September 23, 2009
Silicon Valley VCs. From the "Self Serving Assholes Be Us" File comes word that Silicon Valley's venture capitalists want Detroit to die, and soon. Reuters reported this week that Silicon Valley-based VCs want what's left of the U.S. auto industry to be euthanized in favor of more visionary companies, i.e., the ones that - coincidentally enough - those same Silicon Valley VCs are investing in. "I do not believe that the U.S. auto business can be competitive," Ray Lane, a managing partner at Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers, told Reuters. "I don't see any of these new car companies based in Detroit." Oh, really? Lane, and it's almost too obvious to bother mentioning of course, is backing plug-in hybrid automaker Fisker Automotive. He's also going to become chairman at V-Vehicle Co., an auto company unveiled in June that plans to build “environmentally friendly” vehicles in Louisiana with backing from billionaire T. Boone Pickens. That's right, you just can't make this shit up, folks.
The Motor City. Speaking of Fisker, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announces a $528.7 million conditional loan for Fisker Automotive "for the development of two lines of plug-in hybrids that will save hundreds of millions gallons of gasoline and offset millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2016." If you say so, Mr. Secretary. Mr. Smoke and Mirrors - aka Henrik Fisker - does it again. The only good thing in all of this? $169.3 million will be spent at Fisker's Pontiac, MI, engineering facility. So despite the best death wishes of the Silicon Valley VCs, Fisker still has to come to this area to actually get the real R&D work done. There's a perfect symmetry in all of this...or maybe it's just Karma.
Chrysler. The Auburn Hills bunch deserves three green "UP" arrows for their decision to put owner's manuals on DVDs from now on while including a handy (and very short) printed guide to go with them, dispensing with the ridiculously thick printed versions once and for all. We hope every automaker follows their lead on this. After all, when it comes to printed owner's manuals - altogether now - would you miss 'em?
GM. The automaker is adding production shifts to build more of its new Buick LaCrosse sedans, as well as the Chevrolet Malibu and Traverse. Up to 2400 workers will be rehired by next year.
Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150. Much to the government's chagrin, the two pickup trucks appeared on the revised top ten list of vehicles purchased under the "cash-for-clunkers" program.
The Mercedes-Benz SLS. The new super sports car with gull-wing doors introduced at Frankfurt may be a historical tribute to the famous gull-wing Mercedes-Benz 300SL from the 50s, but it doesn't mask the fact that it's flat-out hideous to look at. Beyond hideous, in fact. Clearly marching to the dulcet tones of the delusional sound track constantly playing in their heads, the SLS is a new low from Mercedes-Benz designers. Just how did M-B fall off the rails? We're talking about Mercedes-Benz here, not some crazy Chinese start-up. The SLS is a disgrace, plain and simple. And it's a sad statement from the company that calls itself Mercedes-Benz.
Yutaka Katayama. The legendary "Mr. K" turned 100 on September 15, and he had a few things to say. In an interview with Hans Greimel in Automotive News, Mr. K, the founding father of Nissan North America (then called Datsun) said, "Every day I die at night, but I am reborn again in the morning. I feel 1 day old." If it wasn't for Mr. K, Nissan would be nowhere in this country. He was responsible for the 510 and the original 240Z, the two best cars the Japanese manufacturer has ever sold over here. Mr. K knocked the current 370Z in the interview, saying, "First, it's very heavy, and it's also very expensive. I'd like to have a sports car like the Miata. The Miata is taking the place of the 240Z." On dealers: "Mr. Ghosn thinks he is making a car to make money. I was making an efficient car that can still earn money but also had the dealers in mind," Katayama says. "You dealers are the first customers. So first you make the money. Then I can earn the money from you." Oh, and one more thing? Mr. K wants the Datsun name put back on the cars sold here in the U.S. A concept we agree with wholeheartedly. It's got more punch, and "We are Driven" was one of the most effective automotive taglines ever. Congratulations Mr. K, and your words are our AE Quotes of the Week.
WE'RE OPENING THE VAULT!
The AE wearables are back - and only in extremely limited quantities and sizes, we might add - and once they're gone, they're gone! We're starting with our most popular items, the classic AE Sweatshirt and AE Hat. Click on a PayPal button below to order yours now! (If you prefer to pay by check, please send us an email with AE STORE in the subject line, and we'll reserve your item.)
AE Sweatshirt - Crewneck, sturdy 80/20 cotton/poly, in black with throwback lettering - the original AE logo in our Chiller typeface shown above. Size XL only. 40 bucks, including shipping. US orders only.
AE Hat - Black with throwback lettering - the original AE logo in our Chiller typeface shown above. 25 bucks, including shipping. US orders only.
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
See another live episode of "Autoline After Hours" hosted by Autoline Detroit's John McElroy, with Peter De Lorenzo and friends this Thursday evening, September 24, at 7:00PM EDT at www.autolinedetroit.tv. By the way, if you'd like to subscribe to the Autoline After Hours podcasts, click on the following links: Subscribe via iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=311421319 http://www.autolinedetroit.tv/podcasts/feeds/afterhours-audio.xml
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