tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-116935382024-03-07T05:00:04.572-05:00The Auto ProphetA blog (mostly) about the auto industry, by an engineer who works in it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.comBlogger1118125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-64486704002935522672022-07-26T08:16:00.000-05:002022-07-26T08:17:20.301-05:00RIP Joe Sherlock<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small">Joe Sherlock was an old school auto blogger, who stubbornly refused to adopt RSS and other newfangled methods. He had a long history with cars and often had interesting things to say. I enjoyed reading him. RIP. <a href="http://www.joesherlock.com/blog.html">http://www.joesherlock.com/blog.html</a></div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-50227341278309547232017-05-23T09:58:00.001-05:002017-05-23T09:58:58.992-05:00The Tesla Model 3 Is Not Large<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr">I wonder if all the people who plunked down pre-order on the Model 3 realize that the car is about the size of a Chevrolet Cruze sedan, and a little bigger than a Focus?<br></div><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div><div>Tesla 3: 14cu ft cargo volume, 184" OAL, </div><div>Cheverolet Cruze: 14.8 cu ft trunk, 183" OAL</div><div>BMW 3-series: 11 cu ft trunk, 181" OAL</div></div></div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-52317208243644808152015-07-10T09:11:00.000-05:002015-07-10T09:12:24.488-05:00Uber: "Platform" or "Employer"?<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Uber has been under a lot of scrutiny for its practices lately, including a California labor dispute in which Uber was found to be an employer.<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Uber maintains that it is a "platform" which arranges rides between customers and drivers.<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">The problem I have with this claim is that Uber has very strict rules about who can use its platform to be a driver. Some examples: <br></div><ul><li>Cars must be newer than certain years (depends on market)</li><li>Cars must be safety inspected above and beyond local registration requirements</li><li>Drivers must pass background checks, including driving records</li><li>Drivers are not allowed to carry firearms</li><li>Drivers must be 21 years old (older than legal adult age of 18)</li></ul><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">At what point does this list of requirements tip the scales from "platform" to "employer"?<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-56560478751597342322015-04-06T09:23:00.000-05:002015-04-06T09:24:02.443-05:00You want an old fashioned truck...<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Suppose you want a basic, American, old school work truck. Something to get around town, move some supplies, but you don't need a ton of gadgets, and you want it cheap.<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Chevrolet offers their Colorado mid-sized pickup in an extended cab, long bed, <b>manual transmission</b>, vinyl floor covering trim that MSRPs for only $21,000. Which means with some negotiating skills, or perhaps your GM loyalty discount, you can get a olde tyme pick-up truck for about $20,000.<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Also, impressive for this price, Chevy still gives you A/C, a color LCD radio display with USB port, plus all of the federal safety goodies: traction control, stability control, multiple airbags, etc.<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">The most basic Ford truck comes in at $25,000 for a regular cab short bed, with automatic transmission (no manual offered).<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">The simplest Ram truck is the, Ram 1500 Tradesman, which runs $26,000 for a regular cab short bed 4x2, automatic transmission only. <br></div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-7181223900408525742015-02-01T13:25:00.001-05:002015-02-01T13:25:30.832-05:00TaxAct error: "PDF import down for maintenance"<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">If you are using TaxAct software, and you try to import a TurboTax PDF return from the prior year as a starting point, it will fail. This is because TaxAct does not like long file names! </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">The error I got was "PDF import is down for maintenance, please try again in a few minutes".</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">In fact it works fine. Just copy your long file name PDF to somethign short, e.g. "2013.pdf", and use that. This is a bug that TaxAct tech support confirmed for me when I called to ask about it.</div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-22446345925390530402014-10-12T17:01:00.002-05:002014-10-12T17:08:29.540-05:00Review: Lemur BlueDriver<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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The <a href="http://www.lemurmonitors.com/" target="_blank">Lemur BlueDriver</a> is an OBD-II scan tool which uses your bluetooth enabled device (Android or iOS phone or tablet) as a display. It has two components: a small dongle which attaches to your vehicles diagnostic port, and a free app which you download.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjair6DLZpEfMaBTGOmm2eWQMgQfkcK1bXhA1viL2yJiRCZatIA8Rf9wgDTLyhEuX-PLCVDy9o2sIXTGsFzoSha3-xBtmaeqVkV4pRvB8-JffyWNjkfKJVDq6ry-_iPz3rplNyGKw/s1600/edited_DSC06130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjair6DLZpEfMaBTGOmm2eWQMgQfkcK1bXhA1viL2yJiRCZatIA8Rf9wgDTLyhEuX-PLCVDy9o2sIXTGsFzoSha3-xBtmaeqVkV4pRvB8-JffyWNjkfKJVDq6ry-_iPz3rplNyGKw/s1600/edited_DSC06130.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Setup was quick and painless. I plugged the BlueDriver module into my car's diagnostic port. The unit showed a blue LED, which indicates it has power and is searching for a bluetooth connection. I opened the BlueDriver app on my phone, and it quickly found the module and paired with it.</div>
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To test the code reading and clearing functions, I opened my hood and disconnected the intake air temp sensor (IAT). The engine stumbled and shook. After a rough restart, the MIL came on. After a short time, the Lemur app notified me that the MIL was on, and that there was one DTC.</div>
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However, when clicked on the code, it did not offer any details. Instead, I had to purchase a "repair report", which unlocks more information about a problem than just the DTC number. 5 free repair reports come with the app; after that, you need to buy them at a cost of $0.99/5 reports. I found this annoying. If someone paid $100 for the tool, the trouble code details should come free. On the other hand, once you have the DTC number, it is easy to search on the internet for detailed information.</div>
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It was easy to clear the MIL and code.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBa5cQX5dIdPNEX0vho6bTngSffCD-mS40aGVdkEBMBX_qU-S1mvHxsLIeLjFN5K249S7EURMAf9mJqlfIzff8KrMzZKQagkzAtKuj_YWURHw4k2Wkqgd5yuq18jYCEnxa0r4uw/s1600/edited_DSC06136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBa5cQX5dIdPNEX0vho6bTngSffCD-mS40aGVdkEBMBX_qU-S1mvHxsLIeLjFN5K249S7EURMAf9mJqlfIzff8KrMzZKQagkzAtKuj_YWURHw4k2Wkqgd5yuq18jYCEnxa0r4uw/s1600/edited_DSC06136.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
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Lemur also comes with a basic display for OBD-II PIDs, which lets you chart in real time (well, about a 1s update frequency) a number of useful signals such as fuel trim, O2 sensor signals, etc. You can select which PIDs to show, and they are shown stacked vertically on the screen in different colors. If you cick on one, you get a single large dial style display, which updates with the current value.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PQiWj8bY6KbM5mjdjxAqHsfPUQj6CQ34GfSUv0VXC_9r4IMGm28LZqov7K3yGLEUkvsQuE749YvwFXhWQWxhV5csKKfRSpCmWAOVFip9UK6RUcbZ-7VXfBIC6vv0RXZRYQPK6w/s1600/edited_DSC06134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PQiWj8bY6KbM5mjdjxAqHsfPUQj6CQ34GfSUv0VXC_9r4IMGm28LZqov7K3yGLEUkvsQuE749YvwFXhWQWxhV5csKKfRSpCmWAOVFip9UK6RUcbZ-7VXfBIC6vv0RXZRYQPK6w/s1600/edited_DSC06134.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nOIExldF2YUUmdnf3an6QMNnGS4unoI9Y-ylJa4gK7h6YgcO8tzji0ECHrrgYdg3IzIWvD_o2LzWkjtxWgl-EyXEfviTSLPSwzsQNNKYrg7elQCPd1mVP8LEAfhSZcy6GImEvQ/s1600/edited_DSC06135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nOIExldF2YUUmdnf3an6QMNnGS4unoI9Y-ylJa4gK7h6YgcO8tzji0ECHrrgYdg3IzIWvD_o2LzWkjtxWgl-EyXEfviTSLPSwzsQNNKYrg7elQCPd1mVP8LEAfhSZcy6GImEvQ/s1600/edited_DSC06135.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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This is useful for basic troubleshooting, but it would have been nice to have more display options, for example raw values on a grid, or multiple signals on a single axis. I also did not see any way to use a data logger type function, which would allow you to save and download long recordings of real time data.<br />
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<b>Summary:</b><br />
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<ul>
<li><b>Plusses;</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Easy to connect (important!)</li>
<li>Attractive, easy to use GUI</li>
<li>Unobtrusive (for most cars) dongle</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Minuses:</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Only basic PID display options</li>
<li>No recording / download function</li>
<li>Detailed repair reports are $0.99/5 after first 5 are consumed.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
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In conclusion, the Lemur BlueDriver is a solid tool for basic OBD-II diagnostic functions. You are paying for solid hardware which will connect reliably with the Lemur app. If you want a data recorder, customizable gauge displays, and other enhancements, you will need to use something like the Torque app, and one of the many OBD dongles which may or may not work properly with it.<br />
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Whatever tool you choose, some sort of OBD scanner is a must for any DIY mechanic. Just one successful use will pay for the cost of the tool, when many dealers will charge a $75 or more diagnostic fee.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Note: Lemur provided me a free evaluation unit to review. No other compensation was received for this review.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-49237729817514097602014-08-28T10:10:00.001-05:002014-08-28T10:10:57.216-05:00Fiesta ST Mini Review<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">I had the chance to do a short test-drive of a Fiesta ST. I had a chance to drive it on the freeway and flog it on some surface roads and in a large parking lot.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">The Fiesta ST is very good at some things: accelerating, braking, turning. It is a razor sharp little missile. However, there are some significant trade-offs and omissions in the ergonomics and controls department.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><b>Pros:</b></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> <ul><li>Awesome powertrain. Powerful, sounds great. Lots of torque. This car really moves.<br></li><li>Lots of lateral grip, sharp reflexes.</li><li>Smooth shifter action. <br></li><li>Excellent brakes, good feel and stopping power.</li> <li>Comfortable and grippy sport seats. Nice steering wheel. <br></li><li>Well weighted steering which firms up nicely at speed. Car felt solid at high speeds, and was easy to steer in parking lots.<br></li><li>Good fuel economy--I saw 41 on freeway and 29 flogging it on surface roads</li> <li>Sharp looking little car, the Fusion family front end looks properly mean and sporty.</li></ul></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><b>Cons:</b><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style> <ul style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><li>Jittery ride at highway speeds--seems to heave a lot. Not fun to drive at 70mph on less than smooth highways. Significant road noise at higher speeds. </li><li>You feel every bump, crack, and ripple in the pavement. Michigan's cracked up roads are torture. <br> </li><li>MyFord Touch does not control climate system, instead the lower right panel shows you the date. </li><li>Annoying up-shift indicator. In a top-of-the line sports model, I would assume the guy will figure out how to shift.<br> </li><li>Hard plastic center armrest, ouch. For the top-end model, Ford should have spent the extra few dollars and installed a padded center arm rest. </li><li>Rear visibility, rearview mirror looks down for taller drivers.</li> </ul><div style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><b>Conclusion:</b> The Fiesta ST is an efficient and fun little road carver--if you have good roads. I would not buy this car for a daily commuter in SE MI, the roads are just too rough for the suspension tune. In a place with good, smooth roads, it would be much more pleasant. This is a car for someone who values high performance at a modest price, and isn't as concerned with creature comforts.</div> <div style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">I was't able to get high quality images of the bright red car I drove, but here are some images I stole from Ford's web site:</div> <div style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><div><img src="http://www.ford.com/resources/ford/fiesta/2015/enhancedhighlights/fie15_ST_feat_1.jpg?v=1401769467000" width="534" height="300"><br> </div><div><br></div><div><div><img src="http://www.ford.com/ngbs-services/resources/ford/fiesta/2015/gallery/photo/fie15_pg_017_int_full.jpg" width="544" height="306"><br></div><br></div><br></div></div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-59660305433197448602014-08-01T12:57:00.001-05:002014-08-01T12:57:44.196-05:00The Elio Question<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Paul Elio is on a mission to produce a very lightweight (1250lb target) three wheel car, sort of a low-cost Aptera type thing, based on "off the shelf" tech and suppliers.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">I have been watching his effort develop, and it is impressive how far Elio has come, considering how difficult it is to bring something to market. </div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">There is a nagging question hanging over the Elio: capital. In order to actually produce the trike, Elio Motors must raise a huge pile of money. They need money for development, testing, tooling, certification, etc. They need to hire and train many more employees. They need to build many prototypes to hammer out durability, crashworthiness, quality.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">The problem is, after many obvious auto startup failures such as Fisker, Saab 2.0, Aptera, and even struggles of established players such as Smart, Suzuki, or Mitsubishi, investors are cautious about the automotive sector. </div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Investors are asking themselves, even if Elio can deliver, will people buy this weird three wheel vehicle, which is legally a motorcycle in the eyes of the DOT and most states? Will the safety claims play out? Will it have enough refinement and comfort for a mass market?</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Elio Motors can't fund their launch selling t-shirts and $1000 reservations. Elio needs hundreds of millions of dollars. Where will they get it?</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><div><img src="http://sp1.cbsistatic.com/hub/i/2014/04/02/71e3fc2d-7011-4644-9f58-d72f1630566b/07d7b78e428f1de2e21c800dce12f1f8/elio-motors-three-wheel-car-press.png" width="537" height="322"><br> </div><br></div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-1447393440025996342014-08-01T09:16:00.001-05:002014-08-01T09:16:53.596-05:00Tesla Powertrain Failure Rates<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">I read with interest recently that a substantial number of Tesla S owners are getting their drive units (electric motor + gearbox) replaced by Tesla due to premature failure. The early symptom of the failure is an audible gear noise which Tesla techs call "milling". <a href="http://www.edmunds.com/tesla/model-s/2013/long-term-road-test/2013-tesla-model-s-is-the-third-drive-unit-the-charm.html" target="_blank">Edmunds</a> and <a href="http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/oneyear/alternative/1404_2013_tesla_model_s_p85_update_3/" target="_blank">Motor Trend</a> both had their cars fail in this way.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">According to a Tesla Motors Club poll, <a href="http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/29834-Drive-Unit-Replacement-Poll" target="_blank">here</a>, 77 members have had their drive units replaced once, and an astounding 15 have had them replaced more than once. </div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">How bad is this?</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">It is hard to estimate because we don't know how many cars form the total sample for the poll. Tesla Motors Club indicates 17,995 registered members, while total Model S sales in the U.S. are around 28,000 units (39,163 globally).</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">So let's play with the numbers a little.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Assume all members of the forum own Tesla Model S:</div><div class="gmail_default"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">92 failures / 17,994 Tesla Motor Club members = <b>5.1 failures/1000</b></font></div> <div class="gmail_default"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div class="gmail_default"><font face="tahoma, sans-serif">Assume all failures were reported in poll (seems unlikely):</font></div><div class="gmail_default"> 92 / 28,000 U.S. sales = <b>3.3 failures/1000</b></div><div class="gmail_default"><br></div><div class="gmail_default">Assume forum represents 5% of all Tesla owners (I saw this mentioned on InsideEVs.com):</div> <div class="gmail_default">92 failures * 20 / 39,163 = <b>47 failures /1000</b></div><div class="gmail_default"><br></div><div class="gmail_default">In the auto business, a major component failure rate north of 5/1000 units is considered a major quality issue, and <i>anything approaching 47 is a complete disaster.</i></div> <div class="gmail_default"><br></div><div class="gmail_default">If, for example, the 2013 Toyota Camry had a similar rate of transmission failures, somewhere between 5-47/1000, that would translate into repairs of between 2040 and 19,000 transmissions! At the top end of that scale, likely a recall.</div> <div class="gmail_default"><br></div><div class="gmail_default">In other words, the "milling" issue is a major quality issue for Tesla. I am sure they have their engineers and suppliers pounding away at it, coming up with design fixes to reduce the occurrence of this.<br> </div><div class="gmail_default"><br></div><div class="gmail_default"><br></div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-13277863781232670372014-08-01T08:44:00.001-05:002014-08-01T08:44:44.292-05:00American Muscle Mustang Giveaway<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">My main blog sponsor, American Muscle, is giving away a tricked out 2014 Mustang GT, equipped with a Vortech supercharger, air suspension, and 20" staggered wheels. </div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">To enter, <a href="http://www.americanmuscle.com/project-mmd-2014-mustang-giveaway.html">visit this page.</a> Enter by August 4, 2014.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlTmypcr22qFaLBl_IqnUB5MhZYcsiKohDHx004rwseWmQNxnHJvxJGBLl6WNqU2jcxLst5d72-Y-bNc6l5FUWWLSeC185Z6cnHK86arEzW48GZDJLZYFgm5_LQguKdDxij5ax2w/s1600/_MTS8787-784292.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlTmypcr22qFaLBl_IqnUB5MhZYcsiKohDHx004rwseWmQNxnHJvxJGBLl6WNqU2jcxLst5d72-Y-bNc6l5FUWWLSeC185Z6cnHK86arEzW48GZDJLZYFgm5_LQguKdDxij5ax2w/s320/_MTS8787-784292.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_6042592436409676482" /></a><br> </div><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> <br></div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-17336732494819736112014-08-01T08:20:00.000-05:002014-08-01T08:21:04.417-05:00Hiatus<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Dear Reader,</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> "Real Life" has been keeping my time very occupied, and I have been neglecting my blog. I hope to remedy this by gradually easing back into it. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">--TheAutoProphet</div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-89963449959486026252014-05-19T15:20:00.001-05:002014-05-19T15:20:23.729-05:00FTC Comes Out In Favor of Direct Auto Sales<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">The FTC has come out in favor of direct auto sales to consumers. When asked for comment by a New Jersey legislator, FTC staff responded with a statement which suggested that banning direct automotive sales is anti-competitive and bad for consumers.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">This is dangerous ground for the Obama administration, as the auto dealers are a powerful lobbying group, and quite a few dealers have unionized shops. </div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Source: <a href="http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2014/05/ftc-staff-missouri-new-jersey-should-repeal-their-prohibitions">http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2014/05/ftc-staff-missouri-new-jersey-should-repeal-their-prohibitions</a></div> </div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-76561997867210282852014-01-29T10:35:00.000-05:002014-01-29T10:37:28.792-05:00The BIg 2<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Fiat has taken full ownership of Chrysler, and the combined entity will be called Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), and will be headquartered (for tax purposes) in the UK, not Italy. With that, the "Big 3" are now the "Big 2", as GM and Ford are the only remaining American owned major auto makers. (Sorry Tesla, you don't count yet, come back when you make over 100,000 cars/year)</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">I see some bruised feelings all around. Auburn Hills is once again second fiddle. Italy loses Fiat's corporate registration. And the "A" in FCA lost its cross bar for some reason.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div> </div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-40692647149672744642014-01-20T21:02:00.000-05:002014-01-20T21:03:09.741-05:00Tesla's First Fire Related Recall<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">They don't want to call it a recall, but, NHTSA does. And that's the law.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><a href="http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchResults?refurl=email&searchType=ID&targetCategory=R&searchCriteria.nhtsa_ids=14V006">http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchResults?refurl=email&searchType=ID&targetCategory=R&searchCriteria.nhtsa_ids=14V006</a></div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Of course, this is for faulty charger pigtails, and not battery road damage induced fires. </div> </div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-71259528858849848162014-01-13T10:37:00.000-05:002014-01-13T10:38:03.466-05:00"Military Grade" Aluminum F150?<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">I'm trying to absorb Ford's marketing for the just revealed 2015 F150. The most significant new feature, of course, is the aluminum body (fenders, hood, cab, doors, and cargo box). Ford keeps calling the aluminum ally "military grade", but I'm not sure what that means. It may just mean that the alloy they chose for the truck (something in the 6000 series) has an official U.S. military specification. </div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Ford's job, of course, is to convince the guys in Texas that the new truck will be as tough and durable as the steel truck. I think the up-coming webisodes about durability testing will go a long way towards that.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFFf9F8kXz4Syo08PUiFZM7uj-Gia91CBJ6dYJVGgkeHqrUBJbBpBBLfMgwKYuO28StN5ctB_XQ6DU38Wz6tVkqRalMvnuJ0PWFF9DH5yPuDhrzfl3RW_lK3rJuwoTKJqMFvkswA/s1600/alum_and_steel_body_cropped-783467.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFFf9F8kXz4Syo08PUiFZM7uj-Gia91CBJ6dYJVGgkeHqrUBJbBpBBLfMgwKYuO28StN5ctB_XQ6DU38Wz6tVkqRalMvnuJ0PWFF9DH5yPuDhrzfl3RW_lK3rJuwoTKJqMFvkswA/s320/alum_and_steel_body_cropped-783467.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5968404600963694546" /></a><br> </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">(<a href="http://www.ford.com/trucks/f150/2015/?hptid=bb-2197-f150-reveal">Image courtesy of Ford.com</a>)</div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-79416452751804599022013-12-17T09:33:00.001-05:002013-12-17T09:33:23.320-05:00Regular Car Reviews<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">LOL, this guy is BRILLIANT. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GavwFFJHot8">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GavwFFJHot8</a><br></div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-53044655748208925952013-12-16T13:22:00.001-05:002013-12-16T13:22:50.830-05:00Tesla Model S and Carwashes<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Did you know you are not supposed to take a Tesla S through a normal automatic carwash? And this is the car of the future?</div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-16804951940162558712013-12-05T11:28:00.000-05:002013-12-05T11:29:00.587-05:00The 2015 Mustang Design<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Ford unwrapped the new 2015 Mustang today, and it is a very handsome car. Personally, I think they struck a good balance between retro styling and the Ford corporate styling, mixing classic Mustang bits with the new Fusion in reasonable proportions.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">I did this quickie photoshop to compare the outline of the old and new. You can see the basic proportions are the same, with a long nose and a fastback roofline, and a stubby rear deck. There are some surprises here. The new car is noticeably more compact, which enhances the low-and-wide aspect of its stance. Notice how the hood line is very horizontal, and then has a pronounced curve downward towards the shoulder line, which includes the top edge of the headlamps. On the rear quarter, there is less pronounced of a curve to the shoulder, but the rear pillars seem to move inwards quickly, leaving pronounced horizontal shoulders, which reminds me a bit of the Camaro. Also notice the very vertical front nose profile. And the old "hockey-stick" curve near aft of the doors is gone.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Part of the reason for the pronounced curve of the nose and the very flat front, I think, is probably the aggressive Euro pedestrian protection regs, which require crush space so that pedestrian legs and heads take less damage from car-people collisions. </div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Overall, I think the 2015 Mustang is a very good design, which balances the needs of style, tradition, and all the other less obvious requirements such as aerodynamics and crash safety. It is more conservative than I personally would have liked, but fresh enough to not look like a rewarmed 2010 model.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYYaaqLFVcUt8UM6e402YCaTMj-0UpsB1QDe4lDsHNCDwAoYkaFEKVBjTiH9Aqg5osM7uDR0l4bxaNgdsfRrHDC40Fxh7MXiUDb9yqbrOAzIOcUnTi7fKR6Eq-pNhIpq_U5kopow/s1600/mustang+compared-740587.png"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYYaaqLFVcUt8UM6e402YCaTMj-0UpsB1QDe4lDsHNCDwAoYkaFEKVBjTiH9Aqg5osM7uDR0l4bxaNgdsfRrHDC40Fxh7MXiUDb9yqbrOAzIOcUnTi7fKR6Eq-pNhIpq_U5kopow/s320/mustang+compared-740587.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5953945413672811810" /></a><br> </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxYBfqEn3WgYnatVj58Tg5iSFa5535Jwz1QyadwZI4vg0EgABsePbKWLo-YmMzhK2TytzE2P_zFULzUnJ3l22pTDqHjklN0M5HTYp1e65eeJboStF2AjOoXHW-KL6UPk30Djsyg/s1600/mustang+compared+lines-744202.png"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxYBfqEn3WgYnatVj58Tg5iSFa5535Jwz1QyadwZI4vg0EgABsePbKWLo-YmMzhK2TytzE2P_zFULzUnJ3l22pTDqHjklN0M5HTYp1e65eeJboStF2AjOoXHW-KL6UPk30Djsyg/s320/mustang+compared+lines-744202.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5953945422383844866" /></a><br> </div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-61027781753838748572013-11-21T13:35:00.000-05:002013-11-21T13:36:01.797-05:00NHTSA Is Not Investigating Tesla At Musks' Request<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">NHTSA does not initiate investigations on CEO request. NHTSA says they chose to investigate Tesla battery fires independently. Which means, in my view, that Musk was trying to spin in some damage control.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Detroit News: </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px"><br></span></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex"> <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px">But NHTSA Administrator David Strickland told a House panel Tuesday that Tesla didn't request an investigation and that the agency had made an independent decision to open an investigation into 13,100 Model S vehicles after two battery fires were reported since early October in the United States.<br> </span></blockquote><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:16px"></span>"Investigations are independent," Strickland told The Detroit News in an interview after the hearing. "We have never — in my recollection, before I got to NHTSA (as a Senate staffer) or as administrator — have actually had an automaker ask for a formal investigation, but it causes a couple of implications: If a manufacturer asks me or asks the agency for a formal investigation, you've already made a determination that you may have a defect that imposes an unreasonable risk to safety. ... I don't think that would ever happen."</blockquote> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;line-height:13px"><br><br>From The Detroit News: <a href="http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20131119/AUTO01/311190095#ixzz2lJ4MOIFP" style="text-decoration:none;outline:0px;color:rgb(0,51,153)">http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20131119/AUTO01/311190095#ixzz2lJ4MOIFP</a></span><br> </div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-47641833951731200132013-11-08T08:42:00.001-05:002013-11-08T08:42:44.266-05:00Tesla's Fire Problem<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">I think Tesla has a problem.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> There are only about 17,000 Tesla Model S on the roads right now, but there have been 3 fires due to damage to the battery. In two of these cases, it looks like the damage was mostly to the underbelly, and not due to a severe impact to the frame of the car.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">In the third case, in Tennessee, the car apparently hit some debris, which caused a fire to start in the front area of the vehicle. If you look at the photos, which I scraped off of the web, there does not appear to be frame damage. In other words, the guy didn't hit another car, or a large stationary object. He hit something small, but it destroyed his Tesla.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">By comparison, a gasoline vehicle can run over pretty severe piece of road debris without catching fire.<br> </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">I wish I had statistics for vehicle fires, caused by driving (not arson, forest fires, etc.), in vehicles less than 2 years old. That would really put the probabilities in focus. I am not sure where to get such data, it is possible that IIHS has it.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">In each of these cases, the vehicle is basically destroyed. Even if driver safety is not necessarily an issue, the cost to insure against a battery fire is going to drive up Tesla owner's insurance costs.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">If these incidents continue to mount, Tesla is going to have to do several things to protect their business and consumer confidence. They will likely have to add additional shielding to the underside of the car, adding cost and weight, and possibly reducing range. They may also have to increase ride height.</div> <div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHi0pYXeeOuZBF_8qC6KrwsHXWSDYx3kke0GmxxkLphvgdW9gw_R_QT_wC6htAE1jCqEauZkT9-2ldbQuFnYuvw0lFw8snJN6AsFq5tWUJWV2l_uZmCMYvXq4l99qJLxBAo8m_wg/s1600/tesla-tenn-fire2-instagram-764267.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHi0pYXeeOuZBF_8qC6KrwsHXWSDYx3kke0GmxxkLphvgdW9gw_R_QT_wC6htAE1jCqEauZkT9-2ldbQuFnYuvw0lFw8snJN6AsFq5tWUJWV2l_uZmCMYvXq4l99qJLxBAo8m_wg/s320/tesla-tenn-fire2-instagram-764267.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5943883259199936706" /></a><br> </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4tLe3pbgnhZXQbVS1QgM0JTP7d-RUjVsbQazo6IfBM0TZaVX8dr-X6lF_onU0LbfXrOne5e1QvVSEXA_IYA1aO7Rg-POHfPE7002mokJFNnyhjkp_yPs0e2_rKec1akM14RqDw/s1600/Tesla-model-s-fire-front-767204.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4tLe3pbgnhZXQbVS1QgM0JTP7d-RUjVsbQazo6IfBM0TZaVX8dr-X6lF_onU0LbfXrOne5e1QvVSEXA_IYA1aO7Rg-POHfPE7002mokJFNnyhjkp_yPs0e2_rKec1akM14RqDw/s320/Tesla-model-s-fire-front-767204.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5943883269311903170" /></a><br> </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge8SNuONHfEwu6sslCPHMhTkp4ANgWt09hrGCTKdjtcuNXpDjSgPzCUDxraf0Z96iG-FOVafpDLZUxixoAPK3Y3ylfKZJ5xsvxuK2VmU_kMBGKXJIf78hwDg_B1BMCK8qA2Oho8A/s1600/ap_tesla_fire_kb_131107_16x9_992-769400.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge8SNuONHfEwu6sslCPHMhTkp4ANgWt09hrGCTKdjtcuNXpDjSgPzCUDxraf0Z96iG-FOVafpDLZUxixoAPK3Y3ylfKZJ5xsvxuK2VmU_kMBGKXJIf78hwDg_B1BMCK8qA2Oho8A/s320/ap_tesla_fire_kb_131107_16x9_992-769400.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5943883277530720290" /></a><br> </div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-11472439840666187932013-10-04T09:39:00.001-05:002013-10-04T09:39:39.193-05:00Tesla Valuation<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">I don't understand Tesla's stock price and valuation. TSLA is trading at about $175/share right now, with a market cap of $21 billion. <br> <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">So the market is valuing Tesla at about half the value of GM ($52B), and 1.5x the value of Porsche ($13B)<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> Based on what?<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Tesla is emphatically not Apple. Apple rose to become a top 3 player in mobile phones, the top player in tablet computers, and the top player in MP3 gadgets. Apple sells millions of units, and makes money on hardware, software, service, and content.<br> <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Tesla has to make money selling cars--a very highly regulated, capital intensive business. Tesla isn't able to sell direct to consumers in all states of the U.S. <br> <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Let's compare Tesla to Porsche.<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">2013 Sales (1st 2 quarters)<span class="" style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif"><br> </span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><span class="" style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif">Porsche </span>81,000<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> Tesla: ~10,000 <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">2013 Revenue: <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> Porsche: ~$10 billion<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Tesla: ~$1 billion<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">The stock buyers apparently think that Tesla is a growth company, and are pricing in the expectation that it will grow to something quite a bit more profitable than Porsche. In 2012, Porsche recorded a profit of $2.7 billion. To reach those kinds of results, Tesla has to sell approximately 125,000 cars a year (at $80,000 each) if they are making a similar margin to Porsche. If Tesla goes down to an average price of $50,000/car, they have to sell about 200,000 cars/year.<br> <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">That's about 8x their current capacity of 500 cars / week (25,000/year). <br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> So, the market seems to think that within a few years, Tesla will be able to open several new plants, and successfully increase their sales and distribution network to rival Porsche, while moving downmarket enough to drive higher volumes.<br> <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">I am doubtful.<br><br></div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-54201403382180363592013-09-01T11:09:00.000-05:002013-09-01T11:10:08.352-05:00EU Proposes Satellite Based Speed Limiters<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">A great demonstration of how the Europeans are not necessarily worth emulating. The EU has proposed ISA (intelligent speed adaptation) based on GPS or sign reading cameras, which would first warn a driver and then automatically slow a vehicle down, if they were exceeding local speed limits. <br> <br><blockquote style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex" class="gmail_quote">The scheme would work either using satellites, which would communicate limits to cars automatically, or using cameras to read road signs. Drivers can be given a warning of the speed limit, or their speed could be controlled automatically under the new measures. <br></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Something like this would simply be laughed out of Congress in the States. But in Europe, the EU central regulatory agencies have a lot of power, and top-down regulation is a way of life.<br> <br>Source: <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/road-safety/10278702/EU-plans-to-fit-all-cars-with-speed-limiters.html">Telegraph </a><br></div></div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-35850373979226625562013-08-30T12:05:00.001-05:002013-08-30T12:05:33.097-05:00Diesels: Good MPG, Less So Carbon<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">I have heard man advocates of small diesels moan that we "just don't get it" here in the U.S. and we need to be more European, and somehow encourage light duty diesels.<br> <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">What the compression ignition lovers don't realize is that the U.S. policy is very much now based around global warming and carbon reduction, whereas it used to be about reducing oil consumption for geopolitical reasons (OPEC etc.)<br> <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">So, let's look at carbon emissions:<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">1 gallon of gasoline when burned will emit approximately 19.64 pounds of CO2.<br> </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">1 gallon of diesel will emit approximately 22.38 pounds of CO2.<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Diesel is about 14% more carbon emitting than gasoline.<br> <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">But, a diesel engine is about 30% more fuel efficient than a similarly sized gasoline engine. So if we do the math, a similarly sized diesel powered car will emit about 14% less CO2 than a similar diesel car. Not bad, but not huge.<br> <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Meanwhile, diesel fuel offers no advantage in the U.S. in cost (it is more expensive than gasoline by about 30%), and the vehicles cost more due to the diesel hardware premium.<br> </div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-78819726860456464932013-08-26T14:34:00.000-05:002013-08-26T14:35:03.578-05:00Tesla's Extra 0.4 Star<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Tesla is trumpeting the Model S' excellent performance in NHTSA's safety tests. Tesla says that the model S has achieved a combined rating of "5.4 stars":<br> <br><blockquote style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex" class="gmail_quote"><b>Palo Alto, CA —</b> Independent testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has awarded the Tesla Model S a 5-star safety rating, not just overall, but in every subcategory without exception. Approximately one percent of all cars tested by the federal government achieve 5 stars across the board. NHTSA does not publish a star rating above 5, however safety levels better than 5 stars <b>are</b> captured in the overall Vehicle Safety Score (VSS) provided to manufacturers, where the Model S achieved a new combined record of 5.4 stars.<br></blockquote><div><br></div><div>This is very odd publicity, to me. NHTSA awards star ratings as integers, and 5 stars is the most you can get. A 5 star rating means that you have less than a 10% chance of serious injury in a serious accident, according to NHTSA's statistical model. <br> <br></div><div>You can't get more than 5 stars, awarded by NHTSA.<br><br></div><div>Tesla is just trying too hard, here, I think. A 5-star result is excellent, and they should proudly publicize it. <br></div></div> </div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11693538.post-28605936192144066292013-08-16T14:31:00.001-05:002013-08-16T14:31:25.008-05:00Ford's C-Max Debacle Explained<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Ford yesterday announced that it was <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2013/08/15/ford-cmax-mp/2660371/">re-stating the fuel economy</a> label of the C-Max hybrid, from 47 city / 47 highway /47 combined to a still very good but not as impressive 45city / 40highway / 43combined. Note the large decline in the highway number.<br> <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">So what happened? Did Ford cheat the test? Not really. <br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">What happened was that Ford used the Fusion Hybrid test results to certify the C-Max, which they are allowed to do according to EPA regulations. The EPA regs allow manufacturers to certify vehicles as a group if they are in the same weight class and share powertrains.<br> <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><span id="goog_1903372659"></span><span id="goog_1903372660"></span><a href="http://www.epa.gov/otaq/documents/fueleconomy/420f13044.pdf">Here is</a> the EPA's short report on the matter. An excerpt: <br> <br><blockquote>Ford based the 2013 Ford C-Max label on testing of the related Ford Fusion hybrid, which has the same engine, transmission and test weight as allowed under EPA regulations. For the vast majority of vehicles this approach would have yielded an appropriate label value for the car, but these new vehicles are more sensitive to small design differences than conventional vehicles because advanced highly efficient vehicles use so little fuel. <br> <br>In this case, EPA's evaluation found that the C-Max's aerodynamic characteristics resulted in a significant difference in fuel economy from the Fusion hybrid.<br></blockquote><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"> Was this intentional, a case of Ford using the higher number for marketing purposes? Or was it a case of simply not knowing that the C-Max would test out so much differently? I have no idea. But I think in the future, Ford and other carmakers are going to be more careful about publishing fuel economy numbers based on assumptions, after this PR disaster.<br> <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif"><br></div></div> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12108992620883563299noreply@blogger.com1