As Cadillac keeps working to gain traction against the imports Lincoln continues to fall further behind of everyone in the California luxury market. The numbers are clear and Lincoln needs a rear wheel drive platform more than ever but still no word on when this is going to happen. Cadillac is still behind the likes of Mercedes and BMW but with new offerings like the sleek and nimble Cadillac ATS that brand has a real change to increase sales for the General. Either way at some point Cadillac and especially Lincoln need to break out in the luxury market soon or it will start getting much harder to build any momentum.

From CNN.Com:

FORTUNE — Cadillac and Lincoln are two of America’s most storied car brands, with more than 200 years of automotive history between them. But in the country’s largest and highest profile luxury car market — California — they are regularly trounced by Europe’s upscale automakers and even the Japanese. Both domestic brands are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to catch up, but they have a long way to go.

Spend some time cruising the eight-lane freeways of Southern California as I did recently, and you will find yourself surrounded by fleets of Mercedes-Benz’s and BMW’s, sprinkled with an assortment of Audi sports cars, Range Rover SUVs, Jaguar sedans, and Porsches. These are mostly high-trim models, too, with AMG and M-sport badges in abundance. Black is the favored color. The Cadillac Escalade appears to be the most favored domestic offering — popular with hotel shuttle services — but you search in vain for a Cadillac CTS or any passenger car with a Lincoln’s in-your-face bow-wave grille.

Check out the full article!

Chevy will kill the Avalanche in 2013 due to sagging sales. What was once one of the sportier and incredibly versatile Truck/SUV’s on the road the Avalanche will be heading for the scrap yard next year. Times change quickly in the auto industry as consumer preferences will always dictate what is hot and what was once hot but now passé. Just ask those who loved their Avalanche’s!!

From AutoNews.com:

DETROIT — The Chevrolet Avalanche, the truck that helped launch the boom in crew cab pickups, is ending its run a decade after its U.S. sales hit their high level.

Chevrolet confirmed today the 2013 Avalanche will be the final year for the crew cab, which it will send off with the 2013 Black Diamond edition.

GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson said Avalanche sales peaked in 2003 with 93,482 units, but were only 20,088 for 2011.

“As the crew cab pickup became an increasing part of the light duty market, Avalanche sales have really been tapering off,” Wilkinson said. “We have a very passionate following but unfortunately it’s not large enough to make a strong enough business case to do a next generation Avalanche as part of the next generation full-size truck program.”

Read the full story.

Bullz-Eye.com recently reviewed the 2012 Honda Pilot Touring and these is what the guys had to say…

With so many SUVs on the road today, it can be difficult to discern one from the other. But there is no mistaking the 2012 Honda Pilot 4WD Touring. The strong look and large interior are trademarks of the Pilot, and we could add a few more standout features to the list.

Exterior
The size of the Honda Pilot is what first caught my eye, and that’s because of the sleek but aggressive look that is unique for this segment. Our Bali Blue Pearl test vehicle looked amazing and the 18-inch alloy wheels fit well with the overall exterior look. You will love the double polygon chrome grille, which looks as tough as any construction truck around, and for a brand like Honda that symbolizes “nice,” the Pilot is a change of pace. With that toughness also comes a refined body design with features like auto on/off headlights, fog lights, heated power door mirrors, roof rails, chrome body side moldings, rear privacy glass, chrome exhaust finishers, power tailgate with lift-up glass hitch and power moonroof with tilt feature.

Interior
The wide Pilot shines with an interior fit for those who demand more room and comfort in their SUVs, and the 2012 Honda Pilot 4WD Touring delivers. The expansive dashboard is filled with high-end features and cup holders and storage areas for those who truly value bins and compartments. The Touring was loaded with extremely comfortable gray leather seats, Honda Navigation System with Voice recognition, rearview camera, Hard Disk Drive, DVD Rear Entertainment System with 9-inch display & wireless headsets, AM/FM/CD Premium Audio system with 10 booming speakers, Bluetooth hands free link, Bluetooth audio, XM satellite radio, USB audio interface, Tri zone automatic climate control, drivers 10-way power seat, memory seat and mirrors, heated front seats which can get nice and toasty if choose the high option, auto dimming rearview mirror, tilt and telescopic steering column, second row sunshades and homelink system.

Read the full review.

Bullz-Eye.com recently scouted the 2012 Kia Soul. Read their initial impressions and check out their gallery!

Bullz-Eye is having some fun testing the 2012 Kia Soul in some pretty decent Midwest weather. The look of the Soul is distinct and surely gets some looks on the road, and for those who like getting noticed, that’s a good thing! The model we are driving is loaded and has a very reasonable sticker price of $22,100, which is good news for the pocket book. Keep an eye out for our upcoming full review of the 2012 Kia Soul.

Check out the full gallery.

With all the debuts at the New York Auto Show, the new SRT Viper was the one everyone was looking forward to. Right away you notice the newly refined exterior, which is still raw, but harkens back more to the original Viper. But no one was worried about how it would look, but what would be powering it.

Recent federal safety mandates, emission controls, and general market pansiness threatened to strip the Viper of its fangs (warning: more tortured snake puns ahead). However, even with traction control and all the other necessities, the Viper still looks like it will be a ludicrous drive. How ludicrous? About 650hp worth from a V-10 motor. Yup, the Viper is back.

Plus, their going back to racing too. Welcome back Viper, it’s been too long.

Bullz-Eye.com reviewed the 2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser 4×4. Check out what they said about the ride below!

There is simply no mistaking the 2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser 4X4 on the road, and for those that own these modern day Tonka Trucks, I’m sure that puts a smile on your face. Toyota took a chance with the FJ Cruiser with the dynamic styling, and when you consider how conservative Toyota has been in the past, it’s a good step forward.

Exterior
Our test model was decked out with 17-inch steel alloy wheels, two-toned paint in Army Green and white roof top, black bumpers with metallic silver trim, black over-fenders with integrated mudguards, silver trim door handles and mirrors, skid plates, power outside mirrors with illuminated markers, rear privacy glass, running boards, daytime running lights, engine transfer case and tow hooks with two front and one rear. Toyota embraced the styling from the iconic FJ40 4×4 utility vehicle which is well known for safaris and serious off-road capabilities. The look of the 2011 Toyota FJ Cruiser 4X4 celebrates the spirit of the FJ40 with features including a front grille with two round, five-inch headlights reminiscent of the FJ40’s frontal styling; the hood and fender contours; and a rear-mounted and exposed full-size spare tire with an off-center license plate mount. The overall look of the FJ Cruiser is top of the line in the cool department!

Read the full article here.

It’s now or never for Lincoln to make it’s comeback and the redesigned MKS will help the revival. We’re looking forward to test driving the Lincoln MKS to see the future ride and handling of the Lincoln brand.

From the Detroit News:

Lincoln took another step in its self-described journey back toward luxury car credibility Friday when it allowed the motoring press its first chance to drive the refreshed 2013 MKS.

The full-size sedan has received more than a cosmetic makeover. Lincoln’s flagship got major suspension improvements, including a continuously controlled damping system that had the big car dancing Friday on the undulating roads of Ford’s Michigan Proving Grounds.

The new, more refined styling and interior of the 2013 MKS were revealed in November at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The MKS remains first a luxury car, quiet and well-appointed with all the latest electronic infotainment offerings.

More powerful engines, more efficient brakes and touch-of-a-button suspension adjustments that offer “normal,” “sport” and “comfort” settings put the MKS closer to its competition.

Read the full article here.

Bullz-Eye.com checked out Volkswagen to explore ways the company is trying to be fuel efficient.

Car enthusiasm boils down to the enjoyment of the drive. All you need is a car you enjoy, a twisty road and some exciting scenery. But the scenery aspect always seems to be left out – the natural backdrop that turns an average drive into a memory. A drive through California will remind you just how important nature is to enjoying a car, and how to make cars not adversely affect the world we live in. No, this article will not be an environmental screed if you were wondering, but it will highlight how VW and other car manufacturers are keeping the joys of motoring while taking into account the preservation of the planet.

The GTI and Golf R are pretty good examples of how far automakers have pushed the envelope, balancing performance with green friendliness. Don’t be mistaken, neither of these cars are hybrids. The GTI and Golf R both share turbocharged 4 cylinder engines, but the R dials up the power and is equipped with 4Motion AWD. But it was the GTI that I took the keys to start the day.

Read the full article.

Bullz-Eye.com reviewed the 2012 Kia Rio SX. Check out what they had to say about the ride!

Kia decided on a new skin for the 2012 Kia Rio SX that clearly resembles the family of cars and SUVs on the road with the Kia logo. That is a good thing as the new Rio is very attractive and the smallest offering from Kia in 2012.

Exterior
The signal red paint looked expensive on the Kia Rio SX and coupled with the flashy 17-inch tires, first impressions are good here my friends. The new look of the Rio is very stylish for a car that starts at $13,400 and our SX grabbed some notable looks from admirers. Included on our test model exterior were auto on/off headlights, LED positioning lights and tail lights, front fog lights and heated power folding mirrors with turn signal indicators. The 2012 Kia Rio SX is definitely one of the best looking B-cars on the road today.

Read the full review.

Things are heating up in the battle for horsepower supremacy and the 2012 Shelby Mustang 1000 seems to be the new champ. The 1000 moniker is there for the obvious reason with a staggering 1000 horses and that’s not a misprint my friends!

From Autoblog.com:

For some, the horsepower wars being waged by auto manufacturers over the past few years are getting a bit out of hand. A 550-hp factory Camaro? A 650-hp factory Mustang? Ridiculous. But if you count massive amounts of gas-guzzling horsepower and torque a crime (we don’t), then the worst of all offenders is perhaps Shelby. Last year at the New York Auto Show, the company unveiled its most powerful creation to date: the 2012 GT500 Super Snake, with up to 800 horsepower. And while 800 hp is just bonkers, Shelby’s next trick is even more insane.

Read the full article.