Interesting Facts You May Not Have Known in the Automotive World

Let me apologize in advance for that click-bait title. It's hard not to follow the all-powerful Buzzfeeds example because it just works so darn well. But ah yes, as the title states today I want to go over a few things about the automotive world that your common pedestrian might not know. There isn't much that is "secret" about the car business, it is fairly cut and dry. However, there are quirks and neat facts about these companies that (still) surprise others when I mention it to them. If you breeze through this list and aren't seeing any new information than perhaps we should get together because you are the kind of person I want to be friends with. But, on to the point!

Did You Know?...

Volkswagen houses a crazy number of different car companies

Volkswagen has a much higher presence in other parts of the globe than here in the United States and the list of companies under its corporate umbrella are staggering. There is, of course, Volkswagen. But also included are:

-Audi

-Bentley

-Bugatti

-Ducati (Motorcycles)

-Lamborghini

-Porsche

-SEAT*

-Skoda*

* brands not available in the U.S.

This makes VW synonymous with GM as a giant vehicular force to be reckoned with because of it's brand diversity and size!

Acura=Honda, Infiniti=Nissan, Lexus=Toyota

This one I have found a 50/50 balance of those who know and those who had no clue. In 1986, Honda was one of the first mainstream manufacturers to create a "premium, luxury" brand. The vehicles Acura introduced relied heavily on Honda components but were devised to be more luxurious and upscale to set them apart from the lesser pack. 3 years later, both Nissan and Toyota were not going to sit idly by and offered their own luxurious counterparts, Infiniti and Lexus, respectively. In modern day, these brands have gone to great lengths to differentiate their mainstream offerings and upscale offerings and it's a formula that has proved to be very successful. All praise to Honda however, for without Infiniti and Lexus might not exist.

Sexy, right?

Almost all "import" vehicles are actually made here in the United States

Due to the rising cost of importing vehicles from countries such as Japan and Germany, automakers are shifting their production to right here in North America. This is important for multiple factors: it reduces the cost of importing, meaning vehicle price would be lower to balance this, it provides multiple jobs for Americans every year, it lessens the time of production if a vehicle is ordered, and so on. For example, various Volkswagen models are made in Tennessee. The vast majority of BMW SUVs are actually created in South Carolina. However, this isn't to say each and every component of the vehicle is American, quite the contrary. Most parts are actually imported but then assembled at the plant here.

I aimed to keep this list fairly short and simple, as I will add different facts and info throughout the life of this blog so make sure you check back every so often and you might just learn something new for once!

-Cameron

6 Questionable Cars on Sale Today

Design is subjective. One mans priceless piece of art is one mans worthless piece of art. Be it a painting, sculpture, drawing, anything in which a creative process was used to construct the piece. Cars are in this very same vein. Cars typically take months and months to conceptualize, detail and finalize a design. A lot of sweat and hard work goes into designing a vehicle, their very life and sales ride on that. As the saying goes "don't judge a book by its cover" but when your typical consumer plans to purchase a vehicle, their very first impression is from exterior design. As years have passed, automakers are pushing the envelope on vehicle design, a gamble that has struck big for some and a sour note for others. I want to cover those sort notes, as a (admittedly) subjective view of some of the most ill-designed vehicles that currently are on roads today. As with my previous list, this is in no set order they are all 6 different examples. Let's get started shall we?

-Click on images to enlarge them-

6. Kia SOUL

This car is very precise on it's demographic. It is focused on younger adults, who may or may not have kids, who need ample space and a funky design to stand out amongst the crowd. Their formula worked, these things sell in masses. The styling is different, sure, but maybe too different for the sake of being different. The odd looking face, strangely styled massive wheels and weird pseudo SUV stance are just a bit much for my tastes.

5. Lincoln MKT

Oddly enough, I went from praising a Lincoln in a previous article and am now bashing on one? This car is an entirely different beast though. The MKT is essentially a Lincoln Edge, a vehicle Ford sells that has equally funky but somehow more appealing styling. This Lincoln is, to put lightly, a disaster. The  weird kink in the belt line along the back, the hilariously oversized whale-inspried grill, and poser wagon look will not do this SUV any favors in the future. Which, surprisingly looks bleak as 2015 will be the end of the MKT. Good riddance.

4. Nissan Cube

Okay so I am starting to see a pattern. I really do not hate all boxy, small vehicles for younger demographics. Honest. But maybe it's because they all look similar that I group them into one "nope" group. The Nissan Cube is a vehicle that has long been on sell in its home market, Japan, before being brought over in 2009. The asymmetrical window, buggy headlights, strangely rounded yet also flat body and a very quirky interior all contribute to the fact that this vehicle is for those with more daring taste than I.

3. Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Regardless of how successful this vehicle has been for MB (seriously, the factories cannot keep pace with demand), the styling is extremely forced. They tried to incorporate so many trends and cram it into one design and it's just a busy looking little car. The fake air vents on the back, the styling trying to pose as the much costlier CLS-Class, the base model is outdone even by a Honda Accord in luxury. Oh, and it's also front-wheel drive making one of the first Mercedes to adopt this. Yeah, not my cup of tea.

2. BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo

BMW is on a serious binge of hits and misses. In one corner, the have the beautiful 4 and 6 Series models, and then on other they have models like. This. The 5-Series Gran Turismo is BMW's answer to Americas hatred of hatchbacks and wagons. They tried to combine the functionality of those body styles with a sedan and it just did not work out well. The rear end looks like it was grafted from a wagon, with the front coming from a sedan and the slumpy middle section is just very vague. Opt for either a wagon or a sedan, don't try and meet in the middle with this Frankenstein like vehicle.

1. Fiat 500L

The Fiat brand, after being absent in America's market, has returned since 2010 with its widely popular (more common) 500. However, Fiat noticed a need to fill a niche: "Customers want a Fiat, but they want more functionality and room. Let's balloon the 500 way up!" and like magic, we have the 500L. However, unlike the simple and fun design of the 500, the 500L is drab. It resembles a mini-van minus the sliding doors, it's only true competitor might be the Mini Countryman which trumps this vehicle in almost every aspect. The growing trend of downsizing SUV's may have its merits, but automakers are seriously scrambling and throwing money just to fill these niches.

-Cameron