Auto Trends

While the inexpensive (Under $30,000) roadster segment of the automotive industry has been for the most fairy rather sparse, with only two real competitors in this price range, the Mazda Miata MX-5 and Pontiac Solstice. They can probably expect some more competition in the not too distant future.

It seems like every manufacture has a roadster these days. Audi has its TT, Chrysler its Crossfire, BMW its Z3/Z4, Honda its S2000, Porsche its Boxster, and the list goes on. There is also talk of several more roadsters hot off the rumor press which could be making their way into a driveway near you by 2012.

Photo via Auto Express

Rumor has it that Mini has a roadster in the works. They have been heading in that direction over the years, but have just taken the long route to getting there. The Mini Roadster will be based off of their current cabrio, minus the rear seats of course and extra curb weight. John Cooper Works will also be working on a souped up 223 horsepower version, which could end up putting down some serious track numbers unlike anything we have seen before from Mini.

Okay, so we don’t know exactly how this one will look, but probably a lot cooler than this rendition!

BMW (and Mercedes) might also be in the process of getting new roadsters. The BMW would be classified as a Z2, and most speculation puts it at somewhere around 150 horsepower (with a 300 hp turbo option), placing it right in competition with the Miata. We could probably also expect to see EV (Electric Vehicle) versions of these roadsters in the future, focused towards fans of the Tesla who don’t have $100,000 to spend on a two-seat “fun” car.

originally uploaded by AutoAlert - theautoalert.blogspot’s

Mazda might have a mini-roadster in the making, but only this time a rear-wheel drive. It won’t be a serious sport competitor with its rumored 1.0 or 1.3-liter engine, but it will make a nice entry level roadster, and would probably be a heck of a lot more fun to drive than the Smart Fortwo drop top. There is also speculation of a Madza MX-2 roadster, featuring as much as 160 horsepower from a turbocharged 1.6-liter powerplant.

2008 Porsche Cayenne GTS, originally uploaded by JDPower.com Photography

It is that time of year for the results of this years APEAL studies (Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout). “APEAL” is the shortened description for when J.D. Power and Associates rolls out their list of appealing automotive attributes, and ask buyers to rate how last years automotive offerings stacked up to their expectations.

It was undoubtedly a rough year for most automotive manufacturers in 2008. Consumers witnessed the initial proceedings of bankruptcy, job loss, stock loss, gas price increase, and a host of other ups and downs, so it would not be surprising to find them rather down on the automobile in general. This however did not appear to be the case.

The Bloody Consequences of Higher Gas Prices, originally uploaded by lorenzodom

The Automotive Market Maybe Down, But Certainly Not Out
The overall consumer opinion of 2008 models was fairly positive, except for performance/fuel economy and audio/entertainment. The dissatisfaction with fuel economy has already been attributed mostly to the high gas prices of 2008, while electronics still remains somewhat of a mystery why it was rated lower than usual.

Unlike most years, consumers appeared to prefer freshened, previous models, to the all-new, redesigned ones. A few examples of this was seen in the popular opinion of such previous models as the Ford Focus, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Chevrolet Malibu. We also saw a lot of familiar faces from last year’s poll reappear with some old consumer favorites, such as Porsche Cayenne, BMW 3-Series, and Jaguar XJ Series.

With this said, Buick was one of the few who actually did enjoy noteworthy success by introducing an all-new, stylish vehicle. We are of course speaking of the Enclave, which may have very well brought a whole new generation back in touch with the aging Buick brand.

Ford deserves some extra applause for being surveyed as having one of the most improved models of 2008, the Ford Focus. Of the more disappointing models according to consumers was the Honda CR-V, Saturn Aura, and Lincoln MKX.

A few other noteworthy vehicles exhibiting top scores according to consumer opinion was the Mini Cooper, Volkswagen GTI/CC/Tiguan, Hyundai Genesis, Smart Fortwo, Dodge Challenger, Ford Flex/F-150, Nissan Armada/Maxima, Honda Odyssey/Ridgeline, Mercedes-Benz SLK/S-Class, and Chevrolet Avalanche.

Source: J.D. Power & Associates

Each year Insure.com releases a list of the most expensive vehicles to insure here in the USA. Now these lists never include the real exotic vehicles, as lets face it, finding enough people who own them to create any kind of average would be a task unsuitable for even your worst enemy. This list includes the more “affordable” variety of sports cars.

Let’s see who all is overpaying for their insurance premiums these days!

10. BMW M3
Insurance Premium: $1,714
If you think this is bad, wait until you see the M6.

9. Jaguar XK Series
Insurance Premium: $1,717
It’s a jag, what did you expect? 300 horsepower, fun as heck to drive, and it costs less to insure than a Chevy Cobalt SS…

8. Chevrolet Cobalt SS
Insurance Premium: $1,762
This $24,000 base-price sports car seems a bit out of place among the host of Beemers, Vipers, and GT-R’s. Yes, its 260 horsepower could blow Donald Trump’s comb over straight off his head, but the price for admission seems bit steep for what was born and bred to be a low-end, zippy car for young buyers. Might as well splurge on the Mustang GT, Camaro SS, or Nissan 370Z.

7. Porsche 911
Insurance Premium: $1,819
The Porsche legend is undeniably fast. A $70,000 base sports car with 400 horsepower is not going to be cheap to insure no matter how many air bags, theft deterrent systems, and warning gadgets you throw in.

6. 2009 Lexus IS F
Insurance premium: $1,881
What could be more fun than driving a 5.0 liter, 400 horsepower Lexus IS F, and paying a few hundred over the insurance premiums of its qualified rivals, such as the Audi RS4, BMW M3, and Cadillac CTS-V? Well, quite possibly the Audi RS4, BMW M3, and Cadillac CTS-V for starters.

5. 2009 BMW M5 (Sedan)
Insurance Premium: $2,020
This is a four door sedan mind you. The real dangerous loners prefer the M6 Coupe to defy the speed of radar detection, but we’ll be getting to that one in a minute.

4. 2009 Ford Shelby GT500
Insurance premium: $2,186
Insurance companies know that anytime an over 300 horsepower Mustang GT is not satisfactory enough to a consumer, they are probably not going to be using the vehicle to drive along the highway with their head out the window smelling daisy’s. So they gouge them an extra grand for the splendor of the supercharged 500 horsepower!

3. 2009 BMW M6 (Coupe)
Insurance Premium: $2,236
The two extra cylinders of this V-10, 500 horsepower, Formula One inspired beauty are good for an extra $1,000 over what you might expect to pay for a run of the mill BMW. But who are we kidding, BMW doesn’t build a “run of the mill” anything.

2. 2009 Dodge Viper
Insurance Premium: $2,446
Here we have a $90,000, 600 horsepower sports car capable of 0-60 in 4-seconds when placed in the right hands. Problem is, when in the wrong hands, you can hit a brick wall with enough inertia to buckle your funny bone in less than 3-seconds!

1. 2009 Nissan GT-R
Insurance Premium: $2,533
What else do you expect from a fierce performance vehicle that has been bench marked alongside the elitist Porsche 911 Turbo. At $75,000 a pop, a $2,500 premium doesn’t seem too out of whack, especially when you consider the danger factor of putting close to 500 horsepower, 0-60 in 3.3 seconds, into the hands of a victim of a mid-life crisis whose last car may have been a 200 horsepower Honda!

Source: Insure.com