Saleen Inc. hits the quarter century mark next year, and they're already celebrating. At the Dallas Auto Show today they unveiled the "Sterling" edition of their S302 Extreme. The Sterling edition is limited to a production run of 25 vehicles and will be mechanically identical to the "standard" S302 Extreme — if "standard" can be used to describe a Mustang with a supercharged 5.0L engine pumping out 620hp and 600 lb-ft of torque with accompanying upgrades of everything. The Sterling adds a special silver paint, unique wheels and an upgraded interior featuring "couture" leather. Each of the 25 purchasers will be flown to Detroit where' they'll receive the royal treatment and receive a photo book showing every step involved in "birthing" their baby. It can be yours for just $20k over the price of the plebeian S302 Extreme– a mere $101,545. Now, if all our readers would just send me one dollar each…

In an almost touching display of "follow me over this cliff" pathos, GM is urging industries and governments to sink money into the hydrogen infrastructure. Speaking at the National Hydrogen Association's annual conference in Sacramento, CA, GM R&D VP Larry Burns told the Truth As He Sees It ™ to what is probably the only crowd in the country that wouldn't laugh him off the stage. "It's no longer a question of 'can it be done?' or 'should it be done?'" said Burns. "We not only should do it. We must do it. It's now a question of collective will. Do we have the collective resolve to work together to solve the challenges we face rather than handing them off to future generations?" What does this "collective resolve" trope really mean? Cash money dollars yo, and lots of it. "We have reached a stage where we cannot continue to make significant progress on our own," opines Burns. "Our customers must have safe and convenient access to affordable hydrogen. This means the energy industry and governments must join the auto industry in our journey to produce and sell fuel cell-electric vehicles in volume numbers." Added Burns, "We have not discovered anything yet to suggest mass volume cannot ultimately be attained." Oh. Dear. God.

The International Herald Tribune quotes unnamed sources who are "not authorized to comment publicly on the matter" as saying that ToMoCo may double its stake in Fuji Heavy Industries, makers of Subaru vehicles. Toyota currently owns 8.7 percent of Fuji, and would be looking to spend some $295m to raise its stake to 17 percent. "Toyota wants to mitigate the risk of building new plants by utilizing Fuji Heavy's facilities both in Japan and the United States," says Seiji Sugiura, an analyst at HSBC Securities. "Other automakers would also want to reduce risks for each other by boosting ties, even if that wouldn't amount to mergers and acquisitions." According to reports from the Nikkei business daily, Toyota may be looking to subcontract its subcompacts (say that ten times fast) to a Japanese Fuji plant, and jointly develop a sports car and environmentally-friendly technologies. Toyota has said it will not increase its stake in Fuji beyond 20 percent, keeping the relationship with Fuji as a partner rather than a subsidiary.

Wards reports that the EPA has announced it will delay drawing up regulations for vehicular greenhouse gas emissions for nearly a year while it seeks public comment. With states like California threatening to create a state-by-state patchwork of emissions standards which would wreak havoc on the auto industry, you'd think the EPA would want to develop a national standard for emissions sooner rather than later. Indeed, the EPA is fighting California's efforts in court, arguing that it alone has the right to regulate emissions. So why doesn't  it just regulate already? Democrats claim that it is delaying any regulation until after George W Bush leaves office. Isn't the point of being a lame duck President that you can push through the tough decisions without fear of political backlash? In this case, the big "L" word (legacy) is still very much up in the air, and emission regulations aren't standard fare for a Republican president's victory laps. Meanwhile, the environmentally oversensitive wonder: if we delay regulation by a year, will it already be too late for the planet?

Chrysler VP (and 37-year Toyota veteran) Jim Press ruffled some feathers at old mother Toyota yesterday when he claimed that the Japanese government had footed "100 percent of the bill" for the development of the Prius powertrain. ToMoCo didn't waste a second refuting the allegation of its former head of North American operations. "I can say 100 percent that Toyota received absolutely no support – no money, no grants – from the Japanese government for the development of the Prius," Toyota spokesman Paul Nolasco tells the AP. The story also notes that while the Japanese government often assists private development projects, particularly for clean energy projects, the collaboration is not typically hidden from sight. That Press' allegation is the first whisper of any public-private cooperation in the development of the Prius could be an indication that he might not be working with all the facts. The irony of all this is that if our own government's massive public-private green car initiative of the nineties, the Project for a New Generation of Vehicles, had produced the Prius, every politician in America would be falling all over themselves trying to claim credit.

About a month ago, SEAT showed a concept car for the Geneva Auto Show, previewing the replacement for its crotchety Ibiza compact car. SEAT has unveiled (or someone leaked, you be the judge) pictures of the new Ibiza production car, and it's another great looker. After new subcompact cars like the new Fiesta have been revealed with sheet metal that has some style and flair, this market segment is really heating up in Europe. Until now, SEATs were just cheaper, often bizarre-looking rebadged VWs with interiors straight from Audi's 1992 parts bin. In the theoretical board room, SEAT is meant to have some sporting intent according to VW's brass, and this Ibiza has it. Is it true to SEAT's tagline "Auto Emoción?" Not with the range-topping 1.6 liter 105 hp engine, but good fuel economy and slick looks will at give the Spanish-German compact a fighting chance. (And yes, a 150-200 hp hot version will eventually be built).

Click here for Pixamo gallery

In a recent article in the New York Times, reps from GM and Toyota both told the newspaper that they are optimistic about the automotive market in the near future. They felt this way especially in light of the declining interest rates (checked your savings account's variable rate lately?) and the $600 stimulus checks that the Federal government is sending out … some time or the other. Without getting into an economics debate here, let's just say that $600 isn't a whole lot of money, the last year's worth of Fed actions cutting interest rates hasn't helped, Americans are in over their heads with debt, and GM has been offering 0% financing on cars for years. Ford is pleasantly candid in the article, saying "I'd like to be able to tell you the worst is behind us, but I really can't give you that assurance." In fact, Jim Farley at Ford (remember when he ran Lexus?) thinks that next quarter is going to be even worse. The article is just a gold mine of reality checks though, like Chrysler VP Steven Landry saying "I don't know if I can take another March like this one" and Toyota's US chief Bob Carter insightfully opined "We're not immune to economic cycles and downturns in the automotive industry."

For illegal immigrants looking to obtain "documentation" here in the U.S., getting a driver's license in Maine is a good place to start, according to WMTW. Back in March, Brazilian Guilherme Malaquias, whose tourist visa expired almost two years ago, drove another Brazilian illegal immigrant from Massachusetts up to Biddeford, Maine, where they were arrested after attempting to obtain a drivers license. But wait, there's more: According to the Bangor Daily News, a federal immigration agent claims Malaquias has allegedly transported other illegal immigrants on day trips from Massachusetts to Maine to get licenses. The Biddeford case is similar to one that transpired last month, when Anderson Dos Santos, a Brazilian from New Jersey, was arrested at the motor vehicle bureau in Augusta after he allegedly brought two women to Maine to get driver's licenses. Dos Santos told court officials that "Maine is known among Brazilians for having lax rules for issuing drivers licenses." Maine requires neither proof of citizenship nor proof of residency from applicants, but the state legislature is "considering" the idea of changing the rules to require proof of residency. Little wonder that the Feds are "pushing" Maine to conform to the Real ID Act of 2005, which establishes new national standards for state-issued driver licenses.

One hundred forty laid-off American Axle workers returned to work Tuesday in response to a letter sent to them by the company telling them if they didn't, they'd lose benefits. Workforce Management reports the workers did as ordered– and immediately went on strike, joining the UAW picket line outside the plant. Union members from other factories also joined the strikers in protest of AA's weekend ad looking for replacement workers. American Axle mouthpiece Renee Rogers wouldn't say how many workers they were hoping to recruit to replace "associates who will take buyout and attrition programs." She also didn't comment on the ad's statement the applicants could be used "in place of employees involved in this strike" but she did say the negotiations were "moving ahead slowly." The UAW had no comment.

American Axle has blinked. After adamantly refusing to turn financial info over to the UAW as part of the negotiating process, AA finally acquiesced and provided the documents to the union. The Detroit News quotes UAW VP James Settles saying they need the information to "to make important decisions regarding proposals which will affect pensions, health care (and) profit-sharing" (i.e., "we want to see how badly they were bullshitting us when they demanded pay and benefit cuts"). He also said they were looking at the information to make sure the company gave them everything they'd requested, so this still may not be enough to precipitate a return to the bargaining table any time soon. In the meantime, GM's VP of vehicle sales, Mark LaNeve isn't worried: "We have more than adequate inventory to meet market demand. This is where we intended to be." With over a quarter million pickups still in stock, you have to wonder where they'd be if the strike hadn't closed the factories.

It's no secret that The New York Times hearts "congestion pricing" (not "Congestion Charging" as that sounds like a tax). As the deadline for scarfing major matching funds from the feds approaches, the Old Gray Lady is getting hysterical; for them. The editorial begins with a hosanna for The City Council and the inescapable, irrefutable benefits of the "pricing" scheme: "The City Council did right by New York City this week and voted to move forward on congestion pricing. If that brave action were enough, we would be cheering the advent of cleaner air, less gridlock and billions of dollars for mass transportation." The downside? None. And the villain preventing "pricing?" "Sheldon Silver, the Assembly speaker, has been his usual reticent self… Mr. Silver also asked for the City Council to approve the plan first, providing cover for state legislators to follow suit. Now it is Mr. Silver’s turn. He needs to schedule congestion pricing for a floor vote this week while there is still time to meet the federal deadline." So Silver's covered his ass. What's the holdup? Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of motorists/taxpayers who see "pricing" as a cash grab disguised as a P.C. boondoggle. Nah. Couldn't be. 

The full-size SUV, species Gigantus Utilitas Amnericanus, stands like a mighty and proud American Bison. The even-toed ungulate’s wet nose nervously sniffs the threatening winds of change that blows across the prairie and buffets its coarse brown mane. For now, the herd stands proud and strong in suburban habitats. But today the mighty beast catches the scent of three long rifle-wielding predators: Panic, Price and Patriotism. Squarely in their sights stands the Ford Expedition King Ranch Edition.

OK. So it turns out computing monthly auto sales is somewhat akin to doing taxes– it depends on who's doing the figuring. Using Automotive News' [sub] numbers (which we also use for the "By the Numbers" analysis), and ignoring the accounting slight-of-hand known as "sales days," Chrysler's March sales sank by 19.4 percent compared to last March, to 166,386 vehicles. GM's sales dipped by 18.7 percent, to 280,713. And Ford moved downwards by 14.1 percent, to 226,448 units. As you'd expect in these gas-conscious times, light truck sales (or lack thereof) account for the lion's share of the losses (down 15.5 percent in GM's case). As these vehicles also account for the majority of the domestics' profits (or lack thereof), that's gonna leave a BIG mark on their balance sheets. And don't get to thinking that "at least they're maintaining their market share." Although Toyota took a 10.3 percent hit in March, Honda and Nissan each dropped only 3.2 and 3.8 percent respectively. In a generally lower market (down 12 percent), they're eating someone's lunch. 

When the E63 platformed 645i first debuted I personally had high hopes. Like all car guys, I irrationally loved the 633CSi. In my mind's eye, I pictured a lean, mean touring machine. Instead BMW dished out an average-powered porkapotamus with very questionable looks, awkward handling and far too many electrical gizmos and doodads. And guess what? They've sold over 80,000 of them and the E64 convertible. Not wanting to mess with (relative) success, Motor Authority is reporting that the next generation 6-Series will have it's shark-suit looks toned down. While the face will look more like the CS Concept, much of the Bangle will be brushed out. They also claim that the new 6 will be longer and lower than the current car. Expect an 8-speed tranny with (of course) paddle shifters and the usual litany of iDrive-themed overkill. One last thing — the next M6 should get a twin-turbo 5.0-liter V10. Insert Tim Allen-like snorting here.

Click here for TTAC photochopper  Andrei Avarvarii's take on the next 6-series

Commentator KixStart was kind enough to listen-in on GM's conference call on our behalf. He filed this report: "During the Q&A, Jeff Green of Bloomberg News asked if they could break out hybrid sales, 'now that you have some on the market?' According to NA Marketing Maven Mark LaNeve. GM sold "577 hybrids [in March], of that amount, let's see, about 450 were the new Tahoe and Yukons; we're just starting to get some some adequate inventory out… The Malibu and Aura hybrids are just getting into the market, just had a handful of deliveries, 30 between the two of them." LaNeve said there was 'lot of interest, lot of dealers taking orders' which they hope to fulfill in the coming months. Green asked if there were any sales earlier in the quarter, (i.e. January and February)? In February… '300 above that, 843 for the quarter.' No number at all mentioned for January. Zero hybrids in January more or less fits with 577 March plus 300 for February; roughly equal to 843. Their calculators do seem to be more than a bit casual. One way or another, though, the numbers are tiny. Does it really take this long to ramp-up these things? My understanding: GM had 1200 hybrids on the way to the dealers as of the end of last month. The red ink for GM on this technology must be horrendous."