ON THE TABLE

November 14, 2012

 Sergio Marchionne. Editor-in-Chief's Note: The opening sentence from Bryce G. Hoffman's story in today's The Detroit News about Sergio and his - shall we say - now tenuous plans to purchase the rest of Chrysler: "Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has conceded that he no longer has enough money to buy the rest of Chrysler Group LLC — but he may still have ways of coming up with it, including taking luxury carmaker Ferrari public." Well, well, well, Sergio. This sounds like another missive from "The Best Laid Plans" File. Except now you're going to drag Ferrari into this financial mess? As it is, Ferrari is teetering on the edge of becoming a caricature of itself, the Bernie Ecclestone of the high-performance luxury car market, chasing every last dollar from every new market, integrity be damned. If it wasn't for the F1 team, Ferrari would be in serious trouble. But taking Ferrari public - reducing it once and for all to commodity status - to fuel your personal ambitions of global domination of the car biz? A new low. - PMD

GM. The AE "Duh of the Week" goes to GM as the company has now announced that it has suspended talks on a more extensive relationship with alliance partner PSA Peugeot Citroen due to the French automaker's deepening financial woes and its government-backed bailout. What part of this seemed like a good idea again?

(Images courtesy of Ford)
Ford, touting its position as the most fuel-efficient full-line manufacturer, is introducing the first seven-passenger people mover expected to break the 30 mpg-plus highway barrier. The all-new Transit Connect Wagon, "drives like a car, has the flexibility of a utility vehicle and can haul the payload of a full-size pickup," according to the manufacturer. “Transit Connect Wagon gives young families and people on the go the fun-to-drive and efficient vehicle they’ve been looking for,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s President of The Americas. “It’s an all-new, smaller seven-seater that has better mileage than larger vans and creates a segment of its own. Customers also will love the unique combination of style, adaptability and affordability this wagon brings.” The Transit Connect Wagon is offered in two wheelbase lengths, in five- and seven-passenger configurations, and in XL, XLT and range-topping Titanium series levels. Ford says that "no other wagon in the market today offers the convenience of fold-flat seating, at least a 1,200-pound payload and more than 100 cubic feet of cargo space." When properly equipped, this Transit Connect Wagon is approved to tow up to 2,000 pounds, 500 pounds more than a four-cylinder Toyota Highlander SUV. Ford is calling the Transit Connect Wagon "a vehicle so unique it is a revolution in seven-passenger transportation." The Transit Connect Wagon is expected to deliver at least 5 mpg better fuel economy on the highway and 2 mpg better in the city than a seven-seat Toyota Sienna minivan, and more cargo space and passenger seating than Mazda5, yet hauls a heavier payload than a Toyota Tacoma Double Cab pickup or Dodge Grand Caravan, according to Ford. The Transit Connect Wagon will also feature EcoBoost® power in a choice of two fuel-efficient four-cylinder engines. The Transit Connect Wagon has sliding side doors, fold-flat second- and third-row seating and choice of a rear liftgate or symmetrical, side-hinged cargo doors. It will be available in Ford showrooms one year from now.

(BMW)
BMW of North America, the Official Mobility Partner of the United States Olympic Committee, is developing a new two-man bobsled for use by Team USA in the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. In collaboration with the USA Bobsled & Skeleton Federation (USBSF), BMW aims to leverage its world-class engineering and design expertise to answer longstanding equipment and innovation needs of the U.S. Bobsled Team. This project was sparked by a request made by USBSF of BMW to assist the team in shoring up a technology gap specific to the innovation of the U.S. two-man sled. While Team USA achieved momentous success at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, winning a gold medal in the four-man bobsled event, the two-man Olympic gold is one that has eluded the U.S. since 1936. More than one year in development, a prototype of the BMW two-man bobsled has already been delivered to USBSF. The technology will be refined in the next year in continuance of a highly iterative development process that involves on-site immersion with USBSF athletes, coaches and engineers by BMW Group DesignworksUSA, BMW Group‟s international design studio headquartered in California, and on-ice testing by USBSF.

(Images courtesy of GM)

Editor-in-Chief's Note: This week's "quick take" has us in the 2013 Chevrolet Spark. This funky little urban bug wears its Korean design language proudly, so you either warm to it or you don't. Within context of its mission, we found it to be just fine. And that's really the bottom line here. The Spark is supposed to be a cheap, fairly well-contented, entry level car for the urban slog, and it performs admirably in that role. The interior actually has some unexpected touches and a design point of view and the motorcycle-influenced instrumentation is a nice touch. If you decide to start talking about vehicle dynamics and other such stuff it's a waste of time. It is what it is. It goes. It stops. It runs. Two more things. Shifting its 5-speed manual is like stirring pudding with a hockey stick, and the power door locks are comical (imagine the sound of five shot glasses being slammed down on a bar at the same time and you'd be close). But hey, for $15,795 plus tax, the Little Green Guy had its charms.- PMD

2013 Chevrolet Spark 2LT Manual: $15,795 ($15,045 Base Price; Jalapeno; Dark Pewter interior with green trim; 1.2-liter Ecotec DOHC 4-cylinder; 5-speed manual; 4-wheel antilock brakes (front disc, rear drum); 15" machine faced aluminum wheels; STABILITRAK stability control system with traction control; Driver information center; Electric power steering; Power windows, Power door locks; Air conditioning; Cruise control; Heated seats, Driver and front passenger; Steering wheel mounted controls; Chevrolet MYLINK hands free smartphone integration; Destination, $750.)

Adherence to Brand Image: I'm not sure what Chevrolet is anymore. Yes, on the one hand it's still America's brand to a certain extent with value for the money being its touchstone. On the other it seems to be all over the map as far as what its mission is. Is it going to be a more premium (not luxury, premium) global brand? Or is it going to be all things to all people? Admittedly, if GM marketers are hell-bent on trying to be all things to all people Chevrolet is the brand to do it with. But what about the global brand push? Is Chevy going to be represented by the Spark in developing countries? Or are they going to project the Corvette as the image of the brand? And what about the Volt? Oh well, the Spark fulfills the traditional mission for Chevrolet, and that is providing good value for the money. When you look at it that way, and leave all of the global marketing discussions out, it's just fine. - PMD