The End Of Saab?

Bad news for Saab fans today. Koenigsegg, like Penske with Saturn, backed out of the deal, leaving GM with another brand it doesn't want. Perhaps Geely will look at it, since it is rumored that they are leading the bidders for Volvo.A great place to go for Saab discussion is Saabs United, the home of Steve Wade, the definitive Saab Blogger, who formerly blogged at Trollhattan Saab. Swade thinks GM will probably try to sell to another buyer, because...

How To Convert .WTV Files (For Free)

Windows 7 Media Center records TV shows into a file format called ".WTV". I found that you can convert these to .WMV format using the free Windows Movie Maker Live from Microsoft. Then, it can be played on many other devic...

Google Chrome's Secret Plan

Google is making news this week unveiling a prototype of its new OS, which is basically a stripped down Linux based wrapper for their Chrome browser.   As part of the Q&A, Google stated that other browsers (such as Opera or Firefox) won't run on Chrome OS. One of the reasons the Google is developing Chrome and the Chrome OS isn't widely discussed, but I think it is fairly obvious.Google makes it's money from advertising.  You can't...

Buick Manual? NFW!

Amazing news.  Buick may start selling a Regal in the U.S. with a manual transmission.  I'm blown away.This is definitive proof that GM is serious about shifting Buick's image, which it badly needs to do.  Currently, Buick="old".  Nothing says "young" like 3 pedals on the floor....

Aptera Death Watch?

Should we start an Aptera Death Watch, TTAC style?Not yet, but maybe soon.Aptera's difficulties in getting financing, which is very much like Tesla and Fisker's struggles to stay alive, underscores the point that making vehicles is a very tricky business.  It is capital intensive, requires high efforts, and demands a very high quality product.  The car buying public will not accept a vehicle that is not reliable, day in and day out, for...

Republicans Hate GM, Democrats Heart Toyota

Jalopnik asks, "Why Do Republicans Hate American Automakers?", and talks about how some Republican pols are badmouthing GM and Chrysler, including recent presidential election loser John McCain. Anecdotally, however, I can tell you that many Republicans are solidly "buy American" types, from a variety of different backgrounds.  There are rural farmers and hunters who love their full size American trucks.  There are patriotic war veterans...

Housekeeping

Google Ads are now gone. They were cluttering up my blog, and though they were paying a little, it wasn't a significant amount. Enj...

GM's Repayment Plan

In today's news, GM is going to begin repaying its government loan.Sort of.Most of GM's government debt, which came from the TARP, was converted to ownership in the New GM. So the government loans that GM is going to start repaying are only $6.7 Billion out of about $50 Billion it received in total.GM is sitting on a cash pile of $42.6 Billion, according to the news story. That cash is essentially all bailout money, as GM is not yet generating net...

Don't Boycott GM

I have talked to a few people, and read many more on web forums, who will not buy any GM or Chrysler products because they took a government bailout. Some of these folks also want to stick it to the UAW, who they see as the reason for GM and Chrysler's destruction.This attitude is self defeating.The taxpayer money has been spent, and the best (and only) way to recover it is for GM and Chrysler to be successful. A profitable GM will be able to...

Mini Review: Dell Vostro 1520 Laptop

I ordered a Dell Vostro 1520 from Dell Small Business. It was a screaming deal, $499 after a $50 coupon, stackable with their promotion.Unfortunately, I hated the laptop, and returned it after two days.The screen was nice. The processor fast. Windows 7 was great. The problem was, the keyboard was just awful. It had a lot of flex, and my fingers seemed to bounce off of it when I typed. On top of that, the keys rattled when you typed, with a...

Ford's New Inflatable Seat Belt

Update: Wes Sherwood of Ford Safety PR has left answers to my questions in the first comment. Thanks Wes!Ford unveiled a new inflatable rear seatbelt design today. (There's a neat video here.)This looks like a pretty good idea, but I do have some questions. If any Ford safety or PR people are reading, please chime in. What happens if you use one of these belts to anchor an infant seat, using the belt instead of LATCH anchors? Will the expanding...

Open Question To Chrysler/Fiat

A question for Chrysler:  why are you going to keep building the Jeep "Pavement" Compass?  How does this product advance your brand?  You can barely sell any of them (8,498 YTD).  The only Jeep model which sells fewer is the bloated Pavement Commander.   Don't replace it with a Fiat in 2012.  Kill it now.  Nuke it from orbit.  It's not a Jeep.  It's not even close.    ...

Exotic Car Sighting

This evening, MI northern 'burbs. Can you name it? (sorry, a little blurry, I don't often shoot photos in my c...