Giant Honda robot to provide Pasadena with shock and awe

It must have seemed like a great idea at the time: “I know, let’s celebrate the 120th Rose Parade with a big scary robot, only we’ll cover the surface of this giant 49-foot behemoth with super fine ground white rice, then deck the float with carnations and chrysanthemums, and grind it up later for mulch.”

That might have been how the conversation at Honda went when planning for the Jan. 1 parade. Honda is one of the parade’s longest-running sponsors and, this year, the company’s float will evolve from a stage where the opening ceremony takes place into an animated replica of Honda’s ASIMO robot (it stands for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility, but Isaac Asimov would have been proud). Only 12 times as big. And wearing a hat.

Which is a bizarre way of celebrating Honda’s 50th anniversary of operating in the USA, but each to his own.

-- Colin Ryan

Photo: Honda

Driving ridiculously fast in the face of adversity

OK, so we know about the state of the not-so-big three domestic automakers; major manufacturers have pulled out of the Detroit Auto Show; Honda has canceled plans to make a second generation of Acura NSX supercar; Toyota is expecting an operating loss for the first time in 70 years; Land Rover has asked the British government for funds; Subaru has pulled out of rallying -- the sport that made the company’s reputation. There are probably many other things to add to this litany of automotive woes. But some companies don’t seem to care.

For example, Shelby Supercars (SSC), whose Ultimate Aero is already in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s fastest production car, has made changes to its all-American-made 2009 model. By using a one-piece billet aluminum engine block, power is up by 15% to a claimed 1287 horsepower.

... yes, it takes a while to sink in, doesn’t it? Very few things with four wheels have that kind of power. SSC reckons the new car is capable of 270 mph, which could mean another round of Guinness.

Meanwhile, some Brits are busy with the Mercedes-McLaren SLR Stirling Moss. This is a swan song from the operation that brought us the über-powerful SLR supercar and SLR Roadster. If the Ultimate Aero hadn’t been in the news, this car’s 650-hp supercharged V-8, zero-to-60 mph time of less than 3.5 seconds and claimed top speed of 217 mph would have seemed pretty darn cool.

Racing fans will recognize the name Stirling Moss. He’s a British racing legend who had great success with Mercedes-Benz machines back in the ’50s. He still holds the record for Italy’s daunting Mille Miglia (1,000 miles) street race -- 10 hours, seven minutes and 48 seconds. Of course, that was before the Euro, and the SLR SM costs 750,000 of those -- about $1,044,263 -- and there’s not even a roof or screen. Just 75 examples will be built and only current SLR owners will be invited to buy one. It’s a whole different world, isn’t it?

Who’s to say whether these car makers know something the rest don’t? Perhaps they just know their particular niche really well. Or maybe it’s a case of “If you’re going through hell, keep going,” as Winston Churchill once said.

-- Colin Ryan

Photos: SSC / Mercedes-McLaren

2009 North American Car and Truck of the Year -- the short list

Contenders have been announced for the 2009 North American Car of the Year, along with the 2009 North American Truck of the Year. To be eligible, vehicles have to be completely new or represent a redesign for the model year. This list and the final accolades are determined by a panel of automotive journalists. The winners will be announced Jan. 11 at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. Let’s check out the car category hopefuls first.

Flying the home flag is the Ford Flex SUV/crossover. As its name suggests, the interior offers plenty of scope for various combinations of passengers and cargo. It’s comfortable, practical and drives well. Plus, with the Scion xB, Nissan Cube and Kia Soul coming from the East, the time of the box is nigh. The Flex is flung by a 262-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6; it comes with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive; and starts at $28,295.

Fresh from winning the 2009 Green Car of the Year is Volkswagen’s Jetta TDI with its Clean Diesel technology. If ever there was a car for the times, this could be it. This sedan (or wagon) is compact yet sturdy, thrifty yet nifty, and there are no pesky hybrid-related batteries to worry about at the end of the car’s life. Emissions-wise, it gets a clean enough bill of health to be legal in all 50 states. Fuel consumption is rated at 30 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway, and it starts at $21,990.

More contenders after the jump...

New crash tests -- Small cars take a bashing for science

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has just released the findings of its latest set of crash tests. On this occasion, seven small 2009-model cars were selected for a thorough walloping while dummies were sacrificed on the altar of research. These mangled seven are the Chevrolet HHR, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Saturn Astra, Suzuki SX4 and the Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe (the last two are basically the same car with different badges). And just for good measure, the IIHS decided to trash a Mini Cooper as well, but this was classified as a mini car.

Sales of compact cars have been on the rise recently, in reaction to the gas price spike (and few would wager that the current downturn is anything other than temporary). These machines usually do well in front-end crashes, but not so hot during side and rear crashes. So all eight scored Good (out of Good, Average, Marginal and Poor) when meeting a frontal offset irresistible force homing in at 40 mph.

>>>Click here for the IIHS Crash test findings.

Although side-impact results are better for newer models...

Let them drive (hardtop) roadsters -- the new BMW Z4

BMW has just come up with another good reason to live near PCH, the 2009 Z4 Roadster. This is an all-new model, slightly wider, longer and lower than the car it replaces. And the big news is that instead of a retractable soft top, as found in its predecessor, this one packs an aluminum two-piece folding hard top, the operation of which takes just 20 seconds. This can be activated by a switch on the dash or remotely with the key fob.

There’s some clever packaging involved where a trunk partition may be moved back when the roof is up to accommodate more luggage -- the obligatory two sets of golf clubs. Roof down, the trunk can still take one set.

The side windows are now...

10 gifts for gearheads

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. A wonder that we ever manage to buy presents that aren’t the usual pair of socks or necktie. Here are a few suggestions for the person who wants to buy the gearhead in their life something a little different and/or useful ...

A2B Electric Bicycle
The A2B is a kind of cross between a bicycle and a scooter. It can go for 20 miles at 20 mph on lithium-ion battery power alone. Or there’s the option of buying a second power pack to double that range. Then there are pedals. It has an aluminum frame, a comfortable oversized saddle, a pliant suspension, and can also take a basket and rear carrier bags. $2,699 from many dealers in Southern California. Check on the company’s site for the nearest one.
ultramotor.com

...lots more gifts for gearheads after the jump.

Prius U.S. production delayed indefinitely

Plans to produce the Prius hybrid in the United States have been put on hold indefinitely, Toyota confirmed today.

Reports surfaced in Japan last month that the automaker was delaying the start of Prius production at its plant near Tupelo, Miss., until 2011 at the earliest. Plans had called for the gas-sipping cars to start rolling off the line in 2010.

Now, as Prius sales continue to plunge along with auto sales in general, “it is impossible to say at this time when production will begin,” Toyota said in a statement.

Spokesman Mike Goss said Toyota remained committed to starting Prius production in Mississippi someday.

To date, Toyota has spent about $300 million of the Mississippi plant’s anticipated $1.3-billion price tag. The automaker plans to finish building the plant, now about 90% complete, but it won’t install the metal stamping machines, robotics and other expensive equipment needed to assemble cars.

Prius sales plunged 48.3% to 8,660 in November compared with the same month a year ago, worse than the 36.7% drop in overall U.S. light vehicle sales. The year-to-date sales picture is somewhat better, with Prius down 9.6% versus 16.3% for the industry overall.

Prius sales have been hit by a double whammy of falling gas prices and the U.S. recession, which is keeping buyers out of dealer showrooms. Last summer, when gas prices were topping $4.50 a gallon, dealers in Southern California were selling Priuses for $3,000 to $5,000 over sticker, said Jesse Toprak, executive industry analyst at Edmunds.com.

Those days are long gone, Toprak said, with Priuses occasionally selling below sticker, which ranges from $22,000 to $24,270, depending on the model.

Toyota now has about a one-month supply of Priuses in the U.S. compared with a 14-day supply a year ago. During the summer, the cars were basically selling as soon as they hit the lot. Overall, Toyota has a 73-day inventory of cars in the U.S.

There may be further bad news on the horizon for the Prius. Honda’s new five-passenger Insight hybrid is due out next year and talk is that it will have a base price around $17,000.

“It’s going to be the most serious competition Prius ever had in the U.S. market,” Toprak said.

-- Martin Zimmerman

Photo: Groundbreaking at Toyota's Mississippi assembly plant, April 2007. Credit: Toyota Motor Corp.

Shelby Black Hornet up for auction

With the holidays approaching faster than a Detroit exec headed to Washington, you may be worried about what to get that car lover on your shopping list.

Well, we’ve found one item that’s black, shiny and signals to others that you’re bad.

No, it’s not coal.  It's a one-of-a-kind Shelby EXP500 CSS, or Black Hornet.

Yes, it will set your Secret Santa back more than a lump of coal. About $175,000 more, to be precise. Carroll Shelby is offering up the car on EBay, just in time for the holidays. Proceeds are to go to the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation.

Shelby fanatics will recognize ....

Traffic death toll falls along with economy

Here’s a bit of good news about the nation’s crummy economy -- traffic deaths are down sharply this year.

The federal government reported today that highway traffic deaths were down 10% through the first 10 months of the year compared with 2007. Through October, 31,110 people died on the nation’s roads, compared with 34,502 during the same period last year.

“One of the few benefits of a bad economy is that you don’t kill as many people in motor vehicle crashes,” said Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Part of the reason is simply that Americans are driving less. Sky-high gas prices last summer kept many cars parked, and now the rapidly deteriorating economy is forcing many motorists to cut back even as gas prices plummet.

Americans drove 4.4% fewer miles in September than a year earlier, according to the most recent figures from the Federal Highway Administration. That was the 11th straight monthly decline, and the trend is expected to continue when the numbers for October are released Friday.

Safer cars and tougher enforcement of seat-belt laws also help. But the type of driving that diminishes during a recession also plays a big role, Lund said.

During tough economic times, “you don’t give up the commute to your job, which is the lowest-risk driving,” Lund said. “You give up discretionary driving -- driving to the game or going out drinking after the game.”

The government statistics bear this out. The rate of fatalities per miles driven is falling and so is the total number of deaths, dropping to 1.28 per 100 million miles traveled versus 1.37 last year.

-- Martin Zimmerman

Photo: Wreckage from a fatal crash this year in Lake Forest. Credit: Don Kelsen / Los Angeles Times

Car theft stats hit home for actor John Schneider and puppies

It was a sad day last week for the family of actor John Schneider, best known for his character Bo Duke in the "Dukes of Hazzard" TV series. Not only was his Cadillac Escalade stolen, but two puppies that he had brought home recently to his family for Christmas were also taken from a Los Angeles mall. John is hopeful that the puppies will be returned, but the Escalade was found with the seats and instrument panel torn out. Sadly, the Schneider family has become a statistic in what the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently reported as the most stolen car, the Cadillac Escalade.

The IIHS recently gave us figures on the vehicles that have been 2008’s top 10 steals. And that isn’t some euphemism for a showroom bargain, but cars that get stolen the most. The stats apply to 2005 to 2007 model cars from their first sales to May this year.

>>Visit our photo gallery: Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles