Driving is sweeter with a tach-o-meter

I finally got fed up with not having a tachometer in my 2007 Yaris, so I did something about it: I bought a Autometer Autogage 3-3/4" tachometer. It was my first automotive wiring attempt on anything other than a car stereo, and I'd say it went well (hey, it works!).

There were four wires: I ran the green tach wire to a wire coming from the OBDII (used a splice clip); the ground wire to a ground by one of the interior kick panels; the red power wire to a 7.5 amp add-a-fuse; and the white illumination wire to a 10amp add-a-fuse. A little bit of electrical tape here, some shrink tube there, and presto: working tachometer. I was going to mount it to the dash with strong double-sided tape, but it didn't hold the tach's weight. I instead bolted it to the dash. Not my first choice, but it isn't going anywhere.

The illumination is good, the tach works great, and it's not too big and not too small. I'd say it's just about perfect. I just need to hide the electrical-taped wires on the interior with one of those black plastic wire tube things (technically speaking) and it'll be finished off. The Yaris World DIY Tach Installation Instructions helped a lot!

VIDEO: Kia Soul scores high in Euro crash tests

Score another mark for Korean automaker Kia. The new Soul has scored very well in the European NCAP crash tests. The Soul garnered a five-star overall rating by the NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme). The Soul has not been tested by the NHTSA (National Highway Transportation Safety Administration) in the U.S. yet, but it should do well.

A full rundown of the tests can be found in the link below.

LINK
Euro NCAP: Kia Soul
KiaSoul.com

Ford Fiesta spotted in Portland

SubcompactCulture.com reader, contributor, and good friend, Craig, has snapped a photo of a Fiesta Movement Ford Fiesta on Interstate 5 here in Portland. Craig has identified the driver as Steve Ouch and C, who are Portlanders and part of the Fiesta Movement.

Well played, Craig!

LINK
Fiesta Movement

GM to build small car in U.S.

Well, looky here. So GM has issued a press release saying it's going to build a small car in the U.S. So much for another Korean-built Daewoo product, eh? Then again, how small is small? Are we talking Aveo sized? Cobalt Sized? Perhaps this is finally the news we're getting the Spark?

Below is the press release.

GM Announces Plans to Build Small Car in U.S.

* GM to utilize and retool idled assembly and stamping facility for future production.

* Additional production will help the company deliver outstanding new vehicles to the compact and small car markets and meet future fuel efficiency regulations.

DETROIT, Mich. -- General Motors Corporation (NYSE:GM) announced today it plans to build a future small car in the United States utilizing an idled UAW-GM facility. This vehicle adds to GM's growing portfolio of U.S.-built, highly fuel efficient cars including the Chevrolet Cruze and Volt.

"Small cars represent one of the fastest growing segments in both the U.S. and around the world," said Fritz Henderson, General Motors President and CEO. "We believe this car will be a winner with our current and future customers in the U.S."

The re-tooled plant will be capable of building 160,000 cars annually, which can be a combination of both small and compact vehicles. Selection of the site will be determined in the future.

"I would like to personally thank the UAW for agreeing to work with us to ensure our overall manufacturing competitiveness in the United States," said Henderson. "This vehicle segment, while important today and expected to be more so in the future, is extremely challenging. It takes a special effort by everyone to bring a domestically produced small car to market in a cost-competitive and profitable way - but that is what we are going to do together."

GM already has a strong manufacturing presence in the United States. Currently, about 67 percent of GM cars and trucks sold in the U.S. are built in the U.S. With this announcement, GM anticipates that U.S. production levels will increase beyond 70 percent by 2013, augmenting its already automotive industry-leading U.S. manufacturing footprint.

The Fit is Go. Going hybrid, that is.

It's been speculated that the Honda Fit would be offered as a hybrid model for a few years now. Allegedly, according to Autoblog, it could be as early as 2010.

If you'll remember, Toyota is slated to offer a Yaris hybrid in 2011. This should keep the Honda Fit/Toyota Yaris rivalry going strong for years to come.

LINK
REPORT: Honda Fit Hybrid coming in fall 2010 (Autoblog)

VIDEO: 400hp RWD Suzuki SX4

So really the only thing SX4 left on the vehicle is possibly the Suzuki badge. Regardless, this race car has a mid-mounted 2.5-liter V6 producing 400hp to the rear wheels. The car is part of the Zhaust team based in Barbados. More info below.

LINK
SX4 Hits the Track

Autoblog: Photos from MINI United

MINI celebrated its 50th anniversary by having a big event at the famed Silverstone racetrack in the U.K. There were 10,000 minis and 25,000 people representing more than 40 countries!

Autoblog has some photos from the gathering, and there were some pretty awesome MINIs!

LINK
It's a Small Wolrd After All: Official pictures from MINI United (Autoblog)

VIDEO: Rally racing Chevrolet Aveos

Well looky here: A bunch of South American racers rallying the Chevrolet Aveo! From what I understand, there are even people here in the U.S. running Aveos in rallycross. Heck, I'd run an Aveo rally car.

VIDEO: Kia Soul vs. Nissan Cube

KBB.com has done a head-to-head video comparison of the Kia Soul and the Nissan Cube. They pretty much come to the consensus that the Soul is more rewarding to drive, and perhaps the Cube has a bit more flexible interior. However, it's a "to each his own" with regards to just about everything else.

Chevrolet Aveo replacement on hold until 2011

According to Reuters, Chevrolet won't be offering a replacement for the Aveo until January,2011. The original replacement date was April, 2010. Of course, this is all due to GM's financial issues.

Sales of GM Daewoo products, the General Motor's South Korean arm, are down nearly 45% from this time last year. This is compared to an 11.8% drop from Hyundai (now the world's fifth largest automaker) and 14.5% drop from Kia.

Reuters also reports that Hyundai is trying to use this opprotunity to take a chunk out of GM Daewoo's market share.

Fully story in the link below.

LINK
Hyundai benefits from struggles of GM's South Korean unit

VIDEO: Fiat Panda 100HP vs. Ferrari 360 Modena

The Fiat Panda might be one of the vehicles that could make it to the U.S. as part of the Chrysler/Fiat deal. It's tiny. It weighs less than a ton. It goes head-to-head against a Ferrari 360 Modena on a go-kart track in this video by "Fifth Gear." Check it.

VIDEO: Dunlop loop-the-loop world record in a Toyota Aygo

Airing on British TV show "Fifth Gear," a world record has been set by driving a Dunlop-tires-equipped Toyota Aygo through a 40-foot loop-the-loop. What's next—a kid putting 43 snails on his face for a record or something?

LINKS
Dunlop Loop-the-Loop Stunt Event
Dunlop Loop Twitter page

Smart ForTwo owners to get free transmission upgrade

Smart USA has listened to the complaints and critics of it's automated manual hybrid slushbox drive device transmission. It's a major sore spot for a lot of owners, as its operation is less than smooth. Allegedly, Smart is sending out letters to owners letting them know that there's a free software upgrade they can take advantage of that is intended to smooth things out. There will be 24,622 2008MY Smarts eligible for the upgrade. Hydrostatic upgrade not available.

LINK
Smart car offering to upgrade balky transmissions on 24,622 of last year's models (USA Today)

Car and Driver: Obama's CAFE Fuel Economy Standards to Create Fleet of Tiny, Expensive Vehicles

Car and Driver has written an interesting editorial regarding the Obama administration's new CAFE standards. Like many others, they believe the administration's CAFE standards aren't necessarily a good idea. Definitely worth the read.

LINK
Obama's CAFE Fuel Economy Standards to Create Fleet of Tiny, Expensive Vehicles - Car News (Car and Driver)

Post your photos on Subcompact Culture's Facebook group!

Don't forget: Subcompact Culture is also on Facebook! There you can continue to discuss small car stuff, but you can also post photos—including your own subcompact (or whatever car you happen to drive).

I'd love to see some photos of your rides, so be sure to post them to the Facebook group!

LINK
Subcompact Culture (Facebook group)

Editorial: Are the new CAFE standards good or bad?

As you may know, President Obama announced the new fuel economy standards today. As I posted yesterday, the increase means automakers must increase their fleet averages to 42 mpg for cars and 26 mpg for trucks by 2016.

Proponents of the action believe that this increase is a step in the right direction. They believe that the U.S. has lagged behind other countries (specifically those in Europe) for too long, and it's time to do our part to reduce emissions and conserve fuel.

Opponents believe that this is not the time to force automakers to increase fuel economy, and that there are plenty of fuel-efficient cars on the market, but they aren't selling well. Therefore, forcing automakers to build more cars that people don't want won't be a good thing.

I can certainly see both sides of the story. I think it is a good thing that we raise our fuel economy standards; conservation is a good thing. Personally, I look forward to hopefully having more small, fuel-efficient vehicles on the market. With that being said, I know driving a subcompact isn't practical for everyone, and there is a need for larger cars and trucks, and that's fine. Perhaps now is the time when automakers will begin to implement fuel-saving technologies such as turbo charging, direct-injection, and diesel engines that other parts of the world are already using, so Americans can continue to drive larger cars and trucks, but not use as much fuel and not pollute as much.

There are people that believe that this will be the second coming of slow, boring vehicles, often referred to as "Malaise Era" vehicles. These were slow, uninspiring, emissions-choked cars (Think Ford Mustang II). However, that was the ’70s. There weren't the technologies there were today. It's been shown that newer vehicles can both perform well and get decent fuel economy. We don't use smog pumps; we can build small-displacement engines that produce more than 70 hp; we've got a better understanding of aerodynamics.

Let's face it: Change can be hard to deal with. However, at some point, we need to progress into the future. Hopefully these CAFE regulations will help things more than harm them.

Where are the modified Nissan Versas? They're out there ...

I was at Costco the other day, and in the parking lot was a black Versa hatchback with some 17" wheels and a custom grille kit. It got me thinking: I rarely ever see any modified or tricked-out Nissan Versas on the road. Heck, I don't hear much about them on the Internet, either. If people modify other subcompacts, there has to be a Versa enthusiast group out there.

A Google search yielded a couple of forums. The most prolific appears to be the Versa/Tiida Forum on NicoClub.com. Indeed, there are some modified Versas out there, which is great to see. The Versa can be made to look pretty sweet as evidenced by the photo above. Yet, I don't hear much about people customizing them. I'm glad to have found a group that indeed does customize Nissan's smallest U.S. offering. I even ran across the SoCal Versa Club!

After browsing the above-mentioned Versa forum, I found there's a vendor specializing in Versa parts: VersaSpeed.com. They sell all kinds of Versa parts including lowering springs and coilovers, carbon-fiber exterior parts, air intakes, exhaust systems, and more—very cool.

I see a lot of stock Versas on the road, and they appear to sell pretty well. I sat in one at the autoshow, and it was pretty nice. Anyway, I'd love to hear from some Vesra enthusiasts, as I rarely see them around town. Plus, with the introduction of the Cube, which shares a lot of components with the Versa, I'll be there will be more aftermarket parts hitting shelves soon.

LINKS
Versa/Tiida Forum (Nicoclub.com)
VersaSpeed.com
SoCal Versa Club

Obama to announce new fuel economy requirements tomorrow

President Obama is slated to announce his new CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards tomorrow. The means fleet averages will be 42 mpg for cars and 26 mpg for truck by 2016. According to the New York Times, that means vehicles will be 30% cleaner and more fuel-efficient by that time.

Current standards are 27.5 mpg for cars and 24 mpg for trucks.

Of course, one easy way to do this is to offer more subcompact, fuel-efficient vehicles. The not-so-easy party is developing more large, fuel-friendly cars and trucks for those that want/need them.

LINK
Obama to Announce New Mileage and Emissions Standards (New York Times)

How to debadge your vehicle

Yesterday I decided to remove the badges on the back of our SX4 for a cleaner look. I wanted to leave the Suzuki "S" on the back, but decided to remove the badges that said "Suzuki," "SX4," and "AWD." It's an easy process, but fairly time consuming if you don't want to scratch things up. Here's how I did it.

I had the following product, as seen on the right:

• Hairdryer
• Goo Gone
• Dental floss
• Clay bar system
• Wax
• Detailing solution
• Light polish
• Microfiber towels

1. Make sure the area you're going to work on is clean. This will prevent you from mistakenly adding any scratches.

2. Heat the badges up using the hairdryer. This will help to loosen the foam adhesive tape on the back.

3. Use the dental floss between the emblem and the car to cut the foam adhesive tape. You'll now be left with ugly foam tape on the vehicle.

4. Apply a generous amount of Goo Gone to the foam tape using a microfiber towel. Goo Gone shouldn't harm your finish, but test it in an inconspicuous area to be sure. Several applications may be needed.

5. Use another microfiber towel to rub off the adhesive tape. This will take some time and elbow grease. Eventually the tape will ball up and come off on the towel. Once the adhesive is completely off, use a bit more Goo Gone to remove any excess residue.

6. Use a clay bar system (I used Mother's California Claybar) to remove any additional gunk. If there are no scratches, hazing, or anything else, apply your wax and you're done.

7. In my case, there had been some fine scratches that had been made during the removal process. I used a light polish to remove the scratches. Once that was complete, I applied my wax.

Assuming all goes right, you should have a clean, shiny finish under the badges. Here's a photo of the completed surface. I took a photo with my ugly mug in the reflection to show how shiny and clean it is after the de-badging.

People stood on the hood of the stolen Fiesta

Carscoop.com has an article about the stolen Ford Fiesta. There's also a bit about how the car's user, Jake Bronstein, has been encouraging people to stand on the hood of the car. Not the way I would've promoted the car, but then again, what the hell do I know. Then again, I'm blogging about this and both the driver and Ford are getting free publicity from it...

LINK
Stolen Fiesta Discovered in DC, BTW, Here's How "MacHammer" Bronstein Treats the Small Ford (Carscoop.com)

BREAKING: Fiesta Movement car stolen

Autoblog is reporting that one of Ford's Fiesta Movement vehicles has been stolen. However, Ford tracking the vehicle using GPS. Allegedly, the entire thing is being covered on Twitter through Ford's social media person, Scott Monty.

Apparently, the vehicle is on the Interstate 95 in New York at this time.

LATEST: Allegedly police are en route to the stolen vehicle ...

UPDATE (5/16): According to Scott Monty's latest Twitter update, the car was found in the Washington DC area. Condition and whereabouts of the suspect are unknown.

BREAKING: Fiestas Movement agent reports car stolen, Ford tracking it live.
Scott Monty on Twitter

Subcompact Showcase: Geoff Beasley's lifted Suzuki SX4

Suzuki Automotive has a tradition of making some very good—and very capable—four-wheel drive vehicles. For example the legendary Samurai/Jimny, the Sidekick/Vitara (Geo/Chevrolet Tracker), and even the XL7. In 2007, Suzuki introduced the SX4 to the U.S., complete with an all-wheel-drive option.

Let's get one thing straight: the subcompact SX4 is not designed to be a hard-core off-road vehicle like the Samurai is/was. In stock form, the SX4 has an independent front suspension, fairly low ground clearance, and an all-wheel drive system without a set of low range gears. However, with the help of the aftermarket, there are people who are modifying the vehicle to be more than a bit capable off the pavement.

One of those people is Geoff Beasley of Concord, CA. Geoff, aka "rubicon4wheeler" on SX4club.com, is an off-road enthusiast who wanted to make his Suzuki SX4 a bit more trail capable. Geoff admits the vehicle isn't a rock crawler (he's got other 4x4s for that), but he said the modifications are enough to make it perfectly capable on SUV-type off-road trails.



Geoff said, "I don't take the car on rockcrawling trails, but it does great exploring California and Nevada's mountain trails and desert back roads, unplowed snowy trails, and the dunes at Pismo and Eureka. And it still gets me an easy 26-30mpg!"

Modifications to his SX4 include Rocky Road Outfitters' 2 1/8" lift kit, bigger and more off-road-capable General's Grabber AT2 tires (215/70-R16 vs. stock 205/60/16), and Primitive Racing's engine/transmission and rear differential skidplates for underbody protection. In addition, Geoff added a Reese/Curt receiver hitch, an HID conversion for both the headlights and foglights, and Amsoil synthetic fluids.

With regards to the photos, Geoff stated that he was able to go anywhere the SX4's gearing allowed for. He said, "With a low-range transfer case or a 'granny' first gear, this car could do so much more!"



Most of the snow shots were taken in the Sierra Nevada mountains, south of Lake Tahoe over Thanksgiving weekend, 2008; be sure to click on the photos for a bigger picture. You can see more photos and more videos by visiting the link to the thread on SX4club.com below.



LINKS
Rubicon deserves a thread of his own (SX4club.com)
Rocky Road Outfitters
Primitive Racing

New VW Polo reviewed

The guys over at Sky Motoring have a well-written, comprehensive review (with video) of the all-new Volkswagen Polo. The four-page review covers the exterior, interior, driving, and a brief wrap up. The reviewer offers a lot of comparison between the Polo and the Fiesta.

I will have to say that the Polo is a sharp-looking hatchback. The interior does look amazing, as do so many VWs. As you may know, VW keeps threatening to bring the car to the States. Only time will tell if it actually shows up.

LINK
Volkswagen Polo Car Review (Sky Motoring)
Sky Motoring on Twitter

VIDEO: The world's smallest car in action

Perhaps you saw the earlier post about a U.K. man creating the world's smallest car out of a coin-operated ride. Well, here's a video of the diminutive vehicle in action. The fake blower scoop is a nice touch, don't you think?

100,000 Ford Fiesta test drives

If you've wanted to get behind the wheel of a new Ford Feista ... at least for a test drive ... then you may be in luck. As part of Ford's Fiesta Movement, the company is offering 100,000 test drives of it's upcoming subcompact.

Ford will come to 100 U.S. cities with Euro-spec Fiestas and will even have WiFi so you can post your experience online. The test drives will be in all sorts of places at a variety of events. From big cities to small towns—Ford is really trying to get the word out regarding it's Fiesta.

LINK
Ford Fiesta Ride & Drive Schedule
Fiesta Movement

Cool Web Site: FuelCostCalculator.com is perfect for planning a road trip

Planning a road trip this summer? I am. I plan to drive from Portland, OR to Minnesota and Wisconsin this year to visit family. Although I've done the drive several times, I'm always crunching numbers to see how much fuel will cost us, and if it's cheaper than flying.

A great Web site that will help you determine how much fuel will run you on your road trip is www.FuelCostCalculator.com from AAA (American Automobile Association). Simply enter the city you're departing from, the city you're arriving to, and the year, make, and model of vehicle, and FuelCostCalculator.com will give you an estimate on how much your fuel charges will be.

LINK
www.FuelCostCalculator.com

It's a small world afterall: The new "World's Smallest Car"

It looks like the Peel P50 (as mentioned on Monday) is no longer the world's smallest car. A British man by the name of Perry Watkins has taken a fiberglass coin-operated kids ride and converted it to road use by adding things such as turn signals, windshield wipers, a 150cc engine, and such. The vehicle passed inspection and is now the smallest deathtrap vehicle in the world.

LINK
British man builds world's smallest car (Jalopnik.com)

Microcar Monday: VIDEO: The Peel P50—the smallest car in the world

Perhaps you've seen this before, but it's always a great clip. Witness the Peel P50 microcar: The world's smallest car. This clip is from "Top Gear" and Jeremy Clarkson drives it to work. One word: Fantastic.

Thanks to Craig for the idea!

Photos from T.O.R.C. Toyota Fest on VCRIDES.com

Larry from VCRIDES.com has posted up a ton of photos and some video from the T.O.R.C. Toyotafest show that happened this past weekend in Long Beach, CA. I wasn't able to attend, but hope to next year.

Anyway, check out Larry's photos on his Flickr page.

2009 T.O.R.C. Toyotafest Photos (Flickr)
VCRIDES.com

Microcar Monday: 5th Annual Great Pacific Northwest Microcar/Minicar Extravaganza

Fans of vintage microcars located in the Pacific Northwest will want to check out the 5th Annual Great Pacific Northwest Microcar/Minicar Extravaganza. Located at the McMenamins Grand Lodge Hotel in Forest Grove, OR, there will be plenty of activities for microcars including a meet and greet on June 5, a vineyard tour on June 6, and the show on June 7. Admission is free.

For more info, check out MPH Specialties Web site; they're the show sponsor. Plus, the Subaru 360 pictured above is owned by MPH Specialties' Mark Hatten.

Microcar Monday: Cool Web Site: MICROCAR NEWS Online

I ran across a cool "little" blog called MICROCAR NEWS Online. It's a supplement to The Vintage Microcar Club's magazine, MICROCAR NEWS. It's packed full of awesome microcar information, including the latest goings on in the world of uber-small vehicles. Definitely worth a look!

LINK
MICROCAR NEWS Online

Microcar Monday: Chrysler + Fiat = Ford Ka to the U.S.?

Here's a six degrees of automotive separation scenario that just might happen. The Ford Ka, as seen above, is Ford's smallest vehicle, and is very popular in Europe. The Ka's platform was co-designed with Fiat, and it has the same underpinnings as the funky little Fiat 500, which is coming to the U.S. as part of the deal with Chrysler. So, in theory, it's possible that the Ka could sell here in the U.S.

The Detroit Free Press has a nice little article about the situation. Take a look.

LINK
Ford minicar could reach U.S.
UK Ford Ka (Ford.co.uk)

What subcompacts do you want but can't get?

You know what they say: You always want what you can't have. That rings true in the automotive world, whether you've always dreamed of having a car that costs more than the GDP of a small nation, or simply want a car that's not available where you live.

The U.S. is starting to get a lot more small cars, which is great. However, we still don't have access to some of the world's coolest, critically acclaimed subcompacts. Here is a list of three subcompacts I'd love to have ... if they ever came to the U.S.:

Suzuki Swift
Since the new Swift came out in 2004, I've loved the shape and it's garnered great reviews from the automotive press. I'll take the Sport model powered by the 1.6-liter, 126 hp engine. Make mine white, just like the German-spec version above. Engines range from a little 1.2-liter to the 1.6-liter engine mentioned above. Mine would no doubt end up with a smattering of aftermarket goodies, too. Allegedly, the Swift is supposed to come to the U.S., and perhaps will end up in my driveway someday. However, until it actually appears on U.S. shores, it'll end up on my "can't have it" list.

Mitsubishi Colt
Another subcompact that I've admired for some time is the Mitsubishi Colt (2002+ model, however, previous model years were pretty cool, too). Although the Colt was sold in the U.S. in some iterations as the Mitsubishi Mirage, Dodge/Plymouth Colt, and Eagle Summit for a while, we haven't seen the hatchback version since 1992.

The newer Colt is available in multiple trim levels with various engine choices. Of course, the one I'd want is the souped-up Ralliart Version-R, complete with the great-looking body accents, nice wheels, and 154 hp turbocharged engine. My family has owned about eight Mitsubishi products; the Colt is the one that'd get me back into the showroom.

Opel/Vauxhall Corsa
Finally, the other little car I'd wish to own is the Opel/Vauxhall Corsa. This little car has a wide range of engines from a 1.0-liter 60hp unit all the way up to the 192hp turbo 1.6. The OPC is the hot model (pictured above). GM brought over its big brother, the Astra, and labeled it as a Saturn, although it might end up as a Buick; maybe it will do the same with the Corsa? Maybe monkeys will aviate from my rectum. However, I think if GM ever wants to get serious about subcompacts in the U.S. (e.g. something other than the Aveo), the Corsa might be a good choice.

So, my question to you is: What subcompact car do you want but simply can't get? Post your responses in the comments section.

VIDEO: Honda Fit vs. Honda NSX

Who says subcompacts can't be fast? Here's a tuned Honda Fit at the track along side an NSX. Obviously the Fit has been warmed over with some goodies; regardless, it's doing pretty darn well. The Fit is a great platform for modifying, and this is a good example of how well they can handle.

Chrysler + Fiat = New small cars

By now, you're probably all aware of the Chrysler/Fiat dealings going on. The quick and dirty is that Fiat will probably buy/merge with Chrysler and keep things going. Assuming this all happens as planned, apparently the U.S. will see some new European-based small cars, thanks to the Italian automaker.

Of course, one of the most exciting products for fans of small cars is Fiat's 500, shown above, which would be the first real competition against MINI's Cooper. It's more of an upper-level, or premium subcompact, much like the MINI. I think it looks great, too.

Other small vehicles would include the Panda, which is either a front-wheel drive, or 4x4 mini crossover that might end up in the Jeep lineup. I happen to think the Panda is a cool little vehicle, and since the only other subcompact AWD or 4WD vehicle on the U.S. market is the Suzuki SX4, it might prove to be a nice alternative. Oddly enough, the SX4 is sold as the Fiat Sedici in other markets. Hmmm ...

Another subcompact would be the Grande Punto (shown in Abarth trim at left), which is available in either three- or five-door hatchback versions. With a 98.8" wheelbase, it falls square into B-segment, or subcompact territory. It'd compete against a wide range of subcompacts already in the U.S. However, I can't help but think the new Ford Fiesta would be a primary "rival" on the scene.

Additionally, the C-segment, or compact, Alfa Romeo Milano would also come over.

More information at Edmunds.com.

LINKS
Which Fiat Products Are Bound for U.S.? Details Emerge (Edmunds.com)
Fiat.com

One bad 1 Series

I'm a big fan of the small BMW 1 Series. It's a nimble, sleek, and stylish little number (pun intended). So what happens one a 1 Series hatchback goes on steroids?

You get this track-ready bad boy. I'll take two, please.

Subcompact Culture reader, YarisWorld.com moderator, and overall cool guy Thomas, aka "eTiMaGo," founds this on the CarDomain.com Blog.

LINK
Like Woah: BMW 1 Series GTR Race Car

Oregon SCCA Solo (autocross) Event #2

The rain held out, and the weather was great for event #2 held May, 3. There were a lot of cars, but everyone ended up with three timed runs and one "fun run." The 'ol Yaris did pretty well, although on parts of the course, I couldn't decide whether it was better to leave it in 1st gear and hit the rev limiter, or if I should put it into 2nd and not have a whole lot of power.

Anyway, there were a few other subcompacts that participated including a couple of MINI Coopers, a 1979 Civic CVCC, and an EP-classed VW Rabbit. Check out the videos below, including the supercharged Mazda Miata, which is a monster. Unfortunately, the way the track is setup, you can really only capture the first half of the track, as the second half goes behind a building. And if you were wondering what the noise in the background was, there was an Oregon Motorcycle Road Racing Association (OMRRA) race on the road course.









LINKS
Oregon SCCA

VIDEO: Drifting adult-sized big wheels

So not exactly directly related to subcompacts, but this was too cool not to share. I'm sure some of you remember "big wheels," those three-wheeled, front-wheel-driven, low-slung tricycles. If you were anything like I was, you'd go up and down the driveway and crank the wheel at the end to get the back-end to swing around. Dare I say "drifting"?

The above vid features some adult-sized big wheels, and some great "drifting" action. I want one. In fact, Huffy has released a new Green Machine, but it's for kids.

Thanks to Scott for the story idea!

Scion sales slump: Is it time to end pure pricing?

Let's face it, just about all automakers are having a tough time these days. However, since sales are slow, there are deals to be had. We got a great price on our 2009 Suzuki SX4 ($2,500+ off of list), and I've heard other people talk of great buys on cars recently.

Enter Toyota's Scion division. Currently offering the compact xB fve-door, the tC coupe, and the subcompact five-door xD, Scion uses what is called "pure pricing," to sell its vehicles. This means everyone pays the same price. There's no haggling, which is great—but there's also no discounts, which might not be, especially during these times.

Across the board, Scion is posting some some low sales figures. In April, all three models were down a minimum of 51.8% (xB), while the tC and xD posted 63.0% and 69.8% sales decreases from this date last year, respectively.

So is Scion's pure pricing affecting sales since they can't discount? If anyone from Scion is reading this, do you care to comment?

LINKS
Scion.com
April 2009 Toyota Sales

April 2009 subcompact sales

The automakers are releasing their April, 2009 sales, and as expected, they're still not great. In fact, subcompacts seemed to be hit pretty hard.

Of particular note is the Scion xD, which fell a whopping 69.8% from this time last year, probably due to Scion's non-negotiable pricing (e.g. no deals to be had). Also of note is the Suzuki SX4, which went from a +50% sales month in March (compared to '08) to a -64.0% sales month in April (again, compared to April, '08). Finally, note the very small number of total Pontiac G3s that have sold year to date.

Overall, the Yaris is still the best-selling subcompact of 2009, with the Nissan Versa in second, and the Honda Fit in third. Hyundai's Accent is starting to gain some real sales momentum, though.

Here are how the specific models fared from best to worst for April, '09:

	April 09 vs April '08	Year to date	Cars sold in '09 to date
Hyundai Accent	+26.1%	+32.0%	14,329
Kia Rio	-19.8%	-31.5%	7,954
MINI (all)	-22.4%	-18.2%	12,170
Toyota Yaris	-29.0%	-43.9%	23,225
Honda Fit	-30.7%	-13.9%	18,407
Nissan Versa	-33.2%	-19.0%	21,365
Smart (all)	-49.9%	+2.0%	6,282
Chevrolet Aveo	-62.9%	-58.1%	7,602
Suzuki SX4	-64.0%	-20.0%	8,350
Scion xD	-69.8%	-57.3%	3,730
Pontiac G3	--	--	418
Kia Soul	--	--	4,508

LINKS
American Honda April, 2009 Sales
MINI USA April, 2009 Sales
Toyota USA April, 2009 Sales
Nissan USA April, 2009 Sales
Smart USA April, 2009 Sales
GM April, 2009 Sales
Hyundai Motor America April, 2009 Sales
Kia Motors America April, 2009 Sales
American Suzuki April, 2009 Sales

Oregon-region SCCA autocross: Sunday, May 3

The Oregon-region SCCA is hosting autocross event #2 on Sunday, May 3 at Portland International Raceway's South Paddock.

Thus far, the weather looks like 58 degrees and a 60% chance of precipitation. I plan on attending, unless the weather sucks majorly.

Event flier below:

LINK
Oregon Region SSCA - Schedule: Solo (autocross) #2 flier (.PDF)

The $10 , DIY Yaris cruise control

A member at Yarisworld.com has found a way to make a cruise control unit for the 2009 Toyota Yaris using basic materials, and the cost is only about $10. The '09 Yaris is pre-wired for cruise control, but the option is $250, and you're really only paying for the control stalk. For the confident DIY-er, this might be a good option!

LINK
DIY - 2009 Cruise Control for $10, without pulling the steering wheel and airbag (Yarisworld.com)

Plymouth Colt Vista Advertisement: Was its mother really a sportscar?

I remember seeing this advertisement in 1992 right after we bought our '92 Mitsubishi Expo LRV (the Plymouth Colt Vista's mechanical twin). I think it must've been a short-lived ad campaign, because I only remember seeing this ad a couple of times. However, I always remembered this slogan and always thought it was pretty cool.

The slogan was pretty appropriate, too. The Vista, one of Diamond Star Motors' (DSM, e.g. Mitsubishi and Chrysler) "tall wagon triplets," had a fully independent suspension, was fun to drive, yet could haul a bunch of stuff. See the link below (or any of the ones in the above text) to see more about the Plymouth Colt Vista.

LINK
Nostalgic Subcompact: Tall wagon triplets—Mitubishi Expo LRV, Eagle Summit Wagon, Plymouth Colt Vista