At BMW's Detroit Auto Show PR bragfest and new vehicle unveiling, the truth was spinning as fast as the propeller that inspired the corporate roundel. In spite of their perpetual payments for EPA fines, BMW wants you to know all the good things they're doing for the environment. Did you know they've led the way in CO2 reduction in the U.S.? At least that's what all their signs said (just in case you missed them actually saying it). But let's face it– if BMW hadn't had such high emissions to start with, they couldn't have dropped them that much. Teh German automaker also didn't bother to address what impact the quart of oil their V-10 engines consume between oil changes has on the environment. But they did say their first hybrid, due in 2009, will use 20 percent less fuel than "other cars." Somehow I don't think Toyota or Honda will be losing any sleep over any of this.

[Reported by Sajeev Mehta] 

BMW has unveiled the production model of their neither-fish-nor-fowl X6 "sports activity coupe" (SAC) at the North American International Auto Show. The high-rider all-wheel-drive hatchback features less passenger space and less cargo room than a normal SUV, at a much higher price. Bimmer's planning a hybrid version, along with diesel variants. Meanwhile, BMW is still touting their SAC as a "first," but the model joins an illustrious group of jacked-up AWD passenger cars like the AMC Eagle, the Eagle SX4 and the Subaru Outback sedan. And we all know how successful those were, don't we?

Click here for more TTAC photos of the X6

Back in the day, VW decided to match Mercedes model-for-model. This strategy led to the ill-fated, brand-busting, $60k-and-up Phaeton. Judging from the new VW Passat CC unveiled at The Detroit Auto Show, VW CEO Martin Winterkorn is determined to get right back on that [dead] horse. The CC is a CLS clone, with the distinction of offering less visibility and more chance of rear passenger decapitation than the Mercedes version. At VeeDub's axles of white power stand (eye searingly white with blue lighting a la Apple), Winterkorn said the CC was part of the German automaker's "fireworks of great new cars" master plan to sell 800k cars in the U.S. Huh? That's a significant climb-down from VW's publicly stated goal of shifting one million units stateside by 2018. Ironically enough, VW gave us reason not to be optimistic re: it's not-so-great-anymore expectations. An introductory film revealed that Americans want three things from a car: reliability, durability and "fine design." Herr Winterkorn better hope that two out of three ain't bad. 

[reported by Sajeev Mehta] 

In an attempt to keep a blue oval on America's best selling vehicle, Ford rolled out a fancy new F-150, due to hit the market in 2009. The top-line Platinum Edition will feature real brushed aluminum trim with an interior who luxe-ness negates the need for a Mark LT clone. The interior of all F-150s will feature softer plastics with fewer panel gaps. Outside, the new model will boast a tailgate step à la Super Duty and a side step, so you can get things out of the bed from the side. (Suggestion to Ford: make the damn bed sides lower already, so customers don't need stilts to reach their stuff.) Each of the four models from el cheapo work truck to blinged-out Platinum Edition will have different grilles; big spenders' egos will be flattered appropriately. The only really discordant design feature: the girly-looking headlights copped from the Edge. What was wrong with the macho design used on the Super Duty? Now that everyone knows what improvements the 2009 model offers, Ford's biggest challenge will be keeping their market share from dropping even more precipitously during the lame-duck 2008 model year.

Click for more TTAC photos of the new F-150  

[Reported by Sajeev Mehta] 

I know: you want to know what these options are. Well so do we. 'Cause Ford's jeffe de las Américas Mark Fields faced down the journalistic corps at the Detroit Auto Show and provided our man with no details whatsoever on his employer's plans for the once prolific Special Vehicles Team. In fact, one of those options could be to abandon SVT altogether; it would only be a short hop from the Ford tuning division's current limbo dance. This is especially true now that Ford has re-labeled their twin-turbo "Turbo Force" V6 engine as an "Eco-Boost," and decided to shoehorn the new powerplant into everything they make. So, could those "options" include an Eco-Boost– er, Twin Force V8? Given Ford's current North American market share spiral, and the need to allocate money to building some better mainstream products, I reckon SVT will restrict itself to lucrative suspensions and style mods. As well it might.

[reported by Sajeev Mehta] 

At the unveiling of the Verve concept car, one of Ford CEO Alan Mulally's minions stepped up to the microphone at the Detroit Auto Show and [dare I say boldly] declared that "Europe is our future." When pressed on the which cars when part of this meta-point, Big Al stretched the boundaries of the word "vague" to near-breaking point. "We plan to import cars from Europe at some time in the future." Meanwhile, the Honda Civic-like (with European Blue Oval design cues) Verve looks ready for production– though shod with red wall tires straight from the Hot Wheels School of Design. Ford also hinted there could be a three-door version, if you know, there is. Let's hope the car's acceleration matches the speed at which the FoMoCo's flackmeister went over the Verve's salient features. 

Click here for TTAC's pictures of the Ford Verve Concept  

[reported by Sajeev Mehta] 

At a press conference at the Detroit Auto Show, Ford's presidente de las Américas Mark Fields has rechristened Ford's former cash cow a "Smart Utility Vehicle." In other words, the new Ford Explorer will be a unit-body vehicle with "best in class" towing. Yes, well, the D3 chassis upon which the Explorer will sit on is something of a loser, having failed to ignite sales for the Ford Taurus, Taurus X, Five Hundred; Mercury Sable and Volvo S80 (the Swede with the more expensive aluminum springy bits underneath). On the positive side, the Explorer will get the new Twin-Force– sorry, "Eco-Boost" twin-turbo, which looks like one Hell of a motor. The changes to the Explorer are designed to stem the model's rapid and stratospheric fall from grace; down 23.1 percent this year alone. But the introduction of a new cuter ute also represents a gamble that the Explorer's non-real-SUV fans (a.k.a. concrete cowboys) haven't already left for greener pastures. Not to mention all the "real" truck fans who won't touch the new model with a ten foot pole. Besides, how many crossovers does Ford actually need? 

 Click here for more TTAC pictures of the Explorer America

[Reported by Sajeev Mehta] 

While we await various concept and slatedforproductionmobiles at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Toyota has taken another giant leap away from "now you see it, now do you recognize it?" auto show hype. Ahead of tomorrow's official debut of the new Venza crossover, Kentucky's Herald-Leader reports that workers at ToMoCo's Georgetown factory have amassed experience screwing the beastie together. In fact, the Camry factory's been involved in the machine's genesis right from the git-go. "Since April 2006, two dozen workers at Toyota's sprawling Georgetown manufacturing plant have spent their days walled off from their colleagues. In key-carded rooms, they ran computer simulations, phoned Toyota's top designers and coordinated a project that will soon touch thousands of their brethren. They have built the Venza." This kind of pre-prod prep is nothing new. But the paper describes the computer-assisted anal retentive lengths (ew) to which ToMoCo will go to get a vehicle right before it hits the streets. "Haddix and his team members used computer software to track how each of the more than 2,000 parts would be shaped and installed. When the group simulated installation of a part under the hood, they found that the tool couldn't quite fit and struck the vehicle. The hood angle had to be raised. Another part's installation would have scratched the instrument panel." Who ARE these guys?  

Once again, GM Car Czar Maximum Bob Lutz is shooting his mouth off, aspiring to TTAC's non-existent Stop Making Sense lifetime achievement award. Let's face it: it's one thing to say you don't give a shit about Toyota snatching your employer's "world's largest automaker crown" and then rescind the remark (as GM CEO Rick Wagoner did during a Russian plant unveiling in '07). It's another to say the same thing again. But those are the [non-fighting] words coming out of Maximum Bob's mouth in an interview set to be published tomorrow by the German auto industry newspaper Automobilwoche (via Reuters). "Good product quality, the company's image and the profit for shareholders are more important goals than the top position in volume." In that order, presumably. BTW. WTH does that quote actually mean? 

Although the odds were stacked in their favor, GM didn't sweep the North American Car and Truck of the Year Awards as many expected. Of the six finalists (Cadillac CTS, the Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord, Buick Enclave, Mazda CX-9 and Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid) four were from The General's stable. But a dark horse stole one event. Oh right, sorry. I know the tension's killing you. Right. The North American Car of the Year is the car you can't buy: the Chevrolet Malibu. The NA Truck of the Year is the crossover that thinks it's a truck the Mazda CX-9. There was a bit of murmuring about Malibu getting the award over the CTS, since the Malibu is essentially a reskinned Aura and the Aura won last year. But the judges seemed to think the new Malibu was such an improvement over the previous dismal piece of shit that it deserved recognition. (Apparently the CTS wasn't that much of an improvement.) How the CX-9 made it over the media darling Tahoe Hybrid is still a mystery– although it pays to keep in mind (so to speak) that Mazda is a Ford brand. Meanwhile, the event planners spent most of the opening ceremonies this morning patting themselves on the back, congratulating themselves on what a fine job they think they did this year. Fair enough?

[Reporters: Sajeev Mehta and William C. Montgomery]

Who asked the Detroit News' Show Biz reporter to chime-in with his feelings about the 2008 North American International Auto Show? I mean Jeez; David Phillips is raining on a parade that his employer has been hyping since Buick was asking people if it was time for a real car (ready when you are). Then again, it's an itty bitty blog post, And I suppose that an entertainment writer is the most keenly aware when the stars of the show are off skiing in Park City. "Lexus, Acura, Nissan, Infiniti and Suzuki are taking a pass this year. Porsche is gone altogether. Aston Martin has quietly vanished from the Ford stand for obvious reasons." Which are… "the cost of doing business inside Cobo Center, an automaker's product cadence, the growth in overseas markets, other opportunities, venues and auto shows to showcase new product, etc." Hmm. I wonder if that cost has anything to do with some union or other, and whether Big Ron Gettelfinger could sort them out. (You gotta bend over like this. No, not me. You.) Phillips final remark shows how quick Detroit is to react to economic challenges. "Show organizers should be worried." Ya think? [thanks to starlightmica for the tip]

I’m not big on ceremony. Throw in a couple of blowhard politicians, a bevy of self-congratulatory industry execs and a swarm of self-important journalist jackals; and meetings like the 12th Annual International Car of the Year Awards are like kryptonite to my modest superpowers. The invitation from the friendly folks at Road and Travel Magazine read, “Regrets not Required.” In my case, regret was inevitable. Still, I donned a monkey suit and took one for the team with as much enthusiasm as I approached my first doctor’s visit after my fortieth birthday. Fortunately my doctor was quick and his gentle finger was warm, so that experience was not as bad as I had grimly anticipated. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the green-themed ICOTY award pageant.

Nie-ass? Nay-ass? If you're going to change the name of a world famous American auto show– and why would you?– why would you settle on an acronym that sounds vaguely Scandinavian? What's more, NAIAS is another example of America's willingness to claim international importance for a national event (e.g. the World Series). I mean, does the North American International Auto Show have a heavy Canadian or Mexican presence– aside from all the cars and trucks and minivans and engines and transmissions and stuff built to service America's "domestic" car companies? Anyway, the 2008 NAIAS industry conclave marks the first time The Truth About Cars is attending. Sajeev Mehta and William C. Montgomery– our Texas dream team– will be blogging throughout the day. They'll provide the sort of no-holds-barred reportage you've come to expect from this website. Frank Williams and I will be coordinating their coverage from comfort of our garrets. If you could email your pistonhead pals and tell them to click on us for the web's best NAIAS coverage, I'd be most appreciative. Meanwhile, rest assured we'll do our best to stick it to the Man, TTAC style. That's Tea-Tack, in case you were wondering…

Martin Eberhard is the dot commer who founded Tesla Motors– and singularly failed to bring his vision to fruition. When Tesla's Bored of Directors gave Eberhard the old heave-ho, the man was pissed. Still is. In fact, Eberhard's newly-launched Tesla Founders Blog is laced with more venom than that Egyptian tomb where Indiana Jones freaked. "Okay, I said this blog is not going to be about criticizing Tesla," Eberhard writes. "But I just have to say something about the bloodbath going on over there right now, because it seems to be going largely unreported in the press." It's a highly ironic media dig, given that the press has reported his[former] company's vaporware with wide-eyed obsequiousness, and that Eberhard's blog is destroying that good will. Anyway, the list of 26 fired employees (roughly 10 percent of Tesla's payroll) must mean Tesla's new new production goal is toast. Could this be a total abortion? Nah. But according to Eberhard "axing nearly the entire executive staff, letting the world’s foremost EV motor engineer go, trimming down the service organization before the job of opening the first service center is done, ripping through the firmware team – and doing it by random firings on a daily basis – are all hard to explain." Well, how about this: they were all shit-canned because they failed to produce a car. In fact, it's a sign of Eberhard's arrogance that he can't draw any connection between his own incompetence and the employees fired in his wake. [thanks to everyone who sent the link]  

The Chrysler brand is going global, but not the way you'd think. While GM and Ford ramp-up operations under their corporate names around the world, Chrysler is pimping itself out. Dodge is already building trucks for Mitsubishi. Chrysler has a deal for Chery to provide a small car to Dodge in Mexico; they're also developing a small car with Chery for North America. Volkswagen's Canadian Chrysler-built minivan starts production later this year. Nissan wants Chrysler to build large trucks for them for the U.S. And now Reuters reports Nissan will make Versas to be sold as Chryslers in South America in 2009. Confused yet? Trust me– it's going to get worse (better?) as Cerberus does whatever it takes to keep Chrysler's head above water long enough to get what they can when they finally get down to the strip and flip part of the program.