Surprise: Canada's Most Stolen Vehicle is the 2009 Toyota Venza, Pontiac Aztec Makes Top 10

Who would have ever guessed that car thieves in Canada have a thing for the Toyota Venza? Yet, the 2009 model year version of Toyota's crossover topped the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s [IBC] top 10 most frequently stolen vehicles this year. 
The 2009 Venza takes the crown from the 2000 Honda Civic SiR Coupe that was last year’s number one stolen vehicle but dropped to third place in 2011, just below the 1999 Honda Civic SiR Coupe.
The Japanese carmaker's models prove to be very popular among Canadian thieves as the 1998 and 1999 Acura Integra Coupe also made the list taking the 9th and 10th spot respectively.
In between, you will find the 2006 and 2007 Ford F350 trucks, the 2002 Cadillac Escalade, the 2006 Chevy Traillblazer and –wait for it- the 2001 Pontiac Aztec…
IBC said that many of the stolen vehicles are showing up in the local market and are not necessarily being exported out of Canada.
“Consumers need to be aware when they’re in the market for used vehicles or parts,” said Rick Dubin, Vice-President, Investigative Services, IBC.
"We’re doing a good job of stopping stolen vehicles at the ports. Our data indicate that we are not seeing many of these vehicles there. We have to conclude that stolen vehicles are being re-sold locally. But because the stolen vehicles are in these local markets, buyers need to be careful,” Dubin added.


The top 10 most frequently stolen vehicles in Canada are:

1. 2009 Toyota Venza 4-door
2. 1999 Honda Civic SiR 2-door
3. 2000 Honda Civic SiR 2-door
4. 2006 Ford F350 Pickup Truck 4WD
5. 2002 Cadillac Escalade EXT 4-door AWD
6. 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS 4-door 4WD
7. 2007 Ford F350 Pickup Truck 4WD
8. 2001 Pontiac Aztek 4-door AWD
9. 1998 Acura Integra 2-door
10. 1999 Acura Integra 2-door

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Shocker: Crash Tests Reveal that Most Cars Sold in Latin America are Deathtraps on Wheels

Shocker: Crash Tests Reveal that Most Cars Sold in Latin America are Deathtraps on Wheels

The FIA Foundation announced the results of the first ever crash tests carried out by the Latin New Car Assessment Program (Latin NCAP), and the news isn’t good for consumers and automakers alike. Actually, the crash test results reveal a terrifying reality: most of the best selling cars in Latin America’s emerging markets offer minimal or no protection at all to their adult occupants let alone children...
Max Mosley, president of Global NCAP, said: “The latest results of the Latin NCAP reveal that South America’s most popular cars are still about 20 years behind the levels of safety enjoyed in Europe and North America. This cannot be acceptable.”
"We want to see the UN’s global crash test standards applied to all new cars across the world. And we want consumers to be aware of the life and death choices they make when buying a new car," Mosley added.
The 64 km/h (40 mph) frontal impact crash tests revealed that most of the cars that were tested suffered from poor structural rigidity which, along with the absence of airbags in most of them, “awarded” them an unheard-of, in the 21st century, one-star rating!
This kind of performance is indeed scary, especially when compared to models sold to the European and North American markets, where the top five-star rating for every new model, save for ultra compacts which usually score four stars, is the norm.
Whereas in North America and Europe safety agencies constantly upgrade their requirements, in most Latin American countries safety regulations are virtually non-existent.
A measure of the work that needs to be done is the fact that Argentina and Brazil will make airbags mandatory by 2014 – and that, sadly, is hailed as a sign of progress.

Published By: Carscoop

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Cars Pictures: New Study Reveals the Most Profitable Vehicles in the USA

Cars Pictures: New Study Reveals the Most Profitable Vehicles in the USA

All carmakers want their vehicles to sell in big numbers. And they make a big fuss out of it when they succeed, especially when they top the sales charts in their respective segments. However, high sale numbers don’t necessarily translate to high profits, especially with the discounts that have become a common practice to draw customers to dealerships. A recent study conducted by Max Warburton of Bernstein Research, a market trends and analysis firm, reveals which models sold in the U.S. are the most profitable for automakers.
Despite being blamed for almost anything, from the greenhouse effect to the costly bailout a couple of years ago, the study shows that Detroit’s Big Three light-truck models lead the list of the most profitable vehicles in the U.S.
The number one spot goes to the Ford F-Series, with GM's Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks coming in second and Chrysler's Ram completing the top three.
Admittedly, the survey includes data since 1990, so the current economic and environmental factors are downplayed compared to what is actually happening today. Still, during this period, the three top trucks netted a combined $108 billion pre-tax profit.
According to Warburton, the reason why trucks are so profitable is a combination of high prices, high volumes and long tenure in the market. Moreover, unlike passenger cars, trucks employ simpler and cheaper technology, further increasing the profit margin, and even when they are upgraded they often use carry-over parts from the models they replace.
Trucks are not the only high-profit vehicles in the list: the Mercedes-Benz S-Class ranks in fourth place followed by the BMW 5- and 3-Series, and the E-Class.
Big SUVs, like the Lexus RX and the Jeep Grand Cherokee, are next while U.S. market best-sellers, such as the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry, are also included in the list, mainly due to their high volumes.
The Porsche 911, on the other hand, which takes a place between the Accord and the Camry, may not be as common, but it practically owns its segment and certainly commands a much higher price tag.
Story Sources: Bernstein Research via New York Times

Bernstein Research's list of the most profitable vehicles in the USA since 1990:
1. Ford F-Series
2. General Motors pickups
3. Chrysler Ram
4. Mercedes S-Class
5. BMW 5 Series
6. BMW 3 Series
7. Mercedes E-Class
8. Lexus RX
9. Jeep Grand Cherokee
10. Honda Accord
11. Porsche 911
12. Toyota Camry