2013 FORD FUSION, A HANDSOME CHAP!

Yesterday it was me and the boys (okay, there were other women there too). I had the pleasure of attending the Motor Press Guild Conference at the Ford Design Center (in Irvine, CA) to showcase the 2013 Fusion. The ever-so-knowledgeable Erich Merkle, U.S. Sales Analyst for Ford, opened with this statement: "Ford is redefining the mid-size sedan segment, they're trying to create something much more inspirational". To that I say, "finally".

I've never been a huge fan of Ford (not even Mustang - no growls please) but after seeing the fully redesigned Fusion, this may be a game changer for me.

Immediately I was taken aback by the sleek styling and wide, athletic stance. The front grille resembles the Aston Martin (Ford sold Aston Martin in 2007) while the tail resembles the VW Pasat.

I love the fastback rear end and the narrow headlights. Overall, it has the look of a Jaguar (Ford sold Jaguar in 2008), a handsome chap it is.

The interior is open, roomy and sporty with soft leather seating and a high center console. It looked and felt like "quality", a term often used during Mr. Merkle's description of the Fusion. He emphasized one of Ford's main goals is to engage all five senses, although he couldn't come up with how "taste" would be engaged. hmmm.

Some techy and convenience features for the Fusion are:

Lane-keeping system
Blind spot warning
Active park assist
Adaptive cruise control (uses radar to slow vehicle down when traffic is detected)
MyFord Touch system (I've heard about ongoing issues with this)
SYNC - newest version (voice activated control system)

Buyers will have their choice of 3 models: 1) Gasoline, 2) Hybrid and 3) Plug-In-Hybrid. Three trims will be offered: S, SE and Titanium.

With an estimated 47mpg city and 44 mpg highway, Ford is claiming the Fusion hybrid can outperform the 2012 Toyota Camry hybrid and the 2011 Hyundai Sonata hybrid. According to Erich Merkle, "Ford is trying to take share of the Japanese and Korean markets". What took them so long?

As far as safety goes, the Fusion has a 10% increase in body strength (boron is used) and added 1st row knee airbags (Ford Fiesta has knee airbags for driver only; VW Routan also has 1st row knee airbags.)

Delivery of the Ford Fusion won't take place until the fall. No pricing is available yet, but when I "built my own" 2012 Fusion hybrid it was close to $35k. I have a hunch the 2013 will be closer to $40k.

I give it a thumbs up on style, safety, convenience/techno stuff, efficiency and practicality. I'll have to take a test drive to make my final determination on whether the 2013 Fusion will take Ford to the top of the mid-size sedan market.

PICK ME, PICK ME, PLEASE PICK ME

I've made it clear time and time again that I'm turned on by sexy, beautiful carz that get my endorphins rolling. I like clean lines, dreamy headlights, European interiors and nice butts, to name a few. I must be attracted to the outside of the car before I get to know the inside. I know, so shallow.

Yesterday my shallowness dissipated some. And I owe it to the Subaru Forester. That's right, the Subaru Forester. That geeky, rugged looking cross-over vehicle that screams "pick me, pick me"!

I didn't wake up yesterday morning and decide to test drive a Subaru Forester. It was never on any of my automotive "must" lists: must see, must test drive or must buy. My gal pal Annie asked me to accompany her on her quest to find the perfect vehicle for her daughter and son-in-law (both doctors, both outdoorsy). Both are interested in the Forester but don't have time to run around test driving carz (boards are coming up). Annie had a Subaru back in the day, was crazy about it and felt this could be the one.

We arrive at South Coast Subaru in Costa Mesa (http://www.southcoastsubaru.com/index.htm) and were greeted by Jehu Alvarado, our friendly and somewhat knowledgeable salesperson. Jehu's fiance just purchased a Forester. Isn't that a coincidence?! Annie tells him she wants to test drive the most maxed out Forester. Five minutes later he pulls up in a turbo charged version with a funny looking, bulbous hood. Looks like a rhino to me.

After Annie and I gawked at the hood, I sarcastically questioned Jehu, "this car really comes in turbo, why?" He chuckled and said, "Subaru doesn't sell many turbo versions".  Understood. We asked Jehu to swap the rhino for a Limited trim. "Sorry", he says, "we don't have any in stock". I asked him to bring us a Forester, any Forester with the standard engine (gas flat 4 cylinder, 2.5L, 170 hp). He arrives with a medium blue Touring trim. We're ready to roll.

Annie takes a quick test drive and loves how it feels (although the braking sensitivity threw her for a loop). A Chinese fire drill ensues and I'm now at the helm. I'm completely taken aback. Although I'm not a fan of the bland and mediocre interior (with the exception of the extra large sunroof), the Forester makes up for it in other important areas (safety, comfort, cargo space, overall roominess).

Now for the ride. I love the balanced and sporty handling and the softness of the ride. The strong acceleration allowed us to climb a hill with ease and I even beat the car next to me right off the line. It felt very stable when taking tight corners and winding roads. The soft cloth seats enveloped me as if I were ready to curl up with a good book (i guess too much comfort can be a bad thing when driving). Am I really driving a Subaru Forester? Yes, yes I am.

Other specs for the Forester Touring:

Standard AWD (great for ski trips)
Gas Mileage: 21 mpg city/27 mpg hwy  (pretty decent)
17" wheels
Heated seats (cuz you need that in California)
USB connection
Back seat folds down flat (room for surfboards)
Sunglasses storage (love)
Consumer reviews: 4 1/2 stars out of 5
Pricing: around $28,000 (excellent price point)

The Forester I drove yesterday whispered to me, "see, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover".

So Sarah and Noah, what color do you want?

5 WEEK SABBATICAL FOR CHEVY VOLT

I've seen a few Chevy Volts on the road and only once did I take a second look - I didn't know what it was when it first entered the market. It wasn't love at first sight. It doesn't have the sexy lines, cute butt or pretty halogen lights. The interior is bland at best. But overall, it isn't a bad looking vehicle.

What the Volt does have is the ability to help save the environment, room for a family of four and stellar fuel economy. It received rave reviews on handling and its' high-tech power train. According to Consumer Reports, the Chevy Volt tops the list in customer satisfaction. So what the heck happened?

In 2011 only 7,700 units were sold. That's 2,300 units shy of GM's targeted goal for that year. So far for this year only 1,626 units have been sold. That's not nearly enough to keep pace with the targeted goal of 45,000 units for 2012.

Sluggish sales have caused GM to temporarily suspend the production of the Volt for 5 weeks starting March 19th, laying off 1,300 workers. This is the 2nd production halt in 3 months. GM claims the lagging sales is caused by the negative publicity (an isolated post-crash battery fire in a test vehicle). Although no actual Volts purchased by consumers have set fire, the media did some major collateral damage.

Another major concern, albeit an important one, is the pricing (base price $40k): not very attractive to the average consumer. And how about the fact that it only goes 35 miles before it taps into the gasoline engine? Perhaps GM needs to take a look inward and stop pointing fingers.

In the television commercial, Tim Allen insisted the Chevy Volt is the car "America had to build". Obviously it's not the car Americans want to buy.

Chevy Volt Commercial with Tim Allen

CHIX AND CARZ CONCIERGE SERVICES

As you all know by now, for a chick, I know a lot about carz. So let this chick help you...

Here are some of the awesome services I provide:

*Finding the right driving school or race car driving school
*Fleet Service
*Limo Service
*Exotic Car Rental/Purchase
*Assistance in car buying/leasing
*Carz 101 (Basic automotive education and safety)
*Where to go for parts, service, collision/body work
*Car Shows (all types)

Contact me: chixandcarz@gmail.com

SLEEPLESS IN SOCAL

Besides having a "thing" for carz, I have a "thing" for wordz and letterz. The alphabet and I are BFF's. It began when I was a child. The game of choice in our family was Scrabble. Then Boggle. Now it's Words with Friends, Scramble with Friends and Hanging with Friends. I can't get through a Sunday without doing the New York Times crossword puzzle. You get the picture - I'm a word nerd.

This morning I awoke at 4 a.m. with random, anxiety-ridden thoughts dancing through my head. What should I write for my next blog post? Should I grab my iPhone and take my turn on the many open word games I have? Should I finish yesterday's crossword puzzle? Did I charge my Kindle?

I try to erase these thoughts from my head by closing my eyes and wishing Mr. Sandman would re-appear. He did not. What did appear were more thoughts of letters and words. Only this time it wasn't random. It was organized. The letters of the alphabet kept appearing, in order. My immediate response to each letter was a word that began with said letter. For instance A-apple, B-baseball, C-cat and so on.

Then it hit me. Why don't I do that with CARZ? I went back to the letter A, charged up my neurons and started rattling off a few cars that began with the letter A. Boom. Got my idea for the next blog.

The list below contains models and manufacturers that surfaced from my coffeeless brain. I did not and could not include every make and model. Despite that, I give myself kudos for marrying my love for wordz (and the alphabet) with my love for carz.




A
Alfa Romeo
Aston Martin
Austin Healy
Audi
AMC
Acura
Abarth

B
Bugatti
BMW
Bentley
Buick
Boxster
Bonneville

C
Carrera
Camaro
Corvette
Charger
Challenger
Cayenne
Cobra
Corsair
Chrysler
Cadillac
Cord

D
Dodge
Dart
Dino
DeLorean

E
Eos
Escort
Escape
Edge
Enzo
Evoque
Effijy
Edsel
Eclipse


F
Fisker
Ferrari
Fiat
Ford
Firebird

G
Gellardo
Gran Torino
GTO
GTI
GMC
Golf


H
Hyundai
Honda
Hummer
Hornet

I
Imperial
Infinity
Impreza
Isuzu

J
Jeep
Jaguar
Jimmy
Jetta
Jensen
Justy

K
Kia
Karmann Ghia
Ka
Koenigsegg

L
Lamborghini
Lexus
Land Rover
Lancia
Lincoln
Lotus

M
Mini Cooper
Mustang
Maybach
Mercedes
Mitsubishi
Maserati
Morgan
Mazda
McLaren
Mercury

N
Nissan
Nova
NSX

O
Oldsmobile
Opel

P
Pontiac
Pagani
Peugeot
Porsche
Pinto
Prius
Plymouth
Passat

Q
Q7
Q3
Quattro

R
Rolls Royce
Renault
R8
Rambler

S
Shelby
Spyder
Suzuki
Subaru
Sahara
Sunbeam

T
Tesla
Testa Rossa
Thunderbird
Toyota
Triumph
Trans Am
Tiguan
Toureg

U
Uplander
Ulysse
Uno

V
Volkswagen
Volvo
Veyron
Viper
Vega


W
Wrangler
Wagoneer

X
XK
X16
XJ12
XKR
XF

Y
Yugo
Yeni
Yukon

Z
Zagato
ZX

Dude, Where's My Electric Car?

I'm not ready to trade my car in yet. But when it comes time, I may consider an EV (electric vehicle) or a plug-in hybrid (combo electric/gasoline engine). The key word here is MAY.

I have certain expectations of my future "green" vehicle. It has to be pleasing to the eye and have lots of bells and whistles. I know, I'm spoiled. I'm sort of a car snob. I love beautiful cars with sexy lines. I love cars that whisper my name. I love cars that are high-tech and nerdy on the inside but exude class and elegance on the outside. I love cars with pep in their step and ones with excellent sound systems.

If I were in the market for a new EV today I would only consider two - Tesla Model S (all electric) and the Fisker Karma (plug-in hybrid). This decision is based solely on the inner and outer beauty, not the price, the specs or even a test drive. I know, you're thinking "how shallow is this chick?".  I can't help it. There has to be a physical attraction. You get where I'm going with this, right?

                                                                          TESLA MODEL S

                                                                         FISKER KARMA

After researching EV's, reading the test drive evals, comparing specs, viewing their pictures and seeing some in person, I have absolutely no desire to own most of the EV's on the market. I saw the Nissan Leaf the day I went to test drive the Juke. It wasn't calling my name, I wasn't physically attracted to it. Although I was quite curious, I did get a close-up, eye-balled it a few times, peeked at the interior, checked out the sticker price ($37,500), shook my head and moseyed over to the Juke. I've also seen a couple of Chevy Volts ($41,000) on the road. Not a bad looking vehicle, but not one I can see myself driving. I will make a point of heading to the Chevy dealer to get a closer look and perhaps a test drive.

                                                                             NISSAN LEAF

                                                                             CHEVY VOLT

So far I've only seen one Fisker Karma on the road. It was love at first sight. I took a double take. I gawked, mouth open, flies flying in. I want one of these. Oh, but wait, it's only $106,000. A girl can dream, can't she?

My selection is narrowed down to the Tesla Model S. The price is $49,900 (for the 40 kWh battery after the $7,500 federal tax credit; check to see if your state offers a tax credit). Still pretty steep but less then half the price of the Karma. And there's plenty of boring and unattractive vehicles available at this price point.

Here's what $49,900 gets you:

4-door sedan
Seating up to 7 (5 adults + 2 kids)
19" all-season tires
Frameless windows (similar to the Audi A7)
17" touch screen (as Motor Trend calls it, "an iPad on steroids")
160 mile range (twice that of a Nissan Leaf)
368 cubic feet of storage (front and rear trunks)
4 USB ports
8 Airbags
Door handles retract into the body when not in use
0 Tailpipe Emissions
Handles 120v/240v
Costs approx. 2 cents/mile to charge battery
Quiet motor, smooth ride (according to most evals.)

As of November 2011, 6,500 reservations were taken for a $5,000 deposit. Production begins this month. Hmmmm, if I put a deposit down now (fully refundable), I can hopefully get my Model S this fall.

According to Chris Paine (director of Who Killed The Electric Car), "Model S is a remarkably important car. This car shows that it can be done and it will be done."  I say AMEN to that and let's all get over battery anxiety.

MOTOR TREND MAG FEMALE STAFFERS PICK CHICK MAGNET RIDES

Last October, Motor Trend's Karla Sanchez (online editor) polled a few female colleagues from her office to see what vehicles they found "strikingly sexy". She divided those vehicles into two categories:

Real-World Practical and Fantasy

Now guys, I wouldn't trade in your current vehicles just yet. I guarantee your wives or girlfriends won't agree with their picks in the Real-World Practical category. I know I don't.

Here are their picks.


REAL-WORLD PRACTICAL

1) Toyota Tacoma

2) Land Rover Defender 90

3) Stock Classic SUV's:                                     Toyota FJ40

                                                                                Jeep CJ

Ford Bronco

4) Chevy Tahoe

5) Honda Accord Coupe

6) European Cars:                               Laguna Seca Blue BMW E46 M3

Porsche 930

Audi A4 Avant

MK4 VW GTI

7) Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring AWD

8) Ram HD 2500 Laramie

9) Subaru Outback

I'm stunned these women selected the above vehicles as "strikingly sexy". The only vehicles in this category that I find somewhat attractive are the Bimmer and the Porsche. As far as the selection of the trucks go, a few of the women polled are staff members of Truck Trend. Need I say more?

Here are my picks for the REAL-WORLD PRACTICAL category. They're definitely real-world. Practical - that's questionable!

1) Jeep Wrangler

2) Chevy Camaro

3) Cadillac CTS

4) Infinity G37

5) Land Rover Evoque

MOTOR TREND CHIX PICKS IN FANTASY CATEGORY:

1) Audi R8 GT

2) Classic Cars:                                         1956 Chevy Corvette

1953 Porsche

1957 Jaguar Roadster

1952 Mercedes Benz W

3) Lexus LFA

4) Porsche Cayman S

5) Porsche 911 GT3 RS

6) Range Rover HSE

I agree with the Motor Trend chix on all except the Range Rover HSE. I find absolutely nothing sexy about it. I love classic cars and roadsters. Everything about them are sexy.  I've added 5 more to this line-up. They're way too sexy to be left off the list.

1) Nissan GTR

2) Audi S5

3) Lamborghini Murcielago

4) Fisker Karma

5) Tesla Model S

Some may say that the topic of this blog is quite shallow. I agree, to an extent. Guys don't want women to like or love them for the car they drive and I don't blame them. But hey, let's lighten up a bit, shall we? If a woman was driving one of these cars would it be considered a "stud magnet"?