Chrysler’s rank-and-file are voting against the new contract just as often as they’re voting in favor of it through the weekend polling and the new deal may not get approval. This could make things more complicated with Ford negotiations.

If Chrysler employees vote the deal down, it will represent UAW President Ron Gettelfinger’s first significant setback during his tenure atop the UAW. The senior leadership is will lobby employees this week at the Sterling Heights, Mich. and Belvidere, Ill. plants to vote in favor of the deal and secure its overall approval.

Chrysler voting got off to a tough start last week when 80% of hourly employees at the St. Louis North truck plant voted against the contract. The result was a surprise because the plant had received one of the stronger future product guarantees in the new pact. Other plants that have voted against the contract, include: Detroit Axle in Warren, Mich.; St. Louis South in St. Louis and Newark, Del. The Newark plant is scheduled to close.
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Recently, in the Carnival of Wheels, somebody made a comment about the incredible number of Prius’ on the road. I replied that we don’t see them here in the Toronto area. While in Connecticut, I see what they were talking about. These things are everywhere. The funny thing is that while traveling at 80 mph, I was passed by at least 4 of them.

A hybrid at over 80 miles per hour! Why bother you MORONS!

It’s been a crazier week than normal here in The Garage. I took a 3 day business road trip to Connecticut and back, while Gary Faules and the rest of Team California’s Best are on the road trip of a lifetime to La Carrera Panamerica. I was pleased as punch to arrive home yesterday afternoon to find my advance copy of The Driver had arrived, complete with a personal note from Herr Roy. I’m already 4 chapters in, so you can expect to hear more on that topic soon. For now, it’s time to strap in and take a hot lap around the auto blogs for another week. It’s late in the day, so crack open a cold one and join me, won’t you?

Let’s start this week’s CoW with some splash for a good cause. On November 11, GM is hosting a night of stars and cars in Dubai with proceeds going to the Dubai Autism Center charity. As one of the most opulent places on the planet, you can be sure that GM is going to pull out all the stops on this one. I’d love to go, but I believe GM is already sending me to Santa Monica on the 12th. Hmmm..let me think a minute. I suppose I could be convinced to switch venues and join Ask Patty for the trip! Look out Jody, I’ll take the seat next to you!
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Our man on the west coast, Gary Faules and the rest of the Team California’s Best have made it to Laredo, Texas where they’ve rendezvoused for the trip into Mexico en mass. Last night was the first of many La Carrera Panamerica event parties, let’s hope everyone behaved!
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While I’ve only been here a day, Connecticut is weird. Firstly, it has to be the whitest place in the world. That in itself is odd, when you consider how ethnically diverse the place is. It’s hard to describe the vibe here. The closest thing I can compare it to is that it feels like a bad Seinfeld episode.

This morning at breakfast, there was the couple in their late Forties. She was dressed straight out of the Preppy Handbook. That said, so was he, right down to the button down, blue blazer and grey flannels. At breakfast. There was no question as she bitched her way through breakfast that she wore the pants in the family, until he finally exploded with “how many times are you going to tell me that. I don’t care!” Then, at his wife’s bidding, he began to berate the front desk clerk about the fact that they had to pay for breakfast.

Then of course, there was the 40 something east coast dyke in one of those Polo golf dresses. You know the ones, it looks like Ralph Lauren lengthened the golf shirt into a dress. If I remember the Preppy Handbook correctly, women are supposed to stop wearing that dress when they are about 14.
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The voice was muffled, but the words were audible and ringing with authority: “Back out of there slowly and keep your hands in sight.” At the moment of that command, I was headfirst down the driver’s side well, with a flashlight in my mouth, my hands desperately trying to re-join the linkage of the accelerator pedal to the carburetor rod, and my legs sticking out above the driver’s seat. From the viewpoint of a passing California Highway Patrolman, the image of a bright red convertible parked by the side of the highway with a pair of legs waving like semaphore flags, may possibly have created at least a degree of suspicion.

It was 10:00 on a moonlit summer night, and I was on my way back from San Luis Obisbo to my home in Santa Barbara. The top was off on my custom built ’28 Bugatti Type 55, and the throaty exhaust of the modified Porsche engine in third gear was like a massage to my soul as we cruised under the bright light of a full moon through the pass on Highway 154 alongside the lake and stream, and eventually over the incredible historic bridge just south of Lake Cachuma. Just as I roared across the bridge, I felt a pop under my foot and the Bugatti instantly decelerated. I braked to a stop in a wide spot off the road and turned off the motor. With the help of a flashlight, I could see that the accelerator pedal had pulled loose, and since there were no doors on this coupe, I had to dive headfirst to the bottom of the well to repair the damage.
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Chrysler and Cerberus couldn’t provide the UAW with specific product guarantees because they’ve figured out they have too many vehicles that do too little for sales and the bottom line.

The Auburn Hills, MI-based automaker is expected to cut at least five vehicles from its product lineup, including the much ballyhooed, but cannibalizing Jeep Commander. Did they really need another Grand Cherokee that, if possible, looks cheaper and is less comfortable? Clearly not.

Other models expected to get the boot include the Dodge Magnum wagon and PT Cruiser. Additionally, newly hired executive Jim Press, fresh from Toyota North America, sat in a Sebring and discovered in less than five seconds why Chrysler is having some problems: the interiors look cheap. So the automaker is also undertaking a review of its interiors and will made adjustments according, according to a published report.

Tweaking the interiors is just one of many changes Cerberus is going to be trying to affect over the next two years. Shutting down plants is likely next and in spite of the new contract being more favorable to the UAW than many expected, it does allow for the closure of some plants.

However, Chrysler is not the only one that should be and probably will be reviewing product lineups. Ford is still seeing Wall Street analysts call for the death of the Mercury brand. They cannot see the value in the mid-level product linuep. For example, a fully equipped Ford Fusion is just as appealing as the Mercury Milan. The only difference is the front fascia, rear fasica and the price. Ford CEO Alan Mulally has said in the past that every aspect of the company is being reviewed. If they’re willing to dismantle the Premier Automotive Group (Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin and Volvo), cutting Mercury might not be as far fetched as some think.

For the first couple of hours, that’s all I saw yesterday. The suddenly, as the Violent Femmes belted out Blister in the sun, the sun broke through and blinded me through the sunroof. It only stuck around for a an hour or so, and then was dreary for the rest of the 9 hour drive.
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“That is one hell of a great sounding and handling car.” Bob Bondurant

Gary and Will Faules had a rest stop yesterday in Phoenix on the way down to Mexico. Following a casino brunch and a bit of good luck (how appropriate) their luck improved even more, with a call from Bob Bondurant’s office. Next thing you know, Lucky was out of the trailer and Gary was being led around Firebird International Raceway by non other than the legendary Shelby racer himself. Gary tells the whole story over at Lucky’s build blog.

Gary, on the return trip, why not put Bob in the car and then compare lap times?

While we’ve had lots of west coast news thanks to Gary Faules and Lucky, it’s been a while since we’ve had any updates from Aaron Von Minden. While I’m sure things at Designworks are keeping him on his toes, it’s the stuff coming out of SSG that we’re interested in and it seems that things have been humming along quite nicely in the home of Savage Speed.

The smokin’ kool Ford above (and after the break) belongs to Kort Neumann, who is a designer at Honda. With designers who drive stuff this cool, maybe there’s some stylistic hope for Honda yet. Let this man design the next Ridgeline. Aw hell, let Von Minden have at it too!
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