Posted via web from automental.com by automental.com! via youtube.com As I often state, I am not a fan of limousines, ie 4-door sedans. Estates / wagons beat limousines in practicality and mostly look much better. If you want more sporty get a coupé. Then there is the new (old) breed of sporty 5-door sports coupés, they used to be called fastbacks …

Posted via email from automental.com by automental.com! It’s not beautiful. But you can’t help to look at it. And it grows on you. The more you look the more details unfold. You turn around but can’t help to look back.It has classic luxurious sport proportions, a bit like an old Bugatti. A long nose, long lines, big wheels which still seem small in relat …

Here is the welcome post on our new home blog http://www.automental.com/2009/09/automentals-new-home.html, which we have the pleasure to share with our German sister blog automentor (formerly automentor.wordpress.com)

Brabus is maybe “just another tuner”, but it is the most famous one with a great brand recognition. And, on special projects, it is not AMG but Brabus being Mercs premium brand – think of Smart.

Alpina sells cars through the BMW network including warranty. The cars are manufactured under the name of Alpina, unlike all other BMW specialists, who “just” modify cars.

• Both are quite old compared to other car specialists, Alpina is 42 (1965) and Brabus just turned 30 (1977).
• Both are very distinctive and exclusive, more so then AMG or M-Series.
• Both emphasize torque, whereas M and AMG play the sporty high revving game.
• Both have a more subtle body style for their cars compared to the loud AMG and M-Series.
• Both have recognisable characteristics and styles: both have special wheel styles, both have their favourite colours, Alpina has got the elegant blue and green with light cream interior, whereas a typical Brabus is black.
• Both enhance and improve the basic car characters of BMW and Mercedes. Brabus is the classy brute, powerful and impressive, yet representative and relatively understated. Alpina has got finesse and elegance. Alpinas have got relaxing power delivery compared to the hyper-nervous Ms. Alpina is proud of sophisticated engineering, often shining with lower fuel consumption then lesser powered factory Bimmers.

Some prefer the AMGs and Ms of this world, I am more the Brabus and Alpina guy. I particularly like the Brabus C- and CL-Versions with big engines and the Alpina B3, B5 and B7. I usually have a penchant for estates and if a convertible is on the wish list, there will be no competition between the B3 and the future M3 Cabrio. Convertibles are about enjoying and savouring the ride, not chasing and racing.

Blogged with Flock

Tags: BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Brabus, Alpina, BMW Alpina, B3, B7, B5, Cars

Both are individual brands belonging to the two arch-rivals of the German car industry: Mercedes and BMW.  Both are aimed at the premium segment of the small car market.  Both brand (re-)launches were hedged bets to avoid tainting the main brands in case things went wrong.  Both were (desperate) attempts to gain younger customers (they did succeed) and both are sexy, cute, cool and  fun.  Both offer a wide variety of accessories, options and body kits.  Both like unusual spicy names for the equipment packages:  chilli, pepper, lemon, pulse.  Both have their desirable top versions linked to famous specialists, Cooper and Brabus (something for the competitive and techy part of the brain). Both play with combinations of colours, in fact they are an integral part of the branding (something for the shopping instincts).

I like both brands.

And I like both in white with either black or silver body kits… blackish alloys  those of the Mini Sidewalk trim are really cute, the classic Brabus wheels are great too)… brownish or terracotta-red leather…  and of course nearly every option on the list, usually the most expensive one is the one to have…

If you insist on sending me samples, please don’t forget to include the most powerful engines, please.  Any body choice will do, convertible, coupe or clubman.  Thank you.

The article is now published on automental.com and can be found on http://www.automental.com/2007/09/mini-and-smart-have-lot-in-common.html

If the driving the new XF is on par with the looks, Jaguar has got a winner.  The design is clean and fresh.  There is simply no comparison to the previous drab old boring retro-look, which was neither classy nor chic. The XF has a bit of that clean modern look of Lexus (IS and GS, which is a good thing) without looking like a copycat (no pun intended).  Congrats.
Note: this is a good relaunch of the brand which Ford is able to use as a bargain in the sales negociations…

I’ll start saying that I haven’t driven the Kia Cee’d so I may be a bit unfair here, but, having checked it put thoroughly during motorshows, and read some tests by respected British publications, I am a bit surprised about the generally quite positive reviews.

I will start with the car’s design…

Because the thing is that magazines rate it quite good – which I cannot explain.

Of course the design of a car is a matter of personal taste, but for much that I look at the thing, I remain VERY unimpressed. Very dull indeed, it does not innovate in that department from any angle nor level of detail.

Then, with regard to the interior, it is also obvious that it seems to be well put together, but the variety of materials of different qualities, lack of a theme or special design, and quality of some parts, speaks of a long way to match, say, the latest Renault Megane.

The reviews in general tend to point out how improved a car the Cee’d is compared with previous Kia models in the class. Well, OBVIOUSLY, there is a huge improvement compared to the previous Kia offer in that segment, and there is no doubt of the significance of the car for its company, given where it is built but, shouldn’t a car be judged only for its objective product qualities, compared to its most advantaged competitors? The Kia Cee’d is still well behind Golf, Focus and Astra, to name three major competitors. Certainly in the design and interior quality departments (and I look forward to driving it).

Maybe someone can tell me if I am missing the point with this car, and why. What is special about the Cee’d from the product point of view? (In any case everybody will agree on one thing: Kia could have done a much better job finding a name for their most important European car).

technorati tags:Kia, cee’d, ceed, Kia Ceed, Kia Ceed, compact cars, golf-class

Blogged with Flock

My money is on a buy-out of PAG backed by private equity and hedge funds. Who knows, maybe some big automotive suppliers might be part of such a deal. None of the automobile manufacturers is a likely buyer, either because of their own problems, or because Volvo/Jaguar/Land Rover would not be compatible and easily integrated.

The arguments which speak for Porsche are valid for the three brands on their own…

They do not interfere with each other and therefore do not cannibalise. Despite that they have a great potential sharing development and components. All have incredible brand recognition and potential value. Volvo might need some joint ventures for engines and platforms and PSA has demonstrated that this strategy works quite well.

Oh btw, why not spycing the dish with a little bit of GM’s like Subaru and Saab in the mix. Sounds like fun. oh and maybe Mazda, hey offer Ford an attractive price and they couldn’t say no, could they? Adding those brands to the lot would be the making of an new interesting major player.

The buyers are about to make a very good deal, all three brands together at a bargain price. Buy three for the price of two. And I think the best argument for such a deal is Ford: they wouldn’t sell if they weren’t desperate.

The only parties likely to spoil such a deal are the Chinese, after all, they could even add old Rover to the deal…

Think about it. If you forget the VW deal for a moment, Porsche is a surprisingly good candidate. Porsche has the money. Porsche with Land-Rover, Jaguar and Volvo could be very interesting and complementary. Much more so then VW. All three are relatively small brands, very characteristic, very known, very individualistic, very dedicated and loyal customers and potentially very high margin. Sounds like a description of Porsche, doesn’t it?

Jaguar has made an incrediable progress regarding reliability and customer satisfaction. Jaguar is now in Lexus territory. The only real problem is the “conservative” design, which is about to change. So a turnaround of Jaguar might be easier then most assume, because Ford has done the har work.

With Porsche process and productivity know-how, I would bet that all three could become quite profitable, quicker then VW will be turned around. Much less complicated then VW structural problems. All three would benefit from Porsche-branded engineering, engines, chassis, processes without harming Porsche’s core business. Each of them would have it’s own identity and could do something for the others.

Development and production processes could be much more flexible and faster then any cooperation with VW. Neither Land Rover, nor Jaguar or Volvo are direct competitors to Porsche. Jaguar’s two seaters are more GT than sportscars and Landies are no threat to the Cayennes. Ford has already sold the only real competitor to Porsches: Aston-Martin that is.

If it weren’t for the VW committment, my money would be on Porsche. This potential gold mine of the four brands for Porsche makes the VW deal look quite risky in comparison.

What a shame, what a waste.

Photo c2007 by 117355

technorati tags:Jaguar, Aston-Martin, Land Rover, Porsche, Automobile Industry, automotive, VW, Volvo

Blogged with Flock