Translogic tackles the weight-sensing ZBoard electric skateboard

There is nothing new about an electric skateboard (you can pick one up today at Sears or Toys 'R' Us), but the founders of ZBoard have come up with an innovative way to make electric mobility safe and easy. The ZBoard uses intuitively placed weight-sensing pads to control acceleration and braking, and Translogic recently had the chance to check one out.

Weighing in at 30 pounds, the ZBoard is powered by a 400-watt motor and a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery giving the board a 10-mile range and top speed of 17 miles per hour. The unique sensors on the Canadian maple deck allow riders to lean forward to accelerate and lean back to slow down, stop and even back up. Early prototypes used electric brakes to bring it to a stop, but after it was discovered that this caused damage to some electrical components, the design was changed to incorporate regenerative braking for better stopping and longer range.

Created by Ben Forman and Geoff Larson as a part of a mechanical engineering project, the two men expected to sell 25 boards in three months, but instead they sold that many in just three days. There are two versions of the ZBoard with the Classic going for $649 and the Pro (the model tested by Translogic) priced at $949.

While we're still holding out for the day when hoverboards become a reality, the ZBoard definitely sounds like a lot of fun. Check out how it works in the video below.
Via: Translogic tackles the weight-sensing ZBoard electric skateboard

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Dodge Dart misses sales targets as inventory mounts

November was a rough month for the Dodge Dart. All told, Chrysler managed to deliver 4,489 units, down from 5,455 in October, but perhaps more telling is the sizable inventory Dodge now has on hand. Chrysler added a third shift to the Belvidere, Illinois plant that produces the new compact in order to satiate projected demand, and as a result, Dodge now has a 112-day supply of Dart models. That equates to 23,446 units waiting for a new home. Automakers typically average a supply of around 73 days. But the news wasn't so grim for the rest of the Chrysler stable.

Ward's Auto reports the Chrysler 200 saw particularly good sales through November, with the four-door seeing a 49.6 percent increase through the first 11 months of 2012 compared to the same time period on 2011. Likewise, the genetic sibling to the 200, the Dodge Avenger, saw sales jump 54.8 percent year over year through the same 11 months.
Via: Dodge Dart misses sales targets as inventory mounts

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Incentives aid smooth Suzuki wind down

American Suzuki is continuing to offer buyers substantial incentives even as the company winds down operations. Those looking to nab a new Suzuki vehicle will find rebates of between $500 and $2,000 and zero-percent financing for up to 72 months as dealers look to liquidate inventory following the automaker's filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month. The strategy is working so far. Last month saw Suzuki sell a total of 2,224 vehicles, up 22 percent compared to the same time period in 2011. The Japanese manufacturer says it will continue the incentives through December.

Suzuki had around 5,000 units in dealer inventory in the US when it went into bankruptcy protection, with an additional 1,500-1,700 vehicles headed to dealers at that time. The company says it will continue to honor warranties moving forward using its current dealer network. Most of the dealerships will become Suzuki service and parts stores after American Suzuki shutters car sales in the US.
Via: Incentives aid smooth Suzuki wind down

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RWD Lincolns are coming, fate depends partly on MKZ success

The product portfolio at Lincoln may seem a bit sparse at the moment, but if a report is to be believed, new products are on the way. TheDetroitBureau.com spoke with sources at Lincoln and Ford, who claimed the American premium brand is working on, perhaps more than one, rear-wheel-drive vehicle.

Lincoln would likely platform-share with the next-generation Ford Mustang to develop those RWD offerings in the early going. Moving forward, the report indicates that Lincoln could take the lead on other rear-drive projects in the future. As the RWD architecture continues to take shape, "most or all" of the front-wheel-drive portfolio will also be offered with all-wheel drive as an option, ala Audi.

But wait, there's more! The report also suggests that a replacement for the full-size MKS is on the way, as well as a new Navigator and a luxury crossover based on the current Ford Escape.

These plans sound bold and optimistic, but they all hinge on the performance of the MKZ. Ford CEO Alan Mulally has not been shy about the possibility of abandoning Lincoln if things don't turn around soon. Currently the only all-new product in the brand's stable is the MKS, and it will need to be an immediate sales success for any talk of any future product to come to fruition.
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Toyota gunning for 200k RAV4 sales per year

Toyota just unveiled the 2013 RAV4 at the 2012 LA Auto Show, and according to a report in Ward's Auto, the automaker already has high hopes for strong sales of its new model. Bill Fay, Toyota's vice president of marketing, is expecting sales of 200,000 units in 2013 a jump over the projected 170,000 RAV4 models expected to be delivered in 2012.

Since 2008, the RAV4 has never sold anything close to 200,000 units; the model's best year in recent times was 2010 when 170,877 models were moved. But with this all-new 2013 model, Toyota is hoping to capture a larger chunk of younger buyers folks who might normally look at the Ford Escape and Mazda CX-5.

"It has an awful lot of capability for the younger buyer, so we're hoping to get a little more share of that," Fay told Ward's Auto.

In addition to completely new styling and better refinement, the RAV4 loses its V6 option for 2013. The only engine offered will be Toyota's 2.5-liter inline-four, good for 176 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque, and able to achieve highway fuel economy as high as 31 miles per gallon when paired with front-wheel drive.

The 2013 RAV4 hits dealerships in January. Pricing will be announced closer to the vehicle's on-sale date.
Via: Toyota gunning for 200k RAV4 sales per year

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Can Fiat's sexy new ads score during the Super Bowl? [w/poll]

Chrysler marketing chief Olivier Francois has unveiled five new Fiat ads he says could be used in the 2013 Super Bowl. All five were previewed at the Los Angeles Auto Show last week and show five different "everyday" situations where the 500 acts as a catalyst to boost adrenaline levels.

The first shows an attractive female driver suiting up for a spin around a track in the new electric-powered 500e. The drive goes well until the second turn when, obviously, something goes wrong. The 500e is all over the road and eventually careens off course in a cloud of dust. The support crew races to the car where the picturesque brunette is French-kissing a shirtless man behind the wheel. The spot ends with the tagline "Environmentally Sexy" above a rocking 500e.

The second ad has two tuxedoed men in the front seat of a 500L trying to catch a glimpse of two young ladies changing into bridesmaid dresses in the back seat. It's mildly entertaining but gets better at the end when the surprise punchline carries home the message "More room. More possibilities."

The third and fourth ads are also for the 500L and make clever twists on the "Very family friendly" tagline. Dear old Dad gets some sisterly jollies in one and in the other Junior gets a hearty welcome into his girlfriend's family.

But Fiat saved the best for last. Remember that hot ad for the Fiat 500 Abarth that debuted in the 2012 Super Bowl? Called "Seduction," it starred supermodel Catrinel Menghia. Ms. Menghia returns with a scorpion co-star slowly inching its way up her bikini-covered back. As the new 500 Abarth Cabrio streaks by, the stinger-equipped arachnid makes a strategic clip with a claw and we get the tag, "Small, wicked... and now topless."

Check out the videos below and give us your opinion in our poll.

Via: Can Fiat's sexy new ads score during the Super Bowl? [w/poll]

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November 2012: Storm Surge Edition

Pent-Up Demand Lifts Many Automakers

Practically nothing good came of Superstorm Sandy, which made landfall in late October. Along with destroying infrastructure and throwing into turmoil the lives of countless people who never thought their home would go toe-to-toe with a hurricane, Sandy also suppressed auto sales that month. But what Sandy taketh away, pent-up demand for the freedom of personal transport giveth back, as evidenced by the strong month of automobile sales in the US during the month of November.

While low-volume brands like Fiat, Porsche and Smart lead our list, they're followed closely by a number or brands with a bit bigger audience that performed remarkably well. Subaru reported sales up nearly 60 percent to 28,206 units, while BMW saw a 45-percent to 21,213 units. No brand, however, can match the jump in raw number of vehicles sold that Honda reported, the Japanese automaker seeing sales rise 41 percent 104,224 units, a lift of 30,208 units compared to November 2011. Dodge (+32 percent) and Volkswagen (+29 percent) also reported healthy gains, while Toyota added 20,474 sales for an increase of 17 percent.

As for the domestics, Chrysler Group reported a respectable 14 percent rise in sales thanks to the performance of Dodge, which more than offset a 3-percent decline at Jeep. Ford Motor Company posted a 6.5-percent increase, while General Motors reported a 3.4-percent increase thanks to strong numbers from Buick (+22 percent) and Cadillac (+30 percent).

Lastly, we noticed one stand-out performer in this month's sales numbers, and that's the 2012 Honda Civic. Sales of the Civic were up 75.5 percent to 30,075 units, a number that beat the very-difficult-to-dethrone best-selling Camry's 28,765 units. We point this out because reception of the redesigned 2012 Civic was initially less-than-stellar, which led Honda to hastily revise the 2013 model with mechanical and styling tweaks that recent sales suggest, perhaps, weren't necessary, at least this soon.



*Brands and companies are displayed in descending order according to their percentage change in volume sales. There were 25 selling days in November 2012 and 25 selling days in November 2011, so there is no difference between the change in monthly sales volume and the change in average daily sales rate (DSR) for each brand/company. Also, brands are combined and reported as companies only if their sales figures are released jointly.
Via: November 2012: Storm Surge Edition

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