One of the most well known names in autodom is poised to get its first major overhaul in nearly thirty years. Fords Crown Victoria, introduced in 1979, has had only minor changes since its introduction, but a new plan by Ford to overhaul the crown jewel of its fleet is apparently in the offing. Thanks to government assistance Australian to be exact the new Crown Victoria will be a clean break from the current model and will help to spawn additional models for siblings Mercury and Lincoln. Yes, you may not have considered a Crown Victoria up to this point, but the coming new Crown Vic may just change your mind about that.

You have to go back all the way to the late 1970s to when downsizing was a term used by the auto industry to describe a shell game where large cars were dropped down a notch in size to sit on a platform slightly smaller than the previous model. Indeed, throughout the 1970s Fords full size offerings the LTD/Galaxie 500 were huge beasts of burden. By the time the then new Galaxie 500 Crown Victoria was released at the end of the decade, Ford was playing catch up to General Motors who had earlier mastered the whole downsizing strategy.

Initially, the Crown Victoria had a broad appeal for drivers wanting a big car with all of the trappings. As time went buy the car grew less and less desirable as consumer tastes changed, but the Crown Victorias style did not. As a pursuit, government, or fleet vehicle the Crown Victoria has done very well, but Ford has only made modest improvements to the car over the years. Indeed, Americas #2 automaker has invested heavily in trucks, vans, SUVS and select cars, but the Crown Victoria quickly began to show its age. Todays model is terribly outdated and it hasnt had a thorough refreshing in more than a decade, so an overhaul is warranted.

Fords impetus for change is coming from an unlikely source: a foreign government. According to news sources, Fords Australian operation has received a $1.4 billion grant from Australia to build a production and research facility that will be used to design and build several new models. One of the Australian cars slated to benefit from this move will be the Ford Falcon, a full sized car that will become the basis of the all-new Crown Victoria.

While some have theorized that the new Crown Victoria will be built in Australia and imported to the U.S., this is unlikely to happen. Instead, Ford will expand the Falcons production to at least one U.S. plant, make some technical refinements, and sell the car as a Crown Victoria. It will be targeted to police departments and fleet buyers primarily with some residual sales for personal buyers. In addition, the Crown Victoria will spawn a new Mercury Gran Marquis while a slightly stretched and much more elegant version of the car will become the replacement for the current Lincoln Town Car.

Yes, the Crown Victoria is well past its useful age. Thanks to some help from down under, the 2010 model should be a refreshing change. At least Ford hopes you will think so.

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As automakers go, developing well received models is a chore all by itself. When a model becomes a hit, as has the Chrysler 300C, the result is favorable press coverage, high customer satisfaction ratings, and a halo effect that can extend to the entire product line. Chryslers 300C is a hit, but the German-American automaker isnt stopping there. A stretched version of the car is being developed, one that may find a following amongst enthusiasts, but only if the price is right.

So, why would DaimlerChrysler authorize a stretched version of the 300C? For several reasons including:

The Limo Market Although the 300C is not on the same level as the Lincoln Town Car or Cadillac DTS, the car does compete with the Ford Crown Victoria. Hence, taxi and limousine operators will be drawn to the stretched 300C as the car gives its passengers the room that they need.

The Pursuit Market The Ford Crown Victoria is the most popular police pursuit vehicle followed by the Chevy Impala. Chrysler long ago ceded this market when they quit building larger rear wheel drive automobiles. The stretched 300C could fit in nicely and give the automaker some additional sales to boost market share. Look for a similarly stretched Dodge Charger to also be built once 300C demand has been proven.

The Luxury Market No, the 300C is not a luxury car, but a model coming down the pike 3-4 years from now will be. Yes, the Chrysler Imperial will be returning and it, too, will be a stretched version of the 300C, but even longer and larger than the stretched version of the 300C. Dont think for a moment that DaimlerChrysler will not be measuring demand for its new 300C to determine Imperial demand.

For the record, there are a few things that we know about the bigger 300C: the car will be stretched only by six inches and all of those gains will show up in the rear passenger area. In addition, Chrysler will not be building the stretched 300C, instead an outside supplier will handle the task of taking existing models and reworking them.

Prices for the bigger 300C havent been finalized yet, but they may carry a premium of as much as $5000 over the shorter model. This is a concern, however, as the price may be more than what some livery drivers could justify. Perhaps DaimlerChrysler will eat some of the costs and hold the price down to a $1000 premium. If they dont, the company could be in for a rude awakening and find demand for the stretched 300C to be tepid at best.

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When Saturn exited the midsize car market a few years ago they left with a promise: well be back. After several years of lackluster sales, GMs Saturn division dropped the unpopular L Series in 2004 with no immediate replacement waiting. Thanks in part to the companys German division, Opel, Saturn has a new car to capture the imagination of sedan enthusiasts everywhere. The AURA, a five passenger Euro style sedan, is now on display at your local Saturn dealership. Please read on to see what the AURA has in store for buyers just like you.

The L Series wasnt a bad car, it just got lost in a sea of competition dominated by popular Camrys, versatile Accords, and dependable Tauruss. Bland styling didnt help matters either as the car never approached General Motors expectations, therefore the automaker decided to drop the model from Saturns then spartan line up.

Unfortunately for Saturn dealers, a void in an already small line up was left wide open. True, the all-new RELAY crossover was brought in as the L Series made its exit, but it certainly wasnt a sedan and it wasnt meant to replace the L Series. Thankfully, GM did not fill the hole in Saturns line with yet another me too rebadged Chevy or Pontiac. Instead, the automaker promised to develop a fresh model based on a new GM platform and by incorporating Opel styling and technology. Thus, the seeds of the all new AURA were planted and the harvest has now hit a showroom near you.

So, exactly what do you get with the all new AURA? Well, one thing you wont get is a four cylinder engine. Unlike the Toyota Camry, the AURA is only offering a pair of six cylinder engines. Likely, this wont be a problem for most buyers as the two AURA engines are different enough to give customers a real choice: the 3.5L V6 comes equipped with a four speed automatic transmission while the optional 3.6L DOHC V6 is mated to a six speed automatic transmission. Some buyers may be disappointed by the lack of a manual transmission, so GM will have to watch this closely to see if additional sales could be realized by introducing a potent six speed manny tranny.

Beyond the powerplant, the AURA comes nicely equipped. Since its chief competitors will be the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, Saturn could ill afford to produce a car short on anything. Thus, the base AURA will be priced right MSRP of $20,595 and include the following standard equipment:

Optional equipment for the standard model includes aluminum wheels, leather interior, sunroof, premium sound system and more. The base model is known as the XE with the up market XR featuring the larger engine and a very long list of standard equipment. Add about $4000 to the price of the base XE to get an XR.

Saturn hopes that the bold styling of the AURA will cause shoppers to take a closer look. Now that the Camry has finally shed its bland image, Saturn can ill afford to go up against the automotive leader with a nondescript model. With a sporty grille, comely lines, and an attractive B pillar, the AURA goes well beyond the L Series and is sure to attract buyers to the Saturn fold.

The AURA also is a departure from Saturns Spring Hill, Tennessee roots as it is built in GMs Kansas City facility alongside the Chevrolet Malibu. Based on GMs Epsilon platform, the AURA effectively combines GM and Opel technology and styling in an all new model. This is a bold move on GMs part one that the worlds number one automaker is pinning on reviving a brand that desperately needs this type of stylish model.

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The venerable Buick Park Avenue is no more, having been replaced by the all new Buick Lucerne, a down market version of the Cadillac DTS. With a 275-hp Northstar V8 engine, the Lucerne becomes the first Buick car in nearly ten years to arrive equipped with a V8. The entire Buick line up is in the process of being overhauled, so lets take a look at this makes newest flagship and see how it plays a part in GMs overall strategy.

If you are a fan of the Buick brand you have witnessed your fair share of changes over the past five years. Gone are the Park Avenue, LeSabre, Century, and Regal, and in its place are the Rendezvous, the Rainier, LaCrosse, Terrazza, and the Lucerne. All the changes are the result of General Motors broad realignment strategy in the wake of retiring the Oldsmobile brand, lifting Saturn into the fold, and setting strategy to compete against the nonstop onslaught of foreign brands including Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, and Infiniti.

One look at the Buick and you will notice a strong resemblance to the Cadillac DTS. The Buicks oval grille sets it apart from the Cadillacs firm nose, but a cursory examination of the body lines tells you that these cars are in fact twins. In the past, Buicks were essentially stripped down versions of Cadillacs, while Oldsmobile and Pontiac were more luxurious or sportier versions of Chevrolet models. Clearly, GM is repositioning Buick to have a more distinct near luxury look without stepping on Cadillacs toes, while giving the Buick division a much needed replacement for the aging Park Avenue.

For the car shopper, the Lucerne is value priced, arriving at in showrooms at just under 27K. With a standard 3.8 V6, the automaker can claim decent fuel mileage of 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. In these days of hyped up gas prices, favorable fuel economy is a keen marketing tool, but expect many buyers to opt for the ultra powerful Northstar V8 instead. Why? Because, if they want to purchase a Buick, they likely will want the power to go along with the luxury. It remains to be seen how well the V6 operates in a car that is 203 inches long and weighing in at nearly two tons.

Standard equipment for the Lucerne includes the following: power windows, door locks, and mirrors; side curtain air bags for the front seat; theft deterrent system; OnStar; keyless entry; and more.

The optional equipment list is expansive and can easily drive the starting price of the top of the line CSX to over 35K. For that price you receive heated power seats with lumbar support; a memory package that adjusts the seats, mirrors, radio, and climate control to each drivers specifications; sport leather steering wheel with built in controls; and more.

A fully loaded Lucerne is still several thousand dollars less than the DTS, making the Lucerne a value leader in the luxury car category. Still, Buick has its work cut out for it as competition from foreign brands including Acura, BMW, and Lexus continue to hammer away at GMs near luxury division. Fortunately, quality levels for all Buicks remain very high so combining that level of success with a strong price may help the Lucerne compete admirably.

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Buying a new car is an experience that few will ever forget: the smell, the pristine interior, and the flawless ride are some of the things enjoyed by new car owners. Yet, despite how well equipped even the most expensive cars can be, oftentimes they leave the showroom with several accessories missing. No, they werent stolen; instead, for some queer reason these must have accessories were not included with the sale. Lets take a look at six accessories every vehicle should have.

Floor mats You have got to be kiddingno floor mats?! Oddly, floor mats are the chief accessory typically not included with any sale. Instead, you get a throwaway paper sheet for the driver. Without floor mats in place you can bet that the interior will be soiled in short order. Worse, if you wait too long your carpeting could be damaged which is especially bad news for you if you lease your vehicle. Just wait til you see the price of replacing damaged automotive carpeting!

Cargo liners Like the interior, the cars trunk area is subject to dirt, debris, mud, the elements, and more. Some automakers have wised up over the years and included cargo liners as standard equipment while others make a cargo liner an expensive add-on, after-the-sale accessory for buyers.

Bug shields If you live in a humid climate, a bug shield is a must. No automaker offers one as standard equipment; if you want to protect your hood and windshield a bug shield is a must. Also marketed as bug deflectors.

Car bra Sure, they are stylish, but a car bra is much more than that. Offering protection to your grille and to the front part of your hood, a car bra can help deflect debris kicked up from the road. Who hasnt come across that sort of problem while traversing our interstates?

Brake dust shields No, there isnt a safety aspect with a dust shield, but there certainly are aesthetic reasons why they make sense. You spent a lot for your tires and wheels, so why go through the hassle of a weekly cleaning just to keep your car looking great? Dust shields limit the dust so that you can do what you really want to do: drive.

Car cover Whether you keep your car garaged or whether you leave it outside, a car cover is essential toward protecting your vehicles finish. Indoor air pollution and dust can damage a garaged vehicle; solar rays, moisture, bird poop, wind, and small impacts can damage exposed vehicles. For less than $200 you can buy a four layer, breathable car cover that will offer the protection your car so desperately needs.

So, there you have it. Six essential auto accessories for every vehicle. Youll pay a mint for each accessory if you let your dealer add them in after the sale, so why not shop online with Car Stuff to find everything you need for your car and for less?

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