Morning News: Ford, Pensions, VW Films

This Means Something!
CNN/Money reports: Ford's hybrid chief steps down. So goes another chapter of Exit Encounters of the Ford Kind.

Ford Motor Co.'s high-profile executive in charge of its gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle program has put in her resignation, the auto maker says.

The departure of Mary Ann Wright, director of Ford (Research)'s sustained mobility technology and hybrid vehicle programs, comes at a time when the No. 2 U.S. auto maker is pushing ahead with ambitious growth plans for the hybrid segment.

Wright is leaving for personal reasons, Ford spokesman Oscar Suris said.

Is Ford cleaning house or are people leaving because they don't feel Ford will follow through with their public statements? What do you think? (Comments can be posted at the end of this "article.")

VW Is Living Life Of Cars! Cars! Cars! Editorial Staff
AutoWeek reports: Hookers and phony receipts: Ex-VW exec tells all. This is the life. Cars, hookers and booze. Is there any more to life? Hey, VW, we'd like to apply for a job. And to show you how easy-going we are: forget the cars and booze.

U.S. Govt To Detroit: Protect Pensions
The Detroit News reports: Big 3 fear pension reforms. This is another one of them articles where they use a lot of words and big ideas about everything. It's very difficult to figure out which side to believe, but if Detroit screws people by defaulting on their pension... We don't even know what to say. It's not like this country will riot or anything if that happens. It's old people. They are easy to screw over. Detroit, you have previous obligations and they must be met. While current auto execs (the really big dudes) are going to be fine and don't have to worry about their retirements, lots of people are worrying about theirs. Detroit, make your deals with the unions but don't ruin the lives of the people who played by agreed-upon rules.

And finally, Detroit, build more cars like the HHR*, Solstice and... Crap. We need another one. Anyone?

Oh, Autoblog has a bit on a talk by Steve Miller: The Delphi situation in Steve Miller’s own words. Mr. Miller seems like a bright guy but he didn't mention that part of the turnaround plan has to be building cars that people want to buy. We're so fucking tired of reading, "As someone said, buy a Hyundai and get a satellite radio as an option. Buy a Chevy, and social welfare comes as standard equipment!" No, we're buying a Hyundai because it is built better than a Chevy and has a warranty that's a hell of a lot longer. By the way, we're aware Delphi makes parts but the overall idea is correct.

Chrysler: Cut No Loaf Before Its Time
CNN/Money reports: Chrysler on bathrooms: Take your time.

Luxury Without The Guilt
AutoWeek reports: Hyundai's new Azera apes Avalon looks, not price, as automaker turns to big sedan market. Very interesting. Hyundai is going after the Toyota Avalon's market, but using prices that are closer to Toyota's Camry. And we like the marketing line Hyundai is using, "Luxury without the guilt." On paper, this sounds like a hell of car and some of our automotive friends (we have some, really!) have already examined the car and had nothing but praise. We're waiting to read over reviews before we exclaim, "The Hyundai Azera is the only car you'll ever need!" We're also waiting for a big, fat check from Hyundai...

Lincoln: Crap! We Need To Make Cars!
AutoWeek reports: Lincoln counting on Zephyr, Aviator to launch sales recovery, says large sedans to come.

Next year will mark the beginning of Lincoln's sales recovery, Ford Motor Co. executives predict.

It's always a line like that, isn't it? It's like Hyundai (above) saying, "The check's in the mail." Lincoln is claiming greater sales based on cars they haven't even hinted at. We doubt they've even hired anyone to work on them yet. Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincoln... What are we going to do with you? Lincoln's should be big and luxurious. Not trucks. Not minivans. NOT TRUCKS! There's a reason the Mart LT has sold just over 25% of what you expected and it's not this reasoning:

Said Elena Ford: "We could do more to Lincoln-ize it, frankly."

Yeah, how about Lincolnizing it into a car? The most screwed up part, we bet no one at Ford even knows what "Lincolnizing" stands for. Lincoln, here's the deal: Build a car that makes people say, "Wow!" when they get inside. You know, the way Angelia Jolie does with her @#$%@#.

VW Films
Go check out VW's site where they are promoting the crap out of the new Passat. Just click on the dinosaur in the lower right corner. 120 films of fun. Nice!

* We might have been wrong in our initial assessment of the Chevy HHR. We've hearing and reading too many nice comments about the thing to have it totally suck. So we're thinking we were wrong about the HHR. Go HHR! ... It still needs better gas mileage! Ah ha! See that, Chevy? You thought we were being all nice and, pow!, right in the kisser. Don't mess with us, Chevy. We're like ninjas.