ON THE TABLE
Monday, March 8, 2010 at 08:06PM March 10, 2010
GM Dealers. After being lost in the wilderness for oh so long, 600+ GM dealers that were abruptly whacked during the bankruptcy frenzy are going to be reinstated. That's the good news. The bad news is that with GM finally having some products worthy of serious consumer consideration, dealers all over the country are starving for the hot GM products because GM can't produce them fast enough. It's always something.
Toyota. The automaker formerly known as "The Juggernaut" comes out swinging and defends itself against the allegations by professor David Gilbert of Southern Illinois University, saying he had rewired the circuitry in a way that would cause uncontrolled acceleration not only in Toyotas but in any motor vehicle. At least they aren't sitting around waiting for things to happen. Audi tried that during the infamous "60 Minutes" witch hunt and it damn near put the company out of business for good in this market. Toyota - to its credit - isn't going to let it go.
Toyota. The above item still doesn't excuse Toyota for taking a gratuitous shot against the Detroit automakers concerning their quality performance - or lack of same - during the hearings in Washington. Toyota was trying to deflect attention away from its burgeoning quality-safety issues by throwing the Detroit automakers under the bus. Nicely done. It seems that Bush League Bullshit is Bush League Bullshit no matter what the language.
Dieter Zetsche. The Daimler CEO insists that the elevation of Wolfgang Bernhard to Daimler's management board - and his No. 2 for all intents and purposes - does not mean that Bernhard has the inside track to be his successor. Right. Hey, Dieter, who else you got? That's what we thought. You got nothin'.
Buick. Motor Trend declares that "Buick is Back!" on its latest (April) cover. Uh-oh.
Yukio Hatoyama. The Japanese Prime Minister tells Akio Toyoda in a 20-minute meeting that he would like Toyota "...to continue to work to improve its trust." Gee, thanks. We all feel better now.
Cadillac. GM's luxury division is trying to distance itself from GM by going to a separate Internet address, not participating in any GM corporate sales events, etc., etc. (good luck with that, btw). That says two things to us: 1. Cadillac (and GM) is getting desperate about its plummeting sales, and 2. GM internal research studies are indicating that the GM corporate brand has been much more tainted by the whole bankruptcy mess than they even thought, or would like to admit. Talk about a Giant Bowl of Not Good.
Carroll Shelby. A press release we received today needing no further comment: The new organic premium extra virgin olive oil from Shelby Signature Foods, founded by Carroll Shelby, chairman of Carroll Shelby International Inc., is now available at select retail stores in the USA and through IDEA Foods, Inc. A portion of sales will benefit charity. “Our organic olive oil has a wonderful flavor that is superior to most anything else on the market,” said Mr. Shelby. “And the benefits of using it instead of traditional butter or margarine make it a clear cut favorite for people who want to lead a smart, healthy lifestyle.”
Paul Atkinson. Toyota's U.S. dealer council accused GM of using "taxpayer dollars to fund… a nationwide predatory advertising campaign.” Its leader, Paul Atkinson, had this to say about it: “It is outrageous that GM is using our taxpayer dollars against us, making me and other Toyota dealers pay to undermine our own businesses.” And that's our AE Quote of the Week but, oh really, Atkinson? This after you and your cronies have wallowed in profits for years that were blatantly fueled by Japan Inc.'s predatory money manipulation policies, which gave you and your fellow Toyota dealers advantages of hundreds and even thousands of dollars per vehicle in this market over the U.S. automakers before your vehicles even hit the ground? In case you haven't noticed, Atkinson, this is war. And if GM wants to mess your shit up in the market while you're down, well, pal, that's just the cost of doing business in the big city right now. In other words: Boo. Fucking. Hoo.
(Ford)
Ford unveiled its all-new, purpose-built 2011 Police Interceptor today (3/12). “Police nationwide asked for a new kind of weapon in the battle for public safety, and Ford is answering the call with a purpose-built vehicle – engineered and built in America – that’s as dynamic as it is durable,” said Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas. During development of the all-new Police Interceptor, Ford engineers worked hand-in-hand with Ford’s Police Advisory Board of law enforcement professionals, which provided input on key vehicle attributes such as safety, performance, durability, driver comfort and functionality. "Their feedback mattered to us,” said Scott Tobin, Ford vehicle line director for cars and crossovers. “Safety and durability were at the top of their list. So safety and durability were at the top of ours.” Ford’s Police Interceptor engine strategy consists of a V-6 lineup that performs equal to or better than V-8 engines. The lineup comes with two powertrain options, a highly efficient 3.5-liter V-6 engine delivering at least 263 horsepower and E85 compatibility (25 percent more efficient than the 4.6-liter SOHC V-8 offered in the current Crown Victoria Police Interceptor), and an all-new 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 twin-turbocharged, direct-injection engine will deliver at least 365 horsepower and 350 ft.-lb. of torque across a broad rpm range. A high-capacity six-speed SelectShift Automatic transmission delivers the power of EcoBoost to the road via the sophisticated torque-sensing all-wheel-drive system. “Ford remains committed to leading the police vehicle market, and our new Police Interceptor demonstrates how much engineering and innovation we’re willing to invest to address the unique needs of those who protect and serve communities throughout America,” Fields said. Ford’s new Police Interceptor sedan will be manufactured at Ford’s Chicago (Ill.) Assembly Plant and will be offered without interruption when production of the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor ends in late 2011.
Publisher's Note: Here are some quick takes on the vehicles we've had of late. Taurus SHO: Very impressive EcoBoost V6 engine, vault-like solidity, does feel a bit heavy, at least until you stand on it that is. Then, it's all good. Lincoln MKT: Controversial styling, but we happen to love it from all angles. With EcoBoost power the thing is one of the ultimate road trip machines. Our favorite execution from Ford by far on their big car platform. Cadillac SRX Turbo: We liked the new-look SRX when we first saw it but this package - with the 2.8-liter SFI DOHC Turbo - is just outstanding. Crisp, solid, tight and responsive, this is one of GM's jewels. But the price? Our tester was $53,480. Yikes, but it's still really, really good. Tahoe Hybrid: We don't begrudge people who need these kinds of large vehicles, even though they're not our cup of tea by any means. But in urban driving and especially in stop-and-go traffic the big hybrid beast performed as advertised, delivering 20 in the city. Nissan Cube: Nissan was kind enough to send a Cube over again even though we had recently driven one and we liked it even more the second go-around. With its funky-cool persona and around-town driveability - and versatility - it's simply difficult to not find charming. Audi A3: Now this car was an unexpected surprise. Equipped with the outstanding-looking Titanium sport package complete with exquisite detailing inside and out (the 18" titanium-optic wheels were worth the $2,000 option price alone), and loaded to the gills with the Premium plus package, navigation and convenience package, our tester stickered-out at a nose-bleed inducing $39,200. But we have to say we just loved this machine. Responsive - the direct-injected 200HP TFSI 4-cylinder with S-Tronic is simply superb in this configuration - and cat-quick around town, the A3 was a blast to drive. Throw in the modicum of versatility and convenience that it has and we found the A3 to be a seductive package, and a winner. We know Audi is pushing the FWD TDI version of this car right now to get its "green" on, but we prefer this loaded little AWD rocket version instead. All day. - PMD
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, 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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