The 2012 Presidential campaign has already started, and yes, it looks like the bailout of the auto industry could end up being one of many points of debate. Chrysler's earlier-than-expected repayment of $7.5 billion in federal loans—on top of a recent strong financial performance from GM...Read More»
It’s no secret that the current administration had planned to replace aging fleet vehicles with electric ones, since President Obama is a big proponent of electrifying the federal fleet. Reports of a 100-unit electric vehicle purchase have been circulating for the better part of a year, and...Read More»
President Obama calls it The Beast--the official state limousine, gutterbrain. [TheCarConnection] Nissan's come out of the closet in its stand against Tennessee's new gay-inequality laws. Wonder how VW feels? [TheCarConnection] Hot off the rumormill, BMW may be considering adding a third turbo to...Read More»
If you didn't already know what Nissan's words meant, you'd likely have no idea what the company was saying in a statement it released yesterday. So we'll translate. "Nissan North America, a company with its headquarters (and two factories) in the state of Tennessee, opposes a pair of recent bills...Read More»
While the President makes his way back home, avoiding Icelandic volcanoes and heading to view the destruction from tornadoes in Joplin, Missouri, he may want to look back at the screening process for hiring his Secret Service limousine driver. On a routine visit to the Irish capital of Dublin, the...Read More»
If you have a nearly new vehicle or one with specialized technical demands or cutting-edge features, is it fair to assume that only the dealership can repair it, or should an independent mechanic be able to get the tools and know-how, too? The American Automobile Association (AAA) has come out in...Read More»
Democrats and Republicans might disagree on a lot of things, but it appears that fuel economy regulation doesn't need to be one of them. According to a new nationwide study, those who identify Republican are nearly as likely to think that we need to put a tighter fuel-efficiency framework in place...Read More»
When will the Federal government get out of General Motors? Likely not until the end of the summer, according to a new report out of Detroit. In theory, the Treasury Department could divest itself of General Motors stock as early as May 22, which marks the end of the lockup period following last...Read More»
Over the next several years, as the Baby Boomer generation nears retirement age, the total number of drivers age 65 and older is expected to surge. By 2025, one in every five drivers will be over 65—so it makes sense to get our roads ready for those who'll keep driving and other have other...Read More»
Would we be better off doing away with the federal gas tax, replacing it entirely, or in part, by a pay-per-mile system? The federal government appears to be in the early stages of finding out. An early draft of the transportation authorization bill from the Obama administration, circulated this...Read More»
It can be argued that through the way vehicles were forced to change in the 1970s and '80s, the federal government turned the American public on to SUVs. Now it's looking for ways to wean us off that addiction—so quickly that it might affect the improvements we've made in safety in recent...Read More»
The days of unrestricted driver's licenses at age 16 are, for the most part, long gone. Yet not all states have acted to reel in teen drivers and help keep them safe. Now, the federal government is poised to step on what, some would argue, is each state's domain. A bill introduced to Congress this...Read More»
The United States Supreme Court today ruled that the family of a woman killed in an accident in 2002 would be allowed to proceed with its suit against Mazda despite Mazda's compliance with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulations on rear-seat safety belts. The federal ruling...Read More»
Thomas Friedman, an op-ed columnist at The New York Times, often fancies himself an expert on the auto industry. He was a huge Toyota fan, lauding the company as the model for the entire industry, and openly contemptuous of pre-bankruptcy General Motors. He does, however, have interesting ideas...Read More»
If you read the news yesterday, you probably saw a recap of the day on Capitol Hill, with lots of attention given to the freshman Representatives. But journalists aren't the only ones keeping an eye on the 112th Congress; lobbyists and advocacy groups are watching, too, hoping that this will be...Read More»
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has rejected a request from two recently elected GOP governors-to-be asking to cancel light-rail projects in the works and funnel the money elsewhere. Ohio governor-elect John Kasich wants to use $400 in federal funds pledged to a Cleveland-to-Cincinnati...Read More»
Volkswagen may have trouble meeting its lofty 2018 sales goals, and Democrats may have suffered losses at the polls yesterday, but together, they can...sell cars to South Africa. Take a good look at that ad on the left. Enlarge it if you must. That is, indeed, President Obama's "Yes, we can" slogan...Read More»
Today's Election Day. And because you've probably reached a point of fatigue from all those recorded turnout calls and negative campaign ads, you won't find any voters' guides, party-platform debates, or big endorsements here at High Gear Media—well, except possibly over at Politics and Cars...Read More»
Many people probably missed Ed Whitacre's chatter about General Motors upcoming IPO. It happened smack in the middle of a very busy week, in the aftermath of "Voltgate". Heck, GM didn't even bother clarifying Whitacre's statements until Friday afternoon, when most sensible people were goofing...Read More»
