ON THE TABLE

August 10, 2011

GM. The Good News? The company plans to reduce the number of its vehicle architectures from the 30 it had in 2010 to 14 by 2018, with 90 percent of its vehicles to be built off its core global platforms in seven years. This is designed to save boatloads of money, of course. GM builds just 6 percent of its vehicles off global platforms now. The Bad News? They're five years behind the compeition in getting this done because they were late to the party to begin with and the bankruptcy compounded it. The potential Ugly News? GM plans to cut the number of its engine platforms from around 20 in 2009 to around 10 sometime after 2018. Will this have a negative effect on high-performance engine choices? Yes.

GM. They want to take Opel upmarket in Europe to compete more head-on with VW, presenting the Opel brand as a competent alternative. Then they want to establish Chevrolet as GM's entry-level brand. It's a good plan in theory, but Opel's legacy and reputation have been so tarnished of late that GM's once strong German brand is reeling because of it. It will take time and a ton of money just to move the needle a little bit for Opel in the German market. Just remember it took Audi twelve long years to turn its image around in its homeland. Turning Opel around? Let's just say it's notgonnahappen overnight.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: The buzz on the movie "Drive" is building by the minute. The story concerns a Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheel man, only to discover that a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong. Starring the excellent Ryan Gosling, with Carey Mulligan, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman and what looks to be a completely unexpected and freaky dramatic performance by Albert Brooks, "Drive" hits theaters on September 16th. Watch the trailer here. - PMD

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Our "Quick Take" this week has us in the 2012 Audi A7. There probably isn't an auto enthusiast out there who is unaware that Audi is on a roll these days. This car company has been on an upward trajectory in the U.S. market and around the globe for at least a decade now, even though they've been hard at work at improving their status for at least twice that long, and there's no end in sight. The latest expression of Audi is the A7, the bold answer to other four-door coupes in the market - specifically the Mercedes-Benz CLS - and yet another compelling design statement from the German luxury-performance brand that marches to a different drummer. Being the brand that also loves to take risks, Audi features a hatchback in the A7, which, as other reviews have already beaten to death, is completely unexpected and "risky." But the way Audi does it is not risky at all, because the A7 has such a clean and ultra-contemporary vibe about it that you don't even think about the hatchback, until you need it, of course. As for the rest of the A7 it's typical Audi inside and out, which means it's excellent everywhere. It goes without saying that the A7 interior is stunning and superbly executed, but beyond that the car is almost flawless dynamically too, and after that you just run out of compliments. (I did find one thing that I didn't like about the A7, and that is that the switchgear is cheap and cheesy feeling and certainly not up to the fit, finish, and level of execution in the rest of the car.) I hate to add on to the "me-too" chorus of huzzahs! aimed Audi's way, but there's no denying that the A7 is simply superb from nose to tail and at this point in time, it's the State of the Automotive Art.  - PMD

2012 Audi A7 3.0 TFSI quattro Auto Tiptronic Sedan: $66,220, ($59,250 Base Price; Garnet Red pearl effect, $475; 3.0-liter 310HP supercharged V6 with FSI direct fuel injection; 8-speed Tiptronic transmission; Platinum Plus - 19" wheels with all-season tires, Audi navigation plus with MMI touch, Audi Connect/Google Earth (with 6 month complimentary subscription), Front and rear parking sensors with rear view camera, HD radio, Auto-dimming, manual folding, heated exterior mirrors, 7" color Driver Information System - $3,620; 20" Sport Package - 20" wheels with summer performance tires, Sport suspension, 3-spoke multifunction steering wheel & shift paddles - $1,500; Auto side assist, $500; Destination Charge, $875).

(Ford)
The 2012 Ford Harley-Davidson™ F-150 offers a new premium exterior color choice – White Platinum Tri-Coat – along with snakeskin leather interior accents and unique body side graphics. Also new for 2012 are 22-inch machined-aluminum wheels with painted accents and unique center cap. Voice-activated Navigation, a 4.2-inch productivity screen, power moon roof and Remote Start System are all standard. The Harley F-150 is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 gasoline engine, which uses big-bore architecture to deliver a best-in-class 411 horsepower and 434 lb.-ft. of torque and provides maximum trailer towing capability of 7,500 pounds.

(Audi)
From the "We'll Believe It When We See It File" comes the Audi urban concept, a 1+1-seat, ultra-light technical study for congested urban spaces "combining elements of a racing car, a fun car and an urban car into one radical new concept" according to Audi. Focusing on lightweight construction and efficiency, the concept car concentrates on the "pure essence of sporty motion." Where's Gordon Murray's "Rocket" when we really need it?