This just in: Styling sells cars...

December 23, 2005 - By John LeBlanc

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love leased for me, a Dodge Viper (hopefully in silver) Automotive Lease Guide predicts Dodge's thumping two-seat sports car will lead all 2006 domestic branded cars in retaining its residual value. With a number of more than 50% considered exceptional, the guide predicts the Viper (base price $128,500) will hold 60% of its original cost after three years. Placing second was Pontiac's new Solstice roadster (base price $25,695) at 54%. Among non-luxury brands, Honda and Toyota retained their top rankings. Porthole lovers beware: If you're about to lease that new Allure you've always dreamed of, keep in mind that 2006 Buick vehicles bottomed out the list with a projected residual value of only 37.9%.

Nissan designers can't contain their urges to go topless in Detroit To keep sports compact enthusiast's eyes off of their ready-to-be-euthanized Sentra, Nissan has been displaying various sporty, front-drive coupes on the show car circuit over the past few years. But a rear-drive, two-seat roadster to take on the Mazda MX-5 and the Pontiac Solstice is something pleasantly unexpected. A concept vehicle, named the Urge, created at Nissan's studio in La Jolla, Calif., will pop up at the forthcoming Detroit show in January. Designed by car designers who are also motorcycle enthusiasts, a main objective of the Urge is “to give the driver and passenger the sensation of the road going by.” Hopefully, unlike my winter beater '76 Chevette, assume this means the Urge will come equipped with floorboards.

Great face, shame about the personality Not in time to save the late Pontiac Aztek, but a study conducted by global management consulting firm, A.T. Kearney, found that attractive exterior styling can be like a set of rose-coloured glasses when it comes to overlooking a car's poor reliability record. With the difference in quality between contemporary cars today being razor-thin, a car's looks have become much more important to new car buyers. In fact, striking styling could extend a car's sales success for at least two model years, which explains the now standard two-to three-year facelift most models receive. According to the firm, over the past five years, brands that scored well in styling, BMW, Lexus, Acura, Nissan, Volvo, Cadillac and Chrysler also tended to do well in the sales charts.

And for gawd's sake, put your hat on, it's cold outside If you're a CAA-Quebec member, here's proof your membership dues are hard at work. Right up there with looking both ways before you cross the street, and not taking wooden nickels from strangers, CAA-Quebec has proclaimed that dirty car windshields can make for hazardous driving. (Gee, thanks, now where's your tow truck I called for an hour ago!) Negating those who claim, “It's OK, Honey, I can see, really,” the motoring association says driving in the early morning or late afternoon sun with a dirty windshield and grimy corners or streaks left by worn wiper blades can present difficulties when driving.

- John LeBlanc, Publisher, www.straight-six.com

© National Post 2005. This article originally appeared in The National Post's Driving.