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Car Curve Blog
This is a place where our editors ramble about the latest car news.
Helping a Friend pick a new car
So my friend is in the $20,000-22,000 range and is looking for a car. It is down between the new Camry and the new Accord. It certainly is a tough call. I've driven both and they are amazing to drive. All models are very nice. What would you go with? I personally I am thinking Accord. Even though the all new Camry is bold, whenever I think Camry I just think "the most seen car in the world". Everybody will have one and you will see them everywhere. And this is somewhat true of the Accord as well, but not as much as the Camry.
Volkwagen Jetta Commercials
Have you seen these new Jetta commercials? The ones where a group of friends are talking about nothing in particular and then BAM they are crashed into. There are 2 different versions of this "crash commercial" and they are creating a good amount of buzz. I love this idea and think it will certainly payoff for Volkswagen. You don't see too many commercials today that solely focus on safety. Especially ones that do it so well. The sound, the camera shots, and the actors are all quite impressive. Everything is very believable. Not to mention the new Jetta looks gorgeous even when it is crushed. I'll try to track down these commercials online for you and post them.
The New Camry
I am pretty impressed. When I first heard about the all new Camry, I figured "more of the same". Rock solid stability and safety which demure styling and a fair price. Well, I am here to say that you indeed get a lot more than that. I road in a v-6 all black Camry today and boy was it a treat. This thing has good power and VERY responsive handling. Cornering was very fun for this "family car". Above all else though, the best feature is the styling. It looks like some sort of top secret jet. I had seen the pictures and knew that it looked "aggressive", but in person I was completley blown away. That front end is gorgeous. On top of that the interior was beautifully designed and all controls were perfectly designed and situated. I literally can't say enough about this car. If you are looking for a good sedan, look no further.
I've got to give it to Porsche...
Have you seen the new Cayman? It marks Porsche's first coupe under $50,000 in many years. And to top it off, it isn't ugly. In fact one might even say it is quite attractive. MUCH better looking than the boxter, and performs much better as well. I've seen this car in person and Porsche did a stellar job making a great car at a reasonably affordable price. This "non S" Cayman will come standard with a 2.7L 245hp flat 6 cylinder. The transmission will be a 5 speed manual with optional 5 speed triptronic. A 6 speed manual is also available for a bit of extra cash. Now I have never been a fan of Porsche's "cheap" interior, and the Cayman isn't lavish, but certainly is a big step up from the chincy Boxter. The Cayman S was wildly successful for the German automaker and they hope that this model will do even better. I certainly hope so. It is a great little car.
What do you think about the new redesigned Honda Civic?
I am personally liking it a lot. It is a very attractive car and the new increased size really kicks this car up a notch. With amazing gas mileage in the 30's, a good look and decent price this car will certainly be a big seller. I am 6ft 4inches tall and I was able to fit pretty comfortably in this compact. Which is a very rare occurrence. I have always been a fan of Hondas due to their superb reliability, but this car is very nicely crafted to boot. The twentysomethings will be all over this.
The all new Lexus ES
You know when I first saw this car I wasn't too impressed. Granted they were spy shots and from afar, but I thought the styling was too bland again. Well I now retract those earlier statements. This thing is gorgeous. Yeah the styling is still a bit subdued, but it is very elegant. The lines are smooth and that new front end is divine. And Lexus also used their new rear-end on this model and it fits the car supremely. Those tapered, narrow taillights are pitch perfect. If I was going after a $40k sedan right now, this is where my money would go. The performance is of course on par with what you have come to expect from Lexus, and the interior is just as pretty and functional as the exterior. Plenty of legroom in the back for your longer guests, and the center console has a beautiful dark wood inlay and very easy to use navigation system. I predict that Lexus will sell more of this class than ever over the next 12 months. You can hold me to that claim too.
One of my neighbors has a new 2007 FJ Cruiser. Boy is that a cool looking car. Granted the performance isn't quite what I was looking for from this model, but it is a good buy nonetheless. Decent gas mileage and tons of space are pluses. Not to mention the two-tone paint which makes you standout in a crowd. I really don't see too many units of these being sold due to the provocative design, but those that do own one will sure have fun.
Okay, what does everyone think about the 2007 Camaro? All of my friends think it is a joke, but I personally think it will give the Mustang a run for its money. Chevy is obviously getting dominated in this class currently (with no real competitive offering) and needs this thing to sell well. The styling is better than the mustang. It is much, much stronger and muscular looking. A real throwback to earlier muscle cars, but with a modern twist here and there. The grille is very striking, and the overall design looks just plain fast. Yeah it won't sell as well as the Ford Mustang because of these features, but it will do well enough for Chevy to grab some market share. The bold styling will put it out of the minds of many consumers who are looking for performance but not a muscle look. All in all, I am glad to see release and I can't wait to get in one.
So who wins in the heated up sub-compact market?
My money is on the Honda Fit. It comes standard with so many features not available on other sub-compacts, I just think it will sell. Granted these extras, such as a safety features come at a premium. The Fit is more pricey than the Toyota Yaris or Chevy Aveo. In all honesty I have only driven the Fit and the Aveo. I hear the Yaris is superb on the road and will easily rival the Fit. In terms of space, they are all about the same. For their size, their interior design is just astoundingly efficient. You can fit as much as you could in most compact cars like a Civic. In fact they feel just as big once inside. As far as exterior looks go, they are all not so amazing looking, but I think the Fit edges out a "least ugly" there too.
Have you ever been in an Acura NSX?
Well Acura is bringing it back! I am quite excited about that. This is like driving a race car. This is probably the most fun I have ever had driving a car. I'm not sure when the production model of the 2008 NSX will be ready for public consumption, but I will be first in line to get in one of these. I've been over the drawings and engineering specs for this and am quite impressed. The engineers are putting together an amazing car. Be on the lookout for this sometime later in the year.
BMW Catching Flak for their Minivan.
I don't quite understand this. Yeah BMW is a performance brand, but hey the bottom line is what maters to your shareholders. And auto-makers work for their shareholders. A BMW minivan is a wonderful idea. If done right this could be a hit. I honestly believe that. Yes this market is saturated, but if BMW comes in with a semi-performance based model all those dads out there dreading their minivan purchases could get a reprieve. Be on the lookout for this.
What would I buy if I had $150,000?
Simple. 2007 Ford GT. I would actually give my reproductive organs for this thing. Seriously. Have you seen this car in Gray with white stripes? Um. Wow. I've had the pleasure of riding inside of this slice of heaven (the 2006 model). And if you do one thing in your life, please drive this car. It is a race car. Enough said.