Autoblog Podcast 12 finally hits the feed this week. We talk about a lot of different topics in this particular episode. Here is a list of topics:

For the first time, GM has given indication that it may be willing to help out Delphi. It's a bit hard to say how exactly this would happen, but it could occur through price concessions, a handover of cash, or even through a transfer of uncompetitive plants as recently happened with Ford and Visteon. GM says that any moves will be made only for the benefit of GM shareholders, which means that they'd like to keep Delphi away from bankruptcy since that would drop $9B in liability into GM's

Edmunds has crunched the numbers (and there's a lot of them) to bring us the True Cost of Incentives for the July sales month, and things add up to the rather impressive number of $5.3 billion. Domestic manufacturers spent about 80% of that on their way towards capturing 61% of the market share. One might expect incentive spending to drop as GM "adjusts" their sticker prices, which if successful will lead to a me-too response from Ford and Chrysler. But I'm curious to see just how many GM

Why you would need a faster version of the McLaren/Mercedes SLR is logically the same as needing a faster version of the Ferarri Enzo. Mercedes is considering a modified version of the SLR, with lower suspension,new tires (Fulda?), and more power. If you are a current SLR, you will get the opportunity to help Mercedes decide what it will do. If we were after a bat mobile of our own, we'd skip the SLR and go straight for the much more sinister Maybach Excelero. Too bad we're not loaded, an

VW will be asking its dealers to focus on the affordability of the new VW Passat, which is a lost theme for the People's Car. A base Passat will come in at just under $23,000, with a turbo 2.0L version about a grand more. With a narrow-angle V6, it checks in at a tick under $30,000, which drops it at the lower end of a very competitive market segment. Technologies such as active steering return and straight-line path correction will probably appeal to some; as for me, I'd prefer Honda's a

I believe Mitsubishi can turn it around, or perhaps I just hope it can because it would be a shame to lose this relatively small but influential Japanese carmaker. David Schembri, Mitsu's executive VP of sales and marketing, told Edmunds that the company has a plan in place to help right the ship that includes introducing six new models by 2008. It started with the introduction of the all-new 2006 Eclipse and will co

A teaser pic of the 2006 World Rally Championship Impreza Prototype has been released by Subaru ahead of the car's scheduled unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The car will first compete next year at the season opener Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo. Normally Subaru chooses to use a previous season's car for the first few races and presses a new vehicle into service after the season has started, but new rules for 2006 has forced every WRC team to start the season with a bra

Except that it's not a truck, but whatever. Edy's is rolling out a new little ice cream treat and its marketing people must have come up with this idea during a frozen treat-induced brain freeze. They contracted Canyon Motors to build a MINI Cooper Ice Cream "Truck" that includes 32- and 23-inch LCD flat panels, a Mac Mini, iPod Mini docking station, wi-fi connectivity, exterior webcam, slide-out freezer drawer and 19-inch spinner wheels. The crazy little concoction will be on a 10-city t