Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[How They Roll: NYT investigates the wheels of Mexican drug cartels]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/16/how-they-roll-nyt-investigates-the-wheels-of-mexican-drug-carte/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/16/how-they-roll-nyt-investigates-the-wheels-of-mexican-drug-carte/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/16/how-they-roll-nyt-investigates-the-wheels-of-mexican-drug-carte/#commentsFiled under:



The Mexican drug trade business is booming. Drugs are flowing between Mexico and the U.S. on a daily basis, overwhelming the Mexican military and U.S. border patrol officers. Most of the drugs arrive stateside via cars and trucks, and the vehicles transporting contraband range from a Rolls Royce to a VW Rabbit. The New York Times spent some time in Sinaloa, Mexico with Mexican General Federico Solórzano at what looked to be a used car lot.

The general's troops have seized 766 vehicles to date ranging from Jaguars to brand new SUVs to classic muscle cars. Custom choppers, pickup trucks and sports cars are all accounted for on the lot, but these vehicles are different from cars and trucks you can purchase at your local dealership: they have secret compartments for carrying drugs and weapons across the Mexican boarder. The vehicles housed untold millions of dollars in addition to automatic weapons in false sidewalls, modified bumpers and trap doors. General Solórzano reportedly told the NYT that vehicles have been retrofitted with bullet-proofing tech, machine gun turrets, secret compartments that hold sharp nails for police cruisers in hot pursuit and even a smoke machine to assist in losing the Federalis.

The vehicles are being stored at a military base because drug traffickers have raided police facilities and took back the vehicles seized near the border. In total, the Mexican government is said to have over 14,000 vehicles in its possession, yet tons of drugs make the trip from South America to the U.S. without detection. The vehicles will eventually be sold at auction or will be used by other federal agencies, but the apparent crawl of the Mexican legal system means trials are sometimes years away. Head over to the NYT to read more about the vehicles that bring drugs from the Mexican boarder to a town near you. Pretty interesting stuff. Top tip, Mehul!

[Source: New York Times | Image: Jesus Alcazar/AFP/Getty Images]

How They Roll: NYT investigates the wheels of Mexican drug cartels originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The holidays are almost here and your gearhead loved ones need presents. Badly. But what to get them? Well, we like tools. Gloves to protect us from grease, too. Oh, and we love models of cars. Of course most spouses we know don't really want tools, gloves or small cars sitting on the coffee table. So what about a nice book?

You're in luck, as there are lots of books about cars, usually filled with lovely pictures that look totally fabulous when displayed proudly in the living room (says us). Speaking of books, one of our favorite authors, P.J. O'Rourke, reviewed a new book for the New York Times called Cars: Freedom, Style, Sex, Power, Motion, Colour, Every­thing.

If you don't know, O'Rourke is one of our favorite authors because he refuses to pull punches. Like this, "Buy this book, but don't read it." Why would P.J. recommend purchasing a book but not reading it? Well, as he tells it, the pictures are beautiful but the words aren't. As O'Rourke says towards the end of his review of Cars, "I have no idea what he's talking about." Still, the pictures look good.

[Source: New York Times]

P.J. O'Rourke reviews a book about cars called, "Cars" originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CarsGiftsNew York TimesNewYorkTimesP.J. ORourkeP.j.OrourkeThu, 10 Dec 2009 08:58:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Tesla CEO 99 percent sure of DOE loan, calls NYT writer "a huge douchebag"]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/13/video-elon-99-per-cent-sure-of-doe-loan-calls-nyt-writer-a-hu/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/13/video-elon-99-per-cent-sure-of-doe-loan-calls-nyt-writer-a-hu/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/13/video-elon-99-per-cent-sure-of-doe-loan-calls-nyt-writer-a-hu/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Since it was announced that the highly quotable Bob Lutz would be departing from his General Motors management spotlight, automotive bloggers and reporters everywhere have been mourning the loss of an executive with such an exquisite way with words. Now it appears that the pining may have been premature, thanks to the emergence of another top management type with the brass, it seems, to freely speak his mind in public.

In a new interview with Yahoo! Tech Ticker's Sarah Lacy, Tesla CEO Elon Musk was asked what he thought of an earlier New York Times piece that voiced opposition to a government loan for the electric car maker. With a huge smile indicating his delight in the opportunity to speak about the issue, Musk announced that "Randy Stross is a huge douchebag". After a brief pause he added, "...and an idiot." Take that, Mr. Fancy Pants reporter guy!

In the course of the interview, Musk goes on to explain exactly how he felt the writer in question cherry-picked from the facts to make a case for Department of Energy loan denial, going on to vigorously defend the Tesla business model. In the conversation that followed the opening barrage, it was very interesting to note the certitude expressed by Elon that Tesla Motors would receive the low interest loan requested from the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) program. Noting that his company is a "perfect fit" for ATVM funds, he states, "The odds of us getting that money ($350 million) are 99 percent..." alluding to assurances given in private meetings, Musk suggested the funds are coming and coming soon. Hit the jump for the entertaining and informative video.


Gallery: Tesla Model S


[Source: Tech Ticker via Tesla Motors Club]

Continue reading VIDEO: Tesla CEO 99 percent sure of DOE loan, calls NYT writer "a huge douchebag"

VIDEO: Tesla CEO 99 percent sure of DOE loan, calls NYT writer "a huge douchebag" originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CEOelectric carElectricCarElon MuskElonMuskModel SModelSNew York TimesNewYorkTimesNYTplug-in electricPlug-inElectricRandy StrossRandyStrossTeslaTesla CEOTesla Model STesla MotorsTesla RoadsterTeslaCeoTeslaModelSTeslaMotorsTeslaRoadsterMon, 13 Apr 2009 14:59:00 EST<![CDATA["Marquis DeSoto" wins NY Times' Collectible Car of the Year award]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/24/marquis-desoto-wins-ny-times-collectible-car-of-the-year-awar/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/24/marquis-desoto-wins-ny-times-collectible-car-of-the-year-awar/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/24/marquis-desoto-wins-ny-times-collectible-car-of-the-year-awar/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for a gallery of the Marquis DeSoto

It is neither a Mercury Grand Marquis nor a DeSoto, but perhaps it could be considered a kind of royalty. Furniture maker Steve Heller wanted to build a car of his own design, and possessed of a love of Fifties car details, he swiped the things he liked and built what he calls the "Marquis de Soto." It can also be called the New York Times Collectible Car of the Year.

The Marquis is based on a 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis. The Marquis' wings have been poached from the rear of a 1957 DeSoto, along with 1959 Cadillac taillights, the front fenders and lights from a 1958 Lincoln, 1955 Cadillac bumpers, a 1965 Buick Skylark hood, chrome from a 1957 Buick, and a grille glommed built from two 1957 Corvette pieces.

Heller spent 20 years collecting all the parts - he makes furniture using vintage car doodads - and spent four months building the car in back of his furniture shop. We dig it... but we dig it even more when it was just wearing primer. It has The Riddler written all over it. For more on the Marquis DeSoto, you can watch a great Heller-narrated slideshow or check out the gallery of photos below. Hat tip to Avinash

Gallery: Marquis deSoto


[Source: New York Times]

"Marquis DeSoto" wins NY Times' Collectible Car of the Year award originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awardscustomcustom carsCustomCarsetclimited editionLimitedEditionnew york timesNewYorkTimesvintagevintage carsVintageCarsTue, 24 Feb 2009 08:58:00 EST<![CDATA[The NYT chimes in: time for a gas tax]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/28/the-nyt-chimes-in-time-for-a-gas-tax/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/28/the-nyt-chimes-in-time-for-a-gas-tax/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/28/the-nyt-chimes-in-time-for-a-gas-tax/#commentsFiled under: ,

Can you hear that? Those are the war drums, and more and more of them are beating the same tune: bring on the gas tax. An editorial in The Gray Lady is the latest and arguably the weightiest to join the shock troops advocating for higher gas prices. The writer proposes a fluctuating consumption tax that would keep gas at least $4 per gallon in 2008 dollars, while an economist suggests a sliding tax on the price of a barrel of oil to achieve the same effect.

The NYT admits "a bitter recession is not the most opportune time to ratchet up the price of energy." But it balances that against the coming Obama administration's aims, the government's enviro-friendly suggestions to the U.S. auto industry, and Americans' claims to want to get off of foreign oil.

Although not mentioned specifically in the Times piece, some recommend a gas tax for a reason that has nothing to do with environmental stewardship: state governments need money. States are making enormous budget cuts, trying to sell and lease their lotteries, state parks, roads, bridges, and even their airports, and lining up for federal aid totaling hundreds of billions of dollars, and still saying they won't have enough money. The answer to "Will there be a gas tax?" could be, as Jesse Jackson once said, "The question is moot!" The question is not whether there will be a gas tax, but whether you will pay your additional taxes at the pump, at the toll booth, in your paycheck, etc...

[Source: New York Times]

The NYT chimes in: time for a gas tax originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 28 Dec 2008 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fuel pricesFuelPricesgas pricesgas taxgas taxesGasPricesGasTaxGasTaxesgovernmentnew york timesNewYorkTimesoiloil pricesOilPricesSun, 28 Dec 2008 13:04:00 EST<![CDATA[New York 2008: Nardelli promises aspirational vehicles from Chrysler]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/19/new-york-2008-nardelli-promises-aspirational-vehicles-from-chry/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/19/new-york-2008-nardelli-promises-aspirational-vehicles-from-chry/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/19/new-york-2008-nardelli-promises-aspirational-vehicles-from-chry/#commentsFiled under: ,



We are just back from the kickoff keynote speech for the 2008 New York Auto Show and have to wonder where in the Big Apple we can score some of what Bob Nardelli is smoking. While his words sounded somewhat encouraging, they were about three months old for the most part and didn't sound terribly convincing to most ears. He outlined Chrysler's 4-point plan for the future, telling the assembled breakfast-seekers that enhancing the core, extending business, expanding the market, and executing flawlessly are the keys to Chrysler's future. OK, sure. That could apply to just about any enterprise. Using the company's global assets to reduce redundancies is obviously going to help, cutting non-profitable models and reducing the number of options and packages makes a lot of sense, too. His main focus was on product, pointing out that designing and building "aspirational" products was vital to getting people back into the Chrysler fold. We can understand how that leads to something like the Challenger, but the Journey doesn't seem like it meets that criteria as well. Maybe the briefly mentioned Grand Voyager and a Cherokee with a "special" roof will surprise us later today. We shouldn't be too hard on Nardelli and Chrysler, as the company is working on turning itself round. Unfortunately, this company's got a large turning radius.

New York 2008: Nardelli promises aspirational vehicles from Chrysler originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Click image for a look at the other model debuts by the NYT

The Old Grey Lady has officially kicked off the Detroit Auto Show 24 hours early, and they brought some party favors for all their readers to boot. The New York Times' Automobiles section has a Detroit preview article (dated 1/13, incidentally) in its feature spot. No longer under wraps are the 2009 Dodge Ram, 2009 Ford F-150 Platinum, Mitsubishi Concept-RA, Ford Verve sedan concept, and the Fisker plug-in luxo-hybrid, as all are featured prominently in the piece's accompanying new vehicle gallery.

Mitsubishi Concept-RAThe biggest fish in the tank are the two full-size trucks. While Chrysler inadvertently gave us a sneak preview of the Ram last month, Ford has kept the new F-150 well under wraps until now. The model pictured is the tip-top-of-the line F-150 Platinum, in case you were wondering. As for the others, the snazzy blue Ram Sport is looking good to these eyes (more on the '09 Ram here), while the Verve concept looks to be a slightly tweaked version of the one shown in China, updated with a coat of red paint and a modified fascia (note the differences in the foglamps). The Mitsubishi Concept-RA has us hankering for a new Eclipse, while the shapely Fisker PHEV looks like a green vehicle we'd be more than happy to pilot daily. You can read the Times' full preview here. Team Autoblog will assemble in Motown starting tomorrow, but it looks like the fun's begun in earnest already.

[Source: The New York Times]

Gallery: New York Times reveals Detroit '08 new models

2009 Ford F150 Platinum2009 Dodge Ram SportMitsubishi Concept-RAFisker karmaFord Verve Concept

NY Times jumps the gun: 2009 Ford F-150, others revealed! originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 12 Jan 2008 01:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2009 Dodge Ram2009 Dodge Ram Sport2009 Ford F-1502009 Ford F-150 Platinum2009DodgeRam2009DodgeRamSport2009FordF-1502009FordF-150Platinumbreakingdetroit 2008detroit auto showDetroit2008DetroitAutoShowFisker KarmaFisker PHEVFiskerKarmaFiskerPhevFord VerveFordVerveMitsubishi Concept-RAMitsubishiConcept-ranaiasNew York TimesNew York Times Detroit previewNewYorkTimesNewYorkTimesDetroitPreviewSat, 12 Jan 2008 01:29:00 EST<![CDATA[GM FastLane Blog responds to NY Times: Saturn still viable]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/07/gm-fastlane-blog-responds-to-ny-times-saturn-still-viable/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/07/gm-fastlane-blog-responds-to-ny-times-saturn-still-viable/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/07/gm-fastlane-blog-responds-to-ny-times-saturn-still-viable/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



We don't get it. Saturn has done an amazing job transmogrifying itself into a productive division for The General, and people are wistful for the Saturn of yore? In internet parlance, WTF? Three years ago, it would have been apt to predict that Saturn would be nearly done circling the drain by now and well on its way to the same fate as Oldsmobile. What has in fact happened has been an impressive brand renaissance, invigorated by GM's smart utilization of its global operations. Jerry Garrett opined in the September 5th Wheels section of the New York Times that GM's realignment of Saturn amounts to quietly smothering the brand with a pillow and then swiping its identity. Saturn's communications director Kyle Johnson shot back a reply on the GM FastLane blog, and it all makes for fascinating reading.

We'd like to point out that global asset and platform sharing has been going on for decades at GM. It's really no big thing that Saturn is selling Opels. Heck, the Chevette was an Isuzu Gemini, and who can forget the final Pontiac LeMans? Platform sharing has been going on for a very long time at all of the big three, we're not sure why Saturn's excercise of the practice is such news to Jerry Garrett. Kyle Johnson delivers a pretty good dope-slap of a reply, too. It's always entertaining when the fur flies on the interweb.

[Source: GM Fastlane]

GM FastLane Blog responds to NY Times: Saturn still viable originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Sep 2007 11:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wagon with harp

The weekly New York Times Automobile section is always a good read, with articles written by people who clearly like cars, and topics that you just don't often find in the buff mags. Take this week's gem, a piece by Peggy Minnis on her daughter's search for a new vehicle. Now, you may be thinking that car shopping isn't exactly the most newsworthy topic, and for the most part, you're right. The Times piece has an angle, though.

You see, Peggy Minnis' daughter Margaret Jane plays the harp, and the cars she had on her shopping list had to be able to accommodate a full concert harp with all its accoutrements. Her current machine, a '92 Camry wagon, has seen better days (you can catch a glimpse of it in the photo above). To make that list of candidates, the vehicle couldn't be a minivan (too frumpy) and it had to have a low deck, which instantly eliminated most SUVs from contention. As such, the shopping list included a roster of modern wagons and a couple of crossovers. It's surprising to read the drawbacks some of the cars presented, and it becomes clear right away that all wagons are not equal.

Think the big Dodge Magnum was up to the task? Think again. Subaru Legacy? Uh-uh. Bimmer 5-series? Nope.

At least not if hauling a harp (or something similarly long and bulky) is going to be part of your daily routine. What's the winning ride? I won't spoil it for you here. Go read the article for yourself and enjoy. I certainly did.

[Source: NYT]

You gotta have harp: A musician looks for the perfect hauler originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Oct 2006 09:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carrying a harpCarryingAHarpharphauling a harpHaulingAHarpmargaret minnisMargaretMinnisnew york timesNewYorkTimesny timesnytNyTimespeggy minnisPeggyMinnisvehicle for musicianVehicleForMusicianwagon for musicianWagonForMusicianMon, 16 Oct 2006 09:34:00 EST<![CDATA[HUMMER Happy Meal Hysteria]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/14/hummer-happy-meal-hysteria/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/14/hummer-happy-meal-hysteria/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/14/hummer-happy-meal-hysteria/#commentsFiled under: , ,



When McDonalds announced that it had teamed up with GM on a new HUMMER-themed Happy Meal, it seemed like a no-brainer. Kids like Happy Meals, kids like trucks, and everybody knows HUMMER. You don't need a degree in marketing to figure out that putting these elements together would be a hit for all involved.

Reading the New York Times' account of it, however, could lead one to believe that the HUMMER Happy Meal represents the end of western civilization.

In last week's article titled "Would You Like A Gas Guzzler With That?" writer Melanie Warner offers up a plodding critique of the promotion, McDonalds, and of course, GM / HUMMER. The reactions collected are so over-the-top, the article practically reads like satire.

Click through for some of the hyperbole-laden "highlights" of the article.

Continue reading HUMMER Happy Meal Hysteria

HUMMER Happy Meal Hysteria originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Aug 2006 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anne korinAnneKorindipping a Big Mac in fry oil and serving it to your kidsDippingABigMacInFryOilAndServingItToYourKidsEDFenvironmental defenseenvironmental defense fundEnvironmentalDefenseEnvironmentalDefenseFundhappy mealHappyMealhummer happy mealhummer happy meal toyshummer of a summerHummerHappyMealHummerHappyMealToysHummerOfASummerinstitute for the analysis of global securityInstituteForTheAnalysisOfGlobalSecurityMcdonaldsmcdonalds happy mealMcdonaldsHappyMealmelanie warnerMelanieWarnernew york timesNewYorkTimessierra clubSierraClubtoy hummertoy hummersToyHummerToyHummerswould you like a gas guzzler with thatwould you like a hummer with thatWouldYouLikeAGasGuzzlerWithThatWouldYouLikeAHummerWithThatMon, 14 Aug 2006 12:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Discovery Times to air "Addicted to Oil" documentary]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/21/discovery-times-to-air-addicted-to-oil-documentary/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/21/discovery-times-to-air-addicted-to-oil-documentary/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/21/discovery-times-to-air-addicted-to-oil-documentary/#commentsFiled under: ,

Thomas Friedman recently disqualified himself for any future runs at heading up the General Motors fan club, but now he's going to host a new Discovery Times documentary called "Addicted to Oil". The topics that will be discussed during this documentary, such as the "true" price of gasoline (Friedman doesn't feel that the cost of securing oil or cleaning up the environment is reflected in what we pay at the pump) and the role of petrodollars in the War on Terror, are likely old hat for anyone who's been keeping up on the debate over the last few years. However, we suspect that there might be a few eyes opened among the general TV-watching audience, at least to the extent that this audience watches the Discovery Channel.

Friedman boasts that green energy technology will be the growth industry of the 21st century, and he says the real question is whether America will lead the way, or if a new economic leader will be born elsewhere in the world.

Interestingly enough, Friedman states that he has nothing against SUVs, and he seems to agree with GM's claim that the automaker makes a lot of large SUVs (such as the Hummer H2) because they sell well. That free-market explanation is a somewhat different take than what has been presented on the pages of the New York Times recently.

[Source: The Discovery Times]

Discovery Times to air "Addicted to Oil" documentary originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Jun 2006 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cafeFriedmanfuel economyGeneral MotorsGMhybridsMustache of WisdomNew York TimesNY Timesoil consumptionPeak OilWed, 21 Jun 2006 13:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Thomas Friedman of NYT talks back to GM]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/14/thomas-friedman-talks-back-to-gm/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/14/thomas-friedman-talks-back-to-gm/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/14/thomas-friedman-talks-back-to-gm/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

GM's war of words [1] [2] with Thomas Friedman of the New York Times continues, but this time it's Friedman's turn to talk. We were recently tipped off to the contents of a Friedman editorial dated for June 14th (today) that's locked inside the gated online community of NYtimes.com. We're hesitant to republish it in its entirety for fear the Times will go medieval on us, so we'll do our best to sum up.

In response to General Motors' denouncement of Friedman's original op-ed that appears on the company's FastLane Blog, the reporter reminds us that in addition to making more cars that achieve above 30 mpg on the highway than any other automaker, it also sells more cars that get 9 to 11 mpg than any other automaker. Friedman is referring specifically to the HUMMER brand and presumably the H2 in particular, although Friedman doesn't specify and GM doesn't make the H2's mileage numbers readily available on its consumer website.

Friedman also learned that in addition to GM's controversial fuel subsidizing promotion that began this battle, at least some dealers in California have also been authorized to offer $5,000 discounts on 2006 Tahoe and Suburban SUVs. We're willing to cut GM some slack on this one, as its needs to get these 2006 models off the lot post haste to make room for the more popular and newly redesigned 2007 models. No conspiracy there, just a logical business decision to move last year's model.

Finally Friedman pulls out a rather sharp argument that none of the domestic automakers has yet confronted: the story behind E85. As many of you know, the domestics have been selling flex-fuel vehicles back in the mid-Nineties, though have hardly marketed the technology at all until now. Many if not most consumers were completely unaware their cars were flex-fuel capable since they first went on sale. The reason it wasn't promoted, according to Friedman, is because the automakers produced flex-fuel capable vehicles in order to take advantage of a federal loophole that increased the overall mileage of each company's fleet to within federally mandated limits. Friedmans cites the 2006 GMC Yukon 2WD that actually gets 15 mpg city and 20 mpg highway, though is rated at 33 mpg in order to meet the government's CAFÉ standards. Only by producing these vehicles as flex-fuel capable were the automakers able to take advantage of this loophole.

That's it for now until Steve Harris, GM's VP for Global Communication and author of GM's first response, gathers the General's troops and formulates another response to Friedman's response.

Thanks Dave G. for the tip!

[Source: NYTimes.com]

Thomas Friedman of NYT talks back to GM originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Jun 2006 07:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>new york timesNewYorkTimesnytimes.comthomas friedmanThomasFriedmanWed, 14 Jun 2006 07:27:00 EST<![CDATA[GM vs. the NY Times - Part II]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/12/gm-vs-the-ny-times-part-ii/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/12/gm-vs-the-ny-times-part-ii/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/12/gm-vs-the-ny-times-part-ii/#commentsFiled under: ,

General Motors and Thomas "The Mustache of Wisdom" Friedman already went one round last week when the New York Time writer's strongly worded column triggered a rebuttal on GM's Fastlane Blog, but this particular maelstrom is too good to end there. The story now picks up at the General's FYI Blog, where we get to read about the automaker's trials and tribulations at getting a "letter to the editor" published in the Old Grey Lady.

GM originally submitted a 500-word response to Friedman's 800-word column, but the Times requested that it be limited to 175 words. Further negotiations resulted in a 200-word limit, but then the Times objected to GM's use of the word "rubbish" when describing Friedman's rant, stating that "it's not the tone we use in Letters". GM finally requested that its letter not be run in an excessively edited state, obviously feeling a bit miffed at the lack of an opportunity to address someone who equated the company to "a crack dealer" for offering incentives on its SUVs while ignoring the same actions by other automakers.

GM does commit a bit of a 'net faux pas by publishing its e-mail communications with the Times, but at least it's an amusing read [PDF warning].

[Source: GM FYI Blog; HT: Kaus Files]

GM vs. the NY Times - Part II originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jun 2006 08:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>General MotorsGMNew York TimesNY TimesThomas FriedmanTom FriedmanToyotaMon, 12 Jun 2006 08:52:00 EST<![CDATA[GM takes Friedman from New York Times to task - CORRECTION]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/02/gm-s-lutz-takes-friedman-from-new-york-times-to-task/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/02/gm-s-lutz-takes-friedman-from-new-york-times-to-task/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/02/gm-s-lutz-takes-friedman-from-new-york-times-to-task/#commentsFiled under: ,

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman wrote an op-ed piece on Wednesday that absolutely blasted General Motors for its "Fuel Price Protection Program" in which California and Florida customers are being reimbursed for the cost of gas above $1.99/gallon for one year. Some more colorful quotes from Friedman's article include, "Is there a company more dangerous to America's future than General Motors?", as well as comparing the company to "a crack dealer looking to keep his addicts on a tight leash."

GM's product czar and media wrangler Bob Lutz takes Friedman's harshly worded editorial to task on GM's FastLane Blog pointing out that Toyota offers a larger $2,000 cash rebate on the Sequoia, which actually gets worse mileage than the Tahoe. He also points out the General's recent push into E85 territory, its industry-leading lineup of 30 mpg or better vehicles, and its commitment to hydrogen fuel cell R&D.

Lutz is at the top of his game, however, when he points out that for all the credit Toyota receives for its Prius hybrid, the Japanese company's growth over the past ten years has been fueled mainly by its expansion into truck and SUV segments. But he gets back on Toyota's good side by saying, "Don't get me wrong. Toyota's a fine company. But like GM, Toyota offers a full range of cars and trucks to satisfy all their customers across this nation."

A full range of vehicles will always include ones that get worse mileage than others, and usually the less efficient of the bunch will be trucks and SUVs. It appears to us that GM is putting the most effort into making its full-size trucks and SUVs as efficient as possible without sacrificing their purpose. For all the GM bashing we're accused of here on Autoblog, we stand with Bob on this one.

[Source: The Detroit News and GM FastLane Blog]

CORRECTION: Umm... yeah, so the editorial on GM's FastLane Blog wasn't written by Mr. Lutz but by by Steven J. Harris,
Vice President of Global Communications GM. Don't know how we missed that one, except the tone of the commentary matches some past fumings from Bob so much we just assumed, and that made an ass out of us, not  you.

GM takes Friedman from New York Times to task - CORRECTION originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Jun 2006 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bob LutzBobLutzCzarfree gasFreeGasNew York TimesNewYorkTimesThomas FriedmanThomasFriedmanFri, 02 Jun 2006 08:58:00 EST