Steve Parker Motoring / The Car Nut

TOP TEN AUTO INDUSTRY STORIES, 2009

1- GM - The bankruptcy (which is ended) and the ongoing revolving door for top executives at GM haven't give the public a lot of confidence in the company. It'll take two to three years of stability for GM to have a chance of staging a big comeback. The corporation closed Saturn after a failed sale involving Roger Penske, sold Hummer to a Chinese company, cancelled the sale of Opel to the German government and unions, is closing Saab and shuttered Pontiac and now consists of Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac and GMC. The irony? GM is making the best cars and trucks they've ever produced.

2- The entire family of Ford Fusion cars won the 2010 Motor Trend Car of the Year award. I think that's the only award people pay attention to because it's the oldest and the advertising for cars and trucks which win it runs all year mentioning the award. Ford didn't need a federal bailout and is headed in the right direction, showing a profit the past two quarters. One of the most anticipated cars coming from Ford is their new 2011 Fiesta, based on the Euro version of the car, one of the most popular over there. Ford also responded quickly to the V6 300-horsepower Camaro, coming out with their own Mustang V6 matching the Camaro in horses. Rumor is a new V8 will be introduced at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show to challenge Camaro's 400-hp unit. Ford has also just sold Volvo to China's Geely.
Ford Focus in rally racing trim

3- Chrysler has only one new model for 2010, but the new 2010 Ram truck won Motor Trend's Truck of the Year prize. Chrysler cold use a boost and Motor Trend gave them a big one. The company, now controlled by Fiat, will concentrate on building mid- and large-size cars to be marketed by Fiat worldwide. Fiat will build small cars for Chrysler to market. Just announced, Chrysler will display an electric Fiat 500 at the Detroit Auto Show. The 500, or Cinquecento, is essentially the Italian version of the Mini. Jeeps will now be built on the all-wheel drive Fiat Panda platform, so you hard-core off-roaders should get your hands on a Rubicon edition and fast --- it's the last "real" Jeep.

4- Toyota has gone through a year from PR hell. As GM found out, being the world's biggest carmaker can lead to slips in quality. Toyota's now the world's biggest, and they might be having that same problem. They announced the biggest recall in US history (almost 4 millions cars and trucks for acceleration problems), another for rust problems with their Tundra pickup and more. What the company said was a problem with the driver's side floor mat catching the gas pedal and holding it open, the company looked bad when the government said the problem stemmed from the throttle-by-wire system. The company's sales continue strong, and their announcement of a plug-in Prius hybrid coming next year caught everyone's attention.

5- Nissan is spending the next few months displaying a close-to-production version of their Leaf electric car throughout the US. Leaf is on-track to become the first mass-produced EV which does everything a "regular" five-door hatchback can do. Company chief Carlos Ghosn made a decision years ago to skip developing their own hybrid and jump right into EV R&D and production. Late next year, sales will begin, with the car initially being made in Japan, the UK and Tennessee.
Nissan's Leaf EV at its first coming-out party in the US, in Santa Monica, CA

TOP TEN MOTORSPORTS STORIES OF 2009

1- Jimmie Johnson won his fourth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championship in 2009. This is simply an incredible, amazing achievement. Associated Press just named Johnson their Athlete of the Year. I've known champions in many forms of racing, and there's always something which sets them apart from their competitors; a focus and fearlessness not apparent in others. NASCAR is a tough sport, and to see someone like Johnson, from Southern California, soft-spoken and polite, win these four titles proves drivers don't have to be outwardly wild, angry, upset, whatever; sometimes nice guys do finish first.

2- Brawn Grand Prix didn't exist in 2008 in the Formula 1 circus, but in its first year of competition, 2009, team driver Jenson Button won the World Driving Championship and Brawn won the coveted manufacturer's title in an unprecedented attack on the series. Button was considered a-soon-to-retire F1 driver with few wins and certainly no championships. Ross Brawn, formerly the genius behind Ferrari's string of championships with Michael Schumacher, took over the Honda team when the Japanese maker dropped out of the sport in '08, switched to Mercedes engines and proceeded to dominate F1. Next year, the team will be known as Mercedes Grand Prix, the first time in over 50 years Mercedes has used their name as the title of a race team; the company left racing for many years after a privateer Mercedes crashed into the main grandstand at LeMans, killing some 80 people.
Jenson Button on his way to the F1 world championship

3- Danica Patrick will run in NASCAR and IndyCar this coming season. The most-popular driver in IndyCar, the only woman to ever win an IndyCar race, will drive a limited Nationwide Series schedule for JR Motorsports, co-owned by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Rick Hendrick. Earnhardt has been NASCAR's most popular driver seven years in a row. American racing's best-known names on the same team will be good for all motorsports. Patrick will open her NASCAR season at California Speedway the third week of February. She plans to compete in the entire IndyCar series.

4- Rick Hendrick has the strongest, most dominant team in NASCAR Sprint Cup. He counts drivers Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon among his stable, and co-owns a team with Dale Earnhardt, Jr, Hendrick is one of the country's biggest car dealers, focusing on Chevrolet and Honda. He's had his challenges, too. In 2004, a plane crash claimed the lives of 10 Hendrick relatives and associates, including his son, an up-and-coming NASCAR driver. Hendrick has also had leukemia. But he's won four consecutive NASCAR titles with Jimmie Johnson, and each one of his drivers is a serious contender for next year's championship.

5- Tony George, who ran Indianapolis Motor Speedway for several years, and whose family saved the track from becoming a housing development in the 1950s, was fired from his top position by his own family and board of directors. Apparently due to his pouring never-ending millions into the Indy Racing League, being in-charge when the most-embarrassing F1 race in history ran at Indy (just six cars started), watching the Indy 500 lose customers and TV viewers, and working out a deal to put most IndyCar races on an unknown cable channel called Versus, they'd had enough. Now bean-counters run the place, and it remains to be seen if they have the passion for racing Indy needs. One more thing: George didn't get along with F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone, but with George gone, it's possible the USGP will return to the track in 2011.
Danica Patrick is bringing her magic to NASCAR

THE CAR NUT SHOW and WORLD RACING ROUND-UP PODCAST LINKS

Link to THE CAR NUT SHOW podcast for 12/12/09: http://www.talkradioone.com/index.php?p=961

Link to WORLD RACING ROUND-UP for 12/13/09: http://www.talkradioone.com/index.php?p=962

OUR WEEKEND AUTO RADIO SHOWS --- CHEVY VOLT, DANICA PATRICK FEATURED

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

Last time we talked, just last week, General Motors had "resigned" their CEO, who'd been on the job only eight months. This week GM fired the head of Chevrolet and appointed a new leader, and named a new North American Operations vice president --- and there's even a new job for Bob Lutz, The Survivor. Ford is hitting on all 8, and it's the end of Chrysler as we knew it --- which might be a good thing. And, finally, we have time to let you hear our interview with Volt Chief Engineer Andrew Farah! Let's discuss! The call-in number is: 213-341-4353.
The 2009 Jeep Wrangler will probably be the last "real" Jeep once Fiat completes their Chrysler take-over

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

It's official --- Danica Patrick, most popular driver in IndyCar has signed a deal to drive in NASCAR's Nationwide Series starting at Daytona when the season kicks off in February (she'll be in an ARCA car for that race). Patrick will be with JR Racing, Dale a team co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr (NASCAR's most popular driver) and championship team owner Rick Hendrick. Plus plenty more from racing's 'silly season' worldwide. The call-in number is: 213-341-4353. Join in!
Rick Hendrick was all smiles when he and JR Motorsports team co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr signed IndyCar's Danica Patrick

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

DANICA PATRICK SIGNS NASCAR DEAL

Danica Patrick, the most popular driver in IndyCar, will drive in a limited number of NASCAR Nationwide Series events in 2010 for JR Motorsports, a team co-owned by Dale Earnhardt, Jr (most popular driver in NASCAR) and Rick Hendrick. She'll continue in IndyCar for that series' full schedule.

The Nationwide series is just one step below NASCAR's crown jewel, the Sprint Cup. Many Sprint Cup drivers regularly compete in Nationwide. As a stepping stone to her Nationwide races, Patrick make her NASCAR start by driving in a race Feb. 6 in the second-tier ARCA stock-car series at Daytona International Speedway in Florida.
Patrick has been an IndyCar phenomenon

Patrick, the only woman to ever win an IndyCar race, had been rumored to be interested in a NASCAR drive, too, but said there would be no announcement until her IndyCar deal was finalized. There were rumors that Patrick was dissatisfied driving for Andretti/Green racing in IndyCar, and the team suffered greatly last season with a lack of parts and usually not in contention for the win.

The IndyCar deal was signed a few days ago, and she's re-upped with a reformed Andretti team, now called Andretti Autosport.

Immediately after Patrick re-signed with Andretti, it was made public that Patrick had been talking with Earnhardt and Hendrick for quite some time.

OUR WEEKEND RADIO SHOWS - THE 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

The Los Angeles Auto Show opened to the public Friday, but huge news came from the corporate suites at GM. Another CEO is out, there's a new head of sales and marketing and a new president of GM North America. Whew! And if we have time, we'll play some more of our interview with Andrew Farah, chief engineer for the Chevrolet Volt. Let's discuss! The call-in number is: 213-341-4353.
Chevy Volt cockpit

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

NASCAR's awards banquet was last night in Las Vegas ... after almost three decades in NYC! We want to hear your take on the festivities. We have the complete list of teams entered in Formula 1 next year for you. Danica Patrick signed a new multi-year deal with Andretti Racing in IndyCar, and now she's talking with Dale Earnhardt, Jr about joining his NASCAR team. Plus plenty from racing's 'silly season'. The call-in number is: 213-341-4353. Join in!
F1 racer

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

SO CAL LOCALS AND VISITORS -- LA AUTO SHOW INSIDER'S GUIDE

Usually auto shows are dominated by news about new cars and trucks and concept cars. The LA Auto Show is the first international-level auto show in America during the exhibition season, but this year the big news is, much to the chagrin of car-makers and their PR people worldwide, about GM and their ongoing leadership problems.

Before the LA Auto Show opens to the public Friday, Dec. 4, there were two press days held for media and car company executives. Tuesday evening, hours before the first press day on Wednesday, General Motors announced that their CEO, Fritz Henderson, on-the-job for all of eight months, had been "retired" by the corporation's board of directors.

Henderson had been scheduled to give the show's keynote address at the annual media breakfast the very next morning, so GM stalwart/warhorse vice-chairman Bob Lutz was the last-minute fill-in.
Chevrolet's Volt near-production version gets its debut at the LA Auto Show

Ironically, the company which probably will suffer worst from this personnel, and not product news, is GM. At this LA show, GM is showing the public a close-to-production Chevrolet Volt, the company's "extended-range hybrid" which the GM says is capable of about 200 miles per gallon, if not more, and will go on-sale November, 2010.

This CEO story has outshone just about everything product-related at the auto show, but there are still some pretty cool cars displayed there you should know about, so here's your LA Auto Show guide, 2010 edition.

Cars to see:

World Debuts

Chevrolet Volt (and let me know what you think of it)

Porsche Boxster Spyder (shades of James Dean!) and Panamera four-door if you've yet to see one
Porsche's new Spyder in action

GM - HENDERSON OUT AS CEO; LUTZ STILL IN AND PITCHING

General Motors' appearance as a confused corporation gained new steam Tuesday when Fritz Henderson was "resigned" from his CEO position after just eight months on the job.

Frederick "Fritz" Henderson, 51, was "resigned" by the corporation's board of directors that day, one day before his planned keynote opening address to the world automotive, environment and business media at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Apparently GM's board was so tired of Henderson that they dealt with him before he addressed the press at the US' first major auto show of the season.
Fritz Henderson in happier times

At that show, GM is presenting a near-production version of the Chevrolet Volt, giving show-goers their first look at what the car will look like. Now Henderson doesn't even get his chance to front that car.

Ed Whiteacre, 68, current board chairman, is taking over Henderson's responsibilities while an international search begins for a new CEO --- a search GM has acknowledged could take months. Whiteacre was formerly chief executive of AT&T and admitted when taking the GM position that he had little knowledge about the auto industry.

But that seems to be what the board of directors wants, insiders saying that Henderson was moving too slowly and the corporation needed more changes happening faster than under Henderson. Henderson's long history with GM and its staid, sometimes paranoid corporate culture, was certainly a large part of what was his own board's decision.

Henderson has overseen a series of failures at GM in recent weeks. These include: inability to find a buyer for Saturn, canceling the planned sale of Opel and, just in the past few days, the Swedish company Koenigsegg Automotive abruptly halted their efforts to buy Saab from GM. Soon before these failures, all three projects were considered sure bets by GM, Wall Street and the worldwide auto press and industry in general.
GM's board chairman Ed Whiteacre will take over Henderson's duties while a worldwide search begins for a new CEO

Henderson got the job when his mentor, Rick Wagoner, was fired last July from his position as GM CEO by the White House's automotive overseers and GM's board - groups made-up mostly of auto industry outsiders. Ironically, Henderson, with the corporation since 1984, mostly as a bean-counter, has met a very similar fate (though the White House says they were not involved - this time).

There was a hastily called press conference at GM headquarters in Detroit on Tuesday, made even more unusual because it was taking place at 4:30pm (usually companies want to make news in the mornings to get coverage that day from TV, the Internet and newspapers). Whiteacre took to the podium, made a short statement, thanked Henderson for his service (still mandatory in US business) and refused to take questions, striding out of the room.
The public can get their first in-person look at a close-to-production version of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range hybrid at the LA Auto Show later this week