FACTORY PERFORMANCE EDITIONS, SEMA AND THE AFTERMARKET, TUNERS, DRIFTING AND MORE!

PUTS BEST FRIEND INTO COMA IN ILLEGAL STREET RACE, HULK HOGAN'S KID GETS JUST EIGHT MONTHS

Yes, the American "justice system" just keeps truckin' along. How much justice do you want? How much can you afford? Apparently, Hulk Hogan was able to afford quite a bit of justice, at least for his 17-year old kid. And who can blame him? Hogan did what most fathers would do ... If they had the $$$ to spread around to make justice happen for their son.

Last August, Nick Bollea, wrestling star Hulk Hogan's son, crashed his father's modified yellow Toyota Supra into a palm tree while street racing. This past week, in Clearwater, Florida, a judge sentenced Nick (Hogan) Bollea to eight months in jail for reckless driving, five years of probation after jail and his driver's license was suspended until he turns 21 (about three years from now, and just in-time for him to drink AND drive on his birthday night). Not only that, Bollea had the balls to plead NOT GUILTY in open court. Like father, like son (when properly greased with the clear). (Photos, above and below --- The 1998 Toyota Supra driven by 17-year old Nick Hogan/Bollea at over 100 miles per hour, according to police. He lost control and hit a tree).

Not only did he total the car, but Bollea's best-friend, US Marine veteran John Graziano, riding shotgun with Bollea that night, now requires lifetime medical care for critical injuries received in the wreck; Graziano entered the hospital that night in a coma which doctors now say he will probably never recover from. Bollea was discharged the same night of the crash after being examined at a hospital.

The two families have sadly been fighting, and publicly so, since the crash. Graziano's shaken father spoke on his son's behalf at Bollea's sentencing, telling the court, "What Al Queda could not do to my son in Iraq, Nick Bollea did to him in Florida".

We've had more than we can stomach of Bollea ... There is simply no excuse which could possibly  explain-away what happened in August, 2007. Those who have seen the "reality TV show" featuring the violent, loud, obnoxious and clearly juiced-up white trash Hogan/Bollea family must stand in wonderment at this judge's ruling ... Especially given that Bollea had been cited for speeding in Florida at least six previous times before this crash (including several tickets for going over 100 miles per hour on city streets; where we live, in the local traffic court, if guilt is found based on a citation for going 100 miles per hour or over, the judge has the bailiff take the defendant's license then and there).

Exactly what kind of legal sideshow are they running in Florida? Are the only people treated to a "taste of the law" in that state the white trash and other ne'er-do-well-types featured on COPS and other TV shows? (Photo --- Bollea/Hogan under arrest after the crash which put his best friend into a coma).

Bollea's criminal (in our minds) negligence, stupidity and lack of driving skills are all painfully obvious. In other postings on this site, you'll find video of Bollea's mother acting in a somewhat bizarre fashion, laughing hysterically and waving as Bollea performs a long, drawn-out burn-out in one of his Vipers in front of the paparazzi-heavy The Ivy restaurant on Robertson Boulevard in West Hollywood, CA. "That's my boy!" And watching Hulk Hogan in court this past week, telling the judge how, "We've tried to keep all the focus on John (Bollea's now-comatose friend) throughout all of this," and Bollea himself, in one of his less-convincing performances, talking about how, "I pray for John every day, every chance I get ..." was all too much to bear. The kid screwed-up and Hogan paid the freight and the family clearly got their money's worth; someone should definitely check into who this judge is ... This is justice for the Graziano family?

Believe it or not, we have sympathy for Bollea. He is just a kid, he has no understanding or wisdom about the real world; growing up surrounded by freaks for parents, syncophants for friends and enough money, and all it buys, to never need to work an honest day in his life, we lay much, if not most, of this at the feet of his parents. Can anyone honestly say that this tragedy, based on what we know about the Hogan/Bollea family, comes as any surprise?

Click below for more of the latest on this judicial travesty in Florida concerning Bollea/Hogan.

2009 CORVETTE ZR1: 638-HP, 205-MPH! YOWZAH!

"The 2009 Corvette ZR1 produces 638 horsepower." This is one of those stories which tear our automotive conscience and loyalties every which way but loose, to paraphrase the title of a really bad Clint Eastwood movie featuring him and a chimpanzee sharing cross-country driving duties in a big-rig truck. As we all know, all work and no play make Jack and Jill a boring couple. We don't have to preach to you, don't have to tell you about the price of gas, about the embarrassing lack of fuel-efficient cars and trucks made in America or how none of the Detroit Three seems really, truly committed, as yet, to providing high-mileage, low-emissions cars and trucks. And when Audi and BMW, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz (see a "national" pattern here?) among others, begins selling new-generation turbo-diesel cars and trucks later this year in the US, Detroit will have even more egg on their face. Both Audi and Peugeot have been dominating world sports car endurance racing with 5-Liter, V12 turbo-diesel powerplants in their race cars. The Euro-diesels coming to a showroom near you this fall are fast, quiet, clean and smooth along with having the traditional diesel qualities of high-mileage and engines which, with regular maintenance, start to get "broken-in" at about 500,000 miles. And did we mention enough torque to pull not just a house trailer, but an entire house? (Artwork of ZR1 engine "ghost view" by David Kimble, the world's best).

The bright spot? Chevrolet sells about 35,000 Corvettes a year, almost an inconsequential number in the American market, which will see about 15,000,000 new cars and trucks sold in 2008. Of those 35,000 'Vettes, about 10%, or 3,500, will be Z06 models. And there will be even fewer of the all-new ZR1 models produced and sold. Just as a reminder, the Z06 is available as a coupe-only and comes with a 505-hp 7.0-liter V8 and mandatory 6-speed manual transmission. It also has specific suspension tuning, tires, and brakes. The 2008 "427 Limited Edition," which is a Z06 with some extra safety and convenience fetaures, is priced at almost $84,000. This means the 2009 ZR1 will base-price for near or over $100,000.

So, all things considered, the ZR1 will be loud, frighteningly fast, have slot-car-like handling, get lousy mileage, produce more emissions than they have a right to make and Chevrolet will probably have to sell 100 Aveos to each ZR1 to keep Chevy legal when it comes to the division's CAFE corporate average fuel requirements) standards. But you know what? With fewer than 3,000 of them planned to be sold, we say: Go for it! At least some people are having some fun out there!

Here's how Chevy described all the excitement, with an occasional note from us here at SteveParker.com: When it was introduced at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1’s power was estimated at 100 horsepower for each of its 6.2 liters of displacement. GM Powertrain has completed SAE certification of the ZR1’s supercharged LS9 V-8 and the results exceed the estimate: 638 horsepower (476 kW) and 604 lb.-ft. of torque (819 Nm).

The LS9’s output is nearly 103 horses per liter, or just about 1.7 horses for each of the engine’s 376 cubic inches. It is unquestionably the most powerful automotive production engine ever manufactured by General Motors and enables the Corvette ZR1 to achieve a top speed of more than 200 mph (322 km/h). In fact, on a GM employee website, Chevy engineers reported the ZR1 achieved almost 205-mph at a company test track in Germany.

The Corvette ZR1 goes on sale this summer. Its 638-hp supercharged engine is complemented in the chassis by heavy-duty components not offered in any other model, including a six-speed manual transmission with race-hardened gears and dual-disc clutch technology that delivers exceptional clamping power and lower inertia, as well as strengthened axle components.

Fuel economy testing has not been completed, but engineers are confident the ZR1 will be the most fuel-efficient 600-plus-horsepower car on the market (and how many of those are there "on the market" anyway?).

The LS9 engine is hand-built by specially trained technicians at GM’s Performance Build Center in Wixom, Mich. It is a unique, small-volume engine production facility that also builds the Chevrolet Corvette Z06’s LS7 engine and other high-performance GM production engines.

The key enabler of the LS9’s performance is the industry’s first production application of a new, positive- displacement Roots-type supercharger that has a unique four-lobe rotor design. Its design promotes quieter and more efficient performance, while the large, 2.3-liter displacement ensures adequate air volume at high rpm. Maximum boost pressure is 10.5 psi (0.72 bar). It is teamed with an integrated charge cooling system that reduces inlet air temperature for maximum performance.

A raised hood provides adequate clearance for the LS9, while a polycarbonate window in the hood provides a view of the engine beneath it.

Click below to read more details about the 638-hp, 604-lb. ft. of torque, 205-mph 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1!

910R, BRUTALE, C2 1587 BRUTALE, CITROEN, MV AGUSTA

In our "Everything Motorcycle" section, we wrote a few weeks ago about a new offering from MV Agusta, their Brutale 910 ... Now Citroen and Agusta have decided to embark on some pretty cool "cooperation". Everyone knows about the rugged and good-looking Ford F-series and Harley-Davidson "special editions" ... It was a smart match for America, a marriage made in marketing heaven. It appears that even with full-size pickup sales sliding because of the economy (including everything wrong with it right now, from the housing downturn to the price of gas), Ford and Harley are both intent on keeping their association together. By the way, if anyone can remember another marketing plan which matched a pickup (or any other vehicle, car or truck) with a motorcycle, please let us know! This "Harley/Ford" hook-up is just the sort of thing which smart car-makers and motorcycle-making outfits can do which can help perhaps, if only just a bit, prove to bring an increase in sales of either a car, truck and/or bike ... And that's good for everyone involved, from the people on the assembly lines making the four- and two-wheel vehicles to the folks in the showroom trying to make a living selling dreams at a time when it's become a pretty expensive proposition. Here's the latest from Europe (with all those fun little phrases and misspellings which, well, I enjoy .... and maybe you do, too):

MV AGUSTA AND CITROËN ITALIA PRESENT THE NEW C2 1587 BRUTALE

At the 6th edition of the My Special Car fair in Rimini (Italy), MV Agusta and Citroën Italia will present the  new C2 1587 Brutale, a show car destined to attract the attention of the qualified public at one of the most important Tuning Trade Fairs, where nothing is standard.

What made this synergy possible is the attention to detail that both brands reserve for their products, a guarantee of quality and reliability.

The car gets its name from the best selling naked bike produced by MV Agusta and inherits the sporty Pearl White/Black colour scheme.

The colour scheme of the concept car has been carefully studied directly by the MV Agusta Style Centre and replicates that of the Brutale 1078RR, possibly the highest performing naked on the market.

The interior underlines the sporty character of the show car; perforated alcantara seats, black leather detail trim with red stitching, Brutale logo on the seats and steering wheel in black alcantara with red stitching. The dashboard and foot plate are carbon fibre effect and complete the aggressive racing-style interior of the C2 1587 BRUTALE.

The C2 1587 BRUTALE is based on the top of the range C2, the VTS, featuring a 1.6 16 valve engine with 125 hp. The racing character is underlined by the Supersprint twin exhaust that gives this sporty car a racing sound that blends-in with its aggressive character.

Citroen
Paris, France

KURT BUSCH COPS DODGE VIPER #25,000

Kurt Busch got a pretty cool gift this week --- The 25,000th Dodge Viper. He got it right off the assembly line, with the company chief handing him the keys.

When you drive as many different cars and trucks as we do in order to be able to speak and write reasonably authoritatively and accurately about them all, readers and viewers might think that it gets to be a rather blasé' occurrence, driving all these vehicles and changing into another one every week or so. But, if you're doing your job right, in fact, doing any job right, it never gets old, never gets unexciting and/or uninteresting and one never becomes jaded or blasé'.  And if you do, no matter the job, it's time to find a new profession. (Photo - Bob Nardelli (literally, "the suit") hands the keys to Kurt Busch; and is it me, or does Nardelli looks like one of the sleaziest used car salesmen you've ever seen? Let us know! Remember to click on the photos to see them in a much larger format).

Over the years of getting into and out of so many cars and trucks (a minimum of about 50 annually ... Now multiply that by 35 ... And it's no wonder my back is bad!), you develop, in addition to all the objective testing criteria which must be understood and translated into understandable English, one also develops some other methods of judging a vehicle. And one of the most-important of these subjective areas of vehicle testing is: Other people's reactions. And without a doubt, with absolutely no question any part of the equation, the very first Dodge Viper I ever drove was, and remains, the single most-admired car I've ever driven on public roads (some of  the cars I've driven on race tracks would have brought even more attention, but often they weren't street-legal). Judging by the number of horn honks, thumbs-up, waves, "ok" signs, smiles, shouts and more, from every kind of person of every age, was overwhelming. Dodge, it was obvious, had hit on something remarkable. Even if it was terribly uncomfortable to drive!

I even remember the day ... it must have been in the summer of 1992 (thanks to the PR release below for helping me remember), and I was headed south on the 405 (San Diego) Freeway, top down, driving from Santa Monica to somewhere in Orange County in the late afternoon. It was what some people call "a moment in time" and today, some 26 years later, I remember it as clearly and completely as if it were still happening.

But Viper's end is soon to come, so when we got the following PR release this week, we decided to run with it, because Dodge still builds the beast, faster and definitely better in almost every way than that car I drove in '92, which, while they said it was a production car, felt barely more comfortable (and legal) than some of the worst prototypes I've driven, before and since. So here, with a few of our own observations, the latest on the Viper.

2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 - 25000 Vipers Loose on the Streets

Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, was awarded the 25,000th Dodge Viper to roll off the line. Viper has been produced at Chrysler's Conner Avenue Assembly Plant, hand-built by Dodge craftpersons since 1992. Busch's all-new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 is powered by an 8.4-liter V-10 engine producing a ground-shaking 600-hp and 560 lb.-ft. of torque. (Photo - The 25,000th Dodge Viper comes off the line at Chrysler's Conner Avenue plant).

Yessir, THAT'S what we need more of in America! No doubt about it! Chrysler is also busy throwing their gas-guzzling V8 Hemi engine into as many products as possible, because "Hemi equals money" in the world of Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep. And with the company having just raised customer incentives to a record-setting $3,579 per vehicle (some races need to be lost), when you're giving away that much money, on average, every time the company actually manages to sell a car or truck, it's crucial to use every trick possible (and still legal) to raise the sticker price.

VW'S 7-SPEED DSG/DCT MEANS HIGHER MILEAGE, BETTER CONTROL

Five years ago, Volkswagen began manufacture of the first mass-production Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) in the world: the 6-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG). The names of the units are interchangeable. Since then, over one million 6-speed DSGs have been sold. VW now has developed another all-new transmission, the world’s first 7-speed DSG to be produced in high-volume. For many drivers, VW says this could signify the final turn away from conventional transmissions, because this new DSG can do everything better than a manual gearbox, being more fuel efficient, sporty and comfortable.

The most prominent component of the DSG is its dual clutch. In comparison to the 6-speed DSG, there is no "wet" clutch in the new transmission –  a clutch immersed in an oil bath – rather, there is a "dry" clutch, another world first for DSG technology. This and other engineering modifications led to significant improvements to the DSG’s efficiency. The result: Further reduced fuel consumption and emissions values, even greater convenience and driving fun.

Of all the world's car-makers, Volkswagen seems most interested in getting this technology out to the drivers of the world. This automatic transmission system offers benefits including small improvements in gas mileage and emissions, through an end to the wasteful "idle" during gear changes in automatics. It also makes for better handling because the drive wheels are always directly connected to the power being transmitted by the engine on both up and down shifts.

2008 HONDA CIVIC MUGEN TYPE RR MAKES 260-HP AT "TOKYO AUTO SALON"

The "Tokyo Auto Salon" is not a place where people can get a drive-in hairdo, but, held annually, is sort of Japan's version of the SEMA Show, held each November in Las Vegas, albeit about 10%, if even that, of SEMA's size. It focuses on the automotive aftermarket in Japan and elsewhere, and has become a pretty reliable predictor of what might be shown, in some small part, at the next SEMA Show, or pop-up in enthusiast magazines worldwide. This "Civic Mugen Type RR", made by Mugen, a Japan-based high-performance and appearance specialist, is fairly typical of Mugen's work, if any car which looks and goes like this one can be called "typical". Tuners worldwide look to both the Tokyo Auto Salon and Mugen for what "the next big thing" in tuner cars just might be.

This Type RR from Mugen  features carbon fibre replacement pieces on many of the body panels, if not all of them (specific information on this car, especially in English, was very sketchy, even on the Web) and 260 horsepower and 173 lb.-ft. of torque. Getting all that out of a 2.0 liter Inline-4 is no easy trick.

ILLEGAL STREET RACING CONTINUES THROUGHOUT SO CAL; TWO DEAD IN PROBABLE STREET RACE IN HOLLYWOOD

The scourge of illegal street racing continues unabated throughout our nation, and especially in  Southern California. The birthplace of the "hot rod" industry and professional drag racing also holds the unwanted yet deserved reputation of being the nation's "hot spot" when it comes to illegal street racing. The growth and proliferation of the "tuner car" industry, with its base in Southern California, has a lot to do with the high number of illegal street races in So Cal. And organizations which promote legal racing, such as the NHRA and its tuner car equivalent, NOPI, and those which represent the companies which make and sell performance parts, such as SEMA, could very well be doing a lot more to help stamp-out illegal street racing. The stories in this section about Big Willie Robinson and his efforts to create legal and controlled dragstrips all over the country to get the racers off the streets, detail some of the things which much larger organizations could do to help solve this problem, yet no major corporation or sanctioning body has come-out publicly to support Big Willie. We should point-out, though, that "Brotherhood Raceway", which Big Willie ran for several years in the harbor area of Los Angeles, with great results and quantifiable drops in illegal street racing and even gang activity, was supported by and received sanctioning from the NHRA. (Photo Above --- The 17-year-old son of famous "professional wrestler" Hulk Hogan, Nick Bollea, drove his race-prepped Toyota Supra into a palm tree during what police said was an "illegal street race" on August 26, 2007. His passenger and best friend, John Graziano, has been in a coma since the wreck and shown few signs of recovering meaningful brain activity; Graziano is a US Marine who had seen combat in Iraq a few months before he got into the car with Bollea. Bollea campaigned this same car in "NOPI Drift" competitions).

A company can not create, manufacture, market, advertise and sell performance parts without  taking any responsibility for their part in tacitly approving, promoting and even encouraging illegal street racing. When a 16-year-old kid pulls into a mini-mall parking lot in a tricked-out Honda Civic, then buys a nitrous oxide injection kit from the local "speed shop", exactly what does the system's manufacturer think they are buying it for? And slapping a sticker on the product's packaging which says something to the effect that, "This product is not legal for use on public highways" or "Modification of your vehicle to install this or other products may result in the cancellation of your vehicle's manufacturer warranty" not only do nothing to stop the purchase and installation of the product; in fact, it might even make the kid feel more like an adult, or more of a "lawbreaker", seeing himself or herself as a rebel, not bound by normal societal constraints. (Photo Below --- Nick Bollea, 17-year-old son of "professional wrestler" Hulk Hogan, was arrested on several counts, some felony, after driving his Toyota Supra, which he competed with in the "NOPI Drift" series and other racing events, into a tree, destroying the car and putting his passenger and best friend into a coma from which he has shown little recovery; the wreck happened in August, 2007 in Clearwater, Florida. Police said Bollea had been racing a Dodge Viper on the public streets when he lost all control of his car).

And any company or group which claims that slapping those labels on their products is doing all they need to do to meet their legal requirements, well, that may be technically and specifically true, but they should also ask themselves how much a human life is worth, how many sales of nitrous kits can make-up for the loss of a life? They don't have to look too far for that information --- Ford Motor Company set that particular precedent decades ago by their development of a gruesome formula for determining the value of a human life after their "Pinto" came under attack for being a gasoline fire waiting to happen, due to the poor placement of and lack of protection around Pinto gas tanks.

Even with several high-profile deaths due to illegal street racing, including the near-death of the passenger in the Toyota Supra owned and driven by the son of professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, has this practice, this real-life "blood sport", been slowed to any measurable extent. Hogan's kid, Nick Bollea, was street racing last August in his Toyota Supra against a Dodge Viper, when Bollea crashed, demolishing the Supra, and leaving his passenger, his best friend, John Graziano, a US Marine who had seen action in Iraq a year before, in a coma from which he has shown few signs of recovery, apart from possibly opening his eyes on command. The charges being leveled against the 17-year-old Bollea include reckless driving, having illegal window tinting, being under the age of 21 and operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol level of .02 percent and finally, using a motor vehicle in commission of a felony. Writing tickets, arresting racers and spectators, impounding and even destroying their cars ... None of these lame law enforcement efforts has kept racers and their supporters off the public roads, roads which, by the way, we all pay for and should be able to share, safely, with others. (Photo Below --- Emergency workers had to extricate John Graziano, the best friend of Nick Bollea, 17-year-old son of "professional wrestler" Hulk Hogan, after Bollea lost control and drove his Toyota Supra into a tree in the center median of a Clearwater, Florida highway. The August 26, 2007 accident occurred about 7:30pm, and police said indications were that the Supra was traveling "at least 100 miles per hour". US Magazine reported that "Barrett Lawrance — a passenger in the silver Dodge Viper that was racing Nick in a Toyota Supra that day — confirmed they were driving at the high speeds and that "this is how [Nick and pals] always drive," according to the 130-page document released by the Clearwater Police Department in Florida).

The following story is only the latest in a long line of all-too-similar reports from around the nation, this one from Hollywood, California:

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- An innocent motorist was killed in a fiery collision possibly involving a street race between two BMWs at Sunset Boulevard and Highland Avenue early Saturday (December 29, 2007), and at least one other person was seriously burned, authorities said. "We do have a confirmed fatality," said Los Angeles police Lt. Michael Donatoni of the Hollywood Station.

Officials said the four-car collision, which occurred about 4:25 a.m., may have happened when a 24-year-old man -- possibly drunk -- lost control of his vehicle during a street race and smashed into a car driven by an innocent person, killing that driver.

At least one other person was seriously burned, and police said they are looking for the driver of the other vehicle, who could face murder charges. At least one vehicle caught fire, and a person with burns was thrown or pulled from a vehicle, said Cecil Manresa of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

A third vehicle was also struck by debris. And a fourth car, believed to have been racing the first one, drove away from the intersection, a corner in front of Hollywood High School where people congregate at a pair of all-night fast-food restaurants. Three people were taken to hospitals, including the burn victim, Manresa said. "The person had burns, possibly 50 percent of the body," he said. (Photo Below --- Video still captured from TV coverage of the Hollywood, CA, wreck which at last report killed two people. The accident and deaths were attributed by police on-scene to a combination of drunk-driving and illegal street racing).

Witnesses at the crime scene trembled when recanting details of the collision. "I pulled the burning… the one guy on fire from the passenger's side out from the car," an onlooker said. "I pulled him out, saved him, but I couldn’t get to the driver." Another witness said, "They lost control, and it happened so fast, the flames just started going -- it's crazy, you know."

A male in his 20s suffered neck and back injuries, and a female in her 20s suffered scrapes from an airbag that deployed in the crash, Manresa said. (End of story from www.knbc.com; KNBC/TV4 Los Angeles) After this story was posted, it was announced that a second person, originally listed as "seriously burned", had also died later that same day in a hospital.

What a horrible "holiday" season this must now be for everyone involved in that crash, and all their families and friends. How could this season ever be anything but tortuous for them? And for the families and friends, too, of US Marine John Graziano, another tragic victim of illegal street racing, specifically, the victim of Nick "My Dad's Hulk Hogan!" Bollea, a 17-year-old kid driving an over-powered (for his driving abilities, obviously) and race-prepped Toyota Supra; Graziano, Nick's purported "best friend", was the only passenger in the car when Bollea drove it into a palm tree at speeds police estimated at "over 100 miles an hour". Graziano has been in a coma and not regained consciousness since the crash; doctors do not hold out much hope for his recovery. We also know now that Bollea's mother is seen on a videotape, standing outside the trendy and expensive IVY restaurant on Robertson Boulevard in Los Angeles, cheering and laughing as her son pulls away from the curb in front of the restaurant, trailing bits of rubber and smoke as he ruins another set of expensive tires. Some mom, huh? She must be so proud of her little boy (and of herself, now that the video of her cheering-on her kid has hit the web). (Photo Below --- Nick Bollea's mother, Linda Hogan).

Some years ago we heard of a study done by the California Highway Patrol, or the Auto Club or some  other well-trusted, "safety-oriented" association which announced a statistic we first found difficult to believe ... But over the years, always having this particular stat "filed away" in the back of my mind, our own personal experience has borne-out its sad truth: The study's results showed that after drivers witness the remains of a terrible accident on the side of the road, or even blocking traffic lanes, and after waiting for many, many minutes in the bumper-to-bumper traffic so often caused by these wrecks, perhaps seeing injured people being treated or moved to ambulances or life-flight choppers, and maybe even seeing a dead body by the side of the road ... After drivers going through all of that, being effected mentally and physically, seeing terribly injured people and even perhaps dead bodies, drivers revert to their poor driving habits in just FOUR seconds. In FOUR seconds after seeing a horrendous wreck, we start driving unsafely again only FOUR seconds later. Hard to believe, isn't it? Keep the results of that study in mind, and see if they apply the next time you are one of the lucky ones --- Lucky enough to drive past that wreck, and not actually be involved in it.

HULK HOGAN'S IDIOT SON BREATHES EASIER; HIS ONCE BEST FRIEND, WHO HOGAN NEARLY KILLED WITH HIS STUPID DRIVING, OPENS HIS EYES AFTER FOUR MONTHS

John Graziano, the young Marine who was critically injured in an Aug. 26 car crash involving Hulk  Hogan's son Nick, who was driving his Toyota Supra, has shown small signs of improvement, his mother told a Tampa TV station. Graziano, 22, is now semiconscious and has opened his eyes, his mother Debra tells Tampa Bay's 10 News. But he still cannot breathe without a machine and has not spoken since the accident.

He also leaned away from his mother when she tried to touch his face recently, she said. Graziano had just returned from Iraq when he was injured. He was a passenger in Nick Bollea's car when it careened off the road and struck a tree in Clearwater, Fla.

Citing court documents, the St. Petersburg Times reported in October that the most Graziano could hope for was to open and shut his eyes periodically. Bollea, 17, faces criminal charges including reckless driving in the case. (Photos --- From top, Marine John Graziano in his dress uniform with his mom, Graziano at home before the crash almost 5 months ago, and which left him near death, and, finally, Nick Bollea exactly where he should be, jail).

NOPI MAKES NO FRIENDS DEFENDING NICK "HOGAN" BOLLEA

"Timing is everything". Johnny Carson was host of NBC TV's "THE TONIGHT SHOW" for some 30 years and is a TV legend, certainly the best at the unique skills the show called for in the history of the medium, and he may very well remain #1 in the category. Carson was an auto racing fan, and even took some laps at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the famous "turbine car", which Parnelli Jones drove to a sixth-place finish after leading the event for 171 of the race's 200 laps, a near-victory but for a $5 broken engine bearing, at the Indy 500 in 1967. Carson, in a friendly PR stunt for Granatelli and STP, and a highly-qualified airplane pilot, hit near-140 miles per hour in only the three or four laps he took on an empty track. But Carson did his driving on a race track, not on the street. A story out of Florida which is making big news in the car world this week, and will continue to do so, involves the son of mega-millionaire wrestling entertainer Hulk Hogan, Nick Hogan (aka Nick Bollea) and a crash which was apparently Hogan's own fault, and which landed his close 22-year old Marine friend in a hospital with "critical injuries". Nick Hogan, meanwhile, was released from the same hospital after the crash with "minor" injuries.

We also mention Johnny Carson because, according to stories I have read, there was a cushion on a couch in Carson's Malibu home which had a phrase needle-pointed on it, reading: "Timing is Everything".
(Photo above -- From left, Mario Andretti, Johnny Carson, Rodger Ward and "Whooshmobile" STP-sponsored turbine car driver Parnelli Jones at the Indy Motor Speedway in May, 1967).

Friends say it was the most important lesson Carson could ever teach anyone about comedy, about life itself. And recently, NOPI, an auto parts-making company and a promoter and sanctioning body for various "tuner car" racing events such as drifting (there is a national series called "NOPIDrift"), exhibited some of the poorest timing we've ever seen in the motoring industry. One of their more popular drivers, Nick Hogan (photo), was involved recently in a terrible on-highway crash, almost definitely his own fault, a crash which critically injured this young man's close friend.

Again, a horrific wreck demonstrated to the general public that some wealthy teenagers with too much money are out of control and are engaging in "street racing" which endangers us all. Unfortunately, the truth of that statement is not too far from reality.

And what this group, NOPI (which stands for "Number One Parts, Inc."), did in trying to "get out in front" of the bad publicity which was about to hit Hogan, NOPI and their sport hard, is really unforgivable and shows a terribly naive and unprofessional side of this organization to the general public.

The day after the crash, NOPI sent out a press release to members of the motoring media worldwide which admitted that Hogan "was driving his yellow Toyota Supra when he lost control of the vehicle, causing it to jump a median and hit a palm tree. Both driver and passenger sustained serious injuries and had to be taken by helicopter to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, Florida."

We've seen, unfortunately, too many press releases detailing injuries and deaths of race car drivers, and they are always necessary tools the media can use during those terrible circumstances. But we had never seen a release quite like this one from NOPI, because it included no less than SIX photos of Hogan, his car, and him driving his car in drifting competitions with his sponsors' names showing. We thought about sending the NOPI people an e-mail questioning their use of Hogan's image, and of his car, well before any of the facts about the case had really been developed by investigators. It appeared to be a case of a corporate entity trying to somehow control the news, trying to get their "feel-good" message out ahead of the reality of the situation. Boy, were they wrong.

The release had a link to a website which promised "the most up-to-date news on this story", so we clicked on it ... And it led us to CNN's Entertainment website with a story dated August 27th (we visited the site on September 6th). The headline on the story was "Hospital Discharges Hulk Hogan's Son After Wreck" and the body of the piece went on to say, in part: "The teenage son of wrestling icon Hulk Hogan was discharged Monday from a Florida hospital after he slammed his Toyota Supra into a palm tree in a wreck local police called 'spectacular' (photo). Nick Bollea, 17, was driving at a "high rate of speed" when he wrecked Sunday evening, police say. A representative answering the patient information line at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, Florida, said Nick Bollea, 17 (photo inset, right), had been discharged. Bollea is the son of Hogan, whose real name is Terrence Bollea. Bollea's passenger in the Sunday crash, John Graziano, 22 (photo inset, left), remained in critical condition at Bayfront on Monday afternoon, said hospital spokeswoman Nancy Waite."

What's the truly important part of the story, the part which NOPI and every other entity connected to this story should be focusing on? Not the celebrity, but the dangers of street racing.

Hogan's (Bollea's) passenger, John Graziano, had returned from a tour of duty in the Marine Corps in Iraq about one year ago (though some reports said Graziano had "just returned" from Iraq, they were incorrect). In the past few days, there have been several stories coming out of that Florida hospital detailing arrests following physical confrontations between members of the Graziano family. As overcome with grief as they must be by this tragic incident, such altercations might not be totally unexpected.

Also in the days since the NOPI/CNN link has apparently "timed out", reports about Hogan's driving record have surfaced. The website THE SMOKING GUN reported, also on August 27th, "Wrestler Hulk Hogan's teenage son, who last night crashed his car while apparently racing another vehicle on a Florida street, was cited earlier this month for speeding in a construction zone while workers were present. Nick Bollea, 17, was nabbed August 10 by Pinellas Park police after his 1998 Toyota was recorded going 82 mph in a 45 mph zone. He was also cited for failing to wear a seatbelt. The infractions occurred at about 10:30 AM on a stretch of U.S. Highway 19, the heavily trafficked corridor for north-south travel in Pinellas County. According to the traffic citations, copies of which you'll find below, Bollea is scheduled to appear in a St. Petersburg court on September 10 to answer the speeding charge."

Other media reports have the young Hogan receiving as many as four speeding tickets in this, apparently his first year with a driver's license. Also, video surfaced and was shown on TMZ.com and some TV shows of Hogan doing a "burn out" in front of the trendy 'Ivy Restaurant' on Robertson Boulevard in Beverly Hills, CA, in a Dodge Viper, roaring away from the establishment, while his mother looked-on from the sidewalk, laughing loudly. (Photo - Hogan's Toyota Supra wrapped around a palm tree in Florida after the young driver apparently lost control at a high speed).

What should NOPI be doing? Taking a strong, unequivocal stance AGAINST street racing of any and all kinds. Sending out messages of warning and danger to the members of the media, the same messages they should be sending to the many young people who enjoy NOPI events and may someday want to complete in NOPIDrift and other such events. Demanding and upholding strict safety policies at all of their events, staging safety clinics for all potential NOPI event participants, and offering safe street driving clinics at discounted prices through cooperation with the many driving schools across the country, perhaps one sponsored by a major domestic car-maker.

Why has the National Hot Rod Association been so successful through the more than 50 years in existence? Because under all the excitement there always was a strong message of 'SAFETY' which NHRA promoted heavily, a message originally developed by NHRA founder and long-time President Wally Parks and the group's other organizers. The "NHRA Safety Safari", a group of safety and medical workers with a strong presence at every major NHRA event from its earliest days, let the public know that first and foremost, safety was a major consideration of the sanctioning body and promoter.

For instance, George Hurst, who helped develop high-performance specialty cars such as the famed "Hurst-Oldsmobile" is best-known, and known to almost every American, as the inventor of the Hurst "Jaws of Life" Safety Tool used by fire and police department worldwide to cut victims out of wrecked vehicles. Hurst was widely known throughout NHRA and was a builder of race cars, too. But his SAFETY message was the one which the general public knew best. The "Hurst Shifter", a standard transmission gear shifter, was used on the original Pontiac GTO, the first time a GM product had ever promoted a product made by another company, but the average American still associates the "Hurst" name with safety.

Even though it was no secret that a goodly amount of the street racing which was going on around the country since the 1950s was, in part, happening because of the celebrity of NHRA drivers and the excitement of drag racing itself, NHRA's top brass has always been able to point to their group's message of safety and being against any and all forms of street racing.

Legendary racing promoter Big Willie Robinson (photo) has spent the past 30 years of his life trying to convince  local city councils around America and around the world to donate land where "street racers" can hold safe, sane and professionally-run drag races and other events. Indeed, for several years Robinson was able to run BROTHERHOOD RACEWAY in the harbor area of Los Angeles, and is spending all his time now trying to resurrect the track and spread the ideals of the "International Brotherhood of Street Racers" around the globe.

NOPI should get themselves some smart, quality PR people (or professional firm) and learn from the positive experience of the NHRA these past 50 or so years, as well as from NASCAR, the IRL, Champ Car, Formula 1 and many other professional racing bodies. NOPI needs to learn that there's a huge difference between "PR" and "marketing", and that sometimes the best thing for any group is not having its name front-and-center when reporting on a terribly negative event connected to that group.

NOPI needs to grow up, and help give some of the young people involved now and in the future in their type of motor sport a chance to grow up, too. This one they have handled very badly.

Incidentally, there have been no more PR releases (at least that we have seen) from NOPI about this crash since that initial disastrous attempt at flagrant corporate self-promotion. I have, though, received releases about NOPI's "Drift Finals" coming up later this month in Atlanta; it seems that to NOPI, the Nick Hogan story is by now an old one they'd rather ignore.

As always, YOUR thoughts and opinions welcome.

LEXUS 2008 "IS F SPECIAL BUILD SEDAN" IS NEIMAN MARCUS' SPECIAL HOLIDAY GIFT

Luxury retailer Neiman Marcus has teamed-up with Lexus and they are offering 50 not-quite-yet-available 2008 IS F models through this year's annual NM holiday catalog. These particular IS F autos are a limited edition run of the IS F with special features inside and out. These "Lexus IS F Special Build Sedan" holiday models feature obsidian black paint, a Mark Levinson premium audio system, and limited edition, hand-polished, 19” wheels. A custom interior with F-logo embossed headrests is also part of the package. And one (or more) can be all yours for $68,000 per car.

Last year, the BMW M6 convertible which NM offered sold-out in 92 seconds. Yep, you read right. Other memorable cars to be sold through the Neiman Marcus catalog include first-year versions of the most-recent Ford Thunderbird and the first-year Cadillac XLR. The new NM IS F even includes a half-day of pro-driver training, compliments of the Skip Barber Racing School, including travel and accommodations.

The "F" originates from the "Circle-F" internal code for what became the Lexus Division nearly 20 years ago. Since then, the "F" code has come to signify a special vehicle program within Lexus that falls outside the normal engineering and development process. Much of the IS F development took place at Fuji Speedway and the Higashi-Fuji Technical Center in Japan.

The IS F is the fastest production car Lexus has ever built, delivering more than 400 horsepower and 350 ft. lbs. of torque from its 5.0-liter V8. The IS F can go from 0 to 60 in under 4.9 seconds. It has the world’s first eight-speed Sport Direct Shift gearbox and a specially engineered Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system featuring a high-performance sport mode. There's also a Mark Levinson CD/DVD Premium Surround Sound Audio System with navigation and Bluetooth technology.

Only 50 Neiman Marcus IS F special build sedans will be made. These limited edition vehicles will be among the very first IS Fs off the line and have an exclusive interior design of high-style black with white accent stitching. Each will feature a unique steering wheel with white leather accents, front headrests embossed with an F logo, hand-polished finish on the wheels and a sequentially numbered Special Build badge.

(Photo --- Non-Neiman 2008 Lexus IS F showing front wheel and brake assembly).

All IS F sedans feature unique quad tailpipes, Brembo brakes with cross-drilled rotors and 6-piston front calipers, and 19″ forged alloy wheels, but for this limited edition the wheels have been hand-polished to a high luster (see photo top of page). That's interesting, because we thought "any wheel you can see yourself in" went out of favor at least five years ago ...

Available beginning Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 12:00 pm EDT. The number to call and order is  1.888.747.4504. Sweet, young Texas things/operators are standing by!

(Photo --- Non-Neiman 2008 Lexus IS F rear).

TIRES THAT SMELL --- SOUTH KOREA'S ANSWER TO THE PROBLEMS OF AMERICAN WOMANHOOD

Joining the large and always-growing list of companies which prove  they have no idea how to sell products to Americans, specifically American women, we present the latest insult to women's intelligence: Kumho, a South Korean tire outfit trying to make a big splash in the US, has announced the introduction of the world’s first fragrance automotive tire, the ECSTA DX. Got that? They're making and selling tires which, well, smell. And they are aimed at: America's women drivers.

They say the project is the “fruition” of more than a year’s worth of research and development to deliver an "alluring aroma tire" that replaces the normal “black rubber” smell with heat-resistant oils in the scent of lavender, and in later versions, neroli (orange) or jasmine.

The company says they are selling the DX aroma tire to help build brand awareness and highlight the company's tire expertise in the highly competitive automotive marketplace. Why Kumho didn't display these nifty, smelly tires at the recent SEMA Show, we can only guess. Maybe they were worried about being laughed out of the Las Vegas Convention Center ...

Kumho says these tires are targeted at "female consumers who drive" such sedans as the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry,Subaru Outback, Chrysler Sebring and Ford Taurus. Notice Kumho says in their PR release that the tires are aimed at "female consumers who drive" specific cars; not female consumers who buy certain vehicles. I don't know too much about the South Korean car-selling marketplace, but here in the US, women are responsible for an estimated 80% of all vehicle buying decisions, either by making the purchases themselves or influencing their family's decision.

In addition to a unique aroma, Kumho goes on to say, the ECSTA DX is engineered to deliver low noise levels and ride characteristics equal with leading tire brands. But who cares about silly little things like ride comfort, noise and even safety that when your tires smell so good, right?

And why not go all the way? Why didn't Kumho just name the tires the "EXTA-C"?

We can only guess that Kumho never heard of a car made by Dodge way back in 1955. Named "La Femme", it was a version of the Custom Royal Lancer coupe, and aimed at women-only. It had a dazzling pink-and-white color scheme and accessories such as a cosmetic kit, color-keyed umbrella and fitted handbag in the back of the front seat. And it was a sales bomb. We've spoken with enough women in and out of the auto business and we have learned exactly what American women want to know when they buy a car or truck: They want to know exactly the same things which men want to know. Kumho needs to do a little research the next time they want to market a product in the US to women, or even men, for that matter.

Kumho says prices will range from $119 to $138. All obedient and subservient American women should head down to their local Kumho dealer immediately and start sniffing tires ... just like the family dog! And your hubbie can find a Kumho dealer for you by using the computer, dearies, so don't worry about getting lost. Better yet, just to be on the safe side, ask your 'special someone' to drive you to the store.

THE #1-TOPIC OF ALL E-MAILS WE RECEIVE ... SATELLITE RADIO!

IT'S THE #1-TOPIC OF ALL E-MAILS AND 'COMMENTS' WE RECEIVE ... WHAT IS 'IT'? SATELLITE RADIO! Why do sat radio buyers feel ripped-off? Why are so many dealers so loathe to sell sat radio systems and explain how they work? Should customers buy their sat radio systems from a car dealer or from an aftermarket giant such as Circuit City or Best Buy? Read the following and get the info you need to buy and enjoy your sat radio in your car ... or out.

LARADIO.COM is a popular website which is about, just as the name implies, Los Angeles radio and the people involved in it, past, present and future. Los Angeles being the #2 media market in the country, nearly every major, minor and middling radio and TV personality in the US have been, currently are or will someday be "on-the-air" in the Los Angeles market. Being a veteran member of that marketplace (thanks to our producing and hosting automotive and auto racing shows in that marketplace, apart from our TV work there), the LARADIO site naturally runs stories concerning satellite radio, which is just about the #1 topic of conversation by consumers on this site. People's experience with sat radio has not been very positive, judging by the messages and questions we get about it here. Recently, Mel Karmazin (photo), the chieftain of Sirius Satellite Radio, had an hour-long session with the host on PBS' "Charlie Rose Show" and expressed his opinion that he's in favor of a much talked-about merger between Sirius their only and competitor, XM Radio. We wrote a note to LARADIO about Karmazin and his opinions, and thought we'd run it for you here, too. And when you get a chance, visit LARADIO.COM, and subscribe if you like what you read!

“We saw the Charlie Rose Show with Mel Karmazin, too, and, apart from his somewhat frightening preternatural suntan, were interested in his comments about Satellite radio, some of which you reprinted here on the LARadio.com site. 

Karmazin is right about there being car and light trucks sales of about 16 million every year in the US, and every car-maker has the ability to install Satellite-ready sound systems in all their vehicles, should they choose to do so. GM has a bit of an advantage over the others, as the OnStar system they install in almost all their vehicles also serves as the antennae for the XM Satellite radio system; GM used to own Hughes Electronics, which owned a big chunk of XM, so no mystery there.

But problems with Satellite radio sales, installation and operation remain the #1 topic of visitors to my Web site who leave comments, messages and questions. It seems that Satellite Radio’s biggest problems remain at the individual dealerships, where the salespeople are either, 1) not well-trained in satellite radio installation and use, and 2) those salespeople are not receiving enough of a ‘spiff’ to encourage them to ask the customer to pay extra for Satellite Radio and one to three years of subscription services. 

If the car-makers installed Satellite Radio in every vehicle and offered three years of free service to buyers, than all the problems would go away and listenership would skyrocket, eventually making more money for everyone involved. What if sat radio users increased by that 16 million number every year? But the dealers and their salespeople remain the weak link in the sat radio sales chain. With profit margins [and commissions] so small on new car sales these days, what salesperson is going to go out of his/her way to try and sell sat radio, when that will increase the price of the vehicle and possibly kill the sale, while putting only a small commission in their pockets? Also, Karmazin might deny it, but all the talk about the merger between XM and Sirius is also discouraging consumers from adding Satellite Radio to their new cars and trucks. They don’t want to buy a radio now which might be obsolete in a few more months. All of Karmazin’s promotion of a merger hurts Satellite Radio sales."

What say you about satellite radio? Are you in favor of the proposed merger between XM and Sirius, and why, or why not? Has sat radio lived up to its billing? Have you found it difficult to have the system installed and working in your vehicle, new or used? Please leave a note for us by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

FIRST 2007 SEMA SHOW PHOTO ALBUM POSTED AND CAPTIONED; MOST 2007 TOKYO MOTOR SHOW PHOTOS NOW CAPTIONED, TOO!

The first album of photos we shot during our trip to the SEMA Show in Las Vegas has been posted! We'll be posting and captioning many more over the next few days. In the meantime, simply scroll down and watch the left-hand margin to find the "2007 SEMA Show" photo album. Or you can click anywhere on this line to see them ... and enjoy! Don't forget to click on each individual photo to enlarge it and read the caption! Click here to enjoy the Tokyo Motor Show Press Day #1 album and here to enjoy our Tokyo Motor Show Press Day #2 photo album and their captions. All photos and captions (and videos) are by Carey and/or Steve Parker (and not provided by corporate PR people and/or vehicle- and/or parts-manufacturers, as most other websites "feature exclusively").

FULL SEMA SHOW COVERAGE RIGHT HERE BEGINNING WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31st! WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THE CAR NUT NOW? LAS VEGAS AND THE SEMA SHOW, OF COURSE!

(Looking for the photos we shot at the Tokyo Motor Show, and not the stock PR shots every other website "exclusively features"? Just scroll down two more stories and you'll find them!)

We're gone ... again! But this time we're driving (a 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander) rather than spending 12 hours in an airplane cabin with that lousy coach-class air circulation (we both have sinus infections ... lovely, right?) bad food, the obligatory (and possibly unionized) screaming children and old movies --- in Korean ... But the service on Korean Airlines from LA to Tokyo and back was exceptional and a welcome surprise, with the best prices to Tokyo and about the only flight from Los Angeles which lands while it is still light in Japan ... For the next few days we will be in Las Vegas attending the humongous SEMA Show, the largest automotive trade show in the world. Anything and everything which can be somehow added to a car or truck (or boat or RV) to improve its appearance and/or performance will be on display from manufacturers from around the world ... and ... Well, let's allow SEMA to speak for itself. According to their website (www.sema.org): The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world (PLEASE NOTE: THE SEMA SHOW IS NOT OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC). It draws the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to one place, the Las Vegas Convention Center. As part of the AAIW, the SEMA Show attracts more than 100,000 industry leaders from over 100 countries for unlimited profit opportunities in the automotive, truck and SUV, marine and RV markets. SEMA Show 2006 drew over 50,000 domestic and international buyers through two million square feet of exhibits. The displays are segmented into 11 sections, and a New Products Showcase features more than 2,000 newly introduced parts, tools and components. In addition, the SEMA Show provides attendees with educational seminars, product demonstrations, special events, networking opportunities and more…

As the bearer of a "bright mind", and a wife who is definitely a "hot product", we should feel right at home (as we have every year for the past 25 or so). Full SEMA Show coverage on this website beginning this Thursday, October 31st!

Next on our travel schedule: Press Days at the Los Angeles Auto Show, November 14th and 15th ...

IS THIS THE LATEST SALEEN UNDERGOING FREEWAY AND HOT-WEATHER TESTING IN SO CAL'S DESERT?

WHERE IS STEVE SALEEN THESE DAYS?
AND WHAT NEW PRODUCT OF HIS IS "HITTING THE ROAD"?

Steve Saleen has left the company which bears his name, though he'll be sticking around to do advertising for the company, appear at trade shows like the annual SEMA SHOW in Las Vegas, etc., and his kids are still working within the company. And we bet Steve still has a nice piece of his eponymous company "in his pocket". But there are still plenty of Saleen-touched cars and trucks on the nation's highways ... and there will continue to be, according to new owners Hancock Park Associates, one of those mega-zillion "private equity investment firms", this one based in Los Angeles. Specifically, Hancock Park says they are looking forward to their "Saleen Division" bringing out Saleen vehicles based on new Focus and Thunderbird platforms in the near future.

In early June, 2007, Saleen, after retiring from Saleen itself, was appointed CEO of ZX Automobile Company of North America (ZXNA). Just who are they? Let the company speak for itself, from their own website: "Hebei Zhongxing Automobile Company, Ltd. (Zhongxing) is very pleased to announce the award of an exclusive, importation and distribution contract for all of North America to ZX Automobile Company of North America, Inc. (ZXNA), a New Jersey corporation. ZXNA is a wholly owned subsidiary of China America Cooperative Automotive, Inc. (CHAMCO Auto), a holding management company incorporated in New Jersey. Zhongxing is preparing US versions of its Landmark series of SUVs and Grand Tiger pickup trucks to be sold by ZXNA in the United States in 2007. ZXNA is seeking a select group of dealers in the United States to retail these fuel efficient SUVs and pickup trucks." And that's where Steve Saleen comes in for this Chinese car company --- His experience in setting up a small, exclusive dealer network (as he did with Ford dealers for Saleen products) no doubt seems very valuable to any new auto company in the USA, still the world's single largest car and truck marketplace.

Now, we caught this Saleen model on the I-10 Freeway just outside Palm Springs, CA ... On a very hot day! And we're wondering what YOU think! Is this one of the new Saleen products from Hancock Park Associates, the company's new owner, or is Steve Saleen himself possibly using his name on test mules for his new boss, the China-based ZX Auto Company of North America? (Photos by Carey Parker).

   

'HD DIGITAL RADIO' FROM FOMOCO CONFUSES THE AIRWAVES EVEN MORE

As if XM and Sirius satellite radio don't have car-buying consumers confused enough, there's another new radio technology just around the corner ... HD Digital Radio. We get more email about problems consumers are having with ordering or activating or tuning satellite radio then any other single topic on this entire website. Most of the problems seem traceable to the car dealers, who apparently are not getting enough of a "spiff" (or bonus) from the factories to make it worth their salespeople's while to encourage vehicle buyers to add sat radio to their order sheet. We applaud Ford for being the first to offer HD Digital Radio across much of their product line, and with that company's new SYNC system, which is said to be able to control multiple signals from consumer products within a single vehicle (cell phone, MP3, etc), HD might stand a chance. But with both sat radio outfits suffering so badly that they're begging the government to allow them to merge (and thus into a monopoly, which Congress and the FCC don't seem too excited about allowing), HD Digital Radio might just become another bit of road kill on the dangerous "option highway". Here's some of the press release from FoMoCo:

Ford Motor Co. today became the first automaker to offer HD Digital Radio across multiple product lines. The  dealer-installed high-definition radio option is now available nationwide on nearly all 2008 model year Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles. Additionally, HD Digital Radio can be installed on many earlier models from 2005, 2006 and 2007. As with SYNC, the extensive availability of HD Digital Radio furthers the company's ongoing efforts to deliver new entertainment technologies to automotive consumers.

HD Digital Radio dramatically increases the sound quality of radio broadcasts and enables more than one radio broadcast on a single channel. As a result, consumers hear a wide range of new HD2 multicast stations as well as their favorite radio stations in crystal clear digital sound with no monthly subscription fee. More than 1500 radio stations in the U.S. currently broadcast in HD digital sound, with more than 600 stations also airing HD2 multicasts.

HD Radio joins other new technologies – including SYNC – being offered in Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles to make driving more enjoyable and convenient than ever before. Beginning immediately, HD Digital Radio will be available as a dealer-installed option on new, pre-owned and currently-owned vehicles. Price points will vary by dealership but, as always, HD Radio broadcasts carry no monthly subscription fee.

To support the launch, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury dealers will benefit from an aggressive, multi-million-dollar, 13-week, on-air radio marketing campaign in partnership with the HD Digital Radio Alliance (a lobbying group). The commercials will air in 100 markets over some 700 radio stations beginning on September 26, 2007.

AUTO INDUSTRY SCANDAL! "MEGUIAR'S CAR CARE PRODUCTS" --- RELIGIOUS BIGOTS?

A small law firm in southern California has filed a lawsuit, on behalf of a former Meguiar relative and top company executive, against "Meguiar's Car Care". It is being called a "groundbreaking" lawsuit which made radio, TV, online and newspaper news nationally today, January 23rd. Barry Meguiar and his well-known eponymous car care products company employs some 300 people in their offices and plants in Irvine, CA and perhaps many more in other states and overseas. Barry Meguiar's ex-son-in-law was recently fired from a top executive position in the company because, according to the lawsuit, he "was not on fire for Jesus".   The suit also claims that Meguiar's employed an internal discrimination policy, created and promulgated by Barry Meguiar throughout the company, which allowed the employing of only "born-again Christians" within the company, at least at their palatial executive offices in Irvine, CA.  The suit says Meguiar himself personally trained employees on how to "identify" Christian and non-Christian job applicants through the use of devious language and questions during candidates' job interviews. (Photo above -- Some Meguiar's products).

What made news was the lawsuit's unusual addendum, demanding Meguiar's and Barry Meguiar personally to "stop all future discriminatory policies" within their company.

Meguiar's recently took on outside investors, and Barry Meguiar and family are no longer the sole owners of the company. Are these investors aware of these charges, and, if true, what will their position be on what appears to be discriminatory corporate policy?

Meguiar's grandfather founded the company in Pasadena, CA, in 1901. It started out producing furniture polishes and waxes. His son, Meguiar's father, moved the company into the lucrative automotive business. While Barry Meguiar himself has little knowledge of automotive technology and even his company's own products, he has kept the company successful and growing into the 21st century, with consumer and corporate sales worldwide.

As an aside, and from personal knowledge, Meguiar and family are entrenched in Newport Beach, CA "society", owning a prime "corner" condominium at the tony Balboa Bay Club, where the real "OC's" monied heart beats. It's an old-time, old-world swank "Club", right out of and peopled with members who would be right at home as members of the golf club in th