the truth of the matter is that the QX50 is actually a tall wagon built on a legitimate sportscar chassis. It's not trail-friendly or rugged, nor is it terribly utilitarian or spacious–but it does overdeliver on driving dynamics, responsiveness, and decidedly non-crossover looks. Plus, its cabin feels like that of a full-fledged luxury car's.

In style and performance, the QX50 is a very satisfying vehicle. It's exceptionally well-proportioned and confounds the expectations of some blandness in utility. The rakish roofline and pert proportions hardly look like those of a crossover. The coupe-like profile and organic sheetmetal altogether make the EX one of the best-looking tall wagons yet, and beautiful from some angles. 'Coupe-like' also applies inside, where a cockpit-style layout wraps around the driver. There's a wide center stack, big LCD screen, and perhaps a few too many buttons and secondary controls. But soft, warm interior appointments and rich tones give this interior an elegant, refined look, with soft-white lighting, fine leather, and real wood inlays.

With a version of the company's stout 3.7-liter V-6, making 325 horsepower and 267 pound-feet, the QX50 is never short on power. It's still matched to an excellent seven-speed automatic transmission, with quick shifts, steering-wheel paddles, and throttle-blip-style rev-matching on downshifts. The engine and transmission work well together, with an eagerness that's uncommon in this kind of vehicle. Handling and body control aren't quite as great as those of the Q50 sedan (formerly G37) on which the QX50 is based, but they're impressive for a crossover, and steering weighting and feedback are far better than what you'll find in other such vehicles.

The personality of the QX50 changes a bit as you add all-wheel drive; you'll lose a little of the nimble feel but earn some all-weather tractability -- although churning through snow or mud isn't really the point.

Interior space is where the packaging of the QX50 reveals this model's true intent. While it carries driver and passenger with verve, in snug, well-bolstered front seats, anyone who needs to sit in the back seat isn't going to be nearly as content. It's one of the tightest we've experienced in this kind of vehicle, with headroom and legroom lacking, and the sloping rear window and high cargo floor limit cargo space and usability.

Ride quality is good here – firm but compliant -- and the independent suspension hits the ideal balance of smoothness and athleticism. Engine noise is surprisingly present, though, with coarse sounds and some vibration from the 3.7-liter engine as it sings into the higher revs--more so than the 3.5-liter predecessor that was used in the EX as recently as a couple of model years ago. It's thirsty, too; highway ratings go up 1 mpg, to 17/25 mpg with rear-wheel drive or 17/24 with AWD.

But there's plenty else to impress, including an extensive suite of active-safety features that are still somewhat unusual in this class. Lane Departure Warning, Lane Departure Prevention, Intelligent Brake Assist, Blind Spot Warning are all included in a Technology Package, while 360-degree Around View Monitoring system is part of the Premium Package -- and, we think, necessary because rearward visibility is so limited.

Leather seating, push-button start, a power-folding second row, a moonroof, a universal garage-door opener, power steering-column adjustment, and heated front seats are all part of the standard-equipment set. A Premium Package steps up to Bose premium audio, navigation with real-time traffic, and aluminum roof rails, while many of those safety-tech features are included with Intelligent Cruise Control as part of a Technology Package.

Likes:

Driving dynamics of a sport sedan
Profile of a coupe
Rich interior appointments
Snug, supportive front seats

Dislikes:

Smallish cargo space
Tight back seat
Engine noise
Poor outward visibility, even with the cameras

Next: Interior / Exterior »

2015 Ford Mustang EcoBoost starts at $25,995, GT at $32,925 ...

Posted: 20 May 2014 02:44 PM PDT

This morning, Ford spilled the beans on the 2015 Mustang V6 Fastback's opening price. Today, as dealers begin placing orders, additional pricing info is flying onto forums.

Over at the indispensable Mustang6G, member 'GallopingPony', a Ford dealer named Cam in Northern Virginia, fleshed out the fastback base pricing for everyone.

V6 Base Pricing

Mustang V6 Fastback (050A): $24,425
Mustang V6 Fastback (051A): $25,420

EcoBoost Base Pricing

Mustang EcoBoost Fastback (100A): $25,995
Mustang EcoBoost Fastback (200A): $29,995
Mustang EcoBoost Fastback (201A): $31,790

GT Base Pricing

Mustang GT Fastback (300A): $32,925
Mustang GT Premium Fastback (400A): $36,100
Mustang GT Premium Fastback (401A): $38,720
Mustang GT 50 Year Limited Edition (500A): $46,995

Convertible pricing isn't available yet and likely won't arrive until later this summer.

As for what those product codes mean (300A, 400A, etc.), you can decipher them in the order guide that was released to dealers this morning. Here it is, for easy perusal and download:

2015 Ford Mustang Order Guide (released to dealers 5/20/2014) by AlexNunez

In addition, GallopingPony shared pricing for many of the options buyers are likely to be interested in:

Floor Mats: $85 retail
GT Performance PKG: $2,495 retail
Navigation: $795 retail
Recaros Leather: $1595 retail
Enhanced Security Package: $395
6-Speed Automatic Transmission: $1195
3.55 Diff: $395
Spare Wheel/Tire: $195
Reverse Park Assist: $295
Floor Mats: $95
Recaros: $1595
Wheel Stripe Package (EcoBoost): $895
18" Painted Aluminum Wheels (641): $155
EcoBoost Performance Package (67E): $1995
Adaptive Cruise Control (52S): $1195
20" Machined Aluminum Wheels: $1295
Premium Trim Package: $295
Navigation: $795
50^th Anniversary Package: $1595
19" Wheels $995: (GT)
GT Performance Package: $2495
Destination and delivery: $825

Bookmark and follow this thread at the Mustang 6G forums, as it's constantly being updated. If you're curious about what different model/option packages are stickering out to, many builds are being posted there as they're ordered.

Wednesday, 28 May 2014

2015 Ford Mustang Base Price Revealed! - Car and Driver Blog

2015 Ford Mustang Base Price Revealed! - Car and Driver Blog

Posted: 20 May 2014 07:32 AM PDT

Better settle in, folks, because it appears Ford plans to drag out the release of 2015 Ford Mustang pricing information. Today, the company dangled a single number: The one attached to the base, 3.7-liter V-6–powered Mustang. What the convertible versions, turbo four-cylinder EcoBoost, V-8 GT, 50th Anniversary Edition coupe, or the SVT Mustang will cost is still a mystery.

But all is not hazy—we now know that the starter car will run $24,425 when it arrives later this year, and that order books are open as of today. Standard equipment on the V-6 model includes a backup camera, HID headlights, a tilting-and-telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel, proximity entry and push-button start, and Ford's SYNC infotainment system with a 4.2-inch display and two USB ports. We previously learned what a few of the Mustang's key options will be, as well as how much some of them will cost. Oh, and that the every GT will include a standard line lock for sweet-ass burnouts.

The level of standard kit on the V-6 car—not to mention the all-new chassis with a fully independent suspension—makes the $1090 increase over the least-expensive 2014 Mustang more than palatable, and buyers will be able to saddle their ponies with richer options than before. Add-ons include an eight-inch touch screen with navigation, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, a paddle-shiftable automatic, and selectable drive modes; we don't yet know what these will cost. A 50 Years appearance package (which differs from the limited-edition 50th Anniversary model) for EcoBoost and GT models will run $1595; it will include a chrome-trimmed grille, 50 Years badging, special wheels, anniversary floor mats, and some special interior stitching.

Output from the three available engines is only estimated at this point, with Ford stating the V-6 will make more than 300 hp and 270 lb-ft, the EcoBoost four more than 305 hp and 300 lb-ft, and the GT's V-8 more than 420 hp and 390 lb-ft.

Amusingly—and you can bet this was on purpose—the 2015 Mustang's base price is $125 lower than the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro's. We might still be waiting on final output figures for the Mustang's three available engines, but Ford appears to already have Chevy beat on one front—at least until the bow-tie brand prices the 2015 Camaro.

Lincoln Prices 2015 Navigator, Undercuts Escalade By $10k

Posted: 21 May 2014 03:36 PM PDT

Bengt Halvorson

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2015 Lincoln Navigator

Lincoln has released most remaining details for its plush 2015 Navigator luxury SUV, which has been repackaged and repositioned somewhat this year to face off with a fully redesigned Cadillac Escalade.

While the Navigator hasn't been given the attention the Cadillac Escalade has seen for 2015, the 2015 Lincoln Navigator arguably changes in ways that are just as meaningful. It gets a new engine, a significant list of new features, and enough detail changes to add up to a cosmetic refresh.

And, it's a relative bargain, if you want a truly American body-on-frame luxury SUV. The 2015 Navigator starts at $62,475 for the base rear-wheel-drive model, up to $75,065 for the top Navigator L 4x4 Reserve.

ALSO SEE: 2015 Subaru Legacy First Drive

Against Escalade, difference grows deeper

At the base level, that undercuts the 2015 Cadillac Escalade (which starts at $72,690) by more than $10,000. That's far more of a price difference between the two models than for 2014, when the difference was less than $8,000, comparing entry models.

Power and torque figures have also been released for the first time for the 2015 Navigator. Here, the familiar 3.5-liter EcoBoost turbocharged V-6 makes 380 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. That's up considerably from its other current applications—including in the Ford F-150.

All Navigator models with four-wheel drive, as well as all models with the available 22-inch wheels, now include a continuously controlled damping suspension to aid ride quality. The Escalade does include standard magnetic ride control in all of its versions for 2015.

Four-wheel-drive models additionally include hill start assist plus Hill Descent Control. And across the model line, the 2015 Lincoln Navigator includes push-button start, the MyLincoln Touch interface, the Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with cross-traffic alert, and a new LED-backlit instrument cluster.

New 'Reserve' the flagship of the lineup

Navigator Reserve models add Lincoln Drive Control, 22-inch wheels, Ziricote wood trim, hand-wrapped leather for the instrument panel, armrests, and console, and upgraded leather upholstery.

Lincoln Navigator L models, as before, add 12 inches of wheelbase, as well as nearly 14 inches of total length.

The options list for the Navigator lineup includes a power moonroof, InVision headrest-mounted DVD entertainment system, dark-finished 20-inch alloys, or 22-inch polished aluminum wheels. There are eight exterior hues—all metallic—and three interior themes (Ebony with Brown Swirl Walnut wood, Medium Light Stone with Prussion Burl wood, and Dune with Ziricote wood). The latter is for the Reserve Package only.

DON'T MISS: General Motors' List Of 69 Dirty Words Employees Shouldn't Say

The (good) news on fuel economy is yet to come

The one piece of information still remaining unanswered after today's release is that of fuel economy. Although the outgoing model doesn't do any better than 14 mpg city, 20 highway, the EcoBoost V-6 is expected to add 2 mpg to the city rating and either 2 or 3 mpg to the Navigator's highway rating.

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Tuesday, 27 May 2014

As TrueCar IPOs, The Fuelist Launches Classic Car Pricing App ...

As TrueCar IPOs, The Fuelist Launches Classic Car Pricing App ...

Posted: 18 May 2014 01:42 PM PDT

TrueCar's public offering on Friday showed that investors are willing to back a service bringing price clarity to new car buyers — and the founders of The Fuelist are hoping that same appetite for price clarity will drive demand for their vintage car and motorcycle pricing service.

People spend a lot of money on classic cars worldwide; with one English dentist set to receive a roughly $168 million payout for his collection of 450 classic cars. Roughly $13 billion changes hands between classic car collectors worldwide, according to Fuelist co-founder Thomas Rand-Nash.

According to a recent article in The Economist, the pace of investment in luxury vintage cars is rising faster than any other luxury asset. It's no secret that rich investors are finding new things to speculate on and classic cars seem to be as good a place as any to park a few thousand (or a few million).

The Fuelist offers a way for buyers and sellers to compare pricing for vintage cars worldwide. A user can select from hundreds of different car makers and models to find the sales prices for a particular style of vehicle… or a range of prices for different cars. On Monday, the company will submit a mobile version of its online service through the iPhone app store, according to Rand-Nash.

Even private equity funds are creating strategies to invest in classic cars — and with the advent of an institutional investment community collectors or investors could find that the stock of "cherry" cars could be gone in 60 seconds.

Fuelist has spent the past several months in a private beta for its first 1,000 users, according to Rand-Nash, a serial entrepreneur who previously co-founded the mobile app development company Mobile Genius LLC with his Fuelist partner Matthew Hamilton.

Rand-Nash envisions several revenue streams for The Fuelist. At a basic level the company will be charging subscriptions for access to its business intelligence and analytics around car pricing and the best place to sell a vehicle. For investors or institutions, the company will offer comparable pricing tools so that a user can find a range of different vehicles sellign at a similar price point.

The company is majority owned by the OTC Bulletin Board listed The Chancellor Group, a conglomerate which owns both oil and gas and technology and media properties, according to Rand-Nash.

Photo via Flickr user Trailers of the East Coast

Investigation: Auto parts price-fixing cost consumers millions | The ...

Posted: 25 May 2014 01:50 PM PDT

FILE - This Sept. 26, 2013 file photo shows Attorney General Eric Holder pointing to an illustrations of the auto parts during a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington. A federal investigation into price fixing in the auto parts industry, made public four years ago with FBI raids in the Detroit area, has mushroomed into the largest antitrust investigation in Justice Department history _ and authorities say it's not over yet. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

Washington • An investigation into price-fixing and bid-rigging in the auto parts industry has mushroomed into the Justice Department's largest criminal antitrust probe ever, and it's not over yet.

The investigation, made public four years ago with FBI raids in the Detroit area, has led to criminal charges against dozens of people and companies, stretched across continents and reverberated through an industry responsible for supplying critical car components.

The collusion has also saddled U.S. drivers with millions of dollars in extra costs.

"It's a very, very safe assumption that U.S. consumers paid more, and sometimes significantly more, for their automobiles as a result of this conspiracy," Brent Snyder, a deputy assistant attorney general in the antitrust division, said in an interview.

So far, 34 individuals have been charged and 27 companies have pleaded guilty or agreed to do so, the Justice Department says. Collectively, they have agreed to pay more than $2.3 billion in fines. New cases have arisen with regularity, with Attorney General Eric Holder promising last September that investigators "would check under every hood and kick every tire."

The most recent development came Thursday, when an executive from a Japanese company was charged with conspiring to fix the prices of heater control panels sold to Toyota and with persuading workers to destroy evidence.

Officials say the investigation stands out not just for its scope but also for the cooperation the authorities have received from Japan, Australia and other countries. Despite the challenges of prosecuting foreign nationals, the Justice Department has won guilty pleas from a series of Japanese executives who opted to get their punishment over with rather than remain under indictment in their home countries and subject to career-crippling travel restrictions.

Though the techniques and strategies sometimes differed, the executives generally carried out the collusion by trading coded emails, meeting at remote locations and destroying documents to avoid paper trails.

With an eye toward eliminating competition and maximizing profits, they exploited an industry that experts say is in some ways vulnerable to collusion: There are a finite number of purchasers and suppliers, there's steady pressure among companies to cut prices — and car parts, unlike certain products that have a great deal of variability — are generally standardized and homogeneous.

"The firms will just make more money if they're able to reach and stick to an agreement to collectively charge higher prices so that customers can't get them to bid against each other," said Spencer Weber Waller, director of the Institute for Antitrust Consumer Studies at the Loyola University Chicago law school. "The problem is, of course, it's a felony in the United States."

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The Justice Department first publicly surfaced aspects of the investigation when FBI agents in Detroit raided the offices of Denso Corp, Yazaki North America and Tokai Rika. All three companies have pleaded guilty to their roles in price-fixing and bid-rigging schemes.

Since the raids, the probe has broadened to encompass about $5 billion worth of auto parts, including seat belts, ignition coils, steering wheels, air bags, windshield wipers and rubber parts that dampen vibration.

Similar cartels have formed in industries ranging from oil and gas to cement and vitamins, though there's debate among economists about how long they can last, given the constant incentive for one member to cheat the others and the tendency to collapse under their own weight as they keep growing, said Daniel Crane, a University of Michigan law professor.

But the collusion in these cases, which in some instances lasted more than a decade, was "deftly done," said Joe Wiesenfelder, executive editor of Cars.com, who has followed the auto parts investigation.

"If they get too greedy and they make their prices too high, then someone smells a rat," he said. "When they set their prices and fixed their prices, they had to do it in a way that wasn't obvious and that took into account the entire market, including suppliers that weren't involved."

Wiesenfelder said that while the collusion affected car consumers, it's hard to tell how much the investigation has been noticed by the average driver.

"It's kind of abstract to consumers," he said. "It's not that prices were fixed on cars. That would really hit home."

But there are indications the industry is chastened.

For instance, Bridgestone Corp., a tire and rubber company that pleaded guilty this year, announced that it would strengthen its compliance, discipline employees and withhold a portion of compensation from certain board members and executives.

Meanwhile, the Justice Department says it's looking into additional misconduct in an investigation that bears all the hallmarks of classic antitrust law-breaking.

"This one," Snyder said, "has it all."

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Monday, 26 May 2014

Auto Parts Price-Fixing Probe Rattles Detroit-Based Industry « CBS ...

Auto Parts Price-Fixing Probe Rattles Detroit-Based Industry « CBS ...

Posted: 25 May 2014 09:46 AM PDT

ERIC TUCKER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — An investigation into price-fixing and bid-rigging in the auto parts industry has mushroomed into the Justice Department's largest criminal antitrust probe ever, and it's not over yet.

The collusion has also saddled U.S. drivers with millions of dollars in extra costs.

Wiesenfelder said that while the collusion affected car consumers, it's hard to tell how much the investigation has been noticed by the average driver.

"It's kind of abstract to consumers," he said. "It's not that prices were fixed on cars. That would really hit home."

But there are indications the industry is chastened.

Meanwhile, the Justice Department says it's looking into additional misconduct in an investigation that bears all the hallmarks of classic antitrust law-breaking.

"This one," Snyder said, "has it all."

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Sunday, 25 May 2014

Stand by for a new small-car price war | carsguide.com.au

Stand by for a new small-car price war | carsguide.com.au

Stand by for a new small-car price war | carsguide.com.au
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