Cars! Cars! Cars!

All CTS All The Time

The Detroit News reports: Angular Cadillac CTS is sharp in every respect. We really need to stop going on about the 2008 Cadillac CTS before we're accused of being CTS! CTS! CTS! A CTS Blog. Only more angular. But the the 2008 Cadillac CTS looks damned sweet. Schweet, even.

In fact, it looks sooo good, we say don't buy the 2007 CTS at all.

Our concern with the Cadillac --all GMs in fact-- is past reliability performance. GM seems to be turning things around, but we're still thinking twice before plunking down almost $40k for a car made by GM. We hope independent testers prove that these cars are being built better.*

Now, Cadillac, it's time to update the other sedans to look as cool as the CTS. The DTS? Please. Even you don't like it.

We're aware that it takes a few years to see if GM has turned it around as far as reliability goes. We're really hoping they have.

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AutoWeek reports: Automakers Still Choose Steel. We like the purty picture in this article. And we sorta like the far-too-spendy Volvo V70.

The Detroit News reports: Closed auto trial sought. We'd file this under "This is bullshit" if we had such a category. Since when did corps become more important than people? And when did courts allow trials to be closed because of proprietary information when people's health is involved? This is a new low. Heh, we know it hasn't been decided if the trial will be closed, but we have to keep our anger up!

Futurama

Reading the auto news anymore just ain't no fun:

The Detroit News reports: GM to press health cuts

The Detroit Free Press reports: GM admits accounting gaffes

The Truth About Cars reports: General Motors Death Watch 114: Suboptimal

(Granted that last one is a no-apologies opinion piece). This isn't a rant on GM and how they suck or don't suck. Ford and Chrysler are in the same boat. And it's sinking.

GM seems to have turned quite a bit around, but time is the true test in these kinds of games. Will the 2007 Saturn Aura be as reliable as a 2007 Toyota Camry in 2015? Yeah, that's where we sorta go, "Uh..." too. Track records can't predict the future, but it sure as hell gives you an idea of which horse to bet on.

Right now it seems like Detroit's manufacturers are grasping as straws. The upcoming Dodge Challenger will not be a mega seller. We're not even sure it will be a profitable car line for Chrysler once the day is done. It might get a few folks talking about Dodge for a bit, but we wonder what consumers will end up buying once they go shopping.

So, what are we saying here? That we still have grave concerns for all three (2 1/2, really) American car companies. And you can blame the unions and you can blame the price of gasoline and you can blame the economy. But, really, none of those are the primary reason Detroit is hurting. The main reason is that Detroit made a decision a long time ago to build a car that lasted as long as they wanted it to so that you'd come back for another. They failed to see the impact competition would have because "how in the world could the competition topple us?" By "fixing" those problems (crappy design, poor reliability) at this stage in the game is really "a day late and a dollar short" answer to the problem. Hell, Consumer Reports still couldn't recommend a Chrysler's minivan on its "American Made" car list not because Chrysler is part of DaimlerChrysler, but because it's still not reliable enough!

We read that U.S. president George Bush is visiting manufacturing plants to see some "relevant cars." We wonder if he will see any.

Just to be clear: Ford will declare bankrputcy before GM will. We have no idea about Chrysler since mustache is going to give them the boot sooner than later (Q2 '08 at the latest) and that causes us some confusion... so we're not sure what to think. Don't get us wrong, we don't have the greatest confidence in Chrysler despite being madly in lust with the Charger (for no good reason). Yeah, that's a snap of the 2007 Toyota Camry. A symbol of a big problem for Detroit.

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The Detroit Free Press reports: Progress is poor, Ford tells workers. Ford is F'd because they are so busy still trying to figure out names for their shipping products that they're failing to realize that no one really want their products. Ford is going to declare bankruptcy before long.

AutoWeek reports: Honda's Civic Cooling. Smart move, Honda. That was supposed to be sarcastic, but since Honda is pretty damned smart most of the time (not with the Accord hybrid, however -- do not buy the Accord hybrid!), maybe this is a smart move. What's the deal here? Honda is trying to move all Accords since there'll be a totally new one in '08. We're told. The Civic is still sweet, but, man, it gets spendy quick. Hey, Honda, how about a Civic EX with navigation for $18k? Do not point us to the Fit!

CR: No American Minivans For You!

Consumer Reports, uh, reports: 2007 Top Picks: American Style.

Bowing to those who don't want no ferrin' cars, CR made a listy list of domestic dealies:

Fun to drive: Cadillac CTS-V Small sedan: Ford Focus ZX4 SES

Family sedan: Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan

Upscale sedan: Lincoln MKZ

Luxury sedan: Cadillac DTS

Small SUV: Pontiac Torrent

Midsized SUV: Ford Freestyle

Minivan: (None apply)

Budget car: Ford Focus ZX3

Green car: (None apply)

We don't disagree with that list, but, hell, it's one sad list. The best American luxury sedan is indeed the DTS (it sure as hell ain't the Town Car, POS)... but, man, the DTS is sooooo zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. The only vehicle we really like on that list is the Fusion followed maybe by the Freestyle (but at $36kish, F that!).

And what a kick in the arse that the only American minivan isn't even included because it's so unreliable!

Why are American cars so friggin' sad?

Big Trouble In Little Toyota?

Uh oh. Autoblog reports: UAW says union fever rising at Toyota's Kentucky plant.

If the UAW was able to move into the Toyota plant(s), it sure would start to level the playing field. In other words, we would expect Toyota prices to go up.

So, our question is: Would you buy a Toyota (more reliable) that costs a fair amount more than a domestic (that you know is going to break the hell down)?

Think the UAW will get started in Toyota plants?

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Autoblog reports: $100k+ Caddy a go, again? This is the key to success for Cadillac. Well, not that car shown on the page there, but the idea that to succeed, Cadillac should move upscale. Way the hell upscale. In order to survive, Cadillac should do what they are doing now. To thrive, Cadillac should make the brand a symbol of success like it used to be.

Autoblog reports: One more time: VW Phaeton returning to U.S.? Yay! We're telling you, VW: Make Phaeton its own brand. Then the world is your (Mr. Peterson-put something funny in here, I'm off to my boil removal).

Automakers: We Can't Do It

The Detroit Free Press reports: Auto factions unite against fuel rules. Pardon us, but fuck the automakers. The standard hasn't been raised in 30 years -- tough shit if you're stuck in the 70s. For those that say you can't legislate innovation please shut the hell up. No one cares what you think.

Congress hasn't increased the standards for passenger cars since they were established in 1974 at 27.5 m.p.g., when Detroit automakers warned such rules would force them to sell vehicles no larger than Ford Pintos and Chevy Novas. Since then, the automakers have fought most attempts to a standstill, and the demand for action has risen.

Uh oh, "when Detroit warned..." Ha! Fucking Detroit. That talk came before Detroit got handed its hat by Japan with its little cars that could.

Of course, now Japan is with Detroit in the "we can't do it, woe is us" so screw them, too.

This is all bullshit.

Vote Yes For CTS

AutoWeek reports: Decision Time.

Over the next three months or so, General Motors executives will decide whether to produce a new Cadillac CTS wagon and coupe, the next step in Cadillac's rebirth as a global brand.

If we have a say (and who says we don't?), we vote yes for the wagon and coupe variants of the 2008 (and thereafter) CTS.

It's funny, the '08 CTS isn't out yet and we've already voted it best CTS ever.

The CTS is the single chance to move the brand global and show Lincoln how it's done right. Uh, "it's" = doing, you know, good.

The article we link to also wonders if the DTS should be killed. Oh, yes. Yes, yes, yes! YES!

Can't Win For Losing

We have no idea what the headline means, but it sounds country-charming, so we'll take it. The Detroit News reports: Success may trip up GM in talks.

General Motors Corp.'s improving outlook could be a handicap during labor negotiations this summer, when the automaker will be in the delicate position of trying to sell its comeback on Wall Street while also attempting to wrest concessions from the United Auto Workers.

Ha! Just when GM thought maybe it could wrestle a few more beans off the plate of the UAW, GM goes and makes a wee but o'profit.

"We cannot, as an American auto industry in the long-term, survive with the legacy cost burden that we've gotten," Bob Lutz, GM vice chairman of global product development, said last week at the Geneva auto show. "We need to work with our UAW partners to find some sort of solution."

No matter what, blame the unions. Hey, we're not saying unions are always good, always right, but they represent the people, not management. And the only way you are going to automatically side with management is if you are under some quite wrong-headed belief that you, too, will be in the position one day of ordering people around.

In the meantime, here's hoping GM and the UAW come to some sort of agreement. Through negotiations. That GM will willingly uphold.

We so wanted to use the term ragamuffin, but we aren't sure what that means, either. But it sounds country-charming. And the ladies love country-charming.