GM Announces New Ecotec Small Engine Family
GM’s Ecotec engines have been around since 2000 or so, and have been used to power everything from the Chevy Cavalier through the 2011 Saab 9-5. Currently available in displacements ranging from 1.4 liters (as used in the 2011 Chevy Cruze and upcoming 2012 Chevy Sonic) through 2.4 liters (as used in the 2012 Chevy Malibu and 2012 GMC Terrain, among others) the Ecotec family accounts for a significant portion of GM’s current engine production.
Since downsizing engines for improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions is the easiest way for manufacturers to comply with ever-tightening regulations, GM has announced an all-new global family of Ecotec engines, set to begin production in mid-decade. While the new Ecotec engines will feature performance-and-gas-mileage-boosting-technology such as gasoline direct injection, turbocharging and multi-fuel capability, they’ll also be quite a bit smaller than today’s Ecotec engines.
Displacements will range from 1.0 liter to 1.5 liters, and GM envisions production of over 2 million engines a year by the end of the decade. To reduce production costs and simplify global assembly, the engines will use a modular approach with interchangeable components.
GM isn’t saying where the new engines will be used, only that the engines will span “multiple vehicle architectures in various regions.”
GM’s Jim Federico, vehicle line executive for global small cars and electric vehicles, summed up the need for the new engines by saying, “We are working aggressively on vehicle electrification and other technologies, but the most immediate progress will come from continually improving the internal combustion engine.”
The new Ecotec engines will be developed jointly between GM, the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. (SAIC), Shanghai General Motors and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
McCain Hasn’t Met Anyone Who Thinks Chrysler Will Survive
The first time John McCain ran for the U.S. presidency, his aggressive, occasionally angry style didn't sit well with voters. As we saw in 2008, he's managed to dial it down a bit during public debates, but the senator is still as feisty as ever. Yesterday, he told the press that Chrysler is doomed, despite receiving government support to the tune of $15 billion. Said McCain: "anybody believes that Chrysler is going to survive, I'd like to meet them". We'll see if he offers any analysis of the other bankrupt kid on the block, GM, and its third-quarter financials today. [DetNews]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Magna and Opel Ready to Deal?
The purchase of Opel reads like a daytime soap opera romance - too many suitors, lots of drama, and a fair amount of threats and protests. But in the end, it looks like Magna will come away with the girl, with a tentative agreement worth $2.1 billion reached today.
The deal will provide emergency funding to get Opel through this bridge period until the German government can secure longer-term financing for the company. It could serve to protect Opel from General Motors' creditors in the U.S., as the American giant is expected to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday.
"A framework agreement has been reached. The goal is to work out as many of the details as possible before the meeting with [German Chancellor Angela] Merkel in order to sign a memorandum of understanding today," a source close to the proceedings told Reuters.
The new information puts Fiat's decision to skip talks with Opel earlier today in context. While Fiat had previously sought a deal with Opel, it said today that it would be exposed to too much risk if it had to go forward with the deal. Providing the emergency financing to bridge the period to government loans was the sticking point.
But like any good soap opera, it's not over yet. Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne says he's still interested in Opel. Whether that means he'll try to steal it away from Magna, or simply try to join in to form an alliance to expand Fiat's already-growing empire is still up in the air.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Official: GM CEO Rick Wagoner Resigns Under Obama Pressure
General Motors confirms that Richard Wagoner, 56, has resigned his post as CEO of the Detroit automaker after eight years in the leadership of the company.
Wagoner's departure is the prelude to another round of government loans expected for GM, which is struggling to put together a restructuring package outside bankruptcy court. Last night, the Wall Street Journal and others reported that President Barack Obama asked for Wagoner's resignation in exchange for new loans that would give the automaker an additional 60 days to finish a plan to cut its massive debt by two-thirds, reach an agreement with the United Auto Workers on health and pension benefits, and finalize a plan to shut down or sell some GM divisions.
In Wagoner's place, former vice chairman Fritz Henderson, 50, will step in as CEO. There's no word on whether his appointment is permanent or temporary, as the Detroit newspapers have floated several names for potential chairmen of the company, including that of Roger Penske.
Across the table at the bailout talks, Chrysler's Bob Nardelli has apparently not been asked to resign though that company will also be given another 30 days and more operating loans to complete a deal in which Italy's Fiat will take a 35-percent stake in the smallest domestic automaker. Nardelli, a recent arrival at Chrysler under its latest owners Cerberus, is an ex-Home Depot veteran who has kept a lower profile during his tenure as Chrysler tries to cut and cleave its way back to financial health.
Wagoner's resignation will have little effect on the new GM plans for restructuring, according to David Cole, the chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich. Cole tells the AP that "I don't think you would see any shift or significant change at all with Rick's leaving. I think the course they're on, they're on."
So why the resignation? Wagoner's tenure framed a massive slide in GM's market share to its present 18.3 percent, and also, ironically, included a $2 billion payoff to Fiat for a failed partnership. Wagoner also fast-tracked the current generation of GM full-size SUVs and pickups over smaller, more efficient vehicles--a move that's been lampooned as out of touch. However, until gas prices soared in mid-2008, GM's big trucks turned in vast profits that helped keep the company afloat, particularly while it recrafted its car lineup and engineered award-winning vehicles like the new Chevrolet Malibu and forward-thinking efforts like the 2011 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid.
In political terms, Wagoner's a convenient fall guy for the Administration as it threatens automakers with a forced Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing if restructuring deals are not reached very soon.
Unfairly or not for Wagoner, the ex-Duke basketball player's tenure at the helm of GM effectively ended on the day his beloved Blue Devils bowed out of this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament--far shy of the results either had hoped.
PRESS RELEASES:
GM Statement On Officer And Board Announcements
Detroit, MI
GM is announcing the following changes in the corporate officers and the board of directors:
Rick Wagoner is stepping down as chairman and CEO, effective immediately. Wagoner, 56, was named president and CEO in 2000, and assumed the role of chairman in 2003.
Fritz Henderson, GM president and chief operating officer, will serve as CEO. Henderson, 50, was named to his current position in 2008. He was previously vice chairman and chief financial officer.
Kent Kresa, chairman emeritus, Northrop Grumman Corporation, has been named interim non-executive chairman of the board of directors. Kresa became a GM director in 2003
GM is awaiting further announcements by the President and the Task Force on Automotive Reconstruction, and we will have additional comments at that time.
GM Board of Directors statement, attributable to Kent Kresa, Chairman
"The Board has recognized for some time that the Company's restructuring will likely cause a significant change in the stockholders of the Company and create the need for new directors with additional skills and experience. The Board intends to work to nominate a slate of directors for the next annual meeting that will include a majority of new directors taking into account the addition of new directors, retirement, and decisions by individual directors not to stand for re-election, although the specific individuals who will be nominated or choose not to run or leave the board are not yet known."
GM Message From Rick Wagoner
On Friday I was in Washington for a meeting with Administration officials. In the course of that meeting, they requested that I "step aside" as CEO of GM, and so I have.
Fritz Henderson is an excellent choice to be the next CEO of GM. Having worked closely with Fritz for many years, I know that he is the ideal person to lead the company through the completion of our restructuring efforts. His knowledge of the global industry and the company are exceptional, and he has the intellect, energy, and support among GM'ers worldwide to succeed. I wish him well, and I stand ready to support him, and interim Non-Executive Chairman Kent Kresa, in every way possible.
I also want to extend my sincerest thanks to everyone who supported GM and me during my time as CEO. I deeply appreciate the excellent counsel and commitment of the GM Board and the strong support of our many partners including our terrific dealers, suppliers, and community leaders. I am grateful as well to the union leaders with whom I have had the chance to work closely to implement numerous tough but necessary restructuring agreements.
Most important of all I want to express my deepest appreciation to the extraordinary team of GM employees around the world. You have been a tremendous source of inspiration and pride to me, and I will be forever grateful for the courage and commitment you have shown as we have confronted the unprecedented challenges of the past few years. GM is a great company with a storied history. Ignore the doubters because I know it is also a company with a great future.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Full Release Hump Day: PR From Pelosi, NADA, Chrysler, And More
A lot of paper--virtual and otherwise--flew through the air late yesterday. Everything was going smoothly until Chrysler and GM submitted their restructuring plans to congress, and après ça, as they say, le déluge. Faster than you could say "deforestation", a volley of press releases shot across the TCC desks. Some had important things to say, others...well, PR departments have to do something now and then, don't they? Here's our take on a few of the docs that caught our bleary eyes:
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Dude, it's totally not our fault: GM (excerpt) -- GM's need for government support was driven by the global financial market crisis, dramatically weaker economy and the resulting precipitous decline in vehicle demand. These conditions have impacted the entire auto industry, which in the U.S. is down approximately 40 percent from its peak in 2005, to the lowest per capita sales rate in 50 years. Though the impact has been most severe in the U.S. and Western Europe, automakers around the world are reporting large losses, with many seeking government assistance to weather the downturn.
Following the steep decline in U.S. industry sales in December 2008 and January 2009, GM responded by further lowering its forecast for 2009 U.S. industry sales to 10.5 million units (57.5 million units globally) for viability planning purposes. These industry planning volumes are more conservative than those being used by most other industry sources.
"The U.S. and global auto industries are facing times of unprecedented challenge," said GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner. "These conditions dictate that we must take very tough actions to accelerate GM's restructuring efforts. We've made a lot of progress since the plan we submitted on December 2, 2008, and we have more to do before March 31. The plan we delivered today to the U.S. Treasury is aggressive but achievable. It provides a clear pathway for GM that continues to support American manufacturing and technology innovation, which are vital to the future of our nation's economy."
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At least we didn't take out a full-page ad: Chrysler (excerpt) -- "On behalf of the men and women of our extended family, we thank the Administration and the Congress for the opportunity to continue the process of requesting federal loans to assist Chrysler LLC in the restructuring necessary to achieve long-term viability," Chrysler LLC Chairman and CEO Robert L. Nardelli said. "We fully understand the need to adapt to significantly reduced annual U.S. sales and to national concerns over energy security and climate change.
"We believe that Chrysler LLC will be viable based on the updated assumptions contained in this submission, and that an orderly restructuring outside of bankruptcy, together with the completion of our standalone viability plan, enhanced by a strategic alliance with Fiat, is the best option for Chrysler employees, our unions, dealers, suppliers and customers. Today, our people are eager to re-establish Chrysler as an iconic American company and, in the process, repay the U.S. government and taxpayers for their faith in our future. We believe the requested working capital loan is the least- costly alternative and will help provide an important stimulus to the U.S. economy and deliver positive results for American taxpayers. This plan will ensure the continued provision of health care and pension benefits to our active employees and retirees, while continuing to protect hundreds of thousands of middle class, quality American jobs at Chrysler, our dealer network and our suppliers."
...Based on this, we will require incremental financial support to continue our orderly and effective restructuring and are therefore now seeking an incremental $2 billion in addition to the remaining $3 billion that was within the scope of our original December 2 plan submission.
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Infiniti-worthy creampuff of nothingness: Nancy Pelosi -- "The submission of restructuring plans by GM and Chrysler represents the next step in what has been a difficult and disappointing chapter for the American economy, but I hope will become the transformation of our domestic automobile industry into a viable, technologically advanced, and globally competitive manufacturing force.
"In the coming weeks, the Obama Administration will review these plans and assess whether the shared sacrifice required of all stakeholders affected by the auto companies' current conditions - workers, executives, bondholders, and shareholders - will result in reasonably restructured corporations, with good, high-paying jobs for the future.
"Congress looks forward to working with the Obama Administration on any future actions that may be needed to move our domestic automobile industry on a path of global competitiveness and advanced energy efficiency technologies, while ensuring accountability to the taxpayers."
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Less than thrilled: National Automobile Dealers Association -- "General Motors has submitted a strong plan. It's comprehensive and aggressive and achievable. We are, of course, exceedingly disappointed that a viable solution has not yet been found for Saturn, Saab and Hummer. When considering the future viability of these brands, GM should continue to aggressively pursue all options. We are pleased that GM recognizes the 'great dealer network' that supports these brands. Should it become necessary to phase out these brands, it is imperative that GM treat the affected dealers fairly and that they be properly compensated. It is equally important to take care of the Saturn, Saab and Hummer owners. On the positive front, we are encouraged that GM recognizes that the availability of credit for automotive consumers and dealers is central to GM's survival. We look forward to working with GM and the government to free up credit, both at the wholesale and retail level."
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Cat-stroking, finger-tenting glee: Ford -- "Mwah, ha ha!"
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Ravenous indifference: Cookie Monster -- "OM NOM NOM!"
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Deafening silence: Hello Kitty could not be reached for comment because she ain't got no mouth.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Ford: UAW Deal Means No Federal Loans
Ford says a late-breaking deal with the United Auto Workers (UAW) means it will not have to depend on government loans to stay solvent in 2009.
The company, in a press release just issued, says that a tentative deal will modify the Ford-UAW labor deal that took effect in 2007. The terms of the new deal will help Ford squeak through the current auto-sales slump without a loan from Washington, while the company still funds its future product development. As a result of the deal, Ford suggests in the release, it will have competitive wages, benefits and work rules with transplant-brand factories located here in the U.S.
Left unsaid: how much of the deal is shared with GM and Chrysler, since Ford has been a part of the pattern bargaining that has governed work rules for the Big Three since Moses was allowed to bring the Ten Commandments without a UAW card. The Big Three have been trying to fulfill their healthcare and pension liabilities in part with stock--which, rightfully, the UAW rank and file see as a major gamble.
Is it a bigger gamble to let the automakers file Chapter 11? We'll know more in the next six weeks as final turnaround plans are twiddled with, in advance of a March 31 viability deadline. The Ford release follows; GM offers up its plan shortly.
UAW-FORD REACH AGREEMENT ON OPERATING ISSUES; DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE ON VEBA HEALTH CARE TRUST
Editor's Note: The following statement is attributable to Joe Hinrichs, group vice president, Global Manufacturing and Labor Affairs, Ford Motor Company.
Dearborn, Mich., Feb. 17 The United Auto Workers union and Ford Motor Company have reached a tentative agreement to modify certain operating provisions of the 2007 UAW-Ford National Labor Agreement, which if ratified would help Ford operate through the current economic downturn without accessing a U.S. government bridge loan and continue to invest in the company's ONE Ford product-led transformation.
The agreement, reached Sunday afternoon, includes modified provisions on labor costs, benefits and operating practices that allow Ford to reach competitive parity with foreign-owned automakers' manufacturing operations in the U.S.
A final settlement agreement is contingent upon the UAW and Ford reaching agreement on funding issues associated with the Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA) retiree health care trust.
The final agreement would cover approximately 42,000 UAW-represented employees in the United States and would be subject to ratification by the active UAW-Ford membership.
As we are still in discussion regarding the VEBA, Ford will not discuss additional details at this time.
While we have more difficult work to do, I would like to thank the entire UAW leadership and national bargaining committee particularly UAW President Ron Gettelfinger and UAW Vice President Bob King for their leadership during these important discussions.
All of us at Ford will continue to work with all of our stakeholders to participate in the current industry restructuring and improve our company's overall competitiveness.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Italian Government Granting Fiat, Unions Assistance in 10 Days
We previously reported Fiat and Italian labor unions' warnings that without aid from the Italian government, up to 60,000 jobs are in jeopardy. Today the Italian government announces it will unveil a collection of measures in ten days to assist Italy's largest automaker as well as auto parts makers and suppliers. The assistance is designed to help them weather the global credit crisis.
CGIL (Italian General Confederation of Labor) union leader Guglielmo Epifani said that "the government has given itself 10 days" to respond to their and Fiat's' requests for assistance to weather decreased product demand.
Last Sunday, Reuters spoke of a "popular revolt" if the assistance for Fiat goes through. Roberto Calderoli, a conservative member of Prime Minister Berlusconi's cabinet, insisted that the government has already assisted Fiat multiple times and issued a strong warning as the Italian government weighed the possibility of providing assistance.
How quickly a lack of cash changes minds only last November we reported that Fiat Group SpA CEO Sergio Marchionne voiced strong disapproval of U.S. government bailouts for the domestic auto industry.
[source: Detroit Free Press, CNBC via Reuters]
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Link Love From The Car Connection: World Car Of The Year, Crazy Trikes, And Mini Cooper Vs. The Carwash
Tiny nuggets of informative humpday goodness:
- Best in show: The list of contenders for 2009's World Car of the Year Award have been announced. Not on the slate: the slick, black bug from VW's "Das Auto" commercials. His acceptance speech would be too long anyway. [WorldCarFans]
- Speaking of Germany: Folks in the land of lederhosen can now turn in their old autos (nine years and up, please) for a 2,500 government credit toward something newer, shinier, and more efficient. The government budgeted for 600,000 trade-ins, but they received 420,000 calls in just two days. Ach! [Autoblog]
- UAW says "uncle" to the General: Gettelfinger & Co. are letting GM eliminate its beloved jobs bank, meaning that no work at GM factories = no pay for union employees. This whole "change" thing seems to be catching on. [CNNMoney]
- Buon Compleanno (eight days late): On February 20, 1909, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti published the Futurist Manifesto in the French newspaper Le Figaro. The manifesto "was one of the first documents to celebrate the automobile as an object of beauty and to cite speed and acceleration as aesthetic elements." He and his comrades were onto something. [NYTimes]
- Not necessarily in good hands: You may like to tinker with your car, but tacking those "upgrades" onto your insurance policy ain't always easy. As one State Farm rep said, "Just because you painted the car with purple polka dots and it cost you $5,000 doesn't mean that it increases the value of the car." [Insure]
- Hell on (three) wheels: Matias Conti's Transformable Spin Vehicle is possibly the most badass tricycle we've seen in a while. And we've seen the Aptera 2e. [AutoMotto]
- Drop it like it's hot: The Mini Cooper Convertible debuted a few weeks ago, and the company's encouraging drivers keep the top down as much as possible. That's a nice idea, but not so practical during thunderstorms or blizzards or in certain neighborhoods. Or in car washes:
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2009 Detroit Auto Show: Best In Show
The 2009 Detroit auto show opens to the public on Saturday--but the media has slipped out of Cobo Hall after one of the shortest press days in recent memory.
Despite the gloom surrounding the industry, there were glimmers of hope. Each of the Big Three showed an unexpected concept car--and each was compelling in its own way. Toyota and Lexus recast the Prius and a new HS 250h hybrid as their halo cars, and even the Chinese auto companies and the EV makers Tesla and Fisker showed that you don't have to be big and experienced to find new ways to lose money selling cars in the U.S.
While you're cruising around our 2009 Detroit auto show page--where you'll find all the links to stories from this year's gala event, and tons of photos, too--keep in mind these scene-stealing vehicles that our editors have chosen as the best in show from Detroit 2009:
Marty Padgett, Editor
Best Concept: Chrysler 200C. Since the dark days of the Nardelli era ushered in, we in the media haven't had the easiest time finding the light at the end of Chrysler's tunnel. If--and it's a huge if--they can find a sugar daddy willing to invest in its future and donate a mid-size, front-drive platform to build this concept, they could easily charge back into the game of profitability and electrification. While the U.S. Government screws around with building bridges to nowhere, this sleek, techno-savvy concept could be Chrysler's bridge to sustainability. Points also for realizing that a long-term future doesn't involve all cars chopped, channeled, and turned retro.
Best Production Car: 2010 Lexus HS 250h. It's a logical step for Toyota to add the Prius luster to the Lexus brand--and with a four-door body, better power and a finer interior, the new HS 250h gives Prius owners a luxe step up while simultaneously sending the Lexus ES 350 off into the sunset formerly occupied by the Buick Century. Right car, right time.
Top news story: During the show press days, the reality of the financial crisis in Detroit was never far from reach. Chrysler and GM going back to Congress during show days and asking for another $17 billion or so just to stay in business was pretty sobering. And yet, Ford reported that its sales in January were tracking higher than it expected. For the foreseeable future, this is the only story Detroit needs to worry about.
Top moment: Returning to the Detroit auto show a year after change came to TheCarConnection.com--and reporting to you that we're growing like crazy, with traffic more than doubled from this time last year, and a slew of new Web sites about to usher in a new era at High Gear Media. Keep an eye on our new sites as they launch and grow--you'll find out about them here first. On the down side, realizing that I'll never be appointed the industry's "car czar" as long as I keep tellingother major media networks that "Congress must be on crack" for not compelling a pre-packaged Big Three bankruptcy.
Bengt Halvorson, Reviews Editor
Best concept: Lincoln Concept C. This little concept was a real surprise, and such a refreshingly different take on a small car for the American market. The shape isn't gimmicky or retro, though I it's hard to deny the French design aura; but I also see the wide lower body of a small roadster. Now the reality check: Every small car Lincoln and Mercury have had in decades has been basically ignored by dealerships (and customers). Could it fly as a Lincoln, and how would it be different this time? If I could call a runner-up, it would be the very attractive Chrysler 200C.
Best production car: 2010 Fisker Karma. The production-version Karma shown at Detroit has an attractive, plush new interior that better matches the curvy exterior shown at last year's show—and incorporates trim and material firsts. The entire package shows a lot of new thinking and a strong understanding of who Fisker customers will be.
Top news story: Who will be car czar? It dominated the news this second day of the press preview, and I heard colleagues in the media split on whether it should be a detached financial expert or an industry veteran of some sort.
Top moment: GM's battery announcement. Could have been better received, but the Korean cell sourcing irked some.
Rex Roy, Detroit Editor
Best Concept: Chrysler 200C EV. Chrysler didn't let the media know that it was planning a traditional show car for the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, so when the 200C EV rolled onto the platform, it caught everybody by surprise. While the exterior of the little 200 is handsome and the electric powertrain is politically correct (and politically expedient), the 200C EV gets my vote because of its instrument cluster. There are no traditional switches or levers. Everything is controlled by the same technology that makes your iPhone work. Chrysler worked with Nartron (a technology supplier from Reed City, Michigan) to create the gesture-based system. Nartron owns the patents behind much of the technology that makes the iPhone and the 200C EV's interface system work. Expect to see this technology on cars within the next decade because Narton recently signed a manufacturing deal with mega-supplier Sanyo to handle production.
Best production car: 2010 Ford Taurus. With a base price expected to be around $26,000, the 2010 Ford Taurus is my pick. My reasoning is not so much based on style (it's not ugly), size (it's big inside), and practicality (the trunk is enormous something buyers replacing SUVs will appreciate). The 2010 Taurus shows that Ford has its act together, and right now for a Detroit manufacturer, that's significant.
Top news story: That the show happened at all. Things aren't great in Detroit these days. Several non-Detroit-based manufacturers pulled out of the show last fall not good pre-show news. More current news is that two of Detroit's three manufacturers are on government life support. Beyond this, the city's former mayor is in jail. The replacement mayor is dealing with a huge budget deficit and untold crises. And to top it all off, it snowed heavily the Friday before press days, a meteorological occurrence that in past years overwhelmed the city's limited snow clearing capabilities. In spite of all this, Detroit still put on a good auto show in 2009. Atta boy, Detroit.
Top moment: On Monday, right after GM announced their battery manufacturing program and the addition of 300 battery engineers at a new 31,000 square-foot facility, BYD from China held their press conference. Along with showing three vehicles, one already on sale in China, the company revealed their all-new ferrous battery technology. According to BYD, it offers significant performance and cost benefits compared to lithium ion cells (like those GM is committed to). With batteries holding the potential to become the internal combustion engines of the future, the significance of BYD being first a battery company gave us cause for pause. According to BYD officials, the company already has 11,000 people working on battery technology and production. The 300 engineers GM is adding to their small battery team seems like a drop in the bucket with this as a frame of reference.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Link Love From The Car Connection: Thursday Edition
Much of the world's attention is focused on the glitz and glamour of the Detroit Auto Show, but that doesn't mean there's not other news afoot:
- Nigeria's bikers put faith in pumpkins: The Nigerian government recently instituted a helmet law for motorcycle riders, but the public ain't happy about it--especially the taxi trivers. Motorcycle taxis are popular in Nigeria, and the new law naturally requires helmets for both drivers and passengers. However, drivers complain that passengers often steal the helmets or curse them with juju, so many have begun wearing dried pumpkins instead. They're easy to replace, sure, but the craniums underneath? Not so much. [BBC]
- Battery trap successful: Remember when we told you about Michigan's new law offering tax breaks to battery makers? Less than a month after passing, it's gotten its first taker! [Freep]
- Ten useless car gadgets: Somehow I missed AskMen's top ten list of useless car gadgets. I agree on most of their choices--especially the leather-trimmed a/c vents--but couldn't they have made some room for the deluxe mini-fridge? [AskMen]
- Truck sales don't buck any trends: Love charts? Hate surprises? Then the sad stats on 2008 pickup sales should be right up your alley. [PickupTrucks]
- Mickey Rourke fixes life, sells Mini: Part-time motorcyclist and full-time plastic surgery enthusiast Mickey Rourke is on the rise. His performance in the indie flick, The Wrestler, has garnered a Golden Globe nomination, and he's got his sights set on the Oscar. But what's he been doing the last decade or so? "I had this really nice 1963 Mini Cooper that I bought and kitted up really nicely. I sunk a lot of money into it then sold it for a third of what I spent on it. It was things like that I did to get by." Now that's a dedicated gearhead. [TheSun]
--Richard Read
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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
