Good Car Bad Car

CAMARO vs MUSTANG vs CHALLENGER vs CORVETTE vs VIPER: (OCTOBER 2009 SALES)

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:10:00 +0000

The Good Car Guy has already hosted a hypothetical debate on the classification of America's "sports cars". That was a month ago when it was becoming increasingly apparent that more people wanted a Chevrolet Camaro than a Ford Mustang. While that story holds true in October, let's not over-analyze the situation. Camaros are the new thang, the most stylin' car on the block. Besides, anybody who really, really, really wanted a new Camaro had to go without for a large part of this millennium. And then, when General Motors finally released unto us a new Camaro, it was no rehashed F-body but a world-class GT. Moreover, even the V6-engined Camaro is fast.

So don't act so surprised that Ford can't quite keep up in the fall of '09. Discounting the fact that the Camaro expanded its lead over the Mustang this month; ignoring the increase in Challenger sales this month and the decrease in Mustang sales - the 'Stang is fine. Right? Yes, the Mustang always wins..... right?

TOP 5 BEST-SELLING SUVs IN AMERICA (OCTOBER 2009)

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:49:00 +0000

Supplanting the Chevrolet Tahoe at the bottom end of this October edition of GoodCarBadCar.net's Top 5 Best-Selling SUVs in America is a product from crosstown competitor Ford. That's not to say Chevrolet struggled to push Tahoes in October. Sales were more than double than in the same period of '08, just a few hundred lower than the Ford CUV in this month's number five spot.

Check out last month's best-selling SUVs here, Canada's best-selling SUVs here, or October's best-selling cars or trucks from America's Sales Stats. For now, October's Top 5 Best-Selling SUVs in America can be seen in the Graph below. You'll find the ability to compare sales of these SUVs with their performance in October of '08 inside the bracketed sections. Inhabitants of the 50 states still love'em some sport-utility vehicles, even if not a single best-seller is based on anything other than a car platform.

TOP 5 BEST-SELLING TRUCKS IN AMERICA (OCTOBER 2009) - WITH "MY NAME IS RAM" COMMERCIAL

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:22:00 +0000

According to some industry watchers, tag-teaming identical Chevrolet and GMC products isn't "fair". For the purpose of comparing truck sales at Ford Motor Company and General Motors, however, it only makes sense to - at least periodically - add up Silverado and Sierra sales. Of course, it's still nice to know how the players in GM's playground are faring independently. Surprisingly, Canadian Auto Sales statistics tell a unique story: GMC full-size pickup trucks out-sell the Chevys.

Regardless, monthly Sales Stats from the USA prove the strength of Ford and General Motors and the comparative weakness of anybody else who sells trucks. To a degree, that weakness even includes Dodge... er, Ram. So since we're on the topic, check out the new over-played commercial for Dodge .... er, Ram, below the Numbers. Way too prototypically truck; an anticlimactic launch of a brand; and distinctly cheap all-round. Check out the best-selling trucks from September of '09 here. Or check out the Top 5 Best-Selling Cars in America here.

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#5- TOYOTA TUNDRA: +13.1% to 7,537

#4- TOYOTA TACOMA: -14% to 8,921

#3- DODGE RAM: -30% to 12,262

#2- FORD F-SERIES: -8.8% to 39,496

#1- CHEVROLET SILVERADO/GMC SIERRA: +1.6% to 43,648

KIA SOUL vs NISSAN CUBE - OCTOBER SALES IN THE USA & CANADA

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:39:00 +0000

Only a couple days ago I was asked by a car salesman which I liked better, the Kia Soul or the Nissan Cube. Problem number one arises with his affiliation: his company sells both new Nissans and new Kias. Problem number two ignites after he discovers GoodCarBadCar.net was in a competition to win a Nissan Cube and lost, thus inciting impressions of bitterness. Unfounded impressions.

Presenting further evidence that your knowledge of Sales Stats should never be based on your local area but on cold hard Numbers was this salesman's surprise ascertainment of the facts surrounding Kia's complete sales dominance over Nissan in this category. As for that dominance, the Soul's chokehold on the Cube disappeared for the first time in the United States and shrunk dramatically in Canada last month. The figures for October can be seen below, along with year-to-date (ytd) statistics. Click here for the Kia Soul vs. Nissan Cube battle from September.

OCTOBER SALES IN THE USA

Kia Soul: 2,063 (26,300 ytd)

Nissan Cube: 2,097 (16,849 ytd)

OCTOBER SALES IN CANADA

Kia Soul: 666 (7,177 ytd)

Nissan Cube: 315 (1,948 ytd)

FORD TAURUS SEL AWD - DRIVEN

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:57:00 +0000

"It takes a long time to turn a big country around. Just be of good cheer and keep working on it," the 42nd President of the United States once said. If Bill Clinton were comforting me these last few days instead of the whole of America, he'd have used the word "car" instead of "country". Because my fellow Ameri... er, auto enthusiasts, living with the new Ford Taurus is an adventure inherently related to the size of this car, first and foremost.

GoodCarBadCar.net has already gone over the Taurus's dimensions in detail. Not only is the Ford larger than its direct rivals, its specs also prove plenty of large vehicles are smaller than the Taurus in one direction or another. Thankfully the Ford isn't a monster on the outside with little fruit to show for it in the cabin. Rear seat space isn't special, but there's plentiful knee-room to be found for big people way back there. Ford clearly devoted more attention to the trunk where the Taurus's measurements make its cargo carrying capability better than almost any other sedan on the market.

Analyzing The Taurus's Dimensions

Opting for the Taurus in SEL trim won't net owners a luxury car by modern standards, but surely the Taurus more than meets your needs. Leather seating surfaces, abundant power features, a thumpin' sound system, heated seats, SYNC, dual-zone climate control, obligatory rear parking sensors, and a steering wheel built for reach and rake make for pleasant accomodations. However comfortable the seats initially seem, side bolstering is all but nonexistent; a problem in a car with surprisingly little body roll in corners. Hold me in, please.

Stereo and climate controls are designed with gloved hands in mind - finding a satellite radio station playing something other than Miley's "Party In The USA" won't be hard on cold snowy mornings like today. It's nice to place the steering wheel (and the adjustable pedals) exactly where I want everything, but Ford's designers were sniffing some seriously high octane junk on Steering Wheel Shape Day. Perfectly thick on the sides. Thinning in an acceptable way on the bottom. But wait, what's this: the top third of the wheel is spindly, thin enough to remind me of very old Buick Centurys. Yuk. As a nod to senior citizens, this steering wheel earns a wag of the finger from The Good Car Guy.

Checking Out the Ford Taurus & Its Most Direct Rivals

Upon exiting Fairley & Stevens' lot in Burnside with some verve, my first thought was slight disappointment with the ponies. 263 horsepower just ain't what it used to be, at least not when hooked up to 4,224 pounds of Ford four-door. Car & Driver tested the Taurus with this 3.5L V6 and published a 0-60mph time of 7.0 seconds. While 263-bhp may provide lesser acceleration than we're accustomed to as a result of the Taurus's portliness, the non-turbo 3.5L provides enough thrust for aggressive driving.

No less important than the satisfying V6 is the chassis' competence on twisty roads. Indeed, even this non-SHO Taurus copes admirably when chucked into tight, slow-speed corners. The Nurburgring may reveal a car's tendencies in high-speed situations on wide open sweepers and bumpy switchbacks, but if a big car can't cope with twisties in low-speed situations, if its discomfort is manifested, then the car's overall ability to grip and handle might as well be forgotten.

So I took the Taurus to Shore Drive in Bedford, Nova Scotia, and kept the speedometer in an appropriate range for a residential community. On a grimy November day, the Ford revealed just two faults on this tough test. Brief but steep inclines resulted in a complete lack of visibility because the Taurus has a very un-Honda, very Mustangesque cowl height. Only the falling leaves at the tops of trees were noticeable to me. Looking through the rear window is more difficult than peering past the pillars in the cheap seats at the old Montreal Forum.

Early Impressions Of The 2010 Taurus

Ford Taurus - 3 To Beat

Worse than lack of a greenhouse is the absence of fun. Yes, I was driving slow. Yet even more typical car-testing drives later in the week neutralized the Taurus's spunky V6 and flat cornering. Does the Taurus shrink when pushed hard? A little bit, luckily. Pushing the Ford Taurus hard is not far from driving in absentia. You won't feel a thing either way. This Taurus does handle nicely, remaining level without excessive understeer; but it does so without any interaction. There's just no way this is a car to drive but rather a great car to be driven in.

Indeed, a terrific car in which to be driven. Bumps, holes, yumps, dips, hardened slush, and uneven surfaces are dismissed with nary a second thought. If your goal is to be isolated from the great outdoors and from anything underneath four wheels, this has got to be one of the best cars for such a purpose. One gets the feeling that the Ford Taurus is, in a voice imperceptible to humans, quietly whispering to the wind and the road, "Silencio". Yes, roads these days speak Spanish and wind is now multi-lingual. Quite seriously, a Ford Taurus, kitted out as an SEL and equipped with all-wheel drive, feels like an utterly safe and predictable way to transport thyself from A to B. You won't remember anything in between and there's no reason to take the scenic route except for the landscape, but the Taurus keeps the world at bay.

GoodCarBadCar.net's Ford Taurus SEL Photo Gallery

Preconceived Notions From An Anti-Taurus Generation

In Canada, Ford's Taurus SEL runs up against the $35K barrier with all-wheel drive. A base Taurus can be had for $1.00 less than $30,000. Opting for the Taurus Limited, surely a car Ford will build in numbers as great as can be sold, starts just over $40,000 although the one in Fairley & Stevens' showroom was optioned up to $48+, the price of an SHO. South of the border in Ford's homeland the Taurus starts at $25,170 and rises $12,000 to the SHO. While in Canada the Limited is fitted with all-wheel drive as standard equipment, customers in the U.S. see all-wheel drive as an option. SHOs are all built with all-wheel drive, in addition to being the exclusive Taurus home of the EcoBoost 365-bhp twin-turbocharged V6.

Obviously the Fusion has taken the place of the Taurus as Ford's Camry/Accord competitor. Certainly the Fusion offers more of a driving experience than the Taurus, but the appeal of the bigger Ford is hard to ignore. Coping - yes, coping - with the Ford Taurus's bumper-to-bumper, mirror-to-mirror amplitude will be the biggest reason I can think of for anyone rejecting the Taurus after first being impressed. Apart from that, a joke of a steering wheel and some hard plastics on the centre tunnel shouldn't be enough for dismissing the Taurus as a viable family car.

The 2010 Taurus is too big to be heartily recommended but too good-looking and comfortable to be denounced. Regardless of its bulk, the Taurus shoots ahead of many a midsize sedan and most full-size sedans as a sedan of choice for North Americans with large garages.

ANALYZING THE DIMENSIONS OF THE 2010 FORD TAURUS SEL AWD

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:02:00 +0000

Suffice it to say that The Good Car Guy's experience with the Ford Taurus has been a lesson in geometry, mainly of the length x width variety. Ford's 2010 Taurus, in SEL trim with all-wheel drive, is a large car by anyone's standards. There are advantages to its stature, most notably in its style and interior dimensions. Naturally, there are distinct disadvantages which come as a result of the Taurus's dimensions. I drove around the block (a large block with two cemeteries in its borders) four times looking for a parking space this morning and was forced to pass by a few Volkswagen Golf-sized spots.

Have A Look @ GoodCarBadCar.net's Taurus Photo Gallery

But if I'm going to berate the 2010 Taurus for its girth it seems only right that the Ford's length, width, height, cargo volume, passenger space, and weight should be put in perspective. Laid out for all to see. Fully disclosed, so to speak. Unmasked, if you will. Obviously the picture you see here of the the Taurus in question along with GoodCarBadCar.net's long-term smart fortwo offers very little perspective, even if it is amusing. Thus, Numbers have been tabulated and the facts are presented below. There are surprises.

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202.9 - length, measured in inches, of the 2010 Ford Taurus SEL AWD, making the new Taurus longer than the Audi A8, BMW 750i, and the Lexus LS460

76.2 - width, measured in inches, of the 2010 Ford Taurus SEL AWD, making the new Taurus wider than the Ford Explorer, Toyota Highlander, and the Bentley Arnage

60.7 - height, measured in inches, of the 2010 Ford Taurus SEL AWD, making the new Taurus taller than the Ford Crown Victoria, Dodge Charger, and the Cadillac DTS

4,224 - weight, measured in pounds, of the 2010 Ford Taurus SEL AWD, making the new Taurus heavier than the Ford Edge Limited AWD, Pontiac G8 GXP, and the Kia Sorento 4x2

102.3 - passenger space, measured in cubic feet, in the 2010 Ford Taurus SEL AWD, making the new Taurus more capacious than the Acura ZDX, BMW X6, and the Infiniti FX

20.1 - trunk room, measured in cubic feet, in the 2010 Ford Taurus SEL AWD, making the new Taurus a better cargo hauler than the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, 2010 Jaguar XJL, and the Maserati Quattroporte

LUXURY CAR SALES IN AMERICA (OCTOBER 2009)

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:53:00 +0000

The performance of Toyota's luxury brand, Lexus, is something to behold. Ignoring the history of established luxury players from Germany, Lexus has taken two decades on the Marketplace to become the foreordained leader of the luxury pack every single freakin' month. In October of '09 - last month - Lexus even cracked the top 10 best-selling automakers overall; only about 113,000 sales behind parent Toyota.

October's Sales Stats from the positions 4-8. And although they never make it onto the Graph, Porsche sold 1,642 vehicles; Hummer 307; and Saab managed 513 sales. Catch September's rundown of the same newsline here.

COMPARING SALES OF ENTRY-LUXURY CARS IN THE USA (OCTOBER 2009)

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:31:00 +0000

No surprises here. BMW's October Sales Stats show 3-Series sales to be way up from September back to the state of doubling up its nearest competitor. Although in very few instances does BMW still rightfully claim to be the builder of the "Ultimate Driving Machine", the company still flogs so many different varieties of the fun-to-drive 3-Series that other automakers building excellent cars stand little chance of catching up to BMW anytime soon. In truth, cars 2-7 in the Graph below sell at rates which would be mostly indistinguishable on a drive through America. That's why The Good Car Guy compiles the Sales Stats, of course. Now you don't need to drive across America counting entry-luxury cars.

FORD TAURUS vs ITS MOST DIRECT RIVALS - SPECS, PRICE, SALES TOTALS

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:59:00 +0000

For me, spending a few days with a 2010 Ford Taurus is akin to spending a few days camping. Follow? It's so pleasant, so unusual, so outside my own norm. Yet, it's not something I'd want to do all the time. I like my bed a little more comfortable, my food more perfectly timed, and the shower a lot less public. And I like my cars a mite smaller than the gargantuan Taurus, the insulation quite a bit thinner, the image a little less aged.

Even so, camping is a wonderfully exotic experience. Camping opens up your mind to new possibilities, fills your nostrils with fresher air, and greets you with spectacular sunsets every morning. With the 2010 Taurus, Ford has proven that the sum can be much more than the parts. Style can alter badge-based preliminary impressions no small amount. Almost overnight, Ford has made the Taurus seem like an ideal alternative to luxo versions of the Japanese midsizers; a spacious option for anyone considering small and sporty German sedans; and a more visually striking substitute to typical large sedans.

Yes, it is those large sedans that we'll look at today. GoodCarBadCar.net has already run a traditional 3 To Beat on the Taurus, but the five cars you see below are likely the 2010 Taurus's most direct rivals.

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BUICK LACROSSE: We all have that one friend who, later on in life, decided to dress a lot sharper and adjust their taste buds to allow sushi entrance. In the full-size sedan class, the Buick LaCrosse is that friend. In base form with the generic wheels and lo-po engine, the LaCrosse is far from glamorous. Add some swank, drop in a 3.6L engine, and the LaCrosse is the the prototypical cross-town Taurus rival from General Motors.

TOYOTA AVALON: Often labelled as the Japanese Buick, Toyota's land yacht is a surprisingly quick mover and a Lexus in all but name. Silence, serenity.... and sleepiness. On GoodCarBadCar.net's excite-o-meter, the Avalon doesn't even register on the scales. You could call the Avalon's styling blaa, but it's actually a little blahquey. Then again, there is that whole "Serenity Now" thing.

NISSAN MAXIMA: Though the Maxima has all but lost its foundational performance credentials, at its core it's still the sporty car in this quintet. But if sporty is your mission and Nissan's calling your name, why not step on over to the Infiniti side of the dealership and check out a G37. If full-size dimensions intrigue you, others on this list perform more than adequately and do so with a lot more class.

CHRYSLER 300: Growing long in the tooth, Chrysler's gigantic 300 remains the art-deco limo. Multiple engine choices, a wide span of trim options, and typical Chrysler LLC incentives make the 300 hard to ignore. Its on-the-road-feel will remind you of nothing else on this list, not least because of its rear-wheel drive platform. For a while there the 300 was the obvious choice. Now Chrysler's Detroit rivals have decided to reignite efforts in this long-standing American segment.

CHEVROLET IMPALA: Every vehicular category needs something like the Impala: an automobile adequate enough for those who need a certain type of car but don't savour the extras of the alternatives. Want to save money? Choose the Impala. Want the best full-size American (or Japanese?) sedan? Don't choose the Impala. When the going gets tough and the destination is sought after more longingly, the other cars here tend to feel somewhat smaller than they actually are. Simultaneously, the Impala feels larger with each mile; constantly forcing its owner to consider the possibility that the other cars may be worth the extra cost.

SPECS (U.S. models, click for larger view)

OCTOBER 2009 SALES (USA)

Ford Taurus: 6,076

Buick LaCrosse: 3,228

Toyota Avalon: 2,539

Nissan Maxima: 4,593

Chrysler 300: 2,914

Chevrolet Impala: 12,721

THE NEW PORSCHE BOXSTER SPYDER IS DIVINE

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:46:00 +0000

And some people still buy the Porsche 911 Carrera cabriolet? When they can have this? Porsche has upped the Boxster ante with the new Spyder. Slightly differentiated bodywork makes far more than a passing impression. The double-bubble rear deck harks back to the lovely Porsche Carrera GT, and even if it harked back to the ark it would still be beautiful. No less important is what's found under the hood.... er, rather, underneath the rear deck in a place you can't see. The 3.4L flat-six is ten bhp up on the Boxster S, providing Spyder owners with a full 320 horsepower.

Check out the most beautiful Porsche Cayman here

More importantly, the Boxster Spyder's weight loss program is one fit for Bob Greene. 80 kilograms (176 pounds) have been shed from the Boxster S's curb weight. Here you have the lightest Porsche on sale today. To accomplish that feat, Porsche stripped the Boxster Spyder of its stereo system and air-conditioning. Forget cupholders. The Spyder is meant for driving; and not with the roof up. Canadians should expect to pay $72,900. In the U.S. pricing starts $3,200 above the Boxster S at $61,200.

In GoodCarBadCar.net's The Good 12 and The Good 12 v2.0, the Boxster has been an easy victor. The only foreseeable reason the regular Boxster could have trouble in The Good 12 v3.0 is because this Porsche Boxster Spyder makes the lesser models so much less desirable.

TOP 10 BEST-SELLING AUTO BRANDS IN AMERICA FOR OCTOBER OF 2009

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:02:00 +0000

Toyota doesn't flaunt it. A quick changeover from its status as the number two automaker on the planet to the dominant player didn't see Toyota thrusting itself into the spotlight with an overload of TV commercials highlighting the Japanese brand as the best and brightest. Yet last month in America, Toyota didn't just sell more vehicles than any other brand competing in the country but its luxury brand out-sold at least ten mainstream brands. Yes, Lexus sold more expensive cars than many brands sold inexpensive cars. That is a really good way to make money.

Here are the best-selling automotive brands in America for the month ending on Hallowe'en. For a full rundown of Canada's Sales Stats, click here. Or click here to see America's Top 5 best-selling cars from October. Then click here for a Graph similar to the one below; but for September.

TOP 5 BEST-SELLING CARS IN AMERICA - OCTOBER 2009

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:15:00 +0000

Far more interesting than the fact that Toyota's Camry continues its reign atop the Top 5 Best-Selling Cars In America list is the October dominance of the Toyota Corolla. Whither art thou, Honda Civic? Some 10,000 sales beneath, that's where. Civic sales were quite a bit lower in October than in the same period of '08. Close contenders for this Top 5 includes the Toyota Prius at 13,496 and the Ford Fusion at 13,445. Check out September's Top 5 Best-Selling Cars In America right here.

THE BEST SELLING SMALL LUXURY SUV REMAINS THE MERCEDES GLK v2.0

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:12:00 +0000

Along came the G. And then the GL. Now there's also a GLK from Mercedes-Benz, and it is a good'un. Since it's debut the Mercedes-Benz GLK350 has been a dominant sales force in an ever-more crowded segment; a segment which includes much more established players. Sales of the GLK350 4Matic were higher in October than in September while sales of its competitors fell. For a full rundown of the best-selling small luxury SUVs in America, scroll on down... scroll on down the page.

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Mercedes-Benz GLK350: 1,833

Audi Q5: 1,233

Acura RDX: 952

Volvo XC60: 900

Infiniti EX35: 560

BMW X3: 182

FULL GALLERY OF HONDA ACCORD CROSSTOUR PHOTOS

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:33:00 +0000

Look at it. Just look at it. There can't be a single car buyer alive who's going to go buy one of these Honda Accord Crosstours because it looks good. In fact, it seems possible that hundreds, maybe even thousands of car buyers will turn away from the Accord Crosstour because of its design.... even if the rest of the vehicle appeals to the brain's right side.

That's a shame because, like most Hondas, the Accord Crosstour will be a supremely well-built vehicle. In the case of the Crosstour, space will be abundant, winter will be easy, and handling might even be sharper than you'd expect. Unlike the Accord 4-door's status as unexciting but inoffensive, the Crosstour is both distasteful and somehow dull at the same time. This is certainly a long ways from the sharply dressed Accord coupe.

Read The Good Car Guy's Initial Crosstour Reaction Here

So it almost seems as though delving deeper into the Accord Crosstour's spec sheet is a waste of time. The Good Car Nation is intelligent enough to avoid driving such a revolting piece of machinery. However, 271 horsepower is standard fare. The Crosstour's cargo area holds 25.7 cubic feet of stuff, or 51.3 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, plus another 1.9 cubic feet under the cargo hold. So more spacious behind the second row than the Honda Pilot is behind its third row, and more spacious behind the front row than the Pilot is to the rear of its third row, but not quite the load-carrier the Pilot is overall.

Crosstour pricing starts at $29,670 in the States; perhaps around $35,000 in Canada. Countless pictures are available for your viewing displeasure below. Thank goodness Honda still knows how to get it right sometimes. I do love me some CR-Z.

EARLY IMPRESSIONS OF THE 2010 FORD TAURUS SEL AWD

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:54:00 +0000

The second half of Tuesday, November 3rd, has been consumed by Ford's 2010 Taurus SEL, an all-wheel drive 4-door with oodles of space for people and stuff in addition to boatloads of stigma after generations of Tauruses failed to impress. The original Taurus was the basis for the amazing SHO, a car which pleased The Good Car Guy enough to be found in GoodCarBadCar.net's 100 Favourite Cars list last month.

The Taurus of the mid-90s was a festival of ovals - impressive in a strange way but terribly tiresome over time. That Taurus evolved into a less offensive car at the dawn of the new millennium. Then Ford basically replaced that car with the Five Hundred; which turned back into the Taurus; which evolved into the much more stylish 2010 Taurus that you see here.

Early impressions of the Taurus are mixed, even bittersweet. Possibly a bittersweet symphony, but that won't be finalized for a few days. Given the overwhelming nature of the positives and the unbecoming aura of the Taurus's negatives, the pro & con list below is the most efficient way of opening you up to this Ford's mannerisms.

PROS

Space: it's everywhere - trunk, back seat, front seat, glove box. Everywhere.

Quiet: typical of many new large cars, the silence is pervasive.

Solidity: that which should be damped is, that which should clock does.

Style: it doesn't knock you over like the initial Chrysler 300, but it is clean and classy.

CONS

Stature: you don't get space without it but this car is gigantic, only 4 inches shy of an Expedition.

Ride height: somehow perfect for ingress yet rotten for egress. Plus the Taurus sits a little high out back.

Visibility: the pillars could hold up the Parthenon and the cowl is about level with the Parthenon's ceiling.

Image: one way or another, I can't shake the fact that it says Taurus on the back.

CANADA AUTO SALES FOR OCTOBER 2009

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:54:00 +0000

Early Numbers reveal a recovering automotive market south of the 49th, although "recovering" is a difficult word to use when said Numbers are compared with a period (October of 2008) of the worst auto selling environment in recent memory. Sales Stats never tanked as badly in Canada and as this Canada Auto Sales post clearly shows, many automakers are cruising towards a relatively profitable autumn. GoodCarBadCar.net hasn't yet received data capable of splitting up GM, Ford, and Chrysler Canadian sales by brand - that should come later in the month.

Overall, passenger car sales in Canada were down slightly in October, just 2.6% off last October's pace. Light truck sales were up a little less than 1%. Acura, Subaru, Kia, Hyundai, and Mercedes were the month's big winners when contrasted with each respective brand's sales for the same period of last year. Losers include Mini, General Motors, and GM's former Swedish outpost, Saab. Click here for September's Canadian Sales Stats, here for October/2008's Sales Stats, or click here for a complete look at the first three-quarters of auto sales in Canada.

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General Motors: -33.1% to 18,818

Ford: +20.3% to 18,187

Toyota: +19.4% to 17,354
Chrysler: -9.1% to 14,215
Honda: -10.4% to 9,224
Hyundai: +43% to 8,415
Nissan: -2.5% to 5,912
Mazda: -8.1% to 5,612
Kia: +23.2% to 3,603
Volkswagen: -3.2% to 3,545
Subaru: +39.3% to 2,486
BMW: +5.5% to 2,310
Mercedes-Benz: +27.8% to 2,199
Acura: +78.9% to 2,079
Lexus: +11.9% to 1,459
Mitsubishi: +8.5% to 1,452
Suzuki: +1.5% to 1,336
Audi: +2.3% to 1,100
Infiniti: -3.5% to 743
Volvo: -16.1% to 380
Mini: -21% to 380
smart: -15.6% to 228
Land Rover: +3.2% to 224
Porsche: +14% to 130
Jaguar: +23.6% to 68
Saab: -61% to 41

GCBC GALLERY OF THE 2010 FORD TAURUS SEL AWD

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:08:00 +0000

Ford released a 2010 Taurus SEL AWD into The Good Car Guy's hands about three hours ago. A proper Driven article is yet to come; the 3 To Beat happened months ago, and young Facebook contacts have already offered up their generally negative - though uneducated - views. However, one photography session has been undertaken and you can check out the GCBC Gallery below.

Early impressions revolve around the Taurus's size: 'tis large indeed. Comfort is top-notch. Sound is terrific; and only comes from the right places (speakers and not the road). The new Taurus is miles ahead of the old Five Hundred/Taurus in terms of appearance. Even with GoodCarBadCar.net being a fan of white cars, a big white Ford does scream cop car. Until you look at the flashy wheels. Click any image for a larger view at the album's Picasa home page.

THE 2010 FORD TAURUS - AS DISCUSSED BY AN ANTI-TAURUS GENERATION

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:49:00 +0000

As a website committed to speaking for and to a generation of first-time new car buyers, a deep look at the Ford Taurus doesn't strike anyone as the first task of the day. Indeed, this is actually The Good Car Guy's last task of today.... right before teeth-brushing.

For a unique take on Ford's situation with the Taurus, GoodCarBadCar.net utilized Facebook (people always respond quicker that way) and a specific group of people for whom possession of preconceived notions of a car like the Taurus come naturally. I already knew that these represenatives of Generation X and Generation Y would be discinclined to love the words "Ford" and "Taurus". And while it's not the official mission of GoodCarBadCar.net to change consumer opinions in favour of Ford Motor Company - no, not at all - auto enthusiasts won't be surprised to find themselves wondering if the new Taurus can't alter well-rooted opinions. Opinions, oh Good Car Nation, that are deeply founded in a couple decades of indecent exposure.

Check below for the represenatives' views before their Taurus education, and check back tomorrow for The Good Car Guy's initial views of a Taurus tester arranged with Ford of Canada's help. Do remember, these are youngerish, urbanites for the most part, car buyers who generally think smaller and cheaper, potential car buyers who also grapple with higher expectations for equipment and perceived quality. They were given two words to which they had to react with a brief comment. The words? Ford Taurus.

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Rep #1: 20-something female bureaucrat.

"Clunky car for old fogies."

Rep #2: 20-something male accountant.

"Very boring, no excitement whatsoever."

Rep #3: 20-something male artist.

"Too long, cheap-looking interior, toy-like knobs and buttons, got its overly curvaceous design in the 90s."

Rep #4: 20-something male programmer.

"Two words: no good."

Rep #5: Near-30 female EA.

"Its rattles join the sound of the pavement beneath the tires and the wind as you drive. Better than taking the bus."

Rep #6: 20-something male student.

"I would not object if my parents decided to buy one."

Rep #7: 20-something male audio-visual guru.

"We drove one for sometime. No flash, but i was able to fall asleep in it."

Rep #8: 30-something male taste-tester.

"For when you've given up your dreams."

Rep #9: Near-30 male seller of aqua.

"They've come a long way!"

PROFILING HYUNDAI CANADA'S RAPID CANADIAN SALES GROWTH - THE OCTOBER EDITION

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:58:00 +0000

Hyundai is a very actively discussed topic here on GoodCarBadCar.net, especially so since the beginning of 2009 when sales success in North America was nearly the exclusive domain of Korea's biggest automaker. Canada, in particular, has been a breeding ground for Hyundais this year. The full story on Hyundai's Canadian October, its best October ever, is displayed below.

If you're a disgusted automaker's PR rep wondering why Hyundai receives exceptional study, you can go right ahead and grow your sales with this kind of ferocity, too. Then GoodCarBadCar.net profiles your brand, as well.

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43 - percentage jump in Hyundai Canada's October/2009 sales compared with October/2008

8,415 - total sales of Hyundais in Canada in October, down a little more than 9% compared with the previous month

1,417 - total sales of Canada's fifth-best-selling car, the Hyundai Accent, in October

1,973 - total October sales of Canada's fourth-best-selling car, the Hyundai Elantra, making October the Elantra's best October ever, 187.6% better than October of '08

750 - total October sales of the Elantra Touring

34.7 - sales decrease for the Hyundai Sonata in October, down from 930 last October to 607 in October of '09

4 - total Hyundai Azeras sold to people who must've gotten great deals for not buying a Hyundai Genesis

97 - total sales of the Hyundai Genesis sedan, a 49.2% increase over the Genesis sedan total of 2008's October

192 - total Hyundai Genesis Coupe sales in October, down from September's total which was down from August's total of 286

790 - total sales of the Hyundai Tucson in October, way up from last October's total of 633, especially "way up" considering its status as soon-to-be-replaced

146 - total Veracruz sales in the month ending on Hallowe'en, up 17.7% year-over-year

103.3 - percentage increase in Canada's October sales of the country's third-best-selling SUV, Hyundai's Santa Fe, making the midsizer's sales total of 2,438 the best of any Hyundai for the month

3,374 - total Hyundai SUV sales in October in Canada, only 500 short of the company's total car and truck sales in January of 2008

FIVE CARS DON'T BELONG IN BW'S 50 UGLIEST CARS OF THE LAST 50 YEARS

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:42:00 +0000

BusinessWeek.com figures that automakers are bound to get some designs wrong given the multitude of new models released each and every year. And amongst all the ugly cars released over the last 50 years, Business Week picked out 50 it believes to be "just plain homely". Except, rather than write a design-led piece on the last half-century's mess-ups and design disasters, BusinessWeek's Damian Joseph appears to have gone out of his way to be entirely subjective.

Take Automobile's Robert Cumberford as somebody who will be subjective; but from an educated point of view. Or consider The Good Car Guy, who will be subjective; but makes very clear that GoodCarBadCar.net is a subjective soloist entity for a reason. GCBC might be inclined to announce The Good Car Guy's picks for the 50 ugliest cars of the last 50 years, but a publication like Business Week shouldn't publish the 50 ugliest cars of the last 50 years if the article is really Damian Joseph's picks for the 50 ugliest. If Business Week, of all websites, decides against utilizing true design credentials, bring in a flock of editors who can work together.

Why am I so hot and bothered? Mainly because of a few cars that, though possibly hated by a wide swath of the population, can by no means be graded as one of the 50 ugliest cars of the last 50 years. Those five cars are listed below. Do scroll. If you want to see Joseph's other picks, check out the article.

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Volvo 240

Nissan Cube

Volkswagen New Beetle

Skoda Roomster

Chrysler PT Cruiser

ASTON MARTIN RAPIDE BY THE NUMBERS

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:08:00 +0000

Known most of all for its supreme design competence, Aston Martin is releasing its first 4-door in more than two decades next year in sublime style. The Good Car Guy has been known to complain about Aston's style-by-dimensions take, but it goes without saying that Aston Martin's style credentials are sky high.

The Rapide is a gorgeous 4-door (though technically a 5-door hatchback) with the sort of presence reserved for people who really know how to make an entrance. Marek Reichman, Aston Martin's design director, compares the Rapide to "a race horse standing still" with its "power and elegance" and muscular "rear haunches". He talks about the car's purity being "right from every angle". Car&Driver calls the Rapide the "world's most beautiful hatchback". Edmunds' Inside Line believes the production Rapide remains "remarkably true" to what they called a "snazzy concept". Autoblog calls the Rapide a "British beauty". And of course here at GoodCarBadCar.net it's been said that "the Aston Martin Rapide is one of the best-looking 4-doors in the history of 4-doors". Britain's CAR magazine says the Rapide is a "low-set four-door with a great stance, a beautiful silhouette and enough athletic details to get the CAR office salivating".

In other words, the 2010 Aston Martin Rapide is strong on aesthetics. But what about mathematics? That's to be discovered in the Numbers below.

2,000 - estimated total production of the Rapide at the plant in Graz, Austria

470 - horsepower generated by the Rapide's 5.9L V12

442 - lb-ft of torque produced by the V12, an engine shared with all other current production Aston Martins except for the V8 Vantage

13.97 - diameter, measured in inches, of the Aston Martin Rapide's front brake discs

15:1 - steering rack ratio in the new Rapide, a couple notches quicker than that of the DB9

10.6 - cubic feet of storage capacity in the rear hatch of the new Rapide, less than the 12 cubic feet available in the back of a smart fortwo

26.5 - total cubic feet of luggage capacity available with the Rapide's rear seats folded

645 - total Aston Martin Lagondas sold between 1976 and 1989, the last time Aston pushed a 4-door in the Marketplace

4,299 - weight of the Aston Martin Rapide in pounds

1,000 - total wattage provided by the Bang & Olufsen sound system which inludes motorized tweeters rising out of the dash

250,000 - approximate price, in U.S. dollars, of the Aston Martin Rapide when it goes on sale in the States next year

150,000 - approximate price, in British pounds sterling, of the Rapide when it goes on sale in.... Great Britain; the same as the average out-the-door price of the old Aston Martin Lagonda of the 80s

360 - total LEDs housed in each rear light

125 - Aston Martin dealers around the world in which the Rapide should compete against the future Lamborghini Estoque, Bentley Continental Flying Spur, and maybe even the Rolls-Royce Ghost

HISTORICAL RACING - MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SLR

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:30:00 +0000

Nearly 55 years after the fact, NetCarShow.com has compiled 80 pictures of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR and the Gallery can be seen right here, right now. Unfortunately, one-quarter of the Gallery is tainted by the hints of - or even full frontals of - the '04 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, not the prettiest car on a list of the ugliest cars of all time.

In The Good Car Guy's 100 Favourite Cars feature from early October the 300 SL Gullwing made a strong and unsurprising appearance. The corresponding racecar, the 300 SLR, was said to be as robust as it was elegant; two terms not normally applied to track cars. The inline-six-cylinder engine weighed 518 pounds, generated nearly 300 horsepower, and was once tested on a dynamometer at the equivalent of racing revs for 9,800 kilometres.... plus another 32 hours. Apparently the only part in need of changing was the oil rings at about 6K.

Names like Fangio and Moss, with races like Le Mans and the Mille Miglia and the Targa Florio, combine to make the 300 SLR's history as evocative as that of any ex-racer. In all honesty, the names of today's racers and races will never be remembered as fondly because the cars they drive will not be recognized the same way. The Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR lingers as a proverbial nod to an era before racing efforts were computerized and tested digitally, a stunning retrospect of romantic motorsports.

AJAC GETS SOME CANADIAN CAR OF THE YEAR PICS WRONG

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:52:00 +0000

The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada has announced their exhaustive group of award winners for 2010 and, naturally, The Good Car Guy's disagreements cut a huge swath through the list. Officially, GoodCarBadCar.net has no problem (okay, few problems) with traditional means of automotive journalism, plenty of issues with the way AJAC's testing works out, and a significant caveat given the lack of opposing award systems like The Bad 8 and The Bad 8 Supersize.

For starters, labelling twelve vehicles as winners clearly marks out the others as losers. The Good Car Guy, on the other hand, loves to mark out the best available cars and SUVs in addition to the worst, leaving you to decide if the vehicles in the middle might be right for you. So unlike AJAC, The Good Car Guy will not be calling the Nissan 370Z Roadster a loser. Nor will GoodCarBadCar.net link the Jaguar XFR to losership status. Nor will GoodCarBadCar.net find any excuse to act as if 99% of the domestic American automotive industry sucks.

That being said, congratulations to the winners - all of which are cars I'd be willing to own or test, listed below with the challengers. Asterisks indicate The Good Car Guy's preferred winner(s). After all, The Good 12 v3.0 is coming up in December and we don't wanna know the whole story, do we? Of course not.

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Small Car (under $21K)

Hyundai Elantra Touring
Kia Forte Koup
Mazda 3 (winner)

Small Car (over $21K)
Honda Insight
Kia Forte
* Kia Soul
Mazda 3 Sport (winner)
Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback
Nissan Cube
Volkswagen Golf

Family Car (under $30K)
Ford Fusion
Subaru Legacy
Toyota Prius
Volkswagen Golf Wagon TDI (winner)

Family Car (over $30K)

Ford Taurus

Buick LaCrosse

Ford Fusion Hybrid

Luxury Car (over $50K)
BMW 335d sedan (winner)
Cadillac CTS SportWagon
Mercedes-Benz E350

Prestige Car (over $75K)
Porsche Panamera Turbo (winner)
* Audi R8 V10
* BMW 750i
* Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid

Sports-Performance (under $50K)
* Chevrolet Camaro
Ford Taurus SHO
* Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Mazdaspeed 3
Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart
Volkswagen GTI (winner)

Sports-Performance (over $50K)
Audi S4 (winner)
Jaguar XFR
Mercedes-Benz E550 Coupe

Convertible
Audi A5 (winner)
Lexus IS350C
* Nissan 370Z

SUV/CUV (under $35K)
Chevrolet Equinox
Subaru Outback (winner)
* Toyota Venza

SUV/CUV ($35K-$65K)
Acura ZDX
* Audi Q5
GMC Terrain
Lexus RX350
* Mercedes-Benz GLK350 4Matic
Volkswagen Touareg TDI (winner)
Volvo XC60

SUV/CUV (over $60K)
Acura MDX
* Audi Q7 TDI
* Cadillac SRX
Lexus RX450h (winner)
Lincoln MKT

TOP 5 VEHICLES FOR HALLOWE'EN CHAUFFEURS

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:33:00 +0000

Automobiles, for some people, are a routine part of the Hallowe'en experience. Perhaps the temperatures are so low that Hallowe'en is forced into the local shopping mall - and you need to drive the children there. Or maybe your home is miles away from any substantial number of neighbours and walking the rural roads in costume hasn't been deemed "fun" since the 1890s. It's conceivable that your kids are still fat from last Hallowe'en and are thus too lazy to make the trek from neighbour to neighbour.

Who's kidding who? You're not heading out on October 30th to look for the perfect Hallowe'en vehicle. But if you were, what sort of qualities would a Hallowe'en chauffeur be looking for? Some sort of disguise would be nice. Striking fear into the hearts of every kid on the street would be fantastic, if possible. Anything ghostly - or better yet, anything capable of raising the hair on one's neck would be sublime. Here's what The Good Car Guy has come up with for Hallowe'en 2009. Trick or treat.

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#5- FORD TAURUS SHO: Huh, a large Ford sedan? Think about it and you'll catch the drift. Taurus SHOs were long believed to be extinct. If the neigbours peek through their curtains and see a brand spankin' Taurus SHO with the sounds and accelerative force of 365-bhp, surely they'll believe the ghosts of Hallowe'en past have come to visit? Surely.

#4- MERCEDES-BENZ CLS: Generally speaking, children prefer to dress up as something a little loopy, a tad gross, or a touch out of step with reality. The CLS-Class is the equivalent of the child who simply wants to be seen as beautiful. Underneath the facade is a previous-generation E-Class, a conservative but luxurious sedan. The exterior paints a different picture; one of dynamism and elegance (and four-door coupeness that remains unexplained). A Benz CLS is the Sears catalogue model who splurges and dresses up in haute couture.

#3- CADILLAC ESCALADE HYBRID: While over 17,000 customers have driven away in Escalades so far this year, a scant few have chosen the hybrid drivetrain. Yet you can escort a handful of trick-or-treaters around the neighbourhood, sometimes in near-silence, convincing the masses that you're a rich environmentalist. In reality, your 21mpg city rating is only as good as their Mazda 5, but your disguise will probably work anyway.

#2- BMW X6 M: Want to scare small children right back into their mother's womb? Give them one look at the awful design of the X6. Want to scare large children straight back into their father's arms? Add the BMW M body addenda. Care to frighten the whole family, especially Fido and Fluffy? Ignite the twin-turbo, 555-horse V8. They'll think the aliens have landed and inspect the moon for fullness.

#1- PORSCHE 911 GT2: On Hallowe'en night I can't think of any better way to give yourself and one lucky candy patron a fright then by taking the full 360-degree cul-de-sac at the top of your street at 45mph in a 911 GT2. With the heavy rear end challenging the light front end for dominance, you'll be approaching decorated front yards with fearful precision. That's about when the locals realize your endangering the lives of their children and throw pumpkins at your Porsche. So opt for orange when the salesman asks you to tick the colour box.

THE GOOD CAR GUY ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS

goodcarbadcar@gmail.com (The Good Car Guy) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:01:00 +0000

As Question Period gets underway in Ottawa, CPAC's coverage has inspired The Good Car Guy to delve into Questions put forward on vehicular matters; not H1N1. The most annoying thing about QP here at GoodCarBadCar.net isn't able to enjoy the benefit of parliamentary pages when responding to Questions. Plus, nobody calls me the Minister of Cars or the Honourable Member from GoodCarBadCar.net. Hmph.

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What Are The Bad Things About The Bugatti Veyron? Apart from a few hundred who've had the privilege of driving the 1000+ horsepower Franco-German supercar, no consumer is properly equipped to argue against the Veyron's outrageous speed, grip, or luxury. However, the Bugatti Veyron weighs almost as much as a Lincoln Town Car. Weight is the enemy. Imagine how much faster the Veyron would be if its weight matched that of the best supercars. Strip the Bugatti of 1,000 pounds and it might just be fun to drive, rather than a simple shock & awe experience. Other Veyron negatives include questionable styling elements and pricing that puts the Bugatti out of reach for anybody without tens of billions in liquidity.

What Is A Good Car Colour? Although a tremendously particular person, The Good Car Guy finds it easier to list the bad colours than the good. This Lexus LF-A hue is especially shameful, for instance. In truth, even the most audacious colours have their place on the right car. More trying to the eyes are those colours that have become increasingly boring as they've increased in ubiquity: grey (especially on Toyota Camrys), yellow (especially on superfast German sedans), beige (on minivans), and silver (especially on Mercedes' of any type).

Are Volvo's Diesel Engines Fuel Efficient? The five-cylinder diesel found in Volvo's XC90 Across The Pond has a combined rating equal to 10.8 U.S. miles per gallon better than the optional Yamaha V8. Opting for the diesel will require 3.2 more seconds of your time each time you wish to reach 60mph from rest. Volvo offers four different diesels in the C30 hatchback, all of which top 45.6 Imperial mpg on the EU cycle, one of which (the 1.6L, 108-bhp four-pot) is said to reach 83.1 miles per gallon in extra-urban driving.