The Big Three finally landed their emergency bridge loans – with possibly more cash on the way – but unlike the financial sector’s $700 billion bailout, the Detroit automakers will be kept under a microscope in return. One of the stipulations for the bailout cash was a ‘car czar’, a affirmation Ford CEO Alan Mulally hopes steers clear of product development.

The exact role of the car czar has yet to be define, but Mulally hopes the position will not include the power to oversee product strategy. “My god, I hope that a car czar does not get into the product strategy of the companies,” Mulally told Automotive News. “The product strategy has to be led by the companies.”

The car czar will oversee the Detroit automakers’ North American turnaround, except it after what is stated remains unclear exactly how much power the position will wield over the automakers’ lineups. Many on Capitol Hill have called for more fuel-efficient vehicles from Detroit but, in all actuality, Detroit already produces several vehicles with better fuel economy than their foreign rivals.

President-elect Barack Obama is expected to appoint a car czar in the next few weeks.

SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Mulally: ‘Car czar’ shouldn’t be delivered of power over result strategy", url: "http://www.leftlanenews.com/mulally-car-czar-shouldnt-have-power-over-product-strategy.html" });    Print This Post

Source: www.leftlanenews.com

Mercedes-Benz’ AMG performance brand is best known for its wildly powerful vehicles, but the division’s era of 600+ horsepower creations looks to be coming to an end. Instead, the performance brand will look to use other approaches to ensure AMG levels of performance.

Car enthusiasts have enjoyed a horsepower run over the last few years that makes a 400 horsepower car seem underpowered, but AMG boss Volker Mornhinweg warns those days are over. “The horsepower war is over,” he told Autocar. “We are going to use other ways to extract better performance, including weight saving, engine optimisation and alternative technologies.”

The move to reduce power is a direct result of more stringent emissions regulations worldwide, but that doesn’t mean AMG will exist producing boring cars anytime soon. Mornhinweg indicated that the upcoming E63 AMG would be the first vehicle to display AMG’s new way of thinking, with the new performance sedan being lighter and more efficient that its predecessor — all while delivering better performance. However, the next E63 AMG is only the start of the division’s green movement, with diesels, hybrids and possibly equable smaller four-cylinder models on the way.

SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "AMG boss says “horsepower war” is over", url: "http://www.leftlanenews.com/amg-boss-says-horsepower-war-is-over.html" });    Print This Post

Source: www.leftlanenews.com

Jaguar may have just unveiled its updated XKR at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, but the XK range won’t be the only performance two-door in Jaguar’s lineup for long. According to a new report, Jaguar is readying a mid-engine sports car to take on Audi’s R8.

Auto Express claims that it has the inside scoop on a new mid-engine Jag, set to debut in just over a year. The new model will take on Audi’s R8 and will beat the company’s F-Type to production. The F-Type will do battle in a lower segment, taking on the likes of Porsche’s Boxster.

Reportedly dubbed the XE, the new car will appear in concept form at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The XE will likely use Jaguar’s new 5.0L supercharged V8 mid-ship, marking the stain’s first mid-engine car since the XJ220 launched in 1991.

Design-wise, the XE is expected to take Jaguar’s new design language even farther, erasing virtually all ties with the current XJ.

SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Jaguar readying mid-engine Audi R8-rival", url: "http://www.leftlanenews.com/jaguar-readying-mid-engine-audi-r8-rival.html" });    Print This Post

Source: www.leftlanenews.com