And that $60m does NOT include Bill Ford's deferred tens of millions. Anyway, United Auto Workers (UAW) Boss Big Ron Gettelfinger is not well pleased with Ford suits' '07 compensation– given his members' buyouts, two-tier wage deals and all. Automotive News [sub] gives the inside skinny on FoMoCo exec compensation for their five top talents and it certainly seems a touch… generous. Ford CEO Al Mulally is the conductor on the bank laughter express, pulling down $21.7m including "salary, bonuses, company-recognized expense for stock options and other stock awards, plus other compensation such as vehicle and travel expenses. CFO Don Leclair was Ford's second-highest paid executive, earning $11.7 million in total compensation… Americas President Mark [Tool Time] Fields was paid a total of $8.4 million. That included $1.3 million in salary and $2.9 million in incentive bonus awards." Apparently, Gettelfinger considers the pay-outs "excessive and unjustified." Well, The Blue Oval Boyz did lose $2.7b during the payment period. 

First, the good news. Automotive News [sub] reports that GM has found more American Axle-made suspension-related knuckles. That means the American automaker can withstand the knock-on effects of the American Axle (AA) strike and keep making the Chevrolet Malibu at its Fairfax assembly plant for an "extra" week– until April 18th. (The idea that GM doesn't have an accurate tally of its parts inventory is deeply worrying, but not, let's face it, entirely surprising.) Now, the bad news: Automotive News [sub]  reports that workers at three United Auto Workers' locals– Arlington, Texas (Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon); Delta Township, Mich. (GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook, Buick Enclave); and Parma, Ohio (metal stamping)– have filed five-day strike notices over… no one is saying. "GM spokesman Dan Flores would not comment on the specifics of the notices. But he cautioned that issues negotiated under last year's national agreement could not cause a local strike." The shot across the locals' collective bow indicates that local union members may be unhappy with new, two-tier wage demarcations– even though the labor bosses signed-off on them. We'll keep you posted.

German officials have de-boondoggled on the E85 front, withdrawing plans mandating a 10 percent bio-fuel content for the lowest grade unleaded fuel. For some reason, the government didn't check the stats (or did?) before establishing a threshold for making the switch. If one million cars couldn't run on the plant juice blend, they'd hold off on E10. Deutsche Welle reports the numbers: "The [auto industry] sources said that some 330,000 cars made by German manufacturers, as well as more than 2 million imported cars, could not run on the new fuel and that the cars' owners would be forced to fill up with higher octane, more expensive types of gas." The German association for technical inspection (GTÜ) reports [via The Local] that the country's cars may have enough problems without worrying about running on bio-fuels.  "A 2007 GTÜ study found that 8 million vehicles were found to have significant problems during general inspections. 'The finding is even more alarming when you consider that many of the vehicles had been repaired just before they were inspected,' said GTÜ chief Rainer de Biasi. His said the findings indicated that every sixth car in Germany poses an accident risk." Sobering stuff. Of course, one wonders about Germany's standards relative to, I dunno, New Jersey. 

Detroit News columnist Scott Burgess has picked-up the proverbial pom-poms on the Chevy Volt's behalf, cheerleading with Nietzschean abandon. "To the hundreds of people working double shifts around the world to make the Volt a reality, every disparaging comment is fodder for the bulletin board. It doesn't defeat them, it inspires them. Somehow, one of the world's largest automakers, facing declining market share, especially in the United States, has a new-found swagger." While it's nice to know that our Volt Birth Watch is doing its bit to help General Motors git 'er done, the word "swagger" sets off that big honking air-horn buzzer they use for basketball games. And if that doesn't do it, GM PR is pushing GM Car Czar Bob Lutz' "challenges of success" story line TTAC identified at its New York Auto Show infiltration: "Thousands more problems could creep up as one solution presents another obstacle. For example, in a car that may not run its gas engine for months at a time, how would GM design it to withstand long periods not running. That also means the gas tank would need special attention to handle fumes normally burnt off by running the engine. 'It's a good problem to have,' Gray said." Meanwhile… "'If I was preparing to produce this car by 2010, I'd be picking out the wood grain on the dashboard by now, not still working on the battery,'" Bill Reinert, national manager of Toyota Motor Corp.'s advanced technology group, told the Los Angeles Times."[thanks to RobKubler for the link]

Last Thursday, GM asked the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for "extra credit." Despite the fact that Chevy's gas-electric plug-in hybrid isn't in production, the General's generals wanted the rules modified so the Volt could more fully satisfy the Golden State's Zero Emissions Vehicle requirements. Done. And then, today, GM announced it will build 1000 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for the same purpose. Only it wants someone else (i.e. taxpayers) to fund 40 hydrogen refueling stations. Once again, GM's reveals its core weakness: ADD.

We've been flagging the fact that the sexy (to some) prototype electric – gas plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt failed its wind tunnel test by a mile. In other words, it will NOT look like the chopped roof show car still trotted-out at auto shows and featured heavily in GM's ads. (TTAC ME Frank Williams is convinced it'll look like a squished Malibu.) The Detroit News reports that "Larry Burns, GM's vice president for research and development, said that aspect of the vehicle's development is officially complete. But a group of reporters and analysts from around the country who will converge in Warren today won't likely get to actually see the car's design, even though they're in town for the latest news on GM's ambitious attempt to build an electrically driven car for the masses." Go on, give us a clue… "Designing the Volt was especially tricky because GM needed to fit a battery pack 'the size of a linebacker' into a car essentially the size of a Chevrolet Cobalt, with enough room for four passengers to fit comfortably inside, Burns said." Another one! "The finished Volt will bear a 'clear family resemblance' to the sporty vehicle initially shown at last year's Detroit auto show, Burns said. 'But it won't be a twin.'" TTAC will pay $500 for an exclusive first picture of the new Volt. 

Sometimes, the spin is so obvious it speaks for itself. This official post-Press announcement re: the former Toyota current Chrysler exec's claim that the Japanese government funded the development of the Prius— since denied by Toyota– is a perfect case in point. "Chrysler Statement on Hybrid Battery Development: There have been several news reports today concerning statements made by Chrysler LLC Vice Chairman and President Jim Press on battery development for hybrid vehicles. First of all, Press was not speaking negatively of Toyota. In a recent interview, he referenced the close cooperation between the Japanese government and Japanese industry. He said the Japanese government strongly supported R & D (research and development) investment in battery development, and the Prius and other Japanese models benefited from that investment in industry. He cited this as an example of cooperation between government and industry working together on public policy issues. He went on to say that he would like to see similar cooperation in the United States in order to find technological improvements that help give U.S. companies a competitive advantage." I guess that's what goes for an apology in this biz.

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. 

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. 

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."

Automotive News [sub] reports that the strike at American Axle (AA) will soon claim its 31st and 32nd factories: the Orion and Fairfax plants that manufacture the Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6. "GM is fast running out of an American Axle-supplied knuckle used in the rear suspension of the Malibu and Pontiac G6 sedans, said Mike Dunn, shop chairman of UAW Local 5960. The local represents some 2,900 hourly workers at GM's Orion (Mich.) assembly plant. The plant makes about 1,000 G6 and Malibu sedans per week. Dunn said a shortage of the knuckle also will shut GM's Fairfax assembly plant in Kansas City, Kan., by mid-month." As predicted, the AA strike's impact has spread from GM's slow-selling SUVs and pickups to cash-flow critical cars; the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant (Buick Lucerne and Cadillac DTS) stopped operations today. You've got to wonder: is this the bus GM didn't see? And if so, why not?

As the latest GM Death Watch predicted, the GM apologists are getting warmed-up. Note to The Big 2.8's PR departments: hire the Detroit News' headline writer. Better yet, don't. Why risk losing such a public champion? After all, there is no evidence that GM, Ford and Chrysler ARE successfully clinging to their U.S. market share. Or WILL cling. And while you're wondering who to thank for cutting the words "try to" from the headline, it's best to keep scribe Sharon Terlep happy. Ms. T starts, helpfully enough, by moving the goal posts: "But preventing foreign-based rivals from stealing more buyers will be crucial to putting Detroit's automakers in a good position once sales eventually rebound." And then she trots out Michael Robinet, vice president of global vehicle forecasts for CSM Worldwide. "Robinet said GM is likely in the best position to hang on to market share with a string of popular new products such as the Chevrolet Malibu, Cadillac CTS sports sedan and the Buick Enclave crossover." None of which are conquesting transplant buyers or setting the sale charts on fire; all of which are the GM turnaround poster girls. And just because GM may be in the best position relative to Ford and Chrysler doesn't make it a good position relative to say, Toyota. Or Honda. Or Nissan. Or Hyundai. Or Lexus. Or… 

General Motors is about to report a massive sales decline for the month of March. GM’s management will acknowledge the loss, blame it on the general downturn in the U.S. new car market, point to a few successful models and move on. Later, the American automaker will report it’s burned over a billion dollars in the last financial quarter. GM’s management will blame the market downturn (again) and the strike at American Axle. The top brass will admit that GM’s turnaround is… delayed. But at no point will they accept responsibility for their plight. Well, why would they?

TTAC is often accused of torturing prose in the name of… showing-off in a smarmy-ass, we're trying too hard to be funny kinda way. We prefer to think of it as cutting edge infotainment, part of the "TTAC School of Automotive Criticism." Of course, that's about as pretentious as it gets. Unless you happen over to The Old Gray Lady for Ezra Dyer's psychographic breakdown of Scion's recent model moves. "The old xB was like a newly arrived Japanese exchange student who dresses like Max Headroom and pulls live sea urchins out of his lunch bag, blissfully naïve about his lack of assimilation. The new xB is like the same kid six months later, still unquestionably the product of a different culture, but now self-conscious of that fact and beginning to temper his perceived eccentricities with trips to the Hollister store and the occasional McRib sandwich for lunch." Translation: the xB's been assimilated– and not in a good way (a fact that's been well and truly documented hereabouts). I do like Dyer's xD vs. Matrix comparo leading-up to this mondo-metaphor. "Driving an xD versus a Matrix doesn’t mark you as antiestablishment any more than wearing an Old Navy sweater instead of one from the Gap." Now that's funny! 

I know we're not exactly safe on the moral high ground here. Eagle-eyed readers will be sure to scan TTAC's archives for any and all admissions that the reviewer drove at extra-legal speeds. (My entirely fictional take on the Porsche Carrera GT.) But it's clear from Edmunds' blog of their current road trip that they have no compunctions telling the world that they're driving the new Nissan GT-R at monumental speeds on public roads. The "Making Time" video of the GT-R's speedo shows Senior Writer Ed Hellwig pushing the car to somewhere between 165 and 170mph on a Western highway. In fact, the blog contains numerous off-hand (if not downright boastful) references to law-breaking velocities, including a flippant description of getting pulled-over for [a reported] 91mph. There's a video of Bonneville Salt Flats' hoonage sans helmet with the comment "that was only 130." I know many of you will view any objections to this type of journalism as sanctimonious codswallop, but doesn't the fact that impressionable teens idolize the GT-R oblige Edmunds to show a bit more journalistic responsibility? And aren't they criminally liable for that video?