OK, not literally "lost." More like "totaled." No matter how you parse it, Automotive News [sub] reports that King Triton wasn't happy with the ship carrying the very first batch of 1-Series and M3s headed stateside from the Fatherland. On January 11, a storm took knocked the heavy metal loose to play a driverless game of German bumper cars. "Of the 470 vehicles on board, 120 were damaged beyond repair and will have to be scrapped. The others will be repaired, said a BMW spokesman." While one wonders if the customers for those repaired Bimmers will be told of the damage, the automaker is busy tryig to figure out if the accident will affect the models' March launch date. 6Speedonline has the gruesome gallery for those of you who can't get enough wrecked exotics, or wait for Autoblog.  

According to Cadillac, the Provoq is "a petroleum-free, hydrogen-powered vision of future luxury transportation." In fact, the official press release proclaims that "The concept can drive 300 miles (483 km) on a single fill of hydrogen – with 280 miles (450 km) from hydrogen and 20 miles (32 km) on pure, battery electric energy. A pair of 10,000 psi (700 bar) composite storage tanks beneath the rear cargo floor hold 13.2 pounds (6 kg) of hydrogen to feed the fuel cell stack, located under the hood. There, hydrogen mixes with oxygen to generate electricity – up to 88 kW continuous power. A lithium-ion battery pack can store up to a total of 9kWh of electrical energy and also provides a peak of 60 kW of power for additional performance." All this despite the fact that the Concept doesn't have any hydrogen-related parts whatsoever. So I rang-up Pete Barkey of GM Powertrain Communications and asked if GM has any intentions of building a Provoq Concept with a hydrogen engine. "I cannot tell you either way right now." David Caldwell of Cadillac Communications also pointed out that the press release uses a small "c" (concept) rather than a capital "C" (as in Provoq Concept). Both gentlemen also admitted that the numbers cited were entirely theoretical. Fair enough? 

Click here for more TTAC photos of the Cadillac Provoq Concept

[Reported by Sajeev Mehta and William C. Montgomery] 

Speaking at the North American International Auto Show, GM's head of NorAm Ops revealed that a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) version of the Saturn Vue could appear in 2010– gazumping the much-hyped Chevrolet Volt. "For the Volt we are re-engineering an entire vehicle to be optimally designed to support the architecture," Troy Clarke told Reuters. "At the Saturn Vue we are adapting an electric drive system to an existing architecture. It's a quicker way to do it." Clarke's startling announcement– who'd a thunk GM itself would steal thunder from the much-hyped Volt?– comes complete with caveats. The PHEV Saturn Vue would use "different kinds of batteries" to run 10 miles on the power pack alone, while the Chevrolet Volt is being designed to run 40 miles before the gas engine kicks-in. "We don't want to deteriorate the capability of the Vue," Clarke insisted. "It still needs to tow 3,500 pounds, which the Volt will not do. But then the Volt will be one of the most energy-efficient vehicles in the world." Question: how many potential PHEV Vue owners care about towing? Or put it this way: a PHEV Vue owner saves gas so he/she can tow a gas-burning jet-ski or snowmobile? The mind boggles. 

My apologies to those of you who've come to depend on TTAC's daily podcasts to relieve the monotony of your daily running machine ritual. You can forget that trip to the tailor as Justin and I get back into the groove with a quick roundup of the action at the North American International Auto Show. And did you know that the show isn't over– not even the press day bit? I was so caught-up in the fog of war that I forgot that there's a whole 'nother 24-hour stretch of PR madness to go. Luckily, it's a more subdued deal, with some 80 percent of the hacks headed home for the homilies. So we'll be bringing you more dirt from Detroit today, and some damn fine Pixamo-living pics too, as Bill has traded his mono-pod for a tripod. Oh, and stand by for Justin's review of a highly anemic automobile, a car plying the roads of the Middle East with appropriate lack of abandon. 

It may be hard for followers of this series to believe, but in an interview with VentureWire [sub], Tesla Motors' freshly-minted CEO Ze'ev Drori reveals that he's raised another $40m for the ill-fated electric sports car maker. And that's only the first round. This cash grab comes on top of the $100m Tesla has already burned in their seemingly endless pursuit of a production-ready Roadster. C/Net says the cash conflagration has caught the attention of dot bombers who've been there, done that, left the luxurious offices. "When companies get past the $100 million mark in funding without releasing a product, eyebrows start to go up in Silicon Valley. Something about that number tends to bring out skeptics." Why even C/Net is starting to ask a few questions (not to Tesla itself, but what the hey). "The delay of the Roadster could, possibly, lead to delays with the company's plans to come out with an all-electric sedan. Tesla has been hoping to come out with that in late 2009 or early 2010." 

Boston.com gives us a quick look at Mitt Romney's address to the Detroit Economic Club: "I will roll up my sleeves, and I will personally bring together industry, labor, congressional and state leaders to develop a plan to rebuild America's automotive leadership." This I got to see. Or not. Mitt also called for "flexibility" on fuel standards (hint, hint) and an increase in federal auto-related R&D from today's $4b to tomorrow's $20b. Those crazy Reagan republicans! Then, on Face the Nation, Mitt told Bob that "We need stop throwing anvils around the neck of the domestic auto manufacturers. This idea, for instance, of saying we're going to have unilateral caps and trades on greenhouse gases that are not participated by other nations, that would only hurt Detroit. It would only hurt American manufacturers. We've got to stop thinking about being popular around the world and doing what's right for America." Nice thought, but those anvils have "$100 barrel oil" and "Prius" inscribed on them. [thanks to starlightmica for the links]

I read a disturbing comment over at Jalopnik today. It was underneath a post by former TTAC'er Jonny Lieberman on the stress of covering the North American International Auto Show. RLJ676 accused me of wishing for our domestic automakers' downfall, and then attacked TTAC's posting policy. "Further, he runs the place like a fascist and bans for disagreeing with him under the guise that it was a 'flame.' That's what leads to (nearly) everyone on that site agreeing, coincidentally, with all of his articles, etc. Like I said, there's very little 'truth' to be had." I am well aware of TTAC's rep for dwelling on Detroit's dark side. And I know plenty of people see our no-flaming policy as thinly-veiled editorial censorship. When I contemplate these issues, I sometimes wonder if TTAC is not just a lone voice in the wilderness, but an unimportant one. We are so far out of the mainstream we barely get our feet wet. Is it worth it? What's the point? All I can say is that my high school's motto was "For the honor of truth." Not the popularity of truth, or the rich financial rewards of truth. The honor. OK, it's also fun to be the asshole sometimes. But as long as there is ONE visitor who shares the site's crusade for honesty and integrity in an industry that we love– yes, love– then WTH, we'll keep at it. For now, it's time to rest. Perchance to dream. Aye, there's the rub. 

The North American International Auto Show is winding down to it's inevitable conclusion, as journalists and auto execs alike stumble into Detroit's winter gloom, wondering what the New Year will bring, knowing that it won't bring half the weird-ass shit they just saw inside the Cobo convention center. As TTAC celebrates the conclusion of this PR bragfest in the only way we know how (watching Top Gear's Hamster almost kill himself in a jet-powered car on BBC America), we invite you to have a look at the pictures Mr. Montgomery snapped that didn't make it into blog posts. We'll have more show-related news tomorrow. But for now, a big thank you from me to Sajeev Mehta, William C. Montgomery and Frank Williams for keeping it real. You should be proud. Never in the course of the internet have so few done so much for so few. Or something like that.

Literally. Speaking at the unveiling of the new Jeep Renegade, Chrysler design chief Trevor Creed looked straight into the assembled journalists' thousand yard stare-filled eyes (the North American International Auto Show has taken its toll) and told them that you (i.e. him) can create unique exterior style with a "shared technology pool." Creed was setting the stage (literally) for Chrysler's ENVI hybrids. (Yes, ENVI.) So, three concept cars: one platform. The Jeep Renegade (complete with a brand incorrect Porsche speedster windscreen), the Dodge ZEO (muscle sedan with suicide Lambo doors) and the Chrysler EcoVoyager (the Escalade called; it wants its front end back). More interestingly, Chrysler's hot for high-speed WiMax for streaming videos and instant music downloads straight into (one presumes) their satellite TV-enabled minivans and suchlike. We'd like to see them build a competitive small car that didn't look like it was born in the shallow end of the technology pool. 

Click here for more TTAC pictures of the Jeep Renegade

[Reported by Sajeev Mehta] 

Speaking to Automotive News [sub] at the North American International Auto Show, Honda CEO Takeo Fukui revealed that the company's Acura brand will receive the automaker's first California-compliant diesel engines sometime next year. It's a bit of an odd choice, given Acura's lackluster sales, lackluster brand image and lackluster luxury flagship (which TTAC and others have slated for lacking a lustrous V8). And if that isn't enough of a marketing conundrum, Fukui also said Acura's first oil burners will only sport four cylinders. Honda's V6 clean diesel– which also "generates and stores ammonia within a two-layer catalytic converter to turn nitrogen oxide into harmless nitrogen"– won't appear until 2010. Meanwhile and in any case, Fukui is keeping his eye on the bottom line. "Our diesel cars are going to have an appropriate level of profit from the start," he said, intimating that all that high tech hybrid stuff takes ages to pay off. Which it does. Of course, it helps if you get the branding right…

You may recall that GM Car Czar Bob Lutz announced that GM would produce an entire family of E-Flex vehicles (the missing ninth GM brand?). Well, here's the prospective papa: the Cadillac Provoq concept. Is that pro-vock as in "provocative" or pro-voke as in "What are YOU looking at?" Our man on the scene was standing at the back amid a pack of chattering ADD journos, so he's not sure. But Mr. Mehta thinks it's pronounced "provoke" and he's sure GM puts the accent on the first syllable, as in PRO-voke. So, when's the Voke coming? I bring you this rant because there not a whole lot to say about this barge, except that someone should look under the hood to see if they even bothered with the hydrogen bits (GM has a history of cobbling together fake alt propulsion prototypes). Oh and GM Car Czar Maximum Bob Lutz reckons the PROvoq "may" be out in June. WITH E-FLEX??? Don't be silly. Anyway, at least the "normal" Provoq– complete with the Saturn Vue's side vents– is wider than the outgoing SRX. 

[Reported by Sajeev Mehta] 

God knows TTAC has upbraided GM for downsizing the Cadillac brand and taking it downmarket. Adding oil burning insult to mid-sized injury, "the standard of the world" has unveiled a diesel-engined CTS Coupe. Speaking to our man Mehta, GM Powertrain's Executive Director of Diesel Engineering defended the oil burner sitting in the snout of Caddy's overdue two-door. Charles Freese says new 2.9-liter V6 diesel's "closed loop feedback system" means the new engine runs lower compression ratios (16.5:1) so the system is "less volatile for more controllable emissions." This maximizes the operating properities of a diesel engine when it runs in the cleanest times, when it spits out less soot, CO, NOx. (Think of it as the diesel-loving tree-hugger's sweet spot.) Meanwhile, GM design chief Ed Wellburn marked the CTS Coupe's launch by pronouncing that his employer's empowering its designers to make "wild cars like this." What's more, GM has the "conviction" to turn them into reality. Well, a concept car anyway– with a rear that looks a little too much like a 1970s Buick Century Aeroback (Google is your friend) and a little too little like a G37.

[Reported by Sajeev Mehta] 

Obviously, it's Em Kay Tee, which sounds more like a rapper than a Lincoln. Or, for that matter, a car name. Speaking to TTAC reporter Sajeev Mehta, Ford designer Peter Horbury dismissed any doubts about Lincoln's alphanumeric nomenclature: "They are all different cars." Different from what? Their Ford counterparts? Different how? More bling? Anyway, the Lincoln MKT concept is yet another vehicle built on Ford's increasingly ubiquitous D3 platform. According to el grande queso Mark Fields, the Eco-Boost V6 underhood gives the MKT 20 percent better fuel economy (relative to what he didn't say). It's a four passenger concept car with quad buckets! Or… a seven seat passenger vehicle! But one thing's for sure: the rear styling goes back to 1930s classicism. Or 1980s confusion a la Cadillac Seville and Lincoln Continental. As for the front, Horbury says the Paul Weller-esque grill "adorning" the MKX and Navigator is dead. And the MKT's sides are made of recycled plastic. How green is that?

[Reported by Sajeev Mehta] 

As TTAC previously reported, Getrag has pulled the plug on its $530m Chrysler transmission factory "indefinitely," for reasons that remain well outside public purview. Those of us in these parts who see the [non] development as a death rattle in Chrysler's corporate chest have yet more reason to wonder about the implications of the hard stop to a key part of Chrysler's powertrain program. Automotive News [sub] says Chrysler's new owners have gone radio silent on the automaker's suppliers. "Only 22 percent of the 90 suppliers surveyed said Chrysler executives had communicated with them since Cerberus took over in May, reports supplierbusiness.com, a research firm in Stamford, England. Of the vendors surveyed, most were direct suppliers to Chrysler. Forty percent had annual sales exceeding $500 million." The blackout could be the result of personnel changes; former Home Depot purchasing chief John Campi was named Chrysler's new supplier supremo on January 3. Or…?

Those of you who were hoping (and hoping and hoping) that Chrysler would lead America into a Euro-style clean diesel high mileage BIG torque paradise, fuhgeddaboutit. TTAC reporter Bill Montgomery caught-up with ex-Toyota exec and current Chrysler Prez Jim Press and asked him wither oil burners? Yup. "In the face of the new federal fuel economy standards, being a responsible corporate citizen means very soon everything will be hybrid." When pressed, Press went further, hinting that there's been a massive strategy shift within the Crisis Corporation. "As a privately owned company, we're quicker than the competition at reallocating resources." Does this new focus explain the hard stop to Getrag's $530m Chrysler transmission factory? Press' PR handler whisked the exec away before Bill could get the inside dope. So to speak. 

Click here for more TTAC pictures of Jim Press' meet the press

[Reported by William C. Montgomery]