So now that Chrysler is on the way to a shotgun wedding with Fiat, what will the new company be called?
FiatChrysler? ChryslerFiat? Fiatler?
It sounds like a secondary decision, but when Chrysler hooked up with Daimler, the issue simmered for a long time before Chrysler agreed to let Daimler go first. Doesn't seem like Chrsyler will have much of a say this time around.
One of our editors spotted this Ford Fiesta parked on the streets of West L.A. this morning and it reminded us that this marketing gimmick is now in full swing. The cars have been handed out and the website is live, so now the fun begins right?
Well, maybe.
Ford's idea for a video contest to pick the winners was brilliant, but the entertainment value of the videos, pics and tweets that will emerge over the next several months is questionable. I mean, as nice as the Fiesta may be, it's still just an entry-level economy car. If you're dying to know what it's like to drive one to the Grand Canyon, just go rent a Focus and pretend it's smaller.
Then again, maybe the Fiesta agents will prove us wrong.
"The research project AMULETT (the German acronym for "Active mobile accident avoidance and mitigation of accident effects through cooperative data acquisition and tracking technology") involves vehicles communicating with a radio transponder..."
Chrysler's odd three-headed management system is about to get a little more streamlined. After today's bankruptcy announcement, Chrysler's current Chairman and CEO Bob Nardelli announced that he would leave the company and return to Cerberus Capital Management as an advisor.
Tom LaSorda, the long time Chrysler manufacturing executive and the company's current Vice Chairman and President, also announced today that he will retire once the Fiat deal has been completed.
Jim Press, the former Toyota executive who also holds the title of Vice Chaiman and President says he has no immediate plans to leave the company.
Then again, it won't be long before Fiat is calling the shots, so Press may not get to stick around even if he wants to.
Nothing you haven't heard before from Mr. Musk, but Letterman's opinions on electric cars and the industry in general hold some entertainment value if you didn't watch last night (although picking on GM and fuel cell cars isn't exactly an intellectual leap). Well, at least it's another chance to get a look at the concept car known as the Model S, right?
A few potential seeds of controversy:
Musk: "Even if 100 percent of the electricity comes from coal, the Tesla roadster, which is a sports car, produces less CO2 per mile than a Toyota Prius."
Letterman: "The Chevrolet Volt has a range of 40 miles [in all electric mode]. That'll get you down the driveway and back. I'm going to go pick up the paper and take the electric car. Call me if there's trouble at the curb."
Letterman: "Those fuel cell cell cars. That's a load of crap, too. Oh, it's going to make its own hydrogen. They're talking about 20 years from now, maybe 20 years from now. These automobile companies, they're just shining people on. If they were actually working on technology that was going to be in showrooms, they wouldn't have to be closing down plants and filing for bankruptcy."
Mazda has now confirmed what Inside Line reported over a month ago. Derek Jenkins, former head of Volkswagen of America's design center, has been named Design Director, Mazda Design Americas.
Jenkins is best known for projects like the Volkswagen GX3 and R-GT concepts.
Usain Bolt, the current world record holder in the men's 100-meter dash, crashed his BMW M3 in Jamaica yesterday. He suffered only minor injuries, but his M3 looks pretty well toasted.
There have been cop Camaros since the late 1970s. The ponycars second, third and fourth generations all made it into the hands of the man (some photos after the jump) and chances are the new 2010 Camaro will do the same. This video shows the best rendition of a 2010 Cop Camaro we've seen. The guy got it right, down to the push bar and extra lights.
