July 2nd, 2009 - Believe it or not, one of the most challenging part of my job is making sure that I get into the cars and trucks that our readers want to hear about. It isn't just getting into the right product but making sure that I am here to actually DRIVE them. So when my assistant Donny informed me that I had a 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible over this holiday weekend AND I was scheduled to be here to drive it, I was overjoyed.

We've already posted a review of the MINI Cooper S Convertible by our Atlanta contributor Colin Mathews. The Cooper S is a blast to drive but it is the more expensive version and likely to be considered by fewer people. The majority of buyers will most likely opt for the base version with an automatic so this will be a great test.

I'll be using Twitter to update my impressions throughout the weekend. If you want to follow me on Twitter, click HERE

If you are a regular reader of this site, you've noticed a new contributor has made his presence known. Donny Nordlicht, recently featured in our HEADLIGHTS section, has been helping keep my life in order and as a result, the site on track. He's also been writing reviews for the us and brings a more youthful point of view to our content.

It doesn't happen very often but Donny and I both spent time in a 2009 Chevy Traverse and decided to share our opinions of it in a very "new media" way - via a chat conversation.

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The 370Z is a decided type-A extrovert. Like that jock friend of yours who always wants to put you in a head lock and give you a noogie when he sees you. Annoying because you have to go and fix the hair. But nice because you really don’t mind being pressed into that finely muscled chest. In fact, you don’t mind at all.

In the transition from 350 to 370Z, this car was forced to attended charm school and, thankfully, some rough edges were finally smoothed. The 3.7-liter VQ V-6 won’t win awards for being unobtrusive and hushed, but now the sound is more sport than thrash and (at least with 7-speed automatic in our test vehicle) far less of the engine’s mechanical liveliness makes it to the cabin and your fingers, toes, and backside. We’ll reserve final judgment until we drive the six-speed manual, but the annoying buzz, rattle, and hum that quickly grew tiring seems to have been banished.

More power and torque - throughout the operating range, courtesy of new VVEL valve trickery – go smack to the pavement, ripping you to 60 mph in the five-second range. Hold on, because this vehicle delights in sprinting down the road and soaring to its 7,500 rpm redline time and time again. The exhaust sound out the back – just like nearly every Nissan VQ-powered vehicle – announces the power under the hood, snarling sporting intent and ability in a blissful tenor bark. Far from subtle. But subtlety is not what the Z is about.

“Come on, come on, you can pass that entire caravan of Kias. NOW!” says the Z, always your ally for aggressive driving. Likely, you’ll oblige: throttle foot down, near-instant three cog downshift, mad rush from 65 to 90 mph. Touchdown! Scan mirror quickly for cops and jab dizzyingly powerful brakes. Blissfully irresponsible yet highly controlled. The seductive, accessible power and torque beg you to explore their limits every time.

A good old torque converter 7-speed automatic responds instantly to either the paddle shifters or tiptronic-style gearshift lever when the transmission is placed into manual mode, just a nudge to the left of the PRNDL line. Upshifts are firm and instantaneous with no torque converter slop or laziness. Even on dry roads, the 1st to 2nd shift produces a healthy snort of wheelspin, enough to induce the defeatable traction control. Downshifts are jerk-free, handled beautifully with automatic throttle blips, and upshifts also crack off with precision and authority. My initial dismay at driving an automatic Z faded when I drove this car with the aggression it encourages.

Alas, when the pace slows, this enthusiastic athlete chomps at the bit and doesn’t always make smooth moves. Two items seem at fault: the short-travel, oddly-calibrated electronic throttle and a 7-speed automatic that’s not so adept at unobtrusive operation during mild driving in full automatic mode. Manufacturers either seem to get electronic throttles - which are fast becoming the norm - right or not. The Z’s feels a little bit digital and at times disconnected from what’s going on in the engine room; very much out of keeping with a seat-of-the-pants sportscar. Why do ECUs think they know better than my right foot?

In combination with the sometimes awkward throttle, the 7-speed auto in full auto mode can be at times sloppy and hesitant. It usually slides lazily into gear rather than quickly and precisely like a Z car should. A mild press on the throttle results in a moment of confusion followed by a drop of multiple gears (why not just one?) and summarily more acceleration than you’d hoped for. Jerky and dramatic, ugh. Perhaps I needed to adjust my foot better to the short travel throttle, pressing it even less? Whatever the case, I just couldn’t seem to do moderate highway passing and acceleration without drama. So I defaulted often to the manual mode or used a click of the downshift paddle before adding more throttle (the transmission affords momentary gear selection in D before defaulting to automatic mode). Hey Nissan: can we get a reprogramming of the full auto mode? This transmission is so good otherwise.

Ride quality is remarkable given the Z’s tremendous handling capabilities. The suspension is surprisingly compliant over a variety of surfaces and incredible given the huge 19” wheels and low-profile tires included in our 370Z Touring’s Sport Package (a $3,000 option). Entertaining road manners, dizzying grip, and good ride comfort are yours in this setup; it’s clear Nissan engineers did their homework on the suspension, which now features an aluminum 2-link double-wishbone setup in the front. On a down note, there is a troubling amount of coarse and gritty road feel transmitted through the steering column on less than ideal surfaces. Baffling, given the suspension’s compliance.

The cockpit is vastly improved over the outgoing Z, which the motoring press generally labeled as cheap and plasticky. The black and ivory leather contrast on the interior was both sporty and elegant as was the faux-leather clad clamshell door that tops the center stack and reveals a cubby waiting to store your iPod, cell phone, or sunglasses. But why is said cubby lined with cheap synthetic mouse fur? And why is the expanse of semi-soft touch black dash the same dreary stuff that Nissan uses in the mediocre Maxima I drove recently?

Other items that irk are the odd fuel/temp gauge in the leftmost part of the cluster (hard-to-decipher orange LEDs that are hard to read in sunlight), and Nissan’s insistence on toggle switches for seat rake and fore-aft position stuffed into an awkward crevice between the drive tunnel and the driver’s and passenger’s inboard legs (same as in the Infiniti G, and just as awkward and fussy to operate). Last but not least, the rearward visibility in this car is perhaps the worst I’ve experienced. Forget C-pillar; it’s more like a C-boomerang that’s broken only by a small slit of a rear window. Best circle the car once before backing up lest you flatten an animal or small child. And our $39,000 tester had no backup camera or audible park distance warning feature.

Still, every time you take in that sinuous and aggressive - yet elegant and cohesive - exterior, any ergonomic sins are forgiven. The stunning Rays 19” wheels made our Z look sinister and ready for action even at rest, like a pit bull pausing on fat paws. I found the uninterrupted sweep of the sloping rear positively Porsche 911-like; at the opposite end, the low-mounted grille and unusually shaped headlights lend the Z perhaps an oddly aquatic look. But overall it’s clean, compelling, and clutter-free. It commands attention and exudes testosterone in a cool, confident way. The jock in a tux.

Starting at $29,930, this sharpened, screaming Z fills the middle ground between, say, the rough-and-tumble American players (Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro), and the sybaritic Porsche 911 (which starts at $76,300). Porschephiles will likely scoff at the comparison, but given its acceleration, balance, handling, and ride comfort, I think the 370Z is a very worthy, half-priced competitor. But for even less money ($23,040), the equally arresting 2010 Camaro is a phenomenal package in every respect; it offers arguably better road comfort than the Z (no steering wheel vibrations), more interior room, a far more cooperative six speed auto, and a stout V-6 that’s only about a second off the 0-60 times of this Z (and is far smoother in the process).

Perhaps Nissan’s 2009 370Z isn’t the most refined, nor the most practical, nor the greatest value amongst iconic high-performance coupes. But for those drivers who just can’t get enough type A in their diets, this Nissan will likely fit like hand in driving glove.

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Photos Courtesy of Nissan North America

The Taurus brand means a lot of things to a lot of people, at least in the world of family sedans. Some have enough gray hair to remember the original Taurus, a revolutionary design that catapulted Ford, and the American family sedan, to new heights. The second generation was basically a watered down version of the original that saw its European good looks slowly morph into Middle American spread. By end of the third generation, the Taurus had become little more than basic transportation, associated more often with an airport rental than a sleek, ground breaking design of the future. At some point the Taurus name even lost its way, tossed aside in favor of the Five Hundred and then just as quickly was revived, but to no avail. Now Ford brings us the 2010 Taurus, a car unlike any Taurus before it, a car with substance and style, size and power. A Taurus that shares the same strong attribute that made the original a runaway success: the car’s an original.

I met the Ford Taurus on a rainy day in Asheville, North Carolina. A row of shiny red, black and silver Tauri lined the hotel drive, rain bouncing of their sheetmetal skins like a million tiny translucent super balls. This is a big car, bigger than the standard Accord or Camry. Its primary competitors are now the Chrysler 300 and Toyota Avalon, although Ford points to the Audi A6 and Lexus GS as rivals to the high-end Limited trim. That may seem far fetched, until you look at the incredibly long list of standard and available equipment. Appearance wise, the Taurus looks like nothing on the road. A tall belt line creates armored car-like side doors, offsetting the narrow side windows and tall roof line. It does a bit of visual hocus pocus that makes a rather tall car appear low to the ground. The front end is punctuated by a billet-style grille (shades of the Ford F-Series), and the massive wheels are some of the most original and aggressive stock wheels I’ve seen on a production car in a long, long time. The performance-oriented SHO has returned as well, touting a twin-turbocharged 365-horsepower V6, 19-inch wheels, sport seats and sport-tuned suspension. As I only was able to spend a short time in the SHO and as it was pouring rain, I was unable to getting a feel for what the car can really do. Look for a separate SHO review in the near future.

Unlike many cars I’ve tested, it took only a few hours behind the wheel to get what the Taurus is all about. It’s a sedan for people who are leaving their SUVs, but don’t want to give up much in the way of size, safety or style. Driving on the twisting, narrow roads around Asheville only served to accentuate the Taurus’ wide stance leaving me with the feeling this car is more akin to a big Lincoln than mid-size Ford. The steering is heavily weighted, a welcome attribute at highway speeds but one that requires a bit more muscle then the overly-assisted systems commonly found on family sedans. Uncommon to past Taurus alumni is a modern V6 engine that pumps out a healthy 263 horsepower. This engine is able to move the Taurus with ease, which is impressive considering the car’s considerable heft, especially the all-wheel drive versions. Power is routed through a new six-speed automatic complete with steering wheel paddle shifters. Overall, I have to say that the engine and drivetrain are a first rate pairing, delivering power promptly when requested with no sign of gear hunting or sluggish shifts. Fuel economy figures are expected to be 18 mpg city and 28 mpg highway.

The Taurus’s cabin is as much a surprise as its exterior especially the impressive headroom, which for a tall guy like me is always a concern. The Taurus offers ample space in all directions, and that goes for rear seat passengers as well. The front seats are wide enough to accommodate most folk comfortable, yet still offer a respectable supply of side and lumbar support. At the time of testing, the anti-whiplash front head rest were angled too far forward for my liking, but Ford promises the production cars will see the aggressive angle dialed back to a comfortable setting. The overall feeling inside the Taurus’ cabin is one of inviting textures, top quality materials and an attention to detail usually associated with high-end luxury brands. Because I’m basically an old queen in an angry queen’s body, I tend to fixate on the little things. I was pleased with the elegant sew pattern on the molded door panels, the complex angle of the flowing center console and the thorough use of ambient lighting in the foot wells, door pulls and overhead console. I was none too pleased with the cheap black plastic door lock spindles (complete with left over plastic flash) and the antiquated steering wheel button controls (they are stacked one atop the other, all the same size and are difficult to reach.) I’m bitching, I know, but I have to gripe about something. One last note on the interior, a special green thumbs-up to Ford’s design team for making this car as eco-friendly as possible. The faux suede SHO seat inserts, for example, are made from recycled pop bottles.

And then there’s the option’s list, which is really quite remarkable. No one will mistake a fully loaded 2010 Taurus Limited for the 2005 model of the same name, and here’s why:

• Adaptive Cruise Control – Uses radar to maintain a safe distance between you and the traffic ahead.

• BLIS - Blind Spot Information System alerts the driver to cars traveling in the vehicle’s “bind zone” via a flashing icon located inside the driver or passenger side mirror.

• Active Motion front seats- Great for long trips, these massaging seats feature air bladders that continually inflate and deflate. The idea is to constantly change the seat contours, thus helping to relieve fatigue.

• MyKey – Parents are going to love this, kids will be sending angry hate mail to Alan Mulally right up until they themselves have kids, at which point they’ll be thanking him. The system allows the owner to set limits on radio volume and top speed as well as activate alert chimes for preset speeds at 45, 55 and 65 mph.

• Ford Navigation and SYNC audio- While gathered for dinner one night, a group of my colleagues and I agreed that Ford’s navigation system is hands-down the best factory installed system of any manufacture. From its intuitive screens, simple icon imagery and abundance of useful information, it’s the template for all others to copy. Team it with Microsoft’s SYNC system and you have the ability to access you’re phone’s e-mail, text messaging, song library and call list, all by using voice commands. Even if you don’t elect the Navigation option, you can still receive turn-by-turn direction via the SYNC system, as well as traffic and weather updates.

• Keyless Entry Pad- Still a Ford exclusive, the touch pad key lock (cleverly hidden behind the black door pillar) allows access to the vehicle without the need for a key or key fob.

Because the Taurus offers so many features uncommon to this class, it renders competitors such as the Chrysler 300 and Toyota Avalon silent, and with a price range starting around $26,000 for the SE and topping out just over $40,000 for a loaded SHO, even many luxury brands can’t match what the Taurus is offering.

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Get gay-friendly financing ]]> http://www.gaywheels.com/2010_ford_taurus.htm http://www.gaywheels.com/2010_ford_taurus.htm Reviews Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:05:05 -0500 It's Electric! by Donny Nordlicht

I was surprised most by the Tesla Roadster by the noises I heard when I would step on the accelerator. Generally, when I started the car there was this...giggling noise. Highway cruising brought about a whee, and acceleration created a whoosh noise. Very strange noises for a hundred thousand dollar roadster to be making, indeed...hold on, that wasn't the Tesla, that was me!

Although I only had a few hours behind the wheel of Tesla's sprightly drop-top, I quickly became a fan. Gone were the impressions of electric cars as over-grown golf carts. The Tesla changed that impression with its instant, seamless and quiet acceleration. All it takes is a tap of the go-pedal and away you go!

And boy does that little red roadster fly. Its one-speed transmission sends all of the power at the thought of a green light from the lithium-ion battery packs to the rear wheels, to make this a quick little bugger. Tesla claims a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds.

And just like the Lotus Elise on which the Roadster is based, the power is mounted in the middle of the car, blessing it with perfect balance, handling, and composure, even over some of lower Manhattan's roughest roads. However, the slight stretch the Tesla gets to accommodate the battery packs ends up giving the edge of the Lotus in comfort. The leather and carbon fiber seats don't hurt either.

If this is the future of cars, bring it on. The Roadster comes with its own at home charging station, but it can be plugged into your regular household 110 volt outlet as well. With the charging station, a full charge will only take you about three to four hours, and get you between 150 to 250 miles, depending on your driving style. The basic bumper to bumper warranty including the battery is 3 years/36,000 miles; and buyers can opt to double the time and miles.

This drive was interesting for me because I've been currently driving a Cadillac CTS-V; another fine piece of all-American ingenuity. They are both sportsters and both have decidedly American takes on what the class standard is. Where the Cadillac has a balls-out 556 horsepower supercharged V8, the Tesla goes about its sporting duties less as a blunt object and more as a precise sword. A precise instrument made for fast, environmentally friendly fun. Right now, there are two Tesla dealerships in California with dealers slated to open in Chicago, New York, Seattle, DC, Miami, London, Monaco, and Munich by year's end.

The Tesla Roadster has a base MSRP of $101,500.

http://www.teslamotors.com/

Thursday, June 25, 2009 - I'll be driving the new 2010 Lincoln MKZ sedan as well as the all-new 2010 Lincoln MKT Crossover today and will be using Twitter to update the site with my driving impressions. The action should start around 9 AM EST. You can check in here during the day to read all the tweets below or you can follow me on Twitter HERE and read as I post.

The 2010 Lincoln MKT Crossover features the new "EcoBoost" turbocharging technology that Ford is launching this year in key products like the Flex, Taurus SHO and the Lincoln MKS and MKT. Ford claims that EcoBoost gives the Fuel Economy of a V6 with the performance of a V8. I'm looking forward to experiencing it first hand.

Photos Courtesy of Ford Motor Company

Thanks!

Name: Anne Fleming
Place of Birth: Pittsburgh, PA

Year, Make and Model of Your first car/truck: 1985 Nissan Sentra

Occupation: Business Owner
Employer: Women-Drivers.com LLC

What did you think you wanted to be when you grew up? I wanted to work on the Indian reservations in North Dakota. I grew up in Venezuela and during the summer months each year our family would split time between Pittsburgh and the foothills of North Dakota.

How long have you worked in the auto industry? 12 months

What do you drive now? 2002 BMW 325xi

Are you out at work? Yes

Was being gay ever an issue at any of your jobs? Not in 20+ years; not once

If you had one piece of advice to give to a gay person wanting to work in the auto industry, what would it be? Be yourself. Choose yourself. Remember that people, including yourself are truly great; be generous and trusting. Don’t take yourself so seriously. Every one else is up against it, too.

Ok, here is the fun part; if you had $25,000 and had to buy a new car, what would it be and why? The best valued, newest year BMW 4 door sedan I could locate.

I just spent a week at the helm of the 2009 VW Touareg V6 TDI. Our contributing editor Colin Mathews wrote a full review last month but there is nothing like putting in some serious seat time and lots of miles to really get to know a vehicle.

The week involved a trip from my home in Northern NJ to Atlanta, GA via Greensboro, NC. The stop in NC was to pick up three nephews that helped work on my home in Hotlanta for a few days. When the Touareg was scheduled, I had no idea that I'd be putting so many miles on it. Lucky for me, it coincided with a free week in my schedule and I couldn't have been happier with its combination of luxurious comfort, room and excellent highway fuel economy. And according to three 16 year-old boys', the Touareg kicks as*. Their words, not mine.

Our trip was a quick one. I left NJ on Sunday and returned on the following Thursday. Needless to say there was a lot of seat time and our Touareg was equipped with driver and passenger 12-way power adjustable seats that allowed both front occupants to find the perfect position to spend the hours. The rear seats got no complaints and all three nephews, ranging from 5'8" to 6'2" found them to be enormously comfortable. At least that is how I interpreted their ability to fall asleep within minutes of getting underway.

The biggest "ahh hah" was the consistent 26 MPG that the Touareg TDI delivered on the highway. That beats the EPAs estimated mileage of 25 MPG and it was with a full vehicle going speeds just a "bit" higher that the legal limit. At one point we were in slow moving traffic for a long stretch and the trip computer indicated 27 MPG. Very impressive considering the Touareg is AWD and can tow up to 7,700 lbs. Combine the highway MPG with a 26-gallon fuel tank and you have a cruising range that would make some ICBMs jealous.

Critics of clean diesel technology have pointed to the new clean diesel fuel's inexplicable price premium over regular gasoline. For the first time in at least 4 years, I paid less for clean diesel on this trip. And if my observations over the journey from the Northeast to the deep South and back, clean diesel fuel seems to have a price parity with regular unleaded here on the East coast. If that is the case, there is one less argument against clean diesel fuel and the vehicles that use it.

Our test car was equipped with VWs upgraded Navigation system and it simply leapfrogs the system it replaces. I especially appreciated the ability to enter destinations as the vehicle is underway. They must have known that I get seriously cranky when I can't find a Starbucks nearby.

The stereo system won rave reviews by the nephews. There was enough base to make my leg hair move and it wasn't even the top-of-the-line Dynaudio system available with Technology Plus package.

The Touareg TDI was also a blast to drive. The 407 pound-feet of torque made acceleration "launch like" and the steering and handling are seemingly out of a smaller and lighter vehicle. VW says their Tiguan is the "GTI of SUVs" but my vote goes for the Touareg V6 TDI.

All this excellence comes at a price. The cost of entry to a Touareg TDI is $42,800 but don't expect to find many of those on dealer lots. Adding goodies cranks the price up quickly and it is possible to get one close to $60,000. Our test vehicle came in at $50,490 according to VW's online configurator.

There are some serious luxury competitors in that price range but few can offer the combination of luxurious accommodations, excellent fuel economy, goat like off-road prowess and the fun-to-drive factor.

If you have a true car buff in your life, you are probably familiar with the obsession of keeping their ride clean. For me, it used to be a weekly ritual to wash my car and I am still to this day convinced that cars drive better when they are free of dirt and road scum. So when Turtle Wax offered to send me some samples of their new ICE line of products, I agreed to try them out. The plan was to bring back the shine on my sister's 1973 VW Bug. Alas, in my life plans are fluid and as my schedule quickly filled up, I decided to give the products to the perfect test market; the car-obsessed twenty-something sons of our neighbors.

These two young guys both drive VWs - a Jetta GLI and a R32 and I'd say they wash their cars at least three times a week. A perfect test for the new ICE products from Turtle Wax.

The kit contained some samples of the ICE Car Wash, a complete ICE Clay Kit, ICE interior cleaner and ICE wheel and tire cleaner. The guys were so impressed with the ICE Car Wash that they went out and purchased a full bottle. They said that it was easy to use (not that car wash is HARD to use) and that it even allows you to wash the car in full sunlight. They were most impressed with how it dried quickly and left no residue. For those of you that have washed their cars on a hot summer day, you know how important this feature is.

The guys also spoke highly of the ICE Interior Cleaner saying that it washed away the dirt and dust without leaving any shiny, sticky film. The ICE Clay Kit is a more involved process that removes layers of residue and prepares the vehicle's surface for a layer of wax. Boys being boys, they only tried it on the horizontal surfaces of the Jetta but reported amazing results after spending the time to clay the surface and then apply a layer of Turtle Wax.

The guys' reaction to the products is high praise indeed. With Father's Day coming up in a few days, a complete set of ICE products is an expensive and useful gift for your Dad or Daddy ;-)

Check out Turtle Wax's Guide below:

A Guide to Washing and Waxing Dad’s Car Without Breaking the Bank

Whether your dad is a car buff or doesn’t know how to change the oil, everyone enjoys a clean car. For Father’s Day this year, consider giving back to dad with a collection of automotive care products designed to really spruce up a vehicle, or even offer to wash and wax the car for him. Turtle Wax® offers several products that will help clean, shine, detail and protect a vehicle from top to bottom, ensuring a great gift and a great shine.

You can get everything you need for the perfect car detail at a great value. Start with a simple wash to remove dirt, dust and road grime, and then move to a wax to seal in the shine. Cleaning and polishing the wheels and tires will finish off the exterior of the vehicle, while a good detail of the interior will complete the package. Turtle Wax suggests the following easy steps using high-quality car care products to help give dad a flawless-looking vehicle.

· Wash: The first step is to clean the vehicle of all surface contaminants. For best results, use a product that will deep clean the vehicle’s exterior and remove any stubborn dirt and stains. Turtle Wax ICE® Car Wash is a clean-rinsing formula that is safe for all finishes.

· Wax: Waxing helps restore color and shine left behind from bad weather and road debris and leaves behind a protective barrier to help prevent scratches, swirl marks and other surface contaminants from damaging the finish. Turtle Wax ICE Liquid Polish goes on easy and creates exceptional shine. Unlike conventional waxes, ICE Liquid Polish can be applied in direct sunlight or on a hot surface without streaking or wax build-up.

· Wheels and Tires: In addition to washing and waxing the vehicle’s finish, cleaning and protecting wheels will help keep cars looking like new. Turtle Wax ICE Wheel & Tire Cleaner easily cuts through brake dust and road debris on all wheel and tire surfaces. The detachable unique ICE Edge™ Brush helps effortlessly clean intricate wheel areas.

· Interior: To prevent stains and permanent discoloration, it is important to clean interior surfaces, including carpeting, upholstery and inside door panels. Turtle Wax’s ICE Total Interior Care can be used on all interior surfaces and leaves behind a barrier and non-greasy shine.

For a more extensive vehicle detail, Turtle Wax has a full line of high-performance car care products in addition to those mentioned above. Turtle Wax ICE Clay Kit provides the most thorough surface cleaning available by removing particles and impurities from the vehicle’s finish to preserve its appearance for years. Try Turtle Wax Chrome & Metal Polish to add a brilliant shine to chrome, aluminum and other soft metals. If old lenses are cloudy and oxidized, Turtle Wax Headlight Lens Restorer Kit enhances safety and appearance by clearing up old and yellowed headlights to like-new condition. For fathers with black cars, Turtle Wax Black Box will improve reflectivity and clarity to the black finish and provide a deep, wet shine.

For more information about available car care products for interior and exterior surfaces, visit www.turtlewax.com. This Web site offers a product selection tool to help users choose the right products for their vehicle and car care needs.

Friday, June 12, 2009 - GM has just begun restructuring their business to better compete in the current global economic climate. While all the lawyers, accountants and congressmen push paper and argue over the particulars what will ultimately redefine GM is product. Luckily for them (and the consumer!) they have a long line of promising new cars and trucks coming down the pipeline.

The first to launch post "realignment" is the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox - a very important vehicle for GM in a hot segment that has been dominated by the Japanese. I am in Michigan today to drive the Equinox and will be using Twitter to share my observations and ultimately feed the posting.

I'm trying something new today. As before, the box below will feed all my tweets during the day but it now also gives you the opportunity to ask questions and post to the discussion. I'll do my best to answer them, if not immediately, definitely at the end of the day. If you aren't following me on Twitter and would like to do so, please click HERE.

If you were following me on Twitter yesterday, you saw that I was busy updating my followers on my observations of the 2010 Kia Forte as we drove in and around Seattle, WA. (If you aren't following me on Twitter yet, click HERE) Normally, I have a RSS reader embedded in the site that provides our readers instant updates as I Tweet away but I encountered numerous technical difficulties and had to resort to getting screen grabs of my "conversation" and posting them here.

The Tweets appear in reverse chronological order to read from the bottom up to get an idea of our day with the new Kia Forte. Photos courtesy of Kia are posted at the bottom of the post after all the Tweets. Enjoy.