Grand Theft Auto: FBI Reports a Decline in Car Thefts and Recoveries

Auto thefts are down to their lowest levels in 20 years but recovery of the stolen vehicles has also declined.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has released new 2009 statistics that finds auto thefts are down to their lowest levels in 20 years at 794,616 thefts and down 17 percent from last year. However, all the news isn't good. The recovery of the stolen vehicles also declined, with only 42 percent recovered — the lowest rate in 25 years. Over $5 billion was lost to motor vehicle theft, with the average loss per vehicle at $6,505.
One reason for the low recovery rate is that thieves are increasingly savvy. These acts are seldom the work of joyriding teenagers, but rather calculated abductions by professional thieves. That makes it harder to recover because they are stripped for parts and sold on the black market.
Just last month, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) published the list of the highest insurance claims with the Cadillac Escalade making the top spot.
While it is good news that these crimes are going down, you still need to be extra vigilant to protect yourself and your vehicle from being a target for thieves. Remember, you're not just deterring a casual theft, but a skilled bandit.
Tips to prevent your car from being stolen:

• Lock your car. It is common sense that many thefts happen to unlocked vehicles. The goal is to make your car less desirable than others, and a locked door is a simple deterrent.
• Never leave your car running unattended and always take your keys with you. Otherwise, you are inviting thieves to drive off with your car.
• Keep windows closed when you park and leave your vehicle. A slender arm or clothes hanger can reach in through even a narrow opening to unlock the door.
• Don't store valuables or expensive electronic devices in plain sight. It's best to take portable devices with you.
• Park in a well-lighted, public place when running errands and when at home. A car will be safer in a garage than in a driveway or at a curb.
• Use a visual warning device, such as a blinking light, as a deterrent. An alarm can be effective, but it is even better if the crook doesn't break into the vehicle in the first place. If your car is not factory-equipped with these features, they can be installed at a local automotive stereo shop.
• Smart keys or a fuel cut-offs system, aka engine immobilizer, are standard on many late-model cars and can add security. Thieves won't steal a car they cannot start.
• For advanced protection, install a GPS or radio frequency tracking system in your vehicle to help police find it.

 

2011Porsche Cayenne — First Drive

The "No Substitute" automaker turns its big SUV into a lighter, cheaper version of its new Panamera.

Porsche wants you to believe that the single most important aspect of the 2011 Cayenne is that the big SUV is now available as a 2-mode hybrid. That's impressive, but not nearly as amazing as the fact that the German engineers have managed to trim 400 pounds out of the truck.

Every nook and cranny was re-examined to drop the weight. The result: better performance and fuel economy. How sweet is that?

Model Lineup
While the Cayenne lineup technically starts with a V6-powered base version, the real fun begins with the $63,700 Cayenne S. It comes standard with 18-inch wheels and takes horsepower from 300 to 400 by way of an all-aluminum V8 engine. Brakes are slightly larger as well: 14.2 inches, compared with 13.7 inches.

Step up the Porsche SUV ladder and you'll find yourself behind the wheel of the all-new Cayenne S Hybrid. Priced at $67,700, it's the only Porsche on sale right now that's capable of operating in all-electric mode. With 18-inch wheels and a smattering of high-tech drivetrain technology, it's the most efficient Cayenne of the bunch.

At the top of the pecking order is the Cayenne Turbo. Aside from being the fastest Cayenne you can buy, thanks to a burly twin-turbocharged V8 under the hood, the $104,800 Cayenne Turbo features unique 19-inch wheels for extra style.

Under the Hood
The Cayenne S comes from the factory with a 4.8-liter V8 engine that produces 400 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. Fifteen more horsepower than the previous model helps get the S to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds - nearly two seconds faster than the base Cayenne. The S trim also nets buyers the same 8-speed automatic gearbox found in the base SUV, albeit with different gear ratios.

Here's where things get interesting: the Cayenne S Hybrid. The engineers in Stuttgart, Germany, fitted the Hybrid with a supercharged direct-injection 3.0-liter V6 engine. Combined with a small 47-horsepower electric motor, the engine manages to produce 380 horsepower and 427 lb-ft of torque. The system also uses a decoupling clutch in the 8-speed automatic transmission to allow the vehicle to operate in all-electric mode. A 288-volt nickel-metal hydride battery provides power to the electric motor.

The most powerful engine is in the Cayenne Turbo. For 2011, the turbocharged 4.8-liter V8 produces 500 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, the topped-out SUV can scoot to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds — better than most sports cars.

So far, neither Porsche nor the Environmental Protection Agency has released fuel-economy numbers on the next-generation Cayenne SUVs, but we're told to expect a 23 percent bump in efficiency throughout the range, thanks to lightweight design and tricks such as an auto-stop system for the engine in the Cayenne Turbo and the Cayenne S Hybrid.

Inner Space
Inside, the Porsche designers lifted heavily from the all-new Panamera, and the cabin is now drop-dead gorgeous as a result. Every inch of the interior is wrapped in high-quality leather, wood trim and brushed metal accents.

The Cayenne now wears the same elevated center console found in the company's new sedan, though the center grab handles hark back to the last-generation SUV. All of the center-console controls are easy to reach and use — a good thing whether you're tearing across Siberia or down the autobahn — but like the Panamera, they are mostly similar in feel. That means taking your eyes off the road momentarily, which is less than ideal. The upward-stretching center console itself is great, though — both the driver and front passenger get the feeling of being nestled into a sports car rather than sitting on a bar stool.

Porsche Plans a Hybrid in Every Model Line

Porsche is counting on hybrid drive to help reduce its fleet CO2 emissions.

“In the future, we will have hybrid drive in every model line," development chief Wolfgang Duerheimer said.

Earlier this year, Porsche launched a hybrid version of its Cayenne SUV. A Panamera sedan will go on sale with the Cayenne's hybrid technology in 2011. According to Porsche engine chief, Heinz-Jakob Neusser, the Panamera hybrid will be able to travel about 3 miles under electric power.

Porsche's first electrically powered sports car, the 918 Spyder, will come next, with small production runs planned in three to four years.

“We want to learn how we can electrify all our sports cars in the future with the help of this short production run," Duerheimer said.

He held out the prospect of hybrid versions of the 911, the Boxster and Cayman, but did not give a time frame.

The European Union has set Porsche a target of reducing its CO2 emissions to 216 grams per kilometer by 2015 from 255 grams now. Porsche believes hybrids will help the company meet the goal.

4 cylinder engines
The company could also introduce smaller engines to help cut CO2 emissions.

"If the CO2 guidelines require it, then our engines will become smaller and may have just four cylinders," Duerheimer said. “The important thing is that the performance has to be right. The 911 must always be on the cutting edge.”

He is looking at turbocharging and direct injection. They could be used to transform a four-cylinder powerplant into a sports car engine.

Weight is another parameter and Porsche aims to ensure that new models are no heavier than the vehicles they replace.

"A constant weight is our minimum requirement in the change to a new generation, even with compliance with all the new safety and comfort requirements," Duerheimer said.

That means a new model must be 10 percent lighter each generation, so that the new car doesn't end up weighing any more than the old.

“You could hardly achieve much more than that with current technologies," Duerheimer said.
He said Porsche is developing carbon car bodies for road vehicles that can be used to make another improvement of 110 pounds in weight.

These could be ready in five years.

Porsche is introducing new smaller vehicles such as the planned Cajun SUV, which will positioned below the Cayenne, to win new customers, not to cut the carmaker's CO2 emissions, Duerheimer said.

"If you want to save on your heating costs, you don't move into a smaller apartment," he said.

In a Weak Economy, Luxury Brands Are Thriving

The automotive industry is an unsteady one, beset by fluctuating gas prices and the whims of vehicular fashion. The luxury segment has traditionally been insulated from the economy's ebb and flow, tied as it is to consumers who have a great deal of financial cushioning. According to industry analysis house TrueCar.com, the past nine months have not contained any surprises: In a time when most brands are just beginning to see a light at the end of the recession's tunnel, luxury carmakers are seeing a significant increase in sales. 

According to TrueCar, more than half of the 13 major luxury brands increased sales by more than 20 percent in 2010. On top of that, incentive spending — the amount that manufacturers spend in rebates, discounts and packages to get you in the door — among 10 of those brands dropped.  

TrueCar's numbers compare the past nine months with the same time period last year, and the company's published release contains a chart outlining the differences in spending and sales.

Cadillac led the luxury market this year, with a sales increase of 43.8 percent. Acura was close behind, with a 25.8 percent increase, followed by Infiniti, up 24.9 percent; Porsche, up 23.6 percent; and Audi, up 23.6 percent. The only high-end brands surveyed that did not show an increase were Saab and Volvo, with drops of 12 percent and 53.3 percent, respectively. Saab's decrease can largely be explained by the brand's ownership troubles and dearth of new products.