ON THE TABLE

November 25, 2009

  Saab. The Swedish car company that produced quirky cars favored by college professors in the northeast and even caused cult-like devotion in some auto enthusiasts looks to be on the ropes as a viable automotive entity.  GM's deal to sell its Saab brand blew up when Koenigsegg Group AB, an obscure maker of Swedish supercars (with additional backing from China's Beijing Automotive Industrial Holding Ltd.), backed out of the deal. It seems that the longer Koenigsegg contemplated the realities of lighting a fire under Saab, the worse it looked. Saab sold around 10,000 cars last year in this market, and its future going forward is probably nonexistent. It's the Ultimate Saab story.

Toyota. Adding to the woes piling up on the car company formerly known as "The Juggernaut," Toyota is recalling 110,000 Toyota Tundra pickups from the 2000-2003 model years because the frames on the vehicles are rusting so badly that the spare tire carrier under the pickup bed can break apart in cold weather, causing the tire to fall down and on to the roadway. This goes hand in hand with the 3.8 million Toyota vehicles being recalled to reconfigure or replace accelerator pedals to reduce the risk that they may become jammed in the floor mat. It will also replace original equipment floor mats with redesigned mats on the vehicles in question. All together now: Not Good.

The Consumer Federation of America. Not content with just crippling the auto industry, the Shiny Happy People of the Consumer Federation of America want to pretty much put it out of business once and for all. The association of 280 touchy-feely groups is calling on the Obama administration to raise average fuel economy standards to 45 mpg by 2020. A proposal is already on deck to increase fuel efficiency requirements 40 percent (to 35.5 mpg) by 2016 for cars and light trucks combined, which is likely to be approved in April, but the eco-jihadists want more. Jack Gillis, the shrill empty suit responsible for that doorstop called The Car Book and the group's "spokesman" - (Really? You mean they can't speak in vapor trails of jasmine instead of using electronic media? After all, it requires the use of untold amounts of energy, right?) -  told reporters the following on a conference call on Tuesday: “We want to make sure we don’t just rest on the 2016 numbers and that we’re prepared today, and get the industry to prepare, to move substantially beyond 2016.” The implication being, of course, that the technology exists and that the industry is just stonewalling again and the "public" is concerned about fuel prices, etc., etc. The problem is that CAFE does not equate to a national energy policy in any way, shape or form, and until this country actually establishes a proper energy policy based on a minimal price paid nationally for gasoline - one that increases on a sliding scale over a ten-year period, let's say - then it's all just a bunch of unmitigated bullshit, but then again a perfectly plausible scenario from a group that revels in living out their days in a parallel universe devoid of rhyme, reason, rational thinking or even a shred of reality.

KIA. As good as their cars are getting you would think that the Koreans would at least make a half-assed attempt at coming up with a name that doesn't make people wince and want to say "huh?" every time they hear it. The latest naming gem from KIA? How about the Cadenza? That's what they plan on calling the replacement for the Amanti - now there's another stellar name, btw - which is an upscale sedan that's slated to come here sometime in 2011. The name is, as reader Mike W. points out, "... a solo section in a concerto, where the pianist, violinist, etc., will either improvise or play another great soloist's cadenza. Pieces like the Beethoven Violin Concerto may have more than one Cadenza, which have been developed over the years." That's all well and good, but still, KIA is reaching on this one. We are seeking to confirm a rumor right now that suggests that the crossover version of the Cadenza will be called the Credenza. Stay tuned.

Porsche Panamera Buyers. Congratulations, the first 195 of you in the U.S. will be getting a custom set of Panamera luggage - to the tune of $3,850 - for free. According to a report by Dale Jewett in Automotive News, there's a glitch in the car's key and associated software, and the cars have been delayed at the ports while being fixed. Owners were notified via a letter from Porsche explaining the delay. Porsche confirmed to AN that 72 cars had been fixed and arrived at dealerships this past weekend. The remaining 123 cars are expected to be at dealerships by Nov. 30. The free luggage is a gesture to thank customers for their patience, according to Porsche. No mention was made of special glasses being issued to Panamera owners so as to make their cars look like an Aston Martin Rapide, but then again, you just never know...

Harvey Briggs. Harvey is an old colleague from Peter's advertising days - and a talented writer - and he's launching a new blog called My View From The Shore. Harvey promises to post his thoughts about topical issues relating to marketing, advertising and new product development each morning by 8:00 CST. Check it out here.

(GM) 

The 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe will make its formal debut to the public at the L.A. Auto Show. The dramatically-rendered CTS Coupe is designed to become the focal point of the brand’s revised lineup and is due to arrive in Cadillac showrooms in the spring of 2010. We don't know if that means a few cars will start trickling into showrooms the last week of May, or if it means that there will be plenty available beginning the the first week of April, but at any rate we expect the CTS Coupe to be one of next year's runaway product hits. The Coupe was a "one-off" proposal that originated in the Cadillac design studio, but it was such an instant hit internally that the concept was displayed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, in January 2008. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive, and shortly thereafter the sensational Coupe received the green light for production. It will arrive in showrooms basically unchanged from the concept car. Although based on the terrific CTS sport sedan, the CTS Coupe shares only the instrument panel, console, headlamps, front fenders and grille. The CTS Coupe has the same wheelbase as the sedan, but its overall height is approximately two inches (51 mm) lower and its overall length is two inches (51 mm) shorter. A cool detail? The rear fenders of the CTS Coupe were purposefully sculpted by hand in Cadillac's design studio to capture the exact look the designers were looking for. The CTS Coupe’s standard powertrain is similar to the sedan's, with a 304HP direct injected 3.6L V6 and six-speed manual transmission, standard. Two suspension-tuning levels are available: a Performance Package with 18-inch wheels and all-season tires (available in both RWD and AWD,) and the Summer Tire Performance Package, with 19-inch tires and wheels. GM's superb StabiliTrak is standard. And yes, a high-performance V-Series edition of the Coupe will also be released sometime in 2010.

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Publisher's Note: Check-out John McElroy's daily news show covering everything about the auto biz by clicking on the graphic below. Good stuff guaranteed. - PMD

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