The Demo Site

Replacing the back seat with a bed is one way to add utility.

Keep Reading: 2010 Pontiac G8 Sport Truck - Video

Honda makes a grab for the Prius's halo with a hybrid for less.

Keep Reading: 2010 Honda Insight - Video

With the introduction of the newest Lexus IS Convertible, other Lexus owners may be wondering what they can do to their current Lexus IS to make it stand-out or become “NEW” again. Nothing a set of Vossen VVS-084 20 inch wheels and air suspension cannot take care of right? That’s just what Team Solo did with their White Lexus IS350. These new rims are featured on Wheels Buyer, one of our newest sister sites. For more information on these wheels head on over to WheelsBuyer.com. Enjoy the images below.

With unemployment in the U.S. and Europe hanging around at staggering levels, there are some signs of hope if you look hard enough. If you’re in a desperate need of a job and would consider moving to England, Rolls-Royce is looking.

The automaker said today that it is looking to increase its manufacturing workforce by 50 percent, or by 150 new employees. Rolls-Royce said that the new employees will be involved in the production of the upcoming Rolls-Royce Ghost (otherwise known as the baby-Phantom, 200EX or the RR4) due out in 2010.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost will be powered by a 6.6L turbo-charged V12 engine producing more than 500-hp. It will be mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox.

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., the producer of Subaru vehicles, said that it may introduce gasoline-electric hybrids by 2012. Fuji said that it is considering the move due to stricter emission rules in U.S., Japan and Europe.

President Ikuo Mori told reports in Tokyo today that the company also has plans to develop a new diesel engine that meets tougher environmental standards by 2011. As for its hybrid-systems, Mori said that Fuji will look to Toyota, it’s biggest shareholder. 

We’re just hoping that the Toyobaru (Toyota/Suabru) rear-wheel-drive sports car won’t be killed by tougher fuel-economy standards.

The arrival of the MKS sedan last year spurred hopes that it might revitalize Ford’s historically uncompetitive luxury brand, helping Lincoln to better compete with Cadillac, Lexus, and other aspirational marques. Most of the hype stemmed from the stunning MKR concept that debuted at the 2007 Detroit auto show; it floated the idea that future Lincolns wouldn’t be dowdy, livery-service specials like the current Town Car.

As it turns out, the MKS is indeed light-years beyond that ancient Panther-platformed barge in both styling and performance. But the production 2009 MKS came to market lacking the MKR’s exaggerated proportions, rear-wheel-drive chassis, and twin-turbocharged V-6—which then carried the aggressive TwinForce moniker. The reality of the MKS’s front-wheel-drive foundation (shared with the Ford Taurus) and naturally aspirated, 3.7-liter V-6 making 275 hp and 276 lb-ft of torque put it at a disadvantage to more powerful luxury sedans.

But Ford is now upping the big Lincoln’s game, as it will finally be available with a twin-turbo, 3.5-liter V-6 when the 2010 model arrives in showrooms in mid-summer. Although the engine carries the more marketing-friendly EcoBoost name, its 355 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque are for real and give the Lincoln the gusto to run with most V-8s. We recently had the chance to sample the new turbocharged model—as well as the 2010 MKT crossover—at Ford’s Michigan proving grounds, where the company also had a V-8 Cadillac STS and Infiniti M45x on hand for comparison.

Keep Reading: 2010 Lincoln MKS With EcoBoost - First Drive Review

That thud you just heard was the “other shoe” dropping in Washington, D.C.: the Obama administration has used the turmoil in the auto industry as an opportunity to nudge—okay,force—the industry into a new, more environmentally sensitive direction, thus making good on its promise to impose stricter Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) and tailpipe emissions standards across the automobile industry.
The proposed mandate raises CAFE standards about five percent annually from today’s level of 23 mpg for trucks and 27.5 mpg for cars to 30 mpg for trucks and 39 mpg for passenger cars by 2016, for an average of 35.5 mpg overall. This is roughly four years earlier than the already aggressive 35-mpg goalpost established by Congress in 2007.
As Goes California, So Goes the Country
These standards more or less embrace the strict fuel-economy/emissions proposals that California and about a dozen other states have been trying to implement for years, but which have been blocked by industry lawsuits. The mandate should therefore put many of the existing state lawsuits to rest.
Interestingly, many of the same players that have been trying to block the implementation of the California proposals have embraced the Obama mandate. Ostensibly, this is because the new rules create a uniform standard for the country, instead of allowing states to dictate their own emissions and fuel-economy standards.
“We’re cool with this,” Chrysler spokesman Scott Brown told us in a phone interview. “Most important is that it’s clear instead of piecemeal—we love that.”
Moments later, GM environment and energy spokesman Shad Balch echoed the sentiment, nearly verbatim: “We love it. Now we know what to build,” he told us. “As it was before, it was 14 states doing 14 different things, and we’d have to build products for each.” The new regulations, he said, allow for a “harmonized national product program, which allows for more efficient product planning. For a company trying to become leaner and more efficient, this is a huge step in the right direction.”
There's another force at play here, however, as both Chrysler and GM, recipients of massive government bailout loans, are in no position to voice dissent. Whether they think these policies are sound or not is moot; they will toe the Obama party line because he's their de facto boss. Ford knows it will have to ask for Obama's help if the economy doesn't improve soon, so it is also going along with the hype. Honda and Toyota have been tooting their green horns for years, so they can't very well be the voices of dissent on this issue. Put bluntly, the government is ramming this down the throats of the car companies.

Keep Reading: Obama's CAFE Fuel Economy Standards to Create Fleet of Tiny, Expensive Vehicles - Car News

For the record - Sergio Marchionne lied to all of us. Earlier this month, the Fiat CEO said that he will become CEO of Chrysler after it emerges from bankruptcy in 60 days. Well, that wasn’t true.

Chrysler officially announced today that C. Robert Kidder, former Chairman of Borden Chemical Inc. and Duracell International Inc., will become Chairman and CEO of Chrysler LLC once it completes its global alliance with Fiat SpA. He will replace current CEO Bob (Robert) Nardelli.

“I am pleased to join Chrysler at a time when Chrysler is poised to launch an exciting new era,” said Kidder. “I am confident that Chrysler will emerge from Chapter 11 a lean and powerful competitor, combining its own rich history of innovation with Fiat’s technology and expertise to invigorate the American car market and to challenge other car companies around the globe.”

Shall we call him Bob Kidder?

Click through for the official statement from Chrysler.

Press Release:

C. Robert Kidder to Become Chairman of Chrysler Group LLC

Auburn Hills, Mich., May 20, 2009 - Chrysler LLC today announced that C. Robert Kidder, former Chairman of Borden Chemical Inc. and of Duracell International Inc., will become Chairman of Chrysler Group LLC, once it completes its acquisition of the operating assets of Chrysler LLC and completes a global alliance with Fiat SpA. He will succeed Robert L. Nardelli.

“We are most fortunate that Bob Kidder will lead the new company through its transformation,” said Nardelli. “My number one priority has been to preserve Chrysler and the livelihoods of thousands of people who depend on its success. With his broad expertise serving on numerous world-class boards and his accomplished business background, Bob will provide the leadership and strategic counsel that will help to create a strong global competitor moving forward.”

With more than 40 years of experience, Kidder currently serves on the boards of Morgan Stanley, where he is the lead director, Schering-Plough Corporation, and Microvi Biotech Inc. He previously has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of both Duracell International Inc. and Borden Chemical Inc. and as director of such companies as Electronic Data Systems Corporation and General Signal Corporation. During his tenure with McKinsey and Co. Inc., Bob worked with a major OEM client in the automotive industry. Bob currently is Chairman and CEO of 3Stone Advisors LLC, an investment firm that focuses on clean-tech companies. He holds an M.S., Industrial Economics from Iowa State University and a B.S., Industrial Engineering from the University of Michigan. He resides with his family in Columbus, Ohio.

“I am pleased to join Chrysler at a time when Chrysler is poised to launch an exciting new era,” said Kidder. “I am confident that Chrysler will emerge from Chapter 11 a lean and powerful competitor, combining its own rich history of innovation with Fiat’s technology and expertise to invigorate the American car market and to challenge other car companies around the globe.”

Chrysler LLC announced on April 30, 2009, that, as a result of the comprehensive restructuring plan agreed to by many of its stakeholders, it had reached an agreement in principle to establish a global strategic alliance with Fiat to form a vibrant new company.

On the same day, Chrysler LLC and 24 of its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiaries also filed voluntary petitions under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Chrysler also filed a motion under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code requesting the swift approval by the Court of the agreement with Fiat and the sale of Chrysler’s principal assets to the new company. The benefit of this type of filing is speed. It will allow a leaner new company to emerge in less than 60 days from the time of filing, well positioned for long-term viability.

Nardelli, Chrysler’s Chairman and CEO since August 2007, announced on April 30 his plan to leave the company following the completion of the transactions. He will return to Cerberus Capital Management LP as an advisor. He said that it was “an appropriate time to let others take the lead in the transformation of Chrysler with Fiat, and I will work closely with all of our stakeholders to see that this new company swiftly emerges with a successful closing of the alliance.”

As stated in the terms of agreement, upon successful completion of the alliance, a board of directors for the new company will be appointed. The majority of the directors will be independent (not employees of Chrysler or Fiat). The board will select a CEO with Fiat’s concurrence.