Even as blogs assume a larger role in the media landscape, TTAC remains a small-scale labor of love. Recently we’ve become a family affair as well, with Niedermeyers elder and younger occupying the Managing Editor and Editor-in-Chief positions respectively. As a family, there come times when even the opportunity of a lifetime must take a momentary back seat to the obligations of family. Paul and I are in the Baltimore area, visiting with far-flung members of the Niedermeyer clan, many of whom I have not seen in the better part of a decade. And though for the next few days, family must come first, we remain as dedicated as ever to TTAC. Or, more specifically to you, our readers. Though cars are our passion, your collective wisdom, individual reflections, deep insights and often brutal dedication to the truth is what truly inspires us to man our keyboards every day in the pursuit of automotive truth-telling. Though there may be some interruptions (including a move to permanent headquarters later this week), as long as you remain hungry for the truth it will be our privilege and honor to dedicate our days to providing you with the latest news, commentary, analysis and reflections on the world of cars. Thank you all for your readership, support, criticism, praise and passion.

[We owe a special thanks to our fantastic Overseas Editor Bertel Schmitt, for manning the ramparts in our absence]

I will be Skyping into the BBC World News for a discussion of the Toyota hearings sometime shortly after 5pm Eastern Time (just over an hour from now). Do tune in, if you are able.

TTAC officially retired its Tesla Deathwatch series over a year ago, after the firm delivered its 100th Roadster. Indeed, we’ve generally turned away from the “Deathwatch” tag in recent months, as the bankruptcies of GM and Chrysler have removed the immediacy of many of their original criticisms. Over the years, the Deathwatch label has been a challenging mistress, often confusing readers as to TTAC’s intentions: though they were intended to document the slow-motion bellyflop of America’s automakers, they’ve often been interpreted as a sign that TTAC actually wishes tragedy upon the automakers it identifies as being in danger of shuffling off this mortal coil. Incidents like the one today, in which three Tesla employees were apparently killed when an light aircraft owned by Tesla senior electrical engineer Doug Bourn crashed into a Palo Alto neighborhood, serve as an important reminder that nothing could be further from the case. TTAC criticizes automakers because responsibly buying, owning and operating motor vehicles requires that consumers be well-armed with the facts. When real tragedy strikes the companies that build the vehicles we discuss here, our thoughts go out to the families of those lost, and we hope that the company’s operations soon return to some semblance of normality. Today we mourn for Tesla’s as-yet unidentified employees (apparently CEO Elon Musk was not on board) who will not be at work tomorrow, working on new ways to respond to criticisms and improve the firm’s products.

The gentlemen at Reuters asked me to pen an op-ed on the Toyota situation (as of last weekend) for them, so I did. My conclusion, in a sentence:

If there’s a lesson to Toyota’s tumble, it’s that easy assumptions aren’t enough to keep you safe on the road, or in the showroom.

Read the whole thing here.

Normally TTAC shies away from going too crazy with daily themes, but today we’ve got such a backlog of truck-related news and analysis we’re going to go ahead and dub today Truck Thursday. After all, few automakers have invested much in trucks and SUVs since gas prices began rising in 2008, and now the segment stands at a crossroads. Firms like Toyota, which invested too much too late in the truck and SUV market have to figure out how to manage its overcapacity. Firms like GM and Chrysler, which got bad reps for becoming overdependent on trucks and utes are faced with the challenge of keeping much-needed profits flowing while weaning themselves off their body-on-frame addictions. New challengers like Mahindra are headed into the market with a utilitarian ethos that’s been missing from the segment for decades, and established players are responding. Old brands like HUMMER are dying on the vine. The result is a truck market that’s rife with change and transition. Join us as we delve into this changing world of trucks and SUVs today, during TTAC’s celebration of Truck Thursday.

TTAC is something of a family affair these days. Though our contributors are still scattered around the country and the world, TTAC’s Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor are now a father-son team that, despite living a few hours drive from one another, hardly ever see each other in person. So with the holidays upon us, we’re slowing down our relentless coverage in order to spend some time together as a family. From now through Sunday, we’ll continue to post some content, though at a more leisurely, holiday-like pace. But don’t worry: though on-page content will slow, we will be taking the time to put finishing touches on several new series to debut here on TTAC as we head into the new year. We’ve got some great stuff lined up for 2010, and we’re thrilled at the prospect of another year of automotive truth-telling. So on behalf of the TTAC family, here in Oregon and around the world, we wish you all a very happy holidays.

When I started writing for TTAC, I could never have imagined the wild ride I was in for. Luckily I’ve been able to draw on wisdom and support of a number of TTAC’s contributors, not the least of whom was my dad, Paul Niedermeyer. He first suggested that I start blogging for TTAC, and his seemingly infinite knowledge of all things automotive has been a constant resource for me. Now, I’m pleased to announce that he will be stepping up to be my Managing Editor. In addition to his twice-weekly Curbside Classic series (and who knows, maybe a few more Auto-Biographies), Paul will be developing new content, blogging stories in his formidable areas of expertise, and filling in for me when my work pulls me away from the keyboard. I can’t imagine a better person for the job, and together we hope to bring TTAC to new heights.

As you may have noticed, we’ve been enduring one or two technical challenges since our redesign launched. Rest assured our tech team is working hard to fix them all, and we appreciate your patience as they work to bring back TTAC’s smooth ride and responsive handling. In the meantime, you can help them by reporting specific malfunctions here. And if you need a laugh to lighten your mood, jump over to former TTACer Justin Berkowitz’s hilarious site Metacars (tagline: the most omnipotent name in internet auto news) for a quick giggle. Just come on back real soon now, y’hear?

The die is cast. Robert Farago, the man who founded this site nearly a decade ago and nursed it into relevance and notoriety, has left the building. Those of us who remain behind take his burden onto our willing shoulders, dedicated to realizing his dream of a car blog that covers the most relevant industry news and delivers the most unflinchingly honest reviews, commentary and analysis. Though much has changed since TTAC’s founding, the need for the truth about cars has not diminished. The automotive media remains a haven for craven cowardice, mutual back-scratching and unquestioning obsequiousness, and our inviolable mission is to provide consumers and observers with perspectives that stand in stark contrast to the industry business-as-usual. Though no site can remain unchanged after the loss of such a prolific founder, Robert’s work over the past decade is the blueprint for our future. The truth must be told, and we’re forever grateful to Robert for showing us the way and, in the process, building up an outlet that is irrevocably dedicated to these ideals.

On a personal note, I’m humbled by the task of filling Robert’s prolific, principled and notorious shoes. I’m also eternally grateful to Robert for his faith in me over the past 18 months. Thanks to his trust, generosity and patience, I have the honor of replacing him in what may well be one of the best jobs in the world. Thanks to his high standards, tough criticism and brutal honesty, I feel capable of doing some justice to his vision. Thank you Robert, for creating this site, for mentoring me, and for making an indelible mark on the autoblogosphere. It’s been a true honor.

As we wait for October sales to come rolling in, I’d like to take advantage of the calm before the storm to update our faithful readers on the wild week to come. Tomorrow I’ll be flying to Detroit to cover Chrysler’s five-year product and business plan. Luckily though, the trip will not be limited to a six hour presentation on “Fiat’s fuel-efficient engine technology” and sundry Pentastarred optimism. We’re also getting the opportunity to interview a certain Mr Ian Callum, chief designer for Jaguar. Do you have any burning questions about the new XJ, the XF or Jaguar’s new styling direction? Let us know and we’ll be sure to ask for you. We will also be covering the roast of Bob Lutz, so be sure to tune in for a report on the best jokes of the evening (although really, nobody expects them to improve on Farago’s effort). Though we’re thrilled to be able to offer a week of fresh reporting, interviews and jokes about GM’s Vice-Chairman, making it happen might require a slightly slower pace of content this week. Luckily Robert Farago, Bertel Schmitt, Paul Niedermeyer, Sajeev Mehta and other TTAC faves will be stepping up to keep the flow of news, commentary and analysis steady. So get ready for a big week, and take a moment to tell us what you most want to hear from Mr Callum, and the New New Chrysler. And thanks, as always, for your tips, comments and support.