Speaking of achievements, GM scored a highly ironic award recently in the People’s Republic of California – a place where accolades and praise for the General are as rare as rain and open roads.

The new Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, a full-size SUV built at the General Motors Assembly Plant in Arlington, was recently named the 2008 Green Car of the Year at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The show is increasingly becoming a stage for green vehicles, and the award should give the Tahoe Hybrid credibility with greenies who are far more accustomed to vilifying full-size SUVs than praising them.

The Tahoe was one of five new hybrids considered by the judges, who included, by the way, Jay Leno and Jean-Michael Cousteau. (Hey, it’s L.A.) But the nominees were pretty legitimate: the Tahoe, the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid, Mazda Tribute Hybrid, Nissan Altima Hybrid and Saturn Aura Hybrid.

Did anyone happen to notice that three of the five green vehicles vying for this award were GM products? Did the Earth just wobble on one of its rotations?

The Tahoe Hybrid – equipped with a 6-liter, 332-horsepower V-8 and a two-mode electric motor – is rated at 21 miles per gallon city, 22 highway, approximately 50 percent better fuel economy than a conventional Tahoe. The hybrid, whose price has not been set yet, should arrive at dealers shortly after the first of the year. Expect a $5,000 premium on top of the truck’s base $34,095 price, I would guess.

The Tahoe was cited for its low impact on the environment while offering class-leading hauling (6,200 pounds) and storage capabilities and space for eight passengers. “We felt all along that doing a hybrid in a full-size SUV that does not normally get good gas mileage was a good idea,” said Bob Walczyk, product manager for the Tahoe. “We’re glad others recognize it.”

GM has not said how many hybrids will be among the estimated 200,000 SUVs built in Arlington next year – though union officials at the plant expect as many as 20,000 of them to roll down the line.

“We’re seeing a huge interest in the vehicle right now,” Mr. Walczyk said. “I don’t know if it will result in more sales, but we’re getting a lot of inquiries from consumers and dealers.”

Chrysler LLC’s recent sales figures appear to prove that minivan demand is not dead even though rivals have scrapped their entries in the segment.

Consumers and dealers are giving thumbs up to Chrysler’s new family haulers. In October, the first full month of sales of the redesigned Chrysler Town & Country and the Dodge Grand Caravan, sales were up 4.8 percent over the same month last year — in a market segment that has shrunk 6.5 percent year-over-year.

Among manufacturers offering a minivan in their 2008 line-up, Honda was the only other to show growth in the segment, with a 30 percent increase over October last year. Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. have dropped minivans from their offerings.

Chrysler’s continued success with the segment it helped create in the 1980s is predicated on attracting more buyers such as Amante Bustamante, who last month purchased a 2008 Town & Country Limited. The 35-year-old’s purchase is his first minivan and first-ever Chrysler product.

Bustamante, from Ashburn, Va., purchased the van primarily to haul his family, including a 3-year-old and another on the way, on vacations and to a range of activities.

The styling and entertainment features made the Town & Country stand out against competing vans and SUVs.

Keeping passengers happy

“It’s all about keeping the passengers happy,” he said, adding that second and third-row video monitors, a satellite television package and stow-away seats were major selling points.

Bustamante has some qualms about the van’s uphill shifting and placement of control buttons, but said overall he’s very satisfied with his purchase.

Other buyers also are happy with their new vans, said Sylvia Marino, executive director of community operations at the automotive Web site Edmunds.com.

“Reaction is extremely positive,” she said. “People feel they have great amount of power; Swivel ‘n Go seats are a hit; and the comments often are ‘My wife and kids loved it.’ ”

Potential for growth

Dealers say the Chrysler vans, loaded with family-friendly features, are attracting customers even without incentives.

“It’s a home run,” said Bob Shuman, operator or Shuman Chrysler Jeep in Walled Lake. “I’ve got people moving out of larger SUVs and into minivans, and I’ve got people coming from competing products and going into the Town & Country.”

While $3-plus gasoline could make a minivan attractive to buyers who otherwise might consider less fuel-efficient seven-passenger SUVs, Chrysler’s best potential for growth is to attract drivers of other manufacturer’s minivans, said Erich Merkle, vice president of vehicle forecasting for IRN Inc.

“They’ll pick up former Ford and GM buyers … and they could take something away from Toyota,” he said.

Merkle said the Chrysler minivans are off to a strong start in the market place, but the real test is still to come.

“It will be important to look at how these vans do in March through July,” he said. “That is the time of year people really look at minivans as they are planning family road trips.”

For reasons that scarcely require elaboration, “lubricity” is one of my favorite words. It is, first of all, fun to say, all slippery with sibilance. Second, many fine things are lubricious in nature. Easy dinner conversation, for instance. The balanced slickness of a well-oiled pistol (caution: Avoid combining dinner conversation and pistols). In fact, lubricity might even be counted as one of the universal cues of quality. Whenever a thing has a heft and substance that nonetheless yields to effortless operation — a Waterman pen, for instance, or the stout zipper on Prada boots, or the gliding drawers of a Pegaso desk — that registers as a thing well made.

And that brings us to the 2008 Audi S5 Coupe . The S5 — the performance variant of the A5 Coupe , with an extra 89 horsepower in the snout — is another in a lengthening line of Ingolstadt ’s products that deliver crazy-great performance with a refinement and absence of stiction that makes them feel like they are lubricated with angels’ tears. Or the fatty renderings of an enchanted ermine from some Russian folk tale. Whatever it is, these cars’ moving parts seem to commune in a way that has banished friction to the dustbin of physics.

This quality — which manifests itself as smoothness in operation, and absence of noise and vibration is even more notable because the S5 has so darn many moving parts. Obviously, there’s the lump of reciprocation under the hood, a slightly de-tuned version of the 4.2-liter direct-injection V8 found in the R8 sports car. With its super-stiff deck, counter-balance shafts, active engine mounts, lightened and micro-polished valve train assemblies and silicon-impregnated cylinder linings, this dual-cammer revs with a lightness, a willingness, that makes it feel like it’s topped off with 5 quarts of 0W-nothing-weight motor oil.

The S5 is fitted with a conventional six-speed manual transmission (automatics will come later, but there are no plans to offer the DSG “manumatic” gearbox so beloved by Audi-ence members). Not surprisingly, the S5’s clutch pedal action is light and precise, but it’s the way the clutch engages — with no palpable vibration, or even a dry whisper as it meets the flywheel — that is so uncanny. It’s like the clutch is a felt-buffing wheel stolen from Harry Winston. This refinement is no minor feat, considering the S5 sings 354 hp at 6,800 rpm and 325 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm. When that clutch hits the flywheel it sounds like cattle getting romantic. Mooooooo.

Automobile dealerships are worried that 2008 sales will be worse than this year’s. Amid these concerns they are not ordering as many new cars and Trucks. This is the worst vehicle sales slump since 1998.

“I’m certainly being more cautious,” said Carl Galeana, president of the Galeana Automotive Group. “I’m reeling in what I’m stocking and am looking not to sell at the same rate that I sold at this year.”
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“If we don’t see some sort of boost, our orders will be reflective of that slowdown,” said Bob Thibodeau, a Ford dealer. “We certainly are seeing a little bit of an increase in our stocking levels. Sales are just not what we hoped.”

Chevrolet announced that they have signed as the exclusive automotive sponsor for the 2007 Mana “Amar es Combatir” US Concert Tour.

MANA, the first Latin band to break into a top-ten spot on the Billboard 200 and one of the hottest Mexican rock bands of all time, will be touring all over the country and Chevy has joined the band to promote its music and environmental efforts. Chevy’s sponsorship of the band’s tour is part of a larger promotional campaign that will kick-off August 29 th in McAllen, Texas and will consist of on-line, grassroots, and promotional media extensions.

Just last year, Chevy recognized Mana with the first ever “Chevy Latin Music Award” for their contributions to the community and their commitment to help preserve the planet. Mana founded The Selva Negra Foundation in 1995 to collaborate actively with governments to guarantee future generations a livable planet. Since its creation, Selva Negra has financed and supported many important projects in favor of a healthier environment.

“We are extremely thrilled to be the exclusive au tom otive sponsor of Mana’s US Tour because it allows us to achieve a closer relationship to their vibrant audience and align our brand to such an amazing group of well respected musicians,” said Ed Peper, Chevrolet General Manager. “Chevy shares Mana’s passion for music as well as the environment. Together we hope to enhance the Hispanic community’s awareness on the importance of developing technologies for a sustainable future.”

“Chevrolet and General Motors have shown their commitment to taking the au tom obile out of the environmental equation. We are pleased to work with them to educate Latinos in the U.S. about the environment.” said Fher, Mana’s lead vocalist.

In addition, Chevy will utilize various Mana songs for its 2007 Hispanic advertising campaign. Currently, Mana’s song “Justicia, Tierra y Libertad” is featured in the emotional 2007 Chevy Silverado Hispanic campaign which is currently running on Spanish language networks. The song focuses on the battle cry made famous by Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata in a modern, rock style that emits a feeling of accomplishment and pride.

Chevrolet is leading the way in alternative fuel technology. E85 is a renewable fuel made of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, which can be made from plants such as corn and is a renewable resource. E85 is available in the Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Chevrolet Avalanche, Chevrolet Impala, Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Chevrolet Uplander. In addition, many Chevy products are available with Active Fuel Management, a fuel-saving technology that shuts off cylinders when the engine doesn’t require full power.

Meet the 2007 Chevy Silverado 1500 2×2 Extended Cab

The newly designed 2007 Chevy Silverado has racked up a couple of truck of the year awards, from the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit and from Motor Trends Magazine. We’ve seen past award winners fizzle out with the buying public, but the new Silverado does deserve some recognition. Some of the changes made to develop the new generation truck were subtle, some were major, but together they produced a much improved Silverado. Base price, $25,960; truck tested, $31,700.

First Impressions of the 2007 Chevy Silverado
Compare the 2007 Chevy Silverado with the previous generation truck and you’ll immediately notice that its front end is cleaner looking, with simpler grille and headlamp styling. The truck’s front and rear fenders are contoured to create a look of strength, but they’re not so bold as to overpower the rest of the truck’s exterior appearance.
My test vehicle was a 2×2 extended cab Silverado that was equipped with Chevy’s optional EZ lift tailgate. The tailgate lift has a torsion bar system to help you close it, and according to Chevrolet, lifting effort is reduced by about 40 percent. The extra help might not sound too important, but if you use the truck bed regularly it could save you a lot of lifting over the life of the truck.

Under the Silverado’s new sheet metal you’ll find a totally new frame, one that showed up first in 2007 Tahoe and Suburban SUVs, which were released before the Silverado. A combination of building processes called hydroforming and frame boxing result in a frame that supports more weight and is more resistant to flex and twist than the previous model. The new design gives the truck a better ride and increases stability, especially on rough or uneven roads, and it also allows the Silverado to carry more weight.

I really liked the truck’s remote starting feature. I drove it during cold weather and it was nice to start it up from inside the house, wait a few minutes and step into a warm cab.

Inside the Silverado 1500
I had plenty of legroom in the comfortable leather seats installed in this LT model Silverado and visibility was excellent. Extra space and a good view over the wheel are due in part to Chevy’s decision to move the dash 3.5 inches lower and forward for the LT Silverado (you’ll gain 5-inches in the LTZ model). Instruments are well positioned and control buttons are good sized and all within easy reach.

The LT Silverado has dual glove boxes, a handy feature we’re seeing in more and more vehicles. The test truck had a 40/20/40 split front seat. Look under the 20 percent center seat area and you’ll find a locking space large enough to hold a laptop. Fold-down that seat’s back and it becomes a center console.

Rear passenger space was pretty good for an extended cab truck. Backwards opening doors can’t be opened by rear passengers without help from someone in the front — unless you’re prepared to stretch your body across the front seat backs. That’s not unusual for an extended cab truck, but it is something you should be aware of.

The truck was equipped with plenty of options, including power windows in front and back, a sunroof, dual zone climate controls, steering wheel mounted radio controls and an auto dimming mirror with a compass and temperature display. Overall, the interior was a good combination of the comfort you would expect in a nice SUV with the utility you need in a truck.

On the Road in the Chevy Silverado
The test Silverado was equipped with a 5.3-liter V-8 engine with flex fuel capability, meaning the engine will run on either gasoline or a mixture of gas and ethanol. The truck had a four speed automatic transmission with towing mode.
Push a button to enter tow-mode, which changes the computer’s shift points to allow the engine to stay in the best power range as much as possible while you’re pulling something behind you. Chevy offers several different rear axle ratios depending on the configuration you choose, but a 3.73 rear axle is the norm for trucks with the tow package. This lower ratio helps in many instances, like pulling a boat up a ramp or a hill or when you’re simply moving away from a stop with a heavy load.

Unfortunately, there’s a trade off when you have a lower rear axle ratio — reduced fuel mileage whether you’re pulling or not. I drove the Silverado 553 miles and about two-thirds of that was at approximately 40 mph or higher. I used 33.3 gals of gas for an average of 16.6 miles per gallon. That’s somewhat lower than I would have expected from a 2×2 truck.

In this new generation truck, Chevrolet finally made the switch away from recirculating ball type steering to rack and pinion steering. The result is a responsive steering system that gives you a better feel for how the truck is handling the road. The new trucks also have a coil spring front suspension instead of the previous torsion bar system, another switch that improved the ride. The Silverado did just fine on the winding roads I drive every day.

Final Thoughts on the 2007 Silverado 2×2
One thing about the Chevy Silverado hasn’t changed, it’s available in numerous configurations. Engine variations are just one of the choices you’ll make — there’s a V-6 and a variety of V-8s. You can buy a regular cab truck with just front seating, an extended cab like the truck I drove or a crew cab with four full size doors and two full rows of seating.

The Silverado is available as a 4×4 or 4×2 truck. Choose from three bed lengths, 5 feet 8 inches, 6 feet 6 inches and 8 feet, but bed choices vary, they aren’t all available with every truck.

Silverado Safety Features

• Front air bags are required on all new vehicles in the US, and the Silverado is no exception.
• Side curtain air bags are an option on all Silverado trucks.
• Antilock brakes are standard on all models.
• GM’s StabiliTrack system is standard on crew cabs and an option on extended cabs, but for some reason is not available on regular cab Silverados.
• OnStar is installed in all trucks and the first year of GM’s Safe and Sound plan is free.

Warranty

• New vehicle warranty, 3 years/36,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty, 5 years/100,000 miles
• Rust-through corrosion, 6 years/100,000 miles

To buy sell New & Used trucks visit now http://www.automotivebestbuys.com/

When the annual South Florida International Auto Show comes to town November 9, some of the most exciting new models in years will again debut at one of America’s most important automotive displays.

Fuel economy and function are the buzzwords for the 2008 model year as buyers look at the fastest growing segment in the showrooms: car-based stylish, versatile but practical SUVs and crossovers. Close behind are new small cars that not only are tiny but tony, with a flare that attracts younger drivers. Many stalwart family sedans now sport high tech entertainment in the cabin and green-car technology under the hood.

From November 9-18, the Miami Beach Convention Center will shimmer with nearly 1,000 shiny new models from 40 manufacturers. Other displays and rooms will feature accessories, exotic cars, classics from years gone by and modern motorcycles for that wind-in-hair Florida weekend. Futuristic concepts and prototypes always draw a crowd, and this year’s group includes the Ford Flex, a modern mix of SUV, minivan and crossover.

“There’s no place like South Florida to kick-off the auto show season,” said Bill Sandidge, show chairman. “We’ve got so many new models under one roof, visitors can take their time checking out each one, and the allure of South Beach is just across the street.”

New models for 2008

New models include the Infiniti EX35 and Nissan Rogue SUVs, the Volkswagen Tiguan crossover, the Saturn Astra hatchback, Scion xD and Pontiac G8 performance sedan. Ford and Mercury have refreshed some popular models and rebranded them with familiar Taurus and Sable names. Chrysler Corporation’s enduring minivans are redesigned for 2008, as are the Chevrolet Malibu and Honda Accord.

Even the combustion chamber is more consumer-friendly. Drivers will find more choices that include hybrid, flex-fuel and clean-diesel. This year’s green machines include new hybrids from GM: the Cadillac Escalade and Chevrolet Tahoe. Three new diesels debut: the Mercedes-Benz (the GL320 CDI and ML320 CDI) and a Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD 4×4.

Camp Jeep Returns

Speaking of Jeep, the off-road playground called Camp Jeep returns this year. Just outside Hall D near the show’s entrance, visitors can sample the rugged “Trail Rated” experience with rides in new Jeeps up and down hills, over logs and boulders, and through a water trough.

Show Car for this year’s event is the 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Z06. The 505-horsepower American super car has won over enthusiasts, journalists and racers around the world for its balance of racetrack-bred performance, daily- driving civility and value. Zero to sixty? Four point three seconds.

NBC 6, the auto show’s flagship station, will air a live 30-minute television special during the auto show’s opening day on Friday, November 9 beginning at 7:30. It will feature many of the debuts and introductions from press day events, interviews and special features that capture the excitement of this major event. Host will be NBC 6 anchor and antique car collector Bob Mayer.

Tickets to this year’s show are $10 for adults and $3 for children 6-12. Discount tickets to the show are available at participating new car and truck dealerships and McDonald’s restaurants in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

The hours for the 37th annual South Florida International Auto Show are as follows: Friday, November 9th 5 p.m. - midnight; Saturday, November 10th 11 a.m. - midnight; Sunday, November 11th 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.; Monday, November 12th 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.; Tuesday, November 13th, Wednesday, November 14th and Thursday, November 15th 2 p.m. - 11 p.m.; Friday, November 16th 2 p.m. - midnight; Saturday, November 17th 11 a.m. - midnight; Sunday, November 18th 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

The South Florida Auto-Truck Dealers Association, which comprises more than 220 dealerships in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties, has been the official sponsor of the South Florida International Auto Show since 1971.

Along with Thanksgiving turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce, tens of thousands of Bay Area residents added ethanol, hybrid technology and hydrogen to their holiday menu.

When the 50th annual San Francisco International Auto Show opened its 11-day run at the Moscone Center at 10 a.m. Thursday, the line stretched to Howard Street, down Third Street and onto Mission Street, prompting show officials to open the doors early. About 45,000 people were expected to attend the show on Thanksgiving, said Kevin Diamond, director of the event, which is sponsored by The Chronicle.

Thanksgiving Day is typically the show’s third-biggest day and part of many families’ holiday traditions, Diamond said.

“You spend two or three hours here, you go home and have your turkey dinner, and you’re done for the day,” he said.

This year’s auto show has a decidedly green tint - both in the color of the exhibits and in the gasoline-saving technologies on display. Saving the planet - or at least saving on gas - is the big selling point at this year’s show, although no sales actually take place.

“From gas friendly to gas-free,” says Chevrolet’s display in white letters against a green background. Next door, Toyota has a huge illuminated picture of a green slice of bamboo, and beneath it, the new hybrid Highlander sport-utility vehicle. As part of its display, show-goers can compete against each other in a touch-screen “green technology quiz,” answering such multiple-choice questions as: “Which sustainable resources can be made into biofuel?” (Answer, according to Toyota: “Corn, sugar cane, grass and wood.”)

AAA of Northern California, which most drivers associate with yellow tow trucks instead of green vehicles, shows off several alternative-fuel vehicles, including a fuel-cell car, vegetable-oil powered pickup, natural-gas police car, a battery-powered electric sedan and a plug-in hybrid car. All are modifications of manufactured vehicles.

“A lot of people aren’t waiting for the manufacturers; they’re doing it themselves,” said AAA spokeswoman Jenny Mack. She said the organization is trying to help its members understand what technologies are available now and in the near future. “It’s not for everybody, but we want people to know what’s out there.”

The plug-in hybrid and electric cars seemed to be drawing the most attention, she said.

The show’s biggest draw, however, appeared to be its smallest vehicle: the plug-in electric Tango commuter car. A 3 1/2-foot-wide two-seat car, with the seats one behind the other, is skinny, sleek and fast - able to go from zero to 60 mph in four seconds.

Only one of the vehicles - which are handmade in Spokane, Wash., and sell for $108,000 - is on the road. The first went to actor George Clooney; the second, on display at the show, will be delivered to Google senior software engineer Jorg Brown in a couple of weeks. Ten more are in production, with six bound for the Bay Area.

Bryan Woodbury, vice president of the Commuter Cars Corp., which makes the Tango, hopes to start mass production of a lower-performance version of the car - zero to 60 mph in seven seconds - with a lower price of about $18,000. But before he can do that, he needs to attract $50 million in financing. By putting the skinny vehicles - two can fit side-by-side in a typical highway lane - on the road, and in the hands of well-known and well-heeled people, he hopes to attract the financing. Within two years, he said, his company could be producing 10,000 Tangos a year.

“We have lots of multimillionaire investors who are interested,” he said. “But they want to see us get cars on the road first.”

Ada Lai, a South San Francisco business owner, was impressed and would consider buying the cheaper model.

“I can’t wait for this to come out,” she said. “It’s so cute. It’s a cool car. I live on the Peninsula and constantly go up and down the Peninsula. You can charge this overnight and you’re ready to go 150 miles. That would get me a lot of places.”

But not everyone at the auto show was interested in getting small. The Hummer display, despite being pushed into the back of the hall, still attracted a lot of visitors. People took pictures of their kids sitting behind the wheel or poking their heads out of the sunroof. And many adults took their turns in the driver’s seat as well.

“We’re getting plenty of attention,” said Rhonda, a Hummer product specialist who did not want to give her full name.

In the Cadillac exhibit, a worker named Tiffany stood on a revolving stage and touted the environmental virtues of the hybrid version of the huge Escalade sport-utility vehicle, due to be released next summer, to an audience of one.

Drivers can enjoy “all the comforts of a full-featured luxury SUV,” she said, “while still doing your part to help the environment by using less fuel” and emitting fewer pollutants.

Visitors to the show couldn’t help but notice the green trend, and some said it was not surprising at a time when concern over global warming is accelerating perhaps as quickly as worries about gas prices.

“That’s the trend now,” said Mark Draffen, 35, of San Mateo. “It sells. SUVs were popular for a while, now hybrids. They try to give people what they want - and that’s the buzz now.”

The auto show continues through Dec. 2.

The police car you see on the roadside – or in your rearview mirror, if luck’s not on your side – might not look like you expected.

The sporty upstart Dodge Charger is aiming to challenge the Ford Crown Victoria as chief of police cars. Chrysler LLC’s full-sized model that debuted in 2006 is no immediate threat to the Crown Vic or Chevrolet Impala, the market’s other major player, but the Charger is gaining momentum in a market that sells 75,000 vehicles a year as national tests cite its speed and handling.

“We’ve been steadily gaining market share and acceptance for the police vehicle since its inception,” said Chrysler LLC spokeswoman Shawn Morgan. “We see that trend continuing.”

It’s a small dent in the automotive industry, which expects to sell about 16 million cars this year. But it’s an important niche for automakers because it gives them a chance to put their products to the test when life – or at least the law – is on the line.

“That vehicle has to accommodate a bunch of requirements – it’s an officer’s first-aid station, comfort area for accident victims, command post for a crime scene. Next thing you know it’s involved in a high-speed run, responding to a heart attack, chasing a criminal,” said Lt. David Halliday, who leads the Michigan State Police’s annual police vehicle tests that serve as a national standard for law enforcement.

“We really ask (the automakers) to do an enduring duty for the public that’s often underestimated,” he said.

Automakers don’t break out data for sales to law enforcement agencies, but overall sales for the full-sized Charger were 97,833, up 1.5 percent for the first 10 months of 2007 compared with last year. The Crown Victoria’s sales were 51,286, down 7.2 percent during the same period. The Impala’s total sales through October were 270,504, up 12.6 percent, according to Autodata Corp.

John Felice, Ford Motor Co.’s director of North American fleet operations, said the decline is due to a drop in retail sales, which accounts for a small percentage of the Crown Victoria’s sales. He said Ford forecasts flat sales this year for police cars and controls about 80 percent of the market.

The latest round of police vehicle tests on 2008 models found the Charger with the 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine had the fastest acceleration, highest top speed and among the shortest braking distances.

“Law enforcement has always liked good performance in a vehicle,” Halliday said. “For example, the (5.7-liter) Charger has a top speed of (nearly) 150 mph. If you’re in the market for a vehicle that has that kind of performance, that kind of vehicle will fit the bill.”

Halliday said his testing team doesn’t assign scores to the vehicles or declare winners. It assesses what each vehicle offers and how it can be applied to a department’s mission. The tests also include road racing course times on a two-mile course. The winners: the V-8 versions of the Dodge Charger and Magnum wagon.

Halliday said the Charger also has an advanced stability-control system, which senses when a driver may lose control of the vehicle and automatically applies brakes to individual wheels to help keep it stable and avoid a rollover. He said his team is working with the other automakers on developing such systems for their police vehicles.

Likewise, many agencies opt for the Impala because it has front-wheel drive, which offers additional traction control in slippery conditions, he said.

Halliday believes the Charger might be garnering attention because it offers a new option in the market, long dominated by Ford and General Motors Corp.’s Chevy division.

Chrysler returned to the police car market in 2000 after a 14-year absence, but received what Halliday called a “lukewarm response from law enforcement” to its Dodge Intrepid. The Charger has been much better received, he said.

A state police spokeswoman says the department currently has about 670 Crown Victorias and 10 Chargers.

Ford’s Felice said the Dearborn, Mich., automaker keeps a close eye on competitors but also works closely with law enforcement and is confident it’s continuing its 50-year tradition of making safe, affordable, roomy and reliable vehicles for law enforcement.

“Really when you look at the overall police market. It’s really … not an individual attribute,” Felice said. “It’s who brings the product to the marketplace that meets the collective needs of this customer, the police officer.”

Despite the new cars entering the police segment, Ford remains the dominant player, Felice said.

Gene Taylor, the police chief in the Detroit suburb of Belleville, said his small department has used Ford vehicles for several years, but bought a Charger a year ago and plans to buy another. He said his department, which has five cruisers, sought another option after having major problems with several Crown Victorias and came across the relaunched Charger.

Taylor, who describes himself as “an old Dodge boy,” initially thought Chrysler was using an old nameplate to promote a new product. But he tested all three automakers’ offerings at a Chrysler event and came away impressed with the Charger’s handling and performance.

“It’s lived up to the hype so far,” he said.

Halliday says all three automakers are making vehicles that stand up to the rigors of law enforcement.

“Competition is good for law enforcement,” he said. “It strengthens the industry in making the vehicles capable across the board for a variety of missions.”

Datamonitor’s Ford Motor Company SWOT company profile is the essential source for top-level company data and information. The report examines the company’s key business structure and operations, history and products, and provides summary analysis of its key revenue lines and strategy.

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is one of the largest automotive manufacturers in the world. It manufactures and distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. The company’s automotive vehicle brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo. The company primarily operates in the US and Europe. It is headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan and employs 283,000 people. The company recorded revenues of $160,123 million during the fiscal year ended December 2006, a decrease of 9.5% over 2005. The operating loss of the company during fiscal year 2006 was $16,950 million, as compared to operating loss of $1,550 million in 2005. The net loss was $12,613 million in fiscal year 2006, as compared to net profit of $1,644 million in 2005.
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