Tag Archives: design

IIHS Releases Video Series on Vehicle Crash Testing

iihs_logoIf you’ve ever wondered what it is like to run vehicle crash tests, wonder no more.

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety will be releasing a series of videos showing real vehicle testing at their Vehicle Research Center in Ruckersville, Virginia. 3 episodes are currently available on the IIHS YouTube Page, and a new video will be posted every Tuesday through June and up to early July.

So far, the videos are well produced and oddly mesmerizing. The crash testing process is really amazing to watch from a scientific perspective, and as a consumer, it is comforting to know just how much these vehicles are put through their paces to determine their safety. Every scenario is considered and played out in a controlled environment so that when a real accident happens, the driver and passengers are kept as safe from harm as possible.

The full series of videos is available here, and the IIHS also has additional videos for sale on their website addressing topics from teen drivers to child safety in a vehicle.

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GM Considers More Specialty Silverado Trucks

mm_gal_item_c2.img_resize.img_stage._2GM’s latest specialty truck, the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado High Country, won’t go on sale until this summer, but already GM is looking into adding more specialty versions of the Silverado.

Other automakers like Ford and Chrysler have had success with specialty trucks like the F-150 Harley Davidson and the Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn, and GM hopes to see similar success with the Silverado High Country. Industry insiders have noted, however, that these specialty trucks can be a double-edged sword. The right combination can bring in new customers as Ford did with the Harley Davidson F-150, but if an idea is too niche, it will not sell and could possibly alienate loyal brand customers.

Pricing has not been announced yet for the Silverado High Country, but GM’s manager of creative design for full-size pickup trucks did hint that it is “for someone who wants to know he has the money,” so a high price tag is expected.

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Chevy Truck Survives Tornado, Engine Still Starts

Chevrolet SilveradoHere at Car Buyerz, we have watched the news coverage of the Oklahoma tornados with the rest of the country. While we mourn for those lost, we also have been inspired by the people of Moore, Oklahoma and their incredible stories. Derek Thayer’s story might seem like a smaller victory in the context of a larger tragedy, but we thought it was worth spotlighting in today’s blog

Derek Thayer loved his Chevy truck. He took pride in its American-made quality. When the tornado hit his town earlier this week, his truck was flipped over and dragged by the wind into another yard. Somehow it managed to land on four wheels, but there was considerable damage to the vehicle. It seemed that the truck was a complete loss.

Strangely enough, Derek discovered that he could still start the engine on his truck. Other damage to the truck makes it unsafe to drive, but he was proud that his truck went through a tornado and could still start. It was a small victory but a victory nonetheless. According to ABC15, he called his favorite truck “American-made goodness,” and we couldn’t agree more.

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Survey: Consumers Expect Apple, Google to Improve Auto Safety

54061v1-max-250x250When you hear the words “auto safety,” what pops into your mind? It seems like people would associate automakers with auto safety, but a new survey shows that more consumers are thinking of Apple and Google.

The survey conducted by CarSafetyRules.com asked 1,000 new car buyers in the United Kingdom which brands they expected to improve auto safety. Out of the respondents, 26 percent of women chose Apple, and 23 percent of men chose Google. Volvo was tied with Google amongst men, and it was only 1 of 2 automakers named in the survey. Volvo scored 17 percent of the women surveyed, and 20 percent of men and 14 percent of women responded Mercedes.

It isn’t all that surprising that Google ranks so high in the survey. There has been a lot of talk in the past year about Google working on a self-driving car, so it is only natural that people are associating Google with auto safety technology. It is surprising, though, that Apple is ranking so high. I can only imagine that people believe Apple can do anything, including making cars safer. Considering Apple’s distinctive look, I could picture them making the transition to auto design and technology.

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Is 2013 the Year of the Pickup?

ram-1500-backplateIt might still be too early to tell, but so far, 2013 is looking like the year of the pickup.

In April, pickup trucks saw double-digit sales gains with Ram pickups seeing 49 percent gains, Ford’s F-series getting 24 percent gains, and GM getting 23 percent gains. The surge in pickup sales has been so significant that Ford and other automakers are upping their truck production to keep up with demand. Ford and Chrysler have both announced that they will be adding shifts at their plants in response to the April sales.

Chrysler’s April sales, however, were more than just a sign that the public loves pickup trucks. Ram’s commercial pickup trucks just underwent a redesign, and April sales would be an indication of how the public feels about the new look. Now that April is done, it looks like Chrysler should have nothing to worry about.

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Automakers Confront the Changing Face of Carbuyers

ID-10081939How do you make sure that vehicles match the ideals of those wanting to buy? It’s a difficult question, one that’s troubled the auto industry forever. How do you consistently make sure that your buyer base, both older and newer, are getting what they want so they will purchase from you?

Many of the top automotive executives are meeting in Detroit at the SAE 2013 World Congress to address that very question. Demographics have been changing quickly with a widening global market and fuel standards being made even stricter. Car manufacturers are having to constantly keep up with designing new cars.

“You can’t use traditional research methods to ask a customer ‘do you like this or do you like that,” said Mike O’Brien, President of corporate planning and product strategy for Hyundai.

Ralph Gilles, the senior VP of design for Chrysler, sees this same problem. The millennials, those born between 1980 and 2000, are some of the toughest to address. What they want in a car is very different than that of the generation before them.

Gilles doesn’t seem this as a problem though. He said “Everyone says they don’t like cars. Maybe. But I don’t buy that. They just don’t need cars right now.”

He also doesn’t believe that larger cars are the answer to what America is looking for, quite the opposite in fact. “I think small is the next big thing. I think small cars are finally here.” The numbers back him up. Small and compact cars had their sales increase by 27% in 2012 as opposed to the 13% for the overall industry.

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