GM Trademarks "Range Anxiety"

In what has to be a clever, pro-active move, General Motors (GM) has trademarked the term "Range Anxiety." Unless you've been on another planet for the past year or so, you're aware that like it or not, electric vehicles (EV) are coming. In connection (no pun intended) with EVs, you've probably heard the phrase "range anxiety" a time or two.

"Range Anxiety" is a stress-inducing term conjuring up the fear your EV will leave you stranded on the side of the road in a most inopportune location at the worse possible time, due to insufficient battery life. It's not just a problem for EV buyers, but is a major issue for auto manufacturers trying to convince a skeptical public EVs are the new way to go. 

That's why GM filed an application with the U.S. trademark office in July to patent the term — because it's a safe bet that range anxiety will be among the top customer concerns when they think about purchasing the Chevy Volt, GM's much ballyhooed, but still to be released, Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV).

The move is akin to of BP buying up all the Gulf disaster-related terms in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon incident. Is GM doing the same thing — grabbing up the term that envisions nightmares for potential EV owners? Is the company hoping to protect itself from competitors' accusations? At the same time, GM is undoubted seeking to assure drivers that the Volt is "Range Anxiety-free." Ironically, compared to its EV competitors, it actually is — the Volt has a gasoline engine that kicks in when the battery gives up.

Updated Window Stickers To Include Environmental Grade

What grade will your new car get in fuel efficiency? A government proposal may be adding report card style letter grades to showroom window stickers on new cars and trucks to reflect a vehicle's overall fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions.

The Transportation Department and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are considering two changes to the energy and environmental information on new car window stickers beginning with the 2012 model year. The government is considering updating the design of the current sticker to include letter grade comparisons of a vehicle's fuel economy and emissions. The stickers have not significantly changed in 30 years, and the government wants the labels to reflect and account for greenhouse gas emissions.

"From electric to plug-in hybrid vehicles, we think a new label is absolutely necessary to help consumers make the right decision for their wallet and for the environment," said Gina McCarthy, the EPA's top air pollution official. The changes are required under a 2007 energy law.

Using the letter grade approach, an average vehicle on fuel efficiency and emissions would receive a B-. Electric vehicles would receive an A+, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles would earn an A and three gas-electric hybrids — the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Honda Civic Hybrid and Toyota Prius — would get an A-.
The best-selling passenger car in America, the Toyota Camry, would receive a B or a B-, depending on the vehicle's engine, while hybrid versions of the Camry would earn a B+. The top-selling pickup truck, the Ford F-150, would receive a C+ or a C, based on the engine. Luxury cars such as the Mercedes-Benz Maybach 57 and Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorana would get a D+ while the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti would earn the lowest grade — D.

Automakers questioned the proposed letter grades, saying it could impact sales. Gloria Bergquist, a spokeswoman for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said "the letter grade inadvertently suggests a value judgment, taking us back to school days where grades were powerful symbols of passing or failing."

McCarthy said the letter grade option was not meant to be a judgment on the vehicle, but a "metric that consumers can use" when car shopping. The letter grade would include an estimate of how much money a motorist would save in fuel costs over five years.

The second option would maintain the current label's focus on a vehicle's miles per gallon rating and annual fuel costs but update the design and add new comparison information on fuel efficiency and vehicle tailpipe emissions.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration administrator David Strickland said there was "no preferred option" and the government hoped to hear from the public during a 60-day comment period. The public can e-mail comments on the plans to newlabels@epa.gov and a final plan is expected in early 2011.

Environmental groups said they generally supported the plan, noting it would help consumers make meaningful comparisons between vehicles and choose vehicles that will help them save money at the gas pump. "You shouldn't need a Ph.D. to buy a car. These proposed new labels will make it much easier for consumers to comparison shop," said Vickie Patton, Environmental Defense Fund's general counsel.

Toyota looking to enter high-end sports car market

As the world's largest carmaker tries to rebuild its reputation for quality after record recalls, Toyota President Akio Toyoda has said he wants to add more fun to his cars.

By Makiko Kitamura and Yuki Hagiwara

Bloomberg News

Maurizio Raffone bought a Toyota Prius hybrid for its top-of-the-line fuel efficiency. In his current search for a new sports car, he said the Japanese carmaker hadn't sprung to mind.

"Would I consider buying a Toyota high-end sports car?" said Raffone, a London-based director at Commerzbank AG. "I might think about it, but ultimately I'd choose something with a trident, a prancing horse or a bull on its hood," he said, referring to Maserati and Ferrari and Lamborghini.

As the world's largest carmaker tries to rebuild its reputation for quality after record recalls, President Akio Toyoda, a racing fan, has said he wants to add more fun to his cars. Under Toyoda, who became president in June 2009, Toyota Motor has taken orders for the Lexus LFA $375,000 supercar, is readying an "affordable" rear-wheel drive coupe and may even add a sporty version of the Prius.

"Cars like the LFA are brand-builders in the overall product portfolio," said Ashvin Chotai, London-based managing director of Intelligence Automotive Asia, an industry consultant. These cars, at the periphery of Toyota's business model, "are less about volume and more about excitement."

The projects fall under a new Sports Vehicle Management Division set up in January, a month before Toyoda flew to Washington, D.C., to face congressional questioning on the company's recalls for problems related to unintended acceleration.

The unit expands a similar group organized by Toyoda in 2007 and aims to "reinforce sports-vehicle product planning," according to a company statement.

The "affordable" sports car, known as the FT-86, is being developed with affiliate Fuji Heavy Industries's Subaru unit. Toyota plans to introduce the model by the end of 2011.

Toyoda touts the role of racing in car development and started participating in a 24-hour endurance race in 2007 in Nurburgring, Germany, where various versions of the LFA were tested.

His fervor for racing is reflected on his business card, where a cartoon image of Morizo, his race-car driver alter ego, flashes a peace sign with one hand and cradles a helmet in the other.

The carmaker has orders for all 500 units of the LFA, according to the company. The car will enter production in December.

"The LFA is technologically brilliant but completely overpriced" at almost triple the price of Porsche SE's 911 Turbo, said Mark Sweeting, a London investment banker in London who has owned numerous sporty European cars.

Toyota's sports cars no longer in production include the Supra, built between 1986 and 2002 and featured in the 2001 racing movie "The Fast and the Furious," the MR-S roadster that ended production in 2007, and the Celica, made between 1970 and 2006. The company's first supercar was the 2000GT, featured in the 1967 James Bond movie, "You Only Live Twice."

"Toyota used to have cool sports cars like the Supra and Corolla Levin," said Kosuke Kakizawa, a sports-car fan in Tokyo who owned a Toyota Cynos coupe in the mid-1990s. "Now, when you think of sports cars, you think of the foreign brands." Kakizawa now owns an Audi TT coupe.

Raffone, the Prius owner, said, "Toyota should really focus on its cutting-edge eco-friendly technology and leave the sports cars to the niche manufacturers."

Last month, Toyota held a test-drive event for its new "G Sports" versions of the Noah and Voxy minivans, which were developed and tuned with the help of race-car drivers and have lowered suspensions, more responsive steering and high-performance brakes.

"These are cars that are sporty without being hard-core sports cars," to be enjoyed by drivers with families, said Tadashi Yamashina, a senior managing director in charge of the company's development of sports cars. Sports models contribute little to sales volume and profit, Intelligence Automotive's Chotai said. Toyota sold 1,300 units of the MR-S in Japan in 2006, the last full year it was offered. That compares with 2.27 million cars sold domestically in the fiscal year ended March 2007.

Japanese rival Honda Motor also cut back on sporty cars over the past decade, axing plans for a revamped NSX supercar and ending production of the S2000 roadster in 2009. Instead, Honda introduced the sporty hybrid CR-Z in February.

Toyota displayed a concept hybrid sports car, the FT-HS, at the 2007 Detroit auto show.

Nissan Motor, Japan's third-largest automaker, came out with a more powerful version of its flagship GT-R sports car in 2007.

"The sporty push is understandable since the whole industry is so fixated on improving vehicle fuel economy, which leaves something to be desired" for enthusiasts, said Koji Endo, an auto analyst at Advanced Research Japan in Tokyo.

More sports models may also raise morale inside the company. "Sports cars keep the engineers motivated," said Edwin Merner, president of Atlantis Investment Research in Tokyo. "They are worth doing on a limited scale."

Chevy Announces Pricing on Volt

Chevrolet has announced that customers will be able to lease the 2011 Chevrolet Volt for $350 a month. For those who wish to purchase the Volt, the MSRP after the $7,500 U.S. Federal income tax credit will be $33,500.

Due to high demand, Chevrolet has also announced that production will be increased by 50 percent from 30,000 to 45,000 in 2012.

To place your order for the Volt and to learn more about which California Chevrolet dealers are participating, visit www.getmyvolt.com/.

Best Defense Against Car Theft — Drive a Prius

By Arial Swartz

From Fast Company

 You hardly need a car alarm if you drive a Prius. That's the conclusion of a new vehicle theft study from the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI). According to the report, thieves are after "chrome, horsepower, and HEMIs," but not "sedate family cars and fuel-sippers."

HLDI's report calculates the vehicles with the highest insurance claims for theft by taking into account the rate at which insurance claims are filed as well as the size of the payments. Unsurprisingly, the rap song-worthy Escalade is the most stolen car--one out of every 100 are swiped by thieves. Other popular targets include the Hummer, Corvette, and GMC Yukon.

Meanwhile, the Prius gets left behind — and that's a good thing. Toyota's bestselling hybrid gets stolen at a rate that's less than 15% of the average. It joins the Toyota Sienna, Toyota Tacoma, Saturn VUE, and Honda Pilot on the list of  10 vehicles with the lowest rates of insurance claims for theft.

The idea of buying hybrids just to deter thieves won't hold true for long. Luxury car makers are rolling out dozens of hybrids and all-electric vehicles in the next few years. Flashy fuel-efficient cars will undoubtedly become targets for theft. Fully electric vehicles, meanwhile, are uncharted territory. Are thieves more or less likely to make off with a pricey EV, since they can't fill 'er up at a gas station? Would a network of easy charging electric stations create more car crime, or deter it?  Better fit a car alarm to that new Tesla Roadster, just in case.

Nissan Xterra Off Road — still my choice for versatility and capability

      By Lary Coppola

“Everything you need. Nothing you don’t,” was the tagline for the versatile Nissan Xterra some years back. It still applies today. The Xterra is a sport utility vehicle (SUV) engineered for serious off-roading that easily does double duty as a comfortable daily driver.  

The Xterra is a truck-based, body-on-frame SUV, not a crossover. It features a boxed-in steel ladder frame, riding on the same rugged suspension as the Nissan Frontier pickup, with double wishbones up front and a solid axle on leaf springs in the rear.

Model Lineup: The 2010 Xterra, which was freshened up in 2009, is offered in four models — the base-level Xterra X with 2WD or 4WD; the Xterra S 2WD or 4WD; the Terri SE 2WD or 4WD, and the Xterra Off-Road, which comes only with 4WD, but a choice of manual or automatic transmission. Our test vehicle was the Off Road version with the automatic.

Walkaround: Not much has changed in the overall look and shape of the Xterra since it first debuted for the 2000 model year, it’s just been refined over time. The front end boasts Nissan’s signature truck grille with the same no-nonsense headlamp setup as the Frontier. The flat-black lower corners of the front fascia are rugged and massive, but not conspicuous. Sandblast Aluminum trim wraps up from underneath suggesting a skid plate that's real only on the Off Road model.  

The fenders are flared in the same manner as the Frontier and big-brother Titan. The Xterra's ubiquitous roof rack was tweaked somewhat last year, and now features what Nissan calls its sloping front surface air dam, which is where the Off Road version houses its 50,000-candlepower roof lights. All Xterra models have a "gear basket" right behind the air dam meant to hold ski boots, wetsuits and muddy mountain-biking clothes, covered by a lid secured with a plastic latch.

The rear of the Xterra features huge windows, and the signature tailgate lump housing the First Aid kit. Steps molded into the rear bumper make it easy to climb up and reach the roof rack.

Interior: The 2009 refresh brought some small interior upgrades, including a new center instrument cluster with new climate controls, new upholstery fabrics for the X and S models, new unique rugged gray fabric with red stitching for the Off-Road, and reclining driver and front passenger seats.

The center console is deep, with dual cupholders, coin slots, a tray forward of the shift lever, a decent sized glovebox, and steering-wheel controls on most models. The rear liftgate window and large side rear windows offer good visibility. 

The standard 60/40 split rear seat folds flat, as does the front passenger seat on the Off Road. There are sturdy grab handles over the rear doors, and two 20-ounce bottle holders. Rear legroom is tight, but adequate, even with the driver’s seat slid back. 

The Xterra boasts advantages over all its competitors in cargo room. All but the base-level X offer easy-to-clean hard-vinyl surfaces. There's lots of space with nets to stow things, and a deep hidden compartment under the floor. The Xterra also features no less than 10 utility hooks on the floor, sides and ceiling, along with an adjustable track system in the cargo floor, on all but the base-level X, that’s similar to the Utili-track system offered on Nissan pickups.

Other standard amenities include cloth upholstery, A/C, remote keyless entry, cruise control, six-speaker sound system with single CD, three 12-volt DC outlets, power windows, cargo-area carpeting, roof rails with an air dam, and 16-inch steel wheels. 

The Xterra S comes with the automatic only, and adds an eight-way adjustable driver's seat, power mirrors, an interior microfilter, fog lamps, aluminum step rails, roof rack crossbars and gear basket, and alloy wheels.

The Terri upgrades include leather seats; leather-wrapped steering wheel with Bluetooth and audio controls; Rockford Fosgate audio with 6CD changer; MP3 capability, auxiliary input; Sirius/XM Satellite Radio; auto-dimming inside mirror with compass; illuminated vanity mirrors; first aid kit; cargo net, and 17-inch alloy wheels. Mirrors and door handles are body colored.

The Off-Road comes equipped similar to SE, minus the step rails and leather seats. It adds roof-mounted driving lights, an electronic locking rear differential, Bilstein gas shocks, and skid plates for the oil pan, fuel tank and transfer case. The automatic transmission version comes with Hill Descent Control and Hill Start Assist as well, plus BFG Rugged Trail tires on 6-spoke 16-inch alloy wheels.

Safety equipment on all models includes dual-stage front airbags, side-impact airbags in front, roof-mounted airbag curtains with a rollover sensor, and the LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren). Vehicle Dynamic Control and vented disc brakes with ABS and EBD are standard, along with the government-mandated tire pressure monitor. The Xterra rates four of five stars in NHTSA crash tests for frontal impact, five for side impact, and three for rollover.

Under The Hood: All Xterra’s are powered by Nissan's award-winning V6 — universally acknowledged as the best powerplant since the small block Chevy. It’s been stroked to 4.0-liters, delivering 261 horses and 281 pound-feet of torque, with an aluminum block and heads, Teflon-coated pistons, Continuous Valve Timing Control (CVTCS), Nissan variable Induction Control System (NICS), silent timing chain, microfinished cam and crankshaft surfaces, digital knock control, and 105,000-mile spark plugs.

The electronic shift-on-the-fly 4WD system features 2WD, and 4WD High and Low, all controlled by a single-dash mounted knob. For 2010, Nissan has made last year's Gear Package standard on S and SE models, and what was the Technology Package is now standard on SE and Off Road.  

Behind The Wheel: The Nissan Xterra is built on the same chassis as the Frontier pickup, and its higher center of gravity is noticeable in the reasonably comfortable ride, although side-to-side motion is a bit more pronounced than in crossover SUVs.  

The engine has plenty of power and torque, accelerating easily, but its torque curve almost seems better suited to a sports car than a truck. I noticed the Xterra didn’t feel terribly powerful until I kicked it, and then it felt like a Nissan 370Z.

The Hill Descent Control (HDC) allows you to move down steep hills with both feet off the pedals, relying only on electronics, at a safe and steady 5 mph, preventing the rear from sliding out on steep, muddy descents, so you don't slide off the trail. With throttle control and ABS applied electronically, it works in both forward and reverse, and is every bit as good as that on the legendary Range Rover.

Off road, our test Xterra conquered every challenge it faced with ease. With short overhangs front and rear, there’s not much interference, so you can go about anywhere without problems.

Whines: Moldings on the doors of our Off Road test vehicle were flat black instead of body color like other models, which is visually distracting considering the exposed bolts underneath, where apparently running boards attach to other Xterras.

Bottom Line: Nissan has been on a major product roll for more than a decade now, and the Xterra has just gotten better with age. It’s super capable on and off road, user friendly, has a comfortable ride for a truck, and wears well. Honestly, it’s my personal favorite vehicle of this genre, kicking serious butt against any and all comparable size competing crossover SUVs. Well-equipped at $32,005 as tested, is a hell of a value besides.