Everything Fits Better in a Hatchback, Especially This Podcast

Baby come back. Hatchback that is. According to Ford, 60% of the first Fiesta buyers are choosing hatchbacks. While the small-car segment has always been a haven for three- and five-door designs, it's surprising to see such a strong preference for hatchbacks, particularly with a vehicle Joe White says represents the future of the American car.

Ford is benefiting from the strong buzz and sales of its new designs and says it expects a strong profit this year.

In France, small cars rule the roads, but at the Paris Auto Show this week there will be some dramatic and large models getting shown off. Among them a redesigned Bentley, VW's revamped Passat and a radical Lamborghini concept.

Peugeot-HR1 from the Paris Auto Show

NHTSA and Ray LaHood claimed this week that 72,000 lives over the last years. A huge number. Some of that might be attributed to safety features trickling down from the luxury segment to more pedestrian vehicles like Chevrolet's.

Speaking of pedestrians, Volvo had a little oops when showing off its new pedestrian-avoidance system. Just be thankful your not Bob the dummy.

Another dummy? A Maryland judge corrected a ruling that the stock taillights on a Pontiac G8 were illegal.

And finally, like this blog, want be a car blogger too? Enter Jalopnik's latest competition to be a blogger for them.

GetThisShowOnTheRoad Sept 30, 2010.mp3

It's Not Distracting to Text While Podcasting

The government put $50 billion into General Motors, to get its investment back share would have to be sold for more than $133 a share in the initial public offering. But David argues that it's a long-term investment in GM and not to be too concerned about getting our money back right away.

Automotive X-Prize

Meanwhile, China wants to leap ahead in the electric-vehicle race, but to do so it may force foreign companies to give up their technology to get access to its market.

Hertz is promising to step up its electric-vehicle efforts, not just offering cars but also helping build out the infrastructure needed to support them.

The company probably won't be renting any of the designs that came out of the Automotive X-Prize. The three designs that will split the $10 million are fairly radical and not likely to be in dealers any time soon.

Texting and driving are in the news this week with NHTSA sponsoring an event. But there is still some debate about whether mobile phones actually lead to more accidents than other distractions like food or Kindles.

Finally, big, luxurious sedans from Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Audi and BMW haven't seen sales drop as much as you might expect. And that could be good as Hyundai tries to crack the high-end sedan market with its Equus. But will it be as sexy or as comfortable at the country club as an Audi.

GetThisShowOnTheRoad, Sept 23, 2010.mp3

Where You Live Determines What Car Features You Buy

Ford released sales data this week that highlights trends in the options car buyers select based on the area of the U.S.

The headline, and the most interesting tidbit: My neighbors in the Seattle area prefer cars with moonroofs and cooled seats.

I think there are two reasons for that:

Because it is generally cool here, I find that I rarely use the air conditioning but always open the roof if it isn't raining. And while it does rain often here, its rarely a steady rain.

Also, the tech boom has been good to this area and there are hundreds of thousands of people in the industry, most of whom are inclined to be techies in the rest of their lives. It makes sense then that they would prefer features like Ford's Sync.

What do you think? Do your local friends all have the same features in their cars?

Ford Uses Richard Petty, Nascar and Gymkhana Genius Ken Block to Market Fiesta

Comparing two totally different kinds of cars and styles of racing, Ford has released this first video related to the 43Fiestas.com Web site to promote its new super-subcompact car, the Fiesta.

The Rarest Cars of Them All

Driving to work today I saw a DeLorean on the road. That's a pretty rare car to see.

DeLorean

But moments later I spotted a Jaguar X-Type Sportwagon, which might actually be even more rare -- at least in the U.S.

Jaguar X-Type Sportwagon

I'm a fool for wagons so I would actually prefer the Jaguar over the DeLorean. What about you?

A Podcast That Makes the Grade and Is Fit for the King

Sticker shocker? The EPA is proposing new fuel-economy stickers for cars that would provide grades based on how much -- or how -- little fuel they use. Hybrids or electric vehicles would almost always get an A. Teachers pets.

EPA's proposed sticker

Meanwhile, one researcher says that continued improvements in internal-combustion engines could help push average fuel-economy numbers to 74 miles per gallon by 2035 -- twice what they will need to be under new rules coming later this decade.

One idea to combat "range anxiety" over electric vehicles: mobile charging stations that would quickly solve the infrastructure issues that could limit the growth of electric vehicles.

Thinking about a new car? Should you buy an all-new 2011 model or a tried and true 2010 model that has been around a few years? Consumer Reports has the answer, and it won't surprise you.

If you are saving money with a 2010 model, you might need it if you get in an accident and need the police or firefighters to help you out. Some cities are charging for the costs of those services.

So drive safely and save for decades if you want to buy one of Elvis's former rides; a 1970 Mercedes-Benz 600, is being auctioned off in England, at a Bonhams year-end event known as the Important Motor Cars and Fine Automobilia sale.

Finally, those who like to hit the road but bring their home with them will be pleased to celebrate 100 years of RVs this year. The recreational vehicle, ranging from tiny trailers to mammoth buses, remains very popular, and we'll try to podcast from an RV this year to celebrate.

GetThisShowOnTheRoad Sep 8, 2010.mp3

Laboring Over August Auto Sales Without Range Anxiety

Did auto sales plunge last month or was it just a wickedly unfavorable comparison to last August's cash-for-clunkers sales bonanza? We discuss that and the surprising gains posted by luxury auto makers. But are auto sales artificially propping up the U.S. economy numbers? One thing that didn't need propping up was Mathew's Fantasy Showroom.

Labor Day is just about here and AAA is forecasting a 10% increase in people getting their weekends on the road for 2010. That might be helped by slightly lower gasolines prices. However another forecast, for Hurricane Earl to slam into the beaches along the East Coast, could limit the number of people who head out on the highway over the holiday weekend.

Storm anxiety is one thing, range anxiety -- where you worry about running out of juice in your all-electric vehicle -- could be the next thing. That's what GM is thinking by attempting to trademark the phrase "range anxiety" for possible use in marketing its coming Chevrolet Volt that will be use a small gasoline engine to charge it's batteries on the road.

GM's Cadillac is hoping crash anxiety -- and actual crashes -- might eventually be reduced through integrated technologies that would lead to more near-misses.

People who may have owned a Fiat in the distant past when the brand was still sold in the U.S. might have some anxiety about the brand's return. Chrysler dealers are getting a chance to open 165 Fiat showrooms starting around the end of the year when the tiny Fiat 500 is introduced to American drivers.

Finally, we swerve away from auto topics for a moment to discuss Apple's newest iPods and Apple TV. We both got a little feisty about iTunes as well, even if you can download the podcast from there (and Zune).

GetThisShowOnTheRoad Sept 2, 2010.mp3