We've don't pay that much attention to automakers' charitable contributions. While we're pro pro bono and love largess, we get hundreds of press releases each year, all touting contributions to causes from adult literacy to wounded veterans of Ford Granadas. Cynics might suggest that these payments are all drawn from carmakers' PR budgets, but we couldn't possibly comment. Well, in this case, we will. After Toyota's $20m contribution to the Audubon Society stirred-up a hornet's nest of questions surrounding SUVs and global warming, ToMoCo has announced the donation of $1m– and five vehicles– to the Florida Everglades National Park. This new donation is also targeted to "environmental education initiatives" rather than, say, culling gators. This is about as obvious as greenwashing gets, but moral relativists have already clicked through. And we agree: it's better for the Everglades to get some dough from Toyota than not. Victor vado share a little spolium. 

Automotive News (sub) reports that ToMoCo is increasing prices on 11 Toyota and Lexus models by the end of the month. The hot-selling Yaris will see a $200 jump in base price, The sedan ascends to $13,085 while the hatchback's sticker rises to $12,210. The Prius' price will reverse its downward trend, adding $400 to the Moroni, for a new base MSRP of $22,160. The FJ Cruiser will see the biggest increase, adding $500, for a new base price of $23,730. All Toyota-branded vehicles will increase by comparable amounts– with a few notable exceptions (Sequoia, Tacoma, 2009 Corolla and Matrix). Lexus models will increase even more (expect to pay an extra $900 for an LS460) except for the new IS-F, which will remain unchanged. Why the price bumps during a period of weak sales? "Price changes were made to keep up with current economic conditions and the rising cost of major components," A ToMoCo spokesman demurred. "Materials in global markets have gone up. We have made an effort to absorb some to the cost while still protecting our price position." Hmm, weak sales and rising costs? Get the band back together, 'cause it's looking like good ol' stagflation all over again. 

The GT-R is the blind date everybody’s been telling you about for months: incredible body, second in her class at Harvard, fabulous conversationalist, star athlete. Then you meet her. Yes, she has obvious “assets,” but nobody mentioned the halitosis. She graduated with a B.A. in accounting. She’s a great conversationalist, but her voice sounds like run-flat tires with three-inch sidewalls running over a concrete-aggregate rumble and tar-strip slap. She's an athlete, but a grunting shot-putter, not a Sharapova. In short, the GT-R is SO not a supermodel.

Just the other day my girl asked me if I remembered Los Angeles in the '70s and '80s. Specifically, smog. I know:  some people reading this will start hollering at their monitors, "LA's still smoggy!" Yes, it is– but then The Golden State's notoriously useless politicians– who are all too happy to let Angelenos waste over 3 billion hours a year parked at the 101/405 interchange while they ban taco trucks— mandated the world's toughest auto emissions standards. And they work. Pittsburgh now boasts America's filthiest air. Anyhow, The Motor Authority reports that our shorter-than-he-looks Governor Schwarzenegger will be meeting with muckity mucks from The Big 2.8 and Toyota to explain how CA's CO2 standards will save their bacon by forcing them to build higher mileage cars. A position not only supported by all three presidential candidates, but one that makes sense in a state where gas costs $4.00 a gallon. But don't worry, nothing will actually happen that effects anyone in any real way. That [non-PR battle] will happen if, as and when a court strikes down CA's fed-trumping CO2 regs. 

Once upon a time, Americans didn't drive around in Kleenex-mobiles designed to be dis-car-dead after an obligatory three to four years. OK, they actually fell apart in that time. But the thrill of the new– what came to be known as planned obsolescence– wasn't always the industry's main selling point. A lot of folks bought the Model T or an early Buick because the cars were built to last. Outside of pickup trucks, I can't remember the last time I saw a car company advertising the longevity and mechanical quality of their products. Sure, there's some noise about "precision engineering" and "legendary reliability" (e.g. the new, more epically epic Toyota Sequoia). But when was the first/last time you heard a manufacturer claim that "our cars are built to last?" Well then, I guess it's time to rethink Nissan. The Japanese automaker has decided to tout the durability of its cars– especially the Altima– in TV ads and on the web. They're talking quality testing and "years of durability." Yes, an upgraded warranty would have placed currency in their oral cavity, but I think it's fantastic that Nissan is actually suggesting that you buy a car for more than 20 minutes. In these days of tanking vehicle sales, how long before someone nabs Patek Phillipe's strapline (so to speak): choose once, choose wisely? 

Manufacturers' blogs are a terrific development. Not because anyone other than OCD automotive journalists, company flacks and devoted fanboys actually read them (check out the number of comments on GMNext or the quality of the [pre-screened] criticism on Bob Lutz' GM Fastlane). No, the cod web 2.0 carmakers' sites are valuable because they reveal their originators' view of themselves. So when I encountered a video blog entry on GMNext titled "That's a Saturn!", I clocked the spear (a.k.a. exclamation mark) and reckoned it was boilerplate PR. Pressing play revealed Saturn's brand managers had aimed a camera-shaped nine mil at their feet. The company debadged a Saturn Astra, parked it in the locus of American car culture (the California coast line), and asked a carefully edited selection of passers-by to identify the brand. Guess what happens GMNext? "The interior looks like some of the newer Toyotas." "I feel like it's a Toyota." "Looks like a Mazda." "Either a Honda or a Toyota." "I'd go with Honda." "Honda." "Actually I changed my mind. It's a Dodge." When the actual brand is revealed, the interviewer asks "Does it look like your run-of-the-mill Saturn?" Ouch. Meanwhile, one wonders what comments got left on the cutting room floor (It's an Opel Astra) and why in the world anyone would ever want their product mistaken for a Dodge. [NB: We're going to add a Whiskey Tango Foxtrot award to The Bob Lutz Award TTACNext time out.]

News of Toyota and Subaru's joint $20k-$25k RWD coupe has Nissan scrambling to develop it own pocket rocket. 7tune.com reports that Nissan is testing a compact rear wheel-drive (RWD) coupe based on the new Z-car platform. The spiritual successor to Nissan's JDM Silvia is likely to be motivated by either the 2.0-liter NA engine, or a 1.6-liter or 1.8-liter turbo four (possibly equipped with Variable Compression Ration technology) making between 150 and 225 hp. The coupe should be about the same size as the last (S15) Silvia, offering the Z's wheelbase with shorter overhangs for "enjoyable handling." No word on whether the $23k-ish coupe will be offered stateside, but it will be available in Japan in the latter half of 2010. As far as we're concerned, the more light, zippy RWD coupes the better… no matter where they're sold.

As we reported last week, this is not a good time to be making pickups. At all. As we predicted ever since the new Toyota Tundra got into the game, the incentives wars on pickup trucks are getting bloody. Automotive News [sub] brings us the tale of a Folsom Lake Dodge store selling a Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab SLT 4×2 for $19,995. That's $12,800 off the $32,795 sticker price. At Swift Dodge, also in Sacramento, desperate dealers are offering $13k discounts on the same model. And still the trucks sit. Or, more precisely, pile-up. Dodge has a 109-day average supply of Rams. (The word on the street is that Chrysler has more Rams to ship and no one willing to take them.) Could it get any worse? You betcha. The pickup market cratered by 21 percent in April; well below the -16.6 percent year-to-date total. And now, the new Ram is set to appear, with the new Ford F-150 hot on its tailgate. To clear the deck, Chrysler will have to reach even deeper into its threadbare pockets for even greater discounts on the old trucks. Will they even sell then? One things for sure: there's precious little milk left in the Dodge Boys' cash cow. Without a plan B in the wings, Chrysler is headed straight for plan C11.

Back when I started this site, I decided not to register every "The Truth About" url in the urlniverse. Although I am prone to bouts of megalomania (usually restricted to violent videogames), I knew there was no way I could muster enough energy/focus/moola to effectively run an empire of "truth abouts." I also knew that truth-telling is an inherently difficult and risky business that requires complete commitment. So when Ford launched thetruthabouttrucks.com, it was no biggie. As soon as visitors see it's a Ford site, they know exactly how much objective (i.e. truthy) information they'd discovered. When Audi launched "truth in engineering" as their ad strapline, again, it wasn't a problem. About the most controversial thing about Audi's engineering is how to spell Vorschprung Durch Technik. Thetruthabouttoyota.com's kvetching about ToMoCo's greenwashing was/is more like it. But not quite. And so, now, I'm thinking the new UK website thetruthaboutsmart ain't gonna cut it. Yes, it's a cleverly-written, well-produced website that does an excellent job dispelling common misconceptions (not "rumors" Autoblog) about the under-capitalized fortwo. But net savvy folk know the difference between corporate and independent info. There are a few members of the automotive press corps (e.g. Dan Neil), and a few websites (e.g. Motor Authority) whose truth levels I respect. Which simply proves you don't have to say you're going to tell the truth to do it. But it can't hurt, can it?

Ford CEO Alan Mulally's turnaround plan might not be able to overcome the weight of history, but these guys sure seem to have a handle on, gulp, reality. To wit: FoMoCo analyst George Pippas' [above] acknowledgment of the American consumer's shift away from pickup trucks. Pippas' remarks come via BusinessWeek, which reports that April light truck sales (pickups, minivans, SUVs and crossovers) dropped by 17.4 percent across the board. That's compared to an overall passenger car increase of 4.5 percent. And a total new vehicle sales decrease of 7.8 percent, to 4,819,709 units. So, what does GM make of the pickup truck cash cow barbecue? "We certainly think the pickup truck market will bounce [back], but it's hard to say how quickly and how high that will go," pronounced Marketing Maven Mark LaNeve. Chrysler? "We don't see this market as a sea change against pickup trucks," spokesmouth Stuart Schorr said. "But it is a challenge. That's why we're developing hybrids, for instance. But Americans will continue to want pickup trucks." Toyota used PR-speak to split the difference between realism and delusion. ""Consumers are delaying their purchases now," admits ToMoCo GM Bob Carter. "But it's going to recover in the future." One thing for sure: the future isn't now. [thanks to jthorner for the link]

Ford's developing their new compact car, the Fiesta, all over the world. America will be getting a sedan version (huzzah!) and, hopefully, at a later date, a hatchback or two. While ours is still covered in camo in test, the European hatch version is already out in the wild. And even in a hideous color, I think it looks great. Keep in mind that we're talking about a B-segment compact car here, While the European market for this car category is as crowded as Camden Lock on a sunny Sunday afternoon, stateside, the Mexican-built Fiesta will go head-to-CAFE against the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, Chevy Aveo and [sort of] Nissan Versa in the US. Even from a distance, the new Fiesta looks set to be the new class-leader (a Flexible Flyer would beat the crap out of the Aveo ). With Honda Fit sales up over 50 percent and even the not-so-wonderful Focus up 30+ percent, Ford's new Fiesta can't fail– or appear in the U.S. soon enough. 

Volkswagen has been toying with the pickup segment since the 2000 Advanced Activity Concept (AAC), a prototype that blended a luxurious premium interior with… a truck. As Elvis monologued, honey why I've never known (you LIED when you said you loved me; and I had no cause to doubt you). Anyway, the AAC was more of a prelude for the Touareg than a serious design exercise for a production pickup. Almost a decade later, VW's finally going for it, offering a competitor to the Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, et al. Spy photographs indicate that the VeeDub will lose the chrome, Alcantara and all the rest of the upmarket bits that don't look so hot when they're splattered with mud. Black plastic fender flares, bumpers and mirror casings will provide the requisite heavy-duty attitude and affordable price (U.S. full-size pickups are as cheap as chips these days). It's expected to be available as a single cab and double cab– and even in a full SUV version. Is this the small pickup American pistonheads have been pining for?

Wondering why politicians are considering bailing out the D2.8 to the tune of billions in subsidies and tax breaks? Wonder no more. The Center for Responsive Politics [via The Detroit News] reports that the auto industry spent a record $70m bribing lobbying congress last year. The General lavished $14.3m on its legislative campaigns, with Ford’s Capitol (capital?) efforts racking-up $7.2m. Toyota dedicated $5.9m to its lobbying team. Much of the money was spent [unsuccessfully] fighting recently-increased CAFE standards. A GM spokesman justified this a noble battle as “proportional to the potential competitive and economic impact that proposed legislation could have on our business.” It’s not like their $14m could have been better spent heading off other competitive challenges or paying an executive’s salary and bonuses. Anyway, don’t expect CAFE hikes to diminish GM’s enthusiasm for politics. They’ve already spent $4.1m on lobbying this year, not including $25k spent on The Governator’s re-election campaign (in unfulfilled hopes that he’d “hasta la vista, baby” to California’s new emission standards). Ain’t democracy grand?

Kia wants to cut back on its reliance on ye olde cash on the hood and increase its brand awareness in the U.S. To that end, the Korean automaker is launching a new ad campaign today that "continues to emphasize the thriftiness of its product line in times of escalating gas and food prices." BrandWeek reports that one ad shows a Kia Spectra in front of a gas station while a narrator proclaims: "Now, more than ever, you want to get the most for your money." And an ad for the Kia Sportage claims the CUV is priced "about $6,000 less than the Toyota Rav4 Limited; or, to put it another way, a whole year worth of groceries less." Kia's marketing director is suitably upbeat about the downbeat American economy. "It's not all doom and gloom; in fact we believe the opposite," says Tim Chaney. "People are still shopping for cars, albeit less than before, and we are in a good spot." Chaney took over as marketing maven back in February when his predecessor, along with CEO Len Hunt, "were let go." Time will tell if this new team can pull Kia's image out of the background noise.

Toyota's iQ city car is coming to Europe next year, competing in the "small but premium" category. (Translation: Toyota's pricing the not-so-mighty midget be priced between Fiat's 500 and BMW's MINI.) But the folks at Autocar UK thought that Toyota was too smart to develop a unique platform for just one car, so they asked "senior sources" if there was more iQ to come. Too right, mate. ToMoCo will also use the iQ platform on a (somewhat) larger car, which will compete with VW's forthcoming up! city car. Meanwhile the iQ will not be offered in hybrid trim; Toyota's boffins reckon a hybrid drivetrain would be too heavy. Thus the Yamaha-sourced one-liter, two-cylinder motorcycle engine (what, no R1 mill?) equipped with start-stop technology, and a diesel. Sometimes the highest IQs favor the simplest solutions. And the worst jokes.