ON THE TABLE

April 21, 2010

(Ford)
The Ford Start Concept was revealed at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show on April 22.  The Ford Start Concept is a preview of what's to come from Ford in terms of future engine development with its groundbreaking 1.0-litre, three-cylinder Ford EcoBoost engine.The powerful new Ford EcoBoost 1.0-litre three-cylinder gas engine is engineered to bring the EcoBoost promise for fuel efficiency to small cars with compact engine compartments. This technology will come into production in the near future to deliver CO2 emissions of less than 100 g/km while delivering power and drivability comparable to larger four-cylinder engines. (BMW is also moving to three-cylinder engines for its next generation 1 and 3 Series models.) The Ford Start was designed under the tutelage of Freeman Thomas in Ford's California design studio, and it's targeted at the fast-growing mega cities of the future with their heavy traffic and congestion, limited parking and demands for high fuel efficiency by urban dwellers. Ford says that, "the Ford Start concept provides a vision into a future sporty, small-car package that meets a multitude of primary driving objectives, particularly among first-time buyers."

Chrysler. Excluding one-time charges, Chrysler earned $143 million in the first quarter on revenue of $9.7 billion. Chrysler also said it had $7.4 billion in cash on hand as of March 31 - about $1.5 billion more than it had at the end of 2009 - which was plenty to fund its new product programs. “This positive operating result in the first quarter is a concrete indication to our customers, dealers and suppliers that the 2010 targets we have set for ourselves are achievable,” CEO Sergio Marchionne said in a statement. “We are also generating cash to finance the investments being made in our product portfolio and brand repositioning.” A fiber-optic pinpoint of light at the end of the tunnel? We'll see. But with exactly one new product - the new Jeep Grand Cherokee - available between now and the end of the year, it's going to be a tough road.

Sergio Marchionne. Publisher's Note: The Chrysler-Fiat CEO lashed out at critics in a presentation at Fiat headquarters yesterday. Here's some of what he had to say: "Much has been written in the last few months about Chrysler and its prospects for the future...The financial analyst community has been particularly active in anticipation of today's event. And to be honest, some of the reports I have read - from what I used to consider intelligent and reasonable people - have taken on the tinge of boulevard press writings... The most benign interpretation is that they abused Albert Einstein's maxim that 'imagination is more important than knowledge.'" Huh? Here's the deal, Sergio. A little bit of progress on Chrysler's part does not exactly generate confidence in your venture, at least here at AE. As far as I'm concerned, the U.S. government will never see more than a token payback of the money Chrysler received and as I've stated from the beginning this entire play was orchestrated to shore-up Fiat's fading fortunes and walk off with a turn-key presence in the North American market. And your product plan? It's all smoke and mirrors until proven otherwise. It's fine if you want to continue in your role as Spin Doctor in Chief, but our official bullshit detector is armed and ready, and we're not buying what you're selling. At least not yet anyway. - PMD

GM. GM says it has paid off the $8.2 billion it owed to the United States and Canada in full, five years ahead of schedule. "Big Ed" will make it official today during a visit to the GM assembly facility in Kansas City, Kansas, where he'll also reveal that GM is investing a total of $257 million in the Kansas plant and a plant in Michigan. It should be pointed out that GM did not repay the $50 billion it borrowed from the United States because the majority of that total amount was converted to a 61 percent equity stake held by the U.S. Treasury Department.

GM. The above item is being orchestrated by GM as part of a "Big Ed" Whitacre "aw shucks I'm just trying to make things better" PR offensive in a desperate attempt to remove the "tainted" label from GM and to gain consideration for GM's excellent new products. The fact of the matter is that GM has been removed from the radar screens of many domestic-oriented consumers because "they took the government 'bailout' money," and GM's image is in the tank because of it. And this issue continues to vex "Big Ed" and GM's image wranglers. Well, guess what? They better get used to it, because that "tainted" label isn't going to go away anytime soon.

Johan de Nysschen. The head of Audi of America tells Automotive News Monday that, "Audi is a brand to value, not a value brand." Are you listening Hyundai? And that's our AE Quote of the Week.

MINI. Publisher's Note: I've been accused of being far too harsh on MINI in the past by rabid MINI-istas because of my rigid stance on MINI's ill-advised forays into new niches and the inevitable decline of the one thing they could actually crow about - product authenticity. But, if anything, it appears I've been far too lenient. The Countryman is an abomination and the "Mission Control " system as seen in the new MINI "Camden" Edition is a flat-out insult to rational enthusiasts everywhere. MINI isn't just going off the rails here; it's toying with becoming a pathetic caricature and it's punching a sure-fire ticket to becoming yesterday's news. Somebody better get a grip at MINI before they fly the whole thing right into the ground. Not Good doesn't even begin to cover it. - PMD

Racing Fans. Do you want to attend the 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans? And drive a Corvette Grand Sport? Then check out Chevrolet's "Race To Win Corvette" contest. The Grand Prize winner will receive a 2011 Corvette Grand Sport, a trip to the 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans in France (five-day/four-night trip for two), including air travel, hotel accommodations, two tickets to the race an track side meals and hospitality. Go here to enter.

Publisher's Note: Our "Quick Take" this week is about the 2010 VW Golf TDI, which was a complete - and pleasant - surprise to me. Full disclosure? I owned one of the original VW GTI's way back when and I've always appreciated the various iterations of the Golf ever since. Let me talk about the inherent goodness of the Golf first of all because I found this car to be sophisticated, competent, confident and fun to drive. This car is all about substance, from its basic feel behind the wheel to the liveliness of the controls, right down to the superb level of fit and finish. I really liked the crispness of the design, the beautifully supportive seats, the tactile feel of the various interior surfaces and controls, basically everything about this Golf I found to be first rate. What can I say? It just fit me perfectly. But the most impressive thing about this Golf TDI - our Reflex Silver Metallic/Titan Black tester had a base price of $21,990, plus 6-speed DSG Automatic with Tiptronic ($1,100), Touchscreen NAV ($1,750), Power Sunroof ($1,000), Cold Weather Package ($225), Bluetooth ($199) and Destination ($750) for a grand total of $27,014.00 - was the way it performed. The 2.0-liter, 140HP turbo-diesel with 236 lbs-ft of torque combined with the VW Group's brilliant double-clutch automatic was simply superb. Reasonably quick, this Golf TDI - with its V6-like torque perfectly mated to the DSG - and with its fully independent suspension and electro-mechanical power steering tuned equally well, was actually a blast to drive. I hammered the thing away from lights and roared around our urban landscape here with abandon, all the while getting incredible mileage. The EPA rates the Golf TDI at 30mpg city, 42 hwy, but it doesn't give you the first clue as to how much fun you'll have getting that kind of mileage. Will diesels ever come to the fore in this market? I don't pretend to know, but I would highly recommend the Golf TDI to anyone looking for a superbly executed car first and foremost, as well as one that's genuinely fun to drive with the added bonus of delivering incredible day-in, day-out fuel mileage. We drive the VW GTI in two weeks, and after experiencing the all-around goodness of the TDI, I can't wait. - PMD

(BMW)
BMW, Kvadrat and Flos have unveiled a design installation called “The Dwelling Lab” by Patricia Urquiola and Giulio Ridolfo featuring the new BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, during the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan, April 2010. This is what BMW says: "Blending their creative and technological expertise, the German carmaker and the Danish textile manufacturer have collaborated to create a unique sculpture based on an innovative car concept. As leading designers both companies chose their long-time favorites, Patricia Urquiola, award-winning Spanish designer and architect, creator of sensual and compelling furniture, and Giulio Ridolfo, distinguished Italian designer and colour expert with a strong background in design, fashion and accessories. Collaborating partner Flos has developed a bespoke OLED solution for internal soft lit features. The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, designed by the team of BMW Group Design Director Adrian van Hooydonk, has broken with convention and explored a new vernacular, bringing together elements that are part sedan, part SAV, part coupe for the exterior design, while at the same time creating a visionary interior that is as luxurious as it is modern and functional. Urquiola and Ridolfo have translated this concept into a design sculpture whose most daring elements – huge cone-like structures that seem to be growing out of the car’s body, drawing the viewer inward just as they reveal the usually sealed-off interior to the outside gaze. The design installation 'The Dwelling Lab' will be on show at the shared Kvadrat / Flos Showroom, corso Monforte 15, Milan, during the Salone." This is what we say: "That rolling monument to tedium - the BMW 5 Series GT - is finally given a proper burial as an Origami ash tray."

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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

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.

 

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