Steve Parker, Motoring Journalist

JIMMIE JOHNSON --- BY THE NUMBERS

Sunday was a big day for record-making and –breaking in NASCAR. Jimmie Johnson placed fifth in the race, but he’s Number One --- again --- in America’s favorite motorsport.

Johnson has won his fourth straight NASCAR Sprint Cup title --- the first driver ever in NASCAR’s 61-year history to accomplish this truly remarkable feat.

Also Sunday, 50-year old Mark Martin, the oldest full-time driver in Sprint Cup, took second place in Sprint Cup points for a record fifth time. Martin, a tough little piece of gristle, is one of the smartest and certainly most-technically skilled drivers to ever sit behind the wheel of any race car.
Johnson's near-perfect pit crew in action this season at Pocono

But has a fault from which Jimmie Johnson and Johnson’s crew chief, Chad Knauss, don’t seem to suffer: Martin has emotions and he shows them; they don’t call Johnson and Knauss “the Icemen” for nothing.

Martin, the best driver to never win a series title, will be back next season. Like the Cubs’ fans say, “Just wait’ll next year!”

At the same time, drivers from the Rick Hendrick Motorsports stable set yet another record by finishing their Chevy Impalas in the top three places for the Sprint Cup season; Johnson first, Martin second and Jeff Gordon third.

And there’s more for the stat-crazy racing fan: In 2009, Ford drivers won a total of only three Sprint Cup races. Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray were the Ford drivers with the victories. And in spite of Jack Roush owning no less than five factory-supported Ford teams, most his drivers, including Carl Edwards, never went to victory circle this season. A quick look through the record book shows that even Toyota teams won nearly ten Sprint Cup races in their Camrys, about 30% of the year’s events.

WEEKEND AUTO RADIO SHOW LINE-UPS

Join us LIVE Saturday at 11am Pacific/2pm Eastern (NEW TIME!) and Sunday at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern on www.TalkRadioOne.com for our exclusive LIVE motoring and motorsports talk shows!

Steve Parker's The Car Nut Show
NEW TIME! Join us LIVE every Saturday at 11am Pacific/2pm Eastern

Part One of a two part interview with JC Agajanian, Jr., one of the American automotive world's best-known stars. JC talks about Southern California and if it doesn't get enough respect in the racing world, hits on this week's upcoming 69th Turkey Night Grand Prix the family has been promoting for 54 years and plenty of auto insider stories you probably never heard before. Also, MOTOR TREND Magazine has named the entire Ford Fusion family of cars as their 2010 Car of the Year; let's discuss! The call-in number is: 213-341-4353.
JC Agajanian, Jr. (left) presents an award in 2003 to legendary racer Parnelli Jones

Steve Parker's World Racing Roundup
Sunday starting at 5pm

Part Two of our exclusive interview with JC Agajanian, Jr., and he discusses this Thursday night's Turkey Night Grand in Los Angeles where four champions in USAC will be named. It's the 69th running of the event, making it the second-oldest annual auto race in America, and possibly the world, next only to the Indy 500. Plus --- Did Jimmie Johnson win his fourth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup title today? Tune-in, join in and find out! and Plus all the latest on the "silly seasons" in all the racing series in the world. The call-in number is: 213-341-4353. Join in!
Did Jimmie Johnson make even more racing history today?

Podcasts of both shows are available one hour after the live shows conclude. That's our NEW TIME this Saturday at 11am Pacific/2pm eastern and Sunday at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern time every week on www.TalkRadioOne.com!

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

2010 FORD FUSION "MOTOR TREND CAR OF THE YEAR"

Ford's family of Fusion cars has been named "Motor Trend 2010 Car of the Year," awarding the car probably the best-known (and trusted) prize in the automotive consumer world.

The Fusion was chosen best of 23 new or significantly upgraded vehicles that were eligible for the award after a week of testing, Motor Trend said.

In 1964, Motor Trend's Car of the Year award went to the entire Ford lineup, recognizing its combination of design, engineering excellence, and performance. In 1970, Motor Trend gave the nod to the Ford Torino, which could be ordered in a wide variety of configurations. Forty years ago, buyers could choose from economical, six-cylinder-powered sedans to the dragstrip-ready 429 Super Cobra Jet fastback. These legendary winners had one thing in common: bandwidth. In the 1960s and '70s, this term wasn't yet part of popular lexicon. Today, the 2010 Ford Fusion's impressive bandwidth as a model range was one of the many factors that helped it earn the 2010 Motor Trend Car of the Year award.
Fusion family portrait

Want an economical midsize sedan that doesn't cost much, yet won't bore you to tears? Need to please your greener side with a high-tech hybrid? Fancy a near-sport sedan with AWD, 18-inch rolling stock, and the latest infotainment and electronics? Depending on which model you choose and how many option boxes you tick, the Fusion can be any of the above. Motor Trend's Art St. Antoine calls the Fusion "a compelling sweep across one of the market's most hotly contested segments."

The Fusion, which has become one of the top 10 selling vehicles in the United States and was redesigned for 2010, exceeded its previous annual sales peak earlier in November. The car was launched initially by Ford in 2006.

NISSAN LAUNCHES LEAF EV IN USA

In 1947, Tokyo Electric Cars Company built a lead-acid battery powered EV delivery truck called the Tama which it sold through 1950, when oil supplies and prices stabilized after WWII (cars and trucks were also powered by flammable gasses captured from on-board wood-burning stoves in Europe and Japan in those post-War years). Tokyo Electric Cars eventually became part of Prince Motor, one of the precursor companies of Datsun, now called Nissan.

Now, a new Nissan-produced EV has officially arrived in America.
Latest production version of Nissan Leaf on display in Santa Monica, CA, Friday night (All photos by www.SteveParker.com)

Friday, Nissan showed-off their five-passenger Leaf electric car for the first time to the American media and we were there getting the latest info on what will most-likely be the first mass-produced EV family car sold in the US.

A media event Friday morning at Dodger Stadium and an official "Leaf launch party" that night in Santa Monica for about 200 local movers and shakers brought out Nissan/Renault chief Carlos Ghosn, numerous company PR people, various engineering-types and even Vice-President of Nissan Design America, Bruce Campbell, who had a hand in styling the car, inside and out.

Nissan's huge worldwide PR campaign for Leaf, based around a nationwide tour of the car which starts this weekend, is becoming a model of non-news news which, because the car is so unique, almost guarantees media coverage of anything Leaf-related.

For instance, few if any of the Leaf's specifications have changed since first announced months ago. The company still says Leaf will have a 100-mile range, will be recharged through 110-volt home power in eight hours, while using an optional 220-volt "fast charger" can refill the lithium-ion batteries to 80% of their capacity in ½-hour, and that a 10-minute charge at a public charging facility can add about 31 miles to the car's range.
Carlos Ghosn at the Leaf launch

The 300-pounds of battery packs are installed under the Leaf's floor, allowing designers to make the most of interior space. There's an electric motor driving the front wheels using half-shafts. Though Nissan says it's a five-passenger hatchback, the rear seat seems large enough for two full-sized adults at most. The instrument panel is futuristic, as expected, and Nissan says the LED headlights and rear lamps use only ½-half the energy of conventional auto lighting.

No pricing announcement has been officially made, but near-$27,000 sounds about right. Ghosn told me last night that the car will be "priced competitively" with cars of similar size, but in reality there is currently no comparable car sold anywhere in the world.

In a bit of irony, the Leaf launch was held in Bergamot Station in sometimes tragically hip Santa Monica, CA, where a check of streets has the Prius looking like the city's "official car". The locals are very green. The Bergamot facility dates back to 1875 when it was built as a stop for the Pacific Electric Red Line trolley running from Los Angeles to the Santa Monica Pier.
LED lights dominate rear end of Leaf; small wing on top contains solar cells

THIS WEEKEND'S RADIO SHOWS!

Join us LIVE Saturday at 11am Pacific/2pm Eastern (NEW TIME!) and Sunday at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern on www.TalkRadioOne.com for our exclusive LIVE motoring and motorsports talk shows!

 

Steve Parker’s The Car Nut Show

NEW TIME! Join us LIVE every Saturday at 11am Pacific/2pm Eastern

 

Nissan’s all-new 2011 Leaf “pure EV” was officially launched in the US last night in oh-so-hip Santa Monica, CA, and Steve Parker was there for all the hoopla, food and booze, interviewing Carlos Ghosn, Nissan/Renault CEO and Bruce Campbell, Leaf lead designer from Nissan North America, among others. Plus Steve’s 60-second road tests and your phone calls! Join two-time Emmy Award-winner Steve Parker, also automotive writer for the Huffington Post, NBC-TV auto show Whipnotic and the Santa Monica Daily Press newspaper. Be sure to join-in the conversation: The call-in number is: 213-341-4353.

  Nissan Leaf 2011 production model / Steve Parker photo

 

Steve Parker’s World Racing Roundup

Sunday starting at 5pm

 

Last week it seemed a given that NASCAR’s Jimmie Johnson was headed for an unprecedented fourth straight Sprint Cup championship, but his spin on the third lap of last Sunday’s race in Texas shook-up all the leaders’ standings. Now Mark Martin has a real shot at his first title! Ron Hornaday has tied-up his fourth Camping World Truck Series title while the Nationwide Series is still up in the air. Plus all the latest on the “silly seasons” in all the racing series in the world. The call-in number is: 213-341-4353. Join in!

  Mark Martin

 

Podcasts of both shows are available one hour after the live shows conclude. That’s our NEW TIME this Saturday at 11am Pacific/2pm eastern and Sunday at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern time every week on www.TalkRadioOne.com!

 

 

 

Friday is LA's EV day - Nissan's Leaf hits Dodger Stadium, Santa Monica

For its first public showings outside Japan, Nissan's all-new Leaf "pure EV" plug-in electric sedan, due on-sale worldwide as a 2012 model, will see the first light of an American day at a press-only event this Friday morning at Dodger Stadium featuring Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn, and later that day, in front of the public, at Pier 59 Studios, 2415 Michigan Avenue in Santa Monica.
Nissan Leaf at its first public display at last month's Tokyo Motor Show; Los Angeles gets it next!

"Get an up-close look at the 100 percent electric Nissan LEAF", say Nissan's marketers, "and the opportunity to learn more about its industry-leading technology. Top Nissan people will be on-hand to answer questions and share Nissan's vision for Zero Emissions."

Nissan estimates the four-door EV will cost around $27,000 and achieve about 100 miles per charge. It can be charged overnight on a standard 110-volt household plug or much faster using an optional 'quickcharge' service.

The Leaf stop in LA kicks-off a nationwide tour of the car which will hit all major American cities between now and February. Production of the cars will be in Japan, the UK and in Tennessee, where Nissan's manufacturing facilities for the US are located.Those factories are already been prepared for Leaf manufacture.

 

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

GM CANCELS OPEL SALE -- BUT WHY?

On Monday of this week, German Prime Minister Angela Merkel met with President Obama in Washington and then addressed the US Congress, where she was warmly greeted, and made an impassioned address concerning the environment and global warming.

She was on top of the world when, just minutes later, she heard the news that General Motors had decided call off the sale of their European division headquartered in Germany, Opel.

And GM being GM, the company announced Wednesday that it will cut 10,000 jobs at Opel and their British division, Vauxhall, un-employing about 20% of the company’s 50,000 workers.
Opel's GT was one of the first Opel vehicles sold in America; some compared it to a "mini-Corvette"

And boy, is Merkel pissed. She might not be making more warm and fuzzy speeches to Congress anytime soon. And European Union members share her feelings. Unions are all-powerful in Europe, and GM dropping the sale and the resultant job losses could wind up looking like a huge defeat for Germany and the entire EU at the hands of a recently bankrupt worldwide corporation.

EXCLUSIVE! SEMA SHOW CARS (THE SHOW STARTS TUESDAY)

The SEMA Show, the annual automotive bacchanal and extravaganza staged by the Specialty Equipment Market Association, world's largest lobbying group for aftermarket and performance car parts, and thought by many to be the best car show in the world, especially if you're a gearhead (like us) opens in Las Vegas this Tuesday, 11-3, and runs through Friday, 11-6.

If you don't already have credentials for the show, which has some 2,000 exhibitors and 9 miles of aisles showcasing everything from roll cages to run flats, from turbos to independent suspensions, from 600-horsepower crate motors to anything you might need to build that IndyCar in your garage, don't bother going. The show is closed to the public, open only 'to the trade' and is still the single-largest trade show held annually in Vegas, drawing over 100,000 exhibitors, buyers and media.
Ford introduced their now-popular race-car-for-the-masses at the 2007 SEMA Show (Steve Parker photo)

Because of the Obama Administration's recent tariff on Chinese-made tires, we don't expect to see as many of the approximately 50 Chinese tire-makers which had displays there last year. The tire world is in turmoil; Japanese giant Bridgestone (which also owns Firestone) announced yesterday, right after the Abu Dhabi F1 season-closing race, that after 2010 they won't supply tires to F1 anymore, leaving it to either Michelin (world's biggest tire company) and/or Goodyear to fill the gap. Bridgestone has been the sole F1 tire supplier since 2007.

Not surprisingly, there are a lot of custom 2010 Camaros at this year's SEMA Show. Let's take a look, courtesy of the top-notch PR folks at SEMA, at some of what they call "don't miss" car debuts coming up at this year's show (with booth number info if you are hitting the show):

Ford Fiesta
From November 3-6, a team representing Ford's Fiesta Movement will be located at the Motor Trend Proving Grounds during the SEMA Show, offering test drives of a European-spec Ford Fiesta. Information about other drive stops, including monthly calendars, is available on www.fiestamovement.com under the "Ride & Drive" section. Visitors to the site can also sign up to receive test drive updates as they become available.

Lexus to Debut LF-A
The Lexus LF-A supercar made its world debut last week at the Tokyo Motor Show, but will make its first North American display at the SEMA Show. Lexus will make only 500 of the hand-assembled, made-to-customer-order flagship, making the SEMA Show a rare opportunity to see this machine up close. Featuring a 4.8L, V10 engine producing 552 hp and 354 lb.-ft. torque, a six-speed sequential gearbox, the extensive use of carbon fiber in the chassis and bodywork, and a 48:52 weight distribution, the LF-A is capable of a top speed of 202 mph, according to Lexus. See it at Lexus Booth #22699.

NEW TIME FOR WEEKEND AUTO TALK SHOWS!

Join us LIVE Saturday at our NEW TIME - 11am Pacific/2pm Eastern and Sunday at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern on www.TalkRadioOne.com for our exclusive LIVE motoring and motorsports talk shows!

NEW TIME! Steve Parker’s The Car Nut Show
Saturday starting at our NEW TIME -- 11am Pacific/2pm Eastern

Nissan’s all-new 2011 Leaf “pure EV” is making a US national tour starting November 13th in southern California and traveling throughout America until it arrives in New York City – Get all the dates and places and the facts and figures … including price … on the Leaf! Nissan displayed a production version of Leaf at the Tokyo Motor Show last week, becoming king of the EVs and hybrids. Plus Steve’s 60-second road tests and your phone calls! Join two-time Emmy Award-winner Steve Parker, also automotive writer for the Huffington Post, NBC-TV auto show Whipnotic and the Santa Monica Daily Press newspaper. Be sure to join-in the conversation: The call-in number is: 213-341-4353.
Nissan's Leaf EV, the production version as displayed at last week's Tokyo Motor Show

Steve Parker’s World Racing Roundup
Sunday starting at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern

NASCAR’s Race for the Sprint Cup is hot and heavy – only four races left and today the boys are at Talladega, AL, the fastest oval track in the world. Is the title Jimmie Johnson’s to lose? Does the Sprint Cup 10-race, 12-racer play-off system need to be modified even more to make it more interesting and exciting for fans and more fair for the drivers and their teams? The final Formula 1 race of the year happens today in Abu Dhabi at a brand-new track and facility. But it’ll be a bit of an anti-climactic affair as the World Driving Champion and Constructor’s Championship have already been decided (Jenson Button and Brawn-Mercedes Grand Prix, respectively). And GM’s Bob Lutz takes on the competition during a private race/testing session pitting Lutz and a Cadillac CTS-V against the best the world has to offer … So who won? We’ll tell you. The call-in number is: 213-341-4353. Join in!
Bob Lutz and his standard-issue Detroit executive heater ...

Podcasts of both shows are available one hour after the live shows conclude. That’s this Saturday at our NEW TIME of 11am Pacific/2pm eastern and Sunday at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern time every week on www.TalkRadioOne.com!

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

2011 NISSAN LEAF EV --- BE AMONG FIRST TO SEE IT IN PERSON!

 

Nissan has announced a US national tour of their new pure EV, Leaf, and its first American public showings begin November 13th in southern California (see national tour schedule below).

Leaf is ready for its close-up at the Tokyo Motor Show

Much of the talk at this week's Tokyo Motor Show, the 41st iteration of that extravaganza, held in Makuhari, about ½-hour north of Tokyo, was understandably about EVs, hybrids and various other green technologies. Nissan, however, topped the competition by displaying a production version of Leaf, the only Japanese car maker at the show claiming they're not just working on a real-world, production EV, but showing one they'll be making and selling worldwide beginning in 2011.

There's still room for overwrought fun, though. Toyota introduced a production version of their Lexus LF-A supercar, a $375,000, 552-horsepower monster with a 4.8 liter V10 engine. Only 500 will be built in total for the world and production commences in December, 2010. Much more at: www.Lexus-LFA.com.
On the other hand, at Tokyo, Lexus displayed a production verison of their new LF-A supercar ... not very green, but a helluva lotta fun ... what do you think of the car's looks? Me? I'm not so sure ...

Here's the Leaf tour information from a Nissan press release:

Nissan North America announced that the Nissan LEAF zero-emission, all-electric car will make its North American debut in Los Angeles on Nov. 13. The Los Angeles showing will be the first time people in the United States will be able to see the five-passenger, five-door, gasoline-free car, which is embarking on a nationwide tour.

The Nissan LEAF Zero Emission Tour will make stops in 22 cities, in 11 states, the District of Columbia, and Vancouver, Canada, offering the opportunity for interested drivers, media, civic partners, businesses and university students to learn more about the Nissan LEAF and the benefits of zero-emission driving.
Interior of production Leaf

AUTOMOTIVE RADIO SHOWS THIS WEEKEND

Join us LIVE Saturday and Sunday at 5pm Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com for our exclusive LIVE motoring and motorsports talk shows!

Steve Parker's The Car Nut Show
Saturday starting at 5pm Pacific

The federal government is forming a new agency to protect consumers against finance company, credit card and bank rip-offs, but car dealers are exempt from the plan. Do consumers already have enough protection when they're car shopping? We want your opinion! And the Tokyo Motor Show opens with hybrids and EVs galore. Plus road tests, industry news and your phone calls! Join two-time Emmy Award-winner Steve Parker, also automotive writer for the Huffington Post, NBC-TV auto show Whipnotic and the Santa Monica Daily Press newspaper, as he recounts and explains all this and more. Plus his popular "One Minute Road Tests." Be sure to join-in the conversation: The call-in number is: 213-341-4353.
A lot of people still have this image of car dealers

Steve Parker's World Racing Roundup
Sunday starting at 5pm

The Formula 1 champions have been crowned, with one race to go in their season. NASCAR is in the midst of its 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup, and one driver appears dominant as he goes for his fourth consecutive title. And A1GP is almost out of business. The call-in number is: 213-341-4353. Join in!
Is Jimmie Johnson headed for four straight NASCAR titles?

Podcasts of the shows are available one hour after the live shows' conclusions. That's this Saturday and Sunday at 5pm USA Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com!

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

Read more at: http://editorial.huffingtonpost.com/tmp/individual-entry-archive5.html

CAR DEALERS EXEMPT FROM NEW CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT AND AGENCY

Some dealers still use the "Three C" sales system ... See the car, see the keys, see ya later! ... 

Now that we all know the power of the insurance and banking industries when it comes to lobbying your government, add car dealers and their lobbyists to that list.

The House Financial Services Committee approved a key amendment Thursday, 47-21, to keep automobile dealers under the federal and state laws which govern vehicle financing, but to exempt them from a new government consumer protection agency heavily lobbied for by the White House.

This means car dealers, which sell very expensive and usually heavily-financed products, won't have to follow the consumer protection edicts of HR 3126, the Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA).

According to RTT Financial News, "The soon-to-be-formed agency was developed with the intention of creating a new federal regulator to oversee all consumer-facing financial instruments, including mortgages.

It would have the power to write and enforce regulations on a variety of consumer borrowing instruments. Some of these instruments include home loans and credit cards.

In addition, the agency would ensure that the language and terms of home loans and credit cards are fair and transparent. The language would also have to be clearly understood by consumers.

The vote largely came down along party lines, with Reps. Walt Minnick of Idaho and Travis Childers of Mississippi the only Democrats to vote against the bill, while Rep. Mike Castle of Delaware was the only Republican to vote in support of it.."

The amendment, sponsored by Rep. John Campbell, R-Calif., will not subject auto retailers to the regulations of the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency, but will continue existing consumer protection rules of the Federal Reserve, the Federal Trade Commission and state laws.

The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) led a grassroots campaign in support of the Campbell Amendment.

"NADA and dealers across the country applaud the overwhelming bipartisan support for the Campbell Amendment," said David Westcott, chairman of NADA's Government Affairs Committee and a multi-franchise dealer from North Carolina. "It makes sense to exclude dealers. Dealers had absolutely nothing to do with the credit crisis."

The Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act later passed the full committee with the Campbell Amendment included. However, the bill still has a number of other hurdles before reaching the White House for final approval.

Do you think, as House Financial Services Committee members do, that consumers already receive enough protection when it comes to financing a new car?

Or should cars and trucks which could, over a lifetime, add up to become the single largest expenditure for families and individuals, offer more consumer protections during the buying process ... and what should they be?

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

 

IS HARLEY-DAVIDSON THE NEXT CASUALTY?

A land-speed record attempt on a Harley-Davidson

 Question; Can Harley-Davidson survive the world economic disaster?

The company itself paints a bleak picture of its present and future. To quote from an October 15th H-D corporate press release: "Worldwide retail sales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles declined 21.3 percent in the third quarter compared to last year's third quarter, an improvement from the 30.1 percent decline in this year's second quarter. An 84.1 percent decline in net income and an 84.5 percent decline in diluted earnings per share from the year-ago quarter reflected lower motorcycle shipments and the effects of the economy on retail and wholesale loan performance at Harley-Davidson Financial Services."

Hummer, which became an iconic brand in just a few years, has been sold to a Chinese industrial manufacturing company. Now H-D, which is for many a Hummer-like example of housing bubble-fueled consumer product overkill, seems in danger of going down a similar road.

This past week H-D shut down the East Troy, WI, factory where their Buell sport bikes are built, putting about 180 people out of work, and announced they're looking for a buyer for their MV Agusta brand (which also builds Cagiva bikes), based in Italy.

Harley bought Agusta in 2008 for $109 million, just before the Bush Depression hit the world economy.
A 1907 Harley-Davidson track racer

In 1993, Harley-Davidson bought a minority interest in Erik Buell's bike-making company, which used H-D XL 883 and 1200 engines in sportier, racier chassis. In '98, H-D bought the remaining 49% of Buell.

And Buell just last month won the American Motorcyclist Association's SportBike championship - the first for an American motorcycle maker since 1986. MV Agusta is perhaps the world's most-storied name in two-wheel racing, with a history of one world championship title after another in road racing.

H-D itself laid-off 1,100 factory workers this past January.

And in another instance of what would turn-out to be bad timing, Harley opened their 130,000 sq ft museum in downtown Milwaukee in July, 2008; the next few years would not prove to be the best time to say "Welcome!" to tourists.

Until the downturn, H-D had been enjoying the best years of their long, long existence. Their Harley Owners Group (known as HOG) remains the biggest motorcycle club in the world and the machines were sought-after everywhere, especially popular in Japan during that nation's awash-in-cash housing bubble in the 1980s and '90s.
2008 MV Agusta "750 America"

Japanese bike enthusiasts considered Harleys acceptable symbols of American high-technology and they represented a very different lifestyle from what one would experience in Tokyo or Osaka.

Harley-Davidsons, like Hummers, are overpriced, overweight and overwrought. Buyers who wanted a Harley would accept nothing less, though, similar to Hummer buyers, and with fast and easy cash pouring through the economy starting in the 1980s and continuing through the end of 2008, the bikes sold in record numbers.

The company even established a modern image while still considered ruffian and gangster-like, something H-D does little to downplay in its advertising or even on its website.

Many recent owners probably would never have bought a H-D if "bigger is better" vehicles didn't become a symbol of success in those phony mortgage-backed security years.
Is a Harley-Davidson nothing but a two-wheel Hummer? And is that necessarily a bad thing?

Doctors, lawyers and celebrities of all sorts were financing new Harleys, earning these buyers the derisive nickname Rubbies, short for "rich, urban bikers," considered by "real bikers" as mere poseurs who didn't really understand what made a Harley a Harley (which, after years of study, I consider to be the bone-rattling noise they produce; in fact, that sound has been trademarked by the company).

THIS WEEKEND'S AUTO RADIO SHOWS!

Join us LIVE Saturday and Sunday at 5pm Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com for our exclusive LIVE motoring and motorsports talk shows!

Steve Parker's The Car Nut Show
Saturday starting at 5pm Pacific

Toyota recently got a lot of attention with their recall of 3.8 million cars and trucks in the US, but Ford has done them "one better." This week Ford announced a serious safety recall which will eventually total over 16 MILLION cars and trucks. We'll give you the details. Plus road tests, industry news and your phone calls! Join two-time Emmy Award-winner Steve Parker, also automotive writer for the Huffington Post, NBC-TV auto show Whipnotic and the Santa Monica Daily Press newspaper, as he recounts and explains all this and more. Plus his popular "One Minute Road Tests." Be sure to join-in the conversation: The call-in number is: 213-341-4353.
Ford recall will affect well over 16 million cars and trucks

Steve Parker's World Racing Roundup
Sunday starting at 5pm

Jim Peltz, motorsports writer for the LOS ANGELES TIMES, joins us live and takes your phone calls, questions and opinions on all things motor racing. NASCAR and Formula 1 are both close to ending their seasons, and the F1 driving and constructor champions could be crowned this weekend in Brazil. Plus --- a look at who is on what team for next season ... maybe. The call-in number is: 213-341-4353. Join in!
Brawn F1 driver Jenson Button could wrap-up the F1 world driving championship this weekend

Podcasts of the shows are available one hour after the live shows' conclusions. That's this Saturday and Sunday at 5pm USA Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com!

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

FORD RECALL NOW OVER 16 MILLION VEHICLES FOR SAME PROBLEM

Amazingly, a serious safety problem which has plagued Ford vehicles for well over a decade has arisen again, this time involving 4.5 million vehicles, meaning a total of at least 16 million cars and trucks have been recalled over the years for this one specific problem.

Stop me if you've heard this one before, but the recall is because of leaky cruise control switches that have been reported to cause vehicle fires. In addition, leaks from the cruise control switches into the anti-lock brake system have been determined to be a fire danger.

Ford said in an Oct. 9 letter to U.S. regulators that Windstar minivans from 1995 to 2003 will be recalled for repairs following "a small number of reports" of switch fires. The Associated Press put the number of affected Windstars alone at 1.1 million.
Ford Crown Victoria

The letter, posted today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, also said Ford would recall another 3.4 million vehicles with the cruise-control deactivation switch, according to the AP.

The vehicles that "don't seem to pose a safety risk," according to the letter, are mostly pickups and SUVs, including the Excursion (diesel), F-Super Duty (diesel), Econoline, Explorer/Mountaineer, Ranger, and F53 Motorhome vehicles from model years 1992 to 2003. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't check the NHTSA.gov website and/or call your dealer to find out if your vehicle is involved.

The switches, made by Texas Instruments, may leak internally and "overheat, smoke or burn," the Ford letter said. In some Windstars, the switches may leak brake fluid into the anti-lock brake system, which also has led to reports of fires.

Owners will be instructed to bring their vehicles to a Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer for installation of a fused wiring harness to eliminate the potential risk of fire. Ford plans to notify dealers this week and send notification letters to owners starting Oct. 26.
Ford Explorer

The cruise control problem first emerged in 1998, when the government investigated complaints of engine compartment fires. A year later, Ford recalled about 279,000 Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car sedans built for the 1992 and 1993 model years, to replace cruise control switches. And yes, those recalls wreaked havoc with police fleets around the country which favor the Crown Vics.

More complaints and investigations led to five more recalls in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Those recalls totaled more than 10 million cars and trucks built for the 1992-2004 model years. In 2008, 225,000 of the vehicles were recalled again, to redo the initial repair.
F-series Super Duty

The safety agency warned consumers to look out for warning signs including cruise control systems that stop working or can't be activated, brake lights that stop working, and brake lights and ABS warning lights illuminating on the dash board.

Before the cruise control issue escalated, Ford's 1996 recall of 7.9 million vehicles for an ignition malfunction ranked as the industry's biggest, according to NHTSA figures.

Automotive News and the Associated Press contributed to this story.

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

HUMMER'S NOW HISTORY --- AND HERE'S HOW IT STARTED

Famed off-road racer Rod Hall was hired by Hummer to campaign the H1 in events around the world; the company currently has Robby Gordon in its racing stable

Somewhere, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has tears in his eyes. His favorite vehicle, Hummer, has left the building. Its sale was announced today.

The Guvernator was in large part personally responsible for the military HumVee, built by AM General in Mishawaka, Indiana, being turned into a civilian vehicle and sold to the general public. More on that in a minute.

The monster-sized truck company, whose products were sold through General Motors dealers starting in 1992, has been sold to China's Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company. The sale will garner GM an estimated $150 million; military technology associated with Hummer will not be part of the sale.
The classic, massive Hummer H1 was the civilian version of the military HumVee

The first civilian Hummer, the H1, was based on the military HumVee, or High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle. AM general was a vestige of the old American Motors, which at one time owned Jeep, and AM General was Jeep's "general products" division.

In fact, the HumVee replaced the Jeep as the all-around general military vehicle. It was available to the military in scores of configurations, from rocket launchers to troop carriers to communications trucks to ambulances and everything in-between.

The H2 and H3 Hummers were actually based on GM pickups, not the HumVee.

The H1 was one of the few vehicles which, at over 6,000 pounds, entitled the owner to claim a farm equipment tax credit with the IRS.
Hummer's H3 was built on a GM truck platform, not a military HumVee's.

AM General had been exploring production of a civilian HumVee, entering the military truck in some rugged off-road races to build its reputation among hard-core off-roaders.

OUR WEEKEND AUTOMOTIVE TALK SHOWS --- JOIN IN FOR ALL THE FUN!

Join us LIVE Saturday and Sunday at 5pm Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com for our exclusive LIVE motoring and motorsports talk shows!

Steve Parker's The Car Nut Show
Saturday starting at 5pm Pacific

Is Toyota "losing it" when it comes to quality? The president of the company seems to think so. We'll discuss it. General Motors has sold Hummer to a Chinese industrial company ... and they're glad to be rid of it; what started as a status-mobile became the symbol for wretched excess in the car world and everything wrong with Detroit. And 350 Saturn dealers get ready to close ... Join two-time Emmy Award-winner Steve Parker, also automotive writer for the Huffington Post, NBC-TV auto show Whipnotic and the Santa Monica Daily Press newspaper, as he recounts and explains all this and more. Plus his popular "One Minute Road Tests." Be sure to join-in the conversation: The call-in number is: 213-341-4353.
Did you know Arnold Schwarzenegger was personally responsible for the Hummer hitting the civilian marketplace? We'll tell the real story this Saturday ...

Steve Parker's World Racing Roundup
Sunday starting at 5pm

The worldwide motor racing season is winding down and competitors are making last gasp attempts to win championships. IndyCar finishes up this weekend in Miami, NASCAR is at California Speedway and Formula 1 is gearing up for their penultimate event in Brazil. Did you see Jimmie Johnson on Conan? Why do all the NBC hosts have to challenge their guests to some sort of dumb driving competition? The call-in number is: 213-341-4353. Join in!
Can southern California's own Jimmie Johnson win an unprecedented fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup title .... his fourth in a row?!?! Outrageous!

Podcasts of the shows are available one hour after the live shows' conclusions. That's this Saturday and Sunday at 5pm USA Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com!

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

 

IT'S OFFICIAL : PLUG-IN PRIUS DUE HERE IN 2012 -- TOYOTA

Martin Zimmerman, my friend and the crack automotive business reporter at the Los Angeles Times, reports tonight (along with Bloomberg News):

"Toyota Motor Corp. has joined the growing ranks of automakers planning to bring advanced battery-powered vehicles to consumers in the next few years.

The Japanese automaker said it plans to have a plug-in version of its popular Prius hybrid on sale in the U.S. within three years.
Plug-in Prius prototype a-testing in California

"The target is 2012 to be coming to market with them," Irv Miller, a group vice president for Toyota's U.S. sales unit, said at a conference, Bloomberg News reported. Before that, "we're going to study the challenges of consumer demand," he said.

Toyota had earlier announced its intention to bring 150 plug-in Priuses to the U.S. by the end of this year, but they are going to be doled out to vehicle fleets in what amounts to a large-scale road test.

Today's announcement by Miller was the first time Toyota has set a date for making the plug-in version of the Prius available to consumers.

Toyota will have plenty of company. General Motors Co. plans to have its Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid in showrooms by the end of 2010, while Ford Motor Co. has said it plans to have an all-electric version of its Focus compact on the market by 2011.
Nissan's Leaf "pure EV" is slated for sale in the US at the end of 2011

BMW and Nissan have electric vehicles planned for the U.S. market by 2012, and various niche manufacturers such as Tesla Motors are developing plug-in hybrids or electric-only vehicles.

In his remarks, Miller was more restrained in describing the sales prospects for a plug-in version of the Prius than some of Toyota's rivals have been when discussing their advanced-powertrain cars. That caution is a result of the consumer response in California to Toyota's battery-powered RAV4 sport-utility vehicles early in this decade, he said.

"We had a lot of people raising their hands for the RAV4 EV," he said. "As soon as we made them ready for sale, that line evaporated very quickly."
Prototype interior of Chevy Volt "extended range" gas/electric hybrid, due in late 2010/2011

The standard Prius hybrid, which has an EPA rating of 50 miles per gallon in combined city-highway driving, combines an electric motor with a conventional gasoline engine to achieve improved fuel economy.

A plug-in version would have more powerful batteries that would allow the car to travel a certain distance -- perhaps as much as 10 miles, although Toyota has been unclear on this point -- on electric power alone. The batteries could be recharged by plugging the car into a household outlet overnight."

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

 

JOIN US LIVE FOR THIS WEEKEND'S RADIO SHOWS!

Join us LIVE Saturday and Sunday at 5pm pacific time, 8pm eastern, on www.TalkRadioOne.com for our exclusive LIVE motoring and motorsports talk shows!

Steve Parker's The Car Nut Show
Saturday starting at 5pm Pacific

The biggest recall in Toyota's history in the US --- 3.8 million cars and trucks --- and GM's decision to kill-off their Saturn brand after a distribution deal with Roger Penske falls through are the big automotive news stories of the week. Join two-time Emmy Award-winner Steve Parker, also automotive writer for the Huffington Post, NBC-TV auto show Whipnotic and the Santa Monica Daily Press newspaper, as he recounts and explains all this and more. Be sure to join-in the conversation: The call-in number is: 213-341-4353.

Roger Penske couldn't put together the deal for Saturn he needed

Steve Parker's World Racing Roundup
Sunday starting at 5pm
Mickey Thompson was perhaps the single most important figure in American motorsports in the second half of the 20th century. His rise to fame and wealth and the brutal murder of Thompson and his wife got the attention of every American and resulted in the creation of the victims' rights movement. Host Steve Parker is joined by Erik Arneson, whose new book, "Mickey Thompson --- The Fast Life and Tragic Death of a Racing Legend," has just hit the bookstores to explain Thompson's life and death ... and talks about the man who had them killed. The call-in number is: 213-341-4353. Join in!

Podcasts of the shows are available one hour after the live shows' conclusions. That's this Saturday and Sunday at 5pm USA Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com!

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

 

PENSKE DROPS SATURN BID; GM SAYS DIVISION DOOMED ... SO WHAT HAPPENED???

Today, Roger Penske called-off talks for his takeover of Saturn, almost certainly dooming yet another General Motors division.

For so many months, it's seemed like a slam dunk for one of the auto world's smartest and richest executives.

Penske, whose racing team has won a record 15 Indy 500s, had come to agreement with GM to take over their once-vaunted Saturn brand, keeping the stores open and workers making cars.

It appeared to be great deal for Penske; he would initially buy cars from GM to sell as Saturns at his stores, then in another two years work with another carmaker which would supply the cars, branded with the familiar "Saturn" name.
A GM exec with a car which will never be; a 2010 Saturn plug-in hybrid

Though details were never forthcoming, many thought Penske was getting Saturn for next-to-nothing. He would supply the approximately 250 dealers with cars and trucks; he wouldn't have to make the cars, he wouldn't have to sell them; just be the go-between the factory and dealers. He was going to be a car distributor.

But that "other" carmaker, never officially named, the one Penske needed to supply him and his Saturn stores with vehicles, dropped out of the negotiations when, according to Penske, that company's board of directors balked.

So as of today, he has nothing to distribute.

GM said after the Penske announcement that they would begin "winding down" Saturn as a corporate division.
Roger Penske at his favorite weekend hobby; in the pits, running his IndyCar team

It's an ignominious and atypical end to the deal for Penske. He's used to being in close control of his vast business empire (he's the world's biggest car dealer, for one thing), and that another carmaker's board of directors would doom his dream must especially chafe.

Penske's failure will almost certainly result in Saturn's demise, and publicly, officially and finally ends the Roger Smith era at GM.

Smith (the "Roger" in Michael Moore's first film, Roger and Me) was ultimately considered something of an uninformed buffoon by the time he left his GM CEO position. He didn't speak well in public and always seemed ill-at-ease at media events, But he was also something of a visionary, if not always as detailed as he should have been, with his creation of Saturn and he was a tough political in-fighter who held some sway over GM for years after he officially left.

Smith created Saturn in the early 1990s specifically to do battle with the Asian imports. Dealerships would be open and friendly, prices would be "no haggle" and buyers would be treated with respect.
Roger Smith at the Saturn factory he built

BIGGEST-EVER SAFETY RECALL BY TOYOTA; 3.8 MILLION CARS AND TRUCKS

Toyota's 2004 Prius is on the recall list

Toyota has announced the largest recall of vehicles in its US history.

According to the Associated Press, "Toyota says it will recall 3.8 million vehicles in the United States to address problems with a removable floor mat that could interfere with the vehicle's accelerator and cause a crash.

The company says it will be the largest recall in its history. Owners could learn about the safety campaign as early as next week.

Toyota and the government warned owners of Toyota and Lexus vehicles about safety problems tied to the removable floor mats. They say the mats could interfere with the vehicle's accelerator and cause a crash.

The recall will affect 2007-2010 model year Toyota Camry, 2005-2010 Toyota Avalon, 2004-2009 Toyota Prius, 2005-2010 Tacoma, 2007-2010 Toyota Tundra, 2007-2010 Lexus ES350 and 2006-2010 Lexus IS250 and IS350.

Owners should take out the floor mats on the driver's side and not replace them. When Toyota develops a "fix" for the problem, the affected cars and trucks will be recalled to dealerships for replacement or retrofitted floor mats.

Toyota's previously largest recall was about 900,000 vehicles in 2005 to fix a steering issue." (end AP quote)
 Lexus IS250 at 2008 Paris Auto Show

Automotive News also reported: "NHTSA said it issued the warning because of continued reports of vehicles accelerating rapidly after drivers released the accelerator.

“This is an urgent matter,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in the statement. “We strongly urge owners of these vehicles to remove mats or other obstacles that could lead to unintended acceleration.”

The reported acceleration problems appeared to be related to vehicles with unsecured mats, the configuration of the accelerator pedal and the process for shutting off engines in some vehicles that have keyless ignitions.

Toyota recalled in September 2007 an all-weather floor mat from some 2007 and 2008 Lexus ES 350 and Toyota Camry vehicles because of similar problems, NHTSA said." (end Automotive News quote)

TWO NEW AUTO BOOKS DOCUMENT AMERICAN RACING

 Mickey Thompson's trademark '60s crew cut and Dick Landy's west coast Ramcharger efforts helped define American racing from the '50s to today; two new books document MT and the Ramcharger team

One of the great enjoyments for car nuts, at least this one, are new and exhaustively detailed books on our favorite topic ... with plenty of photos.

When those books are about people and topics we know personally, that makes the books that much more interesting and exciting ... and they better be correct!

Recently I interviewed two authors for my Sunday evening www.TalkRadioOne.com show, World Racing Roundup, and their books are first-rate. And they're both about topics I happen to know pretty well. Yeah, I even read the books, too (no Larry King am I). You can download the interviews free from the TalkRadioOne.com site. A book on Mickey Thompson's amazing life and terrible death leads off; the history of the Dodge Ramchargers factory drag racing team is for all 1/4-mile freaks.

"Mickey Thompson - The Fast Life and Tragic Death of a Racing Legend" by Erik Arneson, published by MBI and Motorbooks

This was a book just begging to be written since that awful day in 1988 when Mickey and his wife Trudy were, as the Los Angeles County Sheriff put it, "assassinated" in their driveway by thugs hired by a former business partner. That "partner" is now serving two life sentences in a California state prison; the actual hired shooters were never found.

Thompson defined and often dominated American motorsports from the '50s through the '80s; he operated the first professional ¼-mile drag strip in America, Lions Associated Drag Strip in Los Angeles' harbor area, set more land speed records than anyone else at the Bonneville Salt Flats, was so innovative at developing cars for the Indy 500 that many oldtimers shunned his efforts and, finally, brought the excitement of Baja-style off-road racing to major stadiums across the country.

My connection? I knew Thompson well and worked for him between 1978 and 1980, during the time he staged the first major off-road race in the middle of an American city: 1979's Off-Road Championship Grand Prix in the Los Angeles Coliseum. I know the title well because I actually named the event in an office contest --- and got a $1,000 bonus from Mickey (or MT, as we all called him) for coming up with it ... big money for a 25-year old kid back then!

His natural enthusiasm, non-stop energy, impressive promotional abilities and some outrageous personal habits (such as setting his plane on 'autopilot' so he could take a nap, or eating his steak with an ice cream desert on the same plate) are all well-documented.

MT's dad was a big, tough Irish cop in southern California, where MT was born and raised and lived his life, and the kids in that family learned that running home to avoid a fight was much, much worse than actually getting your ass kicked by some bully.

But MT was also a warm and caring person ... something folks who didn't know him well would never guess. Under the obvious gruffness and the anger which would often result in a fistfight between Mick and his latest enemy-of-the-moment, Thompson was a loyal friend, loving husband, son, father and grandfather and would hire people for more money than they ever made after talking with them for five minutes. He was a good boss, too.
Mickey and Trudy Thompson

THIS WEEKEND'S AUTO RADIO SHOWS!

Join us LIVE Saturday and Sunday at 5pm Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com for our exclusive LIVE motoring and motorsports talk shows!

Steve Parker's The Car Nut Show
Saturday starting at 5pm Pacific

Join two-time Emmy Award-winner Steve Parker, also automotive writer for the Huffington Post, NBC-TV auto show Whipnotic and the Santa Monica Daily Press newspaper, as he recounts the latest news from the auto industry which really matters to you, from GM's new TV ad campaign and 60-day money back guarantee, to the new gas/electric Lexus HS. Be sure to join-in the conversation: The call-in number is: 213-341-4353.
This week there's a new version of Honda's robot, Asimo

Steve Parker's World Racing Roundup
Sunday starting at 5pm

Motor racing worldwide is heading into its final laps for this season, and from F1 to NASCAR things could barely get more exciting! Host Steve Parker goes over the hottest news from the sport in this weekly show. Also, an interview with Dave Rockwell, one of the engineers who created and ran the legendary Ramchargers NHRA drag racing team for Dodge in the '60s and author of the new book, "We Were the Ramchargers." The call-in number is: 213-341-4353. Join in!
"Dandy" Dick Landy was one of the Ramchargers on Dodge's factory-supported NHRA drag racing team in the '60s

Podcasts of the shows are available one hour after the live shows' conclusions. That's this Saturday and Sunday at 5pm USA Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com!

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

 

GM'S NEW TV CAMPAIGN ... WILL IT WORK?

While it's beyond me why GM is using Ed Whiteacre, their new board of directors chief in their new TV ad, who said at his first press conference that he doesn't know much about cars, one of the new Cadillac commercials is right-on.

First, the Caddy commercial, one of four new TV spots which debuted last weekend.

It's for their SRX crossover, is dark and moody, uses a popular tune from the "alternative" category ... but what got me was the final line: "SRX --- The Cadillac of crossovers."

When I grew up, if some product was considered the best in its field, it was called the "Cadillac" of those products. And that saying had been around for many years before I ever heard it (I was born in 1954). In fact for decades, Cadillac's tagline in their advertising was, "The standard of the world." And in that time and place, Caddy was.

Today, the name "Lexus" is often invoked to denote a great product; best-in-class.
GM's new Mr. Excitement, Ed Whiteacre

Maybe the line hit my nostalgia button just right, but I liked the fact that GM, having suffered from a terrible inferiority complex for the past 20 years (often based, in truth, on some pretty bad product) seems, at least for this commercial, to have gotten some guts back and is not afraid say Cadillac is something special.

Of course, the first battle is to get people into dealerships, folks who haven't visited a Detroit car-makers' store in, in some cases, three generations. Especially in the southwest, a probably not-too-apocryphal story says ask the average 30-year old if they ever heard of a car named "Buick," and the response will be something like: "Oh yeah, my uncle had one of those years ago and he always had problems with it." Then they get in their Honda and drive off.

These are not people planning to spend the weekend shopping the local GM outlets.

On that note, I must mention I just finished driving the 2010 Buick LaCrosse for over a week. The LaCrosse "target car" for GM was the Lexus ES, and they've bypassed that car in almost every respect. Any family looking for a new sedan should test-drive the LaCrosse before buying anything else. There, I said it. I am rooting for GM; in America, only a fool wouldn't.
2010 Buick LaCrosse

DON'T MISS OUR WEEKEND AUTO RADIO SHOWS!

Join us LIVE Saturday and Sunday at 5pm Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com for our exclusive LIVE motoring and motorsports talk shows!

Steve Parker's The Car Nut Show
Saturday starting at 5pm Pacific

GM is offering an unprecedented deal for new car buyers --- a money-back, 60-day guarantee on whatever GM car or truck you buy. The corporation's new CEO, Ed Whiteacre, is doing the TV ads ala Lee Iacocca, but the reviews so far have not been too kind. Plus Steve gives his "Sixty-Second Road Tests" of some of the many 2009 and 2010 cars he's driven recently. Plus all your calls!

Be sure to join-in the conversation: The call-in number is: 213-341-4353.
Not even Barack Obama got a 60-day, money-back guarantee on his new GM car!

Steve Parker's World Racing Roundup
Sunday starting at 5pm

The big news in motor racing is the scandal involving Formula 1 and the Renault team. People are being fired, charged, indicted and have quit the team because the Renault apparently ordered their driver, Nelson Piquet, Jr., to crash at the 2008 Singapore GP, in order for their other driver, Fernando Alonso, to win the race. We'll cover it from every angle. NASCAR starts their 10-race Chase for the Championship this weekend; we'll have the full report. Also an interview with Dave Rockwell, one of the engineers who created and ran the legendary Ramchargers NHRA drag racing team for Dodge in the '60s.

The call-in number is: 213-341-4353. Podcasts of the shows are available one hour after the live shows' conclusions. That's this Saturday and Sunday at 5pm USA Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com!
Was "the fix in" when Fernando Alonso won the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix for Renault?

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

 

F1 SHOCKER! RENAULT TEAM PRINCIPALS RESIGN AFTER BEING CHARGED WITH FIXING A RACE!

Here's an exploded view of the old Honda BAR team car --- Ex-Ferrari F1 team genius Ross Brawn bought the Honda team and has turned it into Brawn Mercedes GP, and is headed toward the World Manufacturer's Championship and World Driver's Championship in just their first season; who says F1 is boring? Now, here's some REAL F1 scandal ...

In what may be one of the biggest scandals ever in motor racing, Flavio Briatore, flamboyant team principal of the ING Renault Formula 1 Grand Prix team and Pat Symonds, Renault F1's director of engineering, have both resigned their positions under a heavy, dark cloud of charges and suspicions.

This is following allegations that the pair were instrumental in "fixing" the September, 2008, Singapore Grand Prix by ordering their driver, Nelson Piquet, Jr., to crash near the end of the race to bring the safety car on the track in order to make it easier for the team's #1 driver, Fernando Alonso, to win the race. We Americans know the "safety car" situation as the pace car on-track and slowing the cars in a yellow flag situation.
Fernando Alonso in his office; his Renault team is accused of ordering his fellow team driver to crash near the end of a race to make it easier for Alonso, a former World Driving Champion, to win the race

Several entities have filed or threatened to file civil and criminal complaints against the two and Piquet, who was fired from Renault at the end of July and is believed to be the source of the charges against Briatore and Symonds.

GM'S "BUY IT BACK" PLAN - GIMMICK OR SMART SALES MOVE?

Can GM regain 20% US market share by the time the Chevy Volt comes out as planned in 2011? Here's the extended-range gas/electric hybrid being introduced by GM executive Bob Lutz

Another "Hail Mary" from GM? Or the real thing?

Starting today and running through November, General Motors is offering buyers of their Core Four brands, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick and GMC, a 60-day money-back guarantee on their new car and truck purchases. It's called the "60-day Satisfaction Guarantee."

The campaign marks GM's efforts to rebound after a 39-day bankruptcy and a $50 billion federal bailout. GM, which is shedding half of its US brands (Pontiac, Saturn, Saab, and Hummer) will try to boost their US market share that has fallen to 19.5% this year from a peak of 50.1% in 1962.

It's the second radical marketing move in just a few weeks by GM to try and resurrect consumer confidence in the company since the bankruptcy ended.
Could 60 days in a 2010 Buick LaCrosse convince import-buyers to make Detroit their car-maker of preference?

The first was begun last month in conjunction with online buying service Ebay. In that program, which has had only modest success but will continue for the time being, some 250 GM dealers in California are posting their new-car inventories for California-only buyers, some cars and trucks up for bid in a traditional auction environment, some marked with a no-haggle "buy it now" price.

Here are the details of the new money-back plan:

• Covers Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac models for the 2009 and 2010 model years.

• Allows customers to return their cars after 31 days and before 4,000 miles.

• Does not cover leased vehicles.

It's thought this program is the first of its kind for any major car-maker, though it does bear some philosophical resemblance to Chrysler's, "If you can find a better car, buy it!" sales program headed by then-company chief Lee Iacocca in the early 1980s.
This 1984 Chrysler K-car limousine was made during the time of the company's, "If you can find a better car, buy it!" campaign

THIS WEEKEND'S AUTOMOTIVE RADIO SHOWS

Join us LIVE Saturday and Sunday at 5pm Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com for our exclusive LIVE motoring and motorsports talk shows!

Steve Parker's The Car Nut Show
Saturday starting at 5pm Pacific

Car sales drop as the Cash for Clunkers program ends. Steve covers what the auto industry is going to do worldwide to stimulate sales --- again. Harley-Davidson is going to India, and we have the details. And should Mexican trucks and buses be allowed on US roadways? Plus Steve gives his "Sixty-Second Road Tests" of some of the many 2009 and 2010 cars he's driven recently. Plus all your calls!
Group protests allowing Mexican trucks and buses full access to the US

Be sure to join-in the conversation: The call-in number is: 213-341-4353.

Steve Parker's World Racing Roundup
Sunday starting at 5pm

A low-buck racing series, NASCAR trucks, and the world's most expensive, Formula 1, are providing the best racing action in the world. Why does little money and huge money equal racing excitement? We'll cover it. And whatever happened to Dale Earnhardt, Jr., scion of a NASCAR racing dynasty who seems to have disappeared? Plus your calls and emails!

The call-in number is: 213-341-4353. Podcasts of the shows are available one hour after the live shows' conclusions. That's this Saturday and Sunday at 5pm USA Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com!

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

SHOULD MEXICAN TRUCKS, BUSES BE ALLOWED THROUGHOUT U.S.?

Anyone who has been to Mexico knows some trucks and buses are in tip-top shape, others not so good ...

The recent release of a Transportation Departments inspector general's office government audit has brought to a head, once again, an issue which ignites deep feelings and loyalties in the best people.

One of the provisions of NAFTA is to allow drivers licensed in Mexico and big-rig trucks and buses registered there unfettered access to the US.

A pilot program to allow them on US highways began in September 2007 and ended in March 2009 when Congress cut off funding for it.

The claim by those opposing the rule is that the trucks are not inspected properly and regularly, at least to US standards, and that their sheer number will overwhelm already-overwrought border crossings.
An already-jammed US/Mexico border crossing

Those in favor say that it's only fair because US trucks have access to Mexico. There's also a sometimes-not-so thinly-veiled charge of racism tossed at the people against instituting the law. I know this to be true because more than a year ago we posted a blog piece saying those against the rule were making some good points; hence, according to comments from some visitors here, I was "racist."

Currently, trucks and buses from Mexico are limited to a radius of about 50 miles north of the border; at warehouses within that area, they drop-off their loads (or passengers) and they're picked-up by American-registered vehicles and taken to their destinations nationwide.

Naturally, the Teamsters Union and its 1.4-million members, is against the provision and has fought hard to keep it from becoming law. The very name "Teamster" comes from drivers who managed "teams" of horses in the pre-industrial US; they've fought battles and won many, but this time they're up against entire governments.

Mexico slapped tariffs on $2.4 billion worth of goods shipped from the US after the pilot program was shut down.
Teamster-organized protests have been effective in informing the public about this NAFTA provision, but were too jingoistic for my taste

WENDELL SCOTT SHOULD BE IN NASCAR HALL OF FAME

Fortune 500 and other major international corporations spend hundreds of millions --- of our dollars --- on NASCAR

NASCAR has a fabulous chance to grab some positive, international public attention as insiders and fans vote on the first five members of the sport's new Hall of Fame, but, as they've done before, the powers-that-be have blown it.

Five top vote-getters of 25 nominated drivers, owners and wrenches will be honored in the sport's multi-zillion dollar Hall of Fame being built in Charlotte, NC. See the nominated group and find out more about the Hall of Fame by clicking anywhere on this line.

NASCAR's first and best-known Black race-winner, Wendell Scott, isn't among those eligible for the Hall. He didn't even make the top 25; voters for the final five couldn't pick Wendell Scott if they wanted to.

And ... some cynics (and probably realists) ask ... who can blame NASCAR for the "omission"?
Wendell Scott in 1977

The sport's TV ratings and attendance have dropped as its popularity has reached a plateau, coincidentally much like the Republican Party's, with its major base of support in the nation's southeast and those fans being overwhelming male and White. Why risk the enmity of some of those fans, it's probably asked by the sport's leadership and top sponsors, by nominating Scott for that first Hall of Fame group?

Scott was the first African-American to compete regularly in and certainly the only one to win a NASCAR Grand National race, now known as Sprint Cup, the sport's top national series. And this was in the American south of the 1960s, not the 21st century.

Scott's life story was portrayed in the 1977 film Greased Lightning, the driver played by Richard Pryor.
NASCAR Hall of Fame is being built in Charlotte, NC

Weekend radio shows - NASCAR's racism rears head ... again; Clunker program over

Join us LIVE Saturday and Sunday at 5pm Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com for our exclusive LIVE motoring and motorsports talk shows!

Steve Parker's The Car Nut Show
Saturday starting at 5pm Pacific
www.TalkRadioOne.com

The Clunker Program is officially over some but local dealers are continuing the plan with their own rules --- Steve covers what you need to know about these new systems to save money! And when will the car-makers themselves start their own 'cash-for-guzzler' plans to keep sales strong? What happens to car sales now that 'clunkers' are just that once again --- clunkers? And Steve gives his "Sixty-Second Road Tests" of some of the many 2009 and 2010 cars he's driven recently. Plus all your calls!

Be sure to join-in the conversation: The call-in number is: 213-341-4353.

Steve Parker's World Racing Roundup
Sunday starting at 5pm
www.TalkRadioOne.com

Wendell Scott, NASCAR's first well-known African-American racer, has been left-out of the first group of five 'NASCAR Legends' slated for inclusion in the NASCAR Hall of Fame due to open soon in Charlotte, NC. ... Does this only add to the perception that at heart NASCAR remains a racist, sexist sport? Richard Pryor played Scott in the 1977 feature film "Greased Lighting." Danica Patrick says she's staying in IndyCar and Formula 1 is truly offering some of the most competitive and exciting racing in the world. Award-winning radio and TV motorsports host and ex-IndyCar racer Kurt Hansen joins us as he does every month-or-so to talk racin'. Plus your calls and emails!

The call-in number is: 213-341-4353. Podcasts of the shows are available one hour after the live shows' conclusions. That's this Saturday and Sunday at 5pm USA Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

Be careful! "Clunker" program over, but private versions sprout

Karl Benz's 1886 Motorwagen was the first auto to receive a government patent and is considered the first real "car;" unfortunately, it didn't qualify for the recent clunker program

Washington's CARS Program (the clunker law) is officially over, after moving somewhere between 700,0000 and 750,000 new cars and trucks off showroom floors.

Considering your point-of-view, the program has been either a wild success or just another step on the way towards Obama Socialism (when will your neighborhood's Clunker Panel show up at your front door and demand you get rid of your old car and buy a new one, and with the law on their side, too?).

But something we predicted here weeks ago seems to be coming true: on their own, dealers are offering their own versions of the clunker program. I saw one TV ad yesterday in southern California for a local dealership offering up to $2,500 for a traded-in "clunker" (here's a pertinent story we found: http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=120481).

The parameters for these private programs will certainly be different from the federal program, so check carefully before getting involved in any deal you may not fully understand. These programs won't be based on a 136-page law, as was CARS, but a much more casual way for buyers to feel better about their purchase.

As of today (Thursday), no car-maker has yet jumped into the "private clunker" pool, but it won't be a surprise when it happens (and we say it will).

And any dealer or car-maker considering starting their own clunker operation must make their mind up to do so fast ... the public has a way of forgetting what happened yesterday, much less last week, and jumping-in now will allow the dealer or manufacturer to take advantage of the great momentum the fed program has created.

There's no argument about this: CARS brought millions of people into dealerships who wouldn't otherwise have been considering a new-car buy, and, consumer confidence has taken a jump in the past month, something analysts credit to the program putting a lot of us in the mood to buy.

Chevy's 230mpg Volt --- What do YOU think?

Volt's first public showing two years ago in Detroit

By now we've all heard the news from GM --- the claim that the Chevrolet Volt extended-range hybrid will get as many as 230 miles per gallon in city use.

It's an exciting and bold claim, but the question is: What do you think will be the reality for Volt?

It's due for-sale at the end of 2010 and most analysts are saying the price will be near $40,000 (and no one at GM is denying that).

Volt's mpg ratings are a bit backwards from what we're used to; in-town mileage is much better than highway, because the first 40 miles in-town can be run on the lithium ion battery alone, no gasoline necessary. On the highway, Volt will make use of its gasoline engine to keep the battery charged, so mileage will be worse than in-town, but still impressively in the triple-digits, says GM.
Chevy's Volt as seen today at 230mpg announcement in near-production trim

Using EPA numbers, Nissan's Leaf EV (profiled in an earlier blog post), also due out late 2010, will achieve the equivalent of over 350 mpg, all the time. But of course it has to be stopped and recharged, while Volt, which can also be plugged-in for recharging, will use its gasoline engine to keep the battery 'up' while on the road.

One other thing I found a bit 'backwards' --- GM making the Volt announcement today, the same day some 250 GM dealers in California started selling cars on eBay. I thought the two stories should have had more space between them to get the most public attention. Maybe Bob Lutz should have had a little marketing input to GM's announcement plans today.
Volt at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show --- this prototype looked a lot different from what we saw today

But let's get right to it: What about the Volt? Will you be in the market for one? If so, why, and if not, why not?

Believe me --- top people from GM will be reading your comments.

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

 

Exclusive - Right wing "Big Lie" about clunker law exposed!

One of the major arguments against the clunker law comes from car collectors, restorers and enthusiasts who claim that the law takes potentially millions of perfectly good replacement parts off the road, and off of cars and trucks, forever.

Turns out, just as the claims that President Obama was born in Kenya and national health care boards will decide whether the old and sick can live or die, this isn't true.

With much of the more vocal opposition to the clunker law coming from southern Republican members of Congress with import car plants in their states and pro-business/anti-union Chamber of Commerce-type groups, whoever would imagine lies would be told about yet another Obama Administration initiative?

While interviewing Bailey Wood of the National Automobile Dealers Association for my TalkRadioOne.com radio show, The Car Nut (get the podcast anytime at www.TalkRadioOne.com) he casually mentioned, as if this were something everyone knew, that many parts of the clunkers ostensibly headed for the crusher could be parted-out and sold, including most all of the vehicle except for the engine block and drivetrain.

He also said that Texas has its own state-sponsored clunker laws in major metro areas, while both Texas senators voted against the federal law, but that's yet another story ...

So let's go to the 136-page law itself, "DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 49 CFR Parts 512 and 599, [ Docket No. NHTSA-2009-0120 ], RIN 2127-AK53, Requirements and Procedures for Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Program," to see what the rule really says (it's available as a .pdf file at www.cars.gov; click on the "Official Information" tab at the top of the page then "Download the Law").

Here are some excerpts:

"The CARS Act specifies that while many parts of the trade-in vehicle
are permitted to be removed and sold, in the end the residual vehicle, including the engine block, must be crushed or shredded."

"The dealer must agree to transfer the trade-in vehicle to a disposal facility that will crush or shred it so that it will never be returned to the road, although parts of the vehicle, other than the engine block and drive train (unless the drive train is sold in separate parts), may
be sold."

"The CARS Act contains an explicit Congressional instruction to take measures to prevent fraud and the statute's clear environmental objective is to ensure that the fuel inefficient parts of the vehicle are never again used on the highway. Taking the above considerations into account, including the Secretary's authority to prescribe the manner in
which the trade-in vehicle, including its engine block, is transferred to a disposal facility, the agency has determined that the prudent course of action, consistent with Congressional concerns about crushing or shredding, resale and fraud, is to require permanent disablement of the trade-in vehicle's engine block as a part of the qualifying
transaction under this program."

Senate roll call on 'cash for clunkers'

Associated Press

Here's the 60-37 roll call Thursday by which the Senate agreed to a $2 billion extension of the "cash for clunkers" program. Voting yes were 51 Democrats, 7 Republicans and 2 independents. Voting no were 4 Democrats and 33 Republicans.

ALABAMA

Sessions (R), No; Shelby (R), No.

ALASKA

Begich (D), Yes; Murkowski (R), No.

ARIZONA

Kyl (R), No; McCain (R), No.

ARKANSAS

Lincoln (D), Yes; Pryor (D), Yes.

CALIFORNIA

Boxer (D), Yes; Feinstein (D), Yes.

COLORADO

Bennet (D), Yes; Udall (D), Yes.

CONNECTICUT

Dodd (D), Yes; Lieberman (I), Yes.

DELAWARE

Carper (D), Yes; Kaufman (D), Yes.

FLORIDA

Martinez (R), No; Nelson (D), Yes.

GEORGIA

Chambliss (R), No; Isakson (R), No.

HAWAII

Akaka (D), Yes; Inouye (D), Yes.

IDAHO

Crapo (R), No; Risch (R), No.

ILLINOIS

Burris (D), Yes; Durbin (D), Yes.

INDIANA

Bayh (D), Yes; Lugar (R), No.

IOWA

Grassley (R), No; Harkin (D), Yes.

KANSAS

Brownback (R), Yes; Roberts (R), No.

KENTUCKY

Bunning (R), No; McConnell (R), No.

LOUISIANA

Landrieu (D), Yes; Vitter (R), No.

MAINE

Collins (R), Yes; Snowe (R), Yes.

MARYLAND

Cardin (D), Yes; Mikulski (D), Not Voting.

MASSACHUSETTS

Kennedy (D), Not Voting; Kerry (D), Yes.

MICHIGAN

Levin (D), Yes; Stabenow (D), Yes.

MINNESOTA

Franken (D), Yes; Klobuchar (D), Yes.

MISSISSIPPI

Cochran (R), No; Wicker (R), No.

BULLETIN - It's back on! Senate approves $2 billion more for 'Clunkers'

5:32pm Pacific - From the National Automobile Dealers Association:

Car shoppers and dealers across the country breathed a sigh of relief today when the Senate approved a House measure adding $2 billion to the wildly successful "cash for clunkers" initiative. The additional funds will allow dealers to continue offering consumers up to a $4,500 incentive to trade-in an older gas-guzzler for a new, more fuel-efficient car or truck.

Late last week, the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) advised the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) that the program's funding was running dangerously low because of glitches in the government computer program which caused an overwhelming backlog of transactions.

"Cash for clunkers is a resounding success," said John McEleney, NADA chairman and a multi-franchise dealer in Iowa. "With the additional $2 billion, even more clunkers will be taken off the road and replaced with more fuel-efficient vehicles. Extending the 'clunkers' program benefits the environment and the economy. It's the best kind of stimulus."

A NADA survey also revealed an environmental benefit: consumers were purchasing or leasing vehicles eligible for the higher $4,500 credit (a 10 mpg improvement over the trade-in) by a two-to-one margin over the $3,500 credit (a four mpg increase over the trade-in).

Also, the additional $2 billion funding for the "clunkers" program substantially reduces the risk that dealers will not be reimbursed for deals already completed.

(Hear Bailey Wood of NADA on my radio show Saturday, 5pm Pacific time, www.TalkRadioOne.com --- and be sure to call-in with your questions and comments, yea or nay!).

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

 

This weekend on radio: Clunker law, Nissan Leaf EV, F1 and good ol' boy racin'!

Join us LIVE Saturday and Sunday at 5pm Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com for our exclusive LIVE motoring and motorsports talk shows!

Steve Parker's The Car Nut Show
Saturday starting at 5pm Pacific

Bailey Wood of the National Automobile Dealers Association, naturally one of the prime movers behind the Clunker Program, is our guest. We'll get the latest on Friday's US Senate vote to fund and extend the program, go over the program's details to understand how it works and what to expect at the dealer, and cover the objections some have to the program. And Steve gives his "Sixty-Second Road Tests" of some of the many 2009 and 2010 cars he's driven recently ... and a report on the Nissan Leaf EV, introduced this week in Japan and due for-sale worldwide in late 2010. Plus all your calls!

Be sure to join-in the conversation: The call-in number is: 213-341-4353.

Steve Parker's World Racing Roundup
Sunday starting at 5pm

Award-winning radio and TV motorsports host Kurt Hansen joins us as he does every month-or-so to talk racin' ... he knows whereof he speaks! The Indy Racing League held a race last weekend and the Penske and Ganassi teams did NOT finish 1-2-3! And that's big news! Are technical and aerodynamic changes and additions the IRL has made to the race cars and their engines working in favor of the fans by making for better, closer racing? NASCAR begins to seriously address all those fans coming to races dressed as empty seats and Ron Hornaday keeps setting records in the truck series. Michael Schumacher readies for his return to Formula 1, filling-in for the injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa beginning this month at the European Grand Prix ... plus your calls and emails!
Ron Hornaday in front of a NASCAR truck race earlier this year, his normal habitat

The call-in number is: 213-341-4353. Podcasts of the shows are available one hour after the live shows' conclusions. That's this Saturday and Sunday at 5pm USA Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com!

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

 

NISSAN LEAF EV BACK STORY - ONE MAN'S VISION NOW REALITY

Nissan's Leaf EV in profile ... it's due for sale worldwide in 2010

Yesterday we caught a glimpse of transportation's future. And you can bet that today the oil companies are somewhat nervous.

Nissan introduced their close-to-production Leaf electric vehicle at their new headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, just south of Tokyo, It is the fulfillment of company CEO Carlos Ghosn's dream of bypassing the hybrid craze and being the first major car-maker to go directly to EVs. The company says it will go on-sale worldwide in late 2010 (Renault-badged EVs should follow soon after).

Ghosn's (pro: Go-on) determination to move directly to EVs, whether successful or not, is unique among the major car-makers, and he must be respected for that. I like a car company which takes chances, especially in this economic climate. It's exactly what Detroit should be doing - something bold.
Company CEO Carlos Ghosn introduces the Nissan Leaf EV at the company's new headquarters in Yokohama, Japan

At each of the past few Tokyo Motor Shows, Nissan has displayed their latest lithium-ion (LION) battery technology; the batteries were smaller and lighter at each successive show. This year's show should see the Leaf in production trim.

On my radio show recently, my guest was an original GM EV1 lessor, an NBC-TV network technician who has been an EV enthusiast for years. In line for a Mini E, he found out the day before he was to receive the car that apparently BMW, Mini's maker, took exception with some things he'd said and written on the web; he didn't get the car, but he's driven several and loves it.

During the interview, I asked him if battery technology was still the biggest obstacle to mass-produced EVs. I was somewhat surprised when he said no; that the latest LION batteries are dropping in price for the car-makers and when EVs finally get on the road, prices will naturally drop even more. That's good news, especially for Nissan, given yesterday's announcement.
Leaf looking much as it will when it goes into production next year

GM, which has seen costs skyrocket on their planned-for-late-2010 Volt "extended-range hybrid," should also be cheered that battery prices are at least starting on a downward trend.

A five-passenger medium-sized hatchback, Leaf is built on a lithium ion battery-powered chassis with regenerative braking. The battery is placed under the seats and floor, increasing room for passengers and cargo.

No pricing and little performance information was released, but Nissan promises the Leaf will be competitively priced in its segment, which is what we'd expect them to say.

Our automotive radio shows this weekend

Some people say the Opel GT is what the Corvette should have been --- in any case, the first big Cash for Clunkers program started in Germany. Opel's home nation, and was a big success

Join us LIVE Saturday and Sunday at 5pm Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com for our exclusive LIVE motoring and motorsports talk shows!

Steve Parker's The Car Nut Show
Saturday starting at 5pm Pacific

Big auto story of the week - we'll all talk about the four-month long Cash for Clunkers program which lasted all of four days. The White House has already put another $2 billion into the program, originally-funded with just $1 billion, but many questions remain about why the program was slated for such a short lifespan in the first place - and with "only" $1 billion. One thing there's no question about: The program wonderfully "primed the pump" for domestic and import car-makers and their dealers!
This cute, little1970 Dodge Dart Swinger Classic can't participate in the clunkers program --- only cars and trucks less than 25 years old make the grade

Be sure to join-in the conversation: The call-in number is: 213-341-4353.

Steve Parker's World Racing Roundup
Sunday starting at 5pm

Former seven-time World Driving Champion Michael Schumacher is back in a Ferrari F1 race car! He's going to fill-in for the injured Felipe Massa until Massa can come back and re-take his seat. At the height of his career, Schumacher was the highest-paid athlete in the world, with a salary from Ferrari estimated to be near $90 million annually; endorsements, personal service contracts and other activities made Schumacher incredibly wealthy --- but it's one of those rare cases where --- he deserved it! And not a steroid in sight ...
Michael Schumacher pictured in his natural habitat - the business end of a Ferrari F1 car ...

Ferrari F1 driver Felipe Massa is out of intensive care and his prognosis is guarded but good after a crash during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Pix which nearly killed him. A piece of the rear suspension of a Brawn Mercedes GP car fell off in front of Massa and the small piece hit Massa's head at over 170 miles an hour. It penetrated his helmet, causing several life-threatening skull factures, a serious concussion and a very deep cut right above Massa's left eye. Ferrari is especially concerned with Massa's eye and whether the injury will affect his sight or allow him back into the sport.
Felipe Massa handles the curves at a recent Australian Grand Pix

Plus, we get you up-to-date on NASCAR, IndyCar, NHRA drag racing and all the rest ...

The call-in number is: 213-341-4353. Podcasts of the shows are available one hour after the live shows' conclusions. That's this Saturday and Sunday at 5pm USA Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com!

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

BULLETIN - CLUNKER PROGRAM MAY ALREADY BE OVER!

This 1970 Dodge Dart "Swinger" would have made a nice clunker trade-in ... but at 39 years old it's 14 years too late! The program accepts cars 25 years old or less ... at least it did, yesterday ...

Authoritative industry weekly Automotive News reports Thursday night:

The federal "cash for guzzlers" program reached its $1 billion funding limit unexpectedly after an avalanche of business exhausted its funds, an Obama administration official said late Thursday.

The White House was working with Congress to try to extend funding as lawmakers prepared to leave town for the month of August, according to the official, who was not authorized to speak for attribution.

Initially, congressional and industry officials signaled that the program was going to be suspended as soon as today as funding ran out. Those reports, widely reported by national news outlets including Automotive News, triggered confusion throughout the industry.

National Automobile Dealers Association spokesman Bailey Wood said earlier Thursday the organization was briefed by Department of Transportation officials on plans to suspend the program at midnight.

But later, Chuck Cyrill, another NADA spokesman, said the association had no official DOT confirmation suspending the program.

Backlog

The plan appeared to be prompted by a NADA survey showing a huge backlog of unplaced dealer orders that would burden the government's computers and exhaust the budgeted funds, he said.

NADA plans to issue advice to members at 8 a.m. EDT today( Friday). Wood said.

Republican Fred Upton said he was told by Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood earlier Thursday that the agency is accepting dealer refund applications only until midnight.

They've exhausted the money," Upton said in an interview.

But Upton, quoting LaHood, added, "He did not say any orders placed after midnight would not be honored."

Upton said the Michigan congressional delegation spoke by telephone Thursday evening and will be meeting this morning to try to find new funding for the program.

"The consensus is that this program has worked and we damn well ought to figure out how to continue it," he said.

Transportation spokesman Rae Tyson declined comment.

CLUNKER LAW --- WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW NOW!

This 1911 Oldsmobile ... remember Oldsmobile? ... is not elegibile for the clunker program ... it's more than 25 years old!

We found out today that the EPA, over the weekend, changed the MPG ratings of many cars and trucks sold in the years which would make them eligible for the so-called "clunker program" (vehicles not more than 25 years old).

The result is a hodge-podge of new ratings, but, most importantly, some cars and trucks you thought were on the list are now off --- and some of you might have checked last week and saw that your cars were ineligible, but as of this week they are eligible ... Washington giveth and taketh away, but much more quickly than in biblical days.

Check the (current) status of your car at www.cars.gov ... and if you're interested in the program and your vehicle is now eligible, get down to a new car dealer fast, before DC steps in again to "help" or "clarify." If your car or truck was eligible and now is not, write your congressperson ... and see if you get a reply before the program ends.

This is very important --- Every new car dealer, import or domestic, is participating in the clunker program. There are no "official" or "sanctioned" dealers ... ALL new-car dealers can help you with your trade-in and voucher. Some car companies can just afford more advertising than others ... hence the confusion, where some car-makers infer their dealers are "clunker specialists," as if they have more experience or training in dealing with this brand-new program, explained by a 136-page law. The truth is, it's new to everyone involved, and dealers are handling it as best they can.

The program is funded with only $1 billion and is slated to be in-effect for just four months. That's not a lot of time, and, especially, not a lot of money. I don't think there's much doubt the program will run out of money before it runs out of time. Again --- if your car or truck is eligible and you want to participate in the program, don't wait any longer than you must to get to a new car store and make a deal.

WILL CONGRESS RE-OPEN CLOSED CAR DEALERS?

Were dealers screwed by their own factories? Many in Congress apparently think so ... and they have a powerful lobbying presence in DC ...

The recent forced closing of thousands of new-car dealerships across America, most of them General Motors and Chrysler stores, has prompted strong protest from Washington. Congress claims that some 170,000 people will eventually be unemployed by the closings.

Apart from these huge numbers of people -- real people -- added to the unemployment rolls throughout the country, car dealers are often the largest single source of tax revenue for local, county and even state governments.

In California, for instance, which only today came up with a budget, some seven months late, to address a $27 billion deficit by taking money from local coffers, the loss of dealerships will be devastating for local governments.

Above, a typical modern dealership; below, the image in many minds of what will greet them during a trip to the local car store

In Santa Monica, CA, the closure of a single Infiniti store, certainly not the city's largest car dealer, reportedly had city employees talking quietly in City Hall corridors ... shocked and frightened by the possible repercussions for the beautiful by-the-sea city.

THIS WEEKEND'S RADIO SHOW LINE-UPS!

Join us LIVE Saturday and Sunday at 5pm Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com for our exclusive LIVE motoring and motorsports talk shows!

Steve Parker's The Car Nut Show
Saturday starting at 5pm Pacific

Some of the topics we'll cover ...

- Road test week! Steve gives quick reviews of many of the cars and trucks he's been testing these past few weeks including, from one extreme to the other, the 2009 Toyota Camry hybrid and the 2009 Dodge Dakota V8-equipped mid-size pickup

- Big shake-ups in GM's executive suites --- and at Porsche, too

- And YOUR opinions and offerings - Be sure to call-in and join the action at 213-341-4353
Seen at last Sunday's Venice Car Show by the beach in Southern California

Steve Parker's World Racing Roundup
Sunday starting at 5pm

- TV's "Jesse James" claims to have a Land Speed Record but many in the racing community beg to differ; we have the story from the award-winning journalist who first broke it

- Every major racing series is in action this weekend and we'll have the latest news and results

- Major announcement: Honda is getting into "grassroots" racing in a big way

- How are the teams, big and small worldwide, handling the recession?
- Be sure to call- in and join-in and let us know what you think!

The call-in number is: 213-341-4353. Podcasts of the shows are available one hour after the live shows' conclusions. That's this Saturday and Sunday at 5pm USA Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com!

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

 

VENICE, (CA) CAR SHOW --- CARS, BIKES AND CULTURE!

Summer is car show season, no doubt about it. From the 100-point classics of exclusive Concours d'Elegance to local shows raising money for the Kiwanis or YWCA, Americans love to trot-out their "babies" and have the fun of watching others enjoy the results of untold hours in the garage, uncounted late-night six-packs and often decades of learning automotive engineering through trial and error.

Last Sunday, the eclecticism of Venice, CA and the Kar Kulture around that area were combined for the annual Venice Car Show, and we were there, shooting photos and naturally have put-together a photo album for your enjoyment. Go to it by clicking anywhere on this line.

But it wasn't just cars on the runways ... custom bicycles and motorcycles are a huge part of the wheeled-beauties surrounding Southern California Beach Culture, and of course the people of Venice were there en masse' --- always a treat in itself!

Many visitors to Southern California often wonder why Chevrolets are clearly the favorite collectible car of Hispanics. The reason goes back to WWII, when many of So Cal's Hispanics got their first middle-class jobs --- in the car factories which then dotted the southern part of the Golden State.

Over the years, GM plants dominated, from Van Nuys in the south to Oakland in the north, and it was natural that cars from Chevy, GM's biggest division (then as now), became the car of choice for the families of many of those factory workers, and the tradition continues until now. The low rider culture is pure Hispanic culture, driving "low and slow" the preferred style.

Even though the factories where these workers were producing not cars but war matériel, beginning in 1942, at war's end, the jobs remained, and cars started rolling off the lines as fast as they could build them.

Today's low riders have all the bells and whistles of modern cars, with sophisticated hydraulic suspensions, huge sound systems (many car shows award a "loudest car" prize car among those exhibited), small wheels and tires and the owners are as strict about authenticity as those who own $1 million Bugattis.

But it ain't about Bugatti --- check the photo album and you'll get the idea --- it's all about Chevrolet.

A beautiful 73 degree day on the middle of July, with temps over 100 just 20 miles to the east, well over 100 cars, trucks, bikes and motorcycles and the nostalgic feel of Venice, the only part of the City of Los Angeles which actually touches the Pacific Ocean, added-up to a great day of vehicle- and people-watching. Once again, click on this line to go to the photo album of the 2009 Venice (CA) Car Show ... and enjoy!

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

OUR WEEKEND AUTOMOTIVE TALK SHOWS ...

This weekend's WebRadio shows, Saturday and Sunday live at 5pm Pacific time, on www.TalkRadioOne.com:

Saturday, July 18, 2009
THE CAR NUT SHOW
General-interest automotive talk and opinion

Top GM exec Bob Lutz has been UNretired and is back at General Motors as vice-chairman in charge of marketing, advertising, promotion and will have a heavy hand in styling and design. Does this make ANY sense at all? We'll go over what YOU think Lutz can do to save GM ... now that the company is out of bankruptcy and truly on its own. Meanwhile, GM is firing some 400 white collar executives. Fired-by-the-White-House GM ex-prez Rick Wagoner gets a $8.2 million severance package plus $74,000 a year with health and life insurance ... for life, down from an originally-proposed $20.2 million + package! Call-in LIVE and join us on-the-air at 213-0341-4353.
Fired-by-Obama GM ex-prez Wagoner, with 2010 Camaro concept, doesn't have to worry about HIS future

Sunday, July 19, 2009
WORLD RACING ROUNDUP
The name says it all ...

Plenty of racing action around the world this weekend, as Formula 1 greets new winners, the sport's Braun/Mercedes Grand Prix team is finally being challenged in the second half of the season and whether F1 will exist as we know it as soon as next year is still up in the air. NASCAR is battling empty seats, lower TV ratings and the big-time loss of Detroit and other major sponsor money; but 50-year old multi-race winner Mark Martin is the old-guy hero of the season. IndyCar remains a flawed parade/spec series with one of the same three or four winners every weekend, especially on oval courses. What's it all mean? Call-in LIVE and tell us what you think on-the-air at 213-341-4353.
When will a Penske or Ganassi car NOT win an IndyCar race this year? Shown is Helio Castroneves --- as if you didn't know ...

Free podcasts of our shows are posted on www.TalkRadioOne.com usually less than one hour after the live shows conclude.

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

YOU TELL BOB LUTZ - WHAT MUST GM DO NOW?

Bob Lutz approved the Dodge Viper while co-CEO, along with Robert Eaton, at Chrysler; does GM have a similar car which can capture the public's attention?

With the Core Four divisions of Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick and GMC, and with Bob Lutz back on-board, General Motors is now very much on its own.

They don't have the kind of partnership and help which Chrysler will be getting from Fiat and Washington is on-hand only to protect the public's huge investment in the company.

The new smaller, leaner GM corporation, with much less debt than before, now 60%-owned by the American people and newly-emerged from bankruptcy while cutting-back on white collar employees by the scores, begs the question: What now?
Bob Lutz as he most likes to be ... the center of attention

Industry newspaper Automotive News ran a multiple-choice poll in Wednesday's edition, asking readers: How can Bob Lutz best help GM improve its marketing?

The answers supplied included these four:

- He should mimic Lee Iacocca and pitch GM cars in ads (16% answered yes to this choice as of 6pm Eastern time Wednesday);

- He should make sure that GM's marketing of its vehicles is consistent with their design (40%);

- He should be the public face of GM at auto shows (5%);

- He should carry out his new role in the background and yield the spotlight to younger executives (39%).

Lutz is no stranger to automotive marketing. In his many years in the industry, during executive stints at Ford, BMW, Chrysler and GM, he's often had a hand in marketing, promotion, advertising and sales.

He was there and had a voice when Ford's Explorer SUV and Merkur imports were first suggested, when the successful Chrysler "cab-forward" LH cars, Dodge Viper and Plymouth Prowler were put in-production and at GM he brought the "new" Pontiac GTO and Pontiac G8 from Australia to the US market, for better or worse, along with the Buick Lacrosse crossover and the sporty Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice coupes and Chevy Malibu sedan.
1993 Plymouth Prowler concept

While at BMW, where he worked on the original 3-Series, he dealt with the ad agency which developed the fabulous slogan, "The ultimate driving machine," a winner which Bimmer uses worldwide to this day.

WHAT!?!? BOB LUTZ BACK IN THE SADDLE AT GM!

Bob Lutz was vice-chairman at Chrysler when the PT Cruiser was ok'd for production ... but don't hate him for it; maybe it's just the type of vehicle GM needs

General Motors has come out of bankruptcy after a somewhat-biblical 40 days and nights of massive reorganization, as a new, smaller company more than 60% owned by the US government (that's US, as in "us").

Yet GM is stubbornly holding onto Buick and GMC, when the other two of the General's remaining "Core Four," Chevrolet and Cadillac, are all they really need and all that make sense.

It appears, though, that the vestiges of cars and trucks past aren't the only things GM is clinging to: Bob Lutz, 77, has "unretired" and will continue as GM's vice-chairman.

He will head the company's marketing, advertising and communications and have significant input on product design. In February, Lutz had said he would retire by year-end after eight years as GM's product development chief.

In an interview heard on All Things Considered on NPR Friday, Lutz told host Robert Siegel that, "We took our eyes off the ball in the '70s, '80s and early '90s," when it came to product quality.
GM Vice-Chairman Bob Lutz

Siegel naturally asked Lutz how the company might overcome more than 20 years of admittedly poor product and with a reputation and market share dropping almost by the minute, and all Lutz could offer was, "Well, none of us were here when that happened."

During the interview, he also managed to work in the usual litany of thinly-veiled anti-union rhetoric; "legacy costs" and the like.

The always-quotable and sometimes-acerbic Swiss-born Lutz, a favorite of reporters, has also been at Ford, BMW and Chrysler --- where he served as one of the top two executives along with Bob Eaton --- is an ex-Marine fighter pilot who collects cars ... and fighter jets.

THIS WEEKEND'S AUTOMOTIVE TALK SHOWS

Join us LIVE Saturday and Sunday at 5pm Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com for our exclusive LIVE motoring and motorsports talk shows!

Steve Parker's The Car Nut Show
Saturday starting at 5pm Pacific

The dreaded Clunker Law! If you're an enthusiast, what does it mean to you? Peter MacGillivray, vice president of SEMA, the world's largest auto aftermarket trade group, joins Steve and explains what the law means and how SEMA fine-tuned it in the halls of Congress to make the law fit the world of the car collector! And he'll take your calls, too. Plus, GM exits bankruptcy, if your GM and Chrysler warranties will be in effect when you need them, and a look at one of the many cars Steve's driven recently. Be sure to call-in and join the action!

Steve Parker's World Racing Roundup
Sunday starting at 5pm

The economy is hitting racing worldwide, and hitting it hard. Jim Peltz, motorsports writer for the LOS ANGELES TIMES, joins Steve live and on-the-air to go over the crucial happenings - and cutbacks -- in IndyCar, NASCAR, Formula 1 and other major series. NASCAR's Jeremy Mayfield, suspended indefinitely for an alleged drug test violation, beat NASCAR in court but they still won't let him race --- what's up with that? Plus all the results from this weekend's world of racing. Be sure to call- in and let us know what you think!

The call-in number is: 213-341-4353. Podcasts of the shows are available one hour after the live shows' conclusions. That's this Saturday and Sunday at 5pm USA Pacific time on www.TalkRadioOne.com!

Follow Steve Parker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/autojourno

BREAKING! HITLER PRAISED BY F1 CHIEF!

Brawn-Mercedes, a team which didn't exist a year ago, is currently dominating the F1 series

"In a lot of ways, terrible to say this I suppose, but apart from the fact that Hitler got taken away and persuaded to do things that I have no idea whether he wanted to do or not, he was in the way that he could command a lot of people, able to get things done. In the end he got lost, so he wasn't a very good dictator.""

Who said this last week? Some White Power or KKK leader? A Kremlin apparatchik? Mel Gibson?

All wrong --- It was none other than Bernie Ecclestone, commercial rights-holder to the Formula 1 series, the world's most-watched and most-expensive motor racing series; he's essentially the boss of Formula 1. Throughout Europe, he's known simply as "El Supremo" and is one of the top ten wealthiest people in the UK.

The scandal might have passed quickly, but this isn't the first time Ecclestone (and his minion, Max Mosley) have have been seen as cheerleaders of a sort for the Third Reich.
Bernie Ecclestone (l) confers with his sidekick, Max Mosley

As a result of Ecclestone's comments, the governor of Germany's Baden-Wuerttemberg state, Guenther Oettinger, canceled a planned meeting concerning the German Grand Prix.

Other indications of Ecclestone's brain activity were his comments about women, to paraphrase, after being asked if a woman could become a F1 driver, that they "should dress in all white and stay in the kitchen like the other appliances."

Also, when asked about the racist banners, taunts and threats aimed at the current F1 champion, Lewis Hamilton, the first black driver in F1 history, rather than condemn them, Ecclestone dismissed it as, again to paraphrase, fans "just expressing their opinion."
Current F1 champion Lewis Hamilton

WARRANTIES --- AVOID THE RIP-OFFS!

Hope you all had a wonderful and safe holiday! Please excuse my recent absence, but starting today we're getting back to business.

Now, let's try and save everyone some money and hassle when it comes to auto warranties.

First of all, in spite of the sometimes-confusing terminology you might hear when someone's trying to sell you a warranty, keep this in mind: "warranty" in this case is just a fancy word for "insurance policy." When it comes down to it, that's all a new- or used-car warranty is --- an insurance policy for car repairs. You pay the premium, usually in one lump sum after you buy the car; when it needs repair, the company backing the policy pays for them, depending on what's covered in the policy.

And they are very profitable for dealers, which explains the "hard sell" which usually surrounds them.

Normally, in a blog post like this, we'd talk mostly about the potential dangers of "third-party" warranties, those backed by companies not affiliated with the car-maker. There have been instances (one I remember happened with the #2 Japanese car-maker some 20-or-more years ago) when the third-party company backing the warranty goes out of business, leaving the warranty holders high and dry. It's very rare, but it's happened.

But buyers never thought they'd have to worry about a warranty purchased at a dealership from the car-maker. Today, though, both Chrysler and General Motors are putting out confusing messages about their own factory-backed warranties. That has a lot of people worried, and rightly so.

Both companies are making noises about refusing to honor warranties on older cars and trucks, claiming those sales have become part of their "old" selves, "bad Chrysler" and "bad GM," the parts of the companies which are now being closed or sold-off as part of their respective bankruptcy and reorganization plans.

We came across the following information from the Service Contract Industry Council (www.go-scic.com), which describes itself as "a national trade association whose member companies collectively offer approximately 80 percent of the service contracts sold in the U.S. for home, auto, and consumer goods."