Number 3 is sadly another Audi – the 2012 A1 Sportback. There’s a theory here – when Audi departs from its principal styling, customers buck back. Maybe, but this hatchback is not that attractive for any brand, Audi or no Audi. The number 2 ugliest car on the block is the 2019 Mercedes-AMG GLC Coupe, a mix of off-road, mini-SUV styling and traditional Mercedes lines. The result – auto vomit. And the number 1 ugly duckling on the block, the car with a hair-lip, crossed eyes, hairy ears and a giant gut … the 2013 Ford Fiesta ST. Don’t google it, you’ll upchuck on your Nikes. The Fiesta in general has been dubbed unimaginative, but the 2013 version is just plain gross. Odd proportions are everywhere, and marketed as a hot hatch, the Fiesta is simply a hot mess.

Now that we’ve dispatched with the nasty guys and gals, let’s get to the pretty folks (subjectively speaking of course). The number 5 most attractive ride is the 2014 Nissan Micra. Can’t say this one jumped off the screen, a decent looking ride, but the number 5 best looking car? Number 4 was the 2019 Toyota Corolla. Toyota swung for the fences here, designing something entirely new … and it worked! Powerful looks with a low, yet firmly established lines, the Corolla is a definite hit. Number 3 is European centric, the 2016 Vauxhall Mokka. This is known stateside as the Buick Encore, a bubbly crossover with a short wheelbase and tall beltline. One wouldn’t think such a combination would work, but the Encore is pleasing to the eye.

The number 2 best-looking ride is the 2011 VW Up! We didn’t intend on placing the exclamation mark there. The Up! comes with an exclamation mark, so when your pronounce this car, do so accordingly! Rounded edges and very symmetrical, an odd choice for number 2, but we’ll accept it. And now, for the number 1 beauty, a car that will make you want to sell your children to buy, the 2016 Smart ForTwo Cabrio. Ok, now we know this study is a total fraud. The prettiest car in the world is the ForTwo Cabrio? According to CarWow, this car registered 98.83% conformity to the golden ratio. We want a recount!

Just as we expected, the golden ratio is far from exact science, but that won’t keep folks from testing the waters every year. Beauty is desired, and apparently desired to be studied as well.   

How do you quantify beauty? Excellent question, and one humanity has wrestled with since way before Christie Brinkley or Beyonce for that matter. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it’s true. But what we also know is true is different societies, countries, cultures, etc. all define beauty in their own unique way. There are of course similarities, where top models worldwide typically share common attributes. One could argue these attributes have been pushed down our throats and for that reason we accept them as the true standards of beauty. Perhaps, but there isn’t much we can do about that. Yet, what if we told you there is a formula, a scientific method to measure beauty and arrive at an unbiased result, regardless of where you’re from.

During the golden days of the European Renaissance, architects and artists employed what was known as the “golden ratio,” an equation to map out their works of art. As time went on scientists from a range of disciplines experimented with this ratio, and eventually a critical mass joined together to solve the aforementioned question – how do you quantify beauty? An assistant professor of biostatistics, Dr. Kendra Schmid, was one of the first to employ the ratio plus 29 other measurements to study the sex appeal of one’s face.

The ideal face, Ms. Schmid found, was a face that is 1½ times longer than it is wide. Schmid employed a simple 1 to 10 scoring spectrum and most folks according to the doctor scored between 4 and 6. In fact, during all her time studying beauty, nobody has ever scored a perfect 10. Now, critics are quick to point out that these numerical scores are based on what another human being has determined to be the perfect score (10) of beauty. Again, arbitrary, but a symbol of beauty, to be fair, sourced over the opinions of beauty around the world. Now, we’re in the model world here, and this after all is an auto blog. Here comes the connection!

CarWow is a U.K. auto site, dedicated to buying, selling and reviewing cars. The team across the pond was interested in applying the golden ratio to cars, in an attempt to determine the best and worst looking cars. A rather ambitious undertaking and one that was certainly not free of detractors. Some first thoughts – “these Brits are nuts!” Cars are pieces of machinery. Yes, some catch the eye more than others. But attractive? CarWow was ready for the backlash, and adeptly countered that the application of the golden ratio is geared around measuring the attractiveness of geometric shapes. Cars, like any structure or thing, are made of geometric shapes. Beauty is still subjective, but there are shapes that have more appeal than others, and those were the ones CarWow was interested in.   

Stay with us, Part II will knock your socks off!

All of this sounds rosy for VW, but Tesla’s missed promises (manufacturing 500,000 plus cars by 2018) have placed doubts with other manufacturers. This year for example Musk plans to deliver 360,000 to a maximum of 400,000 cars, far below the 500,000 figure. High volume manufacturing is not easy, and Musk has tweeted the same. However, he remains optimistic with Tesla Chinese factory development in motion and looking to end June 30, 2020 with a 500,000 target. VW is betting big on China but is also converting two of their German plants (Zwickau and Hanover) into EV plants. Moreover, plants in Emden and Dresden (Germany), one in the Czech Republic and another in Chattanooga, Tennessee are all part of a $33 billion investment push for the lead up to 2023.

Tesla still holds the edge when it comes to range – 560 km on their long-range Model 3 compared to between 330 and 550 km by VW. Tesla employs a sophisticated algorithm to control how much electricity is injected into the motor, seat heaters, cooling system and infotainment center. This is something no other company counts on, but VW can indeed compete on economies of scale and price. The VW EV, the ID.3, is priced very affordably at $33,363 compared to the Model 3 – $50,000. Battery plants are being built in Poland and Germany with companies like LG and CATL advancing their positions. VW is also rumored to be entering a deal with Ford to license its MEB vehicle platform which if executed would yield an additional $10 billion in revenue over the coming years.

This is all a far cry from what any German company was doing in the electric sphere ten or even seven years ago. Nobody is quite sure why it took so long for the Germans to react. Perhaps it was the rap music analogy, but the country is a powerhouse on so many different levels, this one seemed to be a no-brainer. Something tells us however that German automotive dominance in EVs will not take long to conquer. Look for some familiar names soon on that annual hits chart.  

The German giant is ramping up production of EVs with the objective of hitting 1 million by the end of 2022. This would result in VW leapfrogging Tesla and placing China front and center for future development. VW has identified two factories in China to build EVs which some estimate will have the production capacity of 600,000 cars per year. By comparison, Tesla is attempting to reach a lofty goal of 500,000 cars per year in its Shanghai, China plant. However, VW will likely shift existing factory labor to EVs thereby leveraging their large infrastructure of factories, workers and suppliers. The barriers to entry in auto manufacturing is still high, and while Tesla is an established player at this point, they are dwarfed in size compared to the likes of VW.

Part of the VW strategy rests on their ability to develop an EV architecture where an increase in economies of scale should push down EV prices to the low $20,000 range. This is a big news as one of the biggest hinderances to EV sales are their price, and there are only so many government subsidies programs out there to incentivize consumer preferences. To fund VW’s electrification shift, the company will be aiming to increase its sales of SUVs to 40% of all sales by 2020. This would represent a 23% increase over 2018 numbers.

Part II delves deeper, but there is a silver lining …

The biggest story so far does not revolve around a certain make or model, but rather a man. That man is Carlos Ghosn, the former Nissan Chairman who was arrested in November of last year for alleged financial misconduct. Ghosn was beloved (prior to folks learning of the allegations) and left a firm mark on Nissan, especially regarding electric vehicles. But on the first day it wasn’t Nissan who was front and center, but rather Toyota Motor Corp. Chief Executive Akio Toyoda wowed the crowd appearing on stage as an animation character (affectionately named Morizo). Apparently, folks in Japan like anime.

Toyoda made a big pitch aimed at putting his people first, acknowledging automization and the use of robotics and artificial intelligence, but that nothing could replace his human workforce. The main goal of the Tokyo show is to get Japanese consumers on board and excited about upcoming makes and models. World premieres however occur outside of Japan and are typically aimed at shows in the U.S. (Los Angeles and Detroit).

American manufacturers like Ford and General Motors register poor sales (comparatively speaking) in Japan. They will skip the Tokyo show if they’re experiencing down years and this year on the international side Renault took part, Nissan’s partner who also shared a booth. Nissan’s new CEO is Makoto Uchida, but he has not taken up his post yet. Uchida is still in charge of Nissan’s China joint venture and as such did not make a formal speech. At the show Nissan introduced two electric concept cars, one of which is known as “kei,” which in Japanese means a tiny car (rough translation). The other was a sport-utility car and Nissan is keen on keeping their place at the electric vehicle table with the amazing success they’ve had with the Leaf.

Ghosn continues to maintain his innocence and was released on bail after a horrific one-month struggle. He is still awaiting trial so few ever expect to see him again. But apart from that black eye, the Tokyo Show is expected to be a hit as always. 

Influencer marketing is now big business, using people in society who have an ability to attract attention and followers to talk about brands and products in a favorable light. These folks are paid by the companies to do so (naturally), but believe it or not, many turn down offers from companies or products they would not normally like or use. So, for many influencers, it is commonly accepted that if they are touting a product or service, they would likely use said product or service in their private lives even if they weren’t being paid to do so.

There are a host of popular car influencers working in social media today. Without a doubt, one of the top players in the influencer game is Tim Burton, otherwise known as Tim Shmee. Shmee started the brand Shmee150 back in 2010 and travels the globe covering events and gatherings surrounding luxury cars. Shmee has had the opportunity to drive some of the greatest cars on the planet. He famously drove a Lamborghini LP670-4 Superveloce and a Ferrari 458 Italia, filmed a short review, and his career exploded. Shmee has an Instagram account (@shmee150) as well as a popular YouTube channel. Known for his authenticity and honest experiences, Shmee continues to rack up followers and his videos never disappoint.

Another major auto influencer is a guy named Dan. That’s right, no last name here, just Dan. Dan creates vlogs on his motorcycle experiences and is all over Instagram (@diwd_official). He has already logged over 292,000 followers, posts videos, pictures, teases followers with upcoming reviews and boasts an all-around excellent personality. This last part is crucial. Without a good personality, being a grade-A influencer is not possible. To influence one needs to draw people in. Nobody is going to be wowed by a product from someone reading a written script. Energy, passion and humor are all musts, and Dan checks those boxes.

When YouTube began to take off, this next influencer jumped in early. His name is David is That Dude in Blue (@ThatDudeinBlue on YouTube). More in line with auto reviews on new cars that we could all afford, David (dressed accordingly in blue) opines on a range of car related questions, issues, concerns and cool things in the works. David is like that kid next door, super approachable, and you can honestly get lost in his channel, binge watching one video after the next. It can be addicting, fair warning!

While many of these guys and gals provide entertainment, their videos and posts are chalk full of excellent and timely information. Just be careful not to fall down a rabbit-hole …

Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86 (2013 – Present)

What’s going on here? Some sort of novel hybrid? Sort of, but those who frequent racetracks have already likely connected the dots. In 2013, the BRZ and what would become known as the Toyota Scion FR-S (the 86) were identical twins. Both priced in the mid-$20,000s, these were lightweight, affordable coupes with exceptional steering and a super nimble chassis.

Later, a turbocharged BRZ was rumored, but never arrived. Subaru did end up offering the 2018 BRZ tS, and that is a heck of a ride. But Roadshow still remembers 2013 as a banner year for these two.

Mazda MX-5 Miata (2016 – Present)

A matter of time. The Miata arrives to everyone’s “all-time” lists at some point. One day we’ll write a post on the most enjoyed cars of all time and it is certain the Miata will make that list too. While the Miata has been around much longer than just four years, staring in 2016 Mazda made some amazing upgrades, and while you’ll find faster and more powerful cars, the 2016 version communicates with the road unlike any before it (and potentially after as well).

This car is also insanely inexpensive at just $25,730, and while it only features 181 horsepower and 151 pound-feet, flinging this car around the road is just plain fun. And what more do we want waking up every day? 

Kia Stinger (2018 to right now!)

Kia rolled the dice on the Stinger. A rear-drive, four-door GT, by Kia? In the days of SUVs taking over all sales, a fast sedan is what you’re going to roll out? You bet, and Kia rolled a lucky 7 the first time around. Although Kia brass will be the first to point out that luck had nothing to do with it. The Stinger debuted in 2017 and got better like a fine wine by 2018.

At just a tad over $40,000, the Stinger is a V6-powered GT model that gives fits to cars double the price. Quick, awesome handling on twisty roads, the Stinger made many Kia devotees nervous. But that didn’t last long, especially after driving it.

Roadshow tests out a ton of cars on a yearly basis and the company boasts that close to every car on the road today has rolled through their garage at some point in time. We are coming to the close of the 2010s (2010 – 2020) which promoted Roadshow to put on their reflective hats and ponder the favorite cars that have passed through over the last 10 years.

McLaren 570S (2016 – Present)

Supercars are super for a reason. They aren’t anything like you’ve ever seen nor driven, and as a result are owned by a select few. And while Roadshow has driven their fair share of supercars, staff are still buzzing over the 570S. Insanely nimble, this car can spit out 560 horsepower coming directly off a 3.8-liter V8. Ergonomically, the seating configuration gives you the feeling of being in a small aircraft and hitting 100 mph is not only effortless (and illegal in most places), but it’s almost as if the car expects you to hit it. Anything less would be undignified!

The 570S starts at $192,500 and is frequently compared to the Porsche 911 Turbo S. While the Turbo S can outrun the 570S on the track, most agree that the 570S is both unique and preferred. But let’s face it, either one would be awesome to own!

Lexus LFA (2011 – 2012)

For a while (painfully so), Lexus teased the arrival of the LFA. The early 2000s were particularly painful, with sketches of this car emerging, but then being rebuked by Lexus higher-ups as “wacky ideas” rather than a model they were seriously considering. Yet, by the time 2010 rolled around, the world could sniff a scent of the LFA in action. Another supercar, the LFA counts on a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic body and a 4.8-liter, naturally aspirated V10. This was the predecessor of the Lexus F and paved the way for some innovative design tweaks across multiple brands and models throughout the 2010s.

Roadshow staff really like the LFA however, principally because it was a Toyota, through and through. It didn’t pretend to take the Lexus brand and become more niche or nuanced. Lexus is Toyota, and the LFA followed suit.

In Part II some real players rise to the surface.

Now that auto emissions are front and center, where transportation is reported as the largest source of planet-warming greenhouse gases, who drives where, how often, and the amount of emissions per city, county and state is of extreme interest. The Times recently published a fascinating map of emissions per state. Incredibly easy to navigate and fascinating to the core, emissions from just driving for example in the New York metro area increased faster than the overall population between 1990 and 2017. Yikes!

Another doozy – 60 percent of all emissions come from the 250 million passenger cars on our highways. If you want to add in the impact of freight trucks we’re looking at another 23 percent. The U.S. has done a decent job reducing carbon dioxide emissions from our various electrical grids. This has been achieved by switching from coal to natural gas that is less polluting. Yet, emissions due specifically to transportation remain high and don’t seem to be going anywhere, anytime soon.

A Boston University team of researchers reported that the increase in driving-related CO2 is mostly occurring in and around cities. Surprisingly, even in extremely dense cities where one might assume folks would shun their cars for subways or buses, most trips still occur in a car. Over the entire country total emissions have ticked up since 1990. Areas like Dallas-Fort Worth are experiencing very large emissions increases as is Los Angeles, Chicago and of course New York.

California, as we’ve reported here earlier, has its own set of pollution standards that are stricter than national rules. This however has done little to curb the increases. While Los Angeles for example is much cleaner than in previous years, emissions are still up. Most cities take the federal standard as a suggestion and attempt to beef it up a bit. What works in Dallas after all might work as well in Detroit. But aside from copying best-practices, cities are trying to get at the heart of their specific pattern of emissions.

Car proponents are proponents for a reason – cars are great! But until the electric revolution takes shape be prepared for emissions to be a nasty part of our daily lives. 

Kia, Hyundai and Subaru started selling large SUVs for the first time and this definitely helped all three. What follows are four big cars that moved some serious numbers over the summer.

Kia Telluride

Kia has long been heavy on the passenger car line. The slump occurred and what followed was a massive revenue hit on anything that was (and is) not a SUV. Enter the Telluride. Third quarter sales alone are 16,918 and it just hit dealerships 2 months ago. Impressive stuff and Telluride demand is outpacing supply by a long shot. Moreover, the Hyundai Palisade, its three-row sibling, is also taking a back seat to the Telluride.

Volkswagen Atlas

This three-row beast entered the conversation in 2017 and quickly knocked the VW Passat, Beetle and Golf off their peaks. Internally rumor is VW employees prefer the Atlas to nearly every other car in the broader lineup, and if third-quarter sales are any indication (40% higher than the previous year), there will be no slowing down for the Atlas.

Ford Transit

One look at the Transit and it’s clear this car is a fleet vehicle. However, don’t tell consumers that as despite being a fleet ride, everyday folks are still snapping them up. The Transit Connect is an electric model and including this electric option Transit sales are up 29% from the previous year.

One interesting wrinkle here is the growth of e-commerce has helped Transit sales because more small delivery trucks are now needed.

GMC Sierra

Growing by nearly 30% compared to 2018, the Sierra was a bright spot for GM who needed some good news after poor sales numbers across other models. Their pickups went on a cold streak and while the Ram truck (through rival Fiat Chrysler) has surged, the Sierra is still hot on its trail. A cool redesign likely didn’t hurt.