So manuals aren’t dead, after all. The third pedal on many cars has disappeared in favor of automatic transmissions and dual clutch gearboxes. In day-to-day driving and traffic we have to say we prefer the car doing the shifting (ducks for cover), but the choice needs to be there for everyone to make.

Dearth of manuals on the market has been widespread enough that Car and Driver started a “Save the Manuals” movement in 2010. Hey, why not? They have everything else: save the whales and the tigers and mutts at your local Humane Society. That effort was started after even exotic companies like Ferrari abandoned the traditional manual.

Other manufacturers, like Porsche, say they will continue to offer a manual for as long as customers demand it. Porsche recently stretched the boundaries of modern manuals by offering a seven-speed in the new 911.

C&D reports a win for their “Save the Manuals” effort with news that Ford is expanding manual availability to the Focus Titanium. The Titanium is the top-shelf trim line of the Focus. Manual transmissions have thus far only been available on the base S and SE models. SEL and Titanium buyers have to make do with the auto. The Titanium is available with a handling package that makes the drive experience a lot more engaging. As such the Titanium with handling package is the enthusiasts choice….at least until the manual-only ST arrives later this year.

With Ford seeing this demand for manual Titanium models, it is going to start offering them beginning in March. Somewhat of a conundrum though is the fact that the take rate on existing manuals hasn’t been to great; only seven percent C&D reports. That likely comes down to the limited availability issue; most Focus buyers don’t want the stripper model. With all the demand for a third-pedal Titanium, it should see higher take rates.

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1. Ford Announces Sport Packages For 2012 Focus
2. Next-Generation Ford Focus RS In The Works
3. 2012 Ford Focus Electric Garners 100 MPGe Rating, Production Starts This Month

It doesn’t take a business genius to figure out that a dealer can’t survive on just one product. Especially a low-volume three-door mini car. It is a good thing then for Fiat that a lot of $1 million + Fiat Studios were financed by large dealers.

These dealers have been complaining about lack of new product. The Abarth (and Alfa Romeos, eventually) is coming but it is clear they need more than that. Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne is throwing them a bone with a new model geared specifically toward the United States-market. It is has been said to be a five-door model of the 500. Some news has come from Automotive News that sheds a little bit more light on this model, including its name – 500L.

It will be a five-seater hatchback, aimed at expanding Fiat’s volume. Maybe this could hit 50,000 sales a year – but we don’t think they’ll be apt to repeat making a projection that is too optimistic. The new 500L will replace the Idea in Fiat’s European lineup, and underpinning it will be the platform used on the existing Punto.

The five-seater is mostly geared for the North American market. There will be an even longer seven-seat (!) version sold in Europe as well. Fiat thinks American customers won’t opt for a seven-seat vehicle that is that small. We think they are right.

The 500L is said to share design cues with the standard 500 that it shares its nomenclature with. AN reports that it will make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. It is evidence of more of a direction for Fiat in the U.S. Fiat recently said it wouldn’t go higher than the C-segment in the U.S – meaning it will exclusively focus on small vehicles. Given its European heritage in the minds of most consumers, that is exactly where it should be.

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Most people aren’t thinking about convertibles in the dead of winter, but so far the weather has actually been pretty nice where we are at in California. MINI is taking the opportunity to announce pricing information on the new Roadster, a sure seller during the spring and summer months.

Last year the Countryman and Coupe made their debuts, and this year it is the Roadster’s turn. It marks a continued expansion into new territory for MINI. The Coupe and Roadster aren’t all that different looking from the standard hardtop and Convertible models of the MINI, but they are considerably more sporty (and less practical, if you care about that kind of thing). For one thing, the rear seat also goes the way of the dodo – they are two seaters.

The Coupe’s pricing was announced a while ago, coming in at $22,000. The Roadster will set you back a good bit more than that – $24,655 with a standard manual. Opting for an automatic transmission will add $1,250 more to the total. With the Roadster, MINI has stuck with the traditional industry standard of cutting off the top and charging more money. It’s a winning combination for profitability, that’s for sure. The Roadster comes in a few hundred dollars short of the Convertible model though. It’ll be interesting to see if Convertible sales suffer all that much. If they do go down significantly, it is will be clear that cannibalization is going on rather than a sales expansion. If you opt for the top-shelf John Cooper Works model, pricing will come in at $34,500. Not cheap!

MINI says the car has been tuned to provide “go kart handling.” We bet the JCW model would be a lot of fun to toss around – too bad it dings the register so badly. The Roadster’s 1.6-liter four-cylinder is offered in three power guises; 121 horsepower standard, 181 hp for the Cooper S and 208 hp for the JCW.

Related posts:

1. Mini Speedster Gets Manual Top, Good?
2. MINI Unveils Two New Models
3. MINI Performs Mini Tinkering on 2011 Lineup

Exotic car manufacturers have a lot easier time surviving when they are under a huge corporate umbrella. Bugatti is such a manufacturer, owned by the Volkswagen Group, which also happens to own Lamborghini (and is adding Porsche to the mix). No expense was spared in developing the Veyron – it was designed to be the world’s fastest car, bar none. It hasn’t exactly been a huge profit maker either – more like a gigantic corporate ego trip. The Veyron had an allotment of 300 units, the last of which was sold in September 2011.

Bugatti pulled a clever hat trick by introducing the convertible Grand Sport though. That car was considered as a separate run of 150 units, enabling Bugatti to continue having a model to sell. As the Veyron neared its September end run, that was a looming issue. The 16C Galibier isn’t ready yet, and it would be highly unusual for the brand to not have any cars on the market until it goes on sale. Interestingly enough, Ricardo has released information about a large purchase of transmissions by Bugatti.

The amount of transmissions isn’t documented, but Ricardo notes that it is for “two years worth.” The units are the same seven-speed dual-clutch unit from the Veyron. Two years? The Grand Sport’s run should be out before then, unless it sells extremely slowly. There a few different reasons that have been speculated about – a high failure rate on the trannies (which we probably would have heard about by now) and the the desire to have more parts on hand, but the purchase seems highly unusual. Especially since it was announced in a press release.

Mark Barge, director at Ricardo, had this to say: “We look forward to two further very successful years in the story of this truly great automobile with its advanced Ricardo transmission.”

When Bugatti released yet another special edition Veyron at the Qatar Auto Show earlier this week, we speculated that Bugatti may pull out a Veyron shooting brake or something to extend the run yet again. While it was a joke, maybe it isn’t too far from reality……we’ll have to wait and see.

Related posts:

1. 2009 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport – Yep, It’s Official: the Bugatti Veyron Goes Topless
2. Too Much: Bugatti Introduces Special Edition Veyron In Qatar
3. Bugatti Veyron Reaches 253 mph Top Speed

Number one can be a blessing, and a curse – just ask Toyota, who quickly fell the top spot. Manufacturers who chase volume exclusively often find it comes at the expense of quality and profit margins. The better choice is to make more money on each unit, thanks to profit-enhancing options. Unfortunately a lot of manufacturers set their goals according to volume. Ford in recent times has taken a more quality over quantity approach than ever before.

The newest models are now positioned as more premium entrants – examples being the current Taurus and the Focus. The Focus in particular is more upscale and includes a myriad of technology and luxury options. This is helping to increase profit margins per model. The 2013 Fusion looks to follow in the footsteps of these cars.

The current Fusion, which was updated in 2010, has set a torrential sales pace. Last year a record amount of Fusions were sold, despite it being at the end of its life-cycle. You would only assume the 2013 Fusion, which is on a whole other level inside and out, would continue this record.

In fact with all this momentum, taking the top spot in the mid-size sedan sales race wouldn’t seem to be a stretch. Ford says this isn’t their goal though – and even if it was, it may not even be attainable. That’s because Ford says they can produce a maximum of about 400,000 Fusions a year. We think they could push a bit more than they if they really wanted to, but Toyota on the other hand has 500,000 units of capacity at its two plants in Indiana and Kentucky. The current Camry isn’t running at capacity though. This year, Toyota expects to produce about 414,000 Camrys. Ford, on the other hand, projects that the 2013 Fusion will reach 310,000 units. The final total will probably be north of that. Ford’s head of marketing, Jim Farley, has this to say:

“Between price and volume, we’ll sort out the right mix. I don’t think we’re very enamored with being number one just to be number one. We’re much more enamored with the right price point and right kind of people to buy the car.” Bottom line is Fusion is expected to continue to set sales records. That is as good of a place to start as any.

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1. Detroit: Ford Fusion Isn’t a Traditional Mid-Size Sedan
2. 2013 Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup Car Makes Debut in Charlotte
3. 2013 Ford Fusion To Press Technology Envelope in Mid-Size Segment

Land Rover is preparing a replacement for the long-running Defender. It has been one of the most iconic off-road vehicles in history, along with the original Jeep and HUMMER. Its history began in 1949 and its run has included years of military service and use in developing countries. Over this course of time, it has changed very little.

Instead of keeping it fresh with ground up redesigns, the Defender has been a work horse. Thanks to emissions requirements and pedestrian safety regulations, it is nearing the end of its life. The next-generation model will be an entirely new, from the ground up model. It will share a platform with the Discovery and Range Rover Sport. As far as competition, the next-generation Defender will go head-to-head with the Jeep Wrangler.

Reported by Autocar Ratan Tata has announced that instead of calling Solihull, United Kingdom its home, the next-generation Defender will be produced in England. Oh how the world has changed. The Defender has been produced in many countries around the world by other manufacturers, but this will be a big change for Land Rover purists.

India was selected because the Tata Group, who owns, Land Rover is based in that country. Production there will enable the price point to be set much lower. While production will take place there, Autocar report that some assembly may be done in the United Kingdom.

Tata expects the new Defender to be a volume, workhorse model that sells in large numbers in developing countries. The Asia-Pacific region is projected to provide significant sales for the model. All of this is away off though; production of the Defender isn’t scheduled to begin until 2015. Until then, we can expect a continued stream of news and concepts leading up to a debut. The Defender’s design has been previewed by the DC100 Concept. While Land Rover has said that the DC100 Concept isn’t a dead ringer for the production model, sources say it is a very close preview.

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1. Frankfurt: Land Rover Tests Waters For Next Defender with DC100 Concept
2. Land Rover Prices Evoque Crossover
3. Land Rover In Vogue with 2011 Evoque

Chrysler/Fiat’s branding strategy is quite curious. They’re doing things right now that is unprecedented in modern times. First of all, they are proliferating individual brands. The Ram truck was split off from Dodge into its own division, complete with its own website – despite being sold in the same dealer. Then you have Street Racing Technology, which the company is trying to pitch as its own division, with its own marketing and the like.

Then Fiat is added into the mix, which has gotten an entire line of dedicated studios. And don’t forget Alfa Romeo, whose return is just around the corner. It all seems like a jumbled mess. Then you have to think about the Chrysler brand. What is its wheelhouse and where will it be positioned in the future? What is happening at Dodge? It is very unclear what the overall strategy is, if there is any.

Dodge was supposed to focus on performance, along with Alfa Romeo. That meant the hot-selling Grand Caravan minivan was supposed to be axed, along with the Avenger. But then you have the utterly mainstream Dart being launched in the midst of all this. Dodge should be the mainstream brand at the Chrysler Group, with Chrysler as luxury/mid-luxury and Alfa Romeo going against the European luxury brands. Jeep’s mission is well defined. But we digress. It appears Chrysler may be going back to a sane strategy.

As we mentioned earlier, the Avenger was supposed to go away in its next-generation, with a Chrysler and Alfa Romeo mid-sizer based on the platform. Now, USA Today reports that the Avenger could live on, in an effort to increase the amount of models (for economies of scale) on the platform.

Finally something is making sense. In fact, if any car should be being killed, it should be the Chrysler 200. Chrysler will ever have a shred of hope in being a luxury brand if cars like the 200 continue to stick around. At this point it would probably be better to focus on Alfa Romeo in the United States. The Avenger and next-generation 200 are expected to make their debut next year.

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In most places within North America, auto insurance represents one of the most costly ongoing expenses attached to automotive ownership. A monthly or annual cost that varies wildly between driver, we barely understand the number of factors affecting our individual insurance rate. Driver’s age, gender and history behind the wheel plays the key part in establishing what we need to pay in order to venture on roadways legally.

Besides the human factor, your chosen automobile also weighs on the determination for the insurance premium amount. While the calculations of auto insurance quotes differ between companies and policies, a car-insurance.com chart cited that the vehicle accounts for thirteen percent of a driver’s rate. When buying a new car, we assume that a 2012 Porsche 911′s sporty agility will drive car insurance coverage reasonably higher than a fuel-efficient economy car. As automotive consumers, we can assume (often with some certainty) that certain vehicles are high risk for collision. In the case of auto insurance companies, more scientific data collection assists in the conclusion of vehicle rates.

Founded in 1959 as a non-profit organization meant to study vehicle and drivers, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has spawned to cover an array of automotive safety-related topics including new car crash testing. In the 1970s, the IIHS created the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) designed specifically to collect and examine information on human as well as financial loss in automobile accidents. One aspect researched by the IIHS and HLDI is the insurance losses based on a specific vehicle. Among six different types of insurance (Collision, liability, comprehensive, personal injury, medical and bodily injury), the IIHS records the comparable losses of almost every popular newer vehicle.

For the most recent vehicle data based on 2008 to 2010 model year products, data showed that the Scion tC topped the list as the highest overall insurance loss. As an import sports vehicle, the Scion tC caters to younger, riskier group of drivers therefore leading to worse than average insurance loss. In addition, being a Japanese-built vehicle, the collision insurance costs would be understandably high for North American drivers. Since introduction, the Scion tC has been a rated in the overall top-five of the vehicle insurance loss list.

Other vehicles found on the highest insurance loss list between the 2008 and 2010 model years involves a mix of everyday, Luxury and performance. Below the Scion tC coupe on the IIHS list is the long wheelbase variant of the Mercedes Benz S-Class sedan, Mitsubishi Lancer (not specifically the Evolution model) and the Chevrolet Cobalt. While the Cobalt’s appearance on the list could also be cited for sizeable production numbers, the compact Chevrolet joins six of the top-ten highest loss vehicles targeted for the youth market.

On the other side of the insurance data, some of the lowest loss vehicles Subaru Outback wagon, Honda CR-V and the Ford F-150. While the presence a two-door sport compact car at the top of the IIHS list of highest insurance losses is not a surprise, two popular sports cars make an amusing stand on the lowest insurance loss chart. The Chevrolet Corvette and the Mazda MX-5 Miata present lower than average insurance loss data. Topping the list on the lowest insurance loss chart is the Smart ForTwo. From the collection of automobile types assembled on the lowest insurance loss list, it could be assumed sport cars like the Corvette and MX-5 Miata are driven with more care.

When identifying individual vehicles, the insurance loss data displays some interesting observations among vehicle categories. While the insurance loss numbers constructed by the IIHS and the HLDI reveals that many mid-sized sedans are less risky than smaller vehicles, there are several exceptions. For example, the Smart ForTwo, MINI Cooper Clubman and Volkswagen New Beetle all overcome the small car stigma to have lower insurance loss numbers. Perhaps reinforcing the sense many American automobile buyers maintained over the last decade, sport utility and crossover vehicles were rated favourably for insurance loss. Every SUV and crossover vehicle built from 2008 to 2010 model year achieved either average or under the auto insurance industry’s average for loss.

Blind to gender, driving experience or even location in the United States, vehicle insurance loss information collected by the IIHS and HLDI will definitely influence your next auto quote for a late model automobile.

Information source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Photo Source: Chris Nagy

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A while back we reported on the status of the Saab car collection from the Trollhattan museum. The company in charge of overseeing Saab’s bankruptcy announced that it would be auctioning off cars at the Trollhattan museum. While it horrified Saab enthusiasts, to the liquidators it was a source of cash. They don’t care for the historical value of things – unless it brings in money. That’s the whole point.

The collection includes the very first Ur-Saab and countless other milestone production models, prototypes and concept cars. Vehicles like the Aero X Concept and the stillborn prototype Subaru Tribeca-based 9-7X crossover SUV. Fan site Saabs United organized an effort to try to purchase these vehicles if they indeed did head to auction, in order to preserve them in a private museum.

It would have been a shame if these cars were spread all over the world rather than displayed in a single collection that the public would be able to view. Thankfully, Autocar reports that end has been avoided. The City of Trollhattan (who wants the tourism dollars), SAAB AB (the airplane manufacturer that bears the Saab name) as well as The Wallenberg Foundation came up a sum of over $4 million (at current exchange rates) to take ownership of the entire collection.

There are 120 vehicles all in all. There isn’t much information available on the purchase other than that. This is a big victory for Saab fans though. What isn’t clear is the state of the Saab museum grounds – if the collection will be moved or what the deal with that is. We assume The City of Trollhattan will work to make sure it is open to the public and able to attract tourists. As for the Saab brand, there is still reports going on that some well-heeled buyers are interested. Call us when something serious materializes!

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Sometimes, a company will stick with the same tagline for years. There are a few examples of that in the automotive industry, such as BMW’s Ultimate Driving Machine and Lexus’ “The Relentless Pursuit of Perfection.” Having the same, defined message helps brand identity – if you can find one that really sticks. Volkswagen’s recent “Das Auto” has fit the company perfectly, and we’re finding that most people really associate it with VW.

On the other end of the spectrum is let’s say, Buick. Over the past few years Buick has had so many tag lines. “The Spirit of American Style”, “Beyond Precision”, “Drive Beautiful”, “The New Class of World Class,” Yeah, and that’s just the ones we can remember. For Ford the slogan has been “Drive One.” It was introduced in 2006 as a new generation of products were being launched.

That was back when Toyota was on a roll and the domestics weren’t considered as much by consumers. “Drive One” was designed to get people to take a look at Ford again – which incidentally was also the goal of the tagline before that. “If You Haven’t Looked at a Ford lately…look again.” It was a lot clunkier way of saying the same thing.

Fast forward to today and Ford is in a very different position than it was in 2006. It is recognized as a technological leader and its new cars are consistently rated at the top of their class. Vehicles like the Ford Explorer, Taurus and Focus. These cars look to be top contenders in their segments. To reflect its new position as a leader in the marketplace, Ford has announced a new slogan…..”Go Further.” It will be launching across the world later this year – it is already being used for advertisements in Europe. While not terribly original or clever, we think this fits where Ford is at right now very well.

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What is this, the 50 millionth special edition variant of the Bugatti Veyron? Every time we turn around Bugatti pops out a new one. The open top Grand Sport is the latest and greatest Veyron, and here comes another special edition variant. The 2012 Qatar Motor Show begins tomorrow, and this car was designed specifically for that show. Given the excess of Middle East oil magnates, it isn’t surprising. Bugatti didn’t give this special edition car a name, but it is being referred to as the “Bumblebee” so we’ll go with that.

That name should tell you all you need to know about the Veyron’s color scheme. The car is finished in a yellow and black paint combination that extends into the interior. Bugatti says it was founder Etorre Bugatti’s favorite color combination.

On the outside, yellow is the dominant color (even down to the door handles) with a black carbon fiber lower pieces and black tinted wheels with….yellow calipers. Inside the seats are all yellow as well, with black stitching. Who ever thought this was a good idea, we want to have a talk to. There is far too much yellow – its everywhere. It probably would have worked a lot better if the interior was all black. Swing and a miss on this one.

If you thought the Veyron was supposed to have ended production already, you aren’t alone. The coupe version did in fact reach the end of the line, with the last sale for that car completed in September 2011. But, Bugatti came up with a clever way to extend production beyond the original 300. And that is the convertible Grand Sport, which is treated by the company as a separate production run.

Out of a new allotment of 150 Grand Sports, Bugatti says there is 105 slots left. Then it will be the end of the road for the Grand Sport, and time for the Veyron run to be extended again. Just kidding (we think) – there is no plans in the works to do that. Hopefully by then Bugatti will have announced a true second model, like the 16C Galibier super sedan.

Related posts:

1. 2009 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport – Yep, It’s Official: the Bugatti Veyron Goes Topless
2. Bugatti Veyron Pegaso Edition
3. Ricardo Reports Two Years Worth of Bugatti Veyron Transmissions On order

Ford just released the 2013 Fusion NASCAR racer today, and at the other end of the racing spectrum is Nissan with the Nismo GT-R GT3. In addition to being a video game favorite, the GT-R has a history in motorsports.

There has been a few different versions of the car tailored for different racing series around the world. Japan has a racing series called Super GT that the car competes in. Worldwide, there is the FIA World Championship which we all know of. These series are manufacturer-sponsored and they feature modified vehicles that aren’t available to the public. Until now that is. Private teams and track-day racers, you have your car. Just be prepared to shell out some serious dough.

The Nissan Nismo GT-R GT3 (what a name!) was developed by Nismo (hence the name) and JR Motorsports, who runs Nissan’s program in GT1. The Nismo GT-R is developed to meet GT3 specifications. Under the hood is the production car’s twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter six-cylinder, making 523 horsepower. That is down slightly on the 2012 production model’s 530 hp. The real changes don’t have anything to do with the power train though. Visually the aerodynamics package is the most noticeable – such as that protruding font splitter. Added scoops, vents flares and the like are all designed specifically to help aid downforce.

The huge rear wing also reminds us a bit of the outrageous ones we see thrown on little Hondas and Nissans. This one actually has purpose though! Weight on the Nismo GT-R is is down significantly, to just 2,866 pounds. That is a huge figure, and responsible for the much better figures this car will post. By comparison, the production GT-R weighs in at 3829 pounds. The interior has been entirely decontented, with a roll-cage, racing seats, harnesses and the like taking the place of convenience items. An adjustable suspension and extra ventilation round out race-ready changes. Remember what we said about serious dough? The Nismo GT-R GT3 will set you back about $390,000 dollars at current exchange rates.

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Stock cars in NASCAR share nothing with their road-going counterparts save for a traditionally cartoonish front-end design. Manufacturers pick a name and slap it on their race cars. Chevrolet fields the Impala, Ford the Fusion, Dodge the Charger and Toyota its best-selling Camry.

Earlier this month, Ford introduced the redesigned 2013 Fusion at the North American International Auto Show. You know what that means – time for a new stock car design. Mid-size sedans have traditionally been one of the biggest segments, so Ford has used the Fusion since 2006. Prior to that it was the Taurus. The new 2013 Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup car was introduced today at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Ford says it is a product of a years worth of design and aerodynamics work.

The company put a particular emphasis on making it look closer to the standard car then it ever has before. In that respect, we’ve really got to hand it to them. The Fusion race car looks closer to the road-going Fusion than anything we’ve seen out of NASCAR in a long time. The car includes pretty realistic proportions up front, with replicated headlights and Ford’s gaping maw grille. The Ford logo also features very prominently on the front and sides of the vehicle – it is part of an effort to boost the brand. Jamie Allison, director of Ford racing, talked about the project:

“We wanted Fusion to be the car that helped return ‘stock car’ to NASCAR…..I think fans, when they see the car, are just going to smile and cheer. It is going to reengage them with the sport and make the sport better because there is just something natural about seeing race cars that look like cars in their driveways.”

Many design hours were put in to do just that. It’s an attention to detail and effort that just hasn’t been put into these cars by other manufacturers. You can check the 2013 Ford Fusion race car in our gallery below. The car is set to make its racing debut next January for the 2013 race campaign.

Related posts:

1. Detroit: Ford Fusion Isn’t a Traditional Mid-Size Sedan
2. 2013 Ford Fusion To Press Technology Envelope in Mid-Size Segment
3. Ford Doesn’t Expect Fusion To Take Number One

Revenge of the electric car! We know it’s a documentary name, but it’s crazy to see it really happening. Electric cars are making a comeback, in terms of model introductions. Sales haven’t too great though, and there is a few reasons for that. Cost has got to get down to levels of internal combustion cars, as well as range moving higher up.

Range anxiety is a real issue when it is your main car. Now for a second car or city runabout, the dynamics change. That is why many of the EVs being developed are exactly that; compact cars aimed at city dwellers. Tesla is the one taking a different tack with the Model S.

A few years ago there was no pure electric vehicles on the market period. Now, Nissan has the LEAF, Mitsubishi the MiEV, Chevrolet is introducing the Spark EV and the i3 is under development at BMW. Honda joined the party at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November with the Fit EV.

The Fit EV is going sale in a few select EV-friendly markets this summer. Prior to its launch, Honda is delivering it to a few municipalities and buyers to get early feedback. It is a similar situation to BMW with the 1-Series ActiveE Pilot Program. The first is being delivered to the city of Torrance, California. That is where Honda’s United States headquarters are located. Honda and the City of Torrance have a good working relationship on projects like this. Other partners Google and Stanford University are also part of the early demonstration program.

Honda says each of these participants will provide usage data and info on personal, fleet and car-sharing. The Fit EV has a range of about 76 miles in combined city and highway driving. Initially the Fit EV will only be available in two U.S-states – California and Oregon. Lease pricing checks in at $399 a month, putting it at the lower end of the price range for these types of programs.

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Lately, automakers have been trying to provide more customization options. In particular this has been part of an effort to reach out to the youth market. In a sea of boring cars in the same old colors, personalization touches can help your car stand out a bit. The Dodge Dart is an example of an effort to do this. One problem Rolls Royces have never had though is needing to stand out. You can always pick one out in a crowd. That said, that fact isn’t stopping well-heeled buyers from wanting to take things a step further.

Rolls has always had bespoke operations that enabled buyers to tailor vehicles just the way they wanted them. According to new information from the company numbers for that program are on the rise, with some 56 percent of buyers are customizing the Ghost. And that is the more “volume” Rolls Royce. The Phantom is seeing even higher numbers.

Why Rolls-Royce would want to show off a pink Ghost beats us…..we think it looks horrible. But back to the point, with customization taste isn’t necessary – only your checkbook! You can pick any color you’d like, along with a myriad of other things like changes to the interior, unique leather, wood and the like.

Take rates for Phantom are even higher. In 2005 75% of Phantoms in the Middle East were customized – in 2011 it was at 99 percent. In North America it was at just 40 percent, while it stands at 84 percent today. Worldwide, 8 out of 10 Phantoms are personalized by owners. With all this business, Rolls-Royce has had to expand its bespoke operations.

Late last year, it increased workers to 50, and an expansion of its factory is in the works. Overall Rolls-Royce sales are up significantly. The Ghost is powering these gains. It is more modern and affordable, while really sacrificing nothing versus its Phantom counterpart. More models are said to be in the works for the Ghost range, including a convertible and coupe.

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