June 29, 2011
Editor's Note: Watch The Autoextremist deliver some news from last week and an abbreviated version of last week's "twitter" Rant on John McElroy's Autoline Daily here. - WG
Alan Mulally. The Ford CEO has been named "2011 Chief Executive of the Year," an honor bestowed upon an outstanding corporate leader, nominated and selected by a group of his or her peers. Nominations for CEO of the Year were garnered from among the 147,000 readers of Chief Executive magazine. The 10 most frequently cited nominations were evaluated and a winner voted upon at a meeting of a peer Selection Committee, which took place earlier this year in New York City. Prior CEO of the Year winners include such luminaries as Bill Gates, Jack Welch, Michael Dell, Andy Grove and Herb Kelleher. "The success he showed in the face of incredible difficulty was just extraordinary," said James Turley, chairman and CEO, Ernst & Young and member of the 2011 Selection Committee. "The foresight he showed throughout the process, the courage he showed in making some tough decisions on popular brands, the global mindset he showed, and above all, the statesmanship he showed when two major competitors were on the public dole shows he was thinking for the good of the country as well as his company and industry." "The turnaround and triumph of Ford is an amazing success story, due largely to his talents, leadership and courage," said Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant and 2010 CEO of the Year. "It's a turnaround not only of an American icon but more importantly, a global icon, as well." Amen.
Driving in Europe. The anti-car movement is gaining steam all over Europe, and it's more than a little disconcerting to European automobile manufacturers to say the least. In Monday's New York Times, in a story with the headline "Europe Stifles Drivers in Favor of Alternatives" the picture for the automobile is looking grim. In Zurich, the anti-car message is everywhere you go. Circling around Löwenplatz, one of Zurich’s busiest squares, "cars are now banned on many blocks. Where permitted, their speed is limited to a snail’s pace so that crosswalks and crossing signs can be removed entirely, giving people on foot the right to cross anywhere they like at any time." reported the Times. "As he stood watching a few cars inch through a mass of bicycles and pedestrians, the city’s chief traffic planner, Andy Fellmann, smiled. 'Driving is a stop-and-go experience,' he said. 'That’s what we like! Our goal is to reconquer public space for pedestrians, not to make it easy for drivers.' " And that's our very depressing AE Quote of the Week.
GM. The Detroit-based car company is donating $2.5 million through its General Motors Foundation to the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. The college will rename an auditorium after the automaker. Nice.
Chrysler Group, Wieden+Kennedy. Editor-in-Chief's Note: The Italian-American automaker's "Imported from Detroit" Super Bowl ad featuring Eminem has won five awards at the Cannes Lions 58th International Festival of Creativity in Cannes, France. The spot captured four "Gold Lions" for Best Script , Best Direction, Best Use of Music and Best Automotive Commercial. A Bronze Lion was also awarded for Best Editing. Unfortunately, the Chrysler Group's self-appointed ad wizard, Olivier Francois, has now beat that concept to death with repetitive spots that lack even a shred of the impact of the original SB ad, but such is the nature of being a "genius" - you keep going to the well until someone taps you on the shoulder and says "stop." Unfortunately for Chrysler there's no one out in Auburn Hills who has the knowledge to know any better or the balls to rein Francois in. Such is life in the big, bad world of auto advertising in 2011. Anyway, congrats to all the people at Wieden+Kennedy involved in bringing the spot to life. - PMD
The Obama Administration. With the Obama Administration hell bent on pushing a new fleetwide mileage standard with an average of 56.2 mpg for cars and light trucks by the 2025 model year, battle lines are being drawn and predictably the political agendas threaten to overwhelm any practical realities involved, especially in terms of the costs of these standards. When you have politicos trying to tell an industry how much this stuff is going to cost per car - when their numbers are based on a fantasy land cocktail of enviro-think and "formulas" generated by sympathetic denizens of academia - they're bound to get it horribly wrong. This is going nowhere good, fast, folks. Count on it.
Editor's Note: Grand Teuton.
By now, my devoted fans (all five of you) know that I am way into big and luxurious - no, make that big and powerful and luxurious. I also have a distinct bias toward Mercedes-Benz when it comes to luxury brands. I have been able to overlook (or dismiss) things I probably shouldn't because there is just something about the three-pointed star that pulls me in and won't let go. So I was all too happy to spend some time last week with the 2011 Mercedes-Benz E550. And let me just say, when Mercedes is 'on', they're really on. The E550 is everything a luxury sedan should be. First of all, I love how solid it feels - as in, like a tank. The thick leather steering wheel and super-supportive seats only reinforce this impression - you know you're behind the wheel of a substantial machine. Then there's the 382-hp V8, with its healthy 391 lbs-ft of torque, which propels you down the road with ease. (My driving impressions do not take into account the AMG lineup - that is, as they say, a whole 'nother country and one I would happily inhabit.) Inside the E550, the luxury is abundant, yet understated. I absolutely loved the 'tone-on-black interior concept' (included in the Sport Package and a no-charge option!), which I think means black wood and black leather and black surfaces of all types pretty much everywhere. I think the PO2 Premium Package is a bit pricey at $6900 (although the sound system rocks), and I don't need the Driver Assistance Package at $2950 (there's a sudden staccato movement to the steering wheel if the Active Lane Keeping Assist detects that you're straying from your lane - I thought I was having a biological event until I figured out what was going on). One thing about Mercedes, however - you always know you're in a Benz - the way it sounds, the way it smells, the way it feels. It's indulgent but not over the top - a perfect daily driver and an awesome road-trip vehicle. A few weeks back, I raved about the 2011 Jaguar XJL. It still stands out as an exceptionally elegant and refined car, but for my money (and at a base price that's more than 20 grand less than the Jag), I would take the Benz all day long. It does what you need it to do, and it delivers abundant luxury, as well as Teutonic engineering and solidity in spades. -WG
2011 Mercedes-Benz E550: $71,100, ($57,100 Base Price; Iridium Silver, $720, 115V AC Power Outlet, $115; Drive-Dynamic Multi-contour Driver Seat w/Massage $660; Night View Assist PLUS, $1,780; PO2 Premium Package: COMAND System with 40GB hard drive GPS navigation system, real-time traffic data, voice control 6GB music register, harmon/kardon LOGIC7 surround-sound audio with HD radio, Sirius satellite radio and iPod/MP3 media interface and cable, heated and active ventilated front seats, power rear-window sunshade, rearview camera, Bi-Xenon headlights with Active Curve Illumination, Adaptive High Beam Assist, LED daytime running lights, headlight washers and KEYLESS-GO, electronic trunk closer, $6,900; Sport Package:18"AMG Twin 5-spoke alloy wheels with all-season tires, sport body styling, aluminum instrument cluster surround, tone-on-black interior concept, front brake calipers with Mercedes-Benz logo, LED daytime running lamps, N/C; Driver Assistance Package: Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, $2,950; Destination and Delivery, $875).
Editor-in-Chief's Note: Our talented friend Casey Shain - aka "artandcolour" - is at it again with a series of his wonderfully evocative and appealing digital stylings, including a 4-door Mustang GT (!!). We trust you'll enjoy viewing them as much as we enjoy presenting them! - PMD
(Digital Art Courtesy of Casey Shain, aka "artandcolour")
Buick Invicta — Buick's 4-door coupe entry, based on the LaCrosse platform. Lower and slinkier than the LaCrosse, with more features, including electronic touchpad entry and power open/close doors. 4 bucket seats and a full length console highlight the interior.
(Digital Art Courtesy of Casey Shain, aka "artandcolour")
Chevrolet Volt Coupe - I extended the controversial black beltline trim all the way to the back of the car, separating the painted portion of the C pillar creating a cantilevered look. This is a very subtle homage to GM's "flattop" sedans of 1959-61.
(Digital Art Courtesy of Casey Shain, aka "artandcolour")
Dodge Charger R/T Coupe - A "proper" 2-door Charger with cues from the '68-'70 Chargers.
(Digital Art Courtesy of Casey Shain, aka "artandcolour")
Ford Mustang GT Sedan - Based on the Saleen coupe, this is a modern muscle sedan with a tight 4-place interior.
(Digital Art Courtesy of Casey Shain, aka "artandcolour")
VW Beetle Woody - First I modified the new Beetle coupe into a 4-door car. Then I gave it a classic Woody look. Why not, lol?
(Digital Art Courtesy of Casey Shain, aka "artandcolour")
VW Polo Sport Coupe - 2-seat competitor for the USDM Honda CRZ, available with 3 cylinder turbo,TDI form, and Hybrid models. Styling is a nod to the original Giugiaro Scirocco.