RoundAboutShow #19 NAIAS Post Mortem

Well, the North American International Auto Show–otherwise known as the Detroit Auto Show–has made all the news it’s going to make for this year. It was a rocky year for the Motor City, and in a way, it really showed at Cobo Hall in Detroit. The digs might have been better than last year (Chrysler was a series of unadorned cars on beige carpet in 2009), but the product reveals were notably less exciting. With the patient on the slab, we called in the best team of doctors we know … our … selves. Well, anyway, we’re here with the official RoAb postmortem of NAIAS.

Is the new Cadillac XTS worthy of being the luxury brand’s new flagship? Does the Volkswagen NCC bring anything new and exciting to the German marque? Will the Honda CR-Z finally be a hybrid that’s fun to drive? We debate all these and more. Plus we’ve got another installment of our new Meet Your Roadmates segment, a Stupid Car Trick and the triumphant return of the long lost Psy-car-logy.

Play RoundAbout Episode 19

 
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Radio Controlled SR-71

I’ve seen some pretty cool RC planes on YouTube, from P-51’s to B-29’s and B-52’s that can make bombing runs, but this may be the coolest so far, an SR-71!  Now it just needs to take pictures while it’s in flight.

RoundAboutShow #18 The Not What It Seem Episode

Things are not always what they seem. For instance, you might think this episode is nearly a week late. Wrong as usual, idiot. We were planning to do this episode a year from now, so technically it’s early. Why are you so offended? Clearly you are unfamiliar with the word “idiot’s” Greek roots. I was simply suggesting you were a private person unfamiliar with the vagaries of podcasting. Again, not what it seems.

So there you go. Houston, we have a theme. This week we’ve got the coolest 4×4 you never expected, a bevy of protests as the Detroit Auto Show gets going and a wrecked Yaris that is more functional than you’d think. Plus we’ve got some new fun and games this week including our Mystery Words of the Week, a new segment where we get to stereotype drivers and a couple of burnouts gone terribly wrong.

Play RoundAbout Episode 18

 
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Canadian Kawasaki Outsourcing 2010 Racing Progam

COMPETITION SYSTEMS TO RUN KAWASAKI TEAM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TORONTO, Ont. (January 13) – Canadian Kawasaki Motors has secured the 
services of Toronto-based Competition Systems to handle Kawasaki’s assault 
in the 2010 Parts Canada Superbike Championship. The team will consist of 
one rider and focus exclusively on the Superbike feature class with 
Kawasaki’s potent Ninja ZX-10R.
The new entity will be called Competition Systems Kawasaki Race 
Team.
For the past several years, Canadian Kawasaki Motors has run its 
national road race program in-house. Last summer the squad claimed its 
fourth straight titles in the Parts Canada Superbike and Yoshimura Pro Sport 
Bike divisions.
Mike Crompton of Competition Systems has been the crew chief for 
the Kawasaki program through its run of success and will now take over as 
team owner of the new race program. Some of the existing crew will continue 
with the team and a rider and sponsors will be announced within a few days.
“Due to a number of circumstances we have decided to suspend 
activities with our factory program for 2010,” said Jeff Comello of Canadian 
Kawasaki Motors. “But despite this state of change we have tried to keep as 
much continuity as possible and Mike Crompton and Competition Systems are 
the perfect fit. We have been together now for four-plus years and have 
enjoyed a great deal of success.”
     Crompton has some 40 years of experience in the Canadian motorcycle 
industry, supplying engines and race equipment to some of the country’s 
leading competitors.
     “Canadian Kawasaki Motors is a great company and I’m looking forward 
to this,” Crompton said. “We already have a good team structure and 
equipment. We’ve spent a number of years building this program and all we 
have to do is just continue what we’ve started.”
     The agreement between Canadian Kawasaki Motors and Competition Systems 
is for one year and will be re-evaluated at the end of the 2010 racing 
season.
     “Kawasaki is committed to showcasing the Ninja brand in competition 
and we feel strongly that we need to be behind the Parts Canada Superbike 
Championship,” Comello said. “This is the perfect venue for us to display 
our products.”
     “We all have to dig deep and support the series,” Crompton added. “It 
is important to do what we can to have a successful 2010 and build on that 
for 2011 and beyond.”
     In addition to claiming the past four Parts Canada Superbike titles 
Canadian Kawasaki Motors enjoyed a string of nine straight national 
championships from 1991 to 1999, and also claimed the first two Canadian 
crowns in 1980 and ’81 with riders George Morin and Lang Hindle, 
respectively.
     The 2010 Parts Canada Superbike Championship opens May 28-30 at 
Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, Que.

For more series information, visit www.cdnsuperbike.com

Alan Mullaly’s First Big Mistake?

Yesterday during day on of the Detroit Autoshow, Ford’s CEO Allan Mullaly announced that Australian Ford Falcon, would soon be coming to an end.  Because he has focused Ford on the One Ford strategy, there is no room according to Mullaly for more than one large car platform, and that platform will be the Taurus going forward.  

For 50 years the Falcon has pounded the streets and the outback of Oz, and it’s legend at The Bathurst is long and deep.  To may down under killing of the Falcon would be like killing of the Mustang in the US.  

Rising gas prices have put a dent into sales of the rear wheel drive car and Ute, but it’s hard to think that “The Last Of The V8’s” could be in sight.