VW's announced a new North American factory and whittled down the short list of locations in Alabama, Tennessee and (yeah right) Michigan. Volkswagen has only one problem with its U.S. market strategy, which calls for sales of 1m units per year: "we need models for the US market." Yes there is that. In an interview with Auto Motor und Sport, VW works council boss Bernd Osterloh says that picking the right models for the American market is a far more important (undecided?) issue than the American factory's location (yes way). That said, Osterloh claims the decision is not urgent; VW's Mexican facilities can begin production of the new, as-yet-undecided American models before the new factory is online. Osterloh calls the U.S. market a herausforderung (loosely translated as a pain in the ass) for the entire industry. Apparently VW doesn't even have a coherent diesel strategy for their deeply respected American consumers. For a German firm, that's saying a lot. Machts schnell burschen!

Tata Motors has become the first major automaker to enter the 70-team field competing for the Automotive X-Prize. Having recently announced the development of the world's cheapest car and the purchase of Jaguar and Land Rover, taking on a bunch of guys who would probably be happier at the 24 hours of LeMons the uncanny X-Prize is probably just another day's work for Ratan Tata's lads. Of course, credit where credit's due: Tata is not signing up to lap Altamount in a Big Lebowski-themed Grand Torino. According to the requisite press release, Tata will be fielding an EV for the two-passenger, 200-mile range "Alternative" class, and a "Dominant" (serial?) Electric Hybrid in the four-wheel, four-passenger, 200-mile range "Mainstream" class. To win either category, Tata's entries must achieve a minimum 100 mpg, finish the race in first place, and meet numerous other requirements. Sure, as the only major automaker (thus far) to enter the competition, Tata may have a technological leg up on some of its rag-tag competitors. But, as the only team competing with a "win on Sunday, sell on Monday"  strategy, Tata also has the most to lose.  

Green Car Congress reports that GM will offer two new engines in 2009, based on its global Ecotec four-cylinder architecture. The 1.4-liter direct-injection turbocharged four-banger and 1.6-liter Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) turbocharged four-cylinder will debut in "Europe and other regions." The uro 5 compliant 1.4-liter four will offer between 120 and 140 hp and eight percent better fuel consumption than a higher displacement naturally-aspirated engine with similar output. Direct injection and independently-variable camshafts account for much of the improved efficiency, and provide a platform onto which GM's HCCI technology can be transferred. The 1.6-liter CNG mill should pump out about 150 hp and 155 lb/ft of torque. This announcement cements the trend towards smaller engines with forced induction, as championed by Ford's forthcoming Ecoboost line of turbocharged mills. Although we're not holding our breath to see GM launch a sub-two liter engine in the U.S., the 1.4-liter engine would likely make the Cobalt or the Aveo a force to be reckoned with– at least in terms of fuel economy.

CTVNews reports that the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) has reached deals with both GM and Chrysler for its Ontario members. The agreements mirror those that the CAW obtained from Ford. According to the official story: "Workers will see their wages frozen for three years in exchange for improvements in other areas." "Other areas?" Such as not getting fired in the first place? The crux of the deal: Buzz Hargrove successfully delayed the inevitable. GM-Oshawa's planned shift reduction is put off until 2009, and Chrysler's Etobicoke plant, on death row for over a decade, will have its life extended to 2011. Hargrove is spinning the wage freeze as a victory, noting that he's "done the very best to protect as many jobs as we could and protect and support people who won't have a job"– despite failing to secuire long-term plans for either of the two plants. We now return you to our regular discussion of American Axle's ongoing strike.

Not content to make money the old fashioned way, a team of MIT grads has been hard at work for the past couple of years working on a two passenger flying car drivable airplane. Terrafugia's Transition recently took a drubbing on Slashdot for even attempting to reconcile the oftentimes contradictory goals of aviation vs. automotive engineering. The CEO was kind enough to respond to his detractors here, stressing ad nauseum that future Darwin Awards will be strictly limited to licensed pilots. Eons ago (in TTAC time), Jonny Lieberman pointed out the limitations of carbon fiber in car construction. And we could go on forever about the bicycle tire-sized contact patches, side-wind gusts from an oncoming train of curious SUV drivers, lack of suspension travel, and the challenge of manually parallel parking the damn thing (oh, and downforce? what's that?!). At least the Terrafugia Transition sounds a lot better than the Flying Pinto which killed its inventors during its maiden flight. Good luck, guys, I'm looking forward to the resulting Hollywood treatment.

Did you know that sprinter Michael Duane Johnson could (can?) run 27 miles per hour? Obviously, he could only maintain that pace long enough to catch a bus or win an Olympic medal, and he'd have a hard time doing either whilst talking on the cell and carrying a child in one of those humongous child seats. But the point remains: 20mph is a very, very slow for a car. And a more important question also persists: is 20mph safer than say, 25mph? Or 30mph? In absolute terms, if we're talking about car – pedestrian contact, ipso facto. The faster the car at the moment of impact, the more energy involved. But driving safety's a slippery customer, where the primary variables are the driver's level of attentiveness, personal reaction times and a wide variety of road conditions. So, will the UK's decision to lower speed limits in town centers to 20mph help the Government reduce road deaths from 3,000 to 2,000 a year? To make that analysis, you'd have to know how many of those fatalities involved pedestrians in town centers, what speed the contact occurred, if a reduced speed would have prevented the fatality, and what other, perhaps more crucial variables were in play. From a public policy standpoint, you'd have to also analyze the expense of changing the signs and time lost vs. any other, perhaps more effective measures. But two things are for sure: that's a debate the UK isn't having, and no other measure would collect so much– if any– revenue for the government. And remember: it's all for the children. 

To my eyes, the Toyota Prius looks like an Area 51 reject: an ungainly sci fi fantasy devoid of charm or beauty. To its admirers’ eyes, the Prius is the latter day equivalent of a Model T or a VW Bug: an automobile whose virtues– and virtuousness– transcend the normal dictates of style. And THEN there’s the debate about propulsion, premiums and politics. It’s hard to think of another car that’s been this polarizing– for both manufacturer (Maximum Bob) and the end user (a.k.a. car buyer). And yet, just as sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, sometimes a car is just a car. Ah, but is the Prius a good car?

This "article" by Sam Moses appeared on an newsletter/website called autowriters.com, an Inside Baseball-type publication for automotive journalists. When I read the not-so-divine Mr. M's diatribe, I was more than slightly miffed. His rant completely misrepresents Frank Williams' editorial on automotive reviews in newspapers. So I called autowriter.com's main main, Glenn F. Campbell. I asked the publisher point blank if he'd actually read Frank's article. Nope. But that was O.K. because it's OK to publish someone's opinion, even if it is factually inaccurate or, in this case, devoid of factual justification. When I reminded Campbell that he's legally liable for libel (just to tweak his nose), Campbell didn't get it. "You said there were no facts cited so what could I check  – to see if my opinions agree with Sam’s? Homogenous opinions would make a dull, narrow-minded Newsletter." And yet, that's what he's created. I've calmed down enough to see the unintentional humor of Mr. Moses' TTAC attack. Still, I think it's important for our readers to contemplate the full glory of what we're up against, day in, day out.  

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Our detractors are sure to take that headline literally. So be it. If you judge a man by the quality of his enemies, TTAC's about as good as it gets. In any case, I apologize to TTAC's Best and Brightest for the extended site crash. We're just as addicted to posting the truth as you are to reading and commenting upon it. In fact, I was apoplectic today at a certain website (who shall not remain nameless) that smeared Frank Williams, and enormously frustrated that I couldn't let loose the dogs of TTAC on the rat bastard who dared allow such an unsubstantiated, poorly-written piece of libelous garbage onto his corner of cyberspace– without even bothering to read the article in question. There. I'm feeling better already. On a more General Motors level, the interruption of service ruined our product cadence. Which is a fancy way of saying we've lost our mojo. For a bit. 'Cause when it comes to automotive journalism, we're the new generation, and we've got something to say. If you've got ten minutes, have a listen.

Break out your recyclable paper party hats! Toyota's just sold it's one millionth sorta cute, kinda ugly sensible hatchback with Hybrid Synergy Drive. While the Prius is not quite the Model T (Henry Ford the Senior sold 501,462 Tin Lizzies in 1915 alone), a million vehicles sold in ten (or eleven) years is nothing to scoff at– at least these days (cough Lutz cough Ghosn). Right now, sales are jumping. In April, Priora sales rose 66.6 percent vs. last April. Year-to-date, they're up 22.6 percent. Happily (for Toyota), Priora are also selling like hot, gas/battery-powered hotcakes in Europe, where sales ascended by nearly 33 percent. Japanese Priora sales are up 24.5 percent. ToMoCo's press release calculates that the 1m hybrids silently cruising all over blind pedestrians the world have cut 4.5m tons of CO2 emissions compared to regular vehicles (et tu, Sequoia?). The Moving Forward folk claim that they'll be selling 1m hybrid vehicles per year. Chevy's Volt? Not so much.

Autospies reports a probable reason for Audi's recently revealed R8 incenttives: an engine upgrade. The dons of Ingolstadt are looking to drop the Lamborghini Gallardo's V10 under the R8's freshly-minted hood. Sure, Sant'Agata may be embarrassed by all of the Audi-sourced components in its exotic whips, but that's not stopping Audi from raiding its corporate cousin's engine bin for a little go-fast. No one seems sure if the V10 will fully replace the V8, or if it will be offered as a higher performance trim (SR8? R8S?). But you can (supposedly) hear the extra cylinders by watching the video which seems to have sparked all this speculation here. Audi has yet to comment on the cylinder count speculation, so, caveat gawker. Meanwhile, the Pagani Zonda is "downgrading" from its AMG-sourced V12 to the McLaren-Mercedes SLR AMG SVP ASAP STAT's kompressor V8. AMG is phasing out its V12s, and the V8 in question ups the ante-matter from 540hp to 680hp (as well as improving fuel efficiency). Check out the prototype next-gen Zonda here.

The First Ever Second-Generation Biofuel Plant established in Saxony, Germany opened April. As we reported previously, a German/Dutch joint venture named Choren claims they'll soon be converting wood scraps into 13k tons per year of "SunDiesel." The list of claims for this venture is long: 90 percent fewer CO2 emissions than conventional diesel, less dependence on oil imports and less disturbance to world food markets than conventional biodiesel. Meanwhile… Autobild (print edition) says complex production processes means it will cost about one Euro to produce a liter of SunDiesel. Choren responded to the news by pointing-out that their first plant is not "optimized for low production costs." What else, then? never mind. Choren is busy talking-up its large-scale plant, set to begin production in 2013 in Brandenburg, Germany. That new factory would/should/could produce around 200k tons/year of SunDiesel, at a cheaper price. That's enough fuel to satisfy 0.6 percent of Germany's demand for diesel.

Would it be churlish of us to suggest that GM Car Czar's Volt-related pronouncement is the most unintentionally ironic statement we've ever heard? Never mind then. Anyway, in a characteristic burst of unbridled bravado optimism, Maximum Bob Lutz is declaring a major victory in his employer's efforts to kick Toyota's ass with the electric – gas hybrid Chevrolet Volt. "Today is the first day [Volt drivetrain mules are] running on the street on battery power," Maximum Bob proudly told Edmunds Auto Observer. What's more, GM's Hail-Mary-on-wheels is "reliably meeting its objectives. Even with a rough calibration, even with the wrong drive unit, the wrong body, etc. etc., it has been hitting its 40 miles on electric power." Hey, who put the wrong drive unit on this thing? Anyway, the winner of TTAC's 2008 Bob Lutz Award didn't mention the speed used to achieve this triumph, and Edmunds didn't ask (surprise!). But who's quibbling– other than us? And we're just glad Bob's back to trash-talking the press and Toyota. Bob says the Volt [test] triumph shows "the fallibility of Toyota and the American press, which is totally enamored with Toyota… When we say lithium-ion is good and Toyota says they don't trust them and they are unproven, people say we're taking a huge risk." Huh? Toyota has already announced that lithium ion cells will power the plug-in Prius as of 2010. Oh right, we forget stick to the spin. Sorry, we were too busy gazing longing at all things Toyota.

Car Magazine reports that Infiniti will be building a convertible version of its G37 coupe as part of Nissan's planned new model blitz. To give its new boulevardier the coupe-cabriolet look that's launched a hundred thousand SLKs, Infiniti will fit the drop top with a folding hardtop. As for drivetrain and handling, I got nothing. The usual rendered speculation is typically conservative, and given Infiniti's rep for, um, restrained styling, it's probably not far off the mark. Look for the G37 convertible to hit the mistress' hot button in February of next year. Meanwhile, Motor Authority reveals that Cadillac has axed plans for a CTS convertible. While noting that the two-door CTS coupe is still FAB, GM has refused to officially comment on the rumored stillbirth. While it's tempting to lambast GM for skipping an opportunity to build a vehicle which could boost The General's image, a half-baked convertible with an insufficient development budget would be disastrous for its premium brand. (Just ask Pontiac how it likes its drop-top G6.) Not as disastrous as, say, an entry-level model below the CTS, but bad. No word on whether there'll be a CTS-V Coupe, but we're reasonably optimistic Caddy's fascination for the Green Hell will continue apace. Literally. 

NBC's fall lineup is out and American Top Gear (ATG) is too. According to Dark Horizons.com, the pilot for the American version of the British car show didn't light the suits' hair on fire (if only). The decision denies the entire autoblogosphere the chance to say "I told you so" to episodes containing neither the spirit nor the veracity of the original. (It also means that Dan Neil got pissed off at me for outing him for no reason and I needn't have fallen down on the job.) The show's death is probably one of those Murder on the Orient Express deals, where manufacturers (we're not really comfortable with this show), NBC ad execs (we're not really comfortable with this show) and suits (we're not really comfortable with this show) conspired to strangle the program in its crib. On the other hand, ATG may have been, as Dan Neil suggested off-camera, pre-castrated. And then tested with an audience who liked it about as much as every other car show NBC's ever-produced– only less. The move is yet another blow to the beloved franchise. Back in Old Blighty, TG's next season of has been delayed indefinitely. Our only hope for home-grown mass media motor-oriented mayhem now lies where an American Top Gear should have started in the first place: on PBS or a non-commercial cable network.