First impressions last. And many are formed by the appellation given a child at birth by well-meaning parents. Guys named Percival, Chauncey and Marion know the answer to “what is in a name?” And now, Tiguan. Pronunciation? Is it TEE-gwan? TIG-yoo-wahn? Tig-WAHN? Any way you say it, Tiguan sounds more like some species of sub-Saharan reptile than a girlie soft-roader. Like that boy named Sue, Smuckers or Huckabee, any vehicle with a bizarre name better be able to stand up for itself. So is VW’s new mini-ute good enough to compensate for its cumbrous cognomen (stupid name)?

Discovery Channel’s “Mythbusters” takes on urban myths that have been circulating through the culture. The show’s producers go to great extremes to prove or disprove the stories, and establish a coherent, no-nonsense scientific basis for their conclusions. Although copyright prevents them from using the term, GM has decided to play Mythbusters. Their new “GM Facts and Fiction” website claims its rectifying analysts and commentators (including this site) who have been trash talking The General and its wonderful products. Unfortunately, their “busting” consists of a lot of hyperbole. Their responses are short on facts, and constantly cherry-pick the stats they deploy in their defense. Let’s take a closer look, to separate fact from fiction.

First it was hot tubs. Then jockey shorts. Now the latest threat to male fertility is heated seats. According to research published in New Scientist magazine (and reported by eGMCarTech.com ), heated car seats can toast one's testicles to the point that sperm production shuts down. While the ideal temperature for the little swimmers is 96 degrees Fahrenheit, test subjects found their family jewels were steamed to a toasty 99 degrees (don't ask me where they stuck the thermometer). Don't worry too much, though. Researchers do say for any real damage to take place, you'd have to be sitting on a heated seat "for a long time on a regular basis." Of course, if you habitually shoot blanks you should just have the balls to admit it instead of trying to blame it on your car…

OK, so this isn't specifically about cars, but it could have ramifications for anyone who uses gasoline. Cars.com reports small-engine mechanics around the country are reporting an increase in damage in boat, lawnmower, chainsaw and other small engines. The culprit? They're saying it's the ethanol blended into gasoline. Apparantly it creates a gummy substance that "clogs valves and causes small metal parts to rust, destroying carburetors and other crucial components". The bad thing is, even if you drain the tank, this residue remains behind and does its damage. The same thing happens in our cars, but they're designed to handle "a certain amount of the residue that causes so much trouble in smaller motors." No one's done any studies to substantiate these allegations, but "a growing chorus of mechanics" say it's so. [Thanks to ppellico for the link]

Today marks my final day as Managing Editor of The Truth About Cars.  Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that when I forwarded a snarky letter I'd written to Car and Driver complaining about their lack of editorial direction to some guy at a web site I'd just discovered, it  would lead to this.  It's been a wild roller coaster of a ride, occasionally aggravating, usually entertaining and always educational –  but never boring.  I'm going to miss it.  A lot.

The following Q&A was published on Chrysler's Firehouse media blog. TTAC republishes it here in its entirety, without editing, to provide insight into Chrysler's call on the public purse, and the ailing automaker's plans for the future. Such as they are… "The campaign season is in full swing, with the Democrats holding their convention in Denver this week, and the Republicans meeting in Minneapolis-St. Paul next week. John Bozzella, Vice President of External Affairs and Public Policy, will be at both conventions, hoping to win over Congressional support for funding the auto industry’s technology transformation to build a new fleet of fuel-efficient vehicles. We talked to Bozzella from Democratic Convention in Denver about the effort.

Q – Why are you in Denver this week and what are you hoping to accomplish?

Tropical Storm Gustav, which some experts say will be the worst Gulf of Mexico hurricane since Katrina, is projected to hit the Louisiana Gulf Coast early next week. After the Katrina fiasco, you can count on three things: 1. Residents of New Orleans will evacuate when they're told to; 2. FEMA will be on full alert; and 3. Gasoline prices will go up. Bloomberg reports Royal Dutch Shell Plc, BP Plc and ConocoPhillips are already cutting production and evacuating workers from their off-shore platforms along the Louisiana coast. If Gustav follows the predicted path (there's a 70-75 percent likelihood it will), it could halt production of 1.2m barrels of crude per day. Crude oil for October delivery has already gone up 1.5 percent; overall, oil has gained 3.3 percent since Gustav formed on August 25. The price of natural gas for September delivery also went up, with a 4.9 gain so far. Even if Gustav changes course, it could still affect prices because 42 percent of U.S. refining capacity is located along the Louisiana and Texas Gulf Coasts. Hold onto your wallets, folks. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

Rumors have been flying for quite a while that Cerberus would sell off parts of Chrysler. Most of the conjecture centered around Jeep being the first to go. However, Automotive News [sub] reports the Dodge Viper could lead the exodus through the gates guarded by the three-headed dog. This morning Chrysler said they're "exploring strategic options for the Dodge Viper business… as the Company focuses on enhancing its core business and leveraging its assets." CEO Bob Nardelli doesn't deny they're considering the sale. "We have been approached by third parties who are interested in exploring future possibilities for Viper." Then, proving he's unable to speak in any tongue but ManagementSpeak, he added, "As the Company evaluates strategic options to maximize core operations and leverage its assets, we have agreed to listen to these parties." But fans of the hotrod Dodge needn't feel betrayed. "Viper is an integral part of this Company's heritage. While this is a strategic review, our intent would be to offer strong operational and financial support during any potential transaction, in order to ensure a future for the Viper business and perpetuate the legacy of this great vehicle." In other words, "we're going to sell the IP rights to it lock, stock and sidepipes then market the remaining dealer stock as 'last of a legend' to get every cent we can out of them."

Automotive News [sub] has a report on future models coming from Cadillac and it provides a lot of dots just begging to be connected. Among other things, Caddy is planning: a four-cylinder small sedan; an expanded CTS lineup that will include a coupe and sport wagon; and a redesigned SRX that only seats five and is between the Equinox/Vue and the current SRX in size. They've also decided to extend production of the DTS and STS without any further development but will eventually replace both with a single RWD sedan that "will be more competitive with the Mercedes E class and BMW 5 series." It's two other two things AN  mentioned that really caught my attention: GM is "studying the possibility of Cadillac's sharing GM's Chevrolet Volt technology" and there's a possibility they'll replace the Escalade with "a model or two developed on GM's fwd Lambda platform" by MY 2013. So let's connect those dots: GM's planning a small Cadillac that will take the brand further down the price scale while Chevy introduces a more expensive small car in their lineup. They're repositioning the SRX as a smaller 5-place CUV, just above the Equinox in size. They're keeping the Lucerne's platform-mate DTS around for a while to hang on to older barge-buyers. They're considering Caddy as the only other American division to share the Volt platform with Chevy. They're looking at a fifth version of the Lambda platform which will essentially overlap the Enclave while the upper trim levels of the Traverse do the same with the Saturn and GMC derivatives. To me all those dots form only one picture: they're aligning Cadillac and Chevy so they could cover the entire market with just those two brands if need be. Once that realignment is complete, it's just a matter of time before they can methodically axe Pontiac, Buick, GMC and Saturn. The question is, can they do it fast enough to salvage what's left of the company? Just sayin'

(The Automotive News article is printed in its entirety here.)

Shaker asks:

I've been hearing about these systems that use hydrogen added to the intake systems of cars resulting in mileage gains of 20-30 percent. My engineering background tells me that this can't be the case (as you can't get "something for nothing"), but the latest spin that I've seen on the Web is that small amounts of added hydrogen somehow enhance the combustion of regular gasoline, so that a small "hydrogen generator" unit is sufficient. There's even a guy at our company (still hearsay) that claims to have increased the mileage of his Civic by 10MPG. I think this is very unlikely (if not impossible), but maybe your crew could debunk the myth, or find that there's some merit there.

So how about it? Do any of you have any experience with hydrogen injection or can explain how it could improve mileage? For that fact, have any of you ever used any gadget advertised to increase gas mileage that actually worked as claimed?

The Detroit automakers are trimming or eliminating their leasing programs due to plunging resale values and inflated residuals. In fact, in July leases accounted for only 19.7 percent of retail volume for the U.S. auto industry. However, leasing remains the way a lot of automakers use to put someone into an expensive car they really can't afford. And four of the most-commonly leased vehicles in the U.S. are BMWs (7 Series, Z4, 6 Series and X3). Bucking the current trend, sales and marketing VP at BMW Group Financial Services, Daniel DeChristopher, told BusinessWeek "we are still very committed to the leasing business." That's even though 70 percent of off-lease vehicles are returned to BMW Financial to be resold, usually as certified pre-owned cars. BMW is hedging its bet on leasing, though. They're also offering 0.9 percent APR loans during their "gotta unload these '08s before the '09s show up" sale. The top ten most commonly leased vehicles, and the percentage of them leased between January 1 and August 10 this year are:

BMW 7 Series – 85.3 percent
Saab 9-7x – 82.2 percent
Audi A6 – 74.1 percent
BMW Z4 – 70.7 percent
Mercedes E-class – 70 percent
Range Rover – 69.6 percent
BMW 6 Series – 68.6 percent
Audi A4/S4 – 68 percent
BMW X3 – 67.3 percent
Jaguar XJ – 65.8 percent

Why doesn't GM just go ahead and admit they're selling HUMMER? In spite of accusations of media "speculation" and assertions they "have not negotiated with any parties" by HUMMER GM Martin Walsh, GM just keeps moving steadily towards the auction block. In a phone interview, General Motors Middle East Managing Director Terry Johnson told Reuters:  "There has been interest from various parties within the Gulf … there is a precedent in the cases of Aston Martin, Ferrari or Daimler and those kinds of solutions could be very realistic solutions." GM is getting their paperwork ducks in a row and "has initial expressions of interest from [two] potential buyers that it hopes to develop into formal sale talks." However, in keeping with the corporate party line, Johnson also stated that keeping HUMMER humming is still "a realistic option" and selling was not a "forgone conclusion."  The sun rising tomorrow isn't a "foregone conclusion" either, but the smart money is still on it happening.

Apparently Autobloggreen doesn't want their readers contaminated by our Tesla Deathwatch series. Chris writes "you owe me a forum for comments because just mentioning your 'Tesla deathwatch' in the comment section of Autoblog Green earned me an IP block for life! I guess nobody likes the truth….But you will have found that one out yourself by now I guess. Mine is the first comment. Note that I had included a link to your Tesla death watch but they edited it out…." Here's the link to the article on ABG . And Chris, here's your forum. Thanks for helping spread The Truth About Cars!

My wife and I have been studiously and dutifully test driving cars because we are about to buy two. So far she is insisting upon the better look, roominess and fun to drive 2009 Mazda6. I can't blame her as it is fun and I love our 05 3 hatch. And as of now, after driving the Accord and Nissan and Fusion it has now become my very favorite smooth and buttery 4 cylinder car.But here's the problem… We drive long distances to visit out second home in the mountains of southern MO and we are also looking for a great road cruiser. This is done every two weeks. We want the luxury, but still some hinting of sportiness. Now, after testing so many cars, is it possible that the very best drive for the money is a Hyundai? We half jokingly tested the Genesis…but after the drive, we both stood there with our six foot son and wondered what had just happened. It was absolutely wonderful:

Powerful and quiet 6.
Road softer and sportier than the Avalon.
Great luxury MPG.
Tomb quiet.
The insides felt like Euro pillow mattresses.
Great looks, finish and outstanding paint.
Room for the kid(s)to enjoy the 7 hour drive.
This for around 35K?????

So help us! Please tell us what we missed before we buy! This cannot be true! – PPellico

Last month we told you Warren. Michigan Mayor Jim Fouts had the answer to Detroit's problems in the form of tax deductions for interest on auto loans.  Now, in a video interview with the Detroit Free Press' Ron Dzwonkowski, we hear the next phase of his plan to save the American auto industry: ordering city employees to buy American cars.  But its not flag-waving patriotism or national pride that drives him to do so.  Nope, as with most politicians, it's all about the money.  He explains that GM and Chrysler are the largest employers in Warren and "without the success of General Motors and Chrysler, the city of Warren would not be able to pay my political appointees the good salaries that they make."  Well, at least he's honest about his motivation.