April 2009 Straightline Archives

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Categories: Coupes,Hatchbacks,MINI

Categories: Chevrolet,General Motors

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.

Inside Line News: Will Chrysler Be Renamed?

Categories: Auto Industry,Chrysler,Fiat

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.

Fiesta Movement

Categories: Ford,Future Vehicles,Hatchbacks

"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..."

Them Germans sure do love their acronyms.

Categories: BMW,Car Tech

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.

AutoObserver: Chrysler's LaSorda Will Retire; Nardelli Returns to Cerberus

Categories: Auto Industry,Chrysler

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."

Unveiled: Tesla Model S

Categories: Concept Vehicles,Green Tech,Tesla Motors

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.

Categories: Auto Industry,Mazda,Volkswagen

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.

Categories: BMW,Coupes

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.

What do you think?

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Categories: Chevrolet,Coupes,General Motors,Sports Cars

It's now official. President Obama announced this morning that Chrysler has entered into bankruptcy proceedings.

His remarks revealed little in the way of new information, but Obama did go out of his way to call out the private equity groups that stood in the way of a reorganization out of bankruptcy. "I don't stand with them," he said.

Obama went on to say that the bankruptcy "will be quick and efficient," a promise that will be tough to deliver. He also suggested that Americans who are in the market for a new car should "buy American."

Also worthy of note, GMAC (formerly known as the General Motors Acceptance Corporation) will take over the retail financing of Chrysler vehicles.

Bloomberg: Obama Says Chrysler Getting "New Lease on Life"

Categories: Auto Industry,Chrysler,General Motors

Our crack team of engineers put our long-term 2009 BMW 750i on a dynomometer recently to see just how much power the big Bimmer's twin turbo V8 produces. It's rated from the factory at 400-horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, but as several dyno runs confirmed, it's probably makes a bit more than that at the crank.

2009 BMW 750i: The Dyno Reveals the Beast Within

Categories: BMW,Car Tech,Luxury Cars,Sedans

With production still over a year away, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt is still very much a work in progress. Our Senior Editor in Detroit Dan Pund recently had a chance to see just how much work has been done thanks to a brief test drive in one of Chevrolet's development mules.

He reports that the Volt does in fact move under pure electric power, and it does so in a way that makes it feel like a properly sorted sedan. No, he didn't go far enough to test the range, or even engage the gasoline-powered generator for that matter, but that's why it's called a mule.

First Drive: 2011 Chevrolet Volt Prototype First Drive

Categories: Car Tech,Chevrolet,Concept Vehicles,Future Vehicles,Green Tech,Hybrids,Sedans

After talks with creditors collapsed last night, a Chrysler bankruptcy appears all but certain by the end of the day. Although much of Chrysler's debt had been renegotiated, several private investment firms still hadn't agreed to a deal.

Most reports say that the government is hoping for what is being called a "surgical" or "quick rinse" bankruptcy. There's only one problem with that idea: there's no such thing.

At least that's the opinion of the prominent Michigan law firm of Plunkett Cooney. It held a conference call two weeks ago to discuss GM's possible bankruptcy. Among other things, it said the government made up the term "quick rinse" as it's not a term bankruptcy courts have ever used.

It also cited several recent examples of large companies that went into bankruptcy court and none of them could be considered "quick" or "surgical". The closest thing to it was Mrs. Fields cookies which declared bankruptcy last August. It took 7 months to resolve that one. 

AutoObserver: GM "Quick Rinse" Bankruptcy Risks "Rinse and Repeat"

Detroit News: White House plans bankruptcy for Chrysler

Categories: Auto Industry,Chrysler,General Motors

Smash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Categories: Acura,Auto Industry,Sedans

Bam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Categories: Auto Industry,Hatchbacks,Honda

Long before the landscape was crawling with Escalades, Cayennes and all manner of alphabetized and numbered blinged-out boats from Mercedes, Audi and others, the Range Rover was the original luxury SUV. Even now, with vehicles in the category about as popular as mortgage-backed securities and McMansions, the legendary British marque is still equal parts regal and raffish, a combination that especially appeals to affluent soccer moms and weekend warriors. And, lest we forget, serious off-roaders.

But you're more likely to find a Ford Ranger than a Range Rover mud-bogging with a bunch of good ol' boys. The 2009 Range Rover Sport HSE we recently tested (sticker price $62,725) is a vehicle more suited for showing up at an apres-bike-ride Sunday brunch or at the tennis club for a set of mixed doubles. And while some of the vehicle's coolest gadgets are geared to its 4x4 underpinnings, it has plenty of tech to keep the Type As that typically drive this vehicle connected, entertained, and suitably pampered.

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Categories: Car Tech,Land Rover

After a public debut on March 23 in Mumbai, the Nano officially went on sale from April 9-25. For a fee of around $6, customers could apply to purchase a Nano at more than 30,000 locations in 1,000 cities across India. Orders could also be submitted online.

The response to this unusual booking process appears to be overwhelming, so much so that Debasis Ray, Tata Motors' head of corporate communications, told Inside Line the results are still being calculated days after the order books were officially closed. Several Indian media outlets have reported that Nano bookings could reach 1 million, though Ray said he had "no idea" where these publications were getting that figure.

Inside Line News: Waiting List for $2,000 Tata Nano Could Stretch for Years

Categories: Auto Industry,Coupes,Hatchbacks,Tata Motors

Check this out. Avis will rent you a 2010 Chevy Camaro. One that seats 4, has air conditioning and the rare luxury of power steering. Automatic transmission too of course, as Avis has no interest in frequent clutch replacements.

But is it a V8 SS or a V6?

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Categories: Chevrolet,Coupes,General Motors,Sports Cars

Watch any of the taking head channels and the guys they get to analyze the auto industry never seem to know anything about cars. It's like Fox, MSNBC and CNN just call 1-800-MBA GEEK and some pinhead that doesn't know front-wheel drive from rear is in the studio ready to tell the world what went wrong at Pontiac.

Well, not this time. This time the gang at Fox Business interviewed Darwin Holmstrom the co-author of the new book GTO: Pontiac's Great One. The topic of course was the demise of the 83 year old division of General Motors and Mr. Holmstrom obviously understands that America has lost one of its great brands. And it's sad.

Categories: Auto Industry,Classic Cars,General Motors,Pontiac