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Kia Making A Bold (And Questionable) Move With The New GT

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There’s little doubt that Kia’s Peter Schreyer is a creative man. I mean, as chief design officer, he turned a brand that was about as bland as they come into one that is regularly winning vehicle design awards – and he did it just a few years. But as much success as he’s had with the Kia brand, the recent news of the Kia GT concept becoming a reality seems like a case of the Kia brass putting a little too much faith in their lead designer.

kia gt back

Sure the GT concept looks good. But, Audi?

If you aren’t familiar with the Kia GT, it doesn’t look anything like what you naturally picture when Kia comes to mind. The GT is a sports car, with sleek lines, a luxurious interior and a strong powertrain that includes a 3.3-liter turbocharged V-6.

While it already seems like a stretch for Kia to make a vehicle like this work, the skepticism reaches new heights when you hear the brands that Kia is targeting as competition. Kia wants the GT to take on the Porsche Panamera and the Audi A7. Yes, the brand that used to make cars that were considered the cheap version of a Hyundai is now going to try taking on Porsche and Audi. Yikes.

To better understand Kia’s confidence, we only have to look at Schreyer himself. Where was he prior to getting the job at Kia? Yep – Audi. One of Schreyer’s claims to fame was his design contributions on the popular Audi TT. In 2006, Car Design News stroked Schreyer’s ego by referring to the Audi TT design as one of the “most influential automotive designs in recent times.”

So now as lead designer at Kia, Schreyer is going for it, taking on his old company (and Porsche) head-to-head. You can see where the strategy is coming from – kind of – as what Schreyer brought to the table with the tiger nose design of Kia vehicles has certainly worked. But it’s worked in Kia’s wheelhouse, which is affordable vehicles.

old kia rio

It wasn’t that long ago that Kias looked like this.

To foreshadow the troubles that the GT might have, we only need to look as far as the Kia K900 that was released earlier this year. The K900 was marketed as a luxury Kia with a $60,000 price tag. But not surprisingly, almost no one is buying it. Kia has sold only 1,050 of the K900s, despite the Morpheus Super Bowl ad. The car that almost was named after a dog is selling like one.

You see, sometimes a brand just is what it is. No one wants to pay top dollar for a Kia, even if the vehicle itself may be deserving. There are too many established brands in these segments for one with a checkered past to enter, promise new results, and sell.

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The ground that Schreyer has helped Kia gain in the market truly is commendable. But Kia needs to appreciate how far it has come, and stick with what it knows. Expect the GT to have much the same success as the K900 – which is almost none.

 

Wes grew up around cars at the family business. He makes no attempt to hide his love of early 90s GM products, and still repents selling his sweet '94 Pontiac Sunbird a few years back. He is currently a managing partner at phantomcopy.com.

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Ford Continues to Please Minivan-Skeptic Soccer Moms

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Ford Aerostar Minivan Exterior Does Ford Still Make

If the words Aerostar, Windstar and Freestar mean anything to you, you know that Ford is responsible for some of the best minivans ever made. Beginning with the first model Aerostar in 1986, Ford’s snub-nosed minivan set the standard of what would be created by automotive manufacturers in this class for decades.

The Aerostar was also the first minivan in the United States to feature upgraded, luxury packages. With an XLT package, and Eddie Bauer trim levels, the Ford Aerostar allowed drivers to bring passengers, cargo and more in style. For the first time, drivers could take advantage of the versatile and reliable minivan platform, without sacrificing comfort and convenience.

Does Ford Still Make a Minivan?

The Aerostar continued in the mid-90s as the Ford Windstar. The Windstar was a complete reinvention, shifting the drivetrain from RWD to FWD, and bringing the flagship minivan more in line with current minivan design. The Windstar became the Freestar in the early 2000s, lasting until the 2007 model year, with the final Ford “Star line” minivan rolling off the assembly line in December of 2006.

While we don’t know for sure what was behind Ford’s decision to discontinue their family-marketed minivan, we can take a guess. For starters, Ford has extended their reputation for reliable cars and trucks into the crossover market. With options covering a wide range of size and seating configurations (everything from the subcompact Ford Ecosport to the boxy family hauler Ford Flex), crossovers have become the new favorite for family vehicles.

Ford’s versatile crossover line has a vehicle that can meet almost any need. Do you have a small family? Go with the popular 2018 Ford Escape. Big family with lots of stuff to haul? The 2018 Ford Expedition has your back.

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Although crossovers and SUVs provide some distinct advantages (presence of AWD, higher ground clearance, and uni-body construction), the market for minivans hasn’t completely died, and neither has Ford’s commitment to providing drivers with a competent and compelling option.

Good News: Ford Still Makes a Passenger Minivan

ford transit connect passenger van in solar color_oAlthough Ford’s marketing has shifted toward promoting their incredible range of crossovers and SUVs as family choices, they still offer a more traditional minivan in the Ford Transit Connect Passenger Wagon. Utilizing the same body construction as the Ford Transit cargo van, the Transit Connect Passenger Wagon features up to 7 seats, and plenty of standard safety and comfort technology.

Lower ride height (easier in and out), sliding doors and greater visibility are among the reasons people still prefer vans for transporting their families. Additionally, the more contoured shape of most crossovers (not looking at you, Ford Flex) means that vans provide better cargo room! Family of four traveling cross-state with three suitcases? A Ford Explorer should be a great option.

Family of six, with a dog and 10 bags going cross-country, however, and the Ford Transit Connect Passenger Wagon starts to look a lot more up to the job.

Ford has a sterling reputation across the spectrum of vehicles they manufacture. Although the Transit Connect Passenger Wagon isn’t among their more well-known, it’s among the most competent and best value options in the minivan class.

 

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I Wasn’t Always a Dale Jr Fan – But Now I Get It

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It was the crowning moment of the career of Nascar’s most popular driver. The 2004 Daytona 500. The chosen son, Dale Earnhardt Jr, had won the race that his father tragically died competing in only three years earlier.

Reports of the day say that everyone in the crowd was on their feet, cheering. Grown men were in tears. It was quite the moment, they say.

Well, I can tell you that there was at least one person that wasn’t cheering. That’s because I was that lone defector. (more…)

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The Essence Of 90’s Chevy Truck Commercials

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If you ever watched television for more than an hour at any time during the 90’s, you probably remember Chevy’s “Like a Rock” commercials. They aired on just about every channel, so they were pretty hard to miss—and pretty hard to forget as well. Even two decades later the sound of Bob Seger belting out those now-famous words is still shockingly memorable. (more…)

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