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?

According to Autobild (print edition, Jan 25), Alfa Romeo will re-engineer almost all of its models from front wheel to rear wheel-drive (RWD). Since the FIAT conglomerate has practically no usable RWD platforms, Alfa is about to ink a deal with GM to use The General's Sigma platform, currently underpinning the Cadillac CTS, SRX and STS. Alfa plans to use Sigma for its 169 executive sedan, the 159 small sedan, the Alfa Spider convertible, the Brera Coupe and for a new generation of smaller Maseratis. Autobild speculates they might deploy Sigma for the next gen Maserati Quattroporte and the GT. From a GM bean-counter's point of view, the news sounds sensible; why not share the costs? From a branding POV, you might say hey, Cadillac could do worse– at least, they aren't sharing Sigma with Pontiac. However. HOWEVER. GM wants to re-relaunch Cadillac in Europe. And Alfa plans to re-enter the U.S. Why the heck is GM helping a competitor to undermine its own market? And let's not forget that the last time GM got in bed with FIAT, it got burnt for 1.55 billion Euros. Fool me once…

Yesterday, in our Super Bowl car ad guide, we speculated about what you'd be seeing from Hyundai. No need for guessing: Hyundai went ahead and posted both 30 second ads online. Our take: they look pretty good. Very simple, easy to follow (especially if you've had the standard game day spirits), and effective. Hyundai is just extending the image it has already staked out: value. They'll sell you the same car for less money, or more car for the same money. It works selling Sonatas to Corolla shoppers, and they've taken exactly the same approach here. "S-Class size for the price of the C-Class." Then they tell you it's got 375 horsepower. No green nonsense, no claims of inventing new market segments, and certainly no streams running through the woods. Just more for your money. What do you think?

Ford Taurus is the Homer Simpson of cars– or at least that's what Ford's head of product development thinks. Earlier this month in Detroit, Alan Mulally told a seminar a "fabulous" new Taurus is coming that "is the one we should have made originally." MSNBC reports product guru Derrick Kuzak was a bit more direct when speaking to a group of analysts. He showed a slide with Homer Simpson standing above a Five Hundred, along with Superman and Mr. Incredible above smaller drawings of sleeker versions of the Taurus and explained "As you walk from a Homer Simpson design to a Superman design, it's all about millimeters matter. That's only delivered when the engineering team does not dumb down the design because of engineering and manufacturing feasibility concerns." Analysts like marketing prof David Koehler were surprised and encouraged by the Ford exec's newfound candor: "It wasn't a rogue V.P. that was frustrated with the lack of innovation." Hopefully once they've finished polishing the Taurus, they'll turn their attention to the Marge Simpson Focus.  [thanks to starlightmica for the link]

Dodge's horny longhorns at the Detroit Auto Show were just the beginning. Chrysler's Firehouse media blog reveals that the automaker's decided to put the horns back into their slogan. Last year, The Dodge Boys gelded "Grab life by the horns," transforming the brand's advertising exhortation into the Zen-like (i.e. vague) "Grab Life." Even though Dodge used "Grab Life by the Horns" since 2001, they hoped that removing the grabby part of the strapline (how butch is that?) would make the brand more appealing to female buyers. Unfortunately, the new version didn't go over well with truck buyers, who account for the most of Dodge's (not to mention Chrysler's) profits. Taking the bull by the horns, Chief Marketing Officer Deborah Meyer disclosed that that Dodge is reviving the original "Grab Life by the Horns" line for the 2009 Ram. The new version won't horn in on the car ads, though. Their automotive slogan will remain "Grab life." Perhaps they should sell that one to Buick, with a parenthetical "while you can" at the end. 

In Harris Interactive survey-speak, "Influentials" are American adults who describe themselves as either 'very' or 'extremely' knowledgeable about cars. Harris estimates that around 19 percent of American adults fall into this category. These Influentials– or automotive alphas as we like to call them– are far more likely to use the internet for auto info than "Non-Influentials" (63 percent vs. 36 percent). Harris Interactive's Director of Automotive & Transportation Research says the research shows that "Non-influentials seek out Influentials for vehicle advice." But, Stephen Lovett maintains, "they are more likely than Influentials to rely on their shopping experience to make their final vehicle choice." It's nice to see TTAC Best and Brightest get the statistical recognition they deserve, and sad to see so many people fall into the clutches of nefarious car salespeople. Now can someone send a memo to our ad reps?

OK, I get why Ford wants to build a more off-road capable version of the new F150 than the already capable FX4. Because they can. Although it's a waste of Ford's time and money (halo truck my ass), and the wisdom of equipping a consumer product with an extra long-travel suspension is highly suspect (red Rover, red Rover, my F150's rolled over), I grok the positive shock such a vehicle will give die-hard (one hopes) mud-pluggers. The modded machine's "Boss" V8, wider wheel arches and cosmetic bits ought to give them a major truckgasm. But Raptor? The name flies in the face of the F-22 Raptor's rep (so to speak) and steps on the marketing heels of the Cagiva Xtra Raptor motorcycle (and God knows what else). Luckily, Pickuptruck.com's Technical Editor says the name won't survive into production. Any better suggestions? You know, other than concentrating Ford's resources on a better small car. 

If you were 20 when GM equipped the Cadillac Seville with a 105hp 5.7-liter LF9 diesel engine– a powerplant whose feeble power, clattering noise, belching smoke, mechanical unreliability and brand defilement made oil burners about as fashionable as AM stereo– you'd be 43 now. So… I guess there's still a mountain for the marketing men to climb. Kelley Blue Book confirms this suspicion. In a January survey of an unspecified number of in-market car buyers, nearly half said diesels are "dirty and noisy." What's worse, "shoppers increasingly believe that diesel-powered vehicles get poorer fuel mileage than conventional gasoline engines, and fewer consumers are seeing diesels as fuel-efficient." That's right, diesel's appeal is actually declining amongst car buyers. Meanwhile, hybrids are ascendant, with 61 percent of shoppers claiming an interest in buying a car with a gas – electric engine. "When asked about the premium they are willing to pay for a gas/electric hybrid over a traditional gasoline-powered version of the same vehicle, this month shoppers are willing to pay an average premium of $3,135, up from an average premium of $2,645 a month ago in December 2007." Can any automaker break the American diesel curse? If they do, it's going to be a long, tough job. 

Perpetuating the overblown self-importance surrounding their role in the Super Bowl, Audi's latest press release announces they will debut the "Audi Forum Phoenix." The play station "will offer athletes, celebrities, and VIPs access to exclusive events and a level of intimacy and privacy unavailable to them elsewhere in the chaotic social landscape of the Super Bowl." In the week leading up to the big game, the Forum will offer the beautiful people indoor/outdoor bars, a pool with private cabanas, tennis, golf and outdoor fire pits (no "luxury experience" is complete without outdoor fire pits, you know). Not wanting to brag or anything, Audi of America's chief marking officer Scott Keogh stated it was "the only viable destination for VIPs seeking a true luxury experience at this year's Super Bowl." Good for them (and them alone). But how does any of this "redefine luxury?" I guess we have to wait until their Godfather spoof ad to discover the meaning of Audi's "new era." If I'm off having a piss, will someone please post a description on the following Monday? Much obliged. 

OK, this one can cut both ways. If you're a GM jump-down-turnaround-pick-a-bale-of-cotton kinda guy, Cadillac's determination to consult the rest of the world before building their luxury car flagship is a smooth move. You will be glad to hear Automotive News [sub] announce that "In yet another attempt to turn Cadillac into a successful global brand, General Motors this year will take a group of designers to China, Russia and other countries to learn what it might take to get BMW and Mercedes-Benz buyers behind the wheel of a Cadillac." If you're a look-what-they-done-to-my-brand, Ma kinda guy, you're notice the words "In yet another attempt." Even the Generally enthusiastic scribe Rick Kranz has to admit that "trying to sell U.S.-oriented vehicles globally has been a dismal failure for Cadillac." Ah, but if you're a booster, you'll clock the "U.S.-oriented" part of that sentence, and say, "See? Caddy needs a world potentate-friendly luxury car like BMW and Mercedes!" But if you're an adherent to the "GM is the Gang Who Couldn't Shoot Straight" school of thought, you'll remember that the European-spec BLS is a, well, what's beyond dismal in terms of automotive failure? Anyway, the new sedan will replace the ancient STS and DTS by "around 2011 or 2012." If GM's still in biz, we can discuss it then.

See? I knew this video box thing would come in handy again. Obviously, we need someone to scan and blog YouTube on TTAC's behalf (robert.farago@thetruthaboutcars.com). Meanwhile Frank ran into this gem of a site while looking for the official EPA mpgs for the Hummer H2. Did you know the mondo-SUV is still exempt from EPA mpg requirements (it gets "around" 10 – 12 mpg)? I bet the impolite webslingers at FUH2.com do. After all, the site's strapline and pretty permalink both read "Fuck You and Your H2." Their beef? "While our brothers and sisters are off in the Middle East risking their lives to secure America's fossil fuel future, H2 drivers are pissing away our 'spoils of victory' during each trip to the grocery store." More specifically, they claim the H2 is a polluter (producing "3.4 metric tons of carbon emissions in a typical year, nearly double that of G.M.'s Chevrolet Malibu sedan"), a death machine ("You'd better hope that you don't collide with an H2 in your economy car. You can kiss your ass goodbye thanks to the H2's massive weight and raised bumpers") and, most aggravatingly of all, a tax loophole ("Under the current tax laws, business owners can deduct nearly half the cost of their H2s"). Anyway, there's a certain monotony to the 4470 pics of one-finger saluted H2s, but we like page 355. What do the Padres have to do with this?

Wow! That's fast! Faster than GM fastest Corvette, the ZR1, which looks like it's going to be a really fast car. Of course, it's not what you might call true: the Tesla Roadster can't even make its long-promised sub-four second zero to sixty sprint, never mind hitting the ton in that time. But expecting GM's Car Czar to have a handle on motorized minutia is like expecting Bill Gates to go on Safari. To wit, Bob told Autonet.ca how he's ironing-out some of the plug-in electric – gas hybrid Volt's "issues." “In the first year, we’re not going to be in super-mass production," Bob revealed. "We’ll do about 10,000 units, and keep them fairly close to home so we can deal with any issues before we really crank up for high volumes." What exactly does that mean? That Chevrolet will only sell Volts in the mid-west– perhaps to GM employees– until they can work out the kinks? Does that make any sense? Do we believe it? Does Bob Lutz believe it? What about statements like “We’re finally breaking out of this thing where we’re selling only to our owners.” Hang on; if GM's market share is declining AND they're gaining conquest sales, does that mean they're losing loyal customers at the same time? Here's a more important question: why are so many journalists following Lutz' seemingly endless trips down the rabbit-hole? Don't they know Wonderland when they see it?

Here we go again: pictures hitting the net before an official debut. Snaps that prove that Volkswagen's European bargain brand Skoda does VW better than VW does VW. Skoda, a Czech company whose cars were punchlines for years ("A friend of mine got a new side mirror for his Skoda. Sounds like a fair trade to me"), has been churning-out one reasonable reskinned VW after another. The first generation Superb was a stretched, bargain-priced Passat. Skoda passes 'at with a new model based on the current Mk6 Passat (currently sold Stateside). The Superb may not live-up to its name, but it a looks damn sight better than the Passat: more stolid, more German and more "European." Best of all, there are non-wild ass rumors coming from VW's American HQ that the Superb could be headed stateside a in lightened content form. As a re-badged Volksie, the Superb would serve as a lower-priced mainstream replacement for the Passat, as the Passat Coupe moves upmarket. What do you reckon: should VW NA pass or play? 

Did I or did I not just blog that Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. Group Vice President and Lexus General Manager Mark Templin wants his customers to "hang out" down at the dealership? I did. WardsAuto now reports that the self-same suit says his dealers should learn from its Scion brand's customer relations– and give their customers the bum's rush a time-efficient service. "What Scion buyers want – and future Lexus customers will desire, as well – is a quicker purchasing and no-fuss service experience." Lexus' new goal is to make sure "customers who do come into the showroom to buy can get in and out fast, providing around-the-clock service facilities or offering pickup and delivery of vehicles needing maintenance." Templin sees no contradiction in these goals; the in-and-outers are young money, while the let-me-tell-you-about-my-hernia customers are old money. Can Lexus be all things to all demographics? No, but it can try. Oh, and we love that crack about the Newport Beach dealership “where each of the palm trees cost $100,000 apiece."  Is that God's way of telling a Lexus dealer he's making too much money?

Late last year, The New York Times hired long-time Detroit News cheerleader Bill Vlasic. Fans of the man will be glad to learn that the auto scribe has stayed true to his roots. Writing for The Old Gray lady, Vlasic pens a paean to Ford CEO Alan Mulally's global integration plans; an essay that finds the silver lining in Ford's arterial spray of red ink. "Much of his focus since joining Ford 16 months ago has been on cutting costs and jobs. And more buyouts were announced on Thursday, when the company reported that it had narrowed its overall losses in 2007 to $2.7 billion, a major improvement after its wrenching $12.6 billion loss in 2006. But with the shrinking of Ford’s core United States business nearly done, Mr. Mulally is eager to get its global operations hitting on all cylinders." Sounds great! So, tell us about Big Al's Boeing-like plan to consolidate Ford's platforms. How many do they have, how many do they want, and how are they going to build compelling local products on a world platform? "Mr. Mulally declined to specify how many platforms Ford had now or discuss its goal for consolidation. But he gushed at the savings the company could realize by spreading its costs over more international models. 'Seventy percent of our total volume will be on eight platforms by 2012,' he said. 'You can only imagine what a tremendous improvement that will be.'" Looks like Mulally found the right guy for that job.