Auto Trends

bailout bill GM, originally uploaded by Shmoomeema

GM announced their 2008 fourth quarter report, and many folks started to mourn the loss of a once great corporation. Their close to $10 billion crash ($9.6 billion to be exact) left a lot of questions towards any future they might have.

Yahoo! Finance broke that number down a bit further, which should really help to drive these numbers home. Every single day, GM is losing approximately $85 million, which translates to $3.5 million every hour, $58,333 every minute, and $972 every single second. Those are some pretty gruesome numbers for anyone’s standards!

This brings GMs loss totals for 2008 to $30.9 billion. In addition, reports suggest that GM is most likely facing another $14 billion loss for 2009, most of that taking place during the first quarter. The lack of demand for their vehicles, not to mention their excruciating operating overhead is going to take them awhile to get under control, although they are pleading with the government, among others, to give them a chance to get things under control.

This explains GMs recent request for the U.S. Government to fork over an additional $16.6 billion to keep them afloat for the next several months. Rumor has it that upon news of the fiscal year slaughter, staff members of the White House economic team have begun to source out funding for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Recent polls concerning the Big Three show that 70 percent of American’s don’t believe that the auto industry should receive anymore support from tax payers this year.

A scheduled meeting with U.S Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner, and White House economic adviser, Larry Summers, is set to take place with GMs Chief Executive, Rick Wagoner, to look at the dwindling options that are available at this point. Chrysler is most likely to follow suit, with Ford bringing up the rear. This is one time when it is actually good to be in last place!

Source: U.S. News

All Photos via the Rinspeed Website

What does a great innovator do after having completed the design of one of the most innovative underwater capable vehicles in the world… the Rinspeed sQuba. Well, they follow the rest of the iCrowd and create a vehicle which is partially controlled by your iPhone, and call it what other than a Rinspeed iChange.

It is obvious that one day we are all going to have to purchase one of these iThinger-ma-jigs whether we want to or not. You can’t really download and listen to music on some software without one, you can’t use various cell phone convenience features (such as the GoodGuide shopping buddy), and now you can’t even start up your own freaking James Bond car without it!

Rinspeed iPhone Features
But hey, that’s cool, the iChange is actually a whole lot more than just a vehicle run by an iPhone. Yes, it clips to the side of the dash, where your key might go, and starts the car. Well, not actually starts a motor or anything, as the iChange is an electric vehicle.

Once the vehicle is in ready mode, the iPhone can also be used to switch the headlights on or off, plus it can control a few other standard accessories. But this is where the iPhone ends, and the James bond innovation begins.

Rinspeed iChange Shape Altering Feature
One of the coolest features of the iChange, is it is actually designed for the one-man-band so to speak. It is a one-seater initially, which allows this electric vehicle to maintain a rather quick 0-60 of just 4.2 seconds, and a top speed of well over 100 mph. While this may sound like a dream come true to some henpecked husbands, you’re not quite off the hook yet.

With a push of the button, the rear section of the iChange pops back, revealing two more seats… just perfect for a two backseat drivers, including your mother-in-law. But that’s okay, as the iChange comes with a load of other cool features to keep the driver happy no matter who may be complaining in the backseat.

Other iChange Go Fast Hardware
Besides the 150 kW electric engine, the iChange is pumped up with a six-speed gearbox from the infamous Subaru WRX, 17 or 18-inch alloys wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero’s (245/40), and a next-generation Harman/Kardon infotainment system. The chassis is kept rather light and stiff using an intelligent blend of aluminum and steel, followed by a composite outer body shell.

They’ve got to have this baby in the next Bond flick!

Source: MacWorld

HONDA MUGEN INSIGHT, originally uploaded by yukky LAMY

We know that things can’t always stay the same. There are thing that are going to need to change with the new world. But one of the hardest things for us performance car tuning enthusiasts is going to be the line of performance parts for slow, non-performance vehicles, such as the 2009 Honda Insight.

The Mugen Tuned Honda Insight
Mugen Tuning on the other hand has had no reservation what-so-ever when it comes to hopping on the slow vehicle track. While the new Honda Insight has only been out for a few weeks, Mugen has released a full set of tuning products for it. I can already hear those lawn-mower buzzing exhaust notes now.

The Insight Hybrid Intelligent Sports program, as it is called, is Mugen’s way of getting a piece of the hybrid vehicle action. They are telling their customers that they have been hard at work testing and designing everything from aerodynamic body kits from $1,800, to complete suspension upgrades for around $1100.

Body Kits and Handling Upgrades
The body kits offer a front air-dam, flashy grille, side skirts, rear diffuser, side-window visors, adjustable rear wing, and of course the ever important chrome exhaust tip (shaped in a triangle). Since these customers are not your typical tuning crowd, Mugen is luring them in by telling them that each one of these primarily “looks-based” components serves the function of preserving and in many cases actually improving the already impressive aerodynamic body shape of the Insight.

The suspension components lower the Honda Insight by 0.8 inches and should improve handling considerably. You can also opt for some 15 to 16-inch sport rims at $300 to $450 per wheel. The cockpit of the Insight also has a few choice accessories for the race enthusiast, although nothing you can really sink your teeth into, like a sport leather steering wheel or trick shifter.

Interior Accessories Fall Short
Instead the interior gets zapped with some flashy foot mats at $260 a pop and few Mugen badges, for around $20. These will alert all who dare to cross the path of this particular Honda Insight, that it means business… not the “butt-kicking” type of business mind you, but rather the saving the world with excellent fuel economy variety.

At the moment these parts are available primarily in Japan, but with the new electric wave of vehicles coming with the new U.S. administration, I doubt it will take too long for Mugen to realize its potential on the states.

Source: Motor Trend