I heard on the radio this morning that a parked unmarked police cruiser, a Dodge Charger, was stolen from Detroit, ironically, from a police...
Home » Archive for 2009
The End Of Saab?
Bad news for Saab fans today. Koenigsegg, like Penske with Saturn, backed out of the deal, leaving GM with another brand it doesn't want...
How To Convert .WTV Files (For Free)
Windows 7 Media Center records TV shows into a file format called ".WTV". I found that you can convert these to .WMV format using ...
Google Chrome's Secret Plan
Google is making news this week unveiling a prototype of its new OS, which is basically a stripped down Linux based wrapper for their Chrome...
Buick Manual? NFW!
Amazing news . Buick may start selling a Regal in the U.S. with a manual transmission . I'm blown away. This is definitive proof that ...
Aptera Death Watch?
Should we start an Aptera Death Watch, TTAC style? Not yet, but maybe soon. Aptera's difficulties in getting financing, which is very mu...
Republicans Hate GM, Democrats Heart Toyota
Jalopnik asks, " Why Do Republicans Hate American Automakers? ", and talks about how some Republican pols are badmouthing GM and C...
Housekeeping
Google Ads are now gone. They were cluttering up my blog, and though they were paying a little, it wasn't a significant amount. Enjoy.
GM's Repayment Plan
In today's news , GM is going to begin repaying its government loan. Sort of. Most of GM's government debt, which came from the TARP...
Don't Boycott GM
I have talked to a few people, and read many more on web forums, who will not buy any GM or Chrysler products because they took a government...
Mini Review: Dell Vostro 1520 Laptop
I ordered a Dell Vostro 1520 from Dell Small Business. It was a screaming deal, $499 after a $50 coupon, stackable with their promotion. Un...
Ford's New Inflatable Seat Belt
Update : Wes Sherwood of Ford Safety PR has left answers to my questions in the first comment. Thanks Wes! Ford unveiled a new inflatable ...
Open Question To Chrysler/Fiat
A question for Chrysler: why are you going to keep building the Jeep "Pavement" Compass? How does this product advance your bran...
Exotic Car Sighting
This evening, MI northern 'burbs. Can you name it? (sorry, a little blurry, I don't often shoot photos in my car)
Will GM Pay Us Back?
This is a big question these days, and many observers say "no". According to Rasmussen , most Americans don't expect GM to be...
Mosler For Pres? Heh.
Warren Mosler, hedge fund manager and supercar builder, may be running for President. One of Mosler's proposals is a national 30mph spe...
Gettelfinger On Marchionne
This morning on Paul W. Smith's morning talk show (AM760), Ron Gettelfinger was a guest. Paul W. tried to extract comments from Gettelf...
Paper: LEDs Not As Cool As You Think
According to a paper published in an IEEE journal, LED lamps can run hotter than equivalent fluorescent lamps. Where florescents may dissip...
Car Buying Advice
A friend of mine is working on a purchase of a new vehicle. She called me in terror the other day and said "they told me I should get ...
Video: OnStar Calls Hennessey
Tuner Hennessey Performance was testing a 700HP Cadillac CTS-V, and after pulling 0.99g, got a call from OnStar. "Vehicle Event Detect...
Internet COTY Voting
The "Internet Car Of The Year" awards are open for the final voting, here . My picks: Car: Camaro SS . The return of a muscle car...
Will GDI kill HEV?
As things currently stand, gasoline hybrid electric vehicles ("HEV" as opposed ot plug-in hybrid vehicles, or "PHEV") co...
GM Marketing Backfire?
So after a few weeks of voting, GM's TheBestCarWins.com web site has the following results: Fuel Efficiency: Toyota (Prius, not Land Cru...
May The Best (Golf) Car Win
Oops. If you type in "May The Best Car Win", you might wind up here . Not GM.
No Zip Ties For Buick
From Fritz Henderson's recent web chat: 15:24 [Comment From Ray Wert ] Will Buick seek to add white, plastic floor mat zip-ties in a b...
Viper's iPhone Remote Start System
Viper (maker of car alarms and remote starters) sent me a PR kit for a new system which will allow you to remote start your car with your Ap...
Cash For Clunkers Credit Not Taxable
I have gotten one of those chain emails purporting to show that the CARS program (cash-for-clunkers) actually costs you more money than you ...
Future Cop Cars
Now that GM has announced that they will bring their Australian RWD V8 sedan to the U.S. as a police car, there is a clearer picture of what...
Survey: Customers Regret Buying Small Cars
The Pittsburg Post-Gazette ( link ) has an interesting article about sagging demand for small cars in the face of cheaper gas. AutoPacific ...
Honda Crosstour?
I haven't digested all of its stats and photos yet, but from what I see so far, the Honda Crosstour looks like an answer to a question n...
GM Sort Of Leaving RenCen?
According to a story in the Detroit News ( here ), GM is considering moving many employees out of downtown Detroit's only modern high-ri...
How A V6 Beats A V8
Q: How does a V6 out-run a V8 with more displacement? A : On a high altitude hill climb where the V6 has twin-turbos compressing the intake...
Saturn Dead?
Bad news for Saturn. Penske just announced that they are backing away, because they are concerned about vehicle availability from GM going ...
"Unintended Acceleration", Don't Pray, THINK
This morning on the radio, I heard the audio from a 911 distress call that a man placed while driving an out of control Lexus. This was one...
NHTSA: Toyota Owners Remove Floor Mats
NHTSA has an urgent message to owners of many Toyota vehicles: 2007-2010 Camry 2005-2010 Avalon 2004-2009 Prius 2005-2010 Tacoma 2007-2010 ...
On Paddle Shifters
More and more cars now ofter steering wheel mounted shift levers for cars that have fully automatic transmissions. These are an imitation o...
The Truth About TTAC
The Truth About Cars (TTAC) was started by Robert Farrago, an auto blogger whose calling cards were coprolalia and an obsession with predict...
Review: 2010 Ford Taurus
I thought I would make an effort to test-drive a 2010 Ford Taurus, since it is an important product for Ford, and I am familiar with the pre...
The UAW/CAW Car List
The UAW and CAW have released a list of vehicles which they endorse, because they are assembled by unionized plants in North America. There...
GMC Terrain Reaction
The other day, I had a chance to take a close look at a GMC Terrain which was probably a GM employee drive-home, or perhaps a press fleet ca...
IIHS At 50: 1959 Bel Aire Vs. 2009 Malibu
We've come a looong way since 1959 with auto safety. This shocking video shows what happens when a 1959 Bel Aire crashes into a 2009 Mal...
Equinox Vs Escape Math
In his recent web chat, GM's Bob Lutz stated that the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox "trounces" the Ford Escape Hybrid. I'll ride...
Lutz "Best Car" Chat
Bob Lutz had a web chat on the topic of the new GM "return it if you don't like it" marketing campaign, "May The Best Car...
Aptera Wants It Both Ways
In order to be able to build and sell a super-efficient vehicle legally, Aptera takes advantage of the federal motor vehicle regulations whi...
People Want PHEVs, But Cheap
A fascinating survey was publshed by Pike Research (here: http://www.pikeresearch.com/newsroom/48-of-consumers-interested-in-purchasing-a-pl...
Galileoscope: It Really Works!
I got my Galileoscope in the mail the other day, and I am really impressed. It has a large, heavy, real glass objective lens. The eyepiec...
Read Pete.
If you aren't reading Peter DeLorenzo, you should be. He's got a lot to say, and it is usually well said. http://www.autoextremist...
Creepy Metal Detector Guy
I went for a walk to today, and went past a local construction site where the city is re-modeling a municipal park. A metal detector guy ha...
"I Just Sent You An Email"
Some people at work have this annoying habit of sending you an important email, and then popping into your cube (Yes, I work in a cubicle ...
Chrysler--Looking Shaky
Have you noticed the lack of positive news about Chrysler? How Chrysler's sales numbers continue to slide year-over-year, even after C...
Audi Mocks Volt
In an interview with MSN Autos, Audi of America president Johan de Nysschen mocks would be buyers of the Chevrolet Volt as "idiots...
Spotted A 2010 Buick LaCrosse
The other day, I stopped by my local Murray's Auto Parts store to buy some high quality washer fluid. Pulling in next to me was a new B...
Quick Review: 2009 Chevrolet Impala Rental
I needed a rental car for a couple of days, and the only car available at my local Enterprise store was a red 2008 or 2009 Impala. The Chevr...
Chevy Mocks Volvo, I Mock Chevy
In a new ad campaign, GM's Chevrolet division points out the passion that some of their classic cars inspire. Link: http://blogs.edmund...
GM Debadges Itself, Finally
Finally, GM has come to its senses and is removing ( http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125115331402254991.html ) that stupid little square GM ...
Bill Frist Trades Down
Bill Frist said in a Larry King Live interview that he Cash-For-Clunkered a Chevrolet Suburban to get a Toyota Prius. He didn't have t...
Fiat 500 to Mexico?
According to the WSJ ( http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125046466790535335.html ), Fiat will bring assembly of it's b-car 500 (aka Cinque...
The Woodward Pre-Cruise: Friday Night
Friday night in Birmingham. Lots of people, lots of interesting cars. Sign of the times. Weird Harley powered thing Two yellow sleds. Monst...
The Woodward Pre-Cruise
On Thursday evening I went over to Birmingham and shot some photos of the pre-cruise cruising. It was very busy. I apologize that the phot...
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