This truth thing seems to be catching on. First, Ford buys thetruthabouttrucks.com. Then Audi capitalizes (literally) on TRUTH IN ENGINEERING. And now a coalition of nine environmental groups– the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the League of Conservation Voters, the National Environmental Trust, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, Friends of the Earth, Conservation Law Foundation and Environment California– have launched TruthAboutToyota.com. The hate site takes Toyota to task for opposing the more aggressive of two congressional bills mandating hikes in federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) averages. The accompanying USA Today full-page ad and press release takes plenty of media-friendly bites out of ToMoCo's ass. "Just because Toyota is taking over General Motor's market share does not mean that Toyota has to take on GM's anti-environmental lobbying practices," pronounced Brendan Bell, Washington Representative for the Union of Concerned Scientists. "Toyota needs to start living up to its slogan, 'moving forward' instead of driving us backward," warned Philip Clapp, President of the National Environmental Trust. You can be sure Toyota's none-too-happy about playing truth or consequences with America's greens.

It's about "lifting the dome" and letting people do their jobs. This insight into the Chrysler's freshly-minted Co-President's "take plenty of prisoners" management style arrives via The Detroit Free Press. The Freep joined a respect of journos at a Las Vegas round table to grill simmer Press on the changes needed to return Chrysler to profitability. They got bupkis. Nothing on the strike. Zilch on product executions. But they did get more of Press' party line: Chrysler makes cars with "visceral" appeal (I guess reliability and build quality are emotional issues) and Chrysler's employees are great people. "There's a real willingness to listen and do better," Press said. "The main thing I can do is get out of the way." Perhaps Cerberus should have paid Press to not work for them. 

I'm somewhat proud that the first Survivor winner was a fellow Rhode Islander. As is the case with many successful Ocean State natives (e.g. former Providence Mayor and current radio talk show host Vincent "Buddy" Cianci), Mr. Hatch's brilliant career has been temporarily interrupted by criminal proceedings; he's spending a little quality time in federal prison on a tax evasion conviction. Even so, Hatch's success on the CBS' prototype reality game show (talk about an oxymoronic expression) contained an important lesson for students of corporate gamesmanship. As Richard stated during his post-game interviews, "I was the only person actually playing the game. Everyone else was so wrapped-up in themselves they forgot why they were there." Hatch's wisdom returned to me when I was trying to understand why both Nardelli at Chrysler and Mulally at Ford are setting about fixing their employers' broken business at a pace that makes a snail's progress seem supersonic. I reckon the two "outsiders" have fallen victim to the same Imperial fug that's enveloped GM's Wagoner– and every Detroit auto industry CEO for the last fifty plus years. Yes, they're all there, talking the talk. But when you look at their product plans, marketing, dealer relations and, especially, union relations, it's clear someone's still throwing rose petals in their path. What these guys need is a REAL kick in the ass. Chapter 11 ought to do it.

The Evening Leader (Wrexham, Wales, UK) reports that a road safety-oriented theatrical production called "Wasted" has kids swearing off cars. After watching the multi-media production designed to warn children about the dangers of drug driving at the Ysgol Clywedog school, "One pupil was heard to say 'I'm not getting into anybody's car again', a statement many others echoed." In a telephone interview with TTAC [below], the head of the Walking Forward Theater Company, says the play's message is not anti-car or anti-drugs. "We're trying to get people to use cars in a responsible way," asserts Gavin Payne. "and indeed, if they have to use drugs, [to] use drugs in a responsible way and not mix the two." Payne's Walking Forward theater company claims to have exposed millions of UK theater goers to road safety dramas, including thousands of British soldiers, and welcomes any U.S. or Canadian campaigners interested in setting-up a similar program across the pond. 

Surprise! California has become the third U.S. state to ban smoking in cars with kids– in their own special way. Newsmax.com reports that Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed an anti-motorized second hand smoking bill yesterday that doesn't allow officers to pull over kid-carrying cigarette-puffing motorists. Nope. "The traffic stop would have to be made for another offense, such as speeding or an illegal turn, before the driver could be cited for smoking." Oh, and did we mention that the ban applies to minors, as in any child under 16? That's 10 more years of clean lungs than Arkansas, which bans smoking in cars with children age 6 and younger, and three more years than Louisiana, which protects children 13 and under. Coinciding with New Year's resolutionists, Kali-fornia's new law takes effect on January first. Offenders face a $100 fine and, we reckon, a guilt trip courtesy of the protect and serve people.  

The Detroit News' Daniel Howes reports that FoMoCo is following Chrysler's lead, hoping top Toyota talent can right their sinking ship. James D. Farley, group vice president of Toyota Motor Co.'s Lexus Division, is set to join The Blue Oval Boyz as their first head of global marketing and communications. Howes sings hosannas to Farley's new boss Alan Mulally, sees no downside to the deal and singularly fails to mention the astronomical pay packet involved. "That a rising Toyota star, the head of Lexus and a founder of its Scion youth brand would bolt the Japanese juggernaut for the struggling Blue Oval is a testament to Mulally's leadership, the strength of Ford's current lineup, the promise of its future products and the upside in it all." And once again we feel compelled to point out that Farley, like Chrysler's Jim Press, is the product of a consensus management system, rather than its originator. In other words, one wonders how he fares in the ass-kicking department. Watch this space, and all of Ford's advertising.

Automotive News [AN, sub] reports that the chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) has got religion. Dale Willey believes that the key to Detroit's future lies in building fuel efficient vehicles. Speaking to his not-so-ruthless, toothless pals at the Automotive Press Association, Willey cited a 37 percent annual increase in U.S. sales of hybrid vehicles as proof that The Big 2.8's survival depends on its ability to jump on the gas-miser bandwagon. Which is why his organization supports the proposed bill raising combined corporate average fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks to 32 to 35 mpg by 2022 (as opposed to the dreaded 35 by 2020 bill). At the same time, Willey called for more domestic product innovation, which has already led to "successful sales of such crossovers as the Buick Enclave and Ford Edge." FYI: When he's not the mouthpiece for 20k new-vehicle dealers operating 43k franchises, Willey runs a Buick, Pontiac, GMC and Cadillac dealership in Lawrence, Kansas.

It’s true. The United Auto Workers (UAW) six hour strike against Chrysler was nothing more than a bit of empty posturing, some meaningless moaning and a quick and unsatisfying climax. Oh I’m sure the union bosses are basking in the warm afterglow of successful pattern bargaining; safe in the knowledge that Chrysler will render unto Caesar the same plunderiffic health care deal as GM, as they look fordward to their next payout. And Chrysler’s new masters must also be happy with the deal. (Ipso facto.) But anyone who’d hoped that someone in Detroit would have the balls to finally shaft the UAW has been left high and dry.

According to The Age, GM Car Czar Bob Lutz is on a corporate walkabout Down Under, testing the Holden VZ ute (a.k.a. G8 El Camino) and the upcoming Canadian Camaro's Aussie homonym, the new Holden Commodore. Lutz told the paper that the weak US dollar mooted the possibility of importing the VZ ute stateside; which makes you wonder how the Hell GM can afford to sell the Pontiac G8 (a.k.a. Holden VZ Commodore) in the US for sub-$30k AND make a profit. Lutz also discussed his on-going desire to best Germany's propeller people, supported these days by GM's new rear wheel-drive Alpha platform. Lutz said the new Holden-designed Pontiac-branded car would be "equivalent to a BMW 3 Series in ride, steering and handling, although at a much cheaper price." And just in case you thought Lutz doesn't have a sense of humor, the Vice Chair and his people spent some quality time blatting around in an Elfin. The delightfully-named sports car company is owned by Tom Walkinshaw, who also owns Holden Special Vehicles. 

I was hanging-out with Dad yesterday, waiting for Mom to come out of [minor] surgery. When he mistook a passerby's ringing cell for his own, I said it's hard to imagine that he grew up in a time when no one had a phone. (The device had been invented; it just wasn't available to the average Hungarian.) For my generation, being born pre-Internet renders us digital dinosaurs. Well fair enough. How did we grow-up without it? Truth to tell, I'm jealous of today's youth, who don't have to rely on Car & Driver, the library and their local mechanic/nut/dealer to satisfy their curiosity about all things automotive. In some sense, I run this site for that young kid I once was, desperate to learn at the feet of as many masters as possible. To probe their experience, wit and wisdom. To know more. So I'd like to take time out to thank all of TTAC's contributors and commentators and all three listeners for joining me in this endless quest for insight. If you could spread the word, emailing a link to anyone who might benefit from our intellectual inquiries, I'd be much obliged. If not, same thing. 

MSNBC reports that the United Auto Workers (UAW) have just walked out on Chrysler. Given that the UAW strike over at GM lasted the smaller part of two days and resulted in an agreement that gave the automaker pretty much everything they wanted, don't look for much hand-wringing excitement in this latest action against Chrysler for at least a week. By then we should know what gives, or more, precisely, who gives what. Is the UAW using the strike to soften-up 49k Chrysler workers for GM-like givebacks, or is this the real deal: an American automaker drawing a line in the sand? The fact that Cerberus, Chrysler's new master, is a privately-held company looking to strip and flip changes the fundamental dynamic considerably. Or not. In any case, once again, the union bosses aren't sayin' notin' to no one as to why they walked: “The company has thus far failed to make an offer that adequately addresses the needs of our membership,” UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said on Monday. So now you know.

How the Hell do you calculate the official Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mileage figures for plug-in or serial hybrids, vehicles that can/will operate in electric-only, charge-sustaining, gas-only and/or blended modes? In a phone interview with TTAC [below], EPA Senior Project Engineer Carl Paulina reveals that the Feds have been working on the problem with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) for the last year-and-a-half. And… they're still working on it. In fact, Paulina reckons it'll be another year, easy, before the SAE committee figures out how to modify SAE standard J1711 to deal with the new technology (the equivalent fuel cell committee met for five years). Meanwhile, I asked Paulina how the EPA measures current [parallel] hybrid MPG stats. The result is a rivet counter's wet dream. Bottom line: your mileage may vary. 

We have long argued that anti-drink driving campaigners are wrong to ignore the problems of drunk pedestrians. No, really. For reference: Grand Rapids TV station WTOL carried a report on a District Court Judge who struck down a ruling that allowed Michigan police to breathalyze pedestrians without a warrant. Needless to say, the ACLU was at the forefront of this effort, which negated law enforcement's ability to get tough on teenage drinking and drunk and disorderly conduct. And, we'd like to point out, could help prevent drunk pedestrians from stepping in front of hapless motorists. Although sobriety wasn't mentioned in this morning's Atlanta Journal Constitution report on a recent pedestrian fatality ("GSU law student Paul Brady, 26, died of injuries he suffered after he stepped in front of a Georgia Building Authority truck. The truck had the green light, witnesses told police. The truck driver said she tried to stop but couldn't before she hit Brady."), the paper’s report on jaywalking offers a sobering look at a lethal problem.  

Auto Express [AE] is besides itself with excitement at the prospect that BMW's expansion plans will involve the revival of the British Triumph marque. So much so, they're going out on a limb and declaring it a done deal– ish. "Auto Express can exclusively uncover ex­ci­ting plans by BMW to bring back one of Britain’s best-loved marques – Triumph is on to a winner!" Plans? As Robert Burns pointed out, the best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft a-gley. Meanwhile, Auto Express has got this thing sussed– ish. "The historic British marque, which the maker took over when it bought MG Rover in 1994, would be a clear choice to market a rival for the new, Chinese-owned MG TF roadster." Clued-in in pistonheads will note that BMW lost billions on its English patient (Rover has since expired) and the forthcoming MG TF roadster has precisely no one shaking in their boots. But you gotta give credit to AE for coming-up with an equally credible explanation for why BMW would bother resurrecting Triumph. "As well as using the household name to mar­ket a new roadster, BMW would benefit from having Triumph models to test its low-weight mat­erials and new tech­nologies before using them on mainstream cars." Household name? Low-weight materials? To quote one of our native poets, I must not be drinking enough. 

Since the Tennessee state gov'mint raised cigarette tax from .20 to .62 a pack, death sticks costs less across state lines. So thousands of financially-challenged (or just plain cheap) Volunteer State nicotine addicts have done the sensible thing: jump into their car, cross the border, buy some fags and drive home. Thenewspaper.com reports that the Volunteer State has launched the kind of enforcement crackdown that child protection advocates dream about. Not only do TN revenuers surveil legal tobacco stores in other states (e.g. Kentucky), they also confiscate the cars of tobacco runners for as little as two-and-a-bit cartons of illegal smokes or 51 cigars ($13.02 in lost tax). Should the itinerant coffin nail carriers evade $155.62 in cigarette taxes they're guilty of a felony. In addition to losing their wheels, they're looking at six years in prison and an additional $3000 fine. Thenewspaper.com follows the money. "Seized vehicles are sold with 90 percent of the profit going into the state general fund, and 10 percent into the revenue department's own budget. The tax program is designed to raise $228 million." And piss off a whole lot of people.