Talking Gas Prices and More on the Second TTAC Podcast
Hi there! Remember that podcast we did a few weeks back? Well, we’re back with more.
There’s also more to come.
Housekeeping: We Have a Podcast Now
One of my hopes as editor of this august site has been to get a podcast off the ground. It was a back-burner idea for years, then Matt and Steph and I recorded a trial run in 2020.
Bob Lutz Speaks and Speaks and Speaks and Speaks and Speaks
Ex-Car Czar Bob Lutz has made the jump to hyperspace, joining New GM as . . . Car Czar. Of course, Bob can’t quite leave the Old School behind. More sp…
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EcoDriving Spinmeister: "We Can't Let the Perfect Be the Enemy of the Good"
After our characteristically snarky blog on the launch of ecodrivingUSA.com website, The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers reached out to TTAC to defend its PR campaign. Like every professional spinmeister I've ever met, AAM's Senior Director of Communications proved to be an affable, sensible, persuasive guy. And how can you argue against saving gas? So I let the not-so-sibilant Charlie Territo make his case, then explored other mpg-related issues: federal fuel economy regs, state's rights in the matter and suchlike. TTAC encourages any newsmaker (or their rep) to contact us about any published story to make their case on the site, including, should they desire, unedited editorial space for their reply. (robert.farago@thetruthaboutcars.com)
TTAC Investigates Thermal Butt Management
In our ongoing campaign to put TTAC at the forefront of automotive journalism, we've decided to go behind the headlines, to provide the kind of insight and p…
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National Labor Committee Alleges Toyota Supplier Sweatshops
First of all, the National Labor Committee says that less than 15 percent of its money comes from labor unions. So this is not a United Auto Workers' front o…
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E85 Boondoggle of the Day: Gas Prices "Force" Americans to Push for Ethanol Fuel
That's the headline on the press release sent by EPIC, the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council. Apparently, "Motorists are frustrated and angry about h…
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Gas Price Gimmick Hits RV World
As well it might, what with the price of gas at the $4 a gallon mark (apologies to our foreign readers for our pump shock). A quick digression… I love…
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LeMons Update: Team Black Metal V8olvo Finished 15th
What a race. Ninety cars started the event. I have no idea how many cars finished the race, but it was a lot fewer than that. Due to inexperience and a poor…
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Meizhu Lui: Racism and the "Internal Combustion Divide"
Meizhu Lui argues that American blacks need a better mass transportation system-- rather than cars.
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TTAC Did Detroit
TTAC's Robert Farago and Sajeev Mehta discuss The 2008 Detroit Auto Show.
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KBB: Car Dealers' Websites Need CGC… Good Luck With That
Kelley Blue Book rep advises car dealer to allow user generated content. As if.
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Saturn Rethinks "Rethink American"
Saturn drops "American" from their "Rethink American" advertising strapline.
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NIKE Encourages Kids to Jump Over Cars
I know it sounds like I'm being sensationalistic (perish the thought) and making this up (never!), but there's no other way to interpret NIKE's decision to f…
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Brits Need Roads
The Association of British Drivers (ABD) is calling for the UK government to get their thumbs out and start building some more damn roads already, and bloody…
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Energy Bill Deal Due Today
The Detroit News reports that the House and Senate are close to cutting a deal on the bill that will determine what kind of cars automakers will be building…
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Honda's Clarity Fuels Hydrogen Hype
Honda is about to offer the hydrogen-powered FCX Clarity to "customers" on a limited long-term lease basis. For 600 bucks a month, a handful of lucky leaseho…
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To Tell the Truth: Ford's Quality Guy Talks to TTAC (Pt. 2)
There's something reassuring about talking to employees who work for a really large company. You can almost hear a well-stocked 401k plan in their voice. Now…
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To Tell the Truth: Ford's Quality Guy Talks to TTAC
Even before I pronounced Ford’s “new” Focus a one-star car, FoMoCo PR had suggested a little tete-a-TTAC with one of their quality guys. We…
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What Women Want: Fold Down Rear Seats
It's true: TTAC panders to PR-meisters who use surveys to hook hacks into stories with only a peripheral link to the companies that sponsor them. And more th…
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UK Road Safety Campaigners Get Wasted
The Evening Leader (Wrexham, Wales, UK) reports that a road safety-oriented theatrical production called "Wasted" has kids swearing off cars. After watching…
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EPA Strugges to Devise Plug-In Hybrid MPG Rating
How the Hell do you calculate the official Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mileage figures for plug-in or serial hybrids, vehicles that can/will operat…
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Ener1 Announces Li-Ion Battery Breakthrough
I don't pretend to understand all the ins and outs of Lithium-Ion battery technology. I know the basics: they're smaller than the nickel metal hydride cells…
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Solomon Technologies Appeals ITC Ruling on Synergy Drive Patent
The International Trade Commission has ruled that Toyota did not pilfer key technology from Solomon Technologies to create the Synergy Drive system used in T…
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Industry Alliance to Feds: Keep on Truckin'
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and National Automobile Dealers Association have launched a new website dividing the country into "car states" and "…
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DiMora V16 Volcano Gets Closer to Erupting. Maybe.
Alfred J DiMora is one of the most "colorful" characters in the custom car world. In other words, the larger-than-life entrepreneur's ambitions have hit the…
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Project 2000 Claims Toyota Cut Deal With GM to Deep Six Oldsmobile
I think it's safe to say to place this theory somewhere between Big Oil/Detroit's alleged conspiracy against the electric car and Erich von Daniken's Chariot…
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Lexus LS460L Review
My wife struggles with two automotive tasks: finding her destination and maneuvering the car into a parking space. (Locating a parking space is another issue…
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Chrysler Suicide Watch 8: Plan X From Outer Space
According to the Consumer Federation of America, most large insurance companies rely on computer programs like "Colossus" and "Claims Outcome Advisor." These…
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Fleet Sales Rx: Checker Redux?
When Ford threatened to pull the plug on its Panther platformed rear wheel-drive cars, the livery and taxicab companies howled in protest and Ford backed dow…
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President Bush's State of The Union Address: Towing the Line?
In last night’s State of the Union address, President Bush cooked-up a cute little saying: “20 by 10.” That’s a 20% reduction in Amer…
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General Motors Death Watch 107: Volte Face?
It’s no secret that The Detroit News (DTN) likes to cheer for the home team. It’s also no surprise that the financially challenged paper imports…
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Suzuki XL7 Review
I’m 31, single and happy. So obviously my mother is constantly nagging me to get hitched and give her grandchildren. Even my sister’s impending m…
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Review: 2007 Suzuki SX4
What the Hell’s a Suzuki’s SX4? I know it’s my job to know about these things, but I swear the test car greeting me upon my return from Old…
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Car Insurance Rates: Star Struck?
As much as I enjoy vigorous debate, I abhor pseudo-science. From The Bermuda Triangle to past life regression, I just can’t deal. If the subject matter…
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BMW M6 Review
I’ve had a thing for the BMW 6-Series ever since “Spenser: for Hire” shared the airways with Mötley Crüe. While Robert Urich had…
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Ford Expedition EL Review
Whenever I show up at my weekly poker game, the boys (being boys) are always interested in what I'm driving. How much? How fast? Not this week. This week, al…
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Shelby GT500 Review – Counterpoint
A small bump in the road traversed at the slightest discernible angle on dry pavement at 50mph will send the Shelby GT500’s rear end sideways with enou…
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Hell is Other People's Cars
The sex industry has a motto: if you don't get it, it's not for you. Never mind all those activities involving non-reproductive bodily fluids, military fatig…
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Podcast: What's an RS4?
I suppose it was only a matter of time before some video maven caught site of The Truth About Cars (TTAC) and thought, hmmm, that might make an interesting T…
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The Speed Limits of Democracy
I like to drive fast. I don't think I'm breaking new rhetorical ground to suggest that anyone who likes to drive fast violates the speed limit from time to t…
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Lieberman Does Chrysler
It’s funny how some things stick in your head. I’ll never forget Hispanic actor Ricardo Montalban’s satisfaction with the 1976 Chrysler Cor…
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Lieberman Corrals the Stangs
Aside from the early, dainty-looking Mustangs and their Shelby siblings, I never really "got" the whole 'Stang cult. During my formative years, the mucho mac…
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Ford Death Watch 5: Can Mulally Get Ford to Straighten Up and Fly Right?
Was he pushed or did he jump? Either way, Billy Ford’s resignation as CEO of the family firm is yet more proof that The Blue Oval’s in big troubl…
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General Motors Death Watch 89: Elimination
So, General Motors has pulled its sponsorship from Survivor. Flackmeister Ryndee S. Carney claimed GM came to its decision “months ago, before the show…
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General Motors Death Watch 86: Pickups Stick
Last Thursday, Mark LeNeve declared that General Motors has “turned a corner.” Obviously, GM’s Vice President of North American Sales and M…
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General Motors Death Watch 85: The Calm Before the Storm
According to GM, happy days are here again. Profits are up, costs are down and the company’s turnaround plan is on track. The automotive media have swa…
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BMW's Ultimatum
According to BMW’s ad for its M products, “history and compromise cannot be made at the same time.” Huh? What about The Missouri Compromise…
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General Motors Death Watch 83: The End of Days
Relax. The news that GM stockholder Kirk Kerkorian has been playing footsie with Renault/Nissan doesn’t represent some kind of paradigm shift for GM or…
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General Motors Death Watch 79: The Vision Thing
When the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the world’s largest automaker tells his shareholders to think long-term, there’s only one word f…
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