Weary of auto show news? Probably not. But just in case, here's a little miscellanea to round out your day.
- In case you hadn't guessed: GM and Chrysler are broke--at least that's what the Center for Automotive Research is saying. You shouldn't believe everything you read, but this is pretty credible, given some other news outta Detroit. [DetNews]
- You're doing it wrong: New York's freshman congressman Eric Massa wanted to make an eco-conscious statement by driving a fuel cell vehicle to his new offices in DC. Only problem? No car had the range to get him there in one go, so he hired a tow truck to keep a second vehicle at the ready. The HFC cars were great for the environment, I'm sure, but the tow truck? [FamousDC via BoingBoing]
- US in U-turn mode?: So far, Ford sales figures for January 2009 are 20% - 30% ahead of where the company thought they'd be. No one's saying that the worst is over, but maybe we'll all sleep easier for a night or two. [Freep]
- Perfect timing: At CES last week, Sony and Audiovox announced that they'll be releasing an auto-compatible version of Sony's PS2 gaming console. Unfortunately, it won't hit until summer of 2010, and it'll run just shy of $300--which is more than a real PS2 will run you, assuming Sony's still making them. [AutoMotto]
- You got steampunk'd: Love your Honda Accord but hate spending money at the pump? Wish you could add a few tubes and valves to give it that full-on steampunk effect? Convert it to run on garbage, and both your problems are solved! [Instructables]
- Speaking of RORMaxx (again): Last week, the meddling kids behind the solar- and wind-powered supercar mentioned that they're tinkering with a new battery system that can be fully recharged in six minutes. Hmmm. That sounds awfully familiar. [Telegraph]
- Don't look back: Or rather, don't look to your rear wheels, since Ford has announced it's suspending plans for big-honkin' RWD cars. Said Ford design honcho J Mays, "I'll be darned if times didn't just change right before our eyes." Maybe those folks should get out more. [AutoWeek]
- Happy birthday, Carroll Shelby: The man behind the Shelby Cobra made 86 over the weekend. Ford honchos Mark Fields and Jim Farley threw a little shindig and gave Shelby something I'm sure he always wanted: a framed photo of the 2010 Mustang, featuring their own signatures. [NYTimes]
--Richard Read
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