Buy a Grosser and Robert Stack's 300SL Roadster at Auctions America: First California auction starts with a bevy of Benzes

The star-studded star of the auction, Robert Stack's 300SL Roadster. Photo by Pawel Litwinski.

Our pick for the auction. Whack the peasants with your walking stick. Photo by Hugh Hamilton.

Just 1,100 miles, and still as cool as Need For Speed made it out to be. Photo by Hugh Hamilton.

Comes with a Becker Frankfurt radio and a certificate of authenticity from Porsche! Photo by Pawel Litwinski.

What's a nice gift between friends?

When Robert Stack won an Emmy for Best Actor in 1960 for "The Untouchables," "I Love Lucy" star Desi Arnaz toasted him by giving him a present as a token of success. That present just happened to be a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, the one pictured above.

We're not saying it's connected, but Arnaz got divorced from Lucille Ball in 1960. That same year, he bought the Benz. Coincidence? There's a popular bumper sticker about boys and said boys' toys, but we won't repeat it here.

This car is not only rare because it's, after all, a freakin' 300SL -- it also has not one, but two examples of celebrity provenance. How much do you think it'll sell for? Two million? Three million? The combined GDP of Benelux? Whoever buys it is going to have a lot of 'splainin' to do, that's for sure.

Auctions America has been around since 2010, but this is its first California auction, happening Aug. 1-3 at the Burbank Marriott located conveniently by the airport. And what a lineup it's prepared for its West Coast debut: there's a 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, an Irish Green 1968 Porsche 911 Targa, a Benz 190SL Roadster. How about a Jaguar XJ220, the wonderful and troubled 1990s supercar, with just 1,100 miles? How about a 1974 Ferrari Dino with Daytona seats, Becker radio, and mouse-fur upholstery? How about a hand for Burbank, Calif.?

And yes, the featured Benz is grand. (You can even bring copies of the "Vitameatavegamin" episode on VHS to help seal the deal at the next California Mille.) But what's even more grand than the 300SL is another fine Mercedes-Benz product, one that was produced a mere 14 years after Arnaz's car: the Grosser, a 1974 Mercedes-Benz 600 LWB Pullman Limousine -- Benz's all-singing, all-hydraulic wunderkind, this one as gray as Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. This one has 48,000 miles and a refrigerator, so you could conceivably live in it on a steady diet of Bitburger and Bierkase. There's the oft-popular divider window too, so you could rent out the front end as an additional bedroom at the rate equal to all those auction fees you'll have to cough up if you win.

Like its owners, the 300SL Roadster is obviously the star of the show, and will command most of NBC Sports Network's coverage when the auction goes live in August. (Car auctions are only classified a "sport" if its bidders check each other into the folding chairs with their elbows while raising their bid signs.) If star-struck provenance is lost on you -- as it is on us -- or if you don't have a bank account comparable to the claims made by email inbox princes, then the 600 Pullman is our bet for the three-starred elite. Boy, do we love ourselves a Grosser.

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GM tops j.d power quality survey for the first time

After years of imports has lagged General has from engine to the top of the charts J.D.. power quality first-time tour, the most influential measure of vehicle quality in the first months in the 2013 rose the showroom lot.

The new study also shows that overall the quality of this year's cars, trucks and crossovers, even a little dropped from 2012 - a decline in largely the result of design problems that cannot be resolved for the most part at the dealership. Issued related to the latest infotainment systems and other high-tech devices are the largest single source of these headaches buyers according to J.D. power.

On the positive side "Manufacturer much do better when it comes, chassis, engines and other mechanical systems", explains Dave Sargent, Director of automotive research for California-based J.D. power and associates.. "Most people now reported problems involved are the latest technology."

Two of every three problems were reported by 83,000 owners and tenants who have participated in the latest study tech-based. While that includes such electro-mechanical devices such as electronic suspensions and cruise control systems, explains most of the complaints involved systems like Ford's much maligned MyFordTouch system, Sargent, pointing out that owners of were particularly frustrated:
User interfaces, which made it difficult to do even the simplest tasks, such as changing the temperature or tuning the radio;
Voice control systems, the commands could not understand or run incorrectly.
Systems that would not associate with a car phone.

Such issues are especially problematic for owners and automakers, as "only a few can be resolved," Sargent said no major Upgrades from the factory.
Problems with electronic systems have in recent years was fast, overtaking of excess wind and road noise than the single biggest complaint of the IQS study. Its makes completely revised survey form for 2013 accounts for this shift - and so consumers can provide more information, which could ultimately help manufacturers to tackle these problems.

The market research company undertook steps make it possible to compare the 2013 IQS results with those from past years and according to Sargent, the rate of complaints - counted as problems per 100 vehicles Surved by more than 10%. The industry average was 102 PP100 in 2012. This time increased on a customized 113 problems per 100.

Between the individual nameplates German sports car manufacturer Porsche the poll topped an average of 80 PP100. In a major surprise, came General Motors truck brand GMC in the second, 90 problems per 100, poked past chart tip Lexus, which had a score of 94 PP100 resistant. Infiniti on place 4, at 95 PP100, followed by Chevrolet, 97 problems.

The five have routinely made of luxury brands, and it was rare that all domestic manufacturers of this elite club to crack. GM, has above all never come near, which do well. And at the automakers, instead of comparing individual brands, which was Detroit-maker rating in 2013 IQS, a statement analyst of described Sargent as "phenomenal."

GM was actually the only manufacturer on average less than 100 PP100, well before Japanese rivals such as Toyota and Honda, the manufacturer, the traditional landing was regarded as quality benchmarks.

"GM has (even) more individual model awards than anyone else by a wide margin," Sargent noticed "eight out of 26 if no one else more than three."

To do so, they were the addition of Buick, a small crossover and the large Chevrolet Avalanche and GMC Sierra pickups - bound. The Chevrolet division alone topped five separate vehicles, also the muscle car Camaro and the full-size Impala sedan.

Other winners are get Honda, KIA, Mazda and Porsche, two awards. Acura, Hyundai, Chrysler, Ford, Nissan, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota model also won awards.

Toyota's high-line Lexus crowned not only premium luxury segment with its large LS, but the sedan scored a record-low 59 problems per 100.

But the continuing difficulties with electronic technologies a dark shadow on the 2013 quality initial survey, suggesting that the industry has some serious challenges ahead.

"Desire, and in some cases more content in their new vehicles, are demanding it, are trying above all technology-related functions, and automakers offer", Sargent said. "While he said" "those who frustrated are the majority of the owners having no problems."

While the real consumers like headache with cooperative Smartphones or tablet computers, they are probably in a relatively short time to replace, said Sargent. But most American drivers keep a new vehicle for at least five years and if there a problem "you are pretty much stuck with it for the lifetime of the vehicle."

Copyright © 2009-2013, the Detroit Bureau

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U.S. fuel economy tops 24 mpg for first time

By Paul A. Eisenstein, The Detroit BureauThe fuel economy of the average new vehicle sold in the United States has topped 24 miles per gallon for the first time ever, according to researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.

Using the numbers shown in the “Monroney” window sticker, the average fuel economy of the cars, light trucks, minivans and SUVs purchased in March rose to 24.1 mpg, up from 23.9 in February and 23.6 in January. 

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The typical vehicle sold in March 2012 was 20 percent, or four miles per gallon, higher than the industry average in October 2007, the first month UMTRI researchers Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle began tracking vehicle mileage.

The surge in fuel economy should be no surprise to those who have been tracking recent sales trends.  Small cars have enjoyed a major surge as gas prices have begun their latest push towards record levels.  Compact and smaller models now account for nearly a quarter of the market, up from less than 18 percent as recently as last December.

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Meanwhile, hybrid-electric vehicles have also enjoyed a big burst of interest, the Toyota Prius achieving record sales in March.

In addition to reporting on the average fuel economy numbers, researchers Sivak and Schoettle issued their monthly update of their national Eco-Driving Index, which estimates the average monthly emissions generated by an individual U.S. driver. The EDI takes into account both vehicle fuel economy and distance driven—the latter relying on data that are published with a two-month lag.

During January, the EDI stood at 0.83, an improvement from 0.86 in December (the lower the value, the better). The index currently shows that emissions of greenhouse gases per driver of newly purchased vehicles are down 17 percent, overall, since October 2007.

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In addition, Sivak and Schoettle reported the unadjusted Corporate Average Fuel Economy performance for the first time. That figure is not the same as the number consumers see because it is based on a different set of EPA ratings.  Nonetheless, it also showed a substantial improvement For March.  The unadjusted CAFE figure rose to 29.6 mpg, an increase of 20 percent, or 4.9 mpg, since October 2007.

What remains to be seen is whether the surge in fuel economy will continue once fuel prices level off. Most analysts believe the trend will continue, however, if for no other reason than the tough new fuel economy standards automakers are facing. That has led the industry to make major shifts in powertrain technology that will continue to have an impact for years to come.

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Volvo offering world's first pedestrian airbag

Volvo

Volvo is betting it can also save pedestrian lives with the world's first external airbag.

By Paul A. Eisenstein, The Detroit Bureau

By even the most conservative estimates airbags have saved thousands of lives since the auto industry began phasing them into widespread use two decades ago.  And now, Volvo is betting it can also save pedestrian lives with the world’s first external airbag.

The new system is one of the many high-tech safety features being introduced on the Swedish maker’s new V40 wagon, which is itself making its world debut at this week’s Geneva Motor Show.

The 5-door features – as one might expect of Volvo – a wide range of advanced safety technology, and along with the new airbag system the V40 has Volvo’s Pedestrian Detection technology designed to prevent a collision in the first place.

The V40 itself is based on an all-new architecture that is intended to serve as the platform for a wide variety of upcoming Volvo products, including replacements for the current C30 coupe, S40 sedan and even the bigger V50 wagon.

The maker, which has long based its brand image on advanced safety has been working for several years to develop a pedestrian airbag – which it sees as the most effective way to meet Europe’s strict pedestrian impact legislation.  Continental regulators have been pressing automakers to find ways to reduce the results of car-pedestrian collisions which routinely result in about a quarter or more of motor vehicle fatalities.

Other makers have come up with a variety of solutions, mostly passive.  Typically, that has resulted in modest vehicle design changes to allow the hood of a vehicle to crumple slightly to soften the blow when a pedestrian is hit and lands atop the car.  Other makers have explored the idea of using small pyrotechnic igniters to actually raise the hood after an impact to further cushion the blow.

But with the Volvo system sensors rapidly detect a car-pedestrian impact and respond much like what happens in a car-to-car collision.  That triggers the section of the hood closest to the windshield to pop up slightly, a U-shaped airbag emerging from underneath, and forming a cushion around the base and sides of the windshield and A-pillars.

Along with the pedestrian-related technology the new V40 also includes Volvo’s City Safety system, which can activate the V40’s brakes if it sensors detect a low-speed collision with another vehicle is likely.  The system is designed to step in if the driver is distracted.  But the technology purposely applies the brakes rather abruptly to prevent a driver from simply using City Safety to keep them out of trouble while they text or otherwise ignore driving duties.

In keeping with other recent Volvo products, the maker has been trying to show that a safe vehicle doesn’t have to be a boring one.  The wagon is a curvaceously styled alternative to the classic boxy Volvo of decades past.

The overall design emphasized a lower center of gravity to improve handling, meanwhile, and such functional features as rear monotube shocks improve handling, especially under aggressive driving.

At 177.2 inches. nose-to-tail, the V50 is about an inch longer than the current S40 and about eight inches longer than the current Audi A3 Sportback.

Several versions of the Volvo 1.6-liter turbo I-4 are likely to be offered for the V40, along with a 2.0-liter turbodiesel.

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Nevada first state to authorize driverless cars

The Nevada becomes the first state to adopt self-driving car road rules. Msnbc's Alex Witt reports.

By Paul A. Eisenstein, The Detroit Bureau

The Jetsons would feel right at home in Nevada -- which this month became the first state in the nation to formally approve legislation authorizing the use of autonomous vehicles on its roadways.

The once far-fetched idea is becoming more and more grounded every day as manufacturers work to develop technology that could permit a motorist to plug in a destination and let the vehicle drive there automatically. Indeed, Google has become a leader in autonomous technology, with several prototypes already logging over 160,000 miles in test runs.

While most experts contend the technology is still years away from widespread application, Nevada lawmakers apparently couldn’t wait.  Last summer, lawmakers there ordered state regulators to establish rules covering the use of autonomous vehicles.

The regulations have now been finalized -- and the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles will now have to formalize licensing procedures for companies that want to test their vehicles in the state.

“Nevada is the first state to embrace what is surely the future of automobiles,” said Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles Director Bruce Breslow in a press release. “These regulations establish requirements companies must meet to test their vehicles on Nevada’s public roadways as well as requirements for residents to legally operate them in the future.”

The decision to act was apparently driven, at least in part, by Google, which has wanted to ensure that its autonomous vehicle test program wasn’t operating in a legal limbo.  Google formally launched its research and development program in 2010 and has so far recorded not a single collision.

While such vehicles will effectively handle the serious driving chores they will also require someone to be in the position of “operator,” ready to take over just in case of a technical glitch.  That’s likely one reason why Nevada maintained one key restriction in the new rules.

“There is no exemption for drinking and driving,” cautioned Breslow, meaning the bartender or bouncer won’t be able to toss you in the back seat, hit the Start button and send you speeding home.

On the other hand, regulators did give the operator permission to text and use a handheld cellphone.

The operator, at least for now, will need to have a special license.  And the vehicles will be required to use an airline-style “black box” to track its operation, with data to be turned over to the state.

Manufacturers will be required to post bonds of between $1 million and $3 million, meanwhile, and they will have to advise the state as to when and where they’ll be testing their vehicles.

Google is just one of the players in the rapidly expanding field.  General Motors has run several tests, including one that required the installation of special sensors in a stretch of Interstate highway north of San Diego.  It has also been working with Pittsburgh’s Carnegie-Mellon University on a self-driving Chevrolet Tahoe SUV, dubbed The Boss.

BMW, meanwhile, has a number of test vehicles in operation, including one that it recently took to the treacherous Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca near Monterey, California.

And Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval was given a personal demonstration of what the new law might cover when he was chauffeured in an autonomous Toyota Prius that used radar and other sensors to help guide it to its destination.

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New amphibious truck targeted to first responders

The Humdinga can transition between land and water within a few seconds.

By Bryan Laviolette, The Detroit Bureau

After more than a decade of false starts, Gibbs Technologies launched a high-speed amphibian that it says will change the way rescue crews respond in disaster situations.

With the dramatic backdrop of the Pentagon on one side and the Washington Monument just across the Potomac River, Gibbs recently gave a demonstration of Phibian, a 30-foot amphitruck, which will be road legal and capable of more than 80 mph on the highway and 30 mph in water. Like Gibbs’ other amphibians, the Phibian can transition between land and water in as little as 5 seconds.

“Natural disasters in recent memory, such as the earthquake and tsunamis in Japan, Thailand, Sri Lanka and elsewhere in Asia;  as well as the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, illustrate the need for amphibians as capable, versatile and efficient as Phibian,” Gibbs Chairman Neil Jenkins said.

Gibbs is now taking orders for the Phibian, although no price was announced. It plans to begin delivering vehicles in 9 to 15 months.

In addition to the Phibian, Gibbs also announced that it would take orders for another vehicle, the Humdinga II, a 20-foot amphibian that is capable of reaching the most extreme and remote territory. Gibbs did not have the Humdinga on hand for the demonstration.

The Gibbs Phibian skims across the water on the Potomac River. The vehicle will be road legal and capable of more than 80 mph on the highway and 30 mph in water.

The Phibian prototype features twin 250-horsepowerSteyr marine diesel engines. It features four-wheel drive, but front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive can also be selected depending on conditions. In water, it is propelled by twin water jets.

The military has show interest in Gibbs’ amphibians. Technology for beach landing crafts hasn’t changed since World War II, Jenkins said.  

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 While Gibbs has not given specific locations where its products will be built, Jenkins did say that the Phibian would be built in the U.S. It has narrowed its choices for an assembly plant to Michigan, Texas, Florida and the Carolinas. The Humdinga will be built in the United Kingdom where the company is based. Gibbs’ primary research and development office and U.S. headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich.

The company plans to announce a production location for the Phibian with the next several weeks.

The Phibian is a true multi-continent effort. Jenkins said it was conceived in the U.S., engineered in New Zealand and will be manufactured in the U.S. with some materials supplied out of the U.K.

Gibbs Technologies

When entering the water, the operator pushes a button preparing the amphibian for water entry. Once the vehicle determines that it has enough water depth to float, it raises the wheels and its ready to go on plane.

Gibbs gave demonstration rides on the Phibian to the media and dignitaries including the New Zealand ambassador to the U.S. and attorneys who are helping it obtain regulatory approval for its amphibians. Jenkins said that the U.S. Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Agency have approved the Phibian and the company expects approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration within 6 months.

The Phibian’s introduction was timed to precede the annual conference of the American Society of Naval Engineers, which was also last week. Gibbs officials were scheduled for meetings about its vehicles in connection with the conference.  

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The announcement of the Phibian came as a bit of a surprise because the company is also working on the planned launch of the Quadski amphibian, which is a single-seat cross between an all-terrain vehicle and a personal watercraft. The Quadski is capable of 45 mph on land and water. Gibbs has said that the often-delayed Quadski would go into limited production this summer.

Gibbs said that the Quadski would be the first model produced by a new division it is calling Sport Amphibians.

Gibbs Technologies

The Gibbs Humdinga is 21.5 feet and is designed to extremely difficult and remote terrain,

The company also had one of its Aquada amphibious sports cars at the Phibian launch. That project is stuck on the back burner as Gibbs works to secure regulatory approval for it. Jenkins said approval for the Phibian and Humdinga was a little easier because they are classified as light-duty trucks rather than a passenger car, like the Aquada.

While the Phibian is targeted at first responders such as rescue crews and fire departments, Jenkins said it will be available for sale to the general public. The prototype shown in Arlington had what Gibbs calls a quarter cab, with seating for three people, but it can be ordered with no cab, half cab or full cab. The prototype’s deck has attachment points for a versatile range of uses.   

Jenkins said the hull and superstructure of the Phibian are carbon fiber. It weighs 4,500 pounds and has a payload capacity of 3,307 pounds. See below for full specifications.

Like the rest of its products, the Phibian uses proprietary technology that allows it to seamlessly transition between land and water. The primary technology is a system that decouples the drive axles and allows the wheels to pivot into the wheel wells. Raising the wheels out of the water enables Gibbs’ amphibians to reach plane in the water.  

The company has spent 15 years and 2 million man hours developing the HSA technology, investing $200 million into the project. The company was founded by New Zealander Alan Gibbs. Gibbs has largely funded the project on his own.

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Auto dealers' ranks rise for first time in years

And then there were ... more. The number of U.S. auto dealerships grew in 2011 for the first time in years.

By Joseph Sczcesny, The Detroit BureauIt’s become a seeming fact of life that the number of U.S. auto dealers will steadily decline each year – with massive cuts during the industry’s recent downturn — but 2011 saw an unexpected turnaround with the dealer count actually rising for the first time in years.

New research also suggests that if the automotive recovery remains on track, 2012 could be the best year on record for American automotive retailers from a sales per showroom standpoint.

Research firm Urban Science reports the number of dealerships actually increased last year after two years of significant attrition. As of Dec. 31, 2011, there were 17,767 dealerships in the U.S., a 0.6 percent increase from 17,659 in 2010.

In a “normal” year, there is a 2 percent decline in the number of dealerships, making the rise quite significant, said Urban Science vice president John Frith.

The two largest contributors to the turnaround were Fiat, which added 135 dealerships in 2011, and Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep, which added 50 dealerships. Other OEMs also added retailers, but in smaller amounts.

On a state level, the largest increase occurred in California where 31 new dealers opened for business, In addition, New Jersey gained 10 dealerships while Ohio and Florida added nine each, and Texas added eight, according to Urban Science’s figures.

At the same time, there were a total of 29,380 franchises as of Dec. 31, 2011, a 2.4 percent decline from the 30,098 in 2010. This decline is attributed mostly to the final stages of phase-out of Ford Motor Co.’s Mercury brand last year.

(The majority of dealers now represent two or more brands, which is why there are more franchises than dealerships.)

“We have a stabilized, right-sized dealership network that has increased year-over-year for only the second time since we started this census,” said Frith. “Automakers and dealers are in a good, profitable position. To maintain that momentum and keep profitability high, they will need to resist the urge to abandon the expense controls and processes instituted the past few years.”

Based on 2011 vehicle sales of 12.8 million, Urban Science’s analysis of throughput — the average number of sales per dealership — increased approximately 10 percent year-over-year to 719 in 2011, compared with 659 in 2010.

Urban Science estimates that if vehicle sales reach 14 million sales in 2012, average sales per dealer could reach an all-time high, pushing past the old record of 784 set in 2005.

“This year, the key issue for many dealers will be figuring out how to handle a continuing sales influx,” added Frith. “This will shift more focus on ensuring that dealerships are meeting the automakers’ standards for staff, space, facility upgrades, policies and procedures.”

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