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Opinion: Turning the tide at Toyota?

Filed under: Safety, Toyota

What price a reputation? That’s what Toyota will be learning in the months and years ahead as it struggles to recover from the safety scandal that has enveloped the company since it announced the first recall for unintended acceleration in October 2009.

There wasn’t a single Toyota model that didn’t land on the recall list at least once last year.

Going into the recession, certainly no company seemed better suited to weather the perfect storm than the Japanese giant, which had positioned itself as the leader in quality, reliability and dependability, or QRD in industry speak, as well as the benchmark for green mobility. Having ousted General Motors as the global king-of-the-hill, the Asian automaker seemed unstoppable.

Yet nearly seven years ago, I wrote a column suggesting Toyota might become the next GM if it weren’t careful, and even as the company’s sales continued growing, there were subtle signs of trouble in the offing – most notably in its slippage on the quality charts.

But few would have anticipated the sudden acceleration crisis, or the series of additional recalls that followed, month after month. In 2010, there wasn’t a single Toyota model that didn’t land on the recall list at least once – some repeatedly.

Paul A. Eisenstein is Publisher of TheDetroitBureau.com, and a 30-year veteran of the automotive beat. His editorials bring his unique perspective and deep understanding of the auto world to Autoblog readers on a regular basis.

[Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty]

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Opinion: Turning the tide at Toyota? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaguar E-Type turning 50, doesn’t look a day over 25

Filed under: Coupe, Etc., Jaguar, Luxury

Jaguar E-Type

Jaguar E-Type turns 50 years old – Click above for high-res image gallery

Jaguar’s iconic E-type is celebrating a birthday this year and the shapely Brit is going to need 50 candles on its cake. Launched in 1961, the Jaguar E-Type was priced at £2,256, or about $3,612 USD based on current exchange rates. That £2,200 cost translates to £38,000 today, or about $61,000… a bargain compared to other exotic sports cars of its time and it was just as capable, with a top speed of 150 miles per hour.

Jaguar sold 70,000 E-Types over the course of 14 years and its style still holds up to this day. In fact, the styling of the E-Type gives other cars of any era cause to look in the mirror and weep silently. Even Enzo Ferrari called it “the most beautiful car in the world.”

To honor the sultry coupe, Jaguar is planning a variety of motoring events throughout the year. The brand is the featured marquee at the 2011 Monterey Motorsports reunion and E-Types will be the toast of this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Nürburgring Old Timer Grand Prix and kicking off the birthday festivities will be the Silverstone Classic.

Click past the jump for details on the E-Type and its 50th birthday celebrations.

Gallery: Jaguar E-Type turns 50 years old

[Sources: Jaguar, Silverstone Classic]

Continue reading Jaguar E-Type turning 50, doesn’t look a day over 25

Jaguar E-Type turning 50, doesn’t look a day over 25 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ariel Atom celebrates turning 10 with special Mugen edition

Filed under: Performance, Misc. Auto Shows, Specialty, MISC

Ariel Atom Mugen Special Edition

Ariel Atom Mugen Special Edition – Click above to enlarge

It’s hard to believe that 10 whole years have passed since the only Brit crazier than Amy Winehouse hit the world stage. We are, of course, referring to the Ariel Atom, but you already knew that, didn’t you? And, like any good anniversary celebration, AutoExpress reports that Ariel is celebrating its tenth by releasing a special edition, which sure beats the traditional anniversary gift of tin…

As befitting the celebration, Ariel plans to create just 10 special editions, the first of which will make its debut at the Autosport Show in the UK in January. The big news is that Ariel has partnered up with Mugen – a company that specializes in adding more power and finesse to Honda’s wares – to boost the power of its Honda-sourced 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine from 245 to 270 horsepower.

Further frippery will include a special coat of paint and a plaque proclaiming its special place in the order along with the signatures of the Mugen and Ariel technicians who built it (just one of each will have their hands on the machine). Check out a larger version of the rendering by clicking on the image above.

[Source: AutoExpress]

Ariel Atom celebrates turning 10 with special Mugen edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda celebrates turning 90, looks back at logos

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Mazda

Mazda celebrates 90 years, looks back at past logos

Mazda celebrates 90 years and we look at its changing logo – Click above for high-res image gallery

Mazda turns 90 years old this year, and during the Japanese automaker’s near-century of building cars, it has stayed true to the Zoom-Zoom ethos that defined it. One thing that has changed over the years, however, is its logo. In 1936, Mazda entered the world of automobile manufacturing and hit the ground running with not one, but two logos: a simple “Mazda” written in script and a triple “M” symbol that was said to be both a tie to its headquarters – home of Hiroshima City and the sense of speed and agility that Mazda puts into its cars. That triple M also served to stand for Mazda Motor Manufacturer.

Over the course of Mazda’s 90 years, its logo would be changed four more times. Today, The stylized M more closely resembles outstretched wings and the Laguna Seca Blue font below it shows just how dedicated Mazda is to making cars that are, at their core, fun to drive.

Take a look through the gallery below and travel through a timeline of Mazda logos.

Gallery: Mazda Celebrates 90 Years, Looks Back at Past Logos

Mazda Logo 1936 #1 Mazda Logo 1936 #2 Mazda Logo 1959 Mazda Logo 1975 Mazda Logo 1992

[Source: Mazda]

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Mazda celebrates turning 90, looks back at logos originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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