Top Gear’s ironic contention that their mystery test driver is actually Graham Hill cocks a snook (don’t ask) at the MSM, who’ve gone nuts over recent revelations of “The Stig’s” true identity. I’m a huge fan of HIll’s life and times. His death was a tragedy for his family, his fans and motor racing. Call me a curmudgeonly carmudgeon (“Get off my internet!”), but I don’t find this Top Gear communique even slightly humorous: “The identity of the hit TV show’s famous wheelman will come as a shock to the dozens of petrolheads worldwide who had speculated that the man in the white suit was GP World Champion Damon Hill. ‘To find out that it’s actually his dad will come as a shock,’ said a man yesterday… In an alleged plot believed to have cost the licence payer millions of pounds, BBC bosses apparently helped Graham Hill fake his own death in a plane crash… So they approached Graham Hill, whose professional driving career was over at that point, and asked him to crash a plane and then hide in a bush until he got the call from the Top Gear team 20 odd years later.” The whole thing is a storm in a teacup, obviously, but this just isn’t my cup of tea.
Category: News Blog
I had to check it myself. Yup. On January 15, General Motors lowered their sales forecast for 2009 from 12m units per year to 10.5. Today, seven days later, Bloomberg reports that The General reckons sales will fall below 10m. “There are a whole bunch of different forces at work,” GM sales analyst Michael DiGiovanni said in a conference call. For that he gets paid? Bloomies tries to fill in the blanks– and falls back on data. “Dwindling consumer demand will further reduce revenue for automakers in the U.S. already reeling from an 18 percent drop in sales last year to 13.2 million cars and light trucks, the fewest since 1992. Monthly annual selling rates have exceeded 10 million units since a 9.8 million pace in August 1982, according to Autodata Corp. of Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.” And then they give up on GM, preferring to quote the eminently, endlessly loquacious AutoNation jeffe Mike Jackson. “Industry sales are at depression levels of 10 million” Jackson told Bloomberg TV. “The industry is going to need further bridge loans to get through this turmoil.” Hmmm. Did GM lower its forecast to pump-up the volume on the “too big too fail” (a.k.a. it wazzunt me) rhetoric?
Motorists expecting change from President Barack Obama’s choice of transportation secretary will find only a slight adjustment of priorities. Former Illinois Congressman Ray LaHood (R-Peoria) appeared before Senate transportation committee colleagues yesterday to give the first glimpse at what he wants to do to with federal transportation funds after taking his place in the cabinet. “Tolling new lanes of highways is thinking outside the box,” LaHood said. “We need to think about those kinds of opportunities. If we’re going to think innovatively, those are some of the ways we’re going to have to think about these things instead of the gas tax.” LaHood referred to the federal fuel excise tax first implemented in 1932 as a “dinosaur” and repeated the claims made by former Transportation Secretary Mary Peters that traditional funding sources were not bringing in enough money (more). LaHood suggested tolling was the “innovative” alternative that the country needs to “plus up” transportation revenue. Toll roads have been in use since the Middle Ages both as a means of generating fee income and of controlling public movement. And that’s OK, apparently.
During the first round of Motown bailout begging, professional wordsmiths made the connection between Detroit’s $17.4b “bridge loan” request and Alaska’s “bridge to nowhere.” Thus “bridge loan to nowhere.” In fact, the Granvina Island Bridge project would have opened-up the Alaskan archipelago to real estate and tourist development. Boondoggle yes, but one with a long historical precedent and a reasonable expectation of some sort of commercial (i.e. taxpayer) return. In contrast, Chrysler’s supposed tie-up with Fiat is a genuine scam. The idea that Chrysler can become a viable automaker by re-engineering Fiat automobiles for the hugely competitive U.S. market is patently ridiculous. But not for Congress, the entity that offers the ailing American automaker its only hope for survival (cash). At least that’s the plan. And the man with the plan is ChryCo 300 designer Ralph Gilles. Speaking at The Automotive News World Congress [sub], Ralph told the world that he loves him some Italian. Well he would, wouldn’t he? But the details have to be seen to be believed. Or not, as the case may be.
I know I pick on the kids a lot in this column, but they’re kids– they don’t even like themselves. Still, we were all young once. Back when that description applied to me, I was the proud borrower (and then owner) of a 1985 Pontiac Parisienne Safari station wagon. Turns out the world’s greatest Knight Rider live blogger, Alex Nunez, owned a 1987 Pontiac Safari. Just two days after he got his license, Herr Nunez got his sideways– with his mother in the passenger seat. He reports that he didn’t hit anything, and you know Alex was looking for the limits. Me, on the other hand, I managed to pull off a near complete 720, on the freeway in the rain. My even dumber friend decided he needed the heat on full blast. Anyone who remembers GM cars from the late 70s/early 80s knows that even if the EPA had choked the engines to (near) death, the HVAC systems were still (and kinda are still) the envy of the world. Meaning that full heat was not acceptable. And we fought. And we started getting speed wobbles. And around we went. And then we went off the road into the mud and spun again. After realizing that both us and the car were in fact fine, I chased him in circles around Dad’s brown Pontiac trying to catch and beat him. You?
Mercedes recently unveiled its new E-Class, much to the displeasure of eyes around the world. Still, the midrange Benz is all but guaranteed relative success in markets like the U.S. and Germany, thanks to high-powered lawyers and taxi drivers, respectively. The German-market car shown here is an E350 CGI, which refers to the direct injection that gives the car 292 hp. I believe that’s coming to the U.S. when the car debuts in place of the existing 268 hp V6.
Since Ford said sayonara to its stake in Mazda, the erstwhile allies have been been having a lot of those “relationship talks,” reports The Detroit News. And true to the cliches, it’s a case of “can’t live with you, can’t live without you.” Crack a beer if you’ve been there before. Anyway, therap, I mean, analyst Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics sat down with the two to get a feel for the situation. “They’ve had a very symbiotic relationship,” he tells DetN. “The risk for Ford is they lose Mazda’s small car expertise. They think they can make it up with Europe, but Mazda can do it cheaper. The biggest risk to Mazda is their ability to get components on a global basis is reduced because their volumes are so low.” Ford goes around insisting that their “close, collaborative relationship will not change.” Meanwhile Mazda tells the Japanese papers that the partnership will be “fundamentally altered.” But despite its tough talk, Mazda might need Ford’s help to expand in China, where it’s looking at a 30 percent sales bump in 08. “The thing that Ford gives Mazda, historically, is capital — and that keeps the Japanese banks off its back,” empathizes Hall. “Now, the banks are a major shareholder.” Ford and Mazda still hold monthly meetings, and US executives say Mazda’s need for engines, successful JV plants, and mutual respect will keep them together. But will Mazda’s start-stop technology be shared with Ford? And for that matter will Mazda’s “own” DSG box be a dry-clutch like the forthcoming Ford Powershift? If two cannibals share a lifeboat, which one survives? So many questions. And based on how things usually go in relationships like these, the crazy kids probably don’t know yet themselves.
Sometimes cars are just hunks of metal and plastic, thrown together to transport you from home to the workplace. And sometimes cars are alive with a romantic, adventurous spirit which transcends the petty concerns of mobility and efficiency. Via Jalopnik comes this four-part Shell Documentary on the 1958 Coupe Des Alpes. While you’re watching Alfas, Triumphs, Porsches and Benzes battle it out over the passes and switchbacks of the French and Italian alps, you may find yourself wondering if this really was the peak of vehicular romanticism. You may also find yourself out of a job if you watch all four parts at work. Which would be worth it. You can always find another job. Tip o’ the hat to Mr Paul Niedermeyer.
To qualify for additional bailout billions on March 17, Congress dictated that GM must clear two main hurdles: reduce its public debt by two-thirds (via debt-for-equity swaps), convince the United Auto Workers (UAW) to accept half of contributions to a retiree healthcare trust in the form of GM stock, and lower union workers’ wages to parity with foreign automakers. OK, three. Three main hurdles. Oh, and eliminate the union jobs bank. So, four. Four hurdles. Within two hours of the Bush’s bailout bonanza, the UAW considered the conditions and said uh, no. And now GM’s third largest bondholders have left the investor committee considering the mandatory d-for-e swap, claiming “We’re just not good committee members.” Not so funny now, eh Mr. Bond holder? More specifically, Bill Gross of Pacific Investment Management Co. (a.k.a. Pimco) has just administered the official kiss of death to GM’s shot at meeting Congressional loan conditions. Either the pols will change the rules (the “we’re sorry we were so mean” scenario), or this is it: the remaining money will be used for GM’s post Chapter 11 debtor-in-possession financing.
Tesla has increased the price of its Tesla Roadster by pricing once-standard equipment at $6,700. Customers who thought they’d locked-in pricing by submitting up to a $50k deposit, haven’t. “We want to have healthy margins on the car to guarantee the viability of the company,” says Tesla spokeswoman Rachel Konrad. “The margins are really important on this car for the next group of investors, whether it’s public shareholders in an IPO, the federal government looking at federal loan candidates or the next group of venture capitalists.” According to Wired, the biggest increase is to the “high-power connector” that recharges the car’s lithium-ion battery in as little as three hours. Once offered as standard equipment, it now costs $3,000. Tesla still includes a mobile 110-volt connector in the base price. But it requires as much as 37 hours to recharge a dead battery. “That can seem startling, and it is a big change,” Konrad admits. “But we have a lot of customers who use their mobile charger as a primary charger. Even with a 110 charger plugged in overnight, they’re nearly full again the next morning, because most customers aren’t driving the car to empty. They’re constantly topping off the battery.”
Last year, Toyota finished the year with an unsatisfying quasi-tie for the title “world’s largest automaker.” The NY Times reports that ToMoCo has won 2008’s volume battle by a 620k unit margin. According to US News and World Report’s Flow Chart Blog, this is no bad thing. Blogger RIck Newman argues that even the most well-insulated GM executive can no longer deny that things have been going horribly, terribly wrong. The company can move on dot org. It can accept the fact that it’s an underdog that must fight for consumer consideration. It can lose the size queen sheen, and operate as if profits are the real measure of success. (A point GM CEO Rick Wagoner made last year when his minions cooked the books to retain the world’s largest automaker title, before the company ran out of cash.) Most importantly of all, Newman argues, Rick Wagoner can finally tell the truth about cars.
And here they are: the final group of TTAC logos submitted by our Best and Brightest for our mutual consideration. The contest, such as it is, is now closed. The next step: we’ll choose our top ten and put them to a popular vote. Although we reserve the right to overturn democracy, the chances are excellent we won’t. There are a number of entries that are significantly better than what we have now. Which is nothing, but you know what I mean. After the selection process, we’ll offer readers the chance to buy the logo from car tatts. We’ll also put together some unique merchandise, like a branded rescue knife. Meanwhile, once again, I thank everyone who sent us a logo. I appreciate your time, dedication and passion. [NB: Please click on images twice to defeat the WordPress compression algorithm method.]
“We now have a special bond with the American public,” said a certain Mr James E. Press of the Chrysler Motor Company at the Detroit Auto Show. Specifically, Mr Press’s firm owes American taxpayers $5.5b (including Chrysler financial aid) and have no real way of paying it back. But Chrysler’s gonna make it worth our while anyway; they’re gonna give Americans what they want. Wait, what do we want again? High-quality, practical, efficient, fun cars that hold their value? Hell no! We want the fourth installment of an aging action franchise to feature the cars and trucks of The New Chrysler! And boy are we gonna get that! Automotive News [sub] reports that Chrysler will give the makers of “Terminator: Salvation” an undisclosed amount of your tax money to feature their top-notch products alongside a certain Mr Christian Bale. Why? “We have a following with the Terminator movies and we are going to continue with that,” gushes a ChryCo media flack. Because things have been going so swell up to now? Because if Bale can save the Batman and Terminator franchises, you’ll make him CEO? Because you think machines will end the world before the American people get around to asking what you’ve done with their money?
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