Are you like me? Did you grow up dreaming of power, the open road and individual automotive freedom? Of course you did. But the dream is over. President Obama has smashed it into a million little Tata Nano-shaped pieces.
The new fuel economy and emissions regulations proposed by the Obamanation on Tuesday won’t save much fuel and won’t save the planet, but they will crush the life out of the car business. From here on out, cars are going to shrink in size, shrivel in power and grow more expensive.
With a goal of a corporate fleet average of 39 mpg for cars by 2016 model year it’s not just V8s that are dead, but V6s and decent-size fours. Of course all the SUVs and the Camaro, Mustang and Corvette as we know them are doomed, that’s obvious, but so are reasonably size minivans, midsize sedans like the Accord and Camry, and anything fun. Think …Â Details
Daimler AG has announced the acquisition of almost 10 percent of fledgling Californian EV producer Tesla. The deal, which should help Tesla meet its planned 2011 launch date for the Model S sedan, is the latest news in an ongoing relationship between Tesla and the German automotive giant which also includes a previously announced agreement to supply lithium-ion battery packs in the first 1,000 units of Daimler’s electric smart car.
Daimler’s acquisition will see further collaboration on battery systems, electric drive systems and in individual vehicle projects…Â Details
[ad#cor1]
When I went to check out Gordon Murray’s future car — the ultra-small, environmentally conscious T25 — there would be no test drive. Instead, I was allowed what you might call a test grope.
The prototype sits hidden under a black cloth in a secure room at Murray’s design headquarters in Surrey, England.
The only people allowed to see it “undressed” are serious investors interested in getting the T25 into production.
I asked Murray, the Formula One design supremo renowned for his McLaren F1, would he mind if I touched it, through the cloth. Amused, he watched as I groped my way around it…Â Details & Pictures
[ad#cor1]
Hakan Samuelsson thought he had it all figured out. In 2006, the CEO of German commercial truck manufacturer MAN schemed to take over his former employer and Swedish rival, Scania. He had the banks behind him. VW owned 30 percent of Scania; they had to agree to the takeover. And why not? Volkswagen had no use for Scania, as VW’s commercial truck division only operates in South America. So Hakan Samuelsson made a deal with Bernd Pischetsrieder, then head of Volkswagen. Unfortunately for Mr. Samuelsson, he talked to the wrong guy. Ferdinand Piech, the person pulling the strings over in Wolfsburg, had different plans . . .
Before we get to what happened, let‘s take a small detour and look at where Piech‘s story began.
In fact, let‘s begin with his grandfather Ferdinand Porsche… Details
[ad#cor1]