The unidentified GM spokesmouth quoted above is supposedly spinning the news that GM has decided to kill its rear wheel-drive (RWD) plans for Canada's Camaro factory. The move spikes the never-really-approved (but endlessly discussed) RWD Impala and Buick LaCrosse models, and the new V8 engine slated to power both models. As The Car Connection rightly points out, the platform change also raises serious questions about the Camaro's pricing and profitability. Those of you who've been following this saga will appreciate the fact that this is the fourth time GM's extra-Camaro RWD plans have been resurrected– and then terminated. That we know of. Once again, GM says the decision reflects the prospect of new, higher federal fuel economy standards. Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) President Buzz Hargrove was quick to point out that it had nothing to do with the fact that the Camaro factory is a high-cost union shop. “We anticipated that would be followed by other rear-wheel-drive vehicles, but the money they spent on the plant makes it a flex plant, so you can build both front-drive and rear-wheel-drive in the facility." Yes, well, there's been no announcement on that front. Nor is any expected– at least until after the CAW's contract negotiations are complete. Is this any way to run a railroad?

According to the LA Times, "Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa wants to eliminate most of the 229 vehicles in the city's executive motor pool, as well as cars from other fleets, to help close a $155-million shortfall." The Mayor's proposal would take 93 of the City Council's 108 cars off the public payroll. Redefining chutzpah and violating the borders of plausibility, Council members say the move would hurt LA's air quality; their city-financed wheels are low emissions vehicles, while their personal wheels are gas-guzzling SUVs and suchlike. So it's all for the children? Well… City Controller Laura Chick, a former council member, said elected leaders use the cars to entice talented deputies who are in demand around City Hall. "It's become a traditional perk," said Chick, who would get to keep her 2004 Toyota Prius Hybrid under the mayor's plan. The Times says the Mayor and the Council will reach a compromise on the matter. Meanwhile, the LA Police run 1,105 take-home cars. A debate for another time? Count on it. 

So, here it is. Click here for Audi's new Superbowl head. I mean, ad. It's a recreation of the scene from the Godfather wherein the Hollywood producer Jack Woltz refuses Don Corleone's request to cast Johnny Fontane (a.k.a. Frank Sinatra) in his new war film. Woltz wakes up with his favorite horse's head in his bed. In this case, the actor wakes up to a car grill and some greasy bits, courtesy of Audi and the new R8. OK, hang on here. If I read this right, the guy in the bed is a luxury car buyer who refuses to consider the R8 as his new luxury car. The fact that producer discovers a generic grill– not a Merc, BMW, Rolls, Bentley, whatever– is a MAJOR wimp-out from Audi. The fact that Audi is portrayed as a criminal enterprise that terrorizes its own [potential] customers is a MAJOR violation of the old adage "never insult the customer." And what does this do to "redefine" luxury? Nothing. We'll be talking to an expert on commercials tomorrow. But as far as I can tell, this Audi ad shows a lack of originality (ipso facto). Worse, it casts Audi, a German automaker, as a bunch of evil bastards. Still, nice car. I give it a D. Meanwhile, one wonders how much Audi paid TTAC reviewer Jay Shoemaker's boss to inflict this homage on a suspecting public.

Under former Toyota Prez Jim Press, Chrysler has decided to get a bit more touchy-feeling with their customers. Nothing wrong with that. Their new blog, Chryslerlistens.com, follows GMNext.com's desire to pay lip service to web 2.0 establish closer contact between automaker and consumer. In case you thought Chrysler might begin this exercise in e-Glasnost with a mea culpa of some kind (as if) or at least a little humility, a writer named Jordan Graham opens the "dialogue" with a mighty blast of bombast. "In case you hadn't heard (living in a cave, perhaps?), Chrysler has unleashed the mother of all promotions, aptly titled 'New Day.' Calling this a 'major deal' would be akin to calling the Jeep® Wrangler 'outdoorsy.'" Wow; insult the customer to draw them into a conversation. I've got one thing to say about that: 0 comments. Anyway, we Googled the unattributed Jordan. LinkedIn tells us that he's a "Writer – Electronic and Broadcast Media; Executive Speeches at Chrysler LLC." In the past, he was "Marketing Communications Intern at Michigan Suburbs Alliance; Marketing Communications Intern at Michigan Veterinary Specialists." Some might say Jordan's elevation to spokesperson for Chryslerlistens.com indicates the company's gone to the dogs, but I couldn't possibly comment. Anyway, here's Graham's intro to this ad: "Without further ado, some visual aids to help you process this mind-blowing development…" 

Rhode Island is one of those New England states with regular mill fires. Every now and then, someone torches the abandoned husk of a once-mighty factory, an eerie edifice from a bygone era nestled by the river of some obscure town. Even after they burn, often in spectacular fashion, the mills don't fall down. Back in the early part of the last century, construction technology was relatively crude, and amazingly robust. Post-conflagration, you're left with relics no less profound than Europe's abandoned cathedrals. The mill walls stand tall; the scope and scale of what was remains obvious. Of course, these days, the mill fire victims are bulldozed into oblivion, so that insurance companies and land developers may be satisfied. As I watched this video of a Chevrolet plant smokestack crumpling to the ground in Muncie, Indiana, it angered me that a confederacy of dunces has allowed the American automobile industry– the American automobile industry– to "escape" to Mexico, South Korean, Australia, Belgium and elsewhere. Unlike the mill fires, this local landmark falls to the ground like a prize-fighter who walked into a vicious right hook. And here, there are no remains. Only a pile of bricks to remove. It is the silence of this finale that scares me. To my eyes, it symbolizes the fact that The Big 2.8 and their legion of American workers are dying with a whimper, not a bang. [thanks to John for the link]

This is not an extra-fresh topic, but, following our readers request, I'm presenting you with my impression of the "right around the corner" third-gen Mercedes-Benz CLK. As a model due for release in a year, the CLK will not make a significant departure from the current Mercedes line-up in terms of design. It will follow the angular flame-surfacing approach of the C-Class and of the recently rejuvenated SL. As we could see from spy photographs of test vehicles, the CLK/E pair will stick to the dual front lights theme, but subject them to the same fire and smoke line bending that's producing all the harsh angles these days. Some artists envisioned the next CLK with LED bumper lights shaped like a boomerang. I don't really dig into that. They don't look very good and they were also presumed to be used on the face-lifted SL. As we've seen, they weren't. And a good thing too.

[For more Avarvarii photochopistry, click here]

Auto Motor und Sport [via Reuters] reports that Ford is contemplating selling Lincolns in Europe. "We are considering distribution in Europe and Asia," FoMoCo CEO Alan Mulally told the German buff book. "We already sell Lincolns in the Middle East." Yeah, well, not many. Of the 130,700 Lincolns sold last year, only one percent of those transactions occurred outside North America. No wonder a Ford spokesman quickly spun Big Al's comments into oblivion. While hyping the brand's foreign potential, he insisted that any European incursion by the Reach Higher brand would take place "sometime in the future since the priority right now is clearly on North America." Still, Big Al's loose lips could be another indication that Volvo is heading for the auction block; the Swedes were supposed to be Ford's worldwide luxury brand. Question: what Lincoln could possibly hope to compete in the Eurozone?

Owners of cars with built-in navigation systems are familiar with the legal disclaimer screen, which indemnifies the manufacturer if the unit distracts you to death. Nissan plans to expand this e-hectoring with a start-up screen reminding drivers not to drink and drive. According to a press release on WebWire, "the alert 'Do not drive after drinking' appears automatically for about five seconds on the navigation panel between the hours of 17:30 and 05:00 at the start of the ignition. In the daytime i.e. between 05:00 and 17:30 hours, the display message reads 'Let’s continue safe driving today.'" The new Nannying– featured on their way cool CARWINGS nav system– is a Japan-only deal. For now. Nissan also says it intends to "widen its use of technology to address the hazards of drink-driving." Could a breathalyzer ignition lock be in Nissan drivers' future? 

The U.S. automotive industry's '07 retail sales stats are in, and the Detroit Free Press pronounces Ford the biggest loser. The Blue Oval Boyz' share of the American new car market sank from 15.1 percent in 2006 to 14.2 percent last year. As the Freep's Sarah H. Webster points out, that's better than the '06 decline: a two percentage point drop. But she also notes (further down in the piece) that "Ford's decline, though, is also noteworthy as Ford's incentives, as estimated by Autodata Corp., a private firm in Woodcliff Lake, N.J., remain among the highest in the industry. Ford offered an average of $4,001 in discounts on its cars and trucks last year." We also learn that Chrysler and GM's market share held steady, Toyota lost a fraction of a percentage point and the Big 2.8's combined share of the U.S. market dropped a full percentage point. Heading into a down market, it remains to be seen if the truck-heavy domestics can hold the line. 

The United States will have the capacity to produce 13 billion gallons of ethanol by the end of 2008. The United Sates will have the capacity to process 12 billions of ethanol by the end of 2008. Oops! This analysis comes to us from Wally Tyner. The agricultural economist for Purdue University predicts that this disparity will force some ethanol plants to reduce or halt production, and drive down the price of ethanol. Controversially, Tyner also suggests that U.S. ethanol over-production could lead to exports. And this is just E10 folks. During a phone interview [podcast below], the prof reveals that America's entire consumption of E85 could be satisfied by the output of ONE ethanol plant. How many do we have now? 100. Tyner agreed that the American ethanol industry couldn't survive without state and federal subsidies. But I suppose you kinda knew that already.

I know; TTAC has no business taking GM Car Czar Bob Lutz to task for stomping on political correctness. And anyway, Maximum Bob's challenge to readers of his fastlane blog to out-run the police in a "Blue Devil" ZR1 Corvette is a joke. But this website is keenly aware of our power– real or imagined– to influence young and impressionable pistonheads. So we don't advocate or celebrate hoonage. And if you've detected a slightly angry not to say profane tone to our work (ya think?), try and remember that it comes from a place of love. Love of honesty. Truth. And we love the fact that Bob has a playful side. But it's a little worrying that the guy who has to get the entire GM global empire to build green machines that meet or beat new mpg requirements– that meet or beat the competition in terms of sales– happily reveals himself as a lover of high horsepower toys. And it's a bit scary that Maximum Bob doesn't understand his influence on his "people." But the real question is this: where is Bob's love of truth? The man has a longstanding habit of spinning, ducking, diving and conniving. The caption to Bob's blog post says "Your Worst Nightmare." For hundreds of thousands of people dependent on Bob Lutz' product plans, their real nightmare is that the man in charge of GM's fate is a belligerent, clueless relic of a bygone era who longs for a simpler time, when outrunning the cops was a bit of a hoot. [thanks to Kurt B for the link]

Let’s say you’re driving down South Dakota Highway 50 and you’ve GOT to fill-up on E85. Obviously, you don't REALLY have to; any car that can run on E85 can run on “normal” gasoline. (And run farther too, but that's another story.) So let's just imagine it's a patriotic “our boys don’t have to die defending corn fields” thing. Or maybe a "I heart Federal Subsidies" deal. So, how do you know where to get a tankful of corn juice? Tom-Tom Go? Phone a friend? Not to worry! The South Dakota’s legislature is here to help! According to KXMC.com, the Mount Rushmore State just enacted legislation that requires state officials to list E85 availability on interstate highway signs. Hang on; “State officials say the bill is premature because South Dakota is in a regional compact of states that are planning a system of uniform signs for renewable fuels.” So they're doing this twice? Anyway, no word yet on how much either boondoggle’s going to cost. But we ALL know who’s going to pay for it…

I don't really have a lot of sympathy for people who say "If only I'd held on to my Barracuda" or suchlike. Maintaining a car– keeping it taxed, insured and running for decades– is a time-consuming and expensive business. Besides, for every car we once owned that's now worth a fortune, we owned many more than are still worth bupkis. "If only I'd held onto my Ford Pinto station wagon." I don't think so. Anyway, Hagerty Insurance wants to brand that whole "collector car of the future" deal. They've released their "Hagerty Hot List," selected by none other than McKeel Hagerty, CEO of, well, you know. Frank reckons the Crown Vic fits the bill. My money's on the Chrysler 300C SRT8 (not literally of course). What motor do you think you should stash for cash? Here's Hagerty's take.

1. Cadillac XLR-V Roadster
2. Lotus Exige S
3. Audi S5
4. Mustang Shelby GT 500 KR
5. Chevrolet Corvette Z06
6. Smart
7. Subaru Impreza WRX STi
8. Honda S2000 CR
9. Pontiac Solstice/Saturn Sky
10. Dodge Charger Super Bee

"If everything goes well in the rest of the world, we can take a couple hits in the U.S. and still be okay." Bob Lutz, GM Vice Chairman of Global Product Development. [via TTAC]. "Those emerging markets can't carry GM. We've got to get the job done in all markets." Fritz Henderson, GM Chief Financial Officer [via Automotive News, sub]. Given GM Car Czar maximum Bob Lutz' reputation for "shooting from the hip" (a.k.a. making shit up as he goes along), I'm going with Fritz' analysis. Oh wait, "Henderson also said the U.S. economy in general is faring better than the financial markets. He said he doesn't think the nation is in a recession, thanks to strength in certain sectors of the economy, such as exports." Holy Cruising Down Denial Batman! If anyone is in a recession– you know, other than the housing market– it's the U.S. automobile industry. On the other hand, Fritz also told the assembled car hacks "In terms of what we have to do — profits, cash flow, market cap — we're not the world's largest automaker." So he's down with that. But– "That's what I'm spending 100 percent of my time trying to figure out." Hmmm. Maybe it has something to do with, I dunno, product, or, I'm guessing here, branding. Anyway, if it's not a recession, what is it? Downturn? Market correction? Help Fritz out here guys; what euphemism should he use? 

U.K. car mag Autocar has published snaps of the new "baby" Rolls Royce, codenamed RR4. Autocar reckons "the new car will adopt the Phantom’s design language (reference the car’s thick C-pillar and suicide rear doors). However, it’s also significantly lower and shorter than a Phantom, has a shorter bonnet, and a much less upright grille, than its bigger sibling." Rolls-Royce sure needs something to get it out of the doldrums. Launched in 2003, BMW's $333,350 Phantom was a flop. After announcing a "ceiling" of 10k units, Rolls sold just 3703 units in four years. Meanwhile, the VW Phaeton-based Bentley Continental GT and Flying Spur are still da bomb. Bentley sold 10,014 units last year (3990 units in NA alone). RR4 aims to put Roller back in the game, albeit eventually, and above Bentley. The baby Roller will arrive in showrooms "at the end of the decade" and sticker for around £175,000 ($347,456). Where that leaves the Phantom is anyone's guess.