From WISN.com:
WISCONSIN — Wisconsin lawmakers have appealed to President Barack Obama hoping to keep Kenosha’s Chrysler plant open.
Sens. Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold and Reps. Paul Ryan and Gwen Moore sent a letter to the president one day after they met with Chrysler officials.
The lawmakers said Chrysler didn’t give them any reason to believe the company is serious about keeping jobs in Kenosha.
The Wisconsin delegation asked the president to do all he can to keep the plant open.
Our man Baruth has driven both the re-refreshed Taurus and the new Taurus SHO. I’ve got one word for his report: embargo. And another: Monday. Yes, TTAC now “respects” long-lead product-related embargoes. In other words, if a car maker invites us to test drive a new product, we’ll agree to stay schtum until they decide it’s OK to publish our review. Or the embargo breaks down. Galled as I am at our own collusion, I’m reversing our stance on the buff-book-protecting manufacturer–media conspiracy of silence for two reasons. First, it will have no impact on the content of our reviews. (We will always reveal the manufacturer’s contribution to our reviews.) Second, you WANT us on that junket. You NEED us on that junket.
The court battle over the formation of Treasury-funded Vehicle Acquisition Holdings, LLC (a.k.a. New GM) will soon be joined. On June 30, Federal Bankruptcy Judge Robert Gerber will begin to assess the range of challenges to the government’s plans. Bloomberg reveals the quadruple threat facing the General Motors “reinvention.”
TTAC commentator carguy can’t leave well enough alone as he prepares to boldly go where no factory warranty will go with him:
I have a question that I would like some feedback on from the TTAC best and brightest. I am about to take delivery of a BMW 335i and am contemplating some mods for the engine (after all, 300hp seems like a waste when you have a 3-liter six and two turbos). My question is two fold:
1. Should I run the engine in and then get the mod or should I run the engine in with the mod in place?
2. I was considering a Dinan stage 1 or 2. Any feedback from TTAC readers on this mod or any other would be much appreciated.
What do you do if you’re an overlarge organization fighting a losing battle for market share in a down market, with high fixed costs and a stultified bureaucracy, facing more nimble competitors? If you’re Time magazine, you interview Chrysler-controlling Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne. And if you’re Sergio facing a similar situation for Chrysler, you tell the troops that an Apple a day keeps the Sebrings away. “Since he took over as chief executive of Italy’s Fiat in 2004, the chain-smoking Canadian-Italian has used Apple as a model, focusing on the way Steve Jobs transformed it from an also-ran computer company into a global icon of cool. He encourages Fiat managers to take a close look at Apple’s branding prowess and even asks them to benchmark their activities against the company. His biggest success at Fiat is the 500 — a tiny, very cool 21st century version of a 52-year-old Italian icon once driven by movie stars such as Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren — which Marchionne calls ‘our iPod.'”
When the Presidential Task Force on Automobiles (PTFOA) fired GM CEO Rick Wagoner, it should have ended any debate whether or not the Obama Administration was in complete control of the soon-to-be-nationalized American automaker. And yet the president and his minions continue to assert that the PTFOA’s ongoing interventions within GM’s administration jibe with their preposterous proclamations about a “hands-off” non-managment, management approach. Although the PTFOA left themselves a supertanker-sized loophole—we’ll only mess with “macro” decisions about GM’s corporate governance—evidence mounts that the 25-member government quango is, as the Brits would say, well in there mate. The latest proof of life arrives via our good friends at Autoline AfterHours. On John McElroy’s vidcast, GM’s VP of sales, service and marketing for North America offered fresh insight into the joys of federal ownership.
While GM works to convince its paymasters that it’s becoming a leaner organization—as opposed to, say, smaller—rest assured that TTAC is about as lean as you can get without chipping a bone. Full-time staff: myself and the ever-dependable Edward Niedermeyer. The rest of TTAC’s team consists of unpaid volunteers: writers and thinkers whose desire to tell the truth about cars supersedes the need for cold, hard cash. Of course, this description also encompasses you, our Best and Brightest. So thanks again for being the heart and soul of the site. And thanks for your e-mails (now to farago@ttac.com). I’ve received hundreds of tips, links and pieces of insider info. And that was just this week. Seriously. I try to answer every email, but stuff slips through the cracks. For that I apologize. And issue a global thank you for all your help (even as I finally delete ancient emails). Please remember I’m inundated, not indifferent. If it’s really important, multiple pings are encouraged. Meanwhile, thank you for your understanding.
That’s not exactly what GM CEO Fritz Henderson said to BusinessWeek, as part of the bankrupt automaker’s charm offensive. The exact quote was “I know I have to re-prove myself.” So, just as there’s a “bad” GM (the one that latched onto the federal teat) and a “good” GM (the other one that latched onto the federal teat), there’s now a “bad” Fritz Henderson (the one who weaseled his way to the top of GM’s dysfunctional corporate culture) and a “good” Fritz Henderson (the one who wants to reform the stultified system that spawned him). As we say in these parts, good luck with that. Those of our Best and Brightest who’ve seen large companies try to reform their not-so-wikkid ways will recognize the resulting lip service . . .
Earlier today, we reported that Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning was mounting a legal challenge to GM’s dealer cull via anti-trust regulations. I pointed out that Bruning’s zeal probably had a little something to do with GM and ChryCo car dealers in his patch. A bit of Googling adds the words “and how” to that supposition. Campaignmoney.com lists contributions to the “Friends of Jon Bruning” Political Action Committee. It has to be said: Jon’s not lacking for friends in the car biz. Number two on the list: Craig “Ugliest Web Site in History” Cox of Cox Chevrolet. Baxter Chrysler Jeep Dodge clocks-in at number six. A diligent member of our B&B points out that many of the “homemakers” on the list are attributed to “Anderson.” Talton “Tal” Anderson and his family own a slew of dealerships in NE and western IA, and AZ (and maybe elsewhere). Over on opensecrets.org, we learn that Jon Bruning is number 11 on the list of top recipients of car dealer contributions. Hey! Hillary’s number one! And there’s Joe Biden! Say it ain’t so, Joe! Anyway, nothing illegal here. But it helps to have a scorecard to know why the playa is playin’.
GM’s dealer cull is taking flak from its flanks, as Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning has launched a lawsuit to stay the bankrupt automaker’s quivering, zombie hand [download press release here]. In his letter to other state AGs asking for their support, Bruning is not happy with GM’s request that its dealers waive their rights under state law. Specifically, the bit that says “No law of any state or other jurisdiction [go Puerto Rico!], including any bulk sales law or similar law, shall apply in any way to the transactions contemplated by the 363 Transaction, the MPA, the Motion, or this Order.”
HR 2743 IH
Mr. MAFFEI (for himself, Mr. KRATOVIL, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. HOYER, Mr. MCMAHON, Ms. SUTTON, Mr. BARTLETT, Mr. HALL of New York, Mr. POSEY, Mr. HEINRICH, Mr. PAULSEN, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. DEFAZIO, and Mr. DAVIS of Alabama) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services
TTAC reader and marketing consultant John Charles of Stockholm, Sweden, was gracious enough to send us some more info on investor Mark Bishop, the man who would be king of Saab.
Hi, I read your very interesting piece on Mark Bishop and SAAB. However you (unintentionally, I imagine) missed out a few details. I have found out that Bishop was involved as President of the rather shady Quick Loan Funding. It is understandable that Bishop chooses not to mention his time at QLF in his CV.
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