...Tata

The Tata Nano is the Indian version of the Ford Model T. It is the "People's Car". It cost $3,000, has 2 doors and is the world's cheapest production car, not the safest, but the cheapest. Apparently Tata is having problems selling the car. Originally launched in 2008 with a 100,000-customer waiting list, the Nano has been plagued by Ford Pinto-like incidents of spontaneous combustion, the result of which were electrical system and exhaust safety upgrades for 70,000 owners. Sales have flagged markedly since that launch; August saw 1,200 sales, an 88 percent drop from 10,000 in April. Some analysts argue that the reason for the Nano’s sales decline may have less to do with safety issues and more to do with Indian consumers not taking well to the notion of owning the world’s least expensive vehicle. I find this hard to believe. How hard is it to sell a $3,000 car in a country where a 3rd of its citizens live on 50 cents a day... Also there is well over a billion people in India so doing the math... about 400 million people. Well to boost sales of the mini car Tata has decided to, wait for this, cover a Tata Nano in gold and jewels. Artisans associated with the company’s chain of GoldPlus jewelry stores lavished the automobile with 194 pounds of hard-crafted 22-karat gold, 33 pounds of silver and 10,000 precious and semi-precious stones. The car cost 1,533 Tata Nanos or $4.6 million. I like lavish things. I like some gaudy things. But this car is ugly! It might sell in India though, but I doubt it. It is more of an investment in gold if anything. Tata also owns Jaguar and Land Rover/Range Rover, they bought them from Ford in 2006, money hole... Instead of doing ridiculous stunts like this to draw attention to your cars, why not invest in making the car better. This is not going to make anyone want to buy your car more than they already did, or did not, want to in the 1st place. I am giving Tata a Digit Down for having such poor business skills.

...Cadillac

General Motors has had a tough decade capped with a bail out from the U.S. government. Things seem to be going a lot better for them lately, mostly on paper, but some of that can be seen in their cars which have been doing just as good as their foreign counterparts. I recently saw a concept car that Cadillac created called Ciel. I am already a huge fan of this car. Sadly with most concept cars it will probably not go into production as is, but even if some version of this funky futuristic retro machine goes into production I will be pleased. In the past I have seen some awesome concepts from Cadillac. I remember reading Car and Driver magazine as a 6th grader and seeing some awesome cars that never got off the ground, due to their lack of money and the lack of practicality. The closest thing to those concepts that was produced was the CTS, which is not too bad, but it is stating to show its age. The good news for those who like the design is that GM has been considering its options for a flagship car that's even larger than the upcoming XTS. A senior Cadillac source says that a go/no-go decision will likely be made within a matter of months. GM claims the open-top four-seater could be powered by a twin-turbocharged version of the company's 3.6-liter direct injection V-6 engine, paired with a hybrid system using lithium-ion battery technology. The problem with most American car companies is styling. Even the least reliable car companies sell a lot of cars, especially Range Rover, due to their statues and styling. American cars have a long history but have lacked great styling that is beyond practical. I think this car could set a standard that all other cars will have to match or surpass. I am giving Cadillac a Digit Up and I am going to have a little faith that I will see something very similar to this on the road within the next 5 years.

...SSC Tuatara

The SSC Tuatara is a car, a future supercar, a future supercar that SSC's founder says will be the fastest production car in the world, they claim it will read 275MPH. As you probably know that title belongs to the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 which tops out at 268MPH. Many car companies have been eyeing their spot, but all have failed. In this video the founder explains the name of the car and what he hopes the car will do...sort of.

I think the car will be another wannabe supercar that will car SSC more to make than it will be able to make up in sales. If it does happen to reach 275MPH, how much will it cost? It is not an attractive car but I am sure they will want over $1 million for it, though I would not think twice about saying no to this car. It is an odd car. On paper it looks nice:
•
Carbon fiber wrapped around a carbon chassis.
•Aluminum crash structures.
•Carbon fiber wheels.
•Engine - twin-turbocharged, 7.0-liter V-8, 1,350 horsepower.
•Drive - sent to rear wheels via a seven-speed manual transmission.
But I do believe at the end of the day when, if, this car goes into production no one will care about this car at all. i am giving the SSC Tuatara a Digit Down.

...Mike Duff

You are 25, you live in Florida, you like cars, but you have no money. What do you do? You build a replica of the car you want. Mike Duff did just that. He turned his 2002 Mercury Cougar into a replica of the fastest production car on the market, the Bugatti Veyron. It is not too shabby either. The car dubbed the "Cougatti" is lacking the something major though, the power. It comes with the original 2.5-liter V6 engine that produces roughly 170 horsepower. This is in stark contrast to the 8-liter 16-cylinder powerplant of the real car, which produces a neck-snapping 1,000 horses. If that does not bother you then it can be yours for only $89,0000... While I would pass I guess someone will buy it...in the economy... Still I am giving Mike Duff a Digit Up for his ingenuity and so on.

...Generation Y

It seems as if American auto makers may have another major problem in the near future. We all know how they have been doing lately, mostly okay to good, though not nearly as strong as they were in the 90's and the decades before. Detroit is trying though, making more and more cars that get over 30 miles per gallon and are more environmentally friendly, but is it too late? Generation Y seems to be in favor of foreign cars. These are the top ten brands and models Gen Y prefer:

Top Brands for Gen Y Buyers
(Ranked by percentage of buyers in Gen Y)
1. Scion — 21.2%
2. Mitsubishi — 20.3%
3. Mazda — 10.7%
4. Nissan — 9.8%
5. Volkswagen — 9.6%
6. Kia — 9.1%
7. Hyundai — 8.6%
8. Honda — 8.0%
9. Toyota — 7.6%
10. Subaru — 7.3%

Top Models for Generation Y Buyers
(Shown with MSRP)
1. Scion tC — $18,995
2. Mitsubishi Lancer — $20,670
3. Honda Civic Si – $22,975
4. Toyota Yaris Sedan — $13,915
5. Ford Focus Coupe — $17,365
6. Scion xD — $15,830
7. Volkswagen GLI — $25,365
8. Subaru Impreza – $19,220
9. Kia Forte — $15,690
10. Toyota Corolla — $16,660

As you can see they tend to prefer cars under $20,000. Before I saw the prices I was wondering how true this is. With such American models as Mustang, Camaro and Fusion I found it hard to believe that no American brand or model made the top ten. Then I thought about how many Baby Boomers prefer those cars. The styling for the Mustang and Camaro are reminiscent of Mustangs and Camaros from the 60's and 70's, something that a lot of Baby Boomers love. Generation Y in concerned about money. Less trips to the gas station mean more trips to the mall. There are a slew of American models out now though that could attract younger buyers such as the Chevrolet Cruze and the Ford Fiesta and Focus. Will those models rank as high in reliability as some of their foreign competitors? Maybe. Will they attract buyers? That is the question that has yet to be answered. I am giving Generation Y a Digit Up because they will help open the eyes of American auto makers. Though they have learned their lessons from previous failures, I have a feeling they are still clueless on when it comes to what consumers actually want in a car.

...Used Cars

Apparently used cars are hot these days. With more people pinching pennies and holding on to their cars used cars are actually going up in value. Everyone knows that once you buy a new cars it depreciates sometimes by 50% once you drive it off the lot. Leasing is a popular but not wise option. Used car values have gone up 16% in a year and find a bargain is becoming harder and harder, especially if you are looking for a fuel efficient vehicle. Not much more to say here. If you can find a deal, take it. Digit Up for used cars.