I recently visited the Saturn website to check on an Astra factoid. I was surprised to discover that the brand has dropped the "American" part of their "Rethink American" advertising strapline. It's now just "Rethink," with various bits added as and when needed (e.g. Rethink Hybrids). The idea of a generic prefix, followed by a campaign-specific suffix, is not new. Mercedes dropped it's "Engineered like no other car in the world" shtick a long while ago, in favor of a revolving series of "FILL IN THE BLANK like no other car in the world" pronouncements. Nissan has been shifting this and that for some time now, from Expectations to, uh, I can't remember. Which is the problem. While a flexible strapline certainly helps the marketing mavens, like any brand extension, a one-size-doesn't-fit-all marketing solution weakens the impact of the original, highly-focused brand promise. In fact, none of these automakers keep their strapline front and center on their web pages. In any case, Saturn's shift in my expectations got me to re-thinking like no other journalist in the world. What IS a Saturn? I rang up Kyle Johnson, Saturn's Director of Communications, to ask him about the streamlined strapline, cupholders and Saturn's Unique Selling Point.

At the rate it's going, the first Chinese car sold in the U.S. might come from GM, assembled right here in North America. Currently GM buys 20 million parts per month from Chinese suppliers. Reuters reports they're increasing their spending by 25 percent a year through 2010. You can expect to see air conditioning, chassis, steering and brake parts coming from the PRC, in addition to the electronics, plastic parts, engines, aluminum wheels (half of the aluminum wheels they use worldwide are Chinese) and other Chinese-made components they currently use. If the trend continues, that "American-made" Chevy will soon have more Chinese content than domestic. An American revolution? I don't think so.

I remain resolutely skeptical that the new Energy Bill's mpg mandate will fully fulfill its 35mpg by 2020 promise. Once the National Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tweaks the "attribute based" fuel economy calculations, once the manufacturers figure out how to trade credits to share the "burden," there's every chance that the changes we'll see will be mildly evolutionary, rather than revolutionary. But I could be wrong. Perhaps the environmentalists are right. Maybe we'll all be driving right-sized plug-in hybrids fashioned from lightweight materials, and telling tall tales of the days when SUV roamed the fruited plains (before the sainted tree huggers sent them all to Hell). In any case, Wired assumes the best (worst?), counts the cost of meeting the new standards and suggests all the ways automakers will do their civic duty (as opposed to paying the fines and calling it good). The fact the article features a photo of a SMART gives me the heebie-jeebies, but what the Hell. I cordially invite TTAC's best and brightest to survey this technological conundrum and place your bets on the future of high mileage motoring. Aluminum, magnesium and lightweight steel? Direct injection? Diesel? We report, you deride.

No one… yet. But GM’s chief engineer for the Corvette believes his meisterwerk is doomed. "High-performance vehicles such as this may actually be legislated out of existence," says Tadge Juechter. According an AP report published by WTOP, the GM engineer thinks cars such as the ZR1 “may be the last in a long tradition of Detroit performance cars.” With CAFE standards set to increase to 35 mpg by 2020, at least in theory, Juechter reckons cars like the ZR1 “could really be an endangered species.” Global Insight analyst Aaron Bragman says Juechter’s being a drama queen [paraphrase]."GM wants to sell big, high-performance, fun cars. And typically that's what Americans want to buy." Bragman thinks future muscle cars “may be powered by smaller engines or electric motors; but they won't die.” Well thank God for that.

Newspapers on both coasts are reporting that Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) chief Stephen L. Johnson ignored his own staff's unanimous recommendations when he refused to allow California to set its own CO2 tailpipe emissions standards. The EPA ruling means that California– and all the states that adopted The Golden State's air quality standards– will not be able to trump the new fuel economy mandates [almost] specified in the Energy Bill. "The decision set in motion a legal battle that EPA's lawyers expect to lose and demonstrated the Bush administration's determination to oppose any mandatory measures specifically targeted at curbing global warming pollution," the Washington Post proclaimed, sweeping aside the 1000-page Energy Bill's CO2-diminishing provisions. The LA Times was quick to jump on the "we wuz robbed" bandwagon. "The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ignored his staff's written findings in denying California's request for a waiver to implement its landmark law to slash greenhouse gases from vehicles, sources inside and outside the agency told The Times on Thursday." Just in case the EPA's opponents need more goading, the Times also reported that "In a PowerPoint presentation prepared for the administrator, aides wrote that if Johnson denied the waiver and California sued, 'EPA likely to lose suit.'" While Johnson's reasoning is sound– better a national standard than a patchwork of state regulations– the environmentalists are screaming blue murder. This one will run and run., 

This is not the first rendering of the future 5er to appear on the net, But I didn’t like any of the images I’ve seen so far. I also dislike the E60. I guess all BMW fans older than five crave for a design with the beautiful simplicity and the character of the E24 6 Series… I don’t remember spending so much time on a rendering in quite a while. As a BMW fan, I felt obliged to take my time with this one and tweak it until it felt right. I tried to blend the things that first come into my mind when I think BMW, with the flame-surfacing-stuff they’re doing these days. Note the side line, tribute to the BMW 2002, and the “kidneys” that move into the future with more attitude and guts. The front lights were the tricky part. Some think that the E60 overhanging lights will or should make it onto the next 5-Series. I tried about four or five sets of those, but none of them looked right. So I felt obliged to use a conservative approach with just a little of the flame-surfacing-overhanging-stuffing. Enjoy!

[For more Avarvarii photochopistry, click here.]

Ford likes SUVs so much that they build five platforms for ‘em, many of which fight amongst themselves for sales in overlapping segments. Yet the most competitive, the most relevant of Ford’s sport-utilities is also the one no one— not even Ford marketing— seems to know exists: the Taurus X, née Freestyle. Question: if a terrific CUV falls in the sales charts and nobody in Dearborn notices, does it exist? 

It is with great trepidation that I raise this possibility. I remember my first foray into bridging the gap between Internet postings and FTF. I was writing "The Truth About Cars" column for Pistonheads. Flush from my proto-fame, I decided to attend their inaugural Pistonfest. Not only did I feel like a Jew at baptism, I was a Jew at a baptism. An American Jew at the birth of a particularly English enterprise characterized by an inordinate number of TVRs in the parking lot and a peculiar pride in a certain fondness for meat pie. These particular pistonheads had little time or interest in a writer whose keyboard spat vitriol like a milked puff adder, who couldn't even tell an Audi S4 Avant from an Audi S Avant (a mistake with an apparent half life of strontium). My wife and I retired to the world's nastiest hotel room where we watched Anneka Rice fly around the UK in a helicopter looking for a teapot named Ralph (look, don't ask). Anyway, any suggestions for a TTAC party venue? And if we do a TTAC get together, I warn you: I may give my name tag to one of my writers and look on from the sidelines. What was it my report card said? Doesn't play well with others. 

Say the name Hartge or Alpina to a BMW fan and you’ll get instant nods of understanding and respect. While Dinan doesn’t get the pistonhead props afforded these German uber-tuners, they’re rightfully considered America’s foremost BMW tuner. Steve Dinan’s mob has been modifying BMW cars since 1979. His Morgan Hill California-based company offers upgrades for Bimmer engines, suspensions, brakes and wheels. Like the Germans, Dinan also sells “Signature Vehicles” and creates special Factory Works programs. We concern ourselves here with an ECU upgrade and a cold air intake. 

According to Jalopnik, Honda has confirmed that it's "un-delaying" (i.e. building) a replacement for its NSX supercar (1990 – 2005). In theory, it's an exciting development. Aside from the new U.S. Accord, Honda has always followed the Colin Chapman's "add lightness" paradigm. And no vehicle fits that mantra better than a high-performance sports car. That's why the original all-aluminum (body and chassis) NSX remains a totemic vehicle amongst those car nuts who can afford changing high performance tires every 58 miles. Ye Olde NSX offered all the handling of a Ferrari, and then some, on a regular basis (i.e. everyday usability). Like the Chevy Corvette– only with two less cylinders– the Japanese-built supercar was something a working class hero. Unfortunately, Honda is now following Lexus (LF-A) into The Kingdom of Stupid. The next NSX will have a 500-horse V10 in its nose. Pardon me for armchair CEO-ing, but this is five kinds of wrong. The next NSX should be a turbocharged, six-cylinder, mid-engined, Super-Handling AWD terror. When Honda blindly follows in opposition to their principles, not even their engineering expertise makes it worthwhile (see Chuck Norris' Ridgeline). Oh, and the concept car is way ugly.

Europe is all set to bask in its my-farts-don't-smell green virtuosity– if only Germany would go along for the ride. Easier said than done; the new standard dictates that no car sold in the Eurozone can emit more than 130gm/km by 2012. Mercedes, Porsche and BMW don't build a single gas-powered vehicle that conforms to the new regs. In fact, BMW's lowest petrol-powered CO2 emitter, the 116i, spits out 139gm/km. If the new regs are enacted, the propeller people will have to pay €180 fine for every 116i they sell in the European Union (EU). The situation is not much better at the Volkswagen Group, which shelters high CO2 producer Audi and more than a few gas hogs of its own (e.g. Touareg SUV). Which is why BBC News reports that German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the CO2 limits "not economically favorable." For its part, BMW calls the legislation "naive." Peugeot– which makes a small car or two– joined the German chorus of complaint, suggesting the legislation would give advantage to foreign carmakers residing in countries with less powerful Green movements. Let the lobbying and loopholes begin! [thanks to katiepuckrik for the calculations]

Reuters says the deal is done: GM has sold their medium-duty truck business to Navistar International Corp. The deal gives Navistar "intellectual property rights to manufacture GMC and Chevrolet brand vehicles in the class four to eight gross vehicle weight range and distribution rights for GM's medium-duty truck unit." Under the new ownership, production will move from GM's plant in Flint, Michigan to an unnamed Navistar facility. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but its biggest benefit is supposedly allowing GM "to focus more on its core business of making cars and sport utility vehicles." That and pay off some of GM's debt. Or make the bottom line look good for the quarter. Or both.

Some? I mean, c'mon Mr. Phelan. As a Detroit Free Press columnist, if you're going to proclaim a design renaissance at GM, why go half way? Why just trot out the Buick Enclave, Saturn Aura, Chevy Malibu and Silverado, draped though they are in various advertiser ingratiating COTY awards? What of the Pontiac G6? Saturn Sky? Chevrolet HHR? The General has 51 models spread over eight brands. Or are these four examples a sign of things to come. Apparently so… "The reason the new 'vehicles happened is that GM now has a hyperefficient, product-focused vehicle development program,' said Jim Hall, managing director of 2953 Analytics of Birmingham. GM's vehicle-development system today can stand alongside Toyota and BMW as the best in the industry." While one wonders just how efficient a development system has to be to qualify as "hyperefficient," Phelan identifies the three major changes ensuring that his Big Four aren't flukes. First, "A single executive is responsible for each family of vehicles, usually keeping the job for 10 years." Second, "Each of GM's global engineering centers now concentrates on the kind of vehicles it does best." And third, "The goal for each new vehicle is to be the best in its class, rather than simply hoping to be competitive." Phelan ends his paean to The General by elevating CEO Rick Wagoner, design chief Ed Wellburn and Car Czar Bob Lutz to sainthood. Clearly, the hometown scribe knows how to put the sick in sycophancy.