2009 Detroit Auto Show Photo Gallery 
Top AutoSpies.com News
We start out the week with a new President and some changes in store for the industry. While the Bush administration may not have been best friends with the automakers, it did help them out from time to time, by protecting them from overzealous law makers. The current Obama administration has made it clear that is has other priorities to consider as well. Such as making “Green” the official policy of the administration.
Almost as soon as the new administration went into office, they opened the door to potentially allow states to set their own emission and gas mileage standards. While this may benefit the environment, it could be devastating as a whole to the industry to keep up with more regulations. So should we concentrate on being Green, or just worry about making the green cash first?
While bailouts are springing up all over the world, the way in which a federal government responds with a bailout may be in question. Should a bailout be used to fund only research or to pay workers? While the US bailout is pretty much all encompassing,
the Japanese effort may be setting a new standard by paying idled workers specifically during layoffs. But is this going to be enough? That question is one to ponder as rumors circulate that the mighty Toyota Corporation is suffering they same issues as the Detroit 3.
The losses are mounting so fast that even the Japanese automaker’s vast resources are no match for the money lost at the bottom. Who would have thought this a year ago?
What would cause you to make the switch back to an American car? Agent00J though he may have stumbled on to the answer. Actually 415 ponies might equate to the over 400 reasons for some. But others were not as easily swayed from their imported perches.
But while horsepower is impressive, to get the total package for under $40,000 might be the real answer. Let’s see, do I have room for two muscle cars or just one M5?
Over the last few years it is easy to say the lines between luxury and mainstream have been blurred. No longer is leather and electronic gadgetry limited to the upper end. But are some brands merely pretenders or are they now the real stuff? Is that new Lexus really worth $55,000, or does the $40,000 Avalon work just fine?
Agent009 let you sound off on just who deserves to be a luxury icon. You better read up and see if your choice either thumbs up, or just taking you for a ride.
