After four generations of on and off-road (more or less deliberate) adventures, Ford’s Explorer is trading in his body-on-frame for a lighter, greener, on-road-friendly unibody. Carfood is scarce these days, everybody has to go on a diet and count those octanes like calories. Ford has already shown their intent into this direction with the Explorer America Concept at the last NAIAS. All the opulence is gone, no more chrome, no more huge-ego. Big cars will need to be discrete. For moderately priced family cars, huge engines are no longer something to extol. If you really need one, than you’d better keep quiet about it. Aluminum, naturally perceived as being light (or the “genuine aluminum-plated plastic”) will kick in for decoration. Simple robust lines will make the fifth Explorer look rugged, even if it will not be as tough as it used to be. My other changes to the concept were the usual: bigger windows, real mirrors and door handles, proper air intakes and cost-friendly materials and finishes. Expect the real thing for 2010 or later.

Marketwatch reports that Honda and Toyota are warning against using their hybrid vehicles as taxi cabs, on safety concerns. Ford, GM and Nissan have also refused to certify the crashworthiness of their hybrid vehicles as hire cars. The story starts with an August 29 letter, sent from the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC), asking automakers to certify that their hybrids or alternative fuel vehicles are manufacturer-approved to be used as taxicabs and safe when modified with partitions and other TLC requirements. This letter in turn came from a Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade (MTBT) legal challenge to TLC’s mandate that all new NY taxis be hybrids or other vehicles that achieve 25 miles-per-gallon. Citing a 2008 engineer’s report that finds hybrids to be unsafe and unfit as New York City taxicabs, the MTBT have held up TLC’s mandate in court, and now that automakers won’t certify their safety, the TLC mandate may be DOA. Issues over safety partitions and their interaction with side-curtain airbags and other safety equipment prevent automakers from certifying the safety of their hybrids when modified for taxi use. Since nobody crash-tests hybrids modified with safety partitions, nobody will take any legal responsibility for them, and thus they may well die on the vine. Meanwhile, in less hellishly violent corners of this great nation, cabbies are turning to hybrids with enthusiasm. As long as you don’t need several inches of bulletproof glass between you and your customers, hybrids are a safe, efficient choice for taxis.

Plenty of rich Corinthian news today from the world of champagne wishes and caviar dreams. Among the weirdest is that Daimler has no plans to axe Maybach because (gasp!) it’s making money! How, you ask? By putting a rolling soft top on its 62S stretched sedan, calling it a Landaulet and charging folks $1.35m. Classy! If you’re having trouble getting a seven-figure auto loan at reasonable terms (and we’ve all been there, no?), Daimler understands. The Germans are helping undercut the raison d’automobile for its high-end German luxury brand by helping Aston build a $100k Lagonda S-Class competitor, aimed at the entry-level plutocrat, Maserati Quattroporte cross-shopping crowd. Egmcartech reports that the sedan, based on Aston’s VH platform, will go on sale in 2012. There will also be a Lagonda version of the Rapide, set to cost more than the sportier Aston version. Meanwhile, as Bugatti unleashes its Veyron GT, there’s word from Automotive News [sub] that the Alsatian luxury brand is developing a Rolls-Royce competitor in partnership with its VW-owned sister company, Bentley. That should come available sometime after the Veyron ends production in 2012.

Although officially set for the LA Auto Show in November, the Sydney auto show welcomed the all new 2010 Mazda3 today. Mazda says the new car will have two four-cylinder engines for the U.S. market, a 2.0 liter and a 2.5 liter (the latter probably producing in the neighborhood of 170-175 horsepower). The 2.0 liter will feature direct injection (at least in Australia, so no reason to think it will not come to the U.S. too). The car still rides on some variant of the Ford Focus/Volvo S40 platform, though it’s unclear how much Mazda modified it for this version of the Mazda3. We do know the sheetmetal is all new and so is the interior. We’ll bring you more info as it comes to us – and will be covering the LA Auto Show live from the floor!

CAR Magazine has been covering the ongoing collaboration negotiations between BMW and Mercedes for some time. As usual, nothing unites like a common enemy, and the longtime rivals have been brought together by the looming leviathan that is the new Porsche-VW alliance. But partnership does not come easily after decades of fierce competition. CAR speculates on the possible causes of ongoing difficulties thusly: “Maybe it’s a mutual case of ‘not invented here’. Maybe it’s what decades of ingrained rivalry does to you. Or a mix of shortsightedness, ignorance and stubborness. Perhaps a combination of the above.” Whatever the cause, BMW and Mercedes have yet to finalize any plans to share M-B’s new M295 all-aluminium V12. Is BMW, like McLaren, suffering from a restrictive Daimler contract with Aston-Martin? We’ll may never know. What is clear is that Mercedes needs a new corporate four-banger for its burgeoning small-car portfolio. The current C-class four is “too big, too heavy and too expensive” say CAR, and a new, shared four-cylinder could be jointly developed for Benz’s A-, B-, C-, E- and GLK-classes, and BMW’s 1-, X1, 3, X3, and MINI models. If no German alliance forms, PSA and Fiat are waiting in the wings, hoping to snag a technical partner for their own next-gen four-bangers. Meanwhile, “other collaboration opportunities between Munich and Stuttgart include more pace-setting hybrid modules, more efficient dual-clutch and automatic transmissions, advanced driver assistance systems and a highly flexible small car concept.” No mention yet of the Sudetenland.

According to Motor Trend, none other than Maximum Bob Lutz (or his mouth, which is independently operated) was behind plans to convert the C7 Corvette to a mid-engined layout. And from certain perspectives (albeit not the traditional one) such a move would have made a lot of sense. Besides putting Ferrari on notice, a mid-engined ‘vette would be easier to convert to a fuel-saving cylinder shutoff system, since the current front-engine, rear-transaxle layout necessitates a seperate clutch to disengage cylinders. The extra weight of a mid-engine cowl and the complication of reeingineering the entire platform has killed plans for a mid-engined Corvette, and GM has pushed the C7 model release back to 2014. In other words, unless GM seriously gets its shit together ASAP, the current ‘vette could be the last model ever made. In any case, the C6 will likely be the last V8-only Corvette, since CAFE standards will likely necessitate a V6 base engine. And you thought a mid-engined Corvette was sacrilege…

The Times of London has a test of the new Vauhall/Opel Insignia, possibly destined for the US as the 2010 Saturn Aura, and the Mondeo-fighter apparently isn’t living up to the hype. What is the Times’ biggest beef? The beef, apparently, as the Insignia weighs a hefty 3,300 pounds, some ten percent more than the Vectra it replaces. Times scribe Andrew Frenkel is not amused, noting that the Insignia “also uses more fuel, pumps out more CO2, has slower acceleration and a lower top speed. They call this progress.” Much of the review gripes about the Insignia’s placement in the Euro-market, but it does note that the Vectra replacement does look terrific. Too bad that will likely change when if it comes Stateside, since the program to bring it as a Saturn is on hold. Handling and ride quality receive high marks, though engine performance and economy are blunted by the weight gain. One of the biggest letdowns noted by the Times is the poor interior build quality, with its “preponderance of cheap, hard plastic” and several functionality issues ranging from wiggly handbrake to disappearing (!) mirror control assemblies. Frenkel fears that beyond attractive looks and “keen pricing.” the Insignia doesn’t offer anything the Mondeo doesn’t, particularly in the crucial categories of dynamic abilities and efficiency/running costs. If its sleek looks are lost in translation to the Aura, it might not be too early to call Saturn’s last best hope DOA. If they bring it here it all.

Car Magazine (UK) reports that Porsche is developing a mid-engined “budget” sportscar to compete with the Mazda MX-5, and sharing platforms with forthcoming Audi and VW versions. With Audi’s R4 having been canceled for competing too closely with Porsche’s Boxster and Cayman models, the new mid-engined platform is being developed to fight in the $35k-$45k segment. The Audi version will likely replace the TT, finally bringing RWD dynamics to its fashion-forward coupe, along with 220hp and 280hp performance trims. The VW version would pack smaller 1.2 and 1.4 liter engines, while details on a Porsche version are still forthcoming. Since an aluminum spaceframe is off the table thanks to high costs, the roadster/coupe could end up weighing as much as 2,200 pounds. So, should Porsche even be considering a version of this VW/Audi sportscar? Product strategy in the new Porsche/VW will be a tricky proposition for some time as the newly unified firm struggles to maintain brand appeal while leveraging its new partnership. For Porsche, the question goes to volume versus brand dilution, and the possiblity of bringing back the 356 brings this dynamic to the forefront. Would a baby-Boxster bring more fans into the Zuffenhausen fan club, or will it degrade the brand and cannibalize TT sales? As usual, the issue comes down to execution. If Porsche can offer a model with vastly superior dynamics than the VW version, it may be worth it. If the new 356 doesn’t differentiate itself enough from VW and Audi verisons, Porsche’s sibling rivalry could bring yet another challenge to the already-tenuous VW-Porsche anschluss.

Ford’s popular European Ka car might be coming to America after all. The Associated Press reports (via Yahoo) that Ford decided to “give the Ka another look due to high fuel prices pushing up demand for small cars and the response to introduction of the Fiesta subcompact.” Perhaps the sudden availability of tens of billions of taxpayer-backed bucks to retool domestic factories for fuel-efficient vehicles had a little something to do with this change of heart. Ford has recently written off $8b worth of previous investments in truck and SUV production lines. It’s currently sitting on $25b of highly explosive long term debt. So yes, a little boost from Uncle Sam (that’s you) would be just the thing to get Ford to sing “Baby you can build my Ka.” Yes, but– can Ford get the kind of price premium for the Ka that Mercedes somehow cons people into paying for the Smart car? CAFE be damned; the idea of driving next to full-size SUVs from the driver’s seat of a Ka-sized car sets my teeth a chattering.

In uncharacteristic style for anything French, Renault wants to expand into new territory. Still. They are “itching to get back into the U.S.,” according to a Wall Street Journal report. Despite a 55 percent drop in stock value this year and rumblings about Carlos Ghosn possibly stepping down from his dual-CEO post, someone at Renault thinks it might be a nice idea to return to the U.S. market. And it might be nice for Scarlett Johansson to tell me the next time she’s going to elope with someone better looking, funnier, taller and richer than I am. But as the philosopher Jagger said, you can’t always get what you want (credit to David Shore for that line). Nissan’s already slumping in The Land of the Free. Renault’s current lineup can’t meet U.S. EPA and crash standards which are different (though not necessarily better) than the Euro NCAP variety. Renault’s diesels wouldn’t have a prayer here without expensive testing or licensing the Bluetec system from Mercedes. And there’s the dealer/distribution problem, which can’t be magically solved by a hypothetical perfect Chrysler tie-up. And then there’s the whole “Americans don’t buy French” thing. And it’s all too bad, because I would love a Renault. But with even Renault saying that they would need to develop three new models specifically for the American market, you’ve got to wonder why the hell they’d bother.

Assuming there’s still is an auto industry in the upcoming year of magical beings, 2010, Ford plans to roll out the Nanny Key. Ford’s press release sums it up thus: “Ford’s MyKey feature — which debuts next year as standard equipment on the 2010 Ford Focus and will quickly become standard on many other Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models — allows owners to program a key that can limit the vehicle’s top speed and audio volume. MyKey also encourages safety-belt usage, provides earlier low-fuel warnings and can be programmed to sound chimes at 45, 55 and 65 miles per hour.” Parents seem quite keen on the idea, but the kids are not exactly thrilled. “Teens surveyed by Harris said they are largely open to MyKey if it means they will have more freedom to drive. Initially, 67 percent of teens polled said they wouldn’t want MyKey features. However, if using MyKey would lead to greater driving privileges, only 36 percent would object to the technology.” In our home, we achieved pretty much the same end by buying an old Volvo 240. Hey! Isn’t that a Ford product?

I’m in the minority. While I think the Ferrari California is not only ugly, but unfaithful to the priceless Ferrari brand, others do not. Some of us shower regularly. Others like this Ferrari California. Where I see a competition with the Mercedes SL for buyers, others see some kind of gorgeous and practical roadster. How many others? Enough that the California is sold out until 2011. That’s not a surprise; every Ferrari model sells out. But what is surprising is that 60% of California buyers will be new to the Ferrari brand. And what do you bet those folks won’t be repeat customers?

TTAC’s Martin Schwoerer, attending the show in Paris, writes:
If for no other reason, the Ferrari California would have made it worthwhile to come to Paris. In the flesh, it looks absolutely stunning. I was prepared to criticize the retro, Ferrari-heritage inspired style, but it works out fantastically. Andrea Pininfarina, before you left this world, you made it a bit more beautiful.

Toyota has been showing concepts, prototypes and mock-ups of its 3+1 city car for the last four or so European motor shows, but here in Paris, it’s the real thing. The theory of the design language is silly; Toyota calls it “vibrant clarity” (that’s a state of mind I’d associate with inebriation). But the design itself is strong, clean and forward-looking. I stood in line to check out the interior of this microcar and found it conspicuously well-designed and made of high-quality materials. It didn’t quite pass the international test of anal-retentiveness (“do all surfaces refuse to give way when pressed, and sound similarly solid to a rapped knuckle?”). But don’t forget that this is a tiny, lightweight car. And a wonder of packaging. My claustrophobiac 184 cm body (that’s six feet to you Yanks) found the driver’s and two passengers’ seats snug yet uncramped. For Toyota, the big question is, how the hell to sell the iQ at a profitable price– meaning a higher price tag than its larger models? This is where new technology needs first-class marketing. If they can pull it off, then a Smart death watch may be in order.

Nissan’s concept cars have been pretty impressive for the past few motor shows. There was the Pivo, a toyish-but-feasible city car that had electric motors in the wheel hubs, enabling it to do 360-degree turns. It was a bubbly, friendly vision of driving in the future. Then Nissan presented the Mixim, which looked like Darth Vader’s mask on wheels. The idea was to make an urban electric car that looked serious, even aggressive. Both owed their design language to Mangas, guaranteeing a certain attractiveness to teenagers. Today in Paris, Nissan unveiled the Nuvo which is equally electric and inspired by Japanese comic books, but in addition integrates nature-oriented themes such as flowers, and recycled materials. I like it, despite its megalomaniac motto claiming it’s “the future of the city car”. Any car that sports a new design language has my sympathies. The Nuvo is a 3+1, comparable in packaging to the Toyota iQ. Nuvo is to be rolled out in the context of the Better Place pilot projects in Denmark and Israel 2011. The Nissan guy I spoke with claims the agressive style of the Mixim doesn’t work for urban drivers, so they had to go for something softer. This may be true for Japan and some countries in Europe, but otherwise I would beg to differ: Germans find cuteness alarmingly unserious, and Americans feel emasculated by anything distinctly unmacho. Still, it’s a fine design.

The Chinese water torture-like drip of Lambo Estoque teaser shots is finally over, thank God. The newest bull from Sant’Agata has been revealed in full ahead of the Paris Auto Show. Color me peu impressionné with Lambos me-too entry into the burgeoning four-door sportscar segment. Sure, entering any new segment can present styling challenges (especially when Aston is prepping a draped-in-sexy competitor). But having inherited a love for the Espada from my father, I simply can not help but be disappointed with Lambo’s new four-door design. Like Porsche’s Panamera, the Estoque eschews the bespoke look, modeling itself after a stretched Gallardo with overly-restrained headlights and an Aston-aping rear quarter and flank strakes. [ED: Not to mention an Enzo-like intake.] At least in preview pictures, it comes across as derivative, bland and wholly lacking the instant impression created by truly special cars. Boasting the all-aluminium frame of the next-gen Audi A8, and the V10 engine from the Gallardo, the Estoque should haul and handle when it hits the streets in, yes, 2010. But will it have the undeniable curb appeal that’s de rigueur for a new Lambo? Not likely.