Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category

GreenCarReports.com, a partner site to TheCarConnection, carried this story yesterday regarding the new federal economy standards. Editor-in-Chief John Voelcker cleaved through much of the rhetoric to highlight some important points overlooked by many media outlets.

Namely; - That California retains its rights to set its own standards after 2016. - That a new energy policy is coming, and that this is code speak for a huge new gas tax.

The first point clearly contradicts one of the main goals of the new regulation, that is to have one national standard. At least there will only be one set of rules for the next six years ... that gives...

Ready for a Ford Focus that costs as much as a Fusion--or a more expensive used car?

Today's announcement of new fuel-economy regulations by the Obama administration means the price of a new car is going up--and at the same time, used cars might get pricey as well in a one-two punch to consumers.

By the numbers, the new rules mean from 2012 through 2016, automakers must boost fuel economy 5 percent a year until cars average about 42 mpg and trucks, 26 mpg, for a blended average of 35.5 mpg in 2016. The Obama administration says this will have the net effect of saving nearly 2 billion barrels of oil over the life of the new rules, and will...

According to inside sources who wish to remain anonymous, Cobo Center (the current home of the Detroit Auto Show) is currently the absolute most expensive and flat-out worst convention center in the world that hosts a major auto show.

Detroit City Council member Monica Conyers, what to you think of that?

Conyers often refers to Cobo Center as a "crown jewel" of Detroit. We're not sure what type of jewel Cobo is, but we do know that during April's AutoRama indoor car show, Cobo's roof leaked on the custom cars that were on display ... so maybe the jewel is some kind of porrous rock?

Detroit's new mayor, Dave Bing (who thankfully doesn't have...