Missed Shift? American Top Gear struggles to find its own identity

"What happened to Top Gear?" my favorite bartender asked this past weekend. "Somebody took the BBC's scripts and wrote Tanner, Rutledge and Adam over cues which previously said Jeremy, Richard and James," I replied. It's an easy sideswipe I admit, but for me--and I'm guessing for the automotive enthusiasts who constitute AutoWeek's audience--it largely tells the tale.

General Motors to shut down Saab

General Motors has announced that it will be closing the Saab brand after the company was unable to strike a deal with Spyker Cars. This follows from last month's withdrawal of would-be suitor Koenigsegg, leaving Spyker the sole contender in the acquisition of the ailing Swedish brand. According to Nick Reilly, GM's European president, the company has decided to cut its losses: "Despite the best efforts of all involved, it has become very clear that the due diligence required to complete this complex transaction could not be executed in a reasonable time.

US Government urged to promote diesel cars, NOT electric & hybrid

Diesel cars best option says former US Transport Secretary Former American Transport Secretary Norman Mineta is urging the US Government to promote high efficiency diesels instead of electric and hybrid cars. Just like the UK government, the US government seems obsessed with promoting electric and hybrid cars as the way of the future, something anyone who really knows cars will tell you is a nonsensical approach. Hybrid and electric cars are too costly to produce and have little appeal for the car buying public.