Volt Gets Fuel Economy Ratings From EPA and an Unreadable Sticker

Chevrolet Volt EPA Sticker

GM is touting the fuel economy ratings of the extended-range electric hybrid gasoline engine plus battery powered Chevrolet Volt in a press release.

And I'm sure the company is thrilled with the number 93 - as in combined mileage of the electric-only driving system, which relies on power from the grid rather than gasoline.

As a public relations effort the Volt is already a success and I think they will have an easy time selling all they can make initially. But the complexity of the label, which GM references in the release and is illustrated in the mammoth explainer the EPA has attached to the label, may be a negative as these kinds of vehicles become more mainstream.

Still, as we have seen with the Prius, perception is as important as reality for car shoppers.

Thanksgiving Driving Travel to Increase This Year AAA Reports

A snow plow on Thanksgiving, 3 days after the snow ended.

The the number of Americans traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday will increase 11.4 percent from 2009, AAA projected earlier this week. Approximately 42.2 million travelers were expected to take a trip of at least 50 miles away from home. Last year, 37.9 million Americans traveled during the Thanksgiving holiday. The 2010 Thanksgiving holiday travel period is defined as Wednesday, November 24 to Sunday, November 28.

After my little driving adventure earlier this week thanks to a #snOMG snow storm here in the Seattle area, our family went exactly 0 miles for the holiday. I walked out to the street a couple of times to see whether it would be drivable some time this year.

Did you drive this weekend? Did you go car shopping? Let GTSOTR know..

Among Our 10 Best Podcasts, Cheap to Insure With High Efficiency Listening

The EPA finally got its efficiency on and gave ratings to the all-electric Nissan Leaf. We discuss the numbers and the tradeoffs.

The Leaf didn't make Car & Driver's Ten Best list, but the Chevrolet Volt did. As did some other usual suspects, but Hyundai continued to garner awards by placing the Sonata sedan on the list.
That roll continues in Europe, where Hyundai-Kia topped Toyota in sales numbers for the first time.
Meanwhile the Genesis, both sedan and coupe, are selling strongly, according to a recent report.

In Europe, small cars are the thing and while they are catching on in the U.S., sometimes auto makers have to get creative to sell compacts. That's what Fiat is doing with the coming 500. But with almost half a million potential option combinations are there too many. Will dealers be smart about what they order?

They should, because a J.D. Power survey found that price is less important to car shoppers than how they are treated by the dealer.

One place where drivers can save money is through insurance, and buying a vehicle that is cheap to insure. The secret: stick with minivans and boring cars.

GM's blue logo must have been getting boring, since the revived auto maker is de-emphasizing it.

Finally, Top Gear USA premiered this week. David watched and reviewed, one of the 1.9 million mostly men who tuned in. Mathew didn't and now has some homework for next week.

GetThisShowOnTheRoad, November 24, 2010.mp3

Top Gear USA Review: Earnest, Moments of Amusement, Version 0.5

I tried to steer clear of the reviews ahead of Sunday's premiere of Top Gear USA so I could go in clean and unbiased. Well, as unbiased as you can be when some tries to do a slightly different version of a favorite show or movie.

The hosts of Top Gear USA will take a little time to season.

And the show is exactly like Point of No Return, the American version of the completely awesome La Femme Nikita. It was watchable, with moments of interest, but on the whole, washed out, earnest and bland compared with the gripping, dark and exotic original.

The did manage to keep the good camera work and the unusual setting, though this time a desert airport instead of something in the English hinterlands.

Some questionable decisions for the premiere didn't help things out. Love Buzz Aldrin, but a slightly doddering old man isn't exactly what you want to help get your potential audience of ... men torqued up. Also,
why do we have to go right to the most exotic vehicles? A Viper and three Lamborghinis? How about a little variety. Something that people more mortal wallets would be able to envision themselves driving.

The hosts, comedian Adam Ferrara, Nascar expert, Rutledge Wood and stunt and race driver Tanner Foust are a bit bland and earnest. I will give them some time to gel, but I think it was a mistake to pull out three relative unknowns. A stronger personality would give the show a bit more zest.

I will, of course, watch again, and look forward to seeing the hosts get better acquainted, possibly in some zany adventures.

Drinking and Driving Without a Helmet to Celebrate GM's IPO (and Mathew's Birthday)

GM is going big with its IPO, hoping to cash in on strong demand by raising the price and increasing the size.

The Chevrolet Volt is just about ready to hit the streets. The one thing missing: A fuel-economy sticker from the EPA.

Perhaps the Volt will help continue the trend of higher fuel economy across the industry, and lower emissions.

Watch out. Wear a helmet.

One company pushing efficiency is Hyundai and they are expecting gains the overall auto sales and their sales in 2011.

Tweeting to drive sales might help, as Toyota and some other car makers are experimenting with.

In Los Angeles, some new designs and cool concepts are on display at the auto show. Autoblog has some excellent coverage from LA.

Perhaps a new Meter Maid car is what you might want to drive. WSJ has a fun piece on a mini-trend of people buying retired parking patrol machines.

Those three-wheelers don't need a helmet, but the NTSB is saying there should be mandatory motorcycle helmet laws across the U.S.

MADD is looking to force drivers to prove to their cars they aren't drunk to get the engine to start. Really.

Finally, more old people are getting behind the wheel. Mainly because people are just getting older.

GetThisShowOnTheRoad, November 18, 2010.mp3

Perhaps Mr. Goodwrench Can Join Our Podcast in His Retirement

The reigning fuel-economy champion Toyota Prius will keep its spot atop the ranking for 2011 - for now. The electric cars from GM and Nissan aren't on the list.

GM has returned to the skies in private jets. This time with approval from the government -- of course it stands to benefit. Also, GM is considering retiring the Goodwrench brand. Was it still working? The General may revive its performance brand but can it back it up with some products?

Morgan's Three Wheeler

Chrysler posted a smaller loss, only $82 million, but raised its outlook. As it works to redesign its lineup, things are looking better for the Italian-American brand. The Chrysler 200 is set to hit the streets as the first of these new-ish models.

Morgan, the venerable British maker of modern vehicular antiques, is bring back a storied three-wheeled design that is more than 50 years old and dates back to 1909. Is it cool?

Car racing season is wrapping up with just a couple more races left in Nascar and F1.

Finally, bringing back up a painful discussion from last week, a new red-light camera has the potential to violate your privacy in even more ways. And give you a ticket.

GetThisShowOnTheRoad, November 9, 2010.mp3

Caught Podcasting by the Red Light Camera

October auto sales gave most car companies something to smile about for a change with everyone from Buick to Jeep posting good gains. Except for Toyota which continues to suffer, though the comparison from last year was tough.

More bad news for Toyota, Car & Driver gave the auto maker a D+ for its overall design aesthetic. That was the lowest grade among all the major brands. No surprise, Ferrari got an A-, but would you give the same to GM. C&D did.

WiTricity and Delphi's wireless electric-car charger.

GM is getting ready for its stock offering, and the provisions of its bailout -- including no taxes -- are helping boost its overall valuation to nearly the same as Ford.

Voters in many towns, including Mukilteo, Wash., voted to limit red-light cameras. Many see them as tax-generation devices rather than safety systems.

Delphi and WiTricity are developing a wireless charging device for electric cars that could make it easier to get a charge.

Finally, in a further sign that cars are getting more like gadgets, the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas will feature keynote speakers from both Ford and Audi.

• Check out Autoblog's SEMA coverage, the coming U.S. edition of Top Gear and the L.A. Auto Show.

GetThisShowOnTheRoad, November 5, 2010.mp3