From Trailer To New Facility

Kia is a relatively new brand in Canada. As a fact, the manufacturer of Kia Spectra radiator has just started its venture in the territory in 2000. But since then, the brand has showed consistent growth.

Jessy Prihar, Millwoods Kia dealer principal, is preparing for the grand opening of the Capital Region's newest Kia store. The new 18,800-square-foot facility is one of the first dealerships in Canada to showcase the automaker’s new corporate look. The new structure will be able to display 8 new vehicles in the showroom and provide 10 service bays to suitably serve the dealership's growing number of clientele.

Millwoods Kia started operations out of a trailer in January last year. Despite the fact, the dealership still managed to sell 300 new units in the previous year. With a brand new facility coupled with a growing interest in Kia products, Prihar is confident that 2007 will see strong growth, saying, "By the end of the fiscal year, I expect we'll (sell) 400 units."

Earlier this year, J.D. Power and Associates, an automobile quality specialist, recognized the Kia Rio as "Highest Ranked Subcompact Car in Initial Quality in the U.S." for the second year in a row, beating out the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and the Nissan Versa.

"Kia is a very aggressive manufacturer. Hyundai and Kia will do in 10 years what Honda and Toyota took thirty years to do. By 2010, (Hyundai-Kia) want to increase market share to sixth largest in the world," he noted.

General sales manager Alex Vlasenko said that the dealership's best sellers are the subcompact Rio and the Sedona minivan, which together account for 30-percent of the store's new vehicle sales. But for value, Vlasenko said that nothing in its segment can touch the new Rondo, which Kia touts as an 'urban utility vehicle' and competes with the popular Mazda5.

"It's the best investment for your dollar," he said. "Pricing starts at under $20,000 for the five-passenger LX. It's fuel-efficient, yet sporty. I can't find anything this vehicle doesn't have: 16-inch alloy wheels, all disk brakes, ABS/TCS/VSC, 12 airbags.”

Here are some facts about Millwoods Kia.

MILLWOODS KIA
When founded: 2006
Location: 9710 35th Ave., Edmonton
Hours of operation: Sales and leasing: Mon.-Thurs. 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun Closed
Service & Parts: Mon.-Fri. 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Sat 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Sun. Closed
What does dealership sell: Kia
Best sales year: 300 new units in 2006
Size of dealership: 18,800 sq.ft. facility housing an eight-vehicle new car showroom, 10 service bays, one quick-lube bay and a four-vehicle enclosed drive-through
What geographic area does dealership serve?: Edmonton (south of the North Saskatchewan River) to Red Deer
Dealer principal: Jessy Prihar
Dealership philosophy or corporate principles statement: "Caring for customers, understanding and serving their needs, and by working enthusiastically as a team that respects the unique contributions of every individual."
Number of employees: 30
Charitable activities: United Way of the Alberta Capital Region, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Millwoods Hockey Association
Website: http://www.millwoodskia.com/

[via: autos.canada.com]

Highlander Hybrid Prices

The Highlander may not be as flashy as some SUVs out there but it is one of the most successful nameplates by the Japanese automaker Toyota. And with its hybrid version, it has become a trendsetter in its class. And for the 2008 model year, the Highlander Hybrid was given more ammo to make it the best in its class. And the prices for the most recent batch of Highlander Hybrids have also been announced recently by the automaker looking to be the king of the hill.

Although more features were added, the new Highlander Hybrid is priced lower than its predecessor. The 2008 Highlander Hybrid base model 4WD-i will have a starting price of $33,700 and that amount is $190 lower than the previous Highlander Hybrid. The upscale Limited trim level of the 4WD-i will carry an MSRP of $39,950. This is more than the previous version though by $3,400. The reason is that the Limited trim level has much more features than the previous model.

Aside from having a lot of technologically advanced features, the Highlander Hybrid is considered as a strong competitor in its class as it has the best fuel economy and the cleanest emission. Being a hybrid, this was expected of the Highlander Hybrid. For the 2008 model year, in addition to those features, the vehicle’s roominess, and power has been improved. Aside from that, the Highlander Hybrid also has a wide array of safety features that one can almost compare it to a Volvo in terms of the safety that it offers to consumers.

The Highlander Hybrid has seven airbags which includes one for the knees of the driver. That lineup also includes a roll-sensing side curtain airbag. That means an airbag which will be deployed once the sensors, erm, senses that the vehicle is about to roll over.

The powerplant of the Highlander Hybrid will be a 3.3-liter V6 which can produce as much as 270 horsepower. The new hybrid version of the Highlander is also equipped with features that will inform drivers how to take advantage of the hybrid powertrain. Just like Volkswagen tail lights which shows the direction that a car is going, the coming of the Highlander Hybrid also shows where Toyota is going with their hybrid powertrain.

VW Celebrates Record Sales

Volkswagen AG is pleased to announce that its auto record sales for January to June has crept up to 2.11 million vehicles worldwide and that marks a 7.9% increase over 2006's figures.

The upwards trend is also reflected in July's figure, which has shown a 10.5% raise over July 2006 to 310,00 vehicles. The figures relate to VW brand vehicles only, and not other subsidiary brands which include Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Seat and Skoda.

"We have never sold so many Volkswagen vehicles in this period before. We look forward with confidence to the month ahead," said Dr. Michael Kern, brand sales and marketing director.

VW, the world’s fourth largest automaker, is celebrating the increase as one significant milestone. China, the company’s biggest market, VW has sold an even greater amount than last year.

The Volkswagen Group as a whole is the world's fourth largest car manufacturer after Toyota, General Motors and Ford. 443,000 vehicles over this period (an increase of 25.4%) were sold. Argentina also showed significant growth with an increase of 20.9 per cent (60,000 deliveries) over the same period.

Brazil, meanwhile, was VW’s best improving market with a 30.6% increase in sales which accounted for 261,000 product lines. The VW range starts with the compact Fox city car (designed and built by Volkswagen's Brazilian subsidiary) and rises to the Phaeton executive limousine (a poor seller in its Volkswagen guise but a platform that has spawned Audi and Bentley models), reported CNN.

CNN has also given a flashback of the VW time zone: Volkswagen started car manufacturing in 1937 at the behest of Adolf Hitler to produce the 'Beetle' people's car (literally 'volks wagen') designed by Ferdinand Porsche. After World War II, the British Army took control of the Wolfsburg, Germany factory and resumed production of the car. In 1948, control of the company was handed over to the German state. And in 1960 it eventually became a limited country.

Expansion in the American market in the 1960s helped boost the company's fortune, with the 'Beetle' becoming a cult car, particularly among the growing hippie sub-culture. But the company was in danger of relying too heavily on one model. The 'Beetle' spawned other rear-engined, air-cooled vehicles including the iconic Type 2 'campervan' and the pretty Karmann Ghia coupe. But with mechanical underpinnings dating from the 1930s, Volkswagen was desperate for new ideas by the early 1970s.

VW's lifeline came with the Golf hatchback, now in its fifth generation. The original Golf (known as the Rabbit in the United States) was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and was an instant success during its launch in 1974. It is still produced and marketed as the Volkswagen Citi.

At present, the German automaker is absorbed in enhancing auto parts such as the VW strut, engines, radiator, and the like to serve the global auto industry better.

The China-Sweden Connection

Let’s talk about big vehicles. Not just SUVs and pickup trucks but really large vehicles like buses and semi-trailers. The latest news in the commercial vehicle industry is that Volvo is looking to work with the Chinese Dongfeng Motor Corporation. It is interesting that this working relationship will be between two number twos. Volvo is the second largest truck and bus producer in the world while Dongfeng is the second largest Chinese automaker.

The Auto Channel reports that a source from the Chinese automaker was quoted saying “If nothing goes wrong, the two companies will officially start cooperation by next May.” And if you are like me who’s curious what kind of trucks these two automakers can come up with, then you should also hope that nothing really goes wrong.

The way I see it, both companies will be benefiting greatly from this partnership. Volvo will be having a piece of the very big pie that is the Chinese commercial vehicle market. Dongfeng, on the other hand, can benefit from Volvo’s expertise not only on the manufacturing of reliable components but also for their safety features. For years, Chinese made vehicles are being looked down in terms of their safety. In contrast, safety is what Volvo has been specializing on. The Swedish company has been making safety belts more durable than say a Saturn center shoulder belt.

The partnership between the two companies have been budding since January. It was reported that the two companies have already came up with a draft concerning the terms that they have agreed upon. They are now just waiting for the approval of the Chinese government. If that’s all they’re waiting for, I’d say that the partnership is almost complete.

Another reason why Dongfeng needs Volvo is its shrinking sales in China. While the demand for commercial vehicles increased in the Asian country, Dongfeng’s sales has dropped considerably. Its competitors in contrast posted as much as 87 percent sales increase for the first six months of the year. With the infusion of Volvo’s prestige in the company, they may attract more customers.

Volvo is continually expanding its presence in the global market. Aside from the company’s working relationship with the Chinese automaker, Volvo is also in the middle of expanding their presence in Russia by putting up assembly facility in the country. At this rate, Volvo may soon be a strong contender to DaimlerChrysler (Mercedes-Benz) which is currently the largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in the world.

LR2: Land Rover Do-Over

Sometimes it takes more than just creating a good image or clever styling to win over auto shoppers. It’s more than just creating an effective marketing material to tout the car and set the mood.

But repairing the besmirched image is one heck of an undertaking. Take Land Rover, for instance. When the automaker introduced the compact SUV Freelander, it flaunted ideal on- and off-road performance. But it lacks a captivating style that could entice more shoppers. As a fact, the materials used inside the car were economy class. Also, the sport utility was reported to be having some mechanical problems. As a result, sales dramatically dropped.

The most potent solution that time was to use Volvo S80’s architecture and technology. At first look, the LR2 is a real Land Rover, not a freeloader. Open the door and the aroma of Land Rover leather wafts out and pulls you behind the wheel says Mark Maynard of The Paramus Post.

Here's Maynard’s LR2 Specs Box:

2008 Land Rover LR2 SE

Body style: compact, five-passenger SUV with full-time all-wheel drive and four-wheel traction control

Engine: aluminum, 230-horsepower, 3.2-liter inline six-cylinder with 234 foot-pounds of torque

Transmission: six-speed CommandShift automatic with Sport and Manual modes

0-60 mph acceleration: 8.4 seconds

EPA fuel economy estimates: 16 mpg city, 23 highway

Fuel capacity: 18.5 gallons

DIMENSIONS

Front head/leg/shoulder room: 40.2/41.9/57.6 inches

Curb weight: 4,255 pounds

Wading depth: 19.7 inches

Ground clearance: 8.3 inches

Tow capacity: 3,500 pounds with brakes

FEATURES

Standard equipment includes: push-button start and keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather-trimmed seats, leather-wrapped tilt and telescopic steering wheel, power front seats, power tilt and slide sunroof with second pane over the back seat, split folding rear seat, power windows and mirrors, trip computer, nine-speaker (320-watt) audio with six-disc, in-dash CD changer, twin-pocket halogen headlights, front and rear fog lights, rear park distance control, rain-sensing wipers, 18-inch Continental 235/60R V-rated tires on alloy wheels

Safety equipment includes: seven air bags, including a driver's knee bag, dual-threshold front bags, side-impact front bags and side-impact curtains; dynamic stability control; roll stability control; cornering brake control; emergency brake assist; all-terrain anti-lock braking

PRICING

Base: $34,700, including freight; price as tested, $39,950

Options on test car: Technology package, $3,500, includes navigation system, 440-watt Dolby Pro Logic II 7.1 surround sound audio, Sirius satellite radio, rear-seat audio controls, Bluetooth phone mode; Lighting package, $1,050, includes bi-xenon headlights, adaptive front lighting, approach and puddle lights, memory driver seat and mirrors; Cold Climate package, $700, includes heated windshield, heated front seats and heated washer jets

The competition: Acura RDX, BMW X3, Infiniti FX35, Hummer H3

Where assembled: Halewood, England

PLUSES: Full Land Rover experience.

MINUSES: Small back-seat space; awkward push-button ignition; hesitant slow-speed accelerator uptake.

A Rover is never a Rover without the Terrain Response, powerful engine mated to an-equally efficient radiator. The latter is likened to the famed Land Rover Range Rover 4.2 radiator. LR2 is now on sale in the United States for a base price of $34,700.

Newer Does Not Mean Bigger

With newer models of cars being offered by automakers you can sense that they are getting bigger and bigger. Take for example, the new Saturn Vue, with its European styling, it was made bigger and bolder. But Mazda took the path less traveled and came out with a new Mazda2 that was smaller than the previous one.

And why would Mazda take the route less traveled. I guess that the market calls for it. Why? Because, it is fighting against cars which have become bigger and bigger, and by offering a smaller car, they are attracting the attention of auto buyers who are under presumption that smaller cars are actually more fuel efficient than larger cars which in general seems to be true.

What this means is that the mew Mazda2 will be a lot cooler than its predecessor. How did the engineers at Mazda make the new Mazda2 to be smaller and lighter but still have the features of its predecessors? They used ultra-high-tensile chrome vanadium and nickel alloyed steel on the body of the car. The result is the new Mazda2 which weighs about 50 lbs less than its predecessor.

If you want a closer look at the new Mazda2, you can visit dealerships or you can visit this site where they have a gallery of the new Mazda2.

The real reason behind the smaller Mazda2, according to its designer Ikuo “Speedy” Maeda, is for it to “look best in the streets of Europe”. And after having ogled at the pictures of the new Mazda2, I’d say that it perfectly embodies the grace and the looks of a car fit to run around the streets of Europe.

Choices of the engine for the new Mazda2 include two 1.3-liter engines. One of these can produce 74 bhp while the other produces 85 bhp. A bigger 1.5-liter engine is also available. This slightly bigger gas engine can produce 102 bhp. Transmission is manual but we all know that it is much better to drive cars like the Mazda2 with clutches than those with automatic shifters.

Overall, I think that Mazda’s new Mazda2 is a great looking car. And the fact that the automaker refused to make it bigger increased their rating in my books. Lol. But kidding aside, Mazda has proven that it is one of the best in making small cars and the Mazda2 is definitely one of those cars that Mazda has gotten right.

Get Ready For Eight Volkswagens

Europe’s largest carmaker will be revealing something or should I say some things at the upcoming International Automobile Exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany. Volkswagen confirmed that they will be showing their widest product range at the said event. And how wide could that be? According to reports, Volkswagen is planning to exhibit more than fifty - that’s a five and a zero... five tens... Yes, that many vehicles. Now, that’s what you would call a wide selection.

Considering that the event will be held in Germany, it is not actually surprising that Volkswagen would show more than 50 cars. Logistics will not be a problem since they are based in Wolfsburg. Compare that to other automakers based in other countries such as Cadillac, Daihatsu, Daewoo, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, and others.

Out of the more than fifty Volkswagen vehicles to be exhibited at the said event, eight are new models slated for their debut at the event. The most anticipated of the lot is the Volkswagen Tiguan. The said compact crossover SUV was first made known to the auto industry in November last year during the 2007 Los Angeles International Auto Show.

The said crossover will be marketed by Volkswagen in a supporting role to the Volkswagen Touareg. Expectations for the Tiguan heightened after reports said that it will have a very good fuel economy. With the increasing price of gasoline, a vehicle such as that would surely attract car buyers. Aside from that, coming from Volkswagen, consumers can expect for pure fun driving capabilities of the Tiguan. I’d bet that even its window switch will be as smooth operating as its engine.

Aside from the Tiguan, the European auto giant will be showing off six BlueMotion models. And for those who are not yet indoctrinated about this BlueMotion concept, it is Volkswagen’ answer to the increasing call for eco-friendly vehicles. BlueMotion vehicles uses new-generation diesel engines with emissions as clean as standard gas engines or even cleaner. Fuel efficiency is also a strong selling point for BlueMotion vehicles.

For those interested on other vehicles from other automakers that will be appearing at the event, you can check out theautochannel.com. The site offers updated information concerning one of the biggest motor shows in the world.

Saturn Rising

That’s exactly what’s happening to General Motors’ long-neglected marque. Saturn, known for plastic body panels and what-you-see-is-what-you-pay-for marketing strategy is increasingly becoming more popular to customers. General Motors’ genius of pairing the brand with Opel apparently paid off. Just check out the new offerings of the brand at their official site and you’ll know why Saturn is one of the fastest growing brands in the country.

First, there’s the Aura - the reigning North American Car of the Year. I know you’ve heard of that title being credited to the Aura a lot these days. It is only appropriate; after all, the new Aura beat the Camry and the Accord to the title. The Aura is the replacement for the L-Series. Compare the L-Series to the Aura and you’ll see how far Saturn has come with the aid of Opel.

The Aura’s European styling makes one think of those flashy cars from BMW and Mercedes-Benz but with the price tag considerably lower. Add extra bucks for body kits and you’ll have the best looking midsize sedan on the road. The looks of a car depends on who’s looking at it, right? But for me, the Aura looks better than the Camry or the Accord.

And then, there’s the Sky. The convertible which is based on the Pontiac Solstice, legit head turner is ushering in a new era for the automaker. With previous models looking as bland as the Ion, it is certainly a breath of fresh air for Saturn to come up with a convertible this good looking.

Compare the Sky to European convertibles by looking at its exterior and you’d certainly feel that Saturn's Sky is not a pushover in its segment. Then, check the price tags. Imagine having a roadster with stunning good looks of a European model at a bargain and you have the Sky.

And what a Vue! The new Vue simply rocks. Its rounded off edges gives it a bold look. Comparison again. Looking at the old and the new Vue, I asked myself why General Motors did not pair up Saturn with Opel years ago. As car critics say, the new Vue is miles away from the old Vue. The refinement and the changes made may have even warrant a change in the name of the model. But since the Vue is their bestselling model, a change like that can seriously hurt their sales.

The question now is - why is Ford not doing the same thing as General Motors did with Saturn? With Jaguar, Volvo, and Aston Martin on their portfolio (they still have a share in Aston Martin), they can surely come up with American-priced cars looking way cooler than rebadged Opels.

Porsche will not handle VW Yet

We have been informed about the possible relationship between Porsche and Volkswagen for several weeks already and soon before it was pursued, Porsche released a statement today that they are not planning to complete and expedite the take over.

Porsche recently enlarged its ownership with Volkswagen AG as the information from the net tells us. The increase was actually bound by law in Germany to be able to purchase the controlling interest. The car maker Porsche did not acquire much of the Volkswagen share hold because Porsche does not want to fully acquire the car company.

The door is so open for Porsche to increase its share hold on its fellow German automotive manufacturer Volkswagen but the company seems to be uninterested in acquiring the entire Volkswagen which was also founded by the Porsche developer Ferdinand Porsche. This is because if Porsche will completely take over the Volkswagen, the stake will be up to 50% without the existence of legal issues and bureaucracy. However, Porsche is still deciding on this matter.

Hmmm… I wonder what would be the fate of VW then?