Now that Ford has ditched… er, sold Jaguar and Land Rover they're turning their attention to their Swedish marriage from 1999. It seems that Volvo's North American sales slowdown has finally rippled across the pond. Volvo is reporting an 80-day supply of certain models. As a result the Swedes have decided to idle the factory in Uddevalla (a joint venture with Pininfarina) that produces the C70 for two weeks while Ford decides what to do. In addition, the factory in Torslanda will be idled for one week to get inventory down to their target level of 60 days. Obviously they don't have to deal with the UAW.

The European Union's goal of reducing C02 emissions to 120g/km is not attainable by the 2012 target date, says Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche. Speaking to Wirtschaftswoche, and reported by Auto Motor und Sport , Dr Z says "sixty percent of the vehicles which we will sell in 2012 are already in the factories and are going to customers on the market." With C02 averages currently at 170g/km, Zetsche says it will take another seven years to prepare a new generation of vehicles, leaving EU goals out of reach within the current timeframe. Zetsche also reveals that Daimler will be sticking to its guns on alternative energy development, vowing to push for greater acceptance of hydrogen fuel cells where the automaker has sunk considerable R&D efforts. Zetsche acknowledges that "The last open question is: will there be a universally available hydrogen infrastructure, where will the hydrogen come from, and what will be the energy savings?" Big questions indeed for a company facing tough carbon goals in a short timeframe.

Since Bob Lutz revealed the Volt concept that made the rounds at the auto shows is more aerodynamically efficient going backwards than forwards, we've known there was much work to be done in the wind tunnel (and no, we don't mean the marketing depatment). CBS auto beat reporter Jeff Gilbert got a look inside the Volt development center, and brings us some of the first images of a camouflaged one-third scale model of what just might be the production Volt. Gilbert doesn't think the model is "all that exciting," saying it looks like little more than a Pontiac G6 or (inexplicably) a Chevy Camaro. But lack of enthusiasm for the mock-up doesn't mean Gilbert won't regurgitate GM's lies marketing playbook verbatim, incredulously spouting such obvious untruths as the long-abandoned $30k pricetag. In fact the "GM wants to sell 100k Volts at $30k by 2010" pablum comes immediately after GM's chief engineer for hybrid electric vehicle programs refuses to say that things look good for the 2010 goal. "Well, it's very clear what our target is, and leadership has asked us 'what do you need to make it happen?' and we have not been turned down once," says the sultan of sliderules. Gosh, that sounds like the development process of every $30k car, doesn't it?

Although TTAC remains highly cognizant of the difference between carefully-prepared press vehicles and the cars people buy off dealer lots, we are not against press cars or manufacturer's junkets per se. (Nor have we ever been.) Our policy is simple: we declare any and all manufacturers' contributions to our coverage so you can read our copy with your bullshit detector switched-on to maximum sensitivity. Jonny Lieberman's junket-fed X6 review (from Spartanburg) marks an important turning point– at least from the automakers' point-of-view. Longtime readers will recall that the German automaker banned us from their press fleet for dissing the Subaru Tribeca B9 (go figure). So now we're back in their good books; provided they don't take offense to today's review or read that link and have a "they shouldn't have had a V8!" moment. Anyway, the Texas Toyota rep who offered us whips has stopped answering our calls. And TTAC's still on Subaru, Honda and GM's shit list (amongst others). How reassuring is that?

Loose lips may sink ships, but what do they do for brands? If you're John Roca, Lexus' Australian Chief, secure in the knowledge that the brand is going to move over a million cars  in a few years, you just don't care. Mr. Roca opened his yap to The Australian and had lots to say. Most interesting to our ears is the fact that the IS-F is not a one-off attempt to steal cash from M and AMG. Keep your eyes peeled and your wallet primed for a GS-F and maybe even a full-size LS-F Limo. Then of course there's the much-blogged-about LF-A supercar which should be ready for prime time on schedule in 2011. Anything else? Why yes. Coupled to Lexus' million+ dream is the fact that you have to sell cars to more than the very rich. For the just kinda/hoping to one day be rich will come a competitor to BMW's 1-Series and Audi's A3. Following that, expect an all new Lexus "Prius," a standalone vehicle that they hope will become synonymous with green luxury. But that's not all! Expect a (yawn) RX replacement next year. And finally, the news that's most interesting to me:  Roca claims that the IS range will be expanded to include a coupe and convertible. The latter plus the IS-F's mill will become legend. Surely an IS-F wagon isn't too far behind?

Last week I wrote about how Lexus production models look a lot better than their concept cars. Well, with Renault it seems to be the exact opposite. Try to remember the VelSatis concept car that was quite appealing (in a French way) but turned into one of the most hideous pseudo-sedans ever. Same for the Koleos, that was initially an original and tasteful design, but became an SUV cliché as a production vehicle. This year in Geneva Renault brought us the Megane Coupe Concept, as a preview for the third generation of their C-segment player. While not being exactly production-oriented with its large gullwing doors and the hotter-than-Scirocco low profile, the car still has many styling elements that can be used on the third Megane. If Renault manages to break the "turn nice concepts into weird production cars" pattern we might see the first good-looking Megane soon.

[For more Avarvarii photochopistry, click here]

"It's one of those rare businesses: when the economy struggles, Henry McCarty's work thrives," reports KHOU (via CNN). Henry McCarty's "work" is repossessing cars from those who've fallen behind on the payments. Just how good is the repo business in the Houston, TX area these days? "We're running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, just to keep up," say McCarty, who runs Citywide Lien Enforcements. McCarty says "There's a lot of people out there that fall on tough times," and default on car and truck loans. "They're bankers, they're police officers, they're… you know, even doctors." KHOU reporter Kevin Peters says that nationwide, about 1.5m vehicles were repossessed last year, up 15 percent from 2006. He adds that "experts" predict another "10-percent jump" in the number of repos this year. As for repo man McCarty, he says most folks don't try to stop him when he shows up to tow a vehicle away, in fact, most people expect it. "People are just givin' up these bigger cars because of gas prices, you know, they're going to the more economicals." English skills aside, McCarty's knows the good times for his business come at the expense of those less fortunate: "We're not out there to try and be the bad guys." In other words, don't take it personally- it's just business.

Audi may be right on target with their plans to import diesels . A study by J.D Power (via the Detroit News ) shows diesels and gas-electric hybrids will have 17 percent of the U.S. market by 2015. Surprisingly, Power thinks diesels will outsell hybrids because of the higher cost of admission to the hybrid club; they predict by 2015 hybrids will increase to seven percent of the market (from the current 2.2 percent) while diesel vehicles will make up ten percent. Sales of four-cylinder gas engines are also expected to rise sharply as the automakers scramble to meet the new 35mpg CAFE standard. They don't think hydrogen fuel cells and pure electric cars will have much impact as they won't be available in any significant numbers during the years covered by the study. But what about E85? The proportion of vehicles available that can run on corn squeezin's will nearly double but few of them will be using it because it still won't be available in most places. That won't matter to the manufacturers, though, if the new CAFE standards have the ethanol loophole the current one does.

To understand the new X6, you must go back a few years to the 2001 X Coupe Concept. This was the first time the world got a look at BMW's vision of a jacked-up sports car that "deliberately questioned existing preconceptions." Nothing whatsoever made it from the concept to the production X6– save a bit of flame surfacing and the chutzpah necessary to give well-heeled motorheads what they didn't know they needed: a jacked-up five thousand pound, four-door, four-seat, all-wheel-drive sports car.

In spite of the high cost of diesel, Audi is anticipating the US passenger car market to be approximately 10-20% oil-burning in the next few years. Economic arguments to the side, Audi has announced its diesel product plans for the US in the near future. A 3.0 liter common rail V6 diesel engine, with 211 hp and 406 lb ft of torque is headed for the Q7 crossover and the new A5 coupe. In the A5, Audi claims it'll make 0-60 in 5.9 seconds. The A4 will also get this engine down the road. But in addition to the diesel V6, the Audi Q7 will also have oil-burning options of a V8 and V12. The V8 has 326 horses and 560 lb/ft of torque and Audi claims it will get 24 mpg combined. And if you really want to go the nose-heavy route, the diesel V12 with 500 horses and 737 lb/ft of torque will warp time and space as you hit 60 in 5.3 seconds. Since diesel fuel has suddenly shot up in price (oil manufacturers realized diesels get better mileage, and as such represented lower profit per mile?), Audi's right to argue the performance aspects of these engines rather than prioritizing their efficiency, which is still respectable considering the performance you'll get.

The rumors around the rumor mill are that the next super-hot version of the Ford Focus – the RS – will get 4WD or AWD and 350 horsepower from a six cylinder engine. If you've been following the development of the RS (and as North Americans, you probably haven't), the story until now was that it would be 300 hp, from a highly tuned 5-cylinder engine, and front wheel drive with a trick diff to tame torque steer. But the latest info seems to take that a step further, with a blogger claiming he has actually seen the rear differential on the RS test car at the Nurburgring confirming its 4 wheel power. Yours truly still doubts the 6-cylinder engine for packaging and weight reasons, but only time, spy shots, and "accidental" PR leaks will tell the full story.

You know how awesome the GMDAT Suzuki Forenza sedan is? Unfortunately, we've never reviewed it here at TTAC, which is mostly due to our intimidation by the 127 horsepower engine. Still, the car has a real global role. In Canada (where it was recently discontinued) it was known as the Chevy Optra. In the UK, the Chevy Lacetti. And in China? It's a luxury car! The Buick brand, very strong in China, is offering this same car as the Buick Excelle, and they've just released pictures of a refresh. What a travesty that they would dilute the absolutely crucial Buick brand name in its only viable market – China – with a car like this. I spoke with Ash Sutcliffe of the China Car Times website, who responded to my brand dilution concerns as such: "…it could be that the Excelle is very cheap, and they feel that they are getting an American car for a Chinese price." In fact Sutcliffe says the price is in the heart of "first new car" territory. It's too bad that what's exciting for the first new car buyer is bad for the guy considering a Chinese Buick Park Avenue that costs 5 times as much as the Excelle.

Citroen's C2, a fairly popular citycar over on the continent, has been refreshed. In addition to a new cutesy front fascia, it will now feature a 110 hp diesel engine (in some countries this has already been available as the "hot" model). There are some suspension upgrades too, but perhaps most important to buyers in this segment is that the C2 with the 1.6 turbo-oilburner will consume only 4.4 liters/100km, or 53 US miles per gallon and yet still cranks 175 lb ft of torque.

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