<![CDATA[Jalopnik: Wonkette]]> http://cache.jalopnik.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/jalopnik.com.png <![CDATA[Jalopnik: Wonkette]]> http://jalopnik.com/tag/wonkette http://jalopnik.com/tag/wonkette <![CDATA[NY Times Calls Hillary-Endorsing Sarah Fisher IRL's "Top Woman"]]> In a long article about the Indiana Democratic Primary, there's a picture of Hillary Clinton getting the endorsement of IRL racer and team-owner Sarah Fisher, with the caption "Hillary Rodham Clinton paid an election-day visit to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday to appear with race car driver Sarah Fisher, a top woman on the Indy car circuit, who endorsed her this week." This is true in the same way that Hillary Clinton is the top performer in the Democratic race for the White House in that "top" here means "supreme but for those other people with superior records." Technicalities. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=387754&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[President Bush Focused On Gas Prices, Has No Idea How Much Gas Will Cost]]> It's a tough job being the president. The amount of information relevant to running a country of our size is daunting. So when President Bush says that he's unaware that gas could hit $4 a gallon this spring, despite all the news coverage about the issue, we'll cut him some slack. He probably hasn't filled up a car in years. It's just funny that a few minutes later he can't answer a question about funding for his presidential library because he's "focused elsewhere, like on gasoline prices..." Once again, as someone who spent more than a decade in the oil industry and was governor of the state that's home to the country's energy industry he can't be expected to know the price could go up. [Think Progress] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=361901&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[State Of The Union: Bush Pays Weak Lip Service To Automotive Technological Innovation]]> As opposed to previous years, the president used only a small part of his State of the Union address to talk about the importance of reducing our dependence on foreign oil. We've read and reread the portion of the speech dedicated to energy and... well... there isn't much there. Mostly, he talked about funding the American Competitiveness Initiative, which is a holdover from the 2006 SOTU. He also alluded to the need to sign an international greenhouse gas agreement, which is the Kyoto Protocol, but said: "This agreement will be effective only if it includes commitments by every major economy and gives none a free ride." In case you didn't get that, he's talking about China and India, which have exemptions as economies that are still developing. The full text of his section about hybrids and batteries below the jump: More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=349949&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Motor City Mitt Leading Among Auto Execs]]> Those involved in the automotive industry, known for having a firm grasp on the future, have backed Mitt Romney nearly 2-to-1 in donations compared with other Republicans and Democrats. This is no surprise, as Mitt Romney's dad, George Romney, was the former head of American Motors and governor of Michigan (two enterprises that have really prospered over the last four decades). Giuliani came in second with $228,000, and McCain third with $151,000. On the Democratic side, Clinton beat Obama $123,000 to $112,000. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=349582&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Rudy Giuliani Needs Parking Lessons]]> Apparently still traumatized by the events of that morning, or possibly just reeling from the loss of his presidential ambitions, it looks like Rudy Giuliani has gone on something of a parking rampage on the LSU campus. A minor character in the hit show Seinfeld, Giuliani rose to fame after trade marking the phrase "9/11." We actually sympathize with Giuliani, if we'd been forced to trade our Corvair in for a previous generation Focus, we'd probably go a bit crazy, too. [Via Inphiltrate Nonfiction] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=348919&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Rudy Giuliani's Corvair For Sale, Squeegee Men Tremble]]> When we found out from Eric at CorvairProject.com that the '66 Chevrolet Corvair convertible once owned by presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani is for sale, we spent a few minutes just imagining how great a Giuliani-versus-Nader presidential race would be. The debates might start out with Rudy trying to slap his customary "Hero of 9/11" label on every statement, but they'd quickly degenerate into a snarling match over GM's omission of a rear swaybar and collapsible steering column on the early Corvairs. Giuliani last owned the car in 1996 and it's been sitting ever since, so it probably needs months of some work.[eBay Motors] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=347861&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Commenter of the Day: Ron Paul Edition]]> My girlfriend has a friend who thinks he might be a libertarian. However, he wants drugs and prostitution legalized, then taxed. The revenue would go towards universal health care, education and free puppies. Or whatever. Man, would Ron Paul hate that. However, we think he would wholeheartedly endorse today's COTD. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=346151&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[CAFE Bill passes House, stalls in Senate]]> A bill that would raise the fuel economy standard for cars and trucks to 35mpg by 2020 has stalled in the Senate after passing in the House of Representatives. The bill, which is heavily contested by lobbyists for the American auto industry, failed to reach cloture by 7 votes. It's expected that Democrats will push for those cloture votes over the weekend. [Source: Automotive News] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=331363&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Bush Threatens to Veto Energy Bill, No Likey CAFE Standards]]> President Bush is content with letting his presidency be remembered for stretching the truth to get us into an economically and strategically harmful conflict in the Middle East. But he'll be damned if he'll be remembered for letting congress raise the corporate average fuel economy mandates to 35 mpg! The industry is raising standards on their own, anyways. Haven't the Dems seen the Hybrid Escalade? More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=329641&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Senator Feinstein to Toyota: Stop Making Fun of Fresno]]> More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=321994&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[A Guide to Open Container Laws]]> [Knowing your rights as a motorist is as important as knowing which pedal to hit when a tree looms. In a new, weekly feature called "Rules of the Road," Jalopnik's own political and legal wonk Matt Hardigree will cover the auto-related statutes that govern operation, registration and ownership of our cars. Read it. In addition to preventing minor inconveniences, it could determine whether or not you'll become roommates with a guy named "Ashcan" who has a penchant for frottage. — ed.] No one on this site, and no decent person I've ever met, thinks drinking and driving is a good idea. That disclaimer noted, we'll move on to address a common drink-related legal area. Whether returning from a tailgate party or merely transporting boozed-up friends from one kegger to the next, winding up with an uncorked bottle of Boones Farm in your car is a common eventuality. That means you'll be walking the fine legal line. It falls under the scope of the complex maze of state-level open container laws. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=320529&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[President Bush Hates CAFE Too]]> Word out of the White House is President Bush is united with Detroit automakers and Toyota in opposing the proposed Senate CAFE changes. But rather than just lobby Congress with the persistence of a whiny three-year-old industry on the brink of collapse, Bush could actually crush the bill once and for all. Alan Hubbard, director of the president's National Economic Council said the administration would likely veto any bill that combines truck and car fuel economy under one standard. The Senate bill sets a standard of 35 mpg by 2020 for both cars and trucks. [The Detroit News] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=312271&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[DC Cabs To Get Meters Like The Rest Of The Country]]> Years ago I made the rookie, post-collegiate mistake of taking a cab in Prague. Burning a hole in my pocket were 700 or so Czech crowns, the then equivalent of five bucks. I only had a mile or so to go, but the cabbie started driving all over the place, eventually taking me far up into the hills. As the meter clicked past 670 crowns, I showed him I only had 700. He stopped the cab, got out and chucked my backpack ten feet down the slope. As luck would have it, I had $50 US on me. Suddenly he started speaking English, "No problem, no problem," and even retrieved my grimy, mud-caked backpack. When we got to where I was going (he made a beeline), he plucked $40 American dollars and a 100 crown note from my hand. He even smiled. And if you've ever taken a cab in DC, you know that not only will they bilk you for more, but you will never, no matter what get a smile. Until now. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=312203&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Michelle Obama Involved In Car Accident, Unhurt]]> More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=309492&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Colbert: Hybrid Fuel is Blind People]]> Hard-hitting journalist Stephen Colbert has uncovered a vile plot by hybrid owners; they're intentionally running over blind people in order to use them for fuel. This stunning revelation comes only a day after the National Federation for the Blind publicized concerns over hybrid vehicle safety. Through in-depth investigative reporting, the heroic Colbert discovered that blind people make an excellent source of fuel, one that could potentially reduce our dependency on foreign oil. In a stunning new development, the Associated Press has learned that inattentive people could also be at risk of being turned into a green fuel source by Big Environment. Linda Murphy, who has perfect vision when she wears her glasses, revealed to AP that she too has had close calls with hybrids, "I'm walking right in back of it and it's moving and I didn't realize it until it nearly touched me, I never realized how dependent I was on my ears until I almost got hit." Remember kids, look both ways or Al Gore'll get you. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=307711&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[John Edwards Needs To Get Rid Of His Cadillac SRX, Pot-Black Paint]]> Y'all remember John Edwards railing against SUV's earlier this week? Yeah — we do too. Somehow as we were reading his comments, we kinda knew this was coming. Really, we were just waiting for someone to dig up something like this on the former Senator, Presidential contender and man who wants to kill all trucks and SUV's: More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=295646&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[John Edwards Wants You To Take SUV's Away From Yourself]]> John Edwards, candidate for President and owner of an impenetrable hair shell, wants us bad 'mericans to stop driving those gas-guzzlin' SUV's. He told a group of machinist union members today in Disney World that he wants 'mericans to start sacrificing, and getting rid of SUV's is the way to start. So trade yours in today and pick up one of them new-fangled hybrids or even just a small car that gets higher gas mileage. Wait — did he just ask us to do something. We tell ya — the world's gone all topsy-turvy on us. We mean, what's up with Democrats these days — "asking" instead of "legislating?" It's a brave new world out there. [via MSNBC] More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=294683&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Hey Auto Journalists, NHTSA Administrator Nicole Nason Is Waiting To Take YOUR Call!]]> The NYT Wheels Blog tipped us off to a little issue with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It seems that NHTSA Administrator Nicole Nason, a Bush appointee who's taken a page out of the Cheney book of governmental transparency, has forbid the staff at the US Government's agency for safety in all forms of transportation from talking on the record to reporters. That means if a reporter's calling to ask a specific technical question about an issue as mundane as the LATCH system for children's seats — they're not allowed to receive an "on the record" quote from anyone at the agency who might actually know anything — like the subject matter expert — and instead have to wait to snag time with NHTSA chieftain Nason herself. We spoke with a couple of folks who don't have the foggiest idea why she's doing it. We're always willing to speculate, and we think it's because maybe she's trying to run for public office and wants to make sure she's getting her name in print as much as possible. So let's help her out. If you're a transportation-related journalist, let's make sure we're giving her the opportunity to have her voice heard and see Nicole Nason all the way from the bright screens of the interwebs press to the dirty ink of the print world. And since she's taken it upon herself to act as the subject expert sans expertise, give her some tough questions. Some thoughts on potential questions to ask after the jump. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=292533&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Ralph Nader: Devil Or Angel?]]> Philosophy Week marches on... This isn't Wonkette, so we won't be discussing Florida circa 2000, OK? We will be discussing what Ralph Nader did in 1965: publish a book called Unsafe At Any Speed. Far too many people think of Nader's polemic as "the book about the Corvair." Truth is, only one of the eight chapters was about the butt-engined Chevy. The larger theme of the book was that automakers routinely chose profit over safety and constantly fought against items such as seatbelts, padded dashboards and collapsible steering columns. GM sure didn't help their case by sending private dicks and hookers after the morally upright Nader. Also remember that none other than John DeLorean in his own book On A Clear Day You Can See General Motors, wrote that everything Nader said about the Corvair was not only true, but known to GM before the car ever went on sale. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=287116&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Cheney Was A Racecar Driver]]> You may remember author and neocon mouthpiece Stephen F. Hayes from such hits as attacking Bill Moyers and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's wooden leg. Turns out he's also The Penguin's Vice President Cheney's official biographer. His latest on Dick is, Cheney: The Untold Story of America's Most Powerful and Controversial Vice President. Why are we mentioning this here? Because of a vehicular anecdote retold in a review of the tome by Newsweek's Evan Thomas: More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=281289&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[The Chevy Volt Goes To Washington]]> As we told you earlier this week, the Volt made its way to the District of Columbia. And look, it can move in reverse. We hear the next iteration of the alt-fuel concept car will be able to move in forward gears. At least we're hoping so for the General's sake. More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=280996&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Senate Votes For CAFE Standard Increase To 35 MPG By 2020, Automakers Cry In Their Coffee]]> Looks like the US Senate did last night what many all automakers feared they'd do — lump cars, trucks and SUV's together and force all to abide by the same standard for Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) numbers. The new standard, if approved by the US House — a feat we're hearing is not fait accompli, would require US automakers to hit 35 MPG for cars, SUV's and light trucks by 2025. That's a significant bump up from the current standard which mandates an average for cars of more than 27.5 MPG and light trucks more than 20.7 mpg (trucks under 8500 lb must average 22.5 mpg in 2008, 23.1 mpg in 2009, and 23.5 mpg in 2010). More importantly it puts the most onerous changes on the automakers with the heaviest portfolio of light haulers of heavy things. It would seem to us it's not the most onerous task on earth to get fuel economy numbers up to these levels — as long as they're allowed to count all vehicles they produce regardless of where they're producing them. That'll require a fight with the UAW over "domestic" and "foreign" fleets but it seems to us for fairness, they'll need to have that fight. But we're not holding our breath on anything until we see what transpires in the House — whenever that ends up happening. – Ray Wert More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=271297&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Bush Limo Breaks Down In Rome, Bush Walks]]> Why yes, that IS the President of the United States of 'merica being forced to walk after his Cadillac DTS experiences a minor "engine issue" while in Rome this past weekend. We could make some kind of a joke about bullshit walking, but really, does the man deserve any more ridicule. I mean it Italian people, stop laughing at our President! Damn it, stop! Oh well, you know it's bad when I start feeling bad for the man. Just sayin'... oh, and it's at about 3:00 in he video when you should start watching. – Ray Wert More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=267822&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Yeah, Barack Obama's Got A HEMI!]]> Presidential wannabe Barack Obama came to Detroit earlier this week and hammered on Detroit automakers for spending too much time focusing on horsepower rather than fuel efficiency. Here's an example of his lovely comments:
"For years, while foreign competitors were investing in more fuel-efficient technology for their vehicles, American automakers were spending their time investing in bigger, faster cars,"
In addition, Obama spent the better part of his remarks criticizing US automakers for not building more hybrid vehicles like Toyota and Honda. Well, we're glad to see Obama's shifting the blame from the consumer to the automakers. That must explain why the Illinois Senator and Presidential candidate owns a HEMI-powered V8 Chrysler 300C. Obviously it's Chrysler's fault Obama bought a big 5.7-liter engine from them — he just didn't have a choice. – Ray Wert More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=259626&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Senate Panel Goes CAFE-Crazy, Sets 35 MPG Standard By 2020]]> You know things are bad for your industry when the US Senate Commerce Committee passes a bill raising passenger fleet automotive fuel standards to 35 mpg as the average come 2020, and there's only two Republican senators expressing "reservations" about the bill. You know things have gone from bad to worse when the two senators are Ted "The Internet Is Not A Big Truck" Stevens of Alaska and Trent "Strom Is The Bomb" Lott of Mississippi. Just sayin'... – Ray Wert More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=258844&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Supreme Court Says: Police Not Liable For Running You Off Road, Crippling You]]> More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=256496&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Caption This Photo: Governor Haley Barbour Digs Halfway To Memphis In The Mississippi Mud]]> Here's the actual tagline for the above photo:
"Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour ,second from left, and Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe, third from left, join other dignitaries for the ground-breaking ceremony of a new assembly plant in Blue Springs, Miss., Wednesday morning, April 18, 2007. (AP Photo/Ryan Moore)"
But with the look on Barber's punim positively screaming — umm — something, we're totally thinking y'all can come up with something a bit more insightful. So please, feel free to take a gander and then put fingers to keyboard to help us provide a more appropriate caption of this picture of Barber and Ken and the gang from the groundbreaking of the new ToMoCo assembly plant in Mississippi. – Ray Wert More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=254000&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Former Chrysler CEO Rips Into "Clueless Bozos" — Err — The Bush Administration]]> Lee Iacocca, former Chrysler CEO and shepard of the once-independent automaker through its government loans of the late 70's and early 80's has long been a critic of Bush administration policies. But never like this.
"We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car...I hardly recognize this country anymore...George Bush doesn't have common sense. He just has a lot of sound bites...he prides himself on being faith-based, not reality based. If that doesn't scare the crap out of you, I don't know what will."
Wow, go get 'em Lee! Not only does the automaker go after Dubya's motley crew, the formerly cantankerous CEO had praise for almost every current leader of the auto industry from GM Chief Exec Rick Wagoner and current Chrysler Group head Tom LaSorda. Hell, the man even calls his ex-sparring partner, "Maximum" Bob Lutz, a "savvy veteran." But don't get the man started on the subject of Bob Eaton and Jurgen Schrempp, the two guys who said "let's do it, let's fall in love" — and creating the German-American hybrid we now know today as DaimlerDouche. Seriously, don't get him started, it makes him angry...and you wouldn't like him when he's angry. – Ray Wert More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=251652&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Detroit News Tells Tall Tale On Bush, Blames Blogs]]> There's a big reason we didn't cover the silly little anecdote told by Alan Mulally at the New York Auto Show last week — we actually were watching it unfold live on CNBC at the time, and realized his comments in New York were nothing more than an embellished joke, hardly worth of a mention. But his anecdote, that he insinuated he helped save the president from setting himself and FoMoCo's hydrogen-powered vehicle on fire, were responsible for an online conflagration of epic proportions — necessitating Keith Olbermann's piece above. Olbermann's segment, along with further attacks in the blogosphere, have necessitated that the News fire back. The only problem is that they end up blaming "blog mania" for the problem rather than taking responsibility for their own actions which were ten times more blogtastic. Because although the comments by Mulally may have been published first by our good friends at AutoBlog — they weren't responsible for blowing this particular story out of the land of reality and into the land of fiction. Autoblog was smart about how they covered the story — stating the facts, in a this-is-what-he-said account: More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=251357&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Holy Smokey Burnout! GM To Suspend RWD Plans, Wait For Washington To Remove Thumb]]> It's all the government's fault we can't have hoonage here in the land of the stars n' stripes. Or at least that's the argument "Maximum" Bob Lutz makes to Jim Mateja of the Chicago Tribune today for why the General's looking to suspend — err, "pause" — development of RWD platforms. Lutz claims
"It's too late to stop Camaro, but anything after that is questionable or on the bubble," said Lutz, noting that also means Camaro derivatives — along with a big Impala sedan, "if we call it Impala."
Ooh, sorry — what was that about the Impala not being called the Impala? Interesting, but we digress. What it... More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=251139&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[President Bush Plays With Cars, Has A Really Corny Meeting With US Automakers]]> We love it anytime Bush speaks and he's not behind a podium. We just love how he walks struts out all gunslinger-like. Seriously, it just tickles us in all sorts of wonderful ways. Today he's taking the CEO's of the traditional US automakers, and yeah, they showed off their "very relevant" E85-powered vehicles (and in the case of FoMoCo, a hydrogen-powered concept Car-UV that likes to live on the Eh-dge!) Here's the rose garden press conference, in it's entirety — enjoy the strutting, and "Slick" Rick Wagoner, Alan "New Guy" Mulally and Tom "For Sale" LaSorda showing and telling the Prez all about their not-quite-ready-for-primetime fuel efficient environmentally-efficient corny lineup. Full transcript of all involved after the jump. – Ray Wert More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=247143&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[A More Convenient Truth: Al Gore Trades In Toyota For A Ford Hybrid]]> Looks like Al Gore's decided that it may be a bit inconvenient for him to be telling all this truth on the environment while driving what we're assuming is a non-hybrid a Lexus. The former Veep's following his boss and thinking Ford first. Gore's trading in his ToMoCo-made Lexus for a brand-spanking-new 2007 Mercury Mariner Hybrid in order to show that he's going a bit more green. That leaves us wondering whether Gore's throwing down with a vehicle made by a 'merican manufacturer because maybe he's thinking of changing his mind on the whole "not-running" thing. Either way, considering the comments we've heard about the amount of energy it takes to run the rest of his personal world, sounds like he's at least making the attempt at going greener in his own life. – Ray Wert More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=247060&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Al Gore Tells Truth To Power, Is Now BFF With Automakers]]> We just watched Al Gore, former Veep and teller of inconvenient truths, talking some truth to power today in front of Congress, where he had a very important message for the politicos: "Don't single out cars and trucks...it's only a slice of the problem." He then made clear he thinks we shouldn't expect automakers alone to be expected to solve global warming. Gore then walked out and hopped into his Cadillac Escalade with baby seal-hide interior...yes, the one with performance suede inserts, side-seat bolstering and runs on straight crude oil. OK maybe not, but it's a helluva lot more funny than him jumping into a Prius. Although, to tell you the truth, that'd be pretty funny, because he's a pretty big guy. – Ray Wert More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=245951&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Bush Kisses Some Ass, Visits Ford, GM Plants In Kansas City]]> Glad to see President Bush is finally starting to pay some attention to the US automakers more than once every two years. We're happy the President's going to be gracing two plants today with his royal presence, and we're hopeful it, along with a potential meeting next week, signals an increasing realization of the importance of US manufacturing. Although we've got to tell you that when visiting US automakers represent the linchpin in your gameplan for increasing your approval ratings, you've got some serious issues. – Ray Wert More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=245601&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[This Is Our Country, This Is Our Hybrid - Toyota On The White House Lawn]]> A Plug-In Toyota Prius Hybrid is going to be on the south lawn of the White House today, but you're not going to be able to tell it's a Toyota because the hood is going to be up for photo time. Why? Because it doesn't sit well with the domestic automakers that a Toyota is there (why no Chrysler Hybrid? Oh... wait) and the White House won't stand up to the Big 3, even though Toyota is creating jobs in his adopted home state of Texas while the Big 3 are cutting jobs and benefits. That Prius I just told you about isn't supported by Toyota even though it gets close to 300 MPG. The Middle East is as unstable as it can be without devolving into chaos because we don't make or support many cars that get good gas mileage. But hey, Anna Nicole Smith is getting buried in the Bahamas, so I'm sure everything is going to work out fine. – Matt Hardigree More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=239295&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[President Bush: "Someday You're Going To Be Able To... Drive 40 Miles On Battery"]]> Talking about energy policy yesterday in the middle of a cornfield, because why the hell not, President Bush said something that caught our attention:
"Someday you're going to be able to get in your car, particularly if you're a big-city person, and drive 40 miles on a battery. And by the way, the car doesn't have to look like a golf cart. It could be a pickup truck."
What's striking about this is, ignoring the golf cart variety vehicles and long-crushed GM models, there's the Toyota RAV4-EV and Ford Ranger EV, which had ranges of 116 and 65 miles, respectively, and are still on the road. Sure, he's probably referring to the unreleased Saturn Vue Plug-In Hybrid, but we feel it our responsibility to point out the rare occasions when this administration says something misleading.– Matt Hardigree More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=239104&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Mitt Romney Likes Cars, Reads Automotive News]]> Mitt Romney, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, just declared he's running for president. What's this got to do with cars? Well, Mitt declared his intentions right here in Metro Detroit — and to be precise, he did it in Dearborn at The Henry Ford museum. His declaration of candidacy speech is just rife with auto-love for the Rambler and a certain Keith Crain-produced auto daily:
"I chose this site for a number of reasons. It's filled with cars and memories. Dad and I loved cars. Most kids read the sports box scores. Dad and I read Automotive News. We came here together, him teaching me about cars that were built before my time...The Rambler automobile he championed was the first American car designed and marketed for economy and mileage. He dubbed it a compact car, a car that would slay the gas-guzzling dinosaurs. It transformed the industry."
Wait, the Rambler? Oh right, your dad was George Romney, who ran AMC until he became Governor of Michigan. But Mitt obviously didn't learn from Poppa George, or else he'd know to say he reads the "Auto Insider" team at the Detroit News and not Automotive News. Nolan Finley's totally not gonna endorse his ass now. – Ray Wert More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=236258&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Iraq Is A Better Investment Than General Motors?!]]> Junk bonds are more about reading tea leaves than a science but sometimes, especially with extremely undervalued or overvalued entities, it goes from "tea leaves" to ludicrously silly. Like today. CNBC's reporting "bond gurus" as pricing GM bonds in such a way that Iraqi national bonds are rated higher. That means pricing's occurring on the belief that "Iraq has about the same chance of going bankrupt as General Motors." The mid-day show on the network most well known for letting me on to talk about the auto industry also had another Ray talking about what seems to be a very bubble-tastic bond market. This ray of light on the issue was Raymond Kennedy of PIMCO, who would "definitely take GM bonds over Iraq," mostly because... More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=235504&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[State Of The Union Schadenfreude: Bush's Big Wood...Chips]]> With Bush talking in last night's State Of The Union about all sorts of car-related issues, we thought we'd take a moment to walk you through what some of the talking heads said about the speech's salient auto-related subjects. Mostly because it's sometimes funny, and well, we were too busy trying to figure out how many drinks "wood chips" gets us to care about silly things like policy analysis and ramifications. – Ray Wert More »
]]> http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=230993&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Jalopnik Does Math Good: A Corny State Of The Union Address?]]> Ok, so here's what we know. Earlier today FoMoCo issues a press release tauting six states receiving a test fleet of new E85-fueled hybrid Escape SUV's (gallery below). On top of that news, but wholly unrelated, there appears to be some kind of a run in stocks of companies involved in E85 production today. We've also heard unconfirmed reports the ethanol lobby plans to open up a bigger office in Washington, DC. How can these seemingly unrelated things all be happening today? To explain, let's put it together into a handy math equation below the jump. More »
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