The organizers of televised U.S. awards shows, who annually serve up a night of lectures, sermons, hypocrisy, and guilt for an increasingly small audience, should realize that the show doesn’t necessarily have to go on.
It’s certainly not going on in Germany. Axel Springer, a top publishing house for numerous German media sources, including AutoBild, has now wrestled the prestigious Golden Steering Wheel award out of everyone’s hands. There’ll be no thanking of grade school teachers by auto execs this year. Blame, well, the auto industry.
Apparently, there’s so much scandal emanating from an industry rocked by criminal investigations and fines resulting from diesel emissions manipulation, organizers felt is would be too weird to go on with the show. This week’s arrest of Audi CEO Rupert Stadler was likely the final straw.
Stadler (seen above in a happier moment) was arrested in Munich after investigators raided his home and workplace. Accused of fraud, Stadler is being held in custody after a judge ruled the now-former CEO might try to destroy evidence related to Volkswagen Group’s diesel scandal (or bolt) if released.
A cloud of suspicion hangs over other former and current executives. Former Volkswagen Group CEO Martin Winterkorn is the subject of an official probe, as is current CEO Mathias Müller. Punitive fines hit VW earlier this month. Daimler AG was ordered to recall three-quarters of a million vehicles just last week.
The only thing this situation doesn’t have is sex, and thank goodness for that.
“We love cars. The people who build, buy and drive them are our customers as well as our readers,” said Marion Horn, editor-in-chief of Bild am Sonntag, in a Friday statement reported by Bloomberg. “But now is not the time to grant awards and celebrate.”
The first Golden Steering Wheel awards landed in the hands of auto executives in 1978. It’s likely the glitz and glamour will return next year.
[Image: Audi AG]
Maybe I could get one of those Golden Steering Wheels to put on my lawnmower.
Does that mean there is hope for the demise of the Emmys and Oscars?
@fog,
One can dream, but I’d include People’s Choice and Billboard Awards too.
Not likely. If there’s one thing that an industry full of attention whores is willing to do, it’s give themselves a platform to pat themselves on the back.
Twist either of those wheels to the left or right for a special reaction.
“Ve haf zome avards for you!”
German cars.
Automotive superfluous complexity with staggering cost.
Car plus unending, brutal, continuous, annoying maintenance.
Go TOY HON Baru. (with my savings, I m buying a 38.1′ Beneteau Oceanis)
….savings over 35 years of driving-that is.
Nice retirement present.
So you do not want to maintain a car and then you wonder why problems occur?
Every car requires maintenance to function correctly. Some sooner, some later, but they all require love and care.
Microwave ovens which TOYOHONBARUs are do not require regular maintenance.
They do.
Not they do not. BTW I recently fixed mine which is of Euro-American origin. It cost me $20. i replaced micro-switch in door locking mechanism and main fuse. The reason micro-switch failed – never open the door when it runs – first push stop button and then open the door. Because of high voltage and current running through switch in operational mode. I never had this problem with Asian ovens even cheap ones.
Please tell me, how good does your maintenance have to be to overcome intentional, designed-in, cheating by the manufacturer?
Subarus require just as much expenditure off-warranty as any sub-$60K German car.
Todd- Please, oh, Please tell us your personal experience with Subaru off-warranty maintenance for Subaru vehicles built in the last eight years. No second-hand stories about co-workers or non-immediate families allowed. I’ll start- replaced the cam belt on my 2011 Outback at 115k miles along with the water pump and idler pullies. That’s it.
Your turn
Nice boat.
Seems like you’re looking to make up for lost time on toy maintenance expenses though?
“Trophies are for suckers. If I want a trophy I’ll buy one”- Minnesota Fats
“The only thing this situation doesn’t have is sex”
Throw in a highlights reel of Ferdinand Piech’s personal life and you’ll have all of that you can handle.
Springer, best known for their BILD newspaper, is merely yellow press. Huge but shallow, and not above fabricating their own news in much the same way that the ocean is not above the clouds.